Cuomo staying in NYC mayor’s race for now, following stunning setback to Mamdani in primary: Sources
Andrew Cuomo is not dropping out of the race for New York City mayor. Cuomo, the former three-term New York State governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, has decided, for now, to move ahead and run in the general election as an independent candidate, two sources confirmed to Fox News on Thursday night. The announcement by Cuomo came two days after progressive upstart Zohran Mamdani shocked the political world, as he topped Cuomo and the rest of the 11-candidate field in heavily blue New York City’s Democratic Party mayoral primary and took a big step toward becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist state assemblyman from Queens who originally hailed from Uganda, captured 43.5% of the first round unofficial primary results, with Cuomo at 36.4%. REPUBLICANS USE MAMDANI BOMBSHELL VICTORY OVER CUOMO AS AMMUNITION TO BLAST DEMOCRATS AS EXTREMISTS While he acknowledged Mamdani’s victory in the primary, Cuomo left the door open to a November run as an independent candidate, which election rules in New York State permit. “I want to look at all the numbers as they come in and analyze the rank choice voting. I will then consult with my colleagues on what is the best path for me to help the City of New York, as I have already qualified to run for mayor on an independent line in November,” Cuomo said in a statement earlier this week. Cuomo was facing an end-of-the-day Friday deadline for candidates who had already qualified to run as independents to decline that independent ballot line. The former governor will keep his place that he already secured earlier this year on the “Fight & Deliver” ballot line. But the sources said that Cuomo had not committed yet to running an active general election campaign through the summer and into the autumn. If Cuomo drops out of the race at a later date, his name will stay on the general election ballot. Once a longshot in the race, Mamdani closed the gap with Cuomo during the final stretch of the primary race thanks to an energetic campaign that focused in part on New York City’s high cost of living. Endorsements by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive rock star and New York City’s most prominent leader on the left, and by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive champion and two-time Democratic presidential nominee runner-up, helped Mamdani consolidate much of New York City’s Democratic Party base WHAT MAMDANI’S STUNNING PRIMARY VICTORY MEANS FOR DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE And Mamdani rode a wave of support from younger and first-time voters to catapult himself into first place. “I will be the mayor for every New Yorker,” Mamdani said in his victory speech. “Whether you voted for me, or for Governor Cuomo, or felt too disillusioned by a long broken political system to vote at all, I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you, that is safe for you.” Since none of the candidates topped 50%, counting technically now heads into rounds of ranked-choice elimination. But the combined totals of votes Mamdani and other aligned progressive candidates won are likely to be more than enough to topple Cuomo as the ranked-choice tabulations begin on July 1. Cuomo, seeing the writing on the wall, admitted defeat and complimented Mamdani as the initial primary results poured in on Tuesday, telling supporters that “tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won.” But Cuomo, in an interview on Wednesday with CBS New York, noted that “in the general election, more people come out to vote. It’s a broader pool, if you will, of New Yorkers, more representative pool of New Yorkers.” “There are about 5 million voters in New York City, there are about 8 million people in New York City, and about 1 million people vote in the Democratic primary. So it’s not, necessarily, representative of the city at large,” the former governor said. And a poll from a consulting and lobbying group that was aligned with an outside group supporting Cuomo released a poll on Thursday that suggested Mamdani and Cuomo tied in a possible general election matchup, with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams – a Democrat who’s running for re-election as an independent – and Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa far behind. Sliwa, the founder of the volunteer crime-fighting patrols known as the Guardian Angels, is the GOP nominee for a second straight election cycle. Also running this November as an independent is former federal prosecutor Jim Walden. Asked if Cuomo should drop out of the race, Mamdani said Thursday in an interview with Fox News affiliate WNYW in New York that “I think there’s room for everyone because, ultimately, we’re going to win it.” The 67-year-old Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations, which he has repeatedly denied, forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. Last month, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic. Cuomo, thanks to his name recognition, was the front-runner in the polls even before he announced his candidacy earlier this year. But he ran a safe campaign that relied on union support, and he shied away from often engaging with local or national media. Mamdani, meanwhile, made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged the primary electorate. 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 childcare” for children up to age five, and setting up government-run grocery stores. Adams, in formally launching his campaign on Thursday on the steps of City Hall, said “this is a city
