East Texas could be the key to developing critical lithium supply for the U.S. military
Texas lawmakers proposed a bill to allow private-sector lithium mining companies to work on certain military bases.
From Cornyn to Paxton: How Trump helped accelerate the Texas GOP’s transformation
The power struggle between old-school Bush Republicans and hardline conservatives predates President Donald Trump. But he has used his clout to help tip the scales.
Texas’ app age verification law allowed to go into effect for now
A federal appeals court allowed Texas to require app stores to verify users’ ages and seek parental consent before a minor can download apps.
Austin ISD’s bid to avoid state takeover rejected by Texas Education Agency
TEA officials on Thursday denied the district’s request to approve a partnership to run its three chronically failing schools that would have put a pause on the campuses’ accountability rating.
RNC and NRCC file lawsuit defending Missouri’s new congressional map against Democratic challenges
The Republican National Committee (RNC) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) filed a lawsuit Thursday defending Missouri’s new congressional map. The RNC told Fox News Digital the lawsuit aims to intervene as Democrats escalate what Republicans describe as a nationwide campaign to block legally enacted redistricting laws. “Democrats across the country are using frivolous lawsuits to cling to power after failing at the ballot box,” RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement. “The RNC is fighting for the values of Missourians against Democrats trying to use the courts to rig congressional districts in their favor and override the will of voters.” The RNC said the new congressional map, enacted by the Missouri General Assembly last year, fully complies with the state constitution. Opponents of the map dispute that claim and have argued in court that the plan violates provisions of the Missouri Constitution. MISSOURI GOV. MIKE KEHOE CONSIDERS SPECIAL SESSION TO REDRAW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AFTER TRUMP CALL “The people of Missouri deserve fair and equal representation, not a partisan power grab designed to silence voters and overturn a lawfully enacted map,” NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson said. “The NRCC and RNC are standing up for the integrity of the democratic process and defending Missourians’ right to have their voices heard under fair congressional districts,” he added. The lawsuit comes as referendum organizers and other opponents of the map seek court action related to petitions that would allow Missouri voters to decide whether to restore the state’s previous congressional map. Republicans argue certification should not occur before the state’s signature-verification process is complete. MISSOURI HOUSE APPROVES REDISTRICTING PLAN AS PART OF NATIONWIDE GOP PUSH TO DEFEND HOUSE MAJORITY According to the RNC, certifying the referendum before the review process is finished could temporarily block implementation of the new map. The lawsuit seeks to allow the review process to continue and ensure election laws are followed before any referendum moves forward. The RNC also said Democrats and allied groups have already spent more than $6 million unsuccessfully challenging Missouri’s maps in court. TRUMP-BACKED REDISTRICTING PUSH TURNS MIDWESTERN STATE INTO NEXT POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND The case comes after the Supreme Court last month ruled 6-3 that Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map — redrawn to create a second majority-Black district — constituted an illegal racial gerrymander. Supporters of the Missouri map argue the decision reinforces limits on the use of race in congressional redistricting. Voting-rights advocates and other legal experts have offered differing interpretations of the ruling’s broader implications for future redistricting cases. The RNC pointed to the decision, arguing it reaffirmed that states cannot draw congressional maps predominantly based on race and that state legislatures retain broad authority to draw districts reflecting their residents’ political preferences. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the new congressional map into law last year. Republicans believe the map could help the GOP gain an additional U.S. House seat in the 2026 midterms. Critics contend the map was designed to increase Republican electoral advantage and reduce the influence of some communities of interest, allegations supporters of the map reject. President Donald Trump praised the map in a Truth Social post at the time, calling it “FANTASTIC” and saying it would “help send an additional MAGA Republican to Congress in the 2026 Midterm Elections.” Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch, Paul Steinhauser and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Trump administration cracks down on Brazil’s biggest drug gangs with ‘global terror’ designation
The Trump administration increased pressure on crime cartels operating out of Brazil on Thursday by moving to classify two of the country’s biggest drug gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. The two syndicates — First Command of the Capital (PCC) and Red Command (CV) — likely have more than 50,000 members combined, according to The Associated Press. “Today, the U.S. Department of State is designating Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) and intends to designate both groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), effective June 5, 2026,” the State Department said in a statement. “CV and PCC are two of the most violent criminal organizations in Brazil. Together, they command thousands of members and have orchestrated brutal attacks against Brazilian police officers, public officials and civilians. Their influence and illicit networks extend far beyond Brazil’s borders, across our region and into our country,” the statement said. US GOVERNMENT TAKING ‘DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT APPROACH’ USING TERRORISM CHARGES AGAINST DRUG CARTELS: FBI ALUM The Trump administration, the department added, will continue to utilize all available tools to protect the nation and U.S. national security interests by keeping illicit drugs off American streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding violent narco-terrorists. “Today’s action taken by the State Department further demonstrates the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to dismantling cartels and criminal organizations in