Heritage Foundation founder Edwin J. Feulner dies at 83
Edwin J. Feulner, a prominent figure in the American conservative movement and co-founder and former president of the Heritage Foundation, died on Friday at the age of 83. Feulner served as the organization’s president from 1977 to 2013 and again from 2017 to 2018. He was well known for transforming the once-obscure think tank into one of the most influential policy powerhouses in Washington, D.C. He was its longest-serving president after helping to create the Washington, D.C.-based think tank in 1973. “Ed Feulner was more than a leader—he was a visionary, a builder, and a patriot of the highest order,” Heritage President Kevin Roberts and Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby said in a joint statement. “His unwavering love of country and his determination to safeguard the principles that made America the freest, most prosperous nation in human history shaped every fiber of the conservative movement—and still do.” DAVID GERGEN, TRUSTED WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR TO 4 US PRESIDENTS ACROSS DECADES, DIES AT 83 The group had organized Project 2025, a controversial initiative that offered right-wing policy recommendations for the second Trump administration. Feulner co-wrote the initiative’s afterward and he and Roberts met with President Donald Trump ahead of last year’s election. Feulner was also on Trump’s transition team ahead of his first term. Under his leadership, Heritage instituted a new model of conservative policy advocacy. This helped shape Reagan-era reforms and pushed market-based ideas into political mainstream. Feulner has remained active through Project 2025 and a transition plan for a second Trump term which is drawing praise and criticism for its hardline policy proposals. An author of nine books and a former congressional aide, he was also involved in various other conservative organizations. “Whether he was bringing together the various corners of the conservative movement at meetings of the Philadelphia Society, or launching what is now the Heritage Strategy Forum, Ed championed a bold, ‘big-tent conservatism,’” Roberts and Andel-Gaby wrote. “He believed in addition, not subtraction. Unity, not uniformity. One of his favorite mantras was ‘You win through multiplication and addition, not through division and subtraction.’ His legacy is not just the institution he built, but the movement he helped grow—a movement rooted in faith, family, freedom, and the founding. “ “His ‘Feulnerisms’ still resonate in the halls of Heritage—where they will always be remembered. ‘People are policy,’ for instance— the heartbeat of his mission—to equip, encourage, and elevate a new generation of conservative leaders, not just in Washington, but across this great country,” the statement continued. “And we still remember his adjuration to never be complacent or discouraged: ‘In Washington, there are no permanent victories and no permanent defeats.’” ‘DUCK DYNASTY’ STAR MISS KAY MAKES ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ HEALTH TURNAROUND AFTER BELOVED HUSBAND’S DEATH CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Roberts and Andel-Gaby vowed to honor Feulner’s life by “carrying his mission forward with courage, integrity, and determination.” “Thank you for showing us what one faithful, fearless man can do when he refuses to cede ground in the fight for self-governance,” the leaders said of Feulner. Heritage did not disclose Feulner’s cause of death. Feulner is survived by his wife Lina, as well as their children and grandchildren.
Justice Department moves to unseal Epstein, Maxwell grand jury transcripts amid calls for transparency
At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday formally moved to unseal long-secret grand jury transcripts from the Jeffrey Epstein case, citing what it called intense public interest in the notorious sex trafficking investigation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche submitted the motion in Manhattan federal court, urging a judge to release the transcripts from Epstein’s 2019 grand jury proceedings and those from the prosecution of Epstein’s convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, as part of a new transparency push by the department. Earlier this month, the DOJ and FBI issued a memorandum describing an “exhaustive review” of their Epstein investigative files. That internal review sought to determine if any evidence could justify charging additional individuals, but it concluded that “no such evidence was uncovered” against any uncharged third parties. Since the memo’s July 6 release, officials say, public interest in its conclusions has remained high. DOJ REJECTS GHISLAINE MAXWELL’S APPEAL IN SCOTUS RESPONSE While the department maintains it stands by the memo’s findings, the filing emphasizes that “transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.” Given the intense public interest, the DOJ told the court it is moving to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts to shed light on its investigative work in the Epstein matter. The DOJ said it will work with prosecutors to redact all victim names and personal identifying information from the transcripts before any release. “Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation under the law to protect victims,” the motion assured. Epstein, 66, was indicted by a New York grand jury July 2, 2019, on sex trafficking charges. Just over a month later, on Aug. 10, 2019, he died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial, and the case was dismissed. LEGAL PATHWAY CLEARLY EXISTS FOR TRUMP’S REQUEST TO MAKE EPSTEIN GRAND JURY TESTIMONY PUBLIC Epstein’s longtime confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, was indicted by a grand jury in 2020 on multiple counts related to trafficking and coercing minors. She was