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Leading GOP Candidate In Georgia Governor’s Race Sues Trump-Backed Opponent

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

Billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson filed a defamation lawsuit Monday against Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, his Republican primary opponent in the state’s 2026 gubernatorial race.

The lawsuit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, alleges that Jones made three separate defamatory statements about Jackson on social media over the past week. Jackson’s campaign confirmed the filing Monday morning.

“Burt Jones is learning real fast that the days of him doing and saying anything for his own benefit are coming to an end,” Jackson campaign spokesman Dave Abrams said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation on Monday. “Rick Jackson is holding self-serving politician Burt Jones accountable for his words and his actions.”

In the complaint, Jackson argues that Jones has resorted to personal attacks rather than campaigning on his own record.

“Rather than standing on his record, fighting like an honest man, and earning the trust and support of Georgians, Burt Jones is resorting to what he knows best: cheap and dirty politics,” the complaint states.

Jones’ campaign dismissed the lawsuit and defended the remarks.

“Rick Jackson’s thin skin is showing,” Kayla Lott, a spokesperson for Jones’ campaign, told the DCNF in a statement Monday. “Why is Rick so embarrassed to have received a billion dollars in state contracts, helped Planned Parenthood recruit, and staff a pediatric doctor’s office that serves ‘transgender patients.’ He should be proud Georgia knows how his company made its money.”

The dispute centers on a March 5 post by Jones on X, where he claimed Jackson “made his fortune recruiting for Planned Parenthood, helping doctors perform transgender procedures on minors, and pocketed over $1 billion in state contracts on the backs of Georgia taxpayers,” adding “Georgia’s not for sale.”

The lawsuit escalates an already contentious Republican primary race.

After launching his campaign relatively late on Feb. 3, Jackson has spent nearly $16 million on advertising—almost six times the amount spent by Jones—according to NBC News, citing data from AdImpact.

Recent polling suggests Jackson currently leads the GOP field. A JMC Analytics and Polling survey of likely Republican primary voters released Monday found 37% support Jackson, while 22% backed Jones.

A Quantus Insights poll conducted in February found Jackson leading with 32.6% support among likely GOP primary voters, compared to 16.9% for Jones.

However, an Emerson College poll released March 5 showed a tighter race. The survey found 21% of voters supporting Jones and 20% backing Jackson.

The poll also found Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger—known for clashing with Trump over the 2020 presidential election—receiving 11% support, followed by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr at 6%, while 38% of respondents remained undecided.

Among voters who said President Donald Trump’s endorsement makes them more likely to support a candidate, Jones led with 31% support compared to Jackson’s 21%, according to the Emerson poll.

Under Georgia law, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the May 19 Republican primary, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election scheduled for June 16.

The defamation lawsuit marks the second legal clash between the candidates this year. In February, Jackson and his campaign committee filed a separate lawsuit against Jones challenging a state campaign finance law that Jackson argued gives Jones an unfair advantage in the primary, CBS News reported.

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Senior Iranian Official Issues Deadly Threat To Trump

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
Gage Skidmore Flickr

A senior Iranian official issued a pointed warning to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, escalating tensions after Iran selected a new supreme leader without consulting the United States and as conflict in the region continues to intensify.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responded directly to Trump’s recent warnings about Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The sacrificial nation of Iran doesn’t fear your empty threats,” Larijani wrote on the social media platform X in a post translated by The Associated Press. “Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.”

Larijani’s remarks came after Trump issued a stark warning Monday on Truth Social, threatening severe retaliation if Iran interferes with oil shipments passing through the strategic waterway.

“If Iran does anything that tops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote.

“Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!” he continued. “This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”

The exchange comes as Iran moves forward with a major leadership transition following the death of longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s governing clerical establishment selected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader — a move that has drawn scrutiny abroad and further strained relations with Washington.

Trump said he is skeptical that Iran’s new leader will bring stability to the region.

“I don’t believe he can live in peace,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the new supreme leader of Iran, “would be wise to heed the words of our president, which is to not pursue nuclear weapons and come out and state as such.”

The leadership change comes amid a rapidly expanding regional conflict. Iranian forces launched a new wave of attacks Tuesday targeting Israel and several U.S.-aligned Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to The Associated Press.

In Bahrain, an Iranian strike on a residential building killed a 29-year-old woman and injured eight others.

The escalating confrontation follows the U.S.-Israeli joint military campaign against Iranian targets, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, which began Feb. 28 and aimed to dismantle Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons capabilities.

The conflict has also disrupted global energy markets.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it would block oil exports from the region in response to the attacks.

The Guard said it would not “allow the export of even a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice.”

