Latest news with #RobSchmittTonight
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Kelly Loeffler, a Trump cabinet appointee who regularly appears on Newsmax, has quiet financial ties to its parent company
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler has been a fixture on Newsmax since her confirmation in mid-February, when she became President Donald Trump's Small Business Administration administrator in February. But Loeffler and Newsmax weren't telling viewers the whole story about her relationship with the conservative cable TV news network. Loeffler, who served as a U.S. senator from Georgia between 2000 to 2021, owns 136,555 shares worth of stock in the parent company of Newsmax, according to federal financial disclosures reviewed by Fortune. She's one of several top Trump appointees — including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and U.S. Agency for Global Media senior adviser Kari Lake — who Fortune identified as having potential financial conflicts of interest between their personal finances and public service. Loeffler appeared on Newsmax at least five times in a two-month span, between March and May this year—but at no time in these interviews did Newsmax or Loeffler discuss or disclose a matter effectively unknown to the public: Loeffler has a large, personal investment in the network. Loeffler affirmed in an April 1 filing with the Office of Government Ethics that she and her husband owned a 'preferred stock convertible note' in Newsmax, which they exchanged on March 29 for 'restricted class B common stock.' Loeffler did not name her Newsmax investment among planned divestitures as listed in a signed government ethics agreement from January 24. Nor did she divest it, as she did other investments, per a March 24 certificate of divestiture. Since then, she has not disclosed selling off any other personal investments, including her Newsmax stock. Newsmax stock has generally traded between $22 and $26 per share during May, before sliding below $20 throughout June. On March 3, Loeffler appeared on Newsmax's 'Rob Schmitt Tonight' show to trash Biden-era business policies. On March 12, Loeffler told Newsmax's 'America Agenda' show that 'people love seeing 'Made in America' back on all of our critical, essential goods, and I'm just thrilled to continue to push this across the country for President Trump's America First agenda.' On March 25, Loeffler again joined 'Rob Schmitt Tonight' to promote the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency. 'Thank God for Elon Musk and his DOGE effort. I mean, this is a patriot who is working hard for the American taxpayer,' Loeffler declared on the show. On April 30, Loeffler told Newsmax host Greta Van Susteren there's 'no bigger fan of small business than Donald Trump.' On May 6, Loeffler appeared on Newsmax's 'Carl Higbie Frontline' show to tout the Trump administration's commitment to domestic manufacturing. In a statement to Fortune, Small Business Administration spokesperson Caitlin O'Dea said: 'Administrator Loeffler maintains full compliance with the ethics agreement executed prior to her confirmation and fully complies with every request from the SBA Office of Ethics and the U.S. Office of Government Ethics—who reviewed all of her financial holdings, including Newsmax, prior to finalizing the ethics agreement. She will proudly continue to exercise her First Amendment right as the Cabinet-level voice for America's 34 million small businesses, while upholding all ethics rules and requirements.' Newsmax did not respond to inquiries. The Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics advises news organizations 'avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived' and 'disclose unavoidable conflicts.' 'You have a responsibility to both be ethical and to appear to be ethical,' said Peter Loge, Director of the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. 'Newsmax, Loeffler — they should just disclose it. There should be a note somewhere' during the interviews. As a senator, the Senate Ethics Committee investigated and subsequently cleared Loeffler of wrongdoing after she sold large amounts of stock in 2020 following her attendance at a closed-doors Senate briefing on the then-emerging COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, a Loeffler spokesperson said the then-senator, who would lose election in early 2021, 'did absolutely nothing wrong and has been completely exonerated.' Loeffler is not alone among notable Trump administration officials in maintaining financial investments that could pose conflicts of interest with their official duties, according to a Fortune review of government documents. Secretary Pete Hegseth's wife Jennifer has cut an outsized profile during her husband's turbulent Pentagon tenure—reportedly participating in a high-level government Signal chat, accompanying Hegseth to meetings with senators and directing agency social-media decisions despite holding no official role. But following her husband's January 24 nomination, Jennifer Hegseth maintained personal stock investments in more than a dozen companies with current or recent federal contracts with the Department of Defense. While she may have only held onto the stocks for a period of two weeks to two months after her husband's confirmation, the contracts held by companies in which Jennifer Hegseth invested are collectively worth billions of dollars, a Fortune