Obama tells Democrat big wigs to ‘toughen up,’ start backing candidates that can actually win
Former President Barack Obama had blunt words for Democratic Party donors, telling them at a Friday fundraiser to “toughen up” and “stop looking for a quick fix” after the Democratic Party became locked out of power following the 2024 election cycle. “I think it’s going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions. And it’s going to require Democrats to just toughen up,” Obama said at the fundraiser, according to excerpts obtained by CNN. “Don’t tell me you’re a Democrat, but you’re kind of disappointed right now, so you’re not doing anything. No, now is exactly the time that you get in there and do something.” Obama is not alone in urging his fellow Democratic colleagues to take a more aggressive approach following the GOP’s momentum in 2024. The former president articulated that his view of becoming more aggressive and toughening up means standing up for policies and candidates that are unpopular, or that may make lawmakers feel uncomfortable, but in the end have the best chance to deliver. FORMER OBAMA SPEECHWRITER ADMITS SHUNNING CONSERVATIVE IN HIS FAMILY WAS A MISTAKE “Don’t say that you care deeply about free speech, and then you’re quiet. No, you stand up for free speech when it’s hard. When somebody says something that you don’t like, but you still say, ‘You know what? That person has the right to speak.’ … What’s needed now is courage,” Obama added in his remarks at the fundraiser, which drew in $2.5 million and was hosted by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy Murphy, at their home. “Stop looking for the quick fix,” he added. “Stop looking for the messiah. You have great candidates running races right now. Support those candidates.” The former president pointed particularly at the upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia. Later this year, Virginia will face a major gubernatorial battle between incumbent GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former long-time Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. In New Jersey, Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was reportedly in attendance at the Friday fundraiser, is running for her state’s open gubernatorial seat against GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli. RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DEMS HAVE BECOME PARTY OF ‘PUNKS’ WHO ‘TALK DOWN TO PEOPLE’ AND FRET OVER IDENTITY POLITICS Both states will also hold new state House elections and a slate of other local elections. In Virginia, there will also be a special election this year to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. Amid his remarks, Obama described Spanberger and Sherrill as “powerful spokespersons for a pragmatic, commonsense desire to help people and who both have remarkable track records of service.” “The most important thing you can do right now is to help the team, our candidate to win,” he said. “And we’ve got to start building up our coffers in the DNC.” Obama acknowledged the party’s increasing propensity to nominate progressive, far-left candidates, such as the recent choice of Zohran Mamdani over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race, but argued that what they are promoting and what centrist Democrats are pushing are not mutually exclusive. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “There’s been, I gather, some argument between the left of the party and people who are promoting the quote-unquote abundance agenda. Listen, those things are not contradictory. You want to deliver for people and make their lives better? You got to figure out how to do it,” Obama said Friday. “I don’t care how much you love working people. They can’t afford a house because all the rules in your state make it prohibitive to build. And zoning prevents multifamily structures because of NIMBY,” he added, referring to “not in my backyard” views by residents who oppose development in their neighborhoods. “I don’t want to know your ideology, because you can’t build anything. It does not matter.” Obama said that what was being asked of his fellow Democratic Party leaders was to “make some effort to stand up” for what they believe is right, even if it makes them a “little bit uncomfortable.” Fox News Digital reached out to Obama’s office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Trump admin seeks to overturn federal restraining order limiting ICE operations in Los Angeles
