Biden’s classified docs narrative crumbles amid release of ghostwriter tapes: ‘Be careful’
Former President Joe Biden’s recordings from interviews with his memoir ghostwriter — obtained during special counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation — have been released to the public. After a months-long fight from Biden’s attorneys to block the release of the tape, they abandoned their lawsuit calling for a dismissal Friday, in which a judge accepted Monday. The plaintiff, Mike Howell formerly with conservative think tank Heritage Foundation and now at Oversight Project, has fought for more than two years to obtain the materials through FOIA requests, arguing that the public has an interest in reviewing the recordings and transcripts on which Hur based his decision. BIDEN’S HUR INTERVIEW TAPES COULD NOW GO PUBLIC AFTER HIS ATTORNEYS WAVE WHITE FLAG The Oversight Project published hours of recordings from Biden’s 2016 and 2017 conversations with his “Promise Me, Dad” ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer, in which the then-former vice president frequently pauses, speaks haltingly and struggles to recall events — reinforcing Special Counsel Robert Hur’s characterization in his report. “Joe Biden didn’t want these tapes to come out. But now they have — after two years of painful delay. There is no joy in Bidenville today. Robert Hur’s and Merrick Garland’s decision to give Biden a free pass for keeping and disclosing classified information must now be reexamined from top to bottom,” Oversight Project Vice President of Litigation Jeff Clark exclusively told Fox News Digital. The House Judiciary Committee announced there were 2 hours and 45 minutes of recordings released. Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents dating from his time as vice president in the Obama administration and as a U.S. senator from Delaware. He declined to pursue criminal charges because he concluded prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Biden willfully retained or disclosed the material. HUNTER BIDEN RESURFACES IN LA, REACTS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT BIDEN TAPES, UFO FILES In his report, Hur wrote that Biden’s conversations were “painfully slow” and said Biden was “struggling to remember events and straining at times to read and relay his own notebook entries.” “Mr. Biden’s memory was significantly limited, both during his recorded interviews with the ghostwriter in 2017 and in his interview with our office in 2023,” wrote Hur. He also said, in shocking reasoning for the lack of prosecution, that Biden could appear to a jury as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” rather than an intentional violator of classified document laws. The interview recordings show instances where Biden takes long pauses, forgets names, and can’t recall specific days. Biden warned Zwonitzer while discussing a 2014 Situation Room meeting, “Some of this may be classified, so be careful,” and added, “I’m not sure. It isn’t marked classified, but….” In one instance, on April 24, 2017, Biden struggled to recall two economic advisers. “I’ll think of his name,” said Biden, and then, “I should write the names down because I keep forgetting them.” A long pause follows before Zwonitzer says Alan Krueger’s name. On the same day, Biden fails to recall where he was on a certain date, later remembering he was at a memorial for a fallen service member – and forgot his name. “I think I went to that memorial service in Wilmington. It says [REDACTED] December the 4th, but I don’t — I know what this means. Memorial service — [REDACTED] gets names really f—ed up,” said Biden. “So it says memorial service for [REDACTED]. I don’t think her name was [REDACTED]. Or I forget [REDACTED].” Zwonitzer responded, “Okay,” and Biden said he would “make a note of that too.” “But at any rate, back to — there was — I had a meeting with Ron Klain, and I don’t know when,” Biden added. Biden also appeared to struggle in recalling a lunch with former United States Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers. “When he, when he came to me — and I’ll get the date. Remind me when did Summers come to me to have lunch to — it was when I was thinking about running.” He later goes on to say, “Here’s what happened, before I forget. Don’t mind my train of thought. He also pledged to support me in 2016.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Office of Joe Biden for comment.
