Schumer calls on FBI to conduct counterintelligence threat assessment on Epstein files
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called on the FBI to conduct a counterintelligence threat assessment on the Jeffrey Epstein files. Schumer said on the Senate floor on Tuesday that the FBI assessment should accomplish three things: determine if foreign intelligence agencies could gain access to the information “the president does not want to release in the Epstein files, through methods that include cyber intrusion;” identify any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by foreign intelligence agencies with access to non-public information in the Epstein files, “including being able to gain leverage over Donald Trump, his family, or other senior government officials;” and result in the FBI publicly showing that the bureau is “developing mitigation strategies to counter these threats and safeguard our national security.” At his weekly Democratic leadership press conference afterward, Schumer condemned what he categorized as the Epstein “cover-up,” further taking aim at President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “Trump promised he’d release the Epstein files while he was on the campaign trail, yet he has yet to do it,” Schumer told reporters. “Speaker Johnson quite literally preferred to shut down Congress, sending everyone home on an Epstein recess to avoid the topic. Americans are right to be angry over the lack of transparency, but there are also some very real questions about risks to national security.” JOHNSON SAYS GHISLAINE MAXWELL DESERVES LIFE SENTENCE OVER EPSTEIN CRIMES, REJECTS POTENTIAL PARDON “Given Trump’s total about-face on releasing files and given what we know from the FBI whistleblowers, it’s natural to ask, what happens if our adversaries use cyberattacks and other means to access files and materials into Epstein that are damaging or worse for President Trump and or those around him?” Schumer continued. “What happens if the Epstein files end up in the hands of Russia or North Korea, or Chinese governments? Unless the Epstein files are fully released to the public, could our adversaries use that, Epstein, to use that information to blackmail someone like the president? Last Thursday, Schumer noted, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services were among several government agencies hacked as part of a breach to Microsoft SharePoint system. “This was confirmed that it was Chinese actors. So we don’t need this happening again,” Schumer said. “We have to ensure that it can’t happen. National security is not and should never be a partisan issue. We need to do everything we can to make sure we protecting the U.S. and American families. This report is vital in doing that. Beyond that, there is one more thing Donald Trump could do to quell people’s anger, confusion, frustration, and/or deep fears. That is, release the files.” Last week, Johnson ended the House legislative session a day early, averting a potential vote on a resolution by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., that would have compelled the Justice Department and the FBI to release the Epstein files. Johnson asserted on Sunday that House Republicans supported “maximum disclosure” but argued that the resolution was “reckless” and poorly drafted, arguing that it ignored federal rules protecting grand jury materials and “would require the DOJ and FBI to release information that they know is false, that is based on lies and rumors and was not even credible enough to be entered into the court proceedings.” TRUMP DROPS EPSTEIN-LINKED NAMES THAT MEDIA ‘OUGHT TO BE SPEAKING ABOUT’ AMID FILES FIRESTORM Johnson said he supported the Trump administration’s stance that “all credible evidence and information” be released, but emphasized the need for safeguards to protect victims’ identities. During a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland on Monday, Trump was asked why he kicked Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club in West Palm Beach, Florida, years ago. “That’s such old history. Very easy to explain, but I don’t want to waste your time by explaining it. But for years, I wouldn’t talk to Jeffrey Epstein. I wouldn’t talk because he did something that was inappropriate,” Trump told reporters. “He hired help, and I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He stole people that worked for me. I said, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’ He did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata. I threw him out and that was it.” Trump said he turned down an invitation to Epstein’s notorious island in the Caribbean and claimed former President Bill Clinton and former Harvard University President Larry Summers had gone. “I never went to the island and Bill Clinton went there, supposedly 28 times. I never went to the island, but Larry Summers, I hear, went there. He was the head of Harvard and many other people that are very big people. Nobody ever talks about them,” Trump said. “I never had the privilege of going to his island. And I did turn it down. But a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island. In one of my very good moments, I turned it down.” Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
Biden ‘Politburo’ member Steve Ricchetti appears before House investigators in Comer cover-up probe
Longtime Democratic operative Steve Ricchetti is appearing before House investigators on Wednesday, the seventh former White House aide to be summoned for Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer’s probe. Ricchetti most recently served as counselor to President Joe Biden during the vast majority of the Biden White House’s four-year term. He’s now expected to sit down with House Oversight Committee staff for a closed-door transcribed interview that could last several hours. Ricchetti said little to reporters on his way inside the room. His lawyer told Fox News Digital to expect a statement after his interview. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ “I’m not gonna say anything on the way in. I’m just gonna go in and- just go in and give an interview,” Ricchetti told Fox News Channel’s Chad Pergram. Asked if Biden was “up for the job” of president, Ricchetti said, “Of course he was.” Comer, R-Ky., is investigating whether Biden’s top White House aides concealed signs of mental decline in the president, and if that meant executive actions were signed via autopen without his knowledge. Ricchetti first began working for Biden in 2012, when he was appointed as counselor to the vice president during the Obama administration. He was soon promoted to Biden’s chief of staff in late 2013. Ricchetti, who made a living as both a lobbyist and a Democratic insider, chaired Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign as well. The committee’s interest in him, however, lies in his alleged key role in managing the White House while aides reportedly worked to obscure signs of the president’s mental decline. “As Counselor to former President Biden, you served as one of his closest advisors. According to a report, you were part of a group of insiders who implemented a strategy to minimize ‘the president’s age-related struggles,’” Comer wrote to Ricchetti in June, referencing a Wall Street Journal report. “The scope and details of that strategy cannot go without investigation. If White House staff carried out a strategy lasting months or even years to hide the chief executive’s condition—or to perform his duties—Congress may need to consider a legislative response.” Axios reporter Alex Thompson, who co-wrote “Original Sin” with CNN host Jake Tapper about Biden’s cognitive decline and his aides’ alleged attempts to cover it up, told PBS program Washington Week earlier this year that Ricchetti was part of a small group of insiders that some dubbed Biden’s “Politburo.” He also played a key role in Biden’s legislative agenda, most notably as one of the Democratic negotiators working with then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to avoid a full-blown fiscal crisis over the U.S. national debt in early 2023. It comes after another close former aide, former White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain, appeared before investigators for his own transcribed interview last week. FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE ‘NEVER HAD A CONCERN’ ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UP Like Klain, Ricchetti is appearing on voluntary terms—the fourth former Biden aide to do so. Three of the previous six Biden administration officials who appeared before the House Oversight Committee did so under subpoena. Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor, as well as former advisers Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, all pleaded the Fifth Amendment during their compulsory sit-downs. But the three voluntary transcribed interviews that have occurred so far have lasted more than five hours, as staff for both Democrats and Republicans take turns in rounds of questioning.
