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Karl Rove

GOP Guru Rove: Trump Must Intervene To Save Paxton From Talarico Surge

Karl Rove, a longtime Republican operative and fixer, issued a dire warning to Republicans about the failing campaign of Senate candidate Ken Paxton during a Fox News appearance on Tuesday.

Rove told the hosts of Fox’s America’s Newsroom that he believes that recent campaign finance filings from Paxton, which show his fundraising heavily trailing that of Democratic nominee James Talarico, will require presidential intervention to save the seat.

Rove also indicated that the seat should be considered a “toss-up,” despite the fact that Republicans won their 2020 and 2024 Senate elections there by at least eight percentage points.

"The state is Republican in nature, but this is an unusual race,” Rove said. “Talarico, I think, had over $70 million raised, and Paxton had $9 million-plus.”

Rove criticized Paxton for visiting “Iceland with his new girlfriend” the week before the Fourth of July holiday instead of campaigning for the seat.

“This is going to be one that is going to depend mightily upon the decision of President Trump to spend or not spend the half-a-billion-plus dollars that he has in his two super PACs, MAGA Inc. and Never Surrender. If he does spend, then he can sort of even it up. If he doesn’t spend, this could be a really bad night for Republicans in Texas,” Rove concluded.

Rove is best known for being the so-called architect of former President George W. Bush’s political career. While Bush ended up as one of the most unpopular presidents in recent history following the failure of the Iraq War and the onset of the Great Recession, Rove did successfully steer Bush’s career through two terms as governor of Texas.

The negative assessment from Rove piles on to the waves of bad headlines rocking the Paxton campaign.

A poll released last Thursday by Emerson College showed Paxton and Talarico effectively tied, 47 percent to 46 percent. On Tuesday the Talarico campaign announced that Jacob Smith, who previously served as Cornyn’s deputy legislative director, had joined Talarico as his deputy policy director.

In the seat’s Republican primary earlier this year, many Republican insiders had preferred that incumbent Sen. John Cornyn would win the nomination. But after Cornyn clashed with Trump, Trump backed Paxton in the primary, and despite years of scandal and controversy, Paxton won.

Republican control of the Senate is being threatened by internal party disarray. Trump continues to wield an outsized influence over the party while plummeting in support with voters outside of the MAGA bubble.

Trump picking Paxton over Cornyn turned what may have been an easy race into a nail-biter. If Rove is to be believed, Trump will have to do the work to clean up his own mess.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


Dr. Jonathan Reiner

White House Enraged After Top Cardiologist Raises Concerns About Trump's Condition

A high-profile heart doctor is raising concerns about the White House’s failure to fully disclose President Donald Trump’s health issues, and Trump’s team is lashing out in response instead of leveling with the public.

Dr. Jonathan Reiner made his case in an op-ed published in the New York Times on Thursday. Reiner is a professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University and served as former Vice President Dick Cheney’s cardiologist for 27 years, including from 2001-2009 when he was in office.Together, he and Cheney authored the book “Heart: An American Medical Odyssey,” chronicling the former veep’s battle with heart disease.

In his column, Reiner noted that Trump has several ailments that are “easy to see” and do not comport with the effusive writeups on Trump’s physical state released by the current White House physician.

“Despite reassurances from the White House to the contrary, at times over the past year, the president has not looked well,” Reiner wrote.

“Mr. Trump is probably the most photographed president in American history, and a variety of physical ailments are easy to see. He’s had large bruises on both hands, swelling in his legs and episodes when it appears that he is struggling to stay awake,” the doctor said. “He’s also had advanced imaging performed for unclear reasons. The public is again left to wonder whether the nation’s leader is OK.”

In May Dr. Sean Barbabella, the physician to the president, claimed in a report that Trump “remains in excellent health.” But Reiner said that the information released about Trump raises more questions than answers.

He notes that Trump’s medical report said he spoke to more than 22 physicians but doesn’t say why he is seeing so many medical professionals. Reiner said the report doesn’t explain Trump’s skin discoloration, why his ankles continue to swell, his inability to stay awake, or why he has taken so many cognitive tests.

In examining the cone of silence around Trump’s health, Reiner notes that Buckingham Palace keeps a similarly tight lid on King Charles’ medical issues but concludes, “The United States does not have a king. In a representative democracy, the people must have confidence in the health of their leader, and in the leader’s capacity to guide the nation.”

Reiner isn’t alone. For years now Trump’s appearance has led to viral videos and photographs of his condition, particularly in the context of his constant attacks on the health of Democrats like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden. Even photographs of Trump’s hair looking unnaturally thick after previous photos showed signs of thinning renewed questions about his health and apparent efforts to cover up the truth.

