Trump’s AG pick off life support after key Republican rebels relent
Two key Republican rebels are dropping their resistance against President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have for weeks dug their heels into the ground against confirming acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to fully take over the position. They have been trying to extract concessions from the administration in exchange for their votes. And those concessions came on Sunday as Blanche’s first key test fast approaches. After warring with Trump and Blanche’s confirmation nearly being withdrawn, the duo are now ready to support the president’s pick to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi. TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS “We want to express our gratitude to Mr. Blanche and his staff for working with us on this, and we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon,” they said in a joint statement. Cornyn and Tillis had two primary objectives: ensure, in explicit writing, that the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund would not return, and that Trump’s audit immunity would not extend beyond him and the defendants listed in his lawsuit against the IRS. Blanche announced on Sunday that the anti-weaponization fund was getting the permanent boot, and that the audit protection was going to be narrowly tailored to Trump and his family. DOJ BARS IRS FROM AUDITING TRUMP’S PRIOR TAX RETURNS IN SETTLEMENT ORDER SIGNED BY BLANCHE Cornyn and Tillis said they “are pleased” with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) formal order to deal with both issues, and noted that doing so addressed “concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues share.” Both issues came from the settlement deal Trump and his family reached with the IRS earlier this year that Blanche helped to roll out. And both lawmakers are needed to advance Blanche out of committee and onto the Senate floor, given that if either one of them balked against the nominee, he would fail and be stuck in limbo. TRUMP UNLOADS ON CORNYN, TIES AG NOMINATION FIGHT TO BITTER TEXAS PRIMARY Cornyn and Tillis both sparred with Trump over the last few days leading up to this moment. Trump declared that he would withdraw Blanche’s nomination if neither of them broke their resistance. He reupped the pressure over the weekend when he announced that if Blanche’s confirmation continues to stumble or fail, he would revive the anti-weaponization fund and pressure Congress to codify it. He declared on Truth Social, “I will keep Todd as Acting AG, and push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill,” passed through Congress. Tillis countered that Trump “clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against.” “It’s unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal,” Tillis said over the weekend. “Hopefully, we can resolve this by Tuesday.” With the issues appearing to be resolved, the committee vote on Blanche is moving full steam ahead. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, rescheduled the vote for Tuesday after nixing last week’s hearing. A spokesperson for Grassley said his top goal is to see “Todd Blanche’s nomination to be successful.” “Grassley would like to see Blanche confirmed before the August recess as he has an excellent record restoring law and order and keeping Americans safe,” they said.
Trump can declare Iran victory now and withdraw troops, former counterterror official argues
Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is continuing to advocate for President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from the Middle East. “President Trump again called off strikes on Iran—this is a good decision. It is clear that he wants out of this war, for all the obvious reasons. It is also clear that Iran will not simply return the SOH [Strait of Hormuz] to how it was before the war. We need to accept that we can’t use military force to open the SOH (we’ve tried that) without a catastrophic escalation into a bloody, years-long war,” Kent wrote. “Now is the time for President Trump to pull our troops out of the region. He can declare victory (reiterate the previously stated goal—no nukes—was met) & quietly use the carrot of sanctions relief to open the SOH once our troops are out of harm’s way. If we stay, we risk accelerating an escalation/retaliation cycle we can’t control,” he added. EX-COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL JOE KENT CONTINUES CALLING FOR US MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM MIDDLE EAST Kent cited his opposition to the Iran war when he resigned from the National Counterterrorism Center director role earlier this year. Fox News Digital reached out to request comment from the White House early on Monday morning. President Donald Trump indicated in a Saturday night Truth Social post that the U.S. was going to hold off on launching new attacks against Iran. TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘IMMINENT’; PLANNED STRIKE WOULD’VE BEEN LARGEST SINCE WORLD WAR II “The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump wrote. “Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL. The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added. Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency pushed back against the notion that Iran requested America refrain from additional attacks, calling Trump’s claims, “nothing but a new lie,” the BBC reported. NPR reported that Mehr described the U.S. president’s assertions as “simply a new lie,” citing unnamed Iranian military figures. IRAN’S WAR ON AMERICANS BEGAN DECADES AGO. THESE FAMILIES STILL CARRY THE SCARS While speaking to the press aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump, referring to negotiations, said, “It begins tomorrow afternoon.”
