Twice-deported United cockpit suspect granted asylum after transgender persecution claim: DHS
A twice-deported Honduran national accused of trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight after allegedly claiming to have a bomb was granted asylum after telling immigration authorities he feared being killed in his home country because he was transgender, the Department of Homeland Security DHS confirmed to Fox News. Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, was granted asylum by an immigration judge after his third attempted illegal entry into the United States in 2019, according to DHS, which accused him of exploiting weaknesses in the asylum system. In an excerpt of his asylum application provided by DHS, Gomez-Alberto checked “Yes” when asked whether he feared harm or mistreatment if returned to his home country. TRUMP PUTS ASYLUM LAWYERS ‘ON NOTICE’ WITH NEW FRONT IN WAR ON FRAUD “I am also afraid that I will be killed — either by private citizens or the police — in both of these countries because I am transgender,” he allegedly wrote, according to the application. “This criminal illegal alien attempted to storm the cockpit, hijack a plane and claimed he had a bomb. Thanks to law enforcement, he is now behind bars,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement. “This twice-deported criminal illegal alien was allowed into our country because of a weak asylum system that allowed him to game the system.” Gomez-Alberto was arrested after United Airlines Flight 2174 landed in New Orleans Nov. 9 after the alleged attempt at a cockpit breach. MAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING TO HIJACK UNITED FLIGHT SAYS IT WAS A DRUNKEN JOKE He is being held without bond on charges of terrorizing, communicating false information of planned arson and being a fugitive from justice, according to Fox News Digital’s earlier reporting. Newly obtained emergency radio audio, reported by Fox News Digital, captured authorities’ response. “We have him at the back door. The back door has been breached by him,” someone can be heard in the radio call saying. DHS previously confirmed that Gomez-Alberto was apprehended by Border Patrol after illegally entering the United States near El Indio, Texas, in September 2011 and Columbus, New Mexico, in October 2014. He was deported from the United States following both encounters. EXCLUSIVE: WOMAN ALLEGEDLY RAPED BY ILLEGAL ALIEN AFTER CLINTON-APPOINTED FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERED HIS RELEASE Border Patrol arrested him again in 2019 after an attempted illegal entry near San Ysidro, California. ICE released Gomez-Alberto from custody in January 2020 following an immigration judge’s order, pending removal proceedings, DHS previously said. The agency now says an immigration judge subsequently granted him asylum. ICE lodged a detainer with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 10, requesting notification before his release from custody. The Department of Justice and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Fox News Digital’s Kelsie Cairns contributed to this reporting.
Jeffries leaves door open to investigating major Trump ally as Democrats prepare to take power
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries left the door open to a congressional investigation into Elon Musk as threats to probe both the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and other Trump allies continue to heat up under a new Democratic House majority. “We’re going to follow the facts,” Jeffries said about the potential investigation. “We’re going to apply the law. We’re gonna be guided by the Constitution.” Musk has emerged as a potential target of Democratic oversight, with some lawmakers calling for scrutiny of his time as head of the DOGE. The calls for an investigation come as Democrats have started rallying the party to look into alleged corruption under the Trump administration after coming out victorious in midterms. SCHUMER, JEFFRIES SIDESTEP QUESTIONS ON NUKING FILIBUSTER, LAUNCHING ELON MUSK PROBE AFTER BLUE WAVE Asked whether Musk should be investigated by the new Democratic majority, Jeffries declined to commit to a probe, instead pointing to the lawmakers expected to lead the party’s oversight efforts. “Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia are going to lead our oversight efforts,” Jeffries told Fox News Digital. “And I defer to them at the moment.” Raskin, D-Md., has already signaled that DOGE could face congressional scrutiny, telling Fox News Digital last week he believes an investigation is warranted, even as he acknowledged having no specific plan. ‘LAWYER UP’: DEMS IMMEDIATELY PUT TRUMP ON NOTICE AMID REPUBLICANS’ MIDTERM BLOODBATH “I had no specific plan,” Raskin told Fox News Digital about the potential investigations. “Look … DOGE was a catastrophe for America, and at least one committee, I feel pretty certain, will investigate it. It needs to investigate it.” After taking the majority, the prospects for new investigations come with Raskin and Garcia positioned to be chairs of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees. Raskin, Garcia, Jeffries and Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse have already begun strategizing plans for the investigative agenda. Jeffries is in the running for speaker of the House after formally announcing his bid just a day after Democrats took back the majority in the midterm elections. Democrats have not been united in their decision to back Jeffries or another candidate to represent the party as House speaker. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE LEADERSHIP UP FOR GRABS AS GOP RECKONS WITH DEVASTATING LOSSES Leadership elections for House Democrats will be held Nov. 18 and members will vote with “secret ballots” to keep their individual nominations private. Jeffries will need a simple majority of Democrats to be nominated, but to be formally elected as House speaker, he’ll need to get 218 floor votes.
