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Year: 2026

Biden accuses Trump of erasing history and squandering US leadership role on global stage: ‘Dark days’

Biden accuses Trump of erasing history and squandering US leadership role on global stage: ‘Dark days’

Former President Joe Biden on Friday accused President Donald Trump of attempting to “erase the truth” and squandering the United States’ role as the leader of the world. “It’s not just my record Trump’s trying to erase,” Biden told South Carolina Democrats, while talking about the president’s efforts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. “He’s trying to erase fairness, equity, history, the truth,” he continued, citing incidents in which information about slavery has been removed or altered from museums and national parks since Trump took office.   “Great nations don’t bury the truth, Biden balked. “They face it. This is a great nation.” BIDEN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN MINNESOTA, SAYS IT GOES AGAINST AMERICAN VALUES Last summer, Trump wrote that “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.” He also ordered a review of the Smithsonian to make sure its exhibits align with celebrating “American exceptionalism.” Biden — the guest of honor at Friday’s “thank you” event organized by state Dems who helped resuscitate his presidential campaign six years ago — claimed the U.S. is currently living in “dark days.” LIZ PEEK: AMERICA EXPECTED ONE THING FROM TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION. IT GOT ANOTHER “Our future is literally on the line,” he said. “We have to be unapologetic about fighting for our country.” Biden also issued a warning about the upcoming midterms, claiming that Trump is “trying to steal the election because he knows he can’t win your vote, so he’s going to do everything he can to prevent you from wanting to vote. … Mark my words. I hope I’m wrong.” He said the more that voters see of Trump, the “less they like him.” SPEECHWRITERS SPLIT AFTER TRUMP’S RECORD-BREAKING SOTU: ‘LIVING IN HIS OWN REALITY’ VS. ‘RESOUNDING SPEECH’ “They don’t like that he’s raising health care costs, fighting against the Affordable Care Act, and they sure as hell don’t like what they saw in Minnesota: Mass ICE agents pulling people out of their homes and literally murdering two people in the street,” he swiped.  Biden, 83, added, “They don’t believe the president should be king or dictator.” He said because of this, Democrats are winning in places “you’d never expect.” BIDEN TO HEADLINE NATIONAL BAR ASSN GALA DESPITE SON HUNTER’S DISBARMENT, ALONG WITH CROCKETT, TISH JAMES “So, we have reason to be hopeful, because time and again throughout history, in the moments of great crisis, Americans have summoned the better angels of our nature and brought our country back from the abyss.” Biden also predicted that Democrats would take back both the Senate and House of Representatives in November. Biden boasted that he knew more heads of state than any other president in history, adding, “Americans knew they had a president who believed in, respected and followed the Constitution.” Citing a Pew Research Poll that he said showed a “dramatic drop in our reputation around the world,” he claimed, “We’re no longer the way we were.” He added if the U.S. doesn’t lead the world, it could be Russia or China that does. Biden also blasted Trump’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday for what he left out. “The guy talks for almost two hours but never mentioned the anniversary of Putin invading Ukraine,” Biden admonished. “Never once.” He also noted that the president didn’t mention Renee Good or Alex Pretti, the Americans who were killed by ICE agents earlier this year in Minneapolis, “or offer even a word of solace to their families.” “He doesn’t offer a word of support, even recognition to Epstein’s victims sitting in front of him during the entire time,” Biden said, mentioning the Jeffrey Epstein survivors who were in the audience for the speech. “He never acknowledged them.” The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

ICE blasts Washington mayor over directive restricting immigration enforcement

ICE blasts Washington mayor over directive restricting immigration enforcement

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accused Everett, Washington, Mayor Cassie Franklin of escalating tensions with federal authorities after she issued a directive limiting immigration enforcement in the city. Franklin issued a mayoral directive this week establishing citywide protocols for staff, including law enforcement, that restrict federal immigration agents from entering non-public areas of city buildings without a judicial warrant. “We’ve heard directly from residents who are afraid to leave their houses because of the concerning immigration activity happening locally and across our country. It’s heartbreaking to see the impacts on Everett families and businesses,” Franklin said in a statement.  WHITE HOUSE SLAMS DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR FOR URGING PUBLIC TO TRACK ICE AGENTS WITH NEW VIDEO PORTAL “With this directive, we are setting clear protocols, protecting access to services and reinforcing our commitment to serving the entire community.” ICE blasted the directive Friday, writing on X it “escalates tension and directs city law enforcement to intervene with ICE operations at their own discretion,” thereby “putting everyone at greater risk.” ICE said Franklin was directing city workers to “impede ICE operations and expose the location of ICE officers and agents.” “Working AGAINST ICE forces federal teams into the community searching for criminal illegal aliens released from local jails — INCREASING THE FEDERAL PRESENCE,” the agency said. “Working with ICE reduces the federal presence.” “If Mayor Franklin wanted to protect the people she claims to serve, she’d empower the city police with an ICE 287g partnership — instead she serves criminal illegal aliens,” ICE added. DHS, WHITE HOUSE MOCK CHICAGO’S LAWSUIT OVER ICE: ‘MIRACULOUSLY REDISCOVERED THE 10TH AMENDMENT’ During a city council meeting where she announced the policy, Franklin said “federal immigration enforcement is causing real fear for Everett residents.” “It’s been heartbreaking to see the racial profiling that’s having an impact on Everett families and businesses,” she said. “We know there are kids staying home from school, people not going to work or people not going about their day, dining out or shopping for essentials.” The mayor’s directive covers four main areas, including restricting federal immigration agents from accessing non-public areas of city buildings without a warrant, requiring immediate reporting of enforcement activity on city property and mandating clear signage to enforce access limits. BLOCKING ICE COOPERATION FUELED MINNESOTA UNREST, OFFICIALS WARN AS VIRGINIA REVERSES COURSE It also calls for an internal policy review and staff training, including the creation of an Interdepartmental Response Team and updated immigration enforcement protocols to ensure compliance with state law. Franklin directed city staff to expand partnerships with community leaders, advocacy groups and regional governments to coordinate responses to immigration enforcement, while promoting immigrant-owned businesses and providing workplace protections and “know your rights” resources. The mayor also reaffirmed a commitment to “constitutional policing and best practices,” stating that the police department will comply with state law barring participation in civil immigration enforcement. The directive outlines protocols for documenting interactions with federal officials, reviewing records requests and strengthening privacy safeguards and technology audits. “We want everyone in the city of Everett to feel safe calling 911 when they need help and to know that Everett Police will not ask about your immigration status,” Franklin said during the council meeting.
”I also expect our officers to intervene if it’s safe to do so to protect our residents when they witness federal officers using unnecessary force.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Mayor Franklin’s office and ICE for comment.

