Fox News Politics Newsletter: Zohran Mamdani lands key NYC mayoral endorsement
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Mamdani accuses Cuomo of ‘Islamophobic rhetoric’ as contentious NYC mayoral race comes down to the wire -Trump parachutes into key 2025 race as GOP aims to flip governor’s office in blue-leaning state -Letitia James was arraigned in Virginia on federal bank fraud charges tied to 2020 home purchase It took four months, but one of the top Democrats in New York State has finally endorsed New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. With Election Day closing in, Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top Democrat in the U.S. House, on Friday announced his support for Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens, in a statement to the New York Times. “Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis and explicitly committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” Jeffries said…READ MORE. STEER CLEAR: Trump’s beef import plan ignores the real problem squeezing American cattle ranchers TROOP LIFELINE: Mystery Trump ally donates $130M to cover troops’ paychecks amid shutdown chaos ONGOING COOPERATION: FIRST ON FOX: Qatari embassy official reveals Biden admin role in new Idaho training facility finalized under Trump ‘SHAMELESS’: Trump admin accuses Hillary Clinton of stealing White House furniture as former first lady slams ballroom plan FIRST DAUGHTER FURY: Chelsea Clinton rips Trump’s ‘disregard for history’ with White House ballroom construction ‘HIT HARD’: Democrats, liberal media’s violent rhetoric against Trump, Republicans goes back over a decade TAXPAYERS WIN: Rubio ditches conference travel, slashes nearly $100M in expenses from Biden State Department bloat ‘A BOLD DECISION’: Trump and Kim Jong Un should make ‘bold decision’ to meet during his Asia trip, South Korean official says BERNIE BREAKS RANKS: Sanders praises Trump, slams Biden on border: ‘You’ve got to have borders, period’ CAPITOL STALEMATE: Johnson shuts down House to pressure Schumer as government standstill nears one month FEELING BLUE: ‘Stay tuned’: Jeffries repeatedly dodges Mamdani endorsement as self-imposed race deadline looms THE JOKER: Mamdani laughs off criticism that his tax hike proposals will compel New Yorkers to flee THE THREE THREATENED: Dem staffer threatened to ‘put a knot’ on GOP lawmaker’s head, judge grants protection order IN TROUBLE: Dems lagging in make or break outreach campaign that could decide New Jersey election, DNC leader warns ‘UNHINGED RHETORIC’: Dems urged to ‘stop siding with illegal aliens’ after activist rams agents in sanctuary city CAMPAIGN DRAMA: Letitia James ‘wreaking havoc’ on New York in ways voters may not even realize: GOP challenger Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
DOJ sends federal election watchers to California and New Jersey counties amid Republican requests
The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) on Friday said it plans to send federal election watchers to California and New Jersey for their closely watched elections next month. New Jersey, has an open seat for governor as Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, prepares to leave office. California has a ballot measure aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional map in favor of Democrats to counter states like Texas that has redrawn its map to help Republicans. “Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement to The Associated Press. TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE OVER HEATED RACES ONE MONTH BEFORE ELECTION DAY Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ for comment. Bondi added that the goal of the election observers in Passaic County, New Jersey, as well as Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside and Fresno counties in California, is to “ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.” The Republican parties in both states requested federal observers. DOJ TARGETS NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS AS PART OF TRUMP ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH “In recent elections, we have received reports of irregularities in these counties that we fear will undermine either the willingness of voters to participate in the election or their confidence in the announced results of the election,” California GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin wrote in a letter to Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, on Monday. The New Jersey GOP sent a similar letter about Passaic County, which is heavily Latino and once favored Democrats, but voted for President Donald Trump in 2024. The state GOP alleged a “long and sordid history” of vote-by-mail fraud. FIVE RACES TO WATCH WITH 5 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2025 Democrats in both states have pushed back against the decision though. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office blasted it as an “intimidation tactic.” “This is not a federal election,” his office wrote on X. “The US DOJ has no business or basis to interfere with this election. This is solely about whether California amends our state constitution. This administration has made no secret of its goal to undermine free and fair elections. Deploying these federal forces appears to be an intimidation tactic meant for one thing: suppress the vote.” WATCH: TRUMP DOJ TO FIGHT ‘RACE-BASED GERRYMANDERING,’ DHILLON SAYS AMID TEXAS REDISTRICTING BATTLE New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin called the move “highly inappropriate” and said the DOJ “has not even attempted to identify a legitimate basis for its actions.” Los Angeles County Clerk Dean Logan said election observers are standard practice across the country and that the county, with 5.8 million registered voters, is continuously updating and verifying its voter records. “Voters can have confidence their ballot is handled securely and counted accurately,” he said. Local election observers from both parties already exist, and the DOJ often sends federal observers to counties which have a history of voting rights violations. Last year for the presidential election, Republicans in some states said they wouldn’t allow federal elections observers into certain areas while former President Joe Biden was still in office. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
White House responds to reports Trump named new ballroom after himself
The White House pushed back on reports claiming President Donald Trump will likely name the upcoming White House ballroom after himself, saying any name designation for the event space will come directly from the president. “Any announcement made on the name of the ballroom will come directly from President Trump himself, and not through anonymous and unnamed sources,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital Friday. Reports spread like wildfire Friday afternoon that Trump planned to name the ballroom after himself, with ABC News publishing a report that administration officials were reportedly already calling the project “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom.” “I won’t get into that now,” Trump told ABC News Thursday when asked about a potential name, the outlet noted. DAVID MARCUS: TRUMP’S BALLROOM IS NO VANITY PROJECT, IT’S ABOUT AMERICAN GRANDEUR Trump announced Monday that construction had begun on the ballroom, after months of Trump touting the upcoming project to modernize the White House. The project does not cost taxpayers and is privately funded, the administration has repeatedly said. “For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday. “The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly. This Ballroom will be happily used for Generations to come!” TRUMP CELEBRATES WHITE HOUSE DEMOLITION AS NEW BALLROOM RISES: ‘MUSIC TO MY EARS’ The ballroom’s official construction set off a firestorm of criticisms among Democrats who have characterized Trump as destroying the iconic American residence. “Oh you’re trying to say the cost of living is skyrocketing? Donald Trump can’t hear you over the sound of bulldozers demolishing a wing of the White House to build a new grand ballroom,” Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren posted to X in response to Trump’s Monday announcement. “The White House became my home when I was twelve years old. I always understood that it wasn’t my ‘house’; it was The People’s House,” former first daughter Chelsea Clinton posted to X. “The erasure of the East Wing isn’t just about marble or plaster — it’s about President Trump again taking a wrecking ball to our heritage, while targeting our democracy, and the rule-of-law.” “I wanted to share this photo of my family standing by a historic part of the White House that was just torn down today by Trump,” New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim posted to X Monday. “We didn’t need a billionaire-funded ballroom to celebrate America. Disgusting what Trump is doing.” HILLARY CLINTON FIRES UP VOTERS AGAINST TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION: ‘NOT HIS HOUSE” The Trump administration has repeatedly hit back at the criticisms, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying on Fox News that presidents historically have wanted a large entertaining space at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. “Nearly every single president who’s lived in this beautiful White House behind me has made modernizations and renovations of their own,” Leavitt said on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” Tuesday. “In fact, presidents for decades — in modern times — have joked about how they wished they had a larger event space here at the White House, something that could hold hundreds more people than the current East Room and State Dining Room.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “President Obama even complained that, during his tenure, he had to hold a state dinner on the South Lawn and rent a very expensive tent.”
