Senator John Cornyn has a message for Republican voters: if the GOP loses the House in the 2026 midterms, Democrats will impeach President Trump for a third time. Cornyn made the case on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” arguing that a Democratic House majority would grind Trump’s legislative agenda to a halt and launch impeachment proceedings all over again. The warning is real enough on its merits. Democrats impeached Trump twice during his first term, and there is no reason to believe they would not try again with a House majority. Holding the chamber is essential to protecting the Trump agenda through 2028. But the timing of Cornyn’s media blitz is impossible to ignore. The Texas GOP Senate runoff is tomorrow. Cornyn is facing former Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received President Trump’s endorsement last week. As The Texas Tribune reported, Trump’s endorsement of Paxton landed like a thunderclap in the race: The impeachment warning started spreading quickly as the runoff clock ticked down: READ NOW: Cornyn: If We Lose the House, Trump Likely to Get Impeached a Third Time — On this week's broadcast of News Nation's "The Hill Sunday," Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said if Republicans lose the House in the midterm election, President…https://t.co/dztoa7M3E7 — Top News by CPAC (@TopNewsbyCPAC) May 25, 2026 Cornyn has spent the final days of the runoff trying to argue that his seniority and institutional relationships make him more effective at advancing Trump’s priorities. Sunday’s impeachment warning fits neatly into that pitch. The implication is clear: keep me in the Senate because I know how to protect the president. The problem for Cornyn is that Republican voters do not appear to be buying it. A Quantus Insights runoff poll conducted after Trump’s endorsement of Paxton shows the former AG leading Cornyn by double digits. Paxton leads Cornyn 53% to 43% in that survey, a margin that suggests Trump’s endorsement may have effectively settled the race. The late polling picture added another layer to the Texas fight: Texas Senate runoff poll conducted after Trump endorsement of Paxton just published by @QuantusInsights Paxton 53%, Cornyn 43%https://t.co/QVwbQnIztH — 270toWin (@270toWin) May 25, 2026 Cornyn is right that losing the House would be a disaster for the Trump agenda. That is a straightforward political fact. A Democratic majority would weaponize committees, block legislation, and yes, almost certainly pursue impeachment. But framing yourself as Trump’s indispensable ally while the president himself just endorsed your opponent is a tough sell, especially the night before the vote. Texas Republicans will have their say tomorrow. The impeachment warning may be Cornyn’s strongest argument, but right now, Trump’s endorsement of Ken Paxton looks like the stronger card. Breitbart reported Cornyn’s warning from the NewsNation interview this way: Cornyn made the warning during NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” according to Breitbart. He said he supports President Trump because he wants the president to be successful, wants America to be successful, and wants the Republican Party to be successful. Cornyn said he would continue voting in that same direction, but argued the president sometimes needs help, especially as Republicans look toward the midterms. He warned there is more anxiety about the midterms than people may fully appreciate. Cornyn said the midterms will be critical to the last two years of President Trump’s term. His bluntest line was that if Republicans lose the House, President Trump will likely get impeached for a third time. He added that a House loss would make it virtually impossible to pass the president’s legislative agenda. Cornyn then said he wants to continue helping the president where he can. He also argued he is the strongest Republican to run against Democrat James Talarico. Cornyn called Talarico a Bernie Sanders-style Democrat and said Texas is not going backward without a fight. The Associated Press put the Texas runoff fight in this final-day context: Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton entered the final day before Tuesday’s Texas GOP Senate runoff. Their fight for the nomination has stayed intense and heavily driven by advertising. Paxton’s campaign and supportive groups had shifted their closing message to emphasize President Trump’s May 19 endorsement. President Trump later reaffirmed his support for Paxton and criticized Cornyn as insufficiently loyal. Trump described Paxton as loyal to him while calling Cornyn very disloyal. Cornyn, in response, leaned into his own support for the president. Cornyn said 99.3 percent of his Senate votes aligned with Trump. Cornyn’s campaign has argued Paxton would struggle in November and could put the seat at risk against Democrat James Talarico. Paxton’s side has leaned on the Trump endorsement as the final-hours unity message. That context is what makes Cornyn’s impeachment warning more than a stray television line. The Texas Tribune detailed President Trump’s endorsement and what it meant inside the race: The Texas Tribune reported President Trump endorsed Paxton in the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate in Texas. The endorsement ended more than a year of lobbying and gave Paxton a major boost against Cornyn. President Trump called Paxton a true MAGA Warrior who had always delivered for Texas. Trump said Cornyn was a good man and that they worked well together, but said Cornyn was not supportive when times were tough. Trump also criticized Cornyn for being late to back his 2024 presidential bid. Paxton said he was honored by the endorsement and looked forward to championing President Trump’s America First agenda in the Senate. The Tribune reported Cornyn finished first in the March primary with 42 percent, while Paxton had 40.5 percent. The runoff became a test of loyalty, electability, and who Texas Republicans trust to carry the MAGA agenda into November. Cornyn’s latest argument is that he can help protect President Trump’s agenda from a Democratic House. Paxton’s argument is that President Trump has already chosen the fighter he trusts. Quantus Insights framed the late polling picture this way: Quantus Insights published a final survey titled “Paxton Holds Edge on Eve of Texas GOP Runoff.” The page description said the final survey found President Trump’s endorsement widely known among the electorate. It also said Paxton’s advantage rested on broader runoff alignment. 