Both parties target Trump’s $2B fund as ICE funding package enters danger zone
President Donald Trump’s nearly $70 billion immigration enforcement package has entered uncertain waters as the Senate embarks on a marathon of votes that could blow up the legislation. At the heart of the issue is the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) now-defunct nearly $2 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. It’s another rare instance where both sides of the aisle are frustrated with the administration, and it could spell doom for the broader bill. That’s because Democrats and Republicans are lining up amendments to ensure the fund is dead, to varying degrees. GOP ADVANCES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE AFTER FORCING TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND INTO RETREAT Senate Republican leadership is hopeful that they can prevent those amendments from surviving during the newly launched “vote-a-rama,” but success isn’t guaranteed. One positive for the GOP is that every Republican voted for the package in its first procedural hurdle Wednesday afternoon. “I feel good going into it,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. “But, you know, you got a lot of conversations with our members [who] understand what’s at stake, how critical it is that we defeat amendments that would be corrosive to the bill or undermine in any way its privilege.” One issue is that should an amendment targeting the fund pass, it could remove the reconciliation package’s ability to advance with just a simple majority of votes. That would effectively give Democrats a win in killing the package outright. Whether the amendments will be considered under a simple majority or 60-vote threshold could change the landscape and will ultimately be up to the Senate rules referee to determine whether they comply with the Byrd rule, which undergirds the reconciliation process. GOP DEMANDS TRUMP KILL CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND BEFORE REVIVING ICE FUNDING PACKAGE Republicans believed that those add-ons would hit that 60-vote mark, giving them a little bit of breathing room. “I mean, you never know with 100% accuracy,” Thune said. “There are a lot of creative ways of drafting amendments, but we feel pretty confident that most of those would be at 60.” The fund, announced last month as part of a settlement between the Trump family and the Internal Revenue Service, received strong pushback from Republicans who feared that without proper guardrails, people convicted of assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill could access the taxpayer funds. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., whose main job is to wrangle and twist the arms of wary Republicans to vote for the package, put the primary blame on Senate Democrats as fractures in the GOP simmered. GOP LEVERAGES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE TO MAKE TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND ‘NEVER EXIST’ “The Democrats continue to talk about everything they want to talk about, except actually securing the border and protecting the American people,” Barrasso said. “They’re gonna come with all sorts of things, all in an effort to delay our efforts to support the American people and keep them safe and secure.” But there are Republicans who will have their own anti-weaponization fund amendments. So far, Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., two lawmakers who are increasingly prone to break with Trump, have teed up add-ons to address the fund. There is the option to deal with the fund outside of reconciliation, too. Cassidy, who Trump successfully just ousted from office, didn’t say which route he would prefer, but wanted “something which just makes it sure that somebody doesn’t change their mind in the White House, it doesn’t come back.” Tillis contended that there were enough Republicans with concerns over the fund that something needed to be done, but wanted it to be a GOP-led initiative. He’s not picky about whether his amendment gets a shot either. “I don’t care about my own personal amendment,” Tillis said. “There’s a few out there, as long as one touching on the issue gets there. I’m not gonna slow leadership down. I wouldn’t do anything to make it as corrosive to the underlying bill so that it loses privilege. But we gotta do this.”
