The White House came to the defense of WNBA star Sophie Cunningham Thursday after the Indiana Fever guard faced criticism for saying that men should not compete in women’s sports or share women’s locker rooms.
When asked about the issue by Daily Wire White House Correspondent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/mary-margaret-olohan">Mary Margaret Olohan</a>, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is aware of Cunningham’s comments and shares her concerns about protecting female athletes.
“I don’t believe he has reached out to her,” Leavitt said when asked whether Trump had contacted Cunningham. “I know he is following the story.”
Leavitt said the backlash against Cunningham demonstrated what she described as a disconnect between leftist activists and the broader American public. 
“This is something the president feels strongly about as well, and the American people do too,” Leavitt said. “That men should not be playing in women’s sports. It’s completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.”
“It’s even more ludicrous that you do have Sophie Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn’t play in women’s sports,” she continued.
Leavitt called the criticism Cunningham has received “astonishing” and argued that the administration’s position reflects widespread public opinion.
“They are clearly very out of touch with the American public on this issue, which again is an 80-20 issue,” Leavitt said. “It’s common sense. It’s rooted in basic biological fact that men should not be competing against women on playing fields across the country.”
Cunningham, who has become one of the WNBA’s most recognizable players since joining the Indiana Fever, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-breaks-with-league-on-explosive-issue">said</a> in an interview with ESPN earlier this week that she felt compelled to speak out about biological differences in sports despite backlash from critics who accused her of being anti-transgender. 
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” Cunningham said. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest.”
Cunningham said her concern was protecting female athletes, particularly young girls. “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” she said.
The comments drew criticism online, with some labeling the Missouri native as a conservative or “MAGA Barbie,” a characterization Cunningham rejected. “I really am right in the middle [politically],” Cunningham said, adding that she agrees and disagrees with positions on both sides of the political spectrum.
Cunningham’s comments come as the WNBA and its players’ union have taken a different position on transgender inclusion. The WNBA Players Association has previously voiced opposition to restrictions on transgender participation in sports and pledged support for transgender athletes.
The Fever guard has also drawn attention in recent weeks for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-sophie-cunningham-wont-diss-trump-after-white-house-meme">refusing to join criticism</a> of President Trump after the White House used a viral clip of her pointing at an opponent during a game as a social media meme.
When asked about the White House using the clip, Cunningham said she viewed it as part of a broader internet trend. “Everyone around the world is posting it, every company has done it,” Cunningham said. “They’re just the ones also to get on board and I don’t really think twice about it.”

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Karoline Leavitt Rips Leftist Backlash To Sophie Cunningham’s Trans Sports Comments

Indiana

Karoline Leavitt

LGBTQ

Sophie Cunningham

The Daily Wire

Transgender

Transgender Athletes

Trump Administration

White House

WNBA

Women's sports

The Trump administration does not plan to intervene to stop the extradition of controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate to the United Kingdom, despite the brothers&#8217; legal team urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to step in.
A senior administration official told <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/22/trump-rubio-tate-brothers-extradition">Axios</a> on Wednesday that the United States will not block the proceedings as the brothers fight extradition in federal court. &#8220;The U.S. has an extradition treaty with the U.K. and the administration intends to honor it in this case,&#8221; the official said.
The State Department likewise indicated it has no plans to intervene. A senior department official said Rubio has not spoken with the Tate brothers or their attorneys and that the department &#8220;has no plans to act on this matter at this time.&#8221;
Andrew and Tristan Tate were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/andrew-and-tristan-tate-arrested-in-florida-on-rape-child-pornography-charges?author=Tim+Rice&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Andrew+And+Tristan+Tate+Arrested+In+Florida+On+Rape%2C+Child+Pornography+Charges">arrested</a> in Miami on Saturday, following a British extradition request tied to dozens of new criminal charges. The Crown Prosecution Service recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tate-brothers-slapped-with-38-new-charges-in-expanding-sex-trafficking-case?author=Daily+Wire+News&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tate+Brothers+Slapped+With+38+New+Charges+In+Expanding+Sex+Trafficking+Case">announced</a> 38 additional <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-graphic-allegations-unsealed-against-the-tate-brothers?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Read+The+Graphic+Allegations+Unsealed+Against+The+Tate+Brothers">charges</a> against the brothers, bringing the total number of charges they face in the United Kingdom to 59. The charges include allegations of rape, sex trafficking, assault, and offenses involving indecent images of children and extreme pornography.
The brothers have thus far denied all wrongdoing, and they appeared Monday before a federal judge in Miami to begin extradition proceedings. Their attorney, Joseph McBride, argued outside the courthouse that the prosecution is politically motivated and has vowed to challenge the request. &#8220;We are of course objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent,&#8221; McBride told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/andrew-tristan-tate-sex-trafficking-rape-uk-miami-3a3748e075f49b00f286a003f5103485">reporters</a>. &#8220;They&#8217;ve never done nothing wrong. They shouldn&#8217;t be extradited for crimes they did not commit.&#8221;
McBride has also argued that Rubio has the authority to deny the extradition request if he determines the brothers are being politically persecuted. Court filings acknowledge the secretary retains final authority over extradition decisions after judicial proceedings conclude, but administration officials have indicated there is no appetite to exercise that discretion in this case.
According to Axios, Rubio has privately expressed disdain for the brothers, with one source telling the outlet the secretary views them as &#8220;scum.&#8221; Another source familiar with President Donald Trump&#8217;s thinking said the president likewise wants nothing to do with the influencers despite their repeated public support for him. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-are-andrew-and-tristan-tate-everything-to-know-about-the-controversial-manosphere-brothers?author=Tim+Rice&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Who+Are+Andrew+And+Tristan+Tate%3F+Everything+To+Know+About+The+Controversial+%E2%80%98Manosphere%E2%80%99+Brothers.">The Tate brothers</a> have cultivated a massive online following through content promoting wealth, hyper-masculinity, and controversial views on women. They became prominent figures within the so-called &#8220;manosphere&#8221; and have repeatedly portrayed themselves as allies of Trump and the MAGA movement.
The extradition case is only the latest legal challenge facing the brothers. They remain under criminal investigation in Romania on separate human trafficking and rape allegations, which they have also denied.
A federal judge has scheduled the brothers&#8217; next hearing for July 27 as the extradition process continues. If the court determines the treaty requirements are met, the final decision on whether to surrender the brothers to British authorities will rest with Rubio, though administration officials have made clear they currently have no intention of blocking the request.

