A political pundit slammed Congress after poll findings revealed historically high disapproval ratings and predicted poor midterm returns for the GOP.
"We're talking record-high disapproval of Congress," political analyst Harry Enten said on CNN on Thursday. "I am here in Washington D.C. to deliver a message: they hate you guys."
Enten shared Gallup poll findings that show 86 percent of Americans disapprove of Congress, the highest disapproval rating since November 2013.
"Just 10 percent of Americans approve of the job that Congress is doing," Enten stressed. "That is actually lower than the percentage of Americans who believe that we faked the moon landing."
Enten rubbed in that the same poll found that 12 percent of Americans think the moon landing was faked and 10 percent think that the Earth is flat. "When you can't even meet the Mendoza line of the moon landing, you know that you're in deep, deep trouble," he ribbed.
Compared to March 2025, Congress's approval ratings have dropped by 89 points, Enten added. It bodes poorly for the GOP heading into the midterms, as the party faces a 15 percent chance of holding the House, largely because turned-off Republican voters.
"Remember that Republicans control the House and Senate," Enten said. "Despite the fact that Republicans control Congress, Republicans themselves absolutely despise Congress at this point."
A GOP lawmaker admitted that farmers are feeling a crunch under Trump but shrugged off the economic pressures they've felt recently.
CNN's Brianna Keilar pressed Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) to explain how farmers are surviving in a global market affected by war in Iran and a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
"They are so impacted by the strait and the limitations of fertilizer," Keilar told Stutzman, noting he's a fourth-generation farmer. "What that does to the global markets, the cost of diesel, and that kind of thing. And they're really coming off a tough time because of the trade war with China, really hitting a market that was crucial for them. You talk to them, they really just want stability, right?"
Keilar said that farmers "felt that things were going to get a little bit better, and then the rug kind of gets pulled out from underneath them."
Stutzman answered, "You're right," and added that farmers are also struggling to compete with South American soybean farmers. Still, the GOP congressman insisted that farmers are steadfast in their support of Trump.
"Most farmers are saying, 'We get it,'" Stutzman defended. "We understand what President Trump's trying to do. It's having some short-term pain, but in the long-term, we know that it's going to put us in a much better spot."
Stutzman still wants Trump to change course for the sake of farmers, noting that "I won't bet against the American farmer, but any sort of relief that we can get soon is going to be well received."
President Donald Trump has sent envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, Pakistan, this weekend for continued negotiations with Iran — but Vice President JD Vance did not plan to attend — something a CNN analyst said was telling in a report on Friday.
Vance, who previously attended marathon talks with the Iranians earlier this month, will be on standby and available to join by phone or travel if need be, CNN reported. Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's Speaker of the Parliament, who the White House views as Vance's counterpart and head of the Iranian delegation, will not attend either.
The timeline for the ongoing war has remained uncertain, with Trump telling reporters on Thursday "Don't rush me."
CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel signaled that the Iran strategy has appeared to shift within the White House.
"Let's be hopeful. Let's be optimistic. It's moving in in the right direction," Gangel said.
"I think everyone would like this war to end," she added. "But we've seen a roller coaster here. And in when dealing with the Iranians, I've been told over and over by intelligence experts, they're really good at talking. And they will talk and talk until the cows come home. But getting to substantive negotiations is a whole other matter. So let's see where this goes. I do think it's interesting that Vice President Vance is not going. I think it says something about where we think this is at the moment."
Members of Vance's team were reportedly already in Pakistan for the talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Iranians have not yet confirmed if they will meet with the American delegation.
Conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly suggested that many voters would find Democrats to be the "better option" in the midterm elections because President Donald Trump had done little other than "make things worse."
On her Thursday broadcast, Kelly pointed to recent polls that showed support for Trump had "catered."
"It's like not even present tense anymore. It's done," she explained. "Just 23% approve of his overall performance. That ticks up to 30 when it comes to how he's handled immigration. And then from there, it is all downhill. 21% of Independents support this war on Iran. You've got 79% of independents who are against folks. You cannot win elections like that."
"How many independents approve of Trump's job performance when it comes to the cost of living? 12," she continued. "So this pain is likely only to get worse. And this war [in Iran] needs to come to an end right away."
According to Kelly, Trump was not the only one facing voter dissatisfaction.
"The numbers are bad for the entire Republican Party," she remarked. "For the first time since 2010, first time in 16 years, they're favoring Democrats on the economy."
"They feel like they gave Trump a year and a half," the host added. "He's done nothing other than make things worse. This is how they feel if you read the polls. And so, and they're p—d. They're not feeling pro-GOP right now for a variety of reasons. They don't tend to like the tariffs... They don't like the war. They don't like what's happening in their bank accounts."
