Investigators believe Iranian hackers are likely behind cyberattack on Minnesota water systems: report
U.S. investigators believe a cyberattack that targeted dozens of water systems in Minnesota this week likely was orchestrated by Iranian hackers, a report said. Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) said the “coordinated cyberattack targeted operational technology at more than 30 Minnesota community water systems” on Sunday and Monday, but the Minnesota Department of Health is “not aware of any active requests from Minnesota cities to have their residents modify their drinking water usage.” U.S. and state officials and others familiar with the incident told The New York Times that Iranian hackers were likely behind the cyberattack. The newspaper reported that three state officials briefed on an investigation into the cyberattack said the tradecraft used and the absence of a ransom demand led analysts to initially determine Iran was involved. Officials also cautioned that the assessment could change as more data is collected by investigators, according to the newspaper. However, President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Friday that he would “blame it on Minnesota and the governor.” “Today, I just want to mention that, we heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran. I don’t think so. I think I blame it on Minnesota because they’re grossly incompetent. There was a cyberattack of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota,” Trump said, referencing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat. “They like to say, ‘oh it’s Iran.’ Iran should be so lucky. Iran’s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.” IRAN-LINKED HACKERS TARGET US MEDICAL TECH COMPANY The FBI said earlier in a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday that it is “aware of recent public reporting around Water and Wastewater sectors.” “The FBI and our interagency partners are fully engaged to protect critical infrastructure and we remain well-equipped to protect against cyber threats of all varieties,” the FBI added. The New York Times reported that the hackers targeted infrastructure used to manage and monitor water towers operated by municipal governments. The mayor of the city of Braham, Nate George, said on Monday, a “plant operator found that the water tower was calling for water, but the well was not operating.” “After learning that similar problems were occurring in at least four other Minnesota communities, Braham staff determined that the plant’s computerized control system had been compromised,” he continued. “Public works isolated the affected system, restored a backup, and restarted the plant within approximately 90 minutes. While the plant was offline, residents continued receiving water from the city’s water tower. City administration temporarily requested that residents conserve water to prevent the tower’s limited supply from being exhausted,” George added. LIVE UPDATES ON IRAN WAR: TRUMP ANNOUNCES HAMAS DISARMAMENT DEAL WHILE SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES RED SEA DEFENSE COALITION In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, MNIT noted that “the investigation remains active, and Minnesota has not attributed the activity to a specific actor.” MNIT said it “continues to collaborate with federal, state, local, Tribal, and private-sector partners to investigate the attack, support affected communities, and strengthen the security of Minnesota’s critical infrastructure.” “Cyberattacks against critical infrastructure require a coordinated, whole-of-government response,” John Israel, MNIT assistant commissioner and Minnesota chief information security officer, said in a statement. “MNIT is working side by side with our partners to share intelligence, support affected communities, and help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future attacks.” Israel told the Times that the breach was first detected Sunday and that hackers targeted 36 municipal water systems. “Minnesota was one of the early detectors of this, but we’re seeing that this same threat activity has likely been occurring in other states throughout the nation,” he was quoted as saying. Nick Andersen, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) acting director, told the newspaper that the agency was aware of “multiple potential incidents affecting local water utilities.” In the days leading up to the incident, CISA issued an advisory warning U.S. organizations of “ongoing Iranian-affiliated cyber activity targeting internet-connected operational technology (OT) devices.” “Iranian cyber actors continue to target U.S. critical infrastructure, and the FBI is committed to identifying, disrupting, and imposing costs on those responsible,” Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division said in the advisory. It stated that a “group of Iranian-affiliated actors” has “targeted devices spanning multiple U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, including Water and Wastewater Systems, Energy and Government Services and Facilities, to include local municipalities.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also issued an advisory on Thursday “to warn critical infrastructure asset owners and operators that malicious cyber actors are conducting cyber attacks targeting Operational Technology devices.” “Since 27 July 2026, Water and Wastewater Sector utility companies in at least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI, and some of that activity degraded water operations,” it added.
