Erik De La Garza

MAGA commentator Scott Jennings found himself repeatedly on the defensive Friday during a tense CNN segment as host Kaitlan Collins and Democratic strategist Paul Begala pushed back on his economic and political claims.

Jennings argued during his appearance on “The Source with Kaitlan Collins” that Republicans should “remind the American people how we got to this cost-of-living crisis in the first place.”

“And it was Joe Biden,” Jennings said, insisting that “the rate of inflation is normal and has come down.”

But Collins quickly challenged him, noting that inflation is “higher than the day Trump took office.” That prompted Jennings to respond defensively: “So you all are arguing that we should have rapid deflation.”

Begala, a former advisor to Bill Clinton, mocked the GOP line of attack, comparing it to a legal excuse for criminal defendants. “Some other dude did it,” he said. “That dog don’t hunt.”

“The problem is you can’t persuade two-thirds of the American people who think this guy is doing a terrible job,” Begala insisted Friday.

Jennings attempted to pivot and accused Democrats of pursuing “a mad power grab,” but Collins steered the conversation back to economic issues.

“Democrats are saying Trump’s not doing what he said he would do in office,” the anchor said, adding, “And I think that’s a powerful argument because he did say he would bring prices down and they’re up.”

As the back-and-forth ramped up, Jennings found himself talking over interruptions while insisting that inflation has “normalized.”

“Don’t argue with me,” Begala told Jennings. “You’re not going to persuade me.” The Democratic strategist predicted Trump would oversee GOP midterm losses in the House “and maybe even the Senate because he’s doing such a terrible job.”

A federal judge signaled deep skepticism of President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, including with a buried footnote highlighting the unusual dynamics of the case.

In an order issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams questioned whether the case can proceed at all, noting it is “unclear to this court whether the parties are sufficiently adverse to each other so as to satisfy Article III’s case or controversy requirement.”

Trump has sued the IRS and Treasury Department over alleged privacy violations, but the judge underscored that, as president, he effectively oversees the very agencies he is challenging.

That tension was laid out in a footnote within the four-page order, where Williams pointed to Trump’s own executive directives, which required executive branch employees — including those defending federal agencies in court — to adhere to the president’s legal interpretations.

“One such employee of the executive branch, the Attorney General, has a statutory obligation to defend the IRS when it is hailed into court, but then is ostensibly required by executive mandate to adhere to the President’s opinion on a matter of law in such a case,” she wrote Friday. “This raises questions over whether the parties here are truly antagonistic to each other.”

Williams also noted that the parties have already indicated they are in discussions to resolve the matter, even though no formal appearances have been filed by the defense. The judge ordered both sides to submit briefings by May 20 addressing whether a legitimate legal dispute exists, and set a hearing for May 27.

A Houston police officer at the center of a viral video featuring racist remarks has been fired, with the department’s chief condemning her conduct as “abhorrent” and “entirely unacceptable.”

The new development came on Friday when the Houston Police Department announced that Officer Ashley Gonzalez was “no longer an employee of the department” following an internal investigation into the widely circulated clip, according to a report in TMZ.

“The behavior exhibited by Ashley Gonzalez was abhorrent, disgusting, and entirely unacceptable,” Police Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. said in a statement. “It is deeply disturbing and has no place in law enforcement or in our community.”

The department said Gonzalez was immediately relieved of duty once officials became aware of the video earlier this week and moved “as fast as legally possible” under state civil service laws to complete the investigation.

The footage reportedly showed Gonzalez recounting an alleged attempted theft while repeatedly using a racial slur and making other inflammatory comments about race and discrimination. At one point, she said, "Y’all don’t know how good it felt to say [expletive] out loud. Oh my God, I felt like I was back in the Marine Corps," said Gonzalez, who served in the Marines from 2019 to 2023, according to media reports.

The incident quickly drew backlash online and from law enforcement groups, including the Houston Police Officers’ Union, which previously described the video as “extremely disturbing.”

