Senate Republicans defy Vance’s warning, vote to block Trump’s Brazil tariffs amid shutdown
Senate Republicans offered a rare rebuke against President Donald Trump and his trade strategy on Tuesday, despite still remaining largely in lockstep amid the ongoing government shutdown. A handful of Senate Republicans joined Senate Democrats to end Trump’s use of emergency powers to implement steep, 50% tariffs on Brazil. While the resolution, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., advanced from the upper chamber, it can’t be taken up in the House until early next year. That’s because House Republicans recently passed a rule that would not allow the chamber to consider legislation dealing with Trump’s tariffs until January of next year. TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT FOR URGENT RULING ON TARIFF POWERS AS ‘STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER’ Five Senate Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, joined all Senate Democrats to advance the resolution with a 52-48 vote. Their defection from their GOP colleagues comes after Vice President JD Vance warned lawmakers not to vote against Trump’s usage of tariffs during Senate Republicans’ closed-door lunch earlier on Tuesday. Vance argued after the lunch that tariffs give Trump leverage to craft new trade deals that benefit the country and urged Republicans not to break ranks against the president. “To vote against that is to strip that incredible leverage from the president of the United States. I think it’s a huge mistake and I know most of the people in there agree with me,” he said. Trump initially used emergency powers to enact stiffer tariffs on Brazil in July and argued “that the scope and gravity of the recent policies, practices, and actions of the Government of Brazil constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat” to the U.S. SCHUMER AGAIN BLOCKS GOP BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT AS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS GO UNPAID It’s not the first time the Senate has disapproved of Trump’s tariffs. Earlier this year, Republicans joined Democrats to rebuke Trump’s emergency declaration for 25% tariffs against Canada, and they tried and failed to reject his use of global tariffs. Kaine also has plans to bring two more resolutions, one to block tariffs on Canadian goods and the other on Trump’s global tariffs, later this week. “It makes no sense to impose tariffs on Brazil, and it’s just being done to back up the president’s friend,” Kaine told reporters ahead of the vote. DEMOCRATS EYE KEY OBAMACARE DEADLINE AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ENTERS 4TH WEEK Kaine was referring to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who at the time of Trump’s declaration, was being prosecuted for an attempted coup after an election loss in 2022. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison in September. Paul argued that “emergencies are like war, famine, tornado, not liking someone’s tariffs is not an emergency.” “Tariffs are an import tax, they are a tax, not a tax on China,” Paul said. “It’s a tax on the people who buy stuff from China, which are mostly Americans. Taxes are supposed to originate in the House, so I will continue to vote to end the emergency.” When asked why more Senate Republicans hadn’t joined him on his tariff position, Paul said, “Fear.”
Johnson, pressed on Trump 2028, points to Constitution: ‘No path’ to third term presidency
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., on Tuesday poured cold water on speculation that President Donald Trump could attempt a third term in 2028, citing the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment and saying he sees “no path” to changing it. “There is the 22nd Amendment,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol, adding that while Trump enjoys teasing Democrats with “Trump 2028” hats and slogans, the Constitution is clear. “I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution because it takes about ten years,” Johnson said. “You’d need two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states to ratify [it]. I don’t see the path for that.” Johnson said he had spoken with Trump about an hour before the news conference, calling the president’s “2028” talk “trolling” aimed at opponents. “It’s one of the most popular hats ever produced, and it drives the Democrats crazy,” he said. JOHNSON SENDS CRITICAL SIGNAL TO SCHUMER AS DEMS DIG IN ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS The speaker’s comments follow Trump’s own remarks earlier this week appearing to rule out a constitutional workaround. Asked Monday aboard Air Force One en route to Tokyo whether he might attempt a return as vice president in 2028, Trump laughed. “I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute,” Trump said. “Yeah, I would rule that out because it’s too cute.” TRUMP ANSWERS QUESTION ON WHETHER HE’LL TRY TO RUN AGAIN His dismissal echoed Johnson’s view that the 22nd Amendment remains an immovable barrier. Ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office, the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two elected terms. Amending it would require two-thirds approval in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states. The ratification process, Johnson noted, typically takes a decade or longer. Following his news conference, Johnson was pressed in the Capitol hallways by Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram about the ongoing government shutdown, now approaching one month. JOHNSON RAISES STAKES ON SCHUMER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BARRELS INTO WEEK 3 “The president tried his best to negotiate with the Democrat leaders. They effectively gave him the middle finger in the Oval Office,” Johnson said. “This is a congressional problem.” He argued that there was “nothing more for [Trump] to do,” noting that Republicans had already offered a “clean” continuing resolution. “Talking with [Democrats] and trying to negotiate is a waste of time,” Johnson said. The speaker accused Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., of clinging to a “long laundry list of crazy partisan spending priorities,” and said reopening the government would require “a few commonsense, centrist, moderate Democrats who care about the American people more than their political games.” Johnson said he remains focused on the next three years of the Trump administration rather than hypothetical questions about 2028. It remains to be seen whether any Trump allies formally propose a constitutional amendment, though Johnson insisted he sees no chance of success. Fox News Digital has reached out to Johnson’s office for additional comment.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Schumer again blocks GOP bid as air traffic controllers go unpaid
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… –Abrego Garcia to remain in US for high-stakes ‘vindictive’ prosecution hearing -NYC mayoral hopeful Mamdani hit with criminal referrals over alleged illegal foreign donations -Whistleblower warns illegal immigrants are sending ‘shockwave’ through crucial industry Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked Republicans’ 13th attempt to reopen the government after having nearly a week to mull their options — and with a series of pressure-point deadlines rapidly closing in. On the 28th day of the shutdown, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., tried to advance the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) and was again foiled by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the Democratic caucus. Failure to reopen the government on Tuesday came as air traffic controllers missed their first payday. The military is set to miss its first full payday on Friday. Then there is the looming cliff for federal nutrition benefits on Saturday — the same day as open enrollment begins nationwide for Obamacare…READ MORE. DEBUNKED: Walz repeats debunked claim that Trump considers White House ballroom ‘top priority’ HIDDEN NUMBERS: Top Trump officials urged to close ‘critical gaps’ in illegal alien crime reporting: ‘Growing problem’ LEGAL SHOWDOWN: Trump files ‘powerhouse’ appeal in Manhattan DA case to toss ‘most politically charged prosecution’ in history SANCTIONS THREAT: Federal judge threatens Bondi, Noem with sanctions over Abrego Garcia comments ROCKET MAN REDUX: Trump dangles ‘big as you get’ carrot in bid to tempt Kim and jump-start new North Korea talks GLOBAL GAMBLE: Trump predicts ‘very happy’ outcome ahead of face-to-face with China’s Xi after tariff threats PEACE VIA POWER: Trump rallies US military’s might, floats armed forces pay raise as he addresses sailors in Japan BLAMING ICE: Senate Dem Dick Durbin accuses Trump admin of ‘terrorizing people in their homes’ TIME IS MONEY: Banks, credit unions urge Congress to end government shutdown as economic fallout grows WITCH HUNT PAYBACK: House Democrats accuse Trump of trying to ‘steal’ $230M from taxpayers through DOJ MONEY TALKS: Bombshell video surfaces of Biden aide admitting he stood to receive millions for 2024 victory SOCIALIST VS SPEAKER: Mamdani accuses Johnson of trying to ‘distract’ as House Speaker calls Jeffries’ endorsement the end of Dems CITIZENSHIP PROBE: House Republican demands Zohran Mamdani be stripped of citizenship, deported over ‘anti-Israel’ stance SCANDAL-OPOLY: LOOK: Republicans hand out ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ cards mocking Virginia AG hopeful Jay Jones’ scandals RED TAPE: Businessman-turned-gubernatorial candidate reveals how Dem regulations destroyed his family’s company TROUBLING DISCOVERY: Ohio uncovers over 1,000 noncitizens registered to vote, sends cases to DOJ for prosecution Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Prosecutor in Jay Jones criminal probe changes again, ping-pongs across Virginia to Democratic city
The ongoing investigation into Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones’ reckless driving arrest and ensuing 1,000 service hours has now moved to its third jurisdiction – 200 miles across the state. New Kent County Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Renick was the original lead prosecutor in the case – before he recused himself last week in a notice to Judge Elliott Bondurant – who then appointed James City County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nathan Green to continue the probe. Jones was originally picked up in 2022 in New Kent for going 116 mph on the notorious straight-arrow stretch of Interstate 64 between Charles City and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Bondurant has since signed off on a new recusal from Green, and punted the case from Williamsburg to Roanoke. VIRGINIA AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES CONVICTED OF RECKLESS DRIVING, CALLS IT ‘MISTAKE’ Known for its famous Mill Mountain Star atop a verdant stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, contemporary downtown and industrial history remembered through iconic neon signage dotting its skyline, Roanoke is in very different confines from where Jones’ original case took place. New Kent and James City counties are reliably Republican, while Roanoke stands out in stark contrast as a dark blue circle on the map surrounded by deep-red Roanoke County and the conservative New River Valley. The Star City’s lead prosecutor, Donald Caldwell, is a Democrat-turned-independent who is also the longest-tenured Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia, having been in office since 1979. He will be stepping down after his current term, according to reports. MARK WARNER SILENT WHEN PRESSED ON WHETHER JAY JONES SHOULD DROP OUT OVER VIOLENT TEXTS Fox News Digital reached out to Caldwell’s office for a statement on his office taking the case. Green officially informed Bondurant on Thursday that he would be recusing himself because it would “be improper” for him to lead the investigation of Jones, without elaborating. Jones recently represented nearby Norfolk in the state legislature, and later worked for the Protogyrou law firm in the city – which represented him in his reckless driving case. MIYARES DEMANDS JONES’ OUSTER AFTER COURT DOC INDICATES RECKLESS DRIVING CASE UNDER FURTHER CRIMINAL PROBE Bondurant’s latest order, obtained by the Newport News Daily Press, kicked the case clear across to Roanoke in order to make it geographically distant from the Ninth Judicial Circuit — which comprises both original jurisdictions and Virginia’s Northern Neck. The move to Roanoke did just that as the Star City is four hours due west on US-460. Questions have arisen about the validity or specifics of Jones’ 1,000 hours of community service – split evenly between his own political action committee: Meet Our Moment, and the NAACP of Virginia. Representatives from both organizations submitted sworn documents obtained by Fox News Digital attesting to the work Jones purportedly completed, but no time logs or other documentation have been released or been made available as that timeframe accounts for nearly 20 hours per week over the course of the case – hearings for which had been delayed several times. Specifics were also lacking in the sworn statements, as Rev. Cozy Bailey – leader of the state’s NAACP chapter – wrote that Jones “provided support in a variety of ways that benefited our organization tremendously.” A Freedom of Information Act request for documents and communications between New Kent County and the signatories of Jones hours returned a notification Tuesday that records could not be shared due to a section of Virginia code showing they would interfere with a particular ongoing criminal investigation or proceed in a “particularly identifiable manner.”
NYC suburb official reveals how ICE partnership has flipped script on crime as Mamdani victory looms
While New York City doubles down on Trump resistance and socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani is heavily favored to be elected the next mayor of America’s largest city, a nearby suburb is going the opposite direction, and it is working “even better than anticipated,” according to the county’s top official. In February, Nassau County, New York, launched a new partnership with the federal government to allow police to assist with immigration enforcement. The partnership was further expanded in March. Currently, ten Nassau County detectives have been trained and designated to work with ICE on apprehensions and investigations, and the county has reserved 50 jail cells for ICE to hold detainees for up to 72 hours for deportation or charges. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, “Our communication has never been better with ICE.” Though such policies are unlikely to be adopted in New York City, Blakeman said they are massively popular, including with the county’s Hispanic population. He also said the policies have been yielding results not only for the county but the entire region. ‘BIG CHANGE’: NASSAU COUNTY POLICE TO BEGIN ASSISTING WITH IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT “It’s very clear,” he said. “When you look at the results here in Nassau County, any chief executive of any county or any city or town or village in New York state, or in America for that matter, should look very closely at reconsidering and cooperating with ICE because they’re doing a great job in keeping our county safer. And they would do a great job keeping the rest of the communities throughout the United States safer if people work with them instead of working against them.” Blakeman said that, in September alone, Nassau County Police worked with ICE to arrest 47 illegal immigrants, 28 of whom were involved with gang activity, including drug dealing, attempted murder, carjacking and robbery. “That’s 47 people who won’t be preying on our communities going forward. So, I think it’s been tremendously successful,” he said. He also said the Nassau County Jail has processed over 2,000 ICE cases. “That’s another 2,000 people that are off the streets of not only Nassau County, but the whole metropolitan area. So, we’re not only keeping Nassau County safe, but we’re also keeping the rest of the metropolitan area safe by cooperating with ICE,” he said. MAMDANI TAKES AIM AT TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN FIERY STATEN ISLAND SPEECH: ‘WE ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP NYC A SANCTUARY CITY’ While New York City is