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Ivanka Trump’s 17 Life Lessons For A Balanced And Fulfilling Life

By
Alex Muse
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Ivanka Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

At the age of 43, Ivanka Trump has distilled her experiences into 17 life lessons—principles that are both timeless and profoundly practical. Here, we explore each lesson through anecdotes, real-world data, and quotes that deepen their meaning, allowing us to glimpse the wisdom she has accrued and how it can guide us in our own lives.

1. Family and Friends Are Everything

Nourish these relationships, check in on them, and let people know you care, even across distances. As relationship expert Esther Perel says, “The quality of your relationships determines the quality of your life.” A Harvard study on adult development—which spanned over 80 years—concluded that the happiest people are those who have strong connections with family and friends. Ivanka’s message aligns with this wisdom: investing time in loved ones isn’t just a virtue, it’s also a key to long-term happiness.

2. Forgive People—It Frees You More Than Anyone Else

Forgiveness can be seen as a self-liberating act. When Nelson Mandela walked free from prison, he remarked, “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” Holding onto grudges binds us emotionally, but forgiveness offers the release that enriches our own lives more than anyone else’s.

3. Everyone Was Sent to Teach You Something

People come into our lives as mirrors, reflecting our own lessons. Psychologist Carl Rogers’ work in humanistic psychology encourages us to learn from every interaction, embracing even those who challenge us as teachers. Ivanka’s notion of “learning from everyone” helps us grow by interpreting every experience—good or bad—as a means of personal evolution.

4. Avoid Lashon Hara / Gossip

The Jewish concept of “Lashon Hara” means refraining from harmful speech. Using words that heal rather than harm contributes to a more meaningful existence. This aligns with Brene Brown’s research, which shows that gossip fosters distrust and insecurity within social groups, whereas compassionate communication builds connection and trust.

5. Trust Yourself

Self-trust means living in alignment with your core values, sometimes setting difficult boundaries. Oprah Winfrey once said, “You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.” Trusting yourself involves discerning your needs and beliefs, then allowing those values to shape your actions.

6. Nourish Your Body

Ivanka highlights the importance of nourishing your body with whole, locally grown food—but also advises allowing yourself indulgence. Studies have shown that balanced eating, without excessive restriction, contributes to better mental health. As Julia Child said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

7. Get Sunshine Daily

Studies show that spending even 15-30 minutes outside every day reduces stress and boosts serotonin levels. Countries like Denmark, known for their happiness rankings, encourage their citizens to embrace “friluftsliv”—open-air living—a reminder of the simple yet profound benefits of getting some sunlight.

8. Make the Unconscious Conscious

Carl Jung’s idea of making the unconscious conscious speaks to our capacity for self-awareness. Our unconscious tendencies—often informed by early life experiences—can dictate behavior if left unchecked. Journaling, therapy, or meditation are ways to bring hidden patterns into the light and reclaim control of our narratives.

9. Strong Body, Strong Mind

Exercise is linked to cognitive resilience. According to Harvard Medical School, regular physical activity improves memory and thinking skills. Ivanka emphasizes sports and play as ways to keep both the body and mind agile, which is reflected in research showing the positive impact of movement on mental well-being.

10. Strive for Three Daily Wins

Naval Ravikant speaks of “a calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love.” This can be framed as striving for three daily wins—one physical, one mental, and one spiritual. By setting these as goals, Ivanka reminds us to nurture all aspects of life, focusing not only on achievements but on a balanced, fulfilling existence.

11. Cultivate Self-Mastery

Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Stoic, taught that we have control over our responses, not the world around us. Ivanka draws on this to emphasize the power of inward focus. Self-mastery doesn’t mean suppressing emotions; it means recognizing them and choosing how to respond, gaining true strength over the self.

12. Guard Your Peace

“Anyone capable of angering you becomes your master,” said Epictetus. By emphasizing the importance of protecting one’s peace, Ivanka points us toward emotional resilience—the ability to remain unshaken by external negativity. This is crucial in a hyper-connected age where our boundaries are constantly tested by the barrage of information and opinions online.

13. Be Open to the Truth, Wherever It Leads

True growth requires being open to new ideas, even when they challenge your preconceived beliefs. This echoes the spirit of Socratic questioning—asking questions to discover deeper truths. Ivanka encourages listening and curiosity as ways to expand not only intellectually, but spiritually.

14. Get Curious

Curiosity is the antidote to stagnation. Studies have shown that curiosity is linked to greater life satisfaction and even longevity. Whether it’s a partner, a child, or the broader world, asking questions and seeking understanding keep our connections fresh and enrich our perspective.

15. Approach Life with Love and Positivity

Dolly Parton famously said, “I don’t criticize and condemn; I love and accept.” This perspective not only enriches our relationships but our own sense of fulfillment. Research by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson suggests that positive emotions broaden our ability to think and build personal resources, from resilience to social bonds.

