WATCH: Would-be second-term President Biden left searching for family on stage after Obama Center opening
Former President Joe Biden was caught in an awkward moment when he drifted back toward the stage as the dedication ceremony for President Barack Obama’s presidential library wrapped up Thursday. Video shows Biden pulling down his sunglasses and peering into the crowd as his wife, Jill Biden, and Obama exited the stage, leaving him behind. At one moment, Biden shouted, “where’s my granddaughter?’” A person familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital that Biden was searching for his granddaughter, who was sitting in the audience. OBAMA LEADING BIDEN OFF STAGE BY THE HAND ‘REALLY PISSED ME OFF,’ HUNTER BIDEN SEETHES The moment came at the conclusion of a star-studded event celebrating the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which brought together Obama, Biden, Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris and a host of entertainers and political figures. The incident also follows renewed scrutiny of Biden’s health and his initial decision to seek a second term in 2024. During an appearance at New York’s 92nd Street Y this week, Hillary Clinton called Biden’s reelection bid a “terrible mistake,” arguing that Democrats may have been better positioned had there been a competitive primary process before the 2024 election. HILLARY CLINTON HAMMERS JOE BIDEN FOR 2024 REELECTION BID DESPITE SUPPORTING CAMPAIGN: ‘TERRIBLE MISTAKE’ “Very sadly, I believe whoever emerged from that contest, whether it was the vice president or a governor or a senator or anybody else, would have beaten Donald Trump,” Clinton said. “So I think it was a terrible miscalculation on the part of President Biden.” Biden faced major pressure from Democratic Party leadership to drop out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance against Trump. Despite opinion pieces and public calls for him to exit the race, Biden remained in the contest for more than three weeks after the debate. Meanwhile, former first lady Jill Biden recently wrote that she feared her husband may have been suffering a stroke following his widely criticized debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump in June 2024, and suggested he should not have continued his re-election campaign. The former president is also locked in a legal battle with the Justice Department over the release of audio recordings from his interviews with former Special Counsel Robert Hur, whose investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents fueled additional questions about his age and memory. In those audio recordings, Hur described then sitting president Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” a characterization that became a flashpoint in the debate over Biden’s mental fitness for the job. The 83-year-old former president is currently battling Stage 4 prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones.
Trump-Meloni spat grows over claim Italian PM ‘begged’ for photo: ‘astonished’
A simmering rift between President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni burst into the open Friday after the G7 summit, exposing growing tensions between two leaders whose close political alliance had long positioned Meloni among Trump’s closest allies on the world stage. “Donald Trump’s statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished. I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time, moreover,” Meloni said Friday, according to Reuters. Trump told an Italian news outlet that Meloni “begged” him to take a photo with her during the G7 earlier this week, which sparked strong rebuke from the prime minister and Italian diplomats. Before the recent strain over Iran, Meloni was widely viewed as one of Trump’s strongest allies on the world stage, even attending his 2025 presidential inauguration as the only European leader present. “She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her,” Trump said to La7 TV channel. “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her.” WHO IS GIORGIA MELONI? TRUMP HOSTS ITALIAN PM AT MAR-A-LAGO Meloni fired back: “I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence.” “There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg,” she added. Representatives from the prime minister’s office told Fox News Digital they have no comment at the moment. Fox News Digital also reached out to the White House. RUBIO MEETS MELONI AS TRUMP–POPE CLASH ESCALATES US STRAINS WITH KEY EUROPEAN ALLY There have been looming tensions between the two leaders after Meloni recently distanced herself from the U.S. amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict. Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly canceled his U.S. visit Friday following Trump’s remarks over the photo. “The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June,” Tajani wrote on X. TRUMP TROOP CUTS IN EUROPE COULD BE BLOCKED BY CONGRESS — HERE’S HOW HE MIGHT GET AROUND IT Tajani was set to attend the Italy–U.S. Business, Investment, Science and Innovation Forum in Miami, Florida. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to deliver remarks at the conference on Monday. Rubio recently traveled to Italy last month to smooth over previous tensions with Meloni and Pope Leo XIV. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment. As Trump urged world leaders to take a more active role in the Iran conflict, Meloni notably stayed on the sidelines, underscoring an emerging rift between the longtime allies. Meloni has previously said she would not support any effort to reduce the U.S. military presence in Italy, drawing a contrast with Trump’s broader push to reposition American forces in Europe. Italy remains a key U.S. security hub in Europe, hosting nearly 13,000 active-duty American troops across six bases as of the end of 2025. Fox News Digital’s Courtney Walsh and Reuters contributed to this report.
