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Tucker Carlson Claims Trump Shut Down Butler Probe After Bongino ‘Confession’

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Tucker Carlson via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson is pushing a fresh conspiracy theory about the attempted assassination of President Trump — claiming the president himself ordered federal investigators to back off the probe into the July 2024 shooting in Butler, Pa.

Carlson made the explosive allegation during an appearance on Thursday on entrepreneur Mario Nawfal’s show, where he recounted what he described as a series of conversations with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel regarding lingering questions surrounding the attack.

The claim was quickly shot down by Bongino, who publicly denied Carlson’s account on Friday and blasted the former cable news host as a “nepo baby.”

“I know that, about Butler, I know that Trump shut down the investigation into Butler. That is a fact,” Carlson told Nawfal. “Dan Bongino told me that when he worked at the FBI.”

Carlson alleged Bongino became visibly rattled after Carlson confronted him about social media posts purportedly written by gunman Thomas Crooks that Carlson claims the FBI falsely said did not exist.

“Dan Bongino himself was terrified when I spoke to him in December,” Carlson said.

The conservative commentator claimed he had “accidentally came into possession” of social media posts allegedly authored by Crooks in the months and years before the shooting. Carlson said he contacted both Patel and Bongino seeking answers about why the FBI had allegedly concealed their existence.

“And Dan Bongino became hysterical with me on the phone,” Carlson claimed. “I’ve known Dan a long time for many years and always gotten along with him.”

“He was clearly terrified. I didn’t get it at first, but he was hysterical,” Carlson continued. “And ultimately, after a long series of text exchanges, which I still have, and phone conversations, he said, ‘Look, take it up with Trump. He’s the one who shut down the investigation.’”

Carlson said the alleged exchange occurred during the second week of December and left him questioning why Trump would halt an investigation into an attempt on his own life.

“That was the moment and I realized, ‘Oh wow, there’s no good explanation for shutting down an investigation into your own attempted murder,’” Carlson said.

Watch:

Crooks, 20, opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, grazing Trump’s ear, killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore and seriously wounding two others before Secret Service snipers fatally shot him.

Authorities have said Crooks acted alone and have found no evidence linking him to a broader plot. However, the absence of a clear manifesto or publicly known motive has fueled persistent conspiracy theories online.

Carlson, once one of Trump’s most influential media allies, has increasingly broken with the president in recent months. He has repeatedly criticized Trump over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and U.S. involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

Earlier this year, Carlson suggested Trump’s worldview changed after the Butler shooting.

“He spent his campaign in the 2024 race arguing against regime change war, attacking people in favor of it — and then he launched it,” Carlson said on his own show. “And not just launched it, but became this kind of enthusiastic tool of the government of Israel.”

Bongino forcefully rejected Carlson’s latest allegations Friday morning in a post on X, denying he ever told Carlson that Trump shut down the Butler investigation.

The former FBI official also took a personal swipe at Carlson, dismissing the claims and mocking the commentator as a “nepo baby.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene Teases New Media Venture

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Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is signaling that her political career may be entering a new chapter following her departure from Congress earlier this year.

In a post shared Tuesday on X, Greene unveiled a teaser for what appears to be a new media project titled “Life With MTG,” accompanied by the message: “My New Series. COMING SOON.”

The brief promotional video features a montage of some of Greene’s most memorable and controversial moments from her years in Washington. The footage includes clips of her delivering fiery speeches, confronting political opponents, and championing causes that helped make her one of the most recognizable figures in the Republican Party.

The teaser concludes with Greene delivering a message directly to supporters.

“I won’t stop living, I won’t stop speaking and I won’t stop fighting,” Greene says in the video. “And neither should you.”

While Greene did not reveal details about the format, platform, or launch date of the project, the announcement immediately sparked speculation that the former congresswoman is seeking to maintain a prominent role in conservative politics and media despite leaving elected office.

From Trump Ally to Trump Critic

Greene’s departure from Congress marked a dramatic shift in her political trajectory.

For years, Greene was among President Donald Trump’s most loyal allies on Capitol Hill. She emerged as one of the leading voices of the America First movement and frequently defended Trump during his legal battles, impeachment proceedings, and presidential campaigns.

