Louisiana Republicans voted to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy on Saturday, rejecting the incumbent who voted to convict President Donald Trump on impeachment charges.
With more than half the vote counted, Cassidy is trailing his conservative primary rivals, Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) and State Treasurer John Fleming. Trump-backed Letlow, buoyed by the president’s endorsement, currently leads the race with 45% of the vote. With no candidate clearing the 50% threshold, Letlow and Fleming will advance to a June 27 runoff. <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2055829975475859625?s=20">Decision Desk HQ called the race 9:56 p.m. ET.</a>
Cassidy’s fall from grace is another sign of Trump’s enduring grip on the Republican base, as the president continues flexing his political clout to target GOP lawmakers he views as disloyal to his agenda.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-slams-disloyal-disaster-bill-cassidy-as-louisiana-voters-head-to-the-polls?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Tim+Rice&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Slams+%E2%80%98Disloyal+Disaster%E2%80%99+Bill+Cassidy+As+Louisiana+Voters+Head+To+The+Polls">took one last shot</a> at Cassidy as Louisiana headed to the polls on Saturday, urging voters to throw their support behind the incumbent Republican’s primary challenger.
“Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is a disloyal disaster,” the president wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116584450399753941">Truth Social</a>, noting that the two-term senator voted to impeach him after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. “Bill Cassidy is a sleazebag, a terrible guy, who is BAD FOR LOUISIANA. Now he’s going to get CLOBBERED, hopefully, in today’s BIG election, by two great people!!!”
 In January, Trump endorsed Letlow (R-LA) to replace Sen. Cassidy, who was one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot. 
In a <a href="https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/article_67fa0a74-6ee1-11eb-8bd4-6bda88cda171.html">February 2021 column that has since come back to haunt him politically</a>, Cassidy wrote that Trump was &#8220;guilty” of inciting the riot and “actively subverting the peaceful transfer of power.” 
Ryan Girdusky, a conservative political consultant, called that vote the &#8220;ultimate betrayal.&#8221; 
&#8220;The impeachment vote against Trump is really what did him in; had he not voted to impeach Trump, he wouldn&#8217;t be in this position,&#8221; Girdusky said. &#8220;If they successfully had a trial against him, he would have been ineligible to run for President. So maybe that&#8217;s what Cassidy was rooting for.&#8221;
That reality, Girdusky said, pushed Trump to get involved. 
&#8220;“Highly Respected America First Congresswoman, Julia Letlow, of the wonderful State of Louisiana, is a Great Star, has been from the very beginning, and only gets better!’ <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116578950880982545">Trump said in a Friday Truth Social post</a>. “Election Day is tomorrow, Saturday, May 16th. Vote for Julia Letlow — She has my Complete and Total Endorsement, and will never let you down!”
In her campaign launch, Letlow said that in “a state as conservative as ours, we shouldn’t have to wonder how our senator will vote when the pressure’s on. Louisiana deserves conservative champions, leaders who will not flinch,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-slugfest-all-but-inevitable-as-trump-backed-lawmaker-enters-louisiana-race">The Daily Wire previously reported.</a> The congresswoman took office in April 2021, following a special election triggered by her husband’s death.
During the campaign, Cassidy and Fleming targeted Letlow over <a href="blank">past comments praising diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts</a>, questioning her conservative credentials.
&#8220;She&#8217;s as moderate as Bill Cassidy is,&#8221; Girdusky told The Daily Wire. &#8220;So it&#8217;s not like they&#8217;re trading a moderate for a conservative. They&#8217;re trading a moderate for a moderate, but one that Trump approved versus one that Trump didn&#8217;t approve.&#8221; 
Cassidy also faced heat for stalling some of Trump&#8217;s high-profile nominees, including Surgeon General pick Dr. Casey Means.  
A physician and chairman of the Senate health committee, Cassidy stopped short of supporting her, effectively sinking her nomination prospects — a move that infuriated MAHA supporters and the president himself.
“Bill Cassidy is a mindless avatar for his donors and a blind defender of the status quo system that is profiting from American sickness,” Calley Means, Casey Means&#8217; brother, <a href="https://x.com/calleymeans/status/2049893588985638974?s=20">said on social media.</a>
The president piled on, calling Cassidy a “very disloyal person” who “stood in the way” of RFK Jr.’s preferred nominee.
Trump, widely viewed as the GOP’s kingmaker, recently exacted revenge on a handful of Indiana Republicans who bucked his redistricting push. With Cassidy&#8217;s defeat, the White House is already shifting its attention to another bruising primary battle: backing Captain Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL, against Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thomas-massie-is-a-political-survivor-but-this-time-might-be-different?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Thomas+Massie+Is+A+Political+Survivor+%E2%80%94+But+This+Time+Might+Be+Different">Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.</a>
&#8220;It shows that it&#8217;s really about Trump,&#8221; Girdusky said. &#8220;It shows that voters have this innate belief that he has their best interests at heart, and that he is feeling the anger that they&#8217;re feeling of betrayal from the elected officials.&#8221;

