Trump says Jimmy Kimmel pulled off air due to ‘lack of talent’
President Donald Trump claimed that late night television host Jimmy Kimmel’s program is being yanked off the air because Kimmel lacks talent. “Well Jimmy Kimmel was fired ’cause he had bad ratings more than anything else and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they shoulda fired him a long time ago,” Trump asserted during a press conference alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in England. “He was fired for lack of talent,” Trump said of Kimmel. DISNEY SAYS JIMMY KIMMEL’S SHOW WILL BE PREEMPTED INDEFINITELY FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION COMMENTS As Fox News Digital has previously reported, a Disney spokesperson said “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be preempted indefinitely.” This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
SCOOP: Iryna Zarutska stabbing fuels transit safety overhaul talks in House
FIRST ON FOX: The House of Representatives is charging ahead with discussions on how to bolster trust in public transit after the deadly stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, N.C. A panel of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is holding a closed-door roundtable with federal transit officials, as well as law enforcement and union representatives on Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned. It’s being led by Highways and Transit subcommittee chair Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., who represents the state where the stabbing occurred. “The recent deadly stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail is a stark reminder safety must be at the center of our national transit conversation,” Rouzer told Fox News Digital. CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDER FRONT AND CENTER IN CRUCIAL 2026 SENATE BATTLE: ‘SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES’ Lawmakers said they are hoping to hear directly from officials on strategies to mitigate crime on public transit systems. While public transportation has already been under the committee’s purview, the tragic killing of Iryna Zarutska on a train in Charlotte last month is fueling new urgency for House lawmakers on the panel. The Thursday roundtable is directly tied to that incident, Fox News Digital is told. Among the participants expected are Federal Transit Administration leader Marc Molinaro, who is a former House lawmaker, as well as American Public Transportation Association President Paul Skoutelas, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves, AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department President Greg Regan and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) CEO Randy Clarke. A member of House GOP leadership, Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., is also expected to attend. A spokesperson for the House Transportation Committee, led by Chair Sam Graves, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital that the roundtable would help inform legislation being crafted by the panel. “The committee is in the process of developing a broad, comprehensive surface transportation reauthorization bill – sometimes referred to as the ‘highway bill,’ but it also includes policy changes and funding authorizations for federal transit programs,” the spokesperson said. “This roundtable will inform that bill development process.” Graves added, “Trust in transit overall will continue to erode if we don’t take action to stop violent crime on public transit.” Zarutska, 23, was killed on a Charlotte light rail train on Aug. 22 while on her way home from work. Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., who allegedly stabbed Zarutska in an unprovoked attack, was charged with first-degree murder this week. Zarutska had fled Ukraine in August 2022 after Russia launched its invasion of the sovereign country. She was working at a local pizza shop and studying at a community college at the time of her killing. CHARLOTTE MAYOR SCORES PRIMARY RE-ELECTION VICTORY AMID NATIONAL BACKLASH OVER GRUESOME TRAIN MURDER The case is now the latest example being held up by Republicans of big cities having too lax a justice system in dealing with crime, including on mass transit. It comes amid broader partisan divisions over the merits of President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard to major cities in order to deal with violent crime. And while Thursday’s roundtable is bipartisan, Democrats have previously accused Republicans of politicizing the 23-year-old’s death. “I think it’s outrageous that people are trying to politicize the death of this wonderful young lady. It’s outrageous that anyone would politicize that death. What decency do people have at a moment like this, as opposed to trying to find commonsense solutions?” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said earlier this month.
