Potential 2028 hopeful challenges Trump’s surgery ban while critiquing women’s sports bill’s supporters
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro drew sharp criticism after joining a lawsuit to block President Donald Trump from placing prohibitions on juvenile gender surgeries and criticizing supporters of a state Senate bill that would ban biological males from competing in girls sports. The potential 2028 Democratic hopeful was careful to distinguish that his opposition to Trump’s move is not necessarily in support of such procedures, but because he believes the doctor’s office is no place for the federal government. “I am suing the Trump administration alongside 16 other states for threatening baseless civil investigations and criminal prosecutions against healthcare providers in Pennsylvania and trying to take medical decisions away from parents and local communities,” Shapiro said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The freedom to make healthcare decisions should be between parents, their children and their doctor, and I will not stand by while the federal government tries to infringe on the rights and freedoms of Pennsylvania families,” the governor said. ‘STAR WARS BAR OF LEFTISTS’: WEINGARTEN, HUNTER, MAMDANI PROVE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LED BY ‘EXTREME FIGURES,’ SEN. SCHMITT SAYS However, that did not quell concerns among the state’s Senate GOP majority. A spokesman for the caucus’ campaign committee called it Shapiro’s “attempt to ingratiate himself with the Democrats’ radical base [that] puts the health of children at risk.” “Josh Shapiro’s presidential aspirations are no secret,” SRCC Executive Director Cody Harbaugh said. Shapiro also explicitly lambasted Trump and potential second-time gubernatorial opponent Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, as “extremist politicians” for “trying to legislate a student’s participation [in scholastic sports] and legislate the restriction on freedom the way they’ve tried to do on many other things.” CHICAGO MAYOR CALLS ICE RAIDS ‘TERRORISM,’ SAYS TRUMP’S AMERICA APPEARS AS IF ‘THE CONFEDERACY WON’ Mastriano is a co-sponsor of the “Save Women Sports Act” from state Sen. Judy Ward, R-Huntingdon, which would ban biological males from girls sports. It mirrors similar efforts at the federal level. He also authored the “Two-Gender Protection Act” to prohibit Harrisburg from recognizing transgender people. “Josh Shapiro just called Senator Mastriano and President Trump ‘extremist politicians’ for standing up for women’s sports. Let’s be honest. It’s Shapiro who’s extreme,” Mastriano countered in comments to Fox News Digital. “He’s denying science and forcing biological males into women’s sports,” Mastriano added, calling such a push from the left “a woke patriarchy that tramples women’s rights.” “We cannot allow the opportunities that Title IX enshrined for women to be lost,” Ward said of her bill in a separate statement. Mastriano, whose populist streak has ruffled feathers with some in his own party, is seen as a top potential opponent to Shapiro again in 2026. He recently dropped a survey on social media asking supporters whether the PAGOP should endorse primary candidates amid reports some donors and county GOP chairs want State Treasurer Stacy Garrity to run. Shapiro expressed his criticisms of Trump and Mastriano in public remarks reported by WHYY as well but added that the Democratic-majority state House of Representatives hasn’t taken up the Senate-passed bill and that he “hasn’t reviewed it specifically.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House said the lawsuit Shapiro joined is “exactly why the Democratic Party’s approval continues to hit new lows. “They back radical policies that over 90% of America does not support,” spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. “President Trump took decisive action on day one to stop the despicable mutilation and chemical castration of children, which everyday Americans resoundingly support. The president has the lawful authority to protect America’s vulnerable children through executive action, and the administration looks forward to ultimate victory on this issue.” Shapiro has broken with some in his party on issues or people considered “extreme” on the right. When antisemitic protests broke out at the University of Pennsylvania, Shapiro broke with progressives and demanded the college “act [and] disband the encampment and restore order.” As Republicans criticized his comments on Ward’s bill and he became a party to the lawsuit against Trump, the SRCC suggested many Democrats are being pulled further left, a shift they attribute to the early success of New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid. “With the victories of progressive Democrat candidates in places like New York City, Shapiro knows he has no choice but to abandon common sense,” the SRCC said in a statement. Shapiro, however, recently criticized Mamdani for failing to rein in his most radical backers. “You have to speak and act with moral clarity, and when supporters of yours say things that are blatantly antisemitic, you can’t leave room for that to just sit there,” he said. Mastriano said, “don’t believe” Shapiro when he “pretends to be a moderate” in cases like the Trump lawsuit. Shapiro supporters pointed to a July ranking placing him as the nation’s 9th most popular governor.
Dem governor defies FBI: ‘Unwelcome’ to pursue Texas Democratic lawmakers
Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that the FBI would be “unwelcome” to pursue Texas lawmakers who fled to his home state to stall a redistricting vote. In an interview with “News Not Noise with Jessica Yellin,” Pritzker argued that the Texas lawmakers had not broken any federal law, and, therefore, the FBI doesn’t have jurisdiction. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, disagreed, sending a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel earlier this week asking the bureau to help locate or arrest “potential lawbreakers” who fled Texas in a maneuver to avoid legislative responsibilities “in violation of their oath of office.” “They’re grandstanding. There’s literally no federal law applicable to this situation. None,” Pritzker told the podcaster on Wednesday. “They can say that they’re sending FBI. FBI agents might show up to, I don’t know, put a show on. But the fact is, our local law enforcement protects everybody in the state in Illinois. Our state troopers protect anybody in Illinois, and anybody who’s here in Illinois. And so, whether it’s federal agents coming to Illinois or state rangers from Texas, if you haven’t broken federal law, you’re basically unwelcome, and there’s no way that our state legislators here, Texas state legislators, can be arrested.” COLBERT CONFRONTS JB PRITZKER WITH MAP SHOWING ILLINOIS GERRYMANDERING Pritzker categorized Cornyn’s plea as political theater, noting that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is challenging his U.S. Senate seat. The Illinois governor also took swipes at President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “We follow the law,” Pritzker said. “But as you know, Donald Trump does not follow the law. Indeed, he’s a convicted felon. And in Texas, they are also not following the law. They are thwarting the Constitution with the Voting Rights Act and making threats that they can’t carry out. John Cornyn, of course, is running against Ken Paxton, for his seat in the U.S. Senate, and so they’re fighting, bickering over who can be tougher on this topic. But the fact is, I think they’re demonstrating as a result of that bickering, and Abbott has weighed in as well, that this really is all about politics.” Abbott convened a special session to try to advance a congressional redistricting plan which could add five new Republican-leaning House seats before the midterms next year. Trump is pushing Republican states to open the process for redistricting mid-cycle to give the GOP a better chance of maintaining control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections. In Texas, more than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled the state earlier this month to prevent a necessary quorum in the Texas House, which requires at least 100 members of the 150-member body to be present. WATCH: TRUMP SAYS FBI ‘MAY HAVE TO’ HELP TEXAS ROUND UP AWOL DEM LAWMAKERS Pritzker and fellow Democrats, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, offered sanctuary to those Texas Democrats, applauding the gridlock as a fight to save democracy. Both Newsom and Hochul vowed to “fight fire with fire.” Meanwhile, Texas state Republicans voted to issue civil arrest warrants and $500 daily fines for Democratic colleagues who abandoned their duties. Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the FBI “may have to” intervene. In a phone interview on CNBC’s “The Squawk Box” on Tuesday, Trump argued that Democratic states, including Massachusetts, California and Illinois, have already pushed redistricting to benefit their own party, so Republicans will do the same. “In Illinois, where you have probably the dumbest of all governors, Illinois. That guy’s really sending – I mean, the business is flowing out of his state. It’s terrible. It’s a terrible thing that Pritzker is doing. He’s you know, he was the black sheep of the family. They threw him out of the business,” Trump said. “But in Illinois, what’s happened is, is terrible what they’re doing – You notice they go to Illinois for safety. But that’s all gerrymandered.” “California’s gerrymandered,” the president continued. “We should have many more seats in Congress in California. It’s all gerrymandered. And we have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know. And, we are entitled to five more seats.”
4 key Senate seats Republicans aim to flip in 2026 midterms to expand their majority
Republican Sen. Tim Scott’s goal in next year’s midterm elections is not only to defend the GOP’s 53-47 margin in the Senate, but to expand the majority. Scott, the conservative senator from South Carolina, told Fox News Digital soon after taking over late last year as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that he aimed to increase the GOP’s control in the chamber to at least 55 seats. And he’s standing by his goal. “The bottom line is, I believe that we can defend our current seats while adding at least two more seats to our numbers,” the NRSC chair told Fox News Digital earlier this year. THIS REPUBLICAN JUST JUMPED INTO BATTLEGROUND GEORGIA’S HIGH-PROFILE SENATE RACE Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority. But the party in power—clearly the Republicans right now—traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states. In battleground Georgia, which President Donald Trump narrowly carried in last year’s White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year. TRUMP-BACKED RNC CHAIR JUMPS INTO THE NATION’S ‘MARQUEE’ SENATE RACE They’re also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen decided against seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate. Also on the NRSC’s target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn’t running for re-election. At the top of their list is Ossoff, who narrowly won election to the Senate in a January 2021 runoff contest. But Ossoff is off to a very hot fundraising start, and a GOP primary in Georgia between Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, and former college and professional football coach Derek Dooley, is starting to turn combustible. DNC CHAIR TELLS FOX NEWS DIGITAL DEMOCRATS HAVE HIT ‘ROCK BOTTOM’ – HERE’S HIS PLAN TO REBOUND Republicans are also confident they can flip Michigan, another battleground Trump narrowly carried last November. Former Rep. Mike Rogers, the 2024 GOP Senate nominee who lost last year’s race by a razor-thin margin, has at this point cleared the Republican primary field, thanks in great part to Trump’s endorsement. Democrats, meanwhile, have a very competitive primary on their hands. The primary race includes three well-known Democrats: Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who enjoys the backing of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. With Shaheen, who made history as the first woman in the nation’s history to win election as a governor and a senator, out of the running in New Hampshire, the GOP is hoping to win a Senate election in the Granite State for the first time in 16 years. They’re encouraged by the gains Trump made in New Hampshire in last year’s election, as he improved on his showing from four years earlier and came close to carrying the state. But four-term Rep. Chris Pappas’ announcement in early April that he would run to succeed Shaheen has cleared the Democratic primary field, as of now, of any potential rivals for the party’s Senate nomination. Meanwhile, a Republican primary in the state—where the GOP hasn’t won a Senate race in 15 years—is heating up between former Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis, with the possibility of more candidates entering the race. In Minnesota, the leading candidates in the Democratic primary to succeed Smith are Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig. Former professional basketball player Royce White, who won the 2024 Senate nomination in Minnesota, and former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze are currently running in the GOP primary. But another Republican Senate hopeful may soon enter the field. While Republicans will work to defy political history in next year’s midterms, they point to the Democratic Party’s current brand issues. “Democrats have historically low approval ratings because candidates like Jon Ossoff and Chris Pappas keep prioritizing radical policies like men in women’s sports, protecting sanctuary cities for criminal illegal aliens, and raising taxes on working families,” NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez argued in a statement to Fox News. And Rodriguez touted that “Republicans are delivering on policies that keep Americans safe and let families and workers keep more of their hard-earned paychecks. Voters will reward us for it in 2026.”
Veteran Biden insider Anita Dunn appears in House Oversight autopen probe
Veteran Democratic operative Anita Dunn is on Capitol Hill on Thursday for a closed-door interview with House Oversight Committee investigators. Arriving minutes before 10 a.m. with her counsel in tow, Dunn did not speak to reporters on her way into the door despite a myriad of shouted questions being thrown at her about her upcoming interview. She is the tenth former White House official to appear before the panel’s lawyers, as Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., probes whether former President Joe Biden’s inner circle worked to cover up signs of mental decline in the elderly leader – and whether executive actions signed via autopen were done without his awareness. Dunn is appearing voluntarily before the committee’s lawyers for a transcribed interview that will likely last several hours into the afternoon. RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE Dunn told House Oversight investigators in her opening statement, obtained by Fox News Digital via a source familiar, that Biden “made all of the important decisions expected of someone serving as the President of the United States.” “As is typical and necessary for that role, President Biden relied on senior advisors to execute his priorities and manage the day-to-day operations that allow the White House to run effectively, but his authority and involvement in decision making was clear. In my meetings and other interactions with him, President Biden was engaged on the substance – editing press statements and working with us to map out communications strategy,” Dunn said. Dunn acknowledged that Biden “aged physically during his time in office, which is something that happens to every President,” but maintained “he remained throughout my interactions with him fully engaged and clear in his directions and supervision.” “I did not observe White House staff making key decisions or exercising the powers of the presidency without President Biden’s knowledge or consent,” Dunn said. “The President made it clear that decisions rested with him, and White House staff brought issues to him for him to decide. I believed strongly then, and I believe just as strongly today, that Joe Biden was an effective President who accomplished many important things for the American people.” A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee criticized Dunn after the statement came out in the media, however. “It’s no surprise Anita Dunn is telling the American people not to believe their own eyes, claiming Joe Biden was sharp and ‘fully engaged.’ This opening statement, leaked to media before Ms. Dunn even delivered it, is yet another example of the absurd lengths Biden loyalists will go to defend his failed presidency,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Three of the 10 former Biden administration officials who have appeared so far have come under subpoena, and each pleaded the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering material questions. Appearing voluntarily does not give people the ability to invoke the constitutional right against self-incrimination, but it’s possible Dunn will give House investigators little to work with. The six former White House aides who appeared voluntarily before her have all defended Biden’s mental acuity and ability to serve as president, sources said, even as some, like ex-Chief of Staff Ron Klain, have conceded the 82-year-old’s age has worn on him over time. Dunn, like those who appeared before her, has known Biden for years. She’s been a key player in Democratic communications and public relations strategies for decades, and reportedly was a central figure in Biden’s messaging strategy both at the White House and during his short-lived 2024 campaign. “She’s running everything,” one unnamed White House advisor told CNN in June 2023 while discussing Biden’s re-election bid. LONGTIME BIDEN AIDE SAYS HE STOOD TO EARN UP TO $8M HAD PRESIDENT WON RE-ELECTION A January 2023 report by NBC News described Dunn and her husband, former Obama administration White House counsel Robert Bauer, as central figures in Biden’s orbit. Bauer also reportedly served as Biden’s personal lawyer. “If it’s a room of five people, Anita and Bob are two of them,” an unnamed former White House aide told the outlet. Dunn was also a central figure amid the fallout after Biden’s disastrous June 2024 debate against then-candidate Donald Trump. NBC News reported in July 2024 that Biden family members discussed whether he should fire Dunn and Bauer, though White House chief of staff Jeff Zients dismissed the reports as “unfounded and insulting rumors” in a statement to the outlet at the time. Dunn served as White House communications director under former President Barack Obama, and Biden brought her onto his 2020 campaign to help with his own communications strategy. She also served as senior advisor to the president for communications in the Biden White House before playing a key role in his 2024 campaign. Comer wrote in his letter summoning Dunn, “You served as former President Biden’s ‘most senior communications adviser.’ Former President Biden confided in you extensively over the past decade.” “The Committee seeks to understand your observations of former President Biden’s mental acuity and health as one of his closest advisors. If White House staff carried out a strategy lasting months or even years to hide the chief executive’s condition—or to perform his duties—Congress may need to consider a legislative response,” Comer wrote.
Trump orders work on new census, says people in US illegally ‘WILL NOT BE COUNTED’
President Donald Trump declared in a Thursday morning Truth Social post that he has directed the Commerce Department to start working on a new census, noting that illegal aliens in the U.S. will not be included in the population count. “I have instructed our Department of Commerce to immediately begin work on a new and highly accurate CENSUS based on modern day facts and figures and, importantly, using the results and information gained from the Presidential Election of 2024,” the president said in the post. “People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added. The U.S. conducts a census every decade — the last decennial census was conducted in 2020 and another is scheduled for 2030. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS POTENTIALLY COUNTED IN US CENSUS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE The decennial census is key to determining the balance of political power each state holds, because the population counts are used in apportionment, the determination of how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives. MUSK CALLS OUT UNFAIR BLUE STATE ADVANTAGE GAINED FROM ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION Consequently, the count also ultimately determines how many electoral votes each state gets for presidential elections, since a state’s electoral vote count equals the number of House and Senate seats in each state. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads in part, “Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed.” The U.S. Census Bureau, which falls under the Department of Commerce, indicates that “unauthorized immigrants” are counted in the resident population figures, noting on a frequently asked questions web page that “all people (citizens and noncitizens) with a usual residence in the United States are included in the resident population for the census.” SUPREME COURT DISMISSES CASE ON EXCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CENSUS COUNT AS ‘RIDDLED’ WITH ‘SPECULATION’ During his first term in office, Trump issued an memorandum in 2020 declaring that he “determined that respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process warrant the exclusion of illegal aliens from the apportionment base, to the extent feasible and to the maximum extent of the President’s discretion under the law.” President Joe Biden issued an executive order in 2021 which revoked Trump’s memorandum, but Trump revoked Biden’s order this year.