"And they're starting to think the Democrats might be the better option on the economy. 52% say they prefer Democrats compared to 48% who say they like the Republicans when it comes to who should manage the economy."
A former White House cardiologist advised President Donald Trump's medical team to consider formal testing after the president appeared to fall asleep in the Oval Office this week.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who was the cardiologist to late former Vice President Dick Cheney for nearly 30 years, described what he saw after Trump was caught visibly tired during a White House event on Thursday. The president was speaking with a group of cabinet members about several topics, including health care, prescription drug prices, and the economy, when people started to notice he was nodding off.
Reiner recommended that Trump's medical team consider additional steps to address the potential health concern.
"When a patient tells me that they can’t stay awake in meetings, we do formal sleep testing to look for sleep apnea," Reiner wrote. "I’m sure the White House medical team has done this, but the president continues to struggle with daytime somnolence. This is a common problem, and there are things that can can be done to improve these symptoms."
Trump has faced ongoing scrutiny throughout his second term in office regarding his physical and mental fitness, with recent polling showing a majority of Americans expressing concerns about his mental soundness to serve. Medical experts and political observers have raised questions about different aspects of his health, including reports of cognitive performance and stamina, which have become focal points in discussions about his ability to fulfill presidential duties.
When a patient tells me that they can’t stay awake in meetings, we do formal sleep testing to look for sleep apnea. I’m sure the White House medical team has done this, but the president continues to struggle with daytime somnolence. This is a common problem, and there are things… https://t.co/ksPQAkcdg2 — Jonathan Reiner (@JReinerMD) April 24, 2026
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has overturned $8.2 million in damages won by former Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore (AL) after he sued the Senate Majority PAC (SMP) for defamation over an advertising campaign that alleged that he was banned from a mall for "soliciting sex from young girls."
In his 2019 lawsuit, Moore contended that SMP's 2017 Senate campaign advertisement was a "deliberately constructed maze of lies and deception."
"SMP argues that Moore failed to meet the demanding constitutional actual malice standard; therefore, Moore's defamation and false-light invasion of privacy claims necessarily fail as a matter of law," Trump-appointed Judge Elizabeth L. Branch wrote in her 45-page opinion for the panel of three judges this week. "Specifically, SMP argues that Moore did not present clear and convincing evidence that SMP subjectively knew or recklessly disregarded that its ad ... implied that Moore solicited sex from Wendy Miller when she was 14 years old and working as Santa's helper."
"[W]e agree that the record does not contain sufficient clear and convincing evidence to support the jury's actual malice finding," she continued. "We thus vacate the jury's verdict, reverse the denial of SMP's motion for judgment as a matter of law, and remand for entry of judgment in favor of SMP."
"Because the evidence discussed above is inadequate to support a finding of the necessary intent to defame for purposes of actual malice in a defamation-by-implication case, Moore's defamation and false-light claims necessarily fail."
Moore lost his 2017 bid for Senate to Democratic candidate Doug Jones after nine women came forward alleging misconduct.
President Donald Trump likes to boast that he's created a historic economy, but new polling shows he may be on the wrong side of history.
The 79-year-old president was re-elected to a second term in 2024 largely on the basis of his economic message, but CNN's Harry Enten presented polling data that shows Americans have not liked seeing those policies in action.
"The president ismaking history on the economy,at least how Americans feelabout it, and the completelywrong way," Enten said. "What are we talkingabout here? Well, let's take alook at Trump's net approvalrating on the economy. Look atwhere he is today: Way, way downthere, minus-32 points, and the netapproval rating at the beginningof term two. Remember, Trump gota term two because voterstrusted him more on the economythan Kamala Harris. He was at plus-six – that's a nearly 40-point drop and a little bit morethan a year's time, and look atwhere he was at term one at thispoint. He was at plus-twopoints."
"Remember, the economywas a strength for him in termone at this point. It was astrength for him throughout hisentire term one, but in termnumber two, it has becomeabsolutely an anchor that isdragging him down to a historicdegree," he added.
Trump has hit a historic low for economic approval, and Enten sees evidence that could get even worse.
"I'm astudent of history – I likereading those history books, Ilike going through thespreadsheets, and just take alook here," Enten said. "He's not just thelowest at this point at anypoint in either of hispresidencies, but he is at thelowest, he has the worst netapproval rating at this point inany term for any president. Lookat this: He's at minus-32 points now. Joe Biden, of course, Donald Trump loved to rip Joe Biden in the economy. Joe Biden,though, was at minus-25, seven pointsbetter. How about George W. Bush minus-25 points, again, seven pointsbetter than Donald Trump, and ofcourse, Donald Trump loves torip on James Earl Carter, but James Earl Carter, Jimmy Carter,was at minus-22 points, 10 pointsbetter than Donald Trump isright now. So again, Donald Trump making the type of historythat no president likes to make."