convicted in December 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Maxwell’s convictions were upheld on appeal in 2024, and she is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review her case. Grand jury proceedings are ordinarily secret by law, or as the motion says, “a tradition of law that proceedings before a grand jury shall generally remain secret.” But the filing notes this tradition “is not absolute.” Federal courts have recognized “certain ‘special circumstances’” where releasing grand jury records is appropriate even outside the usual exceptions, like when a case holds significant public or historical importance. The DOJ argues Epstein’s case is exactly such a special circumstance given its unparalleled notoriety. “Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter,” the motion notes. The motion points out that a Florida judge last year ordered the release of some Epstein grand jury records after concluding the financier was “the most infamous pedophile in American history” and that the facts of Epstein’s case “tell a tale of national disgrace.” By the DOJ’s account, the sealed grand jury transcripts are “critical pieces of an important moment in our nation’s history,” and “[t]he time for the public to guess what they contain should end.” The motion stresses that Epstein’s death means any privacy interests on his side are now “substantially diminished.” And even though Maxwell is still fighting her conviction, prosecutors said the extraordinary public scrutiny around the Epstein saga justifies pressing ahead with unsealing now. For these reasons, the DOJ is urging the court to conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as matters of public interest and to grant the unsealing of the grand jury transcripts while lifting any protective orders. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The unsealing would shine unprecedented light on one of America’s most notorious criminal cases, a move the department says is legally justified and necessary in the name of public accountability. The DOJ did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News’ Mike Ruiz contributed to this report.
Trump says 10 hostages will be returning from Gaza ‘very shortly’ during White House dinner with allies
During a celebratory dinner at the White House with a number of Donald Trump’s GOP allies, including several Republican lawmakers from Congress, the president signaled that 10 more hostages in Gaza would be “coming very shortly.” The dinner was largely focused on touting the achievements Republicans have had over the last six months, but while praising his administration’s work on foreign policy, Trump commented about the hostages. “Gaza – we got most of the hostages back,” Trump said when his comments turned to the Middle East. “We’re going to have another ten coming very shortly. And we hope to have that finished pretty quickly,” the president added. TIM WALZ QUESTIONS WHY DEMOCRATS COME OFF LIKE THEY’RE AGAINST PEOPLE BEING SUCCESSFUL So far, the U.S. has brought home five total American hostages captured by Hamas, three of whom were alive, two of whom were dead. Two Americans reportedly still remain in captivity, in addition to dozens of other non-Americans. The rest of Trump’s address Friday night mostly included praise for Congressional Republicans over their work passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with the president stating he doesn’t “think anybody’s ever come close to” passing such sweeping legislation with such a small majority. In particular, Trump thanked by name Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, Republican Policy Committee Chair Shelly Moore-Capito, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham. “Nobody’s done so much, so fast. And probably you could say, with so few votes,” Trump praised. “You stayed in session for a marathon ten consecutive weeks, and that’s the longest of any Senate in 15 years. And you held over 400 votes, more than any Senate in 35 years. And they were successful votes. And just a few weeks ago, we had the biggest victory of them all. When you passed the one big beautiful bill.” The president also lauded Republicans for all the work they have done on immigration, border security, foreign diplomacy, speedy cabinet nominations, deregulation and spending cut efforts, calling out Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff specifically for their work on U.S. foreign diplomacy. AMERICANS WEIGH IN ON TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’: POLLS Top of mind Friday night was the GOP recission package as well, which Trump praised the passage of. Trump did not indicate when he would sign the GOP bill, but did note that “we have numerous other recissions coming up, adding more, many more $10 billion dollars to it.” Meanwhile, Trump also predicted that, in 2026, the GOP majority “is going to be stronger in both the House and the Senate.” Typically, conventional wisdom predicts that the party that won the presidency will not typically perform as well two years later during the midterm elections. “I don’t understand why they say that when you win the presidency, you always almost automatically lose the midterms, because nobody’s had a more successful period of time than we have,” Trump told the crowd of attendees at the White House Friday evening. “Based on that, we should do great.” Trump added Friday that “We achieved more in six months than almost any administration could accomplish in eight years.” “And we’re going to have a lot of good six months left. We’re going to have a six and another six and another six. So we’ll keep going,” he continued. “Over the next year and a half, we’ll have an incredible record to share with the American people,” he continued. “As long as we continue to keep our promises to the voters, Americans will continue to stand by our side.”
EPA announces 23% workforce reduction and closure of research office as part of federal streamlining
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Friday it plans to reduce its workforce by 23% and close its research and development office. The loss of more than 3,000 employees comes after layoffs and incentives to leave the agency amid the Trump administration’s broad effort to streamline the federal government. “Under President Trump’s leadership, EPA has taken a close look at our operations to ensure the agency is better equipped than ever to deliver on our core mission of protecting human health and the environment while Powering the Great American Comeback,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. USDA FIRES FOREIGN WORKERS FORM ADVERSARIAL COUNTRIES, INCLUDING CHINA, IN NATIONAL SECURITY PROTECTION MOVE “This reduction in force will ensure we can better fulfill that mission while being responsible stewards of your hard-earned tax dollars.” The EPA said the cuts will save the government $748.8 million. As part of the restructuring, the EPA said it plans to open a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions to replace the Office of Research and Development, saying the new office would allow it to focus on research “more than ever before.” This comes a week after the Supreme Court issued a ruling clearing the way for the administration to conduct mass layoffs. Justin Chen, president of American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, which represents thousands of EPA employees, called the research and development office the “heart and brain of the EPA.” STATE DEPARTMENT TO BEGIN MASS LAYOFFS OF ABOUT 1,800 EMPLOYEES IN COMING DAYS “Without it, we don’t have the means to assess impacts upon human health and the environment,” Chen said. “Its destruction will devastate public health in our country.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the EPA for comment. This announcement also comes two weeks after 139 employees signed a “declaration of dissent” claiming the Trump administration was hurting the agency’s mission. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The administration claimed the employees were “unlawfully undermining” the president’s agenda. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WATCH: Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Mamdani on abolishing prisons: ‘What purpose do they serve?’
New York City’s leading mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, is raising eyebrows once again for appearing to suggest prisons are not important in a recently resurfaced video. Mamdani, a New York state assemblyman and the Democratic nominee for mayor, made the comments in a 2020 interview while running for state office. Asked whether he thought prisons were obsolete, Mamdani responded, “I think that frankly – I mean – what purpose do they serve? I think that we have to ask ourselves that.” MAMDANI SPARKS FIRESTORM WITH RESURFACED COMMENT ON ABOLISHING PRIVATE PROPERTY: ‘HE’S A COMMUNIST’ The Democratic mayoral candidate added, “I think a lot of people who defend the carceral state, they defend the idea of it and the way it makes them feel. They’re not defending the reality of it and the practices that are part and parcel of it. “Because if you actually break it down and ask people how many people come out of the prison system better than they went into the prison system, how much harm is actually being prevented versus created, I think when you ask these kinds of questions, people don’t always have clear answers.” Mamdani added that, when discussing the prison system, “What they always want to pivot to is, ‘What are you going to do about murderers? What are you going to do about rapists?’ DEMOCRATS HIT ROCK BOTTOM AS PARTY PLUMMETS TO ALL-TIME LOW: POLL “Sometimes you have to ask them, ‘What are you doing about them right now?’” he added. “We need a system of justice that will repair the harm that has been caused and address it in a serious way because right now we don’t have it, and it makes everyone more unsafe.” Mamdani also claimed “the power of the executive is almost limitless here in New York State” and criticized then-New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo for refusing to “let people out and letting people go home.” Mamdani, who has promised to overhaul New York City and launch massive new government programs, has been endorsed by progressive politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. NEW YORK LEADERS REPORTEDLY HESITANT TO ENDORSE ZOHRAN MAMDANI FOR MAYOR As the Democratic nominee in heavily blue New York City, Mamdani is the likely frontrunner to unseat the current mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent. Mamdani is also facing off against Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and activist Curtis Sliwa, who is the Republican Party nominee. Mamdani is seen by many as a controversial candidate, partially due to his socialist policy proposals and heavy criticism of the state of Israel. He has declined to say whether Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state and initially refused to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.” However, he recently began distancing himself from the phrase. Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign but did not receive a response.
Pentagon announces Marine general tapped to lead Naval Academy in historic first
In a landmark nomination that reshapes nearly two centuries of tradition, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte has been tapped to serve as the next superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. If confirmed by the Senate, he will become the first Marine to hold the top post in the Academy’s 180-year history. The move was announced Friday by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as part of a broader slate of military leadership nominations. Borgschulte currently serves as the deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs at Marine Corps Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia. He is a 1991 graduate of the Naval Academy. The nomination comes amid an unexpected leadership shuffle. Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, who assumed command of the academy last year, has been nominated for reappointment and reassignment to the Pentagon. She is slated to become the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans, strategy, and warfighting development (N3/N5/N7), pending Senate approval and a congressional waiver. HEGSETH ANNOUNCES NAVY OIL TANKER NAMED AFTER GAY RIGHTS LEADER RENAMED AFTER MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER “I’m honored to be nominated,” Davids said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to serve alongside America’s strongest warfighters.” Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan praised both officers. He called Borgschulte a “decorated combat leader” with “strategic insight” and commended Davids for her “strategic vision” and “operational depth.” Phelan also noted the significance of the nomination, calling it a powerful signal of “naval integration” as a Marine prepares to lead the Navy’s flagship officer training institution. Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy has long been led exclusively by Navy officers. The nomination of a Marine marks a sharp departure and a signal of evolving priorities in joint leadership and force development. Phelan described the Academy as one of the most “consequential institutions in American public life” and said Borgschulte’s leadership will help shape officers “for an increasingly contested world.” TRUMP NOMINATES SEASONED MILITARY LEADERS TO HEAD VITAL GLOBAL COMMANDS Borgschulte was commissioned in 1991 after graduating from the Naval Academy and has held multiple command and combat roles throughout his career. In his current position, he oversees the personnel policies, readiness and force structure of the Marines. Davids, a 1989 graduate of the Naval Academy, made history as the first woman and the first Hispanic to serve as superintendent. Her tenure at the academy appears to be ending prematurely. Superintendents are traditionally expected to serve three-year terms and then retire. A Department of Defense (DOD) news release did not provide an explanation for the sudden change, and her next assignment requires a waiver from Congress. Her next role would typically require a post-retirement transition, which she has not yet completed. Davids’ husband, Rear Adm. Keith Davids, retired last year as commander of Naval Special Warfare. The couple met at the Academy while they were both plebes. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Navy regarding the timeline of the leadership transition. The nomination is now in the hands of the Senate with no official date yet for confirmation or change of command. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Borgschulte’s nomination is part of a broader DOD leadership shake-up that includes nominations for new service vice chiefs and combatant command heads across the military. The Navy referred Fox News Digital to the DOD release on the matter when asked for further comment.
Microsoft ends use of China-based computer engineers for certain Defense Dept projects amid espionage fears
Microsoft said it will cease using China-based computer engineering teams for work on Pentagon cloud systems and other classified systems after an investigation this week led to national security concerns at the highest levels over a program that Microsoft has used since 2016. A ProPublica report released Tuesday accused Microsoft of allowing China-based engineers to assist with Pentagon cloud systems with inadequate guardrails in an effort to scale up its government contracting business. The report got the attention of GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisting Friday that foreign engineers from “any country … should NEVER be allowed to maintain or access DOD systems.” He added that the Defense Department would be “looking into this ASAP.” After Hegseth’s indication that the Pentagon would be looking into the matter, Fox News Digital reached out to Microsoft, which responded that it would be ceasing its use of China-based computer engineers providing assistance to sensitive Defense Department cloud “and related” services. TEMU SUED BY KENTUCKY FOR ALLEGEDLY GIVING CHINA ‘UNFETTERED’ ACCESS TO USER DATA “In response to concerns raised earlier this week about U.S.-supervised foreign engineers, Microsoft has made changes to our support for U.S. government customers to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance for DOD government cloud and related services,” Frank Shaw, chief communications officer at Microsoft, said. “We remain committed to providing the most secure services possible to the U.S. government, including working with our national security partners to evaluate and adjust our security protocols as needed.” The ProPublica report released earlier this week, which spurred Microsoft’s action, cited current and former employees and government contractors who worked on a cloud computing program deployed by Microsoft in 2016. The program, meant to meet federal contracting regulations, used a system of “digital escort” chaperones for global cybersecurity officials, such as those based in China, meant to create a security buffer so that they can work on agency computing systems. DOD guidelines require that people handling sensitive data be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. CHINA’S SPYING IN CUBA SPARKS ALARM ON CAPITOL HILL AFTER FRESH SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW SURVEILLANCE BUILDUP According to sources who spoke to ProPublica, including some who had intimate familiarity with the hiring process for the $18-per-hour “digital escort” positions, the tech employees being hired to do the supervising lacked the adequate tech expertise to prevent a rogue Chinese employee from hacking the system or turning over classified information to the CCP. The sources elaborated that the escorts, often former military personnel, were hired for their security clearances more than their technical abilities and often lacked the skills to evaluate code being used by the engineers they were supervising. HEGSETH ABRUPTLY PULLS PENTAGON OFFICIALS FROM ‘GLOBALIST’ ASPEN CONFERENCE Microsoft used its escort system to handle sensitive government information that falls below “classified,” the ProPublica report indicated. That includes “data that involves the protection of life and financial ruin.” At the Defense Department, the data is categorized as “Impact Level” four and five, which ProPublica reported includes materials directly supporting military operations. People in China are governed by sweeping laws compelling government cooperation with data collection efforts. Before Microsoft’s announcement Friday that it would be ceasing its use of China-based engineers for sensitive Defense Department programs, the company defended its “digital escort” program, noting all personnel and contractors with privileged access must pass federally approved background checks. The company also pointed to a response from the Defense Information Systems Agency, which said that “digital escorts” are used “in select unclassified environments.” “For some technical requests, Microsoft engages our team of global subject-matter experts to provide support through authorized U.S. personnel, consistent with U.S. government requirements and processes,” a company spokesperson told Fox News Digital Tuesday. “In these instances, global support personnel have no direct access to customer data or customer systems.” The spokesperson added at the time that Microsoft adheres to the federal security requirements outlined by the Defense Department and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program established in 2011 to address the risks associated with moving from entirely government-controlled servers to cloud-based computing. “We establish layers of mitigation at the platform level with security and monitoring controls to detect and prevent threats. This includes approval workflows for system changes and automated code reviews to quickly detect and prevent the introduction of vulnerabilities,” the spokesperson said. “This production system support model is approved and regularly audited by the U.S. government.” When reached for comment for this story, the Pentagon referred Fox News Digital to Hegseth’s earlier Friday comments about “looking into” the Microsoft program and declaring foreign engineers “should NEVER” have access to DOD systems.
Dem mayor mocked for pushing ICE kidnapping story that ended up being alleged hoax
Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass, a critic of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, is being mocked for pushing a story about an LA woman being kidnapped by ICE that ended up allegedly being an elaborate hoax. The Department of Homeland Security posted on its official X account on Friday, “Mayor, you pushed a HOAX. There is still time to delete this.” This comes after Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, a 41-year-old Mexican illegal alien living in Los Angeles, was charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers, according to the DOJ. On July 1, Bass posted a link to a local news story about Calderon’s supposed kidnapping, commenting, “She’s a mother from L.A. — taken out of her car on her way to work, and then held in a warehouse as officers hoped she would ‘self-deport.’ “No hearing. Just fear,” Bass added. “This doesn’t make anyone safer.” TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN LA IGNITES ‘SAME EMOTIONAL NOTES’ FOR DEMS, TOP LOCAL GOP LEADER SAYS After the charges went public, DHS slammed Bass for her comments, saying, “Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon was NEVER arrested or kidnapped by ICE or bounty hunters—this criminal illegal alien scammed innocent Americans for money and diverted limited DHS resources from Los Angeles.” RNC Research, a page run by the Republican National Committee, also chimed in, commenting on X that “Karen Bass spreads a false story demonizing ICE agents.” According to the Justice Department, Calderon claimed to have been kidnapped by masked, uniformed men in unmarked cars at a Jack in the Box parking lot June 25. She claimed to have been forcibly taken to the border and presented to an ICE staffer who demanded she sign self-deportation papers. Calderon said that when she refused to sign the document, she was taken to a warehouse to be held indefinitely. The Los Angeles Police Department launched a missing person investigation and notified DHS, which, after determining Calderon was not in its custody, launched its own investigation. NEWSOM SAYS IT’S TIME FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO ‘GROW UP’ IN REBUKE OVER NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT During the investigation, HSI noticed several irregularities, including that the phone calls to loved ones that Calderon had supposedly made via borrowed phones were made from her cell phone, intentionally masked to appear as an unknown number. According to the affidavit, video surveillance of Calderon’s alleged forced abduction further showed her calmly leaving the Jack in the Box parking lot and getting into a nearby sedan. Despite the video showing a marked LAPD car in the vicinity, Calderon did not make any attempts to alert officers that she was in danger. The affidavit states that “when confronted with true information that contradicted their kidnapping story,” Calderon and others lied to federal agents and “attempted to thwart law enforcement efforts” by keeping her whereabouts from law enforcement. According to a DOJ statement, HSI agents tracked Calderon down July 5 at a shopping plaza parking lot in Bakersfield, California. The statement said Calderon continued to claim she was taken by masked men and held in custody with others. ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO RAPED, IMPREGNATED HIS OWN DAUGHTER AT GOVERNMENT-RUN SHELTER LEARNS PRISON SENTENCE Calderon’s daughter also attempted to raise money from Calderon’s alleged kidnapping by creating a GoFundMe page. A spokesperson for GoFundMe told Fox News Digital the page was removed and that the family did not access any of the money raised. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Calderon is in U.S. immigration custody and is facing a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to five years for false statements if convicted of the charges. Fox News Digital reached out to Bass’ office for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
Christian university rebranding DEI to evade Trump order, enroll illegals, Tennessee rep says
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is demanding an investigation into Belmont University after leaked recordings of a university faculty member admitting the school has maintained its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives but “just change[d] on how we talk about it” despite federal directives to end the programs deemed by many to be discriminatory. In undercover recordings, the same official can be heard admitting the school also enrolls illegal immigrants and hides that information from external entities, which Ogles suggested could violate state law against knowingly harboring illegal aliens for profit. “Belmont University claims to be a Christian institution grounded in Biblical principles, but its administration is injecting anti-gospel DEI ideology into its curriculum,” Ogles told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has rightly demanded that colleges and universities dismantle the DEI cartel or lose federal funding. Belmont officials, however, have been caught on camera bragging about their ‘clever’ scheme to rebrand DEI and continue pushing the same radical agenda under a new name.” ‘LOVE BREAKING RULES’: RED STATE DEAN OUSTED AFTER ADMITTING ON HIDDEN CAM SHE WAS SECRETLY PUSHING DEI Belmont is just one of the latest schools to come under fire for allegedly trying to skirt federal funding repercussions by re-branding DEI programs and policies. An investigation in April by conservative parental rights group Defending Education found that despite the president’s executive directives, there are still 383 “currently active” DEI offices and programs with 243 universities maintaining institution-wide DEI offices or programming. In addition to tracking those DEI offices and programs that are still active, the group’s investigation also highlighted dozens of universities that have taken steps to rebrand or reorganize their DEI efforts as opposed to shutting them down like others have done. Ogles pointed to Belmont’s Office of Hope, Unity and Belonging (HUB), which engulfed the university’s DEI efforts in 2022, as an example of how the school has rebranded its DEI efforts. “The HUB is hope, unity and belonging. That’s DEI. Let’s be real,” Jozef Lukey, Belmont’s assistant director of student success and flourishing, said in an undercover recording cited by Ogles. “We always try to just adapt to what’s happening around us. But that doesn’t mean, like, what we’re focusing on completely stops. We just changed the terminology and the language that we keep moving forward. MAJOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER ACCUSED OF HIDING DEI PROGRAMS; INFLUENTIAL SENATOR CALLS THEM OUT “We’re always going to keep doing what we’re doing. The work never stops. We just change on how we talk about it.” After Ogles’ public complaints, his office said, faculty and students have reached out to attest to the school’s ongoing DEI initiatives. One professor allegedly shared a mandatory form for faculty members requesting to revise or propose a new course, which requires a “Diversity Impact Statement” outlining how the course supports “historically underrepresented populations.” Another source, according to Ogles’ office, shared screenshots of an email chain showing Belmont intends to keep its faculty DEI committee for the next academic year. Belmont has insisted attempts to portray the school as having a “shadow operation” are wholly inaccurate. “We are deeply saddened that these videos portray Belmont as having a ‘shadow operation,’ as nothing could be further from the truth. It’s also disappointing that Rep. Ogles and others perceive such an approach as being representative of Belmont University’s character and values,” the university told local outlet Fox 17. UNEARTHED CHAT SHEDS LIGHT ON COZY TIES BETWEEN JUDGES, CLIMATE ACTIVISTS, RAISING ETHICAL CONCERNS In a statement to Fox News Digital, the school maintained it is “in compliance with federal laws.” “We are aware of comments from government officials and maintain that the university is in compliance with federal laws,” a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “We look forward to working together with the Tennessee delegation to address any concerns about legal compliance.” In an email allegedly sent to the Belmont University community, university President L. Gregory Jones doubled down on the school’s compliance with federal laws and argued HUB was established to “inspire the campus community to fully live in light of Christ’s resurrection,” adding it is not a DEI office even though the university’s website described it like that when it was established in 2022. The email included references to counseling services for people who may be feeling uncomfortable as a result of the allegations the school is facing. The school did not respond to allegations from Ogles and others that the school is admitting and harboring illegal immigrants for profit. “We definitely have to navigate very carefully and just cautiously just because we just don’t ever know, especially with like the ICE raids that are happening in the city that impacts our campus,” Lukey was caught saying in the undercover recording. “We do have undocumented students here. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We don’t communicate to anybody externally who’s undocumented, who isn’t. And, so, like, yes, we know who it is. Faculty don’t really know. How could they? Unless it’s indicated in the system somewhere.” According to Ogles, such a move could potentially violate Tennesee’s Senate Bill 392, which was passed recently and criminalizes 501(c)(3) institutions, known colloquially as nonprofits, for harboring illegal aliens for profit.
Americans detained in Venezuela freed and returning home after prisoner exchange
Ten Americans are returning to the U.S. after being released from custody in Venezuela, the Secretary of State said on Friday. “Thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s leadership and commitment to the American people, the United States welcomes home ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “Until today, more Americans were wrongfully held in Venezuela than any other country in the world. It is unacceptable that Venezuelan regime representatives arrested and jailed U.S. nationals under highly questionable circumstances and without proper due process. Every wrongfully detained American in Venezuela is now free and back in our homeland.” Rubio also thanked the State Department, inter-agency partners, and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele. “Our commitment to the American people is clear: we will safeguard the well-being of U.S. nationals both at home and abroad and not rest until all Americans being held hostage or unjustly detained around the world are brought home,” he added. TRUMP’S TREASURY DEPARTMENT TARGETS DANGEROUS VENEZUELAN PRISON GANG WITH SANCTIONS ON 6 TOP LEADERS He said the U.S. also welcomes the “release of Venezuelan political prisoners and detainees that were also released from Venezuelan prisons. The Trump Administration continues to support the restoration of democracy in Venezuela. The regime’s use of unjust detention as a tool of political repression must end. We reiterate our call for the unconditional release of remaining unjustly and arbitrarily detained political prisoners and foreign nationals.” The release is part of a prisoner swap in which Bukele agreed to release hundreds of Venezuelans being held in a maximum-security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in return for Salvadoran prisoners being held in Venezuela. RUBIO RECALLS TOP US DIPLOMAT FROM COLOMBIA AFTER ‘BASELESS’ STATEMENTS FROM OFFICIALS The U.S. sent the Venezuelans to El Salvador in March through the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Tren de Aragua members without going through immigration procedures. Many of the deportees’ families and lawyers denied the gang connections. “Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA),” Bukele said. “Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes.” Bukele added that the “operation is the result of months of negotiations with a tyrannical regime that had long refused to release one of its most valuable bargaining chips: its hostages. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of many officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved. In this, as in other matters, I remind you: patience and trust.” The Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs posted a photo of the hostages on social media along with the message: Ten Americans are are their way home from detention in Venezuela! Thanks to @POTUS @SecRubio @usembassyve @aboehler and many others for your support bringing Americans home.” Christian Casteneda, whose brother Wilbert, a Navy SEAL, was arrested in a Caracas hotel room last year, said in a statement: “We have prayed for this day for almost a year. My brother is an innocent man who was used as a political pawn by the Maduro regime.” Lucas Hunter, whose family said he was kidnapped by Venezuelan border guards in January, was also among the 10 Americans released. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We cannot wait to see him in person and help him recover from the ordeal,” his younger sister Sophie Hunter said in a statement. This comes months after U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair’s was released from Venezuelan custody in May after being held there for around six months. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.