Trump reveals Melania’s key role in dealing with Putin on Ukraine war
President Trump on Monday suggested that first lady Melania Trump convinced him that Russian President Vladimir Putin has continually backed out of his promises over a possible peace deal with Ukraine. Trump was meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte when he spoke with reporters about the ongoing war. He explained that his wife pointed out Putin’s false promises following Trump’s phone calls with the Russian leader amid calls for a deal to end the conflict. TRUMP’S BOLD PIVOT ON UKRAINE SENDS MAJOR SIGNAL “I go home. I tell the first lady, ‘You know, I spoke to Vladimir today. We had a wonderful conversation.’ She said, ‘Oh, really? another city was just hit,’” he said. “There’s times I’d get home. I’d say, ‘First lady, I had the most wonderful talk with Vladimir. I think we’re finished.’ And then I’ll turn on the television, or she’ll say to me one time, ‘Wow, that’s strange because they just bombed a nursing home,’” Trump recalled in another conversation. “I’d say, ‘What?’” Moscow has repeatedly attacked Ukraine with drones and missiles following calls between Putin and Trump. TRUMP SAYS US WILL SEND PATRIOT MISSILES TO UKRAINE, ADDS THAT PUTIN ‘TALKS NICE AND THEN HE BOMBS EVERYBODY’ Last week, Trump appeared frustrated, saying he wasn’t happy with Putin “because he’s killing alot of people.” He said he was considering giving Ukraine more aid to help it resist the Russian attacks. On Monday, Trump confirmed that he has agreed to sell arms to NATO just moments after he said Putin has 50 days to secure a peace deal with Ukraine or face “100%” tariffs. “This is again European nations standing up,” Rutte said. “I’ve been in contact with many countries. I can tell you at this moment Germany, massively, but also Finland and Denmark and Sweden and Norway — we have the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Canada — they all want to be part of this.” “And this is only the first wave. There will be more,” Rutte confirmed. “So what we will do is work through the NATO systems to make sure that we know what Ukrainians need.”
Zohran Mamdani press conference abruptly ends with aide pulling him away during reporters questions
An endorsement event for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, came to an abrupt end Monday when he was pulled offstage by a campaign aide. After accepting the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802’s endorsement, Mamdani answered a few questions about former Gov. Andrew Cuomo deciding to stay in the race as an independent candidate and his upcoming meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. About 20 minutes into the event, before Mamdani could continue answering reporters’ questions, his campaign staffers stepped in to say: “I think we’re done here. We’re going to go. Come on. We’re wrapping up, folks. Sorry folks. We’re wrapping up.” But Mamdani stood by the podium, attempting to hear the reporters’ questions over the chorus of campaign aides’ voices, until the band on site for the event began playing “When the Saints Go Marching In.” With a smile on his face, Mamdani was pulled away when a campaign aide grabbed his arm. MAMDANI LANDS ENDORSEMENT OF A TOP CUOMO BACKER IN NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY Mamdani has kept a busy campaign schedule since securing the Democratic nomination last month. MAMDANI’S PRIMARY WIN EXPOSES DEMOCRAT DIVIDE AS TOP LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS He has hosted several endorsement events, including from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and New York Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat. The campaign has opened up questions to reporters at the end of these endorsement events. The 33-year-old candidate is expected to host an event with fellow self-described democratic socialist, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Mamdani ahead of his primary win last month. And during the endorsement event Monday, Mamdani confirmed his meeting with Jeffries later this week. Jeffries told Fox News Digital he would meet with Mamdani at home in Brooklyn at the end of the week. The House Minority Leader has yet to endorse Mamdani since he secured the Democratic nomination. “I’m looking forward to that meeting with Congressman Jeffries,” Mamdani said Monday before adding, “I’m looking forward to being a partner to Congressman Jeffries in winning back the House and continuing to fight back against Donald Trump’s agenda, and in delivering, at the same time, for New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”
‘In it to win it’: Cuomo refuses to back down in heated NYC mayoral race against Zohran Mamdani
Andrew Cuomo says he’s going the distance. The former three-term New York governor, who last month was defeated by double digits by democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, on Monday announced he will continue his general election bid as an independent candidate. “Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November and I am in it to win it,” Cuomo declared in a video posted to social media. And Cuomo charged that “My opponent, Mr. Mamdani offers slick slogans but no real solutions.” CUOMO, ADAMS TRADE SHOTS OVER WHO SHOULD DROP OUT IN RACE AGAINST MAMDANI FOR NYC MAYOR Mamdani’s primary victory over Cuomo and nine other candidates three weeks ago rocked the Democratic Party, and boosted the Ugandan-born 33-year-old state assemblyman from Queens toward becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city. MAMDANI OFFICIALLY WINS NYC DEM PRIMARY BY 12 POINTS OVER CUOMO, WHO’S STAYING IN THE RACE FOR NOW Mamdani surged to a primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City’s high cost of living. Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering “free childcare” for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores. And thanks in part to the efforts of a massive grassroots army of volunteers, he rode a wave of support from younger and progressive voters to catapult into first place over Cuomo, who was the frontrunner. “Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that the Democratic primary did not go the way I had hoped,” said Cuomo, the former three-term governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals. Cuomo, who is gunning for a political comeback, noted that “as my grandfather used to say, when you get knocked down, learn the lesson and pick yourself back up and get in the game. And that is what I’m going to do. The fight to save our city isn’t over.” At an endorsement event on Monday, Mamdani reacted to Cuomo’s move. “I welcome everyone to this race, and I am as confident as I have been since three weeks ago on primary night,” he said. “I think he’s struggling to come to terms with what Tuesday meant,” Mamdani added. “We spent an entire campaign being told that it was inevitable for Andrew Cuomo to become the next mayor, and he believed that himself.” Mamdani also trolled the former governor on Monday, responding to a photo of Cuomo filming his campaign video. “We got him making man on the street videos with a guy in Carhartt. By next week, he’ll be sipping adeni chai and eating khaliat al nahl,” Mamdani said in reference to his own viral campaign videos. The announcement by Cuomo came as no major surprise. While he acknowledged Mamdani’s victory in the primary, Cuomo left the door open to a November run as an independent candidate, which election rules in New York state permit. And late last month, Cuomo let pass a deadline for candidates who had already qualified to run as independents to decline that independent ballot line. But sources told Fox News at the time that Cuomo had not committed yet to running an active general election campaign through the summer and into the autumn. In deep blue New York City, the Democratic primary winner is largely favored to win the general election. If Mamdani wins in November, he will be the first Muslim and millennial mayor of New York City. Also on the general election ballot is Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped his primary bid earlier this year amid sinking poll numbers in the wake of numerous controversies. Adams is running as an independent. Also on the ballot in the general election are Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor running as an independent, and Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who, for a second straight election, is the Republican mayoral nominee.
‘One more’: Senate Republicans eye tackling another reconciliation bill
Senate Republicans are planning to take another crack at the budget reconciliation process after narrowly passing President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” earlier this month. The $3.3 trillion legislative behemoth, which permanently extended many of the provisions of the president’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and included reforms and work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance programs, and billions in spending for defense and border security, only passed the Senate with the aid of Vice President JD Vance. Now, lawmakers are eying another shot at the grueling process. ‘GUT CHECK TIME’: DISSENT AMONG SENATE GOP RANKS THREATENS TO REDUCE TRUMP’S SPENDING CUT DEMAND Sen. Ron Johnson, one of the key holdouts that eventually backed the bill, said he gained a fair amount of confidence from the White House, Trump and Senate GOP leadership that Republicans would “have a second bite of the apple.” “I think I pretty well have a commitment,” the Wisconsin Republican said. “They’re going to do that, and we’re going to set a process, line by line, program by program.” “Another reason why I definitely had to vote ‘yes’ is I would have just dealt myself out of being involved in that process, and I want to be highly involved in that for the next process,” he continued. And Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., another fiscal hawk that was wary of supporting the bill but ultimately voted for it, told Fox News Digital, “I think we still have to definitely do one more this year, so we’ll see if that’s what happens.” Johnson speculated that lawmakers could tackle the process, which allows Republicans to skirt the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate but must comply with stringent Senate rules, in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in October. ‘BAIT AND SWITCH’: SCHUMER WARNS OF BITTER FUNDING FIGHT OVER GOP CUTS PLAN The senator has an ally in House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who shortly after the “big, beautiful bill” passed out of the House and onto Trump’s desk said, “We’re going to do this again.” “We’re gonna have a second reconciliation package in the fall and a third in the spring of next year,” Johnson said on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., another fiscal hawk who criticized the Senate’s changes to the initial reconciliation bill but voted for it in the end, said another reconciliation bill was “absolutely” feasible. He’s gunning for more spending cuts and more ends to “government giveaways,” but noted the looming 2026 election season put them on a short timeline, however. “[Trump will] have a better chance now, because you don’t have to deal with the filibuster, where you can get 50% plus one. If there’s ever a chance to do it, we need to do it now, because the midterms are coming up in the middle of next year. So really we need