Conservative ‘playbook’ to beat Democrats in court outlined in senator’s new book
FIRST ON FOX: One Senate Republican has crafted a blueprint for how conservatives can take on Democrats in the courts and win. Before he was in Washington D.C., Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo. served as Missouri’s attorney general during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And during that time, he filed lawsuit after lawsuit challenging the Biden administration, Dr. Anthony Fauci and even going so far as to sue China. And more often than not, be it through uncovering discrepancies during the discovery process or winning multibillion-dollar settlements, Schmitt was mostly successful in challenging Democratic “lawfare.” SENATE SIGNALS READINESS TO HIT RUSSIA WITH HARD SANCTIONS IF PEACE DEAL FAILS “The fact of the matter is, what our fights were, were about restoring individual liberty and pulling back the expanse of government,” Schmitt told Fox News Digital in an interview. “What the Left is trying to do now with their lawfare machine was, number one, they’re trying to put their opponents in jail, but then also to defend the expanse of government, to defend the administrative state. And I think if we have the right arguments, we can win.” Schmitt detailed how to secure those winning arguments through his own experiences in his latest book “The Last Line of Defense: How to Beat the Left in Court.” He described the book as “a field manual from the front lines of the battles that were fought against the left-wing law machine.” Indeed, Schmitt outlined a guide for attorneys general across the country to take on challenges at all levels, from local to federal. “Our playbook really is … really in response to what their playbook was, to create a manufactured emergency, a real or manufactured emergency, to aggregate power, to exercise it in ways that never were imagined to other folks who disagree and silence dissent,” Schmitt said. “That’s what they were really trying to do.” TEXAS DEMS END WEEKSLONG QUORUM STANDOFF IN REDISTRICTING FIGHT In some cases, he went beyond the country’s borders and sued a foreign country, as Schmitt did to China. He argued in the book that the Chinese Communist Party had withheld information on the COVID-19 virus, and was actively hoarding high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) while producing and selling lower-quality PPE for the rest of the world. That case resulted in an eventual $24 billion judgment earlier this year. From there, Schmitt challenged former President Joe Biden’s student loan debt cancellation plan by focusing his case on a local student loan servicing company, a plan that was ultimately blocked by the Supreme Court just months into Schmitt’s first year as a lawmaker in 2023. Through it all, the pandemic was the “inflection point,” Schmitt said, and his biggest target became Fauci. He got an opportunity to depose Fauci, who served as the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and medical advisor to Biden, as part of his lawsuit taking on censorship and suppression by social media platforms like Facebook. BILL BARR, FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY GENERAL, ARRIVES TO FACE HOUSE INVESTIGATORS IN EPSTEIN PROBE “He wanted to silence anybody who talked about it being a lab leak,” Schmitt said. “Which, of course, we know is that’s exactly what it was now. It wasn’t some bat mating with a penguin, you know, this was actually in the Wuhan Institute of Virology is where this thing came from.” Schmitt, who is a fan of both former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Clarence Thomas — particularly Scalia’s usage of originalism, or interpreting the Constitution as it was written rather than as a living document — noted in the book that there has been a “complete shift” in the courts. In particular, conservative-leaning justices have the majority on the Supreme Court, and courts across the country are being filled, albeit slowly, with President Donald Trump’s picks. When asked if he was at all concerned about partisan politicking coming to the bench, Schmitt countered that courts are returning to a legal system that had been “disrupted by the progressive era, beginning with Woodrow Wilson and the rise of the administrative state, FDR, who threatened to pack the court.” “The Constitution means exactly what it says, nothing more, nothing less, just like our laws,” he said. “They mean what they say, nothing more, nothing less.” “I don’t want a judge to necessarily agree with my politics,” he continued. “I just want a judge to adhere to the Constitution.”
