Dem senator says ‘zero interest in running for president’ in debate with GOP opponent
Incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who has repeatedly shot down the prospect of mounting a 2028 presidential bid, reiterated his position during a Tuesday night Georgia U.S. Senate debate. Atlanta Journal-Constitution chief political reporter Greg Bluestein pressed Ossoff about the issue during the Atlanta Press Club U.S. Senate debate at the Georgia Public Broadcasting studios. “Senator Ossoff, you’ve repeatedly said you won’t run for president in 2028, but your name continues to surface as a potential contender,” Bluestein said, adding, “So will you pledge right now tonight to serve your full six-year term if you win?” “Yes, I will,” Ossoff replied. “I have zero interest in running for president. I’m not running for president. I’m running for re-election to the Senate.” GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE SKIPS DEBATE AGAINST FORMER BIDEN ADVISOR, REPLACED BY EMPTY PODIUM The Democrat faces Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., in the Peach State contest, a Republican congressman who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2023. Collins pushed back during the debate, saying Ossoff “is running for president” and will “be your DSA candidate,” apparently referring to the Democratic Socialists of America. EXCLUSIVE: OSSOFF CHALLENGED TO RETURN EPSTEIN-LINKED DONATION OR RETRACT ‘EPSTEIN CLASS’ ATTACK Ossoff has served in the U.S. Senate since early 2021. While President Donald Trump has endorsed Collins, former President Barack Obama is backing Ossoff. REPUBLICAN SOUNDS ALARM ON RISING DEM STAR: ‘THIS GUY’S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM’ The state — which currently has a Republican governor and two Democratic senators — went to Trump in the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections and to Joe Biden in 2020.
Ilhan Omar’s husband insists he has ‘no concerns’ amid federal immigration investigation
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, insisted he has “no concerns” about federal investigations into the Minnesota Democrat’s immigration paperwork after Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents raided the couple’s Washington, D.C., home. “My wife came here when she was 12 years old as a child war refugee,” Mynett told Fox News Digital. “No concerns.” His comments came the same day that Omar’s relatives were reportedly issued subpoenas, The New York Times reported Tuesday, as part of HSI’s investigation into her immigration paperwork. At least two of Omar’s relatives were subpoenaed — one was confirmed to be Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor. Fox News has also learned that subpoenas have been sent to multiple family members of Omar. The subpoenas were issued one day after federal agents searched their Washington, D.C., residence, as first reported by Fox News Digital, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into her immigration pathway to the United States, two sources familiar with the probe told Fox News Digital. ILHAN OMAR’S EMBATTLED HUSBAND APPEARS AT SCENE OF HSI RAID IN MIDST OF CRIMINAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION It was also reported by the New York Post on Tuesday that Omar’s staff helped to get her birth year adjusted from 1981 to 1982 in the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, as well as other sites such as Wikipedia and media outlets. The altered birthdate was published during her entire time serving in Minnesota’s House and for months into her time serving in Congress. She claims that she became a naturalized citizen by obtaining derivative citizenship through her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, when she was 17 years old — five years after leaving Somalia, as a “child war refugee,” according to how Mynett described her to Fox News Digital. Omar continues to deny allegations of immigration fraud amid HSI’s raid of her home. WATCH: ILHAN OMAR DENIES FEDS HAVE CONTACTED HER AFTER BORDER CZAR HOMAN CONFIRMS ‘CRIMINAL’ INVESTIGATION “For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation,” Omar posted to X on Monday. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced on Tuesday that her office is also investigating Omar’s financial disclosures about reporting of her and Mynett’s shared net worth. Scrutiny of Omar’s finances intensified after her 2024 congressional financial disclosure listed business interests associated with Mynett valued between $6 million and $30 million. Omar’s office subsequently said the figures were incorrect and amended the filing. 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. ILHAN OMAR’S OFFICE SAYS SHE’S ‘NOT A MILLIONAIRE’ AFTER $30M FILING REVISED DOWN TO UNDER $100K: REPORT 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’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. Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
GOP lawmaker urges Johnson to scrutinize new socialist lawmakers’ ‘access to intelligence’
