Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage (L) and his Home Affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf (R) at the launch Monday of the party’s “Operation Fortress” policy to stop the influx of migrants to the country arriving on small boats by deploying the Royal Navy. Photo by Tolga Akmen/EPA
Aug. 3 (UPI) — Britain’s Reform U.K. party vowed Monday that if elected it would use the Royal Navy to turn back small boats bringing migrants across from France and Belgium, in what it said would be the largest military operation in the English Channel since World War II.
The policy launched at a news conference in London calls for the military to “intercept” the boats and return them to France or Belgium, with the party claiming “Operation Fortress” had the backing of former senior military brass and that it was in line with international law because its purpose was humanitarian.
Reform U.K. Home Affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf told the BBC that it would be possible for Britain to return the migrants without agreement from France, arguing that international law required they dealt with migrants on their territory and not let them continue onto Britain.
States are permitted to pull people from the sea but can only bring them to another country with the agreement of that country.
Yusuf acknowledged the move could spark a “diplomatic argument” between Paris and London.
Under agreements with the United Kingdom, authorities on the continent prevent thousands of migrants from setting sail for England, but those that do manage it are met by U.K. Border Force and Coast Guard vessels which take the migrants aboard and bring them ashore to ports in the south of England.
The announcement came hours after new Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed he would be “relentless” in combatting small boat crossings after some 60,000 migrants overwhelmed the border of the Spanish territory of Ceuta on the north African coast on Thursday and Friday.
Britain is separated from Ceuta by the channel, several European countries and more than a thousand miles, but Burnham said his concern was with “the broader issue of the Schengen [free travel] Area and our relationship with it,” saying he would seek regular dialogue with the European Union on the matter.
The Schengen Convention of 1990 abolished border controls across 29 mostly EU member European countries. Migrants arriving in Europe are supposed to be processed in the first safe country they reach but in practice they’re often allowed to move on, via several countries, to their desired destination. Migrants wanting to get to Britain end up in northern France, or the Belgian coast.
Burnham stressed that in order to defeat people trafficking gangs organizing the boat crossings refugees needed “safe routes” of reaching Britain. Currently, people must get to Britain before they can claim asylum, an almost impossible hurdle for nationals of countries from which most migrants hail without resorting to traffickers.
The number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats fell 43% in the first seven months of this year, compared with the same period in 2025, according to Home Office data. However, numbers have fallen in all of the past four years after peaking in 2022.
July 25 (UPI) — President Donald Trump‘s latest round of sweeping tariffs was hit with a lawsuit on Friday, just hours after going into effect.
Two small businesses challenged the newest levies, which apply 10% to 12.5% tariffs to more than 80 countries, justified under a provision to prevent goods made with forced labor from being imported.
The lawsuit was filed by a spice company in New York, Burlap and Barrel, and a California watch store, Collective Horology.
They are represented by the Liberty Justice Center, a legal nonprofit that won a Supreme Court case against the president’s previous round of tariffs.
Since the loss in court earlier this year, Trump has explored other legal authorities to support his tariffs and bypass congressional approval.
“Forced labor is morally indefensible, but an important objective does not give the government permission to ignore the law,” said Sara Albrecht, CEO of the Liberty Justice Center, in a statement. “The administration allowed one global tariff to expire and immediately replaced it with another under a different statute. Changing the statute doesn’t change the law. Every tariff authority has limits, and every administration must respect them.”
In the lawsuit, plaintiffs said the U.S. Trade Representative “failed to provide a reasoned, record-based explanation for its determinations.”
“This is the third time the administration has attempted to impose its global tariff policy without following the statutory limits,” said Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel and director of litigation at the Liberty Justice Center, in a statement.
“Section 301 is a targeted, country-specific and practice-specific remedial authority,” Schwab added. “It is not a freestanding authorization to tax substantially all imports from substantially all countries at preestablished rates.”
IF YOU are looking for your next hidden gem island to jet off to, then look no further.
Picture luscious green trees, pristine beaches and its currently 30C – well, you could experience this less than five hours from the UK.
Losinj is a small Croatian island that is connected to the mainland via a bridge from the neighbouring island of Cres.