Top Trump ally warns super PAC bankrolled by Dem billionaire is meddling in his GOP primary
A clean energy super PAC bankrolled by a left-wing billionaire is pouring millions into an effort to unseat Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., as he wages a bid for re-election in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District. The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC had spent roughly $1.3 million on opposing Ogles and supporting his Republican challenger, Charlie Hatcher, Tennessee’s former commissioner of agriculture, and recently bought another $700,000 worth of ads. The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a sizable portion of their spending this cycle. A Fox News Digital review of FEC filings discovered that the super PAC is bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, which is described on its website as the “leading financial technology company that offers crypto solutions for businesses.” Larsen has donated $6 million to the super PAC since Feb. 2026. His latest $5 million donation to Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC is his second-largest single donation after donating $5,444,975 to Future Forward PAC in 2024 to support Kamala Harris’s failed presidential campaign. TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN Larsen has also donated over $1 million to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, over $1 million between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and over $300,000 supporting Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., among other six-figure donations to top Democratic campaigns and PACs. The way that Ogles sees it, it’s an attempt to show Republicans what happens when lawmakers attempt to scale back government investments in renewable energy sources. “When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies, and they’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,” Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview. Larsen, who is an angel investor and climate philanthropist, is making “climate change his top priority,” according to an online bio. “He founded the Larsen Lam Climate Change Foundation (since renamed as the Clean Break Fund) in 2021 to guide his climate philanthropy, and is an active early investor in numerous climate tech companies, as well as several prominent climate funds,” the bio continues. “His philanthropic priorities include the climate-driven home insurance crisis, making climate change a bipartisan issue once again, and carbon dioxide removal, among many other projects.” Ogles, a member of the fiscally minded House Freedom Caucus, has been one of the most outspoken Republicans calling for a reversal of energy initiatives passed under President Joe Biden. Among them, Ogles has argued against clean energy subsidies in Biden’s Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. But more than that, Ogles thinks it’s his proximity to Trump that has made him a target. “It’s because I’m close to the president. It is because I am outspoken. And quite frankly, it is because I speak plainly on these issues,” Ogles said. Trump, who has endorsed Ogles, reaffirmed his support for the conservative firebrand ahead of the primary. “Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic,” Trump said. “Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress.” Figures who have donated to Invest in Tomorrow framed energy policy as an issue with electoral consequences, hinting that Ogles is on the wrong side of the issue. TRUMP’S AMBITIOUS ENERGY BET COULD BE A WINNING HAND AS THE WORLD BURNS MORE OIL, GAS THAN EVER “Our campaign is here to show that politicians who oppose clean energy do so at their own political peril. Andy Ogles is next,” Tom Matzzie, the PAC’s executive chairman, said in a statement to Axios. Matzzie is also CEO of a solar energy company, CleanChoice Energy. When asked about the comment, Ogles said he doesn’t think his views are at odds with the way voters see energy and has characterized the opposition spending as an attempt to buy a seat energy groups can control. “If trying to build an energy sector that is self-reliant, because it’s a national security issue, makes me an extremist, then so be it.” Ogles said he stands by his all-of-the-above energy stance. In his view, it’s not the government’s job to pick winners and losers in the energy market — especially in light of the country’s overspending challenges. “I’m not against solar. We have a farm. I’ve got a big shop. You know, I’ve contemplated putting solar on my shop to help to run my farm. But I don’t want a government subsidy to make it work. I don’t need a government subsidy to pay for it,” Ogles said. DEM SUPPORTED ‘GREEN NEW DEAL’ AFTER RECEIVING NEARLY $60K FROM ENERGY GROUPS, NOW WANTS CONGRESSIONAL SEAT “Look, at the end of the day, you know, I voted for conservative policies and that’s what America wants right now. We’re barreling towards $40 trillion in debt,” he added. The Tennessee primary will take place on Thursday, Aug. 6.
