Trump doubles down on Colombia crackdown, calls Petro ‘lunatic,’ vows to end all US payments over drugs
President Donald Trump on Sunday doubled down on his criticism of Colombia, calling its far-left president, Gustavo Petro, a “lunatic” and the “worst president they’ve ever had” as he reiterated his vow to cut off all funding to the Latin American country over its cocaine production. Trump’s incendiary comments came while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. The president said he was stopping all payments to Colombia because the country was producing drugs rather than fighting them. “They make drugs, they refine drugs, they make cocaine, they have cocaine factories,” Trump said. “They have no fight against drugs, and I’m stopping all payments to Colombia because they don’t have anything to do with their fight against drugs.” The president’s rhetoric marked a sharper, more personal attack on Petro, whom he had earlier accused of being an “illegal drug leader” and “encouraging the massive production of narcotics” across the country. TRUMP ENDS VENEZUELA TALKS, MILITARY OPTIONS LOOM, NEW REPORT Trump said that he would announce new tariffs on Monday, confirming an X post from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who wrote: “President Trump … informed me that he is going to be hitting Colombia, not only their drug dealers and traders, but also where it hurts, in the wallet. He will be announcing major Tariffs against the Country of Colombia, today or tomorrow.” In a Truth Social post earlier Sunday, Trump warned that Petro “better close up” drug operations “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.” TRUMP ADMIN REVOKES COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT’S VISA OVER ALLEGED ‘RECKLESS AND INCENDIARY ACTIONS’ Trump said that Petro had “a fresh mouth toward America.” He complained that drug smuggling continues “despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.” “AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,” he added. The heated words come amid escalating tensions between Washington and one of its closest Latin American allies. Petro fired back on X, saying Trump’s claims distort Colombia’s record. “Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker,” Petro wrote. He suggested that Trump was being deceived by his advisers, described himself as “the main enemy” of drugs in his country and said Trump was being “rude and ignorant toward Colombia.” TRUMP UNLEASHES US MILITARY POWER ON CARTELS. IS A WIDER WAR LOOMING? Colombia’s Foreign Ministry accused Trump of threatening the country’s sovereignty, calling his remarks an “illegal intervention.” Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez added that the armed forces have “also lost men and women fighting drug trafficking.” Trump’s latest broadside against Petro raises the possibility of an expanding clash in Latin America, where the U.S. has already increased pressure on neighboring Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro. U.S. forces have stepped up counternarcotics operations across the Caribbean, deploying ships and surveillance aircraft as part of a broader crackdown on trafficking networks. Trump also authorized covert operations inside Venezuela. Unlike Venezuela, Colombia remains Washington’s top regional aid recipient, though funding has fallen to roughly $230 million this year – well below earlier peaks topping $700 million, per U.S. budget data. More cuts could affect military cooperation and undermine efforts to fight rebel groups. RUBIO SAYS TRUMP ‘WANTS TO WAGE WAR’ ON VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS: ‘BLOW THEM UP IF THAT’S WHAT IT TAKES’ But coca cultivation reached an all-time high last year, according to the United Nations, and there has been fresh violence in rural areas where the government spent years battling insurgents before reaching a peace deal a decade ago. In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of failing to cooperate in the drug war, although at the time Washington issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered aid cuts. Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, has repeatedly feuded with Trump this year. Petro initially rejected U.S. military flights of deported migrants, leading Trump to threaten tariffs. The State Department said it would revoke Petro’s visa when he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York because he told American soldiers to disobey Trump’s orders. Petro and Trump have also been at odds over American strikes on boats in the Caribbean. The Colombian president has accused the U.S. of civilian casualties in maritime drug raids – alleging one recent strike killed a Colombian fisherman who supposedly had no ties to drug trafficking. There have been seven U.S. strikes in the region since early September that the administration says are targeting alleged drug traffickers. At least 32 people have been killed.