New York City’s lone Republican in the House of Representatives is raising alarms about the far-left Democrats poised to serve alongside her on Capitol Hill next year. “These people are extreme, they’re radical, they are dangerous, and they really have no business being in the United States House of Representatives,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. “And it scares me that they’re going to have access to intelligence.” New York City was one of the largest fronts in the nationwide civil war that’s gripped the Democratic Party this midterm election cycle. It’s where two members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) scored upset primary victories against establishment-backed candidates — in deep-blue seats that mean they are virtually guaranteed to win their general elections in November. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN WARNS OF ‘DANGEROUS’ SOCIALIST AGENDA AFTER FAR-LEFT PRIMARY WINS Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., in his Upper Manhattan and Bronx-area district, while New York State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez won an open race for the Brooklyn- and Queens-area district represented by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y. Both Chevalier and Valdez have called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and have called Israel’s war on Gaza a “genocide.” DSA CO-CHAIR MOCKED FOR PROUDLY CONFIRMING SOCIALISTS WANT TO ABOLISH THE SENATE, NATIONAL BORDERS, PRISONS Malliotakis said their support of the DSA platform made both “un-American.” “I think they want to undermine the country. I mean, anybody whose campaign is based on no jails, no cops, no borders, is a real detriment to the country,” she said. “These are the people that are going to have access to intelligence? I think [Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.] really needs to look at that and see if they’re a national security threat.” JOHNSON WARNS COMMUNISM IS ‘ON OUR OWN SHORES’ AFTER FAR-LEFT CANDIDATES WIN NEW YORK PRIMARIES And if Republicans win the House majority in November, she called on Johnson to limit which committees the pair could serve on. “I do have a lot of concern about these members having access to sensitive information and intelligence that if put in the wrong hands, could be a detriment to our national security,” Malliotakis said. DEMOCRATIC INFIGHTING GROWS AS CONGRESSWOMAN EXPOSES ‘DISRESPECTFUL’ WELCOME OF SOCIALISTS INTO ‘BIG TENT’ The sentiment is just a preview of what is likely to be historic division within the House of Representatives next year, no matter who wins the midterms. The DSA has advocated for scrapping the U.S. Constitution in favor of a new system, as well as the abolition of prisons, the Supreme Court and the police. Malliotakis also pointed out that Chevalier once posted online, “I forgot to get napkins, so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me.” But next year they are poised to be in the same congressional delegation, and the New York Republican, born to a Greek immigrant father and a Cuban immigrant mother, said she does not know how she could work with them. “They are so extreme, I don’t see where we would find common ground,” Malliotakis said. “I don’t think I could work with somebody who wipes her hands on the American flag because she doesn’t have a napkin.” Chevalier and Valdez’s campaigns did not respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
Trump says ‘we are looking into’ other Dan Sullivan on Alaska ballot, warns about governor’s race
President Donald Trump says federal authorities are “looking into” Dan Sullivan, an independent challenger who goes by the same name as the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, in the Alaska Senate race. Trump made the statement in an interview with Fox News after a campaign rally in Alaska on Tuesday night. He suggested the second Sullivan’s presence in the race was a “hoax” by Democrats to siphon voters away from the Republican candidate. “We are looking, I can’t say federal, but we are looking into it. It’s a disgrace. We have, I call him the real Dan Sullivan, a great senator from Alaska. And in the race, they put somebody named Dan Sullivan who knows nothing about politics. His name happens to be Dan Sullivan. They even wanted to change his middle initial, which was different. They wanted to make it an S so that it could be exactly correct. I think it’s just terrible that they did it,” Trump said. SEEING DOUBLE: SECOND DAN SULLIVAN ADVANCES, SETTING UP BIZARRE ALASKA SENATE BALLOT “And actually, he got two points or something in the primary. The real Dan Sullivan won it, but … It’s a terrible thing. It’s another hoax by the Democrats,” he added. Trump also weighed in on the gubernatorial race in Alaska, where he has endorsed GOP candidate Bernadette Wilson. Other GOP candidates have been hangers-on in the race, despite Wilson winning the primary. Trump called on her Republican competitor, Dave Bronson, to drop out of the race. “He doesn’t have to, but he should, because, frankly, he lost in the primary by substantial