Behind the scenes of the prisoner swap to free WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russian prison
After 16 months in a Russian prison, Evan Gershkovich was released Thursday in the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War, orchestrated by the Biden administration. Almost two weeks ago, Biden announced to the world he was dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. But just before he made that decision, the president made a call to his Slovenian counterpart urging them to make final arrangements to get the historic prisoner exchange over the line. That swap included Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, along with legal permanent resident Vladimir Kara-Murza. In exchange, Vladamir Putin insisted his hit man Vadim Krasikov, be released back to Russia. Krasikov used the cover name Vadim Sokolov and was convicted by a German court for the 2019 assassination of a former Chechen commander near Berlin’s parliamentary building. He was in German custody. PUTIN HIT MAN SEEN AS RUSSIA’S BIG PRIZE IN PRISON SWAP: ‘HIGH-VALUE ASSET’ President Biden had to convince German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to ultimately agree to Krasikov’s release. The government of Turkey facilitated the transfer of the prisoners. “I don’t think anybody here on the US side has a full, complete, contextual picture of why Krasikov was treated with the priority that he was by the Russian side,” a senior administration official told Fox News. “I mean look, FSB [Federal Security Service] connection, paid assassin, ordered by the Russian Government to conduct the assassinations that he did… this is a bad dude, and a member of the Russian intelligence services. They obviously considered him an asset and wanted him back, and it was no small thing for the German government to let him go,” the official said. “Lots of tough calls throughout this exchange and certainly Krasikov was one of the tougher calls leaders had to make,” another official said. BIDEN CALLS RUSSIA PRISONER SWAP DEAL THAT FREED WSJ’S GERSHKOVICH, WHELAN A ‘FEAT OF DIPLOMACY’ “This deal would not have been made possible without our allies Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey. They all stepped up and they stood with us,” Biden said at the White House Thursday. “They stood with us, and they made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries who were justifiably being helped and provided logistical support to get the Americans home. So for anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do. They matter.” Sullivan in a press briefing Thursday confirmed that no money or sanctions were part of the exchange. ‘DANGEROUS MESSAGE’: TOP REPUBLICAN RAISES CONCERNS OVER TRADING AMERICANS FOR ‘ACTUAL RUSSIAN CRIMINALS’ When asked if the historic prisoner exchange would incentivize hostile countries to arrest more Americans, Sullivan said, “It’s a question that we grapple with every time that we look at the hard decisions involved in one of these exchanges.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “It is difficult to send back a convicted criminal to secure the release of an innocent American. And yet, sometimes the choice is between doing that and consigning that person basically to live out their days in prison in a hostile foreign country, or in the hands of a hostile power. So, from our perspective, we have assessed and analyzed that risk, and we have judged that the benefit of reuniting Americans and bringing people home, and also of vindicating the idea that the American president and the American government are going to do what it takes to protect and secure the release of innocent Americans, that that benefit outweighs the risk. And that’s how we proceeded,” Sullivan said.
Jordan investigates daughter of judge in NY v. Trump case over her work for Kamala Harris, Democrats
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan is investigating the daughter of the judge who presided over former President Trump’s criminal trial for her past work for Vice President Kamala Harris, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital has obtained a letter Jordan, R-Ohio, sent to Loren Merchan, the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan who presided over New York v. Trump. A jury found Trump guilty on all counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump has requested Merchan overturn that verdict. TRUMP FILES MOTION REQUESTING JUDGE IN HUSH MONEY TRIAL BE RECUSED AMID DAUGHTER’S DEMOCRAT-AFFILIATED WORK Prior to the start of the trial, Trump’s legal team urged Judge Merchan to recuse himself from the case due to his daughter’s work for Democrat-affiliated political work for a firm called Authentic Campaigns, Inc. Trump lawyers said the company “services exclusively Democrat clients” and is “the #21 ranked vendor in the country in connection with the 2024 election.” Trump lawyers, at the time, said Loren Merchan “has a direct financial interest in these proceedings by virtue of her ownership stake and leadership role at Authentic Campaigns, Inc.” The company’s featured clients include top Democrats – such as President Biden and now-Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kalama Harris. In a letter to Loren Merchan Thursday, obtained by Fox News Digital, Jordan highlighted her work related to Harris. “During your time working on behalf of Vice President Harris, Authentic Campaigns received over $7 million in compensation for its services,” he wrote. “According to your now-deleted LinkedIn, after Vice President Harris dropped out of the Democrat