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    Trump Blasts Polls Showing Record-Low Approval Ratings As ‘Crooked & Corrupt’

    By
    Seijah Drake
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    2
    President Donald J. Trump visits the El Arepazo Doral restaurant, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    President Donald Trump is dismissing a string of recent polls showing his approval rating at historic lows, accusing major polling organizations and the media of publishing “crooked and corrupt” numbers while insisting his support is stronger than ever.

    The president unloaded on the polling industry Monday in a lengthy Truth Social post after multiple national surveys placed his approval rating in the low 30s.

    “My REAL Polling Numbers, not those made up by the Fake News Media, are the best they have ever been,” Trump wrote. “Don’t believe the Radical Left’s Fake Poll numbers. They are Crooked and Corrupt.”

    Trump argued that his administration’s record—including tax cuts, employment figures, border security, foreign investment, and recent foreign policy developments—should be translating into much stronger public support.

    “My REAL Polling Numbers… are the best they have ever been, and why wouldn’t they be with the biggest tax cuts and employment numbers EVER, the biggest outside Investment in America in World history, a totally secure Border, a giant Victory in Venezuela, the Denuclearization of Iran, unparalleled respect and success throughout the World, and much more?” Trump wrote.

    Multiple Polls Show Similar Results

    Trump’s comments come after several prominent polling organizations released surveys showing his approval rating at the lowest levels of his second term.

    A Quinnipiac University poll published last week found 32% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 58% disapprove. The survey marked the lowest approval rating Quinnipiac has recorded for Trump.

    Other recent national polls reached similar conclusions.

    CNN’s latest survey placed Trump’s approval rating at 34%, while an Associated Press-NORC poll found it at 33%.

    The consistency across multiple polling organizations has drawn attention from political analysts, particularly as the country heads toward the 2026 midterm elections.

    CNN Analyst Warns of Political Trouble

    CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten highlighted the convergence of the recent polling during an on-air segment last week, arguing that Trump’s numbers continue to trend downward.

    “It does not appear that there is a bottom. Trump is heading towards an electoral black hole,” Enten said.

    “I feel like this is like one of those magician’s tricks, where the floor just falls out from beneath you, and that is exactly what’s happening with President Trump,” he continued.

    Enten noted that three separate polling organizations all found Trump’s approval rating hovering between 32% and 34%.

    Historical Comparison

    Enten also compared Trump’s standing with previous second-term presidents at a similar point in their administrations.

    According to his analysis, averaging the CNN, AP-NORC, and Quinnipiac polls places Trump’s approval rating at roughly 33%.

    For comparison, Enten said former President Barack Obama stood at approximately 41% during the comparable point in his second term, while former President George W. Bush registered around 38% despite the ongoing Iraq War.

    Enten argued that Trump’s current standing is the weakest of any 21st-century president at the same stage of a second term.

    “You have to go all the way back to Richard Nixon to find a lower approval rating at this point in term two,” Enten said, noting that Nixon resigned just weeks later in 1974.

    Trump Rejects Findings

    Trump has frequently criticized public polling throughout his political career, often arguing that surveys conducted by major news organizations understate Republican support and are designed to shape public perception.

    His latest Truth Social post continued that longstanding criticism, portraying the recent polls as politically motivated rather than reflective of public opinion.

    The president closed his message by urging supporters to ignore the surveys and rally behind Republican candidates ahead of upcoming elections.

    “VOTE REPUBLICAN FOR GREATNESS IN AMERICA!” Trump wrote.

    The president’s response also avoids one issue that many political analysts believe is driving his declining numbers: growing dissatisfaction with the administration’s war against Iran, including among many Republicans and Trump voters. Recent polling has also found notable erosion among Republicans, with a substantial minority now saying the war has not been worth fighting. The decline has fueled speculation that the administration may be underestimating how much the conflict has alienated parts of Trump’s own political coalition.

    Several analysts argue that the frustration extends beyond the war itself. Trump returned to office promising to tackle inflation, lower costs, and strengthen the economy and critics contend that many voters now view the Iran War as an unnecessary military commitment that has diverted attention and resources away from those domestic priorities.

    Rising energy prices and broader economic uncertainty following the outbreak of hostilities have only reinforced that perception for some voters, leading many to question why the administration became deeply involved in another Middle Eastern conflict when economic concerns were the issue that helped propel Trump back to the White House.

