Get right out of town
The House of Representatives is back in town after not voting since July 23. But the House is only back for less than a week. And the Senate doesn’t even return until Monday, September 14. The first day of school, this is not. House members descending on the Capitol this week – then abandoning Washington for Labor Day is kind of like the third and final preseason game in the NFL. THE WILL OF 100: TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT SIDELINED AFTER SENATE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO AUGUST EXIT Lots of fans show up for the first game of the NFL preseason. It’s usually a nice – if sweltering – August night. Not some bone-shivering chill in Cleveland with a foot of snow on the ground in mid-December. There’s anticipation. The first look at the new team. The first tailgate. First-string players and highly touted draft picks even play a series or two. But by the third preseason game, few want to be there. The die is cast for the roster spots. Players are cut. Even the most robust fans only show up for a quarter or two. In the NFL, everyone is waiting for the regular season to begin in a few weeks. That’s kind of where things are now in the House. Congress has tackled most of its business for the year. The highly-touted GOP “Reconciliation 3.0” likely falls by the wayside. Lawmakers even tucked into bed the usual autumn drama surrounding a possible government shutdown. The chances of a repeat following last year’s 43-day shutdown saga dissipated in early August when the Senate approved an interim, bipartisan bill which will fund the government through December 11. The House votes on that bill Tuesday. Everyone on Capitol Hill is now waiting for the regular season to begin. That’s what awaits the body politic following the midterm elections in November. And most members don’t even want to linger in Washington right now. As fast as they came to Washington, they wanted to skate out of town to campaign. That’s why attendance might be sparse over the next few days. The House had 384 members present for one non-controversial measure Monday night. A second vote recorded 388 members present. Those attendance figures could slide if the House returns to Washington in mid-September – as the schedule dictates. Especially among those who either lost their primaries or are retiring. In fact, Fox is told that some members in both camps have even considered resigning early. Imagine what that could do to the narrow Republican majority. TRUMP DEMAND PUTS VULNERABLE REPUBLICANS IN IMPOSSIBLE SPOT AHEAD OF MIDTERMS So, will the House stick it out this week, go home and come back in a few weeks? “Are we going to be here the entire period?” yours truly asked House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We’re going to be here this week and then we’re going to come back in a couple weeks?” “Well, it’s on the schedule,” Johnson replied. That’s a schedule which the House Republican leadership etched out last December – on the heels of that epic government shutdown. Who could have anticipated that government funding could work out so easily this time around. So what’s on the agenda? Republicans plan a vote on a resolution to get Democrats on the record of either supporting socialism or democracy. In other words, the GOP wants Democrats to put their voting cards where their policies are. “They want to abolish things like the U.S. Supreme Court. The United States Senate,” said Rep. Jeff Crank R-Colo. Republicans hope to compel Democrats to either accept or reject progressive, left-wing ideologies. “We need to see where Democrats stand on this because the American people are rejecting it,” said Rep. Tom Tiffany R-Wis., on Fox. “They’re going to try to distance themselves as much as they can,” said Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla. “But the fact is that’s where the Democratic Party is going. That’s where the energy of the Democratic Party is going.” This is what’s described in Congress as a “gotcha” vote. Republicans will dare Democrats to vote no. And if they do, the GOP will deploy that vote against vulnerable Democrats in campaign ads this fall. Some Democrats could vote to reject any relationship with socialism. In fact, the vote could give those Democrats a gift to say they’re opposed to socialists in the Democratic Party. But Republicans ensconced a measure in the resolution which could oblige Democrats to vote no. The measure includes the SAVE America Act. That’s the hallmark of the GOP’s agenda. It requires proof of citizenship for voting. Most Democrats view the SAVE America Act as a poison pill. So Democrats could vote nay. And some Republicans will still say “gotcha” if they oppose it. “The resolution elevates the so-called Save America Act, which is just the ‘suppress the vote act,’ said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries D-N.Y. “I’m not clear how many Democrats are actually going to support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the throats of the American people for the last year.” The House