Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
President Donald Trump warned Monday that Mexico’s failure to deliver water owed under a decades-old treaty is harming Texas farmers and could trigger a new tariff if the country does not immediately release a critical share of its required supply. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Mexico must release 200,000 acre-feet of water through the 1944 Water Treaty before Dec. 31 or face a 5% tariff. “Mexico continues to violate our comprehensive Water Treaty, and this violation is seriously hurting our BEAUTIFUL TEXAS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK,” the president wrote. “Mexico still owes the U.S over 800,000 acre-feet of water for failing to comply with our Treaty over the past five years.” “The U.S [sic] needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after,” Trump continued. “As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water. That is why I have authorized documentation to impose a 5% Tariff on Mexico if this water isn’t released, IMMEDIATELY.” AMERICA’S QUIETEST CROP IS SET TO TAKE CENTER STAGE IN TRUMP–XI TALKS “The longer Mexico takes to release the water, the more our Farmers are hurt. Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW,” he added. Texas farm groups warned last year of a disastrous season for citrus and sugar as Mexican and U.S. officials worked to resolve a dispute over the 1944 treaty that supplies U.S. farmers with critical irrigation. The two countries have clashed over the treaty before, but drought-driven shortages were the most severe in nearly 30 years. TRUMP TO UNLEASH $12B FARM RESCUE AS CHINA TRADE RESET HITS US GROWERS In April, the Trump administration and Mexican officials reached a deal to ensure Texas farmers get much-needed water from the Rio Grande, less than a month after Trump accused Mexico of withholding water promised under the treaty. Under that agreement, Mexico committed to send water from international reservoirs and increase U.S. flow from six of Mexico’s Rio Grande tributaries through the end of the current five-year water cycle. DEAL STRUCK BETWEEN US AND MEXICO TO ENSURE TEXAS FARMERS GET MUCH-NEEDED WATER U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins called the measure a significant step forward and said the Trump administration welcomes Mexico’s continued cooperation in support of American agriculture. Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico agreed to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water over five years from the Rio Grande. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet to Mexico from the Colorado River. But Mexico has fallen short at times, leading to severe water shortages in the Rio Grande Valley for farmers and ranchers. Those shortages have killed crops and jobs and threatened the region’s economy.
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
EXCLUSIVE: The chair of the Senate Republican campaign arm says that Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s entry into the high-profile Senate race in Texas is a key sign of the Democrats’ shift to the left. “I think it says something about who the Democrats are nationally, not just in Texas. What it says is that they’ve been overrun by this radical left agenda that focuses on rhetoric, not reality,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chair Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., claimed in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Monday. Scott spoke soon after Crockett, the progressive firebrand and vocal critic of President Donald Trump and Republicans, filed paperwork and formally announced her 2026 campaign for the Senate. Crockett’s campaign announcement, which was expected, will likely further rock a high-profile and heavily contested Senate race in Texas, which, on the Republican side, includes incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and GOP primary rivals state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. FIERCE TRUMP CRITIC CROCKETT SHAKES UP HIGH STAKES SENATE RACE The race is one of a handful across the country that may determine if the GOP holds its Senate majority in next year’s midterm elections. Scott — pointing to comments by Crockett comparing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Democratic-led cities to “slave patrols” in southern states prior to the Civil War — said they were “disgusting, repugnant, but consistent with the philosophy of this new Democrat Party that’s filled with socialism.” CROCKETT SPENDS EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF CAMPAIGN CASH ON THIS The senator from South Carolina also highlighted Crockett’s comments last month to CNN praising New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and saying that the democratic socialist politician “could do a Masterclass for all Democrats on communication.” “I can’t think of a more clear depiction of what she believes is a path forward for Democrats,” Scott insisted. Republicans have repeatedly aimed to make Mamdani the new face of the Democratic Party as they attempt to portray Democrats