Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet

Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP's Midterm Silver Bullet

Encouraging unmotivated Trump voters to cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm elections may be crucial for the Republican Party to maintain control of both chambers of Congress. Recentresearchfrom J.L. Partners —first reportedby Politico on Thursday — found that a large number of Americans who previously voted for President Donald Trump now feel unenthusiastic about voting Republican in 2026. Some analysts told the Daily Caller News Foundation that whether the GOP is able to motivate large voter turnout among low-propensity voters in the upcoming midterms could determine the balance of power in Congress in 2026. "Republicans will have a hard time surviving the 2026 midterms without figuring out how to engage the low-propensity Trump voter," Sam Kay, a pollster at OnMessage Inc., a Republican consulting firm, told the DCNF. "We've seen that these voters are largely apathetic toward politicians who aren't Donald Trump. They believe he's the only one willing to take on the Washington establishment, so they're only interested in showing up for him." "If we want low-propensity Trump voters to turn out in 2026, we need to make this election about protecting President Trump's agenda," Kay added. "Emphasize that the Democrats will do anything to stop him, and drive home the message that he can't finish the job he started unless Republicans keep both the House and Senate."(RELATED: 'Hang It Around Their Neck' — Against Long Odds, GOP Operatives Have A Plan To Win In 2026) US President Donald Trump and US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Republican from Louisiana, speak to the press as he arrives for a House GOP Conference Meeting at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on May 20, 2025. (Photo by ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) James Johnson, pollster and co-founder of J.L. Partners, told Politico on Thursday that he believes some Americans may view voting Republican in the 2026 midterms as a way to increase the GOP's chances of winning in the 2028 presidential election. "Most (64%) would still vote GOP if the election were held tomorrow, but lack a clear reason to do so," Johnson told Politico. "We believe they are the critical difference that will settle the House and Senate." "Compared to overall Trump voters, these voters skew younger (18–29) and [are] more likely to be black," Johnson told the outlet. "What motivates these voters is not arguments about Trump, judicial appointments or even the 2027-9 agenda. It is instead the argument that by voting for a Republican-controlled Congress in 2026, they will help the Republicans win the presidency in 2028 … They are thinking through a presidential election prism." The Democratic Party notably suffered significant losses in the 2024 election cycle, with Trump sweeping all seven swing states and the vast majority of counties in the U.S.shiftingto the right. "Pairing the midterm history with the demographic changes in the electorate presents a challenge for Republicans in the context of elections this year and next year, so of course Republicans will want to motivate their electorate as best that they can next year. That's easier said than done," Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the University of Virginia Center for Politics' nonpartisan newsletter on American campaigns and elections, told the DCNF. Kondik said he believes the 2026 midterm elections should be viewed separately from the2028presidential election, citing the fact that presidential elections historically have higher voter turnout than midterms. "Midterms should be considered separately from presidential elections," Kondik told the DCNF. "The president is not on the midterm ballot and the presidential contest has larger turnout, and midterms don't necessarily predict presidential outcomes. Democrats, for instance, got blown out in the 2010 midterm, but that didn't prevent Obama from winning reelection in 2012. Republicans were on the wrong side of both the 2018 and 2020 elections, but they were clearly more competitive in 2020 than they were in 2018. Even if Republicans do very poorly in 2026, it doesn't necessarily mean anything for 2028, and there are plenty of voters who won't show up in 2026 but will in 2028." "Midterm turnout is always lower than presidential turnout, and it's common for the midterm electorate to be more open to the non-presidential party than the previous cycle's presidential electorate was," Kondik said. "In the Trump era, there also has been a demographic tradeoff occurring, in which Democrats have picked up a smaller number of white college-educated voters from the Republicans while Republicans have picked up a larger number of white and nonwhite working class voters from the Democrats." WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 24: The U.S. Capitol Dome is seen as House Republicans continue to search for a Speaker of the House in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on October 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) "That has made the Republican coalition larger than it was before Trump, but the voters that Republicans have lost — specifically white college-educated voters — are generally more reliable voters in off-years, which may give Democrats a bit of an edge in lower-turnout elections, and every election is lower turnout than a presidential election," Kondik added. Republicans currently have aneight-seatmajority in the House, including vacancies caused by the recent deaths ofthreeHouse Democrats. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in Aprilreleaseda list of 35 "competitive" Republican-held seats it said will determine the House majority, including several congressional districts that Trump won by double digits in the 2024 presidential election. Similarly, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in Marchpublisheda list of 26 Democratic-held seats they view as potential key pickup opportunities for House Republicans to expand their narrow majority. The Democratic Party is also aiming to regain control of the Senate and House in 2026. Though, some Democratic lawmakers have recentlyexpresseddoubtthat their party will be able to retake the Senate in the next midterm election cycle. A spate of recentsurveyshave shown that Americans view Republicans more favorably than Democrats. An Economist/YouGovpollconducted in May found that 41% of Americans viewed Republicans favorably, while just 36% of respondents said they held a favorable view of Democrats. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter's byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

