GOP senators torch scandal-plagued Platner while Dems stay silent on candidacy
As scrutiny of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner mounts ahead of Tuesday’s primary, Republican senators are openly denouncing his candidacy while many Democrats are declining to weigh in. The reluctance by many Senate Democrats to publicly defend Platner comes as the Maine candidate faces mounting scrutiny days before Tuesday’s primary, with new allegations and controversies emerging. “I think it is really sad when you have someone who’s a self-described communist, who put a Nazi tattoo on himself, to see so many Senate Democrats supporting him,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. “That should be beyond the pale.” When Fox News Digital asked Democratic senators whether they still supported Platner, some were reluctant to weigh in, while others said the decision belongs to Maine voters. When asked if he would continue to back Platner, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., responded, “Who told you I was supporting him?” When asked if he does support him, he replied, “I don’t vote in that state.” SEE IT: DEM SENATORS DODGE ON BACKING PLATNER AS MAINE CANDIDATE’S SCANDAL CLOUDS FINAL DAYS BEFORE PRIMARY “The people of Maine are going to have to make up their minds,” Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said. Other Democrats refused to comment on the situation altogether, claiming to not have given the Maine election much thought. “I’m gonna take a look at the race,” Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said. “I hadn’t paid any attention. We’ve been busy on other fronts so, but I will look at it now.” “I don’t know,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said when asked his thoughts on the race in Maine. “I have a few other things on my mind.” PLATNER CONTROVERSIES FUEL SPECULATION ABOUT LITTLE-KNOWN MAINE BALLOT REPLACEMENT PROVISION These responses come after a string of allegations and revelations about Platner were made public, and continue to emerge: sexting scandals while married, openly mocking a wounded American soldier in a Taliban attack and crude sexual Reddit posts. Most recently, allegations have also come forward of disturbing behaviors in his past relationships. A recent report from the New York Times features explosive excerpts from Platner’s ex-girlfriends, who alleged that he hates women, detailed fantasies about both rape and killing, and was aware that his chest tattoo resembled the Totenkopf, a symbol used by Nazi death camp guards, despite having previously denied knowing about the association. ‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., shared his hope that Maine voters will take action at the voting booths on Tuesday to not allow Platner to be elected as Maine’s Senate Democrat nominee. “I think it’s going to be interesting to see if the voters of Maine are able to see through the lies that Graham Platner is planting,” Hagerty said. “He’s trying to excuse himself for behavior that is totally unconscionable.” “You got to really feel sorry for the true Democrats in this country,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said. “They have no representation. Now they’re taking these people who absolutely have no business representing anybody.” Despite the plethora of scandals and allegations coming out nearly daily on Platner, he still remains the frontrunner in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Many Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., continue backing Platner as Democrats view Maine’s Republican-held Senate seat as one of their top pickup opportunities in the midterms. If elected, Platner and the incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, will face off in November’s midterms. “I can’t imagine that Mainers want to be represented by somebody like that,” Hagerty said. “When they have an option to continue working with Susan Collins, who is working her heart out to represent Maine every day. “This Platner guy can’t beat Susan Collins, number one,” Tuberville said. “But to even have him in the race is embarrassing — to me — for Maine and for our country.”
