Newsom bans law enforcement from wearing masks, taunts ICE agents: ‘What are you afraid of?’
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday signed a bill banning law enforcement from wearing face coverings while conducting official business in California. The bill, which was presented to Newsom on Wednesday, makes it a misdemeanor crime for local, state, or federal law enforcement to wear masks or personal disguises during their duties, unless an officer is undercover or performing a tactical operation that requires protective gear. The bill would also impose a civil penalty against officers for “tortious conduct,” including false imprisonment or false arrest of an individual while wearing a facial covering. CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE PASSES BILL PROHIBITING LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM WEARING FACE MASKS TO SHIELD IDENTITIES Announcing the bill signing on Saturday, Newsom taunted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, repetitively asking “what are you afraid of?” “Unmarked cars, people in masks, people quite literally disappearing. No due process, no rights—no rights in a democracy where we have rights, immigrants have rights,” Newsom said. “We have the right to stand up and push back, and that’s what we’re doing here today. This is a disgrace. This is an outrage. What we have allowed to happen in this country. … To ICE: unmask. What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of?” The ban comes after a series of immigration raids in Los Angeles, where federal agents were spotted wearing masks to protect their identities from being leaked. FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RISK THEIR LIVES DAILY — NOW SOME DEMOCRATS WANT TO MAKE IT WORSE Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin this week noted federal agents are already required to identify themselves and wear clothing that designates they are with ICE or Homeland Security markers during operations. “Another day, another sanctuary politician pulling a stunt in attempt to get their 15 minutes of fame while endangering DHS personnel and detainees,” McLaughlin wrote. “The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens to protect and defend the lives of American citizens.” The agency is experiencing a 1,000% surge in assaults against ICE officers, leading to concerns about their safety and their families’ safety, according to McLaughlin. LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUSHES TO PROHIBIT LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM HIDING THEIR IDENTITIES WHILE ON THE JOB Several states have introduced similar legislation, including Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, according to a report from the Associated Press. It is unclear how the new California bill will be enforced. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gavin Newsom press office post about Kristi Noem triggers Secret Service threat assessment referral
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office came under intense scrutiny Saturday after posting a remark on social media about Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem that was ultimately referred to the U.S. Secret Service for a threat assessment. In a cryptic X post on Saturday, Newsom’s press office claimed that Noem “have a bad day today,” drawing swift criticism from conservatives such as DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli. NEWSOM SAYS TRUMP HAS ‘RELENTLESS, UNHINGED’ OBSESSION WITH CALIFORNIA DURING STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS “Kristi Noem is going to have a bad day today,” the Governor Newsom Press Office posted to X. “You’re welcome, America.” Essayli responded that there is “zero tolerance” for threats — direct or implied — against government officials. “I’ve referred this matter to [the Secret Service] and requested a full threat assessment,” he said. McLaughlin replied to the X post from Newsom’s office, calling it “ugly” and saying it read like a threat. “Your keyboard warrior team may hide behind their laptops and spew this kind of vitriol but you would never have the guts to say this to her face,” McLaughlin said. POTENTIAL PELOSI SUCCESSOR RE-UPS BILL TO BAN ICE FROM OBSCURING IDENTITIES: ‘SHUT THIS MASK S—T DOWN’ Republican California Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez blasted the comment, telling Fox News Digital that such remarks increase the likelihood of future political violence. “Our Governor can’t keep his foot out of his mouth,” Sanchez told Fox News Digital. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News that the agency had received the Department of Justice’s communication, noting that it was not able to comment on “specific protective intelligence matters.” “However, the Secret Service must vigorously investigate any situation or individual, regardless of position or status, that could pose or be perceived as posing a threat to any of our protectees,” Guglielmi said. “Especially in a politically charged climate, such as this.” Several hours after the initial X post, the governor’s press office followed up with news of a legislative package aimed at protecting immigrant communities and that would “hold Trump accountable” — seemingly the development they suggested would give Noem “a bad day.” Newsom appeared with community members and legislative leaders on Saturday to sign a series of bills intended to “protect Californians, respond to federal overreach and push back against Trump and Stephen Miller’s ‘secret police’ tactics in California,” according to Newsom’s press office. NEWSOM’S OFFICE CONTINUES TO MOCK TRUMP USING HIS SOCIAL MEDIA WRITING STYLE: ‘TINY HANDS’ This included a bill that prohibits most law enforcement — including federal immigration agents — from concealing their faces while carrying out official duties, the Associated Press reported. “We celebrate that diversity. It’s what makes California great. It’s what makes America great. It is under assault,” Newsom said at a press conference in Los Angeles on Saturday. “This is the United States of America, and I’m really proud of the state of California and our state of mind that we’re pushing back against these authoritarian tendencies and actions of this administration.” DHS and Newsom’s press office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Arizona prosecutor issues warning ahead of Charlie Kirk memorial with Trump, Vance
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell warned that no illegal activity at Sunday’s memorial for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., will be tolerated. Mitchell’s comments come as an estimated 100,000 attendees are expected at the service, which will feature speakers, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The federal government has designated it a Level 1 Special Event, the same category as the Super Bowl, which requires extensive federal interagency support to ensure security. “This moment calls for Maricopa County to step up and show the nation—and the world—that we value dignity, civility, and the rule of law. We can be role models that even in times of grief and disagreement, our community is united in its commitment to free speech without violence or lawlessness,” Mitchell said in a statement posted to X on Friday. CHARLIE KIRK’S MEMORIAL: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE EVENT IN ARIZONA “Let me be clear: my office will defend the rights of those who come to mourn or protest peacefully. Anyone who chooses to break the law—through violence, destruction of property, or obstruction— will be held accountable,” she added. “Let us honor Charlie Kirk’s memory and the blessings of liberty not with division or disruption, but with peace and respect for others.” The Secret Service said Saturday that an armed man with a knife and a firearm managed to get inside the stadium. He was taken into custody and faces charges of impersonating an officer, a felony, and carrying a weapon where one was not permitted, a misdemeanor, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. CHARLIE KIRK FUNERAL RECEIVES HIGHEST SECURITY DESIGNATION FROM FEDERAL OFFICIALS AMID REPORTS OF THREATS “The individual was approached by Secret Service and stated during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed,” the statement read, Fox News reported Saturday morning. “The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody. The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location.” The high attendance at the event will likely lead to an overflow crowd at Desert Diamond Arena, another large event venue in the same area that regularly hosts concerts. It also hosted rallies for Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. The Glendale Police Department issued a traffic alert on Friday ahead of the event, stressing it is “committed to ensuring a secure environment.” TRUMP, VANCE, OTHER PROMINENT POLITICAL FIGURES TO SPEAK AT SUNDAY STADIUM EVENT HONORING CHARLIE KIRK “Plan ahead for parking & allow extra time to arrive at [State Farm Stadium]. Let’s respect one another, be patient, & create a safe atmosphere,” the department posted to X. Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University Sept. 10, and his casket was flown on Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his organization, Turning Point USA, is headquartered.
