Trump’s ‘America First’ collides with Macron’s ‘Europe First’ in face-off over Western dominance
From the start, Emmanuel Macron believed he could manage Donald Trump. In private conversations with European counterparts early in Trump’s first term, Macron reportedly boasted that he could “handle” the American president — flatter him, reason with him and keep him inside the Western fold. For a time, it worked: Trump was treated to a red-carpet Bastille Day parade in Paris and called the young French leader a “great friend.” But the relationship soon turned into a running spectacle. The two leaders’ chemistry has always mixed cooperation with rivalry. TRUMP’S SWIPE AT ‘WEAK’ LEADERS HIGHLIGHTS THE SHIFTING GLOBAL INFLUENCE OF WESTERN NATIONS Macron’s sparring with Trump is more than personality — it’s projection. Each clash, phone call or quip feeds a larger mission: to show that Europe can act like a power again. As Trump reasserts “America First,” Macron is trying to define what “Europe First” might look like — an alliance that can stand up to Washington, Moscow or Beijing without flinching. While the U.S. plans to boycott the 2025 G-20 leaders’ summit because South Africa is hosting, Macron is visiting Johannesburg — a sign of his willingness to go where Washington won’t. Earlier in the week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron signed a deal for Kyiv to buy 100 French Rafale jets instead of U.S.-made fighters, a move that underscored France’s push for European defense autonomy and sidelined American manufacturers at a politically sensitive moment. “Zelenskyy slaps the face of a nation that saved him,” said former Rep. Mike Garcia, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot. “After receiving nearly $180 billion in American aid, including free aircraft, Zelenskyy turns to others when it’s time for Ukraine to actually pay for weapons systems.” Before that, Macron recognized a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly over U.S. objections, prompting Trump to accuse him of “honoring Hamas.” “As if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,” Trump said during his U.N. General Assembly address. And in June, Macron visited Greenland in a show of European unity — a symbolic warning to Trump to step back from his long-voiced ambitions to control the island. Trump repeatedly has floated the prospect of purchasing Greenland from Denmark, drawn by its wealth of oil and minerals locked deep below ice and Arctic defense positioning. “Macron has always seen himself in the European context as the leader of European defense efforts,” said Liana Fix, senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations. Each move, she said, asserts Europe’s autonomy and “at times seems designed to remind Trump that America no longer dictates every script.” Still, the two leaders agree on one key point: Europe must shoulder more of its own defense. “Years ago, Macron proposed the idea that Europe should become more independent from the United States,” Fix said. “Now, with the election of Donald Trump, the reaction of many Europeans was — perhaps Macron was right.” Their rapport swings between camaraderie and confrontation. “I want to be able to get along with the world — not the French, though,” Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Nov. 10. “The Chinese, they spy on us, they steal our intellectual property,” Ingraham replied. “Do you think the French are better?” “Yeah,” she said. “I’m not so sure,” Trump shot back, citing French tariffs. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the Trump–Macron relationship Thursday. “The relationship remains very strong,” she said at a White House press briefing. “President Trump speaks quite frequently with Emmanuel Macron. I think they have a good working relationship. But the president is not shy to point out when he has disagreements with world leaders as well. And he’s done that with respect to Mr. Macron.” At September’s U.N. General Assembly, Macron phoned Trump from the sidewalk to complain that the president’s motorcade was causing a traffic jam. “Guess what, I’m waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you,” Macron said in a moment caught on video. France’s embassy in Washington joined the fun on X, posting: “It’s a good thing our presidents have each other on speed dial… If you’ve ever had to walk through NYC during UNGA, this is 110% relatable content.” FRANCE SAYS UN RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN STATE IS A BLOW TO HAMAS NOT A GIFT With Germany distracted by domestic politics and Britain outside the European Union, Macron has seized the space to lead. He casts France not just as a nation but as Europe’s voice of resolve, urging the continent to “think for itself” and invest in its own defense. “Macron sees himself as the leader of Europe’s defense efforts,” Fix