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Vanessa Trump Announces Cancer Diagnosis

The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Former Trump family member Vanessa Trump revealed Wednesday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, prompting an outpouring of support from relatives, friends, and supporters connected to President Donald Trump’s extended family circle.

The 48-year-old former model and television personality shared the news in an emotional Instagram statement, describing the diagnosis as an unexpected challenge while emphasizing that she remains optimistic.

“I’ve recently been diagnosed with breast cancer,” Vanessa wrote. “While this isn’t news anyone expects, I’m working closely with my medical team on a treatment plan.”

Vanessa also revealed that doctors performed a procedure earlier this week, though she did not provide additional details regarding the nature of the procedure or the stage of her diagnosis. She said she is relying heavily on her family and close loved ones as she begins treatment.

“I am staying focused and hopeful while surrounded by the love and support of my family, my kids, and those closest to me,” she wrote.

Vanessa concluded the statement by thanking supporters for their encouragement and asking for privacy while she focuses on recovery.

The announcement quickly drew public reactions from members of the Trump family.

President Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, posted a heartfelt response beneath Vanessa’s announcement.

“Praying for your continued strength and a swift recovery. Love you mama,” Ivanka wrote.

Vanessa’s daughter, Kai Trump, also shared an emotional message, calling her mother “the strongest person I know” in a social media tribute that resonated with supporters.

Additional support reportedly came through social media engagement from other members of the Trump family as Vanessa’s announcement spread online.

Vanessa was married to Donald Trump Jr. for more than a decade before the pair divorced in 2018. The former couple share five children together and have largely maintained a cooperative relationship centered around family matters.

In recent years, Vanessa has kept a lower public profile compared to many members of the Trump family. However, she returned to headlines after legendary golfer Tiger Woods publicly confirmed their relationship in 2025. The two have since been seen together at family events and golf-related appearances.

Her diagnosis sparked an immediate wave of support online, with many supporters offering prayers and well wishes as she begins what could be a difficult health battle.

Supreme Court Greenlights Trump NIH Cuts Targeting DEI, COVID Research

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to move forward with nearly $800 million in cuts to National Institutes of Health grants.

The decision allows the administration to withhold funds that had been frozen by a lower court — grants largely tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as well as studies focused on minority health, LGBTQ+ issues, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19, and similar public health topics.

A federal trial court in Massachusetts had previously ruled in June that many of the cuts were “arbitrary and discriminatory,” ordering the temporary restoration of those grants.

But the Supreme Court, acting through its emergency — or so-called “shadow” — docket, overrode that ruling in a narrow 5–4 decision.

Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal bloc in dissent. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a sharply worded dissent of her own, criticizing the court’s reliance on the emergency process and the brevity of the majority’s explanation.

As SCOTUSBlog reports, the court — also by a 5–4 margin — left in place another part of the lower court’s ruling affecting internal NIH guidance documents outlining the agency’s policy priorities:

Justice Amy Coney Barrett provided the key vote on each issue. She joined Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh in voting to allow NIH to terminate the grants, but she joined Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in voting to leave the lower court’s ruling on the guidance documents in place.

Jackson had sharp words for her colleagues, describing the ruling as “Calvinball jurisprudence” – a reference to the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon – “with a twist. Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this Administration always wins.”

NIH ended hundreds of grants it linked to DEI-related studies in response to a series of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump after his inauguration in January. The first order, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” instructed the director of the Office of Management and Budget, assisted by the attorney general and the director of the Office of Personnel Management, to work to end “discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI” programs in the federal government. It was followed by two other executive orders, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”

Two separate groups of plaintiffs went to federal court in Massachusetts to challenge the termination of the grants. One group is made up of 16 states whose public universities receive funding from NIH, while the other consists of the American Public Health Association, individual researchers, a union, and a reproductive health advocacy group. They contended that the termination of the grants violated both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, the federal law governing administrative agencies.

The administration argues the research in question lacks scientific rigor and was driven more by ideology than merit. Officials also say the cuts are consistent with their broader push to eliminate DEI-related spending across federal agencies.

Democrat-led states and advocacy groups claim the funding loss could have “incalculable” consequences for underserved communities.

This case fits a broader pattern: The court has recently upheld rollbacks on DEI-based spending in areas like teacher training. Critics say the use of the emergency docket limits public transparency and bypasses full hearings. Supporters say it’s a legitimate tool to keep activist courts in check.

