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Former Trump Appointee Says MAGA Movement Is ‘Dead’

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A former Trump administration official is lighting a match under the MAGA movement—and claiming it’s already burned out.

Carrie Prejean Boller, once appointed by Trump to the White House Religious Liberty Commission, declared Monday that “MAGA is dead,” accusing the president of abandoning his “America First” roots and aligning U.S. foreign policy with Israel in the escalating conflict with Iran.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Prejean Boller didn’t hold back.

“I think that a foreign country has occupied our government, and we are seeing now that this president of the United States of America is being influenced by a foreign government,” she said.

“And MAGA, let me tell you right now, MAGA is dead. It is deader than dead, and Americans are furious. We don’t recognize President Donald J. Trump anymore,” she added, calling Trump a “dear friend” she no longer recognizes.

Her comments come amid a growing fracture inside the Republican coalition following U.S.-Israel joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28—an operation that has reignited debate over what “America First” actually means in practice.

Prejean Boller herself was recently ousted from the Religious Liberty Commission after being accused of attempting to “hijack” a hearing on antisemitism. Trump had appointed her to the role in May 2025.

But she’s far from alone in her criticism.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Trump’s fiercest allies, is also breaking ranks—calling the strikes a betrayal of campaign promises.

“The American people did not vote for this,” Greene told CNN. “I went to, I can’t even tell you, countless rallies all over the country for President Trump… and we said on every single rally stage, ‘No more foreign wars, no more regime change.’”

The internal rupture deepened further Tuesday when Joe Kent abruptly resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center—the first Trump official to step down in protest over the Iran conflict.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote on X. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

The White House swiftly dismissed that claim. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the suggestion that Trump was influenced by Israel “insulting and laughable.”

Despite the high-profile defections, early polling suggests the MAGA base hasn’t moved nearly as much as its loudest critics. An NBC News survey found just 5% of self-identified MAGA Republicans opposed the initial strikes.

Prejean Boller isn’t buying it.

“I talk to MAGA people all day long, every day, and the everyday, average American is absolutely against this war,” she said. “And they know that the only reason why we are even in Iran right now is because of Israel.”

Trump Lifts Jones Act Shipping Rule To Lower Oil Costs Amid Iran War

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump has issued a 60-day waiver of the century-old Jones Act, allowing foreign ships to transport oil and other resources between U.S. ports, a White House official told FOX Business on Wednesday.

The Jones Act requires that cargo shipped between U.S. ports be carried on American-built, American-owned vessels crewed primarily by U.S. citizens. The temporary waiver suspends those requirements to ease short-term supply disruptions.

“President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is another step to mitigate disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement posted on X. “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow more freely to U.S. ports.”

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the move as a short-term fix tied to ongoing military operations, saying it would help “vital resources…flow freely” during the disruption.

But the backlash was immediate.

Shipping industry groups warn the waiver could sideline U.S. workers under the guise of emergency policy. And despite the political urgency, they say consumers shouldn’t expect relief at the pump — the estimated impact on gas prices is basically negligible.

At the same time, frustration is building inside the administration over allies who are largely staying out of efforts to secure the Strait.

Trump made that frustration public, floating the idea that maybe those countries should handle the problem themselves.

“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Straight?’ (sic) That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!” Trump wrote.

Political Strategist Predicts Date Trump Will Quit White House

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville is once again making a bold political prediction—this time suggesting that President Donald Trump could abruptly abandon the presidency if Republicans suffer major losses in the 2026 midterm elections.

In a Monday video for Politicon, Carville argued that mounting political and economic pressures—including voter frustration over inflation and fallout from Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict—could culminate in a dramatic exit from office. He pointed to what he expects will be a strong Democratic performance in the midterms, potentially flipping control of both chambers of Congress.

“Everything that he tries blows up in his face. I’m telling you, I think he’s just going to quit next year by this time. I think he’s just going walk away because the Democrats control the House and the Senate. No one’s going to pay attention to him. The fiscal condition of the country is beyond in the ditch. The Iran thing has turned into just a catastrophe of the first order,” Carville said.

Carville’s remarks come as several recent polls have shown Republicans facing a difficult electoral map in 2026, with Democrats holding advantages in key swing districts and Senate races. While election outcomes remain uncertain, early indicators suggest the possibility of a significant shift in congressional power.

Trump himself has acknowledged the stakes of the midterms, warning supporters that a Democratic victory would likely trigger renewed impeachment efforts. He has repeatedly claimed that Democrats would “immediately” pursue investigations and charges if they regain control of Congress, framing the election as a referendum not just on policy, but on his political survival.

