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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican hopefuls wait for Lara Trump decision in North Carolina Senate race, sources tell CNN
Lara Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, is the leading potential candidate to run for Senate from North Carolina with Donald Trump's backing, multiple sources tell CNN. Sen. Thom Tillis' announcement that he won't seek reelection next year opens a prize opportunity for North Carolina Republicans. Multiple Trump allies looking to enter the race have begun reaching out to the president's aides, potentially seeking an endorsement that would all but lock out other challengers in a GOP primary. But Lara Trump, the former Republican National Committee co-chair and a key campaign surrogate last year, has the right of first refusal on an endorsement by her father-in-law, those sources say. Should she decide not to run, Republicans aligned with Donald Trump plan to conduct a full assessment of candidate possibilities in a race Democrats will contest as a potential opportunity to cut into the GOP's majority. 'It would be great for her to run,' one source who has spoken to the president about the prospect told CNN. A source familiar with Lara Trump's thinking said she's been fielding calls from Republicans encouraging her to run and is considering it. 'There is a lot for her to factor into this decision, like losing time with her kids,' the source said, noting that she had taken those factors into consideration when weighing running for Senate from North Carolina in 2022 and from Florida last year when then-Sen. Marco Rubio was nominated for secretary of state. Lara Trump is a native of North Carolina and a graduate of North Carolina State University. 'There are a ton of conversations happening in every direction, but the reality is everything hinges on the decision Lara Trump makes,' said Republican strategist and North Carolina native Doug Heye. Some other potential candidates have already begun scheduling meetings in the meantime with the White House, including Rep. Pat Harrigan. Michael Whatley, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, has also expressed interest privately about a potential Senate run, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. Whatley has a close relationship with the Trump administration and political machine after Trump endorsed the former North Carolina Republican Party Chairman to succeed Ronna McDaniel as Republican National Committee chair. Trump promoted Lara Trump for the role of co-chair of the RNC at the same time. Reps. Richard Hudson and Brad Knott are also considered contenders for a Trump endorsement. 'If she declines, I was told the president will decide between Whatley, Harrigan and Knott,' said one source who has closely worked with Republicans at all levels in North Carolina. Heye noted that despite her roots in the state, Lara Trump would be running her first campaign in a state Democrats see as a prime pickup opportunity. 'We know she's good on TV, we know she can raise money. How will she be on the stump when she goes to New Bern? How aggressively will she be campaigning? We call them first-time candidates for a reason, because they are untested,' added Heye. However, Raleigh-based Republican consultant Jonathan Felts says he's seen Lara Trump's campaign chops up close. 'We looked at Lara early in 2022, in the race to replace (former Sen. Richard) Burr, and we've stayed in contact with her over the years,' said Felts, who served as the senior adviser to the eventual GOP candidate and winner of that Senate seat, Ted Budd. 'I think people might be surprised,' he said. 'She genuinely connects with grassroots audiences. People here have home-state pride in her. She'll be a legitimate candidate if she decides to run.' This story has been updated with additional details.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Trump says ‘not going to stand' for Netanyahu's continued prosecution
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he leaves the West Wing of the White House, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday the United States was 'not going to stand' for the continued prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges. 'The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,' Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. An Israeli court on Friday rejected Netanyahu's request to postpone giving testimony in his corruption trial, ruling that he had not provided adequate justification for his request. In one case, Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewelry and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favors. In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favorable coverage from two Israeli media outlets. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and has thanked Trump for his support in Israel's war with Iran, which saw a ceasefire agreement earlier this week. His lawyer had asked the court to excuse the leader from hearings over the next two weeks, saying he needs to concentrate on 'security issues.' Trump on Wednesday sprung to Netanyahu's defense, describing the case against him as a 'witch hunt.' On Saturday, he described Netanyahu as a 'War Hero' and said the case would distract the prime minister from negotiations with Iran and with Hamas, the Gaza-based Palestinian armed group that Israel is at war with. 'This travesty of 'Justice' will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations,' said Trump, although it was unclear what negotiations he was referring to with regards to Iran. Hamas took 251 hostages during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with 49 still believed to be held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Negotiations are ongoing for the return of the remaining hostages and the bodies of those killed, while Israel's punishing war on Gaza continues unabated. The US leader also likened Netanyahu's legal troubles to his own before he took office for his second term. 'It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure,' said Trump. The Republican was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in May 2024 in a case related to hush money payments to a porn star. Trump also faced two federal cases, one related to his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Listening to Voters in Kentucky
