Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden health talking points were tightly controlled at senior level
Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told House investigators she did not see a change in former President Joe Biden’s competency over several years, but she acknowledged he was “not the same speaker he was when she met him.” Jean-Pierre was the latest in a string of former Biden White House officials to be interviewed by House Oversight Committee investigators over an alleged cover-up of the ex-president’s mental acuity. She did not speak to reporters on her way into the interview just off Capitol Hill, nor did she speak after the nearly five-hour, closed-door transcribed interview. KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ARRIVES FOR HOUSE OVERSIGHT GRILLING IN BIDEN AUTOPEN PROBE But a source familiar with the interview shared with Fox News Digital that Jean-Pierre told investigators that while working for Biden in various capacities from 2009 to 2025, “she did not see a change in President Biden’s competency.” “She did acknowledge President Biden is not the same speaker he was when she met him,” the source noted. “She does not know why his speaking changed and never asked him.” Jean-Pierre, one of the most high-profile figures from the Biden administration to appear before the committee, was among those who publicly defended Biden after his June 2024 debate against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. During the debate, Jean-Pierre said she was told by “senior staff that President Biden had a cold,” the source said. Shortly after the debate, she told reporters at a press briefing in early July that Biden was “as sharp as ever.” OVERSIGHT CHAIR DEMANDS JEAN-PIERRE, OTHER FORMER WH STAFF TESTIFY ON ALLEGED BIDEN MENTAL DECLINE COVER-UP Jean-Pierre told investigators that talking points were entered into her binder for press briefings by “various advisors,” but talking points related specifically to Biden’s health and mental acuity “were handled exclusively at the senior level.” She cited the “cheap fakes” talking point, which, at the time, Jean-Pierre charged were people online manipulating videos of Biden to mislead the public about his health and cognitive ability. She told investigators that point in particular “appeared as a talking point in her binder, but she does not know specifically who added it.” She also said she never spoke with anyone in the White House “personally concerned about President Biden’s health.” Jean-Pierre began her role as White House press secretary in 2022, shortly after former White House press secretary Jen Psaki left the position, and she stayed on until the end of Biden’s presidency in January. But her relationship with Biden-world became estranged after her departure from the Democratic Party earlier this year, which was announced in a press release for her forthcoming book, “Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines.” KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ABANDONS DEMS AFTER YEARS FIERCELY DEFENDING BIDEN POLICIES Jean-Pierre’s appearance before investigators came as House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said earlier this week that his panel’s ongoing probe into Biden’s use of an autopen was coming to its conclusion. The focus in particular was whether top officials engaged in a cover-up of Biden’s mental and physical state in the White House and whether any executive actions or a litany of pardons were approved via autopen without Biden’s full awareness. Comer said heading into the hearing that one of the questions at the top of his mind was whether “these pardons and executive orders [are] legal?” “I don’t think anyone’s going to argue that the process that was used for these autopens is the ideal process,” Comer said. “And what we’ve seen with the emails that have surfaced in the last week — even the Merrick Garland Department of Justice was very concerned about how this administration was using the autopen. “When people in the Department of Justice email people who they believe were the ones making the decisions on the autopen and asked the question via email from the Department of Justice, ‘Does the president even know who they just pardoned?’ I mean, that’s very concerning.” Fox News Digital reached out to Jean-Pierre’s lawyers and Biden’s office but did not immediately receive a response.
