Swalwell demands 2028 Dem candidates vow to destroy Trump’s White House ballroom project
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said the next Democratic presidential nominee must vow to demolish President Donald Trump‘s White House ballroom, proposing the pledge a litmus test for the party’s 2028 contenders. “Don’t even think of seeking the Democratic nomination for president unless you pledge to take a wrecking ball to the Trump Ballroom on DAY ONE,” Swalwell wrote on X on Saturday. Swalwell’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for additional comment. SPRAWLING NEW $250M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS For the first time in its history, the White House will have a formal ballroom, a new addition built where the East Wing once stood, a project that has become a political flashpoint as photos of the demolition fuel debate over President Trump’s mark on the historic residence. On July 31, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the planned construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The sprawling ballroom will accommodate approximately 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classical design of the White House. FROM THE GILDED OVAL OFFICE TO A NEW MONUMENT: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S RENOVATION PROJECTS “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, adding the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.” Construction on the White House grounds, which began earlier this month, is estimated to cost $250 million and will be financed by Trump and private donors. The ballroom isn’t the only update. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump has introduced gold accents in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, a new monument dubbed the “Arc de Trump,” the “walk of fame” with portraits of former presidents, including a photo of the autopen representing former President Joe Biden’s time in office, added stone pavers to the Rose Garden lawn and installed two 88-foot flagpoles.
First time voting? Here is the ultimate guide to ballot boxes, critical issues on Election Day
Voters across the country — particularly in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — will head to the polls next month for an off-year election that could offer an early read on both parties’ strength heading into 2026. Virginia’s races include the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general and have been brought to the fore of national conscience by the murder-text scandal enveloping Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones. Virginia law now permits voters to register to vote on the same day as the election. If someone chooses this route, they will be asked to cast a provisional ballot; meaning a ballot that is later supposed to be vetted against voter roll and other information. Every county from urban Arlington to far-flung Lee is also required to have at least one secure drop box. Voters can typically find them outside county offices, courthouses or libraries. FORTNIGHT TO ELECTION DAY: 5 KEY 2025 RACES TO WATCH Early voting in Virginia runs through Saturday, Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Key issues in Virginia’s races include how candidates are aligning on transgender bathroom and school sports debates, with Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears accusing Democrat Abigail Spanberger of failing to stand up for Virginia’s children. That topic, as well as Jones’ texts envisioning the murder of a former GOP leader, led Earle-Sears to repeatedly interject in what she considered Spanberger’s vague or indirect answers at their sole debate held in Hampton Roads. Earle-Sears warned voters in Smyth County on Thursday that Democrats will continue prior efforts to suppress fossil fuel development – which she said not only affects jobs in the coal-and-gas-rich southwest, but every Virginian’s power bill. TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE OVER HEATED RACES ONE MONTH BEFORE ELECTION DAY On the lieutenant governor ballot, businessman and commentator John Reid has ripped Democrat Ghazala Hashmi for refusing to debate him – with Reid creating an AI version of the Chesterfield senator to try to get the public to see the stark differences in their policy proposals. Jones continues to be embroiled in scandal, as Attorney General Jason Miyares focused at their own debate in Richmond on the contrast between a candidate trying to be the state’s top law enforcement officer while carrying a criminal record and a hot temper per the texts, and one who has no such baggage. The federal government shutdown looms over the race, and is expected to help Democrats who do not blame their congressional leaders but President Donald Trump for the unique effects the situation has on workforces there, in Maryland and nominally eastern West Virginia. In New York, the future of the city’s political system is on the ballot as far-left Assemblyman. Zohran Mamdani leads both Democrat-turned-Independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. NATION’S