DHS responds after reports CISA chief allegedly failed polygraph for classified intel access
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is disputing reports that acting Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Madhu Gottumukkala failed a polygraph after seeking access to highly sensitive intelligence, as an internal investigation and the suspension of multiple career cybersecurity officials deepen turmoil inside the agency, according to a report. Politico reported that Gottumukkala pushed for access to a tightly restricted intelligence program that required a counter-intelligence polygraph and that at least six career staffers were later placed on paid administrative leave for allegedly misleading leadership about the requirement, an assertion DHS strongly denies. The outlet said its reporting was based on interviews with four former and eight current cybersecurity officials, including multiple Trump administration appointees who worked with Gottumukkala or had knowledge of the polygraph examination and the events that followed. All 12 were granted anonymity over concerns about retaliation, according to Politico. DHS pushed back on the reporting, saying the polygraph at issue was not authorized and that disciplinary action against career staff complied with department policy. KRISTI NOEM SAYS BIDEN USED DHS ‘TO INVADE THE COUNTRY WITH TERRORISTS’ “Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala did not fail a sanctioned polygraph test. An unsanctioned polygraph test was coordinated by staff, misleading incoming CISA leadership,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “The employees in question were placed on administrative leave, pending conclusion of an investigation.” “We expect and require the highest standards of performance from our employees and hold them directly accountable to uphold all policies and procedures,” she continued. “Acting Director Gottumukkala has the complete and full support of the Secretary and is laser focused on returning the agency to its statutory mission.” Politico also reported that Gottumukkala failed a polygraph during the final week of July, citing five current officials and one former official. WHITE HOUSE CALLS REPORT ABOUT TRUMP CONSIDERING FIRING NOEM ‘TOTAL FAKE NEWS’ The test was administered to determine whether he would be eligible to review one of the most sensitive intelligence programs shared with CISA by another U.S. spy agency, according to the outlet. That intelligence was part of a controlled access program with strict distribution limits, and the originating agency required any CISA personnel granted need-to-know access to first pass a counter-intelligence polygraph, according to four current officials and one former official cited by Politico. As a civilian agency, most CISA employees do not require access to such highly classified material or a polygraph to be hired, though polygraphs are commonly used across the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence community to protect the government’s most sensitive information. ICE LEADERSHIP SHAKEUP EXPOSES GROWING DHS FRICTION OVER DEPORTATION TACTICS, PRIORITIES Politico reported that senior staff raised questions on at least two occasions about whether Gottumukkala needed access to the intelligence, but said he continued pressing for it even if it meant taking a polygraph, citing four current officials. The outlet also reported that an initial access request in early June, signed by mid-level CISA staff, was denied by a senior agency official who determined there was no urgent need-to-know and noted that the agency’s previous deputy director had not viewed the program. That senior official was later placed on administrative leave for unrelated reasons in late June, and a second access request signed by Gottumukkala was approved in early July after the official was no longer in the role, according to current officials cited by Politico. KRISTI NOEM FACES FIRST MAJOR HOMELAND SECURITY GRILLING AS LAWMAKERS PRESS HER ON TERROR THREATS Despite being advised that access to the most sensitive material was not essential to his job and that lower-classification alternatives were available, Gottumukkala continued to pursue access, officials told the outlet. Officials interviewed by Politico said they could not definitively explain why Gottumukkala did not pass the July polygraph and cautioned that failures can occur for innocuous reasons such as anxiety or technical errors, noting that polygraph results are generally not admissible in U.S. courts. On Aug. 1, shortly after the polygraph, at least six career staff involved in scheduling and approving the test were notified in letters from then–acting DHS Chief Security Officer Michael Boyajian that their access to classified national security information was being temporarily suspended for potentially misleading Gottumukkala, according to officials and a letter reviewed by Politico. NOEM HITS BACK AT FEMA CRITICS, REVEALS VISION FOR DISASTER RELIEF AGENCY “This action is being taken due to information received by this office that you may have participated in providing false information to the acting head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) regarding the existence of a requirement for a polygraph examination prior to accessing certain programs,” the letter said. “The above allegation shows deliberate or negligent failure to follow policies that protect government information, which raises concerns regarding an individual’s trustworthiness, judgment, reliability or willingness and ability to safeguard classified information.” In a separate letter dated Aug. 4, the suspended employees were informed by Acting CISA Chief Human Capital Officer Kevin Diana that they had been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, according to current and former officials and a copy reviewed by Politico. Gottumukkala was appointed CISA deputy director in May and previously served as commissioner and chief information officer for South Dakota’s Bureau of Information and Technology, which oversees statewide technology and cybersecurity initiatives. CISA said in a May press release that Gottumukkala has more than two decades of experience in information technology and cybersecurity across the public and private sectors.