Carville also used his appearance to sharply criticize the administration’s approach to Iran, referring to the conflict as a “racket war” and calling for Democrats to make the issue of war profiteering central to their campaign messaging. He even proposed the creation of a commission to investigate companies that may have benefited excessively from the conflict.

“It has to be, we’re gonna have a commission to thoroughly examine war profiteering and those that have been justly profited off of war, unjustly. Some people are gonna, you know, they have to have fuel in airplanes. I can’t blame somebody for selling fuel to put in an airplane and have to a certain amount of materials and ammunition and food and all of those things that happened. But I’m talking about something way beyond that. Way beyond that. And you, my dear people, are owed an explanation, and you’re also owed accounting,” he said.

Carville went further, urging Democratic candidates to explicitly commit to such an investigation if they win back power.

“Please ask Democratic candidates to commit themselves to a commission to determine the extent of war profiteering that has taken place during this idiocy that this jacka** started,” he said.

Watch:

While Carville is known for his provocative predictions, his comments underscore the high political stakes surrounding the 2026 midterms. With control of Congress—and potentially the trajectory of Trump’s presidency—on the line, both parties are already framing the election as a defining moment in the current political era.

GOP Lawmaker Warns Trump Against One Move That Would ‘Destroy’ Republican Party

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) issued a stark warning Tuesday to President Trump, cautioning that a unilateral move to withdraw the United States from NATO could fracture the Republican Party and trigger long-lasting internal divisions.

“If he broke up NATO on his own, it would be a civil war in the Republican caucus, or the conference,” Bacon warned CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “Most of us would find that totally unacceptable, and I’m not alone. There’s a large group of us that believe in our alliances and standing up for freedom and pushing back on China and Russia.

“We don’t want war with these guys, but you’ve got to be strong, and if he went in and somehow destroyed or tore up NATO, it would probably destroy the party for many years,” he added. “There would be many that will never forgive that.”

Bacon, a retired Air Force general who has often positioned himself as a more traditional, internationalist Republican, has at times broken with Trump on foreign policy and national security issues. While not a consistent antagonist of the former president, he has repeatedly defended U.S. alliances and a robust global posture—placing him at odds with Trump.

A moment later, Bacon reiterated that he believes the GOP “would implode” if the U.S. were to depart NATO.

His comments came after Trump sharply criticized the alliance earlier Tuesday in a Truth Social post, arguing that U.S. military strength makes reliance on allies unnecessary. The president lashed out at countries reluctant to support U.S. operations tied to escalating tensions with Iran.

“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!” Trump wrote. “Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”

Trump has also been pushing for an international coalition to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has been closed since late February amid the conflict with Iran. The disruption has driven sharp increases in oil, gas, and fertilizer prices worldwide.

On Wednesday, President Trump escalated his rhetoric and floated the idea of shifting responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz to other countries that rely on the strategic shipping route after the U.S. has “finished off” Iran, in a jab at America’s “non-responsive allies.”

“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so-called ‘Strait?’ That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!,” Trump wrote.

Moments later he added: “Remember, for all of those absolute “fools” out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!”

Despite his criticism of NATO, Trump warned Sunday that the alliance faces a “very bad” future if member nations do not contribute more to joint security efforts. He has long argued that NATO countries fail to meet defense spending commitments and has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance.

Bacon’s warning underscores the divide between Republicans on the issue. As a lawmaker preparing to leave Congress, bacon has opted to speak more candidly about the potential political consequences of Trump’s foreign policy approach. His comments reflect broader concerns among establishment-minded Republicans who view NATO as central to U.S. global leadership and national security.

Formed in 1949 to counter Soviet expansion, NATO remains a cornerstone of Western military cooperation. While some Republicans aligned with Trump have dismissed it as outdated, others—like Bacon—argue that abandoning the alliance would not only weaken U.S. influence abroad but is also likely to ignite a damaging rift at home.

Report: White House Reviews Offer To Reopen Homeland Security

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White House negotiators are reviewing a Democratic proposal to fund and reopen the Department of Homeland Security, as talks continue to move slowly. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday that Democrats are not demonstrating urgency in reaching a deal.

According to Republicans familiar with the negotiations, the White House submitted its most recent offer to Senate Democrats more than two weeks ago. Democrats did not provide a counteroffer until late Monday evening.

A White House official confirmed to The Hill that it is currently under review.

Thune told reporters that the administration has already made significant concessions in an effort to reopen the department and restore pay for Transportation Security Administration agents and other critical personnel.

“I was going over last night some of the gives that the White House had made that went above and beyond any initial offers that they put out there, and there’s a lot of stuff in there,” Thune said.

