Newsom again calls for Trump’s removal under 25th Amendment, White House hits back
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for invoking the 25th Amendment against President Donald Trump, calling the president “mentally ill” following Trump’s controversial remarks involving Los Angeles and San Diego. “Donald Trump is mentally ill. TIME FOR THE 25TH!” Newsom said in statements provided to multiple media outlets. The Democratic governor’s comments came after Trump referenced the two California cities while discussing Iran during a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday. “They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego,” Trump said. “This is a very small price to pay.” GAVIN NEWSOM ACCUSES TRUMP OF EXPLOITING WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING TO ATTACK ENEMIES Newsom blasted the president as “deranged and dangerous” in a post on X responding to the remarks. It is not the first time Newsom has called for using the 25th Amendment against Trump. In July, the California governor said Trump’s election integrity speech represented a “legitimate 25th Amendment moment” and described it as “the rambling of a mad king.” That earlier call drew sharp pushback from Republicans, who accused Newsom and other Democrats of applying a double standard after defending former President Joe Biden amid questions about his age and cognitive fitness while he was in office. HOUSE DEMS UNVEIL BILL TO EXAMINE REMOVING TRUMP USING 25TH AMENDMENT The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, provides a process under which the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet — or another body designated by Congress — can declare a president unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office. The White House has pushed back on interpretations of Trump’s latest comments, saying the president was arguing that American cities could have faced threats from Iran if Tehran had obtained a nuclear weapon. White House communications director Steven Cheung said the ensuing “media freakout” was “not rooted in reality,” adding that Trump “was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped.” “America is safer because of the President. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money,” Cheung said. Trump’s remarks came as he discussed the costs associated with the conflict with Iran, telling the Nebraska crowd that Americans were paying a “small price … for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” before referencing the potential threat to U.S. cities. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office and the White House, but did not immediately receive responses.
Chinese military activity nearly doubles around key US ally in disputed waters
China nearly doubled the number of military and coast guard ships it sent to a key flashpoint in the South China Sea last month, according to Manila’s military. It comes as a series of increasingly tense encounters raises the risk of confrontation with a U.S. treaty ally located in the disputed waters. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said it tracked 101 different Chinese navy and coast guard vessels around four disputed areas over the course of September, up from 56 in August and 48 in July. The sharp increase comes as Chinese and Philippine forces have faced off both at sea and in the air, including an encounter over the weekend in which Manila accused a Chinese fighter jet of repeatedly maneuvering dangerously close to an unarmed Philippine patrol plane. China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including waters that fall within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and uses coast guard ships, naval vessels and aircraft to assert those claims. Manila has continued patrolling the waters and resupplying Philippine positions, bringing forces from the two countries into repeated close contact. US, CHINA STRIKE DEAL TO LOWER TARIFFS ON $30B IN GOODS AFTER TRUMP-XI WASHINGTON SUMMIT The confrontations carry particular stakes for Washington: the Philippines is a U.S. treaty ally, and the U.S. has repeatedly said its Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila applies to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels and aircraft — including in the South China Sea. The latest Philippine count showed the largest number of Chinese vessels around Scarborough Shoal, where 39 different Chinese coast guard and People’s Liberation Army Navy ships were observed during September. Another 28 were tracked around Thitu Island, known in the Philippines as Pag-asa; 23 around Second Thomas Shoal; and 11 around Sabina Shoal. Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, an Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the figures showed China’s continued “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive” activities in the region. But Philippine officials stopped short of concluding that the jump represented a broader shift in China’s strategy. Asked why the number had nearly doubled from August, Trinidad said the military wanted to examine a longer period before drawing conclusions about the trend. The increase comes as the two sides have repeatedly confronted each other around some of the same contested waters. On Saturday, a Philippine C-208 maritime patrol aircraft was flying near Scarborough Shoal when it encountered two Chinese military aircraft, according to the Philippine military. Manila said one of the aircraft, a Chinese J-16 fighter, repeatedly approached the unarmed Philippine plane and maneuvered in front of and behind it at what the military described as an unsafe distance. “This incident is part of a recurring pattern of unsafe and coercive behavior against Philippine government vessels and aircraft conducting lawful operations,” the Philippine military said. The Philippine aircraft completed its mission and returned safely to base. TRUMP ENVOY WARNS CHINA’S POWER MOVE AT SEA IS THREAT ‘WE CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE’ Beijing offered a sharply different account, saying the Philippine aircraft had entered airspace over Huangyan Dao, China’s name for Scarborough Shoal, without permission and that Chinese forces took “necessary measures” in response. Scarborough Shoal sits about 120 miles west of the Philippine island of Luzon and has become one of the most persistent flashpoints between Beijing and Manila. China has effectively controlled access to the shoal since a 2012 standoff, while the Philippines maintains that it falls within its exclusive economic zone. China claims sovereignty over Scarborough and much of the South China Sea, overlapping claims by the Philippines and several other Southeast Asian nations. An international tribunal ruled in 2016 that China’s sweeping historic-rights claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects. The encounters have continued despite a recent diplomatic thaw between Washington and Beijing, with President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasizing stability in the relationship during Xi’s state visit to Washington. Days before the latest air encounter, Chinese coast guard and naval vessels moved to block a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal, another major flashpoint in the dispute. The Philippines deliberately grounded the aging BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas in 1999 and keeps a small contingent of troops aboard the rusting ship to maintain its presence. Chinese vessels have repeatedly tried to block missions carrying food, water and other supplies to those troops. The latest incidents put renewed attention on Washington’s defense commitment to Manila. The two countries have been bound by their Mutual Defense Treaty since 1951, and the U.S. has said an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, aircraft or public vessels anywhere in the South China Sea would invoke U.S. obligations under the treaty.
Mamdani’s $30M plan to fight antisemitism includes increased funding for anti-Israel group
Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to combat antisemitism indirectly furthers funding to an Arab-American group critical of U.S.–Israel relations. As part of $30 million in investments to push back persecution of the Jewish community, the strategy includes a $6.4 million grant to the Partners Against Hate (PATH). To carry out its mission to “enhance awareness and reporting of hate crimes,” PATH partners with a group of six other groups — including the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY), which was formerly led by disgraced Women’s March co-founder and notorious anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour. The link between New York City and AAANY comes as Mamdani struggles to overcome skepticism among Jewish communities that its first Muslim mayoral administration has done enough to adequately combat rising levels of antisemitism in the Big Apple. MAMDANI PLEDGES MILLIONS TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM WHILE LEAVING KEY QUESTION UNRESOLVED Antisemitic acts make up the greatest slice of the city’s tracking for hate crimes in 2026, accounting for roughly 9% of the picture, according to NYPD reporting. In the first eight months of 2026, the city has recorded a hate crime uptick of 16% over last year’s levels. Recorded hate crimes in the “homosexual” category, for instance, make up 29 incidents, and those against Muslims make up another 21. Hate crimes against Jews have reached 181. One hundred thirty-one of those are felony offenses. The surge prompted Mamdani to unveil his $30 million plan earlier this month, calling it a key step towards combatting hate towards Jewish communities. “My administration has a responsibility to ensure New York City remains a place where Jewish New Yorkers can live their lives peacefully and safely, where they can walk down the street, enter their houses of worship and build their lives knowing that this city will stand with them,” Mamdani said in a strategy document. Notably, the indirect partnership between New York City and AAANY, the Arab-American group, is not new. AAANY’s link to PATH was listed in a 2021 press release from then-Mayor Bill de Blasio. In those remarks, de Blasio listed out the organizations that would partner with PATH to combat racial crimes through a $3 million grant distributed among its partners. “The anchor organizations will work closely with the [Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes] and other city agencies to ensure a comprehensive, community-based approach to preventing hate crime,” the press release states. PROMINENT HOLOCAUST MUSEUM CHALLENGES MAMDANI WITH OFFER IN RESPONSE TO CLAIMS ABOUT ‘GENOCIDE’ IN GAZA “In New York City, we do not tolerate hate, violence, or bigotry in any form. As we drive a recovery for all of us, we must lift up the community leaders standing up against America’s hate epidemic. We are taking action to make sure the hate in our beloved city is eliminated — once and for all,” de Blasio said at the time. In the years since, however, AAANY has come under scrutiny for its advocacy against the state of Israel, a position that, in the view of some critics, goes outside the scope of its mission to combat racial prejudice. Since 2021, AAANY has reportedly given over $223,000 to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York (CAIR-NY). The national CAIR organization has long been the subject of controversy over its alleged ties to Hamas. In 2007, federal prosecutors named the organization an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case, the largest terrorism financing prosecution in U.S. history. Alongside recognizing Israel’s war as a form of genocide, AAANY has pushed for the U.S. to distance itself from Israel. During Mamdani’s time as a state legislator, the group rallied around his “Not On Our Dime” bill. That legislation sought to restrict New York nonprofit donations from going to Israeli settlement activity, citing what it called a “violation of the Geneva Conventions.” The group’s executive director, Marwa Janini, has similarly pressed for the city to oppose the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, citing humanitarian concerns. “I visited Cairo to pack food aid for Gaza and support Palestinian refugees. Despite their resilience in the face of the unimaginable loss and hardships they are facing, it is evident that merely sending aid to Gaza is not enough. The NYC City Council must pass a ceasefire resolution to end this U.S.