Trump’s week shaped by crime agenda, potential guard deployment to Chicago
More details of President Donald Trump’s potential deployment of additional National Guard troops to Chicago could come into focus this week. The move comes as the Trump administration doubles down on its tough-on-crime agenda, seeking a larger federal footprint in Democrat-led cities, drawing pushback from local leaders who contend the move is political. TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC ‘SAFER’ AND ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS On Friday, Trump said he would address crime in other major U.S. cities, describing D.C. as a “hellhole” before federal law enforcement and more than 2,200 National Guard members were mobilized to patrol the city’s streets. “Now it’s safe,” the president said a day after visiting with deployed troops in the capital. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said last week that more than 700 arrests have been made in D.C. since Aug. 11. Trump said he would expand security efforts to other major U.S. cities across the country, singling out Chicago but offering few specifics. “Chicago’s a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent,” Trump said on Friday, adding that the Windy City will “be our next one after this,” a reference to the current security presence in Washington. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday that his city has yet to receive details about additional federal law enforcement or military deployments to Chicago. He called the Trump administration’s efforts “uncoordinated, uncalled-for and unsound.” CHICAGO MAYOR SLAMS TRUMP’S NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT PLAN Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement Saturday that he has also not heard from the federal government and noted that his state has not requested security assistance. Chicago, home to about 2.7 million people, has topped the nation in homicides for 13 straight years, logging 573 in 2024 alone, according to the city’s own figures. It is not immediately clear what the size and scope of the potential deployment in Chicago will be, or when it might begin. Over the weekend, Trump threatened to send the National Guard to Baltimore following an invitation from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to attend a public safety walk and learn about the security needs. “As President, I would much prefer that he clean up this crime disaster before I go there for a walk,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He added that he could deploy National Guard members to Maryland in order to “quickly clean up the crime.” The president added that he did not appreciate the tone of Moore’s Aug. 21 invitation. TRUMP SAYS HE COULD SEND THE NATIONAL GUARD TO MARYLAND TO ADDRESS CRIME Earlier this month, the Trump administration rolled out plans to curb crime and the growing homeless population in the nation’s capital. “The Mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the crime numbers get worse, and the city only gets dirtier and less attractive. The American public is not going to put up with it any longer,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Aug. 10. Trump wrote in a separate Truth Social post that he wants the homeless to “immediately” move “far from” the nation’s capital. “The criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong,” he wrote in the same post, adding that the new crackdowns on both issues are “going to happen very fast.” “There will be no “MR. NICE GUY.” We want our Capital BACK,” Trump wrote, adding that more details on these efforts will be laid out during a press conference on Monday.
Scoop: ‘Make America Fentanyl Free’ campaign launches to help Trump lower overdose deaths
FIRST ON FOX: A new campaign launched on Monday to help fulfill President Donald Trump’s pledge to reduce fentanyl overdose deaths, which are one of the nation’s deadliest public health crises. The campaign, titled Make America Fentanyl Free, is described as a privately-funded multi-million-dollar ad blitz on national and local television, and across all major social media platforms, including X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. The effort, which was first shared with Fox News Digital on Monday, aims to reduce the number of Americans killed by fentanyl, a highly potent and extremely dangerous synthetic opioid. Fentanyl and fentanyl-related drugs have been responsible for most drug overdose deaths in the U.S. for nearly a decade. “The Make America Fentanyl Free ad campaign was launched to support President Trump’s efforts to save American lives from deadly fentanyl, which continues to be a leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45,” organizers said in a statement. DRUG DEADLIER THAN FENTANYL SPREADS ACROSS THE AMERICAS Organizers emphasized that the mission of the campaign, which is also online at MakeAmericaFentanylFree.com, is to inform Americans about the devastating