Among those concessions, Thune said, is a proposal to increase funding for body cameras for federal immigration enforcement officials from $20 million to $100 million. He also noted that the White House has предложed additional oversight measures, including audits by the inspector general to identify “noncompliance.”

“There’s a whole bunch of stuff that have been significant gives on the part of the White House,” Thune added.

Despite those offers, Thune criticized Democrats for prolonging the negotiations.

“But the Democrats seem intent on dragging out this political issue,” he said.

Thune also pointed to the 18-day gap between the White House’s last offer and the Democratic response as evidence of a lack of urgency.

“What they want to do is they want to defund law enforcement. They want to defund ICE, and they want to defund CBP,” he said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. We got to have a meaningful conversation where we sit down at the table and actually work these issues out,” Thune added.

“You can’t get there if you’re not sitting down at the table.”

Trump Official Resigns In Protest Over War With Iran

By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

On Tuesday morning, a Trump administration official announced his immediate resignation due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Joe Kent, the Trump-appointed director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest from his position on Tuesday.

“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” wrote Kent in a letter to Trump, which he also made public on social media:

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.

I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.

In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonstrated this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS.

Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again.

As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.

I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.

It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Trump Says White House Doctors Helped Save Congressman After ‘Terminal’ Diagnosis

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump said Monday that White House physicians helped treat Rep. Neal Dunn, a Florida Republican, after the congressman received what Trump described as a “terminal” medical diagnosis — an episode Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson framed as a dramatic intervention that helped save Dunn’s life.

The president and Johnson recounted the story during remarks at the White House, saying Dunn had continued working in Congress despite what they characterized as a dire prognosis.

“He would be dead by June,” Trump told reporters, describing the severity of the diagnosis Dunn had reportedly received before receiving treatment.

Johnson said the situation came to Trump’s attention after he informed the president about Dunn’s condition. According to Johnson, Trump quickly suggested involving White House medical staff to evaluate the congressman.

“The man has a new lease on life. He acts like he’s 30 years younger,” Johnson said, describing Dunn’s recovery after treatment.

Johnson explained that White House physicians helped coordinate care for the Florida lawmaker and arranged for him to receive treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the premier military hospital that frequently treats senior government officials and members of Congress.

According to Johnson, Dunn underwent emergency surgery shortly after the White House doctors became involved.

Trump praised the speed and professionalism of the medical team, calling the White House physicians “miracle workers.”

“I said, I have to call them. And I called the two doctors. They’re both great. And they immediately went over to see the congressman, and he was on the operating table like two hours later,” Trump added.

Dunn, who represents Florida’s 2nd Congressional District in the state’s Panhandle, is himself a physician. Before entering politics, he served as an Army surgeon and later worked in private medical practice. His medical background has often shaped his work in Congress, particularly on issues involving healthcare policy and veterans’ services.

First elected in 2016, Dunn has served five terms in the House of Representatives and has been a reliable conservative vote on fiscal issues, national defense, and social policy.

In January, Dunn announced that he would not seek reelection in 2026, signaling the end of his congressional career. At the time, he framed the decision as an opportunity to step away from Washington and spend more time with his family.

“I want to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” Dunn said in a statement announcing his retirement.

He also reflected on his legislative priorities during his time in Congress.

“It has been my greatest honor to fight for lower taxes, our military and veterans, the unborn, healthcare innovation, and policies that empower Americans over bureaucracy and addressing threats from Communist China, Russia and others,” he added.

Dunn’s departure comes during a cycle that is already seeing a significant number of lawmakers opt not to run again. As of mid-March, 60 House members have announced they will not seek reelection in the 2026 election cycle, according to the U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery’s “Casualty List.”

That total includes 23 Democrats and 37 Republicans.

Several of those lawmakers are leaving to pursue other offices, including gubernatorial and U.S. Senate bids. Others are retiring outright after years in public service.

Among Republicans, some departures have come through electoral defeat. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, for example, recently lost his primary race to state Rep. Steve Toth.

While Dunn’s decision to retire was announced before the details of his health episode were publicly discussed, the account shared by Trump and Johnson Monday offered new insight into the medical crisis he faced earlier this year — and the role White House doctors played in coordinating the emergency treatment that both men say dramatically improved his outlook.

Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Continue Third-Country Deportations

A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Trump administration may continue swiftly deporting migrants while a legal challenge to the policy proceeds.

In a 2–1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit allowed the deportations to continue and moved to speed up the timeline for the next stage of the case. The panel issued its order without an accompanying explanation.

The Trump administration has expanded the use of “third-country removals” as part of its broader immigration crackdown, deporting migrants to nations other than their countries of origin. The administration has reached agreements with several countries — including Cameroon, South Sudan and Eswatini — to accept deportees.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has defended the policy as a way to remove individuals it describes as particularly dangerous.

