Congressional Democrats targeting dozens of House Republican-held seats in 2026 midterm battle for majority
The House Democrats’ campaign arm is taking aim at nearly three dozen Republican-held seats in the chamber as they aim to win back the majority in next year’s midterm elections. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on Tuesday released its initial 2026 target list, which included 35 GOP-controlled seats, and launched an effort to fundraise for the party’s eventual nominees in each of the districts. The DCCC emphasized that their moves signal that “Democrats are on offense and poised to win the majority in 2026.” The unveiling of the DCCC list comes three weeks after the rival National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) went up with its initial target list, which took aim at 26 districts controlled by House Democrats. REPUBLICANS TO TAKE AIM AT THESE 26 DEMOCRAT-HELD HOUSE SEATS IN 2026 MIDTERMS Republicans currently control the House, when the chamber returns to full strength, with a razor-thin 220-215 majority. “House Republicans are running scared, and they should be. They’re tanking the economy, gutting Medicaid, abandoning our veterans, and making everything more expensive. In short, they’ve lost the trust of their constituents, and it’s going to cost them the majority,” DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington State charged in a statement announcing the moves. WERE LAST WEEK’S ELECTIONS IN WISCONSIN AND FLORIDA A CRYSTAL BALL FOR THINGS TO COME IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERMS? While the Democratic Party experienced major setbacks in last November’s elections – losing control of the White House and their Senate majority – House Democrats took a small bite out of the GOP’s House majority. The DCCC noted that their 2026 map “is more expansive than at the start of the 2024 cycle, reflecting a political environment of eroding public support for House Republicans.” Democrats, pointing to last week’s elections in Wisconsin and Florida, emphasize that their voters are angry and energized to resist President Donald Trump’s sweeping and controversial moves during the opening months of his second tour of duty in the White House, and claimed that the contests were an appetizer of things to come in next year’s midterms. And the DCCC argued that the House GOP’s “refusal to stand up to Donald Trump and Elon Musk threatens the health care benefits and income security millions of Americans have earned, makes our country less safe, and has sent our economy into a tailspin.” DelBene, pointing to the NRCC earlier this year urging its members to avoid holding town hall discussions, also claimed that “House Republicans are so scared, they’ve decided to hide from the public.” POLL POSITION: WHERE TRUMP STANDS WITH AMERICANS 11 WEEKS INTO HIS SECOND TOUR OF DUTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE The districts the House Democrats are targeting are currently held by Rep. Nick Begich of Alaska (AK-AL), Reps. David Schweikert (AZ-01), Eli Crane (AZ-02), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) of Arizona, Reps. David Valadao (CA-22), Young Kim (CA-40), and Ken Calvert (CA-41) of California, Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08) of Colorado, Reps. Cory Mills (FL-07), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) of Florida, Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Ashley Hinson (IA-02) and Zach Nunn (IA-03) of Iowa, Rep. Andy Barr (KY-06) of Kentucky, Reps. Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Tom Barrett (MI-07), and John James (MI-10) of Michigan, Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-02) of Missouri, Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) of Nebraska, Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (NJ-07) of New Jersey, Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) of New York, Reps. Max Miller (OH-07), Mike Turner (OH-10) and Mike Carey (OH-15) of Ohio, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08) and Scott Perry (PA-10) of Pennsylvania, Rep. Andy Ogles (TN-05) of Tennessee, Rep. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) of Texas, Reps. Rob Wittman (VA-01) and Jen Kiggans (VA-02) of Virginia, and Reps. Bryan Steil (WI-01) and Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) of Wisconsin. The DCCC said it was also launching nominee fund pages, which it said provides “a way for grassroots donors to contribute now so that resources are available to the eventual Democratic nominee in these Districts in Play.” While the party in power, which clearly is the Republicans, traditionally faces serious political headwinds in the midterm elections, the NRCC is optimistic they can defend their majority. “If you look at the landscape for the 2026 election, there are only three Republicans in districts that [former vice president and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee] Kamala Harris carried, but there are 13 Democrats in seats that Donald Trump carried, and half of those are majority Hispanic districts that President Trump has really put in play for us,” NRCC chair Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina reiterated Monday in a Fox News Digital interview. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The NRCC also points to the growing number of House Democrats who are seeking statewide office in 2026 rather than running for re-election. Hudson said the trend would “absolutely” help the GOP defend the majority next year. “It’s much easier to win an open seat than a seat with a Democrat incumbent who’s entrenched.,” Hudson said. “I think it’s incredibly helpful, and I think you’re going to see a whole lot more Democrats running for other offices and retiring.”
