Trump’s National Guard troops can stay in Illinois but federal judge blocks deployment
A judge ruled on Saturday that National Guard troops sent to Illinois by President Donald Trump to combat crime can remain in the state but can’t patrol or deploy to protect federal property. The Trump administration had requested an emergency stay after U.S. District Judge April Perry on Thursday blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago and across Illinois for at least two weeks. Perry said there was no evidence of a “danger of rebellion” in the state as Trump has suggested he may invoke the Insurrection Act, which would mean the federal government could send troops to states that defy federal laws or don’t put down an insurrection. LONG-HELD SCOTUS PRECEDENTS COULD UNDERCUT PORTLAND, CHICAGO NATIONAL GUARD LAWSUITS “I’d do it if it was necessary. So far it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. The Insurrection Act was last invoked in 1992 during the LA riots. “There has been no showing that the civil power has failed,” Perry said. “The agitators who have violated the law by attacking federal authorities have been arrested. The courts are open, and the marshals are ready to see that any sentences of imprisonment are carried out. Resort to the military to execute the laws is not called for.” ‘UNTETHERED FROM REALITY’: LAWYERS FOR TRUMP, OREGON, SPAR OVER NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT IN COURT CLASH She added, “Not even Alexander Hamilton could have envisioned one state’s militia to be used against another state’s residents because the President wants to punish those with views other than his own.” On Saturday, the federal judge, in granting a temporary restraining order, blocking the deployment of troops until further arguments can be heard, wrote, “Members of the National Guard do not need to return to their home states unless further ordered by a court to do so,” according to the court order obtained by Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Along with Chicago, Trump has also sent federal troops to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump plans whirlwind trip to Israel and Egypt before rushing back to White House for Charlie Kirk honor
President Donald Trump said Friday he plans to travel to Israel and Egypt before quickly returning to Washington, D.C., to honor the late Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he will address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, and then visit Cairo as part of a trip marking the historic peace deal he secured between Israel and Hamas. He is expected to return to the White House to honor Kirk on Tuesday, Oct. 14 — which would have been the conservative activist’s 32nd birthday. TRUMP CAPS UK TRIP WITH $350B TECH PACT, HEADS TO ARIZONA FOR KIRK’S MEMORIAL SERVICE “It’s not easy for me to get back. It’s a very quick trip, but I’ll be making two major stops, and then I’ll be on the plane trying to get back in time for Charlie,” Trump said Friday. “They’re going to have a great celebration at the White House — in the East Room of the White House.” The President will arrive in Israel early Monday, where he is expected to deliver an address at the Knesset and meet with recently freed hostages, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel. Under the peace deal, Hamas must hand over all 48 living and deceased hostages within a 72-hour window that began Friday night local time. “They’re getting them, and they’re also getting the bodies, approximately 28 bodies. … It’s a tragedy,” Trump said. “… I’ll be going to Israel. I’ll be speaking at the Knesset, I think early on, and then I’m also going to Egypt.” TRUMP EYES REMARKS AT CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL IN ARIZONA, BLAMES LEFT FOR SUSPECT’S RADICALIZATION Egypt will host an international summit in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalize the peace agreement. More than 20 world leaders, including Trump, are expected to attend, an Egyptian presidential spokesperson said Saturday, according to Reuters. “I’ll go to Cairo, I think that’s where we’re going, as opposed to the place of the signing,” Trump told reporters. “We have a lot of leaders from all over the world coming too. I know they’ve been invited.” Trump is scheduled to return to Washington by Tuesday for the White House ceremony honoring Kirk, who was assassinated Sept. 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. “And then I’m coming back, I believe it’s Tuesday night for Charlie Kirk, a friend of mine, a friend of all of us, a friend of a lot of the people right here,” Trump said. The president called the event a “great celebration,” noting that Erika Kirk, the activist’s widow, and many others will be in attendance. TRUMP HEADS TO UK FOR RARE SECOND STATE VISIT, THEN TO ARIZONA FOR CHARLIE KIRK’S FUNERAL “We’re giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest honor you get outside the Congressional Medal of Honor — one’s military, one’s civilian,” he said. “But it’s the greatest honor, and Erika, his beautiful wife, is going to be here and a lot of people are going to be here.” Trump first announced last month that he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. “I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump said at the time. “The day of the ceremony will be announced, and I can only guarantee you one thing. That we will have a very big crowd. Very, very big.” On Thursday, Hamas agreed to a peace deal pushed by Trump to end the war in Gaza and return the hostages, two years after the terrorist network attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Trump directs Hegseth to pay troops during ongoing government shutdown standoff as he rails against Schumer
