Blue city gang bangers slapped with multiple charges after massive sex trafficking crackdown
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it had carried out 20 federal warrants and 10 arrests last Wednesday in connection with sex trafficking operations in Los Angeles by the Hoover Criminals Gang (HCG), a group known for its human exploitation. Officials identified 51 victims in connection with the arrests, some of whom were as young as 14. “[Homeland Security Investigations] remains steadfast in our mission to protect victims and pursue justice against human traffickers,” Special Agent Eddy Wang said in a statement to Fox News Digital. DOJ SAYS 11 MIGRANTS INDICTED IN MULTI-STATE SEX TRAFFICKING, DRUG, FIREARMS CASE The arrests are a part of Operation Broken Blade, an effort to target trafficking in Los Angeles’ Figueroa Corridor, a strip of neighborhoods south of the city, according to the agency. They also highlight the continued threats law enforcement face, even as illegal border crossings have plummeted during the second Trump administration. Since the end of 2024, border crossings have fallen precipitously, going from over 144,000 encounters in December 2024 to just 13,500 in May — a 90% reduction. Even so, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other federal agencies remain engaged in intercepting more organized smuggling operations that threaten to bring drugs, weapons and people illegally into the country. In April, for example, CBP announced it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 16 AK rifles, 24 rifle magazines, 16 rifle stocks, 20 pistol grips, and other weapon parts from crossing the border. As a part of those continued efforts, Acting Assistant DHS Secretary of Public Affairs Lauren Bis said that DHS has made disrupting sex trafficking rings a priority. “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is dismantling human and sex trafficking rings,” Bis told Fox News Digital. MEXICAN NATIONAL SENTENCED IN BORDER CHILD SMUGGLING CASE INVOLVING THC-LACED CANDY Bis noted that the suspects arrested last week will also face charges that go well beyond their human exploitation. “This operation in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of ten gang members, who now face federal racketeering charges including sex trafficking, money laundering, firearms offenses and narcotics offenses,” Bis said. The agency described many of the suspects as “career criminals” with histories that include robbery, kidnapping and burglary. Wednesday’s operation is the second round of arrests made under Broken Blade, an initiative originally launched in August 2025 by Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles in cooperation with CBP, the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. FEDS DISMANTLE ALLEGED GUN TRAFFICKING RING THAT FUNNELED DOZENS OF FIREARMS FROM GEORGIA TO CHICAGO GANGS The 10 suspects are expected to stand trial in March 2027, according to DHS. “The actions taken today by HSI are another decisive blow against those who have exploited the vulnerable people of our community, and they will now face the consequences of those actions,” Wang said.
China launches rare submarine ballistic missile as Pacific allies strengthen defense ties before NATO summit
China publicly announced it launched a ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean Monday — a rare acknowledgment of its sea-based nuclear capabilities that came as U.S. allies deepen security ties in the Indo-Pacific and NATO leaders prepare to meet amid growing concerns over Beijing’s military ambitions. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy said the missile, carrying a dummy warhead, was fired from a Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarine during what Beijing described as a routine annual training exercise. The launch highlights one of the Pentagon’s biggest long-term concerns: China’s ability to field a more survivable nuclear force capable of threatening the U.S. and its allies from the sea. Unlike land-based missile launches, a ballistic missile fired from a submerged nuclear submarine demonstrates one of the most survivable elements of a country’s nuclear arsenal because the vessels are significantly harder to detect and destroy before they can launch a retaliatory strike. The growing capability also means China could eventually threaten the U.S. homeland from a wider range of patrol areas, reducing the need for its submarines to venture into more vulnerable waters. AIR FORCE REVEALS B-2’S HIDDEN SHIP KILLER CAPABILITY AS CHINA THREAT GROWS Chinese officials said the launch landed in a designated area of the Pacific Ocean and was conducted