Trump set to deliver ‘historic’ speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary
President Donald Trump vowed Saturday to deliver what the White House is calling a “historic” speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary despite severe thunderstorms sweeping through Washington. Trump was originally expected to take the stage at 10 p.m. at the conclusion of the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall, though timing of events may fluctuate due to adverse weather, per a senior White House official. Following the delay, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, the event organizer, said Trump was expected to take the stage around 11 p.m., followed by a fireworks display. “I’m going through bad weather. No matter what happens, I am delivering this speech,” Trump said during a phone call with Fox News’ Bret Baier. Trump’s comments came after Baier interviewed World War II veterans who had taken shelter after the event was temporarily postponed because of severe weather. THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM BICENTENNIAL HISTORY IS TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 1976 “It’s America 250. If they can storm the beaches on D-Day, I can deliver a speech and we can keep this program going,” Trump told Baier. Trump added in a post on Truth Social, “It’s Saturday night, LETS HAVE SOME FUN, even if we are out late tonight.” The president’s address is expected to look back on America’s history since its founding 250 years ago, a senior White House official told Fox News. Trump will deliver a “unique” speech featuring the stories of American heroes. “It will be a unique speech unlike any other he’s given before,” the official added. Earlier Saturday, Trump celebrated what he described as a “stronger than ever” America in a Truth Social post, praising the “incredible” crowds gathered in Washington despite the heat and storms. FOURTH OF JULY APP GUIDES SPECTATORS THROUGH NINE-HOUR AIR SHOW FROM NASA JETS TO B-1 BOMBERS The president also highlighted the air shows over the nation’s capital, saying the pilots and aircraft were “at a level never seen before.” Trump also addressed recent vandalism at the Reflecting Pool, calling those responsible “Vandal Thugs” and promising the pool would be drained and repaired after the holiday weekend. The president’s remarks come one day after he delivered a patriotic speech at Mount Rushmore, where he called the United States the “most exceptional nation ever to exist” and warned that communism posed the nation’s greatest threat. TRUMP HAILS AMERICA AS ‘MOST EXCEPTIONAL NATION EVER TO EXIST’ IN MOUNT RUSHMORE SPEECH “Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — it is death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil. A severe thunderstorm swept through Washington on Saturday evening, prompting emergency officials to urge people on the National Mall to seek shelter. Freedom 250 said it would provide updates on the evening’s schedule as weather conditions developed.
Paul Pelosi, 86, faces a hit-and-run charge after striking a parked car in Napa County: sheriff’s office
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is facing a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after authorities say he struck a parked vehicle in Napa County, California, on Friday, and drove away before his own car became disabled. The Napa County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened Friday afternoon in Yountville, just over an hour north of San Francisco. A witness reported seeing a brown convertible hit an unoccupied parked vehicle before continuing north. Deputies later found the damaged convertible partially blocking a nearby roadway and identified the driver as Paul Pelosi, 86. During the investigation, Pelosi allegedly told deputies he knew he had hit something but did not know what it was, according to the sheriff’s office. He continued driving until his vehicle became disabled, investigators said. PAUL PELOSI HAMMER ATTACKER GETS LIFE SENTENCE ON STATE CHARGES, ON TOP OF 30 YEARS AFTER FEDERAL TRIAL Authorities said alcohol was not a factor in the crash. “The investigation also determined that no alcohol (.00 on Preliminary Alcohol Screening Device) was detected upon testing, therefore Driving Under the Influence was ruled out,” the sheriff’s office said. Investigators said Pelosi was responsible for the collision. He was not arrested at the scene, and the sheriff’s office said that is common for this type of misdemeanor offense. Instead, deputies will refer the case to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution. The sheriff’s office also said it will submit a driver re-evaluation referral to the California DMV, a common practice for elderly drivers. PAUL PELOSI HAMMER ATTACKER DAVID DEPAPE RECEIVES MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 30 YEARS IN PRISON “Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle,” a spokesperson for the Pelosi family said in a statement to The California Post. “Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.” Fox News Digital also reached out to the Pelosi family for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The incident comes more than two years after Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving causing injury stemming from a May 2022 crash in Napa County. He was sentenced to three years of probation, five days in jail — most of which was satisfied through custody credits and a work program — a three-month DUI education program, installation of an ignition interlock device for one year, and fines and restitution to the injured driver. Unlike the 2022 case, investigators said DUI was ruled out in Friday’s crash. Pelosi has remained in the public eye since the October 2022 hammer attack inside the San Francisco home he shares with the former House speaker. David DePape, who broke into the Pelosi residence seeking Nancy Pelosi before attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, was sentenced in October 2024 to life in prison on state charges after previously receiving a 30-year federal prison sentence. The attack left Paul Pelosi with a skull fracture and other serious injuries. Rep. Nancy Pelosi has represented the state’s 11th congressional district in San Francisco for decades.
