Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded after dozens of memes flooded X with potential new jobs or responsibilities that President Donald Trump might ask him to take on.
&#8220;I do not normally respond to online rumors but feel the need to do so at this moment,&#8221; Rubio said in his own <a href="https://x.com/marcorubio/status/2009297348799942872">X post</a>. &#8220;I will not be a candidate for the currently vacant HC and GM positions with the Miami Dolphins. While you never know what the future may bring right now my focus must remain on global events and also the precious archives of the United States of America. Thank you.&#8221;
Rubio, who is currently the acting National Security Adviser in addition to holding the top post at the United States Department of State, was responding to memes suggesting he&#8217;d be put in charge of everything from the state of Minnesota to the nation of Venezuela.
One post suggested Trump would ask Rubio to cover his shift at McDonald&#8217;s, referencing the president&#8217;s wildly successful 2024 campaign stop.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rubio after learning that he has to cover Trump&#8217;s shift at McDonald&#8217;s. <a href="https://t.co/Pj3tcpPWDH">pic.twitter.com/Pj3tcpPWDH</a>
— Make America Meme Again (@meme4USA) <a href="https://twitter.com/meme4USA/status/2008582071032443200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After an interaction between the Department of Homeland Security and a Hampton Inn refusing service to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — an interaction that quickly caused Hilton Hotels to cut ties with the franchise in question — several memes suggested Rubio would be tapped to <a href="https://x.com/JRand1685/status/2008266721598337123">run the hotel chain</a>.
&#8220;What shall we do with a Russian tanker, What shall we do with a Russian tanker, What shall we do with a Russian tanker, Early in the morning?” another post read, showing Rubio in pirate garb with a parrot on his shoulder.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🎶 “What shall we do with a Russian tanker, 
What shall we do with a Russian tanker, 
What shall we do with a Russian tanker, 
Early in the morning?” 🎶 <a href="https://t.co/nAY0AUZnbi">https://t.co/nAY0AUZnbi</a> <a href="https://t.co/3uZkftPGbK">pic.twitter.com/3uZkftPGbK</a>
— Benedict Spence (@BenedictSpence) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenedictSpence/status/2008938070079586484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A &#8220;Lord of the Rings&#8221; themed post put Rubio in the place of Frodo Baggins, tasking him with returning the One Ring to the fiery pit of Mordor.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“The ring must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this.” <a href="https://t.co/RjMyefa4pF">pic.twitter.com/RjMyefa4pF</a>
— Elwë Singollo ❄️🧝🏻‍♀️ (@Strangeland_Elf) <a href="https://twitter.com/Strangeland_Elf/status/2008433894438416761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Trump&#8217;s about to disclose aliens and he&#8217;s sending Rubio to negotiate,&#8221; another posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My contribution &#8211; Trump&#8217;s about to disclose aliens 👽 and he&#8217;s sending Rubio to negotiate. <a href="https://t.co/PiFBhwg5FL">pic.twitter.com/PiFBhwg5FL</a>
— Rizwan Virk (@Rizstanford) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rizstanford/status/2008760930340126861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
And more &#8230;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rubio realizing he has to be the Governor of Minnesota. <a href="https://t.co/HPQ3uJ2u90">pic.twitter.com/HPQ3uJ2u90</a>
— Kyle Tibbitts (@KyleTibbitts) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleTibbitts/status/2008346505455767937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rubio realizing he’s going to be president of Venezuela, governor of Cuba, and the Shah of Iran. <a href="https://t.co/wh5S2gpIi9">pic.twitter.com/wh5S2gpIi9</a>
— Antonio García Martínez (agm.eth) (@antoniogm) <a href="https://twitter.com/antoniogm/status/2007398586246672723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Would you consider being OC with the <a href="https://twitter.com/Lions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lions</a> ??? We need someone with the huevos to match Dan Campbell!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnePride?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnePride</a> <a href="https://t.co/cAUey7MGnF">https://t.co/cAUey7MGnF</a>
— Rep. Bill Huizenga (@RepHuizenga) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHuizenga/status/2009363082586505696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rubio Leaves Open Possibility of Becoming Miami&#8217;s Next QB <a href="https://t.co/DRuVKNCDbl">https://t.co/DRuVKNCDbl</a>
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) <a href="https://twitter.com/AriFleischer/status/2009338320330031231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
So you’re saying there’s a chance. <a href="https://t.co/S1aPEVkecV">https://t.co/S1aPEVkecV</a> <a href="https://t.co/1Qq8jzQsS9">pic.twitter.com/1Qq8jzQsS9</a>
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimMurtaugh/status/2009303945814925672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Can you coach the <a href="https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AtlantaFalcons</a>? <a href="https://t.co/hZl6btWxAW">https://t.co/hZl6btWxAW</a>
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/2009312710316769648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fox News anchor John Roberts <a href="https://x.com/johnrobertsFox/status/2009306580102029570">responded</a> to Rubio, noting that he&#8217;d only ruled out jobs with the Miami Dolphins and suggesting he might be entertaining any number of others.
&#8220;You will note that he did not dispel rumors that he is a candidate for: Ravens head coach, President of Venezuela, Shah of Iran, President of Cuba, Prime Minister of Greenland, Governor of Minnesota,  CEO of Hilton Hotels,&#8221; Roberts posted. &#8220;Ruling out a job with the Dolphins doesn&#8217;t end the speculation &#8230;&#8221;
&#8220;I think we should probably make Rubio president in 2028 just to limit his power,&#8221; Abby Libby <a href="https://x.com/abbythelibb_/status/2008726373825990863">posted</a> in response to the memes.