SEE IT: Dem senator downplays security threat of illegal immigration after White House terror plot
A longtime Senate Democrat declined to directly condemn illegal immigration as a national security threat after it was revealed the terror plot to ambush the UFC White House event Sunday night was schemed by an immigrant from Mexico. Abraham Alvarez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who overstayed his visa, according to Homeland Security information first obtained by Fox News Digital. He was identified as the alleged “ringleader” of a network of 23 individuals who planned to carry out a “mass casualty event” with explosive drones striking the White House on June 14. After reports surfaced that Alvarez was the architect of the failed terror attack, Fox News Digital asked Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., if she views illegal immigration as a threat to the national security of the homeland. “We have to have good national security grid watch, and we have to stop terrorist attacks,” the Washington Democrat replied, keeping it ambiguous. SMILING SUSPECT STANDS OUT AS AUTHORITIES RELEASE MUGSHOTS OF 5 ACCUSED IN ALLEGED WHITE HOUSE UFC ATTACK PLOT “I’ll look more into the specific details. Don’t know about it,” she continued. Alvarez, 31, failed to leave the country when his B2 visitor visa expired in 2001 after coming to the U.S. as a child. He was granted Dreamer status — deportation relief — by the Obama administration in 2014 through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and has remained in the U.S. ever since under that program. Cantwell is not one of the Democrats who has adopted a particularly hard-line immigration stance in Congress. She has, however, repeatedly condemned aggressive immigration enforcement, particularly under the Trump administration. DEM BORDER REP BRAGS ABOUT VOTING AGAINST LAKEN RILEY ACT Cantwell has voted several times since President Donald Trump took office to challenge some efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) related to alleged racial profiling by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. She has encouraging immigration enforcement to not detain pregnant illegal immigrants and has backed investigation into the conditions of detention centers. She also voted against the Laken Riley Act in January 2025, which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal immigrants who have been charged with certain crimes including theft, assault, burglary, shoplifting and more. Along with Alvarez, five additional individuals have been arrested this month for assisting in the alleged terror plot to attack the White House UFC event over the weekend. WHITE HOUSE UFC TERROR PLOT ‘RINGLEADER’ IS A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DHS CONFIRMS Federal authorities said the motivation of the attack was related to government corruption, Israel’s influence on American politics and the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Alvarez, when asked in messages about explosive drones by a co-conspirator, said he wanted “as many and as deadly as we can get.” Investigators also noted the suspect’s goal was to target “capitalist elites,” billionaires and politicians funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Of the 23 identified in planning the terror attack, 18 have still not been charged. Each suspect could face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, with a potential additional five years if also convicted of planning to carry out violence on White House grounds.
