Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is raising concerns about what he claims could be an effort by President Donald Trump and his allies to influence the 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday, Warner suggested that Trumpโs recent comments about Republicans needing to โtake overโ elections from the states could signal broader plans to challenge state-run election systems.
โIt appears there may be a coordinated effort to try to interfere in the โ26 midterms,โ Warner said. He added that he is concerned, โThey may even start to interfere in the primaries.โ
Watch:
Trump and many Republicans have argued for years that election administration should be strengthened through tighter oversight and more uniform standards, particularly after disputes over voting procedures in 2020. Democrats, however, have increasingly framed these efforts as threats to democracy.
Warner Criticizes Tulsi Gabbardโs Role in Georgia Investigation
Warner also expressed anger over Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbardโs reported involvement in a federal raid in Fulton County, Georgia, where officials seized ballots and voter information as part of an investigation.
While details surrounding the raid remain unclear, Warner compared the situation to Watergate-era abuses of power โ an analogy Democrats have frequently used in recent years when criticizing Trump.
In a clip posted to social media, Warner said:
โThe Nixon era is back. What do I mean? Richard Nixon is most infamously known for Watergate, where he intervened in a domestic political effort under the guise of the Watergate break-in. He knew what was going on before the fact. Well, it appears the same is true.โ
Trump is reviving Nixon-style scandalsโฆ and Iโm worried our elections are at risk of interference because of it. pic.twitter.com/BLsnYe1FqF
Warner claimed testimony suggested Gabbard traveled to Atlanta because Trump personally asked her to.
โIt appears the same is true. We got testimony yesterday that Tulsi Gabbard was down in Atlanta for that crazy raid on the voting machines because Trump asked her to go.โ
Warner then questioned how Trump would have known about the investigation ahead of time:
โWell, how the hell did Trump know there was about to be a warrant issued in a lame criminal investigation before the act took place? How did he let Gabbard know to go there?โ
He also criticized reports that Trump spoke directly with FBI agents involved in the case:
โThis is not how American justice should work. When, when, when will any of my Republican colleagues find a spine?โ
Democrats Claim Raid May Have Been Improper
In another clip posted Wednesday, Warner suggested the FBI raid itself may have been unlawful, pointing to leadership changes under FBI Director Kash Patel.
โWe have seen Kash Patel basically decimate the leadership of the FBI to the point that that raidโฆ the FBI agent in charge of that office got fired because I donโt believe he felt this was legal.โ
Warner also argued that Gabbard, as DNI, should not have been involved in what he called a โdomestic criminal investigation.โ
โThe director of national intelligence, who showed up at that domestic criminal investigation where she had no right to be thereโฆโ
He continued by questioning whether anyone in the administration attempted to stop Trump from contacting agents directly:
โI know Trump doesnโt know the law, but wasnโt there anybody in the White House Counsel that said, โMr. President, you shouldnโt be talking to FBI agentsโฆโโ
Warner concluded with a sharp personal attack on Gabbard:
โThis is a guy thatโs being enhanced by a rogue DNI whoโs way over her skis in terms of knowledge or competency.โ
How far is this administration willing to go to attack our free, fair, and settled elections? pic.twitter.com/LECRngoven
Warnerโs comments come as Democrats increasingly warn of authoritarianism and election manipulation, themes expected to dominate campaign messaging heading into 2026.
Republicans, meanwhile, have argued that ensuring election integrity โ including investigating irregularities and enforcing stricter standards โ is a legitimate government responsibility, not โinterference.โ
Republicans are reportedly growing uneasy in Georgiaโs 14th Congressional District, where a chaotic special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has created an unexpected opening for Democrats in what has long been considered safe GOP territory.
The anxiety comes as Republicans hold the U.S. House by just one vote, following the swearing-in of Democrat Christian Menefee earlier this week after his special election win in Texas. With margins this tight, even unlikely threats are being taken seriously. (RELATED: Another House Republican Exits As Loudermilk Declines Reelection Bid)
A Chaotic Special Election With No Primary
The March 10 special election features 21 candidates โ including 16 Republicans, three Democrats, an independent, and a Libertarian โ with no party primary to narrow the field. Because no candidate is expected to secure a majority, the race is widely expected to advance to an April 7 runoff between the top two finishers.
