Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Dr. Abdul El-Sayed sought to reassure Jewish voters that he would “fight the fight against anti-semitism” on Wednesday, moments after defending his calls to end U.S. military aid to Israel and accusing the country’s government of committing “genocide” and maintaining an “illegal apartheid” system.

Appearing on MS NOW’s Morning Joe after his projected victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, El-Sayed was pressed by co-host Willie Geist over his long-held opposition to unconditional military assistance for Israel, an issue that dominated the race after millions of dollars were spent attacking his candidacy.

Asked why he believes the U.S. should halt military aid to Israel, El-Sayed replied: “Yeah, look, I just don’t believe in unconditional foreign military aid. That includes Egypt, that also includes Israel.”

He argued that taxpayer money should be directed toward domestic priorities instead of overseas conflicts, adding: “Our money should be spent here, rather than sent in the form of bombs or tanks to foreign governments, particularly when they’re doing the most heinous things with them, as is the case with the government of Israel.”

El-Sayed also said Israel “has conducted a genocide, has at baseline done apartheid,” and argued that the United States should not continue funding its military.

When Geist asked whether his criticism was aimed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the state of Israel more broadly, El-Sayed responded that the issues were “inextricable,” adding that “we’ve been talking about an illegal apartheid regime for a very, very long time” and describing the Israeli government having become “so bloodthirsty under his reign.”

He argued his stance was anchored in a consistent backing of international law.

He continued: “But I also understand that it’s impossible for us to say that we want a two-state solution while aiding, arming and abetting the very people who have been trying to foreclose on the possibility of a Palestinian state.”

“And ultimately, in the end, I don’t think we pay our taxes so a foreign government gets a bomb or a tank. We pay our taxes so our kids get good schools and functional infrastructure, and too many of our kids just don’t have those things right now,” he added.

Geist then turned to Jewish voters who had backed his opponent Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in the Democratic primary and asked what message El-Sayed had for those who may be uneasy with his views.

“My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own kids,” El-Sayed said. “We have a responsibility to take on antisemitism in all of its forms, wherever we see it. It’s the same responsibility we have to take on islamophobia.”

He added: “So, as I’ve always said, to my Jewish sisters and brothers, I am looking forward to fighting the fight against anti-semitism and Islamophobia with you.”

Pressed one final time on whether he would end all U.S. military support for Israel, El-Sayed reiterated that his position was rooted in applying the same standard to all countries.

“I believe that we cannot continue to do unconditional foreign military aid,” he said, arguing that U.S. policy should follow the Leahy Laws by withholding weapons from countries accused of human rights abuses. He said he would apply that principle equally to Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

NBC News projected Tuesday night that El-Sayed had defeated Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary after a race dominated by outside spending. With more than 95% of the expected vote counted, El-Sayed led Stevens 48.7% to 47.3%.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent more than $30 million backing Stevens, while outside groups collectively poured roughly $62 million into the race, giving her a substantial spending advantage over El-Sayed.

Watch above via MS NOW.

The post Abdul El-Sayed Promises Jewish Voters He Will Fight Anti-Semitism — After Broadside Against ‘Arming’ Israel first appeared on Mediaite.

Dolores Ochoa/AP Photo

With his future as the head of world soccer in doubt, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is reportedly scheduled to hold a “crisis” meeting in Morocco on Wednesday with the organization’s top officials.

Infantino, 56, is seven months away from a FIFA vote for a potential fourth term, but battling to keep his place in the international organization after a disastrous proposal to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors sparked anger amid the group’s 211 member associations.

Morocco is set to host the next World Cup, scheduled for 2030. Infantino, who took over FIFA in 2016 from the disgraced Sepp Blatter, just wrapped up a World Cup in the U.S. that brought in $15 billion in revenue.

He was accused of “selling the soul of football” with his plan to create a new organization and sell off 20% of the World Cup to raise $4.2 billion from investors, including Josh Kushner, brother of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Even though Infantino junked the plan on Friday, it’s done little to stop the criticism, according to Reuters, which noted the expected Wednesday meeting comes as his FIFA colleagues have been less than supportive.

An internal memo from FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom cited by the outlet confirmed the sell-off plan had been “permanently abandoned” and called the events leading up to the decision “sad and reproachable,” Reuters reported, while FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour had previously claimed staff were “deceived” by the plan.

Lamour had called Infantino’s plan “the project of one person,” according to Reuters.

The backlash to the sell-off plan was so strong, FIFA’s White House World Cup Adviser Carlos Cordeiro quit.

“I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,” Cordeiro said in a statement.

“Let me be clear. I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” the former banker said, calling it “a bad deal for football.”

The post FIFA Boss Gianni Infantino Set to Hold ‘Crisis Meeting’ Amid Furious Calls for His Ouster first appeared on Mediaite.

