The White House compares deadly conflict with video games and movies in memeified videos to win support for Iran war The White House explained its war meme strategy has viewers focused on the military’s successes. Others see a “disturbing” development.

New: The WH uses GTA, Wii sports & SpongeBob clips to memeify Iran war

Trump aides says the clips have people focused on military wins. Others see a "disturbing" trend

“It’s fucking bullshit,” a former top military official said. “Nobody thinks this is a good idea"

www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi...

The only topics surveyed in the new NBC News poll that were less popular than AI? The Democratic Party and Iran

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol... by @allansmith.bsky.social

Politicians are starting to pay a lot more attention to the plight of white-collar workers Rapid advancements in AI have industry and political leaders warning of massive job displacement for white-collar workers. It could reshape U.S. politics.

White-collar workers are now a more Democratic-leaning part of the electorate than blue-collar workers, per the latest @nbcnews.com poll

White-collar workers are D+8 in party ID while blue-collar workers are R+9

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Former Commerce Sec. Gina Raimondo has given this a lot of thought, too.

“What is fascinating to me,” she said, “is how many policymakers of both parties & AI executives just kind of throw up their hands & they’re like, ‘Well, what are we going to do?’”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Politicians are starting to pay a lot more attention to the plight of white-collar workers Rapid advancements in AI have industry and political leaders warning of massive job displacement for white-collar workers. It could reshape U.S. politics.

Gov. DeSantis is at the forefront of this shift, expressing concern “some of these white-collar jobs … could end up being obsolete” due to AI advancements and worrying about predictions that AI is “going to really undercut ... a lot of white-collar jobs”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

“College-educated professionals in suburban districts whose mortgage payments are suddenly at risk are a very different political force than a hollowed-out factory town,” said former Rep. Brad Carson, now a leader at the super PAC Public First Action

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Politicians are starting to pay a lot more attention to the plight of white-collar workers Rapid advancements in AI have industry and political leaders warning of massive job displacement for white-collar workers. It could reshape U.S. politics.

U.S. politics has long centered on the anxieties and grievances of blue-collar workers who for decades saw manufacturing jobs dwindle. These workers helped power Trump’s rise and led both parties to reorient their industrial policy

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Politicians are starting to pay a lot more attention to the plight of white-collar workers Rapid advancements in AI have industry and political leaders warning of massive job displacement for white-collar workers. It could reshape U.S. politics.

NEW: The coming potential AI-fueled white-collar job displacement could have a massive effect on politics

Some leaders are taking notice

“We’re looking at a massive collapse of the middle class,” Sen. Hawley said. “We simply cannot allow that to happen”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Unions privately urge Chuck Schumer and Democratic leaders to stay out of Maine's Senate primary At least three pro-Graham Platner unions are pushing Democratic leaders to stop supporting Gov. Janet Mills in the competitive Senate race.

SCOOP from @allansmith.bsky.social: Unions are privately urging Schumer and the DSCC to stop backing Janet Mills in the Maine Senate primary.

UAW head Shawn Fain called Schumer recently and spoke to him about it, and an IBEW leader sent a letter to the DSCC.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Unions privately urge Chuck Schumer and Democratic leaders to stay out of Maine's Senate primary At least three pro-Graham Platner unions are pushing Democratic leaders to stop supporting Gov. Janet Mills in the competitive Senate race.

Scoop: Pro-Platner unions, including the UAW and IBEW, are privately advocating for Dem leaders to end their support for Gov. Mills in ME Senate

UAW president Shawn Fain discussed the race w/ Schumer earlier this month. The IBEW sent DSCC a letter Monday

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

“We’ve seen how much interest there is in Pennsylvania from developers,” a senior Shapiro aide said of what’s driving his proposal. “And I think you’ve also seen folks in local communities be skeptical, to say the least, especially in northeast PA.”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

Shapiro has encouraged the rapid proliferation of data centers in his state.

A senior aide says the governor has noticed the pushback to the developments at the grassroots level, though

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

A potential 2028 contender, Shapiro is planting a flag on a key AI issue as leaders on both sides find their footing

“I know Pennsylvanians have real concerns about these data centers ...” Shapiro will say, per his prepared remarks. “And so do I.”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania The Democratic governor and potential presidential candidate is among those wading into new AI-adjacent political issues confronting both parties.

Scoop: Josh Shapiro to unveil a set of principles for the data center boom in PA during his budget address today

Will say developers must pay for their own power, hire locally, and meet transparency + water-conservation standards to qualify for benefits

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Josh Shapiro grapples with Pennsylvania's divided government ahead of a possible 2028 bid The Pennsylvania governor is just now emerging from a contentious four-month budget impasse that tested his ability to “get stuff done” in the pivotal battleground.

New: Josh Shapiro grapples with one big factor separating him from other possible 2028 Dems: A divided state Legislature that necessitates tricky compromises

“He’s right, it’s very hard,” a PA Dem said. "It’s certainly different than a Wes Moore or a [Gavin] Newsom"

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

The fight for young men intensifies ahead of the 2026 midterm elections Democrats believe they're making progress after Trump's gains with young men helped him win in 2024. Republicans say they're focused on ensuring those inconsistent voters turn out.

New: The battle for young men has been a defining political fight of 2025. And it is intensifying.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

DOJ weighs novel federal hate crimes case against Charlie Kirk's alleged killer The effort to bring federal charges has been met with resistance by some career prosecutors who argue the crime doesn’t appear to fall under any federal statutes.

SCOOP: Trump DOJ weighs novel hate crimes charge against Charlie Kirk's assassin, which could require them to equate Christianity with anti-trans views. A theoretical federal case could impact what looks like a slam dunk state case.

With @allansmith.bsky.social:

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

DOJ weighs novel federal hate crime case against Charlie Kirk's alleged killer The effort to bring federal charges has been met with resistance by some career prosecutors who argue the crime doesn’t appear to fall under any federal statutes.

New: DOJ weighs a novel hate crimes case against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer

“They are trying to shove a square peg into a round hole,” said a person familiar w/ the probe

Meanwhile, a change was just made atop the Utah US Attorney’s office

W/ @ryanjreilly.com

www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

'I love an underdog': Trump-Zohran Mamdani voters are at the center of an unexpected relationship NBC News exit polling from the November vote found that about 1 in 10 Trump voters who showed up to the polls backed Mamdani.

Separately, asked Mamdani about the memes that followed Trump walking the White House grounds wearing a red scarf and black overcoat after their meeting

"We did not discuss style," Mamdani said. "We kept our conversation to cost of living, by and large."

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

'I love an underdog': Trump-Zohran Mamdani voters are at the center of an unexpected relationship NBC News exit polling from the November vote found that about 1 in 10 Trump voters who showed up to the polls backed Mamdani.

New: Trump/Mamdani voters are at the center of a surprise relationship between the president & new mayor

Mamdani brought up exit polling w/ Trump showing how many had supported both in NYC. Voters who backed both told me they're not "joking or trolling."

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

AI becomes a political wedge issue, creating odd bedfellows across parties MAGA media personality Steve Bannon described the fight on the right as one between populists and "broligarchs" in the tech industry.

New: AI is becoming a wedge issue within both parties

As the tech rapidly advances while the Trump admin favors few guardrails, the issue may define 26 + 28

DeSantis, AOC, Newsom, Shapiro, Vance + more pave lanes

w/ @henryjgomez.bsky.social @jonallendc.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Passan's MLB offseason preview: Every signing or trade we could see this winter From the big-name signing to the could-be trade, Jeff Passan breaks down the winter to come.

"And yet the Pirates were primed to spend more than twice that on Josh Naylor before he re-upped with Seattle for five years and $92.5 million ... and they're considering other possibilities to supplement Paul Skenes"

www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/...

Affordability worries and GOP infighting hover over the early race to succeed Trump As 2028 talk heats up, Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others are navigating the aftermath of Republican losses in last week’s elections.

President Donald Trump has 38 months left in office and — as his occasional pining about an unconstitutional third term attests — is loath to be a lame duck anytime soon.

But the quacking from others has begun.

w/ @allansmith.bsky.social www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Trump defends his MAGA bona fides amid backlash from his base After GOP election losses and an interview with Fox News, some of Trump's supporters have expressed concerns that the president's priorities aren't aligned enough with his base.

NEW: Trump defends his MAGA bona fides as right-wing base criticizes him on the economy, China and H-1B visas

“America First is experiencing a hijacking right now," said Paul Dans. "[Trump’s] getting bad advice & is being kept in a bubble.”

w/ Matt Dixon

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Jack Schlossberg, member of Kennedy political dynasty, is running for Congress The 32-year-old said he will run as a Democrat for the New York City seat of U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, who announced he's retiring.

Next 30-something candidate in New York City just announced

www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

The new batch of Epstein emails comes as Trump is already facing headwinds from MAGA over a host of other policy moves

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...

Inside the rift that could define the future of Pennsylvania politics A dispute between Sen. John Fetterman and Gov. Josh Shapiro spilled into the open during Kamala Harris' VP search. It could roil state and Democratic politics for years.

However, Fetterman says in his book he "sincerely" wishes Shapiro "the best"

"He is a credit to the state and may one day be a credit to the country. I remember fondly the days when we were nobodies trying to climb the ladder. Even if we no longer speak"

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Inside the rift that could define the future of Pennsylvania politics A dispute between Sen. John Fetterman and Gov. Josh Shapiro spilled into the open during Kamala Harris' VP search. It could roil state and Democratic politics for years.

John Fetterman details in his new book his falling out with Gov. Josh Shapiro, pointing to disagreements on the pardon board and saying the governor is driven by "political ambition."

As I reported last year, there's more to the story

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

Affordability worries and GOP infighting hover over the early race to succeed Trump As 2028 talk heats up, Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others are navigating the aftermath of Republican losses in last week’s elections.

NEW: Affordability + infighting mark the early race to succeed Trump & define the right

“I think urgency in the WH is just starting to set in,” Steve Bannon told me of the challenges facing the GOP. “Less so sure it’s fully set in”

w/
@henryjgomez.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

To influence Trump on Colombia, Sen. Bernie Moreno brought a fake image of the country's president The president of Colombia recalled his ambassador from the U.S. when the image was spotted a White House photo, intensifying a growing rift between the two countries.

NEW: Sen. Bernie Moreno hoped to influence Trump on Colombia policy at a WH lunch

So he brought a policy memo. It included a fake image of Petro in an orange jumpsuit

Now, the image is making waves in Colombia. And the Trump admin moved forward w/ key suggestions

www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...