effects of fentanyl, and pointed out that “ingesting as little as three grains of fentanyl can be lethal within minutes.” The campaign is also intended to educate the public about the hidden dangers of fentanyl, which is frequently disguised in other substances, such as cocaine and marijuana. TRUMP SIGNED FENTANYL LAW WILL END ‘CAT AND MOUSE’ WITH TRAFFICKERS “Make America Fentanyl Free is working with President Trump to aggressively make sure every American understands the danger of fentanyl,” the narrator in the ad says. The effort also intends to “send a strong unequivocal message to Mexican drug cartels that actions leading to American deaths or harm will result in serious consequences.” The Trump administration says it has lowered fentanyl deaths in the U.S. by beefing up security along the nation’s borders, emphasizing law enforcement, and raising tariffs against China and Mexico to keep fentanyl and other lethal drugs out of the country. Organizers touted that “on day one in office, President Trump shut down the dangerous, open border and stemmed the flow of deadly fentanyl through our country. As a result, fentanyl traffic at the border fell by 54% in the first months of the Trump Administration. FATHER WHOSE SON DIED FROM FENTANYL WARNS ‘OVERDOSES CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE’ But organizers said their effort is needed to “continue eradicating deadly fentanyl from our communities.” Trump last month signed into law a bill permanently placing street versions of fentanyl on the list of controlled substances, which should make it easier to prosecute fentanyl traffickers and put them behind bars. But the Trump administration has also been criticized when it comes to battling fentanyl deaths, for seeking major cuts to domestic programs that work to reduce drug demand. And Democrats in California, taking aim at what they call Trump’s “unlawful deployment of military personnel to Los Angeles,” say the effort has slashed the California’s National Guard’s fentanyl and drug interdiction force by 32%, “directly harming California’s ability to fight the flow of illegal drugs into our communities.” Organizers of the new effort highlight that Make America Fentanyl Free is a privately funded campaign “launched without taxpayer dollars.” Some of the major contributions to fund the campaign have come from a number of the president’s major donors and allies, according to sources in Trump’s political orbit.
Trump tells Grassley to tell Democrats ‘go to HELL’ over blocked judicial nominees in Senate
President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition, calling it an unconstitutional affront to his appointment power and alleging that his rights have “been completely taken away from me in States that have just one Democrat United States Senator.” The president is referring to his ability to nominate judges and U.S. Attorneys, accusing the custom of essentially giving Democrats veto power over his nominees. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is defending the century-old process, saying he views it as a norm worth preserving for balance and state input. GRASSLEY REBUKES TRUMP’S PRESSURE TO ‘HAVE THE COURAGE’ TO SPEED UP NOMINATIONS Blue slips are a long-standing tradition but are not a codified law, and constitutionally he is only allowed the power to nominate while the Senate ultimately approves or rejects that nomination. Trump’s frustration with the Senate’s blue slip practice isn’t new. In July, Trump called the tradition a “hoax” and a “scam” used by Democrats to block his nominees and demanded that Grassley stop supporting them. “Put simply, the president of the United States will never be permitted to appoint the person of his choice because of an ancient, and probably unconstitutional, ‘CUSTOM,’” his post said. ALINA HABBA SAYS SHE ‘WON’T BE INTIMIDATED’ AFTER SENATE CUSTOM HINDERS US ATTORNEY NOMINATION In his first term, Trump was able to appoint 234 federal judges, including three Supreme Court justices and 54 appellate court judges. However, this term he has only confirmed five in the first seven months. Trump went on in his post to suggest he was willing to apply pressure and that Grassley shouldn’t acquiesce. “The only candidates that I can get confirmed for these most important positions are, believe it or not, Democrats! Chuck Grassley should allow strong Republican candidates to ascend to these very vital and powerful roles, and tell the Democrats, as they often tell us, to go to HELL!” he wrote. Trump’s comments come after U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann recently ruled that Alina Habba had been unlawfully serving as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey beyond the 120-day limit allowed for temporary prosecutors and that the administration had been using an unusual maneuver to keep her in the role. Trump’s pressure campaign could shape how many judicial vacancies he can realistically fill in the months ahead.