Andrew Tate

The Trump Admin Will Not Intervene On Behalf Of The Tate Brothers

Britain

Donald Trump

Extradition

Florida

Marco Rubio

Miami

Rape

Sexual Abuse

Sexual Assault

State Department

Tate Brothers

Tristan Tate

U.K.

Former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) says she is stepping away from electoral politics after two failed statewide campaigns, announcing that she is &#8220;done for now&#8221; with campaigning — and instead plans to focus on becoming a book influencer on social media.
&#8220;I’m done for now with politics and campaigning,&#8221; Porter said in a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Da1Lp0dxPFs/">video</a> posted to Instagram last week. &#8220;Stay tuned for book recommendations, book ideas and author content.&#8221;
The former California congresswoman has rebranded one of her Instagram accounts as &#8220;Katie Porter Turns the Page,&#8221; complete with the hashtag &#8220;#Bookstagram,&#8221; saying she plans to devote the page to book recommendations, author interviews, and literary discussions.
Porter later told the <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article316551216.html">Sacramento Bee</a> that she is &#8220;closing the door&#8221; on running for office. &#8220;I am closing the door on being a candidate,&#8221; Porter said. &#8220;I cannot foresee that path back.&#8221;
Porter first rose to national prominence after flipping a Republican-held Orange County congressional district in 2018. A former student and protégé of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), she became known on Capitol Hill for using a whiteboard during congressional hearings to grill executives from major banks, pharmaceutical companies, and other corporations.
Rather than seek re-election to the House in 2024, Porter launched a bid for the Senate seat previously held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. She finished a distant third in California&#8217;s all-party primary behind eventual winner Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey, failing to advance to the general election.
She then entered California&#8217;s gubernatorial race but fared even worse, finishing fifth in this year&#8217;s primary with less than 5% of the vote after initially polling as one of the leading Democratic contenders. Porter&#8217;s gubernatorial campaign was dogged by questions surrounding her temperament after reports highlighted allegations of abusive treatment toward staff members.
During the campaign, a video obtained by <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/08/katie-porter-tears-into-staffer-new-video-00598942">Politico</a> showed Porter screaming at an aide during a virtual event while serving in Congress. &#8220;Get out of my f*cking shot!&#8221; Porter <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-spins-her-profane-rant-against-staffer-into-campaign-ad">shouted</a> after a staffer briefly appeared on camera before attempting to correct one of her statements.
The incident followed earlier allegations that Porter had berated staff members, including reports that she blamed one employee for contracting COVID-19 in 2022, while she was still in the House.
Porter later apologized for the outburst shown in the leaked video but argued that criticism of her demeanor reflected a double standard applied to female candidates.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know what I could have said or done other than be a man,&#8221; Porter told the Sacramento Bee. &#8220;We&#8217;ve also seen it is not hard to come up with female candidates for whom the term temperament has been used.&#8221;
Despite stepping away from campaigning, Porter said she still plans to remain involved in public policy debates and civic education while focusing much of her public attention on books. &#8220;It’s partly a reference to a new chapter in my life, to change, but also to something I do a lot, which is turn the page when I’m reading,&#8221; Porter said of her new social media venture.

Senate Candidate Forum

Katie Porter Puts Politics On Hold To Focus On ‘Bookstagram’

