Trump caps week with bold military moves from Pentagon name change to cartel crackdown
President Donald Trump wrapped up the week Friday signing an executive order to change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The executive order gives the green light to use the name “Department of War” as a secondary title for the Department of Defense, along with terms like “secretary of war” for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to a White House fact sheet. The order also calls for Hegseth to propose both legislative and executive actions to permanently cement the title as the U.S. Department of War. Additionally, a White House official told Fox News Digital that implementing the order would mean making alterations to public-facing websites and office signage at the Pentagon. For example, one change on the horizon is renaming the public affairs briefing room the “Pentagon War Annex,” the official said, noting other longer-term projects also will emerge. TRUMP TO RENAME PENTAGON, RESTORING HISTORIC ‘DEPARTMENT OF WAR’ IN LATEST MILITARY MOVE The U.S. previously used the Department of War title for its military agency until 1949, but modified it to the Department of Defense to align with multiple reforms included in the National Security Act of 1947. Trump signaled in late August the change might happen. “Everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War,” Trump told reporters Aug. 25. “Then we changed it to Department of Defense.” Here’s what also happened this week: Trump also announced that the U.S. military strike against an alleged drug-laden Venezuelan boat in the southern Caribbean killed 11 suspected Tren de Aragua narco-terrorists Tuesday. Trump shared a video on social media Tuesday depicting the strike against the Venezuelan vessel, just days after he authorized sending three U.S. Navy guided missile destroyers to enhance the administration’s counternarcotics efforts in the region. “You had massive amounts of drugs,” Trump told reporters Wednesday about the recent strike. “We have tapes of them speaking. It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people. And everybody fully understands that fact. You see it, you see the bags of drugs all over the boat and they were hit.” MADURO CLAIMS US SEEKS ‘REGIME CHANGE THROUGH MILITARY THREAT’ AMID CARIBBEAN BUILDUP “Obviously, they won’t be doing it again. And I think a lot of other people won’t be doing it again. When they watch that tape, they’re going to say, ‘Let’s not do this.’ We have to protect our country, and we’re going to. Venezuela has been a very bad actor.” After the deployment of the destroyers, Maduro said Venezuela was ready to respond to any attacks and said the ship’s presence in the region was “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.” “In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said during a Monday press conference. Meanwhile, the Pentagon confirmed Thursday that two Venezuelan aircraft buzzed a U.S. Navy vessel in international waters. “This highly provocative move was designed to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations,” the Defense Department wrote in a statement posted to X. “The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the U.S. military.” Trump also unveiled plans Tuesday to move Space Command’s headquarters from Colorado to Alabama — putting an end to the controversy about where the command would be based. Space Command has been operating out of Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but Trump long has backed moving the command’s headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama. But in 2023, former President Joe Biden announced that the command would remain based in Colorado. TRUMP PLANS TO MOVE SPACE COMMAND TO ALABAMA, COUNTERING BIDEN ORDER TO KEEP IT IN COLORADO “The U.S. Space Command headquarters will move to the beautiful locale of a place called Huntsville, Alabama, forever to be known from this point forward as Rocket City,” Trump told reporters Tuesday.
Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani team up to ‘fight oligarchy’ in NYC
Democratic socialists Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani are joining forces on Saturday to fight oligarchy in the nation’s financial capital. “It is an honor to welcome Senator Sanders to New York City as we fight against the corporate greed, billionaires, and corrupt politicians responsible for the affordability crisis,” Mamdani said in a statement ahead of the “Fighting Oligarchy” event in Brooklyn. Mamdani’s June primary win shocked not only the political establishment, but the real estate and business leaders who drive New York City’s economy. With affordability central to Sanders’ and Mamdani’s platforms, both have railed against America’s wealth inequality. “While oligarchs and Donald Trump try to place their thumb on the scale of this election, we’re laser-focused on the New Yorkers who built this city, call it home, and deserve a leader who will deliver dignity for all,” Mamdani said, referencing The New York Times reports alleging President Donald Trump has conspired against Mamdani’s campaign. Trump has dubbed Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic.” ZOHRAN MAMDANI SUPPORTERS UNFAZED BY TRUMP’S ‘COMMUNIST’ LABEL, DEFEND THE CANDIDATE’S AFFORDABILITY FIGHT The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry regarding the report that Trump discussed offering incumbent Mayor Eric Adams a position in the Trump administration so he would drop out of the race and hurt Mamdani’s election odds. Meanwhile, Trump and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo denied discussing how to defeat Mamdani this November. CITY-RUN GROCERY STORES, DEFUNDING POLICE, SAFE INJECTION SITES: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NYC’S NEXT POTENTIAL MAYOR Ahead of the town hall in Brooklyn, the two progressive leaders plan to march alongside union members in Manhattan’s Labor Day parade on Saturday morning. After headlining the New Hampshire AFL-CIO’s annual Labor Day breakfast on Monday, Sanders told Fox News Digital that Trump is “leading us toward authoritarianism, toward more income and wealth inequality and making the planet even more dangerous.” “No, billionaires should not be able to get away with not paying their fair share of taxes while working people are being, in many cases, overtaxed,” Sanders said, urging Americans to unite against Trump and deliver for more than just the top 1%. Sanders and Mamdani met in July when the mayoral hopeful visited the nation’s capital for a digital campaign skill-sharing breakfast hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Mamdani called Sanders “Brooklyn through and through” and said it was an honor to meet “one of my heroes,” while Sanders said he is “deeply impressed by the grassroots campaign he is running.” Sanders, a two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up, was an early endorser of Mamdani’s primary campaign, alongside Ocasio-Cortez. Their endorsements helped Mamdani consolidate progressive support in the 11-candidate field during the final weeks of the primary campaign. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez sparked sizeable buzz on the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour earlier this year, firing up thousands of Democrats at rallies across the United States who have been left without a clear party leader since devastating losses up and down the ballot in 2024. While Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour seemed for a time a glimmer of hope for a fractured party, Mamdani’s surprising primary win this summer seems to have reignited that Democratic base in a new, albeit more progressive, direction. Mamdani’s campaign platform promises progressive ideas like rent freezes, city-run grocery stores, free buses and raising the minimum wage – all of which he plans to pay for by raising taxes on corporations and the 1%. Many of those ideas are in line with the Democratic socialist agenda that Sanders has been pushing for years. “At a time of massive and growing income and wealth inequality, we are building a strong grassroots movement to take on the billionaire class and corporate greed,” Sanders said in a statement ahead of the Brooklyn town hall. Sanders said the “oligarchs” – or wealthy business leaders with political influence – will “undermine democracy” and won’t hesitate to “buy elections.” “But candidates who stand boldly with the working class can — and will — beat them. When we stand together we can defeat authoritarianism and create an economy that works for all our people, not just the privileged few,” the Vermont senator and former presidential candidate said. Sanders’ campaign has touted turning out more than 300,000 people across 34 rallies in 20 states since kicking off his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour this year. Fox News Digital reached out to Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, Cuomo and Adams for comment regarding Mamdani’s event with Sanders but did not immediately receive responses. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stacy contributed to this report.
Trump calls Florida’s move to eliminate vaccine mandates a ‘tough stance’: ‘You have vaccines that work’
President Donald Trump said on Friday that Florida officials are taking a “tough stance” by moving to eliminate all vaccine mandates for students, as he stated that some “vaccines should be used.” “I think we have to be very careful. You have some vaccines that are so amazing. The polio vaccine, I happen to think, is amazing,” Trump told reporters, adding that he believes the COVID-19 vaccine developed during his first term is also “amazing.” He continued: “You have some vaccines that are so incredible, and I think you have to be very careful when you say that some people don’t have to be vaccinated. It’s a very tough position … it’s a tough stance.” The president added that there are “vaccines that work, they just pure and simple work.” SCHOOL VACCINE MANDATES MAY GO AWAY IN SOUTHERN STATE, SURGEON GENERAL ANNOUNCES “They’re not controversial at all,” Trump said. “And I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people. And when you don’t have controversy at all, I think people should take them.” On Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the move to eliminate all vaccine mandates. Ladapo even went as far as to compare vaccine requirements to slavery. “All of them,” Ladapo said during a news conference. “Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.” He also said vaccine mandates are “wrong” and “immoral.” REPUBLICAN DOCTORS CLASH WITH RFK JR OVER VACCINES IN TENSE SENATE SHOWDOWN Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health would repeal mandates under his authority, while the state legislature would need to address the others. Florida has required students going to school to receive vaccinations for polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus and other communicable diseases, although parents could still request exemptions on religious grounds. Every U.S. state and Washington, D.C., currently requires vaccines for children to attend school. Across the country, there has been a decline in vaccinations among children. The COVID-19 vaccine, which Ladapo referred to as “poison,” was removed from the recommended list for healthy children by the federal government under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Who am I as a government or anyone else, who am I as a man standing here now, to tell you what you should put in your body?” Lapado said. “Who am I to tell you what your child should put in [their] body? I don’t have that right.” “You want to put whatever different vaccines in your body, God bless you. I hope you make an informed decision,” he added. “You don’t want to put whatever vaccines in your body, God bless you. I hope you make an informed decision. That’s how it should be.”
