NationalWatch

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday he does not plan to attend protests during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, while denying that he has ever encouraged New Yorkers to protest the Israeli leader.

The comments come less than two months after Mamdani said New Yorkers had the right to protest Netanyahu’s visit and that he would leave the decision to them.

“I do not have any plans to attend any protest at the UNGA,” Mamdani said on Wednesday. “To New Yorkers I have never encouraged them to protest. What I have always told them is that they have the right to do so in this city.”

ISRAEL’S AMBASSADOR SAYS NYC’S MAMDANI IS ‘SOWING CHAOS’ AHEAD OF NETANYAHU’S UN APPEARANCE

Mamdani and Netanyahu have clashed over the Israeli leader’s expected New York visit since July, when Mamdani said he had asked his administration to review applicable law to determine whether the city could execute an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

The Democratic socialist mayor said in July that New Yorkers had the right to protest Netanyahu’s visit, calling protest “one of the bedrocks of our city.”

ISRAELI UN ENVOY BLASTS MAMDANI AS ‘CLOWN’ OVER CALL TO ARREST NETANYAHU: ‘IT’S A STUNT’

“It is something that has been a part of what makes our city so special, that New Yorkers can express themselves whether they are in support or in opposition no matter on whatever topic,” he said during the press conference on July 22.

NETANYAHU ACCUSES MAMDANI OF ‘FOMENTING HATE,’ SAYS RHETORIC IS MAKING NEW YORK JEWS AFRAID

“And I’ve always said that when we respect our Constitution, we also respect our First Amendment. And here in New York City it will always be a place where you can exercise that,” the Mayor added.

Mamdani has repeatedly criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza and accused the country of committing genocide, while voicing support for pro-Palestinian causes. He also skipped New York City’s annual Israel Day Parade on May 31, becoming the first mayor in decades to miss the event.

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Mamdani previously called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and “architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.

Washington’s growing alarm over artificial intelligence is beginning to echo Y2K, experts say, when dire warnings of technological catastrophe prompted a massive scramble to avert failures that ultimately proved far less severe than feared.

“You could draw all sorts of scary scenarios with Y2K as well. The financial system was just going to collapse because people had not written their programs for the year 2000. I had been writing programs in the 1980s for the government, so I’m well aware of the program,” Junk Science publisher and founder Steven Milloy told Fox News Digital.

“But of course, the tech industry knew about the problem, and to the extent that was a real problem, took action to fix it. The same can happen with AI,” Milloy added.

RESEARCHER WHO DEPARTED AI ROLE OVER FEARS OF RACING INTO EXTINCTION SAYS PEOPLE ARE ‘BEGGING’ FOR REGULATION

Y2K was a computer bug that raised fears systems could fail when the calendar changed from 1999 to 2000. The U.S. spent an estimated $100 billion, $200 billion adjusted for today’s inflation, in preparing for the problem, according to a 2000 Senate report.

When the new millennium arrived, there were few major disruptions.

President Donald Trump has made rapid AI development and the data centers needed to power it a priority, while the administration promotes the technology’s potential economic benefits and Democrats cry foul before midterm elections.

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“Democrats are capitalizing on the fears of Americans that angst over AI,” Heritage Foundation technology analyst Annie Chestnut Tutor told Fox News Digital.

Democrats are increasingly calling for government guardrails on AI, citing potential threats ranging from job losses and inequality to risks to democracy and humanity. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, for instance, wrote in April that AI “kills jobs, equality, connection, democracy and maybe the human race.”

But the apocalyptic warnings are not coming only from Washington.

Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon quit the company over concerns about the race toward self-improving AI, warning that its developers are “gambling with our lives” and that such systems could potentially “kill us all by the end of the decade.”

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Y2K sparked similar fears, as warnings spread of potential power-grid failures, disruptions to air travel and air-traffic control, and even predictions that planes could fall from the sky.

The Trump administration has backed targeted safeguards, including AI-powered cyber defenses for critical infrastructure, criminal enforcement against AI-enabled hacking and proposed measures to limit AI-driven child exploitation.

Tutor offered a nuanced Y2K comparison, arguing that the episode showed how technological risks can be addressed before they become potentially catastrophic.

“The reason now, like, we all laugh about Y2K is because actually software engineers and, like, financial analysts, they’ve worked really hard to ensure that the catastrophic incidents [didn’t] happen,” Tutor said.

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“I think the same thing could happen with AI,” she added. “If AI is built right, it can be more beneficial to Americans than the doomsday scenario.”

Milloy said the Y2K comparison also fits a pattern he sees with climate change, with dire warnings of an existential threat followed by calls for sweeping government intervention.

Climate warnings have likewise been framed in apocalyptic terms, including predictions that entire nations could be wiped out by global warming, Arctic summer ice could disappear within years and Glacier National Park’s glaciers would vanish by 2020.