Los Angeles County pushes to prohibit law enforcement from hiding their identities while on the job
Los Angeles County officials are calling for an ordinance to prohibit law enforcement officers from concealing their identities while on duty. The move comes after recent federal immigration raids in the city where some federal agents covered their faces with masks and refused to reveal their identities, which is not abnormal. The Board of Supervisors voted 4–0, with one abstention, on Tuesday to direct county counsel to draft an ordinance that bans law enforcement, including federal agents, from wearing masks, with some exceptions including for medical protection or during undercover operations. Officers would also be required to visibly display identification and agency affiliation while on duty in public. MASSACHUSETTS BILL WOULD FORCE ICE AGENTS TO UNMASK Federal agents have conducted ICE raids in Southern California since June under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, sparking protests and the subsequent federal deployment of the National Guard and Marines. About half the Guard troops and all the Marines have since been pulled out of Los Angeles. Supervisor Janice Hahn, who co-authored the motion, said the raids have provoked fear and residents have a right to know who is stopping, questioning or detaining them. “Across the county, people are being pulled out of their cars, beaten, and ripped from their families by men in tactical gear with balaclavas, no badges, and no names,” Hahn said. “That’s not how law enforcement in a democracy should operate.” Hahn admitted that it is unclear if the county will be able to enforce the measure against actions by federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Ultimately, it might have to be decided by a court,” she said. FROM ‘SAFETY’ TO ‘FASCIST STATE’: SENATORS SHARE OPINIONS ON ICE AGENTS WEARING MASKS Administration officials have defended officers who conceal their identities, arguing that immigration agents do it for their safety to avoid potential death threats and doxing, which includes releasing someone’s personal information online without their permission. “I’m sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I’m not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line, their family on the line because people don’t like what immigration enforcement is,” ICE acting director Todd Lyons said last month. A pending measure in the state legislature would prohibit local, state and federal police from covering their faces while on duty in the Golden State. Similar legislation has been proposed in other states and U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., have introduced a bill at the federal level. In Los Angeles County, the county counsel has 60 days to submit the draft ordinance to the board for approval. Supervisor Hilda Solis, the other co-author, said local officials must establish expectations about how law enforcement should conduct themselves in the county. “The use of masks, tactical gear, and refusal to show identification is not only alarming and confusing, but erodes public trust and raises serious safety concerns,” Solis said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump pick Emil Bove confirmed as federal judge after furious Democrat walkout, whistleblower complaints
The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee Emil Bove as a federal judge Tuesday, handing a controversial leader at the Department of Justice a lifetime role on a powerful appellate court. Bove was narrowly confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in a 50-49 vote with no support from Democrats. His confirmation followed a contentious weeks-long vetting process that included three whistleblower complaints and impassioned outside figures voicing both support and opposition to his nomination. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said from the Senate floor before the vote that he supported Bove and believed the nominee had been the target of “unfair accusations and abuse.” “He has a strong legal background and has served his country honorably. I believe he will be a diligent, capable, and fair jurist,” Grassley said. Bove’s ascension to the appellate court marks a peak in his legal career. He started out as a high-achieving student, college athlete and Georgetown University law school graduate. He went on to clerk for two federal judges and worked for about a decade as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, leading high-profile terrorism and drug trafficking cases through 2019. TOP DOJ OFFICIAL FACES TEST IN SENATE OVER NOMINATION TO BECOME FEDERAL JUDGE Alongside Todd Blanche, now a deputy attorney general, Bove led Trump’s personal defense team during the president’s criminal prosecutions. Blanche told Fox News Digital in an interview last month that Bove was a “brilliant lawyer” who authored the vast majority of their legal briefs for Trump’s cases. In a letter to the Senate, attorney Gene Schaerr called Bove’s brief writing “superb.” Bove will leave behind his job as principal associate deputy attorney general at the DOJ. Attorney General Pam Bondi congratulated him in a statement. “This is a GREAT day for our country,” Bondi wrote on X. “I cannot thank Emil enough for his tireless work and support at @TheJusticeDept. He will be missed — and he will be an outstanding judge.” Two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, voted against Bove. Democrats and some who crossed paths with Bove during his time in New York and at DOJ headquarters fiercely opposed his nomination and said he was unqualified. KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUT PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERS One whistleblower, Erez Reuveni, had become a successful prosecutor at the DOJ over the last 15 years when he was fired under Bove’s watch. Reuveni said he was party to a meeting in March in which Bove floated defying any court orders that would hinder one of Trump’s most legally questionable deportation plans, a claim Bove denies. Reuveni also said the culture at the DOJ, particularly during the most intense moments of immigration lawsuits, involved misleading federal judges and was like nothing he had experienced during his tenure, which included Trump’s first term. Two other anonymous whistleblowers emerged at the eleventh hour during the confirmation process and vouched for Reuveni’s claims. A spokeswoman for Grassley told Fox News Digital the third whistleblower only brought claims to Senate Democrats and did not attempt to engage with Grassley. Grassley’s staff eventually met with the whistleblower’s lawyers after the chairman’s office reached out, the spokeswoman said. Grassley said his staff interviewed more than a dozen people to vet the initial whistleblower claims and could not find evidence that Bove urged staff to defy the courts. “Even if you accept most of the claims as true, there’s no scandal,” Grassley said. “Government lawyers aggressively litigating and interpreting court orders isn’t misconduct—it’s what lawyers do.” While in New York, Bove also alienated some colleagues. In 2018, a band of defense lawyers said in emails reported by The Associated Press that Bove could not “be bothered to treat lesser mortals with respect or empathy.” Another lawyer who had interactions with Bove in New York told Fox News Digital he was a “bully” who browbeat people. TRUMP CONSIDERS FORMER DEFENSE ATTORNEY EMIL BOVE FOR FEDERAL APPEALS COURT VACANCY A group that opposes Bove’s nomination, Justice Connection, published a letter signed by more than 900 former DOJ employees calling for the Senate to reject Bove’s nomination. Among their concerns was that Bove led the controversial dismissal of Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal corruption charges. Several DOJ officials resigned in protest over Bove’s orders to toss out the charges. In the letter, the former employees said Bove has been “trampling over institutional norms” and that he lacked impartiality. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, in an unusual move, staged a walkout at a hearing on Bove before a recent vote to advance his nomination. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called him a “henchman,” a description Democrats have widely adopted for him. “He’s the extreme of the extreme,” Schumer told reporters. “He’s not a jurist. He’s a Trumpian henchman. That seems to be the qualification for appointees these days.” Bove defended himself against critics during his confirmation hearing. “I am not anybody’s henchman. I’m not an enforcer,” Bove said. “I’m a lawyer from a small town who never expected to be in an arena like this.” Fox News’ Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Wounded vet confirmed to Veterans Affairs role as GOP slams Dems for slow-walking Trump picks
The Senate confirmed yet another of President Donald Trump’s nominees on Tuesday, this time for a position that maintains veterans’ cemeteries and oversees burials. Sam Brown, an Army veteran and former Nevada GOP Senate candidate, was confirmed by the Senate to be Trump’s Veteran’s Affairs undersecretary for memorial affairs. The 54-44 vote was largely a partisan affair, save for Nevada’s Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jackie Rosen, who both crossed the aisle to vote for Brown’s confirmation. KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUTS PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERS The undersecretary for memorial affairs oversees the National Cemetery Administration, which operates and maintains over 150 national cemeteries. National cemeteries across the country have roughly 4 million veterans interred in their grounds, according to the VA. And the National Cemetery Administration provides for over 100,000 military veterans and eligible family members each year. Trump nominated Brown, who served in the army for five years before medically retiring after a roadside improvised explosive device detonated and burned one-third of his body, in January, and lauded him as an “American hero” in a post on his social media platform Truth Social at the time. SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP PICK TO LEAD INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION “He fearlessly proved his love for our country in the army, while leading troops in battle in Afghanistan and, after being honorably retired as a captain, helping our veterans get access to emergency medications,” Trump said. Brown’s confirmation marked the third of the day in the Senate, where a growing list of Trump’s nominees to a variety of agencies, judgeships and ambassadorships have been slowed down by Senate Democrats. Senate Republican leadership are trudging through the Democrats’ blockade, and working to hammer out a deal to get more nominees moved through quicker. ‘ALL THE OPTIONS’: GOP EYES CUTTING AUGUST RECESS TO MOVE DOZENS OF TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY DEMS Senate Republicans argued that Brown’s position, in particular, shouldn’t be subject to the partisanship on display in Democrats’ attempts to slow walk other, more controversial nominees. Sen. Jerry Moran, chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, had his request earlier this year to confirm Brown through a much faster process, known as unanimous consent, objected to by Senate Democrats in May. “Laying our veterans to rest with honor, serving their families with dignity is not a Republican or Democrat issue,” the Kansas Republican said in a statement at the time. “I am discouraged that we cannot work in a bipartisan manner to confirm this qualified and capable leader for the National Cemetery Administration. That position is responsible for carrying out our nation’s most solemn responsibility, burying our veterans.”
Cory Booker slams Dem colleagues for ‘complicity’ with Trump in angry ‘wake-up call’ floor speech
Democrat New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker blasted his fellow Democrats for being complicit with President Donald Trump’s actions during a testy objection to a package of new police legislation voted on by the Senate earlier today. Booker accused his fellow Democrat senators of aligning themselves with Trump because they are in favor of passing legislation, which, void of amendments Booker just began pushing, still allows the president to pick winners and losers in terms of who receives the benefits, he says. “This to me is the problem with Democrats in America right now,” Booker complained while objecting to the package of pro-police bills. Booker’s objection to the bill, which he says boosts Trump’s use of federal funding as leverage to get jurisdictions and entities to change their behavior, comes as the president has threatened to repeal funding and resources from cities and other jurisdictions that push sanctuary city policies, fail to adequately address homelessness, or refuse compliance with other federal directives. “The Democratic Party needs a wake up call. I see law firms bending a knee to this president… I see universities that should be bastions of free speech bending at the knee to this president… I see businesses taking late-night talk show hosts off the air because they dare to insult a president. I see people who want mergers suddenly think they need to pay tribute to this president,” Booker complained from the Senate floor. “And what are the very people here elected to defend the constitution of the United States saying?” he asked. “‘Oh well, today let’s look the other way and pass some resources that won’t go to Connecticut, that won’t go to Illinois, that won’t go to New York, that will go to the states [Trump] likes.’” ‘PROFOUND COWARDICE’: BOOKER SLAMS WALTZ FOR ‘FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP,’ SIGNALGATE ACCOUNTABILITY “That is complicity with an authoritarian leader who is trashing our country,” Booker argued to his fellow Democrats. “It is time for Democrats to have a backbone. It’s time for us to fight. It’s time for us to draw a line, and when it comes to the safety of my state being denied these grants, that’s why I’m standing here.” Booker’s objection stemmed from a call from Democrats to pass a package of law enforcement-related bills aimed at boosting resources for police, including resources to help shore up death benefits for police officers lost in the line of duty, resources for greater mental health support for officers, resources to address child exploitation, and more. The bills, which eventually passed Tuesday, were discussed and approved in committee before reaching the Senate floor. BOOKER CONCLUDES RECORD 25-HOUR SPEECH AGAINST TRUMP, MUSK, MARKING THE LONGEST EVER ON THE SENATE FLOOR Democrat leaders, including Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Mass., urged passage of the legislative package amid Booker’s objection, noting it went through the proper bipartisan procedure and obtained bipartisan support. “We have committees for a reason, and we have hearings for a reason,” Klobuchar said in response to Booker’s objections. She added that “we need to have [law enforcement’s] backs and that is what this package of bills does.” Cortez-Masto noted that the bills, which she helped sponsor and bring to the floor for a full vote, slammed Booker for attempting to tank a package of bills deemed critical by both parties. “I don’t need lectures about the urgency of this,” Booker shot back in response to his party colleagues’ criticism. “I am tired of when the president of the United States violates the constitution, trashes our norms and traditions, and what does the Democratic Party do? Comply? Allow him? Beg for scraps? No! I demand justice!” “NOT ON MY WATCH!” Booker added during his objection, while also urging Democrats to be more cohesive in their fight against Trump. “If we don’t stand as Democrats we deserve to lose.” BOOKER WON’T ACCEPT MONEY FROM ELON MUSK FOR CAMPAIGN, BUT URGES HIM TO ‘SOUND THE ALARM’ ON TRUMP-BACKED BILL Booker’s criticism of his fellow Democratic Party members lays bare Democrats’ intra-party fighting between the more radical wing of the party and the more moderate wing. The New Jersey senator’s criticism also comes as the party is seeking to find the best strategy forward following big GOP gains during the 2024 election. Former President Barack Obama spoke about the matter at a party fundraiser earlier this month, reportedly telling leaders of the party and major donors to “stop looking for a quick fix” and start supporting candidates who can really win and produce results. As an example, the former president pointed particularly at the upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Later this year, Virginia will face a major gubernatorial battle between incumbent GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former long-time Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. In New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was reportedly in attendance at the fundraiser Obama spoke at, is running for her state’s open gubernatorial seat against GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli. “The most important thing you can do right now is to help the team, our candidate, to win,” Obama told attendees at the fundraiser.
FLASHBACK: Zohran Mamdani pledged to ‘disband’ key police unit that handles mass shootings
As New York City reels from a deadly mass shooting in midtown Manhattan that killed four, including an NYPD officer, the Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani is getting renewed attention for a recent pledge to eliminate a key police department responsible for riots, civil disorder and shootings. Mamdani, who is currently in Uganda celebrating his wedding, has previously called to defund the police, though as a mayoral candidate, he has taken a much more subdued tone regarding policing. However, while already a candidate for mayor, Mamdani pledged on X in December 2024 to “disband” the New York Police Department’s Strategic Response Group (SRG). The SRG is one of the NYPD’s special operations units, which, according to the force’s official website, specializes in disorder response, crime suppression and crowd control and “responds to citywide mobilizations, civil disorders, and major events with highly trained personnel and specialized equipment.” MAMDANI’S PAST ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ STANCE RESURFACES AFTER DEADLY MANHATTAN SHOOTING The website also says that SRG personnel are “also deployed to areas requiring an increased police presence due to increased crime or other conditions” and “mobilizes for shootings, bank robberies, missing persons, demonstrations, or other significant incidents.” In December, Mamdani claimed that the NYPD had deployed the SRG to “harass + arrest striking @teamsters.” Mamdani pledged: “As Mayor, I will disband the SRG, which has cost taxpayers millions in lawsuit settlements + brutalized countless New Yorkers exercising their first amendment rights.” In response to the shooting, Mamdani has said, “I’m heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in midtown and I am holding the victims, their families, and the NYPD officer in critical condition in my thoughts.” HERO COPS AND GOD SAVED LIVES AFTER THE SHOOTER OPENED FIRE, ERIC ADAMS SAYS He also noted he is “grateful for all of our first responders on the ground.” On Monday, a lone gunman, later identified as Shane Tamura, walked into a midtown Manhattan office building and opened fire, killing four people before turning the gun on himself. The four people killed in the shooting were identified as NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, security guard Aland Etienne and Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the gunman reportedly had a grievance with the NFL, blaming the sport of football for apparent issues with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a side effect from repeated hits to the head. PHOTO SHOWS HOW EMPLOYEES BARRICADED DURING NYC SHOOTING In response to the tragedy, Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, announced Tuesday that “as a mark of respect for the memory of NYPD Officer Didarul Islam who died in the line of duty and the multiple victims of the mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan at 345 Park Avenue yesterday, I’ve ordered all flags on all city buildings and stationary flagstaffs throughout the five boroughs to be lowered to half-staff until further notice.” “Officer Didarul Islam died as he lived, a hero and protector of New York City. We will never forget you,” Adams wrote in another post on X. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Illegal who conspired to bludgeon teen to death with baseball bat among latest ICE roundups
An illegal alien convicted of a conspiracy to murder a teenager using a baseball bat in the Philadelphia area is among some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegals arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country in recent weeks, according to the agency. A statement by ICE says that Bou Khathavong, an illegal alien and dual citizen of Laos and Thailand, was arrested on July 25 by officials from ICE Philadelphia. According to ICE, Khathavong has previously been convicted of conspiracy to murder a teenager with a baseball bat in in Pennnsylvania. Another statement by the Department of Homeland Security released on Tuesday highlighted other “worst of the worst” illegal aliens arrested in recent weeks, including several pedophiles, drug traffickers and individuals convicted of cruelty and neglect of a child and involvement in a hit-and-run that resulted in death. DHS said illegal alien Santiago Geovany Garcia-Rosales, a 35-year-old from Guatemala, was convicted of failure to stop and render aid involving a death in Harris County, Texas. He was arrested by ICE Houston on July 28, according to ICE. ICE IN HOUSTON RELEASES NEW DETAILS ABOUT ARRESTED ILLEGAL CHILD SEX OFFENDERS ICE also arrested Hector Bonaparte-Contreras, a 42-year-old criminal illegal alien from from Mexico, on July 24. Bonaparte-Contreras was convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault on a child less than 13 years old in Chicago. Another alien, Julio Armando Gomez-Fernandez, was arrested by ICE on July 27 in Dallas. Also an illegal from Mexico, Gomez-Fernandez was previously convicted in Colorado of meth possession with intent to distribute as well as unlawful re-entry. Manuel Loja, a criminal alien and sex offender from Ecuador, was arrested by ICE Newark on July 24. Loja has been convicted of cruelty and neglect of children in New Jersey. DANGER REMAINS, DESPITE TRUMP SECURING BORDER: AZ REPUBLICANS DHS pointed out in its release that 70% of ICE arrests include illegal aliens with either criminal convictions or pending charges. The statement said that “under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is delivering on its promise to prioritize the American people over illegal aliens and criminal protection policies, removing these public safety threats from American communities.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin also commented on the arrests, blaming the Biden administration for having “allowed dangerous criminals to pour into our country.” ALLEGED ‘SERIAL CRIMINAL’ NABBED IN MICHIGAN TRAFFIC BUST AFTER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RELEASED HIM INTO US CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “President Trump and Secretary Noem unleashed ICE to arrest these criminal illegal aliens,” said McLaughlin, adding, “From pedophiles to drug traffickers, ICE is prioritizing arresting the worst of the worst. We will not allow criminal illegals to terrorize American communities.”
Trump’s CDC pick confirmed—but her pro-vaccine stance may clash with RFK Jr.’s agenda
The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after his first choice struggled to gain support. Susan Monarez, a longtime fixture in Washington who has taken on leadership positions in a number of government public health roles, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, crossing yet another position off the lengthy and growing number of nominees awaiting confirmation. Monarez was confirmed on a 51 to 47 party line vote. SENATE CONFIRMS TRUMP PICK TO LEAD INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Across her roughly two-decade career in D.C., she has served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health within the Department of Health and Human Services and in roles at the White House, including at the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council. She is the first CDC director to undergo the Senate confirmation process after a new law changed the requirement in 2023. Prior to her confirmation, Monarez had served as the acting director of the CDC since the beginning of this year. But Monarez, who has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology, was not Trump’s first pick to lead the public health agency, which is tasked with protecting Americans from public health threats. KEY TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY SENATE DEMS PUTS PRESSURE ON GOP LEADERS Trump tapped Monarez in March shortly after withdrawing his nomination of Dr. David Weldon, a former House member, after it was clear that he couldn’t get enough votes from Senate Republicans to make it across the finish line. He lauded Monarez’s credentials, and charged that Americans had “lost confidence” in the CDC. “Dr. Monarez will work closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr,” he said on social media at the time. “Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!” But questions also linger on how well Monarez and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. might work together. During her confirmation hearing last month, Senate Democrats grilled Monarez over whether she agreed with Kennedy’s positions on vaccines. Kennedy has long been outspoken about his skepticism regarding vaccines, particularly COVID-19 vaccines. ‘ALL THE OPTIONS’: GOP EYES CUTTING AUGUST RECESS TO MOVE DOZENS OF TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY DEMS The CDC has been hit with thousands of staff cuts and resignations and subject to changes in vaccine policy — notably Kennedy’s decision to remove the COVID-19 from the vaccine schedule for pregnant women and healthy children — in the last six months. “I think vaccines save lives. I think that we need to continue to support the promotion of utilization of vaccines,” Monarez said during her confirmation hearing. Her confirmation also comes as Kennedy, in his budget request for the HHS, seeks a slash in funding to the CDC of nearly 50%, or from about $9.2 billion to $4.2 billion, for the upcoming fiscal year. But Kennedy made clear in an X post at the time of her nomination that he supports Monarez to take on the position. “I handpicked Susan for this job because she is a longtime champion of MAHA values, and a caring, compassionate and brilliant microbiologist and a tech wizard who will reorient CDC toward public health and gold-standard science,” he said. “I’m so grateful to President Trump for making this appointment.” And an HHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Once Dr. Monarez is confirmed, the Secretary looks forward to working with her to advance common-sense policies that will Make America Healthy Again.”
Fox News Poll: Voters support a third political party, but not if it’s Elon Musk’s
Elon Musk’s talk of a third political party is an idea supported by more than half of voters in the latest Fox News national survey – as long as that party isn’t linked to the billionaire. By an 11-point margin, more voters think it is a good idea rather than a bad one for there to be a third major party (53% vs. 42%). That’s down from a 27-point spread in 2010, the most recent time Fox asked the question. Independents – by a 44-point margin and Democrats – by 20 points say a third party is a good idea while Republicans think it’s a bad one by 9 points. FOX NEWS POLL: SUPPORT FOR DEPORTATION DEPENDS ON WHO IS BEING TARGETED The decline from 2010 is mostly because of a 22-point shift among Republicans, who were 13 points more likely to say it was a good idea (50%) than a bad one (37%) 15 years ago. “In 2010, anger and disappointment with both parties among some Republicans and independents fueled the tea party movement,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct the Fox News survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. “This time around the disappointment and anger is coming from the Democrats.” Voters draw the line, however, at a third party led by Musk. Most, 75%, say they are “not very” or “not at all” open to supporting a party created by the billionaire, while 22% say they are “extremely” or “very” open to it. Those most likely to back a Musk political party are men (31% extremely/very open), especially Republican men (41%), men under age 45 (38%), and White men without a college degree (36%). Independents (32% extremely/very open) and Republicans (31%) are roughly 20 points more likely than Democrats (11%) to support a Musk-run party. FOX NEWS POLL: THE GOP IS SEEN AS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A CLEAR PLAN FOR THE COUNTRY Some support for a third major party comes from voter dissatisfaction with both major parties, as 64% think the Democratic Party lacks a clear plan for dealing with the problems facing the country and 54% say the same about the GOP. The survey also asks voters to respond to a series of agree-disagree statements about third parties and finds they are equally likely to view them positively as negatively. For example, 6 in 10 voters agree third parties are desperately needed because the Democratic and Republican parties are failing to address voter concerns (61% agree), while another 6 in 10 think third-party candidates are just spoilers that distract from the two major parties (59%). Democrats (59% agree) and Republicans (66%) are more likely to agree third-party candidates are spoilers while independents feel the opposite (60% disagree). Majorities of independents (76% agree) and Democrats (67%) are in alignment on needing a new party, whereas Republicans are split (49% agree third parties are needed, 50% do not). About 4 voters in 10 feel third-party candidates tend to be less qualified than those from the two major parties (54% disagree). More Republicans (51% agree) than Democrats (41%) and independents (33%) think a third party is not suitable to run. Voters are more decisive when asked if the U.S. political system is rigged against third parties as 70% feel it is, including most Democrats (73%), Republicans (66%), and independents (76%). “The survey shows the dilemma for third parties in the U.S.,” says Shaw. “Voters want another choice, but don’t particularly like the options they’ve seen and are reluctant to back candidates they think are doomed.” CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Conducted July 18-21, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,000 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (114) and cellphones (636) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (250). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.