FIRST ON FOX – A leading conservative issue advocacy group aligned with House Speaker Mike Johnson is shelling out big bucks to highlight the tax cuts in the so-called “Working Families Tax Cuts Act.”

The American Action Network (AAN) on Tuesday is launching what it says is a $10 million ad blitz that will run nationally through April 15, which is the tax filing deadline.

The campaign, which was shared first with Fox News Digital, spotlights the tax cuts in the massive domestic policy measure, which was passed nearly entirely along party lines by the GOP-controlled House and Senate and signed into law by President Donald Trump last summer.

The law is stuffed full of Trump’s 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities, including extending the president’s signature 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay. 

FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS LAUNCH MAGA MAJORITY PROGRAM IN MIDTERM BATTLE 

With tax filing season in full swing, Republicans are spotlighting the cuts, which they insist will give them a political bounce with voters as they aim to hold their fragile congressional majorities in this autumn’s midterm elections.

“Republicans secured the largest tax cut in history and stood up for working families—a win that will be reflected in tax returns nationwide. American Action Network will continue to showcase the conservative policies that lower costs for the hardworking men and women across this country,” AAN President Chris Winkelman told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP BOOSTS HOUSE GOP’S WARCHEST AS MIDTERMS IN BATTLE FOR CHAMBER’S MAJORITY

And Winkelman added, “As Tax Day approaches, we are reminding Americans that every single Democrat voted to raise their taxes.”

Highlighting the tax cuts has become a major part of the congressional Republicans’ messaging as the midterms heat up.

“Hardworking families will see the LARGEST tax cuts in American history….putting more money in their pockets, thanks to Congressional Republicans and President Donald J. Trump Working Families Tax Cuts,” Johnson touted recently in a social media post.

And National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Rep. Richard Hudson told Fox News Digital a month ago that “as we move into tax season…folks who work overtime, folks who work for tips, they’re going to see a lot more money in their pocket thanks to no tax on tips, no tax on overtime.”

GOP lawmakers and the White House rebranded the measure, which was originally known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, to emphasize the tax cut provisions in the law.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS EXPAND REPUBLICAN TARGET LIST IN MIDTERM SHOWDOWN

Republicans are battling stiff political headwinds as the party in power in the nation’s capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms. And they also face a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns over persistent inflation, an unpopular war with Iran and Trump’s underwater approval ratings.

Democrats have repeatedly taken aim at the law, which they call the GOP’s “big ugly bill.”

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene told Fox News Digital that “the policies that Republicans have prioritized have been favoring the wealthy and the well-connected, tax breaks for the wealthy and the well-connected, but hurting working families across the country. People are feeling that, and we’re going to continue to call that out and stand up against it.”

And CJ Warnke, communications director for the House Majority PAC, argued that “House Republicans voted to give the elite a massive tax break — all while raising prices, cutting healthcare, and hiding the Epstein Files. Americans won’t forget their betrayal, and Democrats will take back the House in November.” 

AAN says its national ad campaign includes broadcast, digital advertising and streaming across 37 congressional districts.

One of the spots will thank Republicans for passing the tax cuts.

It will run in the districts of GOP Reps. Nick Begich of Alaska, Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, David Valadao of California, Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna, Laurel Lee and Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn of Iowa, Bill Huizenga and Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brad Finstad of Minnesota, Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey, Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler of New York, Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Michael Baumgartner of Washington State, and Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.

A separate spot criticizes Democratic lawmakers for voting for what AAN calls “the largest tax hike in American history.”

It will run in the districts of Democratic Reps. Adam Gray of California, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan, Dina Titus and Susie Lee of Nevada, Nellie Pou of New Jersey, Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico, Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen, and Josh Riley of New York, Don Davis of North Carolina, Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, and Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez of Washington State.

<!–>

Amid President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown, one congressional Democrat is calling for reparations for foreign nationals who are affected.

“We are going to have some form of reparation for the kids and the families that have been traumatized through all of this,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said Friday during a congressional hearing, referring to illegal immigrants. “You talked about how there’s no support for people even once they’re released. We need to make sure that we are funding that kind of work to continue to provide relief.”

