Major appeals court declares New Jersey AR-15 ban unconstitutional in landmark Second Amendment ruling
A federal appeals court on Friday struck down New Jersey‘s ban on semiautomatic rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds, prompting the National Rifle Association (NRA) to call the decision a “historic victory” in a case the gun-rights organization has litigated since 2018. In a sweeping en banc ruling, the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that New Jersey’s assault-firearm and large-capacity magazine restrictions violate the Second Amendment. The court expanded a lower court’s ruling by declaring the state’s so-called “assault-firearm” ban unconstitutional as it applied to the full class of semiautomatic rifles, not just the AR-15, and also struck down New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles and its restrictions on magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. DOJ SUES DENVER OVER BAN ON ‘ASSAULT WEAPONS’ AS CITY’S DEM MAYOR SAYS IT ‘WILL NOT BE BULLIED’ “This is an NRA case that we’ve been litigating since 2018, so it’s a monumental win,” Justin Davis, managing director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, told Fox News Digital. The NRA celebrated the decision in a statement, calling it a major victory for gun owners nationwide. “Today marks a historic victory for the NRA, the Second Amendment, and law-abiding Americans,” the organization said. INSIDE TRUMP’S UNPRECEDENTED BATTLE PLAN TO EXPAND SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS THROUGH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT “The Third Circuit has struck down these unconstitutional so-called assault weapons bans and magazine bans in New Jersey, affirming what we’ve always known: the right to keep and bear arms, including commonly-owned rifles and standard-capacity magazines, is fundamental and cannot be infringed by politicians who prioritize control over constitutional freedoms.” “This ruling protects the rights of millions of responsible gun owners in the Garden State and serves as another benchmark in our efforts to dismantle gun control across the country.” Writing for the majority, U.S. Circuit Judge Arianna Freeman, a Biden appointee, said the Supreme Court’s Second Amendment decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen and subsequent cases require governments to show modern firearm restrictions are consistent with America’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Applying that framework, the court concluded New Jersey failed to meet that burden. LAWYER WHO BEAT HAWAII GUN LAW CALLS STATE’S RELIANCE ON BLACK CODE ‘DISGRACEFUL’ The majority held that New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles violates the Second Amendment and reversed the district court’s decision upholding the state’s ban on magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. The opinion said New Jersey enacted its “assault-firearms law” in 1990, following a California elementary school shooting. According to the court, the governor at the time described the banned firearms as “guns capable of wholesale destruction” that were “designed to wipe out the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time.” The majority concluded that semiautomatic rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds are protected by the Second Amendment and that New Jersey failed to demonstrate the restrictions are consistent with America’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Several judges dissented, arguing the banned firearms are unusually dangerous military-style weapons that states have long had authority to regulate and that the decision conflicts with every other federal appeals court to uphold similar state restrictions.
Time enough at last: What’s next after the House passes bill to do away with Daylight Saving Time?
