Trailblazing former Republican Rep Kay Granger dies at 83: ‘Broke barriers’
Former Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, died on Sunday at the age of 83, with her ex-colleagues remembering her as a trailblazer who broke barriers for women. Granger was the first woman elected mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, as well as the first Republican woman from the Lone Star State elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the first female Republican appropriations chair. After serving in the U.S. House from 1997, Granger retired in January of last year following health challenges and extended absences from Washington. “As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year,” she said in December 2024. “However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed, making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my incredible staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years.” SEN BERNIE MORENO CALLS FOR EX-SON-IN-LAW TO RESIGN FROM HOUSE, GET ‘SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP’ Republican and Democratic lawmakers said they remember Granger as someone who broke barriers for women. “Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee. Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “Kelly and I send our prayers to her family, loved ones, and the Fort Worth community as we remember her extraordinary life of service and lasting legacy. She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed,” he added. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., who serves as chair of the House Republican Caucus, said Granger “was a pioneer, a dedicated public servant, and a trailblazing leader who opened doors for generations of Republican women to follow.” “Her impact on Congress and our Nation will not be forgotten. My prayers are with her family and loved ones. Rest in peace,” McClain said. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said she was “deeply saddened” by her passing, saying the former GOP lawmaker “devoted her life to serving the people of Texas and our nation with integrity, determination, and a profound sense of duty.” DEMOCRATS TARGET MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES ROCK LEFT-WING PRIMARIES “Throughout our years serving together on the Appropriations Committee, we worked through difficult challenges with mutual respect and honesty,” DeLauro said. “Congresswoman Granger was the first woman to sit on and serve as chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. She was the first Republican woman to lead the full Appropriations Committee, and with our counterparts Senators Patty Murray and Susan Collins, was part of the first Committee led on all four corners by women.” “At every step of her career, she earned the respect of Members on both sides of the aisle through her steady leadership and deep belief in the importance of Congress fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to invest in the American people,” DeLauro added.
Trump targets Biden-era billion-dollar Smithsonian budgets amid anti-‘woke’ push
President Donald Trump‘s effort to remake the Smithsonian is reaching the institution’s bottom line, with the administration proposing its smallest budget request in years while pushing to eliminate what it calls “woke” ideology from federally funded museums and programs. A Fox News Digital analysis of Smithsonian budget requests found the institution submitted steadily larger funding requests during the Biden administration, with annual requests rising from $1.11 billion in fiscal year 2021 to a record $1.24 billion in fiscal year 2024. The fiscal year 2025 request also exceeded $1 billion before the Trump administration proposed reducing the institution’s request below that threshold in its fiscal year 2026 and 2027 budgets—the first time since fiscal year 2020 that the Smithsonian’s annual request has fallen below $1 billion. The proposed funding reduction comes as the White House expands one of its most ambitious efforts to reshape a federally funded cultural institution, arguing the Smithsonian has promoted ideological narratives at odds with its mission and directing it to change its exhibits, programming, leadership and spending priorities. FORMER DEMOCRATIC STAFFERS, DEI LEADERS SHAPE SMITHSONIAN LEADERSHIP AMID POLITICAL FIRESTORM The White House’s effort to root out what it calls “woke” ideology at the Smithsonian has grown into one of the most extensive reviews of the institution in decades. Over the past 16 months, the administration has examined museum exhibits, educational programming, internal records and leadership statements, issued multiple document requests, interviewed curators and conducted on-site museum walkthroughs. That review culminated in a 162-page White House report recommending sweeping reforms and a new round of executive actions aimed at implementing those recommendations. The administration has ordered the Smithsonian to promote what it describes as a more accurate portrayal of American history while scrutinizing exhibits, programming and leadership across the museum complex. INSIDE THE BEHEMOTH SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM NETWORK DRAWING FIRE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION The Smithsonian oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo and nearly 157 million objects and specimens while receiving more than $1 billion annually in federal funding, in addition to private donations and other trust revenue. The taxpayer-supported institution has become the latest battleground in a broader national debate over patriotism, historical interpretation and the role of federally funded cultural institutions in shaping how Americans understand the nation’s past. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Whether Congress adopts the administration’s proposed funding levels remains to be seen. But alongside executive orders, museum reviews and a sweeping White House report, the budget proposal signals that the administration intends to use both policy and federal funding to reshape one of the nation’s largest cultural institutions. The Smithsonian Institute did not immediately respond to Fox New Digital’s request for comment.
