Bipartisan fury at CDC: Senators demand probe, reject vaccine guidance as illegitimate
Bipartisan anger is brewing over the drama that unfolded at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with the top members of the Senate’s healthcare panel forming a united front in the midst of the turmoil. Senate Healthcare, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., and the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., dove head first into the issues stemming from the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, which spurred a string of departures from the agency. RFK JR. WARNS CDC ‘IN TROUBLE,’ PROMISES FIXES AS DIRECTOR REFUSES TO STEP DOWN Monarez was abruptly fired from her position by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), less than a month after being confirmed by the Senate. Her removal, which her lawyers rejected, appeared to stem from disagreements over vaccines with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a vaccine skeptic. Cassidy was the deciding vote during Kennedy’s confirmation hearing earlier this year. Monarez has since refused to leave the post, with her lawyers arguing that she had neither resigned nor been fired and had not received notification from the president of her removal. CDC DIRECTOR SUSAN MONAREZ REFUSES TO BE FIRED AS OTHER OFFICIALS CALL IT QUITS Following news of her ouster, a string of top officials at the CDC announced their resignations, too, including National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Daniel Jernigan, Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Director Demetre Daskalakis and Director of Public Health Data, Science, Technology Jennifer Layden. In response to their resignations, Cassidy demanded that the federal government’s vaccine advisory panel, which was filled with Kennedy’s handpicked replacements after he recently booted the original panel members, postpone its scheduled meeting in September. His demand marks the second time this year that Cassidy called on the panel to halt its meeting, a move that directly bucks Kennedy’s and President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. TRUMP’S CDC PICK CONFIRMED—BUT HER PRO-VACCINE STANCE MAY CLASH WITH RFK JR.’S AGENDA Cassidy argued Thursday that there were “serious allegations made about the meeting agenda, membership, and lack of scientific process being followed for the now announced September [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] meeting.” “These decisions directly impact children’s health, and the meeting should not occur until significant oversight has been conducted,” Cassidy said. “If the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected as lacking legitimacy given the seriousness of the allegations and the current turmoil in CDC leadership.” Daskalakis posted his reason for resigning on X, where he charged that he was “unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.” Meanwhile, Sanders demanded a congressional investigation be opened into the Trump administration’s decision to fire Monarez. “We need leaders at the CDC and HHS who are committed to improving public health and have the courage to stand up for science, not officials who have a history of spreading bogus conspiracy theories and disinformation,” Sanders said Thursday. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
Unearthed letter exposes how Minnesota Catholic leaders warned Walz on school safety
In a resurfaced letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the head of the Minnesota Catholic Conference expressed that Catholic and other nonpublic schools were in “urgent and critical need” of security improvements, saying, “Our schools are under attack.” The plea went unheeded, and two years later, the concerns raised by Catholic leaders materialized when a gunman opened fire on students of a Minneapolis Catholic school while they were attending Mass, leaving two dead and 17 injured. The letter was first reported on by the Daily Wire and was sent by Minnesota Catholic Conference Executive Director Jason Adkins and Tim Benz, president of the private school advocacy group MINNDEPENDENT. The letter was sent on April 14, 2023, and is still publicly available on the Minnesota Catholic Conference’s website. “We are writing on behalf of our respective organizations regarding the urgent and critical need in Minnesota to make sure our schools are secure and safe considering the most recent, and continuing attacks, on our schools in this country and in our state,” the leaders wrote. In the letter, the leaders pointed to the mass shooting at Covenant Christian School in Nashville, which had occurred just a week before the letter was sent, saying, “The latest school shooting at a nonpublic Christian school in Tennessee sadly confirms what we already know – our schools are under attack.” SHOOTING AT MINNEAPOLIS CATHOLIC CHURCH LEAVES 2 CHILDREN DEAD, 17 INJURED “In Minnesota, nonpublic schools, particularly our Jewish