Minnesota lawmakers vow new crackdown after $1B fraud meltdown they say Walz let spiral
As investigations continue into widespread fraud across multiple government programs, Minnesota lawmakers and a former prosecutor on the case spoke to Fox News Digital about how to fix the roots of the crisis that lie in years of unchecked incompetence, political resistance to oversight, and a culture inside state government that discouraged whistleblowers from speaking out. “Republicans have proposed a number of common sense guardrails,” Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman told Fox News Digital. “I have a bill that mandates state employees to report fraud if they know of it to law enforcement, but Democrats have blocked us every step of the way.” Republican state Sen. Michael Kreun told Fox News Digital that Republicans will put forward measures to crack down on fraud during the next legislative session early next year. “There’s going to be a number of bills coming up here in the next legislative session to address fraud,” Kreun said. “The one that I’ve been working on this past year was a bill to establish a statewide office of inspector general, which would be an independent office not that wouldn’t direct directly answer to the governor, whose sole mission would be to root out fraud, investigate fraud, with all providers and recipients across all state agencies and to be overlooking the agencies themselves.” ‘HE HAD YEARS TO STOP THIS’: GOP LAWMAKERS BLAST WALZ OVER MASSIVE MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME Kreun blamed Walz for his legislation stalling in the Democrat-controlled House earlier this year, a sentiment echoed by state Rep. Patti Anderson, who wrote on X, “Speaker Demuth tried to get the OIG bill passed in the House but the House Dems killed it due to pressure from Governor Walz. We all know that’s true. Let’s hope House Dems finally see the light and we get it done next year.” Walz’s office directed Fox News Digital to a clip of Demuth saying in a press conference last week that Walz previously stated “he would sign it” if the bill got to his desk. “So that’s one measure that we can take next year,” Kreun said. “There’s gonna be a whole host of other measures to put up those guardrails to make sure that it becomes a lot harder to commit fraud here in Minnesota.” Minneapolis has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks over a massive fraud scheme dating back to at least 2020 that permeated several departments and several nonprofits, ranging from childcare services, to COVID-19 relief, to autism care. It is believed by many to eventually eclipse $1 billion in wasted state and federal taxpayer funds. The most prominent scandal, related to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future and representing the nation’s largest COVID-19 fraud case, involves a scheme that prosecutors say exploited a federally funded children’s nutrition program administered by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, siphoning money meant to provide meals to low-income kids. ELON MUSK ACCUSES ILHAN OMAR OF TREASON OVER SOMALIA COMMENTS IN VIRAL SOCIAL MEDIA POST “For this amount of fraud to take place in the state of Minnesota, a billion or more dollars of fraud to happen has to be apathy and incompetence,” GOP state Sen. Julia Coleman told Fox News Digital. “Years ago, before this ever hit the national media stage, I sat on an education committee trying to get to the bottom of how the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal happened. Now, this was years ago. There have been no additional guardrails in place, and in fact, fraud has been allowed to be more rampant than ever. It’s a mix of apathy and incompetence. Republicans have proposed a number of common sense guardrails. I have a bill that mandates state employees to report fraud if they know of it to law enforcement, but Democrats have blocked us every step of the way.” GOP state Sen. Mark Koran told Fox News Digital that while legislation will help, ultimately, the oversight in Minnesota is done by the executive branch. “It’s not gonna change with this governor,” Koran said. Fox News Digital also spoke to former federal prosecutor Joe Teirab, who worked on the Feeding Our Future case, and asked him what changes need to be made to ensure this large-scale fraud doesn’t happen again. “I think you need to look at all these big government programs where tons of money is going out, and especially the ones in which nonprofits or other organizations are just entrusted to be watchdogs themselves,” Teirab explained. “That’s just not a system that’s set up well. Those things need we need to have way more checks and balances, way more structure to make sure that that money’s going out to the right people and it’s actually being used in the way that it should be used, and then we need to give more teeth and more ability for auditors and inspector generals to actually say, hey, look, if someone is potentially committing fraud, that person, the money should be cut off from them in other aspects of other agencies.” Minnesota’s Legislature is on a razor’s edge. Democrats currently hold a one-seat majority in the state Senate, 34–33, but after the most recent elections the Minnesota House is now split 67–67, with a power-sharing agreement in place between the two parties. That means even a small handful of defections or cross-party votes could decide whether tougher anti-fraud measures advance or stall. “Ultimately, we need to figure out the depth of this problem, get it taken care of once and for all, get the right people in place,” Kreun told Fox News Digital. “A change in the administration would go a long way towards helping that, and then rebuilding that trust with proper safeguards and people that are looking out for the taxpayer and make sure that they’re not getting ripped off.”
