President Donald Trump on Monday informed the Senate that he plans to nominate Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, moving toward filling one of the numerous Middle East ambassadorship posts that have sat vacant since the start of his second administration.

Hunt, a former Army officer and Apache helicopter pilot, served two deployments in Saudi Arabia as a military diplomatic liaison. He is serving his second term in the House, but lost a primary bid for Texas’ Senate seat earlier this year.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Hunt said in a statement on X. “Having served in the region both in combat as an Army officer and for two years as a diplomatic liaison in the Kingdom, I understand the strategic importance of the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and the profound responsibility of this position.”

Hunt said in 2022 during a virtual event with AIPAC that Israel is the “one true ally” of the United States in the Middle East, while noting that many of 9/11 hijackers, as well as Osama Bin Laden himself, were from Saudi Arabia.

“I learned a lot about what our interests need to be and who we need to be in the business of supporting for the future, because that’s our one true ally in the region,” Hunt said at the event.

Addressing the then-fledgling Abraham Accords, Hunt was supportive but cautious. “Some of these countries are bad actors. They’re rogue nations, some of them,” he continued. “Just because we have something set up like the Abraham Accords — which I think is good for the entire world, especially for the region — we cannot let our guard down.”

He recently joined a letter calling for a Department of Justice investigation into efforts by an official in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to meet with the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations.

Hunt has been a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations.

But he was one of just 21 House members who voted last year against a resolution expressing support for the State Department’s global guidelines on combating antisemitism. Antisemitism envoy Ambassador Yehuda Kaploun has been working to tackle antisemitism in Saudi Arabia, including stripping antisemitic content from the country’s school curricula.

During the AIPAC event, Hunt also described himself as the “energy congressman of the world,” given that he represents the offices of many major energy companies in Houston, making it part of his job to defend the energy industry — also a major industry for Saudi Arabia.

It will be logistically difficult for the Senate to consider Hunt’s nomination before the midterm elections, and with a slew of previous nominees still under consideration, it’s unclear whether the Senate will be able to process Hunt’s nomination before the end of the year. Should Democrats retake the upper chamber, Hunt’s confirmation would be more difficult.

The nomination comes at a highly sensitive time in the U.S.-Saudi relationship, as the two countries move toward a nuclear deal that would reportedly allow for nuclear enrichment inside Saudi Arabia, which is set to be reviewed by Congress in the coming months. 

Saudi Arabia is also at a major crisis point with the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen as hostilities have flared after several years of quiet. The Houthis this weekend seized critical port cities and islands along the coastline of the Red Sea and launched missiles from Iraq that disabled the pipeline that Saudi Arabia had been using to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump said he doesn’t plan to intervene, despite reported Saudi pleas.

The kingdom has also recently been recalibrating its regional position, with Saudi Arabia moving away from normalization with Israel, experiencing tensions with its regional rival the United Arab Emirates, forming new ties with Turkey and Pakistan and again allowing the promotion of Islamist extremism.

A new poll of Jewish American voters commissioned by the nonpartisan Jewish Voters Resource Center found that Vice President JD Vance is viewed negatively by more than 80% of Jewish voters, including a sizable number of Jewish Republicans. 

The poll finds Vance’s favorability rating at only 14% among Jewish voters overall, with 82% viewing him unfavorably. Only 61% of Jewish Republicans view Vance favorably, compared to the 89% of those who view President Donald Trump favorably, and the 93% of Jewish Republicans who hold a favorable view of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

Overall, Trump’s approval rating among Jewish voters sits at 25%, with three-quarters disapproving of his job performance. Rubio’s overall favorability rating sits at 31%, with 64% viewing him unfavorably. 

The poll also finds that Jewish voters overall plan to vote heavily for Democrats for Congress in the midterm elections, despite the rise of far-left anti-Israel elements within the party. It found that 67% of Jewish voters plan to support a Democrat for Congress, compared to 26% who plan to support a Republican. But the poll, conducted by the Democratic pollster GBAO Strategies, did not test specific questions about the Democratic Party’s image.   

The survey was conducted between Aug. 26 and Sept. 1 and surveyed 800 self-identified Jewish voters. 

At the same time, antisemitism remains a significant concern across the community. 89% of Jewish voters reported being concerned about antisemitism in the United States, including 63% who said they are “very concerned.”

