Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump Begs Republicans To Give Cawthorn A 'Second Chance' Despite Being 'Weirded Out' By Scandals

Trump Begs Republicans To Give Cawthorn A 'Second Chance' Despite Being 'Weirded Out' By Scandals
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images; Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump called on Republicans to give North Carolina Representative Madison Cawthorn a "second chance" despite reports he has become "increasingly annoyed" with him in light of his multitude of recent scandals.

Trump issued his defense of Cawthorn via Truth Social, his personal social media platform. He said Cawthorn had been through "a life changing event the likes of which, fortunately, few people will ever have to endure"—a reference to the car accident that left Cawthorn partially paralyzed and reliant on a wheelchair.


Trump added that Cawthorn "did a great job" when he was first elected and only recently "made some foolish mistakes."

Trump's remarks came after Cawthorn addressed a video clip that shows him naked in bed and making thrusting motions on top of another man.

Cawthorn claimed he "was being crass with a friend, trying to be funny,” adding he and his friend "were acting foolish, and joking."

The video, which was released by American Muckrakers, a political action committee and opposition group dedicated to removing Cawthorn from Congress, was provided by “a former Cawthorn supporter and big donor who asked to remain anonymous.”

It seemed the possibility of getting out ahead of the controversy motivated Cawthorn's decision to comment on the video itself, which he said had been released as part of an orchestrated smear campaign in an effort to "blackmail him."

The video's release, coming on the heels of another controversy–leaked photos showing Cawthorn wearing women's lingerie in public and another video showing a Cawthorn male staffer/cousin putting his hand in Cawthorn's crotch and Venmo payments sent to the same staffer annotated as for sexual favors–prompted many to speculate about Cawthorn's sexuality.

Cawthorn later defended the moment as "stupid locker room talk," a callback to the same defense then-candidate Trump used to describe his words in a now-infamous Access Hollywoodtape in which he bragged about grabbing women without their consent.

But Trump's defense of Cawthorn is likely a tactical one to get Republicans through this year's midterm elections, as evidenced by a Rolling Stonereport that Trump is "not impressed with Cawthorn's recent scandals, according to sources who spoke to the magazine on condition of anonymity.

One source said that Trump "is completely weirded out by the allegations" while another said that Trump has been "disappointed with Madison, and thinks he has problems handling his [public relations]."

And as many have made clear, they're not about to give Cawthorn that "second chance" and they criticized Trump for suggesting that others should.







How Cawthorn will perform come the midterms remains to be seen but his relationships with prominent Republicans have been heavily strained.

Cawthorn recently annoyed Republican leadership after he claimed he'd been invited to cocaine-fueled orgies with Washington's elite.

He has refused to answer questions about his claims, only saying he was invited to orgies and witnessed heavy cocaine use among politicians he's claimed to admire. He has accused Democrats of using his own words against him in an effort to fracture the Republican Party.

Cawthorn said his claims, which he first made during an interview with the Warrior Poet Society, a self-proclaimed group of Republican "freedom fighters," were designed to call out corruption and "have been used by the left and the media to disparage my Republican colleagues and falsely insinuate their involvement in illicit activities."

His remarks raised concerns within the Republican Party and he was called for a 30-minute meeting with Republican leadership, speaking to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (California) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (Louisiana).

Cawthorn has not responded to questions about what happened during the meeting.

More from People/donald-trump

Jasmine Crockett Calls Out Trump's Hypocrisy By Pointing Out How Melania Got Her Visa
Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for SiriusXM; Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Jasmine Crockett Calls Out Trump's Hypocrisy By Pointing Out How Melania Got Her Visa

Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett pointed out President Donald Trump's hypocrisy on immigration considering how First Lady Melania Trump's pathway to citizenship was possible because she received an "Einstein visa," which is usually reserved for an individual with "some sort of significant achievement."

Speaking during a House Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Restoring Integrity and Security to the Visa Process,” Crockett noted that “the idea that Trump and my Republican colleagues want to restore integrity and security in the visa process is actually a joke," and harshly criticized the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and visa restrictions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Jennifer Griffin and Pete Hegseth
The Hill

Fox Host Comes To Reporter's Defense After Pete Hegseth Berates Her At Pentagon Briefing

Fox News' chief political analyst Brit Hume came to the defense of Fox national security reporter Jennifer Griffin after their former colleague, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticized Griffin as the reporter "who misrepresents the most intentionally what the president says” in a Pentagon news conference.

Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, had criticized media outlets—including his former network—for what he described as unpatriotic reporting. Hegseth took particular aim at early intelligence assessments suggesting that President Donald Trump's bombing of Iran may not have significantly crippled Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Keep ReadingShow less

Teachers Share The Questions Students Asked In Class That Broke Their Hearts

Being a teacher is a calling.

It is not for the meek or weak of heart.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Emily Compagno
Fox News

Fox Host Slams Dem For Dropping An F-Bomb After Praising Trump For The Same Thing Just Minutes Earlier

Fox News host Emily Compagno was criticized after she praised Donald Trump's use of the "f-bomb" earlier this week before condemning Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett's use of the same word—on the same episode of her show, no less.

Trump made headlines this week after admonishing Israel and Iran for violating a ceasefire agreement he'd announced on Truth Social. Although he claimed the ceasefire had been "agreed upon," Iran fired at least six missile barrages at Israel after it was supposed to take effect.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ken Jennings; Emily Croke
@Jeopardy/Instagram

Champ's Wild Final Jeopardy Connection

In a dramatic conclusion on last Monday’s Jeopardy!, a contestant revealed a surprising relationship to the final clue's answer. Hailing from Denver, Emily Croke made it to the final write-in portion of the game show with $12,200 in earnings.

In the category of “Collections,” host Ken Jennings read the clue:

Keep ReadingShow less