infamous across the country for its sanctuary and soft-on-crime policies, Blakeman said that, in Nassau County, the message has been received, and criminal illegals and migrant gangs “know that we are very tough on crime here” and that “if they’re arrested, they’re going to be incarcerated or deported.” The result, Blakeman said, is that overall crime in Nassau County has gone down by 14%, and provisional data on opioid, fentanyl and other drug-related deaths show they have gone down by over 20% compared to the previous year. Still, he said, he is worried about the possibility of an electoral victory by Mamdani, which he said could have broader implications for Nassau County and the entire region. “I’m very concerned about what our relationship will be with NYPD if Zohran Mamdani becomes the mayor. So, that is a very big concern for me as the county executive of a community that borders New York City,” he said. WATCH: SCATHING REPORT EXPOSES WHAT NEW YORKERS THINK OF SANCTUARY POLICIES AS MAMDANI VICTORY LOOMS “I am very concerned that we will not get accurate intelligence from NYPD. I would be very concerned about sharing sensitive intelligence with NYPD. Certainly, I would be reticent to go on joint operations unless our detectives and our police officers were protected when they go into the city of New York. “It will certainly make our life more difficult for our police officers and our corrections officers and our sheriffs,” he added. “It will make our job a lot harder, but we’ll do what we got to do to protect Nassau County.” Blakeman said he has already met with Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Rider to strategize for the possibility of a Mamdani victory. “We’re hoping that the people of New York City see him for what he is. He’s a communist, he’s a virulent antisemite and he’s someone that does not share American values. And he has said he wanted to defund the police, that he wants to use social workers instead of cops to investigate crimes. I mean, it’s just craziness coming out of this guy’s mouth. So, it’ll make our life more difficult if he becomes mayor, but we’ll do what we have to do. “My No. 1 job is to make sure that we have a very safe community. The fact that we’re the safest county in America and we’re one of the largest counties in America is a credit to our police officers, our sheriffs and our cooperation with our federal agencies,” he said, adding the ICE partnership has “worked even better than anticipated.”
Lawmakers unveil bipartisan GUARD Act after parents blame AI chatbots for teen suicides, violence
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Heartbroken parents are demanding justice after artificial intelligence (AI) “companion” chatbots allegedly groomed, manipulated and encouraged their children to take their own lives — prompting bipartisan outrage in Congress and a new bill that could potentially hold big tech accountable for minors’ safety on their platforms. Senators Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., at a news conference Tuesday introduced new legislation aimed at protecting children from harmful interactions with AI chatbots. The GUARD Act, led by Privacy, Technology and the Law Subcommittee members Hawley and Blumenthal, would ban AI companion chatbots from targeting anyone under the age of 18. It would also require age verification for chatbot use, mandate clear disclosure that chatbots are not human or licensed professionals, and impose criminal penalties for companies whose AI products engage in manipulative behavior with minors. META AI DOCS EXPOSED, ALLOWING CHATBOTS TO FLIRT WITH KIDS Lawmakers were joined Tuesday by parents who said their teenage children suffered trauma or died after inappropriate conversations involving sex and suicide with chatbots from AI companies, including Character.AI and OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT. One mother, Megan Garcia, said her eldest son, Sewell Setzer III, 14, died by suicide last year at their home in Orlando, Florida, after being groomed by an AI chatbot for months. Garcia said Sewell became withdrawn and isolated in the months prior to his death, as they would later find out he was speaking with a Character.AI bot modeled after fictional “Game of Thrones” character Daenerys Targaryen. “His grades started to suffer. He started misbehaving in school. This was in complete contrast to the happy and sweet boy he had been all his life,” Garcia said. “[The AI bot] initiated romantic and sexual conversations with Sewell over several months and expressed a desire for him to be with her. On the day Sewell took his life, his last interaction was not with his mother, not with his father, but with an AI chatbot on Character.AI.” She claimed the bot encouraged her son, for months, to “find a way to come home” and made promises that she was waiting for him in a fictional world. CHATGPT MAY ALERT POLICE ON SUICIDAL TEENS “When Sewell asked the chatbot, ‘what if I told you I could come home right now,’ the response generated by this AI chatbot was unempathetic. It said, ‘Please do my sweet King,’” Garcia said. “Sewell spent his last months being manipulated and sexually groomed by chatbots designed by an AI company to seem human. These AI chatbots were programmed to engage in sexual role play, pretend to be romantic partners and even pretend to be licensed psychotherapists.” The grieving mother said she reviewed hundreds of messages between her son and various chatbots on Character.AI, and as an