The Trump administration filed a request with the courts to suspend a temporary restraining order (TRO) that was issued on Friday against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that ruled the agency likely violated constitutional protections through its immigration enforcement practices in Los Angeles. In a 53-page order issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, a Biden appointee, barred ICE from conducting detentive stops in the Central District of California unless agents have “reasonable suspicion” that a person is in the country unlawfully. Frimpong’s ruling explicitly prohibits ICE from relying solely on race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or English with an accent, location, or type of work when forming suspicion, citing the Fourth Amendment. In its filing on Monday, the Trump administration said the lawsuit was originally filed by three individual aliens requesting to be released from immigration detention. LOS ANGELES JUDGE WEIGHS SEVERE LIMITS ON TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN CALIFORNIA “But, apparently seeking to manipulate the process of judicial assignment, the original petitioners’ counsel then filed an amended complaint adding a host of new individual and organizational plaintiffs, leveling systemic challenges to federal immigration enforcement in the Los Angeles area,” the Trump administration wrote. “And a day later, on the eve of the July 4 holiday, they filed an ‘emergency’ ex parte motion asking the court to impose a straight-jacket injunction that would vastly restrict the government’s ability to stop and detain anyone on suspicion of being unlawfully present in the United States.” The Trump administration also said the court gave them just two business days to respond to hundreds of pages of discovery. “The result is a sweeping, district-wide injunction that threatens to bobble lawful immigration enforcement by hanging a Damocles sword of contempt over every immigration stop,” the Trump administration said. “The government seeks an immediate stay of that untenable order pending appeal, and an administrative stay in the meantime.” The Trump administration argued that Frimpong ignored the recent Supreme Court ruling involving the president that rejects universal injunctions – the judge’s ruling on Friday was not nationwide but instead was focused on Los Angeles and the Central District of California. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUES LOS ANGELES OVER SANCTUARY POLICIES THAT ‘IMPEDE’ ICE OPERATIONS “Immediate relief is warranted here not only because of the magnitude of the court’s legal errors, but also their practical consequences for the separation of powers and the government’s sovereign prerogatives,” the filing reads. “It is untenable for a district judge to single-handedly ‘restructure the operations’ of federal immigration enforcement and usurp ‘ongoing judicial supervision of an agency normally, and properly, overseen by the executive branch.’” Frimpong presided over a hearing Thursday where she considered granting the request that will have major implications for immigration enforcement in California, a state that has become a focal point in President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation plans. The judge heard arguments about whether to grant the TRO against ICE over allegations the agency is violating constitutional rights during its immigration arrests. FEDERAL JUDGE HALTS TRUMP’S PLAN TO CUT FUNDING FOR SANCTUARY STATES THAT REFUSE TO COOPERATE Frimpong said during the hearing on Thursday that she was leaning toward granting the TRO Friday. “I think it’s important for the court not to burden otherwise lawful law enforcement activities,” the judge said. The case was initially brought in June as a routine petition from three detainees, but it has ballooned into a weighty lawsuit challenging the way ICE operates. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, on Friday, praised the federal court’s decision to issue a temporary restraining order halting what she described as “unconstitutional and reckless raids conducted under the Trump Administration.” She characterized the federal actions as aggressive and harmful and reaffirmed Los Angeles’ commitment to protecting its residents’ rights. Immigration rights groups and local governments, including the cities of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Culver, and West Hollywood, have all intervened in the case and Democrat-led states have filed an amicus brief in support of them. FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP TO RETURN CONTROL OF CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD TO NEWSOM The plaintiffs alleged in court papers that ICE is “indiscriminately” arresting people with “brown skin” at Home Depots, car washes, farms and more. Authorities made the arrests with no “reasonable suspicion” and sometimes mistakenly apprehended U.S. citizens in the process, all in violation of the Fourth Amendment, attorneys wrote. The plaintiffs argued the Trump administration gave ICE an unrealistic quota of 3,000 arrests per day, causing officers to feel pressured to blow past legal requirements to achieve those numbers. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is disputing the allegations and denies wrongdoing. Department of Justice attorneys wrote that immigration arrests, of which there have been nearly 3,000 across California since early June, have been carried out legally. Fox News’ Ashley Oliver, Bill Melugin, Cameron Arcand, Jasmine Baehr and Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
Cuomo opponents slam his re-entry into NYC mayor race, say city wants to move on from ex governor
