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Big Tech joins forces with Trump admin to unleash patriotic birthday push into homes nationwide

Big Tech joins forces with Trump admin to unleash patriotic birthday push into homes nationwide

Google is partnering with the Trump administration to launch a nationwide “Making of the Nation” initiative with immersive technology aimed at spotlighting American history as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary. “Making of the Nation — America at 250 — is an extraordinary initiative combining technology and storytelling that invites every American, and every person on the planet, to explore the genius of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other historic documents that have been the foundation of American Freedom for 250 years,” White House Domestic Policy Council director and leader of the White House Task Force 250 Vince Haley told Fox News Digital. The National Archives and White House Task Force 250 launched the “Making of the Nation” online exhibit with Google Arts & Culture on Monday. The programming is a hybrid experience that uses AI, interactive storytelling and 3D digital galleries to bring founding-era documents and artifacts to life. RARE, HISTORIC US DOCUMENTS TRAVELING COUNTRY ON ‘FREEDOM PLANE’ AHEAD OF AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY A core hub will digitalize documents, artifacts and stories of America’s inception, from Benjamin Franklin’s experiments to George Washington’s personal items and curated war stories of battles during the Revolutionary War, such as Valley Forge. The collaboration is bringing the “Founder Museum” to American homes everywhere, digitalizing the exhibit to showcase those individuals who helped build the nation. TRUMP TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO PLAN ‘EXTRAORDINARY CELEBRATION’ FOR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE “President Abraham Lincoln famously reflected that America’s political and economic success was owed to the Declaration’s implicit principle of ‘Liberty to All’, which he observed ‘gives hope to all — and by consequence, enterprise, and industry to all.’ As Lincoln put it: ‘No oppressed people will fight and endure, as our fathers did, without the promise of something better than a mere change of masters,’” Haley said. “Thanks to a partnership between the National Archives, National Park Service, White House Task Force 250, and Google Arts & Culture, a new generation of freedom lovers here and around the world can follow in Lincoln’s footsteps and discover anew the sacred principles that will ensure American success for the next 250 years and beyond,” Haley added. The U.S. National Archives partnered with NotebookLM to make more than 180,000 documents accessible to the public, highlighting a wide range of historical insights — from leaders’ personal letters to Benjamin Franklin’s scientific writings. America’s birthday comes at a time when patriotism is down nationwide, with a 2025 Gallup Poll finding only 41% of adults reporting they are extremely proud to be an American, while 17% are very proud to be an American.  President Donald Trump has vowed to turn the nation around under his second term, including touting his mission to make America “the hottest country in the world,” saying the nation was “dead” under former President Joe Biden’s term.  Trump established a “Task Force 250” last year to focus on patriotic celebrations, planning various patriotic events and educational activations across the country. Google Arts & Culture vice president and founder Amit Sood said in a press release that “History is a living narrative belonging to us all.” “As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, we are proud to join this initiative to bring America’s founding story to life in a way that invites everyone, everywhere to experience it. This is a moment to reflect on the stories and heritage that define us,” added Sood.

Congress ignores key deadline as Republicans ready ‘restraint’ on Trump’s war in Iran

Congress ignores key deadline as Republicans ready ‘restraint’ on Trump’s war in Iran

