The president said the defense secretary is "doing a great job."
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would remain on the job, even as he acknowledged that the war with Iran had contributed to Republicans' sweeping midterm losses and as Democrats prepare to use their new congressional majority to potentially investigate the Pentagon chief.
Trump dismissed the possibility of replacing Hegseth, telling reporters he was "doing a great job." When asked about speculation that Hegseth is eyeing Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn's soon-to-be-vacated Tennessee seat, Trump predicted the defense secretary would be "very popular" in the state.
Blackburn, who won Tennessee's gubernatorial race Tuesday, declined to weigh in on who might be picked to fill her Senate seat. Asked about who would be appointed, she said, "It's not a conversation for today."
Trump's remarks come as Republicans grapple with the political fallout from the eight-month war with Iran, which has driven up gas prices and fueled voter frustration over the cost of living. The war and its economic consequences are widely seen as a major factor in Republicans' crushing midterm defeat.

#Trump #defense

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump reacted Wednesday to Republicans' midterm election losses by showing off the White House ballroom he's building as he demonstrated the kind of detached behavior that voters around the country said was a key reason they opted to punish his party.
In an extraordinary scene, Trump summoned reporters to the hulking construction site that he demolished the East Wing to make room for and the Republican president spoke for nearly 20 minutes about minute building details. He did not mention his party losing control of Congress after defeats in some of the country's deepest GOP strongholds, including Texas and South Carolina, or voter concerns about the high cost of living and federal corruption that helped cause the election losses.
"This has been a structure the likes of which has never been seen anywhere," Trump said, speaking into a microphone that sent loud feedback echoing around the cavernous ***** e.
He talked at length about how the ballroom would be the "safest place in Washington" upon completion, stretching five stories underground and featuring a cut of marble that he called "a vein that people have been after for 50 years."
"We have large staircases coming from the kitchen. If I put the kitchen on top, you would lose three walls, because a kitchen takes about 30% of the ***** e," Trump said of his choice to make the ballroom's kitchen subterranean.

#president #election

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump gave extended comments Wednesday, not about the Republican Party's midterm election wipeout but instead justifying his building a sprawling White House ballroom.
Trump invited reporters into a cavernous construction site and talked about the building project for nearly 20 minutes without mention sweeping Republican defeats around the country the night before.
"This has been a structure the likes of which has never been seen anywhere," Trump said before watching crews erect what he said would be the project's last beam and even signing what was being built.
The president had no public events on his schedule originally, but called reporters together at the last minute. He also briefly took questions, insisting, "If I were on the ballot I would have won."
He said a series of rallies he held leading up the election featured a lot of love from his supporters that "we weren't able to transfer love to the candidates."

#election

Pat McAfee has found himself in the centre of another media storm following his debacle surrounding his recent visit to the University of Utah.
The ESPN presenter has admitted his visit to Utah made him feel uncomfortable with both the university and its students providing him with a hostile atmosphere. In the days since, McAfee has used his platforms to call out his visit as his worst experience yet on College GameDay.
McAfee's comments following the visit have even seen some of his ESPN colleagues criticise him for the manner in which he has handled his frustrations. The public figure has a huge online following and he has used that to call out the University of Utah.
One ESPN colleague in particular has taken to her social media platform to hit back at McAfee suggesting that he needs to grow some thicker skin.
Earlier in the week, McAfee shared some of the direct messages he had been receiving since his visit to Utah Clearly, the messages he has received are not particularly nice but one of his ESPN colleagues has suggested that female sports reporters face worse.