Ben Sasse’s latest pancreatic cancer update comes amid his stark warning about America’s future
FIRST ON FOX: Battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse is looking ahead with optimism for his own health but expressed less hope for America’s future. He cautioned that America’s greatest challenges are still to come in a pre-recorded interview for the Western Conservative Summit in Lakewood, Colorado, exclusively shared with Fox News Digital. “Pancreatic cancer is nasty, and I would never wish it on my worst enemy, but I also would never want to go back to a stage of my life where I didn’t know the power of pancreatic cancer prayer,” said Sasse, quoting Pastor Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. Sasse, 54, shared in December 2025 that he has metastatic pancreatic cancer, which has spread to multiple organs — including his liver and lungs. He was initially given three to four months to live but entered a clinical trial for a drug called daraxonrasib, an oral therapy (pill) that is designed to block the defective gene that triggers uncontrolled cellular growth. PANCREATIC CANCER VACCINE SHOWS PROMISE IN FIRST HUMAN TRIAL, PREVENTING DISEASE IN HIGH-RISK PATIENTS “My tumors have shrunk by over 80% in the six and a half months I’ve been on this drug,” said Sasse in his update. “The drug has been amazing, and I’m grateful for that common grace extension of time.” “We’re a couple days away from being seven months since my diagnosis at three to four months to live.” Even as he reflected on his own mortality, Sasse said he’s increasingly concerned about the country’s future, cautioning that the U.S. must outcompete China, overhaul its failing schools and adapt to an AI-driven economy. “I want the U.S. Via decentralized corporate structures to rule the world, not CCP, tyrannical, Maoist to rule of the world, and I think most middle powers, most countries in the world, know that somewhere between 25 years from now, we’re going to say the world is Western/U.S. led,” said Sasse. CHINA IS BUILDING A MASSIVE SHIP THAT SHOULD SCARE AMERICANS ABOUT THE FUTURE He describes a world that is led by the U.S. passing along values with free trade, the rule of law, transparency and acknowledgment of human rights. The alternative would be “CCP led,” said Sasse. “Which is them controlling all trade through Beijing.” From the campus of Colorado Christian University, where conservative leaders gathered for the Western Conservative Summit, Sasse also weighed in on the challenges facing higher education. “Our educational systems are just a complete disaster,” said Sasse. The latest Nation’s Report Card found that roughly one in three eighth graders cannot read at even a basic level, nearly 40% fall below basic in math, and fewer than one-third are proficient in reading, according to the National Assessment Governing Board report for 2025. BEN SASSE CLAIMS PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE CREATED TO SEPARATE CATHOLIC KIDS FROM PARENTS, PRIESTS Sasse argued that academic benchmarks are too low and that increasing government spending on education has failed to improve student outcomes. “The potential and the capacity of most souls and most brains is a lot more than that, and we’ve just got a disastrous system,” said Sasse. Sasse said that the rise of AI is going to “externalize a lot of IQ” changing what schools will teach. He added that America is entering an AI revolution that will disrupt work, education, and global power. “A hundred years from now, when we look back on our moment, we’re not gonna talk about our politics very much. I think we’re gonna talk about the fact that we are living through a technological revolution,” said Sasse.
House Democrat blasted after early release law freed inmates later charged with murder
A COVID-era prison release law championed by Rep. Nellie Pou, D-N.J., is facing renewed scrutiny after multiple inmates freed early under the program were later charged with murder. More than 7,000 inmates received an early release starting in November 2020 after then-Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., signed legislation sponsored by Pou, then a New Jersey state senator. Under the law, state inmates were eligible for early release via “public health emergency credits” if they had less than one year remaining on their sentences and had not been convicted of murder or sexual assault and were not sex offenders. People serving time for other violent offenses — including aggravated manslaughter and kidnapping — could still receive a shortened sentence of up to eight months. NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER’S KILLING REIGNITES SCRUTINY OF ROY COOPER’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE RECORD IN SENATE RACE Two inmates released under the program later pleaded guilty to or were convicted in separate homicide cases. A third remains in custody awaiting trial on murder and conspiracy charges. Supporters of the law, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argued the measure was necessary to reduce the prison population amid concerns about overcrowding during the COVID-19 pandemic. A smaller prison population, according to Pou, would “keep everyone, guards included, safer” from the virus, she wrote in a 2020 statement. But the New Jersey Democrat has said little publicly about the law since multiple inmates released under the program were linked to grisly killings. The legislation passed over objections from GOP lawmakers and some county prosecutors, who warned it could endanger public safety by releasing violent offenders early. Jerry Crawford, 30, was arrested in the shooting death of an 18-year-old just two days after his release on parole supervision in November 2020. Crawford, who had been serving a burglary sentence, would have otherwise remained incarcerated until the following month, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections, NJ.com reported. He is scheduled to stand trial in January 2027 on murder and conspiracy charges, according to New Jersey court records. Another inmate, 31-year-old Ronny Paden, was released early in November 2020 after the COVID-era program shortened his sentence for aggravated assault and weapons offenses. Two months later, he shot and killed two men at a birthday party. Paden later pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in state prison. A third inmate, Theodore Luckey, 47, is serving life without parole after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. NEWSOM-BACKED