Newsom faces GOP backlash over $230M redistricting special election after calling his recall a ‘waste’
As California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom advocates for a special election to advance a redistricting map that favors Democrats, some critics are pointing out that he took a very different tone when another special election was called to remove him from office. The Newsom recall vote is estimated to have cost the state and counties $276 million to administer the election, according to an official projection by the California Department of Finance. Meanwhile, the redistricting special election, which will be held on Nov. 4, will cost around $230 million, according to estimates by California Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Buffy Wicks, a Democrat. Besides this, at the Nov. 4 special election, California voters will decide whether to temporarily suspend the map drawn by the independent commission for a map passed by the legislature. Politico reported that California voters deeply favor the independent redistricting commission previously passed by voters. NEWSOM SIGNS CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING BILLS, COUNTERING TRUMP-BACKED PUSH IN TEXAS Newsom previously criticized the 2021 recall vote against him as a “waste” of government resources, saying in an official response to the recall effort, “Here’s the worst part: Their partisan recall will waste 200 million taxpayer dollars desperately needed for emergency preparedness and response.” “The last thing California needs is another wasteful special election, supported by those who demonize California’s people and attack California’s values,” the response said. The Los Angeles Times reported Newsom claiming the effort consisted of “a handful of partisan activists supporting President Trump and his dangerous agenda to divide America are trying to overturn the definitive will of California voters and bring Washington’s broken government to California with this recall effort.” In a March press conference reported on by ABC 7 News, Newsom again pushed back against the recall vote effort, saying, “Now is not the time to waste hundreds of millions of dollars on a recall effort that is nothing more than a partisan power grab. This is, and forgive me, a Republican-backed recall.” CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS UNVEIL REDISTRICTING MAP TO WIPE OUT 5 GOP SEATS, COUNTER TEXAS PLAN Other California Democrats now pushing the redistricting vote were equally critical of the recall vote as a waste. Assembly member Marc Berman, Democrat, previously expressed that “Californians are very frustrated that we just spent $276 million on this recall election that, from the looks of it, certified what voters said three years ago and what voters could have said next year,” CalMatters reported. Yet, speaking this week in front of a committee in a heated exchange about the projected cost of the redistricting special election, Berman said, “$250 million looks like couch cushion change.” Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., called the recall vote “a $276 million waste just to reaffirm 2018’s results with an election coming in 2022,” according to CNN. Now, Mullin has said in a press release that he stands with Newsom’s special election push as “Democrats are committed to giving voters the opportunity to counter this move in Texas and restore some balance of power in Washington.” DEMOCRATIC PARTY, GAVIN NEWSOM JOIN ONLINE ROASTING OF NEW CRACKER BARREL LOGO In a statement to Fox News Digital, Jessica Millan Patterson, chair of the conservative group Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab, called the redistricting push is an example of Democratic hypocrisy. “Gavin Newsom and California Democrats have abandoned any pretense of moral high ground by forcing a wasteful special election that voters don’t want,” said Patterson. “Their blatant hypocrisy at the expense of California taxpayers sends a clear message: grasping for power matters more to them than honest, principled governing,” she added. In response, Newsom’s office directed Fox News Digital to comments the governor made in a press conference last week in which he said, “There’s no price tag for democracy.” Newsom assured county officials worried about the special election costs that the state of California “will be funding it.” Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Berman and Mullin but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Virginia leaders rebuke racist sign targeting GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears: ‘Repulsive’
Virginia leaders across party lines are condemning a racist sign displayed Thursday outside a Northern Virginia school board meeting where gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears was speaking. “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then blacks can’t share my water fountain,” the sign in question read. The incident occurred as the state is embroiled in multiple controversies related to transgender students’ access to bathrooms and locker rooms across various counties. DNC HIRES NEW TOP EXEC WITH LONG HISTORY OF PUSHING RACIAL GRIEVANCES, LEFTIST IDEOLOGY The sign was held up while Earle-Sears attended an Arlington County school board meeting on Thursday evening. The press conference came days after the federal Department of Education designated five Northern Virginia schools “high-risk” and placed restrictions on their federal funding. The conference also follows the suspension of two male students in one Northern Virginia county, after they were found responsible for sexual harassment after complaining about a transgender student using their locker room. Even Earle-Sears gubernatorial opponent, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, called the sign “repulsive.” “As I said yesterday, the sign displayed in Arlington last night was racist and abhorrent,” Spanberger said in response to the signage. “Many Virginians remember the segregated water fountains (and buses and schools and neighborhoods) of Virginia’s recent history. And no matter the intended purpose or tone and no matter how much one might find someone else’s beliefs objectionable, to threaten a return of Jim Crow and segregation to a Black woman is unacceptable. Full stop.” Meanwhile, Spanberger’s running mate, current Virginia state senator and Democratic Party candidate for lieutenant governor Ghazala Hashmi called the sign “unacceptable.” She also made similar remarks about the incident hearkening back to “Jim Crow-era ugliness.” In response to the incident, Republican political leaders also took the opportunity to slam Democrats. “This is the climate Democrats created—smear, divide, then look away when it turns ugly,” said Earle-Sears running mate, GOP lieutenant governor candidate John Reid. “That sign is where their politics of resentment leads.” DEMOCRAT CONGRESSMAN HURLS PROFANITY-LACED MESSAGE AT STEPHEN MILLER Earle-Sears added that she was “disgusted, but not surprised” by the racially charged sign. She also took the opportunity to call out her gubernatorial opponent. “This is the ‘tolerant’ left Abigail Spanberger defends,” Earle-Sears said following the incident. “I’m the sitting lieutenant governor, second in command in the former Capitol of the confederate states. I’m an immigrant, a Marine, and above all, a human being. There is no place for this disgusting hatred in our Commonwealth.” Earle-Sears added that anyone who refuses to condemn the sign “is complicit in approving it.” The press conference that the sign was displayed at drew several other protesters, while supporters of Earle-Sears were present as well. It came just days after five Northern Virginia school districts refused to change their policies around letting students pick which bathroom or locker room they want to use based on their gender identity, as opposed to their biological sex. It also came after one of those Northern Virginia school districts suspended two biological males for complaining out loud about a transgender male who is a biological female using the male’s only locker room. The district also held the two male students responsible for sexual harassment. The boys have filed a Title IX appeal, which has temporarily halted their suspension for the time being.
Meet Joe Gruters, the Trump ally now at the helm of Republican National Committee
In a political party where politicians who call Florida home have risen to the heights of power, it’s no surprise that the new chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) hails from the Sunshine State. Joe Gruters, a longtime ally of Florida resident President Donald Trump, was unanimously elected Friday as RNC chair at the national party committee’s summer meeting. Gruters is a Florida state senator, RNC committee member from the Sunshine State, and, briefly, the national party committee’s treasurer before stepping down after being elected chair. LONGTIME TRUMP ALLY TAKES OVER AS CHAIR OF REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE He’s also close with another Floridian, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who was co-campaign manager of Trump’s 2024 presidential bid. Gruters succeeded now-former chair Michael Whatley, who stepped down as he runs for the Senate in North Carolina in the blockbuster race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. TRUMP BACKED RNC CHAIR JUMPS INTO BLOCKBUSTER SENATE BATTLE A former chair of the Republican Party of Florida, Gruters was co-chair of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign in the state. “Congratulations to MAGA Warrior Joe Gruters, who I very strongly Endorsed, on his unanimous Election as Chairman of the Republican National Committee,” Trump wrote in a social media post following Gruters’ ascension to RNC chair. Trump touted that Gruters “helped us deliver Massive and Historic Victories” in the Sunshine State and “helped us turn Florida, RED AS RED CAN BE!” The election of Gruters, a 48-year-old accountant, as RNC chair is the latest sign of Trump’s complete control over the national party committee. “This is the president’s party. This is the president’s vision, overall. The party fully embraces the president,” Gruters said as he and Whatley stood for an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. And Gruters is looking to the president as Republicans defend their House and Senate majoritues in next year’s midterm elections. “We’re gonna ride the president all the way to victory in the midterms, and we are going to win big,” Gruters said. Gruters has often clashed with another Floridian, two-term Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. Gruters backed Trump over DeSantis in the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race.
Unauthorized immigrant population soared to an all-time high under Biden, new report shows
A new report by the Pew Research Center shows that the unauthorized immigrant population in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of 14 million in 2023 in the middle of the Biden administration. Released this week, the study shows that the unauthorized immigrant population reached an “all-time high” of 14 million in 2023 after two consecutive years of record growth in 2021 and 2022. According to Pew, the number of unauthorized immigrants present in the country increased from 10.2 million in 2020 to 10.5 million in 2021 to 11.8 million in 2022. Pew said the increase of 3.5 million unauthorized immigrants in two years is the biggest on record. OVER 55 MILLION VISA HOLDERS SUBJECTED TO CONTINUOUS VETTING AMID TRUMP ADMIN CRACKDOWN The next highest number of unauthorized immigrants recorded in a year was in 2007, with 12.2 million. Further, Pew reported that though 2023 is the most recent year with comprehensive data available, preliminary data indicate continued growth in 2024 and a decrease in 2025, coinciding with the end of former President Joe Biden’s term and the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. Pew posits that the decline in unauthorized immigrants could be as much as 1 million, which it attributes in part to increased deportations and reduced protections under the Trump administration. Nonetheless, the center said that the unauthorized immigrant population likely remains above 2023 levels. The study defines an unauthorized immigrant as an immigrant who is not a naturalized citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, temporary legal resident, or former unauthorized immigrants granted legal residence under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act. TRUMP EXPANDS DEPORTATION DEALS AS MORE COUNTRIES AGREE TO TAKE MIGRANTS Of the 14 million total unauthorized immigrants, Pew said 6 million have some type of protection from deportation, while 8 million do not. Pew said those with some protection from deportation are aliens who are asylum applicants, have temporary immigration parole, are victims of crimes, have temporary protective status or are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients or border releases. Simon Hankinson, a senior research fellow in the Border and Immigration Center at the Heritage Foundation, commented on the study, saying it “shows the scope of the illegal immigration disaster President Biden created and which President Trump is now trying to clean up.” “Biden’s massive abuse of immigration parole, release of aliens caught entering illegally at the border, and shackling of enforcement ballooned the number of people living here illegally to record proportions,” he added. Besides, unauthorized immigrants, Hankinson said the percentage of foreign-born residents in the U.S. is currently the highest in the country’s history at nearly 16 percent. He posited that “without assimilation and integration,” these levels of immigration “are socially and fiscally unsustainable.” DHS TO SCREEN IMMIGRATION APPLICANTS FOR ‘ANTI-AMERICAN IDEOLOGIES’ On the other end of the spectrum, Hankinson commented that the report shows “what can be achieved with the right policies.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “In only six months, they estimate that over a million illegal aliens ‘unauthorized immigrants’ left the U.S. The vast majority of these did so on their own,” he said, adding, “As we see the hysterical press coverage of interior immigration enforcement, let’s remember that – the simplest, easiest, hassle-free way to avoid detention and deportation is to never enter or remain here illegally. The second easiest is to go home.”
Virginia leaders condemn racist sign aimed at Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears over bathroom policy
Virginia leaders from both parties have condemned a racist sign aimed at Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, which was raised during a protest outside a school board meeting where she was speaking. Earle-Sears — the Republican nominee in the state’s gubernatorial race — spoke at the Arlington County school board meeting on Thursday, which was reviewing its transgender bathroom policy. Outside the meeting, where a transgender rights rally was being held, a person displayed a racist sign directed at Earle-Sears. The protester’s poster, which has gone viral on social media and sparked outrage from across the political spectrum, read: “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then Blacks can’t share my water fountain.” POLITICAL ACTIVIST CJ PEARSON SAYS WHITE LIBERALS ARE STARTING TO FEAR THEY’RE LOSING ‘POWER’ OVER BLACKS Governor Glenn Youngkin defended Earle-Sears on X on Thursday, blasting what he labeled as the “hypocrisy of the liberal left.” “Winsome is so much bigger than this idiocy,” Youngkin added. Attorney General Jason Miyares joined in, writing on X: “This is wrong. [Winsome Earle-Sears] — and Virginia — deserve better.” VIRGINIA LT. GOVERNOR ON WHY HER STATE IS AT RISK OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING OVER TRANSGENDER BATHROOMS Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who is also the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, denounced the poster, saying it evokes the “pain of racism, segregation and Jim Crow-era ugliness.” “These sentiments are unacceptable,” Hashmi said on X. “We each have a responsibility to move our communities to unity and to reject all forms of bigotry.” In a post to X, Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones echoed the other leaders’ sentiments, calling the sign a “horrific display of racism.” VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS SUPPORT FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS’ RIGHTS IN GOVERNOR’S RACE SPOTLIGHT “My parents grew up during the height of segregation in America,” Jones said. “This horrific display of racism is wrong and unacceptable. It has no place in our communities or politics, period.” Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid wrote on X, “There’s no place for hate here in Virginia. This is wrong. Will [Abigail Spanberger] or [Ghazala Hashmi] condemn racist attacks like this?” Sen. Minority Leader Ryan McDougle took to X to write, “The tolerant left strikes again.” In an X post, Sen. Schuyler Van Valkenburg wrote: “Two wrongs don’t make a right. Been teaching my kids – and students – that for years. In the age of Trump it’s easy to get in the gutter. We should insist on betting the better angels of our nature.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Del. Mike Cherry, R-Chesterfield, said on X: “Wow. Sad.” Earle-Sears’ opponent, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., also condemned the sign, calling it “racist, abhorrent and unacceptable,” but Earle-Sears felt that her response should have been stronger. “A very weak response from a very weak person who we know cannot lead Virginia as governor,” Earle-Sears asserted. “She’s finally come out of hiding when she should have a long time ago come out and defended so many things that are so wrong, and she’s been absent.”
George Mason University violated Tile VI with ‘unlawful DEI policies,’ Education Department says
George Mason University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by illegally using diversity, equity and inclusion practices, the Department of Education announced Friday. The department’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into the institution’s hiring and promotion practices last month following a complaint filed by several of its professors who claimed preferential treatment was given to prospective and current faculty members from “underrepresented groups” to advance “anti-racism.” The complaint accused George Mason President Gregory Washington of issuing guidance that prioritized diversity initiatives over qualifications. “In 2020, University President Gregory Washington called for expunging the so-called ‘racist vestiges’ from GMU’s campus,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education Craig Trainor said in a statement. “Without a hint of self awareness, President Washington then waged a university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies that intentionally discriminate on the basis of race. You can’t make this up.” TRUMP-APPOINTED JUDGE STRIKES DOWN ANTI-DEI MEASURES FROM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT “Despite this unfortunate chapter in Mason’s history, the University now has the opportunity to come into compliance with federal civil rights laws by entering into a Resolution Agreement with the Office for Civil Rights,” he continued. “In the last seven months, this much is clear: The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will not allow racially exclusionary practices—which violate the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Protection Clause, and Supreme Court precedent—to continue corrupting our nation’s educational institutions.” The Office for Civil Rights proposed a possible resolution to the university’s president that includes six conditions to which the institution must agree. The university must agree to the conditions within the next 10 days to resolve the matter. The proposed resolution would require the university to send a statement to students and faculty committing to comply with Title VI in its recruitment, hiring, promotion and tenure decisions, and the statement should include a personal apology from the university’s president for “promoting unlawful discriminatory practices.” GMU BOARD AGREES TO CUT DEI PROGRAMS WHILE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVING RAISE FOR EMBATTLED PRESIDENT The statement must also be displayed prominently on the university’s website and any contrary statements would have to be removed, according to the proposed resolution. The university would need to agree to revise any policies and documents used in its recruitment, hiring, promotion and tenure process and must remove any provisions that require or encourage the use of race as a factor in these practices. The federal government also said George Mason must conduct annual training for anyone involved in these practices to affirm that it would not give preferences based on race. Additionally, the institution must make records demonstrating compliance with the agreement available to the government upon request. George Mason’s failure to agree to the proposed resolution could lead to a loss in federal funds. The Trump administration has already pulled funding from several universities, including Harvard, Columbia and the University of California, Los Angeles, over discrimination accusations and their handling of alleged antisemitism on campus. Fox News Digital reached out to George Mason for comment.
Hundreds of DoD civilians accept call of duty in southern border mission under Trump’s order
Defense Department civilians are volunteering by the hundreds for temporary details with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), joining efforts to bolster operations at the troubled southern border under President Donald Trump’s priority to secure it. In under 48 hours, nearly 500 volunteers answered the president’s call of duty, as assignments became available via USAJOBS.com. Recruiting agencies include Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “This is a national security problem, and our civilians have the critical skill sets to support DHS in their mission,” Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Civilian Personnel Policy Michael A. Cogar said. “We’re proud that our civilians are already willing to sign up.” Assignments last up to 180 days, providing skills ranging from intelligence analysis to detention support. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RECRUITING CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS FOR TRUMP ADMIN’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN OPERATIONS A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital the initiative reflects Trump’s “whole-of-government approach” to removing national security threats, including gang members and terrorists. “ICE, CBP, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense are embracing President Trump’s whole-of-government approach to protecting the American people,” a DoD spokesperson said to Fox News Digital. “DOD civilians — who have already undergone rigorous vetting and demonstrated their commitment to serving this nation — are invited to volunteer for temporary ICE assignments to help make America safe again and remove national security threats—including gang members and terrorists from our country.” PENTAGON UNVEILS NEW MEDAL FOR TROOPS DEPLOYED IN TRUMP’S SOUTHERN BORDER CRACKDOWN Civilian employees were notified via email earlier this week, and can apply through USAJOBS, after which DHS will coordinate with their respective agencies for ultimate approval. If approved, candidates can be deployed within 96 hours. All DoD civilian employees in good standing with at least 90 days at their current agency can apply. Assignments last up to six months and roles currently run through Sept. 30, 2026. Volunteers will provide logistical and technical support including data entry, planning, case processing, linguistics and human resources. Civilian DoD employees maintain their pay and benefits while on assignment with eligibility for overtime, while gaining cross-agency experience and professional development. “This mission is truly critical, not just for DHS, not just for DOD, but for the entire country,” Cogar said in a DoD memo released Friday. “Any individual, any one person, can have a force-multiplying effect for those DHS agents, allowing them to focus on what they do best, while we can provide that technical support that they need to be on target, on mission and out there every day focused on the safety of our nation.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The program follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s June directive that also opened DHS placements for retiring service members through the SkillBridge program. The DoD SkillBridge program allows retiring service members to obtain ‘real-world training and work experience in in-demand fields of work.’ Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
10 key takeaways from DOJ’s release of Ghislaine Maxwell’s Epstein interviews
Hours of interviews between Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and a federal prosecutor were released by the Department of Justice on Friday afternoon. During the recorded sessions in which the convicted sex offender, who was found guilty for her role in Epstein’s crimes, was granted immunity, she made several interesting claims. Here are 10 top takeaways. EPSTEIN’S FORMER LAWYER: GHISLAINE MAXWELL SHOULD GET IMMUNITY IN EXCHANGE FOR SECRETS Maxwell denied the existence of a black book with Epstein’s clients on it – and least to her knowledge. “There is no list,” she told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Maxwell said she believed the origin of rumors that there was a list came in 2009 after Epstein had finished a 13-month sex trafficking sentence in Florida, and a lawyer at Rothstein Adler involved in a civil suit against him called the FBI to say he had a “piece of evidence” that belongs to Epstein. That was “the list,” she claimed, adding that she believes he became a confidential informant to the FBI. She said he obtained the list through a sting operation involving Epstein’s former butler, who said in a deposition he had “handwritten notes, or a journal, whatever.” GHISLAINE MAXWELL TELLS DOJ SHE DOESN’T BELIEVE JEFFREY EPSTEIN DIED BY SUICIDE IN FEDERAL PRISON Maxwell said she doesn’t believe Epstein killed himself when he was found hanging in his New York jail cell in 2019. “I do not believe he died by suicide, no,” she told Blanche when asked. She added that she didn’t have any speculation about who could have killed him, but claimed the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is rife with mismanagement. “If it is indeed murder, I believe it was an internal situation,” she said, adding she didn’t believe his death was a way to silence him. “I do not have any reason to believe that,” she told Blanche. “And I also think it’s ludicrous because if that – I also happen to think if that is what they wanted, they would’ve had plenty of opportunity when he wasn’t in jail. And if they were worried about blackmail or anything from him, he would’ve been a very easy target.” Maxwell said while she believes President Trump (before he was president) and Epstein were friendly, she didn’t think they were “close.” “I think they were friendly, like people are in social settings. I don’t — I don’t think they were close friends or I certainly never witnessed the president in any of — I don’t recall ever seeing him in his house, for instance.” she said. “I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting.” She added, “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way. The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.” Maxwell claimed that former President Bill Clinton, whose name has previously been linked to Epstein, “absolutely never went” to Epstein’s Caribbean island where sex trafficking of young girls took place. She added, “I can be sure of that because there’s no way he would’ve gone – I don’t believe there’s any way that he would’ve gone to the island, had I not been there. Because I don’t believe he had 16 an independent friendship, if you will, with Epstein.” She also said that Clinton was her friend, not Epstein’s, and that she knew him through the Clinton Global Initiative and was part of the inception of the organization. TRUMP DOJ TO BEGIN HANDING OVER EPSTEIN FILES TO HOUSE OVERSIGHT INVESTIGATORS Maxwell called Epstein “disgusting” in the interview but said she doesn’t believe he was guilty of all the accusations. “I do believe that Epstein did a lot of, not all, but some of what he’s accused of, and I’m not here to defend him in any respect whatsoever,” Maxwell told Blanche. “I don’t want to, and I don’t think he requires, nor deserves any type of protection or – from me in any way, to sugarcoat what he did or didn’t do.” She added, “This is one man. He’s not some – they’ve made him into this – he’s not that interesting. He’s a disgusting guy who did terrible things to young kids.” Maxwell told Blanche that she also never saw Prince Andrew do anything inappropriate while she was with him, adding that she believes the infamous photo of the prince with his hand around accuser Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 isn’t real. “I believe it’s literally a fake photo,” she said of the picture, purported to have been taken at her former London townhouse. “I do not know that they met.” Giuffre died of suicide earlier this year. She had accused the royal of forcing her into sex inside Maxwell’s home in London’s ritzy Belgravia neighborhood. The prince was relieved of his royal duties amid fallout from the scandal but has always denied allegations of wrongdoing. He agreed to pay Giuffre an undisclosed settlement in 2022 and to donate to her charity for crime victims. BILL BARR TESTIFIES HE DIDN’T SEE INFO TO WOULD ‘IMPLICATE’ TRUMP IN EPSTEIN CASE, COMER SAYS Maxwell claimed to Blanche her “memory’s not as good as it was” because she was kept on suicide watch at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after her arrest for nearly two years, and she was woken up every 15 minutes. She said because of her memory lapses she had taken notes before the interviews, and throughout the interview still struggled to recall many details. Maxwell said that when she traveled with Epstein, they slept in the same bed, but he told her he had a heart condition and couldn’t have sex frequently. “Which meant that he didn’t have intercourse a lot, which suited me fine, because I actually do have a medical condition, which precludes me having a lot of intercourse,” she told Blanche. She added that she didn’t know the exact nature of the condition, but he liked “other forms of sexual
National Guard mobilizing in 19 states amid immigration, crime crackdown
Up to 1,700 National Guardsmen are set to mobilize in 19 states in the coming weeks to assist the Department of Homeland Security with President Trump’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and crime, Pentagon officials confirmed to FOX News. Documents obtained by FOX News show planning for activations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming – with status effective from August through mid-November. Texas is projected to host the most significant Guard presence. The National Guard soldiers being mobilized will effectively serve as a support pillar to a sweeping federal interagency effort, while also serving as a visible deterrent force, a U.S. Defense official said. The service members supporting ICE will be preforming case management, transportation, logistical support, and clerical functions associated with the processing of illegal migrants at the facilities. “The in-and-out processing may include personal data collection, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing of personnel in ICE custody,” the official said. TRUMP JOINS POLICE AND MILITARY FORCES IN WASHINGTON STREETS President Trump has indicated in recent days his administration aims to broaden the DC operation to other states, telling a group of federal agents and National Guard troops at a DC patrol center Thursday, “We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places.” On Friday in the Oval Office, Trump said, “I think Chicago will be our next. And then we’ll help with New York,” Trump said. A U.S. Defense official told FOX, “We won’t speculate on further operations, but can tell you that the department is a planning organization and continues to work and plan with other agency partners to protect federal assets and personnel.” Fewer than 2% of the authorized forces have mobilized so far, but missions coordinated under state governors are projected to expand in the coming weeks – including in Virginia, where approximately 60 soldiers and airmen will begin training August 25th to begin duty by early September, the Virginia National Guard confirmed. “VNG personnel will not conduct law enforcement functions, and VNG support will not include making arrests,” a spokesperson for the Virginia National Guard tells FOX. “VNG Soldiers and Airmen will report directly to ICE leadership at their assigned duty locations but remain under the control and direction of the Virginia Governor and Adjutant General of Virginia.” The deployment of National Guard troops — a state-controlled reserve force — will allow the U.S. military to provide a more direct role in supporting federal immigration enforcement amid as the Trump administration pushes forward with mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASSIGNS MILITARY ATTORNEYS TO PROSECUTE DC CRIMES AMID FEDERAL CRACKDOWN Under the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, use of the military for civilian law enforcement is limited – but the National Guardsmen will be mobilizing under Title 32 Section 502F authority, to which Posse Comitatus does not apply. At the request of DHS, in July, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved hundreds of additional forces for DHS-ICE Interior Enforcement support, and switched existing approvals from Title 10 to Title 32 status. “We understood ICE’s needs at that time to be more administrative in nature…as planning continued, working with our partners, it became clear more that ICE needed something different,” a U.S. defense official told FOX. Service members supporting ICE will be performing case management, transportation, clerical functions, and logistical support – which may include data collection, fingerprinting, DNA swapping, and photographing of personnel in ICE custody. “As you can imagine and appreciate, some of those start to get close to that law enforcement line. So it’s best that these people are in a Title 32 status so that we are absolutely staying within the law of what we’re doing and providing the appropriate support,” the official said. Most deployments remain in the planning and coordination stage with DHS and governors, but documents show operations beginning in Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada during the first week of September. “Under Title 32, the guardsmen are under the command and control of their governors. So, it’s up to the governors when they’ll bring those forces …as the governors and the states coordinate with DHS, that timeline will differ state by state,” the defense official said. Vermont declined to activate its National Guardsmen, despite the authorization from the Pentagon to assist the DHS-ICE Interior Enforcement Mission. HUNDREDS ARRESTED AS TRUMP’S WASHINGTON, DC, CRIME CRACKDOWN HITS FULL STRIDE The news comes as almost 2,000 National Guard soldiers from Washington DC and six states have been deployed to support law enforcement in Washington DC. Under direct presidential authority, Guard members were assigned to posts at monuments, checkpoints, and traffic stops in all eight wards, with a mission focused on deterring crime and keeping a visible security presence around the city. At the authorization of Secretary Hegseth, those National Guard members can now carry weapons if needed for their individual tasks. But DC is different under Title 32. For the states it would be up to the individual governors who act as command and control. A U.S. Defense official said while the mobilizations in 19 states and activation of DC National Guard both fall under President Trump’s larger directive protecting territorial integrity and immigration policies, the missions are distinct and separate. “The big question is how long do we stay? Because if we stay, we want to make sure it doesn’t come back. So we have to take care of these criminals and get them out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday. Officials have tied the effort in Washington DC to beautification ahead of next year’s 250th Independence Day celebration. But President Trump has hinted he may request the Guard stay in DC for an extended period of time, and then take the operation to other parts of the country. “We’re not playing games. We’re going to make it safe, and we’re going to then go on to other places,” Trump said to a crowd of National Guardsmen
Hegseth fires Defense Intelligence Agency chief, other senior Pentagon officials
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which issued an assessment on U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, as well as other senior military officials. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse will no longer serve as head of the DIA, a senior defense official told Fox News Digital on Friday. The firing came months after DIA details of the preliminary assessment of Operation Midnight Hammer were leaked to the news media. The assessment questioned the effectiveness of the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAKES ON NEW BATTLE SHUTTING DOWN INITIAL IRAN STRIKE ASSESSMENTS After the June strikes, President Donald Trump said Iran’s nuclear program had been “completely and fully obliterated.” However, the DIA found that the strikes only set Tehran back a few months. In a news conference after the strikes, Hegseth tore into the media and accused the press of misrepresenting the facts. “You, the press, specifically you, the press corps, because you cheer against Trump so hard,” he said. “It’s like in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad. You have to cheer against the efficacy of these strikes. You have to hope maybe they weren’t effective.” ‘THE MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK AGAINST LEAKED REPORT ON IRAN STRIKES “You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated — choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,” he added. In addition to Kruse, Hegseth removed Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, the chief of the Navy Reserve, and Rear Adm. Milton Sands, a Navy SEAL officer who oversees Naval Special Warfare Command. “Effective immediately, Rear Admiral Milton ‘Jamie’ Sands III will no longer serve as Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command,” a Navy official said. “Effective immediately, Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore will no longer serve as the Chief of Navy Reserve.” Lacore led around 59,000 reserve component personnel in the Navy and the Marine Corps. As a Naval aviator, she has 1,300 flight hours in military aircraft and was commanding officer of the U.S. base in Djibouti before becoming Chief of the Navy Reserve. The reason she was fired is unknown. Sands was a Navy SEAL who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was the Chief of Staff for U.S. Special Operations Command, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Africa, and Commander of Naval Service Training Command. The reason he was fired is unknown. Trump has fired other military officials in recent months, including Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as the Navy’s top officer, the Air Force’s second highest-ranking officer, and the top lawyers for three military service branches.