Mike Johnson reveals special guests for Trump’s State of the Union
FIRST ON FOX: The family of a slain Louisiana police officer will have the chance to see President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night after being invited by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. The top congressional leader is bringing the mother and fiancée of Marc Tyler Brock to Trump’s primetime address, Fox News Digital learned on Monday. “It is my profound honor to host Shirley Brock-Dennis and Kambreigh Smith — the respective mother and fiancée of Vivian Police Officer Marc Brock — as my guests for the State of the Union address. In November, Officer Brock was tragically killed in the line of duty,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. TRUMP INVITES US MEN’S HOCKEY TEAM TO STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH AFTER OLYMPIC TRIUMPH The speaker called Brock “an extraordinary young man who touched countless lives through his service and volunteer activities,” and said his death is a “somber reminder” of the risks that law enforcement officers take every day. “I am grateful that Shirley and Kambreigh will join us and help share Officer Brock’s story with the nation,” Johnson said. Brock, 25, was killed late last year while attempting to serve an arrest warrant against a man who at the time was charged with cyberstalking in Vivian, La., according to local outlet KLFY. Vivian is located in Louisiana’s 4th congressional district, which Johnson represents. JOHNSON PRAISES TRUMP’S ‘BOLD ACTION’ IN FORMAL STATE OF THE UNION INVITATION LETTER TO CONGRESS The House speaker will be front-and-center when millions of Americans tune in to Trump’s State of the Union speech, his second address to a joint session of Congress since returning to the White House last year. He and the vice president will both be sitting behind Trump as he speaks to Americans and assembled officials about what he has done so far and what he has left to do in his final term. Brock was part of a six-person team serving a warrant in November 2025 when he was shot through a closed door and was later declared dead at the hospital. He was described as a “hero” by Vivian Police Chief Ryan Nelson in comments to KSLA News. The man who killed him was charged with first-degree murder earlier this month. Johnson himself has ties to public safety officers, his late father having been a firefighter in Shreveport, La.
Newsom ripped over ‘racist’ viral clip telling Black mayor ‘I’m like you’ before touting poor SAT score
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, widely believed to have White House ambitions, is facing blowback over a viral clip that critics say portrays him talking down to Black voters while discussing his poor test scores and reading ability. “I’m not, you know, I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you,” Newsom told Mayor Andre Dickens at a book tour event on Sunday in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Rialto Center for the Arts. “You know, I’m a 960 SAT guy. And, you know, and I’m not trying to offend anyone, you know, ‘trying to act all there if you got 940,’” Newsom continued. “Literally a 960 SAT guy, you’ve never seen me read a speech. Because I cannot read a speech. Maybe the wrong business to be in.” The clip, first posted by the conservative influencer account End Wokeness, has been viewed over 20 million times after being posted on Sunday, with many conservatives suggesting that Newsom’s comment was “racist.” NEWSOM SAYS ‘FATE’ WILL DECIDE IF HE FACES OFF AGAINST HARRIS IN 2028 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY “His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read,” rapper Nickii Minaj posted on X. “Do you wanna know the craziest part of this footage that will haunt him forever? He’s literally slowing his speech down & talking in a sporadic cadence.” “I can’t believe this is real,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. “Where’s BLM and Democrats denouncing this racism?” “He said this to appear down with black folks,” founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics Jennifer Sey posted on X. “Could he be more racist? Like actually really racist?” “The soft bigotry of low expectations,” GOP Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X. NEWSOM CONFRONTED ON CALIFORNIA BEING THE ‘HIGHEST COST OF LIVING’ STATE IN THE US AMID AFFORDABILITY CRISIS “This is disqualifying,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. “Run this ad over and over in 2027-2028…” “California governor Gavin Newsom tells a black audience he’s just like them, got a 960 SAT and he can’t read,” Outkick founder Clay Travis posted on X. “Will any Democrats planning to run in 2028 hit on him on this? They should, moronic statement.” “If any Republican said what this moron Newscum said their political careers would be over,” conservative radio host Mark Levin posted on X. “Let’s see how the Democrats and their media react.” “Liberal racism on display,” political commentator Carol Swain posted on X. Newsom’s office defended his comments in a statement to Fox News Digital. “First MAGA mocked his dyslexia and now they’re calling him racist for talking about his low SAT scores. This is MAGA-manufactured outrage,” Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said. “The Governor has said this publicly for years — including with Charlie Kirk and dozens of other audiences. The same people who excused or ignored Trump’s racist ape video can go f— themselves.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Atlanta mayor’s office for comment. Newsom, who is on the road promoting his new memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” is considered a top contender for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028 as most pundits believe he has his eyes on the White House.
Democrats name candidates to ‘Red to Blue’ initiative, aiming to flip GOP majority during midterms
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) named multiple candidates that it is backing as part of its “Red to Blue” initiative as the Democratic Party aims to flip control of the House of Representatives during the 2026 midterms elections. “Red to Blue is a highly competitive and battle-tested DCCC program that arms top-tier candidates with organizational and fundraising support to help them continue to develop strong campaigns. Candidates earn a spot in the program by surpassing aggressive goals for grassroots engagement, local support, campaign organization, and fundraising,” the DCCC noted in a press release. Republicans currently hold a slim 218-214 House majority. The DCCC’s press release lists candidates running in districts currently represented by the following 12 Republican incumbents: Reps. Eli Crane and Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn of Iowa, Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan, Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina, Reps. Rob Bresnahan Jr. and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Reps. Rob Wittman and Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia, and Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin. A THIRD OF GOP VOTERS WARN THEY MAY SIT OUT MIDTERMS IF PARTY ‘ABANDONS’ PRO-LIFE FIGHT, POLL FINDS The DCCC is backing former U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria for Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, which is currently represented by Kiggans. Luria served in the House from early 2019 to early 2023 but lost to Kiggans in 2022. FOX NEWS POLL: TRUMP’S TARIFFS FACED BROAD DISAPPROVAL EVEN BEFORE SUPREME COURT RULING The DCCC is backing former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, where GOP incumbent Rep. Eli Crane is seeking re-election. The DCCC’s press release also named 10 other candidates it plans to back with its “Red to Blue” program. “House Democrats are on offense and poised to take back the majority, thanks in large part to the strength of our candidates,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene noted. ‘FICTION’: HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR DISMISSES DEMOCRATS’ EXPANDING GOP TARGET MAP CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The candidates named to this first round of our Red to Blue program are united by their desire to fight for hardworking families in their districts — not the billionaires bankrolling Republicans’ corrupt and divisive machine. They are laser-focused on lowering costs, saving health care, and putting people first, as opposed to their Republican opponents who have abandoned everyday Americans so they can give handouts to the privileged and the elite,” she added.
Family of Iowa grad killed by illegal immigrant to attend Trump’s State of the Union
FIRST ON FOX: The father and brother of a young woman killed by an illegal immigrant will be in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night watching President Donald Trump deliver his State of the Union address, after his administration helped track down the man who ended the woman’s life. Sarah Root, a 21-year-old Iowa native, was killed in Nebraska hours after she graduated from Bellevue University by a drunk driver whose blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit. The man, Eswin Mejia, was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the incident in January 2016. He was arrested and released on bond the following month and fled the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). TRUMP URGES DHS, ICE TO PUBLICIZE ARRESTS, SAYS CRACKDOWN IS ‘SAVING MANY INNOCENT LIVES’ Then-candidate Trump was critical of the Obama administration’s handling of the case. The Trump administration later tracked Mejia down in Honduras and extradited him to the U.S. in March 2025. He was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Sarah Root’s father and brother will attend in-person as Trump delivers his primetime address to Congress on Tuesday evening, thanks to an invitation from Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa. “I think that the message it sends is that, under President Trump, that we will find you. I mean, if you’re an illegal criminal in this state or in this country, we will find you, and you will get deported, or you will be prosecuted. I think that is the message loud and clear,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital. EXCLUSIVE: 17,500 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED UNDER LAKEN RILEY ACT IN TRUMP’S SECOND TERM He said Sarah Root’s father, Scott Root, was present at the White House when Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law last year. The anti-illegal immigrant bill also included an amendment named after Sarah Root that would require Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants charged with seriously injuring or killing someone. “Scott was at the White House with me during the signing of the bill. And he got to know President Trump, so now to be there at the State of the Union — that is really, really a big deal,” Feenstra said. Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has been a primary focus of his administration, after his criticism of how the issue was handled by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Federal judge blocks release of Jack Smith report’s second volume
A federal judge on Monday agreed to permanently block the release of volume two of former special counsel Jack Smith’s report — centered on President Donald Trump’s handling of classified materials after his first term in office — in a significant victory for the president and his co-defendants. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, granted the president’s request to permanently block the release of the second volume of the report, ruling that its publication would represent a “manifest injustice” both to Trump and the co-defendants in the classified documents case. “Special Counsel Smith, acting without lawful authority, obtained an indictment in this action and initiated proceedings that resulted in a final order of dismissal of all charges,” Cannon said Monday. JACK SMITH SUBPOENAED FOR DEPOSITION WITH HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE The ruling blocks the Justice Department from “releasing, distributing, conveying, or sharing with anyone outside the Department of Justice any information or conclusions in Volume II or in drafts thereof.” It also comes just day before Volume II of Smith’s special counsel probe was slated to be released on Tuesday. Trump’s former defense attorney, Kendra Wharton, praised Cannon’s decision to block Volume II of Smith’s report from being released publicly, telling Fox News Digital in a statement that her “courage and judicial resolve on these important due process issues should be recognized and taught in law school classrooms across America.” Neither Smith’s law firm nor the Justice Department immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on Monday’s ruling. Cannon previously ruled that Smith was unconstitutionally appointed as special counsel, though the matter was ultimately dismissed following Trump’s re-election in 2024. In her 15-page order Monday, Cannon said allowing the release of Volume II of the special counsel report would “contravene basic notions of fairness and justice” and likely prompt the sharing of protected information, including material covered by attorney-client privilege. “Moreover, while it is true that former special counsels have released final reports at the conclusion of their work, it appears they have done so either after electing not to bring charges at all or after adjudications of guilt by plea or trial,” Cannon said. TRUMP STRIPS SECURITY CLEARANCES FROM LAW FIRM TIED TO JACK SMITH CASES “The Court strains to find a situation in which a former special counsel has released a report after initiating criminal charges that did not result in a finding of guilt, at least not in a situation like this one, where the defendants contested the charges from the outset and still proclaim their innocence,” she added. Smith was tapped by former Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022 to investigate the alleged effort by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as well as Trump’s retention of allegedly classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach after leaving office in 2021. Smith had brought charges against Trump in both cases. The charges were dropped after Trump’s election, in keeping with a long-standing Justice Department policy that discourages prosecuting sitting presidents on federal criminal charges. Smith resigned from his role shortly afterward. Trump’s former defense attorney, Kendra Wharton, praised Cannon’s decision to block Volume II of Smith’s report from being released publicly, telling Fox News Digital in a statement that her “courage and judicial resolve on these important due process issues should be recognized and taught in law school classrooms across America.” JACK SMITH SUBPOENAED FOR DEPOSITION WITH HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Smith, for his part, has forcefully sought to dispute the notion that his team had acted politically, using public and private remarks to House Republicans in December and January to defend his team’s actions. His team had developed what he described as “powerful evidence” that Trump had willfully retained highly classified documents after leaving office in January 2021 at his private Mar-a-Lago residence, and had been obstructing the government’s efforts to recover the records. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election,” Smith told members of the House Judiciary Committee in a Dec. 17 interview.
Bengaluru Horror: Teenage college girl accuses Instagram friends of gangrape, forced feeding of intoxicating substance
An FIR has been registered at Amruthahalli Police Station against two accused, identified as Dixon Sando and Nikhil, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to sexual assault and criminal intimidation. Further investigation is underway.
Not all paths to college and career readiness pay off equally for Texas students, study finds
Students who took English and math college prep courses were less likely to complete college than their peers who were not considered college ready at all.
Katie Porter holds ‘F— TRUMP’ sign at California Democratic convention
Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, one of the Democratic candidates eyeing the Golden State governorship, held up a message that read “F— TRUMP” during the California Democratic Party’s 2026 state convention on Saturday. “Yeah, that’s right, f— Trump,” she declared. “Together, we’re gonna kick Trump’s a– in November. I’ll stand up to Trump and his cronies just like I did in Congress, with or without my whiteboard,” she said. ILLINOIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SEEKING US SENATE SEAT RELEASES VIDEO OF PEOPLE SAYING ‘F— TRUMP’ “But this election for governor is about more than defeating Trump. We know what Trump is willing to do. He’s willing to kill people in the streets, to rip away healthcare, and to ruthlessly attack our democracy. But this governor’s race asks us, what are we willing to do, what is California willing to do for our democracy?” she said. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the Republican National Committee for comment on Monday. UNEARTHED FEC RECORDS EXPOSE KATIE PORTER’S HYPOCRISY AFTER SHE FUMES AT ‘NEW BILLIONAIRE’ JOINING RACE Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has endorsed Porter for governor. “Senator Elizabeth Warren knows what it means to fight for working families. Together, we’ve held the powerful accountable, put people before billionaires, and worked hard to lower costs for Americans. Grateful to my friend @ewarren for her endorsement in this race,” Porter wrote in a post on X. LIBERAL MEDIA DARLING IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER EXPLOSIVE INTERVIEW GOES VIRAL CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “From the moment @katieporterca set foot in my consumer law class, I knew that she would be a warrior for working families. Katie will champion the kind of bold, progressive vision that California workers and families deserve, and I’m proud to endorse her for California Governor,” Warren said in a post on X.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hails Namo Bharat rapid rail corridor, calls it ‘invaluable gift for Delhi’
The inaugurated stretches include the 5 km section between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and the 21 km section between Meerut South and Modipuram in Uttar Pradesh.
SIR in Tamil Nadu: EC publishes final electoral rolls ; 4.2 lakh names dropped; here’s how to check your name
Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Election, the District Election Officers on Monday (February 23, 2026) released the final electoral roll, following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) undertaken in compliance with directions from the Election Commission of India and the Supreme Court. The state’s voter database, including large-scale deletions and corrections, has been officially published.