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    Fox News Star Invites James Carville to Join GOP as Democrat Civil War Explodes

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    Fox News host Laura Ingraham has an unexpected escape plan for James Carville as the famed Democratic strategist threatens to bolt his party over its accelerating socialist turn: Come join the Republicans.

    Ingraham extended the striking invitation Monday night after Carville drew a red line around the growing influence of left-wing streamer Hasan Piker and the Democratic Socialists of America.

    “The socialists have momentum,” Ingraham warned on “The Ingraham Angle,” according to The Hill and Mediaite. She argued that the Democratic Party is on course to become a socialist party unless its more sensible members stop merely complaining from cable-news studios and begin fighting back.

    Then she made Carville an offer that would have sounded unthinkable during his days helping put Bill Clinton in the White House.

    “Turn to us,” Ingraham said, urging Carville and other anti-socialist Democrats to help Republicans build a party focused on restoring the American middle class.

    The invitation came one day after Carville declared that he and Piker could not remain under the same political roof.

    “I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker,” Carville said Sunday on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.” If Piker becomes a serious force among Democrats, Carville added, “I’m out of here.”

    Carville, who has spent decades as one of the Democratic Party’s most recognizable strategists, said an “overwhelming majority” of Democrats share his opposition to Piker’s politics. He also pointed viewers toward the DSA platform and mocked the idea of embracing policies aimed at seizing the means of production.

    The DSA’s own 2025–2026 program calls for placing the nation’s largest corporations under public ownership and democratic control. It also advocates a new constitutional structure featuring a single federal legislature, universal rent control, tuition-free public college, a 32-hour workweek and sweeping reductions to the U.S. military footprint.

    Yet Carville’s ultimatum appears to have energized the very faction he wants Democrats to reject.

    Tezlyn Figaro, a former adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders, challenged Carville on Fox News Monday to follow through.

    “Get out, Jim!” Figaro said, according to Mediaite. She argued that progressives are organizing, winning elections and gaining influence while establishment figures complain from the sidelines.

    Those victories are becoming harder for Democratic leaders to dismiss.

    Axios described the June Democratic primaries in New York as a socialist “earthquake” after two sitting House members lost to left-wing challengers. All three winning candidates were backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while two were democratic socialists.

    One centrist House Democrat called the results a “huge defeat” for party leadership. Another senior Democrat offered a blunter warning: “Buckle up.”

    The socialist surge spread beyond New York when DSA-backed Melat Kiros defeated 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s Democratic primary. The Guardian described the upset as another sign of a generational and ideological shift inside the party.

    Kiros campaigned against corporate power, military spending and U.S. support for Israel while receiving backing from Sanders, the DSA and Justice Democrats.

    Meanwhile, Michigan Democrats headed to the polls Tuesday in a closely watched Senate contest pitting establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens against progressive Abdul El-Sayed. CBS News reported that El-Sayed campaigned with Piker at events that exposed the party’s widening divisions over Israel. El-Sayed has also received support from Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

    The showdown leaves Carville trapped between two competing invitations: Ingraham is holding open the GOP door, while the Democratic left is daring him to walk out of his own party.

    For a strategist who has spent nearly half a century helping shape Democratic politics, the question is no longer whether his party is changing. It is whether there will still be room for him when that transformation is complete.

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    Top Trump Ally Warns Dem Billionaire Is Meddling In His GOP Primary

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    A clean-energy super PAC backed by a billionaire Democratic donor is unleashing a multimillion-dollar advertising barrage against one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress—just days before Tennessee Republicans choose their nominee.

    The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition has spent approximately $1.3 million opposing Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., and promoting his Republican challenger, former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. The group recently committed another $700,000 for the closing days of the campaign, bringing its total investment in the race to roughly $2 million, according to Fox News Digital and Axios.

    Ogles argues the onslaught is no ordinary primary intervention.

    “When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies,” Ogles told Fox News Digital.

    The Tennessee Republican accused renewable-energy interests of attempting to punish him for supporting the rollback of Biden-era tax credits and subsidies.

    “They’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,” he added.

    Democratic Megadonor Fuels PAC

    Federal Election Commission records show the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition raised nearly $6.8 million through June 30, despite registering with the agency only in January. The super PAC reported more than $5.1 million in cash on hand at the end of that period, according to its FEC filings.

