One year after Trump rally shooting, witnesses say investigations leave more questions than answers
One year after an assassin’s near-miss attempt on President Donald Trump, many who witnessed the shooting firsthand say they remain deeply dissatisfied with official investigations, which they believe have failed to provide meaningful answers. “I’m highly dissatisfied with the lack of preparation,” said Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., who was seated in the front row at the rally. “The failures were almost unbelievable,” he told Fox News Digital, echoing a widespread view that the breach was the result of avoidable missteps by law enforcement. Despite probes by multiple federal agencies and a formal congressional investigation, both local residents and lawmakers say they’re still left wondering what went wrong. “The task force was bipartisan. And frankly, I don’t think to this day they’ve gotten all the answers,” Meuser said. ONE YEAR AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, BUTLER WIDOW DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM SECRET SERVICE Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was killed by law enforcement at the scene. Since then, the Secret Service has undergone a series of high-profile shakeups. A congressional select committee found in its report a “lack of planning and coordination between the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners,” adding that the agency had been alerted to Crooks’ suspicious movements for over 10 minutes before he fired a shot. But for those who were there, major questions remain: What was Crooks’ motive? Why weren’t agents stationed on a nearby pitched roof? Why was Crooks’ presence on top of the AGR building not acted on sooner? How was he able to fire eight rounds before being neutralized by a Secret Service countersniper? In the absence of concrete answers, some attendees have drawn their own speculative conclusions. “There were certain stock transactions that transpired right beforehand,” one rally-goer said. “CNN never airs Trump’s rallies. Why did they air this one?” another asked. (CNN has said it aired the Butler rally in anticipation of Trump announcing his vice presidential pick.) WHO WAS THOMAS CROOKS? ONE YEAR LATER, MOTIVE AND MISSED WARNINGS HAUNT TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING “I don’t think it was [Crooks],” another witness claimed. “Nobody that went to school with him believes he could have engineered that kind of event.” Zach Scherer, a Butler local who has worked on all three of Trump’s presidential campaigns, voiced ongoing skepticism. “We don’t know anything about this kid from Bethel Park,” he said. “The Comperatore family needs answers. The rest of the community does too. It affected every single person who was here.” Corey Comperatore, a local firefighter, was killed during the shooting. “Investigations that were already done are very inconclusive,” said Erin Autenreith, a GOP activist and rally attendee from Glenshaw, Pennsylvania. “There’s just so much technology now – these videos have such high resolution they can actually see the bullets.” “The American people, they don’t trust the investigations,” she added. “Nobody believes it. So I don’t think it’s good.” Jim Hulings, chairman of the Butler County GOP, criticized Pennsylvania officials for what he called apathy toward the case. He singled out both the Republican district attorney and state attorney general. SECRET SERVICE CHANGES THE AGENCY HAS MADE POST-TRUMP BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT “Murder was never investigated,” Hulings said. “We asked for the district attorney to call for a grand jury. He wouldn’t do it. We gave him a letter and 8,000 signatures on a petition. He still wouldn’t do it.” “The AG doesn’t really care either,” Hulings added. “We got Dave Sunday elected, and he went persona non grata.” Some argue the investigation should be elevated to the federal level, given its national implications. But longtime rally-goers agreed on one thing: a scant security presence was noticeable from the start of the day in Butler last year. “All the other rallies I’d been to, there was Secret Service everywhere, so I just assumed they were going to be there. And they weren’t,” said Lucie Roth. “There was no counter sniper teams visible. There was no drones. There was no helicopters,” said Hulings. “Very few police.” A number of factors have been blamed: technical issues with drones, high temperatures prompting Secret Service to seek refuge in the air conditioning, a force that was spread thin by long hours and unexpected overtime. A Senate report found that key resource requests were denied, and some were not even made: Secret Service did not request a surveillance team to help patrol the rally of 15,000 attendees, while an event for first lady Jill Biden had one assigned for her event of 400 individuals roughly an hour away. Until a fuller picture emerges, those who lived through that harrowing day say they won’t stop pushing for accountability – not just for Trump, but for Comperatore and a shaken community still seeking closure.
