David Gergen, trusted White House advisor to 4 US presidents across decades, dies at 83
David Gergen, who worked for four presidents, including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, before becoming an academic and political TV pundit, has died. He was 83. Gergen died in a retirement home in Massachusetts on July 10, his son said, according to several outlets. The Washington, D.C., veteran had been suffering from Lewy body dementia, his son said. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIC REP GERRY CONNOLLY DEAD AT 75 Those who knew and admired Gergen took to X to express their condolences. Former California first lady Maria Shriver wrote on X: “David Gergen was total professional and a really kind man. My thoughts are with his family. He loved politics and he loved being in service to this country.” “RIP, Mr. Gergen,” CBS reporter Robert Costa wrote. Former Democratic Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. wrote: “We lost a good one, a really good one – RIP, my friend David Gergen.” Gergen came up with the line that then-candidate Reagan said in the 1980 election: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” according to The New York Times. He later said of the line: “Rhetorical questions have great power.” Of his time with the Nixon administration, Gergen told the Washington Post in 1981, “I was young, and I was too naive. It hardened me up a lot. It was an extremely difficult experience emotionally, in terms of belief in people.” After leaving public office, Gergen worked as an editor and columnist, as well as for the conservative American Enterprise Institute and the liberal Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was also a commentator for PBS, CNN and NPR. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “To say that I rely on him is an understatement,” Reagan’s White House Chief of Staff, James A. Baker III, told The Washington Post in 1981. “He’s the best conceptualizer, in terms of communications strategy, that we have.”
Senate moves to rein in Trump administration’s fluctuating Ukraine policy
The Senate is seeking to rein in the Trump administration’s policy toward Ukraine, which has oscillated between support and sudden withdrawal, leaving allies and officials guessing. After President Donald Trump recently agreed to resume sending weapons to Ukraine, the Senate’s annual defense policy bill would curb the kind of executive branch adventurism that has sparked bipartisan concern, particularly regarding Pentagon decisions. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), unveiled Friday after bipartisan negotiations by the Senate Armed Services Committee, includes specific guardrails on U.S. military cooperation. One provision stipulates that the secretary of defense cannot unilaterally cease military intelligence sharing and targeting cooperation with Ukraine. This move follows a March episode in which the Trump administration abruptly paused both intelligence support and weapons shipments to Ukraine while the president pursued backchannel diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Though the freeze was later lifted, the incident alarmed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. TRUMP REVEALS NATO SALE TO BOOST ARMS TO UKRAINE AS PUTIN LAUNCHES OVERNIGHT MATERNITY HOSPITAL STRIKE The NDAA also “reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to assist Ukraine in maintaining a credible defense” and boosts the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to $500 million. The bill bars Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from reducing U.S. force posture in Europe or relinquishing the U.S. role as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander without an impact analysis and certification to Congress that such changes align with U.S. interests. The new provisions arrive amid a notable shift in Trump’s rhetoric, which has turned more supportive of Ukraine and more critical of Putin. Earlier this month, the Pentagon once again paused delivery of previously pledged defensive aid to Kyiv, citing an internal assessment of U.S. stockpiles. Reports indicate that this pause may have been initiated without informing the White House. “This decision was made to put America’s interests first,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, referring to a Department of Defense review. Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell echoed that framing, calling it a “capability review” and adding, “We can’t give weapons to everybody in the world.” Shortly afterward, Trump contradicted the pause by suggesting the U.S. would send Patriot missile interceptors and additional defensive aid to Ukraine. The Pentagon subsequently announced it would resume the shipments. “We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to — they have to be able to defend themselves,” Trump said Monday evening. Despite speaking with both Russian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin last week, Trump described his discussion with the Russian president as fruitless. “We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting. “He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” Pressed on who had authorized the pause in military aid, Trump appeared unsure. “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?” he said Wednesday. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump told Zelenskyy he was not responsible for the decision. US WILL ‘HAVE TO’ SEND WEAPONS TO UKRAINE, TRUMP SAYS DAYS AFTER PENTAGON PAUSE On Thursday, when a reporter asked whether he’d figured out who ordered the halt, Trump replied, “Well, I haven’t thought about it. … I have, no I have not gone into it.” Asked what it says that such a major decision could be made without his knowledge, he insisted, “I would know if a decision was made. I will know. I’ll be the first to know. In fact, most likely I’d give the order — but I haven’t done that yet.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the significance of the pause, describing it as a “limited review” of specific munitions types, a common step after sustained operations in the Middle East and Europe. “It was logical,” Rubio said, “especially after an extended engagement in defense of Israel and our own bases.” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce also sought to reassure allies, saying, “The president has been obviously very passionate and determined regarding the ability of Ukraine to defend itself.” The administration’s current tone marks a stark shift from earlier this year, when tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy reached a boiling point during a contentious February Oval Office meeting. “You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards,” Trump reportedly told Zelenskyy, after calling him a “dictator” earlier that month.