ONLY TWO 2025 RACES FOR GOVERNOR ROCKED WITH THREE WEEKS UNTIL ELECTION DAY Cuomo and Sliwa — typically political adversaries — have both accused Mamdani of harboring “communist” policies that would make most city services free and weaken public safety through police reforms. Sliwa, the outspoken Canarsie Republican who founded the Guardian Angels, has said he is the only one who can ensure New York’s safety and solvency. But his third-place position led to debates with ideologically aligned colleagues like fellow radio host Sid Rosenberg over his potential spoiler role. Sliwa suggested last week he would never appear on 77WABC again after his colleagues purportedly abandoned him. Cuomo has positioned himself as the moderate, relying on his trademark Queens wit to fend off attacks from both rivals. Still, his resignation, pandemic-era controversies and cleared sexual misconduct allegations continue to shadow his campaign. FIVE RACES TO WATCH WITH 5 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2025 Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, has continued to face criticism for his far-left proposals, including free public transit, rent freezes and closing Rikers Island. Early voting in New York runs through Nov. 3. Across the Hudson, New Jersey is shaping up to be Republicans’ best shot at flipping a blue state – as former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli has made gains on Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J. Like the other elections, affordability is at the top of the ballot, and Ciattarelli has garnered several aisle-crossing endorsements, including in entrenched blue Hudson County – where Democrats like the imprisoned Robert Menendez Sr. made his name. NEW POLL IN KEY SHOWDOWN FOR VIRGINIA GOVERNOR INDICATES SINGLE-DIGIT RACE Trump has endorsed candidates in New Jersey, but not the Virginia governor’s race. He has endorsed Miyares for attorney general. Pennsylvanians face a unique off-year election with three Democratic Supreme Court justices up for retention – or a vote to keep them on the bench for another 10 years. It is exceedingly rare for such elections to see the “No” column win – which would spark a new election for any jurist who loses more than 50% of voters’ confidence. Justices David Wecht, Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty all face immense opposition from the right – particularly for their rulings to keep the state closed under the wishes of then-Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration during the coronavirus pandemic. The aftermath of Pennsylvania’s shutdown – in which Wolf enacted policies often mirroring those of Cuomo – has somewhat bifurcated who continues to receive criticism. While Wolf was term-limited, many of his aligned then-colleagues, including then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, remain at the top levels of government. Shapiro enjoys elevated approval ratings as the incumbent governor, and is touted as a potential 2028 presidential figure – while Republicans have notably directed their ire at the justices for their role. Counties have the option to use drop boxes, while the largest counties, like Philadelphia and Allegheny, must have multiple ones, according to reports. Pennsylvania’s election system has been lambasted for its long count times – which often stem from its policy that county-received mail-in ballots cannot be even prepared (or “precanvassed”) for tabulation until 7 a.m. ET on Election Day. Of all the major states
The 5 longest government shutdowns in history: What happened, how they ended
There appears to be no end in sight to the current government shutdown, with Democrats and Republicans still far from striking a federal spending deal nearly a month into fiscal year (FY) 2026. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed and thousands have been laid off. Certain federal services have also paused due to lack of funding. It is not the first time such a standoff has paused all or some government operations. Below is a list of the top five longest government shutdowns in U.S. history, and how they were resolved. BATTLEGROUND REPUBLICANS HOLD THE LINE AS JOHNSON PRESSURES DEMS ON SHUTDOWN The longest government shutdown in history happened during the first Trump administration and lasted five weeks. Funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall was at the heart of that dispute. Trump had refused to sign a federal spending deal that did not include money for the project, and a standalone bill with $5.7 billion was blocked by a Senate Democrat-led filibuster. Trump eventually backed a short-term federal funding measure to reopen the government on Jan. 25, 2019, and a few weeks later, Congress approved $1.375 billion for 55 miles of border fencing between the U.S. and Mexico. It was a partial shutdown, meaning lawmakers managed to strike a deal on five of 12 appropriations bills before their clock ran out. The current government shutdown is now the second-longest in history, and the longest-ever full shutdown. That means