Senate shuts down Kaine’s attempt to check Trump’s war powers
A Senate Democrat’s push to put a check on President Donald Trump’s powers and reaffirm the Senate’s war authority was shut down by lawmakers in the upper chamber Thursday. Sen. Tim Kaine’s war powers resolution, which would have required Congress to debate and vote on whether the president could declare war, or strike Iran, was struck down in the Senate on a largely party-line vote, save for Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., a staunch advocate of Israel who supported Trump’s strike on the Islamic Republic, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has been vocal in his thoughts about congressional war powers in recent days. Earlier in the week, the Virginia Democrat vowed to move ahead with the resolution despite a fragile ceasefire brokered between Israel and Iran following weekend strikes on the Islamic Republic’s key nuclear facilities that were not given the green-light by Congress. DEM SENATOR PLOWS AHEAD WITH WAR POWERS RESOLUTION DESPITE CEASEFIRE Kaine argued that the ceasefire gave his resolution more credence and breathing room to properly debate the role that Congress plays when it comes to authorizing both war and attacks abroad. He said ahead of the vote on the Senate floor that he came to Washington to ensure that the country does not again get into another “unnecessary” war, and invoked the rush to approve war powers for President George W. Bush over two decades ago to engage with Iraq. “I think the events of this week have demonstrated that war is too big to consign to the decisions of any one person,” Kaine said. ‘NOT CONSTITUTIONAL’: CONGRESS EVOKES NEW WAR POWERS RESOLUTION TO REJECT TRUMP’S STRIKES ON IRAN Indeed, his resolution became a focal point for a debate that has raged on Capitol Hill since Israel began its bombing campaign against Iran: whether the strikes like those carried out during Operation Midnight Hammer constituted an act of war that required congressional approval, or if Trump’s decision was under his constitutional authority as commander in chief. Senate Republicans have widely argued that Trump was well within his purview, while most Senate Democrats raised constitutional concerns about the president’s ability to carry out a strike without lawmakers weighing in. Experts have argued, too, that Trump was within his executive authority to strike Iran. The Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the White House, giving lawmakers the sole power to declare war, while the president acts as the commander in chief directing the military. And nearly two centuries later, at the height of the Vietnam War, the War Powers Resolution of 1973 was born, which sought to further define those roles. But the most impact lawmakers could have is through the power of the purse, and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, who plays a large role in controlling the purse strings as the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, had a sharp message against Kaine’s resolution. McConnell used instances where Democratic presidents over the last three decades have used their authority for limited engagements in Kosovo, Libya, Syria and Yemen, and questioned why “isolationists” would consider the strike on Iran to kneecap its nuclear program a mistake. “I have not heard the frequent flyers on War Powers resolutions reckon seriously with these questions,” he said. “Until they do, efforts like this will remain divorced from both strategic and constitutional reality.”
Providence City Council approves mailers teaching residents how to resist ICE operations
The city council in Rhode Island‘s capital is backing the distribution of “Know Your Rights” mailers to residents instructing them on how to deal with law enforcement amid the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. Households in Providence will receive a card in English and Spanish advising them of their constitutional rights if confronted by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It instructs residents not to open the door unless officers present a valid warrant signed by a judge. The lower portion of the card can be cut, kept in a wallet, and presented to immigration enforcement, a news release announcing the campaign states. CAIR PANELIST ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF USING AI AND ANTISEMITISM AGAINST FREE SPEECH “The Providence City Council is partnering with organizations that represent our diverse community to promote safety and inclusion in the face of fear and uncertainty that pervades our city’s immigrant communities due to the reckless cruelty of the Trump administration,” Council President Rachel Miller said in a statement. “For nearly 400 years, immigrants have been and continue to be vital to Providence,” she added. “The Council stands together to say immigrants are welcome here and to encourage every member of our community to educate themselves about their constitutional rights and where to find help if they need it.” BLUE CITY’S DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE PRINTS THOUSANDS OF ‘RED CARDS’ URGING IMMIGRANTS TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS The council worked with more than a dozen local immigrant rights and advocacy groups on the mailer. The