Category: Blaze Media
Trump has an ‘iron grip’ on the Republican Party, says CNN analyst — even with minor dissent on Venezuela
While a few Republican politicians are dissenting on the issue of strikes in Venezuela, a CNN analysis found that President Donald Trump has an “iron grip” on the party.
Harry Enten said that polling showed there was no “rift” in the party and that a large majority supported the president. He made the comments during a segment on CNN Tuesday.
‘The vast, vast majority of Republicans are with Donald Trump on this issue.’
“Let me be very clear: There is no rift in the Republican Party!” Enten said forcefully.
“Yes, there are some folks like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie who are quite skeptical of this,” he added. “They are very much in the minority.”
Enten pointed to an Ipsos poll that found 65% of Republicans supported the ouster of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, while only 6% opposed the action. A Washington Post poll found that 74% of Republican respondents supported the action and only 10% opposed it.
“The vast, vast majority of Republicans are with Donald Trump on this issue,” he added. “Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene are very much in the minority. Very few Republicans are with them.”
He pointed to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that showed Republican support for the president actually increasing slightly from 84% six months ago, to 85% currently.
“The bottom line is this: Donald Trump has had an iron grip, an iron grip on that Republican base for a long period of time,” he added.
Video of Enten’s comments were widely circulated on social media.
Enten went on to say on social media that support for the Venezuelan strikes had increased among all Americans, likely because it was such a successful operation.
“Trump has to like the dramatic change in the polls on Maduro’s ouster,” Enten wrote. “Support for it is through the roof (up 16 pts) vs. pre-ouster. We saw a similar rise in support over time for the Iran strikes in mid-2025. Americans like what they deem as successful military operations.”
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Mamdani makes bizarre promise about World Cup tickets — and gets humiliated by community note
Newly inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been mocked by many online after a community note thoroughly contradicted his ability to make good on a promise he made.
The socialist Muslim mayor was criticizing dynamic pricing policies for putting the cost of World Cup soccer tickets beyond the reach of the common fan when he said his team would work on alleviating the situation.
‘We want to ensure that there are more experiences available to each and every New Yorker.’
“I had a New Yorker the other day come up to me and ask me if there was any way I could help him get World Cup tickets because he was saying that the cost that he saw for a game was $600,” Mamdani said.
“This is increasingly out of reach,” he added. “We have made what used to be a working-class game into a luxury experience, and there are too many for whom it doesn’t matter where the World Cup is being played in the world; they know where they’re going to watch it: It’s TV.”
He concluded, “We want to ensure that there are more experiences available to each and every New Yorker.”
Mamdani’s promise was immediately mocked and ridiculed on social media, especially after it was undermined by a community note on the X social media platform.
“Apart from the fact that the mayor has no influence over FIFA pricing policy, there are no games in NY City. The New York New Jersey Stadium is in East Rutherford, New Jersey,” the note reads.
Others pointed out the inconvenient fact.
“Settle down commie. It’s being hosted in NJ. I know NJ is right behind NY, but you haven’t taken it over yet,” one popular response reads.
“LMAO … this scumbag thinks he is the king of the world. NY Mayor Mamdani says he is working to ensure World Cup tickets are AVAILABLE TO ALL … BTW, no World Cup games are played in NY …,” another detractor said.
“Seize the means of ticket verification,” joked one user.
A Blaze News request for comment to Mamdani’s office was not immediately answered.
RELATED: Liberal actor compares Mamdani to Jesus and MLK Jr. in bizarre CNN panel moment
Video of Mamdani’s comments was widely circulated on social media.
Although the media has been trying to whitewash Mamdani’s extremist positions as moderate, his administration has already been roiled by resurfaced messages from his director of appointments, who abruptly quit the position, as well as from his pick to lead the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.
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‘Massive betrayal’: Republicans, pro-life groups push back on Trump’s call to loosen key abortion restriction
President Donald Trump urged Congress to loosen up on a key Republican amendment that prevents taxpayer-funded abortion.
Trump said Republicans need “to be a little flexible on Hyde” in order to make health care a winning issue for the GOP. Notably the Hyde Amendment prevents tax dollars from funding abortion services but makes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and to protect the life of the mother.
‘I’m not flexible on the value of every child’s life.’
“You have to be a little flexible on Hyde. You know that. You got to be a little flexible,” Trump said Tuesday. “You got to work something. You got to use ingenuity. You got to work.”
These remarks were quickly met with pushback from prominent pro-life groups as well as Republican lawmakers who called the amendment a nonnegotiable.
RELATED: ‘More corrupt than Minnesota’: Trump mocks Newsom after launching California fraud investigation
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Republican Sens. James Lankford of Oklahoma and Roger Marshall of Kansas both stood firmly against watering down or giving up on the Hyde Amendment despite the pressure from the president.