Trump v. Smithsonian: A timeline of how the White House fight over ‘woke’ history unfolded
President Donald Trump‘s effort to root out what his administration calls “woke” ideology at the Smithsonian has grown into one of the most extensive White House reviews of the institution in decades. The Smithsonian oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo and nearly 157 million objects and specimens while receiving more than $1 billion annually in federal funding outside of private-side dollars. The administration’s campaign has placed the taxpayer-supported institution at the center of a broader debate over patriotism, historical interpretation and the role of federally funded cultural institutions amid a growing divide over how people view and retell America’s story. GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SMITHSONIAN CHIEF URGED MOVING BEYOND ‘AMERICA FIRST MENTALITY’ Over the past 16 months, the administration has examined museum exhibits, educational programming, internal records and leadership statements, issued multiple document requests, interviewed curators and conducted on-site museum walkthroughs. The effort culminated in a 162-page White House report recommending sweeping reforms and announcing new executive actions aimed at implementing those recommendations. Here’s a timeline of the major developments. Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” two months into his second term. The order argues that federal cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian, have promoted “divisive” ideological narratives. The executive action directs the Trump administration to restore what it describes as a more patriotic presentation of American history. And it tasks the White House Domestic Policy Council and Vice President JD Vance, in his role as a Smithsonian Regent, with reviewing Smithsonian exhibits and programs. Following Trump’s executive order, the White House Domestic Policy Council kicked-off an investigation of the Smithsonian, focusing primarily on the National Museum of American History. Officials reviewed exhibits, educational materials, strategic plans, leadership speeches, museum programming and public statements. During that review, the council documented examples they argue prioritize divisive ideological narratives over a so-called patriotic telling of American history. White House officials sent Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch a letter formally launching the review ordered by Trump. The letter directs the institution to turn over exhibition plans, educational materials, internal policies and other records while outlining a review of eight Smithsonian museums to ensure exhibits “celebrate American exceptionalism” and remove what the administration calls divisive narratives. It also sets deadlines for document production, curator interviews and on-site reviews, with museums instructed to begin revising public-facing content within 120 days. The White House criticizes the museum for holding no special Independence Day programming in 2025 despite being open on July 4, discontinuing its traditional Flag Day ceremonies, and planning 250th anniversary exhibits and events. According to the administration, those 250 installations emphasize flaws of the United States while giving insufficient attention to the Founders, the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. The White House tells Smithsonian Secretary Bunch in a letter that the institution has failed to provide most of the records requested during its review. Among other things, the review requested exhibition plans, curatorial documents and governance materials be turned over. At this time, the administration gives the Smithsonian until Jan. 13, 2026, to produce the requested records. It also reminds the institution that federal funding must be used in a manner consistent with Trump’s “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order. White House investigators complete on-site walkthroughs of Smithsonian museums. During the visits, they reviewed exhibits, educational materials, digital content and internal planning documents as well as interviewed museum staff as part of the administration’s review. SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY PROMOTES ‘EXTREME POLITICAL ACTIVISM,’ WH REPORT ALLEGES Investigators found during those visits exhibits that they argue emphasized restorative history, decolonization, immigration activism, DEI initiatives and social justice. Meanwhile, it claimed that the institution was downplaying America’s Founders, the nation’s achievements and patriotic themes. The report ultimately concludes the Smithsonian project has undergone a significant shift away from its original mission, arguing exhibits increasingly emphasize social justice activism and ideological narratives rather than focus on America’s founding principles and national achievements. The museum debuts its signature exhibition commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, featuring 250 objects from its collection, including Thomas Jefferson’s writing desk, George Washington’s uniform and the Star-Spangled Banner. The White House said just two months before the country’s 250th