Latest news with #never-Trumper
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Elon Musk's Stunning U-Turn After Explosive Spat Reveals Something Telling... About Trump
Elon Musk is apparently not feeling so great about some of the volatile things he said about President Donald Trump last week. The billionaire has since seemingly tried to make amends with his onetime ally, but one expert in political science thinks Musk's sudden U-Turn reveals quite a lot ... about Trump. Musk addressed his public falling-out with Trump in a post on Monday, writing on his platform X, formerly Twitter: 'I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.' The Tesla CEO has evidently cooled down quite a bit since he leveled a series of fiery attacks at the president just days prior. The relationship between two of the most powerful men in the world began to unravel early last week, when Musk publicly criticized Trump's so-called Big Beautiful Bill. Things then escalated quickly on social media last Thursday. During the real-time public spat, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Musk 'went Crazy' after he left his position leading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. He also threatened to cancel Musk's government contracts. Musk, for his part, charged on X that the reason the Jeffrey Epstein files haven't been released is that Trump is mentioned in the documents about the disgraced financier and sex offender. The billionaire also suggested that he supported the idea of Trump getting impeached. Trump later warned in a phone interview with NBC on Saturday that Musk would face 'serious consequences' if he backed Democrats in opposing his signature legislation. Musk has since deleted some of his inflammatory tweets about Trump, but it's unclear where his relationship with the president will go next. Trump indicated last week that he had no intention of speaking with the billionaire, who reportedly spent hundreds of millions of dollars to back his presidential campaign. Todd Belt, professor and political management program director at The Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University, said that the falling-out between Trump and Musk, and Musk's quick reversal, proves that Musk 'failed to understand' one thing about Trump that continues to need everyone's attention: 'Trump's power is the lock he has on Republicans in office.' 'Republican voters are almost exclusively Trump voters now. There are no more never-Trumper Republican members of Congress — they have been voted out of office,' Belt said. 'I think that Musk egotistically thought that his wealth would buy him power and influence, but he failed to realize that what power he had was mediated by Trump, and Trump could take it away.' 'Trump has loyalists in Congress and has filled the executive branch with loyalists, so Musk has no real political power,' he continued. 'He may still have the adoration of some tech-bros, but that's not real political power.' GOP lawmakers have long faced criticism for showing unwavering loyalty to Trump, even when the president's policies are at odds withtheir pastpositions. Belt was surprised that Musk's reversal came so quickly after the explosive blow-up last week. 'With the enormous egos of the world's richest man and the world's most powerful man, I thought that it would be a more gradual reconciliation,' he said. But nonetheless, while the spat may have played out like a 'silly soap opera' on social media, Belt cautions that there are some reasons for the public to care about the Trump-Musk feud. Belt said that Musk's SpaceX and Starlink — the world's largest satellite constellation — have 'a tremendous impact on the nation's national security.' NASA relies on SpaceX to launch science missions and transport crews and cargo to and from the International Space Station with the company's Dragon space capsules. During the back-and-forth between Trump and Musk on Thursday, Musk said at one point that he would 'begin decommissioning' the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft 'immediately.' He later appeared to walk back that statement in another post on X. Overall, Belt thinks that Musk's 'significant pendulum swing in tone' combined with allegations surrounding his drug use may cause many in the public, including his investors, to question his 'competency to run his businesses.' 'Musk entered government service thinking he would be lauded for his ability to cut government spending, but he ran into the reality that what the government spends money on impacts people's lives both through services and employment,' he said. Was Musk's reversal 'just about saving his businesses, which are heavily reliant on government contracts and subject to administrative regulation?' Belt considered. 'If that were the case, at least the reversal would be rational,' he said. Musk Turned Meek After Phone Call With JD Vance, Susie Wiles: Reports 'Coward' Elon Musk Mocked On His Own Platform After Bending The Knee To Trump 'They Went Too Far': Elon Musk Just Walked Back Some Of His Explosive Criticism Of Trump
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NJ election results: Mikie Sherrill, Jack Ciattarelli win primary for governor
