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    Katie Hobbs Takes Unconventional Move for Inauguration Ceremony

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Arizona’s new governor is already off to a rocky start.

      On Monday, Katie Hobbs (D) was sworn in as Arizona’s newest governor. The ceremony received little coverage and was widely kept from the public eye because Gov. Hobbs barred reporters from attending the ceremony.

      According to local reporters, the Democrat’s team allowed only a single photographer from the Associated Press into the room at the state Capitol while directing others to instead watch the event via live steam

      “Arizona’s 24th governor, Katie Hobbs, assumed power at 10 a.m. on Monday and in her first official act, she decided to take the public’s business private. Not a great start,” tweeted Laurie Roberts, a columnist for The Arizona Republic.

      According to The Daily Wire, as Roberts pointed out in a column, the restricted access deprived reporters the ability to ask questions of officials who are now leading the state. Others who took office on Monday included Democrats Adrian Fontes as secretary of state and Kris Mayes as attorney general.

      Roberts also noted Monday was a state holiday and Hobbs will participate in a ceremonial inauguration Thursday. Still, she added, Hobbs “decided to take the public’s business private” in her first official act, part of a celebratory affair funded by secret donors.

      Hobbs faced a contentious election battle against Trump-backed news anchor Kari Lake who recently sued Hobbs over the election outcome. (RELATED: Kari Lake Appeals Election Contest Dismissal)

      According to The Washington Examiner, In the appeal filed with Arizona Superior Court on Tuesday, the MAGA Republican challenged the dismissal of several counts that were thrown out by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson over the weekend. In his decision, Thompson ruled Lake’s campaign did not have sufficient evidence to support her claims that the election was influenced by intentional misconduct that handed Hobbs the victory.

      “I am standing up for the people of this state, the people who were done wrong on Election Day, and the millions of people who live outside of Maricopa County, whose vote was watered down by this bogus election in Maricopa County,” Lake told Steve Bannon on his War Room podcast on Tuesday.

      Lake signaled her intent to appeal the judge’s decision shortly after her lawsuit was thrown out, claiming her “election case provided the world with evidence that proves our elections are run outside of the law.”

      RFK Jr. Blocked From New York Ballot As Supreme Court Declines Appeal

      By
      Patrick Houck
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      0
      Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

      Residence Questioned by Courts

      Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not be listed as a presidential candidate on the New York state ballot after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reinstate his name. Lower courts determined that Kennedy’s address in Katonah, New York, did not qualify as his fixed and permanent residence, leading to his exclusion from the ballot.

      Kennedy’s legal team argued that removing him from the ballot would deprive his New York supporters of their right to vote for him. They emphasized that no evidence suggested voters had been misled about his candidacy. Despite these arguments, the Supreme Court declined to issue an emergency injunction.

      Opposition from New York Attorney General

      The emergency request to reinstate Kennedy’s name faced strong opposition from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office. Her team argued that the state had already mailed absentee ballots and the certification deadline had passed, making it too late to add his name back to the ballot. The court’s refusal marks a significant setback for Kennedy’s campaign efforts in New York.

      Kennedy suspended his presidential campaign last month and endorsed former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House. Since then, he has worked to remove his name from ballots in critical swing states while keeping it on in others, triggering a series of legal battles.

      This Supreme Court appeal marked Kennedy’s first attempt to remain on the New York ballot, but he isn’t the first candidate to face such a challenge. Earlier this month, the Green Party’s candidate, Jill Stein, also failed to secure a spot on Nevada’s ballot after the Supreme Court denied a similar emergency request.

      New York Polls: Kamala Harris Leads Trump

      Despite Kennedy’s exclusion from the ballot, the latest Siena College poll shows Vice President Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump by 13 points in a direct matchup in New York. Pollster Steven Greenberg noted that although New York remains solidly blue, the margin isn’t as wide as in recent presidential cycles.

      “Despite the Democratic convention, the debate and numerous other events during the six weeks between Siena College polls, there has been little movement in the horse race or in either candidate’s favorability rating. While the race appears largely static, Harris did pick up support among Latino voters, leading Trump 56-39%, up from 48-47% in August,” Greenberg noted. “Independents moved further in Trump’s direction, supporting him over Harris 58-34%, up from 47-40% last month. Interestingly, New York’s independent voters moved significantly in the Republican direction across several questions that will be on the ballot.”

