The Tomahawk factor: US long-range missiles are the battlefield gamechanger Putin should fear
The U.S. Navy’s Tomahawk cruise missile would put Moscow well within target range if President Donald Trump were to fulfill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request. The Tomahawk has long been one of the most recognizable weapons in America’s arsenal. At $2 million per missile and $6 million per launcher, it can strike up to 1,500 miles into enemy territory. If the United States were to authorize Ukraine to use it, it would mark a dramatic escalation in both capability and psychology. For the first time, Russian forces and strategic sites far beyond the front lines — including inside Russian territory — would fall within reach of a Western-supplied, precision long-range weapon that Moscow has no reliable defense against. Unlike the shorter-range Storm Shadow or ATACMS systems already used by Kyiv, the Tomahawk would give Ukraine the ability to strike targets hundreds of miles inside Russia — air bases, ammunition depots, logistics hubs and naval assets supporting the war in Ukraine. That reach would instantly change the strategic balance. TRUMP MULLS TOMAHAWK DELIVERIES TO UKRAINE IF RUSSIA KEEPS WAR GOING Critically, it would give Ukraine the ability to hit at Russia’s energy industry, which, through exports to nations like China, Iran and India, funds the war effort. Ukraine has used ATACMS systems to strike behind enemy lines in Russian-occupied Ukraine and near Russia’s borders — helicopter shelters, ammunition depots and runways. But even as missiles regularly rain down on Kyiv, its defense forces have not been able to respond in kind to Moscow, leaving the Kremlin hub unscathed and largely secure after three and a half years of war. Recently, Ukraine used U.K.-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a gun depot in Russia. The U.S. supplies targeting data for the Storm Shadow, and The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration had lifted a ban on using the missiles to strike inside Russia. “Transferring Tomahawks to Ukraine would mark a major inflection point for Western support of Ukraine,” Hudson Institute defense analyst Can Kasapoglu wrote in a recent essay. “The Tomahawk is one of the most effective missiles in the arsenals of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations.” Kasapoglu noted that the Tomahawk’s strategic appeal “lies less in its raw explosive yield and more in its precision.” For Moscow, the implications would be profound. Russia’s military doctrine has long depended on the assumption that its homeland infrastructure — especially command and logistics networks — would remain beyond direct threat from Western-supplied weapons. The introduction of Tomahawks into Ukrainian hands would destroy that assumption overnight. The missile’s ability to fly low and evade radar would make it extremely difficult for Russian defenses to stop. Even advanced systems like the S-400 or S-500, already stretched across multiple fronts, could not guarantee interception. Each missile launched would carry not only destructive power but psychological weight — forcing Russia to divert resources away from its offensive operations in Ukraine to protect bases hundreds of miles away. REBECCA GRANT: HOW TOMAHAWKS WORK AND HOW THEY COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR UKRAINE “Such a move would inevitably free up airspace for the Ukrainian Air Force’s growing fleet of F-16 aircraft and Western-supplied ground-attack smart munitions,” Kasapoglu wrote. It would also inject uncertainty into Russian planning. Commanders would have to assume that every major staging area — from Belgorod to the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol — could be targeted. That uncertainty erodes confidence, slows operations, and imposes constant strain on air defense assets. Trump explained on Wednesday why he did not provide Tomahawks to Ukraine despite speculation that he would do so. “There is a tremendous learning curve with the Tomahawk. It’s a very powerful weapon, very accurate weapon,” Trump said Wednesday. “And maybe that’s what makes it so complex. But it will take a year. It takes a year of intense training to learn how to use it, and we know how to use it. And we’re not going to be teaching other people. It will be just too far out into the future.” Trump also made clear he believes the U.S. has few to spare. “We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them.” The U.S. supply of Tomahawks is classified. But analysts say providing Ukraine with the missiles would weaken preparations for conflict in the Indo-Pacific. “Tomahawk is one of the few munitions (Patriot is another) that would be useful both in Ukraine and the Western Pacific,” an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said. The Department of War has already established a review process to ensure that weapons offered to Ukraine do not weaken what it regards as higher priority needs. “This review process will almost certainly raise objections to this transfer, and presidential intervention may be required,” the analysis found. Over the weekend, Zelenskyy told Axios Ukraine would welcome other long-range missiles as well. “We speak not only about Tomahawks. The U.S. has a lot of similar things that doesn’t require much time for training. I think the way to work with Putin is only through pressure,” Zelensky said. Earlier in the week, he expressed skepticism that Ukraine could win the war. “They could still win it. I don’t think they will, but they could still win it,” Trump told reporters Monday. Putin’s calculus depends heavily on escalation control — the belief that NATO will stop short of providing weapons capable of directly threatening Russian territory. Tomahawks would shatter that red line. For the Kremlin, it would signal that Washington is prepared to move from containment to punishment — just after Trump triggered sanctions on Russia’s lucrative energy exports. Putin told journalists this week that if Russia were attacked with Western long-range missiles, the response would be “very serious, if not overwhelming. Let them think about it.”
‘Both sides are wrong’: Longtime Obamacare critic says GOP is mistaken in shutdown struggle
In the view of Avik Roy — one of the first and most vocal critics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare — Republicans and Democrats alike have missed the mark in the healthcare debate that has dragged the government into a 24-day shutdown. “Both sides are wrong,” Avik said. “I’m sympathetic to the Republican view, but it’s a strategic mistake.” The way Roy sees things, Republican wariness over renewing expanded government subsidies should be directed at the bigger problem behind them. “The subsidies aren’t inherently the problem,” Roy said. “If you want low-income people who are near the poverty line to have insurance, you’re going to have to subsidize. Subsidies have been a part of Republican [healthcare] plans and Democratic plans. I would argue that the approach to subsidies that Obamacare used was actually pretty reasonable.” That doesn’t mean he believes the government’s current healthcare trajectory is sustainable, either. FLASHBACK: TED CRUZ PREDICTS BALLOONING OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES NOW AT CENTER OF SHUTDOWN FIGHT The federal government entered a 24-day shutdown at the beginning of October when lawmakers failed to come to an agreement over spending legislation to begin the new fiscal year. Republicans advanced a short-term spending bill that would have bought more time for lawmakers to finalize funding for 2026. But Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have shot down that measure repeatedly, demanding that Congress first address expiring COVID-era insurance subsidies. As a part of its American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration greatly widened the pool of eligible applicants who could receive a federal subsidy to help pay for their Obamacare health insurance. In its original form, Obamacare capped subsidies for anyone making over 400% of the federal poverty level. But that changed in 2021 when, as an emergency response to COVID-19, Congress temporarily removed that cap. The cap will go back into effect at the end of 2025. ‘THE PANDEMIC’S OVER’: GOP, DEM SENATORS SPAR ON CAMERA OVER COSTLY OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES Findings by KFF, a healthcare policy think tank, indicate that over 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees make use of the expanded credits. Letting them expire could leave those Obamacare enrollees suddenly footing a substantially heftier bill. But, according to the Committee of a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal policy think tank, continuing the policy would also come with a steep price tag; upwards of $30 billion annually. Republicans — especially the Hill’s most fiscally conservative lawmakers — have called for the subsidies to expire to help reel the country’s spending back under control. Despite agreeing with Republicans that Obamacare did little to make health insurance more affordable, Roy believes Republican insistence on letting them expire won’t solve Obamacare’s underlying problems that are driving prices higher: regulations. Roy believes Republicans should use the moment to negotiate, extending the subsidies for maybe one to two years for existing enrollees in exchange for a permanent fix of the costliest Obamacare regulations driving costs upward. OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES AT CENTER OF DEM SHUTDOWN FIGHT ‘FUEL’ HEALTHCARE COST INFLATION, CONSERVATIVES SAY “In Switzerland [health insurance] costs $200 a month or $300 a month. The same plan in America costs $1,000 a month or $15,000 a month. Subsidizing it also costs a lot. But having a scale where the subsidy fades out gradually as you go up the income scale — that part is fine.” Roy praised efforts from the Trump administration to bring the underlying costs of healthcare down, most recently through the most favored nation strategy. Under that plan, the Trump administration had leveraged the price other countries pay for pharmaceuticals to bring U.S. prices down. In theory, the most favored nation plan would set American prices at the lowest rates other countries pay. “They’re not actually deals that truly establish most favored nation status because it’s company by company, and they are on particular drugs. But the general idea — if you want to participate in the U.S. market you’ve got to give us the lowest price you give any other advanced economy — I think that’s eminently reasonable,” Roy said of the administration’s negotiations. In response to Democratic demands, Republicans in Congress maintain that the enhanced premium tax credits are completely unrelated to the government’s funding and rejected those demands out of hand. The Senate has voted on a short-term funding bill 12 times since the beginning of the shutdown and appeared no closer to finding a resolution when the lawmakers left town on Thursday. The Senate will return to Washington, D.C., at the beginning of next week.