The threat has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes through the strait each day, making it one of the most critical energy chokepoints in the world.

Shipping traffic has slowed dramatically.

According to monitoring data from hormuzstraitmonitor.com, only two ships passed through the strait in the last 24 hours — far below the typical average of about 60 daily vessels. As of Tuesday, 157 ships remain stranded near the passage, including 98 oil tankers and 34 bulk carriers.

The disruption has already driven up energy prices.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the benchmark for North American markets, rose to just over $90 per barrel Tuesday morning. The national average price for gasoline in the United States climbed to $3.54 per gallon, according to AAA.

Trump has defended the military campaign despite the economic fallout, arguing that higher fuel prices are a necessary cost to eliminate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The spike in oil prices is a “very small price to pay,” he said.

Still, some lawmakers worry the administration may not have fully anticipated the economic consequences.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) criticized the White House for appearing unprepared for the energy market shock.

“For heaven’s sakes, are you telling me you didn’t game this one out?” she told Punchbowl News last week. “I’m starting to think they didn’t game this one out.”

With tensions rising and oil markets rattled, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran appears poised to intensify as Iran’s new leadership consolidates power and the U.S. continues its military pressure campaign.

On Tuesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon that Iran is “fighting, and I respect that.”

“But I don’t think they’re more formidable than what we thought,” he added about Tehran’s defensive capabilities.

“Our strikes mean we’ve made significant progress in reducing the number of missile and drone attacks out of Iran,” Caine also said. “Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downward, 90% from where they’ve started, and one-way attack drones have decreased 83%, since the beginning of the operation.”

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Trump Offers Asylum to Iranian Women’s Soccer Team As International Concerns Grow

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States would be willing to grant asylum to members of Iran’s national women’s soccer team after reports emerged that several players feared retaliation if they returned home following the Asian Cup in Australia.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that the athletes could face severe punishment from Iranian authorities if they are forced back to Iran after being eliminated from the tournament.

“Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump wrote. “Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t,” continued the president. “Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Concerns about the players’ safety escalated after several members of the team reportedly made gestures that were interpreted as protests against the Iranian government.

According to CNN, “amid fears over their safety, five members of the Iranian women’s soccer squad have left the team’s hotel in Australia and are currently safe with police.”

The controversy began shortly after the United States and Israel launched a joint military strike on Iranian targets. During a match earlier in the tournament, Iranian players declined to sing their national anthem before kickoff. The team did not publicly explain the decision, but the act was widely interpreted as a symbolic protest against Iran’s ruling authorities.

Inside Iran, some hardline commentators reportedly labeled the gesture an act of treason.

In subsequent matches on Thursday and Sunday, the players were seen singing the anthem, reportedly under pressure.

Tensions grew further after the team’s final match, when protesters surrounded the team bus and called on authorities to protect the players. Witnesses said demonstrators shouted “save our goals,” while one activist claimed that three members of the team used an internationally recognized hand signal for help.

Athletes in Iran have previously faced punishment for perceived political dissent. Several Iranian athletes who publicly supported the nationwide protests that erupted after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini were arrested, banned from competition, or pressured into public apologies.

International player advocates say the situation surrounding the women’s national team has become increasingly concerning.

Beau Busch, president of the International Federation of Professional Footballers for Asia and Oceania, told reporters that contact with the players has been inconsistent.

“The reality at the moment is that we’re unable to get in touch with the players. That’s incredibly concerning. That’s not a new thing. That’s really been since the repression really dialed up in February, January,” Busch said, adding that “every bit of pressure” is being applied to ensure the athletes’ safety.

Later Monday, Trump said he had spoken directly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the situation and indicated that Australian authorities were working to ensure the players’ protection.

“I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way,” Trump wrote in a second Truth Social post. “Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return. In any event, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Trump’s comments came amid broader international concern about the safety of Iranian athletes and activists abroad, particularly those who publicly challenge the country’s leadership.

Human rights groups have long warned that Iranian authorities sometimes retaliate against family members of dissidents who remain inside the country, creating pressure on individuals overseas to return.

For now, the status of the Iranian women’s national team remains uncertain as authorities in Australia and international sports organizations continue working to ensure the players’ safety.

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Trump Addresses Possibility Of Ordering Boots On The Ground In Iran

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1
President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States is “nowhere near” sending ground troops into Iran to secure enriched uranium reportedly stored at the country’s Isfahan nuclear complex.

In a phone interview with the New York Post, Trump said no decision has been made about deploying American forces on the ground.

“We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Trump told the outlet.

Trump’s comments come after reporters aboard Air Force One asked him Saturday about the possibility of deploying ground troops as part of a potential operation involving Iran.

At the time, Trump indicated such a move would require strong justification.

“There would have to be a very good reason,” he said.

“And I would say if we ever did that, [Iran] would be so decimated they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level,” Trump added on Saturday.

The president also addressed Iran’s leadership transition following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly succeeded him as Iran’s new supreme leader.

Trump said he was displeased with the development, telling the New York Post he is “not happy” that the younger Khamenei has taken power.

Asked what actions he might take in response to Iran’s new leadership, Trump declined to elaborate.

“Not going to tell you. Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him,” Trump said.

In a separate interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump suggested Iran’s new leader would struggle to remain in power without U.S. backing.

“Whoever becomes Iran’s new leader is not going to last long without approval from us,” Trump said.

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Iran Rebukes Trump Demand While Announcing New Supreme Leader

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

Iran has selected a new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following his death in a U.S.-Israeli strike, while rejecting demands from President Donald Trump to have any role in the leadership selection.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the powerful body of senior clerics responsible for choosing the country’s supreme leader — announced Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s 56-year-old son, will succeed his father.

CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, reporting from Tel Aviv, said the decision came just over a week after the killing of Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the conflict with Israel.

“This is just in from Iran’s Assembly of Experts,” Diamond said. “This is the body of senior Iranian clerics responsible for electing the next supreme leader, and they have now chosen, just over a week after the assassination of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor.”

Diamond noted that Mojtaba Khamenei is widely seen as a hardline figure with close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“He is known for having close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his selection will largely be viewed as a continuation of his father’s rule,” Diamond said. “This is quite a hard-line stance for the Assembly of Experts to be choosing as the next supreme leader of Iran.”

According to the report, Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded in the same strike that killed his father. The attack also killed his wife.

His appointment comes amid escalating tensions with the United States and Israel, both of which have sharply criticized Iran’s leadership.

President Trump had previously dismissed the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei becoming supreme leader, calling him a “lightweight” in an interview with Axios and saying such a choice would be unacceptable.

Iranian officials, however, have firmly rejected any suggestion that Washington could influence the selection.

Speaking Sunday on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the choice of supreme leader is strictly an internal matter for Iran.

When asked whether Iran would allow Trump any role in choosing the country’s next leader, Araghchi responded bluntly.

“We allow nobody to interfere in our domestic affairs,” he said. “This is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader. They have already elected the Assembly of Experts, and the Assembly of Experts will do the job. It is only the business of the Iranian people and nobody else’s business.”

Araghchi also pushed back on Trump’s earlier demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

“This is what he asked the previous time in June, when Israel started to attack us,” Araghchi said. “President Trump used the same phrase, ‘unconditional surrender.’ That was the tweet he made. And that didn’t happen.”

“We resisted, and after 12 days Israelis asked for an unconditional ceasefire,” he continued. “So we never give up, we never surrender, and we will continue to resist as long as it takes. We are defending our territory, our people, and our dignity. And our dignity is not for sale.”

Even as Iran moves forward with its new leadership, Israeli officials have issued stark warnings that the country’s next leader will also become a target.

Days before the leadership announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that anyone appointed to lead Iran’s ruling regime could face assassination if they continue policies hostile to Israel and its allies.

“Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people will be an unequivocal target for elimination,” Katz wrote in a post on X.

“It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” he added.

Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for such action as part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Lion’s Roar.

“The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to prepare and act by all means to carry out the mission as an integral part of the objectives of Operation Lion’s Roar,” Katz said.

He added that Israel will continue coordinating with the United States to weaken the Iranian regime and create conditions that could lead to political change inside the country.

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Republican Senator Calls For Stephen Miller To Be Removed From Trump Inner Circle

By
Madeleine Jackson
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President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Sunday that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller should be removed from President Donald Trump’s inner circle, arguing the longtime adviser wields too much influence over administration policy and has contributed to repeated controversies.

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Tillis told host Jake Tapper that Miller has had an “outsized influence” on the administration and is “out of his depth” in his current role.

When asked directly whether Miller should be relieved of his duties, Tillis replied, “Oh, of course I do.”

“Not only does Stephen really want to just paint a picture. He’s not worried about substance. He’s more worried about form,” Tillis said. “But I also think that he has an outsized influence over the operations of the Cabinet. And I believe we have got qualified Cabinet members there that sometimes are doing less than what they want to because of his direction and his outsized influence.”

Miller, one of Trump’s closest advisers since the president’s first campaign, has long been a key architect of the administration’s hardline immigration policies. He currently serves as deputy chief of staff and has played a central role shaping the White House’s approach to border enforcement and deportation initiatives.