    Fox News Digital reported that $6 million of the PAC’s funding came from Chris Larsen, the California billionaire who co-founded the cryptocurrency company Ripple.

    Larsen has an extensive history of supporting Democratic candidates and organizations. His previous donations include millions for the super PAC that backed Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, along with contributions benefiting Democratic congressional committees, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

    Axios also identified Larsen as a major supporter of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

    The billionaire has made climate activism a central focus of his philanthropy and has invested in climate-technology companies and funds. Ogles, however, says the spending in Tennessee is intended to send a warning to other Republicans who oppose federal energy subsidies.

    Invest in Tomorrow Coalition Chairman Tom Matzzie made clear that the group sees Ogles as part of a broader political campaign.

    “Our campaign is here to show that politicians who oppose clean energy do so at their own political peril,” Matzzie, who also serves as CEO of the solar company CleanChoice Energy, told Axios. “Andy Ogles is next.”

    Trump Rallies Behind Ogles

    Ogles, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has repeatedly voted to reverse renewable-energy initiatives enacted under former President Joe Biden.

    But he believes his close relationship with Trump has also placed a target on his back.

    “It’s because I’m close to the president,” Ogles told Fox News Digital. “It is because I am outspoken.”

    Trump has endorsed Ogles and held a late-campaign tele-rally encouraging Tennessee Republicans to support him. The president described Ogles as a loyal ally who has “always been there when we needed him.”

    “As the Trump-endorsed candidate in this race, I am being targeted by left-wing liberals from California because I am one of President Trump’s closest allies,” Ogles said separately in a statement obtained by Axios.

    Ogles still faces a potentially dangerous contest.

    A poll commissioned by the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition found Ogles leading Hatcher 37% to 33%, with approximately 30% undecided. The survey questioned 400 likely Republican primary voters and carried a five-point margin of error—making the race a statistical dead heat.

    The poll was paid for by a group actively working to defeat Ogles and should be viewed in that context.

    Hatcher has also out-raised the incumbent. Axios reported that Hatcher collected approximately $720,000 through July 17, compared with $610,000 for Ogles. Hatcher entered the final stretch with $105,000 available, while Ogles had $58,000 and approximately $70,000 in campaign debt.

    The challenger has secured endorsements from former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and former Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. His background as a farmer and former state agriculture commissioner could also prove valuable after redistricting shifted the 5th District toward more rural and agricultural communities.

    Ogles faced another well-funded primary challenge in 2024 but prevailed with 56.5% of the vote, according to Ballotpedia.

    Energy Fight Reaches The Ballot Box

    Ogles maintains that he supports an “all-of-the-above” energy policy but opposes allowing Washington to select favored industries through subsidies.

    “I’m not against solar,” he told Fox News Digital, explaining that he had considered installing panels on his own farm. “But I don’t want a government subsidy to make it work.”

    With the national debt approaching $40 trillion, Ogles argued that taxpayers should not be forced to underwrite investments that cannot survive in the private market.

    Invest in Tomorrow’s spending campaign suggests renewable-energy executives intend to make that position politically costly—not only for Ogles, but for other Republicans watching the Tennessee race.

    Early voting concluded Saturday, Aug. 1. The Republican primary will be decided Thursday, Aug. 6.

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    McConnell’s Office Publishes New Images After Dramatic Ultimatum Hits His Desk

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4
    Mitch McConnell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear escalated pressure on Sen. Mitch McConnell this week, demanding that the longtime Republican lawmaker publicly demonstrate that he remains capable of serving—or resign from office.

    In a letter dated Monday and reported Tuesday, the Democratic governor called on McConnell to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky” and prove his capacity to continue representing the state.

    Beshear’s ultimatum came one day after McConnell’s office released a new photograph of the 84-year-old senator alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, and confirmed that he remains in a rehabilitation facility more than six weeks after being hospitalized.

    “It has now been 43 days since news of your hospitalization,” Beshear wrote, according to Mediaite.

    McConnell has missed 38 consecutive Senate votes since his hospitalization, according to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

    “As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” Beshear wrote.

    The governor also sent the letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and urged him to investigate McConnell’s ability to remain in office if the senator declines to speak publicly.