numbers to Bernadette. And I’m not involved that much in, you know, Alaska politics, other than I want to see Dan and Nick get in. But she won in the primaries, and the others should have dropped out. So now you have three Republicans running against one Democrat. And I don’t like that. I don’t like those odds very much. But there, she’s great, and maybe she’ll get in, but I thought I had an obligation to endorse her,” Trump said. Trump went on to criticize the Democrat in the race, Mary Peltola, following her criticism that Sullivan had voted in favor of the war in Iran. GOP SENATOR, EX-HOUSE DEM EMERGE FROM ALASKA’S ‘JUNGLE PRIMARY’ DESPITE FAR-LEFT MEDDLING The president argued Americans understand that increased prices at the pump are a “small price to pay” to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “Can you imagine if they attacked our cities, and they attacked places where we are, including right here in Alaska? You would see turmoil far greater. We have a lot of oil flowing right now in the almost strait, we control it. The war is going to be over very, very soon. We’re going to have a big victory very shortly. Very, very shortly, and oil is going to come way, way down. Gasoline is going to come down to where it was before,” Trump said. “I had it down to $1.85 a gallon in some places like Iowa and a lot of places, actually. And I think we’re going to maybe even top those numbers. So you’re going to see it. But most importantly, Iran, the number-one state sponsor of terror, will never have a nuclear weapon. If they had one, you might not be standing here right now,” he added.
New York governor debate heats up as Blakeman, Hochul spar over Trump, sanctuary status, ICE shooting
The New York gubernatorial race heated up Tuesday as Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman clashed on the debate stage, with the pair trading jabs over President Donald Trump, a recent ICE-involved shooting and inflation. The debate opened with the candidates being asked about the conduct of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which last week drew outrage in New York City following the shooting of a 28-year-old Dominican national whom the Department of Homeland Security said refused to comply with lawful orders during a targeted operation in the Bronx. A 5-year-old boy inside Oscar Bergal’s vehicle was unharmed. “Kathy Hochul appealed to ICE to let this criminal out. The question that New Yorkers have to ask is what was this guy doing in New York in the first place? It’s because Kathy Hochul has made us a sanctuary state,” said Blakeman, a Republican. “Think about it. This guy came into the country illegally. He’s been convicted of a crime. He’s got pending charges for dealing drugs, poison to our children. And he’s a gangbanger. This is who Kathy Hochul is defending?” Blakeman continued. “I have a cooperative agreement with ICE until Kathy Hochul said we could no longer cooperate with ICE. We got over 2,000 illegal migrants out of my county with criminal records ranging from rape, attempted murder, robbery, burglary, drug dealing, carjacking, gang activity. And that’s because we cooperated with ICE, and we didn’t raid one school, one hospital, one daycare center or one church. If you cooperate with federal law enforcement, it makes for a safer community. That’s what I did. Kathy Hochul is taking that ability away from us. That’s why things like this happen.” Hochul called Blakeman’s response a “non-answer,” because “he refused to condemn what ICE did.” “So he basically says in the state of New York, he’d be fine if ICE agents shoot into cars, shoot guns into vehicles, not knowing who’s inside and could have killed a 5-year-old child. If that doesn’t shock the conscience of everybody — and it should shock his conscience as well — that he says, that’s OK, that’s how ICE is supposed to do it,” Hochul added. “I’ll tell you what. I oversee over 500 policing agencies in the state of New York, over half a million arrests every year. That’s not how you conduct yourself. ICE is out of control. It’s out of control in Nassau County.” Blakeman pushed back, saying, “it never would have happened” but for Hochul’s “sanctuary policy.” “You have invited criminals to come into our state and prey on our communities. And now you won’t let local law enforcement cooperate with ICE in an orderly way, like we did in my county,” Blakeman added. “We didn’t have any incidents in my county because we were allowed to cooperate with local law enforcement. But you took that tool away. The reason why that happened is because of you, Kathy Hochul, and your immigration policies, where you actually invite people into our state, give them free everything, and you don’t care whether they’re criminals or not. That’s a bad policy.” As part of her rebuttal, Hochul said, “I have a right to answer this one because this is so absurd. I have said, from the president on down, I said, New York is not a sanctuary for criminals, not a sanctuary for criminals. Full stop.” The two candidates also clashed over Trump and the state of the U.S. economy. “He