President Trump Hosts Philippines President Marcos At White House

Rubio Responds After X Memes Give Him Dozens Of New Jobs

Marco Rubio

Memes

Politics

Social Media

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer on Wednesday tore into his state&#8217;s governor, Tim Walz, saying that the Democrat &#8220;should resign&#8221; and would likely &#8220;leave office in cuffs&#8221; if he chose not to do so.
Emmer made his comments on the latest episode of the Republican Study Committee&#8217;s &#8220;Right to the Point&#8221; podcast, where he was joined by his fellow Minnesota Republican Reps. Brad Finstad and Michelle Fischbach about the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis">still-unfolding situation</a> in their home state. The trio called out the leadership in their state, saying that whether they were complicit in the rampant fraud or had simply failed to deal with it, the full price of their actions had fallen on the people of Minnesota.
Among the issues on the table were the dozens already tried and convicted for fraud schemes connected to Feeding Our Future, many of them part of the Somali immigrant community; the additional fraud being investigated in the daycare and healthcare systems, also connected to the Somalis; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement&#8217;s (ICE) efforts to crack down on illegal immigration in the state.
Emmer began by noting his sadness that so many different and massive fraud schemes — which a number of people have known about for years — were able to flourish in his state, and he credited President Donald Trump for finally forcing it into the headlines.
&#8220;The three of us and those that are testifying today have been calling out this fraud for years, and nobody would report it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Joe Thompson, the first Assistant U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, estimates the total fraud could amount to $9 billion.&#8221;
Emmer referenced Nick Shirley, the independent journalist who brought the fraud into the spotlight, saying that even though Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison (D-MN) had been in office for seven years, Shirley had been able to root out more fraud in a day than they had since they were elected.
Finstad noted that Emmer and Fischbach had co-signed a letter he sent to Walz in 2022, calling on him to address the situation.
&#8220;&#8216;This fraud has been going on in Minnesota for years. It&#8217;s time to get, you know, put a stop to it,'&#8221; Finstad said, paraphrasing the letter.
&#8220;This is criminal on all levels, you know, to no response. That was three or four years ago. And you know, this goes back to 2014, 2015, when we, you know, the news media was at that time covering when there was literal duffel bags of cash going through the Minneapolis Airport to Somalia. So fast forward. You know, we&#8217;ve been pounding this drum forever, and to this day, he has not responded to those letters or those calls for us to demand accountability.&#8221;
Emmer went on to say that while he was sad to see what was happening to his state, he was also angry at leadership for failing to step up and do the right thing.
&#8220;It hurts. I&#8217;m mad. I am very angry about this, because this didn&#8217;t have to be this way,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I mean, nobody seems to want to talk about the fact that we had a Democrat attorney general by the name of Laurie Swanson, who was literally investigating and prosecuting Somali daycare fraud back in 2017 and -18, nobody wants to talk about.&#8221;
But as Emmer noted, her investigations were cut short when she lost the gubernatorial primary to Walz — and then Ellison was elected to succeed her as attorney general.
&#8220;And what was his first action? His first action was to create a rule that there will be no more investigations without Keith Ellison&#8217;s express approval, and since then, there have been no investigations,&#8221; he explained.
&#8220;It is not racist to call out criminal activity,&#8221; Emmer continued. &#8220;It is not xenophobic to identify the group of people who are involved, and in this case, 90% of the people who have been charged in the largest pandemic fraud case in the country, the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scandal are from the Somali community.&#8221;
Emmer then turned on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oddsmaker-tim-walz-is-30x-more-likely-to-be-charged-with-a-crime-than-be-the-next-president">Walz,</a> who just recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-walz-drops-out-of-minnesota-governors-race-amid-fraud-concerns">suspended his reelection campaign</a> amid the growing fraud scandal: &#8220;Tim Walz, by the way, this thing is growing. I&#8217;m not going to be Minnesota Nice. I&#8217;m going to be Minnesota Real. Tim Walz should resign, and if he doesn&#8217;t resign, he&#8217;s probably going to leave the office in cuffs.&#8221;