#mcafee

Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes while the Green Bay Packers defense harassed opposing quarterback Bryce Young to beat the Carolina Panthers in primetime.
The Packers quarterback completed 30 of 41 passes for 288 yards in the 27-19 victory Thursday in Green Bay, Wis. Running back Josh Jacobs totaled 42 yards from scrimmage and two scores in the win.
"We talk about how tough these short weeks are," Love told reporters. "We've had two throughout the season so far. The way we came out and just executed today from the get-go was so much better than the last time we played a Thursday night game. That's what it's gotta be about."
The Packers, who overcame two deficits, out-gained their visitors 354-258 in total yards and held a 21-14 advantage in first downs. They scored 21 consecutive points from the start of the second quarter into the third quarter to take control of the Monday Night Football clash.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI

#panthers #passes

Packers' Jordan Love sends congrats to Brewers for taking home first World Series ****** le appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jordan Love knows what a championship celebration looks like, even if he is still chasing one of his own. Following the Milwaukee Brewers' historic run to their first World Series ****** le in franchise history, the Green Bay Packers quarterback publicly congratulated the baseball club. He also admitted that watching another Wisconsin team reach the mountaintop provides extra motivation for his locker room.
Speaking to reporters, Love praised the Brewers for accomplishing something that had eluded the franchise throughout its history. He also appreciated the opportunity to celebrate alongside the newly crowned champions. They attended the Packers' game following their historic triumph.
Jordan Love on the Brewers. pic.twitter.com/IDzH6D2Z2r
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#first

Packers' Josh Jacobs explains what misinterpreted TD celebrations actually meant appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers failed to run the ball efficiently yet again despite leaving Lambeau Field with a 27-19 victory over the Carolina Panthers, but Josh Jacobs still drew plenty of attention all the same. After scoring a go-ahead one-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter, he put his hands behind his back as if he was wearing handcuffs.
The 2022 First-Team All-Pro was arrested in May regarding a domestic dispute with his then-girlfriend and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property. The optics of such a TD celebration are obviously awful, but Jacobs claims his actions were misconstrued.
"Me and {wide receiver Savion Williams} came up with a celebration. They haven't seen the whole celebration," the former rushing yards leader and three-time Pro Bowl selection told reporters after the game, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "Basically, last week, we said the first celebration when I score, I was going to thank God. That's what I did. The second was going to be break every chain, it's a gospel song. That was going to be the next celebration (he was immediately swarmed by his teammates). It's just a correlation.
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#first #rushing #second

Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy gives heartwarming update on wife after shooting during training camp appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy shared an encouraging update on his wife, Mia, revealing that her recovery from a shooting incident earlier this year is progressing well.
Speaking to reporters Thursday ahead of the Chiefs' Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Bieniemy said Mia has been doing well in rehabilitation and recently joined the team's wives' trip to Seattle.
"She's doing great," Bieniemy said, via Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest. "She actually went on the trip this weekend, she was on the wives trip. She was a rock star, obviously. I was just a has-been. She's doing great. Her rehab has been going great."
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#bieniemy

An already-depleted Carolina Panthers cornerback room got even thinner on Thursday night.
Rookie Will Lee III, who had been playing some admirable ball in the absences of starters Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, went down with a hamstring injury in the second quarter of the 27-19 loss. The setback occurred on a 53-yard reception by Green Bay Packers wideout Christian Watson, as the 2026 fourth-round pick went down in his pursuit and would later be carted away to the locker room.
Head coach Dave Canales told reporters after the game that the extent of Lee's injury was "pretty good," and addressed the troubles his defense had in containing Green Bay's passing attack.
"Kinda battled out there and gave everything he [Lee] had on that one to affect the play," Canales stated. "But besides that, early on, they were having a lot of success in some third-and-longer types of situations. I'd love to see us get off the field in those moments—because we did a great job of first and second down, owning the run game and minimizing them. It really should've been an advantage for our defense in those modes."
Packers quarterback Jordan Love finished having completed 30 of his 41 throws for 288 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He also led his offense to a 56.3-percent success rate (nine-of-16) on third downs.

