Biden’s doctor thought cognitive tests were ‘meaningless,’ ex-aide Bruce Reed told investigators
Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor previously dismissed cognitive tests as “meaningless,” ex-Biden administration aide Bruce Reed told House investigators on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the proceedings. Reed, who served as White House deputy chief of staff for policy, is the ninth member of former President Joe Biden’s inner circle to sit down with House Oversight Committee lawyers. A source familiar with his interview told Fox News Digital that Reed attributed Biden’s disastrous 2024 debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump to the former president’s stutter, a condition that’s been well-documented and Biden himself has publicly acknowledged. But his meandering and seemingly tired demeanor on stage with Trump alarmed both Democrats and media pundits, who saw it as a glaring sign of Biden’s advanced age. It precipitated both a public and private push by left-wing lawmakers to get Biden to drop out of the race — which he did in July 2024. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ When asked whether public concerns about Biden’s mental acuity were legitimate, however, the source told Fox News Digital that Reed said he believes Americans should not have had any concerns about the ex-president’s mental faculties. Reed also told investigators that “the president’s communications team anticipated that the issue of a cognitive test would likely be raised” in Biden’s interview with ABC News host George Stephanopoulos following the debate. “Mr. Reed further explained that President Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, dismissed cognitive tests as ‘meaningless,’” the source said. O’Connor was among the first former White House officials summoned by House investigators, and sat down with them last month after being compelled via subpoena. But his sit-down lasted less than an hour, with the doctor opting to invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering all questions but his name. His lawyers said at the time that was due to concerns about violating doctor-patient confidentiality. In his own interview Tuesday, Reed also defended the Biden 2024 campaign’s preference to hold the debate earlier than typical for a presidential cycle, the source said. “During his interview, Mr. Reed stated that the decision to hold the debate early was a deliberate strategy to get ahead of early voting and the Olympics. He emphasized that the campaign’s push for the early debate was unrelated to concerns about President Biden’s age,” the source said. Excerpts of Reed’s opening statement to investigators, obtained by Fox News Digital via a second source familiar with the interview, show he emphatically defended Biden’s cognitive abilities. “While I can only speak to my own observations, I had the benefit of working with President Biden nearly every day of his presidency. Despite his age, President Biden maintained an unrelenting work ethic, embraced complex policy issues, and approached decisions with diligence and deliberation,” Reed said, according to the source. LONGTIME BIDEN AIDE SAYS HE STOOD TO EARN UP TO $8M HAD PRESIDENT WON RE-ELECTION Reed also described Biden as “a demanding boss who routinely grilled staff members on a topic until he reached the limits of our knowledge so he could judge whether to have confidence in our advice,” though “that didn’t mean he’d take it.” “From the first days in the White House to the last, President Biden governed the same way he’d gotten there, by trusting his own values and instincts,” Reed said, according to the source. “There is no tougher test than the presidency: President Biden asked tough questions, made tough decisions, and led his country well in challenging times for the nation and the world.” Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is probing whether Biden’s senior aides worked to cover up evidence of mental decline in the former president, and whether that meant Biden was not making the final decision on executive matters signed by autopen. Of particular interest to Comer is the myriad of clemency orders Biden signed in the latter half of his presidency, though the former president told The New York Times last month that he was behind every decision. His allies have also dismissed Comer’s probe as purely political. Fox News Digital reached out to Reed’s counsel and lawyers for O’Connor for comment but did not hear back by press time.
Trump admin strikes new deportation deal with Rwanda to get illegal aliens off American soil
Rwanda has agreed to take in illegal immigrants deported from the United States amid the Trump administration’s plans to send deportees to third countries. Under the agreement, the country will take up to 250 deportees from the U.S., with “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told The Associated Press. DHS ANNOUNCES ‘THIRD COUNTRY DEPORTATION FLIGHT’ LANDED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA’S ESWATINI A State Department official told Fox News Digital that the U.S. works with Rwanda on a range of “mutual priorities” and that ongoing engagements with other governments is “vital to deterring illegal and mass migration and securing our borders.” Rwanda would be the third country to take in illegal immigrants from the U.S. Last month, the Trump administration sent 13 men it described as dangerous criminals who were in the U.S. illegally to South Sudan and Eswatini in Africa after their native countries refused to take them back. The U.S. has said it is seeking more agreements with African nations. “The United States is constantly engaged in diplomatic conversations with foreign nations who are willing to assist us in removing the illegal aliens that Joe Biden allowed to infiltrate American communities,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. EUROPEAN NATION AGREES TO ‘TEMPORARILY’ HOST DEPORTED IMMIGRANTS FROM US AMID TRUMP PUSH In addition to Rwanda, the U.S. has also deported hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador. In early July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing it to deport certain migrants to countries other than their homeland. In 2022, Rwanda struck a deal with the United Kingdom to accept migrants who arrived there to claim asylum. The deal was scrapped once Britain’s Labour government took over. Criticis of the deal voiced concerns regarding Rwanda’s human rights record and the possible dangers for refugees. In addition, Britain’s Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the deal was unlawful because Rwanda was not a safe third country for migrants. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘Speedway Slammer’ is red state’s answer to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility
EXCLUSIVE: Indiana will be getting their own version of Alligator Alcatraz in Florida with 1,000 beds. The “Speedway Slammer” will be located at the Miami Correctional Center in Miami County, which is in between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. The name is a nod to Indiana’s racing culture, such as the annual Indianapolis 500. “We are proud to work with President Trump and Secretary Noem as they remove the worst of the worst with this innovative partnership,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement on Tuesday. “Indiana is taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combating illegal immigration and will continue to lead the way among states.” RED STATES CONSIDER ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ SPINOFFS AS WH URGES THEM TO FOLLOW DESANTIS’ LEAD: ‘LOTS OF BEARS’ The funds are sourced from a reconciliation bill signed by President Donald Trump last month, dubbed the “one big, beautiful bill.” According to DHS, it provided the funding for the 287(g) program, which fosters collaboration between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local governments, in addition to 80,000 ICE detention beds. “COMING SOON to Indiana: The Speedway Slammer. Today, we’re announcing a new partnership with the state of Indiana to expand detention bed space by 1,000 beds,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Thanks to Governor Braun for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country. If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Indiana’s Speedway Slammer. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App.” TRUMP SAYS ONLY WAY OUT OF ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ IS DEPORTATION The Trump administration has continued deportation operations as it encourages people who are in the country illegally, but do not have an additional criminal record, to self-deport. The administration is offering $1,000 and free travel out of the country if people exit on their own, which opens up the door for the individual to return legally, according to DHS. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Alligator Alcatraz opened this summer under the purview of federal officials and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and it’s meant to be a stopping point before individuals in the country illegally are deported. The facility used state funds at first, but will also get money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It can hold 2,000 people but is expected to hold 4,000 in the future, and deportation flights already started at the end of last month. “I’m pleased to report that those flights out of Alligator Alcatraz by DHS have begun. The cadence is increasing. We’ve already had a number of flights, in the last few days, we’ve had hundreds of illegals [that] have been removed from here,” DeSantis said at the time. SELF-DEPORT OR END UP IN ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ,’ NOEM WARNS MIGRANTS DURING TRUMP VISIT The facility was a defunct airport in the Everglades, and a second center is likely to be built in Florida, according to WJHL. Sunshine State leaders faced scrutiny from both left-wing immigration and environmental activists due to its location and purpose. “Building a bare-bones tented detention center on hot tarmac in the middle of the Everglades and exposing imprisoned immigrants to the elements is a cruel and absurd proposal,” Melissa Abdo, PhD, National Parks Conservation Association Sun Coast Regional Director, said in a July 1 statement in opposition to the facility. “The Everglades’ intense heat, humidity, and storms can be hazardous without proper precautions. This facility’s remote, harsh nature could leave people in very real danger, especially as Florida’s heat index skyrockets and hurricane season escalates.”
