ICE detains relatives of 1979 Iran hostage crisis figure after Rubio revokes their legal status
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he revoked the lawful permanent resident status of family members linked to Masoumeh Ebtekar, a spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy during the 1979 hostage crisis. Rubio said the individuals were placed in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending removal from the United States. He said the Obama administration granted visas to Ebtekar’s son and his family in 2014, and later approved green cards for them through the Diversity Visa Program in 2016. IRAN HOSTAGE SURVIVOR SAYS TRUMP ‘ABSOLUTELY’ RIGHT TO LAUNCH OPERATION EPIC FURY, FINALLY CONFRONT REGIME “Masoumeh Ebtekar — also known as ‘Screaming Mary’ — was the spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostages for 444 days — subjecting them to beatings, starvation, and mock executions,” Rubio wrote on X. Rubio said her family should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in the United States. “America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families — and under the Trump administration, it never will,” Rubio said. Ebtekar also served in a formal role as vice president of Women and Family Affairs in Iran between 2017 and 2021. PBS’s “Frontline” dubbed her “one of the highest-ranking women in the Muslim world” during an interview with the Muslim leader in 2002. US DEPORTS 3 FORMER IRANIAN GUARD MEMBERS AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH TEHRAN Fox News Digital this week obtained photos of Ebtekar’s son, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, at what the New York Post described as a “fancy” gym in Los Angeles, where he reportedly brushed off a reporter’s questions. According to the New York Post, people have been protesting against Hashemi living in the United States for months. There are several petitions on Change.org calling on him to be investigated and deported, some of which have been put under review by the petition website, according to a Fox News Digital review. The Post added that records show Hashemi resides in Agoura Hills, Los Angeles County, with his fellow psychology professor, his wife, Maryam Tahmasebi. The move follows similar action against relatives of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who were also taken into custody in recent days. Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Swalwell calls sexual misconduct allegations ‘flat out false,’ says he will fight them ‘with everything’
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., released a video Friday evening strongly denying the allegations of sexual assault made against him, calling the accusations “flat out false” and “absolutely false.” Swalwell, who is the leading Democratic candidate in California’s gubernatorial race, was accused by a former female staffer of sexually assaulting her while she was intoxicated on multiple occasions. The bombshell allegations, which included reports of sexual harassment against other female staffers, were reported by the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday. The unnamed female accuser reportedly worked for Swalwell for about two years and said he pursued her shortly after she was hired as a 21-year-old staffer in his district office — despite him being married. “A lot has been said about me today through anonymous allegations and I thought it was important that you see and hear from me directly. These allegations of sexual assault are flat out false,” Swalwell said in a video on social media. “They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened. And I will fight them with everything that I have.” PELOSI, CALIFORNIA DEMS SLAM SWALWELL OVER BOMBSHELL SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS: ‘INDEFENSIBLE’ The alleged victim accused Swalwell of pressuring her to send naked pictures of herself, adding that he sent sexually explicit photos of himself to her. She also said he allegedly pulled out his private parts while driving in a car with her and asked her to perform oral sex on him. On multiple occasions, the young staffer said she blacked out from alcohol consumption before allegedly waking up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed with signs she had engaged in intercourse. Swalwell allegedly distanced himself after the incident and their relationship faded. The woman said they reunited when she no longer worked for him, and another incident allegedly took place. SWALWELL’S FORMER FEMALE STAFFER DROPS BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, EXPOSING HIMSELF: REPORT In the video, Swalwell said he is not “perfect” or a “saint,” but his past “mistakes in judgment” are between him and his wife. He then apologized for “putting [his wife] in this position.” He also apologized to his supporters for potentially causing them to doubt their support for him, but that apology was quickly followed with, “I think you know who I am.” “For over 20 years, I have served the public as a city councilman, as a member of Congress, and as a prosecutor who went to court on behalf of victims, particularly on behalf of sexual assault victims,” Swalwell said. “That’s who I am and have always been.” The allegations have caused a handful of Swalwell’s top Democratic supporters to withdraw their endorsements of him for governor, some even encouraging him to drop out of the race entirely. As of Saturday morning, Swalwell remains a candidate in California’s gubernatorial race. Fox News Digital’s Alec Shemmel contributed to this report.
Social media erupts after Harris introduces ‘mob boss’ accent to attack Trump: ‘Total cringe’
Former vice president and failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris was roasted online Friday after she introduced another accent while trying to impersonate President Donald Trump as a “mob boss.” “You know, the way that he’s thinking of foreign policy, it seems, is when he talks about America First, it’s to withdraw from these relationships and these connections,” Harris said while arguing that the administration has lost sight of international cooperation as a means to address regional conflict. “And then he kind of acts like a mob boss. So, then he’s kind of like, ‘Oh, well, you know, you take Eastern Europe, and I’ll take the Western Hemisphere. And then you over there, you, you get Asia, and we’ll just divide it up,’ right?” Harris made her comments while speaking at a forum with the National Action Network, which was founded by the controversial civil rights activist Al Sharpton. RUBIO MEETS G7 MINISTERS IN FRANCE AS US LEADS ON IRAN — ALLIES UNDER FIRE FOR TEPID RESPONSE Almost immediately, the mimicry prompted criticism online. “JUST IN: CRINGE,” Eric Daugherty, a right-leaning social media personality, said in a post to X. “Add ‘mafia boss’ to Kamala Harris’ list of embarrassing accents,” a Republican campaign account said in its own note. WHY TRUMP’S WAR SPEECH FAILED: DECLARING VICTORY BUT STILL BOMBING IRAN BACK TO THE ‘STONE AGES’ A former Republican staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, included her Friday moment alongside a series of other impersonations. “Kamala Harris just debuted a new accent: Mob boss. Despite a childhood in Berkeley, California and Montreal, Canada, Kamala has what she thinks is a Detroit accent,” Steve Guest wrote. “Kamala Harris’ ‘Trump Impersonation’ is the worst thing I have ever seen,” conservative influencer Benny Johnson said. “Total cringe.” Harris’ remarks come as Trump attempts to broker peace negotiations with Iran while also inviting European allies to put pressure on Tehran to reopen waterways vital to international energy trade. LEAVITT REBUKES MEDIA OUTLETS RUNNING WITH IRANIAN NARRATIVES ON 10 DEMANDS Trump blasted allies on social media for not joining the U.S. in its conflict with Iran. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the president reached a tentative two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran despite uncertainty about its exact terms. Iran has presented a list of 10 demands that appear to contradict the U.S.’s own set of expectations for ending the conflict. In a post to state media, Iran demanded the lifting of all sanctions on Iran, continued control over key waterways in the region, U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle East and a suspension of hostilities against Iran and its allies, among other demands. The two countries are set to continue negotiations in Pakistan on Saturday.
Swalwell ripped for changing his tune on how sexual assault victims ‘deserve to be heard’
California gubernatorial candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is facing backlash on social media after it was reported that his lawyer was sending cease-and-desist letters to Swalwell’s accusers a day before multiple bombshell allegations were published on Friday. Swalwell, who once called on lawmakers to hear out women raising allegations against Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation hearings and said they “deserve to be heard,” is now being slammed for hypocrisy. “I saw continued demeaning of victims of sexual assault, people who deserve to be heard, people who deserve their allegations to be investigated and a president who wants to rush this through,” Swalwell said in an interview with MSNBC at the time. “And so, for Brett Kavanaugh’s sake, if he is innocent, I hope tomorrow he opens his statement and says, ‘You know what? Bring in all the victims, all of them to be questioned.’ That will clear his name if he is indeed innocent,” Swalwell added. SWALWELL VOWS TO MAKE ICE AGENTS ‘UN-HIRABLE’ IN CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT POSITIONS The resurfaced clip comes as Swalwell has made efforts to downplay allegations against him as he leads a crowded field of gubernatorial hopefuls in a race to replace outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is prevented by term limits from remaining in the role. Jonathan Turley, a Fox News contributor and Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, took to X on Friday, saying Swalwell is “hoping that voters will apply a different standard than the one he applied to Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation.” “When Kavanaugh was asserting his innocence, Swalwell was leading the mob,” Turley continued. Mike Davis, the former chief counsel for nominations in the Senate Judiciary Committee, posted “Receipt time” on X while resurfacing an old Swalwell post attacking Kavanaugh. “Oh, how I remember this hypocritical predator peddling these utterly bullsh– allegations against Kavanaugh,” Davis said in another post. Rumblings of sexual misconduct from Swalwell first emerged last month when Cheyenne Hunt, a former Capitol Hill staffer and a progressive political media personality, began circulating testimony from women who said they had been sexually assaulted by the congressman. Swalwell’s lawyer, Elias Dabaie, reportedly sent out cease-and-desist letters to try to quell the rumors Thursday, but multiple outlets, including CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle, published bombshell reports Friday, which Swalwell later denied in a video he posted late Friday night on X. ADAM SCHIFF MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE One of the alleged victims shared her story publicly for the first time, accusing Swalwell of taking advantage of her while she was intoxicated on multiple occasions, according to a report published by the San Francisco Chronicle. The alleged victim’s story also included claims that Swalwell pressured her to send naked pictures of herself and sent sexually explicit photos of his own, pulled out his private parts while driving in a car with her and requested she perform oral sex on him, among other incidents the victim said affected how Swalwell treated her professionally. The unnamed female accuser reportedly worked for Swalwell for about two years and revealed that he started pursuing her, despite being married, shortly after she was hired as a 21-year-old staffer in his district office. She also reportedly revealed that years after she worked for Swalwell, she attended an April 2024 charity event Swalwell was being honored at and reunited with him. In her account of the night, which included grabbing drinks with him after the event and later blacking out, she alleged that she remembered pushing Swalwell away and told him “no” as he allegedly tried to force her to have sex with him in his hotel room. The woman reportedly texted a friend after the incident telling her she had been sexually assaulted by Swalwell. Other messages reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle reportedly showed the victim indicating she had “blacked out” but “woke up once during it and even told him to stop at one point.” After the allegations went viral and top Democrats called for him to drop out of the California gubernatorial race, Swalwell said in a video message on X that the “sexual assault allegations are flat false. They are absolutely false. They did not happen. They have never happened and I will fight them with everything that I have.” “I’ve certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife and to her- I apologize deeply for putting her in this position,” Swalwell continued. “This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell, said earlier this week. Swalwell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Top White House officials encouraged potential Bondi replacement to make case to Trump for AG job: Sources
FIRST ON FOX: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche huddled with President Donald Trump in the hours after Pam Bondi was forced out last week to make his pitch for the job full-time, Fox News Digital confirmed. Blanche was encouraged by top White House officials to speak with the president while other names, like Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, briefly circulated as possible contenders, two sources familiar told Fox News Digital. During that conversation, Blanche made his case for why he should be the next attorney general. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed to Fox News Digital that the president and his then-deputy attorney general spoke on Thursday, as did a source familiar with Blanche’s movements that day. Trump announced Bondi’s departure from the Justice Department and in the same social media post last Thursday said that Blanche would be taking over the role in an acting capacity, as Fox News and Fox News Digital previously reported. HOMAN VOWS IMMIGRATION MISSION ‘WON’T SKIP A BEAT’ AS BONDI EXITS DOJ The next moves could prove crucial for Blanche if he wants to clinch the president’s nomination – and with the countdown ticking to the midterm elections, he only has a few months to