in accordance with international law. “It is a routine arrangement in China’s annual military training program. It is consistent with international law and customary international practice and is not directed at any specific country or target,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a news conference Monday. “The whole process was safe, standard and professional. We hope relevant countries will not read too much into it.” TRUMP BETS ON FORMER NATO TROUBLEMAKER AS TURKEY’S STRATEGIC VALUE SURGES The launch came on the eve of NATO’s summit in Ankara, Turkey, where alliance leaders are expected to focus primarily on the war in Ukraine, defense spending and collective security, while also addressing the growing strategic challenge posed by China. In recent years, NATO has expanded its engagement with Indo-Pacific partners including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, reflecting concerns that security in Europe and the Pacific is increasingly interconnected. It was the first such test since 2024, according to Chinese state media, occurring at noon local time Monday. New Zealand, which had just signed a defense pact with Fiji, claimed the missile landed in the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, where testing atomic weapons is prohibited. China said the missile carried a dummy rather than a nuclear warhead, and New Zealand did not accuse Beijing of violating the Treaty of Rarotonga, which establishes the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone and prohibits nuclear explosive devices within the region. Instead, officials criticized the launch as inconsistent with the spirit of maintaining the Pacific as a nuclear-free region. Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, said China had informed Australia ahead of the test but added, “Australia has been clear with China that we regard this as destabilizing to the region.” China’s rapid military buildup added to the concern, according to Wong, who described it as “lacking in the transparency and reassurance as to intent that the region expect.” In a joint cabinet statement, Japan raised “serious concern over the intensification of China’s military activities and strongly urged China to reconsider its actions.” The Pentagon has repeatedly warned that China is rapidly modernizing and expanding its nuclear forces, projecting that Beijing will continue increasing the size, sophistication and survivability of its arsenal through the next decade. China’s military has also expanded naval patrols beyond the first island chain while increasing military pressure on Taiwan and asserting territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Pentagon projects China will field more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, up from an estimated stockpile in the low 600s through 2024. Officials say Beijing is expanding all three legs of its nuclear triad — land-based missiles, strategic bombers and nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines — while improving its ability to survive a first strike and retaliate. At the same time, the People’s Liberation Army Navy is the world’s largest by number of battle force ships, while it has fielded advanced hypersonic weapons, expanded long-range missile forces and invested heavily in artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and space-based systems that U.S. officials say are designed to challenge American military advantages in the Indo-Pacific. U.S. defense officials have also warned that China continues to refine the capabilities needed for a potential conflict over Taiwan, including joint operations involving naval, air, missile and amphibious forces. Annual military exercises around Taiwan have grown larger and more complex, reflecting Beijing’s efforts to increase military pressure while rehearsing operations that could support a blockade or invasion. The U.S. has maintained a sea-based nuclear deterrent for decades through its fleet of Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, which routinely conduct operational deterrent patrols and periodic test launches of Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. The Navy is now replacing those submarines with the next-generation Columbia class, which is expected to begin entering service later this decade. Unlike China, however, the U.S. regularly publicizes scheduled Trident missile tests and has long operated a mature fleet of ballistic missile submarines that defense officials consider the most survivable leg of America’s nuclear triad. The Pentagon and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command could not immediately be reached for comment.
Explosive sexual assault allegation rocks Platner campaign ahead of key deadline in crucial Senate race
Democratic Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing calls from top Democrats in his home state and in Washington to immediately end his campaign, in the wake of an explosive report on Monday afternoon that contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. Platner, a populist Democrat long backed by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November’s midterm elections. But hours after a report from Politico on the latest allegations went viral, longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer called them “incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable.” In a statement with Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Schumer emphasized, “Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins. The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.” Speculation was swirling on social media hours earlier about Platner’s future after several of his events were canceled over the weekend. ‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex five years ago against her will, a claim that Platner denied in the story. Additionally, the report says that a man Raciot dated afterward confirmed she had told him about the incident, which was also corroborated by emails between Racicot and her therapist. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told the outlet about the incident, which allegedly took place while Platner was “almost blackout drunk.” “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” Racicot alleges that Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her telling him to stop multiple times. Racicot said in the report that “one of the reasons” she didn’t come forward until now was the “huge moral conflict” she had between her support of Platner’s politics and not supporting him “as a person.” “I just want the truth out there,” Racicot said. “I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person.” In a statement to Politico, Platner said, “These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.” The Platner campaign posted a video on X shortly after the Politico story published where Platner again called the allegations “false” and that he was going to “reflect” on the best path forward. “So, regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins,” Platner says in the video. “Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today.” Over the last few days, multiple Platner events over the 4th of July holiday weekend and Monday were canceled without an official explanation or comment from the campaign, Bangor Daily News reported on Monday, other than one event organizer saying that an event in Gorman was canceled due to Platner “not feeling well.” The news of the canceled events led conservative outlets and pundits to speculate throughout the day on Monday, before the Politico report was published, about whether there was an underlying reason for the cancellations. “Graham Platner cancels MULTIPLE scheduled town hall events as progressive allies tease another scandal is about to hit his campaign,” the Maine Wire news outlet posted on X. “Augusta town hall for last night – CANCELED Gorham town hall tonight – CANCELED Sanford town hall tonight – CANCELED. There are no other upcoming events listed on his FB page, or on Mobilize.” “Graham Platner no-showed Fourth of July celebrations across Maine,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee posted on X in response to the Maine Wire post. “Now, he’s canceling everything else. We wouldn’t want to be seen in public either… “ “A well-placed source told us that Graham Platner is dropping out of the Maine Senate race this week,” the Washington Reporter posted on X. “Note that Platner has yet to release his Q2 fundraising totals, a sign he may have underperformed expectations. “ In addition to the online rumors circulating on Monday, bets on the online prediction market Polymarket surged over the weekend, with users betting that Platner would drop out before the midterms. FORMER PRIMARY RIVAL RESURFACES TO CHALLENGE SCANDAL-PLAGUED GRAHAM PLATNER IN MAINE SENATE RACE Collins, who is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate, said in a statement, “These allegations are appalling. Nevertheless, it is not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate.” Meanwhile, the leadership of the Maine Democratic Party, in a statement, said it “is calling Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.” One of Platner’s top supporters in Congress, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, rescinded his endorsement. “I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement,” Khanna wrote in a social media post. Khanna, a top progressive leader in the House, told Fox News Digital as he campaigned with Platner in Maine days ahead of the primary that he was “concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that.” “I talked to Graham, and he says he was at a very dark period.
Pence commends Trump for winning freedom of Beijing’s Zion Church pastor Ezra Jin from Chinese detention
Former Vice President Mike Pence publicly praised President Donald Trump on Monday for successfully securing the release of pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, a prominent underground Christian leader detained by Chinese authorities. In a post on X, Pence said Trump “should be commended” for raising the case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing, adding it was “Truly Treasure in Heaven to see this godly man of faith set free.” Pence also called on Beijing to release jailed Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai, adding, “#FreeJimmyLai.” PRESIDENT TRUMP REVEALS XI JINPING’S RESPONSE TO POSSIBLY RELEASING IMPRISONED CHINESE CRITIC JIMMY LAI Jin, the leader of Beijing’s unregistered Zion Church, was detained in October along with 17 other church leaders. He safely arrived in Los Angeles to reunite with his family, less than two months after Trump pressed Xi on his detention, according to Frances Hui of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. PRESIDENT TRUMP MUST PUT AMERICAN HOSTAGES FIRST IN HIGH-STAKES BEIJING SUMMIT In a statement to the Associated Press, Jin’s family thanked Trump and acknowledged the swift release would not have been possible without Xi’s intervention. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., took to X to thank Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, echoing Pence’s call for Lai’s release. “Great news! Thank you @POTUS and @SecRubio for your leadership in securing Pastor Ezra Jin’s freedom,” Scott wrote in the post. “Still, we cannot stop fighting to hold COMMUNIST CHINA accountable for ALL of their crimes.” “My friend Jimmy Lai remains unjustly imprisoned simply because he stood up for freedom,” Scott continued. “Jimmy Lai is 78 with diabetes and has been in solitary confinement for YEARS. I will never stop fighting for Jimmy Lai and I won’t give up until Jimmy is out of prison.”
Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson silent amid protests over ‘human dumping ground’ ahead of US World Cup match
Seattle socialist mayor Katie Wilson is facing protests ahead of today’s U.S. World Cup match in her city as members of the local Chinese and Vietnamese communities are accusing her of abandoning their neighborhoods to crime and open air drug dealing. One organizer went so far as to accuse progressive Wilson of treating Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID) as a “human dumping ground” for homeless and drug addicts. While Seattle has hosted some of the World Cup’s biggest matches, including today’s U.S. versus Belgium match, residents and business owners in the CID and “Little Saigon” say their neighborhoods are missing out on the economic benefits due to safety concerns leading people to avoid the area, according to local outlet KIRO 7. Business owners are reporting a significant decline in foot traffic and business despite being less than a mile from Lumen Field. As frustrations mount, many are blaming Wilson’s leadership and taking to the streets to protest against her in front of World Cup crowds. SPENCER PRATT LIGHTS SOCIAL MEDIA ON FIRE WITH VIRAL TAKEDOWN OF ‘VILE, COMMIE MAYOR’ MAMDANI At one rally, Gary Lee, a CID advocate, said into a microphone, “Wilson claims to be an advocate for marginalized communities of color, but all she did was turn the CID into a human dumping ground and we’ve had enough,” KIRO 7 reported. In an interview with the outlet, Lee said, “When I look at the TV, I see that the waterfront is jampacked, Pioneer Square is jampacked. When I go over to Chinatown, it’s just like dead.” “I hate to say it, but it feels like a ghost town,” he said of the CID. Fox News Digital reached out to Wilson for comment, however the mayor did not respond by the time of publication. SEATTLE’S SOCIALIST MAYOR KATIE WILSON SLAMMED FOR CUTTING SHORT INTERVIEW OVER BASIC PUBLIC SAFETY QUESTION When CID residents started venting their frustrations, Wilson responded, “We’ve definitely seen, like, a lot of energy was put into trying to make sure that as visitors are coming, they are, you know, venturing out of that downtown corridor.” In a statement sent to KIRO 7, Wilson’s office said that “crime and disorder issues in the CID have gone unaddressed for far too long. We continue to work with the CID community to address their concerns and ensure it is a safe, active, and vibrant neighborhood.” Meanwhile, Fox 13 Seattle reported that community activist and former city council member Tanya Woo said many businesses in the district are seeing a 10-20% decline in sales. Woo called on community members to join her in walking to the stadium area on Monday to “personally invite fans to eat, shop, and experience the Chinatown-International District.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Many businesses in the Chinatown-International District are reporting sales declines compared to this time last year. Although thousands of FIFA fans are coming to Seattle, our neighborhood has largely become a rideshare pickup and drop-off zone,” she wrote. In another post, Woo wrote, “Seattle’s Chinatown International District should be benefiting from the FIFA World Cup, not being left behind.”
ICE renews hunt for El Chapo’s last two fugitive sons with massive reward
“Two down and two to go” blared the new wanted poster targeting the two remaining fugitive sons of infamous Mexican cartel kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman-Loera, who is serving life-plus-30-years in Colorado’s federal supermax prison. On Monday, ICE posted a new wanted poster for two members of “Los Chapitos” — Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, two of El Chapo’s sons with his first wife, Alejandrina Maria Salazar-Hernandez. After El Chapo’s final capture in 2016, control of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel shifted to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Following Zambada’s arrest during the Biden administration, leadership passed to Guzman’s four sons. MEXICAN SENATOR ACCUSES SHEINBAUM OF SHIELDING ‘NARCO-POLITICIANS’ AFTER US CARTEL INDICTMENT Both the Trump administration in the U.S. and the Sheinbaum administration in Mexico have said they are focused on cracking down on cartel’s new leadership. “Two down and two to go with $10 million reward,” the wanted poster read, with Xs over the faces of the already captured Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ovidio Guzman Lopez. The two captured Chapitos are reportedly cooperating with authorities and have not yet been sentenced, but Ivan and Jesus remain “armed and dangerous,” according to ICE. ICE NABS ACCUSED MS-13 KILLER HIDING IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA SUBURB The two fugitives are charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and operating a continuing criminal enterprise. Two of Guzman’s four sons have already been captured through Operation Take Back America, an initiative seeking the “total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations” in order to protect U.S. communities from violent crime. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros said in a recent statement that efforts to capture El Chapo’s sons are the latest steps “in our efforts to bring to justice drug lords and other dangerous criminals who poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and who otherwise engage in violence and corruption to carry out their and their enterprises’ wide-reaching criminal activities.” US MILITARY KILLS TWO ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC STRIKE ON DRUG-TRAFFICKING VESSEL SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER In his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates committed violence against law enforcement officials, rival drug traffickers and members of their own organization to protect the Sinaloa Cartel’s trafficking operations. Fox News Digital reached out to ICE and DHS for additional comment and information on the mission to capture the two at-large Chapitos.
