Trump slams UN for ‘creating new problems,’ questions its role in fiery UNGA speech
President Donald Trump slammed the United Nations for not aiding as he and his administration seek peace in conflicts around the globe and for “creating new problems” for the U.S. and member nations, while questioning its purpose and also offering “the hand of American leadership and friendship” to all countries in the body. The president, during his first address of his second administration to the United Nations General Assembly, highlighted renewed American strength while slamming the international body. TRUMP TO GIVE ‘TOUGH TALK’ ON GLOBALISM ‘FAILURES,’ WHILE HIGHLIGHTING ‘RETURN OF AMERICAN STRENGTH’ AT UNGA “Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, it, too often, is actually creating new problems for us to solve,” the president said. “The best example is the number one political issue of our time: the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It is uncontrolled. Your countries are being ruined.” The president said the U.N. is “funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.” “The U.N. is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and we have to get them out,” Trump said. “The U.N. also provided food, shelter, transportation and debit cards to illegal aliens.” He added: “The UN is supposed to stop invasions — not create them and not finance them.” Trump said illegal immigrants are also “pouring into Europe.” TRUMP’S FINAL CABINET PICK, MIKE WALTZ, CONFIRMED BY SENATE IN NARROW VOTE “It is not sustainable and because they choose to be politically correct, they are doing absolutely nothing about it,” Trump said, later adding: “Your countries are going to hell. In America, we’ve taken bold action to swiftly shut down uncontrolled migration.” “Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border and removing illegal aliens from the United States they simply stop coming they’re not coming anymore,” Trump said, while thanking El Salvador for “receiving and jailing criminals” that entered the United States. During his address, the president highlighted his successful efforts to negotiate peace around the world—specifically, Armenia and Azerbaijan; Thailand and Cambodia; Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; among others. “I ended seven wars, and in all cases they were raging with countless, thousands of people being killed,” he said. “This includes Cambodia India, and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda, a vicious violent war that was Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.” He added: “No President or Prime Minister, and for that matter, no other country has ever done anything close to that. And I did it in just seven months. It’s never happened before. There’s never been anything like that.” The president then took another swipe at the U.N. “I’m very honored to have done it. It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them. And sadly in all cases the United Nations did not even try to help in any of them,” Trump continued. “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal.” “I didn’t think of it at the time because I was too busy working to save millions of lives — that is, saving and stopping of these wars,” Trump said. “But later, I realized that the United Nations wasn’t there for us. They weren’t there.” “That being the case, what is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump asked. “The U.N. has such tremendous potential … But it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up — it’s empty words.” Trump added: “Empty words don’t solve war. The only thing that solves war and wars is action.” Meanwhile, the president touted America under his leadership as having “the strongest economy, the strongest borders, the strongest military, the strongest friendships and the strongest spirit of any nation on the face of the earth.” “This is indeed the golden age of America,” Trump said. WALTZ TO ROOT OUT ANTISEMITISM, ELIMINATE ‘WOKE’ PROGRAMS, GET ‘BACK TO BASICS’ AT THE UNITED NATIONS The president added that the United States is “once again the best country on earth to do business.” “And many people in this room are investing in America, and it’s turned out to be an awfully good investment during this eight-month period,” he said. The president touted his visit to the Middle East in May to “rebuild our partnerships” in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. “My administration has negotiated one historic trade deal after another, including with the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and many, many others,” Trump said. The president also said that under his leadership, America is “respected again, like it has never been respected before.” INSIDE OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER: B-2 COMMANDER REVEALS HOW US PULLED OFF SURPRISE STRIKES ON IRAN “At the NATO summit in June, virtually all NATO members formally committed to increased defense spending, at my request, from 2% to 5% of GDP, making our alliance far stronger and more powerful than it was ever before,” the president said. The president returned to his criticisms of the United Nations, questioning if the U.N. can “play a productive role” in peace around the world. “I’ve come here today to offer the hand of American leadership and friendship to any nation in this assembly that is willing to join us in in forging a safer, more prosperous world,” Trump said. “And it’s a world that will be much happier with a dramatically better futures within our reach. But to get there, we must reject the failed approaches of the past and work together to confront some of the greatest threats in history.” Trump said there is “no more serious danger to our planet today than the most powerful and destructive
