Secret Service arrests two after car crash and barricade breach outside White House
Secret Service officials arrested two people outside the White House in separate incidents on Monday near Lafayette Square Park. Video from the park circulating on social media showed a vehicle that appeared to run into a barrier, with the engine emitting smoke. “Just before 10:00 a.m., Secret Service Police and National Guard responded to the north side of Lafayette Park at 16th Street and H Street, NW, where a vehicle crashed onto the sidewalk. The driver was combative with law enforcement, but was quickly placed under arrest,” a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement. “MPD’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team has been called to sweep the vehicle as a precaution. Subsequently, roads around Lafayette Park have been closed,” the statement continued. “Around the same time, a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park. That individual was also quickly placed under arrest,” it added. The Secret Service briefly moved reporters and the press inside the White House briefing room after the incident, but they have since been released. Authorities say both incidents are currently under investigation. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Kathy Hochul entertains massive political promotion as Democrats look ahead to 2028
Fresh off her re-election victory, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is not ruling out a spot on the 2028 Democratic presidential ticket as the party begins looking toward the next White House race. When asked by The New York Times what her response would be if a 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful was seeking a running mate, Hochul indicated she would be open to the idea. “I will say this,” Hochul said. “I didn’t get to where I am by slamming doors.” Hochul’s comments come as Democrats begin looking toward the 2028 presidential election, with several high-profile figures floated as potential contenders, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. TOP DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS ARE HOPING TO RIDE THEIR RECORDS TO THE WHITE HOUSE. CAN THEY? The Democratic governor, however, also emphasized that her current priority is “fighting” on behalf of New Yorkers as governor. “So, as someone who has the support of the people of my state — and they know I’m fighting for them for the next four years, I’m going to keep doing that,” Hochul told the NYT. “Look at our initiatives on universal childcare,” she added. “People saw the broad appeal of that. I want to become a national voice on that issue as well, and how other states can do it.” Hochul’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. KATHY HOCHUL ‘EXCITED’ ABOUT PROSPECT OF DEMOCRATS TYING TRUMP UP IN INVESTIGATIONS “Clearly she [Hochul] hasn’t been in the discourse with more nationally prominent Democrats around the country, but I wouldn’t take that as a disadvantage,” Isaac Goldberg, a New York-based Democratic strategist, told the NYT. Hochul’s comments come after she defeated Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman in New York’s gubernatorial race on Tuesday, securing 59.7% of the vote to Blakeman’s 40.1%, according to estimates from the AP. Hochul said in a Wednesday X post in response to her election victory that she “will always believe in New York” because she knows “our best days are ahead.” Hochul suggested at Politico’s New York Agenda: Albany Summit in March that Democrats have a “deep bench” of “highly qualified” governors who could make presidential bids in 2028. “We are so damn lucky,” Hochul said at the summit. “We have the deepest bench I’ve seen in years of highly qualified individuals that have been battle tested. Maybe I have a bias toward governors, but they’re all my friends.” Hochul has long been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, including during his second term. She also accused Trump’s Department of Homeland Security of “withholding” millions of dollars in counterterrorism funds for New York state in September. The Empire State governor notably told Politico in an October interview that she felt “excited” about the prospect of a Democrat-led Congress attempting to stall Trump’s agenda via probes and hearings.
All the Republican House members ousted from Congress
At least 30 House Republicans lost during the 2026 midterm elections as the GOP suffered an electoral rout that will result in Democrats wielding the majorities in both chambers of Congress next year. Because the results of multiple House contests remain unclear as of Monday, the tally of House GOP lawmakers who failed to secure another term could rise even higher. Based on the results so far, here is the list of House Republicans who lost in the midterms: CONGRESS RETURNS TO BRUTAL LAME-DUCK STRETCH WITH SHUTDOWN DEADLINE, LEADERSHIP RACES: ‘CLOSET IS FULL OF S—’ Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., who has served in the House since early 2023, lost to Democratic rival JoAnna Mendoza in the Grand Canyon State’s 6th Congressional District. Rep. James Gallagher, R-Calif., who took office earlier this year, lost the election in the Golden State’s 1st Congressional District to Democratic candidate Mike McGuire, a member of the California state Senate. Gallagher won election in June to fill the vacancy that arose due to the death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California, who passed away in early January. Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif. lost the race in California’s 22nd Congressional District to Democratic challenger Randy Villegas. Valadao previously served in the House for three terms, but departed office in early 2019 after losing a 2018 re-election bid. He later won an election in 2020 and returned to the House in early 2021. Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., who just joined Congress last year, failed to clinch a second term, losing the contest in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District to Democratic challenger Jessica Killin. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., who took office last year, failed to win reelection, losing the race in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District to Democratic challenger Manny Rutinel, a former member of the state’s House of Representatives. In Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, who joined Congress in early 2021, lost to Democratic candidate Christina Bohannan, a former Iowa state House member. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who is currently serving his second term in Congress, lost his reelection bid to Democratic Iowa State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. In Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, Rep. Victoria Spartz lost to Democratic candidate J.D. Ford, who was a state senator until departing office last week. The congresswoman, who is an immigrant from Ukraine, has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2021. AFTER GOP’S BRUTAL MIDTERMS, ‘CHUCK NORRIS OF FLORIDA POLITICS’ TELLS PARTY TO ‘GET UP AND FIGHT’ Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., who has served in the U.S. legislature’s lower chamber since early 2011, lost to Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., who took office last year, fell short in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, losing his reelection bid to Democratic opponent William Lawrence. In Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District, Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., who has served since early 2013, lost to Democratic candidate Fred Wellman. Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., who joined Congress last year, failed to secure a second term in office. He lost to Democratic challenger Cyril Jefferson in North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District. Jefferson is the mayor of High Point, North Carolina. National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) chair, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who has served in the House since early 2013, lost the election in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District to Democratic challenger Richard N. Ojeda II, a former West Virginia state senator. Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., a first-term congressman, lost his re-election bid in North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District to Democratic candidate Paul Barringer. In North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District, Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., who took office early last year, lost to Democratic rival LaKesha Womack. DEMOCRAT WHO TOPPLED GOP INCUMBENT WILL HEAD TO COURT ON FELONY CHARGE JUST DAYS AFTER ELECTION UPSET Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., lost to Democratic challenger Zack Mullock, the mayor of Cape May, New Jersey, in the Garden State’s 2nd Congressional District. The congressman, who took office in 2019 as a Democrat, switched to Republican during his first term and has remained a Republican since. Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., R-N.J., who has served in the House since early 2023, lost his reelection bid to Democratic challenger Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. In the Empire State’s 17th Congressional District, second-term Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., lost to Democratic candidate Cait Conley. Conley previously served in roles including director for counterterrorism on the White House National Security Council and as senior advisor to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) director. Second-term Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, lost to Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter, a former Brook Park city council member, in the Buckeye State’s 7th Congressional District. Veteran lawmaker Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, lost to Democratic challenger Kristina Knickerbocker in Ohio’s 10th Congressional District. Turner has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2003. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: HOW MIDTERMS MAY CHANGE THE HOUSE IMPEACHMENT EQUATION FOR HEGSETH Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, who took office in early November 2021, lost the contest in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District to Democratic candidate Don Leonard. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., who has served in the House since early 2017, lost to Democratic challenger Bob Harvie, a member of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District. First-term Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., lost his reelection bid in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District to Democratic challenger Bob Brooks. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr., R-Pa., a first-term lawmaker who took office in early 2025, lost his race in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District to Democratic opponent Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton. Rep. Scott Perry, a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, lost the race in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District to Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson. The congressman has served in the House since early 2013. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, who has served in Congress since early 2023, lost her reelection bid in Texas’s 15th Congressional District to Democratic challenger Bobby Pulido. Long-serving Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., who has been a House
NYC ICE chief fires back at far-left politicians seeking to abolish agency: ‘Change the law’
New York City’s top immigration enforcement official has a blunt message for far-left politicians demanding the abolition of ICE: Change the law instead of demonizing federal agents who put their lives on the line enforcing it. Kenneth Genalo, who leads ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New York City, issued the challenge during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, taking aim at elected officials who have increasingly called to dismantle the agency. “If you don’t like the job we’re doing and the priorities and the people that we’re targeting, change the law,” Genalo said. “Congressional people, senators, representatives. Change the law, don’t demonize ICE for doing the job that you empowered us to do.” The remarks came during a recent Fox News Digital ride-along with ICE in Brooklyn, where agents arrested two men, including one facing a pending felony sexual abuse charge, and another who had served seven years in prison for assault, according to ICE. INSIDE ICE’S HIGH-STAKES RAIDS TARGETING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS IN NYC AS CHIEF RIPS SANCTUARY LAWS Genalo’s rebuke comes amid a widening campaign to abolish ICE and increasingly heated rhetoric directed at federal immigration agents. In July, no less than 143 New York elected officials, including 31 of the city’s 51 Council members, signed a letter urging congressional Democrats to dismantle the agency, accusing ICE of widespread abuses and portraying it as a threat to public safety and democracy. The signatories argued that ICE could no longer be reformed and urged congressional Democrats to defund and dismantle it. They also cited the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis as evidence of what they described as the agency’s disregard for public safety. Among the signatories was newly elected New York Democrat Claire Valdez, who has also made abolishing ICE part of her congressional platform. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have also separately called for dismantling the agency. Genalo blamed inflammatory political rhetoric for emboldening anti-ICE protesters and escalating tensions during enforcement operations. He questioned why activists would interfere with arrests without knowing the criminal histories of those being targeted, pointing to an operation during the Brooklyn ride-along in which protesters disrupted ICE agents attempting to apprehend an Ecuadorian national facing child sexual abuse charges, according to ICE. “Why would you protest that we’re trying to arrest this individual?” he asked. MAMDANI CALLS ICE A ‘ROGUE’ AGENCY AFTER NYC SHOOTING, CLAIMS AGENTS VIEW LAW AS ‘MERELY A SUGGESTION’ For Genalo, the increasingly hostile rhetoric overlooks the people behind the badges — officers enforcing laws enacted by Congress while confronting potentially dangerous suspects and protesters. “We’re mothers, we’re fathers, we are brothers, we have sisters, sons and daughters, and we’re doing our job,” he said. The Brooklyn-born, 34-year law enforcement veteran argued that politicians were vilifying agents for carrying out their duties, even as restrictions on local cooperation force ICE to pursue suspects on public streets rather than take them into custody in secure jails. Genalo said such encounters expose officers, suspects and bystanders to dangers that could be avoided through cooperation with local authorities. During the Brooklyn ride-along, Genalo said both men arrested had previously been in local custody but were released despite ICE detainer requests. Genalo’s concerns about the breakdown in cooperation drew on his experience responding to one of the darkest days in New York’s history. The veteran official recalled being deployed to ground zero after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, warning that New York was forgetting lessons about the importance of cooperation between federal and local law enforcement. “I go back to 9/11, I do it all the time because I was there, I was deployed, SRT, I was down at ground zero,” he recalled. He cited the 9/11 Commission’s findings about failures in cooperation and intelligence sharing, drawing a parallel to the restrictions ICE faces today. “We should be standing arm-in-arm with our NYPD brethren, helping the city,” Genalo said, recalling a time when ICE worked more closely with local authorities. The agency once maintained a dedicated unit at Rikers Island that reviewed the immigration status of foreign-born inmates before their release, Genalo said. Agents took more than 100 people a week into federal custody through the arrangement, which he blamed former Mayor Bill de Blasio for ending. Genalo said former Mayor Eric Adams later tried to restore cooperation, but faced City Council restrictions. The political confrontation with ICE has since intensified under Mamdani. On Nov. 2, Mamdani threatened legal action over ICE’s alleged unauthorized use of city-owned parking lots in a letter addressed directly to Genalo and other federal officials. Genalo had criticized the mayor’s efforts to discourage private businesses from allowing ICE agents to use their parking facilities during the Fox News Digital interview, four days before the letter was issued. DHS rejected the mayor’s position in a statement to Fox News Digital on Saturday. “Mayor Mamdani should be grateful to our brave law enforcement officers for cleaning up the streets of NYC since he won’t. Luckily, no terminated parking will stop ICE from deporting criminal illegal aliens to make New York safe again,” a DHS spokesperson said. “We need New York to cooperate with our officers and stop RELEASING criminals from their jails into New York’s neighborhoods. Seven of the 10 safest cities in America cooperate with ICE.” DHS also provided Fox News Digital with examples of migrants it identified as public safety threats arrested in New York City, including individuals it said had convictions for sexual assault, weapons offenses and robbery. The confrontation with ICE has also extended to the state level. On Nov. 6, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James reminded local governments of a Nov. 25 deadline to terminate agreements allowing their facilities to hold people solely for federal civil immigration detention under the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act. Genalo criticized the legislation, arguing that it would extend restrictions on ICE cooperation beyond New York City to the
Trump-aligned Mississippi auditor launches governor bid, vows to dismantle ‘good ol’ boys’ club’
FIRST ON FOX: Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, who says his office uncovered more than $75 million in stolen or misspent taxpayer funds over eight years, told Fox News Digital that he is launching a bid for governor to take on corruption and political insiders in the Magnolia State. White, a veteran of Operation Epic Fury in Iran and supporter of President Donald Trump, pledged to restore accountability and transparency to the state government, vowing to use findings from his office’s audits to eliminate wasteful contracts, sweetheart deals and unnecessary spending. “There might be two parties in Jackson, but there’s only one good ol’ boys’ club,” White, a captain in the state’s National Guard, told Fox News Digital. “They tried to ban my office from even looking for government waste. As governor, I’m shutting the whole rotten system down.” MISSISSIPPI DISTRICT ATTORNEY JODY OWENS RESIGNS AFTER PLEADING GUILTY IN FEDERAL BRIBERY CASE: REPORT “The reason I’m running is because we absolutely have to cut down on the fraud and corruption plaguing Mississippi,” White continued. “People are hurting right now. What we unfortunately have here in Mississippi is a lack of political courage.” White, who served overseas with the Mississippi National Guard in 2026, drew comparisons between the courage he witnessed among service members and what he described as a lack of political courage among Mississippi’s elected officials. “What I saw overseas was courage. The people of Mississippi would be much better off if our politicians had one-tenth of the courage the members I served with overseas had,” White said. Earlier this year, White’s office reported to The Daily Signal that it uncovered more than $10.5 million in Medicaid benefits provided to illegal immigrants in Mississippi. According to his office, the auditor has uncovered and tracked massive public fraud, centering on over $77 million in misspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) welfare funds as part of a broader enforcement record that includes $75 million recovered and $115 million in financial demands issued across multiple investigations. RAMASWAMY: MEDICAID FRAUD RAISES HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR HARDWORKING OHIOANS White pledged to continue cracking down on government waste and improper spending, and he outlined an economic agenda centered on reducing taxes and easing the financial burden on Mississippi families. ‘FIRE EVERY COMMISSIONER’: MINNESOTA GOP NOMINEE VOWS SWEEPING PURGE OVER FRAUD “Mississippi families are getting squeezed at the grocery store, for their car tags, and every time the property tax bill shows up,” White said. “Meanwhile, the insiders are getting richer and richer. We’re going to take the money they’ve wasted and give it back to the people who earned it. We will cut your grocery tax, cut the car tax, and freeze your property taxes. Our families need relief, and when I’m governor, they’re going to get it.” White enters a gubernatorial field that includes Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson, former state House Speaker Philip Gunn and former Democratic Senate primary candidate Priscilla W. Till. The candidates are seeking to succeed Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who took office in 2020 and is barred by term limits from seeking a third consecutive term in 2027. MEDICAID PROVIDER ALLEGEDLY BILLED $165K FOR DEAD PATIENT’S RIDES AMONG FRAUD EXPOSED IN EXPLOSIVE REPORT White also pledged to prioritize the state’s military families and veterans, citing his own experience serving overseas. “I know what veterans go through about how hard it is to leave your family, how difficult it is to fight for the benefits that you have been promised by the government. So as governor of Mississippi, I want to fight for the men and women every single day,” White told Fox News Digital. White argued that his military experience would also give him a unique perspective as commander in chief of the Mississippi National Guard, a responsibility held by the state’s governor. The Mississippi gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2027.
Rubio defends Trump’s Iran war as not ‘necessarily popular, but necessary’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s decision to launch the war on Iran, saying it was “necessary” to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Rubio admitted that the war was not “necessarily popular,” acknowledging the war’s impact on the Republicans‘ midterm election losses last week. Rubio made the statement in response to questions about Vice President JD Vance’s statement last week that also pinned the losses on the war. Rubio said Trump was responding to a “very real threat” when he launched the war earlier this year. VANCE’S SCATHING IRAN WAR POSTMORTEM PUTS POTENTIAL 2028 GOP SHOWDOWN IN FOCUS: ‘EVERYONE KNOWS WHY’ “He addressed it even though oftentimes the right thing to do for the country — confronting difficult challenges for the security of our country — doing it isn’t necessarily popular, but necessary,” Rubio said. Trump himself has made no apologies for the war, stating repeatedly since Election Day that he had no choice but to intervene in Iran’s nuclear program. TRUMP SAYS HE DOESN’T DISAGREE WITH VANCE THAT IRAN WAR FUELED GOP LOSSES “I can tell you if I had it to do again, this historically — for history — will go down as one of the best things we ever did,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. “Because if they ever had a nuclear weapon, they would blow up the world.” Trump nevertheless told “60 Minutes” in an interview this weekend that he is not currently looking to escalate the conflict. IRANIAN NEGOTIATORS KICKED OUT OF US AS TALKS STALL, TRUMP LAYS OUT ‘POSSIBLE’ TIMELINE FOR MORE STRIKES The U.S. and Iran are engaged in talks, but Rubio says they are making little progress. “I wouldn’t say we’re at the verge of a breakthrough,” Rubio said. “Right now, it hasn’t been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic.” TRUMP ADMIN THREATENS IRAN WITH ‘CONSEQUENCES’ AS ALLIES CONVENE AMID THREATS OF POST-ELECTION ESCALATION Iran lifted its self-imposed ballistic missile-range limit and threatened to unleash new, homegrown weapons on Sunday within hours of the U.S. military launching a new task force aimed at choking off Tehran’s weapons shipments and illicit trade on Nov. 7. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi confirmed that Iran was now abandoning its previous 2,000-kilometer, or roughly 1,240-mile, ballistic missile-range restriction. “That restriction has been lifted for us,” Mohebbi clarified in the wake of the task force announcement. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The next generation of workers is taking its talent and spending power to this Southern state
The next generation of workers is on the move, and South Carolina is drawing more young adults than any other state. The Palmetto State recorded a net gain of 22,843 Gen Z adults through interstate migration in 2024, according to a new LendingTree analysis. The study defines Gen Z as adults ages 18 to 27, the generation that follows millennials. LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz told Fox News Digital that affordability and job prospects may help explain the state’s appeal. South Carolina’s proximity to Charlotte, he said, gives young adults access to a growing job market while potentially offering a less expensive place to live. “Gen Z is at the most mobile time of their lives, and they’re looking for a place where they can live affordably, where there are decent jobs and good opportunity,” Schulz said. RED STATES HAVE SPENT DECADES DOMINATING A KEY CORNER OF THE ECONOMY California had the largest net loss of Gen Z residents, at 58,109. Texas was the most popular destination for those leaving, drawing 19,287 Californians. Schulz said California, New Jersey and New York had some of the largest net losses, while South Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas posted net gains. But he said young adults are also looking for career opportunities and a lifestyle they can afford. “Ultimately, it is about looking for job opportunity and looking for the best place to get started with your career and being able to afford the things that you want to do and have the life you want to live,” he said. AMERICANS KEEP MOVING TO TEXAS AND FLORIDA — BUT ONE OTHER RED STATE IS GROWING EVEN FASTER The figures build on a broader migration trend. South Carolina added more than 59,000 residents from other states between 2022 and 2023, gaining roughly $4.1 billion in income, according to IRS data cited in an earlier Fox News Digital analysis. The state had the nation’s largest per-capita net gain, while Texas and Florida drew more newcomers overall. Schulz said young adults’ moves can have broader economic implications as they enter the workforce, start families and make major purchases. “These are the future leaders of your country and the future business owners and parents,” he said. “The future of our economy depends a lot on what Gen Z does, whether it’s the housing market or auto loans or starting small businesses.”
EXCLUSIVE: Trump’s FAA touts new AI-powered tool helping thousands of passengers avoid flight delays
EXCLUSIVE: The Trump administration‘s new AI-supported air traffic management tool has already helped reroute nearly 180 flights carrying approximately 24,000 passengers to avoid congestion, cutting flight times by more than 10 minutes on average, according to new Department of Transportation (DOT) data shared exclusively with Fox News Digital. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories system, known as SMART, has been operational for nearly six weeks, helping air traffic controllers identify more fuel-efficient routes and anticipate potential disruptions. According to DOT, the technology has also saved nearly 80 gallons of fuel per flight on average, offering an early glimpse of how the Trump administration hopes to reduce flight delays and cancellations. TRUMP UNVEILS AMERICA.GOV AS AI-POWERED HUB FOR PASSPORTS, MEDICARE ENROLLMENT AND MORE “Under President Trump, we are making historic progress to revitalize air traffic control and improve the passenger experience for millions of Americans,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. Duffy also said the technology would deliver broader benefits as the program expands. “SMART will slash frustrating delays, reduce stress on air traffic controllers, and lower travel prices.” One example came in October when a flight carrying 147 passengers from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Orlando International Airport avoided expected congestion after SMART recommended an alternative route. SEVERE TURBULENCE DIVERTS NEW YORK CITY FLIGHT TO MIAMI, 8 INJURED The flight had been scheduled to depart during a period when congestion was expected along its original path. SMART identified a route farther west, which air traffic controllers accepted, shortening the journey by 11 nautical miles and saving six minutes of flight time, according to DOT. The technology combines 200 data streams, including weather patterns, flight paths, traffic flow and controller staffing metrics, into a centralized platform. Its AI-supported engine helps aviation specialists anticipate where congestion could develop and recommend more efficient routes before congestion builds. The technology is also designed to improve how the FAA manages severe weather, a source of disruptions for U.S. air travelers. PILOTLESS CARGO AIRCRAFT COULD CHANGE HOW PACKAGES MOVE According to a DOT fact sheet, the agency’s existing approach involves blocking off large rectangular sections of airspace affected by storms, even though weather systems are often irregularly shaped, and safe corridors may remain available. SMART is intended to provide a clearer picture of changing weather conditions, allowing aviation specialists to identify routes around storms and determine when restricted airspace can safely reopen. Despite its AI-supported capabilities, SMART does not independently direct aircraft or replace human air traffic controllers. A team of aviation specialists analyzes and validates SMART’s data before sending scheduling recommendations to the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center. Those recommendations are then forwarded to local air traffic control facilities, where officials decide whether to accept them. The initiative comes as the nation’s busiest airports handle millions of flights annually. According to DOT, approximately 6.5 million flights operate each year at the nation’s 30 busiest airports. About 300,000 receive reroutes before departure, while 3.6 million experience airborne reroutes, vectoring or holding. The FAA initially limited SMART’s rollout to the National Capital Region in September before beginning validation efforts with air route traffic control centers in Miami, Jacksonville and Atlanta in October. The agency plans to continue testing the system as it works toward expanding SMART to all 22 air traffic control centers nationwide. While the early results involve a relatively small share of domestic U.S. flights, DOT says the technology is intended to help airlines operate more predictable schedules and ease pressure on air traffic controllers. For travelers, the Trump administration’s goal is fewer delays for passengers, shorter flights and less time lost to flight congestion.
Congress returns to brutal lame-duck stretch with shutdown deadline, leadership races: ‘Closet is full of s—’
Lawmakers are back on Capitol Hill this week for the first time since the midterm elections, and Republicans have a slew of responsibilities in front of them before Democrats take over the reins of power in January. “The lame duck is like that closet in your house where everybody’s throwing a bunch of s— into it,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital. “And the closet is full of s— now, and now we got to figure out how to get it all out of there.” Current federal funding levels run out on Dec. 11, and without another deal in place, Congress risks plunging the government into another shutdown. Some Democrats signaled to POLITICO that they could use President Donald Trump’s war in Iran as leverage in spending talks — which could very well lead to a fiscal cliff that could paralyze federal agencies. But one House Republican, granted anonymity to speak candidly, told Fox News Digital they expect another short-term extension of current funding levels, called a continuing resolution (CR), through February or March of next year. The current CR was passed to cover the end of the last fiscal year ending Sept. 30 through next month. TRUMP SIGNS GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILL, AVOIDING A SHUTDOWN AHEAD OF MIDTERMS “No one wants a shutdown, I would think,” that House Republican said. “Not even Dems.” HOUSE GOP VOTES TO PUNT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BATTLE TO AFTER NOVEMBER MIDTERMS Other legislative priorities Congress will have to reckon with in the next few weeks include the farm bill, which is passed every five years and sets food and agriculture policy for the country. Republicans are also aiming to pass a bill to revitalize the country’s transportation infrastructure and a bipartisan tax package before the end of the year. Then there is also the looming debt ceiling deadline coming in January, which Trump will likely call on Republicans to deal with before Congress changes hands. GOP lawmakers shared varying levels of optimism when asked about how productive they would be. “It can be. It should be,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., said. “But my faith in some of my Senate colleagues is not real high, because I feel like they have a personal vendetta towards the president, and it’s more about that than it is about passing legislation. We should do our business in Congress.” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, said, “I think it’s gonna be difficult to get a whole lot done. But we have done a lot of work leading up to the lame-duck session to prepare for passing a number of important bills, many of which are bipartisan.” But first, both House and Senate Republicans will need to face their losses in person — and consider how to rebuild. WHAT THE 2026 MIDTERM RESULTS MEAN FOR CAPITOL HILL “It’s going to feel like a funeral,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. “It’s depressing even for those of us who won, because we lost so many good, quality members.” The first order of business this week will be choosing their new leaders for the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is running for the minority leader role unopposed for now. And House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is vying for the minority leader role against House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. MIKE JOHNSON’S NO 2 LAUNCHES GOP TAKEOVER BID AS HOUSE FALLS TO DEMOCRATS But Moran and Stutzman both said Republicans would unify quickly after that drama is resolved. “It should be immediate,” Stutzman said. “If we’re not paying attention to the American people, and we’re focusing on leadership positions and personality fights, we’re gonna continue to lose.” HOUSE GOP LAUNCHES DEFENSE PLAN TO SHIELD TRUMP FROM LOOMING DEMOCRAT INVESTIGATIONS Moran said, “We understand now more than ever how important it is for us to come back together, coalesce and to regroup for the next election, and to prepare for the defense of democracy.” On Democrats’ side, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is expected to glide into the speaker role after leading his party to a commanding victory. Democrats’ leadership elections will take place the week after Republicans’ do. And on the productivity front, Stutzman also called on the Senate to pass the election security-focused SAVE America Act, which Republicans are attempting to accomplish via the budget reconciliation process to sidestep the need for Democrat support. The House passed a blueprint for the bill in July. Senate Budget Committee Chair Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has been working on the structure of that package for some time, but wasn’t so sure that if Republicans lost, it would be something the GOP had the political will to finish. “It might turn to some people’s attitudes in terms of support for it,” Johnson said. Then there’s permitting reform, which was on thin ice heading into Election Night until the White House and Senate Democrats struck a deal for a variety of wind projects to move forward. Whether Democrats support that now, and give Trump and the GOP a win on their way out, remains to be seen. “First thing we need to do is make a motion to add a 13th month to the calendar, because we’ve got so much stacked up to do that’s really important for the country,” Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital.
Border Dem poised to wield ICE purse strings rejects socialist ‘defund’ push
A longtime Democratic House member representing a southern border district said Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not going anywhere as “Abolish ICE” became a rallying cry for more than a dozen progressive Democrats elected or reelected in the midterms. While the elections brought a new class of Democratic Socialists of America members to Congress, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, told Fox News Digital that they make up just “one part of the spectrum” and that there are many “blue dogs” like himself who value strong border and immigration policies. “I don’t believe in defunding ICE and I think the majority of the Democrats do not believe defunding ICE, but there are serious rail guards we need put on ICE,” Cuellar said. Cuellar also warned Democrats against returning to the Biden administration’s border policies. DEM REP SETH MOULTON SAYS PARTY HAS NO IMMIGRATION PLAN, IS ONLY ‘OPPOSITION TO TRUMP’ “We just can’t open up the border and just say anybody that wants to claim asylum can come to the borders. That policy under Biden administration — I hope that every Democrat running for national office doesn’t do that anymore,” Cuellar said. Cuellar, who is currently the ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, is poised to become chairman, giving him significant influence over how funding for ICE is allocated. The congressman’s district includes Laredo, where Border Patrol has a major presence. Cuellar has repeatedly broken with his party on immigration enforcement, including voting with Republicans in January to approve a DHS funding bill that included billions for ICE, though he later opposed a $70 billion Republican-backed enforcement package over concerns about oversight. Cuellar has criticized ICE for pursuing immigrants without criminal records, even though federal law allows the agency to arrest people for civil immigration violations. He has also called for greater oversight of the agency. “Anybody that thinks that what ICE is doing, going after nuns, going after pastors, going after dreamers, they think that’s normal? I don’t think [so],” Cuellar said, attributing the blue wave in Texas to Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics. The Abolish ICE movement became a flashpoint for the Trump administration amid sweeping immigration enforcement operations in major cities including Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Orleans. The operations have resulted in more than 1.3 million arrests and 1.2 million illegal immigrants being deported or leaving the country, according to the White House. Democrats and immigrant rights activists have criticized ICE’s tactics, which include targeting courthouses, churches and job sites, as well as conditions in detention centers. The agency has also faced fierce backlash over the fatal shootings of two American citizens by ICE agents in Minnesota just weeks apart in January 2026. In the months that followed, Democratic governors in New York, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and Minnesota signed laws restricting local and state cooperation with federal immigration officials. DEMOCRAT COMPARES ICE TO ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISTS’ AS 111 HOUSE DEMS DEMAND TEXAS DETENTION CENTER CLOSE Meanwhile, ICE’s partnerships with Texas authorities have expanded through 287(g) agreements that allow local officers to assist with immigration enforcement, jail screening and administrative warrants. Texas law now requires most county sheriffs to seek these agreements. Cuellar said local law enforcement should have a limited role: “I think the local sheriff should report somebody that’s there illegally. I think that’s it. But anything beyond that, I think we need to have a discussion,” Cuellar told Fox News Digital. Like Cuellar, Texas Democratic Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa has been highly critical of ICE’s tactics. At a rally in January, she criticized Gov. Greg Abbott for directing state agencies to make Texas land and facilities available for federal immigration detention. During her time in the state House, Hinojosa voted against a 2017 bill requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with federal agencies. But Hinojosa has never called for Texas to follow New York and other blue states’ lead in ending all cooperation with ICE. “She is from the border from Brownsville,” Cuellar said. “I haven’t heard her say that she supports the defunding ICE. I don’t think she has said that. Does she probably believe in transparency and rail guards for ICE? Again, I don’t want to speak for her, but I think she does.” Hinojosa has also sharply criticized Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, calling the operation a political “grandstand.” Operation Lone Star launched in March 2021 amid a sharp rise in border encounters that began in 2020 and accelerated after President Joe Biden took office. The operation deployed Texas DPS officers, National Guard troops and local law enforcement to combat illegal crossings, human smuggling and drug trafficking before expanding to include state arrests and prosecutions for illegal entry, construction of border barriers and migrant transportation. In a recent CBS interview, former Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said the Biden administration sent mixed messages to migrants and accused some officials of “embracing the chaos and crisis” at the southern border. DEMOCRAT GINA HINOJOSA STUNS ABBOTT, MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST LATINA TEXAS GOVERNOR Cuellar agreed with Ortiz’s assessment that the Biden administration didn’t do its job securing the border. “The Biden administration had it wrong,” Cuellar said. Cuellar also criticized Abbott’s deployment of Operation Lone Star, pointing to a January 2024 standoff in Eagle Pass, where Texas authorities seized control of Shelby Park and restricted Border Patrol’s access. “You still got to work with border patrol, regardless if it’s a Democrat or Republican at the White House itself,” Cuellar said. “So I can understand why there was that criticism, but still the Governor should have done a better job working with us at the federal level. And I hope that this new governor — and I think she will — work with us.” Cuellar said there needs to be balance and nuance in how immigration policy is carried out and that he wants to work with Trump and Republicans over the next two years. “There are Democrats who are willing to work with the administration, with President Trump, but it takes two to have a