Why Republicans Are Worried
With GOP voters splintered among so many candidates, party activists fear Democrats could consolidate their vote and slip into a runoff slot โ or, in a nightmare scenario, win outright.
That would be a political shock in a district Donald Trump carried by a wide margin and where Greene previously won about 63% of the vote. (RELATED: Utah Republicans Sue To Block New House Districts)
Democrats Rally Around a Single Candidate
Democrats are coalescing behind retired Army Brig. Gen. Shawn Harris, who has mounted a visible campaign complete with a staffed local headquarters and an experienced political operation. His messaging has focused on affordability and health care costs, aimed at peeling off moderates and independents.
Ringgold showed up tonight! 100+ people, packed room, real energy.
Thank you to everyone in Catoosa County who came out and is ready to vote. This is how we win.
The contest shifted Wednesday night when President Donald Trump issued a โComplete and Total Endorsementโ of Republican Clay Fuller, a move widely viewed as an effort to consolidate MAGA voters and narrow the GOP field.
โClay Fuller has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Georgiaโs 14th Congressional District โ HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!โ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
๐จBREAKING: President Trump ENDORSES Clay Fuller for Congress to Represent Georgia District 14, Marjorie Taylor Greene's old district!
"It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Clay Fuller, who is running to represent the wonderful people of Georgiaโs 14thโฆ pic.twitter.com/4AiF67HjBc
— ๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐๐๐ฃ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐จ ๐บ๐ธ (@GoldenAgeTimes2) February 4, 2026
A Safe Seat โ But Not a Comfortable One
Republican strategists say Trumpโs endorsement should help restore order, but some privately warn that the unusual election format, combined with voter fatigue and GOP infighting, has made the race more fragile than expected.
Most observers still view a Democratic upset as unlikely โ but even a forced runoff would drain resources and attention as a challenging midterm cycle heats up.
MTG’s Eyes Next Steps
While Greene has framed her resignation from Congress as a rejection of Washington politics, speculation has continued to swirl within conservative circles that she may be positioning herself for a future national run. Allies and critics alike have noted that her recent media appearances, broader ideological critiques, and willingness to challenge Trump directly resemble the early stages of a potential presidential or third-party campaign.
Greene has not formally announced any plans to run for president, but she has also declined to rule it out โ fueling rumors that her break with Trump may be less about stepping away from politics and more about redefining the post-Trump conservative movement on her own terms.
According to a November report from Notus, Greene has privately expressed interest in following in Donald Trumpโs footsteps to the White House. The outlet cites four sources familiar with her thinking, saying Greene believes she represents the โreal MAGAโ faction โ the core conservative movement that has reshaped the GOP since 2016 โ and that many Republican leaders have drifted away from those grassroots values. (RELATED: Marjorie Taylor Greene Reportedly Prepping For 2028 Presidential Run)
One source told Notus that Greene feels confident she has built the national donor network and grassroots support needed to mount a serious primary campaign, especially as the GOPโs base remains loyal to Trumpโs populist agenda.
In a strikingly bizarre footnote to the tragic assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a Utah man who falsely claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting has now been sentenced and faces up to 15 years in prison.
Seventy-one-year-old George Hodgson Zinn โ who dramatically approached law enforcement at Utah Valley University, yelling โI shot him โ now shoot meโ moments after Kirk was gunned down โ has now pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice and guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court records.
While Zinnโs initial false confession drew headlines and confusion during the chaotic aftermath of the shooting โ leading some to believe he was the shooter โ investigators quickly ruled him out as a suspect in Kirkโs assassination.
During questioning at a hospital after the incident, Zinn shocked authorities by admitting he had child sexual abuse material on his phone. A warrant later uncovered more than 20 images depicting abused minors, and prosecutors charged him accordingly.
In Salt Lake County district court, Zinn was sentenced to zero to five years for obstruction and one to 15 years for each exploitation count, with the judge ordering the terms to run concurrently. The exact amount of time he will serve will be decided by the Utah parole board.
Remembering Charlie Kirk: A Conservative Voice Silenced
The backdrop to this strange prosecution is one of the most shocking episodes of political violence in recent U.S. history. On Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk โ founder and executive director of the conservative youth advocacy group Turning Point USA and a leading voice in the MAGA movement โ was assassinated by a sniper while speaking at an outdoor event on the Utah Valley University campus.
