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Iran Knew Trump's Location Before Air Force One Ruse

The decoy effort to get President Donald Trump out of Turkey last month occurred after the threat of a surface-to-air missile against Air Force One was deemed sufficiently credible.

Iran also knew remarkably specific details about Trump's stay in Ankara during the NATO summit, including where he was staying and even which floor of the building he was on, according to two U.S. officials cited by The New York Times.

U.S. intelligence picked up multiple streams of information as Trump headed into the summit's final day on July 8, including a specific threat against whichever aircraft was carrying the president and a report that someone near the summit had been spotted with a shoulder-fired missile.

The intelligence triggered an extraordinary security operation designed to conceal Trump's movements.

Trump publicly boarded the older Air Force One before he was secretly taken off the aircraft, concealed in an airport catering truck, and transported to a smaller military jet that flew him out of Turkey.

Air Force One departed separately with senior administration officials, government employees, military personnel, and journalists aboard. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and senior White House aides Stephen Miller and Steven Cheung were among those on the aircraft, according to the Times.

The maneuver has drawn criticism because many of those aboard apparently did not know about the heightened danger.

Former Trump and George W. Bush adviser Joseph Hagin

 

defended the precautions, saying people traveling with a president accept significant risks and that revealing the operation more broadly could have compromised Trump's safety.

Trump confirmed Tuesday that he followed the instructions of the Secret Service and military.

"They wanted me to go on a different flight, different plane," Trump said, adding that he gets "a lot of threats." He said the episode did not frighten him.

The president later secretly reboarded Air Force One in Britain before emerging from the aircraft in front of cameras, maintaining the security deception.

Trump has faced Iranian threats for years. During the Biden administration, authorities uncovered an Iranian-linked murder-for-hire plot targeting him.

Charlie McCarthy ✉

Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

 

'Platner Vibes': Major Scandal Hits New Maine Dem Senate Nominee, and It All Sounds So Familiar

Since disgraced Democrat Graham Platner exited under immense pressure from party leaders who were terrified he was going to lose, the Maine Senate race has mostly dropped out of the national news cycle, with one of the few "interesting" things being the process the state party used to pick its replacement nominee, Platner-backed Troy Jackson, a couple of weeks later. 

The other interesting - and far more cringey - thing that's been revealed is that Jackson, a former state senate president who has been endorsed by the Maine DSA, is "romantically partnered up with his second cousin and the two have produced offspring," as RedState previously reported. 

My colleague Teri Christoph observed at the time that, "shacking up and procreating with your cousin isn't illegal in Maine, but, let's be honest, it's a little weird in this day and age. But, hey, he found a unique way to out-Platner Platner."

As it turns out, that was truer than anyone realized, for reasons we will soon explain.

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SEE ALSO: Watch: Troy Jackson Squirms When Asked for Date Night Advice After Kissin’ Cousins Bombshell

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On Wednesday night, news broke about a violent altercation that Jackson reportedly had in his younger years with another man that landed Jackson in trouble with the law. What was especially troubling, however, was that police records at the time indicate that Jackson's romantic partner - whom he is still with - alleged he "pushed her around" during the incident:

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson’s longtime partner told an officer he “pushed her around” after Jackson broke down a door and punched a man at a Fort Kent home in 1988, according to a police report obtained exclusively by the Bangor Daily News.

Jackson, who was 19 at the time, does not dispute the assault of the man, a misdemeanor charge resolved by a fine. But Lana Pelletier, who has been in a relationship with Jackson for roughly 40 years, says she has no memory of making the statement attributed to her by police and denied he pushed her. In a statement, Jackson denied he had ever been violent with her.

According to the Bangor Daily News, the police report and witness/victim statement from the time paint a picture of a man (Jackson) who seemed to be in the midst of a jealous rage, visiting a home in the early hours of the morning, allegedly kicking the door down, pushing past a man who tried to restrain him, grabbing another man by the throat, and punching him. Here's what allegedly happened next:

The victim grabbed Jackson and held him by one arm and his throat until one of Jackson’s friends got between the two men, the victim said. Jackson told the man to “stay away from Lana Pelletier or else,” the victim’s statement said.

Pelletier, who is called Jackson’s ex-girlfriend in the police report, allegedly told the responding officer that Jackson pushed her following the assault and that she planned to go to court to get “cease harassment papers” against him. But there is no record of Pelletier ever doing so, and she denied telling police those things in a statement released by Jackson’s campaign.

The story also noted that "Jackson had been involved in other 'incidents' in Fort Kent but had never been previously charged, the officer wrote in his report."