review of government documents indicates. In an ethics agreement he signed in January, Pete Hegseth did not list Jennifer Hegseth's defense-contractor stocks among personal assets the couple agreed to divest in order to avoid conflicts of interest. But on Monday, the federal Office of Government Ethics released a document revealing that Jennifer Hegseth had divested from all of her defense-contractor holdings between early February and late March, just before Trump declared a spate of 'Liberation Day' tariffs that ultimately tanked the stock market. The sales were first reported by NOTUS. The Hegseths first disclosed the existence of the defense-contractor investments to the White House in January and December. The Office of Government Ethics did not officially certify the sales were 'in compliance with applicable laws and regulations' until June 6. Fortune first inquired about the status of the Hegseths' personal finances in March and made repeated inquiries in recent weeks. Had Jennifer Hegseth continued holding her defense-contractor investments, they would have posed a significant conflict of interest for Pete Hegseth, particularly given her apparent hands-on involvement with Pentagon matters, ethics watchdogs told Fortune. Jennifer Hegseth's now-jettisoned stock holdings included shares of core military weapon and defense systems companies, including Northrop Grumman Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Honeywell International, according to a federal disclosure filed with the Office of Government Ethics. They also include shares of several computing, technology and telecommunications companies, such as Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon Web Services, IBM, T-Mobile, Google parent Alphabet and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Taken together, Jennifer Hegseth's defense-contractor stock investments were worth between $71,015 and $365,000 as of January, documents filed with the federal Office of Government Ethics indicate. (Appointees are only required by law to disclose their family assets in broad ranges.) The sales come at a time when Trump himself has personally set a laissez-faire standard for financial conflicts, with neither he nor his appointees in acute fear of scrutiny from federal authorities or ethics regulators. Several other high-profile Trump appointees actively hold personal investments that could pose conflicts of interest with their public service. The disclosure of Jennifer Hegseth's defense-contractor stocks also represents a reversal of what the Hegseths had previously indicated about their investments. A three-page ethics agreement signed in January by Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News television host nominated by Trump to lead the DoD, stated he will not 'participate personally and substantially in any particular matter in which I know that I have a financial interest' unless he first obtains a written waiver or exemption. This expressly includes financial interests 'imputed' to him, including 'any spouse or minor child of mine,' according to the agreement. 'It is my responsibility to understand and comply with commitments outlined in this agreement,' Pete Hegseth stated. But Hegseth's ethics agreement did not indicate his wife, Jennifer, would sell or otherwise alter the status of her defense-contractor stocks. Following Pete Hegseth's narrow confirmation on January 24, the newly minted defense secretary offered further indication that Jennifer Hegseth would retain her defense contractor stocks, checking 'N/A' for 'not applicable' on an ethics agreement compliance certification document asking whether he had 'completed all of the divestitures indicated in my ethics agreement within the time period specified.' It's unclear whether Jennifer Hegseth's defense-contractor stock holdings put Pete Hegseth in conflict with existing federal-ethics law, which provides a 'de minimis exemption' for 'disqualifying' spousal stock holdings that together do not exceed $50,000. A 2023 advisory from the Department of Defense's Standards of Conduct Office acknowledges this exemption while advising all agency personnel 'must continuously monitor for and prevent conflicts of interest between their official duties and their personal financial interests.' Jennifer Hegseth could not be reached for comment. Prior to confirmation Monday of Jennifer Hegseth's stock sales, two Pentagon spokespeople declined to answer a series of specific questions posed by Fortune about Pete Hegseth's ethics agreement, Jennifer Hegseth's stock investments, and the couple's future financial plans. They likewise declined to answer questions about Jennifer Hegseth's role advising her husband in his work as defense secretary. 'Secretary Hegseth's wife is an incredibly accomplished woman and leader. She is an asset to her husband and an advocate for military families,' Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told Fortune in a written statement. 'The secretary fully complies with all financial disclosure requirements and ethics regulations,' chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also said in a statement. In response to questions Monday about Jennifer Hegseth's stock sales, the Pentagon's press office wrote: 'Beyond the previous statements provided, we have nothing additional to share.' Legal or not, the Hegseths' ownership of defense-contractor stocks would have been ethically problematic, said Scott Amey, general counsel for the nonpartisan watchdog organization Project on Government Oversight. 