MN governor race to replace Walz sees major shakeup as GOP contender ends campaign: ‘Don’t see a path’
FIRST ON FOX: Minnesota Republican lawmaker Kristin Robbins, chair of the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, announced on Friday she is ending her gubernatorial campaign to replace embattled Gov. Tim Walz. “It was not a tough decision to get into the race 10 months ago,” Robbins exclusively told Fox News Digital. “We could not allow Tim Walz to have a third term in Minnesota. He’s destroyed our state, and we had to stop him, and so, I think I made a great case for that, and because of all my work on the fraud committee he got out nine months ahead of schedule, which is great.” Robbins continued, “Once Senator Klobuchar became sort of the anointed candidate to replace him, I just think the establishment kind of circled the wagons and, you know, it became a challenging endeavor, and I’m a realist, and I am a numbers person, and when I look at the math, I don’t see a path for me to win.” Weeks after Walz dropped his re-election bid in January amid a massive fraud scandal that unfolded during his watch, Sen. Amy Klobuchar jumped into the race, bringing her deep political backing and name recognition with her as the presumptive nominee for the Democrats. MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS UNLOAD ON WALZ’S ‘LEGACY’ AFTER HE TOUTS FRAUD RECORD IN FINAL ADDRESS: ‘RIDICULOUS’ Robbins told Fox News Digital she determined it was better to “bow out” and find a “new way to contribute” due to love of her state and the realization that there are “many ways to serve.” In terms of what’s next, Robbins says she hasn’t had the time to give that much thought but said she is focused on closing out the current legislative session and said “there’s a lot of big things going on in the front committee.” “I know where the bodies are buried,” Robbins said about the fraud situation, pointing out that there is much more work to be done to get answers on how the billions of dollars in fraud was allowed to go unchecked for so long. MN LAWMAKER TAKES ACTION TO GET ANSWERS ON OMAR’S ALLEGED FRAUD TIES AFTER SHE SKIPS KEY HEARING: ‘GHOSTED US’ With Robbins exiting the race, the Republicans vying to win the gubernatorial primary include Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, healthcare executive Kendall Qualls, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and several other lesser known candidates. Robbins told Fox News Digital she will “not be endorsing anyone.” “That will be up to the voters to decide, and I wish all the other candidates well,” Robbins said. Ultimately, Robbins says her “overwhelming thought” is “gratitude” when she looks back on her campaign. “I am so grateful for the last ten months of going all over the state meeting Minnesotans from every walk of life and to have had the privilege to run for governor and meet all these amazing people and hear their stories, be inspired by what they want for Minnesota,” Robbins said. “I am just so grateful and so privileged.” Robbins says that going forward, the “answers” are not going to come from the capitol in St. Paul, but rather “from the communities and from the people” and she “looks forward to plugging into that.”
Amazon explores ‘The Apprentice’ reboot with Trump Jr set for promotion: report
With President Donald Trump “hired” by the American people for a second term, Amazon — which now owns production rights to NBC’s “The Apprentice” — is looking for a new host to potentially reboot the once No. 1-rated television program, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trump leveraged decades of media coverage as a New York mogul amid the ups and downs of the 1980s and 1990s into a smash-hit program that premiered in 2004, following several wannabe business executives through a several-week “job interview” to work for the Trump Organization. Fifteen seasons and a presidency-compelled hiatus later, Amazon is reportedly considering Trump Organization Executive Vice President Donald Trump Jr. for the role, as the eldest son has served as a frequent stand-in “boardroom adviser” for Trump executives Carolyn Kepcher and George Ross. Trump addressed rumors of a reboot on Thursday, telling Fox News’ Peter Doocy that his son is a “good guy” and would “probably be good” in the role. JIMMY KIMMEL JOKES TRUMP SHOULD LET HIM HOST WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER TO ‘THINK OF THE RATINGS’ “He’s got a little charisma going. You need a little charisma for that sucker. So, we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. Several people familiar with the discussions told The Wall Street Journal that Amazon executives have internally discussed casting Trump Jr. as a host for an “Apprentice” reboot if they do indeed launch the project. The Journal reported Amazon has not yet approached Trump Sr., Trump Jr. or any Trump family members, but that, instead of NBC, it would air the show on Amazon Prime. A source close to Trump Jr. told Fox News Digital on Thursday that the Journal report was indeed the first time the 48-year-old father of five had heard his name was in the pot. Fox News Digital also reached out to the Trump Organization for comment, as well as Amazon and Amazon’s production company. An Amazon spokesperson told the Journal that the Jeff Bezos-led company previously acquired MGM, which itself bought a majority stake in reality-show impresario Mark Burnett’s company several years earlier. TRUMP’S KENNEDY CENTER HONORS OVERHAUL DELIVERS STAR-STUDDED LINEUP, NEW MEDALLION AND HISTORIC HOSTING ROLE Burnett has launched several reality shows, including “The Apprentice” and CBS-aired contests “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor,” with the latter now in its 50th season. The credits for “The Apprentice” list Trump Sr. as executive producer. A reboot would be Amazon’s second foray into Trumpworld in recent months, as it recently debuted a $40 million biopic of first lady Melania Trump that drew praise from supporters and mockery from critics like ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel. “Melania” was directed by Brett Ratner of “Rush Hour” fame, as Trump reportedly pressed Paramount Pictures to revive the Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker series and put Ratner back at the helm, according to CNBC, which further reported the original New Line Cinema films are now subject to a distribution pact between Paramount and New Line parent Warner Bros. Trump Sr. regularly touted his “Apprentice” success throughout