A New York State Assembly candidate supported by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America is facing scrutiny over resurfaced comments about American holidays.
Aber Kawas said in a Labor Day 2015 <a href="https://archive.ph/VXjfO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tumblr post</a> that “a day off means nothing, because liberation means everything,” the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/27/us-news/mamdani-backed-queens-assembly-candidate-hates-american-holidays-like-veterans-day-july-4th/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a> first reported.
&#8220;Whether it is July 4th, Thanksgiving, Veterans, Columbus or now Labor Day- we enjoy days off that are supposed to be victories for people, when they truly represent the silencing &amp; destruction of our movements,” she wrote at the time.
“Today I do not celebrate a day off, I only recommit myself to a global movement that fights against the death, displacement, and exploitation of people for capital,” the candidate added.
Her campaign for Assembly District 34, which is in Queens, focuses on an “affordability crisis” and she claimed that “immigrants are being attacked while billions are spent to fund Israel’s genocide in Gaza” in an X post from earlier this month, saying on her campaign website that her parents are Palestinian refugees, but she was born in the Big Apple.
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This is not the first time past remarks of hers have come to light, as X user <a href="https://x.com/DrewPavlou/status/1990733437775331774?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drew Pavlou</a> posted a clip of her discussing 9/11 as &#8220;a terror attack that like a couple of people did.&#8221;
“The system of capitalism and racism and white supremacy et cetera — and Islamophobia — have all been used, you know, to colonize lands, to take resources from other people, and so this is a long trajectory and we are just seeing the manifestations of that continuation, right, with 9/11,” she said.
“The idea we have to apologize for like a terror attack that like a couple of people did and then there is no apology or reparations for genocides and for slavery, et cetera — is something I find reprehensible,” Kawas continued in the clip. The Post reported that she previously interned for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and has been noted for her work with the group’s New York chapter.
The city’s DSA chapter recently touted its endorsement of Kawas, who posted to X that “proud to be running as a democratic socialist who will fight for freedom and dignity for immigrants, justice for Palestinians, and an affordable NY for all.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the Kawas and Mamdani campaigns for comment.
<a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/11/17/mamdani-backs-palestinian-activist-in-legislative-race-where-battle-with-israeli-lobby-a-key-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Daily News</a> reported on Mamdani’s endorsement of Kawas last month, as his nod could potentially be a major deal — in both good and bad ways — as he has become a national figure.
Kawas said in a November 10 Instagram post with herself, Mamdani, and others that people “can’t deny that the last two years of genocide in Palestine was part of what galvanized thousands to throw down for a campaign that represented a new kind of politics.”
If she’s elected to represent Queens in Albany, she might even pose a contrast to the Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, as she retweeted an October 2023 post from Mamdani criticizing Hochul’s comments on a Gaza hospital strike in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The governor did eventually endorse Mamdani for mayor in September 2025.

Zohran Mamdani

Mamdani-Backed Socialist Candidate Said July 4 ‘Means Nothing,’ Represents ‘Destruction’