LA Mayor Bass provides cash payments to illegals, issues order to thwart immigration enforcement
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order Friday to bolster protocols and support immigrant neighborhoods, including offering cash assistance, in response to raids by the Trump administration targeting those living in the United States illegally. The order is intended to help protect the city’s workforce and residents from the federal government during immigration enforcement operations. It also demands that federal agencies provide records of the raids, who was detained and for what reason and the cost to taxpayers, which will be part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. “There is a need for me to have an executive directive to help our city understand how to protect itself from our federal government,” Bass said at a press conference. “What we have seen here over the last, now six weeks of raids that pop up, and we never know exactly when and where they’re going to happen. LA MAYOR JOINS CONTROVERSIAL LAWSUIT TO BLOCK TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT MEASURES “The directive will help city workers know how to address immigration officials should they approach a city department,” she added. The order also requires city departments to create a plan for protocols and training on how to comply with Los Angeles’ sanctuary city ordinance. In addition, Bass said a plan is being worked out to provide cash assistance to those affected by the enforcement operations, the Los Angeles Times reported. Cash cards with a “couple hundred” dollars on them will be distributed by immigrants’ rights groups in about a week, Bass said. The money will not come from city coffers, but from philanthropic partners, she said. “You’re telling me that isn’t a Babylon Bee headline?” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital, referring to the satirical news site. “Recent immigration enforcement in California has resulted in successfully detaining countless violent criminals and liberating children from illegal labor exploitation. But instead of helping these children or putting American citizens first, Bass is doubling down on her defense of illegal aliens. LA MAYOR RIPPED FOR INTERFERING WITH ICE RAID AT CRIME-RIDDEN LOCAL PARK: ‘FULL OF S—‘ “Americans are sick of these pathetic stunts from Democrat politicians. That’s why they elected President Trump,” the spokesperson added. “They want someone who will put America First, and it’s certainly not Karen, Gavin & Co.” Bass has condemned immigration operations targeting criminal illegal immigrants in the city. Los Angeles is one of several cities suing the Trump administration over the “unlawful” raids. Immigration agents on Thursday raided a cannabis farm in nearby Ventura County to target illegal immigrants working there. Ten illegal immigrant minors, eight of them unaccompanied, were found at the farm, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said. The farm is now being investigated for potential child labor violations. Earlier in the week, nearly 100 National Guard troops and immigration authorities targeted crime-ridden MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, prompting Bass to go to the park to demand a halt to the operation, which was rebuffed by U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino. “I don’t work for Karen Bass,” Bovino told Fox News at the time. “Better get used to us now because this is going to be normal very soon. We will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Bass’ office.
Texas lawmakers urge Trump to extend tomato trade agreement with Mexico
The 1996 agreement is set to expire Monday, which could raise the price of Mexican tomatoes and threaten thousands of Texas jobs.
Resurfaced video shows Zohran Mamdani saying domestic violence wouldn’t be a priority for the NYPD
Zohran Mamdani once said he didn’t believe calling the police was an appropriate response in cases of domestic violence. Mamdani, the democratic socialist candidate who last month shocked the political world from coast to coast with his stunning victory in the New York City Democratic Party primary for mayor, made the comments in a 2020 podcast. “If somebody is jaywalking, if somebody is surviving, going through domestic violence – there are so many different, different situations that would be far better handled by people trained to deal with those specific situations, as opposed to an individual with a gun,” Mamdani said. The comments, which came five years ago in the “Immigrantly” podcast as he denounced New York City’s police department, were first reported by the conservative-leaning Washington Free Beacon. MAMDANI BACKTRACKS AFTER ONCE CALLING TO ‘DISMANTLE’ THE POLICE Since his victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to secure the Democratic mayoral nomination, the 33-year-old Ugandan-born assemblyman from Queens has faced intense scrutiny over his past comments on policing. Mamdani, who took a big step toward becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city, ran in the Democratic primary on a platform that called for replacing police with “crisis responders” in “mental health” cases. REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH DEMOCRATS But Mamdani campaign policy memos don’t define such cases, and it’s unclear if he would push, if elected, to prevent police from responding to reports of domestic violence. The New York Police Department (NYPD) responded to more than 100,000 domestic violence incidents in 2024. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has congratulated Mamdani on his primary victory and praised his laser focus on affordability on the campaign trail, but she has refrained, as of now, from endorsing him in November’s general election. The governor, at a news conference on Friday, highlighted that the business community “is concerned about what will happen with the police department” if Mamdani becomes New York City’s next mayor. “Everybody’s concerned what will happen to the policing of the city,” Hochul said. TRUMP ARGUES NYC FACES DIRE CONSEQUENCES IF ‘COMMUNIST’ MAMDANI BECOMES MAYOR In 2020, amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd, Mamdani publicly referred to the NYPD as “wicked and corrupt,” calling for its defunding and dismantlement. In one December 2020 viral tweet, he declared, “There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence.” He also linked LGBTQ+ liberation to police abolition, asserting in a November 2020 tweet, that “queer liberation means defund the police.” Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi told Fox News Digital this week that Mamdani’s past rhetoric is emblematic of a dangerously radical ideology. “Anyone who still supports defunding the police is completely insane,” Gamaldi argued. “Especially after seeing the horrific consequences on our urban communities. It brought on rampant crime and disorder, historic murder rates in over a dozen cities and destroyed the quality of life for millions.” Now, as Mamdani eyes the mayoralty, his public safety message appears to be shifting. He has backed away from some of his earlier rhetoric, acknowledging the importance of police in addressing violent crime. “I will not defund the police. I will work with the police because I believe the police have a critical role to play in creating public safety,” he said in the second New York City Democratic mayoral debate on June 13. “Sixty-five percent of crimes from the first quarter of this year are still not solved. We need to ensure that police can focus on those crimes, and [that] we have mental health professionals and social workers to address and tackle and resolve the mental health crisis and homelessness.” His current platform includes the creation of a Department of Community Safety to handle nonviolent incidents that he believes would get to the root cause of crime. Mamdani’s public safety plan includes reallocating $600 million from existing programs and raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers to fund the new department. He has also spoken about reducing police overtime and cutting the NYPD’s $80 million communications budget.
Georgia man accused by SEC of perpetrating Ponzi scheme says he takes ‘full responsibility’ for his actions
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against Edwin Brant Frost IV of Georgia and his First Liberty Building & Loan, LLC, alleging the business was operated as a Ponzi scheme. The document asserts that Frost and his company “raised at least $140 million from approximately 300 investors through the sale of loan participation agreements and promissory notes that offered annual returns of 8% to 18%. “As of 2021, approximately 80% of interest and principal payments to investors were sourced from new investor funds, and not from Bridge Loan interest payments or principal repayments,” the SEC complaint claims. WHAT IS A PONZI SCHEME? THE HISTORY OF THE FINANCIAL SCAM FIRST ORCHESTRATED BY CHARLES PONZI The SEC alleged Frost spent investor funds in various ways, some of which included making more than $570,000 in political donations, buying a $20,800 watch and making “over $2.4 million in payments to credit cards issued to him and his business entities.” The Associated Press indicated that Frost is a Republican. KEVIN BACON IS ‘MORE CAREFUL’ AFTER LOSING MONEY IN INFAMOUS PONZI SCHEME “The promise of a high rate of return on an investment is a red flag that should make all potential investors think twice or maybe even three times before investing their money,” said Justin C. Jeffries, associate director of enforcement for the SEC’s Atlanta regional office, according to a press release. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen this movie before — bad actors luring investors with promises of seemingly over-generous returns — and it does not end well.” Lawyer Joshua Mayes of Robbins Alloy Belinfante Littlefield LLC is representing Frost in the matter, and he provided Fox News Digital with a statement from Frost, who admitted he had misled people. ELON MUSK CALLS SOCIAL SECURITY THE ‘BIGGEST PONZI SCHEME OF ALL TIME’ “I take full responsibility for my actions and am resolved to spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down. I will be cooperating with the receiver and federal authorities and ask that everyone allow the receiver time to sort things out and do his best to repair the damage I created,” Frost noted in the statement. “I would like to apologize personally to those I have harmed, but I am under restrictions which prevent me from doing so. While I do not deserve it, I am grateful for the support of friends and family as I confront this situation I created.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: ‘That Ends Now,’ Vows Trump WH on Benefits for Illegals