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May 31, 2025

Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet

Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP's Midterm Silver Bullet Encouraging unmotivated Trump voters to cast their ballots in ...

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Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs

Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs

President Donald Trump at the U.S. Steel Corporation—Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Penn., on Friday, May 30, 2025. Credit - Rebecca Droke—Getty Images President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he plans to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum—increasing the charge from 25% to 50%. The tariff escalation comes at a precarious time, asTrump's "reciprocal" tariffsare immersed inlegal trouble at the court leveland manyU.S. businessesare struggling to contend with the back-and-forth nature of the levies. Trump's announcement also coincides with the "blockbuster" agreement between U.S. Steel and Japanese steel company Nippon, a deal which he promised will include no layoffs and the steelmaker will be "controlled by the USA." The steepened tariffs could potentially further escalate tensions between the U.S. and its previous top steel partners, which include Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, and Vietnam. As theU.S.' number one steel importer, Canada—with whom the U.S. has already escalated tensions due to Trump's other tariffs—stands to feel the pressure of this latest move. Here's what to know about Trump's doubled tariffs and what experts have to say about it. Trump announced his decision during a rally at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant near Pittsburgh in West Mifflin, Penn., surrounded by hardhat-donned steel workers. "We're going to bring it from 25% percent to 50%—the tariffs on steel into the United States of America—which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States," Trump told the crowd, offering his reasoning that the increased charges will ultimately help the domestic industry. "Nobody's going to get around that." He later posted about his decision on social media, revealing that the tariffs would also be raised for aluminum."Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before," Trumpwrote on Truth Social. "This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers." In Trump's announcement post on Truth Social, he said that the doubled tariffs would come into effect on Wednesday, June 4. Although it's worth noting that other tariff threats—such as the proposed50% charge on the E.U.and the majority of Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs that he announced on April 2—have been temporarily paused to allow time for negotiations. It remains to be seen if an extension will be granted for this new June 4 date. The back-and-forth on tariff dates and rates has left many businesses in limbo, though Felix Tintelnot, professor of economics at Duke University, says that with steel and aluminum, the Administration has generally followed through on the timings they've announced. The question, he says, is how long the 50% will stand, as he's seen the rates "flip-flopping all the time." Tintelnot argues that the resulting uncertainty is causing real harm to U.S. businesses and thus, in turn, impacting workers, despite Trump's claims that the tariffs will bring large amounts of money to the U.S. steel industry. "We're talking about expansion of capacity of heavy industry that comes with significant upfront investments, and no business leader should take heavy upfront investments if they don't believe that the same policy is there two, three, or four years from now," Tintelnot says. "Regardless of whether you're in favor [of] or against these tariffs, you don't want the President to just set tax rates arbitrarily, sort of by Executive Order all the time." Though Tintelnot agrees that the escalated tariffs should help the domestic steel industry, he says it will be coinciding with struggles in other U.S. industries as a result of the increase. "So, this is expected to raise the price of aluminum, which is important in inputs for downstream industries like the automotive industry, as well as construction, so there's sort of a distributional conflict here," Tintelnot warns. "Yes, it does help the domestic steel sector, but [it's] hurting these other sectors of the economy, and they are already hard hit by other tariffs." The USW (Unity and Strength for Workers, most commonly referred to as United Steelworkers)—a trade union of steelworkers across North America— saidin a statementthat the increase will have a negative impact on Canada's industries and jobs. "This isn't trade policy—it's a direct attack on Canadian industries and workers," said Marty Warren, United Steelworkers national director for Canada. "Thousands of Canadian jobs are on the line and communities that rely on steel and aluminum are being put at risk. Canada needs to respond immediately and decisively to defend workers." Meanwhile, Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress,said that the planto double tariffs is a "direct attack on Canadian workers and a reckless move" and warned that it "could shut Canadian steel and aluminum out of the U.S. market entirely and put thousands of good union jobs at risk." Speaking about the tariffs overall, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carneysaid on Fridaythat he intends to jumpstart and fast track national building projects throughout the country to respond to Trump's trade war, "ensuring that the Canadian government becomes a catalyst for, not an impediment to, nation-building projects that will supercharge growth in communities, both large and small." Other international lawmakers, meanwhile, have voiced their disapproval of Trump's tariffs escalations. Australia's Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, saidthat Trump's doubled charges were "unjustified and not the act of a friend." Contact usatletters@time.com.