It doesn’t help that Trump himself has posted AI-enhanced photos of himself to hide blemishes and obvious signs of aging.

As is often the case, the White House lashed out instead of taking Reiner’s questions seriously.

“Jonathan Reiner is an asshat engaging in armchair diagnosis for political purposes. He is a disgrace to the medical profession,” administration spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.

Appearing on CNN, Reiner noted that the Trump White House gave the so-called “asshat” a certificate hailing the work of his medical unit within the past year. The doctor reiterated to the network that the angry response underlines “a picture of a president who has active medical issues who doesn’t appear well in public.”

If Trump is healthy and fine, there would be no need to bash doctors or hide the details of his medical status from the Americans he works for. Instead, the Trump administration continues the cover-up.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Trump liberation day with Lutnick

'Tariffs Have Been Incredible!' Says Deluded Trump As Refunds Reach $100 Billion

President Donald Trump proclaimed that his failed tariff policies were an “incredible” success on Tuesday—the same day that his administration admitted that it had to pay back billions in illegally collected tariffs.

“Tariffs have been incredible. We’ve taken in hundreds of billions of dollars. Supreme Court gave us a little shot, but we’re allowed to do it in a different manner—they said that,” Trump told Fox News. “But we are anyway, regardless if we have the law.”

In a Tuesday filing with the U.S. Court of International Trade, the administration quietly admitted that it had refunded roughly $100 billion of the $166 billion that it brought in from tariffs under the policy instituted last year.

Trump issued those tariffs on his highly touted “Liberation Day” last April using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. But in February, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump had overstepped his presidential powers and violated federal law.

The administration was then ordered to pay back all of the tariffs that had been collected.

But while the companies will be paid back, it remains unclear whether consumers—who saw increased prices to offset Trump’s tariffs—will ever receive any financial compensation.

Since Trump began imposing tariffs, the public has made clear that it opposes them.

While Trump has consistently claimed that tariffs are paid by other countries, they are actually passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. This has contributed to a poor economy, made worse by gas price hikes thanks to Trump’s war in Iran.

Data for November and December is preliminary. All data is seasonally adjusted.Chart by Andrew Mangan/Created with Datawrapper



Trump has carved out exceptions for some goods, but instead of being tied to consumer concerns, they’re for industries that bankrolled his campaigns or gave him personal gift.

Republicans are currently financing campaign ads that attempt to paint Democrats as soft on China due to their opposition to Trump’s tariffs. But with data like a March survey from Harris Poll—where 72% of respondents agreed that tariffs have hurt the economy—this rhetoric seems more about stroking Trump’s ego than a potent political attack.

So, sure, Trump’s tariffs have been “incredible” for the economy—an incredible burden.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


Democrat Tells Musk That Maine Doesn't Want His 'Dirty Money' Boosting Collins

Democrat Tells Musk That Maine Doesn't Want His 'Dirty Money' Boosting Collins

Troy Jackson, Maine’s Democratic nominee for Senate, released a video on Sunday criticizing billionaire conservative Elon Musk for his plans to spend lavishly in support of Jackson’s Republican rival, Sen. Susan Collins.

“Maine—and really, the whole United States—doesn’t want your dirty money in our politics,” Jackson said, addressing Musk. Jackson also noted that Musk’s support of Collins is a sign that he wants people in power who are “totally beholden to him and Donald Trump.”

Jackson pointed out that Musk supports policies from Trump and Collins that have cut taxes for billionaires while slashing support for hospitals and other healthcare programs.

Musk, through his America PAC, is expected to spend at least $100 million to back Republicans in this fall’s midterm elections.

In recent years, Musk has become one of the most high-profile donors to the Republican Party. He donated millions to help elect Trump in the 2024 presidential election, and last year, he bankrolled a campaign to prop up the conservative candidate in the race for Wisconsin’s Supreme Court. The progressive won that race over Musk’s pick.

America PAC has reportedly targeted Maine as one of the key states in the battle to determine control of the Senate. The most recent polling has shown a slight lead for Jackson, who became the nominee after embattled candidate Graham Platner left the race over abuse allegations.

Musk has become a lightning rod for global criticism. He has stoked the fires of racism both domestically and internationally, constantly using his feed on X, which he owns, to push racist memes and ideas.

When he is not pushing hate, Musk has also been working in the court system to protect his AI chatbot Grok, which has been used to produce nonconsensual nude photos of people, including minors.

