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Year: 2026

Dem Senate candidate makes stunning admission about antisemitism in her party: ‘Dangerous’

Dem Senate candidate makes stunning admission about antisemitism in her party: ‘Dangerous’

Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Michigan, wasted no time answering whether an antisemitism problem exists in the Democratic Party. “There is,” McMorrow answered bluntly at a debate Senate debate on Thursday. “At the Democratic convention, an attendee yelled an antisemitic slur at my husband, who is Jewish and was walking with my 5-year-old daughter. That is terrifying,” McMorrow said. Amid a tight, three-way Senate primary, McMorrow’s answer definitively reveals her stance on a question that’s steadily grown in recent years: whether the Democratic Party has positioned itself as more than just a critic of Israel’s government and, instead, provides a forum for disdain of the Jewish people themselves. CARVILLE WARNS DEMOCRATS ANTI-ISRAEL ‘LOUDMOUTHS’ COULD COST ELECTIONS A number of progressive Democratic figures have grown increasingly skeptical — and vocal — on the U.S.-Israel relationship. Most notably, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-declared socialist, has questioned whether the U.S. should align itself with Israel in the wake of its war with Hamas in Gaza, citing humanitarian concerns. The criticisms aren’t contained to New York. Democrats in Congress, such as Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Sens. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., are among a growing portion of the party that have called for a re-evaluation of U.S. support for the Jewish state amid conflicts in the Middle East. Notably, Abdul El-Sayed, one of McMorrow’s Senate primary challengers, has called Jewish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and said he believes the Israeli government is “evil.” SEN. SLOTKIN SAYS DEM SOCIALIST NYC CANDIDATE MAMDANI REPRESENTS ‘NEW GENERATION’ OF LEADERS YOUNG VOTERS WANT McMorrow, who has positioned herself as a middle-of-the-road candidate between critic El-Sayed and the more establishment-friendly Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., clarified that her criticisms of the party doesn’t mean she’s entirely aligned with the current U.S. posture toward Israel, either. “We need to be able to state very clearly that what the Netanyahu government is doing — that the violence needs to end,” McMorrow said. When asked if she would support U.S. aid to Israel, McMorrow said she would have voted for a recent resolution proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that would have blocked the sale of U.S. arms. McMorrow added that she believes Democrats need to be careful to ensure their rhetoric is narrowly tailored to Israel as a state and not the Jewish people in the U.S. MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE CLAIMS ISRAEL ‘JUST AS EVIL’ AS HAMAS “We need to bring about long-term peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis. And turning that into not an anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-American Jewish message is dangerous,” McMorrow said. Her comments were met with applause.

Viral Jeffrey Epstein lookalike announces run for Palm Beach mayor, promises free Botox and bagels

Viral Jeffrey Epstein lookalike announces run for Palm Beach mayor, promises free Botox and bagels

