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Trump makes stunning first-of-its-kind cash promise in bid to rally GOP voters at Dallas midterm convention

Trump makes stunning first-of-its-kind cash promise in bid to rally GOP voters at Dallas midterm convention

DALLAS — President Donald Trump delivered the keynote speech on day one of the GOP’s inaugural midterm convention, alternating between touting his successes in office and rallying thousands of supporters for Republican candidates ahead of November’s general election before making a promise to American voters. In a stunning move, Trump made a promise unheard of in the history of American politics — offering a cash prize should Republicans keep control of Congress. “I can make this promise to you, and here is my promise,” he said. “If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic — tremendous economic success like in history, we’ve never had anything like what’s happening. but because of our tremendous strength and success economically — I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000. Very much like a successful company will do a cash distribution to its shareholders.” TRUMP’S UNUSUAL ROLE AT MIDTERM CONVENTION REVEALED AS SCHEDULE GOES PUBLIC “It will be called the ‘Trump dividend,’” he added. Trump opened the speech by grading his own performance since taking office for a second time in January 2025, saying he’s “doing a great job.” He quickly shifted to addressing the historical challenge that incumbent parties rarely retain control of Congress in midterm elections. JOHNSON DOWNPLAYS GOP’S MIDTERM WOES AS DEMOCRATS EYE HOUSE TAKEOVER: ‘I AM VERY BULLISH’ “But I say, why is it that no matter how well you’re doing, we see not a president — Democrat or Republican — almost never wins the midterms?’ said Trump. “We’ve got to change that because we have something going that’s so good we can’t let that string be broken. So I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot, just one more time.” During his effort to rally GOP voters to help Republicans hang onto the House and Senate, Trump made sure to give credit to Republicans on Capitol Hill for their work in passing his agenda. MILLIONS TAP TRUMP TAX CUTS THIS FILING SEASON AS REFUNDS TOP $3,400 “Our Republican Congress puts thousands of dollars into the pockets of working families with the largest tax cuts in the history of our country,” he said. “So we had the largest in history. We gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors.” He said his administration’s efforts on critical issues will be crushed if the GOP loses majorities in either or both chambers of Congress. TRUMP ADMIN MARKS 15 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH ZERO BORDER RELEASES AS APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE 94% “Because if we lose, you’re going to lose your border,” he said. “You’re going to lose your tax cuts. You’re going to lose your safety and security. You’re going to lose your wealth.” Fox News polling shows Trump is underwater with voters on the economy, cost of living and inflation. Sixty-five percent of voters disapprove of his handling of the economy. The president also defended the military conflict in Iran, saying he has received criticism over rising gas prices tied to the conflict but arguing that “I’m right,” because Iran was one month away from securing a nuclear weapon. Inflation has risen from 2.4% to 3.4% since the war began in February, while gas prices have also increased. RECORD GAS PRICES SQUEEZE AMERICANS AS SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON ENDS, MIDTERMS LOOM AND IRAN WAR WAGES ON Republicans who spoke to Fox News Digital on day one of the convention weren’t concerned with Trump’s economic policies. “I believe that Trump is doing the right thing,” one RNC attendee told Fox News Digital. “The tariffs are bringing a lot of money back, you know, correcting the national debt. And that’s gonna improve everything across the board.” “I feel like as soon as we bring this conflict in Iran to a close, we’ll start seeing the full effects of President Trump and the greatness that he’s done as far as the economy, the great thing of tariffs, and some of the products of the Trump economy in the golden age,” said Jacquez Jones of Texas. Later, Trump shifted his sights to Texas’ high profile U.S. Senate race between Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico. “We have to elect Ken Paxton,” he said, segueing into border security, a top issue under both Trump administrations. “Together, we’re going to continue to have — we have the strongest borders now in the history of our country.” ‘FAKE’ MODERATE TALARICO’S TEXAS SURGE TESTS PAXTON IN FIGHT TO HOLD CRUCIAL GOP SENATE SEAT “We have the lowest level of illegal immigration ever recorded in our country,” he said, adding that zero illegal immigrants have entered the country through Texas in 16 months. “And therefore zero have been admitted into Texas where they used to be running around, running rampant, killing people, destroying many houses and farms, and ruining property values and creating havoc all over the state of Texas,” he said. During the speech, he also took aim at Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina. LONGTIME GOP AIDE DEFECTS TO DEM RISING STAR AS TEXAS SENATE BATTLE FOR CORNYN’S SEAT HEATS UP He also touted what he described as foreign policy wins. After the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump boasted about “the biggest oil deal” ever, which he said might be “the biggest deal in the history of our country.” “65 billion barrels are ours,” Trump said. “And you know what they say it is lifetime 500 years.” Later, Trump transitioned to slamming the GOP’s far-left opponents. “In this election, the Democrats have nominated the most extreme and dangerous group of candidates for the House and Senate ever to seek office,” he said. “These people are radical left communists. Many of them. Not all of them, but many of them in state after state. The

Fetterman teases where his true loyalty lies after surprise appearance at GOP convention

Fetterman teases where his true loyalty lies after surprise appearance at GOP convention

DALLAS — A rogue Senate Democrat toying with the idea of leaving his party drew a hard line in the sand after making a surprise appearance at the GOP’s Trump-centric convention. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has been welcomed with open arms by Republicans to join the party after he floated leaving his own caucus, and spurred further speculation that he would jump ship after dropping a video introducing his colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention on Wednesday. But in a statement to Fox News Digital, the progressive-turned centrist said that he wasn’t turning his back on the Democratic Party, even as the knives have come out to cut him loose from the Senate. DEM SENATOR DELIVERS SURPRISE VIDEO AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION BACKING MCCORMICK “My remarks introduced Dave McCormick as a great American and friend. We are in different parties, but we are both Team PA,” Fetterman said. “We have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars back to Pennsylvania, fought for improved transportation and affordable housing, and the Steel Way of Life.” “I’m a lifelong Democrat who votes overwhelmingly with my party — and should the Senate flip in November, I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on,” he continued. Fetterman started his career in the Senate after besting Dr. Mehmet Oz in a tight race for power in 2022, where he clinched a historically thin Democratic majority in 2022 running on a progressive platform. TOP REPUBLICAN NAMES WHO HE SAYS IS REALLY LEADING DEMOCRATS — AND IT’S NOT SCHUMER OR JEFFRIES But since then, he has become a thorn in Democrats’ side, and challenged the direction of the party. Earlier this year, Fetterman warned that if Democrats became more entrenched in anti-Israel policy positions, he would exit the party, and has taken jabs at the party’s direction during this midterm election cycle as far-left progressives, like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, have emerged as standard-bearers. Fetterman has routinely bucked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his colleagues on a handful of key issues, like President Donald Trump’s war in Iran or voting with Republicans to end the marathon government shutdown last Fall. FETTERMAN FACES DEM REVOLT AS BOMBSHELL REPORT FUELS PUSH TO OUST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’ His latest edict followed a bombshell report that alleged through leaked texts with his aides that the maverick Democrat would often brush off duties of his office, like meeting with paralyzed veterans or charging that a three-hour funeral service for slain police officers was a “non-starter.” And Republicans would gladly welcome him into the fold. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said in July that he and others in the Senate GOP have had “had conversations with him in the past … about the challenges he faces in his caucus.” “And, you know, there are many of us who I think would welcome the opportunity to have him join the Republican conference,” Thune said. But for now, Fetterman is staying put even if Democrats flip the Senate in November.

EXCLUSIVE: 25 years after 9/11, ICE says more than 2K known or suspected terrorists have been deported

EXCLUSIVE: 25 years after 9/11, ICE says more than 2K known or suspected terrorists have been deported

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported more than 2,000 known or suspected terrorists from the U.S. since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tells Fox News Digital, as the nation prepares to mark 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. DHS said ICE arrested more than 2,150 known or suspected terrorists between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 9, 2026, and deported 2,015 during that period. “As we reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the brave men and women of ICE continue to carry out their duty to protect the homeland and keep the American people safe,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in the department’s announcement. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE’S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY Mullin said ICE had arrested more than 2,100 known or suspected terrorists and deported more than 2,000, adding that the anniversary underscored the department’s commitment to “eternal vigilance.” DHS pointed to several recent cases involving alleged terrorists and members of designated foreign terrorist organizations. WHITE HOUSE UFC TERROR PLOT ‘RINGLEADER’ IS A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DHS CONFIRMS In June, federal authorities arrested Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican national DHS described as the suspected ringleader of an alleged mass-casualty plot targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. DHS said Alvarez overstayed a visitor visa that expired in 2001 and later received DACA status in 2014. ICE lodged a detainer following his arrest. Days earlier, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, a Brazilian national DHS identified as a former commander of two designated foreign terrorist organizations. Authorities said they recovered a handgun, cash and multiple electronic devices after a vehicle and foot pursuit in North Carolina. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN 10,000 SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS DHS said Aquilla was wanted in Brazil on criminal association and extortion charges and was allegedly holding his wife against her will while preparing to flee to Mexico. ICE lodged a detainer after his arrest, while investigators pursued additional firearm and kidnapping charges. Four Venezuelan members of Tren de Aragua also pleaded guilty in May to charges stemming from a 2024 Bronx shooting that killed two people. DHS said all four had entered the United States illegally between 2022 and 2023. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: 9/11 IS JUST A HISTORY CHAPTER FOR A NEW GENERATION OF AMERICANS The announcement comes as the nation prepares to mark 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. The attacks prompted the largest overhaul of the nation’s homeland security apparatus in decades, including the creation of DHS in 2002 and ICE the following year. Friday’s anniversary will commemorate the victims of the attacks and the first responders who rushed into danger, while marking a quarter-century of U.S. efforts to prevent another large-scale terrorist attack on American soil.