US Navy identifies possible cause of two separate crashes in South China Sea, Trump says
President Donald Trump says the U.S. does not suspect foul play in the two separate crashes of U.S. Navy aircraft in the South China Sea this weekend. Trump made the statement during a gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One, saying he expected to get answers regarding the crashes soon. One possibility he’d been given was that the planes had faulty fuel, the president said. “You’ve been briefed on the incident, on the Nimitz, both a fighter jet and a helicopter?” a reporter asked. “I’ve heard about it, yeah,” Trump responded. NTSB LAUNCHES 3-DAY INVESTIGATIVE HEARING ON DEADLY DC PLANE CRASH “Do you know what happened there? What was that?” the reporter asked. “They’re going to let me know pretty soon. I think they should be able to find out. It could be bad fuel. I mean, it’s possible it’s bad fuel. Very unusual that that would happen,” Trump said. NAVY CALLS OFF SEARCH FOR MISSING SAILOR ASSIGNED TO USS GEORGE WASHINGTON NEAR AUSTRALIA “You don’t think it was foul play or anything?” the reporter pressed. “No, I don’t,” Trump replied. “They think it might be bad fuel.” Two U.S. Navy aircraft from USS Nimitz — a Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet — crashed during separate “routine operations” over the South China Sea on Sunday. All five crew members aboard the two craft were rescued and remain in stable condition, according to the Navy. The U.S. Pacific Fleet — the Navy’s largest operational command — said in a post on X that around 2:54 p.m. local time, an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 crashed in the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Search-and-rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11, operating alongside the Nimitz, quickly launched recovery efforts and safely pulled all three helicopter crew members from the water. Roughly 30 minutes after the helicopter incident, an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Nimitz, assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22, also went down in the South China Sea during flight operations. Search-and-rescue teams again responded swiftly, recovering the jet’s two crew members, who had successfully ejected before the aircraft hit the water. Both aviators were transported back to the Nimitz and are reported to be in stable condition. USS Nimitz has been commissioned in the U.S. Navy for 50 years, and its current tour is set to be its last before being retired. Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Inside the Mamdani Machine: Soros cash, socialists and radical imams engineered Zohran Mamdani’s path to power
In late September 2017, Palestinian American activist Linda Sarsour, once the darling of the Women’s March and the self-declared face of the “resistance” against Donald Trump, was facing mounting criticism for antisemitic remarks and her embrace of extremist views. But, beaming in a photograph taken on a city sidewalk, Sarsour appeared unfazed, her iconic fist pumped in the air as she knelt shoulder-to-shoulder with campaign volunteers for City Council candidate Khader El-Yateem. The photo was posted by El-Yateem on the Facebook page he used to promote his campaign, which he lost, but among the smiling faces was a young organizer named Zohran Mamdani. That photo would mark the start of a carefully constructed political project that, in less than a decade, would propel a now-34-year-old socialist newcomer to the precipice of running America’s largest city – even while campaigning with radical imams, some of whom have supported terrorists and terrorist financiers. A Fox Digital investigation reveals that Mamdani’s rise was no accident. It was engineered. SEN. SLOTKIN SAYS DEM SOCIALIST NYC CANDIDATE MAMDANI REPRESENTS ‘NEW GENERATION’ OF LEADERS YOUNG VOTERS WANT A database of 110 groups backing Mamdani exposes a tight inner circle of organizations that identify as Muslim or socialist, working hand-in-glove with 76 Democratic Party affiliates, allied groups and unions. Particularly important in this political machine are two networks – Sarsour’s MPower organizations and another constellation of groups called Emgage, with which she works closely. The organizations have been generously funded. In total, billionaire George Soros’ Open Society philanthropies have given MPower and Emgage nearly $2.5 million in recent years, according to tax filings. “We fund a range of civil society organizations that work to deepen civic engagement through peaceful democratic participation, counter discrimination including against Muslim Americans and advance human rights,” a spokesperson for Open Society Foundations