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Thursday’s big Senate votes on healthcare
Today is the pivotal day for the Senate on healthcare. The Senate takes test votes on competing Democratic and Republican proposals to address astronomical healthcare premium spikes at the end of the year. But it’s about the math. Both need 60 yeas. Neither will pass. Everything starts around 11:30 a.m. ET. The Senate votes first on a GOP plan. It does not renew the expiring Obamacare subsidies. It simply allows people to use health savings accounts (HSAs) to shop for coverage. Republicans believe this will dramatically bring down healthcare costs. MODERATE REPUBLICANS STAGE OBAMACARE REBELLION AS HEALTH COST FRUSTRATIONS ERUPT IN HOUSE The Senate then pivots to the Democratic plan. It renews the expiring Obamacare subsidies for three years without reforms. Today’s votes are part of a demand by a coalition of Democratic senators who helped end the government shutdown. They requested a vote (not necessarily a fix) on healthcare before the end of the year. It’s possible there could be other votes related to healthcare as well today. COLLINS, MORENO UNVEIL OBAMACARE PLAN AS REPUBLICANS SEARCH FOR SOLUTION TO EXPIRING SUBSIDIES So what happens if both votes fail? It’s possible that could spark the Senate to get serious about addressing the spiking subsidies. They’ve done their posturing and have two weeks until Christmas. Lawmakers often accomplish the most legislatively when they face a deadline — especially before the holidays. It’s also possible Congress does nothing and the premiums go up on Jan. 1. This is a deep impasse and a hard one to resolve quickly. That said, many lawmakers — especially Republicans — are leery of leaving town for the holidays without addressing this issue. Republicans know they face a particular vulnerability here before the midterms. Especially since “affordability” is the buzzword of the day. That could make lawmakers buckle down over the next two weeks — especially after today’s plans fail.
Trump’s Ukraine deadline sparks rift on Capitol Hill amid stalled peace talks
Lawmakers gave mixed reactions to the timeline that President Donald Trump laid out for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a peace plan. The new timeline, first reported by the Financial Times, gives Ukraine just “days” to consider the 20-point design floated by the administration after months of stalemate. According to the Times, the administration wants to have an answer by Christmas. ZELENSKYY APPEARS TO CHANGE HIS MIND ON HOLDING ELECTIONS AFTER TRUMP’S CRITICISM Where some lawmakers believe a sense of urgency is essential to drawing the parties to the table, others criticized the timeline as a tool that they believe is putting a disproportionate amount of pressure on Ukraine. “I don’t think people should be given a deadline when it comes to defending their freedom and sovereignty,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said Wednesday. Whether Ukraine will have to surrender some of its land has become the main sticking point amid broader conversations on the 20-point peace plan brokered by the United States. Zelenskyy has repeatedly said conceding territory is a line he won’t cross. On Wednesday, in a post to X, he said he would work with Ukraine’s allies to find an acceptable resolution to the conflict. “We continue to communicate with all our partners on a daily basis, virtually 24/7, to identify doable and realistic steps to bring the war to an end. Everything must be reliable and dignified for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “We are finalizing work on the 20 points of a fundamental document that could define the parameters for ending the war, and we expect to deliver this document to the United States in the near future following our joint work with President Trump’s team and partners in Europe.” TRUMP PRESSURES ZELENSKYY FOR NEW ELECTIONS, WARNS UKRAINE OF ‘A POINT WHERE IT’S NOT A DEMOCRACY ANYMORE’ Like Van Hollen, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said he believes the timeline doesn’t help reach a resolution. But he also questioned how firm the timeline request would be. Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, noted Trump has made similar efforts to put pressure on peace talks in the past. “Over and over and over and over, President Trump’s attitude towards Russia and Ukraine has changed off again, on again, off again over the last 11 months,” Coons said. “It is long past time for President Trump to acknowledge that Russia is the aggressor, that Ukraine is a democracy, and that our vital national interest rests with defending Ukraine. He should not be giving timeline ultimatums,” Coons said. But not all lawmakers see the timeline as counterproductive. Republicans said it introduces a needed degree of pressure. “I don’t criticize the timelines, because I think that forces people to the table and to try to work it out,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., who is a longtime supporter of sending U.S. aid to Ukraine. “But I do think that we have to make sure that we’re clear on who the aggressor is and who the victim is and proceed accordingly,” Fitzpatrick added. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, declined to praise or condemn the timeline. But in a pragmatic sense, he believes it helps Ukraine come to grips with the ugly reality of war and what he sees as an unsustainable drain to the country’s military power. ZELENSKYY READY TO PRESENT NEW PEACE PROPOSALS TO US AND RUSSIA AFTER WORKING WITH EUROPEAN TALKS “I’m not trying to take any sides on this, other than the longer this goes on, the more devastating it is to Ukraine post-war,” Issa said. “If you look at this, like you look at a chessboard where you have 20 pawns and I have 10, and we’re trading them one for one. Time is not on the side of the one that has 10.” “Time is [Zelenskyy’s] enemy, because every day that goes by that we’re at a standstill, he doesn’t become militarily weaker, but from a human asset [view], he’s becoming weaker. And you know, this is not a sustainable war because he can’t produce another generation of fighters to replace the ones that are being killed or maimed every day,” Issa said. It’s unclear what the Trump administration would do if the conflict were to stretch past that window. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
New Jersey’s medically assisted suicide law only covers state residents, appeals court rules
A federal appeals court ruled that New Jersey’s medical aid-in-dying law applies only to state residents, rejecting efforts by out-of-state patients and physicians to challenge the restriction. The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the state’s residency requirement, finding that New Jersey is not required to make assisted suicide available to non-residents. In an opinion written by Judge Stephanos Bibas, the court acknowledged the difficult decisions facing terminally ill patients but said the option remains limited under state law. “Death brings good things to an end, but rarely neatly,” U.S. Circuit Court Judge Stephanos Bibas wrote in the opinion issued last week. “Many terminally ill patients face a grim reality: imminent, painful death. Some may want to avert that suffering by enlisting a doctor’s help to end their own lives. New Jersey lets its residents make that choice—but only its residents.” New Jersey is one of 11 states, along with Washington, D.C., that allow physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults. Most states restrict the practice to residents, though Oregon and Vermont allow access regardless of residency. LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST KANSAS LAW NULLIFYING END-OF-LIFE CHOICES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN The case began when a Delaware woman with stage four lymphoma sought to use New Jersey’s law but was blocked by the residency rule. She died after arguments in the case. A New Jersey doctor who wanted to treat patients from nearby states also joined the challenge, as did other plaintiffs who have since passed away or retired. One of the plaintiffs, Dr. Paul Bryman, said he was disappointed by the ruling. “Terminal patients outside New Jersey should have the option of medical aid in dying without having to travel long distances,” he said. DELAWARE’S ASSISTED SUICIDE BILL SIGNED INTO LAW, MAKING IT THE 11TH STATE WITH SUCH A STATUTE New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed the measure into law in 2019, saying at the time that while his Catholic faith might prevent him from choosing assisted suicide for himself, he supported the right of others to make that decision. Under the law, a patient must be an adult New Jersey resident with a terminal diagnosis and a prognosis of six months or fewer to live. Two physicians must confirm the diagnosis and the patient’s capacity to decide. Patients must make two requests — at least one of them in writing with two witnesses — and must be given the opportunity to rescind. At least one witness cannot be a family member, heir, attending physician or an employee of the facility where the patient receives care. Patients must self-administer the medication, and doctors are required to offer alternatives such as palliative care. ‘LOVE YOU FOREVER’ AUTHOR MAY SOON DIE BY ASSISTED SUICIDE, PRO-LIFE GROUPS CALL DECISION ‘HEARTBREAKING’ A lower court previously dismissed the challenge, finding that physician-assisted suicide is not a fundamental right states must extend to non-residents. The appeals court agreed. “In our federal system, states are free to experiment with policies as grave as letting doctors assist suicide. Other states are free to keep it a crime,” the appeals court ruling said. “This novel option does not appear to be a fundamental privilege, let alone a fundamental right, that states must accord visitors.” Delaware’s own aid-in-dying law goes into effect on Jan. 1. Several other countries, including Canada, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and Colombia, have also legalized physician-assisted suicide. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Environmental group sues Trump for replacing national park pass photo with his own image
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit Wednesday to prevent President Donald Trump‘s face from appearing on next year’s National Parks Pass. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., argues the Trump administration violated the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act by substituting the winning picture from the National Parks Foundation’s annual public lands photo contest with an image of President Trump. “Blotting out the majesty of America’s national parks with a closeup of his own face is Trump’s crassest, most ego-driven action yet,” Kierán Suckling, the center’s executive director, said in a statement. “The national parks are treasured by Americans of every stripe. Their timeless power and magnificence rise above even the most bitter political differences to quietly bring all Americans together.” Suckling continued, “It’s disgusting of Trump to politicize America’s most sacred refuge by pasting his face over the national parks in the same way he slaps his corporate name on buildings, restaurants, and golf courses.” TOP TRUMP DEPARTMENT ROLLS OUT CHRISTMAS TREE SAVINGS PLAN: ‘MAKING THIS SEASON BRIGHTER’ The executive director added that national parks “are not a personal branding opportunity.” “They’re the pride and joy of the American people,” he asserted. According to the lawsuit, the 2026 America the Beautiful Pass was supposed to feature an image of Glacier National Park, the winner of the photo contest. “Instead the Department of the Interior (DOI) replaced it with a closeup of President Trump’s face,” the center said, adding that the Glacier National Park photo was “illegally relegated” to the new “Nonresident” pass. BURGUM CALLS CALIFORNIA A ‘NATIONAL SECURITY RISK’ AS ENERGY CHIEF WARNS BLUE STATES ARE SKEWING COST AVERAGES The center argued that the Trump administration broke the law by using a photo that was “not taken on federal land and was not entered in the public contest, and by creating new Resident and Nonresident passes expressly prohibited by the law.” “America the Beautiful means wild rivers and majestic mountains, not a headshot of a bloated, fragile, attention-seeking ego,” Suckling stated. “There’s nothing beautiful about that.” On Nov. 25, the DOI announced the launch of “America the Beautiful passes” intended to put “American families first” by implementing a new resident-focused fee beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The passes include photos of animals, parks, Trump with George Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt, the president most associated with the creation of America’s national parks. The Trump administration also added President Donald Trump’s birthday as a fee-free day for Americans visiting national parks, while eliminating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from the list. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Department of the Interior for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
ICE accuses Dem lawmaker of joining ‘rioting crowd’ in Arizona, interfering in mass arrest
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday accused Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., of joining a “rioting crowd” and attempting to interfere with agents during a mass arrest operation last week. The accusation came after Grijalva claimed she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” during an immigration raid on Dec. 5 in Tucson, an account ICE flatly rejected. “During the operation, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rioting crowd and attempted to impede law enforcement officers, then took to social media to slander law enforcement by falsely claiming she was pepper sprayed,” ICE said in a statement. Fox News Digital has reached out to Grijalva’s office for comment. JUDGE REJECTS REP. LAMONICA MCIVER’S BID TO TOSS ASSAULT CASE, SAYS HER ACTIONS HAD ‘NO LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE’ ICE and its federal partners arrested 46 illegal immigrants during the operation, the result of a “multiyear investigation into a transnational criminal organization involved in labor exploitation, tax violations, and immigration violations,” the agency said. ICE said “over 100 agitators” arrived at one of the locations it searched and “attempted to impede law enforcement operations.” “Agitators quickly turned violent, assaulting officers and slashing tires,” ICE added. DEM-BACKED ‘DIGNITY’ BILL COULD STRIP ICE OF DETENTION POWERS, ERASE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, CRITICS WARN In a post on X on Friday, Grijalva said she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” after seeking information from officers during ICE’s operation near the Taco Giro restaurant. “ICE just conducted a raid by Taco Giro in Tucson — a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for years,” Grijalva wrote. “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed.” Grijalva also called ICE a “lawless agency” that is “operating with no transparency, no accountability, and open disregard for basic due process” in a separate X post. MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS TAKE GUNFIRE AS RIOTERS RAM VEHICLES, HURL DEBRIS IN CHICAGO Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin immediately disputed Grijalva’s account, saying she was never directly sprayed but merely in the “vicinity of someone who was.” “If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,” McLaughlin said. “But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.” ICE said two people in the crowd were arrested – one for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and another for damaging a government vehicle. Two Homeland Security Investigation Special Response Team operators were also injured. When reached for comment, DHS referred Fox News Digital to ICE’s statement on the operation. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump rips Indiana GOP leader over redistricting fight, warns Republicans could face ‘MAGA primary’
President Donald Trump lashed out at Indiana state Senate leader Rodric Bray on Wednesday, accusing the Republican lawmaker of undermining the party’s chances of expanding its House majority through a proposed redistricting plan now stalled in the state legislature. In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump said Indiana has “a chance to make a difference in Washington, D.C.” by approving a congressional map that would give Republicans two additional House seats. The president claimed every other state “has done Redistricting, willingly, openly, and easily,” and warned that Indiana could become “the only State in the Union to turn the Republican Party down!” Trump accused Bray of “being the only person in the United States of America who is against Republicans picking up extra seats,” saying he is pressuring “soon to be very vulnerable friends” to vote with him. REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SIGNS INTO LAW TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING MAP Trump argued that blocking the map would put “the Majority in the House of Representatives… at risk” and warned that Republicans who oppose the plan would be “met with a MAGA Primary in the Spring.” The president also charged that Bray and several allies were “partner[ing] with the Radical Left Democrats,” and he singled out “Failed Senate Candidate Mitch Daniels” while claiming the group had become “the favorite Republicans of Hakeem Jeffries, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, and Cryin’ Chuck Schumer.” “Anybody that votes against Redistricting, and the SUCCESS of the Republican Party in D.C., will be, I am sure, met with a MAGA Primary in the Spring,” Trump wrote, adding that Republicans who “will not do what is necessary to save our Country” risk “los[ing] everything to the Democrats.” TRUMP TURNS UP THE HEAT ON RED-STATE REPUBLICANS BLOCKING NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS Trump shared his repeated electoral success in Indiana, saying he won the state “six times, all by MASSIVE Majorities,” and argued that approving the map should be “a great thing to do for our Party, and for America itself.” He warned that Bray “and his friends won’t be in Politics for long,” vowing to “do everything within my power to make sure that they will not hurt the Republican Party, and our Country, again.” Trump also blasted what he described as Republican “SUCKERS” assisting Democrats in the redistricting fight, saying the opposing faction “couldn’t be happier” to find GOP lawmakers willing to break ranks. The clash comes as both parties look toward the 2026 midterms, with Republicans holding a narrow House majority and Democrats targeting several competitive districts nationally. The White House, Bray and Indiana Senate Democrats did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump administration establishes militarized zone in California: “Strengthen border security operations”
The Trump administration announced Wednesday plans to establish a new militarized zone along the U.S.–Mexico border in California. The Department of the Interior said roughly 760 acres in San Diego and Imperial Counties will be placed under Navy jurisdiction to “strengthen ongoing border security operations.” Adding the installation will effectively allow federal personnel to detain suspected illegal immigrants for trespassing on U.S. territory. The department described the National Defense Area as a high-traffic corridor for illegal crossings. The zone will reportedly stretch from the western boundary of the Otay Mountain Wilderness Area to about one mile west of the California–Arizona state line, with Navy control set for three years. FEDERAL MAGISTRATE JUDGE DISMISSES TRESPASSING CHARGES AGAINST 98 ARRESTED IN NEW MILITARY ZONE Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the move directly advances what President Donald Trump has identified as his top national priorities. “President Trump has made it clear that securing our border and restoring American sovereignty are top national priorities,” Burgum said. “This action delivers on that commitment. By working with the Navy to close long-standing security gaps, we are strengthening national defense, protecting our public lands from unlawful use, and advancing the President’s agenda to put the safety and security of the American people first.” ‘MAIN HOTSPOT’ AT NORTHERN