Anti-ICE agitator charged with allegedly biting officers during Delaney Hall clashes
An anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agitator was hit with federal charges after gnarly photos showed bloody bite marks he allegedly made into federal agents’ arms during violent clashes outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey. Brendan John Geier, a 26-year-old man from Madison, New Jersey, was part of a group of agitators blocking the road near Delaney Hall on Thursday night when ICE deportation officers instructed the group to move away, the U.S. Department of Justice said. The group allegedly ignored the commands and instead violently engaged with the officers, according to the DOJ. Geier then “engaged in a struggle with deportation officers, kicking officers and ultimately biting an officer’s forearm, and another’s knuckle. Both victims received treatment at a local hospital,” prosecutors said. He was charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais on Friday, the DOJ said. “We will not tolerate the vicious attacks on ICE officers we’ve seen in New Jersey the last few days. These riots are clearly not ‘peaceful protests’ as you can see from the photos of these horrific wounds. Assault a federal officer, you’ll be held accountable,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote in a Friday afternoon post on X. NEW JERSEY AGITATORS BITE, KICK AND PUNCH ICE AGENTS AS DELANEY HALL CLASHES CONTINUE; 9 MORE ARRESTED: DHS Blanche posted to X photos of bloodied ICE agents displaying their wounds. “Peaceful protest doesn’t translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers,” Blanche said in a statement. “Federal officers are protecting United States’ property and facilities. With virtually no local law enforcement support from New Jersey, rioters are regrouping and attacking. We will not tolerate the vicious attacks we have seen in Newark the last few days, and we will make arrests and hold people accountable for criminal conduct.” “As alleged in the Justice Department’s complaint, this violent rioter savagely bit an ICE law enforcement officer outside of Delaney Hall. The Trump Administration will always stand with our law enforcement officers,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also added in the statement. “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” ANTI-ICE AGITATORS THROW WOODEN PALLETS, MATTRESSES AT FEDERAL AGENTS DURING CHAOTIC NJ DETENTION CENTER CLASH “As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by kicking one and biting two others who were performing their official duties,” U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey also said in the statement. “Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.” “To be clear, peaceful protest does not mean biting, kicking, or punching law enforcement officers,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark added in the statement. “The repeated assaults on federal officers at Delaney Hall are criminal acts — not protected speech. Homeland Security Investigations is unwavering in its commitment to hold those who attack law enforcement fully accountable under the law,” Karabinas concluded. Ongoing demonstrations outside Delaney Hall are entering their second week. Fox News Digital contacted the DOJ for additional information. On Saturday morning, anti-ICE agitators and counterprotesters were both seen outside Delaney Hall. A crowd was growing, and many officers were seen patrolling on bikes, with a visible divide between pro-ICE protesters and anti-ICE agitators. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who spent Memorial Day at Delaney Hall supporting the anti-ICE crowds, announced Friday that she was instructing New Jersey State Police to assume responsibility for public safety outside the detention center. Earlier in the week, Mullin had placed the blame on Sherrill for not allowing local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. DHS said local police were largely absent as federal agents were met with violent demonstrators. Fox News’ Kimberly Ruiz contributed to this report.
