Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump to meet with Netanyahu
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… – After setback to Iran’s nuclear program, Trump expected to leverage military support in Netanyahu meeting – The battle over the ‘big, beautiful bill‘ moves from Capitol Hill to the campaign trail – Homan warns Democrats about anti-ICE rhetoric, says it is only a matter of time before agents are attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Donald Trump on Monday, just over two weeks after Washington levied strikes against Iran’s nuclear program in support of a previous military operation carried out by Jerusalem. But even as the pair appear to be relishing the reported success of the missions — which the Pentagon last week said had set back Tehran’s nuclear program by up to two years — several security issues remain on the table. Here’s what to expect from the talks Monday… READ MORE. SPENDING STANDOFF: Trump’s $5 trillion debt ceiling strategy could force Democrats to the negotiating table FAILING UP: Liberal critics question why architect of failed Biden foreign policy is advising ‘Project 2029’ ‘HONORABLE AMERICANS’: Border agent ambush shows Dems need to ‘tone down rhetoric,’ White House says, pushing AOC to meet with ICE ‘DEPRAVED LIE’: White House blasts Schumer, Democrats for ‘depraved lie’ blaming Trump for Texas flash flood FAMILY FIRST: Hunter Biden helped make campaign decisions, was major fixture in father’s orbit, author says SUMMIT SHOWDOWN: Trump threatens additional 10% tariffs on “anti-American” BRICS nations COURT IN SESSION: Judge to rule on motion to dismiss in high-stakes Abrego Garcia case hearing XINIS BRINGS HEAT: Judge Xinis grills Trump lawyers over plans to deport Abrego Garcia in high-profile hearing GAME ON: The battle over the “big, beautiful bill” moves from Capitol Hill to the campaign trail REGIME RESET: Sen. Steve Daines says regime change is the best long-term plan in Iran NEW CHAPTER?: Outgoing GOP Rep. Don Bacon expresses interest in presidency, governorship DANGEROUS LANGUAGE: Homan warns Democrats about anti-ICE rhetoric, says it is only a matter of time before agents are attacked SUPREME DECISION: What key battleground state Supreme Court’s rejection of congressional redistricting lawsuits means for midterms MOVE SPARKS BUZZ: Gavin Newsom is making a strategic visit to a key primary state, raising eyebrows ‘SHAMEFUL’: Dems, media hijack devastating Texas flooding to push ‘shameful’ climate change, anti-Trump narrative Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Liberal critics question why architect of failed Biden foreign policy is advising ‘Project 2029’
Democrats are assembling a new policy brain trust called Project 2029, an effort aimed at shaping the party’s long-term vision and regaining electoral strength. But at a time when there’s widespread agreement that Democrats need fresh ideas and new voices, the inclusion of longtime party insiders — especially former President Joe Biden’s national security advisor Jake Sullivan — is raising eyebrows across the political spectrum. “It’s really disappointing to see the lack of self-awareness on Jake’s part,” said Brett Bruen, former director of global engagement in the Obama White House. “Having Jake involved, let alone leading this, will only lead to stupid, superficial changes.” “These Democratic leaders need to take a long look in the mirror and understand they played a big part in bringing this situation about — and exit stage left.” DEMOCRATS TAKE PAGE FROM CONSERVATIVE PLAYBOOK WITH NEW PROJECT 2029 Modeled in name and structure after the Heritage Foundation’s conservative Project 2025, Project 2029 brings together high-profile Democratic veterans to outline a policy road map. After a decade of standing more against President Donald Trump than for anything else, the group is dedicated to helping Democrats define the policies that can win the 2028 election. The initiative, first reported by The New York Times, is led by longtime Democratic strategist Andrei Cherny and a cast of familiar faces — including Sullivan, Neera Tanden, Biden’s domestic policy advisor; Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America; Justin Wolfers, University of Michigan economist; Jim Kessler, co-founder of Third Way; and Felicia Wong , former president of the Roosevelt Institute. But Sullivan’s role has drawn particular criticism from both Republicans and progressives. Sullivan was Biden’s top advisor during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. He reportedly offered to resign at the time once the evacuation didn’t go as planned. He’s also drawn fire for the Biden administration’s failure to help Israel and Hamas reach a lasting ceasefire, and for its Ukraine policy — which, as one European diplomat told Fox News Digital, seemed aimed at letting Ukraine “lose slowly.” “Why isn’t Jake Sullivan working at Chipotle?” quipped Steven Moore, founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project, on a podcast in 2024. “Jake in his position both as national security advisor and in Biden world is