Trump calls Jay Jones an ‘animal,’ says ‘anybody would be put in prison for what he said’
President Donald Trump condemned Virginia Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones as an “animal” on Sunday, saying anyone else would find themselves “in prison” for his text messages wishing death on political opponents. Trump made the comments while talking to reporters aboard Air Force One, just days after Jones had repeatedly bashed the president in a campaign debate in Virginia last week. Reporters pressed Trump on whether he planned to weigh in on the attorney general contest. “You mean the one that wanted to kill some of his children and kill somebody? You mean the animal that wanted to kill somebody who should not be allowed to be running for that office?” Trump said when asked about Jones. “He’s a third-rate intellect, he’s a guy who – I’ve never seen anybody say what he said, that he wanted to kill his opponent’s children – he wanted to kill his opponent,” Trump said. “I can’t imagine anybody voting for Jay Jones. Look, you would think he’s totally discredited. I would think he wouldn’t even be allowed to do that; anybody would be put in prison for what he said.” WATCH: KAINE DEFENDS JONES AMID AG CANDIDATE’S TEXTS ENVISIONING MURDER OF GOP LEADER: ‘STILL A SUPPORTER’ “He can join a long list of attorney generals that have been suing and losing,” Trump added. ‘CONSUMED WITH HATE’: WINSOME SEARS, JASON MIYARES UNLOAD ON DEMOCRAT JAY JONES OVER VIOLENT TEXTS In messages first reported earlier this month, Jones texted Virginia state lawmaker Carrie Coyner in 2022, imagining a scenario where he would choose to “fire two bullets” into then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert’s head, describing Gilbert as worse than dictators Pol Pot and Adolf Hitler. Jones also referred to Gilbert’s young children as “fascists” in the exchange. Jones has since apologized for the text messages and says he is now “embarrassed” by them. LIBERAL MEDIA DOWNPLAYS SCANDAL OF DEM VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL JAY JONES’ TEXTS FANTASIZING MURDER OF GOP LAWMAKER The controversy hasn’t stopped prominent Virginia Democrats from endorsing Jones, however. Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger endorsed Jones prior to the controversy and has since declined to withdraw the endorsement. Her campaign website is also still selling Jones-branded merchandise. The Republican Governors Association, which is backing Spanberger’s opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, slammed Spanberger’s campaign for continuing to market Jones-branded merchandise more than a week after texts surfaced depicting him envisioning the murder of a GOP leader and his children. “Jay Jones threatened to murder his political opponent and their children, and Abigail Spanberger still fully endorses him and is trying to make money off it,” RGA Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton told Fox News Digital. “If Spanberger is willing to put partisan politics above doing the right thing and standing up to political violence, how can she be trusted as governor?” Crompton asked. Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Letitia James up against ‘by the book’ prosecutor ‘who means business,’ former Kentucky AG Cameron says
Former Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron applauded the prosecutor handling Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James’ indictment on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, celebrating that she is prosecuting the case “by the book” in a state that hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential candidate in two decades. “Lindsey Halligan means business,” Cameron, who serves as CEO of the nonprofit 1792 Exchange, told Fox News Digital in a Tuesday Zoom interview. “And she has been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that no one is above the law in the Eastern District of Virginia. And she certainly is heeding that call and commitment and that responsibility, which I applaud.” A grand jury in Virginia indicted James Oct. 9, months after Federal Housing Finance Director Bill Pulte wrote in a criminal referral to the Department of Justice in April that James allegedly falsified mortgage records to obtain more favorable loans. Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan is the top federal prosecutor overseeing the case, following her nomination to the role by President Donald Trump in September. Halligan previously served as special assistant to the president and White House senior associate staff secretary in the early months of the administration before moving to her new role. LEGAL EXPERT CALLS OUT ‘IRONIC’ TWIST AS NY AG WHO PROSECUTED TRUMP FACES FEDERAL BANK FRAUD CHARGES Halligan also landed on the political map while serving as one of Trump’s attorneys after the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago in 2022 in search of classified documents retained at the Trump residence. The Trump-nominated federal prosecutor, who also was appointed to the job on an interm basis, has since secured separate indictments against James and former FBI Director James Comey, both of whom are longtime political foes of Trump’s. Cameron applauded that Halligan was handling the cases “by the book,” pointing to how grand juries comprised of Virginia locals determined there was enough evidence to charge the pair in both cases. MAMDANI ASSAILS TRUMP FOR ‘POLITICAL RETRIBUTION’ AGAINST LETITIA JAMES IN SWEEPING DEFENSE OF EMBATTLED AG “Whether it’s this case or the Comey case, she has been taking them to the grand jury,” he said. “And I remind people that the grand jury process is a deliberative process. It appears within the community that sit on that grand jury to ultimately make a decision about whether there’s probable cause to move forward with an indictment. And that has happened in both of these instances.” Cameron, who also is running for the Senate in Kentucky in the 2026 cycle, noted that Virginia is by no means a conservative-leaning state, with many of its residents working as employees in Washington, D.C. Virginia previously voted for a Republican presidential candidate 20 years ago in the 2004 race and is in the midst of a high-stakes gubernatorial election. “Virginia is not a hotbed for conservatism,” he said. “This is a jury or grand jury of peers that ultimately makes this indictment. And when you look at the facts that are alleged, it seems pretty cut and dry in the context of General James and what was misrepresented on the loan documents and whether it was a primary residence versus a rental property.” “I applaud Lindsey Halligan for taking this by the book and, you know putting forth the case before the grand jury that ultimately gave them the information to make a judgment about indictment,” he continued. Cameron is the CEO of the 1792 Exchange, which is a nonprofit focused on providing information to businesses, other nonprofits and philanthropy groups to shield against “woke” corporations. It also educates “Congress and stakeholder organizations about the dangers of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, and to help steer public companies in the United States back to neutral on ideological issues so they can best serve their shareholders and customers with excellence and integrity,” according to the group’s website. SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AS RESURFACED AG JAMES POSTS COME BACK TO HAUNT HER: ‘NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW’ Cameron served as the Republican attorney general of Kentucky from 2020 to 2024, providing him unique insight on the James case as a top state prosecutor himself. James came under investigation over a Norfolk, Virginia, home she purchased in 2020, which she identified on mortgage documents and a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac form as a property that would serve as her primary residence. Federal officials claim that the home was listed as such to secure more favorable loans, while pointing to state law that requires the New York attorney general to reside in the Empire State. Prosecutors of the case said James’ “ill-gotten gains” from the mortgage documents sit at “approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.” James has denied wrongdoing, claiming that any errors were not intended to deceive a lender, but were mistakes. She, as well as Democrat allies, have instead claimed the indictment is an example of Trump “weaponizing” the Justice Department against political foes. “I will not bow. I will not break. I will not bend,” James said earlier in October during a campaign stop for socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. “You come for me, you’ve got to come through all of us. Every single one of us. We’re all in this together.” LETITIA JAMES’ OWN WORDS COME BACK TO HAUNT HER AFTER FEDERAL BANK FRAUD CHARGES FILED “I know what it feels like to be attacked for just doing your job,” James said, while reprimanding those who “weaponize justice for political gain.” Cameron noted that James’ office has prosecuted similar cases at the state level, which he said exposes the “hypocrisy” of claims the case is political weaponization at the hands of the Trump administration. James’ office previously has prosecuted cases involving mortgage fraud entwined with money laundering, deed theft cases, and mortgage fraud schemes, a review of previous press releases from James’ office show. “This is not weaponization,” he said. “This is about no one being above
‘America First’ attorney general distances himself from McConnell — his former boss — as Kentucky race defines GOP future