President Donald Trump railed against Democrats over the ongoing government shutdown Saturday, saying he is directing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to make sure military service members get paid next week. “Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.” He said he directed Hegseth “to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.” “I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” he added. “The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” JOHNSON RAISES STAKES ON SCHUMER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BARRELS INTO WEEK 3 The government shut down on Oct. 1, after Democrats and Republicans failed to pass a spending bill to fund the government, with Democrats concerned expiring Affordable Care Act tax cuts could raise premiums and that Medicaid cuts could leave people without coverage. Trump on Monday blamed Democratic lawmakers for the shutdown, saying he’d be “happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies” once the government reopens. “Democrats have SHUT DOWN the United States government right in the midst of one of the most successful economies, including a record stock market, that our country has ever had,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This has sadly affected so many programs, services, and other elements of society that Americans rely on — and it should not have happened. “I am happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our government to re-open.” TRUMP SAYS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LAYOFFS ARE ‘UP TO’ DEMS AS STANDOFF CONTINUES Schumer recently told Punchbowl News, “Every day gets better for us,” regarding the Democrats’ shutdown strategy. He added, “It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance, and we knew that healthcare would be the focal point on Sept. 30, and we prepared for it. … Their whole theory was — threaten us, bamboozle us and we would submit in a day or two.” Republicans have blamed Schumer for the shutdown, saying it was meant to appease the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, particularly in his home state as Zohran Mamdani maintains the lead in New York City’s mayoral race and buzz swirls regarding Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., potentially challenging Schumer in the next primary. She has not formally declared a Senate bid. “Chuck Schumer just said the quiet part out loud: Democrats are gleefully inflicting pain on the American people over their push to give illegal aliens free healthcare,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement provided exclusively to Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Schumer recently shared with Fox News Digital remarks he made on the Senate floor. “Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans — and the clearer it becomes who’s fighting for them. Each day our case to fix healthcare and end this shutdown gets better and better, stronger and stronger because families are opening their letters showing how high their premiums will climb if Republicans get their way. They’re seeing why this fight matters — it’s about protecting their healthcare, their bank accounts and their futures.”
Mamdani caught on camera getting chased out of Manhattan square; protester blasts him as ‘antisemite’
A dramatic video shows Zohran Mamdani chased out of a New York City square after an angry protester accused him of antisemitism and demanded he disavow Hezbollah and Sharia law. In the video shared on X, the self-identified socialist Democrat NYC mayoral candidate is seen getting cornered in Manhattan’s Foley Square on Friday as protesters shout and beat drums. His security agents usher him through the square toward a waiting vehicle while a man trails close, yelling, “Denounce Hezbollah! Denounce Sharia law!” ISRAEL CALLS PROMINENT DEMOCRAT ‘MOUTHPIECE FOR HAMAS’ IN BLISTERING OCT. 7 POST Protesters can be heard calling Mamdani an “antisemite” and refuse to back down as he follows him. When Mamdani’s security intervenes, guards form a protective barrier to guide him into a car, which then leaves the square. One protester holding a flag is seen pushing up to what looks like another security team member near the vehicle. Mamdani had been speaking at Foley Square to show solidarity with New York Attorney General Letitia James, who this week was hit with a mortgage fraud indictment related to a Virginia property she owns. Mamdani has been repeatedly pushed to repudiate Hezbollah and denounce slogans such as “Globalize the Intifada.” JEWISH LEADER PREDICTS VIOLENT FUTURE FOR NYC RESIDENTS IF MAMDANI WINS IN NOVEMBER: ‘REAL CONCERN’ In a June 2025 appearance on “Meet the Press,” Mamdani declined to do so fully, saying that policing language is not the role of a public official, though he affirmed his opposition to incitement to violence and antisemitism. Mamdani reflected on the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel on Tuesday, issuing a statement in memory of Israeli victims and hostages still held by Hamas. “Two years ago today, Hamas carried out a horrific war crime, killing more than 1,100 Israelis and kidnapping 250 more. I mourn these lives and pray for the safe return of every hostage still held and for every family whose lives were torn apart by these atrocities,” Mamdani said. “A death toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals and schools into rubble. NEW YORKERS SKEPTICAL AFTER ZOHRAN MAMDANI DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM PHRASE ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ “Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language. I mourn these lives and pray for the families that have been shattered.” Mamdani’s statement was reposted by the Israeli Foreign Ministry (IFM) on X, where it accused him of “acting as a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda.” “By repeating Hamas’s lies, he excuses terror and normalizes antisemitism. He stands with Jews only when they are dead. Shameful,” the IFM post said. Mamdani’s press office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Biden undergoes radiation therapy for cancer, spokesperson says
