A Republican lawmaker appeared caught off guard during former special counsel Jack Smith’s first public testimony when his attempt to downplay Donald Trump’s threats instead prompted a blunt fact-check from the prosecutor. Questioned by Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) about the gag order sought against Trump, Smith calmly detailed how courts found statements from the president posed real dangers to witnesses, court staff, and the judicial process itself. As Cline struggled to reframe the exchange, Smith stressed that prosecutors are not required to wait for violence before acting and made clear that both the district court and appeals court agreed Trump’s rhetoric crossed legal lines, underscoring the seriousness of conduct that repeatedly tested the limits of the First Amendment.

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GOP lawmaker stumbles after Jack Smith lays out evidence of Trump threats GOP lawmaker stumbles after Jack Smith lays out evidence of Trump threats

Nick Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist.

Vice President JD Vance is an obvious frontrunner to succeed President Donald Trump in 2028 — but a new focus group already suggests danger signs for the GOP if he becomes the nominee.

According to Politico, a newly held focus group session with nine young male Trump supporters, by Trump-skeptical GOP strategist Sarah Longwell, revealed that only one of them had any interest in supporting Vance for president — and many had clear reservations about him.

Focus groups are not a representative sample of voters, as a poll would be, but they are often used by both parties for more granular insight into the reasons certain voters make the decisions they do.

"When the 18- to 24-year-olds were asked who else they would like to see as potential candidates in 2028, they named Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback," said the report. "When the moderator asked who wants to see Vance as the GOP nominee, just one of the nine raised their hand — and even he later signaled he is still unsure of his support."

Alexandre M. of Maryland said, “I feel like it’s just time for someone new, especially for the Republican Party,” and that Trump's mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case files taints Vance as well. Meanwhile, Sam Z. of Minnesota said, “I don’t think Vance can win, because I think he’s too connected to the current political establishment in Washington, which I think has a very negative approval rating right now.”

Vance was not the only source of potential friction revealed in the focus group. Many of the voters also expressed skepticism about the GOP's longtime support for Israel, and even brought up lingering conspiracy theories pushed by far-right influencer Candace Owens that Charlie Kirk's murder was in some way tied to it.