There are 86,410 seconds in a day. 1,440 minutes. The most daylight in Washington, D.C. emerges in June, stretching 14 hours and 57 minutes. The shortest is near the winter solstice, clocking in at a scant nine hours and 29 minutes. Congress can’t change any of that. But it can alter how we perceive it. Lawmakers routinely fork over to public tax cuts, economic stimulus and the elimination of a cumbersome law or policy. Awarding something to the voters is part of the Congressional DNA. So even though time is finite, lawmakers are again trying to give people something: more daylight. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Sunshine Protection Act this week, 308-117. HOUSE PASSES SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT TO MAKE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT No. Our sun wasn’t in jeopardy of going supernova — although it is about halfway through its 10 billion year lifespan. Lawmakers weren’t safeguarding it. But they wanted you to think they were. The Sunshine Protection Act permanently shifts the U.S. onto Daylight Saving Time. That’s a congressionally contrived temporal statute. In other words, with adoption of the bill, we will never shift back to Standard Time again. No more “springing forward” or “falling back.” We’re on Daylight Saving Time now. And we are here to stay if this becomes law. “Polling shows that two-thirds of Americans want to unlock the clock. My bill is simply a solution to make Daylight Saving Time permanent,” said Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), one of the chief sponsors of the legislation. “Allowing an extra hour of sunlight in the evening gives families more time for outside sports activities and school.” An extra hour of sunlight? Really? In other words, it’s really the same amount of light – or lack thereof – at 7 p.m. under Daylight Saving Time that we could experience at 6 p.m. under Standard Time. But Congress is in the giving business. “Why are we forcing families, businesses, and communities to adjust their schedules every spring and fall? The twice-yearly clock change is a relic of the past that no longer reflects the way Americans live,” said Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) Perhaps it’s an idea whose time has come. The biannual time change is maddening. My mother taught second grade at the same elementary school I attended in rural Ohio. One year, the school custodian got to work early on the Monday morning after the fall time change. He began to reset the clocks in each classroom. He maneuvered from south to north through the building, updating the clocks in the kindergarten. Then onto the first grade. Second grade after that. Third grade. Finally, fourth grade. But as you traversed the school, each clock ran two to three minutes behind the one the custodian set previously. We theorized that he looked at his watch, say around 7:10 a.m. – and proceeded to set each clock to 7:10 – regardless of the actual time. By the time you got to fourth grade, the clocks were nearly 20 minutes behind schedule. As they say, timing is everything. Only an episode involving my mother and grandmother tops the school’s time warp. My mother once called my grandmother to remind her the time change would kick in at 2 a.m. on Sunday. My grandmother was incredulous. “You mean I have to sit up until two o’clock in the morning to change it?” she asked. Establishing a year-around time isn’t something worth losing sleep over. Most just hate the exercise. HOUSE PASSES DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME REFORM AS TRUMP SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR ENDING CLOCK CHANGE “People in Tennessee wanted it gone. It’s ridiculous. In the fall it starts getting dark around 5:00. Kind of depresses me. Really kind of a doggy downer. So I’m kind of digging the fact that we’re going to fix it,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) Only one member spoke out in opposition when the House debated the time-change bill: Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) Her grievances focused on why Congress was even considering the legislation when it wasn’t trained on bread-and-butter subjects which could be key in the midterms. “We aren’t voting on bills right now that would reduce the sky-high costs of food, fuel, health care, or addressing the President’s war in Iran. Instead, we’re considering a bill that was deadly and dangerous in the past, in the ‘70s,” said Dean. Dean is referring to an experiment in 1974. Congress voted in late 1973 to park the nation on Daylight Saving Time for two solid years. This would help combat the OPEC oil embargo and fuel shortages. It was a disaster. Kids in Washington, DC headed for school around 8:30 a.m. It’s unclear whether the custodian properly adjusted the clocks. But it was “jet black” in DC, according to one news account from the time. Some kids set off for school with flashlights illuminating their paths. You might not give politics the time of day. But the time of day infuriated Americans in the mid-1970s. Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed embraced the year-round time switch in December 1973. But that number plunged to 42 percent by August 1974. Future Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) offered a measure to torpedo the Daylight Saving Time project. It passed. And by fall, everyone was falling back. A House panel examining the issue declared that changing the clocks “must be balanced against a majority of the public’s distaste for the observance of Daylight Saving Time.” In 2022, the Senate unexpectedly approved a year-round Daylight Saving Time bill. But it languished as the House hit the snooze button. Now the House approved an updated version of the legislation. President Trump called switching the clocks “ridiculous.” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) even discussed the issue with him this week. “He seems to be very enthusiastic about it. I would put it that way. And I think we’re going to move the bill pretty quickly,” said Kennedy. “Some of my colleagues are opposed to it. They’re entitled with their opinion. But I think
Democrats turn on congressional hopeful after ‘hiding’ LGBTQ+ views from Muslim voters
A Washington state Democrat hoping to unseat a longtime member of Congress is facing a revolt from within her own party, after reportedly saying she left LGBTQ+ rights off her campaign website because she feared alienating Muslim voters. Seattle Red first reported that Democrat organizations were reconsidering their endorsements of Melissa Chaudhry, a progressive Democrat challenging longtime Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., in Washington’s 9th Congressional District, after comments she made during an endorsement interview with The Stranger. When asked why her website did not mention LGBTQ+ issues, Chaudhry replied, “because a lot of Muslims do not feel that way, unfortunately,” according to The Stranger. The comments quickly sparked backlash from Democrat LGBTQ+ activists, with the Washington State Stonewall Democrats urging organizations to reconsider and rescind their endorsements of Chaudhry. DEMOCRATS CAUGHT ON CAMERA COACHING CANDIDATE ON HOW TO BE ‘AUTHENTIC’ IN 2026 MESSAGING “Her comments are disqualifying because they reveal a deliberate choice to hide her positions on LGBTQ+ rights while actively seeking Democratic endorsements,” Washington State Stonewall Democrats chair Andrew Ashiofu told Fox News Digital. “Anyone running as a Democrat should be bold enough to stand with our community. When a candidate chooses concealment instead of clarity, it raises serious concerns about honesty, integrity, and alignment with core Democratic values,” he added. Ashiofu said the organization is urging groups to revisit their endorsements because “transparency and trust are foundational to the Democratic endorsement process.” “When a candidate admits to hiding key civil-rights positions or tailoring their message to avoid acknowledging LGBTQ+ people, that undermines the integrity of every organization that endorsed her in good faith,” he said. “Democratic groups deserve full honesty from candidates, and we believe her comments warrant a reevaluation of any support she has received.” TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE CLAIMS SHE NEVER CALLED FOR ‘INTERNMENT CAMPS’ AFTER PARTY LEADERS CONDEMN HER The Washington State Stonewall Democrats specifically called on organizations that have endorsed Chaudhry, including the 11th, 33rd, 37th and 43rd District Democrats, to reconsider their support. Ashiofu also told Fox News Digital that neither Chaudhry nor her campaign has contacted the organization since the controversy became public. “Our position is straightforward: LGBTQ+ rights are not optional within the Democratic Party. They are foundational,” he said. “Candidates seeking Democratic support must be willing to champion our community openly, consistently, and without hesitation,” Ashiofu continued. “When a candidate admits to hiding their stance or misleading voters and endorsing bodies, that is a breach of trust. Democratic organizations should hold candidates to the highest standards of transparency and integrity because our community deserves nothing less.” DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: ‘WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?’ The controversy expanded beyond LGBTQ+ issues after The Stranger also reported that Chaudhry said she intended to run as a Democrat before switching to the Green Party if elected to Congress. The outlet also reported that she asked the information not be made public during the endorsement process. That revelation prompted additional concern among local Democrat leaders. According to The Stranger, members of the 33rd District Democrats have discussed changing their bylaws because current rules do not allow an endorsement to be rescinded once it has been awarded. Conservative radio host and Seattle commentator Jason Rantz, who first reported the controversy for Seattle Red, said the dispute underscores competing priorities within the Democratic coalition. “Democrats built their coalition on the promise that every marginalized identity group wins simultaneously, and