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Ivanka Trump’s 17 Life Lessons For A Balanced And Fulfilling Life

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Ivanka Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

At the age of 43, Ivanka Trump has distilled her experiences into 17 life lessons—principles that are both timeless and profoundly practical. Here, we explore each lesson through anecdotes, real-world data, and quotes that deepen their meaning, allowing us to glimpse the wisdom she has accrued and how it can guide us in our own lives.

1. Family and Friends Are Everything

Nourish these relationships, check in on them, and let people know you care, even across distances. As relationship expert Esther Perel says, “The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life.” A Harvard study on adult development—which spanned over 80 years—concluded that the happiest people are those who have strong connections with family and friends. Ivanka’s message aligns with this wisdom: investing time in loved ones isn’t just a virtue, it’s also a key to long-term happiness.

2. Forgive People—It Frees You More Than Anyone Else

Forgiveness can be seen as a self-liberating act. When Nelson Mandela walked free from prison, he remarked, “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” Holding onto grudges binds us emotionally, but forgiveness offers the release that enriches our own lives more than anyone else’s.

3. Everyone Was Sent to Teach You Something

People come into our lives as mirrors, reflecting our own lessons. Psychologist Carl Rogers’ work in humanistic psychology encourages us to learn from every interaction, embracing even those who challenge us as teachers. Ivanka’s notion of “learning from everyone” helps us grow by interpreting every experience—good or bad—as a means of personal evolution.

4. Avoid Lashon Hara / Gossip

The Jewish concept of “Lashon Hara” means refraining from harmful speech. Using words that heal rather than harm contributes to a more meaningful existence. This aligns with Brene Brown’s research, which shows that gossip fosters distrust and insecurity within social groups, whereas compassionate communication builds connection and trust.

5. Trust Yourself

Self-trust means living in alignment with your core values, sometimes setting difficult boundaries. Oprah Winfrey once said, “You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.” Trusting yourself involves discerning your needs and beliefs, then allowing those values to shape your actions.

6. Nourish Your Body

Ivanka highlights the importance of nourishing your body with whole, locally grown food—but also advises allowing yourself indulgence. Studies have shown that balanced eating, without excessive restriction, contributes to better mental health. As Julia Child said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

7. Get Sunshine Daily

Studies show that spending even 15-30 minutes outside every day reduces stress and boosts serotonin levels. Countries like Denmark, known for their happiness rankings, encourage their citizens to embrace “friluftsliv”—open-air living—a reminder of the simple yet profound benefits of getting some sunlight.

8. Make the Unconscious Conscious

Carl Jung’s idea of making the unconscious conscious speaks to our capacity for self-awareness. Our unconscious tendencies—often informed by early life experiences—can dictate behavior if left unchecked. Journaling, therapy, or meditation are ways to bring hidden patterns into the light and reclaim control of our narratives.

9. Strong Body, Strong Mind

Exercise is linked to cognitive resilience. According to Harvard Medical School, regular physical activity improves memory and thinking skills. Ivanka emphasizes sports and play as ways to keep both the body and mind agile, which is reflected in research showing the positive impact of movement on mental well-being.

10. Strive for Three Daily Wins

Naval Ravikant speaks of “a calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love.” This can be framed as striving for three daily wins—one physical, one mental, and one spiritual. By setting these as goals, Ivanka reminds us to nurture all aspects of life, focusing not only on achievements but on a balanced, fulfilling existence.

11. Cultivate Self-Mastery

Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Stoic, taught that we have control over our responses, not the world around us. Ivanka draws on this to emphasize the power of inward focus. Self-mastery doesn’t mean suppressing emotions; it means recognizing them and choosing how to respond, gaining true strength over the self.

12. Guard Your Peace

“Anyone capable of angering you becomes your master,” said Epictetus. By emphasizing the importance of protecting one’s peace, Ivanka points us toward emotional resilience—the ability to remain unshaken by external negativity. This is crucial in a hyper-connected age where our boundaries are constantly tested by the barrage of information and opinions online.

13. Be Open to the Truth, Wherever It Leads

True growth requires being open to new ideas, even when they challenge your preconceived beliefs. This echoes the spirit of Socratic questioning—asking questions to discover deeper truths. Ivanka encourages listening and curiosity as ways to expand not only intellectually, but spiritually.

