Shanghai sabotage: Inside Singham’s secret strategy to demonize America
Part 3 of a five-part Fox News Digital series investigating the House of Singham documents the “Propaganda Work” that Mao Zedong taught as critical to winning the People’s War. This reporting includes analysis using cutting-edge technology, including large-language modeling. Early Tuesday, CodePink professional activist Olivia DiNucci raised her fist as she stood on the deck of a boat renamed “Granma 2.0,” in a tribute to the yacht Fidel Castro’s guerrillas used to launch the Cuban Revolution in 1956. Standing behind a banner reading “LET CUBA LIVE” as the boat arrived at the port of Havana, DiNucci, who normally organizes protests in Washington, D.C., mugged for the cameras with her fellow revolutionaries, chanting and pumping their fists in the air, as camera crews rolled. Luis De Jesús, who writes for a site called BreakThrough News, recorded the arrival, part of days of coverage promoting the cause of pro-communism activists, including the Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, and packaging the week’s activities not just as activism, but as revolutionary political “resistance” against the U.S. “empire.” By afternoon, BreakThrough News posted a video of De Jesús’ report on the boat’s arrival, with a beaming DiNucci on board. Other pro-communist media platforms turned the staged event into a media moment, from the Cuban News Agency to Brazil de Fato. The scene offered a real-time glimpse of how a network built by an American-born, China-based tech tycoon, Neville Roy Singham, turns activism into propaganda and then propaganda into political and psychological weapons. In this case, the story of the Granma 2.0 framed Cuba as a victim of the imperialist U.S., and Cuba’s communist benefactor and trading partner – China – as a liberator, providing rice to a hungry citizenry. As he fought the People’s War in the late 1930s in China, infamous communist leader Mao Zedong emphasized the importance of “Propaganda Work” and “the practice of changing reality.” Decades later, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping announced a strategy of “telling China’s story well.” POWER COUPLE OF CHAOS: HOW A TYCOON AND ACTIVIST BUILT A ‘REVOLUTIONARY BASE’ AT THE HOUSE OF SINGHAM Last fall, pro-China academics, like Vijay Prashad, a trusted communist in Singham’s inner circle, spoke at a conference of the Global South Academic Forum about creating a “New World Information and Communication Order,” an idea popularized in the 1980s by Third World countries now called the “Global South.” The conference was co-sponsored by Singham, Prashad’s Tricontinental Ltd. think tank and the Shanghai-based East China Normal University, and administered by the Chinese Communist Party. The university features a School of Marxism and teaches “Marxist journalism.” Singham, Prashad and conference attendees closed the conference, standing at attention as “The Internationale,” a communist anthem played, attendees pumping their fists in the air in solidarity. A Fox News Digital investigation found that the “new information” strategy operates through a network of organizations that produce, fund and amplify messaging across borders. Fox News Digital has identified at least 200 organizations in Singham’s network of about 2,000 organizations that directly work on propaganda that parrots the anti-American messaging of the Chinese Communist Party but is dramatically homegrown in digital shops from New York City to Los Angeles. The investigation found that three Singham-linked U.S. nonprofits sent a total of $9.1 million in seven payments to a pro-China propaganda firm, Shanghai Maku Cultural Communications Co. Ltd. The payments haven’t been reported before. Using large-language models, Fox News Digital analyzed 223 transactions that moved $591 million in total across five continents from 2017 through 2025, the latest year for which figures are available, in the Singham network and found the money flows through five concentric rings of an ideological pipeline that spreads pro-China propaganda. Eleven U.S. nonprofit organizations form a core hub of the work that pumps pro-China, anti-America propaganda into the world, with a total of about $401 million flowing from Singham and his network into these organizations. The organizations didn’t respond to requests for comment. Fox News Digital previously documented $278 million that flowed directly from Singham into organizations that “sow discord” in the U.S., as House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith put it recently at a hearing on foreign malign influence in the nonprofit industry. The rest went through layers of funding. The 11 nonprofits and their total revenue from within the Singham network, including direct contributions from Singham himself, make most of these organizations well-funded: Mao’s strategy relied on embedding revolutionary actors within social, cultural, labor and educational organizations to shape public consciousness, normalize radical narratives and gradually erode the legitimacy of the state from within. Similarly, experts say, Singham’s network cultivates activist ecosystems, using nonprofits and advocacy groups as force multipliers and framing local political and social conflicts as part of a broader systemic struggle. That same dynamic is visible in real time, as protests, trips and political events are filmed, packaged and circulated as part of a broader narrative. DiNucci is a key figure, for example, regularly getting filmed and then broadcast on Singham network social media channels, interrupting