EXCLUSIVE: Former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron — once a protégé of Sen. Mitch McConnell — is now running to replace him, casting himself as an unapologetic “America First” conservative unafraid to disagree with his old boss. During his early career, Cameron served as legal counsel for McConnell, who is retiring next year after four decades in the U.S. Senate. His vacancy has triggered a competitive Republican primary as leading candidates claim to be the “America First” option for Kentucky voters. “When it comes to Senator McConnell, I think it’s important for people to know where you have disagreements on policy issues,” Cameron told Fox News Digital, explaining that he disagreed with McConnell voting against President Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, namely Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Cameron’s disagreement with the former Senate Majority Leader tracks with the Republican Party’s full embrace of Trump, which helped the party secure wins up and down the ballot in 2024. GOP REP GEARS UP FOR POTENTIAL REMATCH AGAINST PROGRESSIVE ‘DARLING’ IN BID TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL “I thought he was wrong on his vote and that I would have voted differently from him,” Cameron said. “I think that’s an important thing to say, especially as you’re running for office, and the people of Kentucky, whose seat this is, need to know that, and so where there are differences, I’ll certainly note that.” DEM SHELLACKED BY MCCONNELL IN 2020 MOUNTS NEW SENATE BID: ‘COWARDS IN WASHINGTON ARE BOWING TO DONALD TRUMP’ McConnell’s retirement from the U.S. Senate after more than 40 years creates an opening for Kentuckians to elect a more conservative, Trump-loyal candidate. Those vying for the party’s nomination claim to be the “America First” candidate in the race. “I have had a consistent track record of standing with President Trump,” Cameron said. “When he wasn’t in office, I was opposing Joe Biden’s disastrous policies at the border that tried to undo a lot of the good work that President Trump had started.” During his time as attorney general and as CEO of 1792 Exchange, where he worked to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from corporate America, Cameron said he has proved that he will stand firm for the “America First” agenda. But when Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., spoke to Fox News Digital about his bid for McConnell’s open seat, the longtime congressman claimed he is the only candidate with the “America First” record. Barr described himself as an “America First, pro-Trump Republican member of Congress,” who values limited government, free enterprise and strong national defense. Barr told Fox News Digital that he is the only candidate in the race with experience delivering on Trump’s agenda. Yet, Republican businessman Nate Morris, who is also vying for Kentucky’s open Senate seat, was the last Senate candidate endorsed by conservative influencer Charlie Kirk before he was assassinated. “Daniel Cameron and Andy Barr are fully-owned subsidiaries of the McConnell Machine,” Conor McGuinness, a spokesperson for Morris’ campaign, said in a statement. “The last thing Kentucky needs is another RINO career politician,” the Morris campaign spokesperson added, arguing that Morris is the “America First warrior Kentuckians can trust to fight back against the establishment and the only candidate Donald Trump can trust in the U.S. Senate to deliver his America First agenda.” Meanwhile, Cameron said he entered the race for U.S. Senate for his children because he wants to ensure future generations have the opportunity to “live to the ideals of our founding, that this is a nation that’s built on merit and opportunity.” “I have a track record of standing firm for the America First Agenda because it’s an agenda that works for the men, women and children of Kentucky,” Cameron said. “And I think President Trump knows that I will walk alongside him to ensure that the provisions of the ‘big, beautiful bill’ stand, that we secure that border, that we codify some of the things that he has done in the executive order capacity.” Cameron was the Republican nominee for Kentucky governor in 2023, losing to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who is widely considered a potential presidential candidate in 2028. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the Barr campaign, Alex Bellizzi, told Fox News Digital that “Daniel Cameron is about to lose another statewide race” and has “already shown he can’t win a statewide race — even with President Trump’s backing.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Cameron was the first Black American elected to a standalone statewide office in Kentucky’s history and the first Republican to hold the office of Attorney General since 1948, according to his campaign website.
‘Goofballs’ and hostages: GOP senators say Schumer’s shutdown tactics destroying the Senate
Senate Republicans are worried about the precedent that Senate Democrats have set for future funding fights as the shutdown continues into its 20th day. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the Democratic caucus have dug in deep on their demand for an extension to expiring Obamacare subsidies and have worked to spin the narrative from a battle to fund the government to a fistfight for healthcare. But it’s been over three weeks since Schumer and Democrats blocked Republicans’ first attempt to pass the House GOP’s continuing resolution (CR). And since then, there are no signs that Democrats are willing to back down from their demands. THUNE SLAMS SCHUMER’S ‘KINGMAKER’ POLITICS, REFUSES TO ‘KISS THE RING’ IN SHUTDOWN TALKS “I think Schumer has basically sort of destroyed the institution of the Senate,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. “He has, you know, whether it’s what he’s done on the nominees or with this shutdown. I think he’s made government unmanageable. So, hopefully, this is not the way we continue to operate.” Informal talks between the parties have ebbed and flowed over the course of the shutdown, but neither side is any closer to an off-ramp than they were when the first vote failed late last month. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., has been involved in those talks but noted that this week they have been fading. When asked if he was worried that Democrats’ shutdown posture might be replicated in the future, he told Fox News Digital, “I can’t worry about their position.” “It doesn’t make sense,” he said. “If there was a strategy behind it, OK, we get out, we can figure out how to move them. But there is no strategy. It’s just like, burn it all down.” Senate Republicans now view Democrats’ shutdown position as a hostage-taking exercise, with no real ground for negotiations until after the government reopens. “We can’t negotiate with them until we come out of shutdown,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Fox News Digital. “You can’t hold the government hostage. And that’s why it’s very important — we’ve said we’ll work on all these different issues they want to bring up. But you can’t shut down the government, hold the government hostage as part of negotiation.” THUNE TORCHES SENATE DEMS FOR ALLOWING ‘FAR-LEFT’ LAWMAKERS TO HIJACK PARTY AFTER BLOCKING CRUCIAL BILL The informal talks, which Republicans quickly note aren’t full-blown negotiations, have produced an olive branch of sorts from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who signaled to Senate Democrats that he would offer them a vote on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits if they voted to reopen the government. But for a 10th time on Thursday, they blocked his effort to turn the lights back on and then hours later blocked a procedural move to allow lawmakers to consider the annual defense spending bill. In both instances, Democrats wanted guarantees that Thune and Republicans could not provide. “The Dems, someday, they’re going to rue the day they did this, because we have offered up an open appropriations process, regular order, doing things that way,” Thune told Fox News Digital. SENATE DEMS TANK GOP PLAN TO PAY TROOPS, FUND PENTAGON AS SHUTDOWN HITS DAY 16 “I think it’s unfortunate, but it’s a reality that we’re dealing with,” he continued. “And I hope they change their mind and realize that it’s in everybody’s best interest to try and at least get the government open and then start going to work and funding the government the old-fashioned way.” Many Republicans hope that after the “No Kings” rally in Washington, D.C., over the weekend that Senate Democrats may have a change of heart. But others see it as a performative opportunity for congressional Democrats to show they are fighting back against President Donald Trump and the GOP. “Typically, if you reward bad behavior, you get more bad behavior,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital. “That’s what the Democrats are basically doing. They’re pretending that President Trump didn’t get elected last November. That’s basically the whole fight, because they have the goofballs that are going to be here Saturday, so they have to show the goofballs they’re fighting.”
Trump reacts to ‘No Kings’ protests by saying ‘I’m not a king, I work my ass off’
President Donald Trump reacted Sunday night to global “No Kings Day” protesters who filled streets around the world a day earlier, saying he is not a king and works his “ass off to make our country great.” Trump made the comments to reporters before exiting Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, when asked about the weekend’s No Kings demonstrations. Asked about the protests, Trump called them “a joke.” “I looked at the people. They’re not representative of this country, and I looked at all the brand new signs paid for. I guess it was paid for by Soros and other radical left lunatics,” the president said. “It looks like it was worth checking out. The demonstrations were very small, very ineffective and the people were whacked out. When you look at those people, those are not representative of the people of our country.” MILLIONS EXPECTED TO FLOOD STREETS AT ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS TARGETING TRUMP ACROSS ALL 50 STATES He also emphasized that he is not royalty. “I’m not a king,” he said. “I work my ass off to make our country great. That’s all it is. I’m not a king at all.” His comments came a day after large crowds gathered in cities including New York, Washington, D.C., and London for the second “No Kings” protest since June, aimed at the Trump administration. PROTESTERS NATIONWIDE HOLD ‘NO KINGS’ RALLIES AMID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Despite concerns the marches could turn violent, no incidents or arrests were reported during the afternoon rallies amid the ongoing government shutdown. Republicans argued the protests were meant to distract from the ongoing government funding fight. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told FOX Business he hoped Democratic leaders who attended would be more open to the GOP plan after the demonstrations, though he did not sound optimistic. WATCH: ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTERS AT MASSIVE NYC RALLY REVEAL MOTIVATION FOR TAKING TO THE STREETS: ‘DISGUSTING’ The NYPD estimated more than 100,000 people participated across all five boroughs Saturday and said there were no “protest-related” arrests. No arrests were reported in Washington, though some protesters briefly spilled into the streets, officials said. Police also reported largely peaceful demonstrations in other major cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, Portland, Ore., and Austin. Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel, Landon Mion and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Patrol car hit by shrapnel during Marine Corps live-fire demo at celebration attended by JD Vance
A piece of metal shrapnel from an “explosive ordnance” that detonated overhead prematurely struck a law enforcement vehicle in California on Saturday, during an event attended by Vice President JD Vance. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirmed the incident in a press release shared with Fox News Digital. It took place near Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base in San Diego County. The shrapnel was fired while CHP officers supported a traffic break along I-5, the same day that Vance visited Camp Pendleton to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. It is unclear when exactly the incident occurred on Saturday. The CHP said it happened “during an exceptional U.S. Marine Corps live-fire training demonstration over the freeway, and where the CHP had elected to stop traffic during the live-fire exercise.” NEWSOM CLASHES WITH WHITE HOUSE OVER MARINE CORPS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION HIGHWAY CLOSURE No injuries were reported. CHP officers alerted the Marine Corps, who then “canceled firing additional live ordnance over the freeway,” per the agency. In a statement, CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado called the incident an “unusual and concerning situation.” “It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway,” said Coronado. “As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.” VP VANCE’S CAMP ACCUSES CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM OF DISSEMINATING ‘FAKE NEWS’ AHEAD OF MARINES CELEBRATION “The CHP has filed an internal report on the incident, with a recommendation to conduct an additional after-action review into the planning, communication and coordination between federal, state, and local government around the event on Saturday, October 18, to strengthen protocols for future demonstrations and training events near public roadways,” the release concluded. Camp Pendleton officials confirmed to Fox News Digital that they are also conducting an investigation after a 155mm artillery round may have detonated outside the designated impact area. “We are aware of the report of a possible airborne detonation of a 155mm artillery round outside the designated impact area during the U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration at Camp Pendleton, CA, Oct. 18,” the I Marine Expeditionary Force Communication Strategy and Operations team told Fox News Digital. “The demonstration went through a rigorous safety evaluation, and deliberate layers of redundancy, to ensure the safety of fellow citizens. Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended. No injuries occurred, and the demonstration concluded as scheduled. “An investigation has been initiated. We are committed to determining the incident’s root cause and applying findings to future missions,” the statement continued. “An investigation has been initiated. We are committed to determining the incident’s root cause and applying findings to future missions.” In a post on X, California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote that President Donald Trump and Vance “put lives at risk to put on a show.” “If you want to honor our troops, open the government and pay them,” Newsom said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to Vance’s office for comment. Fox News Digital’s Lee Ross contributed to this report.
Trump boards AF1 quickly, using small stairs due to ‘increased security measures’: WH official
President Donald Trump boarded Air Force One quickly using the small stairs due to “increased security measures” at Palm Beach International Airport on Sunday, a White House official tells Fox News. The heightened measures at the airport follow the Secret Service discovering a suspected hunting stand Friday near the airport with a clear line of sight to Air Force One when Trump boards and departs the presidential plane. Fox News was first to report the discovery of the potential sniper position. No individuals have been arrested. FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency is leading the investigation. AGENT’S ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO SMUGGLE WIFE ON TRUMP’S SCOTLAND TRIP BEING PROBED IN LATEST SECRET SERVICE FIASCO Patel said the hunting stand has not yet been connected to any individual. “Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.” USSS chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi also confirmed that the organization is “working closely” with the FBI as well as law enforcement in Palm Beach County. SECRET SERVICE THWARTS POTENTIAL THREAT NEAR TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS WITH RAPID RESPONSE Guglielmi said agents discovered the hunting stand during their “advance security preparations” prior to Trump’s arrival in Palm Beach. “There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location,” Guglielmi told Fox News. “While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures,” he added. The investigation comes weeks after Ryan Routh was found guilty of attempting to assassinate Trump on a Palm Beach golf course from a sniper’s nest he set up in bushes along a fence line. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Trump taps Detroit entrepreneur Mark Savaya, who boosted Muslim turnout, as special envoy to Iraq
President Donald Trump on Sunday named Detroit-area entrepreneur Mark Savaya, who helped boost Muslim American turnout for his campaign, as special envoy to Iraq — underscoring the administration’s outreach to Middle Eastern communities in key swing states. “I’m pleased to announce Mark Savaya will serve as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, praising Savaya’s “deep understanding of the Iraq-U.S. relationship” and his regional connections that “will help advance the interests of the American people.” “Mark was a key player in my campaign in Michigan, where he, and others, helped secure a record vote with Muslim Americans. Congratulations, Mark!” Trump added. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for additional comment on the appointment. WHITE HOUSE TURNS TO EXPANDING ABRAHAM ACCORDS AFTER ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE The announcement comes a week after Trump signed a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas that led to the release of the remaining living hostages and the return of some victims’ remains. After signing the historic agreement that ended two years of fighting in Gaza, Trump celebrated what he called “peace in the Middle East.” “At long last, we have peace in the Middle East, and it’s a very simple expression, peace in the Middle East,” Trump said during remarks at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, flanked by dozens of world leaders. KT MCFARLAND: HOW TRUMP’S RELENTLESS MIDDLE EAST GAMBLE FINALLY FLIPPED THE SCRIPT “We’ve heard it for many years, but nobody thought it could ever get there. And now we’re there,” he added. “This is the day that people across this region and around the world have been working, striving, hoping and praying for,” Trump went on. “With the historic agreement we have just signed, those prayers of millions have finally been answered. Together, we have achieved the impossible.” According to Trump, mediators will soon begin work on phases two, three and four of the 20-point peace plan. ISRAEL-HAMAS PEACE DEAL REACHED SOON AFTER TRUMP SAYS IT’S ‘VERY CLOSE’ IN WHITE HOUSE NOTE PASS WITH RUBIO “This breakthrough that we’re here to celebrate tonight is more than the end of the war in Gaza — it’s, with God’s help, the new beginning for an entire beautiful Middle East,” Trump said. He expressed optimism that more Arab and Muslim-majority nations would join the Abraham Accords — a series of normalization deals with Israel — while criticizing the Biden administration for failing to expand the agreements. During Trump’s first term, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates joined the Abraham Accords. Trump said he believed the deal would mark an end to “terror” in the region. “We want to get rid of the terror and get on to other things. There are many other things in life that are so good,” he said. Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Boston eyes city-run groceries to fight food insecurity, but skeptics remain doubtful
Boston officials are weighing whether the city should open government-owned grocery stores to make fresh, affordable food more accessible — an idea that’s gaining traction in New York City. After holding a hearing earlier this month, city councilors agreed to study how other cities have implemented municipal markets to close gaps in food access. Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune and Liz Breadon, who called for the hearing, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital. ATLANTA’S CITY-RUN GROCERY SEES EARLY SUCCESS, SPARKING DEBATE OVER GOVERNMENT’S ROLE While Boston leaders are still exploring the idea, Atlanta has already put the concept into practice, opening its first city-run grocery store earlier this year. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told Fox News Digital that Azalea Fresh Market has served more than 20,000 customers since it opened its doors on Aug. 28. “In its first month, fresh produce made up 11.6% of total sales, exceeding the national average of 10% and highlighting a community demand for healthier food options,” Dickens said, adding that the turnout shows how strong the need was in a neighborhood “long underserved by grocers.” “Azalea Fresh Market is proof that when we work together as a city, we can deliver real solutions that change lives,” he added. The early success in Atlanta comes as similar ideas gain momentum elsewhere, including in New York City, where Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has championed city-owned grocery stores as part of his controversial campaign platform. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist upstart, has placed affordability at the center of his agenda to lead America’s largest city. He has campaigned on free buses, rent freezes for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments and city-owned grocery stores. MAMDANI’S PUBLIC GROCERY STORES MAY HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON CITY’S FOOD SUPPLY But not everyone is convinced city-run grocery stores are the right solution. Ryan Bourne, a top economist at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute think tank, told Fox News Digital that “Boston’s flirtation with city-run supermarkets is a bad idea.” “Government doesn’t become Costco by proclamation,” he said. “Private stores have specialized knowledge about their sector and a profit incentive that encourages them to be efficient. Without those things, a public grocer would likely run things badly, it would only ‘work’ to deliver low-priced food through extensive permanent subsidies.” Bourne warned that taxpayer-backed subsidies or tax breaks could turn a public grocery into “a badly targeted, in-kind welfare scheme,” adding that heavier subsidies to cut prices could lead to “in-store queues, empty shelves from shortages, and products being resold on black markets.” TREASURY’S BESSENT WARNS NYC: NO BAILOUT UNDER MAMDANI – ‘DROP DEAD’ Judge Glock, director of research and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told Fox News Digital that “city-run grocery stores, like most city-run businesses, tend to do poorly.” He pointed to a government-backed store in Kansas City that shut down despite a nearly $20 million investment. “There is little justification for the government competing with for-profit grocery stores,” Glock said, noting that supermarkets already operate on some of the slimmest profit margins of any major business. “Further eroding those profits through subsidized competition would only make it harder for regular grocery stores to provide food for their customers.” John Peluso, a research associate at the Heritage Foundation’s Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, told Fox News Digital that government-run grocery stores are “ineffective at reducing the overall price of groceries.” KELLY LOEFFLER: MAMDANI’S SOCIALIST PLANS THREATEN NYC’S BUSINESS CORE “They require taxpayer subsidization to operate at low margins in areas of low profitability — and those costs are ultimately passed on to the taxpayer,” he said. He added that if cities truly want to improve food access, they could achieve more by easing taxes and regulations for all grocers. “If municipalities reduced or eliminated taxation and regulations for everyone, free-market entrepreneurs would flood into cities like Boston, eliminating the issue at its source,” Peluso added. Peluso also argued that community-based organizations, not governments, are better equipped to help low-income families. “Government grocery stores are much less efficient at helping the poor than food pantries or other local nonprofits,” he said, calling the city-run model “a kind of Soviet-style market meddling.”