Books

California

influencer

Katie Porter

Politics

Sexism

The Trump administration is withholding more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota while demanding the Democrat-led states prove questioned Medicaid claims were lawful and not the result of waste, fraud, or abuse. 
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services are deferring about $867.5 million in payments to California and another $199 million to Minnesota after federal reviews flagged high-risk Medicaid claims requiring additional documentation.
&#8220;Medicaid exists to serve vulnerable Americans — not to bankroll unsupported claims,&#8221; Kennedy said in a <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-defers-medicaid-payments-california-minnesota-fraud-review.html">statement</a>. &#8220;Under President Trump&#8217;s leadership, we are restoring accountability across our public programs and protecting taxpayer dollars.&#8221;
Kennedy stressed that the money has not been permanently withheld and said both states can recover the funds by documenting that the claims comply with federal Medicaid requirements. 
&#8220;If those states want that money, they need to provide documentation that these payments are legitimate,&#8221; Kennedy said during a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YezwEkqMDHo">press conference</a> announcing the action.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the agency is abandoning what he described as a reactive approach that attempts to recover taxpayer money only after it has already been spent.
&#8220;CMS is done trying to chase down stolen and misused funds after they&#8217;ve already left the building,&#8221; Oz said. &#8220;By stopping waste and fraud before the check clears, CMS is delivering record-high savings for taxpayers and ensuring that their hard-earned dollars reach the vulnerable Americans Medicaid is meant to serve.&#8221;
According to CMS, California&#8217;s deferred payments stem primarily from questions surrounding certain in-home care programs after federal reviewers identified spending growth that significantly exceeded national trends. Oz said reviewers also identified claims involving individuals with what he described as &#8220;unsatisfactory immigration status,&#8221; as well as claims connected to services allegedly billed after beneficiaries had died.
Minnesota&#8217;s payment deferral follows a review of Medicaid claims across 14 high-risk service categories that federal officials said included providers previously flagged through program integrity investigations along with other claims presenting potential eligibility or billing concerns.
The Medicaid payment freeze is part of the Trump administration&#8217;s broader effort to combat fraud across federal healthcare programs. Kennedy also announced that HHS is expanding efforts to permanently exclude individuals and organizations found to have committed fraud from participating in Medicare and Medicaid.
Kennedy said CMS increasingly relied on artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and other data tools to identify potentially fraudulent claims before federal matching funds are released. 
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom rejected the administration&#8217;s allegations, calling the announcement &#8220;the same recycled political stunt we&#8217;ve seen before.&#8221;
&#8220;California isn&#8217;t being targeted because Trump has evidence of fraud,&#8221; Newsom wrote on <a href="https://x.com/govpressoffice/status/2079606256101171441">X</a>. &#8220;We are being targeted for political reasons.&#8221;
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz likewise dismissed the administration&#8217;s justification, arguing the move was designed to finance Republican tax policies. &#8220;This isn&#8217;t about fraud — it&#8217;s about cutting your healthcare so that Trump can afford the tax cuts he gave to billionaires,&#8221; Walz <a href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/2079622267307258033">wrote</a>. &#8220;They&#8217;re cutting more money in healthcare than they&#8217;ve prosecuted for fraud.&#8221;

President Trump Participates In Swearing-In Ceremony For Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz

RFK Punishes Blue States For Rampant Fraud Concerns

Health and Human Services

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Editor&#8217;s Note: This story contains sexually explicit terminology and images.
The daughter of Democrat-backed Nebraska Senate candidate Dan Osborn, who was paid by her father for work on the campaign, is linked to an online pornography account that offers explicit videos, pictures, and even penis ratings to users willing to pay for them.
While previously identified in media reports as a &#8220;gothic dancer&#8221; and performer, new information obtained by The Daily Wire links Osborn&#8217;s daughter to an explicit online persona on Stripchat, an adult content platform where users pay for performers to carry out tasks using tokens worth about 10 cents each.
The profile — inactive for the past three years — operated under the name &#8220;Joanniemitchell&#8221; and features images of 23-year-old Georgia Osborn. It lists a detailed menu of sexually explicit acts, with prices climbing from 21 tokens for a simple tip titled &#8220;If u luv me&#8221; to 2,000 tokens for the request: &#8220;Buy my new lingerie.&#8221;
The Stripchat account&#8217;s public preview photos are directly available on Georgia Osborn’s public Instagram account. These include two bikini photos posted to her Instagram in October 2020. At that time, Georgia, who was born in April 2003, was only 17 years old. After The Daily Wire reached out to Dan and Georgia Osborn with inquiries about the accounts, the pictures were deleted from her account.
Dan Osborn, a union leader and registered independent, is running to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts in November with the backing of the Nebraska Democratic Party. The state&#8217;s Democratic Senate nominee, Cindy Burbank, dropped out of the race this week to clear a path for Osborn, who gained support with his pledge to fight corruption and inefficiency from both major parties.
Osborn&#8217;s political career has been marred by scandals regarding his online behavior. A self-professed Catholic, Osborn <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/news/us-politics/article-13899537/dan-osborn-nebraska-senate-race-marriage-family-life.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came under fire</a> during his 2024 Senate run when an email linked to his birthdate and address appeared in the 2015 breach of Ashley Madison, a dating site for people who want to have extramarital affairs.
<div id="attachment_1139221" style="width: 881px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1139221" class="size-large wp-image-1139221" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-5.31.30-PM-871x576.png" alt="" width="871" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-5.31.30-PM-871x576.png 871w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-5.31.30-PM-300x198.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-5.31.30-PM-768x508.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-5.31.30-PM.png 1416w" sizes=" (max-width: 871px) 100vw, 871px" />Screenshot of Stripchat account using images of Osborn</div>
While his campaign denies he ever used the site, it has offered no explanation as to why his email appears in the database, instead resorting to the excuse that it was a “shared corporate account” used by “multiple people.”
Osborn&#8217;s campaign used a similar excuse when his union-linked X account was found liking hardcore gay pornography and images of naked women between 2020 and 2021.
“Multiple people had access to this account,” a spokesman claimed. Yet, the screenshots reveal the account was clearly denoted as “Dan Osborn President BCTGM 50G.”
Osborn also faced criticism for <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-hopeful-deep-dem-ties-has-paid-family-over-350k-from-his-campaign-coffers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paying over $350,000</a> in campaign funds to family members from his campaign coffers, including a $4,200 payment to Georgia Osborn for &#8220;assistant services&#8221; in December 2024.
<div id="attachment_1139855" style="width: 490px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1139855" class="size-large wp-image-1139855" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-2.07.15-PM-480x576.png" alt="" width="480" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-2.07.15-PM-480x576.png 480w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-2.07.15-PM-250x300.png 250w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-2.07.15-PM-768x921.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-21-at-2.07.15-PM.png 1114w" sizes=" (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />Georgia Osborn with Bernie Sanders (Instagram)</div>
Other services available for sale on the Stripchat profile include &#8220;Doggy position @ camera&#8221; for 90 tokens, &#8220;Flash boobs&#8221; for 120 tokens, and &#8220;Rub front of panties (1 min)&#8221; for 215 tokens. The price for a public rating of a user&#8217;s penis is listed at 101 tokens.
The account also offered “private shows” for 120 tokens, or $12, per minute.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-1139815 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/joanniemitchell-screenshot.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="349" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/joanniemitchell-screenshot.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/joanniemitchell-screenshot-300x102.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/joanniemitchell-screenshot-768x262.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
The Osborn campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

GettyImages-2284664862

EXCLUSIVE: Dem-Backed Senate Candidate’s Daughter Linked To Online Sex Work

2026 Midterms

Dan Osborn

Nebraska

Pornography

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) is facing fresh scrutiny after a report revealed he gifted personalized handguns to two women who worked in his congressional office.
According to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/20/chuck-edwards-ethics-guns-female-staff">Axios</a>, Edwards gave one staffer a blue handgun engraved with her name and another a pink handgun while they were employed in his office in 2024. The gifts are the latest in a series of alleged personal gestures — including handwritten letters, poems, flowers, casino trips, personalized gifts, and a surprise birthday performance — that have become central to the ethics investigation.
Edwards acknowledged providing firearms to some staff members but denied any wrongdoing. &#8220;I have taught several staff members to shoot and handle weapons, and in some cases, I provided them with their own,&#8221; Edwards told Axios. &#8220;Before being elected to Congress, I was a licensed firearm dealer. I&#8217;m a strong believer in teaching men and women about firearm safety and self-defense.&#8221;
One former staffer&#8217;s attorney said her client &#8220;only awkwardly accepted the gift for fear of reprisal against her employment&#8221; before later legally disposing of the firearm. According to Axios, three sources familiar with Edwards&#8217; office said they had never seen him give firearms to other staff members or teach other employees how to handle weapons, raising further questions about whether the congressman singled out the two women.
The handgun gifts are the latest allegations to emerge against Edwards&#8217; who is already under House Ethics Committee investigation over allegations that he created a hostile work environment for young female staffers.
Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/04/chuck-edwards-letter-house-ethics">previously reported</a> Edwards, who has been married since 1980, allegedly wrote one staffer a three-page handwritten letter telling her she had &#8220;written a complex chapter in my heart,&#8221; read an emotional poem to her during a farewell event, gave her personalized gifts, left during the workday to visit her after she was hospitalized with appendicitis, arranged a surprise performance for her birthday, and later vacationed with her in Las Vegas after she left his office, where flowers were reportedly waiting in her hotel room. Edwards has denied misconduct related to those allegations.
The ethics probe arrives at a politically difficult time for the North Carolina Republican, whose western North Carolina district has emerged as one of Democrats&#8217; top pickup opportunities in the 2026 midterms.
Democratic challenger Jamie Ager <a href="https://www.carolinajournal.com/ager-tops-edwards-in-2nd-quarter-fundraising/">dramatically outraised</a> Edwards during the latest fundraising quarter, bringing in roughly $1.4 million compared to Edwards&#8217; approximately $155,000. National election forecasters have also <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/483756">shifted</a> the district from &#8220;Likely Republican&#8221; to a more competitive “Lean Republican” as Democrats increase their investment in the race.
The allegations against Edwards also come amid heightened scrutiny of lawmakers&#8217; relationships with staff following recent scandals involving <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-under-federal-investigation-for-alleged-sexual-assault?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Swalwell+Under+Federal+Investigation+For+Alleged+Sexual+Assault">former Rep. Eric Swalwell</a> (D-CA) and new allegations surrounding <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-presidential-hopeful-swalwell-bff-accused-of-having-sex-with-staffers">Sen. Ruben Gallego</a> (D-AZ), placing congressional workplace conduct under renewed attention.
The House Ethics Committee has not publicly indicated when its investigation into Edwards will conclude.