Abrego Garcia to appear at ICE office in Baltimore amid talk of Uganda deportation
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadorian migrant whose months-long court fight has emerged as a flashpoint of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, will report Monday to the ICE Field Office in Baltimore, where he is expected to be arrested and deported to Uganda, his attorneys told Fox News Digital. The news caps an extraordinary, six-month court battle over Abrego Garcia’s legal status that has spanned two continents, touched off dozens of lengthy court hearings, and involved three federal judges in Tennessee and Maryland. The Department of Justice has said Abrego Garcia is a member of the El Salvadoran gang MS-13, was caught in Tennessee allegedly driving a van full of illegal migrants, and has been accused by his wife of beating her. His supporters have painted him as a hard-working father who has been vilified by the Trump administration, and have pointed to a judge’s ruling that said the government failed to provide sufficient evidence that he is a member of MS-13. Now, Abrego Garcia is slated for deportation to a third country, after an immigration judge ruled he could not be sent back to his homeland because he faced danger there. The latest development in Abrego Garcia’s saga comes days after the Justice Department offered to send him to Costa Rica on Thursday, in exchange for a guilty plea to criminal charges of human smuggling, brought against him while he was still detained in Salvadorian custody earlier this year. Abrego Garcia declined the offer. ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM JAIL, WILL RETURN TO MARYLAND TO AWAIT TRIAL His attorneys used the spurned offer to bolster their motion to dismiss the criminal case against him on the grounds of “vindictive” and selective prosecution by the Trump administration. They said the plea deal offer shows that the Trump administration had embarked on a pressure campaign against their client, and one in which several government agencies— the Justice Department, ICE, and DHS— were “using their collective powers to force” their client to choose between the plea and Costa Rica, or not accepting the offer, and what they termed the “rendition to Uganda.” “In conjunction with that proposal, the government produced a letter to Mr. Abrego’s counsel confirming that he could live freely in that country, which would accept him as a refugee or grant him residency status, and promise not to refoul him to El Salvador,” his attorneys said in a court filing on Saturday. It was not until after he rejected that offer, they said, that the government “informed Mr. Abrego that he has until first thing Monday morning — precisely when he must report to ICE’s Baltimore Field Office — to accept a plea in exchange for deportation to Costa Rica, or else that offer will be off the table forever.” JUDGE PRESSES TRUMP DOJ ON ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION; ANSWERS LEAVE COURTROOM IN STUNNED SILENCE The plans were detailed in several documents, including the official notice sent Friday to Abrego Garcia’s attorneys by ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Adviser (OPLA), and in the Saturday court filing from his attorneys. Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally when he was a teenager, and lived in Maryland with his wife and children, prior to his removal to El Salvador in March. His family sued, saying his deportation to El Salvador violated a 2019 court order blocking him from being sent back to his home country. After months of legal wrangling, the Trump administration in May returned Abrego Garcia to the U.S., where he was slapped with charges of human smuggling; an investigation that originated from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee and which began in April. ABREGO GARCIA LAWYERS FILE MOTION TO DISMISS CRIMINAL CHARGES FROM TRUMP DOJ Should ICE immediately arrest Abrego Garcia, their actions would likely defy a court order handed down by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an Obama appointee, which sought to preclude ICE from immediately arresting Abrego Garcia upon return. Fox News reported Friday that DHS and ICE officials, frustrated with Abrego Grcia’s release, had been consulting with the Justice Department and ICE’s lawyers about how to go about removing him from the U.S. Lawyers for the Justice Department vehemently opposed Abrego Garcia’s release from custody, arguing at an evidentiary hearing earlier this year that he was a danger to the community and describing him as a member of MS-13 — a claim that was rejected by a judge in a ruling earlier this year. Even so, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blasted Abrego Garcia’s release from criminal custody on Friday, saying in a statement that the Trump administration “will not stop fighting till this Salvadoran man faces justice and is OUT of our country.” “Kilmar is being made an example of, a martyr for having the courage to stand up to this administration’s illegal deportation practices,” Lydia Walther-Rodriguez, CASA’s Chief of Organizing and Leadership, said in a statement.