Kirk, just 31 years old, had become one of the most recognizable young conservative figures in America. He built Turning Point USA from a student organization into a powerful grassroots force shaping Republican campaigns, energizing young voters, and challenging campus liberal orthodoxy across the country.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
His death prompted an outpouring of grief and outrage from Republican leaders and conservative grassroots activists, who saw the attack as not just a crime but part of a broader pattern of hostility toward conservatives. Thousands attended memorial events, and his legacy has become a rallying point in debates over political violence and free speech on college campuses and beyond.
The suspect in the shooting โ 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson โ was later arrested and charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, underscoring the gravity of the crime and the national attention still focused on the case.
What This Means Going Forward
Zinnโs sentencing closes one strange chapter in the unfolding story of the Kirk assassination, but it also highlights the turmoil that followed one of the most prominent conservative leaders of his generation. A man who tried โ for reasons still unclear โ to throw law enforcement off the trail of the real shooter now faces prison time for his own criminal behavior.
President Donald Trump personally called the family of Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis to inform them that their son would be awarded the Medal of Honorโthe nationโs highest military decoration.
The emotional phone call, captured on video, shows Ollisโ father, Robert, answering the call on speakerphone, visibly stunned as the president delivers the news.
โWeโre very nervous,โ Robert Ollis says at the start of the call.
โYou should be, because your son is going to get the highest honor that you can have,โ President Trump replied. โThere is no higher honor than the Congressional Medal of Honor.โ
Robertโs disbelief quickly turned to joy, his mouth hanging open before breaking into a wide smile as the weight of the moment set in.
โHeโs looking down at you right now,โ Trump told the family. โHeโs saying, โWell, my mom and dad are handling this pretty well.โโ
โThank you so much, Mr. President. You have no idea the happiness we have,โ Robert responded.
Ollisโ mother, Linda, expressed gratitude not only for the recognition, but for the years-long effort it took to make it happen.
โThank you for facilitating this! This is so wonderful,โ she said, explaining that the family had advocated for years, reaching out to countless officials and organizations to ensure their sonโs heroism was properly recognized.
President Trump acknowledged that persistence, noting that grassroots advocacyโoften led by families and veteransโis essential to ensuring acts of valor are not forgotten.
โOtherwise, how are we going to know, right?โ Trump said. โPeople donโt know. So I think thatโs fantastic.โ
The decision comes after sustained advocacy from veteransโ groups, elected officials, and the Staten Island community, all of whom argued that Ollisโ actions clearly met the standard for the Medal of Honor.
Staff Sgt. Ollis, a U.S. Army Ranger from Staten Island, was killed in Afghanistan on August 28, 2013. During a suicide bombing, the 24-year-old soldier threw himself over a Polish army officer, sacrificing his life to save that of an allied servicemanโan act emblematic of the selflessness and courage that define Americaโs warriors.
We were notified by the White House that Staten Islandโs hometown hero, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, has been approved for the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary act of heroism. In 2013, Staff Sergeant Ollis gave his life to save an allied soldier, and his courage,โฆ pic.twitter.com/FMogM3eWFP
The Medal of Honor is awarded for acts that go far beyond the call of duty, recognizing โconspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life,โ according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. While criteria have evolved, the standard has always reflected extraordinary courage. The current guidelines were formalized during the Vietnam War in 1963.
As the call continued, President Trump reflected candidly on the magnitude of Ollisโ sacrifice.
โI read what your son did, and itโsโI wouldnโt do it, Linda,โ Trump said.
โIโm not brave enough either,โ Linda replied softly.
โNeither am I,โ Robert added. โEven though Iโm a Vietnam vet, I still wouldnโt have done it.โ
Trump urged the family to come together and celebrate their sonโs legacy, telling them that Michael Ollis would be proud of them.
Near the end of the call, a woman could be heard excitedly shouting in the background: โYes, weโre going to the White House, we love you, weโre praying for you every day. Yes, letโs do this MAGA.โ
Robert identified the woman as his daughter, gently signaling for her to calm down.
โHey Robert, bring them all down,โ Trump said, inviting the family to the White House before ending the call.
Ken Griffin, the billionaire founder of Citadel and one of the Republican Partyโs most influential donors, delivered a sharp warning this week about the direction of the Trump administration, accusing it of ethical lapses and raising concerns about government pressure on corporate America.
Speaking Tuesday at a Wall Street Journalโhosted conference in West Palm Beach, Griffin said the administration has blurred the line between public service and private enrichment.
โThis administration has definitely made missteps in choosing decisions or courses that have been very, very enriching to the families of those in the administration,โ Griffin said. โThat calls into question: is the public interest being served?โ
Griffin emphasized that public trust depends on leaders acting with integrity and restraint.
โOne of the things that you want to believe is that those who serve the public interest have the public interest at heart in everything they do,โ he added.
Concerns Amid New Reporting on Trump Family Finances
Griffinโs remarks come as new reporting has intensified scrutiny of the Trump familyโs business dealings. According to recent coverage, Trump and his sons reportedly received a $500 million investment connected to the United Arab Emirates for their cryptocurrency venture shortly before Trumpโs second inauguration.
Separately, The New York Times reported last month that Trump and his family have earned at least $1.4 billion since returning to officeโa figure the paper described as a conservative estimate.
The White House rejected Griffinโs criticism. Spokesman Kush Desai told the Financial Times that the administrationโs record speaks for itself:
โThe only special interest guiding the Trump administrationโs decision-making is the best interest of the American people. The fact that major stock indexes have hit multiple all-time highs, real wages have grown, and inflation has cooled since President Trump took office is proof that this administration is delivering for every American.โ
A Free-Market Conservative Pushback
Griffin, who donated tens of millions of dollars to Republican candidates in 2024 but declined to formally endorse Trump, has increasingly positioned himself as a free-market conservative skeptical of government overreach and protectionism. He has been especially critical of tariffs, warning they place the U.S. economy โon a slippery slope to crony capitalism.โ
That concern extends to what Griffin sees as an unhealthy dynamic between Washington and the private sector.
โGriffin said the dynamic has generated concerns that the US would enter a continuous cycle of corporate leaders needing to pander to whomever is in power, instead of relying on the success of their business,โ the Financial Times reported.
Griffin put it more bluntly during the conference:
โMost CEOs just donโt want to find themselves in the business of having to in some sense suck up to one administration after another to succeed in running their businesses.โ
President Donald Trump said he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, blasting the Ivy League institution as โStrongly Antisemiticโ and accusing it of failing to protect Jewish students on campus.
In a late-night series of posts on Truth Social Monday, Trump said Harvard should be facing criminal charges, not just civil penalties, for what he described as the universityโs inability โ or refusal โ to rein in antisemitism.
Trump also took aim at The New York Times, which reported earlier that he had โbacktrackedโ in his administrationโs dispute with Harvard.
According to the Times, Trump had dropped his administrationโs demand for a $200 million payment to the federal government โin hopes of finally resolving the administrationโs conflicts with the university, according to four people briefed on the matter.โ
Trump called that reporting โcompletely wrong.โ
He accused the paper of being run by โfraudstersโ who intentionally misrepresent him โ something he said the public will soon recognize as he pursues a $15 billion lawsuit against the newspaper.
โI hereby demand that the morons that run (into the ground!) the Times change their story, immediately,โ Trump posted.
That message came roughly 40 minutes after Trump unleashed a separate post sharply criticizing Harvard itself.
He said the university has been โbehaving very badlyโ and has been feeding โnonsenseโ to the Times for some time. Trump accused Harvard of attempting to escape accountability by offering superficial policy changes that failed to seriously address antisemitism on campus.
Here is the key section of Trumpโs post:
โThey wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful. It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed.โ
Trump added:
โThis should be a Criminal, not Civil, event, and Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings. In any event, this case will continue until justice is served.โ
The president also criticized Harvard President Dr. Alan Garber, saying:
โDr. Alan Garber, the President of Harvard, has done a terrible job of rectifying a very bad situation for his institution and, more importantly, America itself. He was hired AFTER the antisemitism charges were brought โ I wonder why???โ
Trump concluded by announcing he is โnow seeking One Billion Dollars in damagesโ from the university.