our region and ensuring the safety of the American people,” the department said in a statement. The new designation also came after conservative Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro met with President Donald Trump in Washington to urge the administration to formally designate the gangs as terrorist entities. BOLSONARO DYNASTY EYES COMEBACK AS BRAZIL’S SOCIALIST PRESIDENT FACES CHALLENGE FROM JAILED RIVAL’S SON The 45-year-old senator and presidential hopeful shared a photo Tuesday standing by Trump’s side in the Oval Office, flashing a thumbs-up sign as he seeks to bolster his image amid a political scandal at home. “I went specifically to ask him to designate the CV and PCC as terrorist organizations, because that’s what they are,” he told reporters in Washington. With Brazil’s presidential election slated for October, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro have campaigned for the U.S. designation to target the public security failures of current leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. FEDS CHARGE DOZENS OF ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBERS WITH DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MURDER-FOR-HIRE Proponents argue that the PCC and CV operate across international borders through drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons smuggling and territorial control, making them comparable to other transnational groups already labeled as terrorist organizations by the U.S. Lula da Silva’s government strongly opposes the designation, arguing the gangs are heavily armed criminal enterprises rather than ideologically motivated terrorist groups. Lula is also seeking re-election. Brazilian authorities launched a major anti-gang financial crackdown this week targeting fraud and money-laundering networks allegedly linked to PCC operations, The Associated Press reported. Prosecutors revealed that the investigation uncovered billions of reais moved through fintech firms and shell structures. Last year, Brazilian authorities also uncovered a sprawling criminal network that had infiltrated parts of the fuel industry and connected to the financial sector through money-laundering schemes involving members of the PCC. At the time, authorities seized 1.2 billion reais (approximately $220 million) in assets, the outlet said.
Anti-ICE agitators clash with federal agents outside New Jersey detention center as tensions escalate
NEWARK, N.J. — Chaotic scenes intensified Thursday outside Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center as anti-ICE agitators clashed with federal agents amid escalating tensions over immigration enforcement and conditions inside. The protest crowd had swelled to more than 100 by 8 p.m. local time, as frequent clashes cropped up when unmarked federal vehicles approached to enter the center. As ICE agents appeared to swing on a fulcrum, some agitators refused to get out of the way — including one man who was dragged to the ground and detained just feet from where Fox News Digital was perched. An ICE agent could not confirm or deny whether detaining the civilian suspect portended potential criminal charges. ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS CLASH WITH AGENTS OUTSIDE NEW JERSEY DETENTION CENTER AS GOV. SHERRILL DENIED ENTRY The clashes at the privately operated detention center — which activists believe houses roughly 900 detainees — come after days of mounting protests, political backlash and confrontations between demonstrators and federal authorities. New Jersey Democrats, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim, have criticized conditions at Delaney Hall, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused lawmakers and activists of fueling unrest and undermining ICE enforcement operations. Thursday evening, protesters blocked roads surrounding the facility as federal agents moved in and out of the area. At one point, an unmarked federal vehicle drove through the crowd, prompting a female agitator to accuse ICE agents of attempting to hit women demonstrators. One man was seen being detained during the chaos. When asked whether the detention would result in criminal charges, one ICE agent replied that he “can’t confirm,” though he said it politely, according to reports. PROTESTERS CLASH WITH ICE AS NJ DETENTION FACILITY DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE During another scuffle Thursday, an agitator who encroached was tossed to the ground by his shirt and another was pushed up against a truck that had gotten stuck in the melee. Four letter words abounded for a time and even a child and his father were shouting obscenities from a car parked across outside the facility. Police presence was again sparse, in line with Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s prior position against assisting immigration enforcement. Instead, an elderly agitator with a sign scrawled on the back of a CostCo box repeatedly admonished drivers for not sufficiently slowing down as they tried to pass the throng. Earlier this week, Sherrill and several members of Congress tried to enter the facility after reports that some detainees had begun a hunger strike. Sherrill was denied access and has since called for the detention center to be shut down. ANTI-ICE AGITATORS THROW WOODEN PALLETS, MATTRESSES AT FEDERAL AGENTS DURING CHAOTIC NJ DETENTION CENTER CLASH On Monday, agitators had blocked entrances by linking arms, sitting in roadways and forming a human chain to prevent ICE from entering or leaving the building. The clashes also intensified after Kim was allegedly struck by pepper-ball spray during an earlier protest. According to The Associated Press, the DHS said approximately six demonstrators were arrested Wednesday. DHS said those arrests stemmed from allegations that protesters assaulted law enforcement officers. The unrest also came as Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Thursday unveiled new statewide guidance outlining how schools, child care providers, colleges, healthcare facilities and places of worship should respond to interactions with federal immigration authorities. Speaking at a State House press conference in Boston, she said the guidance was to help organizations in the state protect access to services, understand their legal rights and prepare staff in the event U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrive onsite. “We will not allow violent rioters to slow ICE down. Law and order will be restored. There is no hunger strike at Delaney Hall at this time,” DHS said in a statement.
