Army pushes battlefield AI as counter-drone fight takes center stage
The Army is expanding its use of artificial intelligence beyond drones — from wearable smart glasses that train mechanics in the field to automated defenses against swarms of cheap enemy aircraft — as leaders warn the counter-drone fight is now “problem 1A” for the nation. Speaking to reporters this week, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll described a pilot program in which soldiers wearAI-enabled Ray-Ban glasses that record repair jobs and then use generative models to walk less-experienced troops through infantry squad vehicle maintenance. He said it reflects a new push to bring consumer technology into the force “a lot more quickly” than in the past. While Meta may have spent billions developing the glasses, the Army is testing them for about $400 a pair. Gen. Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff, said the same approach applies to the Pentagon’s top emerging challenge: defending against drones. “This is problem 1A that we’re facing as a country,” Driscoll said, stressing that counter-drone technology must be cheap, fast and automated. “If you think of a drone swarm … it is a nearly impossible idea for even human beings [to handle].” AI ARMS RACE: US AND CHINA WEAPONIZE DRONES, CODE AND BIOTECH FOR THE NEXT GREAT WAR That challenge has been underscored overseas, where advanced aircraft have been used to intercept relatively inexpensive drones. “If you’ve got a $5,000 drone, you want a $2,000 or $3,000 or $4,000 interceptor, and that’s what we’re focused on,” George said. Last week, Dutch F-35s and Polish F-16s deployed to take out dozens of Russian drones flying into Russian territory. George added that the Army is testing proximity rounds and high-energy lasers, while the bigger hurdle is defending against drones in crowded civilian airspace. As part of the Army’s “continuous transformation” initiative, George said 25 brigades will be overhauled in the next two years to make them more lethal, mobile and survivable in high-threat environments. The first armored brigade combat teams are set to rotate through the National Training Center in California this November, followed by a large-scale exercise in Hawaii. George also pointed to armor modernization, saying the Army’s next-generation M1E3 tank — envisioned as a lighter, faster replacement for the Abrams — could reach units as early as next year. That would mark a major acceleration, since earlier projections suggested the vehicle would not field until the 2030s. To pay for its modernization drive, Driscoll said the Army plans to cut $48 billion over five years from programs it no longer needs, reinvesting in drones, air defenses and long-range fires. PENTAGON UNVEILS $961B BUDGET REQUEST: FUND FOR GOLDEN DOME, MISSILES AND DRONES, FEWER F-35 JETS The service also launched a $750 million “Fuse” fund to support small and mid-sized businesses and previewed new acquisition reforms to be detailed at next month’s AUSA conference. Modeled partly on the rapid iteration practices of commercial companies, the changes will co-locate soldiers, engineers and contractors to speed up design and fielding. Officials also highlighted in-house efforts. George said the Army is now building its own drones at depots with all-American parts — including models already flying in Ukraine — to help replenish stockpiles. Driscoll said 3D printing is being tested as a way to overcome the “tyranny of distance” in the Indo-Pacific, allowing soldiers to fabricate parts in theater instead of waiting on long supply lines. George pointed to battlefield command as another area of change. The 4th Infantry Division is now testing command-and-control apps on ruggedized tablets — replacing the trucks and racks of radios that have long anchored Army command posts. The move is designed to make headquarters smaller and harder to target, though outside experts have warned that relying on commercial-style devices could introduce new cyber vulnerabilities and durability issues in combat. Driscoll also credited President Trump with backing the Army’s overhaul. “They’ve held the line every single time when we have made a hard decision,” he said. Still, he acknowledged that each of the $48 billion in cuts has defenders in Congress and industry.