Speaker Johnson Speaks To The Press Following GOP Caucus Meeting

GOP Whip Unloads On Tim Walz Over Rampant Fraud: ‘I’m Not Going To Be Minnesota Nice’

GOP Whip Unloads On Minnesota's Leadership Over Rampant Fraud: 'It Didn't Have To Be Like This'

Fraud

Keith Ellison

Media

Minnesota

Somalis

Tim Walz

Whoopi Goldberg practically begged a foreign power — any foreign power — to come in and extradite President Donald Trump, complaining on Wednesday that the United States does not &#8220;have a government&#8221; with him in the White House.
Goldberg raised the issue on Wednesday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;The View&#8221; on ABC, where she and her cohosts were continuing their discussion of the Trump administration&#8217;s weekend actions in Venezuela, including the arrest and extradition of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Cohost Sara Haines suggested that Trump&#8217;s voters were not educated enough to understand &#8220;the chess game of the geopolitics&#8221; and didn&#8217;t actually vote for what was happening — and claimed again that Trump&#8217;s actions were &#8220;illegal.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whoopi Goldberg claims America doesn&#8217;t have a government and wants NATO to intervene to save America from Trump and &#8220;get him out&#8221;:
&#8220;Where is everybody? Where is everybody else? We come to everybody&#8217;s aid. We help everybody. NATO, they came and helped us after 9/11. Where is… <a href="https://t.co/SR1xmL2lU6">pic.twitter.com/SR1xmL2lU6</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/2008938420920316276?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Goldberg then suggested that because she also agreed Trump&#8217;s actions had been &#8220;illegal,&#8221; maybe it was time for some other foreign power — and she did not specify which — should look at the United States and consider intervening.
&#8220;Let me just say this,&#8221; Goldberg began. &#8220;Here&#8217;s my question: Where is everybody? Where is everybody else? We come to everybody&#8217;s aid. We help everybody. NATO, they came and helped us after 9/11. Where is everybody? Because we&#8217;re all — But where is the government? Do you realize we don&#8217;t have a government?! We don&#8217;t have a — and this is a huge, and should be, our biggest b*tch right now. That should be — because all of this is happening because no one is doing checks and balances.&#8221;
&#8220;Where is the government? Why aren&#8217;t they doing their job?&#8221; Goldberg continued. &#8220;He hinted yesterday that maybe there won&#8217;t be any midterms. He said he was joking &#8230; This is — we&#8217;re in it already &#8230; We really need to be paying attention to who we&#8217;ve given power to.&#8221;

Whoopi Goldberg

‘Where Is Everybody?’ Whoopi Practically Begs Any Foreign Power To Extradite Trump

'Where Is Everybody?' Whoopi Practically Begs Any Foreign Power To Extradite Trump

Donald Trump

NATO

Nicolas Maduro

The View

Secretary of State Marco Rubio jabbed at his former colleagues on Wednesday, saying that Senate Democrats were going to malign and second-guess President Donald Trump&#8217;s actions in Venezuela no matter what.
Rubio, flanked by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, responded to a reporter who said that Democrats on Capitol Hill had said the Trump administration was &#8220;winging it&#8221; with regard to Saturday&#8217;s attack on Venezuela and the simultaneous arrest and extradition of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 REPORTER: Dems say you&#8217;re WINGING Venezuela, you have no plan!
SEC. MARCO RUBIO: &#8220;Yeah, I know. They&#8217;re gonna say that. I used to be a senator too! That&#8217;s what you ALWAYS say!&#8221; 😂
&#8220;It&#8217;s not just speculating what&#8217;s gonna happen &#8211; IT&#8217;S ALREADY HAPPENING.&#8221; 🔥
WE LOVE MARCO <a href="https://t.co/dFiT7QF9ZK">pic.twitter.com/dFiT7QF9ZK</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2008943109930143834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hegseth appeared to have a good idea of what was coming, and could be seen ducking his head slightly and smiling in the background as the reporter asked the question.
&#8220;Yeah, I know. They&#8217;re gonna say that. I used to be a senator too! That&#8217;s what you always say when it&#8217;s the other party,&#8221; Rubio explained — and then said that the same people accusing him of &#8220;winging it&#8221; had actually been filled in on exactly what was happening.
&#8220;The bottom line is we&#8217;ve gone into great detail with them about the planning, we&#8217;ve described it to them, in fact, it&#8217;s not just winging it. It&#8217;s not just saying or speculating what&#8217;s gonna happen, it&#8217;s already happening. Like the oil arrangement that we&#8217;ve made with PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela, SA) on their sanctioned oil that they can&#8217;t move — understand, they are not generating any revenue from their oil right now. They can&#8217;t move it unless we allow it to move because we have sanctions, because we&#8217;re enforcing those sanctions.&#8221;
&#8220;This is tremendous leverage,&#8221; Rubio continued, saying that the way things were playing out would ultimately benefit everyone involved, including both the Venezuelan people and any American interests.