However, the relationship between the two Republicans deteriorated in recent years as Greene increasingly broke with Trump on several major issues.

The split became especially visible over foreign policy, government spending, healthcare proposals, and the administration’s handling of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In November, Greene announced she would resign from Congress, describing her political relationship with Trump in unusually personal terms.

“I refuse to be a battered wife,” Greene said at the time, referencing what she characterized as repeated disappointments with the administration’s policy decisions.

The remark underscored the depth of the rift between Greene and the president she had once defended more aggressively than almost any other Republican lawmaker.

Criticism Over Foreign Wars

Perhaps the most significant break between Greene and Trump came over U.S. military involvement in the Middle East.

Following the escalation of conflict involving Iran, Greene openly criticized the administration’s actions and questioned whether Trump was abandoning key campaign promises.

“We’re in another f—ing war, and we’ve got American troops being killed,” Greene said shortly after hostilities intensified.

During an appearance with conservative commentator Megyn Kelly, Greene expressed frustration that Trump appeared to be moving away from the anti-interventionist message that helped fuel his rise in Republican politics.

“I want to say, what is happening to the man that I supported, you supported, the man that denounced what happened in Iraq, the man that said ‘No more foreign wars,’ ‘No more regime change?'” Greene asked.

Her comments resonated with a segment of the MAGA movement that remains skeptical of foreign military interventions and favors a more isolationist approach to global conflicts.

A Growing Conservative Media Trend

Greene’s new venture follows a broader trend of high-profile politicians turning to independent media platforms after leaving office.

In recent years, numerous conservative figures have launched podcasts, streaming shows, documentary projects, and direct-to-consumer media brands aimed at maintaining influence outside traditional political institutions.

For Greene, whose outspoken style helped her build a large online following, a media platform may provide an opportunity to continue shaping political debates without the constraints of serving in Congress.

The title “Life With MTG” suggests the series could blend political commentary with a behind-the-scenes look at Greene’s personal life and post-Congress activities, though no official description has been released.

What’s Next?

Greene remains one of the most polarizing figures in modern Republican politics. Supporters view her as an unapologetic fighter willing to challenge both Democrats and Republican establishment figures, while critics argue her confrontational style has fueled division and controversy.

The launch of “Life With MTG” indicates Greene has no intention of fading from public life following her resignation.

Whether the project becomes a political commentary show, podcast, documentary series, or broader media brand, Greene’s closing message in the teaser makes one thing clear: she intends to remain active in the national conversation.

For now, supporters and critics alike are left waiting for further details as Greene promises that “Life With MTG” is “coming soon.”

Trump Calls To Fire Fox News Host

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President Donald Trump is once again turning his fire on Fox News — this time demanding the network get rid of longtime Republican strategist Karl Rove after the former Bush adviser discussed Democrats’ midterm prospects during a Thursday appearance.

“FoxNews should get rid of sloppy RINO Karl Rove,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after Rove appeared on America’s Newsroom.

The president’s outburst came after Rove analyzed what Democrats would need to reclaim control of the House in next year’s midterm elections.

“Having a Democrat advantage of one [point] ain’t much. A Democrat advantage of four is significantly better,” Rove said. “But I’m thinking that they need to have at least five or six minimum lead in the advantage on the ballot if they’re going to take the House with a significant margin.”

Rove also noted that voter dissatisfaction could play a major role in determining the outcome.

“And remember, this is a contest between two unfavorables,” he said. “The president’s unfavorability is at 40%. The Democratic Party’s unfavorability is below 37. So who’s less popular and how’s that going to affect the outcome?”

That assessment apparently struck a nerve.

“He’s called ME and MAGA wrong for 11 years now, and he still doesn’t get it, and he never will, because he suffers from a completely inoperable, and totally dysfunctional, case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Trump wrote.

The president didn’t stop there.

“Put Karl Rove out to pasture, NOW. He is a LOSER, and he always will be!” Trump added.

The latest clash is hardly the first time Trump has publicly lashed out at a Fox News contributor or personality despite maintaining a generally friendly relationship with the conservative network.

Over the years, Trump has repeatedly targeted commentators who have challenged him on policy, polling, or political strategy. He has feuded with former Fox News host Chris Wallace, frequently blasted former House Speaker Paul Ryan during Ryan’s tenure on Fox’s board, and has repeatedly attacked Fox contributors he views as insufficiently supportive of his political movement.

Rove, one of the Republican Party’s most recognizable establishment figures, has often found himself in Trump’s crosshairs. The former deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush has been openly skeptical of some of Trump’s political instincts and has repeatedly offered critical assessments of the president’s electoral standing.

Following Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this year, Rove argued that portions of the speech “didn’t sound based in reality.” He has also long questioned whether Trump’s brand of politics represents the Republican Party’s future.

Back in 2019, Rove told National Review editor Rich Lowry that “The Republican Party is going to have to recreate itself after Donald Trump leaves office,” adding that the future direction of conservatism would depend on who ultimately succeeds Trump and his “dark charisma.”

The episode highlights Trump’s complicated relationship with Fox News. While he regularly attacks network personalities and even Fox chairman emeritus Rupert Murdoch when coverage displeases him, the president has also drawn heavily from the network’s talent pool when staffing his administration, appointing several former Fox hosts and contributors to key government positions.

For now, however, Rove appears to have earned a place on Trump’s ever-growing list of Fox News figures who have felt the president’s wrath for deviating from the MAGA script.

Report: Trump Refuses To Rule Out DeSantis As Attorney General

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President Donald Trump answers questions from members of the media aboard Air Force One en route to Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, for a rally on the economy, Tuesday, December 9, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Donald Trump is keeping the door open for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the nation’s next attorney general, offering warm praise for his former Republican rival during a recent podcast interview.

Speaking Tuesday with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on her “Pod Force One” podcast, Trump said DeSantis is among several Republicans being discussed as a potential replacement for former Attorney General Pam Bondi, though he stopped short of making any commitment.

“People thought of different names. There are some good names,” Trump told Devine.

Trump noted that DeSantis has never approached him about the position.

“He’s never talked about wanting the job,” the president said.

The comments highlight how dramatically relations have improved between Trump and DeSantis since their bruising 2024 Republican primary showdown. During that campaign, Trump frequently mocked the Florida governor as “Ron DeSanctimonious.” Today, the president is singing a very different tune.

“He’s a governor and doing a very good job,” Trump said. “He’s a friend of mine.”

Trump also pointed to a recent honor bestowed by Florida lawmakers and signed into law by DeSantis.

“He just named an airport after me,” Trump said. “They named the Palm Beach International Airport the Donald J. Trump International Airport.”

The airport renaming became official after DeSantis signed legislation earlier this year. Trump called the designation “a great honor.”

The president also referenced DeSantis’ support for plans involving Trump’s future presidential library.

While DeSantis’ name is generating buzz among conservatives, Trump suggested he’s pleased with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who currently leads the Department of Justice and previously served as Trump’s personal attorney.

“I wanted to see how he’s received,” Trump said of Blanche. “He’s done a very good job.”

Trump indicated that no final decision has been made.

“There are a lot of great people,” the president said. “The Republican Party — we have great people.”

For his part, DeSantis has publicly downplayed speculation about a possible role in the Trump administration.

According to Florida Politics, the governor recently said, “No one’s ever asked me to do anything, and I’ve never asked to do anything.”

Still, some Republicans believe DeSantis would be a strong fit for the nation’s top law enforcement post.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) who is running to succeed DeSantis as governor, told conservative commentator Benny Johnson last month that he believes DeSantis would “make a very good attorney general.”

“Knowing Gov. DeSantis, he will make sure that he looks through everything with a fine-tooth comb to hold people accountable and I think that’s a spot he could be incredibly well-suited for,” Donalds said, while also praising Blanche’s performance.

For now, Trump appears content to keep his options open — and DeSantis’ name firmly in the conversation.

