Self-representation ‘almost always a mistake,’ expert warns as Trump trial begins
Ryan Routh – accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump when he was a major candidate in the 2024 election at his Florida golf club last year – has chosen to represent himself in court, a decision one legal expert says could prove disastrous. Cully Simson, a former prosecutor, defense attorney and judge, told Fox News Digital that while the Constitution guarantees the right to self-representation, it’s “almost always a mistake.” “It really makes no sense for somebody to defend themselves, especially in a serious case,” he said. “They have the right to do it, but it’s not prudent.” RYAN ROUTH TRIAL OPENS WITH BIZARRE JURY QUESTIONS AND WITNESS DRAMA Self-representation creates risks and an unusual courtroom dynamic where the judge and prosecutor “have to pull their punches” to protect the record, and essentially “protect the defendant from himself.” A seasoned defense attorney knows how to put prosecutors to the test, forcing them to prove every element of the case and carefully laying the groundwork for potential appeals. When a defendant represents himself, Simson said, that kind of strategy is completely missing. “And so what ends up happening is the judge and the prosecutor has to play, in a weird way, a defensive role, in addition to the role of the judge being a neutral and impartial arbiter of the law, and the prosecutor just be the person who advocates on behalf of the government. You have to essentially protect the defendant from himself, and that is so much more difficult,” he said. RYAN ROUTH TRIAL: JURY SELECTION BEGINS IN TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CASE Simson said defense attorneys typically “push the envelope” and force the government to object, but when someone is representing themselves, lawyers hold back “because he’s not going to be smart enough or educated enough to object.” This can sometimes create an atmosphere where a “right to a fair trial” can become skewed – and it’s something law students study, too. “That’s that sophisticated point that law students talk about, and lawyers talk about. If you had a public defender or a private defense counsel who wasn’t very good and made a number of mistakes during the trial, if the guy’s convicted, one of the first things on appeal is you’ll claim ineffective assistance of counsel,” Simson said. “You can’t claim ineffective assistance of counsel when you represent yourself.” When asked if there were any pros to self-representation in a federal trial, Simson said, “I guess one pro would be to conduct his defense exactly how he wanted to.” “For example, in the Long Island shooter case, no criminal defense attorney was going to let that nut job act out in court and be the wacko he was,” he said. TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SUSPECT RYAN ROUTH CAN REPRESENT HIMSELF AT TRIAL, FEDERAL JUDGE RULES As in the notorious 1993 Long Island Rail Road case, convicted killer Colin Ferguson chose to represent himself and even took the witness stand to question his own victims. Routh has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer. Prosecutors say he was armed with an AK-style rifle when Secret Service agents stopped him near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach in September 2024. The trial is expected to last several weeks, but Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon urged both sides to keep proceedings efficient. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Opening statements are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 11, if the panel is seated on time.
