Trump admin releases highly anticipated files documenting UFOs, ‘extraterrestrial life’
FIRST ON FOX — The Trump administration on Friday released a batch of “never-before-seen” files and videos on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP) as part of an effort to increase transparency on government knowledge of extraterrestrial phenomena. “The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place – no clearance required. While past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Trump is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files,” the White House said in a statement to Fox News. The release is a function of President Donald Trump’s Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE) program. Photos from the initial disclosure, which a White House official told Fox News is the first of a series of releases, show strangely shaped objects captured on film during the Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 space missions. One photo taken from the surface of the moon appears to show a cluster of three tiny dots in the sky. TRUMP SAYS FIRST RELEASES FROM PENTAGON UFO STUDY WILL COME OUT ‘VERY, VERY SOON’ AFTER PHOENIX RALLY TEASE A transcript of communications between Apollo 17 operators released in the disclosure Friday details the operators’ exchange over the unknown phenomenon. “Now we’ve got a few very bright particles or fragments or something that go drifting by as we maneuver,” an operator told the command center. “Roger. Understand,” the center replied. UFO COVER USED BY GOVERNMENT TO ‘HIDE A LOT OF THINGS,’ FORMER NASA AGENT SAYS “There’s a whole bunch of big ones on my window down there – just bright. It looks like the Fourth of July out of Ron’s window,” another operator added. “Yes. Now you can see some of them in shape. They’re very jagged, angular fragments that are tumbling,” the first operator said. Another pair of photos from the release come from the FBI and contain images from New Year’s Eve 1999 showing other UAPs in the same image as U.S. aircraft. AIR FORCE F-16 STRUCK BY DRONE DURING TRAINING FLIGHT OVER ARIZONA IN 2023 In February, after former President Barack Obama told a podcaster that aliens were real, Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Trump directly about the existence of aliens. “He gave classified information. He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump said of Obama. “I don’t know if they’re real or not. I can tell you, he gave classified information. He’s not supposed to be doing that – he made a big mistake. He took it out of classified information.” Days later, Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he would be declassifying files related to the subject. OBAMA SAYS ALIENS ‘ARE REAL, BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM’ IN RECENT PODCAST INTERVIEW “Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he wrote. Numerous agency heads commented on the release, calling it an unprecedented step in transparency. “The Department of War is in lockstep with President Trump to bring unprecedented transparency regarding our government’s understanding of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said. TRUMP, SCHUMER FIND RARE COMMON GROUND ON RELEASING UFO FILES “These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This release of declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency,” he concluded. “The American people have long sought transparency about the government’s knowledge of unidentified anomalous phenomena,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard added. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is actively coordinating the Intelligence Community’s declassification efforts with the Department of War to ensure a careful, comprehensive, and unprecedented review of our holdings to provide the American people with maximum transparency. Today’s release is the first in what will be an ongoing joint declassification and release effort.” NASA CHIEF JARED ISAACMAN SAYS ARTEMIS II WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE ‘IF IT WASN’T FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’ FBI Director Kash Patel added, “The FBI is proud to stand alongside President Trump and our interagency partners in this landmark release of UAP records. For the first time in history, the American people have unfettered access to declassified government files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon — a level of transparency that no prior administration has delivered. The FBI remains committed to supporting this rolling declassification effort with the same rigorous and integrity we bring to every national security matter. As these files continue to be reviewed and release, the American people can be confident that their security remains our highest priority.” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman also weighed in. “I applaud President Trump’s whole-of-government effort to bring greater transparency to the American people on unidentified anomalous phenomena,” Isaacman said. “At NASA, our job is to bring the brightest minds and most advanced scientific instruments to bear, follow the data, and share what we learn. We will remain candid about what we know to be true, what we have yet to understand, and all that remains to be discovered. Exploration and the pursuit of knowledge are core to NASA’s mission as we endeavor to unlock the secrets of the universe,” he concluded. A large batch of UAP files were made available at WAR.GOV/UFO.