16. The Price of Anything Is the Amount of Life You Exchange for It

Henry David Thoreau reminds us that time is our most precious commodity. Ivanka’s message here is to make conscious choices about where we invest our energy. The idea is reminiscent of Tim Ferriss’ “4-Hour Workweek”—focus on what truly matters and eliminate distractions to maximize what is meaningful in life.

17. Thinking Is Difficult; That’s Why Most People Judge

Carl Jung’s insight on judgment speaks to a profound truth: judgment often replaces curiosity. Ivanka urges us to choose the harder path of understanding over the easier path of dismissal. By doing so, we expand our empathy, connecting more deeply with others and enriching our perspective on the human condition.

Ivanka Trump’s 17 lessons offer a guide to living deliberately, with awareness and compassion. Whether through forgiving others, guarding our peace, or spending time in the sunshine, these insights reflect a philosophy grounded in growth, connection, and well-being. They remind us that while life’s circumstances are often beyond our control, the way we choose to engage with them is where our true power lies.

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Trump’s Attorney General Pick Clears Key Senate Hurdle—But Final Vote Remains Uncertain

By
Madeleine Jackson
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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Justice Department cleared a major obstacle Tuesday, but the fight to make Todd Blanche the permanent attorney general is not over yet.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12–10 along party lines to advance Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate, ending days of uncertainty over whether two Republican holdouts would allow him to escape the committee.

Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) ultimately backed Blanche after the acting attorney general issued written orders addressing their concerns about a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and the scope of an IRS settlement involving Trump, his family and the Trump Organization.

The deal gave Trump’s nominee the votes he needed Tuesday. Whether it gives him enough support to win confirmation on the Senate floor remains an open question.

Blanche formally rescinded the order establishing the $1.776 billion fund, which had been created as part of a settlement resolving Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax information. The proposed program was intended to compensate people who said they had been politically targeted by the federal government.

A separate order clarified that protections from IRS audits apply only to the plaintiffs covered by the settlement and only to tax returns from previous years—not future filings.

“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” Cornyn and Tillis said in a joint statement Monday.

The senators said the Justice Department had also issued a binding clarification addressing concerns about the reach of the audit provisions. They thanked Blanche and his staff for working with them and pledged to advance his nomination.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) praised the agreement before Tuesday’s vote, saying the concerns raised by Cornyn and Tillis were shared by other lawmakers.

“Formally rescinding the Anti-Weaponization Fund and clarifying the scope of the release of claims has put this issue to bed once and for all,” Grassley said in his opening statement. He also credited Blanche and the White House with working in good faith to resolve the dispute.

Grassley argued that the Justice Department had “thrived” under Blanche’s leadership and framed Tuesday’s vote as one centered on public safety.

The White House has publicly campaigned for Blanche, highlighting endorsements from law enforcement organizations, state attorneys general and former Justice Department officials. In a July release, the administration described him as a veteran prosecutor and defense attorney who has targeted cartels, violent crime and fraud while rebuilding cooperation with state and local law enforcement.

Trump has also repeatedly demanded Blanche’s confirmation, although his own comments have raised questions about how durable the compromise with Cornyn and Tillis will be.

At a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, Trump acknowledged that the fund was “dead” but said he wished it were not.

“I think people were horribly treated, horribly abused,” Trump said, adding that he wanted to see them “compensated for the pain.”

Trump nevertheless insisted Blanche “should be approved forthwith.”

The president escalated the pressure Saturday, warning on Truth Social that if Cornyn and Tillis continued blocking Blanche, he would keep him in the acting role and push Congress to revive the fund through legislation.

After Blanche formally rescinded the program Sunday, Trump told reporters Monday that he had not personally approved the move.

“I didn’t look at it. All I know is that Todd Blanche is great. He’s going to do a great job,” Trump said during an Oval Office event, according to ABC News.

The president continued to defend the idea of compensating people he believes were mistreated by the government, though he said he was not aware of another avenue for doing so.

Democrats argue the written orders do not change the underlying IRS settlement and warn that the fund could be revived later. Some Republicans have also acknowledged that Trump could reverse course, although Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told Fox News Digital that he still expects Blanche to be confirmed.

The immediate challenge is the Senate math.

With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) away from Washington while recovering from a fall, Blanche can afford to lose only two Republican votes if Democrats remain united against him. Fox News reported that Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Curtis (R-Utah) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) had not yet committed to supporting the nomination.

Murkowski told reporters that she wanted to learn more about the weekend negotiations, although she called Blanche’s order disbanding the fund “a pretty good step.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he wants to find a path to confirm Blanche quickly, but he stopped short of guaranteeing a vote before senators leave Washington for their August recess.

For Blanche and the White House, Tuesday’s committee vote was a significant victory.