Hakeem Jeffries faces progressive holdouts but no rival as House speaker race takes shape
Familiar faces populate the 110-plus new members of Congress. A few “freshmen” are returning to the House. Even if they’ve been gone for a while. There’s Rep.-elect Hilda Solis, D-Calif., who last served in Congress in 2009. She departed to become President Obama’s labor secretary. Rep.-elect Jerry Carl, R-Ala., just left Capitol Hill early last year after losing a primary to Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., who is now moving to the Senate. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY COULD EXPOSE THE LIMITS OF THE PROGRESSIVE AGENDA And then there’s Rep.-elect Melissa Bean, D-Ill. She first won a seat in the House in 2004 and lost in 2010. Now, Bean is back. Her advice to the rookies? “Make sure you get a really good scheduler and that they schedule eating because your staff will run you all day long,” Bean said. “You’re kind of like the football that they pass from one staff member to the other. The whole day goes by, and you’re starving.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is on track to become House speaker in January. But some progressives are holding out. Bean was a moderate when she served before. Yours truly asked about the natural unease between left-wing Democrats and centrists. “It’s a pretty united majority,” replied Bean. “Do you think that’s overstated tension?” I followed up. “I think it always is,” Bean answered. “But that’s a media thing, right?” So to recap for new members: Get a good scheduler? Check. Make sure you have time to eat? Check. And, blame the press. Ha. MEET THE FAR-LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT IN 2026 MIDTERMS But, seriously, there are some progressives who aren’t willing to publicly commit to supporting Jeffries as speaker. Most of these incoming members comprise what’s now known as “The Bloc.” It’s kind of like “The Squad” some years ago. And they’re not tipping their hand about Jeffries. They’re trying to squeeze the New York Democrat and others for legislative guarantees. “We’re not withholding votes. What we’re doing is saying we’re undecided. We’re not going to rubber-stamp anything,” said Rep.-elect Adam Hamawy, D-N.J. “I don’t think it’s about the individual. It’s about the agenda and the agenda that actually reflects the priorities of the American people,” said Rep.-elect Melat Kiros, D-Colo. “It’s about what kind of priorities, what kind of floor votes, what kind of plan do we have to actually fight for the bold change the American people sent us here to do.” “I think we need to be talking about improving the lives of working people and helping them join unions,” said Rep.-elect Claire Valdez, D-N.Y. There’s nothing groundbreaking going on here. Progressive Democrats won. Democrats won big. The Bloc wants to flex its muscles and execute its agenda. Otherwise, those members have explaining to do with their base. Thus, it’s not that extraordinary to have a group of members not automatically supporting someone for a leadership post. They’re playing the political game to get the best deal for the people they represent. They can’t just back Jeffries out of the gate. They must first extract a concession. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., witnessed these machinations before when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., tried to manage dissent about her leadership after elections. “I actually think it’s a weaker version [of protest] this time,” said Courtney. “I think [Jeffries] did a great job of keeping the caucus really marching in the same direction in the last two years. Which was not easy.” “There’s no question that as a management matter, having a bigger majority is a lot easier than having a tiny majority. That’s just basic math,” said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. “As a new speaker, he’s going to need to do a lot of work to make sure he is listening to everybody and managing. So, it’s going to be a lot easier than if it had been a four-vote majority. But managing Democrats is always a challenge.” So, for all of the talk about “issues” progressives may have with Jeffries, they’re not offering up an alternative name for speaker. And, frankly, no one could beat Jeffries in this environment. PROGRESSIVES FUME AT HAKEEM JEFFRIES FOR SAYING DEMOCRATS WON’T ‘GET EVEN’ WITH TRUMP “You can’t beat somebody with nobody. And that’s kind of where I think this ‘race’ stands,” said Courtney, putting “race” in air quotes. “The worst thing that could happen is to start this Congress off like it happened in 2023, where we went through 15 ballots (before electing a speaker).” That’s a reference to House Republicans stymieing the election of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., appeared mystified at progressive machinations over Jeffries. “It is kind of odd. You get a coach who takes his team to the Super Bowl. They win by 30 points, and then they got folks who want to fire him the next day. It’s a little hard to figure out,” said Ivey. Progressives may express concerns about Jeffries. But remember that Democrats have the majority because they flipped deeply red districts. The Democrats who will represent those districts know that voters could note if they supported Jeffries — or broke with him. Rep.-elect Don Leonard, D-Ohio, appears to be one of the most outspoken incoming members. Leonard emerged from nowhere to defeat Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio. On Instagram, Leonard said Democratic leaders informed him in “no uncertain terms” that if he didn’t support Jeffries, the party brass would make his “life a living hell” and assure he would lose re-election. So, there are questions from the left and questions from centrists. Yours truly pressed Jeffries about whether the skepticism from progressives was real or just politics as they try to extract legislative promises out of him. “I’m going to work hard to talk to every single member about what we’ve been able to do together over the last two years and what the opportunities are for us to do together in the next two years, to deliver