MS-13 gang member arrested in DC as Bondi touts admin’s ‘extraordinary’ crime crackdown
An MS-13 gang member previously convicted of driving while intoxicated and drug possession was one of the 52 arrests in Washington, D.C., on Monday night as the Trump administration fires back at critics who have been downplaying their effectiveness. “At the direction of [President Donald Trump], our nation’s capital is a SAFER place—and we are just getting started. 52 arrests were made last night, including an MS-13 gang member, and 9 firearms were taken off the streets,” Bondi posted to X on Tuesday morning. “Since our mission began, there have been a total of 465 arrests, 68 guns seized, and charges for homicide, narcotics, and firearm offenses. Nearly half of these arrests occurred in the high-crime areas of DC. Residents and tourists alike appreciate this extraordinary effort by our DC and Federal law enforcement partners,” she continued. “Make DC Safe Again!” HUNDREDS ARRESTED AS TRUMP’S WASHINGTON, DC, CRIME CRACKDOWN HITS FULL STRIDE Other arrests included ones for assault with a deadly weapon, federal parole violation for robbery, murder, a warrant for attempted murder, assaulting a federal law enforcement official, felony assault, and carrying a pistol without a license, according to the White House. Four homeless encampments were also cleared out on Monday, bringing the total to 48. A White House official told Fox News on background that over 450 arrests have been made since Thursday, Aug. 7. Out of the 212 non-immigration arrests, 101 were in the high-crime Wards 7 and 8, Axios reported regarding a White House analysis of the data so far. The White House said the data counteracted a map “tracking troops” in the capital city from The Washington Post. “Facts are stubborn things,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson posted to X on Tuesday morning. On Friday, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is playing a critical role in the federal police takeover of the city. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COULD DOMINATE DC ARRESTS UNDER FEDERALIZED POLICE FORCE, SAYS EXPERT “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, ICE law enforcement is being unleashed to keep America safe from dangerous criminals. As the secretary has announced, ICE and CBP have been deployed to help clean up the streets of our nation’s capital,” McLaughlin stated. “Our message is clear: Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States,” she continued. Amid Trump’s crime crackdown in D.C., the Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser has been critical of the federalization of the city’s police force. “This is a time where community needs to jump in. We all need to, to do what we can in our space, in our lane, to protect our city and to protect our autonomy, to protect our home rule, and get to the other side of this guy, and make sure we elect a Democratic House so that we have a backstop to this authoritarian push,” Bowser said during town hall with community leaders, which was livestreamed on X, last week. She continued by calling Trump’s effort “an intrusion on our autonomy.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE The National Guard has been deployed throughout the city, but the White House says that they are not currently the ones making arrests. Last week, Bondi issued an order superseding the capital city’s sanctuary policies to allow compliance between local police and federal immigration authorities. BONDI ANNOUNCES NEARLY 200 ARRESTS ‘AND COUNTING’ AS FEDERAL AGENTS SWARM NATION’S CAPITAL “At my direction, [the Metropolitan Police Department] will now fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities,” Bondi tweeted on Friday. “[President Donald Trump] remains in control under the law to determine what is necessary and appropriate.” The federal takeover has gotten significant pushback from Democrats, including local leaders who say it’s an act of overreach despite D.C.’s unique legal governing status. “Let us be clear: armed soldiers should not be policing American citizens on American soil. Instead of making DC more secure, it undermines public safety and endangers our democracy. It’s DC today, but the same dangerous strategy can be deployed to occupy any American community,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb tweeted on Tuesday morning.