-funded genocide and bring hope and stability to Gaza,” Janini said in a statement. Longstanding critics of AAANY have argued that the organization has tried to delegitimize the state of Israel. In 2017, AAANY received backlash from groups like the Anti-Defamation League, a group that combats antisemitism, when Linda Sarsour, who was one of its executive directors, espoused a similar position. “We profoundly reject Linda Sarsour’s positions that delegitimize Israel. We have vigorously opposed efforts like the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which she supports, and we oppose her stance that one cannot be simultaneously a feminist and pro-Israel,” the Anti-Defamation League wrote. Sarsour was previously pushed out of the Women’s March, alongside a couple of other co-founders, for allegations of antisemitism and their embrace of notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan. NETANYAHU ACCUSES MAMDANI OF ‘FOMENTING HATE,’ SAYS RHETORIC IS MAKING NEW YORK JEWS AFRAID Sarsour is a longtime political ally of Mamdani. In 2020, she endorsed his bid for the New York Assembly, calling him her “favorite guy,” and was a major backer of his mayoral campaign. The New York Mayor’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital on whether it is concerned that ties to AAANY may undermine efforts to combat antisemitism. Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Trump’s daylight saving push gets new pressure campaign from House GOP leaders
House GOP leadership is ratcheting up pressure on its Senate counterparts to pass legislation making daylight saving time permanent after President Donald Trump called on Congress to act. The House’s No. 2 leader, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital that “there’s no reason Americans should lose an hour of sunlight at the end of the day when more daylight means more time with our families, more activity for our businesses and safer communities.” “President Trump has been pushing to make daylight saving time permanent, and House Republicans delivered by overwhelmingly passing the Sunshine Protection Act. It’s a commonsense change and the Senate should take it up,” Scalise said. HOUSE PASSES DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME REFORM AS TRUMP SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR ENDING CLOCK CHANGE The debate over the twice-annual changing of clocks has raged for decades in Washington. Former President Richard Nixon’s administration led the country through a temporary 16-month trial of year-round daylight saving, but mounting public frustration forced the experiment to end six months early. But the appetite for such a change appears to have returned. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in a bipartisan 308 to 117 vote in July, and Trump posted on Truth Social Friday, “A ridiculous Clock changing process that takes place twice a year, costs our Country a fortune, is bad for Crime, stress on people, Sports, and just about everything else you can imagine.” But the legislation is stalled in the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Politico there was “no clear path forward.” TRUMP URGES SENATE TO PASS BILL MAKING DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT AFTER OVERWHELMING HOUSE VOTE It’s created yet another rift between Trump and the Senate GOP majority, which he has clashed with on multiple fronts so far this term. Trump’s frustration boiled over on the weekend when he targeted Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., one of the bill’s most prominent critics. BATTLE OVER DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ERUPTS AS PUSH TO STOP CHANGING CLOCKS HITS SENATE WALL “Almost everybody wants ‘The Sunshine Protection Act’ to pass, except for Tom Cotton,” Trump said Saturday, sharing the senator’s cell phone number. “To the Great People of Arkansas, please let your Senator know it would be a GREAT Bipartisan WIN for the United States Senate, and for America, itself.” Cotton responded, noting that Congress has tackled daylight saving time before, only to roll back the change shortly after. SLEEP DOCTOR REVEALS THE BRUTAL HEALTH DOWNSIDE OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME “No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,” Cotton said on X. “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.” It’s a unique issue that has divided lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. There are others who agree with Cotton, who argue that sending kids to school in their states in the dark is a no-go for making the change. But there are also those who support the option and believe that Trump’s added pressure could see the legislation resurface. But that will have to contend with an already stacked lame-duck schedule that will be heavily dictated by the outcome of the Nov. 3 election. “Look, obviously, Tom has very strong feelings, he’s made those known both publicly and within the conference, so I don’t expect that to change,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said. “You know, it’s something, obviously, the people of Alabama, for the most part, have said that they’re for.” “And so, we’ll look for a pathway to have dialogue about it … but I would anticipate, given the president’s energy around it, that we’ll have that dialogue and debate when we get back,” she continued.