Texas lawmakers consider bipartisan bill aimed at clarifying exceptions to state’s abortion restrictions
Texas lawmakers are considering a bipartisan bill to clarify the state’s abortion ban, as many doctors have expressed concerns that the law is not clear about when they may step in to protect the life of the mother without committing a crime. The state has a near-total abortion ban, but doctors, using reasonable medical judgment, are permitted to take action in cases where a pregnant woman faces a life-threatening physical condition or substantial impairment of major bodily function. Now, the state legislature is seeking to pass a measure to clarify how narrow that exception is, which will give doctors a more clear idea of when they can intervene in situations where there are pregnancy complications. House Bill 44 and Senate Bill 31 are matching bills that have each been introduced in their respective chambers, with the Texas House Public Health Committee hearing testimony on Monday regarding the version in the lower chamber. PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST ASSAULTED, BLOODIED DURING STREET INTERVIEW ABOUT ABORTION “This is not someone who is six weeks and driving to Planned Parenthood because they don’t want their baby,” Catholic Conference of Bishops executive director Jennifer Alman said, according to FOX 4. “This is a woman who very much wants her baby at 20 weeks and having a medical emergency where she has lost her child,” Alman continued. “Even if it’s not fully dead yet, her child is in the act of dying and the only way she can survive to parent her other children is to accept that death, protect her life and that is what the bill seeks to strike a balance of.” The legislation, also called the Life of the Mother Act in both chambers, has brought together major pro-life groups, doctors, hospitals, Republicans and Democrats, said GOP Rep. Charlie Green, who authored the House version. “We know women’s bodies have been horribly injured because doctors and hospitals are afraid to provide abortions that could save their bodies,” Green said, according to FOX 4. “That’s because some of the language in our current law is not clear to doctors and hospitals.” SUPREME COURT DIVIDED OVER STATE EFFORT TO DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD The lack of exceptions under Texas’ abortion ban prompted a lawsuit brought by 20 women, according to FOX 4, though it was rejected by the state Supreme Court. The court also called on the Texas Medical Board to provide clarity for doctors on when an abortion may be permitted under state law. The medical board said its job is not to clarify the law, sending the issue back to lawmakers, the outlet reported. Some who testified expressed concerns that the legislation would allow a loophole in the abortion ban. On the other side, some of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue the bill does not go far enough since it does not take into account fatal abnormalities of the fetus. Sarah Harrison said she was pregnant with twins when one of them had a fatal condition, according to FOX 4. “What if I got pregnant with twins again and I have to leave again? The trauma is real. It is real. It’s intense. Of course, I feel scared to get pregnant in this state,” she testified. Rep. Ann Johnson, a Democrat, said: “This bill does not include fetal abnormality. It does not include rape. But it does include a bipartisan approach to try to address the challenges.” “I heard you guys say not sick enough. This bill does an important thing that does say you do not delay treatment. This bill does try to address that delay in time,” she continued. The legislation appears to have enough support for approval.