promised to cut energy costs. He promised to cut down grocery costs. And you know what? Everything has happened under your friend, Donald Trump, who you are the president of the fan club for Donald Trump. It’s absurd how adoring you are of him. My gosh,” Hochul told Blakeman. “Well, what he has done is raise gasoline prices and energy prices and the cost of tariffs have driven up everything in the state. If you bought groceries lately, my God, the people are suffering. And that didn’t have to be the case. Why are we at war with the rest of the world?” “You like to talk about Donald Trump all the time, because you don’t want to talk about your record,” Blakeman responded. “I’m talking about my record right now,” Hochul said. “Because it’s a record of misery and failure,” Blakeman continued. “The highest taxes, utility rates that are 70% higher than the national average. But let me say something about Donald Trump. Donald Trump is my friend. He’s endorsed me. But so is Bonnie Lautenberg, a liberal Democrat whose husband, Frank, served in the United States Senate and was a pillar of the Democratic Party. Actor Debra Messing, who is a liberal Democrat who supports me because she trusts me to make safer communities, improve the quality of life here in New York.” “Alright, you got two votes,” Hochul said. “Good for you.”
Bipartisan senators demand Trump scrap Russia diesel deal, call it ‘betrayal’ of US allies
A bipartisan group of senators is urging Donald Trump to scrap his recently announced diesel deal with Russia, warning it could help President Vladimir Putin finance his war against Ukraine and calling the agreement “a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies.” “The Treasury Department’s General License No. 135, which lifts sanctions on Russia’s diesel exports, only provides Putin with more fuel to finance his war machine and enables Russia to continue its brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Granting Moscow the ability to sell Russian diesel freely in global markets damages American security interests and is a betrayal of the people of Ukraine, who continue to defend themselves from Putin’s murderous, illegal war. This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies; it should be rescinded,” the senators asserted in the missive. The letter, which also includes a note of cc to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is signed by GOP Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Alan Stuart Armstrong of Oklahoma, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John Cornyn of Texas, as well as Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Chris Coons of Delaware. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS BREAK WITH TRUMP ON DIESEL DEAL WITH RUSSIA “We also recognize the urgent need to lower energy costs for American families and address the disruptions caused by the war with Iran. However, allowing Russian-origin diesel into global markets will offer limited to no relief to Americans. It will have a negligible impact on fuel prices, but the revenues the Kremlin will receive from this agreement will undoubtedly finance its desired war of attrition and advance its security cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea. It will also endanger servicemembers operating overseas in support of Operation Epic Fury,” the senators declared in their message. “Putin is a tyrant. Withdraw from this agreement, rescind General License No. 135, and execute the authorities provided under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. Maintain our legacy – and the duty America holds – as leader of the free world,” they urged. TRUMP RUSSIA DEAL COULD FUEL PUTIN’S WAR, EX-NATO COMMANDER WARNS AS ZELENSKYY SAYS ‘NYET’ When asked during a gaggle on Tuesday whether he had been told that Russia would not utilize diesel money for bombs to use against Ukraine, Trump said no one “told me anything. That’s a diesel deal not for us. That’s being released into the world. That’s not being released to us. That’s a diesel deal that’s gonna be released into the world for the world market, because the world market suffered with high prices,” he said. “But they’re not releasing that to us, they’re releasing it to the entire world.” The senators’ message to the president comes after Trump, in a Truth Social post on Friday, announced, “I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter. Additionally, based on the condition of their Diesel Refineries, Russia will then deliver, within a short period of time, 3,000,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel. TRUMP SAYS RUSSIA HAS AGREED TO DELIVER MILLIONS IN DIESEL FUEL AFTER ‘HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL DISCUSSION’ “Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy, Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST! Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority. This is a very big and important announcement. Additionally, it must be understood, that Iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon!” the president declared in the post.
