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    Former Trump Aide Calls Rumored White House Shake-Up ‘Terrifying’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    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)

    The job isn’t open but the replacement talk is already setting off alarms.

    Former White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews says the prospect of Stephen Miller replacing Susie Wiles as President Trump’s chief of staff is “terrifying” — adding a sharp warning to speculation about who could run the West Wing after the midterms.

    Trump has repeatedly rejected reports that Wiles is headed for the exit. But Matthews, who served during his first administration and later became a vocal critic, argued that the president’s public assurances aren’t the whole story.

    “He’s been doing his favorite thing, which is calling around, seeing what people think of different names that he floats if he chooses to replace her,” Matthews told MeidasTouch’s Jack Cocchiarella on Sunday, according to The Hill.

    “Publicly, he said that he’s sticking with Susie, but we know that he’s making these calls, and one of those names is Stephen Miller.”

    “And that is a terrifying prospect,” she added.

    One Name Sets Her Off

    Matthews offered little praise for Wiles, accusing her of being “complicit in the horrors of this administration.” But she drew a distinction between the current chief of staff and Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff.

    “Stephen Miller is bats— crazy,” she said.

    Matthews warned that elevating Miller could have consequences during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.

    “The idea of someone like a Stephen Miller in charge is a very scary thing,” she told Cocchiarella.

    Her comments were a political assessment of a possible personnel change, rather than an announcement that one is coming. Matthews described having occasional interactions with Miller during briefing preparations with then-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, according to The Hill.

    Why the Exit Rumors Won’t Quit

    The speculation gained momentum after Politico reported Oct. 15 that Trump had been asking friends and political allies about Wiles and discussing potential successors.

    According to Mediaite’s account of the Politico reporting, four people with direct knowledge described those conversations. Names reportedly floated included Miller, New York Yankees president Randy Levine, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Bill Pulte and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Trump disputed the report.

    Another former Trump chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, predicted a departure could come after the midterms — while offering a different explanation from Matthews.

    “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.

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

    Mulvaney’s forecast suggested a possible voluntary transition, rather than a firing. It did not establish that Wiles has decided to leave. AOL

    Trump Says ‘Zero Chance’

    Trump’s public position has been emphatic.

    In a statement quoted by The Hill, he branded Politico’s reporting “TOTAL FAKE NEWS” and said Wiles had his “COMPLETE confidence.”

    He reinforced that message in an Oct. 16 conversation with CNN’s Kristen Holmes, saying there was “zero chance” he was considering replacing her.

    “She’s been incredible,” Trump said, according to CNN’s report. He also said Wiles would remain at the White House for a long time.

    Semafor reported that nearly a dozen people close to Trump questioned reports of tension. One adviser suggested people seeking Wiles’s position were helping fuel the speculation. The outlet also reported that Wiles had indicated she intended to stay until Trump leaves office.

    A New Fight Over the Reporting

    The controversy has since expanded into a confrontation between the White House and Politico.

    White House counsel Will Scharf demanded corrections or retractions of three Wiles-related stories, according to Just the News. The administration accused the outlet of publishing false accounts of internal conflict.

    Politico subsequently corrected a separate story about former press secretary Katie Zacharia’s Fox News interview. The correction said follow-up reporting found Wiles did not directly arrange the interview, Political Wire reported. That correction concerned the interview’s booking, rather than announcing a resolution of the replacement dispute.

    For now, Wiles remains chief of staff, Trump says she has his confidence, and no successor has been announced. Matthews’s warning concerns what might happen next — with the midterms approaching and competing accounts of Wiles’s future still circulating.

    Also draft a version more suited for White House Watch

    Trump Backs Wiles as Chief of Staff Speculation Draws Warning From Former Aide

    President Donald Trump is standing behind White House chief of staff Susie Wiles as reports about her future — and potential successors — draw competing assessments from former administration officials.

    Sarah Matthews, a former deputy White House press secretary during Trump’s first term, said Sunday that the possibility of deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller taking over would be “terrifying.”

    Her remarks came during an interview with MeidasTouch’s Jack Cocchiarella, according to The Hill, amid speculation that Wiles could depart after the November midterm elections. Trump has repeatedly denied that he is considering replacing her.

    Matthews Questions Public Assurances

    Matthews argued that Trump’s public support for Wiles could coexist with private discussions about other candidates.

    “He’s been doing his favorite thing, which is calling around, seeing what people think of different names that he floats if he chooses to replace her,” Matthews said, according to The Hill.

    “Publicly, he said that he’s sticking with Susie, but we know that he’s making these calls, and one of those names is Stephen Miller.”