The island is loved for its natural beauty, but historically, has also been loved for being a health resort.
By 1891, more than a million trees covered the island – a mix of Aleppo and Scot pines.
A year later, the island was declared a natural health resort thanks to the aromatic oils of the pine trees filling the air and producing a natural aerosol that when inhaled helped those with respiratory diseases.
Read more on travel inspo
Known as the ‘Island of Vitality’, Losinj today is still loved for its natural state but has also become popular for its pretty beaches with clear water.
Littered across the island are a number of picturesque towns and villages to visit.
The main hub is Mali Losinj, which is home to 19th century Captain’s Houses, as well as a natural harbour and a Museum of Croatian Apoxyomenos.
There’s also Sveti Jakov – a small fishing village home to around 70 people – with ancient olive groves as well as a sandy cove ideal for swimming.
One spot that is ideal for history lovers is Veli Losinj, where you’ll find the oldest settlement on the island.
This used to be the spot where Austro-Hungarian royalty used to stay, as a health retreat on the island, with palm trees, villas and its very own small fishing port.
Most of the island remains covered in trees making it the ideal hiking destination.
If you do head on a trek, beeline for Televin – a scenic viewpoint that overlooks the island and surrounding ocean.
According to one recent review, a round-trip trek to the viewpoint takes about five-and-a-half hours, though it isn’t too strenuous.
The viewpoint can also be reached via car, along a road.
There are a number of places to stay across the island including Vitality Hotel Punda, which costs from £75 per night.
The hotel sits near the coast and boasts its own gardens as well as three restaurants, five bars, a rocky swimming area, outdoor pools, an indoor pool and a spa.
It is also only three miles from Mali Losinj ferry terminal, where you can hop on a ferry to Zadar (which is the easiest point to access the island from).
One-way flights to Zadar cost from £19 per person, in August.
The journey to Losinj then usually takes about two hours.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin won a spirited recruiting battle for one of the top European prospects, landing wing player Nikola Kusturica on Thursday.
Kentucky, Michigan and Gonzaga had courted Kusturica, a 6-foot-9 Serbian who is among the top 17-year-old players in Europe. Recruiting websites listed Kusturica as a five-star prospect, and college basketball analysts at Field of 64 and other outlets project Kusturica could be a top-five 2028 NBA draft pick.
UCLA announced it received a signed grant-in-aid agreement from Kusturica, who will join the Bruins for the upcoming season.
He adds to a freshman class that already included three-star center Javonte Floyd from Cedar Grove High in Atlanta and four-star forward Joe Philon III from Montverde Academy in Tampa, Fla. — both of whom signed in April and enrolled in summer classes — and Gunars Grinvalds of Latvia, a former Real Madrid forward who committed to the Bruins on June 5.
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝!
The Bruins have signed incoming freshmen Gunārs Grīnvalds and Nikola Kusturica – from Latvia and Serbia, respectively. The duo will join UCLA as freshmen in 2026-27.
𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒: https://t.co/qnYFY4ea9Q pic.twitter.com/YRqycCfBFJ
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) July 9, 2026
“We are very excited to add Nikola to our program,” Cronin said. “Nikola is an elite prospect with great size, skill and a competitive fire which is hard to find. As a 6-foot-9 guard, he can play all over the floor. He impacts the game as a scorer, playmaker and shot blocker. For a very young player, Nik has had a decorated career with the Serbian national team and his club team in Barcelona. UCLA appreciates the support of his international team and his club for their cooperation and development of Nikola.”
Kusturica is expected to arrive in Westwood early next month and join team workouts that began on Thursday and continue for eight weeks.
Kusturica signed with FC Barcelona’s youth team in 2023 and became the youngest athlete to play in the Spanish club’s program. He helped FC Barcelona win the U18 Adidas Next Generation Tournament championship in May, averaging 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in six games and collecting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the finals against Real Madrid.
This month, Kusturica averaged a team-leading 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in seven games for Serbia at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey, shooting 46.8% from the field and 72.9% from the free-throw line, including a team-high 37 points in Serbia’s loss to the U.S. in Sunday’s gold-medal game.