Spencer Pratt, Steve Hilton lose ground to Democrats in latest California ballot batch drop
Former reality star Spencer Pratt’s lead over Councilwoman Nithya Raman in the Los Angeles mayoral contest narrowed Thursday, while Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton slid behind Democrat Tom Steyer. Following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, California’s key elections have taken on national significance, serving as critical testing grounds for the future of progressive leadership. Pratt, a registered Republican, sits far behind incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass for a chance to advance to the November general election. Bass has already secured enough votes to advance. With 163,549 votes in Los Angeles’ latest tabulation, Pratt maintains a near 6% lead on Raman, who has 130,473 votes, according to the Thursday vote count from Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder and the County Clerk. A Fox News Digital review of an archived version of Los Angeles’ official vote tally shows that Raman gained over 10,000 votes in the latest count compared to under 6,000 for Pratt. At the previous count, Pratt had 157,116 votes compared to Raman’s 119,809. LA CITY COUNCILWOMAN PREVIOUSLY BACKED BY DSA RUNNING FOR MAYOR IN PRIMARY CHALLENGE TO BASS CALIFORNIA ELECTION RESULTS STILL UNDECIDED AS LOS ANGELES BEGINS COUNTING BALLOTS In the governor’s race, billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer surged past Republican candidate Steve Hilton after the latest count. The batch boosted the billionaire, adding nearly 24,000 votes to his count, almost double the 12,309 votes that Hilton received. HILTON, BECERRA IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR Both candidates trail frontrunner Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary under President Joe Biden. Becerra saw his vote total jump from 390,154 to 418,130 in the county registrar’s Thursday count. Like the mayoral race, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the gubernatorial race, the top two candidates will advance to a November runoff. While California’s polls closed on June 2, it could take weeks for results to be final. The state did not have its official final results from the 2024 election until state Secretary of State Shirley Weber certified the election results in December, 38 days later. A bipartisan bill has since passed in 2025 requiring “non-problematic” votes to be counted within 13 days. The state leads the nation in mail-in ballots, with 81% of voters sending their choices by post in 2024, nearly double the national average of 43% for 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
NJ taxpayers on the hook for $12M more as Dem governor protects illegal aliens battling deportation
New Jersey’s Democratic governor announced Thursday night that the state will pour millions more taxpayer dollars into a legal slush fund protecting illegal aliens from deportation. “We are increasing funding for the Detention Deportation Defense Initiative by $12 million – for a total of $20.2 million,” Gov. Mikie Sherrill wrote on social media. She also announced the new Rapid Legal Response Initiative to “expand statewide legal capacity for emergency immigration defense.” The program provides free counsel to migrants in the state who are subject to removal proceedings. Sherrill excused the multi-million-dollar move as a way to protect human rights of those in the U.S. illegally. “These actions will help ensure more people in New Jersey’s communities receive due process under the law and more New Jersey attorneys are mobilized to stand up for the fundamental human rights of detainees and their families,” she said. BLUE STATE GOVERNOR ROASTED AS ‘ARSONIST’ PUTTING OUT HER OWN FIRE AS SHE BLAMES OUTSIDE AGITATORS AT ‘SIEGE’ The announcement comes after nearly two weeks of violent clashes between rioters and immigration authorities outside the Delaney Hall illegal alien detention facility in Newark. New Jersey state police joined their federal counterparts to help quell rioters earlier this week. The latest round of interference with federal immigration enforcement operations featured far-left agitators forming human blockades at the entrance of the facility, impeding agents’ abilities to enter and exit. Rioters scrummed and hurled death threats at law enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced several arrests stemming from the clashes. GOV. MIKIE SHERRILL ACCUSES ICE OF DENYING HER ACCESS TO NEWARK DETENTION FACILITY DELANEY HALL Detainees at the facility were reportedly on a hunger strike inside the facility. Sherrill’s actions to further protect immigrants in the country illegally drew sharp rebukes from conservatives. “Once again, using the tax dollars of Americans to benefit illegals,” Fox News and Outkick host Tomi Lahren said in reply to Sherrill’s post on X. “At least Democrats are finally admitting it. Shameless traitors. All of you.” “The Governor spending over $20 million for a defense fund for illegal aliens is outrageous at a time when the budget is a disaster and the residents of New Jersey are struggling with one of the highest tax burdens in the nation,” New Jersey Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger said. “As a NJ taxpayer: nothing says ‘priorities’ like blowing another $12M of our money on lawyers for people who shouldn’t be here in the first place,” said another X user. “How about fixing our roads, schools, and property taxes for actual New Jerseyans instead? Clown show.” Fox News Digital reached out to Sherrill’s office but did not hear back by time of publication.
Republicans face ticking midterm clock as Iran fallout keeps pressure on gas prices
As the Trump administration weighs diplomacy and military pressure against Iran, a political clock is ticking at home. Even if the Strait of Hormuz — the global oil choke point largely shuttered since the conflict with Iran due to Iranian attacks — reopened immediately, it could take months for oil flows to return due to logistical bottlenecks involving trapped tankers, swollen inventories and damaged oil infrastructure, according to Kpler oil analyst Matt Smith, pushing normalization of global energy markets closer to the Nov. 3 midterm elections. “It’s then going to take until the fourth quarter of the year for things to return to normal,” Smith said. The question facing Republicans is whether the economic consequences of the conflict will outlast the conflict itself. While the White House continues to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Iran, strategists and energy analysts say disruptions to global energy markets could linger long after any agreement is reached, leaving voters with months of elevated costs heading into the midterms. TRUMP CONFIRMS ‘CRAZY’ NETANYAHU CLASH AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER PUSH TO HOLD FIRE ON HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS The economic effects are already visible. The national average price of regular gasoline stood at $4.241 per gallon Thursday, according to AAA, up from $3.144 a year earlier — an increase of nearly 35%. Moody’s Analytics estimates the conflict has cost American households roughly $100 billion throughout the past three months, or about $750 per household, through higher fuel, transportation and related costs. To some, the conflict has already gone on long enough to create lasting political consequences. “There is a timeline, and we’ve already passed it,” GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital. The White House rejected the notion that the conflict could become a long-term political liability, arguing that any economic disruption would be temporary. “President Trump remains laser-focused on keeping the American people safe, lowering costs for working families, and making our country greater than ever before,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. “The President and his energy team anticipated short-term market disruptions, communicated them openly to the American people, and implemented an aggressive plan to mitigate any impacts.” Rogers said Trump “will never allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon” and argued that “when the President forces this conflict to a successful end, gas prices will drop back to multi-year lows and global energy markets will be much more stable in the long term.” “We were promised that this would be a short operation, and repeatedly told it would all be over in 24–48 hours,” he went on. “This is no longer a blip.” Others see a narrow window remaining. “I think that it really needs to be resolved by July Fourth,” Republican strategist John Feehery told Fox News Digital. “If it’s not resolved by July Fourth, I don’t think the economy is going to have time to really kind of get going on all levels.” Feehery’s July 4 benchmark coincides with a period in which the White House hopes to shift public attention toward the kickoff of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The administration has alternated between signaling that a deal is near and warning that military action remains possible. More recently, Trump has expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations, saying they had become “very boring” and that he “couldn’t care less” if the talks collapsed because Iran was taking too long, while also predicting that oil prices would “be dropping like a rock” in the near future and maintaining that a deal remains possible. But regardless of how the negotiations conclude, strategists argue that economic relief must arrive soon if Republicans hope to avoid carrying the conflict’s fallout into the midterms. Republicans enter the midterms defending a narrow House majority that many analysts view as vulnerable to the traditional midterm backlash against a president’s party. The Senate landscape is more favorable to Republicans, though several races in states such as North Carolina, Maine, Ohio and Texas are expected to be closely watched. Feehery argued that the political impact of the conflict ultimately will have less to do with uranium stockpiles, enrichment levels or the details of any final agreement than with whether voters feel economically secure. “They don’t care about that,” Feehery said when asked about the substance of a potential deal. “From the voters’ minds, they’re not worried about far-flung issues. They’re worried about the economy at home.” TRUMP THREATENED TO ‘BLOW UP’ OMAN — WHY THE TINY GULF KINGDOM IS CAUGHT BETWEEN DC AND IRAN “George H. W. Bush kicked Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait and his approval ratings were around 91%, and he lost the next election,” Feehery said. Even if a diplomatic breakthrough comes in the coming weeks, Americans may not see immediate relief at the pump. Smith said the U.S. has been insulated from the worst supply disruptions because of its own domestic production, but the country is increasingly serving as an energy supplier to regions cut off from Middle Eastern flows. “We’re likely going to be seeing higher prices coming through in the U.S. because of that because, you know, we’re getting to a scarcity issue,” Smith said. As Asian countries replace lost Middle Eastern crude and Europe seeks alternative sources of jet fuel, overseas buyers are increasingly competing for American energy exports, he said. “Countries outside of the U.S. are bidding up U.S. prices,” Smith said. For Republicans, the concern is that the economic fallout could outlast the conflict itself. “Even if this were all over tomorrow, prices won’t immediately come back to normal and if or when they do, voters don’t get a refund from the high bills they’ve already paid,” Heye said.
Dem senator bankrolling Platner’s campaign ripped for downplaying abuse allegations in bombshell report
A sitting Democratic senator, who is one of Graham Platner’s top donors, is now drawing backlash for shrugging off the most recent allegations of misconduct that have followed the controversial Maine Senate candidate. Platner has received $10,000 in the form of two $5,000 donations from Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s leadership PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by Fox News Digital. One donation from Whitehouse’s Ocean PAC came in March of this year. Another one was made last October. Notably, the most recent donation was made before former Governor Janet Mills, a second Democratic candidate for Senate, suspended her campaign at the end of April. Although Whitehouse’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the donations show the high degree of confidence lawmakers like Whitehouse have in Platner’s ability to unseat the moderate Republican incumbent, Susan Collins, R-Maine, currently holding office in a blue-leaning state. WATCH: DEM SENATORS EXCUSE PLATNER’S CONDUCT AT CRISIS HUDDLE WITH EMBATTLED MAINE CANDIDATE Whitehouse has been among Platner’s most constant supporters among lawmakers in the U.S. Senate, calling the controversial candidate “wonderfully appealing” in an interview with Politico. “He’s off to a really strong start and has a wonderfully appealing local background and story,” Whitehouse said. Whitehouse has remained supportive of Platner even as troubling details have emerged of Platner’s past web history, views and personal conduct. Most recently, reporting for The New York Times chronicled accounts from several of Platner’s former romantic interests, including allegations of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes. Despite the troubling allegations, Whitehouse told reporters he wasn’t alarmed by the reporting. “Seems like a lot of nothing. I mean, the only one who had anything to say that seemed ‘unsettling’ was a woman who works for right-wing political operations,” Whitehouse reportedly told NOTUS after reading the article. His reaction drew immediate backlash online. “Whitehouse is the guy who grilled Brett Kavanaugh about ‘boofing.’ Just unreal,” Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross wrote in a post to X, recalling Whitehouse’s grilling of President Donald Trump’s 2018 Supreme Court Justice nominee over high-school slang in a search for possible improprieties. SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT “To the people just now learning that Sheldon Whitehouse is an amoral cretin, your ignorance to this point has been a choice,” GOP consultant Luke Thompson wrote on X. “Is there a more contemptible man in the Senate than Sheldon Whitehouse?” TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet wrote on X. “Sheldon Whitehouse, ringleader of the smearing of Kavanaugh, is a very bad person,” Capital Research investigative researcher Parker Thayer wrote on X. “What an absolute dirt bag,” Republican operative Matt Whitlock wrote on X. “Dismissing a vivid account of physical abuse because it happened to a Republican operative is the most [Sheldon Whitehouse] thing I’ve ever heard.” Amber Duke, the editor-in-chief of the DailyCaller, also blasted Whitehouse’s seemingly uneven application of scrutiny. “What happened to this energy, Sen?” Duke said, highlighting a tweet Whitehouse had put out during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. “Today I stand with women who are brave enough to come forward with their stories of abuse and mistreatment. They deserve to be heard and credible allegations must be investigated. We must believe survivors, not bully them,” Whitehouse had written at the time. “Sheldon Whitehouse is the same guy who accused Brett Kavanaugh of being a rapist because he wrote ‘boofing’ in his yearbook,” conservative writer Bonchie wrote on X. Apart from the Thursday report, Platner has received backlash for making off-color remarks on sexual abuse, race and terror, for a tattoo associated with Nazi imagery, and, most recently, for potentially interacting with several women outside his marriage in inappropriate ways. Platner has also called himself a “communist” in previous posts online. Among other resurfaced comments, Platner once blamed rape victims for failing to protect themselves in a now-deleted Reddit post. “How about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not so f—ed up when they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?” Platner wrote in 2013. Whitehouse has his own controversial past, including details about his family having a membership at the exclusive Bailey’s Beach Club, formerly known as Spouting Rock Beach Association, which is rumored to have an all-White clientele. “I think the people who are running the place are still working on that, and I’m sorry it hasn’t happened yet,” Whitehouse said in 2017, referring to allowing minority members. “It’s a long tradition in Rhode Island, and there are many of them. And we just need to work our way through the issues.” SENATE DEM CANDIDATE WHO WROTE HE ‘BECAME A COMMUNIST’ NOW SAYS HE WAS JOKING Platner, who looks poised to take the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, met with senators earlier this week, reassuring them about his prospective candidacy. Maine will hold its Senate primaries next Tuesday.
The key strategy red states are using to lower housing costs revealed
Texas, Florida and other booming red states aren’t just winning the migration race because of lower taxes and warmer weather — they’ve also embraced an anti-regulation housing strategy that many high-cost states have resisted. As Americans and businesses continue pouring into southern states, the influx is testing whether fast-growing regions can add enough homes and infrastructure to keep pace. And southern states are keeping up by decreasing regulations that put roadblocks up for faster construction of new builds. Housing industry leaders say southern states that have prioritized new construction have been better positioned to accommodate growth, while markets burdened by restrictive zoning rules, lengthy permitting processes and other regulatory hurdles have struggled to add supply and keep home prices in check. ONE SOUTHERN CITY YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF IS GROWING FASTER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN AMERICA That willingness to build has become a competitive advantage, according to Jim Tobin, president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders. “Those economies are wide open. They are inviting more businesses, they’re generally low-tax states and they’ve made housing a priority,” Tobin told Fox News Digital. “They’ve got the land and the will and courage to let builders build in those areas to meet the housing demand for those new jobs.” The strategy is becoming increasingly important as Americans continue relocating from high-cost coastal markets to lower-tax states. While rapid population growth can strain roads, utilities and public services, housing experts say states that pair infrastructure investments with homebuilding efforts are better equipped to accommodate newcomers without worsening housing shortages. ONE TYPE OF PROPERTY IS QUIETLY SAVING AMERICANS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS But rapid growth comes with its own challenges, particularly when infrastructure fails to keep pace with new development. “One of the main complaints is that infrastructure does not keep up with that influx of population or housing growth,” Tobin said. “States that find themselves ahead of the curve are planning those two critical components, infrastructure and housing, together and are going to be better prepared for growth in the future.” Even states that have prioritized homebuilding continue to face cost pressures that can drive up home prices. According to the National Association of Home Builders, government regulations account for roughly 24% of the cost of a typical single-family home, adding nearly $95,000 to the average price of a new house. For multifamily housing, the burden is even higher. Tobin said regulations account for roughly 41% of the cost of a typical apartment or multifamily unit, underscoring the role government rules can play in shaping housing affordability. AMERICA’S NEXT ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE MAY BE RISING IN RED-STATE TERRITORY The costs have drawn renewed attention from policymakers in Washington searching for ways to increase housing supply and improve pricing. Tobin pointed to a bipartisan housing package moving through Congress that aims to encourage local governments to reduce regulatory barriers to development and adopt policies that make it easier to build new housing. The legislation comes as housing affordability remains a top concern for many Americans, with elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory continuing to put homeownership out of reach for many first-time buyers. The issue has also taken on greater political significance ahead of the midterm elections, as voters continue to rank the cost of living among their top economic concerns. “The answer to the housing crisis in the country is more supply,” Tobin said. “This bill will absolutely help us build more supply affordably.”
Senate push to reauthorize nation’s spy powers stumbles over controversial Trump decision
The Senate failed to move one step closer to extending the nation’s spy powers amid brewing consternation against President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s intelligence agencies. Nearly every Senate Democrat and six Senate Republicans banded together to block a procedural hurdle to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in the wee hours of Friday morning. The stumble comes as the deadline to make a move on the spy powers next week rapidly approaches. What would have likely been a bipartisan vote was marred by Trump’s pick to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Bill Pulte. CONGRESS EXTENDS CONTROVERSIAL SPY LAW FOR 45 DAYS AFTER SENATE REJECTS HOUSE BILL Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., argued that Congress couldn’t “afford to go dark” by not reauthorizing FISA, and hoped that Senate Democrats could have a change of heart on the matter next week when the upper chamber returns. Complicating matters for Thune is that, given Republicans who outright dislike the program, he will need Democrats to reauthorize FISA. “We need some help from Democrats, obviously, and I think it’s a terrible irresponsible position that they’ve taken,” Thune said. “But we’ll find out if that changes.” Pulte currently serves as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and was tapped by Trump earlier this week to fill in for ex-DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who exited the position last month. HOUSE PASSES FISA RENEWAL IN BIPARTISAN VOTE, PUTTING PRESSURE ON SENATE BEFORE LOOMING DEADLINE The choice left Republicans scratching their heads, and elicited fury among Democrats. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned that Democrats wouldn’t support reauthorizing FISA if Pulte were in charge. “I don’t see how you get the necessary Democrat votes… that would get them to 60,” Warner said. Lawmakers are concerned because Pulte has no experience in the intelligence field, and in the role of DNI, would be charged with overseeing the country’s 18 intelligence agencies. HOUSE PUNTS TRUMP SPY POWERS EXTENSION AFTER CONSERVATIVES BLOCK DEAL, FORCING END-OF-MONTH SHOWDOWN “I know what he’s been doing in the housing sector,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said. “I’m not so familiar with why the president would have selected him.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., charged that Trump’s move to pick Pulte “appears to have been a hastily considered backroom deal based on loyalty to Trump, not the security of our nation.” “The timing of this announcement could not be worse, with just over a week until FISA 702 authorities expire,” Schumer said. “This announcement and its timing clearly make passing an extension of FISA much harder.” Meanwhile, Senate Republican leadership hopes to have their bipartisan bill completed and shipped to the House before the June 12 deadline. Pulte’s appointment further complicates a fight over FISA that has, so far, led to Congress punting twice on the issue, particularly over disagreements with the controversial Section 702. The spy law fight is one of the few horseshoe issues in Congress that blends Democrats and conservatives in a push for stronger privacy protections. Section 702 allows the government to spy on foreign nationals abroad. However, nothing in the law prevents it from collecting data on Americans if they happen to be involved in those communications.
Trump scores victory despite growing GOP divide after Senate passes $70B ICE, Border Patrol funding package
Senate Republicans managed to stitch together a unified front to advance President Donald Trump’s roughly $70 billion immigration enforcement package, but divisions over the president’s agenda were laid bare after a marathon day of votes. Passage of the budget reconciliation package geared toward funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the next three and a half years closes a long, drawn out chapter in the Senate that began during the longest shutdown in history. It’s a point that Senate Republicans tried to return to throughout the day, reiterating that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats had forced their hands after refusing to fund immigration operations without a plethora of reforms. DOZEN GOP REBELS FAIL TO PERMANENTLY KILL TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND “Democrats would not agree to anything, and eventually they walked away altogether, presumably because they thought that it would serve them better to have an issue for November,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. But the day, and preceding weeks, were dominated by a growing rift between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration that threatened to blow up the process altogether. First, it was the inclusion of $1 billion in funding for security upgrades to Trump’s ballroom, which was later stripped out. Then, it was the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announcement that a nearly $2 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was being launched to allow people who felt targeted by the government to make a claim from the pot of taxpayer money. GOP ADVANCES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE AFTER FORCING TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND INTO RETREAT Several Senate Republicans worried that the money could be accessed by Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who were convicted of assaulting police. Schumer and Democrats leaned into that open wound and spent much of the marathon, “vote-a-rama” vote series trying to spell a permanent end to the fund, despite acting Attorney General Todd Blanche vowing that the administration would no longer pursue it. “Do we believe that Donald Trump, who has lied to us day in and day out, do we believe that he will be able to resist getting his sticky fingers in the slush fund when it would benefit himself and his family? No way, no way,” Schumer said. GOP LEVERAGES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE TO MAKE TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND ‘NEVER EXIST’ Many of the amendments pushed by Democrats placed Republicans in tough bids for reelection, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, into politically challenging positions. Republicans tried to kill it, too, causing tensions on the Senate floor to rise. “It’s not that tense,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. “I mean, I’ve seen worse. Nobody’s stabbed anybody yet.” Still, the process nearly came to a grinding halt because of the fund at the start of the marathon vote series when Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and others wanted to ensure that GOP attempts to end the fund would get a vote, too. “I just wanted to optimize the chances of success,” Cassidy said of the delay. Ultimately, despite a dozen Republicans voting for Sen. Thom Tillis’, R-N.C., amendment, and several voting for Cassidy’s, all attempts to thwart future bids to revive the fund failed. The ballroom also came back into the picture when six Republicans joined Senate Democrats to prevent construction on the colossal structure from going forward without congressional approval. Then there was an attempt by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to attach the SAVE America Act to the reconciliation package, which met Republican resistance and ultimately failed, too. The package now heads to the House, where Republicans are expected to pass it by next week.
Massive Mexico-California border busts uncover eye-popping amount of drugs: ‘Remain vigilant’
Customs and Border Protection stopped two separate vehicles and confiscated over $300,000 worth of narcotics over the span of a day. The apprehensions continue to demonstrate the high volume of narcotics that smugglers are attempting to bring across the southern U.S. border, even as immigration numbers have plummeted in recent months. On Sunday, May 17, agents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry referred a 2013 Honda Civic for secondary inspection. After an imaging system detected anomalies in the car’s firewall, they discovered six packages of white fentanyl powder worth roughly $113,600 along with 8.4 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $161,600. CBP OFFICERS SEIZE OVER $14M OF ALLEGED METHAMPHETAMINE AT SOUTHERN BORDER That same day at the Calexico East Port of Entry, about 100 miles away, a 2011 Nissan Cube was also sent for secondary inspection. Agents there discovered 63 packets of methamphetamine after a scan of that vehicle detected anomalies in its flooring. Officials praised both detections. “Sunday may be a day of rest for many, but criminals don’t take days off, and neither do our CBP officers,” San Diego Director of Field Operations Sidney Aki said. “Our officers remain vigilant around the clock, and these significant seizures are a direct result of their commitment to keeping dangerous drugs like these from entering our country.” SOUTHERN BORDER APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE MORE THAN 90% FROM YEAR AGO IN APRIL, CBP SAYS The agency believes its operations are a continuation of efforts laid out by President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, even as immigration border crossings have come down. Since the end of 2024, border crossings have plummeted, going from over 144,000 encounters in December 2024 to just 10,000 in April. Even so, CBP has reported several high-profile smuggling attempts that have sought to bring weapons, narcotics and humans across the U.S. border. ARREST OF GANG MEMBER CONVICTED OF MURDER PUTS DEM STATE’S SANCTUARY POLICIES ON BLAST Recently, CBP has released reports on how it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher from crossing the border, detected dozens of immigrants crammed into a semi-truck and even detained a boat off the coast of the Dominican Republic with the help of a Black Hawk helicopter. “CBP officers along the southwest border stop illegal activity, including the smuggling of drugs and humans, and facilitate lawful entry for millions of legitimate travelers into the United States,” CBP said in a statement.
Rubio sanctions Cuban groups with ties to US nonprofit network funded by communist donor Neville Roy Singham
Secretary of State Marco Rubio put U.S. organizations on notice: they can no longer do business with a key Cuban organization that has spent over six decades – since the launch of Fidel Castro’s communist revolution in 1959 – cultivating relationships with U.S. activists and groups, many of them now funded by communist American tycoon Neville Roy Singham. The sanctions target the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, known by its Spanish acronym ICAP, an organization founded by Castro in 1960 to spread Marxist ideology and support for Cuba. Long ago, U.S. officials and intelligence assessments concluded ICAP is a key component of Cuba’s intelligence apparatus. “For decades, Cuba has been the world capital for radical left-wing terrorism,” Rubio said. “The regime in Havana has recruited, trained and backed violent Marxist and third-worldist movements across our hemisphere and beyond.” REVOLUTIONARY TOURISM: INSIDE THE $600M MARRIAGE OF DARK MONEY AND FAR-LEFT AGITPROP Earlier this year, ICAP worked with U.S. nonprofits, including the People’s Forum, Progressive International and CodePink, to organize a March “convoy” that included controversial Marxist streamer Hasan Piker landing in Cuba to support Cuba’s communist party. The trip has since attracted federal scrutiny, with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin confirming she received questions from federal officials about the trip, investigating whether she violated sanctions. Late last month, Fox News Digital published a three-part series, reporting that federal investigators are examining Cuba’s alleged malign foreign influence operation in the U.S., investigating a network of 145 groups with collective revenues of about $1 billion, promoting Cuba’s agenda and communist ideology. “Today, we are targeting the network that enables and funds Cuba’s subversive and radical operations,” Rubio said. The groups working closely with ICAP include the People’s Forum, CodePink, BreakThrough News and Tricontinental, funded by Singham, a Marxist tech tycoon living in Shanghai. As reported, Singham has pumped $285 million into nonprofits since 2017 that have built very close relationships with ICAP and the communist government of Cuba. Singham is married to CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans. INSIDE CUBA’S FOREIGN INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN: FROM THE VENCEREMOS BRIGADE OF THE 1960S TO SATURDAY IN A UNION HALL ICAP is today led by Fernando González Llort, one of five former Cuban intelligence officers, known as the “Cuban Five,” convicted in the U.S. years ago on espionage-related charges and released after spending time in jail. Critics say ICAP acts as a gateway for revolutionaries from around the world to get embedded in the propaganda, organizing tactics and strategic goals of the Communist Party of Cuba. ICAP has denied wrongdoing and says it’s a civil society organization. ICAP was one of five entities that Rubio designated as off-limits under sanctions authorities established by President Donald Trump’s Cuba executive order. The sanctions also target Cuba’s Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR), the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), Minera La Victoria S.A. and the state-run tourism company Amistur Cuba S.A., which has arranged trips to Cuba with U.S. nonprofits in the Singham network. Experts said the move signals that the Trump administration is focused not only on the Cuban government but also on U.S. institutions that U.S. officials believe help project Cuban influence internationally. A declassified CIA report from the Cold War era, “Cuba: Castro’s Propaganda Apparatus and Foreign Policy,” described Cuba’s international propaganda and influence activities as a central component of Castro’s foreign policy strategy. The report named ICAP among organizations that act as important instruments for cultivating sympathetic political movements abroad and extending Cuban influence beyond the island. DOJ, TREASURY INVESTIGATE NONPROFITS AND LEADERS ALLEGEDLY COORDINATING WITH CUBA IN INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN One of the most notable examples was the Venceremos Brigade, a Cuba solidarity program established in 1969 that brought generations of American activists to the island through exchanges organized with Cuban authorities and institutions including ICAP. The program became one of the most visible pipelines connecting American activists to the Cuban revolutionary government. Today, the Venceremos Brigade operates as a fiscally-sponsored project of the People’s Forum. Lawmakers and federal authorities are examining whether organizations funded by Singham have acted on behalf of foreign interests without properly registering and have helped amplify messaging favorable to the Chinese Communist Party and the Communist Party of Cuba. HOW A RHODES SCHOLAR WITH TIES TO CUBA’S PRESIDENT ORGANIZED THE CONVOY THAT BROUGHT HASAN PIKER TO HAVANA During the recent convoy in March, Progressive International co-founder David Adler appeared alongside Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and ICAP President González at an official event hosted by ICAP. Years ago, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass participated in Venceremos Brigade trips, a connection that her mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt resurfaced during her campaign. Bass has denied any wrongdoing. Supporters of such exchanges describe them as educational and humanitarian programs intended to foster international understanding. Critics argue they function as political influence operations designed to build support for the Cuban regime and its ideological objectives. The Cuban government condemned Rubio’s sanctions shortly after the announcement. President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused the United States of escalating economic pressure against Cuba and attempting to intensify tensions between the two countries. “The Treasury Department has added new names of Cuban leaders, organizations and companies to an illegitimate sanctions list,” Díaz-Canel wrote on social media. “They are aimed at reinforcing the blockade measures and the scenario of conflict between Cuba and the United States.” Rubio’s warning extended beyond the sanctioned entities. The action signals that the administration is increasingly focused on the networks, partnerships and influence channels that U.S. officials believe have helped advance Cuban interests abroad long after the Cold War officially ended. “Anyone providing services to these sanctioned actors is at risk of sanctions themselves,” he said. “Foreign banks and other companies that provide services to these entities should freeze those activities.” Fox News Digital’s Reagan Schroeder contributed to this report.