Melissa Chaudhry just proved the pandering doesn’t always work,” Rantz told Fox News Digital. “When intersectionality forces progressives to rank Muslim voters against LGBTQ activists, somebody gets thrown overboard. Now the same party that preaches inclusion is rewriting its own bylaws to purge one of its own, because in the so-called oppression Olympics, there’s always a loser on the podium.” Chaudhry pushed back on the criticism in a post on X, insisting she has supported LGBTQ+ rights throughout her life. “For the record: I’ve supported full equality for LGBTQ+ people my entire life — not since this campaign started. My entire life,” she wrote. Chaudhry said her only sibling is LGBTQIA+, that she helped found her high school’s Gay Straight Alliance “back when we had to keep the meeting location secret for our own safety,” and that one of her closest friends is “a disabled lesbian woman raising her family against immense stigma.” “This is not a talking point for me. It is the fabric of my life,” she wrote. Chaudhry also accused the media of misrepresenting her remarks, writing, “The media that ignored three years of rape and death threats against a federal candidate is now running with a lie. I’m setting the record straight — in my own voice.” She also has said the atmosphere during the endorsement interview contributed to her remarks, describing the meeting as hostile, according to The Stranger. Smith, who has represented Washington’s 9th Congressional District since 1997, faces multiple challengers in the Democratic primary, including Chaudhry. Chaudhry’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
WATCH: Inside look at the dangerous cartel human smuggling tunnels still being used at border
Despite President Donald Trump’s tight clamp on the border, cartels are continuing to attempt to smuggle humans and narcotics by going underground using a vast network of storm drain tunnels in El Paso. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) elite Confined Space Entry Team gave Fox News an exclusive look inside the narrow tunnels, which stretch for miles across the region. There are 32 entry points into the tunnels from the Rio Grande and hundreds of exit points throughout the city. The team said this makes patrolling the tunnels a game of “whack-a-mole” because smugglers can pop out of storm drains at any point. According to CBP, it is much more difficult for Border Patrol agents to detect and intercept smugglers using these secret routes. Nevertheless, they use technology to detect movement underground, monitor entry points and strategically position teams to intercept groups. The greatest challenge, a team member told Fox News, is the heat and the time spent in the tunnels’ thick, low-oxygen air. He said that often by the time they encounter a cartel smuggler, “you’re already exhausted, and now, you have to potentially fight with someone underground.” EXCLUSIVE: GUATEMALAN NATIONALS PLEAD GUILTY TO HORRIFIC HUMAN SMUGGLING CRASH THAT KILLED 56, INJURED 100+ “You can’t call for backup; you can’t call for help. It’s just you and your team versus everybody else,” he said. Team members said that the number of migrants being smuggled through the tunnels has dropped dramatically under Trump. Whereas there would regularly be groups of 40 to 60 people moving through the tunnels, agents now typically encounter two or three at a time. Still, the smugglers have not stopped entirely. Reports indicate that cartels have significantly increased their fees for would-be illegal immigrants to take the tunnel routes, with migrants paying $20,000 to $30,000 per person to be guided through the underground routes. MEXICAN NATIONAL SENTENCED IN BORDER CHILD SMUGGLING CASE INVOLVING THC-LACED CANDY CBP also said that smugglers are increasingly using social media to recruit and train guides to navigate the hazardous passageways. The conditions underground are perilous, with poor air quality and intense heat, and El Paso daytime summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees. To prepare for this mission, the elite CBP team undergoes specialized training to operate underground, monitor oxygen levels and navigate the tunnels. Fox News got this exclusive look as the Department of Homeland Security announced this week that June marked 14 consecutive months of zero releases at the border, continuing what it touted as an “unprecedented trend of historically low border crossings.” TRUMP REVERSES DHS POLICY, ORDERS ICE TO RESUME VEHICLE STOPS AFTER ONE-DAY PAUSE Daily apprehensions at the border are down 94 percent from what they were during the Biden administration, according to DHS. Meanwhile, CBP has broken staffing records this spring, the agency announced, reaching 21,471 agents — the most in the agency’s 102-year history. Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
Paul Pelosi charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run in Napa Valley
