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Widely-Rumored 2028 Democrat Presidential Contender Takes His Name Out of Consideration

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P0120021CK-1111: President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

One down…

Over the weekend, a popular Democrat governor widely believed to be a top 2028 presidential contender officially took his name out of the running.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Sunday said he is “not running for president” in ’28 — knocking out one of the top contenders to lead the Democratic ticket, three years before the election.

Moore, while appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, was asked by host Kristen Welker if he plans on serving a full term if he wins reelection as governor next year. He told Welker he does plan on serving the full four-year term — leading her to clarify that means he is removing himself from the ’28 field.

“Do you rule out a run for president, governor?” Welker asked him.

“Yeah, I’m not running for president,” Moore responded.

She responded: “You rule it out?”

Moore then told her “Yes, I’m not running for president.”

At that point, Welker asked him once again to clarify his intentions, asking if he “completely” ruled it out.

Here is what Moore said:

“I’m so excited about what we’re doing. That we’ve gone from 43rd in the country in unemployment to now one of the lowest unemployment rates. We’ve had amongst the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America. Our population is growing. Maryland is moving, and so I’m really excited about going back in front of the people of my state and asking for another term.”

Watch:

Last month, Kalshi betting market put Moore at 6% odds to be the party’s nominee — which came in fourth behind California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) at 20%, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at 15%, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (D) at 10%. The president site Polymarket also had Moore as a top five contender.

In 2024, the Maryland Governor faced controversy after falsely claiming to be a Bronze Star recipient on a 2006 White House fellowship application. 

Moore, who was 27 years old when he applied for the White House position, blamed his Army superiors for the inclusion of the falsehood on the application and said he never corrected the mistake because he was eager to “begin the next phase” of his life, in a statement released after the New York Times reported on the embellishment. 

“These are the facts,” the Maryland governor wrote in his lengthy statement. “While serving overseas with the Army, I was encouraged to fill out an application for the White House Fellowship by my deputy brigade commander. In fact, he helped me edit it before I sent it in. At the time, he had recommended me for the Bronze Star. He told me to include the Bronze Star award on my application after confirming with two other senior-level officers that they had also signed off on the commendation.” 

Moore noted that his deputy brigade commander “felt comfortable with instructing me to include the award” on the application because he was under the impression that the medal for heroic or meritorious service had already been “approved by his senior leadership.” 

“In the military, there is an understanding that if a senior officer tells you that an action is approved, you can trust that as a fact. That is why it was part of the application, plain and simple,” the governor explained. 

“Towards the end of my deployment, I was disappointed to learn that I hadn’t received the Bronze Star. But I was ready to begin the next phase of my life,” Moore continued. 

Moore deployed to Afghanistan as a lieutenant with the 82nd Airborne Division in 2005, according to his official governor’s biography

Moore was ultimately awarded the Bronze Star in December 2024 for his deployment to Afghanistan.

Radical Congresswoman Makes Wild Claim About Trump Supporters: ‘Are They Preparing For A Civil War?’

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Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is once again raising the stakes, doubling down on her previous claims that an unknown number of Trump voters might be gearing up for a Ruby Ridge or Waco-style standoff.

Now, the veteran congresswoman is hinting that the former president’s fans could be plotting a sequel to the Civil War, and she’s calling for an official government probe to get to the bottom of it. (RELATED: All In The Family: Maxine Waters Continues To Pay Daughter With Campaign Cash)

Waters’ rhetoric hit new heights during an appearance on MSNBC, where she dissected Trump’s language.

“I’m worried that he’s so divisive and that he’s talking about retribution, and they’re talking about revenge and I think that that’s dangerous. He’s even mentioned civil war at one point, talked about there would be bloodshed,” Waters told host Jonathan Capehart.

“Are they preparing a civil war against us?” she asked, leaving the question hanging in the air. “Should we be concerned about our safety? What is [Trump] doing with this divisive language? It is dangerous.”

The Los Angeles-area Democrat promised to enlist the “criminal justice system” to investigate what she described as the activities of “domestic terrorists,” clearly pointing the finger at Trump supporters.

“It is not just that [Trump is] a criminal, this is a man who disrespects the Constitution and democracy and we have got to find out what they are doing as domestic terrorists [who] tried to take over the government on Jan. 6,” Waters continued.

With a flair for the dramatic, Waters posed another rhetorical question, “How far is this going to go? Are they going to be attacking? Whom are they going to attack? What are we going to do? We’re trying to get an investigation going about that.” (RELATED: CNN Lawyers Take Unexpected Stand – Blast Judge Merchan And Back Trump Big Time)

After Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts, Waters took to social media with gusto, lambasting the presumptive Republican nominee.