celebration that the exhibition repackages existing displays rather than creating a new founding-era exhibit. It also criticized the installation for failing to meaningfully celebrate America’s Founders, the Declaration of Independence or the American Revolution during the nation’s 250th birthday. The Trump administration also said the exhibit’s promotional materials and programming downplayed patriotic themes and national symbols. The White House Domestic Policy Council releases its 162-page “Saving America’s Story” report, concluding that the National Museum of American History has undergone “ideological capture.” The report recommends removing what it describes as political activism from museum exhibits and restoring displays that emphasize America’s founding principles, national achievements and patriotic history. It says the findings stem from the Smithsonian review ordered by Trump’s March 2025 executive order. The expansive report included images of exhibits, images of exhibits and placards, as well as curators and leaders of the museum. It spent much of the report focusing on how the museum classified and portrayed illegal migration in its exhibits. Hours after the report’s release, Trump signs the “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution” executive order, directing the Interior Department, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), General Services Administrator (GSA) and the White House Domestic Policy Council to use available authorities to encourage the Smithsonian to address the report’s findings. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Trump’s order also instructs the National Park Service (NPS) to install temporary signs outside the National Museum of American History directing visitors to the report and describing the administration’s concerns with the museum’s presentation of American history. The administration says its effort is intended to restore a more patriotic presentation of American history at the Smithsonian. The institution, meanwhile, has long said its mission is to preserve and present the nation’s history through scholarship, research
First showdown in race for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat puts GOP hopefuls to the test
Candidates eyeing the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s seat of power in the Senate will get a chance to define themselves on the debate stage Monday. Untested fresh blood, lawmakers eager to ascend and candidates who have failed to launch are set to share the same stage and will get an equal opportunity to convince South Carolinians that they have what it takes to take over for Graham. While nearly 10 candidates have jumped into the race for the suddenly vacant seat, politicos in South Carolina contend that only a few are true contenders and have the most to prove during the televised sales pitch to voters as campaign materials darken voters’ doorsteps. TRUMP ENDORSEMENT FAILS TO CLEAR GOP FIELD AS FORMER GOVERNOR JOINS SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE RACE “This debate is the opportunity for South Carolinians to have a moment to hear from these candidates directly,” Dave Wilson, a South Carolina-based political consultant, told Fox News Digital. “The mail is already coming in,” he continued. “The emails are already going out, but this is a time to see whether the candidates can handle the job in what is in essence the only job interview that we will see ahead of the primary.” The key candidates to watch are Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed to take her brother’s seat and has since received President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Behind her are Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Russell Fry, R-S.C., and former Gov. Mark Sanford. MACE SNUBS TRUMP’S PREFERRED SENATE CANDIDATE, BACKS RALPH NORMAN INSTEAD And that same group, along with Graham’s former primary opponent Mark Lynch, have all qualified for the debate stage under the South Carolina GOP’s criteria. Wilson contended that both Norman and Sanford have statewide name recognition — Norman unsuccessfully ran for the GOP nomination for governor this year and Sanford has been a known entity in South Carolina politics for nearly two decades. Graham could ride on the wave of her brother’s last name, but she doesn’t have the record to push like the others in the race. While she’ll be making a pitch about who she is, Fry could stand to gain the most among the other competitors. TRUMP PUSHES LINDSEY GRAHAM’S SISTER TO RUN FOR US SENATE AFTER SHE GETS APPOINTMENT TO FINISH OUT TERM That’s because, unlike Norman, Sanford and Graham, he doesn’t have the same statewide campaign infrastructure and name recognition, despite being handpicked by Trump to run for Congress years ago. “I think Russell Fry needs this debate more than any other person on that stage right now because, while he has been a staunch Trump supporter, he is the one person who could benefit the most from a really strong debate performance,” Wilson said. “Because he has to do what it takes to establish himself statewide and demonstrate that what he’s done for the 7th Congressional District, he can do for the entire state.”