      “New Yorkers trust Harris more than Trump on abortion, democracy and the economy, and trust them equally on immigration. But there are huge partisan divides. Democrats trust Harris on all four issues by between 76 and 89 percent, and Republicans trust Trump by between 76 and 89 percent,” the Siena College pollster continued. “While independents trust Harris more on abortion by 50-42%, they trust Trump more on the other three by between 15 and 34 points.”

      In previous elections, Democrats have won New York by at least 18 points. President Biden carried the state by 23 points in 2020. In a multi-candidate race, Harris’ lead drops slightly to 12 points.

      READ NEXT: Top MAGA Republican Burned At Campaign Event, Vows To Return To Politics

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      Democrat Presidential Challenger Signals He Would Accept Trump Cabinet Bid

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      4

      Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) signaled Thursday that he’d be willing to serve under President-elect Trump when he returns to the White House.

      “If there is a job that could help the country and that my skillset would be useful for. Anybody should consider that,” Phillips told NewsNation’s “On Balance.” 

      “And if we come to a point where no Democrat will want to serve in a Republican administration, and conversely, we are limiting 50 percent of the universe of potential appointees and that’s what I am trying to overcome,” he added. 

      Phillips, mounted a long shot bid against President Biden before dropping out in March.

      The Minnesota Democrat consistently warned his party about not having a competitive primary process and urged both parties to try to better understand the needs of the American people. 

      Phillips said last week that Trump has “become a significant historical figure in American politics” and that he built a movement “that, frankly, snuck up on most Democrats.” 

      “I am not a big fan of the President himself, but I understand the MAGA movement,” Phillips said Thursday. “I understand why people are angry. I understand why this federal government needs to be reformed. But then do it with people with competency and integrity to do it.” 

      Trump has announced a a number of candidates for his Cabinet and other administration posts since being declared the winner of the presidential race, including picking two ex-Democrats, former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be his director of national intelligence and head the Department of Health and Human Services

      Wyoming Official Intervenes On Court Labeling Trump ‘Insurrectionist’

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        9
        Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

        Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray is working to change a Colorado judge’s ruling which labeled former President Donald Trump an “insurrectionist”.”

        “As chief election officials of our states, [Secretaries of State] have to stand up for the electoral process in our republic, and this is pivotal to ensuring the integrity of our elections,” Gray told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. 

        “I ran on election integrity, and that’s why the people of Wyoming voted me into office. And I’m following through on that, and defending the truth here, and making sure that these outrageous, frivolous lawsuits that the radical left is bringing and trying to remove President Trump from the ballot, that they don’t succeed.” 

        Gray filed an amicus curiae brief, otherwise known as a friend of the court brief, with the Colorado Supreme Court last week that argues a Colorado District Court made a mistake when labeling Trump an “insurrectionist” in a legal case that worked to remove Trump’s name from the state’s primary ballot. 

        The amicus brief calls on the Colorado Supreme Court to vacate the district court’s order and “direct the District Court to dismiss the petition for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” 

        “It really should have been dismissed immediately, the case is frivolous. And instead we got this 95-page finding from this local judge there in Colorado and with the principle of issue preclusion, this could be really used against President Trump,” Gray said. “So it’s very important that this is just dismissed in its entirety. And that’s what we really try to delve into with this amicus brief … and we’re really proud that Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Ohio Secretary of State LaRose signed on.” 

        Gray’s move comes after a liberal group attempted to have Trump removed from the state’s 2024 primary ballot under the 14th Amendment..

        Gray told Fox News the case should have been dismissed from the start.

        “The frivolous lawsuits, they’re happening around the country, and it’s imperative that voters in one state not be affected by judgments in other states. And if you think about it, preventing an eligible candidate in one state for being able to attain electoral votes affects every other state. And preventing a candidate from being on the ballot, primary or caucus, artificially will alter momentum,” Gray said. 

        Canadian Conservative Pushes Ottawa To Remove All US Tariffs

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        2

        As Canada braces for President Trump’s Liberation day tariffs to take effect some Canadian political leaders are suddenly supporting proposals to remove all tariffs.

        Maxime Bernier, who served as foreign affairs minister in former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and now heads the right-wing People’s Party of Canada (PPC), told Fox News Digital in an interview from Halifax that it is “absolutely” the time for Canada to remove all tariffs against the U.S.

        He said the 25% duties the Canadian government, under then-Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, imposed on the U.S. in early February to counter Trump’s 25% tariffs against Canada “won’t hurt the Americans – it is hurting Canadians.”

