President Trump pushed back Sunday evening against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greeneโs (R-Ga.) warnings about her personal safety, escalating an already tense dispute within the GOP over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Speaking to reporters on the tarmac before departing Palm Beach, Fla., the president reiterated his criticism of Greene, again referring to the outspoken conservative as a โtraitorโ when asked about her claim that Trumpโs rhetoric could endanger her life.
โMarjorie โTraitorโ Greene,โ Trump said, correcting a reporter who used the congresswomanโs actual name. โI donโt think her life is in danger. I donโt think โ frankly, I donโt think anybody cares about her.โ
A short time later, Trump doubled down on Truth Social, taking aim at Greene as tensions continue to rise over her calls for the full release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. โWacky Marjorie โTraitorโ Brown (Remember, Green turns to Brown where there is ROT involved!) is working overtime to try and portray herself as a victim when, in actuality, she is the cause of all of her own problems,โ Trump wrote. โThe fact is, nobody cares about this Traitor to our Country!โ
Greene, who has long portrayed herself as one of Trumpโs staunchest allies, had posted earlier on X that โthe hoax pizza deliveries have started now, to my house and family members,โ and said her familyโs construction business had received a pipe bomb threat. She argued that Trumpโs attacks on her were โa dog whistle to dangerous radicals that could lead to serious attacks on me and my family.โ
Responding to Trump labeling her a traitor, Greene wrote that the accusation is โabsolutely untrue and horrificโ and said such language โputs blood in the water and creates a feeding frenzy. And it could ultimately lead to a harmful or even deadly outcome.โ
โI am not a traitor,โ she insisted. โHowever, when the President of the United States irresponsibly calls a Member of Congress of his own party, traitor, he is signaling what must be done to a traitor.โ
Watch:
I stood with President Trump when almost no one else would. I campaigned for him all over this country and spent millions of my own dollars helping him get elected.
Thatโs why being called a โtraitorโ isnโt just hurtful, it puts a target on my back and puts my life in danger.โฆ pic.twitter.com/LPDjpldExn
Greene defended her record and her long-standing loyalty to Trump. โI fought harder than anyone to help President Trump get elected and I support his administration and the promises we made on the campaign,โ she wrote. โMy voting record is one of the most conservative voting records in Congress and Iโm very proud of that. The toxic and dangerous rhetoric in politics must end and we need healing in this country for all Americans.โ
The dispute comes as Greene has intensified her criticism of Trumpโs earlier reluctance to endorse the full release of the Epstein filesโdocuments many Republicans argue should be made public to expose potential wrongdoing and eliminate politically motivated speculation. The House is expected to vote this week on a measure compelling the Department of Justice to release those records. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who initiated the discharge petition to force the vote, said he expects significant Republican support.
By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer – https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695
Republican pressure on Trump increased last week after Democrats selectively released new emails, including one allegedly written by Epstein claiming Trump โknew about the girls.โ Many conservatives view the move as a partisan attempt to smear Trump and distract from Democratic figures who were associated with Epstein. In response, and just minutes before his latest Truth Social post criticizing Greene, Trump urged House Republicans to back full transparency.
Lawmakers โshould vote to release the Epstein files,โ Trump said, arguing, โwe have nothing to hide, and itโs time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.โ
Still, Massie cautioned that the Justice Departmentโnow conducting new probes into Epsteinโs alleged connections to Democratsโmight use those investigations to justify withholding certain materials even after Congress acts. Republicans warn that bureaucratic resistance could undermine the effort for full disclosure, a point fueling frustration both inside and outside the party.
Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer attend medal ceremony via Wikimedia Commons
As Democrats face growing internal turmoil, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is under fire from members of his own party โ and some say the unrest may soon spread to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
During Thursdayโs segment of Fox & Friends, host Lawrence Jones offered a pointed prediction about who might be the next Democrat to fall out of favor with the partyโs increasingly fractured base.