Republican House Members Attend Party Conference Meeting

Lawmaker Under Fire For Gifting Handguns To Staffers

House Republicans

North Carolina

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed suggested he could build an unlikely coalition that includes supporters of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), arguing that many voters who follow the Georgia Republican will ultimately back his campaign.
The comments come as El-Sayed, a Democratic socialist backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and now Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), continues to rack up high-profile endorsements in Michigan&#8217;s closely watched Democratic Senate primary against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI).
During an interview with Politico&#8217;s Dasha Burns, El-Sayed was asked about ideological overlap between himself and Greene, including opposition to AIPAC, skepticism toward continued U.S. funding for Israel, and criticism of rising healthcare costs. Burns asked whether those similarities could help him build &#8220;this new coalition with people like MTG.&#8221;
&#8220;Look, she&#8217;s said a lot of things I disagree with too,&#8221; El-Sayed replied. &#8220;I will just say this: I wouldn&#8217;t be surprised. When you ask me about why establishment, elite Democrats are so worried about me, it&#8217;s because there are a lot of people who listen to her who are going to vote for me in the general election.&#8221;
&#8220;They&#8217;re not afraid I&#8217;m going to lose,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;They&#8217;re afraid I&#8217;m going to win.&#8221; 
Rather than distancing himself from Greene&#8217;s audience, El-Sayed argued that many of the issues motivating her supporters also resonate with his left-wing campaign. 
&#8220;The fact that MTG agrees with those points should not be all that uncommon, because they&#8217;re just obvious things to say,&#8221; El-Sayed said while discussing healthcare costs and foreign policy.
He went on to argue that both major parties have been captured by corporate interests, singling out pharmaceutical companies, health insurers, hospitals, and the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. &#8220;When you have a public consensus that&#8217;s here &#8230; and then a political consensus that&#8217;s over here, the difference is usually somebody&#8217;s money,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Marjorie Taylor Greene: &#8220;There are a lot of people who listen to her who are going to vote for me in the general election.&#8221;
He tells <a href="https://x.com/DashaBurns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dashaburns</a> their common ground on issues like Israel and health care &#8220;should not be all that… <a href="https://t.co/d22Q8RelEo">pic.twitter.com/d22Q8RelEo</a>
— POLITICO (@politico) <a href="https://x.com/politico/status/2079257950527385716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
The interview comes as left-wing leaders continue to flock to El-Sayed in one of the Democratic Party&#8217;s highest-profile ideological primary battles of the 2026 cycle. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez <a href="https://www.ms.now/news/sanders-ocasio-cortez-abdul-el-sayed-michigan-senate-race">headlined</a> a campaign rally for El-Sayed in Michigan over the weekend as part of their &#8220;People versus the Powerful&#8221; tour.
&#8220;Right now, there is a very clear choice before us,&#8221; Ocasio-Cortez told supporters. &#8220;We can choose $50 million and counting in dark money trying to buy the state of Michigan, or we can choose Dr. Abdul El-Sayed.&#8221;
Sanders likewise framed the race as a test of whether outside spending could determine the Democratic nominee. 
&#8220;This is an election which will show the nation whether AIPAC and other billionaire-funded super PACs can spend tens and tens and tens of millions of dollars to buy a U.S. Senate seat,&#8221; Sanders said.
On Monday, Warren became the latest national figure to endorse El-Sayed, praising his pledge to reject corporate PAC money while taking aim at Stevens&#8217; outside support. 
&#8220;Michiganders deserve a senator who will fight for you, not for special interests running millions of dollars in TV ads to buy this seat,&#8221; Warren said in a <a href="https://x.com/ewarren/status/2079183658628313225">video</a> announcing her endorsement. &#8220;Abdul is the only candidate in this race who can build the grassroots movement needed to win in November.&#8221;
The race has emerged as a proxy battle between the Democratic Party&#8217;s democratic socialist wing and its establishment leadership. While Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, and Warren have lined up behind El-Sayed, Stevens has secured endorsements from retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
The winner of the August 4 Democratic primary will likely face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in November in one of the Democrats&#8217; top Senate pickup opportunities as they seek to reclaim the majority.