WATCH: Trump says FBI ‘may have to’ help Texas round up AWOL Dem lawmakers
President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that the FBI “may have to” round up a group of Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas to avoid voting on the state’s proposed redistricting map. This comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and several Texas leaders, including Attorney General Ken Paxton, have demanded that the 50 Democratic members of the state legislature who fled the state return or face consequences. The Democrats fled the state in an effort to deny Republicans the necessary two-thirds quorum required to vote on the redistricting map, which would likely give the GOP an edge in elections and potentially add five House seats to the Texas Republican congressional delegation. National Democrats have praised the stunt. During a press conference on Sunday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a leading Democratic figure, shared his support for the Texas Democrats, describing their departure as a “righteous act of courage,” while claiming Republicans want to silence “millions of voices, especially Black and Latino voters.” FBI URGED TO LOCATE OR ARREST TEXAS DEMOCRATS WHO FLED STATE TO STALL REDISTRICTING VOTE Abbott said the lawmakers’ commitment to voting as elected state officials is a duty and is “not optional.” The governor also said a legislator determined to have “forfeited his or her office due to abandonment” can be removed from office under the Texas Constitution, thereby creating a vacancy, which the governor can “swiftly fill” under Article III, Section 13. After the Democrats failed to meet Abbott’s 4 p.m. CT Monday deadline to return, Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows announced he would sign arrest warrants against any absent Democrat lawmakers if authorized by a vote of the chamber. Shortly thereafter, the House did approve the warrants and Abbott then swiftly called on the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest the “delinquent Texas House Democrats.” The attorney general has stated that the lawmakers “should be found and arrested no matter where they go.” Trump weighed in on the political intrigue Tuesday at the White House when he was asked by a reporter, “Do you want the federal government and the FBI to help locate and arrest these Texas Democrats who have left the state?” ‘ALL-OUT WAR’: FLEEING TEXAS DEMS SIDE WITH NEWSOM AS REDISTRICTING STANDOFF CONTINUES: ‘FIRE WITH FIRE’ The president responded that it is a bad look for Democrats to “abandon” the state rather than fight it out in the legislature. “Well, I think they’ve abandoned the state,” he said. “Nobody’s seen anything like it, even though they’ve done it twice before. And, in a certain way, it almost looks like they’ve abandoned the state. Looks very bad.” Pressed further on whether the FBI should get involved, Trump answered, “Well, they may have to.” “They may have to,” he repeated. “No, I know they want them back. Not only the attorney general, the governor wants them back. If you look, I mean the governor of Texas is demanding they come back. So, a lot of people are demanding they come back. You can’t just sit it out. You have to go back. You have to fight it out. That’s what elections are all about.” ‘BUTTER KNIFE TO A GUNFIGHT’: DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER RIPS HIS PARTY’S STRATEGY IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE Asked by Fox News Channel’s Peter Doocy whether he thought Texas’ redistricting plans were worth risking blue states similarly retaliating, Trump answered, “They’ll do it anyway.” “Why, if we stop over there, they would have done it anyway,” he said. “Look, a lot of these states, you know, I watched this morning as Democrats are complaining and they’re complaining from states where they’ve done it, like in Illinois, like in Massachusetts.” “The Democrats have done it long before we started. They’ve done it all over the place. They did it in New York. They did it in a lot of different states,” Trump went on. CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S ‘HYPER-PARTISAN’ MAP IS ‘UNIQUELY CORRUPT,’ GOP LAWMAKER ARGUES The president went on to praise Texas’ redistricting plans, saying, “There’s tremendous support for it.” He also praised Abbott, saying the future of the plans depends on him. “Texas is a place that’s done very well with a free enterprise kind of an attitude, with the exact opposite of what’s happening in New York with a communist mayor. And they know what they’re doing. And they’re doing the right thing,” he said. “So, we’ll see what happens. We have a wonderful governor in Texas. He feels strongly about it. It’s going to be up to him.”
RFK Jr cancels $500 million in mRNA research, HHS to prioritize ‘safer’ vaccine alternatives
A total of 22 mRNA vaccine development contracts totaling roughly $500 million have been canceled, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Tuesday. The mRNA investments were part of the government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of HHS that drives some of the country’s most advanced scientific research, such as the development of vaccines, drugs and other tools to fight national health threats. The termination of the 22 BARDA contracts follows a several-weeks-long internal review to determine a path forward when it comes to these investments. “We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday. “BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.” RFK JR SCRAPS VACCINE COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN EFFORT TO RESTORE ‘PUBLIC TRUST’ In a short video explaining the move, Kennedy said the benefits simply do not outweigh the risks associated with mRNA vaccines. Kennedy went on to point out that not only do mRNA vaccines – as shown during the COVID-19 pandemic – not perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract, but they also do not defend against mutations of the viruses they are intended to go after. “This dynamic drives a phenomena called anogenic shift, meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine,” Kennedy said in the video. For example, the HHS secretary pointed to the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, which infected many millions, including those who had been vaccinated against COVID. “A single mutation can make mRNA vaccines ineffective,” Kebbedy added, noting that the same risks also apply to the flu virus. HHS SLAMS ‘UNDER-TESTED’ MRNA TECHNOLOGY AS TRUMP CUTS MODERNA’S VACCINE FUNDING The move to cancel the mRNA contracts under BARDA will not entirely cancel all mRNA vaccine research done by the government, a source familiar with the move indicated. In addition to allowing some final-stage contracts to run their course to completion in an effort to preserve prior taxpayer investments, ongoing mRNA research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not be impacted by this latest move. Meanwhile, in lieu of the terminated mRNA research and investments at BARDA, HHS will focus on “safer, broader vaccine strategies,” Kennedy indicated. “To replace the troubled mRNA programs, we’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies like whole virus vaccines and novel platforms that don’t collapse when viruses mutate,” Kennedy said in his video explanation about the terminated mRNA investments. During the video, Kennedy reiterated his support for “safe, effective vaccines” for any American who wants them. “That’s why we’re moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions.”
Trump appears on White House roof amid talks of historic renovations
President Donald Trump appeared on the roof of the White House on Monday, indicating to the press that he was reviewing potential renovations for the presidential residence. Trump specifically appeared above the West Wing and the press briefing room, with reporters crowded on the White House lawn to see him. There was also heavy security during the appearance due to the president’s exposure. Trump spoke with several people while on the roof, though the White House has not identified them or said what they discussed. The appearance comes just days after Trump announced that he and private donors will fund an estimated $200 million cost of a new ballroom at the White House. TRUMP CONFIRMS 2 NUCLEAR SUBMARINES ARE ‘IN THE REGION’ TO COUNTER RUSSIA White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday during a briefing that the construction is scheduled to begin in September and will be “completed long before the end of President Trump’s term.” TRUMP INSTALLS MASSIVE NEW US FLAGS AT THE WHITE HOUSE – AND THEY DON’T COST TAXPAYERS A PENNY Trump similarly financed the installation of two 88-foot American flags flanking the White House earlier this year, each reportedly costing around $50,000. “The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said, adding the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.” She said the United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications during the construction. The project is intended to provide a dedicated space for hosting official events, state dinners and large ceremonial gatherings. The planned 90,000-square-foot addition will accommodate approximately 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classical design of the White House. Fox Business’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report
Trump answers question on whether he’ll try to run again
President Donald Trump answered Tuesday whether he would try to campaign for the White House a fourth time around. During a phone interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Trump was discussing Bureau of Labor Statistics job numbers that he argues were “rigged” during the 2024 presidential election to inflate former President Joe Biden’s economic performance. While discussing gerrymandering, Trump said he “got the highest vote in the history of Texas” – a claim CNBC anchorman Joe Kernen initially challenged but then admitted a network fact-check showed Trump did get the highest number of votes in Texas. “I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, a record that they say won’t be beaten unless I run again,” Trump said. TRUMP CONFIRMS 2 NUCLEAR SUBMARINES ARE ‘IN THE REGION’ TO COUNTER RUSSIA CNBC anchorwoman Rebecca Quick interjected, “Are you going to run again? The Constitution…” “No, probably not,” Trump responded. “Probably not.” “And you’re not going to, and you’re not going to fire Jay Powell,” Kernen added, referencing tensions between Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Trump circled back to address Quick directly: “I’d like to run,” Trump told the anchorwoman. “I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had. You know why. Because people love the tariffs, and they love the trade deals, and they love that countries – they love that foreign countries aren’t ripping us off. For years, they ripped us. A friend, and foe and a friend. And the friends were worse.” The 22nd amendment of the U.S. Constitution says a person can be elected president only twice. If someone takes over as president – as a vice president would due to death or resignation – and serves more than two years in that term, the amendment states that person can only be elected president once more. It effectively sets a maximum of 10 years for any person to serve as commander-in-chief. TRUMP GOES AFTER SCHUMER: TELL HIM ‘GO TO HELL’ George Washington set the tradition of stepping down as president after two terms, but the amendment came about in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four terms. Roosevelt served during the Great Depression and World War II. Trump earlier this year both teased and distanced himself from the idea of a third term, as some conservative circles have floated changing the 22nd amendment to allow an exception for nonconsecutive presidencies. Before Trump, the last and only other president to serve two nonconsecutive terms was Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s. In May, Trump said he considered it a “compliment” that “so many people” wanted him to run in 2028 but said it was not something he was interested in pursuing. “I have never had requests so strong as that. But it’s something to the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to do,” Trump told MSNBC’s Kristen Welker. “There are many people selling the 2028 hat, but this is not something I’m looking to do. I’m looking to having four great years, and turn it over to somebody, ideally a great Republican. A great Republican to carry it forward. But I think we’re going to have four years, and four years is plenty of time to do something really spectacular.” Trump said he believed the MAGA movement could survive without him, floating Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential successors.