Senate clears way for Trump’s top spy as key anti-terror program remains in limbo
President Donald Trump’s pick to run the nation’s intelligence agencies is one step closer to clinching the job, and puts the Senate ever-closer to jump-starting a key counter-terrorism tool in the process. The Senate advanced Jay Clayton through a key hurdle Monday night to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). It comes after former DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s sudden exit from the position to care for her cancer-stricken husband. The largely partisan 51-43 vote to move Clayton, who formerly chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump’s first term, comes after he narrowly squeaked out the Senate Intelligence Committee on a 9 to 8 vote. TRUMP’S DNI PICK CLEARS KEY HURDLE, REVIVING PATH FOR NATION’S TOP ANTI-TERROR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., challenged Democrats to support Clayton during the broader, final vote, but expected them to resist as they have with several other Trump nominees through his second term. “One might think that we’d be seeing some bipartisanship from Democrats on this nominee,” Thune said. “But Democrats are playing the same partisan games with this qualified nominee as they have for so many of President Trump’s picks.” “It’s a funny thing because Democrats have made no secret of their disdain for the current acting Director of … National intelligence,” he continued. “In fact, Democrats were so worked up over the president’s temporary choice for this position, they allowed our nation’s most important counterterrorism tool to go dark for the first time ever.” TRUMP CONCESSION BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO STALLED FISA SPY POWERS DEAL The Senate will now vote on confirmation Tuesday, putting an end cap on an arduous process to replace Gabbard. When she announced her exit from the position, Trump hastily installed Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte to lead the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies in the interim. That came as the Senate was nearing a vote on a bipartisan deal to keep the nation’s top counter-terrorism tool, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), running ahead of its expiration. But Democrats, who railed against Pulte and accused him of being an unqualified loyalist who would weaponize the intelligence community against the president’s enemies and try to dismantle it, walked away from the deal after Trump torpedoed Clayton’s previously scheduled confirmation hearing. SPY LAW USED TO STOP TAYLOR SWIFT ATTACK TO LAPSE AS CONGRESS SKIPS TOWN, WORLD CUP NEARS Less than 24 hours before Clayton’s penultimate test, Pulte announced on X that he had completed his fourth round of layoffs as DNI. “Since becoming Acting Director of National Intelligence, our team has been smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of ODNI, re-focusing ODNI on national security, the law, and the statute,” Pulte said. “As of this evening, we just finished a 4th round of thoughtful, measured layoffs. Thank you!” The Section 702 program has since been steadily going dark, with new authorizations caught in a legal void until lawmakers reauthorize the program that has been used to thwart deadly terror attacks, including halting a mass-casualty terror plot at a Taylor Swift show in Vienna, Austria. Last week, only Republicans on the panel voted Clayton out of committee after he failed to satisfy Senate Democrats’ questioning on who won the 2020 election, his knowledge of Gabbard’s raid on the Fulton County, Georgia election offices, and subpoenas against New York Times reporters that his were submitted by him in his role as the top prosecutor in New York’s Southern District. Those subpoenas were voluntarily withdrawn by the Department of Justice last week, two days after Clayton was confirmed by the panel.
Summer School: Republicans’ crusade to teach voters the ‘New Math’ on the ‘commie caucus’
The House is gone. But the campaign is on. “We’re going to have a lot to talk about during this break,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. “The contrast on the ballot this November between communism and freedom.” School is out for the summer in the House until August 31. But Republicans envision a version of summer school for the voters. They intend to educate people about Democratic candidates who are veering to the left. “The reality is that the communist caucus, the commie caucus is coming to Congress,” claimed Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE’S FINAL SPRINT PUTS SAVE AMERICA ACT AND IRAN FUNDING IN PLAY Republicans hope to cling to their narrow House majority by distinguishing themselves from Democrats – and noting how Democrats tapped far-left candidates in New York City and even Colorado. These “Democratic Socialists of America” candidates will undoubtedly prevail in their districts. But Republicans believe that left-wing Democrats freak out independents and mainstream Democrats. The GOP is banking on that as an insurance policy to maintain control of the House. House Republicans also enjoyed some relative success last week for the first time in months. The GOP advanced a host of bills important to them. And, simultaneously got Democrats on the record about bills which Republicans think they can boomerang against their adversaries this fall. “They have to answer for why they voted against funding our troops, against funding the government, against common sense policies like voter ID and proof of citizenship,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. The House approved a plan barring stock trades by Members, 232-198. Only 13 Democrats voted yes compared to all Republicans. But the GOP tacked on a voter ID mandate. Democrats argue that provision transformed a once bipartisan issue into a GOP political wedge. “I proudly voted no because we are not going to sabotage mail-in voting in this country. And we’re not going to fall for that kind of bait-and-switch tactic here,” fumed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Democrats have long campaigned on affordability. “Today, prices are up over 25 cents a gallon above $4 a gallon in my region,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa. SUCCESSION: WHY CONGRESS HAS NO CLEAR PLAN WHEN LAWMAKERS CAN’T SERVE President Donald Trump has now paused the air campaign against Iran after two weeks of consecutive bombing. But the war in Iran presents Democrats with a political opening. “Will Democrats recalibrate their message on Iran? Will we see ads on Iran going into the midterms?” yours truly asked House Minority Leader Jeffries, D-N.Y. “We don’t have to recalibrate our message. We’ve been opposed to Donald Trump’s reckless and costly war of choice in the Middle East from the very beginning,” replied Jeffries. There was a split decision on Capitol Hill last week. The House voted to shackle the president on Iran war powers. Four Republicans defected and sided with Democrats. “He ran on no new wars,” said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt. “He’s making the case for us. He hit voters over and over and over with this promise. And then he did the exact opposite.” Still, the president’s allies claimed that the vote undercuts American forces in harm’s way. “To belittle this mission is to belittle and demean the very service these members who gave their lives,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla. A couple of hours later, the Senate rejected the House’s rebuke of the President. “I think Democrats have taken that tack from the start,” said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., of the Democrats hoping to cut off the Iran operation. “It wouldn’t have passed if it wasn’t for Republicans in the House,” yours truly pointed out. “A few Republicans,” conceded Hoeven. “But I think there’s strong support in our party (for the President).” That’s ultimately why the Senate defeated its Iran measure. Some GOPers argued that the U.S. has Iran on the ropes. “Last time I checked, we’ve wiped these b——s out. An occasional missile strike and boats in the Strait (of Hormuz). That’s not military strength. Those are the flailings of a failing empire,” declared Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont. HOUSE GOP VOTES TO PUNT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BATTLE TO AFTER NOVEMBER MIDTERMS But Senate Democrats chided Republicans for not intervening in the conflict. “Every time Republicans oppose our war powers resolution and vote against ending this war, they lose the faith of the American people,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “Senate Republicans need to wake up. Not next week. Not next month. Now.” Top Congressional GOP leaders say it’s not necessary for Congress to flex its war powers muscles. “I don’t think an AUMF (authorization for use of military force) is in order right now. I think we need to bring this to a resolution,” said Johnson. However, some Republicans demand answers about the endgame. “I think we need greater clarity there. I think Congress needs to exercise more of its powers here,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Democrats may believe they have an advantage on Iran. But like Roy, they demand a plan. “This whiplash policy in Iran is not good,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee. “You can’t run a war at 2:00 in the morning on Twitter.” JOHNSON HAS THREE-WORD ANSWER ON WHETHER HOUSE WILL LEAVE EARLY Despite their criticism, Democrats are vague about how they’d go about ending the war. “We’ve got to figure that out. But Donald Trump got us into this mess,” said Jeffries. “But won’t voters demand you guys to have a plan if you’re going to win the majority, Mr. Leader?” I asked as Jeffries walked away. I posed a similar question to Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., one of the most thoughtful Democrats on foreign policy and national security issues. “We didn’t start it,” replied Coons. “But don’t you have to have a plan if you’re going to criticize the president on this?” I asked. “I wouldn’t have gotten into this war,” said Coons. The Pentagon
Fox News Poll: Cool your servers! Voters reject data centers
While U.S. tech companies race for AI dominance, the latest Fox News nationwide survey finds voters hitting the brakes on data centers, as more prefer taking time to address local concerns than rushing expansion to maintain a competitive global edge. By a 40-point margin, voters oppose building data centers in their area to support artificial intelligence (30% favor, 70% oppose). MAGA supporters (46% favor) and Republican men (45%) are the groups most likely to favor data centers, while White women with a college degree (84% oppose) and liberal voters (80%) are the most opposed. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS WANT MAJOR CHANGE AMID ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DISCONTENT Among those favoring data centers, 60% cite economic benefits, including jobs, economic growth, community investment, and tax revenue as the reason for their support. Another 21% point to technological benefits, saying the centers are useful, necessary, or important for future progress. Just 2% say staying ahead of competitors is the primary reason for their support. Those opposing data centers emphasize a different set of considerations. Half (50%) say environmental issues are their main concern, including energy and water use, pollution, noise, and overall environmental impact, while far fewer mention quality-of-life concerns (14%), economic effects (11%), or simply having a negative view of AI (11%). FOX NEWS POLL: SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR BOTH VOTER ID LAWS AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS While data centers are broadly unpopular, views of artificial intelligence technology itself are somewhat less negative. Overall, 45% view AI favorably versus 54% unfavorably, underwater by 9 points. In April, it was -11 points. Positive views of AI are higher among MAGA Republicans (55% favorable), voters with graduate degrees (52%), conservatives (50%), and men (49%) than among Democrats (41%), those without a college degree (43%), liberals (37%), and women (40%). Nearly 8 in 10 voters prefer slower data center construction to address environmental and community concerns, while 2 in 10 favor building them as quickly as possible to maintain a competitive advantage over China and other countries. While majorities across the board prefer the slow adoption of the centers, MAGA Republicans (36%) and very conservatives (35%) are the most likely to prioritize rapid expansion to maintain international competitiveness. AI won’t find an ally in the under 30 crowd Although younger voters are often viewed as more tech-savvy, that does not translate into warm views of artificial intelligence. Voters under age 30 are the least likely to view AI favorably, at 38%, compared with 48% of those ages 30-44 and 44% of those 45 and over. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Regardless of differences in views of AI, attitudes toward data centers are pretty consistent across generations. Roughly 7 in 10 in every age group oppose building data centers, and about 8 in 10 prefer slowing construction to address environmental and local concerns. Conducted July 17–20, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (70) and cellphones (681) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (252). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. The survey includes an oversample of 200 voters aged 18–29, bringing the sample size for that subgroup to 350 (±5). Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling errors, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
9/11 families push to ban Mamdani from 25th anniversary remembrance over ‘hostile’ record
Families of 9/11 victims are urging organizers to bar New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending this year’s 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony in Lower Manhattan. Several families of 9/11 victims published a petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which organizes the annual remembrance, to reconsider inviting Mayor Zohran Mamdani, citing a laundry list of criticisms of the Uganda-born socialist Democrat. “Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values,” a Change.org petition organized by several victims’ families states. “Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy.” FIREFIGHTER BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM INCENSED BY ‘RADICAL’ MUSLIMS WINNING KEY DEM PRIMARIES Concerns listed include a “perceived reluctance” by Mamdani to unequivocally condemn phrases like “globalize the intifada” — a slogan associated with calls for the eradication of Jews. They also expressed concern over Mamdani’s alleged support for or association with individuals either dismissive of American institutions or insufficiently critical of extremist ideologies. A 2025 release by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, outlined one such association with a radical Bed-Stuy imam who hosted the Blind Sheikh, mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and has made controversial statements about jihad. MAMDANI’S POLITICS LINKED TO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IDEOLOGY AS NEW YORK VIOLENCE ESCALATES: REPORT Siraj Wahhaj, born Jeffrey Kearse, hosted Mamdani at his At-Taqwa mosque during the campaign and received criticism at the time from former FBI agents for failing to condemn the cleric. The victims’ families also called out Mamdani’s father, Columbia government professor Mahmood Mamdani, whom they cite as authoring a book shortly after the attacks in which he argued suicide bombers should be “understood as a feature of modern political violence rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism.” They wrote that Professor Mamdani’s book – “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror” – also included a passage arguing a moral equivalency between the United States and Al Qaeda. FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS When the passage was resurfaced in 2025, prominent New York billionaire Bill Ackman quipped on X that the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Fox News Digital reached out to both Mamdanis for comment. While the mayor did not immediately return a request for comment, he told a reporter at an unrelated press conference Monday that he still plans to attend. “I will proudly honor families the survivors the first resp forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration — reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day…,” he said. Victims’ families also excoriated the mayor for supporting and standing with socialist candidates they said hold radically anti-American views, including the DSA-endorsed woman who defeated left-wing Rep. Adriano Espaillat in Washington Heights. The petition noted Darializa Chevalier once tweeted that she nonchalantly wiped soiled hands on an American flag after running out of napkins. “For 9/11 families, this is not simply a public ceremony—it is a deeply personal day of mourning. The presence of individuals whose words or associations are perceived as conflicting with the solemn purpose of the event risks detracting from that focus and causing additional pain,” the consortium wrote. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER One organizer told the New York Post that mourning dignitaries from both parties will be welcomed, but emphasized they have all been involved in the healing process for years, citing former mayors Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, former Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, D-Upper East Side. A spokesperson for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum told Fox News Digital it bears the “solemn responsibility of leading the nation in commemorating September 11, 2001, and honoring the 2,977 victims killed as their names are read aloud by their families. Our priority throughout the ceremony is to provide a dignified and supportive environment for the families.” “We have intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue,” the spokesperson said. “Government officials from across the political spectrum, including every sitting president, governor, and mayor since 9/11, have attended the ceremony simply to bear witness — they do not deliver remarks and are asked to remain in a designated area.” The petition comes amid elevated rhetoric directed at Mamdani as he prepares to take office before his first September 11 commemoration as mayor, as Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., and radio host Sidney Rosenberg both recently declared the mayor a “terrorist.”
Trans influencer breaks silence after Trump’s comparison to CNN anchor at WHCA Dinner
A transgender influencer fired back at President Donald Trump after his joke comparing the biological male to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during Friday night’s White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner went viral. “Maybe being publicly mocked and criticized by this administration is actually like the greatest compliment of all,” said Dylan Mulvaney in a TikTok post on Sunday. “Because it puts me in the company of some of the most brilliant, empathetic people in our world today.” Mulvaney, once a social media star and one of the most recognizable transgender people in the United States, has maintained a low profile over the past few years since an advertising debacle featuring the influencer tanked the stock of a major beer company. TRUMP SPARES NO ONE AT WHCA DINNER, TAKING AIM AT DEMS, PRESS AND HIS OWN CABINET But Mulvaney was thrust back into the spotlight after Trump’s WHCA Dinner joke comparing the transgender influencer to Collins, a longtime media foe of the 45th and 47th president. “I thought Kaitlan Collins had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney,” he said, referencing the beer brand’s failed marketing campaign. In 2023, Bud Light partnered with Mulvaney for a March Madness promotion. On Instagram, Mulvaney posted a video featuring a Bud Light can with their face on it, sparking intense backlash, a prolonged boycott and a more than $27 billion loss in market cap for Anheuser-Busch. “To the president, thank you for reminding me that I am more powerful than I even knew,” Mulvaney said in the Sunday video. “And to quote my favorite recording artist, Shea Diamond, ‘I am America.’” JOURNALISTS DEMAND WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ ASSOCIATION ‘SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER’ IN NEW DINNER WITH TRUMP Trump took his time roasting Collins in his hour-and-four-minute remarks at the WHCA Dinner on Friday. Besides comparing her to a biological male who transitioned to female in a TikTok series where they would chronicle every day of ‘becoming a girl,’ Trump also took a swipe at her apparently steely demeanor. “I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award. It was all about me. It’s a fake. She shouldn’t get the award. It was a fake, but I didn’t mind. I said, ‘Kaitlan, congratulations.’ But it was fake. There’s no question about it,” Trump said. Collins received the WHCA Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure for broadcast due to her reporting on the contentious Oval Office meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump in February 2025. “But she’s a young, attractive woman,” Trump went on, adding, “She never smiles. I said, ‘Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You have a nice position. You’re at CNN — fake news. You should be a happy person. So smile, Kaitlan. Just smile.’” Collins appeared to respond to Trump’s jokes at her expense in an Instagram post over the weekend featuring a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,” the quote said. CNN’s public relations team also posted a statement on X after Trump’s remarks about one of their biggest stars. “We stand by our journalists and the integrity and fair mindedness with which the CNN team reports the news,” the statement, attributed to Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson, said. “Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the U.S. Constitution. CNN will continue to exercise this right.”