DOJ restores Trump photo to Epstein files after determining no victims depicted
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said Sunday it restored a photo featuring President Donald Trump to its latest release of Jeffrey Epstein–related documents after a review determined the image did not depict any Epstein victims. In a post on X, the DOJ said the photo was initially taken down “out of an abundance of caution” after the Southern District of New York flagged it for additional review to protect potential victims. Following a review, officials concluded no Epstein victims were shown in the photograph, and it was reposted without “alteration or redaction,” according to the DOJ. “The Southern District of New York flagged an image of President Trump for potential further action to protect victims,” the DOJ wrote. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Justice temporarily removed the image for further review. After the review, it was determined there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph, and it has been reposted without any alteration or redaction.” JEFFREY EPSTEIN ACCOMPLICE GHISLAINE MAXWELL MOVES TO VACATE CONVICTION DAYS BEFORE DEADLINE TO RELEASE FILES Earlier Sunday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the removal of the photo had “nothing to do with President Trump” and was instead driven by concerns for the women depicted, he said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The explanation came after reports that at least 16 files had disappeared from the DOJ’s Epstein-related public webpage less than a day after they were posted on Friday, without public notice or an initial explanation, The Associated Press reported. EPSTEIN FILES EXPLODE OPEN AS DOJ DETAILS DISCOVERY OF POWERFUL FIGURES AND MORE THAN 1,200 VICTIMS The missing files included one that showed a series of photos displayed on a cabinet and inside a drawer. In the drawer, there was a photo of Donald Trump pictured alongside Melania Trump, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, AP reported. On Saturday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee criticized the removal of the photo, writing, “We need transparency for the American public.” “This photo, file 468, from the Epstein files that includes Donald Trump has apparently now been removed from the DOJ release,” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted on X. “[Attorney General Pam Bondi] is this true? What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.” HOUSE VOTES OVERWHELMINGLY TO FORCE DOJ TO RELEASE JEFFREY EPSTEIN FILES The DOJ released the trove of files after The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump on Nov. 19, 2025, required AG Pam Bondi to release all unclassified records, communications and investigative materials related to Epstein within 30 days. The agency posted thousands of pages on a government website Friday related to Epstein’s and Maxwell’s sex-trafficking cases. The files were released as the result of a deadline imposed by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Fox News Digital’s Lori Bashian contributed to this report.
Trump’s team reports concrete progress in Ukraine peace negotiations with European partners
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said talks in Florida between American, Ukrainian and European officials have produced concrete progress toward a structured peace framework, fueling signs that negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine may be entering a decisive phase. “Over the last three days in Florida, the Ukrainian delegation held a series of productive and constructive meetings with American and European partners,” Witkoff wrote on X. “The Ukrainian delegation included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov.” The American delegation included Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House staff member Josh Gruenbaum, alongside key national security advisors from Europe. “A separate constructive meeting was also held in a U.S.–Ukraine format, during which four key documents were focused on: further development of a 20-point plan, aligning positions on a Multilateral security guarantee framework, aligning positions on a US Security guarantee framework for Ukraine, and further development on an economic & prosperity plan,” Witkoff said. “Particular attention was given to discussing timelines and the sequencing of next steps. MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE “Ukraine remains fully committed to achieving a just and sustainable peace,” he continued. “Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine’s recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity. Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future. “Ukraine highly values the leadership and support of the United States and the continued close coordination with its partners in the next stages of this important work,” Witkoff concluded. The special envoy’s comments come after Finland President Alexander Stubb said Sunday that negotiators are closer than at any point during the war to securing a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, crediting U.S. diplomacy and pressure from sanctions on Russian oil as talks enter what he described as their most difficult final stage. PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE ‘FORCE’ “We’re probably closer [to reaching a peace agreement] than we have been at any time of this war,” Stubb said on “The Sunday Briefing.” He added that Kushner and Witkoff have spent the past several weeks “working around the clock” to narrow differences between the two sides. Stubb also credited unity between Western allies after talks last weekend in Berlin, making note of two key takeaways. PUTIN DERIDES EUROPEAN LEADERS AS HE INSISTS RUSSIA’S WAR GOALS IN UKRAINE WILL BE MET BY FORCE OR DIPLOMACY “One was that Europe, Ukraine and the United States were united in our resolve to get a just and lasting peace… and the second one was the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine,” Stubb said. “So, we’re sort of almost there, but the most difficult 5% are still left.” Stubb said Russia’s private negotiating posture may be more flexible than President Vladimir Putin’s public rhetoric but warned Moscow’s core objective remains the destruction of Ukraine’s existence. The Finnish president added that he has been in close contact with Trump, Witkoff and Kushner as talks intensify, arguing that mounting economic pressure on Russia is making the negotiating strategy effective. RUSSIA WARNS IT MAY REJECT US-UKRAINE PEACE PLAN IF IT FAILS TO UPHOLD ALASKA SUMMIT ‘UNDERSTANDINGS’ U.S. sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft are biting, Stubb said, warning that a flat rejection of a U.S.-Ukraine-Europe peace framework should trigger even tougher measures. He argued that U.S. sanctions targeting Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft have been particularly effective. If Russia were to flatly reject a peace framework agreed upon by Ukraine, Europe and the U.S., “that’s when it’s time to hike up the sanctions,” Stubb said, “because they work.” Fox News Digital’s Max Bacall contributed to this report.
Byron Donalds urges conservatives to ‘focus on the mission’ at AmericaFest after 2025 setbacks
