Trump’s 250-Foot Arch Faces Fresh Legal Fight As Virginia County Sues

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October 9, 2026

P20260301DT-0116 — The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump’s push to build a towering triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery has hit another legal hurdle — this time from a neighboring county government.

The Arlington County Board filed suit Thursday in the Eastern District of Virginia, seeking to stop construction until federal officials complete what the county argues is a legally required environmental review.

According to the ABC News report, Arlington became the first governmental body to sue over the planned monument, adding a new challenge to a project already facing litigation from veterans and a historian.

The proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch would stand at Memorial Circle, on federal parkland between Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery.

County Accuses Administration Of Rushing Review

The lawsuit alleges the National Park Service is racing toward construction while treating the review process as a formality.

“The National Park Service, the agency responsible for projects on national park land such as Memorial Circle, is proceeding full-speed toward ground-disturbing construction,” the complaint states, according to ABC News.

The county wants the court to halt work until the agency adequately evaluates the project’s effects under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Arlington’s attorneys argue the review failed to sufficiently consider traffic congestion, emergency vehicle access and potential changes to aircraft operations at nearby Reagan National Airport. The county attorney’s office is pursuing the case with legal advocacy organization Democracy Forward.

“The Arlington County Board has filed this lawsuit because our community has the most to lose from this egregious and unlawful proposed project,” Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said in a statement.

Those allegations remain contested; filing the lawsuit does not itself stop construction.

Veterans’ Lawsuit And Safety Concerns Add Pressure

The county’s case opens another front in an existing legal battle.

Three veterans and an architectural historian have separately challenged the project in federal court in Washington, arguing that it requires congressional authorization and would obstruct historic views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

According to the supplied ABC News report, the judge overseeing that case has required the administration to provide 48 hours’ notice before undertaking construction-related activities.

The administration has previously argued that a century-old law concerning Arlington Memorial Bridge authorizes the arch. Justice Department lawyers have also challenged the plaintiffs’ standing and called that lawsuit premature, ABC News reported in June.

The project has also drawn objections from Association of Flight Attendants-CWA President Sara Nelson, particularly after Trump announced plans to incorporate military uses.

Trump said in a September social media post that the arch would house drones, provide positions for snipers and store ammunition. He attributed the proposal to a military request; the Pentagon declined to comment when asked by ABC News.

Aviation concerns are disputed. ABC News reported in June that an initial FAA feasibility review found no significant adverse effect on airport airspace or flight procedures, while identifying a need for obstruction lighting and a subsequent full aeronautical study.

White House Defends The Monument

The White House continues to champion the project.

Officials told FOX 5 DC the arch would become an iconic landmark and improve the experience for veterans, military families and other visitors to Arlington National Cemetery.

Interior has also previously defended its review process, telling ABC News in September that it would follow applicable laws and regulations. The department said it had received more than 100,000 public comments and extended comment periods to encourage discussion.

Now Arlington is asking a federal judge to force a pause — raising another obstacle to Trump’s effort to reshape Washington’s skyline.

Trump-Appointed Judge Extends Block On White House Media Ban

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 8, 2026

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CNN_ — CNN Headquarters via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump’s effort to shut three news outlets out of the White House remains on hold — and a judge he appointed is weighing whether to keep it that way.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly on Thursday extended a temporary order blocking the administration’s ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW, giving the outlets another reprieve while he considers a longer-lasting injunction.

The original 14-day order was scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday. Kelly extended it for “another two business days,” according to The Hill, with a ruling expected by Tuesday, October 13. TheWrap also reported that Kelly left the request for a preliminary injunction unresolved at Thursday’s hearing.

The dispute pits Trump’s claims of false reporting and national security risks against the outlets’ allegations that the president is punishing coverage he dislikes.

White House Defends Its Restrictions

The administration has defended the ban by citing national security concerns, anonymous sourcing and reporting it says contains falsehoods.

After imposing the restrictions, the White House sent letters identifying stories it said “threatened national security and/or spread falsehoods,” The Hill reported.

Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued Thursday that those letters provided sufficient notice and an opportunity for the organizations to respond, even though they declined to do so.

The outlets counter that the explanations came after Trump had already decided to exclude them.

Their attorney, Ted Boutrous, pointed to the president’s recent Time magazine interview as evidence that unfavorable coverage drove the decision. According to The Hill, Boutrous characterized Trump’s comments as a “confession” of his intent.