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“There are a lot of parallels between climate hysteria and AI hysteria,” Milloy said. “Climate was existential. It was going to destroy the planet, and by implication, humanity. As we learned last week, AI is going to destroy humanity also on a very short time frame.”

Milloy argued that while lawmakers are crying foul, they have not established enough specific evidence of catastrophic AI scenarios to justify sweeping restrictions.

Trump has responded to AI warnings by calling them a “hoax,” reviving the language he has used for years to dismiss climate change concerns.

“Give me a real-life practical scenario of how this can happen,” he said. “And then if you know what the scenario is, then you can stop it.”

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Milloy warned that overly broad regulation could carry its own cost by slowing technological advances before their benefits are fully understood.

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“The opportunity costs are potentially huge,” Milloy said, pointing to potential AI-assisted advances in medicine and productivity while acknowledging that their ultimate scale remains unknown.

States with stronger teachers’ unions tend to have weaker literacy performance and have adopted fewer of the policies credited with improving reading outcomes, according to a new analysis from a center-left think tank.

Eight of the ten states to score among the worst in the Progressive Policy Institute’s (PPI) assessment of early-literacy policies were home to powerful teachers’ unions. Among the top 60% of states in terms of early-literacy policy scores, only four had strong teachers’ unions.

Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Indiana, all Republican leaning states with weak unions, were among the states with the best literacy outcomes. Maine, New York, Illinois, Hawaii, Washington and Rhode Island, blue states, were among the worst.

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The pattern isn’t universal. Maryland, a blue state with a strong teachers’ union, has posted strong reading results, while South Dakota, a red state with a weaker union, has struggled. The differences suggest union strength and party control alone don’t explain states’ reading performance.

Rachel Canter, PPI’s director of education policy, conducted the analysis with colleagues by comparing teacher-union strength rankings with states’ early-literacy policy scores. Canter is also one of the people behind the slate of educational reforms in Mississippi that propelled the state from among the worst in the country for educational outcomes to among the best.

“Democrats, however, don’t often ask me how to replicate Mississippi’s success,” Canter said. “They ask if it’s possible at all, given the power of teachers’ unions in their home states.”

Teachers’ unions, according to Canter, exert massive amounts of influence over both educational policies and how those policies are implemented in the classroom. This can make schools in states with stronger unions slower to adapt to challenges or to adopt new, better methods.

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Mississippi’s reforms, among other things, added kindergarten-through-third-grade screenings, literacy coaches, individual reading plans and held back third graders who failed the state reading test. The state reinforced those measures with science-based reading instruction, increased teacher training and tougher licensing requirements.

Tweaks to teaching like these can be difficult to achieve in states with influential teachers’ unions, with labor reps arguing that the changes place undue burdens on educators.

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Many of the states that underperformed in the Progressive Policy Institute’s study also have Democratic leadership. Teachers’ unions spend hundreds of millions of dollars every electoral cycle on electing Democrats and pushing left-of-center policies.

“States dominated by Democrats have been slower to embrace similar reforms,” Canter said. “Organized labor might explain some of this gap.”

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Multiple GOP-led Southern states have adopted educational reforms similar to those introduced in Mississippi. Those same states dominated the Progressive Policy Institute’s rankings of the states with the best student literacy.

CONCORD, N.H. – A Republican running to flip a blue Senate seat in a crucial battleground state is flipping the script on the Democrats’ anti-incumbent argument.

Former Sen. John E. Sununu, the GOP Senate nominee who’s running to return to Capitol Hill after 18 years away, charges that his Democratic rival, Rep. Chris Pappas, has “been in Washington for 8 years and hasn’t delivered for New Hampshire.”

Sununu and Pappas are facing off in the midterm election in the battle to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in a race that’s one of roughly a dozen that will determine if Republicans hold their control of the Senate.

“He has attempted very little in Congress. He’s accomplished even less,” Sununu said in an exclusive Fox News Digital interview this week, as he blasted Pappas, a four-term congressman.

THESE 12 MIDTERM RACES WILL DETERMINE IF REPUBLICANS HOLD THE SENATE

Sununu was interviewed ahead of a move by the Cook Political Report, a top nonpartisan campaign handicapper, to shift the race in New Hampshire from lean Democrat to toss-up. Earlier this month another leading nonpartisan handicapper, Inside Elections, also changed their rating to toss-up.

It was a rare move in favor of the Republicans amid a political cycle where the GOP is facing traditional political headwinds for the party in power in DC. Republicans are also confronting an extremely rough political climate fueled by persistent inflation, soaring fuel prices due to the ongoing war with Iran, and President Donald Trump‘s underwater approval ratings.

So what’s Sununu’s secret sauce?

Part of it is his last name, which is a political brand in New Hampshire. Sununu’s father, John E. Sununu, served six years as governor before heading to Washington, D.C. as then-President George H.W. Bush’s White House chief of staff. And one of his younger brothers, Chris Sununu, recently served eight years as governor before taking a break from politics.

But also boosting Sununu, his strategy to blast Pappas as a do-nothing member of Congress during another anti-incumbent election cycle, which is a turn of the tables on the Democrats’ playbook.

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“He’s been on the Transportation Committee for 8 years, and New Hampshire is dead last in highway funding in New England. That hurts New Hampshire. His ineffectiveness is doing damage to the state because we’re not getting the support we need from Washington,” Sununu claimed.

While it doesn’t rank dead last in every single metric or category, New Hampshire receives some of the lowest total and per-capita levels of federal funding for roads, highways, and bridges of any state in the country, according to federal and state figures.

Pappas, earlier this year, introduced the Highway Fair Share Act, a bill to increase federal funding for infrastructure and transportation projects for New Hampshire by requiring that each state receive at least .5% of the total federal-aid highway formula funding.

Pappas and the rest of the all-Democratic congressional delegation in June highlighted $9 million in federal funding for New Hampshire projects.

“Chris Pappas has led efforts to expand healthcare benefits for 3.5 million veterans, bring high-speed internet to towns across New Hampshire, put more money back in the pockets of working parents, and secure millions of dollars to improve and repair roads, bridges, and buildings,” Pappas Campaign Manager Rachel Petri told Fox News Digital, as she shared a long list of funding accomplishments by the congressman.

Petri said, “Chris is rated among the most effective and bipartisan lawmakers and his record stands in stark contrast to John Sununu’s record of voting to cut Medicare, leading efforts to privatize Social Security, and backing Donald Trump’s tariffs and war with Iran.”

Sununu’s anti-incumbent argument is a bit ironic, considering he spent six years in the House and a term in the Senate before losing a rematch with then-former Gov. Shaheen in the 2008 election.

Looking back at his years on Capitol Hill, Sununu touted his record “of writing and passing legislation under Democrat presidents, Republican presidents, a Democrat Congress, Republican Congress.”

But he also emphasized, “I’ve been in the private sector for the last 16 years. That’s a good thing, working for tech firms and small businesses, the Waterville Valley ski area [the Sununu family has had a controlling interest in the resort since 2010], teaching college. It’s… a perspective that I think is missing from Washington.”

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Pappas, in a recent Fox News Digital interview, highlighted that New Hampshire is “a state of voters who are pragmatic, who want their lives to be better and want problems to be solved, and I can demonstrate the ways that I’ve been working on those issues.”

“It’s expanding access to health care, building more affordable housing in New Hampshire, and ensuring that we’re standing up to an administration that’s ignoring the day to day concerns of Granite Staters,” he added.

But Sununu wasn’t the only one taking aim at Pappas as a do-nothing incumbent. Even his longshot socialist rival in last week’s primary took a shot.

First time candidate and scientist Karishma Manzur, in a recent Fox News Digital interview, charged that “all [Pappas] wants to do is just get his little cushy job and go to D.C., go to all these parties and these restaurants and just do whatever the bare minimum is.”

Pappas ended up crushing Manzur in the primary by a two-to-one margin, and Sununu defeated former Sen. Scott Brown in a landslide to capture the GOP nomination.

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With the general election sprint underway, Republican-aligned outside groups are now pouring millions into the state to target Pappas. And Pappas is using this week’s Cook Political Report race rating to ring an alarm.

“MAGA super PACs are pouring millions of dollars a week into New Hampshire to try to flip this seat. And this race is officially a Toss Up,” he warned on social media.

And Pappas told Fox News Digital recently that Sununu is “backed up by out of state special interests and dark money in this campaign. They’re outspending us 3 to 1 on TV.”

Firing back, this week a Democrat-aligned super PAC started running ads charging that after he left the Senate Sununu cashed in by working for lobbying firms.

Sununu was endorsed earlier this year by Trump, and since then Democrats have repeatedly tied the president, whose approval ratings are well into negative territory in New Hampshire, to Sununu.

Pappas called Sununu Trump’s “hand-picked candidate.”

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Asked about the full court press by Pappas and Democrats to anchor him to Trump, Sununu told Fox News Digital, “I’ve never even met the president.”

But contrasting himself with Pappas, Sununu added that “there’s no question I’ll be a much more effective voice with this administration.”

President Donald Trump’s crackdown on government fraud is getting unexpected backup from a majority of House Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

More than 140 House Democrats voted with all Republicans to make the National Fraud Enforcement Division permanent on Wednesday. The bill passed in an overwhelming 352 to 72 vote, with all of its opponents being Democrats as well.