said. “He’s been consistent about wanting Europeans to buy less off the shelf from the United States and invest more in their own defense industry.” But that vision runs into Europe’s limits. Fix noted that Germany is on track to surpass France in defense spending, projected to reach 162 billion euros by 2029 — levels France “simply doesn’t have the financial flexibility to match.” Even within the EU, she said, leadership is more collective than Macron sometimes portrays. “It’s a shared effort. Macron sees himself as one among many — but the most important among many.” At home, his authority is under strain. Fix said Macron’s “leadership ambition in Europe and with the United States is undermined by domestic instability,” pointing to his struggles to form a government and his party’s poor outlook in upcoming elections. That political weakness “inevitably weakens his hand abroad.” Still, Macron remains one of the few European leaders willing to trade punches — and pleasantries — with Trump in full view of the world. “It’s a difficult line for all European leaders,” Fix said. “They have to charm Trump to fulfill Europe’s security needs, even though the Trump administration is hugely unpopular at home. They have to swallow some bitter pills.” For Macron, that line between charm and challenge has become the essence of
Sanctuary state under fire for granting license to illegal alien who killed young girl with car
FIRST ON FOX: An illegal alien released into the country by the Obama administration, provided a driver’s license by a sanctuary state, and eventually ordered to be deported was arrested earlier this month for killing an 8-year-old girl during a fatal car crash in Boise, Idaho. Elvin Elgardo Ramos-Caballero was driving a pickup truck legally via a driver’s license granted to him by the state of Oregon, attempting to make a right-hand turn at an intersection in Boise on Tuesday, Nov. 11. As he was attempting to make the turn, 8-year-old Mora Gerety was also attempting to crossing the street. The pair ultimately collided, killing Gerety, an 8-year-old girl. At the time of the incident, Ramos-Caballero had an outstanding federal warrant with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for his failure to appear for an immigration hearing, which ultimately resulted in a judge ordering him to be removed from the country in absentia in May 2019. TRUMP ADMIN THREATENS TO SLASH $75M FROM PENNSYLVANIA AMID TERROR SUSPECT CDL SCANDAL “8-year-old Mora Gerety’s precious life was taken by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country, let alone issued a driver’s license by the sanctuary state of Oregon,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Mora Gerety’s classmates, teachers, friends, and our nation will carry this loss forever. We ask every American to lift this family up in prayer and we ask God to grant them the courage as they face the hardest days a family can endure. Decades of open border policies have turned every community into a border town. These policies have deadly consequences.” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., called for a federal crackdown on sanctuary-state policies that allow illegal immigrants to obtain commercial drivers licenses this week during an interview with Fox News Digital. Donalds’ call came after a joint ICE and Oklahoma Highway Patrol operation arrested 70 illegal immigrants, including 34 accused of driving big rigs while in the U.S. unlawfully. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CAUGHT DRIVING COMMERCIAL TRUCK WITH VALID NEW YORK CDL AT CALIFORNIA CHECKPOINT A tragic incident earlier this summer led to three deaths after an illegal immigrant who received his commercial driver’s license (CDL) from the state of Washington, which was granted after failing his CDL 10 times in just two months, made an illegal U-turn on the highway in Florida. Bodycam footage of the scene after the incident showed the driver had limited English proficiency, even though the company in Washington state that trained the illegal immigrant driver for his CDL attested that he could speak English. Donalds said the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigation and incidents like what happened in Florida underscore a growing national safety risk. “You have the American people, they’re doing the right thing, and now they’re subject to losing their lives or being in an auto accident with a CDL driver who cannot read our signs, who doesn’t know our laws,” he said. “This is one of the reasons why I sponsored the WEIGH Act here in D.C.,” Donalds explained. “It would actually give broader authority for the Department of Transportation to not just hold other states accountable that are letting these CDL licenses be issued, but would also give the Department of Treasury the ability to withhold federal funds in the process.”
Doubling Down: Top House Democrat says focus on high prices ‘absolutely going to continue’
EXCLUSIVE: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) chair says Democrats will keep their focus squarely on affordability as they aim to “take back those gavels” by capturing the House majority in next year’s midterm elections. House Democrats need to flip just three GOP-held seats in 2026 to win back control of the chamber for the first time in four years. “We’re going to hold Republicans accountable for their policies that are hurting American families,” Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington State, who for a second straight election cycle is chairing the DCCC, said in an exclusive national news network interview with Fox News Digital. High prices and out-of-control cost of living were key issues that boosted President Donald Trump and Republicans in the 2024 elections, as they won back the White House and Senate majority and kept control of the House. HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR WANTS TRUMP ‘OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL’ IN MIDTERM BATTLE FOR MAJORITY But what a difference a year makes. Democrats, with an across-the-board focus on affordability, overperformed at the polls as they enjoyed sweeping ballot box success in the 2025 elections earlier this month. Democrats scored double-digit gubernatorial wins in blue-leaning but competitive New Jersey and Virginia, as convincing victories in high-profile showdowns in battlegrounds Georgia and Pennsylvania and left-tilting New York City and California. SETTING THE STAGE: WHAT THE 2025 ELECTIONS SIGNAL FOR NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM SHOWDOWNS “It was clear that when folks are talking about the biggest issues affecting their communities, and right now, affordability, with the rising costs people have seen as a result of the policies put in place by this administration and Republicans in Congress, they rejected that,” DelBene said as she pointed to the 2025 election results. “Absolutely, we saw that in governor’s races like Virginia and New Jersey, but [also] in races across the country,” she added. Fox News national poll released this week was another warning sign for Trump and the GOP. Three-quarters of voters questioned in the survey viewed the economy negatively, and large numbers of respondents, including Republicans, said their costs for groceries, utilities, healthcare and housing have gone up this year. The poll indicated that voters blame the president, with nearly twice as many pointing fingers at Trump than former President Joe Biden, when asked who is responsible for the current economy. Only 38% of those questioned gave the president a thumbs-up to how he’s handling the economy. And Trump’s overall approval rating, at 41%, was the lowest of his second term in office in Fox News polling. ELECTION REFLECTION: ‘DEMOCRATS FLIPPED THE SCRIPT’ ON AFFORDABILITY IN BALLOT BOX SHOWDOWNS “Affordability is still the number one issue for families. Housing, food, health care, child care, energy costs all going up directly as a result of policies put in place by Republicans in Congress and Donald Trump. And they promised to lower costs on day one,” DelBene said. Pointing to last year’s elections, she said, “That was their big message. They were going to lower costs. It has been a big broken promise, and people are feeling that and and that’s had a big impact and will continue. People want folks who are going to stand up to them for them, not just be blindly loyal to the President.” GOP Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, chair of the rival National Republican Congressional Committee, took aim at the former president, telling Fox News Digital, “There are challenges out there with the economy, because Biden broke it, and House Republicans, working with President Trump, are going to fix it, and we’re working very hard to do that. “ “Certainly, we could always improve the way we communicate with our voters about it,” he added. “But we are laser focused on the issues that matter to them. You know, it’s the cost of things, it’s the security in their neighborhood, it’s a secure border. We are very focused on that, and we’ve delivered a lot of things that are going to make their lives better.” And looking ahead to next year, he added, “come tax season, a lot of families are going to be really happy to see they’ve got a lot more take-home pay, and that’s because of Donald Trump and House Republicans.” The DCCC, in its messaging, has tied vulnerable House Republicans to Trump. DelBene argued that it’s “Republican policies that are hurting American families, the tariffs that Donald Trump has put in place that have raised costs for families across the country, their ongoing work to gut health care across this country.” And she charged the “policies that they have prioritized have been favoring the wealthy and the well-connected, tax breaks for the wealthy and the well-connected, but hurting working families across the country. People are feeling that, and we’re going to continue to call that out.” The NRCC, in its messaging, has aimed to link Democrats facing challenging House re-elections to social New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, as it aims to paint all Democrats as far-left radicals. “The entire Democrat Party has shifted to the left. This is Mamdani’s party now,” Hudson charged. “And every single House Democrat needs to answer for his policies, and they need to let their constituents know, do they stand with Mamdani or not?” But DelBene, firing back, charged that “Republicans have no message, so they’re trying to come up with something.” And discounting the GOP’s messaging, she said: “the folks in Iowa and Arizona aren’t focused on who the mayor of New York is. They’re focused on who’s running for office, who’s going to stand up for them.” DelBene was interviewed as a trio of new national polls indicated Democrats with the upper hand in the 2026 battle for the House majority. “We take nothing for granted,” DelBene cautioned. But she was confident that Democrats will “take back the house in 2026.” “Our number one goal is making sure that we take back those gavels. Have Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, actually have a congress, a House of
WATCH: Democrats struggle to defend Schumer after shutdown ends with few wins
On the heels of a historic 43-day government shutdown, Democrats are facing tough questions about whether the record-breaking standoff was worth it, and whether Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer gave up too soon. After failing to secure the healthcare subsidies they demanded, and with several senators breaking ranks to join Republicans in reopening the government — a move widely seen as a black eye on Schumer’s leadership — Senate Democrats continued to blame President Donald Trump and the GOP for the shutdown when pressed by Fox News Digital. “I’m disappointed and angry that Republicans forced a false and impossible choice between healthcare insurance and reopening the government,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Wednesday. “They promised that there will be a vote on extending the healthcare subsidies. If they fail to provide that vote, or if the vote fails, they should be held accountable. They are to be blamed.” PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS TURN ON PARTY LEADERSHIP AFTER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ENDS WITHOUT HEALTHCARE GUARANTEES Blumenthal charged that it was Republicans who “forced the false choice between reopening the government and affordable health insurance,” which he said has been “viewed reprehensibly by the American people, and rightly so.” Like many of his Democratic colleagues, the Connecticut senator sidestepped a question about whether Schumer could have done more to hold the line on negotiations. SENATE VOTE TO END GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IGNITES DEMOCRAT CIVIL WAR Seven Democratic senators, including one independent who caucuses with them, and six House Democrats voted to reopen the government last week, without extending the pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies that Democrats had pushed for since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. The intraparty revolt has exposed a widening rift between Democratic leadership and its left flank, as progressive candidates accused Schumer of surrendering leverage to Republicans in exchange for a funding deal that left key healthcare priorities unresolved. “We have federal workers across the country that have been missing paychecks. We have SNAP recipients, millions of SNAP recipients across the country whose access to food stability was imperiled, and we have to figure out what that was for,” Ocasio-Cortez said last week, before adding, “We cannot enable this kind of cruelty with our cowardice.” Back on Capitol Hill this week, Democrats were less willing to blame Schumer for the Democrats who broke ranks, instead blaming Republicans for the ultimatum. When asked if the shutdown was worth it, Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, told Fox News Digital that Democrats “should absolutely continue fighting for healthcare.” And Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., said, “I don’t think you can look at a shutdown from that kind of perspective” of whether it was worth it. “I think what’s absolutely clear is that Republicans now own this healthcare crisis,” McBride added. “Americans very clearly understand that it was Republicans who are stopping at nothing to prevent a vote on the Affordable Care Act tax credit, including having been willing to shut down the government.” “I voted against reopening without having secured the changes to healthcare and addressing the healthcare-increase spikes. That remains the focus, that remains the work ahead of us still,” Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said when pressed on the same question and without answering whether the government is headed for another shutdown. Democrats who spoke to Fox News Digital said they hoped the government isn’t headed for another shutdown but maintained that the party should continue to fight for healthcare guarantees. While the government reopened last week, the stopgap funding bill only keeps federal spending at current fiscal-year-2025 levels through Jan. 30 to give Congress more time to negotiate a longer-term appropriations package for fiscal year 2026. If Congress can’t reach a consensus, the government could be headed toward another shutdown. As part of a backroom deal to reopen the government, Senate Democrats were promised a separate vote on extending healthcare subsidies. “I certainly hope we’ll avoid another government shutdown, but, again, Republicans promised a vote on extending the healthcare tax credit subsidies. If they fail to provide that vote, or if the vote fails, they’ll be to blame. They’ll be held accountable,” Blumenthal said. And Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he was looking forward to Republicans having the opportunity to go on the record by voting on the healthcare guarantees this December. As for whether the government is barreling toward another shutdown, Kelly said, “[You] gotta ask the President and the Republicans in the House and Senate.” Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kristen Gillibrand and Elissa Slotkin did not respond to Fox News Digital’s question about whether the shutdown was worth it, and their offices did not immediately respond to further inquiries. When reached for comment, White House Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson flipped the script on the Democrats who placed blame on Republicans for the government shutdown. “Democrats shut down the government and inflicted great pain on the American people because they wanted to use struggling families as ‘leverage’ for their far left agenda,” Jackson told Fox News Digital. “President Trump defeated their absurd gambit and delivered yet another win to the American people, but it’s alarming that even after their ploy failed, Democrats still can’t admit their shutdown hurt the American people,” she added.
It won’t get any better: Washington faces another looming government shutdown
It’s not going to get any better. The government closed down for a record 43 days this fall. And if you thought you’d seen the worst of Congress, it truly won’t get any better when the majority of the federal government could shut down in the wee hours of January 31st. That’s right. Lawmakers have yet to address the very issues which sparked this year’s astonishing shutdown. Some of those are legislative. Some are policy related. And the biggest problems are political. Frankly, the political ones may be the most challenging. Let’s start with the most obvious ways to extinguish a wintertime crisis in Washington. SHUTDOWN IS OVER, BUT WASHINGTON’S BUDGET BRAWL IS JUST GETTING STARTED Included in the interim bill to reopen the government were three bills to fund major sections of the federal government through September 30, 2027 – the end of the current fiscal year. Congress adopted three of the 12 appropriations bills which run the government every year. Those are Legislative Branch for Congress, Military Construction/VA for military building programs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Agriculture. Even though that’s three of the 12 annual spending bills, it’s not anywhere close to a “quarter” of all spending which Congress appropriates annually. More than half of all Congressionally-controlled spending goes to the Pentagon alone. So the House and Senate must pass all nine of the remaining nine annual bills in order to avoid a repeat of this fall at 12:00:01 on Saturday, January 31. That is a tall order. But leading appropriators from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol say there’s been marked progress on these bills. Still, syncing everything up in a little more than two months – with Congress now out of session again this week and slated to be out for Christmas and New Year’s – strikes some as doom date with destiny. Keep in mind that Congress did not stay in session in late July and August to tackle some of those same bills. One wonders why anything will be different now. And we haven’t even gotten to nettlesome questions which lurk in the individual bills themselves. SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026? The “Labor-H” bill, which funds the Department of Labor along with Health and Human Services is always a political thicket. Imagine how tough that bill will be this time, with both sides sparring over policies dictated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about vaccines and other controversial health statements. That’s to say nothing of the core issue which prompted Democrats to oppose funding the government in September: an extension of Obamacare health subsidies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is now promising a vote related to an extension of those tax credits to defray spiking health care cost premiums. But no one knows what that package will look like. Some Republicans, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., are now embracing the subsidies. She’s now retiring in January. Other Republicans are looking at ways to reform the program. Democrats might balk at that. And still other conservatives are using this as an opportunity to possibly torpedo Obamacare – the bane of their existence since 2009. That could be the grandest political irony of all. Imagine a world where Republicans tried from 2009 through 2017 to repeal and replace Obamacare – yet stumbled at every turn. Then in 2025, Democrats refused to vote to fund the government in an effort to prop up Obamacare – and that’s finally what unwound the program. Wow. Moreover, President Trump is threatening to veto any bill which extends the Obamacare subsidies. So we could already find ourselves barreling toward another government shutdown unless Democrats relent from their tactics this fall. Much of what we’ve discussed addresses the legislative and policy disputes which lawmakers must resolve before late January. But the political challenges dwarf those issues. Imagine a coda of what unfolded this fall. Most Democrats refuse to fund the government. But a coalition of some Democrats and most Republicans keep the government afloat to prevent another shutdown. Recriminations inside the Democratic Party will be staggering. Anticipate epic infighting about Democrats executing yet another strategy. There will be calls for the ousters of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., — even though both sided with most Democrats to refrain from funding the government unless there was a deal on health care money. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BECOMING LONGEST IN US HISTORY AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON OBAMACARE Democrats could find themselves entering a civil war in the early days of 2026 – just as they see opportunities to vanquish Republicans at the polls in the 2026 midterms. On paper, Democrats stand a very good chance to win control of the House. The Senate is a reach based on a map which heavily favors the GOP. But Democrats think they could be within striking distance if they hold the seats of retiring Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., would have to win reelection in a competitive state. Democrats would then need to flip the seat of retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., plus flip Ohio and maybe pull an armadillo out of a hat in Texas. It’s not impossible. But very challenging. Internecine squabbling could trip up Democrats on that very narrow Senate pathway. The same with the House. Democrats must appear united heading into the 2026 midterms. But bickering about government shutdown #1 or government shutdown #2 does the party no favors. Republicans aren’t inoculated from tricky politics in 2026 which are tethered to the shutdown(s). Democrats made this fall’s shutdown about health care. And if Republicans don’t bend to the Democrats’ demand to extend the health care subsidies, the GOP may find itself upside down with voters on the topic. If so, Democrats may not have won the government shutdown battle. But perhaps they prevail
Trump terminates deportation protections for Somali nationals living in Minnesota ‘effective immediately’
President Donald Trump Friday evening said he was ending deportation protections for Somalis in Minnesota “effective immediately.” “Minnesota, under Governor [Tim] Walz, is a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He continued, “I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota.” OFFICER INJURED AFTER FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FACE MULTIPLE RAMMING ATTACKS DURING CHARLOTTE IMMIGRATION RAIDS Trump claimed that “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER! President DJT.” Minnesota has a sizable Somali population and the TPS program allows Somali nationals temporary legal status to live and work in the U.S. because of the dangerous conditions in the African country. In the last several years, the state has faced fraud problems, most notably from the Feeding Our Future scheme, which embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID-19 funds. The president’s decision comes as a new investigation from the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, alleged that millions of dollars were being funneled to the Somali terror group Al-Shabaab in connection with the Feeding Our Future scam. MINNESOTA TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNNELED TO AL-SHABAAB TERROR GROUP, REPORT ALLEGES Ryan Thorpe and Christopher F. Rufo of the Manhattan Institute said they had uncovered a web of fraud involving Minnesota’s Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program, Feeding Our Future and other organizations in a report. They added that federal counterterrorism sources confirmed that millions of dollars in stolen funds were sent back to Somalia, which is how Al-Shabaab got the cash. Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office and the White House for comment.
Texas files emergency Supreme Court petition after Trump-backed congressional map blocked by federal judges
Texas on Friday filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court after a ruling by a panel of federal judges blocked the state from using its redrawn congressional map, calling it “racially gerrymandered.” Shortly after filing the petition, Justice Samuel Alito issued an administrative stay, temporarily putting the lower panel’s decision blocking Texas’ new maps on hold. The state asked the high court for an administrative stay on the lower court ruling, noting Texas has an “election already in progress,” referring to congressional primary elections in March. The Supreme Court most recently blocked lower court rulings related to redistricting cases in Louisiana and Alabama. Texas redrew its congressional map last summer in a President Donald Trump-backed effort that could help Republicans gain five seats in next year’s midterms. REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK OVER ‘FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF RACISM’ IN BLOCKBUSTER REDISTRICTING FIGHT U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown, a Trump appointee, joined by U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama, an Obama appointee, in the majority ruling said, “The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map,” the judges said. “But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.” Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee and the third of the three-judge panel, dissented without explanation. REPUBLICANS PROTEST DOUBLE STANDARD AFTER JUDGES CALL TEXAS REDISTRICTING PLAN ‘RACIALLY GERRYMANDERED’ The ruling was a significant blow to the Trump administration. It comes as Trump and his Republican allies have raced to pad the party’s razor-thin House majority in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections, including by imploring some states to launch rare, mid-decade redistricting efforts. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have redrawn their congressional maps as well, and other states like Florida and Kansas are weighing similar efforts. Democratic states are also considering redrawing their maps to counteract Republican efforts. Most prominently, California voters approved by a wide margin earlier this month a plan to redistrict the state in an effort that could wipe out Texas’ new map. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed on Tuesday to appeal to the Supreme Court. “For years, Democrats have engaged in partisan redistricting intended to eliminate Republican representation,” Paxton said. “But when Republicans respond in kind, Democrats rely on false accusations of racism to secure a partisan advantage.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene announces resignation from Congress after President Trump withdraws endorsement
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., announced late Friday she will resign her seat in Congress, one week after President Donald Trump publicly pulled his endorsement of the outspoken Georgia lawmaker. In a lengthy statement posted to X, Greene cited her growing disillusionment with Washington politics, blasting what she called a corrupt “Political Industrial Complex” that she said uses Americans as “pawns in an endless game of division.” “Americans are used by the Political Industrial Complex of both political parties, election cycle after election cycle, in order to elect whichever side can convince Americans to hate the other side more,” Greene wrote. “And the results are always the same — nothing ever gets better for the common American man or woman.” TRUMP DROPS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE ENDORSEMENT, CALLS HER A ‘RANTING LUNATIC,’ HINTS AT BACKING PRIMARY RIVAL Greene said she had “never fit in” in Washington and was leaving Congress to “fight for the people of this country in a different way.” “I believe in term limits and do not think Congress should be a lifelong career or an assisted living facility,” Greene wrote. “My only goal and desire has ever been to hold the Republican Party accountable for the promises it makes to the American people and put America First, and I have fought against Democrat’s damaging policies like the Green New Deal, wide open deadly unsafe border policies, and the trans agenda on children and against women.” Greene criticized her own party’s leadership for what she called a “sidelined” majority more focused on “safe campaign re-election mode” than governing. LAURA LOOMER TEASES GEORGIA MOVE AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE WANTS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE PRIMARIED She accused GOP leaders of ignoring her legislative efforts, including bills to make English the official language of America, criminalize gender-transition procedures for minors, and eliminate H-1B visas that she said replace American jobs. “My bills … just sit collecting dust,” she said. “That’s how it is for most members of Congress’s bills, the Speaker never brings them to the floor for a vote.” Her announcement comes amid political fallout following Trump’s decision last week to withdraw his endorsement, calling Greene “Wacky” and “a ranting lunatic.” MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE APOLOGIZES FOR TAKING PART IN ‘TOXIC POLITICS’ AMID TRUMP ATTACKS Greene, once one of President Trump’s fiercest defenders, acknowledged that his recent public break was “hurtful” but said her faith and convictions remain intact. “My heart remains filled with joy, my life is filled with happiness, and my true convictions remain unchanged because my self worth is not defined by a man, but instead by God who created everything in existence,” she wrote. “I will be resigning from office with my last day being January 5, 2026,” she wrote. “I’m going back to the people I love.” With Greene’s resignation, a special election will be triggered in Georgia’s 14th district, which the Cook Political Report rates as “Solid R.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Office of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
‘Just say yes’: Trump cuts in as NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani dodges on calling him a ‘fascist’ at Oval Office
During an Oval Office media spray Friday, Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich pressed New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on whether he still believes President Donald Trump is a “fascist.” Mamdani began to answer, but before he could finish, Trump cut in from behind the Resolute Desk. “That’s OK,” Trump said, before patting Mamdani’s arm. “You can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.” The full 10-minute exchange capped a wide-ranging meting focused on affordability, housing and public safety and brimmed with tension between Mamdani’s past rhetoric and the political reality of governing alongside the Trump White House. TRUMP, MAMDANI SET TO FACE OFF IN FIRST OVAL OFFICE MEETING — WHAT’S ON THE TABLE Heinrich had earlier asked Mamdani whether he stood by his previous comments describing Trump’s agenda as “fascist” and “despotic.” Mamdani did not give a direct answer, saying only that he intended to work with the president “where we agree” to help the city’s 8.5 million residents. Trump jumped in before he finished, adding with a laugh, “I’ve been called much worse than a despot. Maybe he’ll change his mind.” TRUMP PREDICTS ‘CIVIL’ MEETING WITH MAMDANI DESPITE PAST COMMENTS ABOUT EACH OTHER The moment came after both men publicly emphasized areas of potential cooperation. Trump pointed to falling energy prices and said he wanted utilities, including Con Edison, to lower rates. Mamdani outlined a plan centered on housing, rent, groceries and utilities, saying New Yorkers are facing a “cost-of-living crisis that threatens to push families out of the city.” Heinrich also pressed Trump on Ukraine, asking how his proposed peace plan would work if President Zelenskyy rejected it. Trump replied that Ukraine would “have to like it or keep fighting” and repeated his claim that U.S. support would depend on securing an agreement. He also asserted that casualty numbers in the conflict were “far higher” than publicly reported. DAVID MARCUS: MR. MAMDANI GOES TO WASHINGTON BETWEEN ROCK AND HARD PLACE The spray also touched on public safety, with Mamdani saying he intends to maintain roughly 35,000 NYPD officers while shifting more non-urgent calls away from police and toward mental health responders. Trump said both men shared a goal of removing “very bad people” and making the city safer, adding, “We want New York to thrive again.” The exchange with Heinrich is likely to fuel further scrutiny over how Mamdani balances far-left progressive messaging with the realistic demands of governing. The mayor-elect has proudly identified as a democratic socialist but said he intends to “meet the moment” in partnership with the Trump administration when possible. Trump, who joked that the spray attracted “more reporters than usual,” said he was open to meeting again. Mamdani added the same, saying his goal was to find points of agreement that could “deliver for New Yorkers right away.” The President posted to Truth Social Friday night, documenting the visit with several photos of the two men with the caption, “It was a Great Honor meeting Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor of New York City!” The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Dem House hopeful exposed as far-left activist pushing to abolish police weeks before special election
FIRST ON FOX: The Democratic Party’s candidate seeking to win a House seat in Tennessee’s upcoming special election has a lengthy record of anti-police rhetoric, which she espoused repeatedly on a now-deleted social media account and in interviews prior to becoming a state legislator in 2023. Aftyn Behn, who is running against Republican Matt Van Epps in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election, also worked as a regional organizing director for the nonprofit activist group Indivisible prior to becoming a state legislator. The radical left-wing entity was also a frequent advocate for stripping funding from police departments, calling it “critical” at the height of the defund movement. “Where’s the proposal that dissolves @MNPDNashville?” Behn asked on an old social media account, which has since been deleted, in response to a separate social media post from a Nashville City Council member indicating local officials had submitted a “substitute budget proposal” aiming to strip Nashville police of $2.6 million in funding. KAMALA HARRIS RETURNS TO CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN TRUMP COUNTRY TO BACK ‘AOC OF TENNESSEE’ “If it’s been difficult for all of you to imagine a world without police … we can do it and there is a world,” Behn subsequently said during an interview with a local Nashville advocacy group. Behn posted most of her comments at the height of the “defund the police” movement in 2020 and 2021 after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Amid violent protests that often devolved into dangerous rioting and looting after Floyd’s death, Behn also downplayed the violence and ridiculed White people for criticizing the looting, stating it was simply how minority communities were expressing their grief over Floyd’s death. “Looks like Aftyn is getting a visit from the Ghost of Wokeness Past,” quipped Republican strategist Matt Gorman. “Democrats over and over have been haunted by their past positions they thought they could hide from. Ask Kamala Harris about her advocacy of taxpayer-funded sex change surgeries for illegal immigrant convicts on how that goes.” Behn did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. However, Democrat strategist Eric Koch argued that attacks on Behn have been surging because “Republicans are getting worried in a district that Trump won by over 20 points,” adding that Democrats making this race competitive shows they are in good shape to take back the House in the midterms next year. The special election is scheduled for Dec. 2. While popular in the immediate aftermath of Floyd’s death, the push to “defund the police” has become a political liability for many Democrats running in recent elections. New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani faced criticism in the lead-up to his victory for his past anti-police rhetoric and went on Fox News to apologize. Earlier this month, a progressive candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan was reported to have quietly deleted old social media posts in support of defunding the police. DEM HOUSE HOPEFUL VOWS TO HELP WORKING CLASS DESPITE RECORD OF HIKING TAXES “I’m currently involved in a transformative justice seminar, and so it’s how to imagine a world without police and what that looks like and what community mechanisms look like. How people cannot police themselves,” Behn said during an interview with Nashville Musicians For Change in July 2020. “If it’s been difficult for all of you to imagine a world without police, please tune in to, maybe not this episode, but the next one. Because I’ll talk about things I’m learning and growing as an organizer. Because I think, especially for those of us that are young, and talking to our parents about what police abolition looks like, that we can do it and there is a world.” Behn made her comments as she worked with the left-wing nonprofit Indivisible, which also has a record of pushing to defund the police, calling the effort “critical … to keep everyone safe,” in a Facebook post in 2020. The same year, the group called on people to phone their local, state and federal lawmakers to demand policies and budgets that steer money away from police departments and toward “Black communities.” “Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified,” Behn said in another post in response to polling about who saw the destruction of a Minneapolis police precinct as justified. The precinct burned to the ground, and police were forced to abandon the precinct. Amid the chaos spurred by the death of Floyd that resulted in billions of dollars in damage and multiple lives lost, Behn was also co-hosting a podcast at the time. During one of the episodes, “Black Lives Matter,” Behn argued it “is not for us to decide as privileged White people how marginalized communities express their suffering and their pain and their grieving.” She was referring to the looting and rioting taking place, calling it “a trope” for White people to say the looting was bad. “I would really challenge all of you when you see these stories of looting, and you revert to this law and order type of response, I really challenge you to step back from that and think about what’s driving that,” Behn added of the rioting. “You should not condemn it because you don’t know the first thing about being where they come from and what their generational trauma that has been inflicted upon them by the police, by institutional racism.” SCOOP: TRUMP-ALIGNED MAGA INC. JUMPS INTO HIGH STAKES BALLOT BOX CONGRESSIONAL SHOWDOWN During the same podcast episode, Behn suggested police don’t actually serve to guard and protect Americans. “You think calling the cops is going to save you?” Behn asked her listeners. “Black men are being killed when White women call cops.” Behn also came under fire this week for other comments on her podcast, during which she said she hated her city of Nashville and all the southern-style elements that come with it, like country music. In addition to Behn’s remarks in