A viral internet lookalike, free Botox and imported New York bagel water are not usually the ingredients of a mayoral campaign. Peter Simel, the Florida man who went viral earlier this year as “Palm Beach Pete” over his uncanny resemblance to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, says he is now “seriously considering” a run for mayor of Palm Beach — with a platform centered around “living your best life.” Simel’s social media following exploded into the hundreds of thousands after a viral video sparked conspiracy theories online, described the effort as “a movement” during an interview with Fox News Digital. “We’re seriously considering, and it’s a movement,” Simel said. “We want to make Palm Beach really cool and great.” FLORIDA MAN MISTAKEN FOR JEFFREY EPSTEIN SENDS INTERNET INTO FRENZY: ‘I’M JUST ME BEING ME’ Simel’s internet fame exploded almost overnight after a video of him driving a convertible along Interstate 95 in South Florida spread online earlier this year, with stunned social media users insisting the silver-haired driver looked eerily similar to Epstein. In the now-viral clip, a person filming Simel can be heard shouting, “Epstein’s alive! Epstein’s alive!” “My name is Peter, and I am now ‘Palm Beach Pete’ on the internet,” Simel told Fox News Digital. “About two months ago, I was driving down I-95 and someone videoed me and said ‘Epstein’s alive.’” NEW YORK-STYLE BAGEL WATER WARS HEAT UP AS ICONIC BRANDS BATTLE FOR SNOWBIRDS The Palm Beach resident said the attention snowballed almost immediately. “We had 200,000 followers in less than two days, and I got deplatformed,” he said. “This whole thing occurred, and it has a mind of its own, the internet.” Simel later launched an Instagram account under the handle “@not.epstein” and began leaning into the viral fame that transformed him into an unlikely internet personality. ‘MEMBERS ONLY: PALM BEACH’ STAR SLAMS ‘NASTY’ RUMORS THAT SHE’S BEING KICKED OUT OF MAR-A-LAGO Simel, 71, is a former International Tennis Federation (ITF) Masters competitor. During the interview, Simel repeatedly emphasized wellness, fitness and enjoying the Palm Beach lifestyle as central themes of his campaign platform. “I’m still realizing how big it is,” Simel said of his viral fame. “I guess the best litmus test is when people come up to me in the street [saying], ‘Palm Beach Pete, we love you, you’re the GOAT, you’re a legend.’” Now, Simel appears to be transforming that momentum into a campaign-like movement complete with merchandise, slogans and a series of playful policy proposals. ‘MEMBERS ONLY’ STAR FIRES BACK AT PALM BEACH CRITICS, SAYS THEY’RE ‘EXACTLY THE PEOPLE’ THE SHOW EXPOSES Simel’s website includes campaign hats and proposals such as “Free Botox for All Palm Beach Residents,” and “Free Convertible Use for 1 Year,” expanded pickleball courts and a proposal to import New York City water for “better pizzas & bagels.” Palm Beach County election records reviewed by Fox News Digital on Wednesday did not show any officially qualified mayoral candidates, and candidates cannot formally qualify for the race until 2027. Fox News Digital also reached out to Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore’s office regarding Simel’s announcement, but did not immediately receive a response. THONG-WEARING ELDERLY MAN DIDN’T DO HIMSELF ANY FAVORS BY TELLING AN OFFICER TO “JUMP ROPE FOR ME, BABY DOLL” “Everyone on the island of Palm Beach gets the use of a convertible for a year and see how they enjoy it because it’s all about living your best life,” Simel said. Simel also proposed free drinks at Palm Beach’s iconic clock tower, dog-walking services and “fitness trainer[s] for life so you can live longer and pay taxes longer.” “And then the funny one at the end,” he added, “is everyone gets free mother-in-law therapy.” Asked how he planned to fund proposals ranging from free Botox to imported New York water, Simel repeatedly emphasized that the campaign would be “self-funded.” “I’m self-funding it,” he said. Despite the lighthearted platform, Simel insisted he is genuinely considering entering the race. “I’m seriously considering throwing my hat into the ring,” he said. “You can’t qualify until 2027 so we’re just doing our due diligence.” Simel stressed that he does not view the effort as a traditional political campaign. “I’m not affiliated with any political party,” he said. “I just want to keep the people together and bring people together and keep it as a great community.” Asked about the current mayor’s apparent silence, Simel laughed off the situation. “I have no comment, other than the comment I just made,” he joked. Simel described the campaign less as a conventional political effort and more as a broader internet-fueled movement centered around positivity and Palm Beach culture — even if arguably the town’s most famous resident, President Donald Trump, calls it home when he’s not in Washington, D.C. “In this day and time, and we have so much division and such uncertainty in the world, it’s kind of nice to have someone on a platform enjoying the benefits of living a good life and making the most out of what Palm Beach can be,” he said. The viral sensation also said he has no plans to alter his appearance despite the comparisons that launched him into internet fame. “I’ve always looked like this,” he said. “I’m a better version of that unnamed person. And I’m not gonna change for anybody.” “I’m me, I’m 71 years old. It works. I have a full head of hair. I’m lucky. I’m youthful. I’m vibrant. Nothing’s gonna change. I’m just gonna get more energetic.” Simel said he already has a team helping him manage the sudden internet fame and potential campaign operation. “We’re interviewing people for a position as campaign manager and marketing,” he said, adding that much of the effort would likely be digitally driven through influencers and online creators. “My demographic are Gen Zs and these influencers have such a hold or such an influence on them,” he said. “As I get more followers, it gets bigger and bigger.” The response from family members,