Trump’s White House first announced the creation of a new division within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat fraud in January 2026, primarily targeting “fraud affecting the federal government, federally funded programs, and private citizens,” according to a release by the administration.

It was notably used as a cudgel against Trump’s political enemies earlier this year, when Vice President JD Vance referred Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison to the fraud division for a potential criminal investigation.

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Republicans accused Walz and Ellison of helping facilitate what’s become a ballooning fraud scandal affecting Minnesota’s social welfare programs. Both have acknowledged that taxpayer dollars were taken advantage of but accused GOP actors of casting the situation as worse than it actually is as a political attack.

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The Trump administration’s announcement of the fraud division also touted its actions in Minnesota, which it said was experiencing a “fraud epidemic.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a top House progressive, said he would give “tepid support” to the legislation, while pointing out a fraud division has already existed within the DOJ for decades.

REPUBLICANS DECLARE WAR ON ‘ORGANIZED THEFT’ WITH GOVERNMENT FRAUD CRACKDOWN

“This is hardly some kind of great breakthrough in law enforcement or criminal justice, but it is perhaps the least offensive piece of legislative flotsam and jetsam that has washed ashore in the last 48 hours of Republican chaos and retreat here in the House of Representatives,” Raskin said on the House floor.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., responded, “This conversation is about a piece of legislation. It’s about a piece of legislation that we want to be enacted into law. It’s not a partisan initiative. It’s a permanent, nonpartisan commitment that we do something better because the people who are listening here … the people who are watching, they’re getting tired of it.”

“They’re getting tired of all the money that has been wasted. And to try to pretend that just a few years ago, a couple of years ago, everything was perfect, everything was taken care of and that there was no corruption, we know better,” Van Drew said.

Raskin spent a significant amount of time accusing Trump and his administration allies of corruption at the expense of prosecuting actual fraud cases, something Republicans pushed back against.

“What has come out of Minnesota over the last year, what has been exposed, is absolutely criminal in nature,” said Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo. “I think what is coming, what is being exposed in blue cities and blue states run by Democrats, demonstrates that it’s probably higher by an order of magnitude.”

Raskin then targeted Van Drew directly in his comments: “My dear friend from New Jersey wants to make it sound like I’m doing something partisan. I’m joining his bill.”

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“It would be very easy for me to say I reject everything you do because you’re on the side of this pro-fraud president, but I’m not doing that. Your bill says, let’s call this the ‘National Fraud Enforcement Unit. I say, fine, that makes sense to me,” Raskin said. “Why don’t you cross the aisle and say it’s wrong for them to be pardoning white-collar fraudster after white-collar fraudster, or at least pardoning them from having to pay the fines and the restitution back? It’s an honest question. Do you really think that $1.7 billion should go from what was going to be the pockets of the victims back into the bank account of the perpetrators?”

Van Drew responded, “The gentleman has his numbers. He has his vision, he has his partisan ideas, and that’s up to him. But I’m trying to point out today … we’re trying to make something that is right now just an executive order and make it law to help the people.”

Billions in build-outs of facilities to support the artificial intelligence (AI) boom have become a lightning rod in communities across America, but homeowners in the nation’s data center capital are seeing a surprising payoff — thousands of dollars in property tax relief.

The massive projects have emerged as an issue in the 2026 midterm elections, as voters raise concerns about electricity costs, water use, land development and the strain on local infrastructure. Opposition has crossed party lines, forcing candidates to confront an industry that state and local governments spent years courting.

Yet just outside Washington, D.C., the richest U.S. enclave of Loudoun County, Virginia, offers a striking case study of the industry’s economic upside.

Home to the sprawling tech corridor known as “Data Center Alley,” Loudoun has the highest concentration of data centers in the world. Decades of development have transformed the county’s landscape and dramatically expanded its tax base, offering a real-world look at the financial benefits proponents say the industry can bring to local communities.

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“Loudoun County has more data centers than anywhere else in the country. It’s been sort of the capital of data center development for decades,” Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation, told Fox News Digital.

“And because of that, Loudoun County property taxes are about half of what they would be without data centers. In fact, data centers provide about 45% of all local tax revenue to Loudoun County, not just property taxes, but all local tax revenue.”

Walczak said the impact translates into significant savings for individual homeowners.

“The average homeowner would pay $5,800 more a year in property taxes if you didn’t have data center development,” he said, noting that data centers occupy only about 3% of the county’s land.

But the rapid expansion of data centers has also fueled concerns that their enormous electricity demands could leave residents footing a higher utility bill, potentially offsetting some of those savings.

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Walczak pushed back on that worry, arguing the industry’s impact on homeowners’ property taxes is clearer.

“The property tax relief is real, measurable and significant,” he said. “The energy costs are largely a solved problem.”