to push for the next eight months,” Norman said. Initially, Senate Republicans had pushed for a two-bill track, something that the speaker said would not be feasible in the House because of the varying factions, and red lines, throughout the conference. But now Senate leadership may be more cautious given the series of hurdles facing the upper chamber in the coming months, including advancing a $9.4 billion clawback package this week which is already facing headwinds among pockets of Senate Republicans. TAX CUTS, WORK REQUIREMENTS AND ASYLUM FEES: HERE’S WHAT’S INSIDE THE SENATE’S VERSION OF TRUMP’S BILL A senior GOP aide told Fox News Digital that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was open to another reconciliation package, but “is heavily focused on selling the last bill and highlighting all it does.” “At this point it’s premature to even think of what could be in a second one,” the aide said. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital that “we want to do one more reconciliation package,” and echoed the speaker’s sentiment that more could be done. First, however, lawmakers have to get through the looming government funding fight with Senate Democrats. Currently, Senate spending panels are going through mark-ups on the dozen funding bills needed to keep the government’s lights on, but Mullin, who chairs the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, believed that another government funding extension was on the horizon. “It looks like we’re screaming straight toward a [continuing resolution], and we have to have, we’re going to have to figure out how to avoid a Schumer shutdown, because they’re not going to be helpful in passing it,” he said. Getting every Senate Republican, or even a majority, to go forward with reconciliation once more may be a challenge. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was the key vote that advanced the Senate’s first crack at reconciliation back to the House, after hours of floor negotiations and rewritten provisions that would give a boost to Alaska were added to the package. But she seemed disinterested in taking another crack at the intensive process. “No, no,” Murkowski told Fox News Digital. “I want to legislate.”
Hochul hauls in big bucks amid lackluster poll numbers and calls to endorse Mamdani
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York brought in nearly $12 million in fundraising during the first half of this year, an impressive haul as she bids next year for a second four-term term steering the nation’s fourth most populous state. But Hochul’s fundraising report, released on Monday, comes as the governor continues to face lackluster poll numbers and regular attacks from two of her potential Republican challengers in next year’s election. And the fundraising report also comes amid calls from far-left leaders in her party to endorse democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who topped former three-term Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates last month to capture the New York City Democratic mayoral nomination. Hochul hauled in more than $11.8 million, according to her campaign, with the July filing showing grassroots donations from all the state’s 62 counties. POLL POSITION: WHERE NEW YORK GOV. KATHY HOCHUL STANDS Of the money raised, more than $4 million will go to Hochul’s re-election campaign, with over $7 million headed to the New York State Democratic Committee, according to a campaign aide. The latest fundraising haul marks a slight increase from the $10 million Hochul raised in the second half of last year for her re-election campaign and the state Democratic Party committee. “In the last 6 months, Governor Kathy Hochul has seen grassroots support pour in from every single county in the state as she fights back against Donald Trump and delivers real progress toward a safer, more affordable New York,” campaign manager Preston Elliott said in a statement. COULD THIS TOP TRUMP ALLY BREAK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY’S TWO-DECADE LOSING STREAK IN THIS KEY STATE “While D.C. Republicans rip away New Yorkers’ health care, our campaign is building an operation not just to re-elect Governor Hochul, but to take back the House and elect leaders who stand up for New York families instead of caving to Trump,” Elliott added. Hochul, who at the time was the state’s lieutenant governor, in August 2021 was sworn in as New York’s first female governor, after Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals. She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin’s showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002. In July of last year, Hochul announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026, but polling suggests New Yorkers are far from thrilled with the state of their state. A majority of New York state voters continue to want “someone else” other than Hochul elected governor next year, according to a Siena College poll conducted late last month. HOCHUL FACING PRIMARY CHALLENGE FROM HER OWN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Half of those questioned in the survey said New York was headed in the wrong direction, with just 37% saying the Empire State was on the right track. According to the poll, Hochul’s favorability rating remained underwater at 42%-47%, while her job approval rating continued to hover slightly in positive territory at 50%-45%. The poll also indicated Hochul topping her potential Republican challengers by 20 points or more in potential 2026 gubernatorial showdowns in blue-leaning New York state. However, Hochul failed to top 50% in any of the matchups. The survey also continues to indicate that Rep. Elise Stefanik is the polling frontrunner among three major