โQuick prediction: Jeffries is next,โ Jones told co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Ainsley Earhardt. โTheyโre gonna get rid of him next. First, it was Schumer. Theyโre not happy with Jeffries either. They donโt like his alignment with AIPAC and have been very critical of how he operates.โ
Jones added that many progressives in the Democratic Party โdonโt respectโ Jeffries and that his position had been shielded for years by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
โNancy Pelosi kind of protected him,โ Jones said. โBut now that sheโs retiring, I believe heโs going to be the next target.โ
Democrats in Disarray
The Democratic Partyโs internal divisions have been on full display amid the historic 43-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Schumer, struggling to hold his caucus together, lost seven Democrats and one Independent who sided with Republicans to support a short-term continuing resolution that ultimately reopened the government.
That rebellion has led several prominent progressives โ including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) โ to openly question Schumerโs leadership and even call for his ouster. Although no formal challenge has yet materialized, the discontent is unmistakable.
Pressure Mounts on Party Leadership
Many Democrats are torn between the partyโs traditional pro-Israel establishment figures like Schumer and Jeffries, and the ascendant left-wing faction that has become increasingly critical of Israel and of AIPACโs influence in Washington.
Jonesโs comments reflect a broader sense that Democratic leadership is losing control of its own base โ particularly among younger, more progressive voters frustrated by what they see as political compromise and a lack of clear vision.
A Growing Divide
The potential downfall of two of the partyโs most powerful figures โ Schumer in the Senate and Jeffries in the House โ would mark a stunning shift within Democratic ranks.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
LONDON โ The BBCโs top two executives are stepping down amid mounting pressure over editorial credibility, shaking confidence in the U.K.โs national broadcaster just as it faces critical decisions on funding and governance.
On Sunday, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness announced their resignations. The dual departure follows weeks of mounting backlash over allegations of systemic bias in the networkโs coverage โ from President Donald Trump and the war in Gaza to debates over transgender rights.
Pressure Built After Leaked Memo
The tipping point came with a leaked internal memo from former BBC adviser Michael Prescott. The memo accused the broadcaster of โserious and systemic biasโ across a range of politically charged topics.
Chief among them: an episode of Panorama that aired selectively edited footage of Trumpโs Jan. 6, 2021, speech. Critics said the edits gave the false impression that Trump directly called on supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. The full version of the speech did not support that claim.
Controversy also surrounded the BBCโs coverage of the Gaza conflict. Accusations included overreliance on anti-Israel voices, sourcing from extremists on its Arabic service, and distorted portrayals of children and wartime suffering.
In a separate thread of concern, BBC staff raised red flags over the networkโs handling of trans-related issues, arguing its reporting often lacked balance and downplayed the contested nature of the debates.
Davie and Turness Respond
In a message to BBC staff, Davie acknowledged the broadcasterโs imperfections.
โLike all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect,โ he wrote. โWhile not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision.โ
Turness, while taking responsibility for the news division, rejected claims of structural bias.
โWhile mistakes have been made,โ she wrote, โI want to be absolutely clear: recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.โ
BBC Chairman Samir Shah called it a โsad day,โ affirming the boardโs support for Davie but conceding the strain he had been under.
A Deeper Governance Crisis
The BBC, funded by the public through license fees, is required by charter to deliver impartial journalism. The resignations expose a deeper institutional crisis at a time when the broadcasterโs mandate and funding model are under review.
The current Royal Charter is set to expire in 2027. Debates about the future of the license fee, the role of public media, and political interference are already in motion. The timing of this leadership vacuum could have significant downstream effects.
What Comes Next
The BBC board now faces the task of finding replacements for two of its most senior posts. The outcome will shape the editorial tone and strategic direction of the broadcaster for years to come.
Internal reviews are expected, especially around how the Panorama episode was handled and whether internal warnings were ignored. Broader investigations may follow, probing the extent of bias across the BBCโs output.
In the near term, the corporation faces reputational damage. With over 100 BBC employees and 200 industry professionals having signed an open letter last year criticizing Gaza coverage, pressure is mounting not just from the public but also from within.
Regulators and government officials may push for increased oversight, new editorial controls, or funding reforms as part of the charter renewal debate.
