‘Utterly unaffordable’: Study reveals how deep blue city’s minimum wage law is ravaging key industry
A phased-in minimum wage hike in Los Angeles that will mandate up to $30 per hour for hotel workers, signed into law by mayor Karen Bass, is already causing problems for the hotel industry and putting the squeeze on the working-class demographic that minimum wage laws are purportedly intended to help. “The bottom line is the city of Los Angeles has forced a wage and benefits package on hotels that is utterly unaffordable at a time when Californians and Americans are laser focused on affordability,” Hotel Association of Los Angeles (HALA) President Dr. Jackie Filla told Fox News Digital in an interview this week. HALA recently commissioned a study that found hotels have eliminated or expect to eliminate 6% of positions, roughly 650 jobs, since the Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect in September 2025. Mayor Bass signed the ordinance into law May 27, 2025, after it was approved by the Los Angeles City Council. The measure is often referred to as the “Olympic Wage” in reference to the sporting event being held in Los Angeles in 2028 and will raise pay for hotel and LAX airport workers up to $30 per hour by 2028. POLITICIANS PUSH JOB-KILLING MINIMUM WAGE HIKES WHILE IGNORING THE DEVASTATING ECONOMIC REALITY The law has already resulted in a pay increase to $22.50 per hour in July 2025, and will continue to increase incrementally until it hits $30 in July 2028. Filla says she is urging elected officials from the city council to the mayor to make “amendments” to the ordinance to ease the burden on the hospitality industry. “We are at the very beginning of the series of these increases and hundreds of hotel workers have already lost their jobs,” Filla said. “Even more are seeing their hours reduced. We’ve seen restaurant closures within hotels, parking is already getting more expensive, and improvements and the creation of new buildings altogether are being delayed or canceled. So taken together, these impacts should really sound alarm bells for our local policymakers.” In many instances, the workers who lose their jobs are working-class or blue-collar individuals and Filla pointed out that many managers and general managers started off as cooks or dishwashers and advanced through executive training programs which now are less available due to financial shortfalls. The study put out by HALA found that a significant number of the jobs lost have been labor-intensive positions like food and beverage, housekeeping, and parking. MAYOR BASS FACING BLOWBACK OVER EXPLOSIVE REPORT THAT SHE ALTERED WILDFIRE REPORT TO DOWNPLAY CITY’S ROLE The study also found that 62% of hotels expect staff hours to decrease in 2026, with three-quarters anticipating reductions of at least 10%. The impact extends beyond hotel payrolls to subcontractors operating on hotel properties, according to HALA, and hotels reported that two-thirds of third-party providers plan to raise prices to offset wage increases, and one in five plan to cancel hotel contracts altogether. “Unlike typical layoffs that are occurring in other industries right now, these job losses, and it is 6% of jobs lost in a short period of time, were entirely policy-driven, caused by the mayor and city council,” Filla said. “And what is especially troubling about this is it didn’t have to happen. Hotels actually want to maintain and grow their workforce heading into these major events, but these dramatic cost increases. Just make that impossible.“ Fox News Digital reached out to Bass’s office for comment.
