Stormy Daniels’ disgraced ex-lawyer and anti-Trump superstar Michael Avenatti moved to halfway house
Disgraced Democratic lawyer Michael Avenatti has been moved from federal prison to a halfway house in California, according to Bureau of Prisons records, but remains in federal custody with a projected release date of September 2028. Avenatti is best known for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her failed 2018 defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump. Once a media darling with presidential ambitions, he was later convicted in multiple fraud cases and sentenced to years in federal prison. An official with the Bureau of Prisons confirmed to Fox News Digital that Avenatti was transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Los Angeles to community confinement overseen by the BOP Long Beach Residential Reentry Management (RRM) Office. He has a projected release date of September 8, 2028. In 2022, Avenatti was convicted and sentenced to 48 months in prison for stealing close to $300,000 in proceeds from Daniels. At the time of his sentencing, Avenatti was already serving a 30-month sentence for threatening to extort $25 million from Nike. Avenatti was also sentenced in December 2022 to 14 years in prison for stealing from four of his clients. One of those clients was a paraplegic. DISGRACED LAWYER MICHAEL AVENATTI LANDS REDUCED PRISON TERM AFTER RESENTENCING HEARING A copy of the probation order signed by U.S. District Judge James Selna stated that Avenatti must pay $5,937,725.58 in restitution to his victims, and he is ordered to participate in a mental health treatment program. Following his release from federal custody in 2028, Avenatti will be under supervised release for three years. TRUMP CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR RELEASE OF TINA PETERS AS COLORADO GOVERNOR WEIGHS CLEMENCY Avenatti’s early release comes after a federal judge in June 2025 reduced his collective prison sentence to eight years, allowing credit for some of the sentences running concurrently. Avenatti’s resentencing came after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated his 14-year sentence in October 2024. He was disbarred in California in February 2025. As Daniels’ defamation lawyer, Avenatti became a household name after regularly appearing on network TV shows. Fox News Digital previously reported that between 2018 and 2019, before his legal troubles began, he appeared on CNN 121 times and MSNBC 108 times. Avenatti was a staunch critic of Trump, saying in an interview with NPR’s All Things Considered in 2018 that Trump is “either going to resign… be removed from office by impeachment, or I’m going to beat him in 2020.” “But one way or the other, he’s not going to serve a second term,” Avenatti said. However, the disgraced lawyer has since changed his tone, claiming in an April 2024 New York Post that he is “bothered that the Justice Department has been “weaponized” against Trump. “There’s no question [the trial] is politically motivated because they’re concerned that he may be reelected,” Avenatti told the Post. “If the defendant was anyone other than Donald Trump, this case would not have been brought at this time, and for the government to attempt to bring this case and convict him in an effort to prevent tens of millions of people from voting for him, I think it’s just flat out wrong, and atrocious.” A lawyer for Avenatti declined to comment.
US Navy requesting $3B to replenish Tomahawk missiles used in Iran war
The U.S. Navy is requesting $3 billion in additional funding to replenish its stores of Tomahawk missiles after depleting its stores in the war against Iran. The Navy made the order as part of the Pentagon’s wider $1.5 trillion budget request for 2027 released this week. The Tomahawk missile request represents a 1,200% increase in production compared to last year. Last year, Congress approved the Navy to purchase 58 of the missiles at a total price of $257 million. This year’s request is enough to finance 785 missiles. According to a report from the Washington Post last month, the U.S. had launched at least 850 Tomahawk missiles since the war against Iran began on Feb. 28. IRAN CONFLICT COULD BE PUSH GOP NEEDS FOR 2ND ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The Pentagon says its wider $1.5 trillion budget request is needed to address growing threats from China, Russia and other adversaries. The request includes about $1.1 trillion in base discretionary funding for the Department of War, along with an additional $350 billion in mandatory funding to support priorities such as munitions production and expansion of the defense industrial base. If enacted, the plan would represent one of the largest increases in U.S. defense spending in decades, though the total includes a mix of discretionary funding and mandatory resources that are not typically combined in standard Pentagon budget comparisons. A-10 WARTHOG GIVEN NEW MARITIME ROLE TARGETING BOATS IN IRAN AFTER EFFORTS TO RETIRE AIRCRAFT The budget places heavy emphasis on rebuilding weapons stockpiles and strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity, areas that defense officials have identified as key vulnerabilities in recent years. Shipbuilding is another major focus, with $65.8 billion requested to procure 18 Navy battle force ships and 16 non-battle force vessels as part of a broader effort to expand maritime capacity. The proposal also continues funding for the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, which aims to develop a layered homeland defense using space-based sensors and interceptors. The budget also highlights investments in artificial intelligence, drones and counter-drone systems, and next-generation aircraft, including continued development of the F-47 — a sixth-generation fighter designed to operate alongside autonomous systems — with the program targeting a first flight as early as 2028.
