Trump endorses Sticker Mule CEO who battled officials over 100-foot pro-Trump sign for Stefanik’s House seat
President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed the CEO of a sticker company—who once fought local officials to keep a massive pro-Trump sign on his factory—to fill the House seat of outgoing Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. In a move that defied the preferred nominee of the New York GOP, Trump threw his support toward Anthony Constantino over Assembly member Robert Smullen. “It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Anthony Constantino, who is running to represent the fantastic people of New York’s 21st Congressional District,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Constantino told Fox News Digital that he spoke with Trump and was honored to receive the nod. “He noted every primary candidate he endorses wins, so I look forward to winning the general election and making everyone who supported me very proud once I am in Congress,” he said. TRUMP CONTINUES LAMBASTING INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN THOMAS MASSIE AS CHALLENGER FILES TO ENTER RACE While Smullen has garnered the support of establishment Republican leaders, Constantino has received endorsements from high-profile Trump allies, including Roger Stone and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Fox News Digital has reached out to Smullen and the New York GOP. Constantino, the CEO of Sticker Mule, gained national attention after installing a 100-foot “Vote for Trump” sign atop his manufacturing facility in Montgomery County, New York, prior to the 2024 election. The sign sparked a local legal battle, which the president highlighted in his endorsement. “Anthony has been such a Great Supporter that he actually put up a somewhat ‘controversial’ sign, against strong opposition, in my honor. The sign is still there!” Trump wrote. STEFANIK RECEIVES TOP JEWISH AWARD DAYS AFTER ANNOUNCING NEW YORK GOVERNOR BID AT MANHATTAN GALA Speaking to reporters in Albany shortly after the announcement, Smullen accused Roger Stone of duping the president into a rushed endorsement. Smullen argued that Stone, who advises Constantino, had misled the president, the New York Post reported. “A consultant got to the president, someone who is being paid by my opponent, and I think the president’s made a mistake,” Smullen said, adding that Trump needs to hear “the facts.” Constantino, a formerly registered Democrat, was inspired to run for Congress following the first assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Penn. He previously told Fox News Digital that the president “doesn’t deserve all the hate directed at him,” adding that Trump’s supporters don’t deserve it either. Stefanik’s seat became open after a shifting series of political moves. Upon taking office, Trump initially nominated her to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations but later withdrew the nomination over concerns of retaining the thin House Republican majority. Stefanik subsequently ran a short-lived campaign for Governor of New York before announcing she would not seek re-election to Congress.
Senate takes first step to fund ICE, Border Patrol in bid to cut Dems out of the funding process
Senate Republicans launched their party-line gamble Tuesday to fund immigration operations for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s time in office. The GOP took its first step in the budget reconciliation process, which is meant to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the next three-and-a-half years. The party-line vote sets up a forthcoming marathon vote on amendments in the upper chamber before the budget blueprint is shipped to the House. It’s a maneuver meant to cut Democrats out of the process, as they refused to fund immigration operations absent stringent reforms during weeks of negotiations to end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. SENATE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL IMMIGRATION FUNDING PLAN WITH $140 BILLION PRICE TAG AS GOP AIMS TO SPEND LESS “Republicans are doing something that must be done quickly, and that our Democrat colleagues are trying to prevent us from doing,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who crafted the resolution. “That something is simple: fully fund Border Patrol and ICE at a time of great threat to the United States.” Republicans earlier unveiled their budget resolution, which will serve as the guiding framework as the GOP moves forward to fund immigration enforcement. It sets instructions for the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to spend up to $70 billion each. While the combined sum of $140 billion is eye-popping, Republicans are eyeing between $70 billion and $80 billion as the final total for immigration enforcement and want to give both committees maximum flexibility as they craft the legislative meat of the package. Senate Democrats argue that the money could go toward tackling affordability issues in the country, citing healthcare, housing, and soaring gas prices stemming from President Donald Trump’s war in Iran as examples. SENATE GOP READYING PARTY-LINE FUNDING BILL DESPITE DIVISIONS, ANGER AT THE HOUSE “No reforms, no accountability, no strings attached, let it sink in,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “One hundred forty billion for ICE, $0 to lower your costs. That’s these days what the Republican Party seems to stand for. Senate Republicans are choosing to follow Trump and Stephen Miller instead of the needs of the American families.” Turning to the party-line process to fund immigration operations was not the first choice for Republicans, but one made out of necessity given Democrats’ blockade of funding for ICE and much of CBP. Still, some are worried about the precedent that could be set for how Congress is supposed to fund the government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., raised that concern and argued, “I don’t see any way, in a Trump administration, that they’re gonna come to the table and fund those two agencies.” SENATE REPUBLICANS RACE TO FUND ICE, CBP WITHOUT DEMOCRATS AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS “We tried to avoid this. But at some point, we recognized that they’re just not gonna get to ‘yes,’” Thune said. “And that was pretty clear after spending weeks trying to negotiate with them.” Still, Republicans have a long way to go before they advance the budget resolution to the House — and even further before the final product lands on Trump’s desk. He’s demanded that the GOP produce the package no later than June 1. Not every Republican in the upper chamber is thrilled with the narrow scope of the plan, with some wanting to front-load several issues into one package out of concern they may not get another shot. For now, however, they’re moving full speed ahead. “It’s not am I OK with it, is the president’s administration OK with it,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a fiscal hawk who was critical of the GOP’s previous reconciliation attempt. “I mean, do they think they have enough through fiscal year 2029? That’s their call, not mine.”