The organizations argue that restricting access because of their coverage amounts to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

Judge’s Earlier Ruling Focused On Due Process

Kelly’s initial order required the administration to restore the organizations’ press credentials. His reasoning focused on whether the White House provided adequate notice and an opportunity to challenge the restrictions before imposing them.

He found that the outlets were likely to succeed on their constitutional due process claim. He did not resolve their separate First Amendment arguments.

As TheWrap reported, Kelly initially blocked the ban on September 24 and questioned whether the administration had supplied sufficient evidence for its national security justification. Thursday’s extension keeps temporary protections in place while the broader legal fight continues.

Air Force One Access Remains A Flashpoint

Restoring press credentials has not ended the confrontation.

CNN and Politico have been excluded from Air Force One trips since Kelly’s initial ruling, according to The Hill and Mediaite. The outlets contend that those restrictions undermine their ability to cover the president and fulfill their assigned press pool duties.

The pool is a rotating group of journalists that covers presidential activities and shares reporting with other news organizations. Some broadcast networks temporarily withheld pool coverage after CNN was prevented from taking its assigned turn, The Hill reported.

The White House maintains that the president controls access to restricted spaces, including Air Force One and the Oval Office.

A White House official told The Hill this week that traveling aboard the presidential aircraft “is a privilege not a right.”

Maduro Hit With New Charges As Prosecutors Detail Americans’ Torture

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 8, 2026

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1080px-President_Donald_Trump_signs_Executive_Orders_(54325633746) — By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54325633746/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159707159

Nicolás Maduro is facing a new reckoning in a New York courtroom — this time over allegations that Americans were tortured inside his regime’s prisons.

Federal prosecutors charged the ousted Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, with conspiracy to commit torture Thursday, expanding the case against the couple months after U.S. forces captured them in Venezuela.

The revised indictment describes a system of repression allegedly used to keep Maduro in power, with prisoners subjected to electric shocks, starvation and threats against their families, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Inside The Alleged Torture Chambers

The allegations include an American detained in January 2022 who was allegedly beaten, electrocuted and forcibly injected with substances that caused seizures. Officers also forced him to eat his own vomit, according to the indictment cited by CNN.

Another American arrested in January 2025 was allegedly hooded, handcuffed and repeatedly beaten over two days, suffering a permanent eye injury.

The filing follows Mediaite’s Wednesday coverage of CNN’s report that new charges were imminent. That report also highlighted allegations from former prisoners Matthew Heath, a Marine veteran, and Osman Khan.

Both men alleged in a lawsuit that they endured waterboarding, electrocution, threats of sexual assault, drugging and solitary confinement before their release in an October 2022 prisoner swap.

Prosecutors allege Maduro ordered unlawful detention and torture and received updates about specific prisoners. Flores allegedly helped build the repressive system and ordered torture to protect relatives’ illicit activities, El País reported.

Maduro Insists He’s Innocent

Maduro and Flores remain detained in New York after their January capture. Both pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges against them.

At his initial court appearance, Maduro insisted he was “still president of my country.”

“I am innocent, I am not guilty,” he declared, according to Mediaite.

His lawyers are challenging the legality of his capture and claiming immunity for conduct while he held office. Meanwhile, investigators have discussed charging additional people over their alleged involvement in torturing Americans, CNN reported.

Trump Goes To Bat For Baseball Legend With Medal Of Freedom Announcement

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 8, 2026

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President Donald Trump is going to bat for Roger Clemens — announcing that the pitching legend, still shut out of Cooperstown, will receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Speaking at a campaign rally in San Antonio on Wednesday night, Trump said he plans to award Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also renewed his push for the seven-time Cy Young Award winner to enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I’m pleased to announce that we are taking it into our own hands. Forget about the Hall of Fame; he’ll get there someday. I mean, I don’t know how they can keep him out,” Trump said, according to The Hill.

The president described the Medal of Freedom as a “big step up” from the baseball honor that has repeatedly eluded Clemens.

A Presidential Salute To “The Rocket”

Clemens had introduced Trump at the Freeman Coliseum rally, where the president was campaigning for Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton ahead of November’s election. Trump praised the retired pitcher as “one of the greatest athletes and maybe the greatest pitcher of all time,” UPI reported.

The Texas-raised baseball star returned to the stage after the announcement, thanked Trump and called the recognition a “huge honor,” according to The Hill.

“There wouldn’t be another president I’d want to get it from,” Clemens said.