Congress left Washington, D.C., without flexing its legal muscle against President Donald Trump’s Iran war, despite growing concern among Republicans about what comes next in the Middle East. The 60-day deadline, enshrined into law by the War Powers Act Resolution, requires that Congress authorize or halt the war. That mark came and went Friday while lawmakers were back home. While Senate Democrats have voted six times in lockstep to handcuff Trump’s war powers in Iran, Republicans broadly have not wanted to interfere with the administration’s plans. DEMOCRATS FAIL TO SHATTER REPUBLICANS’ RESOLVE ON EVE OF CRUCIAL IRAN DEADLINE Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he didn’t see a desire from most Republicans to take action on the deadline and noted that lawmakers were getting “readouts from our military leadership on a somewhat regular basis” to guide their decision-making. Still, some Republicans want to put guardrails on Trump when Congress returns. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has been working on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that she described as more than an authorization, but also a “restraint.” HEGSETH TESTIFIES AT SENATE AS IRAN WAR’S $25B PRICE TAG AND 60-DAY WAR POWERS DEADLINE LOOM “If we pass this 60-day mark from the start of hostilities with still a lack of a credible plan and information from the administration, it is one — it is something that I intend to introduce once the Senate reconvenes here,” Murkowski said. Trump wrote to congressional leaders on Friday that he never needed their say-so and noted that hostilities in Iran — despite scant skirmishes and an ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — had been “terminated.” “On April 7, 2026, I ordered a two-week ceasefire,” Trump wrote. “The ceasefire has since been extended. There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.” AFTER THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, DEBATE GROWS OVER WHETHER TRUMP ATTACK WARRANTS ANOTHER INVESTIGATION Democrats contend that a ceasefire doesn’t mean that the war is over. “The ceasefire just means bombs aren’t dropping,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. “It doesn’t mean that the war’s not on. I mean, we’re still using the U.S. Navy to block anything going into and out of any port in Iran. That’s war. We would consider — if somebody was doing it to us, that’s war.” Without action from Congress on last week’s deadline, the Trump administration now has 30 days to wind down military actions in Iran absent authorization from lawmakers. If the administration doesn’t follow through with that requirement, Democrats have signaled taking legal action. But some don’t see that as a winning strategy, given the likelihood that the Supreme Court would side with Trump. “It’s hard for me to imagine them constraining this president and his war-making power in any way,” Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said. “So I would not want the country to have to rely on this Supreme Court.”

GOP sen secures historic sheriff backing, including one Dem flip and ‘clean sweep’ Independent support

GOP sen secures historic sheriff backing, including one Dem flip and ‘clean sweep’ Independent support

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Jon Husted has secured a record-breaking 75 endorsements from Ohio’s 88 county sheriffs, marking the largest show of support from law enforcement in the state’s history, including a “clean sweep” of Independent sheriffs and a show of support from across party lines. “They’ve seen at the national level people like Sherrod Brown denying the border crisis, when millions of people poured across our border who were unvetted,” Husted told Fox News Digital. “That included people who were bringing drugs and human trafficking.” He explained his belief that the immigration and crime policies put in place under the Biden administration made law enforcement hesitant to support Brown, Husted’s Democratic opponent in November who is aiming to return to the Senate after being ousted in 2024 after 18 years in the chamber. Local sheriffs feel abandoned by previous federal policies, according to Husted. “They would tell me that they would arrest people who were in the country illegally, they would have them in their jails, they would call Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ICE would just say ‘let them go,’” Husted claimed. HUSTED FILES FOR 2026 SENATE RACE, LAUNCHING AGGRESSIVE STATEWIDE RE-ELECTION PUSH Husted argued that the current return to pro-enforcement policies in the Trump administration has changed the game for those on the ground.  “These are the people on the front line,” Husted said. “That’s what they experience. They know the difference between where Sherrod Brown is on those issues… and where I’ve been. Now they see the opposite. When they arrest somebody who has committed a crime, who’s in the country illegally, they just call ICE, ICE comes and gets them, and they do the process of deportation.” The list of officials backing Husted includes a sheriff who previously stood with Husted’s opponent, Sherrod Brown. Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn, who endorsed Brown in the last cycle, is now firmly behind Husted. “Jon Husted has proven he will stand up for law enforcement,” Wasylyshyn said in a press release. “In this race, he’s earned my support. I’ve seen his leadership, and I’m confident he will continue to support those of us working to keep our communities safe.” Additionally, the sheriff from Brown’s home county of Richland is supporting Husted. Husted also framed the issue of crime as a struggle for everyday Ohioans, noting that “working families” don’t have the luxury of private security like some of the high-profile celebrity critics of crime crackdowns. BLUE CITY’S STAGGERING 40% VIOLENT CRIME DROP A ‘BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER CITIES,’ LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERT SAYS “If you’re, you know, a working family of four, you make $80,000 a year, you don’t live in a gated community with officers and security,” Husted said. “You live in neighborhoods where, in many cases, criminals try to come and steal cars, bring drugs and things like that. And they don’t want that. That’s why working families support law and order. They support the rule of law. They want people to follow the law, and they want law enforcement to enforce the law.” The senator’s campaign pointed to Husted’s long-standing record of funding law enforcement. Throughout his service, he led efforts to invest more than $274 million into Ohio law enforcement for body cameras, training and wellness programs. He also pioneered the creation of a statewide law enforcement recruitment hub to address critical staffing shortages. “Jon Husted has been an ally to law enforcement when others have turned their backs,” said Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas Riggenbach. “He has always stood with those of us on the front lines, making sure we have the resources and support we need to do our jobs.” For Husted, the endorsements are more than just numbers; they are a validation of his career-long alignment with police. “I’ve been behind the police my whole life,” Husted said. “They’re on the front lines of fighting crime, and they know I’ve always had their backs. I support them, and they support me—and together, we’ll keep Ohio safe.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Brown campaign for comment. The Ohio Senate race is viewed as a key battleground because Democrats see it as a winnable pickup that could erode the GOP’s narrow 53–47 majority, while Republicans need to hold it to prevent their already slim margin from tightening further.