As the 2025 primary election day nears its end, New Jersey residents are close to finding out the candidates who will fight to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy as the state's 57th governor. LIVE ELECTION RESULTS | JUMP TO: DEM PRIMARY FOR GOV | GOP PRIMARY FOR GOV | NJ ASSEMBLY Jack Ciattarelli, the Trump-endorsed former state assemblymember, will win the Republican primary race for New Jersey governor, AP projects. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, NJ-11, will win the Democratic primary race for New Jersey governor, AP projects, claiming victory over a crowded and competitive field of prominent current and former officeholders. New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states holding gubernatorial races after the presidential election, meaning the outcome in November may serve as both a referendum on President Donald Trump's second term and a preview into who could take power in the 2026 midterm elections. Jack Ciattarelli, a moderate establishment figure in the Republican field, is making his third bid for New Jersey governor. Ciattarelli, a former member of the state's Assembly, initially ran for the New Jersey Governor's office in 2017 – he came in second place in the Republican Party gubernatorial primary, with 31% of the vote. His second attempt in 2021 proved more successful; Ciattarelli won the Republican Party gubernatorial primary, but lost the general election to incumbent Murphy. He received 48% of the vote to Murphy's 51%. In his third run, he received an endorsement from President Trump, even though he's received accusations of being a "never-Trumper" from the party's far right. His campaign focused on New Jersey's affordability crisis – his plan includes capping property taxes at 1% of a home's assessed value and reducing state spending by 30%. Ciattarelli has pledged to end New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive on his first day in office, allowing local police to cooperate with federal officials on civil immigration matters. He also plans to direct the attorney general to cease lawsuits against the Trump administration. In an NJ Now interview, Ciattarelli expressed willingness to work with President Trump while maintaining the ability to oppose policies detrimental to the state. Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, was the establishment, left-of-center candidate in a crowded field of Democratic contenders. Most of her campaign messaging had leaned on her military experience and being able to handle conflict. "I learned early on: In a crisis, the worst thing you can do is freeze," she said. "You have to choose to lead," Sherrill has represented the 11th District, which includes parts of Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, since her 2018 election during President Donald Trump's first administration's midterm. Sherrill flipped the district from Republican control with former Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's retirement and has been reelected three times since. Sherrill raised $2.8 million during the primary election, placing her among the top House fundraisers in the country. Before getting elected to Congress, she was a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. She served in the Navy from 1994 to 2003. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, the 53-year-old now lives in Montclair, New Jersey with her husband. She is also a mother of four. During an interview with NJ Now, she said she would address the state's affordability issues by building more housing, investing in community solar to lower utility costs, and holding the grid operator PJM accountable. MORE: Who's running for NJ governor? Also at stake are all 80 state General Assembly seats, although only 25 districts face contested races. Track real-time election results below once polls close at 8 p.m. Use the dropdown below to view different districts.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Live results: Ciattarelli, Sherrill projected winners in NJ governor's primary election
The Brief Jack Ciattarelli (R) and Mikie Sherrill (D) are the projected winners in the New Jersey governor's primary election. This will be Ciattarelli second time representing New Jersey Republicans in the governor's race. Sherrill beat out several Democratic candidates to earn the nomination. TRENTON - Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill will fight to become New Jersey's next mayor after both candidates won their primary elections on Tuesday. Ciattarelli was considered the heavy favorite to represent New Jersey Republicans in the second straight governor's race, after he nearly defeated Phil Murphy in 2021. Sherrill, a New Jersey state representative, beat out a field of Democratic candidates to earn the nomination. Use the dropdown below to view more districts Jack Ciattarelli, a moderate establishment figure in the Republican field, is making his third bid for New Jersey governor. Ciattarelli, a former member of the state's Assembly, initially ran for the New Jersey Governor's office in 2017 – he came in second place in the Republican Party gubernatorial primary, with 31% of the vote. His second attempt in 2021 proved more successful; Ciattarelli won the Republican Party gubernatorial primary, but lost the general election to incumbent Murphy. He received 48% of the vote to Murphy's 51%. In his third run, he received an endorsement from President Trump, even though he's received accusations of being a "never-Trumper" from the party's far right. Rep. Mikie Sherrill will win the Democratic primary race for New Jersey governor, AP projects, claiming victory over a crowded and competitive field of prominent current and former officeholders. The moderate congressional Democrat will fight to keep the Garden State blue as she faces Republican winner Jack Ciattarelli in the November general election. Because the New Jersey gubernatorial race is one of the first major elections since Donald Trump's return to the White House, there's a tremendous amount at stake simply through public perception. Stream live coverage in the media player below or on our FOX LOCAL app, available for free on your phone and smart TV.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Donald Trump takes sides in New Jersey's GOP primary for governor
