Latest news with #AlabamaRepublicanParty
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State leaders react following President Donald Trump's University of Alabama commencement speech
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Several of Alabama's leaders were recognized tonight in President Donald Trump's commencement speech at the University of Alabama. They said the President's remarks meant a great deal to the state of Alabama. 'You have the most powerful man in the world who made it a priority to come and speak to young people in the state of Alabama. It's an honor for the state, it's an honor for the university, and it's an honor for every single student,' said John Wahl, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. Lawmakers also showed their support for the president. Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) said his address was a message of support for young people in Alabama. 'I think it was incredible that he came to honor our state, honor our people, and honor our most precious resource- which is our young people,' he said. 'And he spoke a message tonight of faith, hard work, and he paid a tribute to his dad and his dad's hard work. And I think it shows his love of our state and recognizes the resource we have here in Alabama.' Rep. Mark Gidley (R-Hokes Bluff) said that love for the state has helped when it comes to passing state laws. 'This year, I carried a bill along with Senator Keith Kelley about putting the Ten Commandments back in our schools,' he explained. 'Those kinds of things, so, those are important things for Donald Trump, and those are important things for the people of Alabama. And I think that having that support from the federal level is helping us to make sure we can do that on the state level.' Gov. Kay Ivey said tonight will be memorable for graduates and their family members at the University of Alabama. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Nahar Net
07-04-2025
- Business
- Nahar Net
In conservative Alabama, Republicans are cheering for Trump
by Naharnet Newsdesk 07 April 2025, 17:35 On a day when stock markets around the world dropped precipitously, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl led a celebration of the president whose global tariffs sparked the sell-off. With no mention of the Wall Street roller coaster and global economic uncertainty, Wahl declared his state GOP's "Trump Victory Dinner" — and the broader national moment — a triumph. And for anyone who rejects President Donald Trump, his agenda and the "America First" army that backs it all, Wahl had an offer: "The Alabama Republican Party will buy them a plane ticket to any country in the world they want to go to." Wahl's audience — an assembly of lobbyists and donors, state lawmakers, local party officials and grassroots activists — laughed, applauded and sometimes roared throughout last week's gala in downtown Birmingham, the rare Democratic stronghold in one of the nation's most Republican states. The president's son Donald Trump Jr. elicited perhaps the most enthusiasm with an unapologetically partisan pitch, even repeating the lie that his father won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden. Yet beyond the cheerleading, there were signs of a more cautious optimism and some worried whispers over Trump's sweeping tariffs, the particulars of his deportation policy and the aggressive slashing by his Department of Government Efficiency. That doesn't mean Trump or Republicans are in danger of losing their grip in Alabama, where the GOP holds all statewide offices, dominates the Legislature and has won every presidential electoral vote since 1980. But it's a notable wrinkle in a place where there's long been tension between relying on the federal government for funding and jobs, and an embrace of the kind of anti-Washington, anti-establishment populism that has twice propelled Trump to the Oval Office. And any cracks for Trump in Alabama — where he got 65% of the vote in 2024 — could portend trouble elsewhere, as the effects of a seismic shift in U.S. policy reach across the economy and society. "There are some concerns, some conversations," said John Merrill, a former secretary of state, over just what Trump's agenda will mean on the ground. Alabama, he acknowledged, has "been a net recipient" of the very federal government and economic model Trump is upending, meaning it receives more money back from Washington than its taxpayers send the federal government. "It's a big risk," said Merrill, who sported a Trump 45-47 pin on his lapel, a nod to the president's two terms. Federal funding is a lifeblood in Alabama Blocks to the south of the complex where Republicans convened sits the multibillion-dollar University of Alabama at Birmingham health system, a regional gem where research depends on grants from the National Institutes of Health. Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, listed as a "Silver Sponsor" of the gala, didn't join the Democratic attorneys general suing the Trump administration to stop the cancellation of certain research funding streams Congress already has approved. Most of the medical services provided at UAB and many other hospitals throughout the state are covered by Medicare and Medicaid, two of the largest federal outlays. Alabama, because its per-capita income ranks among the lower tier among states, has one of the most generous federal match rates for Medicaid funding. A short drive west toward Tuscaloosa sits a gargantuan Mercedes-Benz complex, one of the earliest examples of foreign auto manufacturers coming to the American South, where state laws are hostile to organized labor. The plants have provided jobs at wages higher than the local norms but in some cases lower than in union shops of the Great Lakes region around Detroit. Many suppliers have followed in the South, but not so many that the assembly plants don't still import many parts that now will be subject to Trump's tariffs. Terry Martin, a county GOP committeeman in Tallapoosa County, said he supports the tariffs as leverage. Trump has "something to bargain with," Martin said. But, "the parts that are coming from overseas … it's going to pop it up" in price, he said, at least in the short term. Agriculture, meanwhile, is still a dominant Alabama industry. Meat processing plants in the North and row crop farms in the South depend on migrant labor that Merrill, the former secretary of state, said involves workers who are in the U.S. both legally and illegally. Alabama, he recalled, passed its own strict immigration bill during Barack Obama's presidency only to roll it back after industry leaders complained of a depleted workforce. Wahl, in an interview after the gala, took a more nuanced approach than he did at the podium. "It is possible to secure our border and still take into account migrants who deserve to be here," he said. "This has to be a two-pronged approach." Interstate project and Medicaid funds could be at risk Back in Birmingham, Interstate 65 splits the city. The aging, increasingly congested artery is a local priority for widening. The proposal has support from Alabama's two Republican senators, Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt. U.S. interstate projects, though, are typically a 90-10 split, meaning 90% of the money comes from Washington, 10% from the state. That funding — along with money for schools, Medicaid and other areas — could be at risk with Trump adviser Elon Musk and DOGE carrying Trump's blessing to slash spending. GOP lawmakers who control Congress have supported Trump's agenda, which also includes dismantling the Education Department. Tallapoosa County GOP Chair Denise Bates said "absolutely" there's a possibility DOGE could go too far. "I hope there are guardrails," she said, noting she was once a local school board member. "Am I 100% for getting rid of the Department of Education? I can't say that I am," she said, adding a phrase similar to Merrill's description of the state as a whole. "You know, we're a net receiver." Yet for all the caveats offered in one-on-one conversations, the GOP crowd cheered when Tuberville, the former football coach turned Trump acolyte on Capitol Hill, offered a plainspoken defense of Musk and his pop-up agency, telling the crowd, "We're dead broke." And they roared as he addressed tariffs. "It's past time we level the playing field and tell the rest of the world to get off their ass and start paying their fair share," Tuberville said. Trump remains popular Bates argued that Alabama's embrace of Trump's "America First" push is not simply loyalty to the president. She said it reflects generations of voters watching the steel industry decline in Birmingham and, after the North American Free Trade Agreement was enacted in 1994, the textile industry leaving for Mexico and, eventually, Southeast Asia. "We just want jobs," she said. Still, state Sen. Jabo Waggoner, the longest-serving member of the Alabama Legislature, made clear Trump's visceral appeal, declaring him "the most popular president here since Ronald Reagan, hands down." Wahl recalled Trump's first massive outdoor rally as a presidential candidate: 30,000 people at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, in August 2015. Wahl, who owns a butterfly farm outside Huntsville, said perhaps the best way to understand Trump and Alabama and this moment of uncertainty is to see a president who, at least to his supporters in the state, has earned the benefit of the doubt. "He's going to let everybody know he's serious," the chairman said. Trump is "going to bring people to the bargaining table. We're actually going to see the negotiator conduct business."
