Pentagon pushes hypersonic weapons production as startups slash costs
As the U.S. works to refill its missile stockpile, it is also looking to develop new weapons for its arsenal. “We’re going to need all three tiers of missiles. The cheap ones, the ones that are now the high-end like Patriot and then maybe some hypersonics,” said Mark Cancian, a retired U.S. Marines colonel and senior advisor with the CSIS Defense and Security Department. The U.S. military is taking an increasing interest in hypersonic weapons, which are maneuverable and travel five times faster than the speed of sound. “These hypersonic systems are now seen as the novel revolutionary system and the ballistic missile is seen as the archaic one,” said UC Berkeley Senior Research Scholar Cameron Tracy. US FALLS BEHIND IN HYPERSONIC RACE AS CHINA, RUSSIA GAIN EDGE But the weapons the military has traditionally invested in could come at a cost. Estimates from the Government Accountability Office show missiles for the Army’s long-range hypersonic weapon, the Dark Eagle, could cost more than $40 million each. As the Navy works to equip its Zumwalt Destroyers with hypersonics, the GAO puts estimates at $70 million per missile, which includes costs to develop and incorporate the necessary technologies. The GAO also notes the modernization project is two years behind schedule. “In the long run, for example, the Army thinks that the long-ranged hypersonic weapon will become cheaper as production ramps up,” said Xiaodon Liang, arms control association senior policy analyst for Nuclear Weapons Policy and Disarmament. Tomahawk missiles cost around $2.6 million, according to the U.S. Navy. Army budget documents show Patriot missiles cost nearly $4 million. Precision Strike Missiles or PrSMs cost $1.6 million per unit. The U.S. Navy could buy almost 27 tomahawks for the price of one hypersonic missile aboard the Zumwalt Destroyers. The Army could buy around 25 PrSMs for the price of one Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon. “The U.S. has invested in recent years in several of the programs that are starting to become into fruition,” said Liang. “These are exquisite weapons. And I think that the military is acquiring them for exquisite purposes.” Hypersonic weapons travel up to 20 times faster than traditional missiles and an adversary’s reaction time is thought to be six times shorter. Hypersonic speeds are also vital for both evading enemy defense systems and executing strikes. The Atlantic Council estimates 75% fewer hypersonic weapons would be needed for a mission. US ARMY OFFERING DEFENSE FIRMS ‘CONCIERGE ACCESS’ TO TEST WEAPONS AT MILITARY RANGES Startups are hoping to bring down some of the costs to produce hypersonic weapons with more affordable missiles and increased testing capabilities. “The weapon itself is under $500,000, which, if you know about munitions, that’s incredibly cheap,” Castelion co-founder and CEO Bryon Hargis said. The Army and Navy are investing in Castelion’s Blackbeard hypersonic weapon, which the company says is designed for mass production. “It is a story about hypersonics and what they can provide in terms of a weapon, but it’s really a story of American manufacturing,” Hargis said. “The company is focused on providing America options to have that middle deterrence layer, and we’re doing that through production.” This year, Castelion began building what it says will be the largest dedicated hypersonic weapon production factory in the U.S. Project Ranger is expected to produce thousands of Blackbeard weapons annually. Those will eventually be used to fill Castelion’s various contracts, such as integrating the weapons into the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Jets, incorporating the system into the U.S. Army’s HIMARS and deploying Blackbeard on unmanned surface vessels. “The advantage of a hypersonic system is that it goes very far, it gets there quickly and it’s highly survivable because of that maneuverability. And that’s important for achieving deterrence because it’s hard to shoot down,” Hargis said. Hypersonic weapons remain mostly in Earth’s atmosphere. The missiles are maneuverable during flight and can strike a target quickly, in 15-30 minutes from around 1,725 miles away. US REBUILDING WEAPONS STOCKPILE COULD DELAY ORDERS FROM ALLIES “If you don’t know what the target would be initially, unlike a ballistic missile where you can calculate where it’ll land, you might misinterpret, for example, an incoming strike as a decapitation attempt. And that would be very concerning,” Liang said. Developers say the U.S. speaks with other countries about missile launches and what the intended targets are. But there are other concerns that hypersonic maneuverability could lead to inaccuracy. “Technologies do tend to improve over time as testing and especially as experience with use builds up, but there are pretty important physical constraints on the performance of these systems,” said Tracy. Defense contractor Rocket Lab is working with the War Department to improve hypersonic missile capabilities through an increasing number of test launches. INSIDE AMERICA’S LASER REVOLUTION AS THE MILITARY NEARS BIG BATTLEFIELD BREAKTHROUGH “With our HASTE program, what we have enabled is low-cost, high-frequency hypersonic and missile defense testing. And when you can say that you can get that cheaper and faster, now you’re looking at more of a shots on goal approach to demonstrating capability of the technology insertion cycle,” Rocket Lab Vice President of Global Launch Services Brian Rogers said. Rocket Lab’s HASTE is a suborbital test bed launch vehicle that provides flight test opportunities for the government to advance hypersonic and suborbital system technology development. The vehicle is derived from Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket, which has launched nearly 100 missions. “Rather than saying we need to be stuck in an analysis environment, and then it’s a very rigorous test campaign that costs a lot of money and involves a lot people, now you can say we’re planning 12 tests this year. We don’t have to bet the farm on any one of them, which allows us to take more risk and really move the needle in terms of technology development,” Rogers said. The U.S. military has never used a hypersonic weapon but has explored deploying its Dark Eagle to the Middle East. “I would be very surprised if we used
‘Bonnie and Clyde’ illegal immigrant couple accused of brazen jewelry theft spree across four states
An illegal immigrant couple dubbed “Bonnie and Clyde” by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allegedly turned strangers’ kindness into a payday, stealing necklaces from elderly victims in a jewelry theft spree stretching across four states. Rudi Lacatusu, 28, and Mirabela Lacatusu, 26, Romanian nationals accused of targeting victims on Long Island, are now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, DHS announced Tuesday. The pair allegedly carried out at least 14 jewelry thefts across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland, according to DHS, which cited local reporting. The stolen necklaces were valued between $2,000 and $3,000 each. DHS BOSS REVEALS OVAL OFFICE PLAN TO ‘WITHHOLD FUNDING’ FROM SANCTUARY CITIES AFTER AGGRESSIVE NEW YORK BUST One alleged encounter began with a seemingly innocent request for directions. A 73-year-old woman was standing outside her Valley Stream, New York, home Oct. 5, when a gold Mitsubishi with a man and woman inside pulled up, Nassau County police said. The female passenger asked how to get to BJ’s Wholesale Club. After the woman helped, the passenger stepped out, asked to hug her and placed two gold-colored necklaces around her neck, according to detectives. A short time later, the woman realized her own gold necklace, worth approximately $2,000, was gone. Investigators linked the suspects to similar thefts in Franklin Square and East Meadow. Each faces three counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, police said. DHS said Nassau County authorities turned the couple over to ICE after their arrests. Both entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown time and location, according to DHS. DOJ SUES CONNECTICUT, NEW HAVEN OVER SANCTUARY POLICIES: ‘OPEN DEFIANCE’ “This ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ illegal alien couple from Romania has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly carrying out more than a dozen jewelry thefts across four states,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. “Thanks to local partners in New York, these illegal aliens are in ICE custody and will be removed from our country.” Mullin also took aim at Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, arguing that sanctuary policies put Americans at risk. “If it were up to sanctuary politicians like Governor Kathy Hochul, these criminals would be back on the streets to rob more Americans,” he said. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE’S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY DHS used the arrests to renew its criticism of New York’s sanctuary policies, calling the state a “hotbed of illegal alien crime” under Hochul. DHS also argued those policies have had “disastrous consequences” beyond New York’s borders. The announcement follows Operation Rotten Apple, an ICE crackdown that ran from July 27 through Aug. 29. DHS said officers arrested 2,197 illegal immigrants across New York during the operation, including people the department described as murderers, rapists, child predators, drug traffickers and violent assailants. Nassau County police initially issued the suspects appearance tickets directing them to court in Hempstead Oct. 20, according to the department’s arrest announcement. DHS’ statement Tuesday did not specify when ICE took custody of them. The case prompted police to warn residents about distraction scams targeting elderly people, including strangers offering jewelry or gifts, asking to pray together, requesting change or seeking help with a flat tire. While a victim’s attention is elsewhere, the thieves can remove jewelry directly from their body, police warned. Authorities urged residents to stay alert in parking lots and outside grocery stores and call 911 to report suspicious activity. Anyone who has been targeted in a similar theft can contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.
