INTERNACIONAL
Former Republican senator on potential bid to flip swing state seat red: ‘this is a race I know I can win’
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EXCLUSIVE — It’s been nearly two decades since former Sen. John E. Sununu’s name has been on the ballot, but if the New Hampshire Republican decides to launch a 2026 campaign for the swing state’s open Senate seat, he’s confident he can win.
«I’m sure that if we put together a strong team, this is a race that can be won. This is a race I know I can win. And more importantly, it’s a role where I know I can make a difference for New Hampshire,» Sununu said, in his strongest comments to date, in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital.
The former senator, who reiterated he’ll «make a decision in October» on whether to launch a Senate campaign in the expected competitive race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said «it’s a winnable race for the right person who reflects our state’s values, not the values of Washington.»
And despite calling President Donald Trump a «loser» in a newspaper opinion piece early last year, Sununu may land the president’s support if he runs.
THUNE SPEAKS WITH SUNUNU ABOUT SENATE BID TO FLIP BLUE SEAT RED
Former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu of New Hampshire is interviewed by Fox News Digital on Sept. 15, 2025, in Rye, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
«President Trump appreciates winners and understands that John E. Sununu puts this race on the map for Republicans,» a national Republican familiar with the Senate race in New Hampshire told Fox News Digital.
Sununu is a former three-term representative who defeated then-Gov. Shaheen in New Hampshire’s 2002 Senate election. But the senator lost to Shaheen in their 2008 rematch.
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Shaheen announced earlier this year that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms, and Republicans are hoping to flip the seat as they aim to not only defend but expand their Senate majority. Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas is the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) speaks during a news conference following the weekly Senate Democratic policy luncheon meeting at the U.S. Capitol Building on Sept. 19, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
After nearly two decades in the private sector, Sununu sounds like someone ready to hit the campaign trail.
«This is an incredibly important race. It’s an incredibly important time for the country and I feel it might be the right time to step up,» Sununu told Fox News Digital.
He said that «over the last few weeks, people in New Hampshire have reached out. They’ve encouraged me to run for Senate, because they know how important it is that New Hampshire has the right kind of voice in Washington, someone who will stand up for our state, someone who won’t just be a rubber stamp for anyone else, but will represent New Hampshire every single day.»
But it’s not just New Hampshire voters who may be encouraging Sununu to run.
Top national Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have held conversations with the former senator regarding a 2026 Senate campaign, a source told Fox News Digital two weeks ago.
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Also speaking with Sununu was former Sen. Cory Gardner, chair of the Senate Leadership Fund, which is the top super PAC supporting Senate Republicans. The source added that Thune and Gardner were cautiously optimistic that Sununu would launch a campaign.
Sununu is a brand name in New Hampshire politics. The former senator’s father, John H. Sununu, is a former governor who later served as chief of staff in then-President George H.W. Bush’s White House. And one of his younger brothers is former Gov. Chris Sununu, who won election and re-election to four two-year terms steering the Granite State.
Then-Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire is interviewed by Fox News Digital on his final full day in office, on Jan. 8, 2025 in Concord, N.H. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News)
But the Republican Party has dramatically changed since the former senator last ran for office 17 years ago. The GOP, under the firm control of President Donald Trump and his America First agenda and MAGA movement, has been transformed from a business-orientated platform into a more populist party.
Asked if there’s still room for an old-school fiscal conservative in Trump’s GOP, Sununu said, «good decision-making, good leadership, never goes out of style. Standing up for your state, standing up for your neighbors and your friends, and the things that make New Hampshire strong never goes out of style. Being an effective voice never goes out of style.»
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But some of Sununu’s past criticisms of Trump could come back to hurt him if he joins a Republican primary that already includes former Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis, who are both showcasing their support for the president.
Sununu, along with then-Gov. Chris Sununu, endorsed former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, as she battled Trump for the nomination.
Republican presidential candidate, former U.N. Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, center, is joined by then-New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, left, as they visit a polling location in Hampton, N.H., on primary day, Jan. 23, 2024. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
And on the eve of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, the former senator wrote an opinion piece titled «Donald Trump is a loser,» that ran in the New Hampshire Union Leader, the state’s largest daily newspaper.
«@JohnSununu was the original ‘Never Trumper,’» Brown charged in a social media post this month. «He’s going to have to explain that.»
Brown endorsed Trump ahead of his 2016 New Hampshire primary victory, which launched him toward the GOP presidential nomination and ultimately the White House. Brown later served as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand during Trump’s first term.
And Innis claims that he’s the most pro-Trump candidate in the race.
