Hegseth seeks briefing on Sen Mark Kelly ‘Don’t Give Up the Ship’ viral video
The Department of War released an update via X on Tuesday regarding “potentially unlawful conduct” exhibited by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., in the viral video titled “Don’t Give Up the Ship” which critics claim encouraged treason from service members. War Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded an update on the review by Dec. 10. “The Department of War recently received information regarding potentially unlawful comments made by CAPT (Ret) Mark E. Kelly in a public video, on or about November 18, 2025. I am referring this, and any other related matters, for your review, consideration, and disposition as you deem appropriate,” Hegseth wrote. “Please provide me a brief on the outcome of your review by no later than December 10, 2025,” his letter concluded. HEGSETH RIPS MARK KELLY’S POST ABOUT HIS SERVICE: ‘YOU CAN’T EVEN DISPLAY YOUR UNIFORM CORRECTLY’ Hegseth addressed his letter to the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan. Kelly served in the Navy as a captain before running for office. Kelly is the highest-ranking veteran featured in the viral “Don’t Give Up the Ship” video. Others appearing in the clip include Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former Army O-3; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., a former U.S. Air Force O‑3; White House national security adviser Eric Goodlander, a Naval Reserve officer; Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA analyst; and Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., an E‑5 in the Army National Guard Reserves. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Kelly did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Department of War provided no additional comment upon request from Fox News Digital. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Mamdani economic advisor is reparations activist who says ‘devaluation of Black lives’ ingrained in US system
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced a new economic and workforce development transition team that will be headed by, among others, reparations activist Darrick Hamilton, who argues the U.S. economy and governmental policies related to it are racist. Hamilton, who went to Oberlin College and later the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at the progressive The New School university in New York City. Hamilton’s academic biography at The New School calls him a “pioneer” in the field of “stratification economics,” which is aimed at looking at how race and ethnicity are embedded into “inequality” in education, economic and health outcomes. Mamdani announced Monday the creation of more than 17 transition advisory committees made up of more than 400 people to help advise his incoming administration, including the Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Development, which Hamilton will help lead. MAMDANI’S TOP INCOMING AIDE WAS ‘CHIEF ARCHITECT’ OF RADICAL PROPOSAL OVERHAULING NYPD “Since our nation’s inception, the immoral devaluation of Black lives has been ingrained in America’s political economy, and (has) manifested in a persistent, unjust, and enormous racial wealth gap,” Hamilton told Congress in 2021. “Our unjust racial wealth gap is itself an implicit measure of our racist past that is rooted in a history in which whites have been privileged by (a) government complicit (in) political and economic intervention(s) that have afforded them access to resources and iterative and intergenerational accumulation.” Hamilton also sits on the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, where he advises members of the New York State legislature on policy recommendations for “reparative justice,” as it relates to “the historical and present-day consequences of slavery and discrimination.” One proposal Hamilton is known for is socioeconomic-based “Baby Bonds,” which would essentially establish racially conscious trust funds for children. The Baby Bonds would be given a certain amount of seed funding depending upon determined need, and would grow until the kids become adults and can use the money. Hamilton has argued that one-time reparations payments do not go far enough and steps, such as the Baby Bonds proposal, should be taken to help Black folks garner ownership of “means of production in American society.” Meanwhile, Hamilton has been criticized for allegedly wanting to add Black immigrants to reparations policies, as opposed to making them exclusively for the descendants of slavery. Yvette Carnell, a prominent activist and co-founder of the American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) movement, has also called Hamilton “clueless” and accused the scholar of kowtowing to whichever politician is in power. “The racial wealth gap is such that the typical Black family has about 10 cents on the dollar as a typical white family,” Hamilton said during a 2020 podcast episode on Freakonomics Radio. “That history of racial disparity, as it relates to wealth-building, certainly didn’t end with slavery,” Hamilton added. “There was the Homestead Act. There was the G.I. Bill. There was a system of sharecropping. There’s a system of Jim Crow. There is a system of redlining. It was government-facilitated.” UNEARTHED ANTISEMITIC, ANTI-ISRAEL POSTS FROM MAMDANI AIDE SPARK GOP OUTRAGE During a separate appearance on The Black News Channel, Hamilton also said he is not one to “compromise” on policy either, when asked why Democrats are always “compromising with crazy people.” “I don’t like the word compromise … because one thing we know is that when we think about race, the group that is typically the first to be compromised are the issues related to those that are most marginalized, which in the United States’ context has been Black people,” Hamilton said during the 2021 Black News Chanel interview. “We need government to start doing good,” Hamilton continued, “because when people realize the government can do good it creates a momentum, a movement forward that makes it harder for us to turn back.” Other folks tapped for Mamdani’s new Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Development include Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, and Deyanira Del Río, executive director of the New Economy Project, which she has said on the record is “dedicated to building an economy … rooted in racial and gender justice, neighborhood equity and ecological sustainability.” Not long after Mamdani won his election and began nominating members to his transition team, he faced backlash for staffing his team with aides from former NYC mayoral campaigns, ranging from Bill de Blasio, to Michael Bloomberg to Eric Adams. Mamdani also tapped a longtime Biden adviser to help lead his transition that garnered criticism. “The polls have barely closed, and already the incoming mayor is breaking one of his core promises to shake up the status quo and usher in a new day. New York City started a downward spiral under the de Blasio administration, and now some of its main players are returning to the halls of power,” Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News Digital. “And former FTC Chair Lina Khan became synonymous with her hostility toward businesses large and small during the Biden administration and one of the ringleaders of Bidenomics.” Neither Mamdani’s team, nor Hamilton, responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comments in time for publication.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Former Army captain warns Dems’ ‘unpatriotic’ video could spark chaos
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -‘Full-blown battle’ brewing in Dem party as Mamdani-style candidates rise in key races –Biden-era regulation on the chopping block as Trump-aligned legal group warns of ‘DEI lens’ -Trump admin ends Temporary Protected Status for Burmese migrants A video featuring six Democrats telling U.S. troops to reject unlawful orders has sparked backlash, with President Donald Trump declaring it to be “seditious behavior.” Former U.S. Army Captain Doug Truax, founder of Restoration of America, told Fox News Digital the video risks undermining the military’s chain of command and increasing political tensions across the country. “This is one of the most unpatriotic things I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Truax told Fox News Digital…READ MORE. ‘BAMBOOZLED’: DHS blasts “bamboozled” Dems claiming worst of worst targets are “vicious lies” ‘OUT OF ORDER’: Hegseth rips Mark Kelly’s post about his service: ‘You can’t even display your uniform correctly’ FOWL PLAY: Trump jokes that Biden turkey pardon in 2024 ‘invalid’ due to autopen MOCKING DOJ ‘FOOLS’: Comey expects further legal scrutiny from Trump admin, criticizes ‘fools who would frighten us’ WAR ON TWO FRONTS: Trump pushes peace in Europe, pressure in the Americas — inside the two-front gamble TROJAN HORSE ENERGY: CCP-linked firms quietly hold stakes in US solar companies, fueling Dems’ green push EXODUS WARNING: Former House Speaker McCarthy warns Marjorie Taylor Greene ‘the canary in the coal mine’ RISKING IT ALL: War on cops: House committee targets anti-police rhetoric after ICE attacks RENT-FREE: Rep. Thomas Massie jokes amid incoming fire from President Trump CAPITOL INQUIRY: FBI scheduling interviews with 6 lawmakers who encouraged military members to refuse ‘illegal orders’ TITLE IX CRACKDOWN: GOP senator probes 18 blue states, DC over Trump’s transgender athlete order MUSIC CITY SHOWDOWN: Democrats, Republicans, go all in on final 2025 congressional ballot box showdown DOJ BACKS TEXAS: DOJ backs Texas in Supreme Court fight over Republican-drawn map LUXURY LIBERAL: Iowa Dem House candidate’s luxurious lifestyle clashes with ‘working-class’ campaign message ‘MISSED THE MARK’: Cracker Barrel CEO says she felt like got ‘fired by America’ after redesign scandal ‘SKIRTING THE LAW’: ICE seeking to deport ‘criminal’ who allegedly threw coffee on baby, mother and dog Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump calls Chicago ‘out of control’ after train attack left woman critically burned
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said crime in Chicago is “out of control” and blasted so-called “liberal judges” after a woman was set on fire in the deep-blue city last week — allegedly by a man with 72 prior arrests who had been out on bond despite prosecutors calling for him to be incarcerated. Trump, speaking at the White House during the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon, again called on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to allow National Guard troops to be deployed to the Windy City to tackle crime amid a wave of recent violent incidents. The president’s plea came a week after Bethany MaGee, 26, was allegedly set on fire by 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, who has spent decades cycling through the criminal justice system. Additionally, a teenager was fatally shot and at least eight others were injured after two shootings on Friday night in downtown Chicago. “This is a very serious thing,” Trump said. “They burned this beautiful woman riding in a train. A man was arrested 72 times. 72 times. Think of that. And they’ll let him out again, the liberal judges will let him out again.” DEMOCRATS SLAM TRUMP FOR ‘WAR’ THREATS TARGETING US CITIES: ‘NOT YOUR WAR ZONE’ Trump for months has attempted to send troops to Chicago, as he has done in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tenn., to help curb violent crime. He has said those deployments caused crime to plummet. But Pritzker and Johnson have staunchly opposed deploying troops. They have called any deployment unconstitutional and insisted the city is not facing the kind of crime crisis the White House claims. The president has also floated invoking the Insurrection Act to tackle violent crime in Chicago. “But we’re ready to go,” Trump said Tuesday. “You know, we’ve been moving toward Chicago. We have a governor that thinks it’s wonderful that only like seven people were killed this week… It’s horrible what’s happening in Chicago.” Trump said a federal response would make Chicago “totally safe” in a matter of weeks. “And the people of Chicago want us to go there. And if you look at the crime that’s taking place in Chicago in the last two weeks, just take a look. It’s on the front page of every newspaper,” Trump said. “It’s out of control. The mayor is incompetent, and the governor is a big fat slob. He ought to invite us in and say, ‘please make Chicago safe.’” “We’re going to lose a great city if we don’t do it quickly,” Trump added. TRUMP OFFICIALS SLAM BLUE STATE GOVERNOR FOR IGNORING CHAOTIC ANTI-ICE ‘RIOTERS’ DISRUPTING OPERATION Critics of Illinois’ progressive criminal policies point to the attack on MaGee as the latest in a string of crimes perpetrated by career criminals who are repeatedly released back onto the streets to target law-abiding citizens. Reed, MaGee’s alleged attacker, had been ordered onto electronic monitoring on Aug. 22 when Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez denied a prosecution request to keep him jailed on felony allegations that he knocked a social worker unconscious inside MacNeal Hospital’s psychiatric ward. During that hearing, transcripts show Molina-Gonzalez told prosecutors, “I can’t keep everybody in jail because the State’s Attorney wants me to.” According to court documents in that battery case, Cook County electronic monitoring records show Reed repeatedly violated his curfew and movement restrictions in the days leading up to the alleged Chicago Transit Authority attack on MaGee on Nov. 17. Shortly before Trump’s comments on Tuesday, the White House weighed in on the attack, blasting left-wing policies in deep-blue cities. “Liberal soft-on-crime policies are FAILING American communities and endangering law-abiding citizens,” the White House wrote on X. “A career criminal with 72 arrests should have never been free to roam the streets. Pray for Bethany.” Fox News’ Stephen Sorace, Greg Wehner, Alexandra Koch and Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.
Bowser ends decade-long reign as DC mayor after 3 terms in office, won’t seek fourth
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Tuesday she will not seek re-election for a fourth term, ending her decade-long reign in the nation’s capital. The Democrat, who previously represented the 4th ward as a member of the D.C. Council, shared the news in a video posted to social media. “My fellow Washingtonians, for 10 years, you and I have worked together on an ambitious agenda to restore faith in our government and ensure that every D.C. resident gets the fair shot they deserve,” Bowser said. “To keep that promise, we took big swings, keeping D.C. teams in D.C., raising enrollment and graduation rates in our schools, and investing more money in housing than any other city or state, creating 36,000 homes.” She added her administration drove unemployment to its lowest levels, achieved strong reserves and completed the largest infrastructure project in city history with the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. TRUMP PRAISES DEMOCRATIC DC MAYOR FOR WORKING WITH HIS ADMINISTRATION ON CRIME CRACKDOWN “We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic, and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy, while preserving home rule. That is our North Star,” Bowser said. “… Looking to the future, I know we’ve laid the groundwork for others to build upon, to reshape and grow D.C.’s economy, establish D.C. as the 51st state, and protect our investments in affordable housing, transportation, public safety and public schools. “… When you placed your trust in me 10 years ago, you gave me an extraordinary opportunity to have a positive impact on my hometown. Every day since, I’ve cherished the opportunity and have happily given all my passion and energy to the job that I love. Together, you and I have built a legacy of success, of which I’m intensely proud, and for the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for D.C.” The announcement came months after Bowser pushed back on President Donald Trump‘s plans to deploy National Guard troops to restore public safety in the capital. ‘RESISTANCE’ LEFT BLASTED BY WASHINGTON POST AS MAYOR BOWSER BACKS TRUMP’S DC CRIME PLAN In August, she admitted the success of the federal crime crackdown, noting she appreciated the surge of officers that “enhance what [the Metropolitan Police Department] has been able to do in this city.” “Having more federal law enforcement officers on the street — [has led to] having more stops that got to illegal guns,” Bowser said during a prior news conference. “We think that there is more accountability in the system, or at least perceived accountability in the system, that is driving down illegal behavior. We know that we have had fewer gun crimes, fewer homicides, and we have experienced an extreme reduction in carjackings.” However, she noted there was a “break in trust” between the community and police, criticizing the use of masked ICE agents in neighborhoods. The next D.C. mayoral election will be held Nov. 3, 2026. Axios reported last month D.C. Council members Kenyan McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George have been floating potential mayoral runs. Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
Republicans try to quash concerns of more exits following Marjorie Taylor Greene’s surprise resignation
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s surprise resignation from Congress stunned House Republicans and sets up an even tighter majority in the lower chamber that could foil major legislative priorities. Whether it triggers a ripple effect of Republican lawmakers following her lead remains to be seen. Still, there are members of the House GOP who are frustrated by how events have unfolded in recent months, especially after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., opted to keep the House in session for over 50 days during the government shutdown. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital he’s “heard rumors” of frustration among his colleagues but, from people he’s spoken with, “They’re committed to being here.” MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION FROM CONGRESS AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP WITHDRAWS ENDORSEMENT “This is an incredible honor to serve in the House of Representatives, and when you run for office, I think you should fill out your term,” Haridopolos said. “This is what the American public wanted,” he continued. “I mean, they affirmatively put Republicans in power. And the only frustration we’ve been through, at least my biggest frustration, is when the Democrats exercise their power to shut the government down for 43 days.” Greene, in her resignation letter teeing up her departure from Congress Jan. 5, 2026, aired grievances about how little progress has been made on Capitol Hill since she became a lawmaker in 2021. She also took aim at President Donald Trump, who she has for weeks been distancing herself from despite being a die-hard Trump loyalist for much of her legislative career, and at Johnson for his handling of the shutdown. JASMINE CROCKETT CALLS OUT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE FOR RESIGNING FROM CONGRESS AMID TRUMP FEUD “During the longest shutdown in our nation’s history, I raged against my own speaker and my own party for refusing to proactively work diligently to pass a plan to save American healthcare and protect Americans from outrageous overpriced and unaffordable health insurance policies,” Greene said. “The House should have been in session working every day to fix this disaster, but instead America was forced fed disgusting political drama once again from both sides of the aisle.” Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, the fifth highest-ranking House Republican, sought to quash any rumors of dissent among the ranks in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Speaker Johnson and the House Republican leadership team have made a diligent effort to listen to all members of the conference for input, policy ideas and concerns,” he said. “As usual, the media is building a negative narrative, but our record of delivering for the American people with our majority this year speaks to our teamwork and unity.” That majority is now headed for a tenuous situation with Greene’s retirement. Though Republicans are expected to maintain a seat after former Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., retired, the special election to replace the late former Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, is expected to stay in Democratic control, effectively nullifying the results. That means when Greene leaves, and if the results in Tennessee in December favor Republicans, Democrats are hoping for a miracle in the race. The results in Texas in late January favor Democrats, so the GOP would be left with effectively a two-vote majority. FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY WARNS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE IS ‘THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE’ Another lawmaker was tempted to exit the House for a different reason. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., was furious over the White House’s 28-point plan for Russia and Ukraine and told Fox News Digital that he found it “so appalling, so embarrassing.” Bacon argued that the plan, which has broadly been viewed as giving Moscow much of what it wants and leaves Ukraine with little other than an end to the ongoing war, was “a recipe for Ukraine being abused for decades to come, and to be basically a vassal state under Russian control. And that was unacceptable.” His preference is that if Ukraine is pushed to give up territory to Russia, it should be allowed to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the very least. He noted that he ran on a pro-Ukraine platform, and, for a moment, considered resigning, fast-tracking his planned retirement from Congress at the end of next year. “I was so frustrated, it went through my mind,” Bacon said. “You know, I don’t want to be a part of this team, frankly, but I don’t — I knew it was wrong. It was short-lived. “I think people would be doing a disservice to a lot of people just to resign,” he continued. “I frankly think you should only resign if you got, like, an illness, or your spouse has an illness, or you got a legal issue. You know, when you run, there’s a commitment.”
DOJ backs Texas in Supreme Court fight over Republican-drawn map
The Department of Justice threw its support behind Texas on Monday, arguing the new map the state’s Republican-led legislature approved was not an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Solicitor General John Sauer, who represents the Trump administration, wrote in an amicus brief that a lower court’s decision to block the map through the 2026 midterms was wrong and that the Supreme Court should intervene and reverse the decision. “This is not a close case,” Sauer wrote. TEXAS FILES EMERGENCY SUPREME COURT PETITION AFTER TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAP BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES Sauer said the lower court misunderstood what drove the Texas legislature to shift five districts in favor of Republicans. He said the move was not based on race, which could violate federal voting laws and the Constitution. “There is overwhelming evidence — both direct and circumstantial — of partisan objectives, and any inference that the State inexplicably chose to use racial means is implausible,” Sauer wrote. Sauer also defended a letter Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon wrote to Texas this year demanding that it address “coalition districts” that favor Democrats, which the challengers to the map have seized on as evidence of race-based motives. Days after the letter, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, added redistricting to the legislature’s agenda, leading to a stunning boycott in which state Democrats temporarily fled the state. The lower court “misinterpreted the letter’s meaning; and more importantly, the court misunderstood the letter’s significance to the legislature’s adoption of the 2025 map,” Sauer said. The plaintiffs in the case, who include numerous voting and immigrant rights groups, argued that Dhillon’s letter demanded dismantling the coalition districts and packing Black and Latino voters into other districts. “The DOJ letter, riddled with legal and factual errors, incorrectly asserted that these districts were ‘unconstitutional coalition districts’ that Texas was required to ‘rectify’ by changing their racial makeup,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote. REAGAN-APPOINTED JUDGE TORCHES COLLEAGUES IN TEXAS MAP FIGHT Texas’ mid-cycle redistricting dispute is one of several that have cropped up across the country as President Donald Trump stares down the possibility of losing an acquiescent Republican-led House in 2026. California voted in favor of an eleventh-hour ballot measure that would cancel out the five Republican gains in Texas. Utah’s map has changed in favor of Democrats, Virginia has taken steps to redraw its map and Louisiana’s is pending before the Supreme Court. The DOJ recently sued Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, over California’s redistricting efforts, arguing that unlike in Texas, those were unconstitutionally race-based. Texas has asked the Supreme Court to pause the three-judge panel’s ruling in the Western District of Texas that found 2-1 last week that race was too much of a factor in its redraw. “This summer, the Texas Legislature did what legislatures do: politics,” Texas’ attorneys argued in their request, disputing all notions that the redistricting process used race as a factor. In a lengthy and wild tirade, Judge Jerry Brown, a Reagan appointee and the lone dissenter, called the three-judge panel’s decision the “most blatant exercise of judicial activism” he had ever seen and a work of “fiction.” Justice Samuel Alito has administratively paused the panel’s ruling, but the Supreme Court could now make a more lasting decision on the map at any time. Texas lawyers have also argued the high court should block the panel’s decision because it interfered with the 2026 midterms, for which candidates were already filing to run based on the new map.
‘Waddle’ the turkey faces press questions in White House briefing room ahead of presidential pardon
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt introduced “Waddle” the turkey to reporters in the briefing room before President Donald Trump is scheduled to pardon him and his friend, “Gobble,” on Tuesday. A representative of the National Turkey Federation (NTF) who accompanied Leavitt confirmed to reporters that Waddle weighs over 50 pounds. Reporters peppered Waddle with questions ranging from his opinion on the peace negotiations in Ukraine to what crime he had committed to require a pardon. The NTF spokeswoman told reporters that after Waddle and Gobble are pardoned, they will move to North Carolina State University, where they will serve as “Turkey ambassadors for our industry.” Trump’s White House is kicking off Thanksgiving week with some classic White House holiday traditions, including the turkey pardon and the arrival of the official White House Christmas tree, marking the start of the season at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. AMERICAN TRUCKER SAYS TRANSPORTING CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE 3,000 MILES TO WASHINGTON, DC, IS ‘HUGE HONOR’ First lady Melania Trump held a poll on X to name this year’s turkeys, resulting in Waddle and Gobble. THANKSGIVING TRAVEL RUSH IS UNDERWAY AT AIRPORTS NATIONWIDE Last year’s pardoned turkeys, “Peach” and “Blossom,” and the ones before them, “Liberty” and “Bell,” all came from Minnesota. North Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, South Dakota, Ohio, California, Virginia and Missouri have all sent turkeys to the White House. Meanwhile, this year’s tree comes from Korson’s Tree Farms in Sidney Township, Michigan, which is about an hour northeast of Grand Rapids. The Fraser fir, which will stand in the Blue Room of the White House, will be presented by farm owners Rex and Jessica Korson. The two will also supply a smaller tree for the Oval Office. The family earned the honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association’s National Tree Contest in July, the competition that selects the farm supplying the White House Christmas tree each year.
CCP-linked firms quietly hold stakes in US solar companies fueling Dems’ green push
A pair of major North American solar companies, including one touted by Senate Democrats in 2023, could face scrutiny over their ties to China. While the feds have created barriers to Chinese firms flooding the solar market, many have found ways to localize operations in the U.S. or North America in a manner that allows for public investment and even deferential press coverage at times. After then-President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, Senate Democrats praised the law for its substantive investments in “green” energy, including solar. One company that received top billing was an Ontario-based firm that was founded by a Chinese entrepreneur and keeps much of its assets in China. “The Inflation Reduction Act is already paying huge dividends for the American people,” blared a topline from Senate Democrats in 2023 after investments were being made in several companies. ARREST OF CHINESE NATIONALS IN SWING STATE, ISRAEL’S FIGHT WITH IRAN ARE ‘WAKE UP’ CALL ON CCP THREAT: EXPERTS The release cited a Reuters report that Canadian Solar – based in Guelph, Ontario, but founded by Qu Xiaohua and with its main operating arm listed on Shanghai’s SciTech board – committed to $250 million to a 5GW module facility in Texas after the IRA took effect. Trina Solar North America president Steven Zhu boasted to China Daily, a Chinese state-run propaganda outlet, that the project represents “a significant investment in American manufacturing that will bolster the U.S. solar market in addition to positioning Texas as a leader in the transition to a sustainable future.” Canadian Solar saw a 34% spike in its stock performance in the first half of 2022, according to a Benzinga analysis, which quoted company CEO Shawn Qu as saying he was “excited to see the [IRA] in the U.S. coming into effect.” The report said “alternative energy companies” like Canadian Solar stood to get a leg up thanks to about $370 billion in subsidies from the IRA. THINK TANK FOUNDER FACES SCRUTINY OVER CHINA CORPORATE TIES DESPITE DECOUPLING ADVOCACY A 2025 company filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) referenced that due to the company’s business in China, the CCP “may intervene or influence the operations of our PRC subsidies at any time” and that the firm is “exposed to legal and operational risks associated with having a significant portion of our manufacturing operations in China.” The Canadian-based company with a large Chinese manufacturing footprint – praised by Democrats – extends China’s state-backed dominance, yet can still qualify for IRA tax incentives meant for American allies – something that Congress has been focused on. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, recently sounded the alarm on companies affiliated with China that receive or are qualified for federal subsidies – including through Biden’s IRA. TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN THREATENS TO EXPOSE CCP OFFICIALS IF CHINA INVADES TAIWAN Moolenaar previously focused on another Chinese firm called Gotion, telling The Midwesterner there are “about 30 tax credits” in the law “Biden calls his Inflation Reduction Act [that] will go to companies who are manufacturing, in some way, green energy.” Moolenaar’s “No Gotion Act” would ensure no subsidies go to firms based in officially designated politically-concerned countries like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. He also inserted language in the 2024 funding bill for the Department of Energy that would prohibit the agency from awarding contracts to companies tied to the CCP. 4 WAYS AMERICAN STATES AND CITIES CAN MEET THE CCP THREAT TO OUR WAY OF LIFE Fox News Digital reached out to Moolenaar for additional comment. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., chair of the House Homeland Security Transportation Subcommittee, said at the time that the U.S. cannot continue “ceding dominance over our critical supply chains to our greatest geopolitical rival.” Gimenez, who was born in communist Cuba and fled to the U.S. as a child, said Western nations were too slow to recognize threats from Huawei and TikTok, and that doing business in China ensures the CCP will get a cut; “a steep cost.” WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES RULES INCREASING CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES FIVEFOLD IN BID TO SUPPORT GREEN JOBS Canadian Solar had about 12,000 employees in China at the beginning of the year with less than 6,000 in the rest of the world combined. The Coalition for a Prosperous America raised red flags in a report last year on Chinese dominance in the solar industry, and the fact that they’re largely kept afloat by “massive financial support” from the Chinese government – with reports citing as much as Y1B ($140M) in subsidies in recent times. Those subsidies, CPA argued, threaten all solar firms in the West. BIDEN FINALIZES CRACKDOWN ON US MILITARY TECH INVESTMENTS IN CHINA WITH ONE WEEK TO LAME DUCK SESSION In 2024, Trina Solar, then a subsidiary of a Chinese solar giant by the same name, forged an agreement to sell its Texas-based manufacturing assets to another U.S.-based but Chinese-tied company, which is now known as T1 Energy. Trina Founder Gao Jifan is also a Chinese National People’s Congress delegate. Gao has several links to CCP-connected organizations, as a profile on the Chinese-controlled search giant Baidu lists several curriculum vitae, including a former vice president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products – a semi-governmental trade association made up of representatives from several industrial and green-energy corporations like Huawei and Trina Solar. More recently, in 2023, Gao was vice president of the China Association for the Promotion of Industry-Academic-Research Cooperation, a group under the auspices of the CCP’s Ministry of Science and Technology that connects research universities and manufacturing outfits in the fields of nanotechnology, material manufacturing and green energy. TRUMP IS TAKING THE FIGHT TO THE CCP. IT’S LONG PAST TIME WE PROTECTED OUR BASES AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE On its homepage, T1 bills itself as “building domestic solar and battery supply chains to invigorate America with scalable, reliable, and low-cost energy,” and saying that “America needs advanced manufacturing capacity to unlock our
‘Full-blown battle’ brewing in Dem party as Mamdani-style candidates rise in key races
The far-left push within the Democratic Party, highlighted by mayoral victories by socialist candidates in New York City and Seattle, is poised to be a major factor in several key battleground House races as several candidates carrying the progressive mantle hold strong positions in Democratic primaries. Several of the most competitive House races in the country feature candidates putting to the test whether progressive policies can appeal to voters outside deep blue urban centers, including in California’s 22nd Congressional District, where Democrat Randy Villegas is running to unseat Republican Rep. David Valadao. “Bernie and I share the same goal: to make life more affordable for working families,” Villegas said in a statement after being endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a self-described “democratic socialist.” “He has dedicated his life to putting power in the hands of ordinary Americans instead of the ultra-rich, and I’m excited to work together to fight for our communities here in the Central Valley and across the country.” In addition to being endorsed by Sanders, who endorsed New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Villegas has employed the Fight Agency advertising firm, among others, which is led by operatives who also helped Mamdani cruise to victory earlier this month. SOCIALIST WAVE SPREADS COAST-TO-COAST AS PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS RALLY AROUND ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S NYC WIN Fox News Digital reported this week that Fight Agency is also working to defeat two vulnerable House Republicans in Pennsylvania, Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie. Villegas, endorsed by the progressive Working Families Party that endorsed Mamdani, is currently running in a Democratic primary against California state Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, who was recruited by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and currently is sitting on less cash on hand than Villegas. “Here in the Central Valley, we couldn’t care less about political labels,” Villegas said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We care about being able to see a doctor without going bankrupt and being able to feed our families without needing a second job. We’re sick of politicians in both parties selling us out to billionaires and corporations. Any politician who isn’t fighting for working families like our lives depends on it needs to get out of the way.” In Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, GOP Rep. Gabe Evans is being challenged by another progressive Democrat, Manny Rutinel, in what is expected to be one of the tightest House races next November. Rutinel, who serves as a Colorado state representative, who was reportedly spotted alongside Mamdani and holds a large fundraising lead over his Democrat opponents, has associated himself with a variety of far-left groups and politicians, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Townhall reported. Rutinel has been endorsed by progressive groups like CHC Bold PAC and Latino Victory Fund. The race to unseat GOP Rep. Darrell Issa in California’s redrawn 48th Congressional District features Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar, who describes himself as a “working-class progressive” and was endorsed by the Sanders-linked group Our Revolution. Campa-Najjar, who volunteered for Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and appears to be the front-runner in the Democratic primary, was endorsed in 2020 by the Working Families Party as well as Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Courage to Change PAC. CHARLIE KIRK’S WARNINGS ABOUT SOCIALISM RESURFACE AS MAMDANI, TRUMP FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY GOP Rep. Tom Barrett is up for re-election in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, and one of the Democrats running to replace him is William Lawrence, who co-founded the progressive Sunrise Movement. Lawrence’s policies have drawn comparisons to Mamdani, including from the Lansing City Pulse, who wrote that his “campaign is built on a community movement, a message of ‘real representation’ that takes ‘political control away from the establishment and puts it back in the hands of the people.’ It’s like how Zohran Mamdani won in New York City.” Peter Chatzky is running as a Democrat challenging GOP Rep. Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District, and although he is running in a crowded primary, he has the ability to self-fund and is viewed as a formidable contender in a district ranked by Cook Political Report as “Lean Republican.” Chatzky has defended Mamdani’s agenda on social media and praised the young socialist for running “an effective campaign that consistently focused on affordability, fairness, and opportunity in New York City.” Chatzky, the only Democrat in the field who has called for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step down, has expressed support for “universal healthcare.” Like Mamdani, Chatzky has also faced criticism for his positions on Israel and defended Mamdani against allegations of antisemitism. In Nebraska, John Cavanaugh, a state senator, is running as a Democrat to replace retiring GOP Rep. Don Bacon in the 2nd Congressional District with the endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which he said he is “grateful” for and that he plans to join them on the “front lines.” As Democratic leadership in Washington, D.C. begins to face calls for new faces, Republicans across the country have made the argument that the socialist push in recent months is reshaping key House races and changing the landscape of the way the Democratic Party operates going forward. Mike Marinella, national spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), told Fox News Digital the rise of progressive candidates is a “full-blown battle for the soul of the Democrat Party” and concluded that the “socialist stampede is winning.” “Democrats aren’t focused on helping working families, they’re too busy tearing each other apart.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton touted the Democrats across the country who are focusing on affordability. “Because of House Republicans, everything is too damn expensive and working families are struggling. Republican operatives in D.C. know they can’t win on the issues, so we’re seeing them melt down in real time,” Shelton said. “Even President Trump is in the Oval Office desperately bear hugging the Mayor-elect. It’s embarrassing. While they waste their time, Democrats across the country are laser focused on lowering prices and fighting for everyday Americans, which is why we will re-take the majority.”