and Muslim schools, have experienced increased levels of threats, all of which we must take very seriously,” the leaders added. “The tragedy from last week at Covenant School must never happen in Minnesota or in our country again.” The leaders expressed serious concern that the 72,000 students enrolled in independent, Catholic, Jewish, Christian and Muslim schools in Minnesota could be in danger due to nonpublic schools being excluded from the $50 million Building and Cyber Security Grant Program and the state’s Safe Schools Program, which provides emergency response training, security upgrades, mental health services and other security measures. The leaders said they were especially concerned given “the most recent, and continuing attacks, on our schools in this country and in our state.” “We need to ensure that all of schools have the resources to respond to and prevent these attacks from happening to our schools,” the leaders wrote. “An attack on any school, whether it is a public, nonpublic, charter or another school site, cannot be tolerated or allowed to happen in Minnesota,” the leaders added. “We want to make sure Minnesota is doing everything it can to ensure that all our students are safe and secure. We ask you include $50 million in the final Education Finance bill and allow nonpublic schools to apply for funding.” MINNESOTA HOSPITAL STAFFER JOINED SHOOTING VICTIM IN CT SCANNER ‘SO SHE DIDN’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT ALONE’ A spokesperson for the Minnesota Catholic Conference confirmed the letter’s authenticity to Fox News Digital. Though declining to comment further, the spokesperson confirmed the requests made in the letter were never granted. The spokesperson additionally pointed to additional requests the conference and Minnesota Catholic bishops had made in 2022 to Walz for Catholic and other nonpublic schools to be included in the state’s school safety programs. In a June 2022 video, St. Paul-Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda called on Walz to convene a special session of the state legislature to pass a bill granting permanent funding streams to all schools, including nonpublic schools, for security enhancements, violence prevention and mental health programs, according to Fox 9. According to a recent policy document by the Minnesota Department of Education outlining the Building and Cyber Security Grant Program, the program is still only available to cooperative units, school districts or charter schools, excluding nonpublic schools. Additionally, according to a statute outlining the Safe Schools Program available on the Minnesota legislature’s website, the funding available to each school corresponds to its tax levy, indicating private schools are not eligible for the funding. Walz’s office, however, told Fox News Digital that “private schools do indeed receive state funding” and that “they are also eligible for school safety center resources, including trainings.” ‘IT’S DEMONIC’: WOMAN WHO KNEW MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTER AS CHILD SPEAKS OUT AFTER TRAGEDY Walz’s spokesperson said “the governor cares deeply about the safety of students and has signed into law millions in funding for school safety.” The spokesperson further said Walz “meets with the Catholic Conference on a regular basis” and that the governor’s office is “committed to working with anyone who is willing to work with us to stop gun violence and keep our students safe.” On Tuesday, a 23-year-old born by the name Robert Westman, who later changed his name to Robin Westman, opened fire at a Mass being held at the Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday, which was attended by students from the attached school. The attack left two children dead and 17 injured, 14 of whom were children. FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooter who opened fire in a “barbaric” attack on a Catholic school Mass in Minneapolis left multiple anti-religious references in his manifesto and on his firearms. MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING VICTIMS WERE 8 AND 10 YEARS OLD Patel provided the update in a post on X, saying, “As we continue to investigate yesterday’s barbaric attack from Robert [Robin] Westman, the male subject, our teams have gathered information and evidence demonstrating this was an act of domestic terrorism motivated by a hate-filled ideology. “Subject left multiple anti-Catholic, anti-religious references both in his manifesto and written on his firearms,” Patel said. “Subject expressed hatred and violence toward Jewish people, writing ‘Israel must fall,’ ‘Free Palestine,’ and using explicit language related to the Holocaust.” The Minnesota legislature is currently considering a school safety law, the SHIELD bill, that would increase state funding for school security systems. As the bill stands, nonpublic schools would not be eligible for the additional security funding afforded if the bill was passed into law.