‘Martyrs’: Michigan Dems nominate Hezbollah-praising candidate after ousting Jewish regent
A University of Michigan Board of Regents member was ousted after Michigan Democrats selected a candidate who shared social media posts praising Hezbollah as the party’s nominee. Amir Makled, a trial lawyer, bested incumbent Regent Jordan Acker, who is Jewish, for the Democratic Party’s nomination at the state party’s convention over the weekend, sparking criticism from a former leader of the state’s Democratic Party. More than a week before Michigan’s Democratic Convention, the Detroit News reported that Makled had shared and later deleted posts on X praising Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Abu Ali Khalil, who were both killed in Israeli airstrikes. In both posts Makled shared, Nasrallah and Khalil are dubbed “martyrs.” UC DAVIS PROFESSOR WHO POSTED VIOLENT THREATS AGAINST ‘ZIONISTS’ KEEPS JOB AFTER DISCIPLINE The Democratic nominee also shared a now-deleted post from Candace Owens in which she called Israelis “demons” who “lie, steal, cheat, murder and blackmail.” Fox News Digital reached out to Makled for comment. Brandon Dillon, the former head of Michigan’s Democratic Party, penned an opinion piece in the Detroit News criticizing Makled’s candidacy that was published just days before Makled won the party’s nomination. Dillon said Makled is not a Democrat and that his social media behavior reflects “a pattern of extremism and bigotry.” UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER ADDRESSES HUNDREDS OF ‘WANTED’ POSTERS FOR JEWISH FACULTY MEMBERS POSTED AROUND CAMPUS “These are not isolated missteps or comments taken out of context,” Dillon wrote in the Detroit News. “They reflect a broader pattern of poor judgment that should raise serious concern.” In his acceptance speech for the party’s nomination, Makled gave a nod to students involved in anti-Israel protests that formed on the University of Michigan’s campus in the wake of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel. “To these students, the students who spoke up, the students who organized, the students who refused to let anyone tell them that their education wasn’t worth fighting for, you all reminded us what a public university is supposed to be,” Makled said. ELITE UNIVERSITY ATTENDED BY TRUMP’S SON CRACKS DOWN ON LEFT-WING STUDENT AGITATORS Makled, who legally represented University of Michigan students involved in anti-Israel campus protests, had previously called for the university system to divest from Israel. The anti-Israel protests which formed at the University of Michigan led to reports of antisemitic attacks against Jewish students. The University of Michigan was one of 60 universities notified by the Department of Education that it was being investigated for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for failing to properly address antisemitic harassment and discrimination. In December 2024 — just months before the Education Department shared its notice with the University of Michigan — the car belonging to outgoing Regent Acker was vandalized. The words “Divest… Free Palestine” and an inverted triangle, a reference to Hamas, were spray-painted in red across Acker’s vehicle. At the time of the attack, Acker said it was the third time that year he’d been victimized by anti-Israel vandals. Fox News Digital reached out to Acker for comment.