convince the president he can lead the roughly 120,000-employee DOJ before a potential party power change in Congress. “It’s really Todd’s role to lose at this point,” one of the sources who spoke with Fox News Digital said. A 30-year department veteran, however, speculated that Blanche won’t get the nomination and will continue to run the DOJ in an acting capacity. PAM BONDI ALREADY FIRED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, CABINET OFFICIAL TEED UP AS REPLACEMENT: SOURCES “The safest thing for Trump to do is just to keep Blanche, the ultimate loyalist, in place as Acting, at least through the midterms, and avoid a confirmation fight,” former DOJ prosecutor Kevin Flynn told Fox News Digital. “In terms of advancing Trump’s retribution agenda, I think Blanche could do pretty much everything as Acting [Attorney General] as a confirmed AG could do.” Trump fired Bondi on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, during an Oval Office meeting ahead of his speech to the nation on the war in Iran, Fox News Digital first reported a day after her ouster. Trump confirmed her departure on Truth Social at 1:17 pm, roughly 45 minutes after the report became public. In the hours after Bondi was dismissed and before Trump made his official DOJ personnel announcement, Blanche allegedly had a consequential conversation with the president where he was informed he would be acting attorney general. Blanche lobbied to get the full-time position in a following discussion, one source familiar said. They also said that Blanche went to the White House a few times for various reasons in the days after he became acting AG. The other source said it was this follow-up conversation that provided the president with the confidence to give Blanche the nod – at least for now. Trump told his one-time personal attorney, “Here’s your audition,” the source paraphrased. Blanche “got a call from POTUS after leaving a podcast taping on Thursday following the report on Fox,” a spokesperson for the Justice Department told Fox News Digital. When Leavitt was asked if the two chatted on Thursday, the president’s spokesperson replied, “Yes they spoke.” Neither the DOJ nor White House would comment on what the two discussed last week and whether Blanche made his case for a promotion. Either way, now it’s up to Blanche to prove he’s up for the job full-time. His first test was a Tuesday afternoon press conference focused on Trump’s push to crack down on fraud. Blanche likely passed the pulse test as he showered praise on the president and said there would be no love lost if he wasn’t selected to be the next attorney general. “I love working for President Trump,” he said. “It’s the greatest honor of a lifetime. And if President Trump chooses to nominate somebody else and asks me to go do something else, I’ll say, ‘Thank you very much, I love you, sir.’” He got to work right away shaping the DOJ. On Thursday, Blanche announced his appointment of Trent McCotter as the principal associate deputy attorney general. He also stood up the new DOJ fraud division at Tuesday’s press conference and put Colin McDonald in charge as assistant attorney general for the Fraud Division. Additionally, he took two trusted advisers with him to the attorney general’s office, Shane Hedges and James McHenry. Blanche will likely need to differentiate himself from Bondi and distance himself from her failures – namely the Jeffrey Epstein files debacle – if he wants longevity in the role, one of the sources familiar told Fox News Digital. US INTERIM ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE CALLS SPECULATION SURROUNDING BONDI’S FIRING ‘SIMPLY NOT TRUE’ In February 2025, Bondi said she had the Epstein files on her desk. A trickle of releases over the next year would yield no new investigations or prosecutions related to the sex trafficker’s crimes and left Americans unsatisfied. The source familiar said every move Bondi made after that was an effort to “clean up” her broken promise to release the Epstein client list. Convincing Trump he’s the right guy for the job is only the first hurdle. Blanche would also need to get past Congress and a confirmation process that is sure to be grueling. Bondi passed with a Senate vote of 54–46, with all 53 Republicans and lone Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., voting for her to be attorney general. Every other Democrat voted against her confirmation. Blanche, with the legacy of Bondi tied to his tenure in the Trump administration, could face an uphill battle even with some Republicans who have grown critical of the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files.