FLASHBACK: As America turns 250, here’s how the nation celebrated its biggest birthdays
America’s milestone anniversaries have given generations of Americans an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history, values and progress. From the Centennial in 1876 to the Bicentennial in 1976, celebrations have had parades, fireworks, historical reenactments, speeches and other patriotic traditions honoring the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s founding in 1776. As Americans celebrated the country’s 250th anniversary on July 4, those traditions carried into the semiquincentennial with the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, President Donald Trump’s address marking the occasion, military flyovers, performances by the U.S. Army Band and a Guinness World Record-breaking fireworks display with more than 850,000 fireworks. Fox News Digital looks back at the nation’s biggest birthday celebrations. TRUMP SET TO DELIVER ‘HISTORIC’ SPEECH CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY The nation’s first major milestone came in 1826, marking 50 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Communities across the country organized celebrations and leaders in Washington, D.C., invited former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of the last surviving signers of the Declaration of Independence, to attend, but both declined due to poor health, according to the National Archives Foundation. However, history took an extraordinary turn when Jefferson and Adams both died on July 4, just hours apart. Many Americans saw Jefferson and Adams’ deaths as a remarkable coincidence that added to the symbolism of Independence Day. A memorial service honoring Jefferson and Adams was held in Washington, D.C., while dinners, patriotic events and other commemorations helped establish the tradition of celebrating America’s birthday. The nation celebrated its 100th anniversary in Philadelphia with the 1876 Centennial Exposition, the nation’s first official World’s Fair, which highlighted America’s post-Civil War industrial growth and introduced millions of visitors to groundbreaking new technologies. The six-month exposition attracted nearly 10 million visitors from around the world to see international arts, cultures and technologies on display, according to the National Archives. The exposition featured Machinery Hall, where visitors saw new inventions, including Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone and Thomas Alva Edison’s automatic telegraph. The fair also had a Women’s Pavilion that highlighted the scientific and artistic achievements of women during the suffrage movement. THE REVOLUTIONARY LANDMARKS WHERE WASHINGTON, ADAMS AND JEFFERSON CHANGED AMERICA President Ulysses S. Grant approved sending the original Declaration of Independence to Philadelphia for display at the Centennial Exposition, according to the National Archives. Concerns over the document’s deteriorating condition later prompted efforts to preserve the nation’s founding document. Fifty years later, Philadelphia again hosted a World’s Fair to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The 1926 Sesquicentennial International Exposition featured historical recreations and patriotic attractions celebrating the nation’s founding. Organizers built an 80-foot replica of the Liberty Bell illuminated by 26,000 light bulbs that became one of the exposition’s signature attractions, according to The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM BICENTENNIAL HISTORY IS TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 1976 Although organizers projected 30 million visitors, fewer than 5 million paid admissions were recorded, and the exposition closed with enormous debts, according to Smithsonian magazine and The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. America’s 200th birthday arrived during a period of recovery following the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. Philadelphia’s bid to host a Bicentennial World’s Fair was canceled in 1972, leaving the city’s Bicentennial commemoration to move forward as national organizers encouraged celebrations across the country, according to the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. About 66,000 recognized events were held across the country, according to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum. Signature celebrations included Operation Sail, which brought more than 200 tall ships to New York Harbor, and the American Freedom Train, which traveled more than 25,000 miles across the country carrying historic artifacts, documents and works of art.
Democrats’ civil war heads to Michigan where progressives face biggest test yet in high-stakes Senate showdown
The high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party is moving to a much larger stage. After victories by far-left and socialist candidates in dark blue congressional districts in New York City and Colorado the past two weeks drew national attention, the spotlight now shifts to battleground Michigan. That’s where moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., who is backed by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the establishment; and former Wayne County Health Department Director Abdul El-Sayed, a left-wing candidate endorsed by progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are colliding in a crucial Senate showdown. The winner of the Aug. 4, 2026, Democratic primary will face-off in the midterm elections in November against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is on a glide path to the GOP nomination. The winner will succeed retiring Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat. CRUCIAL SENATE BATTLE ROCKED AFTER MAJOR PLAYER DROPS OUT OF RACE The seat is a top Republican target and is a must-hold for the Democrats as they aim to win back the Senate majority from the GOP, which currently controls the chamber with a slim, but manageable, 53-47 margin. The leading nonpartisan political handicappers at Cook Political Reporter rate the Senate race in Michigan as a toss-up. Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, told Fox News the primary in Michigan “is much more significant” than the intra-party ballot box showdowns the past two weeks in “very, very blue districts” in New York City and Denver. The showdown in Michigan became a two-way race on Sunday, after progressive state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, once the third major Democrat in the primary, suspended her campaign. “I may be suspending this campaign, but I am not leaving the fight,” McMorrow pledged in a statement Sunday as she ended her Senate bid. McMorrow, who has seen her national profile expand in recent years and was running as a progressive in an ideological space between El-Sayed and Stevens, suspended her campaign amid faltering poll numbers and fundraising that weren’t keeping pace with her two main rivals. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB McMorrow pledged to fully support whichever Democrat wins the primary and will ultimately face-off with Rogers, who is running for the Senate for a second straight cycle after losing in 2024 to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin by a razor-thin margin. Following McMorrow’s announcement, Stevens praised her fellow Democrat by calling her an “important voice” for policies that benefit Michigan families. Stevens then argued that she is the strongest Democratic candidate to win the primary and defeat Rogers in November. “As we enter the final month of the primary election, I’m excited to continue to make my case to Michiganders why I’m the strongest Democrat to defeat Mike Rogers this November, lower costs, protect manufacturing jobs, and stand up to Trump’s abuses of power,” she added. As she runs for the nomination, Stevens has been backed by millions in super PAC spending, including big bucks from Israel-aligned groups. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALISTS LOOK TO TAKE NEW YORK PLAYBOOK NATIONWIDE AFTER PRIMARY VICTORIES In his statement, El-Sayed praised McMorrow for having the “courage” to challenge what he described as a rigged political system, accusing Democratic Party insiders of spending millions to influence the primary. While he did not name specific groups, the remarks appeared to reference corporate PACs and establishment party leaders such as Schumer. He then invited McMorrow’s supporters to join his progressive movement to combat big money in politics and defeat the political establishment. “Throughout this campaign, Senator McMorrow showed what it looks like to fight back against politics that rigs the system against too many of us. While we have policy disagreements, I never questioned whether Senator McMorrow would fight for a better America for my daughters and hers,” he said. “The same party insiders she had the courage to challenge have been bullying anyone who opposes their chosen candidate. After spending $30 million to drown Senator McMorrow and me out, they’re now spending even more to attack me. It’s everything we are standing up against.” “I welcome her supporters to our movement to stand up against money in politics, to put money back in pockets, and pass Medicare for All. We cannot allow the establishment to decide our nominee for us.” THESE MIDTERM RACES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER REPUBLICANS HOLD THEIR SENATE MAJORITY El-Sayed, who, if elected, would make history as the nation’s first Muslim senator, is an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018. He has made support for “Medicare-for-all” a major component of his campaign. The far-left candidate has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and is a vocal critic of Israel amid its war with Hamas — even characterizing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” against Palestinians. And El-Sayed, who served as a top surrogate on Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, has vowed not to accept PAC donations. Schumer and the party establishment view Stevens as more electable than El-Sayed, who has sparked controversy with his past comments. They worry that El-Sayed as the party’s nominee would jeopardize the Democrat-controlled Senate seat by pushing the party too far to the left in a state that President Donald Trump carried two years ago by just over one percentage point. A victory by El-Sayed over Stevens in next month’s primary would give the far left a major win on a statewide stage, and further boost their momentum in the battle for the Democratic Party’s future. But Bennet warned against placing too much emphasis on the results in Michigan, as he pointed to other factors in the race. “I don’t think that even if El-Sayed wins, that means the national party is moving dramatically to the left, as the left will insist if that happens,” he told Fox News Digital. “Some of this is idiosyncratic. There’s a huge Arab American population
Brown Jackson’s latest spotlight moment fuels accusations she’s forgetting her day job: ‘Not celebrities’
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared on the cover of the most recent issue of Essence magazine, spurring critics to argue that she is seeking publicity in ways that are inappropriate for a member of the Supreme Court. “Supreme Court Justices are not celebrities and should not be treated like celebrities,” Andrew Fleischman, a Georgia trial and appeal lawyer, wrote of the cover. The magazine’s cover features a picture of Jackson wearing a purple coat and smiling directly at the reader. Underneath Jackson’s photo is a caption that reads “the people’s champion.” TRUMP BLASTS KETANJI BROWN JACKSON AS ‘LOW IQ PERSON’ IN SUPREME COURT TIRADE Essence Magazine describes itself as the “premiere lifestyle, fashion and beauty magazine for African-American women.” “As America celebrates its 250th birthday, ESSENCE is honored to unveil the first magazine cover of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic career,” Essence tweeted on the 4th of July, accompanied by a photo of the cover. “As the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, there is no better moment to celebrate her extraordinary legacy. Ketanji Brown Jackson represents the American Dream and serves as a powerful voice for those simply seeking the God-given birthrights promised to every American,” the tweet continued. Jackson’s public appearances outside the court have drawn periodic criticism from some conservatives and legal observers, who argue that events such as the Grammy Awards, Broadway appearances and a Vogue photoshoot risk blurring the line between judicial service and celebrity. “Ketanji Brown Jackson isn’t supposed to be ‘the people’s champion,’” Billy Binion, a reporter for a libertarian magazine, wrote on X. “She’s not a politician. She’s supposed to interpret the law, not make it. This kind of thing is why so many people misunderstand how our government works at a basic level.” SUPREME COURT FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES REVEAL CONCERT TICKETS FROM BAD BUNNY’S LABEL, MILLIONS IN BOOK PAYMENTS “Supreme Court justices shouldn’t be celebrities,” Laura Powell, a civil liberties attorney, wrote of the cover. “They don’t have to run for office and don’t need political slogans like ‘The People’s Champion.’ They should simply do their job of interpreting the law according to constitutional principles.” Jackson is not the only justice whose outside activities have drawn scrutiny. Other members of the court have reported book income, teaching payments, travel reimbursements and gifts in annual financial disclosures. Sitting Supreme Court Justices have previously appeared on magazine covers, including the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2015 and Sonia Sotomayor in 2009. Michelle Zier, an adjunct professor at Concordia University Chicago, pointed out that Alexander Hamilton explicitly warned that the judges would need to avoid the temptation to be seen as champions of the people. “But it is easy to see that it would require an uncommon portion of fortitude in the judges to do their duty as faithful guardians of the Constitution, where legislative invasions of it had been instigated by the major voice of the community,” Hamilton wrote in Federalist 78. HARRIS’ ‘NO BAD IDEA BRAINSTORM’ FOR DEMS INCLUDES PACKING SCOTUS, ELIMINATING ELECTORAL COLLEGE Even some on the left took issue with Jackson’s magazine cover. “Obviously, nowhere near the worst or weirdest thing is sitting justice has done but yeah we really need that SCOTUS code of ethics,” Sam Weinberg, who runs a progressive advocacy group, wrote of the cover. Responding to criticism over her attendance at the Grammy Awards, Jackson argued that part of her job is “public outreach and education.” “When the justices are on recess — which is what we are doing right now — we really have an opportunity to go out into the community in various different ways,” she told The View in February. Fox News Digital reached out to the Supreme Court and Essence magazine on Monday.
Socialist House hopeful under fire for pro-Palestinian July 4 message
New York Assembly member Claire Valdez’s Fourth of July social media post featuring a pro-Palestinian message sparked backlash over the weekend, with commentators across the political spectrum blasting her priorities. Valdez, a socialist poised to represent a deep-blue New York City congressional district in Congress, made the comments Saturday as Americans nationwide celebrated the country’s 250th birthday. The Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate’s post did not appear to praise any aspect of the United States or pay tribute to the country’s founding. Valdez wrote that she would continue to “fight for liberation from Palestine to Puerto Rico, for a Green New Deal, for the world we deserve,” on the social media platform X. MAMDANI BLASTS ICE AGENTS, ELON MUSK AND ‘SUPREMACY’ IN AMERICA 250 SPEECH AHEAD OF JULY 4 WEEKEND “Actually, the Fourth of July isn’t about Palestine,” commentator Stephen Miller griped at Valdez in response. “Modern Democratic Party: The Fourth of July is a fight to free Palestine,” Salem Radio Network host Scott Jennings observed. “These people have no idea what the Declaration is for no[r] any understanding of the purpose of our government,” journalist Brianna Lyman wrote. Valdez won a Democratic primary election in June for an open House seat spanning Brooklyn and Queens, with the backing of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Given the progressive bastion’s heavily Democratic tilt, the House hopeful is expected to face little competition in November’s general election. She is one of several socialists who trounced establishment-aligned Democrats in the Empire State’s primaries, marking a major victory for the far-left wing of the party. Valdez and the other Democratic nominees — former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and activist Darializa Avila Chevalier — have called for ending military aid to Israel, enacting Green New Deal-style legislation and Medicare for All, which would create a government-run single-payer system. The trio is likely to push Democrats to support tax hikes on the highest earners if elected to Congress and have frequently argued that the wealthy and big corporations are responsible for the country’s problems. JOSH SHAPIRO WARNS DEMOCRATS FACE ‘BATTLE OVER WHAT WE BELIEVE IN’ AFTER SOCIALIST’S UPSET PRIMARY VICTORIES “Freedom is only possible when we have the conditions for the good life — healthcare, housing, education, and dignity on the job,” Valdez also wrote on social media Saturday. “But the system is rigged and our planet poisoned by billionaires, bosses, and war profiteers.” Commentators hammered Valdez for focusing on what she viewed as the country’s flaws on Independence Day, while blasting her socialist policies. “The commitment some people have to being absolutely insufferable and miserable is almost admirable,” former Biden White House press office Chief of Staff Yemisi Egbewole wrote on social media. “It’s the Fourth of July. Eat a hot dog. Watch fireworks. Call your family. Love the country that gave you the freedom to post this nonsense. “Claire Valdez won her district’s rich precincts and high-education ones 64 to 27. She lost low-income areas by 32 points and Black ones by 50 points,” NewsNation’s Batya Ungar-Sargon observed. “This anti-America claptrap is trust fund socialism — vanity morals of the elite that operate as a smokescreen for their privilege.” Valdez’s post echoed Mamdani’s Fourth of July message, in which he sharply criticized the wealthiest Americans — and the capitalism that made their affluence possible — while railing against various chapters of American history. “We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world, one where children go to sleep hungry while the world’s first trillionaire hungers for more,” Mamdani said in his remarks, referencing SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk without naming him. “We see monopolies that dominate every industry, and oligarchs who buy elections,” Mamdani continued. Fox News Digital reached out to Valdez’s campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.