In court filings, the administration has also argued that federal judges lack the authority to intervene in how immigration enforcement policies are carried out.

The majority on the three-judge panel included Judge Jeffrey Howard, nominated by former President George W. Bush, and Judge Seth Aframe, a nominee of former President Joe Biden. Judge Lara Montecalvo, also nominated by Biden, dissented.

The ruling lifts limits imposed by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, another Biden nominee, who is overseeing a class-action lawsuit filed last year by four noncitizens challenging the deportation policy.

Murphy ruled last month that the administration could not deport migrants to third countries without first attempting to send them to their country of citizenship or another country with which they have ties.

“It is not fine, nor is it legal,” Murphy wrote in his decision.

His order required immigration authorities to first attempt deportation to a migrant’s country of citizenship or the country normally designated for removal. If that effort failed, Murphy said migrants must be given a “meaningful opportunity” to challenge their deportation once a third country is selected.

Murphy delayed the implementation of his ruling to allow the appeals court time to weigh in. The 1st Circuit’s order keeps his decision on hold while the appeal moves forward.

Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, which represents the migrants, said the group welcomed the expedited timeline.

“While the order unfortunately delays implementation of the decision, we appreciate that the First Circuit ordered a swift resolution of the merits of the government’s appeal,” Realmuto said.

The dispute has already reached the Supreme Court once. Last year, the Trump administration successfully appealed to the high court after Murphy imposed earlier limits on the policy.

In a statement following Monday’s ruling, a DHS spokesperson said the court’s decision supports the administration’s position.

“The Biden Administration allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood our country, and the Trump Administration has the authority to remove these criminal illegal aliens and clean up this national security nightmare,” the spokesperson said. “If these activist judges had their way, aliens who are so uniquely barbaric that their own countries won’t take them back, including convicted murderers, child rapists and drug traffickers, would walk free on American streets.”

Trump Allies Plan Senate Floor Protest To Pass SAVE America Act

President Trump’s allies are preparing to turn the Senate floor into a political pressure cooker this week.

Their target: the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act — a bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Their strategy: keep the Senate debating it for as long as possible.

That plan sets up a major test for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who is under intense pressure from Trump and the MAGA base to drag the fight out and force Democrats to defend their opposition in public.

Republicans are keeping their exact floor strategy under wraps. But one thing is clear: they’re expecting long days, late nights, and a drawn-out showdown.

“This is about exhausting Democrats,” one Republican strategist said bluntly. “The point is pain.”

The goal, he added, is simple: force a public confrontation and see who cracks.

“Is this going to be a fistfight or not? How bloody is Thune going to make this?”

Sen. Mike Lee, one of the bill’s leading champions, says Trump wants Republicans to go all-in. Lee has even pointed to the Senate’s legendary two-month battle over the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as a model.

“What I want to do is maximize the time we debate it,” Lee said.

Back in 1964, he noted, supporters faced a 32-vote cloture deficit when the bill arrived in the Senate. Sixty days later, they had the votes. Lee believes extended debate can work the same way here — by raising public pressure and forcing reluctant lawmakers to reconsider.

Meanwhile, Trump is watching closely. The former president has already warned he won’t sign other legislation until the SAVE Act reaches his desk. Whether he’s satisfied with the Senate fight, Lee said, depends on one thing: whether Republicans “gave it everything we have.”

But there’s a catch.

Thune is already warning that the votes simply aren’t there for some of the more aggressive tactics Trump’s allies want — including forcing Democrats into a “talking filibuster.”

Some Republicans are wary anyway. A talking filibuster could backfire by allowing Democrats to force politically painful amendment votes — including votes on restoring Medicaid cuts or extending Obamacare subsidies. So instead of forcing Democrats to hold the floor indefinitely, Thune appears likely to let Republicans do the talking — keeping the bill on the floor long enough to turn the debate itself into a political weapon.

Democrats say they’re ready.

“We’re prepared for every possible scenario,” Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D) said Sunday.

His caucus views the SAVE Act as a major threat to voting rights. Some Republicans believe Democrats could filibuster the bill for weeks — or even months — by introducing a constant stream of amendments. Which is why the next few days may not just be about passing legislation.

They may be about staging a Senate spectacle.

As Lee put it:

“This bill needs to stay on the floor for as long as it takes.”

Report: White House Chief Of Staff Diagnosed With Cancer

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On Monday, President Trump revealed White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.

“She has a fantastic medical team and her prognosis is excellent,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Trump went on to call Wiles “one of my closest and most important advisors.” 

“Melania and I are with her in every way, and we look forward to working with Susie on the many big and wonderful things that are happening for the benefit of our Country!” the president said.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.