Challenger primed to face GOP’s longtime Senate dissenter as Trump brings new focus to Alaska
EXCLUSIVE: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is primed to announce a 2028 run for U.S. Senate against Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the Republican legislator who repeatedly has clashed with President Donald Trump, according to several sources familiar with the situation or close to the governor. “He’s not going to quit his term,” a top source close to Dunleavy who used to work with him in Juneau, Alaska, told Fox News Digital of the governor’s long-term plans. The next Senate race in the Last Frontier falls in 2026 for incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan. The last governor to resign to run for higher office — 2008 vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin — “never recovered,” the source said. Dunleavy “cares deeply about and wants Alaska to succeed,” the source said, adding the governor recently quipped that he can’t understand why people would want to “live with all this concrete” in Washington and not in the verdant Arctic as one reason the Pennsylvania-born Republican likes to otherwise avoid the East Coast. ‘HOMELAND WOULD’VE BEEN STOLEN’: AK NATIVES SOUND OFF ON BIDEN ENERGY BANS AS TRUMP OFFICIALS TOUR TUNDRA “But he knows that (being in Washington) is the only way to get things done,” the source said, adding that Dunleavy was the second governor to endorse Trump in 2016 and that a top member of the White House staff said he visits more than any other governor despite a 3,500-mile trek. “He’s not about an ego and pushing himself in front of the cameras. He gets stuff done. … He’s not like, ‘Please put me on this committee’ or ‘I have to attend this ball’. He doesn’t like those types of things,” the source added. “Trump has talked to him before about running and wants him to run.” Dunleavy was notably present at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, when Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin Aug. 15. Despite being a red state, it is an “uphill climb” to get elected governor as a Republican, another source close to the situation told Fox News Digital Wednesday. Former Gov. Jay Hammond was the last Republican to win re-election there, in 1978. Another Republican, Sean Parnell, who rose to the job after Palin’s 2009 departure, did not technically win re-election during the 2010 cycle that kept him in office. “A lot of people have mentioned this (race) to him and … I think it is a very viable option for him,” the source said. “Obviously there are a lot of frustrations with Sen. Murkowski,” he said, adding that the disparity in Trump’s relationship between the two Alaskans is “no secret.” “Gov. Dunleavy has been not only a successful governor, but a pretty strong ally for him. So, it’s only natural that he’d be hearing that from Alaskans — but also from folks in the broader MAGA movement.” ALASKA CAN BE CURE FOR NATION’S ILLS WITH HELP FROM TRUMP ADMIN, GOVERNOR SAYS Dunleavy, like Murkowski, has also been successful in the state’s ranked-choice voting system, which critics claim has inordinately helped Democrats. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, notably won the seat of the late Republican Rep. Don Young, who helmed the at-large district for decades. Murkowski also “never faced a challenger like him,” someone who has broad support outside conservative circles, the second source noted. The governor is close to Native communities on the North Slope and beyond, where residents in far-flung communities have praised him for his focus on Alaska’s energy development potential and allocation of resources for issues like rural education and infrastructure. A top Alaska political analyst and pollster agreed. “Conservatives would welcome an opportunity to unseat Murkowski,” he said in an interview Thursday. “The fact that (Trump) and Murkowski have had such a strained relationship and Dunleavy and the president having a good relationship is really what has led us to this point in the conversation,” he said. One area that all parties agreed on is the importance of the Native vote in Alaska elections, particularly those featuring Murkowski or Dunleavy. While the Native electorate leans left, it also crosses party lines to support both such candidates, setting up what the pollster described as an interesting showdown. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “What would happen in a matchup like this is they would feel conflicted, and you would see some of them probably back Dunleavy and some of them back Murkowski. … The ones that are primarily involved in the oil and gas and resources business, they view Murkowski as strong on those issues as well as Dunleavy. And, so, they would feel conflicted about who to support.” The difference between the two, he reiterated, is that Dunleavy’s other base is firmly on the conservative right, while Murkowski’s is in the center, where she also draws support from moderate Democrats. Murkowski, daughter of another Alaska Republican governor, Frank Murkowski, notably also mounted a strong enough bid to win a write-in campaign in 2010 after being knocked off the GOP ticket by Tea Party candidate Joe Miller. All of those who spoke to Fox News Digital agreed the race would be a close one to watch. Alaska also uniquely swears in its governor in December, a month earlier than the presidency, Congress and most other state leaders. Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for Dunleavy, a contact listed for Murkowski’s campaign and her Senate office and the White House for comment.
Air Force grants full military honors to Ashli Babbitt after military leadership under Biden denied request
The Air Force decided to extend military funeral honors to deceased Senior Airman Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a police officer during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The decision came after Air Force leadership during the Biden administration previously denied the request in February 2021, shortly after Babbitt was killed. The decision also comes on the heels of a wrongful death settlement reached in July, which resulted in the government paying the Babbitt family nearly $5 million. “On behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force, I write to extend the offer for Military Funeral Honors for SrA Ashli Babbitt,” stated an Aug. 15 letter from the undersecretary of the Air Force, sent to Babbitt’s husband, Aaron, according to the family’s legal representatives. “After reviewing the circumstances of Ashli’s death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect.” TRUMP SALUTES SGT. MICHAEL VERARDO, WOUNDED AFGHANISTAN VETERAN WHO INSPIRED INDEPENDENCE FUND’S TRACKCHAIRS “After reviewing the circumstances of SrA Babbitt’s death, the Air Force has offered Military Funeral Honors to SrA Babbitt’s family,” an Air Force spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital. Babbitt was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol police officer as she was attempting to forcibly gain access to the Capitol chambers during the events of Jan. 6. Roughly three months later the Department of Justice announced it would not be pursuing criminal charges against the officer who shot Babbitt. Both praise and criticism followed the news that the Air Force would be granting Babbitt her military honors, previously denied under Biden. VETERAN BURNS AMERICAN FLAG OUTSIDE WHITE HOUSE AFTER TRUMP SIGNED JAILTIME ORDER “There is no better example of how a leader is supposed to act, than right here in this letter,” said retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a longtime Trump confidant who spent a short stint as the president’s national security advisor after a long tenure in the military and time leading the Defense Intelligence Agency, in response to the undersecretary’s letter restoring Babbitt’s honors. “May Ashli Babbitt now Rest In Peace and her family gain some measure of solace for the wonderful person she was and the light of truth she brought to each of us,” Flynn concluded. Meanwhile, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who was part of the GOP-maligned Jan. 6 Congressional Committee that investigated the Capitol riot, slammed the move to restore Babbitt’s honors. “[Ashli] Babbit dishonored her service by committing insurrection against her country. While her death is absolutely tragic and I wish it hadn’t happened, the Air Force giving her honors is in itself a dishonor,” Kinzinger said in response to the news. A former Capitol Police officer, Aquilino Gonell, who described Jan. 6 as one of the worst days of his life, suggested the move was a slap in the face to people who got hurt as a result of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. “Not to officers, like Brian Sicknick, who served in the Air National Guard, but the member of the mob who stormed the Capitol and put herself and other’s lives in danger,” the former Capitol Police officer said of the restored honors. “Wtf.”
Blue states deflect blame in Trump probe after illegal immigrant trucker crash kills 3 in Florida
A Florida crash that killed three people sparked an ultimatum from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over states’ commercial driver licensing rules. But two out of the three states named by the secretary say they’re in compliance. Duffy’s push came after an illegal immigrant from India, Harjinder Singh, allegedly struck and killed three people in a tractor-trailer while making an illegal U-turn on a Florida turnpike on Aug. 12. Singh’s current commercial driver’s license was issued in California; he previously had one in Washington state, and Duffy said there was a traffic stop in New Mexico where his rig was not taken “out of service.” Duffy is giving the states 30 days to follow the law, or risk losing federal funding through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. “We are not going to tolerate states that don’t comply with the rules that come from this department,” Duffy said at a press conference on Tuesday. BLUE STATE INVESTIGATES HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER GOT LICENSE BEFORE DEADLY FLORIDA CRASH Following the crash earlier this month, federal investigators said Singh failed English proficiency and road sign tests. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office maintains that they were following federal law when Singh’s license was doled out and placed the blame on the Trump administration. “This is rich. The Trump administration approved the federal work permit for the man who killed 3 people — and now they’re scrambling to shift blame after getting caught. Sean’s nonsense announcement is as big a joke as the Trump Administration itself. SAD!” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital in a statement. EXPERT REVEALS HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER MAY HAVE GOTTEN COMMERCIAL LICENSE BEFORE FATAL FLORIDA CRASH Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously disputed Newsom’s timeline that says he was given a work permit under Trump. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021,” McLaughlin said on Aug. 18 in response to Newsom’s press office’s X account. Michael Coleman, spokesman for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, of New Mexico, said they are “confident” that a “full review of these incidents” will show that the state is following the law. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER ACCUSED OF KILLING THREE PEOPLE FAILED ENGLISH, ROAD SIGN TESTS: DOT “New Mexico’s top priority is the safety of its residents and visitors, and we are confident that our state laws for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) are fully compliant with federal regulations,” he said, adding that the state requires an English test to make sure drivers know road signs. “We are aware of recent claims regarding the enforcement of these regulations and are actively seeking more information from the relevant federal and state partners. Initial reports suggest that these claims relate to a small number of roadside incidents over a three-month period. It’s important to note that these incidents may have involved out-of-state drivers due to the cross-country nature of our trucking industry,” he continued. The Washington Department of Licensing said last week that an investigation is underway into how Singh was able to obtain a commercial driver’s license in the state. Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office for comment on Wednesday regarding Duffy’s announcement. “This is about keeping people safe on the road. Your families, your kids, your spouses, your loved ones, your friends,” Duffy said. “We all use the roadway, and we need to make sure that those who are driving big rigs — semis — can understand the road signs, that they’ve been well-trained.”
Noem hits back at FEMA critics, reveals vision for disaster relief agency
FIRST ON FOX: Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem slammed a group of former and current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees who wrote a letter criticizing the Trump administration’s handling of the agency as she outlined her vision for FEMA’s role in the U.S. More than 190 former and current FEMA employees joined an open letter on Monday “in response to the Trump administration’s dismantling cuts and devastating attacks on FEMA programs and missions.” On Wednesday morning, the agency’s current employees who signed on to the letter were placed on administrative leave. “I am not surprised that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform; including many who worked under the Biden Administration to turn FEMA into the bureaucratic nightmare it is today,” Noem told Fox News Digital on Thursday. “I refuse to accept that FEMA red tape should stand between an American citizen suffering and the aid they desperately need.” DHS JUGGLES ‘MASS DEPORTATION’ PUSH WITH HELENE RELIEF, ADDS $124M AFTER BIDEN BACKLASH “That’s why I am working so hard to eliminate FEMA as it exists today, and streamline this bloated organization into a tool that actually benefits Americans in crisis,” Noem added. President Donald Trump, who has been critical of the disaster agency since his presidential campaign, told reporters in June that FEMA “has not worked out well.” “It’s extremely expensive and, again, when you have a tornado or a hurricane or you have a problem of any kind, in a state, that’s what you have governors for,” Trump added. “They’re supposed to fix those problems, and it’s much more local and they’ll develop a system, and it will be a great system.” KRISTI NOEM: DC RESIDENTS ARE REMEMBERING WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO ‘BE FREE’ AMID TRUMP’S CRIME CRACKDOWN The basis of the letter, which was published by nonprofit Stand Up for Science, focuses on Hurricane Katrina and relays concerns that unpreparedness played a large role in the aftermath that shook the gulf and devastated New Orleans, Louisiana. Signees argue that Noem and the agency’s leaders “hinder the swift execution of [FEMA’s] mission, and dismiss experienced staff whose institutional knowledge and relationships are vital to ensure effective emergency management.” Noem told Fox News Digital that these criticisms are remnants of the Biden administration’s wasteful spending, and that the agency “has a history of failing Americans in real emergencies for decades.” SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY SAYS HE WAS ‘NAIVE’ IN HOW HE LOOKED AT BIDEN AS PRESIDENT, CALLS HIM INEFFECTIVE “The Biden administration spent hundreds of millions of dollars resettling illegal aliens in our country on American taxpayers’ dime, while FEMA still hasn’t even finished payouts from Hurricane Katrina,” Noem explained to Fox. “We don’t want to just fix a broken system, we want to build something better.” “As our successes in Texas make clear, the Trump administration has created a deployable disaster force that cuts through the bureaucratic noise, and delivers real results in record time,” Noem added. KENTUCKY GOVERNOR PRAISES FEMA UNDER TRUMP, SAYS ITS A ‘CREDIT TO HIS ADMINISTRATION’ Despite the partisan back-and-forth, some Democrats have recognized the positive direction the disaster agency is heading under Noem and Trump’s leadership. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear told “At Our Table” podcast host Jaime Harrison earlier this month that “Trump’s FEMA on the ground has done a good job in Kentucky” and that the federal government’s handling of the agency is “actually a credit to [Trump’s] administration.” While the immediate future of FEMA and how Congress may go about funding the agency remains unclear, Noem is optimistic that much of the wasteful spending that came from previous leadership will be put to rest. “These [FEMA] career bureaucrats had Support Service contracts for everything they do, from finance to management support to staffing reviews,” a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “They hardly did anything themselves.” “Instead, they hid their egregious misuse of taxpayer funds under the veneer of ’emergency management,’” the DOGE office explained to Fox. “No wonder they have the time to write letters to the Hill – they certainly weren’t spending their time working.”
Trump pick for UN aviation office has long history donating to Dems, Nikki Haley
The nominee President Donald Trump tapped to serve as ambassador to a United Nations office charged with overseeing global aviation standards has a checkered tax history and background donating to Democrats and political opponents of the president, a Fox News Digital review of the nominee’s public records found. The White House and Trump allies, however, have doubled down in support of the nominee, saying he will assist the administration in “ushering in the Golden Age of aviation.” Jeffrey Anderson was tapped to lead the International Civil Aviation Organization in July, when the White House published a list of nominations to fill various roles, from the International Civil Aviation Organization ambassadorship to director of the Mint to membership with the National Labor Relations Board. Anderson is a U.S. Navy veteran who worked as a commercial airline captain for more than 34 years, retiring from that role earlier in 2025, according to his LinkedIn. The International Civil Aviation Organization is a U.N. office based in Montreal that is charged with overseeing international aviation standards, including issues related to safety, navigation and environmental protection. The role has sat vacant for the past three years, when the former ambassador, pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, stepped down in 2022. Sullenberger gained widespread applause in 2009, when the US Airways pilot landed Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after a bird strike disabled both engines — an event known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” TRUMP TAPS SEAN DUFFY TO SERVE AS INTERIM NASA CHIEF Anderson is a former Delta Air Lines pilot whose nomination drew ire from the Air Line Pilots Association, a union that represents nearly 80,000 pilots across the U.S. and Canada, arguing his “only” qualification was supporting an effort to raise the mandatory pilot retirement age. The union opposes increasing the mandatory retirement from 65 years of age to age 67, arguing it “would leave the United States as an outlier in the global aviation space and create chaos on pilot labor, and international and domestic flight operations,” the group’s statement in July read. Fox News Digital took a look back at Anderson’s political campaign contributions and found he donated to a handful of Democratic candidates often hostile to Trump and his policies. He also made a handful of small-dollar donations to Republican Nikki Haley during the 2024 campaign cycle, when the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. ran against Trump, whom she slammed as “unhinged” while on the campaign trail before dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump as the GOP nominee for president. TRUMP NOMINATES SEASONED MILITARY LEADERS TO HEAD VITAL GLOBAL COMMANDS Anderson contributed at least $200 to Haley during the month of February 2024, when Haley and Trump were the only GOP candidates left in the primary race, according to four small-dollar donations recorded by the Federal Election Commission. The former pilot also donated to Shawn Harris, the former Democratic opponent who tried to unseat Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in the 2024 cycle. The $100 donation was made in September 2024 through ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s massive fundraising arm, and earmarked for the Democratic candidate who ultimately failed to oust Greene. Harris’ campaign included slamming Trump and characterizing him as a politician who acts as a “king” and threatens democracy. Anderson’s political donations to Democrats stretch back years, including in 2017 when he donated to Democrats, such as former House candidate Dan Ward in Virginia and former Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon — both of whom received $250 contributions from Anderson that year, according to election records. Both Democrats had slammed Trump and his policies across his first administration, including DeFazio declaring after the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the Capitol that: “Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy, national security and the safety of all Americans. He must be removed from office immediately.” The former Delta pilot also has landed in hot water over unpaid taxes, Fox News Digital found. IRS records show Anderson and his wife had more than $426,000 in unpaid federal taxes across seven years from 2013 to 2019, raising concerns that his financial responsibility. The taxes were related to a “small business,” according to the forms. “Jeffrey Anderson isn’t a Trump Republican at all; he’s a liberal sleeper who slipped through the cracks of PPO (Presidential Personnel Office),” a former Trump official told Fox Digital of Anderson’s political donations and tax history. When approached for comment on the previous donations and tax issues, Anderson told Fox News Digital that at “the very least, some of your information is factually incorrect or tendered well out of context.” Anderson did not respond when asked for additional details on what was “factually incorrect.” “I am fully supportive of President Trump and his America First agenda. I have been fully vetted by the White House and appreciate the approval of the President, House Aviation Chair Troy Nehls and House T&I Chair Sam Graves, among others. I look forward to advancing American interests as the next Permanent Representative to ICAO,” he wrote in a direct message on LinkedIn to Fox Digital in August, while adding that Trump is seeking to “move effectively forward in a space negligently left vacant by Biden.” When asked about Anderson’s tax history and donations to Democrats and Trump opponents, a White House official told Fox Digital: “Jeffrey (Anderson) is highly qualified to serve as America’s ambassador to the ICAO, and he is a great choice to represent the President’s America First foreign policy agenda in the international aviation community.” Fox News Digital additionally reached out to the State Department, which helps manage the vetting of potential ambassador nominees, for comment and was directed to the White House’s statement. TRUMP ADMIN PULLS JARED ISAACMAN’S NOMINATION FOR NASA ADMINISTRATOR, REPLACEMENT TO BE ANNOUNCED ‘SOON’ The former pilot himself also floated a run for political office more than a decade ago in Georgia as a Democrat, according to a local Georgia news report that called him “prospective Democratic Congressional candidate Jeff Anderson.”
Trump floats holding Republican National Convention before midterm elections
President Donald Trump is considering holding a Republican National Convention ahead of the midterm elections, he announced Thursday. Trump did not offer any details about where the convention would take place, or what would happen there, but he touted various statistics that have been beneficial for the Republican Party this year. The GOP is fighting to maintain control of both the House and Senate in 2026. “The Republican Party is doing really well. Millions of people have joined us in our quest to MAKE AMERICA, GREAT AGAIN. We won every aspect of the Presidential Election and, based on the great success we are having, are poised to WIN BIG IN THE MIDTERMS,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We have raised far more money than the Democrats, and are having a great time fixing all of the Country Destroying mistakes made by the Biden Administration, and watching the USA heal and prosper. The results are incredible, a record pace!!! In that light, I am thinking of recommending a National Convention to the Republican Party, just prior to the Midterms. It has never been done before. STAY TUNED!” he added. 4 KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN 2026 MIDTERMS TO EXPAND THEIR MAJORITY Historically, midterms have been tough elections for the party controlling the White House, typically losing roughly 25 seats in the House. Trump and the Republicans lost 41 House seats in the 2018 midterms. POLITICAL ANALYST SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT THE ‘BIG PROBLEM’ OF WINNING BACK VOTERS FOR 2028 Trump’s talk of a national convention comes amid a war over redistricting across the country. Texas passed a new congressional map eliminating five Democratic seats earlier this month. Blue states exploded in response, however, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom is working to adopt a map that eliminates five Republican seats in his state. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democratic state leaders have also vowed to pick up the redistricting war, further confusing predictions for where 2026 could land. Trump has also argued that crime will be a major focus in the midterm cycle, a theme he has hit heavily in recent days to drum up support for his controversial “federalization” push in Washington, D.C. “The Republicans are the party that wants to stop crime,” Trump said. “We’re against crime.” “The Democrats like crime,” he continued. The president touted the success of his efforts in the nation’s capital on Tuesday, telling reporters, “If I were a Democrat — governor or mayor or anybody — I’d call up President Trump and say, ‘President Trump, we need your help. We saw what you’ve done in D.C. in a period of 12 days.’” “This is 12 days. We haven’t even started. This is going to be so safe. It’ll be the safest place on Earth,” he added. Fox News’ Chad Pergram and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Melania Trump calls for ‘pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters’
First lady Melania Trump called for more “pre-emptive intervention” to identify potential school shooters late Wednesday night. Her call came hours after a shooter opened fire on schoolchildren and teachers at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday. The first lady argued that there are often warning signs before mass shooters commit their crimes. “The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters. Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions,” Melania wrote. “To prevent future tragedies, it is crucial we look into behavioral threat assessments across all levels of society—beginning in our homes, extending through school districts and of course, social media platforms. Being aware of these warning signs and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer,” she added. MINNESOTA SCHOOL SHOOTING GUNMAN KILLS 2 CHILDREN, INJURES 17 OTHERS DURING CATHOLIC MASS “My heart is shattered for the families and friends of the victims of today’s senseless and depraved violent act,” she added in a follow-up post. “There is nothing that anyone can say to make your grief go away, but please know that you are not alone. My thoughts, love, and deepest sympathy are with you during this dreadful time.” The now-deceased shooter of a group of Minneapolis Catholic school students at morning Mass Wednesday has been identified as Robert or Robin Westman, according to law enforcement sources. Westman was carrying three weapons, according to authorities – a rifle, a pistol and a shotgun. MELANIA TRUMP, AMAZON PARTNER TO RELEASE NEW FILM ABOUT HER LIFE IN THEATERS WORLDWIDE Disturbing videos posted by a person using the name Robin Westman were deleted from YouTube after the shooting, showing handwritten pages of a notebook, weapons with messages painted on them and commentary from whoever filmed them. The attack took place at Annunciation Catholic School on Wednesday morning, but police have not identified any of the victims. They said two children were killed. Authorities said the shooter committed suicide after the act. The shooter’s relationship to the school is also unknown, and it has not been confirmed whether Westman had any connection to any students or staff.