Florida Republican Congressman Byron Donalds said Sunday the best response to recent electoral setbacks for conservatives is to put in the work and focus on instituting their vision for the country and delivering tangible results to the American people. “It’s about what you actually get done,” said Donalds, who spoke earlier in the day about congressional gridlock and failure to get some tenets of conservatives’ agenda through an otherwise Republican-majority legislature. “And I think it’s part of the message here at Turning Point.” “Look, we have disagreements, that’s all well and good. We’ve got to be focused on the mission in front of us. We got to be focused on what’s actually going to get voters to the polls and making sure that they turn out to vote. It’s about having a set of positions, a philosophy, a vision for the future of this country. We have that vision. We got to continue to communicate it.” VIVEK RAMASWAMY TURNS TO CONSERVATIVE YOUTH TO SHAPE THE MOVEMENT’S NEXT PHASE, ANALYZES 2026 RACES Asked about electoral losses in recent months – including in Trump-friendly Miami; not far from Donalds’ district in Collier County – the congressman said it shows conservatives cannot “rest on their laurels” in that they successfully elected Trump and dispatched with the far-left’s governance. “And trust me, I’m happy he’s president, but you got to keep at it. You’ve got to keep getting people to the polls. That’s what it always comes down to,” he said, adding that Democrats were motivated to turn out in races like Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Miami – and that the latter was notably a runoff in the middle of the holiday season. “We have to meet that motivation knowing that when our policies are in place, it’s better for the American people. It’s better for our nation. It’s better for every state in America.” DAVID MARCUS: ERIKA KIRK IS THE MOTHER SQUABBLING CONSERVATIVES NEED In Miami, Democrats won back the mayorship for the first time this century, while the prior Democratic mayor in 1998 – Xavier Suarez – himself later became a Republican and is the father of outgoing Republican Francis Suarez. Donalds suggested the city’s race offered lessons for contests nationwide. “Specific to Miami, there’s been independent mayors and so on and so forth… One, you had a runoff election a couple weeks before Christmas. Those are very tough elections to turn people out. And this is why we have to be mission-minded on the nuts and bolts of what campaigns are,” he said. VANCE DELIVERS POST-ELECTION REALITY CHECK, CONTENDS GOP MUST MAKE LIFE AFFORDABLE OR GET WALLOPED IN 2026 “And they’re always about getting people out to the polls. It’s about messaging. It is about direct contact with the candidate. That’s what we have to be focused on. As long as we’re doing those things, we have the policies, and we have vision.” In that regard, Donalds said he was encouraged by the young people attending AmericaFest, which numbered in the thousands. “I remember, you know, 15 years ago, we would never even thought you could do an event like this… where you had this many high schoolers coming out, college students coming out,” he quipped. TIM SCOTT TELLS MAGA VOTERS TRUMP ‘IS ON THE BALLOT’ AS GOP FIGHTS TO GROW SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026 “And it’s here, it’s been built, and it’s all really about the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. Now the responsibility is making sure we keep that movement going on.” In that regard, he criticized “pettiness and silly divisions” that have cropped up as of late, reiterating that conservatives must “focus on the mission.” “The mission is winning elections. You win elections in order to pass your agenda and institutionalize your agenda.” CHARLIE KIRK ALLY WARNS GOP NOT TO TAKE GEN Z FOR GRANTED, CALLING FOR ‘SENSE OF URGENCY’ While considered the front-runner in his own race – to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis – there have been suggestions that other big-name Florida Republicans could jump in the race and potentially force voters to pick a side in the primary. Asked about the prospect, Donalds said his race is going “incredibly well” and that he has garnered the important support of Trump, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and several top congresspeople from the Sunshine State and beyond. “We’re very blessed to be in the position that I’m in right now… You know, primaries happen. We have that debate, we have that contrast. I firmly believe that when you stack up the records and when you stack up the policies, you stack the vision that I’m gonna be very successful,” he said. “And then the focus is gonna be about reuniting our party once the primaries are over to be focused on victory – that’s the recipe for success.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Mitchell Picasso contributed to this report.
Vance says ‘America First’ movement rejects ‘purity tests,’ welcomes critical thinkers
Vice President JD Vance closed out AmericaFest 2025, Turning Point USA’s first convention since founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination, by telling a raucous crowd that the “America First” movement is open to free thinkers who love their country. Vance appeared shortly after Erika Kirk, who took TPUSA’s reins after her husband’s death in September, held a discussion with surprise guest Nicki Minaj. The vice president told the crowd that the political coalition forged by President Trump is strong enough to surmount disagreements within. AMERICAFEST HONORS TARGET EMPLOYEE JEANIE BEEMAN AFTER VIRAL VIDEO SHOWS CALM RESPONSE TO HARASSMENT “People of every faith come to our banner because they know that the America First movement will make our lives better,” he went on. “They know Democrats don’t care about anything other than trans-ing their kids.” Vowing to stand with “every patriot in this room to defend the country we so dearly love,” Vance dismissed conservative infighting that had gone on earlier in the conference, while not naming any of the podcasters or subjects involved. TPUSA SPOKESMAN SHREDS PODCASTER’S ‘DISTURBING’ DEFENSE OF PROTESTER WHO CELEBRATED CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH “President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests,” Vance said, as some of the earlier speakers name-dropped each other amid divisions over Israel, Ukraine aid and other controversial issues on the right. “We don’t care if you’re White or Black, rich or poor, young or old, rural or urban, controversial or a little bit boring, or somewhere in between… [P]eople of every faith come to our banner because they know that the America First movement will make their lives better. And they also know that the Democrats don’t care about anything other than maybe trans-ing their kids.” “So if you love America, if you want all of us to be richer, stronger, safer, and prouder, you have a home on this team. I didn’t bring a list of conservatives to denounce or to deplatform, and I don’t really care if some people out there — I’m sure we’ll have the fake news media — denounce me after this speech.” CHARLIE KIRK ALLY WARNS GOP NOT TO TAKE GEN Z FOR GRANTED, CALLING FOR ‘SENSE OF URGENCY’ Later in the speech, however, he said that such infighting is not necessarily a sign of a weak or fractious movement. “Some of you are impatient at the pace of progress and my response to that is ‘Good,’” he said, appearing to refer to criticisms of the Republican Congress’ progress on the America First agenda. “I know some of you are discouraged by the infighting over any number of issues. Don’t be discouraged,” he added. VANCE, TRUMP JR.’S PLANS TO BOLSTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ‘POLITICAL LEGACY’ REVEALED: ‘HELP GROW IT’ “Wouldn’t you rather lead a movement of freethinkers who sometimes disagree than a bunch of drones who take their orders from George Soros?” he quipped. He said Charlie Kirk once told him that politics is not a “dress rehearsal or a game” but a series of decisions that will shape the future of a country. “My friends, commit to these things, and I promise you victory: I promise you closed borders and safe communities. I promise you good jobs and a dignified life. Only God can promise you salvation and heaven. But together we can fulfill the promise of the greatest nation in the history of the earth,” he said, as he closed his speech. ‘CAPTURED THE YOUTH’: HOW CHARLIE KIRK HELPED FUEL DONALD TRUMP’S RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE During his address, he delved further into what is important to fulfilling “America First.” “We have far more important work to do than canceling each other — we have got to build, and President Donald Trump is a builder,” he said. “We’re building a better country right now. We build by adding, by growing, not by tearing down.” Vance declared that 2025 represented the first year in more than half a century with negative net-migration and that millions of illegal immigrants have either left the U.S. or been deported. “When you restore sanity at the border, it shows up everywhere else,” he said, pointing to rent costs, gas prices, inflation and unemployment declining. “We made it clear that in the United States we believe in hard work and merit –we don’t treat anybody [a certain way] because of their race or their sex, so we have relegated DEI to the dustbin of history which is exactly where it belongs.” He said that to honor Kirk’s life, the Trump administration will continue working to end the “scourge of left-wing violence” including by not only arresting Antifa members who throw bricks, but “who bought the brick — and we’re going to prosecute them too” — referring to shadowy, deep-pocketed leftist interests.
White House teases major housing affordability plan as prices squeeze Americans
White House economic director Kevin Hassett said Sunday that the Trump administration is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackling the housing affordability crisis. “Everybody in the whole Cabinet is working on trying to get housing to be more affordable,” Hassett told “Fox News Sunday.” He said the administration is preparing a sweeping proposal aimed at easing the burden on homebuyers, with details expected early in the new year. THE TOP 3 REASONS HOUSING HAS BECOME SO UNAFFORDABLE IN THE US MARKET – AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK “We are going to have a plan, a big plan, to announce sometime soon in the new year that’s going to be very good news for the American people who feel like it’s not affordable to buy a home anymore,” Hassett added. He also said that Cabinet officials plan to meet with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in the days after Christmas to pitch and review policy proposals. “We have a big list of housing ideas that have been vetted very carefully by the Cabinet secretaries to present to the president in a week or two and we will see which ones he picks,” he added. TRUMP’S 50-YEAR MORTGAGE MAY BURDEN AMERICANS WITH MORE DEBT, EXPERTS SAY The administration’s push comes as housing affordability has become a political liability for Trump and a winning issue for Democrats. According to a Fox News national survey, 76% of voters rate the economy negatively, compared with 67% in July and 70% at the close of former President Joe Biden’s tenure. Voters largely blame Trump for the downturn, with about twice as many holding him responsible for the current economy as Biden, and three times as many saying his policies have hurt them personally. At the same time, approval of Trump’s handling of the economy has dropped to a new low, while disapproval of his overall job performance has climbed to record highs, even among some of his core supporters. Meanwhile, Democrats leaned heavily on affordability themes in state and local elections this fall and it paid off. In places like Virginia, New York and New Jersey, where voters have been squeezed by high housing costs and utility bills, Democratic candidates seized on Trump’s early economic moves, including his trade policy, to argue that his policies were worsening the affordability crisis rather than easing it. THE SOCIALIST EXPERIMENT COMES TO NYC: MAMDANI’S VISION FOR A MORE AFFORDABLE CITY They promised to curb energy costs, boost affordable housing and safeguard middle-class wages. The message struck a chord with voters and points to a broader reality: when many feel financially strained, the party that speaks most clearly to pocketbook concerns often wins. While Hassett declined to detail the proposals, the administration has previously discussed easing zoning restrictions and expanding longer-term mortgage products. The challenge for Trump will be translating those ideas into relief for voters who increasingly question whether his affordability promises are being fulfilled.
Rapper Nicki Minaj teams up with new Turning Point USA leader Erika Kirk for Q&A session
Erika Kirk welcomed rapper Nicki Minaj as the surprise guest for a Q&A at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Sunday. The “Beez in the Trap” singer previously teamed up with the Trump White House, speaking at the United Nations in November to raise awareness about persecution against Christians in Nigeria. Rumors had grown that Minaj would make an appearance at AmericaFest, but it was not confirmed until she went on stage Sunday. “I’m honored to be here. I’m honored to be here,” Minaj said after Kirk welcomed her to the stage. She went on to praise both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, saying they are politicians who have an “uncanny” ability to relate to the American people. UN AMBASSADOR EXPLAINS HOW ‘UNLIKELY’ TEAM-UP WITH NICKI MINAJ CAME TOGETHER FOR GLOBAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PUSH “I love both of them,” she said of the two leaders. Despite previously supporting Democrats like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Minaj has increasingly shown support for Trump lately. On Nov. 1, Minaj posted a screenshot of a Trump Truth Social post where he said, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.” She wrote, “Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion.” Minaj continued, “We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other. Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror & it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice.” NICKI MINAJ TRANSFORMS FROM ‘QUEEN OF RAP’ TO TRUMP’S LEADING ALLY ON NIGERIA She thanked the “President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.” She has also repeatedly attacked California Gov. Gavin Newsom over his stance on transgender children. Kirk has stepped in as the chairwoman and CEO of Turning Point USA since the murder of her husband, late Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk, in September. Kirk spoke at the conservative AmFest on Thursday, telling the crowd, “Here’s what I’ve learned the most in these last three months is that my husband, he deeply mattered on a multitude of levels, so much so that it proved even more once he was assassinated, how much of a peacemaker he was and how much of a coalition builder he was.” She added that both her husband and she would choose fight mode over flight in any situation. “You don’t retreat,” she said. “Charlie would go wherever he needed to go, and I’m the same exact way … And you’ll learn that about me the more you get to know me. I know I’m new here, I’m new here, but you’ll learn.”
Former Brown University student and friend to Ella Cook blames ‘spending priorities’ for lack of security
A former Brown University student and friend of Ella Cook, who was murdered by a lone gunman at the University earlier this month, said the Ivy League school’s lack of preparedness and resources to catch the killer didn’t come as a surprise. Brown’s misguided financial priorities are the root cause of how a killer was able to enter and exit the university’s facilities essentially undetected, Alex Shieh told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview, “I don’t think it’s particularly surprising that the old buildings on campus have never been retrofitted with updated security systems, because that’s not what the priorities are with the spending, and that they know that people will want to come to Brown anyway, irrespective of the facilities, because of the Ivy League name,” Shieh said. “It is sort of confusing to people that you have a school that costs $100,000 a year, you have an $8 billion endowment,” Shieh said. “How come the building doesn’t have cameras?” BROWN UNIVERSITY SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF TERROR THAT LEFT 2 DEAD, 9 INJURED Shieh is no stranger to what he says is bloated and wasteful spending by Brown. During his time at the school, he served as the publisher for the university’s student-run paper, the Brown Spectator, and caused a stir when he started asking questions about how much administrators make and what they do at work. Shieh sent out a survey to administrators, asking them to detail their jobs after being inspired by President Donald Trump’s DOGE, but was met with opposition from faculty. He noted that administrators are making millions, while facilities and students’ quality of life suffer. Brown took disciplinary action against the former student, first claiming he was causing emotional and psychological harm, invading privacy, misrepresenting the university, and violating operational rules. NOEM ANNOUNCES PAUSE ON IMMIGRANT VISA LOTTERY THAT ALLOWED ALLEGED BROWN SHOOTER TO ENTER US “There’s about 4,000 administrators at a school of about 11,000 students,” Shieh said. “And this struck me as odd, and it struck me very clear that this growth and ballooning in the number of staff administrators is what’s been leading to the cost of tuition rising precipitously all across the country, but particularly at a school like Brown University.” “The classes aren’t necessarily what distinguishes [Brown] from other schools, not the caliber of the facilities, not the caliber of the dorms, but [what] really distinguishes Brown and makes it worth the price in the eyes of some people is the fact that Brown is in the Ivy League,” Shieh added. Brown’s aggressive reaction to Shieh’s reporting sparked a House Judiciary Committee hearing in June, with Shieh as a witness, to discuss free speech concerns as well as misguided and excessive Ivy League spending. HUNT FOR BROWN UNIVERSITY KILLER HANDICAPPED BY SECURITY LAPSES, CAMPUS BUDGET CUTS The University ultimately dropped all charges against Shieh, who wonders if some of the waste he was hoping to expose could be the reason that facilities weren’t equipped with cameras or better security. “They use their money in really silly ways,” Shieh said. “Like paying their athletic director of a small Ivy League school millions of dollars a year and having an inordinate amount of administrators on staff.” FOX NEWS TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER: BROWN AND MIT SHOOTING SUSPECT, NICK REINER’S LAWYER, BRIAN WALSHE’S SENTENCE Shieh, who like Cook was a member of the school’s College Republicans, said he was shocked when he learned she had been murdered. “She was just somebody who was very nice and everybody respected, and nobody really had a problem with her on campus, which is why it was so surprising that it happened to her, of all people,” Shieh said. On Nov. 13, Claudio Neves-Valente entered Brown’s campus and took the lives of Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov before driving 50 miles to Brookline, Massachusetts and killing MIT nuclear physicist Nuno Loureiro two days later, according to authorities. Neves-Valente avoided capture and a manhunt lasting several days followed. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot in a storage shed Thursday night in Salem, New Hampshire. Law enforcement officials and investigators credit a homeless man who lived on Brown’s campus for providing an account of his interaction with Neves-Valente that eventually led to the shooter. Had Brown University been equipped with preventative technology and had cameras in the facilities which the gunman targeted, it’s possible the shooter would have been apprehended and the MIT professor would not have been killed.
AmericaFest honors Target employee Jeanie Beeman after viral video shows calm response to harassment
Turning Point USA honored a Target employee who went viral after a customer accosted her for wearing a Charlie Kirk shirt to work this weekend. Jeanie Beeman, 72, received a flood of support from conservatives on social media after a woman filmed herself confronting Beeman about the shirt. The woman in the video hurled expletives at Beeman and condemned her as a “racist,” but Beeman reacted calmly and de-escalated the situation. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to stand here and argue with you,” Beeman tells the woman in the video before wishing her a good day. Conservative activists Benny Johnson and Jack Posobiec welcomed Beeman to the stage at AmericaFest on Saturday. ERIKA KIRK WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO FIRST AMERICAFEST SINCE HUSBAND’S DEATH, ENDORSES JD VANCE FOR PRESIDENT “Jeanie, the woman who was harassed at Target for wearing a Charlie Kirk shirt, just joined me ON STAGE at AmericaFest,” Johnson wrote on X after the event. “Patriots have donated over $260,000+ to her since the incident where she defended Charlie’s name. From being harassed at work to standing on stage at TPUSA’s biggest event of the year. This is how we fight darkness with light.” The four-day AmericaFest event held at the Phoenix Convention Center features big names from the world of conservative politics, including Vice President JD Vance, who is expected to be the event’s keynote speaker on Sunday, and Erika Kirk, who is headlining the event. The conference comes as the organization grapples with the September assassination of Kirk, who was gunned down at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. RILEY GAINES PRAISES TO ERIKA KIRK BEFORE OLE MISS TURNING POINT EVENT: ‘SHE IS A FORCE’ “At AmericaFest 2025, we gather to honor Charlie’s legacy — to continue the mission he began and to celebrate the country he loved,” TPUSA wrote. AmericaFest is expected to attract over 30,000 attendees over the course of the weekend, with organizers saying this year is set to see the biggest turnout yet. It also comes ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with organizers looking to energize a new demographic of young voters with the hopes of strengthening the conservative base before a new flock of students heads to the polling place next year. Attendees can also expect to hear from several other conservative heavyweights at the conference, including Donald Trump Jr., House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, as TPUSA looks to rebuild after the tragic death of its founder while staying true to its roots of facilitating conversations across the political spectrum. Fox News’ Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.
DNI Gabbard warns ‘Islamist ideology’ threatens Western freedom at AmFest
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard delivered a blunt warning about “Islamist ideology” at a high-profile conservative gathering Saturday, casting the threat as fundamentally incompatible with Western freedom. “The threats from this Islamist ideology come in many forms,” Gabbard told an audience at Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) annual AmericaFest conference. RIFT IN MAGA MOVEMENT ON FULL DISPLAY AT TPUSA’S AMERICAFEST “As we approach Christmas, right now in Germany they are canceling Christmas markets because of this threat.” Gabbard, who oversees the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies, said the ideology stands in direct conflict with American liberty. “When we talk about the threat of Islamism, this political ideology, there is no such thing as individual freedom or liberty,” she said. Gabbard’s remarks were notable given her role overseeing the nation’s intelligence community, a position that traditionally avoids overt ideological framing in public remarks, particularly at partisan political events. TPUSA BEGAN AS A SCRAPPY CAMPUS GROUP AND GREW INTO A NATIONAL, MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR POLITICAL FORCE Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest has become a marquee gathering for conservative activists, lawmakers and influencers, where national security, immigration and cultural issues are increasingly framed as part of a broader ideological struggle. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to a request for comment clarifying whether Gabbard’s remarks reflected official U.S. intelligence assessments or her personal views. TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk positioned the organization as a hub for conservative youth activism, frequently hosting high-profile figures who frame political and security debates in ideological terms. Kirk carried that influence onto college campuses nationwide, drawing large crowds for live, unscripted debates on religion, Islamism, free speech, immigration and American culture. It was at an event at Utah Valley University, where he was fielding open-mic questions from thousands on Sept. 10 when he was shot and killed. The charged nature of modern political activism has also raised alarms about political violence, with authorities increasingly warning of threats tied to large public gatherings. European security officials have raised security alerts around holiday events in recent years following a series of Islamist-inspired attacks, including deadly incidents in Germany, France and Belgium, prompting heightened police presence or temporary cancellations at some Christmas markets.