Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author: shailender

Dems, media credibility in shambles as press fixates on Trump MRI after years downplaying Biden health issues

Dems, media credibility in shambles as press fixates on Trump MRI after years downplaying Biden health issues

The White House released President Donald Trump‘s MRI results on Monday amid mounting scrutiny over the president’s health and his age of 79 while serving as commander in chief.  Four years ago, however, the media was overwhelmingly silent on the topic of presidential health when the then-oldest sitting president during his term, Joe Biden, led from the Oval Office in a health saga that has continued long after Biden dropped out of the 2024 federal election and exited 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on Jan. 20.  Media outlets and others heightened scrutiny of Trump’s health earlier in 2025 when he was spotted with swollen legs in July while attending the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey, as well as other photos stretching back to February showing bruising on his hand.  The media has most recently been focused on an MRI scan Trump received during a checkup at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland in October, which was described as routine by the administration, with Trump’s physician reporting that Trump is in “exceptional health.” The checkup was Trump’s second in 2025, following an April visit that Navy Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, the physician to the president, said found Trump “remains in excellent health.” WHITE HOUSE PROVIDES TRUMP HEALTH UPDATE AFTER MRI SCAN CONCERNS SWIRLED The White House railed against left-leaning media outlets’ recent focus on Trump’s health as “garbage narratives,” accusing them of having previously downplayed “Joe Biden’s severe mental health decline” while he was in the Oval Office. “No one believes the failing legacy media’s disingenuous obsession about President Trump’s health because we all just watched them actively cover up Joe Biden’s severe mental health decline for the past four years,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital on Monday. “The facts are clear: President Trump has shared several comprehensive medical updates, in the effort of total transparency, all of which show he is in excellent health. The fake news media pushing garbage narratives about President Trump’s energy levels while they get to publicly question him nearly every single day is why Americans’ trust in the media just hit a new all-time low.” Fox News Digital took a look back at the mainstream media’s coverage of Biden’s health before dropping out of the 2024 presidential race at the 11th hour amid mounting concerns over his mental acuity, and the media’s recent focus on Trump’s health and evaluations.  Trump has railed against the media for their focus on his health that he said is cast in a negative light despite the administration releasing details to the public on Trump’s check-ups. Trump, for example, slammed The New York Times in November for publishing a piece focused on him serving in the Oval Office at 79 years old while facing the “realities of aging.” Trump described the article as a “hit piece” that follows years of the media reportedly publishing “purposely negative” articles.  Following reporters questioning White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about details surrounding the MRI in November, Trump told the media on Sunday evening when pressed about the scan that he would release the MRI results to the public amid media scrutiny.  The White House released Trump’s MRI results on Monday when Leavitt read the report to the media that found Trump was in normal and good health.  “The purpose of this imaging is preventative to identify any issues early, confirm overall health, and ensure the president maintains long-term vitality and function,” Leavitt said. “… Overall, his cardiovascular system shows excellent health.”  TRUMP REVEALS HE HAD ‘PERFECT’ MRI DURING RECENT WALTER REED PHYSICAL Left-leaning and mainstream outlets have pressed the White House about Trump’s health for months, a shift that intensified after photos of his swollen legs and a bruised hand surfaced online. While Trump entered his second term as the oldest person ever inaugurated at 78, the questions did not escalate until this summer. The White House attributed the bruising to frequent handshakes and said the swelling stemmed from chronic venous insufficiency — “a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” according to Leavitt. The media has previously come into the White House’s line of fire over its heightened focus on Trump’s health after Biden’s presidency, which reached a crescendo in July 2024 when Biden dropped out of his re-election race at the 11th hour amid mounting concern that his mental acuity had slipped.  “I can tell you there was certainly a lack of transparency from the former president, from the entire former administration,” Leavitt told reporters in April. “And frankly, a lot of people in this room, when it came to the health and the competence of the former president of the United States, Joe Biden.” The Trump administration, as well as conservative critics and liberal journalists, have repeatedly slammed the reported cover-up of Biden’s declining health after a wave of political memoirs recounting the 2024 and Biden presidency, including alleging that Biden staffers were aware of and fretted about the president’s mental decline, but publicly promoted him as physically and mentally fit to serve as president. Biden’s mental acuity had been under conservatives’ microscope since before the 2020 election. Concerns among the mainstream media, however, did not heighten until February 2024, when special counsel Robert Hur, who was investigating Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents as vice president, announced he would not recommend criminal charges against Biden for possessing classified materials after his vice presidency, calling Biden “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”  Conservatives railed that the report proved Biden’s mental acuity was, in fact, on a steady decline, pointing to the president’s increasingly mumbled public remarks, a high-profile fall while boarding Air Force One in 2021 and another fall while on a bike ride in Delaware in 2022.  Biden has denied that he suffered a cognitive decline while in the White House, including during a May interview on “The View,” when he said new books detailing an alleged mental decline were “wrong.”  The media