Jayapal, the former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), made the comments during the seventh installment of a hearing series titled “Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Attack on Children.”

The left-wing lawmaker said reparations for illegal immigrants affected by Trump’s crackdown efforts would be just one item in a series of reforms she would push Democrats to pursue if they retake House control in November. 

HOUSE DEM COMPARES TRUMP’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN TO ‘TERRORISM,’ VOWS TO ABOLISH ICE

Jayapal, who was born in India and became a U.S. citizen in 2000, also said she wants “offensive action” regarding those who are carrying out Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown. 

“We need real accountability, because at the end of the day, the people that have been inflicting this harm need to be prosecuted,” Jayapal said. “They need to be brought before us, and they need to be held to account for the trauma that they have created.”

A spokesperson for Jayapal did not respond to a Fox Digital inquiry about who specifically she wants to see prosecuted or who would be eligible for reparations.

Reparations refer to financial compensation for a specific group intended to address reputed economic harms. Many progressive Democrats have long advocated for reparations for the descendants of American slaves.

JAYAPAL DOUBLES DOWN ON ANTI-ICE TERROR CLAIMS AS DHS SHUTDOWN TRIGGERS HISTORIC TRAVEL CHAOS

Throughout the hearing, congressional Democrats repeatedly called attention to the children of deported illegal immigrants, while saying little about the victims of illegal immigrant crime.

The group of Democratic lawmakers did not discuss 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, who was allegedly shot and killed by a Venezuelan national illegally living in the United States in Chicago earlier this month.

Jayapal’s comments came during the record-breaking Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has continued to drag on with no end in sight.

She and nearly all House Democrats have refused to fund the department until the Trump administration agrees to various proposals that could rein in immigration enforcement.

“I have been clear since the start of the appropriations process: I will not vote to give Trump’s ICE or CBP another cent without major reforms,” Jayapal said Friday following her vote against a two-month DHS funding extension.

Though Democrats have been willing to fund the non-immigration parts of DHS, most Republicans have rejected that idea because it would effectively defund law enforcement.

Zeroing out appropriations for ICE and the Border Patrol would continue to force support staff employed by those agencies — have not received a full paycheck during the seven-week funding lapse — to keep working without pay.

<!–>

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk has been the focus of legislative efforts by Republican lawmakers across multiple states seeking to memorialize the slain activist. 

More than six months after Kirk was assassinated during a campus event at Utah Valley University, many of those proposals remain in limbo, with some facing roadblocks.

As the TPUSA founder participated in a debate event as part of his “American Comeback Tour,” he was shot in the neck and later pronounced dead at the age of 31. Tyler Robinson was later arrested and now faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder.

CHARLIE KIRK’S CLOSE FRIEND PRAISES ERIKA KIRK’S ‘RESILIENCE’ AHEAD OF EMOTIONAL WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY

Oklahoma State Sen. Shane Jett introduced two pieces of legislation honoring Kirk on Sept. 17, 2025, just one week after the assassination. The first bill, SB 1187, would require public colleges and universities in the state to establish “a dedicated square or plaza” honoring Kirk. The Republican’s legislation states that the designated square or plaza shall include a statue of Kirk, adding that the design and size would be approved by the legislature. The bill describes two options for statues: either Kirk sitting at a table with an empty seat across from him or one of Kirk and his wife, Erika, holding their children.

The second piece of legislation, SB 1188, would memorialize Kirk by designating his birthday, Oct. 14, as “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day.” Since the introduction of the bill, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt declared Oct. 14, 2025, to be “Charlie Kirk Day.” If SB 1188 passes and Stitt signs, the designated day would become an annual tradition in the Sooner State. However, both SB 1187 and SB 1188 remain in committee.

In Minnesota, Republican state Sen. Nathan Wesenberg introduced a bill appropriating funds for a statue commemorating Kirk’s life. The bill allocates $25,000 in Fiscal Year 2027 from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota. According to the legislation, the statue will be placed on the university’s Twin Cities campus. 