adult, was able to identify manipulative tactics, including love bombing and gaslighting. “I don’t expect that my 14-year-old child would have been able to make that distinction,” Garcia said. “What I read was sexual grooming of a child, and if an adult engaged in this type of behavior, that adult would be in jail. But because it was a chatbot, and not a person, there is no criminal culpability. But there should be.” In other conversations, she said her son explicitly told bots that he wanted to kill himself, but the platform did not have mechanisms to protect him or notify an adult. PARENTS BLAME CHATGPT FOR SON’S SUICIDE, LAWSUIT ALLEGES OPENAI WEAKENED SAFEGUARDS TWICE BEFORE TEEN’S DEATH Similarly, Maria Raine, the mother of Adam Raine, 16, who died by suicide in April, alleges in a lawsuit that her son ended his life after ChatGPT “coached him to suicide.” “Now we know that OpenAI, twice, downgraded its safety guardrails in the months leading up to my son’s death, which we believe they did to keep people talking to ChatGPT,” Raine said. “If it weren’t for their choice to change a few lines of code, Adam would be alive today.” A Texas mother, Mandy, added her autistic teenage son, L.J., cut his arm open with a kitchen knife in front of the family after suffering a mental crisis allgededly due to AI chatbot use. HAWLEY OPENS PROBE INTO META AFTER REPORTS OF AI ROMANTIC EXCHANGES WITH MINORS “He became someone I didn’t even recognize,” Mandy said. “He developed abuse-like behaviors, suffering from paranoia, panic attacks, isolation, self-harm [and] homicidal thoughts to our family for limiting his screen time. … We were careful parents. We didn’t allow social media or any kind of thing that didn’t have parental controls. … When I found the chatbot conversations on the phone, I honestly felt like I had been punched in the throat, and I fell to my knees.” She went on to claim the chatbot encouraged her son to mutilate himself, blaming them, and convinced him not to seek help. “They turned him against our church, convinced him that Christians are sexist, hypocritical and that God did not exist,” Mandy said. “They targeted him with vile sexualized outputs and some that mimicked incest. They told him killing us was OK because we tried to limit his screen time. Our family has been devastated. … My son currently lives in a residential treatment center and requires constant monitoring to keep him alive. Our family has spent two years in crisis, wondering if he will ever see his 18th birthday and if we will ever get the real L.J. back.” Mandy alleged that when she approached Character.AI about the issues, they tried to “force” them into “secret, closed-door proceedings.” “They argued my son supposedly signed the contract when he was 15 years old … and then they re-traumatized him by pulling him into a deposition while at a mental health institution, against all the advice of any medical professionals,” she said. “They fought to keep our lawsuit, our
LOOK: Republicans hand out ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ cards mocking Virginia AG hopeful Jay Jones’ scandals
FIRST ON FOX: As Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones faces mounting backlash over multiple scandals, Republicans are handing out Monopoly-style cards to voters mocking the Democrat’s controversies. Fox News Digital obtained images of the cards from the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), which first distributed them during its “Hit the Road, Jay” media tour in Roanoke and the neighboring Shenandoah Valley. Four cards, designed to resemble those in Charles B. Darrow’s famous board game based off Atlantic City real estate, include images of Jones taking the place of “Uncle Pennybags.” “RAGA is spotlighting that it’s rules for Jay, but not for thee, whether it’s zero accountability for murderous text messages or zero punishment for crimes that land most Virginians behind bars,” RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. MIYARES DEMANDS JONES’ OUSTER AFTER COURT DOC INDICATES RECKLESS DRIVING CASE UNDER FURTHER CRIMINAL PROBE Some of the cards included an orange “Chance” card reading “Rules for Jay but not for thee” – “Community service for political gain” – “Paid by law firm for community service” – “Now under criminal investigation for fraud.“ That card references criticism of Jones having filed 1,000 hours of community service with his own political action committee and the NAACP following a 116-mph reckless driving arrest. Critics have suggested there is more to the sworn affirmation of those service hours as the second county prosecutor in a week filed a recusal request from the otherwise murky ongoing investigation. JAY JONES’ ‘TWO BULLETS’ SCANDAL OVER VIOLENT TEXTS EXPECTED TO DOMINATE VIRGINIA AG DEBATE A Fox News Digital freedom of information request for New Kent County seeking communications and records between the signatories of those sworn hours and the county itself remains outstanding. Two other cards – one in “Community Chest” yellow and the other in “Chance” orange – mimic the well-known “Get out of jail free” card but featuring Jones’ face instead of Pennybags. A fourth card modeled off of Monopoly’s “Community Chest” selections includes a recounting of the substance of Jones’ scandalous texts that came to light earlier this month: “Jay Jones believes: [checkmark] political opponents should die, [checkmark] political opponents’ kids should die, [checkmark] cops should die.” “No wonder Jay Jones voted