Secretary Marco Rubio Meets With Ecuadoran Foreign Affairs Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld

Rubio Torches Democrats Who Say He’s ‘Winging It’ On Venezuela: ‘I Used To Be A Senator Too’

Senate Democrats

U.S. Senate

Venezuela

Democrat witness Brendan Ballou claimed during a Wednesday hearing that the influx of Somali immigrants made his home state of Minnesota &#8220;stronger&#8221; – but Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) brought data that said the exact opposite.
During the hearing — which was scheduled as part of an investigation into widespread fraud in Minnesota that has been linked to the Somali immigrant community — Gill posed a direct question to the former federal prosecutor, asking whether Somalis made the state weaker or stronger.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This Democrat witness claims large-scale Somali immigration makes Minnesota stronger.
The numbers tell a different story. <a href="https://t.co/ufxlVgwqLa">pic.twitter.com/ufxlVgwqLa</a>
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBrandonGill/status/2008934421403934728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Does large-scale Somali immigration make Minnesota stronger or weaker?&#8221; Gill asked.
&#8220;Certainly stronger,&#8221; Ballou said.
&#8220;Certainly stronger,&#8221; Gill repeated. &#8220;Do you know what percentage of Somali-headed households in Minnesota are on food stamps?&#8221;
Ballou did not.
&#8220;Fifty-four percent,&#8221; Gill replied. &#8220;Do you know what that number is for native Minnesota-headed households?&#8221;
Ballou protested, &#8220;Well, to be clear, a majority of the —&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s seven percent,&#8221; Gill continued. &#8220;There&#8217;s a big difference between fifty-four percent and seven percent, is there not?&#8221;
&#8220;Excuse me, sir, could I answer the question?&#8221; Ballou asked.
&#8220;Let me move on, we&#8217;ve got a lot of questions here,&#8221; Gill said, asking, &#8220;What percentage of Somali-headed households are on Medicaid?&#8221;
Ballou did not know.
&#8220;It&#8217;s seventy-three percent,&#8221; Gill said. &#8220;Do you know what that number is for Minnesota native households?&#8221;
Ballou once again objected to the terminology, but did not answer the question.
&#8220;The number is eighteen percent,&#8221; Gill replied. &#8220;That&#8217;s quite an astounding difference, I think we would agree.&#8221;
Ballou continued to protest about Gill&#8217;s use of the term &#8220;native Minnesotan,&#8221; but made no move to supply answers to Gill&#8217;s questions.
&#8220;Let me ask you one more, and then we can go into that,&#8221; Gill said. &#8220;What percentage of Somali-headed households are on welfare in general?&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know,&#8221; Ballou conceded.
&#8220;It&#8217;s eighty-one percent. What about — let me just ask you, after ten years of being in the United States, what percentage of Somali immigrant households are on — continue to be on welfare?&#8221; Gill pressed again, and again Ballou did not know the answer until Gill provided it: &#8220;The number is seventy-eight percent. So even after ten years, seventy-eight percent of Somali immigrant households continue to be on welfare. Do you know what that number is for native Minnesota-headed households? Non-Somali immigrant-headed households.&#8221;
Ballou protested again, claiming, &#8220;You&#8217;re using the phrase &#8216;native Minnesotans,&#8217; the majority of Somali Minnesotans are as Minnesotan as any of us, they were born in the United States —&#8221;
&#8220;Nevertheless, the welfare usage is astoundingly different,&#8221; Gill declared.

House Oversight Committee Holds Hearing On Minnesota Fraud Investigation

Dem Witness Says Somali Immigrants Make Minnesota ‘Stronger.’ GOP Rep’s Receipts Say Otherwise.

Dem Witness Says Somali Immigrants Make Minnesota 'Stronger.' GOP Rep's Receipts Say Otherwise