#down #packers #love #injury

Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill did not hide his frustration after Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. He called the performance a major step backward, criticizing his players' effort, skating and attention to detail.
The Blackhawks entered the game looking to build consistency. Instead, they struggled defensively and allowed Detroit to control the game, despite captain Connor Bedard's early goal.
"We had just way too many guys that wasn't close, not enough good," Blashill told NHL reporters.
MORE: Blackhawks coach reveals why Connor Bedard stays on ice in big moments
Final: Detroit 4, Chicago 1

#Chicago

In five games played since he emerged from a two-year retirement, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has yet to record a sack. During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Donald was asked whether that bothers him.
"No. I didn't come back for individual stats," Donald told reporters. "I would love to have some stats, but I'm here to just play the game. When the plays present themselves, take advantage of it, try to get my plays, but my main focus is trying to find ways to help this team win. That's the goal. I didn't come back to try to earn individual accolades or anything. I did that, accomplished that. It doesn't excite me. The only thing that excites me is winning so I'm just playing a football game, trying to do what I can to help this team. As long as we win, I can build off everything else and get myself better off that."
The Rams have won only three of seven games, and Donald has yet to play with Myles Garrett. Even though it was the trade that brought Garrett to the Rams that lit the fuse to get Donald to return.
Against the Raiders in Week 7, Donald was on the field for 74 percent of the Rams' defensive snaps. It was his highest rate of the season, and the more he's on the field, the more likely he'll be to get some of those stats he'd love to have — even if winning continues to be the focus.
The Rams should get their fourth win of the season on Sunday, against the 0-6 Chargers. If they don't, the Rams will be 3-5 through eight games and dangerously close to having too many losses to play beyond Week 18.

#games #garrett #week #defensive

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a true star in the making on offense, none other than third-year center Zach Frazier, and he's not afraid to acknowledge how great he's playing this season.
Speaking with reporters ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, Frazier said what fans were already thinking about his level of play in 2026: it's the best season he's had so far.
"I feel like, so far, this is the best season I've played," Frazier said via Chris Harlan of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I don't really focus on myself. I just want to keep building on it and just keep being consistent for the team."
Frazier, drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, has emerged as one of the top centers in the league thanks to his consistency in pass protection and stellar run-blocking technique.
Over the past seven games, Frazier has allowed 0 sacks and 1 QB hit while also recording a solid PFF run-blocking grade of 78.9, which is the second-best among all eligible centers.

#frazier #steelers

One of the most basic realities of the NFL trade market is that, when a team adds a key player during a given season, someone will be taking a seat.
In Seattle, the "someone" who will be leaving the starting lineup after the arrival of guard Quenton Nelson is Anthony Bradford. With Nelson taking over at left guard and 2025 first-rounder Grey Zabel moving to right guard, former starting right guard Anthony Bradford will move to the bench.
"It's not an easy situation," coach Mike Macdonald told reporters on Thursday. "I thought Anthony played good football for us, and he has, and he's earned a significant role on our team, a starting-level role. It's one of those 'through not around' type of things with AB that is not easy.
"There's no way to sugarcoat it, and he believes this when we say this, how much we love him. The guys love him in the locker room. He's a fantastic teammate. We don't expect him to be jumping over joy in this situation because that's not realistic, but he's going to be a great teammate and he's going to stay ready.
"We know how this league works. You're a play away from him playing every play again. It's not an easy situation, but he's a tough cookie, and the guys will have his back as well and we're behind him as well, but it's not easy."

#easy

ATLANTA – "We don't want to have to come back to Ballhalla."
It was part of a longer answer Kiah Stokes gave to reporters during Wednesday's practice availability. Stokes, and the Golden State Valkyries at large, obviously love their home crowd. It's one of, if not the most electric home court advantage in the WNBA. But going back would signal a Game 6 loss; within that lens, why play in front of that crowd again if you could handle business beforehand?
Ultimately, the Valkyries weren't able to get it done. Save any bail you want to shoot for the earlier-than-expected 12:30 ET tip-off time — **** ody on the Golden State side wants it, nor will they use it as an excuse.
A barrage of 3-pointers (6-of-8 in the opening frame), timely drives, and stellar defense sparked a 32-15 first quarter lead for the Atlanta Dream, one they ultimately never relinquished. The Dream were able to notch an impressive 80-69 victory to tie the series, setting up the two most exciting words in sports: Game 7.
Here are three numbers that popped in the Dream's Game 6 win, numbers the Valkyries need to flip in order to bring home their first championship.