2026 election

Elections

New York City

Politics

Queens

California dropped its lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to halt billions in federal funding toward the state’s high-speed rail project last week, as the state has sued the administration dozens of times this year already.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) previously <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-pulls-plug-4b-california-high-speed">nixed $4 billion</a> for the effort in July amid concerns about the timeline and cost. The project had already cost roughly $15 billion over the span of 16 years. The Department of Transportation, led by Secretary Sean Duffy, sees the lawsuit’s end as a victory for the administration.
“An exhaustive investigation by the FRA exposed that even after a decade and a half, CHSRA would be unable to deliver on their high speed rail promises on time or on budget,” a DOT spokesperson said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Duffy, American tax dollars will be spared from being wasted on this train to nowhere and will instead support real projects that improve the lives of rail passengers, local drivers, and pedestrians,” the statement added.
The project was supposed to be completed in 2020, <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/us-transportation-secretary-announcement-california-high-speed-rail-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox 11 Los Angeles</a> reported in February. The estimated cost has surged from $33 billion at its inception in 2008 to a whopping $106 billion.
The idea was first proposed by former Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in 1979. An initial $1.25 billion for bonds for the high-speed rail was signed by Brown after being cleared by the state legislature in 1982, the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1982/09/04/san-diego-bullet-train-put-on-track-with-125-billion-sendoff/4aa4858a-a555-4949-88b8-c10eb67ad3d8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Post</a> reported over four decades ago.
A spokesperson for the California High-Speed Rail Authority said that the decision is meant to show that the administration is “not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner” for the effort, which DOT has dubbed a &#8220;boondoggle&#8221; and &#8220;fantasy.&#8221;
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“The Federal Railroad Administration stated that all work performed by the Authority – whether undertaken as part of cooperative agreements or otherwise – remains ‘at risk’ and may not receive funding,” the statement partially read.
However, it was noted that only 18% of the program is federally funded, meaning that it can move forward with the project. Voters green-lighted the project in 2008, and construction began in 2015.
The goal of the project is to expedite travel between Northern and Southern California, intending to reduce travel time between Los Angeles and the Bay Area to under three hours. Minimal progress has been achieved so far, except for some development in Central California between Merced and Bakersfield. DOT cited a state-level inspector general report from February that said the authority might not complete that segment by the 2033 goal.
“We also see this moment as a new opportunity. Federal requirements have, at times, hindered project delivery by adding cost and delays without adding value – creating inefficiencies, constraining innovation, and slowing construction,” the statement continued. “Moving forward without the Trump administration’s involvement allows the Authority to pursue proven global best practices used successfully by modern high-speed rail systems around the world.”

Department Of Transportation Chief Sean Duffy Holds News Conference On Ongoing Issues At Newark Airport

‘A Boondoggle’: California Abandons Its High-Speed Rail Lawsuit Against The Trump Admin

Why Did California Drop Its High-Speed Rail Lawsuit?

California

Gavin Newsom

High Speed rail

Sean Duffy

The FBI officially closed the J. Edgar Hoover Building office in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
Director Kash Patel announced the move after reports over the summer that headquarters would now be relocated to the Ronald Reagan Building.
“After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility. Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could,” Patel posted to X on Friday.
He also said a plan for a $5 billion, newly built headquarters was scrapped.
“Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain,” he continued, adding that the Hoover Building “will be shut down permanently.”
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In July, General Services Administration Public Buildings Service Commissioner Michael Peters said in a press release for the FBI that the decision to instead move to the Ronald Reagan building, which is only down the block from the Hoover building, would also cut costs on upkeep for the facility.
“This move not only provides a world-class location for the FBI’s public servants, but it also saves Americans billions of dollars on new construction and avoids more than $300 million in deferred maintenance costs at the J. Edgar Hoover facility,” Peters stated in July. “We are proud to partner with Director Patel to drive efficiency and improve the quality of space for a productive workforce in service to national security and taxpayers.”
The closure announcement comes amid other reports about the possible teardown of different federal buildings in the city, such as the Liberty Loan Building, Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, and the GSA Regional Office Building, according to the <a href="https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/controversy-over-new-arc-plans-as-ex-gsa-worker-claims-historic-buildings-at-risk-donald-trump-arc-de-triomphe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National News Desk</a>. However, the outlet reported that GSA Associate Administrator for Strategic Communications Marianne Copenhaver denied the accusations as “a manufactured narrative built on speculation.”
At the White House, Trump’s decision to demolish the East Wing and build a ballroom has earned both intense praise and criticism since it was announced in October.

Justice Department Announces Federal Enforcement Action Against International Criminal Organization

FBI Shuts Down Old Headquarters In Move That Could Save Taxpayers Billions

General

kash patel

Trump Administration

U.S.