Dem governor in the hot seat after testing limits of authority with major move against ICE
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is using her 2027 budget request to push new restrictions targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Empire State, testing the limits of her authority to impose requirements on federal agencies — a test that experts say is doomed from its outset. The Local Cops Local Crimes Act would block local law enforcement from acting on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Alongside a proposed ban on masks and new operational limits in certain settings, Hochul’s efforts continue Democrats’ efforts to use state-level policies to push back on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. “ICE will no longer be able to use our police, our jails and our resources to carry out civil immigration enforcement. Because guess what: Our officers paid for by local taxpayer dollars were hired to protect their communities, to be there to assist with a traffic accident, to go after retail theft, stop domestic violence,” Hochul said at a press event on Thursday. HOCHUL DENOUNCES ICE RAID AS ‘CRUEL,’ DESPITE CHILD ENDANGERMENT AMONG CHARGES “They’re not there to do the federal government’s bidding.” Since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, governors in states like Illinois, California and Virginia have thrown up barriers to local-federal immigration cooperation by limiting communication, data sharing and more. In Hochul’s case, the Local Cops Local Crimes Act rescinds and prevents the expansion of any new agreements under the 287(g) program — a federal law that allows local officers to assume authority to conduct immigration-related work that is normally carried out by federal officials. It also comes alongside a slew of separate immigration-related reforms Hochul is pressing for, including establishing a state right to sue ICE for “constitutional violations,” a prohibition on masks for local and federal law enforcement and a restriction that would prevent ICE from entering schools, libraries, polling locations and homes without a judicial warrant. Hans von Spakovsky, a legal scholar with Advancing American Freedom, believes those additional changes won’t survive long — even if they do become law. “If the question is: can she do any of that? The answer is no. This is not an ambiguous issue,” Spakovsky said. JONATHAN TURLEY: WHY BLUE STATES’ NEW ANTI-ICE LAWS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL VIRTUE SIGNALING Spakovsky, pointing to the 1890 Supreme Court case In re Neagle, said states can’t hold federal agents responsible for carrying out federal mandates. The Local Cops Local Crimes Act stipulates that local law enforcement would still have to comply with warrants issued for an immigration-related arrest. “Nothing in this section shall be intended to limit local government law, law enforcement agency, correctional facility, or local correctional facility from enforcing any valid state or federal court-issued warrants or orders, or any other actions as required by law,” the bill reads. Even so, Laurin Bis, acting assistant secretary for public affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, blasted Hochul’s announcement, calling it a dangerous development for NYC residents. “Governor Hochul’s policies of not cooperating with ICE put New Yorkers in danger. When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers have to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities,” Bis said. Bis said DHS feared that NYC would end up allowing more immigration-law violators back onto the street. “Instead of working with us, Governor Hochul is choosing to release violent criminals from her jails directly back into our communities to perpetrate more crimes and create more victims.” NEW JERSEY GOV SHERRILL SIGNS LAW BARRING ICE AGENTS FROM WEARING FACE COVERINGS TO SHIELD IDENTITIES Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether New York would refuse to hold suspects in violation of immigration law. The office also did not respond to questions about why the Local Cops Local Crimes Act had been included alongside the 2027 budget request.
Rubio meets Meloni as Trump–Pope clash clash escalates US strains with key European ally
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Thursday in Rome amid diplomatic tensions with both Italy and the Vatican. The meeting comes one day after Rubio, a practicing Catholic, held talks at the Vatican with Pope Leo and senior church officials in what many observers viewed as an effort to calm relations after weeks of escalating rhetoric between President Donald Trump and the Holy See. For much of Trump’s second term, Meloni was widely viewed as Trump’s closest ideological ally among major European leaders. But that relationship has begun to fray amid disputes over the Iran war. That political partnership, however, has come under strain in recent months, as Trump’s escalating clash with Pope Leo XIV collided with separate tensions over Italy’s limits on using its territory for U.S. combat-linked operations tied to the Iran war. RUBIO TO VISIT ITALY, VATICAN AMID TROOP DRAWDOWN CALL, TENSION WITH TRUMP, POPE LEO: REPORTS Asked April 30 whether he’d consider pulling troops out of Italy and Spain, Trump said, “Yeah, probably. … Why shouldn’t I?” “Italy has not been of any help to us,” the president said. The Italian prime minister built a strong rapport with Trump through their shared positions on immigration, nationalism, border security and opposition to progressive cultural politics. Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, and she also visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago as she sought to position herself as a key intermediary between Washington and Europe. TRUMP MEETS WITH ITALIAN PM GIORGIA MELONI AT HIS MAR-A-LAGO RESORT The relationship often appeared notably warm in public. During a 2025 Middle East summit in Egypt, Trump publicly praised Meloni as “a beautiful young woman” and joked, “You don’t mind being called beautiful, right?” before describing her as an “incredible leader” respected throughout Italy. Trump and Meloni also found common ground politically. Both leaders embraced tougher border enforcement policies, criticized “woke” ideology in Western institutions and argued for stronger nationalist identities inside their respective countries. Meloni’s conservative Brothers of Italy party was frequently described by Trump allies as an example of the type of populist movement reshaping Europe. The split became visible after Meloni publicly criticized Trump’s attacks on the pope as “unacceptable,” prompting Trump to lash back and reportedly tell aides she was “much different than I thought.” RUBIO HOLDS ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’ MEETING WITH POPE LEO AFTER TRUMP SENDS HARD-LINE IRAN MESSAGE TO VATICAN Italian media and European analysts have described the dispute as a remarkable deterioration between two leaders once viewed as natural political allies. The Vatican dispute has been especially politically sensitive for Meloni because Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff, remains highly influential in Italy, where criticism of the pope by foreign leaders can quickly become politically toxic. Trump’s remarks about Leo’s opposition to the war against Iran generated significant backlash among Italian Catholics and across portions of Italy’s political establishment. The Iran conflict has further complicated relations. Italian officials reportedly have expressed growing discomfort over the possibility of deeper U.S. military escalation and concerns surrounding American military base access in Italy. Rome has also faced pressure domestically to distance itself from Washington’s handling of the conflict. Economic tensions continue simmering in the background as well. While Trump earlier in 2026 reduced tariffs on some Italian exports, including pasta products, as what he described as a “New Year’s gift” to Italy, concerns remain in Rome and Brussels over the administration’s repeated threats to impose broader tariffs on European goods. Against that backdrop, Rubio’s visit is widely being interpreted as an effort to stabilize relations before the political rift deepens further. The secretary of state is expected to discuss Middle East security, NATO coordination, migration and trade during his talks with Meloni and other Italian officials as the administration works to preserve Italy’s role as one of Washington’s closest partners in Southern Europe. The White House and Italian embassy in the U.S. could not immediately be reached for comment.
Virginia Dems split on DOJ probe of Soros-backed DA accused of giving ‘sweetheart deals’ to illegal aliens
News that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had opened an investigation against Fairfax County Prosecutor Steve Descano on Wednesday prompted mixed reactions from Virginia Democrats. The skepticism from some — but joined with some sense of openness from others — underscores the distrust that many Democrats harbor toward President Donald Trump’s DOJ while also highlighting frustrations from lawmakers over preventable violence. At least one Democrat, Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., dismissed the case as a witch hunt. “I think the DOJ has been putting a lot of ‘Ls’ on the board. I think this would be another loss in their column,” Walkinshaw said. PRO-POLICE GROUP ASKS DOJ TO PROBE SOROS-BACKED VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR USING BIDEN-ERA LAW ONCE AIMED AT COPS Others said they would reserve judgment. “I was discouraged, but I don’t want to prejudge. I very much hope and believe that the Commonwealth attorney has done nothing wrong or untoward. If they find anything, then we can fix it,” Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. Descano, who has received more than $600,000 in campaign support from the Justice and Public Safety PAC, a committee primarily funded by billionaire megadonor George Soros, has become a lightning rod figure in the national conversation over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown amid a string of murders in Fairfax County involving illegal alien repeat offenders. Most notable among them: The death of Stephanie Minter allegedly at the hands of Abdul Jalloh drew scrutiny when reports emerged that Jalloh had reportedly been arrested and released more than 30 times. In press releases following Minter’s death, DHS claimed that Descano’s office had been warned about Jalloh and the danger he posed to the public ahead of Minter’s death. FAMILY DEMANDS FAR-LEFT PROSECUTOR BE OUSTED FROM OFFICE AFTER SISTER KILLED BY REPEAT OFFENDER On Wednesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the investigation into Descano would zero in on his plea bargaining, charging decisions and sentencing policies. “Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow local prosecutors to pick and choose winners based on their immigration status,” Dhillon said. “This investigation will uncover whether this prosecutor is putting the community at risk in offering sweetheart deals to illegal immigrants charged with serious crimes.” Although he has voiced criticisms of the Trump administration’s focus on immigrants in the past, Beyer lamented the presence of repeat offenders — and not just in Fairfax County. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, ACCOMPLICE GET 5 YEARS FOR MURDER IN SWEETHEART DEAL WITH PROGRESSIVE VIRGINIA DA “If it’s legitimate, I hope they do their job well. I’ve often seen cases around the country where you just can’t believe somebody with so many prior convictions is still out. “I think we have a responsibility to protect the public,” Beyer added. Descano’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
US intel community agreed before war ‘Iran wasn’t developing a nuclear weapon’: ex-counterterrorism chief
Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent asserted in a post on X that prior to the start of the Iran war, the U.S. intelligence community agreed that the Islamic Republic was not developing a nuclear weapon. “One of the many tragedies of this war is that before the war began the U.S. Intel Community, including CIA, was in agreement that Iran wasn’t developing a nuclear weapon & that Iran would target U.S. bases in the region & shut down the Strait of Hormuz if they were attacked by Israel & the U.S.,” Kent wrote in a post on Thursday. “The IC also properly assessed that targeting the Iranian leadership would strengthen the regime and embolden the hardliners. Despite the professionalism & accuracy of the IC, the narrative & agenda spun by a foreign government- Israel, won the argument & forced us into this war,” he continued. EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF SAYS TRUMP MUST RESTRAIN ISRAEL BEFORE HE CAN DECLARE VICTORY IN IRAN “We need to understand exactly how this happened to ensure we are never put in this position again,” he concluded. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Friday for a response to Kent’s comments. Kent resigned from the National Counterterrorism Center director role back in March. WHAT ISRAEL WANTS FROM AN IRAN PEACE DEAL: NO ENRICHMENT, MISSILE LIMITS AND STRICT ENFORCEMENT “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” he wrote in his resignation letter. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” In an April Truth Social post, President Donald Trump slapped down the notion that Israel convinced him to enter the war against Iran. TRUMP PUSHES BACK AGAINST PUNDITS, SAYS ISRAEL DID NOT TALK HIM INTO THE IRAN WAR “Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, did,” the president wrote in part of the post, referring to the heinous Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack perpetrated against Israel.
California county finds nearly 600 unopened ballots months after Newsom-backed redistricting measure passed
Nearly 600 unopened ballots were discovered in a California county months after voters approved a statewide Democratic redistricting measure, with local election officials admitting they failed voters. The Humboldt County Office of Elections said in a Wednesday press release that the 596 sealed but uncounted ballots did not impact the outcome of the Nov. 4 statewide special election, which centered on Proposition 50, a redistricting ballot measure pushed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats. The ballots were found Monday inside a locked drop box, prompting county officials to say they had not been tampered with because the box was locked, and the ballots remained sealed. Officials said the error stemmed from a miscommunication over whether the drop box had been fully emptied before certification. “While the mistake occurred after an election worker did not follow proper procedures, the responsibility for what happened ultimately sits with me. I did not have strong enough controls in place to prevent this, but we do now,” Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Juan Pablo Cervantes said in the news release. “We have taken corrective action and already updated our protocols. A new lock out, tag out procedure has been implemented for every ballot drop box to ensure each box is physically verified as empty and secured before election results are finalized.” SUPREME COURT SHUTS DOWN CALIFORNIA GOP BID TO BLOCK NEWSOM’S NEW MAP While the ballots will not change the outcome of the November election, Humboldt County officials said they are still endeavoring to ensure all ballots get counted, apologizing to voters that they “fell short” of their duties. “I promise you that we are taking this seriously,” Cervantes added. “We will strengthen our processes and continue pushing toward the standard our community expects and deserves.” Proposition 50, championed by Newsom and California Democrats, allowed the state to temporarily use legislature-drawn congressional maps for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections instead of maps created by California’s independent redistricting commission. REDISTRICTING BATTLES BREWING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PARTIES COMPETE FOR POWER AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS The measure came amid a national mid-decade redistricting fight, with Newsom and California Democrats arguing the state needed to counter GOP-led map changes in states such as Texas. California’s normal redistricting process is handled by an independent commission, but Prop 50 created a temporary voter-approved exception allowing the state to use legislature-drawn congressional maps through 2030. After the Supreme Court last week narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a Louisiana redistricting case, a ruling that could open the door for Republican-led states to pursue new maps that undercut Democratic redistricting gains in California and potential gains in states such as Virginia, California Democrats have faced pressure to consider going even further in response. However, The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that despite this urging for additional action, even after voters approved Prop 50, California Democrats have no intention of making an attempt to redraw the maps again before the midterms. California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks pointed out Democrats need to win the seats created under the state’s existing Prop 50 map they redrew last year. “We have yet to fully win the seats in the map that was drawn in 2025. It seems a step too far to say we’re going to go back to the drawing board and redraw the map,” Hicks said, according to The Los Angeles Times. “You all should pick up some seats. Let’s all do this together, because California cannot do it alone, it will take the rest of the country,” Hicks added, referring to pressure on Democratic-led states to counter Republican redistricting efforts nationwide.
