Socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s SAT score revealed: report
After it was reported that democratic socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani identified as “Asian” and “Black/African American” in his application to Columbia University, his SAT scores were revealed to be below the median score for students admitted into the school, according to a new report. Independent journalist Christopher Rufo reported on Monday that, according to Mamdani’s full Columbia application, he scored 2140 out of 2400 on the SAT, which is below the median score of students admitted to the university in 2009. A 2009 statement by the university said that students admitted into the Class of 2013 scored between 2110 and 2300 on the SAT, which would have placed Mamdani within the range but below the median. Mamdani has said he identifies as “an American who was born in Africa,” and stated that checking multiple boxes was an effort to reflect his “complex background,” not to gain an advantage in the competitive admissions process. DEM SOCIALIST’S NYC PRIMARY UPSET SIGNALS ‘GENERATIONAL’ SHIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, STRATEGISTS SAY But at the time, Columbia, like many elite universities, used race-conscious admissions, a system the Supreme Court struck down in 2023. Mamdani, who is the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, identified as “Black or African American” on his 2009 Columbia University application even though he now says he does not consider himself Black, The New York Times reported Thursday. According to The Times, the internal data came from a leaked database of past Columbia applications which was part of a recent hack targeting the Ivy League school. Mamdani, then a high school senior, also checked “Asian” and reportedly wrote in “Ugandan” in the space for additional background. He was ultimately not accepted to Columbia even though his father is a professor at the elite school. NYC MAYORAL FRONTRUNNER ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S PROFESSOR FATHER CLAIMED HITLER INSPIRED BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN “Even though these boxes are constraining,” Mamdani said, “I wanted my college application to reflect who I was.” Mamdani told The Times that aside from those college forms, he doesn’t recall ever identifying as Black or African American. RESURFACED VIDEO SHOWS NYC MAYORAL HOPEFUL SAYING HE WANTS TO REPLACE PRIVATE HOMES WITH COMMUNAL LIVING His parents are both of Indian descent. His father, Columbia professor Mahmood Mamdani, has lived in East Africa for generations, but Mamdani said there had been no intermarriage in the family with native African groups. Mamdani has leaned into his South Asian and Muslim identity on the campaign trail. During a June speech at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, he also stressed his African roots: “I was born in Kampala, Uganda… I was given my middle name, Kwame, by my father, who named me after the first Prime Minister of Ghana.” Mamdani has proposed a list of policy changes to radically alter New York City more in line with his democratic socialist vision. He is running to unseat incumbent New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected as a Democrat but is now running for re-election as an independent. Former New York Democratic Mayor Andrew Cuomo is also running for mayor as an independent. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani and Columbia University for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
Cuomo, Adams trade shots over who should drop out in race against Mamdani for NYC mayor
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and current New York City Mayor Eric Adams are each urging the other to drop their mayoral bids in the 2025 race against Democratic Party nominee Zohran Mamdani. “I think that everyone should align behind the person who has won one as mayor,” Adams said Monday at a news conference. Meanwhile, Cuomo’s top advisor argued in a statement that “we do not see any path to victory for Mayor Adams.” Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, two weeks ago topped Cuomo by 12 points to win the Democratic Party mayoral primary. Mamdani instantly became the clear frontrunner in November’s general election in heavily blue New York City, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly a six-to-one margin. MAMDANI OFFICIALLY WINS PRIMARY, BUT CUOMO STAYING IN BATTLE FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR With his victory over Cuomo and nine other Democratic candidates, Mamdani sent political shockwaves across the country, and took a big step towards becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation’s most populous city. Cuomo, the three-term governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals and who was aiming for a political comeback, had been the frontrunner in the mayoral primary race for months until Mamdani closed the gap in the closing weeks of the campaign. MAMDANI’S POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE ROCKS DEMOCRATS Mamdani will face off in November against Republican Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the volunteer crime-fighting patrols known as the Guardian Angels. Sliwa is the GOP nominee for a second straight election cycle. Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor running as an independent, is also on the ballot. Adams, who won election as mayor in 2021 as a Democrat, is running as an independent. The mayor dropped his Democratic re-election bid earlier this year amid sinking poll numbers in the wake of multiple controversies. While he acknowledged Mamdani’s victory on primary night, Cuomo left the door open for running as an independent candidate, which election rules in New York State permit. REPUBLICANS USE MAMDANI BOMBSHELL VICTORY OVER CUOMO AS AMMUNITION TO BLAST DEMOCRATS AS EXTREMISTS And Cuomo recently let a deadline pass for candidates who had already qualified to run as independents to decline that independent ballot line. “I think Andrew and Curtis should rally behind me. I won as mayor. You know, I’m the only one that’s in this race right now that has ever won as mayor,” Adams said at his news conference. And in an interview with CNBC, Adams said that in a recent conversation, the former governor asked him to step aside. “I said, ‘Andrew, are you that level of arrogant? I’m the sitting mayor!’” Adams said of his conversation with Cuomo. “I’m the sitting mayor of New York City when you just lost to Zohran by 12 points.” “They heard your message. You lost,” Adams added. “That’s the highest level of arrogance.” THESE DEMOCRATS HAVEN’T ENDORSED MAMDANI, BUT THEY’RE DEFENDING HIM AGAINST TRUMP Adams’ poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged “long-running” scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials. The mayor made repeated overtures to President Donald Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, so Adams could potentially work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown. “Mayor Adams did not run in the Democratic primary because he knew he was anathema to Democrats and unelectable. Nothing has changed,” top Cuomo advisor Rich Azzopardi charged in a statement on Monday. And Azzopardi highlighted a proposal made last week by Walden that an independent study should be conducted to see which candidate would be the strongest to take on Mamdani, with the weaker contenders agreeing to drop out. Azzopardi argued that Walden “correctly points out that if he, Mayor Adams, and Governor Cuomo all run, it all but ensures a socialist victory. Jim proposed a fair independent survey be taken in September to determine whose candidacy and vision for New York is strongest in a one-on-one race in November.” “This is the time to put aside the usual political selfishness and agree to do what is truly best for all New Yorkers,” Azzopardi added. “While we review this proposal, we call on other candidates to do the same.” Walden on Monday said in an interview on Fox News Radio’s “Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla” that a Mamdani victory in November “would be terrible for the city and would sit us back a whole generation so I proposed a poll in either late September early October.” “If the candidates agreed to this we would all agree on a poll that would happen and it would be winner take all,” he explained. 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. Endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — New York City’s most prominent progressive — and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the two-time Democratic presidential runner-up, helped Mamdani solidify support on the left. 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. Mamdani’s victory has reignited long-standing debates within the Democratic Party between its more moderate and progressive wings, and between outsiders and the establishment. And it’s reignited the debate over whether the party’s policy, or messaging, was to blame for last November’s election setbacks, when Democrats lost control of the White House and Senate, and failed to win back the House majority.