Unearthed clip exposes stunning Talarico claim about ‘students of color’ in Texas public schools
FIRST ON FOX: Texas Senate candidate James Talarico once criticized the Texas public school system for focusing too heavily on academics while arguing that social-emotional learning should receive greater attention and also declared that Texas schools were “not built” for “poor students” or “students of color.” “I was trapped in a system that was focused purely on academics, reading, writing, arithmetic. And there wasn’t time to talk about social-emotional learning,” Talarico said in a 2020 discussion with Texas Rising — a progressive youth activist group. “All the things that we all know on this call are more important than whether or not you memorize the quadratic equation,” he continued. ‘FAKE’ MODERATE TALARICO’S TEXAS SURGE TESTS PAXTON IN FIGHT TO HOLD CRUCIAL GOP SENATE SEAT Talarico made the comments while serving in the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 52nd District, after working as a public school teacher for just two years. His time working in education became a central point in his work in the legislature and now in his Senate campaign. In the unearthed discussion, Talarico said that he felt like he wasn’t able to have “the really important conversations” with his students that “would allow them to live a fulfilling life.” He said that he was, instead, forced to focus on teaching the school curriculum rather than “social-emotional” lessons. He also used the discussion to slam the Texas public school system as “not built” for “poor students” and “students of color.” “Our public education system, particularly here in Texas, is not built for poor students,” Talarico said. “It’s not built for students of color.” UNEARTHED CLIP SHOWS TALARICO CALLING PARENTS ‘ABUSIVE’ FOR DENYING CHILDREN’S GENDER IDENTITY Talarico claimed this motivated him to introduce his “Whole Student Agenda” in 2019 — a series of 24 bills which pushed for a variety of reforms including modifications for “scientifically accurate” sex education and encouraging restorative justice programs. Despite Talarico saying the system is “not built for students of color,” the package does not specifically address race-related issues. The Texas Democrat has repeatedly been under fire for his progressive education work in the legislature, particularly his push for sexual education, DEI policies, law enforcement reforms and climate conversations. Talarico described sex education as “maybe the most important topic” for Texas students to learn during a Texas House hearing in 2022. He also characterized bills addressing concerns about inappropriate school materials as “conspiracy theory-driven” and “kooky stuff.” TALARICO CAMPAIGNS WITH SURGEON WHO OPERATED ON TRANSGENDER MINORS: ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’ He led a bill in the Texas House requiring most Texas school districts to hire a diversity, equity and inclusion officer, as well as for DEI to “explicitly” be taught in every classroom in the public school system. Talarico has also faced scrutiny over his education consulting work while serving on the Texas House Public Education Committee. Fox News Digital previously reported that a firm employing Talarico received millions of dollars in contracts from the Texas Education Agency while he served on the committee. His campaign denied wrongdoing, calling the allegation a “lie.” Talarico will go head-to-head with GOP Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton in the upcoming midterm elections, a race expected to be crucial in determining which party will take control of the Senate. Talarico’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Ex-Obama spy chief prepped for anti-Trump trial by Biden-era special counsel’s team, new records reveal
