In the grand tradition of &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hakeem-jeffries-debuts-new-trump-nickname-proves-he-learned-nothing-from-cocaine-mitch">Cocaine Mitch</a>&#8221; McConnell (R-KY), &#8220;CNN NewsNight&#8221; host Abby Phillip accidentally gave President Donald Trump a new nickname that, if anything, will only make him sound cooler.
Phillip began a roundtable discussion with a reference to Trump&#8217;s decision to invoke Section 740 of the Home Rule Act and deploy federal resources in Washington, D.C., in an effort to tackle the rampant violent crime that has been plaguing the city and putting residents and visitors at risk.
WATCH:
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CNN&#8217;s Abby Phillip:
&#8220;Donald Trump makes himself Batman and the nation’s capital is Gotham City.&#8221;
That makes President Trump sound SUPER COOL!
Don&#8217;t think that was Abby&#8217;s intention at all. <a href="https://t.co/DeNP1nUVwh">pic.twitter.com/DeNP1nUVwh</a>
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1955088342661382540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Let&#8217;s get right to what America is talking about,&#8221; she began. &#8220;Donald Trump makes himself Batman and the nation’s capital is Gotham City. The President of the United States has declared himself Crime Fighter in Chief, and he&#8217;s taking over Washington&#8217;s police force. It is a move that the D.C. Mayor is calling &#8216;unsettling and unprecedented.'&#8221;
The immediate response from Trump voters was to embrace the nickname, flooding X with memes and comments referring to Trump as Batman.
&#8220;I voted for this,&#8221; one posted with an AI-generated image of Trump as Batman with Vice President JD Vance as Robin.
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I voted for this. <a href="https://t.co/WRMux4ElcV">https://t.co/WRMux4ElcV</a> <a href="https://t.co/nkA1jUNTE1">pic.twitter.com/nkA1jUNTE1</a>
— Burt Macklin (@BurtMaclin_FBI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BurtMaclin_FBI/status/1955263215044067791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I&#8217;m whatever Gotham needs me to be,&#8221; another added, including an image of Trump in the iconic cape and cowl.
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I&#8217;m whatever Gotham needs me to be. <a href="https://t.co/dLq87STYp8">https://t.co/dLq87STYp8</a> <a href="https://t.co/PyWsExDKhC">pic.twitter.com/PyWsExDKhC</a>
— Christian Martinez (@C_RMartinez) <a href="https://twitter.com/C_RMartinez/status/1955091308575355337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We call this stumbling upon truth,&#8221; one quipped in response to Phillip&#8217;s comment.
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We call this stumbling upon truth <a href="https://t.co/DVDeXONGdD">https://t.co/DVDeXONGdD</a>
— Derek. (@SuitablePolitic) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuitablePolitic/status/1955250668693815454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Ya&#8217;ll really trying to make @realDonaldTrump look even more badass aren&#8217;t you?&#8221; another asked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yall really trying to make <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> look even more badass aren&#8217;t you <a href="https://twitter.com/abbydphillip?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abbydphillip</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/zUFO9jYZaA">https://t.co/zUFO9jYZaA</a> <a href="https://t.co/0vHPK70QZo">pic.twitter.com/0vHPK70QZo</a>
— Rollo (@SportsRollo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsRollo/status/1955251801424335072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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And of course, a number pointed out the fact that years ago — when asked by a young boy if he was Batman — Trump said that he was: &#8220;I am Batman!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CNN&#8217;s Abby Phillip: &#8220;Donald Trump makes himself Batman and the nation’s capital is Gotham City.&#8221;
President Trump: &#8220;I am Batman&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/GiwUHsSO8X">https://t.co/GiwUHsSO8X</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfTcPkfGHp">pic.twitter.com/HfTcPkfGHp</a>
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1955222840690569497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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TOPSHOT-LEBANON-ENTERTAINMENT-CINEMA-BATMAN

CNN Slaps Trump With New Nickname, Accidentally Makes Him Sound Cooler

Batman

Crime

Donald Trump

Media

Politics

Superheroes

&#8220;Morning Joe&#8221; host Joe Scarborough admitted that at least one of his &#8220;very liberal&#8221; friends had voiced support for President Donald Trump&#8217;s move to federalize law enforcement in Washington, D.C., saying during Tuesday morning&#8217;s broadcast that his friend was deeply concerned about the rampant crime in the city.
Scarborough read a text sent to him by the friend — whose name he did not reveal — less than 24 hours after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-to-clean-up-d-c-and-democrats-are-mad">Trump announced</a> that he was invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act and declaring a public emergency — a move that allowed him to bring the D.C. Police Department under the control of the Justice Department and DEA Administrator Terry Cole.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Joe Scarborough reads a text from a &#8220;very liberal&#8221; friend who lives in D.C.:
&#8220;I&#8217;m not totally opposed to Trump&#8217;s National Guard move in D.C&#8230; crime remains rampant. I&#8217;ve had too many friends carjacked, shot at. None of us will walk more than 3 blocks after 8 P.M.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/LSPLCJj671">pic.twitter.com/LSPLCJj671</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1955295517941883329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I want to read you a text from a — someone who — I won&#8217;t say their name, but they&#8217;re — we&#8217;ll just say that they&#8217;re very liberal,&#8221; Scarborough began. &#8220;And he says, &#8216;This may sound controversial, but I&#8217;m not totally opposed to Trump&#8217;s National Guard move in D.C. I know he&#8217;s doing it for politics, but crime remains rampant. I&#8217;ve had too many friends carjacked, shot at. None of us will walk more than 3 blocks after 8 p.m. Thirteen-year-olds are committing many of these crimes, quite a change from a decade ago when things were much calmer.'&#8221;
Scarborough, a former Republican Rep. from Florida, went on to contrast his own experience living in Washington, D.C., before the city cracked down on crime.
&#8220;Well, that actually sounds like the D.C. that I lived in when I lived a block behind the Supreme Court,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And, you know, every three days, somebody — one of my neighbors was getting held up at gunpoint. I mean, there has been a crime problem in D.C.&#8221;
Democrats writ large have voiced their opposition to Trump&#8217;s move, claiming that violent crime in the District is at a 30-year low — but as many have pointed out, the data may have been manipulated to downplay the crime rates.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In July 2025, DC police commander suspended for downgrading shootings, stabbings &amp; carjackings to lesser offenses to make crime stats look better.
They’re not fixing crime, they’re cooking the books. <a href="https://t.co/HRc3OQktnS">pic.twitter.com/HRc3OQktnS</a>
— Kylie Jane Kremer (@KylieJaneKremer) <a href="https://twitter.com/KylieJaneKremer/status/1954937308286943547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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MSNBC TV Hosts Joe Scarborough And Mika Brzezinski Interviewed By Philanthropist And Financier David Rubenstein In DC