"If you think this minus-32 pointsis bad, you ain't seen nothingyet, because just take a look atindependents," Enten added. "Oh my, oh my ... look at this: Trump's economic net approvalrating among independents, he'sat minus-55 points. Ladies andgentlemen minus-55 points, 55 pointsunderwater. Look at that. He wasa plus one, he was a plus one in January of 2025. That's a 56-point drop, and in term numberone he was breaking even atzero, so he's 55 points lower.The bottom line is the reasonwhy the general electorate isleaving. Donald Trump is beingdriven, the car is being totallydriven by independentsabsolutely abandoning him. He isdown there with the Titanic atthis point."
There's not really a precedent for the drop-off in support that Trump has experienced, Enten said.
"This this is the type ofstuff where you're reading thehistory books, when you're looking back, and go, 'Whoa, that couldnever happen again,'" Enten said, "and that isthe type of thing thatabsolutely ruins presidents."
"Takea look at the Kalshi predictionmarket chances," he added. "April CPI year-over-year is above March's 3.3 percent,98 percent chance. That's not 100, butit's pretty gosh-darn close.The bottom line is this theeconomy for Donald Trump is his Waterloo."
After being alerted to the fact that Donald Trump was up well after 2AM posting on Truth Social, only to resume once again five hours later on Friday morning, a lifelong friend from his Manhattan days claimed he was worried about the president’s health and stability.
Speaking with the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has maintained a relationship with Trump dating back decades as contemporaries in New York City society, Lemire noted, “Now, Trump's already posted twice more this morning after the sun came up. Mind you, those came less than five hours after his final overnight Truth. So the president’s not working on much sleep this morning.”
“Talk to us about this. This is someone you've known for a long time. What is this reflective of the president's state of mind?” the Morning Joe co-host prompted his guest.
“I think that we should be concerned about his state of mind,” Sharpton admitted. “First of all, for a 79-year-old man to be up at 3:00 in the morning and back up again five hours later, in and of itself is something that we should think about.”
He added, “And but the fact that he's all over the place calling for prosecutions of Clintons and calling for this, that and the other, it's unstable. So I don't care how well his chief of staff [Susie Wiles] is containing the White House, which is better than the first term; they're not containing him. And the problem is, what do you do if you're working in a White House that in the middle of the night –– the president can flip everything.”
MS NOW's Jonathan Lemire called attention to a shift in tone from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in his latest press update on the Iran war.
The Pentagon chief attacked reporters once again during Friday's briefing, but the "Morning Joe" co-host noticed that Hegseth seemed to be shifting the terms of what the Trump administration would consider to be a military victory.
"Some progress madeyesterday in the Israel-Lebanonsituation, that cease fireextended, but not here," Lemire said. "Weshould note though, MS NOW isreporting that Iran's foreignminister is expected to travelto Islamabad next day or so,potentially ahead of peacetalks. This is not for peacetalks, but to restartnegotiations, to perhaps havenegotiations. So maybe thatwill happen down the road."
"But I also wanted to flagsomething here that was verystriking, just a shift in tonefrom the secretary," Lemire added. "Yes, strident bashing the pressevery chance he gets. But itwas on April 8, he had one ofthese news conferences and hesaid this is a big day forworld peace. They have hadenough, meaning Iran, Operation Epic Fury has been laser-focused from the very start – sorry, that [it] is a historic,overwhelming victory on thebattlefield, a capital-Vmilitary victory, declaring theconflict, in its essence, over."
Hegseth didn't display quite the same bravado in his latest press briefing, Lemire noted.
"He said Operation Epic Fury has been laser-focusedfrom the very start," Lemire said. "Thatmission continues today in anew phase, so an acknowledgmentthere that these were prematuredeclarations of victory andthat, while it's true, no one'sreally attacking each other atthis very moment, this conflictis far from over, and I sayreading from that newsconference, this is anadministration that's sort offlailing to figure out a wayout."
Following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s press conference, which was once again notable for his combative performance with the press, MS NOW’s Jonathan Lemire suggested the former Fox News personality appeared to want to avoid addressing Donald Trump’s war of words with Pope Leo XIV about the Iran conflict.
Hegseth, who can be counted on to bristle at any suggestion that the Middle East war was unfounded or is being conducted poorly, was asked about the Pope’s word criticizing the war in Iran, which led the president to complain bitterly, with Catholic Vice President JD Vance chiming in to tell the pontiff to stick to matters to “morality.”