primary, you were promoted to President of Authentic Campaigns.” TRUMP’S APPEAL TO LIFT REMAINING PARTS OF NY GAG ORDER DENIED “Authentic Campaigns then conducted work for the 2020 Biden-Harris campaign, which included “digital paid media, design and development, social media, mobile messaging, [and] artificial intelligence,” Jordan continued. Based on the funds collected by the firm through its work with top Democrats – also including Rep. Adam Schiff and the Senate Majority PAC – Jordan said “at a minimum, there is a perception that you and Authentic Campaigns could profit considerably from President Trump’s prosecution in a forum overseen by your father.” Jordan is now demanding Loren Merchan turn over “all contracts and invoices referring or relating to work performed by Authentic Campaigns” for work on behalf of the Biden campaign, the Harris campaign, or the Democratic National Committee from the period of Jan. 1, 2023 to the present. He is also demanding “all documents and communications between or among Authentic Campaigns or any of its employees, agents, or representatives, the Biden for President campaign, or the Harris for President campaign referring or relating to the indictment, prosecution, or conviction of President Donald J. Trump for the period April 1, 2023, to the present.” He is also asking for records related to any work the company performed related to Trump’s indictment, prosecution or commitment, and communications with her father, Judge Juan Merchan, related to the indictment, prosecution or conviction of Trump. Jordan gave her a deadline of August 8 to comply with his request. The request comes as part of the House Judiciary Committee’s investigation into “politically motivated prosecutions by state and local officials.”
Texas attorney general says Biden must continue border wall construction after court deadline passes
Texas sued to stop an executive order issued by President Biden on his Inauguration Day to stop border wall construction and divert funds that had already been allocated for the project.
Trump replies to DA Bragg in case to get conviction tossed in light of Supreme Court immunity decision
Former President Donald Trump has filed a reply brief in his case to have his conviction in N.Y. v Trump overturned after the Supreme Court ruled presidents have some immunity for official acts in office. Trump was found guilty in an unprecedented criminal trial last month on all counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, following a six-week trial stemming from Bragg’s investigation. Trump has already requested Judge Juan Merchan overturn the verdict. TRUMP’S APPEAL TO LIFT REMAINING PARTS OF NY GAG ORDER DENIED In the filing Thursday, lawyers for Trump argued that “The Supreme Court of the United States ruled conclusively and unequivocally that President Trump is protected by immunity for his official acts.” “In this case, a politically motivated district attorney violated that immunity by using official-acts evidence in grand jury proceedings and at trial. Therefore, the case must be dismissed, and the jury’s verdicts must be vacated.” The Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts in office but not for unofficial acts. The high court said Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for “official acts” but left it to the lower court to determine exactly where the line between official and unofficial is. “The President therefore may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled, at a minimum, to a presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts,” the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts states. “That immunity applies equally to all occupants of the Oval Office, regardless of politics, policy, or party.” TRUMP TOUTS SUPREME COURT’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY RULING AS ‘BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND FOR DEMOCRACY’ The question of presidential immunity stemmed from special counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 case against Trump. Trump pleaded not guilty to those charges. That trial was put on hold in a lower court pending the Supreme Court’s ruling, which wiped out any charges related to official presidential acts. Trump attorney Todd Blanche, in the filing Thursday, argued that Bragg offered official acts evidence during the six-week-long unprecedented criminal trial. Blanche said that included official White House communications with staffers like Hope Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, and more. Blanche also said Trump’s official public statements made via Twitter were used as evidence; his official acts in response to inquiries by the Federal Election Commission; official acts relating to inquiries by Congress and prosecutors; and more. “President Trump was subjected to fundamentally unfair proceedings that invited jurors to examine official-acts evidence based on ‘their views of the President’s policies and performance while in office,’” Blanche wrote. “This fundamental unfairness also harms the public because of the adverse impact of these violations on the work of future Presidents to serve the American people.” He added: “For the reasons set forth in the Defense Motion and herein, the Court should dismiss the Indictment and vacate the jury’s verdicts based on violations of the Presidential immunity doctrine and the Supremacy Clause.” Judge Juan Merchan, last month, agreed to Trump’s request to delay his original sentencing date, July 11, and said that a hearing on Trump’s potential sentencing would take place Sept. 18.