‘Morning Joe’ Host Says ‘Very Liberal’ Friend Secretly Supports Trump’s D.C. Crackdown

'Morning Joe' Host Says 'Very Liberal' Friend Secretly Supports Trump's D.C. Crackdown

Joe Scarborough

Morning Joe

Police

Washington D.C.

The internet exploded with viral complaints about American Eagle&#8217;s latest ad campaign — featuring actress Sydney Sweeney — but the poll numbers suggest that the outrage was driven by a very small number of people whose influence is largely limited to cyberspace.
The ad campaign featured <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dunkin-donuts-hitches-ad-wagon-to-sydney-sweeney-and-the-left-melts-down">Sweeney</a> in a number of still photos and videos, wearing American Eagle jeans in several different styles. The tag-line was simple: &#8220;Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.&#8221; But critics harped on the obvious play on words and claimed that because Sweeney is white and has blonde hair and blue eyes, the ad was a Nazi-esque dogwhistle suggesting that her &#8220;genes&#8221; were superior.
Indeed, a poll from The Economist/YouGov indicated that overall, only about 12% of respondents believed the ad campaign was offensive, while the vast majority either found it clever (39%) or had no strong opinion (40%).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
YouGov has Sweeney data &#8211; 12% of Americans find it offensive.
The gender gap is bigger than the political gap on whether the ad is “offensive” (7% of men, 17% of women)
Men are also more likely to find the ad “clever” (49% of men, 31% of women). <a href="https://t.co/SMQGsWM66S">pic.twitter.com/SMQGsWM66S</a>
— Will Jordan (@williamjordann) <a href="https://twitter.com/williamjordann/status/1955261317167608037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Democrats (18%) were more likely than Republicans (7%) or independents (13%) to find the ads &#8220;offensive,&#8221; But even among Democrats, more found it &#8220;clever&#8221; (22%) than &#8220;offensive.&#8221; Far more independents (38%) and Republicans (57%) said that they&#8217;d found the ad to be &#8220;clever.&#8221;
The gender gap was also pronounced, with 17% of women saying that the ads were &#8220;offensive&#8221; compared to only 7% of men who said the same. On the opposite side, nearly one third of the women polled (31%) said the ads were &#8220;clever&#8221; compared to nearly half of the men (49%).
By race, black Americans were more likely to find the ads &#8220;offensive,&#8221; but only slightly. According to the data, 16% of black Americans found it so, compared to 12% of white Americans and only 7% of Hispanic Americans. Across all three demographics, more found the ads to be &#8220;clever&#8221;: 21% of black Americans; 43% of white Americans; and 40% of Hispanic Americans.
The poll was conducted between from August 9-11, and posed the questions to 1,635 adults in the United States

US-ENTERTAINMENT-MEDIA-MUSIC-FESTIVAL-SXSW

By The Numbers: Only 12% Found Sydney Sweeney Ad ‘Offensive,’ But Democrats Didn’t Get The Joke

By The Numbers: Only 12% Found Sydney Sweeney Ad 'Offensive,' But Democrats Didn't Get The Joke 

advertising

Generation Z

Genes

Sydney Sweeney

CNN&#8217;s chief data analyst said on Monday that the numbers don&#8217;t lie: the Democrat and media driven pressure campaign to use the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein&#8217;s case as a weapon against President Donald Trump is falling flat.
Harry Enten broke down the polling during a segment with anchor Kate Bolduan, telling her that persistent efforts to tie Trump to his administration&#8217;s handling of case had failed to do any real damage. &#8220;This is, from at least a political point of view, quickly turning into a dud of a story,&#8221; he said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Epstein saga is becoming a political dud &amp; nothingburger.
-Google searches for Epstein are down 89% from just 3 weeks ago. 
-Trump&#8217;s approval rating is holding steady &amp; much higher than term 1 at this point in his presidency 
-Less than 1% say it&#8217;s the nation&#8217;s top issue <a href="https://t.co/rnp2M8qzdf">pic.twitter.com/rnp2M8qzdf</a>
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForecasterEnten/status/1954908048184459444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Take a look here, Google searches for Epstein down 89% versus just three weeks ago, falling through the floor! It is no longer the top term searched alongside Donald Trump’s name,&#8221; Enten explained. &#8220;That’s been trading off between tariffs and Vladimir Putin with obviously the meeting coming up later this week. But at this particular point, the American people’s interest in this story, it’s quickly becoming something of a nothingburger.&#8221;
Bolduan pressed him on overall polling, asking whether there was any indication that support for Trump was waning in reaction to his administration&#8217;s handling of the case and the related files that have not yet been released.
&#8220;No, not really,&#8221; Enten replied. &#8220;I mean, take a look here. Let’s take a look at the overall numbers. Trump’s approval rating in July of 2025, it was 45%. It’s still well within that margin of error here at 44%. And you compare that to where he was in his first term at this point, he was at 37%. So he’s seven points higher, very much in a different political universe now, significantly higher in terms of his overall approval rating than he was at this point in his first term.&#8221;
&#8220;And more than that, among Republicans, his approval rating is near a record high, hovering right at about that 90% mark,&#8221; Enten added. &#8220;So no, he hasn’t lost any of that base. And when it comes to that center of the electorate, he’s basically holding on there. And his overall approval rating, 44%, is pretty gosh darn good for him, considering where he was at this point in term number one.&#8221;