Winsome Earle-Sears rebukes Spanberger plan to undo Virginia’s ICE pact: ‘This is not hard’
EXCLUSIVE: Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears rebuked a plan announced Wednesday by her 2025 gubernatorial opponent Abigail Spanberger to rescind an executive order that gives law enforcement and jailers authority to work with ICE in particular circumstances. “Well, we know she won’t be able to do that because she’s not going to win,” Earle-Sears quipped in a Wednesday interview. “The people of Virginia are going to vote for me because [Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s order is] common sense and is keeping them safe. They have been safe since we’ve been in office,” she said. Earle-Sears said she and Youngkin have overseen a one-third drop in statewide crime, and she dismissed Spanberger’s remarks — first made in a Virginia Mercury interview — as “dangerous ideas” that are “all theory; no practical usage.” VIRGINIA LEADERS REBUKE RACIST SIGN TARGETING GOP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WINSOME EARLE-SEARS: ‘REPULSIVE’ Youngkin’s order sought to “maximize collaboration” with DHS and “us[e] all available methods to facilitate the arrest and deportation of inadmissible and removable criminal illegal immigrants.” To that end, Earle-Sears said Spanberger’s pledge ignores major developments in the battle against illegal immigrant gangs and the like. “The No. 3 MS-13 [was captured] right here in Manassas under her nose in her former neck of the woods,” Earle-Sears said of Salvadoran national Henrry Josue Villatoro-Santos, who is alleged to be a top-ranking member of the transnational gang. Villatoro-Santos, 24, was arrested in March in Dale City – a middle-class suburb along I-95 between Fredericksburg and Washington – in an operation overseen by the FBI’s Manassas Field Office from the other side of Prince William County. Spanberger previously represented the area in Congress – in a seat now held by Democrat Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, the twin brother of high-profile Trump impeachment figure Alexander Vindman. In breaking the news earlier Wednesday, Spanberger said, “I would rescind [Youngkin’s] executive order, yes.” Spanberger said the Youngkin-Sears effort pulls local law enforcement away from their regular duties and wrongly encourages the state to dabble in federal roles. DNC HIRES NEW TOP EXEC WITH LONG HISTORY OF PUSHING RACIAL GRIEVANCES, LEFTIST IDEOLOGY The Democrat called the U.S. immigration system “absolutely broken” and said allowing cops to help “tear families apart [is] a misuse of … resources.” Earle-Sears said officials in Richmond cannot focus on economic development and other top concerns of Virginians unless those constituents live in a safe environment. Therefore, she said, separating themselves from DHS is counterproductive and “dangerous” to both the citizenry and the federal agents conducting the immigration operations. The Republican nominee emphasized that she, too, is an immigrant — stressing that she came to the U.S. legally — and contrasted her story with that of many illegal immigrants arrested with criminal records, noting that her family came from Jamaica in search of opportunity and a better life. “These criminal illegal immigrants, they come here for an opportunity to prey on us, and they prey on the very population that they’re a part of,” she said. “We don’t want that.” Youngkin also responded to the news, asking rhetorically if November’s “choice could be any more clear.” “In her very first act as governor, [Abigail Spanberger] promises to turn Virginia into a sanctuary state for dangerous illegal immigrants,” Youngkin said on X. “[Earle-Sears] promises to keep dangerous criminals off our streets,” the term-limited governor said.