Former President Joe Biden is entering a new phase of treatment for the prostate cancer he was diagnosed with in May. Biden is undergoing radiation therapy, a spokesperson for the former president told Fox News Saturday. Previously, he had been receiving routine scans, the spokesperson added. “As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” the spokesperson said. Biden was diagnosed four months ago with an “aggressive form” of metastatic prostate cancer after health officials detected a prostate nodule following increasing urinary symptoms. His office said the disease, though aggressive, is hormone-sensitive, meaning it may be effectively managed. JOE BIDEN DIAGNOSED WITH ‘AGGRESSIVE FORM’ OF PROSTATE CANCER WITH METASTASIS TO THE BONE Biden, who turns 83 next month, also underwent surgery Sept. 4 to remove cancerous skin cells through a procedure known as Mohs surgery, according to his spokesperson. BIDEN SPOTTED WITH GIANT BANDAGE ON HEAD AFTER HAVING SURGERY TO TREAT SKIN CANCER During his presidency, Biden had a cancerous skin lesion removed from his chest, the White House previously said. Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor noted in February 2023 that a biopsy of skin tissue taken during a health assessment revealed cancerous cells, all of which were successfully removed. ‘SMALL NODULE’ FOUND IN BIDEN’S PROSTATE DURING ROUTINE EXAM, SPOKESPERSON SAYS Biden, who became the oldest U.S. president to serve in office, had placed a major focus on cancer treatment. While in office, he and former first lady Jill Biden revamped the Cancer Moonshot initiative to accelerate progress in cancer research. The project aimed to reduce the cancer death rate by 50% over the next 25 years. In 1988, Biden had two life-threatening brain aneurysms at age 45. Doctors said he had a 50% chance of surviving while serving as a U.S. senator for Delaware. Biden’s surgeries were successful, and there have been no reports of an aneurysm since. The news of Biden’s radiation treatment comes as President Donald Trump was reported to be in “excellent overall health,” according to a memo released by the White House on Friday. Trump underwent a routine semiannual physical last week at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In the evaluation summary, the president’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, stated that Trump “remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.” Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price and Peter Doocy contributed to this report.
Veteran journalist flips script on media ‘running cover’ for Antifa violence: ‘Anarchist communism’
As liberal pundits and networks across the country downplay the rise of violence carried out by Antifa, a journalist who has covered the domestic terrorist designated group extensively pushed back on that narrative in an interview with Fox News Digital. Social media has been littered with posts in recent weeks featuring elected officials and pundits dismissing concerns about Antifa violence as simply an “ideology” rather than an organized effort, which Ngo argues is a message driven by tacit support of the cause. “It is an ideology, but Neo-Nazis organize around an ideology, jihadists organize around an ideology, so what’s your point really? The point you’re really trying to do, when people bring that up, is to run cover for Antifa because these people on the left know that organized militant Antifa networks themselves and individuals operate as shock troops for their cause.” “They have the same enemies, they want the same outcomes in terms of the institutions destroyed and they want the political opposition intimidated into silence and disengaging from the political process.” UNC PROFESSOR REVEALED ANARCHIST GROUP REQUESTED SECURITY FROM FAR-LEFT GUN CLUB DURING 2017 RIOT Ngo went on by explaining that individuals who doubt the existence of Antifa networks should watch the footage that he and other independent journalists have published. “I would show them the video from June 2019 when people working in an organized manner beat me with their faces covered, having weapons, and escaped,” Ngo said. “Nobody was ever arrested for that. If that’s not convincing enough, I would tell them to watch the shooting video of the assassination of Aaron Danielson in Portland in 2020, a Trump supporter who was killed by somebody who actually left behind a manifesto. If you don’t believe the video, you can read his manifesto. He describes himself, I am 100% Antifa.” President Trump, who issued an executive order last month declaring Antifa a domestic terrorist organization, hosted a roundtable at the White House on Wednesday where Ngo, and other prominent independent journalists, spoke to the president about the violence they have seen and experienced first hand. Antifa is a far-left militant movement that describes itself as antifascist. It has been accused of organizing or encouraging violent riots, notably during the 2020 “defund the police” protests and, more recently, in attacks targeting federal immigration facilities. Ngo said his biggest takeaway from that event with Trump was the recognition of the dangerous work journalists have done covering Antifa violence in recent years with little to no support from mainstream outlets or elected officials. TEXAS AG LAUNCHES UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS TO INFILTRATE ‘LEFTIST TERROR CELLS’ ACROSS THE STATE “I’ve been reporting on Antifa now for about nine years, and for some of that time it did feel like I was reporting on something that nobody who could do something about it would listen,” Ngo told Fox