2026 – Page 5 – Texas Weekly Online

Inside world’s top science society’s convention bashing Trump, pushing DEI, pronouns: ‘Felt like a funeral’

FIRST ON FOX: One of the world’s largest and most influential scientific societies held its annual conference last weekend, which a Fox News Digital review found was littered with examples of progressive messaging, criticisms of the Trump administration, and “woke” workshops. Attendees who showed up at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) event, held at the Phoenix Convention Center from Feb. 12-14, were immediately greeted at registration with identifier stickers that used gender pronouns such as “they/them,” “xi/xer,” “xe/xem,” and other descriptors that critics have alleged have little to do with science and biology. During the meeting’s opening night, shortly after a 10-minute hoop dance routine from traditional Native American dancers, AAAS CEO Dr. Sudip Parikh told the audience that it’s been a “hard” and “tough year for science and scientists in this country.” Parikh went on to blame DOGE for the “devastation” of “some of our science agencies” and the “president’s budget request” that “cut science by half” and, in his opinion, amounted to “forfeiting the future.” DOCTORS ON KEY US HEALTH TASK FORCE ACCUSED OF PRIORITIZING DEI OVER EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE “What happened over the course of the last year is a rupture. We’re not going back, it’s not possible, too much damage has been done, too much has changed. There’s an entire generation of scientists that have a scar, a scar that is not going to go away,” Parikh explained, adding that scars can “make us tougher” and “become almost shields” that “build resilience.” Parikh told the crowd that he warned last year that Robert F. Kennedy Jr was the “wrong person” for Health and Human Services secretary and said, “I still feel that way,” which prompted laughter and applause from the crowd. “It’s going to take protests, it’s going to take politics, it’s going to take the ability to not speak gibberish, all of that has got to come together if we’re going to fight for the inheritance of the enlightenment to continue to make this world a better place,” Parikh said. Workshops at the event, which provided gender-neutral washrooms, included a session titled “Mao-Mei Liu: Nurturing Diversity in Science is Resistance,” and another called “Investigating the Role of Race in Clinical Decision-Making.” “Who Gets to Belong? Disability, Power, and Participation in Higher Education,” another workshop was called. TOP MEDICAL SCHOOL MOVED DEI OFFICE TO SECRET LOCATION AS IT TRIES TO ‘EVADE ACCOUNTABILITY’: LEGAL GROUP Dr. Theresa A. Maldonado, a world-renowned expert in electrical engineering, delivered the president’s address at the conference and also lamented what a difficult year 2025 was for science and suggested climate change was responsible for the devastating southern California wildfires last year. AAAS, the publisher of the highly respected Science magazine, posted several more videos over the course of the next few days, many including speakers who criticized the Trump administration and injected politics into discussions. “Colonial Legacies, Climate Crises, and the Erosion of Mobility Choice” was another workshop that scientists at the conference were offered and in an interview with “climate justice scholar” Jola Ajibade, she explained how climate change has benefited a “few wealthy people” while “low-income communities are displaced.” “At the center of my work is giving a voice but also bringing to the attention of everyone the impact of a slew of climate solutions, the impact of those solutions on low-income communities, on Black communities, on indigenous, on Latino communities as well,” Ajibade explained, adding that she is focused on finding a “decolonial” approach. Listed sponsors of the event included the Science Philanthropy Alliance, a group tied to the progressive consulting behemoth Arabella Advisors through the New Venture Fund, a nonprofit that pushes a variety of progressive causes. “The whole thing that is sad for me is that when I attended these conferences in the first Trump administration there was plenty of liberal nonsense, but it still was a celebration of science and the achievements of the year, and you left excited,” an event attendee told Fox News Digital. “This year felt like a funeral, with nothing but griping and moaning. Why would people want to keep coming back year after year with something like that? I suspect that is why their attendance greatly suffered this year compared to the pre-COVID years. Their constant pleas to keep politics out of science are completely undercut by their perpetual whining and endorsing utter craziness. They’re happy for science to be political, as long as it’s leftist.” Additionally, as lawmakers in the United States continue to warn about the growing threat posed by China and what they believe is the CCP’s infiltration of top institutions in the United States — particularly in the medical and science fields — the AAAS conference opted to allow the Beijing-based research institute Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to operate a booth at the event. The state-run Chinese academy, which has faced controversy over its ties to China’s government and military, has collaborated with a Chinese medical technology firm linked to a 2013 U.S. bribery case involving NIH-funded research. The company has also installed equipment in leading American research labs. “The AAAS says that their organization wants to ‘inspire’ future scientists and engineers, but session topics and material from their meeting actually discourage participants from relying on their effort and merit and turns the focus to race and ethnicity,” Johnathan Butcher, acting director of the Center for Education Policy at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital. “These are the very same kind of racist ideas inspired by DEI that have been prohibited in universities, state governments, and the federal government, because the ideas violate state and federal civil rights laws,” Butcher added. “Policymakers should be aware of what this organization is doing and make sure the association is not promoting racial preferences in hiring, promotion or research awards in academia or anywhere else.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, an AAAS spokesperson said, “A broad spectrum of the scientific enterprise attends the meeting. The topics covered were wide-ranging across scientific disciplines and are proposed