BORDER RECORDS 95% DROP IN ILLEGAL MIGRANT APPREHENSIONS IN MARCH: WHITE HOUSE The Department added that the corridor’s heavy traffic of illegal crossings has contributed to both “significant national security challenges” and environmental degradation. Militarizing the area will reportedly “enhance border operations while minimizing ecological damage” associated with sustained illegal activity. The Interior Department said it coordinated the move with the Navy to ensure it is lawful and consistent with the land’s original purpose — having been reserved in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt for border protection. In recent months, the administration has established several national defense areas, including sites in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. The moves were made to aggressively expand military authority along the southern border, including deploying federal troops and expanding rules to crack down on illegal migration, border security and overall crime. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Interior and the Navy for more information.
Trump admin weighs terrorism sanctions against UN Palestinian aid agency over Hamas allegations
The Trump administration is weighing whether to pursue terrorism-related sanctions against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), as officials review allegations the agency has ties to Hamas and consider steps that could further pressure its leadership and operations, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The United Nations agency provides aid, schooling, healthcare, shelter and social services to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. U.N. officials have described UNRWA as the backbone of Gaza’s aid effort during the two-year war between Israel and Hamas, but the Trump administration has accused the group of ties to Hamas – an allegation the agency vehemently disputes. Washington, once UNRWA’s biggest donor, froze funding in January 2024 after Israel accused roughly a dozen staff members of involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war. In October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to UNRWA as a subsidiary of Hamas. NEW FILM PROBES UN AGENCY’S ALLEGED TERROR TIES AND CLAIMS IT FUELED THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT “UNRWA’s not going to play any role in it,” Rubio said at the time when asked whether the agency would assist in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. “The United Nations is here. They’re on the ground. We’re willing to work with them if they can make it work, but not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas.” Reuters reported it was unclear whether recent internal discussions focused on sanctioning the entire agency or specific officials or operations, and that U.S. officials have not yet settled on what type of sanctions they might pursue. The sources said the State Department has discussed declaring UNRWA a “foreign terrorist organization,” or FTO – a step that would financially isolate the agency. UN UNDER FIRE AS USAID INVESTIGATORS PROBE HAMAS DIVERSION OF AID TO GAZA Any broad move against UNRWA could disrupt refugee aid across the region, as the agency is already facing a severe funding crisis. Such sanctions would be highly unusual, since the U.S. is both a U.N. member and the host nation of the body that created the agency in 1949. William Deere, who heads UNRWA’s Washington office, said the group would be “disappointed” if officials were discussing an FTO designation, calling such a step “unprecedented and unwarranted.” He pointed to multiple investigations – including one by the U.S. National Intelligence Council – that concluded UNRWA remains a neutral and essential humanitarian actor. UNRWA SCHOOLS ‘HIJACKED BY HAMAS,’ WATCHDOG REPORT WARNS The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The U.S. and Israel have maintained tough positions towards the agency, particularly in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre. President Donald Trump in February reaffirmed that the U.S. would not fund UNRWA. In the executive order, Trump said that “UNRWA has reportedly been infiltrated by members of groups long designated by the Secretary of State as foreign terrorist organizations, and UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.” When the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in April 2025 demanded Israel work with UNRWA, Washington backed Israel, saying it was under no obligation to work with the agency and had “ample grounds to question UNRWA’s impartiality.” UNRWA announced in August 2024 the end of an investigation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services into whether its staff participated in the attacks, as Israel claimed. The probe examined 19 employees and resulted in nine dismissals over evidence that “could indicate” involvement. The investigation found one case with no evidence of involvement and nine others in which “the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient” to prove participation, the agency said. Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Reuters contributed to this report.
Speaker Johnson laughs off Jasmine Crockett Senate bid: ‘Absolutely delighted’ she is running
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters that he is “absolutely delighted” that progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is running for U.S. Senate. Johnson was asked during a House leadership press conference on Wednesday what he thought of Crockett entering the race and whether he was worried about her chances of flipping one of Texas’ Senate seats. In response, Johnson rubbed his hands together and smiled. “I’m absolutely delighted that Jasmine Crockett is running for Senate in Texas,” said Johnson. “I think it’s one of the greatest things that’s happened to the Republican Party in a long, long time,” he went on, adding, “She is the face of the Democratic Party, she and [Zohran] Mamdani. Good luck with that.” CROCKETT’S POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR HAS REPEATEDLY RAILED AGAINST US IN REPARATIONS PUSH: ‘IT’S BEEN EVIL’ Johnson said that he would like Crockett to “have the largest, loudest microphone that she can every single day.” “We look forward to having that election down there,” he said, adding, “We are going to elect another Republican senator in Texas. Texas is a red state… The people of Texas are commonsense Americans, and what Jasmine is trying to sell will not be purchased by the folks of Texas.” Later that day, House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., shot back at Johnson’s statements about Crockett, saying, “I think Speaker Johnson is trying to do anything he can to distract from the majority… that we see dwindling, and it’s like sand falling through his hands.” “He just can’t keep a hold of it – he sees that – he would much rather talk about a Senate race than he would the Georgia House races that Republicans lost or the mayor’s race that the vice-chair mentioned, the first time in 30 years that a Democrat has been mayor of Miami… he wants to distract and take away from this because he’s losing his grip on his majority. That much is very clear.” “So, the more that Speaker Johnson wants to talk about the national landscape and the Senate environment, I absolutely support because he’s losing his majority next November, if not sooner,” said Aguilar. MAMDANI DECLARES HE’S READY FOR ‘ANY CONSEQUENCE’ FOR STANDING AGAINST TRUMP’S FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT Crockett, who is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, launched a last-minute Senate campaign on Monday. The race may determine if the GOP holds its majority in the chamber next year. In her announcement speech to supporters in Dallas, Crockett framed her candidacy as an effort to stand up against Trump, something she said incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn will not do. “I’m done watching the American dream on life support while Trump tries to pull the plug. The gloves have been off, and now I’m jumping into the ring,” she said. “Many people wonder why I jumped in this race so late, and I just want to be clear that this was never my intention, this was never about me, I never put myself into any of the polls,” Crockett said. “But the more I saw the poll results, I couldn’t ignore the trends, which were clear, both as it relates to the primary as well as the general election, I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents would have me, but I don’t choose to do that, because, Texas, this moment we’re in now is life or death.” “Many people asked, ‘Can we win this race in November?’ I’m here to say, ‘Yes, we can!’” Crockett fired back while echoing a slogan from former President Obama, whom she praised during her speech. FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SPENDS EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF CAMPAIGN CASH ON LUXURY HOTELS, ‘TOP-TIER’ LIMO SERVICES “Texas is a big boy state made up of brawlers with a moral code. Our representation should reflect that, sadly enough, it doesn’t,” she went on. “After evaluating the data, analyzing the trends, researching historic numbers, and combing over the crosstabs, it was clear, the numbers were strongest for my candidacy for United States Senate, that’s why I decided to enter this race.” In the Democratic primary, Crockett will be facing off against state Rep. James Talarico, another rising Democratic star. On the Republican side of the aisle, Cornyn is being challenged by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas.