Ex-counterterror chief Joe Kent says Trump was ‘poised’ to make better Iran deal than Obama-era JCPOA
Before the Iran war, President Donald Trump was “poised” to strike a “better deal” with the regime than the President Barack Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent asserted in a Thursday post on X. “Prior to letting the Israelis lead us into this war, President Trump was actually poised to cut a better deal than the JCPOA (aka the Obama Iran deal),” Kent wrote. “The Iranians feared and respected Trump in a way they never respected Obama—he took out the terror mastermind Qasem Soleimani, yet was prudent enough not to get sucked into the quicksand of another Middle Eastern quagmire that would only favor Iran and strengthen its hardliners,” he continued. US INTEL COMMUNITY AGREED BEFORE WAR ‘IRAN WASN’T DEVELOPING A NUCLEAR WEAPON’: EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF “That’s why, as soon as he returned to office in January 2025, the Iranians stopped their proxies from attacking us and were immediately open to negotiations,” Kent added. Kent, who quit the counterterrorism post in March due to his opposition to the Iran war, asserted in the Thursday post that Trump could “still correct course” on the issue. “President Trump can still correct course, but he has to break the current stalemate cycle we are in: Get us out of the military standoff. Restrain the Israelis. Leverage the potential of sanctions relief to open the Strait of Hormuz and secure a new deal on the nuclear issue,” he advised. EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF SAYS TRUMP MUST RESTRAIN ISRAEL BEFORE HE CAN DECLARE VICTORY IN IRAN In response to Fox News Digital’s request for a comment from the White House on Thursday, spokesman Davis Ingle provided a statement slamming Kent. “Joe Kent’s self-aggrandizing resignation letter and recent comments are riddled with lies. Most egregious are Kent’s false claims that the largest state sponsor of terrorism somehow did not pose a threat to the United States and that Israel forced the President into launching Operation Epic Fury. As Commander-in-Chief, President Trump took decisive action based on strong evidence which showed that the terrorist Iranian regime posed an imminent threat and was preparing to strike Americans first. President Trump’s number one priority has always been ensuring the safety and security of the American people,” Ingle said in the statement. While testifying at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said that during the 30 months prior to when Operation Epic Fury began, “Iran and its proxies had been attacking U.S. service members and diplomats about 350 times … about every third day.” But Kent asserted in a post on X, “Iran’s proxies attacked our troops & diplomats under Biden, NOT under this Trump admin prior to Epic Fury, hence the 30 months time frame. When Trump returned to office in January of 2025 those attacks stopped.” SHIP SEIZED NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ BY ‘UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL,’ BROUGHT TOWARD IRAN “Iran stoped [sic] its proxies from attacking us b/c they knew Trump would hit back & they wanted to reach a deal w/Trump. A deal was in the works, that deal would have thwarted Israel’s goal of getting us committed to a war against Iran, so Israel did everything they could to get us into a war with Iran,” he added. “Iran holding back its proxies & the protests against the regime in January show that Trump’s max pressure & strategic targeted strike campaign was working, tragically this success was squandered by letting the Israelis drive our decision making,” Kent claimed.
Cuba says CIA chief Ratcliffe met with officials in Havana amid US tensions
CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with counterparts from Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior on Thursday during a high-level visit to the island nation amid “complex bilateral relations” between the long-time adversaries. A CIA official told Fox News correspondent David Spunt that Ratcliffe met with Cuban officials including Raulito Rodriguez Castro, Minister of Interior Lazaro Alvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence services in Havana to “personally deliver President Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes.” During the meeting, the official said Ratcliffe and Cuban officials discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues, all against the backdrop that Cuba can no longer be a safe haven for adversaries in the Western Hemisphere. DEM REPRESENTATIVE ADMITS TO WORKING WITH MEXICO TO SNEAK OIL INTO CUBA, DESPITE BLOCKADE Sources told Fox News Ratcliffe emphasized that the U.S. is extending a genuine opportunity for collaboration, and as evidenced by Venezuela, President Donald Trump must be taken seriously. The Cuban government wrote in a statement that its delegation presented evidence attempting to “categorically demonstrate that the island poses no threat to U.S. national security,” arguing Cuba should not remain on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The dialogue presents Cuba with a rare chance to stabilize its failing economy and deliver for its people, but the window of opportunity will not stay open indefinitely, sources said. The Cuban government must decide whether to seize the moment or continue down an unsustainable path that only leads to deeper isolation and instability. RUBIO SAYS CUBA NEEDS ‘NEW PEOPLE IN CHARGE’ AS BLACKOUTS, UNREST GRIP ISLAND Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on social media Thursday the country may be willing to accept $100 million in humanitarian aid offered by the U.S. “Our country’s experience in receiving international aid, including from the United States, is extensive and constructive,” Diaz-Canel wrote on X. “Any donor can testify to that reality. If there is truly a willingness on the part of the United States government to provide aid in the amounts it announces and in full conformity with the universally recognized practices for humanitarian assistance, it will encounter no obstacles or ingratitude from Cuba, however inconsistent and paradoxical the offer may seem to a people that the United States government itself punishes collectively in a systematic and ruthless manner.” “The priorities are more than evident: fuels, food, and medicines,” he continued. “Incidentally, the damage could be alleviated in a much easier and more expeditious way by lifting or easing the blockade, as it is well known that the humanitarian situation is coldly calculated and induced…” While the director emphasized Trump prefers dialogue, sources said the Cubans should have no illusions that the president will not enforce redlines. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Supreme Court keeps broader access to abortion pill mifepristone in place while legal fight continues
The Supreme Court on Thursday extended its administrative stay blocking enforcement of a lower court ruling that would have restricted access to the abortion pill mifepristone, allowing telehealth prescribing and mail distribution of the drug to continue while the legal battle wages on. The decision keeps in place current FDA rules allowing patients to obtain mifepristone without an in-person doctor visit. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the court’s order. Justice Samuel Alito also filed a separate dissent. The case stems from challenges to FDA changes that expanded access to mifepristone in 2023, allowing telehealth prescribing and distribution by mail. FIRST ON FOX: TOP REPUBLICANS TAKE ABORTION PILL FIGHT TO SUPREME COURT, CITING COERCION AND SAFETY RISKS A Fifth Circuit ruling previously sought to reinstate previous in-person dispensing requirements. The Supreme Court’s action temporarily blocks the Louisiana court’s restrictions while the case continues through the courts. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
Far-left commentator says Trump ballroom project provides proof of ‘dictatorship’ ambition
Progressive political commentator Larry McKelvey, better known as Charlamagne Tha God, argued the White House ballroom project is all the proof needed to show President Donald Trump intends to run for a third term. But “The Late Show” guest host’s rhetoric is raising concerns among those who believe it could incite violence. “Do you seriously think he’s building that for the next guy?” Charlamagne questioned during Wednesday’s episode. “You think he likes J.D. Vance that much? You think he’s doing that level of solid for Marco Rubio?” he added, referencing the two most likely successors to the MAGA empire — the vice president and secretary of State. BILL MAHER SAYS TRUMP’S CONSTRUCTION OF ‘GIANT BALLROOM’ MEANS ‘HE’S NOT LEAVING’ THE WHITE HOUSE Charlamagne’s comments, couched in hyperbolic jokes, raised far-left accusations that Trump has displayed a king-like disregard for limits in his second term — and even mirror the president’s own jokes about violating constitutional limits. “I’m not asking Trump not to run for a third term,” Charlamagne conceded. “Trump is going to Trump. What I’m asking is for the Republican Party to be honest for once and tell us whether or not you want this man to be king, okay? I’m tired of edging dictatorship.” Hogan Gidley, a former White House deputy press secretary, believes some viewers aren’t going to take the comments as a joke. “They have no clue what their comments actually mean to those out there who want to commit acts of violence, which is ignorant and bad enough,” Gidley told Fox News Digital, noting the multiple assassination attempts against Trump and members of his administration. “Or — they know exactly what they’re doing, creating a permission structure for violence. Either way, it’s hurtful to our country,” he added. HOUSE REPUBLICAN CALLS FOR THIRD TRUMP TERM OVER PASSAGE OF ‘HISTORIC’ TAX BILL Under the 22nd Amendment, presidents of the United States are limited to two terms — a change made in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) served four. While firmly noting that comedians have a right under the First Amendment to address issues of their choosing, Gidley says he doubts the White House renovations are proof that Trump wants to overcome that limit. “Context matters,” Gidley said. “For safety and security, it makes complete sense to have a facility that all presidents can use to entertain foreign heads of state, to entertain different guests on various occasions under the watchful eye of a controlled space.” At the White House Correspondent’s Association dinner last month, Trump faced a third assassination attempt when a gunman charged a Secret Service security checkpoint at the event at the Washington Hilton. Trump noted that a space like the future ballroom could be used for such events to provide a more secure venue. MIKE DAVIS: SECURE THE WHITE HOUSE AND BUILD THE BALLROOM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED Charlamagne, for his part, comedically painted a vision for how Trump might use the ballroom in a third term. “On January 20th, 2029, Trump is going to go into that ballroom, with a stack of hustlers, a crate of Big Macs and lock the door from the inside,” Charlamagne said. Construction of the ballroom, which spans 90,000 square feet and is designed to seat 650 attendees, is scheduled to finish before the end of Trump’s second term, according to press releases from the White House. The Daily Show did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. Neither did the White House when asked for reaction to the comedian and political commentator’s comments.
DOJ demands sanctuary states end ‘blatantly unlawful’ anti-ICE policy as a matter of life and death
The Justice Department is ordering sanctuary states to halt a new policy trend they say is putting Department of Homeland Security agents at risk of personal harm and can cause key operations to implode. The federal government currently works with states to disseminate “undercover” license plates for agents and officers whose identities need to be protected and who would have their cover otherwise blown if they were to use federally-issued “U.S. Government” plates. On Thursday, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate issued a warning to several states, including Washington, where the department says DMVs are declining or inhibiting issuance of undercover license plates for Homeland Security operations. In a letter to Washington Attorney General Nicholas Brown, Shumate wrote that the Washington Department of Licensing is refusing to issue such plates to DHS but continues the practice for local and state police. BONDI PUTS SANCTUARY CITIES NATIONWIDE ON NOTICE AFTER DC POLICE FEDERAL TAKEOVER Shumate said the policy discrepancy violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, in that “this discriminatory policy is not only deeply dangerous as a matter of public safety but also blatantly unlawful as a matter of constitutional law.” “It should be immediately withdrawn; otherwise, the United States intends to seek judicial relief.” Shumate said Washington’s policy undermines investigations and puts law enforcement officers “at risk of harm” as they pursue dangerous terrorists, drug traffickers and fraudsters. ICE AGENTS REPORT ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ 3,200% SURGE IN CAR ATTACKS LAST YEAR “Suspects could be alerted to officer presence and flee, destroy evidence or take countermeasures to avoid arrest, making arrests more dangerous for all involved,” he said, adding that includes the general public. Shumate gave Brown a May 22 ultimatum to prove compliance or risk further litigation. Earlier this year, Maine announced it would also pause granting DHS officers undercover plates, with Secretary of State Shenna Bellows telling The Hill that the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles has not revoked existing undercover plates but would pause future issuance following reports of targeted enforcement operations in the Pine Tree State. Oregon and Massachusetts are also reportedly in DOJ’s sights on the issue. Fox News Digital reached out to Brown and the DOJ for comment.
Lawmakers raise alarm over Neville Roy Singham’s $278M network spreading CCP propaganda in the U.S.
Members of Congress are raising concerns about a surge in pro-Chinese Communist Party propaganda and rhetoric in the U.S., citing organizations tied to Shanghai-based Marxist mogul Neville Roy Singham. During interviews with Fox News Digital, a number of House and Senate members warned that nonprofits funded by Singham may be sowing discord in the U.S. by promoting communist propaganda and anti-American rhetoric. “When you talk about the non-profits, you have to look at how China adversely uses or how China uses our non-profit 501(c)(3) status organizations to work as. CCP influencers,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital. “Singham’s group is one of these, as they try to spread and influence other organizations and participate with other organizations in protests, in demonstrations that are going to create chaos in the streets of U.S. cities,” she said. REVOLUTIONARY TOURISM:: INSIDE THE $600M MARRIAGE OF DARK MONEY AND FAR-LEFT AGITPROP “When it comes to China specifically, they have used soft propaganda as a main point of entry with the United States,” she added. According to a Fox News Digital investigation, Singham has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017. Officials from the Justice, State and Treasury departments are investigating financial activity tied to the network, including $22.5 million in funding directed to a group called The People’s Forum. Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, is the co-founder of CodePink, a nonprofit that received $1.33 million from Singham, according to the Fox News Digital investigation. Over the years, CodePink has supported communist regimes, including the Chinese Communist Party and Cuba’s government. TOP GOP SENATOR CALLS OUT CODE PINK, THE PEOPLE’S FORUM ALLEGEDLY PUSHING CCP PROPAGANDA IN US While CodePink’s funding comes directly from Singham, not the government of China, critics allege that the difference is without a distinction. “CodePink are AstroTurf weirdos bought and paid for by Communist China. They get their money from the most oppressive regime on the planet,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital. “They’re a joke.” CodePink filed an ethics complaint against Hawley for what he said was simply “exposing that they take blood money from China.” Members of Congress raised concerns about how CodePink and the Singham network are able to operate without registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires individuals doing public relations, engaging in political work or lobbying for any foreign government to disclose activities and finances to the Department of Justice. TAX COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS PRESS FOR TREASURY CRACKDOWN ON NONPROFITS PROMOTING FRAUD, ‘ANTI-AMERICAN’ HATE “How they’re not registered under FARA is hard to understand because they’re very consistent. I mean, let’s at least give them credit for that,” Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. Even former members of Congress and Capitol Hill staffers are required to register under FARA if they lobby for a country or organization backed by a foreign country. “It should be no surprise that, whether it’s folks associated with the Communist Party of China or, frankly, other anti-American groups, would be funding these groups in the United States. [These groups’] sole role is pretty evident, to protect, defend and support anti-Americans,” he added. “Whether it is terrorist groups [or] terrorist regimes like the one in Iran or the one in Cuba.” SINGHAM-BACKED, PRO-CHINA GROUP DROPS HUGE SUM ON MANHATTAN HQ AS FEDS PROBE SHADOWY NETWORK Singham sold his technology consulting company, Thoughtworks, in 2017 for an estimated $785 million and moved to Shanghai. In 2023, The New York Times published an exposé that connected him to the CCP and chronicled his determination to spread his radical, anti-West ideology in the U.S. and across the globe. In its investigation, Fox News Digital followed the money trail and network that Singham uses to promote communist and Marxist ideologies among Americans, finding that he established an organizing hub in the U.S. with actions against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and protests against Israel, the U.S. and the nation’s domestic and foreign policies. “The real crux of the matter is the genesis of that money — is [Singham] really that rich,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., asked Fox News Digital. “Or is it a false rich that, yeah, he’s got a billion dollars, but the billion dollars came from China communist China that they are actually funneling him, and then making believe, ‘Oh, no, he made that on his own.’ We’ve got to find out exactly where that money came from.” Gimenez also noted what other lawmakers are pointing out: Individual agitators and demonstrators, in addition to Singham himself, are not registered with the Justice Department’s FARA office. While Singham’s dealings have been investigated by a number of Congressional committees in the past, his residence in Shanghai shields him from being subpoenaed to appear before Congress House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., has described Singham as “an individual who lives in Shanghai, maintains business ties with companies and individuals linked to the CCP, works with and physically alongside a foreign propaganda company, and attends CCP forums on how to promote the party abroad.”