Bessent readies Trump $250 bill as one big hurdle stands between Treasury and making it reality
The Treasury Department is preparing a $250 note bearing President Donald Trump’s portrait for the nation’s 250th anniversary, but the bill can only move forward only if Congress changes federal law barring living people from U.S. currency. “It’s all up on Capitol Hill. At Treasury, we prepare things in advance. So we have prepared, in advance, that if the legislation is passed, but we will stick to the law,” explained Bessent. Trump’s portrait would be placed on $250 paper currency for the first time if lawmakers succeed in changing a key federal law that bars living people from appearing on the currency. Democratic lawmakers and leaders, meanwhile, are decrying the proposal as they escalate their opposition to Trump and the GOP. “In response to active legislation sponsored by Representative Joe Wilson, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is conducting appropriate planning and due diligence. Should this legislative mandate be signed into law, the BEP is moving proactively to produce a $250 commemorative note which will appropriately recognize the 250th Anniversary of our great nation,” a Treasury spokesperson told Fox News Digital when asked about the bills. TREASURY TO PLACE TRUMP’S SIGNATURE ON PAPER CURRENCY TO MARK US 250TH ANNIVERSARY Staunch Trump supporter, Republican South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, introduced the bill in February 2025. Wilson introduced the bill not only to coincide with America’s birthday in July, but also as a rebuke of the Biden administration and its economic policies. The bill was referred to the House Financial Services Committee when it was introduced and has remained with the committee. The Federal Reserve currently issues only seven denominations: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. Kentucky Republican Rep. Andy Barr posted an image to X in January of the reported mock-up of the bill, which showed red, white and blue colors behind Trump’s image. “I have two mandates for U.S. currency at present. That no living person can be on U.S. currency. And the currency must say, ‘In God we trust,’” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent while hosting the White House press briefing Thursday. ANDREW BATES: TRUMP KILLED OUR ECONOMY IN JUST 100 DAYS. DEMOCRATS MUST ACT NOW Democrats quickly took to social media to criticize the proposal, arguing it centered on Trump’s personal legacy rather than the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. “By the end of Trump’s term, it’ll be just enough to buy one gallon of gas and a carton of eggs,” said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an X post. “Hard No on a Trump $250 bill. Get over yourself. The upcoming July 4 anniversary is not about a wannabe King. It’s about celebrating the American journey,” wrote Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on X. “While Americans are being crushed by rising prices, Trump is brainstorming new ways to stoke his ego. Maybe if he were more focused on lowering costs for working families, they wouldn’t need a new $250 bill to afford necessities,” said Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner. SEN JIM BANKS: TRUMP’S NEW TRIUMPHAL ARCH IS A MONUMENT TO AMERICAN GREATNESS “House Republicans’ priorities: ❌ End Trump’s war in Iran ✅ Create a ‘Trump Peace Prize’ ❌ Lower costs for families ✅ Make a new $250 bill with Trump’s face on it ❌ Reign in Trump’s masked ICE agents ✅ Carve Trump’s face on Mt. Rushmore,” wrote the Democratic National Committee on X. Treasury previously announced that Trump’s signature would appear on future U.S. paper currency alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s signature in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
How a Rhodes Scholar with ties to Cuba’s president organized the convoy that brought Hasan Piker to Havana
This article is the third installment in a three-part Fox News Digital investigative series examining allegations that the Communist Party of Cuba built and cultivated transnational influence networks inside through nonprofits, activist organizations, solidarity campaigns, labor unions, educational exchanges and political delegations. When President Donald Trump intensified sanctions pressure on Cuba’s communist government earlier this year, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said he turned to a friend for advice. “I hit my friend up, David Adler, and I was like, ‘What do we do?’” Piker recalled in an online interview. “And he’s like, ‘I’m already working on it.’” What followed, according to Piker’s own account, was the assembly of a transnational convoy that brought hundreds of activists, politicians, journalists and organizers from dozens of countries to Cuba, delivering an estimated 40 tons of supplies as part of a campaign branded “Nuestra América Convoy,” or “Our America Convoy.” The remarks offer one of the clearest public disclosures to date of how the popular streamer became involved in a trip that is now drawing scrutiny from federal investigators. Fox News Digital exclusively reported a week ago that Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control recently issued administrative subpoenas to Piker and CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, seeking records related to their Cuba travel, communications and financial activity connected to the convoy, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The requests sought travel records, communications and financial records related to Cuba activities, including possible contacts with Cuban government