    Beshear said he would press Thune to report his findings to the American people and begin the process of removing McConnell if an investigation determined that such action was warranted.

    “All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” the governor added.

    Beshear acknowledged McConnell’s right to medical privacy but argued that elected officials surrender a degree of that privacy when they accept responsibility for representing the public.

    The Senate can expel one of its members only with a two-thirds vote. Such action is exceedingly rare: Only 15 senators have been expelled since 1789, with 14 of those removals occurring during the Civil War, according to the Senate Historical Office.

    Beshear’s letter represents his second formal request for more information about McConnell’s condition. On July 8, the governor asked the senator to provide Kentuckians with a full health update and clarify whether he remained capable of fulfilling his duties.

    McConnell was hospitalized June 14 after suffering a fall at his Washington, D.C., residence that left him briefly unconscious. In a July 12 written statement, the senator said doctors had ruled out a heart attack, stroke, concussion, broken bones, tumors and hemorrhaging. He also disclosed that he had developed a mild case of pneumonia while receiving treatment.

    McConnell was eventually transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility, where he has been undergoing multiple physical-therapy sessions each day.

    His office released its latest update Monday, accompanied by a photograph that it said was taken July 26 and showed McConnell sitting beside Chao.

    The Office of the Attending Physician said McConnell has not been medically cleared to leave the facility and return to his Senate office. Doctors said the lingering effects of the senator’s childhood battle with polio remain a significant factor affecting his mobility.

    McConnell said he was still “working hard” to resume his schedule but announced that he would miss Kentucky’s Fancy Farm picnic Saturday. The annual political gathering is a major tradition in the state and one McConnell first attended 42 years ago.

    “As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon,” McConnell said in the official update.

    A spokesman previously said McConnell continued meeting with staff and discussing defense appropriations, foreign policy, the farm bill, constituent services and federal grant requests during his recovery. Republican leaders, including Thune and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, have also said they spoke with McConnell by telephone.

    The senator has not, however, participated in a live video interview or addressed Kentuckians directly since his hospitalization, leaving Beshear and other critics dissatisfied with the written statements and photographs released by his office.

    McConnell has experienced several highly publicized health scares in recent years, including falls, two on-camera freezing episodes in 2023 and an intensive-care hospitalization earlier this year for flu-like symptoms.

    The seven-term senator has already announced that he will not seek reelection and plans to leave office when his current term expires in January 2027. If the seat becomes vacant before then, Kentucky law calls for a special election to fill the remainder of the term.

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    Trump Suggests Pulling His Own Nominee Amid Bitter GOP Standoff

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general and wait for two Republican holdouts to leave Washington before trying again.

    The extraordinary maneuver would allow Blanche to remain acting attorney general while Trump attempts to outlast Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., whose opposition forced Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to postpone Thursday’s scheduled vote.

    “Todd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He has the potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time.”

    Trump then turned his fire on Cornyn and Tillis, accusing the departing senators of blocking a nominee they know is qualified.

    “John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting,” Trump wrote.

    “I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office,” he added.

    Tillis announced last year that he would not seek reelection, while Cornyn lost the Texas Republican primary to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received Trump’s endorsement.

    Trump had already suggested Wednesday that Cornyn’s resistance could be rooted in lingering resentment over the primary.

    “He’s outstanding,” Trump told reporters when asked about Blanche’s nomination. “Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” according to The Associated Press.

    Cornyn laughed off that suggestion, calling it “a convenient excuse” for the administration’s failure to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee, ABC News reported.

    The standoff centers on a controversial settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leaking of his tax returns.

    That agreement created a proposed $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who claim they were targeted by the federal government. It also included protections shielding Trump, members of his family and affiliated businesses from certain tax audits.

    The Justice Department announced in June that it would no longer move forward with the fund after bipartisan backlash. Blanche also testified at his July 15 confirmation hearing that the fund was “dead.”

    Cornyn and Tillis, however, want those assurances put in writing and the settlement language amended so the fund cannot be revived later. Cornyn also wants confirmation that Trump will not receive immunity from audits of future tax returns.

    “We want to make sure that it remains dead, and that the president isn’t given any immunity from future audits that the ordinary taxpayer would not enjoy,” Cornyn told CBS News Thursday.

