Republican Party to host historic midterm convention in Dallas, Trump announces on Truth Social
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday to announce the Republican Party will host its very first “Midterm Convention” this fall in Texas. The two-day event, scheduled to take center stage on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 in Dallas, aims to celebrate the “great American comeback” and highlight the ongoing achievements of the administration’s America First Agenda, the president said. “It will be in Dallas, Texas — One of my favorite places in the World,” Trump wrote in the announcement. “It has never been done before, and will be a truly Historic Event.” MIDTERM ALARM BELLS: DEMOCRATS FACE STEEP FAVORABILITY DEFICIT DESPITE ELECTION GAINS In his post, the president touted a list of policy victories and economic milestones that will serve as the focal point of the convention, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security, as well as securing stronger borders and safer communities. BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY He also highlighted American energy dominance alongside dropping oil prices, progress on denuclearizing Iran, and driving affordability for Americans. “We are delivering on the promises that politicians talked about for decades, but never got done,” Trump wrote. The president said the “rally like none other,” will feature “lots of great entertainment” and spotlight the nation’s first responders, innovators, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and job creators. National political conventions, where party delegates from around the country formally nominate their party’s presidential candidates, normally take place during presidential election years. But with Republicans aiming to protect their narrow control of the Senate and their razor-thin House majority in this year’s elections, Trump announced last September that the GOP would hold a convention ahead of the midterms “in order to show the great things we have done” since recapturing the White House. The Republican National Committee in January approved a change to the party’s rules that would allow Chair Joe Gruters to convene a convention during a midterm election year. In a statement after Trump’s announcement on Tuesday, Gruters emphasized, “This historic Midterm Convention will highlight President Trump’s many accomplishments and unwavering commitment to restoring America. “This convention will be a Trumpapalooza, where we will showcase the America First agenda, which has delivered the largest tax cut in history and made communities safer. President Trump will unite Republicans around our shared vision, build momentum, and deliver an incredible convention for our Party,” Gruters added, as he repeated a description of the confab he first used in January. And Gruters told Fox News Digital earlier this year, “I think the President of the United States is our secret weapon.” But the president’s approval ratings remain well underwater, with many Americans giving him a big thumbs down on the job he’s doing with the economy and the issue of affordability. Democratic National Committee (DNC) Director of Rapid Response Kendall Witmer told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening, “The American people can’t afford their bills or to fill up at the pump because of Donald Trump, and Republicans’ response is to throw a multi-million dollar televised celebration for Trump that will only remind Americans of his failed promise to them and tie already flailing Republican swing-seat candidates to a historically unpopular president.” The DNC, which significantly trails the RNC in fundraising, last year considered a midterm convention, but earlier this year decided against going forward with holding what is an expensive event. Witmer emphasized that “Democrats are already hitting the trail and speaking directly with American voters about our plans to cut costs and make health care affordable.”
First lady cites memoir after Supreme Court upholds state laws reserving girls’ sports for biological females
First lady Melania Trump pointed to a passage from her bestselling memoir Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled that states may limit women’s and girls’ sports teams to biological females, saying the decision aligns with a position she has long supported. In a post on X, Trump highlighted a passage from Melania that was published months before the court’s landmark 6-3 decision, which held that states may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. “As many of you may know, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community. But we must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected,” the first lady wrote on X, pointing readers to page 156 of her memoir, “Melania.” U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES NEW TRANS ATHLETE FINDINGS AGAINST USA HOCKEY “The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion: ‘Under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, may schools maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females? … The answer is yes,’” Trump continued, citing the court’s decision. “America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes,” she added. “Respect everyone and keep girls’ sports fair. Both ideals are essential.” The first lady’s comments came just hours after the Supreme Court established a new nationwide precedent allowing states to maintain women’s and girls’ sports teams for biological females. U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES NEW TRANS ATHLETE FINDINGS AGAINST USA HOCKEY In the consolidated cases West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the justices ruled 6-3 in favor of West Virginia and Idaho, upholding state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity. Writing for the majority, the court held: “Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the States may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex.” The decision marks a major victory for supporters of so-called “Save Women’s Sports” laws, validating similar legislation enacted in 27 states in recent years. The ruling also clears the way for those states to continue enforcing the laws without the legal uncertainty that surrounded them while the cases moved through the courts. LAWYERS FIGHTING SJSU OVER VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL RESPOND TO FEDERAL TITLE IX PROBE FINDINGS Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey praised the ruling, calling it “a monumental victory for every female athlete who has ever competed, or dreamed of competing, on a fair and safe playing field.” Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador likewise hailed the decision, saying it confirmed states’ authority to “preserve fair competition and protect the opportunities that generations of women fought to secure.” The cases centered on West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act and Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, both of which had been blocked after legal challenges brought by transgender athletes. Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Trump: US envoys enroute to Doha for ‘perhaps important’ Iran meeting
NewsFeed President Donald Trump said US negotiators are heading to Qatar for what he called a ‘perhaps important’ meeting. The talks follow recent attacks that strained the Strait of Hormuz ceasefire. The US and Iran have until about mid-August to reach a permanent peace deal. Published On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Mourners light candles after deadly German shelter shooting
NewsFeed Residents lit candles on Monday evening near the site of a shooting that killed six staff members at a women and children’s shelter in Stade, Germany. Police say the shooter’s motive was related to a family dispute. Published On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Police hunt for suspect after three wounded in Monaco blast
Ukrainian oligarch reported to be among injured in explosion at residential building in the Mediterranean principality. By AFP and Reuters Published On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026 Police in Monaco and neighbouring France are hunting for a man suspected of detonating a makeshift bomb in the centre of the wealthy Mediterranean principality, which seriously injured several people, officials said. Three people, including a teenager, were hurt in the explosion that struck at about 9pm local time (19:00 GMT) on Monday in a residential building in Monaco, according to authorities in the micro-state on the French Riviera, known as a haven for billionaires and their luxury yachts. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list According to the AFP news agency, Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev was one of those wounded. Monaco’s Minister of State Christophe Mirmand initially told AFP that the blast appeared to be “an attack”, but later dropped the term, describing it as a “deliberate explosion”. A couple in their 50s or 60s suffered life-threatening conditions, while a 13-year-old who was “very likely related to the couple” suffered less serious injuries, Mirmand said, without disclosing their identities. The explosive device apparently contained bolts and buckshot, Mirmand said. “This is the first time in history, to my knowledge, that such an act has taken place in the principality,” he said. A source close to the investigation who asked not to be named told AFP that one of those wounded was Yermolaiev. Yermolaiev, a multimillionaire Monaco resident, has been subject to sanctions from Kyiv since December 2023, which Ukrainian security services reportedly said stemmed from his alcohol business activity in Russian-occupied Crimea. Advertisement Monaco’s public prosecutor, Stephane Thibault, said a suspect had left a bag or package in the building’s lobby before leaving. French newspaper Le Figaro said video surveillance images showed a man dropping a backpack at the entrance of a residential building shortly before the explosion. Monaco’s Prince Albert II described the incident as a “heinous crime” and “a shock to the entire Monegasque community”. An aide to French Minister of the Interior Laurent Nunez said police were working “to find the perpetrator, who has fled”. An AFP photographer at the scene saw a heavy police presence with access to the area cordoned off, while a helicopter circled overhead. Adblock test (Why?)
Monsoon Moves: IMD issues alert for heavy rains across Northeast, Northwest, Central India
The India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across several parts of the country on June 30 as monsoon activity strengthens over Northwest, Central, East and Northeast India.
Mathura Bus Accident: 4 killed, over 20 injured after Volvo bus crashes into truck on Yamuna Expressway
A speeding Volvo bus carrying around 65 passengers rammed into a trailer truck on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district, leaving four people dead and more than 20 injured.
Texas education board member threatens to sue colleagues over posts calling her “Marxist”
A Democratic board member says colleagues harassed her in social media posts during Texas’ debate over how history is taught. The GOP members deny any bullying.
Trump taps acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling for permanent role pending Senate confirmation
President Donald Trump on Monday nominated acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to serve as U.S. labor secretary, sending his pick to the Senate for confirmation. If confirmed, Sonderling would formally assume the Cabinet post after leading the Labor Department on an acting basis since former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s departure in April. He would continue overseeing the department’s efforts to enforce federal labor laws, administer workforce programs and implement the administration’s employment agenda. “It is my Great Honor to announce that I am nominating Keith E. Sonderling, the outstanding Acting United States Secretary of Labor, to be permanent,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “Keith previously served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer and, during my First Term, worked at the U.S. Department of Labor as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. “Throughout his career, Keith has proven his dedication to delivering strong results for the Hardworking People of our Country, and I know he will do an incredible job in his new role,” Trump added. ACTING LABOR SECRETARY SONDERLING: A FAST-TRACK WAY TO GET A JOB WITHOUT COLLEGE DEBT Chavez-DeRemer left the Labor Department in April, when the White House announced Sonderling would serve as acting labor secretary. ACTING LABOR SECRETARY SONDERLING: A FAST-TRACK WAY TO GET A JOB WITHOUT COLLEGE DEBT Chavez-DeRemer’s departure came after a whistleblower complaint accused her of having an affair with a member of her security detail, drinking on the job, creating a hostile work environment and directing staff to perform personal errands at taxpayer expense. The Labor Department’s inspector general is investigating the allegations, which also include claims that Chavez-DeRemer’s husband made unwanted advances toward department officials and that family members routinely sent personal requests to young staffers, according to previous Fox News Digital reporting. ACTING LABOR SECRETARY SONDERLING: A FAST-TRACK WAY TO GET A JOB WITHOUT COLLEGE DEBT Reporting on the complaints indicates Chavez-DeRemer requested staff perform private errands for her and her husband, including picking up dry cleaning, purchasing wine and cleaning out the secretary’s closet, while allegedly using threats to ensure compliance. Meanwhile, other complaints alleged drinking on the job and keeping stashes of liquor around the office, according to the New York Post, which first reported the complaints in January. Chavez-DeRemer has denied the allegations. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Emotion and feelings: How Democratic Socialists’ congressional insurgency could come back to bite them
It’s a Democratic identity crisis. Democratic Socialists of America are on the charge, running hot off their wins in the New York Democratic primaries last week. Their victories in multiple Congressional seats – felling both Reps. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., and Dan Goldman, D-N.Y. – signals that the party is ready to move on from the same old, same old. Espaillat chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Goldman was a key House staffer during the first impeachment of President Donald Trump. “Even Dan Goldman’s not good enough for them,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Fox. “That is how radical it’s become.” MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALISTS LOOK TO TAKE NEW YORK PLAYBOOK NATIONWIDE AFTER PRIMARY VICTORIES Some moderate Democrats are trying to distance themselves from the left. “That’s not the same brand of politics that we have. We’re not those type of Democrats,” said Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., who represents a battleground district. “There’s a new group of Democratic Socialists who are socialists who are not commonsense Democrats. Who are not interested in getting things done. They’re interested in throwing bombs. Not actually solving problems,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J. LURCHING LEFT: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS Some Democrats are worried how far left candidates command more attention than those in the middle. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., worries that the outsized attention garnered by the left sends the wrong impression to voters. “What they don’t want is divisiveness. They don’t want screaming and yelling,” said McDonald Rivet. Mainstream Democrats feel trapped in the middle as the left – specifically the New York City left – wields an outsized media and political megaphone. “Those candidates would not have won in Virginia where I live,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va. Republicans believe they are primed to nationalize the midterms. Republicans can do that by highlighting the extreme views of Democratic Socialists who captured primary victories in New York City. The GOP wants to portray their opponents as veering left. “These are board-certified communists, right?” asked Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. “They want no police. They want no private property.” President Trump capitalized on the Democratic outcomes in his home city. “The Democrat party is in big trouble because this isn’t stopping with New York,” he forecast. VICTORIES BY MAMDANI-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES SPOTLIGHTS GROWING RIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY This shakeup has progressive leaders demanding transformation at the top. “You’re going to see, I think, people voting for new leadership and to change their representation,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. The Democratic Party tapped Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., to deliver their official response to President Trump’s 2025 State of the Union speech. Slotkin is a moderate who won in a battleground race in 2024 – even as the President prevailed in the Wolverine State. But during an appearance on SiriusXM, Slotkin insists on a Democratic Party management switch. “If people can’t understand that the game has fundamentally changed and they can’t adapt, then they need to let others,” said Slotkin. “The old models do not work for people.” Republicans believe House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is vulnerable after the DSA elected their candidates over his preferred picks in New York City. “I think Hakeem Jeffries’ friends and neighbors gave him a big middle finger,” said House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. “If you lose three elections in your hometown, that’s a pretty big slap in the face.” He added that Democrats “are going further and further to the left to the point where they are full-blown, card-carrying socialists.” And then there is the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, and in some cases, antisemitic take by some of these candidates. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, is a moderate Democrat from a swing district. He’s Jewish and one of the most pro-Israel Democrats in the House. “There are some on the left who use Israel the way that some on the right use immigrants or trans kids as a way to divide. And I think it’s terrible. It’s also just not what voters want us talking about,” said Landsman. HOUSE DEMOCRAT LASHES OUT WHEN GRILLED ON WHETHER SOCIALIST VICTORIES WOULD THREATEN DEM UNITY Yours truly tangled with Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. – who once chaired the House Democratic Caucus. I pressed him about what the party would do about some candidates “who are too far to the left.” “What does that mean? That’s your statement. Did the people of New York vote?” queried Larson. I assured him that they did. “Is that democracy?” asked Larson. “But if some of them are antisemitic,” I countered. “Is that a democracy?” continued Larson. “Will you stand by people if they have antisemitic views?” I followed up. Larson finally addressed my inquiry. His answer crystallized the schism the Democratic Party now faces. “I’m against antisemitism, if that’s your question,” Larson declared. The fact that Democrats are now facing this debate robs them of valuable time on economic issues. Landsman argued that voters would prefer candidates to stick to groceries and the price of gas. Gottheimer echoed Landsman on kitchen table subjects. “We should be focused on ways to actually solve problems like that. Not coming in here and using tea party tactics and trying to divide up the country and pray to socialist ideals,” said Gottheimer. So what is the party to do? DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB “They’re our nominees. We’re going to support them. We’re going to welcome them. They’re going to be part of our caucus and we’re going to unite behind Leader Jeffries,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Oversight panel. But that doesn’t address the fissures. It doesn’t address how voters may perceive the party. And it doesn’t establish if these new Democratic nominees will work on behalf of the party to raise money and advocate for Democrats across the board. Or, will they become professional bomb throwers – ala what the right has endured for a while. “It’s going to be a lot harder to get