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    Leading GOP Candidate In Georgia Governor’s Race Sues Trump-Backed Opponent

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    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.

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    Senior Iranian Official Issues Deadly Threat To Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    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.”

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    Trump Offers Asylum to Iranian Women’s Soccer Team As International Concerns Grow

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States would be willing to grant asylum to members of Iran’s national women’s soccer team after reports emerged that several players feared retaliation if they returned home following the Asian Cup in Australia.

    In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that the athletes could face severe punishment from Iranian authorities if they are forced back to Iran after being eliminated from the tournament.

    “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed,” Trump wrote. “Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won’t,” continued the president. “Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

    Concerns about the players’ safety escalated after several members of the team reportedly made gestures that were interpreted as protests against the Iranian government.

    According to CNN, “amid fears over their safety, five members of the Iranian women’s soccer squad have left the team’s hotel in Australia and are currently safe with police.”

    The controversy began shortly after the United States and Israel launched a joint military strike on Iranian targets. During a match earlier in the tournament, Iranian players declined to sing their national anthem before kickoff. The team did not publicly explain the decision, but the act was widely interpreted as a symbolic protest against Iran’s ruling authorities.

    Inside Iran, some hardline commentators reportedly labeled the gesture an act of treason.

    In subsequent matches on Thursday and Sunday, the players were seen singing the anthem, reportedly under pressure.

    Tensions grew further after the team’s final match, when protesters surrounded the team bus and called on authorities to protect the players. Witnesses said demonstrators shouted “save our goals,” while one activist claimed that three members of the team used an internationally recognized hand signal for help.

    Athletes in Iran have previously faced punishment for perceived political dissent. Several Iranian athletes who publicly supported the nationwide protests that erupted after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini were arrested, banned from competition, or pressured into public apologies.

    International player advocates say the situation surrounding the women’s national team has become increasingly concerning.

    Beau Busch, president of the International Federation of Professional Footballers for Asia and Oceania, told reporters that contact with the players has been inconsistent.

    “The reality at the moment is that we’re unable to get in touch with the players. That’s incredibly concerning. That’s not a new thing. That’s really been since the repression really dialed up in February, January,” Busch said, adding that “every bit of pressure” is being applied to ensure the athletes’ safety.

    Later Monday, Trump said he had spoken directly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the situation and indicated that Australian authorities were working to ensure the players’ protection.

    “I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way,” Trump wrote in a second Truth Social post. “Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return. In any event, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

    Trump’s comments came amid broader international concern about the safety of Iranian athletes and activists abroad, particularly those who publicly challenge the country’s leadership.

    Human rights groups have long warned that Iranian authorities sometimes retaliate against family members of dissidents who remain inside the country, creating pressure on individuals overseas to return.

    For now, the status of the Iranian women’s national team remains uncertain as authorities in Australia and international sports organizations continue working to ensure the players’ safety.

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    Trump Addresses Possibility Of Ordering Boots On The Ground In Iran

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

    President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States is “nowhere near” sending ground troops into Iran to secure enriched uranium reportedly stored at the country’s Isfahan nuclear complex.

    In a phone interview with the New York Post, Trump said no decision has been made about deploying American forces on the ground.

    “We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Trump told the outlet.

    Trump’s comments come after reporters aboard Air Force One asked him Saturday about the possibility of deploying ground troops as part of a potential operation involving Iran.

    At the time, Trump indicated such a move would require strong justification.

    “There would have to be a very good reason,” he said.

    “And I would say if we ever did that, [Iran] would be so decimated they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level,” Trump added on Saturday.

    The president also addressed Iran’s leadership transition following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly succeeded him as Iran’s new supreme leader.

    Trump said he was displeased with the development, telling the New York Post he is “not happy” that the younger Khamenei has taken power.

    Asked what actions he might take in response to Iran’s new leadership, Trump declined to elaborate.

    “Not going to tell you. Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him,” Trump said.

    In a separate interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump suggested Iran’s new leader would struggle to remain in power without U.S. backing.

    “Whoever becomes Iran’s new leader is not going to last long without approval from us,” Trump said.

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    Iran Rebukes Trump Demand While Announcing New Supreme Leader

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    Iran has selected a new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following his death in a U.S.-Israeli strike, while rejecting demands from President Donald Trump to have any role in the leadership selection.

    Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the powerful body of senior clerics responsible for choosing the country’s supreme leader — announced Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s 56-year-old son, will succeed his father.

    CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, reporting from Tel Aviv, said the decision came just over a week after the killing of Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the conflict with Israel.

    “This is just in from Iran’s Assembly of Experts,” Diamond said. “This is the body of senior Iranian clerics responsible for electing the next supreme leader, and they have now chosen, just over a week after the assassination of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor.”

    Diamond noted that Mojtaba Khamenei is widely seen as a hardline figure with close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

    “He is known for having close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his selection will largely be viewed as a continuation of his father’s rule,” Diamond said. “This is quite a hard-line stance for the Assembly of Experts to be choosing as the next supreme leader of Iran.”

    According to the report, Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded in the same strike that killed his father. The attack also killed his wife.

    His appointment comes amid escalating tensions with the United States and Israel, both of which have sharply criticized Iran’s leadership.

    President Trump had previously dismissed the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei becoming supreme leader, calling him a “lightweight” in an interview with Axios and saying such a choice would be unacceptable.

    Iranian officials, however, have firmly rejected any suggestion that Washington could influence the selection.

    Speaking Sunday on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the choice of supreme leader is strictly an internal matter for Iran.

    When asked whether Iran would allow Trump any role in choosing the country’s next leader, Araghchi responded bluntly.

    “We allow nobody to interfere in our domestic affairs,” he said. “This is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader. They have already elected the Assembly of Experts, and the Assembly of Experts will do the job. It is only the business of the Iranian people and nobody else’s business.”

    Araghchi also pushed back on Trump’s earlier demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

    “This is what he asked the previous time in June, when Israel started to attack us,” Araghchi said. “President Trump used the same phrase, ‘unconditional surrender.’ That was the tweet he made. And that didn’t happen.”

    “We resisted, and after 12 days Israelis asked for an unconditional ceasefire,” he continued. “So we never give up, we never surrender, and we will continue to resist as long as it takes. We are defending our territory, our people, and our dignity. And our dignity is not for sale.”

    Even as Iran moves forward with its new leadership, Israeli officials have issued stark warnings that the country’s next leader will also become a target.

    Days before the leadership announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that anyone appointed to lead Iran’s ruling regime could face assassination if they continue policies hostile to Israel and its allies.

    “Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people will be an unequivocal target for elimination,” Katz wrote in a post on X.

    “It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” he added.

    Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for such action as part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Lion’s Roar.

    “The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to prepare and act by all means to carry out the mission as an integral part of the objectives of Operation Lion’s Roar,” Katz said.

    He added that Israel will continue coordinating with the United States to weaken the Iranian regime and create conditions that could lead to political change inside the country.

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    Trump Attends Dignified Transfer of Six US Service Members Killed By Iran

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    KENTUCKY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Air Force Two taxies into the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., on Feb 11, 2011. The base frequently supports visits by the president and vice president when they travel to Louisville. Vice President Joe Biden was in town to speak at the University of Louisville. (U.S. Air Force by Maj. Dale Greer)

    On Saturday, President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer of six American service members killed so far by Iran in Operation Epic Fury.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt first announced the news during her Wednesday press briefing

    “President Trump intends to attend the dignified transfer of these American heroes to stand in grief alongside their families,” she said during the White House press briefing. 

    Four of the six have been identified: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa. All four died Saturday in Kuwait from an Iranian drone attack.

    The service members, who were killed in a make-shift office space at a civilian port in Kuwait, will be transported to the United States at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

    Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, described the site as a “secure facility fortified with 6-foot walls,” in a Tuesday post on social platform X.

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    Trump Fires DHS Sec. Kristi Noem

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    On Thursday, President Trump announced he has reassigned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will replace her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla). 

    “I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” he announced on Truth Social.

    Trump thanked Noem for her service, stating the former South Dakota senator “has served us well.” 

    Noem, 54, will likely be at least temporarily replaced by Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar, a Navy veteran and former mayor of Los Alamitos, California, in the line of succession for the agency.

    Trump said in a Truth Social post that he was moving Kristi Noem from DHS and she “will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida.”

    House before Trump officially fired Noem, Punchbowl News reported Trump had privately asked Republican lawmakers whether he should fire Noem following a series of bruising congressional hearings this week.

    The conversations reportedly took place after Noem testified before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, where she faced pointed questioning over the administration’s immigration crackdown and a controversial government-funded advertising campaign tied to the Department of Homeland Security.

    Trump was said to be particularly irritated by Noem’s exchange with Senator John Kennedy (R-LA). During the hearing, Kennedy pressed the DHS secretary on whether the president had personally approved a $220 million advertising campaign that prominently featured Noem. President Donald Trump has reportedly floated Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as a possible replacement for Noem.

    Kennedy repeatedly asked whether Trump had signed off on the effort and warned that the situation could politically backfire on the president. He cautioned that the campaign risked putting Trump “in a terribly awkward spot.”

    The Louisiana Republican also questioned why the advertising contract was awarded to a firm run by the husband of Noem’s former DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

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

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    Congressional Investigators Issue Subpoena To Pam Bondi Over Epstein Files

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    0

    The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has issued a subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi, demanding she testify before lawmakers regarding the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    The subpoena intensifies the growing conflict between Congress and the Justice Department over transparency and accountability.

    Lawmakers say Bondi’s testimony is necessary to comprehensively review files related to the deceased sex trafficker. The resolution to subpoena Bondi was introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and passed in a bipartisan 24-19 vote.

    The Hill continues:

    All Democrats present for the committee hearing voted in favor, with Mace and GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Michael Cloud (Texas) and Scott Perry (Pa.) joining their colleagues from across the aisle. 

    The subpoena of Bondi would bring the highest-level sitting official before the House panel as it pushes ahead with its review of the files related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

    Bondi has faced steady criticism over her handling of the files throughout her tenure as attorney general, cries that have only grown louder as the Justice Department has been accused of failing to release all the files and faced questions about how it has handled redactions.

    The Justice Department did not immediately respond to request for comment.

    Questions Over Missing Records

    The demand comes after a CBS News report on Tuesday stating that the Justice Department had started removing documents:

    After removing tens of thousands of files, the Department of Justice currently makes public about 2.7 million pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, a CBS News analysis found, a number below the Department’s initial claim of 3 million, and a total that continues to fluctuate.

    The Justice Department initially said that its release, made in response to a law passed by Congress compelling the agency to disclose nearly all files related to Epstein, comprised more than 3 million pages. Combined with previously released materials, the Department put the total at 3.5 million pages.

    And now, in part in response to widespread criticism and concern from survivors and their attorneys that the files contain nearly 100 survivors’ personal information and photos, the DOJ has scrambled to remove documents. A CBS News analysis found that as of late February, the Justice Department has taken down more than 47,000 files comprising about 65,500 pages. Links to those files now return a “page not found” error on the department’s website.

    Some of those removed documents contained explicit images or survivor information — including one document with unredacted photos of 21 survivors along with most of their birthdates. But the reasons for other files’ removal is unclear, such as a call log with all names redacted and images of Epstein’s jail bunk where investigators say he hanged himself. The Justice Department appears to be putting some removed files back up.

    Bondi Faces Questions

    Bondi has already faced intense questioning from lawmakers during recent oversight hearings about the department’s handling of the Epstein document releases.

    During those hearings, members of Congress pressed the attorney general about:

    • Extensive redactions
    • Missing records
    • Whether additional investigations tied to Epstein could still occur

    Epstein, a financier with connections to powerful political and business figures, was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls.

    He died in federal custody later that year while awaiting trial.

    His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later convicted of sex trafficking and is currently serving a federal prison sentence.

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

    READ NEXT: Top Newspaper’s Admission Sends Shockwaves Through Gun Rights Community

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    Report: Trump Floats Firing Kristi Noem

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    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 has privately asked Republican lawmakers whether he should fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following a series of bruising congressional hearings this week, according to multiple GOP figures who spoke with Punchbowl News.

    The conversations reportedly took place after Noem testified before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, where she faced pointed questioning over the administration’s immigration crackdown and a controversial government-funded advertising campaign tied to the Department of Homeland Security.

    Trump was said to be particularly irritated by Noem’s exchange with Senator John Kennedy (R-LA). During the hearing, Kennedy pressed the DHS secretary on whether the president had personally approved a $220 million advertising campaign that prominently featured Noem. President Donald Trump has reportedly floated Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as a possible replacement for Noem.

    Kennedy repeatedly asked whether Trump had signed off on the effort and warned that the situation could politically backfire on the president. He cautioned that the campaign risked putting Trump “in a terribly awkward spot.”

