House Republican Thomas Massie suggests Obamacare could now be labeled ‘Trumpcare’
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., criticized President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers over Obamacare on Wednesday, suggesting that it could now be referred to as “Trumpcare.” “Might as well call it Trumpcare now. Our party has made no serious effort to repeal Obamacare and legalize affordable health insurance after taking control of the House, Senate & White House,” Massie wrote in a post on X. “Why? Because the current system enriches insurance and hospital companies,” he added. MASSIE LASHES OUT WHEN PRESSED ON EX-GIRLFRIEND’S ALLEGATIONS OF AFFAIR WITH GOP FIREBRAND A user responded to the congressman’s comments by asking, “How can things get done without votes. Is trump able to do something on his own?” Massie replied that the president has “endorsed literally every Republican who wants to keep Obamacare.” MASSIE POSITIONS HIMSELF FOR POTENTIAL POLITICAL FUTURE AFTER PRIMARY DEFEAT: ‘I WON’T BE GOING AWAY SILENTLY’ White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “This is an astonishingly uninformed take. No president has done more to take on big insurance and hospital special interest groups than President Trump – phasing out taxpayer-funded subsidies to insurance companies, cracking down on private hospitals profiting from federal programs meant to help non-profits, and more. The Trump administration continues, moreover, to work with Congress to pass the President’s Great Healthcare Plan that will slash costs and increase transparency for every American.” Massie lost the Republican primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District in May to President Donald Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL. TRUMP ADMIN CRACKS DOWN ON ESTIMATED $10 BILLION IN OBAMACARE FRAUD, BOOTS MILLIONS FROM ROLLS Massie has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since late 2012.
Trump holds Washington hostage over SAVE Act as midterm clock ticks on GOP control
President Donald Trump is turning the stalled SAVE America Act into a leverage fight on Capitol Hill, tying the bill to unrelated Republican priorities as the party races to use its congressional majorities before the midterms. The fight now stretches across defense spending, housing legislation, Senate primary politics and the filibuster, as Trump pushes Republicans to move the stalled elections bill before the party’s midterm window narrows. The latest pressure point came Tuesday, when Trump tied the stalled elections bill to a proposed “Reconciliation 3.0” package seeking $350 billion in new defense spending. “The SAVE AMERICA ACT, which everyone is asking for, paired with the full funding of our Great Department of War, can be passed, very quickly, ensuring that the United States of America stays FREE for Generations to come,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday. TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE SENATE DESPITE REPUBLICAN REVOLT The SAVE America Act includes Trump’s long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification, which has faced obstacles in the Senate. Trump has warned about the need for voter ID laws for years, including from the 2016 campaign trail. In late June, Trump announced a last-minute cancellation of the signing of the 21st Century ROAD Act of Housing, while issuing an ultimatum to get the SAVE Act passed. The housing bill had bipartisan support and would have expanded the supply of homes and lower costs while also giving individual buyers a leg up by banning large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. The cancellation came as a shock to members on both sides of the aisle, with Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins saying the decision “made no sense,” while Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Trump refused to sign at the “11th hour.” “The SAVE America Act has always been a top priority for President Trump, and it remains one. This is commonsense legislation, supported by the vast majority of Americans, that will secure our elections for generations to come,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “The president knows how critical this issue is for the American people, and he will not stop fighting until it is passed,” Jackson added. Democratic lawmakers have argued the SAVE Act would create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters, disenfranchising them. “In fact, he won’t sign our bipartisan bill to finally bring relief to the housing market until he gets his SAVE Act to rig the midterms and kick millions of American citizens off the voter rolls. America First,” said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, referencing the housing act. “Donald Trump thinks that passing a voter suppression law is the most important thing for our country,” posted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on X. TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP The SAVE Act also became entangled in the Texas Senate fight between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, where the filibuster and Trump’s endorsement became part of the same pressure campaign. Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton previously sounded the alarm on the importance of getting the bill passed during his campaign in March. “I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act,” he wrote on X at the time. Cornyn backed the SAVE Act and said he would reconsider his longtime support for the filibuster to pass it, intensifying pressure in the Texas primary before Trump ultimately endorsed Paxton. Cornyn has, however, declined to support a continued push to force a Senate vote on the act. Trump also diverted his attention back to the SAVE Act in another move to push his immigration agenda after a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship. After the Supreme Court ruled that children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment, Trump turned back to the SAVE Act as part of his broader immigration and elections push. “The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. CONGRESS EYES RARE BIPARTISAN HOUSING WIN WITH OR WITHOUT TRUMP’S HELP Senate Majority Leader John Thune has cast doubt on the bill’s path forward, saying Republicans do not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Trump has pushed Senate Republicans to change the rules and pass the bill by a simple majority, while pressing Democrats to publicly defend their reliance on the filibuster. Trump has sounded the alarm that the SAVE Act may never pass if it doesn’t cross the finish line before November. Republicans and administration officials have joined Trump’s crusade by using their speaking engagements to help push the SAVE Act. Vice President JD Vance said by passing the legislation to get voter ID, Republicans will stop talking about election fraud. “We are the only advanced democracy anywhere in the entire world that doesn’t require you to show a voter ID to vote. It’s simple. Just give us election integrity laws, give us voter ID, and then we will have the confidence to say the American people, there’s no cheating,” said Vance. “So stop it and give the American people voter ID.” The Senate is scheduled to return from its Independence Day recess the week of July 13. Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to clarify Sen. Cornyn’s position on the SAVE Act.
The surprising hidden cost quietly adding nearly $132K to new home prices revealed
Government regulations are adding nearly $132,000 to the cost of newly built houses, according to a new report released as Americans struggle to become homeowners. The findings show that more than one-quarter of the final prices of newly constructed homes come as housing affordability remains a top concern nationwide, with elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory putting homeownership out of reach for many families. The issue is also expected to be a key focus heading into the 2026 midterm elections, as lawmakers face growing pressure to address high housing costs and the affordability crisis overall. AMERICA’S HOUSING MARKET COULD RUN OUT OF SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOMES The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which commissioned the report, argues that regulations imposed by federal, state and local governments have become a major driver of the nation’s housing shortage and affordability challenges. The study found regulations add an average of $131,734 to the cost of a newly built home, representing 26.4% of the final sale price. The estimate, based on the average new-home price of $499,500, marks the largest increase between consecutive NAHB surveys since the organization began tracking the data in 2011. Regulatory costs have climbed a whopping 40% since 2021. “We update our study every five years and this reinforces what we have been saying all along — that the cost to build a single-family home in this country continues to escalate and exacerbate the housing affordability crisis,” NAHB President and CEO Jim Tobin told Fox News Digital. “We’re up 40% over the last five years, and now regulatory burdens at every level of government are totaling more than $130,000 for the cost of a new home.” NAHB estimates the U.S. faces a structural housing shortage of 1.2 million homes, arguing rising regulatory costs make it more difficult to increase supply. Tobin said regulatory costs vary across the country, with states in the Southeast, including Texas, Florida and the Carolinas, generally maintaining a lower-cost regulatory environment than states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. AMERICANS KEEP MOVING TO TEXAS AND FLORIDA — BUT ONE OTHER RED STATE IS GROWING EVEN FASTER He also said he expects regulatory costs to continue rising, but believes policymakers can help slow the pace through reforms. “Anything we can do to lower that cost, I think would be really important,” Tobin said. He pointed to the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which would streamline permitting, reduce barriers to new construction and expand financing tools intended to increase the nation’s housing supply. The White House and the Department of Housing and Urban Development did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the report’s findings. NAHB said the study is not intended to argue that all regulations should be eliminated but to quantify their cumulative effect on housing affordability. “While regulations are important, they can go too far,” Tobin told Fox News Digital. “We need to make sure health and safety are protected while getting rid of the more onerous and costly regulations that do nothing more than drive up costs and keep Americans out of homeownership.” The analysis is based on surveys of 54 land developers and 337 single-family builders conducted in March 2026.