He was named the tournament’s best defensive player and earned all-star honors after leading his team with 16 steals and 12 blocks.
Competing in Spain’s U22 league during the 2025-26 season, Kusturica averaged 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 19 games and scored in double digits 16 times.
Last year, Kusturica was named the most valuable player of the FIBA U16 EuroBasket tournament in Tbilisi, Georgia, after averaging 20 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
He led Serbia to its first U16 EuroBasket title since 2007, contributing 18 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and five steals in a 99-86 victory over Lithuania in the finals.
One person clearly influential in UCLA’s recruitment was Yogi Jovanovic, UCLA’s director of international recruiting and an assistant coach. Like Kusturica, Jovanovic is Serbian and has been coach of the country’s U20 national team and is on track to be an assistant coach for Serbia’s Olympic team during the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Grinvalds also signed a grant-in-aid agreement. The 6-7 forward competed for Real Madrid in Spain’s Liga ACB.
Two months ago at the U18 Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Greece, the 18-year-old averaged 12 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in six games with Real Madrid.
“Gunars can really shoot the ball at an elite level,” Cronin said. “We like that he has good size at his position. Gunars is interested in his development and continued improvement as a player. We believe he is a great fit here at UCLA as he’s an excellent student and a very hard worker.”
Brandon Bell/Getty Images News
The stocks with the highest short interest are concentrated in micro- and small-cap consumer-facing names, particularly within personal care products and packaged foods and agricultural companies dominating bearish positioning.
Among the most shorted stocks, Ridgetech (RDGT) leads with
VENEZUELA Fury looked unimpressed when her new husband Noah Price criticised her family for buying them such a “small house”.
The eldest daughter of Tyson Fury, 37, has moved into a static home which her boxer dad bought for her and Noah, 19, after they tied the knot last month.
Since moving into their first home as a married couple, Venezuela, 16, has been sharing videos of their life living there.
In the influencer’s latest TikTok, she posted a clip of her new husband Noah complaining about how small their static house is.
Noah can be heard laughing, as he says: “Why did you (Tyson) get me such a tiny house, oh cause you (Tyson) bought it!”
Venezuela can then be seen looking unimpressed at her husband’s comment about the size of their home that her dad had paid for.
At 42ft long and 14ft wide, the static home spans 588 square feet – roughly the same size as a large London studio flat.
The Sun revealed how generous Tyson and wife Paris Fury, 36, splashed out on the £46,995 static home as a wedding gift for them.
They also gave them a nice little nest egg of £5M, to get them started out, as well as paying for their lavish wedding.
Meanwhile, the new couple have found their marriage has been lucrative so far for them.
Fans can’t get enough of their TikTok videos, where they share their daily life in their static home.
Venezuela and Noah have become so popular that The Sun recently reported how they are in talks to star in their own fly-on-the-wall show.
A TV insider said: “The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
“People are genuinely intrigued by them.
“Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor’.
“Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating.”
Netflix is likely to win any bidding war for the show, as the streamer already has a working relationship with the Fury family.
Their series, At Home With The Furys, became an instant hit when it dropped in 2023 and filming is already under way on a third series, which is due later this year.
All Creatures Great and Small will return for two more seasons(Image: Channel 5)
A star from All Creatures Great and Small has hinted at potential turbulence ahead for a blossoming romance between two characters.
Callum Woodhouse is set to reprise his role in the cherished period drama for its seventh series later this year.
Taking place during the 1930s and 40s, the much-loved programme chronicles Yorkshire veterinary surgeon James Herriot as he tackles the demands of his countryside practice.
With Nicholas Ralph portraying James Herriot and Rachel Shenton as his on-screen partner Helen, Callum takes on the role of Tristan Farnon, sibling to Siegfried Farnon, portrayed by Samuel West.
The last series and festive special witnessed Tristan confronting his own difficulties following his return from combat, before developing feelings for Charlotte Beauvoir. However, Callum has now cautioned that “things may be coming to change”, reports the Express.
Speaking to RadioTimes, he revealed: “It’s not really a massive spoiler to say I’m still with Charlotte Beauvoir, who is really good for him and helps him with his mental health.