'Public service is public trust, and it's important that anyone going into government service is representing the interest of the public and not their own personal and financial interests or the interests of former or future employers or clients,' Amey said. 'The public deserves to have trust in their government leaders that they're there for the right purposes and not there to line their own pockets.' He added: 'There's a simple way to handle this: Sell these interests and remove any questioning of the government service you're providing.' The Hegseths' personal finances were briefly raised at Pete Hegseth's January confirmation hearing, an animated proceeding dominated by accusations—and rebuttals—of Hegseth's alleged marital infidelity, domestic violence, excessive drinking, and nonprofit-business mismanagement. Hegseth has denied wrongdoing. But none of these concerns, mostly articulated by Democrats, were enough to derail Hegseth's nomination, which was approved when Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of Hegseth. And Hegseth's financial interests—he earned a salary of $4,602,340 from Fox News prior to his appointment, according to a financial disclosure—have received little scrutiny since. 'I have failed in things in my life, and thankfully, I'm redeemed by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,' Hegseth said at his hearing. For Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who grilled Hegseth at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, said there was only one financial choice for him to make. 'It's an egregious and unethical conflict of interest for Defense Secretary Hegseth's wife to own defense industry stocks while participating in Pentagon meetings and Signal war chats. The Hegseth family must divest,' Warren said in an email to Fortune immediately prior to confirmation of Jennifer Hegseth's stock sale. 'No one should have to wonder whether military decisions are made based on the national interest or boosting their own stock portfolio.' The Hegseths' personal finances illustrate differences in how Trump and President Joe Biden grappled with ethical standards affecting their key administration appointees. On Biden's first day in office on Jan. 20, 2021, he signed an executive order that in part required appointees to 'commit to decision-making on the merits and exclusively in the public interest, without regard to private gain or personal benefit.' Biden's 'ethics pledge' went beyond existing federal law in order to 'restore and maintain public trust in government.' Among the Biden officials affected was Lloyd Austin, who served as defense secretary for the duration of Biden's four-year term. Austin acknowledged owning a six- to seven-figures worth of stock in defense contractor [hotlink]Raytheon Technologies[/hotlink], now known as RTX. Austin served on Raytheon's corporate board until January 2021, resigning upon Biden nominating him. In his January 2021 ethics agreement with the federal government, Austin—unlike Hegseth—agreed to divest from Raytheon stock to 'avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest.' By early March 2021, Austin had sold his Raytheon stock shares, valued at between $501,002 and $1,015,000, according to a transaction document filed with the Office of Government Ethics. A later filing indicated Austin received a cash payout of $739,726 related to the sale of his Raytheon stock. Subsequent ethics disclosures indicate Austin and his wife only invested in broad-based mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), not individual stocks. Biden's administration wasn't trouble-free, either. For one, the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General found that Biden-era EPA Assistant Administrator Joseph Goffman 'failed to meet his ethical obligations under the federal financial conflicts-of-interest prohibition'—an allegation he denied. Trump—like Biden, or any U.S. president—is not subject to the same ethics and conflicts-of-interest laws that apply to presidential administration appointees, or many ethics laws at all. Even President Jimmy Carter, who put his peanut farm in a blind trust to avoid the spectre of financial conflict, did so voluntarily, not because of a legal mandate. And while presidents, including Trump, are required by law to file an annual disclosure detailing aspects of their personal finances, such as assets and liabilities, Trump is unlike any previous president for obliterating lines between his presidential public service and personal business interests. This is illustrated by his recent dealings with Middle Eastern nations and pursuit of cryptocurrency riches at a time when his administration is advancing pro-industry crypto policies and creating a strategic cryptocurrency reserve. Trump has promised to make the United States the 'crypto capital of the world' and 'global leader in cryptocurrency.' Trump has issued no Biden-esque 'ethics pledge' executive order during his second term. Kari Lake, U.S. Agency for Global Media senior adviser Trump empowered Lake—a former journalist and failed U.S. Senate and Arizona gubernatorial candidate—to gut the government's international broadcasting agency, which includes the flagship Voice of America. In March, Lake disclosed a stock investment of up to $15,000 in Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Trump's Truth Social media platform. Trump used Truth Social to announce his appointment of Lake. She also disclosed investments in about two dozen different cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Etherium, Stellar, Hedera, and Dogecoin. Lake has not signed an ethics agreement with the government, or otherwise indicated she has sold, or plans to sell, these financial interests. Occasionally, the White House will grant limited-scope ethics waivers to government officials for financial reasons. It gave Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. one for four family investment funds among his many assets. It also gave one to Energy Secretary Chris Wright for energy-related investments he hadn't yet sold before speaking in March at global energy conference CERAWeek. There is no evidence of Lake receiving such a waiver. 'We can confirm that no additional documents exist at this time,' the U.S. Agency for Global Media's Ethics Office wrote in an email to Fortune on May 30. Representatives for Lake did not respond to questions. In a May 28 post to X, Lake wrote: 'My top priority as the Trump Administration's Senior Advisor to the agency that oversees VOA and its Grantees is to effectuate President Trump's Executive Order to reduce the federal bureaucracy and push forward his America First Agenda that will protect the American taxpayer.' Lake's crypto and Trump Media holdings underscore an inconsistent approach among Trump officials to avoid real or perceived financial conflicts. For example, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard committed in an ethics agreement from January 15 to sell several of her four- or five-figure cryptocurrency holdings, including Bitcoin, Cronos, Solana, and Ethereum, as well as an investment in the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Trust. She likewise agreed to sell her shares of stock in Tesla and conservative media platform Rumble Inc., each of which she valued at between $100,001 and $250,000. But like Lake, Hegseth, the defense secretary, made no such ethics pledge to sell his own investment in Bitcoin, which he valued in January at between $15,001 and $50,000. And unlike Lake, one top Trump official sold off a Trump-related investment in the name of avoiding conflicts. 'I will divest my interests in Trump Media & Technology Group, as soon as practicable but not later than 90 days after my confirmation,' now-Attorney General Pam Bondi affirmed in an ethics agreement dated January 14. In early May, Bondi made good on her pledge, divesting between $1 million and $5 million worth of Trump Media & Technology Group stock on April 2, according to a transaction filing. But Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's investment in Trump Media & Technology Group—she is a former member of the company's board of directors—is less straightforward. McMahon states in a February 5 ethics agreement she is entitled 'unvested' restricted stock units that 'will vest in nine substantially equal installments beginning March 25, 2025 through March 25, 2027.' McMahon also states she 'will divest the resulting stock from my vested RSUs as soon as practicable but not later than 90 days after my confirmation.' The Department of Education did not respond to Fortune questions about this arrangement, including whether McMahon will receive vested stock in Trump Media & Technology Group at various times through 2027, then proceed to sell it as she receives it. Dave Levinthal is a Washington, D.C.-based investigative journalist. Dave previously worked as editor-in-chief of Raw Story, deputy editor at Business Insider, and as an editor or reporter at the Center for Public Integrity, Politico, OpenSecrets and the Dallas Morning News. He has also written for The Atlantic, TIME, Rolling Stone, the Daily Beast, NOTUS and The Ankler. This story was originally featured on
The South African
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The South African
'White smokescreen': Cyril Ramaphosa's desperate strategy exposed
In his latest video post, Rob Hersov says US President Donald Trump wants to see legitimate policy change in South Africa. South African capitalist activist and entrepreneur, Hersov suggests Trump is not interested in a white South African ambassador to the US. Meanwhile, Hersov also recently weighed into the issue of the genocide of white farmers in South Africa. He appeared as a guest on the 'Rob Schmitt Tonight' show on Newsmax. He called the 'Kill the Boer' chant of Julius Malema's EFF party 'fundamentally evil' and a 'disgrace'. Meanwhile, Hesov recently also delivered a hard-hitting open letter to US President Donald Trump and US ambassador-designate Brent Bozell, in which he exposed the ANC's corruption, anti-American stance, and destructive governance. Hersov delivered the letter via a video uploaded to his Truth Report News YouTube channel. The video came ahead of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's trip to the US where he met with Donald Trump in Washington DC on Wednesday, 21 May. Hersov's video has divided opinion among South Africans. Some called for Hersov to join the 49 white Afrikaner 'refugees' in the United States, while others simply stated 'he's telling the truth'. Below, just a handful of the comments left on the Facebook post which went viral this week. America has become an International Court of Law. Let's South African