CNN commentator Scott Jennings warned Tuesday that Todd Blanche’s bid to become attorney general could come down to a razor-thin Senate vote, arguing that Republicans’ Senate majority was “ungovernable” and “unruly.”

Speaking on CNN NewsNight on Tuesday, hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination, Jennings said Blanche’s path to confirmation now appears to rest largely with two undecided GOP senators, Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).

“So, he — and the way the vote sits right now, he has to get at least one of Murkowski or Cassidy, can‘t lose them both on the floor. And so, you know, neither has said, I guess, what they‘re planning to do. It‘s a little bit of — a little bit of drama here,” Jennings said.

He continued: “The Senate for the president, because of the personality dynamics in play, a little bit ungovernable and a little bit unruly right now. And so you‘re going to have some votes where, you know, you may come down to the wire on it. This is going to be one of them.”

He added: “I don‘t personally know what‘s going to happen, but it does seem to be in the hands of Murkowski and Cassidy.”

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) announced earlier Tuesday that she would vote against Blanche’s confirmation. Despite describing him as “a capable lawyer,” she argued Blanche had “become increasingly political” and cited a series of actions she said had “further eroded the department’s independence.”

With Collins opposing the nomination, Blanche can afford only one more Republican defection if Democrats remain united against him.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is working with an effective 52-seat Republican majority while Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) remains absent due to health issues.

Watch above via CNN.

The post Scott Jennings Warns Trump’s Senate GOP ‘Ungovernable’ as Todd Blanche Faces Cliffhanger Vote first appeared on Mediaite.

President Donald Trump warned Iran it will be “hit very hard” if negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear ambitions collapse, claiming he’d have “no choice,” but “hopefully” the U.S. will not need to use that option.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump told host Trace Gallagher talks with Iranian officials were progressing, but he made clear that military action remained on the table if diplomacy failed.

“Iran, as an example, will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “They already can’t, it’s going to be formal, the Strait [of Hormuz] will be open soon, or they will be hit and then the Strait’s going to be open.”

The president had initially been asked about the arrest of an alleged assassin at his Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, and ongoing threats on his life.

“Well, the only thing I get a little solace from is they say that only consequential presidents [face assassination threats] and I’m definitely consequential,” he replied, before pivoting to Iran: “If you look at the economy and what is happening. Iran, as an example, will never have a nuclear weapon.”

The president then relayed recent interactions, in which he had threatened “tremendous” strikes not seen since World War II, only to insist that Tehran pleaded for talks – a claim that Iran’s Foreign Ministry then denied.

“And they called me and said politely, ‘Please, can we talk?’ And I said, ‘Yes, we can talk. Let’s get it done. Finally, let’s get it done,’” he said, arguing the issue should have been resolved decades ago by previous administrations.

He singled out the approach of former President Barack Obama as he criticized the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.

“It should have been done by many presidents over many years and it wasn’t; I’m doing it all. Obama was taken to the cleaners, he thought he could bribe his way out, he gave them tens of billions of dollars, $1.7 billion in cash, green cash, on a Boeing 737, an airplane loaded with cash. They probably looked and said, ‘You have to be kidding.’ No, you can’t bribe your way out, you have to fight your way out. They would not be talking if we didn’t do what we’re doing. We hit them hard.”

“But the hard hit is yet to come,” he said. “Hopefully, we won’t have to use it. I hope we won’t have to use it.”

He added: “We’re having good discussions. You tell people like you, ‘We’re having wonderful discussions’ and some guy will come out of Iran and say, ‘We have not met’ – it is such a lie, all day long.”

“They will say, ‘We did not talk about nuclear.’ What did we talk about? We’re sitting there twiddling our thumbs, right?” he added.

Trump concluded by reiterating that he believed Tehran wanted an agreement, but warned the outcome ultimately depended on Iran’s next move: “So it doesn’t matter, that’s talk, all that matters is action, and they want to make a deal. We’ll see what happens. If they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be too bad.”

Watch above via Fox News.

The post Trump Warns Iran Will Be ‘Hit Very Hard’ If They Fail to Strike Deal: ‘I Have No Choice’ first appeared on Mediaite.

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images)

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) has dropped his reelection bid, days after a House Ethics Committee report found he violated Congress’ rules against sexual harassment.

“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign,” Edwards said in an X post. “I will complete my current term. Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support. God bless WNC and America.”

The announcement came amid a slew of allegations against the congressman as the Ethics Committee’s report found Edwards failed “to adhere to the spirit of rules prohibiting sexual harassment of and unwanted advances to House staffers” and urged his censure, Axios reported.

Just this week, The Charlotte Observer’s deputy opinion editor Paige Masten posted on X that Edwards told a female staffer he was “beyond thrilled” to skip votes and cancel town halls to help her decorate her Christmas tree.

