President Donald Trump called Somali immigrants in Minneapolis “garbage” ahead of expected ICE raids in the city.
Trump claimed Somalia is “barely a country” during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, and accused refugees in Minnesota of having “ripped off that state for billions of dollars, every year, and they contribute nothing.” He also targeted Somali Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar as he baselessly claimed that Somali immigrants are “taking over” the state.
“Ilhan Omar is garbage. She’s garbage. Her friends are garbage,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cited the “fog of war” as he addressed the September 2 strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
This comes after The Washington Post reported that the U.S. struck an alleged drug boat on September 2, after which two survivors were spotted. A Joint Special Operations commander overseeing the attack then ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s earlier instructions to “kill everybody,” according to the outlet’s report.
Hegseth said Tuesday he wasn’t in the room during the second strike and “did not personally see survivors.” The defense secretary also said that Admiral Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley ordered the strikes, which he called the “correct decision.”
The actions described in the Post’s report could amount to “war crimes,” some Democratic lawmakers and former military officials have alleged. Meanwhile, the White House has maintained that the strikes were legal.
KEY POINTS
- Trump's Cabinet meeting begins
- 'We've only just begun striking Narco boats,' Hegseth says
- Former military officials speak out against strike on alleged drug boat
- Democrat accuses White House of throwing admiral 'under the bus' as controversy mounts
- The Tennessee race that has Donald Trump scared
Watch: Pete Hegseth says he 'did not personally see survivors' on alleged drug boat
23:30 , Rachel DobkinDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Tuesday he “did not personally see survivors” on a Venezuelan boat suspected of carrying drugs during military strikes on the vessel in September.
Q: So you didn't see any survivors after that first strike?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 2, 2025
HEGSETH: I did not personally see survivors. The thing was on fire. This is called the fog of war. This is what you in the press don't understand. You sit in your air conditioned offices and plant fake stories in the… pic.twitter.com/XjhqWw9GVh
Hegseth has been under scrutiny following a Washington Post report that the U.S. struck the boat on September 2, after which two survivors were spotted.
A Navy admiral overseeing the attack then ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s earlier instructions to “kill everybody,” according to the report.
White House budget director caught doodling during two-hour Cabinet meeting
23:10 , Katie HawkinsonWhite House budget director Russell Vought was caught doodling during today’s Cabinet meeting, which stretched on for more than two hours, according to the Associated Press.
Vought’s drawing included pine trees and mountains.
Trump issues additional statement on Biden's orders signed with 'autopen'
23:00 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump has issued another statement claiming he has terminated documents that his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, signed with an autopen.
“Any and all Documents, Proclamations, Executive Orders, Memorandums, or Contracts, signed by Order of the now infamous and unauthorized ‘AUTOPEN,’ within the Administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr., are hereby null, void, and of no further force or effect,” Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social. “Anyone receiving ‘Pardons,’ ‘Commutations,’ or any other Legal Document so signed, please be advised that said Document has been fully and completely terminated, and is of no Legal effect.”
Tuesday’s statement is strikingly similar to another Truth Social post the president shared late last week.
Eric Garcia has the details on the president’s initial statement, which he issued on Friday:
Trump says he will cancel Biden orders ‘signed by autopen’ and threatens ‘perjury’
Trump recaps call with Brazil's president
22:55 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump spoke with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday afternoon, he said in a Truth Social post.
“Among the things discussed were Trade, how our Countries could work together to stop Organized Crime, Sanctions imposed on various Brazilian dignitaries, Tariffs, and various other items,” Trump wrote. “President Lula and I established a relationship at a meeting which took place at the United Nations, and I believe it set the stage for very good dialogue and agreement long into the future.”
House Republicans join with AOC and use Epstein files playbook to force a vote on stock trading ban: ‘Hell’s frozen over’
22:39 , Eric GarciaA group of renegade House Republicans and Democrats deployed the same procedural trick used to force a vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files to wrangle a vote on a measure to ban members of Congress from trading stocks.
Keep reading:
Republicans draw from Epstein files strategy to force House vote on stock trade ban
Americans to be charged more than Europeans to visit the Louvre – after Trump hiked US parks prices for foreigners
22:25 , Graig GraziosiAmericans and other tourists from non-EU countries are going to have to pay a lot more to see the masterworks at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
On Thursday, the Louvre's board announced it will hike prices for visitors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes American, British, and Russian visitors. The price hike is reportedly being undertaken to help raise funds for the institution, according to the New York Times.