Trump pardons 9 people convicted of tampering with emission controls on diesel engines
President Donald Trump pardoned nine people convicted of violating the Clean Air Act by tampering with diesel vehicle emissions-control systems. On Friday, Trump announced six of the pardons on Truth Social, arguing that the men he granted clemency to were “persecuted by the Biden Administration” and punished for “fixing their car.” Eight of the people Trump pardoned were diesel mechanics or car tuners who were prosecuted for selling and installing so-called “defeat devices” into trucks, according to a Fox News review of federal court records. These devices reprogram trucks to bypass federally required emissions controls and suppress diagnostic warnings. Without them, many diesel trucks can enter a “limp” mode that limits speed — sometimes to as little as 5 mph — until the emissions system is restored. FORMER INDIANA REP STEPHEN BUYER RECEIVES FULL PARDON FROM TRUMP FOR 2023 INSIDER TRADING CONVICTION Trucks can also enter this limp mode when emissions controls fail. These failures are extraordinarily common and have been causing massive headaches for truckers and farmers for years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. People are more than willing to pay top dollar to mechanics who can do the job of disabling the emissions-limiting systems. Matthew Geouge, one of the pardon recipients, ran two companies that sold illegal tuning devices. Just from the sale of those devices alone, his firms grossed more than $10 million, according to his December 2021 plea agreement. Emissions-capping technology, specifically Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) systems, is also prone to malfunctions in extremely cold weather. TRUMP WILL WELCOME FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO WHITE HOUSE DINNER TO CELEBRATE TRADE, TAX WINS Brad Bylsma, a state equipment fleet manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), said in March that DEF systems account for a “significant portion of our maintenance issues and costs” with state-owned diesel vehicles. Frederic Sifuentes, the president of Alaska-based transportation service, put it more bluntly. “The percentage of breakdowns we have here in Alaska with the DEF systems is roughly 85 percent of the time,” he said. Another pardon recipient, MacKenzie “Mac” Spurlock, was a mechanic in Alaska who modified emissions controls on vehicles for exactly this reason, according to Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. “Four years ago, about 30 armed EPA agents conducted a military-style tactical raid of Matanuska Diesel, owned by Mac Spurlock — a devoted husband and father, small business owner, and veteran of the Alaska Air National Guard,” Sullivan said in a statement celebrating Spurlock’s pardon. “His shop had assisted trucking businesses by modifying several diesel emissions-control systems mandated by a one-size-fits-all Obama-era emissions regulation, ensuring the vehicles wouldn’t shut down in Alaska’s harsh, subzero conditions,” Sullivan added. The other men who received pardons for similar conduct included Ryan and Wade Lalone, Tim Clancy, Joshua Davis, Barry Pierce, Aaron Rudolf, and Jonathan Achtemeier, CBS News reported. In late January 2026, the Trump administration announced it would no longer pursue criminal charges for manufacturers, distributors and users of defeat devices. Civil penalties could still apply.
