Lawmakers demand changes to House censure rules after ‘playground nonsense’ embroils Congress
House lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are erupting in frustration after a week full of political bomb-throwing via a congressional procedure that’s traditionally only saved for the most egregious of fouls. The last five days have marked the first week House lawmakers have all been in D.C. together since the 43-day government shutdown began on Oct. 1. And while most of them were anxious to get to work, the chamber was instead forced to reckon with a series of censure threats and forced House-wide votes on rebuking their colleagues via a mechanism called a privileged resolution. “This is ridiculous playground nonsense,” Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., said. “Personally, I’m tired of members of Congress using the chamber as their own personal playground to get attention. People have done some egregious things. But I’ve just had enough of this back and forth nonsense.” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., called the slew of censures and privileged resolutions “the biggest load of bulls—” and called for the system to be reformed so that one lawmaker’s wishes were not enough to disrupt the entire House floor. NANCY MACE TO FORCE CENSURE VOTE AGAINST FELLOW HOUSE REPUBLICAN “I mean, if somebody warrants a censure and/or expulsion, it should truly be driven by the consensus of the body and not some individual going on their own crusade to get attention or make a name,” Lawler said. One lawmaker, granted anonymity to discuss the development, said they were even worried the tool could now be misused as an election ploy. “The majority could just [censure] anybody in a tight race. And you don’t want this process to become part of election games and s—” they said. Currently, any one lawmaker can introduce a censure resolution against another. Both Republicans and Democrats have also wielded a mechanism known as a “privileged resolution” three times this week to force an immediate vote on rebuking a colleague — out of five total threats to do so. It spurred conversations by House lawmakers on how to change those rules, including one bipartisan proposal that would raise the threshold to censure someone from a simple majority vote to 60% of the chamber. Some experts fear that change may do little to change the political incentives in place now, however. “Increasing the threshold is useful, but I don’t know that it will deter its use,” Jim Curry, professor of political science at the University of Utah, said. “You still get to have this moment of ‘I have brought a censure resolution against so-and-so, and the House will vote on it because I was brave.’ That doesn’t change that incentive for individual members of Congress to use it to grab headlines.” In its current state, lawmakers voiced concern that censures had been used primarily in a retaliatory manner. “Eye for an eye leaves everyone blind, and we shouldn’t use the House floor to litigate personal grievances, or even legitimate ones that should go through the proper due process,” Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., said. “If someone is found to have committed a violation, and they receive their day in court, or the equivalent of it, then they should be held accountable. But this rush to get a headline, I think it’s childish.” Lawmakers blamed a variety of motivations for the surge in House floor drama, from political angst to a desire for attention. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital, “I think there’s a lot of pent-up frustration after the Democratic shutdown of over 40 days. And we all want to get moving on important issues, whether it be the cost of materials that went up during the Biden years, and, of course, how we handle this healthcare issue. And unfortunately, some people want to use some of these procedures to settle scores.” “Some of these folks are running for office and looking for footage to show their supporters or donors that they’re doing something, and some of the media has to own this as well, because you guys cover this stupid s—. It’s clickbait. It’s lame,” Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., said. DEMOCRAT FOUND TEXTING JEFFREY EPSTEIN FACES HOUSE CENSURE, COMMITTEE REMOVAL THREATS A handful of members said they believed the chamber would be better served by increased use of the House Ethics Committee, the body primarily charged with reviewing possible lawmaker misconduct. Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., believes the Ethics Committee can help narrow down which censures are appropriate “so that they can get a clearer picture of the conduct and then be able to have a more informed opinion.” He said this week’s slew of censures “goes against the historical norm.” Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., who also sits on the Ethics Committee, noted that the chamber has other means to police behavior that fall somewhere between a censure and a full-blown Ethics Committee investigation. He added the speaker of the House could strip members of committee assignments. “The complaint about the ethics committee is we take too long and, OK, I get that. But I think part of what you’re hearing is that all these votes come to the floor and a lot of people don’t even know what the issue is or anything.” 4 HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE WITH DEMS TO BLOCK RESOLUTION CENSURING ILHAN OMAR FOR CHARLIE KIRK COMMENTS Other members expressed frustration that the chamber had spent a significant amount of time on the censures, diverting time and attention away from more pressing legislative matters. “Issues of affordability are what I’m focused on. And so every time we were kind of veering off into other areas, it frustrates me that we’re not focusing on the issues that were elected to deal with,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said. Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., said, “I think that we would all do a little bit better to focus on the broader issues that the American people want us to focus on.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox Digital he would be open to reforms to the tool. “I’ve had members from across
