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Amanda Head: RINOs Betraying Trump

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    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    With each passing day, it seems as if another prominent Republican is publicly breaking with former President Donald Trump over Republicans’ fewer-than-expected midterm wins.

    Over the weekend, conservative influencer Candace Owens broke with the former president, and on Monday former New Jersey Governor also lamented how Trump is a drag for Republican candidates. While the amount of Republicans turning their backs on Trump is jarring these conservatives often have something in common.

    Watch Amanda break it down below:

    Alabama Congressman Goes Scorched Earth on Trump While Endorsing DeSantis

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    Mo Brooks via gage Skidmore Flickr

    Outgoing Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks refused to hold anything back while discussing former President Donald Trump during an interview.

    Brooks, who is retiring from politics at the end of his term, tore into Trump throughout the interview with AL.com making it clear he believes the former president is morally bankrupt. The outgoing Alabama lawmaker was once considered a staunch supporter of the 45th President and in 2020 played a role in pushing Trump’s allegations the presidential election was stolen.

    “It would be a bad mistake for the Republicans to have Donald Trump as their nominee in 2024. Donald Trump has proven himself to be dishonest, disloyal, incompetent, crude and a lot of other things that alienate so many independents and Republicans,” Brooks told the local outlet.

    “Even a candidate who campaigns from his basement can beat him,” Brooks added, parroting a common right-wing barb directed at President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. “It’s just the way it is.”

    “I did not fight for Donald Trump after the 2020 election,” Brooks also told Paul Gattis of Al.com. “I fought for election integrity. Donald Trump just happened to be the beneficiary of it.”

    “Keep in mind 2016 when I said he was dishonest, you cannot trust a single word that he says and I have never recanted that. No question, I am displeased with Donald Trump. But that does not change the truthfulness of what I say. I challenge anybody to make the argument that you can trust the word of Donald Trump,” the conservative Republican added.

    In 2022, Brooks received and then lost Trump’s endorsement in Alabama’s GOP primary for the U.S. Senate. Brooks eventually lost to Katie Britt who went on to win the Senate seat.

    Freedom Caucus Chairman Expected to Announce Challenge for House Speaker

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

    Trouble is brewing among House Republicans.

    House Freedom Caucus chairman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) is reportedly seriously considering mounting a bid to challenge Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to become the next Speaker of the House.

    The expected announcement comes on the heels of Biggs’ openly criticizing McCarthy last week after Republicans experienced fewer-than-anticipated wins on election night. Rep. Biggs told reporters he believes House Republicans should work to enact a more rightward agenda in the next term.

    “I think we need to have a real discussion about whether he should be the speaker or not,” Biggs told reporters on Thursday.

    “I think that his statement recently that we shouldn’t impeach Secretary Mayorkas indicates that maybe we’re not going to be as aggressive going forward as we should be. I think we need to have a very positive statement of what we’re going to accomplish and do, and I haven’t seen that yet,” he added. “That’s — those are things that I think we should have a very frank discussion internally about, where we’re going to be going forward.”

    However, nearly one week after Election Day and neither party has officially won control of the House – although Republicans are projected to win by most major outlets some lawmakers want to push the elections until a majority is declared.

    “I think we don’t even know if we’re in the majority, so I think it’s responsible to just look and see where the cards fall right now, and we don’t know,” Rep.-elect George Santos (R-NY) said on Sunday.

    Tuesday’s leadership election is slated to be conducted via closed ballot and will only require a plurality of the conference to secure the nomination. McCarthy would need to reach 218 votes during the floor vote in January to win the Speakership.

    Nancy Pelosi Teases Retirement Plans, Hints Which Republican Could be Next Speaker

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    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    As speculation builds over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) retirement plans, she keeps her intentions tight to her chest.

    During an interview with CNN, Rep. Pelosi said that her retirement plans will be affected by the recent attack on her husband Paul in their San Fransisco home.

    “My decision will again be rooted in what the wishes of my family and the wishes of my caucus, but none of it will be very much considered until we see what the outcome of all of this is,” Pelosi said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked about her intentions by co-anchor Dana Bash.