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was formally charged with a misdemeanor hit-and-run Friday following an incident earlier this month, according to authorities. The Napa County District Attorney’s Office announced the filing Friday, charging Pelosi, 86, with misdemeanor hit-and-run and an infraction for unsafe turning movement stemming from a July 3 incident. According to the criminal complaint, Pelosi allegedly damaged a parked Tesla before leaving the scene without attempting to identify the vehicle’s owner or leave the information required under California law. Deputies later located Pelosi roughly a half-mile away, where he allegedly told officers he had intended to return to the scene. PAUL PELOSI, 86, FACES A HIT-AND-RUN CHARGE AFTER STRIKING A PARKED CAR IN NAPA COUNTY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE Prosecutors contend those actions formed the basis for both the misdemeanor charge and the accompanying traffic infraction. The district attorney’s office said it does not typically issue news releases announcing misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage, but made an exception because of the “significant public and media interest” surrounding Pelosi. Pelosi was allegedly behind the wheel of a burgundy Maserati convertible when the July 3 collision occurred, according to the criminal complaint. A venture capitalist, he has long maintained a residence in Napa County. The complaint does not mention whether anyone else was in the vehicle at the time of the alleged incident. PELOSI STAFFER PUMPS THE BRAKES WHEN PRESSED ON HUSBAND’S HIT-AND-RUN: ‘THAT’S ENOUGH’ The case marks the second high-profile traffic-related legal matter involving Pelosi in recent years. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI after a separate Napa County crash and was sentenced to probation, ordered to pay restitution and fines, complete a DUI education program and install an ignition interlock device. The New York Times also reported that Pelosi was behind the wheel during a fatal crash in 1957 in nearby San Mateo County, which claimed the life of his 19-year-old brother, though a jury cleared him of any wrongdoing. The Times also noted that Pelosi has had driving infractions in recent years in four Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo and Napa. Infractions reportedly include driving the wrong way down a one-way street, speeding, using a cellphone without a hands-free device, and failing to stop at a red light. Authorities have scheduled Pelosi’s first court appearance for Aug. 14 in Napa County Superior Court. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The Napa County District Attorney’s Office included a copy of the criminal complaint with its announcement of the charges. This is a developing story; check back later for updates. Fox News Digital’s Brittany Miller and Elaine Mallon contributed to this reporting.
Trump pushes Lindsey Graham’s sister to run for US Senate after she gets appointment to finish out term
President Donald Trump is throwing his political weight behind the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, urging his sister, the newly appointed South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, to run in next month’s special Republican primary and vowing to give her his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” The endorsement, which came in a Truth Social post Friday just days after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham Nordone to temporarily fill the seat left vacant by her brother’s sudden death last week. Graham Nordone will serve until the new Congress convenes in January, while Republicans who want the full term are set to compete in an Aug. 11 special primary. “She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot. Lindsey was one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina,” Trump said in his Truth post. “I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.” DARLINE GRAHAM CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR FULL A SENATE TERM AS MEMORIAL SERVICES SET FOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: REPORT Trump added that Graham Nordone “comes from an absolutely incredible family,” arguing she “has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement.” The newly minted U.S. Senator represents a series of firsts for the Senate and for her home state as the first female senator from the Palmetto State and the first sister ever appointed to the upper chamber. Privately, Graham Nordone has reportedly expressed interest in running for a full term. GRAHAM’S DEATH IGNITES GOP SCRAMBLE FOR SENATE SEAT AS TRUMP HINTS HE ALREADY HAS A FAVORITE Three people familiar with the deliberations told The Associated Press that Graham Nordone has started having conversations about a potential campaign. She was appointed to fulfill the remainder of her brother’s term on Monday by McMaster, and was sworn in on Tuesday. The filing period for a special primary runs from July 21 to July 28, and the primary is scheduled for Aug. 11. Several other noteworthy politicians — including Reps. Russell Fry, Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, as well as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette — have been eyeing a run, Fox News Digital confirmed earlier this week.