Maine Democrats reject Platner-backed candidate in blow to scandal-plagued Senate hopeful
Hannah Pingree, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, clinched the Democratic nomination in Maine’s 2026 gubernatorial race. Pingree defeated a crowded field of primary challengers in the blue-leaning state’s Democratic primary, according to The Associated Press. Former Maine State Senate President Troy Jackson, an economic populist backed by embattled U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, was also viewed as a top contender for the party’s nomination. Jackson’s loss is a blow to Platner as he seeks to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in November’s midterm elections. Former Biden public health official Nirav Shah was also viewed as a top contender for the Democratic nomination. The results come as Jackson and Platner campaigned together on multiple occasions ahead of the June 9 primary. The two were seen embracing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a “Fighting Oligarchy” rally in late May. Sanders, a progressive leader, has endorsed both candidates. GRAHAM PLATNER BLASTS NEW ALLEGATIONS AS ‘FALSE ACCUSATIONS’: ‘MAINE, YOU HAVE MY BACK’ Jackson, a logger who has served in both chambers of the state legislature, has largely stood by Platner’s candidacy despite mounting fallout over allegations of abuse in past relationships with women and questions over whether he was aware of a tattoo with Nazi origins that he later covered up. He appeared with Platner during a fiery rally in Bar Harbor on Friday during which the Senate candidate slammed “politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations” that have been levied against him. The gubernatorial hopefuls are running to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, who was term-limited. Mills, 78, suspended her Senate campaign in April after struggling to raise money and falling behind in polling. Mills endorsed Pingree, D-Maine, to be her successor. Pingree is the daughter of Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and is associated with the party’s establishment wing. The state’s ranked-choice voting system required voters to rank candidates in order of preference. That structure meant the candidate who received the most initial support — in this case, Shah — ultimately lost to a candidate backed by a broader coalition of voters in Pingree. Platner said he ranked Pingree and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, D-Maine, after Jackson, his top pick. The three Democratic candidates urged their supporters to rank each other highly on their ballots, likely in an attempt to blunt Shah’s momentum. THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER’S MAINE SENATE BID “I think we’re the three people in this race who have voted time and time again on behalf of Maine people, on behalf of working people, on behalf of universal healthcare, on behalf of the environment, on behalf of more housing for Maine people,” Pingree said at a joint press conference with Jackson and Bellows in late May in remarks reported by Maine Public Radio. “I think you can trust the three of us to get the job done.” Pingree thanked her competitors in a Friday morning statement, praising the civility of a ranked choice campaign before pivoting to the citizens of Maine. “After a year-long campaign and a careful count, the results are in. I’m grateful, I’m ready and there is no time to waste. I’ve spent nearly 25 years serving the people of Maine and the last year really brought home what that service is about — because Mainers show up for each other, in cities and towns, and they never give up on their neighbors. Thank you to everyone who voted, volunteered, donated, or opened their doors to talk with me about what matters to them, and what’s at stake in this election,” the statement read. Shah, an epidemiologist, spearheaded Maine’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included daily televised briefings. Before Mills tapped him to lead the state’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, his ties to the Pine Tree State appeared to have been minimal. He previously served as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health between 2015 and 2019 and was raised in Wisconsin and Kentucky. An outside spending group backing Shah highlighted Jackson’s previous opposition to abortion rights in negative advertising. Early in Jackson’s career in the state legislature, he received a 100% rating from the Maine Right to Life. On the Republican side, six candidates vied for the party’s nomination, with former Bush administration official Bobby Charles defeating the crowded field that included Jonathan Bush, a businessman who is a cousin of former President George W. Bush. Democrats will likely have an edge in the open contest with the party holding nearly all statewide offices. The nonpartisan Cook Political report rates the contest as “likely Democrat.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump leaves Netanyahu endorsement hanging with pointed warning ahead of crucial election