Senate Health Committee Hears Testimony From Fired CDC Director Susan Monarez

Voters Decide Fate Of Senator Who Voted To Convict Trump

2026 elections

bill Cassidy

News

Politics

Republicans

Trump

U.S. Senate

Senator Eric Schmitt, the Republican from Missouri, says it&#8217;s all out battle with Democrats right now, saying they&#8217;ve turned themselves into &#8220;legislative terrorists&#8221; and that the days when bipartisanship was possible are gone.
&#8220;This is a new world. This is a different era,” Schmitt said in a wide-ranging interview on the political landscape. “This isn&#8217;t Ted Kennedy working with somebody on some bill; they&#8217;re legislative terrorists at this point.”
Schmitt said he expects Democrat leadership to find a way to shut down the government again before the midterm elections in November, arguing that Chuck Schumer &#8220;hears the footsteps&#8221; of fellow New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and needs to prove to his base that he&#8217;s a fighter.
“They&#8217;re going to shut it down,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt said the new landscape is perfectly timed with the Supreme Court’s ruling curbing race-based redistricting has reshaped the midterm election landscape, urging Republicans to go on offense and challenge congressional maps in blue states as Democrats hope to ride voter frustration over affordability to the ballot box.
Schmitt said the high court’s decision “opens up a much larger front” for targeting Democratic-led states like California and Illinois.
The former Missouri Attorney General, has called on the Department of Justice to sue California, arguing the voter-approved maps illegally relied on race to likely gain five blue seats.
“I view it as all upside because the Democrats have been doing this forever,” Schmitt said to reporters, including The Daily Wire, noting that no Republicans represent the New England area in Congress. 
Schmitt argued that the nationwide push to redraw maps in red states, combined with the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, reflects a more aggressive Republican Party.
“They understand that their political power is a real risk,” Schmitt said. “Just listen to [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries. I mean, this guy sounds like totally unhinged about how they will approach this.” 
Last Friday, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated a state referendum that would likely have allowed Democrats to pick up five blue seats, delivering a devastating setback to Democratic efforts to take back the House of Representatives.
In response, some Democrats, including Jeffries, have floated lowering the retirement age to replace the entire Virginia Supreme Court with new nominees aligned with their political goals, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/us/politics/democrats-virginia-plans-gerrymandering.html">according to the New York Times. </a>Governor Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) on Monday <a href="https://x.com/TylerEnglander/status/2053924629530501207?s=20">shot down the idea. </a>
“I don&#8217;t know Hakeem Jeffries, I’m not a member of the House, but just watching him right now, he seems like [a] very desperate man because he thought he was going to be speaker,” Schmitt said. “I don&#8217;t know how everything&#8217;s going to play out, but this structural bias that they had for a long time over the next four to five years could be completely wiped out, and that&#8217;s a good thing.”

Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri

‘It’s A New World’: GOP’s Eric Schmitt Says Democrats Are ‘Legislative Terrorists’

Congress

Democrats

Eric Schmitt

Senate GOP

FBI Director Kash Patel clashed with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on Tuesday over accusations that the federal law enforcement chief has a drinking problem. 
At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Van Hollen bombarded Patel with questions about his alleged drinking habits and whether he abused government funds for personal travel. 
&#8220;Director Patel, these reports about your conduct, including reports of your being so drunk and hungover that your staff had to force entry into your home, are extremely alarming,&#8221; Van Hollen said.
The Democrat appeared to be referencing allegations published by The Atlantic, which Patel called a “malicious and defamatory hit piece.” Patel has also filed a $250 million lawsuit against the publication, as previously<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-now-know-how-much-kash-patel-is-suing-the-atlantic-for?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=52&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=We+Now+Know+How+Much+Kash+Patel+Is+Suing+The+Atlantic+For"> reported by The Daily Wire.</a>
The story portrayed an absent FBI chief struggling with substance abuse, which is said to be affecting key investigations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk.
“So, there have been no occasions when your security detail had difficulty waking or locating you?” Van Hollen asked Patel.
&#8220;Nope, it&#8217;s a total farce. I don&#8217;t even know where you get this stuff, but it doesn&#8217;t make it credible, because you say so,&#8221; Patel fired back. 
 &#8220;I&#8217;m not saying it,&#8221; Van Hollen said, citing news reports. 
&#8220;You are literally saying it,&#8221; Patel responded.
&#8220;The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you&#8230; the only individual in this room that has been drinking on taxpayers&#8217; dime during the day is you,&#8221; Patel said, referencing Van Hollen&#8217;s infamous photo-op with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIDirectorKash</a> COOKS <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisVanHollen</a>: &#8220;The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador on the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you&#8230; the only individual in this room that has been drinking on taxpayer dime during the day is YOU.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/UPtB9jL7pv">pic.twitter.com/UPtB9jL7pv</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2054272390532632955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
Van Hollen rejected Patel&#8217;s &#8220;blow up,&#8221; saying the FBI chief made<a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2054295283186487470?s=20"> &#8220;provably false statements.&#8221;</a>
The heated confrontation escalated further, with both men challenging each other to take sobriety tests.
“Are you willing to take the test … it’s called the audit test that members of our active duty military and others take to determine whether they have a drinking problem?” the Democratic senator asked.
“I’ll take any tests you’re willing to take,” Patel fired back.
“I will take it. Director Patel, I’ll take it,” Van Hollen said. “You’re ready to take it?”
&#8220;Let&#8217;s go, side-by-side,&#8221; Patel shot back.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
FBI Director Kash Patel blows up at Senator Van Hollen as Van Hollen asks him about allegations in reporting from The Atlantic:
The only person that was slinging margaritas in El Salvador and the taxpayer dollar with a convicted gang banging rapist was you. <a href="https://t.co/vGxnqzP66M">pic.twitter.com/vGxnqzP66M</a>
— Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/2054271883823173801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>

FBI Director Kash Patel

Kash Patel Lays Into Dem Senator For ‘Slinging Margaritas’ With ‘Gang-Banging Rapist’

Chris Van Hollen

kash patel

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is launching a new advertising blitz to boost Republican candidates with six months remaining until Election Day.
Running in North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, and New Hampshire, the ads focus on affordability and highlight the tax cuts enacted in President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ 
“Joe Biden and Democrats’ wasteful spending wrecked the economy,” the ad supporting Michigan&#8217;s Republican candidate states. “But Mike Rogers is fighting back – working to cut government spending and advocating for working-class Americans.” 
“Republicans are making life more affordable. That means lower costs on groceries, housing, and utilities. Huge tax cuts for hard-working families and more money for our seniors,” the advertisements say.<iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/L02oaFum7nGsnqFQmni2h13EoMCw01ZpoC?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=65c76139-c981-410e-9520-075474578f6e&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=EXCLUSIVE%3A%20Republicans%20Choose%20Their%20Midterm%20Battleground%20In%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fcdf9a7b3-4134-40ff-96d3-c35b0a5e9f0d.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The other five ads — supporting Senator John Husted in Ohio, Senator Dan Sullivan in Alaska, Michael Whatley in North Carolina, Ashley Hinson in Iowa, and John Sununu in New Hampshire — use the same script.
The messaging highlights how central affordability has become, as polls show growing voter dissatisfaction with prices and the state of the economy.
“Working families and seniors are still paying the price for Democrats’ reckless spending spree,” NRSC National Press Secretary Bernadette Breslin told The Daily Wire. “Senate Republicans are fighting to make life more affordable by cutting wasteful spending, reversing Democrats’ inflation, and delivering historic tax relief for hardworking Americans.”
With tax season underway, many Americans are seeing larger refunds. As of Feb. 6, 2026, average tax refunds stood at $2,290 — up nearly 11%, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-season-statistics-for-week-ending-feb-6-2026">according to the IRS.</a>
Rising fuel prices, however, may be hitting consumers at the pump. On Wednesday, the national average gas price stood at $4.536, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according to AAA.</a>  In battleground Michigan — where Republican Mike Rogers is hoping to flip the seat — gas prices are averaging even higher at $4.805.
<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/708905/affordability-dominates-americans-financial-worries.aspx">A Gallup poll</a> released on April 28 found that a record 55% of Americans say their financial situation is getting worse. One in three respondents cited inflation and high prices as their top financial concern.
Retaining control of the U.S. Senate is a critical priority for the White House and Congressional Republicans. The upper chamber is responsible for confirming Supreme Court nominees and deciding President Trump’s fate should a Democratic-led House of Representatives vote to impeach him a third time. <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/controls/senate-winner/controls-2026">Prediction markets</a> currently give Republicans a narrow advantage in retaining control. 
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Republicans hold a 53–47 majority, meaning Democrats would need to flip four seats to take control. If the chamber were split 50–50, Vice President Vance could cast tie-breaking votes.
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Maine Senator Susan Collins — who is set to face off against Graham Platner — is not included in the NRSC’s advertisement blitz. 
Platner, who was exposed for having a Nazi tattoo, also faced backlash for past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts">Reddit posts</a>, including ones where he called himself a “communist” and said, “cops are bastards.”
Chuck Schumer’s candidate of choice, Gov. Janet Mills, dropped out of the race after failing to gain traction with left-wing primary voters. 
Her exit from the race was welcome news to Republicans.
“Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats just coronated a phony who is too extreme for Maine. Susan Collins has always put in the work for her constituents and delivered. Washington Democrats always fall short in Maine and will again, because they just nominated a dishonest radical,” NRSC Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-dem-who-sparred-with-trump-over-trans-athletes-ends-campaign">said in a statement.</a>

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans Home In On Affordability In Midterm Battleground Ad Push