Big-name anchors going independent, making money in the Substack era
Hamish McKenzie, the co-founder of Substack, is suddenly speaking out. “We are living through the most significant media disruption since the printing press, and it explains everything from why you can’t stand your neighbor to our current political tumult.” Today, he says on his site, “we live in a more chaotic environment, where the narrative frenzy of social media has given rise to political movements that gain power through exploiting attention of any kind, positive or negative, from moral panics to fulminating podium-thumpers. We’ve gone from ‘Ask not what your country can do for you’ to dunk tweets and death-by-emoji.” HOW DONALD TRUMP DOMINATES THE NEWS, BOTH POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY Obviously, it’s in McKenzie’s interest to portray a media revolution with him as the chief rebel. When Substack launched in 2017, it was viewed as an intriguing experiment, an outlet largely for those who didn’t have one. But in the Trump era, with his constant cable appearances and Truth Social posts, there’s little question that we’re submerged in a toxic environment. The president gets this, which is why he’s done a number of podcast interviews. He went on Joe Rogan and Kamala, uh, did not. Now, with big-name journalists giving up prime television gigs in favor of the site’s independence, we are living in the Substack Era. What was once viewed as the Holy Grail – an anchoring or hosting job on a major network – is now dismissed as old-school legacy media with too many corporate constraints. Take my former Fox colleague Chris Wallace. He left for CNN (actually CNN-plus, which was euthanized in three weeks) and then launched a Saturday talk show. But Chris recently announced he’s leaving the network to go independent, which undoubtedly includes Substack. Another ex-Fox colleague, Megyn Kelly, had a similar experience. Having been dropped by NBC after a bad experience there, she started a daily show and video podcast on Sirius XM, and now has 3.2 million subscribers on YouTube. MICHELLE OBAMA’S ‘IMO’ PODCAST RANKS 34TH ON SPOTIFY PODCASTS CHART Chuck Todd, having been eased out of his “Meet the Press” job, was given an online streaming show. But not long ago he announced he was leaving NBC to go independent. When Dan Abrams gave up his NewsNation show after three years, he said: “As much as I love this show and the mission of this network, I just can’t continue to give this show the attention it needs and deserves with all of my other professional commitments.” The Mediaite founder later announced that he is concentrating on creating a YouTube channel for the site, working with other media folks. McKenzie’s great insight is that he could connect writers and podcasters directly to their audience, with Substack taking a cut. They can opt for a revenue-sharing agreement. Now you might ask, what if you’re not a famous former anchor or commentator? Turns out that niche sites do really well. They can work at other jobs at the same time. Many users report a six-figure income. This is especially striking in that most Substack people let you read their sites for free, or a shortened version, with the full column and special features available only for paying subscribers. The hope is that some of the freeloaders will become subscribers over time. Not everyone winds up at Substack voluntarily. Chris Cillizza, the former Washington Post columnist, is quite candid in saying he came to Substack after being laid off at CNN. He found himself with little to do after dropping the kids at school. TRUMP, EYEING 3RD TERM, KEEPS ATTACKING ELITE INSTITUTIONS – AND MANY ARE CAVING “I started this Substack — selfishly — to help me grapple with my changed life. To give me a platform where I could express myself — hopefully to an audience — about the world of politics, yes, but also how I was navigating a new reality.” He has slowly built a following and chats with Todd once a week, which is something that Substackers do. Casandra Campbell of Really Good Business Ideas analyzed the 29 most popular Substacks. The first two are Letters from an American (hundreds of thousands of paid subscribers for political history) and Broken Palate. Michael Moore was No. 3, and the only other names I recognized were former candidate Allen West, the Bulwark, and ex-Labor Secretary Robert Reich. The others had names like Dr. Mercola’s Censored Library, DeLa Soul, The Pragmatic Engineer and The Cryptonite Weekly Rap. “Our political culture now mirrors chaos media culture,” McKenzie says. “Opponents are not just to be argued against, but humiliated.” Good luck changing that. SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE’S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY’S HOTTEST STORIES Look, I subscribe to several Substack accounts. I’d like to subscribe to more but, with fees ranging from $5 to $40 a month, it gets expensive. So I read others for free and ponder whether to upgrade. I don’t agree that this is the biggest deal since the Gutenberg press, around 1440, but it’s having an impact on the media and political culture. Substack is hot, and there are competitors, mainly because journalists and politicos crave a connection that goes beyond the craziness of the Trump age.