Trump spotlights parents who have lost kids due to open borders during ‘big, beautiful bill’ event
President Donald Trump was joined by relatives of those killed at the hands of illegal immigrants during an event at the White House urging Congress to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The president said the legislation will ensure “no more families are victimized” by illegal immigrants and open border policies. During the event Thursday in the East Room, Trump described what families have had to go through as a result of the previous administration’s open border policies as “sick,” adding just thinking about it makes people want to cry. He pointed out that the GOP spending package, which still must be approved by Republicans in the Senate, would include provisions Trump described as “the single most important piece of border legislation ever to cross the floor of Congress.” At one point, Trump turned to Joe Abraham, an angel dad who lost his daughter Katie after an illegal immigrant rear-ended her stopped car at a traffic light while traveling 60 to 70 mph. SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY: HOW SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE RESTORING RULE OF LAW AND SECURING BORDER FOR YEARS TO COME “We will end this invasion once and for all. And we’re always going to remember the memory of Katie, that beautiful, beautiful 20-year-old daughter of yours,” Trump said, before her father walked over to the president, shook his hand and provided Trump a picture of his daughter that the president held up for the audience. Trump then highlighted a mother from Texas, Sarah Stuart, who the president said lost her brother to the ongoing fentanyl epidemic created by the United States’ porous border policies. “Our bill provides billions and billions of dollars to stop fentanyl and other illicit narcotics,” Trump said. “We’re also charging other countries like Mexico, Canada and China billions of dollars in taxes that we put on because they’ve allowed people that are selling fentanyl to go through their countries. Or, in the case of China, they send it here.” On Thursday, shortly before Trump’s “big, beautiful event” at the White House, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new visa restrictions for the families of fentanyl traffickers. SEN. ROGER MARSHALL: TRUMP’S ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL WILL KEEP OUR BORDER THE MOST SECURE IT’S BEEN IN HISTORY “I get irritated. I get pissed off because I’m sick of meeting angel moms and dads,” Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said at the event. “You want to talk about family separation? They bury their children.” Last month, a letter from more than 60 angel moms, dads and relatives was sent to members of Congress, urging them to pass Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” In addition to hiring more border patrol agents and providing more funding for the border wall, the legislation would allow the addition of extra detention centers for detained migrants, increased scrutiny of unaccompanied minors’ potential gang ties and speed up deportations to at least 1 million per year. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Every single one of us is living with a permanent hole in our lives because an illegal immigrant, who never should have been in this country, was allowed to stay and take an innocent life,” the letter states. “These were preventable tragedies. And yet, year after year, Washington offers excuses instead of solutions. That must end now.”
Trump wins over lifelong Democrat autoworker with ‘big, beautiful bill’ vehicle loan tax benefit
President Donald Trump recognized a third-generation autoworker from Michigan Thursday while speaking at the “big, beautiful event,” noting he was a lifelong Democrat who now supports the president because of vehicle loan interest tax benefits. The president spoke about the “big, beautiful bill” from the East Room of the White House with a group of people standing behind him who represented various trades, including food delivery, farmers and automotive workers. One of the workers standing behind Trump was James Benson, a third-generation autoworker from Belleville, Michigan, who has been with Ford Motor Company for 26 years. Trump introduced Benson, noting that Ford has “a lot of plants” in the U.S. TRUMP SUPPORTERS DEFEND ‘BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’ AGAINST MUSK’S CRITICISM, SHRUG OFF DEBT CONCERNS “If you have plants in this country, you’re going to make a lot of money,” the president said, adding that he loves autoworkers. Trump also said Benson was a lifelong Democrat until 2017, when he saw the benefits of the tax laws. Trump then spoke about his latest plan to benefit car owners by making interest on car payments fully tax-deductible. THE ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ URGENTLY NEEDS A MAKEOVER TO USHER IN TRUMP’S GOLDEN AGE But the deduction would only be for cars made in the U.S., Trump said, adding if it was made someplace else, “we don’t care.” Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” would create a new deduction of up to $10,000 for qualified passenger vehicle loan interest in a given taxable year. The deduction would phase out when a taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000. Applicable passenger vehicles include cars, trucks, vans, SUVs and motorcycles that have been manufactured for use on public streets, roads and freeways and for which the final assembly occurs in the U.S. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ FACES RESISTANCE FROM REPUBLICAN SENATORS OVER DEBT FEARS The bill defines the final assembly as the process by which the manufacturer produces a vehicle and delivers it to a dealer with all the parts necessary for operation. As is the case with the overtime and tips deductions, the auto loan provision would be in effect for tax years 2025 through 2028. Trump reiterated to those in attendance that the tax benefit is only for vehicles made in the U.S. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Remember that, James. We’re going to keep those Michigan auto factories roaring,” the president said. FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Trump admin takes action after massive fraud uncovered at agency Dems tried to protect from DOGE
Following the uncovering of a massive bribery scandal at USAID, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is ordering a full audit of all government contracting officers who have exercised grant-awarding authority under the agency’s business development program over the last 15 years. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the scale of the USAID fraud is a “damning reflection of systemic failures in oversight and accountability.” She further said that the fraud “was not an isolated incident.” In response, Loeffler instructed Associate Administrator Tre Pennie, who oversees government contracts awarded by SBA, to “act decisively” to crack down on any potential similar abuses in the agency. Loeffler instructed Pennie to immediately initiate a full-scale audit of the agency’s awarding officers back to 2010. DEM SENATOR ACCUSES TOP TRUMP OFFICIAL OF BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR ‘HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN DYING’ “The role of federal government contracting officers is not ceremonial or self-dealing; rather, it is a position of immense authority and fiduciary responsibility,” said Loeffler. “The contracting process must be transparent and built on merit, not personal gain.” This comes after USAID, an agency tasked with administering civilian foreign aid, was essentially dismantled by the DOGE waste, fraud and abuse cuts made under Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. The move was met with massive protests from Democrats who claimed that cutting USAID would impoverish and harm recipients across the globe. Despite claims of how much good the agency was doing, it was recently discovered that an influential contracting officer at USAID named Roderick Watson was able to carry out a massive, long-term bribery scheme dating all the way back to 2013. Watson, 57, pleaded guilty to “bribery of a public official,” according to a DOJ press release. TOP DEM DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY, CLAIMING WAIT TIMES SPIKED DURING DOGE CUTS According to the DOJ, Watson sold his influence starting in 2013, with contractors Walter Barnes, owner of Vistant, and Darryl Britt, owner of Apprio, funneling payoffs through subcontractor Paul Young to hide their tracks. A DOJ press release said that Britt and Barnes “regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices.” The statement said that Watson is alleged to have received bribes “valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.” Vistant was awarded in November 2023, as part of a joint venture, a contract worth up to $800 million with one of the focuses of that contract being to address “a variety of issues affecting the root causes of irregular migration from Central America to the United States,” an issue that President Joe Biden tasked then-Vice President Kamala Harris with during his presidency. ‘FOR SALE’: DOGE MOVES TO SELL OFF ALMOST HALF A BILLION IN FEDERAL REAL ESTATE, RELOCATE CABINET AGENCY HQS Several days later, that contract was canceled after USAID published a notice that said Vistant was excluded from government contracting due to “evidence of conduct of a lack of business honesty or integrity.” The joint venture then successfully sued the government over being put on that exclusion list and was re-awarded the contract and given a $10,000 payment in August 2024. In her letter, Loeffler said the USAID scandal “represents a collapse in the very safeguards that are supposed to protect American taxpayer dollars and ensure fair access for legitimate small businesses.” She slammed the Biden administration for awarding the $800 million contract to Vistant despite the business being labeled by USAID as lacking “honesty and integrity.” “The fact that a federal official was able to act as the linchpin of a persistent, large-scale fraud operation speaks to a failure in internal controls and a breakdown in the contracting environment that demands immediate correction,” said Loeffler. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE LAUNCHES PROBE INTO PLANNED PARENTHOOD’S USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS She said that SBA plays a “critical role” in federal contracting and “will no longer stand by while abuses are perpetrated at the expense of taxpayers and deserving small businesses.” Loeffler said the agency’s audit will begin with high-dollar and limited competition contracts within SBA’s 8(a) business development program. The findings will be referred to the U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the DOJ. Any officials or businesses found in violation of the SBA’s ethical standards or who have committed criminal misconduct will be referred to the appropriate authorities and SBA will assist the DOJ in recovering misappropriated funds, Loeffler said. “We will not allow public trust to be quietly eroded by backdoor deals and unchecked discretion,” said Loeffler. “We owe it to America’s small businesses to get this right,” she went on. “Your office has the authority, and now the mandate, to act decisively.”