people solve their problems those who want to relocate to America they are more than welcome to do so . What I believe in is even America have problems like any other countries. They are not special. Let's share the Land – Mabaso He's telling the truth – Siyabonga Thank you for fighting…with us… – Hettie Let him go join the 49 farmers/car guards – Aquiline As if Trump owns South Africa! What the hell is he gonna do about that info that ANC is destroying SA? Trump himself is destroying America and that's not Africa's problem. ANC was voted into power by citizens of SA. Trump fits nowhere on that matter – Kholofelo Guys please enlighten me… how come is Donald Trump a saint while he has so many convictions of corruption…. how is he going to safe SA.. from corruption… – Ngazi Is he wrong though ? We cry everyday on how these comrades abuse our country – Angelo I'm yet to hear Rob Hersov speak about South Africa without mentioning the US – Mpilonhle Which is true, anc are just criminals all of them – Alfred Politicians are using Trump to fight the ANC but they don't see that they are making ANC stronger, everytime i see racist comments i am also reminded of the pain our parents went through. These parties must not take the apartheid effect light because people rather vote for a corrupt ANC as long as they are lead by a black government.. Apartheid really feels like it happened yesterday hence it's not easy to forget especially when you see some people commenting like it's not a big thing – KG ANC needs to automatically step down n give the other party a chance to lead, just once. I want to see something – Zodwa Racists like this keep dividing South Africa which is dangerous, and they know if shit hits the fan by this behavior they will be the first one to run because they have dual citizenships and money, they think this Trump will be President forever – Clive There is some truth is this, SA is listed as a dangourous country, it's goverment is corupted and it's looks like it's going backwards instead of forward. Durban Beachfront now and 30 years ago, huge diffrent. That place looks so dodgy now. Especially the backroad that was once busseling with life. I disagree that Trump is The Man. He's just an Orange idiot who puts his nose where it doesn't belong. He should deal with the mass shootings and poverty in his own country. As this moment nearly half the world dislikes America, not just the SA goverment. Free that sniper dude who missed and give him a second chance at aming properly – Brenda Praise God for this man. Kudos to you Rob, kudos to you my man – HoofSeun He can write to whom he wants to. Not other people's business – Elize Meanwhile, in another video this month, Rob Hersov says South Africa just picked a fight with the most powerful country on Earth … America. And it wasn't by accident. It was by design – reckless, arrogant, and utterly self-destructive, he added. As always, Hersov pulled no punches. Full transcript below the video: South Africa just picked a fight with the most powerful country on Earth – America. And it wasn't by accident. It was by design – reckless, arrogant and utterly self-destructive. Let me give you the facts: South Africa is one of the top 10 countries that consistently votes against the United States in the United Nations. In 2018, South Africa's ambassador to Venezuela offered military support – military support – against a potential US invasion. The ANC has endorsed dictators like Fidel Castro, Gaddafi, Mugabe, Stalin, and even Mao Zedong. And in 2019, the US, UK, Germany and other countries warned South Africa to fix corruption or kiss investment goodbye. And what was the ANC's response? To call those countries imperialist threats and double down on their anti-West rhetoric. And in 2020, ANC members chanted, and I quote, 'One bullet, one American outside the US embassy in Pretoria.' And South Africa's embassy in Washington DC? It's essentially defunct, no ambassador for two years, pure diplomatic negligence. Mr Trump's Truth Social post 2 February was the first of many warning shots and yet the ANC did nothing. So let me give you the truth behind the numbers. South Africa's so-called non-aligned status is a lie. Publicly neutral, privately pro-China, pro-Russia, pro-Iran and cozy with human rights abusers. And what don't they want you to know? Well, the ANC is actively undermining Western partnerships. They've gutted our embassies, alienated allies and openly backed terror-linked groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. And the ANC take bribes from Iran to sue Israel and the ICJ. This isn't diplomacy, it's delusion. Free markets, crumbling, western values, rejected, and traditional principles? Traded for populist posturing and Marxist nostalgia. So here's the wake-up call. Why aren't more South Africans screaming about this? Because the ANC has wrapped itself in the liberation flag while torching the nation's future. The ANC has been bootlicking China and Russia while insulting the only countries that have ever offered us prosperity. But Donald Trump is back and he's watching, he's reading, he's listening, and he's getting ready. What's the bottom line here? Well, we have a path forward. The path forward is to fire the diplomats who can't do their job, rebuild our embassies with professionals, not cadres. And let's recommit to the West, because that's where the investment, the innovation, and the future lies. We know that, the majority of South Africans know it. The stakes? Well the stakes are high. Without AGOA we're going to lose 250 000 jobs, factories are going to close, farmers will go bankrupt, food security out the window. And the G20 Summit we're hosting this year is destined to be a humiliating disaster if President Trump and other important leaders boycott – which is likely. Other African nations are playing it smart. Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, even Zimbabwe, they're reaching out to America. They're making deals while we're burning bridges. South Africa doesn't have to be a failed state, but to save this country we need leaders with courage, not cowards in suits. We need the truth, not ideology. So here it is, loud and clear: Fix this damn foreign policy before there's nothing left to fix. Let's put South Africa first, at last. Robert Basil Hersov, born on 9 October 1960 in Johannesburg, is a business executive and entrepreneur. His grandfather, Bob Hersov, was the founder of AngloVaal, one of Southern Africa's largest mining and industrial companies. His father, Basil Hersov, ran the company from 1973 to 2001. The family sold AngloVaal in the 1990s. Rob Hersov serves as chairman and CEO (and founder) of Invest Africa, Chairman and Partner (and founder) of African Capital Investments. His parents are Basil Edward Hersov and Antoinette. Hersov matriculated from Michaelhouse in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. In 1982 he studied at the University of Cape Town and obtained a degree. In 1989 he obtained his MBA from Harvard Business School. He began his career at Goldman Sachs in New York and then became head of the European media investment banking team at Morgan Stanley in London. From 1989 to 1991 he was business development manager at News Corporation in New York for chairman Rupert Murdoch. After this he became a board member of the luxury goods company Richemont SA, and also managed FilmNet. He then became CEO of Telepiu Srl in Milan, Italy's largest pay-TV company, belonging to the Mediaset media group, where he was also a member of the board of directors, until August 1997. In 1999, he started his own business as an investor and entrepreneur. In September 1999, he co-founded Antfactory; in November 1999, he helped found In 2021, he acquired Fisantekraal Airport, west of Durbanville, and renamed it 'Cape Winelands Airport'. He aims to develop it into a vibrant airport and secondary hub for Cape Town. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate Republican on ‘big, beautiful bill': ‘As long as everybody takes their meds, we'll get it done'
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Wednesday described the House-passed GOP policy package as a 'work in progress' but projected confidence that President Trump's legislative agenda would make it through the Senate in some form. In an interview on right-leaning Newsmax's 'Rob Schmitt Tonight,' Kennedy addressed criticism from tech billionaire Elon Musk, who the show's host said has 'become such a hero and has done such a great job in trying to expose government waste but is now 'really calling it a disgusting abomination.' 'I think it's left a lot of MAGA voters, a lot of Trump voters, a lot of conservatives in a place of– they're a bit confused on this thing,' Schmitt said, before noting that the White House has defended the bill as a responsible way of cutting waste. 'Well, this is a work in progress,' Kennedy said in the interview. 'If you're confused, you understand the situation perfectly. The House bill did the best it could do. The bill is now before us in the Senate. We're going to try to improve it — and improve it substantially. The Louisiana Republican noted there are many complexities to getting the bill across the finish line. He said he agrees with Musk that 'we're not reducing enough spending,' but stressed the importance of extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which is one component of the larger policy bill. 'We're working hard, I'll put it that way,' the senator added. 'And as long as everybody takes their meds, we'll get it done.' The interview comes the president's agenda is seemingly beginning to lose momentum in the upper chamber of Congress in the face of sharp attacks from Musk and other outspoken conservatives. Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) warned colleagues at a special conference meeting Wednesday afternoon that there are two likely 'no' votes on the bill within the Senate GOP conference, which means just one more defection would derail the legislation. That comes as the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday projected that the 1,116-page House passed bill would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Senate Republican on ‘big, beautiful bill': ‘As long as everybody takes their meds, we'll get it done'
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Wednesday described the House-passed GOP policy package as a 'work in progress' but projected confidence that President Trump's legislative agenda would make it through the Senate in some form. In an interview on right-leaning Newsmax's 'Rob Schmitt Tonight,' Kennedy addressed criticism from tech billionaire Elon Musk, who the show's host said has 'become such a hero and has done such a great job in trying to expose government waste but is now 'really calling it a disgusting abomination.' 'I think it's left a lot of MAGA voters, a lot of Trump voters, a lot of conservatives in a place of– they're a bit confused on this thing,' Schmitt said, before noting that the White House has defended the bill as a responsible way of cutting waste. 'Well, this is a work in progress,' Kennedy said in the interview. 'If you're confused, you understand the situation perfectly. The House bill did the best it could do. The bill is now before us in the Senate. We're going to try to improve it — and improve it substantially. The Louisiana Republican noted there are many complexities to getting the bill across the finish line. He said he agrees with Musk that 'we're not reducing enough spending,' but stressed the importance of extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts, which is one component of the larger policy bill. 'We're working hard, I'll put it that way,' the senator added. 'And as long as everybody takes their meds, we'll get it done.' The interview comes the president's agenda is seemingly beginning to lose momentum in the upper chamber of Congress in the face of sharp attacks from Musk and other outspoken conservatives. Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) warned colleagues at a special conference meeting Wednesday afternoon that there are two likely 'no' votes on the bill within the Senate GOP conference, which means just one more defection would derail the legislation. That comes as the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday projected that the 1,116-page House passed bill would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
The South African
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The South African
Rob Hersov on EFF's 'Kill the Boer' chant: 'It's fundamentally evil'
South African capitalist activist and entrepreneur Rob Hersov has weighed into the issue of the genocide of white farmers in South Africa. Hersov appeared as a guest on the 'Rob Schmitt Tonight' show on Newsmax this week. He called the 'Kill the Boer' chant of Julius Malema's EFF party 'fundamentally evil' and a 'disgrace'. Meanwhile, Hesov recently delivered a hard-hitting open letter to US President Donald Trump and US ambassador-designate Brent Bozell, in which he exposed the ANC's corruption, anti-American stance, and destructive governance. Hersov delivered the letter via a video uploaded to his Truth Report News YouTube channel. The video came ahead of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's trip to the US where he met with Donald Trump in Washington DC on Wednesday, 21 May. Hersov's video has divided opinion among South Africans. Some called for Hersov to join the 49 white Afrikaner 'refugees' in the United States, while others simply stated 'he's telling the truth'. Below, just a handful of the comments left on the Facebook post which went viral this week. America has become an International Court of Law. Let's South African people solve their problems those who want to relocate to America they are more than welcome to do so . What I believe in is even America have problems like any other countries. They are not special. Let's share the Land – Mabaso He's telling the truth – Siyabonga Thank you for fighting…with us… – Hettie Let him go join the 49 farmers/car guards – Aquiline As if Trump owns South Africa! What the hell is he gonna do about that info that ANC is destroying SA? Trump himself is destroying America and that's not Africa's problem. ANC was voted into power by citizens of SA. Trump fits nowhere on that matter – Kholofelo Guys please enlighten me… how come is Donald Trump a saint while he has so many convictions of corruption…. how is he going to safe SA.. from corruption… – Ngazi Is he wrong though ? We cry everyday on how these comrades abuse our country – Angelo I'm yet to hear Rob Hersov speak about South Africa without mentioning the US – Mpilonhle Which is true, anc are just criminals all of them – Alfred Politicians are using Trump to fight the ANC but they don't see that they are making ANC stronger, everytime i see racist comments i am also reminded of the pain our parents went through. These parties must not take the apartheid effect light because people rather vote for a corrupt ANC as long as they are lead by a black government.. Apartheid really feels like it happened yesterday hence it's not easy to forget especially when you see some people commenting like it's not a big thing – KG ANC needs to automatically step down n give the other party a chance to lead, just once. I want to see something – Zodwa Racists like this keep dividing South Africa which is dangerous, and they know if shit hits the fan by this behavior they will be the first one to run because they have dual citizenships and money, they think this Trump will be President forever – Clive There is some truth is this, SA is listed as a dangourous country, it's goverment is corupted and it's looks like it's going backwards instead of forward. Durban Beachfront now and 30 years ago, huge diffrent. That place looks so dodgy now. Especially the backroad that was once busseling with life. I disagree that Trump is The Man. He's just an Orange idiot who puts his nose where it doesn't belong. He should deal with the mass shootings and poverty in his own country. As this moment nearly half the world dislikes America, not just the SA goverment. Free that sniper dude who missed and give him a second chance at aming properly – Brenda Praise God for