Chicago mayor calls Trump’s National Guard plan ‘most flagrant violation of our Constitution’
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Sunday called President Donald Trump’s plan to send the National Guard to Chicago a “flagrant violation of our Constitution.” “What the President is proposing would be the most flagrant violation of our Constitution in the 21st Century,” Johnson wrote on X. “The City of Chicago does not need a military occupation.” Johnson also shared a clip from his appearance on MSNBC’s “The Weekend.” On the show, Johnson said Chicago has made clear what it needs instead of troops. GOV. PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP TRYING TO ‘MANUFACTURE A CRISIS’ AS ADMIN PLANS NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO “We need to invest in people to ensure that we can build safe and affordable communities. That’s what I’ve done as mayor since assuming office,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that this president is working overtime to divide in his attempt to conquer working families and to conquer cities across America. “But this is clearly a violation of the Constitution, and we’re going to remain firm and vigilant in our commitment to ensure that our democracy is protected, and our humanity is secured,” Johnson added. Trump said Friday that Chicago would be next for federal intervention after efforts in Washington, D.C., conclude. CHICAGO MAYOR CALLS TRUMP’S NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT PLAN ‘UNCOORDINATED, UNCALLED-FOR AND UNSOUND’ He vowed to send troops elsewhere afterward to “make it safe” as well. “We’re going to make our country very safe,” Trump said. “…Chicago’s a mess.” Soon after Trump’s announcement, Johnson said Chicago had received no formal notice of law enforcement or military deployments and expressed “grave concerns” about any unlawful action. He called the administration’s efforts “uncoordinated, uncalled-for and unsound,” pushing back after Trump labeled him “grossly incompetent” earlier in the day. He noted homicides are down 30%, robberies are down 35% and shootings are down nearly 40% in the past year, arguing federal action would erode trust. TRUMP HINTS AT FEDERAL CRACKDOWN IN CHICAGO AMID ANTI-CRIME PUSH IN DC Johnson released a statement on Sunday, saying he and his team are in communication with counterparts at the county and state levels as Chicago prepares for any possible military deployments to the city. “The Governor, the Cook County Board President, and I are in complete alignment: Chicago is not calling for a military occupation of our city. We are currently evaluating all of our legal options to protect the people of Chicago from unconstitutional federal overreach,” Johnson said. “No matter what happens, the City of Chicago will not waver. We are Chicago. We will not bend or cower, and we will never break.” The White House suggested that leaders of blue cities like Chicago focus on their own issues rather than criticizing the president for trying to make America great. “If Democrats spent half as much time solving their own city’s crime problems as they did criticizing the President for wanting to Make America Safe Again, their constituents would be much better off,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. Chicago, which struggles with poverty and gangs, has a crime rate above the national average. But 2023 data shows several Illinois cities—including Chicago Heights, Danville, Peoria, Rockford and Harvey—had much higher violent crime rates than Chicago. On Aug. 11, Trump federalized D.C.’s Metropolitan Police under the Home Rule Act, which lets the president control the force for 30 days. A week later, six red states pledged 2,000 Guardsmen to D.C., joining agents from the FBI, DEA and ATF. Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Trump rips trial judge whose $500M penalty was erased on appeal
Fresh off a major appellate win, President Donald Trump on Sunday tore into New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who oversaw his state civil fraud trial, calling him “incompetent,” “crooked” and nearly as “corrupt” as New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump’s barbs followed an appellate ruling that erased a $500 million penalty in James’ high-profile civil fraud case, handing Trump one of his biggest legal wins yet. “The Appellate Court removed incompetent Judge Engoron, but he refused to go, or even to acknowledge them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He’s a highly overturned, CROOKED Judge, who is retiring into a life of lawsuits, along with his Chief Clerk, soon! He is almost as Corrupt as Leticia James, but not quite!” Engoron presided over the non-jury trial, and Trump allies accused him of bias against the president-elect, his family and his company. Trump was accused of inflating the value of his assets to get more favorable terms from a lender his real estate business worked with. JUDGE WHO FINED TRUMP $500 MILLION GETS THE BOOKS THROWN AT HIM The New York Appellate Division tossed the penalty, ruling the fine was excessive and violated the Eighth Amendment. The five-member panel upheld findings that Trump and his company were liable, affirming James acted within her authority and that injunctive relief against the Trump Organization was appropriate. The ruling left liability intact but wiped out the $364 million penalty plus interest, which totaled about $500 million. TURLEY HAILS TRUMP’S ‘TREMENDOUS VICTORY’ AFTER CIVIL FRAUD