Ohio Rep Marcy Kaptur hospitalized after hit-and-run crash on way to church
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, was hospitalized Sunday morning after the vehicle she was riding in was struck in a hit-and-run crash that also injured her driver, according to the Toledo Police Department. Kaptur was on her way to church when the wreck happened near Toledo, her office said in a statement. She suffered injuries that are not life-threatening and remain in stable condition. “This morning, Congresswoman Kaptur was a passenger in a vehicle on her way to a church service when the car she was traveling in was struck. She is active, alert, and being treated for non-life threatening injuries,” her office said. FAKE COP SUSPECTED IN LAWMAKER ASSASSINATION HAD EXTENSIVE SECURITY TRAINING BEFORE ‘TARGETED’ ATTACK The driver of the vehicle Kaptur was traveling in was identified as Kegan Zimmermann, who was also taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Police told Fox News Digital the “hit-skip crash” happened at about 10:48 a.m. local time at the intersection of North Detroit and Central avenues. “A vehicle traveling southbound came into the path of Representative Kaptur, causing a collision. Both Representative Kaptur and Mr. Zimmerman were transported to St. Vincent’s medical center for undisclosed, yet not serious injuries,” police said in a statement. “The driver of the at-fault vehicle fled the scene.” Both vehicles involved were impounded as evidence is being collected and processed. The investigation remains in its early stages, police said. “Toledo Police investigators have made significant progress and continue to follow several strong leads as they work to identify the driver responsible,” authorities said. Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle added that he has been in touch with Kaptur and was pleased to hear she was recovering. “I had a chance to speak with Representative Marcy Kaptur today, and we’re glad to hear she’s doing well. Our thoughts remain with her and Mr. Zimmermann as they recover,” Troendle said in a statement. “Our investigators continue to make progress on this case. I appreciate the work our investigators have put in today, as well as the cooperation we’ve received from members of the community. We’re committed to identifying the person responsible and ensuring they are held accountable.” FORMER WISCONSIN JUDGE HANNAH DUGAN AVOIDS JAIL TIME FOR OBSTRUCTING ARREST OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT In a statement posted on X, Kaptur praised the police and fire departments for their quick response to the scene. “We look forward to additional information from Toledo Police as they investigate the accident,” the statement read. “Congresswoman Kaptur is thankful for the quick actions of first responders from Toledo Police and Fire Departments who arrived promptly on scene, and the medical professionals helping to take care of those involved in the crash.” Hundreds of Kaptur’s constituents reportedly reached out to the congresswoman following the incident. “She expressed her deep gratitude to the hundreds of constituents who have reached out and looks forward to returning to a full schedule soon,” her office said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Toledo Fire & Rescue for more information.
Entire Squad endorses Abdul El-Sayed days before Michigan Democratic Senate primary
Every member of the “Squad,” an informal left-wing congressional caucus, has endorsed Abdul El-Sayed ahead of Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, according to his campaign website. The Squad is made up of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., and Greg Casar, D-Texas. Many of the squad’s current and former members have past or ongoing affiliations with the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization El-Sayed is attempting to distance himself from as he attempts to moderate ahead of a swing-state general election. The unified endorsements sharpen the ideological stakes of the Tuesday primary, linking El-Sayed to the party’s most prominent progressive bloc even as he rejects the socialist label and seeks to present himself as a viable candidate in a battleground state. The support also gives Republicans an early line of attack should El-Sayed defeat the more centrist Stevens and advance to the general election. DEM PRIMARY ERUPTS AS ESTABLISHMENT FAVORITE DISMISSES RIVAL AS ‘CELEBRITY CANDIDATE’ “The entire Squad has now endorsed Abdul El-Sayed to carry on its radical, socialist, anti-American agenda in the U.S. Senate, and they will be rejected by Michiganders at the ballot box,” National Republican Senatorial Committee regional press secretary Samantha Cantrell told Fox News Digital. Casar was the most recent Squad member to endorse El-Sayed, throwing his support behind him Thursday. “Abdul El-Sayed is showing what it means to run a bold, pro-working class campaign,” Casar said. “House progressives need strong partners in the Senate in order to put money in your pocket, get money out of politics, and win Medicare for All. I’m proud to endorse Abdul.” SOCIALIST-BACKED DEM WHO RIPPED THE WEALTHY CRACKS STATE’S TOP 1%, TAX RETURNS SHOW Casar, Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Lee all have current or former Democratic Socialists of America affiliations. El-Sayed at one point even appeared at a Democratic Socialists of America event alongside Tlaib. El-Sayed headlined that event, a fundraiser that brought in roughly $10,000 for the Detroit Democratic Socialists of America, and was photographed next to Tlaib behind a table with a poster on it depicting a hand labeled “DSA” choking a snake labeled “capitalism.” The Michigan