"Why does the richest man in the world want to protect a feature that makes children naked?” Minnesota state Rep. Jess Hanson, a Democrat, asked in a recent press conference.

Now Collins will have to be asked why she is getting boosted by a man who wants such an abhorrent thing to happen.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Musk Fighting To Protect AI Apps (Such As Grok) That Make Sexual Images Of Minors

Musk Fighting To Protect AI Apps (Such As Grok) That Make Sexual Images Of Minors

Minnesota lawmakers slammed Elon Musk after his company xAI filed a complaint in federal court attempting to block a state law that would curtail the use of apps and websites to create nonconsensual sexual imagery of people—including minors.

How Odd Is He? Musk Promises AI-Generated 'Accurate' Version Of Homer's Epic

How Odd Is He? Musk Promises AI-Generated 'Accurate' Version Of Homer's Epic

Reeling from his failed crusade to turn audiences against Christopher Nolan’s new film, “The Odyssey,” Elon Musk is apparently planning to make an AI adaptation of the Homer epic.

Over the weekend, The Odyssey earned more than $124 million at the domestic box office and more than $264 million worldwide. But because the film features Black and transgender actors, Musk is throwing a fit.

“Before this year ends, Grok Imagine will make a full-length movie of The Odyssey that is historically accurate and true to the art of Homer,” he wrote on X alongside an AI-generated video of The Odyssey.

Musk’s reference to historical accuracy is most likely a nod to using an all-white and cisgender cast, as he previously complained that Nolan’s film featured actors like Lupita Nyong’o, who is Black and Elliot Page, who is transgender.

Conservatives have groused for years about the casting of diverse actors in film and television, which they have derided as “woke.”

But films with “woke” casts and messaging—like the pro-immigrant Superman that was released last summer—have frequently resonated with an increasingly diverse public.

The immense success of Nolan’s The Odyssey proves this trend, rebutting conservatives’ pathetic complaints.There’s also the issue of quality that an AI-generated film would have to contend with.

The clip that Musk shared had all the hallmarks of AI-generated content, which draws from a slew of video, still images, and audio harvested by his problematic chatbot Grok. The clip included stilted acting, unnatural-looking actors, inaccurate costuming, and even a character wearing earplugs—not exactly “historically accurate.”

Grok, an AI system influenced by Musk’s ideology, has declared itself “MechaHitler” and produced nonconsensual sexualized images—including of children.

Musk also floated the idea of bankrolling a $100 million The Odyssey remake featuring notoriously anti-Semitic actor Mel Gibson.Musk’s promise of a film “before this year ends” should also be taken with a grain of salt, considering that he has a considerable history of making grandiose public promises with a poor track record of actually delivering on them.

For instance, Musk has been promising since 2016 that Tesla cars will have a fully self-driving feature. Ten years later, and that seems unlikely to happen any time soon, as numerous videos show the dangers to both drivers and pedestrians associated with the feature in the current fleet of cars.And in 2011, Musk said that SpaceX would reach Mars in 10 years or “worst case 15 to 20 years.” The company has yet to send any vehicles to Mars, though some have blown up after getting a few feet off the ground.

Musk is a bigot. He has promoted hate against Black people, Latino people, transgender people and others. He has a high level of influence within the GOP, to which he continues to donate millions.But despite controlling X, he has limited influence among the public at large.

Maybe Musk will somehow—against all odds—deliver his AI slop version of The Odyssey before year’s end. But even if he does, very few people outside of his pathetic, little sphere of bigots will actually bother to watch it.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

'Block The Merger!' Attorneys General Sue To Stop Paramount Deal

'Block The Merger!' Attorneys General Sue To Stop Paramount Deal

A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general announced Monday that they filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the looming merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Discovery.

The suit alleges that the merger would violate federal antitrust law due to the control that the combined companies—led by the pro-Trump Ellison family—would have over the entertainment and media industry.

The states involved in the suit are California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington.

“California and our sister states are fighting for free and fair markets, not rigged markets. America has no kings in government or our economy,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.

Paramount Skydance is currently led by David Ellison, son of Oracle billionaire and GOP donor Larry Ellison.

Under Ellison’s leadership, conservative activist Bari Weiss was installed as the editor-in-chief of CBS News. In the ensuing months, stories critical of President Donald Trump have been suppressed, while longtime journalists like Scott Pelley have been purged.

In a June interview, Pelley revealed that CBS bosses attempted to promote false narratives surrounding the killing of Renee Good by immigration agents. He also said that CBS leadership tried to pressure reporters to falsely depict protesters against Immigration and Customs Enforcement as violent.