LAW LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHILD RAPIST SEEK EARLY RELEASE AGAIN AS DA URGES ‘STOP THE MADNESS’ Luckey attacked and killed an ex-boyfriend with a machete in August 2021, striking him more than 120 times, after being released from prison in May. Prosecutors also said he strangled another man in a hotel room shortly beforehand. He was released from prison under the program eight months early after completing most of a 15-year prison sentence involving a burglary conviction and illegal possession of a deadly weapon, the New Jersey-based Asbury Park Press reported. Republicans sharply criticized Pou’s embrace of the early prison release program that freed several repeat offenders. “Instead of holding criminals accountable, soft-on-crime radical Nellie Pou spearheaded legislation that lets violent offenders off the hook and threatens the safety of law-abiding New Jerseyans,” New Jersey Republican Chairwoman Christine Giordano Hanlon told Fox News Digital. “Nellie is a threat to her constituents’ safety, and they’ll send her packing because of it,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole said. A representative for Pou did not directly respond to a request for comment about whether the congresswoman believed the program proved successful, but emphasized Pou’s support for law enforcement and public safety. “Just this year, Congresswoman Pou voted in favor of more than $253 million in funding to hire and rehire local police and to steer $13.5 million toward state law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking,” Morghan Cyr, Pou’s campaign manager, said in a statement. The GOP attacks come as Pou is seeking a second House term in a northern New Jersey House seat that President Donald Trump narrowly carried in 2024. Pou, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has joined House Democratic leadership in voting against GOP-authored legislation ranging from cracking down on illegal immigration to targeting “soft-on-crime” policies in Washington, D.C. Still, it remains unclear whether Pou will face a serious re-election threat. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted the race in favor of Democrats earlier this year to “Likely Democrat,” citing New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., carrying Pou’s district by nearly 20 points during the 2025 gubernatorial contest.
Trump unloads on Cornyn, ties AG nomination fight to bitter Texas primary
President Donald Trump unleashed more fury on a Senate Republican he worked to oust who is standing in the way of his personal lawyer becoming the next attorney general. Trump unloaded on Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, over acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s stalled nomination Friday morning, a day after threatening to withdraw Blanche’s nomination from the Senate. He accused Cornyn of previously having no issue with the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, one of the issues that he and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., are trying to kill, before Trump endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in their grueling primary showdown. TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS “John Cornyn never had a problem with the so-called ‘Fund,’ which will not benefit me, but rather the great American Patriots who were hunted down like dogs and whose lives were unfairly and illegally destroyed by the Crooked Joe Biden Administration, until after I decided to Endorse and Support his Republican Primary opponent in Texas, who easily won the Nomination for the United States Senate,” Trump said on Truth Social. Fox News Digital did not immediately receive comment from Cornyn’s office in response to Trump’s remarks. Cornyn and Tillis are both pushing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and administration to provide explicit, written proposals to permanently nix and rewrite the anti-weaponization fund and Trump’s audit immunity, respectively, that were borne from his settlement deal with the IRS, which Blanche rolled out earlier this year. DOJ BARS IRS FROM AUDITING TRUMP’S PRIOR TAX RETURNS IN SETTLEMENT ORDER SIGNED BY BLANCHE The Texas Republican, in particular, wants changes to Trump’s audit immunity spelled out in the deal, and has so far not had his demands met as paper continues to flow back and forth between the lawmakers and administration. But the lawmakers contend that there’s a force above Blanche that is thwarting the process and further slowing down his confirmation. “I thought we were pretty close to landing the plane last night, but this morning there’s been some more complications,” Cornyn told reporters on Thursday. “I think if this were just between me and Todd Blanche, we would have worked this out. But apparently he’s getting some pushback from higher-ups at the White House. I don’t know who, but this doesn’t need to be this hard.” WATCH: GOP HOLDOUT REJECTS TRUMP THREAT AS AG NOMINEE STANDOFF EXPLODES Trump appeared unwilling to part with the fund, which has been condemned by Republicans and Democrats over concerns that it would dole out taxpayer dollars to rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “I will always feel that these victims of government abuse should be paid back for what they were forced to endure, their lives have been ruined,” Trump said. “Millions of people agree with me, as was proven in my landslide Presidential win, where this was a major subject of debate, and so did John Cornyn, until he lost his Election to an opponent that I Endorsed. Todd Blanche, a good man, should be immediately approved as U.S. Attorney General.” Both Cornyn and Tillis met with Blanche toward the end of the day Thursday to continue hashing out a path forward. Meanwhile, Trump threatened to yank Blanche’s nomination from the Senate over the impasse after Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, postponed his confirmation hearing scheduled for Thursday. His plan would be to wait until both Cornyn and Tillis are out of office next year. But, there’s no guarantee that the Senate would be more welcoming to Blanche after the midterm elections this November. And Tillis and Cornyn aren’t the only Republicans with reservations about Blanche — Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and John Curtis, R-Utah, are both on the fence on whether to support him on a full floor vote in the Senate. Given universal Democratic opposition, their resistance could sink his chances.