The move follows a similar price hike for foreign tourists announced by the Trump administration for visitors to U.S. national parks.
Keep reading:
Americans will have to pay more to visit the Louvre after Trump’s parks price hike
Schumer calls for release of Sept. 2 boat strike footage
22:12 , Katie HawkinsonSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for the Trump administration to release the full footage of the September 2 strikes against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
“There is a very easy way for the American people to get the truth. Pete Hegseth should release the full tapes of the September 2nd attack—both the first and second strike,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
“Not a clip, not some edited or redacted snippet—the full, unedited tapes of each strike must be released, so the American people can see what happened with their own eyes,” he added.
Trump team takes out the words ‘renewable energy’ from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
22:12 , Brendan RasciusPresident Donald Trump’s Department of Energy has stripped the words “renewable energy” from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The decades-old research facility — headquartered in Golden, Colorado — will now be called the National Laboratory of the Rockies, the DOE announced on Monday.
Keep reading:
Trump admin cuts ‘renewable energy’ from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Trump appears with Band-Aids on the back of his hand as he complains about questions over his health
21:55 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump expressed annoyance at the media for questioning his overall health during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, while also appearing with two large Band-Aids on the back of his right hand.
During the meeting, the president, who uses bandages and makeup to cover up consistent bruising on his right hand, accused members of the media of ignoring stories about his administration in exchange for stories about his physical health.
Keep reading:
Trump appears with Band-Aids on his hand as he complains about interest in his health
Trump addresses White House ballroom and other projects in DC
21:44 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump addressed his new ballroom and other projects he’s planning in Washington, D.C., during a White House event on Tuesday afternoon.
“We’re doing ballrooms, we're doing arcs, we're doing — we have a thing that's being planned that's going to be a great tribute to the country, as you know, probably heard about it,” Trump said.
Read more about Trump’s planned victory arch, which is set to be built in the lead-up to the nation’s 250th anniversary next year:
Price of Trump’s planned victory arch for capitol is revealed - and it has 8 zeros
Rep. Ilhan Omar responds to Trump's comments
21:30 , Katie HawkinsonSomali Rep. Ilhan Omar has responded to President Donald Trump’s comments about Somali immigrants this afternoon.
“His obsession with me is creepy,” she wrote on X. “I hope he gets the help he desperately needs.”
White House issues response after Sabrina Carpenter slammed use of her song in ICE video
21:15 , Katie HawkinsonThe White House has issued a response to Sabrina Carpenter after the pop star condemned the Trump administration for using one of her songs in a video promoting its deportation efforts.
The clip posted across the official White House social media accounts shows a montage of different people getting chased, held to the ground and arrested by ICE agents, soundtracked to Carpenter’s hit song, “Juno.”
Keep reading:
White House attacks Sabrina Carpenter after singer slams use of her song in ICE video
Trump calls Somalis in Minneapolis ‘garbage’ who ‘come from Hell’ as ICE plans hundreds of arrests
21:00 , Alex WoodwardDonald Trump’s administration is preparing to arrest hundreds of Somali immigrants in Minneapolis after the president responded to the shooting of two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., with sweeping restrictions on immigration.
In remarks at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Trump said Somalia is “barely a country” and accused refugees in Minnesota of having “ripped off that state for billions of dollars, every year, and they contribute nothing.”
“We don’t want them in our country,” he said. “Their country stinks … When they come from hell, they complain, they do nothing but bitch, we don’t want them in our country. Let them go back to their country and fix it.”
Keep reading:
Trump calls Somalis ‘garbage’ who ‘come from Hell’ as ICE plans hundreds of arrests
Trump announces child savings accounts during White House event
20:35 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump has announced a program that will create investment accounts for American children.
The accounts will benefit children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, each of whom will receive $1,000 from the federal government
These “Trump accounts” have been bolstered by $6.25 billion donation from Dell founder Michael Dell and his wife, Susan.
Trump and members of his Cabinet gathered in the White House on Tuesday afternoon to announce the program.
