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    Trump Slams Mamdani’s Netanyahu Arrest Threat: ‘Will Not Happen’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    8
    By Bingjiefu He - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

    President Donald Trump drew a bright red line Monday after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani threatened to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested on American soil.

    “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump declared in a Truth Social post.

    The president defended Netanyahu as a wartime leader confronting the Islamic Republic of Iran, which Trump accused of killing 52,000 protesters and spending decades targeting American troops.

    “The only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION,” Trump added, arguing that previous presidents should have confronted the regime years ago.

    Trump’s declaration came after Mamdani revived one of his most controversial campaign promises during an interview with The New York Times’ Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

    “I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.”

    The democratic socialist mayor said his administration is now examining whether he could use the New York Police Department to detain Netanyahu when the Israeli leader is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    “That’s an active conversation with our legal department in seeing what the prospects are we have here in our municipality,” Mamdani said.

    He insisted he would follow existing city law and would not attempt to write new rules specifically targeting Netanyahu.

    But Mamdani’s arrest talk faces a mountain of legal obstacles.

    The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court and does not recognize the court’s authority over Americans or Israelis. Foreign affairs are also controlled by the federal government, while diplomatic protections and head-of-state immunity could shield Netanyahu during a U.N. visit.

    U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz dismissed Mamdani’s proposal as “pure political theater.”

    “The U.S. is not party to the Rome Statute that underlies the ICC,” Waltz wrote on X, adding that the U.N. Headquarters Agreement grants protections to visiting foreign leaders and that “federal authority trumps any local mayor’s wishes.”

    Legal experts have expressed similar doubts. Syracuse University law professor Cora True-Frost said foreign affairs are the “exclusive power of the federal government” and that protections afforded to visiting diplomats would further restrict Mamdani’s ability to carry out his threat. NBC New York reported that several former prosecutors believe an attempt to enforce the ICC warrant could expose participating local officials to federal charges.

    The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. The court said judges found reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore responsibility for alleged crimes including using starvation as a method of warfare.

    Israel has categorically rejected the allegations, maintaining that its military takes extensive precautions to protect civilians while battling a terrorist organization that embeds itself among the Palestinian population.

    Netanyahu’s office fired back Sunday by branding the ICC a “kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis.”

    “Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians,” his office said.

    It then turned its fire directly on City Hall.

    “Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York,” Netanyahu’s office concluded.

    Netanyahu has also accused the mayor of siding with “terror actors,” while Mamdani has repeatedly characterized Israel’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre as genocide.

    The Trump administration, meanwhile, has backed its rejection of the ICC with more than words. It has imposed sanctions on court personnel and affiliated organizations involved in efforts to prosecute Israelis, declaring that neither the United States nor Israel is subject to the tribunal’s authority. The State Department has described the court’s actions as a threat to American sovereignty.

    Mamdani may be determined to turn Netanyahu’s expected September visit into an international showdown.

    Trump’s message was that the mayor will not get the chance.

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    Trump Praises JD Vance, Usha On Birth Of Fourth Child

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    By Office of Vice President of the United States - @VP on X, Public Domain,

    The White House is celebrating the arrival of its newest—and smallest—addition.

    Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance welcomed their fourth child, a son named Alec Neel Vance, on Sunday morning.

    “We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning,” the couple said in a joint statement. “Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother.”

    The Vances also expressed their gratitude to the medical professionals who cared for Usha and Alec at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

    “The incredible military doctors and staff members of Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit have been a blessing,” the couple said. “We are deeply thankful for all they have done for our family.”

    President Donald Trump joined the celebration Monday, offering the public its first glimpse of the newborn in a photo shared on Truth Social. The picture showed two of Alec’s older siblings smiling as they held their baby brother.

    “Congratulations!” Trump wrote. “A perfect baby boy for the wonderful Vance family.”

    Alec joins the couple’s three other children: sons Ewan, 9, and Vivek, 6, and daughter Mirabel, 4. JD and Usha Vance have been married since 2014.

