Fetterman leans on unlikely GOP ally as Dems sharpen their knives over explosive report
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is under fire over leaked texts with his staff in which he brushed off meetings with a children’s hospital and paralyzed veterans, but he is pushing back, calling the reports “smears” with support from his Republican Pennsylvania colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick. Fetterman broke his silence following a bombshell report based on leaked text messages between him and his staff that portrayed him as brushing off basic duties of being a senator, including meetings with constituents. Fetterman told CNN in a statement that “disgruntled” staffers had concocted the story, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, to knock his reputation. FETTERMAN FACES DEM REVOLT AS BOMBSHELL REPORT FUELS PUSH TO OUST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’ “Per usual — lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous,” Fetterman said. “No matter how many smears or stories, I’m proud to continue to deliver for Pennsylvania,” he continued. The lawmaker’s response follows an explosive report published last week that painted Fetterman as a politician more interested in appearing on Fox News to discuss Israel than meeting with constituents, including a group of paralyzed veterans from his state, and opting to blow off a funeral for slain police officers because it would have taken too long. While other Democratic members of the Pennsylvania delegation were furious with Fetterman, his fellow senator, McCormick, came to his defense. “These stories are the latest example of outrageously disloyal staff and forces on the Left using anonymous leaks to cancel my friend John Fetterman,” McCormick said on X. “They hate that he is an independent thinker who refuses to fall into line so they want to silence him.” WHY TRUMP, GOP ARE COURTING JOHN FETTERMAN, WHO INSISTS HE’LL REMAIN A DEMOCRAT Fetterman and McCormick share a unique relationship in a Congress that has grown increasingly partisan. They’re one of three Senate duos from a purple state, and Fetterman has vowed to not support an opponent when and if McCormick runs for re-election in 2030. “Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend,” Fetterman told reporters. They also launched a joint fundraising effort in July, called Common Ground PA, according to federal financial filings. DNC VICE CHAIR ATTACKS DEMOCRATIC SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN: ‘YOU’RE A MESS’ And the pair spent Labor Day together, per a post from McCormick, where they toured Bell & Evans, a chicken processing company in Pennsylvania. “He and I will continue to work together to deliver for Pennsylvania by saving jobs at US Steel, passing a new law to make housing more affordable, securing $600 million to replace the Delaware River Bridge, and delivering critical funding to protect Presque Isle State Park,” McCormick continued. Still, members of the Pennsylvania delegation and beyond, including the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, are laying the groundwork to oust him. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., a progressive representing southwest Pennsylvania, charged that Fetterman’s behavior was “pathetic,” and said that “this man has no sense of duty.” Whether Fetterman mount a bid for re-election in 2028 remains to be seen. “He is not up for the high office he was elected to — and we in Pennsylvania will do something about it in 2028,” Deluzio said on X.
Trump’s unusual role at midterm convention revealed as schedule goes public
EXCLUSIVE — DALLAS — With an eye toward energizing the GOP’s MAGA base, the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Tuesday announced the speaking order and times of this week’s first-ever GOP midterm convention, and President Donald Trump will be the Primetime headliner both nights. According to the list, which was shared first with Fox News Digital on the eve of the convention, the president will deliver Wednesday’s keynote address, which is tentatively scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET. Trump will return on Thursday evening at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas to close out the convention, with remarks after Vice President JD Vance gives the second night’s keynote speech. With less than two months to go until the midterm elections, Trump and Republicans are gathering in Texas for their historic confab as they aim to energize the party’s base ahead of key races that will determine whether the GOP keeps control of Congress. Supporters of the president traditionally do not turn out in robust numbers when Trump is not on the ballot. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Democrats and Republicans traditionally hold large nominating conventions during presidential election years. But Trump last year floated the idea of a similar gathering ahead of the midterms to showcase the signature policy achievements he and Republicans in Congress have produced over the past two years. The president called the convention “a truly Historic Event” and “a RALLY like none other!” when he announced it earlier this summer. The convention comes as Republicans face energized Democrats and stiff political headwinds as they defend their slim House and Senate majorities in the midterms. But Republicans are expected to paint a contrast, as they use the convention to spotlight the Democrats’ leftward lurch and tie the entire Democratic Party to far-left and socialist proposals. “The midterm election is about the future of our country. President Donald Trump and Republicans are fighting to launch the golden age of America while extreme liberal Democrats want to tear this country apart and create a liberal failed state with their out-of-touch and anti-American views,” RNC chair Joe Gruters argued in a statement to Fox News Digital. THESE 12 MIDTERM RACES WILL DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE SENATE Gruters emphasized that “the choice is clear in November and the American people will reject these liberal policies and deliver historic wins for Republicans across the country.” The DNC, which remains in debt and decided against holding a similar convention, sees the GOP confab as a chance to blast Republicans. “While everyday Americans struggle to pay their bills, fill up their tanks, or put food on the table, Republicans are hosting a multi-million dollar celebration to satisfy an aging and erratic Trump and tie vulnerable Republican candidates closer to his failed agenda,”,” DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer charged. Witmer argued that “Americans don’t want a ‘Trumpapalooza’ — they want lower costs and affordable healthcare.” The convention will also serve as the GOP’s closing argument heading into November. In the fight for the Senate majority, Republican candidates in some of the most crucial races will also address the convention. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the GOP nominee in Texas who is facing off against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the race to replace Republican Sen. John Cornyn, will speak on the first evening. So will former RNC Chair Mike Whatley, who is defending retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat in battleground North Carolina. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio, who is in a pitched fight with former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, will also address the crowd, as will Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, the Republican challenger taking on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in swing state Georgia. Former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, who is hoping to flip a Democrat-held open seat in the key Great Lakes battleground as he runs against far-left Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, speaks on Thursday evening. In the battle for the House, where the GOP holds a razor-thin majority, incumbents and candidates in competitive races will also be in the speaking spotlight. They include Reps. Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, and candidates Mike LiPetri of New York and Jay Feely of Arizona on Wednesday night. Among the House Republican incumbents and candidates in close races speaking on Thursday are Reps. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania and Mike Lawler of New York, along with nominees Greg Cunningham of New Mexico, Derrick Merrin of Ohio and Eric Flores of Texas. STATE OF PLAY: WHO’S UP AND WHO’S DOWN IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS Speaker Mike Johnson will speak on Thursday evening, according to the RNC schedule. Johnson’s Senate counterpart, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), is notably absent from the list of speakers released by the RNC. But a source familiar with the planning tells Fox News Digital that Thune will be in Dallas, with a full schedule that includes helping Senate candidates fundraise. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is running for a fourth term leading the Lone Star State, speaks on Thursday. So does Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the conservative firebrand who is not on the ballot this year but could make a second White House bid in 2028. Meanwhile, some of the biggest names in Trump’s Cabinet are scheduled to speak, including Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday evening, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who spearheaded the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, on Thursday evening.
Government land-grab agenda hits key Senate race as Dem backs property takeovers echoing Mamdani
Graham Platner’s replacement in the Maine Senate race suggested the government should be able to take over private property when necessary, appearing to echo socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s housing agenda. Troy Jackson, a Democrat running for the Senate, came under fire for suggesting the government should be able to take over private property when necessary. The comments drew fresh scrutiny to a candidate the Pine Tree State’s GOP chair previously dubbed “Maine’s Mamdani” to Fox News Digital, as debates over government intervention in housing and private ownership gain new attention. “It’s a major issue. The greed that’s happening right now in this country that people in mobile home parks are feeling is like something I’ve never seen,” Jackson told a small crowd of residents at Blueberry Ridge Mobile Village, one of several Maine trailer parks where concerns about costs, quality-of-life and ownership arose. MAINE DEMOCRATS CROWN TROY JACKSON AS PLATNER REPLACEMENT AS FRESH SCRUTINY CLOUDS SENATE RESET “The other thing that I do hear a lot about, too, is how [landlords] won’t do anything for services. And that is completely unfair and not right. And we have to make that change. I feel strongly that if needed, the state should be able to come in [and] take these places over. Some people will say that that’s insane,” Jackson told the residents in Wells, the town next to the politically-notable Kennebunkport. “But until the people get the chance to start a co-op or whatever, there should be a way to hold these, so that you don’t see private-equity coming in and making the killing on these parks.” PROPERTY OWNER ADVOCACY GROUPS PUSH BACK ON MAMDANI’S ‘RENTAL RIPOFF REPORT,’ PUBLIC DATABASE OF LANDLORDS During his visit, Jackson held up a mason jar of brown water a resident said came from their tap. Jackson said some residents saw their lot rental fees approach $850, adding he once lived at a mobile home park in Aroostook County and understands their plight. “I’m going to add my voice to that every damn day,” he said. “I just can’t imagine owning a home and feeling the threat that you do daily and getting the squeeze and not being able to afford that.” Jackson’s proposal echoes one of the more aggressive elements of Mamdani’s housing agenda: a willingness to use government power to wrest control of troubled properties away from private owners and toward tenants, nonprofits or community stewardship. MAMDANI RIPPED OVER ‘FREAK SHOW’ NEWS CONFERENCE WHERE EVICTION WAS DECLARED A FORM OF ‘VIOLENCE’ Like Mamdani, Jackson was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in his prior unsuccessful gubernatorial primary bid earlier this year. Mamdani’s Block by Block housing plan, released in May, calls for aggressive legal action against negligent landlords and says chronically neglected properties could be transferred to community land trusts, nonprofits or tenants. BERNIE-BACKED