Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to President Trump’s personal insults about his weight by calling them juvenile and a reflection of Trump’s own insecurities, amid ongoing political tensions and Trump’s recent comments about federal intervention in Chicago.
Days before the shooting at UNLV that killed three professors, the alleged gunman, Tony Polito, published a document on his website containing personal letters and his opinions on higher education. The letters included personal attacks on educators and accused them of wrongdoing. Polito had applied for jobs at several Nevada System Higher Education institutions and was denied. Police discovered that Polito sent 22 letters with no return address, one of which contained an unknown white powder substance. The powder was later deemed harmless.
During a Republican presidential debate, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to "shut up" after Ramaswamy attacked Nikki Haley. Christie called Ramaswamy the "most obnoxious blowhard in America" and later faced personal attacks in return, with Ramaswamy criticizing Christie's foreign policy experience and weight.
Sparks flew at the fourth GOP presidential debate as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy engaged in a heated exchange over foreign policy, resorting to personal insults. The clash began when Ramaswamy advocated for the U.S. to stop supporting Ukraine against the Russian invasion, leading Christie to criticize his stance. The verbal blows escalated, with Ramaswamy referencing the Bridgegate scandal and attacking Nikki Haley's support for Ukraine. The debate highlighted the intense divisions within the Republican Party on foreign policy issues.
The author of the controversial "Every Major Modern JRPG Series Ranked By How Embarrassed You Should Feel About Playing It" article responds to personal attacks by ranking their accuracy. They address accusations of being a pedophile, a 35-year-old who says "adulting" and owns Baby Yoda merchandise, racist, not real, and a soft, weak man. They admit that their article was not satire and aimed to provoke outrage, but express hope for forgiveness and future camaraderie with Xenoblade 2 fans.
The third Republican primary debate in Miami featured contentious exchanges among the five candidates, including a heated moment between Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, where Ramaswamy referenced Haley's daughter's use of TikTok, leading Haley to call him "scum." The debate saw a significant drop in TV ratings compared to previous debates in the 2024 cycle. Ramaswamy also faced criticism for his comments about Ukraine and his voting history, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis drew attention for his tongue movements. Tim Scott introduced his girlfriend, and Ramaswamy suggested Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Elon Musk should moderate GOP debates. The debate highlighted the ongoing influence of Donald Trump on the Republican Party.
Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar who testified at the impeachment inquiries of both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, found himself on trial during his recent testimony at the impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden. Turley warned that the toxic environment surrounding these proceedings begins with how members treat the moment, but Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi chose to attack Turley personally rather than challenge his analysis. Krishnamoorthi falsely accused Turley of defending a criminal child molester and polygamist, using past work on polygamy laws as evidence. Turley clarified that he has always opposed morality legislation and condemned the criminal actions of the individual in question. Turley's experience highlights the increasing use of personal attacks and smears in political discourse, which he argues undermines the integrity of the constitutional process.
Riley Gaines, a campaign surrogate for Ron DeSantis, has criticized the "cheap shots" and "personal attacks" against the 2024 presidential candidate, arguing that they are negatively impacting his campaign. Gaines, known for her opposition to transgender athletes in women's sports, believes that these attacks are aimed at DeSantis as a person rather than his policies. However, some observers have pointed out policy critiques and concerns about his hard-right positioning on social issues. Gaines defended DeSantis, stating that when opponents have nothing else against him, they resort to throwing labels.
Former President Donald Trump launched a personal attack on his former attorney general Bill Barr, calling him a "gutless pig" and a "very unpatriotic person" after Barr said that Trump is "toast" if even half of the 37-count indictment against him is true. Trump also accused Barr of being a "coward" and a "mistake" who was "very, very bad for the country." The indictment alleges that Trump violated the Espionage Act by storing highly classified government documents in a bathroom and other insecure areas of his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Close aides and allies to Donald Trump want to challenge Ron DeSantis to a literal dick-measuring contest, with some urging Trump to continuously make reference to the size of DeSantis’ penis. Trump has already suggested that DeSantis might be secretly gay, gone after him over pronunciation of his own last name, and claimed to have salacious dirt on him. Trump’s venom towards DeSantis is enhanced by a campaign staff whose personal loathing of DeSantis eclipses even Trump’s. The insults have become a more important battleground because of the shrinking differences between the two candidates on policy.
Terry McDonough's lawyer, Michael Caspino, has called the Arizona Cardinals' attempt to smear his client "disgusting" after the team made personal attacks against McDonough in response to his arbitration claim. McDonough accuses the Cardinals of breach of contract, retaliation, emotional distress, defamation, and civil conspiracy. He seeks lost wages, reinstatement, attorneys' fees, and punitive damages. The Cardinals should defend themselves against the claims without attacking McDonough personally, and the league should compel them to delete their comments if they refuse to do so.