Kash Patel reveals FBI’s top security concerns ahead of World Cup
FBI Director Kash Patel revealed a slew of security concerns, including cyber threats, drones and the potential for lone-wolf attacks ahead of the World Cup, which will draw millions of visitors across North America. Officials are expecting three million people to visit for the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Out of the 104 total matches in the expanded 2026 World Cup, 78 games will be played in the U.S., while the remaining 26 will be split between its neighbors to the north and south. Host countries are aggressively ramping up security and intelligence operations to safely stage the much-anticipated soccer matches across 11 U.S. host cities. “It’s everything from traditional cop work going out to the streets, talking to communities and saying, ‘Hey, do you guys know of any bad actors? Have you heard of anyone that might want to do harm to people or venues?’” Patel told Fox News correspondent Brooke Taylor. “That’s our big security goal for us at the FBI.” US PREPARES FOR INFLUX OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS AHEAD OF WORLD CUP WITH SECURITY AT THE FOREFRONT In an effort to foil any lone-wolf actors, the FBI has created a special operations center at its headquarters to centralize and analyze incoming data about potential threats. “When we’re talking about cyber actors, those [are ones] that come in and hack our infrastructure and hold data hostage for monetary payments. So we are taking all of that information to one place and centralizing, at least for us at the FBI, at our headquarters component,” Patel said. Patel added that outside of major nation-state adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, lone-wolf threats pose the greatest concern to national security. ‘PEOPLE WOULD HAVE DIED’: INSIDE THE FBI’S HALLOWEEN TAKEDOWN THAT EXPOSED A GLOBAL TERROR NETWORK “Separate and apart from that, [those] who are doing similar activities, or the disparate actors, the lone wolves that are out there, whether it’s in the cyber realm or the violent crime realm,” he said. “So we are heavily relying on the community and state locals and asking them over and over again, ‘What are you seeing in the online spaces? What are you seeing in the chat groups?’” Law enforcement is also heavily focused on combating the online radicalization of individuals who may feel compelled to carry out domestic attacks, Patel noted. Drones are another top-tier anxiety for federal officials, given that they vary wildly in size and can be easily operated by a pilot far from the target location. FBI LEADER SAYS IT’S ‘CONCERNING’ HOW LITTLE HIS AGENCY KNOWS ABOUT MYSTERIOUS DRONES SEEN OVER NEW JERSEY “The critical component that we at the FBI have been focusing down on is teaching our state and local partners how we handle drones and how they can handle drones with us,” Patel said. “And then collectively, it’s a force multiplier to have thousands of people out there, tens of thousands of police officers out there looking at the drone threat that’s coming in as it comes in, because it’s so quick and dynamic.” To counter this, Patel revealed that the FBI has developed technology capable of disabling problem drones mid-flight, a tool they have shared with local law enforcement partners during recent specialized training programs. Among the immediate domestic threats the FBI is tracking is a sharp rise in antisemitic violence. Patel pointed to the recent Hezbollah-inspired attack at a Michigan synagogue, where a man packed his pickup truck with gasoline and commercial-grade fireworks, rammed it into the building, and opened fire with an assault rifle before taking his own life during a shootout with the temple’s private security team. In the 14 months since the Trump administration took office, the FBI has arrested more than 45,000 violent offenders in an aggressive push to dismantle clandestine sleeper cells and violent networks across the country. The bureau also touted its recent success rate in tracking down high-profile international targets. “The FBI have arrested eight of the top ten [most wanted fugitives] in the world in 14 months,” Patel said, noting that the figure marks twice as many major captures as the prior four years combined.
Dem Senate candidate makes stunning admission about antisemitism in her party: ‘Dangerous’
Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Michigan, wasted no time answering whether an antisemitism problem exists in the Democratic Party. “There is,” McMorrow answered bluntly at a debate Senate debate on Thursday. “At the Democratic convention, an attendee yelled an antisemitic slur at my husband, who is Jewish and was walking with my 5-year-old daughter. That is terrifying,” McMorrow said. Amid a tight, three-way Senate primary, McMorrow’s answer definitively reveals her stance on a question that’s steadily grown in recent years: whether the Democratic Party has positioned itself as more than just a critic of Israel’s government and, instead, provides a forum for disdain of the Jewish people themselves. CARVILLE WARNS DEMOCRATS ANTI-ISRAEL ‘LOUDMOUTHS’ COULD COST ELECTIONS A number of progressive Democratic figures have grown increasingly skeptical — and vocal — on the U.S.-Israel relationship. Most notably, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-declared socialist, has questioned whether the U.S. should align itself with Israel in the wake of its war with Hamas in Gaza, citing humanitarian concerns. The criticisms aren’t contained to New York. Democrats in Congress, such as Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Sens. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., are among a growing portion of the party that have called for a re-evaluation of U.S. support for the Jewish state amid conflicts in the Middle East. Notably, Abdul El-Sayed, one of McMorrow’s Senate primary challengers, has called Jewish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and said he believes the Israeli government is “evil.” SEN. SLOTKIN SAYS DEM SOCIALIST NYC CANDIDATE MAMDANI REPRESENTS ‘NEW GENERATION’ OF LEADERS YOUNG VOTERS WANT McMorrow, who has positioned herself as a middle-of-the-road candidate between critic El-Sayed and the more establishment-friendly Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., clarified that her criticisms of the party doesn’t mean she’s entirely aligned with the current U.S. posture toward Israel, either. “We need to be able to state very clearly that what the Netanyahu government is doing — that the violence needs to end,” McMorrow said. When asked if she would support U.S. aid to Israel, McMorrow said she would have voted for a recent resolution proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that would have blocked the sale of U.S. arms. McMorrow added that she believes Democrats need to be careful to ensure their rhetoric is narrowly tailored to Israel as a state and not the Jewish people in the U.S. MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE CLAIMS ISRAEL ‘JUST AS EVIL’ AS HAMAS “We need to bring about long-term peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis. And turning that into not an anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-American Jewish message is dangerous,” McMorrow said. Her comments were met with applause.
Viral Jeffrey Epstein lookalike announces run for Palm Beach mayor, promises free Botox and bagels
A viral internet lookalike, free Botox and imported New York bagel water are not usually the ingredients of a mayoral campaign. Peter Simel, the Florida man who went viral earlier this year as “Palm Beach Pete” over his uncanny resemblance to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, says he is now “seriously considering” a run for mayor of Palm Beach — with a platform centered around “living your best life.” Simel’s social media following exploded into the hundreds of thousands after a viral video sparked conspiracy theories online, described the effort as “a movement” during an interview with Fox News Digital. “We’re seriously considering, and it’s a movement,” Simel said. “We want to make Palm Beach really cool and great.” FLORIDA MAN MISTAKEN FOR JEFFREY EPSTEIN SENDS INTERNET INTO FRENZY: ‘I’M JUST ME BEING ME’ Simel’s internet fame exploded almost overnight after a video of him driving a convertible along Interstate 95 in South Florida spread online earlier this year, with stunned social media users insisting the silver-haired driver looked eerily similar to Epstein. In the now-viral clip, a person filming Simel can be heard shouting, “Epstein’s alive! Epstein’s alive!” “My name is Peter, and I am now ‘Palm Beach Pete’ on the internet,” Simel told Fox News Digital. “About two months ago, I was driving down I-95 and someone videoed me and said ‘Epstein’s alive.’” NEW YORK-STYLE BAGEL WATER WARS HEAT UP AS ICONIC BRANDS BATTLE FOR SNOWBIRDS The Palm Beach resident said the attention snowballed almost immediately. “We had 200,000 followers in less than two days, and I got deplatformed,” he said. “This whole thing occurred, and it has a mind of its own, the internet.” Simel later launched an Instagram account under the handle “@not.epstein” and began leaning into the viral fame that transformed him into an unlikely internet personality. ‘MEMBERS ONLY: PALM BEACH’ STAR SLAMS ‘NASTY’ RUMORS THAT SHE’S BEING KICKED OUT OF MAR-A-LAGO Simel, 71, is a former International Tennis Federation (ITF) Masters competitor. During the interview, Simel repeatedly emphasized wellness, fitness and enjoying the Palm Beach lifestyle as central themes of his campaign platform. “I’m still realizing how big it is,” Simel said of his viral fame. “I guess the best litmus test is when people come up to me in the street [saying], ‘Palm Beach Pete, we love you, you’re the GOAT, you’re a legend.’” Now, Simel appears to be transforming that momentum into a campaign-like movement complete with merchandise, slogans and a series of playful policy proposals. ‘MEMBERS ONLY’ STAR FIRES BACK AT PALM BEACH CRITICS, SAYS THEY’RE ‘EXACTLY THE PEOPLE’ THE SHOW EXPOSES Simel’s website includes campaign hats and proposals such as “Free Botox for All Palm Beach Residents,” and “Free Convertible Use for 1 Year,” expanded pickleball courts and a proposal to import New York City water for “better pizzas & bagels.” Palm Beach County election records reviewed by Fox News Digital on Wednesday did not show any officially qualified mayoral candidates, and candidates cannot formally qualify for the race until 2027. Fox News Digital also reached out to Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore’s office regarding Simel’s announcement, but did not immediately receive a response. THONG-WEARING ELDERLY MAN DIDN’T DO HIMSELF ANY FAVORS BY TELLING AN OFFICER TO “JUMP ROPE FOR ME, BABY DOLL” “Everyone on the island of Palm Beach gets the use of a convertible for a year and see how they enjoy it because it’s all about living your best life,” Simel said. Simel also proposed free drinks at Palm Beach’s iconic clock tower, dog-walking services and “fitness trainer[s] for life so you can live longer and pay taxes longer.” “And then the funny one at the end,” he added, “is everyone gets free mother-in-law therapy.” Asked how he planned to fund proposals ranging from free Botox to imported New York water, Simel repeatedly emphasized that the campaign would be “self-funded.” “I’m self-funding it,” he said. Despite the lighthearted platform, Simel insisted he is genuinely considering entering the race. “I’m seriously considering throwing my hat into the ring,” he said. “You can’t qualify until 2027 so we’re just doing our due diligence.” Simel stressed that he does not view the effort as a traditional political campaign. “I’m not affiliated with any political party,” he said. “I just want to keep the people together and bring people together and keep it as a great community.” Asked about the current mayor’s apparent silence, Simel laughed off the situation. “I have no comment, other than the comment I just made,” he joked. Simel described the campaign less as a conventional political effort and more as a broader internet-fueled movement centered around positivity and Palm Beach culture — even if arguably the town’s most famous resident, President Donald Trump, calls it home when he’s not in Washington, D.C. “In this day and time, and we have so much division and such uncertainty in the world, it’s kind of nice to have someone on a platform enjoying the benefits of living a good life and making the most out of what Palm Beach can be,” he said. The viral sensation also said he has no plans to alter his appearance despite the comparisons that launched him into internet fame. “I’ve always looked like this,” he said. “I’m a better version of that unnamed person. And I’m not gonna change for anybody.” “I’m me, I’m 71 years old. It works. I have a full head of hair. I’m lucky. I’m youthful. I’m vibrant. Nothing’s gonna change. I’m just gonna get more energetic.” Simel said he already has a team helping him manage the sudden internet fame and potential campaign operation. “We’re interviewing people for a position as campaign manager and marketing,” he said, adding that much of the effort would likely be digitally driven through influencers and online creators. “My demographic are Gen Zs and these influencers have such a hold or such an influence on them,” he said. “As I get more followers, it gets bigger and bigger.” The response from family members,