could also wrestle with a resolution to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C. He admitted to inappropriate conduct around female aides and dropped his reelection bid. There could be an effort to expel Rep. Cory Mills R-Fla. He faces allegations of financial misconduct and alleged assault of a woman at his apartment last year. But Mills lost his primary. Then there is Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio. The Ohio Republican faces allegations of spousal and child abuse. Republicans implored Miller to drop his reelection bid. But Miller doubled down, saying the allegations are false. Johnson says he supports Miller’s “reelection.” He contends the House shouldn’t take action until the Ethics Committee completes its inquiry. “He has been a great Member of Congress,” said Johnson of Miller. “He has some personal issues he’s still working through.” But it’s possible
Tensions erupt in House hearing as GOP advances anti-socialism resolution while Dems rage: ‘Silly season’
House Republicans are teeing up a pair of bills this week to put Democrats on the record about where they stand on their party’s socialist insurgency. The House Rules Committee just advanced a resolution to condemn socialism during its Monday meeting, with no Democrats voting in favor of moving it forward. Democrats, in fact, criticized the resolution as a waste of time. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., called the bill “nonsense” and argued it did little to better the lives of Americans. “So you’re concerned about rising gas, or are you concerned about grocery prices? You know, don’t worry. Republicans in Congress are passing another non-binding resolution condemning socialism,” McGovern said. HOUSE REPUBLICAN AIMS TO PUT DEMOCRATS ON THE RECORD OVER DSA WITH RESOLUTION CONDEMNING SOCIALISM Tensions erupted at one point as Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., clashed with Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., over the definition of socialism. Neguse had attempted to press Steil on whether he would see President Donald Trump trying to take a “20% stake” in Kroger grocery stores as socialism, to which Steil replied he would “want to see the details.” “Oh, you’d want to see the details,” Neguse yelled as the two men spoke over each other. “You said if the government owns grocery stores, that would be socialist. But if, of course, Donald Trump were to announce an equity stake in a grocery store, well, ‘I’d have to really see the details,’ because we all know the play.” Steil said he would be open to seeing such a proposal if it had a national security imperative, but stated repeatedly that Neguse was posing a hypothetical. At one point, Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chided Neguse for interrupting Steil. Steil shot back at one point, “Some folks on your side of the aisle would like to have government-run grocery stores. I think that’s nuts.” “And if the president of the United States announced that the United States government was taking an…equity stake in grocery stores?” Neguse pressed. After more back-and-forth, Steil said, “I think there would need to be a national security rationale for the action. I don’t see any in your hypothetical. I don’t see a national security focus.” Neguse called it a “helpful answer,” to which Steil quipped, “It’s a hypotherical. So we’re entering silly season.” A House-wide test known as a “rule vote” on the resolution will take place on Tuesday afternoon, followed finally by a vote on the resolution itself on Tuesday evening, according to a provisional schedule obtained by Fox News Digital. SOCIALISM SURGES AMONG DEMOCRATS AS PARTY LEADERS REJECT DSA AGENDA: ‘PACK OF FOOLS’ It’s not uncommon for Democrats on the House Rules Committee to oppose GOP-led measures. But the move is especially stark as Republicans seize on the left’s inter-party civil war that has dominated the midterm election cycle. Republicans are capitalizing on that civil war with another measure expected for a vote on Wednesday afternoon, according to that provisional schedule. That vote will be on a constitutional amendment to cap the number of Supreme Court justices at nine. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CLAIMS GOP ‘STOLE’ TWO SCOTUS SEATS IN 2016, 2020, CALLS FOR EXPANSION Several top progressives, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., have called for expanding the Supreme Court to up to 13 seats. House GOP leaders have opted to fast-track that legislation past the House Rules Committee. In exchange, however, it will need two-thirds of the chamber to pass as opposed to a simple majority. CARVILLE UNLOADS ON DSA SOCIALISTS: ‘DON’T USE OUR GOD—- NAME’ “It’s time for the Democrats to pick a side. Stop playing the middle. Be proud of who you are. You were elected to lead, so lead. Have an opinion. We intend to put you on record,” House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Fox News Digital. “Do you want to pack the Supreme Court or not? It’s really simple. It’s a yes or no vote. It’s no bigger than that. Two — do you believe in socialism? If you do, you should say it loud and say it proud. I personally don’t believe in socialism. I like the fact that we have a democracy, that we have a republic, that we have a free society. And I’m proud to put myself on record.” Meanwhile the top Democrat, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., side-stepped a question on whether he supports the anti-socialism resolution on Monday. “I haven’t taken a look at that resolution, although it’s my understanding that the resolution elevates the so-called SAVE America Act, which is just the ‘Suppress the Vote Act.’ And I’m not clear how many Democrats are actually gonna support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the road to the American people for the last year,” he told reporters. JOHNSON SCORES COMMANDING VICTORY IN FIGHT TO RAM SAVE AMERICA ACT THROUGH DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION In addition to condemning socialism, the resolution also hails Republican-led election security bills as “common-sense election integrity measures, including proof of citizenship, photo identification, and database checks.” It calls for the “enforcement” of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has passed the House but has not been taken up in the Senate. Democrats have largely panned that legislation as attempts at voter suppression. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., said the bill was a bid to “silence political opponents.” “Let’s scare people with yet another boogeyman and not do anything about it. Not really solve problems, just try to scare people,” Scanlon said. Meanwhile, Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., pointed out that Democratic socialists were already in power in his own state and warned it could spread elsewhere. “I’ve seen firsthand the alarming rise of socialism…families in western New York have watched one-party rule in Albany pile on more taxes, more mandates, more government control, while hardworking taxpayers are
Who pays for US power boom? Blue, red states offer starkly different ways to lower utility bills amid AI surge
As the AI boom drives an unprecedented hunt for electricity, two states are taking sharply different approaches to assuage fears that Big Tech’s massive energy needs will raise Americans’ utility bills. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s approach is to set statewide ground rules before large data centers connect to the grid. Under legislation she signed in July, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities must create a separate rate structure for large data centers and ensure that the costs of new substations, transmission lines or other grid upgrades built mainly for the data center, are not added to other customers’ bills. The law also requires large data centers to commit to paying for at least 85% of the electricity capacity they request for a 10-year period, in case they scale back their power use or close, and it directs regulators to encourage data centers to bring clean generation or energy storage online, use power more efficiently and reduce their electricity demand during emergencies. CHINESE BOT FARM CAUGHT RED-HANDED TRYING TO INFLUENCE HEATED AI DATA CENTER DEBATE Sherrill has paired those ratepayer protections with new disclosure and local-planning measures. A separate law she signed this week requires operators to report their energy and water use to the state twice a year. Sherrill’s administration says the reporting and new municipal guidance will give officials a clearer picture of data centers’ demands and help communities assess local impacts and negotiate with developers. Meanwhile, Indiana is taking a different approach. Rather than impose statewide rules for every large data center, state regulators approved a deal negotiated by Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), the Fort Wayne-based utility serving customers in Indiana and Michigan, along with consumer advocates and major technology companies. The deal grew out of a wave of huge planned projects in I&M’s service area. Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced an $11 billion data-center campus near New Carlisle, Indiana, in 2024, while Google announced a $2 billion project in Fort Wayne. I&M and state officials then had to determine who would cover the cost of the additional power and grid infrastructure needed to serve those projects. FROM NETFLIX TO GPS: 10 WAYS THIS HIDDEN TECH INFRASTRUCTURE QUIETLY POWERS MODERN LIFE According to I&M, the 2025 agreement requires new large customers, including data centers, to make long-term financial commitments to pay for the electric service they request, even if their future demand falls short of expectations. With those commitments in place, I&M says it can turn the new demand into a benefit for existing customers. The utility is now asking regulators to cut base rates by $59 million in 2027, saying revenue from large customers, including data centers, makes the reduction possible. If the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approves the plan, I&M says an Indiana household using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month would save about $100 a year. The utility is also proposing to freeze all rates on customers’ monthly bills for three years, with a decision expected in June 2027 and any savings beginning that summer. Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy advocacy group Power The Future, said Indiana’s approach was better than New Jersey’s more prescriptive framework, but argued neither state had gone far enough to ensure the AI buildout adds power to the grid rather than simply consuming it. DSA CANDIDATE PUSHES FEDERAL AI DATA CENTER MORATORIUM WITH MICHIGAN EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY “Indiana’s approach is definitely the better of the two,” Turner told Fox News Digital. “At least Indiana is saying, ‘Hey, we don’t know where this is going, but we’re not going to put in all of the guardrails yet to stop progress from happening. Let’s work together and figure out what the solution is.’” Turner said he would make new power generation part of the deal from the start. New Jersey’s law encourages data centers to bring clean generation or energy storage online, but Turner said facilities should be built alongside the generation needed to run them and add capacity to the broader grid. “Every data center should be built in conjunction with the necessary power-generating facility to power it and give back to the grid,” he said. Turner posited that data centers have become a political football, with officials too often choosing sweeping restrictions or open-ended delays instead of working with utilities, developers and local communities on plans that protect ratepayers while adding needed power. KEVIN O’LEARY DETAILS MASSIVE UTAH AI DATA CENTER TO RIVAL CHINA’S TECH DOMINANCE “The solutions to data centers are not complicated issues to solve,” he said. “They just require political will.” The Trump administration has already sought to turn that argument into a national model. In March, the White House announced a Ratepayer Protection Pledge signed by major technology companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI, which the administration says commits the companies to cover the cost of additional electricity generation needed for AI data centers rather than pass it along to families. Turner noted the stakes of the data-center debate extend well beyond local utility bills, arguing that the United States cannot afford to fall behind China in the race to build and control artificial intelligence. “When you tell Americans why we have to win the AI race, look at what China did with the Wuhan flu and how they tried to lie about that,” Turner said. “Now imagine they can do that with every single piece of intellectual property on every platform in real time. That alone should scare the crap out of Americans.”
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to Trump
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News. The resignation remains pending and has not been accepted by the White House, the official said. A source familiar with the matter told Fox News that Driscoll had raised concerns with the administration about the Army’s transformation and readiness, including his belief that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had hindered those efforts. “Driscoll brought up concerns with the administration surrounding Army transformation and readiness and Hegseth’s blocking those efforts specifically by firing the Generals who were responsible,” the source said. TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION GETS ANOTHER LIFELINE FROM SCOTUS AMID HEATED LEGAL FIGHT Tensions reportedly intensified as Hegseth removed several senior Army leaders, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George. Driscoll addressed George’s departure during an April 16 House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, recalling he was in North Carolina on vacation with his family and drove directly to the general’s home after learning that George had been asked to submit his resignation. HEGSETH UPGRADES ABBEY GATE MARINES’ VALOR AWARDS AFTER 5-YEAR DELAY: ‘THOSE DAYS ARE OVER’ “We walked right in, and we all gave him a hug,” Driscoll said. “There is no person that has more respect for General George and his 42 years of service, his Purple Heart, his wife, Patty, their grandkids, their kids. I adore them, and he was an amazing, transformational leader.” He added, “The design of our system is that they get to pick the leaders that they want, and we execute on those orders.” PROGRESSIVE PRAISE FOR TRUMP AS WARREN BACKS PUSH TO CURB DEFENSE CONTRACTOR CEO PAYOUTS Driscoll is expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming days, according to The Wall Street Journal. Driscoll, a close ally of Vice President JD Vance, attended Yale Law School with Vance after both served in the military. As Army secretary, Driscoll has worked with Silicon Valley companies to expand the Army’s drone capabilities.
Vance unloads on El-Sayed after Usha swipe with brutal warning: ‘Way out of your league’
Vice President JD Vance urged Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed during a rally on Monday to focus on substantive policy issues instead of attacking his wife. “I actually think that the people of Michigan think it’s kind of weird when you talk about another guy’s wife,” Vance said at a metro Detroit rally organized by MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with the president. “I think the people of Michigan would like you to talk about the public policy ideas …I think the people of Michigan would like you to talk about how you’re going to protect auto workers when you’re supporting every single policy that has undercut the wages and jobs of Michigan auto workers your entire life in public service.” EL-SAYED UNDER FIRE ONLINE AFTER TAKING AIM AT USHA VANCE, FEMALE TRUMP AIDE IN WEEKEND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS “But whatever you want to talk about, Abdul, keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth because she’s way out of your league,” the vice president added. Vance’s quip was in response to El-Sayed saying “do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no” after the vice president suggested that Sharia law would have been an alien concept to his grandfather. Critics said the post appeared to take aim at Usha Vance’s Indian heritage. El-Sayed later said his point was that Vance seemed to be suggesting some people are “more American” than others because their families have been in the country longer, noting that Vance’s own in-laws are immigrants. “If you’re a rural White American living in Michigan, just remember El-Sayed believes you’re a racist,” conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky said in response to the Democratic hopeful’s statement. SECOND LADY USHA VANCE FIRES BACK AT POINTED JAB FROM DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINEE ABDUL EL-SAYED Earlier in his speech, Vance accused El-Sayed of undercutting his support for working people by taking liberal positions on immigration issues. “We’re here to talk about protecting Michigan truck drivers, but also protecting the safety of every single person who drives on the road with a semi truck, which is all of us,” Vance said. “Here’s the crazy thing. Just a few years ago, Abdul El-Sayed said that we need to make sure that illegal aliens have driver’s licenses in this country. He would love to undercut the wages of American truckers.” Vance said El-Sayed represents a “terrible evil” during his speech, prompting El-Sayed to turn the characterization back on the vice president. “Evil is ripping healthcare away from working people in exchange for tax breaks for billionaires. Evil is making people pay more for groceries and gas while pushing for trade wars and actual war. Evil is dividing people for your own gain. Evil is selling out your morals for a little bit of power,” El-Sayed said later Monday in response to Vance’s charge. “Michigan is better than being lectured to by sock puppets from Ohio and Florida. We understand what’s at stake, and Michiganders will show you at the ballot box this November when we send Mike Rogers packing.” TRUMP ADMIN INVESTIGATING 75 TRUCK DRIVER SCHOOLS FOR FRAUD, HELPING NON-CITIZENS GET LICENSES In 2018, El-Sayed expressed support for allowing illegal immigrants to obtain standard driver’s licenses, though he did not specifically push for those in the country illegally to receive the commercial driver’s licenses necessary to operate long-haul trucks. While Vance and El-Sayed differ in their approaches to immigration, the two both agree, in principle, that tariffs should be used to benefit American industry. The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.
Trump’s White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight
The Supreme Court has again sided with the Trump administration, allowing construction on the White House ballroom project to continue while the case continues to be litigated in the lower courts. The court split 5-4 in granting the emergency request. The decision replaces a temporary order Chief Justice John Roberts issued just hours before a lower-court ruling blocking the work was set to take effect. The underlying litigation will continue in the lower courts, but court documents indicate key parts of the project could be completed within months, potentially outpacing the legal process. Trump quickly celebrated the decision, declaring that the high court had cleared the way for the massive project to move forward “without any further contingency, doubt, or threat.” “We are living in the Golden Age of America, and this Building will be one of the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C.,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOES FACE ‘VERY TOUGH ARGUMENT’ AT SUPREME COURT, LEGAL EXPERTS SAY Trump said the “magnificent Ballroom and Military Complex” is expected to be completed in summer 2028 and predicted it will be “something that the entire Country is very proud of.” He also took a swipe at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, blasting its legal challenge as a “baseless lawsuit” and claiming the project is both under budget and ahead of schedule. “The Ballroom is totally funded by Great Patriots and Corporations and, therefore, is a Gift — At no cost to the American Taxpayer,” Trump wrote. The president’s victory lap came as Chief Justice John Roberts issued a strongly worded dissent from the latest order, declaring that construction of the ballroom is “likely unlawful” and warning that allowing the project to proceed risks infringing on Congress’ constitutional powers. “The President ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new, privately funded state ballroom in its place,” Roberts wrote. “Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year.” APPEALS COURT SAYS FEDERAL JUDGE MUST RECONSIDER BLOCKING WH BALLROOM, WEIGH NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS “That construction is likely unlawful,” he wrote. Roberts pointed to federal law that prohibits the construction of any “building or structure” on federal government parkland in Washington, D.C., without express authorization from Congress. The chief justice argued that the ballroom falls squarely within that restriction because it is being built on President’s Park, federal land that encompasses the White House and surrounding grounds. “The ballroom is a building or structure being erected on federal park grounds—President’s Park—in the District of Columbia,” Roberts wrote. “Yet Congress has not passed any law resembling ‘express authority’ for the Executive’s construction of it.” TRUMP SAYS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM RULING JEOPARDIZES LIVES OF FUTURE PRESIDENTS, VOWS SUPREME COURT APPEAL The Supreme Court’s decision allows construction to continue while the underlying legal challenge plays out, but it does not settle the ultimate question of whether the ballroom project is lawful. The case remains in litigation in the lower courts, meaning Roberts’ assertion that the construction is “likely unlawful” represents his view in dissent rather than a final determination by the Supreme Court. DOJ CITES WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING IN PUSH TO DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST BALLROOM Roberts also took issue with the court’s treatment of Alison Hoagland, who originally challenged the project, arguing that both the historic nature of the White House and her interest in its preservation deserved greater weight. “The White House is not just any building, and—when it comes to historic preservation—Hoagland is not just any person,” Roberts wrote. REPUBLICANS QUESTION TRUMP’S ‘PRIVATELY FUNDED’ BALLROOM AFTER REPORT POINTS TO TAXPAYER BURDEN “In failing to appreciate as much, the Court misconceives the plaintiff’s injury, allowing the Executive’s likely infringement of the Legislature’s power of the purse and authority to regulate federal property in the District of Columbia to continue,” he wrote. “Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers.” Roberts closed his dissent by invoking former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and issuing a pointed warning about how decisions involving the White House are made. “Winston Churchill once remarked that ‘[w]e shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us,’” Roberts wrote. “All the more reason to ensure that those responsible follow the rules in deciding what to tear down and what to build up at the People’s House.” “I respectfully dissent,” he wrote. In addition to Roberts, Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson also dissented. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump’s Canada tariff fight reaches critical point as House GOP summons trade chief
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s top trade advisor will huddle with House Republicans on Wednesday as the commander in chief’s tariff strategy is quickly becoming a flashpoint on the campaign trail. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is attending the Republican Study Committee’s weekly lunch this week, a source familiar with planning told Fox News Digital. Two additional sources told Fox News Digital they expect lawmakers to raise the issue of Trump’s trade war with Canada. VANCE SAYS CANADA FRIENDLIER TO CHINA ON TRADE THAN TO US: ‘INSANITY’ It comes as tensions escalate between the U.S. and its northern ally. Trump accused Ontario of ripping off American businesses in a post on Truth Social Sunday, claiming Canada wants “to be treated like a state, but they aren’t one.” ‘CAPTAIN CANADA’ FIREBRAND UNLOADS ON TRUMP WITH PROFANE ONE-LINER AS TRADE WAR ESCALATES “They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop,” Trump wrote. The U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods in late July, with the duties going into effect earlier this month. Canada responded with its own tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. imports. TRUMP JUST EXPANDED HIS TARIFF PLAYBOOK WITH A POWERFUL TRADE WEAPON NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER USED Trump also escalated tensions with the country this month by signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” It’s not clear when the meeting between Greer and RSC was planned, nor is it clear if Fox News Digital’s sources expect questions or outright opposition to the trade war. But Trump’s tariffs have been a political lightning rod for much of his second term. The House passed a bill in February aimed at reversing Trump’s earlier Canada tariffs, with six Republicans voting in support. Just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted against it.