At least 9 new Dem members will carry Al Green’s mantle and try to impeach President Trump
EXCLUSIVE: At least 9 incoming progressive members of the House Democratic caucus are expected to support efforts to impeach President Donald Trump, continuing a push led by outgoing Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, Fox News Digital has learned. Green and representatives from the Removal Coalition and Courage for Democracy Project discussed the effort with Fox News Digital after a Capitol Hill news conference, months after the Texas Democrat introduced articles of impeachment against Trump in August. Green is counting on support from Reps.-elect Melat Kiros, D-Colo.; Dan Koh, D-Mass.; Chris Rabb, D-Pa.; Angela Gonzales-Torres, D-Calif.; and several other incoming Democrats to continue his impeachment efforts after he leaves Congress. DEMOCRAT AL GREEN TO FORCE HOUSE-WIDE VOTE ON IMPEACHING TRUMP “Impeachment is the only means for our future. We cannot deal with a president who engages in corruption,” Green told Fox News Digital. “The end is to have the president removed from office. I applaud the courageous members carrying these efforts into the next Congress.” Green pointed to Trump’s cryptocurrency dealings as one example of what he characterized as corruption by the president. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: DEMOCRATS FACE AN IMPEACHMENT TRACTOR BEAM THAT COULD DERAIL THEIR AFFORDABILITY MESSAGE Gonzales-Torres told Fox News Digital she intends to continue Green’s efforts while representing the more than 100,000 Los Angeles voters she said elected her to Congress. The coalition acknowledged uncertainty over whether its impeachment efforts would succeed, noting that even if the House approved articles against Trump, the Senate could again decline to convict him, as it did in Trump’s two previous impeachment trials. TRUMP COULD FACE IMPEACHMENT IF DEMOCRATS SEIZE HOUSE MAJORITY, GOP LEADER WARNS However, organizers expressed confidence that growing grassroots pressure could persuade additional Democratic lawmakers to support impeachment. “The more we articulate this effort and talk about why it is so crucial that we get rid of Trump, the more support we will have,” Keira Havens, co-founder of the Courage for Democracy Project, told Fox News Digital. Havens acknowledged that some Democrats who oppose Trump may still reject impeachment articles because they believe the allegations lack sufficient legal grounds or that conviction would fail in the Senate. A constitutional expert affiliated with the Courage for Democracy Project also argued that Senate impeachment procedures could provide additional avenues for removing a president, citing Rule VIII. However, the Constitution gives the House the sole power of impeachment and the Senate the sole power to try impeachments. PROGRESSIVES FUME AT HAKEEM JEFFRIES FOR SAYING DEMOCRATS WON’T ‘GET EVEN’ WITH TRUMP Jessica Denson, identified as the founder of the Removal Coalition, criticized Democratic lawmakers who have prioritized congressional hearings and potential prosecutions of Trump administration officials over impeaching the president himself. Denson called those lawmakers “spineless,” arguing that grassroots pressure could eventually push them to support the coalition’s demands. The coalition told Fox News Digital that “hearings and prosecutions aren’t enough,” and enough public backlash will lead any remaining Democratic lawmaker to get behind impeachment efforts. The effort comes as Democrats prepare to take control of the House in January, potentially giving impeachment supporters a greater opportunity to advance resolutions against Trump. Under the Constitution, impeachment requires a simple majority in the House, while conviction and removal from office require a two-thirds majority of senators present. During and after the news conference, the coalition, consisting of the two advocacy organizations and incoming and outgoing lawmakers, told Fox News Digital it also intends to pursue impeachment proceedings against War Secretary Pete Hegseth. The coalition argued that Hegseth should face impeachment alongside Trump, claiming that any wrongdoing uncovered involving the war secretary could also implicate the president. However, a finding of wrongdoing by Hegseth would not automatically establish legal or constitutional liability for Trump. Trump and Hegseth did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Dems projected to score historic upset in deep-red Mississippi, topple Trump ally Hyde-Smith
Senate Republicans are projected to suffer yet another stunning setback, this time in reliably red Mississippi. Incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., is projected to lose her bid for a second full term in the U.S. Senate to state District Attorney Scott Colom in a race that was deadlocked until the final weeks of October, according to The Associated Press. More than a week after Election Day, the AP called the razor-thin race in favor of Colom Wednesday, pushing the Democrats’ hold on the U.S. Senate to 55 seats to the Republicans’ 44 in another flip. SOROS NETWORK TARGETS DEEP-RED MISSISSIPPI IN BID TO FLIP SENATE SEAT Democrats could gain another pending the results in Alaska, where former Rep. Mary Peltola is in a neck-and-neck contest with Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. A source told Fox News Digital Hyde-Smith had spoken with Colom and conceded the race. Colom’s victory over Hyde-Smith marked a historic moment in the Magnolia State, which hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since the 1980s. Hyde-Smith, in a video posted to X, said, “While this is not the outcome we worked for or hoped for, I respect the decision of Mississippi voters. “I want to congratulate Scott Colom and wish him well as he takes on the tremendous responsibility of representing our great state.” His win comes after President Donald Trump rallied behind Hyde-Smith and a seven-figure, last-minute ad buy by the Senate Leadership Fund, a political action committee closely tied to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was not enough to stop Colom’s momentum. CHUCK SCHUMER AFTER SWEEPING DEMOCRATIC MIDTERM VICTORIES: ‘I’LL BE RE-ELECTED AS MAJORITY LEADER’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., took a victory lap before the race was officially called by The Associated Press, congratulating Colom on his historic win in a state that once seemed unattainable. “Congratulations to Senator-Elect Colom on his historic win and on becoming the first Democrat to win a Mississippi Senate seat in over four decades,” the lawmakers said. “We will work hand in hand with Scott to fight for Mississippians’ health care, costs and future in the 120th Congress and look forward to welcoming him to our caucus.” Hyde-Smith’s loss to Colom, who she previously blocked for a district court seat under the Biden administration years ago, comes after both parties rallied big names and resources in an effort to prevent a nightmare scenario for Republicans. But in a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Colom said that wasn’t his motivating factor. “I’ll tell you, as a Christian, I forgive her for that. That’s not a motivating factor for me,” Colom said. “I mean, as a district attorney, I have to prosecute cases where people lost their loved ones to gun violence. So, you know, and I’ve seen them forgive that person. “So, that’s not the motivating factor,” he continued. “For me, it’s really the betrayal of the America First movement, right? Like she was supposed to help President Trump get lower grocery prices. Well, she betrayed us. We’re not getting lower grocery prices.”
Army sentinel sharply reprimands Hegseth’s group at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day
An Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery called for silence and respect Wednesday after laughter was heard from departing members of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s entourage following a Veterans Day ceremony. Video shows the incident unfolding shortly after President Donald Trump left the memorial following a wreath-laying ceremony. Trump left the memorial around 12:28 p.m. Hegseth and members of his entourage, including his wife, Jennifer Hegseth, began taking photos and posing on the memorial steps around 12:29 p.m., according to the video. TRUMP UNLOADS ON AOC, MAMDANI FOR LAUGHING DURING SACRED 9/11 CEREMONY AT GROUND ZERO Roughly a minute later, laughter could be heard in the distance as members of the group departed, prompting a soldier guarding the tomb to issue a sharp reminder to those gathered. “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” the soldier said. The instruction came around 12:30 p.m., after Trump had left the ceremony. TRAVELERS UNITE IN POWERFUL MOMENT OF SILENCE AS FALLEN US SERVICE MEMBER RETURNS HOME Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to the incident in a statement to Fox News, emphasizing the department’s commitment to honoring fallen service members. “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored—and will always honor—the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe,” Parnell said. “While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.” The soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are known as sentinels and belong to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard. HEGSETH DEMANDS $350B FOR MILITARY, FIRES BACK AT DEM IMPEACHMENT PUSH According to Arlington National Cemetery, sentinels stand watch at the tomb 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, regardless of weather conditions. The highly selective assignment requires extensive training, including memorizing cemetery history, mastering ceremonial procedures and maintaining strict standards of military appearance and conduct. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors unidentified American service members who died in military conflicts. The memorial is among the nation’s most solemn military sites and serves as a focal point of Veterans Day commemorations.
Trump’s ex-lawyer Alina Habba loses massive contract days after president blasts ‘outrageous’ deal
President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, Alina Habba Mildon, has lost a four-year contract worth more than $50 million to serve as general counsel for a company founded by the daughter of a Venezuelan billionaire Trump pardoned earlier this year, according to The New York Times. Concord Partners, a Florida-based company founded by Isabela Herrera, daughter of Venezuelan banker Julio Herrera Velutini, terminated Habba Mildon’s contract after President Donald Trump urged the Herrera family to stop paying her, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the termination to Fox News Digital. TRUMP SIGNS PARDONS FOR ALASKA DIESEL MECHANICS ONSTAGE DURING RALLY TOUTING MAJOR ENERGY DEALS Concord Partners cited a “failure to perform duties” in a Nov. 4 termination letter obtained by The New York Times. Trump pardoned Venezuelan banker Julio Herrera Velutini Jan. 15, 2026, just two weeks after Habba Mildon began working for the company founded by his daughter. Herrera faced federal bribery charges tied to an alleged scheme involving Puerto Rico’s governor and struck a plea deal accepting a misdemeanor campaign finance violation in August 2025. The firing came just days after Trump publicly blasted Habba Mildon’s $50 million arrangement as excessive and said he did not want her to receive the money. “I thought it was terrible,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago Oct. 31, Reuters reported. “I told her, and I said, ‘I don’t want her paid.’” He called the arrangement “totally obnoxious and outrageous” and “not acceptable.” Habba Mildon has denied playing any role in securing Herrera Velutini’s pardon, pushing back against questions about whether her contract was connected to the president’s decision. DOJ OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP ALLY COREY LEWANDOWSKI “The Fake News still seems very confused by this so let me be even more clear: I was never paid to secure a pardon. I never met with anyone at the White House or DOJ about a pardon. I’ve never done any work in any capacity whatsoever for a pardon for anyone, period,” Habba Mildon wrote on X Oct. 21. Habba Mildon signed the agreement with Concord Partners in October 2025 while serving as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey. She began working for the company on Jan. 1, 2026, after becoming a senior advisor to Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to the outlet. Habba Mildon had already received about $14.5 million, including an $8 million signing bonus and $6.5 million in additional payments, according to The New York Times. MADURO ALLY DEPORTED TO US OVER ALLEGED BILLION-DOLLAR CORRUPTION SCHEME TIED TO OIL, FOOD PROGRAM Fox News Digital reached out to Habba Mildon and the White House for comment.
Longtime GOP leader faces uncertain future after Jim Jordan wins House leadership fight
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., the No. 2 Republican in the House of Representatives and the most tenured figure among the chamber’s party leadership, declined to say whether he would commit to serving the full term in the upcoming 120th Congress. “There’s no decision on what’s next,” Scalise said on Wednesday. “I’ve got to get through these next few weeks, and then we have a lot of decisions to make about what’s life going to look like in the minority. But I sure still have a great passion for this country.” JIM JORDAN THROWS HAT IN RING FOR HOUSE MINORITY LEADER AS GOP PICKS UP PIECES AFTER BLUE WAVE Scalise’s answer follows a loss to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in a bid to become the party’s new minority leader. His defeat now forces Scalise to decide whether he intends to retire or remain on Capitol Hill as a rank-and-file member of the minority as Democrats retake control of the House in January. For now, Scalise stressed that he remains focused on securing GOP priorities before the new year. “There’s a lot more for us to do. We have a few weeks left in the lame duck [session] and, frankly, a few big, big issues ahead. I want to see us do as much as we possibly can while we still have this majority,” Scalise said. “I’ve got a lot more gas in the tank. Obviously, all of us know there’s some real change coming in January. We still have work to do right now.” Jordan beat out Scalise in a 106-73 vote in Tuesday’s GOP elections. Scalise, who was elected in 2008 and first joined Republican leadership in 2014, proved a steady figure and mouthpiece for conservative principles even as the party shifted dramatically around him. Scalise originally served as House whip alongside Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. JORDAN EMERGES AS POTENTIAL NEXT GOP LEADER IF DEMS SEIZE HOUSE Although Boehner would eventually step down after the right flank of the party accused him of failing to secure GOP priorities, Scalise remained a constant, continuing to serve as whip under his successor, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Around the same time, Donald Trump, then just a candidate for president, began gaining momentum in the GOP primary. As the party’s core began to gravitate toward Trump, Scalise’s time in Congress and personal well-being were challenged when he was shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017. Although the incident left him with health complications, the attack elevated Scalise’s national profile. “Just left hospital. Rep. Steve Scalise, one of the truly great people, is in very tough shape — but he is a real fighter. Pray for Steve!” Trump said in a post to social media at the time. In 2023, Scalise would climb to the No. 2 job, becoming majority leader after Republicans recaptured the House of Representatives under Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. And when McCarthy himself was removed from the post for failing to deliver Republican demands to cut spending, Scalise launched an unsuccessful bid for speaker. Instead, Scalise remained majority leader as Republicans rallied around Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Asked if he would have done anything differently in his most recent bid to lead the House GOP, Scalise said he had no regrets. “Nothing that could have been done differently in the leadership race,” Scalise said. MIKE JOHNSON’S NO 2 LAUNCHES GOP TAKEOVER BID AS HOUSE FALLS TO DEMOCRATS “There’s clearly a lot of weight lifted now. I mean, these leadership jobs take a lot of time, a lot of focus. I love doing the work… it takes you away from your family, from other things that you enjoy doing back home. I’ll have a little more free time there,” he added. Following the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Republicans have a little under seven weeks to press for legislative priorities with their majorities in the House and Senate. The 120th Congress is set to begin on Jan. 3, 2027.
Stephen Miller’s internal memo unleashes Trump agencies after ‘absolute control’ under Wiles’ reign
EXCLUSIVE: A memo describing the new White House hierarchy under chief of staff Stephen Miller circulated within the Trump administration this week, and details how Cabinet secretaries will now have more control over their own messaging. This is a shift from what insiders say was administration-wide communications control implemented by former chief of staff Susie Wiles during the first nearly two years of President Donald Trump’s second term. “This will streamline the Cabinet, making it a more effective instrument for the President, whereas previously it was too constrained,” a source familiar with the message told Fox News Digital. The memo was sent by Miller’s office after he took over the role on Monday. It was titled as a memo on administrative matters and personnel changes, the source said. THE STONING OF STEPHEN MILLER, NOW RUNNING THE TRUMP WHITE HOUSE “The White House position of Cabinet Secretary will be changed to the role of Director of Cabinet Relations, focused on providing support and reinforcement of President Trump’s tremendous Cabinet Secretaries,” details the memo, which Fox News Digital viewed. “Each cabinet leader serves as the best leader and communicator for their individual Departments, and this new position will ensure our Cabinet is resourced and bolstered by the White House to deliver swift, critical, and lasting wins for the American people,” the memo continues. Another source who is familiar with day-to-day administration operations believes the memo signals a shift in communications policy, giving different agencies the ability to control their own messaging now that Miller has become chief of staff. The source said that previously, they believe Wiles had a chokehold on nearly all the administration’s communications, and that there were “a lot of prescriptive directives” from Wiles’ camp. “I mean, to me, it reflects well on Miller and his team and I think it’s really smart to be making these moves quite clear, to be communicating clearly and effectively, you know?” the source said, speaking of the policy shake-up described in the memo. The source added that the policy change is “unleashing the Cabinet to be the captains of their own ship.” “It’s more [of] a recognition that you can’t possibly effectively micromanage this wide of an organization and that sometimes it might be better to trust and invest in a support system that elevates the people who are closest to the issues,” the source said. TRUMP’S NEW PRESS SECRETARY FACES FIRST MAJOR TEST AS WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM ENTERS NEW ERA WHITE HOUSE THREATENS POLITICO WITH ‘CONSEQUENCES’ IF IT DOESN’T RETRACT SUSIE WILES REPORTING A former Trump administration official had much more direct criticism of Wiles’ management style. “She wants complete authority,” the source said. “The control doesn’t come from, ‘hey, you have to do this.’ The control comes from threat of duress. Like, ‘if you don’t do this, I’m going to destroy you in the media,’” they continued. “The thing is, she has been very clear. ‘I can’t control [Trump]. I can control everything else.’” The source accused Wiles of approaching Cabinet secretaries and warning them that if they said anything off script in the media, that midterm GOP election losses would be blamed on them. TRUMP CLOSING IN ON NEW PRESS SECRETARY AS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS PUSH FOR PICK WHO COULD BREAK THE MOLD “It’s absolute control,” the source said. The memo also highlights some hierarchical changes within the administration, saying the director of presidential scheduling and the Office of Presidential Scheduling will report directly to Chamberlain Harris, the deputy director of outer oval operations. It also confirms previous reporting that Caleb Orr, formerly the assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs, will become the chief of staff for policy. “The White House will run a clear and regular policy process through the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and the National Security Advisor, with clearly defined responsibilities and assignments and no overlapping policy portfolios,” the memo says. Wiles did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment by time of publication.
Biden ripped for ‘totally delusional’ claim about debate that preceded his 2024 exit
Former President Joe Biden is facing sharp backlash after dismissing his disastrous 2024 debate performance against President Donald Trump as “not very consequential” — despite dropping out of the presidential race just 24 days later. When asked about what his “perspective” on the June 27, 2024 debate is now in an interview with People Magazine released Wednesday, Biden suggested he felt his debate performance was inconsequential. “Look, I don’t know anybody who hasn’t made a mistake in a debate,” Biden told People Magazine. “To me, it was not very consequential. First of all, I thought there’d be another debate, which there wasn’t.” JILL BIDEN SAYS SHE THOUGHT JOE WAS HAVING A STROKE DURING HIS DISASTROUS 2024 DEBATE PERFORMANCE “But notwithstanding the fact that there wasn’t another debate, it didn’t disturb me because it wasn’t consequential,” he added. Biden’s comments drew swift criticism on social media on Wednesday. SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER JILL BIDEN REVEALS SHE WAS ‘FRIGHTENED’ WATCHING JOE’S DISASTROUS DEBATE “Joe Biden now claims his 2024 presidential debate against President Trump, which forced him to drop out of the race, was not very consequential,” former Trump campaign operative Steve Cortes wrote Wednesday in an X post. “Just 24 days after the ‘not very consequential’ presidential debate, Joe Biden ended his campaign for President,” Cortes added. Conservative commentator Steve Guest wrote on X that Biden “is TOTALLY delusional.“ Meanwhile, former National Republican Senatorial Committee senior adviser Matt Whitlock asserted in a Wednesday post on X that it was actually “the most consequential” presidential debate of all time. “It was without question the most consequential Presidential debate in history – he [Biden] likely would have stayed the nominee without it,” Whitlock said. “But I’m definitely excited for the other hot takes in the book now.” “It was the most lopsided debate in history. C’mon, man!” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis quipped. During the presidential debate, Biden stumbled over his words, paused for long periods of time and displayed confused facial expressions. The Office of Joe and Jill Biden did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. “Biden subsequently dropped out of the presidential race on July 21, 2024, just a few weeks after the debate, amid mounting pressure from Democratic allies to end his re-election bid. Former first lady Jill Biden notably claimed in a CBS News Sunday Morning interview clip released in May 2026 that she thought her husband was having a stroke on stage during the debate. Trump’s White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Additionally, Biden said Sunday that he plans to scale back public appearances promoting his new presidential memoir, “Promise Me, America,” due to his cancer battle. “My presidential memoir, PROMISE ME, AMERICA, is coming out on November 17th. I hope you’ll read it. It covers my years as President. The challenges we faced, the decisions I made, and why I made them. It’s about who we are as a nation,” Biden said in an X post. “What we stand for. And America’s role in the world.” “While writing the book, I was diagnosed with cancer, a disease known all too well to millions of Americans and their families,” the former president added. “My doctors continue to be encouraged by how I’ve responded to treatment. And the prayers and kind words and well wishes from so many of you have meant more to me and Jill and our family than you can ever know. Some days are better than others. It hasn’t stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down.”