    Matthews, who has become a vocal Trump critic, described that possibility as “a terrifying prospect.” She said she occasionally interacted with Miller during briefing preparations with then-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.

    Her comments expressed opposition to a potential Miller appointment. They did not establish that Trump has decided to make a change.

    Reports Put Spotlight on Post-Midterm Staffing

    Politico reported Oct. 15 that Trump had been consulting friends and political allies about Wiles and discussing possible replacements.

    According to Mediaite’s account of the reporting, the names floated included Miller, New York Yankees president Randy Levine, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Bill Pulte and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Trump disputed the report.

    Former acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney offered a different interpretation of a possible departure: Wiles could choose to leave after the elections without losing the president’s confidence.

    Speaking on NewsNation’s The Hill Sunday, Mulvaney predicted she would probably depart and described the post-election period as a natural opportunity for a staffing transition, according to The Hill’s report carried by AOL. His assessment was a prediction, rather than a confirmed departure plan.

    Trump and Advisers Push Back

    Trump has publicly rejected the suggestion that Wiles’s position is in jeopardy.

    In a statement quoted by The Hill, he called the Politico reporting “TOTAL FAKE NEWS” and said his chief of staff had his “COMPLETE confidence.”

    Trump subsequently told CNN’s Kristen Holmes on Oct. 16 that there was “zero chance” he was considering replacing Wiles. He praised her performance and said she would remain at the White House for a long time, according to CNN’s report.

    Semafor also reported that nearly a dozen people close to Trump questioned accounts of tension. The outlet said Wiles had indicated she intended to remain in her position until the end of his presidency.

    White House Challenges Coverage

    The administration has also formally challenged Politico’s reporting. White House counsel Will Scharf demanded corrections or retractions of three Wiles-related stories, according to Just the News.

    Politico subsequently corrected a separate report concerning former press secretary Katie Zacharia’s interview with Sean Hannity. Its correction said follow-up reporting found Wiles did not directly arrange that interview, Political Wire reported.

    Vance Tells GOP To ‘Stop Whining’ As Ramaswamy Ad Sparks Ohio Firestorm

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Vice President JD Vance delivered a blunt message Wednesday to Republicans recoiling from Vivek Ramaswamy’s controversial campaign ad: Stop fighting over the commercial and start fighting to win Ohio.

    The intervention came as Ramaswamy faced bipartisan backlash over an advertisement featuring Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother—and as prediction-market traders sharply marked down his chances of becoming governor.

    Asked by a BBC reporter whether the ad was appropriate, Vance declined to make that judgment his priority.

    “Well, I’ll be honest with you, whether the ad was appropriate or not is not really my concern,” Vance said, according to Mediaite’s account of the exchange.

    Instead, he argued, Republicans should focus on who will govern Ohio and represent the state in Washington.

    “But I have to admit that I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America,” he said.

    Vivek Ramaswamy speaking with attendees at the 2022 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

    An Ad Opens A Republican Rift

    The commercial features Donna Arthur, Acton’s estranged mother, attacking her daughter’s honesty and urging Ohioans not to elect her.

    But the mother-daughter estrangement carries a history central to the backlash.

    Acton has publicly described childhood neglect and sexual abuse by her stepfather. According to Mediaite, she and her younger brother were removed from their mother’s custody, and reporting on court records has supported her account.

    Critics accused Ramaswamy’s campaign of exploiting that history by giving Arthur a platform to attack her daughter.

    Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was among those condemning the move.

    “He’s a bad guy. It’s a shame he continues to get away with it,” Haley wrote, according to Mediaite.

    Acton’s brother, Phil Stearns, responded in a video released by her campaign, describing his sister as a child who endured abuse while trying to protect him.

    “And she was 11 and 12 years old, and to think that that’s somehow a talking point? Shame on Vivek,” Stearns said.

    A Market Warning—And A Campaign Doubling Down

    The controversy has coincided with another troubling development for Ramaswamy.

    In its Wednesday report, Mediaite cited Polymarket prices implying roughly a 22% chance of a Ramaswamy victory, compared with 79% for Acton. Ramaswamy had briefly fallen to 21%, the outlet reported.

    Those figures represent a trading-market snapshot, not voter support or a guaranteed election forecast. Mediaite also noted that his market standing had been declining before the ad controversy, making it difficult to isolate the commercial’s effect.

    His campaign nevertheless plans to press ahead. Axios reported that the operation was committing $4 million to promoting the ad.

    Vance, meanwhile, urged Republicans to rally behind Ramaswamy and GOP Sen. Jon Husted, arguing that the stakes justified a tougher political fight.

    “Politics is a tough business,” he said.

    His closing instruction left little room for ambiguity: “Stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days.”

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

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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.

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