Congress was unable to strike a federal funding deal on any appropriations bills before the end of FY 2025 on Sept. 30. Republicans, who control the House and Senate, had offered a seven-week extension of FY 2025 spending levels to give lawmakers more time to hash out next fiscal year’s numbers. It passed the House on Sept. 19, with support from one Democrat, but has stalled in the Senate 12 separate times. SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES Democrats are demanding that any federal funding plan also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year without congressional action. As of the most recent tally, at least five more Senate Democrats are needed to overcome a filibuster and pass the measure in the Senate. Republican leaders have shown no signs of giving in, however, accusing Democrats of trying to jam an unrelated issue into the yearly funding process. The second of two government shutdowns under former President Bill Clinton lasted three weeks, breaking a record at the time for the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Republicans had taken control of both the House and Senate in the 1994 midterm elections, leading Clinton on a collision course with then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. Gingrich pursued significant cuts to the federal budget after being emboldened by the 1994 red wave in the House following his “Contract with America.” Clinton, who also pushed for a balanced budget, disagreed with the spending cuts sought by Republicans in Congress. That was also a partial shutdown, with the departments of energy, defense and agriculture among those funded before the impasse began. Republicans moved to end that shutdown amid mounting negative public polling for the GOP, NPR reported. The longest shutdown of former President Jimmy Carter’s four-year term in the White House lasted 18 days, at a time when Democrats controlled all levers of power in Washington. Carter had vetoed Congress’ bills on defense spending and public works that he thought wasted federal dollars, according to the Washington Post. That included funding for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that Carter opposed. There was also a dispute over abortion in the funding bill for the now-defunct Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Congress wound up stripping the funding that Carter opposed from the defense and public works bills, while a compromise was reached on the latter issue. Much like the current standoff, the 2013 government shutdown also centered on Obamacare — also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It is the second-longest full shutdown in history behind today’s. At the time, Republicans controlled the House while Democrats held the Senate. The GOP had insisted on spending bills that rolled back significant portions of Obamacare, then only about three years old. Senate Democrats rejected such measures passed by the Republican-controlled House, however. Congress eventually agreed to a short-term spending patch to end the shutdown, and Republicans relented on pushing funding bills with Obamacare cuts.
Trump dances with Malaysian performers as he kicks off Asia tour in lively fashion
President Donald Trump danced alongside Malaysian performers as he was greeted on the first leg of his Asia tour. The White House dubbed his moves, “TRUMP DANCE MALAYSIA VERSION” on social media. The performance was part of a greeting for Trump laid out by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The five-day trip will see Trump meet with newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. Trump also oversaw the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand on Sunday. THAILAND, CAMBODIA REACH CEASEFIRE DEAL TO END CONFLICT THAT DISPLACED 260k, TRUMP SAYS The president watched as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed the expanded ceasefire at the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. CAMBODIA TO NOMINATE TRUMP FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR ROLE IN ENDING COUNTRY’S CONFLICT WITH THAILAND The agreement requires Thailand to release 18 Cambodian soldiers held prisoner and for both countries to begin removing heavy weapons from the border. “We did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done,” Trump said. Cambodia’s prime minister called it a “historic day,” and the Thai prime minister said the agreement establishes “the building blocks for a lasting peace.” Ibrahim praised the agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, saying during opening remarks at the summit that “it reminds us that reconciliation is not concession, but an act of courage.” After the expanded ceasefire agreement was signed, Trump reached separate economic deals with Cambodia and Thailand. Trump also signed agreements with Malaysia involving trade and critical minerals. The U.S. has been working to expand its supply chains to reduce reliance on China, as Beijing has limited exports of key components in technology manufacturing. Fox News’ Landon Mion and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Progressive power players rally voters for Zohran Mamdani as early voting kicks off in NYC mayoral race
NEW YORK – Progressive stars Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are teaming up with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani Sunday night for a “New York is not for sale” rally at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York City. The high-profile campaign event comes nearly one week before Election Day, as New Yorkers head to the polls for the first weekend of early voting, closing out a contentious mayoral battle where Mamdani’s unanticipated success has landed him on the national stage. “Zohran Mamdani is modeling a different kind of politics,” Sanders, the former Democratic presidential candidate and longtime progressive leader, said in a statement ahead of the rally. The trio of self-identified Democratic socialists have invigorated the Democratic Party’s progressive base at a time when Democrats are still grappling with devastating losses in 2024 amid growing discontent with President Donald Trump‘s sweeping, second-term agenda. BERNIE SANDERS RIPS DEM LEADERS FOR SNUBBING MAMDANI IN MAYORAL RACE: ‘THIS IS OUR GUY!’ When Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez teamed up for the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour earlier this year, they sparked sizable buzz, firing up thousands of Democrats at rallies across the United States who had been left without a clear party leader. BERNIE SANDERS, ZOHRAN MAMDANI TEAM UP TO ‘FIGHT OLIGARCHY’ IN NYC “As mayor, he will not run a top-down, billionaire-funded, consultant-driven administration. Instead, Zohran will be a champion for the working people of New York,” Sanders said. Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have campaigned alongside Mamdani in his bid to lead the nation’s most populous city. On Friday night, Sanders appeared for a virtual “Get Out the Vote” event with Mamdani. Last month, Sanders and Mamdani teamed up for a “Fighting Oligarchy” town hall in Brooklyn. Ahead of the Brooklyn town hall event, the two progressive leaders marched alongside union members in Manhattan’s Labor Day parade. That afternoon, Mamdani posed for a photo with Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez in Astoria, Queens, amassing millions of views. Sanders, a two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up, was an early endorser of Mamdani’s primary campaign, along with Ocasio-Cortez. Their endorsements helped Mamdani consolidate progressive support in the 11-candidate field during the final weeks of the primary race. Mamdani’s primary upset triggered a political earthquake as the democratic socialist handily defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was widely expected to secure the Democratic nomination. Mamdani’s cross-endorsement with fellow progressive New York City Comptroller Brad Lander cleared the path for Mamdani to consolidate support against Cuomo through ranked-choice voting. Cuomo has since launched an independent campaign, teeing up a competitive and contentious general election battle. Since Mamdani secured the Democratic nomination, Trump has labeled him a “100% Communist Lunatic,” and “my little communist,” ushering Mamdani onto the national political stage. Mamdani has rejected the moniker, maintaining that he identifies as a democratic socialist, like Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez. As Trump began criticizing Mamdani, New York Democrats chose to withhold their endorsements of the socialist candidate, who has made a slew of ambitious campaign promises, like fast and free buses, city-run grocery stores and free child care, all of which he plans to pay for by raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers. After months of withholding their endorsements, Gov. Kathy Hochul finally endorsed Mamdani last month and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries finally affirmed his support in a statement Friday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has still yet to endorse. Pressure had been mounting since Mamdani won the Democratic primary in June for Mayor Eric Adams, who was also running as an independent, or Cuomo to drop out of the race to consolidate support against Mamdani. Adams dropped out and endorsed Cuomo on Thursday. That pressure reached a boiling point last week as billionaires, including Red Apple Media CEO John Catsimatidis and hedge fund CEO Bill Ackman, called on Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa to drop out of the race in order to clear a pathway to victory for Cuomo. The latest Fox News survey, conducted Oct. 10-14, ahead of the first general election debate last week, revealed that Mamdani has a substantial lead in the race. According to the poll, Mamdani has a 21-point lead among New York City registered voters with 49% of voters backing Mamdani, while 28% go for Cuomo and 13% favor Sliwa. Mamdani also rose above the 50% threshold among likely voters, garnering 52% support, while Cuomo picked up 28%, and Sliwa received just 14%.