Washington D.C.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation released an alert on Dec. 19 warning that phony text messages and AI are being used to scam people in the orbits of high-level government officials in the United States.
&#8220;Since at least 2023, malicious actors have sent text messages and <abbr title="artificial intelligence">AI</abbr>-generated voice messages — techniques known as smishing and vishing, respectively — that claim to come from a senior U.S. official to establish rapport with targeted individuals,&#8221; The FBI wrote in an <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA251219">announcement</a>.
The bureau <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250515">released</a> a similar Public Service Announcement in May. It’s becoming increasingly common over the past two years for people to be duped by fake officials, including those from the Cabinet, Congress, and even the White House, according to the alert.
“Malicious actors are impersonating senior U.S. officials via text and AI-generated voice messages and targeting their contacts, including family members,” the FBI wrote in a <a href="https://x.com/FBI/status/2002083068245397752">recent tweet</a> on the issue. The alert noted that they will typically want to talk about policy or the news before getting them to another platform to continue the scam.
“In this scheme, actors reach out to victims and engage them in a brief conversation on a topic they are knowledgeable about. They quickly request to move the discussion to a secondary, encrypted messaging app,” the agency added.
When the “malicious actor” is able to move the conversation to an encrypted messaging software, like Signal or Telegram, they then might be asked to give away sensitive information like a passport, a code that would allow access to the “victim’s contact list,” and even “wire funds to an overseas financial institution under false pretenses.” As for the contact list request, it allows scammers to target others within that individual’s circle.
However, the FBI recommended that people take extra steps to verify whether or not a message is legitimate, like cross-checking phone numbers and other ways the person contacted.
The bureau acknowledged that the recent developments in AI have added an extra roadblock for people to identify these scams.
“AI-generated content has advanced to the point that it is often difficult to identify. When in doubt about the authenticity of someone wishing to communicate with you, contact your relevant security officials or the FBI for help,” the announcement stated.
Different types of AI scams have been increasing, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/artificial-intelligence-ai-scam-fraud-warning-tips/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a> reported in October, as the technology rapidly develops.

Phone lock to protect from cyber scam, online data fraud or identity theft. Laptop with hacker virus code in screen. Phishing, cybersecurity danger or ransomware attack.

Criminals Are Now Using AI To Impersonate Senior U.S. Officials, FBI Warns

FBI Warns Of Scam Where Criminals Pretend To Be High Level American Officials

Crime

scams

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) is running to succeed outgoing Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis in the United States Senate.
“We must keep up this fight, and that’s why today, I’m announcing my campaign for United States Senate,” the Republican said in a campaign video on Tuesday, which featured her 102-year-old mother, Marion Hageman.
“This fight is about making sure the next century sees the advancements of the last, while protecting our culture and our way of life,” she added.
Hageman gained nationwide attention in 2022 for defeating former Rep. Liz Cheney in the Republican primary after an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Hageman blew past Cheney with 66% of the vote to Cheney’s 29%. Cheney, formerly the chair of the House Republican Conference, became a staunch opponent of Trump and campaigned with Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Wyoming has a singular at-large House district, and Trump campaigned for Hageman in May 2022 in Casper.
“I spoke with Harriet yesterday— She will be one of the best US Senators in the country. No question. We need her in there!” Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point Action, posted to X on Tuesday. It’s unclear if any other major candidates will enter the Republican field at this point.
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The seat is considered to be solidly Republican, according to the Cook Political Report. Lummis won in 2020 with nearly 73% of the vote, and Trump won the state in 2024 with nearly 72% of the vote. Wyoming has a population of under 600,000 people.
As for Lummis, she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-republican-senator-announces-retirement-ahead-of-2026-midterms">announced</a> that she would not be seeking a second term in the upper chamber on Friday. The senator was known as a leader on cryptocurrency policy as well as energy.
“Deciding not to run for reelection does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I&#8217;ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me. I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn&#8217;t match up,” Lummis, 71, stated.
“I am honored to have earned the support of President Trump and to have the opportunity to work side by side with him to fight for the people of Wyoming. I look forward to continuing this partnership and throwing all my energy into bringing important legislation to his desk in 2026 and into retaining commonsense Republican control of the U.S. Senate. Thank you, Wyoming!” she continued.
If elected, Hageman would be serving alongside Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, who was re-elected in 2024.

