Trump’s earliest supporter announces bid for Alabama Senate seat
FIRST ON FOX: Another House Republican has their eyes set on a Senate seat in the 2026 midterms. Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., told Fox News Digital in an interview that he plans to run for Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s seat in the upper chamber. Moore, who has represented the southern Alabama 1st congressional district since 2021, styled himself as a fiscal hawk with a longstanding history of supporting President Donald Trump. Indeed, he was the first elected official in the country to endorse Trump during his first run for office in 2015. TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP ‘RIGHTLY’ TOOK OVER DC POLICE, DEMANDS BOWSER, OTHERS TESTIFY ON CRIME “I think my number one job is to protect the people’s liberty and to support the president in that process,” Moore said. “And so, for us, it’s an opportunity to continue to fight for the America First agenda, and also make sure we have conservatives in the Senate from Alabama that are truly the voice of the people.” And one of his top concerns in Washington is the ever-increasing national debt, which has neared $37 trillion and counting, according to the Fox Business National Debt Tracker. One of his top priorities when helping to craft Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” was to apply downward pressure on Congress’ spending habits to achieve roughly $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade. “I think that we’ll have to hold the line on spending,” Moore said. “But again, this didn’t get this way overnight. You’re not going to fix it overnight. So you have to do it gradually.” SENATE REPUBLICANS REVEAL DRAMATIC DEALMAKING BEHIND TRUMP’S $3.3T MEGABILL PASSAGE Moore, 58, is not alone in the race to replace Tuberville, who earlier this year announced that he would make a bid for the governor’s mansion after serving only one term in the upper chamber. He joins Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson in the Republican primary. There are also a trio of candidates running on the Democratic side, including Kyle Sweetser, Dakarai Larriett and Mark Wheeler II. And despite his conservative bona fides — he is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and touted his deeply conservative voting record — Moore believed that the number one issue in the Senate, and Congress in general, is the growing partisan divide. TRUMP’S SENATE CLOSER: REPUBLICAN FRESHMAN EMERGES AS KEY WHITE HOUSE ALLY He noted that when he came to Washington in 2021, he was disappointed that Republicans and Democrats didn’t work together more in the lower chamber under former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “I think most people in D.C. are principled,” he said. “They’re trying to do the right thing. There’s perfect, and that’s sometimes the enemy of practical. And so we try to make sure that even on the ‘big, beautiful bill,’ it wasn’t perfect. There were 435 versions of perfect in the House, but having principled people come to the table and say, ‘Let’s get a practical solution so we can get wins for this administration and for our country’ – I think that’s what we have to do in the Senate.” “I don’t think we have to look at the opposing side as the enemy always,” he said. “And I think we have to keep in mind, too, that they represent areas, and they have a different experience in life.” Still, despite his desire to create bipartisan inroads in the upper chamber, which is a must in most legislative fights, given the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Moore supports a change to Senate rules for confirmations to blast through Senate Democrats’ blockade of Trump’s nominees. He’s in support of shortening the debate time on nominees, one of the options on the table for when lawmakers return from their August break, and argued that Democrats “are playing the obstructionist” despite Trump winning big in the 2024 election. “The American people are fed up with that, so I say we change the rules and allow these nominees to get the jobs and start doing the job so they can help the president achieve his agenda,” he said.