Walczak told Fox News Digital that the increased demand could require utilities to build new generation and transmission infrastructure, while adding more customers and electricity usage can also spread the grid’s fixed costs across a larger base.

The critical question, he said, is who pays for the additional infrastructure.

“You pay for the additional generation and transmission capacity. The data center pays for that,” Walczak said. “And then you actually see a slight reduction in energy costs for everyone.”

He pointed again to Northern Virginia, arguing that its experience challenges fears that a heavy concentration of data centers inevitably translates into higher electricity prices for residents.

“If you look at the places with the largest data center development, you actually see declines in energy prices relative to the rest of the country,” Walczak said. “You look at Northern Virginia, it has lower energy prices.”

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As communities across the country weigh the costs and benefits of the data center boom, Walczak said Loudoun County’s experience offers a glimpse at what can happen when billions of dollars in new infrastructure become part of the local tax base.

Social media is erupting over a viral video of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson showing off his dance moves, with the clip quickly spreading across X as users call the performance “embarrassing.”

The clip, circulating on X this week, shows Johnson dancing to “Hideaway” by Kiesza alongside a group on a rooftop, prompting conservative commentators to call out the mayor for seemingly neglecting the city’s crime problem.

Johnson’s campaign confirmed to Fox News Digital that he participated in the video but did not provide details about when it was filmed. The video circulated on X over the same weekend that Johnson announced Sunday that he would seek a second term.

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“What the actual F?,” asked Fox News contributor Joe Concha.

“1,320 people shot in Chicago in 2026 so far,” wrote popular X account End Wokeness, sharing the video.

“Chicago does not need another influencer with a title,” wrote popular X account True Patriot Voice.

“23% approval rating. 40 people shot per week. Thugs doing ‘street takeovers’ every week. Businesses fleeing,” said conservative commentator Benny Johnson.

“Pathetic,” said New York Post contributor Miranda Devine.

BRANDON JOHNSON BLASTED BY FELLOW DEMOCRAT AFTER TEEN ALLEGEDLY STRIKES 5 OFFICERS DURING TAKEOVER CHAOS

“Embarrassing and pathetic,” said another user.

“Brandon Johnson should be impeached for making this video,” said Ambassador Nick Adams, special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values.

“Keep voting failures in Chicagoans,” said Kaltbaum Capital President Gary Kaltbaum.

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Johnson was first elected as the Windy City’s mayor in 2023 and announced he will be seeking a second term over the weekend.

Chicago has long struggled with crime, and Chicago Police Department data through June 26 showed shootings up about 3% from the same period last year and motor-vehicle thefts up 10%. Preliminary Cook County Medical Examiner data showed 219 homicides through June 30, compared with 208 during the first half of 2025.

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris is set to join Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed at an upcoming roundtable in Michigan, according to his campaign.

The two will appear at a Black maternal health roundtable next Tuesday, raising questions about whether Harris might be trying to court the progressive wing of the party in preparation for a 2028 presidential run.

“I’m just really looking forward to having her here, and she is somebody who so many folks in communities like Detroit look up to as an inspirational leader,” El-Sayed told Politico in an interview on Wednesday.

DEMOCRATS’ CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN

“I’m grateful that she’s coming in and having conversations about what it takes to get the turnout up, so that we can get on to working on some of these issues in the U.S. Senate,” he continued.

The scheduled roundtable comes after Harris endorsed El-Sayed last month, praising his stance on issues like affordability.

“Dr. Abdul El-Sayed understands the power is with the people, and that the stakes couldn’t be higher in this election. While Michiganders struggle to afford everyday essentials — housing, gas, groceries, health care and child care — Trump and Republicans in Congress are giving away $1 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthy and powerful,” Harris wrote.

“Abdul knows that we need bold solutions to the crises facing America’s working families and he is ready to take on this fight,” Harris continued. “I proudly stand with him to ensure we win a Democratic Senate majority in Nov.”

The news of Harris’ upcoming visit to Michigan comes as The Detroit News, a prominent Michigan newspaper, endorsed El-Sayed’s Republican rival, Mike Rogers, for Senate on Wednesday.

“Mike Rogers is the prototype of a United States Senator,” the paper said in its endorsement, referencing his 14 years in the House, Army career, and private sector experience dealing with cybersecurity.

On the other hand, the paper skewered El-Sayed for his radical rhetoric, saying he “has worked so hard covering his tracks leading up to this Senate race that it’s impossible to know who he really is or where he would stand in the Senate.”

“He has deleted social media posts that reportedly called into question his attitude about America in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He’s taken down roughly 100 YouTube videos that paint an unflattering picture of him and his cultural views,” the paper concluded. “A candidate who feels the need to hide his past from voters is not someone who can be trusted to be the same person after Election Day as he was on the campaign trail.”

