Voters in six states delivered a clear message Tuesday: younger, progressive candidates who champion immigrant rights are gaining ground in Democratic primaries, while Trump's endorsement continues to produce mixed results for Republicans facing an increasingly skeptical electorate.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, running on a progressive platform opposing President Trump's immigration policies, won her U.S. Senate primary over a centrist opponent. The victory signals growing Democratic appetite for candidates willing to confront the administration's hardline approach to immigration. In Wisconsin, democratic socialist Rep. Francesca Hong came within striking distance of defeating Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley for the gubernatorial nomination, losing narrowly in a race that highlighted the party's leftward momentum.
Trump's Endorsement Falters
The president's political influence showed cracks Tuesday night. MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, despite Trump's backing, lost his primary for governor of Minnesota to state House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Demuth lacked both Trump's endorsement and that of the state's Republican Party, yet won as the establishment favorite. Clay Masters of Minnesota Public Radio noted that Minnesota hasn't supported Trump in the last three presidential elections, making it crucial for Republicans there to demonstrate independence from the president.
Trump-endorsed Sen. Darline Graham did advance to a runoff election for her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat. But the mixed results underscore the limits of presidential support in states where voters have consistently rejected Trump's agenda.
Secret Service Protocols Abandoned for Political Cover
President Trump confirmed he was secretly moved from Air Force One to a different aircraft while in Turkey last month because of a threat from Iran. White House staff, military personnel, Secret Service agents, and journalists remained aboard the president's regular plane, unknowingly serving as decoys.
NPR's Tamara Keith said the press and White House typically maintain cooperation to ensure independent coverage of the president's movements, especially during high-risk situations. Embargoes are standard practice to prevent information release until the president's safe. But the Trump administration didn't just use an embargo—it ditched the press entirely and continued the deception long after the immediate danger passed. The Justice Department even sent FBI agents to serve subpoenas to journalists covering security issues related to that flight.
Keith emphasized that White House journalists traveling with the president ensure Americans don't have to rely solely on government accounts of events. That role becomes even more critical during wartime and amid rampant conspiracy theories.
Iraq's Militias Refuse Disarmament
Iraq's new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, has promised Trump he'll disarm Iran-backed paramilitary groups. These militias are on the Iraqi government payroll but operate independently. Since the start of the U.S. and Israel's war in Iran, they've intensified attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions and military installations in Iraq.
NPR's Jane Arraf spoke with Sheik Kathim al-Fartousi, spokesman for Kata'ib Sayyid al Shuhada, a militia refusing to disarm. The U.S. placed a $10 million bounty on the group's leader three years ago, and he's maintaining a low profile. Al-Fartousi told Arraf that KSS considers diplomatic missions forbidden targets, arguing military and intelligence functions at the U.S. Embassy no longer have protected status. He claimed KSS has never targeted the American embassy itself, but rather the military base within the embassy compound.
KSS and other militias are promising retaliation against Saudi Arabia for recent attacks on bases, while some push for diplomatic solutions instead.
Why This Matters:
Tuesday's primaries reveal a Democratic electorate increasingly willing to support candidates who won't compromise on immigrant protections and social justice—a direct rebuke to Trump's policies. The president's diminishing influence in swing states like Minnesota suggests his political capital is eroding even within his own party. Meanwhile, the administration's decision to use journalists as unknowing decoys and then pursue them with FBI subpoenas represents a dangerous escalation against press freedom. Independent coverage of presidential movements isn't a courtesy; it's a democratic safeguard against government deception. In Iraq, the refusal of Iran-backed militias to disarm despite promises from Baghdad shows how U.S. military interventions create power vacuums that outlast any single administration. American diplomatic and military personnel remain in harm's way because of policy decisions that prioritized military action over regional stability and international cooperation.