Watch the full podcast below:

Treasury Chief Admits He Threatened To Beat Up Trump’s Controversial DNI Pick

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President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stunned lawmakers Wednesday when he casually admitted that he threatened to physically assault Bill Pulte — President Donald Trump’s embattled choice to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence.

The jaw-dropping admission came during a Senate Finance Committee hearing after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) referenced reports of a heated clash between the two Trump administration officials.

“Did you actually tell Pulte you were going to punch him in the face?” Tillis asked.

“No, sir. I actually said I was going to kick his a**,” Bessent replied.

Tillis appeared amused by the correction.

“Good. OK, good. I share the emotion — thank you,” the North Carolina Republican responded.

Bessent brushed off the confrontation as old news.

“And, as I said, that was last summer, summer ’25,” he said. “And many teams have fights in the locker room, and then go out and win for the team on the field.”

But Tillis suggested the incident could become a major issue now that Trump has tapped Pulte to oversee America’s intelligence agencies following Tulsi Gabbard’s planned departure later this month.

“Everybody’s gonna be showing that,” Tillis said. “I made it clear I’m not gonna support Pulte for DNI, but I’m sure they’re gonna dredge that up.”

Watch:

The exchange revived scrutiny of an explosive confrontation first reported by Politico, which described a profanity-laced showdown between Bessent and Pulte at a private gathering of Trump officials and allies last year.

According to Politico, Bessent confronted Pulte after hearing that the Federal Housing Finance Agency chief had been speaking negatively about him to President Trump

Read an excerpt from Politico’s reporting:

A private dinner attended by dozens of administration officials and close advisers to President Donald Trump was temporarily marred by a dramatic clash between two of Trump’s top economic officials, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at one point threatening to punch top housing finance official Bill Pulte “in the fucking face.”

But amid the cocktail-hour din, Bessent lashed out at Pulte in an expletive-laden diatribe. The Treasury secretary had heard from several people that the Federal Housing Finance Agency director had been badmouthing him to Trump, a person close to him said. He wasn’t about to engage in chit-chat as if nothing was amiss.

“Why the fuck are you talking to the president about me? Fuck you,” Bessent told Pulte. “I’m gonna punch you in your fucking face.”

The scene was described to me by one eyewitness and four other people familiar with what happened. The only fact they disagreed on was whether it was Bessent or Pulte who initiated the conversation. They and others who described the conflict were granted anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Pulte appeared stunned, and the tense encounter prompted club co-owner and financier Omeed Malik to intervene, according to the three people. But Bessent wasn’t having it — he sought to get him kicked out, the eyewitness said.

“It’s either me or him,” Bessent said to Malik. “You tell me who’s getting the fuck out of here.”

“Or,” he added, “we could go outside.”

“To do what?” asked Pulte. “To talk?”

“No,” Bessent replied. “I’m going to fucking beat your ass.”

The bizarre feud is drawing fresh attention as Pulte faces mounting criticism over his nomination.

Trump Refiles $10B Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal

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President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

President Trump is taking another swing at The Wall Street Journal — refiling his massive $10 billion defamation lawsuit over the paper’s bombshell report linking him to an alleged birthday card sent to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Miami, accuses the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper and several top executives of knowingly pushing what Trump calls a “false and malicious” story that caused “overwhelming” damage to both his reputation and finances.

At the center of the legal war is a document the Journal reported on last summer — an alleged birthday message purportedly signed by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003.

According to the WSJ, the note included a sexually suggestive sketch of a naked woman along with the line: “Happy Birthday, may every day be another wonderful secret.”

The letter was reportedly part of a birthday album assembled by Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for child sex trafficking after helping Epstein recruit and abuse underage girls.

Trump has repeatedly denied authoring the message, insisting the signature is fake and blasting the Journal’s reporting as a politically motivated hit piece.

“This is another fake story,” Trump said previously, dismissing the allegations and accusing the media of trying to tie him to Epstein despite no evidence he participated in Epstein’s crimes.

The renewed complaint names media titan Rupert Murdoch, Dow Jones, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, and Journal reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joseph Palazzolo as defendants.

