Scandal-plagued school district referred to DOJ after another transgender locker room controversy
A Virginia school district at the center of a transgender bathroom controversy two years ago has been referred to the feds after the state’s attorney general completed a separate probe this week. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, announced the closing of his investigation into Title IX violations, unlawful retaliation and viewpoint discrimination by Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) after three boys were allegedly investigated for complaints made in regard to a female student – who identifies as male – in the men’s locker room. Miyares referred LCPS to the Justice Department and the Department of Education. “The investigation reveals a disturbing misuse of authority by Loudoun County Public Schools, where students appear to have been targeted not for misconduct, but for expressing their discomfort for being forced to share a locker room with a member of the opposite sex,” Miyares said in a Tuesday statement. “Title IX was never meant to be used as a weapon against free speech or religious convictions. Every student in Virginia deserves the right to speak openly, think freely, and live according to their conscience without fear of retaliation. Protecting those rights is not political—it’s foundational to who we are as Americans.” FATHER OF VIRGINIA STUDENT ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED BY BIOLOGICAL MALE IN RESTROOM SPEAKS OUT In response to the referral, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News Digital that “sex-based discrimination and student safety are both top priorities of this Department of Justice. We will investigate these facts thoroughly, and go where the investigation leads us.” “‘Transgender’ policies in Loudoun County schools are stripping countless students of their fundamental rights,” Dhillon added. Miyares’ probe found that LCPS allegedly began a Title IX probe into the three male students at Stone Bridge High School, who had also expressed religious objections to a policy allowing students to use sexually binary facilities based on their gender identity. The boys also reportedly voiced concerns about the biological female student who had purportedly been recording them in the locker room, according to the Washington, D.C., ABC affiliate. LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA, PARENTS DEMAND SUPERINTENDENT RESIGN OVER ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN SCHOOLS The father of one of the boys told the outlet in May that his son was being formally investigated for sexual harassment after he expressed his own concerns about the situation. “Furthermore, there are persistent reports that LCPS and the school board take adverse and potentially unlawful action against parents, teachers, and public speakers,” Miyares’ office wrote in its announcement. In response to an inquiry from Fox News Digital, a representative for LCPS said “first and foremost [the district] continues to focus on following applicable law and ensuring all students are safe.” “LCPS is not in a position to provide comment on the attorney general’s investigation or its purported findings at this time.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The district said it never received official communication from Miyares beyond what was announced in the press pertaining to the investigation being launched and was unable to “meaningfully participate” in it. “To date, no findings have been shared with LCPS,” the representative said. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Education, which said it doesn’t confirm complaints. LCPS previously made national headlines after a father of a student accused the school board of covering up his daughter’s sexual assault at the hands of a biological male who wore a skirt.
CA bill would allow inmates sentenced to life without parole to seek early release if crime was before age 26
The California Senate approved a measure Tuesday that would allow inmates sentenced to life without parole the opportunity to request an early release if their crimes were committed before the age of 26. Senate Bill 672, the Youth Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act, passed the Senate by a 24-11 party-line vote. The proposal now heads to the Assembly. The bill, introduced by Democratic Sen. Susan Rubio, was amended to exclude criminals convicted of certain offenses the chance to seek parole, including those who killed a law enforcement officer or carried out a mass shooting at a school, among other offenses. Republicans criticized their Democratic colleagues for passing the bill, saying the “soft-on-crime” proposal helps criminals and ignores victims. CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS UNCERTAIN ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS’ POTENTIAL RUN FOR GOVERNOR Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones said Democrats “just opened the prison gates for over 1,600 cold-blooded killers.” “Democrat lawmakers across the aisle have proven time and time again they don’t care about the victim or their family,” he said in a statement. “They don’t care about keeping the public safe. They care about defending killers.” “This bill isn’t about second chances for petty offenders. It grants opportunity for release to some of the most violent criminals,” Sen. Kelly Seyarto said. “These individuals were sentenced to life without parole for crimes so extreme that the justice system deemed them beyond rehabilitation. Instead of weakening our justice system, we should be focusing on strengthening public safety and protecting Californians.” Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil said the people who committed these “depraved” crimes have “earned their sentence,” and it is “simply wrong for Democrat legislators to think they know better than the judges and juries who heard these cases.” “We’re not talking about children who committed a ‘youthful indiscretion’; these are adults who committed planned murders with special circumstances,” she said. “We say kill this bill, not free these killers.” In a post on X, State Assembly Republican Caucus press secretary George Andrews labeled the legislation a “get-out-of-prison plan” for people convicted of murder before age 26. Crime Victims United, in a letter to Rubio, wrote that the bill “threatens public safety and ignores the rights of crime victims and their families, as well as the efforts of local law enforcement, district attorneys, jurors, and the legal processes and resources that resulted in their conviction and sentence.” The bill notes that existing law states that victims’ rights at a parole hearing will not be changed with this proposal. TRUMP VOWS ‘LARGE SCALE’ FINES ON CALIFORNIA AFTER TRANS ATHLETE WINS GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, a Republican, has vowed to attempt to kill the bill when it reaches the Assembly. “This is what happens when soft-on-crime activists make the rules,” Gallagher told Fox News Digital. “They’re bending over backwards to help murderers while families are still grieving. These aren’t kids. They’re violent adults who earned life without parole. We’re going to kill this bill in the Assembly and make sure California doesn’t become a sanctuary for violent offenders.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of Rubio and Democratic co-authors Josh Becker, María Elena Durazo, Caroline Menjivar and Sasha Renée Pérez for comment.
SCOOP: Trump admin escalates pressure on Columbia as Ed Dept questions university’s accreditation
EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights sent a notice to the accrediting body that audits Columbia University on Wednesday, notifying it that the Ivy League school is currently failing to meet its standards for accreditation. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which is a recognized accrediting body for degree-granting higher education institutions across the Mid-Atlantic, ensures that its member schools – such as Columbia – meet established standards of academic quality, integrity, institutional effectiveness and more. MSCHE is one of several accrediting institutions across the country that the Department of Education deems reliable. Only institutions accredited by Department of Education-recognized accreditors are eligible to participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants and federal work-study or student loan programs. The notice to MSCHE marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to hold Columbia accountable for failing to tamp down antisemitism on its campus. ANTI-ISRAEL STUDENT PROTESTER REPORTEDLY HAD CONTACT WITH HAMAS “Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid. They determine which institutions are eligible for federal student loans and Pell Grants. Just as the Department of Education has an obligation to uphold federal antidiscrimination law, university accreditors have an obligation to ensure member institutions abide by their standards,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. “We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards, including compliance with federal civil rights laws.” After launching an investigation into Columbia in February, the Trump administration opted to cancel $400 million in federal grants over the university’s “failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment.” Subsequently, Columbia agreed to make changes in an effort to prevent the funds from being canceled. The school took steps to overhaul its policies around protests, safety and security, while also reorganizing its Middle Eastern studies department. The changes also included adopting a new campus-wide definition of antisemitism. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LAYS OFF AROUND 180 STAFF AFTER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVOKES GRANTS Meanwhile, last month, Columbia said it would be cutting around 180 staff members in an effort to “preserve [the university’s] financial flexibility.” “Across the research portfolio we have had to make difficult choices and unfortunately, today, nearly 180 of our colleagues who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants, will receive notices of non-renewal or termination,” acting Columbia University President Claire Shipman said last month. “This represents about 20% of the individuals who are funded in some manner by the terminated grants.” CLICK HERE FOR STORIES FROM OUR ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ SECTION “In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to take actions that preserve our financial flexibility and allow us to invest in areas that drive us forward,” Shipman continued. “This is a deeply challenging time across all higher education, and we are attempting to navigate through tremendous ambiguity with precision, which will be imperfect at times.” Fox News Digital reached out to Columbia for comment, but did not receive a response by publication deadline.