On Israel, 71% of Jewish voters said they remain emotionally attached to the country, demonstrating that a strong majority continues to support Israel’s existence as a safe and secure Jewish state. However, despite that connection, 65% of respondents disapproved of the current Israeli government’s policies regarding the West Bank and Gaza. 

The gap illustrates a clear distinction: Jewish voters broadly support Israel, but strongly oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition. Only 27% of respondents held a favorable view of Netanyahu, compared to 67% who viewed him unfavorably.

Still, Israel was not the top issue driving Jewish voters. When asked to name their two highest priorities, 37% named the cost of living and affordability, followed closely by the future of democracy at 36% and antisemitism at 25%.

“As we head into the final two months of the election, Jewish voters are overwhelmingly supporting Democrats for Congress,” said Jim Gerstein, the Democratic pollster who conducted the survey.  

“Jews remain emotionally attached to Israel, but they oppose Netanyahu and his policies, and it is a lower-tier voting issue. Democracy, the cost of living, and a deep hostility toward Donald Trump are driving the Jewish vote. It’s particularly striking to see the vast majority expressing concern that Trump will not accept the outcome of the election. For Jewish voters, this is an election about stopping Trump.”

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) is urging President Donald Trump to establish an expedited legal pathway for Jewish Canadians to obtain refugee status in the United States amid rising antisemitism in Canada. 

In a letter to the president on Tuesday, Scott encouraged Trump to set up a refugee program for Canadian Jews to legally seek refuge from religious persecution in their home country. The Florida senator noted that Trump recently amplified a report on Christian leaders urging him to create a legal pathway for Jews in Canada to come to the U.S., and vowed to support the president if he pursued the idea. 

“The Jewish community throughout Canada is experiencing a rapid increase in threats, harassment, and violence. A significant number of these intolerable instances occur in places of worship, schools, and Jewish-owned small businesses,” Scott wrote in the letter, obtained by Jewish Insider. 

“As a result of this proliferation of antisemitism, you expressed consideration for an expedited legal pathway for the Canadian Jewish community to find refuge in our great nation,” he continued. “Should you pursue this effort, please know that I stand behind this noble decision.”

Scott predicted that Florida, which is home to some of the largest Jewish communities in the U.S., would embrace Canadian Jews who relocate to the state in search of a more welcoming environment. 

“If those in the Canadian Jewish community wish to lawfully come to the United States, Florida will happily welcome them to our proud and thriving state,” Scott wrote. “Unlike other neighboring nations and states, Florida will defend the Jewish community from antisemitism and provide our friends with new opportunities to prosper and live their American Dream.”

“Florida will continue to stand at the ready to assist your administration’s efforts in protecting the Jewish community abroad and at home,” he added.

The White House did not respond to JI’s request for comment on the letter or if the president was considering such a move, which would run counter to the Trump administration’s hardline immigration approach aimed at restricting legal and illegal immigration.

Last Monday, Trump shared a report from Just the News highlighting a letter to him from the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, in which the group called on him to direct the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to develop “lawful, secure, and appropriately expedited pathways” for Jewish Canadian nationals and their immediate family members to seek refuge in the U.S. as Canada’s Jewish community faces increased threats. 

In July, Oklahoma GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt sent Trump a letter vowing to welcome to his home state Jewish Canadian families who legally come to the U.S. while fleeing antisemitism. 

“Should Jewish families lawfully come to the United States in search of safety and opportunity, I want you to know that Oklahoma would proudly welcome those who choose to make our state their home,” Stitt wrote to Trump at the time. 

Stitt wrote that Oklahoma had been “blessed with a strong and vibrant Jewish community, especially in Tulsa, that has contributed to our state’s success since before statehood and stands ready to welcome new neighbors. I know those traditions of faith, family, entrepreneurship and civic engagement would continue to flourish here.” 

“You shouldn’t live in fear because of your faith. In Oklahoma, you can practice freely without fear of violence,” Stitt said in a post on X highlighting his letter to Trump late last month.

President Donald Trump met with several Hasidic rabbis at the White House on Thursday ahead of Rosh Hashanah, a gathering his office called the first of its kind in nearly 50 years.

The rabbis, many of whom were pictured in photos that circulated on social media ahead of the meeting flying to Washington on private jets, hailed from a range of leading Hasidic communities in New York — including the two rival Satmar sects in Brooklyn and Kiryas Joel; the Bobov sect in Brooklyn; the Vizhnitz sect in Monsey; and the Skver sect in New Square. 

