Trump marks Cinco de Mayo with ‘NICE’ post, echoing past viral taco bowl moment
President Donald Trump marked Cinco de Mayo on Tuesday with a new Truth Social post featuring a stylized “NICE” graphic — a play on Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. The post adds to a string of Cinco de Mayo messages from Trump that have repeatedly drawn attention online, including his widely shared 2016 taco bowl post that resurfaces nearly every year around the holiday. Trump has frequently used the holiday to share posts blending humor, politics and immigration messaging; and had already publicly embraced the “NICE” branding concept ahead of Tuesday’s post. The image shared Tuesday featured an eagle-and-shield design above the word “NICE,” styled similarly to federal law enforcement branding and appearing to reference ICE. TRUMP VOWS NOT TO HELP BLUE CITIES WITH RIOTS, INSTRUCTS ICE AND BORDER PATROL TO PROTECT FEDERAL PROPERTY Trump endorsed the idea of rebranding ICE as “NICE” in a late April Truth Social post, writing: “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT.” The phrase originated from a social media suggestion that Trump later amplified online. The latest post also brought renewed attention to Trump’s most recognizable Cinco de Mayo moment. HERE ARE 5 OF GUY FIERI’S FAVORITE TACO SPOTS ACROSS AMERICA AHEAD OF CINCO DE MAYO In 2016, then-candidate Trump posted a photo of himself eating a taco bowl at Trump Tower alongside the caption: “Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics!” The post quickly went viral and has continued resurfacing online in the years since. The image showed Trump seated at a desk with a taco bowl in front of him, giving a thumbs up as he posed for the camera. DNC TACO TRUCK STUNT TROLLING TRUMP BACKFIRES ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH VANCE, GOP: ‘CAN’T FIX STUPID’ Last year, Trump reshared the taco bowl post and wrote: “This was so wonderful, 9 years ago today!” The post continues to go viral online as users revisit the original taco bowl image each year on the holiday. One user posted an image of the president’s original 2016 taco bowl post, writing, “Cinco de Trumpo.” Another commenter wrote, “such a classic,” and another quipped, “maybe the greatest tweet of all time.” Trump’s original taco bowl post remains one of the most recognizable Cinco de Mayo moments of the social media era. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump flexes muscle in Indiana: GOP incumbents fall in primary showdowns
President Donald Trump‘s immense sway over the GOP was on the line Tuesday in Indiana’s primary, as the president’s endorsements in key Republican state Senate nomination races were being tested. And it appears Trump’s grip over the Republican Party remains extremely strong. Five months ago, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Indiana state Senate withstood immense pressure from Trump and his allies and voted down congressional redistricting, which would have given solidly red Indiana two more right-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms. Fast-forward to present day, and eight of those state senators faced GOP primary challenges. Seeking retribution, the president endorsed challengers to seven of the eight Republican lawmakers who voted against the redistricting bill. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB The Associated Press reported that five of the Trump-endorsed candidates won, with one incumbent survived, and one race yet to be decided as of late Tuesday evening. Trump-backed Blake Fletcher defeated incumbent state Sen. Travis Holdman in Indiana’s 19th District, in the northeastern part of the state. And Michelle Davis, who was supported by the president, topped incumbent Sen. Greg Walker in District 41 in central Indiana. Tracey Powell, who was also supported by Trump, defeated incumbent state Sen. Jim Buck in District 21 in central Indiana. Buck was backed by former Vice President Mike Pence, who was elected congressman and later governor of Indiana before serving as Trump’s first vice president. In District 11 in northern Indiana, incumbent Linda Rogers was defeated by Trump-endorsed Brian Schmutzler. And the AP also reported that in northwestern Indiana’s District 1, Trump-supported Trevor De Vries topped incumbent state Sen. Dan Dernulc. Only one state senator had survived as of late Tuesday. Sen. Greg Goode defeated two challengers, Trump-backed Brenda Wilson and Alexandra Wilson, in District 38, in western Indiana. Meanwhile, in District 39, Trump-backed Jeff Ellington won the GOP nomination in an open-seat race where there was no incumbent. A Republican source familiar with the effort to defeat the incumbent GOP state Senators told Fox News Digital over $8 million was spent on TV and digital ads between the American Leadership PAC and Hoosier Leadership for America. Those are the two outside groups aligned with GOP Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana, a