GOP lawmaker under House ethics review blasts ‘baseless’ investigation
The House of Representatives’ internal watchdog is reviewing allegations made against a Texas House Republican, which he called “baseless” on Monday. Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, is being probed by the House Committee on Ethics, according to an announcement released in the afternoon. The reason for the investigation is not immediately clear, but Gooden said it was finance-related in a statement to Fox News Digital denying culpability. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER WELCOMES HOUSE ETHICS PROBE INTO SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM “These are bogus spending allegations perpetrated by dishonest unelected OCC bureaucrats, and as the fifth Texas GOP ally of the president to endure one of these attacks, I am confident the House Ethics Committee will confirm their baseless nature,” Gooden said. The committee revealed it was extending a review of a “matter” reported to the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC) on June 10, 2026, a preliminary step before deciding whether to launch a full investigation. “The Committee will announce its course of action in this matter on or before November 9,” the notice said. RESIGNATION IS THE NEW ESCAPE HATCH AS LAWMAKERS FACE EXPULSION The OCC is an independent, nonpartisan body that reviews allegations made against House lawmakers, staff, and officers. Members of the OCC examine those allegations and then decide whether to refer them to the House Ethics Committee. The OCC investigates “a wide variety of allegations relating to earmarks, travel, financial disclosure, and legal expense funds among other topics,” according to its website. Monday’s announcement appears to be for a preliminary investigation by the Ethics panel, where lawmakers must now decide whether to escalate it to a formal probe that involves an investigatory subcommittee.
Senators reject Trump’s call to make Canada pay for wildfire smoke: ‘Ridiculous’
Republican and Democratic senators are rejecting President Donald Trump’s call for Canada to pay damages to the U.S. over smoke from ongoing wildfires that he said have “poisoned” the air in many American cities. “I think the president’s being ridiculous,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., told Fox News Digital. “Nobody can control the direction of the wind,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said. “Even President Trump can’t do that.” TRUMP BLAMES CANADA FOR WILDFIRE SMOKE, SAYS POLLUTION COSTS SHOULD BE ADDED TO TARIFFS Trump floated the idea after complaining that smoke from nearly 900 Canadian wildfires has degraded air quality across large swaths of the U.S. He told reporters at Joint Base Andrews last week that he spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the FIFA World Cup final about the issue. “I told them, I mean, ‘You got to stop these fires from coming in and, you know, poisoning our air,’” Trump told reporters about his exchange with Canadian officials. He continued, “If we can help them, we’ll help them. But maybe they should pay us some damages or something, or we should do some tariffs.” Trump also took to Truth Social in recent weeks claiming he threatened to increase tariffs in a phone call with Carney, as a response to the wildfires creating hazardous air quality in the U.S. — particularly in major cities like Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis and New York City. CANADIAN WILDFIRE SMOKE IGNITES CROSS-BORDER FEUD OVER OTTAWA’S ‘WILLFUL NEGLIGENCE’ Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., called for better management of both Canadian and American forests, arguing America is also “guilty” of improperly handling forests to reduce the likelihood of wildfires spreading. “I’m mostly just interested in active management of the forest, and America is just as guilty,” Marshall said. “We have not actively managed our forests, and that’s why in Canada and America both have led to these large fires,” he continued. “We haven’t properly managed them.” POOR AIR QUALITY DUE TO WILDFIRES FORCES LOGISITCAL CHANGES AT SEVERAL MLB GAMES, INCLUDING POSTPONEMENT While the senators Fox News Digital interviewed largely rejected Trump’s proposal, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is introducing legislation to hold Canada accountable for the impact its wildfires have had on U.S. air quality. ” I don’t think the Canadians want those fires any more than we do,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said about the call to charge Canada. “Those are natural-caused fires, you know, we’re getting wildfires all over the world,” Welch said. “Beyond anyone’s control – it’s the weather.” The raging wildfires are believed to have emerged from thousands of lightning strikes across North America in early July.