this man. Kudos to you Rob, kudos to you my man – HoofSeun He can write to whom he wants to. Not other people's business – Elize Meanwhile, in another video this month, Rob Hersov says South Africa just picked a fight with the most powerful country on Earth … America. And it wasn't by accident. It was by design – reckless, arrogant, and utterly self-destructive, he added. As always, Hersov pulled no punches. Full transcript below the video: South Africa just picked a fight with the most powerful country on Earth – America. And it wasn't by accident. It was by design – reckless, arrogant and utterly self-destructive. Let me give you the facts: South Africa is one of the top 10 countries that consistently votes against the United States in the United Nations. In 2018, South Africa's ambassador to Venezuela offered military support – military support – against a potential US invasion. The ANC has endorsed dictators like Fidel Castro, Gaddafi, Mugabe, Stalin, and even Mao Zedong. And in 2019, the US, UK, Germany and other countries warned South Africa to fix corruption or kiss investment goodbye. And what was the ANC's response? To call those countries imperialist threats and double down on their anti-West rhetoric. And in 2020, ANC members chanted, and I quote, 'One bullet, one American outside the US embassy in Pretoria.' And South Africa's embassy in Washington DC? It's essentially defunct, no ambassador for two years, pure diplomatic negligence. Mr Trump's Truth Social post 2 February was the first of many warning shots and yet the ANC did nothing. So let me give you the truth behind the numbers. South Africa's so-called non-aligned status is a lie. Publicly neutral, privately pro-China, pro-Russia, pro-Iran and cozy with human rights abusers. And what don't they want you to know? Well, the ANC is actively undermining Western partnerships. They've gutted our embassies, alienated allies and openly backed terror-linked groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. And the ANC take bribes from Iran to sue Israel and the ICJ. This isn't diplomacy, it's delusion. Free markets, crumbling, western values, rejected, and traditional principles? Traded for populist posturing and Marxist nostalgia. So here's the wake-up call. Why aren't more South Africans screaming about this? Because the ANC has wrapped itself in the liberation flag while torching the nation's future. The ANC has been bootlicking China and Russia while insulting the only countries that have ever offered us prosperity. But Donald Trump is back and he's watching, he's reading, he's listening, and he's getting ready. What's the bottom line here? Well, we have a path forward. The path forward is to fire the diplomats who can't do their job, rebuild our embassies with professionals, not cadres. And let's recommit to the West, because that's where the investment, the innovation, and the future lies. We know that, the majority of South Africans know it. The stakes? Well the stakes are high. Without AGOA we're going to lose 250 000 jobs, factories are going to close, farmers will go bankrupt, food security out the window. And the G20 Summit we're hosting this year is destined to be a humiliating disaster if President Trump and other important leaders boycott – which is likely. Other African nations are playing it smart. Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, even Zimbabwe, they're reaching out to America. They're making deals while we're burning bridges. South Africa doesn't have to be a failed state, but to save this country we need leaders with courage, not cowards in suits. We need the truth, not ideology. So here it is, loud and clear: Fix this damn foreign policy before there's nothing left to fix. Let's put South Africa first, at last. Robert Basil Hersov, born on 9 October 1960 in Johannesburg, is a business executive and entrepreneur. His grandfather, Bob Hersov, was the founder of AngloVaal, one of Southern Africa's largest mining and industrial companies. His father, Basil Hersov, ran the company from 1973 to 2001. The family sold AngloVaal in the 1990s. Rob Hersov serves as chairman and CEO (and founder) of Invest Africa, Chairman and Partner (and founder) of African Capital Investments. His parents are Basil Edward Hersov and Antoinette. Hersov matriculated from Michaelhouse in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. In 1982 he studied at the University of Cape Town and obtained a degree. In 1989 he obtained his MBA from Harvard Business School. He began his career at Goldman Sachs in New York and then became head of the European media investment banking team at Morgan Stanley in London. From 1989 to 1991 he was business development manager at News Corporation in New York for chairman Rupert Murdoch. After this he became a board member of the luxury goods company Richemont SA, and also managed FilmNet. He then became CEO of Telepiu Srl in Milan, Italy's largest pay-TV company, belonging to the Mediaset media group, where he was also a member of the board of directors, until August 1997. In 1999, he started his own business as an investor and entrepreneur. In September 1999, he co-founded Antfactory; in November 1999, he helped found In 2021, he acquired Fisantekraal Airport, west of Durbanville, and renamed it 'Cape Winelands Airport'. He aims to develop it into a vibrant airport and secondary hub for Cape Town. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