Earlier, Clemens had praised Trump as a “man that loves our country” and urged the crowd to remember that “he put his life on the line for us.”

Known as “The Rocket,” Clemens compiled numbers that place him among baseball’s most accomplished pitchers. He finished his major league career with 354 victories, 4,672 strikeouts and a 3.12 earned run average. His seven Cy Young Awards remain a record, according to the Hall of Fame’s own career profile.

A Career Overshadowed By Allegations

Those achievements have yet to secure Clemens a place in Cooperstown.

Allegations involving performance-enhancing drugs have dogged his Hall of Fame candidacy for years. Clemens has denied using them, and a federal jury acquitted him in June 2012 of all six charges stemming from his testimony to Congress. The charges involved obstruction of Congress, perjury and false statements — rather than a prosecution for drug use itself.

The Houston Chronicle reported that Clemens failed to win election during his years on the baseball writers’ ballot and was passed over again in the most recent era committee vote.

Trump had publicly pressed for Clemens’ induction in December, arguing that allegations should not outweigh his career achievements and pointing to his acquittal. In a Truth Social post quoted by The Hill, the president called Clemens’ exclusion a “total travesty.”

Wednesday’s announcement gives that support a new dimension: a pledge to recognize Clemens with an honor Trump can bestow himself.

If presented, the medal would put Clemens alongside other sports figures Trump has honored, including Tiger Woods, Mariano Rivera, Roger Staubach and Lou Holtz, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Trump Approves Firing Squad — Army Sets Execution Date For Fort Hood Terrorist

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 7, 2026

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More than 17 years after the Fort Hood massacre, the terrorist who murdered 13 people at the Texas Army post is scheduled to face a firing squad at the same installation.

The Army has set December 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central for the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, following President Donald Trump’s approval of his death sentence. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle announced the time and location in an order issued Tuesday, according to Army Times and ABC News.

Trump approved the execution order on October 2. The Pentagon publicly announced the decision Monday, saying Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had recommended that Hasan be put to death by an Army firing squad.

If carried out, the execution would be the first by the U.S. military since 1961.

“Judgement day for Hasan has finally come,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in announcing the president’s approval.

A Massacre At The Post He Served

Hasan was an Army major and psychiatrist when he opened fire at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center on November 5, 2009. The attack killed 12 soldiers and one civilian and wounded 32 others.

Witnesses reported that Hasan shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire. Among those killed was a pregnant soldier.

At his court-martial, Hasan admitted carrying out the shooting. Military Times reported that he sought to argue he had acted in defense of the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan.

A military jury convicted him of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder in 2013. He was sentenced to death and sent to the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Hegseth’s Push Reaches A New Milestone

The execution order follows Hegseth’s September 2025 push for Trump to approve Hasan’s death sentence.

“The victims and survivors deserve justice without delays,” Hegseth said at the time, according to The Daily Wire’s reporting.

After Monday’s announcement, Hegseth responded with a single word on social media: “Justice.”

The Army’s decision to carry out the sentence at Fort Hood would return Hasan to the installation where he committed the murders. The last U.S. military execution took place in 1961, when Army Pvt. John Bennett was hanged at Fort Leavenworth after being convicted of rape and attempted murder.

Legal Challenges Could Still Delay Execution

The December date does not guarantee that the execution will proceed as scheduled.

An analysis published in the Army Lawyer in May explains that presidential approval allows a military death-row prisoner to seek review in the civilian federal courts through a habeas corpus petition challenging the legality of the conviction or confinement.

A prisoner can also ask a federal judge to stay the execution while that challenge proceeds. If granted, a stay would prevent the military from carrying out the sentence until the court proceedings conclude or the stay is lifted.

Trump’s approval and the Army’s order move Hasan’s case toward an execution after years on death row.

Republican Senator Has A Message For Trump After Phone Number Leak

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 7, 2026

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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) had a pointed warning for President Donald Trump after the president publicly shared another Republican senator’s phone number during a weekend policy feud.

“With all due respect, I got his number too,” Tillis said Monday during an appearance on ABC’s “The View.”

The remark came after co-host Ana Navarro suggested Trump could retaliate against Tillis by publishing his phone number, particularly as the retiring North Carolina senator promotes a new book detailing his increasingly contentious relationship with the president.

Trump had done exactly that to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) just days earlier.

The president posted what appeared to be Cotton’s personal cellphone number on Truth Social on Saturday while pressuring the Arkansas Republican to support the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation aimed at ending the twice-yearly clock change and allowing permanent daylight saving time.