Rubio reveals shared intelligence prevented possible Hamas attack, discusses international stabilization force
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said that the U.S., Israel and other mediators of the Gaza peace deal had shared intelligence to avoid a possible attack last weekend and would do so going forward. “We put out a message through State Department, sent it to our mediators as well, about an impending attack, and it didn’t happen,” he told reporters while flying from Israel to Qatar. “So that’s the goal here, is ultimately to identify a threat before it happens.” This comes a week after the State Department said it had “credible reports” that Hamas was planning an attack on Palestinian civilians in violation of the agreement. Rubio said Saturday the U.S. has talked with countries like Qatar, Egypt and Turkey who are interested in contributing to an international stabilization force in the region. He added that Indonesia and Azerbaijan are also interested. EXCLUSIVE: RUBIO SAYS US-ISRAEL ALLIANCE REMAINS FIRM AS HE HEADS TO QATAR AMID BACKLASH OVER DOHA STRIKES But, he said, “Many of the countries who want to be a part of it can’t do it without” a United Nations resolution supporting the force. Rubio also met with President Donald Trump in Qatar ahead of the president’s Asian tour. Vice President JD Vance was also in Israel earlier this week along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner in an attempt to solidify the ceasefire deal, which took effect earlier this month. TRUMP DIRECTED ENVOY TO WARN QATAR AHEAD OF ‘UNFORTUNATE’ ISRAELI STRIKE, WHITE HOUSE SAYS Next week, Rubio said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, is expected to travel to Israel as well. Trump thanked Qatar for their part in helping secure the peace deal while meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thanimet and Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. “This should be an enduring peace,” Trump told reporters of the deal. His visit to Qatar was part of a refueling stop before heading on to Asia. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump ally who donated $130 million to pay troops amid shutdown revealed as reclusive billionaire heir: report
The anonymous donor who gave $130 million to the Pentagon to pay troops during the government shutdown has been identified as Timothy Mellon, a reclusive billionaire and a major financial backer of President Donald Trump, according to a report. Trump announced the donation on Thursday, but declined to reveal the donor’s identity, only describing him as a “patriot” and a friend. The president again refused to name the person on Friday while talking to reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after departing Washington for Asia, calling the donor “a great American citizen” and a “substantial man.” “He doesn’t want publicity,” Trump said on Friday. “He prefer that his name not be mentioned, which is pretty unusual in the world I come from, and in the world of politics, you want your name mentioned.” But the two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times that the man is Mellon, a wealthy banking heir and railroad magnate. MYSTERY TRUMP ALLY DONATES $130M TO COVER TROOPS’ PAYCHECKS AMID SHUTDOWN CHAOS It remains unclear how long the donation will cover the troops’ salaries. The Trump administration’s 2025 budget asked for about $600 billion in total military compensation, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The $130 million donation would equal about $100 a service member, according to The New York Times. Mellon, a grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, is a backer of Trump who gave tens of millions of dollars to groups supporting the president’s 2024 campaign. Last year, he gave $50 million to a super PAC supporting Trump, making it one of the largest single contributions ever disclosed, the newspaper noted. The billionaire was not a prominent Republican donor until Trump was first elected but has given hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years into supporting the president and the GOP. He is also a significant supporter of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also ran for president in 2024, first as a Democrat and later as an independent before dropping out to endorse Trump. Mellon donated millions to Kennedy’s presidential campaign and has also given money to the secretary’s anti-vaccine nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, according to The New York Times. Despite his political contributions, Mellon has sought to keep a low profile. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FREEZES $11 BILLION IN BLUE-STATE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, BLAMES DEMOCRATS FOR SHUTDOWN In an autobiography published in 2015, Mellon described himself as a former liberal who moved from Connecticut to Wyoming for lower taxes and fewer people. The Pentagon said it accepted the donation under the “general gift acceptance authority.” “The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to The New York Times. But the donation may be a potential violation of the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from spending money in excess of congressional appropriations or from accepting voluntary services.
Trump gives Hamas 48 hours to return all deceased Gaza hostages, or ‘other countries will take action’
President Donald Trump on Saturday said Hamas needs to start returning the bodies of deceased hostages held captive by the terror group during the war in Gaza “quickly, or the other countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action.” While all the living hostages have been returned from Gaza, the remains of 13 deceased hostages have not been handed over by Hamas. “Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others they can return now and, for some reason, they are not,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “Perhaps it has to do with their disarming, but when I said, ‘Both sides would be treated fairly,’ that only applies if they comply with their obligations. Let’s see what they do over the next 48 hours. I am watching this very closely.” Hours before Trump’s post, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with the families of Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, two U.S. citizens who were killed in the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. TRUMP THANKS GROUP REPRESENTING FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE APPEAL Their bodies are among those still being held by Hamas. “We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in the captivity of Hamas,” Rubio wrote in an X post. “We will not rest until their—and all—remains are returned.” Authorities believed Chen, a 19-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, but was later declared dead by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). TRUMP SAYS HAMAS MAY RELEASE 20 HOSTAGES ‘A LITTLE BIT EARLY’ AS HE HEADS TO MIDDLE EAST Neutra, 21, an American-Israeli from New York, was killed in battle on Oct. 7, 2023. Huckabee noted Rubio’s visit to Israel was “very productive in moving forward” the U.S.-brokered Gaza peace plan, adding the plan cannot work until all hostages, living and deceased, are released. While traveling to Asia Saturday, Trump met with Qatari leaders aboard Air Force One while refueling at Al-Udeid Air Base. TRUMP ON WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO BRING ISRAELI HOSTAGES HOME: HAMAS MUST BE ‘CONFRONTED AND DESTROYED’ Qatar has played a significant role in efforts to negotiate peace and ceasefires in Gaza. After a meeting with Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Trump said “The Emir is one of the great rulers of the world … and the Prime Minister has been my friend.” Referencing the peace deal, the president said, “What we’ve done is incredible — peace in the Middle East.” Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Trump says he won’t waste time meeting Putin unless Ukraine deal is likely to happen soon
President Donald Trump on Saturday said he won’t waste time meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin again unless a deal on the war in Ukraine is likely. “I’m going to have to know that we’re going to make a deal,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after taking off from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, when asked about securing a meeting with Putin. “I’m not going to be wasting my time. I’ve always had a great relationship with Vladimir Putin, but this has been very disappointing.” He said he thought the war in Ukraine would have been resolved “long before” the peace deal between Israel and Hamas. “We have Azerbaijan and Armenia. That was very tough,” Trump added, referring to the peace summit he hosted at the White House between the two countries last summer. TRUMP FREEZES OUT PUTIN FOR LACK OF ‘ENOUGH ACTION’ TOWARD PEACE — FUTURE TALKS UNCERTAIN He continued, “In fact, Putin told me on the phone, he said, ‘Boy, that was amazing,’ because everybody tried to get that done, and they couldn’t. I got it done. You had others. If you look at India and Pakistan, I could say almost any one of the deals that I’ve already done, I thought would have been more difficult than Russia, than Ukraine, but it didn’t work out that way.” “There’s a lot of hatred between the two, between [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and Putin, there’s tremendous hatred.” Earlier this week, Trump said he had called off a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest to discuss the war because he saw it as a “waste of time.” Trump announced the Budapest meeting last week, saying it could happen within the next two weeks. He also announced sanctions against Russia this week. Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August, but no deal was reached following the summit. Trump met with Zelenskyy last week at the White House, where he seemingly denied Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk long-range missiles. The president also said that in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week he wants a “complete [trade] deal.” “I want our farmers to be taken care of, and he wants things also,” Trump said. “We’re going to be talking about fentanyl, of course. Fentanyl is killing a lot of people, a lot people. It comes from China, and we’ll be talking a lot about that. We’ll be talking about a lot things. I think we have a really good chance of making a very comprehensive deal.”