14. Get Curious

Curiosity is the antidote to stagnation. Studies have shown that curiosity is linked to greater life satisfaction and even longevity. Whether it’s a partner, a child, or the broader world, asking questions and seeking understanding keep our connections fresh and enrich our perspective.

15. Approach Life with Love and Positivity

Dolly Parton famously said, “I don’t criticize and condemn; I love and accept.” This perspective not only enriches our relationships but our own sense of fulfillment. Research by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson suggests that positive emotions broaden our ability to think and build personal resources, from resilience to social bonds.

16. The Price of Anything Is the Amount of Life You Exchange for It

Henry David Thoreau reminds us that time is our most precious commodity. Ivanka’s message here is to make conscious choices about where we invest our energy. The idea is reminiscent of Tim Ferriss’ “4-Hour Workweek”—focus on what truly matters and eliminate distractions to maximize what is meaningful in life.

17. Thinking Is Difficult; That’s Why Most People Judge

Carl Jung’s insight on judgment speaks to a profound truth: judgment often replaces curiosity. Ivanka urges us to choose the harder path of understanding over the easier path of dismissal. By doing so, we expand our empathy, connecting more deeply with others and enriching our perspective on the human condition.

Ivanka Trump’s 17 lessons offer a guide to living deliberately, with awareness and compassion. Whether through forgiving others, guarding our peace, or spending time in the sunshine, these insights reflect a philosophy grounded in growth, connection, and well-being. They remind us that while life’s circumstances are often beyond our control, the way we choose to engage with them is where our true power lies.

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Sponsored by the John Milton Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping independent journalists overcome formidable challenges in today’s media landscape and bring crucial stories to you.

Capital One Says It Shuttered Over 300 Trump Accounts After Money-Laundering Review

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Image via Pixabay free images

Capital One has dropped a financial-crimes bombshell in its courtroom war with the Trump Organization, claiming it closed hundreds of Trump-linked accounts after a monthslong anti-money-laundering review — not because of the family’s politics.

The bank revealed the rationale in a motion filed Friday in Miami federal court, where it is fighting a lawsuit brought by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, Eric Trump and several Trump-affiliated businesses.

Capital One insists the records undercut the family’s claim that it was swept up in a politically motivated “debanking” campaign after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

“Documents and Plaintiffs’ own allegations make clear that Capital One closed Plaintiffs’ accounts for anti-money laundering (‘AML’) reasons,” the bank’s lawyers wrote.

They said the closures followed “months of analysis and a careful review by Capital One’s AML team in accordance with bank policies and regulatory guidance.”

The allegation comes with a major caveat: Capital One has not accused the Trump Organization or its executives of illegally laundering money. The bank says its compliance team identified transaction patterns that are among the types of activity flagged in federal banking guidance.

The Trump entities say the explanation is a cover story.

Their latest complaint alleges Capital One “improperly and deliberately” shut the accounts because the political climate in early 2021 made it expedient to distance the bank from Donald Trump. The dispute involves more than 300 accounts connected to an array of businesses, including hotels, golf courses, real-estate ventures, a winery and a bottled-water company.

“I can’t tell you how hard it is to change more than 300 bank accounts — and for no reason whatsoever,” Eric Trump previously told Fox News Digital, according to the New York Post.

“These were hotels and golf courses, residential buildings and commercial buildings, retail outlets and skating rinks and parking garages,” he said. “There was no political affiliation. The only common denominator was that they wore the Trump name.”

Capital One called the political-retaliation allegations “misguided” and “based on cherry-picked quotations unsupported by the full context” of documents filed with the court.

The bank also argues that its deposit agreement allowed either side to end the relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason at all. It says the Trump businesses received three months to move their money elsewhere, along with several extensions.

Capital One further contends that federal banking-secrecy rules could have barred it from revealing sensitive details about its internal review. The Trump entities, meanwhile, claim they were never given a chance to explain the transactions that raised concerns.

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman has already dismissed earlier versions of the lawsuit while allowing the plaintiffs to try again. Capital One now wants the latest complaint tossed with prejudice, which would prevent another rewrite.

The timing of the original account purge adds another twist.

Capital One notified the Trump businesses of the planned closures on March 8, 2021. Less than two months earlier, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network hit the bank with a $390 million penalty for what the agency called willful and negligent Bank Secrecy Act violations involving a separate check-cashing business unit.

Capital One admitted at the time that it had failed to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program and had failed to file thousands of required reports. FinCEN said the violations occurred between at least 2008 and 2014; the agency also credited the bank for remediation and cooperation.