Pope Leo urges US to welcome immigrants in America 250 speech before visiting global migrant hotspot
Pope Leo XIV urged Americans to embrace the U.S.’s history of welcoming immigrants in a virtual address to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Friday while accepting the 2026 Liberty Medal in recognition of his commitment to religious freedom. “In these past 250 years, for so many peoples throughout the world, it was the firm resolve to achieve the noble vision of the nation’s founders that made America a byword for freedom, as the country opened its doors to successive waves of immigrants, enabling them and their children to play their part in shaping the future of the nation,” Pope Leo, the Catholic church’s first American Pope, recited. “I would just like to recall the words signed by the founding fathers of the nation 250 years ago in Philadelphia in the Declaration of Independence. It said that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men have received fundamental rights from our creator, and they include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” he continued. AMERICA’S NEXT 250 YEARS DEPEND ON PASSING FAITH AND FREEDOM TO OUR CHILDREN “As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children, I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice and peace,” Leo said. “Today, as we look to the future, this historic anniversary presents us with the opportunity to reflect once again on the nation’s founding principles in the hope that America will remain ever true to the dream that has earned it the title of land of the free and home of the brave,” the Pope continued, bolstering a steady commitment to advocating for immigrant and migrant rights, a position he’s taken a strong stance on since ascending to the papacy in 2025. “The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to support, protect and cherish the lives of all, especially the most vulnerable and those whose worth is questioned,” Leo concluded. POPE LEO SAYS HE’S UNAFRAID OF THE TRUMP ADMIN AFTER PRESIDENT CALLS HIM ‘TERRIBLE’ ON FOREIGN POLICY Following his virtual address to the Philadelphia crowd, which he delivered remotely from The Vatican, the Pope departed for Lampedusa, an Italian territorial island off the coast of north Africa that’s become a hotspot for migrants seeking to gain entry into Europe. There, again, Leo urged the world and Europe to accept more migrants. “Here you have seen not just one, but thousands of human beings fallen into the hands of robbers who have taken everything from them, beat them brutally and walked away, leaving them half-dead. The sea has claimed the lives of others, those who did not manage to reach their hoped-for destination. Yet we feel their presence, which challenges us no less than that of those who have landed in need of attention and aid,” he said. ‘YOU’RE DESTROYING YOUR COUNTRIES’: IS EUROPE FINALLY HEEDING TRUMP’S WARNING ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION? “There are also those who choose not to be a neighbor and those who choose not to make a decision. Those who have lost their lives in this sea are victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made. Indifference to the common good and corruption in their countries of origin; a global economic system that generates poverty and exclusion; fear that fuels prejudice and contempt; the belief that such problems do not concern us; the criminal calculations of those who profit from the suffering of others; the slow and difficult transition from mere emergency management to the development of comprehensive and shared policies,” the Pope continued. “Thanks to its geographical location and institutional framework, Europe is capable of addressing the crisis, in this region, in a comprehensive manner, integrating immediate relief efforts into a long-term strategic plan capable of receiving, protecting, supporting and integrating migrants, while at the same time assisting developing countries so that no one is forced to emigrate.” “Indeed, for many a vacation is merely a distraction, a time of lightheartedness and carefree enjoyment. It then seems as though an invisible wall has to be erected between the sea of shipwrecked migrants and the vacationers. Have the courage to think differently,” the Pope concluded. Leo’s strong stances on immigration and war have often put him at odds with Western leaders, particularly President Donald Trump. Trump has called Leo “terrible for Foreign Policy” and “weak,” while Vice President JD Vance, a converted Catholic, has also criticized the Pope’s public comments.
OpenAI’s Sam Altman wants to negotiate a 5% stake in company for US if competitors agree to key provision
OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman is considering offering 5% of his company to the U.S. in a deal negotiated with President Donald Trump if his other AI competitors agree to do the same, the Financial Times reported Thursday. Altman reportedly met with Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about a plan to make OpenAI public to some degree, according to the report. Altman also met with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who recently proposed broad public ownership of AI companies, suggesting U.S. taxpayers should own up to half of the companies. Altman reportedly believes that giving the public partial ownership of AI companies is the best way to spread the benefits of the rapidly growing sector to the American people. A PROGRESSIVE POPE TAKES AIM AT AI AND RISKS KILLING ITS MIRACLES Altman, however, would also want to see AI competitors like Meta, Google and Anthropic contribute 5% of their companies to the public in order to commit to giving up a portion of OpenAI. Anthropic, makers of ChatGPT rival Claude, recently renewed its relationship with the White House and President Trump after being on the outs with the executive branch. The company was recently removed from a Pentagon supply chain risk blacklist and is now working with government officials. NEW YORK MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND LAW REGULATING AI-POWERED COMMERCIALS Altman, according to the report, is seeking with his public gambit to avoid the fate of Anthropic and place himself and OpenAI in Trump’s good graces by adding his company to America’s growing corporate portfolio. The article cited the microchip manufacturer Intel, which the U.S. bought a 10% stake in in August 2025. The Financial Times cited the purchase and Trump’s previous criticism of Intel and its CEO, noting that since Trump made the investment on America’s behalf, his relationship has been smooth sailing. The Intel purchase followed a purchase of 15% equity in the company MP Minerals, and Trump has since acquired stakes in U.S. Steel and a number of quantum companies. ‘LIBELOUS’ NYT REPORT TYING TRUMP FAMILY TO GOVERNMENT-BACKED DEAL SPARKS LEGAL DEMAND Both Altman and Anthropic are reportedly moving to take their companies public soon, a factor that the Financial Times also cites as motivation for Altman to link up to the government as, in the early days of the AI boom, helping influence policy decision on AI may be crucial to the success or failure of the industry’s biggest players. Fox News digital contacted OpenAI and the White House for comment.