Tillis’s remarks come amid broader scrutiny of the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy and leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. The criticism follows a series of controversies, including the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Tillis previously criticized Miller and then–Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after both officials suggested Good and Pretti were acting unlawfully before they were killed, assertions that drew backlash from lawmakers and civil liberties advocates. The North Carolina Republican has called for a thorough investigation into the incidents and greater accountability within DHS.

The comments also come as the administration undergoes leadership changes at the department. Trump recently removed Noem from her post as homeland security secretary following mounting criticism of her tenure and controversies surrounding immigration enforcement operations.

Tillis, who has announced he will not seek reelection, has been among the more vocal Republican critics of the administration’s handling of the Minneapolis incidents and broader immigration enforcement policies. On Sunday, he said the administration should rely more heavily on Cabinet officials rather than informal influence from White House advisers.

“He’s a big problem in this administration,” Tillis said of Miller. “He has been from the beginning.”

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Trump Attends Dignified Transfer of Six US Service Members Killed By Iran

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
KENTUCKY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Air Force Two taxies into the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., on Feb 11, 2011. The base frequently supports visits by the president and vice president when they travel to Louisville. Vice President Joe Biden was in town to speak at the University of Louisville. (U.S. Air Force by Maj. Dale Greer)

On Saturday, President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer of six American service members killed so far by Iran in Operation Epic Fury.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt first announced the news during her Wednesday press briefing

“President Trump intends to attend the dignified transfer of these American heroes to stand in grief alongside their families,” she said during the White House press briefing. 

Four of the six have been identified: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa. All four died Saturday in Kuwait from an Iranian drone attack.

The service members, who were killed in a make-shift office space at a civilian port in Kuwait, will be transported to the United States at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, described the site as a “secure facility fortified with 6-foot walls,” in a Tuesday post on social platform X.

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Trump Cuts Tucker Carlson Loose From Political Movement

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Tucker Carlson is no longer part of the MAGA movement, declaring in an interview that the former Fox News host “has lost his way.”

“Tucker has lost his way,” Trump told ABC News’ Jonathan Karl. “I knew that a long time ago, and he’s not MAGA. MAGA is saving our country. MAGA is making our country great again. MAGA is America first, and Tucker is none of those things. And Tucker is really not smart enough to understand that.”

Trump’s comments come after Carlson sharply criticized the administration over recent U.S. strikes on Iran. Carlson called the military action “absolutely disgusting and evil.” He has also criticized the Trump administration on other issues, including the Epstein files and the war in Ukraine.

In the same interview, Trump defended the Iran operation and described it as a success. The president gave multiple interviews Thursday in which he praised the strikes and insisted that Americans support the decision, saying people are “loving it,” despite polls suggesting a more divided public response.

“They are decimated for a 10-year period before they could build it back,” Trump said of Iran.

Carlson, meanwhile, warned that the decision to strike Iran could reshape Trump’s political movement. In an interview with Karl, he said the move would “shuffle the deck in a profound way” politically.

Trump previously dismissed Carlson’s criticism of the strikes, saying it had no impact on him. Carlson reportedly visited the White House multiple times last month to lobby against the attack.

Despite the public criticism, Carlson said he still supports Trump.

Speaking to Status reporter Oliver Darcy on Thursday, the former Fox News host expressed continued loyalty to the president even after Trump publicly distanced himself from him.

“There are times I get annoyed with Trump, right now definitely included,” Carlson said, adding, “but I’ll always love him no matter what he says about me.”

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Man Accused Of Plotting Trump Assassination Claims He Was Pressured By Iran

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A Pakistani businessman accused of attempting to hire hit men to assassinate political figures — including President Donald Trump — told jurors in a New York courtroom that he was forced into the plot by Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

    Asif Merchant, 47, testified Wednesday that Trump was not the only potential target in the alleged 2024 assassination scheme. According to Merchant, the list of possible victims also included then-President Joe Biden and former presidential candidate and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

    Merchant told jurors he acted under pressure from an Iranian intelligence handler who threatened his relatives living in Iran.

    “My family was under threat, and I had to do this,” Merchant testified through an Urdu interpreter. “I was not wanting to do this so willingly.”

    He said he believed he would be arrested before anyone was harmed and planned to cooperate with U.S. authorities afterward in hopes of receiving leniency — and potentially a green card.

    Alleged plot uncovered by FBI

    Federal prosecutors say Merchant was arrested in July 2024 after outlining a murder-for-hire scheme to a man who was actually an informant working with the FBI. According to court filings, Merchant sketched out a plan on a napkin during a recorded meeting and later attempted to hire two men — who turned out to be undercover federal agents — to carry out the killing.