President Trump Hosts Phillipines President Marcos At The White House

‘A Nothingburger!’: CNN Data Whiz Tells Dems Their Epstein Gamble Was A ‘Total Dud’

'A Nothingburger!': CNN Data Whiz Tells Dems Their Epstein Gamble Was A 'Total Dud'

Democrats

Harry Enten

Jeffrey Epstein

Polls

Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the media on Thursday over its coverage of the war in Gaza, and explained how some of America&#8217;s allies are making peace &#8220;harder to achieve&#8221; by effectively ignoring the threat of <a href="https://www.dni.gov/nctc/groups/hamas.html">Hamas</a>.
&#8220;The World Over&#8221; host Raymond Arroyo asked Rubio during a lengthy interview about his thoughts on Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu likely wanting to &#8220;occupy Gaza&#8221; — a plan Netanyahu recently <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-says-israel-not-looking-to-occupy-gaza-but-to-free-it-from-hamas/">denied</a>.
&#8220;It looks like Benjamin Netanyahu wants to occupy Gaza,&#8221; Arroyo said. &#8220;Is occupation of Gaza the right way to go right now? And what about the humanitarian crisis?&#8221;
&#8220;Ultimately, what Israel needs to do for Israel&#8217;s security will be determined by Israel,&#8221; Rubio responded. &#8220;I can tell you the way to break this out is there are three problems there at the same time.&#8221;
&#8220;Number one is the one that&#8217;s getting almost all the media coverage,&#8221; the Secretary of State continued. &#8220;This is the humanitarian problem that we&#8217;re seeing — no one wants to see that. And the United States stands prepared to contribute towards any real effort that will actually get food and medicine and life-sustaining aid to people on the ground in Gaza.&#8221;
The second, Rubio said, is the remaining Israeli hostages, who are getting very little coverage from the press.
&#8220;The second is that there are 20 innocent people being held hostage and starved inside of tunnels,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Unfortunately, there aren&#8217;t daily cameras down there covering that. So, you don&#8217;t see the mainstream media covering it. But there are 20 people that have done nothing wrong that are being held as hostage — and we saw the conditions that they&#8217;re living in the other day.&#8221;
As for the third issue, Rubio underscored the threat of Hamas.
&#8220;As long as Hamas exists, particularly exists as an armed organization, there will never be peace in Gaza,&#8221; he told Arroyo. &#8220;Hamas is not going to suddenly change and go into another line of work, their line of work, their reason for existing, is they want to destroy Israel. They want to drive every Jew out of the Middle East. That&#8217;s their goal. And as long as a group like that has weapons and the ability to fight, they&#8217;re a threat to peace.&#8221;
&#8220;We have to deal with all three of those elements, not just the humanitarian,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;That&#8217;s important, but the other two have to be dealt with as well. Not enough time, not enough attention is being paid to those two, [so] Hamas thinks they&#8217;re winning the global PR war. They&#8217;re not willing to make any concessions.&#8221;
Arroyo seemed to agree with Rubio, noting that some of America&#8217;s allies are preparing to recognize a Palestinian state. Rubio said gestures like that, which effectively ignore Hamas, hurt the likelihood of peace.
&#8220;Well, have you noticed the talks with Hamas fell apart on the day [French President Emmanuel] Macron made the unilateral decision that he&#8217;s going to recognize a Palestinian state? And then you have other people come forward, other countries say, &#8216;Well, if there&#8217;s not a ceasefire by September, we&#8217;re going to recognize a Palestinian state.'&#8221;
&#8220;Well, if I&#8217;m Hamas, I basically conclude, let&#8217;s not do a ceasefire, right? We can be rewarded and we can claim it as a victory,&#8221; Rubio explained. &#8220;So those messages, while largely symbolic in their minds, actually have made it harder to get peace and harder to achieve a deal with Hamas. They feel emboldened.&#8221;
Arroyo noted the Arab League pushing for the removal of Hamas. &#8220;I mean, clearly the Arab League says you got to get Hamas out of there,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They need to drop arms and move on.&#8221;
Rubio further said that recognizing a Palestinian state would be a reward for Hamas.
&#8220;They can&#8217;t define the borders or who&#8217;s going to run it,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;I mean, you can&#8217;t have a state or even an autonomous region unless you can identify who&#8217;s going to run it. And if it&#8217;s going to be run by Hamas, you&#8217;re going to be right back into war.&#8221;
&#8220;I think what&#8217;s important to remember here is that they&#8217;ve had opportunities to do this,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;You know, Israel turned over Gaza, turned it over completely with greenhouses and all kinds of things. And they elected Hamas. Hamas destroyed it, destroyed it all, took it, built tunnels instead of hospitals. That&#8217;s what they do.&#8221;
&#8220;At the end of the day, my problem with it is that I believe that these unilateral steps that have been taken by these governments — I know, has emboldened Hamas and made it harder to achieve peace.&#8221;
The interview with Rubio can be <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXvpcKjjRmk&amp;t=802s">accessed here</a> (relevant comments begin around the nine-minute mark).

President Trump Hosts Philippines President Marcos At White House

Rubio Hits Media Over Gaza Narrative, Says Some Allies Making It Harder To Achieve Peace

Gaza

Marco Rubio

As President Donald Trump gears up to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, all eyes — and ears — are on him and everything he says in the days leading up to the summit.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Trump&#8217;s meeting with Putin is drawing attention for a number of reasons — not the least of which being the it could put an end to more than three years of brutality and bloodshed in Ukraine — but not everyone lining up to discuss the very important summit on the Sunday morning political shows appeared to have any faith or interest in it going well.
&#8220;We know that President Trump has wanted to meet with Vladimir Putin for a long time. He likes that one-on-one,&#8221; Martha Raddatz gave her take on the situation on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“We know that President Trump has wanted to meet with Vladimir Putin for a long time. He likes that one-on-one,” <a href="https://twitter.com/MarthaRaddatz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarthaRaddatz</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/jonkarl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonKarl</a> ahead of Trump’s upcoming meeting with the Russian president on Friday. <a href="https://t.co/muTVAKm2fT">https://t.co/muTVAKm2fT</a> <a href="https://t.co/uNJFlhMhKu">pic.twitter.com/uNJFlhMhKu</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1954534969646178757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte seemed to be optimistic about the meeting — and told host Jonathan Karl as much. The meeting, he said, &#8220;will be important because it will be about testing Putin, how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Friday’s summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin “will be important because it will be about testing Putin, how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end.” <a href="https://t.co/hRb4oV0Vss">https://t.co/hRb4oV0Vss</a> <a href="https://t.co/3o44OuTNRm">pic.twitter.com/3o44OuTNRm</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1954535625689874864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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He added that he had seen &#8220;clear evidence that President Trump is absolutely adamant to bring this war to an end, but also to keep maximum pressure on Putin.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ahead of the Trump-Putin summit on Friday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told <a href="https://twitter.com/jonkarl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonKarl</a> that there is “clear evidence that President Trump is absolutely adamant to bring this war to an end, but also to keep maximum pressure on Putin.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/jMxgEsJfRE">https://t.co/jMxgEsJfRE</a> <a href="https://t.co/59WBWfZL2Z">pic.twitter.com/59WBWfZL2Z</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1954542232956023006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rutte also pushed back on &#8220;Face the Nation&#8221; host Margaret Brennan — who compared the Trump-Putin summit to the appeasement of Nazi Germany in 1938 — and argued that it was good for Trump to have brought Putin to the negotiating table.
&#8220;Obviously, when it comes to peace talks, the ceasefire, and what happens after that on territories, on security guarantees for Ukraine, Ukraine will have to be and will be involved,” Rutte said. “But on Friday, it is important to see how serious Putin is, and the only one who can do that is President Trump.”
“It&#8217;s really crucial that a meeting takes place,” he continued. “It is important to start the next phase of this process, putting pressure on the Russians exactly as President Trump has been doing over the last six months.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says President Trump “will test&#8221; Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Alaska this Friday.
&#8220;It is important to see how serious Putin is, and the only one who can do that is President Trump,&#8221; he says, though he adds that &#8220;there… <a href="https://t.co/V4q1B7VgJE">pic.twitter.com/V4q1B7VgJE</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1954579621959323997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former National Security Advisor John Bolton cast doubt on the event, saying, &#8220;I think this is a very risky meeting upcoming from the perspective not just of Ukraine, but the Western alliance.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“I think this is a very risky meeting upcoming from the perspective not just of Ukraine, but the Western alliance,” former Trump national security adviser John Bolton said ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. <a href="https://t.co/uYPr7zNoD1">https://t.co/uYPr7zNoD1</a> <a href="https://t.co/1p7hOorR3N">pic.twitter.com/1p7hOorR3N</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1954544715346366910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Bolton went on to claim that Trump was more interested in the possibility of recognition than he was in doing what was right to secure lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine. &#8220;I think what Trump has done is make it clear that he wants a Nobel Peace Prize more than anything else,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“I think what Trump has done is make it clear that he wants a Nobel Peace Prize more than anything else,&#8221; Pres. Trump&#8217;s former national security adviser John Bolton told <a href="https://twitter.com/jonkarl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonKarl</a> when asked about Trump&#8217;s international record. <a href="https://t.co/ai4XPqIlro">https://t.co/ai4XPqIlro</a> <a href="https://t.co/cHPbJYZ68B">pic.twitter.com/cHPbJYZ68B</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1954546302089367579?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce made it sound like the meeting was proof of Trump&#8217;s willingness to give Putin the upper hand in negotiations.
&#8220;The Alaska summit — which will be Putin’s first trip to the United States in nearly a decade and his first meeting with an American president in more than four years — allows Putin to avoid the new sanctions,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“The Alaska summit — which will be Putin’s first trip to the United States in nearly a decade and his first meeting with an American president in more than four years — allows Putin to avoid the new sanctions.” <a href="https://twitter.com/marykbruce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaryKBruce</a> on the Trump-Putin meeting: <a href="https://t.co/lSWoYe1z1f">https://t.co/lSWoYe1z1f</a> <a href="https://t.co/EQuzAxsxpt">pic.twitter.com/EQuzAxsxpt</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1954549374920397274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) tried to stay neutral on the issue, telling CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash on &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; &#8220;Vladimir Putin is a really awful guy… If in fact an agreement can be negotiated which does not compromise what the Ukrainians feel that they need, I think that&#8217;s a positive step forward. We all want to see an end to the bloodshed.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSanders</a> responds to Trump’s upcoming summit with Putin: “Vladimir Putin is a really awful guy… If in fact an agreement can be negotiated which does not compromise what the Ukrainians feel that they need, I think that&#8217;s a positive step forward. We all want to see an end to… <a href="https://t.co/Ts0C6OIwuH">pic.twitter.com/Ts0C6OIwuH</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1954536672835539015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova told Brennan that she believed Trump would negotiate with Putin &#8220;from the position of strength,&#8221; arguing that he had already sanctioned India and had threatened additional sanctions on Russia.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
When asked whether it is a concern Russian President Putin will “talk his way into further land seizures” while negotiating for an end to the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova says she is “confident” the U.S. will negotiate with Putin “from the… <a href="https://t.co/raWqVksdP4">pic.twitter.com/raWqVksdP4</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1954570972138287598?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-sets-condition-for-putin-to-meet-trump">Trump and Putin</a> are set to meet in Alaska on Friday.