An embattled Democratic congresswoman who resigned this week under the threat of expulsion is already seeking to reclaim her seat.

That’s according to a new report in NOTUS, which reported Friday that former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick filed for reelection just four days before stepping down from Congress. A campaign aide confirmed to the outlet that she plans to run again for the southern Florida seat as a Democrat.

Cherfilus-McCormick abruptly resigned Tuesday, about 30 minutes before the House Ethics Committee was set to recommend punishment following a two-year-long investigation. The panel previously found her responsible for 25 ethics violations, including allegations that she improperly used millions in federal disaster relief funds to support her 2021 campaign, NOTUS reported.

The investigation included dozens of subpoenas, witness interviews, and over 33,000 documents. The former lawmaker also faces separate criminal charges tied to pandemic-era relief funds, with a trial now scheduled for 2027.

But despite giving up her congressional seat — and her looming legal troubles — political observers told NOTUS she could remain competitive in the Florida district, which spans from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale, where name recognition plays a major role in elections.

“While we would have to check with the lawyers to see if Cherfilus-McCormick can run using Cell Block C as her residence, it isn’t clear that there is anyone in that district who can beat her if she runs again,” the Democratic operative said.

At least five other Democrats are vying for the seat in the primary, including educator Elijah Manley, who wasted no time criticizing the former congresswoman.

“Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned in disgrace moments before her colleagues were set to expel her from Congress,” Manley said in a text to NOTUS. “The last thing our community needs is a second round of chaos and instability. She should focus on her legal troubles.”

Pope Leo XIV took a fresh swipe at President Donald Trump’s administration after the Justice Department on Friday moved to resume federal executions, condemning the death penalty as an attack on human dignity.

The American-born pontiff delivered the remarks just hours after the Justice Department lifted a moratorium on capital punishment and signaled a return to methods including firing squad executions, the Daily Beast reported.

“The Catholic Church has consistently taught that each human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred and deserves to be protected,” Leo said in a video message. “Indeed, the right to life is the very foundation of every other human right... In this regard, we affirm that the dignity of the person is not lost even after very serious crimes are committed.”

He added that effective detention systems can protect society without resorting to executions.

“Pope Francis and my recent predecessors repeatedly insisted that the common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment,” he said. “Consequently, the church teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”

The comments mark the latest clash between the pope and the White House, following earlier tensions over Trump’s strikes on Iran. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Trump has not directly addressed the new criticism of his administration, the Daily Beast noted.

CBS News journalists were reportedly stunned after their own network's parent company hosted a private dinner honoring President Donald Trump, as it seeks federal approval for a massive media deal.

According to The New York Times, Paramount hosted the event in Washington, D.C., where billionaire executive David Ellison praised Trump and senior administration officials while the company pursues a $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.

But several CBS News journalists said they were "taken aback by the existence of the dinner," the Times reported Friday. "They described consternation within the CBS newsroom over the event's potential to create a perception of coziness between the news division and the Trump administration."

The gathering, which included protesters outside chanting, "block the merger," was attended by CBS figures and journalists like Bari Weiss, the network's editor in chief, and Norah O'Donnell, the former "Evening News" anchor. Invitations described the evening as "honoring the Trump White House," the report said. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller also attended.

While journalists routinely attend events with political figures as part of their reporting, the Times noted it is rare for a major media organization to sponsor an event aimed at hosting the officials it covers — "and even rarer still when it has a major transaction pending before the federal government."

Paramount is currently seeking regulatory approval for its proposed deal, which would place major outlets, including CNN and HBO, under Ellison's control.

This is not the first time Paramount has faced accusations of cozying up to Trump to smooth the path for its merger. Paramount previously settled Trump's lawsuit against CBS News for $16 million, with some executives privately fearing the payment could be construed as a bribe.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is moving quickly to prove his loyalty to Donald Trump and shed the “acting” label by launching a sweeping push targeting the president’s perceived enemies, according to a report in the New York Times.