Trump’s Justice Department has already given its blessing to the merger, perhaps anticipating more CBS-style journalistic interference. If it proceeds, CBS would be joined by BET, TNT, and CNN in the pro-MAGA media makeover.

The lawsuit alleges that the merger violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which states that mergers that substantially reduce competition are illegal.

The attorneys general say that the combined companies would lead to reduced competition in theatrical film distribution, licensing of content for basic cable TV, and release of top-grossing films—as it would control 30 percent of “blockbuster” releases and 90 percent of the market, along with Disney, Universal, and Sony.

The merger already has opposition in the creative community. Unions, actors, writers, and other production creatives have protested against the union of Paramount and Warner.

There are also ongoing concerns about the content of the combined companies being subverted to serve the interests of Trump and the GOP.

In May, veteran CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour expressed that she is “concerned” about what the Ellisons would change at CNN, citing the interference at CBS.

The Trump administration has already made clear its plans to influence news content. In a March press conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—flustered with trying to defend Trump’s failing strategy in Iran and CNN’s coverage of the mess—told reporters that “the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

Throughout Trump’s second term, the mainstream media has bent itself to Trump’s will. A MAGA media merger would turbocharge the already deteriorating press.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


Conspiracy Theorist Don Junior Complains About Charlie Kirk Conspiracy 'Noise'

Conspiracy Theorist Don Junior Complains About Charlie Kirk Conspiracy 'Noise'

Conspiracy theorist Donald Trump Jr. lashed out on Wednesday at right-wing conspiracy theories swirling around the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump Jr. has attended the preliminary hearings ahead of the trial of Tyler Robinson, who is accused of shooting and killing Kirk in 2025.

In an appearance on Fox News, Trump Jr. said he was happy to “see the actual facts” in the case because “there is so much stuff amidst the noise and internet chatter” relating to the murder. He said the evidence and facts were “cut and dry.”

That’s a very different view from the one expressed by other conservative media figures allied in the past with Trump Jr. and his father, President Donald Trump. Almost since the moment of Kirk’s murder, the right has circulated conspiracies about the case.

Most prominently, right-wing pundit Candace Owens has insinuated that the public is not being told the truth about the murder. On Monday, she called the hearing for Robinson a “show trial.”

The criticism from Trump Jr., who has spent much of his time in the public eye using his father’s position to power his personal wealth, was unusual.

Since his father became a major political figure in 2015, Trump Jr. has been at the forefront of promoting conspiracy theories on the right. When he isn’t pushing theories himself, he has used his platform to promote other conspiracy theorists, like Pizzagate promoter Mike Cernovich, whom Trump Jr. in 2017 said deserved a Pulitzer Prize for journalism.For instance, after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, Trump Jr. supported the conspiracy theory that survivor David Hogg was coached to comment on the incident.

After his father lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, Trump Jr. pushed specious claims about the election result, which figures on the right falsely claim was stolen.

Trump Jr. also amplified lies alleging that the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol had destroyed evidence that would help his father.

Trump Jr. once pushed the claim that the state of Washington had passed a law that would remove children from custody of their parents if they opposed a child’s gender-transition surgery. The claim has no basis in truth.Other conspiracies supported by Trump Jr. include a lie that Biden hid a cancer diagnosis from the public and that a large number of mass shooters are transgender.

Trump Jr. is, of course, the son of one of the world’s most preeminent conspiracy theorists, Donald Trump Sr. The president has pushed conspiracies ranging from the lie that former President Barack Obama was born on foreign soil and that climate change is a Chinese “hoax,” among many others.

But suddenly, when those conspiracy theories involve the death of his friend and notorious racist Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump Jr. has discovered he doesn’t like conspiracy theories much at all.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

At Long Last, Sandy Hook Victims Of Alex Jones Begin To Get What He Owes Them

At Long Last, Sandy Hook Victims Of Alex Jones Begin To Get What He Owes Them

The families and survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting are finally receiving some of the money owed to them by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

The satirical publication The Onion, which recently took control of Jones’ InfoWars brand, paid out $100,000 to the Sandy Hook families during the relaunch of the InfoWars website.

Jones owes the families about $1.4 billion after losing multiple court cases that were brought against him alleging defamation.

On his show, Jones repeatedly claimed that the mass shooting, which killed 20 children and six adults, was a “false flag” operation meant to whip up support for gun control. Jones called the victims “crisis actors” and inspired his listeners to harass the families and survivors.

Jones’ company was forced into bankruptcy by the massive judgments against him, leading to the sale of InfoWars to The Onion. Jones has been attempting to prevent the sale through court proceedings.

Chris Mattei, an attorney for nine of the families, summed up the state of Jones’ conspiracy empire to The Associated Press: “All he’s been left with is an iPhone and a fancy microphone.”

The new InfoWars site launched on Thursday with the release of a video featuring the “InfoWars elf."

It is the dawn of a new era. Hear our battle anthem.Welcome to the new InfoWars.

[image or embed]
— InfoWars (@realinfowars.bsky.social) July 2, 2026 at 1:12 PM

The new site will also feature a character meant to parody Jones as part of The Jim Haggerty Show.

“If you watch [Jones], it is not really information heavy. It is bluster and it is repetition and it is exaggeration,” comedian Tim Heidecker told Fast Company. “So in the satire of it, my job is to try to be as ridiculous as possible without losing sight of who you’re doing or what the character is.”

Jones has been in a terrible place for the last few years. In addition to losing his media empire, he has seen his relationship with President Donald Trump deteriorate. Jones was a big supporter of Trump’s but broke with the administration when Trump attacked Iran.

Trump called Jones a “nut job” and derided the fellow conspiracy theorist for his Sandy Hook lies, despite the fact that Trump has promoted even bigger lies and conspiracies. Jones has also had several high-profile staffers depart from his company.

But perhaps the lowest blow of all is Jones’ media brand now being used to mock him.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


Awash In Corruption, Trump Insists He Has No Idea How Family Glommed Billions

Awash In Corruption, Trump Insists He Has No Idea How Family Glommed Billions

President Donald Trump is downplaying the more than 235 percent increase in his annual income since his second term began, a clear attempt to obscure the pattern of corruption among his administration.

According to newly released financial disclosures, Trump reported $622 million in revenue in 2024. That jumped to more than $2.2 billion last year.

But when he was asked about the massive increase, Trump said he had nothing to do with it.

“Well, I’ve made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money, and I don’t talk to them. I never—I don’t even speak to them,” he said.

Trump’s argument doesn’t quite pass the smell test.

Most of Trump’s money comes from the financial stake he has in various cryptocurrency holdings—specifically World Liberty Financial, which is owned and operated by the Trump family.

Through World Liberty, multiple entities have sought to curry favor and buy influence with Trump. For example, before his second term began, the United Arab Emirates invested $500 million in World Liberty. Then, soon after he took office, the UAE was given access to new artificial intelligence technology.

Eric and Donald Trump Jr. have also been negotiating deals and raking in money through World Liberty, even as the rest of the crypto industry has seen a downturn. What does World Liberty have that those other companies don’t? The president.

Trump tried to attribute his windfall to the general rise of the stock market since he retook office. But the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 20 percent and the S&P 500 is up about 27 percent in the same period that Trump brought in his 235 percent gains.

Corruption and grift have been a hallmark of Trump’s presidency, with the open exchange of money, gifts, and favors for access and power.

According to the Center for American Progress, Trump and his family have received more than $2.6 billion in cash and gifts since January, while the public has been in the dark about what was traded away.

Meanwhile, Trump has presided over economic crises—including rising gas prices due to his war in Iran and increased costs for basic goods thanks to his tariffs. Despite this, Trump consistently calls affordability a “hoax.”

Sure, it’s a hoax—when you’re making billions off the presidency.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos


With Plan For 'Spectacular Trump Rally' In Capital, July 4 May Look More Like January 6

With Plan For 'Spectacular Trump Rally' In Capital, July 4 May Look More Like January 6

President Donald Trump is hijacking America’s 250th birthday to throw a self-congratulatory, partisan political rally—and, in the process, reminding everyone of his failed attempt to incite an insurrection in 2020.

Trump announced on Truth Social that the planned July 4 celebration on the National Mall, dubbed America 250, will be a Trump rally—throwing out the historic, nonpartisan tradition that has been celebrated for centuries.

“On July 4th, at The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, in beautiful and safe Washington D.C., we are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a ‘TRIBUTE TO AMERICA,’” he wrote.

Trump’s announcement comes a few weeks after a series of embarrassments connected to America 250.

A roster of musical artists, including Morris Day, Bret Michaels, and Martina McBride, dropped out of the “Great American State Fair” concert after the event’s partisan roots were revealed.

Similarly, several states—including Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania—have declined to participate in the state fair events.

Considering what happened the last time that Trump assembled his fans in Washington, D.C., there are legitimate concerns this time around.

On January 6, 2021, after it was clear that he lost the election to former President Joe Biden, Trump and his allies held “Stop the Steal” rallies to gin up support for the conspiracy that the election was stolen. This was a claim that was entirely untrue.