Trump grants ‘total authorization’ to ICE agents to protect themselves after violent California clashes
President Donald Trump on Friday said he has given federal immigration agents “Total Authorization” to protect themselves after clashes with protesters during an enforcement operation at a California cannabis farm. Trump was traveling to Washington from Texas, where he toured the region where devastating floods have left at least 120 people dead, and he penned a lengthy post on Truth Social about the violence against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. “I am on my way back from Texas, and watched in disbelief as THUGS were violently throwing rocks and bricks at ICE Officers while they were moving down a roadway in their car and/or official vehicle,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Tremendous damage was done to these brand new vehicles. I know for a fact that these Officers are having a hard time with allowing this to happen in that it shows such total disrespect for LAW AND ORDER.” UNION SAYS FARM WORKER DIED AFTER ICE RAID THAT UNCOVERED UNDERAGE LABORERS Federal authorities conducted raids on Glass House Farms families in Camarillo and Carpinteria. Authorities used tear gas, and there were reports of objects being thrown at agents. NEWSOM DONOR’S CANNABIS FARM UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION FOR ‘CHILD LABOR VIOLATIONS’ In response, Trump said he directed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan to instruct ICE, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other law enforcement on the receiving end of “thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so.” “I am giving Total Authorization for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public,” he wrote. “I never want to see a car carrying a Law Enforcement Officer attacked again! AUTHORIZATION IMMEDIATELY GRANTED FOR ARREST AND INCARCERATION. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The United Farm Workers said one worker died from his injuries. “This man was not in and has not been in CBP or ICE custody,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. “Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a greenhouse and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible.”
Inside longtime Biden aide’s marathon closed-door grilling in House GOP cover-up probe
Ashley Williams, a longtime ally of former President Joe Biden, met with House investigators behind closed doors for nearly six hours Friday as Republicans probe allegations the Democrat’s top aides hid his mental decline. A source familiar with the transcribed interview told Fox News Digital Williams said she did not “recall” various things “an untold number of times.” “Examples include she could not recall if she spoke with President Biden in the last week, if teleprompters were used for Cabinet meetings, if there were discussions about President Biden using a wheelchair, if there were discussions about a cognitive test, if she discussed a mental or physical decline of President Biden, if she ever had to wake President Biden up and how she got involved with his 2020 campaign,” the source said. Williams told House investigators Biden is fit to be president today, the source said. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ In addition to whether senior aides covered up Biden’s alleged decline, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is looking into whether any presidential orders were signed via autopen without the former commander in chief’s knowledge. Any allegations of wrongdoing so far have been denied by the ex-president’s allies. ‘PRESIDENTIAL INCAPACITY’: SENATE REPUBLICAN SEEKS PAPER TRAIL OF BIDEN’S AUTOPEN USE But Republican investigators have pointed to Biden’s disastrous June 2024 debate and subsequent revelations in the media that there were more concerns from Biden’s inner circle about his fitness for office than previously known. Williams, however, argued he was in command of himself during that debate, the source said. The former White House aide said nothing to reporters when entering or leaving the committee meeting room for her voluntary interview. Fox News Digital reached out to Williams’ lawyers for their account of events inside the room. It was a staff-led meeting, but Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, briefly stopped in for just under 30 minutes to show “solidarity” with the witness, the progressive told reporters afterward. “I do think that it is important that I show up because if they are going to make allegations about the former commander in chief, egregious allegations they continue to wage, I want to make sure that I’m in the room to correct the record because a lot of times they like to mischaracterize things,” she said. When asked by Fox News Digital if the interview was still ongoing as she exited, Crockett answered, “It’s still going. I’m leaving early. I’ve got to get to another thing.” FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE ‘NEVER HAD A CONCERN’ ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UP The source who spoke with Fox News Digital said Crockett had come in during the GOP’s questioning session and did not ask any questions herself. Fox News Digital reached out to her office for a response. Williams is a longtime Biden ally whose time with the Democrat goes back to assisting second lady Jill Biden during the Obama administration, according to a 2019 profile of Biden staffers. Williams later worked for Biden’s 2020 campaign and presidential transition team. She served as his trip director before being hired by the White House as deputy director of Oval Office operations and a special assistant to the president. Williams ended her White House tenure as deputy assistant to the president, senior advisor to the president and director of strategic outreach, according to her LinkedIn page. Notably, the social media page also says Williams still works for the ex-leader as senior advisor in the Office of Former President Joe Biden. She was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee last year during Republicans’ investigation into Biden’s cognitive health, but GOP investigators say the former White House blocked her from giving any information. The Democratic staffer is the third person to appear before committee investigators in recent weeks. Former Biden White House physician Kevin O’Connor appeared for a sworn deposition Wednesday after being subpoenaed by Comer.