The outlet reported Friday that Blanche has set off “a conspicuous salvo of actions” aimed at demonstrating progress on Trump’s priorities, “chief among them, payback” against his political adversaries.

Among the high-profile figures now in the Justice Department’s crosshairs is former CIA Director John Brennan, along with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who spoke out publicly against Trump in the events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, the report said. The DOJ has also authorized inquiries tied to the Democratic fundraising group ActBlue, and is revisiting a failed attempt to charge former FBI Director James Comey.

“He’s been unleashed,” Trump said at a private White House event earlier this month, according to the Times. The president added that Blanche “is doing a fantastic, he’s doing a great job always, but he’s doing a great job as the attorney general.”

Still, the effort may face significant hurdles - both within the MAGA movement and in the courts.

Some of Trump’s most ardent supporters have questioned Blanche’s loyalty and pushed alternative figures, like far-right activist Ed Martin and former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in Washington, the report said.

Meanwhile, past attempts to bring charges against some of Trump’s perceived enemies have fallen flat due to a lack of evidence, raising concerns about the “politicization of the department, which historically acts independently of the White House.”

“The president wants Blanche to pursue his targets,” said former U.S. attorney John P. Fishwick. “The challenge for Blanche is that several of these cases are very uphill.”

But, according to the Times, Blanche “has clearly hastened the cadence” of investigations.

A growing divide is emerging within the Republican Party as President Donald Trump pushes a massive increase in defense spending, with fiscal conservatives warning a “clash is looming” over the proposal.

That’s according to NOTUS, which reported Friday that administration officials are lobbying lawmakers behind closed doors to approve a record-high $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget. But some of Trump’s own MAGA allies are signaling resistance, particularly deficit-focused Republicans wary of the nation’s rising debt.

The proposal – which would significantly boost funding for munitions, shipbuilding and troop pay – comes as lawmakers grapple with a $39 trillion national debt and a projected $1.9 trillion annual deficit, NOTUS reported.

But several GOP lawmakers told the outlet they are unwilling to back the defense increase without corresponding cuts elsewhere.

“We need to not grow deficits,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) told NOTUS when questioned about the defense request. “So if we have to prioritize defense, then we need to, you know, de-prioritize other things.”

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) had a similar take on the matter.

If you’ve got an idea to spend more money, what’s your pay-for?” he said, according to the report. “If you’re increasing spending, are you increasing revenue — if you’re increasing spending in defense, are you cutting somewhere else?”

The plan includes roughly $73 billion in reductions to non-defense discretionary spending, targeting areas such as health research and heating assistance. But the internal tensions could complicate efforts to pass the budget, NOTUS reported Friday, especially given Republicans’ narrow majority in the House.

CNN anchor Erin Burnett zeroed in on a striking moment during President Donald Trump’s latest remarks on Iran, calling out what she described as a telling misstep.

“Trump claims everything is back to normal. He said Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran, the Strait of Iran….interesting, that's interesting,” Burnett told viewers Friday as she opened her show. “I guess he just gave them the straight. Ostensibly, he met Hormuz, which is fully open and ready for full passage. Thank you. It's a Freudian slip there.”

The comment came as the CNN anchor detailed a series of contradictions between Trump’s claims and statements from Iranian officials.

“The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false,” Burnett said, quoting Iran’s parliamentary speaker. “And then Tehran went on to contradict President Trump on crucial key sticking points.”

Burnett also highlighted confusion surrounding Trump’s repeated reference to “nuclear dust.”

“It is a bit unclear what Trump means by nuclear dust,” she said, noting the president has used the term multiple times, seemingly referring to enriched uranium.

She then cited a blunt assessment from a former nuclear inspector: “If he can't get his arms around highly enriched uranium, he looks like an idiot. There's no such thing as nuclear dust.”

Burnett said Friday, while Trump announced that key points had been “already negotiated and agreed to,” Iranian officials publicly rejected that assertion.