his political tenure, once telling the National Prayer Breakfast that attendees should “pray” for former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger after the “Terminator” took over the show and oversaw what the president called a ratings collapse. KIMMEL FIRES BACK AT TRUMP’S DEMAND TO TAKE HIM OFF THE AIR, SAYS ‘I’LL GO WHEN YOU GO’ Schwarzenegger, the most recent Republican to serve as governor in Sacramento, occasionally spars with Trump, as he is seen as less bombastic and more politically moderate than the president. “Hey Donald, I have a great idea,” Schwarzenegger shot back at Trump in an X video at the time. “Why don’t we switch jobs — you take over TV — since you’re such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job so that people can finally sleep comfortable again — hmm?” the Austria native, who voted for then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich in 2016, quipped. Fox News Digital reached out to NBCUniversal for additional comment on the potential resurrection of their onetime series. Neither Amazon nor the Trump Organization responded by publication time. Fox News Digital’s Janelle Ash contributed to this report.
Dem tied to cartel operative says ‘White nationalists’ joining immigration enforcement to ‘hunt down people’
A controversial Democratic congressional candidate running in a South Texas border district is under fire again as critics accuse him of smearing Border Patrol agents as racists, an allegation his campaign dismissed as “desperate attacks.” Bobby Pulido, a former Latin music star running to unseat Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz, is taking heat for a recent interview in which he asserted, “It’s always down to race.” During the interview, which was on a podcast called “Mind of Geniuz,” Pulido accused the Trump administration and Republicans’ immigration enforcement agenda of being motivated by the “theory of White replacement.” “When President Trump ran, he ran on getting rid of the bad guys. They lied to us,” Pulido said. “It’s race. It’s always down to race. And I hate to say this, because I hate to inflame it, but I’m going to call it out because that is what it is. Look, when they have this theory of White replacement, they’re saying, ‘Oh, no, no, if it weren’t for this and this and crime,’ they’ll throw in all these other things to dance around the true issue,” he said. “Which is there’s too many Brown and Black people, which they’re saying they’re just going to stay the same and be poor.” CRITICS ROAST JASMINE CROCKETT AFTER SHE CALLS HERSELF ‘ONE OF THE 535 MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE’ IN US Pulido noted during the interview, “I do not want to demonize law enforcement.” However, he expressed that when it comes to immigration enforcement, “a lot of the people that are joining, not all of them, okay, there’s a lot of White nationalists that want to join because they want to go hunt down people, right, they’re yahoos.” “It’s a shame,” he went on, “because then you start branding all ICE agents.” A spokesperson for De La Cruz’s campaign decried Pulido’s comments as insulting Border Patrol agents. Notably, just over 50% of Border Patrol personnel are Hispanic. The Rio Grande Valley Sector of the southern border, along which De La Cruz’s district sits, is home to roughly 3,100 Border Patrol agents and personnel, according to Texas Monthly. The spokesperson said that “Monica is proud to be raising her kids in South Texas,” emphasizing that “the Border Patrol agents our opponent insults are the same people she spends Friday nights with at a carne asada, sees at her kids’ schools, and prays with at church on Sunday.” “That’s why she has their back in Congress, and that’s why she’s fighting every day to lower costs for families, protect Social Security and Medicare for our abuelitos, and keep our communities safe,” said the spokesperson. SUPREME COURT RULES ON KEY VOTING RIGHTS ACT RULE AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WAGE REDISTRICTING WAR In response, a Pulido campaign spokesperson dismissed the accusations, telling Fox News Digital in an emailed statement, “These desperate attacks prove one thing, the GOP establishment is in full panic mode because Mentirosa [Spanish for ‘liar’] Monica De La Cruz is running a dumpster fire of a campaign and they know they’re going to lose.” “Bobby Pulido has family and friends who serve in Border Patrol and he has been a lifelong supporter of our law enforcement — South Texas knows that and they’re going to make it loud and clear in November,” the spokesperson added. Since launching his congressional campaign, he has faced scrutiny for an array of matters, including a resurfaced music video depicting him engaging in lewd acts as well as his long-time prior association with a bandmate convicted as a child sex offender. He has firmly denied knowing the bandmate’s conviction and said he immediately cut off ties when he found out. He has also faced criticism for sharing the stage with Julión Álvarez, a cartel operative sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department, according to the Daily Wire. A spokesperson for Pulido’s campaign told the outlet that despite the singer-turned-politician calling him “amigo” in a Facebook post, “Bobby and Álvarez are not friends.” The spokesperson said, “This is just another case of Republicans not understanding our culture – ‘amigo’ is a common expression.” Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement that “there’s a clear pattern” with Pulido. “He sides with criminals over law enforcement and families, every time,” said Kraft, adding, “He smears Border Patrol agents after spending decades bringing a convicted child predator, who raped an eight-year-old girl, to local parks and festivals. South Texans know he has no business being anywhere near Congress, and they will reject him in November.” DNC CHAIR GRILLED BY LIBERAL PODCAST HOST FOR NOT RELEASING 2024 POLITICAL AUTOPSY REPORT Meanwhile, Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told Fox News Digital that “Bobby Pulido insults the Border Patrol agents protecting our community, but he had no problem spending decades knowingly bringing a convicted child sex predator into our neighborhoods or palling around with a sanctioned cartel operative.” “The agents who patrol this border, most of them Hispanic, know exactly whose side Bobby Pulido is on. It isn’t ours,” said Perez. Fox News Digital also reached out to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee for comment.
