Nancy Pelosi faces social media backlash over behavior at Bob Weir tribute event
Former House Speaker and self-proclaimed “Deadhead” Nancy Pelosi drew swift online backlash after appearing at a tribute honoring Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir, with some social media users accusing her of bizarre behavior. Thousands gathered Saturday at San Francisco’s Civic Center to celebrate the life of Weir, who died earlier this month at age 78. The event drew longtime “Deadheads,” musicians and political figures, including Pelosi, according to FOX 2. Pelosi, 85, delivered a speech about Weir and appeared to sing and sway along on stage as musician John Mayer performed the Grateful Dead classic “Ripple.” During portions of her remarks, Pelosi appeared to stumble over her words while reflecting on Weir’s legacy. GRATEFUL DEAD SINGER WHO WORKED WITH ELVIS PRESLEY ON HIT SONG DIES AT 78 AFTER CANCER BATTLE “Bobby Weir was not just a magician, musician – a magician too – he was a force of nature,” Pelosi said at one point. Pelosi also used the moment to deliver a political message, encouraging attendees to vote. “[Weir] gave me this sign, and I’ll show it today, because I said Bobby really loved democracy, he loved our country,” she said, before holding up a sign reading “vote.” “You know what he wanted everybody to do? Vote!” Pelosi’s demeanor quickly drew online criticism. “Is Nancy Pelosi drunk at the Bob Weir Homecoming?” one user wrote on X. NANCY PELOSI WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION, ENDING DECADES-LONG HOUSE CAREER Others criticized her wardrobe choice, noting that she wore a bright magenta suit while nearly everyone else on stage appeared to be dressed in all black. “Nancy Pelosi wearing a very somber magenta on stage at Bob Weir’s funeral,” one user joked on X. Some users also questioned why Pelosi, who announced in November that she will retire from Congress when her current term ends in 2027, was included in the event in the first place. GRATEFUL DEAD LEGEND BOB WEIR DIES AT AGE 78 SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AFTER CANCER BATTLE “Why is [Nancy] Pelosi speaking at this Bob Weir memorial,” one user questioned on X. “My bingo card today didn’t include Nancy Pelosi singing ‘Ripple’ along with John Mayer at the Bobby Weir send off,” another user wrote. The public tribute also featured appearances by folk icon Joan Baez and country singer Wynonna Judd, FOX 2 reported. Weir died on Jan. 10, a statement from his family on his Instagram page confirmed. “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could,” the statement said, adding that he succumbed to lung problems. Nancy Pelosi could not be immediately reached for comment. Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
Newsom defies Trump administration, declares free parks for MLK Day
A month after President Donald Trump scrapped free national parks entry on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Gov. Gavin Newsom is responding – opening more than 200 California state parks for free to honor Dr. King while calling out Trump’s move. Last month, the Trump administration reshaped when Americans can enter national parks for free, scrapping Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth and National Public Lands Day from the 2026 calendar. In their place, the administration added a slate of historically themed or presidentially themed dates. Flag day – which also happens to be Trump’s birthday – becomes a fee-free day for the first time, along with Constitution Day, the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service and the birthday of Theodore Roosevelt. Newsom announced Friday that, ahead of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, he is directing California State Parks to offer free admission at more than 200 participating parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP SUES TRUMP FOR REPLACING NATIONAL PARK PASS PHOTO WITH HIS OWN IMAGE “While Trump works to erase Dr. King’s legacy, California will honor it,” Newsom said in a press release. “Dr. King taught us that ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.’ While the Trump administration tries to erase his legacy and turn national parks and monuments into places of exclusion and fear, California answers with light.” “That’s why I’m announcing free entry at California State Parks on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026 – because Dr. King’s legacy deserves to be honored, not erased,” Newsom continued. “I’m encouraging all Californians to get outside on MLK Day, spend time in nature, reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing civil rights for all.” Free entry applies to vehicle day-use fees only and is available at more than 200 participating California state parks statewide, according to the governor’s office. NATIONAL PARK GIFT SHOPS ARE ORDERED TO PURGE BIAS-DRIVEN DEI AND WOKE MERCHANDISE Free vehicle entry is being made possible by the California State Parks Foundation rather than taxpayer dollars. The foundation’s investment is intended to keep the state parks running while also planting seeds for a lifetime of connection to the state’s “natural and cultural treasures,” Newsom’s office said. Democratic leaders framed the move as a direct rebuke of the Trump administration’s actions. TRUMP ADDS HIS BIRTHDAY AS FREE NATIONAL PARK DAY WHILE AXING MLK DAY AND JUNETEENTH “As the federal government eliminates fee-free park days for holidays that celebrate Black history, California continues to revel in the glory of our civil rights pioneers,” state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson said. “Opening our parks for everyone to enjoy encourages loved ones to come together, give back, and honor Dr. King’s legacy while enjoying the natural beauty of the Golden State.” Some of the parks offering free entry include Big Basin Redwoods, Half Moon Bay, Sugarloaf Ridge, Doheny, Wildwood Canyon Park Property, Folsom Lake, Bidwell Mansion and Lake Oroville. Some parks will still require a fee, including off-highway vehicle recreation areas, parks with per-person or tour fees such as Hearst Castle and locations operated by partner organizations. A full list of participating parks is available at parks.ca.gov/MLKDay2026.
