Mexico using ‘weaponized immigration’ to undermine US sovereignty, author of new book alleges
Investigative author Peter Schweizer alleges the Mexican government is operating a coordinated influence effort inside the United States, using diplomatic missions, education programs and migrant outreach initiatives in ways he argues go far beyond traditional diplomacy. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Schweizer said his forthcoming book, “The Invisible Coup,” available Tuesday, documents what he describes as “weaponized immigration,” a strategy he claims Mexican officials view as a means to exert political leverage inside the U.S. “Foreign powers are using migration as a weapon to undermine American sovereignty,” Schweizer said. “Mexico is a clear example of this.” Schweizer pointed to Mexico’s expansive diplomatic footprint in the United States, noting that the country operates 53 consulates nationwide — far more than most U.S. allies. US EMBASSIES IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE DIRECTED TO REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS TIED TO MASS MIGRATION “Those consular officials have been tied up in organizing political activity in the United States, which is a clear violation of their diplomatic status,” said Schweizer, investigative journalist and co-founder, alongside former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, of the conservative think tank Government Accountability Institute (GAI). Schweizer alleged that Mexican consular officials have supported or encouraged anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in the U.S., pointing to what he described as instances in which officials praised or took credit for community mobilization following immigration enforcement actions. Mexican consulates routinely provide legal assistance and outreach to migrant communities after ICE raids, which Mexican officials characterize as consular protection duties, though critics argue the efforts blur the line between assistance and political activism. Schweizer also cited the role of Mexico’s so-called “migrant legislators” — elected Mexican officials who reside in the United States and represent Mexicans living abroad — as evidence of cross-border political engagement. While those officials do not hold U.S. office, some have participated in advocacy events in the United States, raising questions among critics about the scope of foreign political activity on American soil. Schweizer further claimed the Mexican government is actively discouraging assimilation among migrants living in the U.S., pointing to government-produced Spanish-language textbooks distributed to American school districts. STATE DEPARTMENT YANKS VISAS FROM MEXICAN EXECUTIVES IN MIGRANT SMUGGLING CRACKDOWN “The Mexican government gives textbooks to school districts in the United States from Los Angeles to Orlando,” Schweizer said. “Those textbooks are designed to make sure that migrant children view themselves as Mexican first, not as Mexican–American.” Mexican government–produced textbooks are distributed inside the United States through Mexico’s consular network, primarily as donated supplemental materials. The books are published by Mexico’s state textbook authority and are typically made available through consulates, libraries, community centers and, in some cases, schools that request them for Spanish-language or heritage instruction. According to Schweizer, the textbooks present what he described as a highly politicized version of American history, including depictions of the Mexican–American War that frame the United States as an adversary. “The textbook describes the United States as the enemy,” he said, adding that school districts may be accepting the materials without closely reviewing their content. Schweizer also alleged coordination between Mexican diplomatic missions and U.S.-based advocacy groups that he said crosses into American electoral politics. He referenced a 2024 meeting held at the Mexican consulate in Oklahoma City that he said included Mexican diplomatic officials and Democratic Party activists. “The conversation was about how California had been turned from red to blue, Arizona had been turned from red to blue, and how Republicans were going to ‘find out’ that they were planning to turn the whole country blue,” Schweizer said, citing what he described as a transcript of the meeting. “That’s not what diplomatic officials should be engaged in,” he added. Asked whether such conduct would violate U.S. law, Schweizer said foreign diplomats are prohibited from participating in American elections and argued that expulsion of involved officials would be an appropriate response. “We need a zero-tolerance policy,” he said. “We’re gearing up for midterm elections, and based on their history, this should not be tolerated.” Schweizer also pointed to a Mexican government–backed streaming platform known as Migrant TV, which he said was created to communicate with migrants living in the United States. “When you look at the content, it was extremely pro-Kamala Harris and very anti-Trump,” Schweizer said, adding that the platform has portrayed ICE officials as Nazis and fascists. The Mexican government launched TV Migrante, a channel dedicated to giving voice to migrants, in March 2025. The channel is available across Mexico and in the U.S. on digital platforms and some cable packages that include international channels. Schweizer argued that Mexico’s approach should be viewed in a broader geopolitical context, drawing comparisons to China’s use of diplomatic missions and affiliated activist groups in the United States. “The question is why are we tolerating this?” he said. “I think it’s high time to say enough is enough.” The allegations come as relations between Washington and Mexico are under strain, with President Trump warning of tougher action against Mexican drug cartels and border security failures. Trump has said the U.S. is prepared to escalate its posture, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized cooperation and respect for sovereignty. Sheinbaum has highlighted what she describes as progress cracking down on cartels, declining migration flows and joint security efforts with U.S. officials, while warning against any violation of Mexico’s territorial integrity. Schweizer said he remains skeptical of those assurances, arguing that migration provides Mexico with both economic and political leverage. “More than $60 billion flows from the United States to Mexico in remittances,” he said. “That’s a crucial lifeline.” “They view (immigration) as an opportunity to exert influence and sovereignty into the United States,” he said. In 2024, Mexico received around $62.5 billion from remittances sent from the U.S., according to economists with BBVA Research group. Mexican officials previously have said their consulates exist to provide services and protect the rights of Mexican nationals abroad, and the Mexican government has emphasized its partnership with Washington on security and border enforcement.