Looking Ahead
Davie, who took over in 2020, exits during one of the BBCโs most fraught moments in recent history. His successor will inherit a broadcaster under siege โ from all sides โ and with a shrinking window to restore public trust before the next charter review begins in earnest.
What happens next at the BBC wonโt just shape a news organization โ it will help define the future of public broadcasting in a divided media landscape.
On Monday afternoon in Berkeley, a bloody confrontation broke out near the campus of the University of California, Berkeley as the conservative student-activist group Turning Point USA (TPUSA) held its final stop of the โThis Is The Turning Pointโ tour. The event featured noted conservative voices Dr. Frank Turek and actor-activist Rob Schneider, and came just two months after the murder of TPUSAโs founder, Charlie Kirk, at a campus event in Utah on Sept. 10.
According to video from Fox News Digital, the skirmish began around 4:30 p.m. PST. Two men were seen grappling in the altercation, with one suffering a serious facial injury and blood clearly visible. A mob of agitatorsโmany wearing keffiyehs and carrying left-wing protest signsโsurrounded the fight. The local police, including officers donning shields and batons, appeared challenged to regain control of the crowd.
UC Berkeley is currently a war zone and ANTIFA has tried to rush the barriers into tonightโs TPUSA event multiple times.
The Berkeley Police Department reported at least two arrests by 6 p.m.โone individual was arrested for battery. A university spokesperson clarified the brawl occurred off campus grounds and declined further comment.
TPUSA met with violence from the left at the first stop of this tour, and now we see more of it again tonight
Turek, in a recent interview ahead of the event, said he urged Kirk to make the Berkeley stop of the tour: โIf I could go to any one event with him, it would be that oneโฆ I wanted to go to UC Berkeley because it is so progressive and liberal in their views, and I wanted to provide evidence that Christianity was indeed true.โ
As departure began, protesters reportedly surrounded all exits to the venue, heckled attendees, and shouted obscenities as they filtered out. It remains unclear how many individuals were injured in the fight.
Kirk, Trump & the Conservative Youth Movement Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, with the mission of mobilizing conservative students on college campuses. His organization became a central pillar of conservative youth activism.
Kirkโs relationship with Donald Trump evolved into a potent alignment:
Kirk was considered a key figure in helping Trump make inroads with younger voters, a segment Democrats long dominated.
He developed a direct line to the Trump orbit; multiple sources note that his influence extended beyond student activism into campaign strategy.
Kirkโs impact on the GOPโs youthful base, combined with his focus on campus organizing, made him a strategic asset to the Trump-aligned Republican coalition. As one analysis put it: โKirkโs efforts significantly contributed to Trumpโs appeal among younger voters.โ
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigatingย the protestsย at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, in the wake of several arrests at a Turning Point USA event.
โWe saw all of this at Berkeley back in 2017. @UCBerkeley was sued, and settled the case,โ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon wrote on the social platform X Tuesday, responding to another post claiming that โAntifa has turned Turning Pointโs event at UC Berkeley in California into an absolute WARZONE.โ
We saw all of this at Berkeley back in 2017. @UCBerkeley was sued, and settled the case.
The @CivilRights will investigate what happened here, and I see several issues of serious concern regarding campus and local security and Antifaโs ability to operate with impunity in CA. https://t.co/aN7JzouXwl
โThe @CivilRights will investigate what happened here, and I see several issues of serious concern regarding campus and local security and Antifaโs ability to operate with impunity in CA,โ she added.
Nancy Pelosiโs daughter, Christine Pelosi, announced she is tossing her hat into the ring for the California state senate, just days after her mom announced her highly anticipated retirement from Congress.
The younger Pelosi, a longtime political consultant and former chairperson of the California Democratic Womenโs Caucus, announced her campaign on social media on Monday morning.
โHi, Iโm Christine Pelosi. Attorney, author, advocate, wife, mom, and today, a candidate for California State Senate,โ she says in a campaign video accompanying the post.
In courtrooms, campaigns and corridors of power, Iโve fought to build Power For The People. And thatโs why Iโm running for California Senate. pic.twitter.com/jncXmCCx6l
Christine Pelosi, 59, is one of the former House speakerโs five children with her husband, Paul.