Left-wing group chases proof of Kash Patel’s alleged ‘excessive drinking’ as Dems eye FBI director’s ouster
A left-wing lawfare group is trying to uncover records that might prove FBI Director Kash Patel engaged in behavior unfit for his role, such as “excessive drinking and unexplained absences.” Democracy Forward, a group that supports left-wing policy positions in court on issues like DEI, immigration and abortion, sent a 16-page Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Justice Department on Tuesday. It asks for documents, schedules and communications that seek to prove allegations made against Patel in a recent article published by The Atlantic. The report suggests the FBI Director has a drinking problem, poses a national security risk and is at the helm of persistent management failures at the bureau — and it comes as lawmakers warn Patel ‘is next’ after three Trump cabinet secretaries exited the administration in recent weeks. DEMS’ ‘DELAY TACTIC’ TO ‘MALIGN’ PATEL AND STALL FBI CONFIRMATION DISMISSED AS ‘BASELESS’ BY TOP SENATE LEADER “Kash Patel should be next,” Democrat House Whip Katherine Clark said after news broke of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s exit Monday following a probe into her own alleged ethical lapses. “Start the clock,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., added following the Atlantic’s report. Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department and representatives for Patel regarding the FOIA request, but did not hear back in time for publication. A spokesperson for the FBI directed Fox News Digital to a series of X posts from Patel and others rebuking the allegations from The Atlantic’s reporting. “Memo to the fake news — the only time I’ll ever actually be concerned about the hit piece lies you write about me will be when you stop. Keep talking, it means I’m doing exactly what I should be doing,” one of the posts from Patel stated. “No amount of BS you write will ever deter this FBI from making America safe again and taking down the criminals you love.” A separate post by Patel, which the FBI spokesperson directed Fox News Digital towards, included an interview Patel held with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. “Under President Trump’s brilliant leadership in backing the blue and backing law enforcement, this FBI has the most prolific year in crime reduction in United States history,” Patel says in the interview, before launching into a slew of statistics also laid out in the post’s caption. “If I’m not doing my job, if I’m not working, then how is it that the FBI delivered the safest America under President Trump’s leadership in the history of our country?” Meanwhile, earlier this week, Patel filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic for its reporting on his alleged conduct. PATEL DOUBLES DOWN ON FBI ELECTION HUB RAID, SAYS TRUMP CALLED AGENTS DIRECTLY TO THANK THEM FOR OPERATION Democratic Party leadership warned the FBI and DOJ about its duty to preserve all records related to alleged incidents involving Patel that could become subject to a potential congressional inquiry. Then came the FOIA filing. “Democracy Forward Foundation seeks records that would help the public understand the issues raised in the Atlantic article as it relates to previous reporting on potential concerns surrounding Director Patel’s ability to run a key law enforcement agency and his use of taxpayer dollars,” the group’s letter to the Justice Department states. The group is interested in Patel’s calendars, schedule, text messages and other electronic communications between himself and his staff. Democracy Forward also specifically asks for any records reflecting “a request for or use of ‘breaching equipment’ that was made by or used by Director Kash Patel’s security detail.” The request comes at a time when the DOJ is facing its own shake-up after Pam Bondi was ousted as Attorney General earlier this month. Todd Blanche, once Bondi’s deputy, is serving as Acting Attorney General. When asked about Patel’s future as the top dog at the FBI, Republican strategist Mark Bednar, who has worked for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and current Transportation Secretary and former Congressman Sean Duffy, was more supportive of his tenure, arguing the FBI has seen positive change since Patel took charge. “In the years leading up to President Trump being elected to his second term, the American people had lost confidence in the FBI as an institution. Kash Patel is part of President Trump’s goal of revitalizing the agency and executing on the “Make America Safe Again” agenda,” Bednar told Fox News Digital. A separate GOP strategist who requested anonymity argued that if Patel leaves it won’t be because of The Atlantic hit piece. “If Kash Patel goes down, it won’t be because of a damaging Atlantic story, which is a badge of honor in this Administration,” they told Fox News Digital. “It’s more likely because the President views him as becoming a liability during a time of war, as well as a desire to clean house in one fell swoop as the midterms approach.” “There’s already blood in the water with the three ousted Cabinet picks, and knocking out one more gives the President a chance to head into November with a refreshed slate and the best team around him.”