Dem candidate’s bizarre anti-MAGA tirade ends with ‘We have guns too’
A Democrat running for county council in eastern Indiana was ridiculed Tuesday after critics claimed she appeared “s— faced” and slurred her way through attacks on Republicans during a televised candidate forum. During the forum, Fayette County Council candidate Jaime West said she would “fire all Republicans” if elected, railed against “MAGAs” she called “racist” and unintelligent and alleged that a sheriff’s nephew had threatened to kill her. Asked for a final message to voters, West responded: “We have guns too.” “This is not a skit,” said LibsOfTikTok, a popular conservative punditry account run by commentator Chaya Raichik. “Jaime West, a Democrat running for Fayette County Council in Indiana, gave an embarrassing interview where she appears to mumble and rant the entire time. Is she intoxicated?” Raichik asked on X. LAWMAKER’S STUNNED FACE AND OTHER VIRAL MOMENTS CAP ROUGH WEEK FOR POLITICAL CLASS Former litigator Viva Frei tweeted that the video initially appeared to be a “skit [or] high school video project.” “I had to make sure she did not have a neurological disorder that could account for the slurred speech and insane rambling. She doesn’t. And even if she did have a diagnosed neurological disorder, ‘we have guns too’ after talking about firing all Republicans would ordinarily be disqualifying,” Frei said. When asked one decision she would make if elected that constituents would find unpopular, West told the moderator, “Fire all Republicans.” “I wouldn’t let them — I don’t even talk to them. I don’t like them. They voted against — their own state representative voted against her own party,” West continued while also pledging not to raise taxes. DEM SENATE HOPEFULS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR ‘CHOKE THEM OUT’ RHETORIC AFTER TRUMP ATTACK SCARE “Y’all did this to us. … You made this happen. This ICE coming into our communities, stealing people’s jobs. I mean, I’ve been threatened so many times to my face by MAGA; we’ll call them, because there’s Republicans who actually get it. You know, there are good Republicans out there, but then there’s these MAGAs who are just racist and aren’t very intelligent at all,” West continued. “They call you names. The sheriff’s nephew threatened to blow my head off. But, you know, what are you going to do?” The moderator paused before asking West for a final message to voters. “We have guns too,” West said as the moderator pivoted to informing viewers about how to vote in the Hoosier State’s elections this year. West could not immediately be reached for comment. While it was not immediately clear which Indiana sheriff West was referring to, Zac Jones, who leads the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office where she is running, was stunned by the remark. “I don’t know Jaime West, and she obviously doesn’t know me. I have five nieces and zero nephews. I’m not sure what she is talking about, and I’m certain she has no idea what she is talking about either,” Jones told Fox News Digital. “It’s a sad day when this is the best the Democrat Party can get to run for this important local office.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER West is running against Republican Gary Keener Jr. in Fayette County.