“I’m not flexible on the value of every child’s life,” Lankford told Huffington Post.
“I certainly understand where the president’s coming from, but I’m unapologetically pro-life,” Marshall added.
RELATED: Trump’s agenda faces a midterm kill switch in 2026
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Pro-life groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America pointed to Trump’s past support for the amendment, calling it a “minimum standard” for the Republican Party.
“The voters sent a GOP trifecta to Washington, and they expect it to govern like one,” SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement. “Giving in to Democrat demands that our tax dollars are used to fund plans that cover abortion on demand until birth would be a massive betrayal.”
“President Trump has consistently supported the Hyde Amendment. He pledged repeatedly to make it permanent law, including in health care coverage, and one of his first actions upon taking office last year was prioritizing the reversal of President Biden’s Hyde violations.”
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Hilton Hotels cuts loose hotel location accused of refusing to host ICE agents
A wave of online outrage has led Hilton Hotels to cut off an independently owned hotel location in Minnesota that was refusing to allow federal immigration agents to book rooms.
The Department of Homeland Security called out the famous hotel chain in a social media post on Monday, claiming that federal agents were denied service at the Hampton Inn by Hilton in the Minneapolis suburb of Lakeville.
‘A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values. As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems.’
“[Hilton Hotels] has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement,” the agency said in a statement. “When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations. This is UNACCEPTABLE.”
Hilton was immediately lambasted by many who threatened to cancel their reservations over the alleged incident.
Very soon afterward, an investigation from the company led to an initial apology from the offending hotel.
“Everpeak Hospitality has moved swiftly to address this matter as it was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all,” the statement reads. “We are in touch with the impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated.”
The controversy dragged on into Tuesday, however, when evidence on social media showed that the hotel location continued refusing service to ICE.
Hilton responded with a definitive action against the Lakeville hotel.
“The independent hotel owner had assured us that they had fixed this problem and published a message confirming this,” reads a statement on social media.
RELATED: Anti-ICE activists hold Home Depot operations hostage with disruptive ice-scraper stunt
“A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values. As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems,” the company said. “Hilton is — and has always been — a welcoming place for all. We are also engaging with all of our franchisees to reinforce the standards we hold them to across our system to help ensure this does not happen again.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem previously said the agency was sending an influx of agents to investigate fraud schemes in Minneapolis. Critics of the action have said the administration’s rhetoric has led to hate speech against people in the Somali community who had nothing to do with the scams.
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Republican congressman injured in ‘pretty bad’ car accident
Republican Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana and his wife, Danise Baird, have been hospitalized following a car crash.
The couple’s vehicle “was struck in an accident,” according to a statement from Baird’s office, and Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly indicated that Baird may have suffered a spinal injury.
‘They’re going to be okay, but they had a pretty bad accident.’
Nevertheless, Baird, 80, “is expected to make a full recovery,” his office said.
“He is extraordinarily grateful for everyone’s prayers during this time.”
Fox News reported that Baird is “responsive and in stable condition.” Details of when and where the crash took place remain unclear.
RELATED: California Republican suddenly dies at age 65
Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Donald Trump expressed wishes for the Bairds’ speedy recovery during an address to a House GOP legislative retreat at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday.
“I also want to send our best wishes to Congressman Jim Baird and his wife, who are recovering from a car accident,” Trump said. “They’re going to be okay, but they had a pretty bad accident, and we’re praying that they get out of that hospital very quickly.”
Reports about the car accident involving the Bairds came shortly after news broke that Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) died suddenly earlier this week after reportedly suffering an aneurysm and later a heart attack during surgery. He was 65.
LaMalfa’s death and the resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) now leave Republicans with a slim 218-213 majority in the House.
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‘I wouldn’t ask for no f**king charity!’: Mickey Rourke blasts ’embarrassing’ GoFundMe plea
Actor Mickey Rourke says asking for handouts is not his style.
Earlier this week, a GoFundMe page was created by sources close to Rourke who claimed he needed help paying back rent on his Los Angeles home in order to avoid eviction.
”I’d rather stick a gun up my ass and pull the trigger.’
The fundraiser page was organized by Liya-Joelle Jones for the benefit of Kimberly Hines, the page says. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jones is Hines’ assistant, and Hines has been Rourke’s manager for nearly a decade.
Under the gun
“Fame does not protect against hardship, and talent does not guarantee stability. What remains is a person who deserves dignity, housing, and the chance to regain his footing,” the fundraiser wrote.
Stating that Rourke’s “full permission” was given, the page said he needed $60,000 to avoid losing his home. Now, with donations at over $100,000, the campaign has been paused after Rourke posted a video to his Instagram page denouncing the fund.
