Latest news with #OneAmericanNews
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Matt Gaetz flirts with a run for Florida governor, adding a bit of chaos to the race
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a close ally of President Donald Trump, is still considering a run for governor of Florida — a twist that complicates a Republican primary that already has a Trump-endorsed candidate and, potentially, the current governor's wife. Trump has backed Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., for the 2026 race, and a Trump adviser said the endorsement of Donalds — and only Donalds — 'is set' no matter what happens. But with Gaetz and Gov. Ron DeSantis' wife, Casey, in the wings, the field remains unsettled. Trump won Florida by 13 percentage points last year, and while he is considered a kingmaker in the state, his support for Donalds has not cleared the field. There is a belief that the GOP primary field is not yet set, according to 10 longtime national and state-level Republican operatives interviewed by NBC News, including those directly involved in the race. Many of them requested anonymity to speak candidly. The thought process that is settling in is that Gaetz sees an opportunity if both Donalds and Casey DeSantis run. A three-way primary in what is now a Republican-leaning state can open up the opportunity for a dark horse candidate to win the GOP nomination with just roughly 30% of the vote. 'Matt is always thinking — I could see him seeing a potential multi-way race presenting him an opportunity to re-emerge for a run,' a veteran Florida Republican operative said. Gaetz, whom Trump initially nominated to be his attorney general — only to see the nomination fall through because of concerns about past sexual misconduct allegations — is doing nothing to downplay increasing chatter he is again seriously considering a run for governor. Gaetz, who is a news anchor for the conservative TV network OAN, has repeatedly denied the allegations of sexual misconduct. 'I host a television show on One American News,' he told NBC News on Monday. 'Casey is right about one thing: It's very early. Many tectonic plates can shift in Florida in the next year or so.' Casey DeSantis told reporters this month that she understands why "it's a big conversation, but I will also say it's more than a year away from qualifying."Gaetz had been widely believed to be considering running for state attorney general, but that changed over the past few weeks as he started posting publicly about his support for a potential Casey DeSantis campaign. Gaetz's praise was notable; he had frequently gone after Casey DeSantis, including on his OAN show, around the Hope Florida scandal. 'Matt is using the patented tried and true Gaetz backhanded compliment,' a longtime Republican Florida operative involved in the race said. 'He believes a three-way race would benefit him, and he is thinking 'Why not me?' on a double [Trump] endorsement.' Republicans in the Legislature had been investigating whether DeSantis' administration illegally used $10 million tied to a federal Medicaid settlement to help defeat a 2024 ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. One of the groups the money flowed through along the way was Hope Florida, organization tied to the first lady. The Legislature has dropped its probe, but the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald reported Tuesday that the effort is now being investigated by Leon County prosecutor Jack Campbell. On Tuesday, Ron DeSantis defended Hope Florida, which aims to offer grants to help low-income state residents become more financially self-sufficient. 'I believe in this program deeply, and I stand by it 100%,' DeSantis said. Donalds is considered the front-runner in large part because of the Trump endorsement but also because he has already raised more than $14 million — including a significant amount from Trump's national fundraising network. Major national donors to Donalds include Jeff Yass ($5 million), Richard Uihlein ($1 million) and Thomas Peterffy ($1 million). Casey DeSantis, meanwhile, was once seen as almost certain to run to replace her husband, who is term-limited, but the scandal centered on Hope Florida dampened that enthusiasm over the past few weeks. Last week, however, she and her husband held public events to hype and defend Hope Florida, a signal to many that she is working to wrest back the narrative about the social welfare group — and is still considering running for governor. A Republican operative familiar with Casey DeSantis' thinking said the news conference she and the governor held about Hope Florida this week "was intended to be a new trial balloon over a potential candidacy." 'It seems that there is no one else the governor can find, so he's back to pushing his wife," the operative said. Taryn Fenske, a DeSantis world political operative, declined to comment for this article. For now, Fenske is among the only consultants working for the DeSantis political machine, which itself is raising questions about that operation. A series of longtime operatives who have worked for Ron DeSantis, including on his failed 2024 presidential bid, are not considering working for Casey DeSantis if she runs. Florida pollster Ryan Tyson, who was a mainstay on Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, and his top 2024 fundraiser, Makenzi Mahler, are among those who intend to sit out a bid by his wife. 'The first thing you need is a general consultant and a fundraiser,' said a national Republican operative not yet aligned in the race. 'She has none. That has to be the starting point, and I don't know how they get past that.' Trump did offer a double endorsement in the GOP primary in the Arizona governor's race, but his advisers told NBC News not to expect him to do it again in any race, including the Florida governor's contest. Trump advisers also view Donalds as doing what it takes to signal to Trump that he is willing to work to keep other potential GOP rivals boxed out. 'You have to work for something like this, and we see him doing that,' a Trump adviser said. 'There is no reason President Trump would deviate at this point.' Developments are expected to pick up after Florida's legislative session, which, after an extension because of a state budget fight, will go through the end of June. 'All eyes are on Casey and what she decides to do,' a longtime Republican familiar with her thought process said. 'A post-session decision is expected, and until she decides one way or the other, it all remains in flux.'This article was originally published on
NBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Matt Gaetz flirts with a run for Florida governor, adding a bit of chaos to the race
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a close ally of President Donald Trump, is still considering a run for governor of Florida — a twist that complicates a Republican primary that already has a Trump-endorsed candidate and, potentially, the current governor's wife. Trump h a s ba cked Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., for the 2026 race, and a Trump adviser said the endorsement of Donalds — and only Donalds — 'is set' no matter what happens. But with Gaetz and Gov. Ron DeSantis' wife, Casey, in the wings, the field remains unsettled. Trump won Florida by 13 percentage points last year, and while he is considered a kingmaker in the state, his support for Donalds has not cleared the field. There is a belief that the GOP primary field is not yet set, according to 10 longtime national and state-level Republican operatives interviewed by NBC News, including those directly involved in the race. Many of them requested anonymity to speak candidly. The thought process that is settling in is that Gaetz sees an opportunity if both Donalds and Casey DeSantis run. A three-way primary in what is now a Republican-leaning state can open up the opportunity for a dark horse candidate to win the GOP nomination with just roughly 30% of the vote. 'Matt is always thinking — I could see him seeing a potential multi-way race presenting him an opportunity to re-emerge for a run,' a veteran Florida Republican operative said. Gaetz, whom Trump initially nominated to be his attorney general — only to see the nomination fall through because of concerns about past sexual misconduct allegations — is doing nothing to downplay increasing chatter he is again seriously considering a run for governor. Gaetz, who is a news anchor for the conservative TV network OAN, has repeatedly denied the allegations of sexual misconduct. 'I host a television show on One American News,' he told NBC News on Monday. 'Casey is right about one thing: It's very early. Many tectonic plates can shift in Florida in the next year or so.' Casey DeSantis told reporters this month that she understands why "it's a big conversation, but I will also say it's more than a year away from qualifying."Gaetz had been widely believed to be considering running for state attorney general, but that changed over the past few weeks as he started posting publicly about his support for a potential Casey DeSantis campaign. Gaetz's praise was notable; he had frequently gone after Casey DeSantis, including on his OAN show, around the Hope Florida scandal. 'Matt is using the patented tried and true Gaetz backhanded compliment,' a longtime Republican Florida operative involved in the race said. 'He believes a three-way race would benefit him, and he is thinking 'Why not me?' on a double [Trump] endorsement.' Republicans in the Legislature had been investigating whether DeSantis' administration illegally used $10 million tied to a federal Medicaid settlement to help defeat a 2024 ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. One of the groups the money flowed through along the way was Hope Florida, organization tied to the first lady. The Legislature has dropped its probe, but the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald reported Tuesday that the effort is now being investigated by Leon County prosecutor Jack Campbell. On Tuesday, Ron DeSantis defended Hope Florida, which aims to offer grants to help low-income state residents become more financially self-sufficient. 'I believe in this program deeply, and I stand by it 100%,' DeSantis said. Donalds is considered the front-runner in large part because of the Trump endorsement but also because he has already raised more than $14 million — including a significant amount from Trump's national fundraising network. Major national donors to Donalds include Jeff Yass ($5 million), Richard Uihlein ($1 million) and Thomas Peterffy ($1 million). Casey DeSantis, meanwhile, was once seen as almost certain to run to replace her husband, who is term-limited, but the scandal centered on Hope Florida dampened that enthusiasm over the past few weeks. Last week, however, she and her husband held public events to hype and defend Hope Florida, a signal to many that she is working to wrest back the narrative about the social welfare group — and is still considering running for governor. A Republican operative familiar with Casey DeSantis' thinking said the news conference she and the governor held about Hope Florida this week "was intended to be a new trial balloon over a potential candidacy." 'It seems that there is no one else the governor can find, so he's back to pushing his wife," the operative said. Taryn Fenske, a DeSantis world political operative, declined to comment for this article. For now, Fenske is among the only consultants working for the DeSantis political machine, which itself is raising questions about that operation. A series of longtime operatives who have worked for Ron DeSantis, including on his failed 2024 presidential bid, are not considering working for Casey DeSantis if she runs. Florida pollster Ryan Tyson, who was a mainstay on Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, and his top 2024 fundraiser, Makenzi Mahler, are among those who intend to sit out a bid by his wife. 'The first thing you need is a general consultant and a fundraiser,' said a national Republican operative not yet aligned in the race. 'She has none. That has to be the starting point, and I don't know how they get past that.' Trump did offer a double endorsement in the GOP primary in the Arizona governor's race, but his advisers told NBC News not to expect him to do it again in any race, including the Florida governor's contest. Trump advisers also view Donalds as doing what it takes to signal to Trump that he is willing to work to keep other potential GOP rivals boxed out. 'You have to work for something like this, and we see him doing that,' a Trump adviser said. 'There is no reason President Trump would deviate at this point.' Developments are expected to pick up after Florida's legislative session, which, after an extension because of a state budget fight, will go through the end of June. 'All eyes are on Casey and what she decides to do,' a longtime Republican familiar with her thought process said. 'A post-session decision is expected, and until she decides one way or the other, it all remains in flux.'
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
As the postwar liberal order unravels, new arrangements will be necessary
By now, most of the world will have seen the exchange that has heralded the end of the postwar liberal order. But who would have thought that the whole thing would come crashing down with Trump saying these words: 'All right, I think we've seen enough. What do you think? This is going to be great television. I will say that.' I'm referring, of course, to the debacle at the Oval Office between two showmen-turned-statesmen, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The meeting began cordially. the Ukrainian president was challenged for not wearing a suit, he US president said: 'I think he's dressed beautifully.' Trump praised a reporter from One American News for asking an obsequious question ('What gave you the moral courage and conviction to step forward and lead?') and then, several minutes later, claimed that 'I've stopped wars. I've stopped many wars. My people will tell you. I've stopped wars that nobody ever heard about.' But after JD Vance stepped in to the conversation to lecture Zelenskyy on diplomacy, what began as a mostly convivial meeting quickly turned into an ambush. The US vice-president reprimanded Zelenskyy for not accepting diplomacy as a means to end the war in Ukraine, to which Zelenskyy responded that diplomacy had been tried many times before, but previous agreements had repeatedly been broken by Russia. Vance responded by saying: 'I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.' Then Trump entered the argument. 'You gotta be more thankful,' Trump told Zelenskyy hectoringly. He repeatedly pointed his finger accusingly at the Ukrainian leader as tensions rose between the men in the room. 'The problem is I've empowered you to be a tough guy, and I don't think you'd be a tough guy without the United States,' he said. 'Once we sign that deal, you're in a much better position, but you're not acting at all thankful. And that's not a nice thing. I'll be honest. That's not a nice thing.' This is Trump's power politics on full display, a style of domination that demands subservience from every mortal or nation determined by Trump to be of a lesser order. Trump and Vance will tell you that they are only interested in pursuing such high-minded goals as diplomacy, cooperation, and negotiation, but their version of these pursuits turns diplomacy into capitulation, cooperation into coercion, and negotiation into surrender. This is not the exercise of power merely for the sake of power either. This is plunder, a very public shakedown of the weak for the pecuniary benefit of the United States. It's true that in an attempt to keep the United States on its side, Ukrainians began making offers to the United States on the country's rare earth minerals in 2024 (though reports indicate that Ukraine delayed announcing these deals until after Trump took office, so that Trump could take the credit). But these were far from done deals. Trump claims that the United States has sunk over $350bn into Ukraine's war effort, money which mostly supports the American arms industry, and was now demanding rights to $500bn worth of Ukraine's natural resources. 'The American taxpayer now is going to get their money back, plus,' Trump said. In reality, the American contribution to the Ukraine war effort is probably closer to $124bn according to the Kiel Institute, a German think tank that has been tracking wartime aid to Ukraine. Days earlier, Zelenskyy had also said that Washington was now demanding Kyiv pay back $2 for every dollar of future military aid delivered to Ukraine, an interest rate of 100%, Zelenskyy noted. (There are interest rates floated by banks, and there are interest rates floated by mobsters. It's clear which side Trump is on.) 'I'm not signing something that 10 generations of Ukrainians are going to pay later,' Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy left the White House early and without signing a deal on Ukraine's minerals. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy 'can come back when he is ready for Peace', and the White House staff helped themselves to the food that had been prepared for the official lunch between Ukrainian and American presidents. The whole exchange is about something larger than even the Ukraine war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and continues unabated. This exchange reveals how Donald Trump reserves his respect only for leaders of powerful nations, views the world not as made up of different nations and peoples but solely of transactions and deals, and holds in contempt those lesser nations populate by, as he sees it, disposable people. Which brings us necessarily to Gaza. The week that this Oval Office fiasco took place was the same week that Trump reposted a garish, outlandish, and deeply offensive AI-generated video displaying 'Trump Gaza', a place depopulated of its Palestinian population and repopulated by casinos, nightclubs, bearded belly dancers, a gold statue of Trump himself, and Trump and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu lying shirtless by a pool sipping drinks. What Trump has been signaling loudly and clearly is that he gladly accepts and even encourages the acquisition of territory by force, a foundational prohibition in international law. The entire edifice of the liberal world order that was created out of the ashes of World War Two was built on the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force. And while there certainly have been military movements against this principle – one thinks immediately of Israel's occupied territories, for example, or Indonesia's 1975 invasion of East Timor – the basis of international peace has long been predicated on mutual agreement on the inadmissibility of the use of force to grab land. All that seems to be gone now. The rule of the powerful is all that remains. And in such a world, what's to stop Russia from annexing more of Ukraine's territory? Who will stop Israel from annexing not only the West Bank but southern Syria? Will a future Chinese invasion of Taiwan simply be bartered away for a favorable trade agreement to the United States and some gaudy resorts called Trump Shanghai? Of course, the United States – with its oversized military, wealth and influence – is a central pillar of any international order, but it must not be allowed to dictate and direct this impending international disorder. Facing such prospects, every one of us will lose. As the postwar Western liberal order unravels, what's becoming clear is that new arrangements – beyond the United States, and beyond Europe – are necessary. Moustafa Bayoumi is a Guardian US columnist
