Trump targets Minnesota fraud allegations, says ‘we’re going to get to the bottom of it’
President Donald Trump railed against alleged social services fraud in Minnesota during remarks at his New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday. “Can you imagine they stole $18 billion,” Trump said. “That’s just what we’re learning about. That’s peanuts. And California is worse, Illinois is worse and sadly New York is worse.” Trump continued, “We’re going to get to the bottom of all those. It was a giant scam.” Trump added that he saw Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., on television earlier Wednesday talking about the alleged fraud involving the Somali community. VP DEBATE FOOTAGE OF WALZ TOUTING STATE SUPPORT FOR DAYCARES GOES VIRAL AMID MINNESOTA FRAUD ALLEGATIONS “He was talking about the Somalia population and not very nicely,” Trump said. Trump’s comments came as Minnesota has been hit with widespread fraud allegations, with losses estimated at up to $1 billion, and federal prosecutors have indicted and charged dozens of people in connection with the alleged fraudulent activity. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a stark warning Wednesday that “people will be in handcuffs” as fallout expands from widespread fraud allegations under Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS “President Trump is not going to let Governor Walz off the hook,” Leavitt said on “Fox & Friends.” Walz has come under scrutiny since the fraud issue came to light, and has publicly acknowledged the problem while pledging to address it, saying the situation “is on my watch” and that he is “accountable” for fixing it. Leavitt added that the Trump administration has increased federal resources to Minnesota, with multiple agencies conducting investigations relating to the alleged fraud. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it would freeze all child care payments to Minnesota, amid mounting scrutiny over accusations of fraud involving child daycare centers across Minnesota.
DOJ outlines 10 ‘wins’ under Trump, says agency restored after Biden era
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday outlined a list of its accomplishments during President Donald Trump’s first year back in office, arguing that the agency has ended the political weaponization it says existed under the Biden administration. The DOJ claimed in a statement posted on X that it has “turned around” the agency, restoring fairness and law enforcement priorities. “Instead of keeping Americans safe, the Biden DOJ weaponized its power against political opponents: conservatives, parents, pro-lifers, Christians, and most of all, President Trump,” the DOJ stated. The DOJ said that after President Trump inherited a justice system it described as “in chaos,” he charged the department with restoring “integrity, accountability and equal justice under the law.” FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL BACKS TRUMP’S DC POLICE TAKEOVER: ‘WHEN YOU LET GOOD COPS BE COPS, THEY DELIVER’ “In 2025, the DOJ returned to its core mission: upholding the rule of law, vigorously prosecuting criminals, and keeping the American people safe,” the department wrote. The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to face legal challenges and the Justice Department faces potential legal action after missing a statutory deadline deadline to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The DOJ outlined 10 “wins” since President Trump took office on Jan. 20, including efforts to pursue major fraud cases, particularly in Minnesota, which it described as “rife with fraud.” MIKE DAVIS: JUSTICE IS COMING FOR PERPETRATORS OF ARCTIC FROST According to the DOJ, 98 people have been charged — including 85 individuals identified as being of Somali descent — in Medicaid fraud and related case programs, leading to 64 convictions to date. The statement outlines actions taken to roll back policies it said were targeting conservatives and parents, reduce crime nationwide, increase law enforcement activity in major cities, seize record amounts of illegal drugs and secure favorable rulings at the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X that the bureau is working to restore trust in federal law enforcement. “Dismantling public corruption is a top priority of our leadership team here — we’ve worked day and night on that mission and will continue to do so until justice is done,” he wrote. The Justice Department said more enforcement actions are planned in 2026, signaling an escalation of arrests, court victories and action “against those who threaten the safety and well-being of the American people.”
Here’s where Trump launched airstrikes around the world in 2025: ‘Protect the homeland’
Though touting himself as the peace president, President Donald Trump has not been afraid to unleash lethal rocket strikes on U.S. enemies when he feels the need arises. In 2025, Trump ordered strikes on nine different countries and regions in the interest of furthering U.S. national security. Here are the countries, groups and regions that felt the power of the U.S. military in action this year. Throughout the year, the U.S. has continued to conduct airstrikes against ISIS factions and al-Shabab in Somalia. According to a U.S. Africa Command statement, a Feb. 1 airstrike targeting a series of cave complexes in northern Somalia killed 14 ISIS-Somalia operatives, including Ahmed Maeleninine, a key ISIS recruiter, financier and external operations leader responsible for deploying militants into the U.S. and across Europe. RUBIO IDENTIFIES ‘SINGLE MOST SERIOUS THREAT’ TO THE US FROM WESTERN HEMISPHERE Thousands of miles from U.S., sovereign territory, the Trump Department of War unleashed lethal strikes on Iran-backed Houthi terror fighters in Yemen as part of a mission dubbed “Operation Rough Rider.” The strikes were in response to attacks against U.S. military and commercial vessels traveling through the Red Sea. Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for the Department of War, said in May that U.S. Central Command strikes had been carried out since March and had “hit over 1,000 targets, killing Houthi fighters and leaders and degrading their capabilities.” Parnell called the strikes “hugely successful.” On May 6, the Houthis agreed to a ceasefire with the U.S., and the fighters have not carried out any attacks on U.S. vessels since, though they have targeted ships from other nations. On March 13, U.S. Central Command carried out an airstrike in Iraq’s Al Anbar province that killed the No. 2 ISIS leader, Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, and another ISIS operative. POLICY GROUP PRAISES TRUMP’S 100 GLOBAL WINS SINCE TAKING OFFICE, FROM CARTEL CRACKDOWNS TO PEACE DEALS At Trump’s direction, the U.S. military launched a strike on three Iranian nuclear sites in a mission that went from June 21-22. During the operation, “Midnight Hammer,” B-2 stealth bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and dropped over a dozen bunker buster bombs and launched more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles on key Iranian nuclear sites. According to the Pentagon, the strikes decimated Iran’s nuclear capabilities and led to a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The operation, however, was highly controversial, with some Democratic lawmakers accusing Trump of escalating tensions and downplaying the effectiveness of the strikes. Iran launched a counterattack on the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, but there were no reported casualties. As part of what the Department of War dubbed “Operation Southern Spear,” the U.S. unleashed 33 strikes on allefed drug boats traveling in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, killing over 100 traffickers. UKRAINE–RUSSIA AT A CROSSROADS: HOW THE WAR EVOLVED IN 2025 AND WHAT COMES NEXT The strikes garnered significant criticism, with some Democrats accusing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth of war crimes. The Pentagon described the operation as a counter-narco-terrorism campaign against designated terror organizations “taken in defense of vital U.S. national interests and to protect the homeland.” In response to two U.S. service members being killed in Syria, the U.S. unleashed Operation Hawkeye Dec.19. U.S. and allied forces employed more than 100 precision munitions targeting over 70 known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites across central Syria, resulting in the deaths or detention of 23 terrorist operatives. Hegseth called the airstrikes “a declaration of vengeance” in direct response to the ISIS attack that took place on Dec. 13 in Palmyra, Syria. According to Central Command, U.S. and partner forces in Syria have conducted operations during the last 12 months that resulted in more than 300 terrorists being detained. On Christmas night, the U.S. launched strikes on ISIS-linked military forces in coordination with the Nigerian government in Sokoto State in northwestern Nigeria. Trump said he ordered U.S. airstrikes in northwest Nigeria against ISIS militants who, he says, “have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years.” TRUMP CASTS MADURO’S OUSTER AS ‘SMART’ MOVE AS RUSSIA, CHINA ENTER THE FRAY Following months of escalation with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, this week Trump appeared to suggest the U.S. carried out a strike on drug operations inside Venezuela. Speaking with reporters Monday, he said, “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs. They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. That’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”
Jim Beam shuts down iconic Kentucky distillery for at least a year amid market downturn
A whiskey sour for the distilled spirits industry. Consumers are souring on drinking alcohol. And that’s one of a host of complex reasons why Jim Beam is placing its main distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, on ice for at least a year. Claudia Coffey knows Kentucky bourbon country as well as anyone. She’s a podcaster and bourbon insider. TARIFFS PUSH US WINE INDUSTRY INTO UNCERTAIN TERRITORY: ‘REALLY CREATES A CHALLENGE’ “Bourbon is Kentucky, right? We love horse racing in Kentucky. We love bourbon in Kentucky. It’s the reason that 2.7 million people come to visit the Commonwealth every single year,” said Coffey. “It’s some of the biggest news to come out of Kentucky in quite some time, and this is one of the most iconic brands in bourbon.” Not everyone has heard of Willett or Four Roses when it comes to bourbon. But Jim Beam is Americana. Ubiquitous. Kind of like McDonald’s or Coke. Americans are imbibing less — down 6% from just two years ago. And more than 16 million barrels of Kentucky spirits — including bourbon and rye — are aging in warehouses across the state. Distillers are paying taxes on those barrels while they age. It’s an issue of supply and demand. But the problem is not exclusive to Jim Beam. “It’s not a question of who’s shutting down production,” said Charlie Prince, who runs the Drammers Whiskey Club. “It’s a question of who is admitting it.” Overseas distillers like Midleton in Ireland, which makes Jameson, and Highland Park in Scotland all reduced production recently because of a glut of bourbon, whiskey and Scotch on the market. However, observers say tariffs and the trade war with Canada hit Jim Beam especially hard. “Ten percent of Kentucky bourbon sales were going to Canada, and that has dropped to almost zero,” said Prince. “In Canada, that has been taken on as a kind of a national mission for Canadians, saying, ‘Let’s buy Canadian’ and push back against the politics they don’t like coming from the U.S. And, so, you see stores just pulling all American products and banning them in some provinces. So, that’s definitely a political response.” Democrats quickly latched onto the tariff argument. “Thousands of Kentuckians power the bourbon industry. We will all feel the impact of this,” declared Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky. “It’s hard to overstate just how devastating Trump’s tariffs are for America’s signature spirit.” RECORD LOW NUMBER OF AMERICANS REPORT DRINKING ALCOHOL, AND NEW TEETOTALERS ARE EXPLAINING WHY But one industry observer believes that tariffs are a single ingredient in a complex economic cocktail. Jessica Spector is a professor at Yale who studies the history and culture of liquor and spirits. “Anybody that tells you that they have an explanation, ‘Oh, it’s tariffs,’ or ‘Oh, it’s post-pandemic retraction,’ is giving you a too simplistic explanation,” said Spector. “It’s unclear what impact the tariffs are having and will have in the future. People have argued over tariffs for a long time. As long as there has been trade, there have been arguments over tariffs. It’s unclear whether the tariffs are sort of the coup de gras to an industry that was already suffering.” Spector says yes, Generation Z drinks less and uses cannabis more. There are also health concerns. But the spirits industry has witnessed shifts before. She says people moved from brown liquor to vodka in the 1970s because it was seen as healthier. “They also jogged more and did a lot more cocaine because that was seen as more health conscious. So, it gets really complicated when you break things down generationally,” said Spector. But the tariffs remain extraordinarily controversial. The Trump administration says tariffs are here to stay. “Tariffs are going to be part of the policy landscape,” United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Fox. “We know they’re successful.” But the tariffs may also evaporate. The Constitution grants Congress the authority to tax and impose tariffs. President Trump used emergency powers to levy global tariffs earlier this year. That’s why this issue wound up at the Supreme Court. Attorneys argued the case in October. “Canada is one of our closest allies. I think it would be hard to find Canada engaging in unfair trade practices because we have what used to be called the NAFTA agreement, between Canada, the United States and Mexico to bring down all the trade barriers between the countries,” said University of California law professor John Yoo. Based on the oral arguments, Yoo believes the high court will halt the Trump-imposed tariffs under the premise that the U.S. faces a national emergency. “Canada will immediately benefit, and you’ll be able to find your choice of American bourbons on Canadian store shelves,” said Yoo. FREEDOM AND FACTS, NOT FEAR, SHOULD FRAME AMERICA’S CHOICES ON ALCOHOL In fact, Yoo believes the Supreme Court could issue its ruling sooner rather than later — especially if it nixes the tariffs. That’s because of all the duties and fees that might be levied on products for months — and then reversed. It’s important to note that Jim Beam will continue operating two other distilleries for the time being. And Spector says Generation Z prefers cocktails. So, that could force the industry to shift what it produces. Now here’s a little tidbit you probably won’t learn any place else. Roam any distillery in Scotland, be it Dalwhinnie in the Highlands, Glen Scotia in Campbeltown, GlenGrant in Speyside or Bowmore on Islay, and you will find distillers aging Scotch in Jim Beam barrels. It’s not just Jim Beam barrels that you will find in Scotland. It’s also Buffalo Trace. Heaven Hill. Woodford Reserve. Wild Turkey. Congress only allows American distillers to use American oak barrels once for producing bourbon. So, Scotch distillers overseas love to get their hands on a good bourbon barrel to age their spirit. The barrels may partially impart a vanilla flavor into the expression, stemming from “vanillans” in the wood. The trend of using American bourbon barrels for Scotch began in
Adams reads his ‘greatest hits’ quotes from coffee mug in farewell tribute as NYC mayor
New York City Mayor Eric Adams took to social media Wednesday to share a unique farewell tribute on his final day in office, reading some of his “go-to quotes” off a coffee mug. “Mayor Adams‘ greatest hits, you know,” he said while waving around an inscribed cup gifted to him by his staff. He then attempted to read some of the quotes aloud, giggling in between each phrase. “‘I wake up in the morning sometimes and look at myself and give myself the finger,’” he read. “‘Stay focused, no distractions, and grind.’ … ‘It’s not what’s in the tweet, it’s what’s in the streets.’ 20% OF NYC MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI TRANSITION APPOINTEES HAVE ANTI-ZIONIST TIES: ADL “‘There are two types of Americans, those who live in New York and those who wish they could,’” he continued. “‘Arrested, rejected, and now I’m elected.’ ‘I am Gandhi-like.’ ‘I had a shorty that lived out there.’ ‘Every morning I wake up and turn on my GPS, my God positioning satellite.’ … Get your mug, man!” He thanked his City Hall team for the parting gift in an accompanying X post and noted, “It’s been an honor, New York!” Adams was sworn in as the 110th Mayor of New York City Jan. 1, 2022, after serving as Brooklyn borough president and a New York state senator. ADL CHIEF WARNS NYC MAYOR-ELECT ZOHRAN MAMDANI POSES A ‘CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER’ TO JEWISH COMMUNITY Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will be sworn in at midnight Thursday during a private ceremony held in a decommissioned subway station, with a second public inaugural ceremony taking place Thursday afternoon at City Hall. Mamdani, a 34-year-old Ugandan-born socialist, will be the first Muslim mayor of New York City and the first mayor to be sworn in using the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. It is unclear if Adams’ adorned coffee mugs will be listed for sale to the public.
Washington Monument to become ‘birthday candle’ as US marks start of 250th year
The Washington Monument will transform on New Year’s Eve into the “world’s tallest birthday candle in honor of our Nation’s 250th birthday,” according to the national Freedom 250 organization. The monument will be illuminated with projections depicting America’s history, focusing on the American founding and its future, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Wednesday. Likewise, the monument will turn into a 250-foot birthday candle as part of a countdown to 2026. “The illumination of the Washington Monument marks the beginning of a momentous year for our nation — 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence,” Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250, said in a press release. “We invite every American — and every friend of America — to join this historic celebration of the triumph of the American spirit.” Freedom 250 is a national, nonpartisan organization President Donald Trump created dedicated to spearheading events to celebrate America’s 250th birthday in 2026, coordinating with the White House and other federal agencies to plan events to commemorate the anniversary. UFC WHITE HOUSE PLANS REVEALED, INCLUDING WEIGH-INS AT LINCOLN MEMORIAL: REPORT The viewing is free and open to the public and will continue through Monday with different projections displayed on the monument each night. Projections will start Wednesday for New Year’s Eve and will continue until just after midnight and will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on subsequent evenings. Narrated videos that will appear on the monument will focus on discovery, the American Revolution and independence, Western expansion, the Industrial Revolution and the modern times and future for the U.S. The event is designed to serve as the “first signature moment” in a series of events to celebrate the anniversary and will feature a drone and fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, according to Freedom 250. Testing for the event began earlier in December, with previews of the projections visible on the monument. Other events Freedom 250 will hold to remember America’s birthday include a Great American State Fair in June and a parade of ships from more than 30 countries in New York Harbor for the Fourth of July. America250, a nonpartisan commission that Congress created in 2016 to prepare for America’s 250th birthday, also announced that it is commemorating the special year in New York on New Year’s Eve. The group said that, after midnight Eastern Standard Time, the New York City Times Square Ball will be lit up in red, white and blue, and 2,000 pounds of red, white and blue confetti will be released.
Dem governor-elect taps Crockett’s former ‘chief brand strategist’ for top DEI role
FIRST ON FOX: Soon-to-be Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has tapped the former “chief brand strategist” for Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to serve in the state’s top diversity, equity and inclusion role. In a Tuesday statement, Spanberger, who takes office on Jan. 17, announced she is appointing Dr. Sesha Joi Moon to serve as Virginia’s chief diversity officer and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Spanberger said that Moon’s “experience across government, education, and the nonprofit sectors gives her firsthand insight into the ways in which we can build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Virginia for every family.” “I’m excited to announce that Dr. Moon is joining our administration,” said Spanberger, adding, “Virginia deserves leaders who will make sure our work to grow our Commonwealth’s economy keeps the needs of all Virginians in mind.” DOJ CHALLENGES VIRGINIA LAW GRANTING IN-STATE TUITION TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “When every Virginian has the opportunity to reach their full potential, it benefits all of us,” she said. Moon, whose doctorates are in public administration and policy and self-identifies as a “Black queer woman,” responded to her appointment by saying she is looking “forward to joining the cabinet of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as her historic administration works to advance a future in which all Virginians have access to opportunity — to include residents from some of the hardest-to-reach communities throughout the Commonwealth.” Moon most recently served as the chief impact officer for the Girl Scouts of the USA. Before that, through her private consultant practice Moon & Associates, she worked as the “chief brand strategist” for Crockett, a radical far-left Democrat who is currently running for the U.S. Senate in Texas. Earlier this year, Moon appeared on a 40-minute podcast episode, where she defended the importance of DEI and delivered a direct message to critics, saying, “This work has not stopped. You can defund and dismantle all you want, but the work continues.” “I’m excited. I feel like DEI is just getting started,” Moon continued. “I know that sounds so insane to some people because some people think our discipline is crumbling, and I don’t see it like that. I feel like we’re onto something here.” VIRGINIA’S GHAZALA HASHMI BECOMES FIRST MUSLIM ELECTED STATEWIDE IN THE OLD DOMINION Moon also served as executive-in-residence with two-time failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ American Pride Rises Network, a DEI advocacy network. Before that, she was the chief diversity officer of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th & 118th Congresses under Speakers Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Mike Johnson, R-La. Spanberger won a decisive electoral victory this November, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by a margin of over 10 percentage points. PRO-POLICE GROUP ASKS DOJ TO PROBE SOROS-BACKED VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR USING BIDEN-ERA LAW ONCE AIMED AT COPS Considered a purple state, Spanberger’s victory returns the Virginia governor’s mansion to the Democrats after being held by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger, Moon, Crockett, Abrams and the Girl Scouts of the USA for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Trump withdraws National Guard from Chicago, LA and Portland, for now
The National Guard will be removed from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, for now, following efforts to reduce crime in those Democratic-run cities, but it was “only a question of time” when troops will return, President Donald Trump said Wednesday after a series of legal setbacks. “We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in.” The National Guard was deployed to the cities in an effort to curb crime, which Trump said had gotten out of control in those cities. DEMOCRATS TRY TO FLIP THE SCRIPT ON ‘STATES’ RIGHTS’ TO DEFY, UPEND TRUMP’S NATIONAL GUARD PLAN California, Illinois and Oregon responded with lawsuits seeking to block the move, arguing that federalizing the troops was an unlawful overreach. Federal judges eventually blocked the deployments. Fox News Digital has reached out to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, as well as the mayors of Los Angeles, Portland and Chicago. In a tweet, Newsom said Trump’s federalization of the National Guard was illegal. “About time @realDonaldTrump admitted defeat,” he said. “We’ve said it from day one: the federal takeover of California’s National Guard is illegal.” In his post, Trump said the federal government would be back, “in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again.” TRUMP SAYS HE’D CONSIDER INVOKING INSURRECTION ACT AS COURTS, GOVERNORS SEEK TO BLOCK HIS CRIME CRACKDOWN “Only a question of time! It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???” he added. The National Guard typically operates under the control of governors, but can be called into federal service by the president only under certain circumstances. On Dec. 10, a federal judge blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles and ordered them returned to the control of Newsom. As of Dec. 28, Chicago recorded 412 murders, down from 585 in the same time frame in 2024, according to police data. “Chicago recorded the fewest homicides in 2025 than in any year this century, with totals far below previous spikes. The city hasn’t recorded figures this low since the mid 1960’s,” Johnson wrote Wednesday on X. Portland saw reoccurring anti-ICE protests in late 2025, with demonstrators clashing with authorities. In Los Angeles, federal authorities were sometimes met with violent resistance during anti-ICE protests earlier in the year as the Trump administration tamped up its mass deportation program targeting criminal illegal immigrants.
Zohran Mamdani will be first mayor to be sworn in on Quran during New York City inauguration
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani‘s campaign confirmed on Wednesday he will make a historical move on New Year’s Day, using the Quran during his swearing-in ceremony. Mamdani, a 34-year-old Ugandan-born socialist, will be the first Muslim mayor of New York City and the first mayor to be sworn in using the Quran, the central religious text of Islam. New York Attorney General Letitia James will host a private midnight ceremony at Old City Hall Station, a historical decommissioned subway station, before he is sworn in during a public inauguration on the steps of City Hall by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Thursday afternoon. He will use two family Qurans, as well as one that belonged to writer and Puerto Rican activist Arturo Schomburg, who built the foundation for Harlem’s Schomburg Center for research in Black culture. MAMDANI PICKS EDUCATOR WHO WORKED TO DISMANTLE GIFTED & TALENTED PROGRAM AS NYC SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is expected to deliver opening remarks at the latter event, which will be free and open to the public. Mamdani defeated former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican gubernatorial candidate Curtis Sliwa in November, after campaigning on affordability and socialist policies including rent freezes, city-run grocery stores, and free buses and childcare. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., refused to endorse Mamdani during his campaign, though it is unclear if the choice was tied to Mamdani’s 2023 arrest while protesting the war in Gaza outside Schumer’s Brooklyn home. NYC MAYOR-ELECT TELLS RESIDENTS HOW TO RESIST ICE AGENTS KNOCKING AT THEIR DOOR IN NEW VIDEO Mamdani has openly voiced his belief that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza is “genocide,” denying Israel is a Jewish state and failing to condemn the violent slogan “globalize the intifada.” During his time at Bowdoin College, he founded the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. Though he promised to protect Jewish New Yorkers, he announced on Tuesday the city’s next top attorney would be Ramzi Kassem, who defended convicted al Qaeda terrorist Ahmed al-Darbi and Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, who is accused of leading antisemitic demonstrations on campus. Al-Darbi was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the fatal 2017 al Qaeda terrorist bombing of a French oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, and was transferred in 2018 by the Trump administration into Saudi Arabian custody. Khalil was released, but his case remains ongoing. During a news conference announcing Kassem’s appointment, Mamdani said, “I will turn to Ramzi for his remarkable experience and his commitment to defending those too often abandoned by our legal system.” Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller, Deirdre Heavey and Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Blue cities U-turn on distributing drug supplies to addicts after progressive policies fail to stem epidemic
At least two major West Coast cities are rethinking their so-called harm reduction policies that have sought to address addiction, signaling that these areas are overhauling their strategy to combat the drug crisis as addiction challenges persist. While cities including San Francisco and Seattle have previously adopted policies to distribute “safer” drug supplies like clean foil and pipes that could be used to smoke fentanyl or other substances, these cities are now implementing a new approach that imposes new limitations on the distribution of these supplies. Seattle’s City Council passed its 2026 budget in November and included a provision that will “preclude any City support for the purchase or distribution of supplies for the consumption of illegal drugs, with the exception of needles.” The provision was championed by City Council Member Sara Nelson, who said that while she supports needle exchange programs because they reduce the spread of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C, she said she doesn’t see the benefit in using public resources to “help people get high” by distributing certain drug supplies. BLUE CITY DA SAYS REPEAT DRUG OFFENDERS ‘WILL NOT RESPECT THE LAW’ UNDER CURRENT SYSTEM “I fail to see, however, the harm that’s being reduced by distributing supplies such as pipes and foil that are used to consume deadly drugs like meth and fentanyl,” Nelson said during a Nov. 16 budget committee meeting. “To me, it feels like it’s giving a loaded gun to somebody who is suicidal.” Seattle isn’t the only city taking such steps to scale back how it distributes “safe” drug supplies to its community. Earlier in 2025, San Francisco unveiled a new policy that would require individuals to receive treatment counseling — or be connected with such services to receive treatment options — before receiving any drug use supplies from the city or city-funded programs. Additionally, the new policy barred providing these supplies in public spaces. TRUMP UNLEASHES ‘TOUGHEST FENTANYL CRACKDOWN IN HISTORY’ AS GOP VOWS ‘CONSEQUENCES’ FOR CHINESE PRODUCERS The policy went into effect April 30, and applied to any city-funded public health program that provided drug use supplies like sterile syringes and smoking kits. “We can no longer accept the reality of two people dying a day from overdose. The status quo has failed to ensure the health and safety of our entire community, as well as those in the throes of addiction. Fentanyl has changed the game, and we’ve been relying on strategies that preceded this new drug epidemic, which ends today,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement in April. “Our new policy will connect individuals to treatment quickly, and that is a big step toward reclaiming our public spaces.” Seattle’s City Council elections and San Francisco’s mayoral races are officially nonpartisan. However, both cities have strongly backed Democrats in state and local elections. TRUMP POSTPONES FEDERAL TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO SAN FRANCISCO Meanwhile, these drug policy changes aren’t popular with proponents of “harm reduction” policies. For example, Laura Guzman, executive director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition, said there may not be enough resources to comply with San Francisco’s new rule. “It’s mandating or putting as a condition for people to receive life-saving supplies, to actually have long conversations about treatment that may not be available,” Guzman said in April, according to CBS News. “People who know in the field — researchers, doctors — are saying this is not good policy. We’re actually going against the grain because what we’re trying to do is have the perception that there is no drug use on the streets. But it’s not public health, it’s not science-based. It’s exactly the opposite of what we know works.” Although both Washington’s King County, which includes Seattle, and San Francisco had fewer drug overdose deaths in 2024 than in 2023, the numbers for both cities are higher in comparison to 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, 635 people died due to accidental drug overdoses in 2024 in San Francisco — down from the 810 that died in 2023, but up from the 441 that died in 2019, according to the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Drug overdose deaths are also down nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in February a nearly 24% decline in drug overdose deaths in fiscal year 2024, in comparison to the previous fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has taken an aggressive approach to combat the influx of drugs into the U.S. For example, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December designating illicit fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction.”