Baltimore residents reveal what changes they want to see to combat crime amid National Guard threat
BALTIMORE – While politicians debate how to combat crime in Baltimore, Maryland, local residents who spoke to Fox News Digital advocated for more affordable housing, recreational centers and accessible community resources. Earlier this month, Gov. Wes Moore and Mayor Brandon Scott deployed the Maryland State Police and the Transportation Authority Police to partner with the Baltimore Police Department after President Donald Trump floated deploying the U.S. National Guard to crackdown on crime. “We got so many kids getting into stuff and killing and on drugs, especially down here in this neighborhood on the Penn North,” Tasha, a young mother who spoke to Fox News Digital earlier this month while pushing her baby’s stroller through Baltimore’s Penn-North neighborhood, said. Tasha said more kids need access to rec centers because “so many of them are getting hooked on drugs and caught up in things that they don’t got no business getting caught up in, all because they don’t have nothing else out here to do.” BALTIMORE RESIDENTS REJECT NARRATIVE FROM CITY LEADERS ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME DROPPING: ‘NOT GOING LOW’ Fox News Digital spoke to more than a dozen Baltimore residents about how crime is impacting their community. While locals were split on whether Trump deploying the National Guard would curb crime, residents said safety concerns were top of mind. ‘BALTIMORE IS ON FIRE’: RESIDENTS REVEAL WHETHER TRUMP SHOULD SEND NATIONAL GUARD TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME More than two dozen people were hospitalized in a mass drug overdose event in Penn-North in July. Meanwhile, three out of the seven homicides in Baltimore during August were in the nearby Park Heights, according to local reporting. Between people selling and using drugs on the corner as one police car was parked just down the street, Tasha said that in Penn-North, “everything is back out here running like it didn’t even happen a month ago.” Joseph, a Penn-North resident who spoke to Fox News Digital while a homeless woman slept on his front stoop, said there are abandoned houses and buildings on his street and “all over the place.” But Trayvon, another Baltimore local, asked, “How can you fix a place and not fix the people?” “If you fix that, all you’re going to do is make a prettier place to sell drugs,” he said. Scott Graham, a Republican who campaigned in 2022 for Maryland’s House of Delegates to represent the Baltimore suburbs, said high property taxes “discourage people from coming in and buying” property. “We have vacant housing all over the place, and people are reluctant to come in. That vacant housing is in areas where there’s high crime,” Graham said. Moore and Scott have touted “historic reductions in violent crime” in Baltimore, pointing to 91 homicides and 218 nonfatal shootings in 2025, which Scott said are 29.5% and 21% drops. But statistics compiled by the nonprofit research institute Just Facts show that Baltimore’s 2024 murder rate is still 6.8 times the average for all metropolitan areas in the nation and that if the murder rate stays the same as it was in 2024, roughly 1 in every 38 people in the city will have their lives cut short by murder at some point during the course of their lives. The 17 Baltimore locals who spoke to Fox News Digital earlier this month were divided over whether deploying the National Guard is the solution to their crime concerns. While many worried it would raise tensions and inspire riots, others said the troops could serve as a crime deterrent. “We just need to get back to where we used to be when we were coming up as kids, where everybody got together and everybody worked together, and they moved people off the blocks, and they made the clean blocks, and they did all of those things,” Ronette, a Baltimore resident, said. “Our city just got to a point where we just, it’s everybody for their self. Nobody works together.” Trump signed a memorandum this month establishing a task force to address crime in Memphis, Tennessee, similar to his ongoing crime crackdown in Washington, D.C. He said the effort includes deployment of the National Guard, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Last month, Trump mobilized 800 D.C. National Guard troops to reduce crime in the nation’s capital. More National Guard troops from Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee were dispatched to support the crime crackdown. In addition to Baltimore, Trump has also floated deploying troops to Chicago and Oakland, but the plans have been met with resistance by Democrats. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stacy contributed to this report.