AWOL Dems’ flight from Texas may have been funded illegally by Beto O’Rourke nonprofit
Following reports that former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s nonprofit Powered by People was helping fund Texas state Democrats’ exodus out of the state to halt Republican redistricting efforts, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Wednesday announced he would be launching an investigation into the matter. Texas House Democrats fled the state this week in an attempt to stop Republican efforts to redraw the state’s congressional maps. As a result, Texas House Republicans authorized civil arrest warrants for the absent lawmakers for depriving the House chamber of its ability to conduct official business. Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott subsequently called on the Texas Department of Public Safety to help arrest them. The civil arrest warrants, however, are only enforceable within state lines, and it is unclear how they will be executed. Meanwhile, amid the partisan battle, a report from The Texas Tribune on Tuesday claimed that O’Rourke’s nonprofit founded in 2019 called Powered by People was among one of the main groups funding air transport, lodging, logistical support, and helping with the $500-per-day fines for the absent state lawmakers, citing anonymous sources involved with the fundraising efforts. WATCH: TRUMP SAYS FBI ‘MAY HAVE TO’ HELP TEXAS ROUND UP AWOL DEM LAWMAKERS The report followed a warning issued by Abbott, indicating the fleeing state lawmakers could potentially be in felonious territory if they solicit, accept or agree to accept funds “to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote.” “Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,” Paxton said in a press release announcing the probe Wednesday. “Texas cannot be bought.” In Paxton’s announcement, he charged Powered by People with being one of the “top groups” providing financial assistance to Texas House Democrats who have left the state in order to obstruct Republicans’ redistricting efforts, which they claim is essential to ensure racial gerrymandering is not taking place. According to Paxton, the financial assistance could amount to a violation of Texas bribery laws and potentially other laws governing campaign finance, “coercion of a public servant, and abuse of office.” In response to the investigation, O’Rourke described Republicans in Texas as “thugs” attempting to “steal our country,” and accused Paxton of bribery himself. In 2023, the Texas state Senate acquitted Paxton of 16 articles of impeachment accusing Paxton of corruption and bribery. “The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats,” O’Rourke said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I encourage everyone to text FIGHT to 20377. Let’s stop these thugs before they steal our country.” GEORGE SOROS, BETO O’ROURKE BEHIND FUNDING FOR DEMS FLEEING TEXAS OVER GOP CONGRESSIONAL MAP Paxton is demanding documents and communications from Powered by People regarding the “potentially unlawful activity,” noting he is not afraid to take “aggressive legal action” against the Democrats who have obstructed legislative proceedings in Texas. The Texas Tribune’s report said that O’Rourke has been “working the phones” to encourage Texas lawmakers to leave the state to block the GOP’s legislative efforts, citing an individual familiar with the discussions. Powered by People is also actively soliciting donations on its website to support the Democratic effort, promising potential donors that “100% of your donation will go to supporting Texas Democrats in their fight against Trump’s power grab.” Meanwhile, the outlet reported that, in 2021, O’Rourke’s group Powered by People reportedly helped raise $600,000 to help fund Texas House Democrats stay in the nation’s capital as they tried a similar tactic at the time to obstruct Republican reforms of Texas state election laws. During a CNN interview Wednesday, O’Rourke was asked point-blank why he was helping Democrats flee Texas. “We could see a similar scenario this time around. Is it worth it?” CNN anchor Pamela Brown asked in reference to O’Rourke’s 2021 efforts to obstruct Texas legislative proceedings. “Absolutely,” O’Rourke responded. “If we fail, the consolidation of authoritarian power in America will be nearly unstoppable.” But Brown challenged O’Rourke on whether the funds might be “better spent” aiding vulnerable Texans instead. “We’ve seen it in the past—they flee, but then inevitably they have to come back, right? You can’t just stay out in perpetuity, and the governor can continue to call these special sessions,” Brown said. “Do you think the money could be better spent helping those folks you mentioned?” “I actually believe that they can stay out long enough to stop this steal in Texas,” O’Rourke responded.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Mamdani’s ‘Radical Positions’ Alarm New Yorkers, Says Expert
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Vance, Bondi, Patel to huddle at VP residence for Epstein strategy meeting -Russia and China tick Doomsday Clock toward midnight as Hiroshima bombing hits 80 years -Prediction market traders bet ‘the Kevin’s’ are Trump’s Fed chair picks New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s past stances on policing are a legitimate reason for New Yorkers to be concerned, despite his recent walkbacks, according to a New York City crime expert who spoke to Fox News Digital. “I think what scares a lot of New Yorkers about the policy positions taken by Zohran Mamdani over the years is that he has exhibited not just a lack of appreciation for the men and women that stand on that [police] line, but a visceral disdain for them, which has led him to push for things like defunding and dismantling the police,” Rafael A. Mangual, senior fellow and head of research for policing and public safety at the Manhattan Institute, told Fox News Digital, shortly after a gunman killed four people in midtown Manhattan, including a NYPD police officer. “It’s not so much as just that he said, well, I wanna allocate some of this money to other places. He has gone so far as to say that we should dismantle the entire department.”…READ MORE. STAR WARS: Space-based missile-killing Golden Dome tech aims for crucial test before Trump leaves office: Lockheed Martin AIRSPACE ARMS RACE: Trump admin cuts red tape on commercial drones to compete with China’s dominance of the market CHILLING POSTS: Pennsylvania man charged for allegedly threatening to kill Trump before he took office ‘PATRIOTS’ WANTED: Trump administration ends age cap for ICE officer positions in major recruitment drive ‘WIDESPREAD ADOPTION’: SCOOP: Trump admin, OpenAI partner to unleash artificial intelligence on federal government GONE WITH THE WIND: EXCLUSIVE: Trump admin nixes giant wind farm approved ‘last minute’ by Biden team TRUTH IS OUT THERE: Tulsi Gabbard tells podcaster aliens may be real: ‘We’re continuing to look for the truth’ NUKES OF HAZARD: Russia and China tick Doomsday Clock toward midnight as Hiroshima bombing hits 80 years KREMLIN GAMBIT: Trump hails ‘highly productive’ talks with Putin despite no ceasefire, ‘secondary tariffs’ still on TESTING TRUMP: Russia, China practice destroying ‘enemy’ submarine in naval drill after Trump moves US nuclear assets ‘ALARMING SIGN’: NATO member scrambles jets after Russian drone attack near border, as Witkoff meets with Putin TIGHTENING CONTROLS: Italy law would regulate gender transition treatment for minors PALMETTO POLITICS: EXCLUSIVE: GOP governor nominee pushes redistricting to oust state’s lone House Dem POWER PLAY POLITICS: GOP congressman vows ‘all options are on the table’ to stop US-wide redistricting war MIDTERM BATTLES: Senate Democrats are feverishly recruiting top candidates to win back majority in 2026 ‘THUGS’: Trump blasts Schumer, Democrats as ‘country-hating thugs’ amid blockade on Senate nominees ‘I DON’T CARE’: MTG declares she’s ‘radically AMERICA FIRST,’ telling those who are not, ‘YOU are the enemy’ LAWMAKERS LOCKED OUT: NYC Dems reportedly trapped after trying to access Brooklyn ICE facility RED FLAG DONOR: Virginia Dem gubernatorial candidate and ex-CIA officer took $50K from CCP-linked tycoon CITY HALL SHOWDOWN: Mamdani-style activist, liberal incumbent advance to Seattle mayoral runoff ‘JUST CAN’T HAPPEN’: NYC mayor flips script on Mamdani amid scramble to walk back anti-police rhetoric WARNING SIGNS: NYC gunman Shane Tamura seen angering police officers in bodycam video during 2023 arrest MOTOR CITY SHOWDOWN: Detroit mayoral race is set: councilmember vs. pastor SHE’S IN: Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn launches campaign for governor Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Junk food banned from SNAP benefits in 6 more states, a win for MAHA advocates
In a win for Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) advocates, six more states have gotten waivers allowing them to ban soda, candy and other high-sugar junk foods from being purchased through the federally funded, but state-operated Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. The waivers, which amend the statutory definition of eligible food for purchase under SNAP, were granted to West Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The new restrictions on what can and cannot be purchased will go into effect in 2026. The six new waivers bring the number of states that have sought to restrict SNAP purchases of junk food to 12. The other states who received waivers from the Trump administration earlier this year were Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho and Utah. 5 EVERYDAY FOODS AND DRINKS SILENTLY DAMAGING YOUR LONG-TERM HEALTH, SAY NUTRITION EXPERTS “For years, SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy, products that fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health.” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has praised the historic efforts that states, mostly those with Republican leadership, have made to help improve the health and nutrition assistance provided through SNAP. On average, 42 million low-income Americans receive food stamp assistance each month, including one in five American children under 17, according to a report from the Trump administration released earlier this year. HOUSE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL NEW FOOD STAMP WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “It is incredible to see so many states take action at this critical moment in our nation’s history and do something to begin to address chronic health problems,” Rollins said after the latest announcement of new waivers. “President Trump has changed the status quo, and the entire Cabinet is taking action to Make America Healthy Again. … These state waivers promote healthier options for families in need.” Of the 12 states that have been granted SNAP waivers thus far, all of them will restrict SNAP funds from being used to purchase sugary drinks, including soda, while at least eight of the states have indicated plans to ban SNAP funds for candy purchases. Some states, such as Florida, Louisiana and Nebraska, will explicitly ban energy drinks as well, while others, like Arkansas, have indicated drinks with less than 50% natural juice will be banned. ABC News medical correspondent Darien Sutton argued the move, although pushed as an effort to improve health outcomes, lacks evidence. “There’s no evidence that taking away access to soda will actually fight these conditions,” he said, according to ABC News. “Sugar is one of those culprits that you always have to be mindful of.” Sutton pointed out that U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that men do not have more than 35 grams of sugar per day, while women are told to limit it to 25 grams per day.
Ohio senator introduces ‘Holly’s Act’ for woman brutally beaten in viral Cincinnati attack
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is introducing “Holly’s Act” after a woman was violently attacked by a mob in Cincinnati late last month – a move aimed at ending what he calls the justice system’s revolving door for repeat offenders. The attack happened around 3 a.m. on July 26 at the intersection of Fourth and Elm streets in Cincinnati’s central business district. Bystander video captured the moment a large group turned on several individuals early that morning, and in one video obtained by Fox News Digital, an unidentified man could be heard yelling racial slurs while being beaten in the street. Other footage appears to show the male victim striking a member of the group shortly before the altercation escalated. In another video, a woman later identified only as “Holly” tried to intervene before she was slammed to the ground and knocked unconscious. EXCLUSIVE: RAMASWAMY DECRIES ‘ANTI-LAW ENFORCEMENT CULTURE’ IN WAKE OF BRUTAL CINCINNATI BEATING A single 911 call came several minutes after the incident, despite more than 100 people standing by, recording, or participating in the melee. Moreno held a press conference in Cincinnati on Wednesday after meeting with city officials, the FBI special agent in charge, the future U.S. attorney, police chief and a deputy from the local sheriff’s department. Moreno described the meeting as starting “a little rough,” but said it ended productively. Ultimately, he said everyone at the table agreed to work together to make certain that what happened on July 26 never happens again. He also said he wants to make sure anyone who lives in Ohio can visit any of the state’s cities. CINCINNATI VIRAL BEATING VICTIM FORCED INTO ‘SUPER-SECRET SPOT’ WITH SECURITY “We’re going to talk to some of our state legislators to see if we can put something in place that I call — with her permission — ‘Holly’s Act,’ which is how we raise the bar on minimum sentences, minimum bail requirements… We’re going to end the revolving door of injustice,” Moreno said. “Our judges can no longer hide behind their cloak, and they have to be held accountable for not upholding law and order,” he added. Law enforcement officials risk their lives every day to arrest criminals, which involves going out and making difficult arrests. But when those criminals appear in court, judges undermine the police officers’ efforts by “giving criminals a slap on the hand,” the senator said. “Let’s be honest, because a lot of times you guys are qualifying this as a brawl,” Moreno told reporters. “This was attempted murder of an innocent woman. And that person had a rap sheet a mile long. Nobody who has that rap sheet should be walking the streets of any Ohio city free.” FIFTH SUSPECT ARRESTED IN VIRAL CINCINNATI BEATDOWN AS VICTIM DETAILS HER ‘ONGOING BATTLE’ Standing beside Moreno was Holly, who said she was focused on reform—not reliving the trauma. “I’m here to talk about the future and how we can change it; how we can prevent this from happening to anybody else,” she said. “These heinous crimes have to stop. You know, I never want this to happen to anyone else, especially a mother, a daughter, or somebody who is loved.” Holly said moving forward, more police officers are needed, as is justice reform that prohibits judges from letting people out of custody with a slap on the wrist. “The man who attacked me, and might have permanently damaged me forever, should have never been on the streets, ever,” she said. “The fact that he had just gotten out of jail previously for something he should have been in there for years. It’s really sad to me because I can’t even fathom how many other people who have been attacked by the same type of man over and over and over in Toledo, in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton.” FOURTH ARREST ANNOUNCED AS INVESTIGATION INTO VIOLENT CINCINNATI BRAWL CONTINUES Holly said what upsets her most is the public’s desensitization to violence. Holly said she hopes one day there is some sort of bill that allows someone to be prosecuted or fined if they do not call 911 first to save someone’s life. “We all need to help each other out and start helping humanity,” she said. One reporter asked Holly if she felt like she was going to die that night. “I truly felt like I was going to die,” Holly said. “I’m still shocked that I didn’t—and so are