Kamala Harris’ major California announcement triggers circular Dem firing squad
It’s open season in the California gubernatorial primary after former Vice President Kamala Harris said she will not pursue a 2026 bid to be Gov. Gavin Newsom’s successor. On July 30, Harris said in a statement that she would not seek elected office “for now.” “In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor. I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election,” she wrote, just a day before announcing her memoir “107 Days.” CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT DROPS OUT OF GOVERNOR’S RACE TO RUN FOR A DIFFERENT ROLE Since the announcement, there have been many major developments in the race, including Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis dropping out to run for treasurer instead. “This decision was not made lightly,” Kounalakis stated on Friday. “At this moment, I believe I can make the greatest impact by focusing on California’s financial future.” Kounalakis is a longtime friend of Harris, and she appeared to have gotten the backing of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before her exit. “We have many great candidates, one in particular, Eleni Tsakopoulos, whom I support,” Pelosi said in a recent CNN interview, calling the Lt. Gov. by her maiden name. KAMALA HARRIS TO PUBLISH BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCOUNT OF FAILED 2024 CAMPAIGN Her decision to drop out triggered a response from Rick Caruso, a Los Angeles real estate mogul who ran against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in 2022. Caruso is considered a potential candidate to enter the gubernatorial race. “Eleni Kounalakis embodies the ingenuity, creativity, and drive that make California great,” Caruso posted to X on Friday. “A widely respected business leader, she has created countless jobs for working families in our state. Her service in public office has been exemplary. I look forward to her next outstanding contribution to our great state.” Meanwhile, the field still has a large pool of candidates, including former Rep. Katie Porter, Biden-era Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. KAMALA HARRIS DECISION NOT TO RUN IN 2026 OPENS DOOR TO POSSIBLE SECOND PRESIDENTIAL RUN IN 2028 Porter previously ran for Senate and came in third in the primary behind Sen. Adam Schiff and former Dodgers star Steve Garvey, a Republican. On the Republican side, Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are running for a spot in the top-two open primary system. Neither Harris nor Newsom has publicly made endorsements in the race, and the two are also considered possible contenders in the 2028 presidential election. The primary election is on June 2, 2026.
Fiscal hawks seek millions for home district projects amid government funding debate
House GOP fiscal hawks have requested tens of millions of federal dollars for projects in their home districts for fiscal year 2026, an analysis by Fox News Digital has found. It’s common practice for congressional lawmakers to request funding for specific community initiatives for the people they represent – measures called “earmarks.” Critics of such funding have often referred to it as “pork,” however. This coming fiscal year, beginning on Oct. 1, is no different – both Republicans and Democrats have requests totaling over a billion dollars in earmarks so far. That includes conservatives in the House of Representatives who have been known to criticize what they describe as excessive or bloated government spending. GOP LAWMAKERS CLASH OVER STRATEGY TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CRISIS House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., for instance, has been approved for more than $55 million in federal funding for projects in his district. The figure includes $9 million for the Middle River Fire Company to make improvements and upgrades to its facilities, and $1 million for the development of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The majority of Harris’ requests are aimed at rural development in his district and the Army Corps of Engineers. Three earmarks were requested for clean water initiatives. Harris told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on the funds, “These awards are certified to directly benefit taxpayers in the district—drawing from existing grant programs that are funded annually. It’s far better for elected members of Congress to designate where that money goes than to leave those decisions to unelected federal bureaucrats. There are no additional funds appropriated for Community Project Funding – they all fall within the agency’s appropriation.” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., a self-described deficit hawk, was approved for just over $10 million so far. That includes over $4 million for Flexible Neutron Source, a research tool at the University of Tennessee, and $2 million for veterans housing in Knox County. LONGTIME BIDEN AIDE SAYS HE STOOD TO EARN UP TO $8M HAD PRESIDENT WON RE-ELECTION House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was approved for more than $18 million in earmarks – with the largest request being $4,200,000 for the Silicon Bayou Semiconductor Technology Center at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. Higgins’ total sum also includes funding for Army Corps of Engineers projects, as well as rural hospital, law enforcement and clean water initiatives. He also submitted a joint request with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., for $131,500,000 toward a levee and floodgate system, called the Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico Project, aimed at storm damage prevention. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., another member of the House Freedom Caucus, got nearly $15 million in community funding projects approved, chiefly aimed at clean water programs and highway infrastructure. Boebert was vehemently against earmarks when she first came to Congress. Her opinion has changed since then, however, due to Republican-led changes to the process – which she explained in a 2023 op-ed in the Aspen Times. She made a similar argument to Fox News Digital when reached for this story: “I fought for real reforms to the appropriations process in 2023 to make sure my constituents’ tax dollars go to necessary infrastructure projects, not the wasteful and corrupt spending schemes that took place under Nancy Pelosi.” “My district’s roads are crumbling, and our water keeps getting sent to California, where it’s wasted, because Colorado’s politicians won’t invest in water storage or infrastructure investments. My constituents pay federal taxes just like everyone else, and they should see their dollars benefit their communities instead of being sent to sanctuary cities like Denver,” Boebert said. Conservative libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., also got some community funding, though only totaling $5 million approved so far. Massie’s requests so far are all focused on construction and rehabilitation for Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Massie told Fox News Digital of the funding, “I serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee because I believe the federal government has a legitimate role in transportation infrastructure, and the legislature has the constitutional authority to direct the funding of those projects.” “In fact, I have voted in the GOP conference more than once to restore congressionally directed spending in the context of transportation infrastructure,” Massie said. And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., chair of the subcommittee for Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), got nearly $10 million in earmarks approved for her rural-suburban Georgia district. Those funding requests are largely comprised of infrastructure initiatives, clean water programs, and law enforcement-related projects for Floyd County and other areas. 148 DEMOCRATS BACK NONCITIZEN VOTING IN DC AS GOP RAISES ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS While known as a fiscal hawk, it’s worth noting that the majority of Greene’s criticism of government spending is directed at foreign aid. Greene said she was glad to be able to provide for her district when reached for comment by Fox News Digital. “I’m proud to bring federal tax dollars back home to Northwest Georgia – where they belong. My constituents work hard, and for far too long, Washington has sent their money to fund foreign wars, foreign governments and globalist pet projects. When I first got to Congress, I opposed the earmark process because I believed it was a tool of the Swamp. But after seeing how it works today, I’ve realized that if we don’t fight to bring money back to our districts, the money goes elsewhere,” Greene said. “I’ll never support billions for Ukraine or other endless wars, but I will absolutely fight to secure critical investments in Northwest Georgia, from water systems and sewer expansions to public safety equipment, roads and broadband.” The aforementioned lawmakers’ spending requests are far from an exhaustive total list across the entire House, but fiscal conservatives’ earmark proposals show just how widespread the practice is within Congress – on both sides of the aisle. Republicans have made some changes to the process as of FY2025, however, to narrow what’s allowed.
Trump considers deploying National Guard troops to DC ahead of news conference, official says
President Donald Trump is considering deploying up to 1,000 National Guard troops to Washington D.C., a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News ahead of a Monday morning Trump news conference on crime in the nation’s capital. The troops would likely be pulled from the DC National Guard, although the decision about sending National Guard troops is not final, the official said. Federal agents have deployed to DC streets in recent days, including officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The press conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET in the White House briefing room. Trump said on social media on Sunday that the news conference on crime and “beautification” will “not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital.” “Washington, D.C. will be LIBERATED today!,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social. “Crime, Savagery, Filth, and Scum will DISAPPEAR. I will, MAKE OUR CAPITAL GREAT AGAIN! The days of ruthlessly killing, or hurting, innocent people, are OVER! I quickly fixed the Border (ZERO ILLEGALS in last 3 months!), D.C. is next!!!” TRUMP VOWS TO MAKE DC ‘SAFER’ AND ‘BEAUTIFUL’ AS CAPITAL BATTLES CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS Trump described D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser – who publicly clashed with Trump during the George Floyd riots in 2020 – “a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive.” “The American Public is not going to put up with it any longer,” the president wrote. “Just like I took care of the Border, where you had ZERO Illegals coming across last month, from millions the year before, I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN! Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again. Thank you for your attention to this matter — See you tomorrow at 10 A.M.!” The president has reignited his warnings about a federal government takeover of Washington, and said he may even deploy the National Guard over recent crime. Bowser told MSNBC on Sunday that “it is always the president’s prerogative to use federal law enforcement of the National Guard.” Bowser said multiple times throughout the interview that the District is not experiencing a spike in crime. PRESIDENT TRUMP INCREASES FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE IN DC FOLLOWING VIOLENT CRIME SURGE On Sunday, police instituted a juvenile curfew in the popular Navy Yard neighborhood, after a stolen gun was discharged during a large gathering of young people late on Saturday. The incident came even as the White House had deployed a surge of federal law enforcement officers in the city over the weekend. Trump also said the homeless population would have to move “immediately,” posting photos of encampments and trash on the streets. “There will be no ‘MR. NICE GUY,’” Trump posted. “We want our Capital BACK.” Last week, Trump teased taking federal control of D.C. after former Department of Government Efficiency employee Edward “Big Balls” Coristine was brutally beaten during an attempted carjacking by teenage suspects. “Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released,” Trump wrote. “They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now!” Trump said D.C. law must be changed to prosecute minors accused of violent crimes as an adult and to “lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14.” Fox News’ Mark Meredith and Alexandria Hoff contributed to this report.
Summit with Putin set to top Trump’s agenda this week as Ukraine war takes center stage
President Donald Trump’s week will culminate in a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the two leaders are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine and the broader state of U.S.–Russia relations on the global stage. The summit, scheduled for Friday, has drawn international scrutiny amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could attempt to broker terms for ending the conflict without formally involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, leaving him only a tacit role in negotiations. ZELENSKYY THANKS NATO, EUROPEAN LEADERS FOR BACKING HIS PUSH TO JOIN TRUMP‑PUTIN SUMMIT Trump has previously said that Putin and Zelenskyy were close to a ceasefire deal but signaled that war-weary Kyiv would have to concede significant territory, an outcome that Ukrainians and many European allies oppose. Russian forces currently occupy approximately one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory stretching from the Russian border to Crimea — including regions vital to the country’s economy, rich in minerals, industry, and home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Both the White House and the Kremlin have acknowledged Zelenskyy’s request to join the talks, though no formal invitation has been extended to the Ukrainian leader. If granted a seat at the table, it would mark the first face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022. The summit comes as Russia’s war grinds into its third year and fifth month, with Moscow showing little sign of abandoning its efforts to erode Ukraine’s sovereignty and reassert the territorial influence of the former Soviet empire. PUTIN ALLY WARNS ‘TITANIC EFFORTS’ ARE UNDERWAY TO SINK TRUMP SUMMIT OVER UKRAINE WAR The Kremlin said in a statement on Saturday that Trump and Putin are expected to “focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful resolution” in Ukraine. “This will evidently be a challenging process, but we will engage in it actively and energetically,” the statement added. Over the weekend, several European leaders voiced support for Zelenskyy’s push to attend this week’s summit, amid growing concerns that Kyiv’s long-term security could be negotiated without its direct involvement. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said in a joint statement that any diplomatic solution brokered between Trump and Putin must uphold the security interests of both Ukraine and Europe. ZELENSKYY WON’T CEDE TERRITORY FOR PEACE DEAL AHEAD OF TRUMP‑PUTIN SUMMIT “The U.S. has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously,” European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Reuters on Sunday. “Any deal between the U.S. and Russia must have Ukraine and the EU included, for it is a matter of Ukraine’s and the whole of Europe’s security,” she added. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also voiced support for Zelenskyy’s attendance at the meeting and called the summit an opportunity to measure how serious Putin is about “bringing this terrible war to an end.” Zelenskyy thanked European leaders for their support and said that “the end of the war must be fair.” “I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people today for the sake of peace in Ukraine, which is defending the vital security interests of our European nations,” he said.
Trump continues supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham’s re-election bid while phoning into Republican event
President Donald Trump recently spoke to the South Carolina Republican Party’s Silver Elephant Gala through a phone that Sen. Lindsey Graham held up to a microphone. Trump, who endorsed Graham for re-election earlier this year, continued expressing his support for the senator while speaking on the phone. Trump said the senator has his “full endorsement,” calling him a “great guy,” saying that Graham has always been there for him when he needed him and he “won’t forget it.” CONSERVATIVE BACKLASH ERUPTS AFTER TRUMP’S GRAHAM ENDORSEMENT: ‘I AM NOT WITH TRUMP AT ALL WITH THIS ONE’ “Thank you for your surprise call, Mr. President!” Graham said in a post on X that also featured footage of Trump’s remarks about him. “With your support, I’ll keep delivering the America First agenda to the great people of South Carolina. I’m glad to have been part of the most awesome six months in modern history led by President @realDonaldTrump.” Graham, who has served in the Senate since 2003, is facing Republican primary challengers. TRUMP ENDORSES SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM FOR RE-ELECTION: ‘HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN’ Paul Dans, the former director of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project at the Heritage Foundation and who is one of Graham’s challengers, attended the event where Trump spoke by phone. “Lindsey Graham’s terrified—his Senate seat’s at risk against me, his toughest challenger yet. After 32 years of broken term-limit promises, he’s done. Clinging to President Trump won’t save him from SC’s America First Patriots who see his grift. #LindseyPanic #PrezTrumpPlsHelpMe,” Dans wrote in a post on X. LINDSEY GRAHAM DRAWS DEMOCRATIC SENATE CHALLENGER WHO PREVIOUSLY LOST CONGRESSIONAL RACE Graham will be up for re-election in 2026.
Ex-government officials pen letter blasting Kash Patel’s FBI ‘purge’
A group of former FBI, intelligence, diplomatic and national security officials released a letter blasting FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino for firing several bureau agents, saying they were targeted for not being loyal to President Trump. The group, which dubs itself The Steady State, claims Agents Brian Driscoll, Michael Feinberg and Walter Giardina were fired as part of a campaign to dismantle the FBI’s “long-standing independence” while also setting it up as a “tool of political loyalty.” The Steady State also claimed the agents were canned because they were not loyal to President Donald Trump, before accusing the administration of appointing Patel and Bongino to powerful roles despite not having resumes that meet the “basic standards” to lead the “world’s premiere law enforcement agency.” “It is not about reform. It is about control. The aim, it seems, is to transform the FBI from a respected, constitutionally grounded investigative service into a personal enforcement arm of a political figure,” the letter reads. “We have seen these dynamics abroad—leaders who demand loyalty from security services not to the law, but to themselves. These regimes do not end well.” FBI OUSTS FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR, AGENT INVOLVED IN J6 PROSECUTIONS, WITH MORE EXPECTED “The FBI has long been a bulwark against such corruption: an institution where rule of law and civil liberties are held in balance with the demands of national security,” the letter continued. “Its independence is not a bureaucratic feature; it is a democratic necessity.” The Steady State told their friends and colleagues in the FBI that they recognize the pressure they are under. “The nation is watching, and will be inspired by the FBI. And history will remember,” the letter concluded. Last Thursday, the FBI ousted Driscoll, the former FBI acting director, as well as others, including Giardina, a special agent at the FBI who played a role in the investigation of Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro. Also let go was Steve Jensen, the acting director in charge of the Washington Field Office. KASH PATEL TORCHES ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’ ABOUT BONDI FEUD AMID MAGA FUROR OVER EPSTEIN FILES Driscoll, for his part, served as acting director of the FBI prior to the confirmation of Patel, and Jensen played a key role in the January 6 investigations. Senior FBI officials told the trio they needed to leave by Friday. FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAN BONGINO SLAMS NEW YORK TIMES FOR ‘POORLY THOUGHT-OUT HIT PIECE’ The FBI, Bongino and Patel declined to comment on Fox News Digital’s questions about The Steady State’s claims and on reasons why the agents were removed from their positions. MSNBC journalist Ken Dilanian shared on social media a copy of the letter from Patel to Giardina. “This document provides official notice that you are being summarily dismissed from your position at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and removed from the federal service, under my authority as the FBI Director, effective immediately,” Patel wrote. You have exercised poor judgment and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of the government.” FBI’S TOP BOSS KASH PATEL SAYS BUREAU RAN COVER FOR HILLARY BUT IT ALL ENDS UNDER TRUMP Former FBI Agent Phil Kennedy, who has been vocal on social media regarding the new regime’s handling of personnel matters, shared The Steady State’s letter, referring to the firings as the recent FBI “purge.” “Walter Giardina, the disgraced anti-Trump Agent who worked on Jack Smith’s documents case with Kash’s pilot, has reportedly been terminated by the FBI,” Kennedy wrote in another post. “It’s a Bureau bloodbath.” News of the agents’ firings comes months after thousands of FBI personnel in February were ordered to fill out a questionnaire asking detailed questions about possible roles in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots. The questionnaire, first reported by Fox News Digital, sparked concern that it could be used to retaliate against agents involved in the January 6 investigations. Those concerns reached a fever pitch later that month, after then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered the bureau to compile a list of all current and former personnel who worked on January 6 cases. The Trump administration has not yet said whether it will move to act against the individuals involved. In February, President Trump declined to answer questions over whether his administration would remove FBI employees involved in the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, telling reporters only that he believes the bureau is “corrupt” and that then-FBI director nominee, Patel, would “straighten it out.” Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Zelenskyy thanks NATO, European leaders for backing his push to join Trump‑Putin summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday thanked European leaders for backing his push to join this week’s U.S.–Russia summit, as Kyiv fears Washington and Moscow could strike a deal to end the war but in a way that undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty. “The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people today for the sake of peace in Ukraine, which is defending the vital security interests of our European nations,” Zelenskyy said. PUTIN ALLY WARNS ‘TITANIC EFFORTS’ ARE UNDERWAY TO SINK TRUMP SUMMIT OVER UKRAINE WAR The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said in a joint statement that any diplomatic solution brokered between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin must protect the security interests of Ukraine and Europe. “The U.S. has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Reuters on Sunday. “Any deal between the U.S. and Russia must have Ukraine and the EU included, for it is a matter of Ukraine’s and the whole of Europe’s security,” she added. ZELENSKYY WON’T CEDE TERRITORY FOR PEACE DEAL AHEAD OF TRUMP‑PUTIN SUMMIT AS TRILATERAL MEETING TEASED NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the upcoming summit “will be about testing Putin” and will serve as a measure of how serious the Russian leader is about “bringing this terrible war to an end.” Both the White House and the Kremlin have acknowledged Zelenskyy’s request to join the talks, though no formal invitation has been issued. Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on Aug. 15. If Zelenskyy were to take part, the meeting would mark the first between Putin and Zelenskyy since the start of Moscow’s war. SANCTIONING RUSSIA ACT THREATENS MOSCOW, ALLIES WITH 500% TARIFFS The meeting, which Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Friday, comes on the heels of Washington’s threats to impose steep tariffs on the Kremlin and its allies. Trump has previously singled out countries like India and China—top buyers of discounted Russian crude — for undermining G7 price caps and weakening the impact of Western sanctions. In response, bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Sanctioning Russia Act, which would impose a 500% tariff targeting the core of Russia’s economy — its oil and gas exports — if Moscow continues to resist peace efforts or escalates the conflict. Meanwhile, a senior member of Putin’s inner circle warned that multiple countries are mounting “titanic efforts” to undermine the upcoming summit between the Russian leader and Trump. “Undoubtedly, a number of countries interested in continuing the conflict will make titanic efforts to disrupt the planned meeting between President Putin and President Trump,” wrote Russia’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, in a Telegram post on Saturday, referencing the Kremlin’s ongoing war in Ukraine. While Dmitriev did not name specific countries, he warned that critics of the upcoming talks could seek to sabotage the summit through diplomatic maneuvers or disinformation through the media.
Hochul, once Cuomo’s second in command, identifies ‘areas of alignment’ with socialist Mamdani
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul – once lieutenant governor under Andrew Cuomo – said Sunday she has identified “areas of alignment” with democratic socialist New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream asked Hochul if she supported Mamdani, who is now running against Cuomo and others, after noting how the candidate praised her for hosting Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to deter a GOP redistricting plan. “We still have many differences. I don’t know how you whitewash that away,” Hochul said. “He can agree with me, and many people agree with, and I think it’s not just Democrats who say New Yorkers stand up for our rights. We do that. It’s what we’re hardwired to do. We’re fighters. I’m a mom from Buffalo. I guess they’re not used to taking on a mom from Buffalo, perhaps.” CUOMO SUPPORTERS LOOK TO WEALTHY ENCLAVE TO TAKE DOWN MAMDANI: REPORT “There’s many areas of disagreement, but also there’s areas of alignment, including affordability,” the governor added of Mamdani. “You know, his election touched a nerve. And people said, you know what, we’re just not getting ahead. And the Trump policies that were promised to lift people up, reduce costs, not touch Medicaid, make sure that tariffs create jobs, none of that happened. So there is this sense of we need some change now.” As governor, Hochul said she’s worked with two different mayors of New York City already, and she’ll continue to “work with whomever the voters want me to, and I’ll make it work.” GOV. HOCHUL DODGES ON WHETHER SHE’LL ENDORSE ZOHRAN MAMDANI “I will make it work out because I’m not going to go to war with the 8 million residents of New York that I also represent, so my job is to calm things down,” Hochul said. “Let’s see what the election results are, but people have to recognize that candidate for mayor has also touched a nerve and we need to be responsive to that. So I’m aligned with him that we need to start finding ways to make life more affordable for New Yorkers.” Hochul assumed the role of governor after Cuomo stepped down amid multiple controversies and she was later elected to a full term. After a June Democratic mayoral primary loss to Mamdani, Cuomo joined incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams as another independent candidate running in the general election. Adams and Cuomo have traded barbs about which of them should drop out before November to better the chances of a Mamdani defeat.
NATO chief says upcoming Trump-Putin meeting will be about ‘testing’ Russian leader
President Donald Trump will use the upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to test how serious Putin is about ending the war with Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Sunday. Rutte told ABC’s “This Week” that the meeting comes as Trump continues to put pressure on Putin, noting the recent secondary sanctions on countries like India, which purchased Russian oil, and delivering lethal weapons to Ukraine. “Next Friday will be important because it will be about testing Putin, how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end,” Rutte said. Trump announced the first in-person meeting with Putin since Moscow launched its deadly invasion of Ukraine in 2022 in a Truth Social post on Saturday. The leaders are expected to meet in Alaska on Friday, Aug. 15. TRUMP, PUTIN WILL HOLD FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING SINCE UKRAINE INVASION In recent weeks, Trump has refused to mince words when asked about Putin. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting July 8 he was fed up with Putin and said he was eyeing potentially imposing new sanctions on Russia. The NATO chief called the upcoming meeting “an important step” in the process of reaching full-scale peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, wasn’t expected to be at the summit with Trump and Putin as of Sunday. Despite Zelenskyy’s absence, Rutte said “we need Ukraine at the table.” “It will be about territory,” Rutte said of the upcoming meeting. “It will, of course, be about security guarantees, but also about the absolute need to acknowledge that Ukraine decides on its own future, that Ukraine has to be a sovereign nation deciding on its geopolitical future, of course having no limitations to its own military troop levels, and for NATO to have no limitations on our presence on the eastern flank in countries like Latvia, Estonia and Finland.” PUTIN ALLY WARNS ‘TITANIC EFFORTS’ ARE UNDERWAY TO SINK TRUMP SUMMIT OVER UKRAINE WAR U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told CNN on Sunday that no decision had been made at this point about whether Zelenskyy would be invited to the meeting. “If [Trump] thinks that that is the best scenario to invite Zelenskyy, then he’ll do that,” Whitaker said, adding that “there’s time to make that decision.” When asked about whether Putin can be trusted, Whitaker said that in any situation of competing national interests it will be actions, not words, that decide whether peace is achieved and preserved. “Words are cheap, but in this case, whether it’s the Russians or the Ukrainians, both sides are going to have to take the actions to have peace and to continue to honor that peace,” he said. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Summertime and the living is uneasy on Capitol Hill
Senate Republicans faced a choice recently: Remain in session and confirm more of President Trump’s nominees, or finally abandon Washington for the vaunted August recess. Senators hung around – a little while – knocking out some of the President’s nominees for administration positions. But not all. That drew the ire of some conservatives, Trump loyalists and President Donald Trump himself. Trump seethed at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for requiring the Senate to run lengthy parliamentary traps and incinerate valuable floor time to confirm even non-controversial nominees. The President finally unloaded on the New York Democrat in a digital coup de grace, telling him to “GO TO HELL!” It’s notable that Trump has not yet met with Schumer or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., during his second term. But then again, this is a two-way street. And Democrats remember multiple tumultuous meetings with Mr. Trump during the last time he was in office. It culminated in verbal grappling between the President and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, and ended with Democrats abandoning the meeting after only a few moments. TRUMP TELLS SCHUMER TO ‘GO TO HELL’ OVER SENATE NOMINEE DEAL FUNDING DEMANDS AFTER NEGOTIATIONS COLLAPSE So, it’s far from certain any such meeting would yield anything remotely productive. But back to the “August recess.” First, it’s important to establish that members of the House and Senate are not on “summer vacation.” Sure, there are always some breaks to visit with family and friends. Lawmakers are people, too. But truly, this is not a “break.” Lawmakers are always “on.” Not everything they do is centered around Washington. Any congressman or senator worth their salt will tell you that spending time back in their home states or districts is just as important – if not more so – than what goes down on Capitol Hill. Meeting with constituents. Visiting businesses. Conducting town hall meetings. Stopping by local coffee bars. Breaking bread at diners. Chatting up the local press corps. Members also use this longer respite for political travel and fact-finding missions overseas. These “CODELS” – short for “Congressional Delegation” – are a critical function for lawmakers to build bridges with foreign leaders and make their marks on how the U.S. approaches the rest of the globe. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., have recently led groups on trips to Israel. At least one other major trip is booked for later this month. So, the “August recess” is not inherently a “bad” thing. It’s an essential part of the job and probably one of the biggest misnomers in American politics. Still, many Americans simply dismiss August as a “vacation” for House members and senators, and it is a challenging optic for Congress. Which brings us back to the tension between staying in session to get “something” done and returning home. RECESS ON ICE AS REPUBLICANS HUNKER DOWN FOR HIGH-STAKES NOMINEE BLITZ It’s clear the Senate could have stayed in session to plow through more of President Trump’s nominees. Schumer and other Democrats simply weren’t going to relent and allow Republicans to confirm a slate of nominees “en bloc.” That’s where the Senate greenlights a large slate of nominees all at once and approves them either by unanimous consent or via voice vote. The Senate confirms the nominees all at once. The House certainly could have stayed in session to hammer out a few spending bills ahead of the deadline to fund the government by October 1. But here’s a stark reality – especially for the Senate: Lawmakers and staff desperately needed a break. Period. Full stop. Since May, the Senate in particular has conducted multiple overnight, round-the-clock and weekend sessions. Not just a few. The Senate voted deep into the night or overnight on the Big, Beautiful Bill. Then the Senate was back for late-night sessions confirming nominees. Yes. This is the people’s business. But the floor staff and support teams were exhausted. Senate leaders were mindful of that. And that’s to say nothing of the lawmakers themselves. It’s anecdotal, but lawmakers probably needed a break from one another, too. That makes them happier – and probably more productive when they return to Washington. But this still doesn’t solve the political dilemma facing Republican senators with a substantial core of their party demanding they remain moored in Washington to grind out nominees. And it may not satisfy President Trump, either. There’s lots of Senate talk now about “changing the rules” to accelerate the confirmation of nominees. One thing is for sure: the Senate won’t change the “rules” to expedite the confirmation process. The Senate boasts 44 standing rules. It takes 67 votes to break a filibuster on an actual rules change. But what Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., could do is back the Senate into a special parliamentary posture where he can initiate a new “precedent” to confirm different types of nominees. That’s a maneuver that late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., executed to confirm some of former President Obama’s nominees. The same with former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to confirm Supreme Court nominees. DEMS DIG IN, TRUMP DEMANDS ALL: NOMINEE FIGHT BOILS OVER IN SENATE AS GOP LOOKS FOR A DEAL “New precedents” in the Senate require some complicated parliamentary wrangling. But only a simple majority is necessary to make good on this gambit for nominees. So, it’s easier and much more plausible than “changing the rules.” To the lay person, a new “precedent” doesn’t sound important. But there’s a reason why the Senate only has 44 standing rules and a voluminous book of precedents. You can accomplish a lot in the Senate if you’re able to concoct a new precedent. And note that it’s not just Republicans who want to change the way the Senate does things for some lower-tier, non-controversial nominees. Some Senate Democrats have expressed interest in changes, too. There are only so many minutes and so many hours. Time is just as valuable to