Wife of former American detainee released after more than a year in Venezuelan prison
The wife of a once-detained American citizen was released this week after being held for more than a year in a Venezuelan prison following their arrest while traveling to the South American nation to meet her family. Renzo Humanchumo Castillo, a Peruvian- American who was detained for close to a year by Venezuelan authorities, told Fox News Digital that his Venezuelan wife, Rosa Carolina Chirino Zambrano, as well as her friend and the taxi driver they were with, were released after being imprisoned and charged with espionage due to their contact with him. He spoke with Zambrano following her release, he said, their first contact since December 2024 when they were confronted by Venezuelan authorities near the country’s border with Colombia. TRUMP PLANS TO MEET WITH VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO NEXT WEEK “It was surreal,” Castillo recalled of the conversation. “She got teary, you know, but she was like… ‘hey baby, I’m out.’ Now my main concern is how do I get her here with me.” Castillo, who lives in Southern California, was detained after crossing the border into Venezuela, along with his wife and her friend, who were in a taxi. After being questioned at length by Venezuelan authorities, he was charged with terrorism and conspiring to kill Nicolas Maduro, then the country’s president, who was recently captured by U.S. forces in a daring military operation. “They got me as a professional hitman sent by the CIA, and (that) I was there to overthrow the government and kill Maduro and Diosdado (Cabello),” Castillo said. Diosdado Cabello, known as the “octopus,” runs Venezuela’s security apparatus and is considered one of the country’s most feared government figures. The U.S. has accused him of narco-terrorism and several other crimes. The State Department has issued a $25 million reward for his arrest and conviction. “Cabello, he presented me on the news, and then he put me on a chart saying that I came here to overthrow the government,” Castillo said. “Me and some other Americans.” After spending months in Venezuela’s notorious “El Rodeo” prison, Castillo was freed in a prisoner swap in July 2025. However, his wife remained in detention. FROM SANCTIONS TO SEIZURE: WHAT MADURO’S CAPTURE MEANS FOR VENEZUELA’S ECONOMY Castillo said he was initially questioned by Venezuelan authorities who accused him of being a “commando” or some kind of military operator. A search of his cell phone only heightened their suspicions when they found images of him wearing a protective vest and other tactical gear. However, Castillo said he works in private security and executive protection and has never served in the military. The gear was used for work, he said. He was eventually detained and transferred to “El Rodeo” where he endured beatings and other forms of torture, he said. In one instance, he was hung by his arms like a piñata and beaten. “They had me hanging. And like my feet were still kind of touching the floor,” he said. “They just hit me for maybe at least five to eight hours, just hanging… just not even questions anymore. But you can feel the joy, how much they wanted to hit me, hurt me, you know?” Castillo got in trouble several times while at the prison, he said, for speaking out of a window in his cell where he would sometimes get updates on events outside the facility. Stressed about not knowing what happened to his wife, he went on a hunger strike in an effort to write a letter to her, he said. TRUMP TO MEET WITH VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER AFTER PRAISING ‘TERRIFIC’ MADURO LOYALIST Castillo met Zambrano during a visit to Peru to reunite with old classmates from grade school. One night, he went to a bar with friends where the pair met and struck up a friendship. That was followed by multiple trips to Peru, where she lived, before they got married. On his last journey, the couple met in Colombia and traveled via road to her home country to meet his in-laws for the first time, Castillo said. After crossing the Colombia-Venezuela border, they were separately detained and their misfortune began. Since Zambrano is a Venezuelan citizen, she was not part of the prisoner swap that freed her husband. Despite now being free, she remains under the watchful eye of the Venezuelan government, Castillo said. In the meantime, Castillo is working to get Zambrano to California. He said he plans to reach out to the State Department. Despite his wife’s citizenship status, his optimism heightened following Maduro’s capture earlier this month. “It was that moment when, inside of me, I felt I was going to be able to see my wife again,” he said. “The chances of me seeing my wife again just went from like, from nothing to like a hundred. It really lifted my spirit.” 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM TRUMP’S PUSH TO PUT US OIL FIRMS BACK IN VENEZUELA “It took Americans and it took foreigners to be kidnapped for the world to put eyes on Venezuela,” he said. On Tuesday, Venezuela’s interim government released at least four Americans imprisoned during Maduro’s regime. The release was the first involving U.S. citizens since Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces. “We welcome the release of detained Americans in Venezuela,” a State Department official said Tuesday. “This is an important step in the right direction by the interim authorities.” On Wednesday, Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said she spoke with President Donald Trump by phone during a “long and courteous” conversation. The pair discussed a “bilateral work agenda for the benefit of our peoples, as well as pending matters between our governments.” On Truth Social, Trump said topics of discussion included oil, minerals, trade and national security. “This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!” he wrote. Castillo praised the Trump administration for addressing the Maduro regime and his action in Venezuela.
Why Trump zeroed in on Greenland and why it matters in 3 maps
Greenland rarely draws global attention. But as ice melts and great powers inch closer, the world’s largest island has become a strategic prize — one that caught President Donald Trump’s eye long before most Americans were paying attention. A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a key U.S. military base and has become increasingly important to global security and trade as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to natural resources. That shift underscores the serious geopolitical calculation behind Trump’s interest in the island’s location, military value and the rapidly changing Arctic. TRUMP’S PUSH TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND SPARKS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FRENZY ON REMOTE ISLAND Greenland is divided into five municipalities, with most of its roughly 56,000 residents living in small coastal towns, leaving the island’s vast interior largely uninhabited. Put another way, Greenland has roughly one person for every 1,000 soccer fields of land. Greenland’s sparse population is largely a product of its geography. Roughly 80% of the island is covered by an ice sheet formed about 3 million years ago, leaving vast areas of the territory uninhabitable. Despite its small population, Greenland occupies a landmass comparable to global powers. By land area, it ranks among the world’s largest territories — a scale that has drawn attention from countries such as the United States, Russia and China as competition in the Arctic intensifies. It is nearly the size of Alaska and Texas combined. Greenland’s location off Canada’s northeastern coast places it at the heart of Arctic defense planning. The U.S. has maintained a military outpost in northwestern Greenland since 1953 at the Pituffik Space Base, now operated by the U.S. Space Force. Russia also maintains several military installations in the region, while China has sought greater access since declaring itself a “near-Arctic state” in 2018. But geography isn’t the only reason Greenland draws global interest. Retreating Arctic ice is opening shipping lanes around the island that could significantly shorten trade routes between North America, Europe and Asia, adding an economic layer to its strategic importance. The changing landscape has also drawn attention to Greenland’s deposits of rare earth elements and other critical minerals essential to modern technology, renewable energy and military systems. TRUMP THREATENS TARIFFS ON COUNTRIES OPPOSING GREENLAND TAKEOVER PLANS Rare earth elements — a group of 17 minerals — sit at the center of modern economies and militaries. They allow electronics to be smaller, more powerful and more efficient and are especially important in high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, generators and precision guidance systems. Their importance is even more pronounced in defense, where rare earths are used in missile guidance, radar, sonar, satellites and advanced aircraft. Because many of these applications have no easy substitutes, access to rare earths directly affects military readiness and technological advantage. The world’s largest rare earth deposits are found in China, Vietnam, Brazil, Russia, Australia, Greenland and the United States. But China dominates the supply chain, accounting for roughly 60% of global mining and more than 90% of processing capacity. The United States lacks a reliable, end-to-end supply chain for rare earths, leaving it dependent on foreign sources. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE As the U.S. and European Union seek to reduce their reliance on China, Greenland has emerged as a potential counterweight to Beijing’s dominance and a focal point in the competition over critical minerals. Whether the Trump administration is able to strike a deal to take over Greenland remains unclear. But as ice melts and competition in the Arctic intensifies, the island’s strategic importance is only likely to grow.
Nobel Foundation weighs in after Machado presents Peace Prize to Trump
The Nobel Foundation weighed in Sunday after Venezuela’s opposition leader gifted her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump. Maria Corina Machado gave her Peace Prize to Trump during a meeting at the White House last week. The Nobel Foundation pushed back on the legitimacy of such a transfer on Sunday, however. “One of the core missions of the Nobel Foundation is to safeguard the dignity of the Nobel Prizes and their administration. The Foundation upholds Alfred Nobel’s will and its stipulations. It states that the prizes shall be awarded to those who ‘have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind,’ and it specifies who has the right to award each respective prize,” the foundation wrote in a statement. “A prize can therefore not, even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed,” the statement continued. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE RECIPIENT MACHADO PLEDGES TO RETURN TO VENEZUELA, SEES ‘ALARMING’ INTERNAL CRACKDOWN Machado explained her decision to give Trump her award in an interview with Fox News. “He deserves it,” Machado told “FOX & Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. “It was a very emotional moment.” Machado said she presented the prize to the president on behalf of the Venezuelan people, crediting him for the historic work he did in liberating the country from its dictator Nicolás Maduro. UNITED NATIONS ‘UPSET’ THAT TRUMP TOOK ‘BOLD ACTION’ TO IMPROVE VENEZUELA, SAYS UN AMB. MIKE WALTZ “[Venezuelans] appreciate so much what he has done for, not only the freedom of the Venezuelan people, but I would say the whole hemisphere,” she said. As a longtime Maduro critic, Machado has been vocal in supporting Trump’s unprecedented removal of the disgraced Venezuelan leader, prompting her to credit him with the prize for the historic capture. Trump appeared pleased and gratified by Machado’s gesture. “It was my Great Honor to meet María Corina Machado, of Venezuela, today,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect.” The Norwegian Nobel Institute had tried to shut down the transfer before Machado met with Trump earlier this month. “Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the institute said in a statement. “The decision is final and stands for all time.”
Trump accuses Tim Walz and Ilhan Omar of using ICE protests to distract from massive state fraud
President Donald Trump lashed out at Minnesota Democrats on social media Sunday, saying they were using the ongoing federal operations to distract from the state’s massive fraud issue. Trump made the statement on his Truth Social media platform, saying federal agents in Minneapolis and St. Paul were targeting “violent criminals.” “ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community? The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?” Trump wrote. Trump went on to call out Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., saying they “don’t mind because it keeps the focus of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State!” “Don’t worry, we’re on it!” Trump added. MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD PLACED ON STANDBY TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT Federal agents have faced harassment and protests from agitators in Minnesota in recent weeks. Federal prosecutors are investigating both Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly impeding law enforcement efforts in the blue state. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News the duo’s anti-ICE rhetoric was teetering on a federal crime. “When the governor or the mayor threaten our officers, when the mayor suggests that he’s encouraging citizens to call 911 when they see ICE officers, that is very close to a federal crime,” Blanche said. MINNESOTA DEPT OF CORRECTIONS DISMISSES DHS NARRATIVE ABOUT THEM NOT COMPLYING WITH ICE Bondi added on X, “A reminder to all those in Minnesota: No one is above the law.” Walz responded to the news on Friday by accusing the Trump administration of “weaponizing the justice system.” “Two days ago, it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly,” Walz wrote in an X post. “Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic. The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.” Frey also weighed in on social media, asserting he “will not be intimidated.” “This is an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, local law enforcement, and residents against the chaos and danger this Administration has brought to our city,” Frey wrote on X. “I will not be intimidated. My focus remains where it’s always been: keeping our city safe.
Cori Bush ripped for ‘jaw-dropping’ hypocrisy on key issue amid comeback House bid
Former Missouri “Squad” Rep. Cori Bush, who is seeking to reclaim the seat she lost in 2024, recently complained on social media that Congress doesn’t prioritize public transit funding—even though she once was part of a cohort of radical lawmakers who voted against a bill providing billions for transit improvements because it didn’t allocate enough money for their far-left agenda. Bush was just one of five other Democratic Party lawmakers, all part of the progressive group dubbed “The Squad,” who voted against the 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, despite it allocating up to $108 billion for public transit investments. Bush and her other far-left colleagues at the time wanted more money to also be allocated to environmental and social programs, like funding for universal pre-K, Medicare and Medicaid expansions, affordable housing, green infrastructure, a Civilian Climate Corps, and also included oil drilling and leasing bans. At the time of “The Squad’s” stand against the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Bush argued that she “didn’t come to Congress to allow [her constituents’] priorities to be put on a shelf.” Meanwhile, Bush lamented to her followers on social media last week – amid her run to regain her position in the House – that funding for public transit is not prioritized in Congress. She implied this was a major problem because transit funding, Bush said, “is essential in meeting the most basic needs” of her constituents. UNEARTHED RECORDS TORPEDO CORI BUSH’S NEW CLAIM ABOUT ‘BILLIONS’ IN FUNDING SHE DELIVERED TO DISTRICT “Reliable transit service is essential in meeting the most basic needs of St. Louis,” Bush said to her social media followers. “Unfortunately, transit funding is not prioritized in Congress. That changes when I return to Washington, as I’ll continue fighting for legislation that benefits us.” Republican campaign experts balked at Bush’s stump message to voters, including longtime campaign strategist Colin Reed, who noted how “Campaign rhetoric has a nasty habit of colliding with contradictory votes from the past, and undermining politicians’ credibility and trust.” In her social media post complaining about the lack of emphasis on public transit funding in Congress, Bush included an image of her at what appears to be a bus stop touting how she “introduced legislation to fund bus and light rail projects at a greater scale.” While previously in Congress, Bush introduced two public transit-related bills, the Bus Rapid Transit Act and the Light Rail Transit Act, which sought to establish federal grant programs through the Federal Transit Administration to provide funding for upgrading transit infrastructure nationwide. MEET THE NEW ‘SQUAD’: THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRUMP-ERA PROGRESSIVE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES When reached for comment and asked to explain the discrepancy between her complaints about Congress not prioritizing public transit funding, and Bush’s own neglect of such funding when other measures were on the chopping block, her campaign said the former congresswoman was “clear and consistent” in explaining that her ‘no” vote was because the bipartisan infrastructure bill was decoupled from the left’s Build Back Better bill that contained an array of aggressive social and environmental policies. “Universal pre-K, expanded Medicare, the Child Tax Credit, and lower prescription drug prices were all policies that Missouri’s 1st District sent the Congresswoman to DC to win,” a Bush campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “She’s been clear and consistent on this: her vote was because the infrastructure bill was uncoupled from Build Back Better, which contained those policies. With so much on the line for St. Louis and the nation, the Congresswoman wanted to fight for more, not settle for less.” Bush rose to political prominence as a Black Lives Matter activist during the 2014 Ferguson, Missouri, protest following the police officer involved shooting death of Michael Brown. In 2020, Bush upset longtime incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr., becoming the first Black woman to represent Missouri in Congress. During her time on Capitol Hill, she aligned with “Squad” politicians like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who have been advocates for radical proposals to defund the police, socialize medical care, push environmental justice and more. AOC’S LUXURY SPENDING BINGE IN PUERTO RICO REIGNITES QUESTIONS ABOUT ‘SOCIALIST’ BRAND: ‘PEAK HYPOCRISY’ “If this is the best Cori Bush has to offer the same Missouri voters who already bounced her out of office, the sequel is shaping up to have a similar ending to the last campaign,” Reed said of Bush’s campaign stumping ahead of her upcoming election in November. “No wonder Cori Bush restricts comments on her X account posts, because her hypocrisy knows no bounds and deserves to be called out by the American people,” Mark Bednar, who served as head of communications for now-former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Whether it’s driving an SUV but demanding everyone else must live under the Green New Deal, spending thousands on private security while calling to defund the police, or now trying to hide from her own voting record, Cori Bush’s hypocrisy is nothing short of jaw-dropping,” Bednar continued. “The voters of St. Louis have already rejected her once, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if it happens again this election cycle.”
Trump vows to ‘take out’ Indiana GOP leader over redistricting fight
President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to “take out” the Republican leader of the Indiana Senate after he resisted a new congressional map the president had championed. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray had “betrayed” the Republican Party after his chamber voted down a new map last month that would have created two more right-leaning congressional districts in the state. The president said he would partner with David McIntosh, a former Indiana congressman who helped found two political groups, the Federalist Society and the Club for Growth, to target Bray. “I was with David McIntosh of the Club for Growth, and we agreed that we will both work tirelessly together to take out Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray, a total RINO, who betrayed the Republican Party, the President of the United States, and everyone else who wants to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote in the post. TRUMP TURNS UP HEAT ON FELLOW REPUBLICANS IN PUSH TO REDRAW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS He added, “We’re after you Bray, like no one has ever come after you before!” McIntosh, a longtime conservative figure, said he was on board with Trump’s game plan. “President Trump and I are aligned,” he wrote on X. “Rod Bray is going down.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Bray’s office for comment. VIRGINIA GOP CHAIR STEPS DOWN AFTER CRUSHING 2025 LOSS — VOWS TO RALLY PARTY AGAINST DEMOCRATS’ ‘POWER GRAB’ Trump has launched redistricting efforts across the country ahead of this year’s midterms, and Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have drawn new maps as part of the president’s push. In December, the Indiana Senate voted 31-19 against a new congressional map, with 21 Republicans joining 10 Democrats in voting against the measure. If approved, the districts of two Democratic representatives would have been eliminated. The redistricting bill passed the Indiana House 57-41, with a dozen GOP lawmakers voting against the measure, but Republican leaders in the Senate had resisted Trump’s efforts to draw new congressional maps. Bray had repeatedly said there wasn’t enough support in the chamber to move forward with redistricting, but Trump continually pressured Bray and others on the fence leading up to the vote, saying they “need encouragement to make the right decision.” In a social media post on the eve of the vote in the state Senate, Trump blasted Bray, vowing that he’d do everything within his power to oust Bray and Republicans who voted against the redistricting bill in their GOP primaries. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS MOVE TO SEIZE REDISTRICTING POWER, OPENING DOOR TO 4 NEW LEFT-LEANING SEATS The president had called state lawmakers about the bill, and Vice President JD Vance visited the state twice last fall to discuss redistricting. After the Virginia state Senate greenlit a constitutional amendment on Friday that would allow the Democrat-controlled legislature to redraw the state’s U.S. House maps ahead of the midterm elections, Vance also took aim at Bray. “I’d like to thank @bray_rodric for not even trying to fight back against this extraordinary Democrat abuse of power,” he wrote on X. “Now the votes of Indiana Republicans will matter far less than the votes of Virginia Democrats. We told you it would happen, and you did nothing.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Border Patrol commander vows continued tear gas use after Minnesota fedreal judge’s order
One of President Donald Trump‘s most prominent immigration enforcers vowed Saturday to continue using tear gas during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, after a Minnesota federal judge Friday barred federal officers from using it against peaceful protesters. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino said federal agents would continue deploying tear gas against violent protesters who “cross the line” amid ongoing unrest and heightened tension across the Twin Cities. “We’re going to continue to use that minimum amount of force necessary to accomplish our mission,” Bovino said Saturday on “Fox News Live,” adding that immigration officers have never used tear gas against “peaceful protesters.” “We always support the First Amendment, but when they cross the line and they’re violent, we will use those less lethal munitions because it keeps them safe, it keeps our officers safe, and it keeps the public safe,” Bovino said. THREE VENEZUELAN ILLEGALS ARRESTED AFTER ICE OFFICER ‘AMBUSHED AND ATTACKED’ DURING TRAFFIC STOP: NOEM Bovino’s comments after U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez issued a ruling Friday in a case filed in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, barring federal officers from detaining or deploying tear gas against peaceful protesters who are not obstructing authorities while participating in Operation Metro Surge. The ruling prohibits federal agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters or observers, adding that federal agents must show probable cause or reasonable suspicion that someone has committed a crime or is interfering with law enforcement operations. Federal agents cannot use pepper spray or other non-lethal munitions and crowd-dispersal tools against peaceful protesters, according to the ruling, and peacefully following officers “at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop.” MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR WHO TOLD ICE TO ‘GET THE F— OUT’ NOW CALLS FOR PEACE AFTER ANOTHER SHOOTING INCIDENT The order came as tensions escalated in Minneapolis after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good earlier this month during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Menendez noted in her ruling that the immigration crackdown by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Minnesota appears to be escalating. “There is no sign that this operation is winding down—indeed, it appears to still be ramping up,” she wrote. The City of Minneapolis applauded the court’s decision, while urging community members to be “peaceful and lawful” around immigration agents. TRUMP SAYS NO NEED TO INVOKE INSURRECTION ACT ‘RIGHT NOW’ AMID ANTI-ICE UNREST IN MINNESOTA “As this is a federal court order, we expect the federal administration to change course and comply for the safety of all,” the City wrote Saturday on X. “We applaud the court’s decision in the ACLU’s lawsuit, which prohibits federal immigration agents from targeting or retaliating against those peacefully and lawfully protesting or observing Operation Metro Surge operations.” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison reacted to the ruling, saying that “this preliminary win matters for every Minnesotan exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest and witness.” “Thank you to the ACLU and the plaintiffs for standing firm in defense of this bedrock freedom,” he added. After the ruling, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that the First Amendment does not protect “rioting,” adding that DHS is “taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters.” “We remind the public that rioting is dangerous—obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony,” McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Rioters and terrorists have assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their vehicles, and vandalized federal property. Others have chosen to ignore commands and have attempted to impede law enforcement operations and used their vehicles as weapons against our officers.” McLaughlin added that law enforcement has followed their training and has “used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.”
Spanberger takes swipe at Trump admin, says Virginians worried about ‘recklessness coming out of Washington’
Democrat Abigail Spanberger took multiple swipes at the Trump administration Saturday as she was sworn in as Virginia’s first female governor. Spanberger, who handily defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in November and takes over for Republican Glenn Youngkin, told a crowd at the State Capitol, “I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington.” “You are worried about policies that are hurting our communities, cutting healthcare access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs. You are worried about Washington policies that are closing off markets, hurting innovation and private industry and attacking those who have devoted their lives to public service,” Spanberger said. “You are worried about an administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking, breaking, breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities, betraying the values of who we are as Americans, the very values that we celebrate here on these steps. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS MOVE TO SEIZE REDISTRICTING POWER, OPENING DOOR TO 4 NEW LEFT-LEANING SEATS “And across the Commonwealth, everything keeps getting a bit more expensive. Groceries, medicine, daycare, the electricity bill, rent and the mortgage. Families are strained, kids are stressed and so much just seems to be getting harder and harder,” Spanberger added. “Growing up, my parents always taught me that when faced with something unacceptable, you must speak up. YOUNGKIN BACKS JD VANCE FOR 2028, CALLS VICE PRESIDENT A ‘GREAT’ GOP NOMINEE “You must take action. You must right what you believe is wrong and fix what isn’t working. And I know that some who are here today or watching from home may disagree with the litany of challenges and the hardships that I laid out,” Spanberger also said. “Your perspective may differ from mine, but that does not preclude us from working together where we may find common cause.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for a response to Spanberger’s remarks. “The history and the gravity of this moment are not lost on me. I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots,” Spanberger said at one point during her speech. Prior to her inauguration speech, Youngkin posted a video on X, saying it was an “honor of a lifetime” to serve the state.