Battleground Republicans break with Trump on key issues in final midterm sprint
Battleground Republicans are breaking from President Donald Trump with increasing frequency as Election Day draws closer and the party fights to protect its congressional majorities. With just three weeks until voters head to the polls to decide who controls Congress for the latter half of Trump’s term, some Republicans are putting distance between themselves and Trump as the party faces significant political headwinds. Veteran GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital that such a strategy at this juncture was “not a surprise.” “It happens in midterms when presidents aren’t popular,” Heye said. “Add to that the more outlandish things he’s done — often on things that have nothing to do with lowering costs, ending the war with Iran, etc. — this was bound to happen.” TRUMP VANISHES FROM GOP SENATOR’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE AS POLL NUMBERS PLUNGE WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION It’s a similar situation to what’s played out with past presidents during a midterm election year, most recently with former President Joe Biden in 2022. And the Republican National Committee (RNC) is arguing that the party is united behind Trump, while conceding that GOP candidates have individual stakes. “Unlike the Democrats who are in a full-blown civil war with extremists, Republicans remain united behind the president’s agenda of cutting taxes, lowering drug costs and securing our communities. We are laser-focused on winning, and our candidates will run the races necessary to best represent their districts and prevent Democrats from taking control,” RNC spokeswoman Natalie Baldessarre said. And running their own races is what several are notably doing, balancing individuality with their support for Trump and the GOP base. At least two House Republicans, Reps. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., have touted conflict with Trump in advertisements. TRUMP-LINKED SUPER PAC PULLS FUNDING FROM 2 HOUSE REPUBLICANS AS GOP FIGHTS TO KEEP MAJORITY Kiggans is out with a new ad touting herself as “one of the most bipartisan members of Congress,” who has taken on her “own party to protect jobs, and working with Democrats to save healthcare.” One visual referenced a news article that said, “Kiggans bucks Trump on offshore wind.” Meanwhile, Lawler recently released an advertisement in which he highlighted taking on “the left and the right,” followed by a clip of Trump calling him a “pain in the a–” on state and local tax deduction issues. But for many, like Lawler, it’s a balancing act of trying to keep Trump and the GOP base happy, while courting independent voters. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said, “No one can dispute the fact that President Trump has created one of the most robust coalitions in political history with the MAGA movement, and the president understands how to communicate with them.” “President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party, and he is committed to maintaining Republican majorities in Congress,” Ingle told Fox News Digital. “The president signed the largest working-class tax cuts in history, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, sealed the border, drove violent crime to the lowest level in nearly a century, unleashed an energy revolution, added more than a million private-sector jobs and sent Americans’ 401(k)s climbing to record highs,” Ingle continued. “The choice has never been more clear: doubling down on President Trump’s winning, commonsense agenda or the Democrats’ extreme liberal policies and obstruction.” Still, the political tightrope was on full display when Lawler appeared on stage at Trump’s midterm convention in September, when he noted he and the president didn’t “always agree.” He told Fox News Digital at the convention, “I fundamentally believe if you want to get things done, you have to be able to work with whoever the president is. And it’s why I’ve consistently been rated among the most bipartisan and effective members of Congress.” Former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Sen. John Husted, R-Ohio, also notably appeared at Trump’s convention in Dallas. They have, however, split from Trump on some key issues in an effort to show daylight between themselves and the president. CAN THE ‘BEST SHOWMAN IN POLITICS’ DELIVER AGAIN? GOP BETS ON TRUMP AT HISTORIC MIDTERM CONVENTION They have called for an end to the Iran war and have diverged from Trump on data centers — the president declared on Truth Social shortly after the midterm convention that “the only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor.” But it’s a key sticking point for several Republicans on the trail who recognize the bad optics the hulking, windowless behemoths have with voters. Many, including Husted and Rogers, don’t believe it’s an issue that the federal government should have total dominion over. “What we’ve said is there should be a moratorium until we get all of the voters’ decisions and questions answered,” Rogers told Fox News Digital during the convention. “These are big decisions. I don’t think there should be a federal ban, because if the federal government can ban it, it can also tell you have to have one.” Another vulnerable GOP lawmaker who broke from Trump on the issue of data centers is Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., who has maintained that it should be a decision for local governments whether to allow such facilities in their backyards. “When you have people colluding with these corporations to come in and build a data center, before people in the community even know about it, because of these non-disclosure agreements, I think that violates the trust that people have or don’t have with their local officials right now,” Barrett said on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show.” Barrett is also one of a small handful of House Republicans who has consistently voted against the U.S. operation in Iran without congressional approval. The Middle East conflict has gained a steady stream of GOP opposition the longer it’s gone on, as evidenced by the growing number of Republicans voting for Democrats’ war powers resolutions in the House. Among them is Rep.