Mamdani pledges NYC to remain sanctuary city after chummy Trump meeting
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani vowed to keep the city’s status as an immigration sanctuary city on Sunday, just days after his friendly meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. Mamdani confirmed his stance on the issue during a speech at a church in the Bronx on Sunday, telling parishioners that he and Trump did not see eye-to-eye on the issue. “I shared with the president directly that New Yorkers want to follow the laws of our city, and the laws of our city say that, in our sanctuary city policies, city government can be in touch with the federal government on around 170 serious crimes. The concern comes from beyond those crimes, the many New Yorkers who are being arrested, they’re being detained, they’re being deported for the crime of making a regular court appearance.” “My focus as the next mayor of this city is going to be to protect immigrants who call this city their home,” he added. MAMDANI REVEALS WHICH DEM CITIES ARE ‘MODEL FOR HOW TO FIGHT’ TRUMP ADMIN IN NYC Reporters pressed Mamdani on the issue during a gaggle outside the church Sunday, but the mayor-elect declined to speculate about how Trump would react to his policies. “I’ll let the president speak for himself, but I did make very clear that our focus comes back to public safety, delivering for each and every New Yorker and knowing that there may be disagreements between the president and myself, and there will continue to be,” Mamdani said. “And I will always make the case for each and every person that calls this city home,” he added. DAVID MARCUS: MR. MAMDANI GOES TO WASHINGTON BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE Mamdani’s statements come after he and Trump appeared to forge a new path for their relationship as they found common ground on affordability issues and improving conditions in New York. Trump admitted that the two had more in common than he thought — despite their different views — and that he would be “cheering” for Mamdani as he leads the city. “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him — a big help,” Trump said Friday. Fox News’ Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Top military leaders head to Puerto Rico to thank troops supporting Caribbean missions
Two of the U.S. military’s top leaders will visit Puerto Rico on Monday to meet with troops and express gratitude for their work supporting missions across the Caribbean and Latin America. Pentagon officials announced the visit in a memo on Sunday, saying the trip will include meetings with service members stationed in Puerto Rico and sailors operating in the Caribbean. “Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and SEAC David L. Isom are visiting Puerto Rico on November 24, 2025, for the second time to engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions,” the media advisory read. “They will also visit and thank Sailors operating at sea for their dedicated, unwavering service in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.” Caine and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth marked the first visit in September, when they stopped by on behalf of the Trump administration to show support for troops training on the island. SECRETARY OF WAR HEGSETH LANDS IN PUERTO RICO AS US RAMPS UP CARIBBEAN CARTEL FIGHT WITH NAVAL FORCES The meeting took place at Muñiz Air Base in Carolina, outside San Juan, and drew top brass including Puerto Rico National Guard Adjutant General Carlos José Rivera-Román, Public Safety Secretary Brig. Gen. Arthur Garffer, and other senior military leaders. Hegseth spoke to nearly 300 soldiers at the base, thanking and describing them as “American warriors.” The secretary of war also affirmed that those serving in the Armed Forces will be the best equipped and prepared in the world. The latest visit comes amid rising tensions in the Caribbean Sea, as the U.S. military expands its naval footprint near Venezuela, part of President Donald Trump’s push to choke off drug flows from Latin America. SOUTHCOM COMMANDER ANNOUNCES SUDDEN RETIREMENT AMID TRUMP DRUG WAR IN CARIBBEAN Earlier this month, Hegseth announced the official launch of Operation Southern Spear, a mission targeting narco-terror networks across Latin America. Hegseth said on X at the time that U.S. Southern Command and Joint Task Force Southern Spear will lead the mission to defend the homeland and dismantle narco-terrorist networks across the Western Hemisphere. “This mission defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people,” Hegseth said. HEGSETH ANNOUNCES OPERATION TO REMOVE ‘NARCO-TERRORISTS FROM OUR HEMISPHERE’ Since early September, U.S. military forces have carried out numerous lethal strikes against narcotics vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, destroying dozens of ships tied to Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang and Colombia’s Ejército de Liberación Nacional. The attacks have killed an estimated 82 suspected narco-terrorists, with three survivors. The campaign began Sept. 2 with a strike that killed 11 alleged members of Tren de Aragua and continued through October and November with a series of targeted operations that eliminated dozens more across known trafficking routes. U.S. forces have hit submersibles, fishing boats and high-speed vessels, including one ELN-affiliated craft that drew criticism from Colombia’s president after three men were killed. Several strikes took place near Venezuela’s coast, while others occurred in the eastern Pacific, where most recent operations have been concentrated.
