Latest

    Politics

    Home Politics

    Vance Reveals The Conversation He Hasn’t Had With Trump About 2028

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    JD Vance believes Donald Trump would back him for president. But there’s one problem with treating that endorsement as a done deal: They haven’t discussed it.

    The vice president acknowledged that uncertainty during a Monday interview with journalist Mark Halperin on 2WAY, leaving open the possibility that Trump could let a Republican primary unfold before picking a favorite.

    “I think if I run, the president will endorse me,” Vance said, according to Mediaite’s account of the interview.

    But when Halperin asked whether that endorsement would come immediately, the answer became less certain.

    “I would think so, but I don’t know, man,” Vance replied. “I haven’t talked to him about it.”

    An Endorsement Worth Waiting For

    The admission followed Vance’s argument that Trump’s backing carries extraordinary weight with Republican voters, who trust the president’s judgment after watching him battle the party establishment.

    “Obviously, the voters are gonna decide,” Vance told Halperin. “Donald Trump is only one vote of many, but I think his endorsement is still the most powerful.”

    That makes the timing consequential. Vance said Trump could reasonably decide to watch candidates compete before intervening.

    “Again, I think I would get his endorsement, but I also think there’s something to be said for people actually running their own race,” he said.

    When Halperin suggested Vance might struggle as a presidential candidate, the vice president acknowledged the possibility.

    “I might be terrible at it,” he said.

    Trump Keeps His Options Open

    Asked Tuesday about backing Vance, Trump praised his vice president but confirmed they had not discussed the matter. He said the immediate priority was getting through the midterm elections.

    Trump’s support has helped Vance before. ABC News reported that his endorsement helped propel Vance to victory in Ohio’s 2022 Republican Senate primary.

    For now, Vance says he remains undecided about running in 2028. His expectation of Trump’s support comes with a qualification: The conversation has yet to happen.

    Former Trump Chief Of Staff Predicts When Susie Wiles Will Leave White House

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles delivers remarks during the Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, September 21, 2025.(Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    President Donald Trump is publicly standing behind Susie Wiles. One of her predecessors thinks she’ll leave the White House after the midterms anyway.

    Former acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney predicted Sunday that Wiles will depart after November’s elections — while pushing back on suggestions that she has lost her grip on the president’s inner circle.

    “If she leaves, and I think she probably will, it’s not necessarily because she’s fallen out of favor with Trump,” Mulvaney told NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” according to The Hill.

    “It’s just a natural sort of time to make that change,” he added.

    The prediction lands amid mounting reports about potential replacements and a POLITICO story that reportedly sent Trump into a fury. But Mulvaney’s assessment came with a distinction: Wiles could leave on her own terms while still wielding considerable influence.

    The Report That Reportedly Set Trump Off

    The latest round of speculation escalated after POLITICO reported that Trump had privately sounded out allies about possible replacements for his chief of staff.

    According to Mediaite’s account of POLITICO’s reporting, aide Natalie Harp printed Thursday’s Playbook newsletter and handed it to Trump.

    The president reportedly “blew up” over the negative headlines about Wiles. Three people familiar with the episode described a “freakout,” while Wiles and her allies worked the phones to contain the fallout.

    POLITICO also reported that Trump made additional calls about Wiles after reading the story, according to a person with direct knowledge.

    Trump has forcefully rejected suggestions that his chief of staff is on the chopping block.

    “TOTAL FAKE NEWS Politico doesn’t care about facts, integrity, or honest journalism — it’s why I kicked them out of the White House!” he said in a statement quoted by The Hill.

    “Susie Wiles is my loyal and longest serving Chief of Staff — there is a reason for that. She has been with me since the beginning, is my trusted advisor, and has my COMPLETE confidence.”

    A Press Secretary’s Exit Fuels The Chatter

    The hiring and rapid departure of press secretary Katie Zacharia added fuel to questions about Wiles’s standing.

    According to The Hill, reports suggested Wiles had distanced herself from Zacharia’s appointment. Mulvaney offered his own theory about how that became public.