The Democratic, Republican and independent candidates for New York City mayor don’t often agree on much, but they appear to be in lock-step over the view that New Yorkers want someone different than former Governor Andrew Cuomo to run the Big Apple. Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa, the Democratic and Republican nominees for New York City mayor, were quick to respond to Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that he will stay in the race as an independent after the former governor of New York lost his Democratic primary a few weeks ago. While blasting Cuomo, the pair also used the opportunity to slam incumbent independent mayoral candidate Eric Adams, who, on Monday, said Cuomo “had his opportunity” already, but New Yorkers no longer buy his message. “Andrew is a double-digit loser in the primary. He lost by 12 points. He had his opportunity. He spent $25 million to get his message out. New York has heard it. He did not sell it,” Adams said at a Monday press conference. The comments followed a separate press release his campaign put out Sunday amid rumors Cuomo would be re-joining the race as an Independent, saying that Cuomo’s “political double-dealing” was the reason why New Yorkers have “lost trust” in him. MAMDANI LANDS ENDORSEMENT OF A TOP CUOMO BACKER IN NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY “I welcome everyone to this race, and I am as confident as I have been since three weeks ago on primary night when we faced Andrew Cuomo,” Democratic Party nominee Mamdani said at a Monday press conference following Cuomo’s announcement. “We did so because of the fact that while Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams trip over themselves to make deals in back rooms with billionaires, we are focused on fighting for working New Yorkers. I think he’s struggling to come to terms with what [Cuomo’s primary loss] meant.” Mamdani added that while Cuomo may have envisioned himself as becoming the next mayor, the Democratic primary results showed NYC’s “hunger for a new kind of politics.” “I understand that it is difficult for the former governor to come to terms with [his loss] because it is a repudiation of the politics that he has practiced that he has known for so many years, and it is that same politics that we are turning the page on.” MAMDANI’S FAILURE TO WALK BACK THESE POSITIONS COULD CAUSE RECKONING IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY: ‘FIVE-ALARM WARNING’ Sliwa, the GOP’s nominee in the NYC mayoral race, also took the opportunity Monday following Cuomo’s announcement he would be re-entering the race to slam not just Cuomo, but Adams as well, telling Fox News Digital the two are working eagerly to “cling to relevance.” “Andrew Cuomo lost his primary and hides in the Hamptons. Eric Adams skipped his and fled to Fort Lauderdale. Now they’re both running as independents to cling to relevance,” Sliwa said Monday. “I’m the only candidate with a major party nomination, a 50-year record of serving New Yorkers, and a real path to victory. While they play musical chairs on a sinking ship, I’m out campaigning in NYC, listening, leading, and fighting to win it for the people. Let the voters decide this November.” In response to the criticism, a campaign representative for Cuomo zeroed in on Adams’ comments. “This is a primary that the mayor didn’t participate in because he knew he’d lose,” Rich Azzopardi told Fox News Digital. “The governor got 36,000 more votes three weeks ago than the mayor got four years ago, when he was at the height of his popularity and people actually wanted to give him a chance.” Azzopardi also pointed to an email Cuomo sent to supporters Monday noting he “made mistakes in the primary,” such as being too comfortable with polling that showed he was the front-runner. The email also spoke to Mamdani, but did not directly address Sliwa. “I do not believe that New York City voters affirmatively voted for a socialist form of government that is hostile to business and economic growth, and I do believe that Zohran Mamdani poses a serious threat to the future of the city we love. I will give it my all to stop him,” the email from Cuomo stated. “I also believe that all of us who love New York City must be united in running the strongest possible candidate against Zohran Mamdani in the November general election for mayor. Our common goal must be to run the strongest candidate against Mr. Mamdani. That is why I have accepted the proposal put forth by former Governor David Paterson and candidate Jim Walden that, in mid-September, we will determine which candidate is strongest against Mamdani and all other candidates will stand down, rather than act as spoilers and guarantee Mamdani’s election.” On Monday, incumbent mayor Adams slammed the proposal mentioned by Cuomo in his email to supporters, which seeks to get the rest of the campaign field to pledge to consolidate around the strongest non-Mamdani candidate. “This proposal that was put out. It was Andrew’s proposal. He uses people to put things out that he really would like to come later and say, ‘OK, I endorse what an independent person is doing,’” Adams said Monday.