NY state Dem boss refuses to endorse Mamdani, causing huge rift in party
Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani lost the endorsement of a longtime state party leader despite having the backing of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. New York State Democratic Committee (NYSDC) Chairman Jay Jacobs announced this week he will not back Mamdani for mayor despite Democratic voters selecting the Democratic socialist as the party’s nominee. “Mr. Mamdani and I are in agreement that America’s greatest problem is the continued growth of income disparity in our nation,” Jacobs said in a statement to The Hill. “On how to address it — we fundamentally disagree.” EX-MAYOR DE BLASIO TOUTS SOCIALIST MAMDANI AS NEW YORK CITY’S ANSWER TO TRUMP POLICIES The Hill reported that the NYSDC leader said he disagreed with Mamdani’s stance on Israel. Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions throughout the war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. His stance on the issue has become a major topic of the campaign cycle, particularly when he refused to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which some view as a call for violence against Jews. Mamdani has since distanced himself from the phrase, saying he would discourage his supporters from using it. While he would not back Mamdani for mayor, Jacobs dismissed “fearmongering” surrounding the self-described democratic socialist’s campaign as “a gross over-reaction.” MAMDANI APPEALS TO NON-DEMOCRATS WITH GENERAL ELECTION PUSH, VOWS GOVERNMENT CAN MEET VOTERS’ ‘MATERIAL NEEDS’ It remains unclear how the loss of Jacobs’ endorsement will affect Mamdani’s campaign. However, it could have an impact on Jacobs’ position as a leader of the party. According to Politico, Jacobs said he would resign from his post if Hochul were to request it. “If the governor should ever ask any state chair to resign, they should resign,” Jacobs told Politico. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Hochul announced her endorsement of Mamdani in an opinion piece in The New York Times on Sept. 14. She shared the article on X and captioned the post, “New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s [Zohran Mamdani].” A recent Quinnipiac University survey showed Mamdani garnering 45% support among likely New York City voters. He was followed by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo at 23%, Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa at 15% and New York City Mayor Eric Adams at 12%. Cuomo and Adams are running as independents, while Sliwa is running as a Republican. Fox News Digital reached out to Jacobs, Mamdani and Hochul but did not immediately hear back.
Elon Musk revisits Harris’ old call to suspend Trump from Twitter platform amid Kimmel controversy
Elon Musk revisited former Vice President and former Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ years-old call for President Donald Trump’s ban from social media as she claims “free speech” concerns over Jimmy Kimmel being pulled off the air. Harris has weighed in on Disney’s decision to pull ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air “indefinitely,” defending Kimmel and slamming what she calls an “outright abuse of power” by the Trump administration. “What we are witnessing is an outright abuse of power. This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon to silence anyone who would speak out. Media corporations — from television networks to newspapers — are capitulating to these threats,” Harris wrote on X about Kimmel’s suspension. “We cannot dare to be silent or complacent in the face of this frontal assault on free speech. We, the people, deserve better.” DISNEY’S JIMMY KIMMEL BENCHING PROMPTS CELEBRATION, BUT ALSO CAUTION, FROM CONSERVATIVES Many X users, including Musk, the platform’s owner, were quick to point out Harris’ own past statements, and some suggested they appeared to support censorship. Musk revisited a 2019 tweet by Harris when Trump was serving his first term. Harris, a U.S. senator representing California at the time, was running for vice president when she made the post on X, now Twitter. “Look let’s be honest, @realDonaldTrump’s Twitter account should be suspended,” Harris wrote on Sept. 30, 2019. Musk re-posted the message on Friday, adding a thinking face emoji. Kimmel’s show was pulled after he accused conservatives of reaching “new lows” in trying to pin a left-wing ideology on Tyler Robinson, who is accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, even though prosecutors reaffirmed those ties in an indictment. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said, sparking outrage. There have been several questions about the role the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) played in the suspension. Those questioning the move are on both sides of the aisle, with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, warning conservatives they “will regret” setting the precedent. “What he is saying is Jimmy Kimmel was lying. That’s true, he was lying, and lying to the American people is not in the public interest,” Cruz said on an episode of his podcast. “He threatens explicitly, ‘We’re going to cancel ABC News’ license. We’re going to take him off the air, so ABC cannot broadcast anymore’ … He threatens it.” CRUZ WARNS CONSERVATIVES ‘WILL REGRET’ FCC CENSORSHIP PUSH AGAINST ABC, OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FCC Chairman Brendan Carr joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity Sept. 17, the day the suspension was announced, and defended the move. “Broadcasters are different than any other form of communication,” Carr said, pointing to affiliate groups like Nexstar and Sinclair that announced they would no longer carry “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” He argued that local stations