        New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement following his March 28 call with the president – the first contact between both leaders since Carney was elected Liberal leader by his party nearly three weeks before – that Canada would implement retaliatory tariffs in response to Wednesday’s U.S. “trade actions.”

        The PPC leader said that Trump should be told that “the real reciprocal response” to tariffs is “zero on our side, zero on your side.”

        Bernier said that instead, Carney and his main rival, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, are being “fake patriots using a dollar-for-dollar trade war against Trump” and telling Canadians: “That’s the best thing to do.”

        “We cannot impose counter-tariffs,” said Bernier, who also served as industry minister in the Harper government. 

        “The Americans are 10 times bigger than us. We won’t win a trade war,” he said, underscoring that retaliation will lead to a recession in Canada.

        Former Canadian Conservative politician Tony Clement, who served alongside Bernier in Harper’s Cabinet, told Fox News Digital that “from an economic point of view,” removing Canadian tariffs “makes a lot of sense” and “may come to that at some point, but the public isn’t there right now.”

        “From a point of view of the emotional wounds of Canadians created by Trump and his annexation talk and tariffs, I’m not sure that a political voice would survive if it went down that public-policy route,” said Clement, a former Canadian industry minister in the Harper government.

        “The mood of the people is outrage. I’ve never seen people in Canada this incandescently mad at the United States,” he said, who is campaigning in the Toronto area for Poilievre’s Conservative Party ahead of the April 28 general election. “There is complete distrust of whatever Trump says because it can change within 24 hours.”

        Eliminating Canadian tariffs, without a quid pro quo from Trump, could “show weakness to a bully,” added Clement, who, prior to entering federal politics in 2006, served as a Cabinet minister in former Ontario Premier Mike Harris’ Progressive Conservative government.  

        In the statement released following his recent conversation with Trump, Carney said that both leaders “agreed to begin comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election.” 

        Conservative strategist Yaroslav Baran, who served as communications chief for Harper’s successful Conservative 2004 leadership campaign, and director of war room communications for the Harper-led Tories during the 2004, 2006 and 2008 federal election campaigns, told Fox News Digital that under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), “trade in goods and services ought to be tariff-free” between Canada and the U.S., excluding carveouts on the Canadian side for dairy, eggs, poultry and softwood lumber. 

        However, Baran added that he “can’t semer Ontario Premier Mike Harris’ Progressive Conservative government.  

        In the statement released following his recent conversation with Trump, Carney said that both leaders “agreed to begin comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election.” 

        Conservative strategist Yaroslav Baran, who served as communications chief for Harper’s successful Conservative 2004 leadership campaign, and director of war room communications for the Harper-led Tories during the 2004, 2006 and 2008 federal election campaigns, told Fox News Digital that under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), “trade in goods and services ought to be tariff-free” between Canada and the U.S., excluding carveouts on the Canadian side for dairy, eggs, poultry and softwood lumber. 

        However, Baran added that he “can’t see the removal of all Canadian tariffs on U.S. products as long as the U.S. has tariffs on Canadian products.”

        Supreme Court Narrows Key Obstruction Law Used In Jan. 6 Prosecutions

          By
          admin
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          1
          Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

          In a pivotal 6-3 decision on Friday, the Supreme Court made it more challenging to charge Jan. 6 defendants with obstruction, a ruling that could impact scores of cases.

          The ruling was notably not split along ideological lines, underscoring its significance.

          Key Justices and Their Stances

          Office of U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

          Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, appointed by President Biden, joined the majority in Friday’s landmark decision, in sharp contrast to her strong words against Idaho‘s abortion ruling, which she bitterly criticized as a setback for “pregnant patients.” (RELATED: Supreme Court Allows Emergency Abortions To Resume In Idaho)

          In a surprising move, Justice Amy Coney Barrett broke away from her conservative peers and sided with the minority.

          Case Spotlight: Joseph Fischer

          The decision directly involves Joseph Fischer, a former police officer from Pennsylvania. Fischer, who participated in the U.S. Capitol riot, faces an obstruction charge among several other accusations, including assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct.

          Fischer’s appeal specifically targeted the obstruction charge under Section 1512(c)(2). His defense argued that this statute, originally crafted to tackle evidence tampering following the Enron scandal, was being misapplied to his actions on Jan. 6.