Ousted AG Bondi declines Epstein deposition, but lawmakers say subpoena still holds
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not sit for a planned deposition before the House Oversight Committee as part of its probe into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the panel’s Republican majority said Wednesday. “The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear on April 14 for a deposition since she is no longer Attorney General and was subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General,” a House Oversight Committee spokeswoman told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The Committee will contact Pam Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss next steps regarding scheduling her deposition.” The committee has not withdrawn the subpoena, meaning Bondi could still be required to sit for a deposition. Democrats on the committee pushed back on the Justice Department’s explanation in a statement to Fox News Digital. EPSTEIN’S ACCOUNTANT AND LAWYER REVEAL DOJ NEVER QUESTIONED THEM ABOUT DISGRACED FINANCIER’S CRIMES “Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight Committee about the Epstein files and the White House cover-up,” Oversight ranking member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., fired back Wednesday. “Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not.” President Donald Trump ousted Bondi from the Justice Department last week after she faced bipartisan scrutiny of her handling of the Epstein files. Garcia added that he would move to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress if she does not comply with the subpoena to appear before the panel. The House Oversight Committee could recommend criminal charges against Bondi for defying a subpoena, but the measure would be subject to a chamber-wide vote and would ultimately be up to the DOJ whether to file charges. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to weigh in on whether Bondi should comply with the subpoena during a news conference Tuesday. “What happens now that she’s the former attorney general and there’s the subpoena out there is, I think I’ll leave to Chairman Comer and others to figure out. I don’t have an answer to that,” the nation’s new top prosecutor said. The brewing legal battle comes after five Republicans voted with Democrats to subpoena Bondi as part of the committee’s Epstein probe over Comer’s objections in March. The lawmakers were Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Michael Cloud, R-Texas. BONDI OUSTER IGNITES BIPARTISAN UPROAR: ‘PARTISAN, PETULANT, POLITICAL HACK’ Mace and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., another member of the powerful committee, sent Comer a letter Wednesday asking him to “publicly reaffirm” Bondi’s “legal obligation” to testify before the committee in the April 14 deposition. “Bondi’s removal as Attorney General doesn’t erase her obligation to testify,” the bipartisan duo wrote. “If anything, it makes her sworn testimony even more critical. Congress’s oversight doesn’t stop when an official leaves office.” “Pam Bondi was subpoenaed by name, not by title,” Mace added in a separate statement. Former Attorney General Bill Barr and former Health and Human Services Secretary Alexander Acosta, who served in Trump’s Cabinet during his first term, have testified before the Oversight Committee as part of its Epstein probe. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment.