President Donald Trump signaled he is likely to back Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s upcoming elections, dangling a potentially powerful endorsement even as he has been at odds with the Israeli leader publicly over the tensions in Iran and Lebanon. “I’ll have to look at who’s running, but I like Bibi very much. I would be most likely to endorse him,” Trump said in an interview with Israeli public broadcaster KAN News, using Netanyahu’s nickname, the Jerusalem Post reported Thursday. “But I need to see who is running,” Trump added. “I have a good relationship with Bibi, but he needs to be more rational. I am willing to meet with him. He’s doing a very good job; he’s got to be a little bit more rational.” ‘BIBI’S HAIR ON FIRE’: TRUMP-NETANYAHU PUBLIC ‘RIFT’ MASKED UNIFIED FRONT AGAINST IRAN, ANALYST SAYS The remarks came as Trump has offered increasingly pointed criticism of his longtime political ally, while the U.S. pushes ahead with Middle East diplomacy involving Iran and Lebanon. Axios reported earlier this month that Trump lashed out at Netanyahu during a call over Israel’s actions in Lebanon, with one U.S. official summarizing Trump’s message as calling the Israeli leader “f—ing crazy.” Trump later confirmed in an interview on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast that he made the remark, while also saying he likes Netanyahu and works “very well” with him. The tensions flared again after an Israeli strike in Beirut nearly complicated the signing of the U.S.-Iran deal. Trump told Axios he was “so pissed off” over the strike and said Netanyahu had “no f—ing judgment,” while still insisting the Iran agreement remained on track. On Wednesday, Trump described recent tensions between he and Netanyahu as a “little dispute” over Lebanon and suggested the Israeli leader “gets a little excited sometimes,” according to the report. VANCE WARNS IRAN THAT ‘ANOTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE’ IF NUCLEAR DEAL NOT REACHED “I say you can do a little softer touch, maybe you don’t need to bring down a building every time a Hezbollah member walks into it,” Trump also said Wednesday about the Israeli leader. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has repeatedly highlighted his relationship with Trump in official remarks, calling him “our great friend” and “my personal friend,” and saying the two leaders “speak almost every day” and “decid[e] together,” according to statements released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. Vice President JD Vance addressed concerns over Iran in an interview with The New York Times published Thursday, saying the U.S. would not lift sanctions if Tehran continues funding terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah. “They assume that everything that is contemplated that is good for Iran will happen — but that will happen without the Iranians changing any behavior,” Vance said, referring to what he described as a “weird panic” in Israel over the Iran deal. “That’s not how the deal is written,” Vance added. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the Israeli embassy for comment.
Republican congressman will end monthslong absence from DC after missing 135 roll call votes
After more than 100 days away from Capitol Hill, Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., is set to return to Washington, D.C., in the coming weeks. Kean, 57, will be present for votes during the June 30 session, a spokesperson for the congressman confirmed to Fox News Digital. The two-term New Jersey lawmaker has been sidelined for months with a personal health issue and has yet to disclose the nature of the ailment. Kean has pledged to be transparent about his illness once he is back in Washington. The New Jersey Globe first reported the timing of Kean’s expected return. He previously told the outlet his medical issue did not affect his cognitive health and will not have any chronic complications that could impair his ability to seek a third House term. HOUSE REPUBLICAN MISSES ANOTHER WEEK OF VOTES AS HEALTH ABSENCE STRAINS THIN MAJORITY The embattled lawmaker has not been seen in public or cast a vote on the House floor since early March, amounting to 135 missed roll call votes, according to GovTrack. Kean’s office has still continued to introduce legislation and post on social media. The New Jersey Republican’s expected return to Washington ahead of November’s midterm elections will be relatively short-lived. With just over 30 legislative days remaining, lawmakers are scheduled to spend nearly all of August and October back home campaigning for re-election. DEMS PICK CHALLENGER FOR GOP CONGRESSMAN WHO VANISHED FROM PUBLIC VIEW AMID HEALTH MYSTERY Thursday’s announcement comes as Kean is facing a significant reelection challenge from former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett in one of the country’s most competitive House battleground districts. Bennett, who is expected to lean into her national security background on the campaign trail, defeated several Democrat primary challengers in May to advance to the general election. She has largely refrained from criticizing Kean during his absence but said he must be transparent with voters about his health issue. Kean, who has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, ran unopposed for the GOP nomination, but his future in Congress remains unclear amid his absence and health concerns. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the New Jersey contest in the suburban swing seat as a “toss-up.”
Dem justices slap Soros-backed Philly DA with power strip in stunning decision: ‘Not reliable’
A divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court, including two Democrat justices, ordered Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office to face new outside scrutiny over its post-conviction concessions after the state’s high court found the office’s handling of one convicted murderer’s case was unreliable and said similar problems extended beyond just that single case. Justice Kevin Dougherty, a Democrat, wrote the 4-3 opinion in the case of Levar Brown, a Philadelphia man whose murder convictions became the centerpiece of a broader legal fight over Krasner’s Conviction Integrity Unit and the office’s willingness to concede relief in serious criminal cases. Dougherty was joined by Justice Daniel McCaffery, another Democrat judge on the state’s Supreme Court, and two other Republican judges. The dissenters were all Democrats. The 4-3 decision reversed a Philadelphia post-conviction order granting Brown a new trial after Krasner’s office conceded his conviction should not stand and a Philadelphia judge approved the request. It also ordered that, going forward, Philadelphia judges handling post-conviction challenges must notify the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and allow the office to intervene before granting relief in any case where Krasner’s office concedes that a conviction should be overturned. The ruling stops short of handing control of the cases to the state attorney general, but it creates a new court-ordered check on Krasner’s office in future post-conviction matters. FETTERMAN TELLS PHILADELPHIA DA TO ‘LIGHTEN UP, FRANCIS’ AFTER HEATED ICE REMARKS “The prosecutor does not decide whether a defendant is entitled to relief under the Post Conviction Relief Act,” Dougherty wrote for the majority, emphasizing that a judge must independently determine whether a conviction should be overturned even when prosecutors agree with the defense. The majority concluded that Krasner’s office’s concession in Brown’s case “was not reliable,” finding that Krasner’s office conceded relief when it was not warranted by the existing record, withheld material evidence from the court, submitted a false stipulation of fact, misstated facts in its pleadings, failed to conduct a reasonable investigation and opposed a required evidentiary hearing. The court suggested that if its concerns in the Brown case were confined to just that case alone, it would not have justified a broader remedy. But the majority opinion said the concerns were evident in other post-conviction cases as well. PHILLY DA’S ‘HUNT YOU DOWN’ WARNING TO ICE DRAWS CALLS FOR DOJ CRIMINAL PROBE Since 2018, the Philadelphia DA’s office has conceded relief “well over 100 times,” mostly in murder cases, according to the opinion. The court also said there are apparently more than 1,000 cases still waiting to be reviewed by the office’s Conviction Integrity Unit. The case was brought to the high court by family members of murder victims Michael Richardson and Robert Crawford. Brown was convicted by a Philadelphia jury in the 2004 murder of Richardson and convicted by another Philadelphia jury in the 2005 murder of Crawford, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Two decades later, Krasner’s office conceded that Brown should receive a new trial and argued that relief was due without an evidentiary hearing, the attorney general’s office said. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday praised the ruling, saying his office will now be able to serve as a check on the process for Philadelphia residents and victims’ families. “As prosecutors, our role is to advocate for victims of crime, for public safety, and for justice,” Sunday said in a statement. “Centuries of experience teach that the best way to achieve that justice is through the adversarial process, with vigorous representation for both sides.” PHILADELPHIA DA GOES INTO TIRADE ABOUT ‘FASCIST’ TRUMP, ‘HITLER’ WHEN CONFRONTED AT PARK IN VIRAL VIDEO Sunday’s office said the court concluded the Philadelphia DA’s concession in Brown’s case was “not reliable” and “recognized that similar concessions in numerous other cases also appeared to be unreliable.” “The Court directed judges to notify the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General of any concessions before granting relief, and to permit the Office of Attorney General to intervene in future cases where the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office attempts to concede a conviction,” the office said. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office said it is still assessing what the ruling will mean for its workload, budget and personnel. “We are assessing what yesterday’s Supreme Court of Pennsylvania order will mean for our office’s workload and what impacts it may have on our budget and our personnel,” the OAG Press Team said. “Given the many unknowns involved, including the number of cases concessions will be made in and our response to those concessions, it may be difficult to fully assess these impacts until the process truly begins.” The office added that it appreciates the court allowing the AG’s office to “serve as a check on this process for the citizens of Philadelphia and ensure that the interests of victims’ families are represented.” SOROS-BACKED DA KRASNER THREATENS ICE AGENTS AT PHILLY AIRPORT: ‘I WILL PUT YOU IN HANDCUFFS’ Krasner’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. But Krasner posted a video response online defending his reform agenda and attacking the ruling as an anti-democratic move that treats Philadelphia differently from other counties. The video featured images of civil rights icons Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. as Krasner framed criminal justice reform as part of a broader social justice movement. “Reform can be scary to those who need it,” Krasner said in the video. “Which part don’t you like? The safety or the freedom?” Krasner said Philadelphia has not had better numbers for “safety” or “freedom” in his lifetime and argued that critics are fighting a national criminal justice reform movement. “The truth is that criminal justice reform is a national social justice movement,” Krasner said. “And like all other social justice movements, it follows a certain pattern. First they ignore you. We’re past it. Then they laugh at you. We’re past that. Then they fight you. And we have been fighting for eight and a half years. And then the
Walz approval rating craters to lowest level ever and trails Trump amid massive fraud scandal: ‘Tired of it’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s approval rating in his state has plummeted to a level below President Donald Trump as the state’s top executive continues to face blowback from the massive fraud scandal that erupted under his watch. Walz, who is leaving office in January after announcing he will not run for re-election, has an approval rating of 39% in the state and a disapproval rating of 53% with 8% not sure, according to a new poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy Inc. for KARE 11, the Minnesota Star Tribune, and the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The poll surveyed 800 Minnesota registered voters likely to participate in the November general election via live telephone interviews from June 8-10, 2026 and the numbers represent Walz’s lowest approval rating since taking office six years ago. On the fraud issue, 45% of voters say they trust Republicans to fix it compared to 38% who chose Democrats and 14% who said neither party. FINAL WALZ FRAUD REPORT RIPS ‘CULTURE OF TOLERANCE’ AS MINNESOTA TAXPAYERS FACE BILLIONS IN ALLEGED LOSSES The same polling unit registered Trump’s approval rating in the state at 41% this week, which conservatives on social media took notice of. “Tim Walz has a lower approval rating than President Trump in deep blue Minnesota right now,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “That’s how toxic the fraud has become for Democrats.” Over the past year, the Trump administration has taken a major interest in Minnesota and unleashed its fraud task force into the state, resulting in raids, arrests and further investigations into how the fraud was able to grow so quickly in the state. Another contentious issue revealed by the poll is Minnesota’s new state flag, supported by Walz, that 50% of voters say they disapprove of. The state’s new flag has become a cultural and political flashpoint in a state already reeling from one of the largest fraud scandals in U.S. history, heavily involving the Somali immigrant community. The flag was approved by a 13-member commission created by the Democratic-controlled legislature in 2023. Critics of the flag say it is overly simplistic and some have even knocked it as bearing a resemblance to Somalia’s national flag. MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS UNLOAD ON WALZ’S ‘LEGACY’ AFTER HE TOUTS FRAUD RECORD IN FINAL ADDRESS: ‘RIDICULOUS’ “Two issues that unite a majority of Minnesotans are the rejection of Tim Walz and his failed policies and our hatred for the Minnesota Somali state flag,” Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital. “The flag is an embarrassment and good on the cities who are actively removing it from their city halls and communities.” “President Trump is more popular than Tim Walz in his home state because Minnesotans are sick and tired of Walz siding with illegal aliens and Somali fraudsters over his hardworking, taxpaying constituents.” he continued. “The