personnel or entities. Public attention surrounding the trip has largely focused appropriately on CodePink, Piker, Shanghai-based American Marxist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham, and Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, who posted a selfie photo with Piker in Havana. On Monday, Piker raised the attention of even U.S. officials when he said he believes the “real goal” of the Treasury Department investigation is Singham, because he funds “political operations” in the U.S. But an analysis of hundreds of hours of Piker’s livestreams and interviews compiled by computer engineer Jennica Pounds, a data scientist known online as “Data Republican,” repeatedly points to a lesser-known organization that played a central role in planning the mission: Progressive International, run by Piker’s friend, Adler. “What makes Progressive International so dangerous is that, by co-opting progressive values, it provides political legitimacy to authoritarian regimes with longstanding records of repression and gross human rights violations, and whose purpose is to destroy the United States,” said Gelet Martinez Fragela, a Cuban American journalist based in Boca Raton, Fla. “That is precisely the propaganda strategy of the Cuban regime, which has historically used solidarity groups and activist networks as cover to build alliances, raise funds and maintain power while continuing to embed itself within illicit and anti-democratic networks around the world,” she told Fox News Digital. Born in Cuba, Martinez Fragela has been investigating the government of Cuba’s influence in the Western Hemisphere for years, mapping the network it builds activists, nonprofits and governments to activate support for the Communist Party of Cuba. Her website, ADNCuba.com, is blocked on the island. HASAN PIKER NAMES PRO-CCP TYCOON SINGHAM AS FINANCIER OF ‘POLITICAL MOVEMENTS’ DESPITE NONPROFIT VENEER Progressive International is one of the most important of the 145 nonprofits, labor groups, advocacy organizations and activist collectives that Fox News Digital identified as part of a network, mobilizing in support of the Cuban government and the Communist Party of Cuba. Together, the organizations report about $1 billion in combined annual revenue. They are rallying this week to run to the streets in support of Cuba if the U.S. wages military action on the country. Founded in 2020, Progressive International emerged from a political initiative launched by Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders, a member of the increasingly powerful Democratic Socialists of America, and former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, a far-left politician, after a gathering of activists in Burlington, Vt., from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1, 2018, where organizers called for a new “international progressive movement.” Adler was at the meeting. Today Adler leads a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Progressive International Exchange Inc., based in Calabasas, Calif., with EIN 93-3021918. Its most recent IRS Form 990 reported only $261,039 in annual revenue and $215,772 in net assets. It isn’t clear if the U.S. nonprofit is related to the “Progressive International” coalition, which is based in Athens, Greece, coordinating massive mobilizations, like the Cuba convoy, conferences and public actions. Progressive International and Adler didn’t respond to a request for comment. At the center of the organization is Adler, who was born in Encino, Calif., graduated from Brown University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and trained at Oxford University as a political economist. He previously directed policy for Varoufakis’ “Democracy in Europe Movement,” known as “DiEM25,” and served on Sanders’ foreign policy advisory team before becoming Progressive International’s general coordinator. In 2024, Germany actually barred Varoufakis for leading polarizing anti-Israel protests with local Palestinians. Varoufakis wrote that the decision reflected Germany’s “turn to repression.” According to the public record, Adler occupies an unusual position inside the Cuba solidarity movement, with close ties with the Communist Party of Cuba. Last year, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly intervened on Adler’s behalf when Israeli authorities detained him when he joined a flotilla to Israel, supposedly carrying “aid” to Palestinians in Gaza. A Jewish American, Adler shared a video of himself from the boat awkwardly calling his parents to tell them that he was on the flotilla to Gaza. Qatar’s state-funded anti-Israel TV network, Al Jazeera, shared the video on social media with childhood photos of Adler and its own propaganda spin, writing, “David Adler called his parents from the deck of a flotilla boat to tell them he had joined the mission to Gaza. He is one of many Jewish activists who say they can no longer stay on the sidelines.” In much the same way, the convoy to Cuba was blasted to the world from Havana with an anti-U.S. propaganda theme, criticizing America’s “imperialism.” During the convoy’s visit to Cuba in March, Adler could be
The celeb endorsements boosting Spencer Pratt’s chances of becoming the next LA mayor