Ex-Marine leads plea for Congress to hear exiled Afghan resistance leader’s warnings
A retired Recon Marine who conducted civilian rescues within Afghanistan, a former Navy SEAL and an ex-Pentagon chief are among the figures clamoring for Congress to hear from a top Afghan resistance leader and to stop directly or indirectly financially backing the Taliban government there. Around the time of the U.S.’ withdrawal, National Resistance Front (NRF) leader Ahmad Massoud returned to the Panjshir Valley in northern Afghanistan. There, elements opposed to Taliban rule stuck it out until they were forced to flee — including Massoud, who escaped to neighboring Tajikistan. He reportedly was joined by at least one official from the deposed U.S.-backed democratic government: former Vice President Amrullah Saleh. Saleh sought refuge in Dushanbe, the Tajik capital, as of 2021, according to France24 News. REPUBLICANS FUME OVER REPORT BILLIONS OF AFGHAN HUMANITARIAN AID IS FUNDING TALIBAN According to Chad Robichaux, who took part in perilous civilian rescue operations in Afghanistan — including the evacuation of his former interpreter Aziz, who faced execution by the Taliban — Massoud has since been recognized as the de facto opposition figure-in-exile. “Massoud is leading all of our allies of the last 20 years, all the people we left behind; our commandos, our interpreters, all the ones that chose to resist and then continue to fight…” Robichaux said. “We’ve completely abandoned him and our allies and the Afghan people.” Robichaux said the U.S. government essentially “switched teams” in the middle of the fight by allowing the Taliban to return to power. He pointed to reports that billions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer funds have gone to the Taliban, including through United Nations humanitarian appropriations that are majority funded by the U.S. “[O]ur allies are trying to prevent a terrorist attack on the United States. But, you know, meanwhile, we’re funding it. It’s insane,” Robichaux said, adding that Massoud may have information helpful to preventing another terror attack like 9/11 on U.S. soil. GOLD STAR MOTHER TORCHES BIDEN’S ‘ABILITIES’ ON AFGHAN WITHDRAWAL ANNIVERSARY: ‘REFUSES TO HELP US’ Robichaux added that Massoud’s father — of the same name — was the top anti-Soviet leader who helped the West battle the Taliban in Afghanistan decades ago. Robichaux said Usama bin Laden had Massoud assassinated in the near-term prior to 9/11 because the terrorist knew the U.S. would need an allied figure in Afghanistan if they wanted to take on the Taliban. “Twenty years later, his son is saying the same thing. There’s a pending attack on the United States. You guys are sending money to the Taliban, and they’re training a terrorist group to attack the United States,” Robichaux said. He went on to claim Massoud has been subject to an ambiguous “blacklist” from visiting the U.S. Therefore, Robichaux said, it is imperative that congressional leaders visit the Middle East to meet with him. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department to confirm or deny the blacklist claim. Massoud himself said the international community has conducted a policy of appeasement toward the Taliban government, which has failed to help the situation. “We haven’t seen the Taliban relent on even one issue,” Massoud said. “This policy will have global consequences as it allows the Taliban to buy time and achieve its goals with the 21 other regional and global terror networks.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “For a peaceful world, a more realistic policy that benefits both the people of Afghanistan and prevents a global security crisis must be adopted. We must emphasize the support of the international community and the USA for a legitimate and democratic government solely based on the will and vote of Afghanistan’s citizens,” he said. When asked about the safety of lawmakers, should they agree to host Massoud abroad, Robichaux said another proponent of the petition, retired SEAL and podcast host Shawn Ryan, was able to do so in Austria as a civilian. Fox News Digital also reached out to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ahead of the petition’s formal delivery to inquire about the prospect of Congress meeting with Massoud, but did not hear back by press time. According to the petition, which lists Ryan as primary author, Massoud’s testimony would shed light on the true situation in Afghanistan and better inform congressional decisionmaking and allocation of funding in the region. “Moreover, Congress should redirect its financial support towards the NRF, restoring their critical logistical and aid support,” the petition demands. Later in his interview, Robichaux said there is one potential development that would render his concerns with the State Department moot: the election of former President Trump. Robichaux said Trump has long indicated his aversion to assuaging malign regimes, and was confident he would find a way to stop U.S. funds ending up in Taliban hands. “If there’s a threat to the United States, [Trump] would let our Central Intelligence Agency do their job,” he said. Christopher Miller, Trump’s former defense secretary, claimed about $87 million in U.S taxpayer dollars per week are ending up in Taliban hands. “[These are] the very same people that killed over 2,400 of our warriors and wounded another 21,000-plus and sheltered the leader of Al Qaeda — is beyond comprehension and the definition of criminal negligence,” Miller said in calling for Congress to hear directly from Massoud. At least one House lawmaker also agreed on the need for Massoud to brief Congress. Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., a former military sniper, said Massoud could shed light on a part of the world “deeply embroiled in chaos; only made worse by the current administration.”
