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MTG Slams Door On Tucker 2028 Buzz After Fueling It Herself

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Marjorie Taylor Greene is pulling the plug on the Tucker 2028 hype — just months after helping light the fuse.

The former Georgia congresswoman says Tucker Carlson is not plotting a third-party White House run, despite a viral summit of Trump-world defectors and a manifesto-style speech that sent speculation into overdrive.

“Tucker, he’s not running for president,” Greene told POLITICO Playbook over the weekend, according to The Hill. “He said that publicly. He said that privately.”

Greene also ruled herself out of the 2028 sweepstakes, insisting the group’s fight is bigger than landing one of its members in the Oval Office.

“Our argument is the two-party system is a complete and total failure,” she said. “I am 100 percent totally completely disgusted with both parties.”

That is a striking change in tone from March, when Greene loudly floated Carlson as Trump’s successor — and even suggested the former Fox News star could beat the president if Trump tried to seek an unconstitutional third term. (RELATED: Marjorie Taylor Greene Floats New ‘America-First’ Party, Says Tucker Carlson Could Upend 2028)

“I SUPPORT TUCKER,” Greene wrote at the time, adding that Carlson “would beat Trump” in that hypothetical showdown, Axios reported.

Now she is slamming the brakes.

The fresh frenzy began with a photo from Carlson’s cabin in Maine showing Greene, Carlson, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and former Trump counterterrorism chief Joe Kent gathered around a wooden table.

Greene accused Trump of betraying voters who backed his promise to avoid new foreign wars and declared: “The movement has begun.” Carlson later shared her post and called for “a new path forward,” according to WIRED.

Kent then poured gasoline on the 2028 chatter, revealing that members of the group had urged Carlson to run. But he also acknowledged that Carlson had repeatedly told them no.

That resistance is not new. Carlson has pushed back on presidential speculation for years, and he drew an explicit line between building a political alternative and becoming its candidate in a July interview with the Columbia Journalism Review.

Carlson predicted that “there’s going to be a third party” and said he intended to help build it. Asked whether he would run on its ticket, he answered: “I don’t want to be a candidate.” CJR reported.

The distinction matters.

Greene is denying a Tucker Carlson campaign. She is not denying the push to create a new political force outside the Republican and Democratic parties.

As GAND previously reported, Carlson gave that effort an ideological spine last week when he unveiled a 10-point vision of what America “should be.” The former Fox host stopped short of announcing a campaign or launching a party, presenting the plan instead as the foundation for “whatever comes next,” Axios reported. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Unveils 10-Point Blueprint As Revolt Against Trump Deepens)

His agenda called for equal treatment under the law, a revival of American manufacturing and farming, tougher restrictions on immigration, greater government transparency and an end to foreign entanglements. It also placed the Jeffrey Epstein saga at the center of Carlson’s case that powerful elites operate by a different set of rules.

Carlson’s transformation from Trump ally to MAGA dissident has been driven largely by two explosive disputes: the war in Iran and the administration’s handling of the Epstein files.

The media personality said he personally urged Trump not to enter a regime-change conflict with Tehran and visited the White House three times before the war. Once fighting began, Carlson said he stopped speaking to the president and accused him of abandoning the anti-war promise at the heart of “America First.”

Trump fired back in March, saying Carlson had “lost his way” and was no longer MAGA. Carlson later told CJR that Trump was “not a man in charge of his own life” — a brutal assessment from a commentator who was once among the most influential voices in the president’s political orbit.

The feud widened over Epstein. Carlson has accused the administration of withholding key information and protecting a powerful class from scrutiny. Greene and Massie also became prominent critics of the government’s handling of the files.

That shared anger — over war, foreign influence and elite impunity — is now binding together a loose coalition of former Trump loyalists looking beyond the GOP.

Greene’s latest comments settle one question, at least for now: Tucker Carlson is not running for president.

But the political rebellion gathering around him does not seem to be going away.

DOJ Says Byron Donalds Is Not Under Federal Investigation, Rejecting Rival’s Claim

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Byron Donalds via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The Department of Justice publicly denied that Rep. Byron Donalds is under federal investigation, directly contradicting explosive allegations made by one of his Republican rivals in the Florida governor’s race.