Economy

Midterms

Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) is ending her bid for United States Senate, leaving populist Graham Platner to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the extremely competitive general election that could determine which party controls the upper chamber.
Although Platner faced multiple scandals early in his campaign, including scrutiny of a now-covered Nazi symbol tattoo and past posts on social media, Mills struggled to gain traction in the polls. Mills had the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), whereas Platner is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Mills said she did not have enough money to continue campaigning.
“When I decided to run for the United States Senate last year, it was because I believed Maine people were getting a bad deal from Washington and because the President of the United States was threatening our democracy and pushing our nation to the brink of disaster. I continue to believe that today,” Mills said in a statement on Thursday morning.
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources. That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate,” she added.
Mills gained national notoriety over her dispute with President Donald Trump over transgender-identifying athletes&#8217; ability to play in women&#8217;s sports, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills said in a viral interaction with Trump when he asked her if she would comply with his Executive Order on the issue in 2025, which stated that it should &#8220;be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.&#8221;
“Good, I’ll see you in court,” Trump replied. “I look forward to that, that should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.
As for Platner, he faced backlash for past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit posts</a>, including one&#8217;s where he called himself a &#8220;communist&#8221; and said &#8220;cops are bastards.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/17/graham-platner-sexual-assault-comments-senate-midterms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a> reported multiple posts he made to Reddit in 2013 regarding sexual assault, including in the military.
“Rape is a real thing. If you’re so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear you’d think you might not get blacked out f***ed up around people you aren’t comfortable with,” he wrote.
Platner, a veteran, apologized for his past remarks, but the posts became the subject of campaign ads from Mills, which did not seem to resonate with voters. Most recent polling in the primary election showed Platner ahead of Mills by double-digits, according to <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/latest-polls/senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolling</a>.
However, the Maine governor&#8217;s exit from the race is welcomed news to Republicans.
&#8220;Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats just coronated a phony who is too extreme for Maine. Susan Collins has always put in the work for her constituents and delivered. Washington Democrats always fall short in Maine and will again, because they just nominated a dishonest radical,&#8221; National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) said in a statement on Thursday morning.

18 Dead After Mass Shooter Goes On A Rampage In Maine

Dems Stuck With Nazi Tattoo Guy After Surprise Shake-Up In Senate Primary

2026 election

graham platner

janet mills

Maine

The Trump administration has dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, which will pave the way for Trump’s nominee Kevin Warsh to be confirmed as Powell’s successor.
The investigation centered on the cost of renovations at the Washington, D.C., offices of the Federal Reserve, and whether Powell lied to Congress about it. The project was expected to cost about $1.9 billion, but the number ended up closer to $2.5 billion, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-12/why-the-federal-reserve-s-renovation-costs-2-5-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>.
“This morning the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve has been asked to scrutinize the building costs overruns – in the billions of dollars – that have been borne by taxpayers,” Jeanine Pirro, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a statement posted to X on Friday morning.
She added that the inspector general is being asked to provide a report “in short order” to ensure that it will answering “the questions that led this office to issue subpoenas.”
“Accordingly, I have directed my office to close our investigation as the IG undertakes this inquiry. Note well, however, that I will not hesitate to restart a criminal investigation should the facts warrant doing so,” she continued.
Critics of the investigation said that it risked the independence of the Federal Reserve—as Trump has been a staunch critic of Powell over interest rates. The president has repeatedly demanded the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates much more aggressively.
The decision to end the probe could satisfy an ultimatum from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a Trump critic, to move Warsh’s nomination out of the Senate Banking Committee.
“You have extraordinary credentials. They’re impeccable,” Tillis said at a committee hearing with Warsh earlier this week, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/business/5841124-tillis-doj-powell-probe-kevin-warsh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
Tillis bluntly stated over X that Warsh “is a great nominee to be Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and I look forward to supporting him out of committee once the DOJ drops their bogus investigation into Chairman Powell that threatens the independence of the Fed.”

President Trump Visits Federal Reserve

The Move That Just Cleared A Key Hurdle For Trump’s Plan To Change What You Pay

Executive

Federal Reserve

Jeanine Pirro

Jerome Powell

Kevin Warsh

Trump Administration

The GOP-led Senate moved early Thursday morning to pass a budget plan that would provide funding for the Department of Homeland Security and allocate another $70 billion for immigration enforcement for the remainder of President Trump&#8217;s time in office.
The proposal <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/votes_new.htm">passed</a> the closely divided chamber 50-48, with Republicans backing the measure and Democrats voting in opposition. Republicans said that the measure, which now goes to the House, would help to secure the border. The passage means the resolution moves forward toward the reconciliation process, meaning Republicans can pass a funding bill without having to get past the filibuster.
“We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end, Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-ND).
Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) criticized Democrats for blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security 16 times. The department has been defunded since February 14, 2026.
“Democrats are playing to the most radical members of their party.  Through their actions, Democrats are putting the safety and security of our nation behind the safety and security of their own political careers,” he said from the Senate floor.
Democrats tried to add a number of amendments to the proposal that they claimed would address the cost of housing, childcare, and health care.
“Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.
A number of Republican-backed amendments also fell short after Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sided with Democrats. Those senators voted against a proposal from Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood.
&#8220;One recent study found that in three years alone, Planned Parenthood got a billion and a half dollars from Medicaid and Medicare.  Money to be used on these risky surgeries and [transgender] procedures for our children. This is wrong,” Hawley said. “This is a terrible misuse of federal funds, and we should put a stop to it today.”
Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mitch McConnel (R-KY), Murkowski, and Collins and also <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00096.htm">voted</a> with Democrats to block an effort from Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) to attach the SAVE Act, which would require photo ID to vote in federal elections, to the proposal.

Donald Trump

Republicans Ice Out Dems On Key Move Tied To A Top Trump Campaign Promise

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration

Republican Party

Southern Border

Leftist and perennial Trump-critic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy got hammered online after he appeared to cheer for the failure of the U.S. against Iran.
On Monday, following reports that at least 26 vessels from Iran’s &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; successfully bypassed a U.S. blockade, the Connecticut senator offered a succinct, one-word response on social media: “Awesome.”
The backlash was swift and deservedly brutal.
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Year of our Lord 2026: Democrat US Senator openly rooting for Iran to defeat the US in battle. Every Dem on the Hill ought to be hounded today by every reporter to answer for this lunatic. <a href="https://t.co/8ixSVsGFRo">pic.twitter.com/8ixSVsGFRo</a>
&mdash; Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/2046545767913951311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Democratic politicians continue to condemn the U.S. campaign against Iran in the midst of critical talks. Yet, few have come close to the extremes of Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), who just responded to a report of 26 Iranian vessels evading the U.S. blockade with &quot;awesome&quot;&#8230;
&mdash; Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanTurley/status/2046563825839718445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Democrats are openly cheering for the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/Mk787lUOpa">pic.twitter.com/Mk787lUOpa</a>
&mdash; Ryan Saavedra (@RyanSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanSaavedra/status/2046443906120999240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Go Iran!&quot; exclaimed the United States Senator.
&mdash; Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) <a href="https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/2046467330927190162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator Chris Murphy….. RESIGN, TRAITOR!! <a href="https://t.co/THSNOFHap0">https://t.co/THSNOFHap0</a>
&mdash; Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) <a href="https://twitter.com/atensnut/status/2046575350381998274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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This douche bag should be censored and never allowed on a US military installation ever again. Our troops deserve better than seditious rhetoric from a sitting “representative.”
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuzzPatterson/status/2046455113620029740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Murphy later clarified that his comment was &#8220;sarcasm.&#8221;
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Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not “awesome”. As I have said a million times here, it’s a disaster and he should end the war immediately. My tweet was something called “sarcasm”. <a href="https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1">https://t.co/aL9vSEzZC1</a>
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/2046590235643896291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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But to further humiliate Murphy, reports later surfaced that the claim of the 26 ships was a fiction:
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“So that was just Iranian propaganda?”
“Yes, absolutely.”<a href="https://twitter.com/TreyYingst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreyYingst</a> reports there’s no evidence any vessels left Iranian ports or moved through the Strait of Hormuz — undercutting the false narrative about 26 Iranian ships slipping past a U.S. blockade. | <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@foxandfriends</a> <a href="https://t.co/jnUB9yoSFK">pic.twitter.com/jnUB9yoSFK</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2046568720781156395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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For those who have watched Murphy’s trajectory, this wasn&#8217;t an isolated gaffe; it was the culmination of a long-standing pattern of freelance diplomacy and radical rhetoric.
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Back in 2020, Murphy was caught in a &#8220;secret meeting&#8221; in Munich with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif—a meeting first exposed by The Federalist. At the time, Murphy <a href="https://halifax.citynews.ca/2020/02/18/us-lawmaker-defends-meeting-with-iran-fm-in-munich/">defended</a> his back-channeling, claiming it was &#8220;dangerous not to talk to one’s enemies.&#8221; Critics, however, were quick to point out the staggering hypocrisy: Murphy had spent years shrieking about &#8220;collusion&#8221; regarding Trump officials’ contacts with foreign leaders, yet saw no issue with undermining sitting U.S. policy while meeting with a regime responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans.
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As the U.S. recently ramped up military pressure to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, Murphy’s rhetoric shifted from &#8220;diplomat&#8221; to &#8220;defeatist.&#8221; He has repeatedly characterized U.S. actions as &#8220;dangerously illegal,&#8221; &#8220;unnecessary,&#8221; and a &#8220;<a href="https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-trumps-illegal-war-with-iran">mistake of staggering scale</a>.&#8221; He has gone so far as to accuse the administration of &#8220;terrorizing innocent Iranians&#8221; and <a href="https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-substack-pay-attention-when-your-president-promises-to-commit-war-crimes">committing “war crimes</a>,&#8221; all while bizarrely suggesting that the 25th Amendment be used against a president he describes as &#8220;unglued&#8221; and a &#8220;would-be dictator.&#8221;
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Murphy’s obsession with &#8220;collectivism&#8221; and his disdain for American &#8220;individualism&#8221; often mirror the talking points of the very radicals he empowers. While he bloviates about the &#8220;trillions wasted&#8221; in overseas conflicts, he remains curiously silent on the billions in oil revenue his preferred policies allow to flow back into Tehran’s coffers.
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To Murphy, a U.S. blockade being outmaneuvered by a rogue regime isn&#8217;t a security failure—it’s &#8220;awesome.&#8221;
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It is a chilling reminder that for some in the Senate, the goal isn&#8217;t American victory; it’s the managed decline of the West in favor of the &#8220;warmth&#8221; of globalist submission.
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Brexit

‘Resign, Traitor’: Chris Murphy Torched After Shocking Post Celebrating False Iranian Ship Success

Chris Murphy

Global Politics

Iran

A national grassroots organization is pressing Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to prioritize health care price transparency in upcoming legislative negotiations, arguing that a key pillar of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda now hinges on congressional action.
In a letter delivered Thursday, Save Our States (SOS) urged Thune to make price transparency “a top policy priority” as Senate committees prepare to take up health care legislation in the coming weeks. The push comes as lawmakers return to Washington and begin shaping what could become the GOP’s next major domestic policy package.
“Price transparency is the essential first step to healthcare affordability and returning accountability to American health systems,” Trent England, the group’s executive director, wrote in the letter, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire. “Patients without access to clear prices lack the power to act as consumers … often leaving them with devastating surprise medical bills after it’s too late.”
The appeal highlights the Trump administration’s health care agenda, which has elevated upfront pricing as a central reform. Under the administration’s “Great Healthcare Plan,” officials have called for requiring providers and insurers that accept Medicare or Medicaid to publicly post prices in an effort to curb hidden costs and billing surprises.
SOS is now pushing the Senate to translate that framework into statute, warning that without enforcement mechanisms, existing transparency rules risk remaining uneven or ineffective.
As part of its recommendations, the group is calling for stricter compliance requirements on hospitals and insurers, expanded transparency rules covering “shoppable” services like imaging and lab work, and standardized disclosure of real out-of-pocket costs rather than estimates.
“Giving Americans power to act as informed consumers … addresses concerns about the cost of living, wage growth, and our overall economy,” England wrote. “Making healthcare prices transparent and fostering competition will allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money and face less financial uncertainty.”
The renewed push comes as polling continues to show overwhelming support for transparency reforms across the political spectrum. A poll released ahead of the 2024 presidential election by <a href="https://www.patientrightsadvocate.org/blog/new-poll-an-overwhelming-92-of-americans-support-healthcare-price-transparency">PatientRightsAdvocate.org</a> found that 92 percent of likely voters support requiring hospitals and insurers to provide real prices upfront, including 94 percent of Democrats, 92 percent of independents, and 91 percent of Republicans.
The same poll found that 98 percent of voters support transparent pricing in health care, higher than support for transparency in industries like airlines, while 91 percent said upfront pricing would protect workers from hidden fees. Another 88 percent said transparency would increase competition and lower costs, and 77 percent indicated they would prefer a president who prioritizes such reforms.
The Trump administration capitalized on that favorability, reviving and expanding federal transparency efforts early in the president’s second term. In February 2025, Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/making-america-healthy-again-by-empowering-patients-with-clear-accurate-and-actionable-healthcare-pricing-information/">executive order</a> directing federal agencies to strengthen enforcement of existing price transparency rules and require disclosure of actual, upfront healthcare prices, not estimates.
The order used transparency as a corrective measure to what it described as a system where “prices were hidden from patients and employers,” allowing hospitals and insurers to operate with “insufficient accountability” while driving up costs. It also called for standardized pricing data and more aggressive enforcement against noncompliant providers.
But more than a year later, many of those reforms remain in the implementation phase, with Congress still needed to codify the policy into law and ensure it survives beyond executive action. The letter lands as health care costs continue to rank among voters’ top domestic concerns heading into the midterm cycle, adding pressure on lawmakers to produce tangible reforms.
In the Senate, legislation such as the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, led by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), has drawn bipartisan support in the upper chamber, signaling that transparency measures may be one of the few areas of health care policy capable of advancing across party lines. The bill would codify and expand existing federal requirements, though its fate remains tied to broader negotiations over a GOP health care package. With committee markups expected in the near future, SOS is escalating its push directly to Senate leadership as a broadly popular, commonsense policy with implications far beyond the health care system.
The moment represents both an opportunity and a test for Senate Republicans, who have rallied around the concept of transparency, but have yet to coalesce around a finalized legislative vehicle. Whether that urgency translates into legislative action, however, remains an open question. While the administration continues to advance its agenda and outside groups intensify their lobbying efforts, the Senate has yet to signal when, or whether, it will move a comprehensive health care package to the floor.
For now, the gap between policy alignment and legislative execution persists, leaving one of the administration’s most politically durable domestic priorities awaiting action on Capitol Hill.

John Thune 3/03/26

Hospitals Posting Real Prices Before Care Could Soon Be The New Reality

Healthcare

John Thune

The SAVE America Act may be stalled in the Senate, but Congress is still debating it, and every American, regardless of political affiliation, should demand its passage. Requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections is overwhelmingly popular and long overdue. Yet even if the bill becomes law — and especially if it dies under Democrat obstruction — states should not be sitting idle. State legislatures should be passing strong measures to ensure that only citizens can vote in all American elections.
Evidence of the problem is not hard to find. Over four years, a single county in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thefederalist.com/2026/03/19/thousands-of-noncitizens-on-voter-rolls-in-one-county-underscore-need-for-save-act/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmdmPnkvY$">removed</a> nearly 2,000 noncitizens from its voter rolls. States like <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2025/10/29/ohio-noncitizens-voting__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmRpCs_8Q$">Ohio</a>, Texas, and Virginia have identified thousands more, many of whom had cast illegal ballots that canceled out the legal votes of Americans. The system is fundamentally broken, and far-left Democrats only seem interested in adamantly opposing commonsense reforms.
The lion’s share of the problem stems from the National Voter Registration Act and the <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmSOkY8Mo$">National Mail Voter Registration Form</a> it created. A 2013 Supreme Court ruling misinterpreted the law, forcing states to “accept and use” this federal form as-is. So long as someone checks a box claiming citizenship, officials must register him to vote and can’t require actual proof of citizenship. Only later can those officials attempt to verify that claim through less reliable means. Thanks to the federal form, a noncitizen is one lie away from voting.
States have repeatedly petitioned the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to modify the form to honor their own proof-of-citizenship laws, but the Democrat commissioners have frustrated those efforts, including ignoring an executive order from President Trump. The SAVE America Act would solve this by requiring up-front proof of citizenship, but Senate Democrats are stonewalling. That fight must continue, and it is time for states to step up.
First, every state should require proof of citizenship to register: a birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, or other documents already required to get REAL IDs. If the voter has already given this to the DMV, a simple driver’s license number will do. Officials verify citizenship and add the voter to the rolls. No proof, no registration.
The federal form will remain a problem unless it is fixed or the Supreme Court reverses its erroneous ruling. Until then, the focus should be on damage control, that is, limiting the risk of noncitizens using the federal form to register. The Constitution offers a solution. Congress may “make or alter” the rules of congressional elections, but states retain control over state and presidential elections.
Using this framework, states should create a category of “federal-only” voters. If states cannot verify the citizenship of a federal-form applicant, he only gets to vote in congressional elections. Arizona pioneered this system in 2021, and the radical Left sued, but the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the federal-only system to remain in effect. Utah adopted a similar model this year. More states should follow — and go further.
States should use every available state and federal database to vet new and existing registrations. The Trump administration transformed the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database into a free and easy tool to scan voter rolls for potential noncitizens. Legislatures should make its use mandatory.
DMVs should be collecting citizenship data and automatically sharing it with election officials. States should tap state and federal jury records, too; anyone unable to serve on a jury due to non-citizenship should be flagged for election officials and referred for investigation if they registered or voted. Photo IDs issued to noncitizens should be made visually distinct, and state agencies should be barred from offering to register anyone who is not a citizen.
Critics howl that citizenship laws will disenfranchise millions. But that is the charge they level against every election safeguard, and it never comes true. Americans easily comply with proof-of-citizenship requirements in other contexts. The same Senate that is now deadlocked on the SAVE America Act voted unanimously in 2005 to require Americans to prove citizenship to get a REAL ID.
Federal law requires individuals to prove identity and citizenship to get a job or apply for most welfare benefits. These laws haven’t barred millions from roads, airports, or welfare offices. The same will be true for voting. Americans understand this, which is why more than <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.gallup.com/poll/652523/americans-endorse-early-voting-voter-verification.aspx__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmXjPzwZJ$">80% of the public</a> wants everyone to prove citizenship to vote.
The SAVE America Act may yet pass, but the next election won’t wait. Republican-controlled state legislatures should be moving now — even convening in special sessions — to strengthen their laws before the midterms. Many states have made progress, but few have gone as far as they should to ensure that elections are reserved for American citizens. It’s time to change that.
* * *
Jason Snead is Executive Director of the Honest Elections Project Action.
Hans von Spakovsky is a Senior Legal Fellow at Advancing American Freedom.

Senator Mike Lee Holds Capitol Hill News Conference On The SAVE America Act

The SAVE America Act May Stall. States Shouldn’t.