“Almost everybody wants ‘The Sunshine Protection Act’ to pass, except for Tom Cotton,” Trump wrote, before encouraging Arkansas voters to contact the senator.

Trump included Cotton’s number in another post and urged supporters to tell him to “GET IT DONE!”

Fox News Digital reported that it called the number Trump posted, which carried an Arkansas area code, but did not reach Cotton. The Washington Post similarly reported that a call to the number went directly to a full voicemail inbox.

Cotton refused to budge.

“No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,” Cotton wrote on X.

“Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”

The dispute has put two normally aligned Republicans on opposite sides of an unusual policy fight.

The House passed its version of the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a bipartisan 308-117 vote, but the measure has stalled in the Senate, where Cotton is among several Republicans opposed to the change. The Senate is currently out of session until Nov. 3, meaning lawmakers cannot act on the measure before the midterm elections.

Tillis, meanwhile, appeared amused by the possibility that he could become Trump’s next target.

The North Carolina Republican was appearing on “The View” to promote his new book, “How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents,” which recounts his clashes with Trump and members of the president’s administration.

After Tillis discussed private exchanges with Trump included in the book, Navarro quipped that the president might “give your phone away after this.”

Tillis immediately fired back.

“With all due respect, I got his number too.”

When asked whether he feared retaliation from Trump over the book, Tillis said, “Not at all.”

The senator, who is not seeking reelection, has become increasingly willing to criticize the administration as his time in Washington winds down.

His book describes his vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the “biggest regret” of his congressional career. During Monday’s interview, Tillis went even further when asked about an effort to impeach Hegseth.

“I hope he gets fired,” Tillis said.

Still, Tillis offered Trump some praise, calling him a “great political force” who demonstrated an ability to assemble an unusual coalition of voters.

But he warned Republicans that some of those gains may be slipping away heading into the midterms.

“The support among Hispanics has almost evaporated,” Tillis said. “So the very coalitions that the president … was able to pull together are falling apart.”

Tillis’s warning over the phone-number episode also carries a bit of history.

Trump has used the tactic before. During his first presidential campaign in 2015, he publicly read out then-Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cellphone number at a South Carolina rally after Graham criticized him.

From Amazon To The Oval Office? Report Reveals Bezos’ Wife’s Ambition

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 6, 2026

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Jeff Bezos built an empire delivering packages. His wife reportedly has another address in mind: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Lauren Sánchez Bezos is encouraging the Amazon founder to consider a future in politics — and can envision herself as first lady — according to an October 2 report by celebrity gossip columnist Rob Shuter in his Naughty But Nice Substack.

The report offers an intriguing window into the couple’s alleged private conversations. But it comes with a significant qualifier: Shuter’s sources say there is no campaign and no indication Bezos has decided to seek office.

“Lauren loves the idea of President Bezos,” an unnamed source told Shuter. “She talks about legacy, influence and what Jeff could do that money alone cannot buy. And yes, she can absolutely see herself as First Lady.”

According to Shuter, Sánchez’s fascination with Washington intensified after the couple attended President Donald Trump’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping. Their attendance at the September 24 gathering was documented in coverage of the event.

The dinner put the billionaire couple back inside the White House. Whether Bezos wants to move in remains another matter.

A Presidential Push — Or A Billionaire’s Fantasy?

Shuter’s sources describe Sánchez as someone looking beyond her husband’s business accomplishments toward a potentially bigger legacy.

“Lauren looks at Jeff and sees someone who conquered business, built a space company and became one of the most powerful men alive,” an insider told the columnist. “Her question is always: What’s left? In her mind, the presidency is the ultimate final act.”

Shuter is a longtime entertainment journalist and former celebrity publicist whose clients included Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson. He also served as executive editor of the U.S. edition of OK! magazine and co-hosted VH1’s The Gossip Table. His reporting comes from the world of celebrity insiders, rather than a presidential campaign announcement.

Other outlets, including The Post Millennial, have picked up his Bezos report. Their coverage cites Shuter’s sources, rather than independently establishing that the billionaire is weighing a run.

Even within Shuter’s account, enthusiasm is hardly unanimous.

“Some people think it’s complete fantasy,” an insider told him. “But Lauren doesn’t dream small. She can already picture President Bezos — and herself standing beside him as First Lady.”

From Trump Feud To White House Guest

The political backdrop adds a twist: Bezos has been warming to the president he once publicly sparred with.