The announcement came after gubernatorial candidate James Fishback claimed Donalds was being investigated for “federal sex trafficking” in connection with scandal-plagued Rep. Cory Mills.

“Falsely accusing someone of being under investigation is a dangerous form of weaponization,” the DOJ’s Rapid Response account wrote on X. “This claim is not true. Congressman Byron Donalds is not under investigation.”

Fishback Claimed Whistleblower Came Forward

Fishback said last week that a whistleblower had approached his campaign with information he alleged implicated Donalds in criminal wrongdoing.

He publicly tied those claims to Mills and alleged that Donalds was the subject of a federal sex-trafficking investigation.

Donalds’ campaign immediately rejected the accusations as “completely false,” according to Florida Politics.

Fishback has not shared evidence establishing that Donalds is under federal investigation.

Rare DOJ Intervention

The DOJ’s decision to address the accusation publicly is notable because federal law enforcement agencies often decline to confirm or deny the existence of investigations.

That raises the stakes for Fishback, whose campaign is now facing questions over why it promoted such a serious allegation seemingly without publicly verifiable evidence.

Donalds Remains Clear Frontrunner

Donalds, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, remains the dominant candidate in the Republican gubernatorial primary.

Recent polling reported by Florida Politics has shown him ahead by roughly 30 points, reinforcing his status as the race’s clear frontrunner.

Donalds has also benefited from strong name recognition after serving in Congress and becoming one of Trump’s more prominent allies on Capitol Hill.

Stakes Rise in Florida GOP Primary

Fishback has attempted to break through Donalds’ substantial polling advantage with increasingly sensational attacks, while Donalds’ campaign has portrayed his rival as reckless and dishonest.

The Justice Department’s categorical denial could become a major issue in the primary if Fishback is unable to substantiate his claims.

Trump-Backed Incumbent Ousted In GOP Primary

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Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) lost his Republican primary to former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, dealing a rare defeat to an incumbent backed by President Donald Trump and making Ogles the latest House member to fall in a bruising 2026 primary season.

The Associated Press projected Hatcher the winner in Tennessee’s newly redrawn 5th Congressional District after he built a roughly six-point lead over Ogles.

Hatcher Overcomes Trump Endorsement

Ogles entered the race with Trump’s endorsement and a reputation as one of the more combative members of the House Freedom Caucus.

Hatcher, however, assembled his own roster of prominent Republican supporters, including Gov. Bill Lee and former Gov. Bill Haslam. He campaigned as broadly supportive of Trump while arguing that the heavily agricultural district needed a more effective and locally focused representative.

“The message resonated, and the message was: Work like a farmer, get things done and serve others,” Hatcher told the AP after his victory.

The redrawn district also presented Ogles with an unusual challenge: according to the AP, roughly 82% of voters in the new 5th District were new to him after Tennessee lawmakers reshaped the congressional map earlier this year.

Outside Money Played Major Role

Hatcher benefited from a significant late infusion of outside spending.

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition, a clean energy super PAC, poured roughly $2 million into the contest, including a $700,000 advertising push in the final week. The group targeted Ogles over his support for rolling back clean energy tax incentives.

The spending helped turn what once appeared to be a comfortable Ogles advantage into a genuine contest. By late July, betting markets and internal polling were showing the race tightening.

Ogles accused the group of improperly interfering in the Republican primary and portrayed the spending as an effort by outside liberal interests to punish him for his conservative record.

Controversies Followed Ogles

Ogles also entered the primary carrying political baggage from his four years in Congress.

He drew repeated criticism for inflammatory public statements and was the subject of a federal investigation into his campaign finance reporting. The FBI seized his cellphone in 2024 as part of that inquiry, although the Justice Department later moved to return the device, signaling that the investigation was being abandoned. He was never charged with a crime.

Ogles also faced scrutiny over discrepancies in descriptions of his educational background and made national headlines for some of his statements on immigration, Islam and political opponents.

Rare Defeat for a Trump-Endorsed Republican

Hatcher’s victory is especially notable because Trump personally backed Ogles and praised him as a “Conservative Warrior” on Election Day.

Trump’s endorsement remains highly influential in Republican primaries, making Ogles’ defeat an uncommon example of GOP voters rejecting an incumbent despite the president’s support.

The result also underscores that endorsements alone cannot always overcome a combination of redistricting, weak fundraising, well-funded opposition and local dissatisfaction.

Hatcher Heavily Favored in November

Hatcher will now face Democratic nominee and Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder in the Nov. 3 general election.

The district remains solidly Republican, making Hatcher the clear favorite heading into November.

His victory also adds to an unusually turbulent year for House incumbents. Ogles is among several sitting members of Congress who have lost primaries in 2026, highlighting growing voter willingness in both parties to replace incumbents rather than automatically return them to Washington.

Mike Lindell Resigns As MyPillow CEO

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Mike Lindell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Mike Lindell is stepping away from the company that made him a household name and putting his full attention on becoming Minnesota’s next governor.

The MyPillow founder announced Tuesday that he had resigned as the company’s chief executive after 22 years, calling it “one of the biggest decisions of my life.”

“I’m stepping down as CEO of MyPillow so I can devote 100% of my time and energy to my campaign for Governor of Minnesota,” Lindell said in a social media post. “Minnesota deserves my full attention, and that’s exactly what I’m giving it. I’m all in, and I can’t wait to earn your vote.”

The transition goes beyond a change in title. According to a company announcement, Lindell has reduced his ownership to a minority stake. He will remain a shareholder and member of MyPillow’s board of directors but will no longer oversee day-to-day operations.

James “Jim” Furlong, who served as MyPillow’s president from 2004 to 2019 and helped grow the Minnesota startup into a national brand, is returning as CEO. The company said its products, guarantees, Minnesota manufacturing and jobs will continue without interruption.

“After 22 years of leading MyPillow, I know the company is ready for its next chapter and I know Minnesota cannot wait,” Lindell said in the company statement. “This decision is not about walking away. It is about stepping forward to serve.”

The move comes at a pivotal moment in the Republican contest. Minnesota’s primary is set for August 11, with early voting already underway. Lindell’s leading rivals include Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth and businessman and Army veteran Kendall Qualls, who secured the state Republican Party’s endorsement.

Lindell, however, carries the endorsement of President Donald Trump. In a July 15 Truth Social post, Trump called the entrepreneur “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots” and gave him his “complete and total” endorsement.

The latest KSTP/SurveyUSA poll placed Lindell ahead of the principal GOP field with 35% support, followed by Demuth at 26% and Qualls at 11%. The poll still left more than a quarter of voters supporting another candidate or undecided, leaving room for movement in the closing days.

The eventual Republican nominee will compete for an open seat. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz ended his bid for a third term in January amid mounting scrutiny of fraud involving state-administered programs. Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is widely viewed as the favorite for her party’s nomination.

Lindell’s rise as a national political figure has also brought years of courtroom fights tied to his claims about the 2020 election. In September 2025, a federal judge ruled that statements Lindell made about voting technology company Smartmatic were false and defamatory, while leaving the questions of actual malice and damages for later proceedings. Lindell has also appealed a separate $2.3 million defamation verdict involving former Dominion Voting Systems employee Eric Coomer.

For Lindell, resigning from MyPillow turns his campaign’s central argument into a personal wager: The businessman who built his public identity around his company is now betting that Minnesota voters want him in the governor’s office instead.

With less than a week before the primary, Lindell says there is no divided focus left.

“I’m all in.”

MTG Says ‘I Do’ As Her Next Political Move Takes Shape

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

Former Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene married conservative media personality Brian Glenn in Las Vegas on Tuesday, beginning a new chapter after her dramatic break with President Donald Trump and departure from Congress.

“Last night, surrounded by our families, @brianglenntv and I said ‘I do,’” Greene announced Wednesday on X, sharing several photographs from the ceremony.

The images showed Greene carrying a colorful bouquet and wearing a white wedding dress as she embraced Glenn, a former White House correspondent for the conservative Real America’s Voice network.

The couple held their ceremony at the Bellagio’s Terrazza di Sogno after having dinner at Spago, according to TMZ. Family members joined the newlyweds as they celebrated by playing craps, roulette and slot machines inside the resort.

Clark County records reportedly show that Greene and Glenn applied for a marriage license on July 24.

The pair announced their engagement in December, shortly before Greene’s departure from Washington.

“She said ‘yes,’” Glenn wrote at the time.

“Happily ever after!!!” Greene responded. “I love you @brianglenntv!!!”

Trump’s Cutting Remark

Glenn stepped down from his position at Real America’s Voice in May, one week after Trump took a public swipe at Greene while praising Glenn inside the Oval Office.

“You know, you act so good. I love this guy. He’s a great guy, even though I don’t love his girlfriend too much,” Trump said after Glenn asked him a question, according to Mediaite.

When Glenn later announced that he was leaving the network, he said he wanted to focus on his health, neglected family relationships and his future with Greene.

“And of course, Marjorie and I, planning a wedding likely before the end of the year,” Glenn told Real America’s News host Eric Bolling. “Focus on that, but really focus on each other.”

The couple reportedly met at a Trump rally in 2022 and began dating in 2023 after their respective marriages ended.

From Trump Loyalist To Fierce Critic

The wedding follows a tumultuous political year for Greene, who entered Congress in 2021 and quickly became one of Trump’s most recognizable and combative supporters.

That alliance collapsed in spectacular fashion in late 2025.

Greene publicly challenged the president over his foreign policy, the conflict in Gaza, health insurance costs and the release of government records connected to Jeffrey Epstein. She also accused Republican leaders of sidelining Congress and allowing bills she championed to sit “collecting dust.”

Trump withdrew his endorsement and branded Greene a “traitor,” while signaling that he would support a primary challenger against her in Georgia’s deeply Republican 14th Congressional District.

Greene responded by announcing that she would resign on Jan. 5, 2026—approximately one year before the end of her term.

“I have too much self respect and dignity, love my family way too much, and do not want my sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the President we all fought for,” she wrote in her resignation statement, according to CBS News.

“I refuse to be a ‘battered wife’ hoping it all goes away and gets better,” Greene added.

The resignation temporarily narrowed the Republican Party’s already fragile House majority and ended Greene’s five-year career on Capitol Hill.

Her feud with Trump, however, did not end there. Greene has continued criticizing the president’s foreign policy and accusing Republican leaders of abandoning the “America First” voters who put them in power.

In June, she declared that she was finished supporting what she called the “America LAST Republican Party,” while stressing that she had no intention of becoming a Democrat.

Is A Political Comeback Coming?

Despite leaving Congress, Greene may not be finished with politics.

TIME reported in November that Greene had privately discussed the possibility of running for president in 2028 with allies. Greene did not publicly confirm the report or announce a campaign.

More recently, she revealed that she has participated in conversations about launching a new political party capable of challenging both Republicans and Democrats.

“I am in talks with people and there are serious conversations happening, looking at what are the mechanics of that and the reality of it,” Greene told Piers Morgan in June, according to Mediaite.

Greene said such an effort could unite “serious players from the right and the left” around what she described as a genuinely America-focused movement, although she acknowledged that building a competitive third party could take multiple election cycles.

The former congresswoman has also launched a video series called “Life With MTG,” allowing her to remain visible and continue weighing in on national politics from outside Washington.

For now, Greene insists she does not miss Congress and is enjoying what she calls “Normal People World.” But her ongoing political commentary, reported interest in a presidential campaign and involvement in potential third-party organizing suggest her time outside the arena may not be permanent.

Even Trump appeared to leave that possibility open after her resignation.

“It’s not going to be easy for her” to revive her political career, Trump told NBC News in November. “But I’d love to see that.”

He added that Greene first needed to “take a little rest.”

With her congressional career behind her and her Las Vegas wedding now complete, Greene may soon have to decide whether that rest is coming to an end.

‘Security Agent’ With Hollow-Point Ammo Busted at Trump Golf Club Before President’s Visit

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A California man allegedly filmed federal agents as they mapped out security for President Donald Trump’s visit to his Los Angeles-area golf club — then returned two days later with hollow-point ammunition in his pocket and a loaded pistol in his pickup truck, authorities said.

Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, setting off a search that authorities say uncovered an illegally modified rifle, body armor, high-capacity magazines, radio devices and notebooks filled with “concerning statements” at his home.

Now he is staring down cases in two court systems.

Federal prosecutors charged Taele Tuesday with possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The First Red Flag

The encounter did not begin Sunday.

According to an affidavit filed with the federal complaint, agents were conducting a security assessment at the golf club on Friday, July 31, ahead of Trump’s Aug. 4 visit when they spotted Taele walking across the grounds.

He was wearing an earpiece, taking photographs and recording video of the agents’ security-planning work, prosecutors alleged. He eventually left in a vehicle.

But Taele allegedly returned Sunday while federal agents were still working at the club. Staff recognized him and alerted the agents, authorities said.

Taele then approached the agents and claimed he was employed by the State Department and assigned to a security detail at the property, according to the federal affidavit. He also acknowledged that a loaded firearm was inside his pickup in the club parking lot.

Agents called the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. When deputies arrived, they learned Taele was already wanted in connection with a robbery investigation in El Segundo, prosecutors said.

During a search, deputies allegedly found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in Taele’s pants pocket.

Inside his truck, authorities said they found a loaded 9mm pistol, another magazine packed with hollow-point rounds, binoculars and a badge bearing the words “security protection agent.”

The Search That Deepened the Mystery

The arrest quickly widened into a federal security investigation.

Detectives assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force obtained a warrant and searched Taele’s Downey home Monday because of what the Sheriff’s Department called the incident’s potential security implications.

Authorities said the search turned up an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a 1911 .45-caliber pistol, an AR upper receiver, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk rifle and pistol ammunition, an earpiece and two radio signal devices.

Investigators also seized multiple notebooks containing what they described only as “concerning statements.” Officials have not disclosed what was written in them.

“We are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in announcing the federal charge. He said investigators were still working to determine Taele’s motive.

FBI Los Angeles chief Patrick Grandy said the alleged conduct raised serious red flags and left “no room for error” given the previous attempts on Trump’s life.

State Charges — And a Separate Robbery Case

Taele also faces three California weapons counts: receiving a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle and possessing a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, TIME reported, citing the state complaint.

Prosecutors separately charged him with second-degree robbery over an alleged Nov. 4, 2025, incident that El Segundo police were investigating before his arrest at the golf club.

Taele pleaded not guilty Tuesday. A judge set his bail at $250,000, ordered him not to possess weapons, barred him from Trump National Golf Club and prohibited him from leaving California while the case is pending. His next state court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 26.

He was also expected to make his first appearance in federal court Wednesday on the rifle charge.

Authorities have not publicly accused Taele of plotting to attack Trump, and no motive has been announced. The Sheriff’s Department said it had identified no credible threat to the surrounding community, while the Secret Service, FBI, ATF and local investigators continued to examine the case.

The Secret Service said it investigates any conduct that could signal a threat or a directed interest in a protected person. The Trump Organization thanked local and federal authorities for their swift response.

Trump’s Tuesday evening Republican National Committee event at the golf club went forward. The president briefly addressed the arrest during an appearance on “Fox News @ Night.”

“The only thing I get a little solace from is, they say only consequential presidents,” Trump said. “And I am definitely consequential.”

The scare came two years after a gunman wounded Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and after Ryan Routh’s 2024 attempt to kill Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year.

Former Top Trump Aide Seeks Restraining Order Against House Republican

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Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has asked a court to issue a temporary restraining order against Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) escalating a long-running legal dispute between two former Trump administration officials.

Grisham’s attorney, Mark S. Zaid, announced the move Monday but did not disclose what prompted the request.

“Today we filed for a Temporary Restraining Order against Cong. Max Miller (R-OH) on behalf of former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham,” Zaid wrote on X, according to Mediaite.

The filing is a request for court protection; available reporting did not indicate that a judge had granted the order.

Grisham, who also served as White House communications director during President Donald Trump’s first term, dated Miller in 2019 and 2020 while they both worked in the administration.

In her 2021 memoir and a Washington Post opinion piece, Grisham described an allegedly abusive relationship with an unnamed former boyfriend who worked in the White House. She later identified Miller in interviews as the man she was describing.

Miller categorically denied abusing Grisham and sued her for defamation, alleging that she fabricated the claims to promote her book and damage his congressional campaign. He dropped the lawsuit in 2023 after the two sides reached a confidential settlement.

That agreement reportedly prohibited Grisham and Miller from making disparaging statements about one another.

Grisham sued Miller again in July, accusing him of violating the agreement while responding to separate abuse allegations raised by his former wife, Emily Moreno.

During a June 5 interview with Spectrum News, Miller said that every allegation should be taken seriously but questioned the timing of Grisham’s claims, noting that they surfaced alongside her book launch.

Grisham’s lawsuit also cited a social media post in which Miller declared that “everything alleged by Stephanie Grisham was fabricated” and that he had never harmed her. The former Trump aide alleges that Miller breached both the confidentiality and nondisparagement provisions of their settlement. She is seeking monetary damages and a jury trial, according to Spectrum News.

The restraining-order request comes as Miller faces intensifying scrutiny over accusations from Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio.)

In court filings and police reports, Emily Moreno accused Miller of throwing her against a wall during a custody exchange, pouring hot water on her during their marriage and previously holding a gun to her head. Authorities also investigated how the former couple’s young daughter suffered a fractured collarbone.

No charges were filed in connection with the child’s injury.

Miller has vehemently denied abusing either his former wife or their daughter. His campaign has pointed to his continued joint custody as evidence that the accusations are not supported by the facts.

“If there were credible evidence supporting these outrageous accusations, that simply would not be the case,” campaign spokeswoman Abigail Angelos told CBS News.

Sen. Moreno has nevertheless called on his former son-in-law to leave Congress, saying Miller “should not serve” in the House and should seek professional help. Moreno said he fears for the safety of his daughter and granddaughter whenever Miller has custody of the child, according to reports.

The controversy is also threatening Miller’s bid for a third term.

Trump publicly described the situation as “a very sad thing” Monday and declined to call for Miller’s resignation, saying the claims remain accusations that the families must resolve.

Privately, however, the president reportedly gave Miller a much starker assessment. Trump told the congressman during a Monday phone call that “things aren’t looking good” and repeatedly warned that his reelection campaign would be difficult, three sources familiar with the conversation told Axios.

Miller reportedly responded that his internal polling showed him in a stronger position and insisted that he would remain in the race.

“I’m not getting out of this race, and I’m winning in November,” Miller said Sunday.

Trump Signs Executive Order To Support America’s Military Families

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President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday establishing a new White House commission dedicated to improving life for America’s military spouses and families.

Surrounded by military spouses in the Oval Office, Trump described the initiative as “long overdue” and said supporting families at home is essential to maintaining a strong and prepared fighting force.

“America cannot have the strongest military in the world without the love and devotion of our remarkable military spouses,” Trump said during the signing ceremony, according to the Department of War.

The executive order creates the President’s Military Spouse Commission, which will advise Trump on challenges involving employment, housing, health care, education, child care and support during military deployments.

The commission will be chaired by Jennifer Hegseth, the wife of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Its membership will include the spouses of the military service secretaries, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, senior enlisted leaders and the secretary of Homeland Security.

Together, the commission’s members have more than 400 years of experience as active-duty military spouses, Trump said.

Military families routinely move to a new duty station every two or three years, often forcing spouses to leave jobs, transfer professional licenses, find new schools and secure child care in unfamiliar communities. Deployments can also leave spouses managing households and raising children alone for months at a time.

Those disruptions have produced significant economic consequences.

The Pentagon’s 2024 Active Duty Spouse Survey found that the unemployment rate among civilian military spouses was 20%—several times higher than the national rate.

Spouses who had experienced a permanent change-of-station move during the previous year faced 136% higher odds of being unemployed, according to the survey. Having children younger than six increased the odds of unemployment by 68%.

Jennifer Hegseth said the commission’s members will bring decades of personal experience to the effort, including firsthand knowledge of the difficulties families encounter as they move between military installations.

Secretary Hegseth argued that addressing those concerns directly affects military performance.

“If that warfighter knows that their family is good to go, they will go the extra mile, which is what our nation asks,” he said.

Under the order, the commission will communicate directly with military spouses, identify recurring concerns and develop practical policy recommendations for the president. It is expected to meet monthly at the White House and submit a report at the end of each fiscal year.

Members will serve without compensation, although they may receive reimbursement for travel. The Department of War will provide administrative, technical and financial support using existing appropriations.

The commission is scheduled to operate for two years unless Trump extends it.

The initiative builds on policies Trump pursued during his first term to expand federal employment opportunities for military spouses, improve the portability of professional licenses and encourage remote and flexible work.

It also follows approximately $9 billion in military and family quality-of-life funding included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by Trump in July 2025, according to the Department of War.

The White House said the new commission reflects Trump’s belief that military families are inseparable from military readiness.

“Thriving military families mean a more resilient fighting force and thus a stronger and more secure America,” the executive order states.

Trump’s Attorney General Pick Clears Key Senate Hurdle—But Final Vote Remains Uncertain

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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Justice Department cleared a major obstacle Tuesday, but the fight to make Todd Blanche the permanent attorney general is not over yet.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12–10 along party lines to advance Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate, ending days of uncertainty over whether two Republican holdouts would allow him to escape the committee.

Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) ultimately backed Blanche after the acting attorney general issued written orders addressing their concerns about a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and the scope of an IRS settlement involving Trump, his family and the Trump Organization.

The deal gave Trump’s nominee the votes he needed Tuesday. Whether it gives him enough support to win confirmation on the Senate floor remains an open question.

Blanche formally rescinded the order establishing the $1.776 billion fund, which had been created as part of a settlement resolving Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax information. The proposed program was intended to compensate people who said they had been politically targeted by the federal government.

A separate order clarified that protections from IRS audits apply only to the plaintiffs covered by the settlement and only to tax returns from previous years—not future filings.

“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” Cornyn and Tillis said in a joint statement Monday.

The senators said the Justice Department had also issued a binding clarification addressing concerns about the reach of the audit provisions. They thanked Blanche and his staff for working with them and pledged to advance his nomination.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) praised the agreement before Tuesday’s vote, saying the concerns raised by Cornyn and Tillis were shared by other lawmakers.

“Formally rescinding the Anti-Weaponization Fund and clarifying the scope of the release of claims has put this issue to bed once and for all,” Grassley said in his opening statement. He also credited Blanche and the White House with working in good faith to resolve the dispute.

Grassley argued that the Justice Department had “thrived” under Blanche’s leadership and framed Tuesday’s vote as one centered on public safety.

The White House has publicly campaigned for Blanche, highlighting endorsements from law enforcement organizations, state attorneys general and former Justice Department officials. In a July release, the administration described him as a veteran prosecutor and defense attorney who has targeted cartels, violent crime and fraud while rebuilding cooperation with state and local law enforcement.

Trump has also repeatedly demanded Blanche’s confirmation, although his own comments have raised questions about how durable the compromise with Cornyn and Tillis will be.

At a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, Trump acknowledged that the fund was “dead” but said he wished it were not.

“I think people were horribly treated, horribly abused,” Trump said, adding that he wanted to see them “compensated for the pain.”

Trump nevertheless insisted Blanche “should be approved forthwith.”

The president escalated the pressure Saturday, warning on Truth Social that if Cornyn and Tillis continued blocking Blanche, he would keep him in the acting role and push Congress to revive the fund through legislation.

After Blanche formally rescinded the program Sunday, Trump told reporters Monday that he had not personally approved the move.

“I didn’t look at it. All I know is that Todd Blanche is great. He’s going to do a great job,” Trump said during an Oval Office event, according to ABC News.

The president continued to defend the idea of compensating people he believes were mistreated by the government, though he said he was not aware of another avenue for doing so.

Democrats argue the written orders do not change the underlying IRS settlement and warn that the fund could be revived later. Some Republicans have also acknowledged that Trump could reverse course, although Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told Fox News Digital that he still expects Blanche to be confirmed.

The immediate challenge is the Senate math.

With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) away from Washington while recovering from a fall, Blanche can afford to lose only two Republican votes if Democrats remain united against him. Fox News reported that Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Curtis (R-Utah) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) had not yet committed to supporting the nomination.

Murkowski told reporters that she wanted to learn more about the weekend negotiations, although she called Blanche’s order disbanding the fund “a pretty good step.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he wants to find a path to confirm Blanche quickly, but he stopped short of guaranteeing a vote before senators leave Washington for their August recess.

For Blanche and the White House, Tuesday’s committee vote was a significant victory.

Jeanine Pirro Survives Oval Office Showdown — But Trump Is Still Fuming

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

Jeanine Pirro survived a tense White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday—but her job may remain on thin ice after the president accused his longtime ally of “choking” in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case.

Trump had been seriously considering removing Pirro as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, two people familiar with his thinking told CNN.

The president reportedly spent the weekend fuming after Pirro’s office filed a motion to dismiss a felony case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn and blamed the pool’s damage on a flawed renovation instead of vandalism.

Trump felt “blindsided” because he was not warned about the filing beforehand, a senior administration official told CNN. The president confronted Pirro during a Saturday phone call that one official described as less than cordial.

Their conversation “wasn’t pretty,” the official said.

The simmering dispute burst into public view Monday when Trump unloaded on Pirro during an Oval Office event.

“I was disappointed in Jeanine Pirro. Really disappointed in Jeanine Pirro,” Trump told reporters. “She folded like an umbrella.”

Trump said Pirro “made a mistake” and appeared to buckle under pressure from the judge overseeing the case.

“The judge was extremely unfriendly to Jeanine,” Trump said. “And frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious. Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked.”

Pirro later met with Trump at the White House alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. She was not fired and did not offer her resignation during the meeting, multiple sources told CNN. ABC News separately reported that Trump had privately discussed with aides whether to dismiss her, although sources cautioned that no final decision had been made.

The blowup followed a stunning reversal by Pirro’s office in the case against Hearn, a 67-year-old three-time Olympian who was accused of ripping newly installed sealant from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool.

When Pirro announced Hearn’s indictment in July, she called the alleged damage a “deliberate act of destruction” and vowed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

“These monuments belong to all of us, and we will protect them—and hold accountable those who seek to deface or diminish them,” Pirro said in the original Justice Department announcement.

But prosecutors later said evidence withheld by the Interior Department painted a dramatically different picture.

In its motion to dismiss, Pirro’s office accused the department of providing “less than fulsome information” and said documents obtained after the indictment strongly suggested that a rushed and defective installation caused the pool’s lining to peel.

“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote.

The court filing also said inspectors found damage in the middle of the pool, an area where a vandal would have been unlikely to peel the lining.

“Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” prosecutors concluded.

Hearn, who pleaded not guilty, maintained that he merely touched a section of lining that was already peeling. Pirro’s office also dropped misdemeanor property-destruction cases against three other people accused of damaging the pool.

Trump, however, continues to insist that vandals played a role. He has acknowledged that the contractor rushed to finish the roughly $14.7 million renovation before the Fourth of July, but said construction problems do not explain all the damage.

“I’m not saying I was 100% thrilled with the contractor,” Trump said Monday. “But in addition, there was vandalism.”

Burgum has also stood by that conclusion, declaring that “the evidence is clear” that vandals repeatedly damaged the landmark.

Pirro reportedly told Trump that career prosecutors were responsible for the motion, which was signed by a veteran prosecutor overseeing D.C. Superior Court cases. But after Trump’s blistering public rebuke and their high-stakes White House meeting, the former Fox News star’s future remains anything but secure.