New California law expands DNA tools for missing persons investigations
A new California law is expanding the state’s use of DNA technology in missing persons investigations, giving authorities another tool to identify unknown people and revisit unresolved cases. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed the measure into law last month, loosening restrictions on California’s Missing Persons DNA Program. The program had previously been limited to identifying deceased individuals. Under the expanded law, its database may also be used to identify unknown people who are alive, allowing state forensic resources to assist in a wider range of investigations. MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN The program supports coroners, medical examiners and law enforcement agencies seeking to identify missing or unknown individuals across California. “Any missing person case — adult, child, MMIP, or otherwise — is one too many. No family should know the prolonged uncertainty of waiting for answers, and together we’re making it clear that California takes action,” state Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, said in a statement last month. TEEN FOUND IN SHALLOW CALIFORNIA VINEYARD GRAVE IDENTIFIED NEARLY 50 YEARS LATER AS FAMILY WARNS KILLER “AB 2018 is the right tool at the right time that will advance California’s ability to resolve missing persons cases and rekindle hope. I look forward to continuing the vital work of delivering justice for missing persons and their loved ones,” he continued. Assemblymember James Ramos, a Democrat, authored the legislation. He said the changes will make forensic identification resources more accessible to investigators and could help families who have waited years for answers. “AB 2018 will help all families with missing loved ones receive the answers they need,” Ramos said. “This modernization is especially urgent given the disproportionate number of missing and murdered Indigenous Persons plaguing our state. Ensuring our justice system personnel have the tools they need to perform effectively is critical to bringing resolution to cases involving the missing.” The law also changes how long certain DNA samples may remain in the state’s system. Previously, DNA collected from relatives of missing people was destroyed after remains were identified. The state may now retain samples when investigators believe additional related remains could later be recovered and require identification. The expanded authority comes as law enforcement agencies and forensic specialists in Northern California continue using newer DNA-analysis techniques to examine cold cases, according to Fox 40. The Calaveras Cold Case Task Force was established in 2020 to reexamine unresolved cases in the county. The nonprofit team includes local law enforcement officials and scientists who use advanced forensic methods, including DNA analysis, to pursue new leads. Supporters of the law say the changes could reduce barriers for local investigators while giving families of missing people a greater chance of learning what happened to their loved ones.
Todd Blanche moves closer to confirmation after rescinding $1.8B fund
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved closer to Senate confirmation Sunday after formally rescinding a controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” and narrowing tax protections included in President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement. A spokeswoman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed an agreement had been reached after Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., held up Blanche’s nomination. The agreement could clear the way for Cornyn to support Blanche at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Tuesday. Tillis had not publicly commented on the agreement as of Sunday night. The committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination Tuesday, needing all Republicans on board to counter Democrats, who remain entirely opposed to Blanche’s confirmation. An earlier committee vote was postponed after Cornyn and Tillis said they needed a written commitment from the administration. Blanche formally met the senators’ demands by terminating the fund and clarifying that tax-related protections in the settlement apply only retroactively and do not cover future tax filings. TRUMP BLASTS ROGUE GOP SENATORS FOR BLOCKING BLANCHE NOMINATION, VOWS ANTI-WEAPONIZATION BILL FIGHT The fund never became operational: no members were appointed, no money was transferred, no claims process was established, and no payments were made, according to the Justice Department. “My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” Blanche said in a post on X Sunday. “We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement. The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress,” he added. Blanche’s order formally rescinded the May 18 directive establishing the fund and clarified that tax-related protections in the settlement apply only retroactively, not to future filings. Cornyn and Tillis had sought the commitment in writing amid concerns that the fund could be revived, particularly as Trump continued to publicly support the idea. Lawmakers had also raised concerns that people convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot could be eligible for payments. “Sen. Cornyn has reached an agreement with the Department of Justice, which will be issuing a formal order permanently terminating the anti-weaponization fund and making clear in a binding written document that the scope of the audit settlement is limited to only the plaintiffs, including the President, and the IRS,” Natalie Yezbick, a Cornyn spokesperson, told Politico. Tillis had not announced whether the agreement was enough to secure his support. Tillis is expected to follow Cornyn in backing Blanche on Tuesday after saying on Saturday, before the agreement was reached, that Trump “clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against.” TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS “It’s unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal. Hopefully, we can resolve this by Tuesday,” Tillis said at the time. Blanche has been serving as acting attorney general since he took over for Pam Bondi in April. Senate Republicans hope to advance Blanche’s nomination before the end of the week.