FLORIDA DEMOCRAT CLAIMS CHARLIE KIRK ‘WAS NOT ASSASSINATED’ AS GOP PUSHES REMEMBRANCE DAY BILL

“I introduced this bill to honor Charlie Kirk’s work to foster respectful debate and free speech on college campuses,” Wesenberg said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “The point of the statue is to remember that political violence will not silence free speech.”

“While I originally drafted the bill for the U of M to have the statue as the largest campus to reach the most students, I am considering turning it into a competitive process so that any college campus could apply for this funding,” he added.

Wesenberg’s bill, which was introduced in late February, has been referred to the Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee.

University of Minnesota Regent Robyn Gulley expressed concern about the legislation earlier this month. Gulley expressed her sympathies to Kirk’s family in a statement to The Minnesota Daily, but said that erecting a statue to Kirk on the University of Minnesota’s campus could be seen as “disrespectful,” citing the TPUSA founder’s disdain for higher education.

In Tennessee, a bill aimed at requiring public universities to build memorial plazas honoring Kirk was stalled earlier this month. The legislation would have mandated the establishment of courtyards at public higher education institutions. Each of the memorial areas would be known as the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Courtyard for Civil Debate,” according to the bill, which also included required measurements.

The proposal would have cost taxpayers more than $18 million and resulted in the construction of 47 courtyards statewide, The Tennessean reported. The bill was moved to summer study after facing pushback in the state’s House Education Subcommittee over the price tag, according to The Tennessean.

Following Kirk’s assassination, President Donald Trump posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom on what would have been his 32nd birthday. He also declared Oct. 14, 2025, to be the National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk. Later, Trump honored Kirk at the State of the Union, which the slain activist’s wife attended.

Fox News Digital reached out to Jett for comment.

<!–>

California gubernatorial hopeful Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., took at least six trips to Doha backed by Qatar-linked sponsors from 2020 through 2024, extending a pattern of foreign-funded travel that previously drew criticism, according to House filings reviewed by Fox News Digital.

The disclosures show Swalwell returned to Qatar repeatedly over multiple years, even after he was slammed for taking an $84,000 trip with a few other lawmakers to the Gulf emirate in 2021 sponsored by the U.S.-Qatar Business Council. In addition to that trip, filings from the House of Representatives clerk show Swalwell also went to Doha in 2020, twice in 2022, once in 2023 and once in 2024, with the trips sponsored by either the Embassy of Qatar or the U.S.-Qatar Business Council. 

Swalwell faced criticism for his 2021 trip to Doha that surfaced after Business Insider shared a photo of a shirtless Swalwell and now-Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., as well as their spouses, during a camel excursion along the Persian Gulf – not far from where they were reportedly staying at the Four Seasons in Doha. While not illegal, such trips are an “ethical gray area,” Business Insider pointed out at the time, which can offer powerful interests a chance to influence lawmakers. Swalwell was on the House Intelligence Committee at the time, and Gallego on the House Armed Services Committee. Business Insider also added that such privately funded trips are different than congressional delegations paid for by the government. 

UNEARTHED PHOTO OF SWALWELL MEETING WITH TOP CCP OFFICIAL RAISES ALARM BELLS: ‘VERY DISTURBING’

Following backlash over their trip to Qatar in 2021, the U.S.-Qatar Business Council told the New York Post that it did not pay for the camel excursion, only “costs directly associated with travel and the working agenda of the trip.” 

Meanwhile, in February, Fox News Digital found that Swalwell’s current gubernatorial campaign continued receiving tens of thousands of dollars in donations from lawyer Keliang “Clay” Zhu, despite concerns over his anti-American efforts and connection to a law firm with deep Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ties. 

The month prior, Fox News Digital also covered a previously unreported 2013 Facebook post by China’s San Francisco consulate showing then-freshman Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., during a meeting with a senior CCP diplomat. The photo’s caption touted “great potential” for U.S.-China cooperation, and came during the same time period when Swalwell was allegedly targeted by Chinese espionage efforts via his relationship with a Chinese national named Christine “Fang Fang” Fang. 

