U.S. Announces Additional $6 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Cuba Amid Oil Sanctions and Fuel Shortages 
Netanyahu to Meet Trump in Washington as Iran Nuclear Talks Intensify 
Trump Says “Very Good Talks” Underway on Russia-Ukraine War as Peace Efforts Continue 
Trump Backs Nexstar–Tegna Merger Amid Shifting U.S. Media Landscape 
Ohio Man Indicted for Alleged Threat Against Vice President JD Vance, Faces Additional Federal Charges 
U.S. to Begin Paying UN Dues as Financial Crisis Spurs Push for Reforms 
Nighttime Shelling Causes Serious Damage in Russia’s Belgorod Region Near Ukraine Border 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
TrumpRx.gov Highlights GLP-1 Drug Discounts but Offers Limited Savings for Most Americans 
Trump Signs “America First Arms Transfer Strategy” to Prioritize U.S. Weapons Sales 
U.S. Lawmakers to Review Unredacted Jeffrey Epstein DOJ Files Starting Monday 
US Pushes Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Before Summer Amid Escalating Attacks 
New York Legalizes Medical Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Norway Opens Corruption Probe Into Former PM and Nobel Committee Chair Thorbjoern Jagland Over Epstein Links 
Iran–U.S. Nuclear Talks in Oman Face Major Hurdles Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
House and Senate Republican Leaders Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell have condemned now-former President Donald Trump for the insurrection that took place on January 6. A book by New York Times journalists revealed that McCarthy and McConnell also considered calling for Trump to resign, only to ultimately change their minds.
Excerpts from the book by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns revealed that both Republican leaders considered pushing for Trump to resign after the riots. The revelations also underlined the vast contrast in the public statements of both Republican leaders.
“The leaders’ swift retreat in January 2021 represented a capitulation at a moment of extraordinary political weakness for Mr. Trump – perhaps the last and best chance for mainstream Republicans to reclaim control of their party from a leader who had stoked an insurrection against American democracy itself,” wrote Burns and Martin.
Both McCarthy and McConnell backed out of pushing for Trump’s resignation when they realized that by doing so, “it would mean difficult votes that would put them at odds with most of their colleagues.”
According to the book, on the same day that McCarthy privately called for Trump to resign, the House Minority Leader told other GOP leaders that he wished the major tech companies would strip certain Republican lawmakers of their social media accounts, noting that Twitter and Facebook permanently suspended the now-former president from their platforms.
McCarthy has since issued a statement since the revelations, denying making such calls for Trump to resign. However, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow pushed back on McCarthy’s denial by playing a recording of the private conversation provided to her by Martin and Burns, stressing that McCarthy’s denial of privately calling for Trump to resign after the January 6 riots means “he is not telling the truth.”
Both Republican leaders have since come under fire following the revelation, with Maddow saying that she expects that there would be increasing calls for McCarthy to resign in the coming days and weeks.
Conservative commentator A.B. Stoddard described the McCarthy tapes as an “amazing, breathtaking failure” on the House Minority Leader’s part, noting that McCarthy has sought the speakership for some time.