told Fox News Digital. “The grants that you cite all occurred years before the mayoral race, and we are a nonpartisan organization that does not fund political candidates and their campaigns.” Mamdani, Sarsour and the groups supporting Mamdani’s campaign didn’t return requests for comment. MPower and Emgage have been part of a tight inner circle of 30 ethnic and religious groups, that also includes CAIR Action, the 501(c)(4) political wing of the 501(c)(3) Council on American-Islamic Relations nonprofit, the Islamic Circle of North America,“ “Muslim Action Coalition,” Yemeni American Merchants Associations Inc., the “Bangladeshi American Advocacy Group” and “Desis Rising Up and Moving.” They have pumped up Mamdani’s campaign with social media campaigns, canvassing, voters and buzz. Altogether, they have annual revenues of about $24 million, and they have worked to promote Mamdani’s campaign with endorsements, fund-raising, social media campaigns and canvassing. The result: a carefully constructed political career that mainstreams the socialist goals long embraced by Sarsour and fellow members of the Democratic Socialists of America. It’s a machine that is expressing itself in races from New York to Virginia, Minnesota, Texas and California with MPower and Emgage aligning with the Democratic Socialists of America and the Democratic Party to propel candidates who may share their views. In a campaign called “Defend and Advance,” Emgage SuperPac is pushing Mamdani and Democratic Virginia Lt. Governor candidate Ghazala Hashmi as its “star candidates.” Emgage’s “Defend and Advance” roster of supported candidates and office holders includes Dearborn, Mich., Mayor Abdullah Hammoud. “I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here,” Hammoud recently told a Christian pastor who objected to a proposal to name a street in honor of a local man who had allegedly praised terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. “And the day you move out of the city will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of the city because you are not somebody who believes in coexistence.” Emgage’s donations include $175,000 from a group little-noticed by political observers but important in Islamist circles: Sterling Charitable Gift Fund, based in Herndon, Va. It is part of a network of groups that FBI agents raided in 2002 as part of wider investigations into the funding of Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas. Federal prosecutors ultimately didn’t file criminal charges against any officials at Sterling Charitable Gift Fund. MEET MAMDANI’S RADICAL ADVISORY CIRCLE THAT INCLUDES COMMUNIST ACTIVIST, ANTI-ISRAEL ADVOCATES Over almost a decade, Sarsour and her allies have orchestrated a network of well-financed and tightly connected socialist activists, radical imams, political organizers and nonprofit organizations funded with millions of dollars by major philanthropies, including Foundation to Promote Open Society, the Ford Foundation, Macarthur Foundation and the Tides Foundation. The confluence of big philanthropy, partisan operatives and clerical authority has helped drive Mamdani’s ascent. Its architecture combines nonprofit activism with faith-based politics and the precision of a professional campaign operation. “To the casual observer, Zohran Mamdani’s rise might appear meteoric – a story of grassroots energy and demographic change in America’s largest city,” said Dalia Al-Aqidi, an Iraqi American Muslim who is running against Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota, with Omar supported by the same kind of political machine being unleashed to propel Mamdani to office. “The data, the money trail and the affiliations, from the Democratic Socialists of America to the Islamists, tells a different story.” “Mamdani’s ascent is the product of deliberate design: a sophisticated collaboration between socialist activism and Islamist organizing, lubricated by millions in foundation grants and political donations and normalized through a revolving door of political operatives and nonprofits who embrace Islamists, the destruction of the state of Israel and hostilities to the police, the U.S. and the West,” Al-Aqidi said. The timeline of Mamdani’s rise tracks precisely with the growth of this network. In 2012, as a student at Bowdoin College, in Maine, he cofounded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, the campus organization known for its rabid anti-Israel activism. By 2017, he was canvassing for El-Yateem’s campaign with Sarsour’s mentorship. In 2018, Mamdani formally entered Sarsour’s orbit through the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, an organization she co-founded in 2013 to mobilize Muslim voters and elect progressive Democrats to local office. The Muslim Democratic Club of New York served as both incubator and amplifier for Sarsour’s political brand, one that fused progressive politics with an explicitly