In promoting the rallies, Trump promised on social media that things would be “wild.” And after Trump’s speech, his supporters proceeded to attack the U.S. Capitol in an effort to stop the certification of the election.

Ultimately, more than 1,500 were charged with federal crimes, and some—like former Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio—were convicted of seditious conspiracy against the country. Trump was also impeached for a historic second time for his inciting the insurrection.

At the start of his second term, Trump quickly pardoned the insurrectionists, which unleashed another wave of crime in multiple states. Trump has even pushed for $1.8 billion in taxpayer funds to be paid to insurrectionists and other political allies of his, including people accused of child sexual abuse crimes.

So far, the effort to reward rioters has been unsuccessful—but maybe they’ll show up at Trump’s new D.C. rally to recreate history.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Former Trump Deportation 'Commander' Plots A Presidential Run In 2028

Former Trump Deportation 'Commander' Plots A Presidential Run In 2028

Gregory Bovino, former Border Patrol commander-at-large who was the face of President Donald Trump’s disastrous “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota, apparently believes that he can be president.

According to NewsNation, Bovino has launched an exploratory committee ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

"NewsNation is reporting I’m exploring a run for President in 2028. Here’s the truth: My one and only priority is deporting the 106 million illegals who are here. That’s it,” Bovino wrote on X. “My commitment is simple, liberate America from this invasion and restore our quality of life. If running for President is what it takes to actually get it done, then all options are on the table.”

The website for the committee features photos of Bovino in his long black coat, which German media has called a “Nazi look.” The site features the slogan “men fight back” and refers to Bovino, who retired in March, as “The Commander.”

Echoing neo-Nazi rhetoric, the site also refers to the purported spread of “one-world” government under former President Barack Obama and argues that Bovino can usher in a “great restoration” of the country.

Bovino was the face of Trump’s Minnesota immigration raid, which disrupted the lives of thousands, made immigrant communities live in fear, and led to the killing of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Bovino has repeatedly claimed that undocumented immigrants are a major source of crime in the United States, echoing unfounded allegations from figures like Trump and Stephen Miller, Trump’s racist senior adviser and top architect of his anti-immigrant policies.

But while in charge, Bovino admitted that he was tasked with meeting deportation quotas set by the administration.

Despite trying to portray himself as a tough, military-style figure, Bovino went whining to Fox News last August after California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized him and the troops under his command for trying to intimidate voters.Bovino retired after much of the country turned against Trump’s immigration goons, and he was reassigned within the agency. Since then, he complained to podcaster and conspiracy theorist Lauren Witzke that “our culture is at stake”—a common white supremacist talking point.

Bovino also traveled to Europe in May, where he met up with the leaders of some right-wing extremist movements, including Germany’s Alternative for Germany and Spain’s Vox.

“I am very happy to come over and lend some expertise to the Europeans [to tackle] illegal aliens destroying European culture,” he said, citing Nazi General Erwin Rommel as an inspirational figure.

The Republican Party has increasingly tied itself to the white supremacist movement through continued support of Trump and the rising influence of figures like conservative podcaster and neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.

Bovino considering a 2028 presidential bid shows that the party—and the wider conservative movement—isn’t moderating at all.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Kennedy Center Counsel Orders Removal Of Trump's Name From Iconic Building

Kennedy Center Counsel Orders Removal Of Trump's Name From Iconic Building

President Donald Trump’s name is set to be removed from the facade of the iconic Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, restoring an American treasure to its rightful condition. The office for the center’s general counsel circulated a memo to staffers on Thursday, ordering them to remove Trump’s name after a judge ruled against the administration late last week.

The Kennedy Center was named to honor former President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963. The center was meant to be a living memorial to one of the most fondly remembered American leaders, and was defaced by Trump this past December.

The counsel’s memo explained: “To comply with this order, you must immediately change email signatures, letterhead, and other documents to reflect the name as ‘The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,’ or ‘Kennedy Center.’ Other changes, such as to templates and forms, signage, brochures, and website pages, must be completed no later than Friday, June 12, 2026.”

Last Friday, the removal of Trump’s name was ordered after a federal judge determined that the decision to add his name was in violation of law. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said in his ruling that the center was named as an act of Congress, and that only Congress—not Trump and a board of trustees packed by his cronies—can change the name.

Trump responded with a whining social media post on Friday, stating that his administration would “make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution, giving them the responsibility for its Operation, Maintenance, and Management.”