NC governor faces criticism for skipping Trump-backed America 250 event
Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., is blasting North Carolina’s state government’s decision to boycott the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., accusing the state’s Democratic governor of injecting politics into America’s 250th birthday celebration. Edwards said Gov. Josh Stein, D-N.C., chose partisanship over patriotism by declining to sponsor a booth representing the Tar Heel State, rejecting the state’s explanation that budget constraints drove the decision. “I think it’s unbelievably unfortunate that our governor chose to not send representation from North Carolina to help celebrate such a momentous occasion and show patriotism,” Edwards, who represents a large swath of western North Carolina, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “But I know a lot of North Carolinians back at home, I know the folks in my district are patriots, and they certainly will be celebrating,” he continued. DAVID MARCUS: LIBERAL ELITES SEETHE OVER AMERICA’S STATE FAIR The state government cited fiscal issues for declining to participate in the 16-day fair, which is currently underway on the National Mall until July 10. Every state was given exhibition space and each day features a different theme celebrating American history and culture. “Our limited resources are focused on America 250 events across North Carolina, including one at the State Capitol in Raleigh on July 4,” a spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources told The New York Times. “I don’t buy that at all,” Edwards said when asked about the alleged budget concerns. “I think it’s a political statement.” Fox News Digital reached out to Stein’s office for comment. FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington are among the other blue states that opted out of the Great American State Fair hosted by the Trump-aligned organization, Freedom 250. Govs. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., and Tina Kotek, D-Ore., are among the Democratic governors who opted out over concerns the event would be overly partisan. The fair is one of several high-profile events marking the 250th milestone in the nation’s Capitol. Still, several private sponsors stepped in to fund the North Carolina booth. Amid Stein’s snub, the state’s booth drew controversy after the inclusion of several Confederate flags as part of the display. The symbols have since been removed from the booth by fair organizers. Stein criticized the display in a written statement obtained by NBC News. “This flag does not represent the North Carolina that we love,” the governor said. “America 250 is about unity and bringing our nation together. We are pleased the flag that did the opposite has now been taken down.” North Carolina joined the Confederacy during the Civil War, but the Confederate flag was never incorporated into the southern state flag’s design.