    “There are all kinds of ways to exert influence,” Pelosi continued. “The Speaker has awesome power. But I will always have influence.”

    On ABC’s “This Week,” Pelosi similarly demurred to anchor George Stephanopoulos.

    “Right now I’m not making any comments until this election is finished, and we have a little more time to go,” Pelosi said. “I wish it was faster.” 

    Pelosi previously said she would retire at the end of this term but her reluctance to formally acknowledge those plans has caused some to speculate about the legitimacy of the claim.

    Later, Pelosi suggested Republicans have yet to determine who will be the next House Speaker, casting doubt on Kevin McCarthy’s pursuit of the role.

    “Why would I make a judgment about something that may or may not ever happen?” Pelosi asked. “No, I don’t think he has it. But that’s up to his own people to make a decision as to how they want to be led or otherwise.”

    Last week, McCarthy announced his campaign for House GOP Speaker and Steve Scalise (R-La.) announced his campaign for House Majority Leader.

    However, as of Sunday, neither party has officially won control of the lower chamber in Congress.

    Trump Calls on CNN to Form New Conservative Network

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      CNN Headquarters via Wikimedia Commons

      Former President Donald Trump wants CNN to start a new business venture aimed to conquer right-of-aisle viewers.

      In an email statement from his Save America PAC, Trump wrote that CNN should open a “conservative network” with himself as the host.

      “If CNN were smart, they’d open up a Conservative network, only have me on, and it would be the most successful network in History. Fox only made it because of me, Twitter only made it because of me, and even Facebook is now in the tubes, having lost almost $90 billion in value since I was taken off, which was considered one of the biggest mistakes in business over the last two years,” the statement read.

      This story is developing. Stay with Great America News Desk for more updates.

      Report: Sec. Mayorkas Tells Border Official ‘Resign or Be Fired’

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      NEW YORK CITY (September 11, 2022) Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas lays flowers for USSS Master Special Officer Craig Miller and participates in the September 11th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, NY. (DHS photo by Sydney Phoenix)

      A Biden administration border official is reportedly being pressured to resign from his role.

      Multiple sources close to the matter informed Politico that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus is being pressured by leaders to resign or be fired after criticizing their ineffectiveness at tamping down the border surge.

      Magnus was reportedly told on Wednesday by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that he should either resign or be dismissed and, so far, the CBP chief has refused to step down, according to four people.

      Some executive assistant commissioners at CBP have indicated they would leave the agency if Magnus does not resign, according to one of the current DHS official and the former DHS official.

      Mayorkas has since shifted Magnus’ duties and responsibilities to his deputy secretary, John Tien, and has deputy CBP commissioner Troy Miller, a career government official, running the agency’s day-to-day operations, according to three of the people.

      POLITICO reported in October that five current administration officials who work with Magnus described him as unengaged in his job, saying he often failed to attend White House meetings on the situation on the border, badmouthed other agencies to colleagues and superiors, and has not built relationships within CBP and across other immigration agencies to address the influx of migrants at the border. Several also said he fell asleep in numerous meetings, which Magnus blamed on the effects of his multiple sclerosis.

      Magnus has been leading the border agency since December and it’s currently unclear who might permanently take over his Senate-confirmed position if he complies with Sec. Mayorkas’ wishes.

      CBP is responsible for securing U.S. borders at and between ports of entry. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the agency responsible for arresting and detaining undocumented people within U.S. borders and both agencies are encompassed within DHS.

      The latest DHS data shows that for the fiscal year ending in September, nearly 2.4 million migrants were detained at the border, a 37% increase from the year before.

      Trump Goes Off on Gov. Ron DeSantis, Glenn Youngkin

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      Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Former President Donald Trump unleashed a fiery monologue against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Thursday evening after winning re-election with higher-than-expected margins in the Sunshine State.

      In a statement sent by Trump’s Save America PAC to his supporters, the former president called DeSantis an “average” Republican governor with “great Public Relations.” The former president also took credit for DeSantis’s 2018 gubernatorial victory that earned him his first term as governor and honed in on DeSantis’s response to COVID-19 which has largely been credited as the move which propelled him to national recognition.

      In the unprovoked attack, Trump also revived the nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious” in what appears the most extreme escalation between the two Florida Republicans to date.

      Read the statement below:

      “NewsCorp, which is Fox, the Wall Street Journal, and the no longer great New York Post (bring back Col!), is all in for Governor Ron DeSanctimonious, an average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations, who didn’t have to close up his State, but did, unlike other Republican Governors, whose overall numbers for a Republican, were just average—middle of the pack—including COVID, and who has the advantage of SUNSHINE, where people from badly run States up North would go no matter who the Governor was, just like I did!”

      Trump continued by saying that DeSantis was “desperate” in 2017 and that DeSantis “had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would Endorse him, he could win.”

      “I also fixed his campaign, which had completely fallen apart,” Trump continued. “I was all in for Ron, and he beat Gillum, but after the Race, when votes were being stolen by the corrupt Election process in Broward County, and Ron was going down ten thousand votes a day, along with now-Senator Rick Scott, I sent in the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys, and the ballot theft immediately ended, just prior to them running out of the votes necessary to win. I stopped his Election from being stolen…”

      “And now, Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games!” Trump concluded in his attack on DeSantis. “The Fake News asks him if he’s going to run if President Trump runs, and he says, ‘I’m only focused on the Governor’s race, I’m not looking into the future.’ Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer.”

      However, Trump wasn’t done bashing Republican governors and soon turned his ire toward first-term Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in the second wave of rage-filled statements.

      “Young Kin (now that’s an interesting take. Sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?) in Virginia couldn’t have won without me,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to Vote for him – or he couldn’t have come close to winning. But he knows that, and admits it. Besides, having a hard time with the Dems in Virginia – But he’ll get it done!”

      It’s unclear what provoked Trump’s comments against Youngkin but hours before the enraged message Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears announced she will not support Trump’s 2024 bid despite supporting him in past elections.

      “A true leader understands when they have become a liability,” Sears said. “A true leader understands that it’s time to step off the stage. And the voters have given us that very clear message.”

      “I could not support him. I just couldn’t, because we have seen, for example, in those states where he has endorsed the candidates, in fact, Republicans on the same ticket who he did not endorse over-performed, whereas his candidates totally underperformed by as much as 10 points,” she added. “We have a clear mission, and it is time to move on.”

      On Friday, Gov. Youngkin said he hadn’t seen Trump’s comments.

      “I didn’t see it. And I have to be honest, I’ve been busy all morning. Listen, you all know me, I do not call people names. I really work hard to bring people together,” Youngkin said.

      GOP House Conference Chair Endorses Trump Ahead of Official 2024 Announcement

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      Elise Stefanik with Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons

      While conservatives seem to be abandoning former President Donald Trump ahead of his potential 2024 bid House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is doubling down on the former president.

      In a statement to The New York Times, Rep. Stefanik said that she’s “proud” to endorse the former President despite the fact he hasn’t officially announced his candidacy yet.

      “I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for president in 2024,” Stefanik said. “It is time for Republicans to unite around the most popular Republican in America who has a proven track record of conservative governance.”

      The No. 3 Republican lawmaker’s endorsement comes at a time of uncertainty surrounding Trump as he faces blame for Republicans’ lackluster midterm results. This year’s midterms were expected to be a Republican blow-out but instead, the GOP has experienced a weaker-than-expected performance.

      As of Friday, neither political party has claimed an official majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate.

      In a separate statement to Breitbart News, Rep. Stefanik explained why she made her endorsement so early.

      “Republican voters determine who is the leader of the Republican Party and it’s very clear President Trump is the leader of the Republican party. What the media fails to report is that we just won the midterms and flipped the House,” Stefanik in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News.

      “I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President in 2024. I fully support him running again,” she continued. “Under his presidency, America was strong at home and abroad, our economy was red hot, our border was secure, our neighborhoods were safe, our law enforcement was respected, and our enemies feared us,” Stefanik said. “We cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden’s failed policies that have led to the inflation crisis, border crisis, and crime crisis. It is time for Republicans to unite around the most popular Republican in America, who has a proven track record of conservative governance. Poll after poll shows that President Trump would defeat any Republican challenger by massive margins, and would beat Joe Biden if the election were held today. President Trump has always put America First, and I look forward to supporting him so we can save America.”

      On Election day eve, Trump teased his plans to make a “big announcement” on Nov. 15th with many supporters believing he plans to officially kick off his 2024 presidential campaign.

      Trump confirmed that he will be holding a “special announcement” at Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 15 in a press release on Thursday night. 

      However, Republicans’ less-than-stellar midterm outcome has spurred infighting among the party with many prominent Republicans pointing the finger at Trump. Since Tuesday, multiple Republicans have publicly announced they do not intend to support Trump’s next presidential bid and have urged him to reconsider.

      Former House Speaker for the GOP, Newt Gingrich, stated on Wednesday that he believes Trump might be reconsidering his plans for 2024.

      “I mean, just in my own emails today, [with] the number of people who want somebody other than Trump who have decided, literally overnight, that person is going to be DeSantis, he’s going to find it almost impossible to avoid running,” Gingrich told Just the News. “I think Trump’s got to look at the results and be troubled.”

      Retiring Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey also blamed Trump for this year’s midterm results while speaking to CNN.

      “President Trump had to insert himself and that changed the nature of the race and that created just too much of an obstacle,” Toomey said on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront.”  

      “And by the way, it’s not just Pennsylvania. You look all over the country, there’s a very high correlation between MAGA candidates and big losses, or at least dramatically underperforming,” he added, referring to Trump’s slogan: Make America Great Again.  

      Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears, who has publicly supported Trump in the past also said that Republicans must move on from Trump after the midterms.

      “A true leader understands when they have become a liability,” Sears said. “A true leader understands that it’s time to step off the stage, and the voters have given us that very clear message.” 

      Former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who was known to clash with Trump on occasion, said the former president was a “drag” for Republican candidates across the country.

      “I think Trump’s kind of a drag on our ticket. I think Donald Trump gives us problems politically,” he said during an interview in Janesville, Wis., his hometown.  

      “We lost the House, the Senate and the White House in two years when Trump was on the ballot, or in office,” he said. “I think we just have some Trump hangover. I think he’s a drag on our office, on our races.” 

      Senior Trump Adviser Says ‘Big Announcement’ will Proceed as Scheduled

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      Gage Skidmore Flickr

      While questions are still swirling over which party will control Congress and if the results will impact Donald Trump’s upcoming announcement a senior adviser says Americans should “buckle up” for next Tuesday.

      The adviser claimed that members of the media have “all moved in unison against Donald Trump at their own peril” after the GOP experienced less than stellar results from the midterm elections, according to NBC News.

      “It’s like they want to recreate 2015-2016,” the adviser said. “Let them. We are doing it again. Buckle up.”

      On Election Day eve, Trump teased a “big announcement” coming on November 15th and many people anticipate him to formally announce his third presidential campaign.

      However, while a Republican red tsunami was expected to sweep the midterm elections the results thus far have been disappointing as the GOP has yet to officially win a majority in either chamber. Some conservatives have blamed Trump’s interference as a major factor behind the lackluster results and have expressed hopes he will reconsider his announcement.

      Former House Speaker for the GOP, Newt Gingrich, stated on Wednesday that he believes Trump might be reconsidering his plans for 2024.

      “I mean, just in my own emails today, [with] the number of people who want somebody other than Trump who have decided, literally overnight, that person is going to be DeSantis, he’s going to find it almost impossible to avoid running,” Gingrich told Just the News. “I think Trump’s got to look at the results and be troubled.”

      Amanda Head: Who’s Your Pick For 2024 – Trump or DeSantis?

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      As Americans continue to wait for official midterm results to trickle in Republicans are already diving themselves into two camps: Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump.

      Who are you siding with?

      Watch Amanda break it down below.