Shooter who opened fire on Border Patrol agents in South Texas identified by police chief
A shooter who allegedly opened fire on Border Patrol agents outside a federal building in McAllen, Texas, has been identified by authorities as 27-year-old Michigan resident Ryan Louis Mosqueda. An active shooter armed with tactical gear and a rifle opened fire upon Border Patrol agents as they arrived at a Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley on Monday. Law enforcement believes the attack was a purposeful ambush targeting Border Patrol officials. In a press conference after the shooting, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez identified the suspected shooter as Mosqueda, saying he allegedly opened fire on the agents, firing “many, many dozens of rounds” at the building. Rodriguez confirmed that the suspect was killed on the scene by agents returning fire. FEDERAL AGENTS CONDUCT IMMIGRATION RAID IN LOS ANGELES DESPITE FIERCE OPPOSITION FROM DEMOCRAT MAYOR According to the police chief, there is no known motive yet for why Mosqueda allegedly opened fire on Border Patrol agents. He said the suspect is associated with an address in Michigan and that he arrived at the scene driving a vehicle with Michigan plates. He also mentioned that the suspect’s car had spray-painting on it with “some language on it,” possibly Latin, that he could not decipher. According to Rodriguez, Mosqueda was reported missing from an address in nearby Weslaco and “an hour and a few minutes later he was at this particular location, opening fire on a federal building.” RED STATES CONSIDER ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ SPINOFFS AS WH URGES THEM TO FOLLOW DESANTIS’ LEAD: ‘LOTS OF BEARS’ In a statement emailed to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for FBI San Antonio said that McAllen police received calls of shots being heard by a local Border Patrol facility near the McAllen International Airport at approximately 5:53 a.m. The spokesperson said the armed suspect, who they did not identify as Mosqueda but rather an “adult male,” “engaged the law enforcement officers responding to the scene and officers returned fire.” According to the spokesperson, one responding officer was injured in the gunfire and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The officer is now in stable condition. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ BOLSTERS BORDER SECURITY BY $100 BILLION The FBI representative said there is “currently no threat to public safety that we are aware of” and that the investigation is ongoing. According to a statement by DHS on X, two officers and a Border Patrol employee were injured during the shooting, including one shot in the knee.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump to meet with Netanyahu
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… – After setback to Iran’s nuclear program, Trump expected to leverage military support in Netanyahu meeting – The battle over the ‘big, beautiful bill‘ moves from Capitol Hill to the campaign trail – Homan warns Democrats about anti-ICE rhetoric, says it is only a matter of time before agents are attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Donald Trump on Monday, just over two weeks after Washington levied strikes against Iran’s nuclear program in support of a previous military operation carried out by Jerusalem. But even as the pair appear to be relishing the reported success of the missions — which the Pentagon last week said had set back Tehran’s nuclear program by up to two years — several security issues remain on the table. Here’s what to expect from the talks Monday… READ MORE. SPENDING STANDOFF: Trump’s $5 trillion debt ceiling strategy could force Democrats to the negotiating table FAILING UP: Liberal critics question why architect of failed Biden foreign policy is advising ‘Project 2029’ ‘HONORABLE AMERICANS’: Border agent ambush shows Dems need to ‘tone down rhetoric,’ White House says, pushing AOC to meet with ICE ‘DEPRAVED LIE’: White House blasts Schumer, Democrats for ‘depraved lie’ blaming Trump for Texas flash flood FAMILY FIRST: Hunter Biden helped make campaign decisions, was major fixture in father’s orbit, author says SUMMIT SHOWDOWN: Trump threatens additional 10% tariffs on “anti-American” BRICS nations COURT IN SESSION: Judge to rule on motion to dismiss in high-stakes Abrego Garcia case hearing XINIS BRINGS HEAT: Judge Xinis grills Trump lawyers over plans to deport Abrego Garcia in high-profile hearing GAME ON: The battle over the “big, beautiful bill” moves from Capitol Hill to the campaign trail REGIME RESET: Sen. Steve Daines says regime change is the best long-term plan in Iran NEW CHAPTER?: Outgoing GOP Rep. Don Bacon expresses interest in presidency, governorship DANGEROUS LANGUAGE: Homan warns Democrats about anti-ICE rhetoric, says it is only a matter of time before agents are attacked SUPREME DECISION: What key battleground state Supreme Court’s rejection of congressional redistricting lawsuits means for midterms MOVE SPARKS BUZZ: Gavin Newsom is making a strategic visit to a key primary state, raising eyebrows ‘SHAMEFUL’: Dems, media hijack devastating Texas flooding to push ‘shameful’ climate change, anti-Trump narrative Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Liberal critics question why architect of failed Biden foreign policy is advising ‘Project 2029’