Coast Guard firefight puts US, Mexico at odds despite coordinated border operations
A firefight involving U.S. Coast Guard personnel along the Mexican border has sparked a dispute between Washington and Mexico City over where the gunfire originated, even as the two countries continue coordinating border security operations. The Coast Guard told Fox News Digital that personnel conducting joint interdiction operations near Garceno, Texas, came under fire from the Mexican side of the border Sept. 26 and returned fire. No injuries or damage to Coast Guard vessels or equipment were reported, and the incident remains under investigation. After U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson publicly announced that Coast Guard personnel had come under fire, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded evidence that the shots originated from her country’s territory. “We asked for all the evidence because we have no evidence,” Sheinbaum told reporters in Mexico City, saying Mexican security forces had not detected shots originating from their territory. MEXICO VOWS US WILL PAY AFTER ICE FATALLY SHOOTS ILLEGAL MIGRANT WHO ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO RAM AGENT WITH CAR The State Department, however, told Fox News Digital that information about the shooting had been shared with Mexican authorities. “U.S. Coast Guard personnel were fired upon from Mexican territory on September 26, and we have shared the available information with the Government of Mexico through official channels,” a State Department spokesman said. The department did not specify what was shared or when, and U.S. officials have not publicly identified the shooters or detailed how they determined the gunfire’s origin. TRUMP DHS HITS 16 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH 0 RELEASES AT THE BORDER The incident occurred amid Operation River Wall, a Coast Guard initiative launched in October 2025 to deter illegal migration, drug smuggling and other threats along approximately 300 miles of the Rio Grande. “Over the past year, the Coast Guard has expanded operations in the region, deploying more than 1,000 personnel and more than 30 assets,” a Coast Guard spokesperson told Fox News Digital, referring to “Operation Sable”. Separately, Mexico’s Navy Ministry, led by Secretary Raymundo Morales-Angeles, said 159 “Naval elements”, 11 vehicles and two drones were deployed to the Tamaulipas sector. U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) separately told Fox News Digital that American troops are being repositioned to the Rio Grande Valley in anticipation of a seasonal increase in attempted illegal border crossings. Asked whether Mexico had received evidence from U.S. authorities or launched its own investigation, a representative for Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Roberto Lazzeri Montaño referred Fox News Digital on Monday to Sheinbaum’s more recent remarks addressing the incident. Sheinbaum said Mexico’s military ministry “maintains” communication with NORTHCOM and the Coast Guard and that a “mirror operation” coordinated with the U.S. remains active. “We want to have a good relationship with the United States within the framework of our sovereignty, our territorial integrity, mutual trust, and coordination without subordination,” she said. Her response did not explicitly confirm whether Mexico had received the information Washington says it shared. Fox News Digital also contacted Sheinbaum’s office for comment. LATIN AMERICA’S CONSERVATIVE SHIFT FACES ITS BIGGEST TEST YET IN BRAZIL ELECTION Santiago Vidal Calvo, a Venezuelan-born immigration analyst at the Manhattan Institute, told Fox News Digital that Sheinbaum’s approach to border security is shaped by pressure from Washington and a broader Latin American shift toward right-wing governments. “She has that regional pressure [and] she has the international pressure from the United States” to cooperate on security matters, Calvo said. He suggested Sheinbaum’s demand for evidence of the Coast Guard shooting could reflect pressure within her own political coalition to justify working with the Trump administration. “She has a high bar to meet if she wants to ally with the Trump administration internally within her own party and her own government,” Calvo said. “We’ve got to understand this through the lens of what is going on in Latin America. I do think that Sheinbaum’s position is substantially different today than it was when Trump got elected,” Calvo said. His assessment reflects Sheinbaum’s ties to the left-wing Morena Party and the political legacy of her predecessor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly known as AMLO. Calvo characterized Sheinbaum as the “last bastion of Latin American socialism,” arguing that she could face additional regional pressure if Flávio Bolsonaro defeats President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil’s upcoming presidential runoff. Calvo suggested that the rightward shift among South American governments could increase pressure on Sheinbaum to cooperate with Washington on security matters. He said she may face questions about whether “you’re the only president of Latin America who’s not cooperating with the United States in terms of security?” “Both of those things do lead to a more serious border campaign for both countries,” Calvo said. “I have no doubt that the change in South America from left-leaning governments to right-leaning governments has to do with the Trump administration’s policy in Latin America,” he added. US CHARGES MEXICAN GOVERNOR, TOP OFFICIALS IN CARTEL CONSPIRACY AS MEXICO FIRES BACK OVER PROOF Border security policy analyst Simon Hankinson told Fox News Digital that gunfire near the Rio Grande is not unprecedented, citing accounts he heard during previous visits to the border. Hankinson said cartel involvement was possible but expressed doubt that Mexican military personnel would deliberately fire across the border unless they were acting against orders. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “I think these two politicians can cooperate, they can agree on some things, even if they don’t agree on socialism versus capitalism and some other ideological issues,” he added. The Coast Guard said the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Ilhan Omar’s embattled husband appears at scene of HSI raid in midst of criminal fraud investigation
The husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was captured on camera by Fox News Digital entering their shared Washington, D.C., residence the day after it was raided by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. Tim Mynett, a political consultant, was walking with a yellow Labrador dog on a leash Tuesday afternoon before entering the home that was searched early Monday morning amid a federal investigation into Omar’s immigration status. His outing came the same day U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced her office is investigating Omar’s financial disclosures about reporting of the couple’s shared worth. Two sources close to HSI’s investigation say the raid was part of a criminal fraud investigation into the Somali-born congresswoman’s immigration paperwork, which was filled out by her late father when she was a child. ILHAN OMAR’S WEALTH SCANDAL TAKES A TURN JUST ONE DAY AFTER RAID OF HER DC HOME Omar’s husband is at the center of one of the congresswoman’s most prominent controversies after her financial disclosure filings decreased significantly in reported worth within the span of one filing period. Pirro revealed her office is now investigating Omar’s financial disclosures after the Office of Congressional Conduct in September dropped its misconduct investigation into the congresswoman. Tuesday’s announcement opens a new chapter of investigations into the Minnesota Democrat. The controversy surrounding Omar’s finances began when a 2024 financial report estimated that Omar and Mynett possessed between $6 million and $30 million in assets, all while the Minnesota fraud scandal within the Somali community was beginning to come to fruition. The largest change in the documents was from Mynett’s assets. His reported ownership interests in both his winery and venture capital advisory firm, which were previously valued in the millions of dollars, are listed with no value now. In Omar’s 2024 financial disclosure records, Mynett’s share in his winery was valued between $1 million and $5 million, and his share at the venture capital advisory firm was valued between $5 million and $25 million. Now, his equity interests are both listed at $0. OMAR DUCKS QUESTIONS AS SCRUTINY GROWS OVER FILINGS THAT SLASHED HER REPORTED WEALTH BY MILLIONS Omar’s office previously told Fox News Digital that Mynett has partners in both businesses and said the earlier disclosure mistakenly reflected the businesses’ total equity rather than his ownership interest. The office also said the original filing listed assets without accounting for liabilities. Mynett was a partner of a firm that worked on Omar’s 2020 re-election campaign. The two announced their marriage in March 2020. This is Omar’s third marriage, but not her most controversial. The “Squad” Democrat has also come under fire for her first marriage to a man many alleged to be her brother. Critics and skeptics claim the two married as part of an immigration scheme. WATCH: ILHAN OMAR DENIES FEDS HAVE CONTACTED HER AFTER BORDER CZAR HOMAN CONFIRMS ‘CRIMINAL’ INVESTIGATION When White House border czar Tom Homan first announced a criminal investigation into Omar, many speculated it would be related to the allegations that she married her brother to evade United States immigration laws. But a former federal prosecutor recently confirmed to Fox News Digital that the statute of limitations would make opening an investigation into the matter difficult. A Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the judicially authorized search warrant for the raid of Omar’s house Monday was obtained by the DOJ as part of an ongoing federal investigation. Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
‘Squad’ Democrat formally introduces bill to abolish ICE, Border Patrol and dismantle DHS
Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., formally introduced sweeping legislation to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and eliminate Customs and Border Protection (CBP), advancing a radical proposal that would fundamentally overhaul federal immigration enforcement. The progressive “Squad” member’s Reimagining Safety Act would replace DHS with a new Department of Community Safety, while preserving several existing federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The legislation would eliminate CBP, including Border Patrol, toppling the federal agency responsible for securing America’s borders and screening travelers and goods entering the country. ‘SQUAD’ DEMOCRAT SLAMMED BY TRUMP ADMIN FOR MOST ‘RADICAL’ PLAN TARGETING ICE YET While certain customs and immigration functions would be transferred to other federal departments under Ramirez’s legislation, the proposal would eliminate CBP’s existing enforcement structure. The bill’s original cosponsors include fellow “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., along with Reps. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., according to Ramirez’s office. The legislation would also prohibit federal funding for border walls beginning in fiscal year 2027 and require the closure of the military detention center at Guantánamo Bay within 60 days of enactment. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin previously blasted the proposal in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital last month. DEMOCRAT COMPARES ICE TO ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISTS’ AS 111 HOUSE DEMS DEMAND TEXAS DETENTION CENTER CLOSE “Radical leftists are calling to defund the police and abolish DHS. It’s NEVER going to happen. Our 270,000 DHS patriots are keeping Americans SAFE— unlike this open-borders politician who refuses to prioritize Americans over illegal aliens,” Mullin said. A DHS spokesperson also criticized Ramirez, saying she “should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from her district — NOT vilifying law enforcement.” Ramirez previously defended her proposal in a statement to Fox News Digital, arguing the current department should be dismantled and replaced with an agency focused on community safety. ‘SQUAD’ MEMBER CALLS DHS ‘GREATEST THREAT TO OUR SAFETY’ AFTER ICE-INVOLVED SHOOTING “Every day, Americans wake up with a new reason to dismantle DHS, reimagine safety and build something that honors our shared humanity,” Ramirez said. Under the legislation, the TSA and Coast Guard would be transferred to the Department of Transportation, while FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency would move to the proposed “Department of Community Safety.” Customs functions would hypothetically move to the Treasury Department, while certain immigration functions would transfer to the Justice Department. The legislation would need to pass Congress and be signed into law before taking effect. None of its proposed changes to immigration enforcement are currently in force. Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this reporting.