    The Louisiana Republican also questioned why the advertising contract was awarded to a firm run by the husband of Noem’s former DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

    Noem also drew criticism from Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), who has publicly called for her resignation and threatened to slow Senate business until his questions about the department are answered.

    Meanwhile, House Democrats pressed Noem about her relationship with senior adviser Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager. Noem declined to engage with the line of questioning, dismissing the allegations as “tabloid garbage.”

    The controversy has intensified speculation that Noem’s position in the administration may be increasingly precarious. Rumors about tension between Trump and Noem have circulated in Washington for weeks, fueled by concerns among some Republicans about the rollout of the DHS advertising campaign and the political scrutiny it has attracted.

    Some GOP lawmakers reportedly worry that the issue has become an unnecessary distraction for the administration, particularly as Republicans attempt to keep focus on border enforcement and immigration policy.

    At the same time, Republicans are divided over whether removing Noem would help resolve the situation. Several lawmakers told Punchbowl that forcing her out during an ongoing funding standoff involving DHS could further complicate matters.

    Others have cautioned that replacing her could trigger a contentious Senate confirmation battle for any successor — a prospect that could prolong the political turmoil surrounding the department.

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    Trump-aligned Texas Congressman Loses Primary

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,

    Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Texas lost his primary bid Tuesday night, marking a major upset and ending the four-term lawmaker’s run for a fifth term in Congress.

    Crenshaw was defeated by Texas state Rep. Steve Toth, a staunch conservative who successfully rallied support from the party’s most hard-line voters in the Houston-area district. The loss makes Crenshaw one of the first Republican incumbents to be ousted in the 2026 election cycle and underscores ongoing ideological divisions within the GOP.

    Although Crenshaw has voted consistently in support of former President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, he entered the race as the only House Republican in Texas on the ballot without Trump’s endorsement. Toth seized on that dynamic, presenting himself as the more reliable ally of the president and the conservative grassroots base.

    The contest intensified when Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) publicly backed Toth’s campaign and appeared in a political advertisement promoting the challenger.

    “You deserve an unwavering fighter, a Republican who walks the walk. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Steve Toth for Congress. Steve Toth has a strong record of standing up for limited government, faith and freedom, and fiscal responsibility. Washington needs a no-nonsense Texan like Steve Toth to secure our border, fight alongside Trump, and put money back in people’s pockets. Please join me in electing Steve Toth,” Cruz said in the ad, which was funded by the Alamo Freedom Fighters PAC.

    Toth also sought to portray Crenshaw as out of step with the party’s conservative base. During the campaign, he criticized the congressman for refusing to repeat Trump’s claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and for supporting a bipartisan immigration proposal negotiated toward the end of the Biden administration.

    Crenshaw rejected the criticism and defended his conservative record in office.

    “I’m out there defending Trump in places where Republicans are too scared to go,” Crenshaw told The New York Times during the campaign.

    First elected in 2018, Crenshaw quickly became one of the Republican Party’s most recognizable figures. A former Navy SEAL who lost his right eye in Afghanistan, he built a national profile as a foreign-policy hawk and vocal advocate for military veterans. In Congress, he often supported aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia and backed tough sanctions against Venezuela’s socialist government.

    Despite that record, Crenshaw’s relationship with segments of the conservative movement grew strained in recent years. His willingness to criticize some right-wing media personalities and his refusal to embrace claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent drew backlash from MAGA-aligned activists and commentators.

    The congressman also faced personal controversy last year after an incident during a congressional delegation trip to Mexico. According to Punchbowl News, Crenshaw was having drinks with a group of Mexican officials when one official made a crude remark that made a woman present uncomfortable.

    “During an August trip to Mexico, Crenshaw was having drinks with a group of Mexican officials,” reported Punchbowl’s Andrew Desiderio. “One Mexican official cracked a crude joke that made a woman present uncomfortable. Crenshaw toasted the remarks.”

    The incident led to a tense meeting between Crenshaw, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and House Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford (R-AR). Crawford ultimately banned Crenshaw from international travel with the committee for three months, a rare disciplinary step. Crawford also sought to remove Crenshaw from the Intelligence Committee entirely, though leadership declined to do so. Instead, Johnson shut down Crenshaw’s proposed cartel task force within the committee.

    Those controversies, combined with ideological attacks from the right, helped erode Crenshaw’s standing with Republican primary voters in the newly drawn district.

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