“And I'm sure he'll be thrilled that Trump called it the Strait of Iran,” Burnett added, referring to the Iranian parliamentary speaker, as she described the situation as “at best messy.”

Seven weeks into the conflict with Iran, new polling suggests President Donald Trump is struggling to win over the American public - a challenge one Republican strategist described as his “biggest problem.”

A new survey from Politico found that just 38% of Americans back the military strikes, while a majority say the war is not in the national interest. A plurality of respondents also said they are not confident Trump has clear objectives, “including a notable chunk of his 2024 supporters,” according to Politico.

The findings laid bare what one Republican strategist described as Trump’s core challenge.

“I think the biggest problem is, first, this war was not pre-sold,” Jason Roe, a Michigan-based Republican strategist, told Politico. “[Trump] campaigned against these kinds of policies and these kinds of actions and reversed himself on a dime, and so … the American people were not conditioned to prepare for this thing.”

Polling shows 41% of Americans say Trump does not have a plan for resolving the conflict, while only 27% believe he does. Even among the president’s MAGA base, cracks are emerging, according to the poll, which found that “more than a third of Trump voters say he doesn’t have a plan.”

Roe also pointed to a messaging breakdown as the Middle East conflict continues to drag on.

“I think the number one messaging problem has been that every day we’re told it’s going to end tomorrow, and we’re now nearly two months into that promise,” he told the outlet Friday. While Roe said he views most Republicans as “optimistic” that the Iran conflict will be resolved quickly, he added, “I think the biggest failure is telling us it’s going to be over tomorrow every day.”

A Republican strategist’s reaction during a live CNN broadcast drew laughter after he was pressed on a sharp conservative critique of President Donald Trump

During a segment on CNN Friday, host Kasie Hunt called attention to GOP strategist Brad Todd’s visible discomfort as the discussion turned to Trump’s growing tensions with Pope Leo XIV.

“Brad Todd, this back and forth between the president and the pope — your face! I feel like everyone should see Brad’s face,” Hunt said through chuckles. “I’m taking a lot from your face, but if you could kind of let our viewers into how you are thinking about this.”

Before Todd responded, CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams noted that Xochitl Hinojosa, a former DNC official, “burst out into laughter.”

“She’s loving this,” Williams added.

Todd responded by referencing former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan, noting her perspective on the historic relationship between the presidency and the papacy.

“The president should not be picking a fight with the pope,” Todd said. He argued that Trump risks alienating Catholic voters, a group he said has increasingly shifted toward Republicans in recent years. “I think trying to divide Catholics and make them pick between their president and their pope is bad politics.”

“It’s the pope' s job to stand up for Catholic teaching,” Todd added, while emphasizing that political leaders and religious figures “need to know their lane.”

President Donald Trump said in a phone interview Friday that Iran has “agreed to everything” in ongoing talks with the United States, including allowing the removal of its enriched uranium, according to CBS News.

Trump insisted the effort would not involve U.S. ground troops, but offered few specifics about how the materials would be secured.

“No, no troops,” he told the outlet, adding that “our people” would work alongside Iranians to retrieve it.

“We'll go down and get it with them, and then we'll take it,” Trump said, suggesting that the uranium would ultimately make its way to the United States.

"Our people, together with the Iranians, are going to work together to go get it. And then we'll take it to the United States," he added.

Trump also claimed Iran has agreed to stop backing proxy groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas as part of a broader deal. He said talks between the two sides are set to continue this weekend and that a U.S. blockade would remain in place “until we get it done.”

While Axios reported the administration had discussed releasing up to $20 billion in frozen Iranian assets, Trump dismissed the idea in his phone interview with CBS News Friday.

“No, we are not paying 10 cents,” he insisted.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) on Friday night forcefully denied allegations of sexual misconduct and assault, calling the claims that have rocked his gubernatorial campaign “absolutely false” in his first public response since the accusations surfaced.