How did Jeffrey Epstein get rich? Meet Les Wexner, the ex-Victoria’s Secret CEO who once worked with him

An 88-year-old billionaire businessman and former Victoria’s Secret chief is the latest person to fall within the House Oversight Committee’s investigative crosshairs in the Jeffrey Epstein case, as he is scheduled to appear before the panel in Ohio on Wednesday morning. The crimes of the late accused sex trafficker Epstein are well-known, having gained new media attention in recent months after Congress forced the Department of Justice (DOJ) to disclose millions of pages of documents. But less is known about the figures who operated within Epstein’s orbit and how they helped him get the vast international sphere of influence he enjoyed before finding himself in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial, where he killed himself in 2019. Les Wexner, founder of L Brands, the former chief of Victoria’s Secret, is one of those figures, having been named a co-conspirator of Epstein in a recently uncovered FBI document from 2019. REVEALED: TRUMP CALLED POLICE CHIEF TO SUPPORT EPSTEIN PROBE, AND LAWMAKERS NAMED 6 MEN SHIELDED FROM EXPOSURE Wexner is the founder of L Brands, formerly known as The Limited, which included Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Pink. He also helped found Abercrombie & Fitch, a clothing brand that was once popular among teens in the U.S. Wexner has never been charged with crimes related to the late financier, and a spokesperson for the mogul told Fox News Digital that the “Assistant U.S. Attorney told Mr. Wexner’s legal counsel in 2019 that Mr. Wexner was neither a co-conspirator nor target in any respect.” But documents released by the DOJ allege that Wexner was one of the key players in how Epstein built his wealth and later ran his illicit empire. One file from 2013 that appears to have been in the possession of the Southern District of New York (SDNY) titled “Jeffrey Epstein Source of Wealth,” said Wexner “became a well-known client” of Epstein’s financial management firm in 1987. At the time, Wexner was identified as the founder and chairman of the Ohio-based women’s clothing brand The Limited. “Since all but one of his financial clients are anonymous, it has been speculated that much of Epstein’s lavish lifestyle was once financed by Wexner,” reads the document, which appears to be an email. Wexner’s spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations. That paper also noted that Wexner sold his massive Manhattan townhouse — reported to be the largest private residence in the New York City borough — to Epstein. CHAPPELL ROAN DUMPS TALENT AGENCY OVER BOSS’ ‘TIGHT LEATHER OUTFIT’ EMAILS TO GHISLAINE MAXWELL A 2019 FBI witness statement from a man who purported to be Wexner’s bodyguard from 1991 to 1992 said Wexner “sold his mansion in New York to Epstein for $20.” The same witness statement alleged that “Epstein got all of his money from Wexner.” A 1998 document obtained by Fox News Digital, however, shows Wexner sold his home to Epstein for a $20 million price tag. Half was paid via cashier’s check, while the other half was covered by a promissory note, the record shows. Epstein’s Manhattan mansion was raided by the FBI in July 2019 as part of the federal sex trafficking investigation. There, law enforcement officials found vast troves of evidence, including photos of partially or fully nude women and girls, including ones who appeared to be minors. TRUMP THANKED FLORIDA POLICE FOR EPSTEIN PROBE IN 2000S, FLAGGED ‘EVIL’ GHISLAINE MAXWELL: FBI DOC The DOJ’s unsealed indictment against Epstein also said it was one of the places where he “enticed and recruited, and caused to be enticed and recruited, dozens of minor girls… to engage in sex acts with him, after which he would give the victims hundreds of dollars in cash.” Wexner reportedly bought the mansion in 1989 for $13.2 million before selling it to a corporation partially controlled by Epstein for an “undisclosed amount,” according to Business Insider. It was then reportedly transferred to a U.S. Virgin Islands-based company controlled by Epstein for $0 in 2011. The home was reportedly valued at $77 million at the time of the raid, making it a massive portion of Epstein’s wealth. CLINTONS CAVE: COMER SAYS BILL AND HILLARY TO TESTIFY IN EPSTEIN PROBE A heavily redacted email chain from July 2025 that appears to show witness statement summaries, with the subject line, “RE: Epstein – Cellmate Interview,” also said, “Steve Scully stated Wexner was #1 on Epstein’s speed dial.” Steve Scully appears to be a reference to a former IT contractor who lived and worked on Epstein’s private island of Little St. James from 1999 through 2005. Wexner’s spokesperson declined to comment on Scully’s claim. Wexner even signed a document in 1991 giving Epstein vast control over his finances via power of attorney, according to the New York Times. That document gave Epstein the power to sign checks, borrow money, and buy or sell real estate on Wexner’s behalf, the report said. A letter Wexner wrote to his nonprofit, the Wexner Foundation, in August 2019 said that while he did give power of attorney to Epstein, their relationship ended soon after the 2007 federal investigation first began into the late financier in Florida. “[B]y early fall 2007, it was agreed that he should step back from the management of our personal finances. In that process, we discovered that he had misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family. This was, frankly, a tremendous shock, even though it clearly pales in comparison to the unthinkable allegations against him now,” the letter said. “With his credibility and our trust in him destroyed, we immediately severed ties with him. We were able to recover some of the funds. The widely reported payments Mr. Epstein made to the charitable fund represented a portion of the returned monies. All of that money — every dollar of it — was originally Wexner family money.” But other documents released by the DOJ allege that Epstein and Wexner’s relationship went further than financial management. An FBI witness statement by Robert Morosky, a former executive