Read more:
Mike Johnson rebukes Trump’s use of ‘R-word’ slur against Gov. Tim Walz
20:30 , Eric GarciaHouse Speaker Mike Johnson finally found a point of contention with Donald Trump — unable to defend the president for hurling at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz a slur used to denigrate people with disabilities when The Independent asked him about it Tuesday.
Keep reading:
Mike Johnson rebukes Trump’s use of ‘R-word’ slur against Gov. Tim Walz
Trump admits he has a ‘little more than three years’ left of his presidency despite teasing third term
20:15 , Kelly RissmanDonald Trump admitted he has just a "little more than three years" left of his term — just days after posting a “Trump 2028” sign.
Even before reclaiming the White House in 2024, Trump has flirted with running for a third term and has offered $50 “Trump 2028” hats — despite the 22nd Amendment prohibiting anyone from serving more than two terms as president.
Conservative podcaster and Trump ally Steve Bannon has insisted that there’s still a path for Trump to run again, but the president admitted in October that he’s “not allowed” to do so.
Keep reading:
Trump admits he has a ‘little more than three years’ left of his presidency
Watch: Trump says 'I'm right about everything' as he rants about affordability being a 'Democrat scam'
20:00 , Katie HawkinsonTrump says he's picked his a Fed Chair — but doesn't reveal name
19:45 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump revealed he’s picked his new Federal Reserve Chair — but declined to name his pick at the Cabinet meeting today.
“I'd say that we probably looked at 10, and Scott [Bessent] interviewed some people that I didn't know, but he knew a lot of people were involved in the process,” Trump said.
“We have it down to one,” he added.
Trump says ‘we’re going to start doing those strikes on land too’ as he talks about drug boat attacks
19:21 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump announced the U.S. will start “doing those strikes on land” when speaking about U.S. military operations against alleged drug-carrying boats from Venezuela.
"We're doing these [sea] strikes and we're going to start doing those strikes on land, too, you know, the land is much easier, much easier,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
Read the full story below:
Trump says ‘we’re going to start doing those strikes on land too’
Hegseth claims he did not 'personally see survivors' in Sept. 2 strike
18:58 , Katie HawkinsonDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he “did not personally see survivors” during a September 2 strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
New reporting emerged last week about a September 2 strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Following an initial strike against the ship, two survivors were spotted, and a Joint Special Operations commander overseeing the attack ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions to “kill everybody,” The Washington Post reported.
Hegseth said Tuesday that he saw the first strike, but that he left the room by the time the second strike was launched.
“Couple of hours later, I learned that the commander had made the — which he had the complete authority to do, and by the way, Admiral Bradley made the correct decision, to ultimately sink the boat and eliminate the threat,” Hegseth said.
Trump addresses growing controversy over Sept. 2 strike, says Hegseth 'didn't know' about second strike
18:54 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump addressed the growing controversy of the September 2 strikes against an alleged drug ship.
“As far as the attack is concerned, I didn't, you know, I still haven't gotten a lot of information, because I rely on Pete [Hegseth] — but to me, it was an attack. It wasn't one strike, two strikes, three strikes,” Trump said.
Trump added that he “didn’t know about the second strike,” but that the admiral in charge is “an extraordinary person.”
“Pete [Hegseth] was satisfied,” Trump said. “Pete didn't know about the second attack having to do with two people.”
Trump on Musk: 'We get along'
18:50 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump addressed questions about his relationship with billionaire Elon Musk today.
“I mean, I like Elon a lot. He was very — he really helped during the election with his endorsement,” Trump said. “He felt strong.”
“I think we get along well,” he added.
This comes after Trump and Musk had a public falling out earlier this year.
ANALYSIS: Trump just held the Cabinet meeting from Hell
18:47 , Holly BaxterYou can laugh, or you can cry. But what you definitely cannot do — without a stiff dose of irony — is treat this as normal. Because the current Donald Trump feat. Pete Hegseth Show (working title: “Were They War Crimes? And Other Questions We Don’t Care to Answer”) is already stranger than satire.
Keep reading:
‘Taking the gloves off’: Trump just held the Cabinet meeting from Hell
Trump takes questions after two-hour Cabinet meeting
18:46 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump is now taking questions from the press, following a nearly two-hour Cabinet meeting.
Trump goes on yet another Nobel Peace Prize rant
18:32 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump once again argued that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize — before claiming he doesn’t “care about that.”
