Prosecutors to rest case in Trump assassination attempt trial, defense preps witnesses
Prosecutors are expected to rest their case Friday in the federal trial of Ryan Routh, accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024. Routh, representing himself with standby counsel, is expected to begin presenting his own witnesses once the government completes closing arguments. On Thursday, jurors heard from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Destructive Device Examiner Randy Walters, who testified that the gray storage box linked to Routh contained improvised firing mechanisms and parts designed to deliver a .50 caliber round. PROSECUTORS TO WRAP TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CASE AS DEFENSE READIES WITNESSES Walters said the homemade components, including rat traps, were spray-painted green. He testified that seven partially assembled devices were inside a bag in the box, saying the repetition showed “someone definitely attempting or tinkering with new ideas.” On cross-examination, Routh asked if the majority of the items were legal to own. Walters said they were not assembled, but that, “it is illegal for convicted felons to possess .50 caliber ammunition.” Jurors also heard from FBI Special Agent Nicholas Schnelle, introduced as an expert in sniper tradecraft. Schnelle described Routh’s alleged hideout found near the sixth hole of Trump International Golf Club as a “final firing point” with “multiple shooting lanes.” He said the fence provided support for the rifle, which he compared to “loophole shooting in combat operations.” He demonstrated the safety on the SKS rifle for the jury and said, “the gun is similar to an AK-47.” GUN SELLER TELLS RYAN ROUTH: ‘I HEARD OF YOU THREATENING PEOPLE’ IN TENSE COURTROOM EXCHANGE Cross-examining Schnelle, Routh asked if the sniper hideout was well-concealed. Schnelle answered, “Yes, sir.” Routh followed up, pointing to the red and blue bungee cords, and asked again. Schnelle replied, “Yes, sir. Those colors are in the natural environment.” Routh’s children, Sara and Adam, were in court watching closely. FBI PHONE EXTRACTIONS, DNA TESTIMONY HEADLINE DAY 7 OF RYAN ROUTH TRIAL Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, occasionally interrupted when Routh continued speaking after objections. She reminded the jury that Routh is only on trial for the listed charges. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The court is scheduled to break on Friday afternoon for a charge conference with counsel. Jurors could begin hearing from Routh’s witnesses — including a firearms expert and potential character witnesses — once the defense begins.
Former Republican senator on potential bid to flip swing state seat red: ‘this is a race I know I can win’
EXCLUSIVE — It’s been nearly two decades since former Sen. John E. Sununu’s name has been on the ballot, but if the New Hampshire Republican decides to launch a 2026 campaign for the swing state’s open Senate seat, he’s confident he can win. “I’m sure that if we put together a strong team, this is a race that can be won. This is a race I know I can win. And more importantly, it’s a role where I know I can make a difference for New Hampshire,” Sununu said, in his strongest comments to date, in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital. The former senator, who reiterated he’ll “make a decision in October” on whether to launch a Senate campaign in the expected competitive race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said “it’s a winnable race for the right person who reflects our state’s values, not the values of Washington.” And despite calling President Donald Trump a “loser” in a newspaper opinion piece early last year, Sununu may land the president’s support if he runs. THUNE SPEAKS WITH SUNUNU ABOUT SENATE BID TO FLIP BLUE SEAT RED “President Trump appreciates winners and understands that John E. Sununu puts this race on the map for Republicans,” a national Republican familiar with the Senate race in New Hampshire told Fox News Digital. Sununu is a former three-term representative who defeated then-Gov. Shaheen in New Hampshire’s 2002 Senate election. But the senator lost to Shaheen in their 2008 rematch. RISING REPUBLICAN STAR ASHLEY HINSON LAUNCHES SENATE BID TO SUCCEED IOWA’S ERNST Shaheen announced earlier this year that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms, and Republicans are hoping to flip the seat as they aim to not only defend but expand their Senate majority. Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas is the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. After nearly two decades in the private sector, Sununu sounds like someone ready to hit the campaign trail. “This is an incredibly important race. It’s an incredibly important time for the country and I feel it might be the right time to step up,” Sununu told Fox News Digital. He said that “over the last few weeks, people in New Hampshire have reached out. They’ve encouraged me to run for Senate, because they know how important it is that New Hampshire has the right kind of voice in Washington, someone who will stand up for our state, someone who won’t just be a rubber stamp for anyone else, but will represent New Hampshire every single day.” But it’s not just New Hampshire voters who may be encouraging Sununu to run. Top national Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have held conversations with the former senator regarding a 2026 Senate campaign, a source told Fox News Digital two weeks ago. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS Also speaking with Sununu was former Sen. Cory Gardner, chair of the Senate Leadership Fund, which is the top super PAC supporting Senate Republicans. The source added that Thune and Gardner were cautiously optimistic that Sununu would launch a campaign. Sununu is a brand name in New Hampshire politics. The former senator’s father, John H. Sununu, is a former governor who later served as chief of staff in then-President George H.W. Bush’s White House. And one of his younger brothers is former Gov. Chris Sununu, who won election and re-election to four two-year terms steering the Granite State. But the Republican Party has dramatically changed since the former senator last ran for office 17 years ago. The GOP, under the firm control of President Donald Trump and his America First agenda and MAGA movement, has been transformed from a business-orientated platform into a more populist party. Asked if there’s still room for an old-school fiscal conservative in Trump’s GOP, Sununu said, “good decision-making, good leadership, never goes out of style. Standing up for your state, standing up for your neighbors and your friends, and the things that make New Hampshire strong never goes out of style. Being an effective voice never goes out of style.” FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS But some of Sununu’s past criticisms of Trump could come back to hurt him if he joins a Republican primary that already includes former Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis, who are both showcasing their support for the president. Sununu, along with then-Gov. Chris Sununu, endorsed former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, as she battled Trump for the nomination. And on the eve of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, the former senator wrote an opinion piece titled “Donald Trump is a loser,” that ran in the New Hampshire Union Leader, the state’s largest daily newspaper. “@JohnSununu was the original ‘Never Trumper,’” Brown charged in a social media post this month. “He’s going to have to explain that.” Brown endorsed Trump ahead of his 2016 New Hampshire primary victory, which launched him toward the GOP presidential nomination and ultimately the White House. Brown later served as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand during Trump’s first term. And Innis claims that he’s the most pro-Trump candidate in the race. Asked if he could win a Republican primary race that could turn into a Trump loyalty test, Sununu said “the real question is, can you be effective? Can you work with other members of Congress? Can you work with this White House? Can you provide the kind of leadership it takes to get things done? And I know I can do that.” “If there’s a primary, I’ve seen them before. I’ve been through them before,” he added. “I’m very comfortable with where we are today, and over the next few weeks, I’ll continue to get people’s perspective, put together a good team, make sure we have a winning message and make a decision in October.” Trump, whose endorsement in Republican primaries is extremely influential, has remained neutral
Trump celebrates Kimmel show suspension as Democrats push free speech bill
United States President Donald Trump appears to be relishing in the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel after the late-night comedian’s popular talk show was taken off air over comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “He made a total FOOL of himself,” President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday evening, reposting a clip from last year’s Academy Awards in which Kimmel spontaneously took aim at the US leader. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Earlier in the day, Trump said Kimmel was fired because he said a “horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk”. Trump told reporters on his return from visiting the United Kingdom that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – which regulates all broadcasts in the US – should consider removing the licences of broadcasters who “hit Trump”. “I would think maybe their licence should be taken away,” Trump said, though federal law prohibits the FCC from revoking a broadcaster’s licence for negative coverage or speech disliked by the government. “It will be up to [FCC Chair] Brendan Carr,” Trump added. The Disney-owned ABC network removed the Jimmy Kimmel Live show from programming indefinitely on Wednesday after an opening monologue by Kimmel in which he said “the MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” from Kirk’s death. Disney made the move after the FCC’s Carr – a Trump appointee – appeared to imply on a right-wing podcast that Kimmel’s remarks had put Disney’s licence in jeopardy. “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said. Advertisement “They have a licence granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.” Brendan Carr, then commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, testifies in a 2020 US Senate oversight hearing [File: Jonathan Newton/Reuters] Kimmel was due to meet with three Disney network executives to discuss the fate of his show, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The comedian is the latest in a growing list of media figures, journalists and news organisations to face Trump’s wrath in the form of lawsuits and personal vendettas. In July, CBS said The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would go off air in 2026, days after Colbert criticised CBS’s parent company Paramount for a $16m settlement in a case with Trump. ABC News also agreed to pay $15m over inaccurate on-air comments made by an anchor that Trump had been found “liable for raping” writer E Jean Carroll. Trump had, in fact, been found liable for sexual abuse. More recently, Trump is bringing a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for their coverage of his relationship with high-flying financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In another Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump seemed to suggest further suspensions of late-night comedians, namely two popular NBC hosts. “That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC,” the president said, referring to Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. “Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!” Democratic Party lawmakers are now pushing to pass a new bill, called the No Political Enemies Act, which they in part credited to Kimmel’s suspension. The bill aims to deter officials from retaliating against free speech and provides tools for those targeted by the government, according to a legislative summary, though it is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Congress. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has also called for Carr’s resignation from the FCC in a social media post on Thursday, before railing against the Trump administration in a news conference announcing the bill. “First, let’s be very clear: Political violence has no place in America,” Schumer said. “But let’s also be clear: The Trump administration campaign of threats against civil society and free speech … is an assault on everything this country has stood for since the Constitution was signed,” Schumer said. “There’s an assault on democracy coming out of the White House and their allies, and we see more evidence of it every day,” he said. Brendan Carr should resign immediately, or Trump should fire him. pic.twitter.com/bow6H1ZsFY — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 18, 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Alleged stalking suspect ambushed Pennsylvania police officers, killing 3
Police detectives were attempting to arrest 24-year-old suspect on suspicion of stalking his ex-partner when he opened fire with AR-15-type rifle. Published On 19 Sep 202519 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A man who ambushed five Pennsylvania police officers this week, killing three of them, is a suspected stalker who opened fire with an assault-style rifle, according to a local prosecutor. Officers from the North York County Regional Police Department and York County Sheriff’s Office were attempting to serve an arrest warrant for 24-year-old Matthew Ruth when he opened fire, county District Attorney Tim Barker said on Thursday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Ruth was killed in the ensuing gunfight with police, which unfolded at a farmhouse that belonged to his ex-girlfriend and her mother in North Codorus Township, about 185km (115 miles) west of Philadelphia. Barker said five police detectives and a deputy sheriff sought to arrest Ruth on suspicion of stalking his ex-partner, as well as prowling and trespassing. Ruth’s former partner, who has not been named, told police she believed he had set fire to her pick-up truck in August. She then reported to police on Tuesday that he was lurking outside her home in camouflage clothing and peering in through a window with binoculars. After a fruitless search for Ruth on Tuesday night, police visited his home with an arrest warrant on Wednesday afternoon, but he was not there. Officers drove to the farmhouse, from which the ex-girlfriend and mother had fled for their safety, and found the door unlocked. When officers entered the property, Ruth immediately opened fire with his AR-15-type rifle, Barker said. Four police detectives and a sheriff’s deputy were struck by gunfire in the shootout, Barker added. Advertisement Three of the detectives were fatally wounded. Images from the scene after the incident showed officers being airlifted to hospital by a medical helicopter. The ambush-slaying of three police officers in the quiet farm country of southeastern Pennsylvania represented one of the deadliest days for police – not only in the state, but across the United States – in recent times. The attack also came at a time of heightened tension surrounding gun violence in the US, just days after right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot by a lone gunman while speaking in front of a large crowd at Utah Valley University. Adblock test (Why?)
Pentagon official denies report of Charlie Kirk military recruitment drive
An NBC news report said the military planned to invoke the activist’s memory to recruit a ‘generation of warriors’. Published On 19 Sep 202519 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The United States Department of Defense has denied reports that it plans to launch a recruiting drive to honour the legacy of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed at a Utah university event. US network NBC first reported the news on Thursday, citing two officials familiar with the matter, but a Pentagon spokesperson quickly dispelled the report to Fox News. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list NBC said the Pentagon was debating slogans such as “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors” as part of its campaign drive, although Kirk himself was not a military veteran. The military also hoped to work with Kirk’s political organisation, Turning Point USA, as part of its recruitment drive, the story said. Turning Point was credited with helping US President Donald Trump win at the polls in 2024 through its work with young voters on high school and university campuses. “This is not happening,” Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told Fox News later on Thursday. Wilson blasted NBC for using anonymous sources to publish “false claims” that were “100 percent wrong”, according to the Fox News report. The two unnamed Pentagon officials in the NBC report said the recruitment plan had been met with resistance from “some Pentagon leaders” who feared they would be seen as capitalising on Kirk’s murder. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment. Turning Point USA announced on Thursday that Erika Kirk, Kirk’s wife, will take over Turning Point as CEO and chairman of the board. Advertisement “We will not surrender or kneel before evil. We will carry on,” the organisation said in an announcement on social media. “The attempt to destroy Charlie’s work will become our chance to make it more powerful and enduring than ever before.” Kirk’s death has been met with an outpouring of grief from leading Republican lawmakers as well as the White House and the targeting of Kirk’s critics, with people losing their jobs over comments allegedly disparaging the late conservative activist. The US military has also reportedly suspended “several people” for social media posts about Kirk, according to ABC News, although the exact figure is unknown. President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are all due to speak at Kirk’s memorial service on Sunday, according to a post shared on Turning Point USA’s X account. https://t.co/t0KIbEbhaP pic.twitter.com/ag6kIQBSjh — Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) September 17, 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Who is Samir Modi, Lalit Modi’s brother, arrested in Delhi on rape charges?