DOJ investigates Illinois schools over secret gender transitions, ideology

DOJ investigates Illinois schools over secret gender transitions, ideology

President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is continuing its investigatory crackdown on left-wing ideology in schools, homing in on one of the biggest blue states renowned for its activist teachers unions. The DOJ announced an investigation into 36 Illinois school districts over whether they allowed parents to opt their children out of instruction involving sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI). “What we’ve learned is that Illinois has a comprehensive sex education and LGBTQ education regime for its public schools, and it appears that it does not allow for parental opt-outs, so these are mandatory topics,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News in an exclusive interview. “If the schools are mandating this and not allowing parents the opportunity to opt out of content that may be inappropriate for them based on religion or values, they would be afoul of that Supreme Court precedent,” Dhillon said. “And so we have reason to believe that these school districts in Illinois are not obeying the law, and we’re going to look into that.” EDUCATION DEPT LAUNCHES 18 TITLE IX PROBES AFTER SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS IN EFFORTS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S SPORTS The review will also examine whether districts are encouraging or facilitating student gender transitions without parental notice or consent, including through name and pronoun policies or school clubs focused on gender identity. “This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” Dhillon wrote in a statement, announcing the investigation. “Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. “This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.” The Dhillon-led Civil Rights Division announced Thursday it has opened investigations into the 36 public school districts to determine whether they have included SOGI content in any class from pre-K through 12th grade. If so, DOJ says investigators will examine whether schools notified parents of their right to opt their children out of that instruction. ILLINOIS SCHOOL FACES CRIMINAL DOJ REFERRAL AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF FORCING GIRLS TO CHANGE WITH TRANS STUDENT The Illinois school districts are recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funding, which could be at risk if civil rights violations are found. Dhillon told Fox News the inquiry will go beyond classroom instruction and examine whether districts are encouraging or facilitating gender transitions without parental notice or consent, including through policies involving students’ names, pronouns or participation in school clubs focused on gender identity. “Illinois is just pushing these radical agendas,” Dhillon told Fox News, adding that school districts are often left “in a rock and a hard place” and that federal court intervention may be necessary to “stop this illegal practice.” SENATORS UNVEIL BILL TO COMBAT FINANCIAL AID FRAUD BY ‘GHOST STUDENTS’ The DOJ said the investigations will also assess whether the districts limit access to single-sex intimate spaces — including bathrooms and locker rooms — and girls’ sports teams based on biological sex. The department said the districts under review receive federal funding and will be examined for compliance with Title IX and Supreme Court precedent on parental rights. “Children have rights and parents have rights, and we’re here to enforce those rights,” Dhillon vowed to Fox News. The districts named by DOJ include Atwood Heights School District 125, Bloomington Public Schools District 87, DeKalb Community Unit School District 428, Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, Freeport School District 145, Noble Network of Charter Schools, North Chicago Community Unit School District 187, Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123, Reavis Township High School District 220, Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 and Will County School District 92, among others. The probe marks the latest development in federal scrutiny of Illinois education policy. Last year, federal officials opened a Title IX investigation involving the Illinois Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools over allegations tied to policies allowing transgender students to access bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. Fox News’ Mike Tobin contributed to this report.