Firebrand rep unloads on socialist prime minister as ‘hordes of military aged men’ swarm European country
As shocking videos circulate of migrants pouring over the collapsed border of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, took a swipe at the country’s socialist prime minister, saying, “That’s what happens every single time a politician offers amnesty.” Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the tip of Africa, formally requested a national emergency declaration on Thursday after about 60,000 migrants crossed the border from Morocco in the past several weeks. Video shows hordes of men smiling and posing for cameras, some carrying swimming flippers, and sprinting through the streets as authorities struggle to corral the unruly masses. Other footage shows crowds of migrants emerging from the sea, climbing up onto Ceuta’s rocky shores and working their way around border fences. Gill, a young Republican known for his viral takedowns during congressional hearings, blamed the breakdown on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who leads the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party. “Spain’s socialist Prime Minister announced he would be giving amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. Now, his country is being invaded by hordes of military aged men from Africa,” Gill posted on X. “Because that’s what happens every single time a politician offers amnesty.” WISCONSIN DEM SOCIALIST GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL DODGES WHETHER SHE STILL WANTS TO ‘ABOLISH POLICE’ Sánchez’s socialist government launched an “extraordinary regularization” program earlier this year that allows eligible undocumented migrants already living in Spain to obtain legal residence and work authorization. The government says the policy promotes economic integration, while critics describe it as a mass amnesty. Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas formally requested that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declare a national emergency to help respond to the border crisis, Spanish media outlets reported. Madrid, however, denied the request. “The declaration of a national emergency is part of the state civil protection regulations, which do not consider migratory flows as a risk to the National Civil Protection System, nor do they establish special plans, basic guidelines, or specific civil protection instruments for their management. Therefore, it is not possible to activate this mechanism, as requested by the president of the Government of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas,” Spain’s Ministry of the Interior said in a statement, according to Spanish outlet El Pais. Ceuta’s government, in their request for a national emergency declaration, noted that immigration from Morocco is always a problem for the Spanish enclave, but claimed the last 10 days represented a peak “of particular intensity.” That peak has seen about 60,000 migrants cross the border in the past 10 days. EU ADMITS IT ‘DIDN’T HAVE CONTROL’ ON MIGRATION AS BLOC RUSHES CRACKDOWN AHEAD OF NEW RULES “The Government of Spain is fully committed to providing an immediate response to the situation in Ceuta. We are mobilizing all necessary resources, working with Moroccan and international authorities, and preparing the necessary measures to restore normalcy as soon as possible,” Sánchez wrote in a Thursday post on X. Back in the U.S., the White House has also criticized Sánchez for the collapse, saying in a statement that “President Trump has long warned Europe what would happen if they continue to implement far-left, globalist policies – including enabling mass migration.” “Spain and other countries who have adopted this destructive philosophy should immediately reverse course or risk their own demise,” said the White House. TRUMP CRITICIZES SPAIN AMID IRAN, NATO RIFT AS PM SANCHEZ FACES QUESTIONS OVER POLITICAL MOTIVES Sánchez, however, has previously claimed that accepting migrants is necessary to keep Spain’s economy alive, arguing the country’s low birth rates necessitate accepting immigrants. “The West needs people. Currently, few of its countries have a rising population growth rate. Unless they embrace migration, they will experience a sharp demographic decline that will prevent them from keeping their economies and public services afloat. Their gross domestic product will stagnate. Their public healthcare and pension systems will suffer. Neither AI nor robots will be able to prevent this outcome… The only option to avoid decline is to integrate migrants in the most orderly and effective way possible,” Sánchez wrote in a February op-ed in The New York Times. Fox News Digital’s Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.