‘They’re embarrassing us’: National Guard presence in DC sparks fiery Capitol clash
Congressional Democrats are blasting President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Washington, D.C., as local officials fight in court to send the troops home. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., called the deployment of service members as part of Trump’s crackdown on crime in the District “horrible.” “It is absolutely one of the most ridiculous things, and they’re embarrassing us on the world stage,” Cleaver said. “Because here we are, the citadel of democracy, and very clearly erasing a little bit of that ‘D’ every day when we send in troops to Washington, D.C., when Mayor Bowser did not request them.” TRUMP ACTIVATES NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO ADDRESS ‘TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL’ CRIME IN WASHINGTON Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., argued that troops patrolling the streets has made the city safer. “It’s a new day,” he said. “As for the Democrats, look, I don’t know why they don’t believe in safety and security.” Trump’s deployment of the National Guard within Washington comes after his move to federalize the local police force through the Home Rule Act last month, and it’s part of a surge of federal law enforcement officers who have been patrolling the streets ever since. District Mayor Muriel Bowser has acknowledged that Trump’s takeover helped reduce crime in Washington, D.C., going so far as to sign an executive order encouraging further cooperation with federal officials when it comes to crime. NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FROM SIX RED STATES HEAD TO DC TO HELP TACKLE CRIME But D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued the administration earlier this week in an effort to remove the National Guard from the District. “We shouldn’t be using the Guard for that, but we should be coordinating with our federal partners locally,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said, “Our FBI is very helpful. DEA is very helpful. So there’s a lot of room for cooperation to try to address the crime issues in all of our cities.” His lawsuit came on the heels of a judge ruling that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles earlier this year was illegal. Schwalb contended in his suit that a law from the 1870s prevents troops from domestic policing. “It’s just a commonsense issue,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said. “And I think that Democrats should be reaching out saying, ‘Great, how do we work together to make sure that the District is as safe as possible for the benefit of everybody?” CONGRESSMAN WHOSE DC APARTMENT COMPLEX WAS ROBBED BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR CRITICIZING TRUMP CRIME CRACKDOWN Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., argued that troops in D.C. was “simple.” “Crime was pretty high in Washington, D.C., right? And then Trump acted, and now crime is down 97%,” she said. “What’s wrong with that?” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., noted that the National Guard’s deployment in his home state has aided policing. Earlier this year, New Mexico’s Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called in the state’s guard to aid local police to combat fentanyl and juvenile crime. But Heinrich countered that Trump’s usage of troops wasn’t really about backing up the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). “I worry that what we’re seeing in D.C. is not really supporting police activities, and is more of a distraction from the Epstein situation,” he said.