Republicans considering a run for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, in the race to challenge Hochul next year. Rep. Mike Lawler was in second place, according to the poll. Both Stefanik and Lawler have been very vocal in their criticism of Hochul as they both mull launching gubernatorial runs. Hochul’s lieutenant governor – Antonio Delgado – last month launched a Democratic Party primary challenge against the governor. But the most recent polling indicates Delgado is facing a steep uphill climb to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, AND OPINION ON NEW YORK GOV. KATHY HOCHUL Meanwhile, progressive leaders are urging Hochul, and other top Democrcatic officials in New York state, to endorse Mamdani, the 33-year-old Ugandan-born state assembly member from Queens. Mamdani’s primary victory last month stunned the political world and pushed him a big step closer to becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city. Hochul has praised Mamdani’s primary victory and his emphasis on the campaign trail on affordability. The governor also defended Mamdani recently against President Donald Trump’s threat to take over New York City if the democratic socialist is elected mayor. “Voters decide who runs New York City. Not Washington and certainly not wannabe kings,” Hochul wrote in a social media post. But she continues to voice concerns over Mamdani’s anti-Israel rhetoric and his stance on policing. The governor, at a news conference on Friday, highlighted that the business community “is concerned about what will happen with the police department” if Mamdani becomes New York City’s next mayor. “Everybody’s concerned what will happen to the policing of the city,” Hochul said.
Mamdani’s failure to walk back these positions could cause reckoning in Democratic Party: ‘Five-alarm warning’
Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has rocketed to frontrunner status in the race despite roughly half a dozen far-left positions that he has declined to walk back, which could prove problematic for the Democratic Party if he’s victorious. Mamdani has faced heated criticism for his support of socialist policies, perhaps most famously his 2021 remarks to a Young Democratic Socialists of America conference, where he urged attendees not to compromise on goals like “seizing the means of production.” “Right now, if we’re talking about the cancellation of student debt, if we’re talking about Medicare for all, you know, these are issues which have the groundswell of popular support across this country,” Mamdani said in a video to conference-goers. “But then there are also other issues that we firmly believe in, whether it’s BDS or whether it is the end goal of seizing the means of production, where we do not have the same level of support at this very moment.” Mamdani spokesperson Andrew Epstein told Politifact, “There is nothing in his platform or in his record regarding seizing the means of production,” but Mamdani has not walked back his original statement, saying that is his “end goal.” MAMDANI’S FATHER SITS ON COUNCIL OF ANTI-ISRAEL GROUP TIED TO TERROR, LEGITIMIZES ROLE OF SUICIDE BOMBERS Another controversial position Mamdani has taken came in the form of a campaign policy document that explicitly calls for shifting the city’s tax burden onto “richer and whiter neighborhoods.” “Shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods,” the proposal reads. “The property tax system is unbalanced because assessment levels are artificially capped, so homeowners in expensive neighborhoods pay less than their fair share.” Mamdani has not explicitly walked back on that policy item and has defended it in multiple interviews, including on “Meet the Press,” where he said, “That is just a description of what we see right now. It’s not driven by race. It’s more of an assessment of what neighborhoods are being under-taxed versus over-taxed.” Mamdani has made it clear he is not a fan of capitalism, including in an interview with CNN in June. “No, I have many critiques of capitalism,” he said in response to CNN’s Erin Burnett asking him if he likes it. Mamdani has faced heated criticism from Jewish groups in New York City for a variety of past statements and positions dating back to his college days that are considered anti-Israel, several of which he is yet to walk back. Mamdani drew the ire of Jewish groups for a video posted in December 2024 that mocked Jewish Hanukkah traditions. “Our holidays and traditions are sacred and not for your comedic pleasure, Zohran Mamdani – this is sick,” Stop Antisemitism said in response to the video, which Mamdani has not apologized for or deleted as of this publication. The self-proclaimed democratic socialist has refused multiple times to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, and he has supported the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. ‘COMRADE CHRIS’ – REPUBLICANS AIM TO ANCHOR MAMDANI TO DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE COUNTRY “My support for BDS is consistent with my core of my politics, which is non-violence,” Mamdani said when pressed on his BDS support earlier this year. BDS is described as “an international campaign to delegitimize the State of Israel as the expression of the Jewish people’s right to national self-determination by isolating the country economically through consumer boycotts, business and government withdrawal of investment, and legal sanctions,” according to Influence Watch. Mamdani has also refused to condemn the term “globalize the intifada” despite it widely being accepted as a term justifying violence against Jewish people. “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,” Mamdani told NBC News earlier this year. “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.” Mamdani infuriated some in the Italian American community, a key voting bloc in New York City, by calling for a statue of Christopher Columbus to be torn down. In its place, Mamdani suggested a statue of Sacco and Vanzetti, two anarcho-communists executed in 1927, should be erected. Mamdani has not walked back or apologized for that position. One of the most highly-talked-about controversies from Mamdani’s campaign involved the revelation that he identified as “Black” and “Asian” on his college applications. Mamdani, born in Uganda to Indian parents, did not apologize for the move but said checking multiple boxes was an effort to reflect his “complex background,” not to gain an edge in the competitive admissions process. Many, including a GOP lawmaker in New York City and a Democratic strategist who spoke to Fox News Digital, have speculated that a Mamdani victory in November would put the Democratic Party in a tough position given the variety of positions Mamdani has not walked back, along with his past support of safe injection sites, free buses, city run grocery stores, and defunding the police. “His sudden rise isn’t just a crisis for Democrats — it’s a five-alarm warning for every New Yorker and every American who still believes in decency, democracy, and common sense, no matter their party,” New York GOP State Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, who serves in the assembly with Mamdani, told Fox News Digital. “If this is who the left chooses to elevate, it’s not just a sign they’ve lost their way — it’s proof they’ve abandoned the values that once held this nation together. This isn’t the future of the Democratic Party — it’s the unraveling of it.” Former House Judiciary Chief Counsel Julian Epstein, a Democrat, told Fox
Democrats seize on Epstein files drama with new transparency calls
Democratic lawmakers are lining up with new vigor to demand the release of all files on Jeffrey Epstein as the topic continues to fracture the right. Some prominent figures within the GOP’s rightmost flank are up in arms after a leaked Department of Justice (DOJ) memo reportedly showed there was little more to Epstein’s case than already known. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, announced he would be filing a resolution on Monday to demand the Trump administration release all files related to the late pedophile’s case. “Either [President Donald Trump] and his acolytes fueled the rumors of the significance of these Epstein files to help his campaign, or something is there!” Veasey wrote on X. “Put up or Shut up!” COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., similarly posted on Saturday, “Why are the Epstein files still hidden? Who are the rich & powerful being protected? On Tuesday, I’m introducing an amendment to force a vote demanding the FULL Epstein files be released to the public. The Speaker must call a vote & put every Congress member on record.” Meanwhile, progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., caused a firestorm of controversy online when she referenced past allegations of sexual assault against the president, all of which Trump previously denied. “Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?” she wrote. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who is running for re-election in a swing state that voted for Trump in 2024, took a similar swing during a recent campaign stop. “He promised to release the Epstein files. Did anyone really think the sexual predator president who used to party with Jeffrey Epstein was going to release the Epstein files?” Ossoff said. A civil war has broken out within the GOP over the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein’s case, with figures like Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer accusing Attorney General Pam Bondi of mishandling something that’s long been seen as a priority for Trump’s base. Others, however, like attorney Mike Davis and even Trump himself, are defending the attorney general and calling for an end to the Republican infighting. “If predators or victims won’t talk, then what? The Trump Justice Department has to deal with evidence that exists. Not evidence they wish they had. Nor conspiracy theories. Do you think Pam, Kash, and Bongino are covering for… Bill Clinton?” Davis wrote on X. Trump released a statement on Truth Social over the weekend, “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB – SHE’S GREAT! The 2020 Election was Rigged and Stolen, and they tried to do the same thing in 2024 – That’s what she is looking into as AG, and much more.” And Democrats appear to have seized on the public back-and-forth as a political cudgel. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., shared a heated exchange with the White House on X over the weekend over an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on what authorities say was a marijuana farm – but Gomez contended the migrants there were picking strawberries. “If you’re now concerned about child exploitation, release the Epstein Files. Your base wants to know,” Gomez replied at one point. ‘GONE TOO FAR’: GOP LAWMAKERS RALLY AROUND TRUMP AFTER MUSK RAISES EPSTEIN ALLEGATIONS It was reported Friday that Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino was considering resigning amid the fallout. Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, however, have signaled they are confident in their work and will remain in place. “The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been. It’s an honor to serve the President of the United States [Donald Trump] – and I’ll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me,” Patel wrote on X. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Democrats’ efforts.
