Trump calls antifa ‘terrorist group,’ fueling fight over free speech and limits of law enforcement
President Donald Trump’s declaration that antifa is a “major terrorist organization” has spurred questions about who falls under that category and what repercussions they could face from law enforcement. Trump’s announcement, made in a Truth Social post Wednesday, aims to punish antifa, described by the president as a dangerous “radical left disaster.” But some experts warn that antifa, shorthand for “antifascism,” is a catch-all term that ropes in law-abiding people and that, unlike foreign terrorist organizations, there is no legal designation for domestic terrorist organizations. Alex Nowrasteh, a vice president at the thinktank Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital Trump’s announcement carries little weight but that the White House could craft an executive order that transforms the president’s words into action. “It’s all social media vibes until there is an order from the president of some kind, and that’s going to be the dividing line,” Nowrasteh said. “That’s going to be what we need to really take a look at.” TRUMP TO DESIGNATE ANTIFA A ‘MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION’ A White House official told Fox News Digital the administration is examining ways to memorialize Trump’s call to action. “The White House is exploring a wide variety of options to put pen to paper to address left-wing political violence and the network of organizations that fuel and fund it,” the official said. “Specifics on what that looks like continue to be discussed.” Trump also said on Truth Social that those providing funds to antifa-affiliated groups should be investigated. Trump’s announcement came less than a week after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman who allegedly wrote gamer-inspired antifascist messaging on bullet casings and accused Kirk of spreading hate. Authorities are still working to develop a complete picture of suspect Tyler Robinson’s motive. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray described antifa as a decentralized “ideology.” The Congressional Research Service emphasizes that it is a broad term and that its members have a variety of radical views closely aligned with anarchism, communism or socialism. The first group known to adopt the term antifa was Rose City Antifa in Portland, Oregon, in 2007. On occasion, violent criminals have been cited in court as affiliating with antifa. TRUMP SIGNALING TO DOJ TO TAKE ANTIFA ‘SERIOUSLY,’ FORMER DHS OFFICIAL SAYS Former acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf told Fox News Trump’s announcement could cause a shift in federal law enforcement priorities. Wolf said a crackdown on antifa, whose members often dress in all black and appear at political protests, was long overdue. The president first said antifa was a terrorist organization in 2020 amid protests and destructive riots related to George Floyd’s death. “I’m glad to see this. This needed to happen,” Wolf said. “It needed to happen in 2020, when not only was I in the middle of it, but I think most Americans saw what was going down not only in Portland but around the country, and we saw antifa being very violent.” Wolf noted that Trump’s social media announcement alone could spur the Department of Justice and the FBI to allocate resources toward investigating suspected antifa members and use their prosecutorial discretion to prioritize going after them. Domestic terrorism on both sides of the political aisle has long been a focus for federal law enforcement. Any antifa targets who face criminal charges could see prosecutors recommend tougher sentences that include a terrorism enhancement. Additionally, federal law enforcement could conduct surveillance of suspected domestic terrorists or place them on the no-fly list. DAVID MARCUS: DEMOCRATS MUST STOP THEIR DEADLY ANTI-FASCISM COSPLAY Some have expressed concerns that Trump’s announcement, and any subsequent actions the president takes related to it, could lead to constitutional violations against nonviolent people or groups on the left. “I hope he can first define what antifa is, because there is no antifa organization. … He’s using the Charlie Kirk murder as a pretext to go after people that he disagrees with,” Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said. Nowrasteh said that peacefully adhering to some kind of antifascist ideology is “absolutely protected speech.” “You can believe and say, ‘hey, this terrorist organization. … I believe in what they’re doing. Their goals are great. Their beliefs are awesome.’ You could say that. That’s not a legal violation, because of the First Amendment.” The American Civil Liberties Union’s response to Trump’s announcement echoed similar constitutional concerns. “President Trump seems hellbent on targeting real or perceived political opponents based on their constitutionally protected beliefs and speech, and we should all be very clear that he is jeopardizing everyone’s First Amendment rights,” the ACLU’s Hina Shamsi said.