Less than one month ago, Waters spun another yarn on MSNBC, predicting civil unrest if Trump loses in November, without a single eyebrow raised in objection. (RELATED: Maxine Waters Accuses ‘Right-Wing Organizations’ Of Training In The Hills)

Chatting yet again with host Jonathan Capehart, Waters declared her plan to press the Justice Department and the White House on how President Biden would respond if his opponent refuses to accept the election results.

But she didn’t stop there – Waters went on to allege (without evidence) that shadowy “right-wing organizations” are “training up in the hills somewhere,” suggesting that extremist violence against the government isn’t just a possibility but practically a done deal.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

‘Another Run’ Former Trump Ambassador Eyes Return To Politics

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Former Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is teasing another run for elected office.

In an interview with WMUR of New Hampshire set to air today, Brown said “it is no secret that” he has not been happy with what is happening nationally, including the border, economy, and fentanyl. And New Hampshire’s federal delegation is “in lockstep with those failed policies,” he said.

“They covered for Biden. They really didn’t support the closed border, the immigration. They’re not doing the things that I think are important for New Hampshire,” he said. “Is there another run? Yeah, I think so, and I’m obviously looking at it. I’m not going to announce anything. But I think it’s important for our delegation not to be obstructionists right now, because there will be a backlash.

“I’ve always felt, whether you are a Democrat or Republican, you need good, hardworking, honest people who are problem solvers. And if you recall…I was the most bipartisan senator in the United States Senate for the whole time that I was there,” Brown said on WBUR.

According to The Boston Herald, New Hampshire U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat and the first woman to be elected as both the state’s governor and senator, is up for reelection in 2026. She is a senior member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, Appropriations Committee, Armed Services Committee, and Small Business Committee.

Brown was the first Republican in Massachusetts elected to the U.S. Senate since 1972.

He was later nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017 to serve as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.

Judge Criticizes DOJ and FBI as He Rejects Argument to Keep Affidavit Under Wraps

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Marine One lifts-off after returning President Donald J. Trump to Mar-a-Lago Friday, March 29, 2019, following his visit to the 143-mile Herbert Hoover Dike near Canal Point, Fla., that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. The visit was part of an infrastructure inspection of the dike, which is part of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee Everglades system, and reduces impacts of flooding for areas of south Florida. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

A federal judge criticized the FBI and DOJ as he rejected a DOJ argument to keep the affidavit for the search warrant at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago under wraps.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart said the DOJ did not meet the government’s required burden of proof to keep the document sealed, The Daily Caller reports.

Reinhart wrote in his ruling that the government had a to show if it has a compelling governmental interest and the denial of access is “narrowly tailored to serve that interest.” 

The DOJ argued that the unsealing “would jeopardize the integrity of its ongoing criminal investigation,” and that there were privacy concerns with unsealing it.

In response, unsealing the document would “unsealing the Affidavit would promote public understanding of historically significant events. This factor weighs in favor of disclosure.”

However, Reinhart has the government did show a compelling interest in not unsealing the whole affidavit but that there was an alternative between unsealing the whole thing or not unsealing anything.

Reinhart has given the agency until August 25th to propose the redactions of the document they would like.

[READ NEXT: Trump Makes Fun of Failed CNN Host and Liz Cheney]

Former Navy SEAL Issues Challenge to Montana Dem Senator

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Former Navy SEAL officer Tim Sheehy launched a Senate bid in Montana on Tuesday.

“I’ve proudly fought for our country to defend our freedoms, and I’m once again answering the call to serve,” Sheehy, a Republican, said in a statement. “I will fight to bring real leadership to Washington to save our country and protect our Montana way of life.”

Sheehy, who serves as CEO of Bridger Aerospace, accused Tester of having “lost sight of our Montana values.”

“Like any good politician, Jon talks one way but votes another,” Sheehy said. “Montanans have had enough of these career politicians who are full of empty promises and are not representing our Montana values. It’s time for a new generation of leadership to rebuild America.”

The former Navy SEAL officer has received the endorsement of fellow Montanan and head of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). Sheehy’s announcement marks the first Republican to jump into the race, potentially teeing up a fight against incumbent Sen. Jon Tester.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) threw his support behind former Navy SEAL officer Tim Sheehy on Thursday in the race to take on Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) next year.

“Tim Sheehy is a good friend, and I’m glad he decided to run for the U.S. Senate. Tim’s business experience and commitment to public service is what we need in Washington,” Gianforte said in a statement shared by Sheehy’s campaign.

“I know Tim Sheehy will serve Montana well in the U.S. Senate, and he has my full support,” he added.

Blake Masters Looks To Run For Arizona’s Senate Seat Once More

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Blake Masters speaking with attendees at the 2022 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.

Despite losing to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in 2022, Blake Masters plans to run for the United States Senate again.

This time against Kyrsten Sinema.

Confirmation from Masters may come as soon as next week, as Politico reports:

Masters did not reply to a request for comment. Masters won the GOP nomination last year but lost to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in a critical swing state.

Former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s advisers say she is expected to announce a Senate campaign in early fall, though some Republicans are skeptical Lake and Masters would run for the same seat. Pinal County sheriff Mark Lamb is another GOP candidate.

Barrett Marson, an Arizona-based GOP strategist, said he talked to Masters a few months ago and he “was pretty decisively in.” However, he said, Masters had been waiting for Lake to decide whether to run.

“I think he is now under the impression that maybe Kari Lake isn’t going to run, because I’ll tell you if Lake and Blake are both in, he is wasting his time,” he said. “They occupy the same lane. They have nearly the same name. And she has much better positive name ID among Republicans than Blake does.”

In March 2022, Masters resigned from Peter Thiel’s firm to run for Senate. Within three months, he secured endorsements from Thiel and former President Donald Trump, leading to a comfortable victory over Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich in the Republican primary.

However, Sen. Kelly defeated Masters by 4.9 percentage points. Kelly enjoyed a massive fundraising advantage, raising $75 million compared to Masters’ $12 million.

On the campaign trail, Kelly utilized the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Masters’ support for privatizing Social Security, and his flip-flopping on the 2020 presidential election to weaken his support with Republican-leaning voters and moderates.

This article first appeared in American Liberty News.

Report: Trump Says He Will ‘Look At’ Pardon For Gretchen Whitmer Kidnapping Conspiracy

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivers remarks during a press briefing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., on April 29, 2025.​ The visit marked President Trump’s 100th day in office, during which he announced the basing of F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets at Selfridge—underscoring the installation’s growing strategic role. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Paige Bodine)

Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the Oval Office, President Donald J. Trump said he is open to reviewing the cases of those convicted in connection with the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, calling the prosecutions potentially unjust and saying “a lot of people think they got railroaded.”

“I’m going to look at it. I will take a look at it. It’s been brought to my attention,” Trump said in response to questions about possible pardons for the men convicted in the case.

“I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job, I’ll be honest with you. It looked to me like some people said some stupid things—you know, they were drinking—and I think they said stupid things.”

The comments come as President Trump continues to highlight what he calls the Biden administration’s weaponization of federal law enforcement and the justice system—a message that resonates with many conservatives concerned about double standards in legal prosecutions.

“A lot of people think they got railroaded,” Trump repeated. “And probably some people don’t. But I’ll take a look at it.”

The case involved Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., who were convicted in 2022 for what federal prosecutors described as a plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer from her Michigan vacation home during the COVID lockdowns. The prosecution’s narrative focused on the pair’s frustration over pandemic mandates, which they said amounted to government overreach.

Fox was sentenced to 16 years in prison, and Croft to 19 years, on multiple conspiracy charges, including a scheme to use a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors claimed they were part of a larger militia movement called the “Wolverine Watchmen.”

However, even mainstream legal analysts and civil liberties watchdogs raised concerns at the time about the FBI’s heavy involvement in the case, including the use of over a dozen informants and undercover agents who appeared to guide, encourage, and escalate the planning efforts.

Some defense attorneys went so far as to claim that the plot was manufactured by federal operatives, with one legal team calling it a “federal setup from day one.” In fact, three other men tried later in connection with the plot were acquitted on all charges in 2023, further fueling criticism that the entire case may have been an exercise in political theater during a heated election cycle.

President Trump’s interest in revisiting the case follows his recent high-profile pardon of former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, a well-known Virginia conservative convicted in a controversial cash-for-badges case. Trump described Jenkins as a victim of a “corrupt and weaponized Biden DOJ,” echoing his belief that the justice system has been used selectively to punish his political allies.

Report: Alleged Trump Bomber Charged

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Political threats are on the rise…

On Monday, A man pleaded not guilty after he allegedly drove past a security checkpoint and claimed to have an explosive device at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Michigan, last week.

Steven William Nauta was arrested after police say he drove around barricades set up for Trump’s rally and told police that he had a C4 explosive, WOOD TV 8 reported. According to a court document, Nauta “held up a bottle to police and stated that it was ‘C4’ explosive and that it was the ‘real deal.’” After being told to stop by officers, Nauta allegedly “sped off” before stopping and throwing bags of fertilizer on the ground.

The Daily Wire reports:

“When (Nauta) finally stopped, he removed bags of fertilizer from his vehicle and threw them on the ground to make it appear that they were explosives while disobeying officers’ commands,” the court document states. The 65-year-old was eventually detained by police, and the man allegedly told officers that he intended to make them believe that he had explosives. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said there was no active bomb in Nauta’s vehicle.