Rabid anti-Israel activists set to hit the streets tonight in Mamdani’s Manhattan

Rabid anti-Israel activists set to hit the streets tonight in Mamdani’s Manhattan

Jewish New Yorkers, beware. The same rabid anti-Israel activists who have harassed Jews at synagogues in recent weeks in violent protests, flown the flag of Hamas and Hezbollah and stomped on the Israeli flag are returning to the streets tonight at Time Square in midtown Manhattan to rage-bait Israelis and Jews attending a “Jerusalem Real Estate Expo” at Times Square. The protest underscores how anti-Israel activist groups are continuing to escalate their pressure campaigns against pro-Israel and Jewish events across the city, despite mounting criticisms of antisemitism. Earlier this week, Jewish and Muslim leaders led a protest at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence at Gracie Mansion, asking that he address the growing antisemitism in the city. Community leaders say these protests put more pressure on Mamdani who joined anti-Israel protests many times before he ran for the mayor’s office. In college, he was a founding member of his school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, which also seeks “the return” of Palestinians to modern-day Israel and a one-state solution that claims modern-day Israel for Palestinians, essentially destroying the state of Israel. The planned confrontation unfolded at 6:30 p.m. at the New York Hilton Midtown, where anti-Israel protesters are expected to target attendees and organizers connected to the real estate event. The anti-Israel group sponsoring the protest tonight is the New York and New Jersey chapter of PAL-AWDA, a group that is seeking “the return” of Palestinians to modern-day Israel. The group advocates for completely dismantling the state of Israel, and it rejects discussions of a two-state solution, demanding Palestinian control of modern-day Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, or as they chant, “from the river to the sea.” VIDEO SHOWS CLASHES ERUPT OUTSIDE SYNAGOGUE AS ANTI-ISRAEL MOB WREAKS HAVOC AT REAL ESTATE EXPO PAL-AWDA group regularly participates in demonstrations targeting Jewish and pro-Israel gatherings across New York City, alongside activists from Within Our Lifetime and the Muslim American Society’s New York chapter, which are also expected to send members to the protest. Al-Awda activists protested outside a Queens synagogue two weeks ago and targeted another synagogue event on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Within Our Lifetime is led by its fiery co-founder, Nerdeen Kiswani, and Muslim American Society members are led by Abdullah Akl, a youth and outreach coordinator for the 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit. These groups have worked together with the network of far-left organizations that have organized anti-Israel protests and student encampments, like the People’s Forum, the ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which have been funded and supported by Neville Roy Singham, a controversial American Marxist tech tycoon living in Shanghai, supporting the Chinese Communist Party. It isn’t clear if those groups will send their members, but there is usually a lot of cross-pollination. One regular anti-Israel protest participant, Anas Shuaib, 27, told Fox News Digital: “I will be at the Hilton event to stop land theft of Palestinian land and expose Zionist control of America.” The “Jerusalem Real Estate Expo,” scheduled from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Hilton, promoted the event as “the Israeli capital’s greatest real estate opportunities … all under one roof.” MAMDANI FACES A MUSLIM PROBLEM AHEAD OF GRACIE MANSION PROTEST In response, the PAL-AWDA New York and New Jersey chapter quietly announced its demonstration, titled “Stop the Sale of Stolen Palestinian Land.” Fox News Digital sent requests for comment to several of the organizations participating in the real estate event but didn’t hear back, and PAL-AWDA didn’t respond to a request for comment. Promotional material for the protest describe the expo as an “illegal land expo and settler recruitment fair” featuring the “Mayor of Jerusalem,” with the mayor’s title placed in quotation marks. Al-Awda used imagery in its protest advertisement that critics say symbolized the elimination of the Jewish state. The graphic featured a keyhole replacing the “O” in “Stop the Sale,” alongside a full map of modern-day Israel placed inside the “O” in “Stolen,” imagery commonly used by anti-Israel activists to reject Israel’s existence as a sovereign state. The renewed demonstrations are likely to intensify scrutiny on Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who already faced criticism Tuesday night as Jewish and Muslim protesters gathered outside Gracie Mansion to protest what they described as rising antisemitism and the city’s handling of anti-Israel activism. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