House Dem back in the spotlight as brother faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted
The efforts of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to move past his indictment and subsequent pardon by President Donald Trump are clashing with his brother’s legal troubles. Martin Cuellar, sheriff of Webb County, Texas, faces a court hearing Thursday over accusations of having misappropriated county funds. The case, coupled with the closeness of the Cuellar family, is complicating Henry Cuellar’s political outlook as he wages a campaign to continue his congressional career in one of the country’s most competitive districts. It’s been over half a year since Trump pardoned Cuellar from an indictment on charges of bribery, conspiracy and money laundering. “This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains,” Cuellar said in a post to X, announcing that very same day that he would pursue re-election. FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION Cuellar was accused of accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from an oil and gas company controlled by the government of Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank. Although those charges are gone, Cuellar’s case is still very much in the public eye as his brother fends off accusations of siphoning funds. Martin Cuellar, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 10 years behind bars and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for allegedly using county employees and resources to run his own disinfecting business, Disinfect Pro Master. Martin allegedly took home about $175,000 in illegal proceeds between 2020 and 2022, according to the Department of Justice. “They allegedly opened Disinfect Pro Master in April 2020 and entered into service agreements with local businesses and restaurants despite having no employees or supplies of their own,” the U.S. attorney’s office wrote. SWALWELL FRIEND GALLEGO DEFENDS CAMPAIGN-FUNDED SUPER BOWL, MIAMI TRIPS: ‘GO WHERE THE MONEY IS’ “The indictment alleges WCSO employees handled the company’s day-to-day operations from the sheriff’s office, where they picked up schedules and equipment to conduct disinfecting services both on and off the clock with the county.” Connections between Cuellar and his siblings are further strengthened by their closeness. In the past, Cuellar has used his campaign fundraising apparatus to bolster his family’s chances in their own official pursuits, records show. According to FEC filings, Cuellar’s campaign and his leadership PAC have paid $11,000 to his sister Rosie Cuellar for doing work for the campaign in 2022 and then donated $1,200 to her bid to become a judge. He has similarly donated $8,400 to his brother, Martin Cuellar, and his campaign to become sheriff in 2008 and 2020. To at least one onlooker, the family’s woes look interconnected. “The latest legal trouble surrounding Henry Cuellar’s family proves one thing: The scandals didn’t end with Henry. They simply moved down the family tree,” Christian Martinez, the national Hispanic press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. “The Cuellar family’s culture of corruption has turned South Texas into a case study of what happens when one self-serving family holds power for too long.” SWALWELL PAL ACCUSED OF USING CAMPAIGN CASH TO BANKROLL ‘LUXURY LIFESTYLE’ — INCLUDING SUPER BOWL TICKETS Cuellar’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Having cleared the Texas primary in March, Cuellar now heads to the general election on Nov. 3. Cuellar last won re-election in a 52.8% to 47.2% victory over Republican challenger Jay Furman in 2024.
