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Trump Impeachment Star Witness Makes Longshot Run For Senate

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a former National Security Council official best known for his role in President Donald Trumpโ€™s first impeachment, announced Tuesday that he is entering Floridaโ€™s 2026 U.S. Senate race as a Democrat, challenging Republican Sen. Ashley Moody.

Vindman rose to national prominence in 2019 after testifying against President Trump over a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyโ€”testimony that became central to Democratsโ€™ first impeachment effort. That impeachment ultimately failed, with the Senate acquitting Trump in a 52โ€“48 vote largely along party lines.

In his campaign launch video, Vindman leaned heavily on footage from the impeachment proceedings, framing his candidacy as an extension of his opposition to Trump. โ€œThe last time you saw me was here,โ€ Vindman said, referring to the impeachment hearing. โ€œSwearing an oath to tell the truth about a president who broke his.โ€

Vindman went on to describe Trump as a โ€œwannabe tyrantโ€ and claimed the former president unleashed a โ€œreign of terror and retributionโ€ against him and his familyโ€”language that underscores how central anti-Trump activism is likely to be to his campaign pitch.

A political newcomer with no prior electoral experience, Vindman faces steep odds in Florida, a state that has moved decisively to the right in recent election cycles. Trump carried the Sunshine State by 13 points in November 2024, and Republicans currently hold every statewide elected office. Florida has not elected a Democratic senator since Bill Nelsonโ€™s narrow reelection victory in 2012.

Vindman, an Iraq War veteran, retired from the Army in 2020 after a decades-long military career. He later filed a lawsuit against Trump and several former aides, alleging โ€œintimidation and retaliation,โ€ but the suit was unsuccessful. His wife, Rachel Vindman, publicly criticized former President Joe Biden for declining to issue pardons to the couple at the end of his term.

โ€œWhatever happens to my family, know this: No pardons were offered or discussed,โ€ Rachel Vindman wrote in a post on Bluesky. She added that she โ€œcannot begin to describe the level of betrayal and hurtโ€ she felt toward the Biden administration.

Sen. Ashley Moody, a Republican and former Florida attorney general, was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill the seat vacated by Marco Rubio after Rubio became secretary of state. Moody is running for reelection with the backing of President Trump and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, giving her a significant institutional and fundraising advantage.

The Cook Political Report currently rates the race as โ€œsolid Republican,โ€ its strongest rating for GOP-held seatsโ€”reflecting Floridaโ€™s recent political realignment and Democratsโ€™ continued struggles to remain competitive statewide.

The 2026 contest is a special election to serve the final two years of Rubioโ€™s term. The winner will need to run again in 2028 to secure a full six-year term.

Vindman has lived in Broward County since 2023, a Democratic stronghold in South Florida. His twin brother, Eugene Vindman, represents a safely Democratic House district in northern Virginia, further highlighting the familyโ€™s close ties to Democratic politics.

Nationally, Democrats face a difficult map in 2026 as they attempt a longshot effort to retake control of the Senate. To do so, they would need to defend vulnerable seats in states like Michigan and Georgia while flipping at least four Republican-held seatsโ€”an outcome most analysts consider unlikely.

Trump Says GOP Has a ‘Good Bench’ for 2028โ€”But Wonโ€™t Name a Successor Yet

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President Trump says Republicans are well-positioned for the futureโ€”and that the party has a deep lineup of potential leaders ready to carry the America First agenda into 2028.

In an interview airing Wednesday night on NewsNationโ€™s โ€œKatie Pavlich Tonight,โ€ Trump was asked whether he sees a clear successor who could continue his legacy in the White House.

โ€œI hope so,โ€ Trump said. โ€œAnd we certainly have a good bench. We have some very talented people.โ€

While the president acknowledged he has early favorites, he declined to name any one candidate this far out.

โ€œI do, but itโ€™s so early,โ€ Trump told Pavlich. โ€œI donโ€™t like to [say].โ€

Trump Highlights Key Leaders Driving the Agenda

When pressed for names, Trump pointed to the strength of his administration and the results his team is deliveringโ€”especially on issues central to Republican voters, including border security, economic recovery, and restoring Americaโ€™s standing abroad.

