2028 lines being drawn among conservatives as two top names emerge among AmericaFest activists
The 2028 presidential election will potentially be a rumble in the Rust Belt if AmericaFest attendees’ predictions come to pass, with Vice President JD Vance the odds-on favorite to succeed President Donald Trump, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro surpassing California Gov. Gavin Newsom as the most-predicted Democrat nominee. Such a contest would also pit two younger figures against each other – with Shapiro at 52 and Vance at 41 — while also potentially reshaping the idea of the “blue wall” that Trump shattered in 2024 as Shapiro’s name recognition in Pennsylvania could return the state to the Democrats’ column. For his part, Shapiro has dismissed any curiosity about a White House run, recently telling HBO’s Bill Maher he’s “not an expert” on Beltway politics and “live[s] in the real world in Pennsylvania where we have to balance budgets.” But, that sentiment didn’t keep him from being considered more viable for the role than the more gregarious Newsom. ‘OBAMA BRO’ PODCASTER RAILS AGAINST JD VANCE’S CHANCES IN 2028, CLAIMS ‘NO ONE LIKES HIM!’ Barbara, from Camarillo, Calif., said she hopes Vance is able to step into President Donald Trump’s shoes, calling him a “great candidate” who comes from the “team that Trump built.” “I think we’re in a good place right now,” she said. Barbara also named Shapiro as the most likely Democrat to take that party’s mantle. REPUBLICAN POPULISM CRATERS AS TRUMP STUMBLES, DEMOCRATS SURGE “I think he’s going to have the most effect because I don’t think anybody else has any credibility.” If Shapiro went up against Newsom, she said, “he would wipe the floor with” the Californian. Shapiro has occasionally broken with the far-left, particularly on the issue of antisemitism. But, when New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli wished aloud that the Garden State would be run more like its neighbor across the Delaware, Shapiro hit back that he was fully supporting Gov-elect. Mikie Sherill. TRUMP SAYS JD VANCE WOULD BE ‘PROBABLY FAVORED’ FOR 2028 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION Nick from Nashville also named Shapiro as the most viable Democratic prospect. While he predicted Newsom or Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. may be the nominee chosen by the base, the Democratic National Committee would be smart if it facilitated a Shapiro nomination, he said. Speaking about the future of post-Trump conservatism, Nick said he expects a lot of competing yet largely ideologically unified voices. “I think the conservative party will kind of conglomerate over somebody like Trump. I think Trump’s going to have a very big hand and who’s going to be the nominee in 2028. But I think the conservative [movement] is still going to be alive. But I think that it’s mostly going to be whoever Donald Trump kind of wants, because, you know, he basically built the conservative movement,” he said. SPECULATION SWIRLS AS AOC IS RUMORED TO HARBOR 2028 ASPIRATIONS: ‘SAVVY POLITICIAN’ “I’m very much hoping [Republicans choose] JD Vance or Marco Rubio,” Karen from Wisconsin told Fox News Digital. “We have so many good conservatives that could come in and take over. And I hope that we get another eight, 16 more years of Republicans that have put our country in the right direction.” “I hope after Charlie Kirk that especially the youth get involved more … because you know, that’s how I got involved and I just hope that someone brings up the whole [conservative] program a lot more.” GAVIN NEWSOM DECLARED AS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S 2028 ‘FRONTRUNNER’ BY POLITICO On the Democratic side in 2028, Karen predicted Newsom would be Democrats’ pick. “I seriously don’t think [Kamala Harris] is going to get the money-backing, but Newsom probably will try really hard. I hope [the GOP chooses] JD Vance. Ron DeSantis already cleaned the carpet with Newsom [on “Hannity”], so I don’t think JD Vance will have much problem because he is a very well spoken, intelligent, smart man.” Amy from Michigan also predicted the Pennsylvanian as the Democrats’ top pick in 2028, envisioning a battle between Vance and Shapiro for the presidency. Elizabeth from San Diego said she hopes it won’t be her governor who gets named the nominee in 2028, but feared it is trending his way moreso than Shapiro or Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, the Hyatt Hotels heir whose name has also been mentioned. “I’m hoping that other Latinos see another Latina being in a position where I support [Homeland Security Investigations agents] going out and looking at all of the illegal immigrants and taking them out because of the fact that it gives us (Latinos and Latinas) more opportunities,” said Elizabeth, who is Latina. Ed, who was also from San Diego, predicted Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio would take the Republican mantle after Trump.
