WATCH: ‘No Kings’ protesters at massive NYC rally reveal motivation for taking to the streets: ‘Disgusting’
NEW YORK, N.Y. — At least 100,000 people descended upon New York City’s Times Square on Saturday for a “No Kings” protest, and Fox News Digital spoke to more than half a dozen of them about why they took to the streets to rally against President Trump. “Because I’m an American, and I learned from history, unlike a lot of other people in this country. History repeats itself,” a man named Ed told Fox News Digital when asked why he joined the rally. “People don’t seem to understand that, and we’re going down a slippery slope, probably halfway down there already. And if we don’t stand up and protest and expand our message across America, we’ll be just another one of what Trump called the s—hole countries. That’s where he’s leading us.” The rally was peaceful as protesters gathered in Times Square and marched down 7th Avenue holding a variety of signs, some more inflammatory than others. REPUBLICANS TORCH ANTI-TRUMP ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS, SAY DEMS FEAR ANGERING LEFTISTS IN SHUTDOWN FIGHT “No fuhrers,” one sign said with a crossed-out swastika. Another sign read, “ICE melts faster under pressure,” a reference to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency where agents have faced a 10-fold increase in violence against them over the past few months. “We have a fascist government in America abetted by a fascist media,” a man named Brad told Fox News Digital. “And people need to have their voices be heard. There’s this idea that somehow that Trump stands for America. He stands for nothing like that. He stands for hate. He stands for everything against the Constitution, everything our values are built upon, and he stands for himself and his friends and not for the great American people.” A woman named Nicole told Fox News Digital part of her motivation for attending was she is recovering from cancer, and her husband was recently diagnosed with cancer. She says she received a notice their health insurance would be canceled in July 2026. SOROS FOUNDATIONS HELPING FUND ANTI-TRUMP ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS NATIONWIDE “So, we can bomb random boats off the coast of Venezuela, spend all this money on ICE terrorizing people. So, we can take food and health care away from families,” Nicole said. “It’s disgusting.” Laura, who said she is from Seattle but was on vacation in New York City and decided it was important to attend the rally, told Fox News Digital of her belief that if people don’t “collectively” get the message of disapproval out “then we’re going to just give up.” “We just might as well bend over,” Laura said, adding she is married to a woman and is concerned that, under Trump, their marriage “might not be valid anymore.” “That’s f—– bull—-,” Laura said. Fox News Digital watched as a man dressed in yellow placed an Antifa sticker onto a street sign as protesters walked by. Several users on social media posted signs mentioning Antifa, which Trump designated a domestic terrorist organization earlier this year. Many of the signs at the protest used the term “fascist” to describe Trump, and several labeled Trump and members of his administration “Nazis.” When asked if it’s fair to call Trump a “fascist,” Laura said, “I mean, he’s doing s— that is outside of what our Constitution has said. “He circumvented so many of our government’s checks and balances that, I mean, it’s just, it is ridiculous. Not to mention making everyone who’s in his Cabinet. They have no experience, no intelligence, no, like, consistency. They’re just a joke. So, yeah.” A man named Edgar told Fox News Digital “democracy is at stake” while another man, Lenny, referred to Trump as a “fool” and a “clown.” Large crowds gathered in major cities all across the United States on Saturday with anti-Trump protesters attempting to make the case that Trump is a king who has overstepped his authority. The “No Kings” movement first gained national attention in June, when similar demonstrations were held in response to the Army’s 250th anniversary military parade. Trump, along with Republicans in Congress in recent days, have pushed back on the “king” label. “They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump told Fox News on Friday. Asked about the protests and whether National Guard units would deploy to manage crowds, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, “Who cares?”