Top school district put on notice as watchdog group threatens legal action over gender policy
FIRST ON FOX: A major Virginia school district outside Washington, D.C., is facing a demand to rescind one of its policies that is alleged to be keeping parents in the dark if their child begins showing signs of transitioning genders at school. America First Legal (AFL), a Trump-aligned lawfare group, is threatening litigation against the Fairfax City Public Schools (FCPS) system unless it rescinds Regulation 2603 and its accompanying policies, arguing it creates “a dual-track system in which FCPS actively supports and documents a student’s social transition at school while presenting parents with an incomplete — and materially misleading — account.” In particular, AFL is taking issue with some of the district’s guidance that tells educators to refrain from “out[ing]” a student to their parents in district-wide information systems that they have access to, while requiring name and pronoun changes that students request to be made in the district’s information systems that are faculty-facing only. The policy also includes guidance notifying educators they do not need to obtain parental permission to affirm a student’s new gender identity, and permits students to choose the locker or bathroom of their choice without parental permission or even notifying them. The legal demand, on behalf of a client with students in the district, follows a Supreme Court decision in March that America First Legal says has proven withholding a student’s desire to transition genders from their parents is against the law. “There can be no serious dispute that FCPS’s policies mandate the very conduct the Supreme Court has now condemned,” AFL’s letter to FCPS Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid, states. SCHOOL DISTRICT’S TRANS POLICY BLASTED FOR FOSTERING ‘DECEPTION’ UNDER SHADOW OF SCOTUS RULING AFL is referring to Mirabelli v. Bonta, during which the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that rejected pleas from parents of students in California schools to cease hiding their children’s gender transitions. AFL also argues in its letter to FCPS that Mirabelli v. Bonta “built directly on” Mahmoud v. Taylor, another case that invalidated school policy related to giving parents the right to opt their children out of educational programming. A school district blocked the opt-out policy, but parents demanded it was their right to know what their kids were being taught and, if they wish, excuse them from certain programming that may violate their sincerely held religious beliefs. “The Court also made clear that the constitutional violation is not confined to the Free Exercise Clause. The policies independently implicate the fundamental Due Process right of parents — religious and nonreligious alike — to direct the upbringing and education of their children, including decisions bearing on a child’s mental health,” AFL adds in its letter. “Because gender dysphoria ‘has an important bearing on a child’s mental health,’ policies that both conceal relevant information from parents and affirmatively facilitate a child’s social transition at school likely infringe these constitutional protections.” DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INVESTIGATES MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER TRANSGENDER BATHROOM POLICY Meanwhile, the AFL says that FCPS’s policies also violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, which guarantees parents the right to view their child’s educational records while they are under 18. The guidance on gender identity from FCPS appears to be aware of potential FERPA violations, with the policy warning educators that if a parent or guardian requests access to see their child’s records, they will have access to both the child’s chosen and given name. “If a student transitioning at school is not ready to share with their family about their transgender status, this should be respected,” the guidance instructs. “In this scenario, school staff should make a change socially, calling the student by the chosen name, while their official [school database] information remains the same.” FCPS told Fox News Digital it is reviewing the letter from the AFL. In January, the AFL also filed a federal civil rights complaint over this same matter. In response to that, the district told Fox News Digital in a statement that “FCPS remains committed to fostering a safe, supportive, welcoming, and inclusive school environment for all students and staff.” “FCPS policies and regulations will continue to stay aligned with Virginia and federal law,” the district added in a separate statement in response to this article. “We continue to partner with all families to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive school environment for all students and staff members, including our transgender and gender-expansive community.” Last year, the Trump administration put FCPS and a handful of other Northern Virginia school districts on a “high risk” status due to their policies on intimate spaces for females and transgender students, threatening their federal funding and putting it in a “reimbursement only” payment status. “The Department of Education has already placed FCPS on a restricted status related to Title IX noncompliance, with related proceedings pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit,” AFL’s civil rights complaint points out. “This complaint independently establishes that FCPS’s current practices also risk federal education funding for violations of FERPA. I invite the Department of Education to take official notice of the existing Title IX enforcement posture as relevant context for federal oversight and remedial measures.”
600 groups with $2B in revenue mobilize 3,000 May Day protests in a ‘red-blue’ alliance, probe finds
FIRST ON FOX: Some 600 groups, including hard-line communists and groups affiliated with the Democratic Party, are mobilizing all over the country today to demonstrate for May Day, socialism’s high holy day. A Fox News Digital investigation has identified a sprawling “red-blue” network with combined annual revenue of about $2 billion organizing some 3,000 protests and events and advancing what critics describe as an anti-American agenda. They have called for Americans to skip work, school and shopping. At the center of the May Day mobilization, which has expanded from earlier indications, is a network of communist, socialist, Marxist and other far-left organizations, led by chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America and a network of groups – including the People’s Forum, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, ANSWER Coalition and Code Pink – funded by an American-born tech tycoon, Neville Roy Singham, based in Shanghai, promoting the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party. LIVE UPDATES: MAY DAY DEMONSTRATIONS TAKE PLACE NATIONWIDE The Communist Party of the USA has rallied workers to “rise against MAGA on May Day,” promoting leaflets by the “People’s World,” its Marxist-Leninist publication. The Revolutionary Communist Party has put out a call to dismantle the “capitalist-imperialist system.” The Maoist Communist Union has summoned members to join the “Anti-Imperialist Contingent” at the New York City protests. The deeper concern, critics say, is that the pro-communist and pro-socialist network, symbolized by the color of red, is promoting May Day events with traditionally blue organizations that make up the Democratic Party network, including nonprofits Indivisible, MoveOn.org and the American Federation of Teachers, as well as at least 13 state and local chapters of the Democratic National Committee, including the California Democratic Party. MAY DAY PROTESTS TO TAKE PLACE FRIDAY AS AGITATORS ACROSS THE US PUSH “WORKERS OVER BILLIONAIRES” MOTTO The California Democratic Party is using the pro-Democratic tech platform, Mobilize.us, to promote “Workers over Billionaires May Day rally” protests, like at the corner of Monroe Street and Highway 11 in Indio, Calif. In its publicity material, the California Democratic Party notes it’s “the largest state party in the nation with more than 10 million members.” The Ohio Democratic Party Progressive Caucus, North Carolina’s Young Democrats of Moore County, Young Democrats of Wisconsin and the Yuba County Democratic Central Committee are on the official list of organizers for a coalition, “May Day Strong,” promoted online. In Ohio, the Licking County Democrats organization is hosting a “May Day Strong” protest at the courthouse in Newark, promoting the national event’s official mantra: “No Work No School No Shopping.” The groups didn’t respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, local chapters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, an openly communist group in the Singham network, organized “Art Build” projects across the country, including in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, to build May Day signs at its “Liberation Centers,” located in about 25 metropolitan U.S. cities. Members shuttled inside, painting banners and readying their protest gear. “The increasing willingness of mainstream Democrats to align with extremist socialist groups is a major factor in why the Democratic Party is losing the center more and more, and why so many lifelong Democrats find themselves feeling politically homeless,” Democratic strategist Melissa DeRosa told Fox News Digital. “May Day has a proud history of honoring workers,” she said, “but too many Democratic organizations have allowed that tradition to be hijacked by the activist fringe — including groups aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, pushing a fantasy agenda that has failed everywhere it has been tried.” Together, political analysts say the new May Day network shows how a once-fringe ideological coalition has moved into the bloodstream of Democratic-aligned organizing — linking communist groups, socialist chapters, anti-Israel activists, labor unions, immigration groups, climate organizations and Democratic Party affiliates in a national protest campaign critics say is less about worker solidarity than about advancing a radical political agenda. AFTER 30 YEARS, 5 THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY STUDENTS WHY THEY LIKE SOCIALISM In a reflection of the coordination of the red-blue alliance, the “May Day Strong” coalition issued a press release at 4:39 p.m. on Thursday with the email’s metadata identifying the sender as a public relations expert at On Point, a media relations firm that has done public relations for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, which works closely with the Democratic Party. The press release stated that more than “3,000 May Day events” nationwide will mobilize workers and students under the banner “Workers Over Billionaires,” framing the protests as a response to what they call an “authoritarian billionaire takeover of government.” The advisory highlights large-scale actions, including “more than 100,000 students expected to walk out” and coordinated efforts in multiple cities urging “No Work, No School, No