Inside Stefanik’s exit and how the Trump endorsement that never came was ‘biggest piece’ of the ‘puzzle’
FIRST ON FOX: Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s surprise announcement on Friday night that she is dropping out of the race for New York governor and leaving her seat in Congress was partly due to lack of full support from President Trump, Fox News Digital has learned. “The biggest piece of this puzzle was Donald Trump and the fact that he passed three times on endorsing her candidacy, including in the Oval Office with the Miracle on Ice Team last week,” a GOP source close to the situation told Fox News Digital. “I think [that] played the largest role in this decision,” Stefanik’s original thought process when she jumped into the race last month, according to the source, was that she would have a “clear shot” at current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. But once Trump ally and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced his candidacy earlier this month, “it became clear that was not going to happen.” “When you start to add these things up, and you see a contested primary, you see an assumed ally in the president who passes on endorsing, and it does not seem that you’re going to have the wind to your back in this cycle, I think [it] all played into this,” the source said. STEFANIK EXITS NY GOVERNOR RACE, WILL NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION TO US HOUSE Stefanik’s decision to also leave Congress was based on a feeling that it was time to “move on,” the source said. “I am truly humbled and grateful for the historic and overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, and Democrats all across the state for our campaign to Save New York,” Stefanik posted on X Friday afternoon. “However, as we have seen in past elections, while we would have overwhelmingly won this primary, it is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York.” Stefanik has been a staunch ally of President Trump during her time in Congress, including defending him during both of his impeachments. Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a high-profile cabinet-level position, before the nomination was pulled to protect the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House and amid worries Republicans could lose Stefanik’s seat to the Democrats in a special election. FBI TO BE UNDER HARSH NEW MICROSCOPE AS STEFANIK SCORES VICTORY IN ANNUAL DEFENSE BILL After Blakeman joined the race for governor, Trump opted to stay neutral, telling reporters at the White House after Blakeman announced his candidacy that “Elise is fantastic and Bruce is.” “Two fantastic people, and I always hate it when two very good friends of mine are running, and I hope there’s not a lot of damage done,” the president added. Hochul’s re-election campaign released a statement on Friday shifting its attention to Blakeman. “Elise Stefanik has finally acknowledged reality: If you run against Governor Kathy Hochul, you are going to lose,” Hochul’s campaign said in a press release Friday. “As Donald Trump raises costs on New Yorkers and targets this state relentlessly, Governor Hochul has cut middle-class taxes, put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, and fought this administration and won when New York has come under attack.” “The fact is, ‘100% MAGA’ Bruce Blakeman traveled all the way to D.C. to celebrate Trump’s tariffs, he ran Long Island’s safety net hospital into the ground by appointing corrupt cronies to run it, and let violent crime in Nassau County spike to its highest level in a decade. Governor Hochul’s message to him or whichever lackey Trump picks to run against her is simple: Bring it on.” The source confirmed to Fox News Digital that “multiple county leaders are reaching out to Congressman Mike Lawler” as a potential candidate, adding it is “premature” to assume the New York GOP is “coalescing around Blakeman.” “Very fluid. Many folks are taking time to regroup.” The source did say that Blakeman “can be a strong candidate” and that the “Mamdani effect” is something Hochul will still have to combat in a general election. “I wish Congresswoman Stefanik nothing but success as she pursues her priorities and continues her service to our nation,” Blakeman posted on X Friday. “At this pivotal moment for New York, it is essential that Republicans and all New Yorkers come together in unity.” Lawler responded to the news in a post on X saying that Stefanik “has been a terrific Congresswoman” and “would have been a great governor.” “As her friend and colleague, I respect her decision and wish her and her family all the best as she moves forward.” The White House directed Fox News Digital to the social media reactions from the president and his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump responded to Stefanik’s announcement, writing, “Elise Stefanik, a fantastic person and Congresswoman from New York State, has just announced she won’t be running for Governor. Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!” Leavitt also posted praise of Stefanik on social media. “Elise Stefanik has been an incredible advocate for the people of her district in Upstate New York, and she will always be a true friend to President Trump,” Leavitt posted on X. “On a personal note, Elise is my former boss. She is a great leader, and an even better person. We love you, @EliseStefanik!” Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report