As Los Angeles voters prepare to head to the polls next week, reality TV star and online influencer-turned-mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt has gained surprising momentum in the race for mayor. He’s racked up endorsements from fellow reality stars as well as famous actors, musicians and media personalities. Despite a growing list of high-profile supporters, Pratt said in an interview on “Gutfeld!” on Thursday that celebrity endorsements are not a priority for his campaign. “I actually don’t want celebrities to come out and endorse me,” he said, adding the only endorsements he wants are from “the moms and the animal lovers in L.A.” Fox News Digital breaks down the biggest names fueling Pratt’s rise in the second-largest U.S. city ahead of the June 2 primary. During an April 15 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan told Pratt he would vote for him if he could. “Listen, man. I’m voting for you. I can’t vote for you, but I’m rooting for you,” the world’s most famous podcaster said in a sit-down with the mayoral candidate. Rogan relocated from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas in 2020. Still, he told Pratt: “If I lived in Los Angeles, no question whatsoever, I would vote for you.” ROGAN BACKS REALITY TV STAR SPENCER PRATT’S BID FOR LA MAYOR, SAYS ‘I’D VOTE FOR YOU’ Comedian and radio personality Adam Carolla has repeatedly endorsed Pratt. On an April 21 episode of “The Adam Carolla Show,” Pratt outlined his plans to “bring back common sense” to City Hall, and Carolla later wrote on Instagram that Pratt had his “full endorsement for mayor!” Carolla describes himself as a libertarian and supported Andrew Yang’s Democratic primary run in the 2020 presidential election. The actor endorsed Pratt’s mayoral bid during a May 23 exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, saying, “Go Spencer Pratt.” Quaid has previously criticized LA Mayor Karen Bass for traveling to Ghana as the wildfires erupted. The actor was critical of city leaders over water shortages, budget cuts to Los Angeles Fire Department and the broader response to the wildfires. Pratt’s meteoric rise in the campaign stemmed from viral videos of him speaking on the lot of his burned down house and promising to help rebuild Los Angeles. The reality star and heiress to the Hilton Hotels throne backed Pratt on April 24. She promoted “Spencer for Mayor” with a raised-hands emoji on his Instagram video showing the Airstream trailer he has been living in since his Pacific Palisades home was destroyed in the California wildfires. SPENCER PRATT’S HOLLYWOOD UPRISING GROWS AS KATHERINE MCPHEE AND DAVID FOSTER MOCK KAREN BASS AT FUNDRAISER Actor James Woods praised Pratt’s mayoral debate performance in an X post, saying he was “surprisingly effective, direct, polite, and prepared.” He also criticizing Partt’s rivals Mayor Bass and Democrat Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman. “The other two have history as their enemy because everything they’ve done has been a catastrophe,” Woods wrote. “He can absolutely win this thing.” “Hot Mics” host Billy Bush threw his support behind Pratt after the mayoral debate on May 6. Many were surprised at how well Pratt fared and started taking him seriously as a candidate after his showdown with his two Democrat competitors. Bush said that Pratt “won that debate flat out” and calling him “relatable” and “likable” during an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime” earlier this month. He added that the Republican candidate running as an independent doesn’t represent “MAGA” but does appeal to people who have “had enough of mismanagement in our government.” Meghan McCain, conservative commentator and daughter of the late Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain, wrote on X that Pratt’s debate performance was “the blueprint” for how “older millennials need to communicate and present their ideas and campaign messaging when running for office.” McCain described Pratt as “10/10 no notes” and echoed Bush and other supporters when saying he “killed the debate” performance. Singer Katharine McPhee and her composer and record producer husband David Foster hosted a star-studded fundraiser for Pratt at their Brentwood Park home. Video went viral of McPhee serenading Pratt at the event. “Spencer, you’re simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than Karen Bass and Nithya Raman,” she sang to the tune of Tina Turner’s hit “The Best.” McPhee was also listed among the celebrity donors backing Pratt’s campaign. Pratt’s former “The Hills” co-star Kristin Cavallari said on the April 21 episode of her “Let’s Be Honest” podcast that his mayoral run is “f—ing genius.” She praised the registered Republican as an outsider who will “call out the corruption.” While she can’t vote for Pratt as a Tennessee resident, Cavallari encouraged Los Angeles voters to cast their ballots for him in the June 2 election. Brody Jenner, the son of Caitlyn Jenner who co-starred with Pratt in “The Princes of Malibu” and “The Hills,” was one of the candidate’s earliest supporters. He defended Pratt’s intelligence and qualifications in an Instagram Story post after he announced his run for mayor. Jenner said Pratt has “the backbone to stand up to career politicians.” Another fellow reality TV star Audrina Patridge said she was “impressed” by Pratt after listening to his interviews. Pratt “would make a lot of change to L.A. and he would follow through with what he said,” she told Us Weekly in an interview earlier in May. The “Dancing With the Stars” alum, like many who have backed “The Hill” reality star, cannot vote for Pratt because she lives in Orange County and not L.A. proper. WATCH: LEFT-WING LA MAYOR FACES REALITY TV CHALLENGER’S BLUNT TAKEDOWNS IN HEATED MAYORAL DEBATE That isn’t stopping Patridge from “rooting for him.” The model and actress publicly backed Pratt in the comments section of an Instagram post in which he vowed if elected mayor to end the “grift” surrounding homelessness, mental illness and addiction. “The Real Housewives of Miami” star publicly endorsed Pratt after appearing with him at a dog adoption event at The Barkery Encino. In an Instagram video posted after
