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Incoming Trump Cabinet Nominees And Where They Stand

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President-elect Trump has named a number of nominees to flesh out his incoming Administration…

Check back in to stay up-to-date on the Trump administration:

Vice President JD Vance

Status: Certified

Current: Kamala Harris

Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio Senator and author of the bestselling book Hillbilly Eulogy, will be confirmed. The certification of the election will occur on Jan. 6 2025.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles

Status: Appointed

Current: Ron Klain

Trump announced the appointment of Wiles as White House chief of staff. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

Wiles will make history as the first woman White House Chief of Staff.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

(Miami – Flórida, 09/03/2020) Presidente da República Jair Bolsonaro durante encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio..Foto: Alan Santos/PR

Status: Confirmed

Trump nominated Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to succeed Antony Blinken as Secretary of State.

Blinken was confirmed on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78-22.

Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent

Status: Confirmed

Senate Finance Committee lawmakers voted Tuesday to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, a 16-11 vote of approval that sends his confirmation to the Senate for a full floor vote.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

Status: Announced

Current: Ret. Gen. Lloyd Austin

Trump announced the selection of Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of Defense. Hegseth has faced an uphill road to confirmation over allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse which he has vehemently denied.

Sen. Joni Ernst recently annoucned her plans to support Hegseth’s confirmation in a statement:

I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.

1/5/24 UPDATE: According to three sources, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told incoming President Trump that Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed, though he refused to publicly comment on the matter

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

Status: Announced

Current: Alejandro Mayorkas

Trump tapped South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as the next Secretary of Homeland Security.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Status: Announced

Current: Xavier Beccera

President-elect Donald Trump announced Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). RFK Jr. previouslt ran against Trump as an Independent before suspending his campaign and endorsing the Republican.

Attorney General Pam Bondi

Status: Announced

Current: Merrick Garland

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to the key Cabinet position in late November after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination.

Trump initially nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General but he withdrew from consideration after it became clear he would not muster the required support for confirmation. Congress recently released an ethics report finding the former lawmaker “engaged in sexual misconduct, used illicit drugs, “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gifts.”

Gaetz has not been charged with any crimes.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

Status: Announced

Current: Avril Haines

Trump tapped former Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to be his Director of National Intelligence.

In a statement, Trump said, “For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.”

United Nations Ambassador Elise Stefanik

Status: Announced

Current: Linda Thomas-Greenfield

“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement to the New York Post. 

Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, also released a statement:

“I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Stefanik told the Post. “During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate. President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad.” 

FBI Director Kash Patel

Gage Skidmore Flickr

Status: Announced

Current: Christopher Wray

“Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials,” Trump posted to Truth Social shortly after his announcement.

“This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border. Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI.”

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin

Status: Announced

Trump announced on November 11, 2024, that he had selected Zeldin as his nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in his second presidential term. 

After the announcement, Zeldin posted on X: “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum

Status: Announced

Current: Deb Haaland

Donald Trump (R) announced on November 14, 2024, that he had selected Burgum as his nominee for secretary of the interior in his second presidential term. This appointment requires Senate confirmation.

Trump also said Burgum would lead the National Energy Council, a newly formed group consisting of “all Departments and Agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, of ALL forms of American Energy.” In a statement, Trump said, “Doug Burgum will protect our Nation’s Natural Resources, restore our fabulous Oil and Gas advantage, and Make America, and its Energy, Dominant and Great Again!”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright

Status: Announced

Chris Wright is Donald Trump’s (R) announced nominee for secretary of Energy in his second presidential term. 

In a statement Trump said, “Chris has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy. He has worked in Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas. Most significantly, Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fueled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics.”

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy

Status: Confirmed

Duffy, the former five-term Republican Congressman, was advanced out of committee with a 28-0 vote during a brief Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing. 

In a statement, Trump said, “Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation.”

Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler

Kelly served in the U.S. Senate in 2020, where she brought her private-sector experience to Washington. She served on key committees including Agriculture, Joint Economic, HELP, and Veterans Affairs – championing conservative values, pro-growth policies, advocating for small businesses, and passing legislation to strengthen economic resilience.

As co-owner of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream for a decade, Senator Loeffler helped position the franchise as a platform to empower women through sports, demonstrating her commitment to community impact.

After her Senate service, Kelly founded Greater Georgia Action, an election integrity advocacy and voter registration non-profit, as well as RallyRight, a conservative tech startup – while serving on several corporate and philanthropic boards.

Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins

Brooke Leslie Rollins is from Glen Rose, Texas, a small agricultural community in the American heartland. She grew up working summers on her family’s farm in Minnesota, barrel racing, and raising livestock for 4-H and Future Farmers of America. She proudly served as a Texas State FFA Officer and worked for the National FFA Organization.

Rollins most recently served as the Founder, President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. Prior to that, she was Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives in the last White House under President Donald Trump. In these roles, she helped lead the transformational domestic policy agenda of the Trump Administration, enacting the President’s vision and leading to historic achievements for the American people.

Rollins graduated with honors from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural development and was the first woman in university history to be elected student-body president. After earning her Juris Doctor with honors at the University of Texas School of Law, she served as Governor Rick Perry’s policy director before building and leading the Texas Public Policy Foundation for fifteen years.

Rollins and her husband, Mark, reside in Fort Worth, Texas, with their four children.

Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick

Howard W. Lutnick has been nominated to serve as the 41st United States Secretary of Commerce.  During President Trump’s 2024 election campaign, he was the Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team.

Before entering public service, Mr. Lutnick was a prominent figure on Wall Street for over three decades, simultaneously serving as Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Group, as well as Executive Chairman of Newmark. He joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming President and CEO at just 29 years old.

Tragedy struck on September 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 of its 960 New York-based employees, including Mr. Lutnick’s brother and his best friend. He emerged from these events with an indomitable sense of purpose to rebuild the firm to honor those lost, support their families, and become a beacon of hope for those who remained.

In the days after the attacks, Mr. Lutnick launched the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, which donated $180 million to families of his coworkers who died on 9/11. He has donated more than $100 million to victims of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies around the world.

Mr. Lutnick served on the Board of Directors of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Weill Cornell Medicine. He was named the Financial Times Person of the Year in 2001 and Ernst & Young’s United States Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010. Howard also received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor granted to non-military personnel by the Navy.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner

Scott Turner, from Richardson, Texas, is a visionary leader with a distinguished career in public service, business, and professional sports. As Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, he led more than 200 policy actions to revitalize economically distressed communities. Turner served as Founder and CEO of the Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC), dedicated to revitalizing communities through mentorship, sports, and economic opportunity.

Turner served as a Texas State Representative for the 33rd District (2013–2017) and played nine seasons in the NFL. He also served as an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church. He holds a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Illinois and an honorary doctorate from Dallas Baptist University. Scott and his wife, Robin, are active in their church and community and are proud parents of Solomon, a recent University of Illinois graduate.

Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Lori Chavez-DeRemer has dedicated over two decades of her life to public service, beginning in 2002 on the Happy Valley Parks Committee in Oregon. She later served on the Happy Valley City Council, becoming council president, and was elected as the city’s first Latina mayor in 2010, serving two successful terms. Under her leadership, Happy Valley became Oregon’s fastest-growing community, with initiatives that strengthened working families and small businesses.

In 2022, Lori was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, making history as the first Republican woman and one of the first Latinas elected to Congress from Oregon. She served on the Agriculture, Education and Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees, championing practical solutions and securing critical investments for her constituents.

Lori is also a successful small businesswoman and the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a business administration degree. She and her husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, her high school sweetheart, founded an anesthesia management company and several medical clinics across the Pacific Northwest. A proud wife and mother, Lori is passionate about advocating for businesses, workers, and families across the country.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins

An Air Force Reserve colonel, chaplain and Iraq War veteran with more than 20 years of military experience, Doug Collins knows the complex issues facing veterans across the country. 

As a longtime congressman and attorney, Collins has a deep understanding of the federal government and the policy expertise to solve complex problems, cut through red tape and get things done for those who have worn the uniform. Over eight years in Congress, Collins helped scores of veterans solve their Department of Veterans Affairs problems, and he will put that expertise to work making VA more user-friendly, so veterans won’t need outside help to navigate the department’s bureaucracy. 

As a congressman, Collins championed bipartisan legislation like the First Step Act, the Music Modernization Act and the Defend Trade Secrets Act. Collins’ efforts in support of the First Step Act earned him the 2019 Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life. 

When it comes to veterans policy, Collins voted for some of the most important VA reforms in recent history, including the Veterans, Access, Choice and Accountability Act, the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act and the MISSION Act.

Check back for updates…

The article was published with permission from Official Trump Tracker.

Trump Injured At Rally, Possibly Shot – Suspect Down

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

UPDATE: 8:25 pm

The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman reports that Donald Trump Jr. said, “I just spoke to my father on the phone, and he is in great spirits.”

UPDATE: 8:15 pm

Two sources briefed The New York Times that a rally attendee was killed in the assassination attempt.

UPDATE: 7:36 pm

New video footage from the Butler Farm Show grounds shows the body of the attempted assassin on the roof of building approximately 400 feet from where President Trump was speaking. Gunfire from Secret Service agents killed him. The suspect’s identity remains unknown.

The shooter on the roof fired at Trump from outside the security perimeter, using the elevated position for a clear line of sight.

A witness on a nearby building informed a BBC reporter that he had seen the shooter crawling onto the roof with a rifle and had tried to warn law enforcement for “two or three minutes” prior to the shooting.

UPDATE: 7:31 pm

The Secret Service has confirmed that former President Donald Trump is safe and under protective measures following the shooting at today’s rally. A spokesperson stated that Trump is “fine” and described the incident as a “heinous act.” However, specific details about what transpired at the event remain scant.

The suspect has been “neutralized,” according to law enforcement sources.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

A retired two-star general standing behind the president was shot, too…

Former President Donald Trump defiantly raised his fist following an apparent assassination attempt at today’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Moments after the first shot rang out, Trump reached toward his ear and blood streaked across his face.

The shots came as Trump began discussing immigration in his stump speech. Bystanders said the sound resembled that of a small-caliber weapon.

Secret Service agents quickly whisked Trump off the stage, but not before he signaled to the crowd and appeared to shout the word “fight” multiple times.

Billionaire Elon Musk voiced his support for Trump following the attack. “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk said.

The entrepreneur made a substantial donation to a pro-Trump super PAC backing the Republican nominee in swing states, according to a report from Bloomberg on Friday. The exact amount of the donation was not disclosed.

Commenters on X praised the 45th president’s response, suggesting it might have secured his victory in the election.

Additional reactions poured in.

The alleged gunman is down, according to the county prosecutor.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Amanda Head: Biden’s Decision to Ostracize Republicans Could Be His Worst Political Move Yet

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Amanda Head

President Joe Biden is already one of America’s most hated presidents in modern history but he still magically possesses the uncanny ability to sink his approval numbers even further.

Last week, President Biden who once labeled himself as a “unifier for the country” is now preaching division-literally. During a speech, the President labeled MAGA supporters a “threat to democracy” and Americans are not happy about it.

Watch Amanda break down American’s rightful fury toward Biden HERE.

Tulsi Gabbard Gives Update On Trump Debate Prep

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Tulsi Gabbard via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former President Trump’s debate prep is going “great,” former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard informed Fox News.

“He knows the issues. He is very honed in on her [Kamala Harris’] record in reminding voters… ‘what have you done for the last three and a half years?’ You can paint this rosy picture about what you’re going to do, but we’re paying attention to what you’ve already done and how her policies have destroyed our economy, made us less safe, both here at home and abroad,” she told “FOX & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade.

The former president recruited Gabbard to help sharpen his skills ahead of the highly-anticipated Sept. 10 debate, where he is slated to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia. 

Gabbard infamously tore into Harris during a 2019 Democratic primary debate for jailing hundreds of Californians for marijuana violations despite smoking the drug herself.

“She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana,” she said during the viral exchange.

Trump Makes Last-Minute Endorsement In Texas Senate Race

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President Trump finally announced who would receive his coveted endorsement as early voting in the Texas State battle kicks off.

President Trump officially endorsed Ken Paxton on Tuesday, bucking establishment Republicans.

Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) appeared Monday to have given up any hope of receiving an endorsement from President Trump.

“I think that ship has finally sailed,” Cornyn said after voting in Austin, Texas, according to the Austin American-Statesman’s John Moritz. 

The incumbent senator noted, though, that he would welcome a campaign visit by the president in the fall if he wins the runoff over Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

Trump on Monday endorsed more than two dozen Republican candidates in races across the country but notably did not pick a favorite in the runoff between Cornyn and Paxton. 

However, Trump teased on Tuesday morning that he ultimately would make an endorsement, saying he’s known who he would throw his support behind for a while but kept it under wraps.

Shortly after Cornyn and Paxton advanced to the runoff in March, Trump said he would endorse a candidate and asked that the candiate he did not back to drop out of the race. Despite Paxton’s hard-line support for the president, he vowed he would not to drop out

Cornyn recently has touted his support for Trump. He wrote Monday on the social platform X that he has a 99.3 percent voting record with the president’s position and is “proud of what we have accomplished together.”

His pinned post on his X account is also a photo of him and Trump on the campaign trail in 2024.

The winner of the runoff will take on Democrat nominee James Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in the March primary.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Trump Conducts Surprise Straw Poll As 2028 Speculation Swirls

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President Donald Trump teased the possibility of a future Republican “dream team” this week, but despite renewed speculation surrounding Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the president has made clear he has not yet chosen a favorite to carry the MAGA mantle into 2028.

Speaking to a group of law enforcement officials at the White House on Monday, Trump openly polled the crowd about who should succeed him once his second term ends.

“I don’t know. Who’s it going to be? Is it going to be JD? Is there going to be somebody else? I don’t know,” Trump said before asking attendees directly, “Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio? All right. Sounds like a good ticket.”

Applause in the room appeared louder for Vance, though Trump quickly clarified he was not offering an endorsement.

“By the way, I do believe that’s a dream team. But these are minor details. That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance,” Trump said. “But you know … I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.”

The remarks immediately fueled speculation about the shape of the 2028 Republican primary field, which is increasingly viewed as likely to revolve around Vance and Rubio — two rising stars who have become central figures in Trump’s administration and broader MAGA movement.

Trump himself has repeatedly suggested Vance is currently the favorite to inherit the movement, while also leaving the door open to Rubio playing a major role.

Last August, Trump said Vance would “most likely” be the GOP nominee in 2028.

“Well, I think most likely, in all fairness,” Trump said at the time. “He’s the vice president. I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form.”

Still, Trump stopped short of a formal endorsement then as well.

“I also think we have incredible people, some of the people on the stage right here, so it’s too early obviously to talk about it,” he added. “But certainly, [Vance] is doing a great job, and he would be probably favored at this point.”

Rubio, for his part, publicly signaled support for Vance last year, telling Vanity Fair: “If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.”

Yet speculation about Rubio’s own ambitions has only intensified as he has emerged as one of the administration’s most visible and influential officials, juggling a growing list of high-profile responsibilities within Trump’s orbit.

At the same time, some political observers believe the eventual 2028 field may not unfold the way many Republicans currently expect.

Political analyst Mark Halperin argued Friday that Vance and Rubio are unlikely to engage in a bruising primary battle against one another despite widespread media speculation.

“We get to what I think is driving a lot of this, besides people loving Marco Rubio — and a lot people in my sources do — is Vance,” Halperin said during his online show.

Halperin pointed to concerns among some Republicans about Vance’s public image and political style, arguing Rubio may have advantages in traditional campaign settings.

“I will say that in the next two years, as people in the party and the media are comparing Rubio and Vance side by side, I don’t think Vance can win the performance competition,” Halperin said. “I think Rubio has improved enough and the perceptions are such that Vance is going to have a hard time.”

Still, Halperin ultimately predicted that if Vance decides to run, Rubio would likely avoid challenging him directly.

“These two guys are genuine friends,” Halperin said. “You cannot beat an incumbent vice president running for president unless you rip their face off. That’s just the way our politics work.”

Halperin floated another possibility that has received relatively little attention so far: Vance and Rubio eventually joining forces on a single ticket.

“If Vance runs, I think they’ll run together,” he said. “I think they’ll be a ticket, and they may even announce as a ticket from the beginning of the campaign.”

He also suggested there remains a real possibility Vance could ultimately decline to run altogether, citing the intense scrutiny presidential campaigns place on candidates and their families.

“So if Vance chooses not to run, and I think that’s a possibility, probably because of his kids, I think Rubio will be in an extremely strong position,” Halperin said.

Watch:

For now, however, Trump appears content to encourage speculation without settling the question himself.

While Vance remains widely viewed as the early frontrunner thanks to his position as vice president and close alignment with Trump’s political movement, Rubio’s growing stature within the administration has made him impossible to ignore in conversations about the GOP’s post-Trump future.