Friday’s disclosure marked the first time a bank had formally connected money-laundering concerns to Trump’s family business. Again, the filing does not accuse the company of committing money laundering, and the underlying allegations remain disputed.

The legal showdown lands amid Trump’s broader crackdown on political debanking. In August 2025, the president signed an executive order directing regulators to combat financial discrimination based on political or religious beliefs or lawful business activity.

Trump has also sued JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon over the closure of Trump-linked accounts, accusing the banking giant of political discrimination. JPMorgan has denied closing accounts for political or religious reasons and said it makes such decisions when clients create legal or regulatory risk.

Neither President Trump nor the Trump Organization had publicly responded to Capital One’s latest filing as of Monday afternoon. The White House and Trump family business have maintained more broadly that politically motivated debanking threatens free speech and free enterprise.

The Miami court has not ruled on the merits of the latest allegations.

Trump Announces Historic Hamas Deal—But One Major Hurdle Remains

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White House image via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump announced a potentially historic breakthrough in the Gaza peace process Thursday night—but the hard part may only be beginning.

Trump said Hamas and other armed factions had agreed to completely disarm under a phased roadmap negotiated by his international Board of Peace.

If the agreement survives, Hamas would surrender the weapons and underground infrastructure it has spent decades building, give up control of Gaza and make way for a new Palestinian government. Israel would withdraw its forces as the terrorist group’s arsenal is dismantled.

“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”

Trump said the agreement could finally deliver security for Israel while preventing Gaza from once again becoming a launchpad for terrorist attacks.

“This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people,” Trump continued.

“At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.”

Under the roadmap, disarmament would unfold in several carefully monitored stages. Israeli troops would withdraw only as Hamas and the other factions fulfill their obligations.

An International Stabilization Force would then work with a newly recruited Palestinian police force to secure Gaza and prevent Hamas from reclaiming power.

“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!” Trump declared. “Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”

Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, along with his administration’s negotiating team, for helping secure the agreement.

“One year ago there was a violent raging war, humanitarian crisis and hostages kept in brutal captivity,” he wrote. “We have made historic progress and there is still much work to do.”

The Board of Peace called the roadmap a “historic breakthrough,” saying it marked the first time Hamas had formally accepted an actionable plan to surrender all of its weapons.

The process would begin with firearms controlled by Gaza’s existing police. A new Palestinian government, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, would recruit and vet officers for a replacement police force.

Heavy weapons, ammunition depots, weapons factories and Hamas’ sprawling tunnel network would be tackled in later stages. Militias, armed clans and other terrorist factions would also have to surrender their arsenals.

Officials estimate that fully disarming Gaza could take between 200 and 350 days. Reconstruction could begin sector by sector as individual areas are cleared of weapons and terrorist infrastructure, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The entire deal is built around what officials called “zero trust.”

Every step must be independently verified before the other side is required to fulfill its next obligation. If Hamas stops cooperating, Israel’s withdrawal would also stop.

But the roadmap immediately ran into conflicting interpretations from Hamas and Israel.

Hamas negotiator Ghazi Hamad told Reuters on Friday that the group was prepared to hand its weapons to the new Gaza government. However, he said disarmament would depend upon Israel withdrawing its forces, approving the agreement and allowing international security personnel into Gaza.

An Israeli official outlined the opposite sequence, insisting that Hamas must surrender its weapons and Gaza must be fully demilitarized before Israeli troops withdraw.

“There will be no IDF withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is disarmed and the Strip is fully demilitarized,” the official told The Times of Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not publicly endorsed the latest roadmap as of Friday morning, while some Israeli political figures were already urging him to reject it.

A U.S. official acknowledged that Israel remained deeply skeptical that Hamas would actually dismantle the arsenal and tunnel system at the center of its power.

The Trump administration argues that Israel would be protected by the deal’s strict verification process and would not be forced to surrender territory while Hamas still posed an internal threat.

The agreement grew out of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. Its first phase produced an October ceasefire and the return of Israeli hostages, but negotiations later stalled over Hamas’ weapons, Israel’s withdrawal and Gaza’s future government.

Trump has now secured an agreement on paper addressing those seemingly intractable disputes.

Whether he can force the bitter enemies to carry it out may be the ultimate test of his Middle East peace push.

Top Republican Opens Door To Trump Wall Street Probe

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    President Donald Trump’s plan to sell Wall Street firms lightning-fast access to Truth Social posts is drawing new scrutiny from inside his own party.

    Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told CNN that Congress should examine whether Trump Media’s new data service creates a conflict between the president’s official duties and his sprawling business empire.

    CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju pressed Cornyn about the arrangement after several other prominent Republicans pleaded ignorance or brushed aside questions about it.

    “I think it does raise some questions about conflicts of interest,” Cornyn said, before adding that Congress has an oversight role in ensuring Trump’s business dealings do not interfere with his responsibilities as president.

    When Raju asked directly whether lawmakers should investigate, Cornyn did not hesitate.

    “Yes. I suspect that we will do that,” he said, according to Mediaite.

    Cornyn’s answer stood out from the responses Raju received from other Republicans.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said it was the first he had heard of the arrangement and that he did not have a legal opinion about it. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) also said he could not comment because he knew nothing about the service.

    Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) dismissed questions about Trump reportedly making billions of dollars since returning to office, joking that the president’s gains could have come from “a high-yield savings account.”

    Cornyn, who is serving out his term after losing to a Trump-backed primary challenger, was the rare Republican willing to acknowledge that the deal could present an ethical problem.

    The controversy centers on Truth API, a new Trump Media product scheduled to launch Aug. 1.

    The service will provide paying customers with real-time access to posts from Truth Social’s highest-ranking accounts. Trump Media says the feed will deliver information within milliseconds and operate around the clock—features designed to appeal to high-frequency trading firms capable of buying or selling securities almost instantly.

    “Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” Trump Media interim CEO Kevin McGurn said when announcing the product, according to CBS News.

    That is precisely what has critics sounding the alarm.

    Trump routinely uses Truth Social to announce tariff decisions, military actions and other policy changes capable of sending stocks, commodities and currencies soaring or plunging. Traders receiving those posts even milliseconds faster than the public could potentially gain a lucrative advantage.

    Trump Media executives reportedly pitched access for as much as $100,000 per month, Axios reported. Trump reportedly retains an approximately 41% stake in the company through a revocable trust.

    Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York has already asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether the service raises concerns involving market manipulation, securities law or investor protection.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has also predicted that the unprecedented arrangement will receive some form of regulatory or legal review.

    Trump Media has fiercely defended the product, arguing that it merely provides faster access to information that is already public. The company accused critics of trying to damage a publicly traded business and dismissed claims that the service resembles insider trading.

    The dispute, however, is no longer coming solely from Democrats or media critics.

    With Cornyn now predicting congressional scrutiny, Trump’s lucrative new Wall Street venture may soon face an uncomfortable examination from lawmakers in his own party.

    McConnell’s Office Publishes New Images After Dramatic Ultimatum Hits His Desk

    Mitch McConnell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear escalated pressure on Sen. Mitch McConnell this week, demanding that the longtime Republican lawmaker publicly demonstrate that he remains capable of serving—or resign from office.

    In a letter dated Monday and reported Tuesday, the Democratic governor called on McConnell to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky” and prove his capacity to continue representing the state.

    Beshear’s ultimatum came one day after McConnell’s office released a new photograph of the 84-year-old senator alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, and confirmed that he remains in a rehabilitation facility more than six weeks after being hospitalized.

    “It has now been 43 days since news of your hospitalization,” Beshear wrote, according to Mediaite.

    McConnell has missed 38 consecutive Senate votes since his hospitalization, according to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

    “As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” Beshear wrote.

    The governor also sent the letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and urged him to investigate McConnell’s ability to remain in office if the senator declines to speak publicly.

    Beshear said he would press Thune to report his findings to the American people and begin the process of removing McConnell if an investigation determined that such action was warranted.

    “All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” the governor added.

    Beshear acknowledged McConnell’s right to medical privacy but argued that elected officials surrender a degree of that privacy when they accept responsibility for representing the public.

    The Senate can expel one of its members only with a two-thirds vote. Such action is exceedingly rare: Only 15 senators have been expelled since 1789, with 14 of those removals occurring during the Civil War, according to the Senate Historical Office.

    Beshear’s letter represents his second formal request for more information about McConnell’s condition. On July 8, the governor asked the senator to provide Kentuckians with a full health update and clarify whether he remained capable of fulfilling his duties.

    McConnell was hospitalized June 14 after suffering a fall at his Washington, D.C., residence that left him briefly unconscious. In a July 12 written statement, the senator said doctors had ruled out a heart attack, stroke, concussion, broken bones, tumors and hemorrhaging. He also disclosed that he had developed a mild case of pneumonia while receiving treatment.