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May 31, 2025

Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs

Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs President Donald Trump at the U.S. Steel Corporation—Irvin Works in West Mifflin,...

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Democrats ponder the 'manosphere'

Democrats ponder the 'manosphere'

Democrats know they have a problem with men, particularly the young men who have drifted away from them in recent years. But six months after the gender gap contributed to the party's disappointing showing in last year's election, top Democrats are still throwing spaghetti at the wall, lacking a unified theory on how to win these voters back. Some are trying to break into the culturally conservative podcasts that have thrived at building big audiences of Gen Z men. Some are ceding ground on issues Democrats have long seen as sacred in the culture war, while others insist that the party's current message will work. Some are pitching grand plans aboutfunding a new influencer ecosystemthat subtly boosts the left. At the center of all of this is an acknowledgement that public opinion on the Democratic Party hasdipped to an all-time low, men are souring on the party especially quickly, and losing ground with about half the voting population isn't a recipe for success. It's weighing heavily on the minds of Democrats while making Republicans giddy: On Friday, President Donald Trump needled Democrats for wanting to "spend money to learn how to talk" to men. Jeff Horwitt, a Democratic pollster with Hart Research Associates (who conducts the NBC News poll with a Republican counterpart), told NBC News that a look at recent presidential exit poll results shows that "when Democrats do well broadly with men, they are competitive. When Democrats are not competitive with men, Democrats lose." And while Horwitt doesn't believe Republicans "have a lock on young men," the GOP spoke to their economic anxiety in 2024 in a way that loomed large in 2024. "There was one party that was really addressing that and feeding that anger — I would argue in an unproductive but, unfortunately, ultimately more compelling way," Horwitt said, "while the Democratic Party was focusing more on other issues and not addressing some of the uncomfortable reality of what was going on." Much of the attention of Democrats in the aftermath of the 2024 election has centered on young men. While younger voters lean more liberal, the recentNBC News Stay Tuned Pollpowered by SurveyMonkey found the largest gender gap of any generation was among Gen Z, with the largest gaps in that cohort on Trump's approval rating and key cultural issues. The poll also included one potential partial explanation for why: differences in how men and women consume news. Younger women were more likely to turn to TikTok. Younger men were more likely to say YouTube and X were their favorite news sources. The YouTube, social media and podcasting universe exploding in popularity with young men has been nicknamed the "manosphere" — a spectrum of podcasts hosted by men that generally cover sports, internet culture, dating and sometimes politics. "The Joe Rogan Experience" has become the exemplar of the genre. The freewheeling three-hour podcast features interviews with a variety of guests. It doesn't structure the unscripted conversations around politics, even if an often right-leaning worldview sometimes colors the conversation. Other shows in this space also garner hundreds of thousands to millions of views per episode, ranging from shows focused on comedy (like the "Flagrant" podcast hosted by comedians Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh and "This Past Weekend" hosted by comedian Theo Von) to shows focused on military veterans and strength (like the "Shawn Ryan Show") to those focused on sports (like Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take"). The lengthy-yet-revealing Rogan-style interviews are a popular feature on these shows, often covering new ground about a celebrity or a taboo topic. Some of these podcasts have also faced accusations of misogyny and racism, while other, more controversial figures on the fringes of the "manosphere" have been accused of sexual harassment or rape. Jackson Katz, a gender violence prevention activist and educator and co-founder of the Young Men Research Initiative, said