Legal challenges are still moving through the lower courts.

In the meantime, universities, NIH personnel, and left-leaning advocacy groups are mobilizing in protest, warning of long-term damage to public health research and institutional equity efforts.

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Senate Votes To Confirm Health and Human Services Secretary

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) following weeks of debate over his nomination.

Once again, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) stood alone as the only Republican to vote against President Trump’s nominee. McConnell opposed Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as director of national intelligence (DNI).

The confirmation process was marked by intense scrutiny of Kennedy’s record and policy positions. The Senate Finance Committee advanced his nomination last Tuesday with a narrow 14-13 vote.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician and key swing vote, played a decisive role in moving Kennedy’s nomination forward. Cassidy, who has represented Louisiana in the Senate since 2014, broke with some in his party to support the nominee.

The full Senate advanced Kennedy’s nomination on Wednesday following a successful cloture vote of 53 to 47.

During his confirmation process, Kennedy worked to distance himself from past remarks that raised doubts about vaccine safety.

Despite the controversy, he managed to secure enough backing from Republicans to push his nomination forward.

As head of HHS, Kennedy will oversee federal health policy, including responses to public health crises, health care regulations and medical research funding. His tenure is expected to bring significant policy debates, particularly regarding vaccine policy, regulatory oversight and public health initiatives.

With Kennedy now confirmed, all eyes will be on how he navigates key health policy challenges in the months ahead.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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.

Giuliani Leaves Hospital ICU In Latest Health Update

(Nova York - EUA, 24/09/2019) Presidente da República, Jair Bolsonaro, durante encontro com o senhor Rudolph Giuliani, ex-prefeito da cidade de Nova York. .Foto: Alan Santos/PR

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has reportedly left the intensive care unit, according to his spokesperson, after being hospitalized with pneumonia.

Giuliani “will spend some time recovering before leaving the hospital,” spokesperson Ted Goodman said in a statement, adding: “The mayor and his family appreciate the outpouring of love and prayers sent his way.”

Giuliani had been hospitalized in critical condition earlier this week, his spokesperson said Sunday.

Dr. Maria Ryan told Fox News that Giuliani’s condition had deteriorated rapidly after he returned from a trip to Paris, with severe breathing issues forcing doctors to place him on a ventilator. At one point, his situation became so dire that a priest was called to administer last rites.

But by Tuesday, everything changed.

“He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan said. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.”

Goodman said Giuliani was previously diagnosed with restrictive airway disease, which he said was a result of his proximity to the collapsed World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001. 

“This condition adds complications to any respiratory illness, and the virus quickly overwhelmed his body, requiring mechanical ventilation to maintain adequate oxygen and stabilize his condition,” Goodman said Monday. 

Sen. Mike Lee Says Most Republicans Don’t Know McConnell’s Condition

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

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) says most Republican senators have little or no firsthand knowledge of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s medical condition, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the Kentucky Republican as he remains hospitalized weeks after a serious medical emergency.

Lee made the remarks when asked about McConnell’s prolonged absence from the Senate, saying rank-and-file lawmakers have received few details beyond the limited public statements released by McConnell’s office.

‘Most Of Us Don’t Know’

Lee acknowledged that speculation has grown because so little official information has been released.

His comments contrast with earlier remarks from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who previously said McConnell “sounded good” during a recent conversation. Lee indicated that most senators have not received similar updates and remain largely in the dark about their colleague’s condition.

Office Continues To Release Limited Information

McConnell’s office has consistently maintained that the 84-year-old senator is recovering and remains engaged with Senate business.

In its latest public statement, spokesman David Popp said McConnell “continues to improve” and is working with staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while Congress is in recess. The office has not disclosed his diagnosis, prognosis, or expected discharge date.

Medical Emergency Prompted Questions

McConnell has not appeared publicly since June 14, when emergency responders were dispatched to his Washington residence.

Emergency dispatch audio reviewed by multiple news organizations described an unconscious patient and referenced CPR in progress. McConnell’s office has not confirmed the specific medical event that led to his hospitalization.

The absence of detailed updates has fueled intense online speculation, including unverified claims promoted by White House confidant Laura Loomer. McConnell’s office has offered no support for those assertions, saying only that the senator continues to improve.

