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

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
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.

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Political Strategist Predicts Date Trump Will Quit White House

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
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.

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

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1

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.

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Report: White House Reviews Offer To Reopen Homeland Security

By
Madeleine Jackson
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4

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.”

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Trump Official Resigns In Protest Over War With Iran

By
Madeleine Jackson
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2
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.

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

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
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.

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Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Continue Third-Country Deportations

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

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.”

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Trump Allies Plan Senate Floor Protest To Pass SAVE America Act

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

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.”

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Report: White House Chief Of Staff Diagnosed With Cancer

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

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.

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Report: Growing Coalition Of Republicans Quietly Turning Their Sights On Rubio For 2028

By
Madeleine Jackson
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3
President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

A year ago, the path appeared clear for Vice President JD Vance to emerge as the heir apparent to President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement heading into the 2028 election.

Vance, who was just 40 years old at the time of the 2024 election, entered office with a wave of support from Republicans and the strong backing of Trump’s family. Early in the administration, many within the party saw him as the natural successor to Trump.

While the vice president remains well positioned for a likely 2028 run, quiet questions are beginning to emerge about whether his path to the nomination is as inevitable as it once seemed. Much of that speculation centers on the rising profile of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose influence within the administration has grown significantly during the first year of Trump’s second term — particularly following the U.S. strikes on Iran.

The long-term political consequences of the conflict remain unclear. But Rubio’s growing visibility has caught the attention of many of Trump’s closest allies — including the president himself. According to multiple sources who spoke with ABC News, Trump has privately remarked on how “popular” and “loved” Rubio has become within the administration.

People close to the president say Trump has repeatedly praised Rubio both publicly and privately. At times, the president has even started standing ovations for him during events and declared that Rubio will go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.”

Despite the growing speculation, Trump has so far declined to formally endorse either Vance or Rubio as his preferred successor. Instead, he has occasionally floated the idea of the two running together on a joint ticket — without specifying which would lead it.

Behind closed doors, however, Trump has continued to raise the question with allies and donors. According to sources, the president has asked people directly: “Marco or JD?” — including during a discussion with donors at his Mar-a-Lago resort in late February, as first reported by Axios.

‘Draft Rubio’ movement begins to form

As Rubio’s prominence grows, some Republican donors have quietly begun discussing ways to strengthen his political future ahead of the 2028 election.

Multiple sources told ABC News that a group of donors and party figures has started exploring the possibility of organizing a “draft Rubio” effort after the 2026 midterm elections. Those discussions are being driven by supporters and political allies rather than Rubio himself, reflecting what some in Trump-aligned circles see as increasing enthusiasm for the secretary of state within the party.

Still, Republican operatives note that donor enthusiasm does not necessarily determine the eventual nominee.

“Donors don’t pick the nominee — the base picks,” one senior Republican operative told ABC News. “Donors tried to abandon President Trump and tried to pick [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis, and we all saw how that went.”

When asked about donor interest in Rubio’s future, White House communications director Steven Cheung downplayed the speculation.

“The President has assembled an all-star team that has achieved unprecedented success in just over one year,” Cheung said in a statement to ABC News. “No amount of crazed media speculation about Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio will deter this Administration’s mission of fighting for the American people.”

The vice president’s office declined to comment.

Rubio’s Expanding Role in the Administration

Over the course of the administration’s first year, Rubio has steadily taken on a larger role in Trump’s government.

In addition to serving as secretary of state, Rubio has at times taken on other major responsibilities, including acting national security adviser and acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development. His growing list of assignments has even become something of a running joke around Washington, with some observers wondering what position Rubio might take on next.

His profile rose even further following the administration’s recent military strikes on Iran.

Rubio emerged as one of the leading public voices explaining the operation alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. When Trump authorized the sweeping strikes — known as Operation Epic Fury — Rubio was already traveling to Mar-a-Lago, where he joined the president in a makeshift situation room to monitor the opening hours of the operation.

Meanwhile, Vance remained in Washington during the strikes.

The vice president monitored the operation from the White House Situation Room alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. They were connected by conference line to Trump and the rest of the national security team at Mar-a-Lago.

A spokesperson for Vance told ABC News that the vice president stayed in Washington “to maintain operational secrecy and in keeping with the administration’s security protocol to limit the President and Vice President co-locating away from the White House.”

During the early days of the conflict, Rubio remained by Trump’s side at Mar-a-Lago, further fueling speculation about his rising influence inside the administration.

At the same time, that higher profile could carry political risks. If Rubio ultimately pursues the presidency, his role in the Iran operation could become a central issue. Early polling suggests the military strikes are unpopular with many Americans. According to an Ipsos poll, just 29% approve of the strikes, while 43% disapprove and 26% remain unsure.

Vance Keeps a Lower Public Profile

In contrast, Vance — a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq — maintained a relatively low public profile in the early days of the conflict.

More recently, however, the vice president has begun ramping up both his political and official appearances. On Friday he spoke in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he briefly addressed the Iran conflict in remarks to supporters.

Vance has also been noticeably less active on social media platforms like X than in the past.

A senior White House official told ABC News that the administration intentionally limited public messaging during the early stages of the operation.

“The national security team was deliberate on letting the President’s statements and addresses to the nation stand as the operation unfolded,” the official said.

Vance was also scheduled to participate in a town hall with CBS News that was expected to air Saturday, but the broadcast was postponed following the Iran strikes.

Despite the quieter public posture, the vice president remains deeply engaged politically. As finance chair of the Republican National Committee, Vance continues to maintain a busy fundraising schedule, with events planned in Dallas and Austin later this month, according to fundraiser invitations obtained by ABC News.

During a press conference Monday, Trump acknowledged that he and Vance had differed somewhat on the Iran decision.

“I don’t think so. No, no, we get along very well on this,” Trump said. “He was, I would say philosophically a little bit different than me. I think he was maybe less enthusiastic about going, but he was quite enthusiastic. But I felt it was something we had to do. I didn’t feel we had a choice. If we didn’t do it, they would have done it to us.”

Betting Markets Reflect Uncertainty

Prediction markets and betting sites are also reflecting the emerging uncertainty surrounding the 2028 race.

On Kalshi, Rubio recently moved ahead of both Vance and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to become the market’s top choice to succeed Trump. Kalshi traders currently give Rubio a 19% chance of winning the 2028 election, with both Vance and Newsom at 18%.

On Polymarket, however, Vance remains the favorite with a 21% chance, followed by Newsom at 18% and Rubio at 16%.

Traditional betting markets still place Vance slightly ahead as well. DraftKings lists Vance at +376 to win the presidency, meaning a $100 bet would yield $376 if he wins. Newsom stands at +426, while Rubio is listed at +488.

On BetMGM, Vance is seen as roughly twice as likely to win, with odds of +350 compared to Rubio’s +700.

For now, the 2028 race remains wide open — but Rubio’s growing prominence inside the Trump administration has begun to complicate what once looked like a straightforward path for Vice President JD Vance.

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