Cruz ‘cannot support’ Trump’s Kuwait ambassador pick over Muslim Brotherhood remarks
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced after a contentious nomination hearing Thursday that he would not support the Trump administration’s pick for ambassador to Kuwait. Among other areas of concern, Cruz expressed alarm over Amer Ghalib’s refusal to outright condemn the Muslim Brotherhood, a group Cruz believes works against the geopolitical interests of the United States. “The Muslim Brotherhood is a global terrorist organization,” Cruz said in a post on X. “Amer Ghalib refers to them as an inspiration. That is in opposition to President Trump and is disqualifying. I cannot support his confirmation for the Ambassador to Kuwait.” REP. ELISE STEFANIK LABELS NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI A ‘JIHADIST’ Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Mich., sparred with Cruz and other members of the Senate earlier that day, clashing with several lawmakers over issues like the United States’ relationship with Israel, comments he had made about the war in Gaza and more. According to the Department of State, Ghalib was born and raised in Yemen before coming to the United States at age 17. After working full-time in an auto parts factory, he attended the Ross University School of Medicine from 2006-2011 and went on to work as a healthcare professional at the Hamtramck Medical Group until his entry into politics. Ghalib made news when he was elected as mayor in 2021, becoming the first Muslim to fill the role. In that capacity, he endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2023. “Mr. Ghalib’s journey began as a farmer in Yemen, then as an autoworker in the United States, a healthcare professional, and then as an elected mayor of his city. His multicultural experience, deep regional knowledge and demonstrated success as a politician, leader and community organizer, make him a well-qualified candidate to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the State of Kuwait,” the State Department wrote in its summary of the administration’s nominee. WHITMER SILENT ON MUSLIM MAYOR TELLING RESIDENT HE’S ‘NOT WELCOME’ FOR SLAM ON TERRORIST SYMPATHIZER On Thursday, when asked by Cruz if he still considered Saddam Hussein, the former president of Iraq, a martyr, Ghalib initially skirted the question. “I was a private citizen in 2020,” Ghalib answered, referring to the timing of a social media post when he had given that description. “I’m just asking your views. I asked you about today. Do you continue to believe that Saddam Hussein is a martyr today?” Cruz asked again. “I don’t think that — there’s no doubt that Saddam was a dictator. I mean, I can say no. It wouldn’t matter. He’s in God’s hands; he’s going to get the treatment he deserves,” Ghalib said. DEARBORN’S MUSLIM MAYOR TELLS CHRISTIAN HE’S ‘NOT WELCOME’ IN DEBATE ON HONORING PRO-TERROR ARAB LEADER Hussein served as president from 1979 until his government was overthrown in the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. In the aftermath, an Iraqi tribunal found him guilty of willful killing, illegal imprisonment, deportation and torture, among other abuses. He was hanged on Dec. 30, 2006. Ghalib and the Hamtramck City Council entered the spotlight in 2024 when the city voted unanimously to approve a resolution that, in response to the war in Gaza, required the city to avoid investing in Israeli companies. Citing that resolution, Cruz and other senators expressed reservations that Ghalib would be able to faithfully carry out positions held by the administration. especially if it were to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization or other policy issues that could conflict with Ghalib’s personal views on the Middle East. Those hesitations stretched across the aisle. “You liked a Facebook comment comparing Jews to monkeys,” Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said. “You characterized leaders you don’t like as becoming ‘Jewish.’ As mayor, you failed to comment after one of your political appointees called the Holocaust ‘advance punishment’ for the War in Gaza, and you denied that Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of war on Oct. 7.” Ghalib did not deny authoring the posts. Instead, he defended himself by arguing that his comments had been taken out of context or that lawmakers had selectively misconstrued his actions. In response to Rosen’s remarks about liking a post comparing Jewish people to monkeys, Ghalib said that he had made it a practice to interact with all social media comments left on his page as a form of acknowledgment. He said those views did not reflect his positions. “I think a lot of my posts were written in Arabic and mistranslated,” Ghalib said in response to further questioning about some of the posts he had made himself. The State Department and Ghalib’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rosen and other senators did not seem moved by Ghalib’s explanations. “That is beyond the pale. I will not be supporting your nomination,” Rosen said. “And if you are confirmed — I want you to remember this, sir: You will be an ambassador for the United States of America. And, thus, as ambassador, we must show respect to everyone. We will be watching to see if that happens.” No date has been set for a final vote on Ghalib’s nomination.