GOP showdown: South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson accuses Rep. Nancy Mace of ‘ranting and raving’
EXCLUSIVE – As she launched her campaign for South Carolina governor, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace took aim at what she called “weak leadership” in the state. The statement from Mace, which was reported first by Fox News Digital on Monday, appeared to be a subtle dig at the state’s Republican leaders, including longtime South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who is a top rival for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Mace and Wilson are considered the front-runners in a crowded GOP primary field in the 2026 race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who is the Palmetto State’s longest-serving governor. Wilson, in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital a couple of hours after Mace announced her candidacy, argued that “Mace has been ranting and raving for the last six months about running for governor without actually saying it.” REPUBLICAN FIREBRAND NANCY MACE JUMPS INTO CROWDED SOUTH CAROLINA RACE FOR GOVERNOR Mace told Fox News a week and a half ago, ahead of her campaign launch, “I will fight to the finish, and I will take out South Carolina’s Attorney General, because he’s turned a blind eye on women and on children and on the state for a lot of reasons. He might force me to do this.” Mace, in a bombshell speech on the U.S. House floor in February, alleged that Wilson ignored evidence of sexual assault against her and other women. In her hour-long speech, Mace accused four men, including her ex-fiance, of sexual crimes and said she was among the victims. HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS MEMBER RALPH NORMAN ANNOUNCES BID FOR SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR Wilson vehemently denied Mace’s accusations, saying at the time “that allegation was never made to me — no one in my office.” Wilson, in a recent statement to Fox News, argued that “Mace is a liar who will do anything to get attention to distract from her liberal voting record. I’ve served our country and dedicated my civilian career to protecting children.” And pointing to Mace, Wilson said on Monday that “it’s obvious to me that she thinks about me more than I think about her. I’ve been very busy doing my job here in South Carolina and I really don’t pay that much attention to this person.” “I’m not running against anybody,” he added. “I’m running for the people of South Carolina.” Wilson said as he campaigns for governor, he’s “trying to have a message that is uplifting, a message that is aspiration, and I’m trying to demonstrate to the people of South Carolina that I have a record of accomplishment, a record of success and I would be a stable hand on the wheel of South Carolina.” And in what appeared to be a jab at Mace, he added, “I believe that you can be an agent of change and reform for our state without being an agent of chaos.” Wilson showcased what he called his “real record of accomplishment, supporting and defending victims of crime in South Carolina as well as going after public officials who commit corrupt acts.” And pointing to an issue that Mace regularly spotlights, Wilson said “when it comes to standing up to women and girls in sports and protecting women in private spaces, I’m the only candidate who’s been in court defending South Carolina’s laws.” Mace kicked off her gubernatorial campaign with an event at Charleston’s Citadel, which is South Carolina’s military college and her alma mater. Mace made history as the first female graduate of the Citadel’s Corps of Cadets. But Wilson, in his Fox News Digital interview, highlighted his long military career. “The governor of South Carolina is the commander-in-chief of the South Carolina National Guard,” he noted. “I’ve got nearly 30 years in the military. I have served a combat tour in Iraq. I’m currently a colonel in the national guard. And I’m the only person in this race with real combat experience.” And pointing to his support from law enforcement, Wilson said that he’s been endorsed by 26 sheriffs across the state, including all five in Mace’s congressional district in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Wilson said his priorities as governor would be “focusing on reforming our education system, investing in our infrastructure, getting rid of fraud, waste and abuse, eliminating the income tax, and being more accountable to the people of South Carolina will be my priorities.” Mace and Wilson are facing off in the Republican gubernatorial primary along with Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Ralph Norman, and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell. President Donald Trump remains neutral so far in the primary. Trump’s grip over the GOP, thanks to his 2024 victory to win back the White House, is stronger than ever, and his endorsements in GOP nomination races are extremely influential. Asked if she could land the president’s endorsement, Mace told Fox News Digital recently that “I’ll be working very hard if I get in to earn his support.” And in her campaign launch video, Mace used clips of Trump calling her a “fighter” in a speech, and adding that “when she sets her sight on something, she’s tough.” But Wilson emphasized he’s “supported President Trump as attorney general since his first term…I have defended the president in court. I have defended his agenda in court. I have a great relationship with the president.” Wilson added, “I intend to earn his endorsement and earn his support the way he has earned mine. And I’ve had his back for the last eight or nine years.”
Netherlands becomes first NATO ally to buy US weapons for Ukraine
The Netherlands will become the first European state to provide cash to purchase U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine, under a plan agreed to by President Donald Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte. Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced Monday his nation will contribute €500 million ($576 million) to a fund called the NATO Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative. Brekelmans said the funding would go toward Patriot systems and missiles, a mobile surface-to-air interceptor. Developed in the 1980s and still considered one of the U.S.’s most advanced air defense systems, the Patriot can thwart attacks from aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. TRUMP’S NATO DEAL TO ARM UKRAINE WINS OVER GOP SKEPTICS A new Patriot system and the missiles to go along with it could cost around $1.1 billion, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The newest version of the missile costs around $4 million a piece. Last month during a White House meeting with Rutte, Trump promised Europe would spend “billions” on U.S. weapons to arm Ukraine. “Billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment is going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO… And that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield,” Trump said. TRUMP, RUTTE ANNOUNCE ‘REALLY BIG’ NATO ARMS PACKAGE AMID NEW 50 DAY DEADLINE Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Netherlands for the funding on X. “Ukraine, and thus the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror,” he wrote. “I am sincerely grateful to the Netherlands for their substantial contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s air shield,” he added. Rutte also thanked the Netherlands and encouraged other European NATO allies to follow suit. “This is about getting Ukraine the equipment it urgently needs now to defend itself against Russian aggression,” he said in a statement. “I have written to all NATO Allies, urging them to contribute towards this burden-sharing initiative, and I expect further significant announcements from other Allies soon.” The Netherlands has emerged as one of Ukraine’s top defense donors, committing close to €3 billion in military aid since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Dutch support has included tanks, F-16 training, and now, contributions toward strategic air defense platforms like the Patriot. The new Trump-NATO agreement came after Republicans expressed frustration with the nearly $128 billion in aid the U.S. has offered to Ukraine, arguing Europe should take up the burden. At the same time, Trump has increasingly grown impatient with Russian President Vladimir Putin during peace negotiations. White House envoy Steve Witkoff is set to head to Moscow this week before the deadline Trump gave Putin for ending the war. The president has threatened to slap steep tariffs on Russia and any nations that do business with it if this week’s negotiations fail to produce a deal.
Justice Department weighs release of Ghislaine Maxwell interview
The Justice Department is weighing the release of the audio file and transcript of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s interview late last month with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, senior administration officials told Fox News — the latest in a nearly month-long saga that has consumed the Trump administration and the attention of the public since early July. Blanche’s interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell took place over a two-day period in Florida, where she had been serving out a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida. The questions took place at the U.S. Attorney’s office in Tallahassee. Maxwell was transferred last week without explanation to a new, minimum-security women’s federal prison camp in Texas. COMER SUBPOENAS THE CLINTONS, TRUMP’S DOJ IN HOUSE OVERSIGHT’S EPSTEIN PROBE It is unclear how long the tape and transcripts from the interviews between Blanche and Maxwell are, but they do exist, Fox News has learned, and discussions are underway today involving whether — and when — to release them. Anything released by the Trump administration would almost certainly involve heavily redacting any identifying information of individuals named in the transcript in order to protect victims— something Attorney General Pam Bondi has stressed in public on multiple occasions. The Justice Department declined to comment on additional specifics involving the interview or its release. Still, the news comes as the Justice Department and FBI have struggled to quell the mounting public pressure on them to release more information related to the Epstein investigation— underscoring the story’s sticking power in a fast-moving news cycle, and among Trump supporters, who have been some of the leading voices in demanding the information be released. COMER SUBPOENAS THE CLINTONS, TRUMP’S DOJ IN HOUSE OVERSIGHT’S EPSTEIN PROBE This pressure reached a fever pitch on July 7, after the Justice Department said in an unsigned memo that it did not plan to release more information about the investigation. They also said there was no “client list,” as had been suggested. In the face of mounting public protest, Tuesday’s news makes clear the degree to which the Trump administration appears to be rethinking that response to the fallout. Trump, for his part, has called for the Justice Department to release “all credible” evidence in the files. “We’d like to release everything, but we don’t want people to get hurt that shouldn’t be hurt, and I would assume that was why he was there,” he told Newsmax late last week. Also on Tuesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued multiple subpoenas related to the Epstein investigation, including subpoenaing the Justice Department for production of the “complete” Epstein files to the committee “by or before August 19,” according to a letter. The House Oversight Committee subcommittee panel also subpoenaed former government officials for depositions in the Epstein probe, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. The panel voted by unanimous voice vote in late July to subpoena the individuals, and held a separate vote on subpoenaing the Justice Departent. Fox News’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.