Socialist Wisconsin governor candidate referred to America as ‘abundance of suffering,’ resurfaced post shows
A socialist candidate for governor in Wisconsin with an extensive history of inflammatory online posts once described America as “an abundance of suffering,” Fox News Digital has found. “I want this country to stop being an abundance of suffering but a wealth of opportunity,” reads a Jan. 20, 2022 X post from Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, who is running in the Democratic Party’s primary election to become the state’s top official. “We can do this by providing equal rights to Black and Brown folks,” the post continues. “Elect more Black and Brown folks who won’t be racist obstructionists. We can all be better and do so much more.” SOCIALIST FRONTRUNNER IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER ‘CANCEL THANKSGIVING’ POST EMERGES ONLINE This isn’t the first time the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidate has faced scrutiny for past comments on social media that are especially critical of America and its institutions and ideals. “Cancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621,” Hong wrote in a now-deleted post on X. “If it takes a worldwide pandemic for us to realize we should stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed indigenous folx [sic] and women, so be it,” she added, referring to the spread of smallpox that killed many indigenous Americans. Despite a string of posts, the former chef and mother-of-one, is now running for the Democratic nomination for governor in Wisconsin. She’s the latest in a strong of socialists seeking statewide or federal office in this year’s primary against establishment Democrats. LEFT’S LATEST SOCIALIST DARLING DRAGGED OVER ‘WHITENESS’ COMMENTS PULLING IN HER OWN FAMILY: ‘WEIRDO RACISM’ Hong, who is Korean America, also said in a 2019 post that she was anxious in the company of White people. “I ate two bites of my kid’s cheeseburger at a Culver’s in black river falls and told him they ran out of ice cream,” that post said. “Mostly just wanted to leave bc I was on the verge of a anxiety attack…to (sic) many old white people who didn’t think we spoke english.” When prosecutors declined to press charges in 2021 for the high-profile shooting of Jacob Blake in August 2020, in Kenosha, Wisc., Hong joined the chorus of left-wing voicing calling to abolish police. “How is 7 bullets in the back not excessive force,” she said at the time. “Police exist to uphold White supremacy. Defund then abolish. Reform can’t be an option. My heart breaks for the trauma the Blake family and their community continues to endure.” TOP WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE CONFRONTED ON PAST ‘DEFUND POLICE’ RHETORIC Hong’s team declined in July to walk back her position on police. “Rep. Hong has spoken in the past about police and prison abolition as an aspirational goal, akin to eradicating disease or eliminating poverty,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time. “Her values haven’t changed, but the way she talks about this issue has.” Hong has acknowledged that the governor does not have the power to defund the police. The candidate brushed off the scrutiny of her posts when asked about them by Fox News Digital ahead of her primary election on Tuesday, saying she wanted to be a sports journalist in college. “I learned then you have some hot takes, and sometimes bad takes on Twitter, and I let my feelings out into the world,” Hong said. FRANCESCA HONG ASKED ABOUT LACK OF AOC ENDORSEMENT AND THE HOUSE DEM’S REMARK ABOUT THE ‘WOKE 1’ ERA She said she was focused on issues voters are concerned about. Hong’s campaign did not return a request for comment on the latest post uncovered by Fox News Digital. Fox News’ CJ Womack and Paul Steinhouser contributed to this report.