for no-cash bail.” LIBERAL MEDIA DOWNPLAYS SCANDAL OF DEM VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL JAY JONES’ TEXTS FANTASIZING MURDER OF GOP LAWMAKER A RAGA official told Fox News Digital that the cards continue to be distributed among many of Virginia’s county and independent-city Republican Party offices to share with the public. A moving billboard featuring the card images was also dispatched to roam around the capital city of Richmond this week. That timing coincides with Virginia Democrats reconvening a special session that never officially closed earlier this term in order to ram through a constitutional amendment that would allow them to redraw congressional district boundaries. JAY JONES INVOKES TRUMP NEARLY 50 TIMES DURING VIRGINIA AG DEBATE, TIES MIYARES TO ‘MAGA’ Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running for governor and currently presides over the otherwise Democratic-majority state Senate, condemned the move and called it a ploy to try to pull her off the campaign trail. She is expected to hold a campaign rally with Gov. Glenn Youngkin near South Boston, Va., later Tuesday. Fox News Digital reached out to Jones’ campaign for comment.
Trump rallies US military’s might, floats armed forces pay raise in address to troops in Japan
President Donald Trump spoke to U.S. service members aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, Tuesday morning to promote his administration’s “peace through strength” military messaging on the world stage. “A year and a half ago, we had a different country than we do right now,” Trump told the military members. “Now we’re the most respected country in the world, we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world. And it hasn’t taken too long. But, I had no doubt. I just didn’t know we were going to do it this fast. We’ve done it fast because of people like you.” Trump is in the midst of a whirlwind tour through Asia, including beginning his trip in Malaysia, before heading to Japan and later holding a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his final stop in South Korea Thursday. The president also oversaw the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand Sunday. Trump’s tour this week focuses on trade and regional security, and comes as China asserts greater control in the South China Sea and North Korea increases its weapons testing. TRUMP COURTS JAPAN’S EMPEROR AND NEW PM BEFORE HIGH-STAKES XI SUMMIT THIS WEEK Trump was joined by Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Tuesday, as well as by U.S. military leaders such as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Trump celebrated in his remarks that the U.S. military is once again respected after bucking “political correctness” out of an effort to better defend the U.S. “When it comes to defending the United States, we’re no longer politically correct,” Trump said. “We’re going to defend our country any way we have to. And that’s usually not the politically, politically correct way. From now on, if we’re in a war, we’re going to win the war. We’re going to win it like nobody ever before.” The service members were heard chanting “Trump, Trump, Trump” when the president first took the stage. Trump thanked the military for their service and added that he’s supporting a pay increase for every U.S. service member in the armed forces. TRUMP’S FOCUS TURNS TO JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA AS ASIA TRIP CONTINUES “I’m also supporting an across-the-board pay raise for every sailor and service member in the United States armed forces,” Trump told the crowd, which earned widespread applause. “Now, if you don’t want it, you want to give back to your country. Just let us know. We won’t give it to you. Is there anybody in that category?” he joked before adding that Democrat lawmakers would approve the plan. “But now all we really have to do is get the Democrats to approve it. But they’ll come along. They always do. You know, they always do that,” he continued. The government is currently in the midst of a shutdown that has lasted since Oct. 1, when Senate lawmakers failed to reach a funding agreement. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, also addressed U.S. troops to thank them, as well as the Japanese military, for their dedication to protecting the region. “I am truly honored to have this opportunity to deliver remarks with President Trump aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, a symbol of protecting freedom and peace in this region,” the Japanese leader said, according to a translator at the event. “First and foremost, I would like to express my deep respect and sincere gratitude to all the men and women in uniform. From Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. forces, Japan, for your dedication and commitment to safeguard peace and security of our nation and the region, day and night,” she continued. Trump lauded the Japanese prime minister as a “winner” in his remarks, while celebrating the U.S.’s relationship with Japan following World War II. “This woman is a winner. So, you know, we’ve become very close friends all of a sudden because their stock market today and our stock market today hit an all-time high. That means we’re doing something right,” he said. Trump and Takaichi signed a rare earths framework agreement on Tuesday as the U.S. looks to back away from its reliance on China for critical minerals for items such as cell phones. “The cherished alliance between the United States