David Gergen, trusted White House advisor to 4 US presidents across decades, dies at 83
David Gergen, who worked for four presidents, including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, before becoming an academic and political TV pundit, has died. He was 83. Gergen died in a retirement home in Massachusetts on July 10, his son said, according to several outlets. The Washington, D.C., veteran had been suffering from Lewy body dementia, his son said. VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIC REP GERRY CONNOLLY DEAD AT 75 Those who knew and admired Gergen took to X to express their condolences. Former California first lady Maria Shriver wrote on X: “David Gergen was total professional and a really kind man. My thoughts are with his family. He loved politics and he loved being in service to this country.” “RIP, Mr. Gergen,” CBS reporter Robert Costa wrote. Former Democratic Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. wrote: “We lost a good one, a really good one – RIP, my friend David Gergen.” Gergen came up with the line that then-candidate Reagan said in the 1980 election: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” according to The New York Times. He later said of the line: “Rhetorical questions have great power.” Of his time with the Nixon administration, Gergen told the Washington Post in 1981, “I was young, and I was too naive. It hardened me up a lot. It was an extremely difficult experience emotionally, in terms of belief in people.” After leaving public office, Gergen worked as an editor and columnist, as well as for the conservative American Enterprise Institute and the liberal Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was also a commentator for PBS, CNN and NPR. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “To say that I rely on him is an understatement,” Reagan’s White House Chief of Staff, James A. Baker III, told The Washington Post in 1981. “He’s the best conceptualizer, in terms of communications strategy, that we have.”
Senate moves to rein in Trump administration’s fluctuating Ukraine policy
The Senate is seeking to rein in the Trump administration’s policy toward Ukraine, which has oscillated between support and sudden withdrawal, leaving allies and officials guessing. After President Donald Trump recently agreed to resume sending weapons to Ukraine, the Senate’s annual defense policy bill would curb the kind of executive branch adventurism that has sparked bipartisan concern, particularly regarding Pentagon decisions. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), unveiled Friday after bipartisan negotiations by the Senate Armed Services Committee, includes specific guardrails on U.S. military cooperation. One provision stipulates that the secretary of defense cannot unilaterally cease military intelligence sharing and targeting cooperation with Ukraine. This move follows a March episode in which the Trump administration abruptly paused both intelligence support and weapons shipments to Ukraine while the president pursued backchannel diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Though the freeze was later lifted, the incident alarmed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. TRUMP REVEALS NATO SALE TO BOOST ARMS TO UKRAINE AS PUTIN LAUNCHES OVERNIGHT MATERNITY HOSPITAL STRIKE The NDAA also “reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to assist Ukraine in maintaining a credible defense” and boosts the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to $500 million. The bill bars Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from reducing U.S. force posture in Europe or relinquishing the U.S. role as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander without an impact analysis and certification to Congress that such changes align with U.S. interests. The new provisions arrive amid a notable shift in Trump’s rhetoric, which has turned more supportive of Ukraine and more critical of Putin. Earlier this month, the Pentagon once again paused delivery of previously pledged defensive aid to Kyiv, citing an internal assessment of U.S. stockpiles. Reports indicate that this pause may have been initiated without informing the White House. “This decision was made to put America’s interests first,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, referring to a Department of Defense review. Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell echoed that framing, calling it a “capability review” and adding, “We can’t give weapons to everybody in the world.” Shortly afterward, Trump contradicted the pause by suggesting the U.S. would send Patriot missile interceptors and additional defensive aid to Ukraine. The Pentagon subsequently announced it would resume the shipments. “We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to — they have to be able to defend themselves,” Trump said Monday evening. Despite speaking with both Russian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin last week, Trump described his discussion with the Russian president as fruitless. “We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting. “He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” Pressed on who had authorized the pause in military aid, Trump appeared unsure. “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?” he said Wednesday. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump told Zelenskyy he was not responsible for the decision. US WILL ‘HAVE TO’ SEND WEAPONS TO UKRAINE, TRUMP SAYS DAYS AFTER PENTAGON PAUSE On Thursday, when a reporter asked whether he’d figured out who ordered the halt, Trump replied, “Well, I haven’t thought about it. … I have, no I have not gone into it.” Asked what it says that such a major decision could be made without his knowledge, he insisted, “I would know if a decision was made. I will know. I’ll be the first to know. In fact, most likely I’d give the order — but I haven’t done that yet.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the significance of the pause, describing it as a “limited review” of specific munitions types, a common step after sustained operations in the Middle East and Europe. “It was logical,” Rubio said, “especially after an extended engagement in defense of Israel and our own bases.” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce also sought to reassure allies, saying, “The president has been obviously very passionate and determined regarding the ability of Ukraine to defend itself.” The administration’s current tone marks a stark shift from earlier this year, when tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy reached a boiling point during a contentious February Oval Office meeting. “You have to be thankful. You don’t have the cards,” Trump reportedly told Zelenskyy, after calling him a “dictator” earlier that month.