The 85-year-old Skver rebbe, David Twersky, whose endorsements in congressional races have long been highly coveted, sent one of his sons to the meeting in his place. Rabbi Malkiel Kotler, dean of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J., the largest yeshiva in the United States, also joined.

The meeting, according to sources, was attended by Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and key outside advisor, who is Jewish; Vice President JD Vance; and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), who is among the most vulnerable House Republicans running this cycle. The congressman — whose district includes the Hasidic village of New Square — has depended on the politically powerful Skver endorsement in past races.

Vance paid a visit to the Roosevelt Room during the gathering, according to two sources familiar with the matter granted anonymity because they had not been authorized to discuss the private reception. He joked to the attendees that the “Hasidim are the only ones who have larger families than him,” the sources told Jewish Insider afterward. 

A spokesperson for Vance, who welcomed his fourth child in July, did not dispute that account but told JI it might have been “a joke one of the rabbis made to” the vice president.

Beforehand, sources familiar with the meeting framed it as a chance for Trump to convey Rosh Hashanah greetings ahead of the Jewish new year marking the beginning of the High Holy Days next week — in a demonstration of mutual respect for a community whose rank and file have shown strong support for his campaigns.

But some more substantive issues were also raised, according to the sources, including topics like “large families” as well as housing concerns, prison reform and “expanding earned income tax credits” for those with more than three children.

One source who attended the meeting also said that Trump, for his part, talked “about pardoning Jewish prisoners” including Sholom Rubashkin — the kosher meatpacking executive convicted of financial fraud in 2009. His 27-year prison sentence was commuted by Trump in 2017.

The president also spoke privately with Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the Satmar leader in Kiryas Joel, another person informed of their exclusive discussion told JI.

A White House official told JI the president and top administration officials “met with the leading Hasidic Rabbis in the United States,” saying it was the first of such gatherings “at the White House since 1979.”

The Hasidic leaders “thanked the president for all he had done in combatting antisemitism, advocating for school choice with the middle-class tax credit and for fighting for peoples of faith,” the White House official added. 

In recognition of Rosh Hashanah, the delegation of rabbis “said blessings to the president, and thanked the entire administration for all they had done for all Americans,” according to the official.

The meeting had faced some resistance from a few far-right Trump allies over its inclusion of the Satmar community, an anti-Zionist Hasidic sect that believes only the messiah is supposed to bring about a Jewish state. 

But the Trump administration indicated that it was unmoved by such protestations, proceeding with the scheduled meeting on Thursday.

Broadly speaking, the rabbis who joined the meeting “focused on issues important to the community,” one source said of the visit. “It mostly went as planned.”

The House voted 220-192 on Tuesday to adopt a Republican-led resolution condemning socialism and the Democratic Socialists of America. The vote fell largely along party lines after GOP leaders attached language to the resolution backing President Donald Trump’s priority voting rights legislation.

Introduced by Rep. Jeff Crank (R-CO), the resolution “condemns and denounces socialism in all its forms, including the Democratic Socialists of America, and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.”

However, the resolution also explicitly “calls for the enactment” of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — a priority for the president that would mandate proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Seeking a clean vote denouncing the DSA without endorsing the election bill, a group of moderate Democrats — including Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Hillary Scholten (D-MI) — offered an amendment on Monday to strip out the SAVE Act language while preserving the anti-socialism provisions. However, the House Rules Committee declined to take up the amendment, forcing Democrats to vote on the combined GOP package.

Most Democrats opposed the measure due to the SAVE Act rider, though eight moderate lawmakers broke ranks to vote with Republicans in favor: Reps. Don Davis (D-NC), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Jared Golden (D-ME), Darren Soto (D-FL), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX). 

In addition, Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) voted present.

Several additional Democrats had expressed that they would support a clean resolution against socialism but asserted that they could not vote for a resolution that supports the SAVE Act. 

Gottheimer told Jewish Insider that the vote was a “missed opportunity,” arguing that the decision by Republicans to include the voting rights bill took away from the issue at hand.

“The missed opportunity was the fact that the right didn’t actually put up a piece of legislation that was focused on the point at hand, which is saying very clearly that people like me — and there’s other colleagues I know who think the DSA is not part of the Democratic Party, they don’t agree with a lot of their extremist views,” Gottheimer said. 

The New Jersey lawmaker said that the DSA is aiming to “hijack” the Democratic Party with views that are “not in line with Democratic values.” 

“I don’t like to speak for my colleagues, but I think there would have been a lot more support,” Gottheimer said of a clean resolution denouncing DSA. “Instead [Republicans] put in this poison pill, and they should focus on the issue at hand.” 

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) told JI that the vote was an attempt by Republicans “to try and save the SAVE Act” rather than a legitimate attempt to condemn socialism.

“I voted to condemn socialism last year. I’ll vote to condemn socialism today, tomorrow and any time,” Schneider said, noting that he also believes his colleagues would support a clean resolution condemning socialism without added language. “We support an economy that works for everybody. We’re capitalists.”

President Donald Trump is expected to meet with several Hasidic Jewish rabbis at the White House on Thursday ahead of Rosh Hashanah, according to people familiar with the matter.

The planned Oval Office meeting was initiated by Martin Marks, the White House Jewish liaison, one source told Jewish Insider, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private outreach. Marks did not respond to a text message seeking comment Monday. 

A White House official confirmed the meeting to JI. “Before the Rosh Hashanah holidays, President Trump looks forward to greeting rabbis representing some of the largest Hasidic communities in the United States,” the official said. “President Trump has consistently won nearly 100% of the votes in these Hassidic enclaves, and the last time they were gathered at the White House was in 1979.”

The White House has not publicly announced the gathering, which has drawn some resistance from a few Trump allies over reports the meeting will include members of the Satmar community, an anti-Zionist Hasidic sect that believes only the messiah is supposed to bring about a Jewish state.

According to two sources, several leaders from Hasidic communities in New York confirmed their attendance at the meeting, including the two rival Satmar sects in Brooklyn as well as Kiryas Joel; the Bobov sect in Brooklyn; the Vizhnitz sect in Monsey; and the Skver sect in New Square.

The 85-year-old Skver Rebbe, David Twersky, whose endorsements in House elections are highly coveted, will send his son to the meeting in his place, according to a Satmar source.

“As of now it is happening,” one Bobov leader told JI on Monday, but added a caveat that with the Trump administration “things move very quickly” and could change.

Shlomo Schorr, the director of legislative affairs at Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, said he also heard that Rabbi Malkiel Kotler, a dean of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J., the largest yeshiva in the United States, had been invited to the meeting and planned to attend. 

Schorr’s understanding, he told JI, was that the meeting would be “a quick photo op” and provide Trump a chance to wish the Jewish leaders a happy Rosh Hashanah in advance of the Jewish new year next week that marks the start of the High Holy Days.

The Satmar source said that the meeting had “no purpose” aside from a broad recognition of mutual respect. “The president knows this community was strongly supportive of him,” he explained to JI.

Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, who leads the Satmar community in Kiryas Joel, reportedly told followers on Saturday night he planned to ask for Trump’s help opposing the politically divisive Israeli military draft for yeshiva students.

Laura Loomer, the far-right activist who is a close ally of Trump, cited such comments on social media over the weekend while raising her objections to the meeting.

“These are anti-Israel pro-Mamdani rabbis who are being hosted with open arms in the Oval Office,” she said of the Satmar leaders, arguing that the meeting “is going to severely piss off the Jewish Republicans in the MAGA base who voted for President Trump.”

While neither of the Satmar rebbes endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor, a prominent representative of one sect backed his general election campaign. Leaders of the Satmar community, which frequently endorses Democrats, have also met privately with Mamdani, and Zalman Teitelbaum, the Satmar rebbe in Williamsburg, recently defended the mayor amid accusations of promoting antisemitism.  

Sid Rosenberg, a conservative radio host in New York, agreed with Loomer, calling the meeting a “huge mistake” and criticizing the Kiryas Joel Satmar leader as “a terrible guy” who “has no right being anywhere near” the president.

The Satmar source clarified that he would not raise the draft in the meeting. “He doesn’t plan to bring it up,” he told JI, noting that the rabbi “always shoots from the hip.”

The Turkish government has retained Ballard Partners — a lobbying firm with deep ties to President Donald Trump — to represent Ankara’s Ministry of National Defense in Washington, as Turkey and the U.S. continue to improve ties under the Trump administration despite growing animosity between Ankara and Jerusalem. 