Soros drops massive donation into Newsom’s redistricting effort to counter Trump: report
Billionaire left-wing donor George Soros contributed $10 million to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ballot initiative to redistrict the state, The New York Times reported Friday. Soros, who has helped fund left-wing campaigns stretching from district attorneys to federal elections, contributed the single largest donation amount to Newsom’s effort to redraw the state’s congressional lines, according to the outlet, which cited two sources with direct knowledge. Soros is the founder of the Open Society Foundations, which is a massive $25 billion nonprofit. His son Alex succeeded him as chair of the board of directors of the Open Society Foundations in 2022. The donation has helped build Newsom’s war chest for a redistricting effort to roughly $70 million, according to the Times. Newsom launched the redistricting effort, Proposition 50, earlier in 2025 to counter the Trump administration’s promotion that Republicans in states such as Texas redistrict their own lines. OBAMA CALLS NEWSOM’S CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING MOVE A ‘RESPONSIBLE APPROACH’ TO GOP TACTICS “We are talking about emergency measures to respond to what’s happening in Texas, and we will nullify what happens in Texas,” Newsom said in August of Proposition 50. Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers fled Texas in August for liberal bastions such as Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to prevent a quorum for a special session as Republican state lawmakers prepared to vote on a redrawn congressional map for the state ahead of the 2026 midterms. The Texas Legislature ultimately passed the measure in August, with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signing the new lines into law that same month. In response to the Republican efforts, Newsom launched his state’s initiative to counter red state redistricting. Proposition 50 will appear on California ballots for a special election Nov. 4. “We’ll pick up five seats with the consent of the people. And that’s the difference between the approach we’re taking and the approach they’re taking,” Newsom continued in his August press conference. “We’re doing it on a temporary basis. We’re doing it in a fully transparent way, and we’re doing it by asking the people of the state of California for their consent and support.” President Donald Trump had encouraged redistricting in Texas, including remarking in August that efforts to redistrict in Texas could lead to the GOP picking up five seats. NEWSOM-STYLE REDISTRICTING EFFORTS CRITIQUED BY CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS AS RECENTLY AS JULY, STATEMENTS SHOW “In California, it’s all gerrymandered,” Trump said during an interview with CNBC at the time. “And we have an opportunity in Texas to pick up five seats. We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are entitled to five more seats.” Trump also has repeatedly railed against Soros in public remarks over his donations to left-wing causes and candidates, including calling for investigations into George and Alex Soros. CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS SUE TO STOP NEWSOM, DEMOCRATS FROM PUSHING REDISTRICTING PLAN “Soros, and his group of psychopaths, have caused great damage to our Country! That includes his Crazy, West Coast friends. Be careful, we’re watching you!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in August. Fox News Digital reached out to the Open Society Foundations and Newsom’s office for comment but did not immediately receive replies. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Kamala Harris says she ‘had no idea’ she ‘pulled the pin on a hand grenade’ with ‘The View’ answer about Biden
Former Vice President Kamala Harris noted that she was unaware that she had “pulled the pin on a hand grenade” with her response to a question while appearing on “The View” ahead of the 2024 presidential election, according to an Associated Press report about the unsuccessful candidate’s forthcoming book about her whirlwind 2024 White House campaign. Asked whether she would have done anything differently than President Joe Biden, Harris replied by saying nothing “comes to mind” and adding that she had “been a part of … most of the decisions that have had impact.” “I had no idea I’d just pulled the pin on a hand grenade,” Harris wrote in her book, “107 Days,” which is slated for release on Tuesday, according to the AP — “my staff were besides themselves” regarding how she had handed a “gift to the Trump campaign,” she noted, according to the outlet. KAMALA HARRIS COMPLAINS ABOUT ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ LACK OF SUPPORT FROM BIDEN’S COMMS TEAM, INNER CIRCLE Harris explained in the book that she did not want to criticize the president or litigate matters on which they did not agree, according to the AP, but she did not grasp the extent to which her connection with Biden was holding back her presidential bid. President Donald Trump decisively defeated Harris in the 2024 election, winning both the Electoral College and the popular vote. HARRIS ADMITS SILENCE ON BIDEN’S 2024 RE-ELECTION BID WAS ‘RECKLESSNESS’ “I could barely breathe,” Harris wrote regarding her experience of learning that she had lost the White House contest to her Republican rival, the outlet reported. She kept asking, “My God, my God, what will happen to our country?” Earlier this year, Harris announced that she had decided against mounting a 2026 California gubernatorial bid. HARRIS REVEALS ‘FIRST CHOICE’ FOR RUNNING MATE BUT SAYS AMERICA WASN’T READY FOR IT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “In recent months, I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their Governor,” she noted in a statement issued in late July. “But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election.”