acted appropriately, saying they were “standing up to serve the interests of their community.” “Over the years, the FCC walked away from enforcing that public interest obligation,” Carr said. “I don’t think we’re better off as a country for it.” FCC CHAIR BRENDAN CARR DEFENDS ABC AFFILIATES PULLING JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW AFTER MONOLOGUE ABOUT CHARLIE KIRK White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Saturday that the decision to “fire Jimmy Kimmel and to cancel his show came from executives at ABC.” “That has now been reported,” Leavitt said. “And I can assure you it did not come from the White House, and there was no pressure given from the president of the United States.” The Biden-Harris administration has seen its share of censorship controversies, particularly in its interactions with social media companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. During a 2021 press conference, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration was “flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In August 2024, just ahead of the presidential election, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted in a letter that the Biden-Harris administration pressured Facebook to censor Americans. Zuckerberg made the admission in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, more than a year after providing the committee with thousands of documents as part of its investigation into content moderation on online platforms. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Army pushes battlefield AI as counter-drone fight takes center stage
The Army is expanding its use of artificial intelligence beyond drones — from wearable smart glasses that train mechanics in the field to automated defenses against swarms of cheap enemy aircraft — as leaders warn the counter-drone fight is now “problem 1A” for the nation. Speaking to reporters this week, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll described a pilot program in which soldiers wearAI-enabled Ray-Ban glasses that record repair jobs and then use generative models to walk less-experienced troops through infantry squad vehicle maintenance. He said it reflects a new push to bring consumer technology into the force “a lot more quickly” than in the past. While Meta may have spent billions developing the glasses, the Army is testing them for about $400 a pair. Gen. Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff, said the same approach applies to the Pentagon’s top emerging challenge: defending against drones. “This is problem 1A that we’re facing as a country,” Driscoll said, stressing that counter-drone technology must be cheap, fast and automated. “If you think of a drone swarm … it is a nearly impossible idea for even human beings [to handle].” AI ARMS RACE: US AND CHINA WEAPONIZE DRONES, CODE AND BIOTECH FOR THE NEXT GREAT WAR That challenge has been underscored overseas, where advanced aircraft have been used to intercept relatively inexpensive drones. “If you’ve got a $5,000 drone, you want a $2,000 or $3,000 or $4,000 interceptor, and that’s what we’re focused on,” George said. Last week, Dutch F-35s and Polish F-16s deployed to take out dozens of Russian drones flying into Russian territory. George added that the Army is testing proximity rounds and high-energy lasers, while the bigger hurdle is defending against drones in crowded civilian airspace. As part of the Army’s “continuous transformation” initiative, George said 25 brigades will be overhauled in the next two years to make them more lethal, mobile and survivable in high-threat environments. The first armored brigade combat teams are set to rotate through the National Training Center in California this November, followed by a large-scale exercise in Hawaii. George also pointed to armor modernization, saying the Army’s next-generation M1E3 tank — envisioned as a lighter, faster replacement for the Abrams — could reach units as early as next year. That would mark a major acceleration, since earlier projections suggested the vehicle would not field until the 2030s. To pay for its modernization drive, Driscoll said the Army plans to cut $48 billion over five years from programs it no longer needs, reinvesting in drones, air defenses and long-range fires. PENTAGON UNVEILS $961B BUDGET REQUEST: FUND FOR GOLDEN DOME, MISSILES AND DRONES, FEWER F-35 JETS The service also launched a $750 million “Fuse” fund to support small and mid-sized businesses and previewed new acquisition reforms to be detailed at next month’s AUSA conference. Modeled partly on the rapid iteration practices of commercial companies, the changes will co-locate soldiers, engineers and contractors to speed up design and fielding. Officials also highlighted in-house efforts. George said the Army is now building its own drones at depots with all-American parts — including models already flying in Ukraine — to help replenish stockpiles. Driscoll said 3D printing is being tested as a way to overcome the “tyranny of distance” in the Indo-Pacific, allowing soldiers to fabricate parts in theater instead of waiting on long supply lines. George pointed to battlefield command as another area of change. The 4th Infantry Division is now testing command-and-control apps on ruggedized tablets — replacing the trucks and racks of radios that have long anchored Army command posts. The move is designed to make headquarters smaller and harder to target, though outside experts have warned that relying on commercial-style devices could introduce new cyber vulnerabilities and durability issues in combat. Driscoll also credited President Trump with backing the Army’s overhaul. “They’ve held the line every single time when we have made a hard decision,” he said. Still, he acknowledged that each of the $48 billion in cuts has defenders in Congress and industry.