    He allegedly provided the agents with $5,000 as an initial payment while discussing possible methods for killing a political target.

    Authorities arrested Merchant in Texas as he prepared to leave the United States, before any attack could be carried out.

    Merchant testified that his handler initially asked him to recruit people in the United States willing to assist Iran. The assignment later escalated to finding someone capable of organizing protests, committing theft, laundering money and “maybe have somebody murdered.”

    “He did not tell me exactly who it is, but he told me — he named three people: Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Nikki Haley,” Merchant said in court.

    Prosecutors, however, argue that Merchant continued working on the plan even after U.S. immigration officials questioned him at Houston’s airport in April 2024 about his travel to Iran. Investigators say he researched Trump rally locations, drafted plans for a shooting at a political event and gathered money to pay the supposed hit men.

    In court filings, prosecutors also noted that Merchant never contacted law enforcement before his arrest and did not initially tell FBI agents that he had been acting under duress.

    If convicted, Merchant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

    Part of broader Iran-linked threats

    The case is one of several alleged plots tied to Iran targeting former Trump administration officials in the years following the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. U.S. officials say Iran has sought revenge for the strike by attempting to target Trump and other senior American figures.

    Another Justice Department case filed in 2024 accused an Afghan national, Farhad Shakeri, of working with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to organize a separate murder-for-hire scheme aimed at Trump and other targets.

    The Iranian government has repeatedly denied involvement in assassination plots against U.S. leaders.

    Authorities have also emphasized that other attempts on Trump’s life during the 2024 campaign — including the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — were not connected to Iran and were carried out by individuals acting alone.

    Trial unfolds amid rising tensions

    Merchant’s trial comes during a period of heightened conflict between the United States and Iran. The proceedings are unfolding as a widening regional war involving Iran continues, with U.S. prosecutors arguing that the alleged plot reflects Iran’s willingness to conduct covert operations on American soil.

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    Paxton Offers Conditions For Potential Exit From Texas Senate Race 

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said Thursday he would consider dropping out of the closely watched Republican Senate primary against Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) if Senate Republicans meet several conditions, a statement that comes as President Donald Trump prepares to weigh in on the race.

    Paxton said he would consider exiting the contest if Senate leadership agreed to eliminate the filibuster — the 60-vote threshold typically required to advance most legislation in the upper chamber — and pass a bill requiring voters to show proof of citizenship to register to vote.

    The legislation, known as the SAVE America Act, has already passed the House but remains stalled in the Senate, where Republicans lack the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

    Paxton framed his proposal as part of a broader effort to advance Trump’s agenda in Washington.

    “John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill. Now, Fake News reporters and the establishment are trying to destroy me with misinformation,” Paxton wrote Thursday on the social media platform X.

    “The truth is clear: No one has been more loyal to Donald Trump than me—fighting the stolen 2020 election, being in Mar-a-Lago when he announced his 2024 campaign, and standing with him in NY in the face of lawfare,” he added. “For the good of our country and for the good of passing President Trump’s agenda, I am determined to help him get this done.”

    Paxton’s comments come a day after Trump said he plans to issue an endorsement in the Texas Senate runoff and urged whichever candidate he does not back to exit the race to unify the party.

    In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said the GOP must quickly coalesce around a nominee ahead of the general election.

    “The Texas Republican Senate Primary has been very interesting to watch,” Trump wrote.

    “The Texas Republican Senate Primary cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer,” he continued. “IT MUST STOP NOW! We have an easy to beat, Radical Left Opponent, and we have to TOTALLY FOCUS on putting him away, quickly and decisively! Both John [Cornyn] and Ken [Paxton] ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT!”

    The Republican primary advanced to a runoff earlier this week after neither Paxton nor Cornyn secured a majority of the vote. The runoff election is scheduled for May 26.

    Cornyn has expressed some openness to changes to Senate filibuster rules but has warned that eliminating the 60-vote threshold could backfire if Democrats regain control of the chamber.

    The incumbent senator has also supported the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to show proof of citizenship to register to vote and present photo identification at the polls.

    Some Republicans have floated adopting a “talking filibuster,” which would require senators opposing a bill to hold the floor continuously to block passage. Under that proposal, legislation could ultimately pass with 51 votes once opponents stop speaking. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has expressed skepticism about implementing such a change.

    Republican leadership has also reportedly urged Trump to endorse Cornyn in hopes of avoiding a prolonged and potentially divisive primary fight.

    People with severe psychiatric illness shouldn’t be sent to jail. It’s time to rebuild real mental health institutions focused on treatment, accountability, and compassion. If you agree, stand with Vivek Ramaswamy and make your voice heard. SIGN HERE.
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