IRS and DHS reach historic deal to aid in pursuit of illegal immigrants subject to deportation
EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have come to an agreement to permit ICE to access taxpayer information to locate illegal immigrants subject to deportation. The Trump administration filed a memorandum of understanding late Monday with a court to create guardrails and a process for ICE requests to the IRS to further investigations of criminal illegal immigrants who have failed or refuse to leave the United States 90 days after a judge has issued a final order of removal. “The Internal Revenue Service and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement have entered into a memorandum of understanding to establish a clear and secure process to support law enforcement’s efforts to combat illegal immigration,” a Treasury Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. COURT ORDER HALTING DEPORTATION FLIGHTS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONALLY IMPEDES’ EXECUTIVE BRANCH, TRUMP ALLIES ARGUE “The bases for this MOU are founded in longstanding authorities granted by Congress, which serve to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans while streamlining the ability to pursue criminals,” the statement said. “After four years of Joe Biden flooding the nation with illegal aliens, President Trump’s highest priority is to ensure the safety of the American people.” A senior Treasury Department official said the illegal immigrants have been given due process but have overstayed 90 days post a judge’s removal order. The MOU outlines a process to ensure that sensitive taxpayer data information is protected while allowing law enforcement to pursue criminal violations, the official said. The Treasury Department is committed to protecting the privacy of law-abiding taxpayers, but a criminal exception obligates the agency to assist law enforcement, the senior official said. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TELLS FEDERAL JUDGE IT MIGHT INVOKE STATE SECRETS ACT ON HIGH-PROFILE DEPORTATION CASE A draft agreement reported last month by the Washington Post said it would limit ICE to confirm the addresses of illegal immigrants who have final removal orders. The deal would allow ICE to submit the names and addresses of illegal immigrants to the IRS, who could then cross-check those immigrants’ tax records and provide the immigration agency with current address information. Some veteran IRS officials have expressed concerns, arguing that the narrow exception was meant only for criminal investigations and not for immigration enforcement. They also worry that the policy will hinder tax collection from illegal immigrants, who are still subject to federal taxes despite being in the country illegally. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The agreement comes as President Donald Trump has continued to ramp up the deportation effort he promised on the campaign trail, while attempting to use every available resource in order to aid immigration authorities. Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report.
DOGE cuts $51M from US African Development Foundation, including $229K to market shea butter
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced $51 million in cuts from the U.S. African Development Foundation, which included hundreds of thousands of dollars for marketing shea butter and pineapple juice, as well as mango drying facilities. DOGE made the announcement on X, highlighting several initiatives the money was put toward. For instance, $229,296 was used to market 100% organic shea butter in Burkina Faso; $246,217 was spent on mango drying facilities in the Ivory Coast; and $239,738 was spent on marketing pineapple juice in Benin. The department also said $99,566 was spent to increase yogurt production in Uganda; $84,059 was spent on a business incubator for spa and wellness entrepreneurs in Nigeria; $50,000 was spent to train farmers how to grow dragon fruit in Senegal; and $48,406 was spent on a WhatsApp marketing chatbot in Kenya. DOGE HELPS COAST GUARD SAVE NEARLY $33M BY ELIMINATING ‘INEFFECTIVE IT PROGRAM’ DOGE, led by Elon Musk, is a temporary organization within the White House created via executive order earlier this year. President Donald Trump tasked the organization with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations and slashing spending and gave the agency 18 months to do it. DOGE SLASHES BILLIONS MORE IN EXPENSES FOR PROGRAMS LIKE PERUVIAN CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENDER EQUITY IN MEXICO Late last month, DOGE shared that it had terminated 113 contracts valued at $4.7 billion, including a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) consulting contract valued at $145,000 for Peru climate change activities. DOGE SLASHES NEARLY $1M FOR ALPACA FARMING IN PERU, OTHER QUESTIONABLE GRANTS IN LATEST WASTEFUL SPENDING CUT The funding that was canceled also included $10 million for “gender equity in the Mexican workplace,” $12.2 million for “worker empowerment in South America” and $6.25 million for “improving respect for workers’ rights in agricultural supply chains” in the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. The department has canceled numerous diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at federal agencies, consulting contracts, leases for underused federal buildings and duplicate agencies and programs. As of Monday, DOGE claims on its site that it has saved Americans $140 billion, or about $870 per taxpayer.