“A lot has been said about me today through anonymous allegations, and I thought it was important that you see and hear from me directly,” Swalwell said in a video statement released just before midnight.

“These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have,” he added.

The California Democrat also acknowledged past “mistakes in judgment,” appearing to reference personal conduct, while apologizing to his wife. “Those mistakes are between me and my wife,” he said. “To her, I apologize deeply for putting her in this position.”

The statement comes after multiple women accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct earlier Friday, with one alleging assault while she was intoxicated. The fallout quickly upended his gubernatorial campaign, as prominent backers withdrew support and his campaign removed its endorsements page.

“I do not suggest to you in any way that I’m perfect or that I'm a saint," he said Friday.

Swalwell, who has been running for governor of California, suggested he would take time away in the immediate aftermath of the accusations.

“This weekend, I’m going to spend time with my family and friends,” he said, adding that he “look[s] forward to updating you very soon.”

California’s gubernatorial primary election is set for June 2.

Science educator Bill Nye came out swinging at President Donald Trump on Friday, blasting his administration’s proposed cuts to NASA as “surprising, illogical and very troubling” in a scathing new opinion piece.

Writing for MSNOW in the wake of the historic return of the Artemis II crew – the first mission to the moon since 1972 – Nye argued the moment of celebration is being overshadowed by Trump’s plans to slash funding for space science.

“The proposed cuts would terminate 53 NASA Science missions, throwing away more than $13 billion in taxpayer investment and halting the development of nearly every future NASA Science mission,” according to Nye, best known for hosting the hit educational show “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” He added that such reductions would be “an insult to our astronauts and entire NASA workforce.”

Nye also took aim at proposed cuts to STEM education, calling efforts to eliminate NASA’s outreach programs “quite personal” and warning they would damage the nation’s long-term scientific leadership.

“We cannot allow this,” Nye declared, urging Americans to push back against the MAGA administration’s “draconian cuts.” He pointed to a growing global competition in space, particularly with China, and questioned why the U.S. would “cede the lead” at such a pivotal moment.

“NASA is the best brand our nation has,” Nye told readers Friday. He argued that space exploration reflects America “at its best” – and warned that abandoning scientific investment “would be an unworthy choice.”

“If Artemis II has showed us anything, it’s that the public, across the political spectrum, strongly supports space exploration, scientific discovery and a deeper understanding of the universe and our place within it,” he concluded.

Trump, for his part, on Friday congratulated the Artemis crew in a Truth Social post, praising their trip as "spectacular," and the landing as "perfect."

"I could not be more proud!" Trump wrote.

Vice President JD Vance is increasingly finding himself “walking on eggshells” around President Donald Trump as he takes on a central role in high-stakes negotiations to end the Iran conflict, according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal reported Friday that Vance – long viewed as an anti-interventionist voice within the MAGA administration – has been thrust into leading peace talks with Iranian officials, tying his political future to the outcome of a war he initially sought to distance himself from.

A close friend of Vance who recently spoke with him said the vice president described feeling “like he was sometimes walking on eggshells around Trump because of his antiwar views.” A Vance spokesperson disputed that account, telling the Journal, “He’s walking on so many eggshells that he’s on his way to Pakistan at the president’s request to lead negotiations.”

The talks, set to take place in Islamabad, represent the highest-level engagement between the U.S. and Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the outlet noted Friday. For Vance, who will be joined by Trump allies, including son-in-law Jared Kushner, they mark "the most significant international assignment of his career" as he prepares to face seasoned Iranian negotiators.

“The conflict has created a political liability for a vice president who once promised ‘no new wars,’ including one with Iran,” according to the Journal. “Trump knows Vance’s skepticism of foreign intervention and that the vice president represents a branch of the party opposed to the hawkish positions espoused by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), a senior administration official said.”

Vance, however, still supports the mission despite his beliefs, the aide added.

The assignment adds to a growing list of responsibilities handed to Vance, including overseeing efforts to root out fraud in federal programs after making a controversial campaign appearance in Hungary.