โ€œLook, we have great people,โ€ Trump said. โ€œIโ€™m not just talking about one or twoโ€”we have so many great people.โ€

Asked again who specifically stood out, Trump singled out several of the most prominent figures in his circle:

  • Vice President JD Vance, whom Trump credited with strong leadership and loyalty to the MAGA coalition
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a familiar and experienced voice on foreign policy
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has been a key figure in Trumpโ€™s economic team

Trump also praised officials leading the administrationโ€™s crackdown on illegal immigration and security efforts:

  • Tom Homan, Trumpโ€™s border czar and a longtime advocate of tougher enforcement
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has taken a visible role in administration security priorities

โ€œI could name 20 people that are phenomenal,โ€ Trump added.

A Sign of Confidenceโ€”and a Message to Voters

Trumpโ€™s remarks are being read by many Republicans as a clear message: the GOP is not just a one-man movement. While Trump remains the dominant figure in conservative politics, his comments suggest the broader America First bench is expandingโ€”a sign of stability and staying power for the party beyond any single election cycle.

In recent years, Republican voters have increasingly prioritized candidates who will:

  • fight the administrative state rather than manage it
  • take border enforcement seriously
  • resist โ€œforever warโ€ foreign policy
  • challenge corporate-media narratives instead of courting them

Trumpโ€™s list reflects that shift and highlights Republicans who have gained credibility with the base through real governance and public-facing leadership.

Midterms: Republicans Eye a Comeback in 2026

The comments come as Republicans begin gearing up for the 2026 midterms following setbacks in last yearโ€™s elections. Democrats and their allied media have tried to portray those results as a long-term trendโ€”yet history suggests otherwise.

Trump himself addressed the challenge in an earlier Fox News interview, noting that the party in power โ€œalways losesโ€ seats in midterm elections. That pattern has been true for decades and reflects voter turnout dynamics and backlash politics more than any permanent realignment.

A new Emerson College poll shows Democrats leading a hypothetical generic ballot matchup at 48.1% to 41.7%, with 10.2% undecided. But Republicans caution that early pollingโ€”especially this far from Election Dayโ€”often fails to capture likely-voter turnout, local issues, and late-breaking shifts that typically determine midterms.

Bottom Line

Trump may not be naming a successor yet, but heโ€™s signaling something important: the Republican Party has depth, talent, and rising leaders ready to keep building on the movement voters started in 2016.

For Republicans focused on winning in 2026โ€”and holding the line against Democratsโ€™ spending agenda, cultural policies, and bureaucratic overreachโ€”Trumpโ€™s message was simple: the team is strong, and the fight isnโ€™t slowing down.


Trump-Backed Congresswoman Launches Campaign To Challenge Senate Incumbent

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

Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) announced Tuesday that she is launching a Republican primary challenge against Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), stepping into the race just days after President Trump publicly encouraged her to pursue a Senate run in Louisiana.

In a two-minute launch ad, Letlow framed her campaign as part of a broader fight to defend conservative priorities in Washington.

โ€œI have fought alongside President Trump to put America first, standing up for our parents, securing our borders, supporting law enforcement, rooting out waste, fraud and abuse that drives up inflation and fighting to fix an education system too focused on woke ideology instead of teaching,โ€ she said.

Letlow argued that Louisiana Republicans want a senator whose votes are predictable when the stakes are highest.

โ€œA state as conservative as ours, we shouldnโ€™t have to wonder how our senator will vote when the pressureโ€™s on,โ€ she continued, without mentioning Cassidy by name. โ€œLouisiana deserves conservative champions, leaders who will not flinch.โ€

Watch:

Cassidy responds after call from Letlow

Cassidy confirmed the news on X, saying Letlow personally called him earlier Tuesday to share her decision to run.