Talarico says he ‘missed the mark’ as he backtracks on controversial woke statements

Talarico says he ‘missed the mark’ as he backtracks on controversial woke statements

In a Fox News exclusive interview, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico came out in favor of banning gender surgery for minors and opposed transgender-identifying men competing in women’s sports. Talarico also backtracked on several of his more controversial claims, including saying there are six genders and that “God is nonbinary.” This comes as the Texas Senate race, which is surprisingly close according to recent Fox News polling, enters its final months. The race is considered critical to both parties’ chances of securing a Senate majority. Talarico is facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who has faced controversies of his own. A Republican loss in Texas would significantly impact President Donald Trump’s ability to implement his agenda. Fox News spoke with Talarico at a food drive campaign event in Dallas on Tuesday. Talarico’s event took place as the first-ever GOP midterm convention kicked off just miles away in downtown Dallas. TALARICO CAMPAIGNS WITH SURGEON WHO OPERATED ON TRANSGENDER MINORS: ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’ Asked whether he would vote as a U.S. senator in favor of a national ban on gender surgery for minors, Talarico answered, “Absolutely.” He said, “I’ve been consistent on this issue,” explaining his opposition to a Texas bill to ban transgender surgeries on minors by saying the measure “was overly broad.” “If you go back and check, I voted for a major amendment to limit the bill to banning surgeries for minors,” he said. “As a lawmaker, my job is to try to sift through everything the bill does. And sometimes there’s stuff in it that’s really harmful, and I have no choice but to oppose the bill as a whole.” “It’s why I try to use amendments, to narrow the focus of the bill so that it does exactly what we intend it to do,” he continued. “It’s what I tried to do with that piece of legislation, and unfortunately the amendment I supported was unsuccessful.” In 2023, as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Talarico voted against a state bill titled SB 14, which prohibited certain gender surgery, puberty blockers and certain hormone treatments for minors. There were 18 amendments to the bill proposed by Democrats, all of which Talarico voted in favor and all of which ultimately failed. In the same interview, Talarico acknowledged that men in women’s sports is a significant issue in Texas. He said, “I oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it endangers safety or fairness.” “Every sport has to be safe and fair. As a former public school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes. I care a lot about our students. And so, I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness,” he said. Talarico’s comments mark a shift from his earlier position as a Texas state lawmaker.  In 2021, while serving on the Texas House Public Education Committee, he opposed SB 29, which sought to require public-school athletes to compete based on the biological sex listed on their birth certificate, calling the issue a “manufactured problem.” Later that year, he voted against HB 25, which enacted similar restrictions into Texas law. JAMES TALARICO ADMITS PAST COMMENTS ‘MISSED THE MARK’ WHEN CONFRONTED ON CLAIMS LIKE GOD IS ‘NON-BINARY’ He also addressed perhaps his most controversial statement, which he made in 2021, while opposing a Texas bill to keep men out of women’s sports. Talarico said on the state House floor that “God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is non-binary.” “I was being provocative with that statement. I get that,” Talarico admitted, explaining, “What I was trying to say is that you can’t use human categories to define God, and that’s not controversial theologically. In fact, the late Charlie Kirk, the late Pope Benedict all said the same thing.” Talarico continued, claiming “these comments are being clipped out of context to try to distract from Ken Paxton’s career of corruption.” “You mentioned [Paxton] being acquitted in the state Senate. That was after two of his billionaire megadonors gave the lieutenant governor a $3 million check to buy his acquittal,” Talarico said. “So, Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in Texas and he’s gonna try to clip some of my comments, including comments where I was being a little provocative in order to try to distract from that career.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Paxton campaign for a response. LONGTIME GOP AIDE DEFECTS TO DEM RISING STAR AS TEXAS SENATE BATTLE FOR CORNYN’S SEAT HEATS UP Regarding his past comment about there being more than two genders, Talarico said he does not currently believe there are six sexes. “I’ve missed the mark on some of my past statements. I will be the first to admit it,” he said. “What I meant is that there are two sexes, and then there’s a small percentage of people with genetic abnormalities.” “Obviously didn’t say it correctly. There are not six sexes. There are two, and I think the reason that politicians in that convention center across the street want to talk about six sexes is because they don’t want to talk about $6 diesel,” he said. Though he walked back these controversies, Talarico did not hold back on his criticism of the Supreme Court, which he described as “infected” with corruption, saying it “needs to be overhauled.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER He said that if elected, “You’re going to expect that I will vote for overhaul to the Supreme Court. That will include binding codes of conduct for our justices. It’ll include term limits, and I am open to a discussion about expanding the number of justices.” Following these controversies, Talarico pledged to keep his message focused on affordability for the remainder of the campaign. “Everywhere I go across the state of Texas, people are struggling to survive in this economy. They are struggling to afford the basics: groceries, gas, utilities, healthcare. And that’s what I’m going to be