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… -Trump to meet with energy and tech titans in Pennsylvania amid AI dominance push -‘Nothing to stand on’: Ex-White House physician slams Biden doctor for silence during House GOP grilling -Florida officials reveal criminal backgrounds of migrants held at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ The White House is ramping up efforts to remove illegal immigrants from an array of taxpayer-funded benefits, framing the move as part of a broader campaign to reduce government waste. The Trump administration shared additional details on the new restrictions that would bar illegal immigrants from accessing more than 15 federal assistance programs, which collectively account for $40 billion in public spending. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital that illegal immigrants will no longer be able “to steal public benefits at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers.”…READ MORE. DIPLOMATIC DOWNSIZING: State Department to ax 1,800 employees THE PRESIDENT’S VOW: Trump calls Butler widow, Secret Service agrees to meeting after call for accountability RALLY REVOLUTION: Journalist Salena Zito explains what the mainstream media gets wrong about Trump rallies ‘TERRIBLE SITUATION’: President Trump, first lady head to visit Kerrville, Texas, following fatal floods ‘REFUSES TO TOLERATE’: DOJ investigating Minnesota hiring practices in latest clash with Wal ‘ABSURD’: DHS fires back after Mahmoud Khalil targets Trump admin for $20M over detention ARMING ALLIES: Trump reveals NATO sale to boost arms to Ukraine as Putin launches overnight maternity hospital strike ‘SACRED COVENANT’: How the Paxton divorce rocks the bruising Republican Senate primary in Texas COMMON SENSE: Democrat John Fetterman declares support for ICE, condemning any calls for abolition as ‘outrageous’ WHAT DID SHE KNOW: Biden cover-up probe heats up as another ex-White House aide sits down with GOP GEORGIA SHOWDOWN: SCOOP: Rep. Mike Collins teases Georgia Senate bid ‘TROUBLING’: Court order shields reporters after ‘troubling’ incidents at California protests CAPITAL DECEPTION: Missouri launches probe into proxy firms for prioritizing DEI, ESG over returns MET WITH RESISTANCE: California clinic staffers seek to shield ICE agents from detaining Honduran landscaper RED FLAGS: Republicans use Mamdani as socialist cudgel to bash Democrats Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Lebanon says Israeli strike kills one as Beirut rules out normalisation
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun says his country seeks peace with Israel, but is not ready to normalise ties. Lebanon’s president says his country wants peace but not normalisation with Israel, as health authorities said an Israeli air strike killed one person in the south of the country. As well as causing one death on Friday, the drone attack on a car in Nabatieh district wounded five other people, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. It comes as Israel continues to launch regular strikes against sites in Lebanon, particularly in the south, despite a November 27 ceasefire agreement between it and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. Under the terms of the truce, Hezbollah had to retreat to the north of the Litani River, which is about 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border, while Israel had to fully withdraw its troops, leaving only the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeepers in the area. However, Israel still occupies five strategic locations in southern Lebanon. Speaking on Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed a desire for peaceful relations with his country’s neighbour. But he stressed that Beirut was not currently interested in normalising ties with Israel, something mentioned as a possibility by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar last week. “Peace is the lack of a state of war, and this is what matters to us in Lebanon at the moment. As for the issue of normalisation, it is not currently part of Lebanese foreign policy,” said Aoun, who urged Israel to withdraw completely from Lebanon. Smoke billows from the Nabatieh district, following Israeli strikes, as seen from Marjayoun, in southern Lebanon, on June 27, 2025 [File: Karamallah Daher/Reuters] In a reference to the US’s ongoing call for Lebanon to fully disarm Hezbollah, the Lebanese president also expressed Beirut’s desire to “hold the monopoly over weapons in the country”, but he did not give further details. Advertisement Hezbollah, which is considerably weakened after more than a year of hostilities with Israel, has dismissed questions about disarmament. “We cannot be asked to soften our stance or lay down arms while [Israeli] aggression continues,” its leader Naim Qassem told crowds in southern Beirut on Sunday. On Wednesday, the Israeli military confirmed that some of its troops had entered southern Lebanon, with the army saying they sought to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and to stop the group from “reestablishing itself in the area”. The following day, a man was killed by an Israeli drone strike on a motorbike in the village of al-Mansouri near Tyre, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said. Two others were injured in the attack, it added. Adblock test (Why?)
Why has the PKK ended its armed struggle?
Members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party lay down their arms after decades of war with Turkiye. It’s one of the longest-running conflicts in the Middle East – and it’s about to come to an end. Members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have started laying down their arms at a ceremony in northern Iraq. It comes two months after the group said it would end its armed struggle against Turkiye and shift to democratic politics. Reaction has been mixed: Some Kurds think it could pave the way to peace. Others argue it’s a concession with no gains. So how will this process play out in Turkiye and in the wider region? Presenter: Adrian Finighan Guests: Galip Dalay – nonresident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs David L Phillips – director of the Program on Peace-building and Human Rights at Columbia University Mohammed Salih – nonresident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute who specialises in Kurdish affairs Adblock test (Why?)
New scam targets mobile phone users, doesn’t require any clicks, here’s how you can avoid it
New scams keep cropping up at a pace that it’s becoming increasingly hard to keep up. Now, another type of scam is targeting mobile phone users without even requiring them to click on any suspicious links. Read on to know more about it.