“She keeps him happy and… I think he’s a little bit more content. But there’s only so long that that can last. So, things may be coming to change, but we don’t know.”
Following his character’s arc which depicted him battling PTSD after serving on the front line, Callum previously shared with the publication: “I think she’s come into his life at a time when he just really, really needs her.”
He added: “I think they’ve got a great chemistry and they get on really well.”
He continued: “Tristan, right now, needs someone who is sympathetic and understanding to what he’s been through, and is very much still going through.”
While fans eagerly await the new series of All Creatures Great and Small, the programme has already been confirmed to return for both series 7 and 8, each featuring six hour-long episodes, alongside Christmas specials.
Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor at 5, had hinted that there remain “many new stories still to tell and more unforgettable adventures ahead”.
Barnett said: “All Creatures Great and Small is a jewel in 5’s drama crown and continues to delight viewers year after year. Its warmth, humour and heart, set against the beauty of Yorkshire, have made it a firm audience favourite.
“We’re thrilled to extend its future with two more series, with many new stories still to tell and more unforgettable adventures ahead for our Skeldale family.”
All Creatures Great and Small is available to watch on My5
Han Seong-sook, minister of SMEs and startups. Photo by Asia Today
June 2 (Asia Today) — South Korean small business owners called for more practical labor consulting and measures to ease payroll burdens during a government meeting Tuesday.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups held a roundtable on labor difficulties facing small businesses at the Korea Certified Public Labor Attorneys Association in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
Minister Han Seong-sook, government officials and representatives from convenience stores, restaurants and cafes attended the meeting to discuss labor management difficulties in the field.
Participants said complicated wage rules, including weekly holiday allowances and severance pay, have become a major management burden. They urged the government to provide professional consulting support.
At the meeting, the ministry announced support measures to help small businesses manage labor issues. The measures include a question-and-answer guidebook on commonly missed labor rules, regional on-site briefings and stronger online guidance through short-form videos.
The ministry also plans to help resolve disputes through counseling centers and labor lawyers. It said it will link a 24-hour artificial intelligence labor law counseling service with Small Business 24, a government support platform for small businesses.
Small business groups, however, expressed disappointment with the measures. They said expanding online and offline counseling channels could become a formality unless the government also secures enough budget and staffing to handle a surge in labor complaints.
They also said 24-hour AI counseling may have limits because labor disputes often involve complicated facts and competing interests that differ from case to case.
Participants emphasized that small businesses need more than basic information or counseling. They said the government should build a field-based consulting system and adopt policies that directly reduce labor cost pressures.
They said the government needs a bolder approach that goes beyond publicity-focused measures to address the core problems facing small businesses, including complex employment structures and allowance management.
“We will implement the measures announced today without disruption to create an environment where small business owners can run their businesses with confidence,” Han said.
The government said it will continue listening to difficulties in the field and review possible improvements to the system.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260602010000499
THE best beaches in Europe have been revealed and the number one spot is a beautiful escape with super cheap flights.
Dubbed one of Portugal’s ‘Sunset Beaches’, Monte Clérigo sits in the Algarve region, but is much quieter than other crowded resorts.
Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.
The Algarve draws in millions of Brits every year wanting to explore its golden sand beaches and bask in its glorious sunshine.
It’s most popular resorts include Albufeira, Vilamoura and Alvor – but that’s not where you’ll find the best beach.
Tucked away on the western coast is Praia de Monte Clérigo which has just been declared the best beach in all of Europe by European Best Destinations.
Beaches across Europe are assessed on aspects like natural beauty to water quality, family-friendliness, available activities, accommodation and overall atmosphere.
The 30 highest-rated beaches are then submitted to an international panel of travellers and tourism enthusiasts who vote to find the ‘Best Beaches in Europe 2026′.
Monte Clérigo Beach was described the beach as having ‘golden cliffs’ and ‘wild Atlantic landscapes’.
The ‘wildness’ of the coastal spot comes from the fact that it forms part of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park where there’s lots of greenery and plenty of hiking routes.
The beach also has fine sand, low-tide rock pools, is ideal for surfing, and its nearby town of Aljezur is filled with colourful cottages some of which sit up on the cliffside.
Monte Clérigo is considered one of Portugal’s best ‘Sunset Beaches’ too.
Thanks to its position on the western coast, beachgoers have a clear view of the sun as it sets looking like it sinks into the ocean.
One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “Stunning beach on rugged coastline. Visited several times. Away from hectic tourist resorts. This beach is beautiful. It’s well worth waiting for some sunset photos!”
Another added: “I discovered another beautiful beach on the southwest coast of Portugal. Pristine and unspoiled is how I’d describe the place.”
Right on the sands is Restaurant O Sargo which has live music every Friday night and is popular with locals and visitors who enjoy fresh seafood and watch the sunset in the evening.
Faro International Airport is an hour and a half drive away from the beach, so from the UK you could be sunbathing on the beach in under five hours.
One-way flights are as little as £13.99 in June flying from London Luton with Wizz Air.
Other beaches that secured a spot on the list were Voutoumi Beach in Antipaxos which came in second place.
Elafonisi Beach which is a rare pink beach in Crete came in fourth place.
One beach in Norway even made it onto the list, Kvalvika Beach has bright blue waters and is backed by enormous mountains – certainly making it one of the most beautiful.
These are the ‘best beaches in Europe’ as rated by European Best Destinations…
22:15, 20 May 2026Updated 22:48, 20 May 2026
The Fortune starts on Channel 5 in June(Image: Channel 5 screengrab)
Channel 5 has confirmed the release date of a “gripping” new drama with two stars from All Creatures Great and Small.
The Fortune – which stars Callum Woodhouse and Matthew Lewis alongside Poldark‘s Eleanor Tomlinson – will be released on June 2.
The broadcaster shared a snap on Instagram showing cast members around a coffin with the tagline: “When there’s a will, there’s a war.” The caption said: “An inheritance from a stranger… sounds like a dream come true. But luck like this? Always comes at a cost.”
When The Fortune was announced, Channel 5 described it as “a gripping, psychological drama that asks: what if your past isn’t what you think it is?”
Eleanor stars as Amanda Blakefield, whose life is a happy one with her husband Jimmy, played by Matthew (who is best known as Hugh Hulton in All Creatures), and their son Luke (James Younger).
A synopsis said: “Amanda has her world shattered after she is left an enormous inheritance by a man she has neither met nor heard of before.
“Her life starts to disintegrate as she becomes embroiled in the world of The Worrall Family.
“The patriarch Martin Worrall (Denis Lawson), is head of a family which is bound in past secrets. As Amanda’s story leads her further and further into the Northumbrian countryside, she begins to unravel the past. And all of their lives are turned upside down.”
Rebecca Front will play Martin’s wife Fiona, and Callum Woodhouse, who stars as Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small, will play his son Anthony. Other cast members include Stephen Tompkinson, Paula Wilcox, Danielle Walters and Nina Wadia.
When the series was announced last year, Paul Testar, commissioning editor at 5, said the series “explores the fragility of family and the ripple effects of long-buried truths, all anchored by a brilliant cast led by Eleanor Tomlinson”.
He added that it was a drama “that promises to keep audiences hooked from the very first minute”.
Viewers have said they “can’t wait” for the drama, with one posting on Instagram: “I love this cast!”
“Will be amazing,” said someone else, as another commented: “Can’t wait for this. Looks brilliant from the trailers. And what a stellar cast.”
“ACGAS legends reunite,” another person remarked.
The Fortune airs at 9pm on June 2 on 5.
WASHINGTON — The YOLO caucus is in session.
In a Republican-led Congress defined by deference to President Trump, there’s a small but steadily growing cohort who have found themselves more willing to break with the White House. Although the president maintains a firm grip on Republican voters, the expanding club could hinder his agenda on everything from the Iran war to immigration funding at a moment when his party holds a tenuous majority on Capitol Hill.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is the newest member of the club. Just days after losing his primary to a Trump-backed challenger, Cassidy on Tuesday reversed himself on legislation involving the war in Iran and voted with Democrats to rein in U.S. military action.
“The way our Constitution is set up, Congress should hold the executive branch accountable,” he told reporters the day before.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas could be next after Trump endorsed Ken Paxton, Cornyn’s rival for the Republican nomination in next week’s runoff.