Trump releases video of US drone strike on ‘drug-carrying submarine’ in Caribbean that left 2 dead, 2 captured
President Donald Trump said Saturday that a U.S. military strike destroyed a “very large drug-carrying submarine” in the Caribbean this week, killing two suspected narco-terrorists and capturing two others alive. He released video of the strike. In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said the vessel was carrying mostly “fentanyl and other narcotics” toward the U.S. on a “well known narcotrafficking transit route.” He claimed the interdiction prevented as many as 25,000 American overdose deaths. “It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE,” Trump wrote. “U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl… There were four known narcoterrorists on board. Two of the terrorists were killed. “The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their Countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution.” US MILITARY SEIZED SURVIVORS AFTER CARIBBEAN DRONE STRIKE ON SUSPECTED DRUG SMUGGLING BOAT: REPORT Fox News previously confirmed that two survivors were rescued by the U.S. Navy after the strike and were being held aboard an American warship. Trump’s statement is the first official acknowledgment of their identities and nationalities. The strike marked the sixth U.S. interdiction of a suspected drug smuggling vessel since combat operations began in the Caribbean last month. The Pentagon has not publicly named the operation. Trump first referenced the strike publicly during a meeting Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. US MILITARY DRONE STRIKE ON DRUG ‘SUBMERSIBLE’ IN CARIBBEAN LEAVES SURVIVORS, OFFICIAL CONFIRMS “We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs,” he told reporters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking separately Friday, did not dispute the existence of survivors but said further details would be released later. Earlier this week, Trump confirmed he had authorized CIA activity in the region. U.S. Air Force B-52s also flew a visible “show of force” mission near Venezuelan waters on Thursday. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
40 Days for Life sees spike in volunteers after Charlie Kirk’s assassination
President Donald Trump recently awarded late Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom just over one month after the activist was assassinated. Kirk was outspoken about his conservative and pro-life views, and his legacy has inspired a new wave of activism. Shawn Carney, the president and CEO of 40 Days for Life, praised President Donald Trump as “the most pro-life president we’ve ever had,” telling Fox News Digital that pro-life Americans were delighted to see the president honor Kirk. “It was so beautiful to see him honor Charlie,” Carney said. “He represented freedom, and there would be no pro-life movement without free speech. Free speech is what 40 Days for Life is built on. It’s what the pro-Life dialogue is built upon. It’s [what] Charlie gave his life for, and it was really, really beautiful for all pro-life Americans to see him honored with the highest honor we have in our nation.” CHARLIE KIRK POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED MEDAL OF FREEDOM ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 32ND BIRTHDAY Kirk was known for participating in debates across the country and the globe, often confronting his harshest critics. Carney believes that Kirk’s willingness to go into tough arenas and his approachable and “authentic” nature drew young people to him and the pro-life movement. “Charlie was open and was honest, and he was also humble and willing to talk to you,” Carney told Fox News Digital, adding that being approachable, as Kirk was, is crucial in pro-life activism. “So many people have been hurt by abortion. So many people feel strongly in support of reproductive rights. And you just can’t go in and yell or say you’re going to burn in hell. You have to be approachable. You have to use reason. You can’t be afraid to share your faith, as Charlie wasn’t,” he added. CHARLIE KIRK’S COLLEAGUES AND PASTORS PRAISE HIS PATRIOTISM AS TRUMP READIES HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR Carney said 40 Days for Life has seen an uptick in interest, particularly among young activists, after Kirk’s assassination. “His tragic assassination was just two weeks before we kicked off one of our largest fall 40 Days for Life campaigns around the world,” Carney said. “Over 700 cities participating, and we saw a huge uptick, a 36% increase in participation. We had so many young people come out … who knew who Charlie Kirk was and were inspired by him to participate in 40 Days for Life, who then brought their parents out to pray at our vigils.” ERIKA KIRK SHOWS TPUSA STAFF CHARLIE’S MEDAL OF FREEDOM: ‘YOU GUYS ARE ALL PART OF THE LEGACY’ He recalled one young woman — whom he did not name — who said she was “so afraid” to participate in pro-life activism prior to Kirk’s death. Carney noted that, despite the “horrible images” of the assassination, many felt empowered and compelled to speak up about their beliefs. “You thought the opposite would happen, that she’d be more afraid and others would be more afraid, but that didn’t happen,” he said. “It literally inspired her to overcome years of fear.” Carney also spoke about a TPUSA chapter leader whose mother tried to talk her son out of participating in either TPUSA or 40 Days for Life. The young man apparently told his mother that Charlie would have wanted him to speak out and not to run from culture wars. When asked what Kirk’s message to pro-life activists would be if he were still alive, Carney said it would be to not give up. Carney added that he has heard newcomers inspired by Kirk say they believe that the TPUSA founder would want them to be outspoken and not to “cower.” “Right now in our culture, there’s a lot of reasons to be afraid. We can’t give in to them. We have to go out. We have to speak the truth and love, and that is what changes hearts and minds. And that’s the best way we can honor Charlie,” Carney told Fox News Digital.
Blistering new ad slams Spanberger’s trans record as Virginia governor’s race intensifies
A conservative political group has launched a scathing new ad in the Virginia governor’s race aimed at forcing Democrat Abigail Spanberger to publicly clarify her position on transgender policies, an issue the group says she has avoided discussing as the race enters its final stretch. The video, released by Restoration of America PAC, a network of various conservative organizations, paints the former congresswoman as a radical who is putting the safety of children at risk by being in favor of sex changes for kids and allowing biological boys to use girls’ locker rooms. “Abigail Spanberger is as extreme as it gets,” the narrator says to ominous music. SPANBERGER CAMPAIGN STILL SELLING JAY JONES CO-BRANDED MERCH AMID SCANDAL; GOP CALLS IT FULL ENDORSEMENT “She’d allow boys to play girls sports and shower in girls locker rooms … naked. Worse? She’s apparently all in on horrifying gender mutilation reversal and irreversible sterilization of children.” Spanberger, a former CIA officer, is facing off against Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in one of only two governor races in the U.S. this November. The face-offs are viewed as political bellwethers ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with former President Barack Obama endorsing Spanberger this week. Most polls indicated Spanberger enjoying a lead over Earle-Sears. “Spanberger refuses to answer questions about this because she knows how evil it is,” the ad continues. “Most of the civilized world bans it, and Spanberger’s silence enables the horror.” The 30-second spot is running on television and digital platforms across Virginia as part of a $3.3 million statewide buy, according to the PAC. The group says Spanberger has been ducking the issue on the campaign trail and that the ad’s goal is to force her hand while highlighting what it calls her “pro-trans record” in Congress. OBAMA ENDORSES SPANBERGER, ATTACKS REPUBLICANS IN VIRGINIA GOVERNOR’S RACE ADS Spanberger voted against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act in 2023, a bill aimed at restricting transgender women and girls from competing in female sports categories. She also co-sponsored the Equality Act in 2019, 2021 and 2023. The legislation aimed to include gender identity and sexual orientation as a protected class, a move critics say would have required public schools and facilities to allow transgender girls to use girls’ restrooms and compete in female sports. Earle-Sears has also made the issue a focal point on the campaign trail and released her own ad last month targeting what she calls Spanberger’s positions. Local media pressed her directly about allowing transgender women in girls sports and using girls bathrooms last month. “I think it’s important that we have parents and teachers and administrators making decisions … based on the age of children, based on the type of sport, based on competitiveness,” Spanberger told WSET last month. Spanberger’s campaign did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment about her position on transgender policies or about the new ad targeting her. Doug Truax, the founder and CEO of Restoration of America PAC, slammed Spanberger’s reluctance to discuss the issue, calling it one that could decide the race. “She’s not running for library board in some town. She wants to be governor of Virginia,” Truax told Fox Digital in a video interview. “She’s taken some pretty exacting stances on child mutilation, and she’s been perfectly fine with it. “She’s got to make a stand on this,” Truax said. “If she doesn’t, then it just means she agrees with it.” The scandal surrounding Democrat attorney general nominee Jay Jones has also rocked the race after texts surfaced depicting him envisioning the murder of a GOP leader and his children. Truax said Spanberger’s voting record makes her position “very clear” despite what he called efforts by her campaign team to avoid the topic. “Her political people are saying, ‘Don’t talk about it,’” he said. “But she can’t hide. The people of Virginia deserve to know where she stands.” He said the issue is reaching a “boiling point” among parents and grandparents nationwide. “Gender-affirming care is code for mutilating kids,” he said. “It’s horrific. We’ll look back on this in a decade and ask what was going on.” He also credited President Donald Trump’s re-election with emboldening voters who oppose gender policies to fight back against the woke culture. “They don’t want guys in girls sports or locker rooms,” he said. “They know this is wrong, and they’re tired of being told otherwise. “There was a window of time when people knew what the right thing to do was but weren’t saying it out loud,” Truax said. “Now, they’re voting that way.”
New Jersey Democratic governor hopeful attends ‘No Kings’ protest, vows to fight Trump ‘tooth and nail’
New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., attended a “No Kings” protest in Montclair, N.J., where she vowed to fight President Donald Trump’s agenda “tooth and nail.” “We know at every level this president is raising costs on people,” Sherrill told the crowd. She later added, “We’ve got a guy in Washington, D.C., that thinks he’s going to reap all of the benefits of being in charge. We’re going to fight it. We’re going to fight it tooth and nail.” SHERRILL ACCUSES CIATTARELLI OF SIDING WITH TRUMP AFTER PRESIDENT HALTS MAJOR NEW JERSEY RAIL PROJECT The New Jersey Democrat has received endorsements from several high-profile members of her party, including former President Barack Obama, current New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.,and Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J. Earlier on Saturday, Sherrill was joined at a rally by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., both of whom slammed the Trump administration and New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli. “We’re facing a president who thinks he can just barge into any state in America, including ours, and have his way,” Gottheimer said before adding that Sherrill will “stand up to Donald Trump and fight for us.” CIATTARELLI UNLOADS ON MIKIE SHERRILL IN NJ TOWN HALL, CITING IMMIGRATION AND NAVAL ACADEMY: ‘NOT A CENTRIST’ Whitmer also went after the Trump administration and Ciattarelli, claiming the Republican gubernatorial candidate “doesn’t give a damn about actually doing the job.” The Michigan governor went on to add that, if elected, Ciattarelli would “take his orders from the folks in Washington, D.C.“ “During the last debate, he said he agrees with everything the administration is doing. That’s like all of you agreeing that someone from Philly makes a better Taylor ham and cheese,” Whitmer quipped, invoking the Garden State’s iconic sandwich. Sherrill then accused Trump of “participating in a worldwide extortion racket that the president is operating so that he can put billions of dollars in cryptocurrency in his own pocket.” Additionally, the New Jersey Democrat implied Americans were better under former President Joe Biden, saying that last year employers were looking to grow the workforce, and now workers are struggling to find jobs. With just 17 days until the election, the polls in New Jersey are tightening. A Fox News poll conducted Oct. 10–14 put Sherrill at 50% support among likely voters, with Ciattarelli at 45%. Sherrill’s five-point advantage was down from an eight-point lead in Fox News’ September survey in New Jersey. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Nationwide unrest looms as ‘No Kings’ demonstrators begin to gather in major US cities
Millions have been expected to gather across thousands of locations in the United States on Saturday for a nationwide “No Kings” protest challenging Donald Trump and his GOP priorities. Saturday’s demonstrations across the nation mark the second “No Kings” protest since Trump took office. Some Democratic members and candidates for Congress are expected to attend. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., did not provide a clear answer when asked if he would attend one of the rallies Saturday, telling reporters he hasn’t “finalized” his schedule. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as well as House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., both told the press they would be in attendance Saturday. Republicans have argued that this second mass “No Kings” protest event scheduled for Saturday is simply an effort to distract from the current government shutdown battle and appease their base. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told FOX Business he hoped that Democratic leaders who attended would be more willing to accept the GOP’s plan after the demonstrations were over — but he did not sound overly optimistic. ANTI-ISRAEL RADICALS FROM ‘GLOBAL INTIFADA’ MOVEMENT JOIN ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS “It’ll be a collection of wild leftist policy priorities, and that’ll be on display for the whole country. After that’s over, I hope there’s a few Democrats over here who will come to their senses and return to governing the country,” Johnson said. “Right now, I don’t think — it’s my assumption and all of ours that they would not make that concession before that rally’s over because they don’t want to face the angry mob. I mean it’s sad, but that’s where we are.” “My guess is if they don’t want a primary from the left, they’ll probably find a way to sneak [attending a rally] into their schedule,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital earlier this week. “The real question that’s going to be is, do they have the fortitude after Saturday to come back and open up the government?” By around 10:30 a.m. ET, crowds had already begun gathering in New York City’s Times Square, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and in Atlanta. LEADER SCALISE: DEMOCRATS CHEER ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS, BUT LET SHUTDOWN DEVASTATE FAMILIES In the state of Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin mobilized the National Guard to help with any potential chaos. “I want to be clear that Virginians have a fundamental right to free speech and peaceful assembly, but that right does not include the destruction of property, looting, vandalism, disruption of traffic or violence of any kind — for which there will be zero tolerance,” Youngkin said, according to The Virginia Pilot. Virginia-specific protests are expected to take place in Hampton Roads, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Newport News and Williamsburg, according the official No Kings website. In addition to the protests taking place in the continental United States, protests are also expected in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska. Protests are also planned for outside the U.S., including in multiple European countries, and there is at least one rally planned in Mexico. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Chase Williams contributed to this report.
From Israel to Ukraine, Trump spends week focused on navigating global conflicts
President Donald Trump kicked off the week with a major breakthrough brokering a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and closed out the week seeking to make progress on the next global conflict: Ukraine. Trump met with Israeli lawmakers in the Knesset on Monday, before heading to Egypt where he met with leaders there as well as Qatar, Turkey and other regional powers. The president urged countries in the region to “put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us.” “At long last, we have peace in the Middle East, and it’s a very simple expression, peace in the Middle East,” Trump told reporters in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. COULD TRUMP’S GAZA CEASEFIRE PLAN OFFER A BLUEPRINT FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE? “We’ve heard it for many years, but nobody thought it could ever get there. And now we’re there,” Trump said. The peace deal in the Middle East includes a provision to return the hostages that were still in captivity within 72 hours of Hamas signing off on the deal. It also called for Israeli forces to withdraw its troops and a complete disarmament of Hamas. Now, Trump has said that he will set his sights on resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday at the White House. TRUMP WRITES MESSAGE TO ISRAELIS AFTER ALL LIVING HOSTAGES RELEASED BY HAMAS While Trump said that there is momentum to solve the conflict on the heels of the peace deal in the Middle East, there is “tremendous bad blood” between Putin and Zelenskyy that is stalling a resolution. “They have tremendous bad blood,” Trump told reporters. “It’s really is what is holding up I think a settlement. I think we are going to get it done, and we have to make it long-lasting, as I said in the Middle East, everlasting.” “The Middle East is a much more complicated situation. You know, we had 59 countries involved, and every one of them agreed. And it’s, you know, it’s sort of amazing. Most people didn’t think that was doable. This is going to be something I really believe that’s going to get done. I had a very good talk yesterday with President Putin. I think he wants to get it done,” Trump said. WORLD LEADERS PRAISE ‘LANDMARK’ ISRAEL-HAMAS PEACE DEAL MEDIATED BY US: ‘NEW HORIZON OF HOPE’ Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said that Trump has a big opportunity to make headway on mediating an end to the conflict. “President Trump has really showed for the world that he can manage a ceasefire in the Middle East. And that’s why I hope that he will do this. And we will also have such big success. For Ukraine, it’s a big chance, and I hope that President Trump can manage it,” Zelenskyy said Friday.
Sherrill pulls out all stops with Obama endorsement, star-studded New Jersey campaign push as race tightens
New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill is pulling out all the stops in the final push ahead of Election Day, campaigning alongside Democratic Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Wes Moore of Maryland, both considered potential 2028 presidential candidates. While the Sherrill campaign gears up for high-profile campaign collaborations, former President Barack Obama endorsed Sherrill’s gubernatorial campaign on Friday. “This November, we have an opportunity to chart a different path forward — to reject the chaos in Washington and lower costs in New Jersey — and I’m so grateful to have President Obama’s support and endorsement in this race,” Sherrill said in a statement, commending Obama’s leadership on healthcare amid the government shutdown as congressional Democrats seek to extend healthcare premiums set to expire this year. Sherrill will rally with Whitmer in Paramus, New Jersey, on Saturday morning. Later, she will join Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin for a “No Kings” rally in Montclair — one of hundreds scheduled across the country in rejection of President Donald Trump’s sweeping, second-term agenda. NJ SHOWDOWN: CIATTARELLI PILES ON DEM RIVAL AFTER HEATED DEBATE WITH SCATHING NEW ADS On Sunday, Sherrill will host a policy roundtable with Moore and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Baraka was one of several Democratic candidates who competed for the New Jersey gubernatorial nomination earlier this year. FINAL FACEOFF: DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN NOMINEES IN KEY RACE FOR GOVERNOR BLAST EACH OTHER ON DEBATE STAGE Baraka made national headlines during his campaign when he was arrested for trespassing at Delaney Hall, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Newark, while protesting earlier this year. He was later accused of fostering toxic work environments for women. After the policy roundtable on Sunday, Sherrill and Moore will canvass in Newark before she attends an Oktoberfest event in Hamilton later that day. A Fox News survey released Thursday found Sherill ahead of her Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli by 5 points among New Jersey likely voters (50-45%), down from an 8-point lead in late September (50-42%). As the race to replace Gov. Phil Murphy, who is term-limited in the Garden State this year, Sherrill’s edge has tightened over Ciattarelli, within the poll’s margin of sampling error. New Jersey is one of two statewide elections in the U.S. this year and will be considered a bellwether ahead of competitive midterm elections expected next year. The race for the Garden State’s highest office has become increasingly hostile between Sherrill and Ciattarelli in the final weeks ahead of Election Day. And while Trump isn’t on the ballot, he’s loomed large over the New Jersey gubernatorial election. At last week’s second and final debate, Sherrill charged that her GOP rival had “shown zero signs of standing up to this president. In fact, the president himself called Jack 100% MAGA, and he’s shown every sign of being that.” Asked whether he considered himself part of the MAGA movement, Ciattarelli said he was “part of a New Jersey movement.” When asked to grade the president’s performance so far during his second term, Ciattarelli said, “I’d certainly give the president an A. I think he’s right about everything that he’s doing.” “I think that tells us all we need to know about who Jack Ciattarelli’s supporting. I give him an F right now,” Sherrill responded, as she pointed to New Jersey’s high cost of living. While Democrats have long dominated federal and state legislative elections in blue-leaning New Jersey, Republicans are very competitive in gubernatorial contests, winning five out of the past ten elections. And Trump made major gains in New Jersey in last year’s presidential election, losing the state by only 6 percentage points, an improvement over his 16-point deficit four years earlier. This week multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that Trump will hold tele-rallies with Ciattarelli. In what’s expected to be a low-turnout election, Trump’s backing could prove crucial for Ciattarelli, who’s making his third run for governor after narrowly losing to Murphy four years ago. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS The race in New Jersey was rocked a couple of weeks ago by a report that the National Personnel Records Center, which is a branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, mistakenly released Sherrill’s improperly redacted military personnel files, which included private information like her Social Security number, to a Ciattarelli ally. But Sherrill’s military records indicated that the United States Naval Academy blocked her from taking part in her 1994 graduation amid a cheating scandal. The showdown was jolted again last week after Sherrill’s allegations that Ciattarelli was “complicit” with pharmaceutical companies in the opioid deaths of tens of thousands of New Jerseyans, as she pointed to the medical publishing company he owned that pushed content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain. This week, Trump set off a political hand grenade in the race, as he “terminated” billions of federal dollars for the Gateway Project, which is funding a new train tunnel under the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York. Sherrill, holding a news conference Thursday at a major commuter rail station just a few miles from the site of the tunnels in one of the busiest train corridors in the nation, called the project “critical” as she took aim at Trump and Ciattarelli. “I’m fighting for the people of New Jersey. He’s fighting to excuse Trump. It’s unacceptable,” Sherrill charged. New Jersey traditionally elects a governor from the party out of power in the White House, which this year favors the Democrats. But Garden State voters haven’t elected a governor from the same party in three straight elections in over a half century, which would favor the Republicans. One of those political trends will be busted in next month’s election.
Trump admin makes Supreme Court plea for National Guard in Chicago after judge denies ‘rebellion’ concern
The Trump administration has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago to protect federal personnel and federal property amid protests over immigration enforcement in the area. Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Trump’s top Supreme Court lawyer, urged the justices to step in immediately after a judge ruled last week 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. A federal appeals court had refused to put the judge’s order on hold. U.S. District Judge April Perry said she found no convincing evidence that a “danger of rebellion” exists in Illinois amid Trump’s immigration enforcement push. TRUMP’S NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS CAN STAY IN ILLINOIS BUT FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS DEPLOYMENT Sauer wrote in the emergency filing that the judge’s ruling “intrudes on the president’s authority and needlessly puts federal personnel and property at risk.” The Trump administration argues in its filing that the case represents a “disturbing and recurring pattern” in which federal officers enforcing immigration law are met with “prolonged, coordinated, violent resistance that threatens their lives and safety and systematically interferes with their ability to enforce federal law.” “Federal agents are forced to desperately scramble to protect themselves and federal property, allocating resources away from their law enforcement mission to conduct protective operations instead,” the filing states. “Receiving tepid support from local forces, they are often left to fend for themselves in the face of violent, hostile mobs. Confronted with intolerable risks of harm to federal agents and coordinated, violent opposition to the enforcement of federal law, the president lawfully determines that he is unable to enforce the laws of the United States with the regular forces and calls up the National Guard to defend federal personnel, property and functions in the face of ongoing violence,” it says. The Supreme Court has asked for the opposition’s response to the Trump administration’s emergency filing by 5 p.m. on Monday. The court is then expected to offer that the administration file a reply. The plea to the nation’s top court comes as 11 protesters were arrested Friday outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, a west Chicago suburb that has become a frequent flashpoint for demonstrations against federal agents in recent weeks. The filing also further escalates Trump’s standoff with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who have staunchly opposed deploying troops. They have called any deployment unconstitutional and insisted the city is not facing the kind of crime crisis the White House claims. Pritzker fired back at the filing on X, accusing Trump of trying to “invade Illinois with troops” and vowing to defend the state’s sovereignty. “Militarizing our communities against their will is not only un-American but also leads us down a dangerous path for our democracy,” Pritzker wrote. “What will come next?” Trump has already deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Memphis, Tenn., to help curb violent crime. He has said the moves caused crime to plummet in those areas. Earlier this week, the president floated the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act to tackle violent crime in Chicago and urged Pritzker to “beg for help” from the federal government. ‘UNTETHERED FROM REALITY’: LAWYERS FOR TRUMP, OREGON, SPAR OVER NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT IN COURT CLASH “I could use it if I wanted to. I could use it — that’s a very simple answer. I’m allowed to use the Insurrection Act,” Trump said, after the question was put to him by a reporter aboard Air Force One. The Insurrection Act of 1807 gives the president authority to deploy active-duty military or federalized National Guard troops inside the country in limited circumstances, such as to suppress civil disorder, rebellion or obstruction of federal law. It has been invoked about 30 times by roughly 10 presidents, most recently by George H. W. Bush during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, according to The Associated Press. But on Monday, Trump said he didn’t have to “go there yet” because his administration is “winning on appeal.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “You know, we lose with radical-left judges at the lower level, but we’re winning on appeal. So we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. The conservative-dominated court has handed Trump repeated victories in emergency appeals since he took office in January, after lower courts have ruled against him and often over the objection of the three liberal justices. The court has allowed Trump to ban transgender people from the military, claw back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, move aggressively against illegal immigrants and fire the Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
REBECCA GRANT: How Tomahawks work and how they could change everything for Ukraine
Tomahawks, Tomahawks, Tomahawks. That’s the word buzzing in the ears of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as President Donald Trump weighs providing America’s precision strike missile of choice to Ukraine. Since May, Trump has bombed the Houthis in Yemen, obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities and hit narco-terrorist drug boats in the Caribbean. Putin has to realize that Tomahawks could soon be in the skies over Russia. What can Ukraine hit with the 1000-mile range Tomahawks? Start with the Shahed drone factory in Tatarstan, and at least 67 Russian airbases. Tomahawks in Ukraine’s hands rip open Russian energy infrastructure to precision attack with no warning. ZELENSKYY PITCHES TRUMP ON UKRAINE DRONE-FOR-TOMAHAWK MISSILE EXCHANGE AS PRESIDENT WEIGHS ESCALATION CONCERNS If Ukraine launches Tomahawks, they’ll be flying as low as 100 feet, hugging the terrain, evading radar. TLAMs can each take separate routes at 500 mph then meet up over the Russian target for a coordinated strike. Trump is baiting Putin. “Hopefully, they won’t need it,” Trump said of the Tomahawks at Friday’s lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Trump said he’d like to “get the war over without Tomahawks” but then went on to describe the missiles as “very dangerous” and “incredible.” Here’s the backstory on the Tomahawks, and why Trump is keeping them on the table to pressure Putin. First tested in 1972, the Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile or TLAM was actually developed by the U.S. Navy during the Cold War to attack targets on land in the Soviet Union. In case you haven’t seen one up close, the Tomahawk is 20 feet long but just 21 inches wide. It looks like a white pole with wiglets, but inside is a powerful turbo-fan engine and sophisticated guidance. Today’s Block IV Tomahawks can be retargeted in flight, and loiter over a target for hours, taking electro-optical scans and waiting for other missiles to arrive before detonating. They carry a unitary warhead for harder targets, or dispense cluster munitions over a wide pattern to hit airfields, for example. (Yes, there was once a nuclear TLAM variant with a 200 Kiloton warhead, but they were placed in storage in 1991 and eliminated in 2010.) The presence of Tomahawks in Ukraine will set up an almost insoluble air defense problem for Putin. No way can Russia place air defenses at every remote gas pipeline point or cover all the airbases where planes park out in the open. TLAMs could be in Ukraine in 24 hours. The Army Mid-Range Capability missile system is a tractor-trailer missile launcher that can be driven onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane. The Army deployed TLAM launcher 8,000 miles away to North Luzon in the Philippines in under 15 hours last year for a wargame. Trump has plenty of time. Deterring Putin. The brutal escalation of mass attacks by Russia led Ukraine to ramp up its drone strikes on Russian energy starting in August. According to a Reuters study, Ukraine’s drones have hit 18 pumping stations, plus 32 strikes on refineries. Ukraine’s Liutyi drones have a range of about 600 miles and carry warheads of about 50 pounds. Mixing in TLAMs would intensify pressure on Russian energy, Putin’s single biggest source of government revenue. Zelenskyy has called Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian energy “the sanctions that work the fastest.” The U.S. still has about 4,000 Tomahawks in its inventory, and new missiles like the U.S. Navy’s SM-6 are already in action. The U.S. Army deployed its new Dark Eagle long-range hypersonic weapons to Australia in August and will have its first full battery by December. By the way, last year Japan bought 400 Tomahawks for targeting China and North Korea. Tomahawks have piled up an incredible combat record since Jan. 17, 1991, when 122 TLAMs hit Iraqi oil and command and control targets at the start of Operation Desert Storm. Eight-hundred TLAMs were fired in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Over the years, Tomahawks have hit targets in Iraq, Serbia, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen and, of course, Iran. On June 22, TLAMs hit above-ground “key surface infrastructure targets” in the nuclear complex at Isfhahan, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. The TLAM strikes left the sprawling site visibly damaged and blackened. “We gave it a capper with 30 TLAMS,” as Trump said Friday. Putin may yell and scream about Tomahawks for Ukraine. Pay no attention. He’s grumbled about each weapon system, from F-16s to Patriots. And no, Putin does not dare escalate with nuclear weapons in Ukraine, because the wind patterns blow radiation clouds back into Russia. As Trump said Friday: “Yeah, its escalation. But we’re going to talk about it anyway.”