    The birth also marked a milestone more than a century and a half in the making. Alec is the first child born to a sitting vice president since Schuyler Colfax III arrived in 1870, while his father, Schuyler Colfax Jr., served under President Ulysses S. Grant. CBS News described the Vances’ new arrival as the first known birth to the nation’s second family in 156 years.

    The couple announced Usha’s pregnancy in January, saying at the time that they expected their son to arrive in late July. Vance, who has frequently encouraged Americans to form and grow families, later joked that the pregnancy showed he was willing to follow his own advice.

    “So let the record show, you have a vice president who practices what he preaches,” Vance told the 2026 March for Life rally.

    Alec’s arrival continues something of a baby boom inside the Trump administration.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, welcomed their second child, daughter Viviana “Vivi,” on May 1. Leavitt announced the happy news several days later, sharing a photograph of herself holding the newborn inside a pink nursery. (RELATED: Karoline Leavitt Shares She Is Expecting Baby Girl In May 2026)

    “On May 1st, Viviana aka ‘Vivi’ joined our family, and our hearts instantly exploded with love,” Leavitt wrote on Instagram.

    “She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister,” she continued. “We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble.”

    Leavitt returned to the White House briefing room on July 16 after taking maternity leave, according to People. Vivi joined the couple’s son, Niko, who recently turned 2.

    Now, just over two months after Vivi’s birth, the administration has another reason to celebrate—with the Vance children welcoming a little brother and Trump proudly introducing the “perfect baby boy” to the country.

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    Trump DHS Chief Warns Election Officials: Cooperate — Or Face Prison

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    DHSgov, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin fired a blistering warning at state election officials Friday: Help the Trump administration police voter rolls — or risk fines, penalties and even prison time.

    Mullin delivered the threat during a White House press conference one day after President Donald Trump used a primetime address to sound the alarm over alleged vulnerabilities in America’s election system.

    Asked by a Daily Caller reporter whether the administration could ensure the midterm elections would be secure, Mullin said Washington could restore public confidence — but only if states cooperate.

    “Yes, we absolutely can build confidence in the American people, but the states have to do their part,” Mullin said.

    Then came the warning shot.

    “I will tell you, if the states that choose not to participate with the SAVE program and they choose not to participate in securing the elections, we will make sure that we make those states a priority to look at who voted in their states and hold them, the election officials, accountable,” Mullin said.

    “If the election officials, once we gave them the information they need to secure their elections and they chose not to, then those individuals can also be held accountable by fines, by penalties, and even, depending on how far it goes, prison time.”

    Mullin did not specify which federal laws could be used to prosecute officials who decline to participate in the program or what conduct would trigger criminal charges.

    His comments came as DHS claimed that a review of publicly available voter files uncovered more than 250,000 suspected noncitizens registered to vote in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada.

    Mullin said those states had not cooperated with the administration’s review. DHS has reportedly sent letters notifying officials of its findings and asking them to confirm within two weeks whether they intend to work with the department.

    The secretary also said that 23 states already using the federal verification system had identified another 23,000 suspected noncitizens and approximately 400,000 deceased people on voter rolls, according to The Daily Signal.

    DHS has not publicly demonstrated that the individuals it identified actually cast ballots. Being listed on a voter roll does not necessarily mean someone voted.

    The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, known as SAVE, is an existing DHS database originally designed to help government agencies verify the citizenship and immigration status of people applying for public benefits and licenses. It is separate from the pending SAVE America Act, despite sharing the acronym.

    The Trump administration has expanded the database’s use for election-related citizenship checks and is pressing states to run their voter files through it.

    Mullin also indicated that federal election funding could become another pressure point.

    “We are going to make our security enhancements mandatory, meaning that if these states want a grant, and they want to be reimbursed to run federal elections, they’re going to have to implement security measures,” he said.

    The crackdown comes as Trump continues demanding that Congress pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship and identification for federal voter registration while sharply limiting mail-in voting.