Donald Trump/Vladimir Putin

Spin Cycle: Russia, Russia, And You Guessed It — More Russia

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) turned out a scathing critique of former Vice President Kamala Harris and her 2024 presidential bid, saying that she&#8217;d relied too much on the counsel of billionaires who had steered her away from speaking on behalf of American workers.
Sanders spoke with CNN anchor Dana Bash on Sunday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;State of the Union,&#8221; and she asked him to address a comment he&#8217;d made about Harris at a recent rally in West Virginia.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“How do you run for president and not develop a strong agenda which speaks to the economic crisis facing working families?”<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSanders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSanders</a> says that one reason Kamala Harris lost in 2024 was because “she had too many billionaires telling her not to speak up for the working class.” <a href="https://t.co/QRnwxO8znQ">pic.twitter.com/QRnwxO8znQ</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1954533959892631883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bash began with a clip of from the rally, in which Sanders told the audience, &#8220;One of the reasons, in my view, that Kamala Harris lost this election is she had too many billionaires telling her not to speak up for the working-class of this country.&#8221;
&#8220;Ouch,&#8221; Bash reacted before she asked Sanders to clarify.
&#8220;Well, no, I think, I mean, I don’t think that that’s — I like her, she’s a friend of mine, but her core consultants, you know, were heavily influenced by very wealthy people,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;How do you run for president and not develop a strong agenda which speaks to the economic crises facing working families? You know, more income and wealth inequality today than we’ve ever had. You have 60% of our people living paycheck to paycheck. You’ve got a health care system which is broken and dysfunctional, and despite spending so much, we’re the only major country not to guarantee health care to all people. How do you not talk about these issues?&#8221;
&#8220;She talked about affordability —&#8221; Bash prompted.
Sanders objected: &#8220;Well, but in a vague — I don’t want to rehash that campaign, but I think the clue to Democratic victories is to understand that you’ve got to stand unequivocally with the working class of this country. You need an agenda that speaks to the needs of working people.&#8221;
Just two months before the election, Sanders sang a different tune. He claimed then that Harris was being &#8220;pragmatic&#8221; in hiding her own Marxist tendencies so that she could win the election.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨QUIET PART OUT LOUD🚨
Welker: &#8220;Do you think Kamala is abandoning her progressive ideals?&#8221;
Bernie: &#8220;I think she is trying to be pragmatic and do what she thinks is right in order to win the election.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/qtwmgui7vd">pic.twitter.com/qtwmgui7vd</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1832777676811034816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

US-VOTE-2020-DEMOCRATS-DEBATE

Bernie Turns On Kamala In Scathing Critique Of 2024 Bid

Bernie Sanders

Dana Bash

Kamala Harris

Comedian and HBO host Bill Maher demanded answers when he discovered that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and garnered a sizable chunk of the party&#8217;s support — was getting no love from black voters.
Maher discussed the <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5430756-buttigieg-black-voter-challenge/">phenomenon</a> with guests Dr. Phil McGraw and Stephen A. Smith during his Friday night panel discussion, and it was Smith who finally gave him an answer: &#8220;[Buttigieg] doesn&#8217;t move us.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Bill Maher stuns Stephen A. Smith after explaining why Pete Buttigieg would get 0% of the black vote<a href="https://t.co/jR2VfXel4e">pic.twitter.com/jR2VfXel4e</a>
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefiantLs/status/1954064028826784061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Democratic primary voters, 16% would support Buttigieg,&#8221; Maher read from his show notes. &#8220;That&#8217;s the highest of any candidate. Pete Buttigieg.&#8221;
Smith&#8217;s response to that was immediate: &#8220;I don&#8217;t believe it. I think that&#8217;s just a poll number. I can&#8217;t see that happening.&#8221;
Maher went on to qualify his initial statement, noting that there was some disparity in that support.
&#8220;Okay, but wait. 16%. Black voters? Zero,&#8221; Maher clarified. &#8220;Zero. You don&#8217;t usually see zero. Anywhere. Zero&#8217;s low.&#8221;
&#8220;For who?&#8221; Smith quipped.
&#8220;For Buttigieg,&#8221; Maher said. &#8220;Okay, explain that. I mean — why do black voters have this — I mean, he&#8217;s a nice guy &#8230;&#8221;
&#8220;Yeah, he&#8217;s under indexing a little bit with black voters,&#8221; McGraw added with a laugh.
&#8220;A little? What is that all about.&#8221; Maher asked again.
&#8220;He doesn&#8217;t move us,&#8221; Smith replied, prompting laughs from Maher and the audience. &#8220;I respect the man. I&#8217;ve interviewed him before. Very nice man, highly intelligent. But you gotta be able to move us, bro. He doesn&#8217;t move us.&#8221;
The audience kept laughing as he added, &#8220;You can speculate as to why that is, I&#8217;m not going there. He doesn&#8217;t move us.&#8221;
Comments from popular radio host Charlamagne tha God appear to back up Smith&#8217;s assertions, as he complained in 2024 that the Democratic Party had no viable prospects ahead of 2028.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: Charlamagne and Andrew Schulz say Dems got NOBODY for 2028🚨
SCHULZ: &#8220;They don’t even have one person to be president.&#8221;
CHARLAMAGNE: &#8220;Not one! &#8230; I saw Bill Maher say that the Democratic ticket, I don’t know if he was being funny &#8230; John Fetterman and Pete Buttigieg.… <a href="https://t.co/ofXLFAg9bH">pic.twitter.com/ofXLFAg9bH</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1898546801457631334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;They don’t even have one person to be president,&#8221; Jason Schulz said.
&#8220;Not one!&#8221; Charlamagne agreed, adding, &#8220;I saw Bill Maher say that the Democratic ticket, I don’t know if he was being funny &#8230; John Fetterman and Pete Buttigieg. That ain’t gon&#8217; do it bruh &#8230; The Democrats are in such shambles.&#8221;

Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Testifies On 2025 Budget In House Hearing

Pete Buttigieg Polls A Literal Zero With Black Voters, And Bill Maher Wants Answers