And despite the president’s playful “dream team” comments this week, Trump has repeatedly emphasized one thing above all else: the race to succeed him is still far from decided.

Trump Calls For Investigation Into Iowa Pollster

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

President-elect Donald Trump called for an investigation into retired Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer as he accused her of undermining trust in the 2024 election.

Selzer’s (inaccurate) Iowa reporting threatened to upend the state’s results, however Trump went on toe decisively win the Buckeye State.

“A totally Fake poll that caused great distrust and uncertainty at a very critical time. She knew exactly what she was doing,” Trump posted to his Truth Social site.

In the post, Trump thanked the “GREAT PEOPLE OF IOWA” for their votes, despite alleged possible “ELECTION FRAUD” by Selzer and the newspaper that published the poll, The Des Moines Register.

“An investigation is fully called for!” Trump added.

Just days before the election, Selzer’s survey, which found Vice President Harris leading Trump in Iowa, sent shockwaves nationwide. Trump went on to win the state by more than 20,000 votes.

Selzer announced in a column on Sunday that she will retire from the Register’s Iowa Poll.

Selzer, who has worked on a contract basis for the Register since 1997, said she would have liked to have made the announcement after polling lined up with the election results and admitted “it’s ironic” that it’s the opposite.

Selzer’s poll was widely cited during the final days of the campaign, raising questions about whether its projections shaped voter sentiment or campaign strategies.

Democrat Donors Boost Trump-Backed Challenger To Oust Rep. Thomas Massie

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Political representation of parties making money

A growing share of high-dollar political donors with histories of supporting Democratic candidates are now backing Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and primary challenger to Republican Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.

Gallrein, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, is positioning himself as a MAGA-aligned alternative to Massie—one of the most independent-minded Republicans in Congress and a frequent critic of party leadership, including Trump at times.

Trump has made unseating Massie a priority, previously signaling he would support a primary challenger after clashes with the Kentucky congressman over key votes and strategy. Gallrein has emerged as that candidate.

However, campaign finance records reviewed by the Daily Caller raise questions about the ideological makeup of Gallrein’s donor base.

According to Federal Election Commission filings, 85% of donors who contributed the maximum allowable amount to Gallrein’s campaign have previously donated to Democratic candidates. Of the 141 donors identified in the fourth quarter who gave at least $3,500, 120 had prior histories of donating to Democrats.

Additionally, 112 of those donors—roughly 79%—are considered high-dollar contributors to Democratic campaigns, suggesting a significant overlap between Gallrein’s financial support and traditional Democratic donor networks.

The findings stand in contrast to Gallrein’s public claims about his fundraising.

“Let me give you an example: my money is coming from conservatives — not from the same people who got Mamdani elected,” Gallrein said during a Feb. 25 appearance on Hugh Hewitt’s show.

“I’ve challenged journalists to look into where his funding is coming from — there’s a Pulitzer Prize waiting for whoever does that research,” Gallrein said. “The sentiment right now is like a pressure valve being released. There’s finally a viable candidate, and it’s a one-on-one race — not a split field he’s benefited from in the past. And his money isn’t coming from Kentucky.”

When asked about the apparent discrepancy, the Gallrein campaign dismissed the criticism.

“Honestly, we find that question is ridiculous. Thomas Massie is bankrolled by Obama donors, Kamala donors, Hillary donors, and even Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar donors. You should be asking him about that,” a campaign spokesperson told the Caller.

“President Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein because he’s the MAGA conservative in this race. There is a reason the ladies of View [sic] love Massie. Maybe ask Massie’s best friend, socialist Ro Khanna, about who is the conservative in this race,” the spokesperson added.

Among Gallrein’s contributors is Adam Offenhartz, who made an in-kind donation to the campaign and has previously supported both former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign and President Joe Biden’s 2020 bid.

The race is shaping up as a high-profile proxy battle within the Republican Party, while drawing in an unexpected mix of donors from across the political spectrum.

Report: Republican Expelled From State Party

The Georgia Republican Party’s State Executive Committee has voted to expel former GOP Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan from being associated with the party.

The unanimous vote was finalized on Jan. 6, cutting Duncan’s ties to the GOP after years of accusations of disloyalty.

The resolution makes several allegations against Duncan, including accusations that he undermined GOP candidates, endorsed Democrat opponents and used his affiliation with the Republican Party for personal gain.

In a post on X, Duncan suggested that the resolution was not a good use of the party’s time.

“Hard to believe this is a good use of time for a party that’s only got a limited amount of time to figure out mass deportations, world peace and global tariffs. Learn how to take a victory lap not light another dumpster fire @JoshMcKoon,” he wrote, calling out the Georgia GOP chair.

According to the resolution, Duncan is “banned from all property owned or leased by the Georgia Republican Party and all events held by or under the authority of the Georgia Republican Party.”

The Georgia GOP said Duncan is prohibited from qualifying as a candidate for the Georgia Republican Party. The group also said his previous GOP nominations for lieutenant governor and, before that, the state House of Representatives, both races in which he won the primary and general elections, have been expunged.

The resolution demanded Duncan cease calling himself a Republican for personal profit or to undermine and sabotage the Republican Party and its candidates.

The resolution claims Duncan undermined and sabotaged some Republican candidates, including current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and failed 2022 Senate candidate Herschel Walker. 

It also notes Duncan’s public endorsements during the 2024 presidential race of President Biden and, when Biden dropped out, his subsequent endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as a violation of his allegiance to the GOP.

The Georgia GOP additionally said Duncan, in his role as a CNN commentator, used his Republican title to “attack the Republican Party.”

The state party also urged media outlets to refer to Duncan as an “expelled Republican” in future references.

CNN Facing Widespread Ridicule After Cartel Interview Goes Off The Rails

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The lamestream media is at it again…

CNN is in hot water after an interview with a Mexican drug cartel member took an unexpected turn.

The interview, aired Saturday, featured CNN correspondent Isobel Yeung questioning a heavily disguised cartel member in an undisclosed hideout in Mexico, according to the New York Post.

Trump designated the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in a January 20 executive order, with the State Department writing that the cartel is “one of the largest producers and traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit drugs to the United States.”

“According to the Trump administration, you are a terrorist. … What do you make of that?” Yeung asked.

The masked gangster, wearing sunglasses and latex gloves to conceal his identity, initially responded, “Well, the situation is ugly, but we have to eat.”

When asked what he would say directly to Trump, the cartel member didn’t take the bait.

“My respect. According to him, he’s looking out for his people,” the gangster stated, adding, “But the problem is the consumers are in the United States. If there weren’t any consumers, we would stop.”

Social media immediately mocked CNN’s apparent attempt to elicit anti-Trump commentary from a member of a violent drug trafficking organization.

“CNN tried to create a scandal and accidentally gave Trump a campaign ad. You can’t script this kind of desperation,” one user remarked.

“Unbelievably, CNN gives Sinaloa cartel member a chance to throw a pity party about being labeled a terrorist, but the cartel member tells them President Trump is just rightly ‘looking after his people,’” another social media user pointed out.

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) suggested, “Let them [CNN] live under the rule of foreign terrorist drug traffickers for a few months. And then tell us how they feel.”

On Monday night’s edition of Fox News Channel’s Hannity, Leavitt firmly joined the backlash camp when host Sean Hannity asked for her response to the interview, calling it “despicable”:

HANNITY: Karoline, what did you and the administration make of the Sinaloa cartel gang member interviewed on CNN? Why would they care what he thinks?

LEAVITT: Well, it was fascinating to me, Sean. I was actually scrolling on Instagram when I came across this interview and it stopped me in my tracks, not just because they sat down with a member of a Mexican cartel that is now designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States government, but because of the nature of the questions of this notorious foreign terrorist. It — it was a softball interview, giving a platform to a notorious drug cartel that has killed American citizens. I thought it was quite despicable. But, again, this is just another reason why the — the trust in the legacy media is at an all-time low amongst the American public.

Over the weekend, President Trump hit back at Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum after she rejected his offer to send U.S. troops to Mexico to help fight against cartels.

While addressing reporters on Air Force One, Trump said he proposed the idea of sending American troops to deal with the Mexican cartels facilitating drug trafficking, and criticized Sheinbaum for refusing his offer.

“She’s so afraid of the cartels she can’t walk … And I think she’s a lovely woman. The president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels that she can’t even think straight,” Trump said.

Sheinbaum said she told Trump at the time that Mexico would “never accept” a U.S. military presence.

“No, President Trump, our territory is inalienable, sovereignty is inalienable,” Sheinbaum claimed to have said. “We can collaborate. We can work together, but with you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States Army on our territory.”