In addition to Harris’ visit, El-Sayed is expected to have a busy final stretch of his campaign before the November election as he attends multiple fundraisers in California and New York. 

In late September, El-Sayed is scheduled to attend a Hollywood fundraiser at the home of George Soros’ nephew, Jeffrey Soros, who is a movie producer. In addition to Soros and his wife, the host committee includes several Obama alums, including Crooked Media’s “Pod Save America” hosts Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau. Ben Rhodes, the failed architect of Obama’s Iran deal, is also on the host committee.

El-Sayed will also be visiting San Francisco during this west coast swing.

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Next month, El-Sayed will also be going to New York City to attend a fundraiser hosted by several far-left activists, where the price to attend ranges from $250 to $57,800.

Harris’ endorsement of El-Sayed marks just her second major progressive candidate endorsement in the 2026 midterms. She is also supporting Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee in Maine who is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Before the midterms, Harris also supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was also DSA-endorsed, but only stated that she “supported the Democrat in the race.”

For his own part, El-Sayed has rejected terms like “progressive” and “moderate” and is not backed by the DSA.

But like Mamdani, El-Sayed has made affordability — and the role of government — key pieces of his campaign. In addition to calling for lowering housing costs, he’s advocated for Medicare for All, opposes corporate tax carve-outs, and he supports tuition-free access to higher education.

Harris has also received support from El-Sayed in the past.

Notably, after now-former President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election, El-Sayed called on the party to rally behind Harris, citing her “potential” for leadership.

“Considering all the dangers of the Republican nominee … it’s time for all of us to unite behind Kamala Harris to defeat Trump,” El-Sayed wrote in a post in July of 2024.

DEMOCRATS WHO ‘NEVER VOTED REPUBLICAN’ BACK ROGERS OVER EL-SAYED IN RAZOR-CLOSE RACE

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El-Sayed’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on whether El-Sayed might support Harris if she decided to run for the White House in 2028.

Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s “hero” Supreme Court justice, isn’t closing the door on the United States Postal Service (USPS) enacting Trump’s ballot-mail rules in the future, although he agreed with the majority that implementing them ahead of the 2026 midterm elections is too soon.

“In my view, based on the briefing the Court has received at this interim stage, there is at least a fair prospect that the final rule falls within the Postal Service’s statutory authority,” Kavanaugh wrote in his concurring opinion in United States Postal Service, et al. v. California, et al.

The concurrence comes roughly three months after Kavanaugh laid out a legal pathway for Trump to implement his executive order curtailing birthright citizenship in his concurrence in Trump v. Barbara. Kavanaugh also offered a blueprint for implementing Trump’s sweeping tariffs in his dissent in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump.

“I would note though that Justice Kavanaugh threw the government a lifeline by saying that he views it as likely that they do have the statutory authority. And I think if you read the dissent, you can see where Justices Thomas and Alito are on questions like that as well,” Jason Snead, executive director of Honest Elections Project, told Fox News Digital.

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The Supreme Court on Monday denied the Trump administration’s emergency request to lift a lower court injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service rule, ruling that the government was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” of its challenge.

The decision leaves the rule blocked for the 2026 midterms after ballots have already been sent. But as the litigation continues, the case could return to the Supreme Court.

“I think there’s a fair chance that it winds back up in front of the Supreme Court eventually,” Snead told Fox News Digital.

A dissent written by Justice Samuel Alito and joined by Justice Clarence Thomas also raised questions about whether the policy could ultimately survive the legal challenge and take effect before 2028

“I do think that as a practical matter, the rule is not going to be implemented in time for the midterms. I think that’s a done deal at this point. But I do hold out hope that there will be some additional litigation over this that could allow this rule to be implementing ahead of the 2028 presidential election,” Snead said.

The Postal Service rule requires federal ballot-mail envelopes to include an election-mail logo, be scannable by high-speed processing equipment, and carry a specialized barcode unique to each voter. States would also have to upload certain voter information to a Postal Service portal.

A coalition of 24 Democratic state attorneys general sued the Trump administration, alleging the rule violates the Constitution’s Elections Clause, which grants Congress the power to regulate elections. The Trump administration argued the USPS is regulating the mail, not election procedures.

TRUMP SCORES SUPREME COURT WIN ON MAIL-IN VOTING RESTRICTIONS BEFORE MIDTERMS

“So this case is still alive and well, and I think that Kavanaugh has given us all some hope that as it progresses eventually, this rule might be allowed to go into effect hopefully in time for the 2028 election since the left has successfully killed it for 2026,” Snead continued.

Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan also pointed to timing as a major factor, noting that earlier litigation and an injunction in Massachusetts delayed the Postal Service’s ability to publish the final rule.