Joe Kennedy III blasts RFK Jr. after fiery Senate hearing, fueling Kennedy family infighting: ‘He must resign’
Joe Kennedy III on Friday denounced his cousin Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as “a threat to the health and wellbeing of every American” in a blistering social media post. The rare public rebuke comes one day after RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing, deepening a family feud that has fractured one of America’s most famous political dynasties. Kennedy’s statement, viewed more than 1.2 million times, opens the curtain behind the extraordinary rift inside the political dynasty. Once synonymous with Democrat unity, the Kennedys are now split over RFK Jr.’s embrace of President Donald Trump and his appointment to HHS Secretary under a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Joe Kennedy’s demand that his cousin resign marks a dramatic escalation of the feud. INTO THE ARENA: HOSTILE DEMOCRATS, SKEPTICAL REPUBLICANS TEAR INTO KENNEDY ON THE HILL In 2024, five of RFK Jr.’s siblings issued a joint statement blasting his endorsement of Trump as “a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.” Caroline Kennedy later urged senators to block her cousin’s cabinet nomination, writing in a January 2025 letter that he was a “predator” who was “addicted to attention and power” and “unqualified” to lead HHS. On Sept. 4, RFK Jr. appeared in a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., accused him of firing CDC scientists and replacing them with “cranks” and “conspiracy theorists” who were “endangering children, leaving parents confused and scared.” TRUMP STANDS BY RFK JR. AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE’S DIFFERENT’ As Joe Kennedy wrote in his post, “None of us will be spared the pain he is inflicting… Those values are not present in the Secretary’s office. He must resign.” His cousin Jack Schlossberg, President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, piled on in real time, mocking RFK Jr.’s testimony: “RFK LOSER is choking so badly LIVE.” With Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial tenure in Trump’s cabinet, the Kennedy dynasty’s divisions are now spilling into public view with some of the sharpest blows coming from within. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Andrew Cuomo has breakfast meeting with Rev. Al Sharpton as he trails Mamdani in NYC mayoral race
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running for New York City mayor, met with Rev. Al Sharpton on Friday. Cuomo shared a photo of the meeting at a New York City restaurant on his social media, writing, “Great breakfast catching up with my old friend, @real_sharpton.” Sharpton also shared the photo on his social media, saying they had a “breakfast meeting,” and that Democratic candidate and front-runner for mayor, Zohran Mamdani – who identifies as a Democratic socialist — would be on his MSNBC show “PoliticsNation” this weekend. Cuomo was likely reaching out to the politically influential Sharpton for an endorsement, the New York Post reported, saying the former governor – who resigned in 2021 amid sexual misconduct allegations – asked the civil rights activist to “have an open mind” about the race. TRUMP WANTS ‘2 PEOPLE TO DROP OUT’ TO SET UP A ‘1-ON-1’ MAYORAL RACE WITH MAMDANI IN NYC “I’m very impressed with Mamdani, but I’ve known Andrew for 40 years, going back to the ’80s with his father,” Sharpton told the Post, referring to late former Gov. Mario Cuomo. The meeting comes as current Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the Democratic primary and is running as an Independent, is rumored to be considering dropping out of the race for a potential job offer in the Trump administration. Adams has denied planning to drop out. TRUMP SAYS CUOMO’S GOT A ‘GOOD SHOT’ OF BEATING MAMDANI IN NYC MAYOR ELECTION A recent Sienna College poll shows Mamdani ahead of his opponents by double digits with 44% support, 25% for Cuomo, 12% for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and 7% for Adams. Sharpton had previously called on Cuomo to drop out of the race after Mamdani beat him in the Democratic primary. “I think, in the best interest of the legacy of Andrew Cuomo, that he ought to let them have the one-on-one race,” he said, referring to Mamdani and Adams during an interview on MSNBC in July. “He can endorse one or the other, and let them have a battle over what is best for New York.” Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi told the Post: “Governor Cuomo and Reverend Sharpton have stood side by side for decades, fighting for justice and progress. They meet from time to time over breakfast to discuss issues critical to the city, the state, and the nation. Today’s meeting was both productive and positive.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Cuomo and Sharpton for comment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The election will be in November.