Abdul El-Sayed

Bernie-Backed Socialist Sees Common Cause With MTG Supporters

Elections

Michigan

Secretary of State Marco Rubio&#8217;s State Department released a sweeping <a href="https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Cuba-Report.pdf">99-page report</a> on Monday portraying communist Cuba as the Western Hemisphere&#8217;s foremost engine of Marxist subversion, arguing that the island nation has spent decades cultivating revolutionary movements inside the United States and across the globe.
The report, released alongside a statement from the State Department, casts the Castro regime not simply as a geopolitical adversary, but as the ideological nucleus of what it describes as the modern radical Left. 
&#8220;For more than six decades, the Cuban regime has been the leading sponsor of radical leftism and Third Worldism in the United States,&#8221; Rubio wrote on <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/2079190191160348777">X</a>. &#8220;The State Department is exposing the full history of Cuban espionage and subversion in our country. The American people deserve to know.&#8221;
The document, which reflects a longstanding priority of Rubio&#8217;s foreign policy agenda, argues that Cuba&#8217;s greatest success has not been military or economic, but ideological. &#8220;For nearly seven decades, the Cuban regime has waged a sustained campaign of subversion against the United States,&#8221; the report states. &#8220;It is a campaign that has infiltrated the highest reaches of the U.S. government, recruited and cultivated generations of American activists, backed an unprecedented wave of Left-wing terrorism on American soil, and carried out one of the most durable and damaging foreign intelligence penetrations in American history.&#8221;
According to the report, Havana developed an unconventional strategy centered on espionage, infiltration, proxy networks, and ideological influence rather than conventional warfare. &#8220;In contrast to every other aspect of Cuba&#8217;s failed state, this model has yielded remarkable success,&#8221; the report says.
The report alleges that Cuba trained and armed Left-wing guerrilla groups around the world, provided sanctuary to American fugitives convicted of terrorism, and successfully infiltrated senior levels of the U.S. government, including the State Department, Pentagon, and National Security Council.
Much of the document focuses on what it calls Cuba&#8217;s enduring influence over modern Left-wing activism in the United States.
The report claims Havana helped shape and support organizations ranging from the Black Panthers and the Weather Underground during the Cold War to more recent movements including Antifa. It further alleges that Cuban influence continues today through &#8220;leftist nonprofits, anti-ICE collectives, socialist groups, and Marxist militant organizations.&#8221;
&#8220;From its earliest years in power, the Cuban regime has believed that its own survival and strategic interests were inextricably linked to the advance of the revolutionary Left inside the United States,&#8221; the report argues. &#8220;The Cubans have always seen revolution in America as an end unto itself.&#8221;
Rather than characterizing Cuba as merely a Soviet satellite, the report argues the Castro regime developed its own distinct form of Marxism centered less on class struggle than anti-Western and anti-American revolutionary ideology.
&#8220;While the collapse of the Soviet Union &#8230; largely rendered the Soviet model of communism extinct, the Cuban Marxist project not only survived, but thrived,&#8221; the report states. &#8220;By the turn of the twenty-first century, Havana had solidified its place as the ideological capital of the modern radical left.&#8221;
The report also links Cuba to several of America&#8217;s most recent episodes of civil unrest. It argues that &#8220;many of the most significant upheavals in recent American political history — from the George Floyd riots to the rise of Antifa to the explosion of pro-terrorist activism on American college campuses — can be linked, in some way, shape, or form, to Cuban influence.&#8221;
The report further warns that Cuba remains an active intelligence threat, alleging the regime maintains networks inside American institutions while simultaneously serving as a staging ground for Russian, Chinese, and Iranian intelligence operations.
The report concludes by arguing that Cuba&#8217;s strategy has always been to undermine America from within rather than confront it directly. &#8220;The regime&#8217;s method was never primarily premised on kinetic warfare,&#8221; the report states. &#8220;It was subtler, and far more dangerous: to attack the United States not from without but from within — to turn Americans into instruments of their own nation&#8217;s undoing.&#8221;
The publication comes as the Trump administration has significantly increased pressure on Havana through sanctions, diplomatic measures, and renewed scrutiny of the communist government&#8217;s ties to hostile foreign powers. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has long been one of Washington&#8217;s most outspoken critics of the Castro regime and has repeatedly argued that the United States has underestimated Cuba&#8217;s role in exporting revolutionary ideology throughout the Americas.

Cuba – Cienfuegos: Old cyclist and revolutionary propaganda with picture of Fidel Castro on house wall.

Rubio Reveals How Cuba Is Trying To Undermine America

Communism

Cuba

Leftism

Marxism

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) incorrectly described Virginia&#8217;s own voter identification law during a Sunday interview, prompting a correction from the host of a Democrat-friendly network.
The awkward exchange came on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrsZthfIo9M">This Week</a>&#8220; with host Jonathan Karl, as Warner criticized President Donald Trump&#8217;s election security agenda and defended Democratic opposition to the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Karl asked Warner whether Democrats should embrace photo voter identification requirements, noting that polls consistently show broad public support for voter ID laws.
&#8220;You know what? In Virginia, we have voter voter ID and photo ID,&#8221; Warner responded.
Karl immediately corrected the senator. &#8220;That&#8217;s actually not the case,&#8221; Karl replied. &#8220;I mean, I&#8217;m a Virginia voter. You don&#8217;t need to show a photo ID in Virginia. There are a wide range of things you can show for ID. And if you don&#8217;t show one of those, you can sign an affidavit.&#8221;
Warner attempted to recover by arguing that Virginia still has &#8220;voter ID of one form or another,&#8221; before pivoting back to criticizing Republican-backed election reforms.
Under Virginia law, voters may present numerous forms of acceptable identification, including certain government-issued IDs and other approved documents. If a voter does not have acceptable identification, he or she may sign an ID Confirmation Statement affirming their identity and cast a regular ballot. Virginia does not require voters to present a photo ID in order to vote.
The exchange occurred after Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, spent several minutes attacking Trump&#8217;s election security policies, arguing foreign adversaries such as Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China continue to pose cyber threats to American elections. 
Warner argued that Republicans were using the issue to suppress turnout through the SAVE America Act. 
&#8220;The SAVE Act is about voter disenfranchisement,&#8221; Warner said. &#8220;The SAVE Act is going to take anybody that changed their name when they got married. They don&#8217;t get to vote unless they go back and find [proof of a name change].”
Warner also argued that some Republican-led states permit voters to use gun-related identification while refusing to accept student IDs. 
&#8220;The irony here would be the case if you can show any photo that is government stamped would be fine,&#8221; Warner said. &#8220;Certain states will say we&#8217;re going to let you show your &#8230; NRA gun license but you can&#8217;t show your student ID.&#8221;
While some states do accept certain handgun carry permits as valid identification, a majority of those same states also permit qualifying student IDs for voting under specified circumstances.