“It’s corrupt. You shouldn’t be bought by foreign governments,” said Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and one of Swalwell’s top GOP rivals in the race, in response to Fox News Digital’s reporting on Zhu, DeHeng Law Offices, Swalwell’s unearthed photo and the congressman’s Qatar-sponsored trips. “We are sick of all these corrupt career politicians being bribed by foreign governments. They’re supposed to be representing us, not other countries.”

Swalwell’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Ali Al-Ansari, media attache at the Embassy of Qatar in the United States, responded, noting that visits by members of Congress to Doha are “a routine and longstanding practice across administrations and parties,” whether organized via the embassy or through partner organizations.

“These exchanges are part of broader efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, foster mutual understanding, and provide opportunities for policymakers to engage directly with counterparts in the region. Such engagements are a common feature of international diplomacy, with many close U.S. allies similarly hosting congressional delegations,” Al-Ansari continued. “Such visits typically include meetings, briefings, and cultural activities that reflect the importance of the U.S.-Qatar relationship. All travel is conducted in full compliance with applicable U.S. laws and disclosure requirements, and is transparently reported.”

SWALWELL PLAYS UP ATHLETIC CREDENTIALS IN EFFORT TO BLUNT DHS SWEEPS AT WORLD CUP

Business Insider reported in 2021 that Swalwell, Gallego and the three other lawmakers that attended the trip with them in 2021 got approval by the House Ethics Committee, as required, but noted that the documents detailing the trip did not indicate when they were posted, and it appeared Swalwell’s disclosure may have missed the proper reporting deadline. Besides the camel ride excursion along the Persian Gulf, the trip’s agenda, shared publicly, indicated there would be meetings about business opportunities between Qatar and the U.S., meetings with people in the hospitality industry, meetings with the Qatari ambassador to the United States, a briefing on the FIFA World Cup that was held in Qatar in 2022, and other planned events.

Qatar has faced scrutiny for years over its alleged ties to Hamas. In 2025, Qatar threatened to “retaliate” against Israel after they targeted some Hamas leaders with airstrikes. Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, who was responsible for Hamas’ finances and is a key player in the terrorist organization’s West Bank operations, were two targets of the explosion that rocked the Middle Eastern nation’s capital last September, according to Israeli media reports. 

While Swalwell did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about the repeated Qatar-funded trips he has taken, he did recently defend himself against criticism about his ties to Fang Fang, who was suspected of being a Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operative and worked closely with Swalwell’s campaign, like fundraising and directing interns to his office. The pair could also be seen in photos at public outings together before Swalwell became a member of Congress.

“This decade-old story is, of course, nonsense,” Swalwell told local news outlet KRON4.com. 

“The air was cleared immediately by the FBI when there was even a suggestion of wrongdoing,” he also told the Sources Say podcast last week. “I think Independent folks have said enough on this. And, you know for me, defamation is the highest form of flattery.”

Eventually, U.S. intelligence officials became so concerned with Fang Fang’s activities that they alerted Swalwell and other members of Congressional leadership in 2015. At the time, Nancy Pelosi was serving as House Minority Leader while McCarthy was the House Majority Leader, but McCarthy indicated he was not briefed on the matter until later. Meanwhile, Swalwell immediately cut ties with Fang Fang upon the defensive briefing, sources speaking to Axios said.

HUNTER BIDEN’S FORMER ‘SUGAR BROTHER’ LAWYER DROPS BIG MONEY ON SWALWELL’S CAMPAIGN: ‘BIGGEST CHEERLEADER’ 

Shortly after Axios broke its investigation of Swalwell’s ties to Fang Fang in 2020, top-level Democrats and Republicans, including then-House Minority Leader McCarthy and then-House Speaker Pelosi, received further briefings on the matter, which was followed by GOP calls for Swalwell to be removed from the powerful House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing, and a multiyear congressional ethics report backed that assertion and did not take any further action against the congressman over his questionable associations, but McCarthy did eventually boot Swalwell from the powerful House Intel Committee. In the past week, reports have surfaced that FBI Director Kash Patel wants to release old investigative files on Fang Fang, with some sources reportedly indicating FBI officials have even discussed sending agents to China to talk to her, according to The Washington Post.

