Secretary of State Marco Rubio is making history by taking on an unprecedented dual role at the highest levels of American foreign policy. He will be the first individual since Henry Kissinger to simultaneously serve as both secretary of State and national security adviser.
While several notable figures, such as Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, have filled both positions at different points in their careers, none have held both posts at once—until now.
President Trump revealed on Thursday that Rubio would step in as national security adviser on a temporary basis. This announcement followed the dismissal of Mike Waltz from the position and his subsequent nomination by Trump to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana didn’t hold back in a Fox News interview, launching a scathing verbal attack against Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Kennedy took aim at her style and substance, using colorful language to express his disdain.
“As I’ve said before, she’s entitled to her opinions. You know, my personal opinion is that God gave her a billy goat brain and a mockingbird mouth, you know,” Kennedy remarked during his appearance on Fox.

The Kremlin has responded to the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.
According to a New York Post report, the Kremlin unloaded on the U.S. and Ukraine on Thursday after the two countries finalized a deal for Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
A deal that gives the U.S. a vested interest in the war’s outcome.
“Trump has finally pressured the Kiev regime to pay for US aid with mineral resources,” Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on Telegram. “Now, the country that is about to disappear will have to use its national wealth to pay for military supplies.”
From The New York Post:

King Charles III of the United Kingdom reached out to Israeli President Isaac Herzog with a personal letter marking Israel’s 77th year of independence, extending his good wishes and expressing concern for those still held captive in Gaza.
The message opened warmly: “My wife and I wanted to send Your Excellency and the people of The State of Israel our congratulations on the auspicious occasion of your seventy-seventh Independence Day.”

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu made waves on Thursday when he emphasized that achieving “victory” over Hamas remains the paramount aim of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, even above securing the release of hostages still held captive. The remark drew immediate and fierce backlash from the families of those abducted.
This development comes as relatives of the hostages have recently accused Netanyahu of derailing potential negotiations for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. They also claim he is keeping them in the dark regarding the fate of the remaining 59 hostages believed to be in Gaza.

Polling data from John Zogby Strategies offers an early snapshot of the 2028 presidential race, with Independent Senator Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump Jr. emerging as the current front-runners in their respective political parties.
During an appearance on Newsmax’s “Greg Kelly Reports,” pollster John Zogby discussed the newly released findings, shedding light on early voter sentiment heading into the next presidential cycle.

A group of 23 U.S. lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, headed by Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Don Bacon of Nebraska, sent a letter to Wikipedia CEO Maryana Iskander demanding answers about how the site plans to uphold its editorial standards, crack down on bias among its editors, and stop antisemitic and pro-terror material from appearing in its articles.
The members of Congress highlighted Wikipedia’s far-reaching impact, despite being a freely editable, user-driven platform. With millions relying on its entries for information—and its content serving as a source for search engines and artificial intelligence tools—they underscored the site’s unique power to shape public perception.

Shortly after resigning from his National Security Advisor role, Mike Waltz was nominated to be UN ambassador by President Donald Trump.
“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump posted to Truth Social Thursday.

At a White House gathering held in honor of the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, President Donald Trump spoke about the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, indicating that fewer than two dozen remain alive.
While addressing those in attendance, Trump turned his attention to the parents of Edan Alexander, a dual American-Israeli citizen who is currently being held hostage. “I can not imagine your pain, but we’re all alongside you, we stand by you, and we’re going to do everything possible in the very short period of time. As you know, things are heating up. I’ve gotten a lot of hostages out. But they (Hamas) want to do it as slowly as possible because they use them as pawns.”

Governor Kathy Hochul revealed Thursday that the finalized state budget includes a massive boost in funding for New York’s subway network, with a central focus on bolstering rider security.
Hochul emphasized that the state will fully back the MTA’s entire $68.4 billion capital plan for 2025-2029, calling it the largest infrastructure commitment to public transit in New York’s history.
In addition to infrastructure funding, the state is allocating more than $120 million to expand the presence of uniformed law enforcement personnel, including both state police and members of the National Guard.
“The alternative is unfathomable—not to have a fully functioning, funded, efficient system to carry 6 million people a day,” Hochul said.