    The legislation has repeatedly stalled in the Senate. Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans lack the votes needed to overcome the filibuster or change Senate rules to force it through.

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    White House Slams Staffer Accused Of Betting On Trump Speech

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2

    A longtime Trump aide has been yanked from the White House after allegedly turning advance knowledge of President Donald Trump’s speeches into a six-figure betting haul.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed Thursday that Gabriel Perez, who has operated Trump’s teleprompter since his first presidential campaign in 2016, was placed on unpaid administrative leave at the president’s direction.

    “Obviously, I’m aware of the report. The president is, too. I spoke with him about it,” Leavitt told reporters. “He believes it’s deeply unfortunate and, frankly, a disgrace.”

    “The White House has extremely strict ethical guidelines with respect to issues like this,” she added, stressing that Perez’s leave would be without pay. “That was the decision by the president, so it speaks for itself.”

    Another operator was tapped to handle Trump’s nationally televised speech Thursday night.

    Perez is accused of using his behind-the-scenes access to place bets on more than a dozen Trump speeches through Kalshi, an online prediction market where users can wager on whether specific words, phrases or subjects will come up during public events.

    Sources familiar with the federal investigation told ABC News that Perez won more than $100,000 over a roughly three-month period.

    The alleged bets reportedly involved Trump’s State of the Union address, a December primetime speech, his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos and remarks delivered during a March Medal of Honor ceremony.

    As Trump’s teleprompter operator, Perez was often among the final people to see the president’s prepared remarks and was reportedly responsible for inserting last-minute changes.

    Investigators even uncovered instances in which Perez allegedly abandoned certain positions while a speech was still underway after Trump skipped passages containing words on which the operator had wagered, ABC News reported.

    That wrinkle is especially notable because Trump is famous for veering away from his prepared remarks.

    “You know, when you go up here, you take a big chance, especially me because I go off teleprompter about 80% of the time,” Trump said during a January appearance at the Detroit Economic Club—another speech investigators reportedly believe Perez bet on.

    Kalshi’s internal surveillance system reportedly detected unusual activity that did not match normal trading patterns. The company froze Perez’s account, trapping more than $90,000 in alleged profits, before referring the matter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

    “Our surveillance team promptly flagged and referred these trades to the CFTC after an exchange investigation,” Kalshi enforcement chief Robert DeNault told CBS News. “We have been assisting regulators on this matter and provided evidence we collected, as we do in any referral.”

    The CFTC has declined to confirm or deny that an investigation is underway.

    Perez has reportedly cooperated with regulators and acknowledged some of the trades during an interview. Sources told ABC News that federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined to launch a criminal investigation, while CFTC officials have discussed a possible settlement that could require Perez to surrender his profits and stay out of similar markets.

    Perez did not respond to requests for comment from several news organizations.

    The allegations surfaced only months after the White House explicitly warned employees against using privileged information to make prediction-market bets.

    A March 24 email from the White House Management Office reminded staffers that using nonpublic information to trade such contracts could constitute a criminal offense.

    “All White House employees are reminded that the misuse of nonpublic information by government employees for financial benefit is a very serious offense and will not be tolerated,” the email said, according to CBS News.

    White House spokesman David Ingle said the administration expects every employee to follow its ethics rules and confirmed that Perez was cooperating with regulators.

    Leavitt said the White House was not aware of any other staffers suspected of making similar trades.

    The case could add fuel to a bipartisan push on Capitol Hill to crack down on government insiders using prediction markets for personal profit. Republican Sens. Todd Young and John Curtis joined Democratic Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Adam Schiff in introducing legislation that would prohibit federal officials and employees from trading on material nonpublic information.

    “Public service should never be a pathway to personal profit based on insider information,” Young said when the bill was introduced.

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    Trump Hails Iran’s Surprise ‘Goodwill’ Move As American Finally Heads Home

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    President Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening that Iran had allowed an American citizen trapped inside the country since 2024 to leave, calling the unexpected release a “gesture of goodwill” amid a rapidly escalating military confrontation.