Senate hopeful attended and spoke at six Democratic Socialists of America events between 2017 and 2020, Fox News Digital previously reported. Organizers affiliated with the socialist organization have described El-Sayed as “a longtime friend of Detroit DSA.” ABDUL EL-SAYED SAYS RALLYING WITH HASAN PIKER DOESN’T MEAN HE ENDORSES ‘AMERICA DESERVED 9/11’ REMARK Despite pulling in endorsements from socialists and his longtime association with the Democratic Socialists of America, El-Sayed rejects the socialist label and has distanced himself from the group. “I’m not technically or practically DSA,” El-Sayed told The Wall Street Journal in early July. In an interview with CNN, he said, “I am not somebody who is a socialist. I believe in capitalism, I just believe that capitalism has to be regulated.” El-Sayed faces off against Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary Tuesday. Stevens is widely viewed as the more centrist of the two. Polls generally show El-Sayed leading Stevens by a comfortable margin, according to the New York Times. The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Ohio GOP family feud explodes as Sen Bernie Moreno calls on Rep Max Miller to resign
A bitter family feud has spilled into Congress after Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called on his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller, to resign, accusing the fellow Ohio Republican of abusive behavior and saying he poses a danger to Moreno’s daughter and granddaughter. Moreno’s extraordinary statement on X Sunday marked the latest escalation in a years-long family clash that has spilled from a contentious divorce into national Republican politics. Miller, a Republican congressman endorsed by President Donald Trump, was married to Moreno’s daughter, Emily. Their divorce and ongoing custody battle have increasingly played out in public, culminating Sunday with Moreno’s call for Miller to leave Congress just days before Ohio’s Aug. 5 deadline to replace congressional candidates on the ballot. FOX NEWS POLL: DEMOCRATIC UNITY, REPUBLICAN CROSSOVERS SHAPE OHIO SENATE RACE On Sunday, hours after Miller publicly denied allegations stemming from the divorce, Moreno broke his public silence in a lengthy statement posted to X, saying his family had endured “pure hell” over the past two years and accusing Miller of increasingly “erratic and dangerous behavior.” “Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible,” Moreno wrote. Moreno went on to call Miller unfit for office, writing: “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.” The Ohio senator also alleged that Miller “needs serious psychological help” and wrote that he fears for the safety of his granddaughter while she is in Miller’s custody. Miller has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime related to the dispute. Sunday’s post marked a dramatic shift for Moreno, who had previously avoided publicly commenting on Miller or the family’s legal dispute. The statement came just days before Ohio’s Aug. 5 deadline to replace a congressional candidate on the ballot. Still, Moreno has been criticized online for not speaking up about the situation sooner. When asked by Notus last week, Moreno said he didn’t “know” if Miller should stay in office. A source close to the Moreno family told Fox News Digital that the senator had wanted to break his silence for months, and has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses as the legal battle between his daughter and Miller continues on. But his daughter, the source said, didn’t want the lawmaker’s granddaughter to “eventually read about her grandfather attacking her dad.” That changed after Miller’s livestream, which the source characterized as an “unhinged meltdown.” SEN BERNIE MORENO CALLS FOR EX-SON-IN-LAW TO RESIGN FROM HOUSE, GET ‘SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP’ Earlier Sunday, Miller posted a livestream denying allegations of domestic and child abuse related to the divorce. During the livestream, Miller also alleged that his ex-wife has struggled with mental health issues and shared a Dropbox link containing court filings and other documents that he said support his version of events. “Just want to be clear: no court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me. No criminal charge has ever been filed against me,” Miller said. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated, and I cooperated fully every single time because I had nothing to hide and I have nothing to hide now.” GOP REP. MAX MILLER PUSHES BACK AGAINST ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’ Days before Sunday’s public clash, Emily Moreno’s attorneys sought restraining orders against Miller that would prohibit him from contacting or harassing members of her legal team. Emily Moreno’s spokesman, Stefan Mychajliw, accused Miller of trying to “save his political career” and rejected the congressman’s characterization of the dispute. “It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Mychajliw said in a statement. “There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that,” Mychajliw continued. “Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.” Asked about the senator’s public comments, Emily Moreno’s attorney, Subodh Chandra, declined to engage with the allegations. “When adverse parties in litigation are setting themselves on fire, I do not provide them with a fire extinguisher,” he told Fox News Digital. With neither side backing down, the bitter family feud appears far from over, setting the stage for more courtroom battles and political fallout in the weeks ahead. Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Miller and Moreno for additional comment.