Former special counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers he had “never met” former CIA director and vocal Trump critic John Brennan when pressed about whether Brennan provided consultation or counsel during his tenure, but records just declassified by the White House reveal members of Smith’s team met with Brennan while preparing the classified-documents case against President Donald Trump. The revelation about Brennan’s meeting with special counsel Smith’s team adds another wrinkle to Republicans’ broader scrutiny of Smith’s investigations into Trump, which has included claims of political bias, overreach and other investigative missteps. “Jack Smith was a tool of the Biden administration to put Trump in prison,” said Harvard Law professor and former Trump impeachment counsel, Alan Dershowitz, who described Smith’s work as “a partisan weapon that broke the rules, lied to the court and engaged in bad faith throughout” in a 2025 op-ed for The Wall Street Journal. Another critic, investigative reporter John Solomon, recently described the probes as among a “10-year conspiracy to stop Donald Trump using the resources of the United States government.” EXPLOSIVE NEW REPORT PUTS JACK SMITH BACK IN HOT SEAT AS JIM JORDAN ALLEGES HE TRIED TO ‘SWAY’ 2024 ELECTION Two assistant special counsels working under Smith joined FBI agents for a November 2023 meeting with Brennan at CIA headquarters in McLean, Virginia, according to documents that were declassified Monday by the White House. The meeting was held “to discuss expert testimony to National Defense Information in the forthcoming trial,” indicating prosecutors were exploring the possibility of using the former CIA chief’s national security expertise as they prepared their case against Trump. Meanwhile, Smith appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week as part of the Republican-led panel’s oversight of his investigations into Trump. During the hearing, GOP lawmakers pressed Smith over allegations of political bias, investigative overreach and misconduct in both the Arctic Frost 2020 election probe and his classified-documents case known as “Plasmic Echo.” In particular, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, asked Smith whether he had ever received “consultation or counsel” from Brennan, including during his tenure as special counsel. EX-CIA CHIEF ACCUSED OF ORCHESTRATING ‘RUSSIA HOAX’ SUES TRUMP ADMIN FOR ‘VINDICTIVE PROSECUTION’ “Have you ever received any consultation or counsel by John Brennan, former CIA director, whether during your time as special counsel or otherwise? If so, when and for what purpose?” Grassley asked. “I’ve never met John Brennan,” Smith responded. FORMER CIA DIRECTOR BRENNAN SUBPOENAED TO TESTIFY IN FEDERAL TRUMP CONSPIRACY CASE Grassley’s question, however, was broader than whether Smith personally met Brennan, and the newly declassified records show prosecutors working directly under Smith met with the former CIA director as they prepared the government’s case against Trump. “This meeting occurred during Jack Smith’s time as Special Counsel and constitutes ‘consultation or counsel’ from John Brennan to Smith and his team,” Grassley told Fox News Digital. “Smith’s response before the Senate Judiciary Committee was highly evasive and misleading, at minimum.” During the hearing, Grassley later returned to the issue, asking Smith whether he had ever had a conversation with Brennan. “I have no recollection of having a conversation with John Brennan,” Smith responded. FBI QUESTIONING CURRENT AND FORMER CIA OFFICIALS IN DOJ PROBE INTO JOHN BRENNAN’S ROLE IN RUSSIA ASSESSMENT In addition to the memo outlining the 2023 Brennan meeting, the declassified release also included two pages of notes bearing CIA headquarters headers where lines of text beneath Brennan’s name are blacked out by government redactions, leaving the remainder of the ruled pages blank. Brennan was not serving as CIA director during the period covered by Smith’s classified-documents case, and the released records do not indicate he had firsthand knowledge of Trump’s alleged handling of the documents. JACK SMITH’S TRUMP PROBE SWEPT UP FOX NEWS, OTHER MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS AS INVESTIGATION WENT BEYOND LAWMAKERS Grassley, as well as other GOP lawmakers and critics, have accused the former special counsel of investigative overreach and political bias, including pointing to records showing his Arctic Frost investigation obtained financial information involving thousands of Trump donors and phone records of Republican lawmakers, among other investigative steps. Grassley has separately raised questions about the origins and conduct of Smith’s classified-documents prosecution. Smith, meanwhile, has rejected allegations that his investigations were politically motivated and has maintained that his decisions were driven by the evidence and defending the work of prosecutors and investigators on his team. Fox News Digital reached out to attorneys for Smith to obtain comment about the Brennan meeting, as well as the Justice Department, but did not receive a response.