WATCH: Coast Guard seizes cocaine, suspected narco-terrorists in Pacific Viper raid
FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Coast Guard has seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended nearly 60 suspected narco-terrorists and drug smugglers since launching Operation Pacific Viper in August, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Pacific Viper is a joint effort between the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy aimed at countering the influx of illegal drugs to the U.S. as part of President Donald Trump’s larger effort to crack down on drug cartels. Video footage shared with Fox News Digital depicts the Coast Guard cutter Seneca, which is part of Operation Pacific Viper, completing a drug interdiction Sept. 10 northeast of the Galápagos Islands, which resulted in the seizure of 5,500 pounds of cocaine from a low-profile vessel. Operation Pacific Viper also was responsible for conducting the two strikes against alleged drug-laden vessels from Venezuela. The first strike took out 11 suspected Tren de Aragua (TdA) narco-terrorists, while the second strike took out three individuals. “You had massive amounts of drugs,” Trump told reporters Sept. 3 after the first strike. “We have tapes of them speaking. It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people. And, everybody fully understands that fact. You see it, you see the bags of drugs all over the boat, and they were hit. Obviously, they won’t be doing it again. And I think a lot of other people won’t be doing it again. When they watch that tape, they’re going to say, let’s not do this. We have to protect our country and we’re going to. Venezuela has been a very bad actor.” This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Lawmaker who tied Kirk to ‘domestic terrorism’ facing expulsion calls amid politician blowback nationwide
Several public officials have faced expulsion calls over their reactions to Charlie Kirk’s murder, including a West Virginia delegate who compared him to the Charlotte train stabbing suspect and framed the issue in terms of alleged “racist” language and domestic terrorism. Their comments highlight how Kirk’s death has become a flashpoint in the national debate over political rhetoric and violence. Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Morgantown, who leads the NAACP branch in Monongalia and Preston counties, faced blowback for Facebook posts that appear to have since been deleted accusing the late conservative activist of racism and claiming such “words of a racist nature” are tantamount to domestic terrorism. “The value of truth exposes your values, priorities and beliefs. You can profess Jesus, tweet about Him, and talk about Him in your speeches, and yet be a racist,” Hamilton posted, according to screenshots circulated by Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.V., former top Ted Cruz staffer Steve Guest and others. “You can murder one woman on a train by stabbing her in the neck and be condemned by the masses or you can travel the nation spewing hatred and racism, harming thousands and be loved by the masses and both have the same outcome,” the posts read. CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER THE LATEST IN INCREASING POLITICAL VIOLENCE NATIONWIDE, FROM PA GOVERNOR TO SCOTUS “Speaking words of a racist nature is not your First Amendment right, but are acts of domestic terrorism upon the souls of American people,” Hamilton continued, per the screenshots. Hamilton also said proper debate cannot take place where the Black population is “1.36%,” which matches figures for Utah, where Kirk was killed. Moore responded by calling for Charleston lawmakers to expel Hamilton, adding, “This is the ideology we are up against.” “Tolerating the warped mindset that leads to disgusting behavior like this from radical Leftists with no consequence is how we end up with a 31-year-old dad being shot and killed in cold blood.” Moore added that lawmakers cannot be “justifying murder.” Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., strongly condemned Hamilton. “The delegate from the 81st (District) ought to be ashamed because celebrating the death of an individual who engages in regular political dialogue on college campuses is really, truly sad to see,” said Justice. BEFORE CHARLIE KIRK MURDER, UTAH GOV. COX PUSHED EFFORT TO ‘DISAGREE BETTER’ The governor-turned-senator originally appointed Hamilton to the role — with a senior government staffer familiar with the appointment telling Fox News Digital he was bound by a rule to choose one of Democrats’ handpicked options. The staffer told Fox News Digital that Hamilton’s comments show how common it is for the opposing parties in West Virginia to offer only the “most radical” candidates for vacancy appointments. Del. Wayne Clark, R-Charles Town, reserved comment on Hamilton’s statements but told Fox News Digital that Kirk’s murder is a “tragic loss for our country” and that his “ability to debate while maintaining civility is unmatched in anyone in our lifetime.” “Those who feel that his assassination is justified for any reason should question their moral beliefs on the preservation of life,” Clark said. State Del. Geno Chiarelli, a Republican who also represents Monongalia County like Hamilton, confirmed discussions have been going on in the legislature about how to punish Hamilton, up to and including expulsion. Chiarelli told Fox News Digital he isn’t officially part of such considerations but would support expulsion if the caucus leadership decided that was the route they want to go. A Charleston official also cited an uphill climb for expulsion versus censure or other punishments, as it would require