Trump admin slams ACLU for comparing ICE center to Japanese internment camp: ‘Deranged and lazy’
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) invoked President Franklin Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II as the Trump administration was set to open a massive detention center at Fort Bliss in Texas on Monday. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) torched the comparison, with a top official left wondering why an organization with such a name “care[s] more about illegal aliens than U.S. citizens,” in comments to Fox News Digital. “Comparisons of illegal alien detention centers to internment camps used during World War II are deranged and lazy. The ACLU’s smears against our brave ICE law enforcement are no doubt contributing to the more than 1,000% increase in assaults against them,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “[The ACLU] should change their name. The facts are ICE is targeting the worst of the worst—including murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, and rapists. 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges in the U.S. — that doesn’t even include known or suspected terrorists, foreign gang members, convictions for violent crimes in foreign countries, or INTERPOL notices.” BIDEN TEAM LEFT THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT KIDS WITH UNVETTED SPONSORS, RECORDS REVEAL On Sunday, before Fort Bliss’ “Camp East Montana” center was to open at the historically pivotal military base near the U.S.–Mexico and New Mexico borders, the ACLU’s regional affiliates released a joint statement calling the move “another shameful chapter” in the base’s history. “The renewed use of this base to detain immigrants and stage deportations comes as the Trump administration continues to misuse military resources to deport long-standing residents and other immigrants,” the release read, calling the president’s mass-deportation agenda “dystopian.” “President Trump’s use of Fort Bliss for the nation’s largest immigrant detention site is cruel and a reminder of a shameful detention legacy,” added Sarah Mehta, a top official in the ACLU’s Equality Division – who also called on Congress to stop DHS’ agenda. “Thousands of people, including our neighbors and loved ones, will be torn from their communities while this administration enlists the military to rubberstamp its abusive agenda.” Fort Bliss — named after the son-in-law of Mexican-American War hero and later President Zachary Taylor — also held a small number of German and Italian immigrants during World War II. UNION BOSS COMPARES ICE TO AL PACINO MOBSTER AS MORE DEMS PILE ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT In 1942, Roosevelt initiated an executive order targeting Americans descended from countries representing the Axis powers. The Democrat ushered in the incarceration of about 120,000 Japanese-Americans and smaller numbers of Italian and German descendants. While Fort Bliss was not a main “internment camp,” it did hold small numbers of interred U.S. citizens, including as many as 70 “Issei,” or first-generation Japanese-Americans living along the Pacific Coast. After the war, German scientist Wernher von Braun – a former Untersturmführer in the S.S. — and other former Axis power-players worked there with the Americans to develop what eventually became the U.S. Space Program, now run by NASA. Considered a 38,000-soldier “megabase,” it has also been a crucial staging ground for the War on Terror. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, toured Fort Bliss’ new detention facility last week and told El Paso’s NBC affiliate that the people who will be held there are already on their way out of the U.S. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “These are people under final orders of deportation … They have no legal right to be here,” Cornyn said. El Paso’s member of Congress, Democrat Veronica Escobar, disagreed. Escobar argued the $1 billion price tag would “enrich” private contractors and siphon funds from other needs in her district. As many as 5,000 detainees will be held at Fort Bliss, according to reports.
Here are the 5 GOP House seats that could be wiped out with Newsom’s California redistricting plan
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his fellow state Democrats are threatening a redistricting plan that would eliminate more than half of the current GOP-held congressional districts amid a nationwide battle over gerrymandering. Republicans currently hold nine seats in California, compared to the Democrats’ 43. Under Newsom’s proposed plan, Democrats would pick up five more seats. “We strongly believe that this map serves the best interest of California voters, while also attempting to push back against the corrupt scheme occurring in Texas and other Republican-majority states where Republicans – doing the bidding of their DC party bosses – are considering adopting a clearly racially gerrymandered, partisan map at the expense of their voters,” the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commission (DCCC) said last week. Here are the Republicans whose districts would likely become unwinnable under the plan. DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST SAYS PARTY LACKS ‘MORAL AUTHORITY’ ON TEXAS REDISTRICTING FIGHT Rep. Doug Lamalfa’s northern congressional district is currently mostly rural, leading to a +17 Republican voter registration advantage. Under the proposed redistricting plan, however, that would swing to a +10 advantage for Democrats. This would be accomplished by reclassifying a vast section of the district’s northernmost territory. CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES REDISTRICTING FIGHT TO ‘NULLIFY’ TEXAS GOP PLAN, WITH DEMS POISED TO GAIN 5 SEATS Rep. Kevin Kiley’s third congressional district currently has a +6 Republican advantage by voter registration, but that would flip to a +8 Democrat advantage under the new plan. This is accomplished by stretching the district to include portions of the deep-blue suburbs around Sacramento. Rep. David Valadao is one of the few Republicans in California who was able to win a district that already has a slight Democratic advantage. Under the new plan, however, Democrats would tack a six-point advantage on top of the current voter registration match-up. Rep. Ken Calvert’s 41st congressional district would face a massive swing toward Democrats, with the GOP losing its voter registration advantage and Democrats picking up a +20 advantage. “64% of Californians oppose Gavin Newsom’s power grab. It’s clear there is bipartisan support for keeping the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and not allowing politicians to draw their district maps behind closed doors to choose their voters,” Calvert wrote of the plan on X. Rep. Darrell Issa’s district would pick up a section of Calvert’s former district in Palm Springs, a deep blue voting area that promises to swing Issa’s district to a +4 Democrat advantage. Based on the 2024 presidential election, Issa’s district went +15 in favor of Trump, but under the new boundaries it would have gon +3 in favor of former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to the Cook Political Report. Of the five seats impacted, Valadao’s and Issa’s would be turned into lean-Democratic districts that may still be winnable by Republican candidates, but the others would be flipping firmly to the Democrats.