city has spent $17,000 on the mailers, a spokesperson for the council told Fox News Digital. The Rhode Island Republican Party is demanding an investigation, noting that the council recently voted for an 8% increase in taxes. “They’re not just ignoring their oath, they’re mocking it,” the party said in a statement. “Every member of the Council swore to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States and Rhode Island. But instead of protecting legal residents and respecting their duty, they spent your money to help those who entered the country illegally figure out how to avoid accountability. Party Chair Jow Powers called the move “political theater” and “government malpractice.” “The Providence City Council used public funds to push propaganda that undermines federal law, all while gouging taxpayers,” he said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “If you’re an elected official aiding lawbreakers, you don’t belong in office, you belong under investigation. Period.” In the city’s news release, Council President Pro Tempore Juan M. Pichardo called Providence a city of immigrants, “Nothing is more fundamental to the American experience than the right to live here peacefully and prosperously, regardless of country of origin or documentation status,” he said. “This mailer will help remind our residents of those rights and of the resources available to our immigrant communities.” The mailers are in response to the Trump administration’s illegal immigrant operations targeting those living in the United States illegally. Democrats have denounced the operations, arguing they separate families and put communities at risk. Los Angeles saw multiple days of riots earlier this month after ICE agents arrested multiple illegal immigrants, many with criminal records, during several operations in and around the city. Fox News’ Brooke Taylor contributed to this report.
Anxious Republicans turn to Trump amid divisions over ‘big, beautiful bill’
Republicans in the House and Senate are anxiously watching whether President Donald Trump will take a more aggressive approach in corralling GOP lawmakers in favor of his “big, beautiful bill.” “President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party, isn’t he? I think it’s incumbent upon him to make sure everybody in the Senate understands that this is a signature piece of legislation that essentially 77 million Americans voted for,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital. The Senate is working through a massive piece of legislation advancing Trump’s agenda on tax, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt — which the president has said he wants on his desk by the Fourth of July. Trump has been pushing Republicans on the bill in public, addressing it at back-to-back events on Thursday and Friday while also posting on his Truth Social platform. 148 DEMOCRATS BACK NONCITIZEN VOTING IN DC AS GOP RAISES ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS Congressional leaders have said they’ve been in near-constant contact with Trump or his White House staff about the legislation. Indeed, numerous White House officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Vice President JD Vance, to push Senate Republicans to stay on course. But some House Republicans want him to be as forceful as he was when their chamber passed the bill by just one vote in May. Trump summoned multiple groups of Republicans to the White House on several occasions in the lead-up to that vote, and even made a rare trip to Capitol Hill to gin up support within the House GOP. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital that when the House was going through the motions of advancing the mammoth legislation, it “looked all but impossible” to get it across the finish line. But it was because of Trump, he said, that the bill succeeded. “He’s our closer in the bullpen right now,” he said. “His arm is getting warmed up, and we’ll bring him in here in the ninth inning, and he’s going to throw heat. And so far, he’s pitched a no-hitter.” It’s worth noting that several senators who have expressed concerns about the bill have spoken individually with Trump. But Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital showed varying degrees of enthusiasm when asked whether the president should repeat the intense involvement he had in the House. When asked by Fox News Digital whether it’s time for the president to get involved, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas., said, “That’s up to the White House. It’s up to the president.” But Roy added, “I think the Senate needs to deliver, and I think the Senate ought to make good on the agreement that the majority leader had with us and with the speaker to work with us to achieve that level of spending cuts.” Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Penn., said Trump is “always involved, so he’ll stay involved because we do want to get it done by July 4th.” Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., said he was not being kept aware of how involved Trump was, but said the president’s deal-making skills would likely be needed. “I mean, I think it’s gonna take that type of horsepower to kind of bring everybody together,” Fitzgerald said. But some Republicans in the upper chamber are resistant. NONCITIZEN LA RIOTERS COULD BE DEPORTED UNDER NEW HOUSE BILL “It doesn’t matter what he says, of course not,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. “I mean, I’m not voting for something unless I know what I’m voting on.” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., wouldn’t say whether he believed that Trump should put a finger on the scales more. But he told Fox News Digital that he was appreciative of the effort that Thune and Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, had put into getting feedback from Senate Republicans, but said that at a certain point, lawmakers just needed to vote on the bill. “We have cussed and discussed this bill for a long, long time, and at some point you move from careful, rational deliberation into the foothills of jackassery,” Kennedy said. “And that’s where we are now. It’s time to vote. If people are unhappy, they can offer amendments.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
JD Vance poised to clinch victory for Trump’s landmark bill as GOP finalizes strategy
Vice President JD Vance could deliver the tiebreaking vote in the U.S. Senate for President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful, bill” should it fail to receive enough support from Republican lawmakers. Republicans are scrambling to reform and pass the measure ahead of Trump’s July 4 deadline after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough’s determination Thursday that several Medicaid reforms in the sweeping tax and domestic policy package did not follow Senate rules and must be removed. As president of the Senate, the vice president casts a tiebreaking vote when a measure fails to receive majority support. DEMS ‘DELIBERATELY OBFUSCATING’ TRUTH ABOUT ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ WITH THIS CLAIM: WATCHDOG There are 53 Republicans in the Senate, meaning three Republican senators could opt out of voting for the bill, and it could still pass with Vance’s support. Vance has previously cast tiebreaking votes in the Senate, including in January to confirm Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and on a measure in April to curb Trump’s ability to impose global tariffs. Vance’s office declined to provide comment to Fox News Digital. Republican lawmakers who’ve historically voiced concerns about certain Medicaid provisions included in the “big, beautiful, bill” include senators Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. These lawmakers have cautioned that the reforms would prove detrimental to rural hospitals in their states. Spokespeople for Collins, Hawley and Murkowski did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. The domestic policy package also included provisions to beef up border security and would also make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from Trump’s first term. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told lawmakers earlier this month failure to pass the measure would result in a 60% tax hike for Americans and would trigger a recession. As a result, Matt Wolking, who previously served as the deputy communications director for Trump’s 2020 campaign, said Senate Republicans will ultimately band together to approve the legislation to prevent the tax cuts from expiring. HOW JOHNSON PULLED OFF ANOTHER IMPOSSIBLE WIN WITH JUST 1-VOTE MARGIN ON $9.4B SPENDING CUT BILL “Senate Republicans don’t want to be responsible for the massive tax increase on the middle class that will occur if they fail to extend President Trump’s tax cuts. So, ultimately, they will get this done,” Wolking, currently with GOP consulting firm Axiom Strategies, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “President Trump has a big asset in these negotiations with JD Vance, and whether he is needed to break a tie or not, the administration will have another major win under its belt heading into the midterm elections where the strength of the economy will be a big factor,” Wolking said. Earlier this month, Vance met with Republican senators to discuss the measure during a closed-door lunch and said afterward he was hopeful about the odds of passing the legislation on time. “I mean, look, I can’t make any promises. … I can’t predict the future, but I do think that we’re in a good place to get this done by the July 4 recess,” Vance told reporters June 17. Vance also told reporters that despite concerns from lawmakers, including Collins, regarding certain Medicaid provisions included in the measure, he would work to address any issues raised. Still, he said there was broad agreement within the party on reforming Medicaid to block access for illegal immigrants. “They’re all very confident we’re eventually going to get there,” Vance said. The House narrowly passed its version of the measure in May by a 215-214 margin, with two Republicans voting against the legislation. Trump urged lawmakers to get the legislation to the finish line Thursday, labeling the measure the “single-most important piece of border legislation ever to cross the floor of Congress.” “This is the ultimate codification of our agenda to — very simply, a phrase that’s been used pretty well by me over the past 10 years, but maybe even before that — make America great again,” Trump said at a “One, Big, Beautiful Event” at the White House Thursday.