From Caracas to Chicago: Trump’s Article II powers face their biggest tests yet
President Donald Trump has spent the bulk of his second White House term testing the limits of his Article II authorities, both at home and abroad – a defining constitutional fight that legal experts expect to continue to play out in the federal courts for the foreseeable future. These actions have included the U.S. capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, who was deposed during a U.S. military raid in Caracas earlier this month, and Trump’s continued fight to deploy National Guard troops in Democrat-led localities, despite the stated objections of state and local leaders. The moves have drawn reactions ranging from praise to sharp criticism, while raising fresh legal questions about how far a sitting president can go in wielding power at home and abroad. Legal experts told Fox News Digital in a series of interviews that they do not expect Trump’s executive powers to be curtailed, at least not significantly or immediately, by the federal courts in the near-term. TRUMP OUSTING OF MADURO DRAWS PARALLELS TO US RAID IN PANAMA – BUT THERE ARE SOME MAJOR CONTRASTS Despite near-certain challenges from Maduro – who would likely argue any U.S. arrest in Venezuela is illegal, echoing Manuel Noriega’s failed strategy decades ago – experts say Trump’s Justice Department would have little trouble citing court precedent and prior Office of Legal Counsel guidance to justify his arrest and removal. U.S. presidents have long enjoyed a wider degree of authority on foreign affairs issues – including acting unilaterally to order extraterritorial arrests. Like other U.S. presidents, Trump can cite guidance published in the late 1980s to argue Maduro’s arrest was made within the “national interest” or to protect U.S. persons and property. Even if an arrest were viewed as infringing on another country’s sovereignty, experts say Trump could cite ample court precedent and longstanding Office of Legal Counsel and Justice Department guidance to argue the action was legally sound. A 1989 memo authored by then-U.S. Assistant Attorney General Bill Barr has surfaced repeatedly as one of the strongest arguments Trump could cite to justify Maduro’s capture. That OLC memo states that “the president, pursuant to his inherent constitutional authority, can authorize enforcement actions independent of any statutory grant of power.” It also authorizes FBI agents to effectuate arrests ordered by the president under the “Take Care” clause of the U.S. Constitution, and says the authority to order extraterritorial arrests applies even if it impinges “on the sovereignty of other countries.” Importantly, federal courts have read these powers to apply even in instances where Congress has not expressly granted statutory authorization to intervene. DEFIANT MADURO DECLARES HE IS A ‘PRISONER OF WAR’ IN FIRST US COURT APPEARANCE “When federal interests are at stake, the president, under Article II, has the power to protect them,” Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at the South Texas College of Law, told Fox News Digital in an interview. That’s because Article II, at its core, is “the power for a U.S. president to protect [its] people,” Blackman said. “The reason why we detained Maduro was to effectuate an arrest. DOJ personnel and FBI agents were there to arrest him and read him his rights. And the reason why we used 150 aircraft, and all the other military equipment, was to protect the people who were going to arrest Maduro,” he added. “It was a law enforcement operation, but [with] military backing to protect them – so Article II does factor in here, indirectly.” Though Trump himself has not cited a legal justification for the invasion, senior administration officials have, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who described Maduro’s arrest respectively, as a mission to indict two “fugitives of justice,” and as a “joint military and law enforcement raid.” In Minnesota, next steps for Trump are a bit more fraught. Trump’s National Guard deployment efforts were stymied by the Supreme Court in December, after the high court halted Trump’s National Guard deployments under Title 10. Trump had deployed the federalized troops to Illinois and Oregon last year to protect ICE personnel. But the high court issued an interim order rejecting Trump’s bid, noting that under Title 10, the administration could not federalize the National Guard until it first showed they tried to authorize the regular military to enforce the laws but could not do so. Some court watchers have noted that the ruling essentially closes off alternatives for Trump to act. Instead, Trump could opt to enact his Article II “protective powers” domestically via a more sweeping and extreme alternative. MIKE DAVIS: WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MINNESOTA IS WHY WE HAVE THE INSURRECTION ACT This includes the use of the Insurrection Act to call up active-duty U.S. troops and order them deployed to Minnesota and elsewhere. The Insurrection Act is a broad tool that gives presidents the authority to deploy military forces in the U.S. when “unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion” make it “impracticable to enforce the laws.” Critics note it is a powerful, far-reaching statute that could grant Trump an expansive set of powers to act domestically in ways that are not reviewable by Congress or by the courts. Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard Law professor and former U.S. Assistant Attorney General, noted this possibility in a recent chat with former White House counsel Robert Bauer. By “closing off this other statute,” he said, the Supreme Court “may have, some argue, driven the president in the direction of the Insurrection Act because this other source of authority was not available.” Trump allies, for their part, have argued that the president has few other options at his disposal in the wake of the Supreme Court’s interim ruling. Chad Wolf, the America First Policy Institute’s chair of homeland security and immigration, told Fox News Digital last week that Trump could have “little choice” but to invoke the Insurrection Act. “If the situation on the ground in Minneapolis continues to grow violent, with ICE officers being targeted and injured as well
Swalwell governor bid hit with residency questions after court filing alleges he doesn’t live in California
Longtime political foe of President Donald Trump Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell is facing a legal campaign challenge after a conservative activist filed a petition claiming the lawmaker is allegedly prohibited from running for California governor because he doesn’t actually live in the Golden State. “Public records searches reveal no current ownership or leasehold interest held by Eric Swalwell in California, nor any history of any ownership of leasehold interest based on available public records,” a petition filed Jan. 8 by filmmaker and activist Joel Gilbert states, the New York Post reported. “Swalwell’s congressional financial disclosers from 2011 to 2024 list no California real estate ownership,” the petition added. The left-wing lawmaker’s gubernatorial campaign, however, has hit back at the petition as a “nonsense claim” that the team looks forward to “beating” in court. SWALWELL CAMPAIGN IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER ACCEPTING ALMOST $15K FROM CCP-TIED LAW FIRM: ‘STOP PLAYING FOOTSIE’ Swalwell has served as a California congressman since 2013, and announced his candidacy to succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom when his second term ends in January 2027. The gubernatorial race already is crowded with at least 10 candidates slated to be on the ballot in the nonpartisan primary in June. Swalwell is viewed as a front-runner as the race gets underway. The court filing claims that the congressman listed the address for the office of his attorney on campaign filings and not a residential California address. The address listed in the court filing shows an office building in downtown Sacramento. State law requires the California governor be a resident of the state five years prior to his or her election. “The governor shall be an elector who has been a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state for 5 years immediately preceding the governor’s election,” the filing states, outlining the California Constitution’s residential requirements of governors. When approached for comment on the matter, a campaign general consultant for Swalwell said the lawmaker has always resided in California across his political career and that his attorney’s address was listed on the campaign filing due to death threats he has received. SWALWELL THREATENS TO REVOKE DRIVER’S LICENSES OF MASKED ICE AGENTS OPERATING IN CALIFORNIA “Since joining Congress, Eric Swalwell has always had a residence in the Bay Area. He has always had a California driver’s license, paid California taxes, and starts his California mornings with Johnny’s Donuts maple bars in Dublin. This nonsense claim comes from a MAGA blogger who made a film claiming Elvis is alive. We look forward to beating him in court,” Kate Maeder, Swalwell campaign consultant, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement Monday morning. “Because of the thousands of death threats the Congressman has received, it is perfectly legal to list a campaign office as the address for his legal filings,” she added. Gilbert’s petition calls on the California secretary of state to “fulfill her constitutional duty” and disqualify Swalwell from the race. “The criteria for running for governor of California according to the California Constitution is a candidate must be resident of the state for 5 years prior to the election,” Gilbert told Fox Digital in additional comment on Monday afternoon. “Swalwell’s response that he has a California driver’s license or pays California taxes or went to a Donut shop in Dubin is irrelevant and a smoke screen. He’s a lawyer and should know better.” The director added in response to Swalwell’s campaign: “My film about Elvis is a comedy! Swalwell is clueless every time he Tweets or opens his mouth or files a document!” The director added that the campaign’s response was “absurd” as it related to “beating” Gilbert in court, as Swalwell is not being sued, and instead the filing calls on the California secretary of state to respond. “He clearly doesn’t understand the law at all despite being an attorney,” Gilbert said, before doubling down that candidates must prove residency on the state’s candidate intention statement. In November 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a probe into Swalwell’s past mortgages, specifically investigating if allegations of millions of dollars in loans and refinancing were based on Swalwell declaring that his primary residence was in Washington, D.C. CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR HOPEFUL ERIC SWALWELL EMBRACES ROLE AS TRUMP’S LOUDEST CRITIC AMID NEW DOJ PROBE Swalwell, Democratic California Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitita James all have been referred to the DOJ over allegations of mortgage fraud since President Donald Trump‘s return to the Oval Office. Following the DOJ opening a probe into his mortgages, Swalwell filed a lawsuit against Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, who referred Swalwell to the DOJ for criminal review, alleging that he abused his position to obtain the mortgage records of numerous Democrats. “Either he’s guilty of mortgage fraud in Washington, DC, or he’s ineligible to run for governor of California,” Gilbert told the Daily Mail. “He can’t have it both ways.” Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to Gilbert by email for additional comment on the court filing Monday afternoon. The feud between Swalwell and Trump dates to Trump’s first term, when Swalwell emerged as one of the former president’s most vocal congressional critics and served as a House impeachment manager, cementing a long-running political rivalry. Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Trump warns US can no longer think ‘purely of peace’ as he pushes for Greenland control
President Donald Trump warned that he no longer feels obligated to think “purely of peace” as he argued the United States must have “complete and total control” of Greenland. In a text exchange with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump wrote: “Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.” “Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also,” he wrote. “I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States,” Trump wrote. “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT.” TRUMP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO NATO AHEAD OF VANCE’S HIGH-STAKES GREENLAND MEETING Støre confirmed the text message, first reported by PBS, to Fox News. “Norway’s position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter,” the prime minister said in a statement. “We also support that NATO in a responsible way is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government.” In a prior message to the U.S. president, Støre, on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, had conveyed opposition to Trump’s proposed tariff increases on Norway, Finland and other countries and requested a phone conversation to de-escalate. A White House official confirmed Trump sent the message to Støre. “President Trump believes Greenland is a strategically important location that is critical from the standpoint of national security, and he is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region. The President is committed to establishing long-term peace at home and abroad,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly in a statement. The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, but she offered the prize to Trump in a White House meeting Thursday. JOHNSON: ‘NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND’ FOR TRUMP’S GREENLAND ACQUISITION PLANS AMID MILITARY SPECULATION The prize is awarded by the Nobel Committee, which is made up of members appointed by the Norwegian parliament and intended to operate independently. After Machado handed over her award to Trump, the Nobel Committee released a statement saying: “A laureate cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced. A Nobel Peace Prize can also never be revoked. The decision is final and applies for all time.” Trump on Saturday said he would impose an additional 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland, starting Feb. 1, increasing to 25% on June 1, until an agreement is reached for the purchase of Greenland. US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION VISITS DENMARK AMID BACKLASH OVER TRUMP’S PUSH TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND Members of the European Union debated the prospect of retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. in Brussels Sunday, but diplomats insisted on the need to seek de-escalation measures with the U.S. first. The president has not ruled out the use of force to take the icy, 836,000 square mile island. Trump and his advisors have pointed to Greenland’s position between North America and Europe as critical to U.S. missile defense, early-warning systems and Arctic surveillance. The island sits along key air and sea routes that U.S. military planners view as increasingly important as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and expands the theater of great-power competition. The administration has also warned that China and Russia have sought to expand their influence in the Arctic through infrastructure investments, scientific outposts and military activity, raising concerns that Greenland could become a foothold for adversaries if the U.S. does not take a more assertive role. Greenland’s government and Denmark, which retains sovereignty over the territory, have rejected any suggestion of U.S. control, though the U.S. already maintains a military presence there through Pituffik Space Base, a key hub for missile warning and space surveillance. Fox News’ Madeleine Rivera and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Noem hammers Walz, Frey for ignoring 1,360 ICE detainers for criminal illegal aliens
The Department of Homeland Security blasted Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for refusing to cooperate with law enforcement on Monday. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says federal agents have arrested 10,000 illegal aliens in Minneapolis in recent months, but she accused Walz and Frey of trying to “protect criminals.” Minneapolis is a sanctuary jurisdiction where local law enforcement do not honor federal detainers for illegal immigrants. “We have arrested over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens who were killing Americans, hurting children and reigning terror in Minneapolis because Tim Walz and Jacob Frey refuse to protect their own people and instead protect criminals,” Noem wrote on X. The DHS urged state and city leaders to start honoring arrest detainers. DOJ LAUNCHES CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION AFTER MINNESOTA AGITATORS STORM CHURCH “We are calling on [Walz] and [Frey] to stop releasing criminal illegal aliens from Minnesota’s jails to re-perpetuate their crimes. ICE has more than 1,360 arrest detainers for the criminal illegal aliens in their custody,” the DHS wrote. “It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans,” it added. Chaos has broken out in Minneapolis in recent weeks as agitators take to the streets to protest federal law enforcement officials. Federal officers converged on the state in early January as a sweeping fraud case came to light, which has led to dozens of arrests, mostly including members of Minneapolis’ large Somali population. WHITE HOUSE SLAMS WALZ, DEMOCRATS IN MINNESOTA FOLLOWING GOVERNOR’S ‘DIRECT APPEAL’ TO TRUMP Protests and criticisms against ICE heightened Jan. 7, when a federal officer fatally shot protester Renee Good. Federal officials say Good used her car as a weapon against the agent, arguing he acted in self-defense when he fired his weapon. Democrats and administration officials have called the shooting a “murder” as they speak out against the administration’s deportation efforts of illegal immigrants. Frey rejected the Trump administration’s characterization of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota during a Sunday appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” claiming the surge of federal agents has made residents feel targeted rather than protected. “This is not about safety. What this is about is coming into our city by the thousands and terrorizing people simply because they’re Latino or Somali,” Frey said. “People in Minneapolis are speaking up. They’re speaking up peacefully. They’re standing up for their neighbors. And this is not just about resisting Trump. This is about loving and caring for the people that call this city home. And it’s been inspiring.” Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Experts warn Minnesota school closures after ICE shooting will harm kids for ‘political points’
Schools in Minnesota have been closing or providing remote learning options in the wake of an ICE shooting that has sparked violent protests, which experts tell Fox News Digital is a political move that will ultimately result in learning loss and unnecessary harm to children. In response to the shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis, the St. Paul, Minnesota school system announced temporary closures and the option for students to learn remotely. Additionally, Minneapolis public schools are offering remote learning until February. The choice to take children out of classrooms was described as being due to “safety concerns,” but experts who spoke to Fox News Digital say it’s a decision based purely on politics that will negatively affect students in the same way COVID-19 lockdowns did. “Minnesota’s Teachers Unions did generational damage to the state’s children when they demanded schools be locked down for prolonged periods during COVID,” Stefano Forte, executive director of 1776 Project PAC, told Fox News Digital. “Once again, the teachers union is acting against the interest of children and showing themselves as being nothing more than a political arm of the Democratic Party.” GOT A SCOOP ON CAMPUS? SEND US A TIP HERE Numerous studies and reports have been released in recent years showing that remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic severely hindered student learning, including a Department of Education report in 2022, reported on by Fox News Digital, showing math and reading scores declined more during the coronavirus pandemic than they have in decades. Since the ICE shooting that set off protests and violent agitators across Minneapolis, numerous videos have circulated on social media showing young school-age children at protests, including one apparent student walk-out at the Minnesota state capitol. Paul Runko, senior director of Strategic Initiatives for Defending Education, told Fox News Digital, “Nearly six years after the start of the COVID pandemic, American families know that school closures and mass remote learning were a complete disaster for kids; academically, socially, emotionally, and mentally.” PROFESSORS WERE DISCIPLINED FOR VULGAR POSTS AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? “Every day out of the classroom is a day students can’t get back. These decisions aren’t being made for children, they’re being made for adults, often to score political points or to accommodate priorities that have nothing to do with student success. Students deserve classrooms, not excuses.” Earlier this year, Fox News Digital reported on a release from Defending Education alleging that a state-funded teacher preparation partnership in Minnesota explicitly limits eligibility based on race, possibly in violation of federal law. Rhyen Staley, director of research for Defending Education, told Fox News Digital that far-left ideology is ingrained in educational decisions being made throughout the state. “What is happening with Minnesota schools is a feature, not a bug, of the current dominant ideology permeating Colleges of Education and the education system writ large,” Staley said. “Too many teachers are being trained to be far-left social justice activists to the detriment of the children they are hired to serve. This tragically will continue until this is changed.” Fox News Digital reached out to Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools for comment.
Shapiro says possibly being Harris’ VP pick ‘just didn’t feel right’
In his forthcoming book, “Where We Keep the Light,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro writes that the prospect of becoming the vice president for Kamala Harris did not “feel right,” Politico Playbook reported. “I knew that despite the honor of it, it just didn’t feel right for some reason,” Shapiro noted, according to the outlet. Regarding the vetting to potentially become Harris’ 2024 running mate, he wrote that “all of the questioning felt unnecessarily contentious,” according to the report, which also noted that he indicated that Harris’ team “didn’t understand where the people who would decide this presidential election really were.” JOSH SHAPIRO CLAIMS KAMALA HARRIS’ TEAM ASKED IF HE WAS A ‘DOUBLE AGENT FOR ISRAEL “If we had door A and door B as options, and she was for door A and I was for door B, I just wanted to make sure that I could make the case for door B, and if I didn’t convince her, then I’d run right through a brick wall to support her decision,” he notes in the book, according to The New York Times. “She was crystal clear that that was not what she was looking for.” Shapiro was “surprised” by the extent to which Harris “seemed to dislike the role” she held as vice president, he indicated in the book, Politico Playbook reported. SHAPIRO KICKS OFF 2026 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN AS 2028 WHITE HOUSE BUZZ SWIRLS “She noted that her chief of staff would be giving me my directions, lamented that the Vice President didn’t have a private bathroom in their office and how difficult it was for her at times not to have a voice in decision making,” Shapiro wrote, according to the Times. The outlet reported that Shapiro opted to withdraw himself from consideration, and requested to get in touch with Harris to deliver his decision, but was told that “the VP would not handle bad news well and that I shouldn’t push.” OBAMA WINGMAN ERIC HOLDER DEFENDED WALZ’S VETTING — THEN MINNESOTA’S FRAUD SCANDAL ERUPTED Harris ultimately tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her 2024 running mate, but the two were soundly defeated by the Republican ticket featuring Donald Trump and JD Vance.
Post Trump meeting, Venezuelan opposition leader says country will hold ‘free and fair’ elections ‘eventually’
After meeting with President Donald Trump, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said Friday that Venezuela will hold “free and fair” elections “eventually” as Nicolás Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, continues to rule the country after his capture. Machado did not offer a timeline for how long the current interim government would be allowed to rule, only that elections would happen “as soon as possible.” “I am profoundly, profoundly confident that we will have an orderly transition.” Speaking at a news conference hosted by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, Machado said Venezuela is taking “the first steps of a true transition to democracy,” but stressed that dismantling the country’s repression apparatus must come before any credible election can be held. RUBIO LAYS OUT THREE-PHASE PLAN FOR VENEZUELA AFTER MADURO: ‘NOT JUST WINGING IT’ “We are facing a very complex and delicate process,” Machado said. “Eventually we will have free and fair elections,” she added, while emphasizing that security, rule of law and the release of political prisoners must come first. Machado rejected the idea that Venezuela’s constitutional election timelines could be applied immediately, arguing that years of repression have hollowed out democratic institutions. She said hundreds of political prisoners remain unaccounted for and warned that fear and coercion are still widespread inside the country. “The fact that you are not in a prison doesn’t mean that you are free,” she said, citing restrictions on speech, movement and political organizing. Her comments come after the Trump administration faces growing scrutiny from critics over the lack of a clear electoral roadmap following the Jan. 3 operation that led to the removal of longtime strongman Maduro. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described a three-phase U.S. plan — stabilization, recovery and transition — but acknowledged that the final phase remains undefined. During her Washington visit, Machado met privately with Trump and praised his role in pressuring Maduro’s government. She said the president told her he cares deeply about the Venezuelan people and their future. Machado also presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal, a symbolic gesture toward a president who has long coveted the award. She described Trump’s actions on Venezuela as courageous and said U.S. support has given Venezuelans renewed hope after years of repression and economic collapse. The Nobel Committee said in a statement that a “laureate cannot share the prize with others, nor transfer it once it has been announced.” “The decision is final and applies for all time.” Despite her praise for Trump, questions remain over Washington’s posture toward Venezuela’s interim leadership. Trump has publicly spoken positively about Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president who is now playing a central role in the transitional government — a stance that has unsettled some opposition supporters. Machado sought to downplay the appearance of competition between herself and Rodríguez for the U.S. president’s support. “This has nothing to do with a tension or decision between Delcy Rodríguez and myself,” Machado said when asked about Trump’s openness to working with the interim government. “This is about a criminal structure that is a regime and the mandate of the Venezuelan people.” Trump has spoken positively about Rodríguez’s role in the transition and suggested he’d be open to meeting with her. On Thursday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Venezuela meeting with Rodríguez. Trump recently called Machado a “very fine woman” with whom he has “mutual respect,” after saying Jan. 3 that Machado “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country” to rule. Machado called Rodríguez “a communist” and “the main ally and representation of the Russian regime, the Chinese and the Iranians,” while arguing that Rodríguez “does not represent the Venezuelan people” or the armed forces. VENEZUELA’S NEW INTERIM LEADER DELCY RODRÍGUEZ ‘HATES THE WEST,’ EX OFFICIAL WARNS Machado said the current phase of the transition remains unstable, with elements of the former regime still being forced to dismantle systems of repression, including intelligence units and detention centers. Only after those structures are neutralized, she said, can Venezuela begin rebuilding democratic institutions and organizing legitimate elections. She also stressed that future elections must include Venezuelans living abroad, noting that millions were barred from voting in past contests. “Every single Venezuelan, living in Venezuela or abroad, should have the right to vote,” Machado said. Trump has previously questioned whether Machado has sufficient support inside Venezuela to govern, backed by a U.S. CIA report on the matter, a remark she did not directly address during her public remarks. Instead, she framed the transition as a collective effort driven by popular will rather than individual leadership. “This is not about me,” Machado said. “It is about the will of the Venezuelan people.” For now, she said, the priority remains security. “We understand the urgency,” Machado said. “But without dismantling terror, there can be no real democracy.” The White House has said the United States intends to play a hands-on role during Venezuela’s transition, arguing it has significant leverage over interim authorities in Caracas. Venezuela. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said recently the administration believes it has “maximum leverage” over Venezuela’s interim leadership, including influence over economic and security decisions as the transition unfolds. After Maduro’s capture, Trump said the U.S. would essentially run Venezuela. “We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” he said. On Machado, Trump initially expressed skepticism. “I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country.” A source told Fox News Digital there was concern among senior officials even prior to the Venezuela operation that Machado “lacked the necessary support in Venezuela if Maduro was to be removed.” Rubio has said the administration envisions a phased approach to Venezuela’s transition — beginning with stabilization, followed by recovery and then a political transition. Rubio acknowledged that while elections are the end goal, they must come after security conditions improve and democratic institutions are rebuilt. Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Graham says Russia sanctions bill ‘never going back on the shelf’ after Trump backs push
The bipartisan push for sanctions against Russia has, for several months, ebbed and flowed on waves of speculation about whether legislation would actually get a vote. A signal or suggestion of support from President Donald Trump would often push the bill from Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., closer to fruition, only to be swept back into churning, murky waters with no clear path on when or if the package would make its way to the president’s desk. Now, Trump has given Graham the “greenlight” to move ahead with his long-simmering sanctions package as peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine continue to simmer in the background. DEMS RELENT, SENATE SENDS $174B SPENDING PACKAGE TO TRUMP’S DESK AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS OVER DHS FUNDING Graham told Fox News Digital that this time around, he believed the bill would actually get a shot. “It’s never going back on the shelf because President Trump believes he needs it,” Graham said. “I think he needs it.” But it has been over a week since Graham announced the president backed the package, and so far, it has yet to make it to the floor in the upper chamber. Lawmakers are also out this week and are set to return to Washington, D.C., next week with the primary objective of preventing a partial government shutdown. Still, the bipartisan duo has been tweaking the legislation over the last several months, but the core objective would be to slap eye-popping tariffs onto countries buying energy products from Moscow. The intent is to cripple Russia’s war machine by imposing duties on oil, gas, uranium and other exports, largely purchased by China and India, which account for nearly three-quarters of Moscow’s energy business. KENNEDY SAYS MILITARY ACTION ON GREENLAND WOULD BE ‘WEAPONS-GRADE STUPID’ AS GOP RESISTS FORCE The package has been on the back burner as the Trump administration works to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The latest iteration of that agreement generally included provisions that would have required Ukraine to give up territory to Russia, a non-starter for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump told Reuters during an interview published last week that it was Zelenskyy holding up negotiations toward a peace deal and contended that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “ready to make a deal,” while Ukraine was “less ready to make a deal.” While the package hasn’t dislodged itself onto the floor in the upper chamber, a White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Trump supports the legislation. But one issue that threatens to trip up the process once more is where the package actually starts in Congress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., doubled down on his position that any Russia sanctions package, despite being labored on in the Senate for several months, should start in the House, given the budgetary impact it could have. That would require buy-in from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to either replicate Graham and Blumenthal’s proposal, or craft their own. Then it would need to hit the House floor, which could take longer than lawmakers in the upper chamber are willing to wait. On whether Johnson said he would put it on the floor, Thune said, “He hasn’t.” GRAHAM SAYS TRUMP WANTS TO ‘MOVE THE BILL’ ON RUSSIA SANCTIONS, BUT PROCEDURAL HURDLES AWAIT “But my guess is that if it’s something that, you know, the White House — it’s important to them, it’s a priority, particularly dealing with Russia and Ukraine, I would assume that they would try and do that,” he said. That’s where there’s a disconnect. Johnson supports Russia sanctions but has said on multiple occasions that he believes a sanctions bill should originate in the Senate. He has argued that starting the legislation in the House would drastically slow down its progress, given the numerous committees any package would have to pass through before ever hitting the floor for a vote. Graham believed that the “sense of urgency now is the greatest it’s been” and noted that he has told Thune that he wants the legislation to start in the Senate, where it has over 80 co-sponsors. “This is where the idea came from, get a big bipartisan vote and try to get President Trump to use these tools coming from the Congress so we can end this bloodbath,” Graham said. “Now, in a normal world it would, but I just think the momentum is in the Senate,” he continued. “We can take a shell — It’s not that hard. I mean, I’ve been working my a– [off] on this thing for over a year, or whatever how long it’s been.” Blumenthal told Fox News Digital that he had been speaking with his colleagues in the lower chamber and added that there’s “no reason” that the package should get bogged down or tripped up in the House. Blumenthal and Graham view their sanctions push as providing Trump with another weapon to force Putin to the negotiating table. He argued that “security is the linchpin here, but forcing Putin to come to the table also involves economic pressure, and ultimately, we want peace, and that will involve both economic and military security.” “I feel very, very encouraged, because I think that a lot is coming together,” Blumenthal said.
DHS brass blasts Chicago mayor for blaming ICE chief as crime rises after ‘safest summer’ claim
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson drew sharp criticism from the Department of Homeland Security after suggesting that a federal immigration operation under Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino disrupted what he said had been the city’s safest summer in decades. Johnson has been touting recent analysis that 2025 was Chicago’s safest summer in 60 years in terms of violent crime, as the city’s NPR affiliate found a total of 123 murders occurred between June and August last year. The University of Chicago’s Crime Lab found that violent crime declined across the country, including in the city throughout 2025, but it still had elevated figures versus other major cities globally. Johnson said last week that those figures were true before DHS kicked off “Operation Midway Blitz” around the first week of September. SANCTUARY POLITICIANS’ RHETORIC LED TO 1,150% SURGE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST ICE AGENTS: DHS Johnson said that once ICE and the Border Patrol showed up, crime increased again. “Chicago had the safest summer since 1965 before Bovino stepped foot in our city,” Johnson said. “Where ICE was most active, crime went up.” When asked for a response, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Johnson is continuing to “demonize our law enforcement, who are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them.” TRUMP SAYS CHICAGO CRIME HAS FALLEN DRAMATICALLY DESPITE ‘EXTRAORDINARY RESISTANCE’ FROM LOCAL DEMOCRATS “The danger and violence our law enforcement has faced in sanctuary cities like Chicago, compared to jurisdictions like Florida, is night and day,” she said, after video surfaced of a woman being promptly detained and arrested after allegedly interfering in a Jacksonville immigration enforcement operation. “He should turn down the rhetoric and work with DHS to prevent more innocent American deaths at the hands of gang members, murderers, drug traffickers, and rapists who have no right to be in this country,” McLaughlin said, noting that DHS arrested more than 4,500 illegal immigrants with criminal records, many of them violent; during the Midway Blitz operation. Johnson had countered that the statistics and timing showed his administration “reduced violence in Chicago in spite of ICE.” TRUMP DECLARES VICTORY IN DEM-RUN CITY DESPITE ‘EXTRAORDINARY RESISTANCE’ FROM SANCTUARY POLITICIANS Johnson pointed to the case of Mexican national Silverio Gonzalez, who was shot and killed by agents last year. An account from the Chicago Sun-Times reported that ICE determined Gonzalez had allegedly resisted arrest and drove his car toward officers, injuring one. Rep. Jesus Garcia, D-Ill., who represents the area, later called for a federal investigation. ICE AGENTS REPORT ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ 3,200% SURGE IN CAR ATTACKS LAST YEAR Johnson himself had been responding on X to comments from Bovino, who in turn was disputing an assertion from Obama confidant David Axelrod. “In Chicago, the trail of misrepresentations by DHS was so long, an exasperated federal judge declared ‘it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to believe almost anything’ they represent as fact. That pattern continues in Minneapolis,” Axelrod wrote, citing and linking to a New York Times report of a man shot and injured by a federal agent in Minneapolis days after Renee Good’s death. In response, Bovino said that “double-digit decreases in violent crime in Chicago speak the truth you’r[e] after.” “Taking violent illegal aliens off the streets by the thousands seems to bother those who choose illegal aliens over American citizens.” That comment led Johnson to cite the 1965 versus 2025 violent crime figures. “Abolish ICE,” Johnson later wrote on Facebook, posting the contents of his prior comments.