#ultimately

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has shared a positive update on his wife Mia, three months after she was shot in their family home.
When speaking to reporters on Thursday, Bieniemy said that Mia was doing well enough to go on a trip with friends this past weekend.
"She's doing great. She actually went on a trip this weekend," Bieniemy said. "She was a rockstar, obviously.
"Her rehab has been going great. She actually had an opportunity to come out here and hang out and I'm sure I got on her nerves," he joked.
Mia, 57, was shot in the arm and chest at their family home in Loudoun County, Virginia on July 26. She was hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.

#doing

J.J. McCarthy has given New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh plenty to consider after an encouraging display off the bench in their 34-27 defeat to the New Orleans Saints.
The quarterback replaced Jameis Winston in the second half and helped the Giants fight back from a 24-point deficit. Although New York fell short, McCarthy's performance could put him in contention to start their next game.
The former first-round pick completed 11 of his 21 pass attempts for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception, offering a bright spot in a difficult afternoon for the Giants.
McCarthy also made sure to acknowledge the support he received from New York's fanbase, despite the disappointing result.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the quarterback said: "I'm just extremely honored to be a part of the New York Football Giants, because this fanbase is unbelievable.

#Giants #fanbase #john #harbaugh

Patrick Mahomes has admitted he is still missing some of his explosiveness following his serious knee injury, despite helping the Kansas City Chiefs maintain their unbeaten start to the NFL season.
The Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 22-6 to move to 5-0, with Mahomes throwing for 272 yards. The quarterback has looked impressive since returning from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, but he knows there is still work to do.
Mahomes suffered the injury in December and recovered in time to start the new season. However, his latest comments suggest he has not yet returned to full physical sharpness.
Speaking to reporters after the victory over the Chargers, Mahomes explained that his knee had been feeling better following the team's bye week, although he is still working to regain his previous level of explosiveness.
"After the bye week, I felt better physically… There's still some burst I don't have… But that's something we'll continue to work on," Mahomes said, via Charles Goldman.

#injury #season

Michael Carrick has shed some light on Manchester United's injury problems of late.
The manager addressed reporters following Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Elland Road against rivals Leeds United yesterday.
(Photo via ManUtd on Twitter/X)
Post-match, Carrick said that the reason Lisandro Martinez had to be withdrawn at the interval was that he had suffered a 'thigh problem' in the first 45 minutes.
Keen to not make it any worse, the centre-half was hooked before play got back underway, with Noussair Mazraoui taking his place.

#leeds #post

Andy Reid has reassured Kansas City Chiefs fans after Travis Kelce suffered an ankle injury scare during their 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The veteran tight end limped off the field after a tackle by Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley and received treatment on the sidelines. However, Kelce returned to action and finished the game.
The Chiefs maintained their unbeaten start to the season, with Kelce recording four receptions for 53 yards despite the early concern.
Speaking to reporters after the victory, Reid offered a positive update on his starting tight end's condition.
"Travis Kelce tweaked his ankle and played through it. Says he'll be sore tomorrow, but he'll be OK," Reid said, according to AotZ Sports' Charles Goldman.

#victory #tight

Chargers' Tony Jefferson drops defiant take amid brutal 0-6 situation appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Chargers continue to sink further in the 2026 season. Now the Kansas City Chiefs dropped them to 0-6 following the 22-6 loss at Arrowhead Stadium. But Tony Jefferson dropped a defiant take.
The safety doesn't believe his team is dead in the water yet.
"Until they say we're dead, we're alive. So we're just gonna keep fighting," Jefferson said to reporters. "Nobody's going to lay down or quit."
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#chargers #defiant #take

In Week 1, the Browns were embarrassed by the Jaguars. Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, quoting JuJu Smith-Schuster, declared on NBC, "The Browns is the Browns."
Since then, the Browns is 4-1.
The biggest win of the season came on Sunday, when the new Browns beat the old Browns to create a three-way tie atop the AFC North. Because the Browns have beaten both the Ravens and the Steelers, both of whom are 4-2, Cleveland is in first place.
And first-year head coach Todd Monken intends to relish it. Until tomorrow.
"I'm going to enjoy tonight," Monken told reporters after the 13-10 win. "And that's what you have to do in the NFL. These are the nights that you don't ever want to end, because tomorrow it's on to the next game. And so, I sit there, I know it sounds really goofy, but you sit there in bed and you don't want the night to end. It's 10:30 and you're tired as **** and you want to be up another 15, 20, 30 minutes to enjoy it, because, **** , tomorrow I've got to look at the offensive tape and then you've got to move on to the next game."