Global Sumud Flotilla disrupts cargo ship bound for Israel
NewsFeed Activists with the Global Sumud Flotilla have disrupted the MSC Maya, a cargo ship they believe was carrying materials used for Israeli weapons to the ports of Ashdod and Haifa. The vessel is operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which Al Jazeera confirms has carried hundreds of shipments to and from illegal Israeli settlements. Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Cuba confirms talks with US officials, wants end to Trump’s energy blockade
A Cuban Foreign Ministry official said the exchange with Washington was ‘respectful and professional’ and devoid of threats. Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026 The Cuban government has confirmed that it held recent talks in Havana with officials from the United States, as tensions remain high between the two countries over Washington’s energy blockade of the Caribbean country. Alejandro Garcia del Toro, deputy director general in charge of US affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that the US delegation included assistant secretaries of state, and the Cuban delegation included representatives at the level of deputy foreign minister. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Garcia de Toro said that the US delegation did not issue any threats or deadlines as had been reported by some US media outlets. “The entire exchange was conducted with respect and professionalism,” he said. In comments reported by Cuba’s Communist Party newspaper Granma, Garcia del Toro emphasised that ending the three-month-old US oil blockade was “a top priority” for the Cuban government in the talks, and accused Washington of “blackmail” for threatening countries that export oil to Cuba with tariffs. “This act of economic coercion is an unjustified punishment for the entire Cuban population,” he said. “It is also a form of global blackmail against sovereign states, which have every right to export fuel to Cuba, in accordance with the principles of free trade,” he added. US news outlet Axios reported on Friday that officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration held multiple meetings in Havana on April 10, including with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former President Raul Castro. The meetings marked the first time that American diplomats had flown into Cuba since 2016 in a new diplomatic push. According to reports, US officials laid out several conditions for negotiations with Cuba to continue, including the release of prominent political prisoners, an end to political repression, and liberalising the island’s ailing economy. Advertisement The Reuters news agency said that US proposals for Cuba also include allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals into the country and providing compensation for Americans and US corporations for assets confiscated by Cuba after the 1959 revolution. Washington is also concerned about the influence of foreign powers on the island, a US official told the news agency. Trump has hinted at military intervention in Cuba and warned of tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. The fuel blockade has aggravated Cuba’s economic and energy crisis, leading to warnings of a humanitarian disaster. Cubans have also braced for a possible attack following Trump’s repeated warnings that the country will be “next” after his war on Iran and the US military’s abduction of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in January. Last week, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that his country was prepared to fight if the US carried through on its threats. The leaders of Mexico, Spain and Brazil on Saturday voiced concern over the “dramatic situation” in Cuba and urged “sincere and respectful dialogue”. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday there was no evident justification for the US to attack Cuba. “The ability to defend oneself does not mean the right to intervene militarily in other states when their political systems do not match what others might have in mind,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump’s Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer latest to leave administration
Chavez-DeRemer is the third high-profile female official to leave the Trump administration after recent departures of Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi. Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026 US Secretary of Labour Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving her post in the administration of President Donald Trump, the White House has said. Chavez-DeRemer is the third woman to leave the Trump administration since March, when the president fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of federal immigration raids in Minnesota that led to the deaths of two protesters. Trump also ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Chavez-DeRemer has done a “phenomenal job” protecting American workers and is set to “take a position in the private sector”, White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said in a post on X late on Monday, announcing the labour secretary’s departure. “Keith Sonderling will take on the role of Acting Secretary of Labor,” Cheung added, referring to the current deputy labour secretary. While Cheung did not give a reason for Chavez-DeRemer’s departure, the New York Post reported in January that she was under investigation for “pursuing an ‘inappropriate’ relationship with a subordinate” and drinking in her office during the work day. Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the allegations. From the beginning of her tenure, Chavez-DeRemer had some notable differences with other members of Trump’s inner circle. She had voiced support for the pro-union Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), earning support for her nomination from some Democrats. Her appointment was also seen as favoured by Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who notably spoke in support of Trump’s re-election campaign at the Republican National Convention in July 2024. Advertisement However, as the labour secretary, Chavez-DeRemer’s positions have more closely aligned with the Trump administration’s overall anti-regulatory policies, according to US media outlets. During her tenure as secretary, the Labor Department stalled on responding to calls for limits on silica exposure from Appalachian coal miners suffering from the occupational black lung disease. Chavez-DeRemer is not the first top official to leave the Labor Department during Trump’s second term. In August 2025, Trump fired the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, who was appointed by previous President Joe Biden, after a report showed that hiring had slowed in July and was worse in May and June than had previously been reported. Chavez-DeRemer had supported the president’s move at the time. “I support the President’s decision to replace Biden’s Commissioner and ensure the American People can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS,” Chavez-DeRemer said in a post on X following McEntarfer’s removal. Adblock test (Why?)
West Bengal Election 2026: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta blames TMC for switching off streetlights during Kolkata roadshow
Gupta was in Kolkata as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s aggressive campaign ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, scheduled in two phases on April 23 and 29.
TCS Nashik victim’s tale of horror: ‘He would pull my saree, put his hand on my thighs,’ details of sexual harassment
She is among many women who have levelled allegations of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion against her male colleagues in the ongoing case under investigation.
Namo Bharat corridor expansion planned: Second phase of Rapid Rail services will connect these cities of West Uttar Pradesh, check details
The expansion of rapid rail, which is set to revolutionise high-speed rail connectivity in the Delhi NCR region, is underway. In the second phase, there are preparations to connect cities like Baghpat, Baraut, Khurja, and Haryana’s Rohtak, Bahadurgarh.