President Donald Trump briefed on downed F-15 fighter jet in Iran
President Donald Trump has been briefed Friday on an F-15 fighter jet that went down over Iran, Fox News has learned. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and state media claimed to have shot down a U.S. fighter jet over central Iran, specifically in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. Initial Iranian reports claimed the aircraft was an F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. However, subsequent photos of wreckage released by Iranian media suggest the aircraft may be an F-15E Strike Eagle, likely from the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath. U.S. officials for weeks have insisted the U.S. and Israel have “complete control over Iranian skies,” and recently sent the slower, non-stealthy B-52 bombers into Iran, underscoring how confident they were that Iranian airpower had been nearly eliminated. “We are in this military operation … for 32 days,” Trump said in an address Wednesday. “And the country has been eviscerated and essentially is really no longer a threat.” “They have no anti-aircraft equipment,” Trump said. “Their radar is 100% annihilated. We are unstoppable.” Aviation experts say the aircraft seen in the circulating footage appears consistent with an F-15 based on several distinctive features, including its twin vertical tails, wide fuselage, and dual-engine configuration. The F-15s widely spaced engine intakes and rectangular air inlets are also key identifiers that distinguish it from other U.S. fighter jets. This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Trump cabinet shakeup expands after Noem exit, Bondi firing — who’s under pressure next?
Kristi Noem is gone from the Department of Homeland Security and Pam Bondi is on her way out the door at the Justice Department. It’s not unusual for a president to shake up the cabinet ahead of crucial elections. And that appears to be the case right now for President Donald Trump, who’s saddled with underwater approval ratings and an unpopular war ahead of this year’s crucial midterm elections, when Republicans are working to hold onto their slim House and Senate majorities. The big question going forward: Who may be next on Trump’s chopping block. PAM BONDI ALREADY FIRED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, CABINET OFFICIAL TEED UP AS REPLACEMENT: SOURCES The White House is pushing back against reporting that other cabinet secretaries may soon be given pink slips. But it’s worth noting that Trump announced in a social media post that he was letting Bondi go hours after media reports first crossed that the attorney general’s job was in jeopardy. Here’s a look at three cabinet members that media reports suggest could possibly be in the president’s crosshairs. The director of national intelligence may have earned Trump’s ire by failing to condemn former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent after his abrupt exit from the administration last month after criticizing the president’s move to strike Iran. Gabbard, a former Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for her party’s 2020 presidential nomination before crossing over and supporting Trump in the 2024 election and a military veteran who deployed to the Iraq War two decades ago, has not been as vocally supportive of the current conflict with Iran as others in the cabinet. In backing Gabbard, Trump last weekend pointed to her stance on Iran and said, “I think she’s probably a little bit softer on that issue, but that’s okay.” Pushing back forcefully against speculation that Gabbard may be next to go, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung on Thursday said, “President Trump has total confidence in Director Gabbard, and any insinuation otherwise is totally fake news.” “The President has assembled the most talented and impactful Cabinet ever, and they have collectively delivered historic victories on behalf of the American people.,” Cheung touted. Trump’s labor secretary is under investigation by the Labor Department’s inspector general over numerous allegations, including drinking alcohol while working and having an affair with a security officer. The resignation of some of her top aides has not helped matters. The president’s commerce secretary is a longtime Trump ally. But there’s speculation Lutnick may be on thin ice after admitting in February he traveled with his family to Jeffrey Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2012, four years after Epstein was convicted of child sex trafficking. Lutnick previously denied having any relationship with Epstein and stated that he “barely had anything to do with that person.” The White House is denying that either Lutnick or Chavez-DeRemer are in hot water. “Secretaries Chavez-DeRemer and Lutnick are both doing a great job standing up for American workers, and they continue to have President Trump’s full support,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News. But a source in the president’s political orbit didn’t rule out further changes in Trump’s cabinet. “The president is reshaping his team and his message is clear: loyalty is expected but performance is mandatory,” the source told Fox News.
State top cop moves to crush alleged DHS records restriction as county denies ICE-out
FIRST ON FOX: Montana’s attorney general is demanding a county reverse a policy whereby the state’s top cop denies Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to criminal justice data, warning the position is unlawful and undermines coordination with federal law enforcement, as a top local official pushed back. Montana banned sanctuary cities under Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s pen in 2021, and that policy also allows Attorney General Austin Knudsen to enforce compliance and investigate alleged aberrations under threat of civil action against any such state agency or local or county government. Knudsen notified Gallatin County — anchored by the city of Bozeman — that its policy stance is “legally incorrect” and that Big Sky Country is not Big Sur. “Let me be clear: Montana is not California. This state does not embrace policies that isolate law enforcement partners or undermine the enforcement of duly enacted federal law,” Knudsen will write to Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. SHERIFFS PLOT ICE COOPERATION ‘WORKAROUNDS’ AFTER NEW MARYLAND LAW BANS COOPERATION WITH IMMIGRATION OFFICERS When asked about claims her county does not recognize ICE as a criminal justice agency qualified to receive confidential criminal justice information (CCJI), Cromwell said such a claim is not accurate. When presented with the text of an email sent from her aide to county law enforcement stating the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office does “not legally recognize Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a law enforcement agency entitled to receive Confidential Criminal Justice Information (CCJI),” Cromwell’s office responded several hours later with a lengthy release stating in part that “there is no blanket policy in Gallatin County prohibiting cooperation with ICE or any federal agency, nor is there a policy restricting the sharing of information.” “The County Commission, not the County Attorney’s Office, is the only governing body with the authority to establish county policy,” Cromwell’s office said. “In the specific instance raised by the Records Department in September, ICE requested nonpublic CCJI regarding an individual for a civil matter. After legal review, the civil division of the County Attorney’s Office determined that ICE, in this context, was not acting as a ‘criminal justice agency’ under Montana’s CCJI statutes because the request was civil in nature and did not fall within the statutory definition tied to the administration of criminal justice,” the statement also read, adding that the email in question should not be considered “policy.” FORMER MAINE COUNCILOR GIVES IMPASSIONED SPEECH OPPOSING CITY BLOCKING COOPERATION WITH ICE In his own warning to Cromwell, Knudsen wrote that “Montana supports cooperation among all levels of law enforcement, including ICE, to ensure community safety and uphold the rule of law.” “I write in response to your office’s determination that [ICE] is not a ‘criminal justice agency’ entitled to receive CCJI absent a court order. Your policy is legally incorrect and inconsistent with both Montana law and governing federal statutes. Montana law defines the term ‘criminal justice agency’ as a matter of statute—not local discretion,” he wrote, adding that it is not up to an individual prosecutor to make that call. An October email from a Cromwell aide to two county law enforcement officials, obtained by Fox News Digital, described the policy that drew Knudsen’s ire. “Good afternoon [officials], I am writing to inform you that the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office does not legally recognize Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a law enforcement agency entitled to receive Confidential Criminal Justice Information (CCJI). FORMER MAINE COUNCILOR GIVES IMPASSIONED SPEECH OPPOSING CITY BLOCKING COOPERATION WITH ICE “Accordingly, ICE is not authorized under Montana law to access CCJI without a court order.” “Therefore, ICE is only entitled to public documents. All other documents being requested should be processed like a standard CCJI request,” the email read. When asked about the reported policy, Cromwell told Fox News Digital, “That report is inaccurate.” DEM GOVERNOR’S ‘DANGEROUS’ ANTI-ICE LAW IGNITES BACKLASH AFTER ALLEGED BOX CUTTER ATTACK BY ILLEGAL ALIEN Knudsen said in his letter to Cromwell on Thursday that Montana’s legal definition of a criminal justice agency is intentionally broad to incorporate federal agencies when applicable and that ICE “plainly meets that definition.” He went on to tell Cromwell that state law allows for an expansion of the definition of “law enforcement agency” rather than a restriction and that Gallatin’s position endangers public safety because ICE must be able to share information to keep the community safe. Knudsen also accused the county in the letter of crafting the policy as a “deliberate effort to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities while avoiding explicit acknowledgment.” DHS TORCHES NEW JERSEY’S PROFANE ‘F—ICE ACT’ AS ASSAULTS ON AGENTS SKYROCKET 1,300% “Such an approach resembles a ‘sanctuary’ policy in practice, if not in name,” he said, noting Gov. Greg Gianforte’s ban on sanctuary cities. Knudsen then gave Gallatin until Monday to take corrective action and communicate that to him via Solicitor General Christian Corrigan — the state’s principal litigator — and to retain all documents and correspondence about the policy. Knudsen has been involved in several nationally relevant issues, including collaborating with West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey to object to the inclusion of a controversially constructed climate change chapter in a scientific evidence manual for federal judges. Montana’s capital, Helena, also reportedly backed down from its stance of noncooperation with ICE following legal threats from Knudsen’s office. That move came after the city’s commissioners heard analysis from outside legal counsel that Helena could face thousands of dollars in penalties every five days if it were found to be violating the state’s ban on sanctuary policies, according to Montana Public Radio. ICE has continued to face political and, at times, physical attacks amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda, with a four-figure increase in assaults and threats against ICE and CBP agents, according to information shared with Fox News Digital by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Trump eyes next attorney general as key GOP senator signals potential roadblock
President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Attorney General Pam Bondi tees up another whirlwind confirmation in the Senate, and some in the upper chamber are already drawing lines in the sand. The Senate confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin last month after a sprint to elevate him from lawmaker to Cabinet official following Kristi Noem’s firing. Lawmakers will again be tasked with confirming Bondi’s replacement in the coming weeks. While Trump has selected Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) on an interim basis, speculation is swirling over who he will tap as the next attorney general. PAM BONDI ALREADY FIRED AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, CABINET OFFICIAL TEED UP AS REPLACEMENT: SOURCES Whoever he picks will have to go through the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in an interview with CNN that the next nominee must align with his views on the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol. “The threshold for somebody following Pam Bondi ends the moment I hear they say one thing that excused the events of January 6,” Tillis said. “I’ve been very clear on that. So I hope whoever they have in mind to follow General Bondi is very clear-eyed about my position on January 6.” “That’s why I didn’t support two other nominees who were coming through the Judiciary Committee, and I won’t support any nominee who thinks any element of January 6 was excusable,” he continued. MULLIN CONFIRMED AS DHS CHIEF AS LAWMAKERS NEAR SOLUTION ON SHUTDOWN STANDOFF Tillis will have a key vote on the Republican-led panel that could make or break any nominee’s chances of reaching a full Senate vote. Last year, he notably tanked Trump’s pick for top prosecutor in Washington, D.C., Ed Martin, over his comments on Jan. 6. Trump is reportedly eyeing Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for the job, but whether he taps another sitting senator remains an open question. Some lawmakers in the upper chamber are reportedly pushing for Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to get the job. But Lee — who is pushing for the Senate to pass the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — doesn’t appear keen on the idea. BONDI OUSTER IGNITES BIPARTISAN UPROAR: ‘PARTISAN, PETULANT, POLITICAL HACK’ “I’m not going anywhere,” Lee said on X. Then there is Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who was previously under consideration for the job when Trump won in 2024. Schmitt has a strong relationship with the president that dates back to his first campaign and has developed into regular invitations to join Trump for rounds of golf. But he turned down the job, opting to stay in the Senate after just winning his seat in 2022. He confirmed his decision on X at the time, saying he was “just getting started” in the Senate. “We need America First fighters who don’t just say they support the agenda but are willing to stand in the breach and actually fight for it — and for the hopes and dreams of the American people,” Schmitt said. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and be a champion for President Trump in the Senate.”
Holocaust survivor, 86, priced out of NYC says Mamdani skipped scheduled housing meeting
As a toddler, Sami Steigmann survived Nazi medical experimentation. Now, at 86, he is struggling to find safe housing in New York City. His situation comes as New York City residents face rising housing costs, despite campaign promises from city leaders to improve affordability. Steigmann, who has called New York City home since the 1980s, can no longer safely navigate his second-story apartment in Harlem. Earlier this year, he asked to have a one-on-one meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who ran on a platform centered on lowering housing costs. Although the meeting was scheduled, Steigmann says the 34-year-old mayor never kept the appointment. “Promises made, not kept,” Steigmann told Fox News Digital. “His claim to fame was affordable housing. I’m not disappointed because I didn’t expect him to keep his word. It is what it is.” DEMS WHO RAN ON AFFORDABILITY NOW FACE BACKLASH AS COSTS CLIMB “It would have been nice, but you know politicians,” he said with a smile. He added that he was no longer interested in meeting with Mamdani. Mamdani’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. For now, Steigmann said his focus is on finding a safe place to live as New York City’s costs continue to climb. “New York is the most expensive city in the country, especially for independent living. Rent is about $6,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment,” he said. Steigmann, who lives on a fixed income of $1,649 per month, said he cannot afford an apartment that is both safe and accessible to public transportation. The physical toll of his current living situation has only added to the challenge. Born in 1939 in Romania, Steigmann was deported with his parents to a Nazi labor camp at about age 2. Too young to work, he was subjected to medical experimentation for at least three years before the camp was liberated. “I was subjected to medical experiments, so I’m in pain every single second, but I learned to live with it. Now, because of my age, 86, I have difficulty walking and climbing stairs,” he said. While relocating to a more affordable city may seem like an option, he said leaving New York is not a simple decision. “I did not give it serious thought because here I have agencies that are helping me,” he said. “I don’t know what it would be like in other cities because I don’t have those connections there.” FROM FREE BUSES TO CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORES, HERE ARE MAMDANI’S KEY ECONOMIC PROMISES “I’m very safe here,” Steigmann said of his neighborhood, adding that his neighbors know him and watch his back. He said a nursing home is a last resort he hopes to avoid. “If I’m going to a nursing home, which I may have to go to if I cannot find something, basically, it’s the way to die because there is no life there.” “It’s not for me. I’m still active. I don’t need assisted living in the sense that I can take a bath by myself. I can still do a lot of things,” he said. Now, advocates are stepping in to help. The Chicago Jewish Alliance recently launched “Project Ahava,” a fundraising initiative aimed at securing safe, stable housing for Steigmann as he struggles to remain independent in New York City. Facing a roughly $2,200 monthly shortfall, the initiative aims to raise $132,000 to cover five years of housing. The group has so far raised about $18,000 for Steigmann. “Sami has never asked for a dime, and he has given back to so many people. That’s just another reason why we wanted to give back to him and make sure that he has safe housing,” Susan Haggard, president of the Chicago Jewish Alliance, told Fox News Digital. “And it’s important for him to stay in Manhattan where he is close to public transportation and still have that independence that is so important to him,” she added. Maintaining that independence is key to his daily work and outreach. He spends his days volunteering aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid, docked in New York City’s harbor, and speaking to school groups across the country about the Holocaust — a mission that has come to define his life. “This is my life. Without it, there’s nothing for me, no reason to live,” he said.
WATCH: House Democrat gets unexpected response when he asks constituents about voter ID requirements
A Democratic lawmaker created an online firestorm after appearing to inadvertently make the case for stricter voter ID requirements while criticizing a Trump-backed election bill. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., repeatedly said Monday that Democrats were not against voter identification at the ballot box as he discussed his opposition to the SAVE America Act at a town hall with constituents. The Alabama Democrat, however, appeared to imply that the town hall attendees might have a problem with it. “I’m of a different era, I’m of a different generation. I probably feel a little bit differently about it,” Figures, 40, told a seemingly older crowd. “But watch this: how many people in here do not have an ID?” No one’s hand went up. REPUBLICANS SHRED ‘NONSENSE’ DEM CLAIMS AGAINST TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL After a noticeable pause, Figures appeared to nod in agreement. “Everybody has an ID, right?” Figures said, adding that he believed “20, 30, 40 years ago, it was a lot different.” A shortened clip of the exchange posted to social media sparked backlash among conservatives, who said the video proved that a majority of Americans would have no issue complying with photo ID requirements. “Democrat Rep. Figures’ rhetoric on Voter ID absolutely backfires when every single person he’s talking to has an ID,” David McIntosh, president of the conservative Club for Growth, wrote on social media. “OOPS. Rep. Shomari Figures (D) just accidentally OBLITERATED his Party’s own narrative that people don’t have IDs to vote,” the viral Libs of TikTok account added. Figures disputed that he expected someone in the audience not to have an ID, in a statement to Fox News Digital. “If you listen to the entire exchange, which they intentionally cut short, you will clearly see that I was making the point that these days everyone has an ID,” Figures said, referring to viral clips of a shortened exchange that circulated on social media. “I asked the audience a rhetorical question: ‘How many people here do not have an ID?’” he continued. “I fully expected no one to raise their hand.” The exchange comes as top Democrats in Washington have long opposed photo ID rules for voting, often likening such restrictions to Jim Crow laws meant to keep minority Americans disenfranchised. A GOP push to add a photo ID requirement as an amendment to the SAVE America Act was defeated by Democrats in March, despite Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying Democrats support showing identification at the polling booth. But Democratic lawmakers’ opposition to voter ID rules appears to be increasingly out of step with voters. More than seven in 10 Democratic voters and 76% of Black voters support showing government-issued photo ID to vote, according to a 2025 Pew Research Center poll. Photo ID requirements are already widespread, with 36 states, including Alabama, mandating identification when voting. Supporters note there has been no observed effect on turnout. SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS SAY THEY SUPPORT VOTER ID, THEN BLOCK GOP AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE IT Figures said his opposition to the SAVE America Act revolves around its proof of citizenship requirement to vote in federal elections. Eligible documents include a U.S. passport or birth certificate, which Figures argues is too stringent. Later in the town hall, the Alabama Democrat asked the crowd if everyone had easy access to their birth certificate or a passport. When not everyone raised their hand, he said, “There’s the problem.” “My point is that if a driver’s license is the most common form of ID that the overwhelming majority of people have, then it should be enough to allow people to vote,” Figures told Fox News Digital. “The bottom line is that the SAVE Act is a bill that makes it harder for people to vote by requiring them to obtain additional forms of identification.” SCHUMER, JEFFRIES SUE TRUMP, ACCUSE HIM OF TRYING TO ‘RIG’ MAIL-IN VOTING Proponents of the SAVE America Act note that a majority of Americans have recently had to show a birth certificate or passport to the government to receive a REAL ID. They also point out that some states issue driver’s licenses to noncitizens, though those individuals are explicitly barred from voting in federal elections. Figures was among nearly all Democrats who voted against the SAVE America Act when it passed the House, and the measure has since stalled in the Senate. The upper chamber, however, is expected to continue debating the legislation in April amid a pressure campaign from Trump to advance the measure to his desk.
DHS preps deportation of alleged MS-13 gang member wanted for pastor’s murder in El Salvador
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has started the deportation process for an alleged MS-13 gang member from El Salvador who had been released into the United States a decade ago and was considered a “non-criminal” alien despite being wanted for a pastor’s murder in his home country. Danny Granados-Garcia was arrested by the FBI last month, and Fox News Digital has learned that he is now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody facing imminent removal. “Thanks to ICE, this MS-13 gang member wanted for murdering a pastor in his home country is off Connecticut streets,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. “This is an example of an arrest the media counts as a ‘non-criminal’ because he lacks a rap sheet in the United States.” FEDERAL OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT ARRESTS OF MIGRANTS CONVICTED OF ARSON, OTHER CRIMES AS ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES “This is an insane categorization and just one example of the countless ‘non-criminals’ who are public safety threats that ICE is removing from our communities every single day,” Bis added. “70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens convicted or charged with a crime in the U.S.” DHS says Granados-Garcia was released by the Obama administration in 2016 near the Rio Grande Valley, Texas Border Patrol Sector. The Salvadorian national attempted to enter the U.S. claiming he was an unaccompanied minor, despite being over the age of qualification for such status. ICE officers apprehended Granados-Garcia as part of a focused enforcement operation with multiple agencies conducted in Waterbury, Connecticut, on March 10. “Danny Antonio Granados-Garcia, a Salvadoran national, was in the U.S. with an active El Salvadorian arrest warrant for aggravated homicide — wanted for the alleged murder of a pastor,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X following the arrest. DHS told Fox News Digital that the Salvadorian will remain in ICE custody until he is deported. AGENCY THAT NABBED EL CHAPO, DIDDY THREATENED AS DEMOCRATS’ DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON Despite setbacks from the partial government shutdown and shakeups at DHS which led to the appointment of Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the department has continued its commitment to President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to deport criminal illegal migrants. Earlier this week, Bis told Fox News Digital that DHS “will continue arresting public safety threats from our communities and will not allow the Democrats to slow us down from making America safe again.” The partial government shutdown continues, but a bipartisan deal appears close as both the House and Senate look to end what has been a near-50 day battle and the longest partial shutdown in U.S. history. DHS ARRESTS 5 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF VIOLENT CRIMES INCLUDING MANSLAUGHTER, CHILD ASSAULT The lack of funding for the department has impacted agencies that operate under DHS, including FEMA, TSA and the Coast Guard. This week, FEMA told Fox News Digital that disaster relief funds are “running dangerously low,” and until Trump’s executive order to pay TSA agents, airport security lines faced hourslong wait times with unpaid officers calling out of work. ICE and immigration agent operations, for the most part, were funded under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law by Trump last July. Debate over funding DHS is mainly centered around ICE operations, with congressional Democrats hesitant to agree to a spending bill without reforms for the agency, like federal agents having to show ID, obtain warrants and remove face coverings.
VP Vance to meet with Viktor Orbán in Hungary days ahead of foreign nation’s elections
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will visit Hungary next week, when he will meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán days ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections. The vice president and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, will visit Budapest from April 7 to 8, according to a release from his office. The release states that Vance “will also deliver remarks on the rich partnership between the United States and Hungary.” VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 221 CALIFORNIA HOSPICE AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO FAR “Vice President @JDVance will visit Hungary next Tuesday. Looking forward to welcoming you to Budapest!” Orbán declared in a post on X. U.S. President Donald Trump has enthusiastically endorsed the foreign leader. TRUMP ALLY ORBAN ISSUES SCATHING LETTER DEMANDING ZELENSKYY CHANGE UKRAINE’S ‘ANTI-HUNGARIAN POLICY’ “I was proud to ENDORSE Viktor for Re-Election in 2022, and am honored to do so again. Election Day is April 12, 2026. Hungary: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR VIKTOR ORBÁN. He is a true friend, fighter, and WINNER, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Hungary — VIKTOR ORBÁN WILL NEVER LET THE GREAT PEOPLE OF HUNGARY DOWN. I AM WITH HIM ALL THE WAY!” Trump declared in part of a Truth Social post last month. RUBIO SEALS CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH HUNGARY Trump had previously backed Orbán in February Truth Social posts as well.
Celebrity chef lashes out at Trump for changing the ‘rules’ the same year as America 250
Activist and celebrity chef José Andrés joined protesters outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, when President Donald Trump became the first sitting president on record to attend oral arguments on a case at the High Court. Andrés, when speaking to Fox News Digital, slammed Trump for “changing the game’s rules,” rules the chef said “have been already done,” the same year as America’s 250th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence was signed. He suggested that what Trump is doing – attempting to ensure that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily do not become American citizens – is not what America “should be working towards.” The chef’s comments mirrored remarks by other protesters alongside him outside the Supreme Court, complaining that Trump’s efforts to tighten the screws around birthright citizenship violates the Constitution. Actor Robert De Niro, who did not join protesters but joined Trump and some of his closest advisors inside the courtroom, was also present at the High Court on Wednesday. JUSTICE JACKSON SPARKS ONLINE UPROAR AFTER LINKING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP TO STEALING A WALLET IN JAPAN “The argument is that this country, this year, is celebrating 250 years! It’s not the time to be changing the game’s rules. Those rules have been already done,” Andrés said. “Let’s keep working to make sure that the 15 million immigrants become part of America. This is what America should be working towards.” Andrés’ suggestion that “the game’s rules” have already been written and Trump’s efforts are trying to upend those pre-settled rules, effectively saying it goes against the Constitution and other policies the country was founded on, was echoed by other protesters Fox News Digital caught up with outside the Supreme Court Wednesday as well. “Well, I don’t know that there should be no limits, but there certainly shouldn’t be the limits that are proposed. And Justice Robert said it way better than I could. It’s a new world. It’s the same Constitution,” someone at the protest outside the Supreme Court, holding a small dog wearing a sign that read “NO KINGS. ONLY B—-ES,” told Fox News Digital. EXPERT FLAGS ‘DISAPPOINTING’ QUESTIONS FROM JUSTICES IN TRUMP BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE “We are setting ourselves up for a two-tiered, or hierarchy of citizenship, you know. Why is it that some people who are born here get to be citizens and other people are not, based on who their parents’ ancestry is? To me that just violates the core concept of equality that our country is supposed to be founded on,” said another. “It will help regulations when it comes to certain laws. And it was kind of – the hearing itself – it was educational, a lot of things to take, and things to learn from the 14th Amendment,” added another. “We have a 14th Amendment for a reason,” another activist said. “We can’t rewrite the Constitution.” SAUER CITES ‘STRIKING’ FIGURES ON SECRETIVE BIRTH TOURISM IN HIGH-STAKES SCOTUS CASE When asked for his thoughts on Wednesday’s oral arguments after leaving the courthouse Wednesday, De Niro focused his criticism on Trump, telling Fox News Digital he didn’t know what to think immediately after leaving the hearing. “I’m waiting to get a, getting a – I’m not sure because I could hear, but not hear. It’s complicated. So, I can’t say,” De Niro responded when asked about the oral arguments he had just witnessed. De Niro described the Trump administration’s stance on the matter — that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens — as a way for Republicans to “get rid of people they don’t want.” When asked about claims he has “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” sometimes referred to by the acronym “TDS,” De Niro called it “nonsense.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “People don’t like him for a reason,” De Niro shot back. “All the terrible things he’s done. If he did nice things, then he could have, he had the chance — he became president — to do nice things, not hateful, retribution, not just, outright mean things. If he did nice things, people would love him. But he’s got a problem. He’s damaged.” Asked what specifically bothered him about Trump, De Niro said “everything.” “Everything that we all know now,” De Niro, who reportedly sat in seats reserved for the justices’ guests, added as he was leaving the courthouse. Reporting from Wednesday indicated the Supreme Court appeared ready to reject Trump’s argument on birthright citizenship. The arguments reportedly lasted over two hours, and, in addition to Trump, recently fired U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was present, as was Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, among other Trump allies.
What B-52 bombers bring to Iran fight — and what it means for the war now
The U.S. is now flying B-52 bombers over Iran — an operational shift that signals American forces have achieved air superiority inside parts of the country after weeks of strikes degraded Tehran’s defenses. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said in a briefing Tuesday the missions began “given the increase in air superiority,” as U.S. forces expand operations inside Iranian territory. President Donald Trump said during an address to the public Thursday night that Iran’s air defenses had been “annihilated,” calling U.S. forces “unstoppable.” “We are in this military operation … for 32 days,” he said. “And the country has been eviscerated and essentially is really no longer a threat.” TRUMP SAYS IRAN ‘NO LONGER A THREAT’ AFTER 32 DAYS — OUTLINES NEXT PHASE OF US WAR The bomber, first used during the Cold War and flown for about 70 years, allows the U.S. to expand the pace and flexibility of its strikes. Unlike earlier stand-off attacks focused on fixed targets, B-52s can remain over the battlefield and hit multiple targets in a single mission, including mobile systems and hardened sites, Mark Gunzinger, a retired Air Force colonel and former B-52 command pilot, told Fox News Digital. The development signals the U.S. has moved beyond the initial phase of degrading Iran’s air defenses and is now able to operate more freely inside the country’s airspace, allowing for sustained, higher-volume strikes as the campaign enters a potentially more intense phase. The aircraft can carry up to 70,000 pounds of ordnance. It is capable of launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory, including gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions. But the bomber is slower than modern aircraft and lacks stealth, making it more vulnerable to radar and air defenses — conditions that would typically keep it out of contested airspace. “The fact that these B-52s are now flying over Iran is clear evidence that we have air superiority — and even air dominance over parts of Iran,” Gunzinger said. Gunzinger said that level of control allows U.S. forces to operate more freely over Iran, including remaining over the battlefield and striking targets as they emerge rather than relying solely on pre-planned, long-range attacks. While U.S. officials have emphasized growing control of the skies, air superiority does not eliminate all threats. Iran still retains missile and drone capabilities, and has relied on asymmetric tactics throughout the conflict to continue attacks despite losses to its air defenses. Early in the campaign, B-52s fired long-range cruise missiles from outside Iranian airspace. More recently, bombers operating from U.S.-operated UK base Royal Air Force Fairford have been seen carrying precision-guided bombs — a shift that reflects growing U.S. control of the skies and the move toward closer-range strikes. “B-52s flying in Iran’s airspace shows America’s complete air dominance — and guaranteed, there are also F-22s and F-35s at high altitude on overwatch,” Rebecca Grant, a military analyst, told Fox News Digital. “They bring the big bomb payload for direct attacks on Iran’s drone and missile factories, plus underground targets.” The Pentagon could not immediately be reached for comment. During the June 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, stealth B-2 bombers led the assault, dropping massive bunker-buster bombs on hardened sites like Fordow and Natanz. B-52s, meanwhile, were deployed to the region as part of the broader U.S. buildup — positioned to support sustained operations if needed. MORE THAN 90% OF IRANIAN MISSILES INTERCEPTED, BUT A DANGEROUS IMBALANCE IS EMERGING The latest development signals the U.S. has moved beyond the initial phase of degrading Iran’s air defenses and is now able to operate more freely inside the country’s airspace, allowing for sustained, higher-volume strikes as the campaign enters a potentially more intense phase. The expanded freedom of action could become more important as the campaign enters what Trump has described as its final phase, with U.S. officials signaling that strikes could intensify in the coming weeks. “If you really want to devastate Iran’s ability to continue to launch missiles and drones, you would want to use bombers to do that,” Gunzinger said. Gunzinger added that the U.S. is using a significant portion of its combat-ready bomber fleet to sustain operations, underscoring the scale of the campaign as it enters what could be its most intense phase. “Our bomber force now totals 140 aircraft,” he said, referring to B-2s, B-52s and B-1Bs. “If you scale that down to how many are ready to go to combat today, you’re probably at less than 50.” “That is a dramatic change since the end of the Cold War era, where we had over 400 bombers, so we’re using a good percentage — I’d say a majority — of our combat capable bombers for this fight, to sustain this fight.” Built in the early 1960s for nuclear war against the Soviet Union, the B-52 Stratofortress was never designed to operate inside modern, heavily defended airspace — making its current use over Iran a reflection of how much those defenses have been degraded. While U.S. officials have emphasized growing control of the skies, air superiority does not eliminate all threats. Iran still retains missile and drone capabilities, and has relied on asymmetric tactics throughout the conflict to continue attacks despite losses to its air defenses.