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Trump Labels DeSantis a ‘RINO Globalist’ in Latest Tirade

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Donald Trump is escalating his attacks against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

On Wednesday, Trump accused DeSantis of being a “RINO Globalist” as he criticized his response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

โ€œThe real Ron is a RINO GLOBALIST, who closed quickly down Florida and even its beaches,โ€ Trump said in a post on Truth Social. โ€œLoved the Vaccines and wasted big money on โ€˜Testing.โ€™ How quickly people forget!โ€

RINO, one of Trumpโ€™s go-to insults for his fellow Republicans, stands for โ€œRepublican in Name Only.โ€

According to The Hill, Trump’s latest insult comes after a series of weekend campaign stops in New Hampshire and South Carolina where he cautioned against DeSantis’s potential White House bid.

โ€œIf he runs, thatโ€™s fine. Iโ€™m way up in the polls. Heโ€™s going to have to do what he wants to do, but he may run,โ€ Trump said. โ€œI do think it would be a great act of disloyalty because, you know, I got him in. He had no chance. His political life was over.โ€

However, despite Trump’s insults, it seems DeSantis is managing to stay above the fray.

As Great American News Desk previously reported:

โ€œI roll out of bed. I have people attacking me from all angles,โ€ the Florida governor said at a press conference on Tuesday. โ€œItโ€™s been happening for many, many years.โ€

โ€œWhen youโ€™re an elected executive, you have to make all kinds of decisions. You got to steer that ship,โ€ DeSantis said. โ€œAnd the good thing is, is that the people are able to render a judgment on that โ€” whether they reelect you or not.โ€

โ€œAnd Iโ€™m happy to say, you know, in my case, not only did we win reelection, we won with the highest percentage of the vote that any Republican governor candidate has in the history of the state of Florida,โ€ he added.

Pardoned Capitol Rioter Charged With Threatening To Kill Hakeem Jeffries

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Authorities arrested a pardoned Capitol rioter last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Court documents obtained by CBS News said Christopher Moynihan was arrested Sunday after saying in text messages that he planned to “eliminate” Jeffries when the top House Democrat spoke at an event in New York City on Monday. 

The House Minority Leader spoke at the Economic Club of New York on Monday.ย 

CBS News reports:

According to a court filing by prosecutors in the New York state criminal case, Moynihan wrote, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live.”

Moynihan also allegedly stated: “Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future,” the filing said.

Moynihan faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat, according to court filings.

Moynihan was among the large group of Capitol riot defendants pardoned by President Trump nine months ago. In a shocking move only hours after returning to the White House, President Trump granted clemency to more than 1,500 other Capitol riot defendants.

Moynihan was found guilty in August 2022 of obstructing an official proceeding, and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced in February 2023 to 21 months in prison.

Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Moynihan’s arrest for allegedly threatening Jeffries was made by New York State Police, according to a statement by the agency that was confirmed by a state official. The investigation was initiated by the FBI, according to state police.

A state police statement said Moynihan was arraigned in local court in Clinton, a town in New York’s Hudson Valley region. He was remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center “in lieu of $10,000 cash bail, a $30,000 bond, or an $80,000 partially secured bond.” 

The alleged threat against Jeffries is only the latest threat in part of a rapidly growing wave of threats against legislators and political figures. In a statement last month, Capitol Police said the number of threat investigations in 2025 had already eclipsed 14,000, more than the number of cases in all of 2024. ย 

Tim Walz Says He Was Selected As 2024 Running Mate ‘To Code Talk To White Guys’

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The truth comes out…

Former vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) is pulling back the curtain on the reasoning behind Democrats’ disastrous 2024 election decision-making.

The unsuccessful vice presidential candidate who is currently on a self-described “listening tour” across the country at a Harvard Kennedy School forum on Monday night said Harris chose him to be her running mate, in part, because, “I could code talk to White guys watching football, fixing their truck” and “put them at ease.”

Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Minnesota governor described himself as the “permission structure” for White men from rural America to vote for Democrats. 

“I think I’ll give you pretty good stuff, but I’ll also give you 10% problematic,” Walz added when pushed by moderator Brittany Shepherd, ABC News national political reporter, about why he didn’t take that message to cable news to reach a larger audience. Walz laughed off criticism over inconsistencies in his background on the 2024 campaign trail, describing himself as a “knucklehead.”

Despite the claim the Walz was chosen by the Harris campaign to relate to White men, he has been unable to escape the nickname “Tampon Tim,” coined by conservatives for his bill providing free menstrual products to “all menstruating students” in school restrooms grades 4 to 12, including the boys’ room. (RELATED: Watch: Veterans Heckle Tim Walz For Stolen Valor Claims, China Ties)

Regardless of the comment or legislation, conservatives find a way to criticize “Tampon Tim,” including when Walz claimed he could fight most Trump supporters earlier this year. (RELATED: Tim Walz Complains About Attacks On His Masculinity)

Earlier this month, Walz confirmed to CNN’s Jake Tapper that he was considering a third bid for Minnesota governor but was not mulling a run for president in 2028.

When asked what he would have done differently in 2024, Walz replied, “We would have won.” While acknowledging that Democrats lost in November, Walz said the party is “better off doing more” in “every forum,” following criticism that Democrats didn’t prioritize media appearances enough in 2024, whether long-form podcasts or traditional network news shows. 

Further reflecting on the Democrats’ 2024 losses, Walz said the party wins on the issues and “competency,” but “we lose the message, and we lose power.”

“Why have we lost the self-identity that the Democratic Party is for personal freedoms, middle-class folks, for labor folks. How did we lose it, where people didn’t self-identify with that? How did we get to a point where people didn’t feel like this was an important enough election to get out and vote?” Walz asked during his speech Monday. 

Does Walz stand any chance of rebuilding his political reputation? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

AOC Says She Would โ€˜Stompโ€™ JD Vance In A Presidential Election

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Tensions are already high…

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has claimed she would โ€œstompโ€ย JD Vanceย in a presidential election.

Ocasio-Cortez, the Left-wing congresswoman, made the claim hours after sharing a poll โ€” conducted by The Argument and Verasight and released Tuesday โ€” found Ocasio-Cortez leading Vance 51% to 49%, a difference within the surveyโ€™s 2.7-percentage-point margin of error, making the two candidates statistically tied. Respondents were asked how they would vote if the election were held between the New York Democrat and the Republican vice president.

When asked about the poll as she left the US Capitol on Wednesday evening, she initially downplayed its significance.

โ€œThese polls like three years outโ€ฆ they are what they are,โ€ she told a reporter, who filmed the encounter.

โ€œBut let the record show I would stomp him โ€“ I would stomp him!โ€ she added, laughing as she walked off and entered a waiting car.

Ocasio-Cortez, often known by her initials โ€œAOCโ€, is seen as one of the frontrunners in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.

The poll โ€” conducted by The Argument and Verasight and released Tuesday โ€” found Ocasio-Cortez leading Vance 51% to 49%, a difference within the surveyโ€™s 2.7-percentage-point margin of error, making the two candidates statistically tied. Respondents were asked how they would vote if the election were held between the New York Democrat and the Republican vice president.

Neither Ocasio-Cortez nor Vance has formally announced a 2028 campaign, but both are widely viewed as potential contenders to lead their respective parties. Ocasio-Cortez, first elected to Congress in 2018, has become one of the most prominent progressive voices in national politics. Vance, a former U.S. senator from Ohio and bestselling author, joined the GOP ticket in 2024 and became vice president after Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Demographic Splits Highlight Each Candidateโ€™s Base

The poll found that Vance maintains a substantial advantage with white voters, leading Ocasio-Cortez 57% to 43% in that demographic. Ocasio-Cortez, however, holds wide leads among voters of color, including 79% support among Black voters and 64% among Hispanic voters. (RELATED: Democrats Win Miami Mayorโ€™s Office After Nearly 30 Years Out Of Power)

Those patterns reflect longstanding partisan alignments: Republicans have consistently performed strongly with white voters in recent presidential contests, while Democrats have relied heavily on support from Black and Hispanic voters, though margins among the latter group have narrowed in recent years.

Standings Within Their Parties

Although Ocasio-Cortez polls competitively in a general election hypothetical, recent Democratic primary surveys show her trailing more established national figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. This suggests she would face a difficult path in a crowded primary field.

Another recent survey testing a three-way hypothetical between California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Vance, and Ocasio-Cortez found Newsom leading with 36%, with Ocasio-Cortez and Vance tied at 34% each.

On the Republican side, speculation around the 2028 field remains fluid. Asked in October which Republicans might consider a future presidential run, President Donald Trump told reporters, โ€œWe have great peopleโ€ฆ We have JD, obviously, the vice president is great. I think [Secretary of State] Marcoโ€™s [Rubio] great. I think Iโ€™m not sure if anybody would run against those. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable. I really do. I believe that. I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever.โ€

Trump, who returned to the presidency in 2025 after previously serving from 2017 to 2021, remains subject to the constitutional limits of the 22nd Amendment, which states that โ€œno person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.โ€ The provision clearly bars any individual from winning a third term, but its application to Trumpโ€™s unique electoral history has become a matter of legal dispute.

Constitutional scholars and legal analysts differ on how the amendment should be interpreted in Trumpโ€™s case, particularly whether his two election victories โ€” in 2016 and 2024 โ€” preclude him from pursuing future campaigns. Several lawsuits filed in 2025 seek judicial rulings enforcing the 22nd Amendment against Trumpโ€™s eligibility to appear on future ballots. Those cases are pending in federal courts and are expected to draw appeals, potentially reaching the Supreme Court. (RELATED: President Trumpโ€™s Legal Battle With The Pulitzer Prize Board Escalates)

Vance Addresses Speculation About His Future

Vice President Vance has attempted to downplay discussions about his potential 2028 ambitions.

In an interview earlier this month with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Vance said, โ€œI would say that Iโ€™ve thought about what that moment might look like after the midterm elections. But I also, whenever I think about that, I try to put it out of my head and remind myself the American people elected me to do a job right now, and my job is to do it.โ€

Denver Mayor Could Face Removal, Jail Time Over Deportation Stance

Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston recently said he wasย prepared to break with President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plans and Republicans are warning he will absolutely suffer the consequences.

Johnston said during a recent interview that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is “illegal or immoral or un-American” in the city โ€“ including the use of military force.

During a Sunday morning interview on Face The Nation, Paul told anchor Margaret Brennan that Johnstonโ€™s plan is a โ€œform of insurrectionโ€ that could see him removed from office.

BRENNAN: The stated Trump plan is to use the military or military assets, deputize the National Guard, and have them act as immigration agents. Do you believe that is lawful?

PAUL: You know, Iโ€™m 100% supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapist, all of these people. Letโ€™s send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison. So I would say all points bulletin all in. But you donโ€™t do it with the army because itโ€™s illegal. And weโ€™ve weโ€™ve had a distrust of putting the army into our streets because the police have a difficult job. But the police understand the Fourth Amendment. They have to go to judges. They have to get warrants. It has to be specific. And so Iโ€™m for removing these people. But I would do it through the normal process of domestic policing.

Now, I would say that the mayor of Denver, if heโ€™s going to resist federal law, which thereโ€™s a long standing, standing history of the supremacy of federal law, heโ€™s going to resist that. It will go all the way to the Supreme Court. And I would suspect that he would be removed from office. I donโ€™t know whether or not that would be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law. But he will lose. And people need to realize that what he is offering is a form of insurrection where the states resist the federal government. Most people objected to that and rejected that long ago. So I think the mayor of Denver is on the wrong side of history and really, I think will face legal ramifications if he doesnโ€™t obey the federal law.

The president-elect’s pick to be the next border czar responded that he’s willing to put the Denver Mayor in jail for outright flouting Trump’s policies.

“You are absolutely breaking the law,” Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” designate, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S. and he would see he’s breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. Heโ€™s willing to go to jail, Iโ€™m willing to put him in jail.”

Homan pointed to a statute that says it’s a “felony if you knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities.”

Homan said they have to secure this country and save lives. 

“President Trump has been clear, we want to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats. I find it hard to believe that any governor would say they donโ€™t want public safety threats removed from their neighborhoods,” he said.

Trump Challenges Biden To Pre-Debate Drug Test

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Trump is throwing down the gauntlet…

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump challenged Joe Biden to take a drug test before this week’s televised presidential debate.

โ€œDRUG TEST FOR CROOKED JOE BIDEN??? I WOULD, ALSO, IMMEDIATELY AGREE TO ONE!!!โ€ Trumpย wrote Mondayย on Truth Social.

The former president has repeatedly suggested Biden could take a performance-enhancing drug before the debate, with some already discounting any well-received performance by the incumbent as a charade.

In two other posts on Truth Social, Trump praised Rep.ย Ronny Jacksonย (R-Texas), whoย sent a letter to the presidentย and his physician Monday,ย demandingย he take drug tests immediately before and after the debate.

โ€œRonny Jackson was a brilliant Doctor, Admiral and now, a GREAT Congressman,โ€ the presumptive GOP nominee wrote in one post. โ€œHe happens to be totally right about what is written in this MUST READ Article but, unfortunately, nothing will be done about it!โ€

Trump and Bidenย will square offย Thursday night in a debate hosted by CNN, in what will be theย first debateย since the 2020 election.ย 

Trump last week said he does not want to underestimate Biden ahead of the debate.

โ€œWell, all I can say is this: I watched him withย Paul Ryan,ย and he destroyed Paul Ryan,โ€ Trump said during an episode of the โ€œAll-In podcastโ€ last week. โ€œAnd he beat Paul Ryan, so, Iโ€™m not underestimating him.โ€

Trump Accuses Adam Schiff Of Mortgage Fraud

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Photo via Gage Skidmoer Flickr

On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump accused former impeachment leader Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif) of committing mortgage fraud.

โ€œI have always suspected Shifty Adam Shiff (sic) was a scam artist,โ€ Trump wrote. He then claimed that Fannie Maeโ€™s Financial Crimes Division had determined that Schiff had improperly declared a Maryland home as his primary residence to secure better mortgage terms, despite representing California in Congress.

โ€œAdam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA,โ€ Trump alleged, before outlining what he described as a fraudulent timeline beginning in 2009 and ending in 2020.

According to Trumpโ€™s post, the alleged โ€œfraudโ€ began on February 6, 2009, with the refinancing of a property in Maryland, and continued โ€œthrough multiple transactionsโ€ until October 13, 2020, when the property was finally โ€œcorrectly designated as a second home.โ€ He concluded the post with a familiar refrain: โ€œCrooked Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice.โ€

As of Tuesday morning, no independent confirmation of such an investigation has been reported.

Schiffโ€™s ownership of the Maryland property was reported on during his Senate campaign by CNN, which at the time reported that the then-House member wasnโ€™t likely to face any legal repercussions because the law at issue is ambiguous when it comes to the definition of a primary residence.

However, Schiffโ€™s spokesperson during the campaign and his current press secretary, told CNN last year that he has claimed both his properties as primary residences for mortgage purposes โ€œbecause they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.โ€

The animosity between Trump and Schiff has been swirling for year and dates back to at least 2017, when the California lawmaker emerged as one of Trumpโ€™s most vocal critics during the House Intelligence Committeeโ€™s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Schiff later served as the lead impeachment manager during Trumpโ€™s first impeachment trial in 2020, drawing attacks from the former president, who routinely referred to him as “Pencil Neck” and โ€œShifty Schiff.โ€

Trump Gives DeSantis Insulting New Nickname as 2024 Anticipation Builds

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Even before the midterm elections have concluded former President Donald Trump is already drawing a line in the sand.

As speculation builds that Trump is gearing up to formally announce his third presidential campaign this month the former president is wasting no time crushing his potential opponents, first singling out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (READ NEXT: Kellyanne Conway Drops Major Hint on Trumpโ€™s Impending 2024 Announcement)

During a Pennsylvania rally, Trump awarded DeSantis a new nickname, “Ron DeSanctimonious”- one he’s likely not thrilled to receive.

“Weโ€™re winning big in the Republican Party for the nomination like nobodyโ€™s ever seen before,” Trump told the crowd before listing other Republicans who could potentially challenge him in 2024.

“There it is, Trump at 71 percent, Ron DeSanctimonious at 10%,” Trump told the crowd while reading approval numbers of various Republicans.

Trump and DeSantis are widely considered to be the top contenders to receive the Republican 2024 nomination but it seems Trump is not ready to waste any time. DeSantis has maintained his sole focus on winning his gubernatorial re-election and has insisted he’s not considering a presidential run.

There have also been reports of building tension between Trump and DeSantis camps for months as the former president has sought to squash any potential edge DeSantis may have in 2024. (READ NEXT: Trump Snubs DeSantis in Latest Campaign Stop Announcement)

However, Trump’s nasty new nickname triggered some Republicans to come out of the woodwork and seemingly take sides.

Surprisingly, Mike Pompeo who served as Trump’s Secretary of State seemed to side with DeSantis.

“Not tired of winning. @GovRonDeSantis youโ€™ve proven conservative policies work. Florida is better for it. Vote for @GovRonDeSantis,”ย Pompeo tweeted Saturdayย evening in an apparent dig at Trump.

Republican Congresswoman Reverses Retirement Decision

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On Monday, Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz (R) announced she would seek another term in Congress after all.

โ€œDeciding where your duty lies โ€” family, work, or country, is never an easy task. Earlier last year, I decided to take some time off from running for public office to recharge and spend more time in Indiana with my family,โ€ Spartzย said in a statement.ย ย 

โ€œHowever, looking where we are today, and urged by many of my constituents, I do not believe I would be able to deliver this Congress, with the current failed leadership in Washington, D.C., on the important issues for our nation that I have worked very hard on,โ€ she continued. 

Last year, Spartz announced that she would not be running for another term,ย saying in a statementย at the time โ€œbeing a working mom is toughโ€ and that she wanted to spend more time with her daughters.

However Spartz seemed to signal she would reconsider her decision in recent months,ย saying on NewsNationโ€™s โ€œThe Hillโ€ in September, โ€œI do need to regroup because I think my party is failing the people.โ€ย 

The solidly red district in Indianaโ€™s Fifth Congressional District went for former President Trump in 2020 by 16 points. ย 

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.