Firebrand conservatives set to duke it out in GOP Texas AG debate

Several firebrand conservatives are set to duke it out in what promises to be a particularly explosive debate ahead of the GOP primary election for Texas attorney general. The debate will be held at the famed Granada Theater in Dallas on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Central Time. It will be hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) and moderated by conservative podcaster and Texas native Allie Beth Stuckey. Fox News Digital will stream the debate. With early voting having already started, the Lone Star State is in the midst of a highly contentious primary election season. Four Republicans are gunning for the role of Texas’ top attorney, a slot that is being vacated by Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate. In the running are Congressman Chip Roy, R-Texas, who is running on a limited government platform, Aaron Reitz, a former Trump Department of Justice official and assistant attorney general under Paxton, state Sen. Mayes Middleton, an oil executive running on an America first platform, and state Sen. Joan Huffman, who has emphasized respect for the rule of law in her campaign. TRUMP WITHHOLDS ENDORSEMENT IN FIERY GOP SENATE PRIMARY AS EARLY VOTING BEGINS IN TEXAS As a fourth-term congressman, Roy has the most time in the national spotlight. A member of the House Freedom Caucus, he has at times found himself at odds with President Donald Trump and the GOP establishment. On Dec. 19, 2024, amid a high-stakes standoff over government funding and the federal debt ceiling, Trump railed against Roy in a Truth Social post in which he called him one of several “Republican obstructionists” who he said, “Have to be done away with.” Both Reitz and Middleton, who have positioned themselves as the Trump loyalists in the race, have used this line of attack against him. Reitz has accused Roy of being “belligerently anti-Trump” and a party antagonizer, while Middleton has echoed the obstructionist theme. TEXAS GOVERNOR EXPOSES ‘HYPOCRISY’ OF DEM PUSH FOR STATES’ RIGHTS IN MINNESOTA AFTER BIDEN YEARS Stuckey has said the debate questions will focus on the national legal battles the Texas attorney general must lead regarding the border and constitutional rights. In an X post, she said that her team and RAGA have been working to make sure that “every single question is not only relevant to Texas voters but also to Americans as a whole.” She promised a “fiery, fun and informative night.” DEMS SEE OPENING IN KEY SENATE RACE AS BITTER GOP INFIGHTING CONTINUES: ‘LAST REMAINING STRATEGY’ Addressing the debate, RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper said in a statement that the Texas attorney general “plays a critical role locally and nationally from protecting Texans to promoting the rule of law and preserving freedom for future generations.” Piper said that “RAGA looks forward to providing Texans the opportunity to hear all four Attorneys General candidates answer questions on the important issues facing the state.”

Dem governor’s ‘dangerous’ anti-ICE law ignites backlash after alleged box cutter attack by illegal alien

FIRST ON FOX: The arrest of an illegal alien who allegedly sliced his wife’s neck open with a box cutter in Anne Arundale County, Maryland, would have been jeopardized by a new sanctuary law signed by the governor on Tuesday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Wes Moore pushed back, saying that “nothing in today’s legislation would prevent criminals from getting deported.” DHS told Fox News Digital that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested the illegal, Filberto Gonzalez Gutierrez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who was charged with attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment in Anne Arundale County, Maryland. BLOCKING ICE COOPERATION FUELED MINNESOTA UNREST, OFFICIALS WARN AS VIRGINIA REVERSES COURSE Local Maryland outlet, the Capital Gazette, reported that Gutierrez sliced his wife’s neck open with a box cutter and accused her of cheating on him. Following the crime and his subsequent arrest, DHS said that the ICE detainer lodged with the Anne Arundale County Detention Center was honored, “allowing a safe and controlled transfer of custody.” Gutierrez is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings, according