Trump’s Iran ceasefire rocked within hours amid reported missile, drone attacks
In a rapid turn Tuesday night, President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran just hours after warning the regime would face devastating consequences. But within hours of the agreement, Gulf states were reporting drone attacks and officials signaled the agreement may already be under strain. The two-week ceasefire, brokered with help from Pakistan, was framed by the White House as a step toward broader negotiations, and defense officials said U.S. strikes on Iran had halted following Trump’s announcement Tuesday night. But within hours, Israel launched its largest strike yet on Hezbollah in Lebanon — which is not covered by the ceasefire — and Iranian state media signaled Tehran could again restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz as fighting in Lebanon continues. GEN JACK KEANE ‘SKEPTICAL’ THAT IRAN CEASEFIRE WILL HOLD, WARNS TEHRAN WILL ‘DELAY AND OBFUSCATE’ “The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement posted to X. “The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.” Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed nine drones in recent hours, while the United Arab Emirates reported intercepting 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones. Kuwait’s military said it intercepted 42 drones and four ballistic missiles launched since early Wednesday, some targeting oil facilities, power stations and other critical infrastructure. Bahrain also reported injuries and damage after debris from an intercepted Iranian drone fell in a residential area. The regional attacks came after Iran launched missile barrages toward Israel in the hours surrounding the ceasefire announcement Tuesday night, triggering sirens across major cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told Fox News Digital that there were launches toward Israel from Iran after the ceasefire took effect. “This is a fragile truce,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday when asked about reported violations at a White House press briefing. “Ceasefires are fragile by nature. We’ve seen this with respect to the 12-day war with Iran in Israel last year. It takes time sometimes for these ceasefires to be fully effectuated.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the ceasefire, said Wednesday “violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places,” urging all sides to exercise restraint and preserve the agreement. “It takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold,” War Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned in a news conference Wednesday morning. “We’re prepared if necessary, but we hope and believe it will hold.” He said the Pentagon was monitoring attacks that happened Tuesday night “in real time.” “Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations, not to shoot any longer, one-way attacks or missiles,” he said. U.S. Central Command declined to say whether any Iranian activity has continued since the ceasefire took effect, offering no additional details beyond remarks from War Department leadership earlier Wednesday. IRAN CONFLICT TESTS PAKISTAN AMID OWN BORDER CLASHES AS ISLAMABAD TOUTED AS VENUE FOR US-TEHRAN TALKS Trump said he agreed to pause strikes on Iran on the condition of “complete, immediate, and safe” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress in longer-term negotiations. But the Iranian navy told ships anchored near the key global shipping route Wednesday they still need Iran’s permission to pass, according to the Wall Street Journal. “The president was made aware of those reports before I came to the podium,” Leavitt told reporters Wednesday. “That is completely unacceptable. And again, this is a case of what they’re saying publicly is different. Privately, we have seen an uptick of traffic in the strait today. And I will reiterate the president’s expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately.” Trump suggested Wednesday to ABC that both Iran and the U.S. may collect tolls from the strait in a “joint venture,” though details remain unclear. Vice President JD Vance and White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will head to Pakistan for the first round of peace talks with Iran on Saturday, the White House said. Any discussions could be complicated by reports of continued attacks across the region. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Leavitt rebukes media outlets running with Iranian narratives on 10 demands
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt rebuked media outlets for running with an Iranian narrative that President Donald Trump had agreed to a wildly slanted 10-point peace plan from Tehran on Wednesday. Leavitt made the comments while speaking to reporters at a press conference, saying the version of the 10-point plan Iran had released publicly was very different from the one Trump and the U.S. had agreed to. “So let me be clear and correct the record,” Leavitt said. “The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded. It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team,” Leavitt said. “Many outlets in this room have falsely reported on that plan as being acceptable to the United States. And that is false,” she added. WHITE HOUSE ERUPTS OVER CNN REPORT CLAIMING TRUMP TEAM UNDERESTIMATED IRAN RESPONSE ON HORMUZ Leavitt said negotiations with Iran are taking place behind closed doors, and she did not offer details about the version of the agreement that Trump described as “workable” prior to the Tuesday night truce. The plan Iran released publicly makes several eyebrow-raising demands, including that the U.S. end all primary and secondary sanctions against Tehran. The plan also demands that Iran gain full control over the Strait of Hormuz, something it did not enjoy even before the war began. The plan also demands compensation for damage sustained by Iran during the war and a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Middle East. TRUMP’S APOCALYPTIC IRAN WARNING RAISES STAKES FOR SWEEPING US STRIKE THREAT Trump publicly blasted that version of the plan in a statement on Wednesday. “Numerous Agreements, Lists, and Letters are being sent out by people that have absolutely nothing to do with the U.S.A. / Iran Negotiation, in many cases, they are total Fraudsters, Charlatans, and WORSE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There is only one group of meaningful “POINTS” that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these Negotiations. These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE,” Trump wrote.
Sen Elissa Slotkin won’t rule out 2028 presidential bid but says midterms come first for Democrats
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., isn’t ruling out a potential 2028 White House bid, but says she is focused on helping Democrats secure the House and Senate in the upcoming midterm elections. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who previously served in the House, was asked about a presidential run while visiting Iowa this week to stump for local Democrats. “I’m not so arrogant as to think it has to be me,” Slotkin told the Des Moines Register. “Midterms are what I’m focused on right now, but if it comes to the point afterwards that I think there’s not anyone else who’s on the right path, I guess I wouldn’t say no forever.” During a town hall event, Slotkin lamented the divisive politics in Washington, noting she has heard from voters across the country about their disappointment in the partisan divide. KAMALA HARRIS TEASES SHE ‘MIGHT’ RUN FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN IN 2028 “I want to win in November,” Slotkin said at the event, as reported by The Associated Press. “That means being honest about where the Democratic Party needs to go.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Slotkin for further comment. The senator’s national profile has grown after she narrowly won her Senate seat and frequently voiced opposition to certain Trump administration policies. She was one of six Democrats who participated in a video urging military service members to resist “illegal orders.” President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition, prompting a Justice Department investigation into the matter. Slotkin first entered Congress following her 2018 election to the House, where she flipped a Republican-held seat in a key swing state against former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop. In her interview with the Des Moines Register, Slotkin urged Democrats not to forget Midwestern states like Michigan, citing the state’s electorate and potential for early voting. “I would get in a cage match with Iowa versus Michigan in order to have that first [primary slot],” Slotkin told the Register. “I’m not going to lie and say, like, I’m going to give it over to Iowa when really I want it to be Michigan.”
Squad member Summer Lee calls ‘upper class’ the ‘enemy’ at El-Sayed rally
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., suggested that higher-earning Americans were the real “enemy” during a campaign rally headlined by a far-left social media influencer on Tuesday. “I see other people who are fighting like hell to make you feel like your enemy is sitting next to you,” Lee said in a video posted by The Washington Free Beacon. “That your enemy is somebody who worships differently than you are, or looks differently than you are, comes from a different socioeconomic background than you, unless they are the upper class.” “They only have the politics of fear and division and destruction and disruption. They need us to keep our focus away from the people who have participated in the biggest sex trafficking ring in our country,” Lee continued, appearing to reference the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “I need you to instead lead and learn and live in your power.” Lee, a left-wing lawmaker affiliated with “the Squad,” made the remarks during a campaign event she participated in to boost Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., another “Squad” member who is supporting El-Sayed, was in attendance. ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT CONDEMNS PARTY MEMBERS RALLYING WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER El-Sayed, who is running with the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is viewed as the most progressive candidate in the state’s three-way Democratic primary. Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said “America deserved 9/11,” headlined the rally. Piker has also drawn backlash from both parties over his comments on the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the Israeli government and the Chinese Communist Party, which critics have called antisemitic and anti-American. Lee, who has repeatedly advocated for pro-Palestinian causes, doubled down on her decision to appear at the campaign event with Piker in a statement obtained by the outlet City & State Pennsylvania. “At a moment when Donald Trump is threatening catastrophic violence against Iran and saying ‘a whole civilization will die tonight,’ our priorities are deeply out of step if this is what some choose to focus on,” Lee said in a statement, referring to the president’s comments on Truth Social on Tuesday. “We need to invite young people in, take them seriously, and recognize that our politics are strongest when everyday people have a real hand in shaping them.” “If reporters have questions about Hasan Piker’s statements, they should ask Hasan Piker,” Lee added. El-Sayed also sought to distance himself from Piker’s statements during an interview on “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday. WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY ONLINE AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS “Of course I oppose rape. Of course I don’t think 9/11 was justified,” El-Sayed said. “[Just] because you appear with somebody doesn’t mean you agree with them on everything.” El-Sayed also floated Lee as a potential leftist challenger to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., if he decides to seek re-election in 2028. Fetterman has faced criticism from some Pennsylvania Democrats for voting with Republicans to support Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s confirmation, among other instances where he has crossed party lines. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Mich., El-Sayed’s primary opponents, sharply criticized his decision to campaign with Piker. “It is unacceptable for a candidate wanting to represent all Michiganders to campaign with Hasan Piker, a person who is unapologetic about a career of making hurtful and anti-Semitic comments,” Stevens said in a statement. “With all that’s at stake in this election, we should be focused on the challenges Michiganders are facing and how to fight for them.” Fox News Digital reached out to Lee’s office for comment.