one of the last people on earth that should be involved in a reset for the Democratic Party,” said Bruen. DEMS AT A CROSSROADS AS ESTABLISHMENT PLANS ‘PROJECT 2029’ WHILE SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY Sullivan did not reply to a request for comment by Fox News Digital. Zohran Momdani’s stunning upset in New York City’s mayoral primary over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has reignited a debate over whether Democrats on a national level need to start taking progressivism seriously. “The people responsible for driving the Democratic Party into a ditch are now asking for the keys again,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of progressive group Our Revolution. “Leaders like Zohran Mamdani are showing what’s possible when you speak directly to working-class pain and stand up to entrenched power.” Despite the criticism, some Democrats defend Sullivan’s role and believe he could help unify the party. “He’s a historic organizer of the diverse lanes of Democratic foreign policy, and he’s done a great job with it,” said Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state and Democratic strategist. However, Rubin questioned how much real influence Project 2029 will have, especially with no clear 2028 front runner. “We’re going to have a wide-open primary,” Rubin said. “Unlike Project 2025, where Republicans had a candidate-in-waiting in Trump, we have no standard-bearer. So Project 2029 is going to be one of many blueprints for what a Democratic administration should do.” Some argue that figures like Sullivan are better suited to bridge the divide between establishment figures and progressives than any leftist leader. “He’s part of the old guard, but the old guard isn’t that old. There’s a lot of young people,” one Democratic insider said. “You’d be hard-pressed to find people in the progressive lane pulling in establishment folks, whereas the establishment lane is working to pull in progressives.” Sullivan’s GOP critics also point to his role in promoting now-debunked allegations during the 2016 election. After a report from Slate claimed Trump Tower maintained a secret server communicating with Russia’s Alfa Bank, Sullivan — then a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton — amplified the claim. “This could be the most direct link yet between Donald Trump and Moscow,” Sullivan said in a statement at the time. “This secret hotline may be the key to unlocking the mystery of Trump’s ties to Russia.” Republicans later accused him of spreading unverified information and misleading the public.
Dem lawmakers say their voters are threatening ‘blood’ and ‘violence’ over inability to hinder Trump: report
Democratic lawmakers say their voters are enraged at the lack of ability to counter President Donald Trump’s agenda, with some saying they could resort to “violence,” Axios reported Monday. The outlet says it spoke to over two dozen House Democrats to measure the temperature of the Democratic base. What it found was red-hot anger and a burgeoning desire to circumvent the rule of law, where explanations that Democrats simply don’t hold enough power in Washington fall on deaf ears. “We’ve got people who are desperately wanting us to do something… no matter what we say, they want [more],” Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., told the outlet. Most of the lawmakers spoke on condition of anonymity. Schneider’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. ELON MUSK SAYS US IS RULED BY ‘PORKY PIG PARTY’ AS TRUMP DEFENDS HIS VISION AGAINST FORMER ALLY’S CRITICISM “Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough… [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” one such lawmaker said. Another said their constituents are convinced that “civility isn’t working” and that they should prepare for “violence… to fight to protect our democracy.” A third lawmaker described some of the messages from people online as “crazy ****,” saying that some told them to “storm the White House and stuff like that.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. TOP DEMOCRATS ADMIT ‘FAILURE,’ FECKLESSNESS ON BORDER IN SCATHING NY TIMES REPORT Another lawmaker compared Democratic voters to the “Roman coliseum.” “People just want more and more of this spectacle,” the lawmaker said. Other constituents have insisted that lawmakers take on the risk themselves, with one lawmaker saying they were told they should be willing to get “shot.” “What I have seen is a demand that we get ourselves arrested intentionally or allow ourselves to be victims of violence, and… a lot of times that’s coming from economically very secure White people,” another lawmaker said. ‘CHAOS,’ ‘UNACCEPTABLE’: FETTERMAN RIPS DEMOCRATIC HANDLING OF BORDER IN BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION A seventh lawmaker recounted a meeting they had with constituents that laid bare the desire for escalation. “I actually said in a meeting, ‘When they light a fire, my thought is to grab an extinguisher,’” the lawmaker detailed. “And someone at the table said, ‘Have you tried gasoline?’” they added.