During their earlier feud, Trump attacked Amazon and Bezos’ ownership of The Washington Post. Bezos responded in 2015 by joking about reserving Trump a seat on a Blue Origin rocket.

Years later, the relationship looked considerably different. Bezos and Sánchez dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December 2024, and Bezos attended his January 2025 inauguration.

Before Trump returned to office, Bezos also expressed support for his push to reduce regulation.

“I’m actually very optimistic this time around,” Bezos said at the December 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit. He indicated he wanted to help with that effort.

Trump reciprocated. In a March 2025 interview reported by Fox News, he called Bezos “a good guy” and described their improved relationship.

Those developments establish that Bezos has become more comfortable around Trump and Washington’s power circles. They do not establish presidential ambitions.

For now, the White House dream belongs to Sánchez — at least according to Shuter’s unnamed sources.

Ted Cruz Blasts ‘Insecure’ JD Vance As 2028 Rivalry Heats Up

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 5, 2026

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The midterms aren’t over, but Ted Cruz and JD Vance are already trading punches over what comes next.

The Texas Republican fired back at the vice president Saturday, accusing him of “political bomb-throwing” after Vance suggested Cruz was already running for president.

“In my experience, people engage in political bomb-throwing when they’re feeling insecure,” Cruz told Politico in a Saturday interview, according to The Hill’s report.

“So he’s welcome to make whatever comments he likes,” Cruz continued. “I’m going to keep focusing on the midterms and helping us win on Election Day in the next 30 days.”

That sharp response came after Vance questioned the senator’s priorities in an interview with NBC News Thursday.

“It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president,” Vance said.

“At this moment, I’m not. I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing.”

Cruz Reminds Vance Who Helped Him Win

Cruz countered by pointing to his own work campaigning for Republican candidates — and reminding Vance that those efforts once included him.

The senator told Politico he helped Vance during his successful 2022 Senate campaign in Ohio, according to The Hill.

“I was very glad he won that race,” Cruz said. “I was very glad to help him.”

The message was pointed: Before Vance was questioning Cruz’s political ambitions, Cruz was helping him climb the ladder.

Both men insist November is their immediate priority. But their public exchange is putting the competition to succeed President Trump on display more than two years before the next presidential election.

A Front-Runner, But No Coronation

Vance is widely viewed as the early front-runner for the 2028 Republican nomination. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also figured prominently in speculation about Trump’s successor.

Cruz, however, has made clear he isn’t ready to concede the field.

“I’ll certainly be part of the discussion,” he told MS NOW in August, while suggesting Republicans had not settled on Vance as their next nominee.

Cruz previously sought the nomination in 2016, losing to Trump. His recent campaign travel has included Iowa and South Carolina, states with prominent roles in the presidential nominating process, Mediaite reported in its coverage of Vance’s NBC interview.

Vance, meanwhile, acknowledged in that interview that the midterm results could help inform his own decision about a presidential run, according to Mediaite. He declined to say whether major Republican losses would discourage him from entering the race.

Karoline Leavitt’s Next Role Officially Unveiled

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Madeleine Jackson

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October 5, 2026

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1079px-Karoline_Leavitt_(54359746781) — By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Karoline Leavitt, CC BY-SA 2.0,

Karoline Leavitt is trading the White House lectern for a Fox News microphone.

After weeks of speculation about her television future, President Donald Trump’s former press secretary has landed an on-air contributor role at the network, Fox announced Monday, according to The New York Times.

Leavitt, 29, starts Nov. 1 and is expected to provide commentary across both news and opinion programming. The announcement comes roughly two months after she left the administration to spend more time with her young children. The U.S. Sun also reported the move Monday, citing the Times.

For viewers who caught Sean Hannity’s recent conversations with Leavitt, the destination may sound familiar.

Hannity Dropped A Big Hint

During a September episode of his Hang Out with Sean Hannity podcast, the longtime Fox host openly encouraged Leavitt to consider a television career.

“I see a future for you in television if you want one,” Hannity told her, according to Mediaite.

He even floated a possible show title: “The Briefing with Karoline Leavitt.” Leavitt acknowledged that the two had discussed the possibility before, but stopped short of announcing a deal.

Now, the Fox job is official. The announced position is a contributor role, with appearances across the network’s programming.

Leavitt said in a statement that she would bring “the unique perspective and candor that defined my tenure with the Trump administration,” the Times reported.

Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott pointed to Leavitt’s experience working alongside the president.

“Karoline’s firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape,” Scott said in a statement quoted by the Times.