that young men aren't necessarily drawn to the podcasts because of their perceived politics, but for the other topics they discuss. "They don't see themselves as political actors, if you will. A lot of these hosts, they see themselves as … guys just hanging out with the guys, you know, talking about sports, talking about relationships, talking about working out, eating, eating healthy, you know, things like that, and throwing in some politics," Katz told NBC News. Engaging on these platforms was part of the Trump campaign's strategy last year, with Trump appearing on more than a dozen "manosphere" podcasts during his 2024 campaign. His October appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience" alone generated almost 60 million views. Trump and his closest allies have also flirted with the darker corners of the "manosphere." Trump appeared on a livestream withcontroversial influencer Adin Ross. Trump's two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, spoke on social mediawith Andrew TateandRussell Brand, respectively, in 2024. At that time, Tate had been charged with human trafficking in Romania and Brand had been facingallegations of sexual assaultfor which he has since beencharged. Both men deny the allegations against them. Trump talked not only about politics but also about football, drugs, aliens and UFOs on the shows — conversations Katz said were "about proving that he could be relatable and could hang with the guys." And the conversations reverberated across social media, reaching a wider audience than just regular listeners. Trumpthanked some of those podcasts and hosts by nameduring his victory speech. Some Democratswere quick to blameVice President Kamala Harris' comparative lack of appearances on podcasts and unscripted platforms as part of the reason why she lost, and some have argued that engaging on these platforms is part of the pathway back. "A lot of young men were attracted to spaces that weren't as buttoned up, were more free-flowing and open to unstructured conversations," Rotimi Adeoye, a political writer and Democratic strategist who used to work on Capitol Hill and for the ACLU, told NBC News. "People like Theo Von and Joe Rogan came up through a culture that prioritizes detours over script and emotional honesty over polish. But Democrats have, at times, leaned on polish because it does well with constituencies like college-educated liberals," Adeoye continued. It's one reason why a flood of Democrats are starting their own podcasts or are putting themselves through the wringer in hour-plus interviews with these popular personalities. But even those conversations illustrate how the party is grappling with bigger questions on its communication and outreach strategies. One example is California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who started his own podcast in the wake of Democrats' loss in 2024. Newsom promised listeners that the show would feature conversations with "voices from across the political spectrum, including those I fundamentally disagree with." The deep divisions among Democrats about how to engage men, how to juggle that outreach with more controversial pieces of the "manosphere," and even the definition of masculinity itself were all on display during Newsom's recent chat with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — a discussion between two men weighing bids for higher office. Questioning Newsom's decision to invite Trump allies like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon onto his podcast, Walz told Newsom, "I can't message to misogynists." The 2024 vice presidential candidate later asked, "How do we push some of those guys back under a rock?" Newsom replied that he wants to "understand what their motivations are" and pushed back on the idea they were solely motivated by racism and misogyny, calling back to earlier in the podcast when he told Walz that "not everybody that disagrees with us is a misogynist." "I think there's a lot of that, but I don't think it's exclusively that," Newsom said, adding that Bannon's talk about the working class reminds him of his grandfather. Shortly before that exchange, Walz lamented how during his time on the 2024 presidential ticket, conservative media would do segments like one that mocked him for drinking a milkshake with a straw. "How do you fight it? I think I can kick most of their ass[es]. I