Trump caps UK trip with $350B tech pact, heads to Arizona for Kirk’s memorial service
President Donald Trump spent the bulk of the week in the U.K. where he inked a new tech deal, and closed out the week gearing up to attend the memorial service of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona. During the trip abroad, Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a new $350 billion tech investment plan, which is expected to generate 15,000 jobs across the U.K. and up to 2,500 jobs in the U.S. Specific details of the “Tech Prosperity Deal” are sparse, but officials said that the plan will invest in the development of 12 advanced nuclear reactors and that energy will go toward supplying energy needs for the U.K. and the U.S. “It’s a blueprint to win this new era together. Shape it according to our shared values, and seize the incredible opportunities that are on offer,” Starmer said. “We have huge new investments from Nvidia N scale, Open AI, Google, Salesforce and many more backing cutting-edge British jobs for years to come.” TRUMP HEADS TO UK FOR RARE SECOND STATE VISIT, THEN TO ARIZONA FOR CHARLIE KIRK’S FUNERAL The plan will accumulate $50 billion in economic value and will deliver power to as many as 1.5 million homes, according to Trump. Trump also touted the close relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. during a state dinner at Windsor Castle with members of the U.K.’s royal family, including King Charles III. “His Majesty spoke eloquently about the bond which inspired Sir Winston Churchill — the bust is in the Oval Office right now — the beautiful bust of Winston Churchill, to coin the phrase ‘special relationship,’ but seen from American eyes, the word ‘special’ does not begin to do it justice,” Trump said Wednesday. “We’re joined by history and fate, by love and language and by transcendent ties of culture, tradition, ancestry and destiny.” TRUMP EYES REMARKS AT CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL IN ARIZONA, BLAMES LEFT FOR SUSPECT’S RADICALIZATION Trump arrived back in Washington later Thursday and will leave for Kirk’s memorial service Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The venue holds 63,400 people and has the capacity for up to 73,000 for “mega-events,” according to its website. Kirk, 31, was killed during a stop on his American Comeback Tour Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. Kirk’s death has also raised questions about Trump’s own security, amid two assassination attempts on Trump’s life in 2024. A senior administration official confirmed to Fox News Digital Friday that federal law enforcement agencies like the Department of Homeland Security released a report Thursday cautioning that they are monitoring “several threats of unknown credibility” against Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others expected to attend Kirk’s memorial service. TRUMP’S SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY AS SECRET SERVICE BRACES FOR KIRK MEMORIAL The assessment asserts that the memorial may be an attractive target for violent extremists or lone wolf actors due to the significant media coverage it’s expected to attract. Meanwhile, Trump said he likely will share some remarks during the memorial service. “It’s going to be big,” Trump told reporters Monday. “I’m going to be at the stadium, and I guess I’ll say a few words. I don’t know, but I guess I will, but I knew him very well. He was an amazing guy. He was all about young people and getting them started.” Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
Senior Republican says he’ll ‘miss the clowns,’ not ‘the circus’ as he eyes life after Congress
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, believes there are just four ways people end their time on Capitol Hill. “You can die, you can lose, you can get indicted, or you can go out on top, and that’s door number four,” he told Fox News Digital. “And I think door number four looks attractive.” And for McCaul, going out on top means ending a career of over two decades serving Texas’ 10th congressional district. He’s served two three-term stints as the top Republican on the committees on Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security, respectively – the maximum allowed time for members of the House GOP conference. He is not running again in the November midterms. The Texas Republican, who will be 64 when he leaves Congress at the end of 2026, is still hoping to have an impact on the U.S. national security sphere when he’s gone. HOUSE PASSES TRUMP-BACKED PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN He told Fox News Digital that he’s expressed interest to the Trump administration about potentially serving as U.S. ambassador to Australia. “Being ambassador to Australia, I think would be a very good fit for me – after AUKUS, do what I did there, AI, advanced weapons systems – stuff I’ve worked on could play well both as ambassador, but also on a board of directors of a company that does that,” McCaul said. AUKUS refers to a trilateral security agreement between the U.S., U.K. and Australia, widely seen as a response to China’s encroachment in the Pacific. McCaul was one of AUKUS’s lead champions in Congress both as Foreign Affairs Committee chair and co-chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus. 