to DHS. The agency said that “safe arrests like these are now in jeopardy with sanctuary politicians in the Maryland legislature passing a bill banning cooperation with ICE.” The bill, signed by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday, prohibits state and local jurisdictions in Maryland from partnering with ICE in immigration enforcement operations through what is known as the 287(g) program. Signed as a piece of emergency legislation, the bill takes immediate effect and requires any local jurisdictions with standing 287(g) agreements to terminate them immediately. The bill does not ban local law enforcement from honoring ICE detainers, which, under Maryland law, is up to the discretion of the local agency. However, by banning 287(g) partnerships, local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from issuing immigration detainers of their own. Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Moore’s office, responded to DHS by telling Fox News Digital that, “Nothing in today’s legislation would prevent criminals from getting deported.” DHS URGES NEWSOM TO HONOR ICE DETAINERS AFTER FEDERAL AGENT ASSAULTED WHILE ARRESTING ILLEGAL ALIEN AT JAIL A Tuesday statement released by Moore’s office said that the legislation does not authorize the release of criminals, impact state policies and practices in response to immigration detainers issued by DHS, prevent state or local jurisdictions from working with the federal government on the removal of violent criminals who pose a risk to public safety or prevent state or local jurisdictions from continuing to notify ICE about the impending release of an individual of interest from custody or from coordinating the safe transfer of custody within constitutional limits. In the same statement, Moore ripped into federal immigration agents, saying, “In Maryland, we defend Constitutional rights and Constitutional policing—and we will not allow untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable ICE agents to deputize our law enforcement officers.” Moore said that “this bill draws a clear line: we will continue to work with federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable, but we refuse to blur the lines between state and federal authority in ways that undermine the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.” “Maryland is a community of immigrants,” added Moore, “and that’s one of our greatest strengths because this country is incomplete without each and every one of us.” However, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who is set to depart from DHS next week, told Fox News Digital that the Maryland legislature is “unfortunately following a dangerous path … of putting criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.” TEXAS GOVERNOR EXPOSES ‘HYPOCRISY’ OF DEM PUSH FOR STATES’ RIGHTS IN MINNESOTA AFTER BIDEN YEARS “Filberto Gonzalez Gutierrez, a monster who sliced his wife’s neck open with a box cutter, will never walk American streets again because Anne Arundale County worked with ICE to keep this criminal off our streets,” continued McLaughlin. “Now, Maryland sanctuary politicians are playing Russian roulette with American lives by outlawing cooperation with ICE and forcing law enforcement to RELEASE criminals from their jails into our communities and perpetrate more crimes and create more victims.” In addition to Gutierrez, DHS accused Maryland politicians of “choosing to protect” other “public safety threats” recently arrested by ICE in Maryland. The agency pointed to the recent arrests by ICE of Vladimir Herrera-Garcia, from El Salvador, who was convicted of homicide and larceny; Manuel Portillo Cardoza, from El Salvador, convicted of assault and lewd or lascivious acts with minor; Jose Rivera Medrano, from El Salvador, convicted of incest with minor, sex offense against child-fondling, and another sex offense; Nilo Herrera Sanchez, from Peru, convicted of strong-arm rape, sex assault, sex offense, and rape with weapon; And Jeffry Alfaro Lemus, an MS-13 member from El Salvador, convicted of possession of a weapon. DHS stated that “by outlawing cooperation with ICE, Maryland’s sanctuary policies are siding with heinous criminal illegal aliens over public safety. McLaughlin added that “unfortunately, the only consequence will be the continued murder, rape, assault, robbery, and carnage of American lives.”