Bernie Sanders campaigns with controversial Michigan Senate candidate

Bernie Sanders campaigns with controversial Michigan Senate candidate

As part of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., rallied Sunday in Detroit, Michigan, with U.S. Senate hopeful Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. House hopeful state Rep. Donavan McKinney. Sanders said the nation needs leaders in D.C. with “the guts to take on the political establishment of both political parties, to take on the oligarchs and economic establishment. That’s why we need Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in the Senate.” El-Sayed advocates for policies including “Medicare-for-all” and the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), points which he hammered home during remarks at the event. MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE CLAIMS ISRAEL ‘JUST AS EVIL’ AS HAMAS Sanders endorsed El-Sayed for governor in 2018, but the candidate lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary that year to Gretchen Whitmer. He is currently running in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Michigan. Other prominent contenders include U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. DEM SENATE PRIMARY ERUPTS IN KEY STATE AS CANDIDATE TEAMS UP WITH RADICAL STREAMER: ‘AMERICA DESERVED 9/11’ McKinney also supports establishing “Medicare-for-all” and abolishing ICE. He is running in the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich. FAR-LEFT HOUSE DEM PUSHES LAND REPARATIONS FOR DESCENDANTS OF AMERICAN SLAVES Sanders said during the event that “over the last six, eight years, we have elected dozens of great members of Congress, strong progressives who are standing up and fighting for the working class. And I certainly hope that Donavan McKinney will join that group.”

Pritzker calls for criminal investigations into ICE agents over ‘Midway Blitz’ conduct

Pritzker calls for criminal investigations into ICE agents over ‘Midway Blitz’ conduct

Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is urging state officials to pursue criminal investigations into federal immigration enforcement agents involved in Operation Midway Blitz, citing a report released by a commission he created to investigate federal agents’ conduct during the months-long investigation. Pritzker’s Thursday press conference unveiling the Illinois Accountability Commission’s recommendation to pursue criminal investigations into ICE and other federal agents came just over a month after he first vowed to seek criminal charges against Trump administration officials and law enforcement officers he said had “broken the law.” “Our communities and our people were subjected to an unprecedented campaign of harassment, intimidation and brutality,” Pritzker said at the news conference. “They deployed tear gas and smoke grenades against peaceful protesters and peaceful crowds and in peaceful neighborhoods. They committed flagrant and egregious abuses of power and force that went unchecked.” CHICAGO RESIDENT FIRES BACK AT LIBERAL GOVERNOR’S PLEDGE TO SHIELD MIGRANTS FROM ICE RAIDS The report was compiled by eight members who were appointed to the commission by Pritzker. Members of the commission include retired judges, a retired law enforcement official, former prosecutors and a nonprofit leader. The report pinpointed more than a dozen incidents involving federal agents as alleged instances of misconduct that warrant further investigation, including the death of Silverio Villegas González, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was shot and killed by ICE agents. The more than 150-page report accused the Trump administration of lying about the motivation behind Operation Midway Blitz and that it “distorted key facts about events involving federal immigration agents.” “High-level White House, DHS and other federal officials enabled and encouraged misconduct by ICE and CBP agents during Operation Midway Blitz by urging agents to ‘go hard,’ defending and mischaracterizing incidents of use of force, shielding agents from accountability, lifting safeguards, and effectuating harmful policies,” the report alleged. The report alleged that federal agents engaged in “unconstitutional uses of force” which consisted of “extreme physical force, indiscriminate use of chemical agents, shootings, beatings, and other violent acts.” ILLINOIS GOV. JB PRITZKER MOVES TO BOYCOTT EL SALVADOR FOR AIDING TRUMP OVER KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA’S DETENTION “Governor Pritzker continues to refuse to do his job to protect his citizens from illegal alien crime and instead chooses to smear our law enforcement,” Department of Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. “Where is the investigation into his own policies that allowed Sheridan Gorman’s killer to be released from jail to go on and commit her heinous murder?” Bis slammed Pritzker’s calls for criminal prosecution as “nothing more than a political stunt.” “Federal officers acting in the course of their duties can only be investigated by other Federal agencies,” Bis said. “The states do not have the authority to run such an investigation.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General for comment.