Food Stamps

Medicaid

Welfare

Michael Reagan, the adopted son of the late President Ronald Reagan, died on Sunday. The conservative commentator, radio host, and author was 80 years old.
The family released a public statement on Tuesday:
<blockquote>It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Michael Edward Reagan. Michael was and will always remain a beloved husband, father, and grandpa. Michael was called home to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 4th, surrounded by his entire family in Los Angeles, California. Our hearts are deeply broken as we grieve the loss of a man who meant so much to all who knew and loved him.
We appreciate your prayers and ask that you would respect our family&#8217;s privacy during this difficult time.
Colleen Reagan, Cameron Reagan, and Ashley Reagan Dunster</blockquote>
Former Governor and President of Young America&#8217;s Foundation Scott Walker (R-WI) issued a lengthy statement on Reagan&#8217;s passing as well.
&#8220;Michael Reagan was such a wonderful inspiration to so many of us. That was particularly true of the students who heard him at Young America’s Foundation’s programs at the Reagan Ranch,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He did so much more than share stories about his father. He challenged the next generation to share the values he stood for throughout his public life. He called on them to be happy warriors in the battle to uphold the founding principles of our republic.&#8221;
&#8220;Years ago, I first got to know Michael Reagan by listening to his radio show while driving to and from the State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin. I enjoyed his insights on the news of the day,&#8221; Walker continued. &#8220;Years later, I got to know him personally after becoming president of Young America’s Foundation. He was a fixture at our student programs in California. Michael and his family frequently returned to Rancho del Cielo for public and private events.&#8221;
Walker went on to note just how much Reagan had meant to YAF and how willing he had been to participate in programs that mentored students in conservative values.
&#8220;Michael and I last spoke on December 22, 2025. He told me about his health issues and shared that he was optimistic about a follow-up visit with his medical team soon after the start of the year,&#8221; Walker said. &#8220;Unfortunately for all of us, the Good Lord decided to call him home sooner. That said, he and I also discussed his faith and devotion to Jesus. That should give us all comfort during this difficult time as he is with the Lord.&#8221;
Dozens of others — some who remembered his books or broadcasts, and some who were students who&#8217;d attended events he&#8217;d been a part of — poured out their tributes to Reagan on X.
&#8220;Crushed to hear the news of Michael Reagan’s passing. What a life he led and always with a huge smile. RIP to one of the best,&#8221; Katie Pavlich said.
&#8220;Very sad to learn of @ReaganWorld’s passing. I met him when I was a @yaf student activist many moons ago. I’m forever grateful to Mr. Reagan’s dad, President Ronald Reagan, for allowing my parents, Soviet escapees, to settle in America,&#8221; Gabriella Hoffman added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Very sad to learn of <a href="https://twitter.com/ReaganWorld?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ReaganWorld</a>’s passing. I met him when I was a <a href="https://twitter.com/yaf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@yaf</a> student activist many moons ago.
I’m forever grateful to Mr. Reagan’s dad, President Ronald Reagan, for allowing my parents, Soviet escapees, to settle in America.
RIP, sir. 💔 <a href="https://t.co/bDkPKPW9Xp">pic.twitter.com/bDkPKPW9Xp</a>
— Gabriella Hoffman (@Gabby_Hoffman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gabby_Hoffman/status/2008656461384347981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

John McCain Joins Sharron Angle At Get Out The Vote Rally In Las Vegas

Michael Reagan, Adopted Son Of President Ronald Reagan, Dead At 80

General

Ronald Reagan

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) made a direct comparison between President Donald Trump and the recently-extradited Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, saying that both had attempted to seize &#8220;illegitimate&#8221; power, but that Maduro had been &#8220;successful.&#8221;
Crockett made the <a href="https://x.com/NickFondacaro/status/2008587925471023456">comments</a> during a Tuesday appearance on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;The View,&#8221; where she claimed that the Trump administration&#8217;s move to arrest and extradite Maduro had been &#8220;illegal&#8221; and claimed the president did not care about what happened to the Venezuelan people.
&#8220;When he went in to get Maduro, he killed even more Venezuelans – this ain&#8217;t about Venezuelans! I get that there are people that don&#8217;t like the leader. But guess what, there are a lot of people that don&#8217;t like our leader! And — and — regardless, somebody coming into the United States and grabbing our leader in the middle of the night and killing people in this country, I&#8217;m sure everybody would be outraged at them doing it that way.&#8221;
&#8220;But nobody stops [Trump],&#8221; Joy Behar complained.
&#8220;I&#8217;m trying, Joy,&#8221; Crockett said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Crockett doubles down and says Trump wants to be the Maduro of the United States: 
&#8220;Everyone wants to talk about how Maduro was illegitimate. As we sit here on January 6th, I do want to be clear, somebody else was trying to be a Maduro of the United States. Somebody else wanted to… <a href="https://t.co/zQHjBICTkg">pic.twitter.com/zQHjBICTkg</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/2008588619074658433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I do want to just say this,&#8221; Crockett continued. &#8220;Everyone wants to talk about how Maduro was illegitimate. As we sit here on January 6th, I do want to be clear, somebody else was trying to be a Maduro of the United States. Somebody else wanted to do the exact same thing. The difference is Maduro was successful.&#8221;
Crockett then claimed that Trump&#8217;s support of redistricting in states like Texas — where duly-elected representatives of the people had voted to adopt new maps — was concrete proof that the president &#8220;doesn&#8217;t believe in free and fair elections.&#8221;