Sen Bernie Moreno calls for ex-son-in-law to resign from House, get ‘serious psychological help’
Unmoved by his former son-in-law’s X livestream denials Sunday, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called on Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, to resign from Congress and seek “serious psychological help.” “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,” Moreno wrote in a lengthy statement on X. “He should not serve in the House of Representatives.” It was a call repeated by Miller’s Democratic challenger in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District. “No one credibly accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head and breaking their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone belongs in the halls of power,” Brian Poindexter, the union ironworker and Brook Park city councilman, wrote in a statement Sunday. GOP REP MAX MILLER PUSHES BACK AGAINST ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’ Moreno delivered an even more blistering public rebuke an hour after Miller livestreamed a sweeping denial of domestic abuse allegations made by ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of the senator. “As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help,” Moreno wrote. “He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.” The aftermath of the couple’s divorce had been “pure hell” for his family, Moreno began. “As a father and husband, I can tell you the last two years have been pure hell for my wife Bridget, our daughter Emily, me, and our entire family in the aftermath of Emily’s divorce,” Moreno wrote. 5TH ACCUSER COMES FORWARD AGAINST REP ERIC SWALWELL AHEAD OF EXPECTED RESIGNATION “It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent two-year-old girl is caught in the middle. Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter. “Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.” Miller has categorically denied abusing Emily Moreno or their daughter. In the livestream, he said no court or government agency had substantiated an allegation of abuse against him and that he had never faced a criminal charge related to the claims. The congressman said child welfare investigations involving his daughter had been closed without findings against him. He also argued that the allegations emerged as the former couple’s custody battle intensified and accused his former wife of using them as leverage. DEMOCRATS TARGET MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES ROCK LEFT-WING PRIMARIES Emily Moreno has accused Miller of physically assaulting and threatening her during their marriage, including allegedly holding a gun to her head. Questions have also been raised about how the couple’s daughter suffered a broken collarbone. Miller denies causing the injury and said his daughter was no longer in his care when it was discovered. Miller also denied an allegation that he threw boiling water on his former wife, saying he sprayed her with water from a kitchen sink during what he described as horseplay. “It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Emily Moreno spokesman Stefan Mychajliw wrote in a statement Sunday. “There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that. “It is despicable and abhorrent that Miller lied on an unhinged and humiliating video for their daughter to watch one day. “No loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career. Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.” The extraordinary intervention from a sitting Republican senator adds pressure on Miller as a Wednesday deadline approaches for the party to replace him on the November ballot. Democrats have increasingly viewed the northeast Ohio district as a possible pickup opportunity amid the controversy. Miller, a former advisor in President Donald Trump’s first administration who had Trump’s endorsement, insisted Sunday that he would remain the Republican nominee. “I’m not dropping out of this race,” Miller said. “And I’ll win in November.”