Mamdani skips Israel Day Parade despite joining other cultural celebrations

Mamdani skips Israel Day Parade despite joining other cultural celebrations

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani won’t be attending the city’s annual Israel Day Parade on Sunday, a break from decades-long tradition, despite attending other events celebrating the city’s diverse cultural landscape. Since 1964, every mayor in the city has attended the Jewish celebration, which comes amid record levels of antisemitism and weeks of anti-Israel demonstrations outside synagogues and Jewish communal institutions across New York. Despite his absence, the mayor pledged to provide security and the necessary permits for the safety of those who will be participating. MAMDANI WON’T ATTEND ISRAEL DAY PARADE, BREAKING DECADES-LONG MAYORAL TRADITION AMID ANTISEMITISM SURGE Mamdani indicated that he would not attend as a matter of political principle. He has voiced frequent criticism of Israel following the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish state and, upon taking office in January, scrapped an order that barred city agencies from participating in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. “I look forward to joining and hosting many community events celebrating Jewish life in New York and the rich Jewish history and culture of our city,” Mamdani’s spokesman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “While I will not be attending the Israel Day Parade, my lack of attendance should not be mistaken for a refusal to provide security or the necessary permits for its safety,” the statement continued. “I’ve been very clear: I believe in equal rights for all people everywhere. That principle guides me consistently.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor’s office. MAMDANI REFERENCES PALESTINIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ DURING ST PATRICK’S DAY EVENT Despite his stance against Israel, the mayor has participated in other celebrations, including this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, during which he compared the historic plight of the Irish to the “genocide” in Palestine amid Israel’s war with Hamas. At the city’s Lunar New Year Parade in March, Mamdani was in attendance with Gov. Kathy Hochul. In June, New York will host the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade, one of the largest parades in the city. While the mayor hasn’t confirmed if he will attend this year’s event, he has a history of participating in the festivities. He was in attendance in 2025 while on the campaign trail, as well as at the Pakistan Independence Day Mela in Brooklyn that same year. He also participated in the India Day Parade last year. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani said he would likely miss many parades, saying he wanted to focus on core issues instead. Earlier this month, Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, became the first NYC mayor in decades to address a May Day rally, also known as International Workers’ Day. In October, the city’s Columbus Day Parade will make its way down Fifth Avenue. Last year, he chose to skip the event, which was ultimately canceled due to high winds — a decision that drew criticism from Italian-American advocacy groups, especially after a 2020 social media post resurfaced showing him giving the middle finger to a Columbus statue in Queens. Fox News Digital’s Ariella Noveck contributed to this report.

Fox News Poll: Voters see AI regulation as urgent, rank safeguards ahead of innovation

Fox News Poll: Voters see AI regulation as urgent, rank safeguards ahead of innovation