a 2/3 vote of the 91-9 GOP-majority chamber. “The left is already trying to downplay this, but the reality is sobering: Charlie Kirk was murdered by somebody who thought he was ‘full of hate’,” Moore said, calling the murder “left-wing terrorism” brought about by “endless demonization” by the Democratic Party. Beyond Mountaineer country, several other lawmakers have come under fire for their responses to Kirk’s murder. In Bernville, Pennsylvania — a quiet Pennsylvania Dutch community best known for its nationally recognized Christmas Village — the town’s Democratic mayor posted a clip from Charlie Kirk’s podcast implying he was glad Kirk had died. “This is what MAGA represents. This is what Trump lowered flags for,” wrote Mayor Shawn Raup-Konsavage, according to Allentown’s WFMZ-69 News. “If this represents you, then I don’t want to hear that you are offended that I’m glad he is gone.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Raup-Konsavage previously made headlines after President Donald Trump’s first assassination attempt, with a post that reportedly read, “Try harder.” Bernville Borough Councilman Wayne Lesher told WFMZ that while he disagrees with Raup-Konsavage, the remarks were made on a private page under First Amendment protections. “You’re celebrating the death of somebody. That’s nothing to celebrate,” Lesher said. Separately, a councilmember in Tucson, Arizona, faced blowback for an apparently misspelled post meant to read “Karma,” after Kirk’s murder, according to the city’s CBS affiliate. Another West Virginia official – a mayor in the Northern Panhandle – expressed surprise at criticisms he said outnumbered people who voted in the previous municipal election. Wellsburg, West Virginia, Mayor Dan Dudley reportedly wrote, “Sad day in America. Flying an American flag half-mast for a racist. Priceless. Wellsburg Mayor Daniel L. Dudley,” according to Wheeling’s ABC affiliate. State Del. Jimmy Willis, R-Wellsburg, told the outlet that whether it is attacks on Kirk, Trump or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, “violence is never the answer.” Fox News Digital reached out to Hamilton and the NAACP’s Kingwood chapter for comment.
Hillary Clinton sparks social media firestorm for promoting book warning about ‘fascists’: ‘Sick people’
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting blasted on social media after posting a picture supporting American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten’s new book that suggests her political opponents are “fascists.” “Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers.’ From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Clinton posted on Wednesday, along with a picture of Weingarten holding the book. “Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment,” she wrote. Clinton was criticized by conservatives for the post, which they argued continued the smear campaign against political opponents that many believe contributed to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. TOP UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATOR CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION ‘FAIR’ DUE TO STANCE ON GUNS: ‘NO PRAYERS’ “It’s been one week since Charlie Kirk was murdered by a lunatic who wrote about ‘fascists’ on shell casings,” Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. “Now, Randi Weingarten has a new book arguing everyone who disagrees with her views on public education – which have destroyed public education in America – is a fascist.” American Culture Project senior fellow Corey DeAngelis wrote on X, “Hillary Clinton and Randi Weingarten are going full speed ahead with this disgusting rhetoric right after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Sick people.” LIBERAL PROFESSORS’ GROUP BACKS FACULTY SPEECH AFTER CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION, SILENT ON CONDEMNING ATTACK “Charlie Kirk was murdered exactly one week ago,” conservative influencer Jack Posobiec posted on X. “Here’s Hillary Clinton today:” “They wrote an entire book on a word they don’t even understand,” restaurateur and Huntington Beach City Council member Andrew Gruel posted on X. “The room. That’s what y’all should read,” Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross posted on X. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Democrats Hillary Clinton and Randi Weingarten are still suggesting Republicans are ‘fascists,’” an account belonging to the Republican National Committee (RNC) posted on X. “They really can’t help themselves, can they?” Fox News Digital reached out to Clinton’s office for comment on the post, which has racked up 2 million views on X, but did not immediately hear back. “Have they read the book?” Weingarten said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “If they did they’d discover it’s a love letter to teachers.” Weingarten’s book, which hit bookshelves Tuesday, elaborates on her views on battling what she says is fascist ideology and how it works to “undermine democracy, opportunity and public education as we know it.” “Attacks on schools and teachers have long been a hallmark of fascist regimes: Throughout history, as many dictators rose to power they began banning books and controlling curriculum,” the book’s preview reads. “Fascists fear teachers because teachers foster an educated and empowered population that can see past propaganda and scare tactics. Fascists fear teachers because they teach young people how to think for themselves.” Media pundits and conservatives have been pointing to the left’s years of claiming conservative figures such as Kirk are “fascists.” Following Kirk’s assassination at the hands of a shooter authorities say embraced a leftist ideology, numerous examples have surfaced of liberal pundits, politicians, professors and other individuals celebrating or downplaying the death of Kirk, prompting many to blame heated political rhetoric from the left as a contributor to Kirk’s death. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from deporting hundreds of Guatemalan minors
