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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has quietly assembled an online army of MAGA influencers — including some who work for the Pentagon or have nearly landed jobs there, according to a new report.

It came to light this week that Jennica Pounds, a right-wing influencer better known as “Data Republican” on X, has worked as a temporary Pentagon special government employee since July. The Defense Department confirmed her employment but refused to explain what specific duties Pounds performs.

President Donald Trump drew a wave of disbelief after posting an image that resurrects one of the most mocked moments in modern presidential history and pinned it to his own war with Iran.

On Wednesday morning, Trump shared an AI-generated image to Truth Social showing himself striding through smoke and fire, flanked by fighter jets, an aircraft carrier and American flags. At his feet sit two weathered signs. One reads "MISSION NOT ACCOMPLISHED" over the years 2001 through 2021, set beside a somber portrait of George W. Bush. The other declares "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 2026," paired with an image of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A new column offers an intriguingly optimistic prediction about President Donald Trump's reaction to a potential Republican midterm wipeout.

The Bulwark's Andrew Egger argued the 80-year-old president is already bracing for a midterm defeat and will likely lash out at Republicans in Congress when it happens, pointing to his own social media activity as evidence.

A former Trump administration insider says Democrats have an unconventional weapon to flip the script on Donald Trump if they retake the House, and it starts with a surprising pick for Speaker.

In a new essay Thursday, Miles Taylor, the former official who once anonymously branded himself part of the "resistance" inside Trump's first administration, argued that Democrats should hand the Speaker's gavel to someone who isn't even in Congress. His choice is Pete Buttigieg.

One of President Donald Trump's leading health officials was assailed by critics for casting doubt about the measles-related deaths of people in Pennsylvania.

State officials announced that two unvaccinated residents were the state's first deaths tied to measles in 35 years, although the coroner's office in Lancaster County said its investigators had not handled any measles deaths, and Dr. Mehmet Oz stepped into that gap to sow doubt about the outbreak in that county.

As conservative media outlets see audience numbers drop precipitously, one network closely aligned with President Donald Trump is betting that reality TV and lifestyle programming can shore up its fortunes.

According to NBC News, Real America's Voice, home of Steve Bannon's "War Room," plans to expand into reality television, music and dating show programming — a slate of "MAGA-branded shows" inspired by channels like MTV — on the bet that its fiercely loyal audience will follow the brand wherever it goes.

Rather than lose viewers to competing entertainment channels, executives hope to keep them inside the network's ecosystem, said Parker Sigg, the company's vice president.

The Department of Justice has discussed using former attorney Michael Cohen – who has seemingly come crawling back – as a witness to build new criminal cases against President Donald Trump's legal adversaries, according to a new report.

Zeteo's Asawin Suebsaeng, who has a personal history with Cohen, the president's longtime personal attorney and fixer, reported that Trump administration officials are hoping to leverage his testimony to bring criminal prosecutions against New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg – both of whom successfully battled Trump in court.

A court hearing for Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) opened Wednesday on an unplanned contempt motion minutes after the Trump-endorsed Republican congressman confronted the ex-wife he allegedly abused in a courthouse hallway.

The hearing in Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court was scheduled to address a written request for a restraining order against Miller, according to News 5 Cleveland. Emily Moreno has accused Miller of abuse during their marriage, including holding a gun to her head, CNN reported. He denies it.

A GOP congressman already humiliated over lies on his Tinder profile is now facing more serious allegations that he fabricated his business background.

Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.), who narrowly won election in 2024, is being accused of résumé padding by Democrats, according to The Guardian. Mackenzie has been accused of "embellishing his résumé "with private-sector real estate experience amid a bitter fight to hold his Pennsylvania seat.

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) is trying to salvage what is left of his reputation after sexual harassment allegations, even though he's already leaving Congress after the midterms.

According to NOTUS, the embattled congressman sent a 23-page letter to his colleagues defending himself after the House Ethics Committee found "substantial evidence" that he engaged in "persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers" — findings that led him to abandon his reelection bid while facing censure before he departs.

Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) has been hit with another white supremacist scandal involving a former staffer, and other Republicans are worried his troubling associations will cost them a Senate seat.

The Georgia Republican is challenging Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in November's election, but the Washington Post reported Thursday that former intern Preston Parra, 24, shared images of a swastika on his X account and an AI-generated image of himself in Ku Klux Klan robes, and he told the newspaper he believes "the white race contributes more to the world."

A marquee roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain has been tied to two deaths and more than a dozen serious brain injuries over nearly two decades, and it's been shut down since July after two riders suffered catastrophic brain bleeds, a CNN investigation has found.

The ride, X2 in Valencia, California, is a first-of-its-kind coaster whose seats spin a full 360 degrees as trains hit nearly 80 mph. Six Flags has billed it as a thrill for the "ultimate daredevil." CNN's review of medical records, depositions and legal filings found riders were left disabled, dropped into comas, and even two who died.

Alarm swept the Kennedy Center's defenders hours before a hearing to consider a threat by President Donald Trump's board to tear down the center if his name was not added to the building.

In a motion filed later Wednesday afternoon, lawyers for Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) accused the board of holding the building hostage. Beatty is ex officio trustee on the board through her seat in Congress and sued last year after crews put Trump's name on the marble facade.