Trump DHS chief under fire from conservatives after immigration speech ignites backlash
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is facing a conservative backlash after reaffirming his opposition to amnesty in a social media post, with critics arguing the hardline message contradicted comments he made hours earlier during an immigration speech in Oklahoma. Hours after speaking at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City, Mullin wrote on X: “NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever.” “We are a nation of laws,” he wrote. “If you are illegally present in the United States of America—you will be detained and deported. Period.” The post did little to quell criticism from some conservatives, who argued it conflicted with remarks Mullin made earlier in the day. RED STATE GOVERNOR PUMMELED ONLINE AFTER DEFYING TRUMP’S DEPORTATION ORDERS “Why were you at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting today saying the exact opposite of what you are posting now?” one user wrote on X. “Did you suddenly radically change your mind about America’s immigration policy in the past couple of hours? Or are you a liar?” Former Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino also criticized Mullin’s remarks, writing on X that “Voters asked for mass deportations. Clear demand. High priority. No ambiguity.” He added, “The guy running DHS is making the case for ‘immigration reform.’ We’ve seen this script before.” In a separate post, Bovino wrote that Mullin had delivered “a masterclass in how to give terrible answers during a single interview” and argued, “Now you know why we’re not getting mass deportations.” Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck also weighed in, calling Mullin’s remarks “a total betrayal.” During the event, Mullin argued the U.S. needs immigration reform, distinguished between immigrants pursuing legal status and those who are not, and called for changes to some employment visa programs to address labor shortages. “We haven’t had actual immigration reform since 1959. There’s a reason. It’s political,” Mullin said. “Do you really need immigration reform? Yes, you do.” BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FORCED A FALSE CHOICE ON AMERICANS ABOUT IMMIGRATION Mullin also argued the country should modernize some employment visa programs. “If we’re looking to grow our economy, then we need to look at making more permanent solutions,” he said, adding that “there’s a way to utilize labor where we’re not having the participation rate we need to… and we can plug those holes.” At the same time, Mullin repeatedly emphasized that immigration laws must be enforced. “If you have a criminal background, we’re not making exceptions for you,” he said. “There are zero exceptions.” Mullin added that immigrants who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas without pursuing legal status could not expect relief. “There’s nothing I can do for you,” he said. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
GOP Rep Max Miller pushes back against abuse allegations: ‘I have nothing to hide’
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, went live on X Sunday morning, denying allegations from his ex-wife that he abused her and their daughter. “I’m not getting out of this race, and I’m winning in November,” Miller said at the end of an X livestream statement with pictures of his family in the background. Miller said his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has documented mental health circumstances that might have led to her allegations after their public divorce. “They frame me as an abuser,” Miller said, saying there is “no evidence” against him. “No court or agency has even substantiated any allegation against me,” he added. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated.” Miller released troves of evidence via Dropbox that he says undermines the allegations against him. “I have nothing to hide,” he said. Faced with a narrow path to winning control of the U.S. House, Democrats are seeing fresh opportunity in a northeast Ohio congressional seat where the Republican incumbent is facing mounting pressure over allegations that he abused his ex-wife and daughter in a bitter and drawn-out dispute with his former spouse. Allegations against Miller, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, have been public for years but have recently drawn increased media scrutiny amid an escalating legal back-and-forth with his ex-wife. That has Democrats sensing Miller could be vulnerable in a district he won two years ago with just over 51% of the vote. Over the past week, they have called for Miller to resign, requested a congressional ethics investigation and suggested more help could be directed in the fall toward his Democratic opponent, union ironworker Brian Poindexter. Miller has denied the abuse allegations and filed defamation lawsuits against his ex-wife and a second accuser. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Trump demand puts vulnerable Republicans in impossible spot ahead of midterms
Republicans are sounding the alarm that President Donald Trump’s demand to cancel August recess could cost the GOP seats in the midterms. As the upcoming jailbreak from Washington, D.C., fast approaches, Trump’s most-prized legislative push remains stalled. He wants Republicans to stay put until it’s finished, but the political reality says otherwise. And it comes as Republicans are desperate to get out of the Beltway and sell their accomplishments, rather than their shortcomings, to voters on the campaign trail. The GOP has more to lose than Democrats this cycle, too, with three vulnerable incumbents and a handful of others on the periphery. REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP’S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY ‘DEAD’ IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS “Canceling August recess, where we have to have our members out campaigning and connecting with their voters, and people not understanding that, is about as tone-deaf as telling everybody to stay home in 2020 when we lost [Kelly] Loefler and [David] Purdue,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “It’s the same sort of thought process,” he continued. “It’s thinking that one branch runs this country and it doesn’t. If we don’t keep majorities, people are gonna regret it.” Several of Tillis’ colleagues, however, disagree, and want the Senate to stay put until the SAVE America Act passes, be it through the party-line budget reconciliation process or by nuking the filibuster. GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN Trump’s pressure, the online zeitgeist and the political hot potato of the situation have put incumbents in a tough spot: go home and admit defeat, or stay put and push legislation that so far has not gone anywhere. For many Republicans, they openly acknowledge that it’s a math problem in the Senate — the GOP does not have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act. Some argue that keeping the Senate in town likely wouldn’t change the minds of those who oppose it. “If it would make a difference in the outcome, I’m fine with that, but it won’t make a difference, which I don’t believe it will, that it’s an act of futility,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. TRUMP UNLOADS ON CORNYN, TIES AG NOMINATION FIGHT TO BITTER TEXAS PRIMARY Both Cornyn and Tillis are retiring — Tillis opted to get out during the tumultuous period that was passing the “big, beautiful bill,” and Cornyn was kneecapped by Trump, who backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over him in a grueling primary battle. But Cornyn noted that if he was still running for office, he might have a change of heart. “I don’t know how that would come out, but if I was running for re-election, I would vote to stay,” he said. Cornyn’s point is the line that some vulnerable Republicans are toeing. Two Republicans running in tight races, Sens. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told Fox News Digital that they have been voraciously pushing for the SAVE America Act. But, Sullivan said that he didn’t want to comment on the president’s push to cancel recess, while Husted said it was always preferable to be back in Ohio with his constituents. “But I also have a job here, and if the job requires me to be here, then I’ll be here,” he said. Others in less tight races who support the legislation still understand the reality in the upper chamber: without changing the minds of a cohort of Republicans who have voted against it and flipping several Democrats, the SAVE America Act is going nowhere. “I think to cancel the whole recess would be a problem, but I think to keep us up here another week or 10 days, certainly, I’m willing to do it. I’d stay here till November if I thought it would change things,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. But he acknowledged that coming home empty-handed was a problem, too. “The base would be mad if we don’t make the best effort possible to get this voter ID across the finish line,” Marshall said.
Inside the behemoth Smithsonian museum network drawing fire from the Trump administration
The Smithsonian Institution, whose museums in Washington, D.C., have come under fire from conservatives and President Donald Trump over what they describe as increasingly left-wing messaging, is the world’s largest museum complex, comprising a sprawling network that spans the country and influences millions of people each year. Founded in 1846 with funds from the will of British scientist James Smithson, who never visited the United States but left his fortune to establish an institution “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” the Smithsonian steadily grew from a single museum into the world’s largest museum, education and research complex. Today, the Smithsonian owns or leases nearly 700 facilities across eight states, Washington, D.C., and Panama, encompassing roughly 13.6 million square feet of museums, laboratories, archives, warehouses, research stations and support facilities. The organization now houses more than 157 million artifacts and specimens, operates 21 museums along with the National Zoo and 14 education and research centers, maintains 21 libraries, and partners with more than 200 affiliate museums and cultural institutions nationwide. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Visitors see only a fraction of the Smithsonian’s overall collection. Roughly 99% of the Smithsonian’s more than 157 million artifacts and specimens are kept in storage facilities, laboratories and archives, where they are preserved and studied by researchers. The Smithsonian as a whole welcomes over 30 million in-person visitors each year, while its educational resources and digital platforms reach millions more. The institution operates on an annual budget of more than $1 billion. The Smithsonian isn’t just a museum operator, it’s effectively a national education and research institution that has a vast reach across school campuses nationwide as it helps shape the educational experience of the nation’s students. GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SMITHSONIAN CHIEF URGED MOVING BEYOND ‘AMERICA FIRST MENTALITY’ Through initiatives like the Smithsonian Learning Lab and Smithsonian Science Education Center, the institution provides millions of free lesson plans, classroom activities, virtual field trips and other educational resources used by teachers and students nationwide. It also offers professional development for educators and educational programming that extends well beyond its museums. On college campuses, the Smithsonian is actively involved in partnering with schools across the country on internships, fellowships, research collaborations and joint academic programs which put the organization in touch with thousands of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students each year. Earlier this month, the White House released a sweeping report warning about an alleged infiltration of leftist politics inside the Smithsonian, a report an expert told Fox News Digital is an example of the “long march through the institutions” that socialist and communist activists have been pushing in the United States for decades. “That shift from history to activism is clearly documented in this report. Anthea Hartig, NMAH’s director since 2019, has explicitly stated that she sees history as a ‘prime tool of social justice’ and one of her roles as connecting ‘research and scholarship to activism and advocacy,’” the White House report stated. Last week, President Trump ordered his administration to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to what the White House describes as “accurate” information about the nation’s past, guaranteeing that the controversy over the Smithsonian’s cultural influence will remain a topic of conversation for months to come.