Platner drops out of crucial Senate race after bombshell rape allegation torpedoes campaign
Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, suspended his campaign on Wednesday amid mounting controversies and growing calls from top Democrats in his home state, in the nation’s capital, and across the country for him to immediately quit the race. Platner, a populist Democrat backed last September by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November’s midterm elections. “For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” Platner said in a video posted to social media. Platner’s exit from the race comes five days before a crucial deadline, which, if he had missed, would have prevented Maine Democrats from replacing him with a new nominee on the general election ballot. The suspension of his campaign took place one month after Platner won a landslide victory in Maine’s June 9 Democratic Senate primary, but just two days after an explosive report on Monday afternoon contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION DESPITE MOUNTING CONTROVERSIES Addressing those allegations, a visibly irritated Platner charged, “This is all false. The things that have been claimed did not happen. It is not real.” And Platner, who has run an outsider, anti-establishment campaign for nearly a year, pointed to the political class and argued, “the brutal political reality is they are going to take everything away from us.” Platner said that if he continued his bid, he’d lose the ability to raise money and access crucial voter data, essential elements to any campaign. “Those in power who have the ability to do so are using these allegations as an excuse to take away all the things that we need to run a campaign,” he charged. Longtime Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, following Platner’s announcement, said in a post on X, “Democrats are going to defeat Susan Collins, win Maine, and take back the Senate.” The Marine Corps combat veteran and oyster farmer became the all-but-certain party nominee in the spring, after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who had been backed by Schumer and the Democratic establishment, suspended her bid after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling. Platner’s suspension of his campaign comes ahead of a 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, July 13, set by state law, for candidates to withdraw from the race. Since Platner dropped out ahead of the deadline, the Maine Democratic Party will be able to replace him on the general election ballot. The party needs to select a new nominee by July 27. The Maine Democratic Party on Tuesday night, in a stunning announcement, said that party officials were working “around the clock” to determine a replacement process, but claimed that Platner and his team were trying “to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like.” Platner’s team, responding, said they had reached out to the party but denied they were trying to put any “finger on the scale.” A couple of hours before Platner dropped out, the state party announced it would hold a nominating convention to choose a new Senate nominee, if Platner were to exit the race. That didn’t appear to sit well with Platner, who in his video said, “What comes next needs to come from the people. Needs to come from the people of Maine. Needs to come from the voters who on June 9….said no to this kind of politics. Voted for a politics that would actually represent them. Vote against the political system. Against the donor class. Against the entrenched forces.” “I’m not asking for how this process is going to work. I’m not trying to dictate to anyone how it should be or how we get there,” he emphasized. “But I will say this, it needs to be open, transparent, and democratic. It needs to be reflective of the will and the values of the people that built this movement, the people that showed up on June 9. People in DC should stay in DC. Decisions should not be made in backrooms by people in places of political power.” The allegation that triggered Platner’s exit from the race came from Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, who told CNN’s Jake Tapper that “by dictionary definition” Platner “raped” her. “I thought, here’s a man who was drunk and who, by dictionary definition, raped me. And he’s blaming drunk women,” Racicot said. “So I just felt like that was a very odd take to have on that. And I also feel like with all of the comments that he made about women, sexual assault, rape, even, um, you know, the comments that he had made that was in The New York Times article about, you know, threatening people with rape, like, why does this person have this issue, like scattered throughout their life, throughout their commentary, like it‘s on their mind?” Racicot also said over the course of three interviews with Politico that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Platner denied in the Politico story. Additionally, the report says that a man Racicot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told the outlet about the incident, which allegedly took place while Platner was “almost blackout drunk.” “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her telling him to stop multiple times. Racicot said in the report that “one of the reasons” she didn’t come forward until now was the “huge moral conflict” she had between her support
Who is Valli Geiger? Meet the Maine Dem that Platner urged to run for Senate
Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger, a Rockland Democrat, former nurse and former mayor, is drawing sudden national attention after saying now-former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner encouraged her to consider taking his place on the ballot in the Maine Senate race. While Geiger has not been named the replacement nominee, her name entered the Maine Senate scramble after she told local outlet WMTW that Platner called her Monday night, praised her as a “fighter” and asked whether he could put her name forward. Platner’s campaign told the outlet he had not made an endorsement decision but confirmed he encouraged Geiger to consider running if he stepped aside. After Geiger said Platner called her about potentially putting her name forward, Geiger posted Tuesday she would not “throw Graham under the bus,” while also saying she would not “slander or accuse” Jenny Racicot, the woman who accused Platner of rape, “of anything more than telling the truth as she experienced it.” By Wednesday, local outlets were reporting that Geiger said Platner had encouraged her to consider running if he withdrew. Platner, who suspended his campaign Wednesday night, has denied the claim. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IF PLATNER DROPS OUT? HERE’S WHO COULD REPLACE HIM ON THE BALLOT AND HOW IT COULD WORK “For the movement to continue, it can’t be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” Platner said in a video posted to social media. Geiger is a third-term Democratic state representative from Rockland, according to her legislative biography, representing a coastal House district in Maine that includes Rockland, Criehaven Township, Matinicus Isle Plantation, the Muscle Ridge Islands, North Haven and part of Owls Head. Her biography says she serves on the Labor Committee and the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. Before entering the state legislature, Geiger served six years on the Rockland City Council, including one year as mayor and four years on the Rockland Comprehensive Planning Commission, three of them as chair. Her biography says she holds a master’s degree in sustainable design and built her own passive-solar, net-zero-energy house. It also describes her as a former nurse at Pen Bay Medical Center who later worked as a health policy analyst and health administrator, including as director of the Healthreach Hospice program and clinical director for Federally Qualified Health Centers around Maine. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING ‘THUMB ON SCALE’ TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES Geiger’s connection to Platner predates the latest replacement speculation. Local reporting has described her as a close Platner supporter, and WMTW reported she previously stood with him and credited him with helping secure funding for rape kit tracking in Maine. In her Facebook post responding to Racicot’s allegation, Geiger wrote that Racicot’s story “seems credible” but added that “none of us knows the truth nor will we ever.” She also described Platner as “a man becoming a better man” and said she had hoped he would lead the political movement his campaign had built and will not “throw Graham under the bus.” In the post, Geiger also praised Platner’s “passion for economic populism” and said she had granted him “an enormous amount of grace” for his behavior during what she described as his “dark years” after multiple deployments. The Maine state representative is not the only Democrat whose name has surfaced as Maine Democrats prepare for the possibility that Platner exits the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Several Democrats have expressed interest or are considering bids, including former gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah. Under Maine law, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.
Bernie-backed socialist who allied with Platner could supplant him on ballot
With Graham Platner facing mounting pressure to end his Senate campaign after rape allegations surfaced Monday, longtime Maine Democrat Troy Jackson filed paperwork Tuesday positioning himself to enter the U.S. Senate race should the Democratic nomination become available. Prominent Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have withdrawn their support for Platner and urged him to end his campaign. Platner has denied the allegations as “categorically false” and has remained in the race. Under Maine law, Platner has until Monday, July 13, to withdraw if Democrats hope to replace him on the November ballot. If he steps aside before the deadline, the state Democratic Party will have until July 27 to choose a new nominee. Jackson, who lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary just weeks ago, signaled his interest in the Senate race by filing a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. He later took to social media to condemn the allegations against Platner while emphasizing that he has not yet decided whether to seek the nomination. PLATNER CAMPAIGN PUTTING ‘THUMB ON SCALE’ TO INFLUENCE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT, MAINE DEM ALLEGES “While I haven’t made any final decisions yet, I’m deeply humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement I’ve received,” Jackson wrote. “I’m currently weighing the best path forward to support our progressive movement and the working class political revolution Mainers are fighting for.” Jackson and Platner ran closely aligned progressive campaigns and appeared together at campaign events throughout the 2026 election cycle. Both embraced a progressive platform and earned the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. KINGMAKER MAMDANI CALLS ON PLATNER TO ‘DROP OUT OF THE RACE’ AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION Following the allegations against Platner, however, Our Revolution — the progressive political organization Sanders founded after his 2016 presidential campaign — withdrew its endorsement of Platner and instead backed Jackson, whom it had also endorsed during his gubernatorial campaign. “We have days, not weeks, to make sure a real progressive is on this ballot,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese said in a statement. “If we do not organize now, we risk watching the Democratic establishment handing Maine a corporate placeholder while the party that just got outvoted decides it knows better. We refuse to let that happen.” Jackson’s ties to Sanders stretch back more than a decade. He was one of the few Democratic National Committee superdelegates to endorse Sanders over Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary and later served as Sanders’ Maine political director, introducing him at campaign rallies across the state. Sanders later returned the favor, endorsing Jackson’s gubernatorial campaign and appearing alongside him on the campaign trail. FOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES “Fighting for the working class of Maine is not something new for Troy,” Sanders said during a campaign rally. “That’s what he has done for his entire life as a logger and as a member of the Maine state legislature. Troy knows what’s going on with the working class of Maine because he’s part of that working class.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER A fifth-generation logger and one of Maine’s best-known labor Democrats, Jackson spent more than two decades in the state Legislature, including six years as president of the Maine Senate before leaving the post in 2024. During his gubernatorial campaign, he ran on a platform that included universal child care, Medicare for all and the creation of a Department of Affordable Housing. He also secured endorsements from more than 20 labor unions, cementing his reputation as a working-class progressive. Despite his progressive politics, Jackson has repeatedly won elections in one of Maine’s most Republican regions. He represented northern Aroostook County, a largely rural district that has consistently supported President Donald Trump by double-digit margins in recent presidential elections. Jackson has argued that his success stems from focusing on working-class economic issues rather than partisan labels. Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson for comment.