He also quoted the same New York Times report he had criticized, which said many Harvard employees believe the school has โno option but to eventually cut a deal.โ
Trumpโs comments follow a federal task force report last year that accused Harvard of โdeliberate indifferenceโ and โwillful participationโ in antisemitic harassment of students and faculty.
According to the administration, the university became a hotbed for anti-Israel protests and antisemitism following Hamasโs October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel.
โThis hostile environment includes harassing speech, threats, and intimidation targeting Jewish and Israeli students, including calls for genocide and murder,โ the administration said in a June report. โThe findings also extensively detail acts of physical intimidation and violence between students. This hostile environment denied, and continues to deny, studentsโ fundamental educational opportunities.โ
Trumpโs administration previously attempted to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard over the allegations, but a federal judge blocked the move in September.
By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,
Republican Florida Rep. Greg Steube issued a forceful response to comments from Jeanine Pirro, President Donald Trumpโs nominee for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, after she warned that anyone carrying a firearm in Washington, D.C., should expect to be arrested.
During a Monday night interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum, Pirro took a hard line on guns in the nationโs capital while discussing efforts to remove repeat offenders and illegal firearms from the streets.
โYou bring a gun into the District, you mark my words, youโre going to jail. I donโt care if you have a license in another district and I donโt care if youโre a law abiding gun owner somewhere else. You bring a gun into this District, count on going to jail, and hope you get the gun back! And that makes all the difference,โ Pirro warned.
Her remarks immediately drew criticism from gun-rights advocates and several Republican lawmakers, including Steube, who pointed out that lawful concealed carry is permitted in Washington, D.C., including for non-residents.
โI bring a gun into the district every week, @USAttyPirro. I have a license in Florida and DC to carry. And I will continue to carry to protect myself and others,โ Steube wrote on X. โCome and Take it!โ
I bring a gun into the district every week, @USAttyPirro. I have a license in Florida and DC to carry. And I will continue to carry to protect myself and others.
MacCallum defended Pirroโs position during the interview, arguing that tougher enforcement changes behavior. โItโs amazing how accountability works, and people think if they actually get arrested they might have to do time and they might get taken off the street, it sorta puts a little bit of a different message in peopleโs heads.โ
Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie also pushed back, noting that D.C. law allows permitted carry and has done so for years.
โThe District of Columbia has been โshall issueโ since 2017 when the requirement that you must have a โgood reasonโ to carry a handgun was struck down. Non-residents can obtain a permit in DC โ donโt ask me how I know,โ Massie said in a post on X.
In a separate post, Massie questioned Pirroโs rhetoric more broadly, writing, โWhy is a โconservativeโ judge threatening to arrest gun owners?โ
The National Rifle Association clapped back at Pirro on Tuesday, writing on social media, โNow is the time for Congress to pass HR 38, the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. Your right to self-defense should not end simply because you crossed a state line or into Washington, D.C.โ
Now is the time for Congress to pass HR 38, the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.
Your right to self-defense should not end simply because you crossed a state line or into Washington, D.C.
The backlash surprised many conservatives, given the Trump administrationโs long-standing and vocal support for Second Amendment rights.
Facing growing criticism, Pirro addressed the controversy in a video posted Tuesday to X, emphasizing her support for gun ownership and constitutional rights.
She said she is a โproud supporter of the 2nd amendmentโ and a gun owner herself, noting that she previously keynoted a National Rifle Association convention. Pirro stressed that her comments were aimed at criminals, not law-abiding citizens.
โHowever, you need to be responsible. And every responsible gun owner that I know makes sure they understand the laws where they are going and understand whatever registration requirements there might be,โ Pirro said. โPresident Trumpโs goal here, and my goal as well, is to make sure we take guns out of the hands of criminals.โ
She added, โThere is a reason that we have the lowest homicide rate in reported history. Weโre taking guns off the street โ illegal guns โ in the hands of criminals, who want to use those guns to victimize law-abiding citizens. There is a big difference here. If you are responsible, you follow the laws, you are not going to have a problem with me.โ
Pirroโs clarification appeared aimed at reassuring conservatives that her tough-on-crime stance is focused on illegal firearms and repeat offendersโnot Americans lawfully exercising their Second Amendment rights.
Tuesday morning, Pirro attempted to quell the outrage with a post on X.