LA Mayor Bass provides cash payments to illegals, issues order to thwart immigration enforcement
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order Friday to bolster protocols and support immigrant neighborhoods, including offering cash assistance, in response to raids by the Trump administration targeting those living in the United States illegally. The order is intended to help protect the city’s workforce and residents from the federal government during immigration enforcement operations. It also demands that federal agencies provide records of the raids, who was detained and for what reason and the cost to taxpayers, which will be part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. “There is a need for me to have an executive directive to help our city understand how to protect itself from our federal government,” Bass said at a press conference. “What we have seen here over the last, now six weeks of raids that pop up, and we never know exactly when and where they’re going to happen. LA MAYOR JOINS CONTROVERSIAL LAWSUIT TO BLOCK TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT MEASURES “The directive will help city workers know how to address immigration officials should they approach a city department,” she added. The order also requires city departments to create a plan for protocols and training on how to comply with Los Angeles’ sanctuary city ordinance. In addition, Bass said a plan is being worked out to provide cash assistance to those affected by the enforcement operations, the Los Angeles Times reported. Cash cards with a “couple hundred” dollars on them will be distributed by immigrants’ rights groups in about a week, Bass said. The money will not come from city coffers, but from philanthropic partners, she said. “You’re telling me that isn’t a Babylon Bee headline?” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital, referring to the satirical news site. “Recent immigration enforcement in California has resulted in successfully detaining countless violent criminals and liberating children from illegal labor exploitation. But instead of helping these children or putting American citizens first, Bass is doubling down on her defense of illegal aliens. LA MAYOR RIPPED FOR INTERFERING WITH ICE RAID AT CRIME-RIDDEN LOCAL PARK: ‘FULL OF S—‘ “Americans are sick of these pathetic stunts from Democrat politicians. That’s why they elected President Trump,” the spokesperson added. “They want someone who will put America First, and it’s certainly not Karen, Gavin & Co.” Bass has condemned immigration operations targeting criminal illegal immigrants in the city. Los Angeles is one of several cities suing the Trump administration over the “unlawful” raids. Immigration agents on Thursday raided a cannabis farm in nearby Ventura County to target illegal immigrants working there. Ten illegal immigrant minors, eight of them unaccompanied, were found at the farm, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said. The farm is now being investigated for potential child labor violations. Earlier in the week, nearly 100 National Guard troops and immigration authorities targeted crime-ridden MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, prompting Bass to go to the park to demand a halt to the operation, which was rebuffed by U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino. “I don’t work for Karen Bass,” Bovino told Fox News at the time. “Better get used to us now because this is going to be normal very soon. We will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Bass’ office.
Resurfaced video shows Zohran Mamdani saying domestic violence wouldn’t be a priority for the NYPD
Zohran Mamdani once said he didn’t believe calling the police was an appropriate response in cases of domestic violence. Mamdani, the democratic socialist candidate who last month shocked the political world from coast to coast with his stunning victory in the New York City Democratic Party primary for mayor, made the comments in a 2020 podcast. “If somebody is jaywalking, if somebody is surviving, going through domestic violence – there are so many different, different situations that would be far better handled by people trained to deal with those specific situations, as opposed to an individual with a gun,” Mamdani said. The comments, which came five years ago in the “Immigrantly” podcast as he denounced New York City’s police department, were first reported by the conservative-leaning Washington Free Beacon. MAMDANI BACKTRACKS AFTER ONCE CALLING TO ‘DISMANTLE’ THE POLICE Since his victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to secure the Democratic mayoral nomination, the 33-year-old Ugandan-born assemblyman from Queens has faced intense scrutiny over his past comments on policing. Mamdani, who took a big step toward becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city, ran in the Democratic primary on a platform that called for replacing police with “crisis responders” in “mental health” cases. REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH DEMOCRATS But Mamdani campaign policy memos don’t define such cases, and it’s unclear if he would push, if elected, to prevent police from responding to reports of domestic violence. The New York Police Department (NYPD) responded to more than 100,000 domestic violence incidents in 2024. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has congratulated Mamdani on his primary victory and praised his laser focus on affordability on the campaign trail, but she has refrained, as of now, from endorsing him in November’s general election. 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. TRUMP ARGUES NYC FACES DIRE CONSEQUENCES IF ‘COMMUNIST’ MAMDANI BECOMES MAYOR In 2020, amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd, Mamdani publicly referred to the NYPD as “wicked and corrupt,” calling for its defunding and dismantlement. In one December 2020 viral tweet, he declared, “There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence.” He also linked LGBTQ+ liberation to police abolition, asserting in a November 2020 tweet, that “queer liberation means defund the police.” Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi told Fox News Digital this week that Mamdani’s past rhetoric is emblematic of a dangerously radical ideology. “Anyone who still supports defunding the police is completely insane,” Gamaldi argued. “Especially after seeing the horrific consequences on our urban communities. It brought on rampant crime and disorder, historic murder rates in over a dozen cities and destroyed the quality of life for millions.” Now, as Mamdani eyes the mayoralty, his public safety message appears to be shifting. He has backed away from some of his earlier rhetoric, acknowledging the importance of police in addressing violent crime. “I will not defund the police. I will work with the police because I believe the police have a critical role to play in creating public safety,” he said in the second New York City Democratic mayoral debate on June 13. “Sixty-five percent of crimes from the first quarter of this year are still not solved. We need to ensure that police can focus on those crimes, and [that] we have mental health professionals and social workers to address and tackle and resolve the mental health crisis and homelessness.” His current platform includes the creation of a Department of Community Safety to handle nonviolent incidents that he believes would get to the root cause of crime. Mamdani’s public safety plan includes reallocating $600 million from existing programs and raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers to fund the new department. He has also spoken about reducing police overtime and cutting the NYPD’s $80 million communications budget.
Georgia man accused by SEC of perpetrating Ponzi scheme says he takes ‘full responsibility’ for his actions
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against Edwin Brant Frost IV of Georgia and his First Liberty Building & Loan, LLC, alleging the business was operated as a Ponzi scheme. The document asserts that Frost and his company “raised at least $140 million from approximately 300 investors through the sale of loan participation agreements and promissory notes that offered annual returns of 8% to 18%. “As of 2021, approximately 80% of interest and principal payments to investors were sourced from new investor funds, and not from Bridge Loan interest payments or principal repayments,” the SEC complaint claims. WHAT IS A PONZI SCHEME? THE HISTORY OF THE FINANCIAL SCAM FIRST ORCHESTRATED BY CHARLES PONZI The SEC alleged Frost spent investor funds in various ways, some of which included making more than $570,000 in political donations, buying a $20,800 watch and making “over $2.4 million in payments to credit cards issued to him and his business entities.” The Associated Press indicated that Frost is a Republican. KEVIN BACON IS ‘MORE CAREFUL’ AFTER LOSING MONEY IN INFAMOUS PONZI SCHEME “The promise of a high rate of return on an investment is a red flag that should make all potential investors think twice or maybe even three times before investing their money,” said Justin C. Jeffries, associate director of enforcement for the SEC’s Atlanta regional office, according to a press release. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen this movie before — bad actors luring investors with promises of seemingly over-generous returns — and it does not end well.” Lawyer Joshua Mayes of Robbins Alloy Belinfante Littlefield LLC is representing Frost in the matter, and he provided Fox News Digital with a statement from Frost, who admitted he had misled people. ELON MUSK CALLS SOCIAL SECURITY THE ‘BIGGEST PONZI SCHEME OF ALL TIME’ “I take full responsibility for my actions and am resolved to spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down. I will be cooperating with the receiver and federal authorities and ask that everyone allow the receiver time to sort things out and do his best to repair the damage I created,” Frost noted in the statement. “I would like to apologize personally to those I have harmed, but I am under restrictions which prevent me from doing so. While I do not deserve it, I am grateful for the support of friends and family as I confront this situation I created.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: ‘That Ends Now,’ Vows Trump WH on Benefits for Illegals