“I wouldn’t ask for no f**king charity. I’d rather stick a gun up my ass and pull the trigger,” Rourke began, with his dog on his lap.
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“I don’t understand it,” the actor continued. “I wouldn’t know what a GoFund foundation is in a million years. My life is very simple. I don’t go to outside sources like that. And yeah, it is embarrassing,” he added.
Rourke explained that he would never approve a charitable cause for his benefit, and urged fans and supporters to stop giving money and seek refunds.
Anger management
Since the video was posted late Monday, Hines has spoken out about the campaign despite both her and Jones reportedly posting the page “with Mickey’s permission.”
In a phone call with the Hollywood Reporter, Hines said that in 48 hours, her management team had paid for Rourke to move into a hotel, have his clothing packed, and put his belongings in a storage unit.
“All of this is being paid for by his management team, which is me,” Hines said. “We said, ‘Mickey, there’s some people that want to help you out.’ He’s like, ‘OK, great.’ I don’t think he understood, and now it’s taken on this media frenzy, and he flipped out,” she went on.
Photo by Panayotis Tzamaros/NurPhoto via Getty Images
After confirming the fundraiser was legitimate, Hines further explained that the locks were being changed on Rourke’s home as she spoke, and she was setting him up with an apartment in Koreatown.
Return to sender
Hines blamed the state of Rourke’s home on the property owner, who allegedly raised the rent from $5,200 to $7,000 in mid-2024. The house was allegedly littered with black mold, had no running water, and was heavily damaged.
Hines added that Rourke told her he had been receiving calls from all over the world asking to give him money, and she told him to let them help. However, before stating that Rourke “has to say” that he did not know who started the fund, she was happy to return the money to donors if he would not accept it.
“This money has been to help Mickey. If Mickey doesn’t want the money, the money will go back. It’s putting me in a very bad position where now I’m financing his move and the hotel and the movers and his storage. Mickey was cool with getting help the other day. And now Mickey’s like, ‘I’m not taking charity.'”
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‘More corrupt than Minnesota’: Trump mocks Newsom after launching California fraud investigation
President Donald Trump is once again taking aim at Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “corrupt” leadership.
Trump announced that his administration would be launching an investigation into California fraud, which he estimates is worse than the fraud in Minnesota. This investigation in California comes after weeks of reporting that highlighted the billions of dollars in potentially fraudulent funding for Somali businesses and day cares in Minnesota, which Trump’s administration has also fought against.
‘He’s got a good line of crap.’
“California, under Governor Gavin Newscum, is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible???” Trump said in a Truth Social post Tuesday. “The Fraud Investigation of California has begun. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
This is not the only line of attack Trump has launched against the Democratic governor.
RELATED: ‘Let others worry’: Scandal-plagued Tim Walz announces he will not seek third term
Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Trump later mocked Newsom and his fellow Democrats during an address to congressional Republicans, calling their cognitive abilities into question.
“Do you think Walz could pass a cognitive test?” Trump asked, referring to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D). “Do you think Kamala could? I don’t think Gavin could. He’s got a good line of crap, but other than that, he couldn’t pass.”
“He didn’t want to have water coming down from the Pacific Northwest,” Trump said of Newsom’s leadership during the devastating Palisades fires.
“They cut it off, and then they have 25,000 houses burn down. They don’t know why.”
Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Newsom blamed Trump’s immigration policy for the slow rebuilding of the Palisades after thousands of homes burned down in January 2025. Although this happened under Newsom’s leadership, the governor argues that Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have prevented development projects from progressing.
“Donald Trump’s reckless, inhumane immigration raids have destroyed communities and have had massive negative impacts on efforts to rebuild from the LA fires,” Newsom said in an X post on Monday. “His actions have been disastrous across the board.”
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Microsoft gets 400 million AI subscribers in ‘overnight’ switch
Paid Microsoft subscribers can now be considered artificial intelligence users.
The massive change comes as Microsoft has officially changed its flagship Microsoft 365 suite to be integrated with AI.
‘Genius move. Rebrand Office, instantly “acquire” 400M AI users.’
Microsoft announced the official shift in a support post, revealing it is now integrating its Copilot AI app into programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as PDF services.
“The Microsoft 365 Copilot app is your everyday productivity app for work and life that helps you find and edit files, scan documents, and create content on the go,” the company wrote.
With an estimated 430 million paid user licenses for Microsoft 365 worldwide as of mid-2025, the company can now say it has by far the most AI subscribers, with OpenAI reaching just 5 million last August. At the same time, Grok itself estimates it has about 1.4 million paid users.
RELATED: 2025 is so over and so is virtual reality
Microsoft has been talking about the integration for at least a year, stating in January 2025 that Copilot was the “top reason” subscribers chose to pay for Microsoft 365.