Vice President JD Vance escorts Charlie Kirk’s casket before flight on Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona
Vice President JD Vance walked alongside the casket of Charlie Kirk on Thursday evening, marking the beginning of a series of solemn tributes to the conservative figure. Escorted across the tarmac in Salt Lake City, Utah, by a military pallbearer detail, Kirk’s casket will travel aboard Air Force Two, returning him to his home state of Arizona. A video of the moment showed his wife Erika Frantzve visibly emotional as the casket passed before her. WHAT KIRK’S ASSASSINATION MEANS FOR TRUMP’S SECURITY Upon arriving in Phoenix, Frantzve deplaned Air Force Two while holding the hand of second lady Usha Vance. His casket was transported to Hansen Memorial Chapel. Kirk will be buried in Arizona and President Donald Trump said he will attend the funeral. Trump told reporters on Thursday evening that he believed that Kirk’s funeral would be held “next weekend” adding that he would attend. The revelation comes as federal authorities continue to search for the suspect that assassinated Kirk during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday’s event, the first in what was supposed to be a series Turning Point USA’s “American Comeback Tour,” was nothing out of the ordinary. Kirk, the charismatic founder of the nation’s conservative youth activist group, gained recognition for his signature political debates on college campuses. COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK During a press conference on Thursday, authorities say the suspect “blended in well with a college institution.” In a photo later released by law enforcement, the individual is seen wearing a hat, sunglasses, and an American flag T-shirt with an eagle on it. The FBI appealed for more public tips, photos, and videos to help piece together the string of events that led to Kirk’s death. “We truly rely on the public’s help in these types of cases. No tip is too small or too insignificant,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said Thursday. Individuals with relevant information can submit via an online page on the FBI’s website. The one-page form requests contact details, a description of what was submitted, and the files themselves. People can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI if they have tips. The FBI also announced an award of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible.
On 9/11 anniversary, lawmakers warn domestic terrorism now greatest threat
On the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle expressed that they are most worried about rising domestic terrorism harming Americans. Asked whether he was more concerned about domestic or foreign terrorists, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital, “You’ve got to be vigilant on all of it.” Yet, in the wake of the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, Burchett placed particular blame on the left, saying, “They’ve got blood on their hands on this one, there is no question. “The repercussions, I think, could be monumental at the ballot box.” 24 YEARS AFTER 9/11, A FATHER’S EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM STILL INSPIRES TWO POWERFUL PATHS OF AMERICAN SERVICE Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, responded that “we need a country that respects the rule of law and can actually engage in civil discourse. We don’t have that right now. That’s a problem. “We have threats from all around, overseas and here, but you know we got to start respecting the rule of law again, or we’re not going to have anything left.” In the current climate, Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, responded, “I think domestic. It’s not a matter of if but when. “You can’t let your guard down on either,” added Arrington. “I was in the White House on 9/11 with George W. Bush.” Arrington expressed particular concern about terrorists who were let into the country through the border. “You also can’t allow your border to be wide open where you have people, record numbers of people, on the terrorist watch list over here,” he said. GOP LAWMAKER EXPLAINS UNUSUAL 9/11 EXPERIENCE THAT LED HIM TO ENLIST IN THE MILITARY Another Texas Republican, Rep. Troy Nehls, said he is worried about terrorists let into the country by the Biden administration. “What we have seen with all the terrorism, with the individuals coming across our southern border for the past four years and preying on innocent victims in our country, killing Laken Riley and everyone else. I mean, these individuals coming over here, Tren de Aragua, I consider those terrorists, right? Coming over here and causing harm and impact.” Like Roy, Nehls lamented violence by “American people against American people with a dissenting point of view.” “We can’t have a casual conversation and agree to disagree. We’re going to start raising our fists or start pointing guns and start shooting people,” said Nehls. “It’s gone too far.” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said that though the international terrorist threat is “still there,” he believes “we do have an increased domestic problem because we’ve lost our moorings a little bit spiritually. “A lot of folks don’t have hope or purpose, a spiritual hope or purpose. And then you have all this demonization, and people get caught up in it. You get caught up in your own little websites. Social media, your own cable, and then these guys feed on anger.” TRUMP RELEASES OVAL OFFICE MESSAGE ON CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION: ‘HE’S A MARTYR FOR TRUTH AND FREEDOM’ Democrats, too, said they are worried about domestic terrorism threats. “Domestic terrorism keeps me up at night,” said Rep. André Carson, D-Ind. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I want to work with my Republican colleagues and the law enforcement community and activists and people of goodwill in keeping our community safe.” Rep. Ritchie Torres, R-N.Y., said, “I worry in the age of social media. I think we’re witnessing the rise of violent extremism and domestic terrorism both at home and abroad.” Torres added that “the safety of public figures can no longer be taken for granted.” “I have lost an incentive to do public events without extensive safety precautions,” he shared. “I suspect that anxiety is weighing heavily on every member of Congress.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: From Pentagon Ceremony to Yankees Game, Trump Observes 9/11 Anniversary