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… -Trump to meet with energy and tech titans in Pennsylvania amid AI dominance push -‘Nothing to stand on’: Ex-White House physician slams Biden doctor for silence during House GOP grilling -Florida officials reveal criminal backgrounds of migrants held at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ The White House is ramping up efforts to remove illegal immigrants from an array of taxpayer-funded benefits, framing the move as part of a broader campaign to reduce government waste. The Trump administration shared additional details on the new restrictions that would bar illegal immigrants from accessing more than 15 federal assistance programs, which collectively account for $40 billion in public spending. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital that illegal immigrants will no longer be able “to steal public benefits at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers.”…READ MORE. DIPLOMATIC DOWNSIZING: State Department to ax 1,800 employees THE PRESIDENT’S VOW: Trump calls Butler widow, Secret Service agrees to meeting after call for accountability RALLY REVOLUTION: Journalist Salena Zito explains what the mainstream media gets wrong about Trump rallies ‘TERRIBLE SITUATION’: President Trump, first lady head to visit Kerrville, Texas, following fatal floods ‘REFUSES TO TOLERATE’: DOJ investigating Minnesota hiring practices in latest clash with Wal ‘ABSURD’: DHS fires back after Mahmoud Khalil targets Trump admin for $20M over detention ARMING ALLIES: Trump reveals NATO sale to boost arms to Ukraine as Putin launches overnight maternity hospital strike ‘SACRED COVENANT’: How the Paxton divorce rocks the bruising Republican Senate primary in Texas COMMON SENSE: Democrat John Fetterman declares support for ICE, condemning any calls for abolition as ‘outrageous’ WHAT DID SHE KNOW: Biden cover-up probe heats up as another ex-White House aide sits down with GOP GEORGIA SHOWDOWN: SCOOP: Rep. Mike Collins teases Georgia Senate bid ‘TROUBLING’: Court order shields reporters after ‘troubling’ incidents at California protests CAPITAL DECEPTION: Missouri launches probe into proxy firms for prioritizing DEI, ESG over returns MET WITH RESISTANCE: California clinic staffers seek to shield ICE agents from detaining Honduran landscaper RED FLAGS: Republicans use Mamdani as socialist cudgel to bash Democrats Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
FBI’s Dan Bongino thinking of resigning after clash with AG Pam Bondi over Epstein files fallout: Source
FBI deputy director Dan Bongino is considering resigning over the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, a source told Fox News Digital, noting that Bongino took a day off from work on Friday due to his frustrations. Bongino has not been seen in the office since Wednesday, a source told Fox News Digital. He has yet to make a final decision about his future, the source said. The latest revelation comes on the heels of a heated argument between Bongino and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that occurred on Wednesday at the White House, two sources confirmed. BONDI UNDER SIEGE AFTER DOJ REVEALS NO EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have been in touch several times during the past few days and are on the same page, a source told Fox News Digital. Sources close to Bondi say she has no intention of stepping down and is proud of the department and its work. Patel, too, says he is happy with his job and has no intention of leaving, a source in close contact with the director told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and experienced law and order team dedicated to protecting Americans, holding criminals accountable, and delivering justice to victims. This work is being carried out seamlessly and with unity,” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital. “Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all.” Earlier on Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back on reports of internal strife. “I worked closely with @FBIDirectorKash and @FBIDDBongino on the joint FBI and DOJ memo regarding the Epstein Files,” Blanche posted on X. “All of us signed off on the contents of the memo and the conclusions stated in the memo. “The suggestion by anyone that there was any daylight between the FBI and and DOJ leadership on this memo’s composition and release is patently false.” The Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI on Sunday released a joint review that ended theories about an alleged Epstein client list, concluding there was no such list detailing the names of the world’s elite who allegedly took part in Epstein’s history as a sexual predator. The DOJ also concluded the disgraced financier committed suicide in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting further sex trafficking charges. The latest revelation comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s quip to a White House reporter during a cabinet meeting, in which he called the late sex criminal and financier a “creep.” “Can I just interrupt for one second?” Trump said after a reporter directed an Epstein question at Bondi. “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?” HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING “This guy’s been talked about for years. You’re asking.… We have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people are still talking about this guy, this creep?” Trump asked. “That is unbelievable.” Public outrage ensued following the release of a prison surveillance video that the administration used to prove that no one entered Epstein’s cell in the hours leading up to his death. The 10-hour video, though, has one minute missing, which has fueled conspiracy theories that the administration is participating in a cover-up involving Epstein’s death. “President Trump is proud of Attorney General Bondi’s efforts to execute his Make America Safe Again agenda, restore the integrity of the Department of Justice, and bring justice to victims of crime. The continued fixation on sowing division in President Trump’s Cabinet is baseless and unfounded in reality,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.