Trump floats Ted Cruz for Supreme Court, jokes he’d get ‘100%’ bipartisan vote to ‘get him out of there’

Trump floats Ted Cruz for Supreme Court, jokes he’d get ‘100%’ bipartisan vote to ‘get him out of there’

President Donald Trump on Friday floated the idea of putting Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the Supreme Court, joking he is the only nominee who would receive “100% of the Democrat vote, 100% of the Republican vote” because lawmakers would want to “get him out” of Congress. Trump made the comments after Cruz and other lawmakers traveled with the president to make remarks on energy in Corpus Christi, Texas. “We have a senator who’s really an amazing guy,” Trump said during the outdoor engagement at the Port of Corpus Christi. “I’m thinking about putting him in the Supreme Court. … Getting these nominations through is very tough, and he’s the only guy I know who’ll get 100% of the Democrat vote, 100% of the Republican vote. They want to get him out of there. “He is such a pain in the a–, but he’s so good and so talented,” the president continued. “If we ever had a problem, I just pick Ted. That would solve that problem. … He’s a great guy, and he’s a very talented guy too — smart.” TRUMP CREDITS HALTED IRAN EXECUTIONS FOR HOLDING OFF MILITARY STRIKES Cruz, who earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, argued eight cases before the Supreme Court as solicitor general of Texas before returning to private practice, where he argued his ninth before the highest court. At the time of Cruz’s 2012 Senate run, he had tried the most Supreme Court cases of any practicing lawyer in Texas or any member of Congress, according to The Texas Tribune. He was sworn into the Senate in 2013, where he has advocated for limited government, economic growth and national security. VANCE SAYS ‘NO CHANCE’ US WILL GET INTO PROLONGED MIDDLE EAST WAR AMID IRAN TENSIONS Cruz ran for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2016 election cycle but failed to match Trump’s popularity. He suspended his campaign May 3, 2016, after losing the Indiana primary. During Trump’s remarks in Corpus Christi, he also briefly addressed ongoing talks with Iran, saying the U.S. faces a “very big decision” on whether to strike the country, an option the president said he ran by Cruz and other lawmakers who joined him Friday. “We’ve got a lot of things going on now. We have a big decision to make. … Not easy,” Trump said. “We have a country that’s been, for 47 years, blowing people’s legs off, arms off … killing people, lots of people. Not only Americans. … They want to make a deal, but we’ve got to make a deal that’s meaningful. I spoke with Ted Cruz, John, all of them on the way here. “We hit them real hard, as you know, with those beautiful B-2 bombers — recently knocked out their nuclear capability,” he continued. “I’d rather do it the peaceful way, but they’re very difficult people. I want to tell you that they’re very dangerous people, very difficult people.” Trump told reporters earlier Friday he had not yet decided if he would launch military strikes on Iran, but he voiced his unhappiness with recent negotiations.

Dem Washington House majority leader apologizes for being ‘impaired’ during budget hearing

Dem Washington House majority leader apologizes for being ‘impaired’ during budget hearing

A Democratic Washington state lawmaker has apologized after admitting he showed up to a committee hearing after drinking alcohol and making somewhat slurred remarks during the proceeding.   Democratic state Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, the state House majority leader, said it was a “serious mistake for many reasons” when he appeared at a House Appropriations Committee meeting Wednesday where he discussed the operating budget.  “I made a poor choice last night by drinking alcohol before we had finished our work for the day,” Fitzgibbon explained in a statement to “The Jason Rantz Show,” which first reported on the ordeal.  “I am disappointed in myself and take responsibility for that poor choice. It won’t happen again, and I’m committed to completing my work this session without alcohol.” FEDERAL JUDGE ALLEGEDLY ‘SUPER DRUNK’ WHEN HE CRASHED CADILLAC During the hearing, Fitzgibbon spoke about the budget and appeared to slur his words at times.  “I am grateful to all the members of this committee and all the members of the house for putting forward their ideas and putting forward that … that … the … the operating budget that we put forward does not forget that the people we are working to represent, the people we are working to lift up and support … don’t always have a voice in this process,” Fitzgibbon said, Fox Seattle reported.  WASHINGTON SWIMMER TAKES ON STATE GOVERNMENT, SAYS GIRLS SHOULDN’T BE PRESSURED TO UNDRESS AROUND BOYS In a statement to the news outlet, he said being impaired “was harmful to my work and to my co-workers” and embarrassing.  Fox News Digital has reached out to Fitzgibbon and the Washington State Republican Party.  State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, also a Democrat, said while Fitzgibbon failed to meet behavorial standards associated with his appearance at the hearing, he has “acknowledged that behavior is unacceptable and has apologized.” She said House Democratic leaders stand with Fitzgibbon as he takes steps to ensure his well-being.  It is unclear whether Fitzgibbon will face any disciplinary action.