Let me be clear: I am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment.
Washington, D.C. law requires handguns be licensed in the District with the Metropolitan Police Department to be carried into our community.
We are focused on individuals who are unlawfully carrying guns andโฆ
Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of President Donald Trumpโs most outspoken allies on Capitol Hill, has escalated her public break with the former presidentโthis time taking direct aim at the Make America Great Again movement itself.
In a lengthy interview with independent political commentator Kim Iversen published on YouTube Thursday, Greene accused Trump of abandoning the grassroots voters who fueled his rise, branding MAGA a betrayal of the very people it promised to serve.
โMAGA is โ I think people are realizing it was all a lie. It was a big lie for the people,โ Greene said.
The Georgia Republican, who resigned from Congress last fall, argued that Trump has shifted his focus away from everyday Americans and toward wealthy donors and entrenched interests. According to Greene, political loyalty is now driven by money rather than principle.
โHeโs more worried about serving the big big donors,โ she said, referring to donors who contribute to Trump-aligned PACs and high-dollar projects, including his newly announced ballroom. โThose are the people that get the special favors, the government contracts, they get the pardons.โ
Greene went on to argue that foreign governments and multinational corporations now wield disproportionate influence over U.S. policy.
โAnd itโs the foreign countries that are running the show here,โ she added. โItโs the major big corporations and what is best for the world. Thatโs really what MAGA is.โ
Her criticism extended to foreign policy, particularly Trumpโs focus on Iran and the Middle East. Greene suggested domestic unrest is being ignored in favor of overseas conflicts.
โIโm sorry, weโve got civil war practically breaking out in Minnesota, can we not care about that?โ she said.
Greene reserved her sharpest criticism for U.S. involvement in Israel and Gaza, accusing Trump of prioritizing foreign interests over American lives and values.
โWeโre seeing war on behalf of Israel,โ Greene said. โWeโre seeing the people in Gaza โ innocent people in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of them completely murdered, so that they can build some new real estate development and money can pour in and everyone can get rich there in New Gaza.โ
The remarks mark a dramatic evolution for Greene, who was once considered among Trumpโs most reliable defenders in Congress. Her relationship with the former president began to fracture publicly after she accused him of dragging his feet on releasing government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epsteinโan issue popular among the GOP base skeptical of elite accountability.
Following those comments, Trump publicly distanced himself from Greene, dubbing her โMarjorie โTraitorโ Greeneโ and claiming she had โsome sort of act going on.โ Their feud intensified in the months that followed, culminating in Greeneโs decision to leave Congress altogether.
While Greene has framed her resignation as a rejection of Washington politics, speculation has continued to swirl within conservative circles that she may be positioning herself for a future national run. Allies and critics alike have noted that her recent media appearances, broader ideological critiques, and willingness to challenge Trump directly resemble the early stages of a potential presidential or third-party campaign.
Greene has not formally announced any plans to run for president, but she has also declined to rule it outโfueling rumors that her break with Trump may be less about stepping away from politics and more about redefining the post-Trump conservative movement on her own terms.
According to a November report from Notus, Greene has privately expressed interest in following in Donald Trumpโs footsteps to the White House. The outlet cites four sources familiar with her thinking, saying Greene believes she represents the โreal MAGAโ faction โ the core conservative movement that has reshaped the GOP since 2016 โ and that many Republican leaders have drifted away from those grassroots values. (RELATED:Marjorie Taylor Greene Reportedly Prepping For 2028 Presidential Run)
One source told Notus that Greene feels confident she has built the national donor network and grassroots support needed to mount a serious primary campaign, especially as the GOPโs base remains loyal to Trumpโs populist agenda.
A former senior NATO commander is drawing headlines after claiming President Donald Trump poses a greater threat to the Western alliance than Russian President Vladimir Putinโa charge the White House has forcefully rejected and that many U.S. conservatives say ignores key facts about NATOโs recent history.
In an interview with The Independent, General Sir Richard Shirreff, NATOโs former deputy supreme allied commander for Europe, criticized Trumpโs blunt rhetoric toward U.S. allies, particularly comments about Greenland and European defense commitments.