Bill Maher

Dr. Phil McGraw

Stephen A. Smith

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced CBS News for selectively editing an <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/huckabee-says-if-israel-is-attempting-genocide-they-are-really-really-bad-at-it/">interview</a> with him on its way to savagely attacking Israel.
Huckabee was interviewed by CBS News&#8217; Debora Patta, who has been critical Israel for years, whether <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6be9tHsEpO/">interviewing members</a> of “Breaking the Silence,” an organization that has accused Israel of occupation and apartheid and routinely attacks the Israel Defense Forces, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CBSEveningNews/videos/israeli-soldier-accuses-army-of-using-human-shields/1297754977966525/">interviewing an anonymous Israeli soldier</a> attacking the IDF for supposed crimes it had committed in the war against Hamas.
He released the full transcript of the interview to illustrate how it was chopped up by the network to &#8220;give you a different story&#8221; than what actually took place.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ever wonder how the media edits an interview to give you a different story than the one they had? Here’s <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSNews</a> interview with me yesterday and the unedited full transcript below. Take time and read. You’ll see it ⬇️. <a href="https://t.co/6bubcQogyi">https://t.co/6bubcQogyi</a>
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@USAmbIsrael) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1953777227914453499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Huckabee links to both the aired segment and a <a href="https://il.usembassy.gov/ambassador-huckabees-interview-with-cbs-news/">full transcript of the interview</a> posted on the ambassador&#8217;s website.
The actual interview with Huckabee started with him speaking of the futility of negotiations with Hamas, saying, “I’m not sure there is a way to revive negotiations with people who were so savage that they would rape women in front of their families, burn elderly people in their wheelchairs, in front of family, and do the hideous things that they not only did on October 7, but they continue to do in torturing hostages that have been in these tunnels now for almost 22 months. So, if I believe that there was a way to sit down and reason with people like that. I would love to see it happen, but you have to look at who they are and what they have done, what they’ve done to their own people. How many of their own people they’ve murdered in Gaza and ask yourself, are these people that really want a conclusion? Do they want some level of stability? I see no sign of it.”
Patta asked, “So, the alternative is?”
“I think the alternative is to recognize that they understand one thing: they lose, they have to be defeated. And President Trump has repeatedly said, Hamas has no future in Gaza, and they can’t lead it. I think that’s exactly right. It would be the equivalent of saying, well, the Nazis can stay in Germany after World War II and continue to be a party and maybe have a role in government.”
None of that was aired.
After discussing the possibility of Israel taking control of Gaza, with Huckabee saying, “The United States has respect for the nation that was attacked on October the seventh. We understand that they’re the ones who have to make some of these tough decisions. So it’s not our job to tell them what they should or should not do,” Patta segued to undermining the Israeli war effort, claiming, “I have spoken to many families of the hostages interviewed in countless times, and there is real frustration, though, with Netanyahu and his government, the feeling that they could perhaps be beholden to right wing factions in the Cabinet who don’t want the war to end, who have said that they don’t want the war to end until Hamas is completely defeated.”
Huckabee responded:
<blockquote>
Now some people would want it to end regardless of the outcome, even if Hamas gets to stay, but that’s an outcome that ultimately, Israel has to ask itself, can we live with that? Can the world live with that? Does that not just invite another October 7, which is what Hamas has pledged, promised, guaranteed, they would do again. How many more hostage families will there be in the future? If Hamas gets to stay, they get to chalk this up as a victory.
</blockquote>
Patta then claimed, without providing any documentation or evidence, “You’ve seen the protests, over half of Israelis want the war to end.”
“I think 100% of the Israelis want the war to end. I would venture to say I couldn’t find somebody in this country that wants it to continue. But I don’t think that there is a consensus as to whether or not the war should end with Hamas getting a victory,&#8221; Huckabee fired back. “Do you allow these savages who did what they did and continue to do it? &#8230; October the seventh wasn’t the only time they ever did something that was absolutely a massacre, the number of deaths that they inflicted would have been the equivalent of 40,000 people in America killed on a single day by a terror organization. I can’t even begin to tell you what would be the reaction in the United States. So, from the perspective as an American who’s here watching in the middle of this, I can tell you that Americans, if 40,000 of us, would have been slaughtered, massacred, mutilated in front of our families, I don’t think Americans would say: ‘you know, we just want this to be over. We’re just tired of this.’ If the people who did it were going to claim a victory and put a flag up and say: ‘And we’re going to do it again.”
None of this was aired.
Patta then turned to what appeared to be her real agenda, asking Huckabee if he was “moved” by alleged starvation in Gaza.
“I’m moved when the photos are verified,” Huckabee stated. Then he continued in a section that was not aired: “I mean, we’re all moved when you see someone, especially a child who’s starving. But the New York Times published a picture on the front page of what was purported to be a starving child. Turns out the child had a birth defect and had not been starving. There were other pictures, for example, that were published of starving children in Gaza. Turned out one of them was from Yemen.”
“I think that there are certainly people suffering in Gaza,” Huckabee continued. Then he explained why in another section that was not aired: “Part of the reason is, is because you’ve had pallets and trucks full of food that the UN won’t take in because they say they don’t want military escort from IDF, but they say it’s not safe, and 87% of their own food every time they do take it in gets hijacked and looted. That’s their numbers. Those aren’t mine. I didn’t make that up. That’s what they report. So there’s not been a lack of food or even a lack of attempt. It’s been an inefficient way of getting it in. It’s been a problem because you have a terror organization who is stealing it, looting it, and then turning around and selling it to the people who are hungry. And one thing that’s true certain is that Hamas is not feeding hostages. Where’s the Red Cross? Where’s the Red Crescent? How come they haven’t demanded that the hostages get fed?”
“We spoke to the World Food Program, and they have not been shown any evidence of this at all,” Patta insisted.
“Are you telling me they say that their food has not been looted?” Huckabee asked incredulously.
“No, I’m saying there’s no evidence that it’s been diverted to Hamas. They’re not saying it’s not being looted. What they’re saying…” Patta persisted.
“I am shocked they would say that,” Huckabee responded.
Another section CBS News chose not to air: Huckabee stated, “Hamas made half a billion dollars last year, 500 million U.S. dollars stealing food, selling it on the black market in order to finance their activities. That’s stunning. That’s a real business they have. They put it in warehouses. Yes, there have been some of the just regular population who are looting the trucks. One of the things we heard at GHF (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) feeding sites was people, when they first started coming, they said, well, this is the first time you didn’t have to pay for the food. They were used to having to buy a food from Hamas at prices that Hamas was inflating because they stole something. And then they turned around and sell it.”
“Every single day there are people dying near GHF sites,” Patta said.
Then, this non-aired exchange:
<blockquote>
Patta claiming, ‘They’re being shot, allegedly, according to either countless, and we have interviewed just the other day a private security contractor, not a security contractor, a private civilian contractor who drove the truck and has provided us with new video of constant shooting at these GHF sites, he says, by both Americans and IDF soldiers, live ammunition being used as a form…
“Could you show that video to me, because I have not seen it,” Huckabee answered. “ “No one in the U.S. government has seen it. And frankly, we have no reports. And we get reports every single day from all four feeding sites. When someone says something like that, I say, I don’t believe it, until you show it to me.”
</blockquote>
“We’ve had reports that there have been incidences,” Huckabee says in the video, but then this is elided: “But we’ve also had reports one day that there were 27 people killed at a GHF site. We had the video to show that no one was even injured. Much less killed. But it went all over the world, the New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, CNN all reported it turned out as a total hoax. It’s never happened. Did those media companies come back, some of them with a tiny little correction in the fine print, but the story went out there that 27 people had been murdered at the GHF side. It never happened.”
Patta quoted the virulently anti-Israel <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165552">Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights</a>, of which the notoriously vicious Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese is a member, saying, According to the UN, 1400 people have been killed. Mostly, they say, by IDF gunfire, nearly 900 by GHF sites.”
Another section elided: Huckabee responded, “My gosh &#8230; who would be for people being killed getting aid but here’s what Gazans told me when I was there last week. The people who live in Gaza, the people, the ones who are going to get the food, said that they did not hate the IDF, and they loved the Americans. But they hated Hamas because every single one of them with Hamas had had some family members in their clan who had been murdered by Hamas when they were trying to get food so who’s doing the killing? That’s a good question. You honestly think it’s some U.S. contractors, or it’s the IDF just gunning people down. Or is it Hamas, who have tried to keep people from getting to the feeding sites for a simple reason, because it’s business to them. If they can keep people from getting the free food, then they can sell the food that was supposed to be given to them for free. That’s what no one seems to be wanting to talk about. Why not?”
CBS News aired Patta saying, “Increasingly strong language is being used about Israel’s prosecution of this war, including from Israeli organizations, they’ve been accused of genocide.”
They aired Huckabee responding, “If Israel is attempting genocide, they’re really, really bad at it. They could have had genocide on October the eighth.”
They did not air what followed; Huckabee saying: “They could have dropped a few bombs and have annihilated all Gazans, it’s not that big an area. They certainly had the capacity to do it, and saw that in the 12-day war with Iran. It is the most ridiculous thing in the world to say that Israel is committing genocide. That’s absurd. On its face. It’s absurd.”