Democrats splinter on Trump’s immigration crackdown as GOP unites
As Republican leaders like Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis line up behind President Donald Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown, Democrats are showing cracks of their own — split between those digging in against ICE cooperation and others urging a more pragmatic approach. Some of the party’s loudest voices remain firmly opposed. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has clashed repeatedly with Trump over immigration raids in his state, while Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has vowed his city won’t cooperate. “We have an authoritarian president who’s a criminal,” Krasner said earlier this year regarding the sanctuary city’s position against cooperating with ICE. The Democrat, up for reelection in November, added: “The feds can’t commandeer state law enforcement and make them do Nazi stuff” – while Pritzker has warred directly with Trump over efforts to conduct both immigration and law enforcement operations in Illinois. UNION BOSS COMPARES ICE TO AL PACINO MOBSTER AS MORE DEMS PILE ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT In Pennsylvania, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury took considerations one step further and announced a bill in the Democratic-majority State House to largely ban the Pennsylvania State Police from cooperating with ICE. Salisbury, who holds “The Squad” member Rep. Summer Lee’s former seat and also represents Sen. John Fetterman’s hometown of Braddock, warned cooperation with ICE will drain critical resources from state troopers. She said in a statement that PSP joining any 287(g) agreement – a federal policy that permits deputizing of state law enforcement – “would only increase workloads, further burden taxpayers and decrease trust by the communities who rely on our state troopers.” In response to her home, Swissvale Borough passing a resolution decreeing it will not enable assistance to ICE for civil matters but will enforce any criminal warrant from a judge, Salisbury said on Facebook, “This is what being on the right side of history looks like.” LAWMAKERS UNDER FIRE FOR SHARING ICE RAID INFO, WARNING LOCALS OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS “People so frequently ask me what they can do to fight fascism on a local level. I am extremely proud to say that my borough did just that today,” she said. Reached for comment, a public information officer for the PSP said troopers “abide by internal regulation[s]” governing enforcement of immigration law and detention of foreign nationals. “The regulation states that immigration law enforcement ‘falls exclusively within the authority of the Department of Homeland Security’ — which includes ICE and CBP.” The PSP was sued in 2019 by the ACLU on behalf of several Latino motorists in a case that alleged troopers targeted some drivers based on their ethnicity and inquired about immigration status. In a settlement, the plaintiffs were awarded $865,000 and police revised policies like AR-7-14 to outline that ICE detainers were no longer justification for an arrest, prohibited running immigration checks as part of ID-verification and that troopers are not responsible for enforcing federal civil immigration law. The settlement put police at a unique disadvantage regarding any future work with the feds, while Salisbury said in announcing her legislation it aims to codify PSP’s agency policy directly into state law: “Policies don’t carry the force of law, however, and they can change over time. With so much at stake, it’s important for us to codify the existing policy.” On the other side of the country, Rep. Gabe Vasquez sounded a more conciliatory tone toward immigration reform, telling NewsNation that as a border district congressman in New Mexico, the issue is very close to home. Asked if Democrats are ready to “embrace the enforcement side” of immigration policy, Vasquez said the party is prepared to come to the table. “Democrats are ready, and as a border Democrat who has 180 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border… and I’m a Mexican-American – [I understand] the complexities on both sides,” he said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He said that he remains opposed to some of Trump’s “mass deportation” operations that have targeted migrants working in restaurants and on job sites – calling such raids “draconian.” He said those people supposedly do not have the proper documents to work in the U.S., and that instead the solution should be to facilitate “giv[ing] them the right documentation – let’s vet them.” “So, working with Customs and Border Protection and local officials, we know what the right investments are.” One area not being focused on as much, he suggested, is the prospect of scanning 100% of all cargo coming across commercial highway ports-of-entry into the southwestern U.S. “[That] is the largest source of drugs coming into this country,” he said, adding that Congress has the power to change that through the appropriations process. Meanwhile, Fetterman, too, has voiced support for ICE’s work, saying it “performs an important job for our country.” “Any calls to abolish ICE are inappropriate and outrageous,” he said, garnering praise from some Republicans. In New York, Mayor Eric Adams’ attempts to allow ICE access to Riker’s Island prison were blunted by a judge this week, as well.
Hegseth delivers stern warning to China in first call after Xi’s military parade
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth held his first call with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, on Sept. 9, in a conversation that comes as Beijing deepens ties with Moscow and Pyongyang while showcasing its own military might. Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth “forthrightly relayed that the U.S. has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific, the priority theater, and will resolutely protect those interests.” “Hegseth made clear that the United States does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation of the PRC.” Parnell said the call, which occurred on Tuesday but was made public Wednesday, was “candid and constructive,” and the defense chiefs agreed to further discussions. XI JINPING HAILS ‘UNSTOPPABLE’ CHINA AS TRUMP ACCUSES BEIJING OF CONSPIRING AGAINST US Fox News Digital reached out to the Chinese embassy for comment on the call. Last week, China hosted a military parade where President Xi Jinping showcased his regional alliances in public appearances with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi at the time hinted at his ambitions toward Taiwan, saying that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.” Xi has repeatedly set 2027, the 100th anniversary of the PLA, as a deadline for military modernization — a timeline U.S. officials warn could coincide with preparations for an invasion of Taiwan. During the parade, China showcased its full nuclear triad, hypersonic missiles and new stealth drones. 3 NEW CHINESE WEAPONS HIGHLIGHTED AT MILITARY PARADE WATCHED BY PUTIN, KIM The show of force came two months after the U.S. hosted its own military parade to coincide with the Army’s 250th birthday. In recent years, Beijing has deepened its security partnerships with Pyongyang and Moscow through arms transfers and military technology exchanges. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The U.S. has accused North Korea of supplying munitions to Russia for its war in Ukraine, while Chinese firms have been sanctioned for helping Russia skirt Western export controls. President Donald Trump, however, has suggested he may meet with Xi in the future as trade negotiations drag on.
Harris admits silence on Biden’s 2024 re-election bid was ‘recklessness’
It was reckless to allow former President Joe Biden to run for re-election last year, former Vice President Kamala Harris admitted in her new book, “107 Days.” This time last year, Harris was in the thick of her short-lived presidential campaign. With some distance from Washington, D.C., and in retrospect, Harris doesn’t hold back in the first preview of her new book that is set to hit shelves later this month. “‘It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized. Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition. It should have been more than a personal decision,” Harris said in the excerpt released by The Atlantic on Wednesday morning. While Harris publicly defended Biden throughout his presidency, in the first excerpt of Harris’ highly anticipated account of the shortest presidential campaign in history, the former vice president described how she was often scapegoated by the Biden administration. And for the first time, she admitted that, “perhaps,” she should have told Biden to “consider not running.” HARRIS ADMITS BIDEN ‘GOT TIRED,’ DENIES ‘CONSPIRACY’ TO HIDE MENTAL DECLINE During her brief presidential campaign, Harris often walked a fine line in trying to defend Biden, for whom she remained his vice president, while also differentiating herself from his unflattering record. KAMALA HARRIS ADMITS THERE ARE THINGS SHE WOULD’VE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN 2024, FAILS TO ELABORATE “There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris infamously said on “The View,” when asked what she would have done differently than Biden. The clip was an instant attack ad for Republican candidates up and down the ballot to pit Biden’s shortcomings on Harris. Harris later told Fox News’ Bret Baier that her presidency would “not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” as she sought to distance herself from Biden’s stances on the economy and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. “And of all the people in the White House, I was in the worst position to make the case that he should drop out,” Harris said in the “107 Days” excerpt. “I knew it would come off to him as incredibly self-serving if I advised him not to run. He would see it as naked ambition, perhaps as poisonous disloyalty, even if my only message was: Don’t let the other guy win.” Harris said she rationalized her decision to stay quiet by telling herself, “the American people had chosen him before in the same matchup,” and maybe he was “right to believe” he could defeat President Donald Trump again. “I don’t believe it was incapacity. If I believed that, I would have said so. As loyal as I am to President Biden, I am more loyal to my country,” Harris said in the book. But as described in “Original Sin,” one of several books this year to pull back the curtain on the reality of the Biden administration, loyalty to Biden was wielded as a weapon in the White House. “Because I’d gone after him over busing in the 2019 primary debate, I came into the White House with what we lawyers call a ‘rebuttable presumption.’ I had to prove my loyalty, time and time again,” Harris said in the book. In the excerpt, Harris goes on to describe how the “White House rarely pushed back,” when she was criticized for her “gaffes” or when “Republicans mischaracterized my role as ‘border czar.’” Harris explained how she often had to prove her loyalty to Biden, yet Biden’s inner circle “seemed glad” to let her dominate headlines. “Their thinking was zero-sum: If she’s shining, he’s dimmed. None of them grasped that if I did well, he did well. That, given the concerns about his age, my visible success as his vice president was vital. It would serve as a testament to his judgment in choosing me and reassurance that if something happened, the country was in good hands. My success was important for him,” the former vice president argued in the “107 Days” excerpt. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “His team didn’t get it,” Harris said. Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Charlotte train murder front and center in crucial 2026 Senate battle: ‘Soft-on-crime policies’
The deadly stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee aboard a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, is quickly becoming a top issue in a crucial 2026 Senate showdown that could determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber. The stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska last month on a light-rail train by a man with a long criminal record and history of mental illness quickly grabbed national attention last week after security video of the gruesome attack was released and went viral. Amid President Donald Trump’s focus this summer on spotlighting horrific crimes in Democrat-controlled cities, the slaying is now front-and-center in the North Carolina Senate race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Trump is placing blame for Zarutska’s killing on officials, including former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is now running for the Senate. CHILLING VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE STABBING DEATH OF UKRAINIAN REFUGEE “The blood of this innocent woman can literally be seen dripping from the killer’s knife, and now her blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail, including Former Disgraced Governor and ‘Wannabe Senator’ Roy Cooper,” Trump charged in a social media post on Monday. Trump argued that “North Carolina, and every State, needs LAW AND ORDER, and only Republicans will deliver it.” And the president reiterated his support for former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley, who launched a Senate campaign in North Carolina with Trump’s encouragement and endorsement. Trump, referring to the slaying of Zarutska, claimed that Whatley “WON’T LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.” FIRST ON FOX: NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS DEMAND FIRING OF JUDGE TO RELEASED STABBING SUSPECT Whatley, highlighting Trump’s comments, charged in a social media post that his “far-left opponent Roy Cooper’s spineless, soft-on-crime policies have unleashed predators like Decarlos Brown Jr. and countless other violent thugs who unleash hell on innocent people because they know they’ll face no real justice.” And Whatley argued that “Democrat policies don’t just fail—they endanger the lives of everyday Americans. Brown, who is Black, was arrested soon after the stabbing and charged with first-degree murder. According to police records, he had been arrested 14 times over the past dozen years. Whatley, the White House, and other conservatives, are pointing to then-Gov. Cooper’s 2020 executive order establishing a Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice for the release of Brown following a five-year sentence for robbery. “Roy Cooper cannot escape that he was in charge. He set the tone. He made the policy,” Whatley campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez told Fox News Digital. “He’s in lock step with the failed polices of national Democrats, and he is to blame for this horrific murder.” The task force, amid other reforms following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis that sparked nationwide unrest, recommended eliminating cash bail for many misdemeanors, among other suggestions. But the task force didn’t call for the release of people convicted of crimes, and the recommendations were released after Brown was released from prison. Cooper’s campaign called the attack “a heartbreaking, despicable act of evil” and accused Whatley of “lying again because he knows his support for federal policies that cut local and state law enforcement funding is wrong for North Carolina.” The campaign added that “Roy Cooper knows North Carolinians need to be safe in their communities; he spent his career prosecuting violent criminals and drug dealers, increasing the penalties for violence against law enforcement, and keeping thousands of criminals off the streets and behind bars.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Even before the killing of Zarutska, Republicans had been aiming to characterize Cooper as a far-left Democrat. But beating Cooper, who has won statewide six times — four times as attorney general and twice as governor — won’t be easy. Cooper’s campaign launch earlier this summer appeared to bolster the Democrats’ chances of flipping a key GOP-held seat as they try to take a big bite out of the Republicans’ 53–47 Senate majority.
AOC drops thousands on luxury hotels while ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ with Sanders, filings reveal
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign spent thousands of dollars at pricey boutique hotels while on her “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Sen. Bernie Sanders earlier this year, according to a Fox News Digital campaign finance review. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign spent thousands at high-end West Coast hotels that coincided with her high-profile appearances at “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies with Sanders. The findings were first reported by The Washington Examiner. Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders garnered plenty of buzz earlier this year, amassing more than 300,000 attendees across 34 rallies in 20 states since kicking off the nationwide campaign earlier this year, according to Sanders. BERNIE SANDERS RIPS DEM LEADERS FOR SNUBBING MAMDANI IN MAYORAL RACE: ‘THIS IS OUR GUY!’ Fox News Digital reported earlier this year that while fighting against the “billionaire class and corporate greed,” Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez were flying private to their West Coast campaign rallies. AOC BROKE HOUSE RULES TO ATTEND RITZY MET GALA IN ‘TAX THE RICH’ DRESS, ORDERED TO PAY UP According to campaign finance reports, Ocasio-Cortez was also staying in style. The New York Democrat’s campaign spent $3,508.92 at Vdara Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas on March 25, according to the FEC filings. Around the time of a “Fighting Oligarchy” rally in Tucson, Arizona, Ocasio-Cortez paid The Leo Kent Hotel, a boutique high-rise in Tucson, $3,165.76, according to an FEC filing from April 25. Just days before paying the tab for the luxury property located on the Las Vegas Strip, Ocasio-Cortez joined Sanders for a rally in Vegas on March 20, railing against oligarchy. In April, Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign also paid a hefty $3,445.59 bill for the lavish Asher Adams Hotel in Salt Lake City, according to the filings. Earlier that month, the liberal leader, considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, rallied with Sanders in the same Utah city. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Campaign finance reports also revealed Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign so far this year has paid thousands of dollars to CitizenM in California, Hotel Vermont, Hotel Renegade in Idaho and Lansdowne Resort and Spa in Virginia. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Former ICE chief reveals what to expect from major Chicago immigration operation
As “Operation Midway Blitz” launches in the Chicago area this week, former acting ICE Chief Jonathan Fahey explains that Americans can expect “known targets” to be the focus on the sweep. ICE has been ramping up its mass deportation efforts since President Donald Trump took office in January, including in large cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In recent weeks, Trump has expressed interest in cracking down on crime in the Windy City, after a multi-agency surge in the nation’s capital has led to a decrease in crime and hundreds of immigration-related arrests. “I think it’s going to be very targeted towards a lot of people with criminal records either that have been let out of jail and maybe have been convicted or let out of jail pending trial,” Fahey said. TRUMP’S LOOMING CHICAGO TAKEOVER PUTS VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMES IN SPOTLIGHT: ‘INCOMPETENT MAYOR’ The Homeland Security expert added that because both Los Angeles and Chicago are considered sanctuary cities, there could be similarities. Fahey said it’s likely that “the focus is going be criminals, gang members and things of that nature.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “It doesn’t mean when they arrest somebody, if they’re with a bunch of other people that are here illegally, those people are gonna get locked up as well,” he continued. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker have been adamantly opposed to a federal surge in the city. TOM HOMAN PUTS SANCTUARY CITIES ‘ON NOTICE’ AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON IMMIGRATION “The City of Chicago received no notice of any enhanced immigration action by the Trump administration,” Johnson posted to X. “We remain opposed to any potential militarized immigration enforcement without due process because of ICE’s track record of detaining and deporting American citizens and violating the human rights of hundreds of detainees.” In a statement from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin on Tuesday, she said the “operation will target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago.” Fahey said that Monday’s Supreme Court temporary ruling shooting down a California district court judge on ICE’s patrolling strategy in Los Angeles could send a legal message to Illinois Democrats. “I think it could help them legally. I don’t think it will change what they’re doing, but it could maybe prevent some sort of injunction or other type of thing,” he said, as the Supreme Court’s stay on a temporary restraining order only applies to Southern California. LOS ANGELES JUDGE WEIGHS SEVERE LIMITS ON TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN CALIFORNIA McLaughlin called the stay a “win for the safety of Californians and the rule of law,” whereas the American Civil Liberties Union considered it deeply concerning. “This decision is a devastating setback for our plaintiffs and communities who, for months, have been subjected to immigration stops because of the color of their skin, occupation, or the language they speak,” Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, said in a statement Monday.
GOP senator compares Israel’s Hamas fight to US killing of Usama bin Laden
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is traveling to Israel following the Jewish state’s strike in Qatar, a strike he argued was part of Israel’s “singular purpose” to eradicate Hamas. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) announced the strike, which was intended to target senior-level leadership in Hamas, on Tuesday. However, the attack took place over 1,300 miles away in Doha, Qatar. The Qatari government has been a key player at the negotiation table in the quest for a ceasefire and return of hostages in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas following the group’s brutal attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s targets were top negotiators in Hamas’ political bureau, who were mulling the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal. TRUMP DIRECTED ENVOY TO WARN QATAR AHEAD OF ‘UNFORTUNATE’ ISRAELI STRIKE, WHITE HOUSE SAYS So far, Qatari officials have condemned the strike, and the White House has taken a rare step against Israel in the aftermath. Daines, who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, likened Hamas to “a cancer” that Israel needed to eradicate. He put the Jewish state’s situation into perspective of, if the U.S. were in Israel’s position and “1,200 innocent Americans [were] slaughtered by terrorists 40 miles from Washington, D.C.,” then the “United States would do everything within its power to eradicate the threat.” “The Israelis, as we’ve seen, whether it’s with Iran or Hezbollah, sometimes doesn’t matter where these leaders are,” he told Fox News Digital. “They’re going to come after them, not unlike the United States did when we went after Usama bin Laden in Pakistan. We didn’t ask Pakistan for permission.” Following the attack, President Donald Trump told reporters that he was “not thrilled” about the situation. SEN. STEVE DAINES SAYS REGIME CHANGE IS THE BEST LONG-TERM PLAN IN IRAN “I was very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect. And we got to get the hostages back, but I was very unhappy about the way that went down,” Trump said. The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and panned Israel’s move as a “criminal attack” that constituted “a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar.” Daines’ plan to head to the Jewish state came before the strike and was initially meant to celebrate the excavation of ancient stone steps and a pathway, known as the Pilgrimage Road, which Jesus is believed to have walked, leading from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount. The lawmaker previously went to Israel to commemorate progress of the ongoing archaeological dig in 2023, a couple of months before Hamas’ blitz on Israel. ‘THE MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED’: SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH BACK AGAINST LEAKED REPORT ON IRAN STRIKES Now, his planned trip, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are expected to attend, is likely to take a different tenor. Daines said he had just spoken with the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. on Monday and hoped that his schedule could line up for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also noted that he had yet to see an assessment of the strike, which hit a residential complex in Doha. When asked if he was worried that the strike could derail ceasefire talks, Daines noted that he had appreciated Qatar’s cooperation and pointed out the U.S. has its largest military base in the Middle East there. But, he added that “Hamas, clearly, is trying to evade the reach of the Israeli government.” “And as we say, ‘Sometimes you can run, but you can’t hide,’ and Israel had to make a decision, knowing that, like they did with Iran, where they took out military leadership, they took out their nuclear scientists, because they could not allow Iran to get into their bomb,” Daines said. “Similarly, with Hamas, they would have to take out their command and control structure, leadership. And they have a singular mission, and Israel will do what it needs to do to protect herself,” he continued. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment but did not immediately hear back. Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Trump calls for death penalty for suspect in Charlotte light rail stabbing
President Donald Trump called for Decarlos Brown Jr. to face the death penalty for the alleged murder of Iryna Zarutska on Wednesday. Trump made the statement on social media, saying the trial for suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. should be “quick.” “The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There can be no other option!” Zarutska’s slaying has brought about heavy criticism of Democrats, who critics accuse of adopting soft-on-crime laws that allow violent criminals to roam the streets. Trump argued Monday that the victim’s “blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail.” JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HITS CHARLOTTE TRAIN STABBING SUSPECT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES Trump also placed blame for Zarutska’s killing on former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is now running for the Senate in battleground North Carolina in a crucial 2026 showdown that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber. UKRAINIAN WOMAN WHO FLED WAR STABBED TO DEATH AT CHARLOTTE LIGHT RAIL STATION The Charlotte killing came amid Trump’s focus this summer on spotlighting horrific crimes in Democrat-controlled cities as he moves federal law enforcement into urban areas. Brown, who is Black, was arrested soon after the stabbing and charged with first-degree murder. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice charged Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. Records obtained by Fox News Digital showed that Brown has a history of arrests going back more than a decade, including convictions for felony larceny and felony breaking and entering in 2013, and a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon that sent him to prison for more than six years. He was released in 2020 but remained on parole until 2021, and subsequent charges against him included communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system earlier this year. On Monday, Trump noted other recent killings in the U.S., saying that actions, like his administration’s push to end cashless bail, must be taken. “This cashless bail started a wave in our country where a killer kills somebody and is out on the street by the afternoon and, in many cases, going out and killing again, cashless bail,” Trump said. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report
Trump’s rumored housing emergency would be a ‘game-changer,’ key GOP lawmaker says
EXCLUSIVE: One of the House GOP’s staunchest housing affordability advocates is calling President Donald Trump’s rumored emergency order on the issue a “game-changer.” House Main Street Caucus Chair Mike Flood, R-Neb., who also chairs the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee on the House Financial Services Committee, told Fox News Digital that he is hoping Trump ultimately follows through on declaring an emergency on housing affordability. “When you have a housing shortage and a supply issue, it pushes up valuations, which pushes up your property taxes, because your valuation goes up. It pushes up home insurance premiums because the value of your home is more expensive if there was some kind of a claim,” Flood explained. “So the president of the United States putting his thumb on the scale and saying that housing is in a crisis situation, and it’s an emergency – that changes the entire conversation.” HOUSE MOVES TO EXPOSE EPSTEIN FILES, AUTHORIZES OVERSIGHT PROBE Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner told FOX Business on Tuesday that talks were ongoing on the issue but declined to make any firm declarations ahead of Trump. “Those discussions are being had, not just from an emergency declaration standpoint, but what can we do in order to bring the costs down… and bring the supply up,” Turner said. Home prices have skyrocketed in recent years, outpacing wage growth and making small houses that were once considered “starters” for young families out of reach for millions of Americans. Zoning restrictions, high building costs, regulatory issues and insufficient levels of new construction have all been named as reasons for the current crisis. Additionally, new tariffs on materials like steel, aluminum and lumber are projected to add about $10,900 to the cost of building a new single-family home, according to the National Association of Home Builders. “It’s going to take the federal government, the state governments and the municipalities, most notably, to fix this,” Flood said. He added that his panel was also working on bipartisan legislation, expected in October or November, to make housing more affordable nationwide. “We have been working in our subcommittee and on Financial Services on our effort that will, I think, take a few steps forward, and hope to mark that up later this year in maybe October, November,” Flood said. “But the president coming in and making this a priority is what’s going to push this at light speed across the finish line.” He added: “I truly think we can get something done by June of next year.” GOP GOVERNOR NOMINEE PUSHES REDISTRICTING TO OUST STATE’S LONE HOUSE DEM Flood also stressed that housing affordability is a key election issue for Americans. “Since 2020, we’ve seen 20% inflation, home insurance premiums are more expensive, mortgage rates are higher. You know, you’ve got all these rules in the federal programs that make it nearly impossible to be really effective with the assistance that HUD provides,” Flood said. “And with the president doubling down on an issue that I am very passionate about, I think that this is going to resonate with Americans, because this is what people are talking about.” FOX Business’ Kevin Gora contributed to this report.