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… -Charlie Kirk’s assassination only the latest in increasing political violence across the country -Ryan Routh chastised during opening statements in federal trial of attempted Trump assassination for ‘making a mockery’ -What is a bolt action rifle? What we know about the gun used to kill Charlie Kirk President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that he will attend the New York Yankees game against the Detroit Tigers on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Trump has attended numerous sporting events over the years but has not attended a baseball game during his second term. In 2019, Trump, then in his first term as president, attended Game 5 of the World Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros in the nation’s capital. He also attended the World Series between the Astros and Atlanta Braves in 2021, roughly a year after losing the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden…Read more JURY LOCKED IN: Ryan Routh trial begins after jury seated in Trump assassination attempt case PATRIOT DOWN: Trump to award Charlie Kirk Medal of Freedom after campus assassination GULF STRAINS: Israel’s strike in Qatar triggers rare US rebuke, tests Trump’s Gulf diplomacy HONOR TO ACTION: Lawmakers mark 9/11 at Ground Zero as New York remains a bullseye for terror threats ‘TENDER-HEARTED LEADER’: Pastor recalls last moments with Charlie Kirk: an ‘American martyr’ POLS SPEAK OUT: Boys suspended in transgender locker room controversy spark GOP backlash in Virginia INSERT KICKER HERE: Charlotte mayor sidesteps Trump’s death penalty demand in stabbing case VISA CRACKDOWN: State Department warns it will revoke visas of foreigners who ‘glorify violence’ after Kirk shooting TRUMP’S ‘AVATAR’: Architect of LA ICE raids reportedly arrives in Chicago as focus shifts to Windy City, agent’s history Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
What to know about Utah Valley University’s Losee Center, the shooter’s possible perch in Charlie Kirk killing
OREM, Utah — Utah State Police blocked the perimeter of the Losee Center at Utah Valley University Thursday morning as the manhunt continues for the assassin of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. Authorities confirmed Wednesday the shot that killed Kirk came from the roof of a campus building about 200 yards away from where Kirk was delivering his remarks. While authorities have not confirmed the shots came from the Losee Center Wednesday, state police cars blocked incoming traffic outside the Losee Center Thursday as authorities investigated in and around the school building. Videos captured by eyewitnesses Wednesday showed a person in dark clothing running on a campus building. PERSON OF INTEREST IN CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION PICTURED IN PHOTOS RELEASED BY FBI “We have tracked his movements onto the campus through the stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to a shooting location,” Beau Mason, Utah Department of Public Safety commissioner, told reporters Thursday. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: DISPATCH AUDIO REVEALS SUSPECT IN BLACK TACTICAL GEAR, CARRYING LONG GUN “After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building and fled off of the campus and into a neighborhood,” Mason added. Mason said authorities have “good video footage” of the shooter on the roof where shots were fired they are using to identify the suspect. According to UVU’s website, the campus is closed until Monday, Sept. 15. While students have been advised to stay away from campus, media and law enforcement have remained on campus with the investigation still underway. Journalists were allowed to drive through campus on Thursday. However, there were several Utah State Police vehicles parked outside the Losee Center, marking a perimeter where authorities said the investigation was ongoing. State troopers did not provide a timeline for when the building would reopen to the media. “Items left in the Courtyard and Losee Center are not available to be picked up at this time due to the investigation,” according to the message on the school’s website. Losee Center for Student Success, known as the Losee Center or “LC” for short, is a student resource center. Students can seek personal and professional guidance at the center from school specialists, coordinators and other counselors, according to UVU’s website. Utah’s Department of Public Safety indicated Thursday afternoon that the investigation is “fast-moving and constantly evolving.” According to the latest media advisory, as of Thursday afternoon, law enforcement is investigating multiple leads, but no suspect is in custody. “A high-powered bolt-action rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. Experts from the FBI are analyzing the weapon. There are reportedly photos of a weapon and various details about that firearm and ammunition, including inscriptions and symbols,” the department shared, painting a picture of the suspected shooter’s escape route. Investigators have also collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm imprints for analysis, according to the media release. Mason told reporters Thursday morning investigators have searched nearby neighborhoods, “contacting anybody they can with doorbell cameras, witnesses and thoroughly worked through those communities, trying to identify any leads.” The FBI is offering up to a $100,000 reward for information leading to the shooter’s identification and arrest. Earlier on Thursday, authorities canceled a press conference scheduled for 12:45 p.m. MT, citing “rapid developments in our investigation.”