    McConnell was eventually transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility, where he has been undergoing multiple physical-therapy sessions each day.

    His office released its latest update Monday, accompanied by a photograph that it said was taken July 26 and showed McConnell sitting beside Chao.

    The Office of the Attending Physician said McConnell has not been medically cleared to leave the facility and return to his Senate office. Doctors said the lingering effects of the senator’s childhood battle with polio remain a significant factor affecting his mobility.

    McConnell said he was still “working hard” to resume his schedule but announced that he would miss Kentucky’s Fancy Farm picnic Saturday. The annual political gathering is a major tradition in the state and one McConnell first attended 42 years ago.

    “As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon,” McConnell said in the official update.

    A spokesman previously said McConnell continued meeting with staff and discussing defense appropriations, foreign policy, the farm bill, constituent services and federal grant requests during his recovery. Republican leaders, including Thune and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, have also said they spoke with McConnell by telephone.

    The senator has not, however, participated in a live video interview or addressed Kentuckians directly since his hospitalization, leaving Beshear and other critics dissatisfied with the written statements and photographs released by his office.

    McConnell has experienced several highly publicized health scares in recent years, including falls, two on-camera freezing episodes in 2023 and an intensive-care hospitalization earlier this year for flu-like symptoms.

    The seven-term senator has already announced that he will not seek reelection and plans to leave office when his current term expires in January 2027. If the seat becomes vacant before then, Kentucky law calls for a special election to fill the remainder of the term.

    Trump Suggests Pulling His Own Nominee Amid Bitter GOP Standoff

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    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general and wait for two Republican holdouts to leave Washington before trying again.

    The extraordinary maneuver would allow Blanche to remain acting attorney general while Trump attempts to outlast Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., whose opposition forced Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to postpone Thursday’s scheduled vote.

    “Todd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He has the potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time.”

    Trump then turned his fire on Cornyn and Tillis, accusing the departing senators of blocking a nominee they know is qualified.

    “John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting,” Trump wrote.

    “I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office,” he added.

    Tillis announced last year that he would not seek reelection, while Cornyn lost the Texas Republican primary to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received Trump’s endorsement.

    Trump had already suggested Wednesday that Cornyn’s resistance could be rooted in lingering resentment over the primary.

    “He’s outstanding,” Trump told reporters when asked about Blanche’s nomination. “Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” according to The Associated Press.

    Cornyn laughed off that suggestion, calling it “a convenient excuse” for the administration’s failure to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee, ABC News reported.

    The standoff centers on a controversial settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leaking of his tax returns.

    That agreement created a proposed $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who claim they were targeted by the federal government. It also included protections shielding Trump, members of his family and affiliated businesses from certain tax audits.

    The Justice Department announced in June that it would no longer move forward with the fund after bipartisan backlash. Blanche also testified at his July 15 confirmation hearing that the fund was “dead.”

    Cornyn and Tillis, however, want those assurances put in writing and the settlement language amended so the fund cannot be revived later. Cornyn also wants confirmation that Trump will not receive immunity from audits of future tax returns.

    “We want to make sure that it remains dead, and that the president isn’t given any immunity from future audits that the ordinary taxpayer would not enjoy,” Cornyn told CBS News Thursday.

    Cornyn said the Justice Department sent him proposed language Wednesday night, but he found it inadequate and responded with a counterproposal Thursday morning. He blamed “higher ups” at the White House for resisting the changes.

    “Basically I get the sense that Todd Blanche is not the problem, it’s other folks at the White House who are resistant to any changes, any additional documentation,” Cornyn told The Hill. “But they need to make a fundamental decision whether they want him confirmed or not.”

    Tillis similarly suggested that an unnamed White House adviser may be urging Trump to preserve the fund as an option.

    “The only reason why we wouldn’t move forward with this language is because that same adviser wants to bring it back to life at some point,” Tillis told CBS News.

    “That is horrible policy and it’s horrible politics,” he told The Hill.

    Tillis acknowledged that Trump is “perfectly entitled” to hold Blanche’s nomination until January but warned the strategy could backfire if Republicans lose Senate seats—or control of the chamber—in November.

    Cornyn also disputed Trump’s portrayal of the fight as a two-senator rebellion.

    “POTUS is mistaken if he believes concerns about the provisions in his tax lawsuit settlement are limited to me and Senator Tillis,” Cornyn wrote on X.

    Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., another outgoing Republican, declined Thursday to say whether he would support Blanche if the nomination came up for a vote, telling CBS News he was still gathering information.

    For now, Blanche can continue overseeing the Justice Department in an acting capacity because he was previously confirmed as deputy attorney general. The White House has also highlighted support for his nomination from major law enforcement organizations, Republican state attorneys general and former Attorney General William Barr. The administration called Blanche a proven leader committed to fighting violent crime, fraud and transnational gangs.

    Cornyn said Blanche’s nomination could advance as soon as next week if the administration agrees to clarify the settlement. Otherwise, the confirmation fight could stretch into September—or Trump could carry out his threat

    Alex Jones Goes Nuclear On Trump, Demands Impeachment Over Iran War

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    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)

    The MAGA civil war over Iran just took an explosive new turn.

    Alex Jones, one of President Donald Trump’s earliest and loudest supporters, is now demanding his removal from office—accusing the president of secretly preparing to revive the military draft and send American troops into a full-scale ground war.

    In a fiery video posted Tuesday to his more than 4 million followers on X, Jones called for Trump’s impeachment, floated using the 25th Amendment and even demanded “Nuremberg-style trials” for administration officials.

    “The big issue is how to stop Trump,” Jones declared, according to Mediaite. “This is a war; they’re getting the draft ready. If this isn’t a war, nothing’s a war.”

    Jones then issued his most direct challenge yet to the president he once championed.

    “And so I’m calling for it right now: 25th Amendment, impeachment, whatever needs to happen to get this front and center, to get control of our country,” he said.

    The conspiracy broadcaster claimed Trump was preparing to use “total war” as a pretext to censor Americans, seize greater control over the economy and accelerate the displacement of workers through artificial intelligence.

    “We are facing tyranny,” Jones warned. “We’ve got to come together and transcend left and right, and we have to say no to an expanded war that will definitely destroy the economy and kill a bunch of our troops.”

    “They’re preparing a massive ground invasion,” he added. “It’s all confirmed.”

    Jones presented no evidence supporting that claim.

    The Selective Service System says there is currently no military draft. Reinstating one would require Congress to amend federal law and authorize the president to begin inducting Americans into the armed forces.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in March that ground troops and a draft were “not part of the current plan,” although she stressed that Trump was unwilling to remove military options from the table, according to PolitiFact.

    Jones nevertheless urged Americans on both sides of the political divide to pressure Congress into ending the conflict.

    “Americans, left and right, must come together now and demand Congress invoke the war powers and end this war now,” he said.

    The tirade represents a stunning reversal for a man who helped boost Trump during his first campaign for the White House. Trump appeared on Jones’s program in December 2015 and praised his host, telling him, “Your reputation is amazing.”

    But Jones’s relationship with Trump has steadily deteriorated as the Iran conflict has deepened. He joins prominent right-wing voices including Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in accusing the president of abandoning the “America First” movement’s opposition to prolonged foreign wars.

    Jones has now pushed the rupture further than most, openly demanding that Trump be driven from the White House.

    His outburst also comes as opposition to the conflict spreads beyond conservative media.

    The House voted 214-208 last week to approve a war-powers resolution directing Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran. Four Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the measure, although a similar resolution failed in the Senate. The White House strongly opposed the House measure, arguing that it would interfere with Trump’s authority to defend American personnel and respond to Iranian attacks.

    For Jones, however, a congressional rebuke is no longer enough.

    Trump Recalls Final Call And ‘One Bad Moment’ With Lindsey Graham

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      [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

      President Donald Trump will help Washington bid farewell to Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday, weeks after revealing that the South Carolina Republican spent their final conversation fighting for one last political priority.

      Graham called Trump shortly after returning from Ukraine on July 11, the night he died unexpectedly at 71.

      “We’re all set for the SAVE America Act,” Graham told the president, according to Trump’s July 12 interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

      Trump said Graham sounded tired following the lengthy overseas trip but otherwise appeared fine. The senator remained focused on advancing the Republican election-integrity bill and expected to see the president again soon.

      “I’ll see you soon,” Trump remembered telling him.

      Hours later, Trump received word that Graham had died. Preliminary findings from the District of Columbia medical examiner later identified the cause as an aortic dissection stemming from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

      “It could have been his last call,” Trump said.

      The conversation was vintage Graham: back in Washington after another international trip and immediately pressing the president about unfinished business.

      Trump recalled that the senator’s relentless commitment to politics made it nearly impossible to imagine him doing anything else. He had endorsed Graham’s reelection bid and believed the veteran lawmaker was cruising toward another decisive victory.

      The president also offered an unusually Trumpian assessment of his late friend during a subsequent “Fox & Friends” interview, rating Graham a 99.9 out of 100.

      Trump said Graham lost a fraction of a point over “one bad moment”: his brief break with the president following the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

      Graham took to the Senate floor that night and declared that he had reached the end of his journey with Trump. According to the president, however, Graham called him less than an hour later and immediately expressed regret over what he had said.

      Trump therefore gave him “a 99.9 instead of 100,” according to People.

      The remark captured the unconventional friendship between the two Republicans, who began as bitter rivals during the 2016 presidential campaign.

      Graham warned Republicans against nominating Trump, while Trump routinely mocked Graham’s struggling campaign. Their relationship changed after Trump easily defeated him and the rest of the Republican field.

      Trump said Graham respected his victory, and their friendship gradually grew. Graham eventually became one of Trump’s most reliable allies and advisers, particularly on judicial nominations and foreign policy.

      Despite frequently teasing Graham, Trump offered rare praise for the senator’s political abilities.

      Trump called him one of the “top 10 in politics” and said Graham possessed a nearly unmatched ability to win over both Republicans and Democrats. While recalling his friend’s effectiveness in the Senate, Trump acknowledged that viewers had “probably never heard me say that about anybody.”

      Graham was a frequent visitor to the White House, where Trump relied on him as a gauge of the Senate’s mood and a go-between when the administration needed help winning over resistant lawmakers.

      Trump also credited Graham’s fiery defense of Brett Kavanaugh with helping save the Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation. The president described the exchange as one of the most consequential performances in Senate history.

      Beneath the jokes and political reminiscing, Trump made clear that Graham’s death represented a personal and national loss.

      “The real loser was the United States of America,” Trump said in remarks later collected by the White House.

      Trump predicted that Graham would receive greater appreciation after his death and told Fox News that a “special type of funeral” was being arranged for the senator.

      That farewell will begin Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, where Graham’s remains will be carried into the Rotunda by an Armed Forces Body Bearer Team in recognition of his decades of military service.

      The casket will later be taken to Washington National Cathedral for an invitation-only service beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern. Trump is scheduled to deliver a tribute, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to attend.

      Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who served alongside Graham for more than a decade, called his friend “irreplaceable.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) remembered him as a “Senator. Warrior. Patriot. Statesman.”

      Every member of the Senate also co-sponsored a resolution honoring Graham’s life, which passed unanimously.

      Following the Washington service, Graham’s remains will return to South Carolina. A public procession, F-16 flyover and funeral service will be held Wednesday before a private family burial in Pickens County, according to the official funeral schedule.

      Trump Moves to Ground Senate’s Summer Escape Over Election Bill

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      Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

      President Donald Trump just handed Senate Republicans an ultimatum: Pass his election integrity bill — or forget about summer vacation.

      Trump turned up the heat on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) Monday morning, demanding that senators remain in Washington until the SAVE America Act clears the chamber.

      “John Thune should not allow the United States Senate to ‘leave town’ until it passes The Save America Act,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

      The president said an even better option would be for Republicans to terminate the legislative filibuster, allowing the party to pass the election bill — along with its budget and debt-ceiling priorities — by a simple majority.

      Trump warned that Democrats would scrap the 60-vote threshold themselves as soon as they regained power, adding, “stupidity always brings LOSING & DEATH!”

      The pressure campaign lands as senators return to Capitol Hill for their final two weeks of work before an extended August recess. The chamber is scheduled to leave after Aug. 7 and not return until Sept. 14.

      Trump’s gambit is clear: Force Thune to either keep senators in Washington or explain why Republicans went home with one of the president’s biggest legislative priorities still collecting dust.

      The Trump-backed package would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and photo identification at the polls. The White House is also pushing restrictions on mail-in voting, with exceptions for illness, disability, military service and travel, according to its official summary of the legislation.

      The House passed its latest version of the measure last week after tying it to legislation banning members of Congress from trading stocks. The combined package passed 232-198, with 13 Democrats joining Republicans, The Daily Wire reported.

      But the Senate remains the brick wall.

      The legislation needs 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, and Democrats have remained united against it. Thune says supporters are still well short of that mark — and he has repeatedly rejected Trump’s demands to blow up Senate rules.

      Trump is no longer alone in demanding that senators sacrifice their summer escape.

      “The Senate doesn’t need a summer vacation as much as the country needs the SAVE America Act. Let’s cancel recess,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote on X over the weekend.

      Lee later pledged to object to any attempt to send the Senate into recess before the bill passes and requested a recorded vote, according to Democracy Docket.

      Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also drew a line in the sand.

      “I will vote to stay in session unless we have passed the SAVE America Act,” Scott wrote on X. “The American people expect us to deliver. They deserve secure elections.”

      Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined the revolt Sunday, arguing that the Senate should remain in session for “a few extra days” to try to break the stalemate.

      Thune, however, has shown little appetite for scrapping the filibuster — or accepting blame for the stalled legislation.

      White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that Trump’s “patience is running out” and accused the Republican-controlled Senate of failing to do its job.

      Thune fired back.

      “Maybe she or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes,” he told reporters. “It’s 50 around here.”

      The clash has been building for months. In March, Thune said eliminating the filibuster was “not a realistic option” because Republicans did not have enough votes to change the rules, ABC News reported.

      Keeping the Senate in session would not magically produce the missing votes. It would, however, make the standoff impossible to ignore — and give Trump more time to turn up the pressure on Thune and wavering senators.

      With fewer than 100 days before the midterm elections, Trump appears determined to make Republicans choose between their vacation plans and a public showdown over election security.

      Trump-Backed Mike Lindell Surges Ahead In Minnesota Governor’s Race

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      Mike Lindell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Mike Lindell is no longer merely the most famous Republican running for governor of Minnesota. The MyPillow founder is beginning to pull away from the pack.

      A new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll found Lindell leading the Republican primary with 35 percent support—an eight-point jump since June and a nine-point advantage over his closest rival.

      Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth climbed four points to 26 percent, while Kendall Qualls, who secured the state Republican Party’s endorsement in May, fell six points to 11 percent.

      The survey of 478 Republican voters was conducted from July 15 through July 20 and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 5.4 percentage points.

      Lindell’s gains stretched across several important voting blocs. According to KSTP-TV, his support among Republican women climbed nine points, while his backing among voters 65 and older surged by 17 points.

      The latest results mark a clear acceleration for Lindell. A June KSTP/SurveyUSA survey placed him at 27 percent, followed by Demuth at 22 percent and Qualls at 17 percent.

      At the time, Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier said Lindell’s national profile would make him competitive but warned that he would need additional money to preserve his advantage.

      Instead, Lindell has widened his lead just weeks before the Aug. 11 primary—and he is doing it despite the state party establishment lining up behind someone else.

      Qualls secured the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement after a chaotic 10-ballot convention marked by lengthy delays and problems with its electronic voting system. But that endorsement has not translated into momentum among the broader Republican electorate.

      Lindell received another, far more powerful endorsement on the first day of the new poll’s surveying period: President Donald Trump’s.

      Trump threw his “complete and total endorsement” behind his longtime ally in a July 15 Truth Social post, calling Lindell “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots.” (RELATED: Trump Endorses Mike Lindell In Minnesota Governor’s Race)

      “Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!!” Trump wrote, adding that Lindell would “MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN.”

      Lindell welcomed the endorsement and made it clear that his campaign was not a publicity exercise.

      “I wanted everyone in Minnesota to know I’m serious,” Lindell told KSTP-TV. “I’m running this campaign. I’m 100% all in.”

      The primary winner is expected to face Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November for the seat being vacated by Gov. Tim Walz.

      Walz abandoned his bid for a third term in January as Minnesota faced mounting scrutiny over fraud involving government-funded social-service programs. In his withdrawal statement, Walz acknowledged that the state had a serious problem and declared that “the buck stops with me,” while insisting his administration was taking action.

      Fraud and government accountability have since become central issues in the race. Lindell has proposed halting payments to providers flagged as high-risk, expanding audits and data analysis, strengthening protections for whistleblowers and cooperating with federal investigators.

      Republican voters now appear increasingly willing to entrust that fight to the outspoken businessman.

      Early voting for Minnesota’s primary began June 26, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office. With less than three weeks remaining before Election Day, Lindell has transformed his celebrity and close relationship with Trump into a commanding—though not yet insurmountable—lead.