โ€œShe said she respected me and that I had done a good job. I will continue to do a good job when I win re-election,โ€ Cassidy wrote. โ€œI am a conservative who wakes up every morning thinking about how to make Louisiana and the United States a better place to live.โ€

Cassidy has long presented himself as a policy-focused Republican, emphasizing issues such as fiscal restraint, energy development, and hurricane recovery, while also working within the Senateโ€™s institutional frameworkโ€”an approach that can play well with establishment GOP voters but has faced skepticism from grassroots conservatives in recent years.

Trump signals support for Letlow

Letlowโ€™s announcement followed Trumpโ€™s recent public praise of the congresswoman, where he encouraged her to make the jump to the Senate. In a Truth Social post, Trump described Letlow as a โ€œTOTAL WINNER!โ€ and said she โ€œhas ALWAYS delivered for Louisiana.โ€

That backing immediately reshaped the race, positioning Letlow as the most prominent Republican challenger Cassidy has faced as he seeks another term. In a state where Trump remains highly popular among Republican primary voters, his involvement is likely to be one of the biggest factors in determining the outcome.

A political fight years in the making

Cassidy has been under heavy pressure from many pro-Trump activists since 2021, when he became one of seven Republican senators to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The Senate ultimately acquitted Trump, but the vote left lasting consequences for Cassidy inside Louisiana GOP politics.

What Letlow is betting on

Letlow, who has represented Louisianaโ€™s 5th Congressional District since 2021, rose to national attention after winning a special election following the death of her husband, Rep. Luke Letlow, who died from complications related to COVID-19 shortly after being elected.

Since entering Congress, she has worked to build relationships within the Republican conference while maintaining a strong conservative profileโ€”supporting border enforcement policies, opposing Democratic-backed spending packages, and highlighting cultural issues such as parental rights and education.

Her campaignโ€™s early tone signals she plans to run as a Trump-aligned conservative focused on the top issues driving Republican voters in 2025: immigration, inflation, crime, cultural pushback in schools, and government accountability.

New primary rules could raise the stakes

The race will also unfold under Louisianaโ€™s new closed primary process, a change that could have major consequences. With a more Republican-only electorate participating, Cassidy may face an even more conservative and Trump-friendly primary environment than in previous cycles.

That shift could make it harder for Cassidy to rely on crossover voters or independents who might otherwise support an incumbent known for policy work and institutional seniority.

At the same time, a crowded field could still complicate the race. If multiple Republicans enter the primary and divide anti-Cassidy voters, Cassidy could benefit from winning a strong plurality of establishment conservatives, business-oriented Republicans, and voters who prioritize seniority and committee influence.

A high-profile Louisiana showdown

With Letlow officially in the race and Trump already signaling his preference, Louisiana is shaping up to host one of the GOPโ€™s most-watched Senate primaries this cycle. The contest will likely test whether Republican voters prioritize seniority and governing experienceโ€”or whether they want a more confrontational, Trump-aligned fighter in the Senate.

For now, both candidates are claiming the conservative mantle. Letlow is promising a senator who will โ€œnot flinch,โ€ while Cassidy insists he remains โ€œa conservativeโ€ focused on improving life in Louisianaโ€”and says he expects to win.

โ€œShe said she respected me and that I had done a good job,โ€ Cassidy wrote. โ€œI will continue to do a good job when I win re-election.โ€

Steve Bannon Reportedly โ€˜Laying The Groundworkโ€™ For Presidential Run In 2028

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According to Axios, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon is โ€œlaying the groundworkโ€ for a possible campaign by discussing staffing with allies and setting up a political action committee.

Bannon has also been making appearances at GOP events in key early-primary organizing circles. Axios pointed to his attendance at Colorado and Georgia Republican Party events as a sign he may be building relationships with local activists who play a major role in primary politics.

Still, Axios framed the effort as something bigger than one candidateโ€™s ambitions.

โ€œThe MAGA godfather isnโ€™t serious about becoming president โ€” thatโ€™s not the point,โ€
Axios reported.

Instead, the outlet said Bannon has told allies he wants to pressure Republicans to embrace a clearer โ€œAmerica Firstโ€ vision โ€” including non-interventionist foreign policy, economic populism, and opposition to Big Tech.

Matt Gaetz weighs in

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) described Bannonโ€™s political brand in blunt terms, telling Axios:

โ€œThe Bannon campaign will merge the foreign policy of Rand Paul with the tax policy of Elizabeth Warren.โ€

A โ€œnontraditionalโ€ campaign model

Axios also reported that Bannonโ€™s associates โ€œenvision a nontraditional campaignโ€ that could be run largely from his Capitol Hill podcast studio, avoiding the typical early-state grind of rallies in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Bannon denies it โ€” and says his focus is Trump

Bannon isnโ€™t publicly embracing the idea. He reportedly told Axios the entire notion was:

โ€œbullsh*t,โ€

and said heโ€™s focused on supporting a third term for Trump โ€” โ€œdespite the Constitutionโ€™s two-term limit on presidents.โ€

Meanwhile, Trump is already signaling 2028 succession plans

While Bannon talks about โ€œAmerica Firstโ€ leverage in 2028, President Donald Trump has also been dropping hints about what he wants the post-Trump Republican bench to look like.

In recent comments reported by multiple outlets, Trump has pointed to Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the next generation of Republican leadership โ€” and suggested they could be a dominant force heading into 2028.

Republican Issues Impeachment Warning Over Trump’s Greenland Proposal

The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A Republican Congressman signaled he would move to impeach President Donald Trump if he follows through on his threat to invade Greenland and take it by force.

Inย an interview with theย Omaha World-Herald, Rep.ย Don Baconย (R-NE) said he personally would โ€œlean towardโ€ voting to impeach the president if he were to follow through on threats to take over Greenland.

โ€œIโ€™ll be candid with you. Thereโ€™s so many Republicans mad about this,โ€ Bacon told the paper. โ€œIf he went through with the threats, I think it would be the end of his presidency.โ€

Bacon, a swing state Congressman who is known to split from his Republican colleagues, has become even more outspoken against Trump since announcing he is leaving Congress at the end of the current term.

โ€œItโ€™s about whether the United States intends to face a constellation of strategic adversaries with capable friends โ€” or commit an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm and go it alone,โ€ McConnell said. He added that, โ€œfollowing through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the Presidentโ€™s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor.โ€

On Wednesday in the Oval Office, Trump snapped at a reporter who confronted him about a potential invasion.

โ€œIt sounds like you would potentially acquire Greenland by force,โ€ the reporter said.

โ€œNo, youโ€™re saying that. I didnโ€™t say it,โ€ Trump said. โ€œYouโ€™re telling me that thatโ€™s what Iโ€™m going to do โ€” you donโ€™t know what Iโ€™m going to do.โ€

Watch:

In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, former Senate Republican Leaderย Mitch McConnellย (Ky.) warned that President Trumpโ€™s talk of seizing Greenland by force threatens to โ€œincinerateโ€ the nationโ€™s long-standing ties with NATO allies.

McConnell declared that burning the treaty organization that formed after World War II to contain Soviet aggression would be an โ€œunprecedented act of strategic self-harm.โ€

โ€œUnless and until the president can demonstrate otherwise, then the proposition at hand today is very straightforward: incinerating the hard-won trust of loyal allies in exchange for no meaningful change in U.S. access to the Arctic,โ€ McConnell said on the Senate floor, delivering one of the strongest statements criticizing the Trump administrationโ€™s talk about potentially seizing Greenland by force.

He warned that following through on the โ€œill-advised threatsโ€ from the administration would โ€œshatter the trust of allies.โ€

โ€œFollowing through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the Presidentโ€™s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor,โ€ he said.

Watch:

He pointed to polling showing that just 17 percent of Americans think trying to take control of Greenland is a good idea and that 68 percent of Americans view the NATO alliance favorably.

VP Vance Predicts โ€˜Dumbestโ€™ Democrat Candidate Will Secure Nomination In 2028

Vice President JD Vance took aim at the Democratic Partyโ€™s likely 2028 presidential contenders during a lighthearted but pointed exchange on Fox News, joking that the partyโ€™s โ€œdumbestโ€ candidate is most likely to emerge from the primary.

In an exclusive interview released Wednesday on Jesse Watters Primetime, Watters raised speculation about California Gov. Gavin Newsomโ€™s national ambitions, noting the governorโ€™s frequent media appearances and rumored White House aspirations.

โ€œGavin Newsom, obviously, is running for president. Have you seen this guy cross his legs? Have you ever seen anyone cross their legs like that?โ€ Watters asked jokingly.

โ€œMy legs donโ€™t cross like that, Jesse,โ€ Vance replied with a laugh. โ€œYou can interpret that however you want to.โ€

Watters went on to frame the looming Democratic contest as a showdown between Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris.

โ€œGavin and Kamala are on a collision course,โ€ Watters said. โ€œWhoโ€™s gonna win?โ€

โ€œThe dumbest candidate will probably win,โ€ Vance quipped. โ€œThatโ€™s my guess with the Democratic Party.โ€

Vance argued that the current Democratic bench reflects deeper structural problems within the party, particularly its fixation on identity politics over competence.

โ€œI mean, look, the Democrats have a couple of big issues, and one is that they lean so far into wokeism that they canโ€™t see the obviousness of the fact, which is that Kamala Harris is not qualified to be president of the United States,โ€ Vance said.

โ€œThatโ€™s why she got the vice presidential nomination. Thatโ€™s why she got the presidential nomination. This is who Kamala Harris is.โ€

Vance contrasted Harris with Newsom, describing the California governor as emblematic of failed progressive governance.

โ€œNow, the flip side is, I think you have an unbelievably corrupt and incompetent governor in Gavin Newsom,โ€ he said. โ€œThe fact that those are the two frontrunners just suggests how deeply deranged the Democrat Party is. Let them fight it out. Weโ€™ll figure it out.โ€

A Weak Democratic Bench for 2028

While Newsom and Harris dominate early speculation, Democrats face a thin and fractured 2028 field. Other frequently mentioned names include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezโ€”each of whom carries significant liabilities with general-election voters. Many Democrats privately acknowledge that the party lacks a unifying figure with broad national appeal, particularly as voters continue to recoil from progressive economic and cultural policies.

Republicans, by contrast, are positioning themselves as the party of stability, affordability, and public safety heading into the next election cycle.

Cost of Living and Accountability

Watters noted that Democrats are expected to campaign heavily on cost-of-living issues in upcoming elections, a strategy Vance dismissed as deeply hypocritical.

โ€œThatโ€™s a pot-meet-kettle situation,โ€ Vance argued, pointing to Democratic-led policies that fueled inflation, higher energy costs, and housing shortages.

He credited the Trump administration with reversing those trends.

โ€œWe havenโ€™t even been in office for a year, and youโ€™ve already seen prices start to come down. Youโ€™ve seen rents start to come down. Youโ€™ve seen groceries leveling off,โ€ Vance said.

โ€œIs there more work to do? Absolutely. But the people who are going to do that work is the Trump administration, is the president of the United States, who is solving the Democratsโ€™ affordability crisis.โ€

โ€œYou donโ€™t give power back to the very people who set the house on fire,โ€ he added. โ€œYou give more power to the person who put the fire out.โ€

Impeachment Politics

When asked whether Democrats would attempt to impeach President Trump again if they regain control of Congress, Vance said such a move would be predictableโ€”and revealing.

โ€œIโ€™m sure heโ€™ll get impeached,โ€ Vance said. โ€œLook, they have nothing to actually run on or govern on.โ€

โ€œTheir entire obsessive focus of that party is they hate Donald Trump,โ€ he continued. โ€œSo, if they ever get power, are they going to lower Americansโ€™ taxes? No. Are they going to make your life more affordable? No. Are they going to solve the crime crisis? No.โ€

โ€œWhat theyโ€™re going to do is theyโ€™re going to spend all their time and all of your money trying to get Donald Trump.โ€

Vance urged voters to focus on results rather than partisan theatrics.