US universities training Chinese military scientists on taxpayer dime, committee warns
FIRST ON FOX: American universities are educating thousands of Chinese nationals with ties to the Chinese military — the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), according to findings from a new China Committee report. Over 400 Chinese nationals at just one of the six universities they investigated were conducting federally funded research in sensitive fields like nuclear engineering and computer science. Meanwhile, the Biden administration failed to enforce an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in 2020 banning Chinese nationals engaged in military-linked research, the report claims. That order’s rationale was that Chinese authorities use postgraduate students as “non-traditional collectors” of intelligence information. MAJOR COLLEGES FACE HEAT OVER CHINESE SCHOLARSHIP TIES AS ESPIONAGE CONCERNS MOUNT At another university, information provided to the committee showed that half of Chinese nationals pursuing a Ph.D. on campus were involved in federally funded research projects. Every surveyed U.S. university — Maryland, Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Carnegie Mellon, University of Southern California (USA), Purdue, Stanford — admitted students from China’s top military and defense research schools. These include the Seven Sons of National Defense, a group of elite institutions whose primary mission is to advance military research. Fox News Digital has contacted each American university listed in the report. “USC already maintains strong safeguards to protect national security — by requiring the disclosure of foreign financial interests and affiliations, strictly reviewing potential conflicts of interest, and prohibiting participation in restricted foreign talent programs — and we are always open to feedback on how our processes can be strengthened even further,” USC said in a statement on the report. “We cannot allow America’s taxpayer-funded research labs and classrooms to serve as staging grounds for Beijing’s military ambitions,” said House Select Committee on Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich. Those schools, including Beihang University, Harbin Institute of Technology and Northwestern Polytechnical University, maintain extensive defense laboratories and partnerships with state-owned weapons conglomerates. One example is Beihang University, which has been on the U.S. Entity List since 2001. It has nine major defense labs and “adheres to Xi Jinping Thought.” Beihang students were found at every U.S. university surveyed, according to the report. Harbin Engineering University, originally the PLA Military Engineering Institute, is represented at 83% of U.S. universities surveyed. At the University of Maryland, more than 25% of Chinese students in fall 2024 were involved in federally funded research, but the university admitted it does not track what research they conduct. MAJOR COLLEGES FACE HEAT OVER CHINESE SCHOLARSHIP TIES AS ESPIONAGE CONCERNS MOUNT The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ran a joint engineering institute with Zhejiang University, which has defense labs and ties to Chinese intelligence. Trump stirred controversy recently by saying he would allow 600,000 Chinese students into U.S. universities — a figure that exceeds current enrollment levels of Chinese nationals in the U.S. The number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. peaked at 372,532 in the 2019-2020 academic year, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. “I hear so many stories about ‘We are not going to allow their students,’ but we are going to allow their students to come in. We are going to allow it. It’s very important — 600,000 students,” he said during a White House meeting last month. The report also challenged universities’ frequent claim that foreign students help subsidize American classmates by paying higher tuition. At one school, Chinese nationals made up more than 20 percent of the Ph.D. population but contributed just 0.2 percent of tuition revenue, with most of their studies funded by federal grants, state subsidies or university assistantships. “American taxpayers are footing the bill,” the committee wrote, to provide STEM training and lab access for Chinese nationals — many of them with direct ties to the PLA. TRUMP’S CHINESE STUDENT VISA PUSH SETS OFF ALARM BELLS AMID RISING CCP ‘INFLUENCE’ IN US Faculty collaborations added another layer of risk, investigators found. The University of Maryland reported at least 89 faculty partnerships and 15 exchange agreements with Chinese entities, while Purdue University hosted 16 visiting faculty from Chinese universities in sensitive departments such as electrical engineering and computer science. Officials acknowledged the school does not fully distinguish between casual academic contact and long-term research ties, leaving oversight gaps. The committee also noted Purdue professors traveling in the other direction. The report said six Purdue faculty members were on sabbatical in China, including two at universities overseen by Beijing’s defense ministry and another at a State Key Laboratory — institutions described as “central nodes” in China’s military-civil fusion system. Purdue has since taken corrective action, adopting new safeguards to prevent foreign influence. The school banned foreign adversary funding, tightened research security and export controls, added new protections for intellectual property and restricted sabbaticals with Chinese institutions. The committee praised Purdue’s new approach as an example for other schools. At Illinois, faculty worked inside a joint institute with Zhejiang University — an institution tied to China’s defense establishment and intelligence services. But amid the investigation, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced it is terminating dozens of agreements with Chinese universities. That includes shutting down its flagship joint engineering institute with Zhejiang University — an institution with defense laboratories and documented ties to Chinese intelligence. UIUC also terminated all joint degree programs with Chinese universities, canceled six “priority admission” agreements that gave Chinese students easier entry to master’s programs and ended a summer faculty training program with Shanghai institutions. Lawmakers commended Illinois for “leading by example” by unwinding dozens of Chinese partnerships. Lawmakers recommended codifying Trump’s 2020 executive order into law, tightening visa screening, and barring Chinese nationals from participating in U.S. government-funded research labs. They also urged universities to disclose foreign student affiliations and funding sources to federal agencies. Without such reforms, the report warned, American higher education will continue training scientists and engineers “not for America’s benefit, but for the PLA.” Committee staff also pointed to recent actions by universities to unwind ties with the China Scholarship Council, a government-run student funding body they described as part of Beijing’s “technology transfer apparatus.” “We
Prosecutors to rest case in Trump assassination attempt trial, defense preps witnesses
Prosecutors are expected to rest their case Friday in the federal trial of Ryan Routh, accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024. Routh, representing himself with standby counsel, is expected to begin presenting his own witnesses once the government completes closing arguments. On Thursday, jurors heard from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Destructive Device Examiner Randy Walters, who testified that the gray storage box linked to Routh contained improvised firing mechanisms and parts designed to deliver a .50 caliber round. PROSECUTORS TO WRAP TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CASE AS DEFENSE READIES WITNESSES Walters said the homemade components, including rat traps, were spray-painted green. He testified that seven partially assembled devices were inside a bag in the box, saying the repetition showed “someone definitely attempting or tinkering with new ideas.” On cross-examination, Routh asked if the majority of the items were legal to own. Walters said they were not assembled, but that, “it is illegal for convicted felons to possess .50 caliber ammunition.” Jurors also heard from FBI Special Agent Nicholas Schnelle, introduced as an expert in sniper tradecraft. Schnelle described Routh’s alleged hideout found near the sixth hole of Trump International Golf Club as a “final firing point” with “multiple shooting lanes.” He said the fence provided support for the rifle, which he compared to “loophole shooting in combat operations.” He demonstrated the safety on the SKS rifle for the jury and said, “the gun is similar to an AK-47.” GUN SELLER TELLS RYAN ROUTH: ‘I HEARD OF YOU THREATENING PEOPLE’ IN TENSE COURTROOM EXCHANGE Cross-examining Schnelle, Routh asked if the sniper hideout was well-concealed. Schnelle answered, “Yes, sir.” Routh followed up, pointing to the red and blue bungee cords, and asked again. Schnelle replied, “Yes, sir. Those colors are in the natural environment.” Routh’s children, Sara and Adam, were in court watching closely. FBI PHONE EXTRACTIONS, DNA TESTIMONY HEADLINE DAY 7 OF RYAN ROUTH TRIAL Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, occasionally interrupted when Routh continued speaking after objections. She reminded the jury that Routh is only on trial for the listed charges. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The court is scheduled to break on Friday afternoon for a charge conference with counsel. Jurors could begin hearing from Routh’s witnesses — including a firearms expert and potential character witnesses — once the defense begins.