SOCIALIST WHO ALLIED WITH PLATNER COULD SUPPLANT HIM ON BALLOT “Through the Open-Door program and by supporting community land trusts, we will remove negligent owners and property managers of buildings suffering from chronic neglect or mired in foreclosure and shift ownership to responsible community stewards,” Mamdani said in June. While Mamdani’s more nationally-visible rent-freeze plans are materially different from Jackson’s considerations, they share a common thread: the government should intervene in the housing market when politicians believe pricing or practices are untoward. MAMDANI’S $22 BILLION HOUSING LUNACY PROPOSAL WILL SOCIALIZE THE SKYLINE That commonality led to Jackson being lambasted after the fact. “Another full-on Communist running for office,” said Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer [Ret.], a former intelligence officer, posted to X. “Troy Jackson is ready to violate the rights of Mainers because he feels that they make too much money engaging in free market commerce,” Shaffer tweeted. “Spoken here like the true Stalinist he is.” RESURFACED ASSAULT REPORT PUTS DEM SENATE NOMINEE IN GOP CROSSHAIRS: ‘GRAHAM PLATNER 2.0’ The Republican National Committee also caught wind of Jackson’s comments, tweeting through their rapid-response arm. “Troy Jackson wants the government to seize private property from Mainers,” they wrote. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Maine law already gives mobile home park residents a limited pathway to take ownership when a park is put up for sale. Under Title 10, Section 9094-A, a group of mobile home owners or a residents’ association has the first option to purchase the park and generally has 60 days after notice of an intended sale to submit an offer. Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson’s and Collins’ campaigns and Mamdani for comment.
Major blue state hospital pulls plug on controversial child transgender treatments after DOJ intervention
One of the largest hospitals in New York City will stop providing sex reassignment procedures to minors after entering an agreement with the Trump administration. Mount Sinai has provided sex reassignment services, which included hormonal therapy and surgeries, to thousands of transgender patients. In 2025, Mount Sinai’s Institute for Advanced Medicine reported that its providers saw 4,931 transgender and gender-diverse patients, but the exact number of minors receiving sex reassignment procedures has not been publicly disclosed, according to the hospital’s report. “The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable medical providers that violate federal law and endanger children through so-called gender-affirming care,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This agreement puts an end to these practices at Mount Sinai and provides meaningful relief for individuals who have already suffered harm.” LARGEST CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN US TO OPEN ‘DETRANSITION CLINIC’ AFTER $10M SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP DOJ, STATE The agreement includes a monetary penalty and requires Mount Sinai to dedicate $2 million to free medical care for people suffering harmful consequences from transgender treatments they received as children. The agreement comes as part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into hospitals providing such procedures to minors. “A growing number of hospitals, like Mount Sinai, have recognized the medical scandal of sex-rejecting procedures,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Civil Division said in a statement. “While we are grateful when we secure resolutions to end this discredited practice and protect children, we must not and will not rest in our pursuit of justice for the victims it has left behind.” Curbing sex reassignment procedures for minors has been a top priority under the Trump administration. JD VANCE CALLS ON DOJ TO PROSECUTE ALLEGED FRAUD IN TEEN TRANSGENDER TREATMENT Just a week after being sworn into office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” seeking to defund federal funding to gender reassignment procedure and directing the Justice Department to enforce the nation’s female genital mutilation laws, investigation drug-safety violations and potential parental rights violations. The Justice Department’s investigation examines potential violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act and other federal health care laws, including alleged fraudulent billing practices such as the use of false diagnosis codes to obtain payment from federal health care programs and private insurers, according to the department. The executive order also directed federal agencies to rescind or amend policies that rely on guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). WPATH, a professional association that develops standards of care for transgender and gender-diverse patients, is being sued by the Federal Trade Commission and several states, which allege the group made false and unsubstantiated claims about the safety, effectiveness and medical necessity of pediatric medical-transition services. The case is pending. COLORADO SUPREME COURT ORDERS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO RESUME GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS FOR MINORS WPATH’s medical guidelines served as the bedrock for Mount Sinai’s medical guidelines for transgender procedures, and Dr. Joshua Safer, Executive Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, has co-authored WPATH guidelines. The Justice Department did not release the details of the agreement with Mount Sinai but acknowledged that the hospital “remained cooperative, proactive, and solution-driven” at all times of the investigation. “The settlement is complex, but at its core reflects Mount Sinai’s commitment to safeguarding our patients’ confidential information and protecting our clinicians,” Mount Sinai said in a statement to the New York Times. Mount Sinai’s settlement is just the latest the Justice Department has reached with major hospitals providing transgender procedures. Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Connecticut Children’s Hospital have all agreed to halt youth transgender procedures all in the past couple of months. Fox News Digital reached out to Mount Sinai for comment.