Ilhan Omar’s wealth scandal takes a turn just one day after raid of her DC home
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro revealed Tuesday that her office is investigating Rep. Ilhan Omar’s financial disclosures, opening a new chapter in the controversy surrounding the Minnesota Democrat’s previously reported multimillion-dollar assets. Speaking on Fox News’ “America Reports,” Pirro said her office was examining Omar’s financial disclosures, which previously showed that the reported value of businesses tied to her husband, Tim Mynett, had surged from as much as $51,000 in 2023 to as much as $30 million in 2024. The latest development comes one day after federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home as part of an ongoing criminal investigation involving her immigration paperwork, two sources familiar with the probe told Fox News Digital. The Justice Department confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant Monday as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. It remains unclear whether the search is connected in any way to the financial disclosure investigation described by Pirro. WATCH: ILHAN OMAR DENIES FEDS HAVE CONTACTED HER AFTER BORDER CZAR HOMAN CONFIRMS ‘CRIMINAL’ INVESTIGATION The disclosures drew scrutiny from congressional Republicans, including House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., who requested financial records from two companies tied to Mynett in February. The original filings, examined by Fox News Digital earlier this year, showed millions of dollars in newly reported assets associated with two of Mynett’s business ventures — a California-based winery and a Washington, D.C.-based venture capital firm. ILHAN OMAR NOT OUT OF THE WOODS DESPITE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REVISION, TOP REPUBLICAN WARNS The winery, eStCru LLC, saw its reported valuation jump from between $15,000 and $50,000 in 2023 to between $1 million and $5 million in 2024. Rose Lake Capital LLC showed an even sharper increase, rising from a reported value of between $1 and $1,000 in 2023 to between $5 million and $25 million the following year. Combined, the businesses had reported values ranging from approximately $15,000 to $51,000 in 2023, compared with between $6 million and $30 million in 2024. Financial disclosure forms report assets in broad ranges rather than exact dollar amounts, meaning the filings did not establish the couple’s precise net worth. In February, Comer requested documents and communications related to the finances of eStCru LLC and Rose Lake Capital LLC, raising questions about the dramatic increase in their reported valuations. Omar subsequently amended her financial disclosures in April, reducing the couple’s combined reported assets to between $18,004 and $95,000. The revised filing listed her husband’s two businesses as having no net value after accounting for liabilities. Omar’s office, at the time, said the original disclosures had failed to properly account for liabilities associated with her husband’s businesses, creating what it described as a misleading picture of the couple’s finances. The congresswoman has repeatedly maintained that she is not a millionaire. MEET THE LONGTIME BIZ PARTNER OF ILHAN OMAR’S HUSBAND AS QUESTIONS SWIRL OVER HER SKYROCKETING NET WORTH In September, the Office of Congressional Conduct voted 5-1 to recommend that the House Ethics Committee dismiss misconduct allegations stemming from the financial disclosures. The congressional watchdog found there was not substantial reason to believe Omar had reported false or incomplete information in violation of federal law or House rules. Omar’s office characterized the findings as vindication, maintaining that the congresswoman had done nothing wrong. The congressional watchdog’s review is separate from the federal investigation described by Pirro on Tuesday. Omar’s latest annual financial disclosure, filed in May, listed assets totaling between approximately $20,000 and $125,000, according to a Minnesota Star Tribune analysis. The filing also reported student loan and credit card debt associated with her husband. The Somali-born congresswoman has denied allegations of wrongdoing and has accused the Trump administration of targeting her for political reasons — especially after Monday’s raid of her Washington, D.C., residence. The Minnesota Democrat has been a frequent target of criticism from President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.
New evidence debunks Talarico psych hospital rumor after ‘mind-numbing malpractice’ fuels firestorm
A viral rumor claiming Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico secretly spent his recent campaign absence at an Ohio behavioral health center has now been debunked — but new questions are emerging over why evidence that could have quickly undercut the allegation was not made public as the speculation exploded online. The New York Times reported Monday that it reviewed time-stamped security camera images provided by Talarico’s campaign showing the Democrat at his Austin home between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, when his nine-day absence from the campaign trail was fueling mounting speculation about his whereabouts. The images, which the campaign provided to the Times on the condition they not be published for security reasons, offer the clearest independent evidence yet supporting Talarico’s account that he was home recovering from the flu and contradict claims that he instead traveled more than 1,000 miles away for treatment at an Ohio behavioral health center. PAXTON’S ESTRANGED WIFE BREAKS SILENCE ON TEXAS SENATE RACE AFTER ‘BIBLICAL GROUNDS’ DIVORCE But the revelation has also prompted criticism from some observers questioning why Talarico’s campaign did not provide similarly verifiable evidence earlier before an unsubstantiated theory about his whereabouts mushroomed across social media and was amplified by prominent conservatives. “In October of an election year, every day and every hour count as candidates do everything they can to meet with voters. So, if you are out of commission for any extent of time, it’s easy for voters to wonder what’s going on,” GOP strategist Mark Bednar told Fox News Digital. “That being said, if there’s a simple explanation like an illness, it’s even easier to just prove that outright to voters. If the flu was really the case with Talarico, it’s mind-numbing malpractice that his campaign didn’t quickly and easily demonstrate that.” Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross pointed to the Times report Monday, writing on X that the footage “could have been released a week ago and quashed the rumors.” FOX NEWS POLL: IT’S A LONE STAR SENATE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN TALARICO AND PAXTON Talarico’s campaign had maintained throughout his absence that he was recovering from the flu, and Talarico appeared virtually at an event Sept. 30 while visibly ill and told attendees he had come down with the illness. But his extended absence from in-person campaigning increasingly became a subject of speculation as Election Day approached. The speculation accelerated after Talarico’s campaign reposted footage from a February rally on Oct. 3 without initially identifying it as a months-old video. His campaign told the Times it routinely reposts older social media content. “Let’s be fair here. You’re 20 days out from Election Day, and you’re running for senate in one of the biggest states in the country. Use tech to connect: direct to camera videos, do a livestream. To just go dark is malpractice,” Matt Gorman, chief communications officer at Targeted Victory, told Fox News Digital. “You’re running for Senate, not some cubicle dweller.” Fox News Digital gave Talarico’s campaign an opportunity Tuesday to respond to the criticism and update its previous statement after The New York Times’ reporting. The campaign declined to add to its earlier response. “This is a conspiracy theory that has been proven false. James is excited to be back on the campaign trail after recovering from the flu,” campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital Monday. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Ennis, meanwhile, turned his attention toward Talarico’s Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “It’s been 87 days since James challenged Ken Paxton to come out of hiding and answer Texans’ questions in a debate, which even President Trump called on him to do,” Ennis said. “Ball is in Paxton’s court.”
CodePink launches China tour as grand jury investigation into Singham network funding continues
A California-based nonprofit with ties to the CCP and Neville Roy Singham embarked on a Chinese propaganda tour this week, telling attendees they could learn about the “revolutionary history” of the communist country while “marveling” at the socialist development in the country. On Sunday, CodePink, a 501(c)(3) registered in Marina del Rey, California, posted a video of co-founder Medea Benjamin in an airport discussing her trip to China. The video, which was posted in between separate posts bashing Columbus Day and propping up feminism, detailed how Benjamin will show how the communist country is different from “the one we keep hearing about in Washington.” The following day, CodePink posted another clip of Benjamin outside a university in China lauding the safety of the country, saying enthusiastically that it is “amazing” an umbrella or bike can be left unattended in the region “without worrying about someone stealing it.” SENATOR TARGETS ALLEGED CHINA-LINKED SINGHAM NETWORK IN FIERY FLOOR SPEECH The trip, according to an event promotion link for sign-up on the CodePink website, is 12 days and 11 nights in Shanghai, Chongqing, Zunyi, Loushanguan, Maotai Village and Guiyang estimating that attendance would cost between $3,000 and $4,000 depending on the total number of participants. The website said attendees will be “greeted by local Shanghai comrades,” and a tour with Benjamin and Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans is included. “Explore China’s revolutionary history, while marveling at high-tech infrastructure and modern socialist development,” the event description reads. “Highlights include Red Memorials, Historical Re-Enactments and Museums, Socialist Infrastructure, and Rural Revitalization.” HASAN PIKER NAMES PRO-CCP TYCOON SINGHAM AS FINANCIER OF ‘POLITICAL MOVEMENTS’ DESPITE NONPROFIT VENEER Evans visits the communist country to see her husband, Marxist and CCP sympathizer Neville Roy Singham. A Fox News Digital investigation revealed that Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his tech company for an estimated $785 million in 2017, has directly supported and provided funding to CodePink. Since 2017, Singham has funneled $278 million into a broad network of nonprofits, including CodePink, according to a Fox News Digital investigation. These groups regularly organize and participate in anti-ICE, anti-Israel and pro-Iran demonstrations. ‘TROJAN HORSES’ IN AMERICA: CONGRESS PROBES INFLUENCE NETWORKS TIED TO CHINA, IRAN AND CUBA Evans consistently participates in protests and demonstrations with Benjamin and the nonprofit. Just last month, she marched alongside communist and Marxist groups in protest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speaking at the United Nations General Assembly. In June, Fox News Digital first reported that the Justice Department’s U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York opened a grand jury investigation into alleged money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud by Singham and his network. Singham and CodePink have denied that the organization takes direction from the Chinese government. Singham has said he is guided by his own political beliefs, while Benjamin has said CodePink receives no money from the Chinese Communist Party. No criminal charges have been filed against Singham or the organizations related to the allegations. Fox News Digital reached out to CodePink and Singham but did not receive responses.
Dem making Senate comeback bid says he wouldn’t support a Trump impeachment push
Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat currently running to regain a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio after losing his 2024 re-election bid, has indicated that he would not support impeaching President Donald Trump. If Democrats win the House majority during the midterms this year, they could seek to impeach the president along party lines next year — if that were to happen, the matter would then head to the Senate. “I can’t speak for everybody else, but I would not support an impeachment of Trump. There’s just simply no reason for that, no matter what happens in the midterms,” the former lawmaker told The Columbus Dispatch on Oct. 9 Brown’s campaign and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on Tuesday. DEM’S DATA CENTER ATTACK IN CRITICAL SENATE RACE HITS SNAG WHEN MONEY TRAIL SURFACES: ‘JEKYLL-AND-HYDE’ The Democrat, who previously served in the Senate from early 2007 until early 2025, lost a 2024 Senate contest to Republican challenger Bernie Moreno. Brown is currently facing Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, in the Buckeye State’s special U.S. Senate election. In a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, a Husted campaign spokesperson said, “Sherrod Brown sided with his party twice to impeach President Trump during his first term. Now he’s masquerading as a moderate, despite a career aligning himself with Bernie Sanders and AOC. Don’t be fooled; when radical Democrats call, Brown always toes the line.” TRUMP TOUTS ‘GOLDEN AGE’ AT OHIO RALLY, URGES VOTERS TO DELIVER GOP MIDTERM WINS Gov. Mike DeWine last year tapped Husted to fill JD Vance’s Senate seat, after Vance relinquished his legislative post in preparation for transitioning to the role of vice president. During Trump’s first term, Brown voted to convict the president after both House impeachments. Though in both cases, the Senate’s votes fell short of the threshold necessary to convict, and by the time the Senate voted on the House’s second impeachment effort, Trump was no longer in office FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: AS THE HOUSE FALLS, THE SENATE STAYS IN PLAY While Trump has endorsed Husted, former President Barack Obama is backing Brown.