HHS bureaucrats accused of ‘sabotaging’ RFK Jr.’s efforts to expose Fauci records
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican leading a dive into Dr. Anthony Fauci’s old government iPhone alleged that “career bureaucrats” within Fauci’s old agency are sabotaging the senator’s and others’ quest for information from the pandemic era. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital that he believed longtime employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were putting up roadblocks to his own probe and other information trawling expeditions pushed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Again, we don’t know what we don’t know,” Johnson said. “We don’t know what HHS has. Bobby Kennedy doesn’t know what HHS has.” FAUCI HELD IN CONTEMPT AS COVID CELLPHONE LANDS IN HANDS OF SENATE INVESTIGATORS Johnson, along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., received a copy of Fauci’s personal work phone from HHS as part of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s broader investigation into the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). On Monday, Johnson’s panel, the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, released the first tranche of private messages found on the device, which included over 34,000 text messages and 522 voicemails. The first batch of texts, exchanged between Fauci and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Vivek Murthy, who would become surgeon general under the Biden administration, revealed that Fauci had concerns about the effects of the second dose of mRNA vaccines on pregnant women in the first trimester. FAUCI’S HHS IPHONE TURNED OVER TO SENATE INVESTIGATORS AS CONTEMPT VOTE LOOMS “I asked around a bit more and another issue came up that you need to be aware of,” Fauci wrote. “Since many people have significant cytokines storm and fever after the 2nd dose, this theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.” The lawmaker believed that the revelation was just the “tip of the iceberg,” but has remained cautious with his investigation and what information dumps come next, particularly to protect the personal information of others who may be included in the communications. FAUCI IN THE HOT SEAT AS GOP SENATOR TEARS INTO ‘TRULY SICK’ VACCINE TEXTS: ‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’ He argued that releasing the first batch of texts was based on public health and safety concerns, said that Fauci’s concern “immediately impacts public safety, immediately impacts informed consent.” As he waded through the rest of the information on the phone, Johnson believed that there was more to find about the HHS’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and charged that even though Kennedy was at the helm, not even he had full knowledge of the information that could be lurking within the agency. “I mean, fortunately, now we have Bobby Kennedy, I think gaining a little bit more control over the agency,” Johnson said. “Remember, most of the people serving in these agencies have been there a long time, and they were involved in the cover-up. They were supposed to be surveilling for vaccine injuries and they weren’t.” “So, you know, Bobby Kennedy has people in those agencies sabotaging his efforts at radical transparency,” he continued. “So this is like pulling teeth. So, I mean, I did not know they had government-issued phones. They’ve been sitting there, locked away somewhere.” HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sherrill drops head-turning voter ID declaration in wake of registration fiasco: ‘Significant shift’
New Jersey Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill says she would support a voter ID law in the Garden State — even as she slams President Donald Trump’s federal SAVE Act push as “voter suppression.” “Governor Sherrill supports the current rules requiring ID for voter registration and she is open to considering proposals to strengthen those to make sure we have the strongest, fairest elections in the nation,” a spokesperson in the governor’s office told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. Sherrill’s comments hand New Jersey Republicans a new opening to press Democrats on voter ID, even as she rejects Trump’s broader federal election push under the SAVE America Act. Sherrill’s office responded to Fox News Digital on Tuesday after the Garden State Democrat told local media in July she would support a voter ID law if one were passed in New Jersey, saying she “doesn’t have a problem with voter ID.” SCHUMER SAID ‘DEMOCRATS SUPPORT VOTER ID’ — THEN EVERY SENATE DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST GOP BILL “I’m very opposed to the SAVE Act,” Sherrill added at the time. “I do believe that is just a tool of voter suppression and an attempt to get all of the personal identifying information of New Jerseyans into the federal government systems, which I’m opposed to.” Sherrill served in the House for seven years and voted against the SAVE Act in 2025, with her office describing the measure as an “extreme voter suppression bill.” Sherrill is facing criticism after announcing last month that a Motor Vehicle Commission system error improperly registered roughly 6,600 people who had indicated they were not U.S. citizens. The state said fewer than 400 people newly registered because of the error voted, and later announced that more than 4,500 registrations were being removed while the remaining cases undergo additional review because some of those individuals may be citizens. New Jersey Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio told Fox News Digital Sherrill’s recent comments mark a “significant shift” after years of Republicans in the Garden State advocating for voter ID. NEW JERSEY REMOVES 6,600 PEOPLE FROM VOTER