Reporter’s Notebook: Dem rebels expose cracks in Jeffries’ House leadership
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, may retire from Congress next year with a reputation that is anything but gilded among his fellow Democrats. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., is seeking re-election in a competitive district. But some of her colleagues may consider “MGP” to be notorious if she returns to Capitol Hill in January. The House of Representatives is now out — again — until Sept. 14. That follows a six-week sabbatical over the summer. But were it not for Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, House Republican leaders may have had no other choice but to send members home early a few days ago. The duo committed something close to a parliamentary heresy, handing the GOP the necessary votes on a procedural matter to unlock the floor for the majority. Republicans lacked the votes to do it on their own – had Golden and Gluesenkamp not intervened. JEFFRIES THREATENS ‘SERIOUS RESPONSE’ AFTER DEMOCRATS HELP GOP ADVANCE ANTI-SOCIALISM VOTE However, the most schismatic betrayal was that neither one briefed Democratic leaders on what they planned to do. Congressional leaders from both sides are never pleased with members who stray from the party line. Especially on a procedural vote, which is almost always the responsibility of the majority to pass. But at the very least, leaders like to be clued in. They might give someone a pass if they understand the reasoning. “Did they give you a heads up that they were going to vote with Republicans on that rule?” asked Fox News’ Kelly Phares of House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass. “They did not. They surprised us,” answered Clark. Yours truly observed to Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., that in politics it’s always best to “stab someone in the front” rather than “in the back.” “There’s a lot to be said for that,” replied Kennedy. Let’s start with the nature of the dissent by Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez. Most major pieces of legislation in the House need what’s called a “rule” before the body can debate the measure. The House must debate and approve a “rule,” dictating how much time and what amendments would be in order. The House can’t debate a bill until it first OKs a rule. And except on rare occasions, the majority party is expected to carry the rule. It’s simply something the minority party rarely assists with – except in extreme circumstances. Last week, the House planned to debate a resolution to condemn socialism, green-light the SAVE America Act, maintain the number of justices on the Supreme Court at nine and consider a plan to help the nation’s lobster industry. The House adopted the rule, 210-208. However, five Republicans voted nay on the rule. It’s about the math. Those GOP defections would have killed the rule and frozen the floor for the rest of the week. In fact, the vote may have compelled House Republican leaders to cut everyone loose from Capitol Hill. The House was stalled considering any legislative traffic. TENSIONS ERUPT IN HOUSE HEARING AS GOP ADVANCES ANTI-SOCIALISM RESOLUTION WHILE DEMS RAGE: ‘SILLY SEASON’ But Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez voted yes, unlocking the floor for the remainder of the week. Democrats seethed at their colleagues for blindsiding them. “The two Democrats who have voted to move a procedural bill forward didn’t do the right thing,” said Kennedy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Clark and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., issued a rare, joint condemnation of the dissenting duo. They characterized the revolt “a significant breach of trust,” adding it “necessitates a serious response.” “It’s a mistake to vote against our caucus. We have to be unified,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa. Golden said he voted with Republicans so the House could pass the bill safeguarding Maine’s lobster industry. “It’s about protecting the working-class communities those men and women support. In my district, lobster fishing is the backbone of towns up and down the coast,” said Golden. “In some towns, 20 to 40% of residents hold a lobster license.” Political observers view the infighting as a misstep for the party ahead of November. “As a member, you should be able to communicate with your leaders and how you intend to vote,” said Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev. “Something was skipped along the way.” While some lawmakers blamed Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, others said this was the fault of Jeffries. Others put it on Clark. Still, there were those pinning this on the entire leadership team. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., knows something about his own members undercutting him. Republicans stripped McCarthy of the speaker’s gavel nearly three years ago. But the California Republican believes the problem with Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez falls on the shoulder of Jeffries. “You would know who would be the five to eight Democrats who would leverage that [vote],” said McCarthy. “You would have reached out to them.” One former Democratic aide noted that it wasn’t even what Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar said in their statement. But it was the very fact that a statement appeared. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., never would have sent a statement. Her leadership power was implicit. Everyone knew not to cross her. Or, if there was an issue, at least have a conversation. HOUSE CONSERVATIVES DERAIL GOP AGENDA IN SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWDOWN Jeffries has not been the House’s top Democrat in the majority. That could change if Democrats win the House this fall. But McCarthy argued the statement said a lot about Jeffries. “If Hakeem has to put out a statement that he’s strong, it’s a sign that he is weak,” said McCarthy. One senior House Democratic leadership source said rank-and-file members demanded accountability by Jeffries. Golden is done in January. Gluesenkamp Perez has repeatedly defied political gravity in a district which favors President Donald Trump. The source didn’t believe anything Machiavellian was afoot between Democratic leaders and Gluesenkamp Perez. But the source indicated that Gluesenkamp Perez tussling with the Democratic brass probably helps the Washington Democrat back home. Still, some Democrats
Families of 9/11 victims’ message to Mamdani: ‘Please do not come’ to memorial ceremony
A coalition of 9/11 family members, first responders, and elected officials gathered on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday to deliver a message to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani: stay away from this year’s Sept. 11 memorial service. “This mayor is not serving us,” Charles Wolf, who lost his wife on 9/11, said at noon news conference. “He’s serving himself. We are asking respectfully that he not show up.” “Even though there is going to be other politicians there, these are the politicians that helped us push beneficial laws through and literally held our hand during that time,” Wolf continued. “Mayor Mamdani has not shown any of that, none of it. He just wants to be there because he wants to be there.” “So we are asking him to respect the fact that that trauma is revived during the ceremony. It is a private ceremony. It is not a public ceremony. Mayor Mamdani, please do not come.“ TRUMP POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDS MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO 9/11’S ‘MAN IN RED BANDANA’ New York City Council Member Vickie Paladino, a staunch, outspoken conservative, said she was leading organizers and family members into City Hall to formally deliver petition with more than 101,000 signatures directly to the mayor’s office ahead of Friday’s 25th anniversary service. “I am demanding that he not show his face at that sacred ground,” Paladino said. “He does not belong there.” “We the people do not care for Zohran Mamdani – 101,000 names is not a drop in the bucket. Do not, Zohran Mamdani, take us New Yorkers for granted. We were there that day. The sky looked very similar to this. Stay put. Stay in City Hall and promote your propaganda.” Organized by Giovanni Galante — whose wife, Grace, was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks — the petition asks that the sacred anniversary remain a solemn, distraction-free day of mourning rather than a backdrop for political presence. “We don’t believe in what he believes in, and we really want us to be left alone,” Galante said. “This 25th anniversary is for victims and survivors to blend in and pray that day for all the families — not have a circus around us.” MAMDANI UNDER FIRE AFTER SYMBOLIC 9/11 PEN GOES TO FORMER AL QAEDA DEFENSE LAWYER The sentiment was echoed by other grieving family members who stressed that the Sept. 11 memorial service is a private, sacred space for victims’ relatives to gather in peace. “If we feel that we don’t want someone at our world-class memorial museum that’s sacred and hallowed, we feel that that person should respect our wishes,” said Monica Iken, whose husband, Michael, was killed in the attacks. “He didn’t go to the 20th. .. so I don’t know why he’s so adamant about going to this one when we just ask that he just respect us from 7 to 11 and let us have our mourning.” The objections stem directly from the mayor’s current policy positions, political associations, and key appointments, according to the speakers at the news conference. Cheri Sparacio, whose husband, Tom, was killed in the South Tower, said the petition was not about the mayor’s background or faith, but his public actions. She noted Mamdani’s appointment of chief counsel Ramzi Kassem — who previously represented individuals accused of terror ties — and his past ties to figures who have downplayed terror threats. “That is what we object to,” she said. NYC Council Member Joann Ariola, also a Republican, accused the mayor of attempting to deflect from the families’ concerns with performative announcements leading up to the event, rebuking the fact he has surrounded himself with advisers holding views hostile to core American values. “Other politicians will be there, no one will speak — it is about the survivors and about those who were murdered that day,” Ariola said. “Mayor Mamdani, for once, listen to your constituents and not your influencers and stay away from an event, a ceremonial commemoration of the lives that were lost on 9/11.”
Iran-backed attacks threaten a second major oil chokepoint as new risk emerges for US consumers
Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck Saudi Arabia with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones Tuesday, hitting multiple energy targets, including the facilities of the world’s largest oil company. The attacks on Aramco, the state-owned national oil company of Saudi Arabia that produces 10 million barrels of oil per day, threaten to tighten pressure on a second critical oil route as the Middle East war continues to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Aramco notably supplies roughly 10% of the world’s total oil demand. And attacks on its facilities raise the risk of higher oil, shipping and transportation costs that could hit U.S. consumers in coming months — just in time for the 2026 midterm elections. IRAN CALLS ON HOUTHIS TO PREPARE TO CUT OFF RED SEA GATEWAY — CAN THE TERROR GROUP DO IT? The attacks hit the southern Saudi Arabian cities of Jazan, Najran, Abha and Khamis Mushait, wounding 73 people and sparking fires at energy facilities and utilities that temporarily forced some operations to stop, according to Saudi officials. The Jazan site includes a refinery capable of processing roughly 400,000 barrels of crude per day, according to the Associated Press. Tuesday’s strikes land at a particularly vulnerable moment for global energy markets. With oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz sharply reduced, Saudi Arabia has redirected more crude toward the Red Sea — increasing the importance of the Bab el-Mandeb, where the Houthis have already threatened and attacked Saudi-linked shipping. The Energy Information Administration estimates that just 4.9 million barrels of oil and petroleum liquids moved through Hormuz per day in the second quarter of 2026, down from 21.6 million barrels per day before the conflict. Before the conflict 20% of the world’s oil moved through the consequential waterway. Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb, meanwhile, averaged 8.1 million barrels per day during the quarter as Saudi Arabia redirected more crude to bypass Hormuz amid ongoing conflict. That creates a potentially costly vulnerability: renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure or commercial vessels could put pressure on two crucial oil routes at once, raising the risk of higher crude, shipping and transportation costs that could eventually reach U.S. consumers. Brent crude was trading near $99 per barrel Tuesday. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s strikes, saying the group had used “dozens of ballistic missiles and drones” against Aramco facilities, the Jazan industrial zone and a Saudi air base, according to Xinhua. RUBIO ACCUSES IRAN OF FLYING IRGC PERSONNEL INTO YEMEN AS HOUTHI THREAT ESCALATES The Houthis said the operation was retaliation for Saudi airstrikes in Yemen and threatened “stronger and wider strikes” if Riyadh’s military campaign continues. The escalation also comes with a warning already issued by President Donald Trump. After the Houthis struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea in July, Trump said the U.S. would hold Iran responsible if the group attacked ships again and threatened “major military punishment” against both Tehran and the Houthis. “If they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves,” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. The warning followed the Houthis’ announcement of a maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia and attacks on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea. The escalation sent Brent crude above $100 per barrel amid fears that disruption could spread from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab el-Mandeb. The latest strikes targeted Saudi territory and energy infrastructure rather than ships, leaving unclear whether the White House considers them to cross the line Trump drew in July. It creates a new test for the administration as Houthi attacks increasingly intersect with the wider conflict over Iran and regional energy supplies. The Trump administration has previously authorized U.S. strikes against Houthi weapons and infrastructure in Yemen in response to attacks and threats against American forces and shipping. A White House report says Trump directed those actions to defend U.S. forces and protect American national-security interests. The U.S. Maritime Administration also maintains an active advisory warning that the Houthis continue to pose a threat to commercial vessels in the southern Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden. From November 2023 through October 2025, the Houthis carried out more than 100 attacks on commercial vessels affecting more than 60 nations, according to the MARAD advisory. The attacks forced major shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea and reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding time to voyages and increasing fuel, freight and insurance costs. The Houthis renewed that threat in July when they targeted Saudi oil tankers and threatened a blockade of Saudi shipping through the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia’s increased reliance on the route makes another sustained disruption potentially more consequential. The EIA says alternate routes used to bypass disrupted waterways are longer, more expensive and limited in capacity. The latest strikes threaten to revive pressure on the Red Sea route just as the Iran conflict has made the Persian Gulf route more difficult to use. The Houthis may lack the capability to permanently close the Bab el-Mandeb, but repeated missile, drone or tanker attacks could still reduce traffic through the waterway if shipping companies determine the risks are too high. Saudi Arabia condemned Tuesday’s strikes on civilian and economic assets and vowed to defend its territory. The Saudi-led coalition described the attacks as a “dangerous escalation” and said it would take measures to deter further attacks. The immediate economic impact will depend on how quickly Saudi Arabia restores affected operations and whether commercial shipping continues moving through the Bab el-Mandeb. The next test could be whether the Houthis again target tankers or other commercial vessels. Another attack could put greater pressure on a waterway carrying an increased share of Middle Eastern oil — while also testing Trump’s warning that renewed Houthi attacks on shipping would bring U.S. retaliation against both
Newsom admits democratic socialist ideas ‘mainstream’ in Democrat party: ‘Pretty aligned’
In an interview discussing his rumored 2028 presidential run, California Gov. Gavin Newsom asserted that the Democratic Party is “pretty aligned” with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), especially when it comes to universal healthcare, climate change and moving away from fossil fuel usage. During an interview with “PBS NewsHour,” Newsom was questioned about what recent democratic socialist victories across the country mean for the Democratic Party. “If you have these candidates and this platform that is clearly animating the base, energizing turnout, should more of those ideas be worked into the broader Democratic platform?” Newsom was asked. “I think they are,” Newsom shot back. “I mean, we want money out of politics. I’ve been supporting clean money campaigns for decades.” NEWSOM TELLS DEMOCRATS TO BE IN THE ‘ADDITION NOT SUBTRACTION’ BUSINESS WITH SOCIALISTS The interviewer pressed Newsom further, saying, “There seems to be some distance between [Democratic] leadership and those DSA candidates.” “But, not the ideas,” Newsom responded. “I believe in universal healthcare, and I believe in Medicare for All, the party does overwhelmingly,” he said. “And so, if it’s about more money in your pocket, lowering costs, getting money out of politics, if it’s about Medicare for All, I think we’re pretty aligned.” He added, “It’s about recognizing that we’ve got a planet that is getting hotter and drier and that we’ve got to address the issue of climate change, we want energy security, and we want to move off fossil fuels. That’s a DSA position, that’s a mainstream position within the Democratic Party.” Newsom dismissed worry about democratic socialist influence in American politics, saying, “I think in many ways, it’s just a label … it’s just such a familiar label to me, we call them progressives.” NEWSOM HIT WITH LAWSUIT THREAT AS WHISTLEBLOWER BEGS TRUMP FOR HELP WITH ‘MONUMENTAL’ FRAUD SCANDAL “Maybe it’s just because I’m from California and I think it’s healthy … I’m not consumed by this,” the governor continued, adding that the DSA’s ideas reflect “aspects and component parts of our party that we’ve always had, and it’s a healthy dialectic within the party.” Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for additional comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to the DSA and to the Democratic National Committee for comment. The DSA is the pre-eminent socialist political group in the U.S. This year, the group rolled out an updated platform that includes eliminating the Senate and replacing the president and the Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by Congress. Additionally, the updated platform includes amnesty for all immigrants and defunding the Department of War. JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM DODGES QUESTION ON HUSBAND GAVIN’S PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS This is in addition to the DSA’s already existing policy platform, which calls for an “immediate end to all deportations,” free migration between countries without restrictive immigration controls, and “extending full voting rights to people with criminal convictions and noncitizens.” Once considered a fringe movement on the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, the DSA has been gaining relevance, with several of its members toppling longtime establishment party figures. This has prompted many to speculate that the DSA represents the Democratic Party’s future.
Trump posthumously awards Medal of Freedom to 9/11’s ‘man in red bandana’
President Donald Trump honored deceased volunteer firefighter Welles Crowther – also known as the “man in the red bandana” – with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday. Speaking during Tunnel to Towers’ “Steel Across America” event in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, President Donald Trump praised Crowther, whose actions during 9/11 saved up to 18 people’s lives, sparking nationwide admiration and a series of documentary features on his bravery. “Today we also remember another hero of 9/11. After the plane hit the south tower, a group of people on the 78th floor were trapped with broken bones, charred skin and eyes and lungs filled with black smoke. Death was all about them. It was certain they were sure they were going to die. Then suddenly a rescuer appeared. They call him the man in the red bandana. Have you heard that term? The man in the red bandana has become more famous than me. I don’t like it. Very unhappy. But he’s become much more famous than me,” Trump joked. “He’s the man in the red bandana. He had found the only stairwell that barely survived. The stairwells were all knocked down. You couldn’t get by. Impassable. He found an opening in one of the stairwells, and the impact was so great there was no other way down but this one little opening, this one little hole. And [he] traveled down from the 104th floor to look for those trapped and dying,” Trump continued. First responders honor World Trade Center beam arriving at Boston fallen heroes memorial “When he heard cries for help on the 78th floor, he began extinguishing the fires, blocking the exit, directing survivors who could walk, of which there weren’t that many. He helped them out physically. They literally pulled him out toward the only working stairwell and carried those who couldn’t walk. And he just did things that people said were not even imaginable because they knew they were dead. They said, ‘we’re goners.’ One guy was screaming, ‘we’re goners! We’re goners!’ He didn’t know those he helped and, nor who would have known, but he willingly made all of these trips up and down, up and down, up and down, over and over again, saving life after life,” Trump added. Rutgers unveils special uniforms to honor 37 alumni killed in September 11 attacks “That rescuer was a 24-year-old equities trader and volunteer firefighter from Rockland County named Welles Crowther. And Welles’ father, also a firefighter, great firefighter, had given him that bandana as a very special tribute when he was a boy. He probably knew something about his son. When asked why he always kept it, Welles replied ‘with this red bandana, I’m going to change the world. I’m going to change the world with this bandana.’ Little did he know, on September 11th Welles saved many, many people before losing his own life in the South Tower lobby. When the building came down, he was in the lobby and that building came down, thousands of tons of steel,” Trump said. “Today, in honor of his incredible bravery and all of the other countless unknown acts of heroism that day, it is my privilege to award the very special, the highest honor that we give, the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. We want to award that to Welles and the Welles family. Wells is up there looking down at his mom and his sister, his family,” Trump said. Trump was speaking during the Tunnel to Towers’ “Steel Across America” event, in which the organization takes a 16,900 lb steel beam that came from the World Trade Center’s South Tower across the country. The president also invited Crowther’s mother on stage to speak about her son after reminding the crowd that he had promised her earlier to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to her son. FRANK SILLER: ‘I love you, brother’ — the 9/11 loss that inspired a mission of service “That Welles’ light still shines brilliantly today, even after 25 years, is testament to his legacy of courage, compassion and love for humanity that continues to inspire and uplift others,” Alison Crowther said. “Wells, however, would not have been able to do what he did as effectively on 9/11 if it had not been for the training and experience he gained as a member of Empire Hook and Ladder Company Number one of Upper Nyack. Empire is a volunteer company and the members are fully trained firefighters. They have other jobs and responsibilities, businesses to run and their own families. But when the alarm goes off at any time, day or night, they respond to the call to save life and property. This is a calling. And Welles – following in the footsteps of his father, Jefferson – joined Empire at the age of 16. He was no longer an equities trader on 9/11, he was a firefighter,” she said.
Dem city bashed for policy ‘encouraging criminal illegal aliens’ as rap sheets revealed: ‘Lives on the line’
A Democrat-dominated city council in Danbury, Connecticut, is facing backlash over new police guidance that the Department of Homeland Security says is “encouraging criminal illegal aliens.” The City Council voted 18-2 last week to approve non-citizen legal immigrants and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients serving as police officers. One city council member, Democrat Joe Britton, remarked that the vote was “timely” considering recent ICE operations in the area and “sends a message to our immigrant community at large that you are welcome in Danbury.” In response, a spokesperson for DHS fired back that the City Council “should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from Connecticut — NOT vilifying law enforcement.” “An oath of office is a commitment to upholding the law, not encouraging criminal illegal aliens to break it,” the spokesperson added, saying that “while these people smear ICE, law enforcement is arresting criminals and saving countless American lives.” NON-CITIZEN POLICE OFFICERS APPROVED AFTER DEM SAYS ICE ‘INVASION’ ‘SENDS A MESSAGE’ Britton denied these claims, telling Fox News Digital that “DHS is attacking an argument I never made” and “I have no objection to arresting violent criminals.” August ICE operations in Connecticut resulted in more than 65 arrests, according to an ICE news release. The arrests prompted public outrage in the community, including from city officials such as Britton, who called the raids “frightening” and a “federal invasion of immigration officials in Danbury.” DHS, however, told Fox News Digital that ICE arrested illegal immigrants with criminal convictions including assault, sexual assault, false imprisonment and molestation of a minor. One arrestee, Eddy Ruano, from Guatemala, was convicted of molestation of a minor, according to DHS. Another Guatemalan national, Ericko Valenuela-Chua, was arrested in Connecticut after being convicted of sex assault-carnal abuse, sex assault and assault. BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN FIRES BACK AFTER DEMOCRAT CHRIS MURPHY CLAIMS ICE IS ‘TERRORIZING LITTLE KIDS’ A Nicaraguan national, Elvin Caceres-Martinez, was also arrested during the operation and was convicted of assault, weapon offense, aggravated assault with a gun, aggravated assault of a non-family with strongarm and carrying a prohibited weapon. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian national Frank Guaman, convicted of sex assault and false imprisonment, was also arrested in the operation. The DHS spokesperson stressed that “the vilification of ICE must stop” as “America’s brave ICE agents put their lives on the line every day to enforce U.S. law and arrest criminal illegal aliens — including gang members, rapists, and murderers.” Regarding Britton’s critiques of ICE in the area, the spokesperson said that “this type of rhetoric is contributing to a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line.” WHITE HOUSE BRINGS RECEIPTS AFTER MEDIA CLAIMS NONCRIMINAL ICE ARRESTS ‘SOARING’: ‘FALSE NARRATIVES’ Fox News Digital also reached out to the office of Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves for comment. Britton told Fox News Digital that “DHS is attacking an argument I never made.” “I have no objection to arresting violent criminals,” said Britton. “What I object to is using a handful of serious criminal cases to justify fear-driven enforcement tactics that make entire immigrant communities feel targeted.” He said that “Danbury is safer when residents trust local government and law enforcement, not when innocent families are afraid that simply going to work, school, or church could put them in the middle of an immigration raid and subject themselves to detention or arrest.” Britton added that “supporting law enforcement does not require remaining silent when federal enforcement creates unnecessary fear in our community.”