โWe have to take him literally,โ Shirreff told the newspaper. โWe have to assume with Trump, as with Putin, that the worst case will happen. Trump is the greater threat [to NATO] if you want to make the comparison. Itโs Trump who gets the prize.โ
Shirreffโs remarks come despite Trumpโs repeated insistence that he would not use force to take Greenland, a territory controlled by NATO member Denmark. Trump has framed the issue primarily in terms of U.S. national security and Arctic defense, arguing that America bears disproportionate responsibility for protecting the region.
During his first termโand again since returning to officeโTrump has consistently pressed NATO allies to meet their long-standing commitment to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defense, a goal many European countries ignored for decades. Supporters argue that Trumpโs tough approach helped reverse years of complacency and forced allies to take their own security more seriously.
Shirreff nevertheless went further, claiming Trump had โdestroyed the international orderโ during the first year of his second term and was undermining NATO itself.
โThe lead nation of the alliance has threatened the territorial integrity of another member,โ Shirreff said. โHow do you move on and rebuild trust? Nobody will trust Trump again.โ
Many Republicans counter that this view overlooks Trumpโs record of strengthening NATO militarily rather than rhetorically. U.S. defense spending rose during Trumpโs presidency, and several NATO countries increased their own military budgets after sustained pressure from Washingtonโsomething previous administrations had failed to achieve.
Shirreff acknowledged that Russia remains an โexistential threatโ to Europe, but argued that Vladimir Putinโs 2022 invasion of Ukraine initially unified NATO, while Trump has allegedly โdecoupled America from European securityโ and left the alliance โbelow the waterline.โ
โClearly, Putin threatened it massively but Trump has attacked the one alliance which grants our security,โ Shirreff said, adding that the rules-based global system was now โa dead duck.โ
The White House sharply disputed that assessment. In a statement to The Independent, officials dismissed Shirreffโs comments and said Trump โhas done more for NATO than anyone,โ pointing to U.S. military contributions and increased allied defense spending under his leadership.
On Greenland, the White House added: โThe United States is the only NATO partner who can protect Greenland, and the President is advancing NATO interests in doing so.โ
President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that Democrats would waste no time pursuing impeachment if they manage to retake the House of Representatives in November, arguing that their opposition is driven more by hostility than policy disagreements.
โTheyโll find something. Thereโll be something,โ Trump said during an exclusive interview on โThe Will Cain Show.โ
โI made the wrong turn at an exit, and letโs impeach him. They did that before. They impeached me on a perfect phone call, turned out. They impeached me twice and, by the way, I won the impeachments very easily and quickly, but they impeach. Theyโre very nasty people [and] they have bad policy.โ
Trumpโs comments reflect long-standing frustration among Republicans with what they view as Democratsโ reliance on investigations and impeachment rather than legislative solutions. During his first term, Trump became the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twiceโonce over a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and later over events surrounding January 6. In both cases, the Senate declined to convict, outcomes Trump and his supporters cite as vindication.
The president joined Will Cain live from Iowa, where he kicked off a push toward the 2026 midterm elections. The visit included interactions with voters and culminated in a campaign-style event in Clive, underscoring the administrationโs early focus on maintaining Republican momentum and defending narrow congressional margins.
Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, with 218 seats to Democratsโ 213. That slim advantage has heightened concerns within the GOP about historical trends that tend to favor the out-of-power party during midterm elections.
History suggests Trump and Republicans face an uphill battle heading into November. Since the 1930s, midterm elections have almost always resulted in the presidentโs party losing House seatsโand frequently losing control of the chamber altogether. Political analysts often attribute the pattern to voter complacency among the presidentโs supporters and heightened motivation among the opposition.
Trump acknowledged that reality while speaking to Cain.
โWhether itโs Republican or Democrat, when they win, it doesnโt make any difference. They seem to lose the midterms, so thatโs the only thing I worry about,โ he said.
โMaybe they [voters] want to put up a guard fence. You just donโt know. It doesnโt make sense. Even if a president did well, they seemed to lose the midterms, but hopefully weโre going to change that around.โ
Republicans argue that the stakes of the upcoming midterms are especially high, pointing to Democratic calls for renewed investigations, aggressive regulatory policies, and expanded government spending. Trumpโs message to voters in Iowa centered on the need for unified Republican turnout to prevent what he described as partisan gridlock and politically motivated impeachment efforts from resurfacing.