The Iran war’s unexpected impact on US defenses against China threat downplayed by top Army leader
Amid growing concerns that the Iran war is drawing away critical U.S. defenses from China’s doorstep, the Army’s top commander in the Pacific says the forces are using this unexpected opportunity to modernize. Gen. Ronald Clark, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, provided his assessment that diverting Patriot missile defenses to the Iran war has not increased risk to forces in the Indo-Pacific despite concerns about deployments impacting America’s readiness for potential conflict with China. “Actually, it’s given us an opportunity to modernize our systems here,” Clark told Fox News Digital during a small-group interview at the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Patriot systems have been redeployed from the Indo-Pacific to support operations in the Middle East, while U.S. forces in South Korea have also sent Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors to the region. An October Congressional Research Service report cited estimates that U.S. forces had expended roughly 1,700 Patriot and 200 THAAD interceptors during the conflict, while the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the military had used between half and two-thirds of certain interceptor inventories. The Pentagon’s inspector general has cited strategic inventory shortfalls and manufacturing bottlenecks stemming from the conflict, raising questions about how quickly the U.S. could replenish its defenses in the event of another major confrontation. Clark said the deployments are giving Patriot crews firsthand experience defending against enemy attacks, while equipment upgrades are expanding what individual batteries can accomplish. He said an upgraded Patriot battery can now provide coverage that previously required an entire battalion, though he did not specify whether he was referring to geographic coverage or the number of threats the system can engage. Asked whether recent diplomatic progress between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had changed his assessment of the threat from China, Clark said he believes the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is continuing its build-up. “Well, I believe they’re continuing to prepare,” Clark said. XI PREPARES CHINA ‘FOR BATTLE’ AS EXPERT WARNS OF GRAVE DANGER FACING US AHEAD OF DC SUMMIT The assessment comes weeks after Trump welcomed Xi to Washington for a high-profile state visit that produced new trade agreements and commitments to improve military communications. But the diplomatic progress has not resolved tensions over Taiwan and China’s growing military reach across the Indo-Pacific, where American commanders continue preparing for a potential conflict. Clark did not say whether China’s military preparations had accelerated or whether diplomatic outreach had changed Beijing’s intentions. He emphasized that the U.S. military’s responsibility is to remain ready for a potential conflict while working to prevent one. TAIWAN ANALYSTS SAY TRUMP-XI SUMMIT PRODUCED NO POLICY SHIFT BUT REAL TEST LIES AHEAD “Hopefully my legacy in this job is that when we walk away from command of USARPAC, that the deterrent posture of our command is such that we have not just prevented war, but we’re preventing war in the future,” Clark said. Clark said Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, recently discussed reviving disaster-management exchanges between the U.S. Army and China’s PLA during talks with his Chinese counterpart. The exchanges would provide an opportunity for American and Chinese military personnel to work together on disaster response, restoring a channel of direct engagement that Clark said he hoped to see revived. “If you’re able to have a conversation with your adversaries, you’re able to share information with them in a way that makes them not want to fight,” Clark said. He said U.S. Army Pacific would be responsible for coordinating the exchanges with its Chinese counterparts if the effort moves forward. He did not announce a date or say that Beijing had formally agreed to resume the program. The U.S. and Chinese militaries have periodically conducted disaster-management exchanges in the past, including an event hosted by the Army at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state in 2017. “The cost of going to war is just so high that it’s our duty to, one, be absolutely prepared for that eventuality, but two, to prevent that from happening,” Clark said. The diplomatic outreach comes amid continued confrontations between Chinese and Philippine forces in the South China Sea. As Fox News Digital