Trump caps UK trip with $350B tech pact, heads to Arizona for Kirk’s memorial service
President Donald Trump spent the bulk of the week in the U.K. where he inked a new tech deal, and closed out the week gearing up to attend the memorial service of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona. During the trip abroad, Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a new $350 billion tech investment plan, which is expected to generate 15,000 jobs across the U.K. and up to 2,500 jobs in the U.S. Specific details of the “Tech Prosperity Deal” are sparse, but officials said that the plan will invest in the development of 12 advanced nuclear reactors and that energy will go toward supplying energy needs for the U.K. and the U.S. “It’s a blueprint to win this new era together. Shape it according to our shared values, and seize the incredible opportunities that are on offer,” Starmer said. “We have huge new investments from Nvidia N scale, Open AI, Google, Salesforce and many more backing cutting-edge British jobs for years to come.” TRUMP HEADS TO UK FOR RARE SECOND STATE VISIT, THEN TO ARIZONA FOR CHARLIE KIRK’S FUNERAL The plan will accumulate $50 billion in economic value and will deliver power to as many as 1.5 million homes, according to Trump. Trump also touted the close relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. during a state dinner at Windsor Castle with members of the U.K.’s royal family, including King Charles III. “His Majesty spoke eloquently about the bond which inspired Sir Winston Churchill — the bust is in the Oval Office right now — the beautiful bust of Winston Churchill, to coin the phrase ‘special relationship,’ but seen from American eyes, the word ‘special’ does not begin to do it justice,” Trump said Wednesday. “We’re joined by history and fate, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny.” TRUMP EYES REMARKS AT CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL IN ARIZONA, BLAMES LEFT FOR SUSPECT’S RADICALIZATION Trump arrived back in Washington later Thursday and will leave for Kirk’s memorial service Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The venue holds 63,400 people and has the capacity for up to 73,000 for “mega-events,” according to its website. Kirk, 31, was killed during a stop on his American Comeback Tour Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. Kirk’s death has also raised questions about Trump’s own security, amid two assassination attempts on Trump’s life in 2024. A senior administration official confirmed to Fox News Digital Friday that federal law enforcement agencies like the Department of Homeland Security released a report Thursday cautioning that they are monitoring “several threats of unknown credibility” against Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others expected to attend Kirk’s memorial service. TRUMP’S SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY AS SECRET SERVICE BRACES FOR KIRK MEMORIAL The assessment asserts that the memorial may be an attractive target for violent extremists or lone wolf actors due to the significant media coverage it’s expected to attract. Meanwhile, Trump said he likely will share some remarks during the memorial service. “It’s going to be big,” Trump told reporters Monday. “I’m going to be at the stadium, and I guess I’ll say a few words. I don’t know, but I guess I will, but I knew him very well. He was an amazing guy. He was all about young people and getting them started.” Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Senior Republican says he’ll ‘miss the clowns,’ not ‘the circus’ as he eyes life after Congress