A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from deporting certain Guatemalan minors to their home country after the government walked back claims that it intended to reunite the youths with their parents. Judge Timothy Kelly, who issued the order, signaled his skepticism of the removals in a hearing last week, noting declarations from minors who said they feared facing violence or neglect if they were returned to Guatemala. “It goes without saying that makes that irreparable harm,” Kelly said of their possible removals. Kelly, a Trump appointee, also raised a report from the Guatemalan attorney general’s office, which plaintiffs submitted to the court. The report was compiled in response to Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement notifying the Guatemalan government that the government planned to return more than 600 minors to Guatemala. No parents had requested the return of their children, the report said. DOJ attorney Sarah Welch responded during the hearing that she had no evidence to contradict the report. BIDEN JUDGE HALTS ‘SURPRISING’ ILLEGAL ALIEN MINOR REPATRIATION PLAN AFTER ADVOCACY GROUPS SUE “I don’t have anything specific that I can refer to contest the Guatemalan AG’s report,” Welch said, though she also said that some children have signaled they are interested in returning home. The judge’s order arose from a lawsuit brought against the Trump administration after federal authorities woke up 70 minors, aged 10 to 17, in the middle of the night over Labor Day weekend while they were in HHS custody and transferred them to a plane bound for Guatemala. Attorneys for the minors secured an emergency restraining order from Judge Sparkle Sooknanan that prevented their imminent deportation. Kelly’s order effectively extends that order indefinitely. The Trump administration could appeal the decision. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, which is named in the lawsuit, for comment. The minors’ attorneys argued their clients were at imminent risk of removal despite some having pending asylum cases or other legal claims that had not fully been vetted by the courts. LAWYERS CHALLENGE DEPORTATION OF HUNDREDS OF MINORS TO GUATEMALA Sooknanan initially addressed the lawsuit over Labor Day weekend, but Kelly has since taken the case over. Trump administration officials, including a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, had excoriated Sooknanan when she issued her order, claiming the judge was blocking children from returning to their parents. “Judge Sparkle [Sooknanan] is blocking flights to *reunify* Guatemalan children with their families,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin wrote on social media at the time. “Now these children have to go to shelters. This is disgusting and immoral.” The minors’ attorneys argued in court papers that trafficking and immigration laws “prevent unaccompanied children from being whisked off under cover of darkness at the whim of any government.” The minors in question are currently in Health and Human Services custody and have no legal guardians in the United States, the attorneys have said.
Senate Republican pushes Charlie Kirk Act to stop government-funded ‘propaganda’
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to stop “propaganda” in America in the name of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, plans to introduce the Charlie Kirk Act, which would halt the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) from disseminating media, such as radio shows, videos and websites, to influence Americans. Lee said in a statement to Fox News Digital that from the end of World War II to former President Barack Obama’s second term, the USAGM, which is an apparatus of the State Department, was barred from distributing media within the U.S. Lee argued that until 2013, it was illegal to “target American citizens with propaganda.” HOUSE CLEARS PATH FOR VOTE HONORING CHARLIE KIRK, DENOUNCING ‘POLITICAL EXTREMISM’ “In 2013, these protections were taken away,” Lee said. “My legislation restores this safeguard under the name of an American martyr for freedom of speech and freedom of thought: Charlie Kirk.” “As Charlie’s vital work so ably demonstrated, Americans can figure out the truth for themselves without government telling them what to believe,” he continued. CHARLIE KIRK MURDER SPURS FIRST-IN-THE-NATION STATE POLITICAL VIOLENCE HATE CRIME LEGISLATION Lee’s bill would add stronger guardrails to the Cold War-era Smith-Mundt Act, which was initially designed to promote the U.S. around the globe. However, the law was tweaked in 2012 to allow the materials produced by the agency to be made available in America. The Charlie Kirk Act would prevent media produced by the agency from being shown in the U.S. right away, instead effectively embargoing it in the U.S. for 12 years. It would also prevent the agency from using the media it produces from influencing Americans. CHARLIE KIRK MOURNED BY WORLD LEADERS AFTER SHOCKING UTAH ASSASSINATION Lee’s latest legislation is not the first bill he’s introduced to honor Kirk, who was assassinated in Orem, Utah, last week. His resolution condemning that act of political violence passed unanimously in the Senate this week. “This is just a flag planted on a hill,” Lee said on X. “What matters is where we carry it next.”
