Anti-ICE walkout exposes how school district ‘failed’ parents, risked student safety: ‘Broken my trust’
EXCLUSIVE: Internal emails, messages and memos from Arizona’s Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) reveal that staff allegedly breached security protocol and violated several school policies by facilitating a student walkout to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year, according to America First Legal. Hundreds of Flagstaff high school and middle school students walked out of class to protest ICE on Jan. 28. The protest came amid national controversy over the deaths of anti-ICE activists Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota. Immediately after the walkout, many parents, citing safety concerns, expressed outrage that they were not notified that their children had been allowed to leave school premises without their consent. One parent who said they had children under the age of 12 said the “district failed us as parents.” Documents obtained by America First Legal, a conservative watchdog group, reveal that FUSD officials knew about the walkout days in advance and also coordinated with students. The documents, which were reviewed by Fox News Digital, were obtained by America First Legal through a lawsuit forcing FUSD to comply with its public records request for records related to the walkout. Screenshots from a district staff text group show faculty coordinating during the walkout. One staff member texted, “We have 75 plus students staged outside of fhs [Flagstaff High School] getting ready to walk.” In the same message, the staff member wrote, “Looks like we have some members of the public joining.” CONTROVERSIAL ICE TACTIC ACTUALLY REDUCES UNINTENDED ‘COLLATERAL’ ARRESTS: FEDERAL AGENT Another concerning text from a staff member read, “Be aware of propped open doors that are left for reentry.” In response to America First Legal’s criticism, a spokesperson for the district told Fox News Digital that “We respectfully disagree that the Flagstaff Unified School District encouraged students to attend or intentionally ignored District policies.” The spokesperson said, “The District was placed in the challenging position of balancing students’ First Amendment rights, student safety and school operations in the most appropriate way it could.” District policy dictates that “the Superintendent shall limit access to school buildings and grounds” and that faculty “maintain protocols regarding the distribution of keys or equipment to access District property.” Further, FUSD policy also stipulates that students ages six to 16 are “required to attend school during the school’s hours” and “the school in which the student is enrolled shall make a reasonable effort to promptly telephone and notify the parent/legal guardian or other person who has custody of the student of the student’s absence from school.” An email from a student to then Flagstaff High School Principal Tadd Ragan shows that district staff was aware the protest would take place at least two days in advance. The student informed Ragan that students were planning to walk out of their classes to protest against ICE at 11:45 a.m. The student said the protest would occur “near a main road for more recognition” and asked for advice “in finding a more organized way of going about this.” In response, Ragan told the student that “as a District and School we have a plan to maintain a peaceful protest.” In a subsequent email, Ragan asked the student, “Can you come by my office during first period?” Another faculty member, Flagstaff “instructional coach” Janet Chavez-Vesely, sent an email to several school administrators the day before the protest, revealing that she had discussed the planned walkout with the student Hispanic Culture Club. Chavez-Vesely wrote that she “stayed neutral and answered questions while they planned.” VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT SUED OVER ALLEGED POLICY OF KEEPING STUDENTS’ GENDER TRANSITIONS HIDDEN FROM PARENTS She noted that one of the students “plans to stop by and see me” to discuss the protest further. Chavez-Vesely told the school administrators, “I am available to support supervision,” adding, “just let me know where.” Some parents who became aware of the walkout before it happened emailed the district, notifying staff that their children would be absent from school while citing safety concerns. On Tuesday, one parent emailed Ragan, telling him, “I am keeping my daughter home from school this Wednesday as it has been brought to my attention that both Flagstaff high school and Coconino high school have planned out an entire protest.” The parent wrote, “This is not something that I want my child involved in nor do I want her around during it nor do I want her suffering any of the consequences that come with not participating and or being pressured into participating in potentially getting in a violent situation.” Another parent emailed faculty late on Tuesday night, writing, “My kids will not be at school tomorrow.” The parent noted, “This is not something that I want my children exposed to or involved in as situations like this in the past have become violent and unsafe.” Meanwhile, at least one faculty member was excited about the protest, writing in a text, “This Walk out thing is going to be FUN!” The morning of the protest, Sinagua Middle School Principal Christopher Koenker sent an email that FUSD “supports our students’ constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and free expression and is aware of student-led events planned.” He wrote that “schools will neither encourage nor discourage student participation.” He added that the district was looking into providing additional staff and law enforcement presence “for protection and supervision, not to suppress student expression.” After the protest, an internal “Walk Out Debrief” memo emphasized that “school isn’t responsible for students’ safety after they leave campus.” Another memo noted that one teacher, identified as “Ms. Donovan,” took her class outside to witness “rights vs. responsibilities” on display at the walkout. An administrator noted that just three students remained inside and that “later conversations with the 3 students indicated that they really weren’t comfortable being outside.” The administrator noted she eventually asked Donovan to bring the class back inside “as it might appear that she was influencing them to be outside.” LAURA INGRAHAM: TEACHING US HISTORY HAS BECOME AN EXERCISE IN
Hawley sends criminal referral of ‘left-wing dark-money’ group over mailed abortion drugs
FIRST ON FOX: A Republican senator says that a left-wing abortion group claiming to be a “public health information campaign” is actually operating as the referral hub for shipping abortion pills into states where they’re banned, in a criminal referral obtained by Fox News Digital. In a letter sent Thursday to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Sen. Josh Hawley alleges asked the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into Plan C, saying the group connects women with abortion-pill manufacturers, foreign clinics and online vendors that ship the drugs into states where they are restricted by law. “At the center of the effort is an entity called Plan C,” Hawley wrote, describing the group as a “left-wing dark-money operation” that serves as the “referral and logistics hub” for distributing abortion drugs into states that prohibit them. He said the group’s activities warrant a federal criminal investigation. BLUE STATE SHIELD LAWS ALLOWED 330K ABORTION PILLS TO BE SENT TO ABORTION BAN STATES, PRO-LIFE GROUP FINDS Hawley says Plan C directs women in states such as Florida, Oklahoma and Texas to foreign clinics willing to mail abortion pills into the United States despite state laws restricting those shipments. He also says the group points users to online vendors selling abortion drugs without prescriptions, identification or medical consultations, even though Plan C acknowledges on its website that the pills sold through some of those sites are “not regulated or inspected by the US government.” Fox News Digital reached out to Plan C for comment. Hawley’s letter also says Plan C advises users on how to limit their “digital footprint” by recommending privacy-focused browsers, virtual private networks and encrypted email. The senator notes that Plan C’s own website warns users they could face legal consequences for obtaining abortion pills through the services it recommends, while saying it is “up to every individual to decide what level of legal risk they are willing to take.” HAWLEY URGES DOJ PROBE INTO ABORTION PILL MAKER OVER SAFETY CONCERNS Hawley also says Plan C directs women to providers willing to prescribe abortion pills through 14 weeks of pregnancy — beyond the Food and Drug Administration’s approved labeling for mifepristone and beyond the limits set by several states. Hawley argues the conduct could violate multiple federal laws, including provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act covering prescription drugs, laws prohibiting the importation of unapproved drugs into interstate commerce, and federal conspiracy and aiding-and-abetting statutes. “I therefore respectfully refer this matter to the Department to open a criminal investigation into Plan C, its relationship with potential co-conspirator manufacturers, and the network of suppliers it promotes,” Hawley wrote, adding that the investigation should include foreign clinics and online vendors shipping abortion drugs into the United States.
FBI boss Kash Patel details how agency and partners secured record-shattering FIFA World Cup
EXCLUSIVE – Seventy-eight Super Bowls in 38 days. This was the scale of the task facing the Federal Bureau of Investigation going into the first World Cup final the United States has hosted in more than 30 years. “That’s what we executed on,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview detailing the largest commitment of the agency’s resources ever devoted to securing a sporting event – the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “We’re proud to report that, thank God, and thankfully to the men and women of the FBI and our partners, we had no significant criminal attacks during this World Cup,” Patel said. “And just to put that in perspective, we had 6.5 million people attend the 78 matches in the U.S. across 11 venues.” Patel said the planning and execution had to be “mathematically precise.” FIFA WORLD CUP COMES TO THRILLING END WITH WINNING GOAL SCORED IN EXTRA TIME The tournament shattered previous attendance records and brought millions of international visitors to the country. The FBI dedicated nearly 5,000 personnel to the effort, including more than 4,000 from field offices, 800 from FBI headquarters and two legal attaché offices, along with support from 59 Homeland Security task forces. The bureau also conducted approximately 300,000 background checks on players, coaches and other accredited personnel. All told, nearly 7 million fans from all over the world attended World Cup games in the United States, Canada and Mexico, all with no reported major security incidents. In fact, getting into the stadiums often took fans less than 15 minutes for games that averaged more than 65,000 in house. A defining element of the FBI’s security operation was its aggressive response to the rapidly evolving drone threat. Recognizing that even a low-cost unmanned aircraft could be used to surveil players practicing at the dozens of team base camps around the country, track their movements to and from hotels, probe for security tactics at stadiums or fan zones, disrupt an event or deliver an explosive or chemical device, the bureau treated every unauthorized incursion as a potential threat. TRUMP TAKES IN JENNIFER HUDSON’S INCREDIBLE NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMANCE BEFORE WORLD CUP FINAL “If you’re in the space, we’re gonna take you down. And that’s why we took down over 700,” Patel said. “Some of these folks were maybe borderline nuisances, while many of them were criminal in terms of violations of FAA airspace and also failing to register their drones… We’re not taking any chances.” The FBI established its first dedicated counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft system) school at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama to train state and local officers in detecting, tracking and intercepting unauthorized drones. Those officers were then deployed on FBI-led ground-intercept teams at World Cup venues, creating a nationwide counter-drone capability built for a threat that barely existed when the U.S. last hosted the tournament in 1994. “We, the FBI, specifically train for the worst of the worst,” Patel said, pointing to the possibility of drones being used to deploy explosives or chemical agents. Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino was instrumental in developing the bureau’s counter-drone program. That preparation was tested as the World Cup was getting underway, when investigators uncovered an alleged coordinated attack targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. 5 CHILLING DETAILS FROM THE ALLEGED WHITE HOUSE ATTACK PLOT TIED TO UFC EVENT Federal prosecutors allege the suspects planned to use explosive-laden drones to trigger panic and force crowds to evacuate into areas where armed attackers could strike. Patel said the FBI launched a six-state operation, tracked the alleged threat through online communications and began a coordinated takedown “before the first punch was thrown,” allowing the event to proceed without an attack. Eight defendants have since been charged, although the allegations remain unproven and the defendants are presumed innocent. FBI REVEALS WHY TRUMP WHITE HOUSE UFC EVENT WENT AHEAD DESPITE ALLEGED TERROR PLOT International cooperation was another critical component of the World Cup security operation. “They’re working overseas in their home locations and giving us information back in real time on any single threat that’s coming in,” Patel said. The FBI hosted the International Police Cooperation Center in Northern Virginia, deploying more than 70 personnel to work alongside officers from U.S. host cities and security officials representing the nations sending teams to the tournament. The FBI also assembled a Joint Operations Center with foreign police representatives from 46 of the 48 participating countries, allowing investigators to receive real-time threat intelligence from officials who understood their teams, fan bases and domestic security concerns. That information was supported by the FBI’s Intelligence Coordination Center, where more than 400 personnel processed an average of 26 incidents per day and produced nearly 100 intelligence reports for federal, state, local and private-sector partners, according to the FBI. Patel credited the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup with bringing federal, state and local agencies together under a unified security strategy. Established by President Donald Trump and led by Andrew Giuliani’s team, the task force served as a central hub for interagency planning, intelligence sharing and the rapid deployment of law enforcement resources across the tournament’s 11 U.S. host cities. FIRST WORLD CUP HALFTIME SHOW DRAWS MIXED REACTIONS FOR SHAKIRA, JUSTIN BIEBER, BTS, MADONNA PERFORMANCES “Like anything in government, to succeed, you need tremendous leadership,” Patel said. “President Trump had the foresight to establish the White House Task Force… and what they were able to do was bring in the interagency, at least at the federal level, and then work with us at the state and local levels through our partnerships and put everybody under one roof.” Patel said the coordinated structure allowed the FBI to quickly send bomb technicians, evidence teams, tactical operators, SWAT personnel and hostage-rescue capabilities wherever additional resources were needed. FOX WORLD CUP ANNOUNCER SAYS TRUMP’S APPEARANCE AT FINAL IS ‘FUN, UNIQUE THING’ DESPITE POTENTIAL BACKLASH “President Trump set the standard: Not only were we going to have the largest and safest sporting event
Platner ally Troy Jackson locks down delegates as top rivals for Democratic Senate nomination drop out
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson appears to have locked up enough delegates to win the abbreviated race to replace now ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in the high-stakes showdown to face off with longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Delegates aligned with Jackson won the vast majority of the 500 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday and Sunday as Maine’s 16 counties held two days of delegate selection for next weekend’s nominating convention. And Jackson’s top two rivals for the nomination, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah, a former top public health official, dropped out of the race on Sunday. “In November, Mainers will defeat Susan Collins, and we will take back our Senate seat from the billionaires and corporations who think they own it,” Jackson said in a social media post Sunday evening. While the delegates on Jackson’s slate are not required to support him at next weekend convention, he is in an extremely strong position to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Collins in what’s expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle that’s among a dozen nationwide which will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority. The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB A fifth-generation logger and a one-time conservative Republican who became a Democrat over two decades ago, Jackson came in third place last month in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. On Saturday, in the race to replace Platner, Jackson-aligned delegates won more than 90% of the slots, including all 149 in Cumberland County, Maine’s most populous county and home to the state’s largest city, Portland. “Yesterday was an unbelievable huge step, but our work is not finished — not even close,” Jackson said Sunday morning. And the winning streak of Jackson-aligned delegates continued throughout the day. Over 470 of the 500 delegates elected this weekend were on Jackson’s slate. The delegates chosen will join another 101 coming automatically from the Democratic State Committee. All 601 will officially vote for the Senate nominee at next Saturday’s convention in Bangor, Maine. Bellows, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, exited the Senate sprint on Sunday morning. “Donald Trump’s attacks on our democracy are only accelerating, and the best way that I can serve our state and country at this moment is by focusing exclusively on my role as Secretary of State,” Bellows said in a statement that didn’t mention Jackson. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Shah, a former director the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023 who later served as principal deputy director of the federal CDC during then-President Joe Biden’s administration, and who came in second in last month’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, dropped out Sunday evening and backed Jackson. “To Maine Democrats: Susan Collins will not be defeated without a united Democratic Party. And we cannot unite without treating one another with respect,” Shah wrote in a statement. “No matter whom you supported in this race, I urge us all to remember that in the weeks ahead.” Jackson, in a social media post, thanked Shah and urged, “Now it’s time for all of us to come together, build the broadest possible coalition, and defeat Susan Collins. Let’s get to work.” Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer for then-Rep. Katie Porter of California who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate as well as the Democratic nomination in the state’s 2nd Congressional District this cycle, also dropped out on Sunday. Another Senate candidate, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban, announced a campaign suspension on Sunday as well.. MAINE DEMOCRATS RALLY BEHIND PLATNER’S PLATFORM IN SPRINT TO REPLACE HIM Along with Platner, Jackson had the support of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont as he ran for governor, and he is currently backed by ‘Our Revolution,’ the group born in 2016 out of Sanders’ first presidential campaign. Jackson, similar to Platner, is running on a progressive and populist platform aimed at working-class voters. He backs raising taxes on billionaires, the universal healthcare system known as “Medicare-for-all,” abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he opposes military aid to Israel at a time that Democrats are increasingly divided on support for America’s longtime Middle East ally. Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who was backed by Sanders soon after he launched his bid last August, saw his campaign quickly catch fire. Two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who was heavily recruited by longtime Democratic Senate leader Sen. Chuck Schumer to run for the Senate, suspended her campaign this spring after trailing Platner in fundraising and in the polls. THE TWELVE RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE MAJORITY But even as Platner steamrolled the Democratic establishment and crushed the competition last month to capture the nomination, he had already been forced on defense in the wake of a slew of scandals. Platner dropped out earlier this month, amid calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to immediately exit the race following an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the report but stepped aside. While Jackson was among those who quickly called on Platner to end his bid in the wake of the rape allegation, he had previously campaigned alongside Platner and made the case that he was the best candidate to continue the fight for the progressive and populist agenda. “This movement has always been bigger than one person. It’s about taking on a system rigged against working people, fighting for ‘Medicare-for-all,’ strong unions, higher wages, reproductive freedom, and an economy where billionaires and corporations finally pay their fair share,” Jackson said last week during a Our Revolution virtual town hall, as he pointed to Platner supporters. At last week’s first debate among the replacement candidates, Jackson pointed to Platner and said, “That’s the thing that I think Graham did the
JD Vance and wife Usha welcome fourth child, reveal baby boy’s name
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, announced the birth of their fourth child on Sunday. In a joint Instagram post, the couple said their baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born Sunday morning. “We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning,” the couple wrote. “Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother.” USHA VANCE MOCKS NEW YORK TIMES FOR DRAWING ‘POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE’ FROM HER PREGNANCY FASHION The Vances also thanked the military doctors and staff at Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit for caring for their family. “The incredible military doctors and staff members of Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit have been a blessing,” they said. “We are deeply thankful for all they have done for our family.” SWING-STATE DEM CANDIDATE’S ‘DISGUSTING’ COMMENTS ABOUT JD, USHA VANCE’S ‘BROWN CHILDREN’ SPARKS OUTRAGE The couple announced earlier this year that they were expecting their fourth child. “Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July,” the Vances wrote in a statement shared on social media in January. SECOND LADY USHA VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT EXPECTING THEIR FOURTH CHILD: ‘OUR FAMILY IS GROWING’ JD and Usha Vance met while attending Yale Law School and married in 2014. They are also parents to sons Ewan and Vivek and daughter Mirabel. Their three older children drew attention last year while attending the Inauguration Day swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol and the parade at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
AOC accused of putting on new accent during Memphis rally: ‘Going full Kamala’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was accused of putting on an accent during a Memphis rally last week, with critics on social media comparing her to former Vice President Kamala Harris. Ocasio-Cortez was speaking at a campaign rally in Memphis on Friday for progressive U.S. House candidate Justin Pearson, who currently serves as a Tennessee state representative. “We cannot afford to leave Tennessee behind,” she said. “We cannot afford to leave Kentucky behind, Alabama behind, Mississippi behind, Georgia behind, South Carolina behind. There is no country where we are split apart.” AOC TELLS NEW YORKERS TO ‘PULL UP’ TO ALABAMA DURING RALLY SPEECH BEHIND BULLETPROOF GLASS “About a month or two ago, we were in Montgomery, Alabama — Sister [Rep. Ayanna] Pressley and I were in Montgomery, Alabama, and one of the things that we said was that it is time for the North to roll up to the South,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. Critics online singled out this part of her speech, saying she put on a “fake accent.” “AOC, from the ‘Bronx’ sounding like a southern Baptist preacher while in Memphis,” actor Michael Rapaport, who has said he’ll run for the New York City mayor’s office in 2029, posted on social media. KAMALA HARRIS TORCHES OWN PARTY MEMBERS INVESTED IN HOLDING ON TO THEIR ‘TITLE,’ ADMITS, ‘I AM EXHAUSTED’ “Hillary Clinton developed an accent. Kamala Harris developed an accent. AOC is developing an accent. It’s all patronizing,” conservative communications strategist Steve Guest posted on social media. “Rep. AOC just got busted putting on a FAKE ACCENT for a predominantly black audience. She’s seriously going full Kamala for 2028,” another user wrote, referencing a potential presidential bid. Harris was repeatedly accused of altering her accent depending on the group of people she’s speaking to. In 2024, Harris was slammed for using what critics called a fake Southern accent while speaking at a rally in Atlanta in July 2024, and again during a Labor Day rally in Detroit that year. During her 2021 overseas trip to France, critics claimed Harris used a “French accent” while touring a COVID lab. Fox News Digital reached out to AOC’s team for comment on the “fake accent” accusations.
‘Let’s brew it in the United States’: Teamsters target Modelo and Corona in push for Mexican beer tariffs
One of the nation’s largest labor unions wants President Donald Trump to make one of America’s favorite imports a lot more American. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters are urging the administration to impose significant tariffs on Mexican beer, arguing more of it should be brewed by U.S. workers instead of across the border. The request comes as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative continues to assess whether certain countries’ policies have fueled unfair manufacturing advantages. The Teamsters argue Mexico has fueled its brewing industry through government-backed investment incentives, lower labor costs and export-focused policies that have expanded production and exports, helping imported beer capture a growing share of the U.S. market. AMERICA’S FAVORITE BEERS — AND THE JOBS TIED TO THEM — ARE AT THE CENTER OF A BREWING TRADE FIGHT The tariff push could have implications for some of America’s best-known imported beer brands, including Modelo, Corona, Pacifico and Tecate, much of which is brewed in Mexico before being shipped to retailers across the U.S. “We can brew Modelo beer. It’s the same recipe. Let’s brew it in the United States,” Sean O’Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, told Fox News Digital. “We are very good at producing goods and services in this country,” he added. In its filing, the union said Mexican beer production has increased 85% since 2014, with about 80% of the country’s beer exports shipped to the United States. Meanwhile, capacity utilization at major U.S. breweries fell from 82% in 2013 to 65% in 2023, a trend the Teamsters say threatens thousands of well-paying union jobs. TRUMP BET TARIFFS WOULD BRING BACK AMERICAN FACTORY JOBS. NEW REPORT SAYS IT DIDN’T WORK The union argues tariffs would help shift more beer production back to the U.S., supporting American breweries along with the farmers who grow barley and hops, aluminum manufacturers that produce cans and the truckers who move beer across the country. “I’m pro-America, pro-American worker, pro American jobs. So if there’s an opportunity to tariff Mexican beer in this situation, which is gonna provide opportunity for our current members, which we have tens of thousands in the brewery and distribution industry, then I’m all for tariffs and all for keeping American jobs in America,” O’Brien added. THINK YOUR STATE IS EXPENSIVE? NEW DATA REVEALS WHERE AMERICANS FACE THE HIGHEST COST OF LIVING The Teamsters say the threat to U.S. brewery jobs is growing as major brewers continue investing billions of dollars in Mexico. According to the filing, breweries have announced plans to add another 19 million to 23 million hectoliters of production capacity over the next five years, an expansion the union attributes to export-focused tax incentives, lower labor costs and industrial policies aimed at boosting manufacturing for foreign markets. The filing also cites Mexico’s 2023 tax incentives for export-oriented manufacturers and its broader “Plan México” industrial strategy, arguing those policies have encouraged additional investment while suppressing wages and making it more difficult for U.S. producers to compete. The Teamsters have publicly backed tariffs as high as 75% on Mexican beer imports, calling them one potential remedy to what they describe as an uneven playing field. In a separate submission to USTR, the union said continued pressure from imported beer could force more U.S. brewery slowdowns or closures, jeopardizing good-paying brewery jobs that have supported American families for generations. The Teamsters’ filing is one of several submitted as USTR weighs potential trade actions under its ongoing Section 301 investigation. USTR did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
‘Keep a low profile’: State Department warns Americans overseas they could be targeted
The State Department on Saturday reiterated its worldwide warning for Americans overseas as fears grow that Iran or its supporters could retaliate against U.S. citizens and interests far beyond the Middle East. The “Worldwide Caution” alert, which has been in place since February, warns that groups supportive of Iran could target Americans and U.S. interests overseas. The advisory urges U.S. citizens abroad to remain vigilant, monitor local developments and follow guidance from nearby U.S. embassies. WHY THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ MATTERS AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH ULTIMATUM TO IRAN The warning follows a series of rapidly escalating developments in the region. Earlier Saturday, the U.S. military said an Iranian missile and drone attack in Jordan killed two American service members and left another missing, underscoring concerns that the conflict could spill beyond traditional battlefields and increase security risks for Americans overseas. The heightened security concerns were reinforced when the U.S. Embassy in Amman issued a separate security alert after Jordanian authorities evacuated Aqaba’s international airport and seaport because of what officials described as a “specific and credible threat.” The embassy urged Americans to avoid both locations and reminded U.S. citizens that the State Department has maintained an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families in Jordan since March because of ongoing security risks. TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN STRIKES ON JORDAN, CENTCOM SAYS The State Department said the security environment remains “complex” and warned the conflict could escalate with little notice. Officials also noted that U.S. diplomatic facilities, including some outside the Middle East, have previously been targeted and cautioned that groups supportive of Iran could target other U.S. interests or locations associated with the United States and Americans around the world. Officials urged Americans worldwide, particularly those in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution, keep a low profile, avoid locations associated with the United States when possible, monitor local news, follow security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which provides security updates and allows embassies to contact U.S. citizens during emergencies. The advisory also warns that continued military activity could lead to commercial flight cancellations and temporary airspace closures, adding to travel disruptions across the Middle East. Travelers were advised to check with airlines before departing and prepare for potential delays, rerouted flights and last-minute itinerary changes as security conditions evolve. The State Department issues worldwide caution alerts when officials believe security threats extend beyond a single country or region. While the advisory does not prohibit international travel, it reflects growing concern that the conflict could create security risks well beyond the Middle East, prompting U.S. officials to urge Americans everywhere to remain vigilant and prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
Johnson warns America is in ‘battle’ against Marxism, calls for renewed focus on nation’s founding principles
FIRST ON FOX: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., warned Friday that the United States is engaged in a “battle” against Marxism, arguing the ideology is gaining traction as Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates notch a string of high-profile primary victories this midterm cycle. Speaking at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Summit in San Diego, Johnson framed the nation’s 250th anniversary as an opportunity to push back against what he described as growing socialist influence and renew appreciation for America’s founding principles. “We are in a confrontation, in a battle against a very dark philosophy — Marxism, and its deviations, communism and socialism,” Johnson said. “You see, the problem that I tell university students is, this formula that Lincoln later articulated in the Gettysburg Address, we’re dedicated to this proposition that we are one nation under God, and that a government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” SOCIALISM’S RISE INSIDE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOW THREATENS THE AMERICAN DREAM The ADF Summit is an annual conference that brings together leaders in law, government, business, media, education and the Christian community to discuss religious freedom, free speech and other public policy issues. In addition to Johnson, West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, who successfully argued and won a Supreme Court case, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, conservative influencer Allie Beth Stuckey and Adm. Brian Christine, who serves as assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also attended. Johnson went on to describe an illustration he says he often uses while speaking on college campuses, arguing that America’s founders grounded individual rights in God rather than government. He contended that abandoning that principle leads to socialism, communism and concentrated government power. RARE AMERICAN BIBLE AND FOUNDERS’ LETTERS TRACE FAITH’S ROLE IN BIRTH OF THE NATION “The people that amass the power will control and direct the herd, you lose your freedom. It’s a road to tyranny,” Johnson said. His remarks come as Democratic Socialist-backed candidates continue to make gains in primaries, fueling a broader debate over the party’s ideological direction. In New York City alone, three far-left congressional candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won Democratic primaries this cycle, including two who defeated incumbent members of Congress. Johnson suggested those political gains reflect a broader ideological shift that begins in the classroom. “We have a teachable moment, and I think we’ve got to make this very simple to explain it to the people coming behind,” Johnson said. “Because, let’s be honest, they’ve been indoctrinated in so many of these educational institutions. They see America through the wrong lenses.” Throughout the address, Johnson repeatedly tied America’s constitutional system to religious faith, arguing the nation’s freedoms are inseparable from the biblical principles embraced by the Founding Fathers. FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS According to Johnson, the founders rejected the European concept of the divine right of kings by declaring that individual rights come from God rather than government. “We acknowledge the self-evident truth that our rights do not come from the government,” Johnson said. “They don’t come from a king. They come from the King of Kings. They come from our Creator.” Johnson also pointed to polling that he said shows fewer Americans expressing pride in the U.S. than in previous decades, arguing the trend reflects a growing disconnect from the nation’s history. “If we want the next generation to love America, they first have to know America,” Johnson said. The speaker closed by reflecting on the pressures of leading the House Republican conference with one of the narrowest majorities in modern history, saying his Christian faith has helped keep him grounded through repeated legislative and political battles. “People say you don’t seem to get too riled up about all the chaos on Capitol Hill. You seem rather calm in the midst of the storm,” Johnson said. Johnson said he has adopted the words of former President John Quincy Adams as his mantra. “‘Duty is ours. Results are God’s,’” Johnson said, quoting Adams. “I’m not the sovereign. All I’m supposed to do is be faithful every single day and leave it on the field.”
Platner ally Troy Jackson closing in on Democratic Senate nod in key race to face Collins
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson appears to be sprinting far ahead of his rivals in the abbreviated race to replace now ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in the high-stakes showdown to face off with longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Delegates aligned with Jackson won the vast majority of the 319 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday as Maine’s 16 counties kicked off two days of delegate selection for next weekend’s nominating convention. “We’re well on our way to getting the government that we deserve,” Jackson emphasized Saturday night in a video posted to social media, as he addressed supporters. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Jackson is now in a strong position to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Collins in what’s expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle that’s among a dozen nationwide which will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority. The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47. MEET THE DEMOCRATS GUNNING TO REPLACE GRAHAM PLATNER A fifth-generation logger and a one-time conservative Republican who became a Democrat over two decades ago, Jackson came in third place last month in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. On Saturday, in the race to replace Platner, Jackson-aligned delegates won more than 90% of the slots, including all 149 in Cumberland County, Maine’s most populous county and home to the state’s largest city, Portland. Along with Platner, Jackson had the support of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont as he ran for governor, and he is currently backed by ‘Our Revolution,’ the group born in 2016 out of Sanders’ first presidential campaign. MAINE DEMOCRATS RALLY BEHIND PLATNER’S PLATFORM IN SPRINT TO REPLACE HIM Jackson, similar to Platner, is running on a progressive and populist platform aimed at working-class voters. He backs raising taxes on billionaires, the universal healthcare system known as “Medicare-for-all,” abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he opposes military aid to Israel at a time that Democrats are increasingly divided on support for America’s longtime Middle East ally. Nirav Shah, a former director the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023 who later served as principal deputy director of the federal CDC during then-President Joe Biden’s administration, and who came in second in last month’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, secured only a handful of delegates on Saturday. Shenna Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state, who came in fourth place in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, was even further back in the delegate hunt, as was Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer for then-Rep. Katie Porter of California who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate as well as the Democratic nomination in the state’s 2nd Congressional District this cycle. Maine’s eight remaining counties will select 181 delegates on Sunday. The 500 picked this weekend will join 101 delegates coming automatically from the Democratic State Committee. All 601 will vote for the Senate nominee at next Saturday’s convention in Bangor. Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who was backed by Sanders soon after he launched his bid last August, saw his campaign quickly catch fire. Two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who was heavily recruited by longtime Democratic Senate leader Sen. Chuck Schumer to run for the Senate, suspended her campaign this spring after trailing Platner in fundraising and in the polls. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB But even as Platner steamrolled the Democratic establishment and crushed the competition last month to capture the nomination, he had already been forced on defense in the wake of a slew of scandals. Platner dropped out earlier this month, amid calls from top Democrats in Maine and across the country to immediately exit the race following an explosive report containing an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner denied the report but stepped aside. While Jackson was among those who quickly called on Platner to end his bid in the wake of the rape allegation, he had previously campaigned alongside Platner and made the case that he was the best candidate to continue the fight for the progressive and populist agenda. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “This movement is always been bigger than one person. It’s about taking on a system rigged against working people, fighting for ‘Medicare-for-all,’ strong unions, higher wages, reproductive freedom, and an economy where billionaires and corporations finally pay their fair share,” Jackson said last week during a Our Revolution virtual town hall, as he pointed to Platner supporters. At last week’s first debate among the replacement candidates, Jackson pointed to Platner and said, “That’s the thing that I think Graham did the best: talked about fighting against the health care industry and the prescription drug industry to make sure that people in this state and this country have affordable, quality health care.”