Flaring climate protests becoming more confrontational as free speech tested globally
Climate protesters have grown more confrontational in recent years, experts say, including publicly cataloging energy sector leaders and conservatives as “climate criminals,” staging disruptive protests outside conservative organizations in the U.S., while climate activists in the U.K. have gone as far as attempting citizen’s arrests of water company CEOs. “It’s been getting worse during the 21st Century, ever since Bush vs. Gore in the year 2000,” Heritage Foundation’s director of the Center for Energy, Climate and Environment, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, told Fox News Digital. “Before that, I think that the relations were better and that they’ve been gradually getting worse. It seems to be worse, worse every year. I would say, and I think partly the year 2000, it’s also where there was more access to the internet in general.” Climate activists have increasingly become more confrontational in splashy and often costly acts of protests, including throwing soup at glass protecting the “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre in Paris while protesting food insecurity in 2024, vandalizing Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate in 2023 with orange paint while calling on the German government to stop using all fossil fuels by 2030, and a yearslong international campaign that has vandalized and deflated thousands of tires on SUVs since 2021. Fox News Digital took a look back at how climate protests have intensified in recent years, most notably in Europe, and how the activism is also playing out on U.S. soil and in the court system. SCALISE LEADS GOP FIGHT AT SCOTUS TO STOP ‘RADICAL’ LEFT’S ‘WAR ON AMERICAN ENERGY’ In the U.K. earlier in October, a group of female climate activists were seen surrounding water company CEO Mark Thurston near a train station in London while trying to place him under a citizen’s arrest for “charges” of public nuisance related to environmental damage and sewage spills. The women surrounded the CEO of Anglian Water and linked their arms together before he was seen jumping into a cab. The attempted citizen’s arrest followed another similar incident in the U.K. in March, when climate protesters attempted to place Thames Water’s CEO and chief financial officer under citizen’s arrest on suspicion of causing a public nuisance over illegal discharge of sewage and other alleged issues, The Guardian reported at the time. Confrontational and destructive protests have not played out at the same pace in the U.S. as Europe, but stateside protests also have swelled in recent years. “For the past few months, we’ve had protesters in front of Heritage,” Furchtgott-Roth told Fox News Digital about the conservative think tank’s office in Washington, D.C. “We had to hire extra security, and it’s not just the front entrance, but it’s also the back entrance,” she added. “They know all the entrances to our building.” The climate expert and economist explained that the proliferation of internet accessibility since 2000 has sparked climate protesters to become more confrontational, as activists push the limits of what they say online and are better able to coordinate with like-minded individuals. The Heritage Foundation’s president is also among a lengthy list of individuals identified as “climate criminals” in a public directory of dozens of individuals stretching from Trump administration officials to oil company CEOs. The directory claims those listed “have played historical and present roles in perpetuating climate destruction.” “Certain criminals have been awarded specific titles based on the nature of their crimes. Climate criminals designated as ‘Oilgarchs’ are members of Trump’s Cabinet or Mega-donors with explicit ties to the fossil fuel industry. Climate criminals designated with a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award are actors who have earned a spot in our ‘Hall of Shame’ for their role in driving climate destruction over the last couple decades,” the climate directory states. The website states it does not call for violence against those identified, instead championing “nonviolent witness and protest with the goal of promoting legal and voluntary changes in behavior.” Fox News Digital reached out to the group for additional comment but did not immediately receive a reply. SUPREME COURT MUST FREEZE THE CLIMATE EXTORTION OF OUR ENERGY INDUSTRY