Kim Jong Un hails military alliance with Russia, honours Kursk ‘liberators’
Kim marked one year since North Korean troops deployed to fight against Ukraine with the opening of a museum. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has hailed his country’s “invincible” alliance with Russia, as he marked one year since his troops deployed to fight in Moscow’s war against Ukraine with the opening of a museum honouring soldiers who died in battle. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in the capital Pyongyang on Thursday, Kim addressed the families of North Korean soldiers who “fought in the operations for liberating Kursk”, as he said their deployment to Russia “marked the beginning of a new history of militant solidarity” with Moscow. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “The years of militant fraternity, in which a guarantee has been provided for the long-term development of the bilateral friendship at the cost of precious blood, will advance nonstop,” Kim said, according to state news agency KCNA. Challenges of “domination and tyranny” cannot hinder ties between Russia and North Korea, Kim added. The event attended by Kim was the latest public honouring of North Korean troops who fought to repel an incursion by Ukrainian forces into Russia’s Kursk region in 2024. Kim said the museum – which will feature a cemetery, a memorial hall and a monument – dedicated to soldiers in overseas detachments, was the “first of its kind” in North Korean history. “Today we are holding the groundbreaking ceremony of the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats that will hand down forever the shining life of the heroes and fallen soldiers of the overseas operations units, excellent sons of the Korean people and defenders of justice,” he said. Advertisement In October 2024, NATO, the United States and South Korean intelligence agencies said they had evidence that North Korean troops had been deployed to fight alongside the Russian military. A month later, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin officially ratified a mutual defence pact, raising international concern over growing military cooperation between the nuclear-armed states. The Treaty of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships obliges both countries to provide immediate military assistance to each other using “all means” necessary if either faces “aggression”. In April, North Korea confirmed for the first time it had deployed a contingent of soldiers to the front line to fight alongside Russian troops, and its forces had contributed to taking back Russian territory held by Ukraine. The soldiers were deployed to “annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces”, Kim said at the time, according to KCNA. Kyiv and Seoul estimate that North Korea deployed more than 10,000 troops in return for economic and military technology assistance from Russia. Estimates of the casualty rate among North Korean forces have varied widely. In September, South Korea’s intelligence agency said some 2,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed. In January, Ukraine said North Korean troops were withdrawn from battle after suffering heavy casualties. It was unclear how many North Koreans remain fighting alongside Russian forces. Earlier this month, Ukraine claimed North Korean troops based in Russia were operating drones across the border on reconnaissance missions, providing the first report in months of North Korean soldiers engaging in battlefield roles. “The Defence Forces of Ukraine have intercepted communications between North Korean drone operators and personnel of the Russian army,” the Ukrainian General Staff said. The same week, South Korea’s defence minister said North Korea had likely received technical help from Russia for its submarine development in return for its military efforts against Ukraine. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump says all trade talks with Canada are terminated
BREAKINGBREAKING, US President says fraudulent advertisement featuring the late President Ronald Reagan to blame for termination of talks. By Reuters Published On 24 Oct 202524 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share US President Donald Trump said that all trade talks with Canada have been terminated following what he called a fraudulent television advertisement in which former President Ronald Reagan spoke negatively about tariffs. “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late on Thursday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “The ad was for $75,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts,” Trump wrote. “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” Trump added. Earlier on Thursday, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute posted on social media that a TV ad created by the government of Ontario in Canada “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade’ dated April 25, 1987.” The foundation also said that Ontario had not received its permission “to use and edit the remarks” of the late US president. The foundation added that it was “reviewing legal options in this matter” and invited the public to watch the unedited video of Reagan’s address. Listen to President Reagan’s unedited remarks here: https://t.co/1gQUcbR4eZ pic.twitter.com/iqmjSuypp0 — Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute (@RonaldReagan) October 24, 2025 Trump’s announcement on the end of trade talks also follows after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he aimed to double his country’s exports to countries outside the US because of the threat posed by the Trump administration’s tariffs. Advertisement The Canadian prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s decision. This is a breaking news story. More to follow soon. Adblock test (Why?)