Trump touts administration’s progress on peace deals, says world leaders ‘respect our country again’
Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office after a meeting marking a U.S.-brokered peace deal in Africa, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s progress on achieving peace deals across the globe, something he said has been possible because world leaders “respect our country again.” “We were not a country that was respected. Just a year ago we had a president that was incompetent. We had bad people circulating around this desk, this beautiful Resolute desk,” said Trump. “They had, I guess, evil intentions. They were, you couldn’t be that stupid, I mean, they had evil intentions, but the world respects our country again.” Commenting on a freshly brokered African peace, which will end a decades-long conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, Trump said it “is a tremendous breakthrough.” “In a few short months, we’ve now achieved peace between India and Pakistan, Israel and Iran and the DRC and Rwanda and, a couple of others also, Serbia [and Kosovo],” he said. TRUMP EXERTED ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ ON IRAN AND ISRAEL TO ‘DELIVER PEACE’: LEAVITT He also called his NATO trip “very successful,” saying U.S. allies committed to spend over $1 trillion on defense. “We’ve had some tremendous success,” said the president. Trump also mentioned the successful strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites and the subsequent ceasefire brokered between Israel and Iran. “We had the war, as you know, we call it the ‘12 Day War,’ it was exactly a 12-day war. And we ended up with no nuclear weapons. That’s what we wanted. And they were, they were just absolutely blown to pieces those three sites and there’s no nuclear weapons. And hopefully there can be a lot of healing. And healing is starting,” he said. EX-SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE CALLS US STRIKES ON IRAN A ‘SHOT IN THE ARM’ FOR AMERICAN CREDIBILITY On the topic of healing in the Middle East, Trump also predicted there will be a ceasefire in Gaza sometime “within the next week.” He called the situation in Gaza “terrible” but expressed optimism there could soon be a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. “I think it’s close. I just spoke with some of the people involved,” said the president, adding, “We think within the next week we’re going to get a ceasefire.” Trump also addressed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying, “We’re supplying, as you know, a lot of money and a lot of food to that area because we have to, I mean, you have to. In theory, we’re not involved in it, but we’re involved because people are dying.” ‘THE MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK AGAINST LEAKED REPORT ON IRAN STRIKES He called on other countries to also send humanitarian aid to Gaza. “We’re working on Gaza, trying to get it taken care of and again, you know, a lot of food has been sent there. And other countries throughout the world should be helping also,” he said. In addition to being respected by America’s allies, Trump said his administration has improved relations with countries such as Russia, North Korea, China and Iran. “Vladimir Putin made some very nice statements today,” he said. “Look, he respects our country again. He didn’t respect it a year ago. I can tell you right now, but Putin respects our country and, President Xi of China respects our country. And Kim Jong Un respects. They respect our country again.” In response to a question on whether he may authorize U.S. Patriot missiles for Ukraine’s air defenses, Trump simply responded, “I may.”
Trump admin reaffirms Abrego Garcia won’t go free in the US: ‘Horrific crimes’
Top Trump administration officials maintain that Kilmar Abrego Garcia will continue to go through the legal system in the United States before he is deported again, as the administration maintains he will not walk free in the U.S. Abrego Garcia’s lawyers successfully asked the judge on Friday to keep him behind bars to avoid any possibility of an immediate deportation, according to NewsNation. However, the plan is to try Abrego Garcia in the U.S. on the Tennessee-based human smuggling charges before deporting him, according to the Department of Justice. And if he is convicted, the White House says he will spend time behind bars in the U.S. before being deported. JUDGE SETS STRICT CONDITIONS FOR ABREGO GARCIA’S RELEASE AS TRUMP OFFICIALS PURSUE CASE AGAINST HIM “This defendant has been charged with horrific crimes including trafficking children and will not walk free in our country again,” DOJ spokesperson Chad Gilmartin told Fox News Digital in an email. The White House further clarified the Executive Branch’s stance following an Associated Press report on the comments from federal prosecutors about possibly deporting him to a third country sooner. “This is fake news. Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States to face trial for the egregious charges against him. He will face the full force of the American justice system – including serving time in American prison for the crimes he’s committed,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said in an X post. RETURNED SALVADORAN MIGRANT KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA ARRAIGNED ON FEDERAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING CHARGES IN TENNESSEE DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the 29-year-old will not be freed in the U.S. at any point. “Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a dangerous criminal illegal alien. We have said it for months and it remains true to this day: he will never go free on American soil,” she wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Abrego Garcia, who was living in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador amid accusations of being an MS-13 gang member, as it is a designated foreign terrorist organization. He then spent time detained at the country’s terrorism confinement center. While detained in the country, it sparked a political firestorm in which Democrats raised concerns about due process, with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-M.D., even meeting with him in the Central American nation. During his El Salvador detainment, past records alleging domestic abuse surfaced, as well as reports that he allegedly had taken part in human smuggling, which ultimately led to the federal charges brought forth earlier this month that resulted in his return to American custody. DEMOCRATS CELEBRATE RETURN OF SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAFFICKER KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA “Abrego Garcia has landed in the United States to face justice,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said at the time. “A grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee returned a sealed indictment charging him with alien smuggling and conspiracy.” However, critics blasted the charges as a political move. “After weeks of the Trump administration saying they either couldn’t or wouldn’t return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the US, the timing of these charges are clearly designed to cover up their negligence and the fact that the Supreme Court unanimously called them out on the egregious ways they are ignoring due process,” the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said in a statement at the time. “Still, Mr. Abrego Garcia will now be able to have his day in court, which The Constitution guarantees for everyone in our country regardless of citizenship.”