Portland moves toward further cementing its sanctuary status
Portland is set to consider new legislation that would further strengthen the city’s sanctuary policies and limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The City Council’s Community and Public Safety Committee is set to review an ordinance on Tuesday that would codify Portland’s protections into binding city law. It would expand a 2017 resolution that declared Portland a sanctuary city. The draft ordinance prohibits the use of city resources to enforce federal immigration laws and bars employees, contractors and police from helping federal immigration officers looking to investigate or detain suspected illegal immigrants. PORTLAND RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON ICE BUILDING WITH LAND USE VIOLATION NOTICE It also blocks city agencies from collecting or sharing information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), unless compelled by a court order. “The City of Portland recognizes and values the diverse contributions of all individuals and affirms its commitment to treating all persons with dignity and respect, regardless of race, color, national origin, immigration or refugee status,” the ordinance reads in part. All city employees would be required to complete a training course covering sanctuary policies, the difference between administrative and judicial warrants and how to respond if immigration agents attempt to access city property or information. The city would also designate all municipal buildings as “Sanctuary City Safe Spaces” with signage in multiple languages clarifying public and restricted areas. PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS HOW TO BOOT ICE OUT OF CITY FACILITY Another provision requires the city to regularly file Freedom of Information Act requests with the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, and to release legally disclosable information — such as the names of those detained in Portland and the alleged offenses — to the mayor, council and the public at least once a year. Each bureau would also have to submit quarterly reports on training completion and immigration enforcement activity. Exceptions would apply only in cases where Portland police arrest someone formally charged with federal immigration crimes under a judicial warrant. Any such arrests must be disclosed in an annual report to the council, including the names of officials and federal agents involved. More than two dozen people have submitted written testimony on the issue, according to KATU. Only one of the written testimonies opposed the proposal. One of the supporters wrote, “I think it’s important to reflect our shared values in our city code and not rely on state policy.” The Portland City Council is made up of 12 members, all Democrats. The mayor is also a Democrat. Fox News Digital reached out to the Portland mayor’s office and the City Council for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Trump cancels meeting with Schumer, Jeffries over ‘ridiculous demands’ as funding deadline looms
President Donald Trump canceled a meeting with top congressional Democrats on Tuesday over “unserious and ridiculous demands” as the deadline to fund the government fast approaches. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., were set to meet with Trump on Thursday to discuss a path forward to avert a partial government shutdown before the Sept. 30 deadline. Lawmakers are still away from Washington, D.C., this week to observe the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and the Senate is expected to return on Sept. 29. Meanwhile, the House is expected to be out until the deadline passes. THUNE SLAMS DEMOCRATS’ ‘COLD-BLOODED PARTISAN’ TACTICS AS FUNDING DEADLINE NEARS But Trump nixed the meeting in a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, where he blasted the duo for pushing “radical Left policies that nobody voted for.” “I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump said. The now canceled meeting with Trump came on the heels of a letter from Schumer and Jeffries sent over that weekend where the top congressional Democrats laid the possibility of a shutdown on his and Republicans’ feet. They argued that the Trump-backed short-term extension was “dirty,” which would mean it had partisan policy riders or spending attached to it, and panned it for continuing “the Republican assault on healthcare,” ignoring expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies, and possibly leading to the closure of hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country. “With the September 30th deadline fast approaching, Republicans will bear responsibility for another painful government shutdown because of the refusal of GOP congressional leadership to even talk with Democrats,” they wrote at the time. But Trump argued that their bill would allow for the nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts in his “big, beautiful bill” to be repealed, and also blasted the Democratic continuing resolution (CR) for ending his megabill’s $50 billion rural hospital fund. TRUMP-APPROVED PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN SCUTTLED BY SENATE “We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage, knowing that they want our now thriving Country closed,” he said. “I’ll be happy to meet with them if they agree to the Principles in this Letter,” Trump continued. “They must do their job! Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand. To the Leaders of the Democrat Party, the ball is in your court. I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things that our Country stands for. DO THE RIGHT THING!” Schumer and Jeffries last month demanded a meeting with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to strike a deal, given that Thune will need Democratic support in the Senate. However, that meeting has so far not come to fruition — though Thune has pushed back on Schumer’s characterization and argued that if the Democratic leader wants to talk, it’s on him to make it happen. “After weeks of Republican stonewalling in Congress, President Trump has agreed to meet this week in the Oval Office,” they said in a joint statement. “In the meeting, we will emphasize the importance of addressing rising costs, including the Republican healthcare crisis. It’s past time to meet and work to avoid a Republican-caused shutdown.” The last time Schumer went to negotiate with Trump at the White House ahead of a looming deadline in 2018, the government shut down for 35 days, which marked the longest partial closure in history. At the time, Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were at odds with Trump on a deal to fund construction of a wall on the southern border. Prior to the meeting being announced, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt argued that if the government shuttered, it “would be the fault of the Democrats.” “We want a clean funding extension to keep the government open, that’s all we’re advocating for,” she said. SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCK DEMOCRATS’ ‘FILTHY’ COUNTEROFFER AS SHUTDOWN DEADLINE LOOMS However, the House Republicans’ bill is relatively “clean,” save for tens of millions in spending for increasing security measures for lawmakers in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Congressional Democrats’ counter-proposal, which also failed last week, included more funding for member security, but also sought to repeal the healthcare portion of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” claw back billions of canceled funding for NPR and PBS, and permanently extend the expiring ACA credits. Thune noted last week that CRs “aren’t places to load big health policy changes in.” “I think that we are open to the conversation about what we do with the ObamaCare premium tax credit,” Thune said. “Is that something in which members, Republican senators, and I think, for that matter, Republican House members, have an interest, as well.” “But this isn’t the place to do that,” he continued. “This is the place to fund the government, to allow our appropriations process to continue that issue.”
Harris accuses Biden of ‘perceived blank check’ for Netanyahu in Hamas war
In her new book, former Vice President Kamala Harris indicates that President Joe Biden’s unpopularity harmed her 2024 presidential bid, suggesting that among the issues was the president’s “perceived blank check to [Israeli leader] Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza,” Axios reported. “I had pleaded with Joe, when he spoke publicly on this issue, to extend the same empathy he showed to the suffering of Ukrainians to the suffering of innocent Gazan civilians,” she wrote, according to the outlet. “But he couldn’t do it: While he could passionately state, ‘I am a Zionist,’ his remarks about innocent Palestinians came off as inadequate and forced.” KAMALA HARRIS SAYS SHE ‘HAD NO IDEA’ SHE ‘PULLED THE PIN ON A HAND GRENADE’ WITH ‘THE VIEW’ ANSWER ABOUT BIDEN Trump trounced Harris in the 2024 contest — she lost the Electoral College and the popular vote. Harris claimed in her book that Netanyahu “wanted [Donald] Trump in the seat opposite him. Not Joe, not me,” according to Axios. The former vice president’s book about her whirlwind presidential campaign, “107 Days,” was released on Tuesday. SEN TED CRUZ CALLS OUT VP KAMALA HARRIS FOR PALESTINIAN SYMPATHY PUSH: ‘UNDERMINING ISRAEL’ “I believe Israel was right to respond to the atrocities of October 7,” she wrote, according to Axios. “But the ferocity of Netanyahu’s response, the number of innocent Palestinian women and children killed, and his failure to prioritize the lives of the hostages had weakened Israel’s moral position internationally and created angry dissent within Israel itself.” HARRIS OFFERS TIMID ENDORSEMENT OF MAMDANI, QUICKLY PIVOTS TO OTHER ‘STAR’ DEMOCRATS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A December 2023 Politico article titled “Kamala Harris pushes White House to be more sympathetic toward Palestinians” quoted Harris press secretary Kirsten Allen claiming that “there is no daylight between the president and the vice president, nor has there been” and they “have been clear: Israel has a right and responsibility to defend itself; humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow into Gaza; innocent civilians must be protected; and the United States remains committed to a two-state solution.”
Waltz to root out antisemitism, eliminate ‘woke’ programs, get ‘back to basics’ at the United Nations
EXCLUSIVE: Newly confirmed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz will work to “Make the U.N. great again,” while working to root out antisemitism, eliminate “woke” programs and become more aggressive in telecommunications, aviation, space and more, sources familiar with his priorities told Fox News Digital. Waltz, a retired Army National Guard colonel and former Green Beret, previously served as a House Republican from Florida before being tapped to serve as Trump’s national security advisor. TRUMP’S FINAL CABINET PICK, MIKE WALTZ, CONFIRMED BY SENATE IN NARROW VOTE Waltz was confirmed as U.N. ambassador Friday, ending a nearly nine-month gap during which the U.S. was without a representative at the U.N. His confirmation also came just before the U.N. General Assembly began in New York City. A source familiar with Waltz’s plans told Fox News Digital that he will reform the U.N. by working to “clean up the woke nonsense that’s infected the U.N., like so many other government institutions.” The source told Fox News Digital that Waltz plans to reform U.N. agencies focused on climate and “woke” programs. The source stressed that Waltz will also reform the way the United States is represented at the U.N. “President Trump is the president for peace,” another source familiar with Waltz’s plans told Fox News Digital. “The U.N.’s original mandate was to bring everybody together and prevent wars or stop wars.” The source added: “We need to get back to basics.” That source also told Fox News Digital that Waltz will work to root out antisemitism at the U.N. WALTZ PROMISES US WILL DEFEND ‘EVERY INCH’ OF NATO TERRITORY AFTER RUSSIAN JETS FLEW INTO ESTONIA Waltz also has signaled that he plans to be more aggressive in international standard-setting bodies which affect U.S. businesses and the economy. For example, China has been “very aggressive” in agencies that govern how aviation, telecommunications, space and international shipping work,” a source said. “We need to be more aggressive,” the source said. Waltz also plans to support Trump’s agenda and priorities set by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his confirmation hearing, Waltz advocated for reforms at the U.N. and argued that “we should have one place in the world where everyone can talk.” “Where China, Russia, Europe, the developing world, can come together and resolve conflicts,” he said. “But after 80 years, it’s drifted from its core mission of peacemaking.” Meanwhile, on his first day at the U.N., Waltz warned Monday that the U.S. and its allies will defend “every inch” of NATO territory after Russian fighter jets violated Estonian airspace. “The United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these airspace violations, and I want to take this first opportunity to repeat and to emphasize the United States and our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory,” Waltz said during opening remarks of the U.N. General Assembly high-level week. “Russia must urgently stop dangerous behavior.” The warning marked one of Waltz’s first public statements since his Senate confirmation. It came days after three Russian MiG-31 jets flew deep into Estonian airspace — the closest such incursion to the Baltic nation’s Parliament building in years — raising fears Moscow is testing NATO’s resolve. Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
Lawsuit claims baby monitors marketed as safe may be feeding data to Beijing
FIRST ON FOX: Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers will file a lawsuit Tuesday against home security camera maker Lorex, alleging the company misled consumers about the safety and privacy of its devices, Fox News Digital has learned. Few people know the name Lorex, but its cameras, sold at retailers like Costco and Best Buy, are quietly monitoring homes across the U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS RAISE CONCERNS AFTER MICROSOFT EXPOSED AS POSSIBLE AVENUE FOR CHINESE SPYING The 39-page lawsuit, filed in Nebraska state court, claims the company marketed its cameras as “private by design” and safe for places like children’s bedrooms, while concealing that the devices rely on a Chinese firm sanctioned by the U.S. over national security and human rights violations. Lorex did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitial’s request for comment. According to Hilgers, Lorex devices depend on technology from Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., a Chinese surveillance firm legally bound to assist Beijing’s sweeping intelligence apparatus. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a direct threat to American security, including through market actors who create or exploit security to American consumers,” Hilgers told Fox News Digital. “This is a national issue, and we are leading the fight in Nebraska against these companies who enable the CCP influence and surveillance.” CHINA IS EXPLOITING OUR GOVERNMENT’S TECH WEAKNESS. WE NEED A RAPID REBOOT The complaint notes that the Lorex 2K Dual Lens Indoor camera, sold by major U.S. retailers such as Costco, Best Buy, Kohl’s and Home Depot, closely mirrors Dahua’s “H5D-5F” and “H3D-3F” models. Hilgers said Lorex markets its surveillance products for use in highly private areas, including children’s bedrooms, without warning families of potential security risks. “This marketing is deceptive, as Nebraskans are not warned about security risks,” he said. “When it comes to products that may be used to monitor children and inside Nebraska homes, this deception is both alarming and unacceptable.” Hilgers isn’t alone in sounding the alarm. Others in the security space say Lorex’s products represent a broader national threat. Michael Lucci, CEO of State Armor, has been the leading voice pushing states to act. “Lorex products shouldn’t just say ‘Made in China,’ they should say ‘Watching from China,’” Lucci said in a statement to Fox News Digital. CHINA TARGETS US MILITARY MEMBERS IN OVERSEAS SPY OPERATIONS, FORMER CIA CHIEF WARNS He continued, “By hiding its reliance on a CCP-controlled company sanctioned for human rights abuses and national security risks, Lorex is lying to American families.” “Marketing these cameras as ‘private by design’ while all the data is back-doored by Beijing is not just false advertising, it’s a direct threat to individual privacy and American national security,” he added. Lawmakers from both parties have long raised concerns that the Chinese government exploits educational exchanges, research partnerships and business investments in the U.S. as cover for espionage activities. These warnings have intensified in recent years amid growing scrutiny of Beijing’s influence operations on U.S. soil.
New poll reveals Mamdani still holds commanding double-digit lead over rivals in NYC mayoral race
With six weeks to go until Election Day 2025, Zohran Mamdani remains far ahead of his rivals for New York City mayor, according to a new public opinion poll. Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from Queens who shocked the political world in June with his convincing win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination, holds a 20-point lead over Cuomo. Mamdani grabs 45% support in the Suffolk University CityView poll of New Yorkers very or somewhat likely to vote in November’s general election for mayor. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF THE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL SHOWDOWN Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid multiple scandals and who is running as an independent candidate in the general election after losing the primary, stands at 25% support in the survey, which was conducted Sept. 16–18. Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee in the Democratic-dominated city, stands at 9%. And embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent after deciding to skip the Democratic primary amid anemic polling, grabbed 8% support in the survey. MAMDANI LANDS CRUCIAL ENDORSEMENT IN NYC MAYORAL SHOWDOWN Three other candidates on the ballot combined for 1% support, with 9% undecided. Suffolk highlighted that theirs is the first public poll that includes all seven candidates listed on the official ballot, and the nine affiliated political parties or designations. “The official ballot lists Mamdani and Sliwa twice each because they represent multiple political parties or designations,” Suffolk University Political Research Center director David Paleologos said. “This helps Mamdani because he is listed first on the ballot as the Democratic Party nominee, and then again fourth on the ballot as the Working Families Party nominee.” Cuomo is listed once and is the eighth selection out of nine ballot choices. TRUMP REVEALS NEW NICKNAME FOR MAMDANI The Suffolk poll is the latest to show Mamdani remains the clear frontrunner in the Democratic-dominated city. Four other surveys conducted earlier this month indicated Mamdani’s lead over Cuomo and the rest of the field ranging from 15 to 22 points. Both Sliwa and Adams have repeatedly committed to staying in the race in recent weeks amid multiple reports that President Donald Trump’s advisors floated administration roles for both mayoral hopefuls if they dropped out. Trump, a native New Yorker who now calls Florida home, has urged that the field narrow in order to offer Cuomo a better chance at possibly defeating Mamdani, whom the president repeatedly derides is a communist. The Ugandan-born Mamdani, if elected, would become the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of the nation’s most populous city. Mamdani surged to the Democratic primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City’s high cost of living. It was fueled by a grassroots army of supporters and backing from top national progressive champions, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering free child care for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores. Mamdani has been heavily criticized by his rivals not only for his far-left proposals, but also for his criticism of Israel, his past negative comments regarding the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and his proposal to shift certain responsibilities away from the NYPD and focus on social services and community-based programs. The new poll indicates affordability, at 21%, is the top issue on the minds of New York City voters, followed by crime at 20%, economy/jobs at 14%, and housing at 9%. The survey also indicates voters are debunking much of the negative social media narratives about Mamdani and Cuomo. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP According to the poll, 59% of those questioned disagreed that Mamdani is antisemitic. And 52% disagreed that Mamdani, if elected, would raise taxes, causing businesses to flee the city. Additionally, 53% disagreed that Cuomo, if elected, would continue the unwanted touching and groping that were among the controversies that caused him to resign as governor.
Obama, Pelosi, other top Dems resisted instant Harris endorsement citing need to ‘earn it,’ ‘hiking’ excuse
Top Democrats stretching from former President Barack Obama to former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi resisted giving former Vice President Kamala Harris their full public endorsements in the immediate fallout of then-President Joe Biden dropping out of the race, according to Harris’ memoir detailing her 107-day presidential campaign against President Donald Trump. Harris recounted that after Biden dropped out of the race via a message posted to X on the afternoon of July 21, 2024, she made phone calls to top Democrats to feel out their endorsements. A handful offered their support right off the bat, she said, with former President Bill Clinton, for example, reportedly telling Harris he was “relieved” that Biden dropped out and called on her to, “Send me anywhere. Make this your own campaign.” Others, however, never got back to her or resisted offering her their support when she initially asked. Harris shared her “notes of the calls” in her book, “107 Days,” which hit bookshelves Tuesday. KAMALA HARRIS BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN DROPOUT, ADMITS SHE HAS REGRETS ABOUT HER HANDLING OF SITUATION “Saddle up! Joe did what I hoped he would do. But you have to earn it,” Obama said when Harris spoke to him, according to the book. “Michelle and I are supportive but not going to put a finger on the scale right now. Let Joe have his moment. Think through timing.” Pelosi said the nomination process should have included a primary style process, “not an anointment.” HARRIS TAPS DEM EMAILS LISTS TO MARKET NEW BOOK, SPARKING PARTY NEUTRALITY CONCERNS “I’m so sad about Joe. It’s so tragic. My heart is broken. But now it’s you! It’s important there’s a process, we have a great bench. We should have some kind of primary, not an anointment,” she told Harris, according to the former VP’s notes of the conversations. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who found himself in Trump’s political crosshairs in 2025, reportedly told Harris: “You’ve been loyal. I respect that.” Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders reportedly advised Harris to avoid an overwhelming focus on abortion. BIDEN TEAM IS READY TO DROP DIRT ON HARRIS IF SHE COMES AFTER HIM, MARK HALPERIN SAYS “I supported Joe because he was the strongest voice for the working class,” he said, according to the memoir. “Please focus on the working class, not just on abortion.” A trio of high-profile Democrat governors also resisted giving Harris their endorsement, either ghosting Harris or noting concerns of timing over their endorsement. “Hiking. Will call back. (He never did.)” Harris wrote of her conversation with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the top leader of her home state. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker cited the Democratic National Committee, which was held in Chicago that year, as to why he could not offer her an endorsement. “As governor of Illinois, I’m the convention host. I can’t commit,” Pritzker said. KAMALA HARRIS TO PUBLISH BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCOUNT OF FAILED 2024 CAMPAIGN “I believe you’ll win, but I need to let the dust settle, talk to my colleagues before I make a public statement,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, according to Harris’ memoir. Harris said she went from “call to call with the clarity that comes when stakes are high, stress is through the roof, and there’s zero ambiguity.” “Some people I called would offer me support and then ask, ‘What do you think the process should be?’” she continued, before bucking any floated ideas of a primary race. “If they thought I was down with a mini primary or some other half-baked procedure, I was quick to disabuse them,” she said. “How much more time would it have taken to pull that off?” Other high-profile Democrats offered their full endorsements to Harris, including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who offered to hop on an Amtrak ride to help her out. “We’re thrilled the president endorsed you. We’ll do whatever we can—we’ll jump on a plane, we’ll get on Amtrak. I want to be part of your war council,” Hillary Clinton told Harris, according to Harris’ memoir. Harris’ highly anticipated book follows a handful of other political memoirs on the 2024 election race, which was underscored by mounting concerns over Biden’s mental acuity before he ultimately dropped out — leaving Harris with just more than 100 days of campaigning to try to defeat Trump. The former vice president is set to begin a book tour across the nation upon the release of the memoir. Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning reached out to the respective offices of the top Democrats cited in the book for comment, including Newsom, Barack Obama, Pelosi, Whitmer, Sanders and Pritzker.
Google to reinstate banned YouTube accounts censored for political speech
FIRST ON FOX: Google vowed on Tuesday to offer YouTube accounts that were permanently banned for political speech the ability to be reinstated, and the big tech giant admitted that it once faced pressure from the Biden administration to remove content about COVID-19. Google detailed its remarkable shift in a document, first obtained by Fox News Digital, that a lawyer for the company provided to the House Judiciary Committee. The new policy from Google, also known by its parent company Alphabet, could affect both average users and well-known figures like FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, White House counterterrorism chief Sebastian Gorka and “War Room” podcast host Steve Bannon, all of whom were permanently banned in recent years for COVID-19 or election-related content. “Reflecting the Company’s commitment to free expression, YouTube will provide an opportunity for all creators to rejoin the platform if the company terminated their channels for repeated violations of COVID-19 and elections integrity policies that are no longer in effect,” the lawyer representing Google wrote. CNN REPORTER SAYS LIBERALS SHOULD ‘ACTIVELY ACKNOWLEDGE’ THEIR ROLE IN CANCEL CULTURE Bongino ended his conservative radio show, which livestreamed on Rumble, when he joined the administration this year. He has attributed his popularity on that platform to permanently losing his YouTube account in 2022. YouTube permanently banned Bongino, who had one of the most followed accounts on the platform, for spreading what it said was COVID-19 misinformation about masks. The document from Google also noted that YouTube “values conservative voices on its platform” and acknowledged that the creators “have extensive reach and play an important role in civic discourse.” The document included a section about the Biden administration and said White House officials at the time pushed Google behind the scenes to remove perceived misinformation related to COVID-19. The lawyer for Google also noted that the big tech platform censored content independently of the Biden administration based on its internal policies but that the company has since rolled back those policies. “Senior Biden Administration officials, including White House officials, conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the Company regarding certain user-generated content related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies,” the lawyer wrote. The administration “created a political atmosphere that sought to influence the actions of platforms based on their concerns regarding misinformation,” the lawyer added. Reached for comment, a Google spokesperson told Fox News Digital it did not have anything more to add besides what was in the document. Google’s revelations came in response to a yearslong Republican-led investigation by the committee into big tech companies, including Google, that censored and suppressed content on their platforms related to COVID-19, the 2020 election and Hunter Biden. YouTube’s posture follows Meta similarly shifting last year toward denouncing the Biden administration’s pressure tactics, which were well-documented in emails provided to the committee. Meta revealed at the time that it was doing away with third-party fact-checkers, a move then-President Joe Biden called “really shameful.” YouTube has not used outside fact-checkers and vowed that it “will not empower fact-checkers to take action on or label content” on the platform. Parallel to the congressional investigations was a lawsuit brought by two Republican attorneys general over social media censorship. Discovery in that case largely mirrored what the committee uncovered. The Supreme Court ultimately did not decide on the merits of the case, Murthy v. Missouri, and instead found that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring it. But the lower courts had largely sided with the plaintiffs, including a judge who found the federal government seemed to have “assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’” The high court’s decision disappointed Republicans, who had hoped for a landmark ruling that social media companies’ censorship practices violate the First Amendment. The case also explored jawboning, which involves the government pressuring private companies to censor their speech. WHITE HOUSE WORKED WITH YOUTUBE TO CENSOR COVID-19 AND VACCINE ‘MISINFORMATION’: HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE The term jawboning has resurfaced in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, after ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel suggested on his show that the suspect Tyler Robinson was a member of the “MAGA gang.” Authorities have said Robinson felt Kirk spread hate and that he engraved his bullet casings with gamer-inspired antifascist messaging. Kimmel also repeatedly expressed sympathies for Kirk’s family and condemned the shooting. Still, ABC and owners of its affiliate stations suspended Kimmel’s show. ABC lifted its suspension beginning Tuesday, but one of the affiliate owners, Sinclair Broadcast Group, said it will continue to replace Kimmel with other programming. Concerns with jawboning arose because Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr made a veiled threat about Kimmel’s remarks ahead of ABC pulling him off air. The FCC has regulatory authority over broadcasting networks, including ABC, but still must abide by the First Amendment. “Frankly, when you see stuff like this, I mean, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way,” Carr told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” In addition to the censorship concessions, Google also criticized the European Union’s Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act and told the House Judiciary Committee it will remain “vigilant” in the face of legal obligations from other countries. The EU laws have drawn bipartisan scrutiny in Congress over concerns the foreign laws will force big tech companies to follow more expansive regulations and to ramp up content moderation in a way that could affect American users. Google agreed on Tuesday that the EU laws “place a disproportionate regulatory burden on American companies.”
Trump officials slam blue state governor for ignoring chaotic anti-ICE ‘rioters’ disrupting operation
The Department of Homeland Security is criticizing Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker for failing to assist in responding to a chaotic anti-ICE riot in a Chicago suburb that forced federal authorities to deploy tear gas and other non-lethal measures. In a Monday statement, the department claimed that police “under JB Pritzker’s sanctuary jurisdiction refused to answer multiple calls for assistance.” Fox News Digital reported last Friday that federal officials clashed with a group of protesters who were blocking ICE vehicles from entering and exiting a processing facility in Broadview, Illinois. DHS labeled the protesters “rioters” and said that so far, federal law enforcement has arrested 16 rioters. The agency said that the “rioters and sanctuary politicians obstructed law enforcement, threw tear gas cans, rocks, bottles, and fireworks, slashed tires of cars, blocked the entrance of the building, and trespassed on private property.” DHS said that rioters also assaulted law enforcement officials. Matt Hill, a spokesperson for Pritzker, responded by telling Fox News Digital that “it’s completely false to suggest the state or local municipalities have been obstructing federal officials.” DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE THROWN TO GROUND DURING CHAOTIC ANTI-ICE PROTEST “The state has not received multiple calls for assistance from the federal government and would remind them of the importance of coordinating with local law enforcement to protect public safety,” said Hill. He added, “Governor Pritzker has been clear that violence is unacceptable and everyone needs to follow the law, which includes federal agents respecting constitutional rights to peaceful protest.” “The media needs to use extreme caution before reporting what the Trump administration is saying given their record of lies, lack of transparency, and failure to coordinate with the state and local law enforcement,” said Hill. The DHS statement said the protest disrupted an operation targeting “some of the worst of the worst—including criminals convicted of drug trafficking, domestic abuse, drinking and driving, and assault,” who were being processed at the facility. The agency highlighted some of the criminal illegals who were being processed when the protest broke out. Among those was Andres Ventura-Uvaldo, a criminal illegal and Mexican national, who the agency said was previously arrested for felony DUI and domestic violence. Another, Alberto Algeria Barron, also a Mexican national, was previously removed from the U.S. in 2014 and was convicted for domestic battery twice, according to DHS. NEWSOM ON COURTROOM COLLISION COURSE WITH TRUMP OVER ICE MASK BAN Erwin Jose Roa-Mustafa, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, was also being processed at the facility after pleading guilty on federal charges of conspiracy and intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. DHS said that ICE was also processing another alleged drug trafficker, Ibis Alberto Testa Nunez, from Mexico, who was previously arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration for cocaine possession and possession with intent to distribute. Two others, Salvador Alcantar-Alcantar, from Mexico, was previously arrested for DUI, trespassing and assault, and Carlos Eduardo Chavez-Cardenas, from Bolivia, was previously convicted for DUI and possession of drugs, according to DHS. “These heinous criminals, including domestic abusers, drug traffickers, violent offenders, and drunk drivers are some of the illegal aliens being held in the ICE Broadview Processing Center,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. MASSIVE ICE OPERATION NETS GANG MEMBERS, MURDERERS, CHILD PREDATORS: ‘WREAKED HAVOC’ “These rioters in Illinois are fighting to keep rapists, murderers, and other violent criminals loose on Illinois streets,” said McLaughlin. “Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers who every single day wake up and make our communities safer.” This comes as DHS says that ICE officials are facing a more than 1,000 percent increase in assaults as they conduct operations across Illinois.