WATCH: Dana White drops 2028 hints while raving about his favorite Trump cabinet secretary
Political heavyweight Dana White, whose endorsement of President Donald Trump was instrumental in his 2024 victory, is now hinting that he may jump back into presidential politics in 2028 because he has “become really close” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This comes as White’s UFC announced a rare “sports diplomacy” partnership with the State Department this week. White and Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding establishing the partnership last month, according to a UFC statement. The league said that as part of the agreement, UFC athletes and coaches will serve as “sports ambassadors” for young athletes around the world through the State Department’s Sports Envoy Program. White was explicitly asked by OutKick’s Tomi Lahren, whether there are any leaders he is looking at for 2028, to which he responded, “It’s funny, As I was, leading up to the White House fight, doing all this media, you know, a lot of the left media was saying to me, ‘So, you’re out of politics after this, right?’ And I can’t remember who it was that I said it to but … I said, ‘I’ve become really close to Rubio.’ We’ve become really close.” “People are asking me if I’m going to get out of politics when the president leaves and I just said, ‘I’ve become very close to Rubio.’ He and I have become friends,” he emphasized. RUBIO ANNOUNCES FRAMEWORK DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON AS EXPERTS WARN IRAN WILL FIGHT TO SABOTAGE IT White said that Rubio “is a great guy, I like him,” adding, “He’s smart, I like the way he handles himself.” He also said, “I’ve met his sons, and I like his kids and, you know, so, never say never.” Pressed on whether Rubio is his official pick to succeed Trump as president, White clarified, “I’m not saying I’m picking.” He noted that he also likes Vice President JD Vance, who, alongside Rubio, is a rumored 2028 presidential frontrunner. “JD is a great guy too,” said White, adding, “It’s a tricky situation, and I don’t know enough about politics to even comment on that, but, yeah, I don’t know, but it’s not a bad thing to have two strong candidates.” Rubio and Vance are the two Republicans most discussed as possible successors to Trump. While Rubio ran for president in 2016, he has expressed support for Vance, calling him a “close friend” and saying the vice president “would be a great nominee if he decides he wants to do that.” VIRAL MARCO RUBIO CLIP ON HIS VISION FOR AMERICA SPARKS MORE 2028 SPECULATION Though White stopped short of issuing a full-throated endorsement of Rubio, his partnership with the State Department through UFC underscores the high regard he appears to have for the secretary. This is the first time the UFC has entered into such a partnership with the State Department. The NFL, which entered into a similar agreement in January, is the only other major sports organization to have signed such a formal agreement with the department. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein said the league is “thrilled” about the partnership. He said it would allow the State Department and UFC to “work together to build bridges through community engagement.” “We’re excited to join this program, led by Secretary Rubio, as UFC is a truly global organization with athletes representing 75 countries. We can’t wait to get started later this year,” said Epstein. VANCE TAKES LEAD SELLING TRUMP’S IRAN GAMBLE AS RUBIO, HEGSETH AND RATCLIFFE CEDE SPOTLIGHT ON FRAGILE DEAL In turn, Rubio spoke very highly of the UFC, saying it “has become a global phenomenon by embracing values that resonate far beyond the Octagon: excellence, discipline, opportunity, and meritocracy.” The secretary said the State Department is “proud” to launch the sports diplomacy partnership with UFC and to “continue growing the sport of MMA.”
Potential 2028 Dem contender unloads on Netanyahu, admits US-Israel ties at ‘crossroads’
Amid many Americans’ plummeting support for Israel, potential Democratic presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday took aim at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Emanuel, who is Jewish and a longtime defender of Israel, appears to have changed his tune and is now cautioning that the alliance between the U.S. and Israel “cannot stand or survive as it’s been.” The former White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama and one-time Chicago mayor who later served as U.S. ambassador to Japan in the Biden administration, issued the tough-love message for America’s increasingly isolated ally amid its ongoing military operations in Gaza against Hamas. His message was blunt: Unconditional U.S. support for Israel needs to end, and Israel needs to make major changes if it wants to keep America as its top ally. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON ISRAEL “The hard truth is that America’s silence for years has engendered the worst of your domestic politics. We’ve done you no favors by averting our eyes,” Emanuel argued during his more than 30-minute address at the University of Tel Aviv, the centerpiece of his trip to Israel this week. And pointing to Netanyahu, Emanuel argued that America’s “unconditional support has produced a prime minister who has presumed that his strategic interests would incur no cost if he ignored America’s concerns. “I came here from Chicago to tell you directly where things need to head if we are to maintain the historic alliance between two democracies. Without question, the alliance is at a crossroads,” he added. NETANYAHU REJECTS REPORTS OF A RIFT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYS THE TWO REMAIN ALIGNED ON IRAN A horrific Hamas sneak attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. The continued Israeli response over the past two and a half years has resulted in more than 73,000 people being killed, according to health officials in the Palestinian territory. Israel’s response has led to condemnation of the country from across the globe, including from longtime advocates for the Jewish state. “Support for Israel is plummeting around the world. You’ve lost Europe, your biggest economic partner,” Emanuel emphasized. “Israel has never been more strategically isolated.” Democrats have become increasingly divided over the war in Gaza, with a growing number of politicians on the left charging that Israel’s actions against the Palestinians are “genocide” and calling for a halt to longstanding U.S. military aid to the Middle East nation. Roughly half of Democrats questioned in a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll said Israel had committed genocide in its war with Hamas. Meanwhile, 58% said the U.S. is “too supportive” of Israel, which is up 13 points since January. Most Republicans remain strong supporters of Israel, although there’s increasing unease among some in MAGA/America First camp. The poll indicated a slight deterioration in support for Israel among those in the GOP, but overall only a sliver of Republicans questioned felt that Israel had committed genocide. Emanuel called for a “new and fundamentally new approach to this alliance. … To maintain the strength of our ties, we need significant changes and a new direction.” 21 DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 And he sketched out early ideas for a new peace process. “The now-discredited path to a ‘two-state solution’ should be replaced by a 23-state solution: The 21 Arab nations that have exploited Palestinian rights as a slogan for decades now need to roll up their sleeves and stand up a governing authority capable of accepting the historic Jewish connection to this land,” Emanuel proposed. “If Israel made peace with 21 … Arab nations, that would be your greatest day and Iran’s worst nightmare.” EMANUEL PUSHES BACK ON ‘STRAIGHT WHILE MAN’ – SAYS THIS IS WHAT MATTERS MOST IN 2028 Emanuel’s proposals include sanctioning Israelis who attack Palestinian civilians and property, along with companies and banks that support Israeli settlements in the West Bank that most of the international community consider illegal. He also called for ending U.S. subsidies to Israel’s defense budget, arguing the country “should be able to buy American arms under the same financial terms, the same restrictions and the same requirements as every other trusted ally that abides by our laws.” For Emanuel, long known as a moderate who has clashed with the left-wing faction of his party, the speech appeared to be an attempt to find what he’s described as a realistic middle ground. His message: “Those chanting ‘from the river to the sea’ need to hear this: You will never have your way. “Those calling for a greater Israel, you need to hear this: You will never have your way, either. Both of them are fantasies chanted by fanatics that lead to perpetual endless conflict.” Netanyahu, who years ago famously slammed Emanuel as a “self-hating Jew,” had yet to respond to the speech at the time this report posted. Emanuel, who has been crisscrossing the country this year as he considers a presidential bid, has made two stops in New Hampshire, which has traditionally held the first primary in the White House race. He has also made trips to two other crucial early primary election states — Nevada and South Carolina.
