Red state gov's bid to get in Trump's good graces doomed to backfire on GOP: strategist

Recruiting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to gerrymander his state as a counterattack to the Democratic redistricting victory in Virginia could backfire, a political consultant warned Thursday, as the GOP looks to punch back.

“We have already compacted Democrats into such tight districts, the only thing you can do when you are redrawing is cut them out of there,” said Florida political strategist Alex Alvarado told Politico in a Thursday article.

“You have to place those Democratic voters somewhere.”

The redistricting map that Virginia voters passed on Tuesday opens up four House seats for Democrats to win in November. Florida-based GOP strategist Ford O’Connell told Politico that “this is honestly an all-hands-on-deck moment, because if you lose the House, you’re going to bring, essentially, the agenda to a grinding halt."

O'Connell said that "all eyes are on Ron DeSantis and Florida now" as he expects the GOP governor to "take the gloves off like Democrats did in Virginia and California and draw as many districts as you can, legally, for Republicans.” The report said DeSantis may try the gambit to score a spot in President Donald Trump's administration.

Alvarado warned that "you have to place those Democratic voters somewhere."

Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, is similarly doubtful about the plan, saying “I don’t think you’re gonna create deep-blood-red seats all over the state,” he said. “I think we just have to wait and see what the Legislature produces.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters on Wednesday that Democrats will “finish” the redistricting war in Florida.

“Our message to Florida Republicans is ‘F’ around and find out,” Jeffries said. DeSantis responded during a bill signing in Florida that welcomed the challenge and a Democrat-led redistricting campaign, “I will pay for you to come down to Florida and campaign.”

Podcaster Joe Rogan suggested that Americans would revolt if President Donald Trump attempted to use the war in Iran as an excuse to serve an illegal third term as president.

During a Thursday interview with Australian comedian James Donald Forbes McCann, Rogan pointed out that many Israelis wanted to try Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust despite ongoing military operations.

"They want to try him now," the podcaster said. "And Israel, like, really locks up their politicians... But I don't know enough about their politics to know whether or not he's guilty of anything."

Rogan went on to observe that Ukraine's election had been canceled following Russia's invasion.

"Can't have an election while war's going on," he remarked.

"You did it in the Civil War," McCann said.

"Yeah, well, if we did [cancel the election] today, if we, if Trump said, hey, I have to stay president because we're at war, people would go [expletive] crazy," Rogan replied. "They would light New York City on fire. There's no chance. Oh, that's nuts."

"So you get what you're willing to tolerate as a country," McCann concluded.

President Donald Trump reacted on Thursday to reports on where negotiations stand with Iran amid the ongoing Israeli-U.S. war.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, he argued that reports saying he was uneasy about the ongoing conflict were inaccurate and tried to set the record straight, while also attacking The New York Times and CNN for their reporting.

He wrote the following:

"For those people, fewer in number now than ever before, that are reading The Failing New York Times, or watching Fake News CNN, that think that I am 'anxious' to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position," Trump wrote.

He also tried to claim the outlets had lost their integrity and audience while unleashing threats on Iran.

"I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking!" Trump wrote. "The reason some of the Media is doing so poorly with Subscribers and Viewers is because they no longer have credibility. Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side! A Deal will only be made when it’s appropriate and good for the United States of America, our Allies and, in fact, the rest of the World."

Former hockey teammates of FBI Director Kash Patel have characterized him as dramatically different from the committed assistant coach they knew before his involvement with the Trump administration.

According to CNN reporter Isabelle Khurshudyan, Patel dismissed media reports about President Donald Trump as "fake news" during his coaching years, prompting teammates to laugh it off.

After leaving coaching following the 2019 season for "a really important job," Patel later appeared on Fox News with his own segment, surprising his former teammates.

Players noted his demeanor at the Olympics was unlike the "intense" and "deeply serious" coach they remembered, with some barely recognizing him.

The accounts emerge as Patel faces a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic over reporting detailing his alleged excessive drinking and erratic behavior. Multiple FBI officials cited in The Atlantic's investigation described unexplained absences, panic episodes, and concerning behavior patterns, raising questions about his fitness for office.

Watch the video below.

Your browser does not support the video tag.