Secret Service aware of Iranian video threat targeting Barron Trump, agency says
The U.S. Secret Service said it was aware of a video aired on Iranian state media threatening President Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump. “The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees,” Nate Herring, a Secret Service spokesperson, told Fox News Digital. “Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence,” Herring added. TRUMP HAS BECOME AMERICA’S MOST TARGETED LEADER, FACING THREATS EVERY FEW MONTHS The video depicts locations associated with the younger Trump’s whereabouts. It ends with a suggested $10 million reward for his location. Iranian state media has aired content on multiple occasions threatening Trump and his family following the assassination of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which came at the start of the war between the United States and Iran, as well as the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020. ISRAEL SHARES INTELLIGENCE WARNING IRAN PLOTTED NEW ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST TRUMP: REPORT “I don’t think it’s any secret, it’s been in the media, that Iran has publicly said they want to kill President Trump,” Deputy Director of the U.S. Secret Service Matt Quinn told reporters at an event last month. The video came amid threats from the Trump administration to nations that fail to sever their economic ties with Tehran and an ongoing naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In July, Trump secretly switched planes from Air Force One to another aircraft in Turkey via a catering truck due to a credible Iranian surface-to-air missile threat. The White House referred any questions about the matter to the Secret Service.
Trump mourns Dolly Parton, orders US flags lowered nationwide after country music icon dies
President Donald Trump ordered American flags lowered across the United States for one week Tuesday, as he mourned the death of country music icon Dolly Parton, telling the legendary singer, “The World loves you.” Parton died peacefully Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, according to an announcement shared by her representatives. She was 80. “Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will.” DOLLY PARTON’S ONGOING HEALTH BATTLE FORCES COUNTRY LEGEND TO MISS MAJOR DOLLYWOOD EVENT Trump then announced a presidential tribute to Parton. “In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM,” Trump wrote. “Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you.” Trump’s tribute came as Parton’s family and representatives remembered a woman whose influence stretched far beyond the country music stages that made her famous. “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family,” the announcement said. “Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience.” DOLLY PARTON CANCELS LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY AS HEALTH ISSUES FORCE HER TO STEP BACK FROM STAGE PERFORMANCES Parton, born Jan. 19, 1946, had a seven-decade career spanning music, songwriting, acting, writing and philanthropy. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Carl Thomas Dean, who died in 2025, as well as her mother, Avie Lee Caroline Owens, and father, Robert Lee Parton Sr., according to the announcement. DOLLY PARTON’S CALIFORNIA RETREAT WITH WIG ROOM AND DOLLYWOOD BIRDHOUSE LISTS FOR $1.95M At Parton’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Fans and friends were encouraged to pay tribute on social media or through Parton’s official website. In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. TAYLOR SWIFT’S VIDEO TRIBUTE TO ALAN JACKSON DIVIDES CROWD AT COUNTRY LEGEND’S FINAL SHOW Parton’s nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, also shared a video message following her death. Tributes quickly poured in from Tennessee and across the country. CARRIE UNDERWOOD, GARY SINISE LEAD STARS WHO’VE SHARED WHY THEY’RE PROUD TO BE AMERICANS “There are no words to adequately express the sorrow our family and indeed, all Tennesseans, feel in the loss of Dolly Parton,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote on X. “An iconic leader who loved our great state and nation. Her passing leaves a void that no one can ever fill. Dolly, we will always love you.” House Republicans called Parton “an American icon” and “a national treasure,” praising her as “a legendary artist, a generous philanthropist, and a proud daughter of Tennessee whose music and spirit touched generations of Americans.” SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM DEAD AT 71 AFTER ‘BRIEF AND SUDDEN’ ILLNESS, OFFICE SAYS Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., remembered Parton as “an incredible East Tennessean” who “never changed her accent or forgot where she came from.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his state would also lower its flags in Parton’s honor. “So sad to lose this legend,” Abbott wrote on X. “Texas will lower our flags in her honor. God Bless Dolly.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said “America has lost a true national treasure,” pointing to Parton’s Tennessee roots, worldwide success and philanthropy. “Dolly Parton’s unmistakable voice, joyful spirit, and remarkable generosity touched generations of Americans and many others around the world,” Johnson wrote. “From the mountains of Tennessee to stages across the globe, she never forgot where she came from, and she used her extraordinary success to lift up countless others.” The Department of the Interior paid tribute to Parton’s deep connection to her Tennessee roots and the Great Smoky Mountains. “Dolly Parton carried the music, stories and spirit of her Tennessee mountain home wherever she went,” the department said. “She was a lifelong champion of the Great Smoky Mountains and proudly shared her love for them with the world.” The Franklin Police Department also mourned the singer, saying her “roots and heart were always deeply connected to Tennessee.” Parton’s family said the music and generosity that defined her extraordinary life would endure. “Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages,” the announcement said, “and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”
Pritzker’s swagger stunt backfires as critics roast viral video: ‘Cringiest thing he’s ever posted’
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker showed off his swagger in a tongue-in-cheek social media video Monday, prompting a wave of mockery from critics online. The video, recorded in black and white and notching more than 1 million views, features Pritzker making a variety of model-like expressions at the camera behind a caption that reads “when you’re in an aura-farming contest and your opponent in JB.” Aura-farming is a common piece of slang used to describe the taking of certain actions with the explicit goal of acquiring swag. Many social media users did not agree with Pritzker’s assessment of himself. PROGRESSIVE MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR’S VIRAL HIP-HOP MOVES SPARK ‘HUMILIATION RITUAL’ MOCKERY ONLINE “Only thing bigger than the ratio this tweet is getting is…well,” White House deputy assistant to the president Kaelan Dorr posted in response to the video. “Pritzker is kind of a medical marvel,” conservative commentator Matt Walsh wrote. “He looks gaunt and frail from Ozempic and also still morbidly obese at the exact same time. He’s taking the concept of ‘skinny fat’ to places never thought possible.” WHITE HOUSE FIRES BACK AFTER ‘SLOB’ JB PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP IS SUFFERING FROM ‘DEMENTIA’ Pritzker wrote the phrase “governor-maxxing” alongside his video on X. “Maxxing” as a suffix denotes that someone is doing something in a highly optimized way. “Looks-maxxing,” for instance, refers to the act of taking one’s appearance, physical fitness, and demeanor seriously as to maximize attractiveness. Some on social media used the governor’s phrasing to poke fun at him. Brian Costin, who is a high-level staffer at a right-of-center advocacy group in Illinois, accused Pritzker of “property-tax-maxxing,” “state-and-local-tax-burden-maxxing,” “cell-phone-tax-maxxing,” “gas-tax-hike-maxxing,” and “blaming-everyone-else-maxxing,” among other things. Others focused on his weight, claiming that Pritzker was “buffet-maxxing” or “waistline-maxxing.” REPUBLICANS RIP 4 BLUE STATES FOR KEEPING TAXES ON TIPS, OVERTIME AFTER TRUMP REPRIEVE Pritzker has a history of making widely mocked social media posts, including his frequent attempts to spar with the president. “Might be the cringiest thing he’s ever posted, and that is saying a lot,” RealClearPolitics president Tom Bevan wrote. Pritzker’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
El-Sayed’s defense of Sharia law stance sparks online eruption from Christians, conservatives: ‘He’s done’
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed sparked controversy on social media Monday night after comparing Sharia law to Christian canon law during an interview with Fox News anchor Jesse Watters. “Getting rid of Sharia law is White supremacy?” Watters said to El-Sayed, bringing up past comments from the Michigan candidate opposing a ban on Sharia law and comparing those efforts to white supremacy. “Can you explain that one?” Sayed responded by comparing Sharia, Islamic law based on religious texts, to Catholic Church law and governance. “Nobody is trying to push Sharia law on anyone else, just like I hope nobody is trying to push Canon law on anybody else, because we live in an America where you should have the freedom of your religion,” El-Sayed said. TRUMP INAUGURATION PASTOR SAYS DEARBORN CHRISTIANS ‘AFRAID’ TO SPEAK OUT IN MUSLIM-MAJORITY CITY The comparison sparked pushback on social media from users highlighting the differences between the two viewpoints and traditions. “He lies and says no one is trying to push Sharia (they are), and draws a false equivalency to Christian Canon law,” Charlie Kirk Show Executive Producer Andrew Kolvet posted on X. “Canon law determines how Christian leaders, churches, and Christians should live, but Canon law is limited to affairs of the Church (spiritual penalties). Canon law grants great autonomy to the state.” Kolvet continued, “Sharia law is MUCH more comprehensive, governing all aspects of life, and historically, and according to many contemporary Islamic clerics, dictates the affairs of the state.” EL-SAYED’S AGENDA PUTS ‘PERMANENTLY’ CHANGED AMERICA ON THE LINE IN MICHIGAN SENATE RACE, GOP FIREBRAND WARNS “Sharia law is incompatible with Western Civilization,” political commentator Carl Jackson posted on X. “I’m tired of El-Sayed playing the victim card in attempt to avoid legitimate scrutiny of Islam.” “Yeah, it’s over for him,” Fox News contributor Kaylee McGhee White posted on X. “Rogers by 6.” “@AbdulElSayed doesn’t get to bloviate about sharia being a mere ‘practice’ of faith when it’s Islamic jurisprudence used to supplant western jurisprudence,” conservative commentator and radio host Dana Loesch posted on X. “‘Jesse, the Catholic Church requires ministers to use plant oils in sacraments with the blessings of a bishop, so why shouldn’t courts allow Muslim men to have four wives?’” conservative commentator Michael Knowles posted on X. “Canon law applies to Catholics,” conservative commentator Pamela Geller posted on X. “There is no compulsion is Canon law. Jewish law applies only to Jews. There is no compulsion in Jewish law. It is voluntary. The sharia is a comprehensive legal system governing every aspect of human life, and asserts authority over non-Muslims.” “This was a very strange prepared defense from Abdul,” GOP communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. “I expected him to say it was out of context, not reflective of current views, etc. Instead he accepted the premise and defended promoting Sharia Law – opening that lane up to more attacks.” Fox News Digital reached out to the El-Sayed campaign for comment. Abdul El-Sayed previously said he felt religiously obligated to follow Sharia-compliant practices in a 2009 interview with The New York Times. “Ultimately, the question is, when I die and I stand before God and go through everything I did in my life, I don’t want to say I did it the easy way instead of the Shariah-compliant way,” El-Sayed told the Times. “Not because of fear but because of obligation.” Sharia law traditionally prescribed death for people who leave Islam, placed strict restrictions on what women can do and allowed child marriage. El-Sayed has spoken out against bans on Sharia law, arguing such efforts are rooted in White supremacy. “The state of Oklahoma voted in a referendum to amend the constitution to ban Shariah law. What does that mean? I don’t know. And yet the voters banned it anyway,” he said in 2022. “The same exact forces that drove Native peoples from their land two centuries ago, destroyed Black Wall Street a century ago, bombed a building decades ago and tried to ban Sharia law not a decade ago, those forces are alive and well today. “The reason I wanted to go all the way back to the 1830s is because you can’t understand a Sharia ban without understanding the Trail of Tears. You can’t understand the efforts to uproot Muslim Americans without understanding the Tulsa massacre. You cannot understand the challenges we face today without understanding white supremacy.” Fox News Digital’s Robert Schmad contributed to this report
Antisemitic streamer finally makes Dem leader snap with rare rebuke: ‘Malicious’
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is slamming comments from Hasan Piker after the far-left controversial online streamer suggested that Jewish Americans were inviting violence against themselves over their support for Israel. “The malicious claim that American Jews are inviting violence against themselves is dangerous and antisemitic,” Jeffries charged in a social media post. And he added in a CNN interview on Tuesday that Piker’s comments were “malicious” and “should not be tolerated by anyone in the public square.” While Jeffries became the highest-ranking congressional Democrat to fire back at Piker, the criticism from the top Democrat in the U.S. House comes after he has largely stayed silent on the far-left insurgency, backed in part by Piker, that’s gripped his party this election cycle. Jeffries spoke out after Piker, on his stream last week, featured an image of state Sen. Jeremy Moss, the Democratic nominee in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. Moss, who is Jewish, has said that people are sharing a fake audio clip of him claiming that his entire reason for running for Congress is to make sure that America continues to support Israel. EL-SAYED TRIES TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM HASAN PIKER AFTER LATEST FIRESTORM “If Jews in America keep putting this idea out there that they are singularly invested in Israel, eventually someone is going to come around and take action, not against the state of Israel, mind you, but against American Jews,” Piker warned. Piker, who has over three million online followers, has repeatedly stood by his numerous past comments slamming Israel over its ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. Jeffries emphasized in his social media post, “There is zero justification for threats against the safety of our Jewish brothers and sisters at a moment of rising hate. We will fight the cancer of antisemitism with the fierce urgency of now.” ABDUL EL-SAYED FACES OFF WTIH FOX NEWS’ JESSE WATTERS IN PRIMETIME Piker’s comments were also blasted by Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., who charged that Piker is “a hack who thrives on hate.” Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., took to X to write, “Claims that American Jews are responsible for the violence being committed against their communities are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. It’s dangerous and antisemitic.” “We must stand up to the scourge of antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head,” Lee added. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., praised Jeffries’ pushback against Piker. In an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” Gottheimer called Piker’s comments something “right out of the Nazi playbook.” Gottheimer, who is Jewish and a strong supporter of Israel, emphasized, “This is a call for violence against Jews,” He was also critical of Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan. DEMOCRATS ‘WHO NEVER VOTED REPUBLICAN’ BACKING THIS GOP SENATE NOMINEE El-Sayed, who is facing off against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in battleground Michigan in a high-stakes Senate showdown, on Monday tried to put some distance between himself and Piker, who is a top supporter. “I want to be crystal clear, nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople,” El-Sayed said in a statement. Gottheimer said that El-Sayed insufficiently pushed back against Piker: “El-Sayed’s response was pathetic,” “No Democratic members should allow Piker anywhere near them on the campaign trail,” Gottheimer argued. Piker endorsed El-Sayed for the Democratic nomination and appeared at some of the candidate’s campaign events including a primary night party earlier this month in Detroit, Michigan. Piker’s latest comments were blasted by a growing number of Republicans since they grabbed attention this past weekend, including Rogers, who took aim at both Piker and El-Sayed in a social media post. “More calls for violence coming out of the El-Sayed campaign,” Rogers said on Sunday. And he claimed, “Here is his running mate, Hasan Piker, saying that if AMERICAN JEWS support Israel, they will be violently targeted because of it.” DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Rogers, who is making a major push to court Democrats in Michigan, added, “Absolutely DISGUSTING. If Abdul El-Sayed had any courage at all, he would call this out and disavow Hasan Piker once and for all. We’re waiting, Abdul…” El-Sayed, in his Monday statement, wrote, “I believe all Americans deserve the right to advocate for what they believe without fear of violence. This is particularly true for communities that have been intimidated for their beliefs in the past.” “My commitment to Jewish safety is the same as my commitment to the safety of my own daughters. Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms. And I stand against any rhetoric that puts the community at risk,” he added. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES SHOW A former Wayne County Health Department director, El-Sayed, if elected in November, would make history as the nation’s first Muslim senator. The epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018 has made support for Medicare for all a major component of his campaign and has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). El-Sayed used the word “bloodthirsty” to characterize Israel’s military moves in Gaza in an MS NOW interview this month and accused Israeli leadership of genocide against Palestinians. He has argued against unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, as have other progressive politicians. And El-Sayed has repeatedly declined to directly answer whether Israel has the right to exist. But El-Sayed has also repeatedly stated that he stands “in solidarity with my Jewish sisters and brothers” to “condemn antisemitism.”
GOP’s Singer ‘very prepared’ to oust Dem Moskowitz in toss-up Florida race that could determine House majority
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a self-described moderate, is facing political headwinds in the race for the newly-redrawn 25th Congressional District in South Florida, as Republican nominee Scott Singer sees a path to pick up a House seat in a narrowly divided Congress. “We’re going to be very prepared to go flip this seat – it is a key targeted seat,” Singer told Fox News Digital in an interview Monday. “This is a key district that may determine the balance of power in the House.” FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: DEMOCRATS LEAD IN THE HOUSE, BUT REDISTRICTING KEEPS THE GOP IN THE GAME The race is drawing national attention and, potentially, big Democratic dollars to defend the seat in Democrats’ pursuit of the majority to attack what House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries just called the “cartel” of President Donald Trump. “A lot of people in this district and beyond understand what’s at stake here,” Singer, former Boca Raton mayor, said. Moskowitz, currently seated in the more Democratic-friendly 23rd District, is – like Singer – Jewish and pro-Israel, but he will have to navigate a tougher Republican-friendly map and fend off the “anti-Israel wing” of the Democratic Party, according to to Singer. FLORIDA DEMOCRAT SENDS ‘CONDOLENCES’ TO HASAN PIKER AFTER DEFEATING DSA CHALLENGER IN FLORIDA PRIMARY “His voting record speaks volumes,” Singer said. “Since he’s gotten to Congress, he’s been locked up with the Democrats on almost every issue.” “This is not the sort of record of bipartisanship he once had. He’s been much more partisan because he has to be,” Singer claimed. “He has to appeal to a more far-left socialist led Democratic Party if he’s going to have any influence. And that’s going home to roost in November.” When reached for comment, the two-term Moskowitz stressed he fought off the Democratic Socialists of America’s maximum pressure campaign in his primary, while keeping $2 million cash on hand for the general election and expecting “we’ll have the national resources” in the fight to keep the seat blue. “I go after my party all the time and fight within,” Moskowitz, who was twice appointed to positions by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a show of bipartisanship, told Fox News Digital, noting Singer has been “awfully silent” on social media amid his own vocal defense against the “anti-Israel” political factions. FROM WASSERMAN SCHULTZ TO GOLDMAN, DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS ARE FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL “Scott just has talking points, which is why he’s the masked singer. You hear a voice behind a mask. He says things to all sorts of people, tells people what they want to hear, but nobody really knows where he stands because he never really takes positions.” The heated rhetoric belies a previously tighter relationship. “Scott Singer endorsed me when I ran the first time,” Moskowitz claimed. Singer’s campaign has denied it was anything more than a personal call to generally express support for a fellow Jewish, pro-Israel politician. Singer, though, says he is well-positioned in the newly redrawn South Florida district, with a growing GOP voter-registration advantage and Democratic division working against the “quasi-incumbent.” “People are abandoning the Democratic Party because the mainstream Democratic Party of even a few years ago has abandoned them,” Singer said. “It’s now a socialist-led party and it’s sad for America.” “That’s why we need to band together and make sure independent voters understand what’s at stake,” he added. “We can’t have people talking about communism or new Democrat-incoming members of the House saying horrific things like that they would wipe their hand on the American flag if they didn’t have a napkin. That’s today’s Democratic Party, unfortunately, and it’s not something I want to see.” MOSKOWITZ REJECTS RICK SCOTT’S CLAIMS HE’S ‘SCARED TO DEATH’ OF SOCIALISTS, BEHOLDEN TO HASAN PIKER The race is considered to be one of 19 toss-ups in the nation (seats held by four Democrats and 15 Republicans), according to the Cook Political Report. “It’s now about five points more Republican than Democrat, but even since redistricting, there are Republicans who are registering at a higher rate: People in Florida have seen the success of our state and seen the craziness other places, and they’re voting more conservative,” Singer said. “And we have a great opportunity to pick off disaffected Democrats who are sick with the socialist lean, especially in our community that has a large number of residents who fled communism, like my family, like wife’s family did,” he continued. “They understand that bringing socialism and communism into the United States is a terrible idea. That’s another reason why we’re optimistic about our chances to flip this must-win seat in November.” DESANTIS UNDER PRESSURE AS FLORIDA REDRAW COULD TIP HOUSE BALANCE IN GOP MAP FIGHT The race also presents an unusual political dynamic: Singer and Moskowitz are both Jewish candidates competing in a district where roughly a quarter of the electorate is Jewish, one of the highest concentrations in the country. “The anti-Israel wing, which has taken root in the Democratic Party, is doing the convincing for us,” Singer said. “Because we’ve seen a majority of House members would deny arms sales to Israel, our ally during a time of conflict. “And that’s the party, where it is. We’ve seen three incumbents in the Democratic Party ousted in recent months solely because Israel was the key issue. “Anti-Israel is winning. It’s become the mainstream of the Democratic Party. And longtime Democrats are leaving in droves. Another reason why it’s going to be very hard for Democrats in this district to win with 25% Jewish population and people who understand Israel’s close and long-standing alliance with the United States. We’re going to pick off more of those voters.” 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM FLORIDA SENATE PRIMARY: GOP SEN. ASHLEY MOODY WILL FACE DSA’S NIXON Also, while GOP-leaning, the district is still largely independent. It snakes along South Florida’s Atlantic coast through portions of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, encompassing communities around Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Miami Beach. “I
Pro-life CEO predicts Trump FDA nominee could bring renewed scrutiny to abortion drug risks
The chief executive of America’s oldest pro-life organization told Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump’s FDA nominee, Dr. Heidi Overton, could bring renewed scrutiny to mifepristone, the abortion drug at the center of an ongoing federal safety review. John Mize, CEO of Americans United for Life (AUL), said he has had five or six conversations with Overton, who is known for her pro-life views. She currently serves as Trump’s deputy assistant for domestic policy. “I think she’s going to bring objectivity to the issue of mifepristone in a way that will expose this drug for the damage it causes women,” Mize said in an interview on Friday, adding that his organization is “optimistic” that Overton will be a “pro-life FDA commissioner.” Overton’s nomination comes just weeks after an 18-year-old woman in North Carolina was accused of using mifepristone and misoprostol to terminate a pregnancy at 31 weeks, well beyond mifepristone’s FDA-approved limit of 10 weeks. HAWLEY INTRODUCES BILL TO STRIP FDA APPROVAL FROM ‘INHERENTLY DANGEROUS’ ABORTION PILL Mize has led AUL for two-and-a-half years, but the nonprofit has advocated against abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide and other practices it considers threats to human life since its founding in 1971. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Mize said he believes Overton is the “right candidate” to lead the FDA, citing her experience in government, clinical medicine and medical research. If confirmed, Overton would take the reins of the agency responsible for regulating abortion medication, including mifepristone. Mifepristone carries an FDA boxed warning, the agency’s strongest safety warning, for the risk of serious and sometimes fatal infections or bleeding. Prompted initially by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the FDA stopped enforcing the drug’s in-person dispensing requirement in 2021 and later removed it permanently after reviewing the available safety data. Under current FDA rules, patients do not necessarily have to see a physician in person before receiving a prescription, allowing mifepristone to be prescribed after telehealth visit and mailed by a certified pharmacy. Mize wants those rules tightened. SUPREME COURT TEMPORARILY BLOCKS APPEALS COURT RULING ON ABORTION PILL, RESTORES WIDER ACCESS TO DRUG “Dr. Overton and I share a very similar perspective that the drug is dangerous, particularly in an unregulated way for women,” Mize told Fox News Digital. “I firmly believe she understands the clinical implications of taking a drug with a black box warning and now shipping it in the mail.” Overton has publicly criticized mifepristone and other abortion drugs, which accounted for about 65% of clinician-provided abortions in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute, up from 53% in 2020 before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In a February 2023 policy brief for the America First Policy Institute, a MAGA-aligned think tank where she previously served as chief policy officer, Overton denounced federal policymakers for expanding access to abortion pills. She also accused the Biden administration of using the COVID-19 pandemic to wrongly justify allowing mifepristone and misoprostol, a drug that induces early labor, to be sent to patients through the mail. FIRST ON FOX: TOP REPUBLICANS TAKE ABORTION PILL FIGHT TO SUPREME COURT, CITING COERCION AND SAFETY RISKS Taken together, the two drugs terminate early pregnancies: mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone needed to sustain the pregnancy, while misoprostol causes contractions that expel the fetus. “Abortion is corrosive to children, women, and society broadly because it devalues and extinguishes innocent human life,” she wrote at the time. “America First policies should focus on immediately halting the effort to normalize abortion-on-demand and on broadly recognizing the evidence of the risk posed to women.” Mize pointed to a 2025 study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank, that analyzed insurance claims from 865,727 mifepristone abortions between 2017 and 2023 and found a serious adverse event rate of nearly 11%. This included conditions such as hemorrhaging, sepsis or infection. The study received immediate pushback, with the medical community saying it used a flawed methodology. The paper was also not peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, factors Mize said Overton is aware of. HAWLEY SENDS CRIMINAL REFERRAL OF ‘LEFT-WING DARK-MONEY’ GROUP OVER MAILED ABORTION DRUGS “It’s not the whole picture, and Dr. Overton would say that,” Mize said. “But it’s an important indicator as to what’s happening in the real world. So I believe she will do a really good job of evaluating the study.” Mize said he hopes Overton will impose tighter restrictions on mifepristone after reviewing the evidence, potentially restoring a requirement that women see a doctor in person before receiving a prescription. He described Overton as “measured” and “methodical” while cautioning that pro-life advocates should not expect her to pursue immediate, sweeping changes at the FDA. “I don’t get the sense that she’s gonna move quickly on issues,” Mize said. SUPREME COURT KEEPS BROADER ACCESS TO ABORTION PILL MIFEPRISTONE IN PLACE WHILE LEGAL FIGHT CONTINUES Dr. Marty Makary, the previous FDA commissioner, resigned in May after clashing with Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers. He also drew criticism from pro-life activists, who accused the agency under his leadership of slow-walking its safety review of mifepristone. If confirmed, Overton would inherit the review, which was formally announced in September 2025 and does not have a scheduled completion date. The FDA has noted these types of studies typically take a year or longer to conduct. After that review is completed, Mize said the next step for Overton, ideally, would be “a longer term, deep dive evaluation on this medication to determine if it should even be on the market.” Mize acknowledged that not all the evidence is in yet but made clear that his preference would be to take mifepristone off the market. “From my perspective, any medication that denies someone the opportunity to live and kills a human being shouldn’t be something that we’re promoting amongst the FDA,” Mize said. “Ultimately, I would love to see this drug removed from the market
DOJ sues to stop Ohio court blocking courthouse arrests
The Justice Department sued an Ohio court Tuesday over a new rule blocking federal immigration arrests at or near the courthouse, accusing local officials of unlawfully interfering with federal enforcement and forcing ICE agents to make arrests in potentially riskier settings. At issue is a Franklin County Municipal Court rule, which bars civil arrests at the courthouse unless officers have a judicial warrant. The DOJ argues the rule conflicts with federal immigration law, which allows ICE agents in certain circumstances to make arrests with administrative warrants or no warrant at all. “This type of rule obstructs federal law enforcement and facilitates evasion of federal law by dangerous criminal aliens, despite Congress’s direction that federal agents detain and remove them,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Throughout the country, and including in this courthouse specifically, federal agents have routinely and safely conducted arrests. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting that important federal prerogative.” Those arrests can be less predictable and more dangerous because they may take place at homes, workplaces or other public locations, according to the complaint. Two Columbus ICE officers have been hospitalized after encountering violence during at-large arrests in the past three months, DOJ says. The complaint does not identify the officers or provide details about the incidents. ICE has also had to conduct longer surveillance and field operations to find people away from the courthouse. DOJ says an arrest at a jail or courthouse may require two officers, while an arrest in the field typically requires four to six. This is a developing news story; check back for updates.
‘Not 1984’: Flock cameras watching millions of Americans spark bipartisan revolt
There’s a new frontier in the national privacy debate that’s uniting people on the right and left, and it’s a tool that millions of Americans encounter every day without even realizing it. Automatic license plate reader (ALPR) companies have been brought under scrutiny by lawmakers in Washington as privacy hawks warn that the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is testing the bounds of what ALPR devices can legally learn about drivers on the road. One company in particular, Flock Safety, has been taking hits in the media and political sphere as news of Flock cameras’ misuse — and occasional success — dominates headlines. “There’s cameras everywhere, people know that, but if law enforcement has the ability to monitor the comings and goings of citizens, I think that’s wrong. I mean, we’re not the CCP, we’re not 1984 and an Orwellian society, and Americans have rights,” Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS ARE TRACKING DRIVERS EVERYWHERE He pointed to a recent incident in his district where a now-former Sarasota police officer was fired and arrested after being accused of misusing Flock camera technology, using it to spy on one particular license plate over 300 times. FLOCK SAFETY CAMERAS NEED CONSTITUTIONAL GUARDRAILS BEFORE FURTHER DEPLOYMENT, TENNESSEE MAYOR ARGUES “I don’t think you’re gonna be able to stop these cameras from being out there, but at the very least, there should be some type of legal parameters put in place to protect people’s Fourth Amendment rights,” he said. ALPRs automatically capture and analyze vehicle and location data on public roads without drivers’ consent. Supporters have argued that it’s a critical tool for public safety that only collects minimal information, while opponents labeled it an alarming expansion of the mass surveillance state. LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS AT HOME DEPOT AND LOWE’S SPARK PRIVACY FEARS Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, “These cameras are well beyond an automated license plate reader today. AI has made them so capable that they are now capable of facial recognition, of seeing what you’re doing inside your car. So it’s well beyond the license plate reader…that’s the problem. Technology has moved these beyond just looking at the back of a car.” On the other side of the aisle, a spokesperson for progressive Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., pointed Fox News Digital to her recent comments responding to news that Flock was updating its oversight standards. Ramirez wrote on X, “Private tech companies have amassed record-breaking profits off our pain and the use of technology for mass surveillance is a threat to our democracy, civil liberties, and privacy. Congress must stop the ever-expanding surveillance state.” ‘DARTH VADER’ USES DARK SIDE TO MOCK CONTROVERSIAL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS: ‘THE EMPEROR IS A FAN OF FLOCK’ The debate even exploded onto the campaign trail ahead of November’s midterm elections, where ALPRs join AI data centers as Big Tech’s big boogeymen. “I oppose Flock’s mass surveillance technology, and I’ll stand with anyone in Congress, regardless of party, who wants to put limits on unchecked mass surveillance on the American people,” Will Lawrence, a Democrat running for the House in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital. DSA CANDIDATE PUSHES FEDERAL AI DATA CENTER MORATORIUM WITH MICHIGAN EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY Abdul El-Sayed, the insurgent progressive Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, accused his opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., of supporting Flock cameras in a campaign video released on X. “There’s been this mass proliferation of black cameras, any and everywhere, little cameras, watching your every move to collect information about you without you even noticing,” he said in the video. “If you believe, like me, that you shouldn’t just be surveilled because you’re driving along the street, then I hope I can earn your support.” A spokesperson for Rogers told Fox News Digital that he “vehemently opposes unchecked use of Flock cameras to track law-abiding citizens. Security and liberty aren’t enemies. Good government protects both.” Back on Capitol Hill, the furor over these cameras has prompted a flurry of legislative pushback. Self is among the House lawmakers pushing bills aimed at the issue, along with Reps. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Steube told Fox News Digital that he’s also “looking at filing something at the national level,” and is sending a letter to Sarasota, Florida, officials threatening to withhold federal funding absent a promise of “reasonable restrictions” to “prevent the abuses that have happened right here in our backyard.” Privacy and misuse concerns have sparked efforts across the country to cut ties with Flock specifically, from Lansing, Michigan, to Bernadillo County, New Mexico. Flock is just one company of several that operate ALPRs, some of which have been used for years. But the technology does have its benefits and has been used to stop crime. Flock Safety founder and CEO Garrett Langley told Fox News’ “Saturday in America” that his technology has helped police find missing children at least twice, including after a recent carjacking in Atlanta. Flock has also said it does not use facial recognition and recently introduced new safety controls in response to the public backlash. “When I think about legislation that calls for an outright ban, that’s like banning vehicles. That would never have made sense. Instead, what we did is we introduced laws against drunk driving. We introduced laws around seatbelts, laws around airbags,” Langley said. “What happens if law enforcement abuses this powerful technology today? It is too often that in Flock and in other technologies, there’s no regulation, there’s no accountability. And we think that’s wrong.” Supporters of ALPRs like Flock cameras have held them up as a key crime-fighting tool, while agreeing that guardrails to prevent abuse would be helpful. “I think it’s definitely a net positive. And I think that’s a very easy call… the use cases and the documented cases of these things being effective tools, I think, vastly outnumber the handful of cases of abuse and misuse that we’ve seen,” Rafael Mangual, a senior
Dem House hopeful defended music video showing woman restrained, groped and killed
In a 2016 interview, Latin Grammy Award-winning artist and Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido defended a fellow singer against criticism for a graphic music video that depicted acts of sexual violence and murder. In the video production of “Fuiste Mía” or “You were mine” by Gerardo Ortiz, a singer walks in on his girlfriend cheating on him. After shooting her lover, he then handcuffs her to a pole, blindfolds her, and gropes her before putting her in the trunk of his car and setting it on fire. In response to backlash, Pulido defended Ortiz, calling the video a matter of artistic direction. “I’ve made videos with suggestive images; some have stayed, others have been edited, and still others were never used. That’s the decision of the artist and their team,” Pulido said in response to public backlash for the production. Pulido’s resurfaced response to the music video is the latest in a series of controversies Pulido has tried to downplay as he pursues a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’ 15th Congressional District — one of the country’s most competitive seats. FORMER DISNEY TEEN STAR EXPOSES CHILLING WARNING SIGNS OF PREDATORY BEHAVIOR IN HOLLYWOOD Pulido is best known for Tejano, or Mexican–Spanish folk-style, songs like “Desvelado” and “Se Murió de Amor,” and received five nominations for a Latin Grammy Awards, winning Best Tejano Album in 2025 and 2022. He filed to run for Congress in Texas’ 15th district, challenging Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas. A two-term incumbent, she last won election to the district in 2024 in a 57.1% to 42.9% victory over Democratic nominee Michelle Vallejo. Along the way, Pulido has drawn scrutiny for a resurfaced history of posting links to explicit websites on his personal X account — as well as for a social media post of what appeared to be him urinating on President Donald Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Pulido has shrugged off criticism for both, stating in 2024 that it’s “it’s impossible to have Twitter and not watch porn,” and that he had only poured water on Trump’s star as a joke. More notably, Pulido has also had to fend off criticisms of bringing a registered sex offender to a Texas middle school benefit concert in 2018. DEM TIED TO CARTEL OPERATIVE SAYS ‘WHITE NATIONALISTS’ JOINING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO ‘HUNT DOWN PEOPLE’ In that case, Pulido denied knowledge of his associate’s status at the time and has dismissed coverage of it as a “nothing story,” according to Axios. Similarly, in his defense of Ortiz, Pulido downplayed the music video, arguing that viewers had become accustomed to increasingly graphic images. “What happens when there’s a [car] accident?” Pulido asked, comparing the music video to real-life instances of tragedy. “Traffic doesn’t flow because people slow down or even stop to see what happened; something similar happens with the regional Mexican genre when these kinds of incidents occur.” At least one Republican onlooker is left unconvinced by the defense of the music video — and defenses of other past behaviors. “Bobby Pulido has spent his entire adult life defending perverts and predators while lashing out at members of law enforcement who keep Texans safe. He is a truly sick individual who is morally rotten,” Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said in a statement to Fox News Digital. DEM RIPPED FOR ‘DISGUSTING’ ABSENCE ON BILL TO PUNISH VIOLENT CRIMINALS AFTER GIRL STRANGLED IN GRISLY KILLING The Pulido campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about his defense of the video and whether he had a track record of downplaying potentially problematic conduct.