Trump admin bypasses Tehran’s isolation campaign to reach Iranians directly
FIRST ON FOX: As the Trump administration continues negotiations with Iran, it is also taking its message directly to the Iranian people. In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, the State Department bypasses Iran’s leadership to tell ordinary Iranians that their country’s problems stem not from its citizens, but from a government that “chooses confrontation over opportunity.” “The Iranian people are not the problem. A leadership that fears openness and chooses confrontation over opportunity is the problem.” The video will run Thursday in Persian language outlets Iran International and BBC Persian. IRAN PROTESTERS EMBOLDENED BY TRUMP ADMIN’S PERSIAN MESSAGING AFTER OBAMA-BIDEN INACTION, ACTIVISTS SAY The video is likely to be viewed by some regime opponents as symbolic support at a time when many critics of the Islamic Republic have called for more concrete measures from Washington. It also comes as millions of Iranians regain access to the outside world after months of digital isolation. Iranian authorities recently began restoring internet access following an 88-day nationwide blackout that was initially imposed during anti-government protests and later expanded after the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel. Internet monitoring groups say connectivity has improved, though significant restrictions remain in place across the country. Earlier in 2026, anti-government protests spread across the country and evolved into one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in decades before being crushed by a sweeping government crackdown. Protesters faced mass arrests, internet blackouts and lethal force from security services, according to human rights groups and international monitors. Iran’s opposition remains fragmented, divided among monarchists, reformists, ethnic movements and other factions, and intelligence assessments have questioned whether any unified alternative is positioned to take power should the Islamic Republic fall. Throughout the new video, the State Department, through a narrator speaking Farsi, emphasizes themes of freedom, opportunity and self-determination, portraying the Iranian people as capable of building a more prosperous future while suggesting the country’s leadership has prevented it from reaching its full potential. “When Americans see Iran, we see a great people with a rich history and a generation full of talent and potential,” the video’s translation says. “Today, millions of Iranians want what people everywhere want: opportunity, stability, a chance to speak freely, and live without fear. Iran has the talent, resources, and educated young people to be among the world’s most prosperous nations.” “The future of Iran should be shaped by its people, not by intimidation or fear. It should be built by the people themselves,” the video goes on. “Iran’s story is still being written. Its best chapter may still lie ahead.” MIKE POMPEO: OPERATION EPIC FURY IS RIGHTEOUS — AND REGIME CHANGE MUST FOLLOW “The Iranian people deserve to hear the truth directly, without the lies and propaganda of a regime that has spent decades violently suppressing dissent, enriching itself, and ignoring the needs of its own citizens,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott told Fox News Digital about the video. “Speaking directly to the people of Iran is important because our disagreement has never been with them, it has always been with a regime that prioritizes funding terror and pursuing a nuclear weapon over the aspirations, prosperity, and freedom of the Iranian people. By speaking directly to them, we’re making clear that America stands with the people of Iran.” The outreach comes as U.S. and Iranian officials continue discussing a potential agreement, creating the unusual dynamic of Washington negotiating with Iran’s government while simultaneously telling its citizens that the regime is holding the country back. The message echoes comments from President Donald Trump earlier in 2026 suggesting that meaningful political change in Iran would ultimately have to come from within the country. “We hope the Iranian people can overthrow the government,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 2, shortly after the U.S. launched offensive strikes known as Operation Epic Fury. While the Trump administration has publicly maintained that negotiations with Tehran remain active, significant obstacles remain, including Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio told lawmakers in recent days that any agreement would require major Iranian concessions and insisted the administration would not ease sanctions simply in exchange for reopening the strategic waterway. The protests featured prominently in administration messaging at the time, with Trump and other senior officials voicing support for demonstrators and drawing a distinction between the Iranian people and the country’s leadership. Iran’s mission to the United Nations could not immediately be reached for comment.
SEE IT: House floor erupts after GOP lawmaker accuses Tlaib of Hezbollah ties
The House floor erupted into chaos Wednesday after Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, accused Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., of having ties to terrorist groups, including Hezbollah. The shouting match came during a heated debate over a resolution that would force President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Lebanon. Tlaib, a progressive lawmaker and member of the Squad, is expected to force a vote on the measure Thursday, arguing that the United States should not assist Israel’s war in Lebanon. Her resolution does not mention Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization in Lebanon and a proxy force of the Iranian regime. Republicans seized on the omission, arguing the measure would aid Hezbollah and that its supporters were acting as the group’s “proxies.” “Hezbollah is a terrorist organization … and its members are butchers that you like to hang out with to a certain extent,” Miller said on the House floor Wednesday evening, referring to Tlaib. REP RASHIDA TLAIB MOVES TO BLOCK US OPERATIONS IN LEBANON BUT IGNORES HEZBOLLAH When Tlaib responded by yelling, Miller retorted, “Are we getting a little emotional?” Tlaib then responded, “That is an attack on my character,” and demanded that Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., the presiding chair, rule that Miller’s remarks were out of order. Obernolte ultimately struck the Ohio lawmaker’s words from the record after the House floor was frozen for more than an hour while lawmakers deliberated. Miller was barred from speaking on the House floor for the rest of Wednesday. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., then delivered a statement on Miller’s behalf, saying, “Yes, I said it. I own it, and I stand by it.” Mast also attempted to enter materials into the record about Tlaib’s alleged association with terrorist groups, but the Michigan Democrat objected. The documents included a Fox News Digital story from 2023 reporting that Tlaib was a member of a private Facebook group that glorified Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. TRUMP URGED TO LOOK INTO US FUNDING OF LEBANESE ARMY AMID ACCUSATIONS OF ITS TIES TO HEZBOLLAH Tlaib’s resolution targeting U.S. forces in Lebanon is likely to die on the House floor Thursday amid bipartisan opposition. The measure is expected to divide Democrats, and it is unclear how House Democratic leadership will vote. GOP lawmakers have also argued the resolution is “dangerous” because it could affect U.S. military operations in the country to protect the American embassy in Beirut and train the Lebanese Armed Forces to fight Hezbollah. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., a co-sponsor of the resolution, did not answer directly when asked by Mast whether she would like to see U.S. forces stay in the country to help train Lebanon’s army to combat the terrorist group. “He’s having a different debate here,” Ramirez insisted.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Dems face major defeat after party ‘missed the cue’ in top targeted district: candidate
EXCLUSIVE: Republican candidate Eric Flores believes that, despite national headwinds, Democrats are heading for a major defeat in a critical South Texas swing district after he said the party has “missed the cue” with a key demographic: Hispanic voters. Democratic leaders have been projecting confidence that they will retake the House of Representatives this midterm election. However, Texas Congressional District 34, which is primarily made up of Hispanic voters, is one race that could complicate those plans. Currently held by Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, District 34 has been trending hard toward Republicans in the last several elections. And with Republicans’ razor-thin House majority at stake, Flores’ race is considered a top pick-up opportunity for the GOP. Flores, a 34-year-old veteran and former U.S. attorney, spoke with Fox News Digital after a meeting with shrimping business leaders at the Port of Brownsville. He asserted that South Texas Hispanic voters “can see through the smoke and mirrors.” With Democrats like Senate candidate James Talarico at the top of the ticket in Texas, Flores believes voters are seeing the distinction between the two parties even more clearly. WATCH: TALARICO EMBRACES ‘FREAKY’ IDENTITY AS CROWDS CHANT NAME MEANT AS INSULT: ‘SO WEIRD’ “Here in South Texas, we’re conservative. We go to church … we want to keep the family unit whole, whereas James Talarico is talking about six genders, right? He’s talking about the first thing that he loves outside of his family and friends are transgender children. That’s not what we’re about here in South Texas,” said Flores. “We’re about taking care of our family values of keeping Christ first. They’ve absolutely missed that.” Further, Flores said that South Texans are not connecting with Democrats’ messaging in opposition to President Donald Trump and the administration’s immigration policy. “The issues that I’m hearing right now from the South Texas constituent is not the mainstream media point or the invisible villain that folks like Vicente Gonzalez, AOC and James Talarico are casting right now,” he said. “I’ll tell you what the constituent and what the voter is focusing on right now. They’re focusing on the cost of living. They’re focusing on affordability.” “We’re talking about the one big, beautiful bill, the working family tax cut. That is what they’re talking about. They want the prices to continue to go down, and they want the future generation to be able to afford a house,” he added. HOUSE GOP RUSHES TO COURT CRITICAL VOTING BLOC WHILE FACING UPHILL MIDTERM BATTLE Meanwhile, he accused Gonzalez of not having passed “a single substantive piece of legislation for South Texas” during his nearly 10 years in Congress. “I don’t know any job that you can have for 10 years and not be able to point to one substantive thing that you’ve done other than, well, I got this earmarked money, or I got these boys and girls grant. We appreciate that, but South Texas is deserving of much more than just that,” said Flores. “He is using excuses that President Trump is wanting to deport brown people, and that’s not the truth,” he went on. In response, Gonzalez called it “beyond hypocritical for Eric Flores and Republicans in Washington to feign concern for the economy when they openly celebrate stripping affordable health care and food assistance away from millions of families through their One Big, Ugly Bill.” Gonzalez told Fox News Digital that “when Democrats retake the majority in November, I will focus on ending these ‘America Last’ policies that cater to the wealthiest few at the expense of hardworking South Texas families.” “While Eric panders to the Administration like a lapdog, I’ve delivered more than $8 billion in federal funding to support law enforcement, improve infrastructure, assist veterans, and strengthen public education in my district,” he continued, adding, “South Texans deserve a fighter who puts our community first, not someone like Eric, who served as the lead defense counsel for a child predator and will only work for party bosses.” Additionally, JT Ennis, a spokesperson for Talarico, commented to Fox News Digital that “there is a growing backlash in South Texas to the corruption we’re seeing from politicians like [GOP Senate candidate] Ken Paxton.” “They promised to make everything less expensive and put working families first, but now everything is more expensive and working families are further behind – all because they’d rather cut taxes for billionaire mega-donors than help working Texans,” said Ennis. “While Ken Paxton hurls cheap insults to distract from his career of corruption, James will continue bringing working people together to fix this broken political system and lower costs for families.” Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton, who currently serves as Texas attorney general, for comment. HOUSE CANDIDATE PREDICTS HISTORIC RISE OF ‘NEW GENERATION’ IN CONGRESS AS PARTIES TARGET KEY DEMOGRAPHIC Meanwhile, in a statement to Fox News Digital, Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, criticized Gonzalez and Talarico for having “fought as transgender warriors for a decade, trying to convince Texans there are six genders and men can become women using your tax dollars for sex change surgeries.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for comment. Though South Texas has been dominated by Democrats for roughly a century, Flores concluded that “folks down here feel absolutely abandoned by the Democrat[s].” “We can say 50 to 100 years, people are tired of not having results. They’re tired of the Democrats coming down here and saying that they’re the representative party for this area. And it’s just false,” he said. “This is the number one targeted seat in the entire nation. And why is that? Because we continue to see the Hispanic voter moving closer and closer to the Republican Party. What drives that? A lot of people don’t understand this. Here in South Texas, we’re really about three things: It’s faith, family, and hard work.” Fox News Digital also reached out to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., for comment.
California election results still undecided as Los Angeles begins counting ballots
California’s primary election results remain undecided for several closely-watched races Wednesday, including the gubernatorial race and the Los Angeles mayoral race. As of Thursday morning, Republican Steve Hilton is leading the gubernatorial race with roughly 28% of the vote. Behind him are the two top Democratic candidates, former Biden official Xavier Becerra at 25% and billionaire Tom Steyer at 20%. Los Angeles also remains too close to call, though incumbent Mayor Karen Bass has secured her spot in the November election. Her upstart opponent, Spencer Pratt, was holding in second place early Wednesday morning, but more of the vote remains to be counted. Under California law, only the two top-performing candidates in state primaries can proceed to the general election in November, regardless of political party. HILTON, BECERRA, IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR Pratt had received 30% of the vote as of Wednesday morning, with left-wing candidate Nithya Raman trailing him at 22%. “This idea that I don’t represent Democrats and Republicans and independents — anyone that’s just a Los Angeles citizen that wants basic quality of life — I’ll be able to show that in five months,” Pratt said Wednesday night. “I’m an Angeleno who said, ‘Enough is enough,’ and I had to step up,” he said. “I’m going to show everybody that I’m their mayor.” RNC RAILS AGAINST CALIFORNIA’S LATE MAIL-IN BALLOT COUNTING AMID NATIONAL LITIGATION: ‘IT IS ABSURD’ California has faced routine criticism for its sluggish election system, with key races remaining undecided for days after the June 2 elections. “The fact that California elections often can’t be resolved for weeks is kind of insane and not common in other electoral systems around the world,” Nate Silver, a top political data analyst, wrote on X on Tuesday afternoon. “Like honestly ‘it’s going to take us several weeks to tell you who won the election’ is failed state s— and should be much more stigmatized. The fact that it’s tolerated is bad too a textbook example of learned helplessness.” Lengthy vote counts in California are a product of the state’s reliance on mail voting and its thorough review process. Under California law, every registered voter receives a mail-in ballot and votes that arrive at election offices up to a week after election day are considered valid so long as they were postmarked by election day. In tight primaries where a handful of votes decide outcomes, this process can cause voters to go weeks without knowing who will advance to the general election. “Every other state manages to count its votes in a somewhat timely manner,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, an independent who caucuses with the GOP, wrote on X. “California’s inability to competently handle the basic administration of democracy is embarrassing. It’s also indicative of why our state has so many other problems.”
Jill Biden tells memoir critic, ‘Say it to my face, buddy’
Former first lady Jill Biden pushed back on Democratic critics of her memoir who say the book needlessly dredges up controversies from the 2024 election. Biden made the comment during an event promoting her book, “View from the East Wing,” in New York City on Wednesday. She was asked specifically about comments from former Biden White House spokesman Andrew Bates, who said of her book, “I don’t see why that painful conversation for the party needed to be publicly reopened right now,” according to the New York Post. “I want to say to Andrew: Call me up, and say it to my face, buddy,” Biden responded, going on to argue that her book had only “one chapter on politics.” Biden then discussed the 2024 election more generally, touching on everything from former President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance that June to her own thoughts about the aging president’s decision to run again. INSIDE JILL BIDEN’S POLITICAL RISE AMID HER HUSBAND’S COGNITIVE DECLINE: BOOK She argued she would have been honest with her husband had she seen his condition prior to the debate, but she said she wasn’t there for his debate preparations. “I was out campaigning,” she said. “So I didn’t see him at debate camp at Camp David.” “I never wanted to see that moment again in my life but since I’ve been doing press for two days, they’re like, ‘Watch this clip,’” she said. LIZ PEEK: BIDEN CANCER ANNOUNCEMENT HAS MY SYMPATHY AND MY SKEPTICISM “I saw Joe aging. My God, we all saw him aging,” she admitted. Her comments came just a day after she made headlines during an interview on “The View” where she acknowledged that her husband would not have been able to serve another four years. “The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked Jill Biden if she thought her husband would have been in a good place to serve another four years in the White House. “Well, not from what I know now,” Biden said. “My God. Who knew? It was so shocking to get that cancer diagnosis. I mean, we had, you know, here I was, I’m looking through travel magazines like, ‘Oh, where are we going to go? What are we going to do,’ and then we get this cancer diagnosis and I think, what am I doing? Like, our whole life has changed now. It was just shocking.”
Secret Signal chats reveal how anti-ICE agitators coordinated Newark riots
At 11:30 a.m. on June 3, an activation signal went out on social media calling protesters and agitators to swarm Delaney Hall, the Newark, N.J. ICE detention facility that has become one of the nation’s most contentious immigration battlegrounds. “CURFEW IS OVER. BACK TO DELANEY,” read an Instagram post, promoted by a fiery collection of anti-Israel, Marxist and Democratic organizations — from “Palestine Solidarity Working Group” and Al-Awda to Indivisible and 50501 — that have joined tumultuous against the ICE, Newark police and New Jersey state troopers over the past couple of weeks. Within minutes, the call to action spread through secret groups on Signal, an encrypted messaging platform, activating hundreds of anti-ICE activists with secret monikers like “framed.unrest” and “Wicked Something,” collaborating on transportation, logistics and supplies, like goggles, protections against pepper spray, respirators and protective knee pads. A Fox News Digital investigation, gathering information on the ground in Newark, in secret chat groups on Signal and from scores of tax filings, strategy documents and social media posts, reveals the protests outside Delaney Hall are no organic outpouring of spontaneous rage. They are the result of years of strategic planning by a network of well-funded, well-organized groups that have once again exploited a local controversy to wage a wider attack on federal immigration policies and the U.S. in general. The activities of this network have motivated a group of tech sleuths on the X — @DataRepublican, @Astrarce, @bitchuneedsoap and @gunshymartyr — to penetrate these groups, their Signal chats and their operations like a digital Avengers squad. BLUE STATE ICE FACILITY RAMPS UP SECURITY WITH NEW BARRICADES AMID CLASHES WITH PROTESTERS According to Fox News Digital’s analysis, the network behind the Delaney Hall protests includes about 100 groups, some of them big names like the ACLU, Indivisible and Democratic Socialists of America. Together, these organizations report collective annual revenues of about $825 million, approximately equal to the annual budget of Newark. The groups didn’t respond to requests for comment. About 70 of the groups have received special designations as charities by the IRS, have status as regular 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofits, as well as labor union 501(c)(5) and 501(c)(6) nonprofits, enjoying tax-deductible donations and certain tax-free benefits. In recent months, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee have launched investigations into the alleged abuse of nonprofit laws to instigate conflict, sow discord and even inspire political violence. The Delaneny network — which one expert calls the “Delaney Hall 100” — message around shared language assembled in a strategic communications document, called the “Delaney Hall Creator Brief,” which Fox News Digital obtained from X user @b—-uneedsoap. The strategy document directs content creators to call the detention center a “concentration camp” and label detainees “imprisoned prisoners” and “captives.” It tells activists to eschew saying detainees were arrested, but rather assert they were “kidnapped/abducted/taken.” Their tactics mirror the system deployed in Minneapolis earlier this year to protest ICE actions, and military experts say the operations resemble the tactics of an insurgency. “We should be very concerned about the Delaney Hall 100,” said Chuck Flint, a nonprofit expert and former U.S. Senate chief of staff. “Protests like the kind we’re seeing outside Delaney Hall are not organic protests. These are manufactured strategic, calculated endeavors by an army of nonprofits meant to push subversive activity. These groups generate annual revenues greater than many of the cities in which they protest. They act like military battalions with the ability to overwhelm a city’s public safety resources.” “It’s David vs. Goliath,” said Flint, who is also a former state prosecutor. FOX NEWS DIGITAL ANALYSIS: HOW MINNEAPOLIS AGITATOR NETWORKS USE INSURGENCY TACTICS TO HINDER ICE Last weekend, Fox News Digital spotlighted a series of far-left groups that self-identify as socialist, Marxist and communist blending in with immigrant groups. They included Democratic Socialists of America, the U.S. Revolutionary Communist Party, Speak Out Socialist, Refuse Fascism, Freedom Road Socialists Organization, Freedom Socialist Party and the Black Panthers. Fox News Digital observed tents stocked with respirators, goggles, protective pads, decontamination supplies and other protest-support equipment. Late last Saturday, controversial Marxist influencer Hasan Piker arrived at the protests for a quick walk-through, wearing a pink gas mask. He told Fox News Digital that he was there to advocate for the demands of the detainees inside, remaining on the scene for less than 30 minutes before driving off. Later, he responded to Fox News Digital’s images of the tents filled with riot-gear provisions and called the supplies “mutual aid.” The preparations for protests Wednesday night offer a window into how the organizations motivate, coordinate, mobilize, focus and discipline their foot soldiers. By 1:17 p.m., a user, “Pete InDC,” shared a video outside the detention facility, with a car honking nonstop and “ICE OUT” drawn in chalk on Doremus Avenue. “Come on down!” wrote “Pete InDC.” AGITATORS OUTSIDE DELANEY HALL SET UP ORGANIZED LOGISTICS OPERATION BEFORE NEWARK PROTESTS BEGAN At 1:29 p.m., “yarrow” asked, “any car pools from nyc today? or any medics coming from nyc?” By 1:46 p.m., others asked if one of the main protest organizers, Cosesha, approved the protest, and yet others started organizing logistics, starting with the ordinary: food, drinks, bike racks, transportation, parking and tents, as if they were headed to a concert. “Tamale” asked “so if we do go should we be bringing supplies or only rallying? do ppl need water.” By 2:11 p.m., when “Durga” asked for others to “like” the message if they were on Doremus Avenue, another user — “tiny” — admonished “Durga,” warning “please don’t self id in the chat,” adding “or ask others to.” Often these organizations speak their own language, for example, compiling “otg” — or “on the ground” — intelligence. At 3:08 p.m., “Jay D” asked, “Is anyone otg and can give a report?” FEDERAL AGENTS IN NEW JERSEY BEAT BACK ANTI-ICE AGITATORS IN CHAOS OUTSIDE DELANEY HALL DETENTION FACILITY Quickly, the communications moved into
The growing list of controversies threatening Democrat Graham Platner’s Maine Senate bid
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has emerged as one of the party’s fastest-rising political figures, drawing national attention for his populist message and outsider image. But as his profile has grown, so has scrutiny of his past conduct, with controversies ranging from sexually explicit messages and offensive social media posts to a Nazi-linked tattoo and campaign staff upheaval. PLATNER CONTROVERSIES FUEL SPECULATION ABOUT LITTLE-KNOWN MAINE BALLOT REPLACEMENT PROVISION In continued clean-up of those scandals, Platner came to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to huddle with party figures at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters just one week before his primary election. The Marine veteran and oyster farmer has defended himself against the criticism and retained the support of prominent Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Still, some have questioned whether the allegations could complicate Democrats’ efforts to unseat Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races. Here’s a look at the major controversies that have engulfed Platner’s campaign. The most recent controversy surrounding Platner stems from reports that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women during his marriage, an issue that campaign aides were reportedly aware of as his Senate bid was taking shape. The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, informed a campaign aide about the text exchanges shortly after he launched his Senate bid as staffers were assessing potential political liabilities. According to the report, Gertner discovered the messages months after the couple married in 2024 and disclosed their existence before her husband held a campaign rally alongside progressive Sen. Sanders. The campaign told Politico that the aide viewed the matter as a private issue between the couple and did not raise concerns about it publicly. SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT Platner’s campaign later confirmed the existence of the text exchanges to Politico. He also told Fox News Digital in a statement: “Amy and I went through something hard — because of me. We did the work, and I’m grateful for her every hour of every day.” “I’ve learned throughout this campaign is that people don’t care about gossip or headlines, they care that you’re fighting for their hospitals, their paycheck, their kids… Our opponents want politics to be empty of content and empty of actual change — and beating that is exactly what our movement is about,” he added. In a statement to the Journal, Gertner criticized the disclosure of the information, saying she had shared “deeply personal details” about her marriage with someone she considered a friend, only to see those details become public. She revealed that the two attended couple’s counseling, worked through the issues in their marriage and have since emerged as a stronger couple. “I know who Graham is. I know the man I married and the husband he has been to me on the best and the worst days of my life,” Gertner said. “That hasn’t changed, and it won’t.” Platner’s campaign also faced intense scrutiny after it was revealed he once had a skull-and-crossbones tattoo on his chest closely resembling the “Totenkopf” symbol used by Hitler’s SS paramilitary forces. The Maine Democrat said he got the tattoo during a “night of drinking” while on leave in Croatia in 2007 as a Marine and claimed he was entirely unaware of its meaning at the time. In an Instagram video posted in May, Platner elaborated on the tattoo’s origins. He explained that he merely selected the design from a flash tattoo wall while “carousing” with fellow Marines in Split, Croatia. “We thought it looked cool,” he downplayed. Platner said he was later “appalled” to learn the image resembled a Nazi symbol, arguing that his life and career have been defined by opposition to fascism, racism and Nazism. He also noted that he was never questioned about the tattoo during his military service. MAINE DEM SENATE HOPEFUL BACKED BY BERNIE SANDERS APOLOGIZES FOR NAZI-STYLE TATTOO, VOWS TO STAY IN RACE Rather than undergo removal, Platner said he chose to cover the tattoo because tattoo removal services were not readily available near his rural Maine home. “Going to a tattoo removal place is going to take a while,” he told The Associated Press. “I wanted this thing off my body.” The symbol was ultimately covered with a tattoo featuring a Celtic knot and images of dogs, which Platner said were meant to honor his family pets. The keystone scrutiny Platner has faced during his bid stemmed from thousands of now-deleted Reddit posts that resurfaced after he launched his Senate campaign. In posts first reported by CNN and Politico, Platner referred to himself as a “communist” and “socialist” and endorsed the slogan “all cops are b—–ds.” In other posts, he argued that those who “expect to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle, they ought to do some reading of history” and said that “an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice.” DELETED POSTS URGING VIOLENCE HAUNT DEMOCRATIC SENATE HOPEFUL IN MAINE RACE The posts under his since-retired username “P-hustle” were deleted before Platner announced his Democratic Senate bid in August. The candidate has since addressed the posts multiple times, telling CNN and Politico that he was “f—ing around on the internet” during a period when he felt “lost and very disillusioned with our government who sent me overseas to watch my friends die.” “I made dumb jokes and picked fights,” Platner said. “But of course I’m not a socialist. I’m a small business owner, a Marine Corps veteran, and a retired s—poster.” In the posts Platner made crude comments about masturbating in port-a-potties and claimed a U.S. service member who took enemy fire in Afghanistan “didn’t deserve to live.” GRAHAM PLATNER VOWS TO ‘COME AFTER’ BEZOS AS SENATE HOPEFUL ESCALATES BILLIONAIRE TAX FIGHT The controversies have done little to erode Platner’s standing within the Democratic Party as he has continued to
Rubio torches Democrat after bizarre hearing questions about his shoes: ‘Is this a circus?’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Wednesday’s House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing “a circus” after Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., questioned him about a pair of shoes he received as a gift from President Donald Trump. The exchange came after Jacobs criticized Rubio’s testimony regarding the recent conflict with Iran, arguing that he was unwilling to acknowledge facts. “Mr. Secretary, it seems like you have an issue admitting facts… You couldn’t admit the shoes the president bought you were too big,” she said. Rubio appeared puzzled by the remark. DEMS’ HEARING MELTDOWNS A PLAY TO THE BASE, ANALYSTS SAY, AS TRUMP NOMS KEEP PUSHING BACK IN VIRAL MOMENTS “I don’t know about the shoes. I mean, [Trump] gave me some Florsheim shoes that are actually pretty good, they fit fine, I don’t know what she’s talking about,” he said. Jacobs then returned to the topic moments later, complimenting Rubio’s footwear. “Your shoes look very nice today, Mr. Secretary,” she told him. “How can you see them? They’re way down here. We’re talking about shoes. Are you guys kidding me? I mean, is this the Foreign Affairs Committee or is this, like, a circus? What is this?” Rubio responded. RUBIO CRACKS UP AT TRUMP’S REACTION TO NATO LEADER CALLING PRESIDENT ‘DADDY’ The exchange came amid a combative hearing in which Democratic lawmakers repeatedly challenged Rubio over the Trump administration’s handling of foreign policy, including the recent conflict with Iran. Earlier in the hearing, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., questioned Rubio about whether Trump’s personal financial interests could have influenced decisions related to military action against Iran. Rubio forcefully rejected the suggestion. “Not once. Just to be clear, not a single time, not even for a millisecond, has the president ever discussed his personal economics and relations to war or any public policy that he’s made, for that matter,” Rubio said. “And I’ve been in every one of his foreign policy meetings for the most part.” RUBIO SLAMS ‘FALSE’ INTELLIGENCE LEAKS DOWNPLAYING SUCCESS OF TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES As Democratic lawmakers continued pressing Rubio throughout the hearing on issues ranging from Trump’s finances to allegations of corruption within the administration, the secretary grew increasingly frustrated with the tenor of the proceedings. Later in the hearing, Rubio again complained that lawmakers were not allowing him enough time to answer questions. “What kind of thing is this? What is this? You know, you get asked questions for five minutes and you don’t get time to answer. It’s not a hearing,” Rubio said. As the exchange continued, he added, “Is this a dunk tank? What is this?” Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill accuses ICE of denying her access to Newark detention facility Delaney Hall
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill accused ICE on Wednesday of denying her access to Delaney Hall, a Newark immigration detention facility that has become the focus of lawsuits, protests and allegations of unsafe, as scrutiny intensifies over allegations of unsafe conditions inside the center. “ICE is denying me entry to Delaney Hall — raising serious questions about what is happening behind its walls,” Sherrill wrote on X. Fox News Digital has reached out to Sherrill’s office to clarify whether she attempted to access the facility Wednesday or was referring to an ongoing dispute over access. The Democratic governor previously attempted to visit the detention center over Memorial Day weekend but was denied entry, according to local reports. FOX NEWS GOES INSIDE NEW JERSEY ICE FACILITY STORMED BY DEMOCRATS Sherrill said she recently met with family members of individuals being held at the facility and heard allegations about unsafe conditions. “Last night in Jersey City, I met with families whose loved ones are being detained there,” Sherrill wrote. “What I heard only deepened my concerns.” “Families shared heartbreaking reports of unsafe, inhumane, and unconstitutional conditions — detainees being denied access to proper medical care and medication, violence and intimidation, threats of losing phone and video access, visitation privileges being taken away, and deeply troubling accounts of detainees being pressured to sign deportation papers with no translation,” she continued. SOMETHING TO HIDE? ICE UNDER FIRE FOR SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS AT FOR-PROFIT DETENTION CENTER Sherrill said she would continue pushing for accountability and improved conditions at the facility while reiterating her support for ultimately shutting it down. The governor’s comments came after New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced this week that the state had filed suit against GEO Group Inc., the private company contracted by the Department of Homeland Security to operate the detention center. The lawsuit seeks access for the New Jersey Department of Health to inspect the facility after state and local officials, including Sherrill, were allegedly denied entry. The filing also references reports that some detainees have launched a hunger strike over conditions inside the center. INSPECTION OF DELANEY HALL ICE FACILITY CONTRADICTS CLAIMS IN NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL’S LAWSUIT The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous.” A DHS spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital that detainees are provided three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap and other basic necessities. Sherrill has also faced criticism from Newark officials, activists and law-enforcement supporters over her response to demonstrations outside the facility. GOV. SHERRILL BLAMES ICE, DEFENDS RIOTERS AFTER DEPLOYING TROOPERS TO QUELL VIOLENT MOB Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said Tuesday he disagreed with tactics used by the New Jersey State Police after they were deployed to secure the area around Delaney Hall, describing the agency as “a sword.” On Saturday, Sherrill defended the deployment, saying the New Jersey State Police Public Safety Response Team was sent to the area because it was “absolutely necessary to protect public safety and avoid escalation.” When reached for comment, ICE referred Fox News Digital to the Department of Homeland Security, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.