Jeanine Pirro Survives Oval Office Showdown — But Trump Is Still Fuming

By
Madeleine Jackson
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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)

Jeanine Pirro survived a tense White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday—but her job may remain on thin ice after the president accused his longtime ally of “choking” in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case.

Trump had been seriously considering removing Pirro as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, two people familiar with his thinking told CNN.

The president reportedly spent the weekend fuming after Pirro’s office filed a motion to dismiss a felony case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn and blamed the pool’s damage on a flawed renovation instead of vandalism.

Trump felt “blindsided” because he was not warned about the filing beforehand, a senior administration official told CNN. The president confronted Pirro during a Saturday phone call that one official described as less than cordial.

Their conversation “wasn’t pretty,” the official said.

The simmering dispute burst into public view Monday when Trump unloaded on Pirro during an Oval Office event.

“I was disappointed in Jeanine Pirro. Really disappointed in Jeanine Pirro,” Trump told reporters. “She folded like an umbrella.”

Trump said Pirro “made a mistake” and appeared to buckle under pressure from the judge overseeing the case.

“The judge was extremely unfriendly to Jeanine,” Trump said. “And frankly, I think she choked because the judge was really vicious. Instead of going after the people that did it, the judge went after her and went after her department, and I guess she choked.”

Pirro later met with Trump at the White House alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. She was not fired and did not offer her resignation during the meeting, multiple sources told CNN. ABC News separately reported that Trump had privately discussed with aides whether to dismiss her, although sources cautioned that no final decision had been made.

The blowup followed a stunning reversal by Pirro’s office in the case against Hearn, a 67-year-old three-time Olympian who was accused of ripping newly installed sealant from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool.

When Pirro announced Hearn’s indictment in July, she called the alleged damage a “deliberate act of destruction” and vowed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

“These monuments belong to all of us, and we will protect them—and hold accountable those who seek to deface or diminish them,” Pirro said in the original Justice Department announcement.

But prosecutors later said evidence withheld by the Interior Department painted a dramatically different picture.

In its motion to dismiss, Pirro’s office accused the department of providing “less than fulsome information” and said documents obtained after the indictment strongly suggested that a rushed and defective installation caused the pool’s lining to peel.

“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote.

The court filing also said inspectors found damage in the middle of the pool, an area where a vandal would have been unlikely to peel the lining.

“Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” prosecutors concluded.

Hearn, who pleaded not guilty, maintained that he merely touched a section of lining that was already peeling. Pirro’s office also dropped misdemeanor property-destruction cases against three other people accused of damaging the pool.

Trump, however, continues to insist that vandals played a role. He has acknowledged that the contractor rushed to finish the roughly $14.7 million renovation before the Fourth of July, but said construction problems do not explain all the damage.

“I’m not saying I was 100% thrilled with the contractor,” Trump said Monday. “But in addition, there was vandalism.”

Burgum has also stood by that conclusion, declaring that “the evidence is clear” that vandals repeatedly damaged the landmark.

Pirro reportedly told Trump that career prosecutors were responsible for the motion, which was signed by a veteran prosecutor overseeing D.C. Superior Court cases. But after Trump’s blistering public rebuke and their high-stakes White House meeting, the former Fox News star’s future remains anything but secure.

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Capital One Says It Shuttered Over 300 Trump Accounts After Money-Laundering Review

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1
Image via Pixabay free images

Capital One has dropped a financial-crimes bombshell in its courtroom war with the Trump Organization, claiming it closed hundreds of Trump-linked accounts after a monthslong anti-money-laundering review — not because of the family’s politics.

The bank revealed the rationale in a motion filed Friday in Miami federal court, where it is fighting a lawsuit brought by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, Eric Trump and several Trump-affiliated businesses.

Capital One insists the records undercut the family’s claim that it was swept up in a politically motivated “debanking” campaign after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

“Documents and Plaintiffs’ own allegations make clear that Capital One closed Plaintiffs’ accounts for anti-money laundering (‘AML’) reasons,” the bank’s lawyers wrote.

They said the closures followed “months of analysis and a careful review by Capital One’s AML team in accordance with bank policies and regulatory guidance.”

The allegation comes with a major caveat: Capital One has not accused the Trump Organization or its executives of illegally laundering money. The bank says its compliance team identified transaction patterns that are among the types of activity flagged in federal banking guidance.

The Trump entities say the explanation is a cover story.

Their latest complaint alleges Capital One “improperly and deliberately” shut the accounts because the political climate in early 2021 made it expedient to distance the bank from Donald Trump. The dispute involves more than 300 accounts connected to an array of businesses, including hotels, golf courses, real-estate ventures, a winery and a bottled-water company.

“I can’t tell you how hard it is to change more than 300 bank accounts — and for no reason whatsoever,” Eric Trump previously told Fox News Digital, according to the New York Post.

“These were hotels and golf courses, residential buildings and commercial buildings, retail outlets and skating rinks and parking garages,” he said. “There was no political affiliation. The only common denominator was that they wore the Trump name.”

Capital One called the political-retaliation allegations “misguided” and “based on cherry-picked quotations unsupported by the full context” of documents filed with the court.

The bank also argues that its deposit agreement allowed either side to end the relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason at all. It says the Trump businesses received three months to move their money elsewhere, along with several extensions.

Capital One further contends that federal banking-secrecy rules could have barred it from revealing sensitive details about its internal review. The Trump entities, meanwhile, claim they were never given a chance to explain the transactions that raised concerns.

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman has already dismissed earlier versions of the lawsuit while allowing the plaintiffs to try again. Capital One now wants the latest complaint tossed with prejudice, which would prevent another rewrite.

The timing of the original account purge adds another twist.

Capital One notified the Trump businesses of the planned closures on March 8, 2021. Less than two months earlier, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network hit the bank with a $390 million penalty for what the agency called willful and negligent Bank Secrecy Act violations involving a separate check-cashing business unit.

Capital One admitted at the time that it had failed to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program and had failed to file thousands of required reports. FinCEN said the violations occurred between at least 2008 and 2014; the agency also credited the bank for remediation and cooperation.

Friday’s disclosure marked the first time a bank had formally connected money-laundering concerns to Trump’s family business. Again, the filing does not accuse the company of committing money laundering, and the underlying allegations remain disputed.

The legal showdown lands amid Trump’s broader crackdown on political debanking. In August 2025, the president signed an executive order directing regulators to combat financial discrimination based on political or religious beliefs or lawful business activity.

Trump has also sued JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon over the closure of Trump-linked accounts, accusing the banking giant of political discrimination. JPMorgan has denied closing accounts for political or religious reasons and said it makes such decisions when clients create legal or regulatory risk.

Neither President Trump nor the Trump Organization had publicly responded to Capital One’s latest filing as of Monday afternoon. The White House and Trump family business have maintained more broadly that politically motivated debanking threatens free speech and free enterprise.

The Miami court has not ruled on the merits of the latest allegations.

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Top Trump Ally Warns Dem Billionaire Is Meddling In His GOP Primary

By
Madeleine Jackson
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A clean-energy super PAC backed by a billionaire Democratic donor is unleashing a multimillion-dollar advertising barrage against one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Congress—just days before Tennessee Republicans choose their nominee.

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition has spent approximately $1.3 million opposing Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., and promoting his Republican challenger, former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. The group recently committed another $700,000 for the closing days of the campaign, bringing its total investment in the race to roughly $2 million, according to Fox News Digital and Axios.

Ogles argues the onslaught is no ordinary primary intervention.

“When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies,” Ogles told Fox News Digital.

The Tennessee Republican accused renewable-energy interests of attempting to punish him for supporting the rollback of Biden-era tax credits and subsidies.

“They’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,” he added.

Democratic Megadonor Fuels PAC

Federal Election Commission records show the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition raised nearly $6.8 million through June 30, despite registering with the agency only in January. The super PAC reported more than $5.1 million in cash on hand at the end of that period, according to its FEC filings.

Fox News Digital reported that $6 million of the PAC’s funding came from Chris Larsen, the California billionaire who co-founded the cryptocurrency company Ripple.

Larsen has an extensive history of supporting Democratic candidates and organizations. His previous donations include millions for the super PAC that backed Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, along with contributions benefiting Democratic congressional committees, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Jane Fonda Climate PAC.

Axios also identified Larsen as a major supporter of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The billionaire has made climate activism a central focus of his philanthropy and has invested in climate-technology companies and funds. Ogles, however, says the spending in Tennessee is intended to send a warning to other Republicans who oppose federal energy subsidies.

Invest in Tomorrow Coalition Chairman Tom Matzzie made clear that the group sees Ogles as part of a broader political campaign.

“Our campaign is here to show that politicians who oppose clean energy do so at their own political peril,” Matzzie, who also serves as CEO of the solar company CleanChoice Energy, told Axios. “Andy Ogles is next.”

Trump Rallies Behind Ogles

Ogles, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has repeatedly voted to reverse renewable-energy initiatives enacted under former President Joe Biden.

But he believes his close relationship with Trump has also placed a target on his back.

“It’s because I’m close to the president,” Ogles told Fox News Digital. “It is because I am outspoken.”

Trump has endorsed Ogles and held a late-campaign tele-rally encouraging Tennessee Republicans to support him. The president described Ogles as a loyal ally who has “always been there when we needed him.”

“As the Trump-endorsed candidate in this race, I am being targeted by left-wing liberals from California because I am one of President Trump’s closest allies,” Ogles said separately in a statement obtained by Axios.

Ogles still faces a potentially dangerous contest.