previously reported, the Philippines tracked 101 Chinese navy and coast guard vessels around disputed waters in September, nearly double the number recorded in August. More recently, Philippine authorities accused Chinese forces of obstructing maritime operations and carrying out dangerous maneuvers near Philippine aircraft. CHINESE MILITARY ACTIVITY NEARLY DOUBLES AROUND KEY US ALLY IN DISPUTED WATERS Meanwhile, the Army has been expanding its capabilities across the Indo-Pacific, positioning additional forces and equipment closer to potential flashpoints as part of its effort to deter Chinese aggression. Clark said the Army now has more resources committed to the region than at any previous point in his career, including additional divisions, a corps headquarters and specialized formations designed to conduct long-range strikes and operations across multiple domains. “The Army is now better resourced in the Pacific than I’ve ever seen it,” he said. He pointed to the Army’s growing ability to support naval and air operations, including land-based weapons capable of striking targets at sea. Clark said recent military war games have demonstrated the importance of those capabilities, including one maritime scenario in which the addition of Army forces changed an unfavorable outcome. “It’s really tied to existing capabilities we have,” Clark said, citing the Army’s ability to detect targets, conduct strikes, protect military assets and sustain operations from land.
American-made goods also got more expensive under Trump tariffs, new research finds
Americans aren’t just seeing the price tag increase for imported goods. Thanks to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, they are now paying more for products made in the U.S.A., according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In fact, the research finds that prices for many everyday goods would have fallen last year and into early 2026 without Trump’s tariffs. The findings offer new evidence of how the sweeping tariff policy, a centerpiece of the president’s economic agenda during his second term, have affected Americans’ wallets — and it’s only getting worse with just one month until the midterm elections. TRUMP BET TARIFFS WOULD BRING BACK AMERICAN FACTORY JOBS. NEW REPORT SAYS IT DIDN’T WORK Economists had long warned that tariffs would drive up consumer prices, but measuring their precise impact has been difficult as trade policies shifted and companies made decisions about whether to absorb higher costs or pass them along to shoppers. Put simply, the New York Fed found that tariffs kept prices higher on many of the goods Americans buy every day. Without the tariffs, prices across the consumer goods examined for this study would have fallen by early 2026. Instead, they rose. The researchers estimated that tariffs added about 2.9 percentage points to prices across the goods they studied. And the impact, notably, was not limited to imported products facing the most fallout from tariffs. The New York Fed found that Trump’s policies pushed up prices on American-made goods. Researchers estimated that about two-thirds of the tariff-related price increase came from imports, while roughly one-third came from products made in the United States. The White House pushed back, arguing that tariffs will ultimately benefit U.S. workers and be paid by foreign exporters. “President Trump’s America First trade agenda is reshaping the international economic order to reduce our trade deficit, revitalize American manufacturing, and deliver lasting benefits to our workers, farmers and producers,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. The administration has maintained that foreign exporters reliant on access to the U.S. market will ultimately bear the cost of tariffs, Rogers added. A MUST-WIN MIDTERM STATE IS THE REAL LOSER OF TRUMP’S CANADA TRADE WAR Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital that consumers may not see significant relief as long as tariffs remain in place. “What we know is that the tariffs have increased prices a bit,” Lincicome said. “What we don’t know is whether the prices will stay where they are or go up even a little bit more as companies finally cave and start passing on more of the tariff costs onto consumers.” “As long as the tariffs remain in place, it’s unlikely we’re going to see price declines,” he added. The research also found that tariff-related price increases can take up to a year to fully reach consumers, particularly when American manufacturers face higher costs for imported materials and components. Although the researchers estimate that the inflationary impact of existing tariffs has largely