Asked if he could win a Republican primary race that could turn into a Trump loyalty test, Sununu said «the real question is, can you be effective? Can you work with other members of Congress? Can you work with this White House? Can you provide the kind of leadership it takes to get things done? And I know I can do that.»
«If there’s a primary, I’ve seen them before. I’ve been through them before,» he added. «I’m very comfortable with where we are today, and over the next few weeks, I’ll continue to get people’s perspective, put together a good team, make sure we have a winning message and make a decision in October.»
Trump, whose endorsement in Republican primaries is extremely influential, has remained neutral to date.
And the president may be willing to overlook Sununu’s past jabs.
Earlier this year, when Chris Sununu flirted with a Senate bid after leaving office, Trump urged him to run.
The younger Sununu, who was Haley’s top supporter and surrogate in New Hampshire, repeatedly criticized Trump during the 2024 Republican presidential primaries.
Trump told reporters in April that he had met with the former governor in the Oval Office and that he’d «support him fully.»
«He’s been very nice to me over the last year or so,» Trump added. «I hope he runs. I think he’ll win that seat.»
President Donald Trump has remained neutral to date in the 2026 Republican Senate primary in New Hampshire. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo)
The national Republican strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, said that «aside from his famous last name, Sununu is a serious candidate with the ability to fundraise and appeal to New Hampshire’s unique politics. All other candidates — announced or considering — will have a very difficult time against Chris Pappas next November.»
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Asked about trying to earn Trump’s support, Sununu said, «I’d certainly love to have support from across the spectrum, that includes the president.»
But he added that «at the end of the day, this is about building support in New Hampshire, providing the right leadership for New Hampshire and the right message for New Hampshire.»
donald trump,republicans elections,senate,elections,midterm elections,new hampshire,politics,nikki haley
INTERNACIONAL
White House slams ‘trash reporting’ over claims ICE chief hospitalized for stress, yelled at by Trump admin
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The White House pushed back hard Friday amid a news report that Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been hospitalized at least twice for stress-related issues with the Trump administration that left him visibly upset and strained.
The pushback came following a Politico report that said Lyons was hospitalized at least twice for stress-related issues while carrying out President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
The stress has left Lyons unable to carry out key decisions, the report states, citing two current and two former administration officials, who were unnamed.
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ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons was reportedly hospitalized at least twice amid pressure from the Trump administration to ramp up deportations of illegal immigrants, according to a Politico report. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images andJohn Moore/Getty Images )
«He would be visibly upset and struggling to make the decisions that were needed to be made by the director,» one former unnamed official told the news website.
«Trash reporting from a trash «reporter» pushing tabloid b*******in an attempt to divide and distract. Todd Lyons is an American Patriot,» the White House Rapid Response X account said in response to the story.
The episodes were attributed to pressure from above for Lyons to ramp up deportations and from top adviser Stephen Miller, who allegedly yelled at Lyons during morning phone calls with administration officials, Politico reported.
«This is b******* and more of the trash that Daniel Lippman has peddled over the years in the name of clicks and clout,» Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, wrote on X in response to Politico reporter’s story.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said Politico was given «on record» denials prior to the story being published.
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller speaks during the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference at the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Doral, Florida, on March 5, 2026. (Eva Marie UZCATEGUI / AFP via Getty Images)
«Shame on Politico for publishing such inaccurate trash,» Jackson wrote on X. «Todd Lyons is an American patriot who has worked tirelessly to undo Biden’s disastrous immigration policies that wreaked havoc on American communities. And the American people are deeply appreciative for his hard work making our country safer. Despite multiple on record denials and sources refuting their pathetic ‘reporting’ and *still* ran with this absurd article.»
The reported hospitalizations took place over several months. In one incident, Lyons was driven to a hospital by his security detail and he was admitted overnight.
In September, Lyons became distressed that ICE agents were unable to locate an illegal immigrant in Los Ángeles during a ride along with top administration officials.
One of his bodyguards took a portable defibrillator from a nearby government office to Lyons in case he needed medical intervention, the report said.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons speaking at a press conference at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston on June 2. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
After heated calls with Miller, Lyons expressed frustration that the White House was often mad at his agency, according to the current official and former official who heard such comments.
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«Todd, Stephen, and the entire White House team have a great working relationship and coordinate closely to deliver on the president’s many promises,» White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. «Todd Lyons is an American patriot who has worked tirelessly to undo Biden’s disastrous immigration policies that wreaked havoc on American communities.»
Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE and Politico.
white house, police and law enforcement, us, border security
Con la llegada de la Semana Santa, El Salvador ha puesto en marcha un amplio dispositivo de prevención y protección ciudadana en el marco del denominado “Plan Verano”, cuyo eje central será el despliegue de 342 guardavidas de la Unidad de Guardavidas de Protección Civil. Esta medida busca proteger a los miles de visitantes que se prevé acudirán a las 34 playas, siete parques recreativos y dos lagos más concurridos del país durante este periodo vacacional.
El director de Protección Civil, Luis Alonso Amaya, detalló que estos 342 profesionales de salvamento acuático estarán distribuidos en 180 puntos de monitoreo, con el objetivo de fortalecer la vigilancia y la capacidad de respuesta ante incidentes en zonas turísticas de alta afluencia. Amaya subrayó que los guardavidas forman parte de un esfuerzo interinstitucional más amplio, que involucra a diversas entidades del Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil, cuyo trabajo se articulará desde el Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia (COE), habilitado desde hoy hasta el 6 de abril.
El despliegue de los guardavidas representa solo una parte del dispositivo que el Gobierno ha dispuesto para estas fechas. La estrategia contempla la instalación de puestos de mando en Sonsonate y San Salvador, donde históricamente se registra una importante concentración de feligreses y turistas, especialmente desde el Jueves Santo hasta el Domingo de Resurrección. Las autoridades prevén que la llegada masiva de visitantes aumente los riesgos asociados a actividades acuáticas y recreativas, por lo que la presencia de personal capacitado y recursos estratégicamente ubicados resulta esencial para la prevención y atención de emergencias.
En paralelo a la labor de los guardavidas, el Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil suma alrededor de 100,000 personas movilizadas para atender las distintas tareas de control, prevención, vigilancia y respuesta inmediata. Este contingente incluye equipos del Ministerio de Salud (Minsal), el Fondo Solidario para la Salud (Fosalud), la Superintendencia de Regulación Sanitaria (SRS), la Policía Nacional Civil (PNC), la Fuerza Armada, el Cuerpo de Bomberos, la Cruz Roja salvadoreña y el Sistema de Emergencias Médicas (SEM).
El director del Sistema de Emergencias Médicas, Carlos Orellana, informó que habrá 17 bases operativas a escala nacional, de las cuales 15 son terrestres, una aérea y una marítima. Además, se contará con más de 100 ambulancias terrestres, así como unidades aéreas y marítimas especializadas para atender cualquier eventualidad. Orellana insistió en la importancia de seguir las recomendaciones de las autoridades en todas las actividades al aire libre para minimizar los riesgos, recordando que la prevención es clave para evitar incidentes que lamentar.
A este dispositivo se suma el Cuerpo de Bomberos, que contará con más de 800 efectivos desplegados en todo el país y más de 170 inspectores encargados de labores preventivas. El director de la institución, Baltazar Solano, señaló que el sistema de respuesta estará disponible las 24 horas y recordó a la ciudadanía que el número de emergencia es el 913. Solano hizo énfasis en la necesidad de respetar las recomendaciones viales, evitar conducir bajo los efectos del alcohol o el uso del celular y respetar los límites de velocidad, ya que las estadísticas muestran un aumento de accidentes y víctimas durante el periodo vacacional.
En cuanto a las expectativas turísticas, la presidenta del Instituto Salvadoreño de Turismo, Eny Aguiñada, indicó que se espera la llegada de 1.7 millones de visitantes a los distintos sitios públicos administrados por el instituto y otras instituciones, así como al centro histórico y playas públicas. Para el turismo internacional, se proyecta recibir 145,000 visitantes, de los cuales el 38% proviene de Guatemala, el 20% de Honduras, el 28% de Estados Unidos y el 14% del resto del mundo.
La coordinación interinstitucional será fundamental para garantizar que la población y los turistas disfruten de las vacaciones con tranquilidad. Las autoridades han reiterado que el éxito del Plan Verano dependerá tanto del trabajo de los equipos de emergencia como de la colaboración de la ciudadanía, haciendo un llamado a acatar las indicaciones y mantener conductas responsables en todos los espacios públicos.
En suma, el despliegue de 342 guardavidas, junto a la movilización de miles de personas en tareas de prevención y respuesta, conforma el mayor esfuerzo de seguridad y protección civil implementado en El Salvador para unas vacaciones de Semana Santa. El plan busca reducir los riesgos y proteger la vida de los visitantes, en un contexto de alta movilidad y concentración de personas en balnearios y lugares turísticos del país.
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