          They asserted that the law’s intended scope was being overly stretched to cover protest activities​. On the other hand, the government argued that the statute’s broad language was deliberate, designed to address various obstruction forms, including those that disrupt official proceedings like the certification of electoral votes​​.

          Understanding Section 1512(c)(2)

          Section 1512(c)(2) penalizes those who “corruptly” obstruct, impede or interfere with official congressional investigations, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years. The Justice Department utilized this statute to prosecute individuals whose actions postponed the Electoral College vote count on Jan. 6. However, Fischer and many others contended that the Biden administration‘s DOJ had repurposed the law from its original focus on document tampering to now include those involved in the Capitol riot.

          My debate against Crooked Joe last night was a total BLOWOUT! Please chip in NOW before the most critical End-of-Quarter DEADLINE!

          The Hill further reports:

          The Supreme Court’s decision could have profound implications on the Justice Department’s years-long prosecution of the Capitol attack.

          More than 350 rioters were charged with obstructing an official proceeding after mobbing the Capitol on the day Congress was set to certify now-President Biden’s win against Trump. Several members of the extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups were convicted of the charge, including the leaders of each group, Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes.

          Though most also faced other felony counts, 50 rioters were sentenced with the obstruction law as their only felony, according to Prelogar.

          Jackson signaled in a separate opinion that she believed it is possible for Fischer and the other defendants to still be prosecuted under the charge.

          “That issue remains available for the lower courts to determine on remand,” she wrote.

          Broader Implications

          The Supreme Court ruling may not only influence Fischer’s case but numerous other Jan. 6 defendants. It may even extend its impact to former President Trump, who faces related legal challenges.

          Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

          Tucker Carlson Holds Funeral for Dan Bongino’s Career Following Epstein Outburst

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
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          0
          Dan Bongino via Gage Skidmore Flickr

          Is FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino circling the drain? His former Fox News colleague says so.

          On Sunday, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson essentially hosted a funeral for Bongino’s career and credibility after the former Fox contributor reportedly threatened to resign over Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

          On Culture Apothecary, host Alex Clark asked Carlson to weigh in on the feud.

          “Well, as we’re recording this, Dan Bongino is threatening to resign if Pam Bondi does not resign as AG. What does that tell us, in your opinion?” she inquired.

          “Well, it tells us that Dan Bongino got shafted, completely shafted. And I’m saying this as a friend of his, and someone who respects and likes him, but also just as an observer, I’m an informed observer of it,” replied Carlson. “So Pam Bondi, who’s, by the way, I don’t hate Pam Bondi, she’s a totally nice person. If he was here, you would enjoy-, I don’t know if you know her, but she’s a very nice person. I’m not against Pam Bondi in the slightest. But the fact is she got on television on Fox News and started saying stuff like, ‘I’ve got the client list on my desk!’ And actually, no, you don’t. And, ‘I’ve got thousands of videos of Epstein having sex with kids.’ Well, actually, no, you don’t. Most of the material was commercial porn taken off his computer. Like, that’s just not true. Why did she say that? Probably because she’s insecure and she’s trying to please the audience, I would expect.”

          “Do you think Dan is upset because his integrity is being questioned now over her mistake?” followed up Clark.

          “Of course! Oh my gosh! So you’re Dan, and you’re a media figure, and you’ve got one of the biggest podcasts in the country, and you’re making tons of money, and you’re having a great time — which he was. You just built this brand new studio in Florida, you work with your wife who you really like, which he does, and you get the call saying, ‘You be deputy FBI director,’ and you’re like, ‘I love Donald Trump, I love this country. I will cut my pay into a 10th of what it was, and I will leave my house and move to D.C.,’ which is a kind of prison sentence itself,” answered Carlson. “‘And I will do this because I love the president, I love the country,’ and you’re there a few months, and all of a sudden everybody thinks you’re covering up Epstein’s crimes, and it kind of wrecks Dan’s career. Like he can’t go back-, it’s gonna be very hard at this point, I mean, things may change, but as of today, pretty hard for Dan to go back to his podcast audience and be like, ‘I’m telling you the truth,’ when they all think that he’s covering up for Epstein.”

          “Who did that? Pam Bondi did that,” he added, before going on to say he “feel[s]” for Bongino.

          The Justice Department last week released a memo concluding there was no evidence suggesting the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender kept a “client list” to blackmail high-profile individuals. The memo also found no evidence to suggest foul play in Epstein’s death, which had previously been ruled a suicide.