Justice Department considers pursuing new indictments against James Comey, Letitia James: report

Justice Department considers pursuing new indictments against James Comey, Letitia James: report

In the wake of a federal judge’s moves last month to dismiss separate indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Department of Justice is considering possibly pursuing new indictments against the two figures, according to Politico. The outlet reported that two individuals familiar with the cases indicated that the DOJ is seriously thinking about refraining from appealing the dismissals and is instead seeking new indictments against Comey and James. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ, which did not provide comment. TRUMP ADMIN VOWS TO MOVE QUICKLY ON COMEY CASE DESPITE SETBACKS: WHAT TO KNOW Last week, senior U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie dismissed indictments against Comey and James, asserting that the appointment of Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney violated the law and Constitution. In Comey’s and James’ separate cases, the judge wrote that “because Ms. Halligan had no lawful authority to present the indictment, I will… dismiss the indictment without prejudice.” BONDI TARGETS JAMES COMEY, LETITIA JAMES IN LEGAL BATTLE: ‘HOLD… ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNLAWFUL CONDUCT’ Responding to the judge’s moves last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the judge was attempting to “shield” Comey and James from “accountability” and said that the DOJ would appeal.  “And it is our position that Lindsey Halligan is extremely qualified for this position, but more importantly, was legally appointed to it,” she told reporters outside the White House. WATCHDOG GROUP HITS LETITIA JAMES WITH BAR COMPLAINT AFTER FEDERAL JUDGE TOSSES CASE CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We’ll be taking all available legal action, including an immediate appeal, to hold Letitia James and James Comey accountable for their unlawful conduct,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said at a press conference last week.

House Democrats and Republicans quietly discuss expanding personal security measures for lawmakers

House Democrats and Republicans quietly discuss expanding personal security measures for lawmakers

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are quietly discussing options for expanding personal security protections, reports suggest. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., have reportedly had conversations about the issue with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil, R-Wisc.  A senior Democratic committee aide told The Hill that Jeffries and Morelle “have regularly discussed innovative solutions to the heightened need for Member security” with Johnson and Steil. LAWMAKERS SKEPTICAL OF ALLEGED HEGSETH KILL ORDERS IN VENEZUELA — BUT ISSUE STARK WARNING The aide told The Hill that the lawmakers had discussed an expansion of the Law Enforcement Coordination Program that would “provide a dedicated staff slot and funding for Members to hire a staff member focused solely on security, including facilitating more timely threat assessments and liaising with law enforcement.” Morelle said in an interview with Semafor that the staffer would be “someone who’s probably a former law enforcement, former military, who meets all the requirements of being able to carry a gun.” Jeffries, Morelle, Johnson and Steil also reportedly discussed the possibility of providing members with a security professional “as they perform their official duties,” according to The Hill. FBI SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS WITH 6 LAWMAKERS WHO ENCOURAGED MILITARY MEMBERS TO REFUSE ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ The push came as lawmakers gained access to a new $20,000 monthly security allowance on Monday, according to multiple reports. Members are also expected to get access to a mobile distress system, the House Sergeant-at-Arms William McFarland said in a letter obtained by Roll Call. “Covered services include accompanying a Member or providing residential coverage at a member’s home,” McFarland’s letter read. He also noted that security personnel hired through the program would not be allowed in the Capitol or on its grounds. The move started as a pilot program in which lawmakers were given $5,000 a month for security personnel away from the capitol, according to Roll Call. The outlet noted that the allowance increased to $10,000 in September and was extended through Nov. 21. The program has since been made permanent. Fox News Digital contacted Jeffries, Morelle, Johnson and Steil for comment.