Iraqi president calls nation ‘100% safe’ even as ISIS, Iranian militia threats persist
Iraq is entering “a new phase” of stability and growth, President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid said in an interview, declaring the country “100% safe” as U.S. troops prepare to draw down after more than two decades on the ground. While praising the U.S. for helping to defeat ISIS, Rashid stressed that Iraq now intends to stand on its own — maintaining ties with both the United States and neighboring Iran. “Americans have helped us in defeating terrorism… and I think Iraq is 100% safe and secure,” Rashid told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. “It’s a new phase in Iraq, really concentrating on improving the infrastructure.” Those who served in Iraq in the early 2000s — through the War on Terror and a civil war — may not recognize it as the same place, according to Rashid. SENIOR ISLAMIC STATE LEADER KILLED IN IRAQ, TRUMP SAYS HIS ‘MISERABLE LIFE WAS TERMINATED’ “We have started development in every field of life, and there are good opportunities for number of American companies, American businessmen, to be our partner in improving the situation in Iraq.” Under this “new phase,” Rashid said he wants Iraq to be defined less by conflict and more by commerce. “Our relationship with the United States is a long relationship. We want to make a stronger relationship… on trade, on investment, on energy and water.” The timing is significant. The U.S.-led coalition that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 and later fought ISIS was scheduled under an agreement last year to begin its final withdrawal this September. That exact timeline is unclear, and the Pentagon has disclosed few details. The issue is sure to dominate next month’s parliamentary elections, where a swath of Iraqis want the U.S. to adhere to its agreement and leave. “This is a hot button political issue,” said Behnam Taleblu, fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), “with a timetable that was technically — or at least allegedly — already supposed to have started by then, is going to be something that we should be keeping our eyes on.” American commanders have warned that ISIS cells remain active in rural areas, while Iran-aligned militias have targeted U.S. and Iraqi government facilities with rockets and drones. US CHAMPIONS LEBANON’S RESPONSE TO HEZBOLLAH DISARMAMENT, HINTS AT ABRAHAM ACCORDS OPPORTUNITY Some argue the counter-ISIS mission is not over, and U.S. troops should remain. Others say the U.S. footprint lacks a clear purpose at this point. “The deterrent effect of U.S. forces there, I think, could be significant,” said Taleblu. Pressed on these concerns, Rashid dismissed talk of Iraq being “overrun with Iranian proxies” as exaggerated and said Baghdad is determined to prevent outside powers from dictating its politics. “We want to keep our independence, our decision-making in Iraq as the Iraqis, not to be influenced by outsiders,” he said. On reports of militia attacks, Rashid claimed ignorance but insisted such actions would not be tolerated. “I’m not really aware of any groups [carrying out attacks]. We will not allow it. And these are against the Iraqi security and Iraqi independence,” he said. Still, the perception of Iranian influence remains a flashpoint in Washington. ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN LEADERS SEEK TO EASE RUSSIAN AND IRANIAN CONCERNS AFTER US-BROKERED PEACE DEAL “Iranian influence has already taken over Iraq,” Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital. Tehran has close ties to Shiite parties that shape government coalitions in Baghdad, and it supports militias within the Popular Mobilization Forces that remain powerful players in the country’s security environment. Iraq also relies on Iranian electricity and natural gas imports, while Iranian goods fill local markets, making Iraq one of Tehran’s most important trading partners despite international sanctions. UN GIVES LONG ROUND OF APPLAUSE AFTER PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT ACCUSES ISRAEL OF ‘GENOCIDE’ That reach, however, is not uncontested. Iraqi nationalist movements — including many Shiites — have resisted Tehran’s sway, and mass protests in recent years have condemned Iran’s role, sometimes targeting its consulates. Baghdad today remains a space of competing influence. “The Islamic Republic benefits from Iraq looking like Swiss cheese,” said Taleblu, referring to Iranian pockets of influence across the country and its institutions. “Iran and Iraq are two neighbors,” Rashid said, emphasizing that they had friendly relations. “We will not allow politicians from either [U.S. or Iraq] to be imposed on Iraqi people.” Still others say Iran could take note of the Iraqi success story. In less than 20 years, the nation rose from decades of conflict and dictatorial leadership under Saddam Hussein to relative stability and democratic elections. Rashid confirmed that Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government have resolved their dispute over oil exports, paving the way for flows to resume after months of disruption. “It’s a big deal,” said Rashid, who himself is Kurdish by background. The Iraqi presidency is reserved for a Kurd under an informal power-sharing agreement, while the prime minister is Shi’a Arab and the speaker of the parliament is Sunni Arab. Rashid also pointed to November’s parliamentary elections as proof of democratic stability. “We are going to have elections in two months’ time in November. That’s really an indication of how stable the country is… We want the process to be fully democratic,” he said. But the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — a state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias, some with close ties to Tehran — are seen by critics as a parallel power structure undermining Iraq’s sovereignty. Rashid, however, argued that integrating all armed groups under the constitution strengthens, rather than weakens, the state. And on foreign policy, Rashid tried to position Iraq as a bridge. He welcomed growing recognition of a Palestinian state, cautiously praised Donald Trump’s push for peace in Gaza, and reiterated that war — whether in the Middle East or in Ukraine — “doesn’t solve any problem. It makes the problem more complicated.”
Harris recalls stun over Biden’s botched debate response about fallen service members in Afghanistan
Former Vice President Kamala Harris revealed in her new political memoir, “107 Days,” that she was stunned by then-President Joe Biden’s debate response about his administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which left 13 service members dead. Biden’s debate performance against Donald Trump in 2024 was viewed as an abject failure, with the Democratic president tripping over his words, losing his train of thought and displaying a raspy voice attributed to a cold during the event. Harris argued that Biden whiffed an easy question on the military and omitted any acknowledgment of the 13 U.S. service members who died during the Afghanistan withdrawal. She also pointed to his claims that he was “the only president this century” and “this decade” who did not have any troops “dying anywhere in the world.” KAMALA HARRIS REJECTS IDEA THAT BUNGLED ‘VIEW’ INTERVIEW WAS TIPPING POINT IN CAMPAIGN Harris in her book, however, identified those who were killed as “13 marines,” — except it was not all Marines who died during the withdrawal. Eleven Marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsman were killed in a suicide bombing at the Kabul Airport’s Abbey Gate. Harris explained in her book that Biden first faced a question on the economy during his debate in June 2024, which she said was rushed, with Biden showing “no light in his eyes, no expression in his voice.” The next question was on the military, and included Biden omitting an acknowledgment of the horrific attack that plagued his administration as one of its greatest failures. “He’s got so much material on this—Trump calling our fallen soldiers ‘suckers and losers,’” Harris wrote of what ran through her head when Biden was asked about his role as commander-in-chief. KAMALA HARRIS BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN DROPOUT, ADMITS SHE HAS REGRETS ABOUT HER HANDLING OF SITUATION “He managed to get off that line but had stepped on it earlier by saying no one had died in wars overseas on his watch, seeming to forget the thirteen marines who died in the bomb blast at the airport during the evacuation of Afghanistan. I’d been on Air Force Two when it happened, and we had to change our flight plan to get back to DC in the face of that tragedy. How could he overlook that day?” she wrote, expressing her surprise over the response, but misidentifying those who were all killed as members of the Marines Corps. “I know his deep feelings for those men and women. It’s personal to him,” she added. KAMALA HARRIS REVEALS WHAT BIDEN TOLD HER JUST BEFORE CRUCIAL DEBATE WITH TRUMP THAT LEFT HER ‘ANGRY’ The Biden administration repeatedly came under fire for its handling of the Afghan withdrawal. It was viewed as paving the road for adversaries such as Russia to invade Ukraine, as the U.S. looked weak on the international stage, critics such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said at the time. The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan upon the U.S.’ withdrawal. The families who lost loved ones during the botched withdrawal previously slammed Biden and Harris for their deaths, including launching a scathing defense attack against Harris when she was running for president. Parents and other loved ones claimed that the “administration killed my son” and that they “have not seen any support from you or your administration.” KAMALA HARRIS COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ LACK OF SUPPORT FROM BIDEN’S COMMS TEAM, INNER CIRCLE Biden added fuel to the fire of the botched withdrawal criticisms when he appeared on a tarmac during a dignified transfer ceremony of those killed in 2021 and was seen looking at his watch. Fox News Digital reached out to Harris’ office for comment on the section of the book, including a response as to why Harris stated the 13 service members were all identified as “marines,” but did not immediately receive responses. Biden’s office declined to comment. Harris’ book, “107 Days,” hit store shelves Tuesday and reflects on the former vice president’s truncated presidential campaign cycle after Biden dropped out of the race amid mounting concern over his mental acuity. Harris is set to go on tour promoting her book in cities such as New York, San Francisco and London.