Conservatives flip script on Newsom after he demanded 25th Amendment for Trump: ‘Propped up a vegetable’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom ignited an online firestorm on Thursday evening when, in response to President Donald Trump’s election integrity speech, he suggested that it was time to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove the president for displaying what he described as cognitive impairment. “The only thing missing in Donald Trump’s speech was tin foil. This was a legitimate 25th Amendment moment — the rambling of a mad king,” Newsom said. Newsom’s call to use the 25th Amendment plays into preexisting calls from Democrats to examine Trump’s cognitive performance, but also sparked controversy online about how Democrats could seriously question Trump’s mental state when they dismissed similar concerns about now-former President Joe Biden. HOUSE DEMS UNVEIL BILL TO EXAMINE REMOVING TRUMP USING 25TH AMENDMENT The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, allows the Cabinet to deem the president unfit for duty or allows Congress to establish an independent body to make that call. To some critics, that case was much stronger under the last administration. “You literally propped up a vegetable and lied to the American people about his cognitive decline for four years and never mentioned the 25th amendment once,” the official Republican National Committee X account wrote in response, referring to Republican doubts that Biden had the mental acuity to run the country at age 82. “Given Newsom’s defense to this day of President Biden, calling him one of the greatest presidents ever, there’s a saying around sitting this one out that applies here…” Fox News contributor Joe Concha wrote on X. “Gavin Newsome wants to remove [Trump] from office for disclosing California could have tens of thousands of aliens illegally registered to vote and that China attacked 220 million voters,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. Trump addressed the country on Thursday evening, informing the public that his administration had discovered a series of weaknesses in election integrity. In particular, Trump said newly declassified documents would reveal foreign data theft carried out by China, that members of the U.S. government had known about election vulnerabilities for years, that Americans had been misled about those weaknesses and new evidence of “election fraud.” Fox News Digital could not independently verify the content of the documents that were released by the White House. Like many Democrats, Newsom cast doubt on the motives behind Trump’s speech, which came just four months ahead of the November midterms. ‘SHADOW GOVERNMENT’: TRUMP CLAIMS INTEL COMMUNITY BRAGGED ABOUT HIDING CHINESE MEDDLING “He wants to rig the election in 2026. He knows he is going to lose. That’s what that whole thing was about,” Newsom said. Other Democrats on Thursday rushed to Newsom’s support. “Boom. Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for the 25th Amendment to be invoked after Trump’s unhinged speech tonight. He’s right! Trump is mentally deranged and unfit to be president,” Harry Sisson, a Democratic influencer, wrote in a post to X. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., also echoed those calls. “He lies with every breath he takes. How can anyone deny the urgency of the 25th Amendment at this point?” This isn’t the first time Ansari has called to implement the 25th Amendment. Earlier this year, she joined other Democrats like Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., to call for Congress to remove Trump and establish an independent group to review the cognitive state of any president. The group would have included past presidents, physicians and other experts. “Trump is clearly experiencing severe cognitive decline and leaders from every political affiliation have recognized this. He’s become a national security threat to the United States,” Ansari said in April. Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on if he would support the bill supported by Ansari. Other conservatives raised concerns about how invoking the 25th Amendment might upend the country, taking it into uncharted territory. DONALD TRUMP’S AGE IS NOT RECEIVING THE SAME ‘SCRUTINY’ AS BIDEN’S DID, ATLANTIC WRITER COMPLAINS “Does anyone else think it’s weird that as he talks about Trump rigging an election, he simultaneously asks for the president’s cabinet to remove a duly elected president?” Joe Patterson, a California assemblyman, said in a post on social media. “Yeah, Gavin … that would pose no risk to our democracy at all. Get real!”