Along with taking the creation of slideshows and to-do lists off a user’s plate, the Copilot app was boasted as being involved in nearly every daily task. This included using Copilot to “analyze your budget,” “create a recipe,” or read a user’s emails for them and provide a summary.
At the same time, Microsoft said that it does not use “prompts, responses, or file content (such as Word documents or Excel spreadsheets)” from users to train its AI models.
Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images
User reactions were mixed when responding to the change in a viral X post by Ask Perplexity. The account has over 385,000 followers, and the post was seen more than 2 million times.
“400 million users just became ‘AI users’ overnight,” the account wrote.
“They laughed at me when I said I was gonna use bootleg Windows 8 forever,” one woman replied, seemingly looking to avoid the AI integration.
A self-proclaimed IT professional said, “It seems like every day I see more and more negative changes for Microsoft.”
However, many others applauded the move. For example, Katya Fuentes, who lists herself as working for an AI company, said Microsoft’s shift was “all upside.”
“Genius move. Rebrand Office, instantly ‘acquire’ 400M AI users,” she claimed.
At least one response offered an alternative to Microsoft’s mandatory AI infusion. LibreOffice, a document and spreadsheet competitor, added: “If anyone wants, you know, an actual office suite, we’re here.”
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California Republican suddenly dies at age 65
Update: Reports now indicate that Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa passed away after suffering an aneurysm and later a heart attack during surgery.
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California has tragically passed away at just 65 years old, according to multiple statements from GOP lawmakers issued Tuesday morning.
LaMalfa was a fourth-generation rice farmer representing California’s 1st congressional district, an agricultural area in Northern California. LaMalfa dedicated over two decades of his life to public service, first as a state legislator and later serving in Congress from 2013 to 2026.
‘Doug brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service.’
In the wake of the sudden tragedy, many of LaMalfa’s colleagues expressed shock and extended their condolences to his family on social media.
Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
“Jacquie and I are devastated about the sudden loss of our friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.) said in a post on X. “Doug was a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America. Our prayers are with Doug’s wife, Jill, and their children.”
Republican Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who also chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, reflected on his friendship with LaMalfa, recounting personal memories with the late congressman.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague and close friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” Hudson said in a statement. “Doug was a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California. He was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families. Doug brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service.”
RELATED: ‘It’s a death sentence’: Former Republican senator reveals tragic cancer diagnosis
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
“I cherished our time serving together on the Agriculture Committee and discussing NASCAR — he was a real gear head and motorsports fan. I will deeply miss my ‘amigo.’ Renee and I are praying for his beloved wife, Jill, as well as Kyle, Allison, Sophia, Natalie, and all his loved ones, friends and staff during this incredibly difficult time.”
The House majority now sits at 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s reported cause of death.
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McRib fake-out? Sticky lawsuit claims no ‘actual pork rib meat’ in fan-favorite McDonald’s menu item
A class-action lawsuit filed last month is challenging McDonald’s over a cult-favorite menu item, the McRib.
The lawsuit, filed on December 23 in U.S. District Court in Chicago, alleges that McDonald’s engaged in false advertising when promoting the limited-time menu item.
‘We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.’
The four plaintiffs in the complaint are Peter Le of Baldwin Park, California; Charles Lynch of Poughkeepsie, New York; Darien Baker of Chicago, Illinois; and Darrick Wilson of Washington, D.C.
RELATED: McDonald’s team admits workload on hated AI Christmas ad ‘far exceeded’ live-action shoots
Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images
The complaint claims that the McRib “does not contain any meaningful quantity of actual pork rib meat — indeed, none at all.” The plaintiffs claim that the fast-food chain uses lower-quality cuts of meat instead of rib meat, including, “inter alia, pork shoulder, heart, tripe or scalded stomach.”
In December 2024, when the McRib was available, the complaint shows that the McRib was one of the most expensive individual items on the menu, even exceeding the price of a Big Mac on average.
As a result, had they “known that the McRib did not contain any actual pork rib meat, [the plaintiffs] would not have purchased the McRib or would only have purchased it for a lower price.”
In a statement obtained by CBS News, McDonald’s USA said, “This lawsuit distorts the facts, and many of the claims are inaccurate. Food quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do — that’s why we’re committed to using real, quality ingredients across our entire menu. Our fan-favorite McRib sandwich is made with 100% pork sourced from farmers and suppliers across the U.S. We’ve always been transparent about our ingredients so guests can make the right choice for them.”
CBS also reported that McDonald’s denied the specific claim that the McRib contains pork hearts, tripe, or scalded stomach and that the company said the McRib has a base of 100% seasoned boneless pork.
The complaint emphasizes that the marketing for the McRib was “materially misleading” for consumers, potentially affecting their purchasing decisions.
The McRib was first introduced in Kansas City in 1981.
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