Questions Persist As Senate Recess Continues

The Senate remains in recess until later this month, giving McConnell additional time to recover before lawmakers return to Washington.

Whether he will be able to resume his duties when the Senate reconvenes remains unclear. McConnell previously announced he will not seek reelection and plans to retire when his current term expires in January 2027.

For now, Lee’s comments highlight what many senators have acknowledged privately: beyond the brief statements released by McConnell’s aides, even many of his Republican colleagues say they know little about his current condition.

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

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Donald Trump said Monday that White House physicians helped treat Rep. Neal Dunn, a Florida Republican, after the congressman received what Trump described as a “terminal” medical diagnosis — an episode Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson framed as a dramatic intervention that helped save Dunn’s life.

The president and Johnson recounted the story during remarks at the White House, saying Dunn had continued working in Congress despite what they characterized as a dire prognosis.

“He would be dead by June,” Trump told reporters, describing the severity of the diagnosis Dunn had reportedly received before receiving treatment.

Johnson said the situation came to Trump’s attention after he informed the president about Dunn’s condition. According to Johnson, Trump quickly suggested involving White House medical staff to evaluate the congressman.

“The man has a new lease on life. He acts like he’s 30 years younger,” Johnson said, describing Dunn’s recovery after treatment.

Johnson explained that White House physicians helped coordinate care for the Florida lawmaker and arranged for him to receive treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the premier military hospital that frequently treats senior government officials and members of Congress.

According to Johnson, Dunn underwent emergency surgery shortly after the White House doctors became involved.

Trump praised the speed and professionalism of the medical team, calling the White House physicians “miracle workers.”

“I said, I have to call them. And I called the two doctors. They’re both great. And they immediately went over to see the congressman, and he was on the operating table like two hours later,” Trump added.

Dunn, who represents Florida’s 2nd Congressional District in the state’s Panhandle, is himself a physician. Before entering politics, he served as an Army surgeon and later worked in private medical practice. His medical background has often shaped his work in Congress, particularly on issues involving healthcare policy and veterans’ services.

First elected in 2016, Dunn has served five terms in the House of Representatives and has been a reliable conservative vote on fiscal issues, national defense, and social policy.

In January, Dunn announced that he would not seek reelection in 2026, signaling the end of his congressional career. At the time, he framed the decision as an opportunity to step away from Washington and spend more time with his family.

“I want to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren,” Dunn said in a statement announcing his retirement.

He also reflected on his legislative priorities during his time in Congress.

“It has been my greatest honor to fight for lower taxes, our military and veterans, the unborn, healthcare innovation, and policies that empower Americans over bureaucracy and addressing threats from Communist China, Russia and others,” he added.

Dunn’s departure comes during a cycle that is already seeing a significant number of lawmakers opt not to run again. As of mid-March, 60 House members have announced they will not seek reelection in the 2026 election cycle, according to the U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery’s “Casualty List.”

That total includes 23 Democrats and 37 Republicans.

Several of those lawmakers are leaving to pursue other offices, including gubernatorial and U.S. Senate bids. Others are retiring outright after years in public service.

Among Republicans, some departures have come through electoral defeat. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, for example, recently lost his primary race to state Rep. Steve Toth.

While Dunn’s decision to retire was announced before the details of his health episode were publicly discussed, the account shared by Trump and Johnson Monday offered new insight into the medical crisis he faced earlier this year — and the role White House doctors played in coordinating the emergency treatment that both men say dramatically improved his outlook.

Trump Urged To Intervene After Vance Relative Reportedly Denied Organ Transplant Over Covid Vax

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President Donald Trump is facing pressure to use his executive power to block hospitals from denying organ transplants for people not vaccinated against COVID-19 after reports emerged that Vice President JD Vance’s 12-year-old relative was reportedly denied a heart transplant over her COVID-19 vaccination status

In a letter to President Trump, Rep. Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) alongside Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) called on Trump to take action. Rep. Rulli said he was partially moved to act after hearing about Vance’s relative.