Trump-backed bills on activist judges, non-citizen voting heading for House-wide votes
Two key bills backed by President Donald Trump are set to get a vote this week after advancing through the House Rules Committee on Monday evening. The No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA Act) by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., would limit district court judges’ ability to issue orders blocking Trump policies nationwide. The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is aimed at requiring proof of citizenship in the voting registration process. The former legislation is a response to Trump’s ongoing standoff with judges paralyzing his agenda, while the latter is a bill that the president and his allies have long pushed for. Issa’s bill is slated to get a vote on Tuesday afternoon, while Roy’s is expected on the House floor Thursday morning. HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR URGES JOHNSON TO CHANGE COURSE ON SENATE VERSION OF TRUMP BUDGET BILL That’s provided they pass a procedural hurdle known as a “rule vote.” A simple majority of House lawmakers is needed to pass a “rule” to allow for debate and eventual House-wide votes on legislation. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most legislation reaches the entire chamber, advanced a “rule” combining Issa and Roy’s bills with two financial regulatory measures that are also due for a vote this week if the rule passes. Both pieces of legislation were slated to get House votes last week, but a showdown over an unrelated measure on proxy voting for new parents in Congress wound up paralyzing the chamber floor on Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the House’s first votes of the week. “The Committee on Rules made efforts to protect this body from a take-it-or-leave-it, all-or-nothing proposal to impose proxy voting, which, while limited, would take us down the slippery slope and return us to the rampant abuse of unlimited proxy voting for members on both sides of the aisle that we witnessed when the Democrats imposed the practice during the COVID era, yet the body felt otherwise,” House Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said at the outset of Monday’s meeting. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the committee, said during his opening statement, “A supposedly pro-family party worked to block a simple, commonsense policy that supports working moms in Congress. It was a move that was unprecedented, and thankfully, a majority of members in our chamber pushed back.” SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES “When he lost the vote, Speaker Johnson sent everyone home, blaming the few Republicans who had the guts to take a stand for family values,” McGovern said. With the matter resolved, both the rule vote and both measures themselves are expected to pass with little drama. It’s likely a different matter in the Senate, however, where both bills would need help from at least some Democrats to meet the body’s 60-vote threshold for advancement.
DOGE helps State Department eliminate Biden admin’s DEI performance evaluation requirement
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the State Department called out practices under the Biden administration that required diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts to account for 20% of performance evaluations for foreign service officers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the reforms of the Biden administration’s DEI policies “important and historic.” “Now our incredible Foreign Service Officers will be evaluated on true merit, not on arbitrary immutable characteristics,” he wrote on X. Rubio shared a post from DOGE, which noted that under the policy, diplomats were assessed on whether they avoided “gendered adjectives” or “faint praise.” US NAVAL ACADEMY ENDS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN ADMISSIONS: ‘IMPLEMENTING ALL DIRECTIVES’ The department shared PowerPoint slides providing examples of phrases to avoid. One of the slides gave descriptive phrases that can unintentionally influence a reader. It then gave examples of gendered adjectives like, “Dr. Sarah Gray is a caring compassionate physician” vs. “Dr. Joel Gray has been very successful with his patients.” Faint praise was also discouraged. One example the slide provided was, “S/he worked hard on projects that s/he was assigned” or “S/he has never had temper tantrums.” JASMINE CROCKETT SETS OFF SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER TOUTING BEING BLACK AS QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC DEFENDER JOB The slides discouraged using first names for women or minorities and titles for men, as well. Additionally, as DOGE pointed out in its post, the slides asked local organizations to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) programs, training and lectures as well as annual DEIA awards ceremonies. The foreign service officers were also encouraged to set race and gender quotas on embassy speaking panels and other diplomatic events. TRUMP’S DOGE TARGETS BLUE STATES WITH MASSIVE CUTS IN ‘DIVISIVE’ DEI CONTRACTS “Working with DOGE, [Secretary Rubio] has ended this discrimination and restored merit to the foreign service,” DOGE wrote. The elimination of the DEIA requirement on performance evaluations for foreign service officers comes a week after the Trump administration slashed $15 million from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in the form of DEI grants to align with DOGE and President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at eliminating DEI from the federal government. The grants include $6.7 million to the California State Library to enhance equitable library programs and $4 million to the Washington State Library for diverse staff development and incarcerated support. TRUMP LABOR DEPARTMENT SECURES EYE-POPPING SUM TO RETURN TO TAXPAYERS AMID DOGE PUSH A $1.5M DEI grant to the Connecticut State Library system to “integrate social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion” into their daily operations is also being cut along with $700,000 for a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit to study “post-pandemic DEI practices” in American children’s museums that would formulate “enhanced equity-focused strategies.” Trump’s DOGE efforts have saved the American taxpayer $140 billion, according to its website, which represents about $870 saved per taxpayer. The Trump administration says it has slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in DEI contracts, including at least $100 million at the Department of Education. Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Trump plans to have annual physical exam later this week: ‘Never felt better’