States Should Pass Their Own SAVE Acts

DW Opinion

Election Fraud

SAVE America Act

Vote Fraud

Voter ID

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a measure that would have blocked President Donald Trump from future military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Senate Republicans defeated Sen. Tammy Duckworth&#8217;s (D-IL) war powers resolution in a 52-47 vote, mostly along party lines. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the sole Republican to cross the aisle with Democrats, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted no. Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) did not vote. 
<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/123/text">The resolution</a> would have directed the withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities involving the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite a fragile ceasefire still in effect.
“It’s just exhausting,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/14/gop-trump-iran-war-powers-00871766"> told reporters Tuesday</a>. “Doing a war powers resolution just undermines the president. I don’t believe [the Democrats] would do that if the president had a ‘D’ behind his name.”
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine slammed the conflict as a “foolish war of choice.”
“We haven’t yet been able to get more than one Republican to join us, but we’re going to offer them the opportunity to listen to their constituents and do the right thing every week until this war is over,” Kaine said. 
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It’s been 47 days since Trump attacked Iran. Since then, servicemembers have died, thousands of civilians have died, and Americans are struggling with rising gas prices. My colleagues and I are forcing a vote to bring an end to the chaos. <a href="https://t.co/yOD85V3EGz">pic.twitter.com/yOD85V3EGz</a>
— Senator Tim Kaine (@SenTimKaine) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTimKaine/status/2044414270503301147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
Wednesday&#8217;s vote marks the fourth Democratic-led effort to stop the military campaign since the war started on February 28. Democrats hoped to peel off a handful of Republicans after Trump&#8217;s threat last week that a &#8220;whole civilization will die&#8221; without an agreement. 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-war-powers-vote-iran-tammy-duckworth/">vowed Wednesday to force votes</a> on war power resolutions every week until the war ends or enough Republicans cross over.
On April 1, Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) fired a warning shot at the White House and Congressional Republicans, indicating that his support would expire if the war dragged on too long.
&#8220;I support the president’s actions taken in defense of American lives and interests,&#8221; <a href="http://I support the president’s actions taken in defense of American lives and interests. However, I will not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval. I take this position for two reasons — one is historical, and one is constitutional.">Curtis wrote in an op-ed.</a> &#8220;However, I will not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval. I take this position for two reasons — one is historical, and one is constitutional.&#8221;
Even if the Senate were to pass a war powers resolution, its path forward in the House remains uncertain, and the president would likely veto it.

Senate Rejects GOP Health Plan As Insurance Premium Spike Looms

Senate Move To Halt Trump’s Iran War Comes Down To Just Five Votes

President Donald Trump reiterated his support on Friday afternoon for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in his race to win re-election, as one of Graham&#8217;s main primary opponents, Paul Dans, appears to have exited the race.
<a href="https://www.fitsnews.com/2026/04/10/exclusive-paul-dans-withdraws-from-u-s-senate-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITSNews</a> wrote on Friday that Dans was dropping out of the race, and Trump appeared to confirm the report. The Daily Wire reached out to the Dans campaign, but did not immediately hear back.
“Paul Dans has just dropped out of the South Carolina Senatorial Race against the Great Lindsey Graham,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116382196783520781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump</a> wrote.
“It all started to fall apart for Paul when a very Low IQ individual named Tucker Carlson ENDORSED him — THE KISS OF DEATH! Lindsey has a BIG lead, and is on his way to a spectacular VICTORY because he just, GETS THINGS DONE!” the president added.
In another post moments prior, Trump slammed Graham’s other primary opponent, Mark Lynch, in a Truth Social post, as the Republican senator has fended off critics who have said that he has been too hawkish on military action in the Middle East, particularly in Iran.
“Senator Lindsey Graham is doing a fantastic job. He is running against a LUNATIC named Mark Lynch, who supports perhaps the Worst Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie, of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Trump said.
“I don’t have to go into great detail, but needless to say, Mark Lynch would be a DISASTER for the Republican Party, and Lindsey Graham just, GETS THE JOB DONE. VOTE FOR LINDSEY ALL THE WAY,” the <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116382183704204825" target="_blank" rel="noopener">president</a> added.
Lynch has not held back in his criticism of Graham on matters of foreign policy.
“Lindsey Graham represents a grave National Security threat to Americans, American soldiers, and to every man, woman, and child in the Middle East &#8212; whether Iranian or Israeli,” Lynch <a href="https://x.com/MarkLynchSC/status/2042678395482395085?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> Friday. “On June 9, we Dump Lindsey!”
Trump&#8217;s posts backing Graham were not a surprise, given the president and the senator have been close allies for some time.
However, the posts underscore how the president is firing back against those who have been critical of Operation Epic Fury in Iran, including with a post made on Thursday saying that a handful of podcasters slamming the war are “Low IQ.”
Graham chairs the Senate Budget Committee, which means he will play a critical role in securing congressional funding for the president’s military goals. Last week, the senator praised the Trump administration’s budget request for fiscal year 2027.
“President Trump’s budget is truly historic when it comes to defense spending. It is the most robust increase in defense spending in many years, and it is more than justified by the threats we face throughout the world,” Graham said in a <a href="https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/4/chairman-graham-statement-on-president-trump-s-fy27-budget-request" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “When it comes to our national security, President Trump and his team are second to none.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the Lynch campaign for comment.

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