News Digital. “And there was a lot of despair through that time. I saw a lot violence, saw death, and I suffered violence myself. I feel optimistic now. I think Antifa’s a confusing topic and subject, and I’m thankful that I have the expertise to be able to share that with the administration.” Ngo told Fox News Digital he carries “so much gratitude to the president” for holding the event, saying, “They have a million things to do. There’s a lot of important things on the world stage. Yet, nearly two hours is dedicated on this topic. So I don’t take any of it for granted, and I’m just thankful to have been able to be there.” Ngo also told Fox News Digital the event was “bittersweet” for him personally due to losing his father earlier this year. “I wish he had been around to see that,” Ngo said. “My parents were refugees of communism from Vietnam. I don’t know how they would take it if they knew the full extent of far-left militancy in America and that they raised a son who’s put himself at a lot of risk to try to expose it. So I wish my father was there to share in that moment.” CHARLIE KIRK KILLING PUTS RISE IN LEFT-WING TERROR IN SPOTLIGHT AS STUDY SHOWS VIOLENCE HITTING 30-YEAR HIGH Ngo’s family history living under communism is relevant in the conversation today regarding Antifa, the Portland-born journalist told Fox Digital, given the underlying communist beliefs espoused by radical left movements in the United States today.. “For a century now, communists and anarchists, particularly in Europe, have engaged in violent acts that have sparked revolutions and the Antifa today look to those historical examples in the acts of violence they carry out,” Ngo said, adding that many “normal” and mainstream liberals in the country are confused by the “deception and misinformation” in the media regarding Antifa. “If you read the mainstream, one can leave with the impression that these are people who are opposed just to fascism and racism. So why not come on board with that, right?” Ngo explained. “When really the ideology is anarchist communism and violent anarchist-communism a lot of them engage in violence for the purpose of nihilistic violence. They want to see things burnt down. Their own slogan has become ungovernable. So if you care about democracy, liberal democracy in institutions, civil rights…you should not. You cannot be anywhere on the side of advocating or running cover for these so-called Antifa.” Ngo went on to say that Antifa messaging and ideology is becoming more and more “mainstream” with the evidence for that being the “depraved worldview philosophy” that has given rise to those who celebrated the assassinations of Charlie Kirk, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and those who “call for myself and others to be assassinated.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slammed Antifa during the Wednesday roundtable arguing that the network is “just as sophisticated as MS-13, as TdA, as ISIS, as Hezbollah, as Hamas, as all of them.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP She said that authorities recently arrested the girlfriend of the founder of Antifa in
New York Republicans blast Schumer, Gillibrand over shutdown: ‘You’ve abdicated your responsibility’
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation are pressing their two Democratic senators to end the ongoing government shutdown, casting their opposition to the GOP’s funding bill as “radical and harmful” to residents of the Empire State. The government shutdown has entered its eleventh day with Republicans and Democrats still unable to agree on a path forward. Thousands of government workers, including members of the military and federal law enforcement, are set to miss their first paychecks next week barring a breakthrough. “You have abdicated your responsibility to New Yorkers. By consistently voting against the clean Continuing Resolution (CR), you have shut down the government with no willingness to reopen operations,” seven House Republicans wrote to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. JOHNSON RAISES STAKES ON SCHUMER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BARRELS INTO WEEK 3 “Throughout both of your decades in federal office, you have consistently supported clean CRs as a way to keep the government funded and open until Congress can pass bipartisan spending bills.” The Republicans accused their senators of changing course now “to spite President Trump and congressional Republicans,” and called it “a disservice to our nation and our institutions.” “In fact, both of you have been vocal about your past opposition to shutdowns and the dangers they wreak on the American people,” they wrote. The letter is being led by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and is signed by the six other House Republicans representing parts of New York: Reps. Nick Langworthy, Nicole Malliotakis, Claudia Tenney, Nick LaLota, Elise Stefanik, and Andrew Garbarino. The House passed a measure to keep the government funded at levels roughly even to fiscal year (FY) 2025 through Nov. 21 — called a continuing resolution (CR) — on Sept. 19, mostly along party lines. HOUSE PASSES TRUMP-BACKED PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN But Democrats in the House and Senate were largely infuriated by being sidelined in federal funding talks and are now demanding any spending deal also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year. Democrats have argued that a failure to act on those subsidies now will lead to higher health care premiums for millions of Americans by the end of the year. Republican leaders who control the House and Senate have said they are willing to hold negotiations on those subsidies, but have insisted the CR must be “clean” without any policy riders. CRs are aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a longer-term funding deal for FY2026, which began on Oct. 1. Schumer had been under particular pressure from his left flank to resist the GOP’s plan after his vote was key to helping advance the same bill in March, which extended FY2024 federal funding levels through Sept. 30. “Just last year in 2024, you said that no reasonable member on either side of the aisle wants a government shutdown. I agree, Senator, your position now is unreasonable,” the House GOP’s Saturday letter read. The CR has now failed in the Senate seven times. Under the most recent tallies, five more Democrats would be needed to cross the aisle and meet the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to break the filibuster and advance the bill to a final vote. Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer and Gillibrand’s offices for a response but did not hear back by press time.