Mamdani’s primary win exposes Democrat divide as top leaders withhold endorsements
Zohran Mamdani’s primary night success shocked the political establishment this week, exposing a generational divide among New York Democrats. New York Democrat Rep. Tom Suozzi endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the race for City Hall on Tuesday night. The moderate Democrat confirmed Wednesday that he “had serious concerns about Assemblyman Mamdani before [Tuesday], and that is one of the reasons I endorsed his opponent. Those concerns remain.” While fellow self-described democratic socialist, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., threw her political weight behind Mamdani ahead of his primary win, national congressional Democratic leaders, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, did not outright endorse Mamdani after he declared victory. “He ran an impressive campaign that connected with New Yorkers about affordability, fairness, & opportunity,” Schumer said Wednesday. When pressed by reporters about his non-endorsement, Schumer refused to elaborate on what Mamdani’s win meant for the Democratic Party’s future. CITY-RUN GROCERY STORES, DEFUNDING POLICE, SAFE INJECTION SITES: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NYC’S NEXT POTENTIAL MAYOR Jeffries congratulated Mamdani on his “decisive primary victory,” and confirmed his plan to speak with the presumptive nominee the day after he declared victory. Yet, the House Democratic leader refused to formally endorse Mamdani. NEW YORK DEMOCRAT SAYS MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI ‘TOO EXTREME TO LEAD’ Mamdani, whose campaign galvanized supporters on the ground and on social media, has proposed what conservatives deem radical ideas, like government-run grocery stores, free bus service, tuition-free city universities, rent freezes and free childcare, among others. Schumer and Jeffries did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry about their non-endorsements and whether the New York Democrats plan to rally behind Mamdani in November. Moderate New York Democrats, including Sen. Kristen Gillibrand and Reps. Ritchie Torres, Adriano Espaillat and Pat Ryan, are also yet to endorse Mamdani. Those congressional Democrats, as well as Suozzi, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital inquiry about whether they planned to endorse Mamdani. Torres had also endorsed Cuomo in the primary. And Espaillat congratulated Mamdani on Wednesday but did not outright endorse him. Rep. Dan Goldman, who endorsed state Sen. Zellnor Myrie in the Democratic primary, has not yet endorsed Mamdani since his primary win, and did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether he would. Meanwhile, longtime New York Democratic congressman, Jerry Nadler, clearly endorsed Mamdani on Wednesday, comparing his victory Tuesday to President Barack Obama’s political rise. “Zohran is someone who will be a partner with me in Washington to take on Donald Trump. I’ve spoken to him today about his commitment to fighting antisemitism, and we’ll work with all New Yorkers to fight against all bigotry and hate,” Nadler said, in an apparent reference to accusations that Mamdani is antisemitic, particularly over his refusal to condemn the controversial rallying cry, “Globalize the intifada.” Like Suozzi, New York Democrat Rep. Lauren Gillen refused to endorse Mamdani, writing on social media Wednesday, “Socialist Zohran Mamdani is too extreme to lead New York City.” “His entire campaign has been built on unachievable promises and higher taxes, which is the last thing New York needs. Beyond that, Mr. Mamdani has called to defund the police and has demonstrated a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments which stoke hate at a time when antisemitism is skyrocketing. He is the absolute wrong choice for New York.” Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment. Sources confirmed to Fox News Digital Thursday that Cuomo is not dropping out of the race. The former governor will keep the spot he secured earlier this year on the “Fight & Deliver” ballot line. But the sources said that Cuomo had not committed yet to running an active general election campaign through the summer and into the autumn. And Mayor Eric Adams announced his re-election campaign Thursday on the steps of New York City Hall. He decided to run as an independent amid low approval ratings and his since-dropped federal corruption charges. Former federal prosecutor Jim Walden is also running as an Independent, and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa will once again be the Republican nominee in November’s mayoral election.