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Holds Nomination Hearing For Mike Huckabee To Be Ambassador To Israel

Huckabee Rips CBS News For Selectively Editing His Remarks About Israel To Mislead Audience

Ambassador Huckabee Says CBS News Selectively Edited His Remarks About Israel

CBS News

Hamas

Israel

Media Bias

Mike Huckabee

Poltiics

After he reportedly made the scurrilous claim that first lady Melania Trump had been introduced to her husband, Donald, by the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, her legal team sent Democratic strategist James Carville a message, prompting a public apology.
On the Politics War Room podcast hosted by Carville, in a recent discussion with leftist writer Judd Legum, Carville made the accusation, according to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14980601/melania-trump-james-carville-donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein.html">The Daily Mail</a>. A video from the podcast was released titled “The Epstein Connection: Trump and Melania.”
But after the missive from Melania’s lawyer, Carville issued this statement: “In last week’s podcast episode, we spoke with Judd Legum. After the episode, we received a letter from Melania Trump’s lawyer. He took issue with our title of one of those YouTube videos from that episode and a couple of comments I made about the First Lady.”
“We took a look at what they complained about, and we took down the video and edited out those comments from the episode,” the message continued. “I also take back these statements and apologize.” The video was deleted
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/cNMb5xawxW">pic.twitter.com/cNMb5xawxW</a>
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/MELANIATRUMP/status/1953487584719417361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In late July, The Daily Beast removed an article that contended a modeling agent connected to Epstein introduced the first lady to her husband.
“The article, which detailed claims made by author Michael Wolff on a Daily Beast podcast, was replaced with an editor’s note apologizing ‘for any confusion’ after the first lady’s lawyers contacted the lefty outlet,” The New York Post <a href="applewebdata://99A5E016-B396-48AA-9D31-2AF1EB6DEB04/v">reported</a>.
“She’s introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with. She’s introduced to Trump that way,” Wolff alleged. “Epstein knows her well.”
“After this story was published, The Beast received a letter from First Lady Melania Trump’s attorney challenging the headline and framing of the article. After reviewing the matter, the Beast has taken down the article and apologizes for any confusion or misunderstanding,” he outlet stated.
In her 2024 memoir, Melania stated that she met Trump in September 1998 at a Fashion Week party at the Kit Kat Klub in New York City, writing, “I saw my friend wave at someone behind me. When I turned around, I noticed a man and an attractive blonde woman approaching us,” Melania wrote. “‘Hi. I’m Donald Trump,’ the man said when he reached my table.”