legacy of Tim Walz will be the fires that destroyed Minneapolis, the fraud that he allowed to be stolen under his watch, and his failures that have harmed our great state.” Fraud appears to have played a significant role in Walz’s cratering approval, which is evidenced by a 10-point drop in his support since last year as the fraud scandal has dominated headlines. Only 1% of Republicans in the state say they approve of the job Walz is doing, along with 73% of Democrats and 32% of Independents. “America rejected Tim Walz in 2024,” Republican Minnesota State Sen. Michael Holmstrom told Fox News Digital. “Now Minnesotans are following suit. The good news for Tim is that, now that his record is on full display, he could soon be the most popular guy in the jailhouse.” Republican State Sen. Mark Koran told Fox News Digital that the polls “really tell you what Gov. Walz has done to himself.” “He let his fraud crisis blow up and didn’t do anything to fix it while he was busy shoving all this radical stuff into state government,” Koran said. “After years of extreme far-left ideology and policies that don’t help normal people, Minnesotans have had enough. His legacy is going to be the fraud crisis and desecrating the state flag. Minnesota is just tired of it.” Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment. Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report
Ex-House Dem who ripped congressional stock trading ban as ‘bulls—‘ changes her tune in comeback bid
Former Congresswoman Elaine Luria’s record on congressional stock trading — and a net worth that skyrocketed during her time in office — is clashing with her campaign rhetoric in one of the country’s most competitive districts. Luria, the Democrat who previously represented Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District from 2019 to 2023, told attendees at a recent candidate forum that she would “support” legislation to ban members of Congress from owning or trading stocks. “I will say that this is an issue where I’ve changed my opinion over time. I will support the STOCK Act,” Luria said, referring to proposals to limit trading for lawmakers. She framed her position as a matter of public trust. WATCH: DEM CANDIDATE GRILLED ON STOCK TRADING AFTER BEING DUPED WITH SELFIE REQUEST “At first, I thought, well, you know, you elect people to Congress, they make important decisions. Don’t you trust them? And will you trust them with personal finances? And I came to see that, over time, really everything that Congress is doing has eroded that trust.“ In a statement to Fox News Digital, a campaign spokesperson echoed that framing. “Elaine has seen the corruption in Washington that has allowed Jen Kiggans and Donald Trump to raise health care premiums, drive-up energy costs, and use their offices to benefit dark money donors and political interests. That’s why Elaine will continue to call for a ban of Members of Congress on trading stocks in office, fight to end the corruption in Washington perpetuated by Jen Kiggans and the Trump administration, and lower costs for working families,” the campaign said. However, the new position stands in stark contrast with her own past comments on the issue and highlights how candidates in competitive districts are being forced to grapple with the issue. When asked about a stock ban proposal in 2022, Luria told reporters that the “whole concept is bulls—.” Luria’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on her changed stance. At the time she left office, she had a number of documented financial positions, including $250,000 in stocks with Alibaba, a Chinese company — the most of any Democrat in the House of Representatives in 2021. MARINE VET TAKES AIM AT TRUMP, MUSK IN VIDEO LAUNCH FOR KEY SWING HOUSE SEAT In another instance, Luria’s husband purchased between $1,000 and $15,000 in Tesla Inc. stock as President Joe Biden’s signature Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was making its way through Congress, according to disclosure records. Among other provisions, the bill appropriated $7.5 billion in funding for electric vehicle charging stations, aiming to incentivize buyers away from combustion engines and reduce carbon emissions. According to disclosures, Luria’s husband made the purchase in March 2021 — eight months before Luria ultimately voted for the bill and before Tesla’s stock jumped nearly 50%. In total, Luria’s net worth skyrocketed during her time in Congress, going from $1.13 million to more than $22 million. HOW MIKIE SHERRILL’S FAMILY MADE MILLIONS AFTER SHE WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS Luria’s time in office came to an end when she lost in a 51.6% to 48.2% bid against Republican challenger Jen Kiggans. Luria and Kiggans will face off again in the 2026 general election on Nov. 3.
Progressive Michigan Senate candidate’s staffer raged at White women in unearthed posts
FIRST ON FOX: The communications director for Michigan’s controversial U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has a history of anti-White social media posts, directing most of her vitriol towards White women. Fox News Digital unearthed posts made by Roxie Richner in 2019 and 2020 on X, then called Twitter, where she directed most of her vitriol towards White women. In the posts, some of which were made during the violent far-left riots after the death of George Floyd, she accused White woman of trying to get Black people killed and called them “failures.” “I don’t care if it’s scary or makes you uncomfortable,” Richner posted on May 26, 2020, the day after Floyd died. “Black people are being murdered by the police and white women are making shit up trying to get Black people killed. snap [the f—] out of it and start taking action.” DEM GOV’S NEW CAMPAIGN MESSAGE MAN ONCE SAID ‘RELIGIOUS RIGHT’ UNITED BY ‘WHITE SUPREMACY’ She followed that post with another that said, “all white women are policy failures.” On the same day, she said: “fellow white people: one of the most powerful anti-racist acts is having those tough conversations with your loved ones. I make it a point to speak with my family about dismantling white supremacy almost every day. people are willing to learn, but you HAVE to make the effort.” On June 4, 2020, during the height of the rioting and destruction in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following Floyd’s death, Richner mocked White people who were concerned about the chaos and violence in their neighborhoods. MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED DODGES QUESTION ON WHETHER HE STILL SUPPORTS DEFUNDING THE POLICE “[I]f one more white ann arbor person dms me asking why i’m ‘dEFeNdiNG LoOtiNG’ i’m seriously gonna explode. your racism is showing. check yourselves. I’m not holding back on this s-— anymore, i’m dropping names if u keep it up,” she said. The day after the November 2020 presidential election, Richner responded to a video posted by an activist celebrating President Joe Biden’s win. “”!!! POC youth really carried us [purple heart emoji] and let’s be very clear not ALL youth.. very disappointed in white youth and white women,” she said in the post. SWING-STATE DEM CANDIDATE’S ‘DISGUSTING’ COMMENTS ABOUT JD, USHA VANCE’S ‘BROWN CHILDREN’ SPARKS OUTRAGE In 2019, she chastised White people for defending then-candidate Joe Biden’s “racist a– comments.” “‘[E]veryone said stuff like that back then’ is not at all an excuse for being straight-up racist. period,” the post said. In another post, she mocked that idea that White Americans could ever face racial discrimination. MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE DELETED THANKSGIVING TWEET CALLING FOR INDIGENOUS REPARATIONS: REPORT Other posts from Richner indicate that she’s been working with El-Sayed since at least 2018. During that year, the progressive Democrat ran for governor, but finished second in the Democratic primary behind Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. His platform then was similar to the one he is running on today, including calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and establish universal healthcare. SANDERS-ENDORSED SENATE CANDIDATE KNOCKED FOR ALLEGED FLIP-FLOP TO ‘HAVE IT BOTH WAYS’ ON KEY ISSUE Beyond the controversies surrounding his top communications aide, El-Sayed is also no stranger to scandal and criticism. He has defended his decision to campaign with extreme far-left social media influencer Hasan Piker, who at different points said “America deserved 9/11,” that his favorite flag is that of the terrorist group Hezbollah and equated Hamas with Israel. Just last week, Mariam Odeh, a former El-Sayed staffer, was indicted along with seven others for alleged threats made against University of Michigan officials, private businesses and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit related to the conflict in Gaza. It occurred as the defendants attempted to get the school to divest investments in Israeli-tied companies. Odeh was charged with conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce. The campaign said it wasn’t aware of Odeh’s activities when it hired her. Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign for comment but did not hear back.