"I should get the Nobel Prize for every war, but I don't want to be greedy,” Trump said Tuesday.
“Actually, the woman who got the Nobel Prize said, ‘You've got to be kidding, Trump deserves a Nobel Prize,’ and that was very nice. I appreciate it...But I don't care about that,” he added.
This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, dedicated her win to Trump in October.
Trump seen with bandaged hand at Cabinet meeting
18:20 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump was pictured with bandages on his hand during today’s Cabinet meeting.
Trump, 79, has often been seen with bruises on his hand. Questions about his health have also mounted in light of a new analysis by The New York Times, which indicated Trump has appeared in public almost 40 percent less than he did during his first term.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the report “fake news” on Monday. Trump also appeared to boast about the results of his cognitive exam during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
“I'm a smart person, not a stupid person, and as the doctor will tell you, I aced it...I got every question right. And these are tough questions,” Trump said.
Trump describes plans to 'rebuild' Washington-area airport
18:05 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump said he’s planning to “rebuild” Virginia’s Washington Dulles International Airport, located just outside the nation’s capital.
“We're also going to rebuild Dulles Airport, because it's not a good airport,” Trump said at a Cabinet meeting today. “It should be a great airport. It's not a good airport at all. It's a terrible airport. It was incorrectly designed with a good building.”
Hegseth spotted with typo on nameplate
17:52 , Katie HawkinsonDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nameplate at President Donald Trump’s Cabinet meeting included a typo, photos from the event show.
Hegseth’s title was listed as “Ssecretary of War” on the nameplate.
Social media users were quick to mock the spelling mistake.
The Lincoln Project, an organization for anti-Trump Republicans, wrote on X: “The least they could do is spell it right.”
Fear grows that White House is throwing admiral under the bus to protect Hegseth on ‘kill them all’ boat strikes: report
17:42 , Andrew FeinbergPentagon brass are reportedly steaming over what appears to be the Trump administration’s intention to blame a veteran naval officer for allegedly ordering a second missile strike on an alleged drug-running boat to kill two survivors of an earlier missile hit.
On Monday, the White House confirmed reporting in The Washington Post that had revealed that American forces killed the survivors of the initial September strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea, which President Donald Trump has said was smuggling drugs for the Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua.
Keep reading:
Fear grows that White House is throwing admiral under the bus to protect Hegseth
Hegseth: 'We've only just begun striking Narco boats'
17:27 , Katie HawkinsonDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. has “only just begun striking Narco boats.”
This comes after new reporting emerged about a September 2 strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
Following an initial strike against the ship, two survivors were spotted, and a Joint Special Operations commander overseeing the attack ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions to “kill everybody,” The Washington Post reported. The Pentagon disputed the Post’s reporting.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since said the strikes were lawful. She also noted that Hegseth had authorized Admiral Frank M. “Mitch” Bradley to carry out the attacks. Hegseth defended Bradley in an X post, writing that he has his “100% support.”
Hegseth added Tuesday that officials “have the back of our commanders who are making decisions in difficult situations.”
Trump provides update on West Virginia National Guard member shot in D.C.
17:23 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump provided an update on Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, one of the two West Virginia National Guard members shot in Washington, D.C., last week.
Wolfe is “fighting very hard,” and his mother is hopeful he will survive his injuries, Trump said.
“If he lives, it would be amazing — a miracle, actually,” Trump added.
Trump refers to nations as 'fourth-world countries'
17:18 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump referred to unspecified nations as “Fourth World countries” in a rambling speech during a Cabinet meeting at the White House today.
“We've also rapidly turned the worst border crisis in world history —I believe we had the worst border ever in history,” Trump said. “I don't care if you had a Fourth World country, you know, we allow Third World countries — and we would allow Fourth World countries in also, it doesn't matter. There was never a border that was as bad as our border.”
This comes after Trump declared on Truth Social that he will “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”
In pictures: Trump and Hegseth attend Cabinet meeting
17:06 , Katie Hawkinson
Trump claims 'affordability' is a 'Democrat scam' despite calling himself 'affordability president'
17:01 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump said the word “affordability” is a “Democrat scam” today, just days after he touted his own affordability measures.