Former Biden aide sounds alarm on Democratic party backing Platner as scandal deepens: ‘Dangerous game’
Former Press Secretary for First Lady Jill Biden Michael LaRosa said he has been “shocked” by the amount of Democratic support for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner and that the Platner campaign reveals a line in the sand within the Democratic Party. “I am shocked at some of the people, some of the Democrats who I consider friends, being so all-or-nothing about this guy, and I don’t really understand why,” LaRosa told Fox News Digital. “He is not really representative of the values I would expect in a Democratic candidate, even by today’s standards. I’m a little surprised at the number of people who are circling the wagons just to beat Susan Collins.” Despite criticism across the political spectrum over Platner’s resurfaced sexually explicit and vulgar online posts, including one mocking a Purple Heart veteran shot multiple times by the Taliban, and a tattoo of a Nazi symbol on his chest have drawn criticism across the political spectrum, Platner continues to lead in the polls. LaRosa accused Democrats of brushing off serious concerns over Platner’s controversial past. DEMOCRATIC MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER CONFRONTED BY MS NOW HOST ABOUT TATTOO CONTROVERSY “Democrats are playing a really dangerous game,” he said. “It’s really funny to me how selective and how short memories are in politics.” LaRosa added that he personally draws the line at backing “a Democrat who has Nazi tattoos,” adding that Platner was “just not for me.” “I get it,” he said. “I want the Senate seat, I want Democrats to win, I want Chuck Schumer to be the majority leader, but I’m not willing to take anybody off the street to run just because they arouse some vibes in a few portions of the Democratic Party.” LaRosa said five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins is “much more my style than somebody who I consider kind of a performative economic populist like Graham Platner,” adding that Platner attended elite private schools that LaRosa’s “family certainly couldn’t afford.” “It’s kind of odd to hear him talk about the elite when he was educated by the most elite of New England prep schools,” LaRosa said. LaRosa told Fox News Digital that he believes winning the election is “just not worth it” if it means supporting Platner. KNIVES OUT FOR FETTERMAN: MAVERICK SENATOR JOINS LONG LINE OF DEMS PUNISHED FOR BREAKING FROM LEFT “It’s his own behavior that disqualifies him. It’s his own history of rhetoric, of advocating for political violence, of mocking wounded U.S. soldiers shot by the Taliban. All of that stuff, it’s just not worth it for me as a Democrat.” He said just because Platner is a Democrat does not mean he is qualified to serve in the U.S. Senate. “That does not make him a good candidate,” he said. “It won’t make him a good senator. It just makes him a D. What’s the point in having a party if you don’t have standards anymore?” Despite Platner’s high polling numbers, LaRosa pointed to his experience campaigning in 2020 with former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, who repeatedly surged ahead of Collins in the polls before Collins won re-election in one of the most expensive races in state history, calling it a “cautionary tale.” “Sara Gideon did not trail Susan Collins in a single poll,” he said. “Six years ago, our Democrat outpolled, outraised and outspent Susan Collins, and the state of Maine on Election Day chose both Joe Biden and Susan Collins by 9 points.” Platner became the Democrats’ presumptive nominee in the June 9 primary to decide who will face Collins in November after two-term Gov. Janet Mills ended her campaign last month. More moderate stances that have drawn criticism from some Democrats, including Sen. John Fetterman’s support for Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and criticism of Democrats’ handling of border security, “were extremely normal or mainstream in the Democratic Party” years ago but are now being used to purge strong candidates, LaRosa explained. “We’re going to do to John Fetterman exactly what Trump is doing to candidates who opposed him or aren’t with him 100% of the time, and I don’t like it,” he said. “I don’t like that my party is going to target John Fetterman for simply having, holding and defending views that were extremely normal or mainstream in the Democratic Party.” He said Democrats could be in for a “major disappointment” and that he personally would not “publicly support, give money to, contribute to or work for” Platner. MAINE GOV JANET MILLS DROPS OUT OF DEMOCRATIC RACE FOR SENATE, SIGNALING SHE STRUGGLED TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY “My party seems to think that this guy represents what the rest of America wants or what Maine voters want or what people outside of the Beltway actually want,” he said. “Democrats believe that Graham Platner seems to represent what people are yearning for and wanting outside of Manhattan and D.C.” LaRosa said the decision is now up to the voters and “Maine now has the choice” to decide if Platner will represent “their values and their views and their anger and their frustrations.” “They now have the opportunity to vote for him or Susan Collins, and we, the Democratic Party, have given and provided Maine that choice for them, and so now they’re going to decide,” he said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.