โ€œI think the American people should vote for the people who want to make their life more affordable, who want to make their neighborhoods safer,โ€ he said. โ€œThatโ€™s what weโ€™re trying to deliver every single day.โ€

Newsom Responds With a Meme

Newsomโ€™s office responded to the interview with a digitally altered image of Vance crossing his legs in an exaggerated pose, captioned: โ€œWe all know JD copies Daddy.โ€

Trump Issues Dire Midterm Warning To GOP: Win Or I’m Impeached

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President Trump warned House Republicans on Tuesday that losing the midterms would all but guarantee another impeachment push from Democrats, underscoring the high stakes of Novemberโ€™s elections.

โ€œYou gotta win the midterms. Because if we donโ€™t win the midtermsโ€ฆtheyโ€™ll find a reason to impeach me,โ€ Trump told the Republican conference during its retreat at the Kennedy Center.

โ€œIโ€™ll get impeached,โ€ he continued. โ€œWe donโ€™t impeach them because you know why? Theyโ€™re meaner than we are. We should have impeached Joe Biden for a hundred different things.โ€

โ€œThey are mean and smart, but fortunately for you, they have horrible policy,โ€ Trump added.

Trumpโ€™s remarks reflect growing concern among Republicans that Democrats are prepared to weaponize impeachment once again should they regain control of the House. That warning has been echoed by GOP leadership.

Watch:

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) issued a similar message late last month at Turning Point USAโ€™s America Fest in Arizona.

โ€œIf we lose the House majority, the radical left as youโ€™ve already heard is going to impeach President Trump,โ€ Johnson said. โ€œTheyโ€™re going to create absolute chaos. We cannot let that happen.โ€

The concern is not hypothetical. Trump was impeached twice during his first termโ€”first in 2019 after Democrats regained control of the House, and again in early 2021, just days before his administration ended. Both impeachments failed to result in a conviction in the Senate, reinforcing Republican claims that the proceedings were politically motivated rather than constitutionally grounded.

Since then, impeachment has increasingly been used as a political threat rather than a last-resort constitutional remedy. Over the past year alone, Democrats have repeatedly floated impeachment articles against Trump and other Republican officials, often without clear legal grounding or broad party consensus.

Most recently, some Democrats have suggested impeachment following the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolรกs Maduro last weekโ€”an operation praised by many Republicans as a decisive national security action. Critics on the left, however, have argued the move exceeds executive authority.

โ€œThese individual actions are impeachable offenses in their own right, but their ever mounting cumulative impact on our countryโ€™s stability and health puts everything in a new light. I now believe that our Democratic Caucus must imminently consider impeachment proceedings,โ€ said Rep. April McClain-Delaney (D-Md.), who is facing a primary challenge from former Rep. David Trone (D-Md.).

The renewed calls echo earlier efforts that failed to gain traction. Progressive lawmakers previously introduced impeachment resolutions over Trumpโ€™s border policies, energy decisions, and foreign policy actionsโ€”none of which advanced beyond committee stages or garnered broad Democratic support.

Democrats Attempt To Label Trump’s Venezuela Operation ‘Impeachable Offense’

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Democrats and Republicans have split sharply over President Donald Trumpโ€™s decision to carry out strikes in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolรกs Maduro and his wife, with a growing number of Democratic lawmakers calling the operation unconstitutional and some openly urging impeachment.

Progressive Democrats have led the backlash, accusing the administration of launching an illegal military action without congressional authorization. Several lawmakers argue that the operation amounts to an invasion of a sovereign nation and violates both the Constitution and the War Powers Act.

โ€œMany Americans woke up to a sick sense of dรฉjร  vu,โ€ Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) a member of the Houseโ€™s progressive โ€œSquad,โ€ wrote on X over the weekend. โ€œUnder the guise of liberty, an administration of warmongers has lied to justify an invasion and is dragging us into an illegal, endless war so they can extract resources and expand their wealth.โ€

Ramirez called for Congress to pass a War Powers Resolution introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., aimed at blocking further military action against Venezuela, and said Trump โ€œmust be impeached.โ€

Omarโ€™s resolution seeks to reassert Congressโ€™ constitutional authority over war-making and would require the administration to halt hostilities unless lawmakers explicitly approve them.

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) echoed those concerns, criticizing Trump for bypassing Congress to launch what he described as a war with Venezuela. Goldman said the administration failed to provide lawmakers with โ€œany satisfactory explanationโ€ for the strikes.

โ€œThis violation of the United States Constitution is an impeachable offense,โ€ Goldman said in a statement. โ€œI urge my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives to finally join Democrats in reasserting congressional authority by holding this president accountable.โ€

Other Democrats struck a more cautious tone. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) stopped short of naming Trump but wrote on X that โ€œinvading and running another country without a congressional declaration of war is an impeachable offense,โ€ while also questioning whether impeachment is the most effective strategy. โ€œWhether it makes sense to pursue impeachment as the best strategy to end this lawlessness is a tactical judgment that our Caucus needs to seriously deliberate,โ€ she wrote.

In California, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) a gubernatorial hopeful, said he would not rule out supporting impeachment when asked by reporters, according to the Pleasanton Weekly.

Progressive candidates running for office also weighed in. Kat Abughazaleh, a Democrat seeking an open House seat in Illinois, called Trump a โ€œwar criminalโ€ in a post on Bluesky and demanded Congress โ€œhalt this conflict and impeachโ€ the president.

Still, Democrats are not unified in their opposition. A number of more centrist lawmakers have either defended the administrationโ€™s actions or argued that the removal of Maduro serves U.S. national security interests. Some Democrats have described the operation as a targeted effort to remove a destabilizing authoritarian leader rather than the start of a broader war, while others have said the administration should now work with Congress to define limits and next steps.

Republicans, for their part, have largely rallied behind Trump. GOP leaders characterized the operation as a decisive blow against a longtime adversary of the United States and a win for regional stability.

Senior Republicans have also pushed back on claims that the administration violated the Constitution, arguing that the action was a limited law enforcement or counterterrorism operation rather than a traditional military engagement requiring prior congressional approval.

While impeachment calls are growing among progressives, Democratic leadership has so far stopped short of endorsing that approach

Republican Senator Signals He Won’t Support Vance In 2028

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) made clear Sunday on ABC Newsโ€™s This Week that he does not see Vice President JD Vance as someone he would support in a hypothetical 2028 presidential bid, underscoring deep philosophical differences over trade and the future direction of the GOP.

When asked whether he views Vance โ€” widely viewed within GOP circles as a leading contender to carry the Republican banner after President Donald Trump โ€” as the so-called heir apparent, Paul was direct about the limits of their alignment.

โ€œI think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes,โ€ Paul said, emphasizing his long-standing libertarian philosophy.

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

Pressed on whether that description fits Vance, Paul answered, โ€œNo.โ€

Paul lamented what he sees as a shift in GOP economic thinking โ€” away from traditional free-market conservatism toward protectionist policies that embrace tariffs.

โ€œIt used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem โ€” we didnโ€™t want less revenue, we wanted less spending,โ€ he said.
โ€œBut now all these pro-tariff protectionists, they love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue coming in. That has never been a conservative position.โ€

Paul said he intends to continue championing a free-market, low-tax wing of the party and will let time โ€” and voters โ€” determine where GOP leadership settles.


Context: Trump, Vance, and a Fractured GOP

Vanceโ€™s position as a prominent Trump loyalist โ€” often touted by MAGA-aligned activists as the next leader of the movement โ€” stands in contrast to Paulโ€™s more classical libertarian outlook. Trump and Vance have worked closely throughout the administration, and Trump himself has suggested both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make strong contenders in 2028, even as speculation swirls about Trumpโ€™s own future political plans.

Paul and Vanceโ€™s disagreements arenโ€™t limited to trade. Earlier in 2025, Paul publicly criticized Vanceโ€™s support for a controversial U.S. military strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel โ€” going so far as to call the actions Vance defended โ€œdespicable and thoughtlessโ€ for celebrating lethal force without due process. This public spar highlights deeper philosophical divides between the libertarian wing of the party and its more interventionist or nationalist elements.