do think that, if they want to, I know I can outrun them," Walz said shortly afterward, questioning the wisdom of getting into a "WWE fight" with conservatives. Walz, a Midwestern governor who was tapped for the presidential ticket after gaining prominence among Democrats for his straight talk on the stump, did make attempts to reach out to men during the campaign. He appeared at the national convention with his former football team, he played Madden on a Twitch stream and went hunting with influencers as part ofa charm offensive toward men. But during a recent interview with the Harvard University Institute of Politics, he admitted the efforts came up short, even as he said a lesson from Trump's win is "if you leave a void, Donald Trump will fill it." "I also was on the ticket, quite honestly, because I could code talk to white guys watching football, fixing their truck, doing that, that I could put them at ease. I was the permission structure to say: Look, you can do this and vote for this. And you look across those swing states, with the exception of Minnesota, we didn't get enough of those votes," he said. Katz, the researcher who also appeared on a later episode of Newsom's podcast, told NBC News he understood Walz' hesitance to appear on "manosphere" podcasts, but he argued Democrats should be entering these spaces. "I think some Democrats have been reluctant, because you can't control the message coming from the other side. In other words, you don't know what the podcasters are going to say," Katz said. "They might say things that wouldn't pass muster on the ... progressive, liberal side of the house. But if you want to engage people, you have to engage people, and you have to have dialogue with people." "If we truly believe our own ideas, why are we afraid to be challenged on them?" he added. Some prominent politicians are already bringing their message to these spaces, like former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who each recently appeared on "Flagrant," which Trump also joined last year. While the 83-year-old Sanders, a two-time runner-up for the Democratic presidential nomination, isn't likely to run for the White House again, the 43-year-old Buttigieg is clearly eyeing higher office. Buttigieg and Sanders embraced the wide-ranging, off-the-cuff nature of "Flagrant," with Buttigieg sharing his opinions about the finale of HBO's "White Lotus" and discussing his journey toward coming out as gay, while Sanders mused about his childhood love of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Both politicians offered sharp critiques of Trump but also of the Democratic Party, with Sanders drawing the ire of some Democrats for agreeing with the hosts when they argued the Democratic Party hasn't run a "fair primary" since 2008. Buttigieg lamented Democrats' reticence to appear on podcasts and other nontraditional forms of media, arguing Democrats have rested on their laurels after being early adopters of social media. "We have to be encountering people who don't think like us and don't view the world the way we do, both in order to actually legitimately become smarter and better and make better choices and have better positions, and just in order to persuade. There's no persuasion now, or there's not enough persuasion," he added. While Buttigieg and Sanders recently traveled to appear on one of the more popular shows in this space, some want Democrats to bankroll their own media ecosystem. They hope to poach male listeners and viewers from these podcasts and build their own space that's friendlier to liberal voices and perspectives while maintaining some of the trappings and attraction of shows like Rogan's. The New York Timesrecently reported on one such pitch, a $20 million plan called "Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan" that aims to "study the syntax, language and content that gains attention and virality in these spaces." Adeoye, the Democratic strategist, said he fears Democratic donors trying to take their ball and go home won't ultimately be successful because that lacks the authenticity that drew men to these spaces in the first place. "They have good intentions, but if they just want to throw money at the problem and create new podcasts instead of engaging with people where they already exist, they are breaking the core rule of politics: meeting people where they are," Adeoye said.