Harriet Hageman

Congresswoman Who Defeated Liz Cheney Launches Senate Bid

Congress

Senate

Wyoming

The Department of Justice is suing Washington, D.C.’s police department over the city’s firearms laws, saying they incriminate legal gun owners.
The lawsuit argues that it goes against the Second Amendment for the capital city to ban AR-15 rifles and other types of firearms, according to a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-district-columbia-unconstitutional-ban-semi-automatic-firearms">press release</a>. Specifically, the DOJ alleges that the local police department “routinely arrest[s] law-abiding citizens for possessing firearms that are protected under the Second Amendment but not registerable in D.C.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1421731/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> is part of the DOJ’s new Second Amendment Section, saying it “underscores our ironclad commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.”
“Washington, DC’s ban on some of America’s most popular firearms is an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment — living in our nation’s capital should not preclude law-abiding citizens from exercising their fundamental constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”
Gun owners in the district are required to register their firearms through the Metropolitan Police Department, and the lawsuit points out that people cannot register “semi-automatic rifles,” which the DOJ argues incriminates people who “possess these firearms in the home for lawful purposes.”
“If a law-abiding citizen possesses a Second Amendment-protected firearm that is not registerable in D.C. in the home for the lawful purpose of self-defense, that individual faces anything from an administrative fine to a criminal misdemeanor conviction punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine,” the lawsuit reads.
Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, Harmeet K. Dhillon, said in a statement that “The newly established Second Amendment Section filed this lawsuit to ensure that the very rights D.C. resident Mr. Heller secured 17 years ago are enforced today — and that all law-abiding citizens seeking to own protected firearms for lawful purposes may do so.”
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The lawsuit comes as federal agents and the National Guard continue to patrol the streets of D.C., following President Donald Trump’s August order to crack down on crime. MPD Chief Pamela Smith resigned from her position amid accusations from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that she “deliberately manipulated crime data.”
“Let’s be really clear about one thing: Never would I, never will I ever compromise my integrity for a few crime numbers,” Smith said last week, according to <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/dc-police-chief-forgives-haters-fiery-farewell-speech/4032025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC 4 Washington</a>. Interim Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll now leads the department.
The Metropolitan Police Department told The Daily Wire it “does not comment on pending litigation.” The mayor’s office and the city attorney’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

Pamela Smith

Justice Department Sues D.C. Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Gun Laws

firearms

Guns

justice department

Second Amendment

Washington DC

<div>
The Trump administration “paused” five offshore wind leases on Monday over concerns that they would interfere with military radars.
Specifically, the federal government cited “clutter” from the motion of the “massive turbine blades” and the “highly reflective towers,” according to a press release from the Interior Department.
“The prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Monday.
“Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers. The Trump administration will always prioritize the security of the American people,” he continued.
Burgum said that “ONE natural gas pipeline supplies as much energy as these 5 projects COMBINED.”
The Interior Department said that its pause will affect the Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1 leases. All of the wind projects are along the East Coast. Vineyard Wind 1, Sunrise, and Revolution Wind are located off the coast of New England, and Empire Wind is off the coast of New York.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) slammed the decision by the administration, saying that they “will look for any excuse to continue its assault on clean energy — and the thousands of good-paying jobs these projects bring — but there is no credible justification for this stoppage.”
“The real threat to national security is in undermining our energy independence,” Hochul continued. “We are working with other impacted states to review every available option to get these projects back on track.”
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President Donald Trump has been a fierce advocate against wind power as a source of energy and instead favors natural gas, oil, and nuclear power.
“Windmills are an economic and environmental disaster. I don’t want even one built during my Administration,” he posted to Truth Social in January. “The thousands of dead and broken ones should be ripped down ASAP. Most expensive energy, only work with massive government subsidies, which we will no longer pay!”
In an August post to Truth Social, he also voiced his opposition to solar power.
“Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS. THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY! We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!! MAGA,” the president wrote, which prompted the Solar and Storage Industries Association to respond on X, <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2025/08/21/trump-revives-attacks-on-renewable-energy-as-solar-surges-00517166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a> reported at the time.
“The real scam is blaming solar for fossil fuel price spikes,” the association stated. “Farmers, families, and businesses choose solar to save money, preserve land, and escape high costs of the old, dirty fuels being forced on them by this administration.”
</div>

Operational wind turbine of South Fork Wind Farm in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island

Trump Admin Pauses Five Wind Turbine Projects Over ‘National Security Risks’

Doug Burgum

east coast

Energy

Interior Department

Kathy Hochul

wind

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is “concerned” that “freedom of expression” is “eroding” in Europe, he told The Daily Wire at his year-end press conference on Friday.
Rubio said that his top priority is situations where “American free speech could be implicated.”
“Are we going to live in a world where some American puts up a social media post and then gets to some airport somewhere and is arrested? We&#8217;re also concerned about the impact that some of their policies are having on our social media platforms,” he said.
Freedom of speech concerns in Europe have garnered the attention of the United States under the Trump administration, as the State Department said in a post on X in July, “In Europe, thousands are being convicted for the crime of criticizing their own governments. This Orwellian message won&#8217;t fool the United States. Censorship is not freedom.” The post was in response to the French Mission of United Nations said that in Europe, people are &#8220;free to speak, not free to spread illegal content.”
In the United Kingdom, roughly 30 people a day are arrested over “offensive online messages,” according to <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/police-make-30-arrests-a-day-for-offensive-online-messages-zbv886tqf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times</a>. In addition, groups across the political spectrum like the Alliance Defending Freedom and Amnesty International, have sounded the alarm for years over free speech woes, including in countries like France.
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“As you recently saw, you know, X is facing this massive multi-million dollar fine that they&#8217;re going to have to pay, I guess, because they want to continue to operate,&#8221; Rubio continued.
The secretary then dived into the importance of working with nations in Europe because of shared “values and principles,” including freedom of speech, which is what makes the concerns paramount.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/europe-union-ignored-free-speech-concerns-plows-ahead-with-global-censorship-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported last month on how the European Commission did not factor in censorship risks when it came to the Digital Services Act, which has tech companies pay up for allowing “illegal content” or disinformation to not be effectively counteracted.
“I think the concerns on free speech are very substantive, and they need a robust response, and we feel that the European Commission has not actually conducted a robust review in the sense of actually inviting all voices and all partners to the table,” Dr. Adina Portaru, a senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International, told The Daily Wire in an interview at the time.
“The DSA can impact anyone, can impact content creators and influencers and preachers and political dissidents and any kind of content online can be regulated by the DSA through its architecture,” she added.

US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-RUBIO

Rubio Issues Stark Warning About Europe’s Free Speech Erosion And How It Could Affect Americans

Europe

Free Speech

Marco Rubio

State Department

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to clear the way for making marijuana a Schedule III drug, which brings along reforms in how the federal government regulates the substance.
The order means the drug will no longer be classified under Schedule I, which is at the same level as heroin, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/18/trump-pot-reclassification-cannabis-stocks-medicare-cbd.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNBC</a>. This does not make it legal nationwide, but it allows for more research and enables marijuana sellers in states where it’s legal to take advantage of tax write-offs at the federal level, <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/trump-signs-executive-order-to-reclassify-marijuana-by-removing-it-from-schedule-i/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marijuana Moment</a> reported.
“Today I’m pleased to announce that I will be signing an executive order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses,” the president said at an event in the Oval Office on Thursday.
“We have people begging for me to do this. People that are in great pain. For decades, this action has been requested by American patients suffering from extreme pain, incurable diseases, aggressive cancers, seizure disorders, neurological problems, and more, including numerous veterans with service-related injuries and older Americans who live with chronic medical problems that severely degrade their quality of life,” he continued.
The president stressed that the order does not mean that recreational marijuana is legal nationwide.
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“I want to emphasize that the order I am about to sign is not the legalization; it doesn&#8217;t legalize marijuana in any way, shape, or form and in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug,” he said. Twenty-four states have made recreational marijuana legal, with many more having laws regarding its medical use.
However, the reclassification got some conservative pushback before it was formally announced in recent days.
Over two dozen Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the president earlier on Thursday opposing the reclassification.
“Reclassifying marijuana would send the wrong message to our children, worsen addiction, undermine public safety, and hand billions in tax relief to the marijuana industry and foreign criminal cartels. Marijuana has no proven medical value, increases roadway danger, and fuels addiction,” Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) posted to X.
“We must keep it classified as a Schedule I substance under DEA regulations and put families, public safety, and America’s future FIRST!” he added.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doobie-debate-blazes-groups-urge-trump-to-reject-flawed-weed-reclassification-push" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported in August that roughly 50 groups also sent a letter opposing the move, writing that the president has “an opportunity to make a stand for the safety of children across America by opposing the flawed proposal to reschedule marijuana.”

Donald Trump

Trump Reclassifies Marijuana At Federal Level: ‘We Have People Begging For Me To Do This’

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Marijuana

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It’s not even 2026 yet, but President Donald Trump is already headed to the swing state of North Carolina on Friday in the next stop in his affordability tour, where he is expected to tout his economic record and work to boost Republicans ahead of next year’s midterms.
The Tar Heel State faces a critical Senate race next year that will likely feature former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley and former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. North Carolina’s Senate race blew wide open when GOP Sen. Thom Tillis announced he would not seek re-election amid major disagreements with Trump.
“We are extremely excited to welcome President Trump back to North Carolina tomorrow,” Whatley told The Daily Wire on Thursday morning. “Under Joe Biden and Democrats like my opponent, Roy Cooper, inflation skyrocketed in our state and across the country. President Trump has been working tirelessly every single day to bring prices down, rein in out-of-control government spending, and undo the damage caused by Democrats’ reckless economic policies.”
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The Cook Political Report ranks the contest as a “toss-up” along with Senate races in Maine, Michigan, and Georgia.
In a recent interview with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-crime-could-tip-the-scales-in-north-carolinas-crucial-senate-race?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Illegal+Immigrant+Crime+Could+Tip+The+Scales+In+North+Carolina%E2%80%99s+Crucial+Senate+Race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, Whatley said that voters’ wallets will be one of the most significant issues in the midterms.
“We need the economy to be clicking. I think ultimately the economy is the most important factor when people vote, right? We need to create jobs, we need to raise wages, we need to lower costs,” he said earlier this month. “And the American people need to feel like we have a very strong economy. All signs right now are pointing towards us having a very strong, robust economy.”
Cooper’s campaign told The Daily Wire that he “has spent his career fighting for North Carolina families by lowering health care costs and keeping their communities safe,” while accusing Whatley of spending “decades at the beck and call of DC politicians delivering for billionaires and special interests at the expense of the middle class.”
As for the president, the first part of his tour was in Pennsylvania last week, and he also addressed the nation from the White House on Wednesday night with a focus on the economy. Most notably, he announced a $1,776 payout to qualifying American service members.

Trump Targets Battleground North Carolina To Spotlight His Economic Record

2026 Midterms

Economy

Executive

Michael Whatley

North Carolina

Roy Cooper

Trump

The House will vote on a three-year extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies after 218 lawmakers – all Democrats and four Republicans – signed a discharge petition on Wednesday.
The move comes after Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not personally allow a floor vote, saying, “In the end, there was not an agreement,” <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/12/16/congress/mike-johnson-aca-vote-00692703">according</a> to POLITICO.
The subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year as a longer-term solution continues to be debated. Most Democrats have argued that the subsidies must continue to avoid insurance premiums from spiking. Many Republicans have argued that the dependency on subsidies to keep premiums low demonstrates that the Obama-era program is unsustainable.
“This morning I signed the discharge for the clean 3-year extension of the enhanced premium tax credit. While I have been working for a bipartisan compromise with reforms, the failure of leadership to allow a vote on the floor left me with no choice but to sign the Democrats discharge petition,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) <a href="https://x.com/lawler4ny/status/2001309363571425600">posted to X</a>. “With [Brian Fitzpatrick], [Rob Bresnahan] and [Ryan Mackenzie] joining me in signing, it now has 218 signatures.”
“The Speaker should immediately bring it to the floor for an up or down vote and let the House do the work of the American people,” Lawler continued.
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A vote following the petition could occur today if a specific procedural action is taken, but the vote is more likely to happen in January.
“To get this done TODAY, we need to defeat the previous question on the House Floor. And we need them to vote with us to do it,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) <a href="https://x.com/RepMcGovern/status/2001312688765382927">posted to X</a>. “To be clear, that vote on my amendment to the rule is the exact same language they already signed on to today.”
“It’s our last chance before Congress goes out of session since the discharge petition they signed takes 7 legislative days to ripen,” the congressman added.
If the House votes to extend the subsidies, it will then go to the Senate.
“Obviously, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune said amid news of the discharge petition, according to Semafor. &#8220;Even if they have a sufficient number of signatures, I doubt they would vote this week.&#8221;
Trump has railed against the Affordable Care Act, suggesting during the government shutdown in November that “the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE.”
&#8220;Somebody said I want to extend it for two years. I don&#8217;t want to extend it for two years. I&#8217;d rather not extend them at all,&#8221; Trump said in November, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-extend-obamacare-subsidies/story?id=127900310&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a>, adding that “some kind of an extension may be necessary to get something else done because the unaffordable care act has been a disaster. It&#8217;s a disaster.&#8221;