peaked, they expect consumer goods prices to remain higher than they otherwise would have been. 5 STATES COULD BE THE BIGGEST LOSERS IN TRUMP’S TRADE WAR WITH CANADA, EXPERT WARNS The findings could carry political implications as Trump and Republicans face voters in November after campaigning on lowering the cost of living. “When you campaign on lowering prices, and then you actually actively increase prices, it’s probably gonna hurt when voters go back to the polls and are mad about prices still being too high,” Lincicome said. Meanwhile, higher energy costs are adding another layer of pressure on American households. “It’s really a double whammy for American consumers because first you had the tariffs which increased the prices of a lot of products. And then you had energy prices spike because of the Iran war,” Lincicome said. He warned that rising diesel costs could push prices higher beyond the gas pump, increasing transportation expenses for businesses that rely on trucks, trains and agricultural equipment. “Those things are going to act as kind of another tariff because they’re gonna increase the cost of getting that product to you,” he said.
Schumer warns of Republican advantage that could change the battle for Senate control
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sees a path to victory for Democrats in November — but one major Republican advantage has him worried. In a letter to his Democratic colleagues, Schumer, D-N.Y., argued that his crop of candidates and Democrats running across the country are winning the messaging battle against the GOP, but asked, “Can Republicans buy the Senate?” “With just three weeks until Election Day, the battle for control of the Senate comes down to one defining question: Will the unprecedented tsunami of Republican money defeat the massive Democratic advantage in candidates, policies, and political climate,” Schumer wrote. DEMOCRATS SEE NEW CHANCES TO FLIP RED STATES — BUT A $400M GOP SPENDING ADVANTAGE COULD DERAIL THEIR PLANS “There are 22 days until Election Day, and two enormous forces are on a collision course: deep voter dissatisfaction with Republicans and an unprecedented flood of money aimed at overcoming their political liabilities,” he continued. “Which force prevails could determine control of the United States Senate.” Republicans do have a distinct money advantage and have seen outside groups and President Donald Trump’s MAGA Inc. spending at eye-popping levels across the Senate map. MAGA Inc., for example, has over $400 million at its disposal, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, and reportedly has plans to spend in key Senate races like Iowa, Ohio and Alaska in the waning weeks of the midterms. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES Then there’s tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has contributed roughly $276 million to Republican-aligned political action committees (PACs) this cycle. Notably, he contributed $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC closely aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. Schumer lamented the funding, arguing that it was coming from a small field of deep-pocketed donors “looking to buy a pardon, curry favor, and move the needle in favor of their personal interests.” He also charged that the influx of cash was thanks in part to the Supreme Court’s decision in June to eliminate federal limits on how much political parties can spend on candidates. DEMOCRATS THINK A BLUE WAVE IS BUILDING. HERE ARE 3 FORCES THAT COULD STOP IT “None of us are naïve; we’ve known this day would come ever since Justices Kennedy, Roberts, Scalia, Alito, and Thomas decided to give their billionaire and corporate friends permission to buy elections,” Schumer said. But Democrats’ own super PAC, the Senate Majority PAC, which is closely aligned with Schumer, broke its own fundraising records in the third quarter of this year, raking in $151 million. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) announced shortly after the court’s decision that it would be pumping in $40 million in a slew of battleground states. And the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), also teed up over $46 million in battleground races. “This pity pitch from Chuck Schumer is a testament to the enthusiasm of Republican grassroots donors who are re-engaging in full force to stop Democrats’ socialist march,” NRSC spokeswoman Bernadette Breslin told Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately for Schumer, the DNC’s debt crisis is symptomatic of a dying Democratic brand, with approval ratings in the toilet and donors doubting their own chances of flipping the Senate.”