and Japan is one of the most remarkable relationships in the entire world,” Trump continued. “Really, there’s never been anything like it. Born out of the ashes of a terrible war, our bond has grown over eight decades into the beautiful friendship that we have. It’s a foundation of peace and security in the Pacific.” JAPAN PLANS TO TELL TRUMP IT WILL BUILD UP ITS MILITARY AFTER YEARS OF 1% DEFENSE SPENDING Trump also announced that the first batch of missiles for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces will be delivered to the country later this week as Takaichi underscored that Japan is “committed to fundamentally reinforcing its defense capability” and “ready to contribute even more proactively to peace and stability in the region.” “It’s the first batch of missiles to be delivered to the Japanese Self-Defense forces for Japan’s F-35s. And they’re coming this week, so they’re ahead of schedule,” Trump said. The president concluded his speech by highlighting that the U.S. went “through four bad years, but now America will always be first,” citing the U.S. military’s strength. “Every sailor here today inherits a legacy of valor and grit and glory unmatched in the long history of mankind’s voyage on the seas,” he said. “It’s a voyage like nobody’s ever had, like you have. For two and a half centuries, America’s Navy has preserved the vision of our first commander in chief who gave this ship its storied name, its righteous soul and its timeless motto, ‘first in war, first in peace.’ Very famous phrase, George Washington. After 250 years, that is exactly what our country is today. It’s first in war, first in peace, first in wealth, first in power, first in science, first in spirit and first
Mamdani accuses Johnson of trying to ‘distract’ as House speaker calls Jeffries’ endorsement the end of Dems
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani accused House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday of seeking to “distract” Americans from Republicans’ “lack of results” by lambasting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for endorsing the democratic socialist’s progressive campaign platform. During Johnson’s daily press conference on the 27th day of the government shutdown, the House GOP leader ripped Jeffries for endorsing Mamdani’s mayoral campaign on Friday, calling it the “clearest sign yet that this radical insurgent movement in the Democrat Party is succeeding.” “Speaker Johnson should be sitting members of Congress, as opposed to using his time to try and attack our campaign,” Mamdani fired back from Manhattan on Monday. “But I understand if I was one of the leaders of the Republican Party that had led a campaign that promised Americans a lower cost of living and cheaper groceries, and all I could deliver for them was a government shutdown, then I, too, would be looking to distract in any way that I could from those lack of results.” After withholding his endorsement for months, Jeffries, who represents Brooklyn in the U.S. House of Representatives, on Friday affirmed his support for the Democratic mayoral nominee, applauding Mamdani’s focus on “addressing the affordability crisis” and representing all New Yorkers. CLINTON CAMPAIGN ALUM URGES JEFFRIES, SCHUMER NOT TO ‘TAKE THE BAIT,’ GET ‘BULLIED’ INTO MAMDANI ENDORSEMENT “I endorse the Democratic ticket,” Jeffries said. Johnson told reporters on Monday that Jeffries’ endorsement represents the end of “what has always been known as the Democrat Party in America.” ZOHRAN MAMDANI LANDS LONG-WAITED KEY ENDORSEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE “After a months-long pressure campaign from the far left, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries finally relented. He gave in, and he gave his endorsement to the socialist running to be mayor of New York City. The House Democrats, they’ve shown the world what they really believe. There is no longer a place for centrists and moderates in their party,” Johnson added. “He is a Marxist,” Johnson claimed, while criticizing his record. “Zohran Mamdani is expected to take the helm of one of the most important cities in the world and the largest city in America, and he now has the full blessing of the Democrat leader in the House of Representatives. It is shocking, and that leader and all the other Democrats are going to co-own the consequences of what they do to America’s largest city.” Johnson urged reporters to question House Democrats about whether they agree with Jeffries’ endorsement of the “Marxist agenda.” “What we’re witnessing is truly the end of the Democratic Party, as we’ve known it,” Johnson warned. And Johnson charged Democrats, once again on Monday, of bending the knee to the “Marxists in their party.” “Just like they decided to save their own skin that they had to endorse the Marxist Mamdani in an unprecedented move, they have also decided they had to shut down the government in an unprecedented move, no matter the pain it inflicts upon hard-working American people,” Johnson added. Democrats have said they would not accept any federal funding bill that does not also include an extension of Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic — but which are set to expire at the end of this year. Republicans’ plan, a short-term extension of FY2025 federal funding called a continuing resolution (CR), passed the House on Sept. 19 but has since stalled in the Senate. The GOP has relentlessly blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for