          The memo spurred fierce backlash from many Trump supporters, who had long called on the government to release material on Epstein that they argue would expose wrongdoing at the highest level of elite circles.

          Dan Bongino, the Deputy Director of the FBI, reportedly threatened to leave the bureau if Attorney General Pam Bondi remains on the job due to her handling of the Epstein files, a source close to Bongino told The Daily Wire.

          One source close to Bongino predicted to Axios, “He ain’t coming back.”

          CNN reports that Trump — who has been desperate to move past the Epstein story — was furious at Bongino, as well as FBI Director Kash Patel. Vice President JD Vance reportedly tried to hammer out a peace between the administration’s top Justice Department officials. But CNN reports that Bongino is still very much hanging by a thread.

          “It remains to be seen if Bongino ultimately resigns, which he told others he was considering,” the CNN report stated. “But sources say his relationship with the White House has become basically untenable. Even if he does not quit now, some inside the administration believe he will not stay in the job long-term.”

          However, President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believes FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is “in good shape” following a reported clash with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

          “I spoke to him today,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. “Dan Bongino, very good guy. I’ve known him a long time. I’ve done his show many, many times. And he sounded terrific actually. No, I think he’s in good shape.”

          Watch:
          Discussion of the Epstein files begins around 14:14 in the video.

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          Democrat Congressman Calls On New York Governor To Pardon Trump

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
          -
          1
          Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

          An unexpected twist…

          Members from both sides of the aisle have aired their opinions in the wake of former President Trump’s guilty verdict but Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) has shared an idea that’s unlikely to get much support from his colleagues: a pardon.

          Following the verdict, Rep. Phillips said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) should seriously consider pardoning the former President “for the good of the country.”

          Despite his call to let Trump walk free, the Democrat Congressman shared nothing but insults for the presumptive Republican nominee in a post on X.

          “Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim,” Phillips wrote on X. “@GovKathyHochul should pardon him for the good of the country.”

          In a separate post, Rep. Phillips defended his proposal noting how the Trump campaign has already begun to capitalize on the shocking trial. (RELATED: Trump’s Conviction Turns Cash Cow: $200M Raised, Eric Tells Fox News)

          On Friday, the Trump campaign announced a new record of $34.8 million raised in the hours after the verdict.

          “You think pardoning him is stupid? Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid. (Election charges are totally different.)” Phillips wrote in another post. “It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost.”

          Hochul appeared to suggest that pardoning Trump is off the table as she made clear her support for the verdict in a statement released Thursday.

          “TODAY’S VERDICT REAFFIRMS THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. IN PREPARATION FOR A VERDICT IN THIS TRIAL, I DIRECTED MY ADMINISTRATION TO CLOSELY COORDINATE WITH LOCAL AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE SAFETY OF ALL NEW YORKERS AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM,” THE STATEMENT SAID.

          Phillips is not the only congressman calling for Hochul to pardon Trump. Republican New York Rep. Nick LaLota wrote on social media that “the best way to unwind” Trump’s conviction is for Hochul to “immediately announce her intention” to pardon the former president.

          Earlier this year Phillips emerged as a long-shot “alternative” to President Joe Biden before suspending his campaign in March.

          “I ran for Congress in 2018 to resist Donald Trump, I was trapped in the Capitol in 2021 because of Donald Trump, and I ran for President in 2024 to resist Donald Trump again – because Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options,” he wrote on X.

          “But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be,” Phillips continued.

          Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

          Mexican President Pushes Back On Trump’s Latest Cartel Proposal

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
          -
          1
          By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

          Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, says she had “a very good conversation” with President Donald Trump on Monday — a call that focused heavily on cartel violence, cross-border drug trafficking, and the Trump administration’s push for tougher action against transnational criminal groups

          The call lasted about 15 minutes and came after Sheinbaum said she requested direct dialogue with the Trump administration, following a week of escalating rhetoric from Trump about the cartels and Mexico’s security crisis.

          A familiar dispute: U.S. military action vs. Mexican sovereignty

          Trump has repeatedly suggested the United States could use the U.S. military to strike cartel networks inside Mexico — an idea that resonates with many Republican voters who view the cartels as a direct national-security threat tied to fentanyl deaths, human trafficking, and illegal immigration.

          Sheinbaum, however, again rejected the idea of U.S. intervention, signaling that her government wants continued security cooperation, but on Mexico’s terms.

