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.”
Trump credits Charlie Kirk for TikTok push as China divestment deal advances
President Donald Trump on Friday credited the late Charlie Kirk while announcing a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping to keep TikTok available in the U.S. Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office Friday, Trump shared that he had a successful phone call with Jinping on Friday morning in which he reached a deal to keep the social media platform available to American users by divesting some of its ownership to U.S. business leaders. He said that Chinese leaders, American youth and even conservative leaders wanted to keep the platform available in the U.S. “The TikTok deal is well on its way,” he said. CHARLIE KIRK CREDITED WITH HELPING TRUMP GAIN SIGNIFICANT GROUND WITH YOUNG VOTERS He noted the platform’s popularity among American youth and emphasized that Kirk encouraged its use to engage with young people. “Charlie was very much in favor of TikTok; he liked TikTok,” he added. “He said, you know, ‘You should use it.’” Trump credited Kirk with leveraging social media platforms like TikTok to get “massive numbers of youth” out to vote for him and Republicans in 2024. “If you take a look at my numbers, no Republican has ever done anything like it. We got massive numbers of youth, and, by the way, helped very much by Charlie Kirk,” he said. “It probably had a pretty big effect on the election because we won the election by a lot.” TPUSA INSIDER: ERIKA KIRK IS ‘ABSOLUTE FORCE’ READY TO GROW GROUP ’10X’ AFTER TRAGEDY This comes as Trump has repeatedly delayed implementing a law passed by Congress in 2024 to ban TikTok in the U.S. unless it divests its ownership of U.S. operations from China to America. Following his negotiations with Jinping, Trump said TikTok’s U.S. operations will be “controlled by very powerful and very substantial American people, all American.” “It’s a great deal for our country. It’s a great deal for all of the young people in the country and for people generally,” he said. Trump acknowledged his initial opposition to TikTok, saying, “I wasn’t a fan of TikTok, and then I got to use it. And I became a fan, and it helped me win the election in a landslide. WHITE HOUSE RELEASES VIDEO TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE KIRK “I had a great call with President Xi and, as you know, we approved the TikTok deal, and we’re in the process. We have some great investors, some of the biggest in the world, American investors, great people, and we look forward to getting that deal closed,” he said. Pressed on whether the deal is fully approved, Trump answered, “I think so. And when you say fully approved, I don’t know what that means. We have to get it signed, I guess. I guess it could be a formality. I found his word to be very good. “They wanted to see it,” he said of China, “and I can tell you, the young people in our country wanted to see it stay open very badly.”
DHS names ‘worst of the worst’ detainees after Democratic lawmakers demand their release
The Department of Homeland Security on Friday released the names of some of the “worst of the worst” detainees being held at the Federal Plaza in New York City a day after security locked down the federal facility because of demonstrators. A group of Democratic lawmakers and protesters, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, staged a sit-in on the 10th floor of the facility on Thursday, demanding access to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices and holding cells. ICE sources claim officers had to secure doors with locks and zip ties after protesters pushed to enter, and additional security had to be added. In a statement to Fox News Digital, DHS called the detainees “some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, including MS-13 gang members and criminals convicted of illegal possession of a weapon, drug trafficking and serial drunk drivers.” ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTED IN NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL-ALIEN CRACKDOWN: DHS “Another day with more politicians pulling a stunt in an attempt to get their 15 minutes of fame while endangering DHS personnel and detainees,” Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, said in a statement. She said Lander showed up at the plaza “unannounced with agitators and media and proceeded to obstruct law enforcement and cause a scene. He yelled inside the building that he was ‘not leaving’ until detainees were ‘released’.” As a result, she said Federal Protective Service called the NYPD, and local police and federal law enforcement and 71 arrests were made, including Lander, two New York State senators and nine New York State Assembly members. DHS ARRESTS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ MIGRANTS IN LA DESPITE RIOTERS, POLS PUSHING BACK “MS-13 Gang members, drug traffickers, serial drunk drivers and illegal possession of a weapon. These are the criminal illegal aliens these sanctuary politicians were fighting to be released back onto the streets of New York City,” McLaughlin said. “The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent criminal illegal aliens to protect and defend the lives of American citizens.” DHS identified six of the detainees, including Vladimir Kuca, an Albanian national who illegally entered the U.S. in 2023 after being convicted of drug trafficking in Switzerland. He was handed over to ICE by the FBI on Thursday. David Abrego Alvarado and Juan Hernandez Saravia, Salvadoran nationals, are confirmed MS-13 gang members, DHS said. Alvarado was removed from the U.S. in 2017 and illegally returned in 2023. He had a DWI conviction. Saravia has three DUIs and has two additional convictions for possession of a weapon. He was removed in 2007, eventually returning illegally at an unknown time. Juan Enrique Pena Soriano, a national from the Dominican Republic, came into the U.S. illegally at an unknown time and was arrested by the DEA for possession of a controlled substance and turned over to ICE. Asker Aslanovich Khutov, a Russian, overstayed his B-2 tourist visa and has a final order of removal from an immigration judge. He was convicted of criminal possession of stolen property. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Miguel Ramirez, a Mexican national, illegally entered the U.S. at an unknown date and was charged with restricted consumption and was previously convicted of resisting arrest.