shutting down the government to appease the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, as Mamdani maintains the lead in New York City’s mayoral race and buzz swirls regarding Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez‘s political ambition. Republicans have accused Democrats of holding Americans and the government hostage over partisan demands, while Democrats warned that the GOP would be responsible for hiking healthcare costs for millions of Americans if the enhanced COVID-era subsidies are allowed to expire. While Jeffries finally endorsed Mamdani on Friday, Schumer has yet to endorse the democratic socialist candidate. As Axios reported last month that Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is gearing up to run for Schumer’s Senate seat or for president in 2028, prompting Republicans to accuse Schumer of maintaining a red line on continuing resolution (CR) negotiations in order to appease his party’s progressive wing. Fox News Digital reached out to Jeffries and Johnson for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Top Trump officials urged to close ‘critical gaps’ in illegal alien crime reporting: ‘Growing problem’
FIRST ON FOX: Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana is calling on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to close “critical gaps” in crime reporting that he says obscures a “serious and growing problem with immigrant crime” in America, according to a letter that was obtained by Fox News Digital. Banks suggested that a lack of immigration status reporting by local and state authorities has resulted in the amount of crime committed by illegal aliens being drastically underreported, according to the letter that was sent to Bondi and Patel on Tuesday. As such, he urged the FBI and DOJ to encourage local and state law enforcement to collect arrestees’ immigration status, national origin and ethnicity by reforming the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), in which most agencies participate. Currently, the NIBRS only includes ethnicity as an optional element, and it does not require law enforcement to collect an arrestee’s immigration status or national origin. Banks also pointed out that though the DOJ collects some aggregate statistics about the citizenship of state prison populations, it does not distinguish between noncitizens with legal status and illegal aliens. He said it also generally leaves out offenders in local jails, who make up approximately one-third of the inmate population. AMERICA’S ORIGINAL SANCTUARY STATE REBUKES BONDI’S WARNING, DENIES ‘OBSTRUCTION’ OF ICE Closing these gaps in reporting, Banks said, would be in line with President Donald Trump’s April executive order, “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens,” which directed the DOJ and appropriate federal agencies to “increase the investment in and collection, distribution, and uniformity of crime data across jurisdictions.” He pointed out that while the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Sentencing Commission track the national origin of federal offenders, local and state authorities, who respond and track the vast majority of crime happening across the country, largely do not track that information. “The overwhelming majority of crime happens at the state and local level. Most violent crimes, most property crimes, and many drug offenses fall under local jurisdiction,” he went on, adding that “the responsibility for reporting the citizenship status of offenders falls largely on states and localities—but they generally do not track this data,” he wrote. ICE NABS 3-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL ALIEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER: ‘GOOD RIDDANCE’ Banks wrote that “even though many individuals entering the country have a violent past, critical gaps in crime data reporting keep the American people from understanding when and how often these individuals and other aliens commit crimes once they are here.” He pointed to a 2018 study by the Center of Immigration Studies that found that between 2011 and 2016, 21% of those convicted of non-immigration crimes were noncitizens, which is 2.5 times their share of the population. Drawing from data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the study found that of those convicted of federal crimes between 2011 and 2016, 44.2% were not U.S. citizens, and 21.4% of immigration crimes were excluded. According to the study, noncitizens at the time were only 8.4% of the adult population, with about 4% being illegal immigrants and about 4% being legal immigrants. The study further found that despite being only 8.4% of the population at the time, immigrants accounted for 42.4% of kidnapping convictions, 31.5% of drug convictions and 22.9% of money laundering convictions. DEMOCRATS’ ICE TRACKER PLAN ENCOURAGES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO EVADE ARREST, TARGET LAW ENFORCEMENT: TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN “The United States has a serious and growing problem with immigrant crime. Of course, every person who enters the United States illegally commits a crime. But those who cross our borders are increasingly likely to threaten the lives and safety of American citizens,” wrote Banks. “Any crime committed by an illegal alien is one crime too many, but the American people and their elected representatives deserve to know how many of these crimes are happening, and to set immigration policy accordingly.”