#enjoy #next

Marco Sturm is giving the Boston Bruins' younger players a chance to prove themselves, and Matt Poitras is taking full advantage of it.
Poitras signed a one-year, two-way deal on the day training camp opened, and one day later told reporters that he needs to "prove to everybody that I can be in the lineup every night." It was not all smooth sailing, though. He suffered a lower-body injury during training camp and missed the first three regular-season games before playing in the last six.
Ahead of his first game, Sturm said he was looking to "see [Poitras'] strengths, and I think just being smart, and skate." Six games later, Sturm is happy with what he's seen out of the 22-year-old center.
"Yeah, he's been solid, and that's all I'm asking for," Sturm said of Poitras after Saturday's game in Los Angeles. "I'm not asking for big points and goals, whatever. No, I want him to just do [his] job, and the rest will come automatically."
In his first five games of the season, Poitras centered the fourth line. He skated alongside Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic, but with Pavel Zacha sidelined by an upper-body injury, Poitras moved into a top-six role.

#later

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday flatly refused to comment on a new report alleging that U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before taking up her post.
Rubio told reporters that he would not discuss the allegations contained in a Wall Street Journal story that said Guilfoyle had asked a donor and supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing, promising him access to administration officials if he did.
He spoke before leaving Greece, where he delivered a speech calling for European countries to return to what he described as their civilizational roots.
Rubio said he was aware of The Wall Street Journal's report, which was published late Wednesday, but had no idea if it was true and he would not address it.
"You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel. It's not the gospel for me. That's not the way we do things," he said at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle, who was there to see him depart Greece, looked on.

#rubio #told #secretary

The USS Abraham Lincoln, the US aircraft carrier that has been deployed for nearly a year and has spent months supporting US military operations against Iran, is scheduled to dock in San Diego on Thursday afternoon.
It marks the end of a deployment that has been described as "one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era" and that became marked by a record-stretch at sea, repeated deployment extensions, and reports of supply shortages, and deteriorating morale and mental health among some crew members.
The Lincoln left San Diego last November, initially bound for the Pacific. But it was redirected to the Middle East after the US and Israel launched their war with Iran in late February. The carrier remained there until late August, when it was relieved by the USS George Washington and began its journey home.
Earlier in August, the Lincoln's deployment made headlines and faced scrutiny as reports began surfacing about poor living conditions aboard the ship, including shortages of supplies and water, plumbing problems, low morale, and worsening mental health among the roughly 5,000 personnel on the carrier. Two leading military newspapers also reported that there had been two attempts by sailors to jump overboard, causing concern among families and military health experts.
The reports prompted outrage from Democrats, while senior officials in the Trump administration pushed back. Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, called the reports "completely misrepresented", and when reporters asked Donald Trump if he thought the deployment had gone on too long, he responded: "Not nearly long enough" – a comment that angered some naval families.

#military #Health

Sean "Diddy" Combs' projected prison release has moved back 41 days, reversing recent changes that had brought his expected release closer.
Bureau of Prisons records reviewed by PEOPLE on Oct. 7 list March 2, 2028. Combs is currently held at FCI Fort Dix, a low-security federal prison in New Jersey.
The previous projection, Jan. 21, 2028, appeared in records reviewed Sept. 29 and reported by Wealth of Geeks the following day.
The BOP declined to explain the revision, citing privacy, safety and security. A spokesperson for Combs told Us Weekly that his team receives no explanation of how the agency adjusts his dates.
In a Sept. 29 investigation, NBC News reporters Rich Schapiro and Chloe Melas interviewed four men who had spent time in Combs' housing unit. The outlet also reviewed prison photographs and video, including footage appearing to show him using a contraband cellphone.