Nancy Pelosi doubles down on defending Obama’s strikes on Libya while attacking Trump: ‘Read the law’
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., continued to argue that President Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran and former President Barack Obama’s strikes on Libya were “two completely different things” despite many shared similarities between the two incidents. Pelosi has condemned Trump’s strikes while defending President Barack Obama back in 2011. “They’re not at all alike,” Pelosi said. “What Obama did was limited military force. This is beyond that. It was limited military force,” she continued. TRUMP ADMIN WARNED LAWMAKERS ISRAEL WAS ‘DETERMINED TO ACT WITH OR WITHOUT US’ BEFORE MASSIVE IRAN STRIKES Since Trump began Operation Epic Fury last Saturday, targeting Iran’s military leadership alongside Israel, Pelosi and other Democrats have fiercely condemned the attack, arguing that the president should have sought congressional approval before carrying them out, citing the War Powers Act of 1983. According to that law, a president must inform Congress within 48 hours if U.S. forces are introduced into hostilities and requires congressional authorization for engagements that go past 60 days. Pelosi believes Trump’s attack on Iran will likely carry the U.S. past that mark, leading her to believe Trump has skirted the requirements imposed by Congress. HOUSE VOTES TO LET TRUMP’S OPERATION EPIC FURY CONTINUE IN IRAN “Do your homework. Read the law. We have lost people in war already,” Pelosi said. “We don’t even know if these people admit that is war going on now.” “I just think if you read the law, you will see the difference.” The War Powers Act does not use the loss of American servicemembers as a trigger for Congressional approval. PELOSI’S WAR POWERS FLIP-FLOP EXPOSED IN RESURFACED OBAMA-ERA CLIP CONTRADICTS TRUMP CRITICISM ON IRAN Her stance on Iran runs counter to her previous support for President Obama when he carried out strikes of his own on Libya in 2011. Then, in partnership with other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, the U.S. bombed the forces of Al Gaddafi, the “Mad Dog of the Middle East” and the dictator of Libya. In a parallel to the recent uprisings in Iran, protesters in Libya at the time had been met with brutal force by Gaddafi, who used the military to repress opposition in cities like Benghazi. Obama framed his attack as a way to protect Libya’s civilian population against its own government. TRUMP SENDS OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS ON STRIKES AGAINST IRAN “We struck regime forces approaching Benghazi to save that city and the people within it,” Obama said in remarks after the attacks,” according to a press release at the time. Although Obama did not pursue congressional authorization, Pelosi said she believed Obama was well within his authority to carry out the strikes. “I’m satisfied that the president has the authority to go ahead,” Pelosi said of the Libya strikes. “I say that as one very protective of Congressional prerogative and consultation all along the way.” “Yes,” Pelosi answered plainly when asked if she believed Obama could continue without congressional say-so.
Noem reveals Trump will have ‘big agreement’ to announce at major summit with world leaders
Kristi Noem will reportedly join President Donald Trump and 12 Latin American leaders at his resort in Florida for a “Shield of the Americas” summit Saturday after her ouster as the Secretary of Homeland Security and appointment by President Donald Trump to be special envoy for the new coalition of nations. On Thursday, Trump announced Noem would be exiting her role as Homeland Security secretary and would be appointed a Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a summit for which will be held at the president’s resort in Doral, Florida, on Saturday. The new coalition of 13 countries has been formed to advance strategies that will tackle mass illegal immigration, narco-terrorist gangs and cartels. “After years of neglect, President Trump established the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere. His efforts have been a tremendous success – our southern border is secure, Latin American countries are working with us to defeat the cartels, and illegitimate dictator Nicolas Maduro is facing justice for his crimes in the Southern District of New York – ushering in historic economic cooperation with Venezuela,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly ahead of the summit. “The President has successfully strengthened our relationships in our own backyard to make the entire region safer and more stable, and this weekend’s ‘Shield of the Americas’ Summit will encapsulate all of his work to Make America, and our partners, Strong Again,” she continued. CAPITOL HILL DEMS HAIL TRUMP’S DHS OUSTER OF NOEM AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING Members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, will also be at the Saturday summit. The leaders from other nations who will be present are Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele Ortez, Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz Pereira, Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Panama’s José Raúl Mulino Quintero, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Chile’s Jose Antonio Kast, the Dominican Republic’s Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, Ecuador’s Daniel Roy Gilchrist Noboa Azín, Guyana’s Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Honduras’ Nasry “Tito” Asfura, and Paraguay’s Santiago Peña. ‘IT WAS TIME’: DESPITE RARE CRITICISM, SOME HILL REPUBLICANS WELCOME KRISTI NOEM’S OUSTER Noem confirmed Friday, speaking from Nashville, that she will be at the summit, according to the Associated Press. Noem reportedly added that the president will announce “a big agreement” detailing “how we’re going to go after cartels and drug trafficking in the entire Western Hemisphere.” On Friday, Hegseth led a strategic conference in Doral with representatives of 17 different Caribbean, Central American and South American countries throughout the Western Hemisphere. During the conference, they signed a joint security declaration, reaffirming their commitment to peace and sovereignty in the region. According to a source familiar with the plans for the summit, the president plans to celebrate this achievement with attendees. “Secretary Noem helped usher in the most secure border in history, deported hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal aliens, and executed record-setting counter-drug operations against cartels. All of this great experience positions Noem well to ensure American preeminence in the entire Western Hemisphere in her new role as Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said. “This historic new security initiative, led by Secretary Noem, will advance cutting-edge strategies to defeat narco-terrorist cartels and stop illegal mass migration to make America and the entire Western Hemisphere safer.” On Thursday, Rubio said he looked forward to working with Noem as Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, and echoed the comments from the White House about her experience. “Kristi has achieved incredible results as Secretary of Homeland Security and will be a tremendous asset in our effort to promote security and prosperity in the Western Hemisphere,” Rubio said on X after Trump named Noem to her new post.