Former Republican senator on potential bid to flip swing state seat red: ‘this is a race I know I can win’
EXCLUSIVE — It’s been nearly two decades since former Sen. John E. Sununu’s name has been on the ballot, but if the New Hampshire Republican decides to launch a 2026 campaign for the swing state’s open Senate seat, he’s confident he can win. “I’m sure that if we put together a strong team, this is a race that can be won. This is a race I know I can win. And more importantly, it’s a role where I know I can make a difference for New Hampshire,” Sununu said, in his strongest comments to date, in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital. The former senator, who reiterated he’ll “make a decision in October” on whether to launch a Senate campaign in the expected competitive race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said “it’s a winnable race for the right person who reflects our state’s values, not the values of Washington.” And despite calling President Donald Trump a “loser” in a newspaper opinion piece early last year, Sununu may land the president’s support if he runs. THUNE SPEAKS WITH SUNUNU ABOUT SENATE BID TO FLIP BLUE SEAT RED “President Trump appreciates winners and understands that John E. Sununu puts this race on the map for Republicans,” a national Republican familiar with the Senate race in New Hampshire told Fox News Digital. Sununu is a former three-term representative who defeated then-Gov. Shaheen in New Hampshire’s 2002 Senate election. But the senator lost to Shaheen in their 2008 rematch. RISING REPUBLICAN STAR ASHLEY HINSON LAUNCHES SENATE BID TO SUCCEED IOWA’S ERNST Shaheen announced earlier this year that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms, and Republicans are hoping to flip the seat as they aim to not only defend but expand their Senate majority. Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas is the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. After nearly two decades in the private sector, Sununu sounds like someone ready to hit the campaign trail. “This is an incredibly important race. It’s an incredibly important time for the country and I feel it might be the right time to step up,” Sununu told Fox News Digital. He said that “over the last few weeks, people in New Hampshire have reached out. They’ve encouraged me to run for Senate, because they know how important it is that New Hampshire has the right kind of voice in Washington, someone who will stand up for our state, someone who won’t just be a rubber stamp for anyone else, but will represent New Hampshire every single day.” But it’s not just New Hampshire voters who may be encouraging Sununu to run. Top national Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have held conversations with the former senator regarding a 2026 Senate campaign, a source told Fox News Digital two weeks ago. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS Also speaking with Sununu was former Sen. Cory Gardner, chair of the Senate Leadership Fund, which is the top super PAC supporting Senate Republicans. The source added that Thune and Gardner were cautiously optimistic that Sununu would launch a campaign. Sununu is a brand name in New Hampshire politics. The former senator’s father, John H. Sununu, is a former governor who later served as chief of staff in then-President George H.W. Bush’s White House. And one of his younger brothers is former Gov. Chris Sununu, who won election and re-election to four two-year terms steering the Granite State. But the Republican Party has dramatically changed since the former senator last ran for office 17 years ago. The GOP, under the firm control of President Donald Trump and his America First agenda and MAGA movement, has been transformed from a business-orientated platform into a more populist party. Asked if there’s still room for an old-school fiscal conservative in Trump’s GOP, Sununu said, “good decision-making, good leadership, never goes out of style. Standing up for your state, standing up for your neighbors and your friends, and the things that make New Hampshire strong never goes out of style. Being an effective voice never goes out of style.” FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS But some of Sununu’s past criticisms of Trump could come back to hurt him if he joins a Republican primary that already includes former Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis, who are both showcasing their support for the president. Sununu, along with then-Gov. Chris Sununu, endorsed former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, as she battled Trump for the nomination. And on the eve of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, the former senator wrote an opinion piece titled “Donald Trump is a loser,” that ran in the New Hampshire Union Leader, the state’s largest daily newspaper. “@JohnSununu was the original ‘Never Trumper,’” Brown charged in a social media post this month. “He’s going to have to explain that.” Brown endorsed Trump ahead of his 2016 New Hampshire primary victory, which launched him toward the GOP presidential nomination and ultimately the White House. Brown later served as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand during Trump’s first term. And Innis claims that he’s the most pro-Trump candidate in the race. Asked if he could win a Republican primary race that could turn into a Trump loyalty test, Sununu said “the real question is, can you be effective? Can you work with other members of Congress? Can you work with this White House? Can you provide the kind of leadership it takes to get things done? And I know I can do that.” “If there’s a primary, I’ve seen them before. I’ve been through them before,” he added. “I’m very comfortable with where we are today, and over the next few weeks, I’ll continue to get people’s perspective, put together a good team, make sure we have a winning message and make a decision in October.” Trump, whose endorsement in Republican primaries is extremely influential, has remained neutral
Chuck Schumer questions whether Epstein was ‘the real reason’ Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was canceled
After news broke that late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was canceled by Disney over his comments about Charlie Kirk, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took to social media to question the motivations behind the abrupt cancellation. Schumer wondered in a Thursday afternoon post on X whether “Epstein” was “the real reason” Kimmel was forcibly scrubbed from the airwaves. “IS EPSTEIN THE REAL REASON TRUMP HAD KIMMEL CANCELED?!” Schumer asked in the post, which also included a screenshot of a New York Times article about how all the popular late-night hosts, including Kimmel, have used the newly released Epstein documents to roast the president over his alleged association with the disgraced financier. Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s representatives for more details on what Schumer was attempting to imply but did not receive a response in time for publication. JIMMY KIMMEL CANCELLATION SPARKS FIERCE CELEBRITY SPLIT IN HOLLYWOOD Nexstar Media Group, which owns hundreds of television stations, announced Wednesday that it would be pulling Kimmel’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” talk show from its ABC affiliates “for the foreseeable future” and would replace it with other programming over his comments about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson. “Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Nexstar’s broadcasting chief, Andrew Alford, said in a press release. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.” Trump spoke about the cancellation Thursday while he was in the United Kingdom, telling reporters that Kimmel “was fired” because he had bad ratings. ABC’S ‘JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!’ HEMORRHAGED VIEWERS OVER PAST DECADE, LOST 72% AMONG KEY DEMO “Jimmy Kimmel was fired ’cause he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they shoulda fired him a long time ago,” Trump said during a press conference Thursday alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in England. “He was fired for lack of talent,” Trump added. Meanwhile, in a social media post on his platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday night, Trump called the cancellation “great news for America.” The Kirk comments in question reportedly stem from a Monday airing of Kimmel’s show, during which he accused conservatives of reaching “new lows” in their efforts to try to pin Kirk’s assassin as connected to some form of left-wing ideology. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. Following news of the cancellation, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr applauded local television stations for “standing up to serve the interests of their community.”
NYC comptroller tries to force way into ICE offices as security locks down federal facility
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and several other lawmakers and protesters staged a sit-in on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza on September 18, 2025, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital. The group reportedly attempted to force their way into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices and holding cells, demanding access to the facility. ICE sources claim officers had to secure doors with locks and zip ties after protesters pushed to enter, with additional security now posted on the floor. According to ICE officials, several “egregious criminal aliens” are being held in the cells at the site. TRUMP DOJ SUES LOS ANGELES OVER SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES Meanwhile, a separate protest unfolded outside the building, where activists blocked ICE vans from leaving the facility. Protesters have been surrounding the vans, while chants echoed across the plaza. Brad Lander posted about the demonstration on social media, tagging the Democratic Socialists of America in a message of solidarity. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This is a developing story.
Pritzker’s office scrubs photo with Chicago ‘peacekeeper’ later charged in deadly robbery
Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is under fire after posing for a picture alongside a Chicago-area resident involved in the city’s “peacekeeper” program, who just days later was charged in a fatal crash-and-grab robbery that resulted in the death of a soon-to-be father. Pritzker’s office confirmed to Fox News that it removed a photo within an official government press release of the governor and the man donning a “peacekeepers program” vest, identified as Kellen McMiller, who was charged last week in connection with the deadly burglary. The photo with Pitzker was taken as part of a week-long initiative where the governor traveled to various locations around Chicago to meet with different community leaders, such as school administrators, community violence interventionists, and local business leaders. Meanwhile, court records showed that at the time McMiller posed with his photo next to Illinois’ highest ranking official, he had four outstanding arrest warrants, the Chicago-Sun Times reported. PRITZKER URGED TO AVOID PLAYING POLITICS ON CRIME ISSUE BY FORMER OBAMA ADVISOR In response to the photo faux-pas, Pritzker’s office put out a statement indicating they were “extremely troubled” to learn of McMiller’s arrest and his alleged involvement in a fatal robbery. “The Governor meets hundreds of people in communities every week and is often asked to take photos,” a Pritzker spokesperson said in a statement shared with the media. “We were extremely troubled to learn that this individual was arrested for his alleged involvement in this serious crime, and we expect them to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The Governor will keep doing everything in his power to fight crime, keep our neighborhoods safe, and support community violence intervention, which have been proven to work. For example, the Peacekeepers Program has a strong track record reducing violent crime by 41% over the past two years and providing community members with a path towards rehabilitation.” McMiller, who is 35-years-old, was charged with murder, burglary and retail theft alongside six co-defendants for a Sept. 11 crash-and-grab theft at a Louis Vuitton store along Chicago’s Miracle Mile. The photo with Pritzker took place six days prior, during an event highlighting the city’s “peacekeepers” who work in community violence prevention to help reduce the ongoing violent crime in Chicago. McMiller wore the group’s uniform as he stood next to the governor. ICE RIPS PRITZKER FOR ‘SIDING WITH CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN’ AFTER OFFICER DRAGGED, SUSPECT SHOT DEAD Prosecutors alleged that McMiller was part of a team that smashed a pickup truck into the Louis Vuitton store, stealing nearly $700,000 in merchandise. As police arrived, one of the getaway cars slammed into another vehicle that was driven by 40-year-old Mark Aceta. Aceta was subsequently killed in the crash, which occurred one day before his girlfriend gave birth to their son. This incident with Pritzker comes as he and President Donald Trump continue to spar over whether the federal government should deploy National Guard troops into Chicago to help quell the city’s violent crime. However, Pritzker has argued back that there is no crime emergency going on in Chicago that would call for federal troops to intervene. Still, the president has threatened to send the National Guard even if Pritzker tries to stop him. “If Pritzker was smart, he would say, ‘Please come in,’” Trump told reporters earlier this week. “If they lose less than six or seven people a week with murder, they’re doing a great job in their opinion. Chicago is a death trap, and I’m going to make it just like I did with D.C., just like I’ll do with Memphis.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Clinton slammed for promoting book labeling opponents ‘fascists’
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… -Obama accuses Trump administration of taking ‘cancel culture’ to ‘dangerous level’ amid media threats -Turning Point elects Erika Kirk as new CEO, chair of the board following Charlie Kirk’s assassination -Trump renews attacks on Biden autopen pardons, claims he ‘never gave the orders’ Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting blasted on social media after posting a picture supporting American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten’s new book that suggests her political opponents are “fascists.” “Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers.’ From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Clinton posted on Wednesday, along with a picture of Weingarten holding the book. “Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment,” she wrote. Clinton was criticized by conservatives for the post, which they argued continued the smear campaign against political opponents that many believe contributed to the assassination of Charlie Kirk…READ MORE. BORDER BATTLE: Federal judge blocks Trump administration from deporting hundreds of Guatemalan minors CHOPPER ISSUE: Trump forced to transfer helicopters after Marine One suffers ‘minor hydraulic issue’ in UK ‘MODERN TUSKEGEE’: DC watchdog sues for docs on ‘modern-day Tuskegee Experiments’ giving transgender Rx to youth WAR ON DRUGS: WATCH: Coast Guard seizes cocaine, suspected narco-terrorists in Pacific Viper raid JOKE’S OVER: Trump says Jimmy Kimmel pulled off air due to ‘lack of talent’ GEN Z RISES: ‘We won’t cower’: Young conservatives build on Kirk legacy in nationwide speaking tour BAGRAM OR BUST: Trump just said he’s trying to get Bagram Airbase back in Afghanistan NO PEACE IN SIGHT: Trump: Putin has ‘really let me down’ on Ukraine peace efforts DOJ DILEMMA: Schiff: Patel’s FBI leadership replaced expertise with ‘rabid partisanship’ ‘UN-AMERICAN’: Schumer accuses Trump of exploiting Charlie Kirk’s death to launch political ‘witch hunt’ ‘MENTAL BREAKDOWN’: Omar celebrates censure vote failure, alleges ’emergency’ need to get Mace ‘help’ before she harms someone ‘CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT’: Thune pans Democrats’ shutdown stance as ‘borderline pathological,’ ‘like a disease’ SAFETY TALKS: SCOOP: Iryna Zarutska stabbing fuels transit safety overhaul talks in House COMEDY POLICE: Eric Swalwell dons ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ hat in solidarity for CNN interview MURDER DEFENDER: Lawmaker who tied Kirk to ‘domestic terrorism’ facing expulsion calls amid politician blowback nationwide RIGHTS FIGHT: Virginia boys notch court win after being labeled ‘sexual harassers’ over transgender locker room complaint OFF TRACK: Blue city bus attack heightens commuters’ fears after Charlotte train stabbing Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.