Why Trump is suddenly threatening Iran’s last untouched nuclear site
President Donald Trump is threatening to strike Iran’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility — a site the United States previously left untouched while bombing the country’s other major nuclear sites, raising new questions about what may have changed. Estimated to lie beneath at least 100 meters of rock near Iran’s damaged Natanz nuclear enrichment complex, Pickaxe was designed to replace an above-ground plant capable of assembling roughly 6,000 advanced centrifuges each year before it was destroyed in 2020. Iran said the replacement would be larger, more modern and built “in the heart of the mountain.” Analysts believe the tunnels could eventually hold a centrifuge assembly line, an enrichment plant or equipment used in certain nuclear weaponization activities. I’VE STUDIED MILITARY STRATEGY. TRUMP NOW FACES IRAN’S OLDEST BATTLEFIELD TRICK Yet the administration has not said whether it has confirmed that centrifuges were moved inside — or why a site left untouched during earlier attacks now warrants a strike. Military experts also disagree over whether airstrikes could destroy Pickaxe’s interior or merely seal its entrances temporarily. The same depth that could protect Iran’s nuclear infrastructure may place Pickaxe’s main chambers beyond the reliable destructive reach of America’s most powerful conventional bunker-busting weapon. Bombing its exposed entrances could deny Iran access without destroying the facility or anything stored inside. Trump said Tuesday that the United States would probably strike the area “pretty soon” and “very heavily.” TRUMP THREATENS ‘MAJOR MILITARY PUNISHMENT’ FOR IRAN OVER FUTURE HOUTHI ATTACKS His warning came after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of centrifuges into Pickaxe last fall. Trump said the transfer “may have” occurred but added that the United States did not have it “on record.” “Maybe this one they have right,” Trump said. “But it’s okay. It doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material.” “We follow the material,” he added. TRUMP SEEKS $672M TO STOP IRANIAN NUKES AS NEGOTIATORS WEIGH FATE OF URANIUM STOCKPILE By “the material,” Trump was referring to Iran’s enriched uranium, including uranium gas that centrifuges can further enrich to weapons-grade levels. Before the June 2025 attacks, the International Atomic Energy Agency had verified that Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, enough, if further enriched, for approximately 10 nuclear weapons under the agency’s standard measurement. Most of the stockpile was believed to have been held at Isfahan, with additional material at Natanz and Fordow. Inspectors have since been unable to verify its amount, condition or present location. The Institute for Science and International Security assesses that the material remains trapped at those three sites and does not believe enriched uranium has entered Pickaxe. The administration has not said whether the United States independently corroborated the reported Israeli assessment, whether centrifuges are being stored or installed inside Pickaxe or whether nuclear material has entered the facility. Storing centrifuges would not make Pickaxe an operational enrichment plant. The machines would have to be installed in connected cascades, linked to electrical, ventilation and piping systems and fed uranium gas. Satellite imagery shows continued construction but no indication that Pickaxe is operational, according to the Washington-based institute. Images from February showed Iran adding concrete, rock and reinforced structures over tunnel portals in an apparent effort to harden them against airstrikes. Analysts also observed smaller closed-roof vehicles near the entrances that could indicate Iran was outfitting the interior. The imagery could not establish what the vehicles carried. Spencer Faragasso, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Science and International Security, said earlier U.S. and Israeli attacks prioritized Iran’s operating enrichment program. Based on what was understood about Pickaxe at the time, he said, there was “nothing of priority” inside that warranted expending valuable deep-penetrating weapons. “The facility is still under construction, and it’s unlikely that a centrifuge plant is operating inside there,” Faragasso told Fox News Digital. But Faragasso said centrifuges could have entered aboard covered trucks without being detected in commercial imagery, making the reported Israeli intelligence plausible but impossible for outside analysts to confirm. The reported transfer could help explain Trump’s recent focus on Pickaxe, he said. The facility is also one of the last nuclear-related sites of its size that has not been struck. Trump did not publicly name Pickaxe during the opening months of Operation Epic Fury. It entered his public rhetoric July 13, when conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt raised the facility during an interview. Trump said American surveillance had detected no activity there but called Pickaxe a possible target for a “nice big fat shot right into the front door.” At the end of the interview, Hewitt urged Trump to “go get Pickaxe Mountain.” “We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain,” Trump replied. “Tell the Iranians to be ready.” The White House could not be reached for comment for this story. The administration has not explained whether the recent threats reflect new intelligence, an effort to deter Iran from activating the facility or a shift from destroying existing enrichment capacity to preventing Iran from rebuilding. Whether the United States could destroy Pickaxe from the air remains disputed. Nicole Grajewski, an assistant professor at Sciences Po and nonresident scholar in the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program, said it would be “very close to impossible” to destroy the facility through an air campaign like the one the United States carried out against Fordow. Pickaxe is deeper and more heavily fortified, she said, and does not have a publicly confirmed structural weakness comparable to those exploited there. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding, a former B-2 operations commander, said planners would first determine whether the mission required destroying Pickaxe’s interior or merely preventing Iran from using it. “You assess what the goals are, and then you assess the costs associated with making something not fit for use — or destruction,” Spalding said. If destroying the facility proved infeasible, he said, the U.S. could instead deny access and prevent Iran from bringing in the personnel and equipment needed to
‘Shame on you’: Sherrill knew voter-roll bombshell was coming when she called Trump a liar, DOJ official says
The Justice Department‘s top Civil Rights official accused New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill of criticizing President Donald Trump’s election integrity claims even though she already knew her administration was about to disclose a major voter registration problem. In his July 16 address, Trump accused China of acquiring sensitive voter data and said U.S. intelligence agencies hid that revelation from the public while also alleging several Democrat-run states, including New Jersey, have large numbers of noncitizens registered to vote. Department of Homeland Security data released in concert with the speech found more than 35,000 potential noncitizens are on the Garden State’s rolls. “When the president came out with his Primetime speech last Thursday, I believe in the sequencing of events that has been laid out, she already knew that this revelation was forthcoming,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said. ‘SHADOW GOVERNMENT’: TRUMP CLAIMS INTEL COMMUNITY BRAGGED ABOUT HIDING CHINESE MEDDLING “She knew it, and she still went online and called the president a liar and said he was exaggerating – Shame on you, governor.” Dhillon said governors willing to cooperate with the DOJ would receive assistance but warned states refusing to do so could face lawsuits. “It’s a bipartisan problem, actually. And I’m really looking forward to helping everyone who will work with us fix this problem. And if they won’t work with, we’ll sue them and we’ll still fix the problem.” Following Trump’s address, Sherrill signed on to a statement with 23 other Democratic governors attempting to throw cold water on the president’s wide-ranging claims, calling him a liar, as Dhillon said. “It’s deeply alarming that President Trump continues to try to undermine free and fair elections. No amount of lies and conspiracy theories can change the fact that our country’s elections have repeatedly been proven to be safe and secure,” read the rebuke, formally led by Kentucky Gov. Andrew Beshear. TONY DOKOUPIL CLASHES WITH MARK WARNER AFTER THE SENATOR RIPPED CBS FOR AIRING TRUMP SPEECH ‘AS NEWS’ Sherrill’s co-signed statement went on to accuse Trump of trying to “intimidate and silence voters” while claiming Democrats are the ones “actually making life better for American families by lowering costs, creating jobs and protecting our freedoms.” “Ours is a winning message, which is why he is trying to undermine democracy.” Dhillon said Sherrill and all other governors should join with DOJ to investigate every substantive claim of election integrity violations, warning it is their own citizens who stand to be hurt. “Every single person who voted illegally canceled out the vote of a New Jersey voter; that is shameful,” she said. “And instead of pointing fingers at the president, which is what Governor Sherrill did… she should be raising her hand to work with the federal government to clean this up ASAP because that’s the vow she took when she ran for office and she got sworn in as the governor of her state is to protect her citizens, and her citizens have a right to vote.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Dhillon’s letter gave Sherrill five business days, expiring Tuesday, to turn over voter data in the case. Meanwhile, Sherrill indicated to WCBS that she wouldn’t be complying. “It is not a surprise… the Trump administration wants to immediately weaponize this against people as opposed to focusing on making sure we’re running free and fair elections,” the Democrat said. Asked about the accusation Sherrill knew about her own state’s motor-voter scandal when she accused Trump of being a liar, Sherrill spokesman Sean Higgins pointed Fox News Digital to comments she made after touring a grocery store in Essex County to sign unrelated legislation. NEW JERSEY REMOVES 6,600 PEOPLE FROM VOTER ROLLS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO CAST A BALLOT FOR 2024 ELECTION In response to a reporter’s question on the scandal, Sherrill said her administration is moving quickly because Jerseyans deserve transparency. “We’re running an independent investigation right now to get to the bottom of exactly how this happened and what’s going on, but it is not a surprise to me that the federal government that the Trump administration wants to immediately weaponize this against people as opposed to focusing on making sure that we’re running free and fair elections,” Sherrill said. Pennsylvania, New York and several other states have also resisted DOJ requests for voter registration data, arguing federal law and state privacy protections limit what information can be shared. The DOJ has also sued officials in some of the states over the election integrity crisis, including New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell.