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Longtime Trump ally Lewandowski flirts with primary challenge against GOP governor
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President Donald Trump’s first campaign manager and longtime ally, Corey Lewandowski, is weighing a primary challenge next year against Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.
«Everyone says being a Governor is the best job in Politics. I agree,» Lewandowski wrote in a social media post Thursday evening.
Lewandowski’s news comes as Trump’s political team appears to turn up the heat on Ayotte over her resistance to the president’s push for mid-decade redistricting in order to protect the GOP’s fragile House majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
There’s long been interest by some state Republican lawmakers in redistricting to make New Hampshire’s First Congressional District more GOP-friendly. Democrats have controlled both of the state’s U.S. House seats for nearly a decade.
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Corey Lewandowski, center, speaks at a Trump campaign event following the 2020 presidential election, on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, in Philadelphia. (Matt Slocum – AP Photo)
And it’s possible the Republican-controlled New Hampshire legislature passes and sends to Ayotte’s desk a redistricting bill early next year.
Ayotte’s predecessor, former Gov. Chris Sununu, three years ago, vetoed a new congressional map passed by Statehouse Republicans.
ABBOTT CLEARS FINAL REDISTRICTING HURDLE AS TEXAS SENATE PASSES NEW TRUMP-APPROVED MAP
The current governor has pushed back against the pressure campaign over redistricting.
«I don’t think the timing is right for redistricting. And as I look at where we are and the things we should be focusing on, this is not something that I support doing at this point,» Ayotte told WMUR-TV last month.
Ayotte’s team did not respond to a Fox News request for comment.
Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, at a bill signing on May 22, 2025 at the Statehouse in Concord, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )
A longtime New Hampshire-based Republican political strategist told Fox News «this comes down to whether or not the president is seriously interested in changing the outcome of this race. We’ll know a potential run would be serious if we hear from the White House that the president is driving this train.»
«Otherwise I think this is more a case of firing a shot across the governor’s bow to get her attention in the hopes of getting her to actively consider signing legislation that would change the congressional districts across New Hampshire,» added the strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.
Two Republican-dominated states, Texas and Missouri, have already passed new congressional maps which combined could swing six House seats from blue to red. And nearly a half-dozen other right-leaning states are considering similar moves, after lobbying from the president and his team.
It’s part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in next year’s midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.
Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections.
The social media post by Lewandowski followed a report from Politico that he was considering a gubernatorial run next year. Republican sources confirmed the report to Fox News.
The Windham, N.H., resident served as Trump’s campaign manager during the 2016 presidential primaries before being replaced during the general election campaign. But Lewandowski has remained close to Trump over the years, held senior adviser roles in the 2020 and 2024 campaigns, and keeps in regular contact with the president.
President Donald Trump is joined by longtime ally and outside adviser Corey Lewandowski, at a rally at Total Sports Park in Washington, Michigan, on April 28, 2018. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Lewandowski, who for years served as a top outside adviser to then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, now serves as a senior adviser at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where Noem is Trump’s DHS secretary.
This isn’t the first time Lewandowski has considered a statewide run in New Hampshire. In the 2020 election cycle, he flirted with a run for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
And in early 2021, he teased a possible 2022 run for governor months ahead of popular GOP Gov. Chris Sununu’s launch of his successful re-election bid. New Hampshire, along with Vermont, are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial elections every two years.
«I’ve known Corey a long time. If he’s passionate about something, then he’ll fight to the end to get it and I think he’s passionate about the people of New Hampshire and being governor is probably the best way he can serve them,» New Hampshire native Joshua Whitehouse, who worked with Lewandowski on the 2016 campaign and who’s a veteran of the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
While Lewandowski would likely grab support from MAGA world if he runs for governor, his past political baggage could come back to hurt him.
After facing allegations he made unwanted sexual advances towards a Republican donor’s wife at a 2021 charity event, he was pushed out of his job steering a top pro-Trump super PAC. Lewandowski later cut a deal with prosecutors in the case after he was charged with misdemeanor battery.
Trump’s spokesperson said at the time that Lewandowski «will no longer be associated with Trump world.»
And Noem’s spokesperson at the time said Lewandowski «will not be advising the governor in regard to the campaign or official office.»
But he quickly worked his way back into both Trump and Noem’s political orbits.
Lewandowski was also charged in 2016 after yanking the arm of a reporter at a Trump campaign event, but the charges were later dropped.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks in Quito, Ecuador, in July 2025 (Getty Images/Alex Brandon)
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The New Hampshire Democratic Party took aim at both Lewandowski and Ayotte in a statement.