What’s next for Kristi Noem? 2026 Senate chatter grows after DHS exit
President Donald Trump cut short Kristi Noem’s tenure at the Department of Homeland Security after weeks of internal turmoil. Now headed to a new envoy post, the onetime conservative star faces a pressing question: Can she stage a political comeback? Noem was fired as the nation’s immigration chief after a turbulent stretch marked by internal clashes and two contentious congressional hearings where even some Republicans pressed her over leadership missteps. Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will replace her effective March 31, while Noem shifts to a newly created envoy role the president says he’ll detail this weekend. An administration source told Fox News “it was time” to move on from Noem, citing internal feuding, staff mismanagement and controversies — including a $200 million ad campaign and fallout in Minnesota — that “overshadowed” Trump’s immigration agenda. “Kristi’s drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force,” the source said. KRISTI NOEM OUSTED FROM HOMELAND SECURITY POST AMID RECENT TURMOIL Trump said Noem will be named “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a newly created role he described as part of a broader Western Hemisphere security initiative. The White House has not yet detailed the scope of the position. The reassignment comes as speculation grows in South Dakota over whether Noem could mount a primary challenge against Sen. Mike Rounds in 2026 — a move that would test whether her standing with Trump and GOP voters has truly eroded. Rounds, who is seeking a third term, secured Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” last year and is backed by Senate Republican leadership — a formidable barrier to any challenger. “He will never let you down,” Trump wrote in his endorsement, calling Rounds an “America First Patriot.” Fox News Digital reached out to Rounds’ office for comment. Noem would enter any race with statewide name recognition and a deep political network, having served eight years in Congress before winning two terms as governor. But some Republican operatives question whether her abrupt exit from DHS weakened her standing within Trump’s inner circle at a critical political moment. One GOP strategist involved in Senate races, who acknowledged that Noem was once a MAGA rock star, described a potential Senate bid at this time as a “suicide mission.” The clock is already ticking. South Dakota’s filing deadline is March 31 at 5 p.m. CT, and candidates must gather roughly 2,200 petition signatures in just over three weeks to qualify for a June 2 primary. NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’ The speculation has drawn national attention. The Atlantic reported that pollsters in South Dakota were surveying a potential Rounds-Noem matchup, with one Republican source telling the magazine that the senator would “handily win” if challenged. Rapid City’s ABC affiliate reported on the rumors of Noem’s ambitions in February, saying Republicans in her home state are watching to see if she would challenge Rounds. Still, Noem has a fair share of powerful allies back home. Gov. Larry Rhoden, Noem’s successor in Pierre, commented Thursday that “Kristi is a dear friend and the toughest person I know.” “When she shut down the border in record time, others were shocked, but I wasn’t. I knew what she was capable of.” “She’ll deliver in her next role just as capably. I thank her for everything she’s done to keep South Dakota — and all America — strong, safe, and free,” Rhoden said. As governor, Rhoden worked with Noem’s DHS to make South Dakota one of the first states to enter a 287(g) agreement allowing state-level cooperation with ICE. Under the arrangement, the South Dakota Highway Patrol has been authorized to assist with immigration enforcement, and National Guard personnel have supported administrative functions — a record that could bolster her standing with conservative primary voters as speculation about her next move intensifies. Fox News’ Peter Doocy contributed to this report.
WATCH: Capitol Hill debate erupts over whether Trump’s Iran strikes amount to ‘war’
Debate on Capitol Hill continues to rage over whether President Donald Trump started a “war” with the strikes he carried out against Iran last weekend, a key consideration for whether the president must look to Congress for authority to continue Operation Epic Fury. Where Republicans see a narrowly-tailored attack designed to prevent a U.S. adversary from securing nuclear capabilities, Democrats see a conflict that could easily spill into a broader conflict. “Congress is not supposed to be an after-the-fact spectator, the Constitution makes plain,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has not said, like in Venezuela, ‘this is a police operation,’ that it’s ‘an arrest,’” Kaine said, comparing the strikes to the January capture of Nicolás Maduro. OPERATION EPIC FURY SURVIVES SENATE CHALLENGE AS REPUBLICANS CLOSE RANKS BEHIND TRUMP Democrats like Kaine have blasted Trump for dragging the U.S. into a conflict that, in their view, looks a lot like a war — something only Congress has the power to declare. It is that determination that makes them believe lawmakers should use the War Powers Act of 1973 to curb Trump’s powers in Iran. That law prevents the president from continuing hostilities against a foreign power that extends past 60 days. Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., see no reason to invoke the War Powers Act, given the scope of the current conflict. A measure to kill a Democrat-led war powers resolution aimed at handcuffing Trump’s military operations in Iran passed on Wednesday in a 53-47 Senate vote. “I mean, even if you disagree with this, I just don’t think you can dispute [that] they’re complying with the statute. The president has the authority under Article II to do what he has done so far,” Hawley said, referring to the Constitution’s military power granted to the country’s commander in chief. Last Saturday, the U.S. conducted a series of strikes in collaboration with Israel, targeting the country’s military leadership and killing the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Trump administration has framed the attack as a necessary campaign to halt Iran’s work towards obtaining a nuclear weapon. Although Hawley supports the administration’s work so far, he has a firm red line in mind for where the conflict would require Congressional say-so. “Ground troops would be a different deal,” Hawley said. “But [Trump] just said, ‘We’re not going to do ground troops,’ so, I just say to my Democrat friends — I think they’re just looking for something to vote against the president on.” REPUBLICANS HAND TRUMP THE WHEEL ON IRAN — BUT ONE RED LINE EMERGES Democrats remain unconvinced. Some Democrats noted that the language the administration has used suggests it views the conflict as something more than isolated strikes. “The president and the secretary of state have called it a war. So have the generals. If we’re at war, Congress has to provide authorization,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. Other Democrats, like Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., attacked the administration’s stated reason for the attack. “There was no imminent threat to the United States. There were threats to Israel, but in terms of an imminent threat, there was not one. Consequently, this is the president’s war of choice,” Warner said. NIKKI HALEY SLAMS DEMOCRATS WHO SAY IRANIAN REGIME ‘WAS NO THREAT TO AMERICA’: ‘ABSURD’ “You have to come before Congress,” Warner added. To Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the consideration should deal less with technicalities and more with consideration of the cost that could come with Trump’s attacks. “The American people make the decision on going to war because it’s their sons and daughters that will lose their lives. I still think that’s the case, regardless of who the president might be,” Durbin said.