Top Dem legal boogeymen tee up ‘battle royale’ in red state’s redistricting crusade
Democrat-aligned legal heavyweights moved swiftly this week to block Florida’s congressional map after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the redistricting plan into law on Monday, setting up new high-stakes court fights following the Supreme Court’s landmark Voting Rights Act decision clearing the way for red states to reconfigure their lines. Prominent election lawyer Marc Elias and vocal anti-Trump lawyer Norm Eisen were among those spearheading a trio of lawsuits challenging the map, designed to give Republicans four new seats on President Donald Trump’s home turf. Elias is best known for leading high-profile election lawsuits on behalf of Democrats, while Eisen led House Democrats’ first impeachment probe into Trump. One conservative election expert said their new lawsuits might be successful in state court. “If they can delay, even if they eventually get the injunction overturned, by then it’ll probably be too late for these new districts to be put in place,” Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, told Fox News Digital. DESANTIS SIGNS FLORIDA REDISTRICTING MAP TO POTENTIALLY FLIP 4 HOUSE SEATS RED The fast-moving litigation, brought in Leon County, alleges that the 24-4 map violated a unique provision of the state constitution called the Fair Districts Amendment, which bans partisan gerrymandering. The Supreme Court’s decision involving Louisiana’s map found that congressional lines should not typically be drawn based on racial demographics. DeSantis has signaled that the decision bolstered Florida’s mid-cycle redistricting plan. The Democrat-led lawsuits in Florida, meanwhile, were unable to make race-based claims because of the high court ruling, von Spakovsky said, noting the legal challenges all rested on claims that the newly drawn districts were unfairly crafted to suit Republicans’ political needs. “I think they’re going to have a battle royale in court,” von Spakovsky predicted. “All of the different groups that filed these Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, all of them talk to each other, and they don’t work in isolation, and I can tell you, the reason they filed three different lawsuits is that they’re hoping they’ll get at least one of the three judges to issue an injunction, even if they ultimately lose the case,” von Spakovsky said. “The whole point of these lawsuits is to impose delay.” Republicans are up against the clock to defend the map as Florida’s candidate qualifying period begins in early June, while the state’s congressional primaries are scheduled for Aug. 18. A spokesperson for Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd told Fox News Digital the office could not comment on pending litigation. MEDIA OUTRAGE OVER SUPREME COURT’S VOTING RIGHTS ACT DECISION COLLIDES WITH REALITY One of the lawsuits was brought by Eisen and others on behalf of voting rights groups including Common Cause and the League of Women Voters. Another was brought by Elias on behalf of the Equal Ground Education Fund and several individual Florida voters, and the third was brought by the Campaign Legal Center and the UCLA Voting Rights Project. Florida is among several red, southern states hoping to rework their maps in time for the midterms. The stakes in Florida, an increasingly red state where Trump lives when not in D.C., are highest with four seats up for grabs, while Tennessee is aiming to break up its one Memphis-based majority-Black district and Alabama has only two Democratic-leaning districts. When reached for comment, a spokesman for Elias pointed to his firm’s statement calling Florida’s map “one of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders ever recorded.” “This new map would have one of the largest pro-Republican skews ever recorded,” the statement read, noting that Florida voters “sent a clear message” when they approved the state constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering in 2010. The lawsuits in Florida also come against the backdrop of a broader pre-existing war over mid-cycle redistricting that began with California and Texas. The Supreme Court has greenlit both states’ maps, which gave five new seats to Democrats and Republicans, respectively. In Virginia, Democrats secured a 10-1 advantage in a state that typically leans slightly blue. The state Supreme Court is now examining that map after Republicans alleged in multiple lawsuits that a ballot measure approving the map originated from an illegal special legislative session and that the ballot language was deceiving. BLOCKBUSTER SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS RULING IGNITES REDISTRICTING WAR ACROSS SOUTHERN STATES Asked about his redistricting efforts and whether it was a coordinated effort to reverse DeSantis’ plan, Eisen told Fox News Digital DeSantis improperly leveraged the 6-3 Supreme Court decision. The high court’s decision came down on April 29, and DeSantis signed into law the state-legislature-approved map the following Monday, May 4. “Gov. DeSantis has used the excuse of [Louisiana v. Callais], really within hours of that decision coming down from the Roberts court, to do a plainly partisan redistricting in Florida,” Eisen said. “We and the coalition of civil rights and democracy groups and clients have filed a lawsuit to stop that. We cannot see the Callais decision, which itself is wrong, being further abused to drive additional illegal behavior.” DeSantis told Fox & Friends the Supreme Court ruling supported Florida’s new congressional lines both because they dismantled an illegal racial gerrymander and because they reflected population growth. “We actually had a racial gerrymander that the Supreme Court just said is unconstitutional,” DeSantis said. “I knew that was going to happen, so we called the special session back in January for April. … The other thing is, the Florida today is not the same Florida of 2020. We’ve netted two million people. … It does reflect that we have had explosive growth in parts of our state.” Fox News Digital reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment, as well as lawyers for the Campaign Legal Center.