‘Escape From New York’: Researcher predicts NYC business exodus if Zohran Mamdani wins
Zohran Mamdani’s promises to freeze rents and raise taxes on corporations could trigger a New York City business exodus, Michael Toth, a research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin’s Civitas Institute, told Fox News Digital. Businesses have railed against Mamdani’s progressive platform since his primary win shocked the political establishment, with leaders like Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis sounding the alarm on Mamdani’s plans to open city-run grocery stores and raise taxes on the 1% if he wins in November. “We have a far-left socialist mayor who’s trying to take control of the epicenter of global finance,” Toth said in an exclusive interview. “It’s like oil and water.” Toth, a legal commentator on economic and regulatory reform, explained why Mamdani becoming mayor would trigger a “stampede” of businesses out of New York City in his essay, “Escape From New York.“ SOCIALIST’S NYC MAYORAL WIN SPARKS FIERCE DEBATE OVER FEASIBILITY OF RADICAL POLICY AGENDA The Texas-based researcher argued that Mamdani’s policies “are obviously not what has built New York City into the city that it’s become,” through leading finance, media and communication industries. NYC OFFICIAL WARNS BUSINESSES WILL FLEE ‘IN DROVES’ IF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS MAYORAL RACE “If I’m a New Yorker, and I’m looking for an affordable place to live, it’s not going to be in a city where Zohran Mamdani is running,” Toth said. Affordability has been central to Mamdani’s campaign. His platform also includes promises like fast, free buses and free childcare, contrasting his “grassroots energy” to his general election opponents, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. “Billionaires – and the politicians who do their bidding – have made New York City unaffordable for too many New Yorkers and now, this campaign is mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers ready for a new kind of politics,” campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a recent statement announcing more than 230,000 campaign doors. But Toth said that Mamdani is lacking a key understanding of supply and demand. “He completely shortchanges how hard it is for businesses to stay afloat and to consistently bring products to their customers,” Toth said. “More supply is better for consumers,” Toth said. “More government mandates is worse for consumers because it drives prices up.” Toth said New York City’s mayoral election is consequential, not just for its residents, but for Americans, arguing there could be a “continued reorientation of the American capital markets to places like Dallas and Florida.” If New Yorkers elect Mamdani, “these policies are going to set the city back decades,” Toth said. Mamdani has maintained that he doesn’t like capitalism, telling CNN’s Erin Burnett in June that he has “many critiques of capitalism.” When asked about the criticism from business leaders, particularly grocery stores owners, Mamdani told Fox News Digital it will be possible for a “partnership” between the city and grocery store and bodega owners, despite his plan to open five city-run grocery stores if elected mayor this November. “I am interested in working with each and every New Yorker, and I’ve actually spoken with a number of grocery store owners and made clear to them that I both recognize, and I appreciate the work that they have done. The fact is that they are a critical part of our communities,” Mamdani said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Despite Mamdani’s reassurances, real estate moguls have signaled support for Adams and Cuomo recently rallied support among local business leaders as pressure mounts to consolidate support against Mamdani. The latest Suffolk University CityView poll revealed that 45% of New Yorkers are very or somewhat likely to vote for Mamdani in November’s general election for mayor, with a 20-point lead over Cuomo. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Portland mayor condemns federal intervention, claims videos of anti-ICE riots were from years ago
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson on Saturday dismissed President Donald Trump’s plan to send federal troops to Oregon’s largest city, claiming there is no lawlessness or violence there. Trump announced Saturday morning he plans to send troops to Portland at the request of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The president said he directed War Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide “all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists,” adding he was authorizing full force, if necessary. Hours later, Wilson said during a news conference the number of necessary troops is “zero” in Portland, “and any other American city.” TRUMP VOWS ‘FULL FORCE’ AS HE PLANS TO SEND TROOPS TO PORTLAND AMID ANTI-ICE PROTESTS “This is an American city,” Wilson said. “We do not need any intervention. This is not a military target.” The mayor alleged the president would “not find” lawlessness or violence in the city, claiming video footage showing violence in the city was from five years ago was “recycled and then recycled again.” “If President Trump came to Portland today, what he would find is people riding their bikes, playing sports, enjoying the sunshine, buying groceries or produce from a farmers’ market,” Wilson said. “We’ve had hard conversations, and we’ve done important work in the years since that footage was taken, we reformed our public safety system. We’ve refocused our community and on our economy, and we’ve redoubled our efforts to help our most vulnerable.” Since June, protests have erupted near an ICE facility in Portland, where city officials cited land use violations, including improper detainee holding times and boarded-up windows. PORTLAND RAMPS UP PRESSURE ON ICE BUILDING WITH LAND USE VIOLATION NOTICE The building has been vandalized with anti-ICE graffiti and clashes between protesters and federal agents have occasionally turned violent, leading to the use of rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs. Video obtained by Fox News Digital confirmed another violent protest in August, with footage showing protesters rolling out a guillotine, lighting fires and fighting with authorities — forcing law enforcement to disperse the crowd with munitions. PORTLAND MAYOR WARNS CITY TO FIX HOMELESS PROBLEM BEFORE TRUMP ‘DEPLOYS BULLDOZERS’ Instead of sending troops to protect the federal facility, Wilson suggested the president send “hundreds of engineers, or teachers, or outreach workers” to Portland instead of a “short, expensive and fruitless show of force.” “I am so deeply disappointed