DSA leader’s working-class image takes hit as public records pile up contradictions
The contradictions are piling up around New York City Democratic Socialists of America co-chair Gustavo Gordillo, whose claims about his working-class credentials — from being a “union electrician” to his housing and family story — have increasingly collided with public records and other evidence. Gordillo has repeatedly invoked his family’s immigrant success story while explaining his support for socialism. “My parents came here, they had nothing,” Gordillo told the New York Times in a profile piece earlier this month. “Their first jobs were in fast food and cleaning houses. They built success in this country. And they’re absolutely the exception.” According to Gordillo, he advances the cause of socialism because he believes it can “build a world” where his parents’ success story is “not exceptional.” LUXURY TRAVEL, SHOPPING, SIX-FIGURE INCOME: BATTLEGROUND DEMS RIPPED FOR ‘PHONY’ WORKING-CLASS NARRATIVE A 2021 obituary for Gordillo’s paternal grandfather, however, raises questions about the family history behind that account, the New York Post reported Saturday. Manuel Gordillo, Gordillo’s grandfather, emigrated from Peru to the United States to practice medicine in 1958. After settling in the United States, Manuel met his future wife in St. Louis, and the couple later had Gordillo’s father, Gustavo, per the obituary. The obituary also notes that Gordillo’s grandfather built a successful life as a psychiatrist in Ohio, at one point serving as the president of the Ohio Psychiatric Association, casting doubt on the socialist’s claim that his parents grew up in poverty. “My dad, his first job in the United States was working at Wendy’s, my mom’s first job was a house cleaner, and they did make a living for themselves, and they had success,” Gordillo told Fox News in July. The elder Gordillo’s obituary portrays him as a loving and active father, noting that he raised his “children in Lakewood, Ohio” and that “his most cherished role was as a husband, father, grandfather, and uncle/tio.” “Gustavo and his parents were born in Peru and immigrated to the US,” a New York City Democratic Socialists of America spokesperson told Fox News Digital following publication. “Gustavo’s father grew up in Peru, not in the United States, and the family had limited contact with Gustavo’s grandfather, who is the subject of the Post’s recent reporting.” The New York City Democratic Socialists of America later told Fox News Digital that their co-chair’s father was a product of Gordillo’s first marriage. The questions surrounding Gordillo’s account of his family history come after discrepancies emerged over how he has described his occupation and living arrangements. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST HEADED FOR $142K LEGISLATURE SALARY BEGS FOR RENT HANDOUT, DELETES POST AFTER BACKLASH The 38-year-old socialist, for example, told the New York Times that he was renting a modest apartment in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn only for it to be revealed that he was actually living in a $1.4 million townhouse owned by his father in a trendier part of the borough. “Not only did DSA co-chair Gustavo Gordillo’s parents buy him this rowhouse, they converted it from a two family and renovated it into a luxury single-family home for him,” New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said on X. “Exactly the kind of ‘greed’ the DSA rails against on a daily basis, and reducing valuable housing inventory by one more unit, which is supposedly something the DSA cares very deeply about.” FRUSTRATED BLUE-COLLAR UNION BOSSES RIP SOCIALIST POLITICIANS, WARN OF LABOR EXODUS FROM DEM PARTY Also undercutting Gordillo’s working-class image is his continued self-identification as a “union electrician” despite the fact that he hasn’t been a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers since March, when he was fired for not showing up to his apprenticeship. “After learning of Mr. Gordillo’s prolonged absence from and failure to participate in required work and classes, the trustees of the Joint Apprentice Training Committee terminated Mr. Gordillo from the program,” the IBEW said in a statement. Even with the IBEW publicly stating that Gordillo is not a member of their organization, the socialist leader still identifies himself as a “union electrician” on social media.
Trump admin revives ‘Apprentice’-era energy with $1M business battle in DC
FIRST ON FOX: The Small Business Administration is bringing a celebrity panel to Washington next month to judge five entrepreneurs competing for a share of a $1 million prize pool, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned. “As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, the SBA is celebrating America’s legacy of free enterprise through the Million Dollar Pitch Competition—a historic live event showcasing the essential contributions of America’s small businesses,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler told Fox News Digital. Entrepreneurs from across the nation submitted their ideas earlier this year, leaving five finalists to participate in a live pitch competition in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18. Rapper Nicki Minaj, entrepreneur and private equity fund manager Grant Cardone, co-founder of Airbnb and U.S. Chief Design Office Joe Gebbia will judge the final competition. Award-winning actor Dean Cain will host the event, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned. REP ROGER WILLIAMS: 250 YEARS OF HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR MAIN STREET BUSINESSES The competition is another example of the Trump administration’s efforts to spotlight American ingenuity and partner with the private sector to support innovation and small-business growth, Fox News Digital learned. “Their participation brings invaluable real-world perspective as our five exceptional finalists compete for a share of $1 million in growth capital. I look forward to joining them next month as we recognize the innovators and job creators who power American strength,” Loeffler added. The participants were evaluated based on categories of strengthening American competitiveness, examples of small businesses “punching above its weight,” economic impact and quality jobs and business fundamentals and execution readiness. AMAZON EXPLORES ‘THE APPRENTICE’ REBOOT WITH TRUMP JR SET FOR PROMOTION: REPORT The five finalists are defense technology company Compotech, Inc. in Brewer, ME, metalworking machinery manufacturer Winton Machine in Suwanee, GA, plastic mold manufacturing company Plas-Tech Tooling in Garner, IA, pressure vessel manufacturer Red River in Gillette, WY, and machinery manufacturing firm VetPowered LLC in San Diego, CA. No finalist will go empty-handed with the first-place winner scoring $400,000, second place winning $250,000, third place gets $150,000 and fourth place will take home $125,000, leaving fifth place with $75,000. The competition also echoes the format of Trump’s hit early-2000s reality show, “The Apprentice,” which put aspiring business leaders through a series of challenges for a chance to work for his company. ‘SHARK TANK’ STAR DAYMOND JOHN SAYS ‘YOU’LL BE SCREWED’ IF YOU DO THIS WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS The successful show aired for 14 seasons with Trump as host.