          Trump “still insisted that if we ask for it, they could help” with military forces, Sheinbaum said, adding that she rejected the offer again:

          “We told him, so far it’s going very well, it’s not necessary, and furthermore there is Mexico’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and he understood.”

          For Republican-leaning audiences, the tension here is straightforward: Mexico wants U.S. support — but not U.S. control, even as American communities continue facing the fallout of cartel-driven fentanyl trafficking.

          Trump presses the issue: “The cartels are running Mexico”

          Trump’s posture has been consistent: treat cartels like the enemy force they are.

          In a Fox News interview aired last week, he said:

          “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water and we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico. It’s very sad to watch.”

          That message plays to a key Republican argument: the U.S. cannot allow criminal organizations to operate with near-military power just across the border, especially when those groups fuel drug deaths and destabilize communities on both sides.

          Venezuela raid adds new weight to Trump’s threats

          The conversation also came in the wake of a dramatic U.S. operation in Venezuela — the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — which Sheinbaum said Trump raised directly.

          “He (Trump) asked me my opinion about what they had done in Venezuela and I told him very clearly that our constitution is very clear, that we do not agree with interventions and that was it,” Sheinbaum said.

          Sheinbaum’s comments reflect a longstanding Mexican government position against foreign military interventions, but the timing matters: the Venezuela operation has made leaders across the region take Trump’s warnings more seriously — including when he talks about Mexico, Cuba, and even Greenland. AP News+1

          Rubio demands “tangible results” from Mexico

          The Trump administration’s pressure campaign hasn’t been limited to the president.

          Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente spoke Sunday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called for “tangible results” and more cooperation to dismantle cartel power, according to the U.S. State Department.

          That demand reflects what many Republican voters have argued for years: Mexico must do more than make promises — it must deliver measurable enforcement.

          Sheinbaum claims progress — and wants credit

          Sheinbaum said Mexico shared results with the U.S. side, including:

          • a significant drop in homicides
          • falling U.S. fentanyl seizures
          • lower fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S.

          Even so, U.S. officials and border-state Republicans have frequently questioned whether Mexico’s progress is durable and nationwide, or simply temporary or concentrated in certain regions while cartels continue adapting.

          Why intervention is still unlikely — for now

          Experts say U.S. intervention in Mexico remains unlikely because Mexico is currently doing much of what Washington has requested and remains one of America’s most important economic partners. But they also expect Trump to keep using hardline rhetoric to maintain pressure.

          Cuba left out — but still a point of friction

          Sheinbaum said the two leaders did not discuss Cuba, even though Trump has recently threatened action related to the island. Mexico remains an important ally of Cuba, including through oil shipments, which have become even more significant now that the Trump administration has moved to stop Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba.

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          Report: Attempted Trump Assassin Gets 22 Years in Prison

            By
            Madeleine Jackson
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            2
            Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

            The would-be assassin of former President Trump was sentenced to 262 months in prison.

            On Thursday, Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier, a 56-year-old dual citizen of Canada and France, was selected to nearly 22 years in prison for mailing a letter containing the poison ricin in 2020 to then-President Trump and others. She pleaded guilty in January to violating biological weapons prohibitions.

            In the letter, Ferrier referred to Trump as “The Ugly Tyrant Clown” and laced it with the potentially deadly ricin, saying, “If it doesn’t work, I’ll find better recipe for another poison, or I might use my gun when I’ll be able to come. Enjoy! FREE REBEL SPIRIT.”

            Authorities arrested Ferrier while attempting to drive across the U.S.-Canada border while carrying a gun, a knife, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, authorities said. The letter was intercepted at a mail sorting facility in September 2020, before it could reach the White House.

            In September 2020, Ferrier posted on X, then called Twitter, that someone should “please shoot [T]rump in the face.”

            Ferrier told the judge that she considers herself a “peaceful and genuinely kind person” but admitted she gets angry about problems like unfairness, abuses of power and “stupid rules.” She also said she considers herself to be an “activist” rather than a “terrorist.”

            U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich handed down the 262-month sentence outlined in a plea agreement with prosecutors, which also would expel Ferrier from the U.S. once she is released from prison. She will be required to be under supervised release for life, if she ever returns.

            Prosecutor Michael Friedman called the sentence an “appropriately harsh punishment” that sends a clear message.

            “There is absolutely no place for politically motivated violence in the United States of America,” he said. “There is no excuse for threatening public officials or targeting our public servants.”

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