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK “I think I’d be good at it. I mean, I know all the players,” he said of a potential ambassadorship. “I know their issues. But in the meantime, these offers are coming in – I’ve got a year and a half still around. I’ll figure it out.” He said of other post-Congress possibilities, “Most of the offers, they’re in the national security space.” “I’ve had several offers in the intelligence space as well. So I’d still be in it. There are a couple of think tanks where you still get on television. I could still be a relevant voice on the issues I care about. And in a way, I can focus more about what I’m passionate on, and be a voice for that, rather than being bogged down with a lot of other stuff.” He’s worked on a lot of those issues that he cares about over his 20-plus years in Congress, as well. “It’s been an honor of a lifetime – chairing Homeland Security during one of the most dangerous times with the rise of the ISIS caliphate and all the external operations that we want to stop, establishing the cybersecurity agency. I did TSA PreCheck and Global Entry – those were fun things to work on. But then, as the chairman of Foreign Affairs, working on very big foreign policy issues like the fall of Afghanistan,” McCaul said. “Everything I’ve done with Ukraine after [Russian President Vladimir Putin] invaded – that emergency wartime supplemental bill was probably the highlight, because had we not passed that, I think Russia would be occupying Ukraine today, and they’d be in Moldova and Georgia and maybe threatening the Baltic States and Poland.” The senior lawmaker has been a leading voice on foreign policy in a Republican Party that’s seen a growing isolationist streak – something McCaul said concerned him. “I think it’s a very dangerous mentality. It didn’t work in 1939, and there are a lot of parallels to 1939 today. Now, I think burden sharing, that’s real. I think, you know, having NATO standing up – I think [President Donald Trump] is right about that. I think he wants other NATO countries to do secondary sanctions, and it should be a team effort,” he said. “But I think there are certain people in the administration that are very much – the America First I agree with, but it’s not at the expense of abdicating our responsibility to lead the world. And I think that’s dangerous if that’s what they think America First is all about.” Asked if he had any regrets over his time in Congress, McCaul said he was proud of his work on Capitol Hill. “There was a time when, you know, there was a Senate possibility, but I wouldn’t trade what I have done for anything,” he said. “I feel very at peace with this, because I feel like I’m going out on top. I’ve chaired two major committees. I’ve been effective. There’s a good expression – I’ll miss the clowns, but I won’t miss the circus.”
Kamala Harris reveals what Biden told her just before crucial debate with Trump that left her ‘angry’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris revealed in her upcoming book, “107 Days,” that then-President Joe Biden rattled her right before she went head-to-head with then-candidate Donald Trump on the debate stage. Biden reportedly called Harris as she sat in a hotel room preparing for the only debate of her abbreviated campaign. He apparently wanted to wish her luck — and to scold her. The then-president said, “My brother called. He’s been talking to a group of real power brokers in Philly,” according to an excerpt of the book in The Guardian. He then allegedly asked if Harris was familiar with several people related to the matter, which she was not. KAMALA HARRIS COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ LACK OF SUPPORT FROM BIDEN’S COMMS TEAM, INNER CIRCLE “His brother had told him that those guys were not going to support me because I’d been saying bad things about him. He wasn’t inclined to believe it, he claimed, but he thought I should know in case my team had been encouraging me to put daylight between the two of us,” Harris wrote in the book, according to an excerpt of the book in The Guardian. Biden then went on to talk about his past debate performances, leaving Harris confused, “angry and disappointed,” according to The Guardian. She was upset that her boss had called before a critical moment in her political career and made “it all about himself.” Harris added that Biden was “distracting me with worry about hostile power-brokers in the biggest city of the most important state.” Then-first gentleman Doug Emhoff apparently noticed his wife was in distress and advised her to “let it go” before facing off against Trump. HARRIS TAPS DEM EMAILS LISTS TO MARKET NEW BOOK, SPARKING PARTY NEUTRALITY CONCERNS While Harris avoided criticizing Biden during her campaign, she has used her upcoming book to shed light on the tensions between them as she took his place as the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris’ book is set to hit shelves on Sept. 23, but it has already sparked conversations about the 2024 election cycle. In another section, Harris said while “it’s Joe and Jill’s decision” became a mantra ahead of the 2024 election cycle, she said it was “recklessness,” rather than “grace,” according to an excerpt released by The Atlantic. “‘It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized. Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition. It should have been more than a personal decision,” Harris wrote. Harris also revealed in her book that then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was her “first choice” as running mate, not Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. However, she said it was “too big of a risk” because the campaign was “already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man.” Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
WATCH: Lawmakers wrestle with how to approach hateful political rhetoric in wake of Kirk assassination