Can you say "Platner vibes"? Yeah.

Wow - newly surfaced reports detail an incident in which Maine Democrat Senate Candidate Troy Jackson physically attacked his partner (also his cousin who he has 2 children with) and she was so scared she told police she planned to file “cease harassment papers.”

Platner vibes. pic.twitter.com/YPDrH1ocT7

— Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) August 13, 2026

For anyone thinking "well, that was probably just him being young and hot-headed," let's also not forget the far more recent reports that Jackson's temper while in the state senate was such a concern that the issue was elevated to the governor's office at one point, as detailed by The Washington Post:

Troy Jackson, a powerful Maine legislator now running for Senate, once angrily threw a water bottle in a meeting after he couldn’t persuade a lawmaker to vote his way.

He yelled at another lawmaker, prompting her to post on social media that straight men were “too emotional” to be in politics. And he cursed and shouted in a meeting with the speaker of Maine’s state House, until she kicked him out of her office.

During the six years Jackson presided over Maine’s Senate, until he left office in 2024, his temper was a feature of his leadership, and one that Democratic lawmakers discussed among themselves as a problem and even raised with the governor.

This follows reports that he once got so angry in a legislative meeting that he threw a water bottle and hit a female legislator.

Can Maine Democrats find a candidate who DOESN’T have a history of violently abusing women? https://t.co/2098T2wP2g

— Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) August 13, 2026

And just like with the myriad Platner scandals, one wonders what's going to drop next for Jackson? It will be interesting - and quite comical - to see what his newfound apologists supporters, including Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), have to say about all of this, and the excuses they are likely to come up with.

 

John Fetterman Just Made a Political Promise Democrats Are Not Going to Like

In a nice change of pace from the usual inter-party griping and sniping, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has paid the highest of compliments to his fellow Pennsylvanian, Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) – he won't campaign against McCormick if the Republican decides to run for reelection in 2030.

When asked by an interviewer this week if he would support or oppose his state colleague in future elections, Fetterman responded, “Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend,” and called McCormick a “great guy.” 

Fetterman refused to answer whether or not he'd go as far as endorsing his friend or campaigning for him.

NEW: Fetterman pledges not to campaign against Republican Dave McCormick

“I would never, ever move against my friend,” Fetterman told me in an interview.

It’s not clear whether Fetterman will still be in politics in 2030, when McCormick’s seat opens up, but his promise is super unusual from a member of the opposite party and one of the clearest signs of his political alliance with McCormick yet.

His comments follow the two senators standing up a joint fundraising committee last month.

As is noted above, the two took the unusual step of organizing a joint fundraising committee to capitalize on donors who want to support both senators. 

The new political action committee, called Common Ground PA, is accepting donations from those who want to support both purple state senators. 

“This group of donors value the collaboration exhibited by Senators McCormick and Fetterman for Pennsylvania and want to support both of them,” a spokesperson told The Center Square, a local outlet.

The relationship between the two men is a rare example of genuine bipartisan friendship in a town where crossing the aisle can sometimes be seen as a capital offense. 

 

This isn't your typical uniparty stuff, and the duo proved it after they salvaged the colossal unforced error made earlier this summer by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D). In a petty, politically-motivated move, Shapiro refused to set up a display in the Pennsylvania pavilion at the Great American State Fair that was held on the National Mall in DC as part of the America 250 celebrations.

When Sens. Fetterman and McCormick heard that visitors were being met with an empty room instead of the best of the Keystone State, they joined forces and made sure Pennsylvania got the showcase it deserved – and Shapiro had refused to provide.

And that episode probably tells you more about their relationship than anything else. Fetterman and McCormick disagree on plenty, but they have repeatedly shown they're willing to put Pennsylvania ahead of party politics.

That doesn't mean Fetterman is suddenly becoming a Republican, or that McCormick has gone squishy. It means two senators from opposite parties have managed to figure out something increasingly rare in Washington: you can fight over policy without treating the guy across the aisle like your mortal enemy.

Whether Fetterman will actually endorse McCormick four years from now is another question entirely. But promising not to help Democrats take him out? That'll do.

Fetterman is up for reelection in 2028, so now we need to know what role, if any, McCormick plans to play when the shoe is on the other foot.

 

Why a Reporter Felt Unsafe at a Seattle City Council Meeting

Brandi Kruse is one of the few conservative warriors on the ground in Seattle. She recently attended a city council meeting to decide whether to allocate $300,000 to transgender refugees — this is Seattle, are we shocked? It was another case of documenting leftist Gestapo tactics. 