DHS terminates temporary protected status for around 76K Honduran, Nicaraguan migrants
The Department of Homeland Security is moving to end temporary protected status (TPS) for Honduran and Nicaraguan migrants living in the U.S. today as the Trump administration continues to ramp up deportations across the country. The decision to end TPS for the two nations comes weeks after DHS terminated the same status for Haiti and months after terminating TPS for Venezuelans. A federal judge has since blocked that termination amid an ongoing legal battle. “Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News Digital. “It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago.” JUDGE BACKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION PUSH FOR 8 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS AFTER ANOTHER JUDGE BLOCKS IT “Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return,” Noem said. “Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people. We look forward to continuing our work with them.” A source at DHS told Fox News Digital that revoking TPS will affect roughly 76,000 migrants currently living in the U.S., with 54,000 from Honduras and 22,000 from Nicaragua. “The impacts of a natural disaster impacting Nicaragua in 1999 no longer exist,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The environmental situation has improved enough that it is safe enough for Nicaraguan citizens to return home. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that TPS remains temporary.” OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE TO RULE ON MOTION TO DISMISS IN HIGH-STAKES ABREGO GARCIA CASE HEARING In May, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration in a ruling that lifted a San Francisco District Court Judge’s injunction that temporarily blocked the termination of TPS for Venezuelans, paving the way for the administration to legally revoke TPS for subsequent nations. DHS sources have informed Fox that Nicaraguans and Hondurans in the U.S. with TPS are being encouraged to use the CBP One app to facilitate a secure departure, including a complimentary plane ticket and a $1,000 exit bonus. SWAMP GAMES: INSIDE NOEM’S CONTROVERSIAL ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ DETENTION STRATEGY Created by Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS allows individuals from countries affected by natural disasters, war, or other dangerous, unusual circumstances to seek refuge in the U.S. This program can be renewed in 18-month increments.
Trump’s 25th week in office set to include visit to Texas’ devastated Hill Country, third Netanyahu meeting
President Donald Trump’s 25th week back in the Oval Office in his second term is expected to include a trip to Texas to survey the tragedy and damage imposed after floodwaters devastated Hill Country, a third White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ongoing tariff negotiations. Trump announced Sunday that he signed an emergency order to assist Kerr County, Texas, which was devastated on the Fourth of July by flash floods that have led to dozens of deaths and others missing in the area. TEXAS FLOOD SURVIVORS SHARE HARROWING STORIES, SEARCH CONTINUES FOR THOSE STILL MISSING “I just signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas, to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need,” Trump announced on Truth Social Sunday. “These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders.” “Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State,” he added. “Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!” Trump told the media he likely will head out to Texas and meet with locals devastated by the flooding and assess the damage later in the week. “We wanted to leave a little time,” Trump told reporters Sunday from New Jersey when asked if he planned to visit Texas. “I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way. Probably Friday.” At least 80 people are dead from the flooding, which first gripped the area on the morning of Independence Day, while at least 41 others are still missing as of Monday morning. “This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it. Very talented people are there, and they didn’t see it,” Trump explained. “It’s, I guess they said once in 100 years they’ve never seen anything like that. I mean, people are trying to blame the school. They’re trying to blame the camps. It’s just a horrible thing.” TRUMP PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR TEXAS AMID CATASTROPHIC FLOODS Trump called the deadly flooding a “catastrophe.” “I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe, and it’s just so horrible to watch,” Trump said. Israel’s Netanyahu will visit with Trump at the White House later Monday to discuss Israel reaching a ceasefire with Gaza. The meeting comes after the Trump administration collaborated with Israel for the successful strikes on a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities in June. Israel had launched preemptive strikes on Iran in mid-June, launching a “12-day war” between the two nations that ended following the U.S. strikes. TRUMP TO MEET WITH NETANYAHU AS HE PUSHES FOR CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL, GAZA Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu comes after he expressed his disapproval with Israel, as well as Iran, after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 24 that was followed by the nations continuing to trade strikes. Both countries launched accusations at each other that they had violated the ceasefire before Trump expressed his discontent in a comment to the media. “I’m not happy with them,” Trump said at the White House on June 24. “I’m not happy with Iran either, but I’m really unhappy with Israel going out this morning.” The ceasefire was upheld. The Monday meeting is expected to focus on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, and has continued raging despite a previous ceasefire agreement early in 2025. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump is seeking to resolve the conflict between both Israel and Gaza and secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. “It’s heartbreaking to see the images that have come out from both Israel and Gaza throughout this war,” Leavitt said. “And the president wants to see it end. He wants to save lives and, however, the main priority for the president also remains to bring all of the hostages home out of Gaza. As you know, his tireless effort has brought home many of the hostages, including all of the American hostages who were held there.” A 90-day pause on tariffs was set to end July 9, after Trump first announced reciprocal tariffs on foreign nations in April. Trump told reporters Sunday from New Jersey that his administration will begin sending letters to other nations Monday notifying them that higher tariffs will now take effect Aug. 1. “It could be 12, maybe 15” letters, Trump told reporters Sunday. “And we’ve made deals also, so we’re going to have a combination of letters and some deals have been made.” TARIFFS WILL REVERT TO APRIL LEVELS IF COUNTRIES DON’T MAKE A DEAL BY AUGUST 1, BESSENT SAYS The ongoing tariff negotiations follow Congress passing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which advances the president’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt, and Trump signing it into law Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joined Fox News’ Shannon Bream Sunday and explained the new Aug. 1 deadline, warning that tariffs will revert to April levels if foreign countries don’t make a trade deal by the start of August. “Is it fair to say there’s a bit of a pause on the July 9 deadline for some of these trading partners?” Bream asked. “I don’t think it’s a bit of a pause because I think what’s happened is there’s a lot of congestion going into the home stretch and, as a part of the trade team, what’s great about having President Trump on our side is he’s created maximum leverage,” Bessent responded. “By telling our trading partners that they could boomerang back to the April 2 date, I think it’s really going to move things along over the next couple of days and weeks,” he added. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy, Anders Hagstrom and
Elon Musk indicates his new political party will be pro-gun, pro-bitcoin: ‘The Second Amendment is sacred’
Billionaire business tycoon turned political power player Elon Musk indicated in posts on X that the America Party will stake out pro-Second Amendment, pro-bitcoin positions. “The Second Amendment is sacred,” Musk declared in a post on X in response to a post that suggested firearm owners would like to know about the party’s position on guns. Musk also responded to a question about whether the party will “embrace Bitcoin.” “Fiat is hopeless, so yes,” he wrote. ELON MUSK LAUNCHES ‘AMERICA PARTY’ AFTER TRUMP SIGNS HISTORIC SPENDING BILL: ‘WASTE & GRAFT’ The party will also stand for free speech and reduced regulations, Musk has indicated. “Is this the America Party platform?” someone asked in a post on X, writing out a list that included the following: “reduce debt, responsible spending only,” “modernize military with ai/robotics,” “pro tech, accelerate to win in ai,” “less regulation across board but especially in energy,” “free speech,” “pro natalist,” and “centrist policies everywhere else.” “Yeah!” Musk replied. TRUMP CRYPTO CHIEF SAYS WE ARE IN THE ‘GOLDEN AGE’ FOR DIGITAL ASSETS, ‘CLEARING THE DECK’ OF BIDEN BARRIERS While the American political landscape is dominated by the two major political parties, Musk is looking to shake things up with the America Party. “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk declared in part of a post on X. TRUMP DISMISSES MUSK’S POLITICAL AMBITIONS AS ‘RIDICULOUS’ IN SHARP REBUKE Musk noted in another post, “Backing a candidate for president is not out of the question, but the focus for the next 12 months is on the House and the Senate.”
Gavin Newsom is making a strategic visit to a key primary state, raising eyebrows
California Gov. Gavin Newsom heads to South Carolina this week to spend two days meeting with voters in the state that officially held the first primary in the Democrats’ 2024 calendar. The trip by the term-limited governor with a large national profile is sure to spark plenty of 2028 speculation, since Newsom is considered a potential contender for the next Democratic presidential nomination. The South Carolina Democratic Party, which announced the two-day swing, said Newsom will take part Tuesday and Wednesday in meet and greets, to shake hands and take questions, during eight stops in cafes, coffee shops and churches. TWENTY-ONE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY WANT TO RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 “The SCDP presents On The Road with Gavin Newsom. We’re making stops across the state to talk with families all over SC. It’s your chance to connect, be heard, and feel seen,” the state party wrote in a social media post last week. It’s part of the state party’s effort to bring national Democrats to parts of South Carolina that they say have long been overlooked and “left behind” by Republican officials in the GOP-dominated state. SUCCEEDING TRUMP IN 2028: SIX REPUBLICANS TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON “Governor Newsom leads the largest economy in America and the fourth largest in the world, and he’s coming to meet folks in towns that have been hollowed out by decades of Republican control,” state party chair Christale Spain said in a statement. Newsom stopped in South Carolina in January of last year to campaign on behalf of then-President Joe Biden during the state’s 2024 presidential primary. Newsom also traveled to Nevada, another early-voting state in the party’s primary calendar. And Newsom also traveled last summer on behalf of Biden to New Hampshire, the state that for a century has held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. The former president was the Democrats’ 2024 standardbearer before dropping out of the race last July following a disastrous debate performance against now-President Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic national ticket. South Carolina, New Hampshire and Nevada are vying for the lead-off position in the next presidential election cycle, and the Democratic National Committee is expected to decide on their 2028 calendar by early 2027. Newsom has long been thought to harbor national ambitions and is considered one of many Democrats who may make a run for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. The two-day swing through South Carolina will give Newsom an opportunity to make connections not only with voters, but also with local party and elected officials. The relationships forged this week could possibly pay dividends down the road for Newsom if he eventually decides to launch a 2028 presidential campaign.
Court shuts down redistricting fight in key swing state — here’s what it means
It didn’t grab many national headlines, but the decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court not to hear two lawsuits aiming to redraw the battleground state’s eight congressional districts may have a sizable impact on the 2026 midterm elections. The liberal-majority court late last month, without explanation, refused to hear challenges brought by Democrats seeking to alter the current maps, which could have put two of the state’s six congressional districts currently held by Republicans in play. The move by Wisconsin’s highest court appears to benefit Republicans, as they aim to defend their fragile House majority in next year’s elections. HOUSE DEMS CAMPAIGN CHAIR ON HER GAMEPLAN TO WIN BACK MAJORITY That’s because Republican Reps. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District and Bryan Steil in the 1st CD — the state’s most competitive House seats — are likely safer without redrawing the maps. “Every seat matters in the fight for the House of Representatives when all it takes is a three-seat gain to flip control, and a new map in Wisconsin could have helped Democrats in at least two seats, the 1st and 3rd Districts,” Jacob Rubashkin of the non-partisan political handicapper Inside Elections told Fox News. WHAT THE HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR TOLD FOX NEWS ABOUT TRUMP’S ROLE IN THE MIDTERMS Rubashkin noted that “it’s a setback for Democrats, but certainly not an insurmountable one, as the party has plenty of offensive opportunities around the country and even in Wisconsin, where we still see the 3rd District as one of the most competitive districts. Depending on the political environment and candidate quality, the 1st might be competitive as well, even under the current lines.” Democrats are convinced they can still pick up both seats. THE WISCONSIN STATE SUPREME COURT ELECTION THAT GRABBED NATIONAL HEADLINES “It’s already clear that Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil are running scared because they cannot defend their records — whether it’s their votes to cut Medicaid while giving tax breaks to billionaires, or their 100% support for sweeping tariffs that are raising costs on Wisconsin families. Wisconsin voters see that Van Orden and Steil sold them out, and they’ll fire them next year,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) spokesperson Katie Smith told Fox News. But the rival National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) disagrees. “The bipartisan rejection of the radical Democrats’ desperate and politically motivated attempt to redraw the map in their favor offers a strong preview of how Wisconsin voters will reject the Democrats’ out-of-touch and radical agenda next year at the ballot box,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon said in a statement to Fox News. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Rubashkin noted that while Wisconsin isn’t changing its maps, the congressional district lines may be altered in other states ahead of the 2026 midterms. “Ultimately, while we expect a few redistricting changes in Ohio, Utah and potentially a few other states, the overall picture remains unchanged: Republicans are looking to buck history in an expensive and nationwide slog for 218 seats,” he added.
Obama-appointed judge to rule on motion to dismiss in high-stakes Abrego Garcia case hearing
Justice Department lawyers and attorneys for Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia will square off in court Monday as a federal judge in Maryland weighs a flurry of motions over his U.S. custody – and the Trump administration pushes to dismiss the civil case entirely – in a closely watched legal battle that’s become a flashpoint in President Donald Trump‘s immigration crackdown. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis scheduled the hearing last week to consider recent motions from both sides, after Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March and returned three months later to face criminal charges in a different state. The hearing is all but certain to reignite a high-profile fight over Abrego Garcia’s legal status in the U.S., which is currently playing out in two separate federal courts. Ahead of the 11 a.m. hearing, here’s what to know about the civil case – and potential next steps from Judge Xinis. FEDERAL JUDGE JAMES BOASBERG FINDS PROBABLE CAUSE TO HOLD TRUMP IN CONTEMPT OVER DEPORTATION FLIGHTS The hearing in Maryland comes after Salvadorian migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia was summarily deported by Trump officials to El Salvador in March in violation of an existing court order. His family sued the Trump administration over his removal almost immediately, and later that month, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an Obama appointee, ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garica’s return to the U.S. The ruling was later upheld by the Supreme Court, though it took three months – and many discovery hearings before Xinis – for Trump officials to eventually comply with the court’s order and return him to the U.S. in June. On return, Abrego Garcia was immediately taken into custody in Tennessee for federal charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop. Court documents show the charges were brought in late May, prompting questions as to when the investigation, and the impaneling of a grand jury, would have taken place. US JUDGE BLASTS TRUMP LAWYERS FOR 11TH-HOUR TACTICS IN MS-13 DEPORTATION CASE It’s unclear how far Xinis will go in addressing the competing requests filed by both sides, though she signaled last week that the hearing will remain narrowly focused on the government’s motion to dismiss the civil case and the plaintiffs’ bid to transfer Abrego Garcia into U.S. custody in Maryland. Abrego Garcia’s lawyers had asked Xinis to issue an order blocking his possible removal from the U.S. without prior notification, pointing to statements from the Trump administration as evidence that they could try to remove him to a possible third country other than El Salvador. “Defendants have repeatedly stated their intent to remove Mr. Abrego Garcia to a third country,” his lawyers said last week in a filing, adding that he could face “persecution or torture if removed directly to various other countries,” including Libya, South Sudan and Eritrea, which are notorious for human rights abuses. Meanwhile, new allegations made in court filings days earlier could prove difficult for the court to distinguish in its consideration of the other issues. Last week, Abrego Garcia alleged in a filing that he was severely beaten and psychologically tortured in El Salvador’s maximum-security prison, CECOT, when he was detained there earlier this year. 100 DAYS OF INJUNCTIONS, TRIALS AND ‘TEFLON DON’: TRUMP SECOND TERM MEETS ITS BIGGEST TESTS IN COURT Adding to the complexity of the matter is the separate criminal case playing out in Tennessee. The federal judge overseeing that case on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to comply with rules prohibiting Justice Department and DHS officials from making any public statements about Abrego Garcia that could potentially prejudice a jury or impact the integrity of the court proceedings, after his attorneys accused administration officials of months of “extensive and inflammatory extrajudicial comments” against their client that threatened to prejudice his right to a fair trial. “Thus far, the government’s unabated public disparagement of [Abrego] has far outpaced its ability to muster actual evidence, notwithstanding its extraordinary efforts to conjure up such evidence,” they wrote, warning that such statements could complicate efforts to seat an impartial jury in the Middle District of Tennessee, where his trial is set to take place. FEDERAL JUDGE CALLS DEPORTATION OF SALVADORAN MAN IN MARYLAND ‘WHOLLY LAWLESS’ It remains to be seen what Xinis will do in Abrego Garcia’s civil case, especially as the criminal case in Tennessee proceeds. But her frustration with the Trump administration has been clear in earlier proceedings. For months, Xinis struggled to obtain answers from Trump administration officials on Abrego Garcia’s status in El Salvador, as well as what, if any, efforts the Trump government had taken to comply with her order to facilitate his return to the U.S., and at one time suggested she could move to open possible contempt proceedings against the administration. In May, Xinis sparred with the Justice Department lawyers for more than two hours over their lack of candor and compliance with the discovery process and the deadlines set by the court. It was the last public status hearing she presided over before the administration returned Abrego Garcia to U.S. soil. During that hearing, Judge Xinis rebuked the Justice Department for attempting to invoke the state secrets privilege via a footnote that referenced a filing in a separate federal court case, before a different federal judge. She also excoriated the lack of compliance from Trump administration officials, and attempts to press the administration for answers, which she described as beating a “frustrated and dead horse.”
‘Massive conspiracy’: Ex-DNC insider says party went to great lengths to hide Biden’s mental decline
One year after the disastrous debate performance that forced former President Joe Biden to ultimately suspend his re-election campaign, questions remain about the oft-alleged “cover-up” of his cognitive decline. In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Lindy Li, a former Democratic National Committee (DNC) fundraiser and National Finance Committee member, detailed her front-row seat to the careful coordination by Biden’s inner circle to conceal how the octogenarian’s age impacted his presidency. Biden Cabinet members’ testimonies to the House Oversight Committee and journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson in their book, “Original Sin,” have raised more questions about what exactly happened during Biden’s tenure. “I was banned from the Biden White House for telling the truth when it mattered,” Li told Fox News Digital. “I actually took a risk. Jake Tapper wrote a book and decided to tell the truth and have his Eureka moment after it was safe, after Biden had gone to pasture. There was nothing on the line for him.” EX-DNC INSIDER REVEALS ‘PUPPET MASTERS’ WHO RAN THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE Tapper did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. FLASHBACK: THE DEBATE NIGHT AGAINST TRUMP THAT THREW BIDEN’S REELECTION CAMPAIGN INTO A FREE FALL The former Democrat, who said she has faced the wrath of her former friends and colleagues since she left the party, explained that she had been raising her concerns about Biden’s age for years. According to Li, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., told her in 2022 that Biden was too old to run for re-election. One year later, she caught a glimpse of Duckworth “singing Biden’s praises” on TV. “That day was when she decided to become his campaign co-chair,” Li said. “A full year later, he’s not getting any younger.” Duckworth did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. While Democrats like Duckworth seemed to eventually accept Biden’s decision to run for re-election, Li said she continued speaking out – and it cost her. “To be treated like a complete criminal was just jarring for me,” Li said. “I just asked a question too. I wasn’t attacking anybody. I just [asked] if maybe he should step down, in the nicest way possible.” Li said she was posing these questions to top officials at the DNC, including former chair Jaime Harrison and current chair Ken Martin. The DNC did not respond to multiple Fox News Digital inquiries about her allegations. “We were given talking points,” Li said. “Every time they say they’re not paying attention, or they didn’t take something seriously, they paid attention, and they took it seriously.” But going against the Democratic Party came at a personal sacrifice, Li explained to Fox News Digital. “I hosted [Biden] and Kamala Harris on Feb. 3, coinciding with the DNC Winter Meeting, and they confiscated my phone,” Li said. She said a DNC coalition director singled her out at the event and told her not to post anything on social media. When she posted an Instagram story of Biden at a separate dinner event, Li said she was shocked when the DNC called her “in a fit of fury” and told her to take it down. “It was hard for me because I was one of the youngest members on the committee, if not the youngest, so I didn’t have the age or the gravitas,” Li said. “I just don’t think they listened.” She added that the alleged cover-up was a “left-wing massive conspiracy” that included handpicked talking points from the DNC and the White House. “It encompassed not just the White House, but all the influencers they had on their payroll. Do not tell me they didn’t have influencers on their payroll because they literally paid me,” Li said. After Special Counsel Robert Hur did not recommend criminal charges against Biden in his classified documents case, as Hur referred to Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” Li said the DNC told her to “tar and feather” Hur’s character. “They were in damage control mode. We were basically supposed to say [Biden] was a genius, in not so many words, but basically he is like this wizard behind closed doors, and how with age comes wisdom.” “We were supposed to undermine his character,” Li added about Hur. “Yeah, we were supposed to assassinate his character.” And after Biden’s consequential debate performance, Li said, “Jen O’Malley Dillon did a damage control briefing that morning, and people were misty-eyed. The previous night, people were crying on a shuttle home because they were so devastated by the debate.” But O’Malley Dillon and Julie Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign chairs, claimed it was “impossible” for Biden to drop out of the race, arguing that finance regulations prevent that. History, of course, tells a different story. When reached for comment about her allegations, a former Biden official quipped, “Who is Lindy Li?”