Earle-Sears comes out swinging in heated debate as Spanberger dodges Jay Jones questions
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears came out swinging against what she called former Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s dodges on calls for fellow Democrat Jay Jones to drop out of the attorney general contest after texts envisioning the murder of a Republican leader came to light. Throughout the debate, Spanberger mostly declined to make eye contact with Earle-Sears and ignored her when she was interrupted. Earle-Sears repeatedly addressed Spanberger directly during both women’s answers but did not receive any direct responses in return. SPANBERGER DEFENDS ABORTION AD CRITICIZING SEARS AFTER BERNIE WARNS AGAINST HIGHLIGHTING ISSUE Early on, Earle-Sears interrupted Spanberger, asking her to give a direct answer. The Democrat told the moderators she was “aware of these messages” and that they were “absolutely abhorrent.” “I denounced them when I learned of them and I will denounce them every chance I get,” Spanberger said, as Earle-Sears interjected once more to attempt to press for a straight answer. “I didn’t hear an answer on [the Jones] question,” co-moderator Deanna Albrittin told Spanberger. Since Earle-Sears had already called for Jones to drop out, the moderators asked her instead about President Donald Trump’s stated “hate” for political opponents after the murder of Charlie Kirk. Earle-Sears later turned to Spanberger and admonished her for refusing to give a yes-or-no answer on Jones, asking whether it would take Jones “pulling the trigger” to actually condemn what he had said about then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah. WINSOME EARLE-SEARS RELEASES ‘TWO BULLETS’ AD SCATHING OPPONENT FOR FAILING TO DEMAND JAY JONES’ OUSTER The Republican was later asked whether she needs Trump’s endorsement, as he has explicitly endorsed lieutenant governor candidate John Reid but offered more muted comments for Earle-Sears during the span of the race. Earle-Sears also criticized Spanberger for purportedly waiting several days before condemning a left-wing protester’s racist sign at an Arlington anti-transgender-sports demonstration headlined by the Republican candidate. The sign said that Earle-Sears should not be able to share water fountains (as a Black woman) if transgender students cannot share bathrooms. In the latter regard, moderator Tom Schaad asked Spanberger whether transgender girls born male should be able to use female bathrooms and be on co-ed sports teams. “Nothing is more important to me than their safety and their experience in schools,” Spanberger said, before offering a lengthier answer that also cited her experience as a former federal agent investigating crimes against children. TOP GOP GROUP DROPS BIG MONEY INTO VIRGINIA SHOWDOWN AFTER DEM AG NOMINEE’S VIOLENT TEXTS GO VIRAL “That work, in part, has earned me the endorsement of the Police Benevolent Association,” she said. Schaad reiterated the question, saying there had been no direct answer, and later attempted to ask whether Spanberger would rescind an executive order by Gov. Glenn Youngkin laying out a bathroom policy along biological lines. “My opponent will not answer the question because she voted for men nude in girls’ locker rooms,” Earle-Sears later said. Later, both candidates were asked whether they would continue or undo any specific policies from Youngkin – whom the moderators reported enjoys high approval ratings as he closes out his last three months of his term. Earle-Sears said she would not disclose private conversations with Youngkin but that she would not undo their progress. ‘CONSUMED WITH HATE’: WINSOME SEARS, JASON MIYARES UNLOAD ON DEMOCRAT JAY JONES OVER VIOLENT TEXTS Spanberger said she would continue Youngkin’s efforts to grow advanced nuclear power in the commonwealth. After the event, Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, Jr., D-Portsmouth, spoke to reporters as a surrogate for Spanberger. Scott said there is a “double standard” in pressuring Spanberger to call for Jones to drop out, claiming Earle-Sears has not denounced violent rhetoric from Trump. The speaker, who represents the area just south of the debate site, claimed Earle-Sears did not as vociferously condemn Trump for a remark he made in 2024 when discussing neoconservatism, and former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney’s aisle-crossing endorsement of Kamala Harris. “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK? Let’s see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained on her face,” Trump said as a rebuttal to people in the political establishment who are war “hawks” or support proverbial forever-wars. WINSOME EARLE-SEARS RELEASES AD LINKING ABIGAIL SPANBERGER TO JAY JONES AFTER VIOLENT TEXTS RESURFACE The Trump campaign noted at the time that the president did not call for Cheney to be executed and that the press covered the remark “disgracefully,” while fact-checker PolitiFact deemed the comment illustrative of a “combat zone” situation rather than a call for murder. Fox News Digital reached out to the Earle-Sears campaign for comment on the debate, including the way the candidates comported themselves on stage. “If you’re wondering who’s capable of leading Virginia, this was the debate to watch,” Earle-Sears spokesperson Peyton Vogel told Fox News Digital. “Abigail Spanberger couldn’t even look Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears in the eye and confirmed she will not stand up to Jay Jones’ threat-laced, murderous rhetoric.” “If she can’t lead her own ticket, she can’t lead the Commonwealth,” Vogel said.
Senate advances 2026 defense bill after weeks of delay as shutdown drags on
The Senate advanced its version of a colossal package to authorize funding for the Pentagon on Thursday in the midst of the ongoing government shutdown. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which had been gathering dust as lawmakers worked to break through holds on the bill for over a month, advanced in the upper chamber on a bipartisan vote. The legislation would authorize roughly $925 billion in defense spending. However, successful advancement of the bill after a marathon Senate vote on amendments came as the government entered Day 9 of the government shutdown with no clear end in sight. Lawmakers in the upper chamber aren’t expected to return until Tuesday, all but guaranteeing that military service members won’t get their paychecks next week. SENATE DEMOCRATS BLOCK GOP PLAN AGAIN TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT AS MILITARY PAY DEADLINE LOOMS Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., formally announced the breakthrough on the Senate floor after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., teased a possible vote Thursday morning. Wicker noted that in a particularly partisan moment in the upper chamber, the NDAA was able to sail through committee earlier this year on a near unanimous vote. “In this time, when we can’t seem to muster up a 60-vote majority to keep us in business as a federal government, we were able to pass the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 26-to-1,” Wicker said. Lawmakers were finally able to move on the legislative package after Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., dropped his hold on the measure. Gallego had called for a vote on his amendment that would have prevented Ashli Babbitt, who was killed during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, from receiving military funeral honors. The Air Force extended an offer for military funeral honors for Babbitt in August. SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRM MORE THAN 100 TRUMP NOMINEES AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES Senators charged through over a dozen partisan amendments and a massive batch of roughly 50 add-ons to the legislative package before moving the bill. The House passed its own version last month. Among the failed amendments was one from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., which would have blocked money to retrofit a Boeing 747 that President Donald Trump accepted from the Qatari government earlier this year. Another, from Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., would have prevented Trump and governors around the country from signing off on sending the National Guard from one state to another if a governor or mayor rejected the move. One successful amendment, from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., would repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force for Iraq, which, at the time, authorized President George W. Bush to use the U.S. military as he deemed “to be necessary and appropriate” in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001. It would also repeal a similar resolution passed in 1991 during the Gulf War. The House’s version of the bill included repeals of both authorizations, too. DOZENS OF DEMOCRATS MUTINY MUST-PASS DEFENSE BILL OVER GOP PRIORITIES However, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., had vowed to block the package Thursday afternoon in an effort to “secure a hearing to investigate this gross abuse of our military” in response to Trump sending the National Guard to Chicago and other cities across the country. But she backed off her threat after Wicker promised a hearing on the matter “in the coming weeks.” “I look forward to asking tough questions of the Trump administration about their unconstitutional National Guard deployments to American cities against state and local officials’ objections,” she said in a statement.
New York AG Letitia James’ indictment sparks sharp partisan divide
Lawmakers reacted sharply Thursday to the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James on bank fraud charges, with Democrats calling it a politically motivated act of revenge by President Donald Trump. A federal grand jury in Virginia charged James with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment centers on James’ purchase of a home in Norfolk. Prosecutors allege she falsely claimed it as a second residence to secure better loan terms before leasing it to tenants. James has denied wrongdoing, describing the charges as “political retribution.” “These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” James said in a statement. James, a longtime Trump adversary, previously sued the president’s business empire for civil fraud and won a nearly $500 million judgment. TRUMP TO FORCE OUT VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR AMID PRESSURE TO INDICT LETITIA JAMES Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said James faces up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count and forfeiture if she’s convicted. “No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan said. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.” In a statement, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said James has weaponized her office to go after Trump and his allies. “Her hypocrisy is profound as she campaigned on the mantra that ‘no one is above the law,’ yet she now faces allegations of committing the very type of financial misrepresentation she baselessly pursued against President Trump,” Stefanik said. “I have spearheaded congressional efforts to expose James’ abuses over the past several years through ethics complaints, bar complaints, public demands for investigations and oversight exposing her corruption“. TRUMP RIPS TRIAL JUDGE WHOSE $500M PENALTY WAS ERASED ON APPEAL Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., noted James’ past statement that “no one is above the law.” “Today, Leti[t]ia James was indicted for bank fraud regarding a mortgage loan,” she wrote on X. Democrats rallied to her defense, accusing Trump of abusing his power. “The politically motivated indictment of Attorney General Letitia James is an abuse of power — a weaponization of government — at its most outrageous and egregious,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. “Rather than addressing the grocery and utility bills crushing American families, Donald Trump remains pathologically preoccupied with his personal enemies list.” Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called the charges a “blatant abuse of power,” while New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the case amounted to “nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department.” New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani praised James as “a champion for justice,” saying Trump’s actions showed “fascist tactics — prosecuting his opponents, weaponizing the federal government and attacking the very fabric of our democracy.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trump was using the Justice Department as his “personal attack dog.” “This is what tyranny looks like,” Schumer said. “President Trump is targeting Attorney General Tish James for the ‘crime’ of prosecuting him for fraud — and winning. This isn’t justice. It’s revenge.” Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, called the indictment “political weaponization of our courts, plain and simple — and proof that when you stand up to corruption, they come for you.” James’ initial court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Norfolk, Virginia.
Spanberger refuses to urge Jay Jones to exit race, dodges questions after ‘two bullets’ texts
Democrat Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger faced repeated questioning during Thursday’s debate over her continued support for attorney general candidate Jay Jones after text messages surfaced in which he fantasized about putting “two bullets” in the head of then-Republican Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. Both the debate moderators and her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, repeatedly asked Spanberger whether she still endorses Jones, but Spanberger did not say outright that she no longer endorsed him. Spanberger also would not say when she became aware of the inflammatory text messages, which also included violent rhetoric about Gilbert’s children. “Jay Jones advocated the murder — Abigail — the murder of a man, a former speaker, as well as his children who were 2 years and 5 years old. You have little girls. Would it take him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it?” Earle-Sears asked. “Please ask him to get out of the race. Have some courage.” JOE SCARBOROUGH TELLS DEM CANDIDATE JAY JONES TO LEAVE RACE OVER VIOLENT COMMENTS AGAINST GOP LAWMAKER The text scandal has proven to be a major flashpoint in the race as concerns about violent political rhetoric have reached new heights after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and two attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump. “We just want to clarify, what you’re saying is, as of now, you still endorse Jay Jones as attorney general?” the moderator asked Spanberger. “I’m saying, as of now, it’s up to every voter to make their own individual decision. I am running for governor. I am accountable for the words that I say, for the acts that I take, for the policies that I have put out,” Spanberger responded. “I am responsible for the policies I put out and the work I will endeavor to do tirelessly for the people.” LIBERAL MEDIA DOWNPLAYS SCANDAL OF DEM VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL JAY JONES’ TEXTS FANTASIZING MURDER OF GOP LAWMAKER Spanberger did repeatedly point out that she condemned the rhetoric the moment she learned of it and that she will denounce violent rhetoric at every opportunity she gets. Meanwhile, Spanberger accused Earle-Sears of only condemning violent rhetoric when it is targeting her political party but not when it targets her opponent’s. She cited an example from Kirk’s memorial service last month, during which Trump reportedly said, “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them.” “It is important that candidates always denounce violence no matter which side of the aisle. … We should always be focused and forceful in our denouncement of it,” Spanberger said as she was peppered with questions on whether she would denounce Jones. “My opponent unfortunately only denounces violence when her side is the target.” In response to those accusations, Earle-Sears did not condemn the president’s words but did say it was something she would not say herself personally. “As I’ve said before, I would not say that,” Earle-Sears said of the Trump comments.
Angel parents call for Trump to receive Nobel Peace Prize for border security efforts
EXCLUSIVE — Dozens of Angel parents and families of fentanyl victims are calling for President Donald Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, pointing to his unprecedented efforts to combat drug cartels, human trafficking and illegal immigration. In a letter sent Thursday to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, members of The American Border Story (TABS), representing Angel parents whose children were killed by illegal immigrants and families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl, urged recognition of Trump’s leadership in bringing “peace and security” to neighborhoods across the country. “Fentanyl took my child’s life, and it’s taken thousands more,” Anne Fundner, whose son died from an overdose in 2022, told Fox News Digital. “President Trump didn’t look the other way. He went after the cartels and the traffickers poisoning our kids. He’s the only one who made this fight a priority, and because of that, lives have been saved. That’s why he deserves this recognition.” The families credit Trump with identifying cartels and traffickers as a “war machine that destroys lives.” They say he made border security a priority and took action to halt the flow of drugs and violent criminals into the U.S. in a way no other leader has. TRUMP SAVES AMERICAN LIVES WITH ‘OVERWHELMING FORCE’ AGAINST DRUG SMUGGLERS ENCROACHING ON US BEACHES: EXPERT While many world leaders have sought peace abroad, the families say Trump’s efforts have been focused on peace “right here at home.” Joe Abraham, whose daughter Katie Abraham was killed in a hit-and-run allegedly by an illegal immigrant earlier this year, said Trump is the only leader who treated the border crisis as a national emergency. FAMILY MEMBER OF INFANTS BURNED ALIVE BY CARTEL THANKS TRUMP FOR CRACKDOWN: ‘HOPEFUL FOR THE FIRST TIME’ “My daughter was killed by someone who never should have been in this country,” Abraham told Fox News Digital. “He stood up to the cartels, secured the border and fought to protect families like mine. That’s not just leadership, that’s bringing peace to American communities.” The group argues that the Nobel Peace Prize — created to honor those who reduce war and promote peace — applies to Trump’s efforts to dismantle cartel operations. ‘PRESIDENT OF PEACE’: TRUMP TAPPED FOR NOBEL PRIZE AMID TALKS TO END RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR “The Nobel Peace Prize was created to honor those who work for fraternity among nations, reduce the engines of war, and promote peace,” the letter states. “Today, the greatest war many of us face is not in some faraway battlefield, it is in our backyards, waged by cartels that profit from human misery. President Trump understood this, and he has worked tirelessly to end it.” The letter was dated the same day Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., announced he was tapping Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize following his landmark agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war. Pro-Israel activist Lizzy Savetsky went further Thursday, suggesting that the Nobel should be renamed in Trump’s honor to mark the world-changing achievement. The deadline for this year’s nominations was Jan. 31. While some proposals for Trump came in before then, many arrived after the cutoff. If he does not win when the prize is announced Friday, he could be considered again next year. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Sanders, Dem leaders dodge questions on Virginia candidate who joked about shooting GOP lawmaker
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and top Democrats refused to answer whether they believe embattled Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones should drop out over violent text messages he sent, fantasizing about murdering a Republican opponent. The Virginia attorney general race, and gubernatorial race along with it, have been rocked by recent revelations that Jones, a former Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates, has made several violent remarks, including saying he wanted to shoot then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. Though some Democrats, including Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, have condemned Jones’ messages, Sanders, perhaps the top progressive voice in America, ignored Fox News Digital’s question about the texts and simply walked away. Another prominent progressive, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., also ignored Fox News Digital’s questions about Jones, turning her back on the reporter and stepping into an elevator. MORE DEMOCRATS DODGE VIRGINIA CANDIDATE’S ‘2 BULLETS’ SCANDAL Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., provided some answers, saying, “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t recall exactly what he said, but at least the reflections I got, I thought it was horrible, I really do.” “I don’t know the dynamics of the race, as I’m focused right now on the New Jersey governor’s race. So, I can’t say that I’ve done my due diligence to really understand, but what I will say is what I saw was absolutely horrible,” Kim added. Kim also said, “I hope that in a time right now where there’s so much concern about political violence. We can say that, yes, we need to make sure we’re holding ourselves up to a high standard, especially those in elected office.” Asked if he could say whether Jones should drop out of the race after those violent texts, Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., answered, “I can’t. I’ve got to go.” DEMOCRATS STAND BY VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL WHO FANTASIZED ABOUT KILLING GOP LAWMAKER Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., also had a similar response, saying, “No, I’m getting a briefing right now,” while a staffer said, “You’re more than welcome to reach out to her office though.” In text messages with another lawmaker, Jones wrote, “Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” Jones wrote in a subsequent text, “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.” In another text exchange with a colleague, Jones said he hoped Gilbert’s children would die. He doubled down in a series of messages, saying that such grief might be “a good thing” if it advanced his politics. LIBERAL MEDIA DOWNPLAYS SCANDAL OF DEM VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL JAY JONES’ TEXTS FANTASIZING MURDER OF GOP LAWMAKER Though the text revelations have shocked the public and turned the Virginia elections on their head, many Democrats questioned by Fox News Digital have refused to address the scandal or say whether they believe Jones should be disqualified from the race. Asked whether Jones should quit his race, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., answered, “I haven’t given it a thought.” Pressed whether he had read the text messages, which have caused massive political fallout in an already tight Virginia election, Whitehouse said, “I have not.” Prominent Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., simply responded, “I don’t have time at the moment,” and continued to walk away. JOE SCARBOROUGH TELLS DEM CANDIDATE JAY JONES TO LEAVE RACE OVER VIOLENT COMMENTS AGAINST GOP LAWMAKER Speaking with Fox News Digital, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the Democratic senators’ silence “staggering, particularly with the spate of political violence we have seen.” “In my view, the notion that someone advocating for the murder of children because he disagrees politically with their father is manifestly unsuitable for public office, especially the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia, and I wish there were even one Democrat with the courage to say that publicly,” said Cruz.
Katie Porter’s third controversial video in one week shows tense exchange with staff over studio lighting
A newly surfaced video shows California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter appearing frustrated with staff members over bright studio lighting, the third controversial video involving the former lawmaker to emerge in just a week. The clip, which is reportedly from 2021 and has been circulating widely on social media, shows then-U.S. Rep. Porter on a Zoom call complaining about harsh studio lighting before a television interview. “Oh, yes, this is why I didn’t want to do — I need the lights off, the bright lights,” Porter says to someone in the room. “I’m so sorry, but I am about to get on. Bernard, I need you to turn these off. … These, that are killing me.” Turning back to the Zoom, she says, “Hang on one second, everybody!” KATIE PORTER CAUGHT ON VIDEO SCREAMING ‘GET OUT OF MY F—–G SHOT!’ AT STAFFER DURING 2021 CALL Someone can be heard speaking in the background, to which Porter responds, “Yes, yes we should have!” Moments later, Porter’s tone becomes less light-hearted as the lights go out entirely. KATIE PORTER INTERVIEW GOES VIRAL AS JOURNALISTS MARVEL AT DEMOCRAT’S MELTDOWN “OK, everybody, I’m … not that dark,” she says. Porter, appearing visibly agitated as she looks around the room, then turns off her computer’s camera and microphone for about 20 seconds before she reappears in a different room. “OK, everybody. I’m sorry about that. I am in a TV studio getting ready to go on Cuomo,” Porter says in the video. “And, so, I had all those studio lights on me, and I couldn’t see myself or see you guys.” The resurfaced clip comes as Porter faces heightened scrutiny after two other viral videos that surfaced earlier this week. CNN PANEL SHREDS HARRIS’ COLBERT INTERVIEW FOR HER LACK OF SOLUTIONS AFTER ‘SIX MONTHS TO FIGURE IT OUT’ On Tuesday, Porter went viral after an interview clip showed her repeatedly lashing out at a reporter and attempting to end the conversation. A second video, obtained by Politico and released Wednesday, showed Porter berating a staffer during a 2021 video call after the individual accidentally walked into her shot. In the clip, Porter is seen speaking with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about energy and climate issues. At one point, a staffer walks into the frame, prompting Porter to snap and yell, “Get out of my f—ing shot!” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Katie Porter did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Shutdown continues as White House slams Democrats
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics coverage. Here’s what’s happening… -Could Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize after the Israel-Hamas deal? -NJ Showdown: Following a bitter debate, Ciattarelli spotlights the disastrous Sherrill interview -Federal judge limits ICE arrests without an arrest warrant or probable cause The White House slammed Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for making a “disgusting and revealing” comment about the ongoing shutdown. Schumer spoke with Punchbowl News, an outlet based in Washington, D.C., and said that as the shutdown continues, things keep getting “better” for the Democrats. “Every day gets better for us,” Schumer reportedly told Punchbowl News. “It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance, and we knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30, and we prepared for it… Their whole theory was — threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.” … Read more FOLLOW THE MONEY: ‘Riot Inc.’: Trump launches ‘whole-of-government’ push to expose Antifa funding networks, dark money sources DEAL OR NO DEAL: Trump teases trip to the Middle East as Gaza peace deal talks continue EXIT STAGE LEFT: Trump predicts Schumer will retire before losing primary to AOC amid shutdown showdown TROOPS HELD HOSTAGE: Senate Democrats block GOP plan again to reopen government as military pay deadline looms PRAYER VS. POLITICS: Hakeem Jeffries leads prayer event over the shutdown after passing on Charlie Kirk vigil ‘FAR-LEFT’ FEARS: GOP blames Schumer for shutdown to appease ‘Marxist flank’ amid AOC primary challenge buzz WAR ON DRUGS: Two Republicans vote with Dems as Senate GOP spikes bid to block Trump’s strikes on drug-smuggling boats NO NUKES: Senate GOP resists ‘nuclear option’ as Dem shutdown standoff deepens ‘IRONCLAD’: Ardently pro-Israel Dem Sen. John Fetterman congratulates Trump for ‘historic peace plan’ ‘FAR-LEFT’ FEARS: GOP blames Schumer for shutdown to appease ‘Marxist flank’ amid AOC primary challenge buzz GROUND ZERO CHAOS: ‘Operation Midway Blitz’: Inside DOJ’s push to tackle crime, illegal immigration in Chicago FEDS DOUBLE DOWN: Noem: Trump administration doubling down with new federal facilities in Chicago, Portland POWER REVERSAL: Democrats flip the script on ‘states’ rights’ in fight against Trump’s National Guard plan TRAVEL TURMOIL: Noem airs clip blasting Democrats for government shutdown in every airport in America GLOVES OFF: ‘Getting desperate’: Governor debate gets personal after Democrat is mocked for cheating scandal NO TROOPS ALLOWED: U.S. soldiers in city streets “makes people less safe,” says Democratic candidate CAPITOL CHAOS: Screaming match erupts between Mike Lawler, Hakeem Jeffries as government shutdown chaos continues Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
‘Untethered from reality’: Lawyers for Trump, Oregon, spar over National Guard deployment in court clash
Lawyers for President Donald Trump and the state of Oregon clashed Thursday before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals over Trump’s push to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, a high-stakes showdown marked by sharp accusations that the president’s actions were unlawful and unnecessary. A three-judge panel, composed of two Trump appointees and one Clinton appointee, seemed deeply skeptical of the case made by Oregon Assistant Attorney General Stacy Chaffin, including her assertion that Trump’s descriptions of the violence in Portland were hyperbolic and “untethered from reality.” Judges sharply questioned Chaffin about the specifics of the protests in Portland. Many of them focused on specifics, including dates of protests and number of arrests, in asking why — in the state’s view — these conditions failed to meet the standard needed to justify Trump’s deployment of the National Guard. “I’m not sure even President Lincoln would have been able to authorize the use of force right now” if his actions were to be scrutinized under the “much more stringent reviewability standard” implied by Oregon here, Judge Ryan Nelson, a Trump appointee, interjected loudly, one of several times he cut off Chaffin as she attempted to answer the court’s questions. TRUMP IS THREATENING TO ‘FEDERALIZE’ DC WITH NATIONAL GUARD AND MORE. HERE’S HOW THAT COULD PLAY OUT Chaffin argued that the protests in Portland are a far cry from a definition of a “rebellion,” one of two conditions Trump needs to satisfy to meet the legal pretext for National Guard deployment. The 9th Circuit Court agreed to take up the Trump administration’s request to hear the case just days after a federal judge in Oregon issued a temporary restraining order halting the president from immediately sending Oregon National Guard troops to the city of Portland, describing the action as one that risks “blurring the line between civil and military federal power — to the detriment of this nation.” Rebellions “are unusual and extreme emergencies,” Chaffin said, noting that the bulk of agents’ complaints on record are focused instead on them being short-staffed. Administrative difficulties “are not a reason to bring the military into the streets of Portland or any other U.S. city,” Chaffin added. Still, the court’s two Trump appointees took a much more critical view of the state’s case during oral arguments, which lasted roughly 90 minutes. BONDI CLASHES WITH DURBIN ON NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT: ‘LOVE CHICAGO AS MUCH AS YOU HATE PRESIDENT TRUMP’ Justice Department attorney Eric D. McArthur, meanwhile, spent the bulk of time reiterating the two tenets of the Trump administration’s core arguments in deploying National Guard troops. The first is that there is a threat of “rebellion” underway, and the second is that the federal government cannot carry out the law without the help of the National Guard. McArthur argued that Portland meets the criteria of an “active threat,” regardless of the weeks that passed between Trump’s June memo authorizing the federalization of National Guard troops and his September attempt to deploy the Oregon National Guard to Portland. Asked by the Clinton-appointed Judge Susan Graber whether Trump could hypothetically rely on any violent event that “post-dates” the administration’s National Guard mobilization to justify its deployment, McArthur said yes. “I think we can rely on later evidence to show there was a colorable factual basis for the president’s determination,” he told judges for the 9th Circuit. “It demonstrates the very kind of risk that can materialize at any time with this sort of violent crowd.” The court did not specify when it planned to issue a ruling. In the meantime, dozens of National Guard troops — roughly 200, as lawyers testified Thursday — remain just outside the city’s limits, pending possible deployment. The case is just one of several challenging Trump’s authority to federalize the National Guard over the objections of state and local leaders.
Top insurance CEO in the hot seat after scathing ad campaign exposes China ties
FIRST ON FOX: Consumers’ Research, a leading nonprofit dedicated to consumer information and taking on woke corporations, launched a new campaign Thursday targeting insurance giant Chubb Limited and its CEO Evan Greenberg, alleging “deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).” The campaign, which is facing pushback from a Chubb official and a pair of renowned China hawks accusing the nonprofit of misrepresenting Greenberg’s view, is part of a seven-figure initiative titled “China Chubb.” The campaign accuses the insurance company and its chief executive of “cozying up to the CCP” and “using their market power and resources to push a woke, political agenda on the American people.” The effort falls under Consumers’ Research’s Consumers First Initiative, aimed at exposing companies the group claims put politics ahead of consumers. Chubb’s business reaches across 54 countries, including China, territories and all 50 states and employs over 40,000 people worldwide. Consumers’ Research says the campaign will include a national 30-second television advertisement titled “China Chubb,” which will begin airing across the country following the launch. TOP INSURANCE COMPANY IN HOT SEAT AS BLISTERING NEW AD CAMPAIGN EXPOSES ‘RADICAL WOKE IDEOLOGY’ The campaign also features a new website, ChinaChubb.com; a mobile billboard that will circulate throughout Washington, D.C., including Capitol Hill and Chubb’s Washington office; and a targeted digital push with sponsored content on social media platforms and online news outlets. The ad campaign received a sharp rebuke from a Chubb spokesperson, who called it “completely dishonest” in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Evan has called out China’s authoritarian approach and predatory practices. He has repeatedly called for the U.S. to stand up and defend its interests,” the spokesperson said. Robert O’Brien, former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, also pushed back on the ad in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I’ve worked with Evan Greenberg for several years now on American relations with China,” O’Brien said. “In my dealings with Evan, he has been a proponent of U.S. interests in the region. Through its operations in China, his company has contributed to shrinking the U.S. trade deficit.” However, a Fox News Digital review found that Greenberg has personal and professional entanglements with the CCP, including meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and offering public statements praising the CCP’s global vision. Earlier this year, Greenberg reportedly attended China’s prestigious China Development Forum alongside executives like Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman and Mastercard’s Michael Miebach. The annual forum, which includes delegates from all over the world, also includes access to dozens of top CCP officials, according to a list of delegates released earlier this year. During this same week, Greenberg was pictured in a press release posted by the Chinese government showing him shaking hands with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, a top CCP position. The press release paraphrased Greenberg saying, “U.S.-China relationship is the most significant bilateral relationship in the world.” In 2024, Greenberg was photographed not only shaking hands with Xi in Beijing as Chair of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. He was also offering glowing remarks about China’s “resilience and vitality.” THINK TANK FOUNDER FACES SCRUTINY OVER CHINA CORPORATE TIES DESPITE DECOUPLING ADVOCACY “China’s exceptional economic growth and transformation over the past decades speak to its strong resilience and vitality,” Greenberg said. In November 2023, he introduced Xi at a San Francisco event. “Like many others in this room, I believe that a strong and prosperous China that supports and invests in the international system can be a force for good in the world,” Greenberg said at that event. “We are gathered today to gain insight from President Xi into his vision for the future of his country and of the relationship between the United States and China. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in warmly welcoming President Xi Jinping.” That same month, Evan Greenberg was elected board char of the National Committee onU.S.-China Relations after having been “an exemplary” board member and officer of the National Committee and “supporting the Committee’s mission.” The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations sold $40,000 tickets to Americans and American businesses to sit at Xi Jinping’s table during the welcome banquet in San Francisco featuring several other senior CCP officials and guests, which got slammed in a scathing letter from the House Select Committee on the CCP. In 2022, Xi sent personal greetings to a gala honoring Greenberg. Meanwhile, Greenberg sits on the advisory board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, an institution tied directly to China’s national security and defense apparatus. That university operates under a wing of the Chinese government known for defense tech development, a connection that would likely raise red flags for any U.S. executive overseeing sensitive insurance data. Greenberg is not the only prominent American business leader serving on that board, a group that includes Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Greenberg has also called on the U.S. to “tone down rhetoric about Taiwan” and slammed efforts to contain the CCP as “self-isolating” and doomed to fail. In shareholder letters, he’s warned against treating U.S.-China competition as a “new cold war” and labeled some American trade protections as “wrongheaded” and “unwise.” Greenberg has acknowledged the complicated nature of the Taiwan situation, however. “Taiwan presents the most proximate risk of conflict for the U.S.-China relationship,” he said in 2022. “Beijing has made its ambition clear that it wants to pull Taiwan into its orbit and, increasingly, is matching resources to its ambitions. Washington is improving coordination with allies to collectively deter China from using force, while at the same time supporting Taiwan’s efforts to improve its self-defense.” Also in 2022, Chubb secured Chinese government approval to acquire majority control of Huatai Insurance Group, a Chinese firm with over $10 billion in assets. That stake has since grown to 85.5%. Meanwhile, Greenberg’s father, Hank Greenberg, orchestrated business deals and meetings with CCP officials, including a Xi-endorsed event ahead of a key U.S.-China summit. That same