EXCLUSIVE: Trump-aligned legal group files FOIA request for DC crime data, citing alleged manipulation
FIRST ON FOX — A pro-Trump legal group founded by White House aide Stephen Miller filed a FOIA request Thursday seeking all crime records and data compiled by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, as part of an effort to scrutinize information and crime statistics that senior adminis tration officials allege have been “manipulated.” The request by the America First Legal Foundation (AFL) includes demands for a wide range of documents from D.C.’s police force, including all email communications or internal guidance reflecting any changes in the department’s tracking or reporting of crimes in the city, as well as any records “reflecting the falsification or non-publication” of crime data and statistics, among other things. It is part of a broader investigation AFL launched on Thursday, just four days after President Donald Trump issued his order to temporarily federalize D.C. both by deploying hundreds of D.C. National Guard troops into the city, and temporarily taking federal control of D.C.’s police force to crack down on crime. In the FOIA request, AFL also asked for records of “all communications” related to Michael Pulliam, the D.C. police officer who was placed on administrative leave in May, after he was accused of changing crime statistics to minimize crimes. TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON VOTING BLOCKED BY FEDERAL JUDGES AMID FLURRY OF LEGAL SETBACKS Pulliam formerly served as a police commander for the Metropolitan Police Department’s Third District, which includes Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights. The Pulliam investigation has become something of a political lightning rod in recent days, as Trump officials have pointed to the investigation and his leave as evidence that MPD has sought to manipulate or massage crime statistics in the nation’s capital. News of the AFL probe comes as President Donald Trump and White House officials have blasted what they describe as a “ridiculous” amount of crime in D.C., and claimed repeatedly that the crime statistics in question might not be an accurate portrayal of the situation on the ground — something critics argue is simply justification for the administration to push through its executive order. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told NewsNation in an interview earlier this week that Washington, D.C., “is more violent than Baghdad.” “As each day passes, new horrific examples of violent crime are reported across the district,” AFL’s lead attorney, Will Scolinos, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “AFL is investigating whether, as described by recent reports, official D.C. crime statistics may have been deliberately falsified to make the city seem safer than it is.” “President Trump has stepped up to make Washington D.C. safer for all residents and visitors to the nation’s capital—but the Left is lockstep in defending D.C. as ‘safe enough.’” Scolinos added. “Americans know better.” Trump, in his August 11 executive order, declared a “crime emergency” in the nation’s capital. That order invokes Section 740 of D.C.’s Home Rule Act, saying that federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department is needed to maintain law and order in D.C to protect the nation’s capital — including federal buildings, property, and monuments— and to ensure “conditions necessary” for the orderly functioning of the federal government. TRUMP IS THREATENING TO ‘FEDERALIZE’ DC WITH NATIONAL GUARD AND MORE. HERE’S HOW THAT COULD PLAY OUT In announcing their investigation Thursday, the AFL also cited a report published Thursday morning by the Washington Free Beacon involving a D.C. settlement agreement with a former police sergeant, Charlotte Djossou, who allegedly sued MPD leaders in 2020 for “misclassifying offenses” to deflate D.C. crime statistics. That settlement was not included in AFL’s FOIA request, and Fox News Digital could not immediately confirm the details of the report, or the nature of the settlement agreement in question. Still, news of the AFL probe comes as senior Trump officials and allies of the president have seized on the Pulliam investigation as a means of calling into question the accuracy of federal crime data in D.C. The administration has sought to undermine preliminary federal statistics published in January 2025 that said violent crime in the nation’s capital had dropped to its lowest point in more than 30 years. FEDERAL JUDGES GRILL TRUMP LAWYERS OVER ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS ON EVE OF ENFORCEMENT D.C. officials, for their part, have conceded that the drop in violent crime might be overstated (data on the MPD website now shows a 26% drop between 2023 and 2024). But they’ve pushed back on the notion that artificially deflated crime data is to blame. In an interview with NBC News earlier this week, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said that a recent review of all MPD crime data found 552 fewer victims of violent crime in the first eight months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Crime is down across all seven districts, with anomalies in just one, she told NBC. “Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false,” she said in a televised interview Sunday. America First Legal, though not officially part of the Trump administration, was founded by longtime Trump advisor Stephen Miller after Trump’s first presidential term. Miller stepped down from AFL before rejoining the White House in 2025 as Trump’s deputy chief of staff.
DOJ charges five alleged Mexican cartel leaders, touts ‘extraordinary policework’ that led to indictments
The Department of Justice announced on Thursday it brought criminal charges against five fugitives who are allegedly senior leaders of the United Cartels, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and involved in a massive drug distribution network. DOJ Criminal Division head Matthew Galeotti said the indictments marked a “significant step” in the DOJ’s mission to eradicate the organization and came as a result of “extraordinary policework.” “This investigation began in a small town in Middle America and led to clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in Michoacán, Mexico. … This case demonstrates our relentless pursuit of cartel leaders who flood our communities with illegal drugs and terrorize citizens on both sides of the border with violence,” Galeotti said in a statement. US TREASURY SANCTIONS ‘BRUTALLY VIOLENT’ CARTEL FOR TIMESHARE FRAUD IN TOURIST HOTSPOT Senior DOJ officials detailed to reporters the law enforcement work that preceded the indictments. “The really interesting part about this case is the investigation, how it unfolded, from a local town in Tennessee all the way to an international takedown, and we wanted to give you a little bit of detail about that,” one of the officials said. The case started as a regional hit-and-run incident involving two people in Rockwood, Tennessee, the official said. Police discovered the pair were methamphetamine dealers, and through investigative work, they were led to a vast narcotics distribution network in the Atlanta area, the official said. After a series of actions, including conducting surveillance outside a hotel, engaging in a high-speed shootout and executing search warrants in Georgia, they eventually discovered what totaled 950 kilograms of methamphetamine. MEXICO TO EXTRADITE 26 TOP CARTEL LEADERS TO US IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DEAL Phones seized during that operation allowed investigators to make the connection to Michoacan. “The key thing about this case is it actually quite well demonstrates the perils of what’s going on and these high-level narco-terrorists abroad and the impacts that it has on our local communities and in our streets,” the official said. The shootout involved a man named Cody Seals, who was sentenced last year to 30 years in prison for conspiring to distribute illicit drugs and attempting to murder two Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers. One of the troopers was wounded in the leg, while Seals was shot in the head and survived. Police discovered more than one kilogram of methamphetamine in Seals’ vehicle. The Trump administration took a whole-of-government approach to addressing the United Cartels, the senior officials told reporters. In addition to the indictments unveiled on Thursday, the Treasury Department announced economic sanctions against several of its alleged leaders and the State Department announced $26 million in rewards for information leading to the arrests of the five defendants, who remain at-large. Those facing charges are Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, Alfonso Fernandez Magallon, Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez, Edgar Orozco Cabadas and Nicolas Sierra Santana. The five men have allegedly been involved in a decades-long conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, including into the United States. They face drug trafficking and firearms charges that carry maximum penalties of life in prison. “Today’s charges are designed to dismantle the United Cartels and bring their leaders to justice for unleashing death and destruction on American citizens,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said.
Hunter Biden delivers profanity-laced response to Melania Trump’s $1B notice for ‘defamatory’ Epstein remarks
Hunter Biden, in another profanity-laced interview, brushed off first lady Melania Trump’s recent $1 billion legal notice over what she claims are “false, defamatory, disparaging and inflammatory statements.” “F— that. That’s not gonna happen,” Biden said during an interview with “Channel 5” podcaster Andrew Callaghan that was published to YouTube Thursday. Callaghan had offered Biden the opportunity to apologize to the first lady for a previous video interview titled “Hunter Biden Returns” earlier in August, when the former first son claimed “Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are, like, so wide and deep.” “Mrs. Trump is seeking $1 billion in damages if we don’t take the video down, and if Hunter here doesn’t issue a formal apology to Mrs. Trump,” Callaghan told Biden, before the former first son brushed off the notice. “So now we’re here maybe to give you the platform to apologize to the first lady for your statements that you made about her possible connection to Jeffrey Epstein.” FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP PUTS HUNTER BIDEN ON $1B NOTICE OVER ‘FALSE, DEFAMATORY’ EPSTEIN COMMENTS Biden doubled down in his most recent interview, and welcomed sitting down at a deposition over the matter. “I also think they’re bullies, and they think that a billion dollars is going to scare me,” he said. “I have this to say to them: if they want to sit down for a deposition and clarify the nature of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein – if the president, the first lady, want to do that, and all of the known associates around them at the time of whatever time that they met – I’m more than happy to provide them the platform to be able to do it.” Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the letter that Alejandro Brito, an attorney serving as litigation counsel for the first lady, sent to Biden and his attorney, Abbe Lowell, Aug. 6. MELANIA TRUMP POSTS VICTORY X POST AFTER JAMES CARVILLE REMOVES PODCAST ALLEGING ‘EPSTEIN CONNECTION’ Brito demanded that Biden “immediately retract the false, defamatory, disparaging and inflammatory statements made about Mrs. Trump,” which were contained in the “Channel 5” video published to YouTube in early August. “Failure to comply will leave Mrs. Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to her to recover the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that you have caused her to suffer,” Brito wrote. Biden had also claimed in the earlier interview that “Jeffrey Epstein introduced Melania, and that’s how Melania and the first lady and the President met.” TRUMP REVEALS MELANIA’S KEY ROLE IN DEALING WITH PUTIN ON UKRAINE WAR “These false, disparaging, defamatory and inflammatory statements are extremely salacious and have been widely disseminated throughout various digital mediums,” Brito wrote. “Indeed, the video has since been re-published by various media outlets, journalists, and political commentators with millions of social media followers that have disseminated the false and defamatory statements therein to tens of millions of people worldwide.” Brito added: “Consequently, you have caused Mrs. Trump to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm.” Brito demanded, on behalf of the first lady, that Biden “immediately issue a full and fair retraction of the video and any and all other false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading and inflammatory statements about Mrs. Trump in as conspicuous a manner as they were originally published.” He also demanded, on behalf of the first lady, that Biden “immediately issue an apology for the false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading and inflammatory statements about Mrs. Trump.” Fox News Digital reached out to Biden attorney Lowell’s office for any additional comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply.
Trump reveals his game plan for meeting with Putin in Alaska: ‘It’s like chess’
President Donald Trump revealed how he plans to approach his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. Trump appeared for a radio interview on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Thursday, telling host Brian Kilmeade that his negotiations with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are “like chess.” Trump estimated that his meeting in Alaska with Putin has a “25% chance of failing outright, but he said the hope is to push for a second meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. “This meeting sets up the second meeting,” Trump told Kilmeade. He argued the second meeting would be “extremely important,” and hinted that there would likely be negotiations over land swaps, a notion Zelenskyy has opposed. ZELENSKYY, AHEAD OF TRUMP-PUTIN MEETING, SAYS THERE IS ‘NO SIGN’ RUSSIA WANTS TO END THE WAR Trump added that he believes he will know very quickly on Friday whether Putin intends to cooperate. “I believe now he’s convinced that he’s going to make a deal. He’s going to make a deal. I think he’s going to. And we’re going to find out – I’m going to know very quickly,” Trump said. WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S MEETING WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN IN ALASKA Trump went on to confirm that he will move forward with a suite of sanctions against Russia if Putin doesn’t move forward with peace talks. “There will be consequences,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t have to say. There will be very severe consequences.” Putin said Thursday that the U.S. was “making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in this conflict”. VLADIMIR PUTIN TO RETURN TO US FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE Meanwhile, Zelenskyy downplayed hopes around the meeting on Wednesday, saying he sees “no sign” that Russia is preparing to end the war in Ukraine. “At present, there is no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war. Our coordinated efforts and joint actions – of Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and all countries that seek peace – can definitely compel Russia to make peace,” Zelenskyy said on X. Reuters contributed to this report.
Ivanka Trump re-enters DC ring for upcoming knockout UFC White House fight
First daughter Ivanka Trump is helping facilitate the highly anticipated White House UFC fight as the Trump administration prepares to roll out patriotic events celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary of independence in 2026. “Ivanka is a longtime fan of UFC and is honored to help Dana White create an exciting event celebrating a sport beloved by so many Americans, as part of our country’s 250th celebration,” a source close to Ivanka Trump told Fox News Digital this week. The first daughter, who is a student of jiu-jitsu, will not take any official job or role for the event but is instead facilitating its planning, Fox News Digital has learned. President Donald Trump first announced in July a UFC fight would be held at the White House, as the nation prepared to celebrate Independence Day. DANA WHITE REITERATES THAT UFC WHITE HOUSE FIGHTS ARE ‘ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HAPPEN’ “Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of ‘America250,’ and I even think we’re going to have a UFC fight,” Trump said in a speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on the eve of the Fourth of July. “Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White?” he continued. “We’re going to have a UFC fight. We’re going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.” Trump ally and UFC CEO Dana White declared in August that the fight at the White House is “absolutely going to happen,” previewing that it would be held in honor of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, July 4, 2026. UFC’S DANA WHITE HINTS THAT RECENTLY RETIRED JON JONES, CONOR MCGREGOR COULD RETURN FOR WHITE HOUSE FIGHTS “Think about that, the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the UFC will be on the White House South Lawn live on CBS,” White told the Associated Press Wednesday. “This is a one-of-one event,” he added. TRUMP SAYS UFC FIGHT WILL TAKE PLACE ON WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS White promised “the baddest card of all time” during a recent podcast appearance, confirming that Jon Jones, who retired in June and celebrated a recent victory by dancing like Trump, had gone back into the drug-testing pool ahead of the 2026 fight. “Everybody wants to fight on this card. Literally everybody,” White told the “Full Send Podcast” in July. TRUMP’S UFC 316 APPEARANCE DRAWS MASSIVE OVATION IN NEW JERSEY, FIGHTER CELEBRATES WITH HIM AFTER WIN White first previewed Ivanka Trump’s involvement with planning the White House UFC fight, telling CBS in August that the president wanted his daughter involved. “When (Trump) called me and asked me to do it, he said, ‘I want Ivanka in the middle of this,’” White told CBS Mornings Tuesday. “So, Ivanka reached out to me, and her and I started talking about the possibilities, where it would be and, you know, I put together all the renderings.” Ivanka Trump served as a senior advisor to President Trump during his first administration but has kept out of the political spotlight since then. Fox News Digital’s Ryan Morik and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Trump’s federal crime operation brings 100 arrests, 800 National Guard troops to Washington
Federal law enforcement agents were spotted patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., Wednesday night as President Donald Trump’s crime crackdown ramped up. Personnel from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secret Service were spotted, largely in groups, around the city in central downtown locations: Metro Center, 14th Street, Logan Circle and Chinatown. Some even ventured into residential neighborhoods. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told “Fox and Friends” that 45 arrests were made overnight, bringing the total to around 100 since the operations formally began on Monday. In addition, 29 illegal immigrants were detained, and three illegal firearms were seized on Wednesday evening. At least 400 National Guardsmen have reported for duty as of Wednesday, and a total of 800 will be at the ready by the end of the week. They will patrol the city in rotations, with about 200 out at a time. An additional 500 federal agents are a part of the White House’s task force to crack down on crime in the district. 400 NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS DESCEND UPON DC; EXPANDED CRIME CRACKDOWN EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT While operations began with a focus on nighttime, they are ramping up into a continuous 24/7 cycle. In addition, D.C. police will extend a juvenile curfew zone in the Navy Yard through Aug. 31, police Chief Pamela Smith announced Thursday. The zone was established after police say a juvenile opened fire in the direction of other minors with a stolen gun, though no one was injured. Police say as many as 100 teens have gathered at night and caused trouble in the Navy Yard throughout the summer. Protests have popped up across the city opposing Trump’s takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the presence of the National Guard. One man was charged with assaulting an officer after he threw a sandwich at a CBP agent and called the officer a “fascist.” “He thought it was funny,” Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro said of the incident. “Well, he doesn’t think it’s funny today, because we charged with him with a felony.” INSIDE THE WASHINGTON, DC HOMELESS HOT SPOTS TRUMP HAS VOWED TO CLEAN UP A police checkpoint stopping vehicles was set up on 14th Street on Wednesday night, and protesters surrounded the checkpoint and shouted, “Go home fascists!” D.C. crime statistics show that violent crime hit a 30-year low in 2024; down 35% from the previous year. And this year, it’s down 26% from last year at this time. But some insist the statistics are inaccurate, and the reality on the ground tells a different story. “Look at these 45 victims, all 19 and under, all killed by gunfire in the last 18 months in DC and tell me that crime is down and we don’t need an emergency focus on crimes of violence,” Pirro wrote on X, alongside a picture of the under-20 victims of gun violence. The D.C. police union chief, Gregg Pemberton, cast doubt on the statistics showing a massive drop in crime over a two-year period. “There’s potentially a drop from where we were in 2023. I think that there’s a possibility that crime has come down. But the department is reporting that in 2024, crime went down 35% – violent crime – and another 25% through August of this year. That is preposterous to suggest that cumulatively we’ve seen 60-plus percent drops in violent crime from where we were in ’23, because we’re out on the street. We know the calls we’re responding to,” he told NBC News. MPD’s 3rd District commander was suspended after MPD said he was changing crime statistics to minimize serious crimes.
Trump brings peace to Caucasus: Inside the Armenia–Azerbaijan deal 30 years in the making
In exclusive interviews with Fox News Digital, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev described a U.S.-brokered peace deal as a “historic” opportunity to end more than three decades of conflict and to launch a new era of cooperation in the South Caucasus. Speaking separately, both leaders credited former President Donald Trump and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for guiding months of negotiations that produced the framework agreement. They outlined plans for trade, infrastructure and investment while acknowledging that key political and humanitarian issues may still need to be resolved before the deal is finalized. Aliyev said the agreement cannot be formally signed until Armenia amends its constitution, which he claims still questions Azerbaijani sovereignty. “It’s kind of their homework,” Aliyev said. “As soon as it is done … the final peace agreement will be signed.” Pashinyan rejected that condition, insisting Armenia is already committed to respecting territorial integrity and has “no territorial claims” towards any neighbor. He confirmed that his government is drafting a new constitution but called it an “internal issue” unrelated to the peace terms. One central pillar of the deal is the creation of the “TRIPP corridor,” or Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a transport and trade route designed to connect Armenia and Azerbaijan more directly while integrating the South Caucasus into broader international shipping and energy networks. Aliyev called the project “one of the important parts of international transportation,” saying it would link the Caspian Sea region with markets in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The corridor is expected to carry goods, energy supplies, and potentially serve as a rail hub for cross-regional trade. Pashinyan described the agreement to open communications “based on principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and internationally recognized borders” as a breakthrough. “Now we have de facto peace … it is time to have common investment projects, to have economic cooperation,” he said. “The involvement of the U.S. will make this whole story even more attractive for potential investors.” The status of refugees and detainees from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unsettled. Tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians fled the region after Azerbaijan regained control in the 2020 war and a 2023 military operation. Many resettled in Armenia, but disputes continue over the right to return, property claims and the fate of those detained during and after the fighting. Azerbaijan maintains that prisoners in its custody are combatants or saboteurs, while Armenia and international human rights groups describe many of them as political prisoners. Pashinyan cautioned that raising “very sensitive issues” too aggressively could risk reigniting tensions. “The issue of refugees is important, but we need to concentrate on signing the peace agreement … to poke continuously some very sensitive issues could revive the conflict, you know, and I think it is very important now for both Armenia and Azerbaijan to concentrate on implementation what already has been agreed.” FROM TALK TO TACTICS: TRUMP PIVOTS ON RUSSIA STRATEGY TO END WAR Aliyev praised Trump’s direct involvement in the peace process and criticized what he called unfair portrayals of Azerbaijan under the Biden administration. He pointed to Azerbaijan’s cooperation with U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and said Trump’s return to active diplomacy made the current breakthrough possible. “It was only President Trump … immediately he jumped in the [peace] process,” Aliyev said, adding that if Trump had remained in office after the 2020 election, “probably what we are experiencing today … [would have happened] earlier.” The interviews came hours after Pashinyan and Aliyev joined Trump at the White House to announce the agreement — a rare moment of public unity in a region long defined by war, blockades and mistrust. While the framework sets the stage for normalized relations, both leaders acknowledged that decades of hostility will not disappear overnight. “It isn’t possible to change everything during a day, a week or even a year,” Pashinyan said. “But this is a very bright expression of what we want — both leaders, President Aliyev and myself — we want to change this whole situation.” For Trump, the event marked a high-profile example of his deal-making credentials on the world stage. For Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was a step toward a future that both say they are ready to build — if the remaining disputes can be resolved.
Armenia and Azerbaijan leaders seek to ease Russian and Iranian concerns after US-brokered peace deal
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan brushed off any threat of backlash from neighboring powers Iran and Russia following a U.S.-brokered peace accord – an agreement hailed as the start of a new era, ending more than three decades of war and hostility in the South Caucasus. In exclusive Fox News Digital interviews, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev both praised President Donald Trump and his envoy for their role in brokering the framework agreement. They emphasized that the deal, which promised increased regional economic integration and political cooperation, is not directed at any third party – and may actually provide strategic advantages to Moscow and Tehran. “This is not a zero-sum game,” Pashinyan said. The agreement “contains quite tangible benefits for Iran and for Russia as well.” “Iran would have access through railway from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea and Russia and Iran will have opportunity to have a railway connection between the two countries.” TRUMP TO HOST ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN LEADERS AHEAD OF PEACE PLEDGE AS WHITE HOUSE EYES NOBEL PEACE PRIZE Russia – a long-standing ally of Armenia and a presence in the region through its border guards – welcomed peace but sent a warning about U.S. involvement. Its foreign ministry described the accord as “positive,” expressing hope for stability in the Caucasus, but warned that foreign involvement should complement, not complicate, the peace process. The ministry emphasized that regional solutions should include neighbors like Russia, Iran and Turkey, and cautioned against repeating the pitfalls of Western-led interventions in the Middle East. Aliyev echoed Pashinyan’s remarks and declined to see U.S. diplomatic involvement as a provocation toward Moscow. “It will be very difficult for any country – whether far away or in our region – to say something bad about today’s agreement,” he told Fox News Digital. “We’ve taken the final step toward peace.” He added: “It’s not against anyone. It’s a connectivity project which will be one of the most important parts of international transportation.” At the heart of the pact is the planned Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) – a roughly 27-mile transit route linking mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave, passing through Armenian territory. Armenia has granted the U.S. exclusive development rights via a 99‑year lease, allowing for infrastructure projects such as roads, rail lines, pipelines, fiber optics and possibly power transmission, aimed at opening new trade and transit paths in the region. This bold move shifts regional dynamics, offering Washington a powerful strategic foothold while bypassing traditional Russian and Iranian routes. Iran, in contrast, has responded with hostility. Ali Akbar Velayati, a key advisor to Iran’s supreme leader, warned of serious consequences if the “Zangezur Corridor” – as Iran calls the route – is enacted, asserting that it “will not become a passage owned by Trump, but rather a graveyard for Trump’s mercenaries,” according to the semi-official news agency Tasnim. Iran has even signaled readiness to use military means to block the route. ZELENSKYY NOT INVITED TO UPCOMING TRUMP, PUTIN TALKS – WHITE HOUSE SAYS THIS WAS THE REASON Domestically, Pashinyan faces opposition. Armenian nationalists, already fierce critics of any deal with Azerbaijan, view the agreement as a betrayal. The Republican Party of Armenia has declared that Pashinyan lacks the mandate to sign such a treaty, demanding full transparency and an end to concessions made under external pressure. Pashinyan, however, is undeterred. He said the accord could transform Armenia’s investment climate and attract foreign capital. “We expect to have some criticism, and that’s part of democracy,” he told Fox News Digital. “But we are confident we made the right decision.” Once the dominant power in the South Caucasus, Russia is losing its grip. The war in Ukraine, mounting sanctions and resource strains have depleted its regional influence, enabling the U.S., Turkey and the European Union to expand their diplomatic reach. Relations with Azerbaijan particularly soured following the December 2024 downing of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243. Aliyev accused Moscow of accidentally shooting the passenger jet with Russian air defenses during operations against Ukrainian drones, killing 38 people. Aliyev told Fox News Digital he didn’t believe the incident was an intentional attack by Russian leadership, but demanded a formal admission of guilt, punishment for those responsible and full compensation – moves Russia has resisted, apologizing only vaguely for what they called a “tragic incident.” And amid political divisions, Pashinyan finds himself in a conflict with one of the country’s most respected institutions – the Armenian Apostolic Church, where figures like Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan have led public protests against Pashinyan’s decision to return border villages to Azerbaijan. On June 25, authorities arrested Galstanyan, a leading figure in the church and of the “Sacred Struggle” opposition movement, accusing him of orchestrating a terrorist plot to overthrow the government. Armenia’s Investigative Committee alleged he had recruited more than 1,000 former police and military personnel to stage bombings, disrupt power grids and paralyze transportation networks. Pashinyan assured that the judiciary system acted independently of his government and “in full accordance with the law of Armenia, respecting all the rights of all people.”
Russian oligarch’s $325M seized superyacht heads to auction as Trump–Putin summit nears
A $325 million superyacht seized by the U.S. from a sanctioned Russian oligarch—part of Washington’s effort to punish Moscow’s elite over the invasion of Ukraine—is headed to auction, marking the first sale of its kind since the war began. The auction of Amadea, once owned by Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, comes as President Donald Trump heads to Alaska this week to negotiate an end to the Kremlin’s three-and-a-half-year war. The government argued in a legal filing last year for selling the yacht, citing monthly maintenance costs of approximately $600,000 plus a $143,750 insurance premium. The stunning 348-foot-long yacht features eight state rooms, a beauty salon and spa, a gym, a helipad, a swimming pool, hot tub, fire pit, and two elevators. Built in 2017 by the famed German shipyard Lürssen, the yacht boasts interiors by legendary designer Francois Zuretti, offering opulent spaces adorned with extensive marble work. RUSSIA MAY GAIN UKRAINE’S FERTILE, RESOURCE-RICH TERRITORY AS TRUMP PROPOSES LAND SWAP The six-deck yacht is designed to accommodate 16 guests and 36 crew – and the lower deck is entirely reserved for the owner’s personal use. The owner’s deck includes a lounge area with a grand piano, bar and fireplace, a separate living room and office. This deck also features a beauty center, a dressing room with several closets and an island. The owner’s bathroom has his and her toilets and separate vanities. The owner’s stateroom has several seating areas, a television and opens up to a deck with a Jacuzzi hot tub. Amadea also comes with its own spa that includes a sauna, a Turkish-style steam room, a chromotherapy plunge pool that utilizes colored LED lighting to influence mood, as well as a dedicated massage room. The yacht also has a cinema that features plush seating that moves and vibrates in sync with the action on screen. Guests aboard the Amadea can also enjoy the 33-foot infinity swimming pool and swim-up bar. Interested bidders must first put down a 10 million euro deposit, which is roughly $11.6 million, to be considered. The auction is slated to close on Sept. 10. In the days following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration launched a new task force, dubbed KleptoCapture, to enforce sprawling sanctions on Russian elites accused of bankrolling Putin’s war. Under KleptoCapture, U.S. authorities undertook the gargantuan task of tracking high-value assets around the globe belonging to sanctioned Russians with ties to the Kremlin. After investigators unraveled the Amadea’s opaque ownership, the $325 million superyacht entered U.S. crosshairs and was seized in Lautoka, Fiji, in 2022. U.S. authorities claimed Amadea belonged to Kerimov, a Russian billionaire sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018. At the time, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control described Kerimov as an oligarch who profited from Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. National Maritime Services, a Florida-based company that specializes in seized vessels, took custody of Amadea in 2022. The yacht is currently docked in the Port of San Diego, where it has accrued $1.1 million in fuel, security, and other fees since arriving in June 2022. A U.S. Marshals Service spokesperson said that following Amadea’s sale, the agency’s Asset Forfeiture Division will disperse the funds to various areas. “Some of the areas the money goes to are victim compensation, program expenses, and other agency expenses,” the spokesperson said, declining to elaborate on specifics.
‘Not a politician’: Father of young cancer survivor DJ Daniel runs for Texas 18th district seat
FIRST ON FOX: When Devarjay “DJ” Daniel was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, his father, Theodis Daniel, said he found the courage to fight for his son. Now, speaking first to Fox News Digital, Daniel said he’s ready to fight for Texas’ 18th congressional district. Daniel joins a crowded field of candidates from across the political spectrum, but the father and veteran said his campaign is unlike the others. “I’m a regular guy. I am not a politician,” Daniel said. “I don’t have six-figure deals. I’m just a regular dude trying to make it. Single dad. I got three kids to myself. I’m a disabled veteran just trying to make a difference regardless of what I’m going through.” SCOOP: REPUBLICAN LAUNCHES HOUSE BID IN KEY SWING DISTRICT GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN 2026 MIDTERMS And ultimately, Daniel explained, he is going to “get up every day and get out there and make it happen” for the people of Texas’ 18th congressional district. JOE ROGAN URGES PROGRESSIVE TEXAS DEMOCRAT TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, CALLING HIM A ‘GOOD PERSON’ “I don’t call myself a politician,” Daniel said. “I’m a public servant first, because my duty is to the people.” The Republican candidate said he is running “for those who struggle,” explaining that his campaign priorities – supporting law enforcement, safety, healthcare and education – aren’t just abstract ideas but “battles my family and I face every day.” Daniel’s 13-year-old son, DJ, was named an honorary U.S. Secret Service agent during President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress earlier this year. Daniel proudly raised his son up over his shoulder as politicians jumped to their feet for a standing ovation. The moment catapulted Daniel into the national conversation, and the 13-year-old was invited to visit Trump at the White House the following day. “Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. His name is DJ Daniel, he is 13 years old, and he has always dreamed of becoming a police officer,” Trump said. “Tonight, DJ, we’re going to do you the biggest honor of them all. I am asking our new Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service,” Trump continued. Daniel has now been sworn in at more than 1,300 law enforcement agencies across the country, the White House confirmed in May. “DJ initially had five months to live, and we’ve beaten that,” Daniel shared with Fox News Digital. The veteran said he has learned resilience in the face of adversity. “I want to run because I feel like everything that my son and I have been doing for the last six years or so, we have brought joy to people’s lives and gave them hope, which I didn’t think it was going to turn into nothing like this, but it feels good,” Daniel said. Daniel said the constituents of Texas’ 18th congressional district have been “duped,” and they are ready for real progress. He also committed to a term-limit if he’s elected to Congress this November, explaining that many elected officials lose sight of their mission and get too comfortable in office. “Sometimes, when you marinate meat, you kind of ruin it. Some people just wear out their welcome. It’s like somebody coming to your house, wanting to stay for a little bit, and they stay there for two or three days,” Daniel said. “Well, these folks got comfortable. When people get comfortable, they get lazy. When they get lazy, they get forgetful and disrespectful,” Daniel added. Texas is holding a special election on Nov. 4 to replace the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, who succeeded the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Lee represented Texas’ 18th congressional district for nearly three decades before her death in July 2024. Turner also died in March 2025, leading to the current special election. Texas’ 18th congressional district represents parts of northern and eastern Houston, including downtown, as well as the nearby city of Humble and Harris County.