Biden’s ‘weaponized’ Mar-a-Lago raid slammed by White House as declassified docs reveal FBI’s legal doubts
The White House ripped Joe Biden after documents declassified by President Donald Trump on Monday revealed internal strife between the former president’s Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI’s Washington Field Office (WFO) before carrying out a raid on Mar-a-Lago in 2022. In the months leading up to the raid, internal emails between FBI agents in the field office expressed frustration that the DOJ, led by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, was unresponsive to their requests and unwilling to consider alternative options to raiding Trump’s estate in Palm Beach, Florida a year-and-a-half after he left office after his first term. Fox News Digital exclusively reported on the internal emails, which show the FBI didn’t believe it had probable cause to execute the warrant, in December. “Spying on political opponents is weaponization of law enforcement, plain and simple,” the White House said Tuesday. “This is further proof the Biden administration weaponized the DOJ to target political opponents. Those responsible must be held accountable.” TODD BLANCHE REVEALS DOJ UNEARTHED CACHE OF JACK SMITH DOCUMENTS INSIDE FORGOTTEN ROOM An email dated May 24, 2022, with the subject line “PE (Plasma Echo) Next steps – timeline preference – UNCLASSIFIED,” the special agent in charge of the counterintelligence division of the WFO sent an internal email detailing a proposed timeline for the investigation, ending with the execution of a search warrant. That target date was June 6 of that year. The raid would eventually take place on Aug. 8, 2022. Another agent replied asking the first to loop the DOJ in on the timeline. What followed was skepticism that the raid was even necessary. “[REDACTED] and I also agreed if there was a way to obtain the records via the [REDACTED], without the execution of the SW (search warrant), it would be preferable,” the special agent in charge said. Another batch of internal emails from June 1-2, 2022, shows the FBI seeking a potential off-ramp from the investigation that was heading towards the execution of the raid. “Even as we continue down the path towards a search warrant, WFO believes that a reasonable conversation with the former President’s attorney, [REDACTED], ought not to be discounted,” the email said. “At a minimum, even if the former President’s attorney is correct and that the documents were all declassified (or believed to be declassified), it can be reasonably argued that the documents remain sensitive and should be properly secured until the matter of classification is sorted out. This conversation could easily be accomplished at the same time that WFO presses forward with the investigation and continues building out the search warrant.” JACK SMITH’S TRUMP PROBE SWEPT UP FOX NEWS, OTHER MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS AS INVESTIGATION WENT BEYOND LAWMAKERS The emails noted that Trump’s defense attorneys would likely argue that the president has the absolute authority to declassify documents and expressed frustration that the DOJ, despite being asked, had not provided the FBI with a list of the charges they might file. An internal email from July 13, 2022, less than a month before the raid, the assistant special agent in charge of the WFO said flatly that the FBI didn’t believe there was probable cause for the raid. “WFO does not believe (and has articulated to DOJ CES), that we have established probable cause for the search warrant at Mar a Lago. DOJ has opined that they do, requesting the a wide scope including residence, office, storage space,” that email says. The agent annoyedly continued by implying that the DOJ wasn’t interested in recovering the allegedly mishandled classified documents, intimating that there may have been an ulterior motive. “Finally, if the goal is to identify and recover classified records quickly, so as to protect the information, the 5 weeks spent fixated on probable cause for a search warrant have been counterproductive,” the email said. The agent offered other solutions to the raid, including re-interviewing Trump’s attorney and attempting to find other material witnesses. BIDEN-ERA FBI TRACKED TRUMP FAMILY TRAVEL AND WILES’ CALLS WITH LAWYERS IN SECRET PROBE: DOCS “A reasonable step would be to recontact the attorney and inquire about any further documents. WFO has made numerous suggestions to DOJ over the course of this investigation that the most expedient way to ensure recovery of all classified documents would be to go through [REDACTED]. DOJ has persistently disagreed. Other documents declassified by the White House Monday showed that the FBI tapped now-White House chief of staff Susie Wiles’ phone and tracked the movements of Melania and Barron Trump. The raid on Trump’s Florida estate was viewed as politically driven by many, as Trump was at the time mulling what became a successful bid for the presidency in 2024. DOJ-appointed special counsel Jack Smith investigated the alleged retention of classified materials. Trump pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony charges from Smith’s probe, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements. A superseding indictment charged Trump with three more alleged crimes: another count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts. Trump pleaded not guilty, and Smith dropped after Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
Trump reveals surprise American taxpayer stake in new $6.6B submarine deal
President Donald Trump announced the U.S. government will take a 40% stake in the new shipyard being built in Baltimore to boost submarine production, adding a major government ownership component to the $6.6 billion project. “The ultimate proof of our commitment to ensuring the shipyard’s enduring success: American taxpayers will receive a 40 percent stake in the new shipyard,” Trump said during remarks in Sparrows Point on Tuesday. “We get 40 percent.” Anduril has said the stake will be in a new subsidiary created to operate the Arsenal-2 shipyard, rather than in the defense tech company itself. Further details about what rights come with the government’s 40% interest, what the government is providing in exchange and how it could ultimately generate a return have not yet been publicly released. Fox News Digital has reached out to Anduril and the White House for details. STARTUPS BRING INNOVATION TO DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE The size of the stake stands out even as the Trump administration has increasingly taken direct government interests in companies and projects it considers critical to national security. The administration has struck equity arrangements involving chipmaker Intel, rare earths producer MP Materials and other strategic industries. The arrangement is part of a broader $6.6 billion effort to expand production of Virginia-class attack submarines as the U.S. struggles to keep pace with China’s vast shipbuilding capacities and the Navy falls behind on its production goal. Anduril is committing $3.7 billion of its own capital to build the facility and manufacturing capacity, while the Navy could spend up to $2.9 billion purchasing what it produces. The project is aimed at closing a persistent U.S. submarine production shortfall as China rapidly expands its naval and shipbuilding capacity. American shipyards are delivering roughly 1.3 Virginia-class attack submarines a year, short of the Navy’s goal of two, which it does not expect to reach until around 2032. Once fully operational, Arsenal-2 is expected to add about 9 million labor hours annually to the submarine industrial base, increasing Virginia-class production capacity by roughly 15%, an administration official told reporters on a call before Trump’s remarks. LARGEST-EVER US STEEL PLANT IS COMING TO A KEY RED STATE AS TRUMP UNVEILS $15B INVESTMENT An industry official on the call emphasized that Anduril would finance the new production capacity itself while the government paid for the resulting output. “I wouldn’t say that the government’s paying us back. We feel the government [is] buying the results of what we’re able to produce,” the industry official said. The 40% government stake was not disclosed on the call, which included questions from reporters about how the project would be financed. The submarine crunch is part of a broader shipbuilding gap with China, whose vast commercial maritime industry also supports its rapidly expanding navy. China now accounts for more than half of global commercial shipbuilding output, while the U.S. accounts for only a fraction of 1%, giving Beijing an enormous industrial base that can also support military ship construction. Anduril plans to begin with critical components including torpedo tubes, which a senior administration official described as a current “gating component” slowing Virginia-class production. The company eventually plans to manufacture larger modules and sections of submarines at Arsenal-2. The more than 2 million-square-foot facility is expected to create 3,100 direct jobs and roughly 11,000 indirect jobs nationwide, with operations slated to begin around 2030.
SCOTUS slams door on Dem judge’s career fight after years of pro-Biden Facebook posts
The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an appeal from a former Pennsylvania judge who was suspended after repeatedly posting partisan political content on Facebook, including praise for former President Joe Biden and his policies. Former Judge Mark Cohen, a former Democratic state lawmaker who began serving on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in 2018, made dozens of politically charged Facebook posts while on the bench, even after being warned to stop. Cohen appealed to the Supreme Court in April, with his lawyers arguing that the former judge’s First Amendment rights had been violated. “Allowing judges to be disciplined based on the perceived ‘tone’ or ‘volume’ of lawful speech promotes arbitrary enforcement, invites political interference in the judicial branch, and threatens to undermine the rule of law,” Cohen’s lawyer told Law.com at the time. “This case presents an urgent opportunity for the court to restore constitutional clarity and reestablish the First Amendment’s protection of the rights of sitting judges to speak on matters of public concern.” DOJ MOVES TO BOOT FEDERAL JUDGES FROM IMMIGRATION CASES OVER NYT INTERVIEW The Supreme Court declined to take up Cohen’s case, denying his petition without comment. Pennsylvania’s Judicial Conduct Board argued that the Supreme Court did not need to hear Cohen’s appeal because his social media activity amounted to “partisan cheerleading” and his suspension reflected a “straightforward application of familiar rules that judges around the country have followed for decades.” FETTERMAN WEIGHS IN AFTER PA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE APPARENTLY SPLITS FROM DEMOCRATIC PARTY OVER ANTISEMITISM Pennsylvania’s highest court concluded that the volume and tone of Cohen’s posts made him appear to be an advocate for the Democratic Party. In November 2021, Cohen promoted Biden’s Build Back Better legislation, saying its passage would improve “many, many American lives.” A year later, on Biden’s birthday, Cohen called him “an excellent President” and said he looked forward to “many more achievements.” FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS CONTROVERSIAL ILLINOIS BAN ON SEMIAUTOMATIC GUNS Cohen also made posts taking specific policy positions, including one in favor of higher minimum wage laws and another against restrictions on elective abortions. Cohen also highlighted his record on gun policy, including a post noting that he had consistently received an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association while serving in the state legislature. Cohen’s Supreme Court petition says the suspension also triggered the forfeiture of his judicial and prior public-service pensions. DLA Piper, the law firm representing Cohen, did not respond Wednesday to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Dems’ latest Trump attack backfires as frequent critics refuse to play along
Some of President Donald Trump’s most frequent media critics are turning on Democrats’ latest attack on the president, rejecting claims that Trump suggested Iran should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. “Trump’s point here is that if he didn’t start a war with Iran, then San Diego and LA would be at risk from nuclear war,” wrote The Atlantic writer Michael Scherer on X. Trump was discussing the war with Iran and the threat of Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon during a Nebraska rally on Monday before invoking Los Angeles and San Diego. “They can take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay,” Trump said. DONALD TRUMP ACCUSES ‘FAKE NEWS’ OF WANTING US TO LOSE IRAN WAR, BLASTS NYT REPORTING The remarks quickly triggered a fight over what Trump meant, with Democrats and multiple media outlets characterizing them as a suggestion that Iran be allowed to attack the two California cities. One of the accounts amplifying the clip, Headquarters (@HQNewsNow), previously operated as “KamalaHQ” after originally serving as the Biden campaign’s “BidenHQ” rapid-response account. Several prominent journalists who have frequently scrutinized Trump are pushing back on Democrats’ latest attack on the president, rejecting claims that Trump suggested Iran should “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. “This isn’t a direct quote from Trump, and I very much don’t think it’s a correct paraphrase. Trump has repeatedly argued that the consequences of the war, like higher gas prices, are a small price to pay compared to what an unchecked Iran could allegedly do,” CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale said. “My read: The ‘small price to pay’ comment refers back to the costs of the war — like gas prices — not to the idea of Iran nuking LA and SD,” wrote CNN senior reporter Aaron Blake. “Unpopular opinion: I don’t think Trump was suggesting letting Iran to attack ‘blue cities.’ I think he meant if Iran gets a nuke, LA and San Diego could be targets considering they’re two major West Coast cities,” wrote former Trump staffer turned Biden voter Sarah Matthews. FETTERMAN RIPS DEMS FOR HATING ANYTHING TRUMP DOES, SAYS PARTY CAN’T RESIST WORST IMPULSES Democrats quickly seized on clips and quotes from Trump’s rally, claiming he was suggesting Iran should be allowed to attack two California cities. “After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego. He is deranged and dangerous,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Thirteen million Californians call LA and San Diego counties home. Their lives are not a ‘small price to pay’ or a punchline for Donald Trump,” said California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra. 4 HOUSE REPUBLICANS REBEL AGAINST TRUMP, VOTE WITH DEMS TO BLOCK IRAN WAR POWERS “The President of the United States suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles. His statements against our city are dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety. The role of a president is to protect the country, not to actively threaten it and encourage attacks on American lives. In the face of irresponsible threats, as Angelenos, we know how to stand together and protect our city,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Deranged. Delusional. And soon to be defeated. Calling millions of Americans collateral damage in his illegal war that nobody asked for takes a special kind of depravity, the kind only a man as weak and feeble as Donald Trump could sink to,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “This is such a sick, evil thing to say. Especially because he’s not saying this as a joke. Just as sick that his supporters are laughing at it,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung addressed the “media freakout,” saying critics’ claims are “not rooted in reality.” “He 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 wrote on X. “No, he didn’t, you buffoons. He was saying the U.S. is fighting to STOP Iran from having the ability to take out LA and San Diego with a nuclear weapon — which they would if they had the chance,” clarified the White House Rapid Response account.