my doctors.” RAMASWAMY PLEDGES ‘RULE OF LAW’ REVIVAL AFTER VIRAL CINCINNATI MOB ATTACK Moreno told reporters that during the meeting, the attendees spoke about offering signing bonuses for police officers as a way to bring on more staff. He said at the end of the day, a better police presence and better technology will help prevent incidents like that from July 26 from happening. But Moreno also stressed how critically important it is for civilians to call authorities so that aid can be brought in as soon as possible. “We’re not people that watch a woman get beaten to the inch of her life and our first instinct is to get out and videotape something so that you can be cool on Instagram,” he said. “That’s not who we are.” Several individuals have been charged in connection with what police describe as “a violent attack,” including Dominique Kittle, Montianez Merriweather, Jermaine Matthews, DeKyra Vernon, Aisha Devaugh and Patrick Rosemond. Rosemond, 38, was taken into custody Monday afternoon by the FBI and Atlanta Metropolitan Major Offender’s Task Force in Fulton County, Georgia. He is charged with two counts of felonious assault and aggravated riot, according to the Cincinnati Police Department. He is also charged with one count of fugitive from justice for a fingerprintable charge, according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail while awaiting extradition to Ohio, police said. Rosemond is a Cincinnati resident and does not have any registered addresses in Georgia, according to records obtained by Fox News Digital. A
WATCH: Trump hints he will federalize DC soon, bring in National Guard after ‘Big Balls’ attack
In the wake of a former DOGE worker nicknamed “Big Balls” being brutally beaten by gang members in the streets of Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump indicated he is strongly considering taking control of the district to stamp out the rampant crime and violence plaguing the nation’s capital city. He also said that he is considering taking control of the Washington, D.C. police and using the National Guard to stop the violence. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday evening, Trump said, “We’re considering it, yeah, because the crime is ridiculous.” “I could show you a chart comparing D.C. to other locations, and you’re not going to want to see what it looks like,” he said. “We want to have a great, safe, capital, and we’re going to have it. And that includes cleanliness. And it includes other things. We have a capital that’s very unsafe.” 2 JUVENILES ARRESTED IN BLOODY DC ATTACK ON EX-DOGE WORKER KNOWN AS ‘BIG BALLS’ Referring to the recent beating of the former DOGE worker, a teenager whose real name is Edward Coristine, Trump said, “We just almost lost a young man, beautiful, handsome guy that got the hell knocked out of him the night before last.” The president said he called to check in on Coristine and that he would be calling again “in a little while.” “He went through a bad situation, to put it mildly. And there’s too much of it. We’re going to do something about it,” said Trump. ANTI-ISRAEL GUNMAN FACES FEDERAL HATE CRIME CHARGES IN DEADLY DC EMBASSY STAFFERS SHOOTING “So, whether you call it federalize or what, and that also includes the graffiti that you see the papers all over the place, the roads that are in bad shape, the medians that are falling down, the median that’s in between roads that’s falling down. We’re going to beautify the city. We’re going to make it beautiful,” he added. “What a shame. Rate of crime, the rate of muggings, killings and everything else. We’re not going to let it. And that includes bringing in the National Guard. Maybe very quickly.” Trump was also asked whether he would support Congress overturning the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. The law was passed in 1973 and granted D.C. a greater degree of autonomy, including allowing residents to elect a mayor and city council. Trump said, “We’re going to look at that. In fact, the lawyers are already studying it.” MOTHER OF SLAIN CONGRESSIONAL INTERN SAYS DC COUNCIL TREATS VIOLENT CRIME LIKE A ‘JOKE’ AMID UNSOLVED KILLING “We have to run D.C. This has to be the best-run place in the country, not the worst-run place in the country,” he said. “And it has so much potential, and we’re going to take care of it. You’re going to be safe. You’re going to be safe walking down streets. You’re not going to get mugged.”