AOC uses House floor speech to smear Charlie Kirk: ‘His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated’
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Friday opposed a resolution honoring the life and legacy of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated Sept. 10 during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University. In a speech on the House floor, Ocasio-Cortez claimed the resolution was introduced on a “purely partisan basis, instead of uniting Congress.” After condemning Kirk’s murder, she noted the resolution “brings great pain to the millions of Americans who endured segregation, Jim Crow and the legacy of bigotry today” and tore into the late 31-year-old’s ideology. “We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was, a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act that granted Black Americans the right to vote was a mistake, who, after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, claimed that ‘some amazing patriot’ should bail out his brutal assailant and accused Jews of controlling ‘not just the colleges – it’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it,’” Ocasio-Cortez said. 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK “His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans — far from the ‘working tirelessly to promote unity’ as asserted by the majority in this resolution.” The resolution described Kirk as a “devoted Christian,” “dedicated husband” and a “loving father” of two, explaining his founding of Turning Point USA and commending his personification of the First Amendment. It resolved the House of Representatives to condemn Kirk’s assassination and all forms of political violence; commended law enforcement for catching Kirk’s alleged killer; extended condolences to Kirk’s family; honored Kirk’s life, leadership and legacy; and called upon all Americans — regardless of race, party affiliation or creed — to “reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.” ‘FEARLESS’ TOUR TAKES CHARLIE KIRK’S FREE SPEECH MISSION TO COLLEGES NATIONWIDE In addition to Ocasio-Cortez, 57 other Democrats voted against the resolution, including Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Maxine Waters of California. However, 95 Democrats voted to adopt the resolution, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Here is a breakdown of public comments Kirk made regarding the topics Ocasio-Cortez mentioned in her dissent. During a Feb. 2, 2024, podcast episode with “Fearless” host Jason Whitlock, Kirk acknowledged his ideas about the Civil Rights Act and its role in American society were “provocative,” thanking Whitlock for the opportunity to further explain. “It’s an awful provocative conversation I started. I stand by it, and I appreciate the opportunity. I mean this sincerely, Jason — to explain it. There’s even some people on the right that have been just throwing insults, and they would never have me on the show to explain it.” Kirk went on to say he extensively researched what the Civil Rights Act was, what it tried to accomplish, how it was sold to the American people at the time and how it is perceived now by the modern academic consensus. “At the time, of course, there were legislative priorities that needed to be done by the federal government to stop bitter segregation — I’ve always held that,” Kirk said. “The American people thought they were getting minor legislative adjustments to say that segregation based on race is evil and wrong. In reality, what they got was the birthing of a permanent deep state of bureaucrats that were looking for racism where it didn’t exist, eventually with affirmative action, quotas and hiring practices expanded beyond race into LGBTQ-type issues. “What the Civil Rights era really birthed was this idea that it’s the federal government’s job not just to say that discrimination is wrong, but to actively go against any sort of disparate outcome and try to even the score under the guise of equity.” ANTI-TRUMP VOICES PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK’S LEGACY AFTER ASSASSINATION, SAY HE WAS DOING POLITICS ‘THE RIGHT WAY’ Kirk went on to discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech, saying he “100% bought into” the need for equality, but adding he believed the Civil Rights Act was expanded further than the initial intention. “At the time, a majority of Americans wanted to see an end to desegregation,” he said. “They didn’t want to see new segregation put forward in eventually anti-White hiring practices, affirmative action or the entire federal bureaucracy having racial hiring quotas. “Eventually, you look around and you have the left defending Black-only dormitories at hundreds of universities across the country, Black-only graduation ceremonies. … You look back to the Civil Rights Act and you say maybe we overreached and built something we didn’t intend, a federal Leviathan in the form of anti-racism.” WATCH: CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL PODCAST EPISODE In an Oct. 31, 2022, episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” titled “A Naked Smear of MAGA,” Kirk discussed the Oct. 28, 2022, attack against Nancy Pelosi’s husband, saying directly, “I’m not qualifying it, I think it’s awful.” David DePape, a Canadian citizen living in the U.S., was sentenced to life in prison in 2024 after attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, causing two head wounds and injuries to his right arm and hand. DePape, who Kirk described in the episode as someone who was “not sane,” admitted to devising a plot to hold then-Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she did not admit to allegedly telling “lies” about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. She was not home at the time of the attack. Kirk’s comments about “bailing out” DePape were in relation to the concept of disparity within cashless bail policies. Under cashless bail policies, a suspect who is arrested for a crime is released before a trial without having to pay bail or bond. The fees were put in place to ensure suspects do not flee and incentivize them to make scheduled court appearances. While many liberal jurisdictions have enacted
Charlie Kirk credited with helping Trump gain significant ground with young voters
As conservatives reflect on the legacy of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk ahead of his celebration of life in Arizona on Sunday, some Republicans credit him with helping President Donald Trump win over young voters in 2024. Former TPUSA staffer Anthony DeWitt explained that the grassroots element of Kirk’s work likely played a “monumental” role in “energizing the youth to get out and vote in 2024.” “Charlie created something that finally lifted the voices and work of not only grassroots, but young people, people like myself who were just entering politics and gave us something that traditionally was only achieved by those who have had a lifetime in politics,” DeWitt stated. RED HATS AND CHANTS OF ‘USA’ MARK VIGIL HONORING SLAIN CONSERVATIVE LEADER CHARLIE KIRK: ‘ACT’ “Getting young people knocking doors, chasing ballots, getting signatures, signing up new voters, attending conferences — that was the key to winning the 2024 election.” A Fox News voter analysis had Trump wooing 47% of voters aged 18-29, with former Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly winning the demographic with 51%. In the battleground state of Michigan, the analysis found that Trump won the age group with 50%, compared to 48% for Harris. He also came close with 48% in Arizona, where TPUSA is headquartered, with 51% of those surveyed backing Harris. FROM GRIEF TO GROWTH: TURNING POINT USA BECOMES A RALLYING FORCE FOR GEN Z IN BATTLEGROUND ARIZONA Trump ultimately ended up sweeping the battleground states, including Michigan and Arizona, winning 312 electoral votes and the popular vote. However, it is an 11% increase from the 36% of voters in the same age range in 2020, with former President Joe Biden carrying the demographic with 61%. Colin Reed, a Washington, D.C.-based Republican strategist, noted how Kirk plays a unique role in “expanding the tent” for the party. ‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION “A generation ago, it would have been unthinkable for a Republican candidate to run nearly equal among younger voters against a Democratic standard-bearer who had every Hollywood and celebrity endorser under the sun, but that’s precisely what happened in 2024,” Reed wrote to Fox News Digital, alluding to Harris’ star-studded, but short campaign after Biden dropped out in July. “Charlie opened the doors for younger people to not only consider the conservative movement but embrace it and champion its principles as a ticket to prosperity and happiness.” Those close to Kirk, including Turning Point Action’s leader Tyler Bowyer, dubbed 2026 the “Charlie Kirk election” at a vigil at Arizona State University Monday. “2028 will be the Kirk-Vance election,” he said, and the organization is expected to rally around Vice President JD Vance to be Trump’s successor.
Byron Donalds rebukes ‘Squad’ member over ‘fascist’ slur: ‘Do I look like a member of the Third Reich?’
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., began shouting at Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds during a Thursday hearing, after he chastised the “Squad” lawmaker for referring to GOP efforts to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C., as ‘fascist.’ Tlaib’s clash with Donalds came after she slammed Republicans for their “rhetoric” targeting the District of Columbia, where President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to help local law enforcement address crime in the capitol city. “We can’t be passive right now,” Tlaib said during the House Oversight hearing. “So don’t nobody over there should take anything we say serious – you know, like, so personally – as if we’re attacking them. No, we’re attacking a process. We’re not attacking people here. And I think it’s really important we need to stand up against this fascist takeover – that’s not a bad word, it’s a fact.” TRUMP’S DC CRIME CRACKDOWN OVERWHELMINGLY BENEFITS BLACK AMERICANS AS HOMICIDES HIT ZERO “Here in DC and across the country it is so incredibly important, Mr. Chair, that this committee does not allow rhetoric that defames, or paints Washington, D.C., in a way that you all really haven’t truly seen. You’re just reading it, or something off of some –,” Tlaib continued before Donalds stepped in, asking Tlaib if he could pose a question. Even though Tlaib did not pause to let Donalds speak, he eventually interjected anyways. “I think it’s insane that the gentlelady doesn’t have an argument, but she is going to refer to me and some of my colleagues like we’re from the Third Reich. This is insane. It’s insane,” Donalds said. TRUMP’S SECURITY UNDER SCRUTINY AS SECRET SERVICE BRACES FOR KIRK MEMORIAL The pair began raising their voices and eventually got into a shouting match, with Donalds asking Tlaib, “Do I look like a member of the Third Reich to you, Ms. Tlaib? Is that what I look like to you? Is that what you think?” Donalds called Tlaib’s “fascist” label “out of line,” in a gaggle with reporters after the event. The GOP lawmaker from Florida is currently attempting to usher two bills through Congress to help tamp down on crime, including one that he said would lower the age for juvenile sentencing from 25 to 18-years-old. “I think it was important to set the record straight,” Donalds told reporters. “Congresswoman Tlaib tried to call me and my colleagues fascists. Obviously, in light of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, that’s even more of a sore subject now than it ever has been, and I just find it to be reprehensible. I don’t look like somebody who is in the Third Reich. None of my colleagues do. And I think if people want to start talking about people being responsible with their rhetoric, it should start with Congresswoman Tlaib.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In 2023, enough Democrats in Congress joined Republicans to formally censure Tlaib over her rhetoric about the Israel-Hamas war that erupted on Oct. 7. 2023. Tlaib defended her rhetoric and positions, saying she “will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words,” according to the Associated Press. Tlaib has also faced additional censure threats this month over recent comments she made at a pro-Palestinian conference in August. Fox News Digital reached out to Tlaib’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Experts warn leftist celebrations of Charlie Kirk’s death signal a dangerous mainstream shift in politics
After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered in Utah last week, leftist and contrarian figures across the country reacted with open celebration, prompting widespread public condemnation. Fox News Digital spoke this week to several experts who analyzed whether the trend remains a fringe occurrence or if celebrations of political opponents’ deaths and injuries are becoming mainstream. Paul Sracic is a former politics professor at Youngstown State University and is currently an adjunct fellow at the domestic policy-focused Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. He said the answer depends on one’s definition of “fringe.” CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER THE LATEST IN INCREASING POLITICAL VIOLENCE NATIONWIDE, FROM PA GOVERNOR TO SCOTUS Sracic said recent surveys showed as many as one-fifth of self-identified liberals agreed that political violence is sometimes justified. “Presumably, most of these very liberal and liberal voters support Democrats. This should horrify Democratic leaders, but it’s arguably the inevitable outcome of Democrats either adopting or at most failing to push back against notions that words themselves can be a form of violence and therefore can make people feel “unsafe” if they are exposed to a political argument with which they disagree,” Sracic said. Democratic leaders, however they might personally think, also know that these more-energized voters must be attracted to the polls in the midterms, no matter the political environment, in order for the party to have a shot at winning back part of the federal government, he said. Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., who is also running for Sen. Mitch McConnell’s to-be-open Senate seat, offered another perspective – focusing on the increasing trend of political violence from the left against the right. He cited Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., nearly being assassinated at a Virginia ballfield, two attempts on President Donald Trump’s life, and Kirk’s murder. “Make no mistake—whether you stand with President Trump, support Israel, or believe in free-market capitalism, you are being targeted,” Barr said. “I will work with the Trump administration and provide every resource necessary to prevent these acts of domestic terrorism before they happen.” Democratic strategist and former congressional staff advisor Julian Epstein argued that multiple factors are driving the reaction to Kirk’s killing. RESEARCHERS WARN OF RISING ‘ASSASSINATION CULTURE’ AFTER MURDERS OF CHARLIE KIRK, BRIAN THOMPSON “The celebration of Kirk’s death on the far left, both on and offline, is far too common, and not sufficiently denounced,” he said. “The minimization of assassination by Democrat elites in arguing the both side-ism — and in the case of an ABC reporter, the moral relativism — is also too common.” Epstein warned that the indiscriminate use of historically charged terms like “fascism” is radicalizing political bases, and argued the left is failing to uphold Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Civil Rights-era call to reject violence as a path to political change. “That failure occurred not only with the Kirk assassination, but also during the L.A. riots and the scourge of antisemitic violence on college campuses and elsewhere in the past few years,” he said. Link Lauren, former advisor to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and host of the podcast “Spot On,” said the trend is no longer fringe but increasingly mainstream: “They call us Nazis, fascists, and threats to democracy. In the wake of George Floyd, the left burned down cities and businesses,” Lauren said. “Since Charlie’s assassination, conservatives have gathered in churches and peaceful prayer. [That] tells you all you need to know.” At the Manhattan Institute, legal policy fellow Tal Fortgang added that political violence is “capacious.” “There is an increasingly mainstream view among progressives, gaining ground within the Democratic Party as its democratic socialist influence grows, that terrorism is justified if it evens out power disparities,” he said. “So you see prominent Democrats downplaying the atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023, on the grounds that Israel was the more powerful party in that fight.” Fortgang said New York Assemb. Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America have risen in prominence since the Hamas terror attacks. “And, as Mamdani’s star has risen, so has the premise that violence is justified if it’s someone “powerless” attacking someone ‘powerful.’” Fortgang also pointed to comments from Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts after the murder of a health care executive – a case in which the prime suspect has been treated like a celebrity outside his ongoing court hearings. Warren originally said that violence is “never the answer,” with the caveat that “people can only be pushed so far… if you push people hard enough, they lose faith in the ability of their government to make change.” She later clarified her remarks, stating: “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Fortgang said suspect Luigi Mangione “struck a blow against capitalism,” and posited that Kirk’s suspected murderer Tyler Robinson may have been motivated by a desire to avenge transphobia. “Hamas fights settler-colonialism when they burn families alive. Systemic thinking is dehumanizing, but it became basically orthodoxy on the American left,” he said. “Even if it is not solely responsible for the uptick in political violence, or its widespread celebration, it helps sustain it. That’s what the Democratic Party needs to confront.”
58 House Dems vote against resolution honoring ‘life and legacy’ of Charlie Kirk
The House of Representatives adopted a resolution to honor the “life and legacy” of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk on 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 having quickly risen to condemn political violence in the wake of Kirk’s assassination. The vote divided Democrats, however, with 95 lawmakers voting to adopt the resolution, 58 voting against it and 22 not voting at all. Thirty-eight Democrats also voted “present” on the resolution. The top three House Democrats – Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. – all voted in favor of the measure. ABC REPORTER CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN’S TEXT MESSAGES WITH TRANSGENDER PARTNER ‘VERY TOUCHING’ House Democratic leadership did not expressly tell their caucus how to vote on the resolution but communicated that they would support it, according to two sources familiar with discussions. The measure to honor Kirk, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., lauded the Turning Point USA founder as “one of the most prominent voices in America, engaging in respectful, civil discourse across college campuses, media platforms and national forums, always seeking to elevate truth, foster understanding and strengthen the Republic.” It also said Kirk’s “commitment to civil discussion and debate stood as a model for young Americans across the political spectrum, and he worked tirelessly to promote unity without compromising on conviction.” SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING It called his killing “a sobering reminder of the growing threat posed by political extremism and hatred in our society” and “calls upon all Americans—regardless of race, party affiliation, or creed—to reject political violence, recommit to respectful debate, uphold American values, and respect one another as fellow Americans.” The resolution also invoked Kirk’s Christian faith, affirming that the House “honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk, whose steadfast dedication to the Constitution, civil discourse, and biblical truth inspired a generation to cherish and defend the blessings of liberty.” Despite lawmakers on both sides quickly coming out to condemn Kirk’s killing and political violence as a whole, subsequent days have seen partisan divisions skyrocket over the case. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was among the Democrats targeted by the right for her response to Kirk’s death, both in an interview on progressive outlet Zeteo News and in reposting a social media video that criticized Kirk’s allies’ responses to his killing. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., led a failed bid to censure Omar over her reaction, which was tabled when four Republicans, three of whom cited First Amendment protections, voted to block the measure.
House passes Trump-backed plan to avert government shutdown
The House passed a short-term federal funding bill backed by President Donald Trump on Friday morning, paving the way for averting a government shutdown if the Senate follows suit. The legislation is aimed at keeping the government funded at current levels through Nov. 21 with a measure known as a continuing resolution (CR), designed to give House and Senate appropriators more time to strike a deal on fiscal 2026 federal spending. It passed mostly along party lines in a 217-212 vote. Two Republicans, Reps. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted against the measure. Just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine., voted in favor. Fiscal 2025 is slated to end on Sept. 30, and Congress risks a partial shutdown if the CR does not make it to Trump’s desk for a signature by then. SENATE REPUBLICANS BRAND LOOMING CRISIS A ‘SCHUMER SHUTDOWN’ AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN In addition to keeping the government open until just before Thanksgiving, the legislation also includes an added $30 million to boost lawmaker security through a mutual aid fund for Capitol law enforcement and local police. That decision was made as concerns over political violence have skyrocketed in recent months, including after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah last week. The CR also honors a White House request for an additional $58 million in combined security funding for the judicial and executive branches, as well as $1 billion allocated for Washington, D.C.’s budget after Congress repealed that sum earlier this year. A shutdown could be politically costly for both Republicans and Democrats. Democratic leaders had threatened for days to oppose the bill, infuriated over being left out of CR negotiations and demanding increased funding for healthcare subsidies. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., was criticizing the CR as recently as Friday morning, less than an hour before the vote. TRUMP PRESSURES REPUBLICANS TO PASS A CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO AVERT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “Today, there’s a choice before every single member of the House of Representatives: will we stand up for the healthcare of the American people, or will we bend the knee to Donald Trump and his continued efforts to gut healthcare for everyday Americans?” Jeffries asked. “We’re voting no on a partisan Republican spending bill, and we’ll continue to defend the healthcare of the American people.” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had precious little wiggle room going into the vote, affording to lose only two Republicans if all Democrats turned against it. But in the Senate, where at least several Democratic votes will be needed to meet the 60-vote threshold to advance the legislation, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is under significant pressure from his left flank to buck the GOP-led bill. Schumer angered progressives in March when he cast a key vote to help avert a government shutdown with another Republican-led bill. Republicans, meanwhile, have been readying to place the blame on a potential shutdown squarely on Democrats’ shoulders. Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday evening, “House Republicans are taking a very important Vote to pass a CLEAN TEMPORARY FUNDING BILL. The Leader of the Democrats, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, wants to shut the Government down.” “Republicans want the Government to stay open. Every House Republican should UNIFY, and VOTE YES!” Trump wrote. Democrats released their own alternative CR plan this week, but Johnson told Fox News’ “Special Report” that it was “filled with partisan wish lists and poison pills and demands.” The Senate is expected to consider both versions and could take a vote as early as Friday.
Russian jets violate Estonian airspace, foreign minister says
Three Russian jets violated Estonia’s airspace on Friday, according to the country’s foreign minister. The MiG-31 jets flew together, two NATO sources independently told Fox News Digital. The jets flew back and forth for over 12 minutes before Italian F-35s “pushed them out,” according to the sources. A NATO defense source initially said the jets were carrying high-speed, air-launched ballistic missiles called Kinzhals, but later clarified they were only capable of doing so. It is unclear if the jets were armed with Kinzhals. White House officials could not immediately be reached about the incursion. NATO WARNS RUSSIA AFTER POLAND SHOOTS DOWN ‘HUGE NUMBER’ OF DRONES THAT VIOLATED ITS AIRSPACE “Russia has already violated Estonia’s airspace four times this year, which in itself is unacceptable. But today’s incursion, involving three fighter aircraft entering our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen,” said Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. “Russia’s increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure.” Estonia is considering requesting Article 4 consultations. Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty allows any NATO member to request consultations with other allies when it feels its territorial integrity, political independence or security is under threat. It does not automatically trigger a military response, as Article 5 does, but it is often used as a serious diplomatic and security warning signal. The incident comes just days after Poland accused Russia of violating its airspace with more than a dozen drones during a major bombardment of Ukraine. Warsaw reported that at least 19 drones crossed into Polish territory from Belarus and Ukraine, forcing temporary airport closures and scrambling NATO air defenses. Poland shot down several of the drones and labeled the breach an “act of aggression.” Prime Minister Donald Tusk described it as an “unprecedented” violation, warning that the drones posed a direct threat. Poland invoked Article 4 consultations with NATO in response. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.