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to undergo a physical examination on Friday, marking his first annual physical in his second administration. Trump announced the plans in a Truth Social post, noting that the exam would take place at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Trump was treated for COVID-19 at the same hospital in 2020. “I am pleased to report that my long scheduled Annual Physical Examination will be done at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Friday of this week,” the Republican wrote. “I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!” Trump’s stamina and physical health have been a center of attention since his July 13 assassination attempt, which he miraculously survived. At the time, Dr. Marc Siegel noted that Trump showed an “adroitness.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CHOP DOWN MAGNOLIA TREE PURPORTEDLY PLANTED BY ANDREW JACKSON: ‘MUST COME TO AN END’ “I’ve been talking to emergency room doctors, vascular surgeons and trauma surgeons all over the country this morning, and nobody can remember a case like this,” he said. Months later, in November, Florida neurosurgeon Dr. Brett Osborn told Fox News Digital that Trump remained in good health. “The fact that he attended 120 events in seven months, often multiple rallies in a single day in different states, is proof-positive that Trump has a tremendous amount of stamina, mentally and physically,” Osborn noted. TRUMP ADMIN REVIEWING BILLIONS IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, GRANTS FOR HARVARD AMID ANTISEMITISM ALLEGATIONS But Democrats have disputed Trump’s health in the past, and members of the medical community have demanded Trump release his medical records. In an open letter from Oct. 13, over 230 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals asked for a record release. “On August 20, Donald Trump said he would ‘very gladly’ release his medical records. In the 55 days since, he has yet to do so,” reads the letter, signed largely by supporters of former Vice President Kamala Harris. “With no recent disclosure of health information from Donald Trump, we are left to extrapolate from public appearances.” “And on that front, Trump is falling concerningly short of any standard of fitness for office and displaying alarming characteristics of declining acuity,” the petition claimed. Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Republican Rep. John James announces run for governor: ‘Make Michigan great again’
Another leader and military veteran has thrown his name into the growing list of candidates in Michigan’s governor’s race to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. On Monday, Republican Rep. John James, a Trump ally, announced he was launching his bid for governor, becoming the latest GOP candidate to jump in the primary. “I’m running for Governor of the great state of Michigan,” James shared in a statement on X. “This decision comes after deep reflection, prayer, and a conversation with my wife and children.” James now joins the state’s Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt as the latest major Republican to jump into the gubernatorial primary, the Hill reported. Meanwhile, the candidates in the race for the Democratic primary include Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, while Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent. RISING STAR DEM CRITICAL OF SCHUMER’S LEADERSHIP LAUNCHES 2026 BID IN KEY SENATE BATTLEGROUND “Faith and Family. God and Country. Service Before Self. Michigan First,” James posted in the announcement. James stated that “our state has suffered long enough” and says they are being held back by a “lack of strong, competent leadership.” “For the past seven years, Michigan has been dominated by radical, out-of-touch policies that have hurt our families, our communities, and our economy,” James explained in his reasons for running for governor. James said that the state has lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which he equated to nearly a third of their industrial base, saying “that’s unacceptable.” “It’s time to get Michigan’s government out of fantastyland and back to common sense,” James wrote. “President Trump and I have been in each other’s corner through thick and thin for eight years-no reason that will end now. He’s doing his part to Make America Great Again, and I’ll do mine to bring prosperity and sanity back to Michigan,” James pledged. REPUBLICAN TUDOR DIXON PRAISES TRUMP AS SHE EYES 2026 RUN FOR GOVERNOR OR SENATE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND James was first elected to Congress in 2022, becoming Michigan’s first Black Republican member of Congress, and represents the state’s 10th Congressional District. James would also become the first Black governor of Michigan if elected. TRUMP WHITE HOUSE RIPS AUTO STATE GOVERNOR WHO ATTACKED PRESIDENT’S TARIFF PLANS: ‘DEADLY STATUS QUO’ He ran unsuccessfully for the Senate twice before, losing to Democrat Debbie Stabenow in 2018 and to Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in 2020. “Make Michigan Great Again,” James wrote in a previous post on X, sharing a video from Rapid Response 47 about Flint, MI. James served eight years of active duty military service as a Ranger-qualified aviation officer, according to his biography on the district’s website. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Zach Bannon said that James’ announcement is good news for Republicans for continued growth in Congress. “Republicans are well-positioned to hold Michigan’s 10th congressional district as we retain and grow our majority in Congress. Michiganders rejected the out of touch Democrats’ radical agenda in 2024, and they’ll do it again in 2026,” Bannon shared in a statement. Bannon noted that both President Trump and Rep. James won Michigan’s 10th district by over 6% in 2024.
Supreme Court grants Trump request to lift stay halting Venezuelan deportations
The Supreme Court on Monday granted President Donald Trump’s request to vacate a lower court’s ruling barring the administration from using a 1798 wartime immigration law to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals – including alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang – from the U.S., marking a significant victory for the administration as it advances key immigration priorities. Justices on the high court ruled 5-4 to grant the administration’s request to lift the stay, in a temporary victory for Trump and his allies. At issue was the Alien Enemies Act, or the immigration law passed by Congress in 1789 to immediately remove certain migrants from U.S. soil. Prior to Trump’s second White House term, it had been invoked just three times in U.S. history: During the War of 1812, during World War I, and most recently, World War II. Lawyers for the Trump administration had urged the court to vacate the lower court ruling, arguing in a Supreme Court filing that the lower court orders “rebuffed” their immigration agenda, including their ability “to protect the Nation against foreign terrorist organizations and risk debilitating effects for delicate foreign negotiations.” JUDGE BOASBERG POISED TO HOLD TRUMP ADMIN IN CONTEMPT, TAKES DOWN NAMES OF DHS OFFICIALS: ‘PRETTY SKETCHY’ The ruling follows a temporary order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg last month blocking the administration’s use of the 1798 law for 14 days while he considered the case on its merits – a pause upheld by a federal appeals court in a 2–1 decision. “Nazis got better treatment” than some of the migrants deported under the law, Judge Patricia Millett, an Obama appointee, remarked during the appellate hearing. Both Boasberg and the appellate panel sharply questioned the administration over Trump’s proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals – and over the three planes that removed hundreds of migrants to El Salvador the very next day. At least 261 migrants were deported that day, including more than 100 Venezuelans removed “solely on the basis” of the 1798 statute. The deportation flights reportedly landed around the same time Boasberg issued his temporary halt, raising questions about whether administration officials knowingly defied the order. Boasberg had issued a bench ruling requiring any flights that had already taken off to return “immediately.” That did not happen. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION FLIGHTS IN ALIEN ENEMIES ACT IMMIGRATION SUIT Boasberg said on April 3 that he was weighing whether to hold certain Trump administration officials in contempt of court for refusing to provide information, even after the court issued repeated requests regarding the deportation flights and the number of individuals sent to El Salvador. Government lawyers cited national security concerns as the reason for refusing to comply with the court’s request for information. But during the April 3 hearing, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign told Boasberg the flight information likely wasn’t classified — prompting the judge to question why the administration had declined to provide it on more than four occasions, including under a court-imposed deadline. “Pretty sketchy,” Boasberg mused in court. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? Boasberg also pressed the government to disclose the names, locations, and agencies of individuals involved in the removals, as well as any internal conversations with officials who may have been monitoring the court proceedings. The hearing marked the latest in a flurry of legal battles over the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. It followed Boasberg’s order requiring officials to explain why they failed to comply with his directive to return the deportation flights – and whether they knowingly defied the court. The Supreme Court ruling may not mark the end of Trump’s push to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. Boasberg is still weighing potential contempt charges against administration officials. As of this writing, a preliminary injunction hearing is set for April 8.