Trump questions Thune’s leadership as SAVE America Act stalls
For months, President Donald Trump has fixated on one legislative priority. Now, its repeated failure may be costing Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., the president’s support. Trump has badgered Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, his missing legislative crown jewel, turning support for the bill into a loyalty test. Thune has become the target for those irritated that the bill hasn’t moved in the Senate. For months, Trump largely spared him from criticism over the bill’s stalled progress. That appears to have changed. The hairline fractures in their relationship stem from Thune doing what few Republicans are willing to do: tell Trump no. GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN “Well, that’s too bad for him,” Trump said when asked about Thune not having the votes to move the SAVE America Act. “I mean, that’s too bad for him and too bad for the Republican Party.” “He’s got the votes,” he continued. “He should get it done. He should be able to get it done.” And, though he’s backed him before, Trump appeared to waver in his support of Thune when asked if he was the right man for the job. “Well, we’re going to find out, and I’ll let you know,” Trump said. TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS On his way to and from the Senate floor, Thune was pressed on Trump’s comments. When asked about Trump wavering on him as the leader of the Senate GOP, Thune signaled it wasn’t up to him. “I don’t know what you say on that,” he said. “That’s a decision made by my colleagues.” He also pushed back on the president’s assertion that Republicans could pass the SAVE America Act. “That must be a different form of math,” Thune said. Thune has repeatedly argued Republicans simply don’t have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act, a position that has increasingly put him at odds with Trump. A bloc of Republicans has never supported the legislation, while Senate Democrats overwhelmingly oppose it, leaving Thune without the votes. TRUMP DEMANDS THUNE KEEP SENATE IN SESSION UNTIL SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSES “I think it’s wrong to blame Thune for this — Senator Thune,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital. “This is not his fault.” Still, Thune has moved major legislation backed by the president and has the Senate on a record pace for nominee confirmations, all while dealing with vulnerable Republicans taking tough political votes and Democrats who are bound to kneecap Trump’s agenda at every turn. “I hope that the next Congress, the people with the election certificates as U.S. senators who actually make that decision, show some independence and courage,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “And recognize that Thune has helped navigate an almost impossible scenario to navigate with this president.” The legislation has been tested several times in a variety of forms, and has never gotten the needed votes to pass. And Thune has said the votes aren’t there to nuke the filibuster, which Trump has pushed for throughout his second term. Even as Trump publicly questions Thune, the Senate GOP leader intends to seek another term as the top Republican. Leadership is elected internally by Senate Republicans, not by the president. Thune came out of a crowded field to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., battling Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., to get the top spot in the Senate GOP. And his colleagues, so far, have his back. Scott, who ran against Thune, told Fox News Digital that he had no intention of running for the top gig in the Senate again. He also noted that even though he wanted it, it’s a difficult profession to take on. “John’s a smart guy,” Scott said. “He is working really hard. So I think he shouldn’t — you know, it’s tough to be the leader.” “We’ve got a lot of issues we haven’t addressed, so it’s hard,” he continued. “I assumed it was gonna be hard.”
Army vet, trucking executive raves over Trump plan to bolster blue collar industry by fast-tracking veterans
An Army veteran and trucking company executive who attended President Donald Trump’s Wednesday announcement about a new initiative called “Freedom Haulers” at the White House praised the new plan to provide a boost to the industry. “I came down here to support the cause of getting into an industry that is always in need,” said Tom Jacques, the director of Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance at Waste Management. Jacques is also the chairman of the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Motor Trucking Association. Jacques, whose biography says he enlisted in the Army and joined the 3rd U.S. Infantry as an escort to the President, called the plan “wonderful.” TRUMP TAPS VETERANS TO FIX ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKING PROBLEM PLAGUING US ROADWAYS “It’s wonderful to get skilled workers who are disciplined [and] dedicated into an industry that requires discipline and dedication,” Jacques told Fox News Digital at the White House. “You don’t get behind the wheel of a tractor-trailer — 80,000 pounds — without understanding the need to be disciplined and to be safe. So it’s nice to have that, to tap into a large workforce as they transition out of the military and into the next career field.” Under the initiative, qualified veterans with heavy-vehicle experience gained during military service can apply to waive the CDL road-skills test, allowing them to avoid duplicating training they received in the military. Certain veterans in participating states — 34 of them so far — may also qualify for a waiver of the written knowledge test. Veterans without military truck-driving experience will be eligible for expedited training that administration officials said could be completed in several weeks. TRUMP PROMOTES FREEDOM HAULERS INITIATIVE TO FAST-TRACK MILITARY VETERANS INTO TRUCKING JOBS “Data shows that truck drivers who are veterans account for 42% fewer accidents. Think of that, 42%,” Trump said at the event. “And that number, they say, is their very minimal number, even as they drive double the number of miles of non-veteran drivers.” Jacques said the trucking industry is always in need of new drivers, and discussed the important role that truckers play in the everyday lives of Americans. “If you take a look at the trucking industry, the behind the scenes, that’s what gets the commodities where they’re at,” he said. He also noted that during COVID-19, when non-essential workers were furloughed and much of America worked from home, truckers didn’t have that option. Americans depended upon their work in order to have access to necessities, otherwise the country could have “shut down,” he said. “There’s no shortage of positions for truck drivers,” said Jacques. “It’s an aging workforce. It’s something that people need to understand that we’ve got to be continually replenishing that workforce, and [it’s] a great opportunity getting our veterans … into a good, highly-paying job right out of the service. It’s going to be really nice to see more service members behind the wheel.” OUT OF CONTROL, UNQUALIFIED ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKERS ENDANGERING KIDS ON US ROADS, INSIDER WARNS: ‘JUST MADNESS’ That truckers are paid well is a fact not lost on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who also spoke at Wednesday’s event. “These are great paying jobs. They’re anywhere from $80 to $100,000 plus a year,” he said. “And it’s important because you have men and women who drove big rigs in the military who would then get out and have to go through a months-long training for their skills and their knowledge test to drive this vehicle over here.” The initiative has another component — getting illegal alien truck drivers off the roads. “For many years, American highways and roadways have been terrorized by unqualified illegal aliens dangerously driving big rigs,” Trump said, pointing out that many illegal alien drivers can’t speak English or read the road signs. “You have to have a talent for it, and these people don’t have that. They’re driving big rigs, semi trucks and tractor trailers, all because radical left maniacs at the state level have issued them commercial driver’s licenses, even though they’re not entitled to have them.” He said that last year alone, at least 30 Americans were killed at the hands of illegal alien truck drivers, and that 24,000 illegal aliens drivers have already been taken off the streets. “So to end this, very simply, the radical left wants more jobs for illegal aliens and more migrants in 18-wheelers, Trump said. “And the Trump administration wants safer roads and more jobs for the American veteran.” Fox News Digital’s Brittany Miller contributed to this report.
GOP gubernatorial candidate fighting to flip blue state unveils healthcare plan to lower costs, expand access
EXCLUSIVE: While Massachusetts boasts some of the premier hospitals in the world, it also suffers from some of the highest healthcare costs in America. GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue believes that is no coincidence. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the former longtime medical devices CEO says the commonwealth can boost access, cut costs and reduce regulation through innovation as opposed to government mandates. MIKE MINOGUE HEADS TO MASS GOP CONVENTION READY TO TAKE ON MAURA HEALEY: ‘SHE’S BANKRUPTING OUR STATE’ “I think the most important thing that can help health care is to have a ‘patients first mindset.’ When I was the CEO of Abiomed, everyone rallied around the patients-first culture, commitment and every action. “Every decision that we took really was focused on, ‘Does this improve the patient outcome? Does this help the physicians and the nurses make it easier to use? Does it help us save money for the system?’” He cited the weighty regulatory burden imposed on nurses and doctors as part of the problem. “We [must] have a focus that we’re really going through areas that allow for patients to get access to their physicians, their nurses, and also utilize innovation, things that are breakthrough and things that can minimize the burden on the physicians and the nurses with regulations and documentation. “I’m optimistic because I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve worked with healthcare systems all over the world. I specifically know how hard physicians and nurses work, and they’re the heart of that system. So, what we’re going to focus on is a patients-first health care plan that brings access to quality, affordable care.” Healthcare is a top concern for Bay State voters, and Minogue hopes to use the issue to his advantage in a tough battle to challenge incumbent Democrat Gov. Maura Healey. He notes that the often stark disparity between healthcare access and quality between the metro Boston area and the rest of the state is a perpetual problem that needs a remedy. “Right now, if you look at what’s happening around Massachusetts, we’re losing innovation and treatment in areas that do not now have opportunity