Other explosive details emerging from reporting by Axios’s Kate Santaliz included allegations that Edwards gave female staffers “personalized handguns” as gifts and once recited a poem to an “uncomfortable” young woman.

Edwards, 65, has denied any wrongdoing in the Ethics Committee’s probe. He told Axios in May that the sexual harassment allegations against him were “horsesh*t.”

Edwards was one of many current and former lawmakers recently investigated by the House Ethics Committee, including Lance Gooden (R-TX), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Tony Gonzalez (R-TX), Cory Mills (R-FL), and Nancy Mace (R-SC).

Edwards, who represents North Carolina’s 11th District, was elected in November 2022 after defeating Madison Cawthorn in the Republican primary.

The post Embatted House Republican Won’t Seek Reelection Amid House Ethics Probe first appeared on Mediaite.

President Donald Trump claimed late Tuesday that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come “tomorrow or the next day,” raising expectations that a breakthrough could restore shipping through one of the world’s most strategically important waterways after months of conflict.

Speaking to reporters on the tarmac as he boarded Air Force One in Los Angeles, Trump was asked about an Axios report suggesting an announcement could come as soon as Wednesday.

“It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day,” the president said. “A lot of progress has been made.”

He continued: “They called me, and they said, ‘Please let’s talk.’ They want to talk. The funny thing is they never mentioned that. They always say we’re not talking, but they called. They want to talk. We’ve been talking.”

“They want to make a deal,” he added. “They do not want to be hit. The biggest hit since World War II, as I said. And they saw it happening. They saw all the good things being loaded. They knew exactly what was happening. And I think it would be very smart t0 make a deal. We’ll see what happens.”

The comments came as diplomatic efforts intensified to reopen the narrow shipping route, whose closure has disrupted global energy markets and complicated Washington’s military and political objectives in the region.

Shipping disruptions following Iranian attacks and threats have sent fuel costs soaring and contributed to broader increases in consumer prices around the world.

Financial markets appeared to respond positively to hopes of a breakthrough. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, fell 1.2% to $78.43 a barrel in early Wednesday trading, NBC News reported, as investors anticipated the possible resumption of commercial shipping.

The latest diplomatic push follows an earlier agreement between the United States and Iran in June aimed at reopening the strait. That arrangement ultimately collapsed after attacks resumed.

Watch above via Fox News.

The post Trump Claims Deal to Open Strait of Hormuz Will Be Struck ‘Tomorrow or the Next Day’: ‘They Do Not Want to Be Hit’ first appeared on Mediaite.

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

NBC News has projected that Dr. Abdul El-Sayed will win the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Michigan.

El-Sayed leads Stevens 48.7% to 47.3%, with more than 95% of the expected votes counted.

The victory is a big result for progressives at a moment when they are racking up major primary victories across the country. El-Sayed’s triumph over an establishment-backed candidate in a swing state undoubtedly signals the growing electoral clout of the burgeoning progressive movement.

El-Sayed prevailed in the race despite about a half-dozen outside political action committees spent $62 million on ads supporting Stevens, giving her a nine-to-one spending advantage over El-Sayed. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) alone spent more than $30 million in ads to boost Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), who has been an ardent supporter of Israel, stating in 2023, “Israel comes to me in my dreams!” El-Sayed, meanwhile, has said he wants to end U.S. aid to Israel.

As polls consistently showed El-Sayed, a former Michigan public health official, with a lead in the waning days of the campaign, Stevens told her opponent that “you want to blame all of your problems on Jewish Americans.”

Stevens, who is not Jewish, offered no evidence for her claim, but did quote-tweet a video of El-Sayed daring AIPAC, “Come for me.” In the video, El-Sayed also called Stevens “the least capable candidate in America.”

El-Sayed will now face former Congressman Mike Rogers (R) in what figures to be a very tight general election in the fall.

——

The post Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Primary, NBC Projects first appeared on Mediaite.

Michael Moore told CNN he is so disgusted by the same old flavor of Democratic politicians he is willing to get on his knees and beg — if his body would allow him to — for progressive candidates to come in and topple the party establishment.

The director was in a near frenzy on Tuesday night when he joined anchor Laura Coates to discuss the state of the Democratic Party and the primary in his home state of Michigan. Coates said there is an ongoing “battle” inside the party over what type of candidates will lead it moving forward, which she said is represented by the Senate primary race between Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and frontrunner Abdul El-Sayed (D).

“There is a clash between what people think is possible and what they think requires the continuation of some aspect of the status quo,” Coates said, before asking, “Does there require a change in the establishment and in the way things are done to effectuate the changes you want to see?”