Furchtgott-Roth said Europe’s heightened climate protests are more severe than in the U.S., pointing to European censorship overall as an issue. “Look at what’s happened in Birmingham in the UK, where they’re telling supporters of the Israeli football team that they cannot attend the game because they cannot protect. That’s a lot worse than what we have here,” she said, referring to a ban on Israeli soccer club fans from attending a Europa League game in Birmingham, England, in November over security concerns. The economist and climate expert continued that the political climate overall is tenuous, pointing to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO in 2024. “I think everyone has to be careful with the CEO of UnitedHealthcare getting killed on the streets of New York, not to mention Charlie Kirk. But I mean the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, he’s not a known Republican or Democrat, he’s just CEO going around his business,” she said. “The world has gotten more confrontational, and I think this has real costs in security.” The mounting climate protests come as U.S. energy industry leaders face an onslaught of cases that GOP lawmakers are warning could bankrupt the industry and put the U.S.’ national security at risk. “Every day, hardworking Americans depend on access to affordable and reliable energy,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a comment provided to Fox News Digital earlier in October. “Despite this, radical environmentalists and local leftist politicians continue to wage war on American energy by going after domestic energy companies in our courtrooms, demanding they meet impossible standards or pay billions in damages. Any regulation of global greenhouse emissions falls squarely within the federal government’s jurisdiction.” Dozens of House lawmakers signed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in October calling for the Supreme Court to end lawsuits originating in Colorado that seek compensation from Exxon and Suncor Energy, arguing it’s a federal issue, not a state matter. The lawmakers wrote that the case is one steeped in
Trump’s focus turns to Japan and South Korea as Asia trip continues
President Donald Trump is shifting his attention to key allies Japan and South Korea as his Asia tour enters its next phase, with trade, regional security and military cooperation expected to top his agenda this week. Trump’s five-day Asia tour will include talks with Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo and a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the final stop in South Korea. TRUMP DANCES WITH MALAYSIAN PERFORMERS AS HE KICKS OFF ASIA TOUR IN LIVELY FASHION The trip comes at a time of renewed uncertainty in the region, with North Korea ramping up missile tests and China asserting greater control in the South China Sea. Economic ties are expected to play a central role in Trump’s meetings, with trade imbalances, technology cooperation and energy security topping the agenda. The administration has signaled an interest in expanding semiconductor and critical minerals partnerships with Japan and South Korea to counter China’s dominance in global supply chains. The Trump administration said Sunday that the world’s two largest economies are close to reaching an agreement to avert a new 100% U.S. tariff on Chinese goods, with both sides expected to meet in person soon. “President Trump gave me a great deal of negotiating leverage with the threat of the 100% tariffs, and I believe we’ve reached a very substantial framework that will avoid that and allow us to discuss many other things with the Chinese,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Before heading north, Trump began his trip in Malaysia, where he was greeted with traditional music and dancing, even joining performers in celebration. THAILAND, CAMBODIA REACH CEASEFIRE DEAL TO END CONFLICT THAT DISPLACED 260k, TRUMP SAYS He also oversaw the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand on Sunday, a development viewed as a key step in reducing regional tensions and bolstering U.S. diplomatic influence in Southeast Asia. As part of the agreement, Thailand agreed to release 18 Cambodian soldiers held captive and for both countries to begin removing heavy artillery from their shared border. The Thai prime minister called the signing of a ceasefire deal “the building blocks for a lasting peace,” and Cambodia’s prime minister described the events as a “historic day.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done,” Trump said. The White House has framed the trip as a showcase of Trump’s foreign policy approach: ending conflicts, striking deals and reasserting U.S. leadership abroad.
