Politics

GOP Gubernatorial nominee Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) joined Ryan Schmelz on LiveNOW from FOX to discuss the STARS Act. Donalds and other Florida lawmakers are pushing to have the new Space Academy placed in Florida.

President Trump announced Friday that he was banning CNN, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) and Politico from the White House, accusing the organizations of spreading "fake news" and "fiction and lies." Following the announcement, journalists and photographers from the three prominent news outlets were officially denied entry to the White House grounds on Saturday and had their press passes confiscated by security. In response, the affected media outlets issued statements strongly defending their First Amendment rights, calling the decision an unconstitutional and illegal assault on the free press, while vowing to fight the restriction. USA Today reporter BrieAnna Frank joins LiveNOW's Alexandra Goldberg to discuss. 

We are learning more this week after U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar of Florida launched a campaign ad aimed at President Donald Trump. The ad, coming ahead of the midterm elections, takes aim at the Trump admin’s strict enforcement of deportation policies. LiveNOW’s Andy Mac is learning more about the political ramifications that the GOP Representative might face as she opposes President Trump on one of his hallmark issues. 

We watched this Thursday as President Donald Trump welcomed more than 100 hunters, anglers, and outdoor industry leaders to dinner inside the White House Rose Garden. One main talking point from the night is Trump’s effort to reverse some Biden-era restrictions that had impacted hunters and fishermen over the past few years. He signed a pair of executive orders in the Oval Office ahead of his speech. These orders reportedly work to expand "America's public lands and waterways." 

We watched as President Donald Trump arrived in the Charlotte area on Wednesday afternoon ahead of a rally in Gaston County. Trump is in North Carolina to offer his support to Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley. Whatley previously said in a social media post that he is “thrilled” to welcome President Trump to his home state, adding, “President Trump needs an ally in the Senate and North Carolina needs a fighter. That’s why we will win on November 3!” 

President Trump spoke to reporters before boarding Air Force One en route back to Washington, D.C. from Ireland.

Wisconsin Congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany survived an emergency plane landing after the single-engine aircraft he was traveling in suddenly lost power. The pilot executed an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau Saturday night as they approached the Wausau Downtown Airport. Tiffany and pilot exited the plane once it began to submerge in the water, climbed on top to call 911 and then swam to safety. Both men were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. During an emotional press conference, Tiffany expressed gratitude to the pilot and first responders. He told reporters he will be back on the campaign trail Monday. 

The Trump administration is aggressively accelerating AI data center development on federal lands, prompting the Bureau of Land Management to identify potential sites. There are significant challenges to this though, with many remote locations lacking basic infrastructure, technical expertise deficits and severe staffing shortages. The Washington Sun's Eric Katz joins LiveNOW's Andy Mac to discuss his reporting on this effort.