for high-risk procedures, whether it’s maternity, cardiac or stroke. “We have areas now in communities that might have a 50-plus minute drive to get to the nearest area. An example is Norwood. The hospital closed. So, if you have a cardiac event in Norwood, you’re looking at a 55-minute-plus drive at best to get to Boston.” Minogue promises that, during his tenure, he will work to improve coverage and care statewide. “This is the role of the governor — to provide hub-and-spoke innovation in healthcare for the whole commonwealth, not just Boston.” COMBAT VETERAN TURNED CEO HAS A NEW MISSION: FLIP GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IN BLUE STATE Yet, Minogue argues, the current system poses not merely a geographic problem, but a fiscal one. “Our regulations strangle the rest of the commonwealth and almost mandate that all procedures are being done in Boston in the highest-cost environment. If you go to outpatient centers and surgery centers, you reduce the cost of procedures, you lower the overhead and it’s a much easier process than driving all the way into Boston. We have incredible hospitals here, but we also have some of the lowest numbers of outpatient clinics and surgery centers as a state. We need to improve that.” Given his business background, Minogue is intimately familiar with the economics of providing healthcare coverage for thousands of families. “As a CEO, I bought health insurance for 19 years for my employees. I never saw an increase that wasn’t double-digit every year. … We need to lower the costs. “We also have to minimize mandating every single treatment and procedure onto every healthcare plan. We need to allow people to have the ability to select what care they want.” FOX NEWS POLL: GOP DIVISIONS SHAPE TEXAS SENATE RACE Minogue believes patients should have more flexibility in choosing their coverage while ensuring families are protected from financially devastating medical emergencies. “We do need to cap the catastrophic. … At Abiomed, what we did every year is we paid the extra amount so that we would always cap what it would cost the patient. We combined that with a health savings account, which is a great way for people to take more control over their own healthcare plan. Everything that you do in a patient’s first mindset solves a lot of problems.” With a mental health crisis surging across the state, Minogue has a solution for matching patients and therapists. “We do have an extensive amount of counselors, but most of them are on private pay. … We don’t allow general practitioners or counselors to get paid outside of private pay, so that’s why most of these patients are going to the emergency rooms. “It would be simple and more efficient if we also allowed the subsidized government pay to allow those patients to see the same people in the clinics that private-pay people have access to.” Minogue’s plan has specific provisions for addressing an area where the mental health crisis has been particularly acute. “One of the areas that I’m most focused on for mental health or PTSD is our correctional facility officers in Massachusetts have some of the highest suicide rates in America. “We know veterans with PTSD also have high suicide rates. These people are all ending up in emergency rooms, and that’s not a very good solution.” Hands-on experience with frontline healthcare workers is what Minogue believes gives his plan the credibility to set the Bay State on the right track again. “I’ve been very fortunate because I have a network of physicians and nurses and counselors that have been working with me for months. “We’ve collaborated so that we can come up with this patients-first plan. “If you put the patient at the center of that, the treatment plans can be very specialized for better outcomes at lower cost.” Finally, Minogue has a specific plan to
WATCH: GOP holdout rejects Trump threat as AG nominee standoff explodes
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., brushed aside President Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination Thursday, arguing the White House must instead honor what he says was an earlier commitment to win his vote. “That’s his prerogative,” Tillis said of Trump’s threat to withdraw Blanche’s nomination. Tillis’ comments come after Trump called out both Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Truth Social Thursday morning for blocking the president’s efforts to make Blanche the nation’s top prosecutor. Trump then threatened to pull Blanche’s nomination until the two Republican senators leave office next year. Tillis is retiring, and Cornyn lost his primary in his run for re-election. TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS Tillis argued Trump cannot resolve this nomination standoff “unless we fulfill what we thought was the commitment from the administration.” The North Carolina senator has withheld his support for Blanche unless the administration agrees to permanently eliminate the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and rewrite Trump’s audit immunity language in a settlement agreement. Negotiations over those demands remain ongoing. “The best thing is, take the win, get Blanche confirmed and get this agreement out of the way,” Tillis told Fox News Digital. When asked what it would take to get Tillis to vote to confirm Blanche, he said, “exactly what Blanche committed to.” TRUMP ADMIN PUSHES BACK ON ‘SLUSH FUND’ ATTACKS AGAINST ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND AND LAYS OUT WHO QUALIFIES Tillis stressed that Blanche is not to blame for the impasse, saying he believes he “was honest” during his confirmation process and that he blames someone on Trump’s team. “This is not Blanche’s problem. It’s clear to me that Blanche was honest when he answered without hesitation, working with us to end this,” Tillis said. “I believe that one of the president’s advisors who were part of this agreement is the problem. And they need to own it.” Tillis also pointed out that there is no certainty that the Senate would be any more accepting of Blanche next year, particularly as Republicans have more seats in danger than Democrats in the Senate. “The best-case scenario is you come back with the same number of people next year, and our members are not going to be any more supportive of this than they are today.” TRUMP-TILLIS TIFF DEEPENS AS PRESIDENT SAYS HE ‘QUIT,’ CONCEDES FED FIGHT COULD DOOM NEW CHAIR CONFIRMATION Trump could still keep Blanche as acting attorney general for months even if he withdraws the nomination. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act allows acting officials to serve for 210 days, and withdrawing a pending nomination resets that clock. If Trump were to pull Blanche’s nomination Thursday, Blanche could remain in the role until late February. Despite Trump’s public threat, Tillis said negotiations with the administration remain ongoing and said he is “not a no” on Blanche. “In this place, nothing’s ever as good or as bad as it seems, so we’re continuing to negotiate,” Tillis said. Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Adam Pack contributed to this report.
Mamdani’s ‘this is only the beginning’ announcement cracking down on food delivery tips sparks outrage
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing fresh criticism after taking credit for a reported $104 million increase in delivery worker tips that critics say was made possible by legislation enacted before he took office and will likely only exacerbate cost of living issues in the city. The criticism comes after Mamdani declared at a press conference Wednesday and in a social media post, “We’ve put $104 million back in delivery workers’ pockets,” citing changes to Uber Eats’ and DoorDash’s apps that made tipping more prominent. “This is only the beginning,” Mamdani wrote. Those changes stem from a city law approved by the New York City Council before Mamdani became mayor. Former Mayor Eric Adams neither signed nor vetoed the measure, allowing it to become law after 30 days. The rules took effect in January under the Mamdani administration, which implemented and enforced the requirements. MAMDANI’S ‘RATION SHOP’ GROCERY PLAN FACES BLISTERING ECONOMIC CRITIQUE AS OPPONENTS BLAST SOCIALIST POLICY Before the law took effect, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection found that Uber Eats and DoorDash had hidden tip buttons and set default tips below 10%, contributing to a 79% decline in tips for delivery workers. The law required the companies to make tipping more prominent, and city officials say the resulting changes have since generated an estimated $104 million in additional tips. Mamdani’s office rejected the criticism that the mayor was taking credit for someone else’s work, arguing that while the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection pushed for the reforms before he took office, the rules were implemented under his administration beginning Jan. 26. “A law is only as good as its implementation,” a spokesperson for Mamdani told Fox News Digital. “We have been intentional about enforcing the laws on the books so that we are putting money back into the pockets of working New Yorkers.” Conservatives and political commentators on social media quickly blasted Mamdani for the already high costs of goods and services in New York City, and some accused the mayor of taking credit for legislation that was born before his term. “This guy is a fantastic lying politician,” actor Michael Rapaport posted on X. “He had literally nothing to do with this. City Council passed the bill last August and 419 Eric Adams never signed it. 30 days the bill became law. It went into effect when Mamdani was in office. He just taking the credit.” MAMDANI’S RENT FREEZE, TAX HIKES A ‘ONE-TWO WEALTH DESTRUCTION PUNCH,’ ECONOMISTS WARN “In other words you are trying to say that you forced Uber and Doordash to make it that New Yorkers pay more for their food deliveries by having the default tip amount be a lot higher,” conservative influencer account Leftism posted on X. “Socialism 101 — have others pay for things and make as if it’s your accomplishment.” “Coming soon — $50 avocado toast,” Washington Free Beacon reporter Jon Levine posted on X. “So you increased prices for your citizens?” National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker posted on X. “Congrats.” “What really happened,” finance podcaster Joseph Carlson posted on X. “They forced delivery drivers to be paid minimum wage of $22/hr. This wage is paid by higher fees passed on to DoorDash or Uber customer. Since the customer was already paying these higher fees, these apps made tipping optional. Then New York required them to also be tipped on top of the higher fees. “So now New York (residents) get to enjoy paying both a high base pay and a tip on top of it. The customer is double-paying for delivery. All of this cost is passed onto the New Yorker resident. They’re paying more than the market demands for a product and service because of market manipulation.”