Swalwell and his campaign have been embattled in other ethics controversies recently as well, including related to his artificial intelligence start-up company, which Swalwell established with his congressional chief of staff and later hired to do work for his campaign. Swalwell and his chief of staff, according to a report from NOTUS, were reportedly pitching their product to Democratic lawmakers, aides and staff. The report also raised questions about investments the company received from Democratic campaigns, including Gallego and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. 

Meanwhile, Swalwell’s California residency has also become a central issue of his campaign for a short period of time, after Swalwell reportedly listed his lawyer’s address in California on paperwork to run for governor. Swalwell reportedly defended the address he listed, arguing he listed his attorney’s office due to a fear of death threats he had received. Additionally, in a sworn statement, Swalwell’s alleged landlord said she had been renting a place in Livermore, California, to Swalwell and his wife since 2017. This was also backed up by Swalwell’s attorney who reportedly also defended Swalwell’s California residency.

An effort to remove Swalwell from the 2026 gubernatorial ballot over accusations he was not truly a California resident ultimately failed after a judge knocked down the move on its merits. 

Similarly, a mortgage and tax fraud investigation by one of Donald Trump’s top housing officials, Bill Pulte, alleging Swalwell falsely treated his Washington, D.C., home as his primary residence on mortgage paperwork in order to get more favorable loan terms, has not gone anywhere. Swalwell turned around and sued Pulte but eventually dropped the case after nothing came from Pulte referring Swalwell to the DOJ over the matter.

“The Democrats are obviously in a complete muddle here, because they’ve got all these – for the past 16 years, with the governor’s race, they’ve had an inevitable candidate. For eight years, it was Jerry Brown and then, the last eight years, Gavin Newsom, and there’s no one like that now and everyone who might have been didn’t run – Kamala Harris chose not to run, Sen. Alex Padilla chose not to run. So they’ve ended up with these non-entities or flawed, you know, deeply flawed candidates in various ways, and they’ve been all over the place. That’s why you’ve got this very fragmented field,” Hilton told Fox News Digital, adding that he also believes this is why polls show him doing so well. 

“I’ve always had a sense that the machine, to a certain extent, would get behind one candidate, and I’ve always thought that one candidate would be Swalwell because he’s a useful puppet.”

Hilton pointed out that Swalwell recently scooped up an endorsement from the powerful California’s Teachers Union, which also follows endorsements he got from the SEIU’s state council, the United Food and Commercial Workers and the statewide firefighters union.  

 Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.

<!–>

Kyrsten Sinema could be forced to shell out tens of thousands of dollars in damages for an affair she had with her former bodyguard after his estranged wife sued the former senator under a 19th century law that allows jilted spouses in a handful of U.S. states to sue for a broken heart.

The so-called “alienation of affection” lawsuits are currently recognized in just six U.S. states — including North Carolina, where Sinema’s former bodyguard, Matthew Ammel, had lived with his now-estranged wife, Heather Ammel, for roughly a decade. 

The complaint against Sinema accused her of engaging in “intentional and malicious interference” in Ammel’s marriage and sought $25,000 in damages from Sinema as a result of the allegedly “willful and wanton” conduct.

KYRSTEN SINEMA RIPS SENATE DEMOCRATS FOR APPARENT FLIP-FLOP ON FILIBUSTER NOW THAT THEY NEED IT

In order to succeed in the lawsuit, plaintiffs must satisfy a difficult burden of proof. First, that the marriage had real affection and a viable relationship before any third-party involvement; second, that the “love and affection” were destroyed, or significantly diminished; and third, that the defendant in question directly “caused the destruction of that marital love and affection.”

Perhaps for this reason, the complaint spares no detail: it ticks through an extemporaneous timeline of Ammel’s relationship with Sinema, as a member of her security detail, a member of her staff, and later, as her romantic partner.

According to the complaint, Sinema sent suggestive messages to Matthew Ammel repeatedly over Signal, the encrypted messaging app, months before he and his wife officially split.

“I keep waking up during my sleep and reaching over for your arms to hold me,” Sinema told Ammel via Signal in June 2024, according to the complaint — around the same time Ammel allegedly stopped wearing his wedding ring.

On another occasion, Sinema offered to “work on” Ammel’s back with a Theragun, and allegedly suggested that he bring MDMA on a work trip and offered to “guide him through a psychedelic experience,” though Sinema said she has “no recollection” of those messages. 

KYRSTEN SINEMA’S SWITCH TO INDEPENDENT DESCRIBED AS ‘GUT PUNCH’ TO DEMOCRATS: ‘NO WIGGLE ROOM’

At times, Heather was herself a party to the relationship, before and after the affair allegedly began. In 2023, she traveled to Las Vegas to attend a U2 concert with her husband and Sinema where they drank Dom Pérignon wine in Cindy McCain’s suite, according to the lawsuit. 

The two also traveled to Miami for a Taylor Swift concert in October 2024 — which the three attended out of “concern” for Ammel’s children, according to copies of the affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

It was the same month that Heather Ammel allegedly confronted Sinema directly by responding to one of her Signal messages. 

“Are you having an affair with my husband? You took a married man away from his family,” she wrote, according to the complaint. Sinema has since acknowledged having received the message.

The lawsuit accuses Sinema of acting with “deliberate” interference in the marriage of her bodyguard and his now-estranged wife, who argued that the former lawmaker seduced him and thus “wrongfully and maliciously” deprived her of the “warmth, companionship” and love of their marriage.

The relationship between the two is not in dispute: Sinema, who served in the Senate from 2019 to 2025, has since acknowledged her relationship with her former bodyguard, though she argued the case should be dismissed for a lack of jurisdiction, since the affair in question took place “exclusively outside” the boundaries of the Tar Heel state, according to her lawyers.

While these lawsuits have become increasingly rare in the 21st century, they are not unheard of — and plaintiffs in the state have at times won eye-popping payouts for such claims. 

In 2010, a jury in North Carolina awarded plaintiff Cynthia Shackelford a total of $9 million in compensatory and punitive damages for an “alienation of affection” lawsuit brought against her husband’s alleged mistress. More recently, 2018, a Durham County judge ordered some $8.8 million in damages be paid out to BMX show owner Keith King from the man he said stole his wife — and ruined his company.

TRUMP-BACKED AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERHAUL CLEARS SENATE, WHILE HOUSE GOP RAISES RED FLAGS

Sinema, for her part, says the relationship between the two became “romantic and intimate” beginning in May 2024, during a trip to Sonoma, California, and said they were subsequently “physically intimate” in the months that followed, including in Phoenix, Arizona; Aspen, Colorado; and New York City. 

They were not, her lawyers stressed, intimate within the physical bounds of North Carolina prior to the dissolution of Ammel’s marriage.

The judge presiding over the case ordered the plaintiff, Ammel, to file a response to Sinema’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit by mid-April.

Matthew Ammel filed for divorce from his wife earlier this year.

<!–>

Vice President JD Vance has long been seen as the heir apparent to President Donald Trump and his MAGA and America First base. While Vance remains the hypothetical clear front-runner ahead of the start of the 2028 White House race, which won’t ignite until after this year’s midterm elections, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appears to be on the rise.

Thanks to an increase in his responsibilities and public profile, most recently around the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the month-long strikes against Iran, Rubio has seen his support for a possible presidential bid soar in recent weeks.

The latest example — Rubio’s strong second-place finish this weekend in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

WHITE HOUSE RACE UNDERWAY: WITH 2026 LOOMING, BOTH PARTIES ARE ALREADY PLAYING FOR 2028

Rubio, who was one of more than a dozen Republican contenders who ran and lost to Trump in the tumultuous 2016 presidential race, grabbed 35% of the vote at CPAC when the straw poll results were announced this past weekend, up from a mere 3% a year earlier.