Trump Butler rally Secret Service team failed multiple basic protocols before assassination attempt, docs reveal
Documents subpoenaed by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs show major failures among the six U.S. Secret Service (USSS) agents who were suspended without pay in response to an assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. While the USSS had previously told Fox News that the agents were disciplined in February, the paperwork shows that five of the agents were not disciplined until April, which is when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., subpoenaed the records. USSS interviews show that the main site agent was unprepared and undertrained, and fellow agents said she had no idea what she was doing in Butler. The campaign rally marked the first time the agent had secured an outdoor rally, and agents on the ground claimed she lacked basic knowledge, according to the report. TRUMP DIRECTS SECRET SERVICE TO GIVE HIM ‘EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION’ ABOUT HIS ATTEMPTED ASSASSINS: REPORT The interviews also unveiled that several agents admitted the existence of major security concerns at the Butler rally, but none of them elevated the concerns or helped produce a plan to properly cover the roof that provided 20-year-old Thomas Crooks a clear shot of Trump. The documents show that some agents in charge never even conducted walk-throughs of the site. For example, the lead advance agent, documents show, never did a final security walk through of the rally site because she was in the hospital for heat exhaustion, the special agent in charge said when questioned. But the documents also provide a deeper dive into the six agents who were disciplined because of failures in the security detail. SECRET SERVICE SUSPENDS 6 AGENTS TASKED WITH PROTECTING TRUMP DURING JULY 2024 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT The lead advance agent had 21 years with the USSS, with six of those years spent in the vice-presidential protective division. Despite April documents showing the agent was suspended without pay for 21 days, the agent ended up getting a 14-day suspension. According to the Secret Service, the agent was the most senior and experienced agent on the advance team, yet she failed to secure the rally site. The documents show the lead agent was aware of line-of-sight concerns, but she failed to address the issue or produce a plan to secure the building. SECRET SERVICE CHANGES THE AGENCY HAS MADE POST-TRUMP BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT During her interview, the lead agent said she did not know three local snipers were inside the AGR building instead of on the rooftop where Crooks was perched when he shot Trump. The counter sniper team lead had 10 years of experience with the USSS, with two years in the uniformed divisions and eight with the counter sniper program. The counter sniper lead was suspended for 52 days without pay in April, but only had to serve 35 days. He is currently on official restricted duty status. The agent is accused of not walking the entire Butler rally site and instead using “Google and stuff” to get a look at the grounds. He also failed to talk or collaborate with local sniper teams and never picked up radios offered by local law enforcement to communicate with other teams. ‘ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM’: CALLS FOR MORE ACTION AFTER SECRET SERVICE AGENTS SUSPENDED FOR SECURITY FAILURE The Secret Service said with the lead sniper’s level of experience, he should have known how to successfully secure the grounds. The sniper also said during interviews that he received text messages about Crooks being suspicious, but failed to alert the lead site agent and security room. One of the site agents who was disciplined had five years of experience with the USSS and was originally notified in April that she would be suspended for three days. But the Secret Service changed the length of discipline to 42 days without pay, documents show. The Secret Service said the agent failed to communicate that there was an active threat on the day of the rally, to the team on the ground. The Secret Service also said the agent blamed others for the security failures, but she was the one who was ultimately responsible for all security. CRITICAL SECURITY LAPSES BY SECRET SERVICE EXPOSED IN NEW REPORT ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT After the assassination attempt, the agent spoke with a reporter and shared information about the behind the scenes of the rally, the documents show. The senior special agent site counterpart had 20 years of experience, including experience dealing with presidential details. According to the documents, the counterpart was disciplined in April for 14 days without pay, though she argued she should not be punished. Instead, the agent blamed the site agent. The senior special agent site counterpart was supposed to be responsible for securing the site and identifying threats, the documents show. COULD BUTLER HAPPEN AGAIN? FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENTS WEIGH IN ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN 2025 During interviews, the counterpart told the USSS that the site agent she was working with did not know “basic things,” adding that it was not her job to “coach” the site agent. The Secret Service also said local police emailed the senior counterpart their plans to secure the area, but she never opened or read the plans. The special agent in charge from the Pittsburgh field office had 24 years of experience with the USSS, and just days after the rally was placed on telework status. In November, the agent was reassigned to work with the cybertraining program, and in January he was told he would be suspended for 14 days without pay. According to the documents, the agent said under questioning that he did not know there was a threat against Trump before the rally. The agent told the Secret Service that if he had known about the threat, he would have recommended moving the rally inside or would have asked for more resources. The agent also told the Secret Service that the team assigned to Trump’s protective detail knew about the threats and
DOJ rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal in SCOTUS response
The Department of Justice on Monday asked the Supreme Court to deny Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghilaine Maxwell’s appeal of her sex-trafficking conviction, a move that comes as the department has recently come under fire for its handling of Epstein’s case files. Maxwell, 63, was convicted by a jury in New York in 2021 of five counts involving sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Maxwell appealed her conviction, saying it should be tossed out for several reasons, including that a plea deal Epstein reached with the federal government in 2007 immunized her and that statutes of limitations had run out. JEFFREY EPSTEIN DIED BY SUICIDE, DID NOT HAVE CLIENT LIST: DOJ The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied her appeal, but Maxwell argued that circuit courts have issued disparate orders about what kind of immunity is granted through non-prosecutorial agreements, such as the one Epstein received in 2007, and that the Supreme Court should weigh in. Maxwell is serving out her prison sentence in Tallahassee, Florida. It is set to end in 2037. The DOJ’s response to the high court comes after the department recently ignited fury among a faction of President Donald Trump’s supporters by announcing it had no new information to release related to Epstein’s case. Epstein was charged in 2019 with sex trafficking underage women, but he died before he could stand trial. Authorities ruled his death was caused by suicide. BONDI UNDER SIEGE AFTER DOJ REVEALS NO EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST Some Trump DOJ officials had advanced theories that the government was hiding information related to Epstein’s case, but they have since walked back those claims. Congress could call on Maxwell to testify before lawmakers. Citing anonymous sources, the Daily Mail reported Monday that Maxwell is interested in doing that. Maxwell’s attorney did not respond to a Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the report. Her attorney did, however, take a jab at the Trump DOJ over its position on Maxwell’s appeal. “I’d be surprised if President Trump knew his lawyers were asking the Supreme Court to let the government break a deal,” attorney David Oscar Markus said. “He’s the ultimate dealmaker — and I’m sure he’d agree that when the United States gives its word, it should keep it. With all the talk about who’s being prosecuted and who isn’t, it’s especially unfair that Ghislaine Maxwell remains in prison based on a promise the government made and broke.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Biden Chief of Staff OK’d Autopen Pardons, Email Reveals
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… – Trump’s whirlwind week ahead to include meeting with NATO chief, ‘major’ announcement on Russia – UK to roll out red carpet in ‘unprecedented’ second Trump visit hosted by King Charles – Democrats seize on Epstein files drama with new transparency calls Former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff issued final approval for multiple high-profile preemptive pardons during Biden’s final days in office, according to a new report. Biden’s alleged use of the autopen has become a sticking point for months, as President Donald Trump has said thousands of pardons Biden signed were void and claimed that the former president did not know what documents he was signing through the automated device. Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons on his final day to officials, including former chief medical advisor to the president Anthony Fauci and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, in an attempt to safeguard them from retribution from Trump… READ MORE. FAITH MEETS FORTUNE: Trump gathers CEOs for unprecedented faith, economy meeting to renew US ‘spiritually and financially’ PUTIN’S RECKONING: Trump’s whirlwind week ahead to include meeting with NATO chief, ‘major’ announcement on Russia ‘GOD ALONE SAVED ME’: Trump says ‘American spirit’ triumphs over ‘forces of evil’ on anniversary of Butler assassination attempt CLOCK TICKING: Mother of slain soldier held by Hamas terrorists for 4,000 days makes plea to Trump PROJECT UNDERWATER: Navy delays next-gen submarine to 2040, threatening US sea power NO CUTS AHEAD: Trump urges rate cuts to boost savings, but Fed says economy is strong DEAL OR TARIFFS: Trump, Rutte announce ‘really big’ NATO arms package amid new 50 day deadline to Putin ‘NATO IS PAYING’: Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, adding Putin ‘talks nice and then he bombs’ SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: UK to roll out red carpet in ‘unprecedented’ second Trump visit hosted by King Charles ‘BLOOD COVENANT’: Iranian crowdfunding campaign claims to raise $40M as reward for assassinating Trump ALLIES ON NOTICE: Pentagon presses Japan, Australia on role in possible Taiwan conflict ‘PUT UP’: Democrats seize on Epstein files drama with new transparency calls ‘TRUE WARRIOR’: FIRST ON FOX: ‘A true warrior’: Retiring Rep Mark Green endorses his potential replacement in GOP race TRADE TIDE TURNS: From cattle to crude: How Trump’s tariffs are rattling the Lone Star State CASH AMID CHAOS: Hochul hauls in big bucks amid lackluster poll numbers and calls to endorse Mamdani ‘FIVE-ALARM WARNING’: Mamdani’s failure to walk back these positions could cause reckoning in Democratic Party: ‘Five-alarm warning’ QUIET EXIT: Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell’s secluded hideout hits the market ‘HAD A GREAT TIME’: Newsom, Vance exchange jabs over immigration after VP’s California vacation: ‘Hope you enjoy your family time’ ARMED AND DANGEROUS: Suspect wanted in anti-ICE Texas ambush previously sued in past protest incident Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump reveals Melania’s key role in dealing with Putin on Ukraine war
President Trump on Monday suggested that first lady Melania Trump convinced him that Russian President Vladimir Putin has continually backed out of his promises over a possible peace deal with Ukraine. Trump was meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte when he spoke with reporters about the ongoing war. He explained that his wife pointed out Putin’s false promises following Trump’s phone calls with the Russian leader amid calls for a deal to end the conflict. TRUMP’S BOLD PIVOT ON UKRAINE SENDS MAJOR SIGNAL “I go home. I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ She said, ‘Oh, really? another city was just hit,’” he said. “There’s times I’d get home. I’d say, ‘First lady, I had the most wonderful talk with Vladimir. I think we’re finished.’ And then I’ll turn on the television, or she’ll say to me one time, ‘Wow, that’s strange because they just bombed a nursing home,’” Trump recalled in another conversation. “I’d say, ‘What?’” Moscow has repeatedly attacked Ukraine with drones and missiles following calls between Putin and Trump. TRUMP SAYS US WILL SEND PATRIOT MISSILES TO UKRAINE, ADDS THAT PUTIN ‘TALKS NICE AND THEN HE BOMBS EVERYBODY’ Last week, Trump appeared frustrated, saying he wasn’t happy with Putin “because he’s killing alot of people.” He said he was considering giving Ukraine more aid to help it resist the Russian attacks. On Monday, Trump confirmed that he has agreed to sell arms to NATO just moments after he said Putin has 50 days to secure a peace deal with Ukraine or face “100%” tariffs. “This is again European nations standing up,” Rutte said. “I’ve been in contact with many countries. I can tell you at this moment Germany, massively, but also Finland and Denmark and Sweden and Norway — we have the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Canada — they all want to be part of this.” “And this is only the first wave. There will be more,” Rutte confirmed. “So what we will do is work through the NATO systems to make sure that we know what Ukrainians need.”
Zohran Mamdani press conference abruptly ends with aide pulling him away during reporters questions
An endorsement event for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, came to an abrupt end Monday when he was pulled offstage by a campaign aide. After accepting the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802’s endorsement, Mamdani answered a few questions about former Gov. Andrew Cuomo deciding to stay in the race as an independent candidate and his upcoming meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. About 20 minutes into the event, before Mamdani could continue answering reporters’ questions, his campaign staffers stepped in to say: “I think we’re done here. We’re going to go. Come on. We’re wrapping up, folks. Sorry folks. We’re wrapping up.” But Mamdani stood by the podium, attempting to hear the reporters’ questions over the chorus of campaign aides’ voices, until the band on site for the event began playing “When the Saints Go Marching In.” With a smile on his face, Mamdani was pulled away when a campaign aide grabbed his arm. MAMDANI LANDS ENDORSEMENT OF A TOP CUOMO BACKER IN NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY Mamdani has kept a busy campaign schedule since securing the Democratic nomination last month. MAMDANI’S PRIMARY WIN EXPOSES DEMOCRAT DIVIDE AS TOP LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS He has hosted several endorsement events, including from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and New York Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat. The campaign has opened up questions to reporters at the end of these endorsement events. The 33-year-old candidate is expected to host an event with fellow self-described democratic socialist, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Mamdani ahead of his primary win last month. And during the endorsement event Monday, Mamdani confirmed his meeting with Jeffries later this week. Jeffries told Fox News Digital he would meet with Mamdani at home in Brooklyn at the end of the week. The House Minority Leader has yet to endorse Mamdani since he secured the Democratic nomination. “I’m looking forward to that meeting with Congressman Jeffries,” Mamdani said Monday before adding, “I’m looking forward to being a partner to Congressman Jeffries in winning back the House and continuing to fight back against Donald Trump’s agenda, and in delivering, at the same time, for New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”
‘In it to win it’: Cuomo refuses to back down in heated NYC mayoral race against Zohran Mamdani
Andrew Cuomo says he’s going the distance. The former three-term New York governor, who last month was defeated by double digits by democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, on Monday announced he will continue his general election bid as an independent candidate. “Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November and I am in it to win it,” Cuomo declared in a video posted to social media. And Cuomo charged that “My opponent, Mr. Mamdani offers slick slogans but no real solutions.” CUOMO, ADAMS TRADE SHOTS OVER WHO SHOULD DROP OUT IN RACE AGAINST MAMDANI FOR NYC MAYOR Mamdani’s primary victory over Cuomo and nine other candidates three weeks ago rocked the Democratic Party, and boosted the Ugandan-born 33-year-old state assemblyman from Queens toward becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city. MAMDANI OFFICIALLY WINS NYC DEM PRIMARY BY 12 POINTS OVER CUOMO, WHO’S STAYING IN THE RACE FOR NOW Mamdani surged to a primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City’s high cost of living. Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering “free childcare” for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores. And thanks in part to the efforts of a massive grassroots army of volunteers, he rode a wave of support from younger and progressive voters to catapult into first place over Cuomo, who was the frontrunner. “Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that the Democratic primary did not go the way I had hoped,” said Cuomo, the former three-term governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals. Cuomo, who is gunning for a political comeback, noted that “as my grandfather used to say, when you get knocked down, learn the lesson and pick yourself back up and get in the game. And that is what I’m going to do. The fight to save our city isn’t over.” At an endorsement event on Monday, Mamdani reacted to Cuomo’s move. “I welcome everyone to this race, and I am as confident as I have been since three weeks ago on primary night,” he said. “I think he’s struggling to come to terms with what Tuesday meant,” Mamdani added. “We spent an entire campaign being told that it was inevitable for Andrew Cuomo to become the next mayor, and he believed that himself.” Mamdani also trolled the former governor on Monday, responding to a photo of Cuomo filming his campaign video. “We got him making man on the street videos with a guy in Carhartt. By next week, he’ll be sipping adeni chai and eating khaliat al nahl,” Mamdani said in reference to his own viral campaign videos. The announcement by Cuomo came as no major surprise. While he acknowledged Mamdani’s victory in the primary, Cuomo left the door open to a November run as an independent candidate, which election rules in New York state permit. And late last month, Cuomo let pass a deadline for candidates who had already qualified to run as independents to decline that independent ballot line. But sources told Fox News at the time that Cuomo had not committed yet to running an active general election campaign through the summer and into the autumn. In deep blue New York City, the Democratic primary winner is largely favored to win the general election. If Mamdani wins in November, he will be the first Muslim and millennial mayor of New York City. Also on the general election ballot is Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped his primary bid earlier this year amid sinking poll numbers in the wake of numerous controversies. Adams is running as an independent. Also on the ballot in the general election are Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor running as an independent, and Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who, for a second straight election, is the Republican mayoral nominee.
‘One more’: Senate Republicans eye tackling another reconciliation bill
Senate Republicans are planning to take another crack at the budget reconciliation process after narrowly passing President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” earlier this month. The $3.3 trillion legislative behemoth, which permanently extended many of the provisions of the president’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and included reforms and work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance programs, and billions in spending for defense and border security, only passed the Senate with the aid of Vice President JD Vance. Now, lawmakers are eying another shot at the grueling process. ‘GUT CHECK TIME’: DISSENT AMONG SENATE GOP RANKS THREATENS TO REDUCE TRUMP’S SPENDING CUT DEMAND Sen. Ron Johnson, one of the key holdouts that eventually backed the bill, said he gained a fair amount of confidence from the White House, Trump and Senate GOP leadership that Republicans would “have a second bite of the apple.” “I think I pretty well have a commitment,” the Wisconsin Republican said. “They’re going to do that, and we’re going to set a process, line by line, program by program.” “Another reason why I definitely had to vote ‘yes’ is I would have just dealt myself out of being involved in that process, and I want to be highly involved in that for the next process,” he continued. And Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., another fiscal hawk that was wary of supporting the bill but ultimately voted for it, told Fox News Digital, “I think we still have to definitely do one more this year, so we’ll see if that’s what happens.” Johnson speculated that lawmakers could tackle the process, which allows Republicans to skirt the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate but must comply with stringent Senate rules, in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in October. ‘BAIT AND SWITCH’: SCHUMER WARNS OF BITTER FUNDING FIGHT OVER GOP CUTS PLAN The senator has an ally in House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who shortly after the “big, beautiful bill” passed out of the House and onto Trump’s desk said, “We’re going to do this again.” “We’re gonna have a second reconciliation package in the fall and a third in the spring of next year,” Johnson said on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., another fiscal hawk who criticized the Senate’s changes to the initial reconciliation bill but voted for it in the end, said another reconciliation bill was “absolutely” feasible. He’s gunning for more spending cuts and more ends to “government giveaways,” but noted the looming 2026 election season put them on a short timeline, however. “[Trump will] have a better chance now, because you don’t have to deal with the filibuster, where you can get 50% plus one. If there’s ever a chance to do it, we need to do it now, because the midterms are coming up in the middle of next year. So really we need to push for the next eight months,” Norman said. Initially, Senate Republicans had pushed for a two-bill track, something that the speaker said would not be feasible in the House because of the varying factions, and red lines, throughout the conference. But now Senate leadership may be more cautious given the series of hurdles facing the upper chamber in the coming months, including advancing a $9.4 billion clawback package this week which is already facing headwinds among pockets of Senate Republicans. TAX CUTS, WORK REQUIREMENTS AND ASYLUM FEES: HERE’S WHAT’S INSIDE THE SENATE’S VERSION OF TRUMP’S BILL A senior GOP aide told Fox News Digital that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was open to another reconciliation package, but “is heavily focused on selling the last bill and highlighting all it does.” “At this point it’s premature to even think of what could be in a second one,” the aide said. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital that “we want to do one more reconciliation package,” and echoed the speaker’s sentiment that more could be done. First, however, lawmakers have to get through the looming government funding fight with Senate Democrats. Currently, Senate spending panels are going through mark-ups on the dozen funding bills needed to keep the government’s lights on, but Mullin, who chairs the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, believed that another government funding extension was on the horizon. “It looks like we’re screaming straight toward a [continuing resolution], and we have to have, we’re going to have to figure out how to avoid a Schumer shutdown, because they’re not going to be helpful in passing it,” he said. Getting every Senate Republican, or even a majority, to go forward with reconciliation once more may be a challenge. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was the key vote that advanced the Senate’s first crack at reconciliation back to the House, after hours of floor negotiations and rewritten provisions that would give a boost to Alaska were added to the package. But she seemed disinterested in taking another crack at the intensive process. “No, no,” Murkowski told Fox News Digital. “I want to legislate.”