To the Editor: In 'My Journey Deep in the Heart of Trump Country' (Opinion guest essay, June 15), Arlie Russell Hochschild introduces readers to Kentucky's Pike County, where citizens are worried about losing the 'best and brightest.' As a university professor in Chicago, I have met the best and the brightest from places like Pike County, who decided to stay in Chicago after graduation. They appreciate the racial and ethnic diversity, and the job opportunities that rely on the talents they have acquired, not only those inherited from their families. They stay because they believe they will have fewer barriers to selecting their future partners and encounter more varied people and opportunities than if they stayed home. It has been a pleasure to see the enthusiasm, open-mindedness and entrepreneurial vigor of the young adults of the Pike Counties of the U.S., and I wish them every happiness, no matter where their lives lead them. Clara OrbanChicago To the Editor: After visiting Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District, the nation's whitest and third poorest, Arlie Russell Hochschild concludes that 'Mr. Trump's support isn't fading.' Ms. Hochschild also notes that according to a March poll, only 27 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Democrats. This dire picture needs to be tempered by a dose of reality. Nationwide, 48 percent of voters cast ballots for Kamala Harris, who had become the Democratic candidate only a few months before, while Donald Trump had been campaigning since 2020. Even in this deeply red district, nearly one in five voters favored Ms. Harris in 2024. The poll showing 27 percent support for Democrats also needs to be squared with the election results from November. One possibility is that many do not approve of the Democrats because they are not doing enough to stand up to President Trump and the Republicans. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Japan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
They voted for Trump. Most still back him — but not on everything
From her corner of the United States near Houston, Texas, stay-at-home mother Loretta Torres, 38, admires President Donald Trump's confidence and bargaining style. She has no complaints with his presidency. In Des Moines, Iowa, Lou Nunez, an 83-year-old U.S. Army veteran, has been horrified by Trump's cuts to federal agencies, whipsaw tariff announcements, and crackdowns on protesters. Terry Alberta, 64, a pilot in southwestern Michigan, supports most of Trump's policies but he thinks some of the slashed federal spending might have to be restored and he dislikes the president's demeanor. "I get really frustrated with him when he starts calling people names and just saying crazy things,' he said. Although they all helped elect Trump in November, Torres, Nunez and Alberta have very different reactions to his presidency so far. They are among 20 Trump voters interviewed monthly since February about the president's dramatic changes to the United States' government, trade policy and immigration enforcement, among other issues. Nunez and one of the other 20 voters now regret casting a ballot for the president. Torres and four others say they fully support his administration. But most — like Alberta — fall somewhere in between. The 20 voters were selected from 429 respondents to a February 2025 Ipsos poll who said they voted for Trump in November and were willing to speak to a reporter. They are not a statistically representative portrait of all Trump voters, but their ages, educational backgrounds, races/ethnicities, locations and voting histories roughly corresponded to those of Trump's overall electorate. Even monthly check-ins cannot always keep pace with the breakneck news cycle under Trump. Reporters most recently interviewed the group in May, before Trump deployed U.S. service members to Los Angeles and other cities to quell widespread protests against the administration's immigration crackdown and prior to tensions erupting with Iran. Loretta Torres, a stay at home mom who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, at her home in Baytown, Texas | REUTERS Trump's efforts to tighten border security were most popular among the group. Describing their concerns about the administration, these voters most often cited the economic uncertainty triggered by Trump's federal cuts and tariffs. That tracks with the latest Ipsos-Reuters poll findings, which show Trump polling below his overall approval rating on the economy, and above it on immigration. Recent polls also show that Americans who helped elect Trump to his second term overwhelmingly like what they see so far. In a six-day Ipsos-Reuters poll that concluded on June 16, 9 out of 10 respondents who said they voted for Trump in November also said they approved of his performance in office so far. "I like the way he portrays himself as being a strong leader," said Torres. "It makes us look stronger to other countries." White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement that Trump had delivered on his campaign promises by reducing U.S. border crossings to historic lows and keeping inflation lower than expected. "The Administration is committed to building on these successes by slashing the waste, fraud, and abuse in our government and leveling the playing field for American industries and workers with more custom-made trade deals," Desai said. 'Anxiety is the buzzword' Most of the 20 voters interviewed say they now have qualms about some of Trump's most extreme measures. Brandon Neumeister, 36, a Pennsylvania state corrections worker and former National Guardsman, said he disagreed with a May request by the Department of Homeland Security for 20,000 National Guard members to help detain illegal immigrants. "To deploy troops on American soil in American cities, I think that sends a very severe message,' he said. Pilot Terry Alberta at the West Michigan Regional Airport, in Holland, Michigan | REUTERS Neumeister voted for Trump hoping for lower prices and inflation, and said he knows it will take time for the president's economic policies to yield results. But people close to him have lost jobs as a result of Trump downsizing the federal government, and several friends of his are anxious about losing pensions or health care due to budget cuts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "Anxiety is the buzzword for everything right now,' Neumeister said, adding that it was "hard to say' whether he's glad Trump is president. Federal workforce reductions are also wearing on Robert Billups, 34, an accountant in Washington state currently searching for his next job. He has seen federal positions disappear from job sites, and he frequently gets worried calls from his mother, who is a contractor with the Internal Revenue Service. "This is more than my mom has ever reached out to me. I feel like it's freaking her out,' he said. Ethical concerns Several Trump voters in the group also said they were uneasy about actions by Trump that critics say overstep his presidential authority. Don Jernigan, 74, a retiree in Virginia Beach, said he likes the outcomes of most of Trump's policies but not the way he sometimes pushes them through, such as his record number of executive orders or his imposition of tariffs on other countries, a power that Jernigan says belongs to Congress. Nor does he like the fact that Trump accepted a jet given to the United States by Qatar, which Jernigan views as an enemy nation. "Trump works off of ideas. He doesn't work off of principles. He has no principles,' Jernigan said. Overall, however, he thinks Trump is protecting U.S. borders and deterring threats against the nation better than the other candidates for president would have. Veteran Lou Nunez outside his home in Pleasant Hill, Iowa | REUTERS Trump's acceptance of the Qatari jet also struck Amanda Taylor, 51, an insurance firm employee near Savannah, Georgia, as potentially unethical. "It just seems a little like he can do whatever he wants to without repercussion,' she said. Taylor, who voted for former U.S. President Joe Biden in 2020, says it is too early to tell yet whether Trump is an improvement. She likes Trump's pledges to deport criminals and gang members. But she has been most closely watching economic indicators, especially interest rates, because she and her husband closed on a new house this month. Changes they hope to see Among Trump voters with fewer complaints about the president's second term, there are still areas where they hope to see some change. David Ferguson, 53, hoped the Trump administration would revitalize U.S. manufacturing, and so far he is "pleased with the groundwork' and "at least the direction that they're communicating.' At the industrial supply company in western Georgia where he works as a mechanical engineer and account manager, Ferguson has seen Trump's tariffs drive up prices on a range of products, from roller bearings to food-processing equipment. He does not expect the prices to fall as quickly as they've risen. Ferguson would like the administration to offer tax incentives to companies like his that are making it possible for more things to be made in the United States. "It would help encourage businesses that are already domesticating manufacturing and give them some relief from the tariffs, kind of reward their good behavior,' he said. Several other Trump voters voiced support for a policy that might surprise left-leaning voters: a clearer legal immigration pathway for aspiring Americans who are law-abiding and want to contribute to the U.S. economy. Gerald Dunn, 66, is a martial-arts instructor in New York's Hudson Valley and "middle-of-the-road' voter who said he is frustrated by extremism in both U.S. political parties. Dunn said he knows people who have tried to enter the United States legally but encountered "horrendous' red tape. People with skills and stable employment offers could become "assets to the country" instead of liabilities if it were easier for them to immigrate, Dunn said. In Charlotte, North Carolina, engineer Rich Somora, 61, said he supports Trump's efforts to deport criminals but he also recognizes that immigrants are increasingly doing key jobs that U.S. citizens don't want to do, such as building construction. "If somebody's contributing, give them a pathway, you know? I got no problem with that,' Somora said.
CNA
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Court rejects Netanyahu's call to postpone graft trial hearings
JERUSALEM: An Israeli court on Friday (Jun 27) rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to postpone giving testimony in his corruption trial, after United States President Donald Trump said the case should be cancelled. Netanyahu's lawyer on Thursday asked the court to excuse the leader from hearings over the next two weeks, saying he needed to concentrate on "security issues" after Israel's 12-day war with Iran. The Jerusalem district court said in a judgement published online that "in its current form (his request) does not provide a basis or detailed justification for the cancellation of the hearings". Trump on Wednesday described the case against Netanyahu as a "witch hunt", saying the trial "should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero". Netanyahu has thanked Trump for his support in Israel's brief war against Iran, which ended with a ceasefire on Jun 24. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and his supporters have described the long-running trial as politically motivated. In a first case, he and his wife, Sara, are accused of accepting more than US$260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewellery and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours. In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favourable coverage from two Israeli media outlets. During his current term since late 2022, Netanyahu's government has proposed a series of far-reaching judicial reforms that critics say were designed to weaken the courts. Netanyahu has requested multiple postponements in the trial since it began in May 2020, citing the war in Gaza which started in 2023, later fighting in Lebanon and this month the conflict with Iran.