Pelosi’s stock trading legacy haunts Democrats as Jeffries slams GOP freshman’s ‘thievery’
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is accusing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of “hypocrisy” for slamming freshman GOP Rep. Rob Bresnahan’s stock trading despite the same issue having plagued the Democratic Party for years. “It’s rich for Hakeem Jeffries and national Democrats to suddenly care about stock trading when their real leader, Nancy Pelosi, and members of their own caucus make traders on Wall Street look like amateurs at a penny arcade. This political pandering is lame,” Mike Marinella, NRCC spokesperson, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The New York Times and Business Insider reports this year revealed Bresnahan has continued trading stocks since joining Congress, despite vowing to ban stock trading if elected. And since introducing legislation to ban stock trading and vowing to form a blind trust, the Pennsylvania Republican continued trading stocks. “Enough with the thievery. This guy is getting richer while everyday Americans struggle to live paycheck to paycheck. When we take back the House, we will put an end to this blatant corruption,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said on X. MACE SOUNDS OFF ON STOCK TRADING IN CONGRESS, PELOSI REMAINS SILENT: ‘SOMETHING DOESN’T ADD UP’ Politicians on both sides of the aisle have benefited from trading stocks while serving in office. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., reintroduced legislation this year to ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks while in office. Hawley first introduced the “PELOSI Act” in 2023. HOUSE REPUBLICANS TAKE STEP CLOSER TO BANNING CONGRESSIONAL STOCK TRADING Perhaps no representative has faced more scrutiny for stock trading than Jeffries’ predecessor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. In one such example, Pelosi’s husband sold 2,000 Visa shares last year for at least $500,000, a few months before the federal government sued the company. Such trades must be legally disclosed under the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act. This year, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, slammed President Donald Trump’s tariffs on “Liberation Day,” then purchased $100,000 and $250,000 in Apple stock, according to his financial disclosures reported by Southeast Politics. He has also purchased Tesla shares since Trump’s inauguration. And as the stock market was fluctuating around “Liberation Day,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., bought 23 stocks, worth between $23,023 and $345,000, and sold two stocks, worth between $2,002 and $30,000, Sun Sentinel reported. But they weren’t the only Democrats who cashed in on Trump’s “Liberation Day.” Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, sold dozens of individual stock holdings in the hours before April 2, according to NOTUS. Justin Chermol, spokesperson for Jeffries, told Fox News Digital, “House Democrats will not be lectured by a Republican Party that has openly embraced corruption in the Trump administration, the Supreme Court and the Congress.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “If MAGA extremists actually cared about the stock trading issue, House Republican leaders would immediately bring a bill to the floor that will ban stock trading by current members of Congress. They have refused to do it,” Chermol added.
Speaker Johnson surprised by Musk’s criticism of ‘big, beautiful bill’: He’s ‘flat wrong’
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters he was “surprised” by Elon Musk’s criticism of the “big, beautiful bill” after the two of them discussed the legislation. While the speaker expressed confidence in the bill, he acknowledged that it took Congress “decades” to reach a point where the national debt has crept past $36.2 trillion and that it would take more than one bill to fix the situation. “The Trump administration needs four years to do all this reform, not two years. The Biden administration, Biden-Harris, made such a disaster of every metric of public policy, it’s going to take us more than one bill to fix it all,” Johnson said. NATIONAL DEBT TRACKER: AMERICAN TAXPAYERS (YOU) ARE NOW ON THE HOOK FOR $36,214,400,664,854.53 AS OF 6/3/25 ELON MUSK WARNS EXCESSIVE SPENDING WILL PLUNGE US ‘INTO DEBT SLAVERY’ The Republican House leader said he and Musk, whom he considers a “friend,” had a “great conversation” about the “big, beautiful bill” on Monday. The tech billionaire apparently joked that the bill could not be “big and beautiful,” to which Johnson replied, “Oh, yes it can, my friend. It’s very beautiful.” “Elon and I left on a great note. We were texting one another — you know, happy texts,” Johnson told reporters. The speaker added he was surprised when Musk came out against the bill the next day. “I think he’s flat wrong,” Johnson said. “I think he’s way off on this, and I’ve told him as much.” Johnson also praised the “obviously brilliant” tech billionaire for his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut government waste. GOP SENATORS EXPRESS ‘CONCERNS,’ ‘SKEPTICISM’ OVER TRUMP’S SPENDING BILL AFTER MUSK RANT Despite seemingly ending his tenure with the Trump White House on good terms last week, Musk came out swinging against the “big, beautiful bill,” calling it a “disgusting abomination.” “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” Musk tweeted. Musk also retweeted multiple pleas from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, for the Senate to improve the bill and avoid saddling Americans with more government spending. On Wednesday, during a weekly press briefing, House Republican leadership advocated for the “big, beautiful bill,” saying it was necessary for funding the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Multiple leaders, including Johnson and House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., cited the antisemitic attack in Colorado allegedly carried out by an illegal immigrant as an example of why the bill’s funding is needed. “We need to go find the other Solimans and get them out of America,” Johnson said in reference to suspected Boulder, Colorado, attacker Mohamed Soliman, the Egyptian national accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a group of people calling for the release of hostages being held in Gaza. Now that the bill has passed the House, it’s up to Senate Republicans to meet President Donald Trump’s July 4 deadline.
Duffy moves to defund California high-speed rail after blistering federal review
It could be the end of the line for the “train to nowhere.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has released a scathing report exposing what he said is the unfeasibility of California’s long-troubled high-speed rail project – threatening to pull the plug on a plan that already has the federal government on the hook for $6.9 billion while Californians are underwriting an additional $9 billion. Duffy said that the federal government is moving to terminate around $4 billion it has currently obligated to the project unless the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) can prove it is tenable. ‘WHO BENEFITED?’: BLUE STATE LAWMAKER DEMANDS FBI INVESTIGATE BULLET TRAIN ‘BOONDOGGLE’ He blasted it as a “boondoggle,” as zero miles of high-speed track have been laid since ground was broken 10 years ago, and the cost continues to balloon. The 300-page report, released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Wednesday, examined the project and found delays, missed deadlines, mismanagement, waste, skyrocketing costs, budget shortfalls and overrepresentation of projected ridership. The report states that despite the money already plowed into the project, there is a $7 billion funding gap to complete a subset of the first phase in the Central Valley from Merced to Bakersfield, known as the Early Operating Segment (EOS). “This report exposes a cold, hard truth: CHSRA has no viable path to complete this project on time or on budget,” Duffy said Wednesday. “CHSRA is on notice — If they can’t deliver on their end of the deal, it could soon be time for these funds to flow to other projects that can achieve President Trump’s vision of building great, big, beautiful things again. “Our country deserves high-speed rail that makes us proud – not boondoggle trains to nowhere.” President Donald Trump has also referred to the project as a boondoggle and said last month that it is “the worst cost overrun I’ve ever seen. It’s like, totally out of control.” The project was initially touted as a two-phase visionary system connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco, and later north to Sacramento, and south to San Diego. Since then, the project’s footprint has been dramatically reduced from an 800-mile segment to a 171-mile segment. BLUE CITY’S UNDERGROUNDING PROJECT TO TAKE HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO COMPLETE The FRA estimates the EOS section of Phase 1 will now cost between $35.4 billion and $37.8 billion excluding financing costs, significantly higher than the CHSRA’a own estimate of $28.8 billion, creating a funding gap of $6.6 to $9 billion. The full cost of Phase 1 is in the range of $106 to $128 billion, per the report. Duffy said he promised the American people that the Trump administration would be good stewards of their tax dollars with the report focusing on two grants awarded to the project: a $929 million cooperative agreement from 2010 and a $3.07 billion cooperative agreement from last year. Cooperative agreements allow the federal government to retain substantial involvement in how a project is carried out. Other key findings revealed that the project faces ongoing—and likely increasing—contractor cost overruns due to delays and that the CHSRA failed to finalize contracts for its high-speed trainsets on time. Additionally, the FRA concludes there is no viable path for CHSRA to complete the EOS by the promised 2033 deadline and that the authority’s reliance on volatile, non-federal funding sources — like cap-and-trade revenue — poses significant financial risk. Despite substantial federal support and funding, the FRA said that the CHSRA does not have the capacity to deliver the full CHSR System, nor close the $7 billion funding gap. “CHSRA has not learned from its mistakes and mismanagement and has therefore failed to create an organization capable of effectively and efficiently managing project delivery,” the report reads. “Despite the substantial scope reduction, the CHSR Project still continues to face numerous delays and cost overruns. At this rate, CHSRA will never complete the CHSR System.” The FRA also accused the CHSRA of not acting in good faith in making representations to the FRA regarding its ability to complete the EOS with a reasonable budget and schedule. The FRA wrote to the CHSRA and said it has up to 37 days to respond, after which it could seek repayment of the two collective agreement grants totaling $4 billion. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office directed Fox News to a press conference he held last month, when he discussed a revised budget plan for the state. He said the state was committed to completing the project and that the revised plan would allocate $1 billion each year for the next 20 years using funds from the state’s cap-and-trade program. Fox News Digital reached out to CHSRA for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
House GOP unveils resolution to condemn Boulder terror attack, call for mass deportation of overstayed visas