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Texas’ 30th District: An Intimate Brunch

Jasmine Crockett Believes Donald Trump Is America’s Maduro

Jasmine Crockett Thinks Donald Trump Is America's Maduro

Jasmine Crockett

Texas

Vice President JD Vance said during a Tuesday interview that President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration was pulling out all the stops to reshape the American economy after &#8220;40 years of bad policy.&#8221;
Vance spoke with Salem radio host and CNN commentator Scott Jennings, and said that while former President Joe Biden had certainly dealt a devastating blow, he wasn&#8217;t entirely responsible for the longer-term bad policies that had kept the economy from surging forward.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: The economy wasn&#8217;t just wrecked under Biden, it was wrecked by 40 years of bad policy. If we rely on our OWN workers and ingenuity to make our stuff, we&#8217;re more prosperous, more free, much wealthier — and that&#8217;s exactly what <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>&#8216;s economic policies are leading us to. <a href="https://t.co/59IzFELIV9">pic.twitter.com/59IzFELIV9</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008611951820345733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The economy, in some ways, wasn&#8217;t just wrecked under the Biden administration; it was wrecked by 40 years of bad economic policy,&#8221; Vance explained. We shipped way too many jobs to China and other countries all over the world, we became less reliant on ourselves and more reliant on foreign countries, and undoing that takes time.&#8221;
Vance touted the progress made in just a year since President Trump was sworn in to begin his second term, adding, &#8220;If we rely on our own workers and ingenuity to make our stuff, we&#8217;re more prosperous, we&#8217;re more free, we&#8217;re much wealthier as a country, and that&#8217;s exactly what the president&#8217;s economic policies are leading us to.&#8221;
The vice president went on to address several specific issues that had been driving up costs in the United States, beginning with illegal immigration.
&#8220;It is not a coincidence that during the worst open border we have ever had under Joe Biden, the cost of an American home doubled,&#8221; Vance said, adding, &#8220;Now that we&#8217;re getting those illegal immigrants out, you see rents have come down for 4 straight months. We want them to keep coming down.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: It is not a coincidence that during the worst open border we have ever had under Joe Biden, the cost of an American home doubled&#8230; now that we&#8217;re getting those illegal immigrants out, you see rents have come down 4 straight months. We want them to keep coming down. <a href="https://t.co/WT38Sv2J3x">pic.twitter.com/WT38Sv2J3x</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008614378611110059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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He also addressed the astronomical — and still increasing — health insurance premiums, driven by the unsustainable costs of Obamacare, and said that President Trump had plans to move on that as well.
&#8220;The president is sick of Obamacare and how unaffordable it&#8217;s made American healthcare, we actually met about this yesterday,&#8221; Vance said, adding that other priorities include reducing the cost of housing for American families.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> on Trump admin priorities in 2026: &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is sick of Obamacare and how unaffordable it&#8217;s made American healthcare&#8230; We&#8217;re very focused on some housing legislation&#8230; We really do need to make it harder for foreign countries to take advantage of the American economy.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/hYUqRIOgaQ">pic.twitter.com/hYUqRIOgaQ</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008615249667412241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We really do need to make it harder for foreign countries to take advantage of the American economy,&#8221; he concluded.

US President Donald Trump, alongside Vice President JD Vance

Vance Lays Out How Trump Plans To Fix The Economy After ’40 Years Of Bad Policy’

'40 Years Of Bad Policy': Vance Lays Out How Trump Admin Plans To Fix The Economy

Affordable

Economy

JD Vance

Joe Biden

No matter who controls Venezuela when all is said and done, Vice President JD Vance said that they will have no choice but to &#8220;play ball with the United States&#8221; moving forward.
Vance told Salem radio host Scott Jennings that President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration certainly wanted to see the Venezuelan people do well — but that it was far more important for the American people to do well and face no imminent threat from an adversarial neighbor.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> on Venezuela: &#8220;Whoever the leader of that country is, is going to have to play ball with the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a very important operation. It was carried out flawlessly&#8230; I think it will create great benefits for the American people.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/l8qLZnOd05">pic.twitter.com/l8qLZnOd05</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008616131368808482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We want what&#8217;s best for the Venezuelan people,&#8221; he explained, &#8220;But more importantly than that by a factor of a hundred, we want what&#8217;s best for the American people — and whoever the leader of that country is, is going to have to play ball with the United States. That is the whole problem that we&#8217;ve had in that region of the world.&#8221;
Vance explained that a &#8220;whole host of American competitors&#8221; had been invited in to do business and set up shop in Venezuela, bringing additional threats to the United States into the western hemisphere and posing a very real danger to American national security.
&#8220;They&#8217;ve used their own energy money to fund this terrible narco-terrorism against the United States of America,&#8221; Vance continued. &#8220;What the president did — and really, the entire team made possible — is to cut off that flow of energy money to narco-terrorists, to then of course cut off the amount of narco-terrorism being imported into the United States of America. I think it&#8217;s going to save lives, it&#8217;s going to mean cheaper gas and energy prices for Americans, and maybe most importantly, it&#8217;s going to mean that we have more control over the energy resources that exist in the world.&#8221;
With regard to the Saturday mission to capture Maduro, Vance said that he&#8217;d initially been skeptical that such a precision operation could be carried out — but was happy to have been proven wrong: &#8220;It was a very important operation. It was carried out flawlessly &#8230; I think it will create great benefits for the American people.&#8221;