Conservative roadmap targets Medicaid, student loans for Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ sequel
FIRST ON FOX: A conservative think tank that played a key role in shaping President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” is circulating a new roadmap of recommendations for Republicans’ second act. The Economic Policy Innovation Center, which styles itself as “EPIC For America,” has been circulating a new memo with key congressional GOP figures in recent days, a source familiar with the group’s plans told Fox News Digital. The memo, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, advises lawmakers to broadly push for further Medicaid and regulatory reforms, crack down on federal dollars for government pensions and student loans, and use fiscal policy to extend conservative goals on abortion and transgender treatment. Passing Trump’s massive agenda bill despite razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate was a major victory for Republican leaders. EPIC, which hails the bill as a success, argues that continued reforms are needed for meaningful fiscal reform. GOP LAWMAKERS CLASH OVER STRATEGY TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CRISIS “Unfortunately, even with the victories for the American people in the OBBB, our work is far from done. We must rebuild an economy that truly works for every American, while protecting the nation’s financial foundation to ensure lasting resilience,” the memo said. “The federal government is rapidly running out of fiscal space. Maintaining sufficient fiscal space is critical in order to respond appropriately to a crisis. Without space between the fiscal limit and the current level of debt, elected officials will not have room to maneuver in the event of war, a natural disaster, or a recession.” On Medicaid, the memo advises further cuts to the cost-sharing burden on the federal government – known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) – for “large, wealthy states” as well as Washington, D.C. FMAP refers to the rate at which the federal government matches state Medicaid payments, which is currently 50%. The memo calls to “end the special Medicaid subsidy FMAP treatment” for D.C., whose minimum is 70%. Republicans’ first budget reconciliation bill reduced certain FMAP expansions permitted under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including for emergency care for states that provide Medicaid coverage to illegal immigrants. In turn, EPIC advises lawmakers to enhance personal and employer-based healthcare, like Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Medicaid cuts were one of the largest sticking points during talks for the initial bill and will likely be just as politically fraught for Republicans in the second round. Meanwhile, Democrats have been using those reforms as a political cudgel, accusing the GOP of trying to take healthcare from millions of Americans. But conservatives have viewed Medicaid as fraught with waste, fraud, and abuse – insisting their reforms better protect the program for vulnerable people who truly need it. The memo also advises congressional Republicans to use the budget reconciliation process to “reform federal bureaucrat compensation and retirement” and “eliminate public sector student loan forgiveness,” among other goals. On the social conservative policy front, EPIC appears to view an extension of the ban on taxpayer funds to abortion providers as critical to a second reconciliation bill. The first bill was viewed as a victory for pro-life advocates in its ban on Medicaid funds for large healthcare providers that perform abortions, which would affect Planned Parenthood and other similar organizations. But that ban is only effective for a year. THOM TILLIS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM SENATE AFTER CLASH WITH TRUMP In a section titled “Protect Life and American Values,” EPIC urges lawmakers to “extend the prohibition of taxpayer funding for big abortion providers” as well as block Medicaid funds for gender transition care. It also calls on lawmakers to “invest in election security” and “impose an excise tax on higher education institutions that allow males to participate in women’s sports.” EPIC was founded by Paul Winfree, who served as director of budget policy during the first Trump administration. The group also has close ties to Capitol Hill, which it flexed during talks for Trump’s first agenda bill by both recommending policy initiatives and tailoring its advice through the various steps of the budget reconciliation process. 