US, WHO request details from Russia amid reports of second pneumonia case
Amid global public health concerns surrounding the death of an Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East worker, the World Health Organization noted in a statement issued Tuesday on the X account of Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that it had requested more information from Russia regarding the matter, including on “media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause.” “The individual died on 2 October 2026 after being hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Initial media reports suggested pneumonic plague following an alleged accidental laboratory exposure,” the WHO statement noted. “In response to WHO’s verification request under the International Health Regulations, the Russian health authorities reported that no case of plague had recently been registered in Irkutsk oblast. They informed WHO that an epidemiological investigation had been conducted, preventive and control measures implemented, and identified contacts placed under medical observation and tested. They reported that no high-threat pathogens had been detected among the contacts and that medical observation of all identified contacts had been completed,” the statement explained. “WHO has requested further information to clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia, the pathogen that prompted the public health measures, and media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause,” the statement notes. Reuters reported that when questioned about the WHO’s request to respond to reports of a second individual in Siberia allegedly becoming sick, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called for caution when it comes to media reporting. “There is a great deal of media coverage, and the vast majority of what the media are reporting about this situation is false information,” Peskov said, according to the outlet. TRUMP SAYS PUTIN CALL COMING ‘VERY SOON’ AS US TRACKS SUSPECTED PLAGUE DEATH IN RUSSIA The U.S. State Department has formally requested more information from the Russian government regarding the death of the woman who worked at the anti-plague research facility, issuing what is known as a démarche, defined as a request or intercession with a foreign official. “We have officially requested additional information from the Russian government,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson noted. “We are also in official communication with other countries around the world to share information.” Fox News Channel senior foreign policy correspondent Gillian Turner reported that State Department health experts had been in touch with Russia’s foreign ministry about the public health matter since Friday, but that the démarche arose due to Russian officials being unforthcoming via back channels. RUSSIAN RESEARCHER’S MYSTERY DEATH COULD BE ‘FAR WORSE’ THAN THE PLAGUE, FORMER SENIOR TRUMP OFFICIAL WARNS The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted in a post on Tuesday that the “CDC is aware of and closely monitoring reports of a suspected case of pneumonic plague in the Irkutsk region of Russia that resulted in a death. We are working across the U.S. government to assess developments as additional information becomes available. “While the circumstances of this reported case remain unconfirmed, plague is a serious bacterial disease that is treatable with antibiotics, particularly when recognized and treated early. Pneumonic plague can spread person-to-person through respiratory droplets during close contact, which is why rapid identification and treatment of infected individuals, and monitoring of potentially exposed individuals, are important public health measures. TRUMP RESPONDS TO CONCERNS OVER SUSPECTED PLAGUE CASE IN RUSSIA, SAYING US ‘WILLING TO HELP’ “At this time, there is no indication of a broader threat to the United States, but CDC and our interagency partners are prepared and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the CDC’s post concluded. Fox News Channel’s Nick Kalman and Gillian Turner contributed to this report.
Memphis City Council devolves into chaos after data center moratorium vote postponed
A Memphis City Council meeting descended into chaos Tuesday night after lawmakers postponed a vote on a proposed yearlong moratorium on new data centers, as protesters chanted inside City Hall, police cleared the chamber and a fight broke out in the lobby. The proposal comes as Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI operates its massive Colossus supercomputer facilities in the Memphis area, where some residents have raised concerns about data centers’ use of power and water, along with their effects on air quality, noise and nearby neighborhoods. The council voted 7-5 to delay the moratorium vote until Oct. 20. ERIC ADAMS BATTLES TENSE CROWD AS WISCONSIN AUDIENCE ERUPTS OVER AI DATA CENTER PROPOSAL After the vote was postponed, protesters chanted, “This is our city,” and, “Show me what democracy looks like,” as police moved to clear people from the chamber. A fight between two women also broke out in the lobby, with video showing punches being thrown, according to Action News 5. A Memphis Police Department spokesperson told the outlet that no one was detained or injured. It was unclear what sparked the fight or whether it was connected to the council meeting. Council members also clashed during the meeting. Councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton exchanged words with protesters before turning her criticism toward Councilman J.B. Smiley Jr., the lead sponsor of the moratorium proposal, according to the outlet. “That’s all he does; he brings up mess,” Cooper-Sutton said of Smiley. “That’s all you do, J.B. Smiley, confuse the people over, over, over and over!” Smiley had pushed the council to hold the final vote Tuesday, arguing that residents had shown up expecting a decision. DATA CENTERS COULD BE THE SLEEPER ISSUE OF THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS Seven council members voted to postpone the measure, while five opposed the delay. Councilman Edmund Ford Sr. was absent, according to Action News 5. The proposed ordinance would pause new data center projects for 12 months while the city studies their effects on health and Memphis’ power, water and other infrastructure. Musk’s SpaceXAI has established a major computing operation in the Memphis area with its Colossus facilities, raising concerns from some residents about air pollution, noise and the amount of electricity and water needed to run large data centers. Councilman Jeff Warren, who opposes the moratorium, warned that a year-long pause could push companies to build outside Memphis. “If we pass a moratorium, there’s no reason for them to think they need to come here,” Warren said, according to WREG. “They get the same benefit from going to DeSoto County, Crittenden County, Fayette County, Tipton County.” Memphis Mayor Paul Young has called for more rules governing data centers while also pointing to the tax revenue they generate. Young said the city should address their water and electricity use, air quality, noise and where the facilities can be built. “We need to keep the pressure high and make sure that we get the guardrails in place that we need for our community to feel protected,” Young told WREG. “There’s a role for all of our agencies to play in ensuring we put the proper guardrails in place. The thing that I want to make sure is that we do it expeditiously.” Smiley said council members should have done more to listen to residents who attended the meeting. “When the community shows up, we just have to listen to them,” he said, according to Action News 5. “I’m disappointed that we didn’t listen with ears, okay, I hear you, I understand. Let’s figure out how we can do what you want, but also what we believe would be in the best interest of the community.”