Chicago mayor lashes out at reporter over ‘illegal alien’ term: ‘Racist, nasty language’
Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson erupted at a reporter on Friday after they used the term “illegal aliens” during a press briefing, slamming the phrase as “racist” and “nasty.” In a video posted Saturday to the official Instagram account of the Chicago mayor, a reporter asked Johnson about a report on city spending related to “illegal aliens” in Chicago that he was allegedly required to file with the White House. Johnson immediately pushed back on the language. “We don’t have illegal aliens,” Johnson said to the reporter. “I don’t know if that’s from some sort of sci-fi message that you wish you’ve had… Well listen, the legal term for my people were slaves. You want me to use that term too? So, look, let’s just get the language right. We’re talking about undocumented individuals that are human beings.” NOEM, IN ILLINOIS, CALLS OUT GOV. PRITZKER, CHICAGO’S MAYOR OVER THEIR HANDLING OF CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS Johnson added that he would not “accept that type of racist, nasty language to describe human beings.” The blue city’s mayor then shifted to discuss his administration’s spending priorities, touting his $16.7 billion budget that he said invests in education, transportation, housing, environmental justice, youth employment and community safety. JB PRITZKER SAYS ICE ‘HARASSING PEOPLE FOR NOT BEING WHITE’ “And we are going to challenge the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share,” Johnson said. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., then chimed in to back Johnson’s remarks, arguing that immigration violations are not criminal offenses. DHS MARKS ‘ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT DAYS’ OF OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ WITH SEVERAL ARRESTS “It is very important that people in Illinois and across the country understand the immigration system is a civil system,” Jayapal said. “Undocumented presence in the United States is not a criminal offense. And so thank you for the clarification on language.” Johnson has previously been outspoken in his defense of Chicago’s immigration policies and in his criticism of President Donald Trump’s approach to crime and border enforcement. Last month, the Chicago mayor delivered a fiery news conference condemning Trump’s crackdown on crime. “Jails and incarceration and law enforcement is a sickness that has not led to safe communities,” Johnson said at the time. Last week, three illegal immigrants and six U.S. citizens were arrested in the Chicago area in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dubbed “one of the most violent days” of Operation Midway Blitz. Operation Midway Blitz was launched last month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. DHS stated the goal of the operation was to “target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.” The Chicago mayor’s office and Rep. Pramila Jayapal did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
All Jewish councils in key New Jersey area endorse Jack Ciattarelli for governor: report
In a first for New Jersey politics, Orthodox Jewish leaders across Ocean County have united behind Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, forming one of the state’s most influential faith-based voting coalitions, according to a report. The Lakewood Scoop reported that the endorsement — announced jointly by councils representing Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Howell, and Manchester — marks an unprecedented show of unity from a community that has become a decisive force in New Jersey politics. The Vaad — Lakewood’s longtime community council — worked closely with counterparts in nearby towns to align this year’s endorsements. Leaders told The Lakewood Scoop the effort reflects a deliberate move toward broader collaboration across municipal lines, stressing that this election season is about unity, turnout and shared priorities. CIATTARELLI GAINS MOMENTUM IN NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR’S RACE AS POLLS NARROW SHARPLY “While the process took a little longer than usual, this time it was for a meaningful reason – for the first time, we worked to ensure that all towns are united and on the same page,” organizers told the outlet. “The focus has been on Achdus – unity and collaboration – so that every community’s voice is represented in one strong collective statement.” “Every single vote in every single town is critical in this election,” they added. “Each area has its own local races and priorities, but together we share a larger responsibility – turning out every possible vote. This election will be decided by turnout. Let’s make sure our communities are heard loud and clear at the ballot box.” The Lakewood Scoop also obtained letters from local communities underscoring that unity, including one sent to residents in Howell urging every eligible voter to take part in the election. TRUMP TOUTS REPUBLICAN GARDEN STATE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WHILE TRASHING DEM OPPONENT “Our voice is only as strong as the number of people who actually vote,” the letter reads. “We strongly recommend voting for the following individuals who have shown care and friendship toward our community: TOGETHER WITH OUR FRIENDS IN NEIGHBORING TOWNS, JACK CIATTARELLI FOR GOVERNOR.” The letter also lists additional candidates for state and local offices. The Lakewood Vaad issued an urgent call for unity and turnout across the Orthodox Jewish community, emphasizing that every vote matters as New Jersey enters a pivotal election season. The letter highlights the Vaad’s long-standing practice of consulting rabbinic leadership and community representatives to reach collective, values-based political decisions. MAGA STAR JOINS CIATTARELLI ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN NEW JERSEY AS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP GOVERNOR’S OFFICE Leaders described voting as both a civic duty and an expression of gratitude to officials who have supported local priorities — especially education funding, transportation and religious freedom. After thanking President Donald Trump for his efforts on behalf of Israel and his fight against antisemitism, the Vaad endorsed Ciattarelli for governor, citing his alignment with the community’s concerns over schooling, infrastructure and taxes. The Vaad said, “Remember, your vote is your voice. Make it count for our community’s continued strength and influence.” Ciattarelli aims to flip New Jersey from blue to red as he faces Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill.