Trump praises Susie Wiles’ cancer fight in surprise gala video: ‘Winning it decisively’
President Donald Trump praised White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as “winning it decisively” in her battle with cancer after she revealed she was diagnosed nine weeks ago while accepting a major award Thursday night. “It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks, and she’s been winning a battle with cancer and winning it decisively,” Trump said in a pre-recorded video message. “It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape.” Wiles said during an onstage conversation that she would continue to work following the diagnosis. “I come to work every day. I do my job, I don’t complain, and I think that sets an example, too, for the people I work with,” Wiles said. WH CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES DIAGNOSED WITH EARLY STAGE BREAST CANCER, PROGNOSIS ‘EXCELLENT,’ TRUMP SAYS Trump surprised Wiles with the video as she accepted the Independent Women’s Forum Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award at a gala in Washington, D.C. He praised her as “the first female chief of staff in American history” and “one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history.” “I say the best, actually,” Trump said, adding that he was “tremendously grateful” for her “friendship, loyalty and support every single day.” TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF PLEDGES NO ‘DRAMA’ OR SECOND-GUESSING IN WHITE HOUSE Wiles said she did not know the video was intended for the gala, despite briefly walking in while Trump was recording it. “I walked in when he was filming it, but I didn’t know what it was for, and I kind of ducked out the back door,” she said. Trump credited Wiles with playing a key role in each of his presidential campaigns, “especially in 2024,” and said his administration’s accomplishments have come with “her help and her leadership.” TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES RECOUNTS BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, THOUGHT PRESIDENT WAS DEAD AT FIRST “Susie, we have a problem. I say go to Susie,” Trump said. “We owe her a tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country.” Wiles, who described herself as a lifelong Republican, said her decision to back Trump in 2016 was one of the biggest risks of her career. “I wanted a disrupter,” Wiles said. “I looked around at the disrupters in the field and said, I think Donald Trump’s the one.” Asked about her role now, Wiles said, “This is the path God chose for me. And I’m here, and I’m doing the best I can every day.” The gala was held Thursday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this reporting.
Trump takes motorcade into Reflecting Pool, blasts past ‘$38M disaster’ fix under Obama
President Donald Trump visited the National Mall on Thursday, driving his motorcade through the drained Reflecting Pool to inspect a restoration project he said is correcting a “disaster” left by the Obama administration. Standing on the pool’s floor, the president touted a $1.8 million overhaul of the landmark, contrasting it with the $38 million spent under former President Barack Obama on a project Trump described as a “construction nightmare” that leaked immediately upon completion. The Reflecting Pool, which stretches more than 2,000 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, is one of the most visited landmarks in the nation’s capital, drawing millions of tourists each year and serving as the backdrop for historic events and presidential ceremonies. Trump was joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to review the application of a new, industrial-strength sealant. Trump revealed he personally selected the color for the new surface: “American Flag Blue.” TRUMP WORKING TO CLEAN ‘FILTHY’ LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL, BLAMES BIDEN FOR MAINTENANCE DELAYS “The color was never good because basically it had a gray stone underneath,” the president told reporters. “Now it’s going to have the great color. It’s going to last a long time and you’ll have no leak—guaranteed.” While previous estimates to fix the 2,400-foot-long pool reached as high as $355 million over a multi-year timeline, according to prior National Park Service planning documents, Trump said his team is completing the work in two weeks for a fraction of the cost. The National Park Service previously oversaw a major rehabilitation of the Reflecting Pool that was completed in 2012 at a cost of roughly $30 million, addressing structural issues and chronic leaking that had plagued the site for years. WATCH: TRUMP REVEALS FLASHY NEW COLOR FOR NATIONAL MALL’S REFLECTING POOL MAKEOVER The inspection was part of a broader “beautification” push for the nation’s capital. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the Department of the Interior has cleared more than 1,000 graffiti sites and 82 homeless camps in recent months under Trump’s direction to make the city “safe and beautiful.” “We’ve never had a president who has cared more, invested more, or put more time and attention into everything about the Mall,” Burgum said. The president also previewed several upcoming projects, including improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft and a proposed Triumphal Arc, though details on timelines, funding, and final approvals were not immediately released.
Trump surprises famously low-profile power player with tribute as she steps out for rare public appearance
FIRST ON FOX: Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, received the Independent Women’s Forum’s valor award on Thursday night as the president honored his longtime aide with a surprise video tribute. “The woman of valor, that is Susie, come to think of it. Not only is Susie the first female chief of staff in American history, she’s also one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history, I say the best, actually. I’m tremendously grateful for her friendship, loyalty, and support every single day. She’s a real professional,” said Trump in the video message, which was shared with Fox News Digital, to Wiles on Thursday evening during the ceremony. The award honors the legacy of Independent Women Forum founder Barbara K. Olson, who was killed in the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, and recognizes women who demonstrate the commitment and courage to advance economic liberty, personal responsibility and political freedom. Trump spotlighted Wiles making history as the first female White House chief of staff, following a long career in Republican politics and key roles in Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns. TRUMP NAMES SUSIE WILES AS FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN HISTORY “I am deeply honored to receive the Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award. Her strength, courage, and deep love of our country are inspiring to so many. I have the privilege of serving President Trump, our administration and my dedicated colleagues who fight every day to protect liberty, expand opportunity, and strengthen the lives of American families,” Wiles told Fox News Digital in a statement. “This award is not just a personal honor but a reflection of that shared mission, and I am grateful, humbled, and more committed than ever to continuing that work,” Wiles added. Trump continued in his surprise message during Thursday’s gala that she has been an inspiration while battling cancer. “It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks as she’s been winning a battle with cancer, winning it decisively. It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape. Susie played a key role in every one of my campaigns for president, but especially in 2024 or when she helped lead us to perhaps the most consequential election victory in modern times,” said Trump. IDAHO REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUE WITH CANCER, SHAVE THEIR HEADS IN SOLIDARITY “Everything we have done here in the White House has been with her help and her leadership. She’s respected by everybody. Every one of these people, they respect Susie. We have a problem. I say go to Susie, we owe her tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country. Thank you to Susie and congratulations,” he added. In March, Wiles announced she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer upon early detection and received a strong prognosis. She said she now joins the many women who have breast cancer and still continue to raise their children, go to work, and serve their communities. Wiles has been dubbed the “Ice Maiden” by Trump, which he noted in his 2024 victory speech, for her hard-nosed approach to handling politics. Wiles famously avoids the public spotlight, instead working as Trump’s behind-the-scenes enforcer from within the White House. Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Wiles is an inspiration and a “powerhouse of getting work done,” making her a force in making “America’s future days bright.” TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES ONCE HELPED NFL BROADCAST LEGEND FATHER PAT SUMMERALL BEAT ALCOHOLISM “Wiles was instrumental in securing President Trump’s victory and continues to keep the administration laser-focused on delivering results. Her impact is enormous—even if she rarely seeks the credit—and that’s exactly why it’s so meaningful to honor her,” said Lukas. Wiles is the 19th honoree of the award joining the previous recipients including Miranda Devine, Kimberley Strassel, Janice Dean, Maria Bartiromo, Betsy DeVos, Nikki Haley, Kellyanne Conway, Carly Fiorina, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Condoleezza Rice. She had a show of support from Trump’s administration with several cabinet members in attendance. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and FBI Director Kash Patel were all in attendance. Independent Women’s Forum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1992, presenting itself as an alternative to mainstream feminist groups.