Top Trump official touts how DC makeover is proof America is rejecting ‘decline by choice’
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is defending President Donald Trump’s many initiatives to address infrastructure in Washington, D.C., calling it a visible reminder that the country needs to actively press back against decline. “Nations don’t crumble by fate — they decline by choice,” Burgum told Fox News Digital. “From rehabilitating and installing historic memorials, statues, and fountains to removing hundreds of instances of graffiti and cleaning up crime on our streets, this administration is proving that American greatness is built through action,” he continued. Burgum’s reasoning, which came ahead of the United States’ 250th Independence Day anniversary, addresses criticisms of the administration that have surfaced in recent weeks, casting doubt on whether Trump’s many renovation and construction initiatives in Washington, D.C. have been worth their price tag. WHITE HOUSE SEIZES ON DELAYED OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER OPENING TO CROWN TRUMP ‘BUILDER-IN-CHIEF’ As part of the 250th celebration, Trump has spent $14.7 million to restore the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool, allocated $250 million to restore the Kennedy Center and is on track to spend over $400 million on the construction of a ballroom at the White House. Trump, in a Truth Social update about the reflecting pool, framed the efforts as part of a larger effort. “We’ve cleaned, renovated and beautified over 45 monuments and memorials, 28 statues and 22 fountains in Washington, D.C. Things are really looking good in our nation’s capital. Add to that the fact that when I became president, crime was rampant. And now Washington, D.C. is one of the safest cities anywhere in the United States,” Trump wrote. REPUBLICANS QUESTION TRUMP’S ‘PRIVATELY FUNDED’ BALLROOM AFTER REPORT POINTS TO TAXPAYER BURDEN The Department of the Interior, which has overseen many of the improvements, further updated its accomplishments ahead of July 4. The city has removed 510 instances of graffiti, removed 154 homeless encampments, applied 212 tons of repair materials to roads and parkways, restored 280,000 square feet of roadway paving, rehabilitated 1,301 benches and fixed 1,913 lights. Burgum said the repairs were emblematic of the administration’s aggressive posture towards addressing problems that had gone ignored in the past. In addition to these major improvements, DOI has restored and cleaned dozens of monuments and statues around DC. DOI also recently helped transform Meridian Hill Park, which got high praise on social media by DC residents, into a desirable place to visit with a restored fountain that had been under construction for years with very little movement. They also cleaned and restored some of the statues in the park, including the Joan of Arc statue and the James Buchanan Memorial. FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP ADMIN TRANSFORMS DC HOTSPOT ONCE ROCKED BY GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS IN SYMBOLIC REVERSAL “While others accept decline, President Trump and the Department of the Interior are restoring the heart of our nation’s capital,” Burgum said. “The Golden Age of America isn’t just a slogan, it’s being rebuilt, one landmark, one street and one victory at a time.”
Pro-Trump artist unleashes powerful message about American flag, touts massive Old Glory painting
Patriotic artist Scott LoBaido is putting the finishing touches on what he calls the largest oil-on-canvas portrait ever of Old Glory at the Great American State Fair in D.C., but the outspoken Trump supporter says the message behind the massive American flag is completely apolitical. LoBaido told Fox News Digital the American flag “does not belong to any particular party” as he painted the 9-by-17-foot flag at the Made in America Pavilion during the Great American State Fair in the nation’s capital, part of the broader celebration surrounding America’s 250th birthday. The Staten Island artist said he believes the piece may be the largest oil-on-canvas American flag ever created. “I am a political person, but that’s irrelevant from this,” LoBaido said. “This flag is for everybody.” HOA THREATENS AMERICAN FLAG-FLYING HOMEOWNERS AS THEY FIGHT FOR OLD GLORY BEFORE NATION’S 250TH BIRTHDAY The New York-based, pro-Trump artist told Fox News Digital that some on the left “run away from the flag because they think it’s a MAGA symbol,” but LoBaido argued that view misses the point of both the flag and his painting. “This fair right now that we are at is the perfect example, because there are a lot of Democrats that are coming through here,” LoBaido said. “And they know me, and they know my politics. And we did not have any political conversation. We spoke about the flag, the art, the meaning of the flag … how special it is that we’re at this 250th birthday party anniversary.” LoBaido also pushed back on those who protest the country by desecrating the flag, arguing that Old Glory is what protects their right to protest in the first place. VANILLA ICE EXPLAINS WHY HE WILL ALWAYS ‘RAISE THE FLAG’ AT HIS SHOWS AFTER DOUBLING DOWN ON FREEDOM 250 SHOW “That American flag that men and women still die for is giving you the freedom to be whatever you want, and do whatever you want – protest whatever you want,” LoBaido added. “So that flag should always be up in the air.” LoBaido told Fox News Digital that the size and live setting of the painting are what make the project different from his past work painting the American flag. “I believe this is the largest American flag done with oils on canvas at the colossal canvas size of 9 feet by 17 feet,” he said. “So, right there is my biggest detailed oil painting of Old Glory.” LoBaido added that there was no better place to create the piece publicly than at America’s 250th birthday celebration, calling the American flag itself “the greatest work of art.” “Where better to unveil, create in public, live, this greatest work of art — not mine, but the American flag itself — at the birthday party of the greatest place in the universe, America, and its 250th birthday party?” ARTIST PAINTS PRESIDENT TRUMP LIVE, CELEBRATING AMERICA 250 AT THE GREAT AMERICAN STATE FAIR LoBaido expects the final unveiling to be emotional, adding that he plans to put the finishing touches on the painting on Independence Day before it eventually finds a permanent home. “I’m just going to put the final touches on it and I don’t know, maybe make an emotional statement, a little speech,” he said, adding that he has “a weakness for this country and the Star-Spangled Banner sung properly.” LoBaido told Fox News Digital that he has already received interest in the painting, but he also floated one high-profile possibility of where it could wind up landing. “Would this not look great in the White House ballroom?” he said. “I think it would be the most beautiful painting with the gold frame on it. Who knows?” The artist said Trump already owns several of his paintings, but joked that if the president wants this one, “he might have to open up his checkbook,” adding that he gives “a big portion” of his proceeds to charity.