Trump’s attempted takeover of the center was unpopular with the public. In a February YouGov poll, 64 percent of Americans opposed his renaming of the center. Only 16 percent supported it.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Top Trump Adviser: Rising Gas Prices Show 'People Are Optimistic About The Future'

Top Trump Adviser: Rising Gas Prices Show 'People Are Optimistic About The Future'

President Donald Trump’s failure to negotiate an end to his war with Iran has led the administration to now absurdly claim the resulting rise in gas prices are a good sign for the economy.

Kevin Hassett, the Trump-appointed director of the National Economic Council, made the claim during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

“People are spending more on gas, but they’re also spending more on everything else—not just groceries but restaurants and so on. And I think that’s a sign that you would see when people are optimistic about the future,” Hassett said.

In the weeks following Trump’s choice to attack Iran, which has caused the closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route, gas prices have reached an average of $4.32 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. That is significantly more than the $3.14 that a gallon cost at this time last year.

No serious economist would argue that rapidly increasing the cost of a necessity like fuel could be seen as a positive economic indicator, and the Trump administration is aware of this.

Increased fuel costs, along with Trump’s increased tariffs, have caused inflation to rise. According to the Commerce Department, inflation reached 3.8 percent year-over-year in April, the highest rate that has been measured since May 2023.

The recovering economy that Trump inherited from former President Joe Biden is being washed away by Trump’s actions.

On his Truth Social account, Trump fumed on Sunday night that he is receiving criticism for his diplomatic impotence. Trump and his team have continually promised that a “deal” with Iran is imminent, but for weeks, nothing substantial has materialized.

“[D]on’t the Dumocrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively ‘chirping,’ at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever,” Trump wrote.

He concluded: “Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end – It always does!”

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Paxton's Sweetheart Plea Deal With Pedophile Looms Over Texas Senate Race

Paxton's Sweetheart Plea Deal With Pedophile Looms Over Texas Senate Race

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has only been an official GOP Senate nominee for a few days, and he’s already dealing with fallout from a controversial offer that his office made to a pedophile.

During an interview with CBS News, Democratic candidate James Talarico was asked to respond to a childish nickname that Paxton has used to describe him, “Talafreako.”

“If Ken Paxton is worried about freaks, he should stop giving Epstein-style sweetheart deals to pedophiles. This is the guy who just released Adam Hoffman from jail, an admitted child rapist, after one of Ken Paxton’s wealthy lawyer friends got involved in the case,” Talarico said.

Talarico went on to say that Paxton is “the most corrupt politician in America.”

The controversy stems from a plea deal that Paxton’s office negotiated with Hoffman, a former attorney from Waco, Texas. After being charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a young boy, Hoffman was facing a possible life sentence without parole.

But after Paxton’s team negotiated with Hoffman, he instead pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors and would serve just one day in jail.

Conservative Judge Roy Sparkman was incredulous about the offer, according to court transcripts, insisting that Hoffman serve 60 days instead. Hoffman was released on Monday after only serving 29 days of his sentence.

Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn, who lost to Paxton in the primary, previously criticized the lenient sentence.

“Paxton could have stopped this one, but instead cut him loose to reoffend over and over again, putting more children at risk,” Cornyn wrote on X.

The Hoffman controversy is just one of Paxton’s many scandals, including allegations of multiple affairs and an impeachment drive sparked by alleged bribery and abuse of power.

Paxton’s current pedophile scandal has arisen as the Epstein files continue to be a major headache for President Donald Trump and other Republicans.

Trump’s administration has blocked efforts to release the Epstein files in their entirety, which has raised concerns as Trump has personal ties to Jeffrey Epstein, including sending him a lewd birthday card.

Trump’s endorsement of Paxton was a key catalyst in his primary victory, but the nomination of the scandal-plagued Republican has turned what should be an easy GOP win into an uphill battle.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

Nicole Saphier

Dumping Means, Trump Nominates A Fox Covid-19 Misinformer As Surgeon General

President Donald Trump has nominated yet another Fox News pundit for a major position in his administration.

He announced Thursday that he’s chosen Nicole Saphier as his pick to be surgeon general. Saphier distinguished herself at Fox as one of the biggest medical misinformers on COVID-19 and a shameless shill for Trump.

Saphier got the nod after Trump’s previous nominee, influencer Casey Means—who lacks a medical license—saw her nomination jammed up in the Senate.

“Nicole is a STAR physician who has spent her career guiding women facing breast cancer through their diagnosis and treatment while tirelessly advocating to increase early cancer detection and prevention, while at the same time working with men and women on all other forms of cancer diagnoses and treatments,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

If her nomination is successful, Saphier will join the ever-growing ranks of Fox characters who litter this administration—including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro.