In the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a debate about political rhetoric and its impact on recent spates of political violence has taken hold on Capitol Hill and across the country. While both Republicans and Democrats have condemned political violence of all kinds, their views vary on how much inflammatory political rhetoric plays a role. Some Republicans have accused the left’s rhetoric of fostering an “assassination culture” on the left, while Democrats have accused Republicans of attacks on free speech. One member of Congress, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attempted to steer the conversation towards gun control as opposed to rhetoric as the cause for the increase in political violence. “This isn’t just about what happened to Charlie Kirk. At the same time his tragic killing was happening, three kids were getting shot in school, and that was one or two weeks after another couple of kids were getting shot, in church, at mass, at a Catholic school,” Ocasio-Cortez said. EXPERTS WARN LEFTIST CELEBRATIONS OF CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH SIGNAL A DANGEROUS MAINSTREAM SHIFT IN POLITICS But GOP firebrand Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., did not mince words about those who continue to foment hatred for conservatives with inflammatory rhetoric. “We need to shame these people out of polite society, shame them out of existence. They need to be fired from their jobs. They are putting lives in danger,” Mace said. “They are denying that they’re celebrating the political assassination and murder of Charlie Kirk, but they’re liars. They’re lying through their teeth.” Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have called on others to “turn down the heat” in the wake of Kirk’s assassination. Americans from all walks of life have been facing repercussions over their decision to mock, or praise, Kirk’s death, including K-12 education officials, college professors, healthcare professionals, political pundits, writers and a list of other professionals from various sectors and major companies, such as the law firm Perkins Coie, the company behind the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and Office Depot, among others. FOLLOWING KIRK’S ASSASSINATION, LAWMAKERS REACT TO LETHAL POLITICAL CLIMATE: ‘VIOLENT WORDS PRECEDE VIOLENT ACTIONS’ Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said that everyone should have “the right to speak freely, otherwise America’s democratic tradition could be threatened. “Look, there’s a limit to what Congress can do, because, you know, we have the First Amendment, which protects all forms of speech, including hate speech, but we should have a culture of condemning any rhetoric that glorifies violence. I see violence as the downfall of American democracy,” Torres said. “We all should have the right to speak freely, to think freely, without fear of harassment or intimidation or violence. And once we lose the ability to speak freely in the public square then democracy as we know it has come to an end.” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., suggested possible remedies Congress could take to help reduce inflammatory rhetoric and its potential impact on violence. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “You have to look at the role that social media companies play in allowing violent rhetoric to be on their sites. And what more can we do so that law enforcement can see these attacks sooner?” Swalwell asked. “I wait, and stand ready to learn, where there are signs that were missed by law enforcement. Because if that’s the case, we have to do better, because the temperature is only increasing.”
Cruz warns conservatives ‘will regret’ FCC censorship push against ABC, other media outlets
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in his podcast “Verdict with Ted Cruz” on Friday cautioned those advocating for Federal Communication Commission (FCC) action against adversaries, noting if a censorship precedent is set, “every conservative in America … will regret it.” ABC suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel “indefinitely” after he said the alleged assassin of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was a fellow MAGA supporter. Kimmel failed to set the record straight after the indictment against suspect Tyler Robinson was made public on Tuesday, prompting a response from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr, who told Fox News’ Sean Hannity the agency plans to reinvigorate enforcement of the public interest obligation. DAVID MARCUS: FCC ISN’T ‘GOING AFTER’ ABC, IT’S PROTECTING PUBLIC AIRWAVES The FCC grants broadcast licenses on the condition that stations serve the “public interest, convenience, and necessity.” Though the First Amendment protects free speech, the agency can revoke or deny license renewal if there is misrepresentation, fraud or lack of character or candor. In Cruz’s podcast on Friday, he questioned Carr’s decision to crack down on stations accused of misrepresentation or false statements, claiming “what he said there is dangerous as hell.” “What he is saying is Jimmy Kimmel was lying. That’s true, he was lying, and lying to the American people is not in the public interest,” Cruz said. “He threatens explicitly—we’re going to cancel ABC News’ license. We’re going to take him off the air, so ABC cannot broadcast anymore. … He threatens it.” ABC INSIDER HOPES LIBERALS TAKE THIS LESSON AWAY FROM JIMMY KIMMEL SAGA Cruz compared Carr’s wording to something “right out of Goodfellas.” “Jimmy Kimmel has mocked me so many times,” he said. “The corporate media—they are dishonest. They are liars. I hate what Jimmy