Trump’s first lawsuit was tossed in April by U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles, who ruled the president failed to meet the high legal threshold for proving “actual malice” — the standard public figures must satisfy in defamation cases by showing reporters knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

But Trump’s legal team is now back with an updated filing, arguing the Journal ignored serious questions surrounding the authenticity of the alleged letter before publishing the explosive story.

The legal battle is the latest front in Trump’s escalating war with major media outlets during his second term in office.

The president has also targeted The New York Times and the BBC with legal threats and litigation as he continues hammering what he frequently calls the “fake news media.”

Trump’s past association with Epstein has long fueled headlines and speculation, though the two reportedly had a falling out years before Epstein’s 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges. Trump has maintained he cut ties with Epstein and banned him from Mar-a-Lago after an incident involving a club member’s daughter.

Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial in a death officially ruled a suicide — though the circumstances surrounding his death continue to fuel conspiracy theories and public suspicion.

The Wall Street Journal has stood by its reporting and has not indicated any retraction is forthcoming.

RFK Jr. Adds Another Wild Chapter To His Ongoing Battle With The Animal Kingdom

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By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., CC BY-SA 2.0,

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may be serving as Health and Human Services secretary, but apparently he’s still moonlighting as America’s most unexpected wildlife wrangler.

Kennedy posted a video Tuesday showing himself casually grabbing two black racer snakes from the patio at Dr. Mehmet Oz’s Florida home — while his wife, Cheryl Hines, reacted the way most normal people would.

“You are nuts!” Hines yelled as RFK Jr., dressed like he was five minutes away from a cabinet meeting, calmly scooped up both snakes in about eight seconds.

Things got even more interesting when the snakes started thrashing around and one chomped down on his finger.

“Honey, honey, let it go!” Hines pleaded. “Oh my God! Bobby, Bobby, please!”

RFK Jr.’s response? Barely a reaction.

“Are they biting?” Oz asked.

“Yeah,” Kennedy replied with a laugh.

At this point, the Kennedy family animal stories are becoming their own cinematic universe. There was the dead bear cub incident. There was the whale head strapped to the car roof. Now there are snakes.

The only thing missing from the video was dramatic background music and someone yelling, “Sir, that’s enough wildlife for one lifetime.”

Somewhere in America, every animal just moved RFK Jr. to the top of its watch list.

Trump Ousts Massie — But Supporters Immediately Float a Bigger Comeback

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Crowds erupted into chants of “2028” and “President!” Tuesday night as Rep. Thomas Massie delivered a defiant concession speech following his stunning Republican primary defeat — raising fresh questions about whether the longtime Kentucky libertarian could emerge as an outsider figure in the next presidential cycle.

Massie, who represented Kentucky in Congress since 2012, lost his seat to Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein in what was widely described as the most expensive House primary race in U.S. history.

The race became a high-profile test of President Donald Trump’s continued grip on the Republican Party, with Trump repeatedly urging supporters to back Gallrein while launching blistering attacks on Massie throughout the campaign.

Trump at one point called Massie a “major sleazebag” and “the worst Republican congressman in history” as tensions between the two escalated over a series of high-profile disagreements.

Massie had increasingly broken with the administration on issues ranging from the “Big Beautiful Bill” and military action to efforts surrounding the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

But Tuesday night’s concession speech quickly shifted from political obituary to something closer to a campaign rally.

“Listen, I would’ve come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent and concede,” Massie joked to supporters. “And it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Massie later urged supporters to accept the outcome, telling them his defeat was “God’s will.”

Then someone shouted: “We’re just getting started!”

“I like that,” Massie replied with a smile.

Moments later, the room broke into chants of “2028.”

“What happens in 2028?” Massie asked with a grin.

The crowd immediately answered with another chant:

“President!”

Laughing, Massie played along.

“All right, you’ve made a compelling argument,” he said. “You spoke your piece, but I need a medical margarita first, and we’ll talk about it later.”

Watch via C-SPAN:

Whether the moment was simply a crowd of disappointed supporters refusing to say goodbye — or the earliest hint of a future national movement — remains unclear.

Massie has never publicly indicated interest in a White House run, and his loss Tuesday marked a major political setback. Still, figures who cultivate anti-establishment appeal and challenge party leadership have repeatedly found influence beyond Congress.

For now, Massie may be headed out of Washington. But if the reaction from supporters Tuesday night was any indication, some in his base appear convinced his political story may not be ending — only changing direction.

Trump Administration Suspends Official After Explosive Hidden Camera Footage

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The Trump White House has placed a senior administration official on leave after he was secretly recorded unloading on President Donald Trump in an undercover sting operation orchestrated by conservative activist James O’Keefe.

Benjamin Ellisten, a senior budget analyst and funding manager working within the administration, was caught on hidden camera calling Trump a “madman” who is “f*cking it up for everybody” during a conversation with an undercover journalist tied to O’Keefe’s operation.

The footage, which quickly exploded across conservative media and social platforms, appears to show Ellisten venting frustration over Trump’s leadership style, foreign policy decisions, and the administration’s internal operations — comments that ultimately cost him his White House role.

A White House official confirmed to The Daily Caller that Ellisten has since been placed on administrative leave.

“He has no direct access to the President or Senior Staff, and does not work on the White House campus,” the official told the outlet. “Such views expressed by the individual are not reflective of patriots who admirably serve in the Administration.”

According to O’Keefe’s reporting, Ellisten had been employed by the White House since 2024.

During the undercover conversation, Ellisten repeatedly blasted the president in strikingly personal terms.

“He’s a madman,” Ellisten said. “Literally. He’s invincible. Nothing can stop him, and that’s dangerous.”

At another point, he reportedly suggested Trump needed to be removed from office altogether.

“He’s a mess,” Ellisten told the undercover journalist. “They gotta get rid of him.”

Ellisten also took aim at Trump’s decision-making process, portraying the president as impulsive and reckless despite acknowledging that Trump does not drink alcohol.

“The way his decisions are so erratic, you would think he drinks,” Ellisten said. “He doesn’t drink. And that’s what makes it so dangerous, that someone could be of sound mind and body, totally coherent, could just be so reckless in their decision-making. That’s scary.”

The secretly recorded remarks are likely to further inflame concerns inside the administration about loyalty leaks and internal resistance from career staffers and lower-level political appointees — an issue Trump has railed against since his first term, when anonymous officials and bureaucratic infighting routinely made headlines.

Ellisten also appeared to accuse the administration of profiting off geopolitical turmoil, floating speculation about insider trading tied to tensions in the Middle East and rising oil prices.

“The president knows that he affects how people react to the stock market,” Ellisten said. “So one of the things that looks like it’s going on, and going on a lot, is insider trading. Like, for instance, with the war going on in Iran, the price of oil is expensive.”

No evidence was presented to support the allegation.

The sting operation also snagged comments from Maxim Lott, a White House special assistant focused on domestic policy, who described the administration’s internal operations as “chaotic” and “uncontrolled.”

“The decision-making processes are a little bit chaotic,” Lott said in the footage.

“I think it’s just the overall tone that, like, you know, the government right now is a little bit uncontrolled,” he added. “It’s not gonna fix itself.”

Lott, who previously worked as a producer for libertarian journalist John Stossel, also claimed lower-level staffers sometimes make policy calls based on what they believe Trump would support politically.

“In theory, everything should sort of come from the president,” Lott said. “But it might come from the level below him, where they’re like, ‘I think I know the president well enough to say what he would say on this.’”

He continued: “There’s no like, ‘Oh well, this will cost $10 million but save people $20 million.’ There’s like nothing like that, it’s just, ‘this feels like a good idea’ or ‘the base supports this,’ alright, just sign.”

Unlike Ellisten, however, Lott defended himself after being contacted by O’Keefe’s team and insisted his comments were not meant as criticism of Trump or the administration.

“I went out with an individual I thought was a genuine person, but it goes to show how insidious politics and this city can be,” Lott said in a statement. “Nothing I said was contradictory of this Administration, and I remain fully committed to carrying out its agenda.”

The undercover recordings come as Trump’s White House has aggressively prioritized loyalty throughout the federal government, with administration officials repeatedly warning staffers that public attacks on the president or leaks to the media would not be tolerated.

For Trump allies, the footage is likely to reinforce long-standing concerns about anti-Trump sentiment simmering beneath the surface inside Washington’s sprawling bureaucracy — even among officials serving within the administration itself.

President Trump Calls Out Supreme Court Justices By Name In Scathing Truth Social Post

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President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

President Donald Trump sharply criticized two Supreme Court justices he appointed, lamenting what he called a “devastating” ruling against his tariff policy while suggesting the court could soon rule against his administration again on birthright citizenship.

In a lengthy Sunday night Truth Social post, Trump singled out Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett by name after they joined Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s liberal wing in a recent ruling striking down his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs.

“I ‘Love’ Justice Neil Gorsuch! He’s a really smart and good man, but he voted against me, and our Country, on Tariffs, a devastating move,” Trump wrote. “How do I reconcile this? So bad, and hurtful to our Country.”

Trump added that he also “liked and respected” Barrett, but said both justices had “hurt our Country so badly” with the ruling.

The president argued the decision could cost the United States billions of dollars in refunded tariff payments.

“They were appointed by me, and yet have hurt our Country so badly!” Trump wrote. “I do not believe they meant to do so, but their decision on Tariffs cost the United States 159 Billion Dollars that we have to pay back to enemies, and people, companies, and Countries, that have been ripping us off for years. It’s hardly believable!”

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

Trump claimed the court could have avoided forcing the administration to repay tariff revenues by adding what he described as a “tiny” sentence to the ruling.

“They could have solved that situation with a ‘tiny’ sentence, ‘Any money paid by others to the United States does not have to be paid back,’” he wrote. “Why wouldn’t they have done so?”

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling against Trump’s tariff authority under IEEPA saw Gorsuch, Barrett, and Roberts side with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented. (RELATED: Supreme Court Strikes Down Most Trump Tariffs, Reasserts Congress’ Role)

Trump went even further in the post, arguing that some Republican-appointed justices have become overly eager to distance themselves from conservatives.

“With certain Republican Nominated Justices that we have on the Supreme Court, the Democrats don’t really need to ‘PACK THE COURT’ any longer,” Trump wrote. “In fact, I should be the one wanting to PACK THE COURT!”

He also complained that Republican-appointed justices often seek to appear “independent,” while Democratic-appointed justices remain loyal to the presidents who nominated them. (RELATED: Supreme Court Rules On Trump Tariffs)

“What is the reason for this?” Trump wrote. “They have to do the right thing, but it’s really OK for them to be loyal to the person that appointed them to ‘almost’ the highest position in the land, that is, a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.”

“Democrat Justices always remain true to the people that honored them for that very special Nomination,” he continued. “They don’t waver, no matter how good or bad a case may be, but Republican Justices often go out of their way to oppose me, because they want to show how ‘independent’ or, ‘above it all,’ they are.”

Trump also predicted the court could soon rule against his administration on birthright citizenship, another major issue currently pending before the Supreme Court.

The president tied that concern to his unprecedented appearance at a Supreme Court session earlier this year.

“I choose people to help our Country, not to hurt it,” Trump wrote, “and now, based on what I witnessed recently by being the first President in History to attend a Supreme Court session … they will be ruling against us on Birthright Citizenship, making us the only Country in the World that practices this unsustainable, unsafe, and incredibly costly DISASTER.”

While Trump insisted he was not demanding personal loyalty from the justices, he suggested their rulings should align more closely with what he believes is best for the country.

“I don’t want loyalty,” he wrote, “but I do want and expect it for our Country.”

Trump also warned that an unfavorable ruling on birthright citizenship, combined with the court’s tariff decision, could have severe economic consequences.

“Yes, I have another way of doing Tariffs, but it is far slower, and more laborious than what was just determined, in a close decision, to be ‘illegal’ or ‘unconstitutional,’” Trump wrote. “Sometimes decisions have to be allowed to use Good, Strong, Common Sense as a guide.”

“A negative ruling on Birthright Citizenship, on top of the recent Supreme Court Tariff catastrophe, is not economically sustainable for the United States of America!”