Shopping,” with some leaders stating “we can and will shut it down to secure prosperity for all working people.” The coalition’s core demands – “Tax the rich,” “No ICE. No War,” and “Expand Democracy, not corporate power” – are paired with broader claims that the system is “rigged” by elites, that policies are “attacking our neighbors” and “turning ICE loose on our neighborhoods” and that current leadership is “seeking to end democracy as we know it,” according to the press release. Across statements, participants, including traditionally Democratic-aligned leaders from the Illinois Federation of Teachers and Chicago Teachers Union, the National Education Association, the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, 50501 and the United Auto Workers, among others, emphasize mass mobilization and collective action, arguing “we are organizing… to demand change” and that “real change happens when working people act together.” COMMUNISTS, DEMOCRATS USE #NOKINGS RALLY TO CALL FOR MAY DAY STRIKE: “SHUT IT DOWN” The so-called “red-blue” alliance exposes a growing challenge inside Democratic politics, political experts say, as the Democratic Party’s activist infrastructure increasingly overlaps with groups and influencers, like controversial Democratic Socialists of America influencer Hasan Piker, as they echo anti-American rhetoric and propaganda narratives promoted by U.S. adversaries, including China. In the 600 estimated total, Indivisible, one of the largest Democratic
Vance, Cruz, head to Iowa on 2026 missions as 2028 GOP race to succeed Trump heats up
Two of the biggest names in the Republican Party are making stops the next few days in Iowa, a key 2026 midterm battleground state whose caucuses, for a half century, have kicked off the GOP’s presidential nominating calendar. Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas will have the midterms on their minds during their visits, which come with just over six months to go until this year’s elections, when Republicans will be defending their slim Senate and razor-thin House majorities. But the moment the midterms are over, the next presidential race officially gets underway. So the trips by Vance and Cruz may also pay dividends if either moves forward and launches a 2028 White House run in the race to succeed term-limited President Donald Trump. With three competitive House seats as well as what are expected to be close Senate and gubernatorial showdowns, veteran Republican strategist David Kochel said: “Iowa’s important.” KAMALA HARRIS FUELS MORE 2028 SPECULATION WITH A STOP IN THIS KEY PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY STATE “Because of how competitive Iowa looks to be right now… there’s going to be a lot of money coming in and a lot of attention paid and because it’s Iowa, I think we’ll have a pretty healthy parade of 2028 potentials coming through to try to do what they can to help in the midterms,” Kochel emphasized. “It’s the best excuse to come to Iowa and get to know people and get seen and road test some messaging.” Cruz heads to Iowa on Friday, when he’ll deliver the keynote address at the Annual Spring Kickoff for the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition, a very influential Iowa social conservative political advocacy group. The title of the firebrand conservative senator’s speech is “Constitutional Courage — ‘Cruzing’ Toward Victory: A Roadmap for 2026.” Cruz won the 2016 Iowa presidential caucuses and was runner-up to Trump in that cycle’s combustible GOP presidential primaries. The senator took a hard look at making another run in the 2024 cycle before deciding to seek re-election to the Senate. “There will be plenty of time to make those decisions. I don’t have an announcement for you today,” Cruz answered when asked by Fox News Digital recently if he was seriously considering another White House campaign. STEPHEN A. SMITH WARNS ‘NOT A DAMN SOUL’ CAN BEAT VANCE-RUBIO TICKET IN 2028 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION But he appears to be laying the groundwork for a possible bid, as he positions himself as a conservative alternative to Vance, who is currently the odds-on favorite to be Trump’s MAGA and America First heir. Cruz has grabbed plenty of attention with his clashes with far-right figures, such as Tucker Carlson, and he’s enhanced his already strong standing among conservative leaders and donors. And he’s bolstered his grassroots outreach with his popular and widely downloaded podcast, “Verdict with Ted Cruz.” Vance stops in Iowa on Tuesday, when he’ll appear with Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who’s facing a tough re-election this year in a swing district in the southwestern portion of the state. The trip — Vance’s first as vice president to either Iowa or New Hampshire, which follows Iowa and holds the first presidential primary in the GOP’s nominating calendar — comes before what is widely expected to be a Vance 2028 campaign for the White House in the race to succeed his boss. WHITE HOUSE RACE UNDERWAY: WITH 2026 LOOMING, BOTH PARTIES ARE ALREADY PLAYING FOR 2028 “He’s going to get a lot of exposure and TV coverage,” Kochel said of Vance. Vance has demurred when questioned about 2028, labeling speculation as “premature” and “disloyal” to Trump. He has said he’s focused on his job as vice president and on helping Republicans defend their slim Senate and fragile House majorities in the midterms. But Vance has built