Colleges warned not to invoke Charlie Kirk’s death to silence free speech, unfairly hike security costs
FIRST ON FOX: More than a dozen state attorneys general sent a letter to public university and college presidents in their respective states Thursday warning them against invoking the assassination of Charlie Kirk to chill conservative free speech, or face investigations and potential lawsuits, Fox News Digital exclusively learned. “Unfortunately, we have heard troubling reports that some university officials are using the murder of Charlie Kirk as a justification to shut down speech on campus,” the letter reads. “While considering safety concerns, it is critical that universities are not imposing what would effectively be a tax on free speech.” “Particularly at this moment, when free speech itself was attacked, our universities must show through their actions that they will defend free speech and resist the ‘Assassin’s Veto.’ You have an obligation to protect free speech—you must not use the burden of protecting free speech to prevent free speech.” The “assassin’s veto” is understood as a phenomenon of using violence or threats of violence to silence opposing views. CHARLIE KIRK’S KILLING AT UTAH UNIVERSITY PROMPTS SCRUTINY OF SECURITY MEASURES At the heart of the letter is the issue of security costs as it pertains to conservative speakers. Colleges and universities previously have come under fire over accusations of charging higher security fees for conservative speakers. Such accusations have led to free speech lawsuits in the past, including the University of California, Berekely, settling a lawsuit with campus conservative groups, the College Republicans and Young America’s Foundation, in 2018 concerning allegations the school discriminated against conservative speakers by leveling higher security fees and other safety restrictions that led to the cancellation of right-leaning speakers on campus. Berkeley argued that the higher security fees were based on assessment from law enforcement officials that the speakers were likely to face an increase in public disruption and violence, before reaffirming its “commitment to free speech” and changing its security fee operations. The state attorneys general called on colleges to ensure they “impose security fees in a content-neutral and viewpoint-neutral manner” or face potential investigation and legal action. YEARS OF CAMPUS ATTACKS ON CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS RESURFACE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER “Any security policy that appears neutral on its face must not be applied in a discriminatory manner. There is a long and troubling trend of universities misusing security policies to unconstitutionally chill conservative speech on campus. For example, just last year, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico issued a preliminary injunction against the University of New Mexico after the university attempted to charge Turning Point USA over $5,000 in security fees for an October 2023 event featuring conservative speaker Riley Gaines. As the Court found, that was unacceptable,” the letter continued, pointing to another instance of colleges using security fees to allegedly silence conservative voices. The letter was spearheaded by Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. A total of 17 Republican state attorneys general signed onto the letter, including top law enforcement officials from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Utah. “The tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a sobering reminder that the right to free speech must be protected,” Bird told Fox Digital. “Charlie was murdered while debating on a university campus, a place where the free exchange of ideas should be encouraged; we cannot allow the actions of an assassin to stop free speech in any way. Colleges and universities must take steps to keep their students safe while preserving free discussion and open debate.” Kirk was killed Sept. 10 while he was at Utah Valley University’s campus as part of a Turning Point USA event. The conservative powerhouse was sitting under a tent while chatting with students when a single shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck. “We were shocked and saddened by the assassination of Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday,” the letter reads. “As the chief law enforcement officers of our states, we unequivocally condemn political violence of any kind. The fact that the slaying took place on a college campus, during a debate, makes it even more tragic.” “It is critical our state institutions of higher learning serve as forums for robust debate from all perspectives,” the letter continued. “The campus should be the very place where the First Amendment rings loudest for all to hear. We urge you to say no to the ‘Assassin’s Veto.’” The attorneys general argued that students might be considered “consumers” under the respective states’ Consumer Fraud Acts or Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices laws, and that the universities might violate state “laws if you invoke ‘security concerns’ to impose exorbitant fees on student groups,” while simultaneously advertising to students that the school is open for discussion and dialogue across the political spectrum. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: TIMELINE OF UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING DETAILS ATTACK, MANHUNT FOR SUSPECT “If we receive complaints about your school, we will fully and fairly investigate those complaints subject to the authority of our respective offices,” the state attorneys general wrote. “Our offices are committed to ensuring that all our state entities, including our public colleges and universities, follow the Constitution.” Conservative nonprofits, including President of Defending Education Nicole Neily, celebrated that the AGs’ calls for better protecting free speech is the ideal way to honor Kirk’s legacy. “This is a moment for leadership, and we are deeply grateful that the nation’s attorneys general are using their authority to remind university administrators of their sacred obligation to protect free speech and open discourse on college campuses,” she said. “I can think of no better way to honor Charlie’s legacy than through ensuring that students voices cannot be silenced by fear or malice.” Will Hild, the executive director for Consumers’ Research, a longtime nonprofit dedicated to consumer information, lauded Bird for leading the charge on ending the “assassin’s veto.” “By sustaining the assassin’s veto, these University bureaucrats are actively aiding Charlie’s murderer, using the threat of violence to
Biden’s ex-chief of staff arrives for House Oversight grilling as mental acuity probe nears end
Former White House chief of staff Jeff Zients is on Capitol Hill Thursday as the House Oversight Committee’s probe into former President Joe Biden’s mental acuity draws to a close. He said nothing to reporters on his way into his closed-door voluntary interview, though the ex-Biden aide did shake hands with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on his way into the room. The sit-down is expected to last from about 10 a.m. into the afternoon. Zients is the last former Biden official expected to be interviewed by the committee, which is also looking into whether the then-president was fully aware of clemency orders and other executive actions signed by autopen during the latter half of his term. RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE Comer told reporters ahead of the interview that Zients is “one of the most, if not the most important, witnesses in our investigation.” “Zients was the one who authorized the use of the autopen, especially down the stretch in the last lame duck period of the Biden administration,” Comer said. “We’ve had a lot of witnesses come in that were supposedly in Biden’s inner circle that were shielded from President Biden, especially in the last six months of his administration. So we believe Zients is the guy that was potentially making a lot of decisions down the stretch.” Zients’ recollection will be of particular interest to House investigators, given his senior role in the Biden White House for most of those final two years in office. Before that, he served as counselor to the president and White House COVID-19 response coordinator from Biden’s swearing-in in January 2021 until April 2022. Perhaps most critical to the committee is Zients’ reported key role in the chain of command for Biden’s autopen pardons. LONGTIME BIDEN AIDE SAYS HE STOOD TO EARN UP TO $8M HAD PRESIDENT WON RE-ELECTION It’s not uncommon for presidents to use an autopen to sign documents, and it has been used by leaders on both sides of the aisle. However, Comer is questioning whether Biden was really handing down those decisions, given public concerns about his mental and physical acuity that arose toward the end of his term. The New York Times reported that Zients would have been among the top aides relaying Biden’s clemency decisions to assistants, who then drafted those orders before they were circulated back to Biden’s senior officials and then later given final approval. In that same report, Biden said he made every clemency decision on his own. Axios reported earlier this month that Zients signed off on pardons granted to five of Biden’s family members less than 24 hours before he left office. The former president’s allies have pushed back on the Republican-led House Oversight probe, however, denouncing the investigation as politically motivated. “You managed a White House in disarray after public reporting began to focus on the apparent decline of President Biden’s mental capabilities. You reportedly called an all-staff call in July 2024 ‘in which [you] urged President Biden’s team to unite and move forward from Biden’s terrible debate performance[.],’” Comer wrote in a June letter to Zients. “The scope of your responsibilities — both official and otherwise — and personal interactions within the Oval Office cannot go without investigation. If White House staff carried out a strategy lasting months or even years to hide the chief executive’s condition — or to perform his duties — Congress may need to consider a legislative response.”