President Donald Trump is backing Republican Jack Ciattarelli for New Jersey governor, a long-awaited move that could put him on a clearer path to being the party nominee this June. 'Jack Ciattarelli is a terrific America First Candidate running to be the next Governor of a State that I love, NEW JERSEY!' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday, with less than a month to go until the primary. Trump has loomed large over the primary races to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy this year. Democratic candidates have been trying to assert who is the most effective choice to stand up to the Trump administration, while Republicans — particularly Ciattarelli and former radio host Bill Spadea — have been duking it out over who is more aligned with the president. And as one of only two gubernatorial races this year, the election will be seen as a bellwether ahead of the midterms. This is Ciattarelli's third gubernatorial bid. The former state Assemblymember was the GOP's nominee in 2021, and came unexpectedly close to unseating Murphy. While Ciatarelli has benefitted from high name ID due to those past runs, his opponents have argued that the party needs a new nominee this year. Ciattarelli's 2025 campaign has so far differed from his 2021 primary run, when he was one of the only Republican candidates not attempting to tie himself to Trump. Ciattarelli had previously criticized the president, calling him a 'charlatan' in 2015 and urging him to end his presidential bid in 2016 (Ciattarelli ran the first time in 2017). Ciattarelli has since waved off those past comments — but that hasn't stopped his opponents from referring to him as a 'Republican in name only' and 'never-Trumper.' Trump acknowledged Ciattarelli's stance in his endorsement: 'Jack, who after getting to know and understand MAGA, has gone ALL IN, and is now 100% (PLUS!).' The Republican primary has so far been a messy battle between Ciattarelli and Spadea — who is seen as his most significant competitor and is well-known from his time on the radio as an outspoken conservative, pro-Trump commentator — as they fight over who is the most Trump-like. Spadea and his allies have repeatedly criticized Ciattarelli for his past comments about Trump. Ciattarelli has thrown those attacks right back at Spadea, pointing to the radio host's own comments in 2021 saying he did not want Trump to run again. Both candidates have prominently invoked the president in their outreach to voters — in many cases giving the impression they have Trump's backing, prior to his official endorsement. Trump standing with Ciattarelli will likely quiet down that debate. At a Republican debate last week, Spadea would not commit to supporting Ciattarelli if he won the primary. 'Jack did not want my help and rejected President Trump's help in 2021,' he told reporters. Trump is popular among Republicans in the state, and made notable gains among the electorate in November, giving Ciattarelli a perceived leg up in the primary. It's unclear how his endorsement could play in the general election, where the Democratic nominee is certain to use it as fodder for attacks in the typically blue-leaning state. The president's backing has not always been foolproof in the Garden State. In last year's race for Senate, Trump endorsed then-Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, who lost in the primary to businessperson Curtis Bashaw. But the dynamics are different this year without the so-called county line, which gave party-backed candidates a better spot on the ballot; last year, Bashaw had more county lines than Serrano Glassner. Ciattarelli was the only Republican candidate to compete in county conventions this year, and won most of them by default. Spadea mostly eschewed the conventions, saying he wanted to bring his campaign directly to voters — with the exception of Ocean County, where he was previously endorsed by the party chair and won. Those county endorsements are expected to have less of an impact in this year's primary. It was unclear if Trump was going to engage in the New Jersey gubernatorial election. Given that both Ciattarelli and Spadea had made negative comments about the president in the past, it was uncertain who he would endorse, if it all. (Trump went on Spadea's radio show last year and praised him, saying that he's 'had my back from the beginning.') Before he backed Ciattarelli, Trump weighed in on 2026 races. But the chances of him endorsing appeared more likely in late March, when both Ciattarelli and Spadea met with Trump — separately — at his Bedminster golf club. A handful of Trump allies have been involved in the race on both sides, like former adviser Kellyanne Conway running a super PAC boosting Ciattarelli and former campaign manager Bill Stepien serving as a consultant on Spadea's campaign. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, another MAGA loyalist, endorsed Spadea, while some of Trump's previous co-chairs in the state backed Ciattarelli. Other Republicans running for the GOP nod include state Sen. Jon Bramnick, who is a vocal Trump critic, as well as lesser-known candidates former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and Justin Barbera, a contractor. Kranjac has also sought to label himself as the most ardent pro-Trump candidate in the primary, though he entered the race much later than Ciattarelli and Spadea.