El-Sayed torched online after brushing off questions about Hasan Piker campaign ties: ‘What a pal’
Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is facing a wave of online blowback after dodging questions about his ties to far-left streamer Hasan Piker, a frequent presence on the campaign trail in Michigan. When asked about Piker’s influence on his campaign, El-Sayed told reporters the race is about Michigan and that he is “not interested in a conversation about a social media person in California.” “But I don’t want to have a conversation about a Twitch streamer in California,” El-Sayed said. “This is not a serious conversation.” Fox News Digital then pressed El-Sayed on why he brought Piker to Michigan if that was the case, which he waved off before doubling down and calling Piker “a single streamer from California” when another reporter asked if he would condemn him. ABDUL EL-SAYED PLAYS DOWN HASAN PIKER TIES AFTER STREAMER’S VIRAL ANTISEMITISM FIRESTORM The clip exploded across social media and drew widespread ridicule as El-Sayed scrambles to distance himself from the streamer, who has roughly 10 million social media followers. In a post on X, writer and political commentator Stephen L. Miller wrote, “Amazing. They are so terrified of him that she literally jumps in one question deep.” “Who is the candidate here?” Miller wrote in another post. “This keeps getting worse,” Republican political strategist Kyle Martinsen posted on X. “I’m interested in it so there’s a problem here,” Townhall senior columnist Kurt Schlichter posted on X. In another post on X, “The Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet wrote, “It’s very clear Abul El Sayed is panicking. He went from doing a half dozen campaign stops with Hasan Piker and taking glamor shots with him, to refusing to say his name. Now he’s just ‘some media person in California.’ What a pal.” HASAN PIKER INSISTS ABDUL EL-SAYED ASKED HIM TO ‘STUMP’ FOR MICHIGAN CAMPAIGN AMID BACKLASH “He might be worse than Kamala…,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. Pro-Israel activist and philanthropist Adam Milstein also wrote in a post on X, “El Sayed again refuses to condemn Hasan Piker — who himself recently confirmed it was El Sayed that asked him to campaign for him, not the reverse.” Piker has emerged as a growing flashpoint within the Democratic Party over his past controversial remarks, including his claim that “America deserved 9/11.” Last week, El-Sayed responded to outrage over his association with Piker after the streamer’s comments on a viral audio clip involving Jewish Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in the state’s 11th Congressional District, sparked outrage. “I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople,” El-Sayed said in a statement. EL-SAYED PALS AROUND WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER THE DAY BEFORE CRUCIAL MICHIGAN SENATE ELECTION Despite El-Sayed’s attempts to distance himself from Piker, the streamer has spoken openly about his invitation to join the campaign, saying at an April rally with El-Sayed, “The reason why, when Abdul asked for me to come on this journey with him, I said yes, absolutely.” In a Friday interview with Semafor columnist David Weigel, Piker said El-Sayed also asked him to “stump” for his campaign. El-Sayed will face Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers for retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ seat in a race that could determine control of the Senate. Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign for comment.