California Rep. Darrell Issa to retire, endorses Jim Desmond to succeed him
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., will retire at the end of his current term and is backing San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond to succeed him, he confirmed to Fox News on Friday. Issa’s seat is in California’s newly redrawn 48th District, which has been reshaped to favor Democrats under the state’s Prop 50. “Today I’m announcing my enthusiastic endorsement of Supervisor Jim Desmond for Congress — to represent California’s new 48th district,” Issa told Fox News. “Jim is not only a personal friend, he’s a true patriot, a Navy veteran, a successful businessman, and has a 20-year record of public service. He understands this community, was born and raised here, and will make a terrific Congressman.” GOP LAWMAKER ACCUSES JACK SMITH OF ‘SPYING’ ON CONGRESS AT TENSE HOUSE HEARING OVER TRUMP PROBE Issa said stepping down after 25 years in Congress — and another 25 in business — was not an easy decision. “First, we built the right campaign infrastructure, support has been overwhelming — including from President Trump — and our polling was unmistakable: We would win this race,” he said. “But after a quarter-century in Congress — and before that, a quarter-century in business — it’s the right time for a new chapter and new challenges.” Among his recent efforts, Issa pointed to securing the Congressional Medal of Honor for retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams, crediting President Trump with making the award possible. “For a decade, my team and I waged a nonstop fight for Royce, and we were turned down on his behalf more times than I can remember,” he said. “But that all changed this year. President Trump made Royce’s award possible, and when I witnessed the First Lady place the Medal of Honor on my hero, it was more than just a job done. It felt like a career accomplishment.” CALIFORNIA GOP REP MAKES RE-ELECTION DECISION AFTER CONSIDERING RUNNING IN TEXAS: SOURCE Issa said he will remain focused on serving through 2026. “There is still work to be done throughout 2026 both in Washington and my beloved current 48th District — and as many days that remain, I’ll dedicate each one of them to the people I serve and the indispensable nation I have sworn to protect as a soldier in the Army and as a proud and grateful Member of the People’s House of Representatives,” he said. In a phone interview with Fox News, Issa also argued Congress has “diminished itself,” citing stagnant pay and the growing influence of outside money in elections. “They have really, unfortunately, allowed outside money to exceed inside money in elections,” he said. “… And more people live and die with social media rather than substance, so, I’m hoping that there’s a pendulum there. You know, some of only Congress can change.” HOT MIC REVEALS ISSA PLOTTING GOP STRATEGY AFTER CALIFORNIA REDRAWS HOUSE MAP The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) praised Issa’s tenure. “We are grateful for Congressman Darrell Issa’s decades of dedicated service to the people of California and our nation,” NRCC Spokesman Christian Martinez told Fox News. “Throughout his career, he has embodied the spirit of public service, championed our military, and fought tirelessly for a stronger America.” CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP “We are optimistic that this district will continue to be represented by a Republican who will stand for common sense and reject the radical agenda and chaos that progressive Marni von Wilpert and socialist Ammar Campa-Najjar would bring.”
Trump says US ‘doing very well’ in Iran nearly 1 week into joint action against Tehran
President Donald Trump on Friday said the U.S. is “doing very well” in Iran, nearly a week after the military coordinated with Israel on airstrikes in Tehran that left its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dead. “Somebody said, ‘How would you score it from zero to 10?’ I said, ‘I’d give it a 12 to a 15.’ Their army is gone. Their navy is gone. Their communications are gone. Their leaders are gone,” Trump said. “Two sets of their leaders.” The president made the remarks after Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked at the end of a White House college sports roundtable what was motivating Trump to hold the roundtable “because there is a lot of other stuff going on in the world.” “That’s right,” Trump agreed, adding that Iran’s air force has been “wiped out entirely. Think of it. They have 32 ships. All 32 are at the bottom of the ocean. Other than that, they’re doing very well.” AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM? “Our military is doing phenomenally,” he said. “The situation with a very bad and very sick group of leaders who were killing a lot of people. A lot of our people were being killed or were being maimed. … And we had a choice. We could take it and go on like that for years or do something about it. And we did something about it.” Trump added that “people are very impressed with our military, and they admire our military with what happened in Venezuela, what’s happening now, what’s happened with the B-2 bombers before this, where they took out the nuclear capability or potential of Iran. “I think we’re, right now, we’re a country that’s more respected than we’ve ever been respected before.” SHADOW FLEET UNDER FIRE: IRAN’S STRAIT SHUTDOWN COULD SQUEEZE RUSSIA’S WAR CHEST, CHINA’S OIL LIFELINE Doocy also told the president earlier, “It sounds like the Russians are helping Iran target and attack Americans now.” “That’s an easy problem compared to what we’re doing here,” Trump said, referring to college sports, calling it a “stupid question to be asking at this time. We’re talking about something else.” Earlier Friday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. won’t accept any deal with Iran “except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” “After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before,” Trump wrote. “IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).’”
Biden says ‘I’m a h— of a lot smarter than most of you’ to crowd at Jesse Jackson’s funeral
Former President Joe Biden told mourners at Rev. Jesse Jackson’s memorial service Friday that he is “a h— of a lot smarter than most of you,” a pointed remark that stood out during his tribute to the late civil rights leader. Biden made the comment while recounting how he was mocked as a child for his stutter and how speech impediments are often mistaken for a lack of intelligence. “If I told you I had a cleft palate or clubfoot, none of you would have laughed,” Biden said. “But it’s OK to laugh at stuttering. … It’s the one place where people think you’re stupid. “Oh, really? I’m a h— of a lot smarter than most of you,” he added, before quickly pivoting back to his broader point. “But all kidding aside, it makes you feel really small.” JESSE JACKSON’S SON DECRIES ‘TOXIC CLIMATE’ IN DC THAT WOULD ‘LOWER THE FLAG’ FOR CHARLIE KIRK Biden made the remark during a memorial service in Chicago that brought together prominent Democratic leaders and civil rights figures to honor Jackson’s decades-long political influence. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton attended the service along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rev. Al Sharpton. The event was held at the 10,000-seat House of Hope arena, where hundreds gathered to celebrate Jackson’s life and legacy. VANCE, HARRIS, OBAMA ISSUE TRIBUTES TO REV JESSE JACKSON Jackson, who died at age 84, rose to prominence as a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. He later founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and mounted two Democratic presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 that expanded Black voter participation and reshaped the party’s electoral coalition. Throughout the service, speakers praised Jackson’s ability to build political alliances and elevate issues affecting marginalized communities. Biden, who has frequently spoken about working to overcome his childhood stutter, framed his remarks around resilience and the lasting impact of being ridiculed as a young person. TRUMP LAUDS ‘PIECE OF WORK’ JESSE JACKSON IN ‘SOLD-OUT’ BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT Later on in his remarks, Biden asserted that “the continent of Africa is going to be the largest continent in the world” to the assembled mourners. “I remember telling Jesse that I knew I knew a guy, in South Africa,” former President Biden recalled. “I was going to go see name is Nelson Mandela. And, I’m Jesse saying, how are you going? You guys actually see him, by the way? You know, the continent of Africa is going to be the largest continent in the world in terms of population of the year 2050, the largest in the entire world. Watch, man. Watch.” His “smarter than most of you” line was quickly added to a growing list of out-of-context gaffes for the former president, and social media users weighed in online. Under one repost of the viral moment from user Libs of TikTok, one commenter wrote, “That’s a strange line to deliver at a memorial service.” Another quipped, “Never ending comedy from this guy. So happy he’s back in public.” Outside of Biden’s remarks, the memorial largely focused on Jackson’s legacy as a civil rights leader who helped shape the modern Democratic Party and broaden political participation in the United States. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond, Bradford Betz, and Patrick McGovern contributed to this reporting.
Man convicted of Iran-backed Trump assassination plot compared his plan to Butler shooting: FBI
A Pakistani man convicted Friday in federal court of plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump and other politicians told an FBI agent he thought Iran “was responsible” for the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Asif Merchant, 47, told the FBI agent, Jacqueline Smith, that the incident “was the same thing he was sent here to do,” Smith testified during Merchant’s trial. Merchant told jurors the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sent him on a “mission” to kill U.S. politicians, including by telling him to attend a Republican rally. Merchant was arrested July 12, 2024, one day prior to the shooting in Butler, where Thomas Crooks fired several shots into a rally crowd, killing one and grazing Trump’s ear. The FBI has said repeatedly it found no evidence that Crooks had co-conspirators or that any foreign actors were involved in the incident. FEDS SAY PAKISTANI NATIONAL BACKED BY IRAN PLOTTED TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP, OTHERS IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME Merchant, who was found guilty on all charges Friday after fewer than two hours of deliberation, was convicted by a jury in Brooklyn, New York, of murder-for-hire and attempting to commit terrorism. He testified that Trump was not his only target, telling jurors then-President Joe Biden and former presidential candidate Nikki Haley were also on his list. He claimed he only took part in the plot, which was foiled by the FBI before coming to fruition, because Iran’s IRGC warned it would target his family. FORMER IRANIAN MINISTER PRAISES TRUMP ASSASSINATION FATWA AS DAUGHTER LIVES IN NEW YORK “I had no other options,” Merchant said. “My family was threatened.” Merchant now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. His sentence will be determined at a later hearing. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Merchant “landed on American soil hoping to kill President Trump — instead, he was met with the might of American law enforcement.” “The Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant to protect Americans, prosecute terrorists, and halt acts of terrorism before they happen,” Bondi said. Merchant was arrested after he was recorded on camera outlining a plot on a napkin to kill a politician with a person who turned out to be an FBI informant. Federal prosecutors showed video during the trial of Merchant speaking to the informant. The prosecutors said Merchant also tried to hire two hit men and pay them $5,000, but the men turned out to be federal agents posing as assassins. Smith, the FBI agent who met with Merchant after his arrest, said Merchant never conveyed that he feared for his family. Merchant said he wanted to do intelligence work and be paid for it, Smith said. TRUMP DECLARES ‘I GOT HIM BEFORE HE GOT ME’ AFTER IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN STRIKE The FBI agent also said Merchant was told by an Iranian handler to attend a Republican political rally to scope out security. But Merchant was worried about being identified, so he watched the rally online instead. Merchant’s defense team told jurors their client, who has two wives, was a family man and cared deeply about his faith and that he intentionally acted carelessly because he wanted to be caught. In their closing arguments, defense lawyers said Merchant had his hand forced in the operation, thinking his family would be harmed if he did not cooperate. Additionally, the lawyers cited several instances in which Merchant’s actions as an intelligence operator were little more than incompetent. Fox News’ Danielle Cavaliere, Brendan McDonald and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.
Spanberger lashes out at Pentagon after Hegseth pulls colleges’ support over woke ‘ideologies’
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger hit back at Secretary of War Pete Hegseth after the Pentagon announced it would cut ties and funding relationships with numerous collegiate institutions over what it described as woke ideologies. A Pentagon leadership memo initialed “PBH” — the secretary’s full name is Peter Brian Hegseth — sent just before the U.S. bombed Iran and entitled “Aligning senior service college opportunities with American values,” laid out an examination of standing “Professional Military Education institutions, [the] bedrock upon which we build lethal warfighters grounded in the founding principles that underpin American Spanberger fired back after it was reported that the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., would be affected. The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot covered her remarks at a high school in Hampton — about halfway between the two cities. HARVARD STUDENTS EARN COURSE CREDIT HELPING ASYLUM SEEKERS AS CRITICS CALLS SCHOOL ‘BASTION OF WOKE ACTIVISM’ Spanberger said the move is an “outrageous attack at yet another point of pride in Virginia,” as the memo said the Senior Service College programs there would be ended and that servicemembers would lose support. “The idea that the Pentagon would pull back from this fellowship program that has been long a fixture at William & Mary is just outrageous,” she said, according to the paper. The Pentagon memo said the department will “no longer invest in institutions that fail to sharpen our leaders’ warfighting capabilities or that undermine the very values they swore to defend,” and that more than a dozen schools faced termination. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS BLASTED FOR THREATENING HISTORIC MILITARY COLLEGE VMI WITH FUNDING THREAT OVER DEI CONCERNS Spanberger, who formerly worked for the CIA, said the move speaks to the Defense Department’s “lack of understanding of the real strength of universities, whether it’s William & Mary or others, in educating the next generation of military leadership,” according to the paper. She also cited the fact William & Mary’s current chancellor is himself one of Hegseth’s predecessors. Robert Gates was former President George H.W. Bush’s director of central intelligence and later served as Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush, remaining in the role into former President Barack Obama’s term. DAVID MARCUS: ONLY HEGSETH CAN SAVE STORIED VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE FROM WOKE STATE LAWMAKERS Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon for comment. In a statement obtained by Hampton Roads’ CBS affiliate, the college administration said it was “puzzled and saddened” by Hegseth’s move, saying that William & Mary is “among the country’s most military-friendly institutions” and also embraces its ROTC program. While the Williamsburg school may be on the chopping block, the affiliate reported that Regent University in Virginia Beach — founded by Christian evangelist Pat Robertson — may be considered one of the replacement institutions. In the memo, Harvard, Washington University in St. Louis, MIT, Tufts, Georgetown, George Washington University, Princeton, Yale, Brown and Queen’s University in Canada were listed as schools facing separation. Colleges being considered as replacements include Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., The Citadel, Virginia Tech, the University of North Carolina, Clemson University and Hillsdale College in Michigan.