Brian Ballard, a prominent Florida Republican fundraiser and former Trump campaign official, signed the $2.4 million annual agreement on Aug. 8, according to an Aug. 21 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filing with the Justice Department. The contract runs through August 2027, with Ankara paying the firm $200,000 per month.

Under the terms of the deal, Ballard Partners will provide government relations, strategic consulting and advocacy services with federal agencies and Congress.

The firm’s team on the contract includes former Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), a pro-Turkey and pro-Israel voice on Capitol Hill who co-founded the Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations in 2001.

Speaking with Jewish Insider, Wexler framed the partnership as aiming to strengthen U.S.-Turkish ties while also attempting to mend severely strained relations between Ankara and Jerusalem.

“Turkey is an important ally of the United States, and the primary purpose is to take advantage of the trusted relationship that President Trump and [Turkish] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan enjoy,” Wexler told JI. “The sidekick to this is to also hopefully improve Turkish-Israeli relations to the extent possible, and to help what is now a very dangerous situation and turn it into a more favorable dynamic for both Israel and Turkey, and of course that would be very positive for the United States as well.”

Addressing potential pushback from pro-Israel supporters given Turkey’s increasingly hostile stance toward Jerusalem, Wexler pointed to his own “pro-Israel credentials” alongside Brian Ballard’s “staunchly pro-Israel” record, arguing that closer U.S.-Turkey security coordination ultimately enhances Israeli security.

“I would make an argument, for those that care deeply about Israeli security and Israeli interests, that the U.S. and Turkey cooperating closely together will always be more beneficial to Israel than a lesser situation,” Wexler said. “I think that’s a basic premise that has stood the test of time.”

As an example, Wexler noted that Turkey could play a constructive role in stemming the flow of weapons to Hezbollah through Syria.

“Israel obviously has achieved enormous success in terms of their military campaign against Hezbollah, but there are challenges yet to be overcome … one of which is stopping the flow of weapons to Hezbollah, so that they cannot rebuild,” he said. “One of the actors that is capable of assisting the effort to stop that flow of weapons is certainly Turkey, and I think those that care deeply about Israel and its strategic interests should always keep that in mind.”

Jerusalem has been outspoken about its opposition to Turkish involvement in Syria, including recently striking a Syrian airbase where Israel claimed Turkish troops were preparing to deploy.

While the contract does not detail specific policy objectives, the push arrives as Ankara continues to seek readmission into the F-35 advanced fighter jet program. Turkey was removed from the program after purchasing Russian S-400 air-defense systems, which triggered federal sanctions.

Wexler declined to state whether the F-35 would be an explicit target of the lobbying campaign, but noted he expects Ankara to fulfill the necessary U.S. conditions.

“In terms of the F-35, obviously the S-400 missile system has always been a prerequisite for the United States, whether it was under previous administrations or this one, that Turkey make a proper accommodation,” Wexler said. “I believe that is what President Trump expects, and I expect that’s what would happen in the context of whatever it is the Trump administration and the Erdogan government agreed to.”

The Ballard advocacy team also features Thomas Boodry, a former special assistant to Trump who managed legislative affairs as a senior director at the National Security Council until April 2025, when he was ousted during a staff shakeup under former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Syl Lukis, a senior partner at Ballard, rounds out the team.

Boosted by an endorsement from President Donald Trump and a preelection rally from the state’s leading Republican figures, Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) survived a challenge from Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) to win the GOP nomination for her late brother’s Senate seat.

“I continue to miss Lindsey every day, and there is still a big hole in my heart, but I know he’s looking down, very proud,” Graham said in her victory speech Tuesday night. 

Graham prevailed narrowly (52%-48%) despite facing serious questions about her experience and readiness for a full term in the Senate during the compressed campaign. She expressed ignorance about foreign policy in the race’s lone debate when asked about her thoughts about Taiwan’s security. She had also said she wouldn’t be as focused on foreign policy as her brother, whose hawkish national security record defined his political legacy. 

Norman, a hard-line fiscal conservative, proved to be a lackluster opponent, winning in his home base in northwestern South Carolina but losing across the rest of the state. He alienated Republican leaders by initially opposing Trump’s presidential campaign in 2024 (he was one of Nikki Haley’s leading endorsees) and holding out support of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) during the 2023 House GOP leadership fight. 