Sen Murphy warns ‘people are going to die’ as Congress punts on expiring Obamacare subsidies
A bipartisan Obamacare fix remains out of reach in the Senate, for now, and lawmakers can’t agree on who is at fault. While many agree that the forthcoming healthcare cliff will cause financial pain, the partisan divide quickly devolved into pointing the finger across the aisle at who owns the looming healthcare premium spikes that Americans who use the healthcare exchange will face. Part of the finger-pointing has yielded another surprising agreement: Lawmakers don’t see the fast-approaching expiration of the Biden-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies as Congress failing to act in time. “Obviously, it’s not a failure of Congress to act,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital. “It’s a failure of Republicans to act. Democrats are united and wanting to expand subsidies. Republicans want premium increases to go up.” DEMOCRATS’ LAST-MINUTE MOVE TO BLOCK GOP FUNDING PLAN SENDS LAWMAKERS HOME EARLY Senate Republicans and Democrats both tried, and failed, to advance their own partisan plans to replace or extend the subsidies earlier this month. And since then, no action has been taken to deal with the fast-approaching issue, guaranteeing that the subsidies will lapse at the end of the year. A report published last month by Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit healthcare think tank, found that Americans who use the credits will see an average increase of 114% in their premium costs. The increase can vary depending on how high above the poverty level a person is. The original premium subsidies set a cap at 400% above the poverty level, while the enhanced subsidies, which were passed during the COVID-19 pandemic, torched the cap. For example, a person 60 years or older making 401% of the poverty level, or about $62,000 per year, would on average see their premium prices double. That number can skyrocket depending on the state. Wyoming clocks in at the highest spike at 421%. SENATE MULLS NEXT STEPS AFTER DUELING OBAMACARE FIXES GO UP IN FLAMES In Murphy’s home state of Connecticut, premiums under the same parameters would hike in price by 316%. “When these do lapse, people are going to die,” Murphy said. “I mean, I was talking to a couple a few months ago who have two parents, both with chronic, potentially life-threatening illnesses, and they will only be able to afford insurance for one of them. So they’re talking about which parent is going to survive to raise their three kids. The stakes are life and death.” Both sides hold opposing views on the solution. Senate Republicans argue that the credits effectively subsidize insurance companies, not patients, by funneling money directly to them, and that the program is rife with fraud. Senate Democrats want to extend the subsidies as they are, and are willing to negotiate fixes down the line. But for the GOP, they want to see some immediate reforms, like income caps, anti-fraud measures and more stringent anti-abortion language tied to the subsidies. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who produced his own healthcare plan that would convert subsidies into health savings accounts (HSAs), argued that congressional Democrats “set this up to expire.” SENATE REPUBLICANS LAND ON OBAMACARE FIX, TEE UP DUELING VOTE WITH DEMS But he doesn’t share the view that the subsidies’ expected expiration is a life-or-death situation. “I’m not taxing somebody who makes 20 bucks an hour to pay for healthcare for somebody who makes half a million dollars a year, that’s what they did,” he told Fox News Digital. “All they did was mask the increase in healthcare costs. That’s all they did with it.” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., similarly scoffed at the notion, and told Fox News Digital, “The Democrat plan to extend COVID-era Obamacare subsidies might help less than half a percent of the American population.” “The Republican plan brings down healthcare costs for 100% of Americans,” he said. “More competition, expands health savings accounts. That needs to be the focus.” Democrats are also not hiding their disdain for the partisan divide between their approaches to healthcare. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told Fox News Digital that the idea that this “is a congressional failure and not a Republican policy is preposterous.” “They’ve hated the Affordable Care Act since its inception and tried to repeal it at every possible opportunity,” he said, referring to Obamacare. “The president hates ACA, speaker hates ACA, majority leader hates ACA, rank-and-file hate ACA. And so this is not some failure of bipartisanship.” While the partisan rancor runs deep on the matter of Obamacare, there are Republicans and Democrats working together to build a new plan. Still, it wouldn’t deal with the rapidly approaching Dec. 31 deadline to extend the subsidies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., predicted that the Senate would have a long road to travel before a bipartisan plan came together in the new year, but he didn’t rule it out. “It’s the Christmas season. It would take a Christmas miracle to execute on actually getting something done there,” he said. “But, you know, I think there’s a potential path, but it’ll be heavy lift.”