JD Vance’s task force flags nearly $6.3B in government contracts going to potentially fraudulent businesses
Fox News has learned Vice President JD Vance’s new anti-fraud task force has identified nearly $6.3 billion in government contracts that are going to potentially fraudulent businesses, marking a major milestone in the Trump administration’s mission to slash wasteful spending contributing to the national debt. The task force and General Services Administration are beginning to send out letters to nearly 400 businesses with government contracts that they believe could be fraudulent, as first reported by the Daily Caller. The businesses will have 30 days to prove to the task force that they have a physical address and are legitimate. A Vance spokesperson told Fox News the task force “will leave no stone unturned in the hunt for fraud.” “If fraudsters are robbing hardworking Americans of their tax dollars and services, we will find them,” the spokesperson said. SBA FREEZES OVER 100,000 CALIFORNIA BORROWERS IN SWEEPING $9B PANDEMIC FRAUD CRACKDOWN The announcement comes less than a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the team, led by Vance as chairman. The unit’s mission is to target what the administration described as widespread exploitation of the American safety net by “illegal aliens, criminals, foreign gangs, bureaucrats,” and non-governmental organizations. The executive order argued certain states have embraced loopholes, allowing people to self-certify for benefits, including housing, food and medical care, while refusing to implement basic fraud controls. The order specifically highlights Minnesota as a primary example of “staggering fraud and waste,” citing an alleged $250 million scam by nonprofit Feeding Our Future, rampant Medicaid fraud, and a massive childcare fraud ring involving Somali immigrants accused of funneling stolen taxpayer funds to an African terror group. The administration noted Minnesota and 20 other states previously sued the federal government to block basic eligibility reviews for food stamp enrollees. Along with Vance, task force participants include Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller.
Dem Senate nominee distances herself from Kamala Harris ahead of visit: ‘Will not be attending’
The Democratic nominee for a Senate seat in Arkansas is trying to distance herself from messaging tied to the mainstream Democratic Party, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, as she wages an uphill bid to flip a Republican Senate seat. “Arkansas is a very independent state. In fact, if you look at our voting history, we are often split-ticket voters,” Hallie Shoffner told Fox News Digital. “I feel that both of the parties just walked away from rural America — Democrats included,” added Shoffner, who is pushing back on claims that she invited Harris to campaign with her. Her comments come as Harris plans to deliver keynote remarks at the Arkansas Shackelford Dinner in Little Rock later this month — the first campaign event she has headlined since she lost the 2024 presidential election. STEVE DAINES’ HANDPICKED SENATE SUCCESSOR KURT ALME VOWS TO KEEP MONTANA IN REPUBLICAN HANDS IN 2026 Shoffner strongly denied she had any intention of campaigning with Harris at her upcoming appearance. “We had nothing to do with bringing the former vice president here. She’s speaking at a Democratic Party of Arkansas event, an event I will not be attending,” Shoffner said. “This woman is coming, and she’s going to be here for all of two hours,” she said. Shoffner believes the party should focus on its future, rather than highlighting high-profile names of the past. She blasted Republican attempts to link Harris’ appearance to her Senate bid. “The Republican Party of Arkansas is talking like I’m the one who’s responsible. Why? Tom Cotton and the Republican Party, why are we relitigating the 2024 election right now?” Shoffner said, referring to her political opponent, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. Instead, Shoffner said she is trying to emulate different Democrats who have used middle-of-the-road platforms to attract rural voters. “If I were Hallie Shoffner, I’d pretend like I didn’t know Kamala Harris either,” Joseph Wood, the chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said in a fiery response to her comments. “But Shoffner can’t hide two very important things: her 25 donations to Harris, or that Harris is coming to Arkansas to raise money that will be used to try and help her failing campaign.” 10 SENATE RACES THAT COULD DECIDE CONTROL OF THE CHAMBER IN THE 2026 MIDTERMS SUSAN COLLINS SHRUGS OFF ATTACKS BY DEMOCRATS AND TRUMP, SAYS MAINE VOTERS ‘DON’T VOTE PARTY LINE’ Shoffner mentioned former Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who was defeated in 2024, as an example of a different Democrat. “One of the things I really like about Sen. Tester is he takes the same approach when he’s going into diverse political communities in Montana,” Shoffner said. “We’re all Arkansans. We’re all Montanans. You know, we want to be able to buy our groceries. We want to put gas in our car. We want to know that our job is going to be there the next day,” Shoffner said. Tester represented Montana as a senator from 2007 to 2025. He lost his re-election bid to newcomer Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont. Despite asserting confidence in charting her own course, Shoffner faces an uphill race against Cotton, the current chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Cotton, who was handpicked by former Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to run for the Senate in 2014, has come to the defense of President Donald Trump’s military engagement against Iran. REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AT RISK? A LOOK AT THE 6 GOP SENATE SEATS MOST IN JEOPARDY IN MIDTERM ELECTIONS Shoffner believes that’s a weakness she can exploit. “Does it work for the people of Arkansas? That’s the point of Congress. That there should have been an Arkansan up there in D.C. who said, ‘Now, wait a minute, they need diesel and fertilizer prices to be low.’ That is when a senator or a representative from a state is supposed to step in and say, ‘My people at home will be affected,’” Shoffner said. Shoffner will face off against Cotton in the state’s general election on Nov. 3.