Incoming Dem Governors chair says party ‘has a lot of work to do’ to rebound at ballot box
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear isn’t sugarcoating the work ahead for his party as it aims to escape the political wilderness. “I’ve got a lot of hope for the Democratic Party, but I’m also honest enough to say the Democratic Party has a lot of work to do. The Democratic Party has to re-earn the faith of the American people,” Beshear told around 100 Democratic politicians, officials, and activists this week during a stop in New Hampshire. Beshear, the two-term governor of red state Kentucky, is hitting the campaign trail, helping fellow Democrats running in elections this November and in next year’s midterms. And his mission comes as Democrats work to rebound after last year’s ballot box setbacks, when they lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to win back the House majority. They also lost ground to Republicans among Black, Hispanic and younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLL NUMBERS KEEP HITTING ALL-TIME LOWS This year, a slew of polls have flashed red alerts for the Democrats, as the party’s favorable ratings have plunged to all-time lows. “Number one, we’ve got to spend 80% of our time on things that matter to 100% of Americans,” Beshear said, as he outlined his three steps Democrats need to take for political redemption. Beshear said that Democrats also have “to talk to people like normal human beings” instead of “talking down to people.” His third step — focus less on policy specifics and more on energizing voters. “We are really good at the ‘what,’ but not so good at talking about the ‘why,’” he said. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS Beshear, the son of former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, was elected state attorney general before topping Republican Gov. Matt Bevin by a razor-thin margin in the 2019 gubernatorial showdown. He won re-election as governor two years ago. The moderate Democrat is currently vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and takes over next year as DGA chair. Beshear traveled to New Hampshire the day before a campaign stop in Virginia, where he campaigned on behalf of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial nominee. New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold contests for governor the year after a presidential election, which means the races traditionally grab outsized national attention. And this year’s ballot box showdowns are viewed as crucial early tests of President Donald Trump’s popularity and second-term agenda, and are considered key barometers ahead of next year’s midterms, when the House and Senate majorities are up for grabs. TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER 2025 ELECTIONS “I think both Virginia and New Jersey are races that we are going to win, and we are going to win by providing Americans with a vision. A vision that the American dream is still attainable. That a Democratic governor can deliver on good jobs, can deliver on making things more affordable,” Beshear said in an interview with Fox News Digital. Looking ahead to next year, when he takes over steering the DGA, Beshear said, “I’m going to work to win as many races as I can.” Beshear’s trip to New Hampshire, which for over a century held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, sparked more speculation about his national ambitions in 2028, when a large field of Democrats are expected to run for their party’s presidential nomination. The Kentucky governor spent his entire day Tuesday in New Hampshire, headlining a fundraiser in Concord for State House Democrats, a happy hour in Manchester for City Democrats, and a house party in Nashua hosted by a state senator. It was his second trip to New Hampshire in a year, after keynoting the state party’s major autumn fundraising gala in 2024. And the latest trip to New Hampshire followed a stop earlier this year in South Carolina, another key early voting state in the Democratic Party’s presidential primary calendar. Unlike other potential White House hopefuls, Beshear acknowledges he’s mulling a 2028 bid. Asked about a 2028 run, Beshear reiterated to Fox News that after next year’s midterm elections, “my family and I will sit down” to decide on whether to run for president. Beshear, pushing a vision of inclusiveness, said that “when I look at what my job is right now, I want to be a commonsense, common ground voice, in this crazy partisan climate we see right now, to try to get people focused on the things that matter most to our families” And looking ahead to the next presidential election, Beshear said, “What’s most important to me is that we have a candidate that can heal the country. We have too much of this us versus them. Our neighbor is not our enemy, and we’ve got to recognize that even if we disagree with them, we want what’s best for them, and we really want their kids to have a great life.”