ROLLS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO CAST A BALLOT FOR 2024 ELECTION “But agreeing with us publicly is the easy part,” DiMaio said, adding that Democratic legislative leaders control what gets a hearing and a vote, and that Republicans have so far heard nothing from them on voter ID. “We’ve been pushing voter ID and other election integrity reforms for years. The bills are already introduced. We’ve repeatedly called for hearings and votes. The roadblock has been Democratic legislative leadership,” the Republican state leader said. DiMaio said the Motor Vehicle System failure exposed serious weaknesses in New Jersey’s election safeguards and they still have not heard an answer of what went wrong. Voter-ID requirements have repeatedly become major partisan fights at the state level, with Democrats and voting-rights groups arguing that some requirements can make it harder for eligible voters to cast ballots. One of the most prominent battles erupted in Georgia in 2021. The state already required photo ID for in-person voting, but a sweeping Republican-backed election law added identification requirements for absentee voting along with other changes. The backlash went national, with MLB moving its 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta and some Hollywood figures threatening boycotts. HARRIS BECOMES ACCIDENTAL SAVE ACT ‘SALESWOMAN’ AS TRUMP ATTACK SPECTACULARLY BACKFIRES “Governor Sherrill served our country in the military and as a public servant because she believes in every citizen’s right to participate in our democracy by voting. That’s why she has stood firm against MAGA Republicans’ voter suppression attempts and Trump’s demands for New Jersey voters’ personal identifiable information,” said a spokesperson in the office of the governor. “She has already made voting more accessible by signing the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act and expanded early voting in municipal elections,” the spokesperson added, referencing the law that bans voter intimidation and discrimination, expanding language assistance, and requiring extra review of election changes in places with a history of discrimination. Trump has continued to prioritize and highlight the issue of noncitizens on voter rolls as he renewed his push for the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections and photo identification to cast a federal ballot. “I think they should pass Voter I.D. I think they should pass proof of citizenship—basically SAVE America Act… I think that should be something that we should absolutely get,” Trump said in the Oval Office Monday. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Trump cheers Alito staying for another Supreme Court term: ‘One of the greatest of all time’
In a late-night social media post, President Donald Trump celebrated Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s decision to remain on the bench for another term. Trump’s celebration of the 76-year-old conservative stalwart’s decision to put off retirement comes as the midterms raise the stakes over how long Republicans will retain the Senate majority needed to confirm any eventual successor. “Great news for our Country! Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has announced that he is staying for another Term,” Trump wrote Monday night on Truth Social. “He is one of the Greatest of All Time. We are all lucky!” Alito confirmed last week that he plans to remain on the nation’s highest court for its coming term, batting down months of speculation that he could retire while Trump is in the White House and Republicans still control the Senate. ALITO NOT EXPECTED TO RETIRE THIS TERM, COOLING SUPREME COURT VACANCY SPECULATION: SOURCES “Obviously, I’m here for another term,” Alito said in an interview published by The Wall Street Journal. The Supreme Court’s next term begins in October and typically concludes with its final opinions in late June or early July. The justices are currently on their summer recess. Alito and fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, 78, have faced some calls from conservatives to step down, which would give Trump one potential last chance to appoint a fourth Supreme Court justice to the lifetime post. Trump appointed three others during his first term in office – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – giving the court a 6-3 conservative majority that has issued a series of major rulings since 2020. “It’s not pleasant, in the sense that it’s a reminder of mortality,” Alito told the Journal about the calls to retire. “It’s like, what are those vultures doing up there? They are flying around. But it goes with life tenure.” TRUMP REVEALS HE HAS MULTI-PICK SCOTUS PLAN READY AS RETIREMENT SPECULATION HEATS UP The window to replace one of the court’s oldest conservative justices with a younger jurist who could potentially remain on the bench for decades might narrow considerably after November. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate advantage, counting the two independents who caucus with Democrats on the Democratic side. Because Supreme Court nominees require Senate confirmation, a Democratic takeover in the 2026 midterms could effectively prevent Trump from replacing Alito — or any other justice — with a nominee opposed by a unified Democratic majority. Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to reach 51 and take outright control, with Republican Vice President JD Vance otherwise positioned to break a 50-50 tie. That reality places unusual weight on Alito’s decision to remain. Alito was born April 1, 1950, making him 76, and has served on the Supreme Court since January 2006 after being nominated by President George W. Bush. He is one of the court’s most consistently conservative members. The court has disclosed relatively little about Alito’s health over the years, signaling he remains in good health. Alito did have a minor incident while attending a Federalist Society event in Philadelphia on March 20, being treated for dehydration after his security detail urged him to see a doctor rather than make the roughly three-hour drive home. He was released that night, was subsequently examined by his physician and returned to work the following Monday. NPR RETRACTS FALSE REPORT CLAIMING JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO IS RETIRING FROM THE SUPREME COURT Questions about Alito’s longevity on the bench and decision to stay introduces another potential inflection point: the 2028 presidential election. If the White House changes parties in 2028, Alito remaining beyond Trump’s term carries the risk for conservatives that a future Democratic president could nominate his successor the following January. That outcome is far from predetermined, and subject to whatever party controls the Senate, but the modern political era has repeatedly seen the White House swing between parties. In six of the seven elections since 1988 that produced a new president, control of the presidency also changed parties — the lone exception being Republican George H.W. Bush’s victory after Ronald Reagan in 1988. That run includes the succession from Bush to Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump, Joe Biden and back to Trump. For Trump, the stakes surrounding an aging Supreme Court justice are hardly theoretical. He confronted perhaps the most consequential Supreme Court vacancy of his first presidency on Sept. 18, 2020, when reporters informed him on an airport tarmac after a campaign rally in Bemidji, Minnesota, that liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died. TRUMP PRAISES LINDSEY GRAHAM AS SENATOR WHOSE KAVANAUGH FIGHT CHANGED SUPREME COURT HISTORY “She just died? Wow. I didn’t know that,” Trump said before praising Ginsburg as an “amazing woman” who had led an “amazing life.” The timing immediately transformed the final weeks of the 2020 presidential campaign. Trump moved quickly to select then-Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ginsburg – just eight days after her death – and the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed Barrett on Oct. 26, 2020, by a 52-48 vote, just 27 days after her nomination, eight days before Election Day. Landing three new justices during a single four-year presidential term was a historically rare achievement. Not since Richard Nixon’s first term had a president placed at least three new members on the Supreme Court in one term. Nixon ultimately placed four — Warren Burger, Harry Blackmun, Lewis Powell and William Rehnquist — on the court before beginning his second term. Trump’s three appointments have continued to shape some of the most consequential rulings of his second administration, making the future of Alito’s seat particularly significant for both parties. For now, Alito has made his choice to stay active, with Trump is cheering him on. Reuters contributed to this report.
Francesca Hong asked about lack of AOC endorsement and the House Dem’s remark about the ‘Woke 1’ era
Wisconsin Democratic socialist gubernatorial primary candidate Francesca Hong fielded questions on Monday pertaining to progressive U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who did not endorse Hong in Tuesday’s primary contest. Asked why she thinks the congresswoman — who is often referred to simply by her initials AOC — and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., did not back her, Hong said, “I have so much respect for the senator and the congresswoman, and they are working tirelessly to make sure that we can flip Congress and the Senate and get Democrats wins in the midterms. I look forward to conversations with them about that too.” Pressed on whether she believes the two lawmakers not endorsing her signals they don’t believe she can win the state, Hong said that a gubernatorial contest “is different from federal elections.” WISCONSIN PROGRESSIVE HONG’S SUPPORTERS ARE CONFIDENT SHE’S THE ANSWER TO AFFORDABILITY AHEAD OF PRIMARY During a Sunday interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Jonathan Karl asked Ocasio-Cortez whether she would endorse Hong. “No, I haven’t endorsed in that race. My focus has been in winning back the Congress, winning back the House and positioning ourselves to have the best, ah, chance possible to, to win the Senate,” she said. SOCIALIST FRONTRUNNER IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER ‘CANCEL THANKSGIVING’ POST EMERGES ONLINE Karl asked the congresswoman about controversial comments Hong has made in the past. Ocasio-Cortez indicated that her “understanding is that… Francesca Hong has made clear her present stances to her electorate” and “moved away from” prior comments. “And I have a local city councilman that has this… saying, ‘Woke 1 was crazy,’” she said, laughing. “And I think that what’s important is that we have to assess what a candidate is saying now.” When asked on Monday about Ocasio-Cortez’s wokeness-related comment, Hong, a Democratic Socialists of America member, suggested that individuals “are opening their eyes to an economy that is deeply rigged against working class people” and that she will speak about how to “deliver for working class people by taxing the ultra rich, ensure that we have a moratorium on data centers, that we’re raising wages, fighting for universal childcare and that we fully fund our public schools.” AOC TRIES TO LAUGH OFF ‘CRAZY’ WOKE ERA AS THING OF THE PAST, BUT CONSERVATIVES AREN’T AMUSED Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys and former secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration Joel Brennan are also running in Tuesday’s Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary contest.