‘What would Jesus do?’ Utah students torn on death penalty for Charlie Kirk’s accused killer
OREM, Utah – As Utah Valley University students returned to campus following conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s assassination, those who spoke to Fox News Digital were divided over whether Tyler Robinson should face the death penalty. Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray announced on Tuesday that Utah prosecutors would seek the death penalty against Robinson on multiple charges, including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child. “I think it’s totally necessary,” Ryder Warner, a UVU student who was entering the courtyard when Kirk was shot last Wednesday, said of a potential death penalty against Robinson. Warner told Fox News Digital that, as a Christian, he didn’t believe in taking another human’s life, but “with this situation, where somebody was just here to share an opinion and lost their life because of their opinion, I think that whoever took their life should be killed, too.” “I think that’s only fair,” he said. CHARLIE KIRK’S KILLING AT UTAH UNIVERSITY PROMPTS SCRUTINY OF SECURITY MEASURES Kirk was shot and killed while speaking to UVU students last Wednesday, Sept. 10. After a 33-hour manhunt, Robinson was arrested for allegedly assassinating Kirk. Gray outlined the formal charges against Robinson during a press conference on Tuesday, which was followed by the suspect’s first court appearance. UTAH LEADERS URGE UNITY FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION: ‘TURNING POINT FOR AMERICA’ Afton Miller, a junior at UVU who said she was 5 to 10 feet away from Kirk when he was shot, said Robinson facing the death penalty “hurts a little bit.” “I’m pro-life,” Miller said. “I believe that somebody deserves to live, but in moments like this, it’s very hard that their family is also losing their son as well. It’s just as painful to lose somebody.” She said it was “extremely traumatic” to witness the assassination of one of her “greatest heroes” on her college campus. UVU student Jessie Ball, who was also on campus when Kirk was assassinated, said last week’s tragedy inspired her to use her voice and speak up like Kirk did. “It’s a hard thing to watch, and as people who probably didn’t see the signs coming, it has to be heartbreaking,” Ball said. “I know my family and I will be praying for them to feel God’s love and the peace through it, but his actions have consequences, and they have a lasting impact, and if that’s what the state agreed on…” James Whitney, another UVU student, told Fox News Digital that “they found the gun in my parents’ backyard.” According to Robinson’s charging documents, investigators found a “bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel” in a wooded area on the northeast end of campus, but authorities have not confirmed the exact location. Whitney said it was “scary” returning to campus. He said he typically tries to stay out of politics because political violence is “becoming normalized.” “I don’t agree with what happened here,” Whitney said. “I don’t think any human being ever deserves to have that kind of hate taken out on their life, ever, including in front of their kids. With the death penalty, I mean, a lot of people here are religious. What would Jesus do?” Whitney asked. And while Whitney emphasized that he didn’t agree with what Robinson did, “especially on my own school grounds,” the UVU student said he didn’t “condone any sort of death in any sort of way,” as the Utah County attorney seeks the death penalty. Meanwhile, Trae Stevens, who is not a UVU student but said he grew up about an hour’s drive south and was visiting the campus on Tuesday to pay his respects, told Fox News Digital it’s “fair” for Robinson to face the death penalty. “I think it’s sad for anybody to die,” Stevens said. “It’s a crazy situation and just to see how it’s affected almost the entire world and that this one man could have such evil in his heart. It’s sad, but I think it’s fair, yes.” UVU classes resumed on Wednesday, one week after Kirk’s assassination. The campus began reopening on Monday as students and locals visited campus to pay their respects to Kirk by leaving flowers and posters. An American flag is now hanging in the UVU courtyard where Kirk was speaking when he was shot. The campus is planning a “Vigil for Unity” on Friday for students, faculty, staff and members of the community to gather in “remembering, healing and reaffirming shared values.” “This attack was not just on an individual, but on the spirit of free expression, civil discourse, and intellectual inquiry that sits at the very foundation of our university,” UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez said in a statement. “The violence that occurred on our campus has shaken us deeply. We remain steadfast in our commitment to learning, dialogue and the values that unite us, even in times of grief. Together we choose hope for the future, and care for each other during this time.”