‘Giving judicial saboteurs new tools’: Conservatives slam new ethics guidance for federal judges

Legal experts and conservatives are taking aim at newly published ethics guidelines that allow federal judges to speak out on certain issues, arguing the guidance issued by the court’s policy-making body is hypocritical and has been unfairly applied. At issue is new ethics guidance published this month by the U.S. Judicial Conference, the national body led by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in his official capacity and tasked with setting policy for the federal courts. It is unclear whether Roberts himself was directly involved in the guidance, but critics assailed it all the same. Article III Project founder Mike Davis told Fox News Digital that Roberts is “giving judicial saboteurs new tools” for the courts to overstep. In a statement, he railed against the ethics guidance as “sabotaging the exercise of core Article II powers of the duly-elected president,” and another example in which he argued the federal judiciary has overstepped its powers. JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA “Friendly reminder: when federal judges take off their judicial robes, climb into the political arena, and throw political punches, they should expect powerful political counterpunches,” Davis said. In a departure from earlier guidance, the new advisory opinion states that judges may engage in a “measured defense” of the judiciary, including defending against “illegitimate forms of criticism and attacks” that risk “undermining judicial independence or the rule of law,” and doing so “regardless of whether these comments rise to the level of persecution,” according to a copy of the opinion reviewed by Fox News Digital. It goes on to list four areas of illegitimate activity identified by Chief Justice Roberts in his 2024 year-end report, including activities that “either threaten the judges themselves” or threaten the rule of law: “Violence, intimidation, disinformation and threats to defy court orders.” “It does not follow, however, that every activity that involves the law or the legal system is considered permissible activity,” the report said. The new guidance comes as Trump has assailed so-called “rogue” or “activist” judges who have paused or blocked some of his biggest policy priorities from taking effect during his second term as president. It also comes as threats against federal judges saw a sharp uptick in 2025 compared to the previous 12-month period, according to federal data, including increases in online harassment, threats of physical violence and “doxxing” incidents targeting judges and their families. The guidance in question seemingly attempts to give judges a forum to dispel some of the criticism against them. EX-JUDGES BLAST TOP TRUMP DOJ OFFICIAL FOR DECLARING ‘WAR’ ON COURTS But it also invited fresh backlash from Trump allies, conservative commentators and court watchers, who argued the guidance is being unfairly applied to protect certain members of the judiciary. “The first thing to note” about the new guidance is its timing, said Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at the South Texas College of Law, in an interview. “It is clearly a response to conservative criticism of liberal judges,” Blackman said. “We didn’t see much of this in the last four years, [when] there were routine death threats against conservative judges.” The timing, he added, “is a bit unfortunate, because it gives a sense that only [certain] criticisms warrant a response.” FEDERAL JUDGE LAUNCHES SCATHING BROADSIDE OF TRUMP’S EFFORTS TO DEPORT PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS The opinion comes as dozens of former judges have voiced concern over the Trump administration’s rhetoric towards the federal court judges, describing them in a series of interviews with Fox News Digital as unnecessarily inflammatory and amounting to “pouring oil” on an already fast-burning fire. The new guidance also stressed that judges “should avoid sensationalism” and commentary that “may result in confusion or misunderstanding of the judicial function or detract from the dignity of the office.” The news comes as several judges have been criticized formally for overstepping their duties on the bench, and for otherwise making overtly political comments. The Supreme Court last year condemned U.S. District Judge William Young, a Reagan appointee, for failing to respect the commander-in-chief in repeated opinions that assailed Trump as a bully, and as being laser-focused on “retribution.” He has also accused the administration of “racial discrimination” and “discrimination against the LGBTQ community,” and asked in one order, “Have we no shame?”