Replacement GOP nominee named after Rep Chuck Edwards drops re-election bid
North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom has been named as the new GOP nominee for the state’s 11th Congressional District in the wake of incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards’ announcement last week that he was nixing his re-election bid. The North Carolina Republican Party 11th Congressional District Executive Committee tapped Balkcom on Monday, reports indicate. U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., have both endorsed Balkcom in the race. GOP REP CHUCK EDWARDS DROPS RE-ELECTION BID AFTER HOUSE ETHICS REPORT RECOMMENDS CENSURE “I’m blessed to receive the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District,” Balkcom said in part of a statement, according to screenshots of the statement that reporters posted on X. “Like many Americans, the Democrat Party left me behind when they abandoned their values and embraced extremism. We’re seeing that extremism play out across the country, as their party nominates radical socialists who want to raise taxes, open our borders, and do away with our way of life. We must prevent that radical agenda from reaching our government, and that starts right here in the Eleventh District,” she said in the statement. Balkcom will face Democratic candidate Jamie Ager in the general election contest. “We are very pleased with, uh, the selection of Jennifer Balkcom to fill the ballot vacancy for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District,” North Carolina Republican Party executive director Zach Almond told Fox News Digital during a Tuesday phone call. “Jennifer has Western North Carolina values,” Almond said, adding that she “has a background” with “ag, banking and finance, and would be a tremendous asset to Western North Carolinians in U.S. Congress.” GOP LAWMAKER’S GIFTS, ‘EFFUSIVE AFFECTION’ TOWARD YOUNG STAFFERS DETAILED IN EXPLOSIVE ETHICS REPORT Edwards, who decisively won the U.S. House GOP primary in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District earlier this year, announced last week that he was ending his run for re-election. “After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. I will complete my current term. Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support. God bless WNC and America,” Edwards said in a post on X last week. He made the announcement after the House Committee on Ethics issued a report about him that noted that the committee was recommending censuring him. The report states that the committee found that the congressman “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.” REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER WELCOMES HOUSE ETHICS PROBE INTO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM It notes that although “Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together.”
US Marine veteran released from Russian prison after 1,666 days of detention
United States Marine veteran Robert Gilman was released from Russian custody Tuesday on humanitarian grounds after 1,666 days in prison, Fox News has learned. Gilman, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on Jan. 17, 2022, in Voronezh, Russia, and sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison. While in custody, he was subject to harsh and abusive treatment, putting him into “a catatonic state,” according to Gilman family representative Kieran Ramsey. In a Friday interview with Fox News, Ramsey detailed the events that led to Gilman’s arrest. “If we back up in November of 2021, he is on his way to Moldova. So he’s not even supposed to travel to Russia. But in his travels, he gets violently ill and ends up having to stop in Moscow, ” Ramsey told Fox News. AMERICAN EX-MARINE FEARED NEAR DEATH AFTER WEEKS IN CATATONIC STATE IN RUSSIAN PRISON “He ends up going to a relative’s house to recuperate because of this illness. In January of 2022, after what he thought was a full recovery, he goes to the U.S. embassy to renew his passport. But en route he becomes violently ill again. And at that point the Russian police approach him thinking he’s drunk, claiming they that he assaults them, and then they proceed to assault him and arrest him and charge him. And that nightmare has exponentially expanded since that point,” Ramsey said. The U.S. State Department referred to Gilman as a wrongful detainee and said his release was part of an exchange with Russia, telling Fox News that “no other concessions were provided.” Ramsey also conveyed the dire state of Gilman’s medical status. “Our main concern is that we think he’s dying in a Russian hospital. And the Russians won’t let his mother even visit him, let alone embassy staff,” he told Fox News. “Right now, he is in a catatonic state. He’s being fed through a tube that goes down his nose into his stomach. And quite honestly, we were afraid he may already be dead or he may not come out of this,” Ramsey added. Gilman was transferred out of prison and into a civilian hospital in Voronezh on June 30. “Robert’s full medical assessment will be done when he gets back to the US and his family will join him at a US military hospital in Texas, as he starts the long road to recovery,” Ramsey said in a statement Tuesday. PENCE COMMENDS TRUMP FOR WINNING FREEDOM OF BEIJING’S ZION CHURCH PASTOR EZRA JIN FROM CHINESE DETENTION Robert’s sister Lexie Hudson thanked President Donald Trump and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., for their efforts in securing