PENALTY TOSSED, BLASTS ‘GROTESQUE’ USE OF NY LAW Justice David Friedman dissented in part, arguing James’ true aim was political, and the case should be dismissed. He wrote her “ultimate goal was not market hygiene … but political hygiene, ending with the derailment of President Trump’s political career and the destruction of his real estate business.” Friedman blasted James’ use of Section 63(12) of New York’s Executive Law, which gives the attorney general broad civil fraud powers. He called the use unprecedented and political, giving James “essentially limitless power to prosecute her political enemies.” NY APPEALS COURT THROWS OUT $500M PENALTY AGAINST TRUMP IN LETITIA JAMES CIVIL CASE Friedman said Trump’s business deals involved sophisticated parties who profited without harming the public and concluded he would “reverse the judgment and dismiss the complaint.” With judges split on liability, the case is likely headed to New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. James said she will appeal. James, a Democrat elected in 2018, has long targeted Trump. On the campaign trail, she called him an “illegitimate president” and vowed to “use every area of the law” to investigate him and his businesses. Since Trump returned to office, the Justice Department has opened investigations tied to the case brought against Trump and also over allegations she committed mortgage fraud herself. James alleges Trump is using the federal government to target her politically. DOJ is also investigating her for alleged mortgage fraud, including misrepresenting her primary residence on loans in Virginia and New York. She denies the claims and calls the probe a “revenge tour” for the civil fraud suit. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Midterm elections are as unpredictable as ever, as 2026 looms
“Everything changes everything” – Late Baltimore Orioles’ Hall of Fame Manager Earl Weaver Determining the political landscape for next year’s midterm elections may prove to be impossible. At least right now. Midterms have become increasingly challenging to decipher in recent cycles. A learned, Democratic Capitol Hill hand told me after the historic, 63-seat bloodletting by House Democrats in 2010 that the election was “un-modellable.” Midterms are usually a problem for the party of the president. NEW RNC CHAIR JOE GRUTERS VOWS TO ‘RIDE THE PRESIDENT ALL THE WAY TO VICTORY’ IN MIDTERMS That said, Democrats only lost a few House seats in 1962 – immediately following the Cuban Missile Crisis – which nearly brought the U.S. and Soviet Union to nuclear blows. Democrats lost a staggering 47 House seats in 1966 – the first and only midterm of late President Lyndon Johnson. But the electoral rapture barely dented the robust House majority. Democrats controlled 295 House seats before the 1966 midterms, 248 seats afterwards. Still a comfortable margin. Very few political observers expected Democrats to lose control of the House in the legendary 1994 midterms – mainly because the party held the House for 40 consecutive years. It was nearly unthinkable that Democrats could lose the House – simply because it had not happened in decades. Democrats and other political observers excoriated the brilliant Michael Barone when he was the lone commentator to forecast that a Republican flip of the House could be in the offing come the fall of 1994. Barone was right, as Republicans collected 54 seats. Republicans nearly lost control of the House in the 1998 midterms – after they impeached former President Clinton. Republicans then bested the historic norms in 2002 and held the House, boosted by pro-GOP sentiment following 9/11. Democrats managed to win back the House in 2018 – following a similar playbook they deployed in 2006 when they also captured control of the House. Democrats ran a number of moderate ex-military or “national security” Democrats – often in battleground districts. The relative unpopularity of President Donald Trump didn’t help Republicans, either. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., boasted that Republicans may capture anywhere from 40-60 seats in the 2022 midterms. Republicans did win the House – but barely. CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS SUE TO STOP NEWSOM, DEMOCRATS FROM PUSHING REDISTRICTING PLAN Which brings us to 2026. The party of the president historically loses around 25 seats in their first midterm. Since President Trump is only the second commander in chief to return to office after a hiatus (late President Grover Cleveland was the first), 2026 serves as a de facto “first midterm.” Trump and the Republicans lost 41 House seats in 2018 – his true first midterm. But calculating what to expect next year is nearly impossible. Republicans now hold a 219 to 212 majority in the House with four vacancies. Three of those seats are solidly Democratic – for now. So for the sake of argument, let’s say the breakdown is 220 to 215. Democrats must only flip a net of three seats to claim the majority. It’s not that easy. First off, we barely understand the 2026 playing field. In baseball, it’s 90 feet between the bases. 