Kimmel said. I am thrilled that he was fired. But let me tell you, if the government gets in the business of saying ‘we don’t like what you, the media, have said, we’re going to ban you from the airwaves’ … that will end up bad for conservatives.” He added it may be “attractive” to conservatives to feel that they have the governmental power to ban the media, but going down that road, would hurt them when a Democrat takes back the White House. “The next Democrat FCC—they will silence us,” Cruz said. “They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly, and that is dangerous. … They’ve defined anything counter to the leftist narrative as misinformation.” Cruz argued that if a station commits slander related to Kirk or his family, there is already a remedy. He suggested suing stations for defamation and “let[ting] the process play out.” “I think it is unbelievably dangerous for [the] government to put itself in the position of saying, ‘We’re going to decide what speech we like and what we don’t, and we’re going to threaten to take you off-air if we don’t like what you’re saying,” Cruz said. “It might feel good right now to threaten Jimmy Kimmel, but when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it. “So again, I like Brendan Carr, but we should not be in this business. We should denounce it. It’s fine to say what Jimmy Kimmel said was deplorable. It was disgraceful, and he should be off-air, but we shouldn’t be threatening government power to force him off-air. That’s a real mistake.” FCC CHAIR BRENDAN CARR DEFENDS ABC AFFILIATES PULLING JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW AFTER MONOLOGUE MOCKING CHARLIE KIRK During a news conference in the White House Oval Office on Friday, President Donald Trump said he did not agree with Cruz’s assertion, describing Carr as “courageous.” “I think Brendan Carr is an incredible American patriot with courage,” Trump said. “I remember in the old days, networks would want to get re-licensed, it was always a big deal. They had to show honesty and integrity. … I think Brendan Carr doesn’t like to see the airwaves be used illegally and incorrectly—and purposely, horribly. [He] doesn’t like to see a person that won the election in a landslide get 97% bad publicity before the election. I mean, it’s amazing that I won the election … The people have given the networks no credibility.” During the Biden administration, a nonprofit called the Media and Democracy Project filed a 2023 petition with the FCC asking that the license renewal of a Fox-owned local station in Philadelphia be denied, citing Fox’s election-related coverage. The FCC, under then-Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, rejected the petition on Jan. 16, four days before Trump assumed office for his second term, noting it would be “fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment” for the government to deny renewals based on protected speech and content, according to court documents. Cruz’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Ohio Teamsters union endorses Ramaswamy in gubernatorial race, breaking from typical support of Dem candidates
The Ohio Conference of Teamsters has endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, in a shift from past support of Democrats, his campaign confirmed to Fox News Digital. The biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 presidential candidate has already earned a handful of union endorsements for the 2026 gubernatorial election, according to the Ohio Dispatch. His campaign said he had already been endorsed by the Ohio State Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters, the Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council and the Northwest Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council. Interestingly, the Ohio State Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters and the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters have both endorsed Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown. RAMASWAMY PLEDGES ‘RULE OF LAW’ REVIVAL AFTER VIRAL CINCINNATI MOB ATTACK He has also been endorsed by President Donald Trump and the Ohio Republican Party. The Ohio Conference of Teamsters, which represents more than 50,000 workers in the state, had previously supported former Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who has yet to decide if he’s entering the governor’s race. Ramaswamy’s campaign told Fox News Digital earlier this month that nearly $220,000 of the contributions raised in his first months as a candidate came from individuals who previously gave to Ryan. SCOOP: RAMASWAMY PLEDGES TO SPEND AT LEAST $30M OF HIS MONEY IN OHIO’S RACE FOR GOVERNOR “The Teamsters are proud to endorse Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor of Ohio. Our members want a leader who will fight for good-paying jobs and strengthen the future for Ohio’s working families,” Patrick J. Darrow, president of the Ohio Conference of Teamsters, said. “Vivek has demonstrated a commitment to listening to labor and partnering with us to deliver real results, and we look forward to working with him.” Ramaswamy said he was “deeply grateful” for the endorsement. “This isn’t about left vs. right, it’s about up vs. down,” he continued. “We are building a movement that restores dignity to work, rewards those who keep our economy moving, and ensures every Ohioan has a fair shot at the American Dream. Together, we will make Ohio the best place in America to work, raise a family, and pursue a better life for the next generation.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is currently the leading Democrat in the governor’s race.
Man who attempted to assassinate Kavanaugh now identifies as a woman
A man who pleaded guilty to attempting to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022 is now using a female name and pronouns, according to a court document filed Friday. Nicholas Roske, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month, is using the name Sophie Roske and a “Ms.” title for the first time in a court filing in a case that has stretched for three years. The court filing was a routine request in anticipation of Roske’s sentencing, which is set for Oct. 3. But the filing referenced Roske by the name “Sophia,” while a footnote revealed that Nicholas remains Roske’s legal first name. “Out of respect for Ms. Roske, the balance of this pleading and counsel’s in-court argument will refer to her as Sophie and use female pronouns,” the footnote stated. FEDERAL JUDGE RELEASES WOMAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING TO KILL TRUMP It is unclear if Roske is undergoing any treatments to become transgender. Fox News Digital reached out to the defendant’s defense team for comment. Roske arrived at Kavanaugh’s house June 8, 2022, with a pistol, ammunition, a knife, a crowbar and tactical gear. Roske eventually called 9-1-1 and turned himself in after receiving a call from his sister and observing U.S. marshals in front of the justice’s house. The incident occurred just two weeks before the Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision overturning Roe v. Wade, an expected decision that had drawn protesters to the Supreme Court building and conservative justices’ houses for weeks leading up to it. The Department of Justice is seeking a 30-year sentence. In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors referenced “mental health issues” the defendant has had for about a decade that included thoughts of violently murdering his sister. He has received treatment for the issues, specifics of which were not included in the memorandum. DOCTOR WHO BLEW WHISTLE ON TRANSGENDER MEDICINE MOCKS LIBERAL JUSTICES’ ‘INSANE’ DISSENT IN LANDMARK CASE “While the defendant has mental health issues, those issues do not detract from the gravity of the defendant’s crime: the defendant researched and targeted multiple members of the judiciary, and intended to alter the composition of the Supreme Court for ideological reasons,” prosecutors wrote. The revelation of the gender label switch comes as the DOJ has internally discussed concerns with transgender people owning guns and as conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, was discovered to have been in a romantic relationship with a transgender person. While the investigation remains open and authorities are still developing an understanding of the motive, authorities have said Robinson felt Kirk spread hate, which drove him to carry out the killing. A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News the bureau could not confirm details about any gender-related treatments Roske may have received. “For privacy, safety and security reasons, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) does not comment on the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual, including health information status or treatments,” the spokesperson said.
Democratic congressional candidate thrown to ground during chaotic anti-ICE protest
A viral video showing an Illinois Democratic congressional candidate being shoved to the ground during an anti-ICE protest in suburban Chicago has sparked online debate, with people on the left expressing outrage toward ICE and conservatives placing blame squarely on the protesters disrupting law enforcement operations. Kat Abughazaleh, an activist, former reporter and Democratic candidate for Congress, posted the video to her X account on Friday, saying, “This is what it looks like when ICE violates our First Amendment rights.” The video showed armed, masked federal officials forcibly removing Abughazaleh, who is also wearing a mask, from the front of an ICE vehicle that she appeared to be blocking. Other agents can be seen directing Abughazaleh and a group of protesters to get out of the way of the vehicle. One agent pushes Abughazaleh, who, despite resisting, flops onto the street. ICE DEPLOYS TEAR GAS AS CHICAGO PROTESTERS BLOCK VEHICLES Another angle of the incident shows Abughazaleh immediately getting back up and charging the agents, who again push her back. Other protesters can be heard taunting the agents and shouting expletives. In another X post, Abughazaleh wrote, “What ICE just did to me was a violent abuse of power — and it’s still nothing compared to what they’re doing to immigrant communities.” Speaking with a reporter after the incident, Abughazaleh said, “We have no weapons. We have signs and chants and songs, and they are treating us like it’s a war zone.” She said the vehicle she was attempting to block contained another protester who was arrested earlier in the morning. “ICE came in and tried to drive the car through us. They almost ran someone over. We did not move, we stood strong and that’s when they brought out the pepper balls. That’s when they brought out the tear gas,” she said. PRITZKER CRITIC