“The word affordability is a Democrat scam,” Trump said Tuesday. “They say it, and then they go into the next subject, and everyone thinks, ‘Oh, they had lower prices.’”
In a Truth Social post Saturday, Trump claimed he is the “AFFORDABILITY PRESIDENT.”
“If this story is properly told, we should win the Midterm Elections in RECORD NUMBERS,” he wrote. “I AM THE AFFORDABILITY PRESIDENT. TALK LOUDLY AND PROUDLY!”
Cabinet meeting begins
16:52 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump has kicked off a Cabinet meeting in the White House.
The meeting comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth finds himself at the center of a growing controversy over strikes against an alleged drug ship in the Caribbean on September 2.
White House defends releasing jailed executive who defrauded thousands out of $1.6bn
16:44 , Katie HawkinsonWatch as White House Press Secretary Karolien Leavitt defends releasing a jailed executive who defrauded thousands out of $1.6 billion:
Watch live: Trump hosts Cabinet meeting
16:28 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump is holding a Cabinet meeting this morning in the White House.
He’s expected to take questions from the press. Watch live below:
Sabrina Carpenter responds to White House video featuring her song
16:16 , Katie HawkinsonPop star Sabrina Carpenter has lashed out at the White House for using her hit song “Juno” in a pro-ICE video.
Carpenter wrote on X: “This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
Former military officials speak out against strike on alleged drug boat
15:57 , Katie HawkinsonFormer military officials have spoken out against the September 2 strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
New reporting emerged this week about the September 2 strike. Following an initial strike against the ship, two survivors were spotted, and a Joint Special Operations commander overseeing the attack ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions to “kill everybody,” The Washington Post reported.
The Former JAGs Working Group, composed of former military lawyers, “unanimously considers both the giving and the execution of these orders, if true, to constitute war crimes, murder, or both.”
The National Security Leaders for America — which includes roughly 1,400 retired admirals, generals, diplomats and other officials — also said the administration’s alleged actions “would violate a core principle of military ethics and the law of armed conflict, which prohibits targeting people who are no longer a threat or cannot defend themselves.”
Meanwhile, the White House has defended the strikes as lawful.
Democrat accuses White House of 'throwing the admiral under the bus'
15:47 , Katie HawkinsonRepresentative Seth Moulton, a Democrat and Marine Corps veteran, accused the White House of throwing Admiral Frank Bradley “under the bus” as questions mount over a September 2 strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
Following an initial strike against the alleged drug ship, a Joint Special Operations commander overseeing the attack ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions to “kill everybody,” The Washington Post reported last week.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since defended the strikes as lawful and said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized Bradley to carry out the attacks.
“What’s very clear is they’re throwing the admiral under the bus, that’s exactly what’s going on,” Moulton told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
“This administration has no respect for our uniformed services, we’ve known that from the very beginning, and that’s exactly what they’re showing right now,” he added.
Trump to host Cabinet meeting this morning
15:37 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump is set to host a Cabinet meeting this morning, as questions mount over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s role in a September 2 strike against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
Following an initial strike against the ship on September 2, a Joint Special Operations commander overseeing the attack ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions to “kill everybody,” The Washington Post reported last week.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since defended the strikes as lawful, and said that Hegseth authorized Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley to carry out the attacks.
“Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” Leavitt said Monday. “Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.”
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers and former military officials have alleged that the actions described by the Post could amount to “war crimes.”
Dell founder to give $6B to Trump’s kid investment accounts raising the amount families can receive
15:11 , Ariana BaioMichael Dell, the founder of Dell Technologies, and his wife, Susan Dell, announced Tuesday they will be giving $6.25 billion to help fund President Donald Trump’s bank accounts for children, benefitting roughly 25 million kids.
Keep reading:
Republicans are going 'all in' on Tennessee race, Democratic strategist says
14:59 , Katie HawkinsonRepublican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn are vying to represent Tennessee’s 7th congressional district.
A Democratic strategist working on the race told Politico that Republicans are going “all in” on keeping Behn out of Congress.
“They’re going all in to try to keep the seat from flipping in a district that should have been there in a walk,” the strategist said. “The Republican groups had to come in and prop [Van Epps] up by throwing some of the red meat culture war stuff to their base.”
A recent Emerson College/The Hill poll shows Van Epps is only two points ahead of Behn, even though the district is typically a Republican stronghold.
Trump goes on late-night Truth Social posting spree
14:43 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump went on a manic Truth Social posting spree Monday night, firing off 150 posts between 7 p.m. and midnight.
These posts ranged from compliments about the first lady to conspiracy theories about Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
Kelly Rissman has the details:
Trump’s wild midnight Truth Social posting binge features over 150 messages
Where is Tennessee's 7th congressional district?
14:29 , Katie HawkinsonRepublican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn are facing off in Tennessee’s 7th congressional district.
The district spans parts of central and western Tennessee. It’s typically a Republican stronghold, but a recent poll suggests Van Epps is only two points ahead of Behn.
Why Republicans are nervous about this congressional race
14:15 , Rhian LubinStrategists on both sides view Tuesday’s race as a major test ahead of the 2026 midterms.
And given November’s results, where Democrats pulled off stunning victories in a handful of states, the mood is especially tense.
“It’s fair to say this Republican is a little nervous,” Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee told the Washington Post.
“It’s an off-year. It’s a special election. It’s around the holiday, and there’s just a lot of things that could play into the Democrats’ favor.”
Analysts noted that this should’ve been an easy win for the GOP, but they have poured millions into retaining the seat.
“It’s interesting that Van Epps isn’t in a strong enough position just to ignore her,” John G. Geer, a Vanderbilt University political scientist, told the Post. “That tells me they’re worried.”
Right-wing networks brand Behn as the 'AOC of Tennessee'
13:55 , Rhian LubinFox News and other MAGA media outlets have focused intently on Tennessee’s 7th District and the Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn.
The networks have included multiple on-air interviews with Matt Van Epps while framing Behn as the “AOC of Tennessee” and a “crazy left-wing radical.”
Fox News anchor Julie Banderas went as far to say that Behn’s “mother did not do a very good job in raising her” and that the congressional hopeful clearly has “mommy issues.”
Justin Baragona has more...
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Fox News host: Dem candidate’s ‘mother didn’t do a very good job in raising her’
Al Gore: 'It’s no wonder that the president’s begun to panic'
13:30 , Rhian LubinFormer Vice President Al Gore said it was “no wonder that the president’s begun to panic” about the special election in Tennessee’s 7th district.
Gore was speaking Monday night on a virtual rally for the Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn, where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also joined.
“I have never seen the political tides shift as far and as fast as we’re seeing them move in this election,” Gore said, the Tennessean reports.
Gore pointed to November’s races in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Georgia where Democrats claimed victory, while California voters approved a new congressional map.
Voters “served notice with massive landslides that they’re sick and tired of Trump’s madness and cruelty,” Gore said on Monday’s call. “It’s no wonder that the president’s begun to panic about tomorrow’s election.”
Ocasio-Cortez said that “miracles can happen.”
“This race started off in a very unlikely place. This district is about R+22, or it was R+22, and now we have this race within striking distance, what we call the margin of effort,” she told supporters on the call.
Democratic candidate's 'I hate Nashville' comment comes back to haunt her
13:10 , Rhian LubinRepublicans have seized upon a comment Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn made about Nashville in 2020, which she claims has been “taken out of context.”
On podcast five years ago, Behn said of the country music Mecca: “I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country.”
Behn was asked about those remarks in a recent interview with the civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton on his MS NOW show.
“As a Nashvillian, I think we all get a little annoyed with the tourists that come to town, but that doesn’t mean I [don’t] love my city,” she said.
She told Newsweek the comments were “mischaracterized and taken out of context.”
“I was talking about why I decided to get involved in local elections, which are incredibly important,” Behn told the outlet. “Instead of complaining, I decided to jump in and run for office. I’m a state representative for downtown Nashville, and I couldn’t think of a greater honor than representing the city I love.”
Watch: Trump calls Johnson's cell phone at rally for GOP candidate
12:45 , Rhian LubinPresident Donald Trump dialed in on Speaker Mike Johnson’s cell phone Monday night to speak to a crowd of supporters in Franklin, Tennessee, for Matt Van Epps.
Trump railed against the Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn as Johnson held his cell phone up to the microphone.
“She said two things above all else that bothered me. Number 1: She hates Christianity,” said Trump. “Number 2: She hates country music. How the hell can you elect a person like that?”
NEW: President Trump talks to voters through the phone after calling Speaker Johnson during a rally for Republican Matt Van Epps in the special election race in Tennessee against Aftyn Behn:
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 1, 2025
"She said two things above all else that bothered me.
Number 1: She hates Christianity.… pic.twitter.com/Wh9mhaRVvo
Who is Matt Van Epps?
12:25 , Rhian LubinRepublican congressional candidate Matt Van Epps is an Ohio native and Army veteran.
He grew up in an affluent suburb of Cleveland and moved to Nashville just over 10 years ago.
The 42-year-old served in Afghanistan and Iraq as a combat helicopter pilot before working in Tennessee’s Department of Veterans’ Services under Gov. Bill Haslam, and then moved to the Department of Transportation.
Van Epps has been backed by more than $1 million from MAGA Inc – the first time the Trump-supporting super PAC has spent money on a campaign since last year’s presidential race, according to the Associated Press.
The Republican said he is campaigning on “security, opportunity and prosperity.”
Trump takes to Truth Social to rally support for GOP candidate
12:00 , Rhian LubinDonald Trump has been rallying for Matt Van Epps on Truth Social over the weekend on election eve.
“I am asking all America First Patriots in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District to please GET OUT AND VOTE TOMORROW for a phenomenal Candidate, Matt Van Epps, on Election Day, Tuesday, December 2nd!” Trump posted Monday night.
“You can win this Election for MAGA Warrior Matt Van Epps, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement. HE WILL BE A GREAT CONGRESSMAN and, unlike his Opponent, he cherishes Christianity and Country Music — She has openly stated that she hates them both!” added the president.
He also veered off message Tuesday morning to proclaim, “TRUTH SOCIAL IS THE BEST.”
Who is Aftyn Behn?
11:40 , Rhian LubinDemocrat Aftyn Behn is a progressive state lawmaker and represents Nashville in the Tennessee House.
Behn, originally from Knoxville, said that she decided to run for Congress after a close friend was denied life-saving medication on the state’s Medicaid program.
“That same week she received a letter saying her [Social Security Disability Insurance] benefits were being reviewed and cut. That’s when I knew I had to step up,” Behn told Newsweek.
The 36-year-old has spent her political career campaigning against rural hospital closures and for the expansion of Medicaid.
Her congressional campaign slogan is, “Feed kids, Fix roads, Fund hospitals.”
Trump has accused Behn of “hating Christianity” and country music; claims the Democrat says is because the president “doesn’t have a plan to address the rising cost of healthcare” or groceries.
Behn acknowledged she is the underdog in the race, but added: “But I love an underdog story. We’ve run an incredible campaign.”
Congressional race is on a knife-edge, according to polling
11:15 , Rhian LubinDemocrats have a legitimate shot at flipping the deep-red congressional district in the heart of the South, according to recent polling.
Emerson College and The Hill conducted a poll for the special election in Tennessee’s 7th district.
It puts Republican Matt Van Epps at a slight lead at 48 percent, only two points ahead of Democratic state legislator Aftyn Behn, whom 46 percent of voters support.
It’s within the margin of error.
The Tennessee race that has Donald Trump scared
10:50 , Rhian LubinThe congressional race in Tennessee has become surprisingly competitive, and today’s election could be a big sign of where President Donald Trump stands with the country - and the battle his party could face in 2026.
The Tennessee 7th district is one the president won by 22 points in 2024, but just a year later, a Democrat is putting up a serious bid to wrestle control of the seat from Republicans.
It would not only be an embarrassing defeat for the president, but would move the U.S. House of Representatives closer to a Democratic majority.
Eric Garcia breaks down the significance of the race...
The Tennessee race that has Donald Trump scared: Is a blue wave is on the horizon?
Tennessee voters to head to the polls today
10:32 , Rhian Lubin, APPresident Donald Trump and Republicans will try to recover from recent losses around the country today when Tennessee voters head to the polls and select the next representative for the deep-red 7th House Congressional District.
The special election, which was organized after Republican Rep. Mark Green resigned this summer, saw an unexpected surge of spending in recent weeks, flooding the airwaves and filling residents’ mailboxes with campaign flyers.
Republican candidate Matt Van Epps is up against Nashville Democrat Aftyn Behn, who has been dubbed the “AOC of Tennessee” by the right.