Vance, who is popular with MAGA and America First groups, finished first at 53%. While the vice president saw his support slightly edge down from 61% last year, Vance’s numbers are higher than any one else in CPAC presidential straw poll history other than Trump.

All the other potential Republican 2028 White House candidates in the new straw poll scored in the low single digits in the informal survey of CPAC attendees.

HILLARY CLINTON’S RETURING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE – BUT NOT FOR 2028

The CPAC straw poll follows recent numbers from the Saint Anselm College Survey Center in New Hampshire, the state that has long held the first primary in the GOP presidential nominating calendar, that also showed Rubio surging. And a handful of national polls have also pointed to a rise in support for a hypothetical Rubio bid.

The results are fuel for intrigue over what some in the Republican Party see as a budding rivalry between Rubio and Vance, who describe each other as friends.

“His overall favorability is going up because voters see him as a capable and steady person in the president’s cabinet, and Trump supporters are reacting,” New Hampshire Institute of Politics Executive Director Neil Levesque, who oversees the Saint Anselm poll, told Fox News Digital.

Partially fueling Rubio’s rise is Trump, who has lavishly praised his secretary of state.

The president recently declared that Rubio would go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.”

Trump has also promoted a Vance-Rubio ticket — calling it “unstoppable” a few months ago—but has not said who should be at the top of the ticket.

But the president did say last year that Vance is “most likely” his heir apparent. “In all fairness, he’s the vice president,” Trump added.

While Vance has demurred when questioned about 2028, he has built a political team of advisers who, if he runs as expected, would quickly build out a presidential campaign.

Rubio, who is crisscrossing the globe as part of job requirements, doesn’t have a similar group of political aides. And Rubio has said he’ll back Vance if the vice president launches a 2028 campaign.

“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair late last year.

Regardless, Republican sources confirm to Fox News that a group of GOP donors who support the secretary of state are quietly working on ways to boost Rubio’s political profile.

That’s not sitting well with some in the president’s political orbit.

“Vice President Vance is the future of the Republican Party and Marco Rubio is one of his closest friends in the administration,” an operative in Trump’s political orbit told Fox News.

“The divisive stories from some donors trying to cause chaos are not helpful,” the operative, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, emphasized.

Vance has also weighed in, telling Fox News’ Martha MacCallum last month that “Marco is my closest friend in the administration.”

And the vice president, in his interview on Fox News’ “The Story,” added, “I think it’s so interesting the media wants to create this conflict where there just isn’t any conflict.”

<!–>

A growing standoff between President Donald Trump and a key NATO ally escalated Monday after Spain blocked U.S. military aircraft involved in the Iran conflict from using its airspace, marking the latest rupture between Washington and Madrid over defense policy and the war in the Middle East.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles confirmed the move, saying Spain has denied both airspace access and the use of joint U.S.-Spanish bases for any operations tied to the Iran conflict.

“This was made perfectly clear to the American military and forces from the very beginning,” Robles said. “Neither the bases are authorized, nor, of course, is the use of Spanish airspace authorized for any actions related to the war in Iran.”

Spain already had refused to allow U.S. forces to use the strategically critical Rota and Morón bases in southern Spain, installations long viewed as key hubs for American military operations into Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The expansion of that restriction to Spanish airspace effectively cuts off another logistical pathway for U.S. operations and signals that Madrid is willing to directly limit U.S. military movement despite its NATO membership.

NATO HEAVYWEIGHTS BALK AT HORMUZ MISSION AS TRUMP WARNS ALLIANCE AT RISK

The dispute has increasingly become a direct clash between Trump and Spain’s left-wing government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, which has taken one of the most outspoken positions in Europe against U.S. and Israeli military action.

Sánchez has described the Iran war as “illegal,” “reckless” and “unjust,” and his government has framed its refusal to cooperate as a matter of international law and national sovereignty.

“This decision is part of the decision already made by the Spanish government not to participate in or contribute to a war which was initiated unilaterally and against international law,” Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said in a radio interview when asked whether the move could further strain ties with the United States.

IRAN BACKLASH FORCES GULF ALLIES TOWARD WASHINGTON AS REGIONAL TENSIONS RISE

Trump previously lashed out at Spain after it denied base access, saying, “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain” and “We don’t want anything to do with Spain.”

A White House official downplayed Spain’s latest move. 

“The United States Military is meeting or surpassing all of its goals under Operation Epic Fury and does not need help from Spain or anyone else,” the official told Fox News Digital.

The U.S. maintains a significant military presence in Spain under long-standing bilateral agreements, including Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base, which serve as key hubs for American forces moving between the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Naval Station Rota, in particular, supports U.S. Navy operations in the Mediterranean and hosts warships tied to the U.S. Sixth Fleet, some of which have been operating in the broader Iran conflict.

Spain’s earlier decision to bar the use of those bases for Iran-related operations forced U.S. aircraft, including refueling tankers, to relocate to other European bases such as Germany and France.

The standoff also reflects broader, long-running friction between Trump and Spain over defense spending and burden-sharing inside NATO, where Madrid has lagged behind alliance targets — an issue Trump has repeatedly used to pressure European allies.

Spain’s decision underscores a deeper divide within NATO over how to respond to the Iran conflict, with Madrid emerging as one of the clearest dissenting voices willing to translate political opposition into operational limits on U.S. military activity.

Robles reiterated that position Monday, calling the war “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust,” underscoring Spain’s continued resistance despite pressure from Washington.

The Spanish embassy and NATO could not immediately be reached for comment. 

<!–>

A Michigan Democrat running for U.S. Senate is facing backlash after a report on leaked audio showing him explaining why he shouldn’t take a public position on the death of former Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei because of people in Dearborn, Michigan, who are “sad.”

Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, according to a report from the Washington Free Beacon, was recorded in a staff meeting strategizing about how to address the Iranian leader’s death after he was killed during U.S. and Israel’s military action in the country.

“I’m just gonna go straight to pedophilia, frankly,” El-Sayed is heard saying about his response if pressed by a reporter. “I’ll just be like, ‘Pedophile president decides that he doesn’t like the front page news, so he decides to take us into another war.’”

El-Sayed also told his team, in reference to the significant Muslim population in Dearborn, “I also want to remind you guys that there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad today. So, like, I just don’t want to comment on Khamenei at all. Like, I don’t think it’s worth even touching that.”

SANDERS-ENDORSED SENATE CANDIDATE KNOCKED FOR ALLEGED FLIP-FLOP TO ‘HAVE IT BOTH WAYS’ ON KEY ISSUE

The report sparked immediate backlash from Republicans and conservatives on social media.

“Speaks volumes about the level of extremism within the El-Sayed coalition here,” Fox News radio political analyst Josh Kraushaar posted on X.

“Democrats have an abundance of riches to choose from when selecting which one of their Senate candidates is the craziest, most radical, and most anti-American,” GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno posted on X.

“Beyond parody,” conservative communicator Steve Guest posted on X.

“Well this is insane,” GOP adviser Nathan Brand posted on X.

TLAIB-BACKED SENATE CANDIDATE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER DELETING ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

“Anyone who is sad that the Ayatollah is dead should be deported,” Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow Jason Bedrick posted on X.

“Disgraceful,” the Republican Jewish Coalition posted on X.

In a post on X, former Biden-Harris surrogate Kevin Walling called the news “disqualifying.”

Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign for comment.

In a statement to the Washington Free Beacon, campaign lawyers at the Sandler Reiff law firm said the recording was “obtained without the campaign’s permission” and “without knowledge that individuals were being recorded.”

“The campaign is considering its legal options against the individual in question,” the statement added.

El-Sayed, who is Muslim, recently faced controversy for agreeing to team up with Hasan Piker, a far-left streamer who once said “America deserved 9/11.”

Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary will be held on Aug 4 as El-Sayed squares off against Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens to replace outgoing Sen. Gary Peters. 

The Cook Political report ranks the race as a “toss up” heading into November’s consequential midterms.

<!–>