Supreme Court unanimously slaps down blue state targeting pro-life group
The Supreme Court unanimously sided with a group of faith-based pregnancy centers on Wednesday that challenged the New Jersey attorney general’s investigation into whether the centers misled donors and the public about steering women away from having abortions. The case was brought by First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a group of five Christian-based facilities in New Jersey that provide various pre-natal services to women facing unplanned pregnancies. The Supreme Court found the state investigation violated the centers’ First Amendment rights, handing a victory to the pro-life movement, which had argued the probe rattled the centers’ donors. The opinion was narrow, finding that First Choice is now able to sue over the state investigation in federal court. First Choice had argued that then-Attorney General Matt Platkin, an elected Democrat, had issued baseless subpoenas to the pregnancy centers for donor information. Platkin had contended that the facilities presented consumer fraud concerns that the state had broad authority to investigate. PRO-LIFE CENTER FIGHTS NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL’S ‘FISHING EXPEDITION’ IN SUPREME COURT BATTLE Justice Neil Gorsuch, who authored the opinion, agreed with First Choice, saying the state-issued subpoenas breached the First Amendment. “An official demand for private donor information is enough to discourage reasonable individuals from associating with a group. It is enough to discourage groups from expressing dissident views,” Gorsuch wrote. The high court’s majority rebuked Platkin, saying his probe did not align with longstanding court precedent. “Over and again, we have held those demands burden the exercise of First Amendment rights,” Gorsuch wrote. “Disputing none of these precedents but seeking ways around them, the Attorney General has offered a variety of arguments. Some are old, some are new, but none succeeds.” PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT CONFRONTS HIGH ABORTION RATES THREE YEARS AFTER DOBBS Current New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport downplayed the ruling in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Today’s procedural decision holds only that First Choice can pursue its challenge to our subpoena, not that its challenge should prevail,” Davenport said. “New Jersey law makes clear that nonprofits cannot deceive or defraud New Jerseyans. … We look forward to defending our subpoena in court. We will continue to enforce our fraud laws without fear or favor.” SUPREME COURT HANDS GOP A REDISTRICTING WIN BY STRIKING DOWN LOWER COURT BLOCK ON TEXAS MAP Alliance Defending Freedom counsel Erin Hawley, who presented First Choice’s case during oral arguments, called the decision a “resounding victory” and noted the services the centers provide. “New Jersey’s attorney general targeted First Choice—a ministry that provides parenting classes, free ultrasounds, baby clothes, and more to its community—simply because of its pro-life views,” Hawley said. “That is blatantly unconstitutional.” Hawley noted that if Davenport planned to continue the state’s fight in federal court, ADF lawyers “look forward to presenting First Choice’s case” there. Fox News Digital met with First Choice Executive Director Aimee Huber in New Brunswick at one of the counseling centers just ahead of oral arguments last fall, where she said donors had kept the centers afloat for four decades and that Platkin’s probe was designed to cripple the facilities. “I think it’s important to realize that there have been no complaints that have been cited by the attorney general against First Choice, not one,” Huber said at the time. “So, when we received the subpoena, it was clearly a fishing expedition. There were no complaints by donors or clients.” Fox News’ Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report.
Supreme Court rules on key Voting Rights Act rule as Republicans and Democrats wage redistricting war
The Supreme Court on Wednesday limited the scope of a key Voting Rights Act provision that restricts how states draw districts affecting minority voters, constraining states’ use of race as a factor when drawing congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. Justices for the 6-3 majority ruled that Louisiana’s newly redrawn congressional map, which created a second majority-Black district, constituted an “illegal” racial gerrymander. Though the justices acknowledged that compliance with the Voting Rights Act can be a compelling interest for states, they ruled that it did not require Louisiana to create the new map with a second, majority Black district. Compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, “as properly construed, can provide such a reason,” Justice Samuel Alito said, writing for the majority. “Correctly understood, Section 2 does not impose liability at odds with the Constitution, and it should not have imposed liability on Louisiana for its 2022 map.” “Compliance with Section 2 thus could not justify the State’s use of race-based redistricting here,” he added. JUDGES SAY THEY’LL REDRAW LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THEMSELVES IF LAWMAKERS CAN’T While the ruling does not overturn the Voting Rights Act or Section 2, it is likely to narrow how minority representation influences multiple states’ congressional maps, and trigger a new wave of legal challenges over congressional boundaries. The case, Louisiana v. Callais, was first argued last March before the Supreme Court, and centered on whether Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map, which had added a second majority-Black district, amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The dispute reached the high court after months of legal back-and-forth, including oral arguments last March, and a rare second round of arguments last October, focused on whether Louisiana’s map (and creation of the second majority-Black district under the VRA) violated the 14th or 15th Amendments of the Constitution. Conservative justices appeared skeptical during October’s arguments about keeping Section 2 of the VRA in place, as is, and pressed the lawyer for the NAACP on whether she believed there should be a time duration limit on the intentional use of race in drawing voting districts under the law. During those arguments, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and other conservatives on the high court appeared open to the idea that Congress, in passing the 1965 Voting Rights Act law, may have intended a sort of “sunset period” for Section 2, allowing it to weaken over time. That possibility was invoked by Kavanaugh several times during oral arguments, as he pressed lawyers for the state of Louisiana and the NAACP for more specifics. Hashim Mooppan, the principal deputy solicitor general, told the court the congressional map in Louisiana that was drafted in response to Section 2 of the VRA could also be construed as a “reverse partisan gerrymander,” and one that is also based on “purely racial” considerations. Meanwhile, NAACP lawyer Janai Nelson, arguing the case on behalf of Black voters, told the high court that siding with Louisiana’s request to reverse the map would be a “staggering reversal of precedent,” which she said “would throw maps across the country into chaos.” NEW MAJORITY-BLACK LOUISIANA HOUSE DISTRICT REJECTED, NOVEMBER ELECTION MAP STILL UNCERTAIN A ruling from the high court has long been expected to have major implications for future elections. Critics have warned in recent months that weakening VRA could further erode protections for minority voters under the Voting Rights Act, at a time when several Republican-led states have attempted to aggressively push through new congressional maps ahead of the midterms. They argued in filings to the Supreme Court that non-Black voters failed to show the direct harm required for equal protection claims or prove race was the main factor in redrawing the map. But lawyers arguing the case on behalf of the NAACP and Black voters in the state have warned that a ruling in favor of Louisiana could have a staggering impact on races in 2026 and beyond. A recent report from the nonprofit groups Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter Fund estimates that an overhaul of the VRA could swing an estimated 12 Democratic-held House districts in favor of Republican candidates. This is a breaking news story. Check back shortly for updates.
Photo of Trump assassination attempt suspect Cole Allen in hotel room released as DOJ seeks to keep him jailed
The Department of Justice is urging a federal court to keep Cole Allen, the suspect accused of opening fire at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, behind bars pending trial. The DOJ’s filing on Wednesday includes a new photo showing Allen armed and inside a hotel room before the shooting unfolded. “The United States of America, by and through its attorney, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, respectfully submits this memorandum in support of its oral motion to detain defendant Cole Tomas Allen pending trial,” a filing notes. Jeanine Pirro is the U.S. district attorney for the District of Columbia. COLE ALLEN CHARGED IN TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN FIRST COURT APPEARANCE AFTER WHCA DINNER SHOOTING “At approximately 8:03 p.m., while back inside his hotel room, the defendant used his cellphone to take a photograph of himself in the mirror,” the filing states, explaining that Allen “appeared to be wearing a small leather bag consistent in appearance with the ammunition-filled bag later recovered from his person (item 1), a shoulder holster (item 2), a sheathed knife consistent in appearance with one of the knives later recovered from his person (item 3), and pliers and wire cutters consistent in appearance with those later recovered from his person (item 4).” The filing asserts that Allen was seeking to kill President Donald Trump. UNEARTHED VIDEO REVEALS COLE ALLEN AS QUIET INVENTOR YEARS BEFORE ALLEGED BID TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP “Had the defendant achieved his intended outcome, he would have brought about one of the darkest days in American history. The defendant traveled across the country with the explicit aim to kill the President of the United States,” the document declares, describing the effort as “a planned attack of unfathomable malice.” The Justice Department strongly argued that the suspect should not be released pending trial. REAGAN SHOOTER CALLS LINK TO WASHINGTON HOTEL ‘SPOOKY’ AFTER ALLEGED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT SAME SITE “The facts and circumstances in this case compel the conclusion that there is no condition or combination of conditions that would reasonably assure the community’s safety if the defendant were released pending trial,” the filing asserts. “Detention is warranted based on the gravely serious and highly calculated nature of the defendant’s crimes, the overwhelming evidence of his guilt, and the intolerable risk that he will again resort to extreme violence to register political disagreement,” the document states.
Senator demands probe after truck driver who allegedly fraudulently obtained license, citizenship kills family
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is calling on multiple departments to investigate the gaps in oversight that allowed for a foreign national to fraudulently obtain a commercial driver’s license and possibly U.S. citizenship before allegedly causing an accident that killed an Ohio family. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Moreno urged top federal officials to launch a sweeping probe into how the driver, Modou Ngom, was able to remain in the United States for decades while allegedly evading immigration enforcement and obtaining official identification under false pretenses. “Simply put, he is a criminal and should never have been in the U.S. in the first place,” Moreno wrote in the letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, adding that the situation amounts to an “inexcusable failure” in a variety of areas. Ohio officials revealed last week that a semitruck driver charged in a fiery interstate crash that killed a young family of three fraudulently obtained an Ohio driver’s license, a commercial driver’s license and later U.S. citizenship under an alternate identity. FATHER OF GIRL INJURED BY ILLEGAL MIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER SLAMS ‘INSENSITIVE’ RHETORIC DURING NOEM HEARING Ngom, 50, was arrested after authorities said he caused the April 11 chain-reaction crash on Interstate 71 northbound near U.S. 36, when his semitrailer slammed into slowed traffic in a construction zone and ignited a deadly fire, killing Lynnea Soposki, 36, Luke Soposki, 37, and their 1-year-old son, Logan. The senator cited state and federal records indicating Ngom allegedly used multiple names and birthdates over the years, securing both state and federal identification before eventually becoming a naturalized citizen using a false identity. “This case is not an isolated administrative failure — it is a systemic breakdown with fatal consequences,” Moreno wrote. TOM HOMAN VOWS ACTION AS CALIFORNIA SET TO RELEASE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO KILLED TWO TEENS Moreno praised the local prosecutors for charging Ngom with vehicular homicide but said the case demands a broader federal response and courtesy copied both the Department of Justice and State Department on the letter. “The Department of Justice should bring all appropriate federal charges against Ngom, including, potentially, immigration fraud, false statements, and identity-document crimes,” Moreno wrote. Moreno also called on the State Department to review Ngom’s citizenship status, suggesting denaturalization proceedings if fraud is confirmed. The senator warned in the letter that the case highlights vulnerabilities in both immigration enforcement and the commercial trucking industry, arguing that bad actors are able to “game the system” while law-abiding drivers follow the rules. “It is outrageous that honest truckers follow the rules while criminal aliens game the system and operate 80,000-pound vehicles that are capable of mass harm on our highways,” Moreno wrote. “When the federal government turns a blind eye and fails to police its own borders, it is innocent American families on Ohio roads who pay the ultimate price,” the senator added. BLUE STATE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER ICE BUSTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WITH ‘NO NAME GIVEN’ ON LICENSE Moreno thanked Duffy and Mullin for their leadership and commitment to “protecting the American people” but requested answers to several questions within 30 days, including for a full accounting of how Ngom was able to enter and remain in the United States while allegedly using multiple identities to obtain legal status and credentials. Moreno asks federal officials to identify how Ngom entered the U.S. and through which port of entry, what aliases and identities he used to obtain state and federal identification, and whether he submitted fraudulent documents during both the immigration and naturalization processes, including how those discrepancies were not caught by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). He also presses agencies to determine whether Ngom received any federal benefits and what records exist related to those interactions. Moreno asks what documentation Ngom used to obtain a CDL and how a potentially fraudulent identity passed verification, whether Ngom or his trucking company committed additional unreported crimes, and what corrective actions federal agencies will take to close the loopholes that allowed this case to occur. “These needless tragedies are avoidable with staunch enforcement of our immigration laws,” Moreno writes. “Fortunately, President Trump has taken historic steps to remove illegal aliens from our nation. We must choose the safety of American families over those who spit in the face of our laws and customs. When that responsibility is neglected, the consequences are measured in American lives. If we cannot protect our own citizens from fraudsters, then our immigration and licensing regimes are not just broken—they are complicit.” A DOT spokesperson told Fox News Digital the department will respond directly to Moreno and pointed to a previous press release on preventing unqualified drivers from being on the road. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ, State Department and DHS for comment.
Powell could remain at the Fed despite looming end of chair term
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is set to deliver what is expected to be his final news conference as head of the Fed on Wednesday. The end of his chairmanship next month, however, may not mark his departure from the world’s most powerful central bank — and the circumstances are setting the scene for a standoff between Powell and President Donald Trump. If Powell steps aside, it would open a seat for Trump to fill, giving him another opportunity to shape the Fed’s leadership. If he stays, he would retain influence over U.S. monetary policy, intensifying tensions with the president. TRUMP VS THE FEDERAL RESERVE: HOW THE CLASH REACHED UNCHARTED TERRITORY What began as a disagreement over interest rates has escalated into a broader confrontation between Powell and Trump, marking one of the most fraught periods of his eight years as Fed chair. Trump has intensified his pressure campaign in recent months, publicly criticizing the Fed’s benchmark interest rate decisions and, at times, resorting to personal attacks. Powell’s tenure at the central bank dates back to 2017, when he was selected by Trump to succeed Janet Yellen. He was reappointed to a second four-year term by President Joe Biden in 2022, which expires on May 15. However, his underlying term as a Fed governor runs longer, allowing him to remain at the central bank until 2028. In March, Powell told reporters he had not decided on his next steps and declined to say whether he would remain on the Fed’s board after his term as chair ends. Powell’s decision could now carry major implications for markets and policy — and further inflame those tensions. ONE LITTLE-KNOWN MEETING HELPS DECIDE WHAT AMERICANS CAN AFFORD — AND WHAT THEY CAN’T Attention is now turning to who will lead the Fed next. And at the same time, the Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on a case involving Fed Governor Lisa Cook, which could test the limits of presidential power over the central bank. Trump has selected millionaire Kevin Warsh as Powell’s potential successor. The contentious confirmation process had been delayed by a Justice Department investigation into Powell’s congressional testimony related to renovations of the Fed’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., which some lawmakers said needed to be resolved before moving forward. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called the DOJ investigation “bogus” and vowed to block Warsh’s nomination until it was dropped — even if he didn’t object to the quality of Trump’s pick. THE ONE LINE IN WARSH’S TESTIMONY SIGNALING A BREAK FROM THE FED’S STATUS QUO With the investigation now closed, a Senate panel is expected to take up Warsh’s nomination, putting the former Morgan Stanley banker on track for a full Senate vote. Like Powell, Warsh is not an economist by training, instead bringing a background in law and finance. He previously served on the Fed’s Board of Governors, becoming the youngest member in its history at age 35. His potential return comes at a critical moment for the central bank. The question of leadership at the Fed comes as policymakers weigh persistent inflation, the economic impact of the war in Iran and a fragile global outlook ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
Pentagon urges Congress to codify ‘Department of War’ name change it estimates will cost $52 million
The Pentagon has formally asked for congressional approval to codify its “Department of War” moniker, estimating it will cost taxpayers around $52 million. The estimate from the Pentagon is significantly lower than what the Congressional Budget Office projected in January, when it estimated the rebranding could cost as much as $125 million if it were adopted “broadly and rapidly” throughout the department. The Pentagon claimed the change, which includes renaming the Secretary of Defense to the Secretary of War, would have no “significant impact” on President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2027 defense budget request because most implementation costs will be absorbed during the current 2026 fiscal year. The “actual costs are being collected during implementation and will be available” once the current fiscal year’s execution of the name change is completed, according to the department. HAWLEY, WARREN TEAM UP TO BACK UP TRUMP, CRACK DOWN ON DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PAYOUTS In its legislative proposal, the Pentagon said roughly $52 million is expected to be used, including $44.6 million for the Defense Agencies and the department’s field activities, $3.5 million for the military departments, $3 million for Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth’s office and Washington Headquarters Services, $400,000 for the Joint Staff, Combatant Commands and National Guard Bureau. “The revision to the designation of the Department serves as a fundamental reminder of the importance and reverence of our core mission, to fight and win wars,” the proposal reads. “It serves as a strategic objective in which to measure and prioritize all activities.” The request to rebrand the department would make around 7,600 changes to federal law. The Pentagon has already changed its website and social media accounts to reflect the rebranding, and Hegseth’s nameplate on his office door already reads, “Secretary of War.” NEW ARMY SECRETARY PRAISES TRUMP, HEGSETH FOR CREATING ‘A LANE FOR CHANGE’ AS HE ZEROES IN ON CUTTING WASTE This comes after Trump signed an executive order in the fall to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a move that sparked criticism but that some anti-war advocates argued was more fitting for an administration they say is eager to wage war. “The name change really does help highlight how rogue, unconstitutional, and unlawful the president’s actions are,” former Rep. Justin Amash, a Republican turned Libertarian, wrote on X in September. But some of Trump’s Republican allies in Congress have signaled support for the name change, with Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introducing legislation in their respective chambers seeking to codify the rebranding. Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, Democrats have criticized the Pentagon’s request to codify the moniker, as lawmakers begin hashing out the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill. “The American people can’t afford groceries, gas, or rent — and the Pentagon has ALREADY wasted $50 million on renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Now they want more money,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., wrote on X. The Department of War was established in 1789 by President George Washington. It was later replaced by the National Military Establishment in 1947, which was redesignated as the Department of Defense in 1949.
DHS taunts media for reporting about ‘Green Bay man’ illegal immigrant charged in vicious machete attack
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security called out the legacy media for characterizing the perpetrator of a recent Wisconsin machete attack as a “Green Bay man” when he is actually an illegal alien from Nicaragua. Fox News Digital has learned that David Joel Herrera-Garcia, 24, who is charged with two counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and armed burglary, is an illegal immigrant who was marked as a “non-enforcement priority” by the Biden administration, according to DHS. Herrera-Garcia’s charges stem from an alleged break-in and machete attack at the home of his ex-girlfriend. Citing local reports, DHS said the Green Bay police responding to an emergency call discovered bloodied female and male victims in the early morning of April 20. The agency said that police on the scene found blood “all over the concrete” leading up to the house. The woman, Herrera-Garcia’s 23-year-old ex-girlfriend, identified him as the attacker, and he was arrested later that morning. DHS has lodged an immigration detainer for Herrera-Garcia for the Brown County Jail to turn him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for possible deportation. The agency commented that “despite the legacy media calling Herrera-Garcia a ‘Green Bay man,’ he is in fact an illegal alien from Nicaragua.” SANCTUARY POLICIES LET ALLEGED CHILD PREDATOR ROAM FREE UNTIL DHS MADE PORTLAND, OREGON, AIRPORT ARREST’ “Yet again, legacy media has gone to bat for a vicious criminal illegal alien allowed by the Biden administration to roam our streets and prey upon innocent people,” remarked Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. The agency said that Herrera-Garcia allegedly used a key to enter his ex-girlfriend’s home before proceeding to beat her and repeatedly stab her and a man with a machete. Officers responding to the emergency call applied tourniquets to the victims, who were transported to a hospital. The female victim suffered a head injury and lacerations on her hand and neck. The male victim, whose age was not given, sustained wounds on his shoulder, forearm and shin. According to DHS, Herrera-Garcia entered the country illegally in Texas as a minor with his father in 2019. He was given a final order of removal in 2022 after he failed to appear at his immigration hearings. However, the agency said that in the final days of the Biden administration, ICE used its prosecutorial discretion to label Herrera-Garcia as a “non-enforcement priority.” The agency said that ICE under former President Joe Biden chose not to take him into custody following an arrest by local law enforcement on charges of driving without a license. ILLEGAL MIGRANT ACCUSED OF NY DUMPSTER RAPE CAPTURED ON TEXAS BUS AS HE FLED TOWARD SOUTHERN BORDER: DA “The Biden administration marked this criminal illegal alien as a non-enforcement priority,” said Bis. “This is not a ‘Green Bay man.’ This is a criminal illegal alien from Nicaragua who barbarically attacked two people with a machete,” she added. “Under President Trump’s leadership, ICE lodged an arrest detainer with our local authorities to ensure this monster is never released back into our communities.” This comes amid heightened scrutiny on jurisdictions across the country with sanctuary policies limiting cooperation with ICE. BLUE STATE RESIDENTS ‘FLEEING IN DROVES’ AFTER ‘INSANE’ PROGRESSIVE TAKEOVER, SAYS TOP STATE ATTORNEY Bis has previously slammed sanctuary politicians, saying that “at every step on the way to make America safe again,” they “have tried to slow ICE down and chosen to release criminals from their jails into our communities to perpetrate more crimes and create more victims.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and to spokespeople for Biden for comment.
Dem and GOP lawmakers trade blame over rhetoric after WHCD shooting: ‘It is disgusting’
As Democrats and Republicans clash over escalating political rhetoric in the wake of Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., is urging leaders on both sides to “bring the temperature down.” The call for cooler rhetoric comes after Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif., allegedly stormed the lobby of the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and opened fire. “It’s an opportunity, in my opinion, for everyone to bring the temperature down,” Moskowitz told Fox News Digital. “If we do the finger pointing, then the temperature’s never going to come down…We’re like high schoolers.” Allen, who was armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives, was apprehended by the Secret Service as hundreds of journalists and Cabinet officials were escorted out of the hotel. DEMOCRATS SILENT ON PAST RHETORIC TOWARD TRUMP CABINET MEMBER AFTER FOILED ASSASSINATION PLOT “The rhetoric on both sides, for a while now, has been elevated, and listen, the president has had a part of that,” Moskowitz said. “He’s had responsibility in the rhetoric, and he should own that. His tweets exist. There’s a reality of that.” Allen, who appeared in federal court Monday, is facing charges of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Authorities said the suspect sent a written manifesto to members of his family outlining his intent to target Trump and other Cabinet officials before the alleged shooting. DEM SENATE HOPEFULS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR ‘CHOKE THEM OUT’ RHETORIC AFTER TRUMP ATTACK SCARE “The manifesto doesn’t sound much different than all of the talking heads on every liberal news station,” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said. This would mark another assassination attempt targeting President Trump after two in 2024, when he was shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., and later targeted at his Florida golf course. “You got psycho-frickin’ leftists trying to assassinate President Trump once again… the violence is always on their side,” Boebert said. “It is disgusting, and it needs to end, period.” She said that President Trump’s plan for a ballroom addition to the White House is a necessary security measure. “I want the ballroom built,” she said. “This is a national security issue at this time, and it needs to be built.” She added these incidents are part of a larger pattern. In September, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his “American Comeback Tour.” “Look what they did to Charlie Kirk, a man that wanted to sit down and have a conversation,” Boebert said. “They hated him so much, their rhetoric caused him to be assassinated. One of their liberal freaks assassinated him. This only happens with liberals,” Boebert said. In a news conference on Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters a “left-wing cult of hatred” was to blame for the violence. PATTERN OF LEFTIST VIOLENCE GROWS AS TRUMP NEARS 10 MONTHS IN OFFICE Leavitt slammed ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for his recent comment that the first lady had the “glow of an expectant widow.” “Who in their right mind says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?” she said. “And having experienced what I did with the first lady on Saturday night, I can tell you she was anything but that.” Multiple Democrats have also rejected far-left streamer Hasan Piker amid scrutiny of his political rhetoric. Piker pushed back, calling those condemning him “propagandists for the state of Israel.” “I do reject people on my side, or trying to be on my side, like Hasan Piker, who’s advocating for senators to be killed and saying things like, ‘we deserve 9/11.’ He’s not a Democrat. He doesn’t belong in the Democratic Party,” Moskowitz said. However, he said Americans “don’t believe” either side is blameless. “The American people don’t believe that and it’s why our poll numbers for both sides are in the tubes,” Moskowitz said. Fox News Digital attempted to ask Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., about the shooting and rising political violence, but she ignored the questions. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
Dem plot to limit Trump war powers on Cuba fails as GOP falls in line with military action abroad
Republicans stifled Senate Democrats’ attempt to prevent President Donald Trump from bringing military action close to home before any action has actually been taken by the administration. Democrats failed to advance a forward-looking war powers resolution that would handcuff Trump’s ability to use military force against Cuba, which lies roughly 90 miles from the coast of Florida. The move was spurred by his recent comments that once the U.S. was finished in Iran, it would make moves on the island nation. REPUBLICANS SCRAMBLE TO FUND SECRET SERVICE AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AMID RECORD-BREAKING SHUTDOWN “All my life I’ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba — when will the United States do it? I do believe I’ll be the honor, having the honor of taking Cuba,” Trump said in March. The resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., would require the removal of forces from within or around Cuba and considers the “use of the United States Coast Guard and other components of the Armed Forces to conduct a blockade or quarantine of Cuba” a hostile act that would require Congress’ approval. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., moved to block the bill from getting a full vote on the floor. His gamble was successful, though Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined nearly every Senate Democrat to force the vote. Only Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., broke ranks to support tanking the resolution. Still, Trump has not taken action on Cuba while the U.S. is engaged in the war in Iran. SENATE GOP BLOCKS FIFTH DEM BID TO END TRUMP’S IRAN WAR AS DIVISIONS GROW Kaine’s war powers resolution marked a momentary departure from Democrats’ quest to rein in Trump’s authority in the Middle East. Republicans have so far batted down five attempts to cease hostilities in the region. When asked by Fox News Digital if he was surprised that most Republicans had stayed in line, save for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Kaine said, “You gotta ask Republicans about their position.” “There are many saying that the 60-day time frame is relevant to them,” Kaine said. “We’ll see that because we’ll have an Iran war vote close to the 60-day [deadline] by the end of this week.” ‘ILLEGALS FIRST’: SENATE REPUBLICANS BLAST SCHUMER’S GAMBIT TO FORCE VOTE ON PROTECTING HAITIAN MIGRANTS Support for that conflict, while still holding out among most Senate Republicans, is growing strained by the day as the 60-day deadline for Congress to weigh in under the War Powers Resolution Act is set to hit this week. At least three Senate Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and John Curtis of Utah — said they wouldn’t extend Trump’s war in the region after 60 days. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is working on an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) for lawmakers to weigh in on the conflict. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued that Republicans should “do Trump a favor” by joining Democrats to block future engagements with Cuba without congressional approval. “The last thing working Americans need right now is another war, let alone one that’s 90 miles south of the United States,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “Republicans must get out in front of a looming catastrophe in Cuba before it gets even worse, as they should have done with Trump’s war in Iran.”
FBI brings alleged China-linked hacker to US in rare extradition as Patel defends Italy trip
FBI Director Kash Patel says a trip to Italy that raised questions earlier in 2026 helped set the stage for the arrest of a Chinese national accused of hacking U.S. COVID-19 research. Xu Zewei is now in U.S. custody after what Patel described as a coordinated operation with Italian authorities, marking a rare case in which an alleged state-linked hacker has been extradited to face charges in the United States. Xu was extradited from Italy in recent days and faces federal charges tied to a 2020–2021 cyber campaign that prosecutors say targeted sensitive research, including work related to COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. Patel told Fox News Digital in an interview the bureau was able to “directly tie” Xu to China’s Ministry of State Security and its Shanghai bureau, though additional details remain classified pending declassification. FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL SAYS BUREAU RAMPING UP AI TO COUNTER DOMESTIC, GLOBAL THREATS Patel said the arrest was the result of a carefully coordinated effort with Italian authorities led by Prefect Vittorio Pisani of the Italian National Police, carried out within a narrow window before additional legal challenges could delay the suspect’s extradition. Officials from both countries worked to ensure Xu would be in Italy, and “we created an opportunity with our partners in Italy to have him apprehended there,” Patel said. Patel told Fox News Digital the trip, which the FBI said included meetings with Italian law enforcement and Olympic security coordination, also helped lay the groundwork for the arrest. He faced criticism at the time after being seen attending Olympic events, with questions raised about whether the travel was primarily official. Patel described the suspect as “one of the top two cyber criminals in the world for China,” alleging he played a key role in hacking efforts aimed at American universities, immunologists and virologists during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were able to bring him to Houston for prosecution, which is most of what I was doing when people said I was on vacation in Italy,” Patel said. Xu allegedly reported to Chinese intelligence officials after compromising a U.S.-based research university in early 2020, according to the indictment, and allegedly was directed to access email accounts belonging to virologists and immunologists studying COVID-19. Patel said Chinese officials sought to intervene in recent days to prevent Xu’s extradition from Italy. Timing was critical, according to Patel, who pointed to past cases where suspected Chinese operatives were able to avoid extradition. In one instance in 2025, he said, a Chinese national detained in Serbia was ultimately returned to China despite U.S. efforts to secure custody. Authorities allege Xu and his co-conspirators targeted U.S.-based universities, immunologists and virologists working on COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic, gaining access to email accounts and sensitive research. But the Justice Department has not publicly detailed the specific data allegedly exfiltrated, including whether it included proprietary vaccine formulas, clinical trial data or internal communications between researchers. Patel said the operation was “specifically engineered at a time when our adversaries were looking to hurt us during COVID,” adding that the suspect targeted research tied to treatments and vaccines. Prosecutors also allege Xu was involved in exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server, a widely used email system, as part of the broader “HAFNIUM” hacking campaign that compromised thousands of computers worldwide, including more than 12,000 organizations in the United States. The indictment also describes how Chinese intelligence services allegedly rely on private contractors to carry out cyber operations, allowing the government to obscure its direct involvement. Among the alleged victims was a law firm with offices in Washington, D.C., where prosecutors say attackers searched email accounts for information related to U.S. policymakers and government agencies. Xu’s alleged co-conspirator, who was also charged in the case, remains at large. Patel declined to discuss specifics about the broader network but said China’s Ministry of State Security continues to actively target the United States through cyber operations. “The MSS is always a target of this FBI’s. They’re always operating whether it’s to steal our classified information, our nation’s research and scientific information, or anything they can use to embarrass us or leverage against us,” Patel said. “They’re going to keep doing it.” CHINESE SCHOLARS CHARGED WITH SMUGGLING BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS INTO US UNDER RESEARCH COVER Patel said the FBI has made countering Chinese espionage a top priority, pointing to a sharp increase in arrests tied to Beijing-linked activity. “We’ve arrested more Chinese spies than any FBI before me,” he said. Patel signaled that efforts to identify and prosecute individuals tied to similar operations are ongoing. “It’s a priority threat and it’s going to continue to be that way,” he said. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.