Gas surge tied to Iran conflict hits swing states, testing Trump’s low-price pitch
For voters feeling the sting of rising gas prices, a trip to the gas pump is becoming a daily flashpoint as midterm elections loom. President Donald Trump touted low gas prices during his February State of the Union address, saying they had fallen “below $2.30 a gallon in most states and in some places, $1.99.” Now, an escalating conflict with Iran is sending prices sharply higher — particularly in battleground states like Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Ohio. That surge is undercutting a central economic message that helped power Trump’s return to office and could reshape the political landscape as fuel costs rise in key states. “I used to put $30 worth of gas in my car for the week — now it’s $45,” said Zafar, an Uber driver who typically fills up in Virginia, where gas prices are more than $1 higher than a year ago. WHERE GAS PRICES ARE RISING THE FASTEST AS TRUMP’S IRAN DEADLINE LOOMS “I have no choice — I have to support my family,” he said, adding that he can’t afford to cut back on driving despite rising gas prices. Just weeks ago, the outlook looked very different. The national average has climbed to $4.16 per gallon, up about 91 cents from a year ago, according to AAA, with prices rising across nearly every region. West Coast drivers are seeing the highest costs, with prices reaching $5.93 per gallon in California and $5.39 in Washington. Meanwhile, on the East Coast, gas prices have surpassed $4 in several areas, including $4.29 in Washington, D.C., and $4.18 in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, in the Midwest, Illinois stands out at $4.36 per gallon, while much of the region remains in the mid-$3 range. While Southern states remain comparatively cheaper, prices are climbing there as well, with Georgia at $3.73, Texas and Alabama at $3.84, and Florida higher at $4.18. Oklahoma and Kansas have the lowest gas prices in the nation, at $3.34 and $3.39, respectively. Beyond gasoline, other fuel costs are rising even faster. Diesel has climbed to $5.66, up about $1.15 over the past month. As a key fuel for freight, shipping and public transportation, it is especially sensitive to supply disruptions — and its rising cost can quickly ripple through the broader economy, pushing up prices on everything from groceries to goods. DEMS WHO RAN ON AFFORDABILITY NOW FACE BACKLASH AS COSTS CLIMB IN NY, VIRGINIA That kind of pocketbook pressure is exactly what Democrats have been eager to exploit. Last fall, Democrats leaned heavily on affordability themes in state and local elections, and it paid off. In places like Virginia, New York and New Jersey, where voters have been squeezed by high housing costs and utility bills, Democratic candidates seized on Trump’s early economic moves, including his trade policy, to argue that the Republican agenda was worsening the affordability crisis rather than easing it. That same playbook is now reemerging on a national scale, as rising fuel costs tied to the Iran war give Democrats a fresh opening to hammer Republicans on kitchen-table costs. OIL, GAS PRICES JUMP AS TRUMP FLIRTS WITH STRIKING IRANIAN OIL INFRASTRUCTURE Campaigns are leaning in, tying higher fuel costs to Republican policies in ads, speeches and appearances across key battleground states. In central Pennsylvania, Janelle Stelson, a Democrat challenging Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., campaigned Monday at a Mobil gas station where prices were $4.24 for regular unleaded and more than $6 for diesel. She argued Perry, a Trump ally, bears some responsibility for worsening the cost-of-living crisis, according to The Washington Post. In Iowa, the left-leaning veterans group VoteVets is running a new $825,000 ad campaign backing state Rep. Joshua Turek’s Senate bid that highlights rising gas prices. The message is also playing out in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed, a liberal Democrat in a competitive Senate primary, is airing ads focused on rising gas prices. “You know why gas is so expensive? Donald Trump’s $200 billion war with Iran,” he says in one ad. With prices rising, the cost of gas is quickly becoming a central political battleground — and a potential liability for Trump and his allies in the months leading up to the midterms.