Trump’s week in review: President secures historic peace deal to bring hostages home as shutdown continues
President Donald Trump secured a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas this week that will end the war in Gaza and return the hostages, two years after the terrorist network attacked Israel Oct. 7, 2023 — all while the U.S. government remains in a shutdown due to a stalemate in the Senate. The president made the announcement on his Truth Social platform Wednesday. “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” the president posted. “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!” HAMAS ACCEPTS TRUMP PEACE PLAN ENDING 2 YEARS OF WAR IN GAZA, RETURNING HOSTAGES The president said the day of the agreement was “a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen.” “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he posted. According to Israeli officials, the living hostages are expected to be released in a single phase within 72 hours. The return of the bodies of deceased hostages will take longer, but Israel insists on their inclusion in the deal. Trump warned that if Hamas did not agree to the deal, Israel would have the full backing of the U.S. to carry out its operational plans in Gaza. Moments before the president’s announcement, photos emerged from the negotiation room in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, showing senior officials embracing and shaking hands as reports indicated significant progress toward a hostage release deal. Retired Israeli Defense Forces Major General Nitzan Alon was seen shaking hands with Qatar’s prime minister, with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in the background. TRUMP UNVEILS 20-POINT PLAN TO SECURE PEACE IN GAZA, INCLUDING GRANTING SOME HAMAS MEMBERS ‘AMNESTY’ On the other side, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and other senior officials appeared smiling. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, “With God’s help, we will bring them all home.” Netanyahu added in a statement in Hebrew, translated: “A great day for Israel. Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic soldiers of the IDF and all the security forces — thanks to their courage and sacrifice we have reached this day. I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for mobilizing for this sacred mission of freeing our hostages. With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our objectives and expand peace with our neighbors.” The terrorist organization Hamas announced in an official statement, “After responsible and serious negotiations conducted by the movement and the Palestinian resistance factions regarding President Trump’s proposal in Sharm el-Sheikh, with the aim of ending the war of extermination against our Palestinian people and the withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, Hamas announces the reaching of an agreement that ends the war on Gaza, provides for the withdrawal of the occupation, allows the entry of aid and implements a prisoner exchange.” TRUMP TEASES TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST AS GAZA PEACE DEAL TALKS CONTINUE “We greatly appreciate the efforts of the mediators in Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, and thank U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts to bring about a final end to the war and the full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip. We call on President Trump, the guarantor states of the agreement, and all Arab, Islamic and international parties to oblige the government of the occupation to fulfill all the agreement’s commitments, and not to allow it to evade or delay implementation of the accords.” Trump is now expected to travel to the Middle East Sunday amid continued peace negotiations. “I may go there, sometime toward the end of the week. Maybe on Sunday, actually, and we’ll see,” Trump said Wednesday from the White House as he kicked off a roundtable discussion event focused on the left-wing radical group Antifa. “We have a great team over there, great negotiators, and there are, unfortunately, great negotiators on the other side also,” Trump added. “But it’s something I think that will happen. Got a good chance of happening.” Meanwhile, the government shutdown continued this week, as Senate lawmakers again failed to reach a budget agreement. SENATE LEAVES WASHINGTON AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN NEARS 3RD WEEK, MILITARY PAY AT RISK Now, senators have left Washington, D.C., and plan to return to Capitol Hill early next week, as Republicans and Democrats in the upper chamber remain in a stalemate. Lawmakers voted deep into the night Thursday on the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which advanced on a largely bipartisan vote. But the $925 billion package, which authorizes funding for the Pentagon, effectively was the last hurrah for the week in the upper chamber. While there was discussion of putting the House GOP’s continuing resolution (CR), along with congressional Democrats’ counter-proposal, on the floor for one last vote, the plan never came to fruition. Both likely would have failed for an eighth consecutive time. The president has slammed Democratic leaders for shutting down the government amid one of “the most successful economies.” Trump said he is “happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and most Democrats say they won’t support funding the government unless Congress agrees to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. COMEY PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN COURT AFTER INDICTMENT ON ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION Meanwhile, the president also saw two of his political foes face federal indictment this week. Former FBI Director James Comey appeared in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to two counts of making a
Military veterans in Congress clash over government shutdown as troops face missed paychecks
FIRST ON FOX: A group of House GOP veterans are pressing Senate Democrats who also served in the military to support Republicans’ federal funding bill and end the government shutdown. U.S. troops are poised to miss their first paycheck of the ongoing shutdown on Oct. 15 with Republicans and Democrats still not able to agree on a path forward by next week. “We are a group of military veterans now serving in the House of Representatives who voted YES for the House’s September 19th Continuing Resolution. We write to you, fellow Veterans now serving in the United States Senate, who have voted NO on that same resolution multiple times. We hope you receive this letter in the manner in which it is intended: as brothers and sisters in arms, not as partisans,” a letter sent on Saturday read. “This short-term measure contains no cuts, no policy riders, and no gimmicks. It simply keeps the government open while giving Congress time to responsibly negotiate the twelve long-term appropriations bills. Most importantly, it ensures that our troops, the same men and women with whom we once served, continue to receive their pay without interruption.” JOHNSON RAISES STAKES ON SCHUMER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BARRELS INTO WEEK 3 The Senate would need to pass the House GOP’s funding bill by Monday, Oct. 13, for military paychecks to go out on time the following Wednesday, according to Military Times. But the Senate will likely not be in session because Monday is a federal holiday, meaning the next earliest possible vote is Tuesday. Active duty service members, like other federal employees deemed essential, must keep working through a government shutdown. The possibility of them missing their next paychecks has become a particularly painful flashpoint in the standoff on government funding. The Senate has now rejected the House-passed measure — a bill that would keep spending roughly on par with fiscal year (FY) 2025 levels through Nov. 21, called a continuing resolution (CR) — seven times. It passed the House along mostly partisan lines on Sept. 19. But Democrats in the House and Senate were largely infuriated by being sidelined in federal funding talks and are now demanding any spending deal also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year. Republican leaders who control the House and Senate have said they are willing to hold negotiations on those subsidies, but have insisted the CR must be “clean” without any policy riders. CRs are aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a longer-term funding deal for FY2026, which began on Oct. 1. “This short-term measure contains no cuts, no policy riders, and no gimmicks. It simply keeps the government open while giving Congress time to responsibly negotiate the twelve long-term appropriations bills. Most importantly, it ensures that our troops, the same men and women with whom we once served, continue to receive their pay without interruption,” the Saturday letter said. “We understand that you oppose certain policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill and that you have strong preferences regarding the future of the Affordable Care Act credits. We respect that you have those priorities. But for the sake of our troops, we ask that you vote for the continuing resolution and assert those policy preferences during subsequent discussions and debates that do not interrupt troop pay.” It’s being led by Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., a military veteran, and is signed by 21 other House Republicans who also served. The letter is addressed to seven Senate Democrat military veterans who have all voted against the CR. At the current vote tallies, just five more Democrats are needed to cross the aisle and support the CR for it to overcome the Senate filibuster and move to a final vote. SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES The letter is being sent after Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faced increasing pressure from Republicans and Democrats to hold a vote next week on a standalone bill to ensure troops are paid. But Johnson has all but rejected the idea, arguing the onus is on Senate Democrats to pass the GOP-led funding bill that would let the military and others in the federal government get their paychecks on time. Federal workers who miss paychecks during the government shutdown are normally entitled to receive that money as backpay when the shutdown is over.