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, believes there are just four ways people end their time on Capitol Hill. “You can die, you can lose, you can get indicted, or you can go out on top, and that’s door number four,” he told Fox News Digital. “And I think door number four looks attractive.” And for McCaul, going out on top means ending a career of over two decades serving Texas’ 10th congressional district. He’s served two three-term stints as the top Republican on the committees on Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security, respectively – the maximum allowed time for members of the House GOP conference. He is not running again in the November midterms. The Texas Republican, who will be 64 when he leaves Congress at the end of 2026, is still hoping to have an impact on the U.S. national security sphere when he’s gone. HOUSE PASSES TRUMP-BACKED PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN He told Fox News Digital that he’s expressed interest to the Trump administration about potentially serving as U.S. ambassador to Australia. “Being ambassador to Australia, I think would be a very good fit for me – after AUKUS, do what I did there, AI, advanced weapons systems – stuff I’ve worked on could play well both as ambassador, but also on a board of directors of a company that does that,” McCaul said. AUKUS refers to a trilateral security agreement between the U.S., U.K. and Australia, widely seen as a response to China’s encroachment in the Pacific. McCaul was one of AUKUS’s lead champions in Congress both as Foreign Affairs Committee chair and co-chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus. 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK “I think I’d be good at it. I mean, I know all the players,” he said of a potential ambassadorship. “I know their issues. But in the meantime, these offers are coming in – I’ve got a year and a half still around. I’ll figure it out.” He said of other post-Congress possibilities, “Most of the offers, they’re in the national security space.” “I’ve had several offers in the intelligence space as well. So I’d still be in it. There are a couple of think tanks where you still get on television. I could still be a relevant voice on the issues I care about. And in a way, I can focus more about what I’m passionate on, and be a voice for that, rather than being bogged down with a lot of other stuff.” He’s worked on a lot of those issues that he cares about over his 20-plus years in Congress, as well. “It’s been an honor of a lifetime – chairing Homeland Security during one of the most dangerous times with the rise of the ISIS caliphate and all the external operations that we want to stop, establishing the cybersecurity agency. I did TSA PreCheck and Global Entry – those were fun things to work on. But then, as the chairman of Foreign Affairs, working on very big foreign policy issues like the fall of Afghanistan,” McCaul said. “Everything I’ve done with Ukraine after [Russian President Vladimir Putin] invaded – that emergency wartime supplemental bill was probably the highlight, because had we not passed that, I think Russia would be occupying Ukraine today, and they’d be in Moldova and Georgia and maybe threatening the Baltic States and Poland.” The senior lawmaker has been a leading voice on foreign policy in a Republican Party that’s seen a growing isolationist streak – something McCaul said concerned him. “I think it’s a very dangerous mentality. It didn’t work in 1939, and there are a lot of parallels to 1939 today. Now, I think burden sharing, that’s real. I think, you know, having NATO standing up – I think [President Donald Trump] is right about that. I think he wants other NATO countries to do secondary sanctions, and it should be a team effort,” he said. “But I think there are certain people in the administration that are very much – the America First I agree with, but it’s not at the expense of abdicating our responsibility to lead the world. And I think that’s dangerous if that’s what they think America First is all about.” Asked if he had any regrets over his time in Congress, McCaul said he was proud of his work on Capitol Hill. “There was a time when, you know, there was a Senate possibility, but I wouldn’t trade what I have done for anything,” he said. “I feel very at peace with this, because I feel like I’m going out on top. I’ve chaired two major committees. I’ve been effective. There’s a good expression – I’ll miss the clowns, but I won’t miss the circus.”
Kamala Harris reveals what Biden told her just before crucial debate with Trump that left her ‘angry’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris revealed in her upcoming book, “107 Days,” that then-President Joe Biden rattled her right before she went head-to-head with then-candidate Donald Trump on the debate stage. Biden reportedly called Harris as she sat in a hotel room preparing for the only debate of her abbreviated campaign. He apparently wanted to wish her luck — and to scold her. The then-president said, “My brother called. He’s been talking to a group of real power brokers in Philly,” according to an excerpt of the book in The Guardian. He then allegedly asked if Harris was familiar with several people related to the matter, which she was not. KAMALA HARRIS COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ LACK OF SUPPORT FROM BIDEN’S COMMS TEAM, INNER CIRCLE “His brother had told him that those guys were not going to support me because I’d been saying bad things about him. He wasn’t inclined to believe it, he claimed, but he thought I should know in case my team had been encouraging me to put daylight between the two of us,” Harris wrote in the book, according to an excerpt of the book in The Guardian. Biden then went on to talk about his past debate performances, leaving Harris confused, “angry and disappointed,” according to The Guardian. She was upset that her boss had called before a critical moment in her political career and made “it all about himself.” Harris added that Biden was “distracting me with worry about hostile power-brokers in the biggest city of the most important state.” Then-first gentleman Doug Emhoff apparently noticed his wife was in distress and advised her to “let it go” before facing off against Trump. HARRIS TAPS DEM EMAILS LISTS TO MARKET NEW BOOK, SPARKING PARTY NEUTRALITY CONCERNS While Harris avoided criticizing Biden during her campaign, she has used her upcoming book to shed light on the tensions between them as she took his place as the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris’ book is set to hit shelves on Sept. 23, but it has already sparked conversations about the 2024 election cycle. In another section, Harris said while “it’s Joe and Jill’s decision” became a mantra ahead of the 2024 election cycle, she said it was “recklessness,” rather than “grace,” according to an excerpt released by The Atlantic. “‘It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized. Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition. It should have been more than a personal decision,” Harris wrote. Harris also revealed in her book that then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was her “first choice” as running mate, not Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. However, she said it was “too big of a risk” because the campaign was “already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man.” Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
WATCH: Lawmakers wrestle with how to approach hateful political rhetoric in wake of Kirk assassination
In the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a debate about political rhetoric and its impact on recent spates of political violence has taken hold on Capitol Hill and across the country. While both Republicans and Democrats have condemned political violence of all kinds, their views vary on how much inflammatory political rhetoric plays a role. Some Republicans have accused the left’s rhetoric of fostering an “assassination culture” on the left, while Democrats have accused Republicans of attacks on free speech. One member of Congress, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attempted to steer the conversation towards gun control as opposed to rhetoric as the cause for the increase in political violence. “This isn’t just about what happened to Charlie Kirk. At the same time his tragic killing was happening, three kids were getting shot in school, and that was one or two weeks after another couple of kids were getting shot, in church, at mass, at a Catholic school,” Ocasio-Cortez said. EXPERTS WARN LEFTIST CELEBRATIONS OF CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH SIGNAL A DANGEROUS MAINSTREAM SHIFT IN POLITICS But GOP firebrand Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., did not mince words about those who continue to foment hatred for conservatives with inflammatory rhetoric. “We need to shame these people out of polite society, shame them out of existence. They need to be fired from their jobs. They are putting lives in danger,” Mace said. “They are denying that they’re celebrating the political assassination and murder of Charlie Kirk, but they’re liars. They’re lying through their teeth.” Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have called on others to “turn down the heat” in the wake of Kirk’s assassination. Americans from all walks of life have been facing repercussions over their decision to mock, or praise, Kirk’s death, including K-12 education officials, college professors, healthcare professionals, political pundits, writers and a list of other professionals from various sectors and major companies, such as the law firm Perkins Coie, the company behind the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and Office Depot, among others. FOLLOWING KIRK’S ASSASSINATION, LAWMAKERS REACT TO LETHAL POLITICAL CLIMATE: ‘VIOLENT WORDS PRECEDE VIOLENT ACTIONS’ Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said that everyone should have “the right to speak freely, otherwise America’s democratic tradition could be threatened. “Look, there’s a limit to what Congress can do, because, you know, we have the First Amendment, which protects all forms of speech, including hate speech, but we should have a culture of condemning any rhetoric that glorifies violence. I see violence as the downfall of American democracy,” Torres said. “We all should have the right to speak freely, to think freely, without fear of harassment or intimidation or violence. And once we lose the ability to speak freely in the public square then democracy as we know it has come to an end.” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., suggested possible remedies Congress could take to help reduce inflammatory rhetoric and its potential impact on violence. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “You have to look at the role that social media companies play in allowing violent rhetoric to be on their sites. And what more can we do so that law enforcement can see these attacks sooner?” Swalwell asked. “I wait, and stand ready to learn, where there are signs that were missed by law enforcement. Because if that’s the case, we have to do better, because the temperature is only increasing.”