ICE tells Kilmar Abrego Garcia he’ll be deported to tiny African country
An attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE has notified high-profile illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia that he will be deported to the tiny African nation Eswatini, after the alleged gang member’s lawyers said he fears persecution in 22 other countries. According to a removal notice shared with Fox News by ICE sources, the agency notified Abrego Garcia that in light of his claims of fear of persecution or torture in nearly two dozen other countries, “we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa.” “Dear Mr. Abrego Garcia,” the notice reads, “As you know, the United States seeks to remove you from the United States based on your final order of removal. Currently, you are designated to be removed to Uganda. Your attorney has informed us, however, that you fear persecution or torture in Uganda.” The ICE notice states, “That claim of fear is hard to take seriously, especially given that you have claimed (through your attorneys) that you fear persecution or torture in at least 22 different countries.” ABREGO GARCIA CASE PROMPTS KEY DOJ OUSTINGS, CLEARS WAY FOR TRUMP DEPORTATION AGENDA The notice lists 22 countries, including El Salvador, Uganda and twenty Latin American countries. “Nonetheless,” the notice states, “we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa.” DHS also reposted a copy of the notification on its official X account with the caption, “Homie is afraid of the entire western hemisphere.” Following his March deportation to his home country of El Salvador, Abrego Garcia has become a cause célèbres for many Democrats charging the Trump administration of denying immigrants their due process. He was returned to the U.S. in June and is currently standing trial for human smuggling related to a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee in which he was found transporting several non-citizens across the country. ABREGO GARCIA HEARD SAYING TWO WORDS DURING ICE ARREST Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has also alleged that Abrego Garcia is a member of the Salvadoran MS-13 as well as a “human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator.” He is currently being kept at an immigration detention center in Virginia while his case is ongoing after U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an Obama appointee, ruled to temporarily block Abrego Garcia’s deportation to Uganda. Chris Newman, an attorney for Abrego Garcia’s family, has categorically denied DHS’ allegations, telling Fox News Digital, “None of those things are true, full stop.” ABREGO GARCIA RENEWS PUSH FOR ASYLUM IN US, REVEALS NEW COUNTRY WILLING TO ACCEPT HIM He said that “in essence” what the Trump administration has done “is to use the highest office in the land to blackmail an innocent man into sacrificing his constitutional rights.”
Trump endorses Hinson in 2026 race to keep key Senate seat red
President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson as she runs to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa. Hinson — a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northeastern portion of the state — showcased her support for Trump as she launched her Senate campaign on Tuesday. “I’m running to be President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate,” she said. And in a Fox News Digital interview this week, Hinson highlighted that she’s “proud to stand” with Trump. Trump, in a social media post, said, “I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER!” HINSON LAUNCHES SENATE BID IN RACE TO SUCCEED IOWA’S ERNST “I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER! A Loving Wife and Proud Mother of two sons, Ashley is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Iowa, and will continue doing so in the United States Senate,” the president said. “Ashley Hinson will be an outstanding Senator, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement – SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump’s support followed earlier endorsements from Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which is the Senate GOP’s campaign arm. “We need conservative fighters in the Senate — and that’s exactly what we’ll get with Ashley Hinson,” Thune wrote early Friday as he endorsed Hinson. And NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said, “Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President Trump’s agenda in 2026 and beyond.” Hinson doesn’t have the GOP primary field to herself. Former state Sen. Jim Carlin and veteran Joshua Smith had already entered the primary ahead of Ernst’s announcement. But the support from Trump, Thune, and the NRSC will further boost Hinson, who was already considered the frontrunner for the nomination, and will likely dissuade any others from entering the primary. The president’s clout over the GOP is immense, and his endorsement in a Republican primary is extremely influential. Hinson’s campaign launch came a few hours after Ernst, in a social media video, officially announced that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms. “After a tremendous amount of prayer and reflection, I will not be seeking re-election in 2026,” the 55-year-old Ernst, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, said in a video posted to social media. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War, had been wrestling for months over whether to run for re-election in 2026. And in her video, she said, “This was no easy decision.” Ernst first grabbed national attention 11 years ago with her “make ’em squeal” ads as she won the high-profile Senate election in Iowa in the race to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. And Ernst highlighted in her video that “11 years ago, Iowans elected me as the first female combat veteran to the U.S. Senate, and they did so with a mission in mind – to make Washington squeal. And I’m proud to say we have delivered. We’ve cut waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government.” Hinson, in a social media post, thanked Ernst for her “incredible service to our state and nation” as well as for her friendship. “Iowa is better off thanks to your selfless service,” she said. In an Iowa radio interview on Tuesday, she said that among her priorities as she runs for the Senate are “secure borders, keeping men out of girls’ sports, cutting taxes for our working families, standing up for Iowa agriculture and helping our young Iowans who are trying to buy a house and start a family.” Hinson also pledged to campaign across all 99 of Iowa’s counties, starting with a kick-off event on Friday. And as she entered the race, Hinson was endorsed by Republican Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma. House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, House Republican Leadership Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik and Iowa House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann also backed Hinson. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) communications director Maeve Coyle, following Hinson’s announcement, argued that “Republicans failed to convince Joni Ernst to run for reelection, and now they may be stuck with Ashley Hinson, who has repeatedly voted to raise costs and make life harder for Iowans by voting to slash Medicaid, cheering on the chaotic tariffs that threaten Iowa’s economy, voting against measures to lower the cost of insulin, and threatening Social Security.” Responding, Hinson told Fox News Digital, “I think they’re misinformed at best.” And she charged that “when I hear the lies and the fearmongering coming out of the left, it’s to only cover up for the fact that they have no message and no real leader other than Bernie and AOC and now Mamdani in New York,” as she referred to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. “If that’s the direction they want to take our country, I think Iowans are going to reject that wholeheartedly,” she predicted. FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020, and by 13 points last November. Republicans currently hold both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats – Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley – and all four of Iowa’s congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor, which is held by Democrat Rob Sand, who’s running for governor next year. But Democrats in Iowa
A closer look at Air Force One and the executive fleet
President Donald Trump has his sights on a new version of Air Force One as delays and cost overruns continue to plague Boeing’s long-awaited presidential aircraft replacements. The most recent data from 2020 says at least 20 planes make up the executive fleet. A newly constructed plane has not been added in nearly 27 years. Some of those currently in service are expected to stay flying for another 13 years. “They’re not building the plane fast enough. I mean, they’re actually in default,” Trump said about Boeing in a February interview with Sean Hannity. Air Force One is used to designate any Air Force aircraft carrying the commander in chief. There are currently two highly customized Boeing aircraft that were deployed in 1990 when George H.W. Bush was president. The planes have since carried presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump, Joe Biden and now Trump once again. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO: THE QATAR AIR FORCE ONE JET “I miss Air Force One,” Bush said at an event for Veterans in 2014. “In eight years, they never lost my baggage.” The two forthcoming Boeing planes have been plagued by delays due to the complex technology needed onboard Air Force One. “They’ve got to debug it, make sure there’s no signal intelligence risks. And I think just to make it secure against any potential military attacks. It was ironic for a long time. It was one of the prince’s planes, which I think they were trying to sell. And now they’re giving it to the U.S., and it’s costing quite a bit to update,” Jay Solomon, a staff writer for the Free Press, said. The Qatari jet is estimated to have a faster timeline than the two Boeing planes, but it still needs some of the same technology to make it Air Force One. “If you look at it just through economics, maybe it makes sense, but I still think the fact that we’re allowing a foreign country to gift something of that magnitude to a sitting president — on top of all these other concerns — I think it’s a risk, and it’s not a good look,” Soloman said. Air Force One is required to have four engines, unlike most of today’s passenger planes, which have two. Onboard is the highest level of classified communications and external protection against foreign surveillance. The planes are equipped with air-to-air refueling capabilities so they can fly for as long as needed. Air Force One is built for the worst possible scenarios, like nuclear war, so that the president can still command military forces from the sky. “They’re extremely complex, and I’m not going to go into it, but they’re not like a normal plane. You know, it’s not like building a 747 normal,” Trump said during his Middle East Trip on “Special Report” in May. TRUMP ACCEPTS JET FROM QATAR, WILL REFIT TO SERVE AS AIR FORCE ONE, DOD SAYS Air Force officials say it is possible to add some of the security features to the Qatari jet, but it’s unlikely to have the full suite of technology by Trump’s February timeline. “Initially, it was supposed to be like, ‘Maybe he’ll get it done by the end of his presidency,’” Solomon said. Four modified Boeing 757s or C-32As are the newest planes in the executive fleet. Those were added in 1998 and 1999. The Air Force is studying potential replacement options, but the current planes will continue to fly until 2038. The aircraft are primarily used by the vice president, Cabinet members, members of Congress and other officials. “Even today, and regardless of the airplane, we have to operate it differently based on the threat environment that even the current or any of the future aircraft will go into. Again, can’t talk in detail about that, but that is always a consideration,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said during a June Senate Hearing. Air Force One isn’t the only aging plane; much of the executive fleet is more than two decades old. The aircraft have undergone modernization modifications, but officials have questioned the timeline for major updates as several incidents have taken place over the years. INSIDE AMERICA’S 6TH-GEN ARSENAL: B-21, F-47, AND THE FUTURE OF AIR DOMINANCE In 2014, Obama was forced to switch planes during a campaign event in Philadelphia after a minor mechanical problem was reported on Air Force One. In 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris’ plane requested an emergency return to Joint Base Andrews as she began her first foreign trip overseas to Guatemala and Mexico. Most recently, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plane was forced to turn around while en route to Munich in February due to a mechanical issue. The newest aircraft among the executive fleet are the Marine One Helicopters. Biden first rode in the newly designed Marine One in 2024 during the Democratic National Convention. Updating those took nearly two decades and, in some cases, replaced helicopters flying since the 1970s. The Boeing 777X is expected to be the next new major commercial aircraft. It’s scheduled to enter service in 2026 after a nearly six-year delay with Lufthansa taking the first flight. The modernized plane is designed to have a folding wingtip, a touchscreen flight deck and wider cabin space.
Eric Adams vows to beat Mamdani amid rumors he’d drop out
New York Mayor Eric Adams held a news conference Friday to dispel widespread rumors he would drop his re-election bid and vowed to stay in the race, saying, “I’m running, and I’m going to beat Mamdani.” Adams, who was elected mayor as a Democrat in 2022, is running as an independent and facing an uphill battle against the Democratic Party’s mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, a Ugandan-born Muslim and socialist. Former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary race in June. Adams took aim at Mamdani and Cuomo during his news conference, saying, “I have two spoiled brats running for mayor.” “I want to be clear with you,” Adams added. “Andrew Cuomo is a snake and a liar. I am in this race, and I’m the only one that can beat Mamdani. ANDREW CUOMO CHALLENGES MAYORAL OPPONENT ZOHRAN MAMDANI TO 5 DEBATES ACROSS EACH OF NYC’S BOROUGHS “This is such a pivotal and important period, and we have to get it right,” he added. “They were born with silver spoons in their mouths. Not like working-class New Yorkers. I’m a working-class New Yorker. They are not like us,” he said. “They’ve never had to fight. They never had to struggle. They never had to go through difficult times like you and I had to go through, New Yorkers.” He took particular aim at Cuomo, accusing him of having “a career of pushing Black candidates out of races.” He also addressed rumors that he is in discussions with President Donald Trump about possibly joining his administration. TRUMP WANTS ‘2 PEOPLE TO DROP OUT’ TO SET UP ‘1-ON-1’ MAYORAL RACE WITH MAMDANI IN NYC “There’s a lot of reports that I’m in Washington on Monday. Those reports are wrong. I’m not,” said Adams. “I’ll be moving throughout this city in the five boroughs that made me mayor in the first place. I’m running for re-election, and I’m going to tell New Yorkers every day why I believe I should be the mayor of the city of New York in 2026.” He acknowledged that he is significantly behind Mamdani in the polls but dismissed this, saying, “I hear the polls. I hear the comments. I hear the pundits. “But those are the same polls that stated eight weeks out that Andrew Cuomo was up by 36 points, and even his poll had him up by 10 points. Those are the same polls that stated he was going to walk into becoming the mayor of the City of New York, [which] he believes is a consolation prize because he made the determination to step down [as governor].” DNC AGAIN EMBRACES MAMDANI DESPITE COMMUNIST RHETORIC, REFUSAL TO DENOUNCE GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA: ‘BIG TENT’ “I’m running, and I’m going to beat Mamdani. And I’m going to continue the success that this city has witnessed,” he said. “I committed myself and dedicated myself to a city that I love, and I’m going to continue to do that. This polo shirt that I’m wearing that says Eric Adams, Mayor of the City of New York, I’m going to wear that for another four years.”