A poll commissioned by the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition found Ogles leading Hatcher 37% to 33%, with approximately 30% undecided. The survey questioned 400 likely Republican primary voters and carried a five-point margin of error—making the race a statistical dead heat.

The poll was paid for by a group actively working to defeat Ogles and should be viewed in that context.

Hatcher has also out-raised the incumbent. Axios reported that Hatcher collected approximately $720,000 through July 17, compared with $610,000 for Ogles. Hatcher entered the final stretch with $105,000 available, while Ogles had $58,000 and approximately $70,000 in campaign debt.

The challenger has secured endorsements from former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and former Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. His background as a farmer and former state agriculture commissioner could also prove valuable after redistricting shifted the 5th District toward more rural and agricultural communities.

Ogles faced another well-funded primary challenge in 2024 but prevailed with 56.5% of the vote, according to Ballotpedia.

Energy Fight Reaches The Ballot Box

Ogles maintains that he supports an “all-of-the-above” energy policy but opposes allowing Washington to select favored industries through subsidies.

“I’m not against solar,” he told Fox News Digital, explaining that he had considered installing panels on his own farm. “But I don’t want a government subsidy to make it work.”

With the national debt approaching $40 trillion, Ogles argued that taxpayers should not be forced to underwrite investments that cannot survive in the private market.

Invest in Tomorrow’s spending campaign suggests renewable-energy executives intend to make that position politically costly—not only for Ogles, but for other Republicans watching the Tennessee race.

Early voting concluded Saturday, Aug. 1. The Republican primary will be decided Thursday, Aug. 6.

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Iran’s Sick New Threat Targets Melania And Barron Trump

By
Madeleine Jackson
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First Lady Melania Trump participates in the Senate Spouses Luncheon at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 21,2025. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

Iranian propaganda has crossed another sinister line — this time placing First Lady Melania Trump and her 20-year-old son, Barron, in its crosshairs.

Tasnim News Agency, an outlet closely associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, released a disturbing video Monday encouraging attacks against the president’s wife and threatening that Barron could be next.

The roughly two-minute clip opens with a bloody image of Melania alongside the words, “Where to Kill Melania?!” It then purports to track her movements through New York City, displaying footage of her motorcade and making claims about her security arrangements and personal routines, according to The Times.

The video calls on supporters of the Islamic Republic and so-called “global freedom fighters” to take action against the First Lady.

It closes with an even more chilling warning: “This is just the beginning. Barron Trump, wait for us.”

Russian state television outlet RT helped spread the propaganda on social media, claiming that the video revealed routes and routines using information obtained from “anonymous security networks,” Mediaite reported.

Much of the material, however, appears to have been compiled from publicly available information and wrapped in menacing graphics intended to make the threat appear more sophisticated.

The Secret Service confirmed Tuesday that it is examining the video.

Nate Herring, an agency spokesman, told Newsweek that the Secret Service investigates “anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees.”

“Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence,” Herring added, according to The Independent.

Both Melania and Barron receive full-time Secret Service protection, and the Trump family’s residences are heavily secured, according to the New York Post.

Neither the White House nor the First Lady’s office had publicly responded to the video as of Tuesday morning.

Fox News host Mark Levin condemned the clip after it began circulating online.

“The Iranian regime continues to threaten the assassination of Trump family members,” Levin wrote.

The threat is not an isolated piece of Tehran’s increasingly grotesque propaganda campaign.

Days earlier, billboards appeared along a highway in Tehran depicting fabricated images of Melania, Barron and Ivanka Trump as corpses. The word “KILLED” was splashed across the images alongside the warning, “Hey, terrorist! Get ready to die.”

Another display placed portraits of President Trump, his wife and all five of his children above American flag-draped coffins under the message “Blood for Blood.” Other regime-linked artwork has depicted Trump dead or staring down the sights of a rifle, the Post reported.

Some Iranian propaganda has veered into the bizarre, including AI-generated videos featuring Lego-like versions of Trump and other world leaders. But the regime’s history of pursuing assassination plots on American soil means its latest threat cannot be dismissed as another crude cartoon.

In March, a federal jury convicted Asif Merchant, an Iranian intelligence operative who entered the United States to arrange political assassinations on behalf of the IRGC.

Merchant contacted people he believed could serve as hired killers, discussed possible attacks and paid a $5,000 advance before being arrested. The supposed hitmen were undercover law enforcement officers.

The Justice Department said Merchant understood that Trump could be the eventual target of the plot, which was intended to avenge the 2020 killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

“This man landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump,” then-Attorney General Pam Bondi said following Merchant’s conviction, according to the Justice Department.

Trump has said Iran considers him its top target and has publicly warned Tehran that any attempt on his life would trigger overwhelming retaliation.

“I’m the No. 1, because they’re scum,” Trump told reporters earlier this month. “That’s the way they act.”

The president later wrote that the U.S. military had received orders to “completely decimate and destroy” Iran if the regime attempted to assassinate him.

The latest threat emerged as Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the Iran war and possible negotiations with Tehran.

Even as Trump considers giving diplomacy another chance, the Iranian regime appears determined to send a different message — one aimed directly at his family.

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Trump Announces Historic Hamas Deal—But One Major Hurdle Remains

By
Madeleine Jackson
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White House image via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump announced a potentially historic breakthrough in the Gaza peace process Thursday night—but the hard part may only be beginning.

Trump said Hamas and other armed factions had agreed to completely disarm under a phased roadmap negotiated by his international Board of Peace.

If the agreement survives, Hamas would surrender the weapons and underground infrastructure it has spent decades building, give up control of Gaza and make way for a new Palestinian government. Israel would withdraw its forces as the terrorist group’s arsenal is dismantled.

“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”

Trump said the agreement could finally deliver security for Israel while preventing Gaza from once again becoming a launchpad for terrorist attacks.

“This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people,” Trump continued.

“At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.”

Under the roadmap, disarmament would unfold in several carefully monitored stages. Israeli troops would withdraw only as Hamas and the other factions fulfill their obligations.

An International Stabilization Force would then work with a newly recruited Palestinian police force to secure Gaza and prevent Hamas from reclaiming power.

“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!” Trump declared. “Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”

Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, along with his administration’s negotiating team, for helping secure the agreement.

“One year ago there was a violent raging war, humanitarian crisis and hostages kept in brutal captivity,” he wrote. “We have made historic progress and there is still much work to do.”

The Board of Peace called the roadmap a “historic breakthrough,” saying it marked the first time Hamas had formally accepted an actionable plan to surrender all of its weapons.

The process would begin with firearms controlled by Gaza’s existing police. A new Palestinian government, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, would recruit and vet officers for a replacement police force.

Heavy weapons, ammunition depots, weapons factories and Hamas’ sprawling tunnel network would be tackled in later stages. Militias, armed clans and other terrorist factions would also have to surrender their arsenals.

Officials estimate that fully disarming Gaza could take between 200 and 350 days. Reconstruction could begin sector by sector as individual areas are cleared of weapons and terrorist infrastructure, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The entire deal is built around what officials called “zero trust.”

Every step must be independently verified before the other side is required to fulfill its next obligation. If Hamas stops cooperating, Israel’s withdrawal would also stop.

But the roadmap immediately ran into conflicting interpretations from Hamas and Israel.

Hamas negotiator Ghazi Hamad told Reuters on Friday that the group was prepared to hand its weapons to the new Gaza government. However, he said disarmament would depend upon Israel withdrawing its forces, approving the agreement and allowing international security personnel into Gaza.

An Israeli official outlined the opposite sequence, insisting that Hamas must surrender its weapons and Gaza must be fully demilitarized before Israeli troops withdraw.

“There will be no IDF withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is disarmed and the Strip is fully demilitarized,” the official told The Times of Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not publicly endorsed the latest roadmap as of Friday morning, while some Israeli political figures were already urging him to reject it.

A U.S. official acknowledged that Israel remained deeply skeptical that Hamas would actually dismantle the arsenal and tunnel system at the center of its power.

The Trump administration argues that Israel would be protected by the deal’s strict verification process and would not be forced to surrender territory while Hamas still posed an internal threat.

The agreement grew out of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. Its first phase produced an October ceasefire and the return of Israeli hostages, but negotiations later stalled over Hamas’ weapons, Israel’s withdrawal and Gaza’s future government.

Trump has now secured an agreement on paper addressing those seemingly intractable disputes.

Whether he can force the bitter enemies to carry it out may be the ultimate test of his Middle East peace push.

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Top Republican Opens Door To Trump Wall Street Probe

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    President Donald Trump’s plan to sell Wall Street firms lightning-fast access to Truth Social posts is drawing new scrutiny from inside his own party.

    Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told CNN that Congress should examine whether Trump Media’s new data service creates a conflict between the president’s official duties and his sprawling business empire.

    CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju pressed Cornyn about the arrangement after several other prominent Republicans pleaded ignorance or brushed aside questions about it.

    “I think it does raise some questions about conflicts of interest,” Cornyn said, before adding that Congress has an oversight role in ensuring Trump’s business dealings do not interfere with his responsibilities as president.

    When Raju asked directly whether lawmakers should investigate, Cornyn did not hesitate.

    “Yes. I suspect that we will do that,” he said, according to Mediaite.

    Cornyn’s answer stood out from the responses Raju received from other Republicans.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said it was the first he had heard of the arrangement and that he did not have a legal opinion about it. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) also said he could not comment because he knew nothing about the service.

    Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) dismissed questions about Trump reportedly making billions of dollars since returning to office, joking that the president’s gains could have come from “a high-yield savings account.”

    Cornyn, who is serving out his term after losing to a Trump-backed primary challenger, was the rare Republican willing to acknowledge that the deal could present an ethical problem.

    The controversy centers on Truth API, a new Trump Media product scheduled to launch Aug. 1.

    The service will provide paying customers with real-time access to posts from Truth Social’s highest-ranking accounts. Trump Media says the feed will deliver information within milliseconds and operate around the clock—features designed to appeal to high-frequency trading firms capable of buying or selling securities almost instantly.

    “Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” Trump Media interim CEO Kevin McGurn said when announcing the product, according to CBS News.

    That is precisely what has critics sounding the alarm.

    Trump routinely uses Truth Social to announce tariff decisions, military actions and other policy changes capable of sending stocks, commodities and currencies soaring or plunging. Traders receiving those posts even milliseconds faster than the public could potentially gain a lucrative advantage.

    Trump Media executives reportedly pitched access for as much as $100,000 per month, Axios reported. Trump reportedly retains an approximately 41% stake in the company through a revocable trust.

    Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York has already asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether the service raises concerns involving market manipulation, securities law or investor protection.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has also predicted that the unprecedented arrangement will receive some form of regulatory or legal review.

    Trump Media has fiercely defended the product, arguing that it merely provides faster access to information that is already public. The company accused critics of trying to damage a publicly traded business and dismissed claims that the service resembles insider trading.

    The dispute, however, is no longer coming solely from Democrats or media critics.

    With Cornyn now predicting congressional scrutiny, Trump’s lucrative new Wall Street venture may soon face an uncomfortable examination from lawmakers in his own party.

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    Trump Super PAC Readies $400 Million Midterm Spending Blitz

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Political representation of parties making money

    President Donald Trump’s primary super PAC is preparing to enter the midterm fight in August, bringing a roughly $400 million war chest to a congressional map where Republicans are defending narrow majorities and significantly more vulnerable seats.

    MAGA Inc. has largely remained on the sidelines this cycle despite accumulating approximately $401 million. Journalist Jake Traylor reported the August spending timeline Monday, citing a Republican operative, while MS NOW separately reported that Trump’s political operation plans to use the money to reinforce Republican incumbents and put Democratic-held seats in play.

    James Blair, Trump’s former White House political director and a coordinator of his midterm effort, has promised a substantial investment.

    “I won’t specifically say what’s going to be spent, but the president is going to expend substantial resources to win the midterms,” Blair said during a June interview.

    “He cares deeply about the party winning and anything he can do to support that he’s going to do and is already doing,” Blair added. “I think you’ll see a lot of spending on behalf of Republicans earlier than you normally do because of the additional resources.”

    The scale of those resources is unusual for a super PAC connected to a president who is not on the ballot. MAGA Inc. began 2026 with approximately $300 million and raised nearly $19 million in June, according to its latest federal disclosures. The June haul included $10 million from cryptocurrency investors Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, the Financial Times reported.

    The more pressing question has been when the organization would begin using that money.

    MAGA Inc. has spent only about $2.3 million supporting Republican candidates so far—roughly 0.6% of its available cash. Its spending has been limited to special House elections in Georgia and Tennessee and the successful Republican primary challenge against Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, according to campaign finance reporting reviewed by Bloomberg and People.

    The super PAC has spent approximately $3 million on salaries, fundraising, compliance and other operating expenses—more than it has directed toward congressional races.

    “That’s the $400 million question. I don’t know,” one Republican operative told MS NOW when asked why MAGA Inc. had waited. “They have indicated they’re going to spend. But not where or when. And those are kind of big details.”

    The August rollout could help answer some of those questions at a critical point in the election calendar.

    Republicans are defending 14 of the 18 House seats currently rated as toss-ups by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Nine additional districts lean Republican, creating a largely defensive House map for the party.

    Four Senate races are currently rated as toss-ups: an open seat in Michigan and Republican-held seats in Alaska, Maine and Ohio. Other contests in Iowa, North Carolina and Texas could also attract significant outside spending as Democrats search for the four-seat net gain they would need to secure an outright Senate majority.

    Trump’s operation is expected to give Republican candidates some flexibility to separate themselves from the administration on issues that could become liabilities in individual states or districts. MS NOW reported that strategists are allowing battleground Republicans to create distance from Trump on the economy and the war in Iran, where internal polling reportedly shows dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of both issues.

    One Republican operative said the broader closing argument would establish “a very sharp contrast” between GOP candidates and their Democratic opponents.

    Republicans are also being encouraged to localize their campaigns around provisions in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the tax-and-spending law enacted in 2025. Rather than campaigning on the legislation as a whole, candidates are expected to highlight individual provisions—including changes to taxes on tips and overtime, an expanded child tax credit and a higher cap on state and local tax deductions.

