Report: White House Reviews Offer To Reopen Homeland Security
White House negotiators are reviewing a Democratic proposal to fund and reopen the Department of Homeland Security, as talks continue to move slowly. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday that Democrats are not demonstrating urgency in reaching a deal.
According to Republicans familiar with the negotiations, the White House submitted its most recent offer to Senate Democrats more than two weeks ago. Democrats did not provide a counteroffer until late Monday evening.
A White House official confirmed to The Hill that it is currently under review.
Thune told reporters that the administration has already made significant concessions in an effort to reopen the department and restore pay for Transportation Security Administration agents and other critical personnel.
“I was going over last night some of the gives that the White House had made that went above and beyond any initial offers that they put out there, and there’s a lot of stuff in there,” Thune said.
Among those concessions, Thune said, is a proposal to increase funding for body cameras for federal immigration enforcement officials from $20 million to $100 million. He also noted that the White House has предложed additional oversight measures, including audits by the inspector general to identify “noncompliance.”
“There’s a whole bunch of stuff that have been significant gives on the part of the White House,” Thune added.
Despite those offers, Thune criticized Democrats for prolonging the negotiations.
“But the Democrats seem intent on dragging out this political issue,” he said.
Thune also pointed to the 18-day gap between the White House’s last offer and the Democratic response as evidence of a lack of urgency.
“What they want to do is they want to defund law enforcement. They want to defund ICE, and they want to defund CBP,” he said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. We got to have a meaningful conversation where we sit down at the table and actually work these issues out,” Thune added.
“You can’t get there if you’re not sitting down at the table.”
Trump Official Resigns In Protest Over War With Iran
On Tuesday morning, a Trump administration official announced his immediate resignation due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Joe Kent, the Trump-appointed director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest from his position on Tuesday.
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today,” wrote Kent in a letter to Trump, which he also made public on social media:
I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.
I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.
In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonstrated this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS.
Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again.
As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.
I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.
It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Report: Growing Coalition Of Republicans Quietly Turning Their Sights On Rubio For 2028
A year ago, the path appeared clear for Vice President JD Vance to emerge as the heir apparent to President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement heading into the 2028 election.
Vance, who was just 40 years old at the time of the 2024 election, entered office with a wave of support from Republicans and the strong backing of Trump’s family. Early in the administration, many within the party saw him as the natural successor to Trump.
While the vice president remains well positioned for a likely 2028 run, quiet questions are beginning to emerge about whether his path to the nomination is as inevitable as it once seemed. Much of that speculation centers on the rising profile of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose influence within the administration has grown significantly during the first year of Trump’s second term — particularly following the U.S. strikes on Iran.
The long-term political consequences of the conflict remain unclear. But Rubio’s growing visibility has caught the attention of many of Trump’s closest allies — including the president himself. According to multiple sources who spoke with ABC News, Trump has privately remarked on how “popular” and “loved” Rubio has become within the administration.
People close to the president say Trump has repeatedly praised Rubio both publicly and privately. At times, the president has even started standing ovations for him during events and declared that Rubio will go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.”
Despite the growing speculation, Trump has so far declined to formally endorse either Vance or Rubio as his preferred successor. Instead, he has occasionally floated the idea of the two running together on a joint ticket — without specifying which would lead it.
Behind closed doors, however, Trump has continued to raise the question with allies and donors. According to sources, the president has asked people directly: “Marco or JD?” — including during a discussion with donors at his Mar-a-Lago resort in late February, as first reported by Axios.
‘Draft Rubio’ movement begins to form
As Rubio’s prominence grows, some Republican donors have quietly begun discussing ways to strengthen his political future ahead of the 2028 election.
Multiple sources told ABC News that a group of donors and party figures has started exploring the possibility of organizing a “draft Rubio” effort after the 2026 midterm elections. Those discussions are being driven by supporters and political allies rather than Rubio himself, reflecting what some in Trump-aligned circles see as increasing enthusiasm for the secretary of state within the party.
Still, Republican operatives note that donor enthusiasm does not necessarily determine the eventual nominee.
“Donors don’t pick the nominee — the base picks,” one senior Republican operative told ABC News. “Donors tried to abandon President Trump and tried to pick [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis, and we all saw how that went.”
When asked about donor interest in Rubio’s future, White House communications director Steven Cheung downplayed the speculation.
“The President has assembled an all-star team that has achieved unprecedented success in just over one year,” Cheung said in a statement to ABC News. “No amount of crazed media speculation about Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio will deter this Administration’s mission of fighting for the American people.”
The vice president’s office declined to comment.
Rubio’s Expanding Role in the Administration
Over the course of the administration’s first year, Rubio has steadily taken on a larger role in Trump’s government.
In addition to serving as secretary of state, Rubio has at times taken on other major responsibilities, including acting national security adviser and acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development. His growing list of assignments has even become something of a running joke around Washington, with some observers wondering what position Rubio might take on next.
His profile rose even further following the administration’s recent military strikes on Iran.
Rubio emerged as one of the leading public voices explaining the operation alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. When Trump authorized the sweeping strikes — known as Operation Epic Fury — Rubio was already traveling to Mar-a-Lago, where he joined the president in a makeshift situation room to monitor the opening hours of the operation.
Meanwhile, Vance remained in Washington during the strikes.
The vice president monitored the operation from the White House Situation Room alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. They were connected by conference line to Trump and the rest of the national security team at Mar-a-Lago.
A spokesperson for Vance told ABC News that the vice president stayed in Washington “to maintain operational secrecy and in keeping with the administration’s security protocol to limit the President and Vice President co-locating away from the White House.”
During the early days of the conflict, Rubio remained by Trump’s side at Mar-a-Lago, further fueling speculation about his rising influence inside the administration.
At the same time, that higher profile could carry political risks. If Rubio ultimately pursues the presidency, his role in the Iran operation could become a central issue. Early polling suggests the military strikes are unpopular with many Americans. According to an Ipsos poll, just 29% approve of the strikes, while 43% disapprove and 26% remain unsure.
Vance Keeps a Lower Public Profile
In contrast, Vance — a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq — maintained a relatively low public profile in the early days of the conflict.
More recently, however, the vice president has begun ramping up both his political and official appearances. On Friday he spoke in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he briefly addressed the Iran conflict in remarks to supporters.
Vance has also been noticeably less active on social media platforms like X than in the past.
A senior White House official told ABC News that the administration intentionally limited public messaging during the early stages of the operation.
“The national security team was deliberate on letting the President’s statements and addresses to the nation stand as the operation unfolded,” the official said.
Vance was also scheduled to participate in a town hall with CBS News that was expected to air Saturday, but the broadcast was postponed following the Iran strikes.
Despite the quieter public posture, the vice president remains deeply engaged politically. As finance chair of the Republican National Committee, Vance continues to maintain a busy fundraising schedule, with events planned in Dallas and Austin later this month, according to fundraiser invitations obtained by ABC News.
During a press conference Monday, Trump acknowledged that he and Vance had differed somewhat on the Iran decision.
“I don’t think so. No, no, we get along very well on this,” Trump said. “He was, I would say philosophically a little bit different than me. I think he was maybe less enthusiastic about going, but he was quite enthusiastic. But I felt it was something we had to do. I didn’t feel we had a choice. If we didn’t do it, they would have done it to us.”
Betting Markets Reflect Uncertainty
Prediction markets and betting sites are also reflecting the emerging uncertainty surrounding the 2028 race.
On Kalshi, Rubio recently moved ahead of both Vance and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to become the market’s top choice to succeed Trump. Kalshi traders currently give Rubio a 19% chance of winning the 2028 election, with both Vance and Newsom at 18%.
On Polymarket, however, Vance remains the favorite with a 21% chance, followed by Newsom at 18% and Rubio at 16%.
Traditional betting markets still place Vance slightly ahead as well. DraftKings lists Vance at +376 to win the presidency, meaning a $100 bet would yield $376 if he wins. Newsom stands at +426, while Rubio is listed at +488.
On BetMGM, Vance is seen as roughly twice as likely to win, with odds of +350 compared to Rubio’s +700.
For now, the 2028 race remains wide open — but Rubio’s growing prominence inside the Trump administration has begun to complicate what once looked like a straightforward path for Vice President JD Vance.
Actress Fires Back at Critics Over Attendance at Mar-a-Lago Dog Rescue Event
Actress Katherine Heigl is pushing back against critics who took issue with her appearance at a dog rescue fundraiser held at Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach estate of President Donald Trump, arguing the event was focused entirely on animal welfare rather than politics.
Heigl attended the Wine, Women & Shoes Benefiting Big Dog Ranch Rescue fundraiser on Sunday at Trump’s Florida residence. According to the organization, the event raised $5.5 million to support its work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs.
But her appearance quickly drew backlash online from critics who objected to her participation in an event held at the home of the former and current Republican president. The criticism reflects a broader dynamic in the country’s polarized political climate, where public figures often face scrutiny simply for appearing at venues associated with Trump or his allies.
In recent years, commentators on the right have frequently used the phrase “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) to describe what they view as an outsized or reflexive hostility toward Trump and anything connected to him. Supporters argue the phenomenon leads some critics to condemn even non-political activities if they occur in proximity to Trump or his properties, while detractors of the term say it is used to dismiss legitimate concerns about the former president.
Heigl appeared to push back against the idea that politics should overshadow charitable work.
“Animals don’t vote. The only room they don’t like is the euthanasia room at a shelter,” Heigl said in a statement to Page Six. “They are completely at the mercy of us, and they have no voice of their own.”
“This event was about animal advocacy — something that has always been deeply personal to me,” she continued. “Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions.”
She also urged people not to turn animal welfare into a partisan issue.
“As a society, we should all come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent,” she added. “This should not be a polarizing issue.”
The actress also responded directly to critics on Instagram after the event circulated online. Some commenters questioned why she would attend a fundraiser held at Trump’s home, while others mocked or dismissed her involvement.
When one commenter wrote, “Who even is she?” Heigl replied:
“Doesn’t matter. Do you care about animals? If so donate! Time! Money! Attention! Your voice! It doesn’t matter who I am only what I do.”
She followed up with another response encouraging people to focus on causes they care about rather than online criticism.
“The same goes for you! Animals might not be your thing but I bet you care deeply about something that matters! Do your part! Don’t waste your time scrolling and making comments!”
Heigl, best known for her roles in “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Knocked Up,” and “27 Dresses,” has long been active in animal rescue efforts. She and her mother co-founded the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, named after her late brother, which works to rescue dogs and cats and fund spay-and-neuter programs.
In recent years, the actress has stepped back somewhat from Hollywood life. In a 2023 interview on the “Today” show, Heigl said she relocated with her family to Utah after spending much of her career in Los Angeles.
“I think some people are mountain people, and I think some people are beach people,” Heigl explained. “I’m sort of a mountain person and have always been that way.”
She said the move helped provide balance after years in the entertainment industry.
“And my mom realized, because we went out to LA when I was 17 and hustled and hustled for years, right?” Heigl continued. “And I think she realized at a certain point that I needed somewhere to escape to and kind of clear my head, and that grounded me.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the Mar-a-Lago fundraiser, Heigl made clear that her focus remains on the charitable mission behind the event — helping animals that cannot advocate for themselves.
Judge Blocks Fani Willis From Fighting Multi-Million Legal Fee Demand In Trump Case
A Fulton County, Georgia, judge ruled Monday that District Attorney Fani Willis cannot participate in a legal dispute over President Donald Trump and his co-defendants’ efforts to recover millions of dollars in legal fees from her failed racketeering case against them.
In an order issued Monday, Judge Scott McAfee said that because Willis had already been “wholly disqualified” from the prosecution, she could not take part in the dispute over approximately $16.8 million in legal fees sought by Trump and the other defendants. Earlier this year, Trump requested that Willis’ office reimburse him more than $6.2 million in attorney fees and related costs.
McAfee’s ruling marks another victory for Trump in his long-running conflict with Willis, whom he previously described as a “rabid partisan” engaged in a “witch hunt” during the prosecution.
The defendants—who were originally charged by Willis with conspiring to illegally overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia—are seeking reimbursement under a state law passed in 2025. The law allows defendants to recover legal fees in cases where prosecutors are disqualified.
In his ruling, McAfee noted that Fulton County itself could become involved in the matter, since any reimbursement would come from the county’s budget. However, Willis’ attorneys argued in court filings that she should still be allowed to participate in the proceedings.
“Without intervention by the District Attorney, any award would violate basic fundamental notions of due process by denying her an opportunity to be heard or even challenge the reasonableness of the claimed attorney fees before it is taken from her budget,” the lawyers wrote.
Trump’s lead attorney, Steve Sadow, praised the decision in a statement.
“Judge McAfee has properly denied DA Willis’ motion to intervene in POTUS’ action for reimbursement of attorney fees because her disqualification for improper conduct bars Willis and her office from any further participation in this dismissed, lawfare case,” Sadow said.
Willis originally brought a sweeping Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case against Trump and 18 co-defendants in August 2023. Prosecutors alleged that the group conspired to interfere with Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. Over time, however, the case narrowed significantly due to plea deals and the dismissal of several charges.
The most significant setback for the prosecution came in 2024, when the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified Willis from the case. The court determined that an undisclosed romantic relationship between Willis and her lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade, created a conflict of interest.
Following her disqualification, responsibility for the case shifted to the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council. The council’s director, Peter Skandalakis, ultimately moved to dismiss the case, and McAfee approved the request.
“In my professional judgment, the citizens of Georgia are not served by pursuing this case in full for another five to ten years,” Skandalakis said.
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Trump Signals Oil Reserve Release Amid Iran Conflict Price Hike
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration will tap the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in an effort to stabilize oil prices that have surged since the start of the U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran.
Oil markets have been volatile since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28, with crude prices briefly climbing close to $120 per barrel earlier this week amid fears that the conflict could disrupt global supply. By Wednesday evening, prices had eased somewhat but remained elevated. Brent crude stood at $93.05 per barrel in after-hours trading, about 1.16% higher than its opening price of $91.98, according to Google Finance.
Speaking to WKRC-TV in Cincinnati during a visit to pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Thermo Fisher Scientific, Trump said the administration would temporarily release oil from the nation’s emergency stockpile to help bring down prices.
“Well, we’ll do that and then we’ll fill it up,” Trump said. “I filled it up once and I’ll fill it up again, but right now we’ll reduce it a little bit, and that brings the prices down.”
The move would mirror actions taken by previous administrations during periods of supply disruption or sharply rising fuel costs.
Earlier Wednesday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that its member countries would collectively release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, the largest coordinated stockpile release in the organization’s history. The effort is intended to ease global supply concerns following the escalation of fighting in Iran.
The planned release would more than double the IEA’s previous record drawdown, when member countries placed 182 million barrels on the market in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered a global energy shock.
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve — the world’s largest emergency oil stockpile — has also been used repeatedly in recent years to offset price spikes. Former President Joe Biden released nearly 300 million barrels during his administration, including about 180 million barrels over six months in 2022 as the Ukraine war drove fuel prices sharply higher.
Those releases reduced the reserve to roughly 350 million barrels, its lowest level since 1983, after Trump ended his first term with the SPR holding about 638 million barrels.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, oil prices briefly collapsed amid a global economic slowdown. Trump at the time directed the Energy Department to purchase 77 million barrels to refill the reserve “to the top,” but Congress — then controlled by Democrats — blocked funding for the purchase.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the new release will begin next week and will take roughly 120 days to deliver to the market.
Although Trump declared a “national energy emergency” early in 2025 and pledged to replenish the reserve, progress has been slow due to limited congressional funding. The SPR currently holds about 416 million barrels, according to data cited by Fortune.
Trump said he expects oil prices to fall as additional supply reaches the market.
“Oil prices will be coming down,” he told reporters during the visit. “That’s just a matter of war, that happens … you can almost predict it.”
“I would say it went up a little bit less than we thought and it’s going to come down more than anybody understands,” Trump added.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, created after the 1973 oil embargo, is intended to provide emergency supply during major disruptions in global oil markets. Analysts say coordinated releases from the SPR and allied reserves can help calm markets in the short term, though long-term price trends often depend on the duration of geopolitical conflicts and the broader balance between global oil supply and demand.
Attorney General Pam Bondi Moves to Military Base Housing Amid Threats Linked to Epstein Files
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has relocated to housing on a military base in the Washington, D.C., area after receiving a series of threats tied to her handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report citing people familiar with the situation.