Congress killed the penny — now it’s coming for the 13-cent nickel
It’s common sense that common cents are getting less use in Americans’ daily lives. Congress has already taken action to eliminate the lowest rung — the penny — and now another coin collecting dust in people’s wallets could be on the chopping block next. The House and Senate both passed bills earlier this year aimed at eliminating the penny once and for all. The bipartisan Common Cents Act was unanimously approved in each chamber, but has yet to get President Donald Trump’s signature to become law. It followed the Treasury Department announcing last December that the U.S. Mint would no longer produce pennies, which at the time cost more than three times their value to make. TRUMP’S FIRST-YEAR GOVERNMENT OVERHAUL DELIVERS CHANGE WASHINGTON HASN’T SEEN SINCE THE 1960S Now, lawmakers want the administration to act on another portion of their bill, which would direct the Treasury to study the potential of making the nickel with cheaper materials than are currently used. “If it costs 13 cents to make a five-cent coin, Washington should fix the problem instead of wasting more taxpayer money,” House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Fox News Digital. “My bill gives Treasury a path to make nickels at a lower cost without disrupting how Americans use them. It is a simple reform that saves money and brings a little more common sense to government.” Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., who led the bill in the Senate, told Fox News Digital, “More and more Americans are paying with credit cards, debit cards and stablecoins for everyday purchases that once would have been made with cash or coins.” “The half-cent coin was retired when it was no longer needed, and the penny has now reached that same point. It’s my hope that we can find a cheaper way to produce the nickel so that it remains economically viable for years to come,” Lummis said. Nickels are produced at a loss to taxpayers of roughly eight cents per coin, according to the latest data. They are currently made of a mixture comprised of 25% nickel and 75% copper. The Common Cents Act “authorizes a lower-cost nickel composition if testing shows it will reduce production costs without significantly disrupting coin-operated machines,” such as vending machines, according to a release on McClain’s site. But it’s not clear that there is much appetite for ending nickel production altogether, at least not yet. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News in May 2025 that he believed the U.S. could “retool” the nickel to make it cheaper to produce. In its December 2025 announcement, the Trump administration projected immediate cost savings of $56 million in stopping penny minting. But the decision could be reversed by any future administration unless Trump signs the bill into law. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether and when the president plans to do so.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration fines of up to $1.8M for migrants
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to fine migrants up to $1.8 million for failing to leave the country after receiving final deportation orders. U.S. District Judge George O’Toole in Boston issued the ruling on Monday in response to a class-action lawsuit filed last year by two of the thousands of migrants who have received civil penalties from the Department of Homeland Security. The judge granted preliminary relief to the plaintiffs, finding that the administration’s process for imposing the fines violated federal law, and that migrants in the “economically precarious position” of addressing the fines could be pushed into “insolvency.” “The plaintiffs live in an economically precarious position even without the imposition of the government’s exorbitant fines,” he wrote. DHS ISSUES $84B IN FINES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION “They face the possible garnishment of their already modest wages, loss of any vehicles and homes, federal collections lawsuits and other adverse collateral consequences,” O’Toole added. “If they were ultimately successful in this suit, there is no indication that simply requiring the government to vacate their fine notices would –– or even could, at that point –– make the plaintiffs whole or return the circumstances to the status quo.” O’Toole, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, described how the plaintiffs worked for low salaries and had come to the U.S. to escape political violence. “Nancy M. was fined over $1.8 million,” O’Toole wrote, referring to one of the plaintiffs. “She is a laborer working over 60 hours a week with two jobs, and she reports feeling serious anxiety affecting her ability to sleep, eat and live a normal life.” The judge also found that the administration’s fine notices violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to provide specific allegations explaining why an individual’s conduct warranted a penalty. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment. As recently as July, DHS said it had issued more than 103,000 fines to migrants totaling about $84 billion since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. DHS has defended the penalties, saying people who refuse to leave the country after receiving a final order of removal could face fines of $998 per day. Although Congress authorized civil penalties under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, no administration had attempted to impose the fines until Trump’s first term. Last year, the Trump administration began imposing fines of $998 per day for migrants who did not leave the country following a final order of deportation. The fines have been imposed retroactively for up to five years, with a maximum penalty of $1.8 million. 