Vice President JD Vance Hosts The Charlie Kirk Show In Tribute To Kirk

Vance: Venezuela Will Have To ‘Play Ball With The United States,’ No Matter Who’s In Charge

Vance: Venezuela Will Have To 'Play Ball With The United States,' No Matter Who's In Charge

Vice President JD Vance responded on Tuesday to the news that someone had attempted to break into his Ohio home, referring to the suspect as &#8220;a very sick individual.&#8221;
William D. DeFoor, 26, was arrested after Secret Service agents caught him breaking windows in Vance&#8217;s Cincinnati home, and now faces both federal and local vandalism charges. Vance, who had left the home with his family prior to the attack, addressed the issue during an interview with CNN commentator and Salem radio host Scott Jennings, who asked him how the family was handling the situation.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> addresses the attack on his home in Ohio: &#8220;Our family&#8217;s doing fine&#8230; I guess this person assumed we were there and tried to make an attack&#8230; Clearly a very sick individual. The good thing is, my kids are young enough, they have no idea what&#8217;s going on.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Ri9wKLsrs1">pic.twitter.com/Ri9wKLsrs1</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2008609939875615093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Our family&#8217;s doing fine. Thanks for asking,&#8221; Vance said when Jennings asked. &#8220;You know, we had left Cincinnati a few hours before the attack, and whenever we&#8217;re in town, it&#8217;s obviously a well-known thing because there are barricades everywhere, the security presence goes up on our street, and so I guess this person probably assumed we were still there and decided to make an attack.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if they were trying to break in, that&#8217;s my intuition just because they went and hammered the windows,&#8221; Vance continued. &#8220;But of course, we have stronger windows than most because I&#8217;m a protectee of the Secret Service, and so eventually realized they weren&#8217;t getting anywhere, ran off, and were captured.&#8221;
Vance said that he was unsure of the motive and wasn&#8217;t trying to second guess any ongoing investigations, but did assert that the person responsible for the attack was &#8220;clearly a very sick individual. The good thing is, my kids are young enough, they have no idea what&#8217;s going on and they don&#8217;t read the news, so they have no idea that their home was attacked by a crazy person with a hammer &#8230; there are crazy people out there and we&#8217;re thankful for the Secret Service.&#8221;
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/05/us-news/alleged-jd-vance-home-vandal-is-child-of-wealthy-local-doctor-who-recently-changed-name/">DeFoor</a>, the son of a wealthy pediatric urologist, had reportedly been going by the name &#8220;Julia&#8221; on social media in recent weeks — and has a history of both vandalism and mental health issues.

‘A Very Sick Individual’: JD Vance Responds To Attack On His Ohio Home

'A Very Sick Individual': JD Vance Responds To Attack On His Ohio Home

Scott Jennings

Vandalism

Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) has been hospitalized, but is responsive and in stable condition after a &#8220;pretty bad&#8221; car accident. His wife was also injured in the accident.
Baird&#8217;s office provided a <a href="https://baird.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2519">statement</a> on Tuesday declaring that the Indiana Congressman was recovering in the hospital after his &#8220;vehicle was struck&#8221; in an accident:
<blockquote>Congressman Baird is in the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, and he is extraordinarily grateful for everyone’s prayers during this time. Congressman Baird looks forward to continuing his work on behalf of Hoosiers. The Office of Congressman Baird will continue to provide services and support for those who need it. Congressman Baird and his office remain steadfast in their commitment to serving constituents and focused on advocating for Hoosiers at the highest levels of government.</blockquote>
Baird, 80, is a Vietnam veteran (U.S. Army) and a veterinarian who has represented Indiana&#8217;s 4th Congressional District since 2019. He voiced his support for President Donald Trump&#8217;s weekend move to capture and extradite Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
&#8220;We are fortunate to have a president willing to follow through on protecting American lives. Decisive leadership as commander in chief matters, and it gives our men and women in uniform the confidence they need to carry out difficult missions against those who threaten our country,&#8221; he said in an <a href="https://x.com/RepJimBaird/status/2007539553083478313">X post</a> on Saturday.
Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) responded to the accident in a post on X, saying, &#8220;Maureen and I are grateful to hear that Congressman Jim Baird and his wife are safe and in good spirits following last night’s accident. We continue to pray for their family and wish the Bairds a smooth and speedy recovery.&#8221;
President Donald Trump addressed the news during remarks to Republican members of Congress at the newly-renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, saying, &#8220;I also want to send our best wishes to Congressman Jim Baird and his wife, who were recovering from a car accident. They’re going to be okay, but they had a pretty bad accident and we’re praying that they get out of that hospital very quickly.&#8221;
During the same remarks, the president also offered his thoughts on the passing of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), who died on Monday at the age of 65.
With LaMalfa&#8217;s passing and Baird&#8217;s hospitalization — along with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8217;s resignation — the already-slim Republican majority in the U.S. House has dwindled to 218-213.