as far-left radicals. The announcement by Crockett, a rising-star Democrat who has a large social media footprint thanks to her viral jabs at Republicans and her verbal sparing on social media with Trump, came hours after one of the two Democrats already running for the Senate in 2026 abandoned his bid. Former Rep. Colin Allred, who was making his second straight bid for the Senate in right-leaning Texas, on Monday morning ended his campaign and instead launched a congressional campaign as he seeks to return to the House. EX-NFL STAR ABANDONS SENATE BID AS JASMINE CROCKETT NEARS MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT But Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, a former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian who is also seen as a rising Democratic Party star, remains in the Senate primary, setting up a face-off between two surging contenders with formidable fundraising. Crockett’s entry into the Senate race, and her showdown with Talarico, may shift the spotlight off of the GOP primary, where Cornyn, the longtime incumbent who hails from the party’s establishment wing, has cut into the one-time large lead by Paxton, a MAGA firebrand, with Hunt in third, according to public opinion polling. The concern among Republicans is that Paxton, who has been battered over the past decade by a slew of scandals and legal problems and who is now dealing with a messy divorce, would put the seat in play if he won the GOP nomination. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Scott, and the NRSC are backing Cornyn. But Crockett’s Senate candidacy may change the political equation. While her aggressive push-back against Trump and the GOP should play well with the left, it could deflate her chances of winning next November among Texas’ general election electorate. Asked if Crockett’s entry into the race improves the GOP’s odds of holding the seat next year, Scott said: “The truth of the matter is a simple formula. John Cornyn, our nominee, Texas remains red. Period. Full stop. End of discussion.” Scott said the NRSC is “focused on one thing and one thing only, and that’s keeping Texas red, and that means John Cornyn must be our nominee, and he wins, period. So it’s not who the Democrat is, it’s who we are. And John Cornyn is the best representative for Texas this cycle that we’ll ever see.” By dropping out of the race, Allred will likely allow Democrats to avoid a costly and messy primary runoff in the spring, giving the party more time to consolidate around their nominee and raise much-needed campaign cash. Meanwhile, with Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt all taking aim at each other in a combustible primary, the GOP nomination appears headed towards a runoff, which would be triggered if no candidate tops 50% in the early March primary. Asked if he’s concerned about the GOP nomination battle extending to a primary runoff, Scott predicted that “Cornyn will win the primary and Cornyn will win the general election.”
Top Mamdani appointee faces heat amid promise to make NYC more affordable: ‘Embodiment of inflation’
FIRST ON FOX: Four-term chairperson of the Republican National Committee (RNC), Ronna McDaniel, is calling out mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani for hypocritically running a campaign focused on making New York City more affordable, arguing that his selection of a former Biden administration official, Lina Khan, as a top advisor will serve to undermine that. McDaniel, tapped last week to lead the Competitiveness Coalition, a right-leaning nonprofit focused on advancing free market principles, penned a letter to Mamdani in one of her first major national moves since leaving the RNC. McDaniel called on the mayor-elect to fire Khan, President Joe Biden’s former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair, who Mamdani appointed as co-chair of his transition team. McDaniel said that if the NYC mayor-elect is really going to be true to his word about lowering costs for New Yorkers, he cannot have someone like Khan in his administration who “is not only a flashback to the dreaded Biden days that 77 million Americans rejected by re-electing President Trump,” but also holds a history of “policy prescriptions [that] have failed before and will again.” MAMDANI ECONOMIC ADVISOR IS REPARATIONS ACTIVIST WHO SAYS ‘DEVALUATION OF BLACK LIVES’ INGRAINED IN US SYSTEM “He’s saying one thing and doing another by putting her as the co-chair of his transition team,” McDaniel told Fox News Digital. “Lina Khan, for us, represents the embodiment of inflation in this country, and Bidenomics. I think she’s the best example of somebody who raised prices across this country by fighting entrepreneurship, and innovation, and big business, and capitalism.” During Khan’s tenure as Biden’s FTC chair, she garnered a reputation as a fierce crusader against big business. McDaniel’s letter said that “early reports” from the business community in New York have indicated they are prepared for a “rehash” of the playbook Khan ran at the FTC under Biden. One example cited in the letter was Khan’s alleged opposition to a proposed merger between Amazon and the Massachusetts-based company iRobot, designer of the popular self-cleaning vacuum called Roomba. According to McDaniel’s letter, Khan’s opposition contributed to the company’s subsequent bankruptcy, and resulted in 350 iRobot employees losing their jobs amid a 31% cut to the company’s workforce. McDaniel also said in her letter that Khan sent taxpayer resources to regulators overseas in Europe “in their quest to apply more red tape” to American companies operating in the European Union. TOP MAMDANI TRANSITION LEADER WAS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY SOROS NETWORK DURING BIDEN ADMIN “Later in her term, reports even surfaced that Khan was communicating with Temu, a Chinese-owned company linked to the Chinese Communist Party, in an attempt to gather damaging information on American retailers,” McDaniel wrote to Mamdani. “Surely we can agree that handicapping American innovators to benefit their CCP-linked rivals harms our geopolitical standing.” Mamdani’s appointment of Khan serves to illustrate that the mayor-elect doesn’t care about inflation or “what Bidenomics did to the people of New York and across the country,” McDaniel added in an interview with Fox News Digital, noting that over-regulation by Mamdani is a real concern for her. Businesses will flee New York City for places with better tax rates and less regulation that allow them to grow, do better and thrive, McDaniel argued. “When you look at what Mamdani ran on, these things that sound good but in practice won’t be good – rent control, government-run grocery stores, free bussing, raising the corporate tax rate … it sounds good, but it’s not tenable and what it means is that businesses will say, ‘Guess where I’m not going to do business in? New York City. I’m going to go to states that have better tax rates, that have less regulation, that will allow me to pay my employees and grow,” McDaniel contended. “That’s why socialism is sometimes confusing, especially for young voters,” the former RNC chair added. “All it means is an inefficient, loaded government that will cost more taxpayer money and will cost you more and leave less jobs in the long run.” Fox News Digital reached out to Khan and Mamdani’s staff for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Hollywood star reveals what he thinks of potential Newsom presidency with two-word response
EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood action star Lorenzo Lamas recoiled at the thought of California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom leading the United States in the country’s highest elected office. “A President Newsom? God forbid,” Lamas remarked during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. “You have to look at the state of California. Do voters out there in our wonderful, beautiful nation want to elect a person who’s failed the state of California so pitifully? I hope not.” Lamas, who is best known for his action roles in the 80s and 90s, said he is breaking his political silence to endorse Sheriff Chad Bianco, a pro-law enforcement Republican, for California governor. He said that the Newsom administration has had a “devastating” impact on California. So much so that he believes the state may be ready to send the first Republican to the California governor’s mansion since Arnold Schwarzenegger left in 2011. HOLLYWOOD STAR ENDORSES REPUBLICAN FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR AFTER ‘DEVASTATING’ NEWSOM ADMIN “I love the state of California. It’s my home. I’ve lived in other parts of the nation. And as beautiful as this country is, California is my home,” Lamas explained, adding, “A lot of my friends have moved out of the state of California because of the burdensome tax situation, politics have forced people out of the state. But I’m sticking it out. I’m here in California because I believe in fighting here in California for what Californians deserve. And that’s why I’m supporting Chad Bianco.” But with Newsom’s tenure as governor coming to a close due to California term limit laws, there is growing speculation that he is eyeing a Democratic presidential run in 2028. This has been further confirmed by statements by Newsom, such as a segment on CBS News in which he said “I’d be lying” if he said he was not considering a run. Already one of the Democratic Party’s most recognizable leaders, Newsom has further emerged as one of the leading critics of President Donald Trump and his administration. This has further solidified his position among the top contenders to challenge the Republican who will succeed Trump. GAVIN NEWSOM WINNING EARLY ENTHUSIASM FROM LIBERAL HOLLYWOOD DONORS AHEAD OF 2028: REPORT Lamas, however, shared a warning to the nation about a Newsom presidency, saying, “The impact on the state of California with the [Newsom] administration is nothing short of devastating.” He pointed to the rising homeless population in Los Angeles and San Francisco and the lack of preparedness for natural disasters, such as the Palisades fires, as evidence of what he called severe mismanagement by state leadership. “So much money has been budgeted for programs to help these people, and I see no difference other than it’s growing. So, where’s the money?” he said. “There’s nobody that’s accounting for the millions of dollars that are spent on welfare programs that’s not benefiting anybody that can use it. So, it’s a tremendous amount of mismanagement. And I think Governor Newsom has done a horrific job in accountability about where the money’s gone.” He also pointed to Newsom’s outspoken opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. UNEARTHED FEC RECORDS EXPOSE KATIE PORTER’S HYPOCRISY AFTER SHE FUMES AT ‘NEW BILLIONAIRE’ JOINING RACE “The problem with the undocumented is that it’s systemic,” said Lamas. “When you have sanctuary cities, you have higher crime rates. And listen, I’m a Christian, I believe that we’re all God’s children. But I also believe that we have laws that need to be obeyed, laws that need to be followed. And without law, there’s complete chaos.” He said that the way Newsom and local leaders “have treated the federal government in terms of coming in and removing criminals and people that are here in our country illegally is horrendous.” A spokesperson for Newsom’s office dismissed Lamas’ criticisms, responding to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the criticisms with a one-word statement asking, “Who?” Newsom’s term as California governor ends in January 2027. If Bianco wins the Republican nomination, he will be facing an uphill battle in traditionally deep blue California. Democrats running include Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif. and former Rep. Katie Porter.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up Senate race
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News political content. Here’s what’s happening… –Obamacare paying out for tens of thousands of dead and bogus accounts: Watchdog -Lawmaker urges release of Venezuela strike footage as parties split over whether targets were defenseless -Trump to unleash $12B lifeline to farmers in new aid package amid China trade reset Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, the progressive firebrand and vocal critic of President Donald Trump and Republicans, has filed paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate, according to a party spokesperson. A spokesperson for the Texas Democratic Party confirmed to Fox News Digital on Monday that Crockett had filed paperwork to run for Senate. She is expected to officially launch her Senate campaign on Monday evening in a race that may determine if the GOP holds its majority in the chamber next year. Crockett’s campaign announcement, which was expected, will likely further rock a high-profile and heavily contested race in Texas, which, on the Republican side, includes incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and GOP primary rivals state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt…READ MORE. EXEC POWER GRAB: SCOTUS takes up Trump’s bid to fire FTC commissioner at will — a showdown that could topple 90-year precedent COURT BLOCKS TRUMP: Alina Habba becomes Bondi adviser, leaving role as top New Jersey prosecutor ‘TOTAL FAKE NEWS’: White House calls report about Trump considering firing Noem ‘total fake news’ ‘PETTY ACTION’: Trump HHS changes transgender Biden official’s nameplate back to birth name TROOPS LOCKED DOWN: Congress moves to block Pentagon from cutting US troops in Europe and South Korea MONEY TRAIL EXPOSED: Israel unmasks Iran-directed Hamas cash network in Turkey as Ankara pushes for Gaza role WASTE NOT: ‘DOGE is not dead,’ defiant House caucus leader declares in push to revive Musk-era cuts TRADING JABS: MTG defends herself as ‘America first’ after Trump slams her on Truth Social MELTING THE FROST: FBI to be under harsh new microscope as Stefanik scores victory in annual defense bill ‘CONTINUE THE FIGHT’: Pressure mounts on Mamdani to ‘continue the fight’ on illicit Chinese vapes flooding NYC LINES DRAWN: Trump turns up the heat on red-state Republicans blocking new congressional maps Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
DOJ promises ‘a lot more action’ on gun rights with new Second Amendment enforcement section
Department of Justice (DOJ) official Harmeet Dhillon announced that her agency is unveiling a gun rights-focused section on Monday, promising Americans that “a lot more action” on gun rights enforcement will be taken. Dhillon, who works as an assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said that her division had started a Second Amendment section this month. “I’m really excited about this,” said Dhillon. “For the first time, the DOJ Civil Rights Division and the DOJ at large will be protecting and advancing our citizens’ right to bear arms as part of our civil rights work.” “As Attorney General Pam Bondi has said, the Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and I couldn’t agree more with my boss,” she added. DC GUN PERMIT WAIT SLASHED FROM MONTHS TO DAYS AS TRUMP’S CRIME CRACKDOWN CONTINUES According to Dhillon, the department will fight a variety of state and local courts on gun issues, particularly difficulties around concealed carry permits. “Some of the things we’re seeing, and that is going to be the focus of our work around the country, includes multi-thousand-dollar costs for citizens to apply for concealed carry permits,” she said. “Other jurisdictions are having unreasonably long delays. Other jurisdictions are outlawing guns that should be protected by the Second Amendment under the recent Supreme Court precedent.” She also emphasized that gun rights “equalizes the ability of those of us, women, people with disabilities, and others who might otherwise be more vulnerable to be able to protect ourselves.” FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULES CALIFORNIA AMMUNITION BACKGROUND CHECKS UNCONSTITUTIONAL “We will be protecting that right here in this Department of Justice,” she added. “The president issued an executive order making this clear just two weeks into his tenure, and I’ve been working on the Second Amendment section ever since I got here to the DOJ.” “So stay tuned. You’re going to see a lot more action from this Department of Justice to protect your Second Amendment rights.” Oliver Krawczyk, an attorney who specializes in Second Amendment litigation at Ambler Law, told Fox News Digital that the section creation is a “welcome change,” though the DOJ has had a flawed record on the issue. “For years, individuals and grassroots organizations have had to fight unconstitutional firearm regulations alone, and so federal help will always be appreciated,” Krawczyk said. “However, this DOJ should not ignore its own complicity in violating the Second Amendment.” “Rather than resisting ongoing legal challenges to 20th-century federal gun control laws, this DOJ should be working with pro-gun organizations to make the most of President Trump’s limited time in office,” he added.
Florida designates Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations, DeSantis says
Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday. The move mirrors a similar action taken by Texas in which Gov. Greg Abbott designated the CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations. “Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support,” DeSantis wrote on X. TRUMP MOVES AGAINST MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AS ISLAMIST GROUP SPREADS IN WEST The governor’s order said the Muslim Brotherhood has long engaged in and supported violence, political assassinations and terror attacks on civilians with the intent of establishing a worldwide Islamic caliphate. It also said the group, as well as Hamas have active fundraising arms in the United States. SCATHING REPORT CALLS ON US TO LABEL ISLAMIST GROUP INFILTRATING ALL ASPECTS OF AMERICAN LIFE AS TERRORIST ORG The order said CAIR, which was created to challenge stereotypes against Islam and Muslims, has had individuals associated with it that have been convicted of providing and aspiring to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations. In a post on X, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said: “Great news! Thanks for this important Executive Order, Governor. We are ready to support!” A joint statement by CAIR and its Florida chapter said the DeSantis administration has prioritized serving their interest of the Israeli government over the people of the state. “He diverted millions in Florida taxpayer dollars to the Israeli government’s bonds. He threatened to shut down every Florida college’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, only to back off when CAIR sued him in federal court,” the statement said. “Like Greg Abbott in Texas, Ron DeSantis is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, especially American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel’s war crimes. Governor DeSantis knows full well that CAIR-Florida is an American civil rights organization that has spent decades advancing free speech, religious freedom, and justice for all, including for the Palestinian people. That’s precisely why Governor DeSantis is targeting our civil rights group with this unconstitutional and defamatory proclamation. “We look forward to defeating Governor DeSantis’ latest Israel First stunt in a court of law, where facts matter and conspiracy theories have no weight,” the groups added. “In the meantime, we encourage all Floridians and all Americans to speak up against this latest attempt to shred the Constitution for the benefit of a foreign government.” Florida’s designation is at the state level. It doesn’t carry the legal force of a federal Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listing, which only the U.S. State Department can issue. In Texas, Muslim and interfaith leaders have demanded that Abott reverse his proclamation regarding CAIR. In a lawsuit against Texas over the governor’s declaration, CAIR argued that it violates both the U.S. Constitution and state law. The order violates its First Amendment rights and due-process protections, CAIR said, arguing that the state overstepped its authority because terrorism designations fall under federal, not state, jurisdiction.
Greg Abbott makes major announcement about Turning Point USA in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to expand Club America chapters into every Texas high school and warned districts against blocking them as he and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick cast Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA’s) youth movement as a moral mission inspired by the late Charlie Kirk’s legacy. TPUSA calls its high school chapters “Club America,” and typically they set up tables on their school campus to promote TPUSA, while also bringing in conservative speakers once per semester. Abbott and Patrick framed the surge of TPUSA’s Club America chapters as a values-driven effort to shape the next generation, arguing that public schools should welcome the groups or face disciplinary action if they do not. On Monday, Abbott described TPUSA’s influence as evidence of a cultural shift among teenagers seeking clarity about faith, nationhood and purpose. TPUSA CHAPTER GAINED 100 NEW MEMBERS RAPIDLY AT TEXAS UNIVERSITY AFTER CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION He said the growth of Club America reflects what he sees as a revival of foundational values on campuses and compared the movement to earlier faith-oriented groups that once dominated student life. The governor also portrayed Texas as uniquely positioned to accelerate that revival because of its existing concentration of chapters. He followed that message with a forceful warning that school officials who push back against Club America risk state intervention. “Any school that stands in the way of a Club America program in their school should be reported immediately to the Texas Education Agency,” Abbott said. “I expect meaningful disciplinary action to be taken for any stoppage of TPUSA in the great state of Texas.” WILLIAM & MARY SOPHOMORE HELPS LAUNCH TURNING POINT CHAPTER AFTER BEING ‘CLOSETED CONSERVATIVE’ ON CAMPUS He argued that protecting the group’s presence is part of honoring Kirk’s vision and ensuring students have access to what he called essential moral guidance. Patrick extended that theme by anchoring the movement in religious and cultural terms, saying Kirk’s message has only intensified since his death. He told supporters that Texas students are searching for direction at a moment of national uncertainty and that Club America now fills a void once occupied by traditional civic and faith institutions. WISCONSIN SCHOOL TO PARTNER WITH TPUSA AFTER FACING BACKLASH OVER REJECTING STUDENT’S CHAPTER To illustrate that point, Patrick pointed to his own family, describing how his grandson joined a chapter after Kirk’s death and quickly found a sense of belonging. He framed the group’s expansion not just as a political project but as a generational duty to reinforce values he said have been weakened over time. “Charlie’s message of freedom and liberty and faith is really resonating with young men and women across Texas and across America,” Patrick said. Abbott’s and Patrick’s remarks came as Club America gains traction nationwide, including in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a partnership with TPUSA in October to ensure chapters can be established in any high school in the state.
Pressure mounts on Mamdani to ‘continue the fight’ on illicit Chinese vapes flooding NYC
New York City’s socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is facing pressure to outline his position and plans on cracking down on illicit Chinese vapes that have flooded the United States, which have sparked widespread concern as the illegal products are being sold inside bodegas throughout the city. “New York City has always been the capital of the criminal tobacco market and the illicit Chinese vape trade is no exception,” Former New York City Sheriff Edgar Domenech, who is also a former ATF official who focused on tobacco and related contraband, told Fox News Digital. “They continue to be sold by smoke shops in every borough and on every corner. The Adams administration made strong strides bringing enforcement action and Mayor-elect Mamdani needs to continue that fight to protect New York’s children and defend small businesses. The first step should be fighting for a piece of the $200 million that the FDA has allocated to enforcement and making sure it is used to fund local efforts to combat the illicit market.” For years, federal officials have warned that disposable flavored vapes, overwhelmingly manufactured in China, remain widely available in the U.S. despite a federal ban. But recent stings suggest they are only the visible tip of a much larger criminal operation. Investigators have uncovered that many smoke shops, which often appear to be ordinary convenience stores, are serving as fronts for narcotics trafficking, illegal firearms, and extensive money-laundering schemes. TRUMP ADMIN’S CRACKDOWN ON ILLICIT CHINESE VAPES IN US SCORES MAJOR WINS: ‘EMERGING THREAT’ New York City has emerged as a national hotspot for the illegal vape trade inside its local markets and bodegas. The Adams administration seized more than 1,200 pounds of illicit vape products worth over $80 million, so much that the city had to pay to destroy them because warehouses were overflowing. The city also sued nine major national distributors, including one based in Buffalo, accused of shipping Chinese-made, candy-flavored vapes into New York neighborhoods and targeting teenagers. “We are facing an epidemic of e-cigarette and vape use among young people, and we will not stand by while manufacturers and wholesalers supply our city with illegal, harmful products that target our most vulnerable New Yorkers — children,” a spokesperson for Mayor Adams told the New York Post last year. But with a new administration taking over, officials warn that now is not the time to scale back. China’s vape industry is estimated at $28 billion, and despite federal restrictions, government data indicates that two-thirds of its products reach U.S. consumers. More than 80 percent of vapes sold nationwide are illicit and not authorized for sale. 5-FIGURE AD BUY URGES STATES TO CRACK DOWN AS CHINA FLOODS MARKET WITH ILLICIT VAPES: ‘TRUMP WAS RIGHT’ It is unclear how strongly a Mamdani administration will enforce the crackdown on illicit Chinese vapes. Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani transition team for comment. Congress recently allocated $200 million through the FDA to combat illicit vapes in the United States, funds New York City could presumably use to address the issue. Mamdani has pledged to cut fees and fines on small businesses by 50 percent, and late in the campaign secured the endorsement of the United Bodegas of America, a group whose member stores have repeatedly been cited for violating federal and state vape bans.
Congress moves to block Pentagon from cutting US troops in Europe and South Korea
Congress is moving to limit the Pentagon’s ability to pull forces out of Europe and South Korea, easing concerns among allied governments. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, finalized by House and Senate negotiators and released Sunday evening, keeps force presence at roughly its current levels in both regions. It states that the U.S. cannot reduce its forces in Europe below 76,000 without submitting an assessment and certifying to Congress that such a move would not harm U.S. or NATO security interests. The bill places restraints on reductions below 28,500 in South Korea. Any drawdown would require the Pentagon to assure Congress that deterrence against North Korea would not be weakened, confirm that allies were consulted, and provide both a national security justification and an assessment of regional impact. CONGRESS UNVEILS $900B DEFENSE BILL TARGETING CHINA WITH TECH BANS, INVESTMENT CRACKDOWN, US TROOP PAY RAISE The legislation also requires the U.S. to retain the position of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), NATO’s top military post, codifying into statute a role traditionally held by an American general. These limits follow reports that the Pentagon had considered reducing forces in Europe and South Korea and even relinquishing the SACEUR position. Whether those ideas reflected genuine planning or were intended as pressure on allies to invest more in their own defenses, U.S. leaders have recently signaled they are stepping back from such moves even without congressional restrictions. During a meeting last week with U.S. national security officials and European leaders, American officials told their counterparts that Europe must be prepared to bear the brunt of NATO’s defense responsibilities by 2027, three European officials familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital. The U.S. plans to hold onto the SACEUR position but will offer some other senior NATO military posts to European nations, officials said. They also noted that Washington has no near-term plans for major troop reductions in Europe. “We’ve been very clear in the need for Europeans to lead in the conventional defense of Europe. We are committed to working through NATO coordination mechanisms to strengthen the alliance and ensure its long-term viability as European allies increasing take on responsibility for conventional deterrence and defense in Europe,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in response. GERMANY UNVEILS NEW INCENTIVES TO BOOST MILITARY RECRUITMENT AMID GROWING RUSSIA THREAT Earlier this year, the Army pulled a rotating brigade stationed largely in Romania back to the United States, prompting European allies to question whether that move might signal the beginning of broader U.S. force drawdowns on NATO’s eastern flank. The NDAA — the yearly must-pass package outlining the Pentagon’s spending and policy priorities — is expected to move swiftly to a House vote this week. Congress aims to have the legislation on the president’s desk before Christmas. The bill also includes $400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative over two years and an amendment specifying when the Pentagon may reclaim equipment purchased for Ukraine but not yet delivered: only when the equipment is urgently needed for an ongoing or imminent U.S. contingency operation and failing to use it would risk loss of life or critical mission failure. This provision follows the Pentagon’s decision earlier this year to pause delivery of certain U.S.-funded military equipment to Ukraine. Over the weekend, War Secretary Pete Hegseth described South Korea and several European nations as “model allies.” “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltics and others, will receive our special favor,” he said at the Reagan National Defense Forum. “Allies that still fail to do their part for collective defense will face consequences.”