#combs #records #security

WASHINGTON (AP) — A day after President Donald Trump said he would start paying for controversial taxpayer-funded ads with a campaign account, there's no sign he plans to refund the millions of federal dollars already spent on them.
Nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired, according to AdImpact, as part of the $20 million the Department of Homeland Security tapped for the contract.
But Trump's plan to pay for the ads with MAGA Inc. doesn't mean there's any reimbursement coming, said a White House official who was not authorized to talk publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said the ads were "really good" and "promotion for the country, done by many presidents before." Asked whether he'd repay the funds already spent, he said, "We'll decide."
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer slammed Trump for not committing to reimbursement and said he believes the president's plan for covering future costs represents illegal coordination with his super PAC.

#Trump #donald

After reports that a lab technician's death was possibly linked to pneumonic plague in Russia, U.S. officials said they are closely watching the situation.
The lab technician is a 28-year-old woman who worked at the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, which was set up in the 1930s as an anti-plague body and later expanded its scope to other highly dangerous diseases. The woman died after being diagnosed with pneumonia of "unknown" origin, according to the public health agency, Rospotrebnadzor.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday morning that Russian officials had shared some information about an infected lab worker and their concerns that other Russians could be affected.
"There's very limited travel between the U.S. and Russia, obviously, but … if something like that gets out, it could quickly spread," said Rubio, who added that he didn't think it was cause for alarm. "We're watching and monitoring it closely."

#post #closely #irkutsk

By Kate Holton and Steve Holland
LONDON/WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a threat linked to Iran had prompted the removal of American B-1 bombers from a British airbase.
The planes had been stationed at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers, and had recently been used in US strikes on Iran. Last week, five British ‌men were arrested near the base — which Iran's Revolutionary Guards previously said was a legitimate target — on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.
"We had an idea that there might be a threat, and why ‌would I leave them there? It costs very little money to move them," Trump told reporters on Monday. "So we had a threat, and if we're going to be threatened, we just move them, and that sort of alleviates that. And we actually know the people that made the threat."
When asked if they were linked to Iran, Trump responded: "They would be linked to Iran."

#Trump #threat #linked #british

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says in a new book that his deciding vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in January 2025 is the "biggest regret of my career" and that he also "should've stopped" Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from becoming Health and Human Services secretary in the early days of President Donald Trump's second term.
In "How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents," to be published Tuesday, the North Carolina senator defends his decision at the time to not be "the lone voice in the wilderness" preventing Trump's nominees from confirmation. But Tillis makes clear he was always skeptical of allegations about Hegseth's turbulent management style, treatment of women and excessive drinking. Hegseth denied all the allegations.
"I know for a fact that there are others like me," Tillis writes, "Republicans who agreed to go along with the early demands of the Trump team no matter how ridiculous they were, believing that failing to do so would mean the end of their political career, and who now see that things have gone way too far."
He writes that he can count at least 30 of his GOP colleagues who have "expressed reservations (to put it mildly) about many of the president's actions in private. Then, when the reporters showed up with their cameras and microphones, they'd have nothing but nice things to say."
Tillis, who announced last year that he would not run for reelection in a "breaking point" with the president on his sweeping tax and spending cuts package, is publishing the book in his final months in office. He joins a long list of Republicans who have ratcheted up their public denunciations of Trump once they had less to lose politically.

#hegseth

Russia on Monday sought to downplay reports that a laboratory technician had died of plague, even as President Donald Trump said Washington was closely monitoring the situation and offered US help.
Reports on Friday that pneumonic plague had killed a 28-year-old woman named Darya Shipilova, who had been working for the anti-plague institute in Siberia's Irkutsk region, sparked alarm.
"We're looking at it very strongly, we just heard about it," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked what Washington was going to do about the risk of plague coming from Russia.
"We'll help them, we'll help them as much as we can."
The Russian news outlet People of Baikal, citing unnamed sources close to the regional security services, said the dead woman may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube.

#plague #Russia #reports #pneumonic