As debates about artificial intelligence (AI) regulation intensify, the latest Fox News Poll finds that most registered voters believe it is urgent for the federal government to address the issue, and protecting the public interest should take priority over promoting innovation.  Nearly 8 in 10 think it is extremely (40%) or very (37%) urgent for the government to address AI regulations. FOX NEWS POLL: FAITH IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE US IS COLLAPSING In addition, while more than half say both the federal government (51%) and the tech industry (54%) should have a great deal of responsibility, slightly more say it should fall to the tech side. Another 39% say state governments should have a great deal of responsibility. While voters across demographic groups broadly agree AI regulation is vital and both government and the tech industry have responsibility, there is a notable generational divide on urgency. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SEE WELFARE FRAUD AS COMMON, STILL MOSTLY FAVOR PROTECTING BENEFITS OVER CRACKDOWNS By a 15-point margin, fewer voters under age 30 view regulating AI as urgent (69%) than those ages 65 and over (84%). When asked what regulations should be prioritized, more voters favor protecting public interests (80%) than promoting innovation (19%) by a 61-point margin. While majorities of all age groups prioritize protecting the public, there is still a generational divide: two-thirds of those under 30 favor it (66%), compared to nearly 9 in 10 voters ages 65+ (88%). Partisan differences are smaller, though Democrats (83%) and independents (82%) are somewhat more likely than Republicans (77%) to prioritize protecting the public interest. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE While voters largely agree AI regulation is needed, they are split on whether the U.S. should coordinate with other countries: 51% favor coordination, while 49% prefer the U.S. act independently. The generational gap is less pronounced here, as voters under 30 are divided (49% coordinate vs. 50% act independently) while voters 65 and over favor coordinating with others by 9 points (54% vs. 45%). Partisan divisions are starker, as 6 in 10 Democrats favor coordinating with other countries while 6 in 10 Republicans back acting independently. Independents are divided, 50% each. Conducted May 15–18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

White House drops eerie aliens ‘walk among us’ warning — but the truth is much closer to home

White House drops eerie aliens ‘walk among us’ warning — but the truth is much closer to home

FIRST ON FOX: The White House has a new message on aliens: They are not coming from outer space — they are already here and ICE is tracking them. The Trump administration launched Aliens.gov on Thursday, a space-themed immigration enforcement website that turns UFO-style “disclosure” language into a live dashboard on illegal immigrant arrests, migrant encounters and immigration operations nationwide, Fox News Digital learned. “They walk among us,” the website reads. “For 60 years, the U.S. government has kept a closely guarded secret. Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives. They’ve shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.” “With one exception — they do not belong here.” DHS LAUNCHES ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ WEBPAGE TARGETING ALLEGED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NATIONWIDE Fox News Digital exclusively reviewed the White House site, which packages immigration enforcement data as a tongue-in-cheek “alien transparency” project while making a more pointed political argument on illegal immigration. “This is a first of its kind effort to draw eyeballs to the fact that the previous administration’s porous border didn’t just put families in border states at risk, many across the country were in harm’s way,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. The website features a U.S. heat map tracking “alien arrests,” showing where migrants are being detained by officials, alongside a real-time counter displaying that there have been more than 3 million migrant encounters. Using ICE arrest data, users can search by city, state or alleged crime to view local immigration arrests. The database displays arrest dates, criminal charges, countries of origin and suspected gang affiliations. “Millions arrived under the cover of darkness and embedded themselves directly into our society. Countless presidents, congressmen, and senior officials knew exactly what was happening. Instead of protecting American citizens, they chose to cover it up and even accelerate the invasion,” the new website states. “Until one man finally had the courage to tell the truth. Bold. Unapologetic. Unafraid. President Trump was the first to call out the real danger Aliens pose to every American family, every community, and the future of our nation,” the website said. “The truth is no longer out there. It is right here. Right now.” The data on the site will be updated on a rolling basis, and will also be included on the existing White House app, Fox News Digital learned. LAWMAKERS DEMAND ‘IMMEDIATE’ PROBE INTO ANTI-ICE TRACKING APP: ‘TARGET ON THEIR BACKS’ The platform also features an ICE tip line encouraging users to “report suspicious aliens.” The new website follows the Department of War releasing two waves of declassified UAP files as part of a broader transparency effort directing agencies to search internal databases for decades-old reports involving unexplained aerial activity after years of public skepticism surrounding government secrecy and UFO investigations.