Man charged with assaulting federal officers after allegedly biting ICE agents at Newark anti-ICE protest
A New Jersey man was arrested after allegedly biting two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a chaotic anti-ICE protest outside a Newark detention facility, authorities said. Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, New Jersey, was arrested Thursday and charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury, according to the Department of Justice. A DOJ news release said the incident took place outside Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center, where protesters have gathered for more than a week and have been accused of assaulting federal agents. “Peaceful protest doesn’t translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. ANTI-ICE AGITATORS CLASH WITH FEDERAL AGENTS OUTSIDE NEWARK DETENTION CENTER “Federal officers are protecting United States’ property and facilities,” Blanche continued. “With virtually no local law enforcement support from New Jersey, rioters are regrouping and attacking.” Blanche said additional arrests could follow as authorities continue investigating the demonstrations. “We will not tolerate the vicious attacks we have seen in Newark the last few days, and we will make arrests and hold people accountable for criminal conduct,” he said. WATCH: POLICE ABSENT FROM DELANEY HALL CHAOS AS AGITATORS BLOCK ICE VEHICLES AND AGENTS USE PEPPER SPRAY Nine people were arrested during Thursday’s clashes, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital. The demonstrations have at times turned confrontational, with federal officials saying agents have deployed pepper spray and used crowd-control tactics to push back agitators. “As alleged in the Justice Department’s complaint, this violent rioter savagely bit an ICE law enforcement officer outside of Delaney Hall,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. “The Trump Administration will always stand with our law enforcement officers.” ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS CLASH WITH AGENTS OUTSIDE NEW JERSEY DETENTION CENTER AS GOV. SHERRILL DENIED ENTRY He added that “anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The DOJ said the incident took place around 10:30 a.m. Thursday as federal officers conducted perimeter security operations at the Newark facility. Prosecutors said a large group of demonstrators blocked a roadway leading to the detention center, prompting deportation officers to form a line and advance toward the crowd, which allegedly included Geier. TOP DEM GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING AT ICE DETENTION CENTER According to prosecutors, demonstrators ignored repeated commands to move back and remained in the roadway. “Geier instead engaged in a struggle with deportation officers, kicking officers and ultimately biting an officer’s forearm, and another’s knuckle,” the DOJ said in a news release. Both officers were treated at a local hospital, authorities said. The announcement came hours after Blanche said a separate man was arrested outside Delaney Hall for allegedly making death threats against an ICE officer and the officer’s family.
Trump declared ‘fully fit’ for all presidential duties after annual physical shows ‘excellent health’
President Donald Trump remains in “excellent health,” his physician said in a memo released Friday following the president’s annual physical earlier this week. The report came after Trump underwent his annual examination Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “President Donald Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” Navy Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, the president’s physician, wrote in the memo. “His demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being,” Barbabella continued. “Cognitive and physical performance are excellent.” JAKE TAPPER REFUTES JILL BIDEN’S CLAIM SHE FEARED FOR HUSBAND’S HEALTH AT CNN DEBATE “He is fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” he added. The evaluation included diagnostic studies, laboratory testing and consultations with 22 specialty providers. Trump, who turns 80 in June, is 75 inches tall and weighs 238 pounds. He has a resting heart rate of 73 beats per minute, a blood pressure reading of 105/71 mmHg and an oxygen saturation level of 98% on room air, according to the report. WASHINGTON POST DECLARES AMERICANS DESERVE THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO BIDEN’S HEALTH, POSSIBLE COVER-UP The examination did not identify any major health concerns. Barbabella noted scarring on Trump’s right ear from the gunshot wound he suffered during an assassination attempt in 2024. The physician also reported mild lower-leg swelling, which he said had improved from the previous year. WHITE HOUSE EXPLAINS BRUISE ON TRUMP’S HAND SEEN DURING MACRON MEETING Trump underwent a neurological examination that demonstrated “normal mental status,” including cognitive screening in which he scored 30 out of 30, according to the report. Barbabella also noted bruising on the president’s hand “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention.” The physician reported no significant abnormalities in Trump’s laboratory results. Trump’s “lifelong abstinence from tobacco and alcohol” was also highlighted in his medical history. According to the memo, Trump currently takes three medications: Rosuvastatin and Ezetimibe for cholesterol management, along with aspirin for cardiovascular prevention.