Dem Senate candidate faces backlash after violent fantasy against conservative SCOTUS justices goes viral
A Michigan Democratic Senate candidate is facing backlash after a clip went viral Thursday revealing what she would do if she saw Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh out in public. Mallory McMorrow, who is running in the crowded Democratic Senate primary, ignited social media backlash from conservatives after her comments to supporters last month surfaced. McMorrow was asked by a female attendee at a Huron Valley Indivisible event on Nov. 12 whether there “was any sense in dealing with the Supreme Court,” adding that she “blame[s] them for a lot.” “So, I’m a Notre Dame grad, and Amy Coney Barrett coming out of my university makes me furious. Just on a personal level. I talked to somebody yesterday who said they saw her and Brett Kavanaugh at a tailgate last weekend,” McMorrow said last month. “I would not have been able to control myself. That would be bad. There would be beers thrown in peoples’ faces.” DEMOCRATS’ ‘UNITY’ DINNER DRAWS BACKLASH OVER ANTI-TRUMP ‘86 47’ SIGN LINKING MAGA TO NAZIS Conservatives immediately slammed McMorrow on social media for her violent rhetoric, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who said, “She needs help.” “It’s impossible for a Democrat candidate to not be a crazed and violent radical,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh wrote on X. “Sounds as if she shouldn’t be in the Senate, then,” Charles Cooke, a senior editor at National Review, wrote on X. “I really don’t understand political figures who openly brag about being overcome by emotions such as disgust as though this were an asset,” Wall Street Journal columnist Kyle Smith wrote on X. “Pattern of Democrat politicians up to and including Chuck Schumer openly encouraging violence against Supreme Court justices,” The Federalist’s editor-in-chief Molly Hemmingway wrote on X. “Sounds like she should seek professional help and consider therapy instead of a Senate run,” conservative writer A.G Hamilton wrote on X. “Democrats are now openly threatening Supreme Court justices with violence,” GOP operative Steve Guest wrote on X. Fox News Digital reached out multiple times to the McMorrow campaign about the clip but did not receive a response. Several people online likened the comments to those said by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. in 2020 when he targeted Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, both conservative Supreme Court justices, and said, “You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions” during an abortion rights rally. Schumer would later walk back the quote, saying, “I should not have used the words I used yesterday. They did not come out the way I intended to.” This isn’t the first time that McMorrow has received scrutiny this year. Back in October, McMorrow was a headliner at the “John D. Dingell Unity Dinner,” which featured a sign with coded language threatening President Donald Trump and equating his supporters with Nazis. The sign, displayed by local Democrats, said “MAGA=NAZI” and “86 47.” The number “86” originated in restaurants to mean “cancel” or “throw out,” but in underworld slang it is frequently used as a call sign for murdering someone. The number “47” is commonly interpreted as denoting the 47th president of the United States, Trump. “This sign was wrong. Especially now, we each have a responsibility to choose our words and signs carefully, and avoid anything that may be interpreted as a call to violence,” Andrew Mamo, a spokesman for McMorrow for Michigan, told Fox News Digital at the time. She has also come under scrutiny for fundraising with far-left radicals, including a blogger who mocked the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The month-old clip of McMorrow dropped as news spread that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had been verbally harassed in public at a luxury Washington, D.C., restaurant and wine bar on Wednesday night by Code Pink, a radical left-wing group. DC DINNER TURNS CHAOTIC AS CODEPINK ACTIVISTS CORNER TREASURY SECRETARY SCOTT BESSENT: ‘BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS’ “We want to make an announcement! We have a special guest here, and we want to make a toast for the Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent!” DiNucci said after striking her glass to get everyone’s attention. “So let’s give it up for the man who is eating in peace as people starve across the world based on his sanctions, which are economic warfare.” “He oversees the deaths of 600,000 people due to sanctions annually,” she added. “How many people are going to die because of the blood that’s on your hands?”
Democrats reveal whether Walz should testify and be held accountable for massive fraud under his watch
Amid backlash over the wide-scale Minnesota Medicaid fraud scandal that has occurred under the leadership of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, some Democrats are dodging responsibility, but others have said Walz should be held accountable. “I think any instance of fraud should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent, and so the federal government should play an oversight role in federal dollars,” Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., told Fox News Digital. “States have an obligation though to make sure that they’re administering these programs. Any instance should be investigated. Where there’s fraud, people should be prosecuted for that fraud.” When pressed on whether he thinks Walz should be compelled to testify for letting so much money be lost to fraud under his watch, Olszewski said “anyone” involved in large-scale fraud “should come before Congress and tell us what happened.” ILHAN OMAR DEFENDS MEALS ACT DESPITE TIES TO MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME Olszewski wasn’t the only Democrat Fox News Digital heard from who suggested Walz should face the music, but others dodged the question and some pointed the finger at President Donald Trump and Republicans. “It is not a partisan issue. I just wish that we could focus on really looking at where the facts take us and not have it be that one side is trying to fight waste, fraud, abuse, and the other isn’t,” said Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., when asked if anything should be done to prevent such wide scale fraud – as was seen in Minnesota – from happening in the first place. ‘EPICENTER OF FRAUD’: MINNESOTA’S EMPTY STOMACHS, FAKE AUTISM THERAPY AND A SCANDAL THAT COULD TOP $2 BILLION “There’s always a fraud issue. That’s why the Department of Justice had a huge civil fraud division that did a lot of great work, and that’s why we have [Inspector Generals] and the like throughout the federal government. The elimination of those, firing that cadre of people was one of the worst things the Trump administration could do if they’re serious about fighting waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md. “Oh, I don’t know that you need the governor to do it. Certainly somebody from Minnesota that has the best insight into what went wrong should,” Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va, told Fox News Digital on whether Walz should testify. In a Thursday press conference, federal authorities in Minnesota announced new charges in the fraud scandal that has grabbed national headlines and spoke on the scope of the crisis, saying that it goes beyond what has previously been reported. According to one report, Minnesota Democratic lawmakers received over $50,000 in campaign donations by fraudsters who ripped off taxpayer funds meant to help feed children.
Trump’s Venezuela oil blockade puts Chevron in the middle of a high-stakes sanctions crackdown
The Trump administration’s escalating crackdown on Venezuela’s sanctioned oil shipments has thrust Chevron into an unusually precarious position. As the last U.S. oil company left in Venezuela, Chevron is operating in the high-tension space between Washington’s pressure campaign and the world’s largest oil reserves. That campaign was on full display on Dec. 10, when U.S. authorities seized a nondescript tanker that had been quietly moving Venezuelan crude, just one ship in a shadow fleet that keeps sanctioned oil flowing. This week, Trump pushed the campaign to a new level, ordering a “total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers” bound for or departing Venezuela. ‘GHOST SHIPS’ FERRYING ILLICIT OIL HAVE SAILED INTO TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS And while Chevron isn’t the target of the blockade, the order still introduces fresh uncertainty for the company’s operations in Venezuela’s tightly controlled oil sector. “In the case of Chevron, the U.S. government allows that oil to move, but it’s certainly a very sensitive place to be,” explained Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow at the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy and Technology at Brookings. But Chevron’s position is only one part of the equation. Felbab-Brown noted that the administration faces significant limits in how aggressively it can enforce a tanker blockade. “This is a major undertaking. The U.S. has the assets and the political willingness to do this to some extent in Venezuela,” she said, adding that “it would be very resource-consuming for the U.S. to seize every ship or locate them.” VENEZUELA HOLDS THE WORLD’S LARGEST OIL RESERVES. HERE’S HOW OTHERS COMPARE Chevron, for its part, said its operations have not been affected by the latest escalation. “Chevron’s operations in Venezuela continue without disruption and in full compliance with laws and regulations applicable to its business, as well as the sanctions frameworks provided for by the U.S. government,” Bill Turenne, Chevron’s Head of Public Policy Communications, wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital. Chevron offered no assessment of the broader security environment, saying only: “Any questions about the security situation in Venezuela should be directed to the appropriate authorities in the U.S. government.” The U.S. energy titan has operated in Venezuela for a century and is the only American company to remain after the government forced Western firms into minority partnerships with the state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA). For the Maduro government, disruptions to oil shipments strike at the heart of its economic survival. “Venezuela is wholly dependent on oil,” explained Benjamin Jensen, who heads the Futures Lab at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Anything you do that puts pressure on their ability to bypass sanctions and trade in oil is a direct threat to the economy and by extension the regime,” he added. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Center for Energy, Climate and Environment at The Heritage Foundation, framed the blockade as a warning beyond Venezuela. “President Trump is sending the message that this attempt to escape sanctions and use the oil of rogue regimes will no longer stand,” she said. “I don’t know how many ships it is going to take to be seized before that message gets through,” she added. How aggressively the administration enforces the blockade and how effectively Venezuela adapts will determine whether the latest move delivers a decisive economic blow or becomes another costly game of sanctions cat and mouse.
Tim Scott tells MAGA voters Trump ‘is on the ballot’ as GOP fights to grow Senate majority in 2026
As he aims to not only defend but expand the GOP’s 53-47 Senate majority in next year’s midterm elections, Sen. Tim Scott has a message for MAGA voters who don’t always go to the polls when President Donald Trump’s name isn’t on the ballot. “Donald Trump is on the ballot, and that’s why he’s been so active around the country,” Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said this week in a Fox News Digital interview. Scott, a Republican from South Carolina and Trump ally, said, “I look forward to seeing the president on the campaign trail across this country.” And the president appears to be delivering. WHATLEY: ‘THE PRESIDENT AND HIS LEGACY’ ON 2026 BALLOT Trump on Friday night held the second leg of his affordability tour during a stop in battleground North Carolina, home to what is shaping up to be one of the most crucial, combustible, and expensive Senate battles next year. “We’re certainly going to need him to be on the ballot,” former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley told Fox News Digital, as he pointed to Trump. THE GOP’S TAKE ON HIGH-PROFILE SENATE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES: ‘THEY’RE IN SHAMBLES’ Whatley, the Trump-backed clear frontrunner for the GOP Senate nomination in the 2026 race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, joined Trump at Friday night’s event. “When you think about what happens if we lose the House, if we lose the Senate, if the Democrats take over, and they go right back to investigations and hoaxes and impeachments, that is really, truly the president and his legacy are going to be on the ballot,” Whatley emphasized. Trump and Republicans spotlighted rising prices as they swept to major victories in 2024, retaking the White House and Senate and holding their majority in the House. But with inflation remaining persistent, Democrats have been laser focused this year on the issue of affordability, which fueled their decisive victories in last month’s 2025 elections and their overperformances this year in a slew of special elections. But Scott predicts the tide will turn. “I’ve said 2026 is a year of affordability, and the great news is President Trump has been producing time and time again,” he touted. Pointing to the tax cut provisions in the GOP’s sweeping domestic policy measure signed into law this past summer by Trump, Scott said “2026 is shaping up to be the year where Donald Trump’s activities, his actions, the legislation we’ve passed, shows up for the American voter. And consumers all across the country will see a more affordable economy because of President Trump and the Senate majority and the House majority in the hands of the Republican Party.” GOP SENATE CAMPAIGN CHIEF AIMS TO EXPAND 2026 MAP IN THIS BLUE-LEANING STATE Lauren French, communications director at Senate Majority PAC, the top Senate Democrat-aligned outside group, told Fox News Digital that “even Tim Scott is occasionally right — 2026 will be the year of affordability.” But taking aim at the GOP narrative, French argued that affordability will continue to grab top billing with voters “because Americans can’t afford Donald Trump and Republican policies that continue to drive up the cost of groceries, basic goods, and, right now, Christmas presents.” “The out-of-touch insistence from the GOP that the economy is thriving proves they don’t understand what working families are facing, which is probably why Democrats won or dramatically overperformed in every contested election this year,” she emphasized. “2026 will be no different as Democrats continue to put forward real plans to address the cost-of-living crisis.” There are 35 Senate seats up for grabs next year, including special elections for GOP-held seats in Florida and Ohio. Overall, Republicans are defending 22 of the seats. But the map of competitive races is much smaller. Scott reiterated that open Democrat-held seats in battleground Michigan and swing state New Hampshire are two of the NRSC’s top targets, along with Sen. Jon Ossoff in battleground Georgia, whom Republicans consider the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election next year. 4 KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN 2026 MIDTERMS TO EXPAND THEIR MAJORITY The NRSC chair is also eyeing blue-leaning Minnesota, where the Senate GOP campaign arm is working to recruit former professional football sideline reporter turned political activist and commentator Michele Tafoya, who is inching closer to jumping into the race. “We’re excited about expanding our map, and Minnesota is one of the target states that we’re looking at,” Scott said. “We see real reasons to be optimistic. President Trump was very close in Minnesota. It’s a four-point race. We know with the right candidate, we will be successful.” Apparently pointing to Tafoya, Scott suggested Republicans are likely to land “a strong candidate in the race,” and teased “wait and see” for “better news.” Scott will likely be playing defense in Texas, where there’s currently a nasty three-way GOP Senate primary, as well as in North Carolina, Maine and Ohio. Asked his prediction for next year, Scott said “54 is clearly within our grasp right now, but with a little bit of luck, 55 is on our side.” But the rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) sees it differently. “While Democrats have expanded the map and created a path to flip the majority in 2026, Senate Republicans are facing a string of embarrassing recruitment failures and messy primaries — and their toxic agenda of health care cuts and price spikes for hardworking Americans will cost them at the ballot box,” DSCC spokesperson Joe Bush told Fox News Digital.
Trump administration touts ‘most secure border in history’ as 2.5 million migrants exit US
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Friday that more than 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the United States since President Donald Trump returned to office this year, citing a sweeping immigration crackdown it says has led to the “most secure border in American history.” In a year-end report highlighting the agency’s accomplishments, DHS claimed that illegal border crossings plunged 93% year-over-year, fentanyl trafficking was cut in half and hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal immigrants were either arrested or deported, amounting to a dramatic shift from the Biden administration. “In less than a year, President Trump has delivered some of the most historic and consequential achievements in presidential history, and this administration is just getting started,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making America safe again and putting the American people first. In record time we have secured the border, taken the fight to cartels and arrested thousands upon thousands of criminal illegal aliens.” EXCLUSIVE: MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS LEAVE US IN RECORD-BREAKING YEAR UNDER TRUMP POLICIES, DHS SAYS While Trump’s first year back in office was “historic,” the administration “won’t rest until the job is done,” Noem added. Of the 2.5 million illegal immigrants who left the country since Trump took office Jan. 20, an estimated 1.9 million self-deported and more than 622,000 were forced out, according to DHS. The Trump administration has encouraged anyone living in the United States illegally to return to their native countries using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home Mobile App, which allows users to claim a complimentary plane ticket home and a $1,000 exit bonus upon their return. BIDEN ADMIN MARKED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, ALLEGED MURDERER AS ‘NON-ENFORCEMENT PRIORITY,’ DHS REVEALS CBP seized nearly 540,000 pounds of drugs this year, almost a 10% increase compared to the same time frame in 2024, DHS said, adding that the U.S. Coast Guard has retrieved roughly 470,000 pounds of cocaine, enough to kill 177 million people. Taxpayers have saved more than $13 billion at DHS, the agency said, noting that several agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Secret Service have returned “to their core missions.” Secretary Noem awarded $10,000 bonuses earlier this year to TSA officers and personnel who displayed exemplary service, overcame hardships and displayed the utmost patriotism during the 43-day government shutdown. DHS touted the administration’s achievements, asserting that “countless lives have been saved” this year, and “the American people have been put first again.”
DOJ’s Epstein disclosure draws fire for website glitches, missing documents, redactions
The Department of Justice’s efforts to release all of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking cases by the legal deadline fell short of expectations on Friday, resulting in complaints ranging from technological glitches to excessive redactions and missing documents. Just after 3 p.m., the highly anticipated website containing the documents went live with a message informing visitors they were “in line.” The page never advanced and would occasionally crash. Once the files became visible, some people were reporting that they still could not access the website. “Got me waiting in line for these Epstein files like it’s a 2019 Yeezy drop,” one user wrote on X. SCHUMER ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF EPSTEIN FILES ‘COVER-UP’ AMID DOCUMENT DISPUTE The law required that the files be searchable, but New York University law professor Ryan Goodman was among those who observed that the search bar feature on the website was also not reliably capturing content. Some on the left pointed out that President Donald Trump’s name was initially not showing up in any of the documents. Trump was one of many of Epstein’s affluent friends before Epstein faced charges. The search bar appeared to be working as of Friday night. The most common criticism, however, focused on what critics described as an incomplete release and extensive redactions. The DOJ has said it was required to redact information that could identify victims or minors. In a letter to Congress, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche touted the DOJ’s effort to fulfill its obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act as “historic.” Blanche said the documents underwent a rigorous review and redaction process involving more than 200 lawyers and that certain DOJ components produced tranches of files this week that required more time to review. He said he expected the rest of the files to be uploaded to the website within two weeks. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., highlighted the statutory language of the Epstein Files Transparency Act on X. “Unfortunately, today’s document release by @AGPamBondi and @DAGToddBlanche grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law that @realDonaldTrump signed just 30 days ago,” Massie wrote. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a co-sponsor of the legislation, said he and Massie were “exploring all options,” including potential contempt proceedings or other actions against DOJ officials. “It is an incomplete release with too many redactions,” Khanna said. DOJ PUBLISHES TROVE OF EPSTEIN FILES, SAYS MORE TO COME AFTER FRIDAY DEADLINE Tim Young, a media fellow with the conservative Heritage Foundation, panned the redactions in a post on X and took a jab at Attorney General Pam Bondi over the DOJ’s botched rollout of already public files earlier this year. Bondi had given right-wing social media influencers binders of files in February, but the records were a dud and enraged a faction of Trump’s base. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., appeared on MS NOW Friday evening and accused the administration of “breaking the law.” Still, the DOJ has stood by its work as exemplary, saying in a statement online that “President Trump’s DOJ is delivering historic transparency while protecting victims.” Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment.
Here is what‘s in the Department of Justice’s latest Epstein files drop
The Department of Justice began releasing final documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Friday, with a massive trove of documents that predominantly shows photos and heavily redacted materials categorized into four different sections. The DOJ on Friday afternoon released four different data sets of thousands of photos, New York grand jury material and evidence related to investigations of Epstein. The documents and photos were released on the DOJ’s website. Epstein was a well-connected financier who rubbed elbows with those at the highest echelons of government and private industry. He was convicted of sex trafficking minors in 2008 and served just more than one year of incarceration, which also included a controversial work-release arrangement under a plea agreement. He was arrested again in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking before he was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell from suicide that same year, officials reported. DOJ PUBLISHES TROVE OF EPSTEIN FILES, SAYS MORE TO COME AFTER FRIDAY DEADLINE The first data set shows thousands of photos of the interiors and exteriors of Epstein’s properties, including in New York and on his private island, Little St. James. The second data set released shows Epstein in personal photos with high-profile individuals, including former President Bill Clinton. The photos in the second data set show Epstein shirtless while sitting on a sofa, standing near a helicopter and many photos of him on boats. A photo in the set included Clinton shirtless in a hot tub. When asked about the photo, Clinton spokesperson Angel Ureña directed Fox Digital to a statement he posted to X in response to the Epstein drop. “The White House hasn’t been hiding these files for months only to dump them late on a Friday to protect Bill Clinton,” he wrote. “This is about shielding themselves from what comes next, or from what they’ll try and hide forever. So they can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be. Even Susie Wiles said Donald Trump was wrong about Bill Clinton.” Ureña said there are “two types of people” involved in the Epstein scandal: those who did not know of Epstein’s crimes and cut him out of their lives upon his conviction and a second group of people who “continued relationships with him after” his crimes came to light. “We’re in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that,” the Clinton spokesman continued. “Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats.” MASSIE SETS LITMUS TEST FOR DOJ’S EPSTEIN DISCLOSURES AS DEADLINE SLIPS The third data set released by the Department of Justice included heavily redacted photos of potential victims, documents from Epstein’s 2019 grand jury records that were also heavily redacted and potential victim exhibits. SCHUMER ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF EPSTEIN FILES ‘COVER-UP’ AMID DOCUMENT DISPUTE The fourth data set in the document drop mostly showed evidence and exhibits from the investigations into Epstein, including documents from 2005 and 2006, when Palm Beach, Florida, police and the FBI began investigating Epstein for potential sex trafficking. President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan law in November that required the Department of Justice to release all “unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials” within 30 days of Trump’s signature. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday morning during an appearance on Fox News that the Department was set to “release several hundred thousand documents today,” adding that the DOJ anticipates releasing “more documents over the next couple of weeks.” The Epstein Files Transparency Act specifically directs the Justice Department to release all unclassified records and investigative materials related to Epstein and longtime partner Ghislaine Maxwell and files related to individuals who were referenced in Epstein’s previous legal cases, details surrounding trafficking allegations, internal DOJ communications as they relate to Epstein and any details surrounding the investigation into his death.