Senate Hearing Examines Capitol Police Following January 6 Attack

Top Democrat Doesn’t Know His Own State’s Voter ID Policy

Election

Mark Warner

SAVE America Act

Virginia

Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson has all but secured the Democratic nomination in one of the nation&#8217;s most closely watched Senate races after dominating the party&#8217;s delegate selection process over the weekend, prompting his two strongest rivals to suspend their campaigns ahead of next week&#8217;s state convention.
Jackson <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/19/troy-jackson-likely-maine-senate-nominee-platner-01004490">won</a> overwhelming victories across Maine&#8217;s county meetings, with more than two-thirds of the 601 delegates pledging to back him at Saturday&#8217;s Democratic convention in Bangor. While delegates are not formally bound to support him, there has been little indication that his commanding lead will erode before the final vote.
The rapid consolidation around Jackson comes less than two weeks after Democratic nominee Graham Platner <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-ends-senate-bid-with-profane-political-message">ended his campaign</a> following allegations that he sexually assaulted a former girlfriend, accusations Platner has denied. His withdrawal forced Maine Democrats to scramble to choose a replacement with less than four months remaining before Election Day.
Jackson&#8217;s emergence as the presumptive nominee also represents a continuation of many of the themes that powered Platner&#8217;s campaign. Like Platner, Jackson has campaigned as a Left-wing populist focused on working-class voters, Medicare for All, and confronting corporate power. A logger from northern Maine and former president of the state Senate, Jackson also enjoys close ties to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who previously endorsed his gubernatorial campaign.
The results quickly reshaped the race, as both Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah suspended their campaigns as the delegate math became increasingly lopsided. 
&#8220;A few weeks ago, I entered this race because I could not accept the idea of Susan Collins gliding to a sixth term,&#8221; Shah said in a <a href="https://x.com/nirav_maine/status/2078960353405190321">statement</a> announcing his withdrawal. &#8220;Today, I am stepping aside &#8230; because we must defeat Susan Collins, and the Democratic Party must be unified to do it.&#8221;
Shah formally endorsed Jackson, arguing Democrats could not afford divisions heading into November. Jackson himself struck a similar tone after securing a majority of delegates, telling supporters that defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins would require expanding the coalition rather than narrowing it.
&#8220;Whether you supported me from the beginning, or are still deciding, or support another candidate, there is a place for you in this movement,&#8221; Jackson said during a rally Sunday. &#8220;Because we&#8217;re not going to defeat Susan Collins by making this movement smaller.&#8221;
The delegate victories were driven in large part by Jackson&#8217;s organizational strength. Backed by much of Maine&#8217;s organized labor movement and many volunteers who had previously supported Platner, Jackson swept many of the state&#8217;s largest counties, including nearly every available delegate in Cumberland County, Maine&#8217;s most populous county.
Jackson now faces a compressed timeline to challenge Collins, who is seeking a sixth Senate term and enters the race with a substantial fundraising advantage and decades of statewide electoral success. The Democratic nominee will have roughly three months to pitch himself to voters across Maine while attempting to unify a party still recovering from Platner&#8217;s dramatic exit.
If officially nominated Saturday, Jackson will become Democrats&#8217; latest attempt to unseat Collins, one of the GOP&#8217;s most durable incumbents despite representing a state that has consistently favored Democrats in presidential elections.
For national Democrats, the race remains one of the party&#8217;s best pickup opportunities as they seek to regain control of the Senate in November.

ICE Officers Fatally Shoot Undocumented Immigrant In Maine

Dems Poised To Pick Another Far-Leftist To Replace Platner

graham platner

Maine Democrats

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made permanent a controversial program that pays people cash for turning in used syringes, cementing an initiative that critics argue risks creating a cycle in which active drug users receive money that can be used to purchase more drugs.
Mamdani&#8217;s first city budget includes $3 million to permanently fund the Community Syringe Redemption Program, first reported by the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/07/19/us-news/mamdani-administration-makes-nycs-cash-for-syringes-pilot-program-permanent/">New York Post,</a> which pays participants 20 cents for every used syringe they return, up to 50 syringes — or $10 — per day. The funding appeared in budget documents submitted to the City Council shortly before lawmakers approved the city&#8217;s roughly $126 billion spending plan.
Originally authorized as a pilot program through legislation backed by progressive members of the City Council in 2022, the initiative officially launched in March 2025. Under the program, participants can bring used syringes to one of eight collection sites across the city in exchange for cash.
The effort is administered by the nonprofit Addiction Response Resources under an $11.1 million contract that extends through the end of next year. City officials say the program is financed through more than $189 million New York received in opioid settlement funds from pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors.
Supporters argue the program has successfully reduced hazardous syringe litter across the city.
According to the city&#8217;s Health Department, more than 2.3 million syringes have been collected since the program began. During its first year, the city distributed roughly $292,000 to more than 1,700 participants. Sanitation Department data also suggests fewer discarded needles are ending up on city streets. Workers had collected 26,229 needles so far this year, compared to 64,560 during the same period the previous year.
Health Department spokeswoman Rachel Vick defended the initiative, saying the program helps residents &#8220;live in a community free of syringe litter&#8221; while ensuring used medical waste is safely disposed of.
&#8220;The city&#8217;s syringe redemption program allows New Yorkers in neighborhoods where we see the most complaints to help keep their communities clean, while safely disposing of medical waste and connecting people in need to nearby care,&#8221; Vick said.
But critics say the city is addressing one public health problem by incentivizing another. Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola, a Republican, argued that opioid settlement money should be directed toward addiction treatment rather than cash payments to active drug users. &#8220;All this is doing is putting money in the pockets of addicts, so they can continue to fuel their habits, rather than helping them break free of their disease,&#8221; Ariola said.
Bronx Councilman Oswald Feliz, a Democrat whose district includes two of the redemption sites, credited the effort for reducing discarded needles but warned against policies that could create new risks for surrounding neighborhoods. &#8220;Too often, used syringes end up in front of schools and children&#8217;s parks, and this is an issue that should be treated with the seriousness it deserves,&#8221; Feliz said. &#8220;We should not recklessly create conditions that can threaten the safety of vulnerable communities.&#8221;
Some participants openly acknowledged using the program to provide spending money. &#8220;It&#8217;s definitely a side hustle for me. Yeah, definitely!&#8221; participant Tamia Wright told the Post after redeeming used syringes at a Bronx collection site. Asked how she planned to spend the money, Wright replied: &#8220;Right now, I&#8217;m gonna buy some weed with [the earnings] and cigarettes.&#8221; That admission has become a focal point for opponents of the program, who argue it demonstrates the inherent flaw in paying cash for used needles. While the initiative may reduce dangerous litter, they contend it also places money directly into the hands of active drug users without requiring participation in addiction treatment or recovery services.
Despite those concerns, city officials have no plans to eliminate the program. While the Health Department says it is not currently considering expanding beyond its eight existing collection sites or increasing the daily payment cap, the inclusion of permanent funding in Mamdani&#8217;s first budget effectively makes the syringe buyback program a lasting part of New York City&#8217;s public health strategy.