Latina House Republican asks Supreme Court to block Dems’ bid to ‘racially gerrymander’ her out of Congress

New York City’s lone Republican lawmaker in the House of Representatives is asking the highest court in the land to stop a Democrat-backed bid to gerrymander her seat in Congress. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., filed a petition with the Supreme Court late last week asking it to halt a state court-ordered redraw of New York’s congressional map ahead of the November midterm elections. The New York State Supreme Court ruled last month that Malliotakis’ district unfairly dilutes the power of Black and Latino voters, following a lawsuit led by Democrat lawyer Marc Elias’ law firm on behalf of four New York residents. New York’s 11th congressional district (NY-11), which Malliotakis won in 2020, encompasses all of Staten Island and a sliver of southern Brooklyn. It’s the only district in the Big Apple represented by a Republican after Malliotakis defeated one-term former Rep. Max Rose, D-N.Y. BATTLEGROUND GOP LAWMAKER MOVES TO BLOCK WHAT HE CALLS DEMOCRATIC REDISTRICTING ‘POWER GRAB’ Malliotakis’ court petition argued that the Manhattan court “violated the Equal Protection Clause by prohibiting New York from running congressional elections until the state racially gerrymanders” her district. The GOP congresswoman pointed out in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that she herself is Latino, with a mother who fled Cuba’s communist regime. “The fact that they’re claiming somehow Hispanics and minorities are disenfranchised when I’m the first Hispanic elected to represent the district makes it even more ridiculous,” Malliotakis said at the time. DEMOCRATS SAY TRUMP REDISTRICTING PUSH BACKFIRING AS VIRGINIA ADVANCES NEW HOUSE MAPS The state court decision by Justice Jeffrey Pearlman found that “Black, Latino, and Asian Staten Islanders’ political representation and participation in politics still lags behind White Staten Islanders” in violation of the New York State Constitution. “A demonstration of racially polarized voting shows that the minority groups at issue vote as a bloc, as do White voters, and that the minority preferred candidates ‘usually’ lose,” Pearlman’s decision said. “Petitioners have demonstrated that here.” Malliotakis’ Supreme Court petition said, “The New York State Legislature adopted CD11’s current boundaries two years ago, with an overwhelming majority of the Legislature’s Black and Latino members voting in favor of it.” It argued that the lawsuit was brought, however, “less than four months ago under the theory that the votes of CD11’s Black and Latino voters — who comprise about 23% of CD11 — have been unconstitutionally diluted because their candidate of choice wins only 25% of the time.” The petition said the court’s decision to “racially gerrymander” the district is a “recipe for unconstitutional chaos, with no map in place and uncertainty as to whether nominating petitions can start circulating on February 24, with no end in sight.” But Democrats have been salivating at the idea of drawing out the deep-blue city’s lone House Republican. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement last month, “This ruling is the first step toward ensuring communities of interest remain intact from Staten Island to Lower Manhattan.” New York is one of several states plunged into the redistricting battle that has gripped the United States. It began last year in Texas, when the state’s GOP-led legislature redrew its congressional map to give Republicans an advantage of as many as five new House seats. California soon followed suit, creating a new map giving Democrats the same advantage.

Springsteen jabs Trump as ‘wannabe king’ as famed rocker launches concert tour ‘in defense of America’

Rock legend Bruce Springsteen is heading back on the road, as he steps up his criticism of President Donald Trump. Springsteen on Tuesday charged that Trump was a “wannabe king” as he announced the launch late next month of the “Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour.” “We are living through dark, disturbing and dangerous times,” Springsteen said in a video posted on social media. “But do not despair, the cavalry is coming. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be taking the stage this spring from Minneapolis to California to Texas to Washington, D.C., for the Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour.” And the 76-year-old rocker added, “We will be rocking your town in celebration and in defense of America, American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream — all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government in Washington, D.C.” WHITE HOUSE BLASTS SPRINGSTEEN’S NEW SONG Springsteen’s announcement of his 20-day tour, which will kick off on March 31 in Minneapolis, comes a few weeks after the release of his latest song, “Streets of Minneapolis,” a protest tune that criticizes Trump and his administration’s deployment of thousands of federal agents to crack down on illegal immigration in the blue-leaning state. Trump’s focus on illegal immigration during the 2024 campaign, and his pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants, helped fuel his re-election victory. ROCK LEGEND PRAISES BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR ‘NOT BEING AFRAID’ TO SLAM TRUMP ON STAGE But the president and his administration have faced political backlash after federal agents in January fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis — Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. In response, the administration announced earlier this month that their operation in Minnesota was winding down. Springsteen, who has long been a vocal Trump critic, in the 2024 presidential election backed then-Vice President Kamala Harris. He performed at a couple of rallies for the Democratic presidential nominee in the final stretch leading up to Election Day. And last year, during a performance at a concert in Manchester, England, he called the president and his administration “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous.” ROCK STAR MELTS DOWN AFTER WHITE HOUSE CALLS HIM ‘WASHED-UP,’ RAGES THAT TRUMP IS A ‘LOW-LIFE FASCIST’ Trump, responding, declared that Springsteen was “obnoxious” and a “dried out prune of a rocker.” “Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country,” Trump added in a social media post at the time. Springsteen renewed his criticism of Trump in September, arguing that the president should “be consigned to the trash heap of history.” And pointing to Trump’s jabs at the rocker, Springsteen said, “I absolutely couldn’t care less what he thinks about me.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a reaction to Springsteen’s new tour, but had not received a response at the time this report posted. Springsteen, for decades, has been known for his songs that pay tribute to and highlight the concerns of working-class Americans, many of whom over the past decade have become Trump supporters. “A lot of people bought into his lies,” Springsteen charged last autumn, as he pointed to Trump. “He doesn’t care about the forgotten anybody but himself and the multibillionaires who stood behind him on Inauguration Day.” And on Tuesday, in announcing his upcoming tour, Springsteen appeared to reach out to his fans who now support Trump. “Everyone, regardless of where you stand or what you believe in, is welcome. So come on out and join the united free republic of E Street nation for an American spring of rock and rebellion. I’ll see you there,” he said.

Year: 2026