«Corey Lewandowski and Kelly Ayotte are two sides of the same extreme coin: Republican hardliners who have zero problem bending at the knee for Donald Trump and letting him steamroll New Hampshire families,» longtime state party Chair Ray Buckley claimed.
donald trump,new hampshire,congress,house of representatives politics,republicans elections,governors,elections,politics
El equipo técnico del Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) iniciará en marzo de 2026 la quinta revisión de metas del acuerdo de crédito vigente con Ecuador, en el marco del Servicio Ampliado del Fondo (SAF), un programa de 48 meses aprobado en mayo de 2024 y ampliado en julio de 2025. De superarse esta evaluación, el país podría acceder a un nuevo desembolso estimado en alrededor de USD 400 millones, según el cronograma previsto del programa.
El acuerdo contempla un financiamiento total equivalente a DEG 3.750 millones —aproximadamente USD 5.000 millones— y tiene como objetivo fortalecer la sostenibilidad fiscal y de la deuda, proteger a los grupos vulnerables, reconstruir los colchones de liquidez, salvaguardar la estabilidad macroeconómica y financiera y avanzar en reformas estructurales orientadas a un crecimiento sostenible e inclusivo. Desde su entrada en vigencia, Ecuador ha recibido desembolsos acumulados por cerca de USD 3.330 millones, tras completar cuatro revisiones previas, según reportó Primicias.
La más reciente evaluación concluida por el Directorio Ejecutivo del FMI fue la cuarta revisión, en diciembre de 2025, que permitió un desembolso inmediato de aproximadamente USD 630 millones. En esa ocasión, el organismo señaló que el desempeño del programa seguía siendo sólido, que se cumplieron todos los criterios cuantitativos de desempeño a finales de octubre de 2025 y que las metas estructurales correspondientes a esa etapa habían sido alcanzadas. Con ese desembolso, el total entregado hasta entonces ascendió a alrededor de USD 3.300 millones bajo el acuerdo vigente.
La quinta revisión evaluará el cumplimiento de compromisos correspondientes al cierre de 2025 e inicios de 2026. Entre las metas estructurales previstas se encuentran la preparación y socialización de un marco conceptual y operativo para actualizar el Sistema Oficial de Contrataciones Públicas (SOCE), así como la aprobación y publicación de un plan estratégico para mitigar riesgos de lavado de activos y financiamiento del terrorismo identificados en la Evaluación Nacional de Riesgos aprobada en 2024, de acuerdo con medios locales. El cumplimiento de estos hitos, junto con los objetivos cuantitativos en materia fiscal y financiera, es condición para que el Directorio autorice el nuevo desembolso.
Los programas tipo SAF establecen revisiones periódicas que combinan metas cuantitativas —como resultados fiscales, acumulación de reservas o límites al endeudamiento— y compromisos cualitativos o estructurales, que pueden incluir reformas normativas, planes de acción institucional o mejoras en la gobernanza. El esquema opera bajo el principio de desembolsos escalonados: cada tramo se libera una vez que el país demuestra avances en los objetivos acordados.
En el balance macroeconómico más reciente divulgado por el FMI tras la cuarta revisión, el organismo destacó que la economía ecuatoriana mostraba señales de recuperación, con un crecimiento proyectado del PIB real de 3,4% en 2025, baja inflación promedio y superávits en cuenta corriente, lo que contribuía al fortalecimiento de las reservas internacionales. También subrayó avances en la consolidación fiscal y en la reducción de los diferenciales soberanos, aunque advirtió que la economía sigue expuesta a riesgos externos, como la volatilidad de los precios del petróleo y de los mercados financieros internacionales.
De aprobarse la quinta revisión, quedarían pendientes cuatro evaluaciones adicionales hasta 2028 y desembolsos por aproximadamente USD 1.265 millones en el marco del programa actual. Paralelamente, el país enfrenta un calendario creciente de pagos al propio FMI por créditos contratados en años anteriores: en 2026 deberá cancelar alrededor de USD 1.090 millones, cifra que aumenta en 2027 y 2028.
En este contexto, la evaluación prevista para marzo se inscribe en una fase en la que los desembolsos tienden a disminuir progresivamente, mientras el país avanza hacia la parte final del programa. La decisión del Directorio dependerá del grado de cumplimiento de las metas acordadas y de la valoración técnica sobre la consistencia de la política fiscal y de las reformas estructurales en curso.
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Americans could soon see higher gas prices as escalating tensions in the Middle East threaten a critical global oil chokepoint, raising fears of supply disruptions that could quickly reverberate across U.S. energy markets.
After joint U.S.–Israeli strikes, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, targeted Iranian sites over the weekend and killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, concerns quickly shifted to how Tehran might respond and whether oil infrastructure or tanker traffic could become collateral damage.
Any disruption to global crude supplies could translate into higher costs for American drivers at the pump.
«Every time we’ve had flare-ups in the Middle East like we’re seeing right now — and we’ve seen this kind of situation periodically over the last 50 years — it has caused significant disruption to energy markets,» economist Stephen Moore told Fox News Digital.
«I would expect we could see anywhere from 25 to 50 cents a gallon increase in gas prices in the short term,» he said.
Experts say Americans will likely pay more for gas due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. (Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Market data already shows prices moving higher.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said oil prices were up $5 per barrel, while wholesale gasoline prices had risen 11 cents per gallon.
He expects retail gas prices to begin climbing immediately, especially in areas where stations tend to adjust prices in sharp, periodic jumps.
The national average could hit $3 per gallon as soon as Monday, De Haan said, with some stations increasing prices by 10 to 30 cents this week and potentially more in markets that see larger price swings.
Moore warned that prices could climb further and remain elevated if vital transit routes or oil facilities are disrupted.
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The ongoing conflict in Iran is near a major energy corridor. (Contributor/Getty Images)
«Huge amounts of global oil travel through the Strait of Hormuz, so this could be incredibly disruptive, delaying delivery of oil and gas,» he said.
«The Iranians have already knocked out some oil facilities in the Middle East, and who knows what they’re up to next. When you have less supply, prices go up. The big question is whether this will be a temporary bump or something more prolonged.»
The ongoing conflict sits near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors.
«This shipping route represents around 25% of global oil trade and 23% of liquefied natural gas trade,» explained Jaime Brito, executive director of refining and oil products at OPIS.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between Iran and Oman that has long been a flashpoint during regional crises, serves as a vital artery for global energy markets.
Roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products — about one-fifth of global oil supply — transit the strait each day, underscoring how disruption there can quickly send shockwaves through international energy markets.
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A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025/Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
Highlighting the growing concern, Maersk, widely regarded as a bellwether for global ocean freight, said it will suspend all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and cautioned that services to Arabian Gulf ports may be delayed.
Still, not all price movements are immediate.
«Developments over the weekend in the Middle East should hypothetically take time to ripple into the global supply chain. An initial assessment would suggest no specific price impacts should be seen in the gasoline market across the world, including the U.S.,» Brito told Fox News Digital.
However, Brito said prices could climb quickly if markets expect trouble ahead, even before supplies are actually affected.
As a result, Brito said, developments in Iran may have already translated into higher gasoline, diesel and other fuel prices in parts of the U.S., depending on regional supply dynamics and individual company pricing strategies.
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Experts say the increase in gas prices will be largely determined by how long the conflict in the Middle East lasts. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
From a domestic standpoint, Brito added that gasoline prices follow a seasonal pattern, typically climbing during the summer travel months.
«March prices are not expected to be significantly high,» he said, noting that spring break travel could support demand in certain areas — but not at the level seen during peak summer driving season.
Ultimately, the direction of gasoline prices will depend less on seasonal demand and more on how the geopolitical situation unfolds in the days ahead.
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Exiled crown prince calls on Iranian people to ‘finish the job,’ cheers Trump’s ‘humanitarian intervention’
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Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran, described the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on the country as promised «aid» and an act of «humanitarian intervention» by President Donald Trump.
Following the reported strikes, Pahlavi urged Iranians to abandon the regime and called on security forces to defect.
«Moments of destiny lie ahead of us,» Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. «Even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.»
Pahlavi declared that the Islamic Republic is collapsing.
Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, described the joint U.S.-Israel attack on the country as promised «aid» and an act of «humanitarian intervention» by President Donald Trump. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)
He framed the reported strikes as assistance directed not at Iran itself, but at its ruling clerical establishment and urged the U.S. to «exercise the utmost caution» to preserve civilian lives.
«The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived,» Pahlavi wrote. «This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its machinery of slaughter — not the country and great nation of Iran.»
Pahlavi issued a blunt warning to Iran’s military, police and security services, urging them to break ranks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
«Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country’s military, police, and security forces is clear: You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders,» he wrote.
ISRAEL LAUNCHES PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST IRAN, DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS
People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo)
«Your duty is to defend the people, not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei’s sinking ship and his regime.»
His appeal mirrored past opposition efforts to persuade Iran’s security forces to switch sides — a move that could determine whether protests spread or the regime tightens its grip.
While predicting imminent change, Pahlavi stopped short of urging immediate street demonstrations. He warned citizens to remain in their homes and stay vigilant so that when he announces an «appropriate time,» Iranians can «return to the streets for the final action.»
«We are very close to final victory,» he wrote. «I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran.»
He also indicated he would maintain communication even if authorities moved to restrict internet or satellite access — a tactic Iranian officials have used during prior waves of unrest.
Smoke rises over the city after the Israeli army launched a second wave of airstrikes on Iran in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Pahlavi thanked Trump for what he characterized as support while again urging caution to avoid civilian casualties.
«I now ask you to exercise the utmost caution to preserve the lives of civilians and my compatriots,» he wrote, adding that «the people of Iran are your natural allies and those of the free world.»
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Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.
In recent years, he has sought to position himself as a unifying opposition figure during waves of anti-regime protests, including demonstrations sparked by economic turmoil and the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
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