Trump blames Canada for wildfire smoke, says pollution costs should be added to tariffs
President Donald Trump on Friday blamed Canada for smoke from ongoing wildfires that has drifted into the United States, accusing the country of “willful negligence” in forest management and suggesting the economic costs of the pollution should be added to tariffs on Canadian imports. “We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. Trump said he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later Friday to discuss the issue. TRUMP SHOULD EXPAND HIS BORDER CRACKDOWN. TIMING IS PERFECT TO REIN IN CANADA AND MEXICO “I will call the Prime Minister during the day to find out what they are going to do about it,” Trump wrote. The president argued Canada had refused to engage in “basic Forest Management and Debris Removal,” despite knowing such practices could help reduce the risk of devastating wildfires. “Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal, knowing that such refusal will lead to exactly this result,” Trump wrote. “This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.” CALIFORNIA SUES TRUMP EPA OVER MOVE TO SUBJECT STATE VEHICLE EMISSIONS WAIVERS TO CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW Trump did not say how such costs would be incorporated into existing tariffs or whether he intended to pursue formal trade action tied to the wildfire smoke. The comments come as smoke from nearly 850 active wildfires across Canada — including more than 180 in Ontario — has drifted into the United States, prompting air quality alerts in more than 20 states from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast, according to NASA. Health officials have warned that wildfire smoke can pose health risks, particularly for people with underlying heart or lung conditions, and have advised residents in affected areas to monitor local air quality and limit outdoor activity when conditions worsen. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office and Natural Resources Canada for comment.
Maine Dems rally behind Platner’s far-left platform in scramble to court his followers: ‘Beyond furious’
Democrats competing to replace disgraced Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner embraced key parts of his progressive platform during Thursday’s debate, including abolishing ICE, Medicare for all, economic populism and criticism of Israel. The debate showed that Platner’s withdrawal following a rape allegation he denies has not produced a corresponding break from the agenda that powered him to a landslide primary victory. Democrats now have eight days to select a replacement to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins. All the candidates vying to replace the now-disgraced Platner called for eliminating ICE during the debate, which was held three days after the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old father in Biddeford, Maine. “Nobody deserves to get shot and killed in the streets when their three-year-old daughter is still in her pajamas,” said Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Nirav Shah, who was the runner-up in last month’s gubernatorial caucus, said: “I am beyond furious about the murder that happened in our streets.” TRANSGENDER MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE SPARKS ONLINE FRENZY OVER RESPONSE TO DEBATE QUESTION: ‘CAN’T BE SERIOUS’ The Department of Homeland Security said the driver attempted to flee and that an officer fired while fearing for public safety. The shooting is being investigated by Maine’s attorney general, the FBI and the DHS inspector general. The man who was killed was not the target of the enforcement action, according to information provided to Maine lawmakers. Shah, who directed the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023 and later served as principal deputy director of the federal CDC, pointed to what he called “the president’s goons” and emphasized, “I don’t think this agency can be reformed. The rot has gone to the core and that’s why we must abolish it.” Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate president who also ran unsuccessfully for the gubernatorial nomination, said, “I support law enforcement, but ICE is not law enforcement. It’s a rogue agency.” Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer for then-Rep. Katie Porter of California, unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination this year in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, a crucial swing seat, also called for abolishing ICE. “We need a new law enforcement agency that has the trust of the people,” he said. Dan Kleban, a co-founder of the Maine Beer Company who briefly ran for the Democratic Senate nomination before dropping out, said: “ICE needs to be abolished. It is rotten to the core, and it’s irredeemable.” David Costello, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2024 and this year, claimed ICE was a “political instrument” of the Trump administration and joined the chorus, saying “it should absolutely be abolished.” HARRIS CALLS FOR ICE PROBE AFTER MAINE SHOOTING AMID RENEWED ‘BORDER CZAR’ CRITICISM The shooting in Biddeford, which is located about 15 miles southwest of Portland, was the second fatal ICE shooting in a week, following a traffic stop incident in Houston, Texas. Four of the Democratic Senate candidates huddled with protesters in Biddeford hours after the incident, and Shah held a news conference the following day outside a Collins field office located just a few blocks from the scene of the shooting. “How many more people must die at the hands of Donald Trump’s masked marauders