IN HOUSE INTRODUCES BILL TO CRACK DOWN ON SANCTUARY STATES ‘GAMBLING’ WITH LIVES In response, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused Abughazaleh of seeking attention for her campaign by attempting to “obstruct justice.” McLaughlin told Fox News Digital, “This fame-hungry, cable TV candidate is so desperate for her 15 minutes of fame that she will go so far as to put our law enforcement at risk and obstruct justice.” Others on social media condemned Abughazaleh for attempting to interfere in a law enforcement operation. Conservative commentator Greg Price posted that it was Abughazaleh’s actions that resulted in her being “tossed to the ground.” “Impeding a federal ICE operation is a crime,” he wrote. ICE DEPUTY DIRECTOR BLAMES ‘DANGEROUS RHETORIC’ FROM DEMOCRATS AFTER PROTESTS AT MANHATTAN ICE FACILITY Another commentator, Paul Szypula, suggested that the government “arrest her immediately and prosecute her for her numerous federal crimes.” “Make a legal example out of this maniac,” he added. Local outlet ABC 7 reported that three protesters were arrested on Friday in Broadview, Illinois, after federal officials clashed with a group of protesters blocking ICE vehicles from entering and exiting the facility. The outlet reported that, at one point, federal officials deployed riot control smoke to push back the crowds. The outlet said protesters plan to continue the protests weekly as the Trump administration ramps up its “Operation Midway Blitz” to crack down on illegal immigrant crime in the Chicago area. A spokesperson for ICE also commented on the incident, telling Fox News Digital, “Once an activist, always an activist.” “Kat Abughazaleh’s irresponsible behavior inciting violence and encouraging lawlessness puts a selfish publicity stunt over the safety of officers, facility employees and detainees,” said the spokesperson. Fox News Digital reached out to Abughazaleh’s campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Far-left Dem says Charlie Kirk wanted to ‘roll back rights of women and Black people’ after House tribute
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., the far-left Democratic nominee for governor, called Charlie Kirk a Christian nationalist who wanted to roll back the rights of women and Black people after the passage of a House resolution honoring the conservative activist. The House adopted a resolution to honor Kirk’s “life and legacy” Friday, just over a week after he was shot and killed during a college campus speaking event in Utah. The measure got bipartisan support in a 310-58 vote, with both Democrats and Republicans condemning political violence after Kirk’s assassination. The vote divided Democrats, however, with 95 lawmakers, including Sherrill, voting to adopt the resolution, 58 voting against it and 22 not voting at all. LAWMAKER WHO TIED KIRK TO ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’ FACING EXPULSION CALLS AMID POLITICIAN BLOWBACK NATIONWIDE “I take my oath to the Constitution seriously. I believe in free speech and that the First Amendment wouldn’t be necessary if it were only meant to cover language we agreed with,” Sherrill said in a statement. “It is meant to protect people like Charlie Kirk who present vile dissenting views. But it is also meant to protect teachers, doctors and TV comedians who may express views the president doesn’t like. “Charlie Kirk was advocating for a Christian nationalist government and to roll back the rights of women and Black people. This flies in the face of every value I hold dear and that I fight for,” she added. “But the Constitution protects free speech, even for those I vehemently oppose.” In addition, the lawmaker said President Donald Trump continues to “define hypocrisy.” “On one hand, he denounced Kirk’s politically motivated killing, while on the other hand, he is instigating a witch hunt worthy of Joseph McCarthy to shut down the free speech rights of anyone who disagrees with Kirk’s racist, anti-American views,” she said. 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK While condemning Kirk’s murder, she said she will continue to “condemn political violence, racism, attacks on women and the hypocrisy coming from Trump and his acolytes.” Sherrill has been criticized by Republicans for embracing Zohran Mamdani, a socialist who is the Democratic nominee for the 2025 New York City mayoral election. “It’s not that hard to disavow socialism, and Mikie Sherrill’s official comments saying she shares the goals of socialist Zohran Mamdani is not only absurd, but it is disqualifying. Period. Full stop,” Republican Governors Association Communications Director Courtney Alexander said in June. “It should alarm New Jerseyans that Mikie Sherrill, in her words, wants to ‘throw out the old playbook’ and ‘share his voters’ goal.’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Just a few of Mamdani’s top agenda items include defunding the police, ending cooperation with ICE and government-run grocery stores,” he added. “New York City’s failures have always become New Jersey’s problems, and Mikie Sherrill’s new embrace of socialist Zohran Mamdani is a terrifying risk New Jerseyans cannot afford.”