Agriculture Secretary Rollins Holds Make America Healthy Again Event With HHS Secretary Kennedy

GOP Rep. Jim Baird Hospitalized But ‘Responsive’ After Car Accident

GOP Rep. Jim Baird Hospitalized But 'Responsive' After Car Accident

Congress

House Republicans

Indiana

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Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) died on Monday, GOP leadership in the House confirmed a day later. He was 65 years old.
&#8220;House Republicans mourn the loss of Congressman Doug LaMalfa. A lifelong resident of Northern California and a fourth-generation rice farmer, Congressman LaMalfa spent more than two decades in public service. He proudly represented California’s 1st Congressional District from 2013 to 2026, serving as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. Please join us in praying for Congressman LaMalfa’s wife, kids, and staff.
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House Republicans mourn the loss of Congressman Doug LaMalfa.
A lifelong resident of Northern California and a fourth-generation rice farmer, Congressman LaMalfa spent more than two decades in public service. He proudly represented California’s 1st Congressional District from… <a href="https://t.co/nTFSiEXUlE">pic.twitter.com/nTFSiEXUlE</a>
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/2008548224055828761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Longtime friend and colleague Tom Emmer (R-MN) posted a <a href="https://x.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/2008545427080311026?s=20">statement</a> on X confirming the news, saying, &#8220;Jacquie and I are devastated about the sudden loss of our friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Doug was a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America. Our prayers are with Doug’s wife, Jill, and their children.&#8221;
President Donald Trump shared his reaction to the loss of the California congressman as well, adding, &#8220;I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member — a great, great, great member — Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who passed away yesterday as you probably have heard. He was the leader of the Western Caucus, a fierce champion on California water issues, he was great on water — he wanted — release the water, he&#8217;d scream — and a true defender of American children, he was a defender of everybody.&#8221;
&#8220;Our hearts go out to his wife, Jill and his entire family,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;I was really saddened by his passing, and was thinking about not even doing this speech in his honor, but then I decided that I have to do it in his honor because he would have wanted it that way. He would have said, &#8216;Do that speech, are you kidding? Do the speech.'&#8221;
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&#8220;I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member — a great, great, great member — Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who passed away yesterday&#8230; our hearts go out to his wife, Jill and his entire family.&#8221; 🇺🇸❤️<a href="https://t.co/tySLWmchjV">pic.twitter.com/tySLWmchjV</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2008560308470903106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also posted a lengthy statement to X, remembering his colleague and friend — and former roommate.
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I am profoundly heartbroken to hear of the passing of my close friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Before serving together in Congress, we weren’t just colleagues in the California State Legislature, we were roommates.
Doug was first and foremost a devoted husband and father,… <a href="https://t.co/haAPzKRWZS">pic.twitter.com/haAPzKRWZS</a>
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/2008569839129096404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I am profoundly heartbroken to hear of the passing of my close friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Before serving together in Congress, we weren’t just colleagues in the California State Legislature, we were roommates,&#8221; McCarthy said, sharing photos of the two of them together.
&#8220;Doug was first and foremost a devoted husband and father, inspired by his Christian faith and values to make the lives of others better,&#8221; McCarthy continued. &#8220;Many will remember him as a principled legislator, but he was also a commonsense rice farmer through and through, spending his time in Congress fighting for family farms on agriculture, water, and resource issues, as well as working to eliminate government waste like California’s high-speed rail.&#8221;
&#8220;Always thoughtful and affable, Doug was the unanimous choice of his colleagues to lead the Western Caucus in Congress. He will be truly missed. I share my prayers and condolences with Jill, their children, their entire family, and the entire LaMalfa team during this most difficult time,&#8221; he concluded.
No cause of death has yet been reported for the California congressman.

House GOP Capitol Hill Club Jan 22

GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa Dead At 65

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Virginia Kruta