US ramps nuclear weapons production to Cold War levels as China pursues ‘unprecedented’ buildup
The U.S. is producing nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told lawmakers Thursday, as officials warned of a rapidly expanding Chinese arsenal and growing nuclear threats from Iran. “Today, NNSA is delivering more new nuclear weapons and plutonium pits than at any time since the Cold War,” Wright said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, describing what he called a broader U.S. “nuclear renaissance.” The ramp-up comes as China undertakes what lawmakers described as an “unprecedented” expansion of its nuclear forces, raising concerns in Washington about a shifting global balance of power. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., warned that Beijing is moving beyond a minimum deterrence posture and building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear arsenal under Chinese President Xi Jinping. CHINA DIRECTS LARGEST MILITARY BUILD-UP SINCE 1930S NAZI GERMANY, EXPERT WARNS, CITING PENTAGON REPORT “China’s building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear force,” Wicker said, pointing to the rapid construction of hundreds of new missile silos, expanded mobile missile systems, ballistic missile submarines, and investments in long-range bombers. “All of these measures flow from and to a strategy designed to surpass the United States in the coming decade.” Wicker said China’s nuclear buildup is unfolding alongside a broader push to translate economic strength into military advantage, including dominance in shipbuilding, critical minerals and key dual-use technologies. “Deterrence is expensive, but this is a competition we cannot afford to lose,” he said. For decades, China maintained a relatively small “minimum deterrent” nuclear posture, but U.S. officials now say Beijing is building a larger and more survivable force across land, sea and air platforms. Pentagon estimates project China’s arsenal could exceed 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030, up from more than 600 today. By comparison, the United States maintains roughly 3,700 active nuclear warheads in its stockpile. Wright argued the U.S. is responding with a sweeping modernization effort, with seven major warhead programs underway simultaneously to ensure each leg of the nuclear triad remains operational. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, America’s nuclear renaissance is here,” Wright said. But some lawmakers raised concerns about whether the U.S. nuclear enterprise can sustain that pace. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., warned that the National Nuclear Security Administration is already under strain, particularly after the dismissal of hundreds of trained nuclear personnel last year. “These experts are exceedingly hard to recruit and retain,” Reed said, noting that the agency previously had roughly 2,000 personnel supporting Pentagon nuclear requirements. Reed also cautioned that new proposals — including expanded nuclear-powered naval capabilities — could further stretch resources and increase demand for warhead production that the agency is already struggling to meet. Wicker, meanwhile, criticized the administration for failing to request funding for a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead program, calling it a matter of complying with existing law. “The United States cannot afford to forego credible, flexible response options while our adversaries’ nuclear forces grow day by day,” he said. TRUMP ORDERS US NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING TO BEGIN ‘IMMEDIATELY’ AFTER RUSSIA TESTS NEW MISSILES The hearing also highlighted escalating concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. During questioning from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Wright said Iran is close to reaching a key threshold. “They are weeks — a small number of weeks — away to enrich that to weapons grade uranium,” Wright said. He noted Iran already possesses uranium enriched to 60%, along with significant quantities enriched to 20%, bringing it dangerously close to weapons-grade capability. “When you’re at 60%, you are … way more than 90% of the way there for the enrichment necessary for weapons grade uranium,” he said. “It’s very concerning.” Asked whether the U.S. should target Iran’s full stockpile of enriched uranium — estimated at roughly 12 tons — Wright indicated support for an aggressive approach. PHYSICIST LAWMAKER WARNS US LACKS CLEAR PLAN FOR IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM “I think that’s the wise strategy. Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well,” he said. The tensions with Iran have also raised concerns about global energy markets, particularly the risk of disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. “A whole administration was well aware of that risk,” Wright said when asked whether the White House anticipated potential fallout. Pressed on how to mitigate the impact on American households, Wright emphasized restoring global energy flows, saying the U.S. would ensure the free movement of oil through the region “either in a, in an agreement … or without a deal.” Wright defended the administration’s push for increased funding for nuclear programs, arguing it is critical to restoring U.S. strategic dominance. “We lost our mojo a bit in designing new weapons and modernizing our weapons,” he said. “It is absolutely essential that every power in the world believes and understands that the United States has the top nuclear arsenal.”