The New York Times reported that Bondi moved within the past month from a private apartment to one of several secure military installations where other senior officials in the Trump administration are currently living. The relocation was recommended after federal law enforcement flagged an increase in threats against the attorney general, including some linked to drug cartels and others from critics angered over the Justice Department’s management of the Epstein documents.
Bondi is not the only administration official residing in protective housing on military bases. Other officials reportedly living at such facilities include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and former Department of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem, who recently lost her position leading the agency.
A spokesperson for Noem previously told the Times that she pays “fair-market rent” for her military base housing, though some reports have suggested that certain officials may be living there without paying rent.
According to the report, threats directed at Bondi and her staff increased in recent months, particularly after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing narco-terrorism charges in the United States. The Justice Department has also faced backlash over the handling and release of Epstein-related documents, which have generated widespread political controversy.
The Epstein files controversy has intensified since the Justice Department released millions of documents related to the late financier’s sex-trafficking case under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the government to disclose records connected to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Bondi has insisted that the department has made the full set of files public, saying that “all” Epstein documents have been released. But critics, including lawmakers from both parties and survivors of Epstein’s abuse, argue that key materials remain missing or heavily redacted.
Victims have also criticized the Justice Department for what they say was the mishandling of sensitive information in some of the releases.
“This latest release of Jeffrey Epstein files is being sold as transparency, but what it actually does is expose survivors,” some victims wrote in a statement. “Once again, survivors are having their names and identifying information exposed, while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected. That is outrageous.”
The controversy has prompted increasing scrutiny of Bondi’s leadership at the Justice Department. Earlier this month, the House Oversight Committee voted in a bipartisan move to subpoena the attorney general to testify about the department’s handling of the Epstein investigation and the release of the documents.
Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier who socialized with prominent political and business figures, was arrested in 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls. He died in a New York jail while awaiting trial, while his associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted of sex trafficking and sentenced to prison.
Report: Suspect Detained After Ramming Car Through White House Gate
Secret Service agents are investigating a suspicious vehicle near the White House on Wednesday and detained the driver for questioning.
Fox News reported that a driver has been detained after crashing a van through a barricade near the White House on Wednesday morning.
Officers were dispatched to assist Secret Service agents at around 6:37 a.m. on Wednesday after a van drove through a security barricade near the presidential residence, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Leading GOP Candidate In Georgia Governor’s Race Sues Trump-Backed Opponent
Billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson filed a defamation lawsuit Monday against Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, his Republican primary opponent in the state’s 2026 gubernatorial race.
The lawsuit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, alleges that Jones made three separate defamatory statements about Jackson on social media over the past week. Jackson’s campaign confirmed the filing Monday morning.
“Burt Jones is learning real fast that the days of him doing and saying anything for his own benefit are coming to an end,” Jackson campaign spokesman Dave Abrams said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation on Monday. “Rick Jackson is holding self-serving politician Burt Jones accountable for his words and his actions.”
In the complaint, Jackson argues that Jones has resorted to personal attacks rather than campaigning on his own record.
“Rather than standing on his record, fighting like an honest man, and earning the trust and support of Georgians, Burt Jones is resorting to what he knows best: cheap and dirty politics,” the complaint states.
Jones’ campaign dismissed the lawsuit and defended the remarks.
“Rick Jackson’s thin skin is showing,” Kayla Lott, a spokesperson for Jones’ campaign, told the DCNF in a statement Monday. “Why is Rick so embarrassed to have received a billion dollars in state contracts, helped Planned Parenthood recruit, and staff a pediatric doctor’s office that serves ‘transgender patients.’ He should be proud Georgia knows how his company made its money.”
The dispute centers on a March 5 post by Jones on X, where he claimed Jackson “made his fortune recruiting for Planned Parenthood, helping doctors perform transgender procedures on minors, and pocketed over $1 billion in state contracts on the backs of Georgia taxpayers,” adding “Georgia’s not for sale.”
The lawsuit escalates an already contentious Republican primary race.
After launching his campaign relatively late on Feb. 3, Jackson has spent nearly $16 million on advertising—almost six times the amount spent by Jones—according to NBC News, citing data from AdImpact.
