Trump rallies New York crowd for Republican Bruce Blakeman’s bid to replace Gov. Kathy Hochul
President Donald Trump returned to his home state of New York on Friday night, showcasing America’s “New Golden Age” and promising to help Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman flip the Empire State red as the GOP makes its final push toward November’s midterm elections. Trump rallied supporters in Syracuse with a sweeping celebration of his administration’s economic and immigration agenda, pledging to help New Yorkers secure lower taxes, cheaper energy and safer streets by electing Republicans up and down the ballot. “We’re in the Golden Age of America,” Trump told the crowd, urging supporters to deliver the same enthusiasm that powered his presidential campaigns. TRUMP CAMPAIGN INSIDER REVEALS STRATEGY BEHIND MIDTERM BLITZ THAT WHITE HOUSE HOPES PAYS OFF BIG “Please pretend I’m on the freaking ballot,” Trump urged. “And in a really, in a certain way, I am on the ballot because they can take away everything that we, that we got.” The president took Blakeman’s challenge to Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul as the centerpiece of the rally, promising direct support from Washington if elected. “[Blakeman will] save this state. He’ll turn the state around and I’ll help him from the White House,” Trump said. “I’ll be helping him for governor.” Trump blasted Hochul over New York‘s taxes, utility bills and public safety, arguing that Blakeman could unleash the state’s economic potential by embracing domestic energy production and cutting costs for families. DEBRA MESSING SAYS COST OF LIVING, SUBWAY VIOLENCE PUSHED HER TO BACK TRUMP-ENDORSED REPUBLICAN The president also hailed his administration’s economic agenda as proof of what Trump described as a remarkable national turnaround. He singled out Micron’s planned $100 billion semiconductor complex in central New York, a project the company says is expected to generate 50,000 jobs across the state, including 9,000 directly with Micron. “This will soon be the home to the largest semiconductor manufacturing facility ever built in the Western Hemisphere,” Trump said. Blakeman joined Trump onstage and echoed the president’s message of a Republican resurgence, promising to cut taxes and utility bills, focus on public safety and make New York more attractive to both businesses and families. “We have to create good jobs, good benefits to keep our young people here,” Blakeman said. “We gotta look at business not as the enemy, but as a partner.” Trump also threw his support behind Republican congressional candidates Kailee Buller, who is challenging Democrat Rep. John Mannion in New York’s 22nd District, and Anthony Constantino, who is running for the state’s open 21st District seat, pledging to help Republicans compete for both seats. The rally also notably featured a brief but memorable on-stage appearance by legendary former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, whom Trump invited up before the crowd. “I’m just happy to be up here with my president, President Trump,” Tyson said. “And, there’s no way in the world I would ever be here if it wasn’t for a president like Donald Trump. Thank you. Thank you very much.” Trump responded with a laugh, recalling Tyson’s notorious reputation. “I don’t want to fight him,” Trump joked, before complimenting the former champion. “You look good. Mike. What the h— are you doing?” With Election Day approaching, the president returned to his core message that Republicans need Trump supporters to make a roaring showing at the ballot box. “We’re going to elect a Republican House and Republican Senate,” Trump said.