Kruse captured it all on camera: anyone who opposed this measure was photographed by masked thugs and cursed at. The irony of the mask remains delicious. 

The Left wants to ban ICE agents from wearing them while doing their jobs because they’ll be doxxed and their families put at risk, and we have this lefty clown proving that point. Also, these leftist Stasi are donning them because they don’t want to be identified. It’s the height of hypocrisy. ICE is enforcing federal immigration law. These folks are compiling harassment lists or plotting domestic terrorism because the progressive left has gone insane. 

She added that it got to the point where she felt that the police needed to be contacted, as some folks who opposed the measure were essentially stalked while leaving the government building. Police and security provided an escort to their vehicles. Kruse added that the person masked up like an IRA member from the Troubles was mentally unstable. 

 

Here's the Tweet About the Wisconsin Primary That Will Likely Trigger Libs, but for Something Else

The Wisconsin primary is over. We can breathe a sigh of relief that Francesca Hong lost her gubernatorial bid, for sanity's sake. Politically, she was considered the weaker of the two, though who knows; there were tangible qualities that made her a little scary, like her ability to connect with Trump voters, so at the very least, we couldn’t overlook her. The polling, however, is another matter: it was off by double digits, again showing that surveys conducted in the dog days of summer are unreliable. 

Still, the election night shenanigans were something to behold, and we’re lucky that the race was called somewhat early given the debacles that ensued. First, multiple USB sticks had to be retabulated; a server went down in one county, and the delays caused NBC News to pretty much shut down their coverage because there was nothing to do. Steve Kornacki was beside himself. 

The point is that liberal voters in these deep-blue states want to abolish the Electoral College because they believe it’ll guarantee them the White House. Wrong — Trump won the popular vote in 2024. Second, they want the institution scrapped because the 2030 census is coming and Democrats are about to get a haircut, to the point where Republicans don’t need the blue wall to reach 270. 

Stephen Miller, aka RedSteeze, 

 

noted that Wisconsin’s election night circus is why the popular vote can never happen:

Besides the bluest states being unable to count their ballots in a timely manner, California being the worst offender, we have numerous electoral vulnerabilities. Forget China’s operations, which Trump exposed in July; the hacker who confessed to compromising some 630,000 voters from Arizona. We only know about this now because the Biden DOJ refused to file charges, despite this individual admitting to the crime. 

The good news is that abolishing the Electoral College is never going to happen, and if these same hiccups keep happening regarding counting ballots, it will remain buried six feet under. They keep killing their own arguments, especially on this issue, with their pervasive incompetence in counting votes.

 

Fmr Southern Poverty Law Center official indicted after being accused of routing donor funds to Neo-Nazi informant and romantic partner

In an escalation of a federal investigation into the far-left group Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), federal prosecutors in Montgomery, Alabama, have unsealed a superseding indictment charging former long-time SPLC executive Heidi Beirich with multiple federal conspiracy counts. 

Beirich, the former director of the civil rights organization’s Intelligence Project was taken into custody after surrendering to federal authorities. These charges are the first time an individual connected to the SPLC has been directly indicted in the Justice Department’s ongoing prosecution of the non-profit.

The indictment accuses Beirich and the SPLC of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to make false statements to federally insured banks and money laundering.

According to prosecutors, between 2007 and 2023, the organization secretly funneled at least $4.1 million in donor funds through fictitious entities and shell bank accounts to pay confidential informants — referred to in court documents as “field sources” — operating inside extremist and White supremacist groups.

Among these payments, prosecutors detail more than $1.2 million allegedly directed to a single informant, designated “F-9,” who infiltrated the neo-Nazi National Alliance.

Court documents further detail allegations surrounding the relationship between Beirich and informant F-9, claiming the two were romantically involved, lived together and shared joint bank accounts through which approximately $140,000 in donor money allegedly flowed for personal living expenses.

The indictment also claims Beirich had knowledge of a 2014 burglary in which F-9 broke into an extremist group’s headquarters to steal documents that were subsequently copied using donor funds and utilized in SPLC reporting, and that thousands of dollars were later paid to another source to falsely accept responsibility for the break-in.

The Justice Department contends that the secret financial network misled donors — who believed their financial contributions were being utilized to dismantle hate groups — while deceiving financial institutions about the true nature and destination of the funds.

Beirich’s attorney, Michael J. Proctor,

 

 stated that his “progressive” client is entirely innocent and that the charges are without merit, labeling the prosecution as a politically motivated attempt to target a prominent researcher who has dedicated decades to exposing White supremacy and extreme-right wing movements.

“Dr. Beirich is innocent, and this case is without merit,” her attorney said in a statement. “We believe the charges against her and the SPLC are politically motivated, and Dr. Beirich has been targeted in this case because of the important work she has done to combat hate groups and extremists.”

 

Mitch McConnell's Silence: Are His Aides Dismissing American Voters?

For weeks hardworking Americans have watched in frustration as Senator Mitch McConnell has been absent from public life while his own aides refuse to answer even basic questions about his condition. Multiple encounters — captured on video and shared widely — show McConnell staffers walking away or declining to respond when reporters press for clarity about the senator’s whereabouts and wellbeing. This is not privacy; it’s contempt wrapped in silence from people paid to serve the public.

The timeline is simple and stark: McConnell was hospitalized after a fall in mid‑June, a single photograph was released in mid‑July, and his office says he has not been medically cleared to return to Senate duties while he continues to work with staff behind the scenes. Constituents have every right to expect more than a drip of statements and a photo — elected officials must be accountable, not hidden.

Let’s be blunt: the behavior of these staffers — ignoring questions, walking away, stonewalling — reads like the arrogant dismissal of ordinary voters. Whether you support McConnell’s politics or not, a senator answering his constituents is a basic obligation of public service; when staff treat the public like an annoyance, trust in all of Washington erodes. The conservative movement should demand better from its own leaders and teams.

 

Even Democratic officials have been forced to call for transparency, with Kentucky’s governor publicly urging that McConnell either prove he is fit to serve or consider stepping aside for the good of the state. This isn’t partisan posturing; it’s about the simple duty of representation and ensuring Kentucky has a fully capable voice in the Senate. The failure to provide clear, timely information only fuels chaos and suspicion.

There are real, immediate consequences: Republicans’ razor‑thin margin in the Senate is complicated by prolonged absences, and every missed vote makes governing — and conservative goals — harder to achieve. The American people deserve a functioning Senate with leaders who face scrutiny rather than hide from it. Our caucus should stop tipping toeing around excuses and insist on accountability so conservative policies aren’t derailed by secrecy.

Finally, vague photo releases and ambiguous statements aren’t enough to satisfy citizens who send their taxes and trust to Washington. When “proof of life” is met with more silence and even skepticism that the public should accept at face value, it is conservative principle — not cynicism — to demand transparency, dignity, and clear leadership. Senator McConnell’s team can either restore confidence with candor, let him speak plainly to the people he serves, or make way for someone who will; hardworking Americans deserve no less.

 

Is $500 Million Valuation Just a Trendy Illusion for Unwell Media?

Alex Cooper’s media company, Unwell, just scored a headline-grabbing valuation of $500 million after an investment from WTSL — a staggering sum for a business built on a podcast and influencer culture. Forbes confirmed the figure and reported the deal on August 12, 2026, and Americans should ask whether the market is pricing real, durable value or just monetizing attention and trend-chasing.

Cooper didn’t spring up overnight; she built a massive audience with Call Her Daddy and then parlayed that reach into a broader media and lifestyle play, including lucrative distribution deals that transformed the podcast into a full-blown business platform. Forbes and other outlets have traced the money trail from exclusive streaming agreements to multi‑platform projects that helped make Unwell an investable asset.

The strategic investor here is WTSL, the firm led by veteran Hollywood executive Patrick Whitesell, 

 

which signals that old Hollywood money still wants a piece of the creator-economy pie and is willing to underwrite rapid scaling. Axios reported that WTSL’s backers and partners see room for Unwell to grow through acquisitions, events, and product lines — a bet on turning cultural influence into an institutional entertainment business.

 

None of this comes without controversy. A detailed Vanity Fair investigation raised questions about a toxic workplace culture and the outsized role of Cooper’s husband and business partner in running the company, which should make conservative voters skeptical of glossy valuations divorced from governance and accountability. Investors may write checks for growth, but the public deserves transparency about how these companies treat employees and handle internal problems.

From a conservative standpoint, the story is a familiar mix of free-market opportunity and cultural excess: entrepreneurs deserve to profit from building brands, but there’s nothing noble about valuations that reward celebrity and chaos over craftsmanship and steady enterprise. If private investors want to bankroll Gen Z lifestyle networks, that’s their right, but citizens and consumers should reserve respect for businesses that produce lasting goods and stable jobs, not just viral moments and PR stunts.

Hardworking Americans who actually make things and keep our economy humming should watch this deal closely. We can celebrate ingenuity and hustle without pretending every influencer empire is a pillar of the economy; prudence, scrutiny, and a demand for solid business fundamentals are the conservative remedies when headline valuations get ahead of substance.

 

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