Recent polling suggests Jackson currently leads the GOP field. A JMC Analytics and Polling survey of likely Republican primary voters released Monday found 37% support Jackson, while 22% backed Jones.
A Quantus Insights poll conducted in February found Jackson leading with 32.6% support among likely GOP primary voters, compared to 16.9% for Jones.
However, an Emerson College poll released March 5 showed a tighter race. The survey found 21% of voters supporting Jones and 20% backing Jackson.
The poll also found Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger—known for clashing with Trump over the 2020 presidential election—receiving 11% support, followed by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr at 6%, while 38% of respondents remained undecided.
Among voters who said President Donald Trump’s endorsement makes them more likely to support a candidate, Jones led with 31% support compared to Jackson’s 21%, according to the Emerson poll.
Under Georgia law, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the May 19 Republican primary, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election scheduled for June 16.
The defamation lawsuit marks the second legal clash between the candidates this year. In February, Jackson and his campaign committee filed a separate lawsuit against Jones challenging a state campaign finance law that Jackson argued gives Jones an unfair advantage in the primary, CBS News reported.
Senior Iranian Official Issues Deadly Threat To Trump
A senior Iranian official issued a pointed warning to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, escalating tensions after Iran selected a new supreme leader without consulting the United States and as conflict in the region continues to intensify.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responded directly to Trump’s recent warnings about Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
“The sacrificial nation of Iran doesn’t fear your empty threats,” Larijani wrote on the social media platform X in a post translated by The Associated Press. “Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.”
Larijani’s remarks came after Trump issued a stark warning Monday on Truth Social, threatening severe retaliation if Iran interferes with oil shipments passing through the strategic waterway.
“If Iran does anything that tops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote.
“Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!” he continued. “This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”
The exchange comes as Iran moves forward with a major leadership transition following the death of longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s governing clerical establishment selected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader — a move that has drawn scrutiny abroad and further strained relations with Washington.
Trump said he is skeptical that Iran’s new leader will bring stability to the region.
“I don’t believe he can live in peace,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the new supreme leader of Iran, “would be wise to heed the words of our president, which is to not pursue nuclear weapons and come out and state as such.”
The leadership change comes amid a rapidly expanding regional conflict. Iranian forces launched a new wave of attacks Tuesday targeting Israel and several U.S.-aligned Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to The Associated Press.
In Bahrain, an Iranian strike on a residential building killed a 29-year-old woman and injured eight others.
The escalating confrontation follows the U.S.-Israeli joint military campaign against Iranian targets, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, which began Feb. 28 and aimed to dismantle Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons capabilities.
The conflict has also disrupted global energy markets.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it would block oil exports from the region in response to the attacks.
The Guard said it would not “allow the export of even a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice.”
The threat has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes through the strait each day, making it one of the most critical energy chokepoints in the world.
Shipping traffic has slowed dramatically.
According to monitoring data from hormuzstraitmonitor.com, only two ships passed through the strait in the last 24 hours — far below the typical average of about 60 daily vessels. As of Tuesday, 157 ships remain stranded near the passage, including 98 oil tankers and 34 bulk carriers.
The disruption has already driven up energy prices.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the benchmark for North American markets, rose to just over $90 per barrel Tuesday morning. The national average price for gasoline in the United States climbed to $3.54 per gallon, according to AAA.
Trump has defended the military campaign despite the economic fallout, arguing that higher fuel prices are a necessary cost to eliminate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The spike in oil prices is a “very small price to pay,” he said.
Still, some lawmakers worry the administration may not have fully anticipated the economic consequences.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) criticized the White House for appearing unprepared for the energy market shock.
“For heaven’s sakes, are you telling me you didn’t game this one out?” she told Punchbowl News last week. “I’m starting to think they didn’t game this one out.”
With tensions rising and oil markets rattled, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran appears poised to intensify as Iran’s new leadership consolidates power and the U.S. continues its military pressure campaign.
On Tuesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon that Iran is “fighting, and I respect that.”
“But I don’t think they’re more formidable than what we thought,” he added about Tehran’s defensive capabilities.
“Our strikes mean we’ve made significant progress in reducing the number of missile and drone attacks out of Iran,” Caine also said. “Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downward, 90% from where they’ve started, and one-way attack drones have decreased 83%, since the beginning of the operation.”