Republican Anthony Constantino, who previously recorded an album of rap songs praising President Donald Trump, won a seat in the US House of Representatives in the midterm elections that took place on Friday.
American media announced the victory of Constantinou, 44, after a strong competition with Democratic candidate Blake Gendebien in the 21st electoral district in New York State.
Constantinou had anticipated the results and announced his victory on election night, when he gave a speech that included profanity, attacked what he described as the “evil media,” and expelled a television crew from the hall in which he was celebrating.
In his speech, Constantino called on President Donald Trump to consider pardoning the former rapper and music producer known as “Diddy,” saying that Diddy is “a historic New Yorker who has made great achievements for the state of New York.”
Sean John Combs, known in the music community as “Diddy,” was sentenced to more than four years in prison in 2025 on prostitution-related charges.
Constantinou first attracted attention in 2024, when he placed a huge, illuminated banner bearing the phrase “Vote for Trump” on the roof of a building belonging to the poster company he owns and manages.
This year, he also released an album entitled “Thank You, President Trump,” which included rap songs whose lyrics were inspired by the president’s slogans, his passion for golf, and his book, “The Art of the Deal.”
The Democrats achieved a landslide victory in the midterm elections, where they obtained a majority in both houses of Congress, in addition to winning the governorship of states that are traditionally strongholds of the Republican Party, such as Texas and Georgia.
The heavy defeat suffered by Republicans in the midterm elections for the US Congress sparked a state of confusion within the administration of President Donald Trump, amid escalating controversy over responsibility for the loss, especially the repercussions of the Iran war, and increasing questions about the future of the most prominent members of his national security team.
Efforts to remove Secretary of War Pete Hegseth were renewed, after Republican Representative Thomas Massie announced his intention to resubmit a resolution to impeach him before the House of Representatives, while Trump renewed his adherence to the minister, praising his performance despite the mounting criticism of his management of the war.
In parallel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied reports of his intention to resign, stressing that he plans to remain in office until the end of Trump's term. He refused to discuss his presidential ambitions for 2028.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will head to France next week to participate in a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, according to what the US State Department announced, in light of the escalating challenges related to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Rubio's visit to France comes after the Democrats seized control of Congress, in a severe defeat for the Republicans that would place various obstacles before Donald Trump in the last two years of his presidential term.
While the impact of the results of the congressional elections on American foreign policy is not clear, the G7 meeting scheduled for Monday and Tuesday will give Washington’s allies an opportunity to explore the administration’s directions.
The State Department said, in a brief statement, that Rubio will visit Paris between November 8 and 10 with the aim of “promoting American interests during his meetings with his counterparts in the G7,” according to Agence France-Presse.
It was decided to move the meetings from the city of Marseille to the capital, Paris, for “logistical reasons,” according to what the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, noting that the move followed weeks of demonstrations that spread throughout France in protest against the high costs of living.
In addition to the Ukrainian file, the foreign ministers of the group's countries (Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States) are expected to discuss efforts aimed at achieving stability in the Middle East.
Representatives of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Korea, Brazil and Ukraine are also participating in the meeting.
The Paris meeting is preceded by Russian-Ukrainian talks brokered by the United States, which will be held in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11.
On Thursday, Trump expected to reach an agreement with Russia regarding Ukraine and “all of Europe.”
The president's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said Trump had made progress in his discussions with European leaders about the need for "a broader European security architecture that can help provide the conditions for lasting peace."
France's presidency of the G7 ends at the end of this year, with the United States assuming the presidency after that.
Rubio's visit also comes amid speculation about his political future. He is seen as one of the potential candidates to succeed Trump.
However, Rubio denied reports that he intended to leave office, confirming to the New York Times that his plan was to work alongside Trump until the end of his term.