Biden chief of staff reportedly gave approval for autopen pardons on final day in office
Former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff issued final approval for multiple high-profile preemptive pardons during Biden’s final days in office, according to a new report. Biden’s alleged use of the autopen has become a sticking point for months, as President Donald Trump has said thousands of pardons Biden signed were void and claimed that the former president did not know what documents he was signing through the automated device. Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons on his final day to officials including former Chief Medical Advisor to the President, Anthony Fauci, and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley in an attempt to safeguard them from retribution from Trump. In an article intended to be his defense for the autopen issue, it emerged that, although Biden reportedly made the decision in a meeting, Biden’s Chief of Staff Jeff Zients is the one who gave final approval for the use of the autopen, at least in the case of Fauci and Milley, the New York Times reported. WHAT IS AN AUTOPEN? THE SIGNING DEVICE AT THE HEART OF TRUMP’S ATTACKS ON BIDEN PARDONS On Biden’s final day as president, Jan. 19, Biden had a meeting with his aides until nearly 10 p.m. to talk about various preemptive pardons, the Times reports. Emails obtained by the Times show that an aide sent a summary draft of the decisions formalized during that meeting to Zient’s assistant at 10:03 p.m. The assistant sent the email to Zients and others present in the meeting, requesting approval from Zients and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed at 10:28 p.m., the Times reported. Zients replied all to the email three minutes later, the outlet said. “I approve the use of the autopen for the execution of all of the following pardons,” Zients said in the email, according to the Times. Zients could not be immediately reached for comment by Fox News Digital. Additionally, the Times report said that Biden did not personally approve each name included in the broad, categorical pardons. “Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, he signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence,” the Times reported. In response, the White House said that the report shed light on Biden’s trustworthiness, and accused the Biden administration of engaging in a cover-up scheme. TRUMP CLAIMS BIDEN PARDONS ARE ‘VOID,’ ALLEGING THEY WERE SIGNED VIA AUTOPEN “The same president who lied through his teeth to the American people for four years about everything from his health to the state of the economy should not be trusted again,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in an email to Fox News. “The Biden administration conducted the most egregious cover-up scheme in American politics … The truth will come out about who was, in fact, running the country sooner or later, just as the truth is emerging about the state of Joe Biden’s cognitive and physical health.” Biden granted a total of 4,245 acts of clemency during his administration, 96% of which were granted during his final months in office between October 2024 and January, according to the Pew Research Center. Trump first accused Biden of using an autopen to sign important clemency documents in March. He has continued to bring up the issue, and sent a memo ordering Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch an investigation into Biden’s autopen use in June, and to probe if the usage stemmed from a decline in Biden’s mental acuity. “In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that Biden’s aides abused the power of presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority,” Trump wrote in the memo. BIDEN’S ‘AUTOPEN SIGNATURE’ APPEARS ON MOST OFFICIAL DOCS, RAISING CONCERNS OVER WHO CONTROLLED THE WH: REPORT “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.” A White House official previously told Fox News Digital that Trump uses his hand signature for every legally operational or binding document. Even so, Trump has admitted that he uses an autopen for letters. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP An autopen is a machine that physically holds a pen and features programming to imitate a person’s signature. Unlike a stamp or a digitized print of a signature, the autopen has the capability to hold various types of pens like a ballpoint to a permanent marker, according to descriptions of autopen machines available for purchase. Fox News’ Andrea Margolis and Pat Ward contributed to this report.
Trump gathers CEOs for unprecedented faith, economy meeting to renew US ‘spiritually and financially’
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will recognize CEOs and business leaders who donate their time to faith-based charitable works and encourage them to continue investing with the White House Faith Office during a luncheon at the White House on Monday. The president and the White House Faith Office are expected to host the luncheon, which will include more than 60 CEOs and business leaders, in the State Dining Room. TRUMP TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING WHITE HOUSE FAITH OFFICE Founder of Hobby Lobby David Greene, Chairman and CEO of Jockey International, Inc. Debra Waller, Quest Events founder Lee Dunlap, Aethon Energy founder Albert Huddleston, Shoppa’s Material Handling founder Jimmy Shoppa and others are expected to attend. The president will be joined by Cabinet secretaries for the event, where he is expected to deliver remarks to thank the business leaders and encourage a continued partnership with the White House Faith Office. White House Faith Office senior advisor Pastor Paula White, Faith Director Jenny Korn, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler will attend the event and also deliver remarks. INSIDE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S WHITE HOUSE FAITH OFFICE The luncheon Monday is the first event of its kind, with White House Faith Office officials telling Fox News Digital that they have invited business leaders who work with faith-based charitable organizations “in a big way domestically and internationally.” The president, in his remarks, is expected to explain why the White House Faith Office is so important to his agenda. He will also encourage business leaders to help the Trump administration, specifically on programs concerning foster care and adoption, fatherhood initiatives, poverty alleviation, substance abuse and prisoner reentry. “These are purpose-driven individuals who use their wealth for good in the Earth,” the official said. “Faith and Economy come together to Make America Great Again—spiritually and financially.” “President Trump is not only making America affordable, prosperous and strong again — he is making our country faith-centered again,” Paula White, senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital. “CEOs and business leaders who give back their time and treasure is what America is all about.” Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Faith Office in February. The office empowers faith-based entities, community organizations and houses of worship “to better serve families and communities,” according to the White House. The office is housed under the Domestic Policy Council and consults with experts in the faith community on policy changes to “better align with American values.”
‘A true warrior’: Retiring Rep Mark Green endorses his potential replacement in GOP race
FIRST ON FOX: House Homeland Security Committee Chair Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., on Monday endorsed Matt Van Epps to replace him in the U.S. House of Representatives. Van Epps is a decorated Army veteran and the former commissioner of Tennessee’s Department of General Services (DGS). He launched his campaign to represent Tennessee’s 7th congressional district just two days after Green announced his retirement to pursue a career in the private sector. “Matt Van Epps has my complete and total endorsement,” Green shared in a statement with Fox News Digital. Green revealed that he served in the same Army special operations unit as Van Epps, which he described as “a brotherhood that cannot be replicated anywhere else.” CONGRESSMAN’S LAST DAY IN OFFICE REVEALED AFTER VOTE ON TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ “The momentum behind Matt’s campaign is undeniable. Matt is a true warrior who has fought for our country abroad and is ready to fight for our values here at home,” Green said. MARK GREEN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS BEFORE END OF TERM In a statement shared first with Fox News Digital, Van Epps said he is “deeply honored” to receive Green’s endorsement and “ready to put the people of the 7th District first.” “Congressman Green has left some very large shoes to fill, but I’m ready to step in and continue his work on behalf of Tennesseans,” Van Epps said. Van Epps graduated from West Point in 2005. He served nine combat tours as an Apache pilot for the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade and as a Chinook pilot for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers. He was appointed DGS commissioner in 2024 and has worked for several Tennessee state agencies, including the Department of Veteran Services and the Department of Transportation. Green announced his retirement from Congress last month, notifying House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., that he would resign as soon as the House voted on Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which Republicans managed to pass by their self-imposed July 4 deadline. Green has served Tennessee’s 7th congressional district since 2019. His last day in Congress will be July 20, Fox News was first to report. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP With his announcement, several Republican candidates have announced their own congressional campaigns, including Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight, U.S. Army veteran Jonathan Thorp, Mason Foley of Main Street Health, and state Reps. Jay Reedy, Lee Reeves and Jody Barrett. Fox News Digital reached out to the Republican candidates for comment on the endorsement. Meanwhile, state Reps. Aftyn Behn and Bo Mitchell have announced their campaigns for the Democratic nomination, according to reporting by Tennessee Lookout.