Rubio to deliver urgent plea to save Western civilization during speech in its birthplace
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will deliver a speech in Greece on Wednesday calling for the renewal of Western civilization and urging allies to join the United States in rejecting the decline of the West. The renewal of the West has been a theme during Rubio’s tenure at the helm of the State Department. He has often railed against what he views as an erosion of the values upon which Western civilization was built. And his speech Wednesday will build on that. The remarks will commence at 11:30 a.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. local time in Greece, and is set in the ancient ruins of the citadel Acropolis. “Secretary Rubio will deliver an address from the birthplace of Western civilization, where he will call upon Americans and Europeans alike to join together in a great renewal of the Western spirit – an inheritance stretching from Athens and Rome to Christendom to the founding of the American Republic,” Dylan Johnson, the State Department‘s assistant secretary for global public affairs, told Fox News Digital. TRUMP’S COUNTERTERRORISM STRATEGY SCORES BIG WINS AGAINST GLOBAL TERROR THREATS “Against the backdrop of the Acropolis, Secretary Rubio will look to the history of ancient Greece as the first full expression of the qualities that would come to define the West: curiosity, courage, ambition, and a restless spirit of exploration and discovery of the unknown,” Johnson added. “He will warn that too much of our civilization has forgotten these essential qualities and urge our allies across the West to join the United States in rejecting decline, defending our shared heritage, and confronting a new era of great-power competition together.” During his visit, Rubio announced a new counterterrorism partnership between the U.S. and Greece. He emphasized the strategic importance of Greece on Wednesday, calling it a “source of stability in an unstable world.” “As you see a world that faces these destabilizing events, you recognize how important this alliance with Greece is to the United States,” Rubio said. “It is a source of stability in an unstable world.” At the Munich Security Conference in Germany in February, Rubio delivered a speech on the topic that earned him a standing ovation from European leaders, and racked up millions of views online. One popular X user described it as “one of the greatest” speeches by a Secretary of State in decades. Many others insisted the speech upped Rubio’s potential 2028 presidential chances. AS AMERICA MARKS 250 YEARS, OUR GREATEST CHAPTERS ARE STILL AHEAD OF US Rubio described the five centuries before the end of World War II, a time when the West had expanded across the globe, building “vast empires.” But, he said, after the war, Europe was in ruins, and “godless communist revolutions” in Europe caused people to believe that the West’s dominance was forever finished. “Against that backdrop, then, as now, many came to believe that the West’s age of dominance had come to an end, and that our future was destined to be a faint and feeble echo of our past. But together, our predecessors recognized that decline was a choice, and it was a choice they refused to make,” he said. AMBASSADOR JEFF BARTOS: UN MUST ABANDON ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-WESTERN LEGACY OF DURBAN CONFERENCE Rubio urged the European leaders to reinvigorate that spirit. “This is why we do not want out allies to be shackled by guilt and shame,” he continued. “We want allies that are proud of our culture and our heritage, and understand that we are heirs to the same great and noble civilization and who together with us, are willing and able to defend it.” “And this is why we don’t want allies to rationalize the broken status quo, rather than what is necessary to reckon with what is necessary to fix it. For we in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline. We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilization in human history.”
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.