AURN News

What happens when voters in a deep red Trump district hand a Democrat a surprise win? That’s exactly what happened in Pennsylvania in a political stunner. Democrat James Malone flipped a state seat that Republicans have held for decades—a district Trump won by nearly 20 points in 2024.

Malone, the mayor of East Petersburg, edged out Republican Josh Parsons in a tight race, pulling ahead by roughly 500 votes. That district hadn’t seen a Democrat win since the 1970s. Is this a sign that voters, even in Trump strongholds, are fed up with the president’s sweeping cuts, chaotic tariffs, rising costs, workers being fired, and loss of Medicaid?

Not everyone is ready to declare a trend. Some Republicans chalk this up to low turnout or complacency. The question is, are Democrats finding their footing and momentum in the most unexpected places?

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(AURN News) — Consumer confidence dropped to its lowest level in 12 years in March, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline as Americans grow increasingly pessimistic about business conditions and job prospects.

The Consumer Confidence Index, a closely watched economic indicator published by The Conference Board, showed that consumers are particularly worried about future economic conditions, with the decline most pronounced among those older than 55.

"Likely in response to recent market volatility, consumers turned negative about the stock market for the first time since the end of 2023," said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of global indicators at The Conference Board.

Only 17.7% of consumers described current business conditions as good, down from February's numbers. Meanwhile, just 17.1% expected business conditions to improve, a decrease from 20.8% in March.

Despite ongoing news headlines about a potential economic downturn, the survey revealed that consumer perception regarding the likelihood of a recession in the next 12 months remained unchanged from February to March.

The declining confidence comes as the Trump administration faces mounting pressure to address economic concerns during the president's second term.

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“This hearing is about hunger in this country, nutritional assistance, and Republican betrayal of the American people. After promising to lower the high cost of living for everyday Americans, Donald Trump and House Republicans are doing the exact opposite.”

That was part of Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ opening remarks during a meeting with House Democrats about Republican-proposed cuts to SNAP.

“Without the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as it currently exists, approximately 42 million Americans could go hungry—including nearly 17 million children, 5 million seniors, and more than 1 million veterans. This reckless Republican budget scheme will hurt vulnerable families and decimate farm country.”

SNAP currently provides around $350 a month to millions of American households.

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(AURN News) — President Donald Trump, who once dismissed reparations for Black Americans as "a very unusual thing" and appeared displeased when I questioned him directly about the subject during his first term, is now considering providing compensation to individuals arrested for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The stark contrast in positions emerged during a recent interview with Newsmax host Greg Kelly, where Trump addressed the possibility of compensating those who faced legal consequences following the Capitol riot.

"Well let's talk about that. We have a lot of people talk about it, a lot of the people that are in government now talk about it because...a lot of the people in government really liked that group of people," Trump responded. "They were patriots as far as I was concerned."

Trump continued, "I talk about them a lot, they were treated very unfairly. You know, the thing they show is they show a group of a 1,000, whatever it may be 1,500 people there, what they don't show, you never see the crowd that day. It was the biggest crowd I've ever spoken to before. A group of people went down there, peacefully and patriotically."

The president, at the start of his second term, pardoned approximately 1,500 individuals convicted of offenses related to the Jan. 6 attack as one of his first official actions after returning to office.

This consideration of reparations comes years after I asked Mr. Trump face to face about reparations for Black Americans in September 2019, following a June 2019 interview with The Hill where he had stated he did not see such compensation happening.

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We’ve lost another American icon. Legendary boxer and businessman George Foreman passed away over the weekend. Known as “Big George,” he was a two-time world heavyweight champion, Olympic gold medalist, minister, author — and the face behind the wildly popular George Foreman Grill (yes, the one in every kitchen). He once said he made $200 million from it. What a life. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

In lighter news, Jaleel White is riding high with his syndicated game show “Flip Side” returning for Season 2. It’s now cleared in 95% of the country and has averaged 1.1 million daily viewers, putting it right behind heavy-hitters like Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Not bad for our forever Urkel!

And then there’s Gail King, who’s reportedly outraged over CBS moving the CBS Mornings studio out of its slick Times Square digs and into the more modest West 57th Street broadcast center. Her luxurious dressing room? Gone. Insiders say she wasn’t told this would happen when she extended her contract. Hang in there, Gail — and maybe skip that space trip!

For exclusive interviews, red-carpet coverage, and more, follow me on social media at @TanyaHollywood and @aurnonline.

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This morning, The Atlantic reported new revelations about the Trump administration’s mishandling of sensitive military information on the Signal messaging app.

Despite claims from Trump officials—including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth—that no classified information was shared, The Atlantic published further screenshots of the chat that revealed crucial operational details about a strike in Yemen.

The text exchange between high-level officials, like National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, contained real-time updates about U.S. military operations, information that, if exposed to enemies, could have endangered American lives.

Critics argue that these messages should never have been sent via a non-secure app like Signal.

While the Trump administration continues to downplay the breach, experts warn this could have far-reaching implications for national security. As public scrutiny intensifies, questions remain about the administration’s accountability.

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Aretha Franklin, the legendary “Queen of Soul,” was born on this day, March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. Known for her powerful voice and unforgettable hits like “Respect,” “Think,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” Franklin became a global icon and a trailblazer in both music and civil rights.

Her remarkable career spanned over six decades, earning her 18 Grammy Awards and the distinction of being the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

She passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire artists and fans around the world.

Happy heavenly birthday to the legendary Aretha Franklin.

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What happens when top officials discuss military plans in a group chat that accidentally includes journalists? That is the situation facing the Trump administration after it was revealed that senior cabinet members used a messaging app to discuss secret military operations in Yemen—accidentally adding a reporter to the conversation.

The chat included Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Radcliffe, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussing sensitive strike plans against Houthi militants.

The use of an unclassified app like Signal for such documents has raised serious concerns about national security, with many officials shocked by the breach. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to downplay the situation, labeling the journalist involved as "sensationalist."

However, the fact remains that the group chat potentially shared classified information, raising alarms among current and former officials about the risks of using unsecured platforms for sensitive government business.

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The Trump administration is requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court allow it to proceed with the dismissal of more than 16,000 federal employees who are still within their probationary periods.

A federal judge in California previously ruled that the terminations—affecting personnel across several agencies, including Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, and Treasury—did not follow established procedural requirements.

In response, the Department of Justice has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, asserting that the lower court exceeded its authority and encroached upon presidential powers.

The move is part of a broader initiative by former President Trump to reduce the size of the federal workforce, an effort that has already resulted in the elimination of approximately 24,000 positions.

While the White House has framed the initiative as a measure to improve government efficiency, critics have characterized it as a direct assault on public service.

With lower courts having temporarily halted the dismissals, the Supreme Court is now poised to determine whether the executive branch’s actions align with the rule of law.

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(AURN News) — As Americans navigate unprecedented political divisions and social unrest, many are experiencing heightened anxiety and emotional strain. Biblical counselor and mental health coach Rochelle Jones observes that people are feeling overwhelmed by current events.

"We have to walk in sobriety," Jones said. "Our generation right now, because we are experiencing things, no matter what age you are, that we have never seen before, like the audacity of people and how they handle situations. We've never seen these things before, and so it's making everybody hyper. And everyone wants to argue their viewpoint."

She emphasizes the importance of clear-headedness when consuming information, particularly on social media.

"I think that the best result is to be sober. We have to be clear-headed and think. And we have to think about facts and whatever is true as the Bible speaks of," Jones said.

She also cautions against the rapid spread of unverified information. "Some things that I'm seeing many of us are overly excited about and overly sensitive about, we don't always have the facts," she told AURN News. "And so if that is spewed throughout social media and in our safe places where we speak and talk about these topics and conversations, if we're not dealing with facts and with reputable sources, sometimes we have a tendency to hype each other up."

While acknowledging social media's role in mental anguish, Jones doesn't advocate abandoning these platforms.

"It is causing a lot of mental anguish. But I think we have an individual responsibility," she explained. "Do I think we should let it go? Absolutely not. Because social media is doing just as much good, in my opinion, in certain areas than it is bad. It just depends on the user."

Drawing from her background in psychology, Jones highlighted the stabilizing role of faith.

"I am finding out that those who come through my program, they do come out with a different type of hope, even in this climate. And that's the overall goal for me. That's my mission," Jones said.

To learn more or to receive biblical counseling you can visit www.rochellejones.org.

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