Norman wasn’t able to offer a generational contrast, either — at 73, he would have been one of the oldest freshman senators in recent memory. He was badly outspent in the race by Graham and allied groups, including Trump’s well-financed super PAC, which hasn’t gotten involved in many races this cycle. 

“His policies are good, I never understood why he got in this race … it is what it is. I’ll accept it,” Norman said in his concession speech of the president’s involvement.

Graham’s victory means that Trump holds a near-perfect record with his Senate primary endorsements during his political career, even as some of his gubernatorial and House picks have fallen short this year. Trump’s decision to spend valuable political capital — both in time and money — clearly played a pivotal role in the competitive runoff. 

Graham herself offered a nod to Trump’s influence, saying in her election night speech, “South Carolina is truly Trump country.”

In November, Graham will face pediatrician Annie Andrews, a Democrat who has been a strong fundraiser, especially given the challenges the party faces in winning South Carolina, a solidly conservative state that backed Trump by 18 points in the 2024 presidential election. 

Today’s special election GOP runoff for Senate in South Carolina between appointed Sen. Darline Graham and five-term Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) will be a clear test over just how much juice President Donald Trump’s endorsement carries within the Republican Party, at a time when his overall political standing has been on the decline. 

Graham has struggled through the shortened campaign to fill the seat of her late brother, dodging the media spotlight (unlike her brother) and sticking to generic talking points in talking about the issues. She faced blowback after admitting she didn’t know enough about foreign policy to answer a debate question about Taiwan — underscoring how much of a novice she is on an issue that defined Lindsey Graham’s legacy. 

But Trump has been a loyal backer, holding a rally last Friday for her campaign, which featured appearances from the state’s Republican leadership, including Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who is also the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 

Norman also hardly fits the profile of the up-and-coming challenger. He’s 73 and would be one of the oldest freshman senators in recent memory. And for more-moderate Republicans, his record of antagonism towards House Republican leadership and support for declaring martial law in the days leading up to President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration make him a deeply flawed choice. 

For national security hawks, Norman’s votes against several Israel aid packages and opposition to Ukraine assistance are also some notable red flags that make Darline Graham the candidate more aligned with her brother’s worldview. 

Trump’s endorsement record has been mixed this year, initially backing the losing gubernatorial candidate (Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette) in South Carolina — while endorsing unsuccessful candidates for governor in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and Wyoming. All told, he’s backed 10 unsuccessful candidates in primaries this cycle. But the president’s record in Senate races this year is still perfect, having successfully backed insurgent challengers to Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and John Cornyn (R-TX). 

In fact, only three of Trump’s Senate endorsees throughout his political career have lost in primaries (Alabama GOP Sen. Luther Strange in 2017; West Virginia Senate candidate Evan Jenkins in 2018; Utah Senate candidate Trent Staggs in 2024).  

Graham is hoping to avoid joining that club, and despite her flubs, she’s still got a strong chance of prevailing. She won the first round of balloting with 33% of the vote — eight points ahead of Norman — and finished a respectable second place in the northeastern corner of the state that makes up Rep. Russell Fry’s (R-SC) home base. (Fry endorsed Graham’s candidacy after finishing in third place in the primary.)

But if Graham falls short, it would not just be a sign that South Carolina voters were wary of her policy inexperience. It would be an indication that the Trump endorsement, while still valuable in Republican primaries, isn’t the automatic ticket to victory that it was for so long.

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the U.S. was launching “economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale” against Iran, threatening to take aggressive action against foreign entities and businesses engaging economically with Tehran.

“No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, but Tehran has “failed to take it.” 

“Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY,” he wrote.

Trump warned of broad “economic consequences” for those assisting Tehran’s economy, adding, “You know who you are.” While he did not explicitly name the measures the U.S. would take, his announcement came following his threat of U.S. military action against Oman earlier this week over potential interference in U.S. negotiations with Iran.

Calling the initiative an “economic D-Day,” Trump urged global allies to join Washington in isolating Tehran.

“These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide,” Trump wrote, vowing once again that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. 

While senior White House officials indicated earlier this week that talks between the U.S. and Iran were ongoing, Trump later said no discussions were taking place or scheduled for the future.

The announcement also comes as the United Arab Emirates announced this week that it would suspend all financial and commercial ties with Tehran.