Russia seizes control of US-linked firm as it pushes for renewed ties with Washington
A Pennsylvania-linked manufacturer has been stripped of control over its Russian operations under a Kremlin order, raising fresh risks for Western companies as Moscow courts renewed economic ties with the United States. CANPACK, a global aluminum beverage can manufacturer owned by a Pennsylvania-based holding company, operates in multiple countries across Europe and North America and said its Russian business — valued at roughly $700 million — was placed under state “external administration” by a Dec. 31, 2025, decree signed by President Vladimir Putin, effectively transferring control of 100% of its shares to state-appointed managers. CEO Peter Giorgi said the company lost all operational authority after administrators arrived in mid-January. “I’m only a nominal shareholder,” Giorgi said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I lose all control of the company.” BIPARTISAN SENATORS PROBE KREMLIN-LINKED DELEGATION’S MEETINGS WITH US OFFICIALS The case underscores the risks facing Western companies that remained in Russia during the war, even as Moscow signals interest in rebuilding economic ties with Washington as part of potential peace negotiations. Putin’s envoy for foreign investment, Kirill Dmitriev, is in the United States meeting with officials in President Donald Trump’s administration to discuss a potential Ukraine peace deal and future economic cooperation, according to Reuters. Analysts say the move is part of a broader shift in Russia’s handling of foreign-owned assets since the Ukraine War. “Let’s not be U.S.-centric about that,” said Alexander Kolyandr, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis. “CANPACK is not alone.” CANPACK has operated in Russia for nearly 30 years and held an estimated 35%–40% share of the country’s aluminum beverage can market, according to the company, underscoring the scale of the takeover. The company has had no direct access to or communication with its Russian operations since the move, according to a person familiar with the matter, and several senior executives — including the general manager and chief financial officer — were removed following the takeover. Company officials say executives in Russia have faced pressure from state-appointed administrators, including demands to approve financial decisions under threat of dismissal or other consequences. The situation has not changed in recent months, according to the officials. The company’s Russian operations remain under external administration, with no restoration of control or ownership as of April. The move falls under a legal framework introduced in 2023 allowing the Russian government to place certain foreign-owned assets under temporary state control. The decree identified a company called Stalelement as the entity overseeing the assets, which company representatives describe as a shell entity with ties to the Russian government. The company has raised the issue with U.S. officials, but no formal action has been taken. Russian business daily Vedomosti reported in February that CANPACK’s Russian division donated approximately 500 million rubles to a pro-Kremlin fund supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. The company believes roughly $18 million was directed to state-linked funds supporting Russian operations, with an additional approximately $6 million sent to a Russian Orthodox church, based on Russian media reports and information relayed by former executives. Fox News has not independently verified those claims. The estimated transfers represent a small portion of the company’s overall value, but underscore how quickly financial control can shift under external administration. The company continued operating in Russia after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, even as many Western firms exited the market. Giorgi said the company considered leaving but faced challenges unwinding decades of investment and could not find a buyer at a fair price. “We decided to stay the course,” he said, adding that the company hoped conditions would eventually stabilize. The same December 2025 decree also targeted the Russian subsidiary of Danish insulation manufacturer Rockwool. Other Western companies, including France’s Danone and brewer Carlsberg, have faced similar actions by Russian authorities in recent years. “We are talking about dozens of companies,” Kolyandr said. Kolyandr said U.S.-linked companies have in some cases been treated more cautiously than their European counterparts. “American companies fared much better than the European ones,” he said, pointing to Moscow’s interest in preserving the possibility of improved ties with Washington. He said the trend accelerated after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when Western companies began suspending operations or exiting the market. “It all started in earnest with the beginning of the war,” he said, adding that it became easier for authorities to take control of assets. Kolyandr said the policy reflects a wider redistribution of property aimed at bringing profitable or strategic assets under closer state influence. “It sends a signal across the system that if you do not toe the line, your property may be taken away,” he said. He added that while the process may generate some revenue for the state, funding the war is unlikely to be the primary driver. “On the one hand, it helps to generate a bit of cash for the budget,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s the main reason.” The Russian Embassy in Washington and the Russian foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump adversary running for Senate borrows his filibuster playbook
One of President Donald Trump’s top Democratic foes running for the Senate is taking a page from his and conservatives’ playbook in their pitch to reform the filibuster. Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who is running to unseat longtime Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, released her policy platform in recent days. Among several pitches to voters is a call to reform the filibuster. Mills, if elected, said in the 19-page document that she would require “Senators to remain on the Senate floor and actually speak, rather than simply threatening a filibuster to delay action.” The filibuster has become a flashpoint in the Senate, particularly for Republicans, given that its current 60-vote threshold requires legislation to be bipartisan in nature. And Mills’ position, which has been previously supported by Democrats, is one Trump and some in the GOP are pushing for to pass a massive election integrity bill. GRAHAM EYES ‘DOWN PAYMENT’ ON TRUMP-BACKED SAVE ACT WITHOUT DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT Her desire to change the filibuster echoes one made by Trump and conservatives, both in Congress and online, that have demanded Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., launch a talking filibuster to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. “Washington is broken, and Maine people are paying the price,” Mills said in a statement introducing the platform. “Donald Trump and Washington Republicans are undermining our fundamental rights and driving up costs, all while Congress fails to solve the big problems facing Maine people. Enough is enough. Maine people deserve better than what D.C. is giving them.” Mills and Trump have an adversarial relationship that reached a chaotic crescendo in 2025 when, during a meeting of governors at the White House, she declared, “We’ll see you in court,” over the president’s executive order to deny federal funding to states that allowed transgender athletes to participate in sports. THUNE ACCUSES CRITICS OF ‘CREATING FALSE EXPECTATIONS’ AMID BACKLASH OVER STALLED SAVE AMERICA ACT The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP’s main campaign arm, warned that Mills’ desired change to the filibuster was a dog whistle for Democrats’ plan to slow-walk Trump’s agenda. “Janet Mills is saying the quiet part out loud: If she goes to Washington, she will use every tool at her disposal to push her radical anti-Trump agenda on Americans,” NRSC spokesperson Samantha Cantrell told Fox News Digital. Trump has asked Republicans to go a step further and nuke the filibuster altogether — an unlikely scenario in the Senate, given the lack of support to do away with the guardrail in its current form. MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE CITES COMBAT TRAUMA WHEN CONFRONTED ON ‘TERRIBLE’ POSTS ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT A talking filibuster, as Mills suggested, would require senators to debate a bill rather than falling back on the typical 60-vote threshold. The Senate is currently doing a version of the talking filibuster in the GOP’s bid to shine a light on Senate Democrats’ refusal to support the SAVE America Act. But it won’t lead to the legislation passing because the GOP isn’t unified to block Democratic amendments that could drastically alter the bill. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who handpicked Mills to run in Maine against Collins, has dubbed the legislation “Jim Crow 2.0” and rallied his caucus behind defeating the measure. Before Mills has a chance to square off against Collins, she’ll first have to survive a tough primary battle against insurgent candidate Graham Platner, an oyster farmer who has the backing of Schumer’s left flank. Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Mills, Platner and Collins, but did not hear back by publication.
Trump backs Hilton ahead of California GOP vote, testing Bianco’s grip on party endorsement
California Republicans this weekend will vote to endorse their pick for California governor in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The vote, this Sunday in San Diego at the California GOP’s annual convention, comes a week after President Donald Trump took sides between the two major Republican candidates in the race, backing conservative commentator and former Fox News Channel host Steve Hilton over Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Trump, whose endorsements are extremely influential in GOP primaries, argued in his endorsement statement that California had “gone to hell” and that “Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so!” The president’s support for Hilton is expected to pay immediate dividends at the state GOP convention. HERE’S WHO TRUMP IS BACKING IN THE GOLDEN STATE GUBERNATORIAL SHOWDOWN “I think it definitely can help rally the base behind a candidate and generate some noise and some enthusiasm,” California Republican Party chairwoman Corrin Rankin told Fox News Digital. Bianco is a loyal Trump supporter who has plenty of friends and support among California Republican insiders. But Trump’s endorsement of Hilton, a top adviser to then-British Prime Minister David Cameron a decade and a half ago before moving to the U.S. and becoming an American citizen in 2021, may boost him at the GOP convention, where backing from 60% of delegates is needed to land the party’s endorsement. But Bianco, the sheriff who recently grabbed plenty of national attention for seizing ballots in Riverside County, appeared defiant. “For too long, politicians and insiders from Sacramento to Washington have tried to pick our leaders for us. That’s not leadership, that’s a coronation, and it’s exactly how we ended up with the failed leadership Californians are living with today,” he said in a social media video. “This election belongs to the people, not the political class.” TOUGH ON CRIME REPUBLICAN SHERIFF LAUNCHES BID FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR Trump’s endorsement may have another unintended consequence. Candidates from both major political parties appear on the same ballot in the left-leaning state’s June primary, with the top two finishers advancing to November’s general election. Some Democrats were concerned that with nine candidates in the race, support among Democratic voters would be so badly divided in the primary that no contender would reach the general election. Hilton and Bianco had been the top two candidates in some public opinion polls, giving some in the GOP hope of a final face-off between two Republicans. That scenario may be less likely now, as Hilton’s support is expected to rise and Bianco’s drop in light of the president’s endorsement. Polling in the past week gave a hint of a Hilton surge. “Trump kills any GOP hopes of an R vs R runoff in the California governor’s race,” Rob Pyers of California Target Book, which describes itself as a non-partisan and unbiased political almanac, wrote last week in a social media post. MEDIA PERSONALITY STEVE HILTON ENTERS CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE But Hilton dismissed as a pipe dream talk of shutting out the Democrats from the general election ballot. “That scenario of two Republicans [making the general election ballot], I’ve been saying this for months, was always a fantasy,” Hilton said on Fox Business’ “The Bottom Line.” “The idea that the Democrat machine in California was just going to hand over the state to two Republicans was never serious. It was never, never going to happen.” He further argued, “What was more likely was actually…you were going to have two Democrats in the top two and then we’ll have no chance of change. So this really makes sure that we have a Republican in the top two.” No Republican has won a statewide election in California since then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s 2006 re-election victory. And with the president’s approval rating in California hovering in the 30s, Trump’s endorsement will likely do Hilton no favors if he makes it onto the November ballot.
Watchdog, GOP lawmaker warn NY voter registration systems lacks key safeguards
One blue state is failing to enact adequate voting safeguards and refusing to correct its mistakes ahead of November’s midterm elections, an election integrity watchdog warns. Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE), a nonpartisan organization focused on election security, alleges the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) stonewalled a request to fix the state’s voter registration form to comply with federal voting law. The watchdog sent the NYSBOE a letter in late 2025 outlining several violations they claimed could undermine the state’s election integrity if left unaddressed. After the board failed to correct most of the violations, RITE and Tenney are demanding the board hand over comprehensive records and data to identify additional shortcomings in the state’s voter registration system. TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER OVERHAULING MAIL-IN VOTING IN MAJOR ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH “Your lack of a response is troubling and disregards the need to ensure public trust that New York is maintaining accurate voter rolls as required by federal law,” they wrote in a letter to the NYSBOE earlier this week that was obtained by Fox News Digital. If the board does not meet their May 2026 deadline, RITE and Tenney say they are prepared to go to federal court to enforce compliance with federal law. The watchdog alleges two errors in New York State’s voter registration forms that violate the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). First, New York State did not instruct individuals that they must provide their driver’s license information if they have one. It also continued registering individuals who did not provide a driver’s license, the last four digits of their Social Security number or a declaration that the applicant has neither, as required by federal law. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT’S TWO DECADES OF UNLAWFUL VOTES EXPOSE THE REAL ‘THREAT’ TO DEMOCRACY: EXPERTS These errors have, in part, led to millions of New York voters providing incomplete information during the registration process, making it more difficult for the state to accurately maintain voter lists, according to RITE. RITE and and Tenney also allege the board did not perform a requested audit to identify how many incomplete voter registration applications have been processed. A 2022 report from the conservative Public Interest Legal Foundation found that at least 3.1 million New York registered voters have not provided a driver’s license or Social Security number on their application form. “The law is clear: states may not accept registration forms that lack required identifying information,” RITE President Justin Riemer said in a statement. New York’s own regulations direct officials to do exactly that. This flagrant violation of an important federal safeguard significantly erodes the integrity of New York’s voter registration system.” “We are committed to getting answers about the breadth of the problem and ensuring the state fixes it,” Riemer added. Tenney, who is chair of the Election Integrity Caucus, said she has called for an investigation into the NYSBOE since 2022. “Transparency and accurate voter rolls are essential to maintaining public trust in our elections,” the New York Republican said in a statement. “The people of New York deserve answers, accountability, and full compliance with HAVA to ensure the integrity of every vote.” The New York City Board of Elections system has also come under recent scrutiny for failing to enact adequate safeguards. One of its employees declined to block a reporter who was posing as a noncitizen from attempting to register to vote, according to video footage obtained by Fox News Digital in February. Fox News Digital reached out to the New York State Board of Elections for comment.
Vance arrives in Pakistan for high-stakes Iran talks as ‘fragile’ ceasefire teeters
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Vice President JD Vance arrived in Pakistan early Saturday, where he is leading high-stakes negotiations with Iran aimed at preserving a fragile ceasefire and preventing a broader regional war. Vance is joined by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, as part of a senior delegation engaging Iranian officials in Islamabad. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will be negotiating for Iran. The talks, scheduled for Saturday, come over a month after the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28 — a sweeping military campaign targeting Iran’s military infrastructure following the collapse of nuclear negotiations. IRAN REVEALS 10-POINT PLAN FOR PEACE WITH THE US – HERE’S WHAT’S IN IT That operation pushed the U.S. and Iran to the brink of a ground war before a tenuous diplomatic breakthrough in recent days. Trump announced a two-week ceasefire Tuesday, agreeing to suspend further U.S. strikes on the condition that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. While Iran signaled it would allow passage through the strait as part of the agreement, traffic remains severely disrupted, with shipping companies hesitant to resume normal operations amid ongoing security concerns and uncertainty over enforcement. Vance struck a cautious tone before departing, warning Iran not to test the U.S. negotiating posture. “If they’re gonna try and play us, then they’re gonna find that the negotiating team is not that receptive,” Vance said, adding that he still expects the talks to be “positive.” The outcome of the talks could determine whether the ceasefire holds or collapses into renewed hostilities, as both sides remain deeply divided after weeks of conflict. Iranian officials have struck a cautious and conditional tone ahead of the talks. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said it accepted the two-week ceasefire but warned “this does not signify the termination of the war,” adding that “our hands remain upon the trigger” if the agreement is violated. Vance described the agreement Wednesday as a “fragile truce.” Iran also has tied the success of the ceasefire to developments in Lebanon, insisting that Israeli strikes on Hezbollah must stop as part of any broader agreement. Tehran has warned that continued attacks could jeopardize the talks, highlighting a key dispute with Israel and the U.S., which have argued Lebanon is not covered by the truce. VANCE WARNS IRAN WILL ‘FIND OUT’ TRUMP IS ‘NOT ONE TO MESS AROUND’ IF CEASEFIRE DEAL FALLS APART Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary, positioning itself as a neutral venue between Washington and Iran after helping broker the initial truce. But that role is already facing scrutiny. Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Asif, sparked backlash recently after calling Israel’s actions a “curse on humanity” in a now-deleted X post and, in a separate exchange, saying critics should “burn in hell.” The remarks drew a sharp response from Israeli officials, who questioned Pakistan’s credibility as a neutral broker. Israeli leaders described the comments as “outrageous” and warned such rhetoric was incompatible with serving as a mediator, while Israel’s ambassador to India publicly said, “we don’t trust Pakistan.” Pakistani officials have not directly addressed the controversy surrounding Asif’s remarks but have defended their broader role, emphasizing Islamabad’s efforts to broker the ceasefire and facilitate talks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for “dialogue and diplomacy,” while officials say both Washington and Iran have expressed confidence in Pakistan’s mediation. The talks are also unfolding against a challenging security backdrop. U.S. officials have long treated Pakistan as a high-threat environment for official travel, with strict movement controls and layered security measures typically required for American personnel. Bill Gage, a former Secret Service agent who traveled to Islamabad with President George W. Bush, told Fox News Digital the threat environment in Pakistan historically has ranked among the most severe faced by U.S. protective teams, requiring constant coordination and heightened precautions. “The threat environment in Pakistan was one of the worst the Secret Service had ever operated in,” Gage said of his experience in 2006. “We were briefed that al-Qaeda wanted to kidnap an agent, so we always had to be in pairs.” Pakistan continues to grapple with persistent terrorism threats. The State Department currently classifies the country as a Level 3 travel risk, warning of potential attacks, crime and kidnapping, and noting that extremist groups have carried out strikes in major cities, including Islamabad. Still, U.S. officials view the Islamabad meeting as a rare opening for diplomacy, with discussions expected to include nuclear restrictions, sanctions relief and broader regional security issues. Whether the talks produce a lasting breakthrough or plunge the Middle East back into conflict may hinge on whether both Washington and Iran are willing to move beyond decades of mistrust.