Those tensions reflect a broader conversation within the GOP about its core principles โ€” from foreign policy to economic strategy โ€” as the party prepares for post-Trump leadership.


Erika Kirk Endorses Vance for 2028

Adding to the political backdrop, Erika Kirk โ€” the widow of conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk and the organizationโ€™s CEO โ€” officially endorsed Vice President Vance for president in 2028 during the groupโ€™s annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix.

Kirk, speaking to thousands of activists, pledged Turning Pointโ€™s powerful grassroots support and framed Vance as a continuation of her husbandโ€™s conservative legacy:

โ€œWe are going to get my husbandโ€™s friend JD Vance elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible.โ€

Her endorsement โ€” and Turning Pointโ€™s mobilization capacity on campuses and with younger conservatives โ€” could be a significant boost in the early stages of a national campaign, even though Vance has not yet announced a formal campaign bid

Trump Openly Backs Candidate In Tennessee Special Election

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Former President Trump is urging Tennessee voters to support Republican Matt Van Epps in Tuesdayโ€™s special election to fill the stateโ€™s vacant 7th Congressional District seat, claimingโ€”without evidenceโ€”that Democratic nominee Aftyn Behn โ€œopenly disdains Country music.โ€

โ€œI am asking all America First Patriots in Tennesseeโ€™s 7th Congressional District, who havenโ€™t voted yet, to please GET OUT AND VOTE on Election Day, Tuesday, December 2nd, for a phenomenal Candidate, Matt Van Epps,โ€ Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social.

Trump further escalated his criticism of Behn in the post, alleging: โ€œMatt is fighting against a woman who hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in womenโ€™s sports, and openly disdains Country music. She said all of these things precisely, and without question โ€” ITโ€™S ON TAPE!โ€

Van Epps, previously the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, is running against Behn, a state representative, to succeed former Rep. Mark Green (R). Green resigned earlier this year to pursue a private-sector opportunity, triggering the special election.

Background on the Controversy

Republicans have seized on remarks Behn made in a 2020 episode of the podcast Grits, where she said:
โ€œIโ€™ve been heavily involved in the Nashville mayoral race because I hate this city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music. I hate all the things that make Nashville apparently an โ€˜it cityโ€™ to the rest of the country.โ€

Behn has since clarified that the comments were made in frustration and do not reflect her views as an elected official. In a video released last month, she explained:

โ€œNow, I always want Nashville to be better, right? I want Nashville to be a place where working people can thrive, right? But sure, I get mad at the bachelorette [parties] sometimes, I get mad at the pedal taverns, right? Talking to someone who has cried no less than 10 times in the Country Music Hall of Fame.โ€

She added in a corresponding post: โ€œNO, I DO NOT HATE THE CITY I REPRESENT,โ€ punctuating the statement with three laughing emojis.

Behn Campaign Response

Behnโ€™s campaign manager, Kate Briefs, responded sharply to Trumpโ€™s attack, saying the former president is lying โ€œbecause he is panicking about his tanking approval numbers as Tennessee voters hold him accountable for his failed economic policies that are raising their costs, while lowering taxes for their billionaire donors.โ€

Context: Why This Special Election Has Drawn Attention

Tennesseeโ€™s 7th District is traditionally a reliably Republican seat, and Van Epps enters the race with a structural advantage. Still, Democrats see the contest as an opportunity to demonstrate voter enthusiasm heading into the 2026 midtermsโ€”particularly if they can outperform expectations in a deep-red district.

Special elections in off-years often serve as indicators of base energy for both parties. National Democrats have been encouraged by recent overperformances in similar contests across the country and hope Behn can replicate that trend.

Polling Suggests a Competitive Race

At least one surveyโ€”conducted last week by Emerson College Polling and The Hillโ€”suggests the race may be closer than expected. The poll showed Behn and Van Epps running neck and neck, signaling that Democratic enthusiasm and Trumpโ€™s polarizing involvement may be tightening the contest.