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are unveiling a new resolution to condemn the Boulder, Colorado, terror attack against a pro-Israel demonstration over the weekend. The resolution would call for the deportation of people who overstay their visas in the U.S., as was allegedly the case with the attacker. The legislation is being led by Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., who is Jewish, and Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, chair of the 189-member-strong Republican Study Committee. A man identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman allegedly threw Molotov cocktails and used a “makeshift flamethrower” to set peaceful pro-Israel activists on fire Sunday, according to officials. He allegedly yelled, “Free Palestine,” while committing the attack. HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT Officials have since said Soliman was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the attack. The Trump administration said he and his family will now be deported. “This is not an issue that just affects me as a congressman. It affects me as a father of two Jewish boys who now have to ask themselves if they’re safe in their own country,” Fine told Fox News Digital. “I’m going to lead this resolution, but this is the last thing in Congress I do that is going to be just talking. After this, it’s going to be all action.” Pfluger told Fox News Digital, “The antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder that targeted 12 innocent Americans, including a Holocaust survivor, could have been prevented if Mohamed Sabry Soliman hadn’t been allowed to illegally overstay his visa by the Biden administration.” The Texas Republican warned of a “pattern” of violence against Jews in the U.S., citing the recent attack as well as the deadly shooting outside a Jewish museum in Washington and the attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home. Their bill text noted there was a Holocaust survivor among those who were hurt in the attack. It also said the attack “comes amidst an alarming rise in antisemitic violence sweeping the United States.” The resolution would condemn the Boulder attack and also “condemns antisemitism in all its forms, and expresses grave concern about the rise in antisemitic behavior and actions reported across college campuses, online, and in other public spaces.” On people like Soliman, the resolution “urges Congress to take immediate action to secure the border and deport migrants who overstay their visas.” MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE While the aforementioned provision will likely turn off some Democrats, the measure could get bipartisan support if it hits the House floor. Both Republicans and Democrats condemned the heinous attack over the weekend. Soliman has been hit with multiple charges, including murder in the first degree, though no fatalities have been announced by police.
Andrew Cuomo the biggest target as New York City mayoral primary shifts into high gear
With just under three weeks to go until primary day in the nation’s most populous city, the New York City mayoral race is heating up. Nine Democrats running for mayor in the Democratic-dominated city will face off Wednesday night in the first of two debates ahead of the June 24 primary, with early voting starting 10 days earlier, on June 14. And likely in the political crosshairs in the first in-person clash between the candidates will be former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the polling frontrunner. The former three-term governor, who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, is aiming for political redemption as he works to pull off a campaign comeback. SCANDAL-SCARRED CUOMO THE POLLING AND FUNDRAISING FRONT-RUNNER IN NEW YORK CITY SHOWDOWN Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations – which he has repeatedly denied – forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. FEDS INVESTIGATING CUOMO FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING TO CONGRESS ABOUT COVID ACTIONS But thanks in part to his near-universal name recognition among New Yorkers, Cuomo was topping the mayoral polls even before he announced his candidacy on March 1. With his lead in both the polls and fundraising, Cuomo is likely to be the top target on the debate stage, as rivals zero in on the harassment allegations and his handling of nursing homes during the pandemic. While all of Cuomo’s rivals on the stage are likely to pile on, expect Zohran Mamdani, a state Assembly member from Queens, to try to go toe-to-toe with the former governor. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who is originally from Uganda, has been rising in public opinion polls and is now a clear second to Cuomo in the latest surveys. Also taking the stage will be City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, city comptroller Brad Lander, former city comptroller Scott Stringer, former state Assemblyman Michael Blake from the Bronx, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie from Brooklyn, state Sen. Jessica Ramos from Queens, and former hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON ANDREW CUOMO Absent from the stage on Wednesday night at a debate organized by the city’s Campaign Finance Board will be embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. With his poll numbers plummeting, Adams announced in early April that he would run for re-election as an independent candidate. The winner of the Democratic Party mayoral primary will be seen as the overwhelming favorite to win November’s general election in the heavily blue city. The debate comes during reports confirmed by Fox News that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic. The push to investigate Cuomo came after the Justice Department made the unusual decision earlier this year to dismiss an indictment against Adams on corruption charges.
Comer widens Biden ‘cover-up’ probe, seeks interviews with Anita Dunn and Ron Klain
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is widening his investigation into the alleged “cover-up” of former President Joe Biden’s mental decline by seeking interviews with five more former White House aides. Comer sent letters to five more top former Biden staffers, putting his total outreach in the investigation to 10 people so far. The latest round of letters are being sent to former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, former senior communications advisor Anita Dunn, former top advisors Michael Donilon and Steve Ricchetti, and former Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Bruce Reed. “The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating the role of former senior White House officials in possibly usurping authority from former President Joe Biden and the ramifications of a White House staff intent on hiding his rapidly worsening mental and physical faculties,” Comer wrote to the five former aides. HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT “The Committee has been investigating this issue for nearly a year. The Committee seeks to understand who made key decisions and exercised the powers of the executive branch during the previous administration, possibly without former President Biden’s consent. The Committee requests your testimony to evaluate your eye-witness account of former President Biden’s decline.” Each letter also detailed specific reasons the committee is seeking to speak to each person. “You served as Chief of Staff for former President Biden. Before departing the White House in 2023, you had been by former President Biden’s side ‘for more than three decades.’ You returned to the former president’s side in 2024 to aid his campaign and prepare him for the June 27, 2024, debate with President Donald Trump,” the letter to Klain read, citing a recent Politico article. “According to an interview, you cut short the debate prep ‘due to the president’s fatigue and lack of familiarity with the subject matter’ and said that the former president ‘didn’t really understand what his argument was on inflation.’ The scope of your responsibilities—both official and otherwise—and personal interactions within the Oval Office cannot go without investigation.” To Dunn, Comer wrote, “Former President Biden confided in you extensively over the past decade. The Committee seeks to understand your observations of former President Biden’s mental acuity and health as one of his closest advisors. “If White House staff carried out a strategy lasting months or even years to hide the chief executive’s condition—or to perform his duties—Congress may need to consider a legislative response,” the letter said. Comer has asked each of the five aides to appear for closed-door transcribed interviews. He told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that it was a more effective investigation tactic than a public hearing that could easily devolve into an unproductive spectacle. MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE “You’ve got one hour, you’re not interrupted, you don’t have to go five minutes back and forth,” Comer said. “So to extract information, we’re going to go with the interviews.” Comer previously reached out to former Biden doctor Kevin O’Connor and former White House aides Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams and Neera Tanden to appear. The committee said it expects the witnesses to voluntarily comply with the investigation and will release transcribed interview dates later this week. Comer has not ruled out the threat of subpoenas, however, if talks go awry.
Putin tells Trump Russia will respond to Ukrainian attack on warplanes
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he spoke over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that Russia would have to respond to a recent Ukrainian attack on Russian warplanes. Trump said the phone call with Putin lasted about one hour and 15 minutes, noting that it was “not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.” “We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.” On Sunday, Ukrainian forces destroyed 40 of Russia’s most powerful bomber jets and surveillance planes in “Operation Spider’s Web,” a series of coordinated drone strikes penetrating deep into Russian territory. Russia’s defense ministry confirmed the attack, saying it struck five airfields. UKRAINE DESTROYS DOZENS OF RUSSIAN WARPLANES WITH DRONE ATTACK DEEP INSIDE RUSSIA President Volodymyr Zelensky personally oversaw the strike, which sources told Fox News was more than 18 months in the making. The White House confirmed to Fox News that the Trump administration was not informed about the attack in advance. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian Security Service said Ukraine carried out a massive underwater blast targeting a bridge linking Russia to Crimea. Zelenskyy also said Tuesday that Russia launched a “savage strike” on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, “directly targeting the city and its ordinary streets with rocket artillery. This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.