A Familiar Path With A Trump Twist

Leavitt became the youngest White House press secretary in history and quickly emerged as one of Trump’s most recognizable defenders. Her briefings regularly featured sharp exchanges with reporters, while her access to the president made her a central voice for the administration.

After giving birth to her second child in May, she took maternity leave before announcing her departure. She pledged at the time to “remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party,” according to the Times.

She follows a familiar path. Former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany joined Fox as a contributor in 2021 before becoming an Outnumbered co-host. George W. Bush’s former spokeswoman Dana Perino also built a television career at the network.

But Leavitt arrives amid fresh friction between Trump and Fox. The president recently accused the channel of airing “a completely negative narrative” and criticized Fox & Friends, the Times reported, putting one of Trump’s most familiar advocates inside a network he both watches and often publicly needles.

Christie Torches Vance’s 2028 Hopes — Then Teases His Own Comeback

Politics

By

Madeleine Jackson

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October 2, 2026

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Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is already taking a blowtorch to Vice President JD Vance’s 2028 ambitions — while leaving room for a White House comeback of his own.

Christie predicted that Vance’s close association with President Donald Trump could keep him from capturing the next Republican presidential nomination, arguing that GOP voters will be focused on finding a candidate who can win the general election.

“He is going to reek with the stink of Donald Trump,” Christie said Thursday during an appearance at George Washington University.

Christie argued that Republicans could ultimately decide nominating Vance would make it more likely that a Democrat wins the White House.

The comments represent a sharp challenge to the widespread view that Vance is the early heir apparent to Trump’s political movement. They also put Christie — one of Trump’s most vocal Republican critics — back in the middle of the emerging 2028 conversation.

Christie Questions Whether Vance Can Match Trump

Christie’s criticism went beyond policy and political baggage. He also questioned whether Vance possesses the personal appeal that helped Trump reshape the Republican Party.

“JD is not nearly as charming as Trump,” Christie said. “You say what you want about Trump, but he has charm and he has some charisma, when he decides to use it. I haven’t seen that out of Vance yet.”

During the discussion, George Washington University professor Frank Sesno asked whether Vance could create some distance from Trump, much as George H.W. Bush established his own identity after serving as Ronald Reagan’s vice president.

Christie rejected the comparison.

He argued that Vance would struggle to separate himself from an administration in which he played a central role. Democrats, Christie suggested, could also use Vance’s dramatic evolution on Trump against him: Vance once compared Trump to Adolf Hitler before eventually becoming his running mate and vice president.

Vance’s supporters would likely offer a very different assessment. Trump has repeatedly discussed Vance as a potential successor, and Mediaite reported in August that the president had privately told donors, “At the end of the day, we need to elect JD.”

Trump has not issued a formal 2028 endorsement, however, and has also spoken favorably about Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rubio Gets Written Off, Too

Christie was also skeptical that Rubio would enter the 2028 race.

The former governor described Rubio as politically shrewd and suggested the secretary of state understands that his service in the Trump administration has branded him as a “Trump Republican.” Christie predicted Rubio may wait for a later election rather than battle Vance and other candidates for the nomination in 2028.

That assessment conveniently leaves more room for another contender — including Christie himself.

When Sesno asked whether he might run, Christie did not close the door.

“I’m gonna look at it,” Christie said, while cautioning that “a number of things” would need to happen first.

Christie Eyes A Third Shot

Thursday’s answer was not the first time Christie has hinted at another campaign.

During a September appearance at the Granite State Summit on Responsible Gaming in New Hampshire, Christie admitted he was considering a third presidential bid but said he wanted to see how Republicans performed in the midterm elections before deciding.

“Anybody who comes up here and has ever run for president and not won and told you they’re not looking at it again is lying,” Christie said at the event.

He suggested major Republican losses could force the party to reconsider its direction and leadership. Christie also said any campaign would require a credible path to victory — something that eluded him during his previous runs.

Christie ended his first presidential campaign after a disappointing finish in the 2016 New Hampshire primary. He endorsed Trump shortly afterward, but the alliance eventually collapsed. Christie returned in 2024 as one of the GOP field’s most aggressive Trump critics before dropping out ahead of the Iowa caucuses.

Sesno reminded Christie that 2028 would mark his third attempt at the presidency.

“True, just like Reagan,” Christie replied. “He got elected on the third time.”

Reagan sought the Republican nomination in 1968 and 1976 before winning the White House in 1980.