270toWin summarized the Quantus survey on X as Paxton 53 percent and Cornyn 43 percent after President Trump’s endorsement. That is polling context, not an election result. The runoff itself is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The numbers do show why the closing message matters. Paxton is trying to convert President Trump’s endorsement into a decisive MAGA turnout advantage. Cornyn is trying to convince voters that the larger stakes include the Senate seat, the House map, and President Trump’s ability to govern during the final two years of his term. That is the political collision now landing in front of Texas Republican voters. This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

Severe flooding that impacted a West Virginia neighborhood allegedly stemmed from the construction of a nearby data center. “Houses in the Meadowlands Estates subdivision in Mason County sustained damage Saturday from water and mud when a fence in a silt retention area at the Nscale construction site gave way during heavy rain,” WV MetroNews reports. “The significant rainfall Saturday, May 23rd resulted in what Nscale officials have told us was a breach at the silt retention area of their construction site in Mason County which then impacted portions of the Meadowlands Estates subdivision. We are thankful the damage appears to have been limited primarily to garages, crawlspaces and HVAC equipment and no injuries have been reported,” Mason County state lawmakers said in a joint statement, according to the outlet. “Local and state officials have been in communication with representatives from Nscale, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the Governor’s Office, who coordinated an evaluation from the West Virginia National Guard. The company has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and has already deployed cleanup crews as well as contractors to assist affected homeowners. We remain in communication about immediate corrective actions as well as a prevention plan to help ensure an event like this does not happen again — here or anywhere else in West Virginia,” the statement continued. Watch below: “It’s never happened like that, and I’ve been here 30 years!” Data Center construction causes severe flooding in Mason County, residents to be reimbursed for damages pic.twitter.com/EQJDzVZvW9 — THE WEST VIRGINIA HOLLER (@HollerWV) May 24, 2026 WV MetroNews has more: The flooding came from an area where a site is being prepared for the Monarch Compute Campus working with Nscale on a data center. Fidelis New Energy announced the project earlier this year. Monarch Site Manager Jason Bechtle released a statement to WSAZ-TV. Bechtle said the rainfall was significant. He said the site’s stormwater controls were just checked last week and found to be in compliance. “And now that this has happened to my house and my property, I’m worried about my children’s safety and my safety,” one resident said, according to WSAZ. “Because now our house has been exposed to all this water underneath of it. I’m worried about mold. I’m worried about our health and safety,” the resident added. Reason # 1,372 why Data Centers suck. Severe flooding in Mason County relating to data center construction, residents to be reimbursed for damages https://t.co/AcMKz61sYK — Cpt. Ted Striker (@CptTedStriker) May 25, 2026 WSAZ shared the full statement from Bechtle: “This weekend’s storm dropped about a month’s worth of rain on us in 48 hours and put the whole area under a Flash Flood Warning. We were on site within an hour of the first call and we haven’t left. We’ve got restoration crews at each affected resident’s garage, hotel rooms for anyone who needs one, meals for anyone impacted, and we’re covering all cleanup and repair costs.” “Our stormwater controls were inspected last week and found to be in compliance with the approved plan. But the intensity of this rainfall exceeded the design capacity of the temporary erosion controls in place during construction, and one section of silt fencing gave way under the force of the water. That section has already been reconstructed, and our crews are continuing to reinforce controls today across the site — cutting additional drainage channels, raising elevation in the low area to block water from moving toward the neighborhood, and layering in extra sediment protection.” “We recognize there is more rainfall in the forecast and our teams are ready and prepared to mitigate any future impact. These are our neighbors, and we’ll be here until the job is done.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday that her government agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico while it competes in the World Cup. Although Iran will still play its group stage matches in the United States, its base has been moved to Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego, California. Sheinbaum said that FIFA approached her government after the United States said it did not want Iran’s team to remain in the country for the duration of the tournament. Iran will play two group stage matches in the Los Angeles area and one in Seattle. BREAKING: Iran’s soccer team has moved its base camp for the World Cup to Mexico from the United States, the president of the Iran Football Federation said. https://t.co/Y9QvcEP47o — The Associated Press (@AP) May 23, 2026 More from the Associated Press: Sheinbaum said at a news conference Monday that she was told by a FIFA representative the U.S. was reluctant to have the Iranian soccer team spend time outside the games on U.S. territory. “The United States doesn’t want the Iranian national team to stay overnight in the United States,” Sheinbaum told reporters. She said a FIFA representative had then asked, “Can they stay overnight in Mexico?” “And we said, ‘Yes, no problem. We have no issue with that’,” she said. Iran’s soccer team is slated to play matches in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and against Belgium six days later, before facing Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. Before the war broke out, the team was originally planned to set up its base in Tucson, Arizona. But with tensions simmering, Iran’s team moved its base to Tijuana in Mexico, Sheinbaum said, confirming an announcement by the Iranian federation over the weekend. The federation said the Iranians had received approval from FIFA, which made the move official on Monday when it released the lists of all 48 base camp sites. Iran’s national team is currently preparing for the tournament in Turkey. “Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali also confirmed world football’s governing body has said the Iran squad will be given visas to play in the US this summer,” BBC stated. “The Fifa president promised us that all our players would receive visas. There is no reason why our players should not receive visas,” Donyamali said, according to the outlet. Watch Sheinbaum below: NEW: “We have no reason to deny the possibility of them staying in Mexico…” @Claudiashein says Mexico has agreed to host Iran’s national team during the World Cup after she says the U.S. refused to allow the team to stay overnight. She says FIFA is reviewing the option to have… pic.twitter.com/R4a8wTvGJX — Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) May 25, 2026 BBC shared further: The Iranian FA (FFIRI) had presented Fifa with a list of 10 conditions for their participation at the World Cup, including allowing players, coaches and officials who have completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to receive visas. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Iran’s players will be welcome at the tournament but individuals with links to the IRGC could face entry restrictions. Taj was one of a number of FFIRI officials turned away at the Canadian border before April’s Fifa annual congress in Vancouver with Canada’s immigration minister telling parliament his visa was cancelled because of links to the IRGC. Some members of the squad went to the US embassy in Ankara on Thursday to submit visa applications for the tournament.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) filed paperwork to run in the 2028 congressional election less than one week after losing in the GOP primary for the 2026 midterms. “I filed with FEC for the 2028 House race. This allows me to raise funds to continue my political operations supporting my position as a current office holder and as a potential candidate for federal office,” Massie’s campaign X account stated. “I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run,” it continued. I filed with FEC for the 2028 House race. This allows me to raise funds to continue my political operations supporting my position as a current office holder and as a potential candidate for federal office. I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run. pic.twitter.com/heHxDnu31o — Thomas Massie for Congress (@MassieforKY) May 25, 2026 WLWT has more: That statement comes one day after Massie spoke with NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press, saying he is keeping his options open for future races. “I won’t rule anything out,” said Massie. “I won’t rule out a run for county commissioner. I used to be the county judge-executive here. That was probably the best job I ever had in politics. I would encourage people watching this show to act locally and to run for local offices. We can make a difference. There’s 3,000 counties in this country. Run for one of those offices. We got to change it at the grassroots first.” Massie, a Republican, lost last Tuesday’s primary election to Ed Gallrein, who President Trump backed in the most expensive U.S. House primary in history. “I’ve been in Congress 14 years, fighting. Every hour that passes, I get decompressed a little bit more. It’s like coming up from the bottom of the ocean. And I’ll take some time and decide what’s next. But I think I will stay engaged in some way or shape,” Massie said. Watch below: Thomas Massie Says He Will Not Rule Out a 2028 Presidential Run via NBC pic.twitter.com/QUxCbl13be — OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) May 24, 2026 Massie teased a 2028 presidential run during his concession speech after Tuesday’s GOP primary. A crowd of Massie supporters chanted, “2028!” “What happens in 2028? You want me to run for Congress again?” Massie asked the crowd. The crowd chanted, “President!” “You made a compelling argument. You spoke your peace. But I need a medical margarita right now. And we’ll talk about it later,” he said. Watch below: NOW: Thomas Massie's election party attendees demand he runs for president CROWD: "2028! 2028!" MASSIE: "What happens in 2028? You want me to run for Congress again?" CROWD: "No! President!" MASSIE: "We'll talk about it later." pic.twitter.com/EDXXMp4dbH — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 20, 2026 More from The Independent: The congressman had characterized the primary race as a “national referendum” on Trump’s influence in his second term and whether the Republican Party can survive without the president. Massie emerged as one of a handful of Republican lawmakers who defied the president’s agenda, drawing fire from Trump over opposition to his “One Big Beautiful Bill” domestic spending package and the war in Iran while fighting with the administration over the release of the government’s files on Jeffrey Epstein, an issue that blew up into a massive political liability for the president and his allies. Trump responded to that perceived disloyalty by backing Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL whose campaign was heavily supported by pro-Israel interest groups. After his defeat, Massie joked to supporters at his election night party that he “would’ve come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent and concede,” he said. “And it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”