Newsom, Walz urge Congress to block anti-climate bill in their ‘woke’ crusade
Top Democratic governors, including Minnesota’s Tim Walz, California’s Gavin Newsom and Illinois’s J.B. Pritzker are urging Congress to reject legislation that would shield oil and gas companies from climate-related lawsuits, arguing taxpayers should not bear the costs of pollution. “Communities all across our nation, in red states and blue states, have suffered and face staggering costs from fires, floods, storms, and heat waves that, according to scientists, are becoming more destructive as a result of the burning of fossil fuels,” reads a letter penned by 10 Democrat governors. The top state leaders, along with Democrat attorneys general, are pushing Congress to reject the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026, arguing it would protect oil and gas industries by granting immunity from lawsuits at the expense of taxpayers. Republicans argue the bill protects American energy from lawsuits that could bankrupt the industry, lead to job loss and drive up the cost of electricity and gasoline. NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHER “Such a guide is sorely needed as litigation involving climate science only grows in prevalence and urgency in our courts. Furthermore, the chapter’s removal does not change the scientific reality of climate change,” wrote more than 20 attorneys general in their letter to Congress. Jason Isaac, American Energy Institute CEO, told Fox News Digital that this is a “coordinated legal campaign to bankrupt lawful American energy producers through junk litigation.” “These companies legally produced the energy that heats and cools homes, powers hospitals, and fuels the American economy — and now a coalition of activist attorneys general and climate advocacy groups want to make them pay retroactively for doing exactly that,” said Isaac. GOP URGES SCOTUS TO REJECT ‘WAR ON AMERICAN ENERGY’ THEY SAY WOULD HIT FAMILIES’ WALLETS The act was first introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., in April. If passed, the act would clear over a dozen lawsuits filed against oil and gas industries brought by local and state governments. “After many failed attempts to enact EU-style climate measures, activists have turned to suing energy companies in a thinly-veiled effort to impose a global carbon tax through the courts,” Civitas Institute research director Michael Toth told Fox News Digital. “This climate lawfare threatens to hijack the federal government’s authority over matters that bear directly on our national security.” California sued several major oil companies in 2023 as part of a broader Democratic effort to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for climate change. The lawsuit, which remains tied up in litigation, reflects Gov. Gavin Newsom’s longstanding opposition to the fossil fuel industry despite California being one of the nation’s largest oil-producing states. “These companies knew about the catastrophic consequences of fossil fuels. They covered it up. Suppressed scientific data. Spent millions to cast doubts on climate science. Time for them to pay,” Newsom wrote on X at the time. The letters from Democratic members and attorneys general come as the Supreme Court will hear a case in their fall term on ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy brought on by officials in Boulder, Colorado. TRUMP’S ENERGY INITIATIVES MAY FINALLY EXTRACT AMERICA FROM MIDEAST CHAOS More than 70 House Republicans are urging the Supreme Court to reject the bid to hold major oil companies liable for climate change damages, calling the lawsuit a costly “war on American energy,” Fox News Digital previously reported. The case would decide whether federal law preempts localities from seeking relief for alleged climate damages in state courts. Boulder sued ExxonMobil and Suncor in 2018, alleging they contributed to climate change and misled the public about its risks. Alliance for Consumers Executive Director O.H. Skinner told Fox News that elected officials need to “push back against climate lawfare, stopping left-wing activists from using their woke lawfare playbook to push unpopular political beliefs through the courts.” “These activists push a woke agenda that hurts consumers by driving up costs and limiting what is on store shelves for consumers. This is the Biden playbook all over again,” said Skinner.