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May 31, 2025

Democrats ponder the 'manosphere'

Democrats ponder the 'manosphere' Democrats know they have a problem with men, particularly the young men who have drifted away from...

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Hegseth gutted Pentagon office that said it would oversee testing of Golden Dome missile defense system

Hegseth gutted Pentagon office that said it would oversee testing of Golden Dome missile defense system

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the gutting of a Pentagon office shortly after it disclosed that it would be overseeing the testing of PresidentDonald Trump'sGolden Domemissile defense system and the programs associated with the massive, multi-billion dollar project, multiple officials familiar with the matter told CNN. At the end of April, the little known Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation drafted and disseminated a memo to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and other DoD offices that put Golden Dome on its oversight list, in line withDoD instructionsandlaws requiringthat a major defense acquisition program be tested before being fielded, the officials said. Days later,Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency asked the office for a meeting. Musk's company, SpaceX, is among the companies vying for a role in developing Golden Dome. DOGE representatives asked DOT&E officials more about what they did and their plans for this year, officials said, and seemed surprised that much of the office's work was required by law. But there were no outward signs that the office was on the chopping block. On Wednesday, though, DOT&E employees were abruptly summoned to a meeting at the Pentagon and told that the office would be cut to just 30 people, down from over 100, the officials told CNN. Contractors would also no longer be assigned to support the office, per the new guidance. A defense official told CNN that they believe the administration was concerned about DOT&E conducting independent oversight of Golden Dome, and the problems it might uncover in the process. "This administration only wants wins. They don't want bad news and they're getting bad news on all sorts of fronts," the official said. "DOT&E is an honest broker of information. We report the truth and that's all we do." Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement on Thursday that he is concerned that the move to gut the office "appears retaliatory, driven by Mr. Hegseth's opposition to some of DOT&E's recent, legally required oversight decisions." "With staffing reduced to a skeleton crew and limited contractor backing, DOT&E may be unable to provide adequate oversight for critical military programs, risking operational readiness and taxpayer dollars," Reed said, calling the decision "politically motivated interference." Asked for comment, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told CNN, "The Department's reorganization of the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation will return DOT&E to its statutory intent as an oversight body and eliminate duplicative efforts. This decision has nothing to do with Golden Dome and everything to do with rooting out redundancies." But officials CNN spoke to argued that DOT&E is not redundant—rather, it has a unique position as an independent auditor of equipment and systems used by all of the services across the military. It also does not have an enforcement mechanism and is not legally able to shut anything down if it uncovers problems when testing and evaluating various systems. Trumpformally announcedthe plans for the project last week, and $25 billion has already been carved out in next year's defense budget for Golden Dome. But the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the US may have to spend more than $500 billion – over the course of 20 years – to develop a layered missile defense system of the size and scale Trump has demanded. The system will likely encompass over 100 separate programs and require establishing a large, interconnected network of government agencies and private contractors. Defense officials and industry executives largely agree that it will take years before a system like Golden Dome is fully operational, CNN has reported. But the Trump administration is already on the clock to prove that the concept can work in order to justify the future funding for the project. In a videoposted to Xon Wednesday, Hegseth said the office was restructured to allow the services to "go faster with the capabilities that they need." Another defense official said DOT&E had no intention of slowing down the project. But they did want to ensure it worked properly, and that it would be survivable and lethal against realistic threats. "It's much cheaper and faster to find out problems quickly and get data as early as possible so we can determine whether the program is going to be effective," the official said. The first official said that the massive reduction in staff and the fact that contractors will no longer be assigned to DOT&E will lead to some programs dropping off the office's radar and getting no scrutiny at all. "It's concerning that there will be certain programs out there with potentially a lot of money being spent," this official said. "And we'll have no idea if it's being tested properly." CNN's Zachary Cohen contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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May 31, 2025

Hegseth gutted Pentagon office that said it would oversee testing of Golden Dome missile defense system

Hegseth gutted Pentagon office that said it would oversee testing of Golden Dome missile defense system Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth or...

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Joe Biden strikes optimistic tone about cancer diagnosis: ‘We’re going to be able to beat this’

Joe Biden strikes optimistic tone about cancer diagnosis: 'We're going to be able to beat this'