Donna Brazile brushes off Biden’s stroke fears, says Democrats must ‘focus on the future’
Former acting chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Donna Brazile was not interested in talking about former first lady Jill Biden’s comments on being “frightened” watching her husband in the 2024 presidential debate. Jill Biden recently told CBS that while watching her husband’s debate performance against President Donald Trump, she feared he was suffering a medical emergency and thought he might be having a stroke. Her comments renewed attention on concerns about then-President Joe Biden’s age and health, which intensified after his widely scrutinized debate performance. JILL BIDEN SAYS SHE THOUGHT JOE WAS HAVING A STROKE DURING HIS DISASTROUS 2024 DEBATE PERFORMANCE “I don’t want to talk about Jill Biden right now,” Brazile said when Fox News Digital asked her to share her thoughts on the former first lady’s recent comments on her husband’s debate. Fox News Digital pressed Brazile to respond as conversations have been circulating around the 2024 election and what went wrong — particularly following the calling for and release of the 2024 DNC autopsy report, an internal review of the party’s 2024 defeat and the factors that contributed to it. Brazile, referring to herself in the third person, urged Democrats to deny any calls to look to the past, and instead focus on the future of the party and upcoming elections. “Donna Brazile will not focus on the past,” she said. “Donna Brazile want to focus on the future.” She argued Democrats already made their decision in 2024 when Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE FLIP FLOPS, PULLS PLUG ON ITS 2024 ELECTION ‘AUTOPSY’ “We made that decision in 2024 when the then-president decided to step down and pass the torch to Kamala,” Brazile said. A longtime Democratic strategist, Brazile served as interim chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2011 and again in 2016. She has remained an influential voice within Democratic politics through multiple presidential election cycles and has frequently weighed in on the party’s direction following major electoral setbacks. There has been widespread criticism over how Democrats handled concerns about Joe Biden’s age and his cognitive health, and whether that impacted the party’s performance in 2024. DEMS FACE A LITMUS TEST OVER BIDEN’S COGNITIVE ABILITIES There has been continued debate within the Democratic Party about how it handled concerns about Biden’s age and cognitive health for office before he ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Harris. Brazile’s comments highlight a divide between Democrats seeking a fuller accounting of the events that led to Biden’s withdrawal and the party’s 2024 loss and those who believe the focus should shift toward rebuilding ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and future presidential contests. But Brazile made clear where she stands. “Anyone who’s focusing on the past is not focused on the future,” she said. “I’m actually focused on ’26, ’28, ’32.”
Maryland Lt Gov rejects Trump’s corruption claims over mail-in voting error: ‘It happens’
Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller pushed back on President Donald Trump’s call for a Justice Department investigation into a state mail-in ballot error, rejecting allegations of corruption and arguing election administration mistakes occur in almost “every election.” Trump called for the DOJ to open an investigation into some Maryland voters receiving incorrect mail-in ballots for the upcoming primary elections, after election officials admitted to an error by the state’s election board. This prompted Trump to put the blame on Democrat Gov. Wes Moore, accusing him of corruptly interfering with the election process to ensure a win for Democrats. The Maryland State Board of Elections announced that it had been “made aware of an error by our mail-in ballot vendor,” Taylor Print & Visual Impressions (TPVI), Inc. TRUMP CALLS FOR DOJ PROBE INTO MARYLAND MAIL-IN BALLOT ERROR, SUSPECTING ‘CORRUPT’ GOV. WES MOORE TIES “This was done by the Corrupt Governor of the State, Wes Moore,” Trump wrote on Truth Social May 18. “He allowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win. Miller told Fox News Digital that the Maryland State Board of Elections operates independently from the governor’s administration and characterized ballot-distribution errors as a recurring issue in election administration. “The administration, they’re a separate body from us, the board of elections,” Miller said. “And it happens, sometimes,” she continued. “Ballots get mailed the wrong way. It happens almost in every election. While election administration errors have occurred in Maryland, including a voter-roll software glitch in 2018, there is no publicly available evidence showing that incorrect mail ballots are an “every election” occurrence. The state elections board will send out new ballots to all voters who were mailed one before May 14, acknowledging that many voters receiving new ballots may not have been affected by the mishap. The state elections board said there was “no risk of duplicate voting as a result of this issue,” claiming the state has safeguards in place to avoid this from happening. Trump also questioned how the issue would be resolved without any potential threat of duplicate voting. POLITICAL STINK: MARYLAND GOV. WES MOORE CALLS TRUMP’S SEWAGE SPILL BLAME ‘ABSURD’ “In Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “So now, they’re going to send out 500,000 more Mail In Ballots, but nobody knows what’s happening with the first 500,000 they sent.” “In addition, many of these Ballots went to Democrats, so any Republican running in Maryland doesn’t have a chance!” Miller rejected the idea that this issue was intentional or was the result of corruption within the state. “I don’t think it was in malice, in any bad way that this happened,” she told Fox News Digital. “I think it was just error by the vendor.” State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis also denied Trump’s claim that any “illegal” ballots were distributed. MARYLAND BALLOT BLUNDER TRIGGERS GOP PUSH FOR FEDERAL REVIEW OF BLUE STATE’S VOTER ROLLS Trump said he has asked Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Justice Department to investigate the ballot error, but the DOJ has not publicly announced the opening of an investigation. Miller also said that she has not had any information shared with her by the DOJ into what the investigation will entail. “We’ll see what the investigation shows,” Miller said.
FBI arrests protester who threatened to kill ICE officer’s family at NJ detention center protest, Blanche says
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday said that a man who made death threats against a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and his family at a protest in New Jersey Thursday night had been arrested. The arrest came just hours after Blanche promised the protester, who was captured on video, would be found and arrested. “That’s a federal crime,” Blanche said on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” on Thursday. “Not only threatening the ICE officer — but think about how disgusting this individual is by threatening his wife and his children with death. In the video, the protester can be heard taunting the officer: “I will kill your whole f—ing family. Your whole f—ing family is dead. Your children and wife all dead. I have your face mother—er! All dead!” ANTI-ICE AGITATOR SCREAMS ‘I’LL KILL YOUR WHOLE F- FAMILY’ DAY AFTER DEM GOV PRAISES ‘PEACEFUL PROTESTING’ Blanche said the officer was just doing his job and “standing there.” On Friday evening, Blanche wrote on X: Told you. @FBI just arrested the man who threatened to kill ICE officers and their families. FAFO.” He has not yet been identified. ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS CLASH WITH AGENTS OUTSIDE NEW JERSEY DETENTION CENTER AS GOV. SHERRILL DENIED ENTRY The clash occurred Thursday evening outside of Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center where protesters were accused of biting, kicking and punching agents. Agents responded by deploying pepper spray and beating back agitators as the protest continued into its sixth night. Nine rioters were arrested during the clashes Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital. ANTI-ICE AGITATORS THROW WOODEN PALLETS, MATTRESSES AT FEDERAL AGENTS DURING CHAOTIC NJ DETENTION CENTER CLASH Approximately 100 protesters mobbed the area surrounding the detention center, chanting “F— ICE” and brandishing black umbrellas, gas masks and other gear to protect themselves from pepper spray and various anti-riot measures. On Wednesday evening, DHS reported that approximately 100 anti-ICE protesters gathered around the Delaney Hall ICE facility. While rioters assaulted and threw objects at law enforcement, DHS said “local police refused to help our officers.” Six rioters were arrested Wednesday night for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers. “We called local police, we called state police multiple times. Listen, I know the law enforcement there would love to respond, but because of Governor Sherrill’s behavior what the governor is doing, she’s not allowing public officers and state officers to respond,” Mullin said during a Thursday morning appearance on Fox & Friends. Demonstrations over conditions for detainees began Friday, May 22, after detainees penned an open letter claiming they were being denied access to medical care, being insufficiently fed and detained without due process. DHS has denied those claims. Fox News’ Charles Creitz and Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.