    “I think she probably leaked it out that she was not involved in the hiring of Katie Zacharia,” he said.

    That was Mulvaney’s speculation, rather than an established account of a leak.

    POLITICO subsequently reported that Wiles helped arrange Zacharia’s appearance with Sean Hannity, whose questioning put the new press secretary’s credentials and troubled debut under a brighter spotlight.

    Fox News disputed that account, telling The Hill that Hannity controls his interviews and that Wiles and White House spokesperson Danielle Alvarez had nothing to do with the booking.

    Mulvaney viewed the reports of Wiles’s possible involvement in Zacharia’s downfall as a sign that the chief of staff still carries weight inside the administration.

    Potential Successors Begin Circling

    Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported Friday that Stephen Miller, Lee Zeldin and Bill Pulte had begun positioning themselves for the job should Wiles depart.

    The same report included a crucial caveat: Wiles had given aides and allies no indication that she planned to leave.

    Trump Tells New Press Secretary To ‘Reconsider’ Job After Turbulent First Week

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    President Donald Trump’s new press secretary hasn’t finished her first week — and he’s already told her to think about whether she wants to stay.

    Trump told reporters Friday that he advised Katie Zacharia to reconsider the role after a rocky debut and days of scrutiny over her legal credentials, according to The Hill.

    “I said, ‘Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,’” Trump said, describing their conversation.

    “I said, ‘You think about it, but I would reconsider,’” he continued.

    Trump said the decision ultimately belongs to Zacharia and that he would speak with her upon his return from a trip that includes a Georgia rally and time in Florida. He said he wants her “to be happy” and accused the news media of treating her unfairly.

    A Briefing That Became The Story

    Zacharia’s Tuesday debut lasted roughly 14 minutes and included just three questions, from Breitbart, Fox News and the Daily Mail. She also briefly referred to her husband as “my president” before correcting herself — a stumble that quickly became fodder for critics, Forbes reported.

    Former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki compared the appearance to a “Saturday Night Live” skit. Anthony Scaramucci, whose stint as Trump’s communications director lasted just 11 days, publicly started counting down her tenure. Trump initially praised her performance, telling reporters Tuesday, “I thought she was very good.”

    Zacharia told Hannity she had received briefing materials Tuesday morning and had little preparation time, according to Fox News.

    Bar Exam Questions Take Over

    The media has also seized on Zacharia’s failed bar exam and her public identification as a lawyer. Trump described her as an attorney when announcing her appointment.

    That coverage now includes an acknowledgment from Zacharia herself. During Thursday’s appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News program, she confirmed that she had not passed the exam and had never retaken it, ABC News reported.

    Earlier Thursday, she told Real America’s Voice that she took the exam after graduating from Pepperdine’s law school in 2011 but considered the results “somewhat inconsequential” because she planned to move to China, where she subsequently worked in international transaction law.

    She also said legal professionals had advised her that she could describe herself as a lawyer providing legal analysis, distinguishing that from an attorney providing legal advice, according to ABC News.

    Questions intensified after she responded to a reporter asking where she passed the bar by referring to her move to China. She later told The New York Times that helicopter noise had prevented her from hearing the question correctly, ABC reported.

    By Friday, Trump was publicly offering his new spokeswoman a chance to reconsider — leaving her future behind the podium unresolved.

    Megyn Kelly Urges Don Lemon To Run For President

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    Don Lemon is floating a presidential run — and Megyn Kelly is giving him an unexpected push.

    The former Fox News host encouraged the outspoken Trump critic to pursue the White House, arguing that a career in television journalism should hardly disqualify him. But her surprising show of support came with a swipe at some of the Democratic Party’s biggest names.

    “OK, I’m going to shock you,” Kelly said on Tuesday’s episode of her show, according to The Hill. “I think he should do it. I actually think he should do it.”

    “First of all, it’s not a dealbreaker that he has spent his life as a journalist. I mean, you could absolutely parlay that into a career in public service.”

    An Endorsement With An Edge

    Kelly’s encouragement quickly became a pointed assessment of the politicians Lemon might hope to join.

    She questioned whether former Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Joe Biden had demonstrated greater intelligence than the former CNN anchor. She also suggested Lemon could hold his own against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Mediaite reported.

    “Are we so enamored with our public officials now we don’t think somebody like Don Lemon could do it? Honestly, I’m not,” Kelly said, according to The Hill.

    Her enthusiasm also came with an acknowledgment that a Lemon campaign would provide plenty of material for the people covering it.

    “I encourage him and I’m rooting for him. He doesn’t actually think he’s going to win, however,” she added.

    That makes her remarks something more complicated than a straightforward political endorsement: encouragement for Lemon to enter the race, delivered alongside digs at Democrats and anticipation of the spectacle.

    Lemon Leaves The Door Open

    The discussion followed Lemon’s Oct. 3 appearance on “Uncloseted” with Spencer Macnaughton, where he described viewers asking whether he would consider running for office.

    “If the people want me, I’ll do it,” Lemon said.

    He acknowledged that a presidential campaign would require a full-time commitment and said he still wanted to devote much of his time to journalism. He nevertheless raised the possibility of combining his media work with a campaign.

    There is a significant distinction behind the 2028 chatter: Macnaughton asked about the chances Lemon would run at some point in his lifetime. Lemon’s estimate of 65% to 70% was not a firm commitment to the next presidential election.

    Lemon also said he believed Americans could elect a gay Black president, while expressing doubts about whether the current political moment was right for such a candidacy.

    The former CNN host, who launched his own show after the network fired him in 2023, has yet to turn that speculation into an announced campaign.

    But he already has one unlikely voice urging him toward the starting line.

    Trump Tells Alaska Republican To Drop Out—But Candidate Pushes Back

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    President Donald J. Trump hosts a Rose Garden Club dinner in honor of Police Week in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, May 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald Trump is pressing former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson to leave Alaska’s governor’s race, warning that a crowded Republican field could hand Democrats an opening in November.

    Speaking with Fox News after his Tuesday rally in Wasilla, Trump urged Bronson to step aside for Bernadette Wilson, the Republican candidate he endorsed earlier that day.

    “He doesn’t have to, but he should, because, frankly, he lost in the primary by substantial numbers to Bernadette,” Trump told Fox News.

    Wilson finished as the top Republican in Alaska’s August primary. She now faces Bronson, fellow Republican Treg Taylor and Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins in the contest to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

    Trump made clear that he sees the three-way Republican competition as a liability.

    “So now you have three Republicans running against one Democrat. And I don’t like that. I don’t like those odds very much,” he told Fox News.

    “But there, she’s great, and maybe she’ll get in, but I thought I had an obligation to endorse her.”

    A Disputed Deal To Step Aside

    Trump’s call for Bronson to withdraw followed a sharper accusation on Truth Social: that the former mayor had already agreed to leave the race, then reversed course.

    According to the Alaska Beacon, Trump claimed Bronson sought his endorsement and agreed to withdraw at the president’s request, only to abandon that commitment three days later.

    Bronson disputed that account.

    Speaking with Alaska’s News Source at the rally, Bronson said the president’s recollection was “different from mine.”

    Bronson described discussions about consolidating the Republican field, including a proposal that Trump endorse him and ask his rivals to stand down. He said the arrangement never came together.

    “The deal didn’t unfold the way it was supposed to, so I stayed in the race,” Bronson told the station.

    Why Three Republicans Are Still Running

    Alaska’s election system helps explain the crowded field.

    The state holds a nonpartisan primary in which the top four candidates advance regardless of party. Wilson’s position as the leading Republican therefore did not eliminate Bronson or Taylor—or make her the sole Republican nominee.

    The general election uses ranked-choice voting. Voters can rank multiple candidates, allowing their votes to transfer to another choice if their preferred candidate is eliminated. That means three Republicans on the ballot do not automatically produce the same vote-splitting problem as a traditional plurality election.

    The political concern is whether Republican voters will use those additional rankings.

    The Alaska Beacon reported that Bronson and Taylor have encouraged voters to rank all three Republicans. Dunleavy also urged support for the Republican candidates at Tuesday’s rally, while Trump pushed for unity behind Wilson and backed repeal of the state’s election system.

    The pressure comes as the race grows more competitive. Cook Political Report moved Alaska’s governor’s contest from “Toss Up” to “Lean Democrat” on Tuesday, according to additional reporting from The Washington Post.

    The Last Republican President? Trump Makes Grim Prediction

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump delivered a stark warning to Republicans Monday night: Lose Congress, then the White House, and the GOP could be locked out of the presidency for good.

    Speaking at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump argued that Democrats would use a return to power to reshape Congress, expand the Supreme Court and tilt the electoral map against Republicans.

    “I will be the last Republican president because they will add about twelve more electoral votes,” Trump said, according to The Hill.

    “They’ll add four more senators. They’ll add ten more congresspeople, approximately,” he continued. “They’re gonna rig the Supreme Court through just a lot of people.”

    His warning stretched beyond November’s midterms. Trump was describing a scenario in which Democrats control both chambers of Congress and reclaim the White House in 2028, Mediaite reported.

    Trump Takes Aim At Court Expansion

    Trump claimed Democrats’ ambitions for the Supreme Court go much further than the 13-seat expansion proposal backed by some party lawmakers.

    “The real number that they dream of is 23,” Trump said, according to The Hill. “They say 13. Who wants 13?”

    A 23-member court would mean adding 14 seats to the existing nine-member bench.

    Democratic lawmakers have previously introduced legislation to expand the court to 13 justices. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) unveiled the Judiciary Act of 2023, arguing that expansion would restore the court’s legitimacy.

    That proposal called for four additional seats. Trump’s claim that Democrats ultimately want 23 justices goes beyond the legislation those lawmakers put forward.

    A Warning To His Own Party

    Trump previously linked the same warning to D.C. and Puerto Rico statehood in September, Fox News reported.

    On Monday, he also renewed his demand that Republicans eliminate the Senate filibuster to advance the SAVE Act, according to Mediaite. The outlet reported that the House-passed measure would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and photo identification when voting, but lacks the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate.

    The president made his pitch while campaigning for Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy. Husted faces former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in a closely contested Senate race, Mediaite reported.

    Both Husted and Ramaswamy have leaned on Trump to energize Republican voters, The Hill reported, even after his victories in Ohio in three consecutive presidential elections.

    With November approaching, Trump is casting the stakes as bigger than congressional control: He says Republicans’ ability to win the White House again is on the line.

    Republican Senator Has A Message For Trump After Phone Number Leak

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) had a pointed warning for President Donald Trump after the president publicly shared another Republican senator’s phone number during a weekend policy feud.

    “With all due respect, I got his number too,” Tillis said Monday during an appearance on ABC’s “The View.”

    The remark came after co-host Ana Navarro suggested Trump could retaliate against Tillis by publishing his phone number, particularly as the retiring North Carolina senator promotes a new book detailing his increasingly contentious relationship with the president.

    Trump had done exactly that to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) just days earlier.

    The president posted what appeared to be Cotton’s personal cellphone number on Truth Social on Saturday while pressuring the Arkansas Republican to support the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation aimed at ending the twice-yearly clock change and allowing permanent daylight saving time.

    “Almost everybody wants ‘The Sunshine Protection Act’ to pass, except for Tom Cotton,” Trump wrote, before encouraging Arkansas voters to contact the senator.

    Trump included Cotton’s number in another post and urged supporters to tell him to “GET IT DONE!”

    Fox News Digital reported that it called the number Trump posted, which carried an Arkansas area code, but did not reach Cotton. The Washington Post similarly reported that a call to the number went directly to a full voicemail inbox.

    Cotton refused to budge.

    “No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,” Cotton wrote on X.

    “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”

    The dispute has put two normally aligned Republicans on opposite sides of an unusual policy fight.

    The House passed its version of the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a bipartisan 308-117 vote, but the measure has stalled in the Senate, where Cotton is among several Republicans opposed to the change. The Senate is currently out of session until Nov. 3, meaning lawmakers cannot act on the measure before the midterm elections.

    Tillis, meanwhile, appeared amused by the possibility that he could become Trump’s next target.

    The North Carolina Republican was appearing on “The View” to promote his new book, “How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents,” which recounts his clashes with Trump and members of the president’s administration.

    After Tillis discussed private exchanges with Trump included in the book, Navarro quipped that the president might “give your phone away after this.”

    Tillis immediately fired back.

    “With all due respect, I got his number too.”

    When asked whether he feared retaliation from Trump over the book, Tillis said, “Not at all.”

    The senator, who is not seeking reelection, has become increasingly willing to criticize the administration as his time in Washington winds down.

    His book describes his vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the “biggest regret” of his congressional career. During Monday’s interview, Tillis went even further when asked about an effort to impeach Hegseth.

    “I hope he gets fired,” Tillis said.

    Still, Tillis offered Trump some praise, calling him a “great political force” who demonstrated an ability to assemble an unusual coalition of voters.

    But he warned Republicans that some of those gains may be slipping away heading into the midterms.

    “The support among Hispanics has almost evaporated,” Tillis said. “So the very coalitions that the president … was able to pull together are falling apart.”

    Tillis’s warning over the phone-number episode also carries a bit of history.

    Trump has used the tactic before. During his first presidential campaign in 2015, he publicly read out then-Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cellphone number at a South Carolina rally after Graham criticized him.

    From Amazon To The Oval Office? Report Reveals Bezos’ Wife’s Ambition

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    Jeff Bezos built an empire delivering packages. His wife reportedly has another address in mind: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

    Lauren Sánchez Bezos is encouraging the Amazon founder to consider a future in politics — and can envision herself as first lady — according to an October 2 report by celebrity gossip columnist Rob Shuter in his Naughty But Nice Substack.

    The report offers an intriguing window into the couple’s alleged private conversations. But it comes with a significant qualifier: Shuter’s sources say there is no campaign and no indication Bezos has decided to seek office.

    “Lauren loves the idea of President Bezos,” an unnamed source told Shuter. “She talks about legacy, influence and what Jeff could do that money alone cannot buy. And yes, she can absolutely see herself as First Lady.”

    According to Shuter, Sánchez’s fascination with Washington intensified after the couple attended President Donald Trump’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping. Their attendance at the September 24 gathering was documented in coverage of the event.

    The dinner put the billionaire couple back inside the White House. Whether Bezos wants to move in remains another matter.

    A Presidential Push — Or A Billionaire’s Fantasy?

    Shuter’s sources describe Sánchez as someone looking beyond her husband’s business accomplishments toward a potentially bigger legacy.

    “Lauren looks at Jeff and sees someone who conquered business, built a space company and became one of the most powerful men alive,” an insider told the columnist. “Her question is always: What’s left? In her mind, the presidency is the ultimate final act.”

    Shuter is a longtime entertainment journalist and former celebrity publicist whose clients included Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson. He also served as executive editor of the U.S. edition of OK! magazine and co-hosted VH1’s The Gossip Table. His reporting comes from the world of celebrity insiders, rather than a presidential campaign announcement.

    Other outlets, including The Post Millennial, have picked up his Bezos report. Their coverage cites Shuter’s sources, rather than independently establishing that the billionaire is weighing a run.

    Even within Shuter’s account, enthusiasm is hardly unanimous.

    “Some people think it’s complete fantasy,” an insider told him. “But Lauren doesn’t dream small. She can already picture President Bezos — and herself standing beside him as First Lady.”

    From Trump Feud To White House Guest

    The political backdrop adds a twist: Bezos has been warming to the president he once publicly sparred with.

    During their earlier feud, Trump attacked Amazon and Bezos’ ownership of The Washington Post. Bezos responded in 2015 by joking about reserving Trump a seat on a Blue Origin rocket.

    Years later, the relationship looked considerably different. Bezos and Sánchez dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December 2024, and Bezos attended his January 2025 inauguration.

    Before Trump returned to office, Bezos also expressed support for his push to reduce regulation.

    “I’m actually very optimistic this time around,” Bezos said at the December 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit. He indicated he wanted to help with that effort.

    Trump reciprocated. In a March 2025 interview reported by Fox News, he called Bezos “a good guy” and described their improved relationship.

    Those developments establish that Bezos has become more comfortable around Trump and Washington’s power circles. They do not establish presidential ambitions.

    For now, the White House dream belongs to Sánchez — at least according to Shuter’s unnamed sources.

    Christie Torches Vance’s 2028 Hopes — Then Teases His Own Comeback

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    White House image via Wikimedia Commons

    Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is already taking a blowtorch to Vice President JD Vance’s 2028 ambitions — while leaving room for a White House comeback of his own.

    Christie predicted that Vance’s close association with President Donald Trump could keep him from capturing the next Republican presidential nomination, arguing that GOP voters will be focused on finding a candidate who can win the general election.

    “He is going to reek with the stink of Donald Trump,” Christie said Thursday during an appearance at George Washington University.

    Christie argued that Republicans could ultimately decide nominating Vance would make it more likely that a Democrat wins the White House.

    The comments represent a sharp challenge to the widespread view that Vance is the early heir apparent to Trump’s political movement. They also put Christie — one of Trump’s most vocal Republican critics — back in the middle of the emerging 2028 conversation.

    Christie Questions Whether Vance Can Match Trump

    Christie’s criticism went beyond policy and political baggage. He also questioned whether Vance possesses the personal appeal that helped Trump reshape the Republican Party.

    “JD is not nearly as charming as Trump,” Christie said. “You say what you want about Trump, but he has charm and he has some charisma, when he decides to use it. I haven’t seen that out of Vance yet.”

    During the discussion, George Washington University professor Frank Sesno asked whether Vance could create some distance from Trump, much as George H.W. Bush established his own identity after serving as Ronald Reagan’s vice president.

    Christie rejected the comparison.

    He argued that Vance would struggle to separate himself from an administration in which he played a central role. Democrats, Christie suggested, could also use Vance’s dramatic evolution on Trump against him: Vance once compared Trump to Adolf Hitler before eventually becoming his running mate and vice president.

    Vance’s supporters would likely offer a very different assessment. Trump has repeatedly discussed Vance as a potential successor, and Mediaite reported in August that the president had privately told donors, “At the end of the day, we need to elect JD.”

    Trump has not issued a formal 2028 endorsement, however, and has also spoken favorably about Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

    Rubio Gets Written Off, Too

    Christie was also skeptical that Rubio would enter the 2028 race.

    The former governor described Rubio as politically shrewd and suggested the secretary of state understands that his service in the Trump administration has branded him as a “Trump Republican.” Christie predicted Rubio may wait for a later election rather than battle Vance and other candidates for the nomination in 2028.

    That assessment conveniently leaves more room for another contender — including Christie himself.

    When Sesno asked whether he might run, Christie did not close the door.

    “I’m gonna look at it,” Christie said, while cautioning that “a number of things” would need to happen first.

    Christie Eyes A Third Shot

    Thursday’s answer was not the first time Christie has hinted at another campaign.

    During a September appearance at the Granite State Summit on Responsible Gaming in New Hampshire, Christie admitted he was considering a third presidential bid but said he wanted to see how Republicans performed in the midterm elections before deciding.

    “Anybody who comes up here and has ever run for president and not won and told you they’re not looking at it again is lying,” Christie said at the event.

    He suggested major Republican losses could force the party to reconsider its direction and leadership. Christie also said any campaign would require a credible path to victory — something that eluded him during his previous runs.

    Christie ended his first presidential campaign after a disappointing finish in the 2016 New Hampshire primary. He endorsed Trump shortly afterward, but the alliance eventually collapsed. Christie returned in 2024 as one of the GOP field’s most aggressive Trump critics before dropping out ahead of the Iowa caucuses.

    Sesno reminded Christie that 2028 would mark his third attempt at the presidency.

    “True, just like Reagan,” Christie replied. “He got elected on the third time.”

    Reagan sought the Republican nomination in 1968 and 1976 before winning the White House in 1980.

    Lara Trump Unleashes Harsh Reality Check: Iran War Could Cost Trump The Midterms

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Image via gage Skidmore Flickr

    Lara Trump acknowledged that the war with Iran could cost Republicans control of Congress this November — but said preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon would justify that political price.

    The president’s daughter-in-law and former Republican National Committee co-chair made the admission during a Tuesday interview with British journalist Harry Cole on his YouTube program, “Harry Cole Saves the West,” according to The Hill.

    Asked whether the prolonged conflict could damage President Donald Trump’s legacy, she pointed to a more immediate risk.

    “Well, it could cost him these midterms,” Lara Trump said.

    Still, she defended the president’s place in history, saying his legacy remains unfinished and predicting he would ultimately rank among America’s greatest presidents.

    Losing Congress Would Be Worth It

    Cole later pressed her on whether the administration’s campaign against Iran would be worth Republicans losing both the House and Senate to Democrats.

    “Yeah,” she answered.

    “Look, I think he just understands that when Iran gets a nuclear weapon, it doesn’t matter who is in charge of the House. It doesn’t matter the majority in the Senate,” she continued. “This world is a really frightening place and you really can’t come back from that.”

    Her answer put the potential consequences plainly: even a Democratic takeover of Congress would be an acceptable price, in her view, for preventing a nuclear-armed Iran.

    The comments were a warning about what could happen in November, rather than a prediction that Republicans will lose.

    Accusing Iran Of Playing The Election Calendar

    Lara Trump also acknowledged that the conflict has frustrated the president. She said he “really hates the way that things have gone with Iran” and wished progress had come more quickly.

    But she blamed Tehran for prolonging the standoff, arguing that Iranian leaders believe Republican losses would improve their negotiating position.

    “The Iranians are absolutely holding out until these midterm elections,” she said, accusing them of trying to damage the president’s electoral prospects.

    That assertion conflicts with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s public position. According to The Hill, Pezeshkian told reporters during last week’s United Nations General Assembly that he wanted an agreement before November.

    “We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections,” he said.

    The competing statements underscore the disagreement over whether the election calendar is delaying a deal.

    The Costs Keep Mounting

    The interview comes as the conflict stretches beyond the brief operation Trump initially described, with higher fuel prices adding pressure on Republicans heading into November.

    The financial burden also continues to grow. Roll Call reported that a Pentagon estimate put the war’s costs at $43.6 billion through September 3. That figure included $11.2 billion in operating expenses and $32.4 billion in replacement costs for munitions, damaged aircraft and other assets. It excluded some additional expenses, including damage to U.S. military facilities across the region.

    Axios separately reported that Republican strategists remain uncertain whether their campaign advertising can overcome voter anger over prices and the Iran war.

    A Call For A Stronger Explanation

    Lara Trump’s defense of the war came with an acknowledgment that Republicans could do more to explain it.

    When Cole questioned whether the administration had adequately made its case to Americans facing higher gasoline prices, she said many people feel geographically removed from Iran.

    Although she said the president discusses the issue frequently, she urged other Republicans and White House officials to explain more clearly what they believe is at stake.

    Her message left Republicans with a difficult argument heading into November: the war could help cost them Congress, but she believes its national security objective outweighs the price.

    123...65Page 1 of 65
    © Great America News Desk 2022