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is perhaps a founding member of the YOLO caucus — slang for “you only live once,” used to punctuate unbothered or even foolhardy behavior. He frustrated Trump since the president’s first term, and his status was solidified after losing his primary on Tuesday to a Trump-backed challenger. Massie has enraged Trump by voting against his signature tax and spending bill and by pushing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
He hinted there’s more to come before he leaves office.
“I got seven months left in Congress,” Massie said with a grin during his concession speech as the crowd erupted.
Other similarly situated Republicans include Sen. Thom Tillis, who was a fierce critic of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and has more recently turned his attention to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. There’s also Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who joined Democrats last week in a bid to curb Trump’s war powers in Iran. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky have voted against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. And in the House, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska has pushed to reclaim congressional power over tariffs.
“If the legislative branch always votes with the president, we do have a king,” Massie said in his concession speech Tuesday.
This hardly amounts to a revival of the Never Trump movement that some Republicans unsuccessfully hoped would curb the president’s excesses during his first term or block him from returning to office. Many in the party, including Trump’s occasional detractors, have either stood by or been unable to block the president as he launched the war in Iran and presided over an aggressive immigration enforcement operation and the dismantling of the federal workforce.
Today’s unencumbered Republicans don’t fit into an ideological box. But they are united by a sense of emboldening that can only be attained in a few ways in Trump’s Washington.
Many, like Tillis, McConnell and Bacon, have decided to retire and can cast votes knowing they’ll never again have to face Republican primary voters. Others like Collins and Murkowski have more leeway because they represent states that tend to reward political independence. And some like Massie banked on the idea that voters could support both Trump and someone who occasionally crossed him.
It’s a paradox for Trump. As he demands total loyalty and pushes out Republican dissenters, he’s left with a growing cohort who, for one reason or another, owe Trump nothing.
That could be a problem for Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who are already governing with threadbare majorities. Shifting loyalties of even a few Republican lawmakers could dramatically complicate the ability for either chamber to pass substantial legislation ahead of the November midterm elections.
Thune called Cornyn a “principled conservative” and “very effective senator” on Tuesday.
“None of us control what the president does,” he said.
The next tests could come later this week as Thune pushes a funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection designed to pass on a party line basis.
Democrats are eager to pounce.
Speaking at an event in Washington on Tuesday sponsored by the Center for American Progress, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would aim to drive a wedge between Republicans by using a so-called discharge petition to bring issues directly to the floor for a vote.
That tactic has been successful in securing House passage on issues including the Epstein files and temporary protection of Haitian immigrants.
“When we’re disciplined and when we’re focused and when we put pressure in particular on the so-called swing seat Republicans, they have been breaking with us,” Jeffries said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters on Tuesday that Trump’s endorsement of Cornyn’s rival was a sign that his political power lies within the Republican base — not the American public at large.
“He’s showed the only influence he has, and that’s an outsize influence within the base of the party,” the potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender said. “Otherwise he’s shown little to no influence with the American people.”
That leaves Republicans gaming out how they might cobble together the votes needed to pass legislation.
Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota called Cassidy a “good friend” and said the loss was “tough for him.” He said Cassidy “will always vote in line with what he thinks is best” but doubted he will become a less reliable Republican vote.
His fellow Louisianan, Sen. John Kennedy, said Cassidy deploys power “rationally and maturely” and “will continue to do the same thing.”
Cassidy repeatedly rejected the notion that he will spend his final months in Washington as a troublemaker for Trump, saying he’s going to do “what’s good for my country and my state.”
Yet the independent streak that ended his political career quickly resurfaced. A week after Trump visited China, Cassidy spoke of a Western alliance that’s “totally falling apart” and will be unable to “push back on the threat China represents.” He seemed stunned that the administration would create a nearly $1.8-billion fund to compensate Trump allies who they believe have been unjustly investigated and prosecuted.
“I just came off the campaign trail,” he said. “People are concerned about making their own ends meet, not about putting a slush fund together without a legal precedent.”
Sloan and Cappelletti write for the Associated Press. AP writer Stephen Groves in Washington contributed to this report.