148 DEMOCRATS BACK NONCITIZEN VOTING IN DC AS GOP RAISES ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS Budget reconciliation, which can be used three times during a given congressional term, allows the party in power to enact broad fiscal policy changes while sidelining the opposition – in this case, Democrats – by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51. Brittany Madni, EPIC executive vice president and a former congressional aide, confirmed the memo’s veracity to Fox News Digital. She said the group would use the same “playbook” it did during the first reconciliation process. She said EPIC is looking to offer “an initial suggestion to lawmakers on what to target, and is readying to work with Republicans through the various steps of the process as details change and evolve.” “Mandatory spending reform is an essential target for actual fiscal change in order to stave off a debt spiral. This is why a second reconciliation bill building on the wins in the OBBB is important,” Madni said. Two sources told Fox News Digital that the group’s efforts so far have included a staff-level briefing with the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a 189-member-strong House GOP group that serves as its own de facto think tank for the Republican conference. Many of the aforementioned proposals were discussed at that meeting, Fox News Digital was told, with EPIC being invited to speak as part of the RSC’s new initiative to workshop a second reconciliation bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has already publicly stated his goal of passing further reconciliation bills. But what a second bill would look like is still unclear.
Veteran who served in Middle Eastern wars launches campaign against Sen. Susan Collins
More than a year before voters take to the polls, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has a new challenger. Early Tuesday morning, Graham Platner entered the race as a Democrat. The combat veteran served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, according to his online biography, and is now the owner-operator of Waukeag Neck Oyster Co. His campaign Facebook page says he is a “friend of the working Mainer, foe of the oligarchy.” He already has more than a dozen town halls scheduled across the New England state. “[E]very where I’ve gone, it seems like the fabric of what holds us together is being ripped apart by billionaires and corrupt politicians,” Platner, 40, said in a campaign launch video. SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE FEVERISHLY RECRUITING TOP CANDIDATES TO WIN BACK MAJORITY IN 2026 MIDTERMS “Profiting off of destroying our environment, driving our families into poverty and crushing the middle class,” he said. Platner went on to say he supports universal healthcare, aiding veterans and stopping funding for foreign wars. The video was produced by Morris Katz, a top advisor to the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, according to the New York Times. “Being a Bernie Bro and Kamala Harris donor is a profile to appeal to Portland progressives, not centrist and conservative voters in rural Maine,” Jason Savage, the executive director of the Maine Republican Party said, according to the Times. TRUMP ALLY MIKE COLLINS LAUNCH KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE BID TO FLIP DEMOCRAT-HELD SENATE SEAT Platner, a political newcomer, told Politico that he also brought on Joe Cavello, a former senior aide to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., to help with his campaign. “To call me a liberal, I think is fairly amusing. I mean, I’m a competitive pistol shooter. That’s what I do on the weekends,” he told the media outlet. “I’m a firearms instructor. I spent multiple years, obviously, in the service utilizing firearms. I also grew up in rural Maine, where guns are a part of our existence.” The Democratic challenger list against Collins is growing, and reports say those already in office are trying to tap Janet Mills, the state’s 77-year-old Democratic governor, for the seat. Republicans currently control the majority of the Senate by a 53-47 margin. Democrats would need to flip four seats in the 2026 midterm elections to take the majority. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A spokesperson for Collins told Fox News Digital that Platner is “just another progressive entering the race.”
Rubio hails Trump as ‘only leader in the world’ who can broker Ukraine peace deal after talks
Secretary of State Marco Rubio applauded President Donald Trump for the progress he has made towards peace when it comes to the war in Ukraine, while he accused the former Biden administration of doing nothing to change the circumstances of the war. Rubio appeared on Fox News’ “Jesse Waters Prime Time” Monday evening after the day-long talks between U.S. and European officials that included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the appearance, he praised Trump as “the only leader in the world” who has proven he can broker a peace deal between Zelenskyy’s Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s Russia, adding that the Monday talks were “unprecedented.” “After three years of deadlock, and no talks, and no change in circumstances, this is the first time where there seems to be some movement,” the secretary said. “This has been going on for three-and-a-half years. A lot of people have died, a lot of territories exchanged back-and-forth, so it’s not an easy thing to unwind, but nothing was happening on this war. Literally, the only option we were given under the previous administration was continue to fund Ukraine for however much they need, for however long it takes.” TRUMP: ZELENSKYY MEETING NOT ‘END OF THE ROAD’ FOR US SUPPORT IN SECURING A PEACE DEAL Rubio pointed out that finally, under a new administration, people are “actually talking about pathways toward ending [the war in Ukraine].” “It’s going to take a little bit more work, and a little bit more time, but we are making progress,” Rubio argued. “It’s not me saying it, that is virtually every leader there [on Monday] said that.” Rubio said that prior to Trump, the fighting in Ukraine was nothing more than a “stalemated war of death and destruction.” He also complained that under Biden there was no plan other than to continue giving weapons to Ukraine. “That’s the other dynamic that’s changed – we’re no longer giving Ukraine weapons, we’re no longer giving Ukraine money, we are now selling them weapons and European countries are paying for it through NATO. They are using NATO to buy the weapons and transferring them to Ukraine,” Rubio pointed out. “That’s another big change from the way this war was approached under the Biden administration.” RUBIO SHOOTS DOWN REPORT THAT TRUMP BACKS PUTIN’S PLAN FOR RUSSIA TO CONTROL UKRAINE’S DONBAS REGION Following the Monday peace talks in D.C., reports surfaced that Putin had agreed to a future meeting with Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral meeting involving the United States. For Rubio, just the fact that the two countries are open to talking to each other is a win and a big change from the previous administration. “I’m not saying they are going to leave that room with a peace deal, but I think the fact that people are now talking to each other – this wasn’t happening for three-and-a-half years,” Rubio told host Waters, adding that Trump has “made it a priority” to bring about peace in Ukraine. The secretary also cited six previous peace agreements that he said Trump has brokered, which Rubio said proves Trump’s commitment to peace and fewer wars. “President Trump is the only leader in the world – acknowledged by all the Europeans – the only leader in the world that can talk to both [Putin and Zelenskyy] and bring them both to a meeting,” Rubio said Monday evening. “We should be proud that we have a president who has made peace a priority in his administration.”
5 key moments inside Trump’s ‘big day’ with Zelenskyy, European leaders
After meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, President Donald Trump touted that he had a “very good meeting” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the White House on Monday. Trump, who has voiced he would like to put an end to mass bloodshed in Eastern Europe, called the multilateral meetings on Monday “a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.” In a Truth Social post after the discussions, Trump wrote, “I had a very good meeting with distinguished guests,” and that “everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine.” Here are the top five takeaways from the president’s “big day” with European leaders. Monday’s summit marked a dramatic and noticeable shift from Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s now-infamous Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy in February. TRUMP SPARS WITH EUROPEAN LEADER DURING UKRAINE TALKS OVER KEY STEP TO PEACE During that meeting, the leaders were caught on camera getting into a heated argument over several topics, including Zelenskyy allegedly not being sufficiently grateful for U.S. support. On Monday, all the tension seemed to have disappeared. Both Trump and Zelenskyy were all smiles throughout the day, and the Ukrainian leader received a warm welcome from Trump’s Cabinet, including Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Both Zelenskyy and European leaders appeared more at ease with Trump throughout the day and took an optimistic tone. After the meetings, European Union President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X, “We are here, as allies and friends, for peace in Ukraine and in Europe. This is an important moment, as we continue to work on strong security guarantees for Ukraine and a lasting and durable peace.” Another marked shift from February was Zelenskyy breaking from his trademark jumpsuit attire to wear a suit, something he even joked with the press about while sitting in the Oval Office with Trump. Zelenskyy, who has been criticized for wearing casual attire to meetings with world leaders, wore all-black attire, including a button-down shirt and jacket. TRUMP: ZELENSKYY MEETING NOT ‘END OF THE ROAD’ FOR US SUPPORT IN SECURING A PEACE DEAL “First of all… President Zelenskyy, you look fabulous in that suit,” a reporter told Zelenskyy after he sat down with Trump in the Oval Office. “You look good,” the reporter said before Trump added, “I said the same thing.” At another point during the Zelenskyy-Trump bilateral press meeting, the Ukrainian president ribbed a reporter for wearing the same suit he had in February. “You’re in the same suit. You see, I changed, you’re not,” Zelenskyy quipped as both he and Trump burst into laughter. On a more substantive note, Trump doubled down on his position that a ceasefire is “not needed” to broker a permanent peace between Ukraine and Russia. He cited his recent successes in negotiating peace agreements between other countries across the globe. “I don’t think you need ceasefire. You know, if you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war,” Trump said during his press conference with Zelenskyy. SENATE SIGNALS READINESS TO HIT RUSSIA WITH HARD SANCTIONS IF PEACE DEAL FAILS “I didn’t do any ceasefires,” he went on, adding, “And I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically why, you know, one country or the other wouldn’t want it.” In a rare tense moment during the day, Trump clashed with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the need for a ceasefire. Speaking with Trump and other leaders gathered around a large conference table in the White House, Merz said, “To be honest, we all would like to see a ceasefire at the latest from the next meeting on,” adding, “I can’t imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire. So, let’s work on that.” He urged the leaders, “Let’s try to put pressure on Russia, because the credibility of this effort, these efforts we are undertaking today are depending on, at least, a ceasefire from the beginning of the serious negotiations from the next step on. So, I would like to emphasize this aspect and would like to see a ceasefire from the next meeting, which should be a trilateral meeting wherever it takes place.” In response, Trump shot back that he is determined “to go directly to a peace agreement” without a ceasefire, saying, “Well, we’re going to let the president [Zelenskyy] go over and talk to the president [Putin], and we’ll see how that works out.” NATO SECRETARY GENERAL TOUTS TRUMP TALKS WITH ZELENSKYY, EU LEADERS: ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL DAY’ In addition to Zelenskyy, seven major European leaders were present at the White House on Monday, a rare occurrence signaling a united European front and something Trump called an “honor” for the U.S. This follows Zelenskyy doubling down on Sunday that Ukraine will not agree to cede Crimea or any of its territory to Russia as part of a peace deal. “Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at the trilateral [talks with] Ukraine, United States, Russia,” Zelenskyy said. Trump said that though the U.S. would be involved with providing Ukraine with security guarantees after the war’s end, he said going forward, Europe must take much of that “burden.” “I think that the European nations are going to take a lot of the burden,” Trump said. “We’re going to help them, and we’re going to make it very secure. We also need to discuss the possible exchanges of territory, taking into consideration the current line of contact. That means the war zone, the war line center. Pretty obvious. Very sad, actually, to look at them and negotiating positions.” Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe is aware that it will shoulder much of the weight of responsibility tied to various security guarantees — and acknowledged it is necessary
Transgender Democrat accuses Trump of ‘all-out assault’ against ‘American democracy’
Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware, who identifies as a transgender woman, accused President Donald Trump of waging an attack against “American democracy.” “This president is taking notes from his favorite dictator. Let’s be clear: a president with popular policies wouldn’t need to illegally gerrymander districts, ban voting machines, or abolish vote-by-mail,” a Monday night post on the lawmaker’s @Rep_McBride X account declared. “This is an all-out assault not just on free and fair elections—but on American democracy itself.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment early on Tuesday morning. TRANS DEM REP. MCBRIDE SUGGESTS PARTY WENT TOO FAR WITH TRANSGENDER AGENDA BEFORE PUBLIC WAS READY Trump, who has been aiming to help bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and multiple other European figures in Washington, D.C., on Monday after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. During an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity on Friday after meeting with Putin, Trump said of the foreign leader, “Vladimir Putin, smart guy, said you can’t have an honest… election with mail-in voting.” TRUMP ANNOUNCES HE’LL HELM MOVEMENT TO ELIMINATE MAIL-IN VOTING AND VOTING MACHINES: ‘FIGHT LIKE HELL’ Trump declared in a Truth Social post on Monday that he will “lead a movement to” eliminate voting machines and mail-in balloting from U.S. elections. “WE WILL BEGIN THIS EFFORT … by signing an EXECUTIVE ORDER to help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections,” he declared in part of the lengthy post. TRUMP MOVES TO BROKER PUTIN-ZELENSKYY MEETING FOLLOWING DC PEACE TALKS “ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS. I, AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WILL FIGHT LIKE HELL TO BRING HONESTY AND INTEGRITY BACK TO OUR ELECTIONS. THE MAIL-IN BALLOT HOAX, USING VOTING MACHINES THAT ARE A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DISASTER, MUST END, NOW!!!” the president exclaimed in another portion of the post.
Zohran Mamdani supporters unfazed by Trump’s ‘communist’ label, defend the candidate’s affordability fight
Since Zohran Mamdani’s primary upset earlier this summer, the New York City Democratic mayoral nominee has been branded a “communist” by President Donald Trump. Mamdani supporters, who spoke to Fox News Digital at a canvass launch in Prospect Park on Sunday, dismissed the term, arguing that his primary win represented more than arbitrary labels. “It’s not necessarily communism that won the New York City primary, but the vision that he’s delivering for a more affordable New York,” Nina, a door-knocker wearing an “Educators for Zohran” T-shirt, said. “That’s what people voted for, and that’s what he won on, and that’s what he’s going to win on.” Mamdani is a self-described democratic socialist who has been endorsed by progressive leaders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Trump was quick to label him a “100% Communist Lunatic” after Mamdani declared victory in June. ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY Perry, another Brooklyn canvasser, flipped the script on Trump’s nickname for Mamdani, telling Fox News Digital to “look at the people who are saying he can’t do it or who are calling him a socialist or communist.” NY DEMS WHO HAVE YET TO ENDORSE MAMDANI UNITE IN HIS DEFENSE AGAINST TRUMP Bridget, a New York City teacher, and Perry both shook their heads in disagreement when asked if those labels worry them. “It’s not about ideology,” Nicholas, a Mamdani supporter who volunteered in Prospect Park on Sunday for the campaign’s canvass launch, said. “It’s not trying to demonize these terms, communism and socialism, which, quite frankly, I think the American public does not have a very good idea of what those terms exactly mean.” Nicholas said Mamdani’s campaign is “much bigger than that.” Among the few dozen supporters who attended the canvass launch, many were teachers. “I want a mayor who’s going to stand up for students,” Bridget said, telling Fox News Digital that it’s critical New York City has a mayor who is “going to fight against the Trump administration for the rights and safety of our students.” Mamdani concluded his “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour across New York City last week, visiting a borough a day to spotlight how the Trump administration’s sweeping second-term agenda, on key issues including immigration and the economy, is impacting everyday New Yorkers. “I have a lot of students coming from immigrant backgrounds who are worried about their safety, about their parents’ safety,” Nicholas said. “I have kids who are worried that ICE agents will come into the school and take them out of the classroom.” Nicholas explained that’s why having a candidate like Mamdani, who is committed to protecting immigrant communities from “what Trump and his cronies are trying to do, in disappearing people,” is so important to him. “Having a mayor who stands up against that firmly and boldly, that’s why I’m out here,” he added. “That’s why I want Zohran to be mayor.” Perry said she supports Mamdani because he “has a large vision for the city,” particularly on housing. “Let’s be big again,” Perry added, telling Fox News Digital that she loves his “upbeatness” and “openness,” the likes of which she said, “We haven’t seen in a while.” Mamdani has vowed to freeze rents if elected this November. He has accused Adams of appointing Rent Guidelines Board members to raise rents on stabilized apartments. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s board voted to freeze the rent three times during his tenure. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the primary to Mamadani, called the socialist’s plan to freeze rent “politically convenient posture,” and said such a move would hurt landlords, who would be “unable to maintain their buildings.” Nina said Mamdani’s campaign promises, including fast and free buses and universal child care, “address the affordability crisis in New York City” that creates a trickle-down impact on New Yorkers, like her high school students. “I’m out here as an educator,” Nina said. “I’m here as a New Yorker who was raised here, who wants to stay here.” Under Mamdani’s leadership, Nina said she believes it’s possible.