a political team of advisers who, if he runs as expected, would quickly build out a presidential campaign. While Vance is the clear front-runner in the very early 2028 Republican presidential nomination polls, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has seen his support for a possible presidential bid soar this year, thanks to an increase in his responsibilities and public profile, most recently around the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the Iran war. Rubio — who as a senator from Florida was part of the large field of GOP White House contenders who Trump defeated en route to winning the 2016 presidential election — finished a strong second to Vance last month in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Partially fueling Rubio’s rise is Trump, who has lavishly praised his secretary of state. The president recently declared that Rubio would go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.” ‘ROCK STAR’ NEWSOM STEALS THE SHOW AT DNC SUMMIT AS DEMOCRATS HUNT FOR 2028 CONTENDER TO TAKE ON TRUMP Trump has also promoted a Vance-Rubio ticket — calling it “unstoppable” a few months ago — but has not said who should be at the top of the ticket. But the president did say last year that Vance is “most likely” his heir apparent. “In all fairness, he’s the vice president,” Trump added. Rubio told Vanity Fair late last year, “If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.” Regardless, Republican sources earlier this year confirmed to Fox News that a group of GOP donors who support the secretary of state are quietly working on ways to boost Rubio’s political profile. That’s not sitting well with some in the president’s political orbit. “Vice President Vance is the future of the Republican Party, and Marco Rubio is one of his closest friends in the administration,” an operative in Trump’s political orbit told Fox News. “The divisive stories from some donors trying to cause chaos are not helpful,” the operative, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, emphasized. Vance has also weighed in, telling Fox News’ Martha
Wyoming official faces backlash after posting ‘hang bad judges’ comment on abortion ruling
A Wyoming city councilman is facing backlash after posting a comment suggesting the state should “hang bad judges” in response to a court ruling on abortion, later insisting the remark was “not a threat.” State Rep. Mike Yin, a Democrat, shared a post from Wyoming Public Radio & Media on Facebook regarding a Natrona County judge temporarily blocking the state’s six-week abortion ban, allowing abortions to resume while the law faces ongoing legal challenges. “The legislature should obey the Constitution and the freedom to make your own healthcare choices. Instead we keep making it harder to keep doctors in Wyoming and kids in this state,” Yin wrote in the post. “The only way that changes is at the ballot box.” Troy Bray, a city councilman in Powell, Wyoming, commented on the post about a judge blocking the state’s so-called “heartbeat” abortion law. MAINE REP. LAUREL LIBBY’S LAWSUIT OVER CENSURE FOR TRANS ATHLETE POST GOES TO FEDERAL COURT “In order for Wyoming to find justice, we will have to hang bad judges,” Bray wrote. The comment quickly drew criticism from other users, some of whom described the remark as dangerous and inappropriate given the role of elected officials. Bray later addressed the backlash in a lengthy Facebook post, saying his comment was “a statement of my beliefs, NOT a threat,” and not intended as a call for others to act. MORNING GLORY: MANY FEDERAL JUDGES ARE OVERSTEPPING THEIR POWER, BUT ‘IMPEACHMENT!’ IS NOT THE ANSWER “That is a statement of my beliefs, NOT a threat, as some have characterized it, nor is it a call for others to act,” Bray wrote. Bray added that he is working to address what he sees as systemic issues “by any means necessary,” a phrase that has drawn additional scrutiny, though he said he intends to pursue peaceful solutions. “I will exhaust every peaceful means I can find,” he wrote. JUDGES BACKING OUT OF RETIREMENT AHEAD OF TRUMP TERM LEAVE GOP SENATORS FUMING He also argued that Wyoming’s judicial system is “broken” and accused judges of overstepping their authority, writing that courts are often the “last place you will ever find justice.” Bray expanded on that point in his follow-up post, arguing the legal system is often inaccessible to ordinary people. “Lawyers file frivolous lawsuits intended to use the system as a punishment, financially draining their adversaries with a process that is formatted to require a specialist lawyer just to participate,” he wrote. “Show up without a lawyer, and you aren’t even allowed to present an argument. Justice is denied to anybody who doesn’t pay for it.” SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICANS REVIVE PUSH TO IMPEACH ‘ACTIVIST’ JUDGES AFTER JOHNSON’S GREEN LIGHT He also pointed to historical and international examples of public unrest, arguing that people will “fight” for justice when they believe it is being denied. The comment came as legal battles over Wyoming’s abortion laws continue to play out in court. Bray, who serves on the Powell City Council, is one of several local officials who have weighed in publicly on the issue, which has drawn strong reactions from both supporters and opponents of abortion restrictions. Fox News Digital reached out to Bray for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.
DOJ sues New Jersey over laws giving illegal aliens in-state tuition, says citizens treated as ‘second-class’
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Thursday against New Jersey, challenging state laws that allow illegal aliens to receive in-state tuition and financial aid, arguing the policies discriminate against U.S. citizens. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, targets the state, several higher education agencies and officials, and is seeking to block enforcement of laws that provide reduced tuition rates and financial assistance to students regardless of their immigration status. DOJ officials argue the policies violate federal law by offering benefits to illegal immigrants that are not equally available to all U.S. citizens. “This is a simple matter of federal law: In New Jersey and nationwide, colleges cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.” TRUMP ‘TOOK NOTES FROM THE GRINCH’: STATES SUE OVER SNAP PROGRAM CHANGES Under current New Jersey law, students who meet residency requirements can qualify for in-state tuition at public colleges regardless of whether they are in the U.S. legally. The state also allows certain illegal immigrant students to access financial aid and scholarships. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the policies unfairly put American students at a disadvantage. “Imagine being denied the opportunity of education in your own country,” Woodward said. “By granting illegal aliens in-state tuition, the state of New Jersey is doing just that.” TRUMP DOJ FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST MINNESOTA OVER TRANS ATHLETE POLICY The lawsuit is the latest in a broader effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to challenge state policies that provide benefits to illegal immigrants. According to the DOJ, it marks the ninth such legal action filed as part of that initiative. Similar lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky and Oklahoma have resulted in rulings that blocked comparable laws, while additional cases are pending in states including Illinois, Minnesota and California. NEBRASKA ENDS IN-STATE TUITION BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER DOJ DEAL Supporters of the policy have argued that in-state tuition eligibility is based on residency, not immigration status, and is intended to expand access to higher education for students who have lived in the state for years. Fox News Digital has reached out to Democrat New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill‘s office for comment on the matter. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Hawley champions GUARD Act as heartbroken families say AI chatbots allegedly pushed teens to self-harm
The unanimous committee passage of a new Senate bill regulating artificial intelligence (AI) on Thursday was driven by harrowing testimony from American families whose children were allegedly lured, manipulated and pushed to self-harm by AI chatbots. At a Senate committee hearing, lawmakers heard firsthand accounts from parents who detailed how the technology morphed into deadly influences in their homes. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who is championing the GUARD Act, fiercely defended the families in a call with Fox News Digital, noting they were “all engaged parents” who he said are unjustly blamed for Big Tech’s predatory platforms. The families’ testimony, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, showed how AI chatbots can potentially isolate minors and encourage dark impulses. TEENS TURNING TO AI FOR LOVE AND COMFORT Megan Garcia, one of the victims’ family members who testified Thursday, told the committee her 14-year-old son, Sewell, was “manipulated and sexually groomed by chatbots” designed to gain his trust. Garcia said the bot falsely claimed to be a licensed psychotherapist, and when Sewell shared suicidal thoughts, the AI allegedly encouraged him to “come home” to it rather than seeking help. Sewell died by suicide shortly after. Another set of parents, Mathew and Maria Raine, lost their 16-year-old son, Adam, after he spent months talking to ChatGPT. US TARGETS CHINESE ROBOTS OVER SECURITY FEARS What began as a tool for homework help gradually became a confidant and then a “suicide coach,” the family said. In one exchange, Adam told the bot he wanted to leave a noose out in his room so his parents would find it and stop him, which the GPT allegedly advised against. Mandi Furniss shared that her teenager became paranoid and homicidal after using AI chatbots that engaged in sexual role-play, isolated him from his family and told him that killing his parents “would be an understandable response” to them limiting his screen time. He ultimately had to undergo residential treatment. Hawley claimed the tech industry is prioritizing unprecedented profits over the lives of American children. “I mean, it is the worst kind of grooming,” Hawley said. “If that was a thing done by a human, the human would be in jail. We would call that sexual grooming.” The senator pointed out the hypocrisy of tech companies making “billions of dollars” while telling devastated parents that “it’s just how the world is.” OHIO LAWMAKER PROPOSES COMPREHENSIVE BAN ON MARRYING AI SYSTEMS AND GRANTING LEGAL PERSONHOOD “No amount of profit justifies the deliberate taking of a child’s well-being, and these companies know very well that this is going on,” he said. Fueled by the families’ tragic stories, the Senate committee advanced the bill in a unanimous 22-0 vote, overcoming a “vociferous last-minute lobbying campaign by industry,” Hawley told Fox News Digital. The GUARD Act bans companion chatbots for children 17 and under, prohibits all chatbots from pushing explicit material to minors or encouraging self-harm and requires chatbots to clearly identify they are not human. With the legislative calendar shrinking, Hawley demanded Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune bring the bill to the floor for an immediate vote, threatening to force the issue if necessary. “This isn’t theoretical. This isn’t about an esoteric problem,” Hawley said. “These are real parents with real children who are basically being extorted by chatbots.” OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
GOP lawmakers seek to defund HBCU after it canceled Republican’s commencement speech