"We know what our mission is,” Hegseth demurred before adding, “We know what authority we have. We're very clear about that."
That brief exchange drew the attention of “Morning Joe’s” Lemire.
“Not a lot of news there per se,” he said immediately following the end of the press availability. ”I will say. Secretary Hegseth did acknowledge, though he insisted, that some traffic is making its way through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran having closed it. He did acknowledge a lot less than they'd like and that it is dangerous, you know, travel there.”
“He sort of pulled his punches with the Pope when he was asked a question about the Pope's condemnation of this war. So perhaps the administration has realized you shouldn't escalate their conflict with a representative of the higher power,” he quipped to MS NOW’s David Rohde.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that his so-called Department of War should win the Nobel Peace Prize every year after initiating a military conflict in Iran that has caused death and destabilized the world's oil supply.
During a press conference on Friday, TMZ asked Hegseth what he felt while carrying out "this extreme level of violence."
"Do you feel like you're on a power trip?" the correspondent wondered.
"It's a very TMZ question," Hegseth shot back. "My only thought process is to ensure that our war fighters have everything they need to be successful, defeat and destroy the enemy, and they come home."
"Because war is violent," he continued. "War requires doing difficult things."
A second TMZ correspondent noted that Hegseth had insisted on calling the Department of Defense the Department of War despite a lack of congressional authorization.
"Would you consider changing the name again to the Department of Peace since that's what we're all after?" the reporter wondered.
"It's a great question, actually," Hegseth replied. "You go from defense to war because you want to be proactive about peace through strength."
"In fact, I once did a video about the one institution that you win the Nobel Peace Prize every single year is the United States military," he added, "because we are the guarantor of the safety and security not just of our country but of a lot of people in this world."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blew a gasket when asked about recent setbacks in the war in Iran, and he responded with new threats against journalists.
The Pentagon chief has disparaged reporters as "unpatriotic" and compared them the Pharisees, the biblical scribes who played a hand in handing over Jesus to the Romans for crucifixion, and he reacted hotly Friday morning when asked about U.S. Army nuclear chief Andrew Hug, who reportedly revealed top-secret information to a stranger he met through a dating app.
"He won't work here anymore, that's an easy one," Hegseth said. "Well, we're always on thelookout for CIA threats, anyinternal, anyone talkingout of school about things theyshould not. We take leaking veryseriously here, informally orformally, which is why some ofthe reporting done by some ofthe people in here is incrediblyproblematic. They're willing topublish things based onclassified information thatwould potentially harm those inharm's way, and we think themdoing so is incrediblyirresponsible and unpatriotic, and I would encourage members ofthe press to think twice aboutthe lives they're affectingwhen they publish things intheir publications, like the New York Times."
Hegseth erupted again when asked about a report that the Pentagon had briefed Congress that it could take up to six months to complete a mine sweep of the Strait of Hormuz.
"We would not speculate on atimeline," Hegseth said. "I saw that report. Itwas based on, again, anotherleak from a closed-door session,which was supposed to beclassified, and apparently,allegedly, that was somethingthat was said about we feelconfident in our ability in thecorrect period of time to clearany mines that we identify andwould encourage other countriesto be a part of such an effortas well. But we're trackingthat very closely."
During his Friday Pentagon Press conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired off a collection of boasts about how well the war on Iran is going that led MS NOW host Joe Scarborough to have his producers cut the sound so he talk over the former Fox News personality for an immediate fact-check.
Then he did it again, moments later after cutting back to Hegseth.
Midway through Hegseth’s address, his voice was silenced even though he could be seen onscreen, as the “Morning Joe” co-host jumped in to explain, “If you just tuned in, Secretary Hegseth is giving us a summary of what's going on right now. He accurately said that there have been great military successes and that America's military is unmatched in the world. He inaccurately said that there's been a clear mission objective from the very beginning. That's just not the case.”
“Clearly said he was right that for 47 years, Iranians have been targeting Americans and killing Americans. That is true,” he added. “But one of the more fascinating things we'll talk about later is he proclaimed, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. He said it: Iran will not have nuclear weapons. It will be fascinating to see details on that. He talked about the blockades getting more powerful by the day. Also, Iranians are laying more mines, which could cause problems with shipping through the strait for quite some time. He also said other administrations didn't do anything but look the other way. That's just not true at all.”
“So we'll continue following this," he added before pointing out, “I've got to say, though, I'm putting a star by the fact that Pete Hegseth has said this morning, Iran will not have nuclear weapons. So anything short of that and short of the Strait of Hormuz being opened when this war ends will be an abject failure for this administration. If they are able to take away Iran's nuclear weapons and open the strait, then most likely a success.”