Rubio claims ‘tremendous amount of progress’ in Ukraine peace talks following Geneva meeting
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that discussions over ending the war in Ukraine have entered a productive phase, while claiming “a tremendous amount of progress” had been made. Following a round of talks with a Ukrainian delegation in Geneva, Switzerland, Rubio told reporters negotiators had “a very good day today.” “We had a very good day today. I think we made a tremendous amount of progress, even from the last time I spoke to you,” Rubio said. “We began almost three weeks ago with a foundational document that we socialized and ran by both sides, and with input from both sides,” he said. LAVROV OFFERS FACE-TO-FACE MEETING WITH RUBIO AS RUSSIA SIGNALS DIPLOMATIC OPENING AMID UKRAINE TENSIONS Rubio described how negotiators had been refining the 28-point peace framework that outlines potential conditions for a ceasefire and long-term settlement for Ukraine and Russia. “Over the last 96 hours or more, there’s been extensive engagement with the Ukrainian side including our Secretary of the Army and others, being on the ground in Kyiv, meeting with relevant stakeholders across the Ukrainian political spectrum in the legislative branch and the executive branch, and the military and others to further sort of narrow these points.” TRUMP AND ZELENSKYY TO MEET AS POLAND PRESSURES NATO ON NO FLY ZONE OVER UKRAINE “We arrived here today with one goal: to take what – it’s 28 points or 26 points, depending on which version, as it continued to evolve and try to narrow the ones that were open items. And we have achieved that today in a very substantial way,” he said. The weekend talks centered on a 28-point plan, which is a framework drafted by the U.S. outlining steps for a possible ceasefire and political settlement. The document is said to cover security guarantees, territorial control, reconstruction mechanisms, and Ukraine’s long-term relationship with NATO and the EU. ZELENSKYY WARNS UKRAINE FACES ‘DIFFICULT CHOICE’ AS US PEACE PLAN HITS MAJOR HURDLE The plan has reportedly evolved through several iterations, narrowing disputes point by point as both sides weigh concessions. “Now, obviously, like any final agreement, it’ll have to be agreed upon by the presidents, and there are a couple of issues that we need to continue to work on,” Rubio clarified. While declining to specify unresolved issues, Rubio described the moment as “delicate.” “This is a very delicate moment, and it’s important – like I said, there’s not agreement on those yet. Some of it is semantics or language; others require higher-level decisions and consultation; others, I think, just need more time to work through,” he said before touching on some issues. US AND RUSSIA DRAFT PEACE PLAN FOR UKRAINE REQUIRING MAJOR CONCESSIONS FROM KYIV “There were some that involved equities or the role of the EU or of NATO or so forth, and those we kind of segregated out because we just met with the national security advisors for various European countries, and those are things we’ll have to discuss with them because it involves them.” “I don’t want to declare victory or finality here. There’s still some work to be done,” he added. Suggesting there is intent to ensure Ukraine’s security, Rubio said that they all “recognize that part of getting a final end to this war will require for Ukraine to feel as if it is safe, and it is never going to be invaded or attacked again.” “I honestly believe we’ll get there,” he said, and when asked about next steps, Rubio said a possible call between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy could happen, adding, “I don’t know. It’s possible. I’m not sure.” “The deadline is we want to get this done as soon as possible. Obviously, we’d love it to be Thursday,” he added.
Trump claims GOP has ‘never been so united,’ calls Greene and other Republicans ‘lowlifes’
President Donald Trump made a passionate post claiming that the Republican Party is “so UNITED” on Sunday night, amid internal divisions in the party over leadership, tariffs, and legislative priorities. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that the GOP has “never been so UNITED AS IT iS RIGHT NOW!” “Other than Rand Paul, Rand Paul Jr.(Massie!), Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, and a couple of other ‘lowlifes,’ and other than the fact that many want the Election threatening Filibuster TERMINATED (the Dems will do it in the first minute of their first chance!), and some don’t, there is great spirit and cohesion,” Trump’s post read. The president also claimed that the Republican Party is “MUCH BIGGER” than it was before he launched his first presidential campaign in 2015. THE REVOLT OF MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, NOW DONALD TRUMP’S FIERCEST CRITIC “Many Millions More Members!” Trump wrote. “We now have the Strongest Border EVER, Biggest Tax Cuts, the Best Economy, Highest Stock Market in USA History, and sooo much more.” He added, “BUT, THE BEST IS YET TO COME! VOTE REPUBLICAN!!!” The post came just two days after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a Trump loyalist, announced that she was resigning after falling out with the president, who claimed she had “gone Far Left.” “Americans are used by the Political Industrial Complex of both political parties, election cycle after election cycle, in order to elect whichever side can convince Americans to hate the other side more,” Greene wrote in her resignation statement. TRUMP GIVES EX-ALLY GREENE NEW NICKNAME AFTER DROPPED ENDORSEMENT, SAYS SHE BETRAYED ‘ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY’ “And the results are always the same — nothing ever gets better for the common American man or woman.” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote that he was “very sad for our country” after Greene resigned. “She embodies what a true Representative should be,” said Massie. “Everyone should read her statement; there’s more honesty expressed in these four pages than most politicians will speak in a lifetime.” Greene’s resignation attracted criticism from Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who spoke about it on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “Honestly, I was like, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Crockett said. “You’re on the other side of the president for one week, and you can’t take the heat.” “Imagine what it is to sit in my shoes, to not only be on the opposite side of him, but to have people like her who are constantly fanning the flames of hate, and imagine what those threats look like when you literally are someone like me.” Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.
‘ShamWow’ guy files to run for Congress in Texas as Republican candidate
You’ll be saying “WOW.” Famous infomercial pitchman Offer Vince Shlomi – better known as the “ShamWow guy” who advertised the super-absorbent towel on late-night TV – has filed to run for Congress in Texas as a Republican, according to state election records. The filing, received Friday, was submitted under the name Offer Vince “ShamWow” Shlomi. Shlomi told Fox News Digital in an interview Sunday that his decision to run for office was ultimately motivated by a desire to “destroy wokeism” and as a tribute to the late Charlie Kirk, whom he called the original “woke buster.” He added that the “political infighting in the country” eventually inspired him to seek office and “make America happy.” WORLD SERIES CHAMPION MARK TEIXEIRA ANNOUNCES CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN IN TEXAS The 61-year-old Israeli-American entrepreneur is aiming to unseat Congressman John Carter, R-Texas, the 84-year-old incumbent who is seeking re-election in the district. Carter’s turf includes the northern Austin suburbs, Temple and Fort Hood. Shlomi is now one of at least five candidates aiming to compete in the primary for Texas’ 31st Congressional District – a reliably red stronghold. TEXAS REP CHIP ROY ANNOUNCES RUN FOR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REPLACE KEN PAXTON Shlomi, president and CEO of the TV marketing company Square One Entertainment, skyrocketed to pop-culture fame in the 2000s with his high-energy pitch videos that helped make the super-absorbent “ShamWow” towel a household name. His rise to fame, however, was accompanied by several high-profile controversies – including allegations of harassment and physical altercations – before he eventually stepped out of the spotlight in recent years and reportedly worked to clean up his image. EXCLUSIVE: DAN CRENSHAW GOP CHALLENGER CLAIMS ‘DAYS IN CONGRESS ARE NUMBERED,’ AS RACE HEATS UP In 2009, Shlomi was arrested in Miami Beach after an alleged violent altercation with a sex worker – an incident that became tabloid fodder after police photos of his face injuries surfaced. Earlier in his career, he faced legal battles tied to his 1999 underground comedy film “The Underground Comedy Movie.” In recent years, however, Shlomi has kept a lower profile as he shifted back into marketing and entrepreneurship.
British teen says urine, glue chucked at him while trying to carry on Charlie Kirk’s legacy in UK
A 17-year-old British conservative activist known as “Young Bob” online says he has received death threats and has been violently attacked while championing Turning Point UK’s message. Thomas Moffitt’s latest ordeal erupted on Nov. 20 at the London School of Economics (LSE) after he was invited by the university’s Conservative Society to discuss the need for socially conservative values in Britain. “We were invited on to speak about socially conservative values. Within about an hour, people were taking pictures with us, some people were genuinely debating in good faith,” Moffitt told Fox News Digital. “Then afterwards, outside of that hour frame that we had some decent discussions, we had a bunch of masked-up activists, firstly, trying to steal our materials, and then secondly, trying to protest with a megaphone.” YOUTH LEADERS MOURN ‘THE GODFATHER OF CAMPUS CONSERVATISM’ CHARLIE KIRK FOLLOWING ASSASSINATION He said angry demonstrators also mocked the death of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a central figure in conservative youth politics, while trying to remove the group from campus. “In their eyes, it must have just been seen as them trying to commit some sort of humiliation ritual,” Moffitt added. “We’re trying to continue Charlie’s fight here in the U.K.” ‘FEARLESS’ TOUR TAKES CHARLIE KIRK’S FREE SPEECH MISSION TO COLLEGES NATIONWIDE He called the protesters’ chants “a very demoralized way of essentially mocking the death of a great man.” Kirk, who founded TPUSA in 2012 to mobilize young conservatives, was shot and killed earlier this year while addressing an audience on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Over time, Kirk’s outreach has inspired international chapters, including Turning Point UK and Turning Point Australia. CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH GALVANIZES BLUE STATE STUDENT TO STOP ‘HIDING’ HER FAITH, POLITICAL BELIEFS Kirk previously spoke in Britain at events such as the Oxford Union, encouraging conservative student activism abroad. Moffitt, who has been part of Turning Point UK for two years, said that violence and intimidation have followed the chapter’s activism from the start. “Throughout the duration of reporting for TPUK and doing stands on abortion, transgenderism and migration, we’ve had bottles of urine chucked at us, glue chucked at us, cans of beans chucked in my face,” he said. TURNING POINT MONTANA STATE EVENT FEATURING RAMASWAMY, GIANFORTE DRAWS THOUSANDS “On several occasions in Speaker’s Corner, which is sort of this free marketplace of ideas where you discuss about religion and politics, a man had a knife, threatened to kill me… I’ve had physical assaults, I’ve had people kick in my head, I’ve had people on social media threaten to kill me.” Despite the hostility, Moffitt remains determined to expand Kirk’s movement. ‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION “We saw that, really, we can start to import what the U.S. was very successful in terms of preaching and evangelizing young people into conservatism,” he said. “I think that we should take this momentum and opportunity and kind of grow out TPUK,” he continued, saying Kirk “would have loved to see the format that he made popular in the U.K.” “We must continue the fight regardless of what country we’re in, because the West needs conservatism,” he added. “If I were… ever able to have the opportunity to speak to Erika [Kirk], I would firstly give huge admiration towards her husband on the formula and ideas that I [drew] great inspiration from,” Moffitt said.
X’s new location feature exposes apparent fraudster accounts posing as Americans, Gaza journalists
A new feature on Elon Musk’s X is exposing the truth behind social media accounts across the political spectrum, with account owners apparently misleading followers about where they are posting from. The new feature allows all X users to inspect where a given account is based, usually listing a country or region. Many popular accounts posing as American “patriots” or “constitutionalists” have been exposed as being run from foreign countries since the update rolled out on Friday. One account with the handle “@1776General_” boasts over 140,000 followers and has a user biography describing the owner as a “constitutionalist, patriot and ethnically American.” The biography claims the account is based in the U.S., but X’s new feature reveals it is actually based in Turkey. “I work in international business. I’m currently working in Turkey on a contract,” the owner of the account posted after the new feature was released. STOP FOREIGN-OWNED APPS FROM HARVESTING YOUR PERSONAL DATA Another account, “@AmericanVoice__” had over 200,000 followers before the update rolled out. The new feature exposed that it was being run from South Asia, and the owners simply deleted the account. X head of product Nikita Bier says the new feature should help X users sift out misinformation from their feeds. “When you read content on X, you should be able to verify its authenticity. This is critical for staying informed about important issues happening in the world. Part of this is showing new information in accounts, including the country an account is located in, among other things,” Bier wrote. The phenomenon is not limited to American politics, however. Many accounts claiming to have been reporting on alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza also appear to be misleading users. One user, Motasm A Dalloul, uses the handle “@AbujomaaGaza” and claims to be a “Gaza-based journalist.” His account has over 197,000 followers, but X says the owner is actually posting from Poland. Dalloul has pushed back on claims that he is lying to his followers, however, posting a video on Saturday that appeared to show him on the ground in Gaza. Many users have argued about whether the video was digitally altered. Another Palestinian-related account, the Quds News Network or @QudsNen, describes itself as the “largest independent Palestinian youth news network” and has over 600,000 followers. The account lists its location as “Palestine,” but X says the account is actually based out of Egypt – unlike other accounts that X does list as being based in “Palestine,” such as American-Palestinian journalist Mariam Barghouti. A similar account under the name Times of Gaza/@Timesofgaza has nearly one million followers. It claims to provide the “latest news updates and top stories from occupied Palestine.” The account is based in “East Asia and the Pacific,” according to X. X representatives have said its new feature could be partially spoofed by using a VPN to mask a user’s true location. In such cases where a VPN was detected, X added a warning next to the listed location.
Trump’s wild Mamdani flip — the insults that came before the love fest
While President Donald Trump and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani doled out praise for each other after their White House huddle Friday, the two have previously not shied away from trading barbs in the past. From “nut job” to “communist lunatic,” Trump over the past year has lobbed a series of attacks against Mamdani — targeting his appearance and intellect. “He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart,” Trump said in a social media post in June after Mamdani became the Democratic candidate for mayor. Trump once threatened to arrest Mamdani if he refused to comply with federal immigration officials. The comment came after Mamdani said in June that he would stop “masked” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials from “deporting our neighbors.” TRUMP SAYS HE WILL MEET NYC MAYOR-ELECT ZOHRAN MAMDANI THIS WEEK “Well, then we’ll have to arrest him,” Trump told reporters at the White House July 1. “Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation. We send him money. We send him all the things that he needs to run a government.” Also in July, Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting that New Yorkers shouldn’t vote for Mamdani, and described him as “a man who’s not very capable in my opinion, other than he’s got a good line of bulls—.” Trump also has repeatedly called Mamdani a “communist” — a term that Mamdani said is a false characterization of his political ideology. Mamdani instead has said that he is a democratic socialist. TRUMP SAYS MAMDANI MEETING IN THE WORKS: ‘WE’LL WORK SOMETHING OUT’ Mamdani has had his fair share of harsh remarks in turn about the president. Mamdani labeled Trump a “despot” in his victory speech after winning New York’s mayoral election Nov. 4. “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” Mamdani said. “And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.” “This is not only how we stop Trump; it’s how we stop the next one,” Mamdani said. “So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.” DAVID MARCUS: MR. MAMDANI GOES TO WASHINGTON BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE Mamdani also said in a press conference Nov. 5 after the election that he would seek to “Trump-proof” New York in order to safeguard “those with the least from the consequences of a man with the most power in this country.” However, the two appeared to forge a new path for their relationship as they found common ground on affordability issues and improving conditions in New York. Trump admitted that the two had more in common than he thought — despite their different views — and that he would be “cheering” for Mamdani as he leads the city. “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him — a big help,” Trump said Friday. Trump also brushed off Mamdani’s “despot” comment in the Oval Office Friday, claiming he’s faced worse and that he believes Mamdani will change his tune as the two work together. “I’ve been called much worse than a ‘despot,’ so it’s not, it’s not that insulting. I think he’ll change his mind after we get to working together,” Trump said.
Vindman’s call to release Trump-MBS transcript reopens old questions in US-Saudi relationship
Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., is demanding that President Donald Trump release a 2019 call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying the American people “deserve to know what was said” in the aftermath of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. Vindman, a retired Army colonel who once served on Trump’s National Security Council, said the call was one of two that deeply concerned him — the other being the 2019 conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that triggered Trump’s first impeachment. Standing beside Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, the slain journalist’s widow, Vindman said Trump “sidelined his own intelligence community to shield a foreign leader” and that transparency is owed to both the Khashoggi family and the country. “The Khashoggi family and the American people deserve to know what was said on that call,” Vindman said Friday. “Our intelligence agencies concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of Mr. Khashoggi’s husband. When the president sidelined his own intelligence community to shield a foreign leader, America’s credibility was at stake.” TRUMP SECURES RELEASE OF AMERICAN TRAPPED IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR YEARS OVER ONLINE POSTS Vindman’s name already is polarizing in Trump-era politics. He and his twin brother, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, became central figures in the first impeachment attempt against Trump, when their internal reporting of Trump’s Ukraine call led to accusations from conservatives that they had undermined an elected president. To Trump’s allies, Eugene Vindman’s demand to release the 2019 Saudi call feels like a replay of that fight — another attempt by a former National Security Council insider to damage the president under the banner of transparency. Still, his comments land at a revealing moment. Washington’s embrace of bin Salman underscores a familiar trade-off in U.S. foreign policy: strategic security and economic interests over accountability and human rights. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “The U.S.-Saudi friendship is now a partnership for the future. President Trump’s historic agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from defense to investment, will create quality jobs for Americans and will grow our economy. No virtue-signaling. No lecturing. Only results for the American people.” Trump’s latest visit with bin Salman brought sweeping defense and investment deals, even as questions over 9/11 and Khashoggi’s murder continue to test that balance. The United States granted Saudi Arabia major non-NATO ally status, formally elevating the kingdom’s defense and intelligence partnership with Washington and clearing the way for expedited arms sales and joint military programs. Bin Salman also pledged nearly $1 trillion in new Saudi investments across U.S. industries, including infrastructure, artificial intelligence and clean energy. The commitments were announced alongside a Strategic Defense Agreement that includes purchases of F-35 fighter jets, roughly 300 Abrams tanks and new missile defense systems, as well as joint ventures to expand manufacturing inside Saudi Arabia. Administration officials said the initiatives would create tens of thousands of American jobs and strengthen the U.S. industrial base. During his appearance with Trump at the White House, reporters shouted questions about Saudi Arabia’s alleged role in the Sept. 11 attacks and the 2018 killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul — marking a rare moment of public pressure on the crown prince, who typically avoids unscripted exchanges with the press. Trump accused the press of trying to “embarrass” his guest, but the crown prince offered what sounded like regret for the killing of Khashoggi, even as he denied involvement. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” Trump said. “Whether you like him or don’t like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it … We can leave it at that. You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.” ABC reporter Mary Bruce had told bin Salman that U.S. intelligence determined he’d signed off on the killing and that 9/11 families were “furious” about his presence in the White House. “Why should Americans trust you?” “It’s been painful for us in Saudi Arabia,” bin Salman said of the killing, calling it “a huge mistake.” “We’ve improved our system to be sure that nothing happens like that again,” he added. TRUMP DESIGNATES SAUDI ARABIA AS MAJOR NON-NATO ALLY DURING CROWN PRINCE WHITE HOUSE VISIT A 2021 report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence stated: “We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey, to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.” Bin Salman has repeatedly denied approving the killing, though he said in 2019, “It happened under my watch, I take full responsibility as a leader.” The question of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks remains one of the most sensitive and unresolved issues in the U.S.-Saudi relationship. While 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals, the U.S. government has never concluded that the Saudi state or senior Saudi officials had prior knowledge of or directed the attacks. Families of 9/11 victims condemned bin Salman after he invoked Usama bin Laden during his White House remarks, saying the al Qaeda leader used Saudi nationals to drive a wedge between Washington and Riyadh. “We have to focus on reality,” the crown prince said. “Reality is that Usama bin Laden used Saudi people in that event for one main purpose: to destroy the American–Saudi relationship. That’s the purpose of 9/11.” “The Saudi crown prince invoking Usama bin Laden this afternoon in the White House does not change the fact that a federal judge in New York ruled a few short months ago that Saudi Arabia must stand trial for its role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that murdered 3,000 of our loved ones,” said Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, a group representing victims’ families. In August 2025, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels issued a landmark ruling bringing Saudi Arabia under U.S. federal jurisdiction for a 9/11 trial. The court found evidence of a network of Saudi officials inside the U.S. who allegedly provided logistical support to the hijackers, citing