“If I could get on my knees and beg it would be for exactly what you said, because we are not going to win the other way,” Moore said. “We lost that way in ’24. It’s not going to happen if we allow this to happen. We are in charge of this and we need to get busy right now.”

He then said El-Sayed’s anti-Israel views are a key selling point for him and many other Dem voters. Moore said the party needs to be more like El-Sayed, and less like Stevens.

“It’s not about electability — let me tell ya, I’ve known Dr. El-Sayed for many years, I worked on his campaign for governor in 2018. Boy, we would be so lucky if he were our senator, representing us, and standing up for the people who are dying, dying every day over there,” Moore said.

Moore added, “I will not support hacks — hacks in the Democratic Party who have led us to this Waterloo.”

A moment earlier, the man behind Fahrenheit 9/11 railed against Kamala Harris and ex-President Joe Biden, accusing them of betraying young voters and liberals in 2024 in order to support Israel and what he framed as the country’s murder spree in Gaza.

“All the young people in the ’24 election are like ‘I Don’t want to die. I’m not gonna die. And we’ve got a Democratic president in that year who could not think of anything but to give an apartheid regime all the money they asked for to kill all the children they wanted to kill,” Moore ranted. “And what did we do as Americans? ‘Sure, take the money. Good for you, Joe.'”

He lamented the Dems being too pro-Israel lost the youth vote in 2024, as well the “Muslim and the Arab vote.” Moore said the Dems can’t make the same mistake again in 2028, or else there will be a “third Trump term.”

El-Sayed had a 49.7% to 46.3% edge on Stevens with about 71% of votes counted by 12:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday morning.

Moore finished his interview by saying no matter what happens in his state’s Democratic primary, the party establishment is going to be overthrown sooner than later.

“This will not stand. This will not continue,” he said. “The youth of America are going to rise up.”

Watch above via CNN.

The post Michael Moore Tells CNN He’s Begging for Progressives to Overthrow Democratic Establishment ‘Hacks’  first appeared on Mediaite.

President Donald Trump was noncommittal when a reporter asked him late Tuesday night if he plans to keep Jeanine Pirro as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Trump has criticized Pirro in recent days after she moved on Friday to dismiss a felony charge against David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, for destruction of government property. The Department of Justice’s criminal complaint alleged that Hearn had damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the renovation of which Trump has personally overseen. In her motion to dismiss, Pirro stated that the Department of Interior, which oversees the pool, had failed to give her the relevant information before she decided to bring the charge, and that the issues with the pool are due to a “botched installation.”

That explanation has drawn criticism from legal experts, who slammed the lack of due diligence.

On Monday, Trump told reporters that Pirro “choked” in the case. Hours later, she was summoned to the White House, where the president reportedly “read her the riot act,” two sources briefed in the meeting told CNN.

Shortly before boarding Air Force One in Los Angeles after a Republican National Committee event at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf club, Trump took questions from reporters. The president reiterated his baseless claims that the algae blooms and peeling paint in the Reflecting Pool were caused by “vandalism.”

“And everybody saw the vandalism,” Trump claimed before citing a “tape” that may or may not exist. “All you have to do is look at the tape. If you look at the tape– plus, we have a witness or two witnesses that saw the vandalism. So, certainly, there was vandalism. It was actually, in my opinion, it was major vandalism. And I told her I was not happy.”

“Is she safe?” a reporter asked. “Are you gonna keep her in the position?”

“Uh,” Trump replied. “I haven’t made a determination.”

After moving to drop the charges against Hearn, Pirro’s office also sought to dismiss charges against three other defendants in the case of the busted Reflecting Pool.

Watch above via Fox News.

The post Trump Hesitates When Reporter Asks if Jeanine Pirro’s Job Is ‘Safe’ or Not: ‘Uh…’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Fox News’ Sean Hannity disputed polling from his own network showing Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) leading Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) 51% to 48% in the race for U.S. Senate, remarking, “I don’t believe it for two seconds.”

The Fox News poll, released last Thursday, randomly sampled 1,006 Texas registered voters, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. Along with the three-point Talarico lead, the survey found that 24% of non-MAGA Republicans said they support the Democratic candidate over Paxton.

Debating former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday’s edition of Hannity, the Fox News host said, “So, you think ‘Six-Gender Talarico,’ who believes God is non-binary, who believes biological men should play women’s sports, and believes that biological men should have access to abortion —”

“Did you read your own poll today where Talarico is beating Paxton?” de Blasio asked.

“Okay, I don’t believe it for two seconds,” insisted Hannity. “Not for two.”

Paxton’s candidacy, despite winning an endorsement from President Donald Trump over longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), has been scandal-ridden, with questions about alleged voter fraud, lavish vacations with what some call his “mistress,” his office’s plea deal with child sex predator Adam Hoffman, and more.

Later in the segment, de Blasio remarked that Talarico is talking about “common-sense, kitchen-table issues, which his opponent isn’t,” calling the scenario “the worst nightmare for Republicans.”

“When you lose [political strategist] James Carville, and [late-night host] Bill Maher, and you lose [CEO of Stagwell Inc] Mark Penn, who was just on, and [Sen.] John Fetterman [D-PA], and [former Sen.] Joe Manchin [I-WV], I’m telling you, it’s a canary in the coal mine,” Hannity claimed.

“Nope,” snapped de Blasio. “Young voters are gonna change these elections. You’re gonna be surprised, and they’re gonna be with the Democrats.”

Watch the full clip above via Fox News.

The post Hannity Rejects Fox News’ Own Poll on Texas Senate Race: ‘I Don’t Believe It for Two Seconds’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) dared veteran political strategist James Carville to “start his own party” after Carville threatened to ditch Democrats over their association with progressive commentator Hasan Piker.

Sanders joined CNN’s Abby Phillip on Tuesday evening as progressive Democrats like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan came out victorious in their primaries. Sayed is one of a number of Democrats facing scrutiny over his relationship to Piker.

Phillip asked Sanders about one controversial statement Piker made and whether he was “comfortable” with it. She referenced Piker saying America “deserved” the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which Sanders dismissed as a “dumb statement.” The senator still argued Piker should be welcomed into the Democratic Party tent and that Democrats should stay clear of “cancel culture.”

Phillip then brought up Carville’s threat to leave the Democratic Party if Piker is being welcomed into the fold.

“Well, that’s not much of a choice. If Mr. Carville doesn’t want to be in my party and the party I belong to, that Piker belongs to, that El-Sayed belongs to, he can start his own party,” Sanders said.

The senator called out his own party members who receive money from the pro-Israel lobby organization AIPAC and support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“You can turn the tables around and say, do you really want to be in a party where your leadership is taking huge amounts of money from AIPAC, which is supporting an extremist Netanyahu government that many of us believe committed genocide? Do you want to be in a party with people who do that?” he asked.

Sanders added, “We need a big tent and people like Hasan Piker should be welcomed into that, certainly.”

Carville dropped his ultimatum during an appearance on Fox News this week.

“I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker, I can tell you that right now,” he said. “If he becomes a force in the Democratic Party, I’m out of here. I have no intention of ever being in the political party with that guy.”

Watch above via CNN.

The post Bernie Sanders Dares Disgruntled James Carville To ‘Start His Own Party’ After Slew of Progressive Victories first appeared on Mediaite.

(Photo by Travis P Ball/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton prompted a response from Florida law enforcement on Tuesday evening after livestreaming what appeared to be acts of self-harm from his Miami home, according to local authorities.

A video viewed by Mediaite showed Hilton cutting himself with a large knife in multiple places on his body.

“It hurts, but it feels so good, too,” Hilton says at one point as his body and face is covered in blood. “I’m a f*cking parasite loser. This is what you all wanted. You know? Ahhh! It’ll be interesting to see what happens after you die. Ahhh!”

At that point, three other users joined the livestream.

“What’s up f*ckers?” Hilton asked them.

“Perez, what the f*ck are you doing?!” one woman exclaimed.

“I’m committing suicide,” he replied.

“No!” another user exclaimed. “That’s not what we’re doing here, no.”

“Yes, it is,” Hilton said as he continued cutting himself. “Bye bitches.”

Hilton then ended the livestream.

The Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office told Newsweek it received “multiple calls” reporting that an individual was broadcasting acts of self-harm online. Deputies responded to Hilton’s residence, where they spoke with family members outside the home and determined Hilton was alone inside.

Rather than immediately force an encounter, deputies opted to “tactically disengage” while continuing to monitor the situation.

“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication. Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilizing crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of a suicide-by-cop encounter and minimize the risk of injury to the individual, deputies, and the public,” the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told the outlet.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

The post Perez Hilton Prompts Police Response After Apparent Self-Harm in TikTok Livestream first appeared on Mediaite.

Embattled Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) responded to allegations of physical and emotional abuse during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper in an exchange that did not seem particularly persuasive to many, including Republicans.

On Tuesday’s edition of The Lead, Tapper began questioning Miller about accusations from multiple women, but the lawmaker interrupted the host. The interjection prompted Tapper to respond, “Hold on… I’m not done with the list of women that have accused you of violence.”

Miller has denied being abusive. During the interview, he compared himself to President Donald Trump.

“In 2016, when President Donald J. Trump faced the most extreme allegations in the world that hit him day after day after day, and people in the media very much like yourself and others said that he would have no shot at winning, that he should not be the president of the United States,” Miller told Tapper. “But guess what? He stayed in and he was resilient.”

Shortly after the interview, CNN commentator and GOP strategist Scott Jennings said he “found no reason” in that interview to believe that Miller should stay in Congress.

“I found no reason, just as a Republican watching it, why I would want that person, above all other Republicans who live in that district, to serve in the U.S. Congress,” he said on air.

CNN’s Sarah Ferris reported that another Republican operative echoed that sentiment more bluntly. She quoted the person as saying, “I mean what the absolute f*ck was that?”

Jonathan Swan of The New York Times quote-tweeted the post and wrote, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno – the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) – alleges Miller pointed a gun at her head, threw scalding hot water at her, pushed her into a wall, and fractured their two-year-old daughter’s collarbone. Miller denies the accusations. Stephanie Grisham, who served as Trump’s White House communications director and press secretary in the first term and dated Miller in 2019 and 2020, has also accused Miller of abuse. A third woman said that while she and Miller were in high school, Miller pushed a girl out of his room and she fell down some stairs.

Axios reported on Monday that Trump phoned Miller and told the congressman that “things aren’t looking good.”

Sen. Moreno has called on Miller to step down, as have a handful of other Republican senators.

The post ‘What the Absolute F*ck Was That?’ Scandal-Ridden House Republican’s CNN Interview Baffles GOP Strategists first appeared on Mediaite.

Screenshot via @weeklyshowpod on X

Jon Stewart confronted Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) in a teaser for an upcoming episode of The Weekly Show released Tuesday, telling the Pennsylvania Democrat that Israel “is not our country.”

Stewart’s comments come after Fetterman has repeatedly threatened to leave the Democratic Party over its decreasing support of Israel, telling Fox News in mid-July that the country is his “red line,” adding, “Look at the people who are winning these primaries right now. They are not just, ‘I’m just pro-Palestinian. I’m deeply anti, anti-Israel.’”

Inquiring further about his thoughts on fellow Democrats, Stewart clarified, “You could agree with them 90%, but Israel is the red line?”

“Absolutely,” Fetterman responded. “I can’t ever turn my back to Israel after where it’s at.”

“I mean no disrespect on this,” Stewart prefaced, “but that is not our country. You’re saying that these candidates may have great ideas for our economy. They may want to do the exact same thing you want to do, in terms of getting money out of politics. They may want to increase the social safety net. They may want to change the balance of power from capital back to labor, but if they don’t agree with you on Israel, you don’t want them in your party?”

“Well, I don’t know who you’re referencing to, specifically,” responded Fetterman.

“No, I’m referencing what you just said,” insisted Stewart.

“Name one,” said the Pennsylvania Democrat.

“[Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul] El-Sayed, or [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] ‘AOC’ [D-NY], or [Sen.] Bernie Sanders [I-VT],” listed Stewart. “I assume you agree with a lot of what they say economically.”

“What I’m saying is, like, if you are a DSA [Democratic Socialists of America] member, if you are a member of a specific political party, run under your own banner,” stressed Fetterman.

“It’s just an organization,” said Stewart. “We have a two-party system. It’s like the Freedom Caucus in the Republican Party… You’re literally saying, ‘We can all have discussions, except when it comes to Israel,’ which is not America. It seems like a weird line to draw.”

The post Jon Stewart Puts Fetterman on the Defensive Over Israel, Reminds Him, ‘That Is Not Our Country’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton was drowned out as protesters disrupted a campaign event where he was speaking about lowering costs for Texans.

Paxton was speaking to a crowd about “Paxton’s Protecting Texas, the Texas Promise Plan” when loud boos forced him to stop.

As he was being booed, the Republican candidate joked, “It’s okay. I don’t think she’s gonna like the plan.”

After a few seconds of silently listening to the boos, Paxton supporters eventually drowned them out and Paxton continued.

He said:

Let me tell you a little bit about the plan. So the first thing we want to do is we want to give a $25,000 tax deduction for all medical expenses and premiums, and that includes for all dependents. So we all know that Texans and Americans are struggling with expenses, including medical expenses, and I want to make it easier for people to pay those expenses. We also want to offer a first-time home buyer a $50,000 tax deduction. And if you buy another residence that’s your primary residence, another $50,000 tax deduction, so you have two bites of the apple.

A poll of 1,200 voters by the Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center at Texas Southern University found Talarico leading 47% to Paxton’s 45%. A Fox News poll also found him with a similarly tight three-point lead.

Paxton is facing Democratic candidate James Talarico in his Senate race. Talarico has been showing some slim leads over Paxton despite being a Democrat running in heavily red Texas.

CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten declared this week that Talarico has a very real shot at winning a Senate seat, noting Paxton, who has the backing of President Donald Trump, has struggled to connect with independents.

“Take a look here, the GOP nominee’s net favorability, in July of 2018, Ted Cruz was eight points above water,” Enten reported. “Look at this side of the screen — very different indeed. Ken Paxton, six points underwater with — get this — among Independents, 47 point under water. No wonder, no wonder that you’re seeing major issues for Ken Paxton in this race so far.”

Watch above via CSPAN.

The post Ken Paxton Drowned Out By Protesters During Campaign Event first appeared on Mediaite.

Republican strategist Scott Jennings said Tuesday that Rep. Max Miller’s (R-OH) CNN appearance left him with “no reason” to believe the embattled congressman should remain in office.

Miller joined Tuesday’s edition of CNN’s The Lead, where host Jake Tapper asked him about the abuse allegations from his ex-wife and Sen. Bernie Moreno’s (R-OH) daughter, Emily Moreno, who said Miller pointed a gun at her head, threw scalding hot water at her, pushed her into a wall, and fractured their two-year-old daughter’s collarbone. Miller denies the accusations.

“First of all, my heart goes out to the family,” said Jennings on CNN. “I mean, you’ve got a mother, a young child. Bernie Moreno, who I know and have been very fond of — a great new senator from Ohio. I mean, I believe them when they say they have gone through what Bernie Moreno called ‘the seventh level of hell.'”

Here, Jennings is referring to Tuesday comments made by Moreno to reporters, in which he said, “What my daughter has been through, what my wife is going through, this is truly the seventh level of hell. This has been a horrific experience for my entire family.”

Jennings continued on Miller’s CNN interview:

This interview today was remarkable. It was long. It was full of deflection. Um, I found no reason, just as a Republican watching it, why I would want that person, above all other Republicans who live in that district, to serve in the U.S. Congress. Even if you’re Max Miller and you want to argue, “All of these things are not true,” or “it’s made up,” or whatever, don’t you have to ask yourself, “What’s the best thing for my family?”

You know, we’ve got a broken family here. We’ve got a little girl. He strikes me as someone who needs some personal healing. That family obviously needs some healing, and is the best way to do that to fight it out in a congressional campaign? In the middle of American politics, the way it is right now, obviously the answer to that question is no. I would think it’d be a pretty easy call for Republicans to say, “We can do better than this in Ohio.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

The post Scott Jennings Admits He ‘Found No Reason’ to Want Max Miller in Congress After CNN Interview first appeared on Mediaite.

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at CNN on Tuesday over the network’s reporting that U.S. military stockpiles had fallen to “dangerously low” levels following strikes on Iran, declaring on X, “Shame on you.”

Hegseth’s post focused on a Tuesday chyron, covered on-air by CNN’s Kasie Hunt, that read, “Sources: U.S. has used nearly 80% of key missile interceptors in Iran war, top commanders warn stockpiles ‘dangerously low.'”

“That banner is NOT TRUE,” wrote Hegseth. “Shame on you. We don’t hate the Fake News media enough.”

In the network’s written story on the matter, CNN’s Zachary Cohen, Jim Sciutto, and Haley Britzky cited multiple sources familiar with Pentagon assessments who said the U.S. has depleted large portions of its missile inventory during the Iran conflict, including nearly 80% of its THAAD interceptors and about half of its Patriot missiles. The sources added that senior military leaders have warned President Donald Trump’s administration that stockpiles are “dangerously low.”

The report mentions that these concerns were voiced before Trump’s Saturday announcement that he plans “to hold off any attack” because “the perimeters of a deal ha[ve] been agreed to,” while still promising, “The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II.”

Also on Tuesday, seemingly backing up CNN’s reporting, Reuters cited multiple sources who said the U.S. has burned through “virtually all” of its inventory of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). The White House pushed back on concerns, telling Reuters the U.S. has “far more munitions than anyone in the world” and “far more than we need.”

They gave a similar statement to CNN, with White House spokesperson Anna Kelly telling the network that the U.S. military “has more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump’s strategic goals and beyond.”

CNN declined to comment for this story.

The post ‘Shame on You’: Pete Hegseth Declares CNN Reporting on Iran Is ‘NOT TRUE’ first appeared on Mediaite.

The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg bragged on Keke Palmer’s podcast that viewers would be “shocked” by the size of her paycheck.

Goldberg joined Palmer on the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast, where she revealed one of her favorite things about hosting The View is the paycheck.

“I love the check,” she said.

Goldberg then insisted the number would surprise people and they couldn’t imagine what she brings in.

“Trust me. You can’t. You would be shocked,” she said.

The actress added, “As soon as they showed you that check, you’d be like, ‘What the!?’”

Goldberg said she appreciates having the steady gig as an artist — one who has taken home Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards, completing the coveted EGOT sequence — saying she’s “lucky.”

“A lot of people don’t have jobs, so I’m lucky. I like to talk, I like talking about stuff, I like people. And I’m okay with what I think I believe. I don’t mind doing that. Even when it irritates people? That’s what the show is. It’s not irritation, necessarily, but it is called The View,” she said.

Goldberg recalled the late Barbara Walters offering her the gig when she needed a job. Goldberg joined the table in 2007, and she now co-hosts with Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin, though she takes most Fridays off from the show.

“She said, ‘We just lost one of the people on the show, would you consider coming over?’ And I’d been doing a radio show, and I said, ‘Absolutely, yeah!’ She brought me over, and it’s like I’ve been crazy-glued to that chair!” Goldberg said.

Her exact income isn’t publicly known, but reports have indicted reports have suggested it’s mid-seven figures. Journalist Yashar Ali reported on X, citing people familiar with the matter, that it stands at an annual $6 million.

Watch above via Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast.

The post Whoopi Goldberg Brags View Fans Wouldn’t Believe the Size of Her Paycheck: ‘You Would Be Shocked’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Representative Max Miller (R-OH) appeared to argue that his former father-in-law Sen. Bernie Moreno “waited” to acknowledge his daughter’s claims of abuse because he was “afraid a livestream was going to expose deeply personal and embarrassing matter.”

Miller’s ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of Bernie Moreno, accused him of abusing herself and their two-year-old daughter. Emily’s claims were detailed in a report by The New York Times in which she said he “scalded her chest and stomach by throwing hot water from a skillet at her body; held a gun to her head; pushed her against a wall and hit her head; and fractured their daughter’s collarbone and bruised her shoulder.”

While speaking to Jake Tapper on The Lead Tuesday, Miller denied Bernie’s claim he kept a stuffed blue bunny from his daughter for several days. “If that were true, that would be incredibly disturbing and the Senator would be right. However, he has taken two years to publicly acknowledge—for me to resign from my seat. Why is that, Jake?”

He continued, “If he truly believed… I’m a father to a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. I believe that you’re also a father to children. And I don’t know if you’re actually a father to a daughter … what I can tell you is, is that if my daughter came to me and she said, my ex-husband did X, Y, and Z, and then I waited because I was nervous that a political livestream was going to expose a deeply personal and embarrassing matter for him to take that action. Sadly, this has nothing to do with my daughter, Jake, and that’s what this entire thing is about.”

After Tapper posited it is “possible” Bernie didn’t say anything “because his daughter didn’t want him to say anything because he didn’t want this to become any more of a spectacle than it’s become,” to which Miller said, “You could say that.”

Miller added, “But also, dealing with this as a private family matter, why couldn’t we have had a conversation about this a year ago, if Mr. Moreno felt this was the case?”

“Why do we now have to be here on national TV, exposing all of our personal family drama? Why didn’t he come to me privately and say, ‘Max, I don’t believe that you should be in the United States Congress?'”

Tapper countered: “I don’t know, but it’s not really the issue, though.”

The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into the allegations against Miller on Tuesday.

Watch the above via CNN.

The post House Republican Hints at Having ‘Deeply… Embarrassing’ Dirt on GOP Senator Who Was His Father-in-Law first appeared on Mediaite.

First Lady Melania Trump will be the subject of a new Amazon Prime docuseries, senior adviser Marc Beckman announced Tuesday, following Amazon MGM Studios’ documentary film Melania, released earlier this year.

Speaking on-air with Real America’s Voice host Eric Bolling about the upcoming project, Beckman said, “This fall, we are following the film with a docuseries surrounding the first lady, surrounding Melania Trump. It’s a completely different look at her world” than Melania. The Brett Ratner-directed film was released on Jan. 30 and ultimately earned $16.6 million worldwide. Wildly, it cost $75 million to make.

Beckman continued, “It gives the viewers a little bit of a peek as to what happens right at the beginning of the new 47th presidential administration” of President Donald Trump.

“You might remember, if you saw the film [Melania], we only captured 20 days of the first lady’s life. We open the window, a little bit, into her private life, her marriage, her family. We open a little deeper into her career, as well as her philanthropy, but with the docuseries, it’s a little bit different. It’s shot different. It’s a different story. It’s a full new experience for the viewers,” he explained.

Calling her “the most consequential first lady in history,” Beckman vowed that the docuseries will show the first lady’s “work ethic, that high level, that standard of being impactful.”

The show will premiere “exclusively” on Amazon Prime “this fall,” Beckman said, adding, “I hope everybody tunes in because it’s gonna show a part of the first lady that hasn’t been seen yet.”

In May, during an interview with CNBC, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos defended Melania’s $75 million price tag, calling the documentary a “good business decision,” but denying he had anything to do with it or that it was made to buy favor with Trump.

Watch the clip above via Real America’s Voice.

The post Amazon Is Reportedly Doubling Down on Melania Trump With a New Docuseries first appeared on Mediaite.