Supreme Court decides whether to allow parents to shield children from LGBTQ books in school
The Supreme Court held Friday that a group of Maryland parents are entitled to opt their children out of school lessons that could violate their beliefs in a case centered on religious freedom. The justices decided 6-3 along ideological lines in Mahmoud v. Taylor that parents can exclude their children from a Maryland public school system’s lessons that contain themes about homosexuality and transgenderism if they feel it conflicts with their religious faith. “A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining’ the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority. “And a government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents’ acceptance of such instruction.” Montgomery County Public Schools began incorporating books into their preschool through 12th grade language arts curriculums a few years ago that featured “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer characters,” the school district’s attorneys told the Supreme Court. The attorneys said the school district did this as part of an effort to be “culturally responsive” and teach lessons that encourage “equity, respect, and civility.” PROTESTS ERUPT AS SUPREME COURT CONSIDERS CASE ON LGBT BOOKS IN SCHOOL The Maryland parents who sued said in their petition to the high court that the school board introduced books to their elementary school students that promoted “gender transitions, Pride parades, and same-sex playground romance.” The parents said the school board initially allowed parents to opt their children out of lessons involving those books but then ceased doing that. They also said the presence of the books created “indirect pressure to forgo a religious practice,” which created enough of a burden to violate their religious freedom rights. KEY SCOTUS PARENTAL RIGHTS CASES DRAW MCMAHON, MOMS FOR LIBERTY TO RALLY ON COURT STEPS The parents who brought the suit span a range of religious backgrounds. Tamer Mahmoud and Enas Barakat are Muslim, while others fall under different denominations of Christianity. During oral arguments, Justice Clarence Thomas questioned an attorney representing Montgomery County schools about whether the books simply existed in the classroom or were actively introduced to the students. The attorney indicated that teachers gave lessons to the students involving the books in question five times during the school year. Rosalind Hanson, a member of the conservative group Moms for Liberty, told Fox News Digital during a recent interview in front of the Supreme Court that she and other parents who helped bring the case were “not trying to change the curriculum” for parents who did support their children being exposed to the books. “The majority of states across the country have said you can have an opt-out for these very sensitive issues and topics, especially because of the religious component, but also because of the age appropriateness,” Hanson said. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
GOP senator invites Trump to ‘an appreciation event like you’ve never seen’ in deep-red state
FIRST ON FOX: Every year, the small town of Sturgis, South Dakota, explodes from just a few thousand residents to hundreds of thousands of people making the pilgrimage to the Buffalo Chip campground. There, they participate in the nation’s largest motorcycle rally, where camaraderie, motor oil and rock ‘n’ roll permeate the dusty campground. And one Republican senator wants President Donald Trump to be the headlining guest. ‘THE MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK AGAINST LEAKED REPORT ON IRAN STRIKES Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., extended an invitation exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital to the president to attend his home state’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Rounds left the door open for Trump to either come to the rally’s 85th anniversary this year, or to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary next year. “South Dakota is Trump Country,” Rounds said. “We’d love to introduce you on stage during one of our premier concerts, in front of tens of thousands of fans, and we’re thoroughly convinced you’ll be impressed with the reception.” ‘PRESIDENTIAL INCAPACITY’: SENATE REPUBLICAN SEEKS PAPER TRAIL OF BIDEN’S AUTOPEN USE “This year, the event is our 85th anniversary – which will draw rally-goers from every corner of the country and throughout the world,” he continued. “Next year, the 250th anniversary of our country will also be a