20 STATES SUE TO BLOCK TRUMP ADMIN RULE THAT WOULD MAKE IT HARDER FOR IMMIGRANTS TO OBTAIN VISAS, GREEN CARDS In July 2025, DHS and the Department of Justice implemented changes aimed at streamlining the assessment of fines by scrapping a 30-day notice period and shortening the process for challenging penalties. The plaintiffs successfully challenged that policy and what they described as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy of issuing fines using boilerplate forms without independently assessing whether a person’s failure to leave was “willful” or “voluntary.” O’Toole also found that the administration had failed to comply with rulemaking processes in implementing its streamlined fine-imposition process because it did not offer the public a chance to first comment on the policy change. Congressional lawmakers have attempted to challenge the administration’s fines against migrants through the Immigration and Nationality Act. Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., urged DHS and DOJ to pause the “improper application of certain civil penalties” in the law to “law-abiding immigrants.” Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump says Putin call coming ‘very soon’ as US tracks suspected plague death in Russia
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon” as his administration closely tracks reports of a suspected pneumonic plague death in Siberia that have prompted a U.S. health alert and heightened health precautions across several countries bordering Russia. Trump revealed the planned call while taking questions from reporters Tuesday. Asked whether he had spoken with Putin about the situation, Trump said he already had a call scheduled. “I have a call scheduled, yup,” Trump said. TRUMP RESPONDS TO CONCERNS OVER SUSPECTED PLAGUE CASE IN RUSSIA, SAYING US ‘WILLING TO HELP’ Asked when the call would take place, the president responded, “Very soon.” Trump said the administration was in “very deep discussions” when asked what U.S. intelligence agencies were saying about the reports. The president’s comments came as the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a health alert Tuesday saying it was aware of press reports from Russia’s Irkutsk region of “suspected pneumonic plague resulting in the death of an individual,” along with associated quarantine measures and hospital closures. “We continue to track the situation closely,” the embassy said. NEW YORK DECLARES MEASLES DISASTER EMERGENCY AS CASES SURGE IN PENNSYLVANIA A State Department spokesman told Fox News Digital that the department, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other interagency partners, is “closely monitoring the fatal case of suspected pneumonic plague” in Russia’s Irkutsk Oblast. “The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” the spokesman said. The spokesman cautioned that “many details remain unconfirmed” and called on Moscow to provide greater clarity. “We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly,” the spokesman said. The alert advised Americans in the area to follow local health guidance, avoid affected medical facilities and seek prompt medical care if they develop fever or respiratory symptoms. Those who have traveled to an area experiencing an outbreak were advised to monitor their health for 14 days. The State Department’s existing Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Russia remains unchanged. The embassy reiterated that Americans currently in Russia should depart and warned that the U.S. government’s ability to assist citizens there is limited, particularly outside Moscow. UKRAINE STRIKES DEEP INTO RUSSIA’S ARCTIC GAS HEARTLAND AS TRUMP PUSHES PUTIN TOWARD PEACE Several countries bordering Russia are also implementing new health precautions in response to the reports. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are moving to implement what their governments have described as “enhanced health and sanitary measures” in response to reports of pneumonic plague in Siberia. A 28-year-old employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East died last week from what Russian authorities described as pneumonia of undetermined origin. Russia has not said the woman died of plague and said testing found no microorganisms in her body linked to her work. Russian officials told the WHO that her contacts tested negative for dangerous infectious pathogens. The WHO has assessed the risk to the general population as low. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also said it is closely monitoring the reports and working across the U.S. government as additional information becomes available. The agency said there is currently no indication of a broader threat to the United States. Pneumonic plague is a serious bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis. It can spread between people through respiratory droplets during close contact and can progress rapidly if untreated. The disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics, particularly when identified and treated early. For now, U.S. officials are continuing to seek additional information about what occurred in Irkutsk and whether the incident poses any wider threat. The president suggested his administration could have more to say as soon as Wednesday. “We’ll be able to report about it probably tomorrow,” Trump said. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Foreign adversaries running ‘psyop’ to fuel anti-AI and anti-data center movement, war official says
A top official at the Department of War discussed how artificial intelligence is playing a role in war readiness strategy, and said foreign adversaries are carrying out “psyop” operations to fuel the anti-data center and anti-artificial intelligence movement across the U.S. During an interview with Fox News Digital in the White House, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael warned that the movement to decrease production for artificial intelligence infrastructure is being pushed by America’s adversaries. “It is natural from a propaganda standpoint that your adversary, who doesn’t want you to be developing super intelligence ahead of them, is going to try to psyop your population into believing that. And to some degree, it’s worked. And I think that’s why you see the president push back and say, ‘no, this is a good thing,’” he said. CRUZ SAYS WINNING AI RACE AGAINST CHINA IS ‘SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC QUESTION’ FOR AMERICA Data center production has been at the center of debate ahead of the midterm elections, with lawmakers taking near-partisan stances as to whether developments should continue. Michael referred to data centers as the “electricity that fuels the superintelligence revolution,” and explained that continued production of facilities are a crucial part of ensuring the U.S. maintains the lead in the artificial intelligence race. Protests have popped up across the country against data centers and artificial intelligence advancements in general, with some lawmakers raising questions about the role that foreign influence plays in the demonstrations. DATA CENTERS COULD BE THE SLEEPER ISSUE OF THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS “It’s the same reason we saw Middle Eastern countries paying for anti-fracking movements,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital in an interview last month. “Because if they can convince America, ‘Don’t develop your oil and gas, just buy it from us,’ well, that’s great for them and terrible for us. “The same is true on data centers. If they can convince Americans, ‘You don’t want data centers here, you want to just rely on the Chinese for AI,’ that’s great for China, and it’s terrible for America.” CHINA ‘THROWING GASOLINE ON THE FIRE’ IN AI DATA CENTERS RACE, SAY LAWMAKERS Michael echoed some of Cruz’s concerns about foreign influence, though he did not specifically name China as the culprit. Lawmakers have raised questions about hundreds of millions of dollars that American-born communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham pumped into nonprofits and organizations that are now among the leading organizations fighting data center development throughout the country. Recipients of Singham’s largesse include the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the ANSWER Coalition, both self-described pro-China communist groups. HOUSE PANEL TO PROBE FOREIGN ‘TROJAN HORSES’ AS SINGHAM SCRUTINY WIDENS Last month, activists from both groups carried signs in a Chapel Hill, N.C., protest, merging anti-Trump sentiments with support for communist Cuba and opposition to data centers and AI development, including the message, “SHUT IT DOWN!” Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his tech company for $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, is known to fund pro-Chinese Communist Party groups that operate in the U.S. He has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, according to a Fox News Digital investigation. MARXIST ORGANIZER LEADS CAMPAIGN AGAINST VIRGINIA AI DATA CENTER AS FOREIGN INFLUENCE CONCERNS MOUNT The Party for Socialism and Liberation Boston, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose national chapter regularly partners with and supports the Singham network, posted to social media in July openly opposing data centers, saying the control of AI and data centers is in the hands of billionaires. “Workers are rising up across the country in a growing movement against the tech billionaires – from fights against data centers in hundreds of cities, to labor organizing at the world’s biggest tech corporations,” the post read. As for how the Department of War utilizes artificial intelligence, Michael told Fox News Digital that usage has skyrocketed since Secretary Pete Hegseth assumed the cabinet role, growing from roughly 70,000 users out of a 3.5 million-person workforce to approximately 1.7 million today. He explained that the Department of War is deploying artificial intelligence across three main areas: enterprise operations, warfighting and intelligence. “We have incredible vignettes and stories about how people took 200 hours of work and combined it down to two hours,” he added. “They can see what we have as assets. They can see what the adversary has as assets – they can time things better, they write quicker, they can consolidate orders quicker.”