Democrats hit rock bottom as party plummets to all-time low: poll
Just 19% of voters questioned in a new national poll give Democrats in Congress a thumbs up on how they’re handling their duties, with 72% disapproving. That’s an all-time low since Quinnipiac University first began asking congressional approval questions in their surveys 16 years ago. The Democratic Party has been in the political wilderness since November’s elections, when Republicans won back control of the White House and the Senate and defended their fragile House majority. And Republicans made gains among Black, Hispanic and younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. HEAD HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING Since President Donald Trump’s return to power earlier this year, an increasingly energized base of Democrats is urging party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president’s sweeping and controversial second-term agenda. Their anger is directed not only at Republicans, but at Democrats they feel aren’t vocal enough in their opposition to Trump. And that’s fueled a plunge in the Democratic Party’s favorable ratings, which have hit historic lows in several surveys this year. FOUR MONTHS INTO TRUMP’S SECOND TERM, DEMOCRATS REMAIN DEEPLY PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THEIR PARTY The trend is reflected in the new Quinnipiac poll, which was conducted July 10-14. Just 39% of Democrats approve of the way Democrats in Congress are handling their jobs, with 52% disapproving and 9% not offering an opinion. “The approval numbers for Democrats can be characterized as flat out terrible,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said. While the approval ratings for Republicans in Congress aren’t as “terrible” as the Democrats, they’re nothing to brag about. Only a third of voters questioned in the poll said they approved of the way congressional Republicans were handling their duties, with 62% giving them a thumbs down. But just over three-quarters of Republicans (77%) said they approved of the way GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill were handling their jobs, with just one in five disapproving. Forty percent of respondents approved of how Trump is handling his job as president, with 54% disapproving. Trump’s approval ratings were in positive territory during the first weeks of his second tour of duty in the White House. But the president’s poll numbers have been underwater in most, but not all, of the latest national surveys. Presidential and congressional approval ratings have long been closely watched barometers ahead of a midterm election. Republicans will be defending their slim House and Senate majorities in next year’s midterms, and will also be facing traditional headwinds that hamper the party in power.
SCOOP: House fiscal hawks warily accept Senate’s $9B Trump spending cuts package
FIRST ON FOX: Some House fiscal hawks are cautiously readying to accept the $9 billion spending cuts package passed by the Senate overnight. The House of Representatives must pass the bill, called a rescissions package, by Friday. Rescissions packages are spending cuts requested by the White House of funds that Congress already appropriated for that fiscal year. It’s a process that lets Republicans sideline Democrats by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, but the request must be considered within 45 days. If that window passes, the funds must be re-obligated. 148 DEMOCRATS BACK NONCITIZEN VOTING IN DC AS GOP RAISES ALARM ABOUT FOREIGN AGENTS As of Thursday morning, at least three conservatives – Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C. – signaled to Fox News Digital that they are leaning toward supporting it. It’s good news for House GOP leaders who are dealing with a razor-thin, three-vote margin. A group of House conservatives wrote to the Senate earlier this week warning them not to change any part of the original $9.4 billion spending cuts package – though they stopped short of threatening to vote against it. The Senate version of the bill rolled back a spending cut for an HIV/AIDS research program in Africa after concerns were raised by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, and others. It wound up passing 51-48 after 2 a.m. on Thursday, with Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voting against the bill. It’s highly unlikely the minimal change will stir a significant rebellion, particularly after the White House green-lit the change. But leaders can afford few missteps. Like the House, the Senate GOP’s majority is just three votes – and with all Democrats in both chambers prepared to vote against the legislation, Republicans are counting every vote. Roy told Fox News Digital he would support the bill on the House floor “if I understand what [the] Senate passed correctly.” Burchett said, “I think so,” when asked if he would vote for the bill, and Norman responded, “yes,” when asked as well. TAX CUTS, WORK REQUIREMENTS AND ASYLUM FEES: HERE’S WHAT’S INSIDE TRUMP’S BILL Of the three, just Norman signed conservatives’ letter warning, “In order to facilitate President Trump’s voter mandate, the Senate must pass the entire $9.4 billion of spending cuts in the rescission bill. Weakening any of these provisions would undermine both his leadership and the discipline our budget urgently demands.” The bill would cut roughly $8 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which deals federal grants to NPR and PBS. It’s expected to come before the House Rules Committee sometime Thursday, the final gatekeeper before a chamber-wide vote. If the House passes it on Thursday or Friday, it heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature. Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Trump’s NATO deal to arm Ukraine wins over GOP skeptics
Lawmakers long opposed to providing aid to Ukraine are now on board, if cautiously. President Donald Trump’s plan to assist the war effort comes with a twist because Washington won’t pay for the weapons sent to Kyiv. Months after calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and questioning whether he even wanted to end the war with Russia, Trump has seemingly pivoted his frustrations to President Vladimir Putin. Now, the U.S. will provide weapons to Ukraine using European money. Even Vice President JD Vance is supportive of the move. NATO CHIEF PRAISES TRUMP’S WEAPONS SALES TO ALLIES AS ‘SIGNIFICANT’ MOVE THAT COULD FORCE PUTIN TO NEGOTIATE “Vice President Vance completely supports President Trump’s plan to save American taxpayers from indefinitely funding the conflict in Ukraine and remains committed to the president’s goal of ending the bloodshed in Eastern Europe,” a Vance spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “While Joe Biden stupidly sent billions of American tax dollars to Ukraine, President Trump put America first and smartly struck a deal that puts the onus on our allies in Europe to pay for the aid to Ukraine.” Under the Biden administration, Vance struck a different tone. TRUMP SAYS US WILL SEND PATRIOT MISSILES TO UKRAINE, ADDS THAT PUTIN ‘TALKS NICE AND THEN HE BOMBS EVERYBODY’ “This is not just a matter of dollars. Fundamentally, we lack the capacity to manufacture the amount of weapons Ukraine needs us to supply to win the war,” he wrote in a New York Times op-ed last year. “The Biden administration has no viable plan for the Ukrainians to win this war.” Less than two years ago, House Republicans ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy over a “secret side deal” to fund Ukraine. Months later, Speaker Mike Johnson risked the same fate over a Ukraine package that most of his members voted down. But last week, Trump abruptly undid a Pentagon review that paused weapons shipments to Ukraine. Now, with Trump’s new Europe pays model, the weapons are flowing, and the resistance is fading. After repeatedly criticizing Zelenskyy and casting doubt on Ukraine’s war goals, Trump now says Putin may not be serious about peace. “We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin,” Trump said during a recent Cabinet meeting. “He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” The about-face has given Republican holdouts cover to reframe their positions — even if they remain skeptical. “I think they’re going to have to justify it, why now?” said Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who voted against all Ukraine supplemental funding packages. “When Biden was doing it, he didn’t know what he was doing. It was just money going to all different directions,” he added. “But there’ll be a lot of debate on it, as it should be.” The successful strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites were a win for interventionism, some lawmakers say, and have seemingly quieted isolationist sentiment. “I trust the generals right now,” Norman said when asked whether he believed more weapons would prolong or shorten the war. “They would do the right thing in Ukraine.” SENATE MOVES TO REIN IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S FLUCTUATING UKRAINE POLICYFreshman Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said he still saw Trump’s policy as a return to “realism and restraint.” “Many people in this country have been burned by an overzealous foreign policy,” Gill said. “Getting involved in conflicts abroad without any understanding of what a path to peace would look like, what victory really means. And President Trump is reining that in. “He’s doing things a little bit differently, is getting NATO on board, and that’s a good thing.” In March, when the administration paused military aid, Gill had celebrated Trump “driving a knife right through the foreign policy UniParty.” Not everyone is on board. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of the president’s staunchest supporters who also spearheaded the effort to oust Johnson over Ukraine funding, suggested Americans were focused on affordability rather than aiding the war effort. “We do not want to give or sell weapons to Ukraine or be involved in any foreign wars or continue the never ending flow of foreign aid. We want to solve our own problems plaguing our own people,” she wrote on X. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., called the new U.S.-NATO plan for Ukraine aid “great.” “I think more weapons will shorten [the war,]” he said. “We’re looking at NATO purchasing weapons from us. That’s a good thing right there.” “Putin needs to understand that our patience is running short. And he needs to understand it’s Vladimir Putin against the world,” said Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis. Last year, Van Orden railed against the Biden administration for failing to provide a plan to end the war. This time, the idea of Europe footing the bill seems to have sold him. “Europe has to step up and do the preponderance of their own defense,” he told Fox News Digital. Van Orden blamed the invasion on European NATO allies failing to meet their 2% goal for defense spending. “If the members of NATO had gone to 2% of GDP ten years ago when they promised to, do you think Vladimir Putin would have invaded Ukraine?” Van Orden wondered. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP At a White House meeting Monday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said a “very big deal” had been agreed to by Europeans to purchase. “Billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment is going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO … And that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield,” Trump said. Trump said the package would be comprehensive, including Patriot missile batteries that Ukraine needs for air defenses. “It’s everything. It’s Patriots. It’s all of them. It’s a full complement with the batteries,” Trump said.
Democrat congressman dragged for ‘weird’ TikTok ‘aura farming’ trend video
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., got in on TikTok’s “aura farming” trend, posting a clip of himself dancing solo in the congressional subway, captioned “omw to hold this administration accountable.” In the short clip, Subramanyam appears on the House subway wearing sunglasses, striking poses and waving his arms before locking in on the camera. Subramanyam’s “aura farming” appears to have backfired, with some commenters calling it out as tone-deaf, hypocritical and “cringe.” Left-leaning viewers frustrated with perceived inaction from Democrats under President Donald Trump took aim at the VA-10 congressman in the comment section. One of the top-liked comments asked flatly, “By doing nothing…?” Another read, “Representatives have got to stop doing this. Actually do something.” THE REVOLUTION WILL BE LIVESTREAMED: HOW ZOHRAN MAMDANI WON THE NYC PRIMARY ONLINE Many commenters linked the post to Subramanyam’s past voting record, including his controversial decision against his party just weeks ago not to move forward with a House impeachment resolution against Trump. On June 24, 2025, Subramanyam voted to table (i.e., block) a resolution to impeach President Trump over “high crimes and misdemeanors.” The resolution was introduced by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, but was halted by a wide House majority. Several comments mocked the tone and delivery of the video. One read, “-1000 aura,” while another said, “Our taxpayer money hard at work…” Another commenter wrote, “So what exactly are you on your way to do? Because so far democrats have not really done anything at all.” A top comment simply read, “This feels weird idk.” FAR-LEFT LAWMAKER BREAKS SILENCE AFTER UNEARTHED SOCIAL MEDIA POST IGNITES FIRESTORM One lengthy reply said, “Not trying to be disrespectful. But? Less of this sh–. More fire on the floor please. I get wanting to do outreach. But this? Isn’t the action an average American needs from their representatives right now. We’re approaching no taxation without representation territory here. Do better.” Another suggested, “Introduce a new amendment for every one performative TikTok a Congress person posts they have to cosign 3 bills that work to limit the power of money in politics.” Subramanyam, a former tech advisor in the Obama White House and the first South Asian elected to Virginia’s General Assembly, has gained a reputation as a more moderate Democrat. He won Virginia’s 10th District in 2024 and often plays up his immigrant roots in political messaging. The “aura farming” trend, popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, refers to pulling off effortless, cool gestures usually while standing still. It took off after a now-viral video of 11-year-old Indonesian boy Rayyan Arkan Dikha danced stone-faced and confident while wearing sunglasses aboard a racing boat. Most “aura farming” clips on TikTok are soundtracked to “Young Black & Rich” by Melly Mike, which includes the lyric “I ain’t even gon’ get mad, I’m young, black and rich.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to Subramanyam’s office and TikTok for comment.
Iran faces August deadline to accept comprehensive nuclear deal or face renewed UN sanctions
Iran has until the end of August to agree to a nuclear deal with the United States and its allies, Fox News has learned. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom set the de facto deadline, according to three sources with knowledge of a call Wednesday among the officials. If Tehran fails to agree to a deal, it would trigger the “snapback” mechanism that automatically reimposes all sanctions previously imposed by the United Nations Security Council. IRAN’S LEADER THREATENS ‘EVEN BIGGER BLOW’ AGAINST US; TRUMP SAYS HE’S IN ‘NO RUSH’ TO TALK The sanctions were lifted under the 2015 Iran deal. The Trump administration has tried pressuring Iran to accept a deal to walk back its nuclear program after U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting nuclear sites. United Against Nuclear Iran, a nonprofit that opposes Tehran’s effort to develop a nuclear weapon, applauded Wednesday’s news. IRAN VOWS RETALIATION IF UN SECURITY COUNCIL ISSUES SNAPBACK SANCTIONS ON ANNIVERSARY OF NUCLEAR DEAL “Tehran has learned that, for the Trump administration, a deadline means a deadline,” UANI Chairman and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace said in a joint statement. “After failing to agree to a deal within 60 days of diplomacy, the United States and Israel undertook targeted military action against the regime in June. Consequently, Tehran should take this new deadline seriously.” On Monday, Iran warned it would retaliate if the U.N. Security Council imposes the snapback sanctions. “The threat to use the snapback mechanism lacks legal and political basis and will be met with an appropriate and proportionate response from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei claimed during a press conference, according to a Reuters report. Baghaei didn’t specify how Tehran would retaliate.
Andrew Cuomo jump-starts car and political comeback in new NYC mayoral campaign advertisement
Critics are ripping apart the latest campaign ad for New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo, which shows the former Empire State governor helping a fellow New Yorker by giving his vehicle a jump-start on the side of a city street. “New Yorkers, start your engines…Together, we can fix this city!” Cuomo said in a post on Instagram that included the campaign video. “We can be there for each other. We help. We do. And we will — together.” The accompanying video begins with Cuomo looking down into the open engine compartment, while appearing to signal to the driver to give the engine a crank. A clicking sound is then heard before Cuomo jumps into action, and the camera pans down to show the black jumper cable attached to the negative battery terminal, and the red cable in the mayoral candidate’s hand. FORMER OBAMA STAFFER RIPS CUOMO CAMPAIGN VIDEO: ‘NO MESSAGE, NO CHARISMA’ Cuomo then connects the red cable to the vacant battery terminal before jump-cutting to where he is getting into the driver’s seat of another vehicle, perceived to be his. After starting the vehicle, Cuomo looks into the rearview mirror of his vehicle, and the shot switches to the driver in the other vehicle, turning the key. The car starts right up, and the driver gets out with a smile on his face. He then slaps five with Cuomo, though you do not see the candidate’s face. ‘IN IT TO WIN IT’: CUOMO REFUSES TO BACK DOWN IN HEATED NYC MAYORAL RACE AGAINST ZOHRAN MAMDANI The two are then seen talking afterward as Cuomo hands the other driver the jumper cables. While the video may give off a positive vibe to some, critics took every opportunity to slam Cuomo’s newest ad. One viewer wrote, “He hooked up the cables in the wrong order,” while another wrote, “Hi Cuomo media team! Hope you leave this off your resumes.” Cuomo’s marketing team was also accused in the comments of being out of touch with voters. CUOMO, ADAMS TRADE SHOTS OVER WHO SHOULD DROP OUT IN RACE AGAINST MAMDANI FOR NYC MAYOR When reached for comment on Wednesday, Cuomo’s team told Fox News Digital the reactions are “the height of stupidity.” “The governor is a trained mechanic who put himself through college driving a tow truck for AAA,” the spokesperson said. “The permanently online trolls wasting their time criticizing him helping a fellow New Yorker would likely have to call AAA if they were in the same situation. They should touch some grass.” But not all the comments were negative toward Cuomo. In fact, one viewer praised the video and Cuomo’s campaign ad. “Alright, let’s hear those engines roar! Start your engines!” the viewer wrote. “The type of leadership that has hands on experience and stops to help complete strangers in time of need. Don’t mind getting hands dirty and always lending a helping hand. Kind and considerate which we need more of. Andrew Cuomo is that guy!” SCANDAL-PLAGUED FORMER GOV ANDREW CUOMO AIMS TO PULL OFF POLITICAL COMEBACK IN THE NATION’S BIGGEST CITY The former three-term governor, who is gunning for a political comeback after resigning in 2021 amid multiple scandals, was convincingly defeated last month by Mamdani in the Democrat mayoral primary. Mamdani’s primary victory over Cuomo and nine other candidates rocked the Democrat Party, and boosted the Ugandan-born 33-year-old state assemblyman from Queens toward becoming the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of the nation’s most populous city. Cuomo, in a video on Monday announcing his decision to stay in the race, said, “Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November, and I am in it to win it.” And Cuomo charged, “My opponent, Mr. Mamdani offers slick slogans but no real solutions.” While he acknowledged Mamdani’s victory in the primary, Cuomo left the door open to a November run as an independent candidate, which election rules in New York state permit. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
Newsom says it’s time for President Trump to ‘grow up’ in rebuke over National Guard deployment
After President Donald Trump federalized California National Guard troops in response to anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, progressive Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters, “It’s about time Donald Trump grow up. I want to get them back under my control.” Speaking outside a Los Angeles church Wednesday, Newsom, who is believed to have presidential aspirations, urged Trump to release the remaining National Guard troops in LA. He called the deployment a waste of hundreds of millions of dollars. The governor, who tried to sue the Trump administration over its use of the National Guard to respond to the rioting, called the president a “chaos agent” who has “torn asunder” California communities. PENTAGON SCALING DOWN NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO LA This comes after Newsom called Trump a “son of a b—-,” something he did not back away from when asked about it during the news conference. “I don’t think they understand any other kind of language,” and “I have no apologies for standing tall and firm and pushing back against their cruelty,” Newsom said. “It’s a disgrace,” Newsom said. “The president of the United States decided to advance his rote cruelty by utilizing the brave men and women of the National Guard as pawns in an effort to theatrically show his strength.” Newsom claimed the deployment was a massive waste of time and money. He accused Trump of having “burned” hundreds of millions of dollars “just to try to sear in your mind that he’s some tough guy because he didn’t get enough hugs from his parents growing up.” “This is about families. It’s about community. It’s about the sense of place. It’s about our economy. And it’s about time Donald Trump grow up. It’s about time Donald Trump understand what the hell he is doing,” he added. “And, so, I’m here in front of a church, on church grounds, mindful that our democracy is not on firm ground. And mindful of our responsibility to be assertive at this moment.” The governor also criticized Trump for sending troops to a U.S. city rather than overseas. “He deployed roughly 5,000 military, not overseas. In fact, his entire first term the president of the United States did not even send military boots on the ground overseas his entire first term. [In] the first six months of his administration, he decides to send them to the United States of America.” NEWSOM, VANCE EXCHANGE JABS OVER IMMIGRATION AFTER VP’S CALIFORNIA VACATION: ‘HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR FAMILY TIME’ He said the deployment “is a preview of things to come.” “If you think this is about California, you are fooling yourself. These are operations you’re going to see all across the United States of America,” Newsom added. “This cruelty, isn’t about terrorizing communities. It’s about appearing tough.” The governor also said he wanted to regain control over “my National Guard or your National Guard.” “I want to get them back under my control so we can get them back doing the kind of work to control wildfires, to keep our community safe, to address the issue of counter-narcotics, to address the issue of fentanyl,” he said. SANTA MONICA BUSINESS OWNER OFFERING ONE-WAY FLIGHTS TO GET HOMELESS OUT OF CALIFORNIA In response, Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement that Newsom “is on the wrong side of history, and he will have to answer for his atrocious policies.” “This is what’s actually harming our communities: Gavin Newscum’s pro-criminal illegal alien policies,” said Jackson, adding the governor “recently protested a successful immigration raid at a California marijuana farm that rescued children who were victims of labor exploitation and detained rapists, pedophiles and other criminals. “The American people elected President Trump to deport these sick criminals, and a vast majority of American voters — including Democrats — support these policies.”
Minnesota Senator Tina Smith hospitalized after not feeling well at Capitol
Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota was hospitalized Wednesday after she began feeling unwell while working at the Capitol, according to a statement from her staff. “While at work at the Capitol today, Sen. Smith started to not feel well,” read a post on X. “She went to the Capitol physician who recommended she undergo more thorough examination at GW hospital.” SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AS DC STRUGGLES WITH HEATWAVE Doctors have opted to keep her overnight “out of an abundance of caution,” her office said. “She expects to be back at work very soon,” the statement reads. Smith, 67, has served in the Senate since 2018. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Senator Smith’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Schiff Flagged for Potential Mortgage Fraud by Trump Official
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… – Jill Biden ‘work husband’ pleads Fifth Amendment, dodges House GOP cover-up probe questions – Israel strikes Syria’s military headquarters as the regime clashes with Druze civilians – Senate marches toward passing Trump’s $9B clawback bill after dramatic late-night votes Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has been referred to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution regarding mortgage documents. The director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in May citing alleged misconduct by Schiff, who owns homes in California and Maryland. “Based on media reports, Mr. Adam B. Schiff has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property,” FHFA Director William Pulte wrote in the letter, which Fox News obtained on Wednesday. “As regulator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, we take very seriously allegations of mortgage fraud or other criminal activity. Such misconduct jeopardizes the safety and soundness of FHFA’s regulated entities and the security and stability of the U.S. mortgage market…” READ MORE. DIPLOMATIC DEMOLITION: ‘It’s sort of scary’: Officials flag surprising revelations from deep State Department cuts PINK SLIP POLITICS: Trump’s controversial plan to fire federal workers finds favor with Supreme Court NO MORE SECRETS: Bondi should release ‘credible’ Epstein files, Trump says LEGAL SHELL GAME: Judge weighs Abrego Garcia detention status as Trump admin confirms plans to immediately deport him HHS SHAKEUP: RFK Jr. fires two top aides at HHS LOYALTY FIRST: Loyal Jill Biden aide arrives for sworn deposition in Comer’s cover-up probe HIDING THE DECLINE: Jill Biden’s ‘work husband’ pleads Fifth Amendment, dodges House GOP cover-up probe questions OVERRULED: Conservative legal group presses agency to act on Trump’s voter citizenship mandate despite court injunctions FAITH TAKES PRIORITY: EXCLUSIVE: Trump admin strengthens religious accommodations in federal workforce TRIPLE THREAT RISING: Japan says China, North Korea and Russia represent biggest threat since WWII, US is ‘cornerstone of peace’ in the region BLAME GAME BEGINS: Israel slams UN for ignoring aid already in Gaza while demanding more AYATOLLAH ULTIMATUM: Iran’s leader threatens ‘even bigger blow’ against US, Trump says he’s in ‘no rush’ to talk TRADE ON THE ROCKS: From bourbon to bordeaux: Trump’s tariffs spill into global booze markets BATTLE HEATS UP: Israel strikes Syria’s military headquarters as the regime clashes with Druze civilians PROMISES DELIVERED: RNC chair says ‘big, beautiful bill’ key part of GOP’s strategy to win seats in midterm elections SPENDING CUT SPRINT: Senate marches toward passing Trump’s $9B clawback bill after dramatic late-night votes BIDEN BORDER FAILURE: FIRST ON FOX: Mother of daughter murdered by alleged MS-13 gang member speaks out in favor of new house bill BENEFIT BATTLE: Workers striking by choice could lose unemployment benefits in blue states under GOP proposal FOREIGN TOURISTS PAY UP: Congress considers permanent national park fee increase for foreign visitors ‘SERIOUS LOWLIFE’: WATCH: Adam Schiff silent after Trump accused him of mortgage fraud MESSAGE LOST: Speaker Johnson reveals Musk left MAGA ally’s lengthy text hanging in ‘the ether’ after Trump blowup TENSIONS BOIL OVER: Dem Disorder: DNC squabbles play out in NYC mayoral race for all to see THE HOT SEAT: Former DC council member wins back seat months after being expelled over bribery charge SWEET DECEPTION: Texas AG Paxton office launching investigation into M&Ms and Skittles manufacturer Mars for “deceptive” practices promising to remove artificial dyes CRYING FOUL: Ghislaine Maxwell’s family insists she received unfair trial in high-profile Epstein case TRUMP’S ‘BACKUP’: Aiming to give Trump ‘backup,’ second Republican enters swing state race for Democrat-held Senate seat PAST EXPOSED: Unearthed social media posts expose radical anti-Israel views of Mamdani’s dad: ‘Colonial occupation’ Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
New Yorkers skeptical after Zohran Mamdani distances himself from phrase ‘globalize the intifada’
New Yorkers are expressing skepticism after Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani appeared to try to distance himself from the phrase “globalize the intifada,” after spending months refusing to condemn the phrase many interpret as a call for violence against Jewish people. The New York Times reported that Mamdani, who is Muslim and a self-professed socialist who has been highly critical of the state of Israel, told city business leaders that he would not use the phrase and that he would “discourage” others from doing so. The Times reported that Mamdani told some 150 business executives present at the meeting, which took place in the Rockefeller Center, that while many use the phrase to express solidarity with Palestinians, others see it as a call to antisemitic violence. This comes after Mamdani refused to condemn intifada language throughout his campaign for the Democratic mayoral nomination. During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in June, Mamdani said, “My concern is, to start to walk down the line of language and making clear what language I believe is permissible or impermissible, takes me into a place similar to that of the president, who is looking to do those very kinds of things, putting people in jail for writing an op-ed, putting them in jail for protesting.” AOC WELCOMES SOCIALIST MAMDANI TO NATION’S CAPITAL AS DEM LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS He said that “ultimately, it is not language that I use. It is language, I understand there are concerns about, and what I will do is showcase my vision for the city through my words and my actions.” Now, weeks after winning the Democratic nomination and facing general election voters, he appears to finally be backing away from the intifada language. Joe Borelli, a former Republican New York City Council member, responded to the shift, telling Fox News Digital it is “hard to imagine any change of heart being genuine when it occurs right after you’ve won a primary and have to pivot for the general, which happens to include a heck of a lot of Jews.” Rory Lancman, a Democrat and former New York City councilmember and state assemblyman, told Fox News Digital that “a putative mayor of New York City needs to be able to repudiate calls for ‘intifada’ without ambiguity or qualification as morally repugnant and unacceptable.” ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT’: JEWISH LEADERS WARN OF NYC ‘MASS EXODUS’ IF ZOHRAN MAMDANI WINS IN NOVEMBER “There is no ‘threading the needle’ or middle ground on this issue, or, for that matter, on the issue of whether Israel should be extinguished as a Jewish state,” Lancman went on. “These are basic, straightforward ‘good vs. evil’ questions that Mr. Mamdani struggles with because, frankly, he’s on the wrong side of that equation,” said Lancman. Meanwhile, Christopher Hahn, a Democratic strategist and former aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital that “while Mandani has made statements that show he is not an anti-Semite some of his past statements can be construed that way.” Hahn said that if Mamdani “hopes to be mayor he needs to make it very clear, early and often, he is not anti-Semitic.” “If he doesn’t his opponents will try to paint him as one,” said Hahn. TRUMP SAYS CUOMO’S GOT A ‘GOOD SHOT’ OF BEATING MAMDANI IN NYC MAYOR ELECTION Top Democratic leaders have also been demanding that Mamdani condemn calls to globalize the intifada. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said during an interview with WNYC radio host Brian Lehrer in late June that the phrase is received by the public as a call to “slaughter the Jews,” and that Mamdani needed to understand how the word is received by the Jewish community. “It doesn’t matter what meaning you have in your brain. It is not how the word is received. When you use a word like intifada — to many Jewish Americans and Jewish New Yorkers, that means you are permissive of violence against Jews,” said Gillibrand. ACTOR SAYS MAMDANI NOT DOING ENOUGH TO ADDRESS ANTISEMITISM, FEELS ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ ADMITTING HE’S JEWISH House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has also said the mayoral candidate would have to clarify this position on the phrase. “Globalizing the intifada, by way of example, is not an acceptable phrase,” Jeffries said. “He’s going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward.” He added, “With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in antisemitism in the city of New York, which has been an unacceptable development.” Mamdani is running to unseat current New York City Mayor Eric Adams who is running for re-election as an independent. He is also facing off against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whom he defeated in the Democratic Primary and who is also running as an independent. Activist Curtis Sliwa is also running for mayor as a Republican.