    “Iran has allowed an American Citizen, who was wrongfully detained in December of 2024 under the ‘presidency’ of Sleepy Joe Biden, to leave the Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

    “She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition,” the president added. “The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran!”

    The woman was identified by her attorney as Dena Karari, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen who traveled to Iran to visit family in December 2024 and was subsequently blocked from leaving.

    International human rights attorney Jared Genser said Karari had faced “bogus charges” involving allegations of espionage and collaboration with a hostile country.

    “I am delighted and excited to report that my client U.S. citizen #DenaKarari, who had been trapped in #Iran since December 2024 on bogus charges, is now free,” Genser wrote on X.

    “This would not have happened but for the extraordinary and relentless efforts of President @realDonaldTrump,” he added.

    Genser said Karari was safe and traveling back to the United States.

    Although Trump described Karari as having been wrongfully detained, CBS News reported that she was placed under an exit ban rather than held continuously in prison. Iranian authorities confiscated her American and Iranian passports and subjected her to repeated interrogations, but she was never formally charged, according to the outlet.

    The Wall Street Journal similarly reported that Karari spent roughly a year and a half unable to leave Iran after authorities accused her of espionage and collaborating with a hostile power.

    Karari reportedly worked for an American technology company and operated a charity helping underprivileged children in Iran.

    Her freedom offers a rare diplomatic bright spot as Washington and Tehran trade military strikes and threats over the Strait of Hormuz.

    Karari’s release came as the Trump administration weighed options for expanding its military campaign against Iran. U.S. forces also launched additional daytime strikes against Iranian military targets near the strategically vital waterway.

    The United States has expanded its strikes deeper into Iran while trying to break Tehran’s grip on the strait, one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Iran, meanwhile, has launched retaliatory missiles and drones at targets elsewhere in the region.

    Against that backdrop, Tehran’s decision to release Karari could be an isolated concession—or a signal that Iran is searching for a way to lower the temperature.

    The administration has made securing the return of Americans detained abroad a major priority. The State Department says 76 Americans held as hostages, wrongful detainees or under other concerning circumstances have returned home since Trump took office in January 2025.

    Earlier this year, the department formally designated Iran a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” accusing the regime of seizing innocent Americans and using them as political leverage.

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    Trump Speaks Out On Potential Lindsey Graham Replacement

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

    The race to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham is already turning into one of the Republican Party’s biggest political fights of the year—and President Donald Trump may have just tipped his hand.

    During an interview with Newsmax on Monday night, Trump lavished praise on Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.), suggesting the South Carolina congressman is someone Republicans should be watching closely as the party prepares to choose a long-term successor to Graham, who died unexpectedly last week at age 71 after suffering an aortic dissection.

    “I think Russell Fry, a young congressman, is outstanding, and that could happen. I could see that happening,” Trump said. “I think he’s a very, very talented person.”

    Trump added that Fry has already proven himself after defeating former Rep. Tom Rice in 2022—a victory backed by the president after Rice voted to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

    “He took the place of somebody that was—I mean, he’s doing much better than the person that preceded him,” Trump said. “He’s been very popular in the state, so I think a name like Russell Fry is somebody you can watch out for and there are probably some others.”

    According to Fox News Digital, Fry has been discussing a possible Senate campaign with White House officials, fueling speculation that he could ultimately receive Trump’s endorsement. A source familiar with Fry’s thinking cautioned that “until the President makes an announcement, any speculation is just speculation.”

    The president’s endorsement is expected to be the most coveted prize in what is shaping up to be a crowded Republican primary.

    South Carolina Republicans will hold a special GOP primary on Aug. 11 to determine who will replace Graham on the November ballot. Candidate filing opens later this month, and several prominent Republicans are already maneuvering for position.

    Among those considering bids are Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman. Norman has reportedly gone directly to Trump seeking his endorsement, while both lawmakers are looking for a political reset after falling short in South Carolina’s recent gubernatorial primary.

    Before that contest plays out, however, Graham’s Senate seat has already been filled on an interim basis.

    At Trump’s urging, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, to serve through the remainder of his brother’s term. She was sworn into office Tuesday, becoming South Carolina’s first female U.S. senator. Trump described the appointment as a fitting tribute but indicated he expects her role to be temporary.

    “I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote earlier this week, calling the move “a fabulous tribute to Lindsey.”

    Graham’s death marked the end of more than two decades in the Senate, where he became one of the Republican Party’s most recognizable voices on national security, judicial confirmations and foreign policy. Although he frequently sparred with Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, the two eventually forged one of the GOP’s closest political alliances. Graham became one of Trump’s most reliable allies in the Senate, defending the president through two impeachment trials, championing his judicial nominees and serving as a key adviser on major foreign policy issues.

    Now, Republicans are preparing for a high-stakes battle over who will inherit one of the party’s most influential Senate seats.

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    Trump Reveals Host City For First Ever Midterm Convention In September

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    President Donald J. Trump hosts a Rose Garden Club dinner in honor of Police Week in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, May 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump has officially unveiled the location for what he says will be a first in Republican Party history: a national convention held during a midterm election year.

    In a Truth Social post Tuesday, Trump announced that Republicans will gather in Dallas on Sept. 9-10 for what he called the GOP’s first-ever Midterm Convention, an event designed to rally supporters and build momentum heading into the high-stakes November elections.

    “BIG NEWS! For the first time ever, the Republican Party will hold a MIDTERM CONVENTION,” Trump wrote. Calling it a “truly Historic Event,” the president said the gathering will celebrate what he described as the nation’s “Great American Comeback” and the accomplishments of his America First agenda.

    Trump said the convention will bring together “hardworking Americans, our Great Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Manufacturers, First Responders, and Job Creators,” while also featuring entertainment and “a RALLY like none other.”

    The announcement confirms plans Trump first floated last year and follows changes approved earlier this year by the Republican National Committee allowing the party to hold a national convention outside the traditional four-year presidential cycle.

    The unprecedented event comes as Republicans prepare to defend narrow House and Senate majorities in November. Historically, the party occupying the White House loses congressional seats during midterm elections, making turnout a top priority for GOP strategists.

    By putting Trump at the center of a nationally televised convention just weeks before Election Day, Republicans hope to energize supporters and focus congressional races around the administration’s record.

    In his announcement, Trump said the convention will highlight what he views as the administration’s biggest accomplishments, including tax relief, border security, lower costs, expanded domestic energy production, and what he called America’s new “Golden Age.”

    The decision to hold the convention in Texas also places national attention on one of the country’s most important political battlegrounds. Republicans are defending multiple competitive House districts in the state, while one of the nation’s marquee Senate races is expected to unfold between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico.

    Texas also remains central to Republican efforts to expand their House majority following this year’s congressional redistricting battle.

    According to The Daily Wire, Democrats reportedly explored holding a similar midterm convention earlier this year but ultimately abandoned the idea.

    The timing of the gathering is also likely to draw attention. The convention will conclude on Sept. 10, one year after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, whose death sparked renewed conversations among conservatives about political violence. Whether Republicans incorporate that anniversary into the convention’s messaging has not yet been announced.

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    Marjorie Taylor Greene Floats New ‘America-First’ Party, Says Tucker Carlson Could Upend 2028

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    By The White House - https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1925525961656717605/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=178898214

    Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is taking her political break with the Republican Party a step further, revealing she is actively discussing the creation of a new political movement that she says would challenge both Republicans and Democrats.

    Speaking Tuesday on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Greene said conversations about launching a third party are already underway, though she acknowledged the obstacles are significant.

    “I think there’s a group of us that if we decide to align, we could launch a true America-focused party that doesn’t fall into the traps of Democrats or Republicans, but could align some serious players from the right and the left,” Greene told Morgan.

    Greene added that the effort would be a long-term project rather than an immediate electoral play.

    “It’s difficult to launch a third party, so the reality is this isn’t something that gets off the ground in just a couple of campaign cycles,” she said. “This is a movement that has to be developed and would take time to develop.”

    The comments come just days after Greene publicly declared she was finished supporting what she called the “America LAST Republican Party,” aligning herself with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who recently announced he would no longer support GOP candidates after decades as one of the party’s most influential media voices. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson and MTG Turn on GOP in Stunning MAGA Revolt)

    Greene argued that Carlson’s split reflects a broader frustration among conservatives who believe the Republican Party has abandoned its voters.

    Morgan also pressed Greene on growing speculation that Carlson could mount a 2028 presidential campaign.

    Rather than dismiss the idea, Greene suggested he would be a formidable force if he chose to run.

    “I haven’t had that direct conversation with Tucker. I know a lot of people are speculating that, and I can tell you right now, Tucker Carlson would be a great threat to both parties because there’s many Americans that are very independent that would support him, but there’s also Republican voters and Democrat voters that would support him,” Greene said. “So I would say he’s a very credible threat.”

    The remarks mark another escalation in Greene’s increasingly public feud with President Donald Trump.

    Once one of Trump’s fiercest allies on Capitol Hill, Greene broke with the administration over several issues, including U.S. military operations against Iran and other policy disputes. The rift intensified after Trump publicly criticized Greene and withdrew his political support, prompting her decision to leave Congress earlier this year.

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    Trump Mourns Iconic Late Village People Singer

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President Donald Trump is mourning the death of Village People co-founder and lead singer Victor Willis, whose iconic hit “Y.M.C.A.” became one of the defining songs of Trump’s campaign rallies and victory celebrations.

    Willis, who co-wrote the 1978 disco classic and fronted the legendary group for decades, died Tuesday at the age of 74 following what his wife, Karen Huff-Willis, described as a “short, but aggressive illness.”

    Trump honored the singer Wednesday in a heartfelt Truth Social post, reflecting on the special connection the two shared through one of the most recognizable campaign songs in modern political history.

    “Victor Willis, the lead singer of the Village People, has passed away. He was a really good guy. Our favorite song, ‘Y.M.C.A.,’ has become, over the last few years, our ‘theme song,'” Trump wrote.

    The president credited his campaign rallies with helping introduce the song to a new generation of Americans.

    “It has brought so much happiness to millions of people. They loved the action, and we loved them and their great and uplifting song.”

    Trump added that Willis’ legacy would live on every time the unmistakable opening notes of “Y.M.C.A.” are heard.

    “We will think of Victor every time YMCA is played, like today, and all throughout this July Fourth Birthday week. My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed. God Bless Him!!!”

    A song that became synonymous with Trump

    Few songs became more closely associated with Trump’s political movement than “Y.M.C.A.”

    Whether closing out campaign rallies, celebrating election victories or walking off the stage after speeches, Trump frequently danced to the Village People anthem—complete with his now-famous fist-pump routine that became a viral internet meme and was copied by supporters around the country.

    The tradition continued throughout the 2024 campaign and into Trump’s second inauguration festivities, where Village People themselves performed “Y.M.C.A.” during inaugural events in Washington.

    Over time, the president’s signature dance became so recognizable that many supporters simply refer to it as the “Trump dance.”

    Willis embraced the renewed popularity

    While Trump’s use of the song initially generated controversy, Willis eventually defended the president’s continued use of “Y.M.C.A.”

    The singer said Trump had legally obtained the necessary political license to use the song and acknowledged that the president’s rallies dramatically boosted its popularity.

    Willis noted that after Trump began regularly playing the song, “Y.M.C.A.” climbed back to No. 2 on Billboard’s Digital Songs chart, adding that the renewed exposure generated millions of dollars in additional royalties for the classic hit.

    The Village People later accepted an invitation to perform during Trump’s 2025 inauguration festivities, saying they believed music should help bring Americans together regardless of politics.

    From church choir to disco legend

    Born in Dallas in 1951 and raised in San Francisco, Willis first discovered music singing in his father’s Baptist church before moving to New York to pursue acting and theater.

    He joined the Negro Ensemble Company and appeared in several stage productions before teaming up with French producer Jacques Morali to create Village People.

    As the group’s unmistakable lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Willis helped create enduring hits including “Y.M.C.A.,” “Macho Man,” “In the Navy,” and “Go West.” He later fought a lengthy legal battle to reclaim songwriting rights and eventually regained ownership of many of the group’s biggest hits.

    He is survived by his wife, Karen Huff-Willis.

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    Supreme Court Strikes Down Campaign Finance Limits in Major Win for Republicans

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4

    The Supreme Court handed Republicans a significant First Amendment victory Tuesday, striking down decades-old federal limits on how much national political party committees can spend in coordination with their own candidates.

    In a 6-3 decision authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the court ruled that the restrictions violate the First Amendment, concluding that the government cannot limit coordinated political spending by parties and candidates simply because it involves money.

    The case was brought by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), Vice President JD Vance — who joined the lawsuit while running for the Senate in Ohio in 2022 — and former Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). The Trump administration’s Federal Election Commission sided with the challengers, arguing the restrictions were unconstitutional.

    “The First Amendment protects the right of political parties to engage in core political speech,” Kavanaugh wrote for the majority, finding that coordinated expenditures between parties and their own nominees deserve constitutional protection.

    The ruling eliminates one of the last remaining federal restrictions governing how closely national party committees can financially coordinate with candidates during campaigns.

    Long-Standing Limits Fall

    Federal law previously allowed political parties to spend unlimited amounts independently to support candidates, but imposed caps on spending coordinated directly with campaigns.

    That coordinated spending can include paying for campaign advertising, consultants, candidate travel, fundraising efforts, and other activities planned jointly with a campaign.

    Those limits varied by race, reaching nearly $4 million in some Senate contests and roughly $127,000 for at-large House races.

    Republicans argued those restrictions had become increasingly irrational after a series of Supreme Court rulings — most notably the landmark 2010 Citizens United decision — allowed unlimited independent spending by outside groups such as super PACs.

    Their argument was straightforward: outside organizations could spend unlimited sums supporting candidates, but the political parties themselves faced constitutional restrictions when helping their own nominees.

    Another Major Campaign Finance Shift

    Tuesday’s decision continues the Supreme Court’s long trend of rolling back campaign finance regulations.

    Over the past two decades, the court has repeatedly narrowed Congress’ ability to regulate political spending, including Citizens United v. FEC in 2010 and McCutcheon v. FEC in 2014, both of which expanded constitutional protections for political spending under the First Amendment.

    Republicans argued the coordinated spending caps placed official party organizations at a disadvantage compared to super PACs and other outside groups that already face few spending restrictions.

    Supporters of the challenge also contended that strengthening party committees could reduce the influence of outside organizations by allowing official party organizations to play a larger role in campaigns.

    Democrats Warn of More Money in Politics

    Democrats and campaign finance advocates opposed eliminating the restrictions, arguing they were one of the last safeguards preventing wealthy donors from using party committees to funnel additional money into federal campaigns.

    They warned the decision could further increase the influence of large donors and weaken remaining campaign finance protections.

    The Supreme Court’s three liberal justices dissented, continuing a long-running divide over whether campaign finance laws primarily protect elections from corruption or improperly restrict political speech.

    A Victory Years in the Making

    The case began after Vance’s successful 2022 Senate campaign, when he and Republican congressional campaign committees challenged the coordinated spending limits in federal court.

    Lower courts initially upheld the restrictions based on a 2001 Supreme Court precedent. But with the court’s current conservative majority, Republicans successfully persuaded the justices to overturn that earlier ruling and strike down the limits altogether.

    The decision is expected to reshape campaign strategy ahead of future federal elections by allowing national party committees to work far more closely — and spend far more heavily — alongside their candidates.

    Some politicians answer to consultants but Steve Hilton answers to YOU. Read his special message for your eyes only.
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