Immigrant business owner who built the American Dream says birth tourism is a ‘slap in the face’
A legal immigrant from Trinidad who became a U.S. citizen after nearly a decade-long process told Fox News Digital that birth tourism and illegal immigration are a “slap in the face” to those who came to America the right way. Kris Ramsingh, a Virginia business owner who immigrated in 2006 and became a citizen in 2015, said his own experience becoming an American shaped his support for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. “When you see that people come across the border, whether it’s [to] have a baby for an anchor, or come across to border and get free healthcare, [or] free school, it’s really a slap in the face to the people who have worked really hard to come into this country the legal way,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday. Unlike those who enter the country illegally, Ramsingh said he was required to satisfy a series of federal immigration requirements before becoming a U.S. citizen. ‘WEAPONS OF MASS REPRODUCTION’: WATCHDOG UNVEILS ACTION PLAN TO CURB BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING As part of the legal immigration process, federal authorities required Ramsingh to provide proof of certain vaccines, personal documentation, a criminal background check and proof of a bank account to demonstrate he would not become a ward of the state. “America doesn’t owe us anything,” Ramsingh said of legal immigrants like himself. “Our government here doesn’t owe us anything. We have the privilege of coming into this country where it’s a holiday visa or for school.” Ramsingh said the week of Independence Day also marks the anniversary of his and his wife’s arrival in the U.S. in 2006 with just $300 and a few suitcases. “I have lived in Roanoke all of those 20 years since,” he said from his Dominion Custom Upholstery business not too far from the city’s famed Mill Mountain Star. WORLD CUP SOCCER FANS ARE DISCOVERING AMERICA’S GREATNESS. IT’S TIME AMERICANS DID, TOO As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, Ramsingh said he feels a special sense of pride in the American flag. He recounted living in his home country in 1990 when Muslim insurgents carried out a coup and shot Prime Minister ANR Robinson while taking officials hostage. “When we saw the red, white, and blue [of American] soldiers coming into the country, we knew we were safe. We knew at that point that America had our back. And America has had a lot of countries’ back over the years,” he said, commenting that — having experienced such a situation firsthand — he is troubled by other countries that demand America’s assistance but go back to resenting the U.S. after they’ve been helped. Ramsingh said that experience shaped his appreciation for the United States and its role around the world. After immigrating to the United States, Ramsingh founded Dominion Custom Upholstery 13 years ago and later launched another company focused on boatworks and interior repairs. He also recently founded Dominion Project International, a missionary organization through which he travels to India, Africa and the Caribbean to share the Gospel while providing potable water and medical supplies to people in need. “The American Dream is that you can try something — you can work hard and try and if it doesn’t work out you can you can pick up and try again,” he added. “The flag represents peace [and] hope as we’re getting ready to celebrate Saturday, the Fourth of July, and it means so much to me — it means freedom.” Since becoming a U.S. citizen, Ramsingh said he feels a special sense of security and pride whenever he returns from missionary trips abroad. “There’s a sense of ‘I’m back on U.S. soil; I’m home,’” he said, whether landing in Washington, D.C., Miami or New York. “That feeling is so great and it really bothers me to see Americans and foreigners coming into this country and saying that they hate America,” he said. “I think if you hated that much, you should just leave — there is no need for you to be here.” Asked about critics’ claims that Trump is anti-immigrant, Ramsingh rejected that characterization. “He’s not anti-immigrant. Republicans are not anti-immigrant — we just want them to go through the process of doing it legally; coming in legally.” “During the Biden administration. When he opened that border — we’re anti-invasion, we are not anti-immigrant. That was an invasion.” Ramsingh acknowledged that some of the personal stories surrounding deportations are difficult to watch, but said those situations stem from years of lax enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “I came from a third-world country. My missions are in third-world countries. I see how these people live. I understand why they want to come to America. I understand the ‘why’,” he said. “I would say Trump is not against immigration. He just wants to see it done right. And again, Donald Trump and our government doesn’t owe immigrants anything. We have the privilege of being here. It’s a privilege. It’s not a right.” Fox News Digital’s Hannah Brennan and Kiera McDonald contributed to this report.