Why 25-year-old Mahnoor Omer took Pakistan to court over periods
Growing up in Rawalpindi, a city adjacent to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, Mahnoor Omer remembers the shame and anxiety she felt in school when she had periods. Going to the toilet with a sanitary pad was an act of stealth, like trying to cover up a crime. “I used to hide my pad up my sleeve like I was taking narcotics to the bathroom,” says Omer, who comes from a middle-class family – her father a businessman and her mother a homemaker. “If someone talked about it, teachers would put you down.” A classmate once told her that her mother considered pads “a waste of money”. “That’s when it hit me,” says Omer. “If middle-class families think this way, imagine how out of reach these products are for others.” Now 25, Omer has gone from cautious schoolgirl to national centrestage in a battle that could reshape menstrual hygiene in Pakistan, a country where critics say economics is compounding social stigma to punish women – simply for being women. In September, Omer, a lawyer, petitioned the Lahore High Court, challenging what she and many others say is effectively a “period tax” imposed by Pakistan on its more than 100 million women. Pakistani governments have, under the Sales Tax Act of 1990, long charged an 18 percent sales tax on locally manufactured sanitary pads and a customs tax of 25 percent on imported ones, as well as on raw materials needed to make them. Add on other local taxes, and UNICEF Pakistan says that these pads are often effectively taxed at about 40 percent. Omer’s petition argues that these taxes – which specifically affect women – are discriminatory, and violate a series of constitutional provisions that guarantee equality and dignity, elimination of exploitation and the promotion of social justice. Advertisement In a country where menstruation is already a taboo subject in most families, Omer and other lawyers and activists supporting the petition say that the taxes make it even harder for most Pakistani women to access sanitary products. A standard pack of commercially branded sanitary pads in Pakistan currently costs about 450 rupees ($1.60) for 10 pieces. In a country with a per capita income of $120 a month, that’s the cost of a meal of rotis and dal for a low-income family of four. Cut the cost by 40 percent – the taxes – and the calculations become less loaded against sanitary pads. At the moment, only 12 percent of Pakistani women use commercially produced sanitary pads, according to a 2024 study by UNICEF and the WaterAid nonprofit. The rest improvise using cloth or other materials, and often do not even have access to clean water to wash themselves. “If this petition goes forward, it’s going to make pads affordable,” says Hira Amjad, the founder and executive director of Dastak Foundation, a Pakistani nonprofit whose work is focused on promoting gender equality and combating violence against women. And that, say lawyers and activists, could serve as a spark for broader social change. The court docket describes the case as Mahnoor Omer against senior officials of the government of Pakistan. But that’s not what it feels like to Omer. “It feels like women versus Pakistan.” Activists of Mahwari Justice, a menstrual rights group, distributing period kits to women in Pakistan [Photo courtesy Mahwari Justice] ‘It’s not shameful’ Bushra Mahnoor, founder of Mahwari Justice, a Pakistani student-led organisation whose name translates to “menstrual justice”, realised early just how much of a struggle it could be to access sanitary pads. Mahnoor – no relation to Omer – grew up in Attock, a city in the northwestern part of Pakistan’s Punjab province, with four sisters. “Every month, I had to check if there were enough pads. If my period came when one of my sisters had hers too,” finding a pad was a challenge, she says. The struggle continued in school, where, as was the case with Omer, periods were associated with shame. A teacher once made one of her classmates stand for two entire lectures because her white uniform was stained. “That was dehumanising,” she says. Mahnoor was 10 when she had her first period. “I didn’t know how to use a pad. I stuck it upside down; the sticky side touched my skin. It was painful. No one tells you how to manage it.” She says that shame was never hers alone, but it’s part of a silence which starts at home and accompanies girls into adulthood. A study on menstrual health in Pakistan shows that eight out of 10 girls feel embarrassed or uncomfortable when talking about periods, and two out of three girls report never having received information about menstruation before it began. The findings, published in the Frontiers in Public Health journal in 2023, link this silence to poor hygiene, social exclusion and missed school days. Advertisement In 2022, when floods devastated Pakistan, Mahnoor began Mahwari Justice to ensure that relief camps did not overlook the menstrual needs of women. “We began distributing pads and later realised there’s so much more to be done,” she says. Her organisation has distributed more than 100,000 period kits – each containing pads, soap, underwear, detergent and painkillers – and created rap songs and comics to normalise conversations about menstruation. “When you say the word ‘mahwari’ out loud, you’re teaching people it’s not shameful,” she says. “It’s just life.” The same floods also influenced Amjad, the Dastak Foundation founder, though her nonprofit has been around for a decade now. Its work now also includes distributing period kits during natural disasters. But the social stigma associated with menstruation is also closely tied to economics in the ways in which its impact plays out for Pakistani women, suggests Amjad. “In most households, it’s the men who make financial decisions,” she says. “Even if the woman is bringing the money, she’s giving it to the man, and he is deciding where that money needs to go.” And if the cost of women’s health feels too high, that’s
What is the cloud seeding plan? Can artificial rain reduce Delhi-NCR pollution? Here’s all you need to know
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Big boost to Indian Armed Forces as Centre approves Rs 79000 crore projects, to get Nag missiles, warfare ships and…
The procurement proposals were cleared at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
ISRO Chairman says Gaganyaan mission 90 per cent complete, crewed mission to take off in…
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said on Thursday that the Gaganyaan mission is growing constantly with almost 90 per cent of the development work being completed. The Gaganyaan mission is India’s first human spaceflight mission which is working in progress.