Gilman’s release. “I am so grateful to President Trump for saving my brother’s life. There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action,” Hudson said in a statement provided to Fox News through the nonprofit Global Relief. “I want to thank Senator Ed Markey for leading our advocacy efforts in Congress. He and his staff were personally involved in Robert’s case and we will forever be grateful,” Hudson said. Both Hudson and Ramsey highlighted the severe nature of Gilman’s detention. “The Russians treated my brother so badly. They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?” Hudson asked. LAWYER FOR AMERICAN DETAINED IN IRAN SAYS HOSTAGE DEAL IS ‘EASIEST PROBLEM ON THE TABLE’ FOR BOTH SIDES “I’ll tell you this,” Ramsey told Fox News, “I have a lot of experience in the hostage space. Having been the head of the Hostage Recovery Fusion cell at the FBI, and Robert Gilman is by far one of the worst cases I’ve seen when it comes to how the Russians are treating Americans in prison. The fact that he is in a near catatonic state. And again, we believe he’s at risk of death is just frightening for this family. It should be frightening to every American that sees this report,” Ramsey said. Gilman is the third U.S. Marine to be taken prisoner in Russia in the last decade, following Russia’s detention of Paul Whelan in 2018 and Trevor Reed in 2019. Both were later released in prisoner swaps. Global Relief, in a statement provided to Fox News, pointed out that five other wrongfully detained Americans remain in Russian prisons, “each with deteriorating medical issues.” “It is critical that the Administration uses the momentum of Robert’s release to bring home Aleksandr Antonov, David Barnes, Olga Jezler, Andre Khachatoorian, and Chuck Zimmerman before it is too late,” Global Relief’s Chief Strategy Officer Eric Lebson said in a statement.
Dem governor booed at Virginia Old Fiddlers’ Convention
Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger was greeted by a chorus of boos at the Virginia Old Fiddlers’ Convention over the weekend, as the governor faces sagging poll numbers and lingering political fallout from Democrats’ failed push to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional map. Spanberger was met with boos after she was introduced and stepped to the microphone at the longtime Galax gathering, where musicians and spectators were marking the convention’s 90th year. Video from the event showed a chilly reception from portions of the crowd as the Democratic governor took the stage for about half of a minute. Spanberger later highlighted her visit in a social media video but made no mention of the boos. WATCH: SPANBERGER KNOCKED FOR ‘BAIT AND SWITCH’ HYPOCRISY AS POPULARITY PLUMMETS AMID REDISTRICTING FIASCO “I’m in Galax. We just went to the Old Fiddlers’ Convention and I joined community members at the Poor Man’s Dinner,” Spanberger said. “It was an incredible time. There was great food, great music, and great community.” Spanberger’s political standing has slipped just months into her first year in office. A July Virginia Commonwealth University poll found 44% of registered voters approved of her job performance while 47% disapproved, an unusually weak showing for a new Virginia governor, according to the university’s pollsters. Spanberger has also emerged from a bruising battle over mid-decade redistricting. The governor backed a Democratic effort that could have dramatically reshaped Virginia’s congressional delegation. Voters narrowly approved the proposal in April on the back of a reported $70 million ballot campaign, but the Supreme Court of Virginia later struck down the effort in a 4-3 ruling, finding lawmakers had failed to follow required constitutional procedures. The existing congressional map remained in place. SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IN FIGHT OVER STATE COURT ELECTION MAP RULING For Spanberger, a former congresswoman who campaigned for governor as a pragmatic moderate focused heavily on affordability, the Galax appearance offered Republicans another opening to argue that her early months in Richmond have alienated some of the voters she pledged to represent. Republican Del. Tom Garrett, who represents Virginia’s 56th District, said the chilly reception was warranted and pointed back to the wasteful redistricting fight. “She campaigned, and she was asked about doing a mid-decade redistrict to grab power and take voices away from people outside of Northern Virginia,” Garrett told WSET. “She said she wouldn’t do it and then she led the charge.” Republican Del. Wren Williams, whose district includes Galax, also praised the crowd for making its displeasure known. LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS’ AFFORDABILITY SCAM COLLAPSES IN STATES THEY ACTUALLY RUN “If you think about the affordability agenda that has been run on and that she has championed, where are the results of that?” Williams said. “And we know the millions of dollars spent trying to disenfranchise the exact individuals that she is now trying to come and pander.” The governor’s office struck a far different tone when asked about the visit, saying Spanberger and her husband, Adam, enjoyed their time at both the convention and the Poor Man’s Dinner. “Governor Spanberger and her husband Adam had a wonderful time at the Old Fiddlers’ Convention and Poor Man’s Dinner in Galax this weekend — talking to many community members, enjoying the music and festivities, and celebrating the convention’s 90th year,” her office said in a statement. “The Governor is grateful to all those who work year after year to make this event a success and a point of pride for all Virginians.” Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office for a response to the boos, but has not yet heard back. The Old Fiddlers’ Convention is a longstanding Galax tradition that draws musicians and visitors for bluegrass and old-time music performances and competitions. The episode also highlighted a geographic challenge for Democrats in Virginia. Spanberger won the governorship by 15 points last November, but the chilly reception in Southwest Virginia offered a vivid reminder of the resistance she continues to face outside the Democratic strongholds of Northern Virginia and other population centers.
Medicaid ends funding for child sex-change procedures as Trump admin slams ‘experimental’ treatments
FIRST ON FOX: American taxpayers will no longer be on the hook for child sex-change hormones or surgeries, as a key Trump administration agency announced Tuesday that Medicaid will stop funding such procedures and therapies. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz tells Fox News Digital that the decision to implement a rule pulling the funding is “consistent with [the Trump administration’s] commitment to protect children from experimental and life-altering sex-rejecting procedures that carry serious long-term health risks and lack sufficiently reliable evidence of clinical benefit.” CMS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), says taxpayer-funded Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will also cease coverage of sex-change hormones and surgeries. SEN HAWLEY WARNS IT WOULD BE ‘UNCONSCIONABLE’ IF BILLIONS OF TAXPAYER FUNDS FLOW TO TRANS KIDS’ SEX CHANGES The rule will not affect mental health treatments for gender dysmorphia and other conditions, which will continue to be covered under Medicaid and CHIP. The move comes after years of what conservatives called ‘woke’ policies that opened avenues for federal funding of therapies and procedures to allow children to physically — and oftentimes permanently — transition from their biological sex before they could legally drive, get a tattoo or enlist in the U.S. Military. “Children deserve our protection, not experimental interventions that pose serious risks and convey no proven benefits,” Oz said. “By cutting off federal funds for these sex-rejecting procedures, we’re following the science, saving taxpayer dollars, and, most importantly, protecting children from potentially irreversible harm so they can truly flourish.” Specifically, the “sex-rejecting” treatments that will no longer be covered include cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers and sex-change surgical operations. CMS and HHS say such procedures “can result in irreversible damage, including infertility, impaired sexual function, diminished bone density, altered brain development, and other lasting physiological effects.” HHS, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reviewed national and international research on sex-change procedures in minors, which ultimately informed CMS’ decision to reverse federal taxpayer-funded procedures. COLORADO SUPREME COURT ORDERS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO RESUME GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS FOR MINORS “Today, we are ending federal taxpayer funding for sex-rejecting procedures on children,” Secretary Kennedy said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “These interventions carry serious risks and can cause irreversible harm. The federal government will no longer use Medicaid and CHIP dollars to fund procedures that fail to meet the evidentiary standard our children deserve.” That research “identified significant evidence gaps” and “documented serious safety concerns,” eventually leading to the conclusion that taxpayer funding for such procedures could not be justified comparative to the risks. Specifically, CMS pointed to the United Kingdom’s Cass Review as one of the cornerstone pieces of research informing the decision. That review, conducted by Dr. Hilary Cass, concluded in 2024 that research on medical interventions like cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers was limited and not definitive. The report also said that medical interventions had developed significantly faster than evidence proving those interventions were safe. LARGEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN US TO OPEN ‘DETRANSITION CLINIC’ AFTER $10M SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP DOJ, STATE “The Trump Administration is drawing a clear line: America’s children will not be subjected to life-altering interventions on the taxpayer’s dime without reliable evidence of safety and clinical benefit,” HHS Press Secretary Emily Hilliard told Fox News Digital. “Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy, federal health care dollars will support evidence-based care that protects children and puts their long-term health first,” she added. “American taxpayers should never be forced to finance interventions when the evidence of benefit is insufficient and the potential consequences for children can be serious and irreversible.” What follows is a tapering-off period where the Medicaid and CHIP funding will slowly phase out and allow children who are currently getting hormone treatments to receive funding for six months from the date the new rule takes effect.
Progressive praise for Trump as Warren backs push to curb defense contractor CEO payouts
FIRST ON FOX: Progressive Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., issued extremely rare credit to President Donald Trump for pressuring defense companies to put more money back into building weapons and expanding production rather than returning it to investors and lining stakeholders’ pockets. Warren and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, are urging War Secretary Pete Hegseth to make Trump’s restrictions on stock buybacks for defense contractors permanent, according to a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. The bipartisan duo argue the policy is already changing how major defense companies spend their money and bolstering national security and military readiness. TRUMP IS PROVING THAT THE WAY TO BETTER OUR MILITARY IS TO SECURE OUR SUPPLY CHAINS “The Pentagon is handing companies billions – and now potentially trillions – of taxpayer dollars,” the senators wrote in their letter. “Congress and the Administration must work together to ensure they fulfill their contractual obligations and enhance national security.” They are asking Hegseth to support their Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting Act, which would codify central provisions included in Trump’s January executive order, like executive incentives being tied to on-time delivery and production improvements rather than short-term financial metrics. A keystone of the executive action also allows the Pentagon, where law permits, to cap the base salaries of executives at underperforming contractors. Staff for Warren and Lee reviewed recent earnings calls and financial reports from the top 20 publicly traded U.S. defense contractors. The offices found that the companies cut buybacks and dividends by $2 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with the same period a year earlier, while capital spending rose by $1.2 billion. Capital spending is money companies put into long-term needs such as factories, equipment and new production lines. Trump’s order directs the Pentagon to identify contractors falling behind on performance, investment or production and, in future contracts, restrict stock buybacks and corporate distributions during periods of underperformance. PENTAGON RACES TO BUY 10X MORE MISSILES AS IRAN WAR DWINDLES ARSENAL, THREATENS READINESS FOR CHINA AGGRESSION The senators’ analysis does not prove that every dollar withheld from shareholders went into those investments, but Warren and Lee argue the trend shows Trump’s policy is pushing defense firms to focus more on building weapons and expanding capacity. The push comes after years of cost overruns and delays across major Pentagon weapons programs, even as defense contractors reported strong profits and returned billions of dollars to shareholders. Among four top defense contractors — Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics — the firms’ combined buybacks and dividends fell from about $4.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025 to about $2.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to the letter. The reductions were not uniform: RTX’s reported payouts rose slightly year over year, while Lockheed, Northrop and General Dynamics reported declines. This means stakeholders at the top of these firms saw $1.5 billion less, and instead those funds were freed up for ramping up weapon production. Warren and Lee also pointed to GE Aerospace, which increased its stock buybacks, as evidence that an executive order alone is not enough to stop companies from directing more money to shareholders. PENTAGON RACES TO BUY 10X MORE MISSILES AS IRAN WAR DWINDLES ARSENAL The senators said key elements of their legislation were included in the Senate’s version of the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. Fox News Digital reached out to the War Department, Lockheed Martin, RTX, General Dynamics and GE Aerospace for comment but did not hear back at time of publication.