Previously self-deported Iranian illegal immigrant picked up after refusing ICE arrest in Texas
A previously deported Iranian man living in the United States illegally was arrested this week in Texas, federal prosecutors said. Jamil Bahlouli was found at an Austin home where deportation officers attempted to arrest him as part of a 2020 removal order after he skipped out on an appointment at an immigration office, the Justice Department said. When authorities found Bahlouli in the doorway of his home, he “refused to be arrested and took an action designed to prevent or hamper his deportation and departure pursuant to the outstanding final order of removal by slamming the door on the deportation officers,” court documents state. MORE IRANIANS WITH CRIMINAL HISTORIES ARRESTED BY ICE IN TRUMP’S SECURITY SWEEP: ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ He is charged with failure to deport. Bahlouli self-deported to Canada on Oct. 14, 2021 following the removal order. However, he re-entered the U.S. illegally at some point and was found around Dec. 15, 2023, authorities said. The 2020 removal order used to deport him the first time was then reinstated, the Justice Department said. BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE BLOCKS DEPORTATION OF BOULDER ATTACK SUSPECT’S FAMILY DESPITE VISA VIOLATIONS He was charged with illegal re-entry and information with illegal entry, for which he was convicted in Montana on Jan. 5, 2024, according to court documents. He was sentenced to time served and released into the U.S. Bahlouli was scheduled to report to an ICE office in San Antonio on Jan. 23, 2024 but never showed up, authorities said. He faces up to four years in prison. ICE is investigating the case.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Red State Notches SCOTUS Win Over Planned Parenthood
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… -Legalized same-sex marriage turns 10 after landmark Supreme Court decision reshaped American law and culture -Former Biden aide Anthony Bernal subpoenaed by House committee after refusing to appear for deposition -ICE arrests more Iranian nationals across amid sleeper cell concerns The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that South Carolina has the power to block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood clinics, in a technical interpretation over healthcare choices that has emerged as a larger political fight over abortion access. The case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, centers on whether low-income Medicaid patients can sue under what is known as Section 1983 – part of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 – in order to choose their own qualified healthcare provider. It involves South Carolina’s blocking of Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which the organization argued violated federal law. In a 6-3 decision, the Court noted that the typical redress for such a violation would be for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withhold Medicaid funding from the state, not for an individual to sue the state. “Section 1983 permits private plaintiffs to sue for violations of federal spending-power statutes only in ‘atypical’ situations … where the provision in question ‘clear[ly]’ and ‘unambiguous[ly]’ confers an individual ‘right,’” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion, ruling that the law in question in the present case “is not such a statute.”…READ MORE. TAXPAYER BURDEN: FIRST ON FOX: Congressman calls on Noem, Dr. Oz with a plan to ‘swiftly remove’ 1.4 million illegal migrants who receive Medicaid COURT BATTLE RAGES: Abrego Garcia lawyers ask US judge to order return to Maryland amid ongoing criminal case ‘SWISS ARMY KNIFE’: What has Vance accomplished in first 5 months as VP? His peers weigh in FAKE NEWS FRENZY: Trump admin pushes back against ‘false reporting’ by mainstream media outlet on children deportations JUDICIAL POWER GRAB: Revisiting Justice Scalia’s same-sex marriage dissent: prophetic or inflammatory? TWISTED PRIORITIES: Hegseth tears into reporters, alleging they ‘cheer against Trump’ and Iran strikes EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Fmr. Trump Secy. of State Pompeo says Iran strike sends message: ‘America is back leading in the world’ WOKE WASTE SLASHED: FIRST ON FOX: Noem uncovers and kills multimillion dollar Biden-era DEI, LGBTQ program WAITING FOR THE CALL: Top Dem demands answers from Social Security, claiming wait times spiked during DOGE cuts SPIES IN THE SKIES: Drone incursions on US bases come under intense scrutiny as devices upend modern combat ART OF THE TROLL: White House drops ‘Daddy’s Home’ meme after viral NATO summit moment HEROES SURVIVE FIRE: Caine reveals details on the 44 young soldiers who defended largest US base in Middle East from Iran TORTURE AND ABUSE: Belarusian dissident thanks Trump admin for his freedom, demands the UN act REGIONAL OUTREACH: Trump’s crown jewel Abraham Accords may expand to normalize ties between Israel and other nations AUTHORITARIAN LUXURY: North Korea’s Kim cuts tape at coastal tourist site; foreigners not yet welcome ‘HISTORIC’ TEAM: Mossad chief thanks US for help with Iran, says ‘significantly thwarted’ regime threats NUKE SITE SHOWDOWN: ‘The mission was accomplished’: Senate Republicans push back against leaked report on Iran strikes POWER PLAY BACKFIRE: FIRST ON FOX: GOP senator calls for parliamentarian’s firing after serving Medicaid blow to Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ UNELECTED POWER: Fury erupts as unelected Senate ‘scorekeeper’ blocks Trump’s agenda FLIP-FLOP FIASCO: DC House delegate’s office backtracks after 88-year-old’s statement that she’ll run for re-election VALUES VS. VERDICT: WATCH: Republicans share views on gay marriage decade after Supreme Court decision THREATS UNLEASHED: Republican congresswoman’s office evacuated after pro-abortion activists send chilling threats SMACKDOWN: Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ faces setback as Senate rules knock out key Medicaid provisions GREAT DIVORCE: Decade after landmark ruling, Republican support for same-sex marriage craters NEW ROUND BEGINS: JB Pritzker takes aim at Trump in launching Democratic re-election bid for Illinois governor CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: ‘No dignity’ in socialism: NYC Mayor Adams announces re-election bid after Mamdani wins Dem primary GREEN BRAINWASHING: Parental rights watchdog exposes left-wing climate group’s strategy to recruit kids for environmental activism RED RISING: New York Republicans warn of ‘disaster’ if ‘dangerous’ Zohran Mamdani wins mayoral race Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
37 House Dems vote with GOP to deport illegal immigrant drunk drivers
A bill to deport illegal immigrants convicted of driving while under the influence (DUI) netted the support of 37 House Democrats on Thursday. The bill was introduced by conservative Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., and passed by a 246 to 160 vote. No Republican voted against the bill, and it was opposed by 160 Democrats. Democrats who voted for the legislation include Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as well as moderate Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., Jared Golden, D-Maine, Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., Don Davis, D-N.C., and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., among others. 148 DEMOCRATS BACK NONCITIZEN VOTING IN DC AS GOP RAISES ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS “Today’s vote in the House sends a clear message: if you are a guest in this country, and you break our laws and put American lives at risk by driving under the influence, there will be consequences,” Moore said. The bill is named after Jeremy and Angel Seay, a couple from Moore’s own community who were killed by an illegal immigrant who was found to have been drunk driving, Moore said. It’s also named after slain Arizona police officer Brandon Mendoza, who was killed by an illegal immigrant found to have been driving under the influence. REPUBLICANS CHALLENGE ‘IRRELEVANT’ BUDGET OFFICE AS IT CRITIQUES TRUMP’S ‘BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Democrats who opposed the bill argued it was an attempt at fearmongering. “I participated in the judiciary hearings that led to this bill being sent to the floor, and I carefully reviewed the majority report. There’s absolutely no evidence in that hearing or report showing a causal connection between immigration status and drunk driving,” Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., said when the House Rules Committee debated the bill earlier this week. “And most notably, for all this talk, this legislation takes no real meaningful action to repair our broken immigration system.” But Moore said he was “amazed” that 160 Democrats voted against the bill. “It just shows that if it comes to anything about holding illegal immigrants accountable, even if it’s killing our own people in drunk driving cases, they’re against any kind of reforms on immigration,” Moore said. House Democrats’ senior leadership are among the 160 who voted against the bill, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. The legislation would have to be taken up by the Senate and then signed into law by President Donald Trump to go into effect.
Rubio announces new visa restrictions on families of fentanyl traffickers
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on Thursday that he called “necessary” to “deter and dismantle” the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States. The new policy imposes new visa restrictions on family members and close personal and business associates of foreign drug traffickers. Speaking with reporters Thursday afternoon, State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott said that this move “will not only prevent them from entering the United States, but also serve as a deterrent for continued illicit activities.” In a statement released by the State Department, Rubio stressed the importance of further expanding sanctions to stop the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the country. “The fentanyl crisis in the United States is unprecedented, with overdoses remaining the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 44,” said Rubio. STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT HAS PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE IN ISRAEL, WEST BANK AND IRAN The secretary said that “more than 40 percent of Americans reportedly know someone who has died from an opioid overdose, and in 2024, the United States averaged over 220 overdose deaths daily.” “Today’s action expands upon existing tools,” he said, adding that the State Department “will use all necessary tools to deter and dismantle the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs from entering the United States and harming U.S. citizens.” Fentanyl is a dangerous drug that is often trafficked into the United States across the southern and northern borders by cartels and other criminal elements. In 2024, fentanyl was linked to the deaths of 48,422 persons in the United States, according to the CDC. During his campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to wage a war against fentanyl traffickers through increased border security and by cracking down on illegal immigration. Since taking office, Trump has deployed U.S. troops to the southern border, targeted cartels and transnational criminal groups as “foreign terrorist organizations” and hit cartel leaders with sanctions. LIBERAL NEWS OUTLET MOCKED FOR REPORTING ON ‘MYSTERIOUS’ DROP IN FENTANYL FLOWING ACROSS BORDER According to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), the U.S. law enforcement seizures of fentanyl, which the group explains is a “key indicator of broader total smuggling at and between the southern border’s ports of entry,” have dropped 50% since the November election. CIS states that this significant decline indicates a “greater decline in total fentanyl smuggling.” In May, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that authorities had made one of the biggest fentanyl busts in U.S. history with the seizure of 409 kilos of fentanyl pills and 11.5 kilos of fentanyl powder. Bondi said that around 35 kilos of methamphetamine, 35 kilos of meth, 7.5 kilos of cocaine and 4.5 kilos of heroin also had been seized along with $5 million in cash and 49 rifles and pistols. Sixteen people including three women, were arrested in the operation. Six of the males are in the U.S. illegally, according to Bondi. BONDI ANNOUNCES ONE OF LARGEST FENTANYL SEIZURES IN US HISTORY Bondi described fentanyl as a weapon of “mass destruction” and laid down a stern warning to drug pushers looking to distribute the potentially deadly drug throughout the nation. “When we catch you like all of these individuals, if convicted, we will put you behind bars. There will be no negotiating and we will lock you up for as long as humanly possible,” Bondi said. “We will not negotiate with those who are killing our family members, including brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, parents, friends, everyone in this room.”
FBI investigating Iran strike leaker, Leavitt says: ‘They should be held accountable’
Those who leaked a preliminary assessment — rejected by the White House — on the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities will face justice for sharing the document, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. President Donald Trump and multiple leaders are saying that the strikes destroyed three Iranian nuclear sites. A leaked report from the Defense Intelligence Agency, published by CNN and the New York Times, cast doubt on that though, saying that the strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by several months. CNN first reported the assessment’s findings, citing seven people who were briefed on the report. The outlet reported the findings were based on a battle damage assessment from U.S. Central Command. Leavitt pushed back on the early assessment’s credibility, claiming the report was “flat-out wrong.” “Everyone knows what happens when you drop 14 30,000-pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration,” Leavitt said in a Tuesday statement. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the FBI is conducting an investigation to get to the bottom of the matter and who shared the document with the media. TRUMP SLAMS RUSSIA’S CASUAL THREAT TO ARM IRAN WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS: ‘THAT’S WHY PUTIN’S THE BOSS’ Additionally, Leavitt told reporters that leaking classified information is a criminal offense and that those who fail to follow the law “need to be held accountable for that crime.” “This administration wants to ensure that classified intelligence is not ending up in irresponsible hands, and that people who have the privilege of viewing this top secret classified information are being responsible with it,” Leavitt told reporters Thursday. “Clearly, someone who had their hands on this and it was a very few people, very few number of people in our government who saw this report,” Leavitt said. “That person was irresponsible with it. And we need to get to the bottom of it. And we need to strengthen that process to protect our national security and protect the American public.” Meanwhile, the U.S., Israel and Iran’s Foreign Ministry have all said that the three nuclear sites U.S. forces struck have encountered massive damage. EX-CLINTON OFFICIAL APPLAUDS TRUMP’S ‘COURAGEOUS’ IRAN CALL, DOUBTS HARRIS WOULD’VE HAD THE NERVE Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei told Al Jazeera Wednesday that the country’s nuclear facilities were “badly damaged,” and Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission said the U.S. strikes were “devastating.” On Sunday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that initial battle damage assessments suggest “all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.” Trump issued a word of caution to Iran Wednesday, should it attempt to repair its nuclear program once more, and said the U.S. wouldn’t hesitate to launch another strike against Iran. Trump personally called for the firing of one of the reporters who authored the story about the initial assessment, claiming in a Wednesday Truth Social post that the reporter should be “IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out ‘like a dog.’” RUSSIAN LEADER CLAIMS MULTIPLE COUNTRIES PREPPED TO PROVIDE IRAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOLLOWING US STRIKES Even so, CNN came to the defense of the reporter, Natasha Bertrand. “We stand 100% behind Natasha Bertrand’s journalism and specifically her and her colleagues’ reporting of the early intelligence assessment of the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities,” CNN said in a Wednesday statement. “CNN’s reporting made clear that this was an initial finding that could change with additional intelligence. We have extensively covered President Trump’s own deep skepticism about it.” Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
‘Presidential incapacity’: Senate Republican seeks paper trail of Biden’s autopen use
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to build a paper trail of former President Joe Biden’s autopen usage with the end goal of calling more hearings, passing legislation or amending the Constitution to best address “a mentally incapacitated president.” Sen. Eric Schmitt, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, is requesting special access under the Presidential Records Act to a trove of Biden-era documents and memos that chronicle his usage of an autopen. In a letter to Secretary of State and Acting National Archivist Marco Rubio exclusively obtained by Fox News, Schmitt argued that creating a paper trail of key directives made toward the end of his presidency would help in “deciding which legislative remedy is most appropriate.” TOP BIDEN AIDE ADMITS TO CONGRESS SHE DIRECTED AUTOPEN SIGNATURES WITHOUT KNOWING WHO GAVE FINAL APPROVAL “In particular, the increased use of the autopen to sign pardons, executive orders, and other documents as his Presidency progressed became a poignant symbol of President Biden’s mental decline and has created questions about the validity of those orders and pardons if President Biden did not direct the use of the autopen,” he wrote. Schmitt requested access to a slew of documents, including memos about procedures for usage of the autopen, who was granted authority to use the autopen and emails from staff authorizing or requesting authorization for autopen usage. SENATE HEARING ON WHO WAS ‘REALLY RUNNING’ BIDEN WHITE HOUSE KICKS OFF WEDNESDAY He also requested access to all White House records after Nov. 1, 2024, that refer or relate to presidential pardons; that prioritize briefing books, memos and decision memos for pardons; and, eventually, access to all White House records after Nov. 1. “With that information, the subcommittee will be better positioned to ensure that any potential proposed amendment will be sufficiently comprehensive so as to address any plausible contingency concerning a mentally incapacitated President,” Schmitt wrote. “It would be challenging enough to amend the Constitution once — much less more than once if it then subsequently turned out not all contingencies around presidential incapacity were adequately considered.” Schmitt’s letter comes after the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Biden’s alleged mental decline while in office and how the autopen could have played a central role in his inner circle’s alleged attempt to skirt the Constitution while continuing to carry out the duties of the office. EX-WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS TO TESTIFY ON WHO ‘REALLY RAN THE COUNTRY’ DURING BIDEN ERA It also explicitly mentions the closed-door, transcribed hearing with Biden’s former director of the Domestic Policy Council, Neera Tanden, conducted by the House Oversight Committee this week. A source told Fox News Digital that during the transcribed interview, which lasted five hours, Tanden testified she had “minimal interaction with President Biden” in her role as staff secretary and that to obtain autopen signatures, she would send decision memos to members of Biden’s inner circle. She said during the interview she was not aware of what actions or approvals happened between the time the memo was sent out and returned with approval. However, Tanden’s opening statement, shared with Fox News Digital by her lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said that, as staff secretary, she was responsible for “handling the flow of documents to and from the President” and that she was authorized to direct that autopen signatures be “affixed to certain categories of documents.” “We had a system for authorizing the use of the autopen that I inherited from prior Administrations,” Tanden said. “We employed that system throughout my tenure as Staff Secretary.” She was later named director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council and said she was no longer responsible for the flow of documents and was no longer involved in decisions related to the autopen. “I would note that much of the public discussion on the subject matter of this hearing has conflated two very different issues: first, the president’s age and second, whether President Bident was in command as President,” she said. “I had no experience in the White House that would provide any reason to question his command as President. He was in charge.” Schmitt requested that access to the swathe of memos and communications be granted no later than July 16. “It is important for this subcommittee to have a clear picture of President Biden’s decision-making capacity at the end of his presidency and to know the extent to which members of his inner circle possibly usurped the President’s decision-making authority,” he wrote. Fox News Digital’s Liz Elkind contributed to this report.