Virginia Dem defends Soros-backed prosecutor from DOJ probe after illegal immigrant charging allegations
A local Virginia Democrat blasted the Department of Justice’s civil rights probe into Soros-backed Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano as a “hit job” last week. The department recently launched an investigation into allegations Descano’s office gave preferential treatment to criminal illegal immigrants. “Given how the Trump administration does their job, I would say it’s likely to be a hit job because that’s what they do,” Fairfax County Supervisor Dan Storck, who represents the Mount Vernon District, said. The investigation will determine whether “immigration consequences” in charging and plea deals violated federal laws that “prohibit recipients of Federal financial assistance from discriminating based upon race, color, or national origin,” DOJ Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon said in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. SOROS-BACKED PROSECUTOR SET FOR CAPITOL HILL GRILLING AS SANCTUARY POLICIES FACE RECKONING Storck said the probe is another example of the Trump administration targeting people they don’t like. “They make up stuff and then they go after them,” he said. “I wish I could be more confident in the Department of Justice right now, but I can’t.” Descano faced backlash after his office repeatedly dropped violent charges and ignored warnings against a suspect later accused of killing Stephanie Minter, a 41-year-old Fredericksburg mother, at a Fairfax bus stop in February. Authorities identified the suspect as Sierra Leone national Abdul Jalloh, who had more than two dozen prior arrests. Descano responded to the investigation in a separate statement to Fox News Digital, saying his policies are “fair, legal, and reflect the values of my community.” Storck said repeat offenders should be held accountable, but it’s ultimately up to the courts. “The key is that we need to address folks who have a history of not abiding by the law and we need to make sure that those individuals have consequences,” he said. “In the end, I realize that’s the courts, but that’s something that I feel very strongly about.” VIRGINIA DEMS SEND SPANBERGER BILL THAT COULD LET SOME REPEAT OFFENDERS OUT WITHOUT SECURED BOND, EXPERT WARNS After speaking with Descano, Storck said they both agreed those who break the law should face consequences. “Steve and I have had several conversations, and he understands the importance to our community to ensure that folks who are consistently not complying with the law are held accountable and let the courts, in my mind, do their job,” he said. He said the department should focus on “significant and serious” crimes instead of targeting Descano. “In general, we focus on individuals who either have a criminal history or are engaging in criminal acts that are significant and serious.” Storck said law enforcement should work with anyone necessary to keep communities safe. “I work with judges, prosecutors and police because I deeply believe that the people in Mount Vernon District have a right to the enjoyment of their community without risk of violence,” he said. SEARS DEMANDS RECALL OF FAIRFAX PROSECUTOR AFTER ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING CASE He said he will continue working to keep dangerous criminals off the streets. “I’ll always fight hard to ensure that people that are risking that safety and security of the folks in Mount Vernon district are not walking the streets,” he said. Descano’s campaign has received over $600,000 from the Justice and Public Safety PAC, a committee primarily funded by Democratic megadonor George Soros. Descano and Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid testified on Thursday before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
173 House Democrats vote against resolution honoring police amid rising attacks
House Democrats split over a resolution backing law enforcement as assaults on officers surged last year. Just 29 House Democrats on Wednesday voted for a GOP-authored measure paying tribute to the “extraordinary sacrifice” law enforcement officers make and criticizing the defund the police movement for jeopardizing public safety. Meanwhile, 173 Democrats voted with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., against the resolution, while every GOP lawmaker present supported it. “We want to take that best practice of respecting law enforcement in Iowa to the nation’s capital, and I was thrilled that we got bipartisan support,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who introduced the measure, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. HANDFUL OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS JOIN REPUBLICANS IN SANCTUARY CITY CRACKDOWN But the Iowa Republican said he expected his resolution to receive unanimous backing. “I think it unfortunately puts a real spotlight on a chasm we have between those who support law and order and those who are supporting those who undermine it,” Nunn said. The vote comes as assaults against law enforcement officers climbed to a 10-year high last year, according to an FBI report released Monday. The number of officers killed saw a slight decrease between 2024 and 2025. Some Democrats likely objected to language in the resolution that criticized left-wing activists for supporting the defund the police movement and sanctuary city policies for putting officers’ safety at risk. “Whereas rhetoric and policies from leftist activists and progressive politicians seek to defund or dismantle local police departments undermine public safety and place both officers and the communities they serve at greater risk,” the resolution states, in part. Nunn’s measure also credited the Trump administration’s aggressive law and order policies for contributing to a historic reduction in violent crime, including the United States experiencing its lowest homicide rate in more than a century last year. “We are at a 125-year low for murder rates, 10-year low for drug overdoses,” Nunn told Fox News Digital. “These are things that good community policing, that our law enforcement officers are doing every day, have had a really positive impact.” HOUSE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS QUIETLY DISCUSS EXPANDING PERSONAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR LAWMAKERS The majority of Democrats who supported the resolution are facing competitive re-election contests in November. However, several vulnerable Democrats, including Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., voted against the measure. A spokesperson for Vasquez did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Reps. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., voted present. The vote came during National Police Week, which honors the service and sacrifice of fallen law enforcement officers across the country. “To the families of those fallen heroes and those who continue to stand guard in our communities: we have your back,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday at a candlelight vigil to commemorate fallen officers. “We’ll continue to advance policies here that support law enforcement and bring justice to those who seek to harm officers.” House Republicans are also pitching a slate of anti-crime bills this week, including legislation that would require the attorney general to compile a list of state and local governments that have adopted cashless bail policies. GOP lawmakers have sharply criticized those policies for letting repeat offenders walk free from jail while awaiting trial.
Final Walz fraud report rips ‘culture of tolerance’ as Minnesota taxpayers face billions in alleged losses
A comprehensive final report released Tuesday by the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee concluding its work for the current session takes aim at a “culture of tolerance” under Gov. Tim Walz that it says allowed serial fraudsters to fleece taxpayers for billions of dollars. The 84-page final report, which follows two dozen hearings and hundreds of whistleblower tips, paints a grim picture of state government malfeasance, incompetence and the active suppression of internal warnings. The committee concluded that the scale of fraud in Minnesota is “massive and unprecedented,” costing taxpayers an estimated $300 million in federal meal program fraud and up to $9 billion in Medicaid fraud. The report asserts that the total amount stolen across multiple programs, including childcare and SNAP, is significantly higher than previously believed. The report cited several examples of what it characterizes as Walz failing to act on fraud, including a situation, reported by Fox News Digital, where he “tried to blame a court order” for failing to stop payments to the Feeding Our Future fraudsters. However, the presiding judge later issued a public statement clarifying that he never ordered the state to resume payments, asserting that the Walz administration did so voluntarily. MINNESOTA FRAUD COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAIMS WALZ ‘TURNED A BLIND EYE’ TO FRAUD WARNINGS FOR YEARS Investigators identified a recurring “business model” used by criminals to fleece taxpayers, which involved low barriers to entry, the use of shell companies and the payment of kickbacks to enroll recipients. The report specifically links the Feeding Our Future scandal to earlier unaddressed fraud in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), suggesting that the failure to stop one led directly to the explosion of the other. The report alleges that Governor Walz created a culture that enabled fraud by failing to hold officials accountable despite years of credible whistleblower reports and audits. It claims the administration “ignored and consciously downplayed” shocking levels of fraud across more than a dozen Medicaid waiver programs and prioritized “compassion over compliance.” While the committee uncovered numerous findings highlighting the severity of the fraud, they found themselves consistently facing opposition from Democrats, including earlier this month when Democrats on the committee blocked an effort to subpoena Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar for information on her alleged ties to the convicted fraudsters in the Somali community. COMER SAYS WALZ ‘RETALIATED’ AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS WHO WARNED OF MINNESOTA FRAUD FOR YEARS The report offered a strong critique of Omar, asserting that her MEALS Act “took the guardrails off” federal nutrition programs by allowing for-profit restaurants to participate and permitting “grab-and-go” flexibilities that made it nearly impossible to verify if children were actually being fed by the Feeding Our Future program. Ultimately, the report concludes that the unprecedented level of fraud was facilitated by poor program design and the active suppression of whistleblower reports, which created a “permission structure” for future wrongdoers. “The problem all along has been people were afraid to call out the fraud because they were afraid of being called racist, because they were afraid of being called Islamophobic, and now because they’re afraid of going against their political patrons or benefactors,” House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, told Fox News Digital about the reasons why the fraud was allowed to linger for so long. Robbins says that she reflects back on the committee’s work with pride but acknowledges there is more work to be done. “I’m proud of the work that the committee has done,” Robbins said. “We’ve fulfilled our mission of exposing fraud and strengthening internal controls and trying to hold the executive branch officials, the Governor and his agencies, accountable. I think the accountability piece — there’s still a lot to do — but I hope the report contributes to that.” While the committee’s work for this session is complete, Robbins says she hopes that the committee will be renewed for the next legislative session. “I hope that the next legislature, which gets elected in November, reconstitutes the fraud committee,” Robbins said. “I don’t want this to be a historic anomaly. We never had a fraud and oversight committee prior to this session, and I hope there will be one in all future sessions. I think no matter who’s in power, it’s an important institutional check.” Despite the Democratic opposition, Robbins says the “work is still there” and she hopes that federal partners, including Vice President JD Vance’s fraud task force, step in. “We have a lot of active investigations based on whistleblower reports that we will continue in this intervening period and I’ll continue to turn things over to our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI,” Robbins said. “And I’ll continue to work with our federal partners at the Department of Treasury, CMS, the new J.D. Vance group, we’re still doing the work, it just, won’t be recorded in a committee meeting anymore.” Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment.