Trump administration releases over $6B in frozen education funds to the states
The Trump administration is releasing roughly $6.8 billion in previously frozen federal funds for K-12 programs, the Department of Education announced Friday. The announcement was made as Secretary Linda McMahon attended the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds and has directed the Department to release all formula funds. The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week,” department spokesperson Madi Biedermann told Fox News Digital. More than 20 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration earlier this month, describing the Department of Education’s federal funding freeze as unconstitutional and “debilitating” to states just weeks ahead of a new school year. The bipartisan group of governors, including the NGA’s outgoing chair, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, and its vice chair, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, thanked McMahon for unlocking the funding during the NGA’s education session Friday. DEMOCRAT AGS SUE TRUMP FOR ‘UNCONSCIONABLE’ FREEZE ON $6.8B IN K-12 SPENDING “How can we better communicate to make sure that this chaos and uncertainty doesn’t occur again around funding and that people know things earlier?” Polis asked McMahon on the Colorado Springs stage. “No guarantees from me that we will eliminate all the communications gaps that do happen, but I can say that part of it is just the transition aspect,” McMahon explained. The education secretary said the other aspect of the federal funding freeze was that the OMB budget office “took some time to really review the title funding to look at all the programs, etc., before they were released. They were well satisfied. So, now, those funds are going to be going out.” TRUMP ADMIN SEEKING TO PULL FUNDING FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SLAPPED WITH JUDGE’S PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION McMahon assured the governors that now that they have reviewed title funding and gone through the process, “we wouldn’t find ourselves in the same situation.” Several of the governors who attended Polis and McMahon’s education discussion and had the opportunity to ask questions thanked the education leader for returning the federal title funds to the states. Polis kicked off the NGA’s summer session in Colorado Springs Friday with his signature policy agenda, “Let’s Get Ready! Educating All Americans for Success.” EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON TOUTS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S $200M SETTLEMENT ‘TEMPLATE’ McMahon said she was appreciative of the governors’ questions and comments, and she committed to visiting as many states and speaking with as many governors as possible to grasp the full scope of the country’s diverse educational needs. Polis and Stitt said in a joint statement released by NGA that they are “thankful these bipartisan discussions with Secretary McMahon and other key officials during the NGA Summer Meeting led to the distribution of these education funds.” “This action ensures schools across the nation can maintain essential programs for English language learners, teacher training, and student enrichment as the new academic year begins,” the NGA leaders said, emphasizing that “governors from both parties stand united in prioritizing our children’s education, and we’re proud our advocacy helped secure this vital support for states and districts.” In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her remarks, McMahon affirmed her commitment to collaborating with governors as the Trump administration seeks to dismantle the Department of Education. “It’s just incredibly important that if we are going to return education to the states, we have to talk to the governors,” McMahon said. “Clearly, education is a nonpartisan issue,” McMahon added. “If we’re going to return education to the states, that just means giving them back the part that is now provided by the federal government, and they’re anxious for it.” Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to dismantle the Department of Education, fulfilling one of his key campaign promises during the 2024 presidential election. Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Trans bathroom policies have 10 days to go, Trump Education Department warns 5 Virginia school districts
The Department of Education is giving five northern Virginia school districts ten days to fix their transgender bathroom policies or face “enforcement action,” the agency said Friday. Public school districts in Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Alexandria City and Arlington were all found to be in violation of Title IX after an investigation by the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights that began in February, according to a press release shared Friday. The release cited a June ruling by the Supreme Court, which the department said acknowledged that a person’s identification as “transgender” is distinct from a person’s biological sex. TRUMP ADMIN CRACKS DOWN ON OREGON AND VIRGINIA FOR DEFYING TITLE IX AND WOMEN’S SPORTS EXECUTIVE ORDER “The investigation was based on complaints alleging that the [school districts] have similar anti-discrimination policies pertaining to ‘transgender-identifying’ students, which violate the sex-based protections of Title IX,” the release said. “The [districts] are also the subject of several lawsuits, informal complaints and reports, which allege that students in the (districts) avoid using school restrooms whenever possible because of the schools’ policies and that female students have witnessed male students inappropriately touching other students and watching female students change in a female locker room.” Craig Trainor, the Department of Education’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, blasted the Biden administration for tolerating such behavior, adding it’s time for “northern Virginia’s experiment with radical gender ideology” to come to an end. The Education Department’s non-compliance finding prompted the agency to issue a proposed resolution agreement whereby each school district can take corrective action to prevent any enforcement actions by the Trump administration. That action would require the districts to rescind any policies or regulations allowing students to access bathrooms, locker rooms or other intimate facilities on the basis of their preferred gender identity as opposed to their biological sex. SCANDAL-PLAGUED SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERRED TO DOJ AFTER ANOTHER TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CONTROVERSY The districts will also be required under the agreement to issue letters to each school it oversees within its district, explaining that any future policies related to bathrooms, locker rooms or other intimate spaces must separate students on the basis of sex and not gender identity. The districts would also be compelled under the agreement to adopt “biology-based definitions” of the words “male” and “female” to be used in all practices and policies. The Department of Education gave the school districts 10 days to voluntarily agree to these demands or risk “imminent” consequences, including a potential referral to the Department of Justice. VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCUSED OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CASE “Today, we at Defending Education are incredibly gratified to learn that a group of Northern Virginia School Districts — many of which were ground zero for the social experimentation of transgender ‘inclusion’ in women’s sports, bathrooms and private spaces — are now facing the music for failing to adhere to the plain text and meaning of Title IX,” said Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education. “As a mother, as a Virginian and as former senior counsel to the assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, I am encouraged to see that this administration is taking the enforcement of long-standing civil rights laws seriously,” Perry continued. “Title IX was passed to guarantee women’s educational equality in its myriad manifestations. But intransigent schools in the commonwealth seem to have forgotten that.” The school districts all confirmed receipt of the resolution agreements issued to them by the Department of Education and are conducting a review to determine next steps. They all also expressed a commitment to following federal and state laws while simultaneously fostering a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment for students.
Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship blocked by another federal appeals judge in latest ruling
A federal appeals judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship for the children of people in the country illegally or temporarily. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that a nationwide injunction on the Trump administration’s effort to end birthright citizenship that he issued earlier this year and that was granted to more than a dozen states can stand. Sorokin said the ruling was an exception to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited lower courts’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions. The issue is expected to return to the Supreme Court. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BAN FOR ALL INFANTS, TESTING LOWER COURT POWERS Trump and the administration “are entitled to pursue their interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately settle the question,” Sorokin wrote in his ruling. “But in the meantime, for purposes of this lawsuit at this juncture, the Executive Order is unconstitutional.” The Trump administration has argued that children born in the U.S. to parents in the country illegally and temporarily are not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and therefore not entitled to citizenship. Trump signed the birthright citizenship executive order, along with a slew of other orders, on his first day in office in January. UPENDING US BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP WOULD HAVE DRASTIC NEGATIVE IMPACT, DEFENDERS WARN On Wednesday, the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also affirmed the lower court’s nationwide injunction, and, earlier this month, a New Hampshire federal judge issued a ruling prohibiting Trump’s executive order from taking effect nationwide in a new class-action lawsuit. Sorokin disagreed with the Trump administration’s argument that the Supreme Court’s ruling warranted a narrower ruling. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit argued that Trump’s executive order is unconstitutional because the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, and it also threatens millions of dollars in state funding for “essential” health insurance services contingent on citizenship status. Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michelle Obama portraitist’s exhibit with trans Statue of Liberty pulled after pressure from Vance
EXCLUSIVE: Artist Amy Sherald canceled her upcoming exhibit featuring a portrait of a transgender Statue of Liberty at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery after Vice President JD Vance raised concerns the show included woke and divisive content, Fox News Digital has learned. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March that placed Vance in charge of overseeing the removal of programs or exhibits at Smithsonian museums that “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.” Vance said Sherald’s “American Sublime” exhibit violated Trump’s executive order and was an example of woke and divisive content during a meeting June 9 with the Board of Regents, a source familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital. ARTIST PULLS ART FROM SMITHSONIAN GALLERY AFTER MUSEUM TRIES TO ALTER HER TRANS STATUE OF LIBERTY PAINTING “Vice President Vance has been leading the effort to eliminate woke indoctrination from our beloved Smithsonian museums,” an administration official said in an email to Fox News Digital. “On top of shepherding the One Big Beautiful Bill through the Senate and helping President Trump navigate international crises, the vice president has demonstrated his ability to get President Trump’s priorities across the finish line.” Sherald, best known for painting former first lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait in 2018, announced Thursday she was pulling her show, “American Sublime,” from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery slated for September, The New York Times first reported. Sherald said she was rescinding her work from the exhibition after being told that the National Portrait Gallery had some concerns about featuring the portrait of the transgender Statue of Liberty during the show. The painting, “Trans Forming Liberty,” depicts a trans woman with pink hair wearing a blue gown. TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CALLS OUT SMITHSONIAN FOR PUSHING ‘ONE-SIDED, DIVISIVE POLITICAL NARRATIVES “These concerns led to discussions about removing the work from the exhibition,” Sherald said in a statement, The New York Times first reported Thursday. “While no single person is to blame, it’s clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role. “This painting exists to hold space for someone whose humanity has been politicized and disregarded. I cannot in good conscience comply with a culture of censorship, especially when it targets vulnerable communities. “At a time when transgender people are being legislated against, silenced and endangered across our nation, silence is not an option,” Sherald added. “I stand by my work. I stand by my sitters. I stand by the truth that all people deserve to be seen — not only in life, but in art.” The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Vance’s involvement in the matter. DEFUNDING DEI: HERE’S HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS UNDONE BIDEN’S VERY PRIZED PROGRAMS The White House said the removal of Sherald’s exhibit is a “principled and necessary step” toward cultivating unity at institutions like the Smithsonian. “The ‘Trans Forming Liberty’ painting, which sought to reinterpret one of our nation’s most sacred symbols through a divisive and ideological lens, fundamentally strayed from the mission and spirit of our national museums,” Trump special assistant Lindsey Halligan said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The Statue of Liberty is not an abstract canvas for political expression. It is a revered and solemn symbol of freedom, inspiration and national unity that defines the American spirit.” Other members of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents include the Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, along with senators John Boozman, R-Ark.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Gary Peters, D-Mich., along with several other House members. Fox News’ Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
Next-gen missile shown off in first Pacific test as US expands long-range arsenal
In a milestone moment, the Army Friday conducted a live-fire test of its precision strike missiles in Australia, the first ever west of the international dateline. The test, seen in footage obtained by Fox News Digital, marks a significant advancement in the region’s long-range strike capabilities. The precision strike missile (PrSM) has an unclassified range of 300 miles and can hit moving targets on land or at sea. The test saw a U.S.-manufactured PrSM launched from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) vehicle owned by the Australian Defence Force. TAIWAN CONDUCTS LIVE-FIRE DRILLS WITH US-MADE TANKS AS PRESIDENT LOOKS ON It was a show of force between the U.S. and Australia at a time of increasing tension in the Indo-Pacific. “This is just one of the key steps we’re taking throughout the region to deter conflict, while ensuring that our soldiers have the best capabilities available,” said Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who observed the test at the Mount Bundey Training Area in Australia. “The PrSM allows our forces to hold land and maritime regions at risk, which gives adversaries pause and increases deterrence.” The PrSM is the U.S. Army’s newest addition to its long-range precision fires (LRPF) portfolio, a triad of advanced strike systems that includes HIMARS-launched missiles, the mid-range capability platform and the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile. While HIMARS has already proven itself in combat zones like Ukraine, where its ability to rapidly fire and evade counterattack has made it a prized system, the integration of the PrSM into this platform significantly enhances its strategic utility. The mobile launcher can be deployed from C-17 and C-130 aircraft, a U.S. Navy landing craft and even from ships at sea, a capability tested in joint drills with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Unlike the 90-mile-range Extended Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (ER GMLRS), which fires six missiles per HIMARS, the PrSM packs two missiles per launcher and can reach more than triple the distance. Asked why the missiles were an important part of preparation for a potential war in the Indo-Pacific, Driscoll told reporters, “I think if you look at the way conflict is unfolding now, what is not being rewarded is large, massive presences with static locations and big footprints and signatures. What is being rewarded is the ability to be agile, hide your signature and move quickly.” Fielding of HIMARS continues across the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii recently receiving 16 launchers, a first for a light infantry division tasked with jungle and archipelagic warfare. Officials say they are looking to increase munitions production with key allies. PENTAGON MAY SINK BIDEN-ERA DEAL TO SELL AUSTRALIA NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES The test comes after it was revealed the Pentagon privately pressed Australia to define how it might help if war broke out over a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Australia responded by stressing it would not commit troops in advance of any conflict. Australia does not permit permanent foreign military bases, but the U.S. is expanding its rotational presence at Australian sites. Australia and the U.S. recently led a major joint exercise in Sydney involving 30,000 troops from 19 countries. It also comes at a time when Washington is reconsidering whether to sell nuclear-powered, Virginia-class submarines to Sydney through the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) deal. The three nations would jointly design a new class of submarines, with Australian production beginning in the 2040s.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Clinic Staffers Face Federal Charges for Obstructing ICE Raid
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… – SCOOP: Key GOP group starts work on 2nd ‘big, beautiful bill‘ for Trump – Democrats have hit ‘rock bottom,’ party leader says. Here’s his unorthodox rebound plan – Two illegal immigrants charged in NYC shooting of off-duty CBP officer EXCLUSIVE: Federal authorities arrested a staff member of a clinic in Ontario, California, for allegedly interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest, while another remains at large. Earlier this month, Honduran national Denis Guillen-Solis, a landscaper, allegedly left on foot to evade law enforcement and went inside the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center, where he was not a patient. “This story is another example of a false narrative peddled by irresponsible members of the media in furtherance of a political agenda to delegitimize federal agents. The illegal alien arrested inside the medical center was not a patient and was not in any way affiliated with that location. He ran inside for cover and these medical workers attempted to block his apprehension by assaulting our agents,” U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli told Fox News in a statement… READ MORE. ‘DOESN’T MATTER’: Trump shrugs off Macron’s Palestine recognition plan while GOP hawks fume over decision ‘OWES ME BIG’: Trump says SCOTUS immunity ruling likely helps Obama in light of Gabbard, DNI findings ‘A HUGE WIN’: US-Mexico Tijuana River sewage crisis deal is ‘massive’ win for Americans, EPA says STATEHOOD PUSH: French President Emmanuel Macron to recognize ‘State of Palestine’ in September at UN General Assembly BAGPIPES & BARGAINS: Trump heads to Scotland to talk golf, politics and trade TRUTH BURIED DEEP: ‘Louder by the hour’: Senate GOP wants the Epstein drama to end, but Democrats aren’t letting it go SAFETY UNDER REVIEW: FDA chief has no ‘plans’ for abortion pill policy changes but continues safety review TRIFECTA TAKEOVER: SCOOP: Key GOP group starts work on 2nd ‘big, beautiful bill’ for Trump BACKING THE PATRIOT: Trump-backed Republican who lost 2024 Senate bid scores president’s endorsement while trying again MAKING A COMEBACK: Democrats have hit ‘rock bottom,’ party leader says. Here’s his unorthodox rebound plan ‘FABULOUSLY YOURS’: Former Congressman George Santos makes ‘glamorous’ farewell before going to prison: ‘The curtain falls’ THE NEXT GENERATION: Pelosi confident about Dems’ chances to win House, predicts Jeffries will be speaker PALMETTO PLAN: House Freedom Caucus conservative to enter race for South Carolina governor GAME ON: SCOOP: Trump ally to launch key battleground state campaign in bid to flip Democrat-held Senate seat SILENT NO MORE: Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell could be eyeing three outcomes as she meets with DOJ again: expert ‘TREMENDOUS JOB’: DeSantis-appointed US senator scores major endorsement ahead of 2026 special election: ‘Tremendous job’ BLAST FROM THE PAST: Mamdani outlines ‘unabashed’ commitment to supporting anti-Israel sanctions as lawmaker in unearthed video STREAMLINE IN MOTION: Youngkin unleashes cutting-edge AI technology in effort to slash Virginia’s government red tape ‘FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT’: Federal appeals court rules California ammunition background checks unconstitutional ‘NEAR-DEADLY ATTACK’: Two illegal immigrants charged in NYC shooting of off-duty CBP officer HOSTAGE NIGHTMARE: Columbia University janitors settle case after being held hostage by anti-Israel rioters on campus WRONG RING, BROTHER!: Heckler hijacks Florida governor’s Hulk Hogan tribute with profane tirade against ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ NOT BRIEFED: Los Angeles mayor says ‘hell yeah’ she regrets Ghana trip during wildfires JUSTICE DENIED: Grieving parents of American terror victim plead with top criminal prosecutor for justice Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Influential lawmaker demands ‘old guard must go,’ calls for ‘rebirth’ of Democratic Party
Rep. Ro Khanna sounded off on the Democratic Party establishment in his address to the Voters of Tomorrow Summit for young progressives in Washington, D.C. “How can we trust government to do big things when government has been corrupted? My friends, for those who want a progressive future, for those who want a government that works to build security and opportunity for the working class, we must get rid of the big money in politics,” Khanna said in his address on Friday afternoon. The California Democrat then mentioned the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have become a major point of debate in Washington as some demand more information about the case. PELOSI CONFIDENT ABOUT DEMS’ CHANCES TO WIN HOUSE, PREDICTS JEFFRIES WILL BE SPEAKER “We must restore a government for the people, by the people, of the people. The release of the Epstein files is not a magic cure for trust, but it is a first step. It’s a first step to say we will have a new era of transparency,” he continued. Khanna then bluntly called out his party’s establishment in his closing call to action. “I’ll end with this clear point: The old guard needs to go. The old ways have not been working. This party needs a new rebirth. This party needs a rebirth to stand for human rights,” he said. “This party needs a rebirth to stand for the working class. This party needs a rebirth to stand for people over the donor class.” Former Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to give virtual remarks at the summit on Friday, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi was also a major speaker at the event. “We have no doubt that we will win the election with the House of Representatives,” Pelosi said during her speech. “No doubt.” I’M ONE OF THE VOTERS DEMOCRATS NEED TO WIN. 2028 IS THEIR ONLY CHANCE TO REGAIN OUR TRUST “It’s important to be strong in the year in advance, because that’s when the troops line up. We have our messaging, we have our mobilization, we need the money to do it, but they go only next to a school to hold up the most important part: the candidate,” she continued. Younger Democrats, like freshman Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari and Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, took part in panels at the summit. Khanna’s address comes as the Democratic Party is striving to navigate the second Trump administration and adapt to the major shifts that occurred across voter demographics in the 2024 election, including among Generation Z. The 2026 election is being seen as an opportunity to get more information about Gen Z voters, as many voted for the first time in 2022 and 2024. Some in the party have encouraged a more moderate direction, while others have echoed Khanna’s populist sentiment. TRUMP SUPPORTERS FIND UNLIKELY COMMON GROUND WITH BLUE STATE CONGRESSMAN AT TOWN HALL: ‘I LOVE IT’ “This party needs a rebirth to find our courage in standing up for immigrant rights instead of running away when people talk about immigration. This party needs more people like you in Congress than the current people we have in Congress,” Khanna added. “I’m here to say that a new Democratic Party, a reborn Democratic Party, a populist Democratic Party, a multiracial Democratic Party, a Democratic Party that centers the working and middle class, a Democratic Party that looks like the future is a Democratic Party that can lead us back to victory and lead us to a better America. It’s time to take back our party and then to take back our country,” he continued.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon touts Columbia University’s $200M settlement ‘template’
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Columbia University’s $200 million-plus discrimination settlement with the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a culture of accountability, Education Secretary Linda McMahon shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. President Donald Trump’s administration is celebrating what it considers a “historic settlement” with the university that has become the epicenter of protests rejecting the war in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. “I’m very pleased that we were able to bring those negotiations to a close and have an excellent working agreement now with Columbia. They knew they had an antisemitism problem,” McMahon said ahead of her remarks at the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The settlement not only combats antisemitism on college campuses, it takes measures to remove discriminatory hiring practices and enhance campus safety, the education secretary explained. TRUMP SECURES $221M COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENT OVER ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS “This agreement is going to be an excellent template for other universities to be able to use as well,” McMahon said. COLUMBIA PROFESSORS DEMAND ANSWERS AS WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES NEGOTIATIONS WITH IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY Several Jewish leaders have spoken to Fox News Digital about the “existential threat” they say Jewish New Yorkers are facing since 33-year-old socialist Zohran Mamdani became the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. During the primary campaign, Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase “Globalize the intifada” and recognize Israel as a Jewish state triggered accusations he was antisemitic. He has since said he would discourage others from using the phrase and has continuously affirmed his commitment to condemning the rise of antisemitism in New York City. Yuval David, a Jewish advocate and advisor, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani, as mayor, would “enable, and more importantly, empower antisemitic protesters.” In light of the Columbia University settlement, Fox News Digital asked McMahon if the Trump administration was worried about a surge in antisemitism on New York City college campuses if Mamdani is elected in November. “We didn’t discuss that as part of what we were doing. We weren’t looking at a specific incident that might occur in the future,” McMahon explained. But the education secretary said what is most important in Columbia University’s settlement is that it will “lay the groundwork, so regardless of what incidents may or may not occur, you’re prepared for it.” McMahon said Columbia now has a “great working relationship” with the New York Police Department (NYPD). The settlement includes Columbia’s commitment to “enforcing strict rules against disruptive protests, prohibiting masked protests and maintaining trained security officers and ongoing cooperation with the New York Police Department.” “They won’t hesitate to bring them in to make arrests,” McMahon warned. “There will be consequences. People will be expelled. They’ll be suspended. If there’s criminal activity, they can go to jail. “The accountability factor of this agreement is incredibly strong, and that’s the message we intend to send, that students on campus need to be in an environment for study.”
Decision to remove West Point crest from chapel Bibles reversed by secretary of the Army
EXCLUSIVE: The secretary of the Army has ordered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to restore the school’s crest on the Bibles at the West Point Cadet Chapel, reversing a Biden-era decision to not include the crest when replacing the Bibles. “Since the founding of West Point and before, generations of cadets, officers, and Soldiers have drawn strength and inspiration from God’s word,” Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. “The decision to remove the Academy’s historic crest from the Bibles in the Cadet Chapel is yet another example of the previous administration pushing far-left politics into our military institutions. I am directing West Point to reverse this decision immediately and restore this important symbol of Duty, Honor, Country.” WEST POINT BIBLE CREST CONTROVERSY SPURS PENTAGON LAWSUIT FROM CONSERVATIVE WATCHDOG Driscoll’s statement comes after Fox News Digital first reported that a conservative judicial and government watchdog group had filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Defense over documents regarding why the crest was absent from the new Bibles. A spokesperson for West Point declined to provide comment to Fox News Digital on Friday. Judicial Watch first submitted a FOIA request in December 2024 seeking records related to the Bibles, after the MacArthur Society, a group for West Point graduates concerned about potential politicization at the military academy, notified them of the removal of the crest from the Bibles. WEST POINT DECISION TO CUT ‘DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY’ FROM MISSION STATEMENT UNDER FIRE AGAIN’ When asked for comment about the new Bibles, a spokesperson for West Point told Fox News Digital that the chapel’s Bibles now feature the name of the military academy. “The bibles purchased for the West Point Cadet Chapel are emblazoned with ‘The United States Miliary Academy, West Point, New York,’” the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday. Judicial Watch filed the original FOIA request to learn more about the decision, due to concerns that the military academy is seeking to eliminate ties with what the group labels “traditional values.” But after receiving no response for the documents, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense for the documents Tuesday. “Judicial Watch’s heavy lifting gets results,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. “Goes to show again how our lawsuits exposing corruption can fix corruption. The US Army and West Point can’t go wrong in honoring God.” HEGSETH QUIPS ‘99.9%’ OF DEI INITIATIVES ARE GONE FROM THE MILITARY UNDER TRUMP’S WATCH The Pentagon told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on pending litigation. Combining religious content or symbols with military material has faced backlash historically. In 2012, all four branches of the military pulled approval for a military series of Holman Christian Standard Bibles that had been sold in military exchanges amid concerns that the series indicated that the Bible served as the official religious text of the military services, according to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. The West Point crest has undergone several iterations but historically has included an eagle above the school’s mascot, the Black Knights. West Point is one of several U.S. military academies that train students to become military officers.
Trump team ‘pissed off’ with Kemp over candidate pick in Georgia’s Senate GOP primary battle
President Donald Trump’s political team and top advisers to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia apparently aren’t on the same page when it comes to the key southeastern battleground state’s Republican Senate primary. The race is crucial for Republicans aiming to expand their Senate majority, as Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for re-election in a state that Trump narrowly carried in last year’s election, is viewed by the GOP as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in next year’s midterm elections. Kemp, a popular two-term conservative governor whom Trump had heavily criticized in the past, was courted by national Republicans to take on Ossoff. But Kemp, who is term-limited, announced earlier this year that he would pass on a 2026 Senate run. Sources in Trump’s political orbit and Republican sources in Georgia confirm to Fox News that there was an agreement between the president’s political operation and Kemp’s political team that they would work together to find a candidate that they could all unify behind to take on Ossoff in the Senate race. FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP HOUSE ALLY TO LAUNCH SENATE BID NEXT WEEK IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE Those sources also confirm that Kemp and Trump – the ultimate kingmaker in GOP politics – met two weeks ago to discuss the Senate race in Georgia. But when the governor floated the name of former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, a source close to the president’s political team said “they were told to stand down, because Trump’s team wasn’t ready to move forward on anybody.” And when Kemp and his team did move forward with Dooley, it upset Trump’s advisers, who, according to sources, were “already pretty annoyed” that Kemp had passed earlier this year on taking on Ossoff in the Senate race. POPULAR GOP GOVERNOR PASSES ON SENATE BID IN 2026 “We had a deal to work together,” a top political source in the Trump orbit told Fox News on Friday. “Kemp went out on his own – which has frustrated and pissed off Trump orbit.” The source added that “the best option for the GOP in Georgia was and is Brian Kemp. Unfortunately, he has chosen the path of the weak, and – instead of leading – has decided to circumvent and self-anoint a candidate no one has heard of and the president hasn’t met.” “The operation that delivered the win in Georgia was the Trump organization – not a faux operation – it’s hard to see it rallying behind the blind ambition of someone more interested in 2028 than in 2026,” the source said, in a not-so-veiled reference to Kemp’s potential interest in seeking the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. But a source close to the governor told Fox News that it’s factually not true that they were told to stand down on Dooley. And the source added that Kemp meant what he said that he wants to work with the president and his team and remains that way. Kemp’s political team first floated the Dooley trial balloon about two months ago. A longtime Georgia-based Republican strategist said the reaction in the Peach State among Republicans “was very negative.” Dooley, who is the son of former longtime University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, is close with Kemp, who is a longtime friend. And Dooley has hired two top Kemp political advisers to help with his potential Senate campaign. A Republican source in Georgia says a decision by Dooley on whether he’ll run could come as early as next week. Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a Trump ally and supporter in the House, will announce his candidacy for the Senate next week, sources with knowledge told Fox News Digital on Friday. Republican Rep. Buddy Carter, who for a decade has represented a district in coastal Georgia, launched a Senate campaign in the spring. Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King also announced a run, but ended his bid on Thursday. Trump and Kemp have a turbulent political history. Trump backed the then-Georgia secretary of state in his successful 2018 campaign for governor. But during the two years after his 2020 election defeat to former President Joe Biden, which included a razor-thin loss in Georgia, Trump attacked Kemp for failing to overturn the election results in his state. Trump toned down the criticism in 2022 after Kemp crushed Trump-backed former Sen. David Perdue in the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary, as Kemp successfully cruised to re-election to a second term as governor. KEMP SPEAKS OUT AFTER TRUMP FLIPS AND PRAISES THE GEORGIA GOVERNOR But last summer, amid the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump went on a 10-minute tirade against Kemp at a rally in Atlanta just blocks from the Georgia State Capitol. Trump blamed the governor not only for failing to overturn the 2020 vote count but also for not stopping a county prosecutor from indicting the former president for his attempts to reverse the results. Trump quickly changed his tune on Kemp days later, and praised the governor in a social media post “for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.” Kemp, in a Fox News Digital interview a few days later, downplayed Trump’s tirade against him, calling it a “small distraction that’s in the past.” As Dooley moves closer to launching a campaign, Collins is just days from declaring his candidacy. Collins, a businessman who founded a trucking company, is in his second term representing Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, which includes a large swath of urban, suburban, and rural areas between Atlanta and Augusta. The conservative lawmaker, who’s the son of the late Republican Rep. Mac Collins of Georgia, has been moving closer to launching a Senate campaign for weeks. Collins was an early backer of the president, supporting him as Trump first ran for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2016 cycle. Collins at the beginning of this year reintroduced the Laken Riley Act, which mandates that undocumented immigrants charged with