before we finally agree that now is the time to abolish ICE? Now, rather than abolishing it, what Susan Collins has decided to do in recent years is increase the budget,” Shah argued. Platner’s economic populism and critique of the “oligarchy” was also a common theme on the debate stage, as was criticizing Israel and the foreign aid that the country receives. The candidates were asked point-blank during the debate what ideas from Platner they intend to campaign on. “I think that’s pretty clear. I mean, what Graham talked about is something that I’ve been fighting for since I got into politics, healthcare, Medicare for all,” Jackson responded. “I mean, people in this country deserve to have healthcare. We deserve to have people in government that are not giving tax cuts to the ultra wealthy in this country on the backs of health care. This is something I believe strongly in.” Shah said there are “a lot of areas where Graham’s policies and mine overlap” and pointed to ICE as the main area of agreement. Wood pointed to “human rights work” and the need for “Palestinian statehood.” Bellows responded by saying, “The single idea from Graham Platner that spoke most deeply to me is that he’s right, the democracy that we thought we had has been deeply corrupted by those in power in Washington, the billionaires and the massive corporations.” Platner, a populist Democrat who was backed last September by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders, won the early June Democratic primary in a landslide. A combat veteran and oyster farmer whose campaign caught fire, Platner steamrolled the Democratic establishment. But even as he crushed the competition to capture the nomination, Platner had already been forced on defense in the wake of a slew of scandals. Platner dropped out earlier this month, amid calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to immediately exit the race following an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the claim. Facing a July 27 deadline to certify Platner’s replacement, the Maine Democratic Party will hold a July 25 nominating convention in Bangor, where 601 delegates will select the nominee. Thirteen candidates filed with the state party by Wednesday to seek the nomination, although one quickly dropped out. The candidates still need to collect the signatures of registered Maine Democrats by July 25 to qualify.
Trump DHS threatens federal funding cutoff for states that refuse voter-roll security push
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Friday that states refusing to comply with the Trump administration’s election-security requirements could lose federal funding, while warning that election officials who disregard information provided by DHS could face fines, penalties or even prison time. “If the election officials, once we gave them the information they need to secure their elections and they chose not to, then those individuals can also be held accountable by fines, by penalties, and even depending on how far it goes, prison time,” said Mullin. Mullin held a press conference following President Donald Trump’s address to the nation Thursday evening on “free and fair” elections. Mullin did not identify what law election officials would violate or what charges could be brought if they declined to act on information provided by DHS. Trump announced the declassification of intelligence that he alleged reveals “shocking vulnerabilities” related to “hacking, exploitation and foreign interference.” ‘SHADOW GOVERNMENT’: TRUMP CLAIMS INTEL COMMUNITY BRAGGED ABOUT HIDING CHINESE MEDDLING Twenty-three states are participating in DHS’ expanded SAVE program, which allows election officials to compare voter records against federal immigration data. Mullin separately said CISA would release an updated election-infrastructure plan within 30 days. Several Republican-led states, including Mississippi, North Dakota and West Virginia, are not currently participating in the partnership. “Every state that’s not participating with us should be asked the hard question why not? What are you afraid of? If they’re not willing to do it … it should raise serious questions. It’s not that hard. This isn’t a partisan issue,” said Mullin. DHS has announced election-security conditions for recipients of FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program. Mullin also said he was working with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on security requirements. DHS PLANS COSTLY CRACKDOWN ON STATES THAT DON’T COOPERATE ON ELECTION SECURITY Mullin said DHS identified 250,000 voter-registration records in California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania that the department believes belong to noncitizens. Mullin urged all states to join DHS’ election security program so officials can compare voter rolls against federal immigration and other databases to identify potentially ineligible registrations. WATCH: ELISSA SLOTKIN SAYS SAVE AMERICA ACT WOULD MAKE IT ‘HARD FOR ANY DEMOCRAT’ TO WIN AN ELECTION “States must do their part to secure our election system, and we stand by to help,” said Mullin. During the press conference, Mullin urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act,, which includes provisions requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and photo identification at the polls. “I think the Save Act should be passed tomorrow. I think it should have already been passed,” said Mullin. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has cast doubt on the bill’s path forward, saying Republicans do not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and DHS for comment.