President Trump’s Justice Department just reopened a wound that the Cuban communist regime has spent nearly 30 years trying to bury. The DOJ announced that it has unsealed a superseding indictment charging former Cuban dictator Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, now 94, and five co-defendants for their alleged roles in the February 24, 1996 shoot-down of two unarmed American civilian aircraft over international waters. The four men killed that day were Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales. They were flying humanitarian missions for Brothers to the Rescue, a group that searched the Florida Straits for Cuban migrants in distress. The Justice Department laid out the heart of the case this way: The indictment charges Castro and the other defendants with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder tied to the 1996 attack. Prosecutors say Cuban military fighter jets, operating under a chain of command overseen by Raul Castro, fired air-to-air missiles at two unarmed civilian Cessna aircraft and destroyed them without warning while they were outside Cuban territory. DOJ also says Brothers to the Rescue was conducting humanitarian flight operations to locate Cuban migrants in distress, and that Cuban intelligence agents had infiltrated the organization and relayed flight-operation information to the Cuban government before the shoot-down. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment on the murder and conspiracy counts. That is the part too many politicians in Washington preferred to leave in the past. Four Americans were killed, and the alleged chain of command led all the way to one of the most infamous names in the Cuban regime. The Justice Department’s own statement made clear that this administration is not treating the victims as a footnote. “Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General @DAGToddBlanche. The United States and @POTUS will NOT forget… pic.twitter.com/n2e7ZDzEgL — U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) May 20, 2026 Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said senior leadership of the Cuban regime has now been charged in the United States for alleged violence that resulted in American deaths. FBI Director Kash Patel called the indictment a major step toward accountability after three decades, while U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones said the passage of time does not erase murder or weaken the rule of law. The Associated Press added the broader context around Castro’s alleged role and what happened in the air that day: Castro was Cuba’s defense minister when the two small planes were shot down. Brothers to the Rescue had previously dropped pro-democracy leaflets over Cuba, and prosecutors accuse Castro of authorizing deadly force against the group. The indictment says Raul Castro and Fidel Castro were the final decision makers on orders to kill. In February 1996, Raul Castro allegedly ordered Cuban military officials to begin training with Russian-made MiG fighter jets to find, track, and intercept the group’s small planes off the island’s coast. Three Brothers to the Rescue planes left from Miami-Dade County on February 24, 1996. Two unarmed Cessna aircraft were shot down over international waters, outside Cuban airspace, without warning, according to U.S. prosecutors. A third plane escaped after the MiG pilots began following it. Cuban officials dispute the American account, and Cuba’s current president has condemned the indictment as political. The account also notes that the murder and conspiracy charges carry either death or life in prison upon conviction, while acknowledging the practical question of whether Castro will ever appear in a U.S. courtroom. One co-defendant, Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez, is already in U.S. custody pending sentencing in an unrelated immigration document case. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The signal from President Trump’s DOJ is still unmistakable. For decades, the Castro regime counted on time, politics, and cowardice to dull the memory of what happened to Costa, Alejandre, de la Pena, and Morales. Now the United States is saying the names again, naming the accused again, and putting the Cuban regime back under a spotlight it badly wanted to escape. President Trump also spoke directly this month about helping the Cuban people, a message that hits differently now that the DOJ has moved on one of the regime’s darkest alleged crimes against Americans. PRESIDENT TRUMP: We have a lot of people in Cuba. We have the CIA there. @SecRubio is from there, so we have a lot of expertise. We’re going to help the Cuban people out. We’re freeing up Cuba. pic.twitter.com/WUY08fgonW — Department of State (@StateDept) May 20, 2026 That is the difference between managing decline and demanding accountability. Previous administrations let this atrocity fade into the background of U.S.-Cuba relations. President Trump’s DOJ just made clear that killing Americans has no expiration date, no diplomatic escape hatch, and no automatic protection because the accused man is old, powerful, or politically inconvenient.