Newsom’s fiery claim DOJ has ‘no business’ monitoring CA election blasted by Trump official: ‘Calm down bro’
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s rebuke of the Justice Department’s move to monitor the November election in his state is getting strong pushback, including from a DOJ official who noted the move is not out of the ordinary. “Donald Trump’s puppet DOJ has no business screwing around with next month’s election,” Newsom posted on Friday in response to news the DOJ plans to send federal election watchers to California and New Jersey for their closely watched elections next month. “Sending the feds into California polling places is a deliberate attempt to scare off voters and undermine a fair election. We will not back down. Californians decide our future — no one else.” Many on social media, including DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, quickly pointed out that the Justice Department has a long history of sending election monitoring resources to areas that have a history of issues to ensure election laws are being followed. NEWSOM THREATENS TO SUE IF TRUMP SENDS TROOPS TO SAN FRANCISCO: ‘WANNABE TYRANT’ “Lol calm down bro,” Dhillon posted on X. “The @TheJusticeDept under Democrat administrations has sent in federal election observers for decades, and not once did we hear that this was voter intimidation from states such as California. Do you really want to go there? Isn’t transparency a good thing?” Dr. Houman Hemmati posted on X, “Hey @GavinNewsom WHY would any legitimate voter be “scared off” by having federal election observers? Most people think legitimate voters would be more likely to vote because they’d trust the process. “But clearly you’re afraid of something. I wonder what that is…” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor in California to replace the term-limited Newsom, wrote on X, “Gavin sure seems worried about people seeing how he’s handling elections.” The Republican parties in both California and New Jersey requested the federal observers as California votes on a ballot measure aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional map in favor of Democrats to counter states like Texas that have redrawn its map favoring Republicans. New Jersey votes in a highly watched gubernatorial election. NEWSOM BAILS OUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD WITH $140M TO KEEP 100 CLINICS OPEN AFTER TRUMP CUTS The Department of Justice sent election monitors to California twice during the Biden administration, during the 2022 general election and the 2024 general election. “This is not a federal election,” Newsom’s press office posted on X. “The US DOJ has no business or basis to interfere with this election. This is solely about whether California amends our state constitution. “This administration has made no secret of its goal to undermine free and fair elections. Deploying these federal forces appears to be an intimidation tactic meant for one thing: suppress the vote.” DUFFY TELLS NEWSOM ‘3 MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE ALIVE’ IF HE FOLLOWED FEDERAL TRUCK LICENSING RULES The Biden Justice Department sent election resources to several non-federal elections as well, including Alaska municipal elections in October 2023, a New Jersey off-year general election in 2023 and a Mississippi off-year general in 2023. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment. “In recent elections, we have received reports of irregularities in these counties that we fear will undermine either the willingness of voters to participate in the election or their confidence in the announced results of the election,” California GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin wrote in a letter to Dhillon on Monday. The New Jersey GOP sent a similar letter about Passaic County, which is heavily Latino and once favored Democrats but voted for Trump in 2024. The state GOP alleged a “long and sordid history” of vote-by-mail fraud. Democrats in both states have pushed back against the decision. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin called the move “highly inappropriate” and said the DOJ “has not even attempted to identify a legitimate basis for its actions.” Los Angeles County Clerk Dean Logan said election observers are standard practice across the country and that the county, with 5.8 million registered voters, is continuously updating and verifying its voter records. “Voters can have confidence their ballot is handled securely and counted accurately,” he said. During the 2024 election, multiple Republican-led states pushed back on the Biden administration’s efforts to send federal resources to monitor elections, arguing the state measures in place were satisfactory. Election monitors are lawyers who work for the Justice Department, including in the civil rights division and U.S. attorney’s offices across the country. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents. For decades, the Justice Department’s civil rights division has sent attorneys and staff members to monitor polling places across the country in both federal and non-federal elections. The monitors are tasked with ensuring compliance with federal voting rights laws. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces a number of statutes protecting the right to vote. That includes the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits intimidation and threats against those who are casting ballots or counting votes. And it includes the Americans with Disabilities Act, which mandates that election officials ensure people with disabilities have the full and equal opportunity to vote. Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report