the dinners, hearings and events of Trump administration officials. In this model, disruption and polarization aren’t incidental but strategic, designed to weaken societal cohesion and authority over time, precisely the conditions Mao argued are necessary for victory against a stronger adversary. “There is a war waging for the brains of Americans. It’s critical that America shore up its defenses before the nation is hijacked by confusion, manipulation and malign narratives,” psychologist Orli Peter told Fox News Digital. RED WEALTH, DARK MONEY: HOW AN AMERICAN TYCOON DEPLOYS MAO’S PLAYBOOK AGAINST THE WEST A Fox News Digital investigation, scouring scores of financial filings, writings and social media posts, shows not only money moving from Singham-funded entities into U.S. nonprofits, but these nonprofits in turn funding media production, political education and organizing campaigns that promote the narrative of the Chinese Communist Party. The U.S. nonprofits pushing the anti-America agenda benefit from tax-exempt status and tax-deductible donations. What begins as content — videos, livestreams and commentary — often feeds directly into organizing and
Trump 2.0’s Education Department unleashes top 5 most striking ‘wins’ against gender, DEI extremism
A little over a year after Donald Trump took office for the second time and began going after what he described as “discriminatory” diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices, including gender extremism and racial preferences in education, his administration is touting several “wins” it says are shifting the culture war on college campuses and beyond. More than 300 colleges and universities have rooted out DEI, according to numbers in a Department of Education press release laying out various “wins” against DEI during President Trump’s second term. Other numbers the administration shared showed 45 colleges and universities have also removed DEI statements and messaging from university programs or websites, at least 15 have eliminated the use of diversity statements in hiring faculty or staff, at least 95 have either eliminated, renamed or shifted staff or faculty positions related to DEI, at least 175 have removed or restructured their current DEI offices, and over a half-dozen recently abandoned racially segregated graduation ceremonies. Furthermore, College Board, best known for administering standardized tests like the SAT, revised criteria for their National Recognition Program, which the Department of Education says favored racial groups and awarded scholarships disproportionately to students from underrepresented ethnic groups. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CELEBRATES PROGRESS AFTER A YEAR OF TRUMP ADMIN’S FIGHT TO SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS Here are five more striking DEI “wins” the Trump administration has had since the beginning of the president’s second term: After finding UPenn violated Title IX, the department announced in early July that it had got the school to sign a resolution agreement requiring UPenn to restore individual women’s swimming records and titles, issue a public compliance statement, adopt biology-based definitions of “male” and “female” and send personalized apology letters to affected female swimmers. The move stripped transgender swimmer Leah Thomas of her 2022 national title, according to UPenn’s records. “From day one, President Trump and Secretary McMahon vowed to protect women and girls, and today’s agreement with UPenn is a historic display of that promise being fulfilled. This administration does not just pay lip service to women’s equality: it vigorously insists on that equality being upheld,” said Riley Gaines, the former University of Kentucky swimmer who competed against Thomas. “It is my hope that today demonstrates to educational institutions that they will no longer be allowed to trample upon women’s civil rights, and renews hope in every female athlete that their country’s highest leadership will not relent until they have the dignity, safety, and fairness they deserve.” Earlier this year, the Education Department Student Privacy Policy Office found the California Department of Education to be in “continued violation” of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law granting parents access to their child’s school records. The announcement was followed by the U.S. Supreme Court intervening in a case this month, when they sided with parents who were challenging California law that allowed staff to hide students’ gender transitions from their parents. “Gender dysphoria is a condition that has an important bearing on a child’s mental health, but when a child exhibits symptoms of gender dysphoria at school, California’s policies conceal that information from parents and facilitate a degree of gender transitioning during school hours,” the court’s decision read. “These policies likely violate parents’ rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children.” Meanwhile, at least 20 university-affiliated hospitals have ended or suspended puberty blockers, hormone therapies, gender transition surgeries or other transgender care for minors, according to the Education Department. IVY LEAGUE WATCHDOG WARNS TRUMP’S ANTI-DEI WINS ARE TEMPORARY AS COLLEGES ‘WAIT HIM OUT’ Trump’s Education Department entered into another resolution agreement with the Jefferson County Public Schools District in Colorado after it found that the district was allowing transgender students access to female bathrooms, locker rooms, overnight accommodations and to compete in female sports. According to the department, the district committed to rescinding or revising any policies that allowed male students to use female intimate facilities, share overnight accommodations with them or compete in female sports. The district must also issue and prominently post a public statement committing to Title IX compliance using biology-based definitions of “male” and “female,” stating Title IX applies regardless of state law or sports governing-body rules, and explaining how students can report or file sex-discrimination complaints. Trump’s Department of Education secured 31 resolution agreements with universities and colleges who were partnering with The Ph.D. Project, an organization that helps hopeful doctoral students get into programs. The department’s Office of Civil Rights found the program “unlawfully limits eligibility based on the race of participants.” “After initiating investigations several months ago into forty-five institutions of higher education for collaborating with the Ph.D. Project, OCR later determined that these institutions violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) by partnering with an organization that discriminates on the basis of race,” a February press release from the department states. TRUMP ADMIN DETERMINES SJSU VIOLATED TITLE IX WITH HANDLING OF TRANS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER BLAIRE FLEMING In Feb. 2025, the NCAA revised its transgender participation rules to restrict the women’s category to student-athletes assigned female at birth, barring athletes assigned male at birth from competing on women’s teams, though they are still allowed to practice with women’s teams and receive related benefits. The men’s category remains open to all eligible athletes, and the change took effect immediately on Feb. 6, 2025. “Just over a year ago, we saw men claiming victories in women’s athletics. Colleges and universities were focused more on diversity, equity, and inclusion than ensuring graduates were prepared for success in life after graduation,” a Trump administration fact sheet on “wins” during the president’s second term stated. “Institutions required DEI statements from faculty and held segregated affinity graduation ceremonies for students. Academic standards fell, admissions were skewed to favor race over merit, and students graduated with a massive pile of debt and degrees that led to no job prospects,” the sheet continues. “Today, institutions of higher education are changing the game because President Trump is
Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate calls for sweeping federal limits on Muslim immigration
A Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate is pushing a “permanent” federal ban on Muslim immigration, arguing Islam is incompatible with American law and values. Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, who launched his gubernatorial bid in the Sunshine State last summer, said Tuesday he would propose and promote a federal ban on Muslim immigration that is “permanent and comprehensive.” “We have to be realistic and be honest that the long-term compatibility of Islam in this country does not exist,” he said. “We cannot have long-term compatibility with the American Constitution and with the American way of life.” Renner added that anyone with terrorist ties, who has defrauded taxpayers or who has been convicted of a serious crime should be denaturalized and deported. MAGA HARDLINER PUSHES BAN ON IMMIGRATION FROM ISLAMIC COUNTRIES, US ADVERSARIES IN WAKE OF TEXAS SHOOTING Renner made the comments during a news conference while speaking in front of a “No Sharia Law” sign. Sharia law is a religious legal framework derived from Islamic texts that governs aspects of life for some Muslims. The gubernatorial candidate pointed to the passage of a bill in the Florida Legislature prohibiting the use of certain foreign laws, including Sharia law, in state courts. Renner asserted that “only American law can be used in American courts and that should go without saying.” GOP GOVERNOR LAYS OUT PLAN TO ‘PURGE’ TERRORISTS AND TERROR SUPPORTERS FROM STATE He added that he would also end all funding for schools that promote what he described as Sharia law concepts. Renner said he would pursue legislation designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis previously issued an executive order last December designating the groups as FTOs, but a federal judge issued a temporary injunction citing First Amendment concerns, according to The Floridian. In his announcement, Renner cited a “recurring pattern of conflict and violence” in the years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including a recent shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia that left one person dead and two others injured. The suspected shooter, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was a former Army National Guard soldier convicted of supporting ISIS, according to the DOJ. “The simple fact is while there may be people in this country that will live peaceably with us, as a system there will continue to be increased division, increased conflict, and increased violence, which we have seen over the decades since 9/11, and we have to be realistic about that and put a stop to it so that we protect Americans,” Renner said. “That is the first order of business for any governor or any elected official and that is what I will do as governor.” DeSantis, who is serving his second consecutive term, is not permitted to run again in 2026. President Donald Trump has previously backed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for the job.
NJ Gov. Sherrill attends mosque led by Imam once accused of Hamas ties in deportation case
New Jersey Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill attended a Ramadan event at a Paterson mosque led by an Imam who fought deportation for years over alleged ties to Hamas. Sherrill posted photos of her visit to the Islamic Center of Passaic County on social media, wearing a hijab and taking selfies. In one image, she is seen speaking with the mosque’s longtime leader, Imam Mohammad Qatanani. “Thank you to the Islamic Center of Passaic County for welcoming me to join their celebration as the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close,” she wrote. “I wish our Muslim neighbors a safe, joyous, and peaceful Eid al-Fitr.” Qatanani, a Palestinian-born cleric, has been at the center of a decades-long immigration battle after federal authorities sought to deport him, citing alleged ties to Hamas and claims he failed to disclose a prior detention in Israel. He has denied those allegations, saying he was detained but never convicted. MAMDANI TELLS TRUMP ADMIN ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVIST SHOULD ‘REMAIN IN NEW YORK CITY’ AMID DEPORTATION CASE As Fox News previously reported, the federal government moved to remove Qatanani from the U.S. beginning in the mid-2000s, arguing he made misrepresentations on his green card application and raising national security concerns tied to Israeli records. An immigration judge ruled in Qatanani’s favor in 2008, finding the government’s evidence unreliable and giving little weight to Israeli court documents used to support the allegations, according to court records . The judge also found the government had not proven Qatanani engaged in terrorist activity. TOP DEMS BRUSH OFF TIES TO IMAM WHO HELD MEMORIAL FOR IRANIAN LEADER WHO VOWED ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ Court records further raised concerns about the reliability of statements attributed to Qatanani, including whether they may have been obtained under coercive conditions. Subsequent rulings over the years continued to favor him. A federal appeals court ultimately blocked his deportation in 2025, ruling immigration officials acted improperly in attempting to reverse his legal status. MUSLIM CLERIC IS IN US COURT FIGHTING AGAINST DEPORTATION The [Board of Immigration Appeals] exceeded its authority when it attempted to undo Qatanani’s adjustment to LPR status by using an agency regulation in a manner inconsistent with the procedures set out by Congress,” the court wrote. The decision focused on legal process rather than resolving the underlying allegations, finding federal authorities failed to follow required procedures after missing deadlines to challenge a key ruling granting him permanent residency. It is unclear whether Sherrill was aware of Qatanani’s legal history at the time of her visit. Fox News Digital has reached out to the governor’s office for comment.
Ballot box upset: Democrats flip Florida legislative seat in Trump’s stomping ground
Florida Democrats on Tuesday flipped control of a long-vacant Republican-held state House seat in a Palm Beach-anchored district that includes Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s home turf. The Associated Press reports that Democrat Emily Gregory defeated Republican Jon Maples in a special election in Florida’s House District 87, in the race to fill the seat left vacant last August, when GOP state Rep. Mike Caruso resigned to become Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller. The ballot box battle was one of three special legislative elections being held in GOP-dominated Florida on Tuesday. And while the contests won’t change the balance of power in the state legislature, where for more than a quarter-century Republicans have held majorities in both the House and Senate chambers, bragging rights were up for grabs in the president’s home district. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL Maples was backed by Trump, who moved his primary permanent residence in 2019 from Trump Tower in New York City to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. He is also backed by a number of top Sunshine State Republicans. “There is a very important Special Election tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, for Florida State House District 87 in beautiful Palm Beach County — JON MAPLES HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!” the president wrote in a social media post on Monday evening. The 43-year-old Maples, a financial planner and former Lake Clarke Shores Council member who, during his years at Palm Beach Atlantic University was an all-American athlete, made cutting taxes and government spending, reducing regulations, promoting private sector job creation and advancing school choice. Gregory, a 40-year-old Army spouse, owns and runs a Jupiter-based fitness center for pregnant and postpartum women. The first-time candidate made affordability, increasing public education, tackling rising property insurance and housing costs, and access to healthcare key parts of her campaign. Maples was the favorite heading into the special election, thanks to his fundraising advantage in a district that leads to the right. Trump carried the district by roughly 10 points in his 2024 re-election victory. And Caruso won re-election in the district by 19 points. Palm Beach County was once firmly blue until Republicans made electoral gains in recent cycles. The Democrats’ victory is their latest win or over performance in a slew of special elections and off-year contests since Trump returned to power in the White House 14 months ago. REPUBLICAN ‘WAKE-UP CALL’—SPECIAL ELECTION SHOCKER HIGHLIGHTS GOP MIDTERM RISKS Partially fueling the Democrats’ ballot box performances is their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation. And the victories are further energizing Democrats as they work to win back control of the U.S. House and possibly the Senate in this autumn’s midterm elections. The Democratic National Committee (DNC), in a statement Tuesday night, called Gregory’s win “an earthshattering victory for Florida Democrats and humiliating defeat for Donald Trump.” “Donald Trump’s own neighbors just sent a crystal clear message: They are furious and ready for change,” DNC chair Ken Martin emphasized in a statement. “If Democrats can win in Trump’s own backyard, we can win anywhere. From now until November, Democrats are all gas and no brakes as we compete across every corner of Florida and the nation.” The Republican National Committee (RNC), in commenting on the results, noted that special elections are not always the best barometer of things to come. “A low-turnout state House special election is a snapshot of local quirks, candidate dynamics, and turnout math — not some grand verdict.” RNC Senior Adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement. In Florida’s other state House special election, the AP reports that Republican Hilary Holley defeated Democrat Edwin Perez, in the race to replace GOP state Rep. Josie Tomkow. The district covers parts of Polk County, in the central part of the state. At the time this story posted, the state Senate special election between Tomkow and Democrat Brian Nathan was too close to call. Tomkow and Nathan were running to succeed Republican Jay Collins, who resigned from the seat in August to become the state’s lieutenant governor. The district includes much of Democrat-leaning Tampa as well as the more GOP-leaning Northwest Hillsborough suburbs.
Pritzker’s glowing review of lakefront resurfaces after college student killed by illegal alien nearby
Illinois’ Democratic Governor JB Pritzker recently highlighted the calm of Chicago’s shore with Lake Michigan in a video he posted across his social media platforms — a nearby area where an illegal alien shot and killed a college student last week. “Lots of runners coming by,” Pritzker said in a video he posted to Facebook last September. “Lakefront path, Lakefront Trail — absolutely gorgeous. Just gorgeous. Look at that overpass. A great lakefront.” The tone of the resurfaced clip clashes with the death of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University student who was shot to death near Tobey Prinz Beach Park, an area included in Chicago’s Police District 24. CHICAGO LAWMAKER RIPPED OVER ‘DISGUSTING’ RESPONSE TO COLLEGE STUDENT KILLED BY ALLEGED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT Pritzker’s walk went viral on social media when several viewers online criticized the governor for his characterization of the shoreside area. “Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker & Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson haven’t posted anything about the murder of Sheridan Gorman, allegedly at the hands of a Venezuelan illegal alien,” Fox News Congressional Correspondent Bill Melugin posted on X. “Last year, Pritzker made a video from the lakefront she was killed at, mocking claims that it wasn’t safe.” “Governor JB Pritzker posted this video of the Chicago lakeside to brag about how safe it is. Sheridan Gorman was just killed there by a Venezuelan immigrant his state law PROTECTED,” End Wokeness, a popular conservative account, wrote in a X post. “> crosses the border illegally > released into the country by Biden > arrested for shoplifting > released back onto the street > murders an innocent girl,” former Trump White House staffer Greg Price wrote. “Pritzker posted this video bragging about how safe Chicago’s lakeside is — right where Sheridan Gorman was just killed by a Venezuelan illegal his state law protected. Unreal,” another account wrote. MY DAUGHTER WAS KILLED, AND I WARNED SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES WOULD COST LIVES AGAIN The area has improved in the categories of thefts, burglary and motor vehicle theft in recent years, according to recent police reports. However, reporting for murder, sexual assaults and aggravated battery have gone up, according to crime stats from March. District 24 has reported three murder cases, 19 sexual assaults and 32 aggravated battery incidents so far in 2026. The district has the second-most murders of any district of the six districts included in Chicago’s Area 3, which covers a significant chunk of the city’s northern side. In Gorman’s case, authorities charged Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national, with her murder. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Medina had already been apprehended for shoplifting in Chicago but had been released in June 2023. Even before that, Medina had been apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in May 2023. He was also allowed to walk free then. “Sheridan Gorman had her whole life ahead of her before this cold-blooded killer decided to end her life. She was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who RELEASED this illegal alien TWICE before he went on to commit this heinous murder,” Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “We are calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail back into American neighborhoods.” The office of Governor Pritzker did not respond to a request for comment on the Chicago shoreside area and its crime rates.
Dems vow to force weekly Iran war votes after GOP blocks latest move to curb Trump
Senate Republicans again didn’t budge against Senate Democrats’ bid to handcuff President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran. Senate Democrats again forced a vote on a war powers resolution to rein in Trump’s military authority in Iran, which Senate Republicans again blocked. It’s also been less than a week since Democrats triggered a war powers resolution in their bid to force the Trump administration to publicly explain the ongoing conflict. The resolution, this time from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., was blocked on a largely party-line vote, save for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who joined all Senate Democrats to advance the measure. It’s part of a flood-the-zone strategy Senate Democrats are taking to force Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to testify publicly before the Senate. Earlier this month, Murphy and a cohort of Senate Democrats unveiled their plan to force votes on five war powers resolutions. DHS SHUTDOWN TIED FOR SECOND-LONGEST EVER AS DEMS AGAIN BLOCK FUNDING AMID AIRPORT CHAOS, TERRORISM CONCERNS “We’re not going to let the Senate be silent until they make at the very least that commitment,” Murphy said at the time. “I don’t think they can defend this war.” Whether either Hegseth or Rubio is forced to testify before the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations panels, respectively, remains in the air, given that neither committee chair has made the move to request the administration officials appear. TOM COTTON PUTS BIDEN ON NOTICE WHILE DEMANDING ANSWERS ON DRAINING OF NATION’S OIL STOCKPILE The latest attempt to cuff Trump’s war powers comes as his strategy in Iran dramatically shifted in a moment of whiplash from the weekend to Monday. Over the weekend, Trump warned that unless Iran fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. would “hit and obliterate” the nation’s power plants. But then Trump shifted gears Monday and announced that the U.S. and Iran had been engaged in “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” which the Iranian government denied. MULLIN CONFIRMED AS DHS CHIEF AS LAWMAKERS NEAR SOLUTION ON SHUTDOWN STANDOFF Meanwhile, Congress is still awaiting a supplemental funding package from the administration that could be to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. Some Republicans want to cram that funding, which could be as high as $200 billion, into another reconciliation package. That vehicle could get busy fast, given that they are also eyeing reconciliation as a means to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to pass portions of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who has led the charge on several war powers resolutions in the last several months, said that “the numbers that they’re talking about are pretty staggering in the sense of what they say about how this is going to go on.” And as far as letting up on war powers, Kaine said Democrats were ready to keep going round for round. “But we’re going to keep forcing war powers resolution votes,” Kaine said. “Have you seen enough? Have you seen enough? Have you seen enough? … We’ll probably have at least one a week, and continue to ask our colleagues, ‘okay, have you seen enough yet?’”
TSA warns shutdown is forcing some workers to draw blood to pay for gas
Some Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are selling their blood plasma to make ends meet as the 38-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown drags on, acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl told reporters Tuesday. “We got folks sleeping in cars,” Stahl told reporters at Washington’s Reagan National Airport, referring to TSA employees. “I talked to a single mother recently who has a three-year-old child with special needs and can’t afford to pay for childcare for that three-year-old child.” Stahl also said some agents are having “blood drawn to afford gas to come to work.” The bleak situation comes as TSA agents nationwide have been forced to report to work without pay during the prolonged funding lapse. More than 50,000 TSA personnel will miss their second full paycheck of the shutdown if the funding lapse is not resolved by Friday. TRUMP SAYS ICE WILL DEPLOY TO AIRPORTS MONDAY TO ASSIST TSA AMID FUNDING STANDOFF Though talks to end the shutdown have ramped up in the past 24 hours, Stahl warned that the impact funding lapses have on TSA agents would continue to worsen if the shutdown does not end soon. “It’s a dire situation,” Stahl said. “The longer our folks don’t get paid, the more they’re going to not be able to come into work and the more they’re going to quit altogether.” The shortage of TSA workers at major travel hubs across the country has led to hours-long wait times at airport security checkpoints. Stahl said the ongoing spring break travel season could exacerbate airports’ staffing constraints. More than 400 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown began on Feb. 14. “This again is going to get worse before it gets better if Senate Democrats particularly don’t act and don’t act soon,” he said, adding that a mass exit of TSA workers hurts the agency’s ability to prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup later this summer. LIZ PEEK: VOTERS TELL CONGRESS ‘DO YOUR JOB’ AND END THE DHS SHOWDOWN GOP lawmakers have blasted their Democratic colleagues for withholding support for a full-year DHS funding bill as the party demands reforms to immigration enforcement. They argue that TSA agents — in addition to thousands of other DHS workers employed by various sub-agencies — are victims of Democrats’ hardball tactics. “The men and women who work for TSA agents are American heroes,” Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said at Reagan National airport Tuesday. “Would you still be at your job if you were facing a third paycheck of not getting paid?” TSA agents were also forced to work without pay during the record-breaking 43-day shutdown in fall 2025. Democrats, by contrast, have blamed Republicans for opposing legislation that would fund DHS — including TSA — minus the department’s immigration enforcement functions. President Donald Trump laid into Democrats Tuesday when asked about TSA agents working for over a month without their salary. “They’ll do anything to hurt our country so they can try and win the midterms,” Trump said Fox News Digital reached out to TSA for comment.
Conservatives accuse Jack Smith of improper ties with judges in Trump cases after new document dump
Conservative critics are accusing former special counsel Jack Smith of improperly coordinating with two federal judges after Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released documents Tuesday showing Smith’s team interacted with the pair during the Trump investigations. “Democrat DC U.S. district judges illegally worked in secret with Biden Special Counsel Jack Smith to bring charges against President Trump,” Article III Project founder Mike Davis claimed on X as details of the documents emerged on Tuesday. Smith’s investigations led to criminal charges against President Donald Trump over the 2020 election and alleged retention of classified documents. Trump called the investigations a “witch hunt,” while Republicans widely condemned the charges as an abuse of power designed to take out the then leading Republican presidential candidate. The documents released by Grassley included notes about a briefing Smith’s team gave Attorney General Merrick Garland on Jan. 13, 2023, just after Garland appointed Smith as special counsel. The notes referenced meetings with Judges Beryl Howell and James Boasberg of Washington, D.C., both Obama appointees and Trump nemeses known for their high-profile adverse rulings against the president. MIKE DAVIS: WHY DC’S TRUMP-HATING JUDGE BOASBERG MUST BE IMPEACHED “She liked our approach of pursuing the executive privilege litigation in an omnibus fashion,” Smith’s team wrote in reference to Howell, according to the documents. Omnibus motions allow for consolidated, rather than piecemeal, litigation and are typically used by lawyers to streamline court filings. Smith’s team frequently sought permission from the court to pierce executive privilege, a presumptive right that a president and his aides have that gives their communications a layer of legal privacy. The briefing notes also referenced a forthcoming meeting with Boasberg on March 18, 2023, the day after he was set to become chief judge, succeeding Howell. The White House responded in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We have long known that Judge Boasberg is a far-left judicial activist trying to undermine the President’s lawful authority, this is just further proof,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. “President Trump has restored integrity to the Department of Justice that Joe Biden and his administration weaponized to target their political opponents – including President Trump himself.” Sen. Ted Cruz’s office told Fox News Digital the Texas Republican thought the meetings with the judges were significant, a remark that came after Cruz led a Senate hearing on the Trump cases on Tuesday. Cruz in the hearing declared Smith’s work a “modern Watergate” scandal that was expansive and hyper-political, sweeping up personal information, such as phone records, belonging to hundreds of Republican entities and individuals. A Republican congressional investigator told Fox News Digital the meetings with the judges merited further scrutiny. JACK SMITH DEFENDS SUBPOENAING REPUBLICAN SENATORS’ PHONE RECORDS: ‘ENTIRELY PROPER’ Smith’s team wrote in the briefing notes for Garland that Howell was aware that an omnibus executive privilege motion was coming “and loves the idea.” Smith’s team listed out nearly a dozen former Trump officials, such as Mark Meadows and Ken Cuccinelli, who would be included in the consolidated motion. The notes referenced five other, separate executive privilege motions that were already making their way through the court process, signaling that an omnibus motion would be a reduction in paperwork for the court. The briefing notes also mentioned recent meetings between the special counsel’s team and top FBI officials. The FBI “has been very responsive,” Smith’s team wrote. The team mentioned “precedent-setting issues we face in areas of executive privilege [and] Speech or Debate,” a possible reference to Smith testing the separation of powers by seeking the potentially privileged material from those in Trump’s orbit. Independent journalist Julie Kelly, an outspoken critic of the Biden DOJ, observed on X that Smith’s team interacted with the judges. Kelly suggested the judges were “in cahoots with Biden DOJ to rubber stamp, even advise, any strategy set forth by Jack Smith.” Attorney Bill Shipley, a longtime federal prosecutor who represented dozens of Jan. 6 defendants, wrote on X that he did not find much about the memo “noteworthy,” saying it was “clearly” designed to bring Garland up to speed following the holidays and Smith’s new appointment. Shipley also noted how Howell and Boasberg were chief judges, meaning any grand jury matters were required to go through their offices. Shipley noted, however, that he felt Howell notoriously ruled against the Trump administration and that her eager approval of an omnibus motion represented a desire for her to make decisions before her tenure as chief judge expired in March 2023. “What troubles me in the text of the memo is the suggestion — which was borne out by events that followed — that Judge Howell desired to resolve all the issues involving witness privilege before she stepped down as Chief Judge,” Shipley wrote, though he noted that her decisions were appealable. CRUZ DEMANDS IMPEACHMENT OF BOASBERG AND JUDGE WHO SENTENCED KAVANAUGH’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN Smith has repeatedly stood by his work, testifying to Congress that it was aligned with DOJ policies and nonpartisan. A Smith representative declined to comment on the latest document release. Howell’s and Boasberg’s chambers did not respond to requests for comment.
Angel mom, GOP blame Spanberger after illegal immigrant with 30 arrests charged in killing
A Virginia murder case is fueling a political fight over immigration enforcement, as the victim’s family and Republican officials blame Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s policies and a progressive local prosecutor for failing to stop a suspect with dozens of prior arrests and a standing removal order. Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, the victim’s mother, Cheryl Minter and local officials said failures by prosecutors, Fairfax County policies and federal immigration enforcement allowed the suspect to remain free. They spoke at a Tuesday press conference hosted by The American Border Story in Richmond. At a State Capitol vigil, Miyares blamed liberal leaders in the Old Dominion, including Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, for creating the environment that led to the murder of Stephanie Minter of Fredericksburg at a Hybla Valley bus stop. “A federal judge had issued a final order for his removal six years ago. A detainer was lodged, and Fairfax County refused to honor it. Police warned Steve Descano not once, but twice, writing repeatedly that this man would kill someone. They were right. He was a ticking time bomb, and that time bomb went off, and Stephanie was the casualty,” Miyares said, listing other similar cases. CRITICS SLAM CHICAGO’S ‘REVOLVING DOOR’ AS LOYOLA STUDENT KILLING SPARKS OUTRAGE Miyares, now a partner at William Barr’s Torridon Law Firm, said Jalloh has 30 prior arrests and that Fairfax police remain stymied by Descano, who has refused to honor ICE detainers. He also criticized Spanberger for revoking Youngkin-era cooperation between state, local, correctional and federal authorities, arguing the administration is forcing rural departments to follow Fairfax’s lead. “The sheriff of Bedford, or the sheriff in Galax, or Grayson County, or Washington County, have to adopt the same criminal-first, victim-last mindset adopted in Fairfax that has harmed so many innocent Virginians,” he said. Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger for comment. Miyares called Cheryl Minter “one of the bravest people that we’ve all ever seen to talk about her pain and the loss of her daughter among total strangers.” Minter’s daughter, Stephanie, and her accused killer, Abdul Jalloh, both exited a Fairfax Connector bus at the same stop on U.S. 1 near George Washington’s Mount Vernon on Feb. 23, according to surveillance footage obtained by the Fairfax County Police Department. The next day, officers responded to a suspicious person call on Route 1 and charged Jalloh with larceny. He was charged with Minter’s murder the following day after being identified, according to FCPD. HOUSE PANEL SUMMONS SOROS-BACKED FAIRFAX PROSECUTOR OVER RELEASES TIED TO VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CASES In her remarks Tuesday, Cheryl Minter fought back tears as she cried, “I miss her so much,” speaking of Stephanie. “I had her for 41 years. And I don’t know what I’m going to do without her. She was [a] joy to my life. She was a joy to everybody. Family, friends; she loved so many things and had so many goals.” Minter said Stephanie was an artist and loved to cook and serve food for people. “Always that smile, that amazing smile could just lift anybody up no matter how down they were. She did it to me a lot. I wish I could see it now,” Minter said before turning her attention to elected officials in Virginia. “Change has got to happen — I don’t know where all these political people are. They stopped serving citizens. They just stopped. I’m not quite sure how they get voted in.” “It’s got to stop from a court level up, all of it. Judges are part of it, lawyers are part of it, and it goes up the ladder. I couldn’t even name them all because I don’t know them.” Nicole Kiprilov, director of The American Border Story, who was hosting the vigil, then read a statement from the lone Republican official remaining on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Pat Herrity, supervisor for the Springfield District, condemned Stephanie Minter’s murder and blamed the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Board of Supervisors Democratic majority. “My heart goes out to the family of Stephanie Minter. The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Board of Supervisors majority failed her,” his statement said. VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR’S RECORD ON VIOLENT OFFENDERS SCRUTINIZED AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN MOM’S MURDER He also criticized the county’s Trust Policy, saying it undermined efforts to remove repeat offenders. The Trust Policy, enacted in 2021, is intended to ensure “immigrant residents” can access county services without fear of information sharing with federal officials. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay told Fox News Digital, in response to criticism, that the situation has “nothing to do with the Trust Policy.” “Any loss of life is tragic, and my thoughts are with Ms. Minter’s loved ones,” McKay said. “Our police department, which is under the purview of the Board of Supervisors, and the independent Sheriff’s Office did their jobs by arresting this individual multiple times and advocating that the judicial system keep him in custody.” McKay said ICE had Jalloh in custody in 2018 after a felony conviction and allowed him to remain in the U.S. “The focus of ICE needs to be on violent individuals, yet recent evidence shows it appears to be more focused on apprehending nonviolent individuals,” McKay said. “We should all be asking why enforcement actions did not result in removal by ICE when this dangerous offender was in their custody, not questioning a policy designed to build trust between law enforcement and the community. That trust is one of the many reasons Fairfax County is the safest jurisdiction of its size in the United States.” Descano’s office declined comment, citing the open criminal case against Jalloh. Descano has been criticized for lax prosecution of illegal immigrant suspects and has also been summoned to Capitol Hill in April by Reps. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to testify on systemic criminal justice issues in Fairfax.