Far-left candidate’s past anti-meat activism clashes with campaign pivot in cattle country
Manny Rutinel, a state legislator and Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, has a long track record of activism against ranching and other animal-related businesses — even as the district he’s running to represent depends heavily on the sector. His past positions cast doubt on his current posture towards the meat business as he looks to unseat Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., in one of the most competitive districts in the country. Rutinel said he had recently rethought his position towards ranching during an interview with the Colorado Sun late last year. MAMDANI COMPARISONS FOLLOW COLORADO DEMOCRAT INTO PIVOTAL HOUSE RACE AFTER PRIMARY WIN “Like all industry, there are bad apples, and I’ve spoken out against those bad apples that cause extreme and unnecessary animal cruelty in parts of the food industry and against the environmental cost of unsustainable food practices,” he said. “They’re good stewards of the land, they care for their animals and they are the backbone of our economy and our communities. Colorado ranchers are my friends and neighbors, and I’ve gotten to know them,” he added. Notably, Colorado’s 8th district is Colorado’s leading producer of beef cattle and dairy, accounting for 26% of the state’s output, according to Upstate Colorado Economic Development. Of its 2.5 million acres, 75% are devoted to farming and raising livestock. “Meatless Manny makes PETA look reasonable and he wants to force Coloradans to scrounge for berries and nuts off the ground like cave men,” Republican National Committee spokesperson Zach Kraft told Fox News Digital. “The lack of protein in Rutinel’s diet must be messing with his brain because there is a zero percent chance the ranching capital of Colorado votes for a vegan. DSA’S THIRD MAJOR PRIMARY WIN DEEPENS DEMOCRATS’ FIGHT OVER THE PARTY’S FUTURE Despite his reframing on ranching, Rutinel has suggested his ideal world might exclude them. “In order to go green, you have to eat green,” Rutinel said when, as a 21-year-old, he prompted veganism by stripping and wearing a pro-vegan sign at an Earth Day celebration. He reflected that thinking in testimony before the Connecticut legislature during his time at Yale Law School. STEVE FORBES: CHUCK SCHUMER HAS A BEEF WITH BEEF, BUT DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO GRILL IT “The report concludes that the globe must dramatically shift away from animal products and towards fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. This environmental shift will also have tremendous health benefits for consumers,” Rutinel said, referring to the Planetary Health Diet, a collaborative report on food production ideals to address climate change. Years later, as a state legislator, he would call a proposed ban on fur “really awesome,” even as the Denver Democrats opposed the idea. Additionally, Rutinel began a petition to get Popeyes to implement a plant-based menu as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that doing so would lessen the risk of employees at slaughterhouses contracting the disease. Rutinel would also go on to found Climate Refarm, a group that helped readers make the transition towards more plant-based food sources. “At Climate Refarm, we exist to turn everyday choices into powerful tools for climate action. Our mission is to help institutions transition to plant-based food systems while reducing greenhouse gas emissions through science-backed carbon credit solutions,” the group’s website reads. Rutinel’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he continues to believe that climate reform must, on some level, mean change for farming industries. Having cleared the Democratic primary, Rutinel will face off against Evans in the state’s Nov. 3, 2026, general election.