    Rep. Tom Barrett offers an early example of that localized approach. The Michigan Republican joined Democrats on Thursday in supporting a resolution directing Trump to end U.S. military operations in Iran. The measure passed the House 214-208, with Barrett among four Republicans who crossed party lines.

    Despite the disagreement, Barrett appeared with Trump during the president’s Monday visit to Michigan. Barrett represents a competitive mid-Michigan district expected to draw significant attention from both parties this fall.

    MAGA Inc.’s entry will add to a broader Republican financial advantage. Bloomberg calculated that Trump’s political operation, Republican Party committees and GOP-aligned congressional super PACs held approximately $1.1 billion through June, compared with roughly $355 million across equivalent Democratic organizations.

    That advantage is not uniform, however. Several Democratic candidates in competitive races have outraised their Republican opponents, while Democratic groups are beginning to place their own major advertising reservations. Senate Majority PAC, the leading Democratic Senate super PAC, recently announced an additional $54 million in television advertising targeting four Republican-held seats.

    The arrival of MAGA Inc.’s money could help Republicans erase some of those candidate-level disparities and force Democrats to redirect resources toward races they had expected to defend comfortably.

    What remains unknown is how widely Trump’s team will distribute the money—and whether it will concentrate on protecting Republican incumbents or attempt to expand the battlefield into Democratic territory.

    With Election Day approaching and most competitive races moving into their general-election phase, that decision could shape where both parties are forced to spend during the final three months of the campaign.

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    McConnell’s Office Publishes New Images After Dramatic Ultimatum Hits His Desk

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4
    Mitch McConnell via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear escalated pressure on Sen. Mitch McConnell this week, demanding that the longtime Republican lawmaker publicly demonstrate that he remains capable of serving—or resign from office.

    In a letter dated Monday and reported Tuesday, the Democratic governor called on McConnell to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky” and prove his capacity to continue representing the state.

    Beshear’s ultimatum came one day after McConnell’s office released a new photograph of the 84-year-old senator alongside his wife, Elaine Chao, and confirmed that he remains in a rehabilitation facility more than six weeks after being hospitalized.

    “It has now been 43 days since news of your hospitalization,” Beshear wrote, according to Mediaite.

    McConnell has missed 38 consecutive Senate votes since his hospitalization, according to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

    “As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” Beshear wrote.

    The governor also sent the letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and urged him to investigate McConnell’s ability to remain in office if the senator declines to speak publicly.

    Beshear said he would press Thune to report his findings to the American people and begin the process of removing McConnell if an investigation determined that such action was warranted.

    “All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” the governor added.

    Beshear acknowledged McConnell’s right to medical privacy but argued that elected officials surrender a degree of that privacy when they accept responsibility for representing the public.

    The Senate can expel one of its members only with a two-thirds vote. Such action is exceedingly rare: Only 15 senators have been expelled since 1789, with 14 of those removals occurring during the Civil War, according to the Senate Historical Office.

    Beshear’s letter represents his second formal request for more information about McConnell’s condition. On July 8, the governor asked the senator to provide Kentuckians with a full health update and clarify whether he remained capable of fulfilling his duties.

    McConnell was hospitalized June 14 after suffering a fall at his Washington, D.C., residence that left him briefly unconscious. In a July 12 written statement, the senator said doctors had ruled out a heart attack, stroke, concussion, broken bones, tumors and hemorrhaging. He also disclosed that he had developed a mild case of pneumonia while receiving treatment.

    McConnell was eventually transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility, where he has been undergoing multiple physical-therapy sessions each day.

    His office released its latest update Monday, accompanied by a photograph that it said was taken July 26 and showed McConnell sitting beside Chao.

    The Office of the Attending Physician said McConnell has not been medically cleared to leave the facility and return to his Senate office. Doctors said the lingering effects of the senator’s childhood battle with polio remain a significant factor affecting his mobility.

    McConnell said he was still “working hard” to resume his schedule but announced that he would miss Kentucky’s Fancy Farm picnic Saturday. The annual political gathering is a major tradition in the state and one McConnell first attended 42 years ago.

    “As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon,” McConnell said in the official update.

    A spokesman previously said McConnell continued meeting with staff and discussing defense appropriations, foreign policy, the farm bill, constituent services and federal grant requests during his recovery. Republican leaders, including Thune and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, have also said they spoke with McConnell by telephone.

    The senator has not, however, participated in a live video interview or addressed Kentuckians directly since his hospitalization, leaving Beshear and other critics dissatisfied with the written statements and photographs released by his office.

    McConnell has experienced several highly publicized health scares in recent years, including falls, two on-camera freezing episodes in 2023 and an intensive-care hospitalization earlier this year for flu-like symptoms.

    The seven-term senator has already announced that he will not seek reelection and plans to leave office when his current term expires in January 2027. If the seat becomes vacant before then, Kentucky law calls for a special election to fill the remainder of the term.

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