Trailblazing former Republican Rep Kay Granger dies at 83: ‘Broke barriers’
Former Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, died on Sunday at the age of 83, with her ex-colleagues remembering her as a trailblazer who broke barriers for women. Granger was the first woman elected mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, as well as the first Republican woman from the Lone Star State elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the first female Republican appropriations chair. After serving in the U.S. House from 1997, Granger retired in January of last year following health challenges and extended absences from Washington. “As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year,” she said in December 2024. “However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed, making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my incredible staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years.” SEN BERNIE MORENO CALLS FOR EX-SON-IN-LAW TO RESIGN FROM HOUSE, GET ‘SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP’ Republican and Democratic lawmakers said they remember Granger as someone who broke barriers for women. “Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee. Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “Kelly and I send our prayers to her family, loved ones, and the Fort Worth community as we remember her extraordinary life of service and lasting legacy. She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed,” he added. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., who serves as chair of the House Republican Caucus, said Granger “was a pioneer, a dedicated public servant, and a trailblazing leader who opened doors for generations of Republican women to follow.” “Her impact on Congress and our Nation will not be forgotten. My prayers are with her family and loved ones. Rest in peace,” McClain said. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said she was “deeply saddened” by her passing, saying the former GOP lawmaker “devoted her life to serving the people of Texas and our nation with integrity, determination, and a profound sense of duty.” DEMOCRATS TARGET MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES ROCK LEFT-WING PRIMARIES “Throughout our years serving together on the Appropriations Committee, we worked through difficult challenges with mutual respect and honesty,” DeLauro said. “Congresswoman Granger was the first woman to sit on and serve as chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. She was the first Republican woman to lead the full Appropriations Committee, and with our counterparts Senators Patty Murray and Susan Collins, was part of the first Committee led on all four corners by women.” “At every step of her career, she earned the respect of Members on both sides of the aisle through her steady leadership and deep belief in the importance of Congress fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to invest in the American people,” DeLauro added.
Trump targets Biden-era billion-dollar Smithsonian budgets amid anti-‘woke’ push
President Donald Trump‘s effort to remake the Smithsonian is reaching the institution’s bottom line, with the administration proposing its smallest budget request in years while pushing to eliminate what it calls “woke” ideology from federally funded museums and programs. A Fox News Digital analysis of Smithsonian budget requests found the institution submitted steadily larger funding requests during the Biden administration, with annual requests rising from $1.11 billion in fiscal year 2021 to a record $1.24 billion in fiscal year 2024. The fiscal year 2025 request also exceeded $1 billion before the Trump administration proposed reducing the institution’s request below that threshold in its fiscal year 2026 and 2027 budgets—the first time since fiscal year 2020 that the Smithsonian’s annual request has fallen below $1 billion. The proposed funding reduction comes as the White House expands one of its most ambitious efforts to reshape a federally funded cultural institution, arguing the Smithsonian has promoted ideological narratives at odds with its mission and directing it to change its exhibits, programming, leadership and spending priorities. FORMER DEMOCRATIC STAFFERS, DEI LEADERS SHAPE SMITHSONIAN LEADERSHIP AMID POLITICAL FIRESTORM The White House’s effort to root out what it calls “woke” ideology at the Smithsonian has grown into one of the most extensive reviews of the institution in decades. Over the past 16 months, the administration has examined museum exhibits, educational programming, internal records and leadership statements, issued multiple document requests, interviewed curators and conducted on-site museum walkthroughs. That review culminated in a 162-page White House report recommending sweeping reforms and a new round of executive actions aimed at implementing those recommendations. The administration has ordered the Smithsonian to promote what it describes as a more accurate portrayal of American history while scrutinizing exhibits, programming and leadership across the museum complex. INSIDE THE BEHEMOTH SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM NETWORK DRAWING FIRE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION The Smithsonian oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo and nearly 157 million objects and specimens while receiving more than $1 billion annually in federal funding, in addition to private donations and other trust revenue. The taxpayer-supported institution has become the latest battleground in a broader national debate over patriotism, historical interpretation and the role of federally funded cultural institutions in shaping how Americans understand the nation’s past. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Whether Congress adopts the administration’s proposed funding levels remains to be seen. But alongside executive orders, museum reviews and a sweeping White House report, the budget proposal signals that the administration intends to use both policy and federal funding to reshape one of the nation’s largest cultural institutions. The Smithsonian Institute did not immediately respond to Fox New Digital’s request for comment.
Ohio Rep Marcy Kaptur hospitalized after hit-and-run crash on way to church
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, was hospitalized Sunday morning after the vehicle she was riding in was struck in a hit-and-run crash that also injured her driver, according to the Toledo Police Department. Kaptur was on her way to church when the wreck happened near Toledo, her office said in a statement. She suffered injuries that are not life-threatening and remain in stable condition. “This morning, Congresswoman Kaptur was a passenger in a vehicle on her way to a church service when the car she was traveling in was struck. She is active, alert, and being treated for non-life threatening injuries,” her office said. FAKE COP SUSPECTED IN LAWMAKER ASSASSINATION HAD EXTENSIVE SECURITY TRAINING BEFORE ‘TARGETED’ ATTACK The driver of the vehicle Kaptur was traveling in was identified as Kegan Zimmermann, who was also taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Police told Fox News Digital the “hit-skip crash” happened at about 10:48 a.m. local time at the intersection of North Detroit and Central avenues. “A vehicle traveling southbound came into the path of Representative Kaptur, causing a collision. Both Representative Kaptur and Mr. Zimmerman were transported to St. Vincent’s medical center for undisclosed, yet not serious injuries,” police said in a statement. “The driver of the at-fault vehicle fled the scene.” Both vehicles involved were impounded as evidence is being collected and processed. The investigation remains in its early stages, police said. “Toledo Police investigators have made significant progress and continue to follow several strong leads as they work to identify the driver responsible,” authorities said. Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle added that he has been in touch with Kaptur and was pleased to hear she was recovering. “I had a chance to speak with Representative Marcy Kaptur today, and we’re glad to hear she’s doing well. Our thoughts remain with her and Mr. Zimmermann as they recover,” Troendle said in a statement. “Our investigators continue to make progress on this case. I appreciate the work our investigators have put in today, as well as the cooperation we’ve received from members of the community. We’re committed to identifying the person responsible and ensuring they are held accountable.” FORMER WISCONSIN JUDGE HANNAH DUGAN AVOIDS JAIL TIME FOR OBSTRUCTING ARREST OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT In a statement posted on X, Kaptur praised the police and fire departments for their quick response to the scene. “We look forward to additional information from Toledo Police as they investigate the accident,” the statement read. “Congresswoman Kaptur is thankful for the quick actions of first responders from Toledo Police and Fire Departments who arrived promptly on scene, and the medical professionals helping to take care of those involved in the crash.” Hundreds of Kaptur’s constituents reportedly reached out to the congresswoman following the incident. “She expressed her deep gratitude to the hundreds of constituents who have reached out and looks forward to returning to a full schedule soon,” her office said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Toledo Fire & Rescue for more information.