An “unrelenting” Sheila Jackson Lee remembered by Kamala Harris, former colleagues
More than 50 of Jackson Lee’s former colleagues in Congress, along with a star-studded lineup of national and local elected officials, packed the church sanctuary to celebrate her life.
Flashback: Harris fumed at Americans for saying ‘Merry Christmas’ before illegal migrants got protections
Then-Sen. Kamala Harris warned Americans not to say “Merry Christmas” until there was permanent status for some illegal immigrants — amid a Trump-era battle over protections for some illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. “And when we all sing happy tunes, and sing Merry Christmas, and wish each other Merry Christmas, these children are not going to have a Merry Christmas. How dare we speak Merry Christmas. How dare we? They will not have a Merry Christmas,” she said at a 2017 press conference, a video of which was obtained by Fox News Digital. Speakers pushed for the passage of the Dream Act, which would grant a pathway to citizenship for some illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors, NBC News reported. BORDER SENATOR EYED AS VP PICK COULD HELP HARRIS WITH KEY WEAKNESS Harris made the remarks in December 2017 at a press conference after then-President Trump had announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which shielded some illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors from deportation. Harris said it was “morally wrong” to take away the existing protections for those protected by the Obama-era executive order. Trump had called for Congress to act to come to a deal that would extend those protections coupled with tougher enforcement, including the construction of a wall at the southern border. But, as Congress struggled to reach a deal, liberal activists and Democrats warned that the illegal immigrants were now facing uncertainty over Christmas as their protections would go away. KAMALA HARRIS AND THE SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS: A TIMELINE “They don’t know if they will be here in a matter of days, weeks and months,” Harris said. “Since Sept. 5, over 12,000 have lost their status… And for that reason, we must get this done, and we must get it done before the end of this year. No January, no February, no March, now.” Harris, both as a presidential candidate and as vice president, would call for a pathway to citizenship for a broader population of illegal immigrants, including those who came to the U.S. as children as well as farm workers, Temporary Protected Status recipients and others. The Biden administration on day one introduced a sweeping immigration reform bill that includes such a pathway to citizenship. Officials including Harris have continually pushed for that bill to be passed by Congress, but Republicans have balked at that proposal, particularly during the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Harris has come under attack for her role in the administration leading outreach on border-related issues, which led her to be dubbed the “border czar” — a title she has rejected. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “Kamala Harris was appointed border czar, as you know, in March 2021, and since that time, millions and millions of illegal aliens have invaded our country, and countless Americans have been killed by migrant crime because of her willful demolition of American borders and laws,” former President Trump said on a press call last week. The Harris campaign has pushed back, contrasting her record with Trump’s record in office. “The only ‘plan’ Donald Trump has to secure our border is ripping mothers from their children and a few xenophobic placards at the Republican National Convention. He tanked the toughest bipartisan border security deal in a generation because, for Donald Trump, this has never been about actually securing the border — it’s always about himself. He can make up whatever lies he wants, but the fact is there’s only one candidate in this race who will fight for real solutions to help secure our nation’s border, and that’s Vice President Harris,” Harris campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said. Fox News’ Matteo Cina contributed to this report.
White House takes full credit for freeing Americans wrongfully detained in Russia: ‘Vintage Joe Biden’
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday gave President Biden full credit for the safe return of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and other Americans wrongfully detained in Russia. Sullivan took the podium at the daily White House press briefing after the Biden-Harris administration announced a massive swap of political prisoners between the United States and Russia. “Today’s exchange is a feat of diplomacy that, honestly, could only be achieved by a leader like Joe Biden and his direction,” Sullivan told reporters. Three American citizens — Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva — were freed from Russian custody along with one American green-card holder, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and a dozen others. Sullivan shared that Biden had been “personally engaged” in diplomatic efforts to bring those Americans home, including multiple conversations with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and leaders of other countries who provided Russian prisoners for the exchange. BIDEN CALLS RUSSIA PRISONER SWAP DEAL THAT FREED WSJ’S GERSHKOVICH, WHELAN A ‘FEAT OF DIPLOMACY’ The White House confirmed that Biden had a phone call with the prime minster of Slovenia on Sunday, July 21, to make final arrangements for the deal to fall in place. “There is no more singular or concrete demonstration that the alliances that the president has reinvigorated around the world matter to Americans, to the individual safety of Americans, and to the collective security of Americans. And we’re deeply grateful to our allies who supported us in these complex negotiations to achieve this outcome,” Sullivan said. He added that Biden was reaching out to the leaders of Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey as he spoke to thank them for their part in putting the deal together. “This was vintage Joe Biden, rallying American allies to save American citizens and Russian freedom fighters, and doing it with intricate statecraft, pulling his whole team together to drive this across the finish line,” Sullivan said, noting the president maintained regular contact with the families of those detained as he worked for their release. LIVE UPDATES: PRISONER SWAP DEAL WITH RUSSIA Gershkovich, 32, was arrested on March 29, 2023, while reporting on a trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and was accused of espionage. The Biden administration declared him “wrongfully detained,” and The Wall Street Journal and U.S. government both emphatically denied the charges, calling them absurd on their face. Whelan languished in Russian custody for years. A well-placed source told Fox News that Turkish intelligence officials played a key role in mediating the prisoner swap. “His goal has always been to put the families first, the families who are enduring an unimaginable ordeal,” Sullivan said of Biden. “From the president on down, we’ve stayed in regular and routine touch with them. I spent a lot of time with the families of Evan and Paul and Alsu, and most of the time, as you can imagine, those are tough conversations. But not today,” he said, becoming emotional. WSJ REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH RELEASED BY RUSSIA IN PRISONER SWAP; PAUL WHELAN ALSO BEING FREED “Today was a very good day, and we’re going to build on it.” As Sullivan spoke, former President Trump weighed in on Truth Social, demanding to know the details of the prisoner exchange. Trump wrote: “How many people do we get versus them? Are we also paying them cash? Are they giving us cash (Please withdraw that question, because I’m sure the answer is NO)? Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs?” “Just curious because we never make good deals, at anything, but especially hostage swaps,” the Republican nominee for president continued. “Our ‘negotiators’ are always an embarrassment to us! I got back many hostages, and gave the opposing Country NOTHING – and never any cash. To do so is bad precedent for the future. That’s the way it should be, or this situation will get worse and worse. They are extorting the United States of America. They’re calling the trade ‘complex’ – That’s so nobody can figure out how bad it is!” Sullivan told reporters that no money or sanctions relief was tied to the prisoner exchange. He also addressed concerns that the prisoner exchange could incentivize U.S. adversaries to wrongfully detain more Americans, arguing that freeing innocents is worth the price. “It is difficult to send back a convicted criminal to secure the release of an innocent American. And yet, sometimes the choice is between doing that and consigning that person basically to live out their days in prison in a hostile foreign country, or in the hands of a hostile power,” Sullivan said. “So from our perspective, we have assessed and analyzed that risk, and we have judged that the benefit of reuniting Americans and bringing people home, and also of vindicating the idea that the American president and the American government are going to do what it takes to protect and secure the release of innocent Americans, that that benefit outweighs the risk.”
Illegal immigrants arrested on military base for trespassing walk free after posting five-figure bail
Two Jordanian nationals in the country illegally and who were arrested for trespassing on a Marine Corps base in Virginia have been released from federal custody after posting bond, federal officials confirmed to Fox News Digital. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Hasan Yousef Hamdan and Mohammad Khair Dabous were allowed to bond out by an immigration judge. The ICE official said there was no reason to believe either man had any ties to a terrorist organization. The New York Post first reported that the bonds were $15,000 and $10,000 for Hamdan and Dabous, respectively. 2 FOREIGN NATIONALS IN ICE CUSTODY AFTER ALLEGED ATTEMPTED BREACH AT MAJOR MARINE BASE ICE had previously said one of the men had been arrested near San Ysidro, California, in April after entering illegally, and the other had overstayed the terms of his student visa. ICE said the two men remain in removal proceedings, despite being free. The incident occurred on May 3 at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia. A Marine base spokesperson said two people in a box truck had been stopped at a gate. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS The driver allegedly told military police officers they were making a delivery to the post office and worked for a company subcontracted by Amazon. “It was at that time, one of the military police officers noticed the driver, ignoring the direct instructions of the officers, continued to move the vehicle past the holding area and attempted to access Marine Corps Base Quantico,” spokesperson Capt. Michael Curtis said in a statement. Officials later turned them over to ICE after their arrest for trespassing. BORDER SENATOR EYED AS VP PICK COULD HELP HARRIS WITH KEY WEAKNESS The incident had raised fears of a potential terrorist attack, although ICE has repeatedly stressed there is no indication of a public safety or national security threat from the two men, and both appear only to have been charged with misdemeanor trespassing. The incident is one of a number of such incidents involving illegal immigrants, in a year when the ongoing crisis at the southern border has become a top political issue. Some Republicans have linked the incident at Quantico to policies of the Biden administration. The administration has accused Republicans of blocking reforms and funding to fix the historic crisis, while Republicans accuse the administration of rolling back successful Trump-era policies and fueling the crisis as a result.
White House, Harris silent on Olympics gender controversy as Trump vows to ‘protect women and girls’
EXCLUSIVE: Both the White House and Kamala Harris’ campaign were silent when contacted for comment Thursday morning about whether they support biologically male, intersex or trans athletes competing against biological females at the Olympics. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, quickly slammed the notion as uproar surrounds an Algerian fighter caught in the middle of a gender eligibility controversy after their opponent, Italian boxer Angela Carini, withdrew from the match 46 seconds in due to the impact of the punch. “President Trump has been unequivocally clear that he will NOT stand for men competing in women’s sports – an insane and unfair reality that has been allowed to transpire because of Radical Left politicians like Kamala Harris. When he returns to the White House, President Trump will take immediate action to protect women and girls and overturn the Harris-Biden Administration’s radical rewrite of Title IX,” a Trump campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday. OLYMPIC BOXER DEEMED TO HAVE MALE CHROMOSOMES WINS FIGHT IN 46 SECONDS, OPPONENT LEFT IN TEARS AFTER HARD HITS Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympian, was disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships after the International Boxing Association determined Khelif failed gender tests. According to Reuters, Khelif – who has “female” listed on her passport – was found to have elevated levels of testosterone. “I got into the ring to fight,” the embattled fighter, Carini, said, according to Italy’s ANSA. “I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much, and so I said enough.” “I’m going out with my head held high.” IBA President Umar Kremlev explained the decision at the time, according to Russia’s Tass News Agency, saying that based on DNA tests, “we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes.” “Such athletes were excluded from competition,” Kremlev said. Khelif was authorized to compete by the International Olympic Committee, and the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA) addressed the criticisms before Thursday’s event. FORMER OPPONENT OF OLYMPIC BOXER IN GENDER ELIGIBILITY CONTROVERSY SPEAKS OUT: ‘HER BLOWS HURT ME A LOT’ “COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with baseless propaganda from certain foreign media outlets,” the organization said, via Reuters. “Such attacks on her personality and dignity are deeply unfair, especially as she prepares for the pinnacle of her career at the Olympics. The COA has taken all necessary measures to protect our champion.” Italian officials expressed concerns about Khelif’s eligibility. “It is surprising that there are no certain, strict, uniform criteria at the international level,” Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi said, adding it was strange “that there can be a suspicion, and far more than a suspicion, of an unfair and potentially dangerous contest for one of the contenders at the Olympics, an event that symbolizes sporting fairness.” ABORTION, ‘FREE’ EDUCATION AMONG TOP ISSUES FOR HARRIS VOTERS Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told the U.K. paper, The Telegraph, “it was not an even contest.” “I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions. And not because you want to discriminate against someone, but to protect the right of female athletes to be able to compete on equal terms,” Meloni said. This is not the first controversy that has arisen since the Olympics began last week. Olympic organizers faced intense backlash from Christians and others worldwide regarding the opening ceremonies of the 2024 games after a skit featuring drag queens and a woman in a halo crown appeared to mock the Leonardo da Vinci painting of Jesus’ Last Supper. If elected, Harris is expected to advance the Biden administration’s efforts to expand Title IX, the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools and educational institutions, now including protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. LGBTQ+ activists championed the change as a necessary one to prevent transgender students from facing certain restrictions. The rule took effect Aug. 1. Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.