Mayor Mamdani Commemorates America’s 250th Anniversary

Mamdani Cements NYC Policy Allowing Drug Addicts To Cash In

NYC Makes Cash-For-Needles Program Permanent Under First Mamdani Budget

The Trump administration threw cold water on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s dream of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the proposal &#8220;pure political theater.&#8221;
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz responded on Saturday after Mamdani revealed he was in &#8220;active conversation&#8221; with New York City&#8217;s Law Department over whether he could order Netanyahu&#8217;s arrest if the Israeli leader visits New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September. 
&#8220;Mayor Mamdani: here&#8217;s why your threat to arrest PM Netanyahu in NYC during UNGA is not going to happen,&#8221; Waltz wrote on X. He went on to elaborate that the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), the U.N. Headquarters Agreement grants diplomatic protections to visiting heads of government, longstanding head-of-state immunity applies, and &#8220;federal authority trumps any local mayor&#8217;s wishes.&#8221;
&#8220;This is pure political theater,&#8221; Waltz concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mayor Mamdani: here’s why your threat to arrest PM Netanyahu’s in NYC during UNGA is not going to happen: 
1. The U.S. is not party to the Rome Statute that underlies the ICC, 
2. The UN Headquarters Agreement grants diplomatic protections to visiting heads of gov’t, 
3.…
— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) <a href="https://x.com/michaelgwaltz/status/2078567106602537195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Mamdani has repeatedly argued that Netanyahu should be arrested over an International Criminal Court warrant accusing the Israeli prime minister of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel&#8217;s war against Hamas in Gaza.
&#8220;I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,&#8221; Mamdani said during an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/magazine/zohran-mamdani-interview.html">interview</a> with The New York Times. &#8220;He&#8217;s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court.&#8221; 
While acknowledging uncertainty over his legal authority, Mamdani said his administration is actively reviewing whether New York City could detain Netanyahu if he arrives for the annual U.N. General Assembly. &#8220;Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that&#8217;s what we will do, but we won&#8217;t be writing our own laws to that end,&#8221; he said.
The comments marked a continuation of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/13/zohran-mamdani-benjamin-netanyahu-new-york">promises</a> Mamdani made during last year&#8217;s mayoral campaign, when he pledged to direct the New York Police Department to arrest Netanyahu if he entered the city in compliance with the ICC warrant. At the time, Mamdani <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/12/nyregion/mamdani-arrest-netanyahu-nyc-mayor.html">said,</a> “It is my desire to ensure that this be a city that stands up for international law.”
Legal experts have long questioned whether such an arrest would be possible, noting that the United States does not recognize the ICC&#8217;s jurisdiction and that any attempt by a city government to detain a sitting foreign head of government would almost certainly trigger a confrontation with federal authorities.
Netanyahu has dismissed Mamdani&#8217;s most recent threats, telling radio host Sid Rosenberg that he was unconcerned by the mayor&#8217;s rhetoric while accusing Mamdani of sympathizing with Hamas. &#8220;I think he should look at who he&#8217;s condemning, who he&#8217;s praising,&#8221; Netanyahu said. &#8220;He&#8217;s condemning Israel, the one democracy that stands shoulder to shoulder with American values.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Netanyahu, appearing on Sid Rosenberg’s radio show, claims Mamdani “champions” Hamas and “apologizes and accuses for Iran,
“He is with the terror actors… I think, secretly, he hates America.” <a href="https://t.co/x2ILVvhAFX">pic.twitter.com/x2ILVvhAFX</a>
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) <a href="https://x.com/jacobkornbluh/status/2077183816217530696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
Waltz&#8217;s statement is the clearest indication yet that the Trump administration has no intention of allowing any effort by New York City officials to act on Mamdani&#8217;s proposal, effectively ending speculation over whether the mayor could attempt to use the ICC warrant during Netanyahu&#8217;s expected September visit.

NYPD Officer Reported Shot To The Vest In Brooklyn New York City

Trump Official Throws Cold Water on Mamdani’s Netanyahu Promise

Trump Official Shuts Down Mamdani Dream Of Arresting Netanyahu

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Drew Berkemeyer