    Cornyn said the Justice Department sent him proposed language Wednesday night, but he found it inadequate and responded with a counterproposal Thursday morning. He blamed “higher ups” at the White House for resisting the changes.

    “Basically I get the sense that Todd Blanche is not the problem, it’s other folks at the White House who are resistant to any changes, any additional documentation,” Cornyn told The Hill. “But they need to make a fundamental decision whether they want him confirmed or not.”

    Tillis similarly suggested that an unnamed White House adviser may be urging Trump to preserve the fund as an option.

    “The only reason why we wouldn’t move forward with this language is because that same adviser wants to bring it back to life at some point,” Tillis told CBS News.

    “That is horrible policy and it’s horrible politics,” he told The Hill.

    Tillis acknowledged that Trump is “perfectly entitled” to hold Blanche’s nomination until January but warned the strategy could backfire if Republicans lose Senate seats—or control of the chamber—in November.

    Cornyn also disputed Trump’s portrayal of the fight as a two-senator rebellion.

    “POTUS is mistaken if he believes concerns about the provisions in his tax lawsuit settlement are limited to me and Senator Tillis,” Cornyn wrote on X.

    Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., another outgoing Republican, declined Thursday to say whether he would support Blanche if the nomination came up for a vote, telling CBS News he was still gathering information.

    For now, Blanche can continue overseeing the Justice Department in an acting capacity because he was previously confirmed as deputy attorney general. The White House has also highlighted support for his nomination from major law enforcement organizations, Republican state attorneys general and former Attorney General William Barr. The administration called Blanche a proven leader committed to fighting violent crime, fraud and transnational gangs.

    Cornyn said Blanche’s nomination could advance as soon as next week if the administration agrees to clarify the settlement. Otherwise, the confirmation fight could stretch into September—or Trump could carry out his threat

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    Trump-Backed Mike Lindell Surges Ahead In Minnesota Governor’s Race

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Mike Lindell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Mike Lindell is no longer merely the most famous Republican running for governor of Minnesota. The MyPillow founder is beginning to pull away from the pack.

    A new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll found Lindell leading the Republican primary with 35 percent support—an eight-point jump since June and a nine-point advantage over his closest rival.

    Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth climbed four points to 26 percent, while Kendall Qualls, who secured the state Republican Party’s endorsement in May, fell six points to 11 percent.

    The survey of 478 Republican voters was conducted from July 15 through July 20 and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 5.4 percentage points.

    Lindell’s gains stretched across several important voting blocs. According to KSTP-TV, his support among Republican women climbed nine points, while his backing among voters 65 and older surged by 17 points.

    The latest results mark a clear acceleration for Lindell. A June KSTP/SurveyUSA survey placed him at 27 percent, followed by Demuth at 22 percent and Qualls at 17 percent.

    At the time, Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier said Lindell’s national profile would make him competitive but warned that he would need additional money to preserve his advantage.

    Instead, Lindell has widened his lead just weeks before the Aug. 11 primary—and he is doing it despite the state party establishment lining up behind someone else.

    Qualls secured the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement after a chaotic 10-ballot convention marked by lengthy delays and problems with its electronic voting system. But that endorsement has not translated into momentum among the broader Republican electorate.

    Lindell received another, far more powerful endorsement on the first day of the new poll’s surveying period: President Donald Trump’s.

    Trump threw his “complete and total endorsement” behind his longtime ally in a July 15 Truth Social post, calling Lindell “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots.” (RELATED: Trump Endorses Mike Lindell In Minnesota Governor’s Race)

    “Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!!” Trump wrote, adding that Lindell would “MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN.”

    Lindell welcomed the endorsement and made it clear that his campaign was not a publicity exercise.

    “I wanted everyone in Minnesota to know I’m serious,” Lindell told KSTP-TV. “I’m running this campaign. I’m 100% all in.”

    The primary winner is expected to face Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November for the seat being vacated by Gov. Tim Walz.

    Walz abandoned his bid for a third term in January as Minnesota faced mounting scrutiny over fraud involving government-funded social-service programs. In his withdrawal statement, Walz acknowledged that the state had a serious problem and declared that “the buck stops with me,” while insisting his administration was taking action.

    Fraud and government accountability have since become central issues in the race. Lindell has proposed halting payments to providers flagged as high-risk, expanding audits and data analysis, strengthening protections for whistleblowers and cooperating with federal investigators.

    Republican voters now appear increasingly willing to entrust that fight to the outspoken businessman.

    Early voting for Minnesota’s primary began June 26, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office. With less than three weeks remaining before Election Day, Lindell has transformed his celebrity and close relationship with Trump into a commanding—though not yet insurmountable—lead.

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    Trump’s Handpicked Graham Successor Draws Challenge From Old GOP Nemesis

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

    Mark Sanford is back — and once again running headlong into President Donald Trump’s political machine.

    The former South Carolina governor and congressman announced Thursday that he is seeking the Senate seat previously held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, joining a rapidly expanding Republican field despite Trump already throwing his support behind Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham.

    “Our country is at a financial tipping point, and I can’t sit on the sidelines while Washington adds a trillion dollars to the debt every 100 days,” Sanford wrote on social media.

    “I’ve spent my entire time in politics fighting this fight, and I’m running for U.S. Senate to keep the American dream alive for our sons, my grandson, and those you love. Join us,” he added.

    Sanford’s announcement included a video in which he reflected on Graham’s death and described the loss as a reminder of “how short and precious life is.”

    “My own dad got Lou Gehrig’s disease when I was in high school, and this notion of all of us having just a little time has always hit me hard,” Sanford said. “We’re stewards of our lives and the things that we love for just a short time.”

    The campaign gives Sanford another opportunity to revive his longtime crusade against federal spending — but it also places him squarely against Trump’s preferred candidate.

    Trump announced last week that Darline Graham would receive his “Complete and Total Endorsement” if she entered the race, enthusiastically declaring: “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!” (RELATED: Trump Speaks Out On Potential Lindsey Graham Replacement)

    Graham, who was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to temporarily fill her brother’s seat, confirmed during an interview with Sean Hannity that she would seek the full six-year term. Her appointment made her the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate.

    Sanford’s entry creates an especially combustible matchup because he and Trump have already fought — and Trump won.

    Sanford repeatedly criticized Trump during his first administration, drawing the president’s wrath while seeking another House term in 2018. Just hours before polls closed in that year’s Republican primary, Trump endorsed Sanford’s opponent, state Rep. Katie Arrington, and declared that Sanford had been “very unhelpful” and was “better off in Argentina.”

    The jab referenced Sanford’s infamous 2009 disappearance while serving as governor. His staff initially said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail, but Sanford later acknowledged that he had traveled to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he was having an affair.

    Arrington narrowly defeated Sanford, handing him his first loss in a South Carolina election. Arrington had spent much of the campaign portraying Sanford as a “Never Trumper.”

    Sanford returned the challenge the following year by launching a long-shot campaign against Trump for the 2020 Republican presidential nomination. That effort, which also focused heavily on the national debt, lasted roughly two months before Sanford pulled the plug after struggling to gain traction.

    His latest campaign also represents a reversal from the position he took only months ago.

    Sanford briefly launched a campaign for his former House seat earlier this year but withdrew in April, saying “the most effective way I can contribute right now is not by seeking office.” At the time, he said he planned to build a nonprofit and grassroots movement focused on the country’s growing debt.

    Graham’s death, however, opened a rare statewide opportunity — and Sanford is now arguing that Washington’s spending binge demands his return to elected office.

    The 66-year-old served as South Carolina’s governor from 2003 through 2011. He represented the state’s 1st Congressional District from 1995 through 2001 and again from 2013 through 2019.

    Sanford joins a Republican field that already includes Graham, Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, businessman Mark Lynch and attorney Duke Buckner. Norman has secured support from several prominent conservatives, including Rep. Nancy Mace and former Sen. Jim DeMint, underscoring the resistance to Trump’s effort to consolidate the party behind Graham.

    The compressed campaign leaves Sanford little time to rebuild his political organization or convince Republican voters to look past his long-running feud with Trump.

    Candidate filing closes July 28. The special Republican primary will be held Aug. 11, followed by an Aug. 25 runoff if no candidate receives a majority. The winner will advance to the Nov. 3 general election against Democrat nominee Annie Andrews, according to the South Carolina Election Commission.

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    Bill O’Reilly Tells Trump To ‘Take The Next Month Off’

    By
    Patrick Houck
    -
    4
    AI-generated image.

    Conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly is urging President Donald Trump to step away from the White House for several weeks, arguing that the 80-year-old president has been stretched too thin by months of nonstop domestic and international crises.

    Speaking on his “No Spin News” program, the former Fox News host said Trump should take time to rest after an intense stretch that has included the war with Iran, trade negotiations, immigration battles and high-profile diplomatic meetings.

    “He needs a breather,” O’Reilly said. “Take the next month off.”

    ‘He’s exhausted’

    O’Reilly argued that Trump’s demanding schedule appears to be taking a physical toll.

    Throughout his presidency, Trump has maintained an unusually active public schedule, often holding multiple events, traveling and making major policy announcements in a single day.

    According to O’Reilly, that pace has begun to show physically.

    “Now, I’ve noticed that he is hunching over a little bit, and that’s normal,” O’Reilly said. “You get older, every malady in the world is going to visit you. I can’t even bore you with the stuff I got to deal with.”

    O’Reilly said the changes are a natural part of aging but suggested they underscore the importance of slowing down. “I was actually feeling sorry for myself the other day, and I never do that,” he added.

    WATCH:

    Advice from a longtime ally

    The comments stand out because O’Reilly has generally been one of Trump’s most reliable supporters.

    Earlier this year, he warned Republicans they would be “slaughtered” in the midterm elections if they attempted to distance themselves from the president, arguing that Trump remains the party’s dominant political figure.

    Rather than criticizing Trump’s agenda, O’Reilly framed his latest advice as a matter of endurance, saying the president should preserve his energy for the remainder of his term.

    White House has shown no sign of slowing down

    There is no indication the administration plans to scale back the president’s schedule.

    READ NEXT: New Details Emerge About Trump Ally’s Moscow Trip

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    Congressional Candidate Sparks Outrage With Unhinged Anti-Trump Video

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    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

    A Republican congressional candidate and former U.S. Marine has triggered a firestorm after posting a bizarre video branding President Donald Trump “the Antichrist” and declaring that he “must be killed.”

    William Upham, a write-in candidate for Florida’s 5th Congressional District, delivered the nearly seven-minute religious and political rant while wearing a Marine Corps uniform—even though the service says he was medically discharged more than a year ago.

    Upham initially presented his campaign as an effort to restore bipartisanship, return power to working Americans and “fix our broken political system.”

    Then the video took a dark turn.

    “We are led by a president who is the enemy of God,” Upham said, according to Fox News.

    After quoting Bible passages and invoking the oath he took as a Marine officer to defend the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Upham leveled an extraordinary accusation against the commander in chief.

    “There is no doubt in my mind that the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, is the Antichrist,” Upham said. “He is a false messiah. And he is your enemy. And he must be killed.”

    Upham claimed Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV and a previously posted AI-generated image depicting the president in Christ-like imagery helped shape his conclusion, according to the New York Post.

    “He is nothing like Jesus Christ,” Upham said.

    Later in the video, he urged Americans to consider whether they were “worshiping a false idol” before declaring: “President Trump is the Antichrist. And he will be killed and sent to hell. God will prevail against evil.”

    Upham also said violence should never be used for “evil purposes such as vengeance or plunder,” an assertion sharply at odds with his earlier declaration about the president.

    The Marine Corps swiftly disavowed the former officer.

    “The Marine Corps is aware of the disturbing statements made by William Upham, who was medically discharged on May 30, 2025,” the service said in a statement posted to X. “The comments made by Upham are a direct violation of the oath he swore to uphold and are not in keeping with the service’s values.”

    Upham served in the Marines from 2021 until 2025 and reached the rank of first lieutenant, according to Task & Purpose.

    Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao also condemned the candidate’s remarks.

    “Unacceptable,” Cao wrote on X. “William Upham is no longer a Marine and does not represent our values or ethos.”

    The Secret Service confirmed that it was aware of the video.

    “The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the comments made by a congressional candidate in Florida, and we investigate anything that can be perceived as a threat toward one of our protectees,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence.”

    The violent rhetoric is especially alarming after multiple assassination attempts against Trump and the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025.

    Despite the national attention generated by his video, Upham appears to be a fringe contender in the August 18 Republican primary. He is running as a write-in candidate against five-term incumbent Rep. John Rutherford, conservative radio personality Mark Kaye and Donald Muirheid, according to Ballotpedia.

    No reputable public opinion poll located as of Thursday showed measurable support for Upham. One prediction-market tracker gave Rutherford a roughly 93% chance of winning the nomination, however it’s important to note that prediction-market odds are not the same as voter polling.

    Rutherford also begins the race from a commanding position. The former Jacksonville sheriff won reelection in 2024 with more than 63% of the vote, carrying the heavily Republican district by approximately 26 percentage points.

    Upham’s own campaign website describes him as a Marine, prosecutor and Republican running “for God and country.” It also promises voters: “No more insiders. No more extremism. No more excuses.”

    After his explosive video, that anti-extremism pitch is now facing intense scrutiny.

    Have you abandoned MAGA too? Or can Trump still count on you? He needs an answer NOW.

    Trump Endorses Mike Lindell In Minnesota Governor’s Race

    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 is throwing his political weight behind one of his longest-standing allies, giving MyPillow founder Mike Lindell his “complete and total endorsement” in Minnesota’s closely watched race for governor — a move that underscores the president’s loyalty to one of his fiercest defenders even as Republicans debate the party’s best path to winning a traditionally blue state.

    Trump announced his endorsement Wednesday morning in a lengthy Truth Social post, praising Lindell as a tireless supporter who has stood by him through years of political and legal battles.

    “Mike Lindell, the ‘Pillow Man,’ and one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots, is running to be GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA, replacing one of the worst and most incompetent governors in the history of the U.S.A.,” Trump wrote.

    The president argued Lindell could reverse what he described as the state’s decline under outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

    “He can do it! Nobody has sacrificed more than Mike Lindell in fighting for our country, especially when it comes to Election Integrity,” Trump continued. “He truly deserves everything he gets – He will MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

    Trump concluded with an unequivocal endorsement.

    “MIKE LINDELL HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. Good Luck Mike!!!”

    The endorsement formalizes a relationship that has stretched back years. Lindell emerged as one of Trump’s most visible allies after the 2020 election, frequently appearing alongside the president, using his platform to defend Trump’s claims about election integrity, and becoming a regular presence at rallies and conservative events. His loyalty came at a steep personal and financial cost, with retailers dropping MyPillow products and voting technology companies filing high-profile defamation lawsuits against him over statements about the 2020 election.

    Trump has repeatedly praised Lindell for remaining loyal despite those setbacks. Even before issuing his formal endorsement, the president had publicly said last year that Lindell “deserves to be governor of Minnesota.”

    Lindell launched his gubernatorial campaign last December, joining a crowded Republican field seeking to replace Walz, who opted against seeking another term. Walz’s administration has faced sustained criticism from Republicans over massive fraud schemes involving state-administered federal nutrition programs, allegations Trump referenced again in his endorsement.

    The endorsement also comes as Minnesota Republicans remain divided over their preferred nominee.

    While businessman Kendall Qualls secured the Minnesota GOP’s endorsement at the state convention, Lindell has continued campaigning aggressively and has remained competitive in public polling. A recent SurveyUSA/KSTP poll showed Lindell leading the Republican primary field with 27% support, ahead of Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth at 22% and Qualls at 17%, though roughly one-quarter of Republican voters remained undecided.

    If Lindell captures the Aug. 11 Republican primary, he would likely face Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who entered the governor’s race after Walz stepped aside and has built a substantial fundraising advantage. Multiple early surveys have shown Klobuchar beginning the general election campaign as the favorite.

    Trump nevertheless argued Republicans can prevail, while again alleging election problems have hurt the GOP in Minnesota.

    In a separate Truth Social post Wednesday, the president blasted Klobuchar as “lightly respected” and accused her of knowing about the fraud allegations surrounding Minnesota’s child nutrition reimbursement programs.

    “I have gotten to know Klobuchar over the years, and find her to be equally as incompetent as Walz, and probably equally as corrupt in that, as a high Government Official from Minnesota, she knew everything that was going on,” Trump wrote.

    He also claimed, “If the Elections in Minnesota weren’t RIGGED, any Republican could win, but they were, and that is why nobody has won there since Richard Nixon many years ago. I thought I won it all three times, only to be disappointed in the end.”

    Minnesota’s Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with the general election set for November.

    Have you abandoned MAGA too? Or can Trump still count on you? He needs an answer NOW.
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