Samir Modi was formerly the executive director of tobacco major Godfrey Phillips India Ltd. He was ousted from the tobacco maker’s board in 2024.
BIG IRCTC Update: Indian Railways issues NEW ticket booking rules from October 1, mandates Aadhaar authentication for…, here’s all you need to know
This recent move by the Indian Railways follows the implementation of mandatory Aadhaar verification for Tatkal ticket bookings, which was introduced in July 2025. Read here to know details.
Audrey O’Neill named commissioner of Texas’ foster care agency
O’Neill is the fifth commissioner of the beleaguered Texas Department of Family and Protective Services since 2012.
Chuck Schumer questions whether Epstein was ‘the real reason’ Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was canceled
After news broke that late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was canceled by Disney over his comments about Charlie Kirk, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took to social media to question the motivations behind the abrupt cancellation. Schumer wondered in a Thursday afternoon post on X whether “Epstein” was “the real reason” Kimmel was forcibly scrubbed from the airwaves. “IS EPSTEIN THE REAL REASON TRUMP HAD KIMMEL CANCELED?!” Schumer asked in the post, which also included a screenshot of a New York Times article about how all the popular late-night hosts, including Kimmel, have used the newly released Epstein documents to roast the president over his alleged association with the disgraced financier. Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s representatives for more details on what Schumer was attempting to imply but did not receive a response in time for publication. JIMMY KIMMEL CANCELLATION SPARKS FIERCE CELEBRITY SPLIT IN HOLLYWOOD Nexstar Media Group, which owns hundreds of television stations, announced Wednesday that it would be pulling Kimmel’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” talk show from its ABC affiliates “for the foreseeable future” and would replace it with other programming over his comments about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson. “Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Nexstar’s broadcasting chief, Andrew Alford, said in a press release. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.” Trump spoke about the cancellation Thursday while he was in the United Kingdom, telling reporters that Kimmel “was fired” because he had bad ratings. ABC’S ‘JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!’ HEMORRHAGED VIEWERS OVER PAST DECADE, LOST 72% AMONG KEY DEMO “Jimmy Kimmel was fired ’cause he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they shoulda fired him a long time ago,” Trump said during a press conference Thursday alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in England. “He was fired for lack of talent,” Trump added. Meanwhile, in a social media post on his platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday night, Trump called the cancellation “great news for America.” The Kirk comments in question reportedly stem from a Monday airing of Kimmel’s show, during which he accused conservatives of reaching “new lows” in their efforts to try to pin Kirk’s assassin as connected to some form of left-wing ideology. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. Following news of the cancellation, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr applauded local television stations for “standing up to serve the interests of their community.”
NYC comptroller tries to force way into ICE offices as security locks down federal facility
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and several other lawmakers and protesters staged a sit-in on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza on September 18, 2025, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital. The group reportedly attempted to force their way into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices and holding cells, demanding access to the facility. ICE sources claim officers had to secure doors with locks and zip ties after protesters pushed to enter, with additional security now posted on the floor. According to ICE officials, several “egregious criminal aliens” are being held in the cells at the site. TRUMP DOJ SUES LOS ANGELES OVER SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES Meanwhile, a separate protest unfolded outside the building, where activists blocked ICE vans from leaving the facility. Protesters have been surrounding the vans, while chants echoed across the plaza. Brad Lander posted about the demonstration on social media, tagging the Democratic Socialists of America in a message of solidarity. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This is a developing story.