Mandela Barnes announces bid for Wisconsin governor after narrow 2022 Senate loss

Mandela Barnes announces bid for Wisconsin governor after narrow 2022 Senate loss

Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes launched his campaign for governor Tuesday in a “Reality Check” campaign video posted on YouTube. Barnes, a Democrat who narrowly lost a race to Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., in 2022, jumped into the race to fill Gov. Tony Evers’ seat after he announced in July that he would not seek a third term. “The only way for our state to move forward is to reject the Washington way and get things done the Wisconsin way. It isn’t about left or right. It’s not about who can yell the loudest. It’s about whether people can afford to live in the state they call home,” said Barnes in his campaign video. He focused on the issue of affordability and took aim at President Donald Trump for “distraction” and “chaos to avoid accountability.” THE ONLY GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES RUNNING IN 2025 ELECTIONS LEAN INTO TRUMP’S MAGA CAMPAIGN TACTICS “It’s not about the real world. It’s a show. Outrage. Performances. Everybody trying to go viral. Meanwhile, families doing everything right are still falling behind,” Barnes added. “I served Wisconsin in our legislature and as your lieutenant governor. I know how to bring people together. And I know how to get things done.” The 2026 race for governor is already crowded on the Democratic side, with at least six major candidates — including Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation CEO Missy Hughes and ex-State Rep. Brett Hulsey — all in the running. Several Wisconsin Democrats told Politico that Barnes’ entry isn’t likely to narrow the field, like it did in his 2022 Senate primary. STUDENTS FIND MORE VIOLENT IMAGERY NEAR UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN CAMPUS AFTER ANTI-ICE DISPLAYS PROBED The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 11, 2026, and the race is currently rated as a “toss up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Republican candidates so far include Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.

Trump highlights comments by ‘Obama sycophant’ Eric Holder, continues pressing Senate GOP to nix filibuster

Trump highlights comments by ‘Obama sycophant’ Eric Holder, continues pressing Senate GOP to nix filibuster

President Donald Trump is continuing to advocate for the Senate GOP to nix the filibuster. In a Monday Truth Social post, the president shared a video featuring clips of former Attorney General Eric Holder, who opined that if Democrats win a “trifecta” in the 2028 elections, the prospect of expanding the Supreme Court should be under consideration.  Holder made the comment while speaking with Ben Meiselas, co-founder of MeidasTouch, which posted the video last month. SENATOR RON JOHNSON WARNS GOP WILL BE IN ‘BIG TROUBLE’ IF PARTY IGNORES DEMOCRATS’ PLAN TO ‘NUKE’ FILIBUSTER In the Monday Truth Social post, Trump referred to Holder, who served under Democratic President Barack Obama, as an “Obama sycophant” and said that “Eric Holder (known as ‘FAST AND FURIOUS’) just gave a Speech where he emphatically stated, above all else, that Democrats will PACK the Supreme Court of the United States if they get the chance. The word is, he wants 21 Radical Left Activist Judges, not being satisfied with the heretofore 15 that they were seeking.” Trump suggested that eliminating the filibuster would enable Republicans to win in the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 White House contest. FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER CALLS ON DEMOCRATS TO FOCUS ON SUPREME COURT EXPANSION, TERM LIMITS “It will be 21, they will destroy our Constitution, and there’s not a thing that the Republicans can do about it unless we TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, which will lead to an easy WIN of the Midterms, and an even easier WIN in the Presidential Election of 2028,” he asserted. JOHN FETTERMAN RIPS JAMES CARVILLE OVER COURT-PACKING PLAN, TELLS DEMOCRATS TO ‘WIN MORE ELECTIONS’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Why would the Republicans even think about giving them this opportunity? The American People don’t want gridlock, they want their Leaders to GET THINGS DONE — TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER, AND HAVE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOUR YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, BY FAR, WITH NOT EVEN THE HINT OF A SHUTDOWN OF OUR GREAT NATION ON JANUARY 30TH!” Trump declared in the post.