‘Things need to change’: Senate Democrats sharpen criticism of Israel as humanitarian concerns grow
Senate Democrats have undergone a steady tonal shift on Israel, with a recent vote to block arms sales to the Jewish State giving a glimpse at the evolution on the Hill. More Democrats in the upper chamber than ever before voted alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to halt the $675 million sale of thousands of bombs and guidance kits for the bombs and to block the sale of automatic rifles to Israel. BERNIE SANDERS TO FORCE SENATE VOTE ON BLOCKING ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL Sanders’ push ultimately failed late last month, but over half of all Senate Democrats voted alongside him, with many voting with him for the first time. Meanwhile, all Senate Republicans voted against them. “The tide is turning,” Sanders, who routinely caucuses with Democrats, said in a statement. “The American people do not want to spend billions to starve children in Gaza. The Democrats are moving forward on this issue, and I look forward to Republican support in the near future.” Getting Republicans on board for future attempts, as Sanders hoped would happen, is a stretch at best. “Republicans stand with Israel,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch, R-Idaho, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Senator Sanders’ resolution to block arms sales would have reinstated the failed policies of the Biden administration and would abandon America’s closest ally in the Middle East,” he continued. “We can’t afford to go back there.” TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP ‘RIGHTLY’ TOOK OVER DC POLICE, DEMANDS BOWSER, OTHERS TESTIFY ON CRIME But the change within the Democratic caucus was likely spurred by the release of photos of starving children in the Gaza Strip, which earned shocked reactions from both lawmakers and President Donald Trump. Many Democrats have pinned the blame on Israel and argued that the Jewish state has put a chokehold on aid that is meant for civilians in Gaza, while Republicans contend that the terrorist organization Hamas is stealing the food. “What’s going on is unacceptable, and Israel has the power to fix it,” Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, told Fox News Digital. Like Sanders, King typically caucuses with Senate Democrats. But unlike his fellow Independent colleague, he has routinely stood firm in his support of Israel. But the photos and reports of widespread malnutrition prompted him to vote to block arms sales. “Israel’s the one that’s not letting the aid get in,” he said. “The humanitarian response is entirely within Israel’s hands, and they’ve been blocking, slowing, starting and stopping, to the point where I just could no longer stand silent.” And like King, Sen. Jean Shaheen, the top ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, changed course and voted in favor of blocking arms sales out of concern that food aid was not making its way to Palestinians. “I think it’s important to send the message to Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and his government that things need to change,” the New Hampshire Democrat said in an interview with PBS Newshour. SENATE REPUBLICANS REVEAL DRAMATIC DEALMAKING BEHIND TRUMP’S $3.3T MEGABILL PASSAGE But Republicans charged that it was not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fault that food aid was not making its way into Gaza, and instead believed that it was Hamas stealing the food. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said that Israel wants to make sure that the food aid actually makes it to civilians in Hamas. “Israel and the US have cut out, cut off most of Hamas’ cash flow,” Kennedy said. “And a lot of their cash flows depends on stealing the food and selling it, sometimes to their own people, absorbing the prices.” And not every Senate Democrat is on the same page when it comes to their position on the Jewish State. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has routinely slammed Democrats for criticizing Israel, and believed that his party was moving further away from his position. “What I really fundamentally believe, there’s been a wholesale shift, even within my party, to blame Israel for the situations and the circumstances overall,” Fetterman told Fox News Digital. “And I don’t really understand. It’s like we’ve seen the same pictures and, of course, what’s happened in Gaza is devastating.” “But so, for me, I blame Hamas and Iran,” he continued. “And I don’t know why there’s not like a collective global outrage.”
DC councilman charged with corruption scheme says leaders are ‘responsible,’ don’t need ‘federal interference’
President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C.’s law enforcement is facing criticism from an eyebrow-raising source: a D.C. city councilman who is facing charges of running a bribery scheme out of his office. Trayon White, 41, was sworn in to the city council on Friday, having been elected to the post despite facing an upcoming trial on federal bribery charges in 2026. Asked about Trump’s then-threatened takeover of D.C. law enforcement, White argued that D.C.’s leaders are already “responsible,” and that a federal takeover would only “cripple” the city. “I think we have one of the strongest budgets of any city for the last 20 years. We are fiscally responsible. We have a AAA bond rating. We’ve shown that we can be responsible with our funds. We don’t need federal interference. In fact, they’ve only crippled Washington D.C. and the progress we’ve made over the last four decades,” White told reporters. The D.C. council voted to expel White in February as his bribery charges began to play out. He nevertheless won back his seat in July, basing his campaign around claims that the FBI had targeted him unjustly. He claimed last week that the federal agency was out to “kill” him. TRUMP IS THREATENING TO ‘FEDERALIZE’ DC WITH NATIONAL GUARD AND MORE. HERE’S HOW THAT COULD PLAY OUT “You know the FBI is after me, you know, but I believe that, you know, not just arrest me, but, you know, but I believe they want to kill me,” White told reporters Friday. TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC ‘SAFER’ AND ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS The FBI arrested White in August 2024 after he was accused by federal authorities of agreeing to accept $156,000 in bribes. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026. White denies any wrongdoing and is pleading not guilty in the federal case, despite apparent video of him allegedly pocketing cash-stuffed envelopes. A Justice Department statement from August 2024 alleges that White agreed to accept the bribes in exchange for “using his official position to pressure renewal” of contracts valued at $5.2 million. Trump announced on Monday that his administration was federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department and deploying 800 National Guardsmen to the city in an effort to combat crime and homelessness. U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro blames much of the problem on “young punks” who view themselves as untouchable by the law. DC COUNCIL EXPELS TRAYON WHITE FOLLOWING FEDERAL BRIBERY CHARGE The alleged bribery scheme was focused on violence-prevention programs, with White allegedly pressuring employees at the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) to re-up certain contracts. White was allowed to run in the special election because he had not been convicted of a felony. “So we sent a message loud and clear to D.C. City Council that Trayon White is here to stay,” White said in his victory speech, according to the Associated Press. The outlet added that the troubled, once-ousted council member told the story of his return to office as one of resilience and redemption.
Democratic whistleblower told FBI that Adam Schiff approved classified leaks to target Trump
A Democratic whistleblower told the FBI that Adam Schiff approved leaking classified information in order to discredit President Donald Trump, according to newly-released documents. The documents, which were obtained by Just The News, were recently handed over to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel. The whistleblower reportedly worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for over ten years, and reported Schiff’s alleged behavior to the FBI in 2017. According to the report, the intelligence staffer called the leaking “treasonous” and “illegal,” in addition to being unethical. He was most recently interviewed by the FBI in 2023. COULD SENATOR ADAM SCHIFF REALLY GO TO JAIL OVER ALLEGED MORTGAGE FRAUD? The staffer also said that he personally attended a meeting where Schiff greenlit the leak. “When working in this capacity, [redacted staffer’s name] was called to an all-staff meeting by SCHIFF,” the documents state, per Just The News. “In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP.” “[The whistleblower] stated this would be illegal and, upon hearing his concerns, unnamed members of the meeting reassured that they would not be caught leaking classified information,” the report added. TRUMP-FOE ADAM SCHIFF DISMISSES TULSI GABBARD’S DECLASSIFIED RUSSIA COLLUSION INTELLIGENCE AS ‘DISHONEST’ John Solomon, who co-authored the piece with Just The News’ Jerry Dunleavy, appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” to discuss the report. “This is the first of several major leak investigations we’re going to see over the next several days,” Solomon said. “You’re going to see other major people that were clearly identified by the FBI, having leaked classified secrets.” “Their own staff turned them in when interviewed by the FBI. Nothing, again, happened,” he added. “It’s a common pattern. The question now is, in Donald Trump’s Justice Department, does that dynamic change?” Soon after the report was published, Patel shared it on X, saying that the FBI “found it [and] declassified it.” “Now Congress can see how classified info was leaked to shape political narratives – and decide if our institutions were weaponized against the American people,” Patel’s post read. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Curto contributed to this report.
FBI Director Kash Patel backs Trump’s DC police takeover: ‘When you let good cops be cops, they deliver’
FBI Director Kash Patel endorsed President Donald Trump’s plans to take over the Metropolitan Police Department to tackle crime in Washington D.C., amid heavy criticism from Democrats and local officials who say the move is part of a power grab. Patel was seen Monday afternoon inside a command post for the first night of the temporary takeover in a show of support for law enforcement. “Proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the men and women who keep our nation’s capital safe,” Patel said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “When you let good cops be cops, give them the tools they need, and back them every step of the way, they deliver – every time.” In photos exclusively provided to Fox News Digital, Patel can be seen speaking Monday to FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel wearing protective vests at a command center at a U.S. Park Police station. TOP DEMOCRATS RIPPED ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVER ‘BONKERS’ REACTIONS TO TRUMP’S DC CRIME PLAN: ‘MASSIVE LIAR’ On Monday, Trump said he would federalize the police department and place it under the authority of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in an effort to address crime. He also said he was activating approximately 800 National Guard troops to “reestablish law, order and public safety” in the capital. Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser called the move “unsettling and unprecedented.” “While this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I can’t say that given some of the rhetoric of the past, that we’re totally surprised,” Bowser said during a news conference. “I can say to D.C. residents that we will continue to operate our government in a way that makes you proud.” TRUMP’S PLAN TO DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD IN DC SPARKS BACKLASH FROM RESIDENTS—BUT SOME WELCOME IT The District of Columbia Home Rule Act allows Trump to place the city’s police department under federal control for up to 30 days. Bowser noted that granting D.C. statehood, an issue local officials have repeatedly advocated for, could have prevented the takeover. “If people are concerned about the president being able to move the National Guard into our city, the time to do that would have been when the Congress had a bill that it could have given control of the D.C. National Guard to D.C.,” she said. “So there are things that, when a city is not a state, and not fully autonomous, and doesn’t have senators, that the federal government can do.” Other Democrats heavily criticized the Trump administration for the move. “If President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence,” the office of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “Sending in the national guard would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts.” The Washington, D.C. City Council called the temporary takeover a “manufactured intrusion on local authority.” TRUMP CLAIMS DC CRIMES TROUNCE STATS FROM NOTORIOUSLY VIOLENT CITIES WORLDWIDE “Violent crime in the District is at the lowest rates we’ve seen in 30 years. Federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department is unwarranted because there is no Federal emergency,” the council said in a joint statement. “Further, the National Guard has no public safety training or knowledge of local laws. The Guard’s role does not include investigating or solving crimes in the District. Calling out the National Guard is an unnecessary deployment with no real mission.” The National Capital Region Delegation, a body comprised of several House Democratic lawmakers, accused Trump of personally inciting crime in the capital, referring to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol building. “Trump’s ‘temporary’ takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is not intended to prevent crime, it is a soft launch of authoritarianism,” the group said in a statement. “Trump has a longstanding pattern of seeking showy displays of power. As he has shown repeatedly, Trump is working to serve himself and is not concerned with keeping American families safe in cities and towns across our country.” “The President’s announcement this morning is an unserious and unacceptable publicity stunt,” they added. “If he wants to reduce crime in the District of Columbia, he should focus on getting his Republican allies in Congress to restore the funding they arbitrarily stripped out of the city’s budget, which risks cuts to law enforcement and other public safety measures.” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, called Trump’s announcement a “gross overreach, disconnected from actual conditions on the ground.” “So, we have to ask: Will the president’s heavy-handed show of force make the average D.C. resident feel safer? Will it create jobs for working people and bring patrons back to downtown businesses?” she said. “Will it provide young people a pathway to jobs, skills or other activities that keep them off the streets?” “The answer to those questions is ‘no,’ she added. “That’s why this move is yet another crass spectacle from a president who cares more about targeting, intimidating and playing king than the safety of D.C. and its residents.” Trump’s opponents have cited crime statistics showing crime in Washington is on the decline. Crime in Washington is down 26% this year compared to the same timeframe in 2024, according to the MPD. Assaults with a dangerous weapon are down 20%, and homicides are down by 12%, according to police data. In January, the Justice Department said violent crime in 2024 in the district was down 35% from 2023, the lowest it has been in over 30 years. However, Trump disagrees. Metropolitan Police Department data shows that while the homicide rate is falling, the last five years saw the greatest number of murders since 2008. “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth, much higher,” Trump said Monday. “This is much higher. The number of car thefts has
Trick or Treat: Congress faces ‘chamber of horrors’ as government funding deadline looms
It was mid-July. And the House of Representatives was already done for the summer. That’s right around the same time Halloween decorations like gigantic yard skeletons and Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate pumpkins began materializing in stores. Those weren’t phantasms. Halloween is the next big consumer holiday on the calendar. I mean, what would you buy to decorate for Labor Day? But there’s a spooky alignment between July and Halloween when it comes to Congress. If you begin to see Halloween paraphernalia in July, that’s practically October in Capitol Hill terms. The reason? Congress didn’t finish its annual spending bills before the annual August recess and that means it will be a sprint to finish them by October 1, the deadline to avoid a government shutdown. GRIDLOCK CRUMBLES AS SENATE ADVANCES SPENDING BILLS IN RACE AGAINST SHUTDOWN Right around the same time that the rest of the nation starts thinking about ghosts and goblins for Halloween. The funding deadline is enough to convert the U.S. Capitol into a chamber of horrors for the entire month of September. Congress is always dragging to complete spending measures in July. Then August comes and concerns about the spending bills vanish like a ghost. Then the appropriations bills rise like mummies out of their coffins when Congress comes back in September. The battle over averting a government shutdown is like a vampire. It sucks most other legislative activity out of Congress until there’s a deal. That’s because most Members want no part of a government shutdown. Lawmakers from both sides know that government funding is one of the most important inflection points on the political calendar. Let’s examine where we stand with government funding. Congress approved a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown in March. That interim spending package funded the government through September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year. The House approved the bill. But lawmakers worried about a potential government shutdown because breaking a filibuster on the measure required 60 votes. That entailed support of some Democrats since Republicans only have 53 votes in the Senate. At the last minute, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced he would help Republicans crack the filibuster. Schumer didn’t vote yes on the bill itself. But the New York Democrat argued that avoiding a shutdown at that point was better than enduring one under President Trump – and Elon Musk who was then fully empowered at DOGE. Some longtime Capitol Hill hands and Congressional observers feared the government might shutter for a lengthy period if it closed. Schumer and other Democrats asserted that the President and Musk would use that as justification for never re-opening some parts of the government since they lacked funding from Congress. Progressives excoriated Schumer for not extracting a major concession from President Trump and Congressional Republicans which reflected Democratic values and priorities. Liberals used Schumer’s decision as justification to demand new Democratic leadership in the Senate. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., appeared to seethe at Schumer’s maneuver, sidestepping questions from reporters about the break. White House Budget Director Russ Vought says he wants a less bipartisan appropriations process. That’s fine. But this is about the math. House Republicans must stick together to pass any spending package there. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can only lose three votes and still pass a bill without Democratic assistance. Likewise, Senate Republicans can only lose three votes there, too. But the real hurdle is the filibuster. That’s where 60 votes are necessary. And that means the GOP must lean on Democrats – assuming they’re willing to help out. HILLARY RIPPED AS ‘MASSIVE LIAR’ AFTER SCATHING REACTION TO TRUMP’S PLAN TO FIX DC CRIME It’s really unclear if Republicans can stick together to approve a spending package. Keep in mind that it’s almost a certainty that any spending measure must simply renew all current funding on a temporary basis. A lot of Republicans are fed up with this appropriations rut – especially since Johnson promised to do things differently once he claimed the Speaker’s gavel in October 2023. Remember that some conservatives helped bounce former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., less than two years ago because he propounded an interim spending plan. Some Republicans are beginning to lose patience with Johnson on spending plans. But remember that most Republicans will support whatever appropriations plan the GOP brass concocts – as long as it has the blessing of President Trump. So Vought may advocate for a more partisan process. But that won’t result in policy achievements and GOP spending priorities unless Republicans convince Democrats to play ball. Here’s another dynamic: some members of the conservative Freedom Caucus are hinting they simply want to re-up the current levels of funding again. Yes, lawmakers approved those spending plans under President Biden and a Democratic Senate. Therefore, much of the federal government is still operating under Democratic spending blueprints. But Democrats would demand more money for the next spending round. The same with some Republicans. So voting to renew the old money – regardless of who pushed for it – is less than Congress could have spent. That’s why some Freedom Caucus members suggest this would serve as a de facto spending cut. They’re not wrong. Federal spending is almost always on an upward trajectory. This would level things off and bend the annual spending curve for the first time in decades. TRUMP FIRES BACK AT ‘SQUAD’ MEMBER WHO CALLED HIM A ‘PIECE OF S—‘ AT RALLY So, if your goal is to trim funding, this may be the most plausible option under the present political circumstances. Remember, it’s about the math. Moreover, Republicans have only approved a pittance of the funding cuts demanded by DOGE. Congress passed a bill to slash $9 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and foreign aid. That’s not a lot. And Republicans could barely approve that bill. How they rescind other funding remains to be seen. However, Republicans could greenlight all the old money – and
Gov. Abbot still beat Newsom in disaster relief despite Texas Democrats stalling, hiding out
Despite Democratic lawmakers fleeing and holding up vital relief efforts, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s flood relief was faster than California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s response to the L.A. wildfires. This weekend, Abbott helped to present more than 60 of the families most impacted by the catastrophic floods in the Texas Hill Country with $25,000 relief checks, which the governor called an initial “down payment” on the relief still incoming. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Abbott explained the funds were a result of Texas partnering with country music legend George Strait and other private groups to ensure that funds raised by the star went straight to those who suffered the worst damage. Abbott said that both he and Strait agreed there is a “need for speed to help these people as quickly as possible.” ABBOTT VOWS INDEFINITE SPECIAL SESSIONS, SAYS FLEEING DEMS COULD FACE ARREST ‘FOR LITERALLY YEARS’ “We’ve seen in other states when there’s been travesties that occurred there, like the fires in California, and so much money was raised and never has gotten to the people who needed it, we want to make sure that did not happen in the state of Texas,” Abbott explained. “There has been an outpouring of support to Texas organizations to help the people of this state,” he added. “Now our job is to make sure it gets into the hands of the people who need it the most.” This comes just over a month after much of central Texas suffered a devastating flood that killed over 100 and decimated homes and businesses. In response to the suffering, Strait, a Texas native, held a concert on July 27 to raise funds for those most impacted. Just two weeks later, victims are already receiving relief checks from the concert. Abbott said that Strait was insistent that “he was doing this for one reason, because he was sick and tired of the people who’ve been damaged and harmed the most by the storm are not getting the money they need.” CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES REDISTRICTING FIGHT TO ‘NULLIFY’ TEXAS GOP PLAN, WITH DEMS POISED TO GAIN 5 SEATS “So, what we did we set up an operation to make sure we were able to identify who sustained the worst damage, then make sure that they would be on the receiving end of these checks,” he explained. Strait’s concert closely resembles a similar star-studded benefit concert, titled “FireAid,” in California that raised more than $100 million for victims of the wildfires in Los Angeles. FireAid billed itself as “a benefit concert for wildfire victims.” Aside from music by the likes of Lady Gaga, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry and Olivia Rodrigo, the five-hour show featured multiple stories from victims of the Altadena and Palisades fire who had lost their homes. Fox News Digital reported in July that six months later, victims in the city’s most impacted neighborhoods still had not received any direct funds raised by the concert. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for FireAid told Fox News Digital that “to most effectively deliver aid to the community as quickly as possible, we partnered with vetted and trusted local nonprofits who had the capacity and infrastructure to directly reach the individuals in need.” The spokesperson said “this assistance provided food security, housing, resources for schools and more directly to individuals in the affected communities.” TRUMP AND NEWSOM FIGHT OVER NATIONAL GUARD HEADS TO TRIAL IN CALIFORNIA They said that to date, FireAid has “distributed two rounds of funding totaling close to $75 million to organizations helping people on the ground and expect to distribute the remaining $25 million by the end of the year.” “The funds address the urgent needs from individuals in our communities— from immediate financial assistance, to childcare, groceries, mental health and housing and rebuilding public spaces as well as fire prevention. The grants have been distributed to more than 160 frontline nonprofits, schools, and local organizations which were identified and selected by FireAid,” said the spokesperson. Abbott claimed that several factors have made Texas’ response to the flooding disaster very different from California’s. “It starts with generosity … but the second thing is we don’t let things slow us down. We are very empathetic with those who have lost their homes, who’ve had their lives turned upside down, who are trying to get back into their homes,” he said. “So, we were able to cut through all the red tape and make sure that the money got into the hands of those who needed it the most.” He went on to say that “now we’re working with the local governments to make sure these people are going to be able to take these dollars, these resources, and actually begin that construction process to get their homes rebuilt.” This comes despite the governor’s ongoing showdown with Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives, who fled the state and brought the legislature’s efforts to pass new flood relief measures to a grinding halt. The Democrats fled the state in protest of redistricting plans that would potentially give Republicans five additional seats in Congress. GOV. GREG ABBOTT THREATENS TO REDISTRICT 8 SEATS FOR GOP IF DEM LAWMAKERS DON’T RETURN TO TEXAS The governor and other state leaders, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Leader Dustin Burrows, both Republicans, have filed legal action to arrest the rogue lawmakers and have threatened to remove them from their offices. Thus far, however, the Democrats have been able to evade Texas authorities and hold up any progress by denying the state House the necessary quorum to pass legislation. “We’re able to give that to the victims, even though we have Democrats who’ve fled the state and been dishonorable to our state,” said Abbott, adding, “One thing about Texans is we stand and fight if we have principles we want to fight on. And what these Democrats have done, they fled the state, and that’s very un-Texan on their part.” He went on to
Top Democrats ripped on social media over ‘bonkers’ reactions to Trump’s DC crime plan: ‘Massive liar’
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was slammed on social media Monday after she dismissed President Trump’s efforts to combat crime in Washington, D.C. as “unhinged” with other top Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, receiving similar pushback. “As you listen to an unhinged Trump try to justify deploying the National Guard in DC, here’s reality,” Clinton posted on X on Monday, along with a DOJ press release from early January of this year, in conjunction with Trump’s press conference announcing the federalization of the nation’s capital to combat crime. “Violent crime in DC is at a 30-year low.” Clinton’s post immediately drew pushback from conservatives on social media, including from inside the White House, with many making the case that crime in Washington, D.C. has gotten out of control. “On top of being a big-time loser, you’re also a massive liar,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson posted on X along with an article headline about a D.C. police commander being suspended for allegedly altering crime data. PIRRO CALLS OUT DC LAWS LETTING ‘YOUNG PUNKS’ OFF THE HOOK FOR VIOLENT CRIMES “If Hillary Clinton thinks DC is safe, she should go move to Anacostia or Navy Yard,” conservative communicator Steve Guest posted on X. Jeffries posted a similar reaction to Clinton on social media saying, “Violent crime in Washington, D.C. is at a thirty-year low. Donald Trump has no basis to take over the local police department. And zero credibility on the issue of law and order. Get lost.” Conservatives on social media ripped Jeffries as well. “A selection of headlines in our nation’s capital this month,” NRCC deputy executive director Jack Pandol posted on X along with several news headlines of recent violent crime in DC. “Why do Democrats always take up for thugs, violent criminals, and illegals over law abiding citizens?” “Democrats are lining up to oppose crime being lower in DC,” Outkick founder Clay Travis posted on X. “It’s bonkers.” TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC ‘SAFER’ AND ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS “Democrats like Jeffries would rather preserve dangerous cities than admit their policies fail,” GOP Congressman William Timmons posted on X. “IN FACT, murder is the most violent and accurately measured crime, and the D.C. murder rate in 2024 was 83% higher than in 2012,” the social media account for the nonprofit research institute Just Facts posted on X. “Jeffries’ stat is deceitful because it ignores the FBI’s warning against “making any direct comparison” of its crime data over time given that “changes in police procedures, shifting attitudes toward crime and police, and other societal changes can affect the extent to which people report and law enforcement agencies record crime.” Trump said in the Monday press conference that he is federalizing the D.C. police department to curb spiraling violence. “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth, much higher,” Trump said Monday. “This is much higher. The number of car thefts has doubled over the past five years, and the number of carjackings has more than tripled. Murders in 2023 reached the highest rate, probably ever. They say 25 years, but they don’t know what that means because it just goes back 25 years can’t be worse.” Trump whipped out charts showing the media that the nation’s capital allegedly suffers worse crime trends than other cities worldwide, calling on them to “take a look at numbers” as he rattled off the data’s findings. “Look at these. Baghdad is… we doubled up on Baghdad. Panama City, Brasilia, San Jose, Costa Rica, Bogota, Colombia. Heavy drugs. Mexico City, I mentioned Lima, Peru, all double and triple what they are. So do you want to live in places like that? I don’t think so. I don’t think so. And I think the people in this room, if you wrote correctly, you’d see. Look at the kind of numbers we have. D.C. 41 per 100,000 (for homicides in 2023). No. 1 that we can find anywhere in the world. Other cities are pretty bad, but they’re not as bad as that. That the way you want to live? The reporters of the world? Juvenile offenders and crimes against persons as they say, it’s getting worse, not getting better. It’s getting worse,” he continued. The nation’s capital in the following years has been rocked by shootings that have left innocent children shot and dead, a trend of juveniles committing carjackings that have turned deadly in some cases, shoplifting crimes and attacks on government employees, summer interns and others, including the fatal shooting of 21-year-old congressional intern, Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, in June. Trump’s opponents have cited crime statistics showing crime in Washington is on the decline. Violent crime is down 26% this year, in comparison to the same timeframe in 2024, according to Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department. Likewise, assaults with a dangerous weapon are down 20%, and homicides are down by 12%. “This is Liberation Day in D.C., and we’re going to take our capital back,” he said. “We’re taking it back under the authority vested in me as the president of the United States. I’m officially invoking section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. You know what that is. And placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control. … In addition, I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, DC. And they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly.”
Inside the Washington, DC homeless hotspots Trump has vowed to clean up
Just a few years ago, travelers arriving by train in Washington, D.C., were met with a jarring juxtaposition: the Capitol building — home to the nation’s most powerful lawmakers — rising in the background and a homeless encampment outside Union Station in the foreground. While the city has removed many of the one-time sprawling encampments near its iconic landmarks and been forced to roll back several progressive policies in an effort to reduce crime, the Trump administration remains unsatisfied. Many Washingtonians still dodge mentally ill or drug-addicted individuals on their daily commutes. Last week, one of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers was assaulted — a “last straw” that prompted Trump to deploy the National Guard and federalize the Metropolitan Police Department. Trump vowed to evict the homeless population, saying the government “will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capitol.” He said a process had begun over the weekend to remove homeless encampments in the district. TRUMP’S PLAN TO DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD IN DC SPARKS BACKLASH FROM RESIDENTS—BUT SOME WELCOME IT A tour by Fox News Digital found that many former hotspots for the unhoused have been cleared, with only abandoned clothing and scattered food containers left behind as signs of recent life. In other parts of the city — including the heart of downtown — the unhoused population continued to stake out places to sleep and gather in parks or on busy street corners. At one park, about a dozen people were clustered together with their belongings and a few tents, seemingly unaware of the new crackdown. A dried red substance was splattered across the sidewalk outside their makeshift encampment. On another corner, a handful of individuals slept through the city’s lunchtime rush, undisturbed by the surrounding noise. TRUMP IS THREATENING TO ‘FEDERALIZE’ DC WITH NATIONAL GUARD AND MORE. HERE’S HOW THAT COULD PLAY OUT While most interactions with the homeless are mundane and nonviolent, a broader sense of unease has taken hold in the city — driven by a series of high-profile, often random attacks. Some involve members of the unhoused population; others do not, but collectively they’ve contributed to the perception that D.C. has become less safe. Among them: A minor opened fire on a group of other teens in Navy Yard over the weekend; a 21-year-old congressional intern was fatally shot outside a Metro station during his commute home last month; and two Israeli embassy staffers were gunned down outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in May. Even so, D.C. was far more dangerous in the past. The city hit a 30-year low for violent crime in 2024; down 35% from the previous year. And this year, it’s down 26% year to date from last year at this time. Homicides are down 12%, carjackings 37%, robbery 28% and 20% for assault with a dangerous weapon. Violent crime had reached a fever pitch in 2023 with 274 homicides. In 2024, there were 187. Trump called statistics showing a drop in crime “phony” and said his administration would “look into that.” “It’s becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness,” the president said. He added that the MPD and federal authorities would be supported by 800 D.C. National Guardsmen and potentially “much more.” Groups dedicated to helping the homeless have spoken out against the administration’s move. “Anyone can be at risk of experiencing homelessness,” the Georgetown Ministry Center — a privately funded agency focused on homeless services — said in a statement. “When our most vulnerable citizens are demonized and criminalized, we erode our shared humanity.” The D.C. City Council called Trump’s move a “manufactured intrusion on local authority.” “Federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department is unwarranted because there is no Federal emergency. Further, the National Guard has no public safety training or knowledge of local laws. The Guard’s role does not include investigating or solving crimes in the District. Calling out the National Guard is an unnecessary deployment with no real mission,” a statement read. “Public safety is built on trust, consistent enforcement, and community-based strategies. We must ensure that in our pursuit of safety, we do not create an atmosphere of surveillance, intimidation or unequal treatment under the law.”
DHS Secretary Noem says Rachel Morin’s killer ‘should have never been in our country’
EXCLUSIVE: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded to the sentencing of Rachel Morin’s killer on Monday. Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, is being sentenced to life without parole for murdering, kidnapping, and raping the 37-year-old Maryland mother in August 2023. He was found guilty of the charges in April. Specifically, he’s facing two life sentences on top of an extra 40 years. “Today, Rachel Morin’s killer was sentenced to life without parole for her brutal murder. This criminal illegal alien should have never been in our country in the first place. Rachel should still be here watching her 5 children grow up,” Noem said in a statement first shared with Fox News Digital. RACHEL MORIN’S MOTHER EXPLAINS PAINSTAKING PROCESS OF WRITING STATEMENT TO READ AT KILLER’S SENTENCING “We hear far too much in the mainstream media about sob stories of gang members and criminal illegals and not enough about their victims. God bless Rachel and her family,” she added. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Martinez-Hernandez entered the United States in 2023 during the Biden-era border crisis. He was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June 2024. Morin went missing on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, and her remains were found the next day in a nearby drain pipe, according to police at the time. He beat Morin’s head with rocks and then raped her corpse before trying to hide it in the pipe, according to DHS. DHS ARRESTS FIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF SERIOUS CRIMES, INCLUDING MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE Her family have been vocal advocates in the public sphere following her murder. “Unfortunately, Rachel’s story is not an isolated tragedy. She is one of many victims across our state and country who suffered at the hands of individuals who should never have been here because of the failures of the Biden administration,” Patty Morin, her mother, wrote in an opinon piece for Fox News on April 29. The sentencing comes as the Trump administration is pursuing mass deportations, with the agency highlighting arrests of illegal immigrants who have been charged or convicted of other crimes. DHS is also noting the reopening of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office that was started during President Donald Trump’s first term. The office provides a hotline and services to victims and their families. “Rachel Morin’s presence was powerfully felt in the courtroom today as her children, siblings, and mother spoke from the heart,” the Morin family’s attorney, Randolph Rice, told Fox News Digital of the sentencing hearing on Monday. “They shared their deep love for her, the irreplaceable void her absence has left in their lives, and their unwavering commitment to honor her memory by seeking justice today and protecting others from suffering the same fate.”