60 feet, 6 inches to the pitcher’s mound. Major League Baseball even standardized the size of the dirt infield a couple of years ago. As we head to the playoffs, we know the Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers are excellent. The New York Mets and New York Yankees should be really good., but they’ve stumbled. The Philadelphia Phillies are excellent – but just lost starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to a major injury. Who could surprise down the stretch? The Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals are hardly out of it. Everyone understands the general variables of Major League Baseball as October nears. That is not the case with the 2026 midterms. Texas Republicans are now determined to redraw congressional districts to favor a GOP pickup of five seats. President Trump has endorsed similar efforts to tilt the field in favor of Republicans in GOP-strongholds like Missouri, Ohio and Indiana. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is threatening to upend the present maps in favor of Democrats in the Golden State. New York Democrats may try the same in the Empire State. So, we don’t even know the basics. How far from the plate to the mound in the 2026 midterms? How large is the strike zone? Five balls for a walk or the standard four? Twelve players in the field or nine? Redistricting could also hamper Republicans – forcing the party to suddenly defend a number of more competitive seats. Democrats could suddenly have more opportunities where none existed in 2024. But we aren’t sure. Maybe everything is status quo and Democrats only need to flip those three seats. We also don’t know how the relative unpopularity of President Trump may impact voters. He historically defies political gravity. Plus, the Democratic brand remains utterly toxic. Party registration is down for the Democrats – big time. POLITICAL ANALYST SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT THE ‘BIG PROBLEM’ OF WINNING BACK VOTERS FOR 2028 That said, could Republicans reap the benefits of passing the hallmark of their legislative agenda – the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act? Some conservatives doubt that the GOP has sufficiently sold the public on that legislation, especially during the August recess. Democrats are banking on the possibility that the legislation will backfire on the GOP in next year’s midterms. We also don’t know if President Trump not being on the ballot in 2026 is similar to the Republican midterm performance in 2018. It’s clear that not having Mr. Trump on the ballot in 2018 undercut the party at the polls. Republicans could also face a backlash from moderates and swing voters if they are dissatisfied with the performance of the president. We certainly saw that after voters tired of the polices of former Presidents George H.W. Bush in
Trump says he could send the National Guard to Maryland to address crime
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would send the National Guard to Baltimore to “quickly clean up the crime” if Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says he needs help. Moore had earlier invited Trump to attend a public safety walk in the crime-ridden city in September, saying in an Aug. 21 letter that the event would provide an opportunity to “discuss strategies for effective public safety policy.” TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC ‘SAFER’ AND ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS “As President, I would much prefer that he clean up this crime disaster before I go there for a walk,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He accused Moore of having a poor record on crime “unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other Blue States are doing.” Trump added that he did not appreciate the tone of Moore’s invitation. CHICAGO MAYOR CALLS TRUMP’S NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT PLAN ‘UNCOORDINATED, UNCALLED-FOR AND UNSOUND’ “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the “troops,” which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the crime,” Trump wrote. He added that Baltimore ranks among the worst cities in the United States for crime and murder. Moore’s office renewed calls for Trump to visit Baltimore in a statement to Fox News Digital, adding that the city has recorded its lowest homicide level in fifty years. “This is a President who would rather attack his country’s largest cities from behind a desk than walk the streets with the people he represents. The President should join us in Baltimore because the blissful ignorance, tropes, and the 1980s scare tactics benefit no one. We need leaders who are there helping the people who are actually on the ground doing the work,” a spokesperson for Moore wrote. Earlier this month, the Trump administration rolled out a plan aimed at making Washington, D.C., “safer and more beautiful” as his administration doubles down on efforts to address crime and a growing homeless population in the nation’s capital. “I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN! Before the tents, squalor, filth, and crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the world. It will soon be that again,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Aug. 10. BLUE CITIES IN TRUMP’S CROSSHAIRS AFTER DC POLICE TAKEOVER Trump has repeatedly characterized Washington, D.C., as “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world.” Officials have sought to curb crime by deploying hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops to patrol the streets. On Friday, Trump said he was considering sending the National Guard to Chicago, calling the Windy City “a mess.” Trump said that his administration will “straighten that one out probably next,” adding that “it won’t even be tough.” The White House has not offered additional details of a potential deployment of troops to Chicago.
Trump gave the Oval Office a gilded makeover – and covered the cost himself
President Donald Trump has the golden touch — and nowhere is that more evident than in the Oval Office, where gilded accents now adorn the nation’s most famous workspace, reflecting his signature style. The gold additions throughout the Oval Office were on full display last week as global leaders met with Trump to discuss a path to ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. A White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the gold Trump added to the Oval Office “is of the highest quality,” declining to provide further details. The spokesperson also said that Trump personally covered the cost of the gold accents, though did not specify how much gold was added or how much Trump spent. SPRAWLING NEW $200M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS In March, Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham during a tour of the Oval Office that the room “needed a little life” when asked about the gold details. “Throughout the years, people have tried to come up with a gold paint that would look like gold, and they’ve never been able to do it,” Trump told Ingraham. “You’ve never been able to match gold with gold paint, that’s why it’s gold,” Trump added. Since then, Trump has added gold accents throughout the Oval Office to include the room’s 18-foot-6-inch ceiling. Below is a picture of the presidential seal that overlooks the Resolute Desk, shown in 2008 and after the addition of all the gold. Behind the Resolute Desk, Trump added gold curtains and a display of flags, including those representing the U.S. military’s sister services. Meanwhile, gold trim was added to details along the ceiling and doorways. Even the cherubs inside the door frames were given a golden makeover. In March, Trump said he had installed a copy of the Declaration of Independence in the Oval Office. He told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that the document must be kept behind heavy curtains to protect it from light damage. The signed Declaration of Independence is on permanent display at the National Archives on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., where it has been housed since 1952. The framed document is seen on the wall behind Trump in the photograph below: Presidents traditionally choose the portraits displayed in the Oval Office, with special attention given to the one above the fireplace. Former President Joe Biden chose a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt above the fireplace, accompanied by additional portraits of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Above the fireplace, Trump chose to display a portrait of George Washington in military uniform, accompanied by several other prominent portraits. Gold accents were applied to the white marble fireplace mantel, enhancing its neoclassical details. Here’s a closer view of the details added to the fireplace: Trump also placed gold trinkets on the fireplace mantel, though their arrangement has changed frequently. In the Oval Office, Trump added gold coasters bearing his last name and the number 47, marking his position as the 47th president. The gold details added to the Oval Office come as Trump undertakes broader renovations across the White House grounds. TRUMP INSTALLS MASSIVE NEW US FLAGS AT THE WHITE HOUSE – AND THEY DON’T COST TAXPAYERS A PENNY Last month, the White House announced that Trump, together with private donors, will fund an estimated $200 million project to build a new ballroom. Intended to host official events, state dinners, and large ceremonial gatherings, the 90,000-square-foot addition will accommodate about 650 seated guests and maintain the White House’s classical design. The announcement followed a similar move earlier this year, when Trump personally financed the installation of two 88-foot American flags flanking the White House, each reportedly costing around $50,000.
Nation’s 2 largest teachers unions funneled nearly $50M to left-wing groups, watchdog report says
Amid a trend of declining membership since the Supreme Court struck down mandatory union dues, the nation’s two largest teachers’ unions have poured tens of millions into left-wing causes, a new report from a conservative watchdog group finds. The national nonprofit group, Defending Ed, released a report this week after combing through the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers’ contributions to left-wing and far-left groups. The nonprofit found that the two unions spent a combined $43.5 million since 2022 to help fund state and federal political action committees and other ideologically left-wing entities, such as D.C. think tanks. “It is clear that the teachers unions’ priorities are advancing far-left politics and radical social justice issues, not the education of children,” Defending Ed researcher Rhyen Staley told Fox News Digital. “This is a slap in the face to families and teachers who want to focus on helping students improve their reading and math skills. It is time that Congress acts to stop this obscene redistribution of public monies to advance left-wing identity politics.” NEW GROUP OFFERS TEACHERS A WAY TO ESCAPE THE PROGRESSIVE UNION ‘MONOPOLY’ Left-wing philanthropic behemoths like the Tides Network, New Venture Fund, Sixteen-Thirty Fund and Future Forward, the last of which was the main Super PAC supporting Kamla Harris’ 2024 presidential run after former President Joe Biden dropped out, all received a combined nearly $1.5 million from the unions, according to the report. The unions also forked over significant amounts of cash for groups that focus on supporting left-wing candidates for public office, such as the Democratic Governors Association, Democrat’s House Majority and Senate Majority PACs. Other groups they have donated to include major left-wing think tanks like the Center for American Progress and its 501(c)(4) arm, which received close to a million dollars since 2022 from the two unions. TEACHING HATE, HIDING TRUTH: NEA’S REAL AGENDA REVEALED IN LEAKED HANDBOOK Aaron Withe, an expert on public-sector unions, pointed out that the National Education Association spends less than 10% of its budget on what he called “representational activities,” while, at the same time, the union spends 38% of its budget on contributions to left-leaning groups, lobbying and political gifts. “You’d think in light of the decline in union membership in recent years, that they’d start providing value to members that outweighs the cost of membership,” Withe told Fox News Digital. “Instead, they are appeasing the radical base of union members by advocating for men in women’s sports, transitioning minors, antisemitism and other radical ideological stances.” He added that this is just “the tip of the iceberg” too “when you consider that there are thousands of statewide and city and county teachers unions that are mostly funding the same causes.” Neither the National Education Association nor the American Federation of Teachers responded to Fox News Digital’s repeated requests for comment.