Federal Government Shuts Down After Congress Fails To Pass Funding Bill

House To Force Vote On Obamacare Funding

Obamacare Subsidies Vote Will Be Forced In House After Successful Discharge Petition

Healthcare

Mike Johnson

Obamacare

Maine will be limiting how its state and local authorities interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, further amplifying how immigration is becoming a key issue in northeastern races in the 2026 midterm elections.
Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat running for Senate, announced on Tuesday that she would allow LD 1971 to go into effect next month. The proposal allows for authorities to comply with federal immigration officials only for an additional criminal probe, not just for immigration reasons, according to <a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/12/15/politics/state-politics/janet-mills-maine-ice-limited-cooperation-becomes-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bangor Daily News</a>.
“As a former District Attorney and Attorney General and now as Governor, I carefully considered this bill. I&#8217;ve weighed my concerns that it imposes confusing restraints on law enforcement about when they can and can&#8217;t interact with Federal authorities against the extraordinary and horrifying actions of a Federal agency that has been weaponized by the President to undermine the rights of us all. And I also agree with the bill&#8217;s aim of ensuring that Maine law enforcement are enforcing Maine laws, not Federal immigration law,&#8221; Mills wrote in a <a href="https://www.pressherald.com/2025/12/15/maine-law-enforcement-will-not-make-dangerous-promises-with-ice-gov-janet-mills/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Portland Press Herald</a> op-ed.
She said the bill is “imperfect,” but Maine law allows the bill to go into effect if she chooses not to directly veto it days after the Legislature comes back, according to a <a href="https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/press-herald-op-ed-governor-mills-announces-ld-1971-become-law-2025-12-15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>.
&#8220;LD 1971 is imperfect, and we should not need it, but the times call for it. We cannot turn a blind eye to ICE&#8217;s unacceptable actions, and so I have chosen to allow LD 1971 to become law,” she continued. In addition, Mills announced in a press release that she scrapped former Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s 2011 Executive Order that allowed “for enhanced cooperation between state and Federal officials in the enforcement of Federal immigration law.”
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The National Republican Senatorial Committee took aim at Mills on her decision.
“Radical Janet Mills is trying to BAN Maine law enforcement from working with ICE so that criminals illegal immigrants can stay in the state,” the NRSC posted to X. “Mills continues to put Mainers last EVERY TIME.”
Mills is in a closely-watched primary contest against populist veteran Graham Platner, who’s been riddled with a wide range of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-bad-news-keeps-rolling-in-for-graham-platners-senate-campaign">scandals</a>. Whoever wins the primary will face off against Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in what promises to be a competitive November general election.
Abigail Jackson, White House spokeswoman, told The Daily Wire, “Every locality should be willing to cooperate with ICE officers to get dangerous criminal illegal aliens out of their communities. It’s common sense.”
The governor&#8217;s decision and the criticism from the NRSC are showing how immigration has turned into an issue far beyond the southern border for the midterms. Although the Northeast is thousands of miles away from the United States-Mexico border, ICE has conducted major operations in Boston and the New England region, which has sparked outrage among Democrats.
In Massachusetts, anti-ICE activist Jonathan Paz announced a primary challenge to House Minority Whip Katherine Clark on Monday, and touted immigration as a major campaign issue.
“From organizing renters’ rights in Waltham to standing up to big tech and now resisting Trump’s ICE, I’ve seen what’s possible when we organize our communities and stay true to our principles,” Paz said in his campaign launch video.

18 Dead After Mass Shooter Goes On A Rampage In Maine

Battleground State Governor OKs ‘Confusing’ Bill To Limit Police Cooperation With ICE

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Maine

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Cameron Arcand