Nauta’s virtual court appearance from a jail cell was a bizarre scene as the man took his shirt off at one point and made profane hand gestures, according to WOOD TV 8. Nauta was charged with one felony count each of a false report or threat of terrorism, possession of bombs with unlawful intent, third-degree fleeing a police officer, and resulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Kent County, Michigan, District Court Judge Nicholas Christensen set the man’s bond at $1 million, and Nauta replied, “Well, your honor, given my situation, I think I’m better off just staying in here. Very cruel world out there. Probably a lot better off here.”

The judge told Nauta, “It’s not lost on this court here today that your alleged actions were directed to stopping or hindering a fundamental aspect of this country’s democratic process: a political rally.”

The Michigan man’s alleged bomb threat came just two weeks after Secret Service agents apprehended an alleged suspect with a gun near Trump’s golf course. Ryan Routh pleaded not guilty in court on Monday.

The Republican nominee said on Monday that he has requested more Secret Service agents, but alleged that Democrats are “not giving us the proper number of people within Secret Service that are necessary for Security.”

“We need more Secret Service, and we need them NOW,” Trump wrote. “It is ELECTION INTERFERENCE that we have to turn away thousands of people from arenas and venues because it is not being provided to us.”

Thomas Massie Files 2028 Paperwork After Brutal Primary Defeat

By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Thomas Massie, CC BY-SA 2.0,

Rep. Thomas Massie may have lost his congressional seat, but the Kentucky Republican is already signaling he has no plans to disappear from politics anytime soon.

Just days after suffering a bruising primary defeat to Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, Massie revealed he has already filed paperwork that could keep the door open for another run in 2028.

“I filed with FEC for the 2028 House race. This allows me to raise funds to continue my political operations supporting my position as a current office holder and as a potential candidate for federal office,” Massie wrote Monday in a post on X.

“I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run,” he added.

The filing comes after Massie lost Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District Republican primary in what became one of the most closely watched and expensive House races in the country.

President Donald Trump had aggressively targeted Massie during the campaign, repeatedly blasting the congressman and endorsing Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL officer.

The two men had increasingly clashed over a number of issues, including foreign policy and Massie’s push for the release of files related to deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Massie had sounded far less interested in a political future just weeks earlier.

Speaking at a University of Louisville College Republicans event in April, Massie declared: “If I lose on May 19, I am not doing any more government ever.”

Now, the tone appears to have shifted.

“I’m keeping every option open, and there’s still an undisclosed paid social media campaign to rewrite history and diminish the platform the Epstein class gave me when they spent tens of millions of dollars to buy the seat,” Massie said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“I won’t be going away silently.”

Massie also made clear that he is not ruling out a larger stage.

During an appearance on Meet the Press on Sunday, moderator Kristen Welker asked whether he was considering a 2028 presidential run.

“I will not rule out anything. And right now I’m not gonna rule in anything,” Massie said.

“I think I will stay engaged in some way or shape. Maybe it’s from the outside. I’ve been exposing what’s going on Washington D.C. for years,” he added.

The comments come after supporters unexpectedly began chanting “2028” and “President!” during Massie’s concession speech last week, fueling speculation that some backers see the congressman as more than just a defeated House member.

Whether that turns into a White House bid, another congressional run, or something else entirely remains unclear.

But one thing appears increasingly certain: Massie may have lost his seat — but he is making it clear he does not view himself as finished.

Santos Begs Trump For ‘Pardon, Commutation, Clemency, Whatever’

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A desperate plea…

Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who faces more than seven years behind bars after pleading guilty to wire fraud and identity theft, is seeking clemency from President Trump.

“I’ll take a commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me,” Santos told British media personality Piers Morgan in an episode of Morgan’s YouTube show “Uncensored” on Thursday.

“Seven years and three months in prison for a first-time offender over campaign matters just screams ‘over the top,’ and I would appreciate if the president would consider,” he added.

The disgraced former lawmaker also noted he is filling out paperwork to formally seek intervention from the White House before he reports to prison in July.

By U.S. House Office of Photography – https://santos.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/santos.house.gov/files/evo-media-image/rep_santos_george_official.jpg, Public Domain,

In his interview with Morgan, Santos blasted former Biden administration Attorney General Merrick Garland, whom Trump and other conservative allies have criticized and accused of weaponizing the Department of Justice against the president and his allies.

“I do believe this is an unfair judgment handed down to me,” he said Thursday. “I think there was a lot of politicization over the process.”

“Merrick Garland was by far the most disgraceful and disgraced political [attorney general] to ever serve in that capacity of the United States,” Santos said.

Santos was elected to represent New York’s affluent Long Island-centered 3rd District in 2022, becoming the first openly gay Republican to win a House seat as a nonincumbent before his fall from grace. The House expelled Santos from the chamber in a 311–114 vote in 2023, as ethics charges mounted against him.