According to Media Matters for America, Saphier has made at least 640 appearances on Fox over the years. The right-wing propaganda network is obsessively watched by Trump and wields enormous influence over his actions.

Saphier primarily focuses on medical issues. Her stance, as expressed in her book Make America Healthy Again, is that people experience medical issues because of “lifestyle” choices.

“If Americans want to know why their health care is so costly and getting costlier, they need only look in the mirror,” she posits in the blurb for her book.

In this worldview, poor policy decisions, corporate greed, and other external factors play no role in ailments like cancer or heart disease. It remains to be seen how something like childhood cancer could stem from one’s “lifestyle.”

As COVID-19 ravaged the world in 2020, Saphier became one of Fox’s primary figures promoting quack takes on how Trump was handling the pandemic.

For instance, Saphier argued that Trump deserved praise for focusing on economic issues, even as he ignored advisories from medical experts. While Trump argued that COVID-19 was not a major concern and that the summer heat would kill it, Saphier said that he was doing an adequate job.

“The economic and emotional toll from misinformation is going to hit us much harder than this virus is in itself,” she said at the time.

As recently as September 2025, Saphier was still pushing COVID-19 misinformation, arguing that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “lost all credibility throughout the COVID pandemic when they continued to universally recommend the COVID vaccine.”

And when she wasn’t making outlandish comments about the response to COVID-19, Saphier was a dedicated cheerleader for Trump and the GOP.

After the Trump administration pursued its widely condemned family separation immigration policy in 2018, Saphier argued that it was medically acceptable to house immigrant children “in cages or in windowless rooms.”

She also complained about the Affordable Care Act requiring insurance companies to cover serious illnesses that were previously denied, insisted that expanding Medicare would make the program worse, claimed that the ACA made people die from preventable illnesses, and lied about the GOP plan to kill the ACA, falsely claiming that it wouldn’t rescind coverage for preexisting conditions.

When she wasn’t opining and misinforming on medical issues, Saphier also engaged in typical Fox culture war bigotry. For instance, she alleged—without evidence—that a transgender fencer had gone through gender-affirming care purely to have a competitive advantage.

“These men can’t cut it with the other male athletes, so therefore they are coming into the female sports,” she said.

Trump’s senior leadership already looks like a Fox News broadcast. If Saphier joins the ranks, the network’s lies and bigotry will play an even greater role in U.S. health care.

Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Casey Means does not have a medical degree, which is incorrect. She does not have a medical license.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

FBI Probed 'New York Times' Reporter Over Stories On Patel Paramour's Abuses

FBI Probed 'New York Times' Reporter Over Stories On Patel Paramour's Abuses

FBI agents investigated a New York Times reporter who uncovered that FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend was being ferried around on taxpayer-funded flights.

The New York Times reported Thursday that agents probed reporter Elizabeth Williamson in March, following the article about Patel that she wrote in February.

The FBI tacitly admitted to the probe, asserting that “investigators were concerned about how the aggressive reporting techniques crossed lines of stalking.”

The Times noted that Williamson made phone calls throughout reporting for the story, including one phone call to Patel’s girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins.

“The FBI’s attempt to criminalize routine reporting is a blatant violation of Elizabeth’s First Amendment rights and another attempt by this administration to prevent journalists from scrutinizing its actions,” said Joseph Kahn, executive editor of the Times.

The revelation that federal agents were deployed in response to an unflattering news story is the latest mess for Patel in a series of highly publicized screw-ups.

Patel, who rose to prominence by writing fan fiction about President Donald Trump, is currently suing The Atlantic for reporting on Patel’s alleged drinking impacting his job performance.

That suit came after a video of Patel partying with the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team went viral. While he was being rowdy with the Olympians, a man was arrested on the grounds of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, allegedly toting weapons.

Patel has also been under scrutiny for mishandling FBI assets during investigations and for directing agency resources to pursue Trump’s long-debunked election conspiracy theories.

Investigating the Times reporter for basic journalism is in line with Trump’s actions to use the federal government to attack free speech and the freedom of the press.

Details of this episode are surfacing just before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25. For the first time, Trump will be attending, despite his opposition to journalism. Other anti-First Amendment members of the administration have been invited by CBS, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior White House aide Stephen Miller.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, who used his position to remove late-night host Jimmy Kimmel from the air, will also attend as a guest of CBS News’ parent company Paramount Skydance, which is owned by GOP donor David Ellison.

The Times is a prominent member of the White House Correspondents’ Association, though journalists from the paper will only be at the party to report—not to attend as guests.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos