Schumer accuses Trump of ‘skipping town’ during shutdown as president heads to Asia for trade talks
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Friday accused President Donald Trump of “skipping town” for a trip to Asia during the ongoing government shutdown. Trump departed for Asia Friday night for a weeklong trip that will include stops in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. Republicans and Democrats remain divided on negotiations to end the shutdown that began earlier this month, with each side blaming the other as the GOP controls the White House and both chambers of Congress. “In the midst of the longest full government shutdown in American history — a crisis of his own making — President Trump’s priorities are severely misplaced,” Schumer said in a statement. TRUMP SAYS SCHUMER, SENATE DEMOCRATS HOLDING GOVERNMENT ‘HOSTAGE’ WITH SHUTDOWN: ‘WE WILL NOT BE EXTORTED’ “While Americans are struggling to make ends meet, federal workers are going without pay, and millions of families are bracing for soaring health care costs, the President is leaving the country,” he continued. Schumer added: “America is shut down and the President is skipping town.” The senator said Democrats have sought to meet with Trump, but that the president is “abandoning” his responsibilities. “Democrats have asked, again and again, for President Trump to meet with us to negotiate a bipartisan deal that would address the healthcare crisis, and find a path forward to reopen the government. But instead of doing his job, President Trump is abandoning it,” Schumer said. Schumer also called on GOP lawmakers in Congress to work across the aisle to reach a deal to end the shutdown. “With the President out of the country, the responsibility falls squarely on Congressional Republicans to act — to come to the table, to do their jobs, and to deliver an agreement that reopens the government and protects Americans from another health care disaster,” he said. “Americans deserve a government that works as hard as they do— not a leader that flies away from responsibility at the time they need one most,” the top Senate Democrat added. BERNIE SANDERS CLASHES WITH TOWN HALL ATTENDEE OVER SCHUMER LEADERSHIP DURING SHUTDOWN While in Asia, Trump is expected to meet with regional allies about trade, including the trade war with China, as well as Beijing’s tightening of export controls on rare-earth minerals critical for certain technologies. The president is also expected to address security in the region and affirm America’s commitment to supporting its allies.
Newsom bails out Planned Parenthood with $140M to keep 100 clinics open after Trump cuts
California officials are giving Planned Parenthood $140 million to keep 109 clinics open and offset the financial strain from cuts imposed by Republicans in Washington, Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom announced. Newsom said the move affirms the state’s continued commitment to abortion access for women in the Golden State amid efforts by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to shut down Planned Parenthood. “California is a reproductive freedom state, and this latest investment continues to show our belief in protecting access to essential health care in times of distress,” Newsom said in a statement on Thursday. “Trump’s efforts to defund Planned Parenthood put all our communities at risk as people seek basic health care from these community providers.” State lawmakers will also address the issue when the legislature reconvenes in January. APPEALS COURT HEARS MEDICAID FRAUD CASE THAT COULD COST PLANNED PARENTHOOD $1.8 BILLION Planned Parenthood had announced it would eliminate primary care at clinics in Orange and San Bernardino counties starting in December. Five other clinics in the Bay Area, Santa Cruz and Central Valley, also shuttered in recent months over federal efforts to defund the organization. Dr. Janet Jacobson, medical director of the Orange and San Bernardino counties clinics, told CalMatters the federal actions are “destroying our primary care program.” “It’s inhumane to take away people’s health care,” Jacobson said. “Folks that have Medi-Cal should be able to see the provider of their choice for primary care.” Planned Parenthood needs about $27 million a month to operate all its local facilities, Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, told CalMatters. “The Planned Parenthood affiliates in California are grateful to Governor Newsom and our allies in the Legislature for taking this necessary step to keep Planned Parenthood health centers open and able to provide critical services as they weather the impacts of the federal defund,” Hicks said in a statement. California is the fourth state to allocate public funds to support Planned Parenthood, joining Washington, Colorado and New Mexico. Lawmakers in Oregon and New York are also considering giving public money to the organization. DEMOCRATS ESCALATE ANTI-TRUMP LAWFARE BY TARGETING CONGRESS IN PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDING FIGHT Republicans in the nation’s capital and across the country have targeted Planned Parenthood over abortion services. Trump’s spending bill signed over the summer prohibited Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid money for its services, including abortions, mammograms, pap smears, birth control and sexually transmitted infection testing. Facilities in GOP-led states with abortion restrictions have also been forced to cease the procedures following the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V. Wade and returned the power to make laws regarding abortion back to the states. Planned Parenthood facilities have been shuttering in various states across the country, including California and New York. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte — which operates 30 health centers along the California coast, Central Valley and Nevada — shuttered five health centers in July after Trump blocked Planned Parenthood’s funding. Mar Monte Chief of Staff Andrew Adams said the organization is working on ways to maintain its financial stability. Adams said the closures helped keep services at the organization’s other clinics until the end of the year but that it could be met with a “financial cliff” in the new year. PRO-LIFE GROUP ‘ELATED’ AFTER PLANNED PARENTHOOD SHUTTERS HOUSTON FACILITIES: ‘TREMENDOUS VICTORY’ “We are planning for an environment where there is no federal funding,” Adams told CalMatters. “What that looks like is having to potentially charge patients some amount of money for services we provide.” The organization has claimed that abortions make up only 3% of its services, but pro-life groups contend that the clinics’ closures in states with abortion bans prove that to be false. “If that were true, they wouldn’t be closing all these facilities in pro-life states where you can’t do abortions. So that’s hardly believable anymore in 2025,” 40 Days for Life CEO and founder Shawn Carney told Fox News Digital in August. Newsom, California lawmakers and Planned Parenthood have spent much of the year searching for a solution to keep the organization afloat without federal dollars, according to CalMatters. But with a multibillion-dollar state deficit, that has been a challenging goal.
Scandal-plagued Virginia AG hopeful’s wife reportedly donated to fund that freed accused criminals, murderers
Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones faced new political fallout Friday after a report revealed his wife had donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a controversial bail organization that used millions to spring violent offenders, including accused rapists and murderers, from jail. In May 2020, during unrest in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s death, Mavis Jones posted on Twitter: “I just donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund,” linking to the group’s donation page and urging others to do the same. The account has since gone private. The revelation, first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, comes as Jones, a Democrat, trails Republican incumbent Jason Miyares in a tightening race for Virginia’s top law enforcement post. The state’s attorney general oversees state-level prosecutions and police oversight. JAY JONES TEXT SCANDAL SPARKS DONATION SURGE AS GOP GROUP POURS MILLIONS MORE INTO VA RACE The Minnesota Freedom Fund, promoted at the time by several progressive figures, including Sen. Kamala Harris, raised more than $41 million during the 2020 protests, pledging to support demonstrators arrested during clashes with police. But a FOX 9 investigation later found the group spent most of its money bailing out defendants accused of serious violent crimes rather than low-level protest offenses. Among those bailed out was Christopher Boswell, a twice-convicted rapist facing new kidnapping and assault charges who was freed after the fund posted $350,000 in cash bail. The group also paid $100,000 to release Darnika Floyd, who was charged with second-degree murder, and $75,000 for Jaleel Stallings, who allegedly fired at a Minneapolis SWAT team before being acquitted at trial. Greg Lewin, then the fund’s interim executive director, told FOX 9 that same year, “The last time we were down there, the clerk said, ‘We hate it when you bail out these sex offenders.’ I often don’t even look at a charge when I bail someone out.” JONES AND MIYARES CLASH OVER MURDER TEXTS AS DEM REPEATEDLY INVOKES TRUMP AT HEATED, HIGH-STAKES DEBATE In one case, the fund posted bail for George Howard, a career criminal later charged with fatally shooting a man in a Minneapolis road rage incident just weeks after his release. The news adds to a string of controversies for Jones, 35, who has already apologized for violent text messages directed at Republican leaders. In one exchange, he wrote that then–House Speaker Todd Gilbert gets “two bullets to the head” and that Gilbert’s wife Jennifer should “watch her children die.” Court records also show Jones was convicted of reckless driving in 2022 for traveling 116 mph on a Virginia highway. He was fined $1,500 and ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service, but a state ethics review is examining whether hours spent volunteering for his own political committee should count toward the sentence. The latest controversy gives Miyares and Republicans new fodder in the closing weeks of the campaign. A Trafalgar Group poll released Oct. 17 found Miyares leading 49.5% to 44.6%, a reversal from earlier surveys that had Jones up six points before the text scandal broke. As of Friday, Mavis Jones has set her X account to private. The Minnesota Freedom Fund and the Jay Jones campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Vulnerable Dem senator’s ‘grassroots’ campaign powered by out-of-state cash, mostly by coastal elites
FIRST ON FOX: Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, described by CNN as the nation’s “most endangered Senate Democrat,” has touted “an unstoppable grassroots coalition.” But, according to the latest Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings released, his campaign is being propped up by a lot of out-of-state money. Ossoff’s latest quarterly filing shows that more than 80% of the money he raised last period came from out-of-state donors. The report, which details contributions from individuals who have given at least $200 this cycle, also reveals that over half of his maxed-out donors hail from California, New York or the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. After the release of an October filing, Ossoff’s team touted in a press release that, in the face of “heavy spending from GOP Super PACs,” it raised $12 million during the last third-quarter filing period that runs from July 1 through Sept. 30. The same press release said Ossoff’s “re-election juggernaut” was “overwhelmingly” powered by small donors with an average of $36 from approximately 233,000 donors. If a donor has not given an aggregate of at least $200, that donor’s contribution remains undisclosed in FEC filings. NATIONAL DEMS BANKROLL CAMPAIGN OF ‘FAKE INDEPENDENT’ SENATE CANDIDATE FROM MIDWESTERN STATE Ossoff is running for re-election in a state Trump won in 2024, albeit by a thin two-point margin. He first arrived in Congress in 2021 after defeating incumbent Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., in a razor-thin election that required a runoff. During that first election cycle, according to The Washington Free Beacon, Ossoff raised 60% of his contributions from outside the state of Georgia. According to Ossoff’s recent October FEC filing, California is leading the pack in terms of the most donations to his campaign during the third quarter, totaling about 20% of all donations. Georgia is second with about 17.5%. But when it comes to donors who have maxed out their contribution limits, more of those political donors came from California (33.3%) New York (15.65%) and Massachusetts (10.8%) than from Georgia, which accounted for only 6.1% of maxed-out donors who contributed to Ossoff in the third quarter. REPUBLICAN DOOLEY JUMPS INTO GEORGIA’S SENATE RACE WHILE TOUTING SUPPORT FOR TRUMP AND TAKING AIM AT OSSOFF Given Ossoff’s vulnerability heading into Election Day, GOP strategists and Senate sources say the Georgia Democrat is unlikely to break with his party to vote for reopening the government, fearing it could cost him crucial support from liberal donors nationwide. “There is no middle ground for him when it comes to these big decisions that have to be made, and I think the shutdown proves that,” Ryan Mahoney, a Georgia-based GOP strategist who has worked with Republican senators in the state told The Washington Examiner. “His calculus is, ‘Do I vote to open the government up and get crushed and can’t raise a single dollar of low-dollar money, or do I vote to shut the government down and get $3 million [from online fundraising]?’” a Democratic Party insider also told The Hill. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ossoff’s campaign declined to comment when reached for this article.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, an 88-year-old Dem congressional delegate, scammed by phony ‘cleaning crew’ at DC home
An 88-year-old Democratic congressional delegate for Washington, D.C., was scammed out of more than $4,000 Thursday when suspects showed up at her home claiming to be a “cleaning crew,” Fox News Digital has confirmed. The suspects accessed Eleanor Holmes Norton’s credit card after they were let inside her D.C. home. They charged nearly $4,362 for duct and fireplace cleaning to her credit card while doing no work, according to WRC-TV. Someone who Norton’s office described as a house manager stopped and reported the alleged fraud after confirming there was no appointment for HVAC services. POSTAL FRAUD INVESTIGATOR ALLEGEDLY STOLE MORE THAN $330K FROM ELDERLY SCAM VICTIMS HE WAS MEANT TO PROTECT HOW THIEVES USE NEW CREDIT CARD NUMBERS BEFORE YOU RECEIVE THEM Her office told the news station, “The congresswoman employs a house manager who oversees all maintenance services, so she initially assumed her staff had arranged the visit and provided her credit card for payment. “Upon notifying her house manager, who reviewed Ring doorbell footage and confirmed that no such appointment had been scheduled, the incident was immediately reported to the police.” U.S. Capitol Police arrived at Norton’s home after the alleged crime to make sure Norton was safe, and a police car was parked outside her home out of an abundance of caution because the suspects “were adamant they were coming back,” a source told Fox News.
Trump to jet off to Asia as North Korea fires ballistic missiles and China trade questions loom
President Donald Trump is heading off to Asia Friday evening, not long after North Korea fired off a ballistic missile for the first time in months and as questions loom regarding trade negotiations with China. The White House confirmed that Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. The meeting comes amid escalated tensions between the two countries on trade after Beijing announced Oct. 9 it would impose export controls on rare-earth magnets, which are used in a host of products ranging from electric cars to F-35 fighter jets. In response, Trump announced the U.S. would impose a new 100% tariff on all Chinese goods, which is slated to take effect Nov. 1. Even so, Trump sought to diffuse tensions and has routinely touted his relationship with Xi in recent weeks. Additionally, he has voiced confidence both parties will walk away from the summit pleased and that a deal will be made. TRUMP THREATENS ‘MASSIVE’ CHINA TARIFFS, SEES ‘NO REASON’ TO MEET WITH XI “I think we are going to come out very well, and everyone’s going to be very happy,” Trump said Thursday. The summit between Trump and Xi will mark the first time they’ve met in person since Trump took office in January. The two previously met in person in June 2019 in Japan. Trump’s meeting with Xi will come on the tail end of a larger trip to the region. Trump is first headed to Malaysia to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Sunday afternoon before participating in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dinner in the evening. NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILES DAYS BEFORE TRUMP’S VISIT TO THE PENINSULA While in Malaysia, he will also meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Trump will then head to Tokyo Monday and is slated to meet on Tuesday with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who was just elected earlier in October. Takaichi is the first woman to serve as the prime minister of Japan. Trump will then close out his trip heading to South Korea, where he will meet with the South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and will deliver keynote remarks at the APEC CEO lunch. TRUMP ANNOUNCES MEETING WITH XI JINPING AT SOUTH KOREA APEC SUMMIT SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH Trump is scheduled to return to Washington Thursday. Meanwhile, North Korea has upped its aggression in recent days, firing off multiple short-range ballistic missiles Wednesday, the first one Pyongyang has launched since May. Meanwhile, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un showed off a new intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade in front of Chinese, Russian and other top officials Oct. 10. “We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said in a statement on Wednesday. “The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts,” INDOPACOM said. “While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US sanctions Colombian president and family over drug trafficking allegations
The Trump administration’s Treasury Department on Friday sanctioned Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro, along with his wife, son and a close associate, accusing the group of being involved in the global illicit drug trade. The action was taken under a Biden administration executive order targeting foreigners involved in the drug trade. Petro joins a number of other world leaders under sanction by the Treasury, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and former president of Syria Bashar al-Assad. TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON COLOMBIA CRACKDOWN, CALLS PETRO ‘LUNATIC,’ VOWS TO END ALL US PAYMENTS OVER DRUGS “Since President Gustavo Petro came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote in a news release. “President Petro has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity.” Petro responded to the announcement on X, calling the sanction “a complete paradox.” “Indeed, Bernie Moreno’s threat has come true; my children, my wife, and I have been added to the OFAC list,” Petro wrote in a post. “My lawyer in my defense will be Dany Kovalik from the USA. Fighting drug trafficking for decades and effectively has brought me this measure from the government of the society we helped so much to curb their cocaine consumption. A complete paradox, but not a step back and never on our knees.” The Treasury accused Petro, his wife Veronica, eldest son Nicolás, and Minister of Interior Armando Benedetti of being involved in narcotics trafficking and narcoterrorism, which it said is continuing to fuel violence, corruption and instability in Colombia, while also “posing significant challenges to regional and international security.” “Colombia remains the world’s top producer and exporter of cocaine,” officials wrote in a statement. “Cocaine from Colombia is often purchased by Mexican cartels, who then smuggle it into the United States via the southern border. It is a scheduled substance that is a significant drug threat to the United States, despite Gustavo Petro’s recent, flippant comparison of the use of the drug to whiskey.” Petro, a former guerrilla member, was elected to the Colombian presidency in 2022. The department accused him of providing narco-terrorist organizations with benefits under the auspices of his “total peace” plan, among other policies, which officials said have led to record highs in coca cultivation and cocaine production. The Treasury also alleged Petro has allied himself with Maduro, who is also under U.S. sanction, and the Cartel de Los Soles. WITKOFF SCRAMBLES FOR PEACE DEAL WITH RUSSIA AS SANCTIONS LOOM TARGETING INDIA, CHINA “Gustavo Petro’s erratic behavior has also driven Colombia further apart from its partners in additional ways,” officials wrote. “In 2024, he shared confidential information obtained via secure anti-money laundering communication channels, threatening the integrity of the international financial system and leading to the suspension of Colombia’s Financial Intelligence Unit from The Egmont Group.” Petro’s son and political heir, Nicolás, was charged in 2023 with money laundering and illicit enrichment over allegations that he funneled money received from drug traffickers into his father’s “total peace” efforts and election campaign. He later admitted to receiving dirty money from a person formerly involved in narcotics trafficking and son of a contractor on trial for financing paramilitaries, according to officials. President Donald Trump determined Columbia was a major drug transit or major illicit drug producing country on Sept. 15, finding it is “failing demonstrably” to uphold its drug control responsibilities. TRUMP AND PUTIN’S RELATIONSHIP TURNS SOUR AS PRESIDENT PUSHES FOR RESOLUTION WITH UKRAINE Property and assets belonging to those sanctioned, that are in the U.S. or controlled by people in the U.S., are frozen and must be reported to OFAC. Entities owned 50% or more by those sanctioned are also frozen, and U.S. citizens are generally prohibited from related transactions. Violations can result in civil or criminal penalties, with OFAC able to impose civil penalties on a strict liability basis. Principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott added Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not certify Colombia under the criteria of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, as carried forward by the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025. “The United States will not turn a blind eye to Petro’s appeasement and emboldening of narco-terrorists,” Pigott wrote in a statement. “We are committed to bringing terrorists and drug traffickers to justice and preventing deadly illegal drugs from entering our country. There must be no impunity for drug traffickers or acts of terrorism or violence by criminal armed groups.” “We remain steadfast in our support for Colombian security forces, its justice sector, and departmental and municipal officials, and we will continue to partner with them in our joint efforts to combat drug trafficking,” he added. “Today’s decision is not a reflection on these institutions but rather the failures and incompetence of Gustavo Petro and his inner circle.” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, reacted to the announcement on X, saying “FAFO,” an acronym which stands for f— around and find out.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Zohran Mamdani lands key NYC mayoral endorsement
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Mamdani accuses Cuomo of ‘Islamophobic rhetoric’ as contentious NYC mayoral race comes down to the wire -Trump parachutes into key 2025 race as GOP aims to flip governor’s office in blue-leaning state -Letitia James was arraigned in Virginia on federal bank fraud charges tied to 2020 home purchase It took four months, but one of the top Democrats in New York State has finally endorsed New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. With Election Day closing in, Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top Democrat in the U.S. House, on Friday announced his support for Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens, in a statement to the New York Times. “Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis and explicitly committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” Jeffries said…READ MORE. STEER CLEAR: Trump’s beef import plan ignores the real problem squeezing American cattle ranchers TROOP LIFELINE: Mystery Trump ally donates $130M to cover troops’ paychecks amid shutdown chaos ONGOING COOPERATION: FIRST ON FOX: Qatari embassy official reveals Biden admin role in new Idaho training facility finalized under Trump ‘SHAMELESS’: Trump admin accuses Hillary Clinton of stealing White House furniture as former first lady slams ballroom plan FIRST DAUGHTER FURY: Chelsea Clinton rips Trump’s ‘disregard for history’ with White House ballroom construction ‘HIT HARD’: Democrats, liberal media’s violent rhetoric against Trump, Republicans goes back over a decade TAXPAYERS WIN: Rubio ditches conference travel, slashes nearly $100M in expenses from Biden State Department bloat ‘A BOLD DECISION’: Trump and Kim Jong Un should make ‘bold decision’ to meet during his Asia trip, South Korean official says BERNIE BREAKS RANKS: Sanders praises Trump, slams Biden on border: ‘You’ve got to have borders, period’ CAPITOL STALEMATE: Johnson shuts down House to pressure Schumer as government standstill nears one month FEELING BLUE: ‘Stay tuned’: Jeffries repeatedly dodges Mamdani endorsement as self-imposed race deadline looms THE JOKER: Mamdani laughs off criticism that his tax hike proposals will compel New Yorkers to flee THE THREE THREATENED: Dem staffer threatened to ‘put a knot’ on GOP lawmaker’s head, judge grants protection order IN TROUBLE: Dems lagging in make or break outreach campaign that could decide New Jersey election, DNC leader warns ‘UNHINGED RHETORIC’: Dems urged to ‘stop siding with illegal aliens’ after activist rams agents in sanctuary city CAMPAIGN DRAMA: Letitia James ‘wreaking havoc’ on New York in ways voters may not even realize: GOP challenger Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
DOJ sends federal election watchers to California and New Jersey counties amid Republican requests
The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) on Friday said it plans to send federal election watchers to California and New Jersey for their closely watched elections next month. New Jersey, has an open seat for governor as Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, prepares to leave office. California has a ballot measure aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional map in favor of Democrats to counter states like Texas that has redrawn its map to help Republicans. “Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement to The Associated Press. TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE OVER HEATED RACES ONE MONTH BEFORE ELECTION DAY Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ for comment. Bondi added that the goal of the election observers in Passaic County, New Jersey, as well as Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside and Fresno counties in California, is to “ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.” The Republican parties in both states requested federal observers. DOJ TARGETS NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS AS PART OF TRUMP ELECTION INTEGRITY PUSH “In recent elections, we have received reports of irregularities in these counties that we fear will undermine either the willingness of voters to participate in the election or their confidence in the announced results of the election,” California GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin wrote in a letter to Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, on Monday. The New Jersey GOP sent a similar letter about Passaic County, which is heavily Latino and once favored Democrats, but voted for President Donald Trump in 2024. The state GOP alleged a “long and sordid history” of vote-by-mail fraud. FIVE RACES TO WATCH WITH 5 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2025 Democrats in both states have pushed back against the decision though. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office blasted it as an “intimidation tactic.” “This is not a federal election,” his office wrote on X. “The US DOJ has no business or basis to interfere with this election. This is solely about whether California amends our state constitution. This administration has made no secret of its goal to undermine free and fair elections. Deploying these federal forces appears to be an intimidation tactic meant for one thing: suppress the vote.” WATCH: TRUMP DOJ TO FIGHT ‘RACE-BASED GERRYMANDERING,’ DHILLON SAYS AMID TEXAS REDISTRICTING BATTLE New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin called the move “highly inappropriate” and said the DOJ “has not even attempted to identify a legitimate basis for its actions.” Los Angeles County Clerk Dean Logan said election observers are standard practice across the country and that the county, with 5.8 million registered voters, is continuously updating and verifying its voter records. “Voters can have confidence their ballot is handled securely and counted accurately,” he said. Local election observers from both parties already exist, and the DOJ often sends federal observers to counties which have a history of voting rights violations. Last year for the presidential election, Republicans in some states said they wouldn’t allow federal elections observers into certain areas while former President Joe Biden was still in office. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
White House responds to reports Trump named new ballroom after himself
The White House pushed back on reports claiming President Donald Trump will likely name the upcoming White House ballroom after himself, saying any name designation for the event space will come directly from the president. “Any announcement made on the name of the ballroom will come directly from President Trump himself, and not through anonymous and unnamed sources,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital Friday. Reports spread like wildfire Friday afternoon that Trump planned to name the ballroom after himself, with ABC News publishing a report that administration officials were reportedly already calling the project “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom.” “I won’t get into that now,” Trump told ABC News Thursday when asked about a potential name, the outlet noted. DAVID MARCUS: TRUMP’S BALLROOM IS NO VANITY PROJECT, IT’S ABOUT AMERICAN GRANDEUR Trump announced Monday that construction had begun on the ballroom, after months of Trump touting the upcoming project to modernize the White House. The project does not cost taxpayers and is privately funded, the administration has repeatedly said. “For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday. “The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly. This Ballroom will be happily used for Generations to come!” TRUMP CELEBRATES WHITE HOUSE DEMOLITION AS NEW BALLROOM RISES: ‘MUSIC TO MY EARS’ The ballroom’s official construction set off a firestorm of criticisms among Democrats who have characterized Trump as destroying the iconic American residence. “Oh you’re trying to say the cost of living is skyrocketing? Donald Trump can’t hear you over the sound of bulldozers demolishing a wing of the White House to build a new grand ballroom,” Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren posted to X in response to Trump’s Monday announcement. “The White House became my home when I was twelve years old. I always understood that it wasn’t my ‘house’; it was The People’s House,” former first daughter Chelsea Clinton posted to X. “The erasure of the East Wing isn’t just about marble or plaster — it’s about President Trump again taking a wrecking ball to our heritage, while targeting our democracy, and the rule-of-law.” “I wanted to share this photo of my family standing by a historic part of the White House that was just torn down today by Trump,” New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim posted to X Monday. “We didn’t need a billionaire-funded ballroom to celebrate America. Disgusting what Trump is doing.” HILLARY CLINTON FIRES UP VOTERS AGAINST TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION: ‘NOT HIS HOUSE” The Trump administration has repeatedly hit back at the criticisms, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying on Fox News that presidents historically have wanted a large entertaining space at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. “Nearly every single president who’s lived in this beautiful White House behind me has made modernizations and renovations of their own,” Leavitt said on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” Tuesday. “In fact, presidents for decades — in modern times — have joked about how they wished they had a larger event space here at the White House, something that could hold hundreds more people than the current East Room and State Dining Room.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “President Obama even complained that, during his tenure, he had to hold a state dinner on the South Lawn and rent a very expensive tent.”