Former President Joe Biden struck an optimistic tone when discussing his cancer diagnosis for the first time Friday, saying, "We're going to be able to beat this." Biden, 82, revealed he has started treatment in the form of a pill to treat an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. "Well, the prognosis is good you know, we're working on everything, it's moving along. I feel good," Biden said in an exchange with CNN and other reporters after speaking at a Memorial Day service in New Castle, Delaware. "All the folks are optimistic." Biden said he is taking a pill for the next six weeks before beginning another pill regimen. He noted he is being treated by a leading surgeon who was diagnosed with the same type of cancer three decades ago. CNN has asked Biden's office for more details about the type of pill he is taking for treatment. "The expectation is we're going to be able to beat this," he said. "It's not in any organ, it's in – my bones are strong, it hadn't penetrated. So, I'm feeling good." Biden's comments mark the first time he's publicly spoken about the cancer diagnosis he received two weeks ago. It also comes as he and his aides have faced renewed scrutiny as a new book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson detailed signs of mental and physical decline during his final year in office. "You can see that. I'm mentally incompetent and I can't walk," Biden joked, adding he could "beat the hell out of both of them" — an apparent reference to the authors. When asked about Democrats questioning whether he should have run for reelection in the first place, Biden said, "Why didn't they run against me then? Because I would have beaten them." "I don't have any regrets," he added. "There's a lot going on. And I think we're in a really difficult moment, not only in American history, in world history. I think we're at one of those inflection points in history where the decisions we make in the next little bit are going to determine what things look like for the next 20 years." "I've been talking like that for a long time, and I'm very proud. I'd put my record as president against any president at all," he added. The comments came after Biden delivered remarks at a Memorial Day service in New Castle, Delaware, where he offered a spirited defense of democracy and the country's founding ideals, saying that "every generation has to fight to maintain that democracy." The event coincided with the ten-year anniversary of his son Beau Biden, a former Delaware attorney general and member of the Delaware National Guard, passing away from glioblastoma. "I know for many of you, Memorial Day, like for us, is deeply personal. For the Bidens, this day is the 10th anniversary of the loss of my son Beau, who spent a year in Iraq. And to be honest, it's a hard day," Biden said. "Being with all of you, quite frankly, makes things a little bit easier. It really does. So, thank you for allowing me to grieve with you." Biden was joined at the event by Beau's son Hunter, and the Biden family attended a private mass together on Friday morning to mark Beau's passing. The former president offered a tribute to service members and warned against political interference with the military. "My friends, Memorial Day is about something profound – our politics have become so divided and so biter, all of the years I've been doing this, I never thought we'd get to this point. But we are." he said. "Our troops don't wear a uniform that says I'm a Democrat, or I'm a Republican – it says, I'm an American." Biden then urged the audience to "renew our pledge to honor our heroes" and defend the country's democratic ideals. "Folks, you know, for generation after generation, that profound idea has been defended by ordinary citizens who stepped up and answered the call," Biden said. "Because of them, American democracy has endured for nearly 250 years. Every generation – every generation – every generation – has to fight to maintain that democracy. Every time, every generation. Because of them, our government is still of the people, by the people, and for the people. They – they are we. And we are still free. And now, we must make sure that sacrifice has never been in vain." He continued, "Let me close with this: the women and men we honor today, that are no longer with us. But you can still hear their echoes." "They're not asking us to risk our lives, they're asking us to stay true to what America stands for. They're not asking us to do their jobs – they're asking us to do our jobs, to protect our nation, in our time, now. To defend democracy. Be a part of something bigger than ourselves. So today, let's renew our pledge to honor our heroes," the former president said. Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Rep. Sarah McBride, Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay, and former Sen. Tom Carper also spoke at the event Friday. While this marked the first time Biden spoke publicly since the cancer diagnosis, he was spotted by travelers at an airport in Connecticut last Friday when he traveled to his grandson's high school graduation. Biden thanked those offering well wishes after his cancer diagnosis became public in apost on Xlast week. "Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places," Biden wrote. "Thank you for lifting us up with love and support." Asked for his response to those who have counted him out, Biden said, "Well, I say lots of luck in your senior year." This story has been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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May 31, 2025

Joe Biden strikes optimistic tone about cancer diagnosis: ‘We’re going to be able to beat this’

Joe Biden strikes optimistic tone about cancer diagnosis: 'We're going to be able to beat this' Former President Joe Biden struc...

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