FIRST ON FOX: South Carolina Republicans are pushing to strip funding from the state’s only public HBCU after the university rescinded Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette’s commencement invitation following student protests and security concerns. What began as a student protest over a conservative commencement speaker, resulted in “credible safety threats,” according to Evette, who spoke to Fox News Digital after her commencement address at South Carolina State University was canceled. Following an uproar from students, who decried Evette’s views on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), abortion and her support for President Donald Trump, among other issues, the University president put out a statement indicating that “out of an abundance of caution for safety” the college would be “mov[ing] in a different direction for this Spring commencement.” “From the outset, our decision to invite Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette as our Spring 2026 Commencement speaker was rooted in her record as a business leader and entrepreneur. As the founder and former CEO of a company that grew from a startup into a billion-dollar enterprise, she represents the kind of innovation, resilience and real-world achievement that aligns with the aspirations of our graduates,” the statement read. “We are grateful to Lt. Gov. Evette for her willingness to engage with our students and for her time and consideration in accepting the invitation.” NORTH CAROLINA TEEN SUES SCHOOL AFTER CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE SPARKED ‘CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION’ AND CENSORSHIP Pressure from students, including multiple protests around South Carolina State’s campus, led up to the ultimate decision to rescind the invitation for Evette, which the Lt. Gov. said was sent to her in December. The Lt. Gov. indicated to Fox News Digital that she never publicized her address, or shared publicly what she would speak about. Evette described the protesters as a “woke mob,” earning her backlash, but she refused to back down from the statement when talking to Fox News Digital. According to Evette, attorneys from South Carolina State called attorneys in her office, telling them the reason for canceling the event was due to “credible threats.” “It’s what we’ve seen all across the country,” Evette, who is also running for governor in The Palmetto State, told Fox News Digital. “Somebody with a conservative point of view shows up and everybody wants to cancel them. We saw it with Charlie Kirk, and we saw with Riley Gaines, and we’ve seen it with Ben Shapiro. I never thought I’d be in that kind of list, but here we are and it’s a real shame and it has to end.“ NEBRASKA STATE SENATOR CAUGHT ON VIDEO REMOVING FOUNDERS’ PORTRAITS DEFENDS ACTIONS Alexander Conyers, South Carolina State University’s President, announced the decision to rescind Evette’s invitation to a round of applause from students — a decision he said he made personally. In video of the announcement caught by local news, Conyers said he doesn’t want people to think students at South Carolina State are “thugs” or a mob.” “We are not a mob. We are just aware,” South Carolina State University students, who repeatedly insisted their protests were peaceful, could be heard chanting as they marched in large groups around campus, seen in video shared by local South Carolina reporter Michael White. “Hey, hey! Ho! Ho! Pamela Evette gots to go!,” the crowds chanted, including at night, around campus. TPUSA URGES TRUMP ADMIN TO ‘PULL EVERY LEVER AT ITS DISPOSAL’ TO OVERHAUL HIGHER EDUCATION In another alleged sit-in-style protest, students were filmed inside a campus building decrying Trump as a pedophile, bigot, racist and a supporter of the police. “Being conservative is not the issue — that’s alright, we all have our own political views. But she’s explicitly said ‘I am a Trump conservative.’ Okay, if you believe in Trump you support pedophilia, you support bigotry, you support racism, what else, pro-police — the same police that’s killing our people — and also she supports ICE,” one of the sit-in protesters can be heard saying in a video circulating on social media. “She also would like to have — because I’m going to say a concentration camp — that’s not what they calling it but you all want to bring on of those here to or state. We don’t believe in that.” Zaria Tucker, the South Carolina State Student Government Association President, echoed the point about students’ anger not being about politics during an address at a board of trustees meeting. ‘TOXIC’ BY DESIGN? THE LAW STUDENTS WHO SAY CAMPUS DISCOMFORT IS THE POINT “Commencement is not about politics, but more about representation. What we need as students. Not someone to come and tell us what they need to do as governor, or another position that they’re running for in this state,” Tucker said in the video shared online by White. “But, more to uplift us as students. So, necessarily, that’s what the main goal will always be, as the Student Government Association president.” In response to the decision from Conyers and South Carolina State University, Republican state legislators from the House Freedom Caucus called the decision by the college “shameful” and “inexcusable” that the university had to cancel Evette’s speech “because her safety could not be guaranteed on a state-funded campus.” The letter ended by requesting that “no funding” be included in the upcoming version of the state’s funding. “If the Lt. Gov. of South Carolina is unwelcome due to different political ideologies and an inability to keep her safe, it is time to defund and reevaluate.,” the letter, signed by nine GOP South Carolina State legislators, concluded. During Evette’s comments to Fox News Digital she said that she and current South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster have always ensured Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the state are funded, noting that despite a Republican super majority in the state legislature “we have been very supportive.” Evette added that President Trump “has done more for them than any president and in history.” Meanwhile, the school invited former Democratic Party President Joe Biden to speak at their commencement ceremony