with the federal government’s irresponsibility,” he said. “At the end of the day, this may be a show of force, but that’s all it is. It’s a big show, and after the big show, everyone goes home. That’s what I want to happen here today in Portland. We have a long and proud tradition of peaceful protest. We have a long and proud track record of being at the forefront of positive social change.” “There are new risks today, risks that we do not yet fully understand,” he continued. “The administration has refused to elaborate on what they mean when they say they will deploy full force against our city and citizens.” In his announcement on Saturday, Trump did not say he would deploy full force against the city of Portland and its citizens, as Wilson claimed. The president said he would send “all necessary troops” to protect the city and its ICE facilities, authorizing full force against domestic terrorism “if necessary.” Portland, a sanctuary city since 2017, has resisted federal immigration enforcement, making it a focal point during the administration’s immigration enforcement initiative. In August, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Wilson, warning the city’s sanctuary policies undermine U.S. interests. She demanded Portland affirm compliance with federal law and end practices that obstruct immigration enforcement. The City of Portland did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump to meet with top congressional leaders at White House as government shutdown looms
President Donald Trump plans to meet with congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle on Monday, as a possible government shutdown looms, a White House official confirmed to Fox News. The meeting comes after the president canceled one last week with Democrats, claiming they had “unserious and ridiculous demands.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., were set to meet with Trump on Thursday to discuss a path forward to avert a partial government shutdown before the Sept. 30 deadline. SPEAKER JOHNSON FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM LEADERS WITH STAUNCH WARNING AGAINST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Schumer and Jeffries will now meet with Trump, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. Schumer and Jeffries put out a joint statement on Saturday on the rescheduled meeting. “President Trump has once again agreed to a meeting in the Oval Office,” the statement said. “As we have repeatedly said, Democrats will meet anywhere, at any time and with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people. We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican healthcare crisis. Time is running out.” The Senate is expected to return on Sept. 29 following the Jewish new year, and the House is expected to be out until the deadline to keep the government funded passes. In a lengthy post on Truth Social last week, Trump blasted Schumer and Jeffries for pushing “radical Left policies that nobody voted for.” “I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” Trump added at the time. The now-canceled meeting with Trump came on the heels of a letter from Schumer and Jeffries sent over that weekend where the top congressional Democrats laid the possibility of a shutdown on his and Republicans’ feet. They argued that the Trump-backed short-term extension was “dirty,” which would mean it had partisan policy riders or spending attached to it, and panned it for continuing “the Republican assault on healthcare,” ignoring expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies, and possibly leading to the closure of hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country. TOP HOUSE DEM EXPOSES PARTY’S STRATEGY TO BLAME REPUBLICANS FOR LOOMING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “With the September 30th deadline fast approaching, Republicans will bear responsibility for another painful government shutdown because of the refusal of GOP congressional leadership to even talk with Democrats,” they wrote at the time. But Trump argued that their bill would allow for the nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts in his “Big, Beautiful Bill” to be repealed, and also blasted the Democratic continuing resolution (CR) for ending his bill’s $50 billion rural hospital fund. “We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage, knowing that they want our now thriving Country closed,” he said. “I’ll be happy to meet with them if they agree to the Principles in this Letter,” Trump continued. “They must do their job! Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand. To the Leaders of the Democrat Party, the ball is in your court. I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things that our Country stands for. DO THE RIGHT THING!” Without any action, a shutdown would start at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Johnson said last week that he had encouraged Trump to cancel the meeting last Thursday. “He and I talked about it at length yesterday and the day before. I said, look, when they get their job done, once they do the basic governing work of keeping the government open, as president, then you can have a meeting with him,” Johnson said on the “Mike & McCarty Show.” “Of course, it might be productive at that point, but right now, this is just a waste of his time.” Fox News’ Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Democrats risk flood insurance lapse in their shutdown fight, home builders and White House warn
EXCLUSIVE: As the Sept. 30 government funding deadline looms, the Trump administration is warning that millions of Americans could lose flood insurance coverage if Democrats refuse to back a House-passed spending bill that also extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The White House supports the continuing resolution (CR) approved by House Republicans, which would avert a shutdown and reauthorize the NFIP. Administration officials said they worked to ensure NFIP was part of the current funding package, reflecting what they call the urgency of protecting millions of policyholders during hurricane season. Democrats have said they will not support the measure, citing broader spending disputes. Trump administration officials argue the standoff puts homeowners, the housing market and disaster recovery funds at risk just as peak storm season arrives. GOP SENATOR BLASTS SCHUMER, DEMS AS ‘FORCING’ SHUTDOWN WHILE DEMANDING PRICE TAG REPORT “In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, a White House official said: ‘The NFIP is a vital program utilized by millions of Americans, and it’s not a hard call to extend it – which is exactly why the administration supports the House-passed CR that would do so. Unfortunately, Democrats are happy to shut down the government and hurt the many thousands of Americans who rely on this program in the process.’” According to administration figures reviewed by Fox News Digital, a lapse in NFIP authorization could disrupt about 1,300 property sales every day. That’s roughly 40,000 closings in a single month, all in areas where flood insurance is required to secure a mortgage. More than 400,000 policies are set to expire in October. Officials say about 152,000 of those have been prepaid, but more than 250,000 households could still lose coverage if the program stalls. TRUMP-APPROVED PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN SCUTTLED BY SENATE Administration officials also pointed to October 2024 as a warning sign. That month saw more than 427,000 new or renewed policies. Roughly 41,000 homeowners bought new policies while about 33,000 dropped coverage, leaving a net gain of nearly 9,000. Officials warn that similar growth this year could collapse if NFIP lapses. Administration officials told Fox News Digital that FEMA currently has $2.6 billion available to pay valid claims, including $1.5 billion in the National Flood Insurance Fund and $1.1 billion in reserves. But they warned the agency would be unable to borrow additional money from the Treasury if a major disaster exceeded those reserves, a scenario they described as “dangerous and avoidable.” The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) echoed those concerns. “Past disruptions of the NFIP have caused immediate and widespread negative impacts on property sales, home values and consumer confidence,” NAHB said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “Home sales would cease in areas where flood insurance is mandatory in order to obtain a mortgage. What the housing market needs now is stability and certainty. NAHB calls upon the House to act quickly to continue to fund the operations of the federal government including the extension of the NFIP.” The NFIP has a long history of stopgap extensions. Since 2017, Congress has reauthorized the program more than 30 times, often through short-term measures. Lawmakers have typically made coverage retroactive to prevent permanent gaps, but even brief lapses have stalled real estate closings and left homeowners in limbo. The program currently serves about 4.5 million policyholders nationwide. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Unless lawmakers strike a deal, FEMA will be barred from selling or renewing flood insurance policies starting Oct. 1, a lapse that could leave millions of homeowners in limbo as Washington hurtles toward a shutdown. Administration officials argue the risk is especially acute this year as hurricane season continues. FEMA, Schumer and Jeffries did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
FBI’s Patel clarifies role of hundreds of agents on Jan 6, says Wray lied to Congress
EXCLUSIVE: The FBI responded on Saturday to a report that 274 plainclothes agents were at the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, clarifying the role of bureau personnel while still blasting former Director Christopher Wray. While the agents were on hand, they were sent in after the riot had begun to try to control the unruly crowd, officials told Fox News Digital. That is not the proper role of FBI agents, and Wray was not forthcoming about what happened when he testified numerous times on Capitol Hill, Director Kash Patel said. “Agents were sent into a crowd control mission after the riot was declared by Metro Police – something that goes against FBI standards,” Patel told Fox News Digital. “This was the failure of a corrupt leadership that lied to Congress and to the American people about what really happened.” He added, “Thanks to agents coming forward, we are now uncovering the truth. We are fully committed to transparency, and justice and accountability continues with this FBI.” There’s no indication any FBI agents were involved in any events related to Trump’s speech on the morning of Jan. 6 at the Ellipse, an FBI official told Fox News Digital, adding that Wray should have disclosed that agents were there when he was asked by congressional leaders. FBI’S KASH PATEL VOWS ‘DEFINITIVE ANSWER’ ON TOP JAN 6 QUESTION IS ‘COMING’ President Donald Trump, citing a report that the agents were in the crowd which did not make clear their mission, said earlier that Wray, “has some major explaining to do.” “It was just revealed that the FBI had secretly placed, against all Rules, Regulations, Protocols, and Standards, 274 FBI Agents into the Crowd just prior to, and during, the January 6th Hoax,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday afternoon following a report from The Blaze, revealing the number of agents that were there. Trump added, “This is different from what Director Christopher Wray stated, over and over again! That’s right, as it now turns out, FBI Agents were at, and in, the January 6th Protest, probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists, but certainly not as ‘Law Enforcement Officials.’” The president said he wanted to know each officer’s identity and what they were doing at the U.S. Capitol. “Many Great American Patriots were made to pay a very big price only for the love of their Country,” he said, referring to Trump supporters who faced charges for their involvement on Jan. 6. Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of every person charged for involvement on Jan. 6 after he took office this year. DOJ INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES NOT DENY FBI INFORMANTS WERE AMONG JAN. 6 CROWD He concluded, “I owe this investigation of ‘Dirty Cops and Crooked Politicians’ to them! Christopher Wray, the then Director of the FBI, has some major explaining to do. That’s two in a row, Comey and Wray, who got caught LYING, with our Great Country at stake. WE CAN NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN TO AMERICA AGAIN!” Citing a senior congressional source, the Blaze report said that the number of agents wasn’t “necessarily a surprise” because the FBI often “embeds countersurveillance personnel at large events.” Wray told a House Committee on Nov. 15, 2023, “If you are asking if the violence at the Capitol was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources or agents, the answer is no,” but he wouldn’t disclose if any agents or sources were embedded within the crowd. The 274 agents also includes those who were responding to the pipe bombs placed near the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters the night before Jan. 6, according to Politico. Trump nominated Wray as FBI director in 2017 after he fired former FBI director James Comey, who was just indicted by a grand jury this week for allegedly making false statements to Congress. FBI AGENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE TOLD TO RESIGN, RETIRE OR BE FIRED A report released last December by Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said: “We found no evidence in the materials we reviewed or the testimony we received showing or suggesting that the FBI had undercover employees in the various protest crowds, or at the Capitol, on January 6,” although he acknowledged there were 26 paid informants, but only three of them were assigned by the FBI to be there. The report also said that FBI personnel were sent to the Capitol at the request of overwhelmed Capitol Police to help with crowd control. Horowitz said that none of the informants were allowed to incite the crowd, break the law or enter the U.S. Capitol. In its reporting, Blaze noted that there may have been confusion regarding “plainclothes” and “undercover,” meaning both the inspector general and the FBI could be telling the truth. Many of the agents weren’t happy to have been sent to the Capitol to do crowd control, another official told Fox News Digital. It was a chaotic scene with no pre-planning that contradicted the agency’s original plan to not get involved in the event. The official said that agents are not trained to do crowd control. The first agents arrived at the Capitol around 2:30 p.m. — there’s no evidence there were any there before a riot was declared — and agents continued to arrive after that, the official added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Wray had testified before Congress prior to the inspector general’s report being released in December, but Patel called out Wray for deflecting and giving a “D.C. answer” when pressed by lawmakers. “Why it took a ton of time and questioning in Congress for the director to get that point is what I’m trying to eliminate from the FBI,” Patel said. “If Congress asks you a question under oath, whether or not there were sources in [or] around Jan. 6th at the Capitol, you as the director of the FBI need to know that and not deflect and give a D.C. answer. You have
Ciattarelli unloads on Mikie Sherrill in NJ town hall, citing immigration and Naval Academy: ‘Not a centrist’
New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli called out his opponent, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., during a town hall Saturday, branding her as out of step with the Garden State on immigration, policing, taxes and ethics. “She wants you to believe she’s a Jersey girl. She’s not. She wants you to believe she’s a centrist. She’s not,” Ciattarelli told voters. The remarks preview Ciattarelli’s closing argument in a tight race for the state’s top post as he seeks to define Sherrill by tying her to national Democrats and controversies over immigration enforcement, policing and left-wing allies. Both campaigns have been asked for comment. Ciattarelli charged that Sherrill “supported Joe Biden’s open border policies” and “voted no on the Laken Riley Act.” Sherrill missed the Riley Act vote earlier this year but later said she would have voted no, arguing the measure was overly broad. AFFORDABILITY TAKES CENTER STAGE IN NEW JERSEY GUBERNATORIAL RACE AS NOMINEES SPAR OVER SALES TAX He also accused her of backing policies on transgender athletes, saying “this mother of two daughters voted yes twice to allow biological boys to play in girls sports.” Sherrill voted against GOP bills in 2023 and 2025 that would have banned transgender students from competing based on gender identity. On immigration enforcement and policing, Ciattarelli said Sherrill “supports sanctuary cities” and “voted anti-police … looking to get rid of qualified immunity.” Sherrill has spoken favorably of New Jersey’s 2018 “Immigrant Trust Directive” and supported the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which sought to curtail qualified immunity and policy police unions opposed. He also attacked the congresswoman’s opposition to the GOP’s 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which raised the SALT deduction cap to $40,000, expanded child credits and eliminated federal taxes on overtime and tips. Sherrill and all House Democrats voted no on the package. TOP GUBERNATORIAL RACE ROCKED BY ALLEGATIONS OF LEAKS AND DIRTY TRICKS AMID IMPROPER MILITARY RECORDS RELEASE Ethics featured prominently in Ciattarelli’s critique. He reminded voters Sherrill paid a fine under the STOCK Act after disclosing stock trades late and noted her household traded shares in defense companies while she sat on the House Armed Services Committee, though she divested individual holdings in 2019. He also covered recent reports that Sherrill was disciplined in the 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal for failing to report classmates, which barred her from walking at graduation even though she was commissioned. Beyond the policy contrasts, Ciattarelli sought to cast Sherrill as aligned with the left. Reporting shows she welcomed support from Zohran Mamdani, the socialist nominee for New York City mayor, saying she shared his voters’ goal of “throwing out the old playbook.” Republicans labeled the embrace “disqualifying” and warned New Jerseyans could not afford such politics. He also pointed to her remarks after the House voted to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his assassination. Sherrill said Kirk had “advocated for a Christian nationalist government and to roll back the rights of women and Black people,” while adding that the Constitution protects free speech “even for those I vehemently oppose.” Sherrill voted for the resolution. Throughout his remarks, Ciattarelli framed Sherrill as left-wing despite her record of caucusing with moderates. Sherrill once belonged to the centrist Blue Dog Coalition and is now a member of the New Democrat Coalition. Ciattarelli, by contrast, leaned into his local roots, calling himself the “Jersey guy” and stressing that his family has lived and run businesses in the state for a century. “How about we elect the Jersey guy? Ciattarellis have been here for a hundred years … always will be,” he said. Sherrill, a Navy helicopter pilot and Virginia native, was first elected in 2018 and has lived in Montclair with her family since 2010. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ciattarelli, a CPA and former assemblyman, was the GOP nominee for governor in 2021. Polls suggest their 2025 rematch is close. Ciattarelli’s attacks showcase his strategy of portraying Sherrill as tied to national Democrats and ethically compromised while presenting himself as a homegrown alternative. Fox News Digital has reached out to both campaigns for comment on Ciattarelli’s remarks and Sherrill’s past statements.