James Talarico resurfaces after extended absence as his campaign pushes back
Texas Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico reappeared on the campaign trail Friday after a nearly two-week absence, ending days of speculation and criticism from political opponents regarding his whereabouts. “Hate to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but James is still alive and meeting with voters at ACL today,” Talarico’s primary spokesperson, JT Ennis, wrote on X. The post included a video of the candidate walking through crowds and greeting supporters at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. MEET THE VOTERS WHO COULD BREAK THE GOP’S DECADESLONG GRIP ON A REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD Talarico, who is challenging Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a closely watched U.S. Senate contest, had not been seen publicly in person at a campaign event since late September. His last in-person event was a Sept. 26 news conference in Carrollton addressing rising gas prices. Talarico’s campaign attributed the absence to a severe case of the flu. However, the prolonged pause drew sharp criticism from Republicans, including President Donald Trump. HECKLERS INTERRUPT TRUMP TEXAS RALLY MULTIPLE TIMES In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the Democrat was “MISSING IN ACTION.” “TalaFREAKo has been missing for 12 days! Now, after looking for him throughout all of Texas, and beyond, probably even weirder places than anyone would think possible, he put out a statement that he has the ‘flu,’” Trump wrote. “12 days is a long time to rid yourself of the so-called flu bug. What’s going on?” he added. “We need a Senator that’s a proven Champion like one that has been, without question, the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and one of the Greatest in the U.S.A.” Talarico’s campaign pushed back on the characterization that he had been absent from the campaign trail for nearly two weeks, saying he attended a Zoom on Sept. 30 with the U.S. Hispanic Business Council after canceling an in-person event. The campaign argued that because he attended that Zoom, his absence was closer to nine days. COWBOYS LEGEND RANDY WHITE ENDORSES KEN PAXTON, WARNS JAMES TALARICO ‘CAN’T BE TRUSTED’ Talarico’s last public event was a Sept. 26 campaign event in Texas, where he held a news conference in Carrollton. On Sept. 28, he attended a fundraiser in New York City. The next day, he said he’d been diagnosed with the flu. Talarico’s absence also prompted Paxton to target his opponent’s absence while on the campaign trail. “Where is James Talarico?” Paxton asked during a campaign rally in San Antonio. PAXTON VENTS OVER LACK OF CAMPAIGN CONTROL AS DC ESTABLISHMENT HE ONCE BATTLED COMES TO HIS AID Talarico’s campaign confirmed he expects to return to a full in-person schedule through the weekend ahead of an Oct. 14 CNN town hall. The campaign previously noted that, prior to his illness, Talarico had already completed more than 100 public campaign events across the state.
Culture clash laid bare as violent Somali gangs grip suburban communities: ‘These kids are different’
More than 100 rounds fired in a Minnesota neighborhood have left police struggling to explain a troubling pattern: Somali American youths from financially comfortable households are turning online disputes into gang violence. The violence raises bigger questions about what is driving these gangs and whether struggles to fit into American life, cultural or clan ties, government policies or failures by schools and other institutions have played a role and what makes these youths different from traditional American street gangs. “They’re coming from families. They got money, and they have resources,” Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges told Fox News Digital of the young Somali American gang members under investigation. Those questions follow a late-night Bloomington gunfight that left one person injured during a string of shootings across suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul. 100-SHOT SOMALI GANG GUN BATTLE ROCKS MINNESOTA AS SHERIFF WARNS ‘WE’RE IN TROUBLE’ Hodges said the suspects defy traditional drug- or money-driven gang profiles. Asked what drives the violence beyond social media disputes, he acknowledged investigators lack a clear answer. “I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I really wish I could,” Hodges said. Somalia, long considered a failed state until the mid-2010s, according to the U.N., has endured decades of clan-based warfare and weak central government authority, including the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu depicted in “Black Hawk Down,” when Somali militiamen battled U.S. forces during an ill-fated military operation, part of the turmoil that drove waves of refugees to America. More than 111,000 Somali refugees were admitted to the U.S. between 2001 and 2023 through the federal refugee resettlement program, spanning the George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations. Minnesota became a major destination, alongside sizable Somali American communities in New York, Texas and Ohio. Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, believes one possible explanation lies in how refugees have been resettled. “We have to remember also that this population’s origins were as refugees who were a vulnerable population and traumatized in many cases,” Vaughan told Fox News Digital. “But they were settled in clusters in certain places in the United States. And I believe that is a policy that has facilitated the formation of these gangs because it removes a lot of the incentives for people to assimilate. “And it just makes assimilation to the larger society much more difficult because it’s not necessary for people to get by.” Vaughan described an emphasis on preserving homeland cultures rather than encouraging integration as a “missed opportunity,” arguing it can leave immigrants in a “separate society within the larger Minnesota community.” History, however, complicates the argument that maintaining strong ethnic ties necessarily prevents assimilation. Stanford sociologist Tomás Jiménez cautioned against treating gang involvement among a small subset of second-generation immigrants as evidence that an entire community has failed to integrate. “I would actually not think of it as, like, a failed assimilation, as much as a particular kind of assimilation,” Jiménez said. He noted that Italian, Irish, Mexican and Salvadoran communities experienced gang activity while broader integration continued. Jiménez emphasized that assimilation unfolds across generations, pointing out that the Italian American experience spanned roughly 75 years rather than occurring overnight. He identified education, economic advancement, language and intermarriage as important measures of integration. FOX NATION REVEALS HOW RUDY GIULIANI BROKE THE MAFIA’S GRIP ON NEW YORK Donald Tricarico, an Italian American immigration scholar at Queensborough Community College, drew parallels between Italian and Irish immigrants, who established close-knit ethnic communities in New York. He said Italian families often followed relatives from the same villages into the same neighborhoods and occupations. “They came to the same neighborhoods … what migration historians call ‘chain migration,’ and they … went to the same neighborhoods,” he said, citing his own family’s multigenerational experience in New York City. “There isn’t a switch that gets flipped,” Tricarico said, challenging assumptions that Italian Americans assimilated quickly and noting that close-knit ethnic communities persisted into the 1980s in some cases. WORKING-CLASS AMERICANS SAY THEIR TOWN IS THE NEXT DEARBORN — AND THEY’VE HAD ENOUGH “Assimilation is a slow crawl,” he said, explaining that economic advancement and integration typically unfold across generations. Tricarico noted that some Sicilian immigrants arrived with ties to existing Mafia networks overseas, a criminal element distinct from the broader Italian immigrant population. Hodges, meanwhile, said investigators have found no evidence that longstanding clan rivalries in Somalia are driving the Minnesota violence. Somali American community figures have offered their own explanations, including the challenges facing immigrant parents. At an Eden Prairie news conference Wednesday, Somali teacher Fardousa Yossuf suggested parents working long hours may have neglected their children’s needs and “expressed disbelief” that people raised with Islamic values could engage in gun violence, according to Alpha News. Imam Yusuf Abdulle rejected characterizing the violence as a Somali problem in an interview with WCCO – CBS Minnesota posted on YouTube. “These kids are Americans. They’re born and raised here,” Abdulle said. “It is an American problem. It is not a Somali problem.” Vaughan, meanwhile, warned that the gangs have not reached the sophistication of transnational organizations such as MS-13 but could become more entrenched without intervention. She pointed to families and schools as critical to preventing recruitment and argued that local institutions and law enforcement must intervene before the groups become more organized. Vaughan acknowledged she had not established that specific Minnesota schools or resettlement policies prompted the shootings. Asked whether longstanding Somali clan rivalries were fueling the shootings, Hodges said investigators found no evidence supporting that explanation. “No, we have not seen that. I haven’t seen it,” he said. He added that people from groups in conflict in Somalia can belong to the same cliques in Minnesota. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Hodges said police are redirecting task force resources toward the gangs and questioned whether some Hennepin County prosecution policies could limit intervention. He warned the Bloomington gunfire could have endangered innocent bystanders had it occurred during daylight. “If that had been one o’clock
Letitia James stumped by debate question while GOP rival delivers ‘zinger for the ages’
New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James went silent for several seconds when asked to name a former state attorney general she admired during Thursday’s New York attorney general race debate. “Tick tock,” Errol Louis of Spectrum News 1, one of the moderators said to James, prompting laughter from the Attorney General. The attorney general’s race in New York comes against the backdrop of James’ ongoing dispute with President Donald Trump, who called James “a Complete and Total Disaster” and accused her of leading a “WITCH Hunt” against him in his endorsement of James’ Republican challenger, Saritha Komatireddy, in August. LETITIA JAMES’ UNDERDOG RIVAL TURNS AG’S OWN PLAYBOOK AGAINST HER WITH SCATHING 52-COUNT CAMPAIGN ‘INDICTMENT’ The pause from James drew immediate criticism from Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor and chief of staff for the Drug Enforcement Administration, who quipped from the podium that James “only admires herself.” “An absolutely devastating moment for Tish James,” conservative communications strategist Steve Guest wrote on X. “‘She only admires herself’ is a debate zinger for the ages.” “No, no, no, no, we admire others,” James said. “I admire all of the past attorney generals because it is a difficult job and you’ve got to stand up.” When asked the same question, Komatireddy named Dennis Vacco, who served as the state’s attorney general from 1995 to 1998. Like Komatireddy, he was also a former federal prosecutor. James then said that she admired former Democratic Attorney General Bob Abrams, who served from 1979 to 1993. The exchange, which came in the final moments of Thursday’s debate, led critics to question whether James knew of other New York attorneys general. “Very telling moment,” Steve McLaughlin, Rensselaer County executive, wrote on X. “James went completely blank because she’s A: dumb as a rock B: has no idea who any former AG is because she’s not doing the job and never has been.” NY AG HOPEFUL BLASTS LETITIA JAMES AS MEDICAID FRAUD RECOVERIES COLLAPSE: ‘SHE’S NOT DOING THE JOB’ “She’s a mouthpiece,” McLaughlin continued. “Zero institutional knowledge.” “Letitia James doesn’t know the plural form of ‘Attorney General,’” another Twitter user wrote. Nicole Kiprilov, a spokesperson for Komatireddy, echoed the candidate’s comment on the debate stage. “Letitia James can’t name a single former Attorney General she admires because she’s too busy admiring herself. She’s turned the Attorney General’s office into her own political stage and ignored the safety of the state,” Kiprilov said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “New Yorkers deserve a real prosecutor, not a joke like her!” But James’ campaign pushed back on Komatireddy’s characterization of James and how she runs her office. “Attorney General Letitia James spent much of the debate teaching her opponent how the Office of the Attorney General actually works, and she was happy to name former Attorney General Bob Abrams as someone she respects,” a spokesperson for James said in a statement to Fox News Digital. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER James’ attorney general’s office has been thrust into the national spotlight after New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed James as special investigator to examine an alleged gang rape that occurred at Cornell University in October 2024. The renewed attention comes in response to a recent lawsuit filed by the alleged victim, Jane Doe, against the university, the alleged perpetrators, her sorority and a bar that allegedly served her alcohol while she was underage. But James has faced calls from an attorney for one of the defendants to recuse herself from the case over social media posts showing support for Jane Doe before James was appointed special investigator.
Kash Patel announces arrest of suspected ShinyHunters co-conspirator after FBI jobs portal breach
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that agents arrested another suspected co-conspirator linked to the ShinyHunters hacking group earlier this week during the bureau’s investigation of a cybersecurity incident involving its jobs website. The arrest is the latest in a series of FBI actions against the hacking network in recent days, according to Patel, who said investigators are pursuing additional leads and evidence. “Earlier this week, our agents in the field arrested another suspected co-conspirator of the ShinyHunters group, the group believed to be responsible for the recent FBIjobs.gov incident, which occurred on a platform managed by a third-party vendor,” Patel said in an Oct. 9 statement. FBI INVESTIGATES AFTER SHINYHUNTERS HACKERS CLAIM THEFT OF AGENTS’ PERSONAL DATA Patel said the FBI is working with its partners to dismantle the group and its associates. “This arrest demonstrates the strength and reach of our efforts to protect Americans from cybercrime. We will continue to work closely with our partners to disrupt what’s left of the ShinyHunters group and their associates, no matter where they operate.” ShinyHunters, a criminal hacking and extortion group, previously said it obtained sensitive personal information belonging to FBI employees and applicants through the bureau’s jobs portal. 16-YEAR-OLD ALLEGEDLY LED RANSOMWARE GANG BEHIND HUNDREDS OF ATTACKS The group said it stole information belonging to nearly all FBI agents and people who applied to work for the bureau, Reuters previously reported. A sample of data shared with the outlet contained agents’ names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, assignments and, in some cases, names of family members. The FBI previously said it was investigating whether the breach originated within its own systems or through a third-party provider supporting FBIJobs.gov. The extent of the alleged breach has not been independently confirmed. Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent and CEO of Media Rep Global Strategies, previously told Fox News Digital the distinction between stolen personnel information and access to classified investigative systems is critical. FBI HACK CLAIM RAISES FEARS OVER SENSITIVE PERSONAL DATA “There is a meaningful difference between somebody obtaining personnel information and somebody gaining access to classified investigative systems,” Pack said. “Based on what we know right now, there is no indication they have the keys to the kingdom.” A representative for the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump names Leavitt successor after weeks of speculation — and she’s no stranger to MAGA
President Donald Trump tapped a trusted ally from the company behind his Truth Social platform to become his next White House press secretary Friday, naming attorney and television commentator Katie Zacharia to succeed Karoline Leavitt. Two White House officials confirmed the selection to Fox News Digital before Trump publicly announced the appointment on X. Zacharia, an attorney and frequent television commentator, currently serves as senior communications adviser to Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the president’s social media platform, Truth Social. She will succeed former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “It is my Great Honor to have just appointed, as Press Secretary, Katie Zacharia. Katie currently serves as Senior Communications Advisor to Truth Social (Trump Media & Technology Group), where she has been outstanding!” Trump wrote Friday afternoon. KAROLINE LEAVITT JOINS FOX NEWS AS CONTRIBUTOR AFTER LEAVING WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ROLE Zacharia celebrated the appointment in a post on X, thanking Trump for what she called the “distinguished privilege” of serving as White House press secretary. “Serving President Trump and the American people at this critical 250-year mark is the honor of a lifetime,” Zacharia wrote. “President Trump has shown America that we can be great again, and he works to effectuate that greatness every single day. His confidence is a true privilege, and his leadership is a blessing to this country.” Zacharia said her focus would be on communicating the administration’s accomplishments to the American public while working with reporters across the country. “The work ahead is to continue delivering strong results for our Country and communicating to the American people the major wins that this Administration is making every single day,” she wrote. “I look forward to working with the White House press corps, and with reporters across the country, to get that record out.” She also acknowledged the expectations that come with succeeding Leavitt. “Following the fabulous Karoline Leavitt is a high standard, and one worth meeting,” Zacharia wrote. Zacharia previously served briefly as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security following the departure of Tricia McLaughlin, who had served as press secretary under former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. KAROLINE LEAVITT HEADS FOR WHITE HOUSE EXIT AS SPECULATION BUILDS OVER WHO TRUMP PICKS NEXT “Katie is a distinguished Graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, an attorney, and a frequent Commentator on outlets, including Fox News and Newsmax. She was previously involved in my Campaigns, assisting in key Swing States, where we won 7 out of 7. She has an unblemished record of support, and has been a loyal and brilliant supporter, right from the beginning,” said Trump. “She is, likewise, a devoted fan and member of MAGA! I am confident that Katie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next White House Press Secretary, as she has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, the Media, the American People, and my Administration. Katie is replacing the fabulous Karoline Leavitt, who did a fantastic job as Press Secretary. Good luck Katie,” he added. A 41-year-old mother of four, Zacharia has been married to her husband Tyler since 2011. He is a producer known for projects like the 2019 film “The Irishman” and 2025 movie, “Roofman.” Zacharia notes on her Instagram that her husband has also worked with Angel Studios on “David,” “Brink of War” and “Young Washington.” WHITE HOUSE PLANS GUEST HOSTS FOR PRESS BRIEFINGS WHILE KAROLINE LEAVITT TAKES MATERNITY LEAVE Since Leavitt’s departure, there have been only two formal White House press briefings — one with Vice President JD Vance and one with Attorney General Todd Blanche. The White House adopted a rotating lineup of top Trump administration officials to lead press briefings while former press secretary Karoline Leavitt was on maternity leave over the summer. “Katie has been an effective champion of MAGA movement and America First policies – and most importantly clearly has [the] trust of President Trump,” former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer told Fox News Digital. “Anyone who has not met her yet will quickly see that she is a genuinely kind person who will work well with the press corps, unlike the first press secretary who came across as an angry leprechaun at times,” Spicer added. Secretary of State Marco Rubio kicked off the rotation, followed by Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. Rather than relying on a single deputy press secretary, the administration tapped high-profile officials to field questions from reporters on the president’s agenda. Names previously floated as potential replacements for Leavitt included former Trump attorney and current Justice Department adviser Alina Habba, CNN political commentator Scott Jennings, principal deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, former Pence communications director Katie Miller, White House communications director Steven Cheung and Breitbart Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle.
Marco Rubio announces sweeping financial sanctions against the International Criminal Court
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that the Trump administration is imposing sweeping financial sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), a body the president has sought to dismantle throughout his second term. To date, the administration has sanctioned 17 individuals with ties to the ICC, including judges and prosecutors. The latest move marks the first time the U.S. has gone after the institution itself. “Our message is clear: The United States and the American people are not subject to the jurisdiction of this fake ICC,” Rubio said in a pre-recorded video message released Friday morning. “Both parties agree on this, but only President Trump has the resolve to take the action needed to end this threat once and for all.” This comes hours after this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, a former ICC judge. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SANCTIONS SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR ‘ABUSES OF POWER’ In a statement Friday, the Netherlands-based court strongly condemned the U.S. sanctions as “an assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order.” “This measure targets an independent judicial institution, created by treaty and entrusted by 125 States Parties with investigating and prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression,” the ICC added. “It is an attempt to obstruct the course of justice and to prevent the Court from doing what it was created to do.” ICC President Tomoko Akane, who was personally sanctioned by the Trump administration in August, said the court will continue to operate despite the new penalties. In announcing the sanctions, Rubio argued the ICC believes it has the authority to prosecute American service members operating overseas and even U.S. Border Patrol agents. There is no evidence the court has sought to investigate or prosecute Border Patrol agents, though Rubio previously raised that possibility in July. WORLD COURT PROSECUTOR WHO WENT AFTER NETANYAHU FOR WAR CRIMES SUSPENDED OVER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT The administration’s concerns about U.S. personnel are not entirely hypothetical. In 2017, an ICC prosecutor sought authorization to investigate alleged war crimes committed by U.S. military and intelligence personnel in Afghanistan. ICC judges initially rejected the request, but that decision was overturned on appeal in 2020, allowing the investigation to proceed. The court’s prosecutor later de-prioritized alleged crimes involving U.S. personnel to focus on alleged crimes committed by the Taliban and ISIS-K. Under the new sanctions, any ICC assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen, while Americans, U.S. businesses and banks are generally barred from conducting transactions with the court. The sanctions will not go into effect immediately. The Treasury Department has given the ICC a 180-day general license to maintain its operations, giving the court time to address U.S. concerns. ICC TURNS ‘BLIND EYE’ TO TOP WORLD THREATS WHILE TARGETING AMERICANS, TRUMP ADMIN SAYS “Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC. And we expect our allies, many of whom are part of the ICC and that rely on American service members for their defense, to rein in this rogue court,” Rubio said. “If they do not, the United States will continue its campaign to dismantle the ICC piece by piece until Americans are threatened no longer.” One of the other major grievances the administration has with the ICC is its decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024. The ICC argued both officials were responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza during Israel’s military response to the Hamas-led Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in 2023. Both men have denied wrongdoing. In a February 2025 executive order authorizing sanctions against ICC officials, President Donald Trump called the arrest warrants “baseless” and said the court overstepped its authority since Israel was not an ICC member. The ICC maintains that it can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states when they are accused of qualifying crimes committed on the territory of a state that has accepted the court’s jurisdiction.
Dem scrambles to change tune on trans athletes as Trump targets past record: ‘Annie Trannie’
A South Carolina Democrat running for U.S. Senate who previously opposed legislation restricting transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports is now emphasizing her opposition to biological males participating in female athletics as President Donald Trump targets her record ahead of the midterm elections. Trump took aim at Annie Andrews, a pediatrician challenging Republican Sen. Darline Graham, in a series of Truth Social posts this week, dubbing her “Annie Trannie” and accusing her of supporting transgender policies that are out of step with South Carolina voters. The president also shared an attack ad accusing Andrews of supporting biological males competing against female athletes. “Annie Andrews is for they/them, not for our values, not for South Carolina,” the ad said. But Andrews pushed back in an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, arguing that her positions have been misrepresented. “I don’t support biological men playing in women’s sports and I don’t support gender surgery on minors,” Andrews said. Her comments stand in contrast to her public opposition to South Carolina’s 2022 Save Women’s Sports Act, which restricted transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s school sports. At the time, Andrews called the legislation “shameful” and “actively harmful,” raising questions about how she reconciles her past opposition to the law with her current campaign position. DEMOCRATS ARE CHANGING THEIR TRANSGENDER MESSAGE. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’RE JUST FLIP-FLOPPING As passed, the bill required interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural and club teams sponsored by public schools and colleges to be designated as male or female-coded. It then closed women’s teams to male students and similarly closed men’s sports to women — unless the school did not have a designated women’s team. Private schools competing against public schools were required to follow the same rules. It also allowed students harmed by a violation to sue schools. Andrews’ social media post at the time garnered resurfaced attention as she launched her 2026 Senate bid, attracting pressure from Republicans. “Annie “Trannie” Andrews is running against our wonderful Darline Graham for the Senate in South Carolina,” Trump wrote in one post. “Annie Trannie is not, in particular, as it pertains to representing the Values of the Great People of South Carolina — She is in favor of Transgender for Everyone, Open Borders, Defunding the Police, High Taxes, a Weak Military, and will absolutely fight to take your guns away — In other words, she is against our Great Second Amendment! Trannie is not for South Carolina, and South Carolina must show, in the upcoming Election, that it is not for her,” Trump added. In her interview with Fox News Digital, Andrews dismissed Trump’s barb, calling it a distraction from the issues central to voters in South Carolina. “And in regards to the name-calling, if calling me names is going to lower gas and diesel prices here for so many hardworking South Carolinian families, if it’s going to lower grocery prices or somehow make healthcare more affordable then he can call me all the names he wants but I don’t think that’s a path to solution so I’m going to stay focused on what I can do to help folks in South Carolina,” Andrews said. Andrews did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment on whether her statements reflected a change in stance. She also did not expand on what had drawn criticism for the Save Women’s Sports Act. TALARICO CAMP SAYS HE OPPOSES TRANS ATHLETES IF UNSAFE OR UNFAIR BUT ACCUSES POLITICIANS OF BULLYING STUDENTS At least one Republican onlooker, National Republican Senatorial Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia, believes her remarks speaks poorly of the message she’s presenting to voters. “Annie Andrews’ blatant lies show just how desperate she is and how little she thinks of South Carolinians. But nothing Andrews says or does will change her far-left record,” Puglia said in a comment. This isn’t the first time Andrews has received Republican criticisms for what they view as retreats from trans policies. In 2022, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., called out Andrews for, in her view, trying to walk back her opposition to H. 4047, a bill that would “prohibit the performance of a medical procedure or the prescription or issuance of medication, upon or to a minor, that is intended to alter the appearance of the minor’s gender or delay puberty, with exceptions; to create criminal penalties; and for other purposes.” Andrews said she opposed the bill in a post to X, calling it “dangerous,” only to later say that she opposed trans procedures for minors. “She called thewww.youtube.comwww.youtube.com legislation to ban that kind of surgery dangerous. She called that legislation an attack on our youth. And it wasn’t until we called her out on it that she decided that she’s now not for something that she was very publicly in support of just last year. And so it’s really hard to play hide and seek from your public comments, because once you tweet it, it’s on their public record forever. And that’s how we discovered it,” Mace told Fox News Digital at the time. Notably, she isn’t the only Democrat who in recent weeks has received attention for seeming shifts in her position over transgender policies. Fellow Democrats like Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., and Sarah Trone Garriott, a congressional candidate in Iowa, have all been forced to reiterate their positions as Republicans have highlighted their records on the subject. WATCH: BATTLEGROUND DEMOCRAT CALLED IOWA A ‘BACKWATER’ OVER TRANSGENDER ATHLETES BAN In Kaptur’s case, she described how she had “voted with Republicans to keep transgender ideology out of our schools” despite voting against a women’s sports bill. Similarly, Davis voted “present” on that same women’s bill while later claiming that women should have “safe and fair space” in sports. And Garriott, who cast a vote against a ban on biological men in women’s locker rooms, clarified her stance earlier this year, stating that “I oppose letting men in women’s locker rooms.” Those statements reflect broader trends in public opinion showing consensus on trans athlete
Trump says Rogers ‘completely obliterated’ El-Sayed in debate
President Donald Trump said that Michigan GOP U.S. Senate candidate former Rep. Mike Rogers “obliterated” Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed in a Thursday night debate. “Mike Rogers, the great American Patriot and Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Michigan, completely obliterated Mohammad El-Sayed in the big debate tonight. If this was a fight they would have stopped it,” the president declared in a Truth Social post issued shortly after midnight on Friday. “Mohammad is a Jihadist lunatic who hates our Country, the Black People of Detroit, and wants to see the U.S. fail. Short on Stature, Patriotism, and Truth, Mohammed’s statements have been loaded up with lies and deceit. I won Michigan BIG, and know that Mike Rogers, a total winner, is the man for you!!!” Trump added. MICHIGAN SENATE DEBATE ERUPTS INTO PERSONAL ATTACKS AS ROGERS, EL-SAYED CLASH OVER ISRAEL, IRAN AND MORE El-Sayed’s campaign and the White House did not immediately respond for comment to Fox News Digital. Trump has endorsed Rogers, who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from early 2001 until early 2015. Trump also backed Rogers in 2024, but the GOP candidate lost the 2024 Michigan U.S. Senate race to then-Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin. EL-SAYED’S SCATHING OBAMA CRITIQUE RESURFACES AHEAD OF JOINT CAMPAIGN RALLY In part of a Wednesday Truth Social post, the president wrote, “Mohammed El-Sayed is a terrible Candidate for the Dumocrats. While his opponent, Mike Rogers, is an extremely good one, Mohammed goes back to the days of the Jihad. He is a RADICAL Extremist, Terrorist Sympathizer, and no different from his best friend, America Hating Hasan Piker.” UNEARTHED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS CONTRADICT EL-SAYED’S ‘CAPITALIST’ NARRATIVE El-Sayed, whose full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, declared in a statement on Thursday, “He knows my name is Abdul. He says it every day. But he’s not just attacking me. He’s attacking all of us. He thinks so low of us. He thinks he can use my name and my faith to distract us from the suffering his policies are inflicting on us at the pump, at the grocery store, and at the doctor’s office. He thinks we don’t know any better. It’s time for change.”
Trump sets up committee to investigate Fed Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations
President Donald Trump has set up a committee to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations she made false statements on mortgage documents, the same accusations Trump has cited for over a year in a bid to remove her from office. Trump attempted to remove Cook in August 2025, triggering a lengthy legal battle that culminated in the Supreme Court blocking her firing in June 2026. In a 5-4 ruling, the court ruled she had not been given adequate time to respond to the allegations against her. This newly-formed committee appears to be the process the White House has settled on to give Cook a chance to advocate for herself, as she will be allowed to submit a written statement ahead of her first scheduled hearing on Nov. 5, 2026. WHO IS LISA COOK? THE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR AT THE HEART OF THE SUPREME COURT’S TRUMP-FED SHOWDOWN Her statement must be received by the committee at least three days ahead of the hearing, which will unfold at the White House and will last no more than four hours, according to a notice dated Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, but released on Friday by the Trump administration. At the hearing itself, Cook will be able to “present argument, written evidence, and written witness statements regarding the evidence and allegations,” the White House said. In turn, lawyers with the Department of Justice will question her. The hearing will be closed to the public but will be transcribed. EXPLAINED: HOW LISA COOK’S THREE HOME LOANS BECAME CENTRAL TO TRUMP’S FIGHT OVER HER FEDERAL RESERVE SEAT Three White House staffers, including National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett, will serve as members of the committee. Hassett was one of Trump’s top picks to replace Jerome Powell as Fed Chair before he ultimately settled on Kevin Warsh. The White House said it expects Cook to submit another written statement after the hearing, after which the committee will make a recommendation to Trump on whether there is adequate cause to remove her from her post. The White House revisited its effort to fire Cook in August, sending her a letter informing her that Trump was once again considering terminating her. This time, Cook was given 21 days to respond. Her attorneys submitted a letter to the White House on Aug. 26 denying that she had committed mortgage fraud. The White House alleged that Cook claimed homes in Atlanta and Michigan as her primary residence on separate mortgage agreements and later rented out the Atlanta property. Cook’s attorney said the Atlanta designation was an inadvertent mistake, arguing that she sought financing for it as a vacation home and consistently identified Michigan as her “primary” or “permanent” residence.