Trump News

Retired United States Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling did not give MS NOW host Jackie Alemany much of a chance to ask about comments made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about Russian involvement in the Iran war on Saturday morning.

Instead, he jumped the gun, talked over her, and hammered Hegseth, whom he dismissively referred to as a “former Fox host” earlier.

A consumer watchdog group is calling on the federal agency that regulates prediction markets to investigate what it says are a series of “highly suspicious bets” placed on President Donald Trump’s war with Iran.

In a letter sent on Thursday to Michael Selig, the chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a representative for the group Public Citizen pointed out that users have been able to make off with six-figure winnings from betting on political outcomes using platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, which “advertise that you can bet on almost anything, anywhere.”

Donald Trump’s unrelenting drive to implement his policies has turned them into “liabilities” that threaten his next three years in office, and his allies are growing increasingly worried that he has painted himself into a corner.

The past week has laid bare the consequences of Trump's overreach—a combination of policy missteps and self-inflicted damage that is tanking his poll numbers and his ability to command congressional support.

A stagnant labor market and skyrocketing gas prices fueled by the Iran conflict are ravaging the economy. The sudden ouster of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has shone a harsh spotlight on the administration's deeply unpopular immigration agenda. Wall Street analysts are now warning that surging oil prices could trigger stagflation, and the cascade of bad news has jeopardized the GOP's ability to keep voters focused on Trump administration policies supposedly designed to ease the rising cost of living.

One Trump ally, granted anonymity to speak freely, captured the political peril: "If you combine an economy that people don't like with a prolonged war that you know nobody in his base believes they voted for, that's a toxic problem." Though Trump isn't on the ballot this year, Republicans desperately need his approval ratings to improve if they hope to maintain control of Congress.

"Don't drag this war out," the person warned. "That's my best advice for the administration. The country is in no mood for a prolonged war."

The Iran conflict has sent oil and gas prices soaring—pump prices have climbed more than 11 percent in a single week. With employers cutting payroll and Trump reshuffling his immigration leadership, the president has lost the upper hand on the two issues critical to GOP midterm success.

Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist and former Trump State Department appointee, acknowledged the predicament: "We are a year into the Trump presidency, and it seems as if everything has changed but the economy. Now, as we head into the midterms, our only message on the economy is, 'You should thank us for the One Big, Beautiful Bill.' That's always going to be a challenge."

Republican operatives are already resorting to damage control. One midterms strategist, speaking anonymously, offered blunt counsel: "Focus just on the local s--t, stop focusing on the world. Even if you obviously can't bring prices down, just do everything you can to make the people feel like the economy is getting better."

In the early hours of Saturday morning, Donald Trump ramped up his Iran war rhetoric with the threat, “Today Iran will be hit very hard!” and menaced the country with “complete destruction.”

At a time when polling shows the president’s military assault on the country is proving to be highly unpopular, Trump appears to be doubling down in his boast-filled Truth Social post.

Outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly allowed first lady Melania Trump to use one of the Department of Homeland Security’s luxury jets for what one official described as an “insurance policy” against criticism over taxpayer-funded travel.

As first reported by Axios, Noem and her top adviser Corey Lewandowski – who have faced rumors of a personal relationship – allowed the first lady to use a Boeing jet leased by DHS to protect her from backlash over her use of taxpayer dollars.

Critics quickly sounded alarms online after a report that President Donald Trump has privately shown interest in sending U.S. ground troops into Iran.

According to an NBC News exclusive, Trump has discussed the idea with aides and Republican officials as part of a broader vision for a post-war Iran in which the country’s uranium would be secured, and the United States could cooperate with a new Iranian government on oil production.

Fox News contributor Dagen McDowell attempted to spin higher gas prices caused by President Donald Trump's strikes on Iran by noting that Americans weren't yet experiencing "food rationing" as they did in World War II.

"According to AAA, the national average hit $3.22 today," Fox News host Martha MacCallum told McDowell on Friday. "That's a 30-cent increase since the strikes in the Middle East began."

An "ultra-MAGA" Republican candidate who built his political brand on inflammatory rhetoric designed to catch Donald Trump's attention succeeded in gaining the president's praise—but his antics ultimately cost him a presidential endorsement that could have secured his path to Congress.

According to a Washington Post profile, Colton Moore, a former state senator, jumped into the race to replace Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) after the controversial lawmaker stepped aside following clashes with Trump.

Moore has been a persistent headache for Republican leadership in Georgia. He was banned by the Republican speaker from the House floor, a ban that eventually led to his arrest. His relentless harassment of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis—who is pursuing Trump for attempting to overturn the 2020 election—was so extreme it got him expelled from his own State Senate caucus.

Betting that his firebrand reputation would impress Trump, Moore hoped for a presidential endorsement that could propel him to victory among the 20 candidates competing in Tuesday's election. Instead, Trump threw him a curveball instead.

"In early February, Mr. Trump, who had praised Mr. Moore in the past, threw a wrench in the outrage machinery when he sided with Mr. Fuller," the Post reported, noting he is backing former prosecutor Clay Fuller instead.

Trump's endorsement of Fuller likely reflected electoral strategy. With Democrats targeting hard-right Republicans who have adopted aspects of the Greene playbook—including Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, known for his heavily armed family Christmas card, and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who sponsored legislation to carve Trump's likeness on Mount Rushmore—the party needs reliable votes in a tight midterm race.

Undeterred, Moore insists he remains competitive without Trump's backing. "I mean, Clayton's got the swamp money. But we've got all the volunteers," Moore said.