top ally of the president in the U.S. Senate, that took a lead in targeting the incumbent state senators and supporting the Trump-backed challengers. The source added that Team Trump operatives began organizing this plan in February and were responsible for the vast majority of the money raised that was spent by the two groups. “Everyone in Indiana politics should have learned an important lesson today: President Trump is the single most popular Republican among Hoosier voters. Indiana is a conservative state, and we deserve conservatives in our State Senate who have a pulse on Republican voters,” Banks said in a statement. Republican Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana also donated several hundred thousand dollars to the effort. Two well known national groups: Turning Point USA’s political wing and the Club for Growth, also had the president’s back in Indiana. The intraparty battle was seen not just as a test of fealty to Trump but rather a fight between MAGA forces and more traditional conservatives for the future of the GOP. SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY “We’ve got to change those old-style Republicans, put in people who will fight, fight against the Democrat gerrymandering,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh told Fox News Digital ahead of the primary. And McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday night that “this is a big win for Trump and a signal to the entire party that our base wants us to fight for what we believe in.” TRUMP VS. HISTORY: HOW PRESIDENT’S POLL NUMBERS COMPARE TO BIDEN, OBAMA, BUSH AHEAD OF MIDTERMS The besieged incumbents significantly outraised their challengers, and were also boosted by the Indiana Senate GOP caucus. But the outside spending and get-out-the-vote efforts by the pro-Trump groups proved decisive. A source involved in the effort to oust the incumbents told Fox News Digital on the eve of the primary that a victory would be considered winning half the seats, and anything beyond that would be a major win. By that definition, Trump scored a ‘major win’ on Tuesday. Fox News’ Sally Persons contributed to this story
Trump-backed Vivek Ramaswamy wins Ohio GOP gubernatorial primary, will face Democrat Amy Acton
Vivek Ramaswamy has won the 2026 Republican gubernatorial nomination in his home state of Ohio, the Associated Press reports. Ramaswamy, who grabbed national attention when he ran for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination before dropping out and becoming a top surrogate for President Donald Trump, on Tuesday defeated long shot rival Casey Putsch, an automotive entrepreneur. His victory sets the stage for a high-profile general election battle for governor in the key midterm Midwestern battleground state. TRUMP’S GRIP OVER GOP TESTED AT BALLOT BOX AS INDIANA, OHIO, HOLD PRIMARIES Now, the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and business leader who is backed by Trump will face off in November’s general election against Democrat Amy Acton, a doctor and researcher who served as director of the state Department of Health from 2019 to 2020. Acton was unopposed as she captured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Ohio. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB The winner in November will succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine. “I’m proud to officially say that today it is our pleasure to become the Republican nominee for the governor of Ohio,” Ramaswamy told supporters at his primary victory celebration. Ramaswamy pledged to “make Ohio greater than we have ever been. That’s what we’re about to do together. So, thank you tonight for kicking off the next chapter of this journey.” And pointing to Acton, his Democratic rival, Ramaswamy said, “”I do believe this marks without exception the single most consequential election for governor that our state has ever seen in our history. There has never been a greater contrast between two candidates.” The Democratic Governors Assocation (DGA) quickly took aim at Ramswamy. “Vivek Ramaswamy is an out-of-touch presidential also-ran whose harmful agenda would drive costs even higher and make life harder for Ohio families already struggling to make ends meet,” DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper argued in a statement. Once a top general election battleground state, Ohio has shifted to the right over the past decade, with Trump carrying the state by 11 points in the 2024 election. But polls indicate this year’s race for governor between Ramaswamy and Acton will be very competitive. SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY Vice President JD Vance traveled to his home state this morning, stopping at a polling station in Cincinnati to cast a ballot in Ohio’s primary. Vance, who served as senator from Ohio before stepping down after winning election in 2024 as vice president, confirmed to reporters that he cast a ballot for Ramaswamy.
Sherrod Brown secures Ohio Dem nomination, faces GOP’s Husted in key battle for Senate majority
Former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio on Tuesday won his party’s 2026 Senate nomination, the Associated Press reports. Brown, who served three decades in Congress before being defeated for re-election in 2024 by now-GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno, will face off in this year’s general election with Republican Sen. John Husted, Ohio’s former lieutenant governor who was appointed to replace Vice President JD Vance. The general election winner will fill the final two years of Vance’s Senate term. Vance, who was elected to the Senate in 2022, stepped down from the chamber after he and President Donald Trump won the 2024 election for president and vice president. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Vance traveled to his home state Tuesday morning, stopping at a polling station in Cincinnati to cast a ballot in the primary. The Senate race in Ohio is one of a handful that will decide if Republicans successfully defend their slim majority in the chamber, or if the Democrats win back control for the first time in four years. SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY Republicans currently control the Senate 53-47. Brown defeated long-shot rival Ron Kincaid, an IT professional and Special Olympics coach, to capture the Democratic Senate nomination. Husted ran unopposed for the Republican Party’s Senate nomination. “Ohioans are fed up with the corruption and greed in Washington. They deserve a senator who fights for working families, not CEOs and billionaires,” Brown said on social media after winning his primary. “That’s why we’re going to win this November.” Earlier in the evening, Husted took to social media after Trump praised the senator in a Truth Social post. “Thanks President Trump! Your support for Ohio jobs means a lot to the hardworking people of our state. The Working Family Tax Cut is helping Ohio families keep more of what they earn so they can spend, save, and invest in their own priorities,” Husted wrote. “America First! Ohio First!” TRUMP’S GRIP OVER GOP FACES BIG TESTS IN THIS STATE’S PRIMARY Once a top general election battleground state, Ohio has shifted to the right over the past decade, with Trump carrying the state by 11 points in the 2024 election. But this year’s races for the Senate and governor are expected to be very competitive.
ICE deports illegal immigrant convicted of attempting to kill newborn after blue state prison release
An illegal immigrant woman convicted of attempting to kill her newborn baby on Long Island, New York, has been successfully deported from the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Soili Xiomara Aparicio-Santos, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from New York in April. The agency said she was deported after serving just eight years in a New York prison sentence for attempted infant murder. Aparicio-Santos entered the country illegally under the Obama administration in 2014. She has had a final order of removal against her since 2014. MIGRANT CONVICTED OF KILLING HIS SON ARRESTED BY ICE YEARS AFTER INITIAL DEPORTATION In 2018, she was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, first and second-degree attempted assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. DHS said that despite being originally sentenced to 16 years in prison for her crime, Aparicio-Santos’ sentence was reduced to 10 years, of which she only ended up serving eight. However, DHS said that local authorities cooperated with ICE and notified the agency before her release, enabling federal agents to make the arrest. The 41-year-old was living in Centereach, New York, in Suffolk County on Long Island, local outlet Daily Voice reported. The outlet reported that in 2017, Aparicio-Santos attempted to kill her baby boy by smothering him with a pillow. A family member noticed her actions and called the police. The child reportedly avoided serious injuries and was placed in foster care. ICE first lodged an immigration detainer — a request to hold — against Aparicio-Santos after she was initially arrested by Suffolk County police for first-degree reckless endangerment in 2017. The agency then lodged a second detainer in 2018 while she was serving her sentence, DHS said. Lauren Bis, acting DHS assistant secretary, lauded the local Long Island authorities for cooperating with ICE to remove Aparicio-Santos. “Thanks to cooperation by law enforcement and our ICE officers, this barbaric criminal is out of our country,” Bis said in a DHS news release. DHS DEMANDS LETITIA JAMES TAKE ACTION OVER NEW YORK’S REFUSAL TO HONOR ICE DETAINERS “This monster attempted to KILL her own child the day he was born,” said Bis. She slammed the Obama administration for having “released this attempted murderer into our country.” Bis emphasized that DHS “need(s) cooperation from state and local politicians to get criminals like this out of our country,” adding, “Together, we can make America safe again.” Suffolk and Nassau, New York, counties, both of which are majority Republican-controlled, stand in stark contrast with neighboring New York City in their approach to cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. Suffolk County is currently battling a $112 million federal jury verdict after courts found the county violated constitutional rights by holding inmates past their release dates solely to honor ICE detainer requests. Suffolk Attorney Thomas Dewey slammed the ruling, the New York Post reported, saying, “The jury’s preposterous and unjust damages award cannot stand.” SOCIALIST MAYOR MAMDANI BASHES ICE AFTER CHAOTIC PROTEST LEADS TO ARRESTS: ‘CRUEL AND INHUMANE’ DHS said in its statement that seven of the top 10 safest cities in the U.S. cooperate with ICE. The agency called partnerships with federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement “critical to having the resources DHS needs to arrest criminal illegal aliens across the country.” “When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, law enforcement officers have to have a more visible presence to find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities,” the agency said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Suffolk County, New York, Police Department and Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Minnesota lawmakers fail at trying to get Omar to testify about alleged fraud, GOP leader talks next steps
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., refused to respond to a request from a Minnesota committee seeking more information on her ties to the massive fraud scandal in the state, prompting a failed subpoena vote on Tuesday, but the committee’s chair says more options exist. The subpoena, which required a two-thirds committee vote in favor to pass, only got five out of the six votes needed despite the committee’s Republican majority. “We have reached out to Representative Ilhan Omar on multiple occasions, inviting her to testify and inviting and requesting documents,” State Rep. Kristin Robbins, chair of the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, said ahead of the vote. “We have endeavored in multiple ways to get access to [information] because, as everyone knows, Representative Omar had had some role, whether inadvertent or not. She passed the MEALS Act in March of 2020, and that took the guardrails off the federal school nutrition program, which created the conditions for [fraud].” WATCH: ILHAN OMAR ROASTED FOR BRUTAL RESURFACED VIDEO ABOUT ‘WORLD WAR ELEVEN’ “I do think the subpoena is important. This is one of dozens, if not hundreds of things we are investigating. We have had hundreds of whistleblower reports. They continue to come in weekly,” Robbins added, noting she will continue to try to reach out to Omar’s office to get cooperation. “Even though the committee will no longer have official hearings we will continue to investigate these whistleblower reports and webs of fraud.” Fox News Digital touched base with Robbins on Tuesday about possible next steps. “They’re fading,” Robbins said about the committee’s options after a failed subpoena vote. “But I’ll certainly talk to our friends in Congress to see if they would be willing to issue a subpoena. I don’t know if they are, but they would have the same authority and it’s still relevant to them because it’s a federal program that’s been swindled. So I don’t know if they would be willing to do it, but it’s worth asking.” Robbins added that the federal government has a “whole menu of legal options” given that Omar is a member of Congress. “They have so many investigations going on, I don’t know where this falls on the priority list,” Robbins said. OMAR ACCUSED BY GOP OPPONENT OF OPENING UP THE DOOR TO MASSIVE MINNEAPOLIS FRAUD: ‘DEEP, DEEP TIES’ Last month, Robbins says the congresswoman “ghosted” the committee by failing to appear to testify at a hearing focused on the MEALS Act, a federal COVID-19 relief measure passed in 2020 and sponsored by Omar. “Minnesotans and the Members of the House Fraud Prevention & State Oversight Committee were disappointed that you failed to appear before our committee to answer questions,” Robbins wrote before asking Omar to turn over communications showing how she promoted expanded access to federal child nutrition programs, including emails, texts and meeting records with the Minnesota Department of Education and constituents. The request also zeroed in on Omar’s public promotion of a Minneapolis restaurant that later became linked to the program. Robbins cited a Somali-language TV appearance in which Omar highlighted Safari Restaurant as a meal distribution site and asked for all communications related to the video and the restaurant’s participation. Robbins is seeking records of any contact between Omar and a long list of individuals charged or implicated in the Feeding Our Future case, including nonprofit founder Aimee Bock and dozens of alleged co-conspirators. The deadline for Omar to respond to the committee’s questions was Tuesday, May 5. Fox News Digital reached out to Omar’s office for comment. “It’s the same story every time,” Robbins posted on X after the vote. “Fraud is committed, information is suppressed, and the dysfunction continues.”
Trump teaches students his iconic dance during White House fitness event
President Donald Trump gave students on the White House South Lawn a quick lesson in one of his most recognizable moves Monday — breaking out his signature “Trump dance”in a moment that quickly made the rounds online. The short clip, shared by the official White House account on X, shows Trump briefly stepping into the role of dance instructor, demonstrating the now-familiar arm motions that have become a staple of his rallies. “SPOTTED: PRESIDENT TRUMP TEACHING THE TRUMP DANCE ON THE SOUTH LAWN 🇺🇸,” the White House posted on X. As the Village People’s “YMCA” played, Trump joined in for a few seconds, gesturing through the motions and brandishing a broad smile as students joined in before returning to the event. TRUMP, MUSK GO VIRAL WITH ‘TRUMP DANCE’ TO YMCA AT NEW YEAR’S PARTY The moment came after Trump signed a memorandum restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Award, reviving a competitive, school-based benchmark that had been phased out during the Obama administration. The students in attendance were local children and families invited to the White House, though officials did not provide additional details. Trump’s dancing has become one of the president’s most recognizable visuals. TRUMP SETS UP PRESIDENTIAL FITNESS TEST FOR ANOTHER REVAMP AFTER OBAMA RETIRED IT DURING PRESIDENCY Earlier in the event, Trump welcomed student athletes to the White House and stressed the importance of physical fitness. “We’re thrilled to have so many young athletes here at the White House,” Trump said. “It is indeed a beautiful day to celebrate America’s athletic traditions and champions and physical fitness.” He also joked about his own workout habits, saying, “I work out so much, like about one minute a day max if I’m lucky,” Trump said. Village People co-founder Victor Willis previously backed Trump’s use of the song, saying the president was “bringing so much joy to the American people with his use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’” after initially opposing it. Trump’s memorandum builds on an earlier executive order reestablishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, part of a broader “Make America Healthy Again” push. Fox News Digital’s Ashley DiMella Taylor Penley contributed to this reporting.
Bernie Sanders’ anti-Netflix crusade hits the skids after filings expose awkward twist
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., used campaign funds to pay for a subscription to Netflix from January to March despite his long-running criticism of the streaming service’s tax practices, Federal Election Commission records show. Over the years, Sanders has repeatedly criticized Netflix for allegedly not paying its “fair share” of taxes and for raising prices on consumers as its executives grow wealthier. In contrast to these criticisms, the senator’s campaign began paying the streaming service $46.79 a month in January to cover a “subscription.” “Corporate greed is Netflix doubling its profit last year to a record $5.3 billion, avoiding over $1 billion in taxes [and] blaming a 10.7% price increase on ‘inflation’ squeezing $1.35 billion from its 75 million subscribers while its CEO became $200 million richer in the pandemic,” Sanders wrote in March 2022. Sanders has also, on multiple occasions, criticized Netflix for paying $0 in federal taxes. Netflix has sharply reduced its federal tax liability for some years by using a variety of corporate tax credits. BILL MAHER CALLS OUT BERNIE SANDERS, SAYS HE’S TIRED OF HEARING THE RICH DON’T PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES “Your $8.99 Netflix subscription is more than the company paid in federal income taxes last year (nothing),” the senator posted to social media in 2019. “We are going to make massive corporations finally pay their fair share.” Senate campaigns have only released their financial information up to March, meaning that Sanders’ donor-funded Netflix subscription may be ongoing. Sanders’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment after being reached by Fox News Digital Tuesday morning. UNEARTHED FEC RECORDS EXPOSES VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR’S HYPOCRISY ON TAKING CASH FROM BILLIONAIRES The Vermont senator has faced criticism in the past over his use of campaign funds. In 2023, Sanders transferred $200,000 in donor cash to the Sanders Institute, a nonprofit organization run by his wife and stepson. Since then, Sanders has continued to semi-regularly use his campaign account to fund his family charity. “The facts present in this case and the family ties involved certainly raise legitimate concern,” Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, told Fox News Digital at the time. “If the nonprofit and its executive director are truly producing work and actually earning the money, it is not illegal, but it is frowned upon. On the other hand, if nothing or very little is being done to legitimately earn the money, then it is highly likely a serious campaign finance violation has taken place.” ENERGY WATCHDOG EXPOSES EYE-POPPING CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SANDERS’ JET-SETTING TOUR: ‘FAKE SOCIALIST’ The over $550,000 in donor funds Sanders in donor funds Sanders spent on private jets during his 2025 “Fighting Oligarchy” tour has also fallen under scrutiny. “You don’t expect a socialist to fly commercial do you?” conservative political communications consultant Matt Gorman said. “There’s no bigger hypocrite than the liberal who chastises us for eating meat and using gas stoves, yet flies in private jets.” Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates interviewed Sanders for a segment in his Netflix original series titled “What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates” in 2024. The senator’s use of campaign funds to pay for a streaming service is relatively unusual. Campaign finance records show that only five political committees, including one belonging to Sanders, have made payments to Netflix for expenses described as some form of subscription over the past ten years.
DC police officials face termination after federal probe uncovers alleged manipulated crime data by department
Thirteen members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., have been placed on administrative leave, pending termination amid an investigation alleging that law enforcement leaders manipulated crime data to create a false perception of safety. MPD Interim Chief Jeff Carroll on Tuesday said the officers were placed on administrative leave after the internal affairs bureau completed its investigation into crime reporting and have been served with termination papers. Some of the 13 were already on leave for other matters, he said. All were served with notices of proposed adverse action, meaning they face potential termination, the chief said. “Our Internal Affairs Bureau has completed an investigation into crime reporting,” Carroll said. “This investigation was reported — it was referred to us earlier this year from the United States Attorney’s Office.” The chief declined to get into specifics. Fox News Digital has reached out to the MPD, the Justice Department and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for comment. DOJ INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE DC CRIME DATA MANIPULATION AMID TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN ON VIOLENCE A federal investigation that began last year found that the MPD misclassified crime reports, making crime statistics across Washington, D.C., appear “artificially lower.” The findings were based on a review of nearly 6,000 reports and interviews with more than 50 witnesses, showing that D.C.’s crime numbers were significantly understated, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said at the time. “We don’t want to minimize any crime,” Carroll said. “Obviously. We want to make sure the crimes are appropriate and classified. We’ll continue to work with that, making sure officers have the appropriate classification. Regardless of the classification of the crime, we want to make sure that all crimes are appropriately investigated.” Two federal reports were produced in late 2025 regarding the matter — one by the Justice Department and another by the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee. The probe began as President Donald Trump initiated a federal crackdown in the nation’s capital amid public safety concerns. He argued that crime was worse than city statistics showed as he moved to take temporary control of the force. Pamela Smith stepped down as MPD chief in 2025, during the investigation into the department’s crime statistics. DC POLICE CHIEF RIPPED FOR ‘MIND BLOWING’ RESPONSE TO BASIC POLICING QUESTION: ‘YIKES’ The House report, titled “How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy,” alleged Smith prioritized public image over actual crime reduction, often using humiliation and retaliatory transfers to silence subordinates who reported rising crime rates. She allegedly used mandatory crime briefings — held twice a week in person and three times a week via video — to publicly “dress down” and humiliate commanders in front of their colleagues if they reported an increase in crime, the report states. Commanders who reported crime spikes, or who simply questioned her actions, faced immediate professional retaliation. DC Police Union President Gregg Pemberton praised the MPD’s move to serve termination papers to high-ranking command staff. “Justice is being served,” he said in a statement. “The command staff officials responsible for this betrayal must be held accountable, not just for the sake of the thousands of dedicated MPD officers they undermined, but for the residents of the District of Columbia who deserve honest leadership and real public safety. The corruption that endangered lives, eroded trust and allowed shooters, robbers and predators to evade justice cannot be tolerated.” Pemberton added that the union had previously warned officials that “this toxic culture of coercion, fear and corruption left thousands of cases not investigated, denied victims justice, gaslit residents and endangered public safety.” Carroll said the department continues to use crime data to help deploy officers in high-crime areas. “We use crime statistics every day to help us do deployment across the city,” he said. “I do have confidence in those numbers.”
SPLC-backed coalition sues Florida over new congressional map it alleges is an unconstitutional gerrymander
A coalition of groups represented by the embattled Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is suing Florida over its new congressional map, arguing that it favors one political party over another. The 41-page lawsuit was filed by Common Cause, an ethics watchdog; the League of Women Voters of Florida; and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The organizations allege the map violates the Fair Districts Amendment, which prohibits the Republican-controlled state legislature from drawing maps that favor a specific political party. “The fact that this is a partisan gerrymander is as obvious as it is unconstitutional,” said Bradley Heard, deputy legal director for the SPLC. “And while this unnecessary map is egregious in how it advantages Republicans and disadvantages Democrats, the people who will suffer the most if it is allowed to stand are once again Black and Brown communities, whose voices are consistently silenced in these redistricting battles. The SPLC will not allow this governor to turn back the clock on voting rights in Florida.” DESANTIS SIGNS FLORIDA REDISTRICTING MAP TO POTENTIALLY FLIP 4 HOUSE SEATS RED The lawsuit is the second filed in as many days against the new map. The first was filed hours after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the map into law; the plaintiffs in that suit are the Equal Ground Education Fund, a voting rights group, and 18 Florida voters. Fox News Digital has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment. The Fair Districts Amendment was approved by voters in 2010 in an effort to set redistricting standards to prevent partisan gerrymandering, the favoring of political parties, or the reduction in power of minority groups. “The governor’s ploy to impose maps for an unfair partisan advantage is exactly why voters made it illegal in 2010—and why we’re going to court,” said Amy Keith, the executive director for Common Cause Florida. “This governor and Republican lawmakers will stop at nothing to put their finger on the scale because they are afraid of being held accountable by the people. “We expect the courts to be the adults in the room and honor the Florida Constitution and the will of Florida voters.” REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS The plaintiffs are asking a judge to declare the map unconstitutional and impose an injunction to prevent state officials from enacting it. Additionally, they want the state to reinstate the previous 2022 congressional map or order the adoption of a completely new redistricting plan that is compliant with the state constitution. “When a map is distributed in a red/blue format to the media before being transmitted to the legislature, and when the governor’s staff openly acknowledges in committee that there is no new Census data being used to justify a new map, Florida voters can’t help but suspect that this is a partisan gerrymander,” said Jessica Lowe-Minor, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida. The SPLC is one of several groups representing the plaintiffs. The organization currently faces federal charges for allegedly secretly transferring money to extremist groups it claimed to be fighting, with the goal of infiltrating and monitoring their activities. AL SHARPTON RAGES AT FLORIDA GOV DESANTIS’ IMPRESSION OF HAKEEM JEFFRIES The SPLC is accused of paying $3 million to people associated with violent extremist groups — including the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist Movement, and the American Nazi Party — between 2014 and 2023. Amid the battle over Florida’s redrawing of its congressional map, Democrats have repeatedly decried the move as a GOP power grab. Currently, Florida Republicans have a 20–8 majority in the House, but the new map could extend the GOP’s power to 24–4 following the redrawing of districts. This shift could impact several Democratic incumbents, including Reps. Darren Soto, Kathy Castor, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Jared Moskowitz. Nikki Fried, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, said the new map disenfranchises millions of Black, brown, and Jewish voters in the state. “This type of voter suppression is nothing new in Florida—from Jim Crow and the Ocoee massacre to election police and the enactment of the most extreme voter suppression laws in the country since 2021, unfortunately, Florida has always been a testing ground for conservative extremism,” she said Monday.