MixCollage-08-Aug-2025-10-19-AM-8220

Melania Trump Puts Dem Strategist In His Place After Scurrilous Epstein Smear

Fake News

James Carville

Melania Trump

President Trump signs executive orders to overhaul 401(k) investing and ban ideological &#8220;de-banking,&#8221; as India&#8217;s Prime Minister defies new U.S. tariffs. Amid a surge in youth crime, President Trump threatens to &#8220;federalize&#8221; Washington, D.C., and take over the city&#8217;s police force. The U.S. divorce rate hits a 50-year low as new research shows a surprising resurgence in family stability, particularly in the black community.
It’s Friday, August 8, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
&nbsp;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump’s Financial Gambit &amp; DC Crime Intervention?" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qbYclo74MqE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&nbsp;
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
&nbsp;
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-financial-gambit-dc-crime-intervention-8-8-25/id1576594336?i=1000721166251" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<h2>Trump Signs Sweeping Banking Orders, Faces Off With India</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-958529" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: President Trump signed two major executive orders on Thursday aimed at reshaping the American financial system by overhauling 401(k) investment rules and banning the practice of ideological “de-banking.”
The first executive order directs the SEC to remove regulations that currently prevent Americans from investing their 401(k) retirement funds in private assets, such as private equity funds, gold, and cryptocurrencies. The White House says Americans should be able to decide for themselves where to put their money, while critics warn of the higher risks associated with such investments. The move is a major win for private equity funds, which have long sought access to the $12 trillion in American 401(k)s.
The second order targets the practice of “de-banking.” It directs federal regulators to remove “reputational risk” as a legitimate reason for denying financial services. The move comes after numerous reports of banks closing the accounts of conservative individuals and non-profits for their political views. The president also ordered the Small Business Administration to ensure those who have been de-banked are reinstated.
Meanwhile, a trade standoff with India is intensifying. After Trump imposed a 50% tariff on the country for continuing to purchase Russian oil, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded defiantly. &#8220;I know I&#8217;ll have to pay a heavy price, but I&#8217;m ready. India is ready,” Modi said Thursday, adding that his country &#8220;will never compromise” on its interests.
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<h2>Trump Threatens Federal Takeover Of D.C. Amid Crime Wave</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-958531" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH2.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Following a surge in violent youth crime in Washington, D.C., President Trump has threatened to “federalize” the nation’s capital and potentially take control of the city&#8217;s police force.
While a complete federal takeover of the city would require an act of Congress, President Trump has the authority to temporarily take over the D.C. police or call in the National Guard, options he confirmed on Thursday he is considering. &#8220;The crime is ridiculous,&#8221; Trump said, adding that he also wants to &#8220;beautify the city&#8221; by cleaning up graffiti and repairing crumbling roads.
The president&#8217;s threat was sparked by a recent attack on a government staffer by a gang of teenagers. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said that such crimes are rampant because violent teens are sent to family court for &#8220;rehabilitation&#8221; instead of being charged as adults. &#8220;I&#8217;m tired of having these kids commit crimes,&#8221; Pirro said, calling for the age of criminal responsibility to be lowered to 14.
Crime statistics show the city&#8217;s justice system is lenient on violent offenders. Between 2018 and 2022, less than 2% of people arrested in D.C. for carrying a pistol without a license were sentenced to prison. The city’s Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, has remained publicly silent on Trump&#8217;s threat, but is reportedly working with the White House to address the crime issue.
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<h2>U.S. Divorce Rate Plummets To 50-Year Low</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-958527" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH3-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.8.25-Fri-SH3.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The U.S. divorce rate has fallen to a 50-year low, and new research from the Institute for Family Studies indicates a surprising trend toward greater family stability, particularly in the black community.
The divorce rate has plummeted by around 40% from its peak in 1980. While the decline is partly due to fewer people getting married, sociologist Brad Wilcox of the Institute for Family Studies says it also reflects a genuine cultural shift. “Divorce is down, single parenthood is coming down, family stability is going up,&#8221; Wilcox told Morning Wire. &#8220;More kids are being raised by their own married, biological parents, and that&#8217;s good news for kids.&#8221;
The most surprising finding, according to Wilcox, is the &#8220;uptick in the share of kids being raised in black married families.&#8221; Over the last decade, there has been a six-percentage-point increase in the share of black children living in married-parent households.
The research also indicates a generational shift in attitudes toward marriage, with Gen Z being more positive about the institution than Millennials and Gen X were. Today, only 20% of 18- to 27-year-olds say marriage is irrelevant, compared to nearly 40% of young adults 20 years ago. Researchers are now watching to see how new technologies, such as AI companions and pornography, may threaten these positive trends in the future.

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Morning Brief: Trump’s Financial EOs, Threatened Federal Takeover Of D.C., Divorce At 50-Year Low

Morning Brief: Trump's Economic EOs, Threatened Federal Takeover Of DC, Divorce Rate At 50-Year Low

Morning Wire

Republican strategist Brad Todd laid out in detail the errors made during the 2020 census that disproportionately hurt Republicans — and helped Democrats.
Todd joined CNN anchor Kate Bolduan on &#8220;CNN News Central&#8221; to discuss the issue on Thursday, and he argued that a number of the U.S. Census Bureau population miscounts had dramatically skewed in favor of Democrats in multiple states across the country.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: GOP Strategist Brad Todd *SCHOOLS* CNN Host Kate Bolduan on how 2020 census &#8220;errors&#8221; hurt red states &#8220;DISPROPORTIONATELY&#8221;🚨
TODD: “In fact, we know the 2020 census — the errors were almost always to the detriment of red states.”
BOLDUAN: “Do we know that?”
TODD: &#8220;We do… <a href="https://t.co/8RxPTy7Fzm">pic.twitter.com/8RxPTy7Fzm</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1953485745848508573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;In fact, we know the 2020 census — the errors were almost always to the detriment of red states,” Todd began, prompting an almost immediate interruption from Bolduan.
&#8220;Do we know that?&#8221; she asked.
&#8220;We do know that. The Census Bureau’s own audit of its work has proven that,&#8221; Todd shot back. &#8220;Blue states like Rhode Island were overcounted. Rhode Island then didn’t lose a seat. Red states like Alabama were undercounted. This is just a fact. It wasn’t all red-blue, but it was disproportionately red-blue.&#8221;
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Post-Enumeration Survey found that of the 14 states that were miscounted, five out of the six undercounted states were red states, and five of the eight over-counted states were blue states, per <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2022/05/19/census-bureau-2020-undercount-overcount-miscount-electoral-college/">The Daily Caller</a> in 2022. Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Utah were reportedly among those that were overcounted. The undercounted states included Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
Todd&#8217;s comments come on the heels of President Donald Trump&#8217;s call for a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-illegal-immigrants-will-not-be-counted-in-the-next-census">new census</a> that will not include illegal immigrants in the final counts. Trump faced a number of legal challenges when he attempted to take similar changes to the census process during his first term as president, but has signaled he plans to try again in the near future.

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