PHOTOS: The making of Trump’s White House ballroom, a look at the construction progress
History is being rewritten on the White House grounds, where a new formal ballroom is rising in place of the East Wing. The project has become a political lightning rod, as images of its construction reignite debate over President Donald Trump’s imprint on the nation’s most iconic address. While the White House has hosted countless ceremonial events, it has never had a dedicated ballroom. The new structure will fill that void, replacing the historic East Wing with a space designed instead to host large-scale gatherings. FROM THE GILDED OVAL OFFICE TO A NEW MONUMENT: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S RENOVATION PROJECTS The ballroom is estimated to cost $250 million and will be financed jointly by Trump and private donors. While the White House has pledged to release details on the individuals and corporations funding the ballroom’s construction, a comprehensive breakdown of contributions has not yet been made public. Here’s a look at the construction process so far: SPRAWLING NEW $250M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS During a July 31 briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt detailed the administration’s plans to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the White House grounds. Leavitt said the new ballroom will accommodate approximately 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classical design of the White House. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said on July 31. She added that the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.”
Old clip resurfaces as Mamdani takes heat for claiming Muslim victimhood after 9/11
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism over a resurfaced video of him claiming to be the victim of anti-Muslim discrimination in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The video shows Mamdani talking with voters during his campaign for New York State Assembly in February of 2020. He describes a number of instances of alleged discrimination against him and argues that there are “exceptions” to tolerance in America. Mamdani claims his school teacher took him and another student out of class on 9/11 and warned them that they may face bullying because of the attack. In another instance, he says he was stopped at an airport when he was 15 and returning to the U.S. with his family. He says security interviewed him in a private room and asked if he had been to a terrorist training camp. NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI DEFENDS PAST TWEETS, SAYS CUOMO ATTACKING ‘MYTHICAL VERSION’ OF HIM “In Uganda, I was Indian. In India, I was Muslim, and then, when we moved to New York, I was all of those things. New York still has something about it that lulls us all into believing that we too can become New Yorkers, no matter where you come from or who you are….” Mamdani says in the video. EARLY VOTING UNDERWAY IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AMID HOTLY CONTESTED MAYOR AND GOVERNOR RACES “And yet there would be these multiple moments in my childhood where I was reminded that this promise came with exceptions,” he said. Conservative activist Amy Mek was first to share the video in 2020, and she brought attention to it once again on Saturday amid Mamdani’s bid for mayor. “Five years ago, I warned NYC that Zohran Mamdani was not a ‘progressive’ but a jihadi-Marxist political asset weaponizing 9/11 trauma to capture votes,” Mek wrote on X. SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER CUOMO, MAMDANI RIP EACH OTHER DURING FINAL DEBATE: ‘UNMASKED’ Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment. The video comes after Mamdani faced similar criticism for claiming his aunt stopped taking the subway in New York City after 9/11. Mamdani said he and his family endured an “undercurrent of suspicion” in the city. Vice President JD Vance pushed back on the narrative in a post on X. “According to Zohran, the real victim of 9/11 was his auntie who got some (allegedly) bad looks,” Vance said. Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.