Pelosi, 85, announced on Thursday that she would not run for reelection after a historic congressional career that spanned four decades.
The retirement reveal was celebrated by President Donald Trump, who later relayed through Fox News reporter Peter Doocy that she was โevil, corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country.โ
โShe was rapidly losing control of her party and it was never coming back. Iโm very honored she impeached me twice and failed miserably twice,โ Trump said.
President Trump responds to Nancy Pelosi's retirement: "The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America. She was Evil, Corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country. She was rapidly losing control of her party and it was never coming back. I'm very honoredโฆ pic.twitter.com/7ZtNpJknCq
Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosiโs rivalry has been one of the defining political dramas of recent years, symbolizing the deep partisan divide in Washington. From Trumpโs first impeachmentโdriven by Pelosiโs Democratic Houseโto their public clashes over the State of the Union address, the two leaders turned political disagreement into personal enmity. Trump often cast Pelosi as the face of establishment obstruction, accusing her of putting party politics ahead of American progress. For many Republicans, her approach epitomized the D.C. eliteโs refusal to respect the voters who put Trump in office.
Even after Trump left the White House, the feuds continued to shape both figuresโ legacies. Pelosi frequently invokes Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump uses her name as shorthand for what he sees as the failures of liberal governance.
A federal judge appointed by former President Ronald Reagan has resigned his lifetime post to speak publicly against what he describes as a dangerous politicization of the justice system under Donald Trump. Mark L. Wolf, who served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 1985, announced his decision in an op-ed published in The Atlantic, saying he could no longer remain silent as he believes the former president uses the law to reward allies and target adversaries.
Wolf, 78, said that stepping down would allow him to speak freely after decades of being constrained by judicial ethics rules.
โPresident Donald Trump is using the law for partisan purposes, targeting his adversaries while sparing his friends and donors from investigation, prosecution, and possible punishment,โ he wrote. โThis is contrary to everything that I have stood for in my more than 50 years in the Department of Justice and on the bench. The White Houseโs assault on the rule of law is so deeply disturbing to me that I feel compelled to speak out. Silence, for me, is now intolerable.โ
A Massachusetts native and Harvard Law graduate, Wolf began his public service career in the Department of Justice in 1974, joining just after the Watergate scandal. He served under Attorney General Edward Levi during President Gerald Fordโs administrationโa formative experience that, he said, shaped his views on nonpartisan justice and the importance of public trust in the legal system. He later became a top federal prosecutor in Boston before Reagan nominated him to the bench. Over nearly four decades as a judge, Wolf became known for handling high-profile corruption cases and for his work to strengthen judicial ethics and transparency.
Wolf took senior status in 2013, meaning he already had a reduced caseload and his seat was filled the following year by Judge Indira Talwani. His resignation, therefore, does not create a new vacancy for any administration to fill. Instead, it marks his formal departure from a system he says is under siege from political manipulation.
โI decided all of my cases based on the facts and the law, without regard to politics, popularity, or my personal preferences,โ Wolf wrote. โThat is how justice is supposed to be administeredโequally for everyone, without fear or favor. This is the opposite of what is happening now.โ
Speaking to The New York Times, Wolf said he hopes to serve as a voice for other judges who feel bound by the Code of Judicial Conduct from speaking candidly about growing public distrust in the courts. โI hope to be a spokesperson for embattled judges who, consistent with the code of conduct, feel they cannot speak candidly to the American people,โ he said.
The White House pushed back sharply on Wolfโs remarks. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital that judges โwho want to inject their own personal agenda into the law have no place on the bench.โ
She added that Trumpโs record of legal victories undermines Wolfโs claim of politicization: โWith over 20 Supreme Court victories, the Trump Administrationโs policies have been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court as lawful despite an unprecedented number of legal challenges and unlawful lower court rulings. Any other radical judges that want to complain to the press should at least have the decency to resign before doing so.โ
President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)
President Donald Trump has granted full pardons to his former personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and several other key figures who were prosecuted for their roles in challenging the 2020 presidential election results โ a move the White House called a step toward โnational reconciliation.โ
In a proclamation posted late Sunday night, U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin listed dozens of individuals granted clemency โfor certain offenses related to the 2020 presidential election.โ
โThis proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation,โ the statement reads.
The list includes several prominent names long accused by Democrats and federal prosecutors of contesting the election: Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Boris Epshteyn, and others.
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr
The proclamation, dated November 7, clarifies that it applies only to federal offenses and does not extend to President Trump himself.
Also included in the sweeping clemency order were Republican activists who had served as fake electors for Trump in 2020, and who faced charges for submitting fraudulent certificates asserting they were the lawful electors, despite former Presidentย Joe Bidenโsย victories in those states.
Those pardoned include Republican activists who had served as alternate electors in 2020 and faced prosecution for asserting that Donald Trump โ not Joe Biden โ was the rightful winner in their states. Many of these individuals have maintained they were exercising constitutionally protected political activity.
Legal experts noted that the pardons do not affect state-level prosecutions, including ongoing cases in Georgia against several of Trumpโs allies. Critics have long argued that these state prosecutions were politically motivated and part of a broader effort to criminalize dissent.
โThese great Americans were persecuted and put through hell by the Biden Administration for challenging an election, which is the cornerstone of democracy,โ said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to The Hill. โGetting prosecuted for challenging results is something that happens in communist Venezuela, not the United States of America, and President Trump is putting an end to the Biden Regimeโs communist tactics once and for all,โ she continued.
Giuliani was disbarred from practicing law in New York State and the District of Columbia for making numerous false claims related to the 2020 presidential election.
Several of those pardoned โ including Giuliani and Powell โ were instrumental in raising concerns about irregularities and integrity issues in the 2020 race. Giuliani, who was disbarred in New York and Washington, D.C., for questioning the election results, is now fully cleared of federal allegations.
Eastman, a constitutional scholar, and Clark, a former Justice Department official, were also included in the pardons after being unfairly portrayed as conspirators for exploring legal options available to the Trump campaign.
The move comes after Special Counsel Jack Smith dismissed the federal case against President Trump himself, following his reelection. Giuliani, Powell, Clark, and Eastman were previously identified as uncharged co-conspirators in that case.
Giuliani, Powell, Clark and Eastman were alleged co-conspirators in that federal case but were never charged with a federal crime.
Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Democrat strategist James Carvilleโknown as much for his fiery rhetoric as his mixed record of election predictionsโsays heโs ready to โbet a lot of moneyโ that Democrats will take the White House in 2028 and then move to pack the Supreme Court.
Speaking on his Politics War Room podcast Thursday with co-host Al Hunt, Carville responded to a listener question about what Democrats could have done differently to prepare for President Donald Trumpโs second term. Instead of looking back, he offered a bold forecast for the next presidential cycle.
Carville eventually dropped a whopper of a prediction that he insisted he has plenty of confidence in.
โIโm going to tell you whatโs going to happen. A Democrat is going to be elected in 2028. You know that. I know that. The Democratic president is going to announce a special transition advisory committee on the reform of the Supreme Court,โ the longtime Democratic strategist declared.
Carvilleโonce a top adviser to Bill Clintonโhas not always had a stellar record when it comes to predictions. Before the 2024 election, he confidently declared that Kamala Harris would โsail her way to victory,โ repeating that claim several times, including in an op-ed for The New York Times.
In January, Carville admitted he had gotten it โall wrong.โ Heโs since been openly critical of Harrisโs failed campaign, recently warning her allies to โpipe downโ because โno Democrat wants to hearโ from them.
On his 2028 prediction, Carville laid out how he believes a Democrat will expand the Supreme Court from nine seats to 13.
He argued:
โTheyโre going to recommend that the number of Supreme Court justices go from nine to 13. Thatโs going to happen, people,โ Carville said. โTheyโre going to win. Theyโre going to do some blue ribbon panel of distinguished jurists, and they are going to recommend 13, and a Democratic Senate and House is going to pass it, and the Democratic president is going to sign it, because they have to do an intervention so we can have a Supreme Court that the American people trust again.โ
Carville wrapped up his remarks by doubling down on his bet.
โJust keep that in the back of your mind,โ he said. โAnd I would bet a lot of money that thatโs whatโs going to happen. A lot.โ
If Carville is right this time, Democrats are preparing to reshape the nationโs highest courtโand, with it, the balance of power in Washingtonโfor generations to come.
Elise Stefanik with Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons
New Yorkโs own Elise Stefanik, one of the most influential Republicans in Congress and a close ally of President Donald Trump, has officially entered the race for governor โ and sheโs ready to fight for hardworking families fed up with Democratic mismanagement.
Appearing on Fox & Friends Friday morning, Stefanik declared:
โIโm running for governor to make New York affordable and safe. We have seen decades of single-party rule led by Democrats. And Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America.โ
Fighting for Affordability and Safety
For years, New Yorkers have endured crushing taxes, skyrocketing costs, and unsafe streets โ the direct result, Stefanik says, of failed Democratic leadership.
โNew York is the most unaffordable state in the nation, with the highest taxes, the highest energy bills, the highest utility bills,โ Stefanik said. โWe also have a crime crisis because Kathy Hochul has brought us failed bail reform and has embraced the defund-the-police Democrats.โ
She continued:
โAfter this weekโฆ when we saw a raging anti-Semite pro-Hamas communist who wants to raise taxes. And frankly, he barely won the majority of New York City voters, Kathy Hochul endorsed him and bent the knee.โ
Stefanik made it clear that this campaign will be a coalition of common-sense New Yorkers โ Republicans, Independents, and Democrats โ united to take back their state.
โThis is a broad coalition of Republicans, independents, and Democrats who know that enough is enough. We need commonsense leadership to make New York affordable and safe again.โ
Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under her failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery bills. When New Yorkers were looking for leadership from our Governor, she bentโฆ pic.twitter.com/HXyQlNIjEj
Stefanik is already assembling a seasoned team, including respected Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio, who served as pollster for President Trumpโs 2024 campaign.
In her official statement, she promised:
โI am running for Governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state.โ
โOur campaign will unify Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to Fire Kathy Hochul once and for all to Save New York.โ
Stefanik didnโt mince words about her opponentโs record:
โIโve always put New York families first. Kathy Hochul has put New York families last again and again and again. Sheโs an accidental governor. Sheโs only in this position because she was Cuomoโs lieutenant governor.โ
Taking the Fight to Albany
For many voters, Stefanik represents the kind of energy and clarity the Republican Party needs in New York. Her campaign centers on restoring economic freedom, supporting law enforcement, and defending traditional American values that Albany elites have ignored for too long.
โPeople are very concerned about affordability and I have a strong record of delivering for families,โ she emphasized. โKathy Hochul has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation. We have the highest taxes, the highest energy prices, the highest utility prices, the highest grocery prices, and rent that continues to skyrocket.โ
Her focus aligns with what many Republicans see as the winning issue for 2025 โ the economy. As families struggle under high costs, Stefanik is promising to restore fiscal sanity and keep the American Dream alive in the Empire State.
Democrats Already on Defense
Predictably, Democrats responded with the same tired attacks. A spokesperson for the New York State Democratic Party claimed Stefanik โis a rubber stamp for Trumpโs deeply unpopular agenda,โ while the Democratic Governors Association tried to paint her as โTrumpโs cheerleader.โ
But these criticisms only highlight Stefanikโs strength โ her loyalty to a movement that prioritizes working Americans, law and order, and energy independence.
Governor Hochulโs campaign immediately launched a website called โSelloutStefanikโ โ a move that many conservatives see as a sign of fear rather than confidence.
The Road Ahead
While Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman may also explore a run, Republican insiders widely view Stefanik as the frontrunner for the nomination. With strong fundraising ability, national connections, and a powerful message on affordability and safety, Stefanik has the potential to unite the GOP like no one else has in years.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is reportedly considering a run for president in 2028 โ a move that, if realized, could reshape the Republican Partyโs post-Trump era and test the staying power of the โAmerica Firstโ movement.
According to a new report from Notus, Greene has privately expressed interest in following in Donald Trumpโs footsteps to the White House. The outlet cites four sources familiar with her thinking, saying Greene believes she represents the โreal MAGAโ faction โ the core conservative movement that has reshaped the GOP since 2016 โ and that many Republican leaders have drifted away from those grassroots values.
One source told Notus that Greene feels confident she has built the national donor network and grassroots support needed to mount a serious primary campaign, especially as the GOPโs base remains loyal to Trumpโs populist agenda.
Building a National Brand
While Greene has long been a lightning rod for criticism from the left, sheโs also gained national recognition for her unapologetic defense of conservative causes โ from border security to religious freedom, from cutting wasteful spending to standing up against what she calls the โweaponizationโ of government against political opponents.
In recent months, Greene has sought to expand her reach beyond the hardcore MAGA base. Sheโs made high-profile appearances on Bill Maherโs โReal Timeโ on HBO, The View, and CNN, signaling an effort to engage audiences outside of conservative media. Her willingness to enter unfriendly territory underscores her confidence and desire to make the case for conservative principles in front of skeptics.
As one GOP strategist told Notus, โSheโs trying to take the MAGA message to a national stage โ not just to Republicans, but to all Americans who feel Washington is broken.โ
Criticizing the GOPโs Lack of Direction
Greene has also been unafraid to criticize her own party when she believes it has lost focus. On Real Time, she expressed frustration with Republicans who, after years of campaigning to repeal and replace Obamacare, โstill donโt have a plan.โ
โIโm angry about that,โ Greene said on the show, adding that conservatives need to deliver tangible results, not just rhetoric.
In recent weeks, she has also called out male Republican members of Congress as โweakโ for caving to establishment pressure, blasted the GOP for having โno planโ to avoid government shutdown chaos, and criticized the partyโs leadership for not pushing harder to release Jeffrey Epstein files, saying Americans deserve transparency and truth.
A Populist in the Trump Mold
Those close to Greene describe her as both fiercely loyal to Donald Trump and equally committed to ensuring his populist movement survives beyond him. She was one of Trumpโs earliest and most vocal defenders during both impeachments and remains one of his strongest allies in Congress.
At the same time, Greene has worked to develop her own national voice, one that emphasizes restoring American sovereignty, rebuilding manufacturing, reducing foreign entanglements, and protecting traditional values that she argues have been under assault from both the left and establishment Republicans.
The 2028 Question
When asked directly about a presidential run during an appearance on comedian Tim Dillonโs podcast last October, Greene laughed off the speculation โ but didnโt shut it down entirely.
โOh my goodness. I hate politics so much, Tim,โ she said. โPeople are saying that, and Iโve seen a few people saying โsheโs runningโโฆ What Iโm doing right now is I very much want to fix problems. Thatโs honestly all I care about.โ
Still, those familiar with her thinking say Greeneโs ambitions go beyond her congressional seat. With her growing national platform, fundraising power, and ability to command headlines, she could emerge as one of the most influential Republican figures in the post-Trump era โ whether she runs in 2028 or not.
In August, President Donald Trump made his clearest endorsement yet for a future Republican presidential candidate, declaring that Vice President JD Vance is โmost likelyโ to carry the MAGA torch after his second term ends.
Trump described Vance as โprobably the favoriteโ to lead the Republican Party into the next election cycle.
โHeโs most likely the heir,โ Trump said, referring to Vance. โHe understands the movement, he understands the people, and heโs doing a phenomenal job as Vice President.โ
Trump also praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling him โsomebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form,โ suggesting Rubio could play a key role in a future Vance-led administration or campaign.
Rubio, for his part, echoed Trumpโs praise of Vance during a recent interview with Lara Trump on Fox News.
โI think heโs doing a great job as Vice President. Heโs a close friend, and I hope he intends to do it,โ Rubio said of Vance.
Although recent polling has shown Rubio with some early support among Republican voters for a potential 2028 run, conventional political wisdom indicates he wouldnโt start publicly signaling interest in running for president until much closer to the election.
โYou never know what the future holds,โ Rubio said. โBut if Iโm able to finish this term strong and we accomplish what weโve set out to do, Iโll be satisfied with that as the apex of my public service career.โ