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Latest: Trump says he's not backing down on tariffs
President Donald Trump remained defiant Monday as global markets continued plunging after his tariff announcement last week. Trump has insisted his tariffs are necessary to rebalance global trade and rebuild domestic manufacturing. He's singled out China as 'the biggest abuser of them all' and criticized Beijing for increasing its own tariffs in retaliation. Here's the latest: Finger pointing as markets plunge The dispute over tariffs has caused some fracturing within Trump's political coalition. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman said the president was 'launching a global economic war against the whole world at once' and urged him to 'call a time out.' 'We are heading for a self-induced, economic nuclear winter,' he wrote on X on Sunday. Top White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told Fox News on Monday morning that Ackman should 'ease off the rhetoric a little bit.' Hassett said critics were exaggerating the impact of trade disputes and talk of an 'economic nuclear winter' was 'completely irresponsible rhetoric.' Trump digs in his heels The president showed no interest in changing course despite turmoil in global markets. He said other countries had been 'taking advantage of the Good OL' USA' on international trade. 'Our past 'leaders' are to blame for allowing this, and so much else, to happen to our Country,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' Trump criticized China for increasing its own tariffs and 'not acknowledging my warning for abusing countries not to retaliate.' In conservative Alabama, Republicans cheer for Trump — with some quiet concerns and caveats On a day when stock markets around the world dropped precipitously, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl led a celebration of the president whose global tariffs sparked the sell-off. With no mention of the Wall Street roller coaster and global economic uncertainty, Wahl declared his state GOP's 'Trump Victory Dinner' — and the broader national moment — a triumph. And for anyone who rejects Trump, his agenda and the 'America First' army that backs it all, Wahl had an offer: 'The Alabama Republican Party will buy them a plane ticket to any country in the world they want to go to.' Wahl's audience — an assembly of lobbyists and donors, state lawmakers, local party officials and grassroots activists — laughed, applauded and sometimes roared throughout last week's gala in downtown Birmingham. Yet beyond the cheerleading, there were signs of a more cautious optimism and some worried whispers over Trump's sweeping tariffs, the particulars of his deportation policy and the aggressive slashing by his Department of Government Efficiency. ▶ Read more about Trump's support in Alabama Trump's schedule for Monday This morning, at 11 a.m., World Series Champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, will visit the White House and meet the president. Later, at 1 p.m., Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House and meet with Trump. At 2 p.m., Netanyahu and Trump will participate in a Bilateral Meeting in the Oval Office. At 2:30 p.m., they will hold a joint news conference. Trump says he's not backing down on tariffs, calls them 'medicine' as markets reel Trump said Sunday that he won't back down on his sweeping tariffs on imports from most of the world unless countries even out their trade with the U.S. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he didn't want global markets to fall, but also that he wasn't concerned about the massive sell-off either, adding, 'sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.' His comments came as global financial markets appeared on track to continue sharp declines once trading resumes Monday, and after Trump's aides sought to soothe market concerns by saying more than 50 nations had reached out about launching negotiations to lift the tariffs. The higher rates are set to be collected beginning Wednesday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said unfair trade practices are not 'the kind of thing you can negotiate away in days or weeks.' The United States, he said, must see 'what the countries offer and whether it's believable.' ▶ Read more about the global impact of Trump's tariffs
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In conservative Alabama, Republicans are cheering for Trump - with some quiet concerns and caveats
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — On a day when stock markets around the world dropped precipitously, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl led a celebration of the president whose global tariffs sparked the selloff. With no mention of the Wall Street rollercoaster and global economic uncertainty, Wahl declared his state GOP's 'Trump Victory Dinner' — and the broader national moment — a triumph. And for anyone who rejects President Donald Trump, his agenda and the 'America First' army that backs it all, Wahl had an offer: 'The Alabama Republican Party will buy them a plane ticket to any country in the world they want to go to.' Wahl's audience — an assembly of lobbyists and donors, state lawmakers, local party officials and grassroots activists — laughed, applauded and sometimes roared throughout last week's gala in downtown Birmingham, the rare Democratic stronghold in one of the nation's most Republican states. The president's son Donald Trump Jr. elicited perhaps the most enthusiasm with an unapologetically partisan pitch, even repeating the lie that his father won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden. Yet beyond the cheerleading, there were signs of a more cautious optimism and some worried whispers over Trump's sweeping tariffs, the particulars of his deportation policy and the aggressive slashing of his Department of Government Efficiency. That doesn't mean Trump or Republicans are in danger of losing their grip in Alabama, where the GOP holds all statewide offices, dominates the Legislature and has won every presidential electoral vote since 1980. But it's a notable wrinkle in a place where there has long been tension between relying on the federal government for funding and jobs, and an embrace of the kind of anti-Washington, anti-establishment populism that has twice propelled Trump to the Oval Office. And any cracks for Trump in Alabama — where he got 65% of the vote in 2024 — could portend trouble elsewhere, as the effects of a seismic shift in U.S. policy reach across the economy and society. 'There are some concerns, some conversations,' said John Merrill, a former secretary of state, over just what Trump's agenda will mean on the ground. Alabama, he acknowledged, has 'been a net recipient' of the very federal government and economic model Trump is upending, meaning it receives more money back from Washington than its taxpayers send the federal government. 'It's a big risk,' said Merrill, who sported a Trump 45-47 pin on his lapel, a nod to the president's two terms. Federal funding is a lifeblood in Alabama Blocks to the south of the complex where Republicans convened sits the multibillion-dollar University of Alabama at Birmingham health system, a regional gem where research depends on grants from the National Institutes of Health. Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, listed as a 'Silver Sponsor' of the gala, did not join the Democratic attorneys general suing the Trump administration to stop the cancellation of certain research funding streams Congress already has approved. Most of the medical services provided at UAB and many other hospitals throughout the state are covered by Medicare and Medicaid, two of the largest federal outlays. Alabama, because its per capita income ranks among the lower tier among states, has one of the most generous federal match rates for Medicaid funding. A short drive west toward Tuscaloosa sits a gargantuan Mercedes-Benz complex, one of the earliest examples of foreign auto manufacturers coming to the American South, where state laws are hostile to organized labor. The plants have provided jobs at wages higher than the local norms but in some cases lower than in union shops of the Great Lakes region around Detroit. Many suppliers have followed in the South, but not so many that the assembly plants don't still import many parts that now will be subject to Trump's tariffs. Terry Martin, a county GOP committeeman in Tallapoosa County, said he supports the tariffs as leverage. Trump has 'something to bargain with,' Martin said. But, 'the parts that are coming from overseas … it's going to pop it up' in price, he said, at least in the short term. Agriculture, meanwhile, is still a dominant Alabama industry. Meat processing plants in the North and row crop farms in the South depend on migrant labor that Merrill, the former secretary of state, said involves both workers who are in the United States legally and those who are not. Alabama, he recalled, passed its own strict immigration bill during Barack Obama's presidency only to roll it back after industry leaders complained of a depleted workforce. Wahl, in an interview after the gala, took a more nuanced approach than he did at the podium. 'It is possible to secure our border and still take into account migrants who deserve to be here,' he said. 'This has to be a two-pronged approach.' Interstate project and Medicaid funds could be at risk Back in Birmingham, Interstate 65 splits the city. The aging, increasingly congested artery is a local priority for widening. The proposal has support from Alabama's two Republican senators, Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt. U.S. interstate projects, though, are typically a 90-10 split, meaning 90% of the money comes from Washington, 10% from the state. That funding — along with money for schools, Medicaid and other areas — could be at risk with Trump adviser Elon Musk and DOGE carrying Trump's blessing to slash spending. GOP lawmakers who control Congress have supported Trump's agenda, which also includes dismantling the Education Department. Tallapoosa County GOP chair Denise Bates said 'absolutely' there is a possibility that DOGE could go too far. 'I hope there are guardrails,' she said, noting she was once a local school board member. 'Am I 100% for getting rid of the Department of Education? I can't say that I am,' she said, adding a phrase similar to Merrill's description of the state as a whole. 'You know, we're a net receiver.' Yet for all the caveats offered in one-on-one conversations, the GOP crowd cheered when Tuberville, the former football coach turned Trump acolyte on Capitol Hill, offered a plainspoken defense of Musk and his pop-up agency, telling the crowd, 'We're dead broke.' And they roared as he addressed tariffs. 'It's past time we level the playing field and tell the rest of the world to get off their ass and start paying their fair share,' Tuberville said. Trump remains popular Bates argued that Alabama's embrace of Trump's 'America First' push is not simply loyalty to the president. She said it reflects generations of voters watching the steel industry decline in Birmingham and, after the North America Free Trade Agreement was enacted in 1994, the textile industry leaving for Mexico and, eventually, southeast Asia. 'We just want jobs,' she said. Still, state Sen. Jabo Waggoner, the longest-serving member of the Alabama Legislature, made clear Trump's visceral appeal, declaring him 'the most popular president here since Ronald Reagan, hands down.' Wahl recalled Trump's first massive outdoor rally as a presidential candidate: 30,000 people at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, in August 2015. Wahl, who owns a butterfly farm outside Huntsville, said perhaps the best way to understand Trump and Alabama and this moment of uncertainty is to see a president who, at least to his supporters in the state, has earned the benefit of the doubt. 'He's going to let everybody know he's serious,' the chairman said. Trump is 'going to bring people to the bargaining table. We're actually going to see the negotiator conduct business.'
Washington Post
07-04-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
In conservative Alabama, Republicans are cheering for Trump - with some quiet concerns and caveats
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On a day when stock markets around the world dropped precipitously, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl led a celebration of the president whose global tariffs sparked the selloff. With no mention of the Wall Street rollercoaster and global economic uncertainty, Wahl declared his state GOP's 'Trump Victory Dinner' — and the broader national moment — a triumph. And for anyone who rejects President Donald Trump , his agenda and the 'America First' army that backs it all, Wahl had an offer: 'The Alabama Republican Party will buy them a plane ticket to any country in the world they want to go to.'