blow-out event. We’d be honored to host you whenever it may work in your schedule.” To Rounds’ point, South Dakota is indeed “Trump Country.” The president has won the state each cycle that he has run, averaging a roughly 30-point victory margin over his opponents. FURY ERUPTS AS UNELECTED SENATE ‘SCOREKEEPER’ BLOCKS TRUMP’S AGENDA This year’s rally will take place from Aug. 1 to 10 and will feature a number of artists, including ZZ Top, Jason Aldean, Jefferson Starship, Nickleback and others. “We’re biased, but it’s an experience every red-blooded American should witness, or better yet, participate in,” Rounds said. “Thank you for leading our great country. We’d love to honor you with an appreciation event like you’ve never seen,” he continued. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Nearly 200 House Dems reject resolution condemning violent anti-ICE riots in LA
Nearly 200 House Democrats voted against a resolution condemning the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles earlier this month. The resolution was led by Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., and the rest of the Golden State’s Republican congressional delegation. 215 members of the House of Representatives, which included seven House Democrats, voted in favor of the resolution. “Peaceful protests are a constitutional right, but vandalism, looting, violence, and other crimes are not. Protecting public safety shouldn’t be controversial, which is why I am leading the California Republican delegation in a resolution to support law and order as we continue to see unrest,” Kim stated when introducing the resolution. “I hope Governor Newsom can come together with President Trump to stop the riots, lower the temperature, and keep our communities safe,” she added. ‘SOCIAL CHAOS’: GOP, DEM LAWMAKERS SOUND OFF ON LOS ANGELES UNREST “Let’s be clear: the riots escalated before the National Guard was sent in and were enabled by California’s soft-on-crime policies – peddled for years by Governor Newsom, Sacramento, and local prosecutors – that have allowed for lawlessness and endangered public safety of hardworking Californians,” Kim continued. It was introduced on June 17, and it acknowledges that peaceful protests should be welcomed in the United States, but calls out the criminal elements that unfolded in the area earlier this month. “These protests quickly escalated into violent riots across Los Angeles, where acts of arson, widespread looting, property destruction, and vandalism were committed, blocking streets and highways, lighting streets on fire, throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles, and assaulting Federal and local peace officers,” the resolution states. CONGRESS STEPS IN AMID ‘OUT-OF-CONTROL’ LOS ANGELES RIOTS AS DEMOCRATS RESIST FEDERAL HELP Earlier this month, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said that the protest was an excuse for bad actors to commit crimes, such as stealing from businesses, committing property damage and assaulting law enforcement. “This group wanted to commit crimes,” Hochman said at the time. “They looked at the protest as a cover, an opportunity to go ahead and ply their illegal trade and commit a whole variety of crimes that, in many ways, has done a huge disservice to the legitimate protesters out there.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Some Democrats criticized the resolution, as a legal battle ensured whether President Donald Trump was able to send in the National Guard as the civil unrest went on. Many Republicans have argued it was necessary, while many California Democratic leaders like Gov. Gavin Newsom said troop deployment was an instigator. CALIFORNIA LT. GOVERNOR SAYS LOS ANGELES RIOTS ARE ‘GENERATED BY DONALD TRUMP’ “This resolution ignores those facts to score political points,” Rep. Nanette Díaz Barragán, D-Calif., said on the House floor in opposition to the resolution, saying troop deployment “only escalated tensions and further unrest” while adding that Democrats have called for prosecutions of those who have acted violently. “Your daily reminder that Trump still has 4,946 troops sitting around LA doing nothing. Meanwhile, he has weakened our border safety operations — slashing the National Guard’s fentanyl and drug interdiction force by 32 PERCENT. He is actively endangering our communities by keeping these troops in LA,” Newsom posted to X on June 25. Meanwhile, debate ensues about the ICE operations and deportation efforts nationwide, as ICE agents face a 500% increase in assaults, according to the Department of Homeland Security.