Democrats are assembling a new policy brain trust called Project 2029, an effort aimed at shaping the party’s long-term vision and regaining electoral strength. But at a time when there’s widespread agreement that Democrats need fresh ideas and new voices, the inclusion of longtime party insiders — especially former President Joe Biden’s national security advisor Jake Sullivan — is raising eyebrows across the political spectrum. “It’s really disappointing to see the lack of self-awareness on Jake’s part,” said Brett Bruen, former director of global engagement in the Obama White House. “Having Jake involved, let alone leading this, will only lead to stupid, superficial changes.” “These Democratic leaders need to take a long look in the mirror and understand they played a big part in bringing this situation about — and exit stage left.” DEMOCRATS TAKE PAGE FROM CONSERVATIVE PLAYBOOK WITH NEW PROJECT 2029 Modeled in name and structure after the Heritage Foundation’s conservative Project 2025, Project 2029 brings together high-profile Democratic veterans to outline a policy road map. After a decade of standing more against President Donald Trump than for anything else, the group is dedicated to helping Democrats define the policies that can win the 2028 election. The initiative, first reported by The New York Times, is led by longtime Democratic strategist Andrei Cherny and a cast of familiar faces — including Sullivan, Neera Tanden, Biden’s domestic policy advisor; Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America; Justin Wolfers, University of Michigan economist; Jim Kessler, co-founder of Third Way; and Felicia Wong , former president of the Roosevelt Institute. But Sullivan’s role has drawn particular criticism from both Republicans and progressives. Sullivan was Biden’s top advisor during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members. He reportedly offered to resign at the time once the evacuation didn’t go as planned. He’s also drawn fire for the Biden administration’s failure to help Israel and Hamas reach a lasting ceasefire, and for its Ukraine policy — which, as one European diplomat told Fox News Digital, seemed aimed at letting Ukraine “lose slowly.” “Why isn’t Jake Sullivan working at Chipotle?” quipped Steven Moore, founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project, on a podcast in 2024. “Jake in his position both as national security advisor and in Biden world is one of the last people on earth that should be involved in a reset for the Democratic Party,” said Bruen. DEMS AT A CROSSROADS AS ESTABLISHMENT PLANS ‘PROJECT 2029’ WHILE SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY Sullivan did not reply to a request for comment by Fox News Digital. Zohran Momdani’s stunning upset in New York City’s mayoral primary over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has reignited a debate over whether Democrats on a national level need to start taking progressivism seriously. “The people responsible for driving the Democratic Party into a ditch are now asking for the keys again,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of progressive group Our Revolution. “Leaders like Zohran Mamdani are showing what’s possible when you speak directly to working-class pain and stand up to entrenched power.” Despite the criticism, some Democrats defend Sullivan’s role and believe he could help unify the party. “He’s a historic organizer of the diverse lanes of Democratic foreign policy, and he’s done a great job with it,” said Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state and Democratic strategist. However, Rubin questioned how much real influence Project 2029 will have, especially with no clear 2028 front runner. “We’re going to have a wide-open primary,” Rubin said. “Unlike Project 2025, where Republicans had a candidate-in-waiting in Trump, we have no standard-bearer. So Project 2029 is going to be one of many blueprints for what a Democratic administration should do.” Some argue that figures like Sullivan are better suited to bridge the divide between establishment figures and progressives than any leftist leader. “He’s part of the old guard, but the old guard isn’t that old. There’s a lot of young people,” one Democratic insider said. “You’d be hard-pressed to find people in the progressive lane pulling in establishment folks, whereas the establishment lane is working to pull in progressives.” Sullivan’s GOP critics also point to his role in promoting now-debunked allegations during the 2016 election. After a report from Slate claimed Trump Tower maintained a secret server communicating with Russia’s Alfa Bank, Sullivan — then a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton — amplified the claim. “This could be the most direct link yet between Donald Trump and Moscow,” Sullivan said in a statement at the time. “This secret hotline may be the key to unlocking the mystery of Trump’s ties to Russia.” Republicans later accused him of spreading unverified information and misleading the public.
Dem lawmakers say their voters are threatening ‘blood’ and ‘violence’ over inability to hinder Trump: report
Democratic lawmakers say their voters are enraged at the lack of ability to counter President Donald Trump’s agenda, with some saying they could resort to “violence,” Axios reported Monday. The outlet says it spoke to over two dozen House Democrats to measure the temperature of the Democratic base. What it found was red-hot anger and a burgeoning desire to circumvent the rule of law, where explanations that Democrats simply don’t hold enough power in Washington fall on deaf ears. “We’ve got people who are desperately wanting us to do something… no matter what we say, they want [more],” Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., told the outlet. Most of the lawmakers spoke on condition of anonymity. Schneider’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. ELON MUSK SAYS US IS RULED BY ‘PORKY PIG PARTY’ AS TRUMP DEFENDS HIS VISION AGAINST FORMER ALLY’S CRITICISM “Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough… [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public,” one such lawmaker said. Another said their constituents are convinced that “civility isn’t working” and that they should prepare for “violence… to fight to protect our democracy.” A third lawmaker described some of the messages from people online as “crazy ****,” saying that some told them to “storm the White House and stuff like that.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. TOP DEMOCRATS ADMIT ‘FAILURE,’ FECKLESSNESS ON BORDER IN SCATHING NY TIMES REPORT Another lawmaker compared Democratic voters to the “Roman coliseum.” “People just want more and more of this spectacle,” the lawmaker said. Other constituents have insisted that lawmakers take on the risk themselves, with one lawmaker saying they were told they should be willing to get “shot.” “What I have seen is a demand that we get ourselves arrested intentionally or allow ourselves to be victims of violence, and… a lot of times that’s coming from economically very secure White people,” another lawmaker said. ‘CHAOS,’ ‘UNACCEPTABLE’: FETTERMAN RIPS DEMOCRATIC HANDLING OF BORDER IN BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION A seventh lawmaker recounted a meeting they had with constituents that laid bare the desire for escalation. “I actually said in a meeting, ‘When they light a fire, my thought is to grab an extinguisher,’” the lawmaker detailed. “And someone at the table said, ‘Have you tried gasoline?’” they added.
DHS terminates temporary protected status for around 76K Honduran, Nicaraguan migrants
The Department of Homeland Security is moving to end temporary protected status (TPS) for Honduran and Nicaraguan migrants living in the U.S. today as the Trump administration continues to ramp up deportations across the country. The decision to end TPS for the two nations comes weeks after DHS terminated the same status for Haiti and months after terminating TPS for Venezuelans. A federal judge has since blocked that termination amid an ongoing legal battle. “Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News Digital. “It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago.” JUDGE BACKS TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION PUSH FOR 8 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS AFTER ANOTHER JUDGE BLOCKS IT “Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return,” Noem said. “Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people. We look forward to continuing our work with them.” A source at DHS told Fox News Digital that revoking TPS will affect roughly 76,000 migrants currently living in the U.S., with 54,000 from Honduras and 22,000 from Nicaragua. “The impacts of a natural disaster impacting Nicaragua in 1999 no longer exist,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The environmental situation has improved enough that it is safe enough for Nicaraguan citizens to return home. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that TPS remains temporary.” OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE TO RULE ON MOTION TO DISMISS IN HIGH-STAKES ABREGO GARCIA CASE HEARING In May, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration in a ruling that lifted a San Francisco District Court Judge’s injunction that temporarily blocked the termination of TPS for Venezuelans, paving the way for the administration to legally revoke TPS for subsequent nations. DHS sources have informed Fox that Nicaraguans and Hondurans in the U.S. with TPS are being encouraged to use the CBP One app to facilitate a secure departure, including a complimentary plane ticket and a $1,000 exit bonus. SWAMP GAMES: INSIDE NOEM’S CONTROVERSIAL ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ DETENTION STRATEGY Created by Congress through the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS allows individuals from countries affected by natural disasters, war, or other dangerous, unusual circumstances to seek refuge in the U.S. This program can be renewed in 18-month increments.
Trump’s 25th week in office set to include visit to Texas’ devastated Hill Country, third Netanyahu meeting
President Donald Trump’s 25th week back in the Oval Office in his second term is expected to include a trip to Texas to survey the tragedy and damage imposed after floodwaters devastated Hill Country, a third White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ongoing tariff negotiations. Trump announced Sunday that he signed an emergency order to assist Kerr County, Texas, which was devastated on the Fourth of July by flash floods that have led to dozens of deaths and others missing in the area. TEXAS FLOOD SURVIVORS SHARE HARROWING STORIES, SEARCH CONTINUES FOR THOSE STILL MISSING “I just signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas, to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need,” Trump announced on Truth Social Sunday. “These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders.” “Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State,” he added. “Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!” Trump told the media he likely will head out to Texas and meet with locals devastated by the flooding and assess the damage later in the week. “We wanted to leave a little time,” Trump told reporters Sunday from New Jersey when asked if he planned to visit Texas. “I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way. Probably Friday.” At least 80 people are dead from the flooding, which first gripped the area on the morning of Independence Day, while at least 41 others are still missing as of Monday morning. “This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it. Very talented people are there, and they didn’t see it,” Trump explained. “It’s, I guess they said once in 100 years they’ve never seen anything like that. I mean, people are trying to blame the school. They’re trying to blame the camps. It’s just a horrible thing.” TRUMP PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR TEXAS AMID CATASTROPHIC FLOODS Trump called the deadly flooding a “catastrophe.” “I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe, and it’s just so horrible to watch,” Trump said. Israel’s Netanyahu will visit with Trump at the White House later Monday to discuss Israel reaching a ceasefire with Gaza. The meeting comes after the Trump administration collaborated with Israel for the successful strikes on a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities in June. Israel had launched preemptive strikes on Iran in mid-June, launching a “12-day war” between the two nations that ended following the U.S. strikes. TRUMP TO MEET WITH NETANYAHU AS HE PUSHES FOR CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL, GAZA Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu comes after he expressed his disapproval with Israel, as well as Iran, after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 24 that was followed by the nations continuing to trade strikes. Both countries launched accusations at each other that they had violated the ceasefire before Trump expressed his discontent in a comment to the media. “I’m not happy with them,” Trump said at the White House on June 24. “I’m not happy with Iran either, but I’m really unhappy with Israel going out this morning.” The ceasefire was upheld. The Monday meeting is expected to focus on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, and has continued raging despite a previous ceasefire agreement early in 2025. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump is seeking to resolve the conflict between both Israel and Gaza and secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. “It’s heartbreaking to see the images that have come out from both Israel and Gaza throughout this war,” Leavitt said. “And the president wants to see it end. He wants to save lives and, however, the main priority for the president also remains to bring all of the hostages home out of Gaza. As you know, his tireless effort has brought home many of the hostages, including all of the American hostages who were held there.” A 90-day pause on tariffs was set to end July 9, after Trump first announced reciprocal tariffs on foreign nations in April. Trump told reporters Sunday from New Jersey that his administration will begin sending letters to other nations Monday notifying them that higher tariffs will now take effect Aug. 1. “It could be 12, maybe 15” letters, Trump told reporters Sunday. “And we’ve made deals also, so we’re going to have a combination of letters and some deals have been made.” TARIFFS WILL REVERT TO APRIL LEVELS IF COUNTRIES DON’T MAKE A DEAL BY AUGUST 1, BESSENT SAYS The ongoing tariff negotiations follow Congress passing Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which advances the president’s agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt, and Trump signing it into law Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joined Fox News’ Shannon Bream Sunday and explained the new Aug. 1 deadline, warning that tariffs will revert to April levels if foreign countries don’t make a trade deal by the start of August. “Is it fair to say there’s a bit of a pause on the July 9 deadline for some of these trading partners?” Bream asked. “I don’t think it’s a bit of a pause because I think what’s happened is there’s a lot of congestion going into the home stretch and, as a part of the trade team, what’s great about having President Trump on our side is he’s created maximum leverage,” Bessent responded. “By telling our trading partners that they could boomerang back to the April 2 date, I think it’s really going to move things along over the next couple of days and weeks,” he added. Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy, Anders Hagstrom and
Elon Musk indicates his new political party will be pro-gun, pro-bitcoin: ‘The Second Amendment is sacred’
Billionaire business tycoon turned political power player Elon Musk indicated in posts on X that the America Party will stake out pro-Second Amendment, pro-bitcoin positions. “The Second Amendment is sacred,” Musk declared in a post on X in response to a post that suggested firearm owners would like to know about the party’s position on guns. Musk also responded to a question about whether the party will “embrace Bitcoin.” “Fiat is hopeless, so yes,” he wrote. ELON MUSK LAUNCHES ‘AMERICA PARTY’ AFTER TRUMP SIGNS HISTORIC SPENDING BILL: ‘WASTE & GRAFT’ The party will also stand for free speech and reduced regulations, Musk has indicated. “Is this the America Party platform?” someone asked in a post on X, writing out a list that included the following: “reduce debt, responsible spending only,” “modernize military with ai/robotics,” “pro tech, accelerate to win in ai,” “less regulation across board but especially in energy,” “free speech,” “pro natalist,” and “centrist policies everywhere else.” “Yeah!” Musk replied. TRUMP CRYPTO CHIEF SAYS WE ARE IN THE ‘GOLDEN AGE’ FOR DIGITAL ASSETS, ‘CLEARING THE DECK’ OF BIDEN BARRIERS While the American political landscape is dominated by the two major political parties, Musk is looking to shake things up with the America Party. “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk declared in part of a post on X. TRUMP DISMISSES MUSK’S POLITICAL AMBITIONS AS ‘RIDICULOUS’ IN SHARP REBUKE Musk noted in another post, “Backing a candidate for president is not out of the question, but the focus for the next 12 months is on the House and the Senate.”
Gavin Newsom is making a strategic visit to a key primary state, raising eyebrows
California Gov. Gavin Newsom heads to South Carolina this week to spend two days meeting with voters in the state that officially held the first primary in the Democrats’ 2024 calendar. The trip by the term-limited governor with a large national profile is sure to spark plenty of 2028 speculation, since Newsom is considered a potential contender for the next Democratic presidential nomination. The South Carolina Democratic Party, which announced the two-day swing, said Newsom will take part Tuesday and Wednesday in meet and greets, to shake hands and take questions, during eight stops in cafes, coffee shops and churches. TWENTY-ONE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY WANT TO RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 “The SCDP presents On The Road with Gavin Newsom. We’re making stops across the state to talk with families all over SC. It’s your chance to connect, be heard, and feel seen,” the state party wrote in a social media post last week. It’s part of the state party’s effort to bring national Democrats to parts of South Carolina that they say have long been overlooked and “left behind” by Republican officials in the GOP-dominated state. SUCCEEDING TRUMP IN 2028: SIX REPUBLICANS TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON “Governor Newsom leads the largest economy in America and the fourth largest in the world, and he’s coming to meet folks in towns that have been hollowed out by decades of Republican control,” state party chair Christale Spain said in a statement. Newsom stopped in South Carolina in January of last year to campaign on behalf of then-President Joe Biden during the state’s 2024 presidential primary. Newsom also traveled to Nevada, another early-voting state in the party’s primary calendar. And Newsom also traveled last summer on behalf of Biden to New Hampshire, the state that for a century has held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. The former president was the Democrats’ 2024 standardbearer before dropping out of the race last July following a disastrous debate performance against now-President Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic national ticket. South Carolina, New Hampshire and Nevada are vying for the lead-off position in the next presidential election cycle, and the Democratic National Committee is expected to decide on their 2028 calendar by early 2027. Newsom has long been thought to harbor national ambitions and is considered one of many Democrats who may make a run for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. The two-day swing through South Carolina will give Newsom an opportunity to make connections not only with voters, but also with local party and elected officials. The relationships forged this week could possibly pay dividends down the road for Newsom if he eventually decides to launch a 2028 presidential campaign.