Top TSA official explains what to do if you don’t have REAL ID
TSA Administrator Adam Stahl explained what Americans without REAL ID should do if they have an upcoming flight, and he addressed concerns about the potential for long lines as a result. Enforcement of REAL ID went into effect on Wednesday in order for people to fly domestically within the United States and enter some federal buildings, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Stahl told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that people who “do not have a compliant REAL ID will experience possibly additional vetting, additional screening at the checkpoint. Those that do not – We’ll be working pretty aggressively to minimize any sort of impacts to the checkpoint, to travel to the checkpoint.” REAL ID IS ABOUT TO GO INTO EFFECT. HERE’S HOW IT MAY IMPACT VOTING He noted that a military ID, a passport, and global entry are alternatives that somebody can use, but if they do not have any of those, they will make their flight. “You will still get through the checkpoint. You’ll be okay. You may face some additional screening measures, and that’s why we’re really underscoring to folks to please go to the airport early. He noted that REAL ID’s history stems from 9/11, even though the enforcement of the law has been pushed back several times. REAL ID DOCUMENTS HELD UP IN MAIL ACCORDING TO AMERICANS WHO ENROLLED BEFORE DEADLINE DHS noted that REAL ID will assist with immigration enforcement, as those in the country illegally will not be able to fly unless they are flying back to their country of origin. “This is a law that was passed in 2005 called the Real ID Law. And this was a critical vulnerability that was identified in the wake of 9/11. And this is really all about elevating identity and document integrity. And so, this administration, this secretary feels strongly that this is an important law to enforce and that really, this is critical to ensuring the safety and the security of our skies.” Stahl also addressed skeptics of the law, who may be concerned that it could be used to keep a closer eye on the American public unnecessarily. REAL ID REJECTION BY AMERICANS MAY COME DOWN TO ONE SURPRISING FACTOR “The notion that we are creating some sort of national surveillance system is not true, it’s not correct,” Stahl said, saying the TSA’s main focus is “safety” for travelers. “This is all about, again, ensuring and elevating document and data integrity to really ensure that we’re ensuring the safety in our skies of our passengers and of the traveling public. So it has nothing to do with a national database. It’s all about elevating document and identity integrity,” he added.
Trump offers to help Obama with presidential library’s ‘disaster’
President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered to help out with the development of the Obama Presidential Center, which has been plagued by huge cost overruns and delays, with the project’s embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies drawing significant attention recently. Trump, who reshaped city skylines with towering skyscrapers throughout his business career, linked DEI to the problems at the massive Chicago project, which has seen costs spiral from an initial $350 million to $830 million in 2021, with no new updated figures available. “Look, President Obama, if he wanted help, I’d give him help because I’m a really good builder and I build on time, on budget. He’s building his library in Chicago. It’s a disaster,” Trump said at the White House alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. OBAMA LIBRARY, BEGUN WITH LOFTY DEI GOALS, NOW PLAGUED BY $40M RACIALLY CHARGED SUIT, BALLOONING COSTS Trump was speaking about the Biden administration’s CHIPS Act — passed to boost domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing – and its DEI provisions when he pivoted to the Obama Presidential Center. “[Obama] said something to the effect, ‘I only want DEI, I only want woke,’” Trump said. “He wants woke people to build it. Well, he got woke people and they have massive cost overruns. A job is stopped. I don’t know, it’s a disaster. And I don’t like that happening because it’s bad for the presidency that a thing like that should happen. He’s got a library that’s a disaster.” Construction is still under way at the 19.3-acre site which will consist of a 225-foot-tall museum, a digital library, conference facilities, a gymnasium and a regulation-sized NBA court. From the outset, the project touted “ambitious goals” for certain construction diversity quotas, with its contracts allocated to “diverse suppliers,” 35% of which were required to be minority-based enterprises (MBEs). A $40.75 million racially charged lawsuit filed earlier this year by a minority contractor against the project’s structural engineer shined a spotlight on the DEI-driven aspect of the project. The structural engineers claimed the minority contractor lacked sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its work, resulting in delays. Trump on Tuesday said Obama was paying for prioritizing DEI over meritocracy. “And he wanted to be very politically correct and he didn’t use good, hard, tough, mean construction workers that I love Marco,” Trump said, switching into his trademark deeper tone while addressing Secretary of State Marco Rubio. MUSK’S DOGE TERMINATES LEASE AT OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY SITE “I love those construction workers but he didn’t want construction workers. He wanted people that never did it before and he’s got a disaster in his hands. Many millions of dollars over budget and I would love to help him with it or somebody else I could recommend professionals, but it was not built in a professional manner.” Emily Bittner, the vice president of communications at the nonprofit Obama Foundation, said Trump’s remarks were not based in facts and that the center itself is not involved in the lawsuit, nor did it delay the timeline of the facility which is set to open in 2026. The Obama Foundation oversees the center’s development and will also be housed at the center when it opens. “Everyone who sees the Obama Presidential Center is blown away by its beauty, scale and the way it will be an economic engine for Chicago and a beacon of hope for the world,” Bittner told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming all visitors to the 19.3-acre campus next spring, to experience a presidential center that not only honors the Obamas’ legacy but also lifts up the next generation of leaders.” Bittner said the hundreds of workers on site every day are a testament to the center’s progress and added that the project is being funded privately and not by the taxpayer. The library at the center will be a digital one and not a physical one like other presidential libraries have, which are federally funded and have size restrictions. Obama’s current presidential library is in Hoffman Estates in the northwest of Chicago and is expected to move to College Park in Maryland later this year.
Operation Sindoor: Airports in North India to remain closed for 72 hours, check complete list here
Following air strikes by the Indian Armed Forces, authorities closed Rajkot and Bhuj airports in Gujarat to civilian aircraft on Wednesday morning, while keeping them open for military use.
In bail talks, lawmakers close in on Texas GOP goal of keeping defendants in jail
While Gov. Greg Abbott steps up his push for stricter bail rules, critics seek a balance between the rights of the accused and the goal of keeping dangerous defendants behind bars.
Sen. John Cornyn announces leadership team, including Trump pollster, for 2026 reelection campaign
Cornyn’s move to stockpile his campaign team with seasoned GOP operatives signals he is digging in for a serious fight against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Attempt to decriminalize fentanyl testing strips in Texas could stall in the Senate for a third time
Opponents fear that fentanyl test strips will increase the usage of the deadly drug.
Texas may put restraints on new big businesses hoping to tap into the energy grid
According to ERCOT, the state’s energy demand may double in six years.
Son of independent US senator mounts Maine gubernatorial bid
Democrat Angus King III, a son of U.S. Sen. Angus King Jr.’s, I-Maine, has announced a bid for the Maine governorship. “I’m Angus King, and if you know my dad, you know my values,” the gubernatorial hopeful said in a campaign video. His father previously served as governor of the state from early 1995 until early 2003, and has served in the U.S. Senate since early 2013. SEN. ANGUS KING: A ‘DECLARATION OF CONSCIENCE’ ON DONALD TRUMP’S 100TH DAY “Ever since the day we met in Skowhegan, I’ve known Angus has something special. He’s always been hard-working, smart, engaged, and caring, and I’m so proud of who he is today and the work he’s set out to do,” Sen. King said, according to Angus King III’s campaign website, which notes that he was born in Skowhegan. “He’s a builder and an optimist who knows Maine and doesn’t quit until the job is done. He’s been building things to take care of people and make the world a better place throughout his life, and I think his combination of smarts, experience, and character will make him an excellent governor of Maine. In fact, I’m sure he’ll be in the top two governors named Angus ever,” the senator added. 6 US GOVERNORS TO OPEN TALKS WITH CANADIAN PROVINCIAL LEADERS ON TARIFFS Current Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat who is currently serving her second consecutive term, may not run again in 2026. The Maine constitution stipulates, “The person who has served 2 consecutive popular elective 4-year terms of office as Governor shall be ineligible to succeed himself or herself.” CENSURED MAINE LAWMAKER URGES SUPREME COURT INTERVENTION AS TRANSGENDER ATHLETE DOMINATES GIRLS’ TRACK MEET CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced a gubernatorial bid earlier this year and is also running as a Democrat.
How many Americans are actually ready for REAL ID? Compliance crosses partisan, geographic bounds
With REAL ID’s deadline approaching Wednesday, there are still swaths of the country where travelers could run into trouble trying to hit the skies for summer break. Although at least 12 states are more than 90% REAL ID-compliant, many still have significant portions of their populations who will need a passport to fly. The states in the proverbial green include Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming as well as Washington, D.C. Texas reported 98% compliance, Mississippi 97%, Hawaii and Utah 96%, according to a CBS survey. New Jersey has recently made headlines for its low REAL ID compliance, but it tops the nation in passport ownership, with 69% of residents holding one, according to data from the Center for American Progress and Swift Passport Services. MARRIED WOMEN FACE REAL ID DOCUMENTATION HURDLES: ‘I CAN’T ACCEPT THIS’ Delaware, California, New York, Massachusetts and Alaska also ranked high. Though geographically diverse, all the states – except Delaware – serve as major international travel hubs, home to airports like Ted Stevens, Logan, and JFK. The First State, however, is only a short distance from Philadelphia International Airport. By contrast, the states with the lowest proportion of passport holders tend to be ones without major airports: West Virginia, Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama. What effect that may have on REAL ID-era travel remains unclear. Those states do, however, have regional Amtrak stops like Harpers Ferry, Jackson, Ashland and Birmingham, respectively. REAL ID is not required for intrastate or interstate rail travel. REAL ID IS ABOUT TO GO INTO EFFECT: HERE’S HOW IT MAY IMPACT VOTING A REAL ID is an identification that includes a star emblazoned in the upper corner to denote the holder has provided additional identifying documentation like a Social Security card to a government agent. It will be required for air travel and to enter most government or military installations. The law requiring REAL ID was passed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, but has been delayed several times by multiple presidential administrations. Last week, Wingate University political science professor Dr. Magdalena Krajewska – an expert on national ID cards – told the school’s news outlet she was surprised the delays have taken so long. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I feel like all of us who were alive during that time, all of us who witnessed this as it was happening, thought the U.S. would do everything to prevent something similar from happening again,” she said. Krajewska added it is important that people also know they don’t need a REAL ID to enter less-secure government locations like a post office.
President Trump’s approval ratings slide, but Democrats’ poll numbers hitting new lows
President Donald Trump has some polling problems with his approval ratings sliding into negative territory since he reentered the White House three and a half months ago. But he’s far from alone when it comes to taking a political punch in public opinion. The opposing Democratic Party’s favorable ratings keep sinking to new lows. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said this past weekend in a “Fox News Sunday” interview that the party’s focus right now is “squarely on making sure that we stand up for hardworking Americans who are being left behind in this Trump economy.” But many Americans apparently don’t believe that Democrats are up to the task. KAMALA HARRIS TAKES NEXT STEP IN RETURN TO POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT The Democrats’ ratings stood underwater in the latest Fox News national poll at 41% favorable and 56% unfavorable in a survey conducted April 18-21. That’s an all-time low for the Democrats in Fox News polling. And for the first time in a decade, the party’s standing was lower than that of the GOP, which stood at 44% favorable and 54% unfavorable. The figures were reversed last summer, when Fox News last asked the party favorability question in one of its surveys. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING The Fox News poll is far from an outlier. The Democratic Party’s favorable ratings were well in negative territory in a Pew Research national survey – 38% favorable, 60% unfavorable – conducted in early April and at 36% favorable, 60% unfavorable in a Wall Street Journal poll in the field a couple of weeks earlier. And national polls conducted in February by Quinnipiac University and March by CNN and by NBC News also indicated the favorable ratings for the Democratic Party sinking to all-time lows. But there’s more. Confidence in the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership sunk to an all-time low, according to a Gallup poll conducted early last month. The confidence rating for Democrats’ leadership in Congress stood at 25% in the survey, which was nine points below the previous low of 34% recorded in 2023. The semi-annual Harvard Youth Poll, which was released late last month, indicated that approval ratings for Democrats in Congress among Americans aged 18-29 nosedived. POLL POSITION: WHERE TRUMP STANDS 15 MONTHS INTO HIS SECOND PRESIDENCY An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in mid-April indicated that more respondents trusted Trump (40%) than Democrats in Congress (32%) to handle the nation’s main problems. And a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted late last month suggested Republicans hold a significant advantage over Democrats on two top issues: the economy and immigration. The Democratic Party has been in the political wilderness since last November’s election setbacks, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black and Hispanic voters as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. Since Trump’s return to power, an increasingly angry and energized base of Democrats is pushing for party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president’s sweeping and controversial agenda during the opening months of his second administration. “What we’ve seen over the last few months is some Democrats taking it upon themselves to tackle what has been a larger brand problem over the past decade and a half,” a Democrat strategist and communicator who’s a veteran of presidential campaigns told Fox News. The anger not only at Trump and Republicans but also at fellow Democrats appears to be a factor in the party’s polling woes, with the drop in positivity toward the Democrats in the Fox News poll partially being a self-inflicted wound. Party favorability among self-identified Democrats plunged 10 points from last summer (87%) to last month (77%) in the survey. At the same time, the Republican Party saw a slight improvement among their party faithful: 83% of self-identified Republicans had a favorable view in 2024 vs. 85% in April. But there’s a silver lining for the Democrats. “The higher favorable rating for the Republican Party is entirely due to Democrats feeling less favorable toward their party than Republicans do toward theirs,” said Democrat pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts the Fox News surveys with Republican Daron Shaw. “This in and of itself is unlikely to translate into midterm success for the GOP as Democrats say they will almost universally vote for their party and independents favor the Democrats as well.” The Fox News poll indicates that if the 2026 midterm elections were held today, 49% of voters would back a generic Democrat in their congressional district, with 42% supporting the generic Republican candidate. Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.