The letter, signed by Rulli, Houchin and five other House Republicans, cited Trump’s executive orders ending COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools and reinstating military service members who were discharged for not getting the vaccine. (RELATED: Trump Reinstates Service Members Discharged Over COVID-19 Vaccine In Executive Order Flurry)

“Over the past week, it has come to light that multiple desperate Americans have been denied life-saving organ transplants due to their COVID-19 vaccination status,” the letter said. “This outrageous denial of care has affected some of our most vulnerable citizens – including a child from Indiana and a veteran from Ohio.”

Houchin told Fox News, “Patients – especially children – should never be turned away from care due to government-imposed mandates. This effort urges President Trump to take action to ensure no hospital or transplant center can discriminate against patients based on their decision to decline the COVID-19 vaccine.”

“President Trump has done such a great job recently on executive orders,” Rulli told Fox News Digital in an interview. “And I am asking President Trump if he sees this, to please do an executive order… because you could save someone’s life today.”

“The timing is everything. If we don’t get this done, people’s lives could be at risk.”

Read:

The girl’s mother, Jeneen Deal, told the Daily Mail that giving her daughter the vaccine would violate the family’s religious beliefs.

Vance said in comments to the Daily Mail that he would try to help.

“I guess it’s been circulating on social media, but I was made aware of a couple days ago, and we’re trying to dig in and trying to help, obviously, as much as possible,” he said.

White House Addresses Trump Health After Viral Photos Spark Speculation

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

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed concerns over President Donald Trump’s health during a briefing on Thursday after photographs of his hand appearing bruised and his ankles appearing swollen went viral.

“I know that many in the media have been speculating about bruising on the president’s hand, and also swelling in the president’s legs. So in the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today,” began Leavitt before reading from the note:

In recent weeks, President Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs. In keeping with routine medical care and out of an abundance of caution, this concern was thoroughly evaluated by the White House Medical Unit. The president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies. Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.

Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Laboratory testing included a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, coagulation profile, D-dimer, B-type, natriotic, peptide, and cardiac biomarkers. All results were within normal limits. An echocardiogram was also performed, and confirmed normal cardiac structure and function. No signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.

Additionally, recent photos of the president have shown minor bruising on the back of his hand. This is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking, and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen. This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy, and the president remains in excellent health.

“Which I think all of you witness on a daily basis here,” added Leavitt. “So the president wanted me to share that note with all of you. I’m happy to take further questions on it. We will provide the memorandum from the president’s physician to all of you, as we always do.

Watch:

Trump Signs Executive Order To Tie US Drug Prices To Global Lows

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On Monday morning, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order aimed at dramatically lowering prescription drug prices in the United States. At the center of the order is a “most favored nation” (MFN) pricing policy, which mandates that the U.S. pay no more for medications than the lowest price paid by any other country. Trump claims the initiative could cut drug prices by 30% to 80%, potentially saving American taxpayers trillions of dollars.

The MFN policy revives a proposal from Trump’s first term and targets the longstanding disparity in drug costs between the U.S. and other nations. The order also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to begin broad drug price negotiations, while introducing measures to combat anti-competitive practices, expand drug imports, and scrutinize the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

The New York Post reports:

“What’s been happening is, we’ve been subsidizing other countries throughout the world,” Trump explained at a White House signing ceremony, calling Monday’s action one of his “most important orders.”

“Some prescription drug and pharmaceutical prices will be reduced almost immediately by 50 to 80 to 90%, he added. “Big Pharma will either abide by this principle voluntarily or we’ll use the power of the federal government to ensure that we are paying the same price.”

The policy is a revival of Trump’s signature “most favored nation” drive from his first term, with a new push to get foreign countries to take on more of the research and development (R&D) costs that experts say America has disproportionately shouldered.

“Our Country will finally be treated fairly, and our citizens Healthcare Costs will be reduced by numbers never even thought of before,” the president previously promised on Truth Social Sunday. “The United States will save TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”

The announcement triggered immediate market reaction, with shares of pharmaceutical giants like AstraZeneca and GSK seeing declines. Industry leaders have warned the policy could stifle innovation and competition, arguing it may disincentivize research and development.

Although the Biden administration previously took steps to lower drug prices through the Inflation Reduction Act, Trump’s executive order takes a more aggressive approach by linking U.S. prices directly to global lows.

However, the new policy is expected to face significant legal and logistical hurdles, particularly due to the complexity of the U.S. drug pricing system and the opaque nature of international pricing mechanisms.