Bondi declares ‘new era of political violence’ as federal agents deploy to ICE facilities nationwide
Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed a federal crackdown Saturday, saying that America has entered a “new era of political violence.” Her stern warning against extremist groups targeting federal officers comes a day after she announced Department of Justice (DOJ) agents will be deployed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities nationwide. Bondi’s announcement, posted in a video on X, comes days after suspected gunman Joshua Jahn, 29, opened fire on a Dallas ICE facility from a nearby rooftop in what the FBI has described as a “targeted attack” on federal law enforcement. Jahn took his own life Wednesday after allegedly killing one detainee and wounding two others. TRUMP VOWS ‘FULL FORCE’ AS HE PLANS TO SEND TROOPS TO PORTLAND AMID ANTI-ICE PROTESTS Bondi wrote in the post that there will be “ZERO TOLERANCE” for political violence and domestic terrorism. “Assassins have tried to murder President [Donald] Trump twice and tried to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh,” Bondi said. “In Minnesota, legislators, and even children attending Mass, were gunned down in cold blood in two separate incidents, and an assassin targeted and murdered our friend Charlie Kirk. A sniper shot three people at a Texas ICE facility, and now more than 200 violent rioters were at a Chicago ICE facility, chanting, ‘Arrest ICE, shoot ICE.’ At least one had a gun.” SPECIAL AGENT SLAMS ‘DANGEROUS’ TREND OF DEMOCRATS USING ICE AS CAMPAIGN PROPS She noted if protesters “so much as touch one of our federal officers,” they will be sent to prison. “We’ve seen this before. We saw it in Portland and with the LA riots. These are not peaceful protests. These are coordinated attacks by radical extremists, and they end now,” Bondi said. “Anyone who threatens or assaults our federal officers will be arrested and charged federally, not in some liberal state court. Same goes for anyone who’s funding and aiding these extremists. You will be dismantled brick by brick. We are taking our country back. Make America safe again.” On Friday, Bondi released a statement on X saying the newly deployed Department of Justice (DOJ) agents will “safeguard federal agents, protect federal property and immediately arrest all individuals engaged in any federal crime.” BONDI PUTS SANCTUARY CITIES NATIONWIDE ON NOTICE AFTER DC POLICE FEDERAL TAKEOVER Officials have not said how many agents will be sent, or which facilities they will secure. Bondi also instructed the Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country to “disrupt and investigate” all entities and people engaged in acts of domestic terrorism, including the repeated acts of violence and obstruction against federal agents. In a statement to Fox News Digital, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin described violent protesters as “domestic terrorists.” “President Trump and Secretary Noem are taking action to restore law and order following weeks of violent riots at ICE facilities, assaults on law enforcement, and the terrorist attack at our ICE facility in Dallas,” McLaughlin wrote. “We are not going to allow domestic terrorists to attack our law enforcement. DHS has already arrested dozens of Antifa-aligned left-wing violent extremists who have attacked law enforcement, murdered innocent civilians, and launched a wave of violent riots throughout the Unites States. We will not allow Antifa domestic terrorists to deter us in our mission to make America safe, and those who try will be held accountable.” “The Department of Justice will seek the most serious available charges against all participants in these criminal mobs, including conspiracy offenses, assault offenses, civil disorder offenses, and terrorism offenses,” Bondi wrote in the statement. “While these never-ending attacks are designed to break our will, they only strengthen our resolve to complete the work begun. To that end, I have directed the FBI, DEA, ATF, and USMS to accelerate our efforts alongside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to locate, apprehend, detain, prosecute, and remove all illegal aliens present in our country. The rule of law will prevail.” DHS and ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.