Chicago-area mayor, congressional candidate brags about lengths he’s gone to flummox ICE
A Chicago-area mayor and congressional candidate stood by his actions to thwart even passive cooperation with federal immigration enforcement operations as DHS launches “Operation Midway Blitz“ in the area. Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, a Democrat who is running to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., in 2026, told CNN he is “in the dark” as to DHS’ plans for Illinois in the coming days. He also said he informed residents Tuesday about his concerns and what actions he took in response. “The Trump administration wants to keep us guessing, wants to use our uncertainty to keep us afraid, but the reason that we communicated with our residents this morning is that I got information from a senior state official last night indicating that they had good intel that it was likely that ICE would be coming to Evanston in today and in the coming days.” CHICAGO MAYOR CONCLUDES COUNCIL-DEMANDED PROBE OF CITY POLICE’S ROLE DURING RECENT ICE RAID Biss said he did so for residents to “protect themselves” from federal law enforcement. “We’ve been doing everything we can to protect our residents from before Donald Trump took office, passing strong sanctuary laws to make sure police are not cooperating with federal civil immigration enforcement,” he added. Biss explained he ordered Evanston’s license plate cameras turned off after learning the data was being shared. Unlike red light cameras, which issue tickets, license plate readers are often used to collect and store vehicle data for later retrieval. In some cases, state or federal law enforcement might use the data to track a suspect’s known vehicle, finding that it navigated a certain interchange at a specific time. CHICAGO MAYOR CALLS ICE RAIDS ‘TERRORISM’, SAYS TRUMP’S AMERICA APPEARS ‘AS IF THE CONFEDERACY HAD WON’ Fox News Digital reached out to Biss for further comment but did not hear back by press time. In a separate video Biss recorded while leaving a Mexican Independence Day parade in Chicago, he said he used his “rapid response training to keep an eye out for potential ICE personnel” during the event and “if possible, keep people safe from attack.” “My responsibility was to see which masked individual might, with no warning, just grab people off the street [or] which uniformed personnel might, without warning, attack our people.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We’re going to remember for a long time what we did in this moment. Let’s do the right thing,” Biss said. When an X account linked to the Republican National Committee accused Biss of wrongly obstructing federal procedure, he offered a veiled slam at President Donald Trump in return. “Hey, speaking of obstructing things, how’s it going with releasing the Epstein files?” he wrote. Separately, Biss added that authoritarianism is not creeping into society, it “is here.” “History will remember how Chicago stood in solidarity in this moment. Stay strong, stay safe,” he said.
Charlie Kirk warned ‘assassination culture is spreading on the left’ in eerie online post months before murder
Several months prior to Wednesday’s tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, the slain 31-year-old conservative activist warned his followers on social media that “assassination culture is spreading on the left.” Kirk shared a post April 7 on X.com that cited a Fox News Digital article about a nationally representative study from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) that found 38% of respondents said it would be at least “somewhat justified” to murder President Donald Trump, and 31% said the same about Elon Musk. But the numbers jump even higher, to 55% for Trump and 48% for Musk, when counting just the left-leaning survey respondents. “Assassination culture is spreading on the left. Forty-eight percent of liberals say it would be at least somewhat justified to murder Elon Musk. Fifty-five percent said the same about Donald Trump,” Kirk wrote in his post on X, citing the NCRI report. “The left is being whipped into a violent frenzy. Any setback, whether losing an election or losing a court case, justifies a maximally violent response.” LIVE UPDATES: MANHUNT FOR CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTER CONTINUES Kirk called the violent momentum a “natural outgrowth of left-wing protest culture.” He accused the culture of tolerating “violence and mayhem,” while also slamming “the cowardice” of local prosecutors and school officials for their complicity in promoting the trend of violent attitudes. “The cowardice of local prosecutors and school officials have turned the left into a ticking time bomb,” Kirk wrote in his post. In Kirk’s post, he also pointed to the fact that voters in California were effectively eulogizing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murderer Luigi Mangione by naming a state ballot measure after him. It was called the Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act, which sought to make it more difficult for medical insurance companies to deny claims for treatments or medications. Wednesday’s assassination of Kirk, who founded the grassroots conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA in 2012, is just the latest incident of conservative figures and institutions being targeted with violence. The fatal shooting comes amid a record over the past four years of conservatives and Republicans encountering violence, a Fox News Digital review found, including two assassination attempts on Trump within about a two-month period in 2024. CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS ‘CONTROVERSIAL,’ ‘PROVOCATIVE’ IN MEDIA’S ASSASSINATION COVERAGE Earlier this year, the New Mexico Republican Party’s headquarters faced an arson attack that destroyed the entrance to its Albuquerque headquarters, and graffiti that said “ICE=KKK” was scrawled on the building. The suspect in that case also allegedly attacked a Tesla Albuquerque showroom and was hit with federal charges. The spate of violent incidents at the beginning of this year targeting Tesla car owners, dealerships, charging stations and Republicans in general compelled some GOP lawmakers to cancel public events. GOP Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman was one of those lawmakers. Her decision came after an incident in which an attendee of one of her town halls followed Hageman as she left and initiated a physical confrontation with her staff, eventually requiring police to intervene. ANTI-TRUMP VOICES PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK’S LEGACY AFTER ASSASSINATION, SAY HE WAS DOING POLITICS ‘THE RIGHT WAY’ A handful of pro-life activists were also physically attacked this year, including a pro-life journalist who was punched by an interviewee mid-discussion. TPUSA chapters around the nation have faced other incidents of violence this year as well, including when a group of students with Turning Point USA were attacked by masked individuals at University of California, Davis in April, Fox News previously reported. The conservative group was hosting one of its frequently held Prove Me Wrong events on the campus when protesters destroyed camera gear, a tentand signs at the event. They also flipped tables and assaulted TPUSA staff, the group said after the incident happened. Going back to 2023, former NCAA swimmer and conservative political activist Riley Gaines was attacked and barricaded by protesters in a room at San Francisco State University after she went to campus to speak to students about banning biological males who identify as transgender from competing in women’s sports. The event was part of a Turning Point USA and Leadership Institute forum that was taking place on the university’s campus. Meanwhile, churches and pro-life groups have faced dozens upon dozens of attacks dating back to 2022 after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which effectively ended the recognition of abortion as a constitutional right. The attacks included a “firebombed” pro-life center in Buffalo, New York, in 2022, vandalized Catholic churches that were targets of arson attacks and pro-choice protesters interrupting faith services. The attacks came after a far-left pro-choice group declared in a public letter that it was “open season” on pro-lifers. Notably, in 2017, then-House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., was shot along with three others when James Hodgkinson, a deranged Bernie Sanders supporter, fired upon an Alexandria, Virginia, baseball field as Republican lawmakers practiced for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. Scalise, who nearly died but ultimately recovered, remains in office and is the House Majority Leader for the Republicans.
Fox News Poll: Trump’s ratings are strong on border security, weak on the economy
While President Donald Trump receives positive reviews on border security and public safety, the economy remains a weakness. Prices are a problem for most voters, as only a small number feel they are getting ahead financially, and more than half think things are worse under the new White House. By a 22-point margin, a Fox News national survey finds that more voters say the Trump administration has made the economy worse (52%) rather than better (30%). Those sentiments are almost identical to how they felt about the Biden administration and are the reverse of how voters felt eight years ago during Trump’s first term. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SUPPORT A THIRD POLITICAL PARTY, BUT NOT IF IT’S ELON MUSK’S The survey was completed before Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination Wednesday. Ratings of the economy continue to be negative by more than 2-to-1 (71% negative vs. 29% positive). That’s roughly where things stood when Trump took office. As has been the case for more than four years, fewer than 15% say they are getting ahead financially, while at least three times that number say they are falling behind. FOX NEWS POLL: SUPPORT FOR DEPORTATION DEPENDS ON WHO IS BEING TARGETED Yet, in some areas, voters say things are not as bad. A year ago, 48% said gas prices were a “major” problem for their families. Now 33% feel that way, down 15 points. Likewise, a smaller share says housing costs (by 11 points) and grocery prices (by 8 points) are a major problem. It’s the opposite on utility (+2 points) and healthcare costs (+7), as more people call those a major problem. Still, large majorities describe each of these costs as either a minor or major problem. “The question former President Biden’s team was asking a year ago was whether voters would get used to an $8 dollar box of cereal, and the answer was no,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News surveys with his Democratic counterpart, Chris Anderson. “I think the Trump team is finding this dynamic still holds. It’s not enough that prices aren’t rising. They need to come down. If not, 2026 will be a bad year for the GOP.” Voters’ persistent negativity about the economy was at least somewhat validated by a recent Labor Department report that showed the 2024 employment estimates were much weaker than initially thought. The economy remains by far the most important issue to voters (37%). That’s followed by immigration and border security (13%), healthcare (11%) and political division (11%). All other issues are in single digits, including crime and guns. Notably, Democrats, Republicans and independents agree the economy is the top issue facing the country. Looking ahead, voters are pessimistic: 62% think life will be worse for the next generation of Americans. That’s up from 53% who felt that way a year ago and is the second highest in Fox News surveys going back to 2002. By a 10-point margin, optimism is higher among parents (44%) than non-parents (34%), and by a 13-point margin, more dads (50%) than moms (37%) think life will be better for their kids. Eight in 10 Democrats and independents think life will be worse, while six in 10 Republicans think it will be better. A year ago, nearly six in 10 Democrats said life would be better for the next generation, while seven in 10 Republicans and six in 10 independents said worse. Approval of Trump on the economy stands at 39%, only one tick higher than his record low, and even fewer voters approve of his handling of tariffs (36%) and the cost of living (32%). While Trump’s ratings are better on immigration (47% approve) and crime (50%), his best marks are on border security, as 57% approve. That’s not only a record on border security, but it’s also his second-highest approval ever on any issue in a Fox News survey (the highest was 60% for “recent hurricanes” in 2017). In addition, 49% approve of ICE, up from 46% in June. Fewer are concerned about crime in their neighborhood: 32% are extremely or very concerned, down from 48% in 2021. Over half approve of the federal government generally playing a role in policing crime in large cities (53%) and specifically of Trump sending National Guard troops to help the police in Washington, D.C. (51%). Currently, 46% like the job Trump is doing overall, while 54% disapprove. His highest approval this term was 49% in March, soon after taking office. Fully 88% of Republicans approve, as do 55% of men under age 45 and 48% of Hispanics. Among all voters, a larger number strongly disapproves of Trump (45%) than strongly approves (25%). That 20-point intensity gap is mostly unchanged since March and is comparable with Biden’s ratings for most of his term. Some 46% of voters also approve of the job Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doing as secretary of Health and Human Services. His ratings are higher among parents (53%) and dads (57%) than non-parents (43%) and moms (49%). Forty-nine percent approve of Jerome Powell’s performance as chair of the Federal Reserve. About half of those approving of Trump also approve of Powell, and vice versa. Two-thirds of voters think the country has become less united since Trump took office. That’s double the number who feel he has brought people together and worse than the 54% who felt Biden was dividing the country four years ago. Trump’s personal favorable rating is in line with his job approval: 43% view him favorably and 57% unfavorably, for a net negative of 14 points. Vice President JD Vance (-12), former Vice President Kamala Harris (-13), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (-12), and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (-11) all have about the same net negative favorability as Trump. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s marks are underwater by 13 points, yet he is unknown to nearly half of voters. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Three quarters think the president should “always” follow the law, while one quarter
Fox News Poll: Voters want greater involvement in Ukraine, support current approach in Israel
As international conflicts intensify, the highest share of voters prefer that the United States increase support for Ukraine while thinking the current approach in Israel is appropriate. The latest Fox News national survey, released Thursday, also finds that while a majority continues to support the Israelis, a record-high 41% back the Palestinians in the conflict. Support for the Palestinians is up 9 points since March and up 23 points since October 2023, shortly after the Hamas attacks. Compared to March, support for the Palestinians is up across the board, but most notably among Republicans (+6 points) and independents (+15). The Palestinians receive some of their strongest support from voters under age 30 (67%), very liberal voters (67%), Democrats (59%) and non-White voters (55%). FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SUPPORT A THIRD POLITICAL PARTY, BUT NOT IF IT’S ELON MUSK’S The backing for Israelis (55%) has been largely stable since January, with support peaking at 68% in October 2023. Regarding the level of U.S. support for Israel, the bulk of voters feels it’s about right (43%), up 8 points since last year. Still, by 14 points, more think the U.S. is too supportive (35%) rather than not supportive enough (21%). Five in 10 Democrats view U.S. backing of Israel as too supportive, while six in 10 Republicans think the backing is about right. Independents are split: 39% too supportive, 27% not enough, 34% about right. FOX NEWS POLL: THE GOP IS SEEN AS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A CLEAR PLAN FOR THE COUNTRY While a majority of voters blame Hamas for the famine in Gaza (80% very or somewhat responsible), more than two-thirds also feel Israel is responsible (68%). Democrats fault each group about equally (81% Israel, 78% Hamas) while more Republicans (57% Israel, 85% Hamas) and Independents (64% Israel, 71% Hamas) blame Hamas. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE Meanwhile, by a 10 percentage-point margin, voters think the U.S. should be doing more to help Ukraine in its war with Russia (39% more vs. 29% less), with another one-third (31%) thinking the effort is adequate. Sentiment remains mostly unchanged since July but is a reversal from a year ago when voters thought we should be doing less by 17 points (40% less, 23% more, 34% about right). The increase in support for helping Ukraine comes mainly from Democrats (+30 points) and independents (+18 points), as views among Republicans shifted toward the U.S. is doing the right amount (+19). President Donald Trump has spoken to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the last few weeks to broker a peace deal but to no avail thus far. Trump garners better ratings for his handling of Ukraine (40% approve, 59% disapprove) than on Russia (36% vs. 62%) but is still underwater on both. Some 46% approve of the job the president is doing overall, while 54% disapprove. Conducted Sept. 6-9, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,004 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (119) and cellphones (638) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (247). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.
Inside the mind of a shooter: Profiler breaks down the planning behind high-level assassination attempts
The assassin behind Charlie Kirk‘s murder is still on the lam and is likely an individual who lacks social skills, isolates himself and has only a loose plan for next steps, retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and profiler James Clemente told Fox News Digital. “In this case, it’s likely that there has been, for some time, a building frustration, and anger and rage and an inability to feel that is addressed. And so they wanted to make a big — a very big — public statement. [The suspect] probably has a very poor self-image and wanted to do something big to feel better about themselves. “And they probably, again, don’t have the skills to address these issues in a calm, rational, interpersonal way. And that’s why they lashed out in this very violent and extreme manner,” Clemente, also the co-host and creator of the show “Real Crime Profile,” told Fox News Digital in a phone interview Thursday. LIVE UPDATES: MANHUNT FOR CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTER CONTINUES Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot by an unidentified individual Wednesday afternoon while attending an event at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback Tour. Kirk was a massive voice for the conservative movement, championing faith, family and freedom-focused values for youths, most notably on college campuses through TPUSA. The shocking assassination has not yet yielded a suspect, and the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are poring through evidence to identify and apprehend the individual. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: DISPATCH AUDIO REVEALS SUSPECT IN BLACK TACTICAL GEAR, CARRYING LONG GUN Clemente spoke to Fox Digital specifically about a shooter’s pre- and post-offense behavior, noting that the suspect likely dropped hints or divulged details of the planned assassination to friends or family or via social media posts ahead of the violence. “This is not likely a repeat offense for this person. It’s probably the first time that they ever acted out in this way, and, therefore, they probably leaked out information beforehand,” he said, adding the suspect may have dropped information to others while at work to colleagues or while drinking at a bar. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SUSPECT EVADES MANHUNT AS INVESTIGATORS ANALYZE SECURITY FOOTAGE High-profile shooters typically drop breadcrumbs of information on their planned attack “because they don’t know for certain that this is what they’re going to do, but they are building up this frustration and anger and rage, and they want to take it out.” The retired FBI profiler added that the suspect is likely not a sophisticated killer and was only “developing” a murderous persona, which would make the individual more prone to speaking openly about the upcoming attack. Police dispatch audio revealed police were on the hunt for a person wearing all black and carrying a long rifle near the university library, Fox News Digital previously reported. Investigators later said they recovered a “high-powered, bolt-action rifle” near the scene after tracing the assassin’s suspected escape route. Police, citing images of a person of interest they obtained, reported the individual appeared to be college-age and “blended in well” with the crowd. “Starting at 11:52 a.m. this subject arrived on campus, shortly away from campus,” Utah Department of Public Safety Director Beau Mason told reporters Thursday. “We have tracked his movements onto the campus through the stairwells, up to the roof across the roof to the shooting location. After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building and fled, off of the campus and into a neighborhood.” VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE ASSASSINATION OF TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK Clemente, in his breakdown of the suspect’s “post-offense behavior,” said the shooter likely did not map out a next step plan after carrying out the assassination, pointing to how police recovered the rifle tossed near the scene of the tragedy. “He had no idea what was going to happen afterwards, what was going to happen during, whether he was going to get away with it or not. And, so, therefore, he didn’t plan out his after-game,” Clemente said. The retired FBI supervisory special agent added that the suspect is likely showing a guilty hand with odd behaviors, such as making an excuse of facing some type of emergency and needing to abruptly leave his home, job or school. CHARLIE KIRK DEAD AT 31: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT HIS LEGACY AT TURNING POINT USA “Somebody knows this person. A number of people know this person. A number of people will have some kind of interaction with him, in which he will sort of try to avoid the spotlight until the heat is off of him. And so he may leave the area for kind of a last-minute emergency and then try to come back when everything’s calmed down,” Clemente said. TRUMP RESPONDS TO CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING: ‘LOVED AND ADMIRED BY ALL’ The FBI is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect or suspects, and FBI Director Kash Patel is heading to Utah Thursday. Clemente stressed to Fox News Digital that the FBI is investigating “everything.” “They’re using whatever technology is available. They’re definitely looking at all videos. There’s literally hundreds and hundreds of videos out there from the students and the attendees at this rally. There’s also cameras out in the real world that I’m certain that they followed this person’s egress and ingress and, that’s how they found the weapon, and it is also how he’s going to be identified,” he said. Kirk, 31, leaves behind his wife Erika and their two children, ages 1 and 3. His casket will be transported to Arizona on Air Force Two, Fox News Digital reported on Thursday. Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.