“So I’m not surprised now, close to the deadline when ballots have to go out to people that the Supreme Court took the approach of maintaining the status quo, although I think that Justice Alito’s dissent highlights a lot of issues with the approach taken by the majority, and I would not be sure that the same result would be what the Supreme Court reaches in advance of, for example, the 2028 election,” Wessan said.

Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, dissented, arguing that the government had made the necessary showing for a stay. He also questioned whether some plaintiffs had standing and described that those plaintiffs relying on a “Hail Mary pass” the Supreme Court has previously said “rarely succeeds.”

FEDERAL JUDGE AGAIN BLOCKS TRUMP’S MAIL BALLOT ORDER JUST BEFORE MIDTERMS

“The hail mary passes seem to be succeeding to a certain extent,” Wessan said. “So the president’s executive order was issued five months ago, and the injunction followed pretty shortly after. And as the Supreme Court recognized in the litigation earlier, that injunction against the executive order was improper.”

“But the amount of time that it took to get that resolved by the Supreme Court put the Postal Service in a very tough spot timing-wise with rolling it out for the election coming up in November, especially because states are on the verge of having to send ballots out, whether to the armed services or otherwise,” Wessan continued.

Abhishek Kambil said the lack of a fuller explanation from the court’s majority stood out to him.

“I think the biggest surprise was the fact that it came with an unreasoned order, especially right after they granted a stay in Missouri, which was also on an unreasoned order. So, in cases like this, where there’s a lot at stake, you would hope that in in in a stay opinion that the Supreme Court would explain its reasoning,” Kambil said.

JACKSON RIPS INTO SUPREME COURT COLLEAGUES’ ‘SERIOUS LEGAL ERROR’ ON TRUMP MAIL-IN VOTING ORDER

“So, I think the biggest thing that surprised me was the lack of explanation, especially given Justice Alito had a pretty methodical dissent explaining all the ways the majority got wrong, and we don’t know exactly how the majority decided to deny the stay,” Kambil told Fox News Digital.

Wessan said that he expects the rule to remain sidelined this year while leaving open the possibility of a different outcome later.

“This rule won’t be in effect for the 2026 election, but it very well may end up in effect for the 2028 election, and this is just one of many actions the administration is taking to help with voter integrity,” Wessan said.

Snead argued that without a looming election, Democratic states may have a tougher time fighting against implementing the USPS rules.

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“So they’re going to have a difficult time and a steeper hill to climb if they’re trying to explain in 2027, for instance, why they can’t possibly comply with basic rules like this over a two-year time frame,” Snead told Fox News Digital. “And just so folks understand what we’re talking about. We’re talking about taking best practices about mail ballot envelope design that have been long standing and making that mandatory guidance.”

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“And we’re also talking about getting lists of eligible mail voters that states already have so that the Postal Service can essentially create manifests and that will allow them to know who they’re sending ballots to and it will allow those ballots to be tracked. So this is a very basic, very simple thing,” Snead continued.

Criminals can turn stolen identities bought on the dark web into seemingly legitimate businesses — then use those companies to bill taxpayers for healthcare and other services that were never provided, according to a fraud expert who detailed the scheme to Fox News Digital.

The companies can hide in plain sight: Criminals create LLCs using information that may receive little scrutiny, pair them with stolen identities and submit fraudulent claims for everything from wheelchairs and diabetes treatments to childcare and autism services, according to Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions Government.

But Talcove said the financial losses are only the beginning, warning the schemes can fuel “criminal enterprises.”

“They are using our money against us, whether it’s in social media campaigns, whether it is for human trafficking, drugs, disrupting our economy,” Talcove told Fox News Digital.

STOLEN IDS SOLD FOR ‘HAPPY MEAL’ PRICES FUEL BILLIONS IN US BENEFIT FRAUD

“When you think about fraud, don’t think about, ‘It’s great that we stopped a fraud ring that stole $5 million.’ Think about that as a criminal enterprise that goes beyond just stealing out of a benefit program.”

Despite fraud schemes surfacing nationwide, Talcove said Minnesota was “particularly egregious” because the state had little incentive to stop the fraud.

“Minnesota was particularly egregious once they started looking because it was really easy to find,” he said.

Talcove said one factor allowing the schemes to flourish in Minnesota and across the country is weak verification during the LLC registration process and reliance on “self-reported information.”

“In the case of Minnesota, you went and got your LLC, you opened up a childcare facility, and then the next thing you knew you were billing CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] for childcare or autism care, and nobody checked.”

The Trump administration launched an anti-fraud crackdown this year after Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future scandal, creating a task force led by Vice President JD Vance. The scheme allegedly stole $250 million from a federally funded child nutrition program during the pandemic, and many of those charged have since been convicted or sentenced to prison.

Without third-party audits, Talcove said many criminals slip through the cracks, racking up millions before they’re caught.

“One of the fundamental problems with these programs that are literally spending trillions of taxpayer dollars, they have nobody doing investigations or such a small, tiny amount of people that it’s not even possible to investigate,” he said.

FRAUD EXPERT WARNS AI IS HELPING CRIMINALS OUTPACE THE GOVERNMENT: ‘DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS’

But Talcove said when these schemes are investigated, they expose much more than fraud.

“They’re not just involved in stealing Medicare, Medicaid, or food stamps, or unemployment insurance,” he said. “They have other interests.”

Talcove alleged some criminals use stolen funds to finance sex trafficking by bringing women from other countries and “renting them out” across the U.S., all while profiting from their “ill-gotten gains.”

“What they have to look for is beyond the fraud that they found to see if they’re involved in drugs, human trafficking, threats to our democracy, weapons,” he said.

Calling the fraud a “national security issue,” Talcove said some investigations have uncovered criminal groups involved in benefit fraud, including foreign cybercrime organizations such as APT41, a Chinese-linked hacking group.

“When you start looking at the criminal groups that are involved, APT41 and some of their peers and associates, as well as some of the other groups from North Korea and other countries, it is, right now, a national security issue,” he said.

FBI LAUNCHES ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AS DOJ CHARGES OHIO DEFENDANTS IN $30M MEDICAID SCHEME FOR KIDS

However, not all the money is sent to “overseas criminal organizations,” according to Talcove.

“Now, some of it, granted, is being used for luxury goods, homes, cars, vacations, but a lot of it is just going right back to the transnational location that it came from,” he said.

Talcove warned that unless investigators dig deeper, fraudsters will continue to exploit the system.

“They tend to get away with it because the investigation stops once you find the fraud,” he said.

Turning to the government’s role, Talcove said Democrats and Republicans must work together to tackle the nation’s growing debt, starting with stronger efforts to combat fraud.

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“My hope is the fiscal situation that we’re currently in, driven by what’s going on with the bond market, is going to force elected leaders at the state and federal level to start paying attention,” he said.

House Democrats are moving to stop data centers from receiving lucrative federal tax breaks as the artificial intelligence (AI) boom accelerates their expansion nationwide.

The moves put Democrats at odds with President Donald Trump as he makes data centers central to his American AI agenda. The administration has sought to accelerate data center development and streamline permitting as the U.S. competes for dominance in the emerging tech industry.

Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., and Don Davis, D-N.C., unveiled legislation Wednesday that would block data centers from tapping certain federal investment incentives.

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The incentives in question weren’t created specifically for AI or data centers. But the industry’s massive infrastructure investments can qualify for these substantial tax benefits, which prompted Democrats to push to exclude data centers as concerns grow over electricity demand, water use and local development.

The bill is backed by 21 additional House Democrats, including Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.

“Washington is giving handouts to Big Tech companies while American families are drowning. I hear that word in my district more than any other,” McDonald Rivet said at a news conference Wednesday.

“From rising costs, groceries, gas, housing, healthcare and a lot more. These are backward priorities, and they perfectly encapsulate everything that is wrong with the way Washington works, serving interests of big corporations and special interests at the expense of working people.”

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Speaking alongside McDonald Rivet outside the Capitol, Rep. Deborah Ross, D-N.C., pointed to concerns over data center development in her Raleigh-area district, accusing tech companies of buying land without disclosing their plans in a plot to sidestep local input.

“They’ve sought to bypass local citizens’ right to provide input on putting a data center in their towns and cities,” Ross said.

The lawmaker also argued that the industry’s rapid expansion is straining electricity and water resources while developers benefit from federal and state tax incentives.

“It’s Americans struggling to get by, not Big Tech who need tax breaks,” Ross said.

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Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., argued that data center development is contributing to higher costs for his constituents as the facilities place growing demands on electricity and water supplies.

He also said communities should have more control over where the facilities are built.

“Our cities and towns shouldn’t have these data centers shoved down their throats without any recourse,” Pappas said. “They deserve the right to decide what’s appropriate for their community.”

More than 20 states are suing the Trump administration over a new Department of Homeland Security rule that would give immigration officials wider discretion in determining what constitutes a public charge, a statute that allows the government to deny visas or green cards to applicants it determines are likely to become dependent on government assistance.

The rule, which is set to take effect on Friday, would expand the list of possible government aid that officials could point to when deciding to disqualify an applicant.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 21 states and Washington, D.C., in suing the administration over what they describe as punishment for immigrants’ law use of public assistance. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani led a separate lawsuit filed by a coalition of cities challenging DHS’ rule.

James said the rule would allow immigration officials to consider an immigrant’s use of benefits like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and participation in school meal programs when determining whether they could become dependent on government aid. She also said it could lead to more fear of interacting with the government for people who are part of an immigrant family.

TRUMP ADMIN PAUSES VISA APPOINTMENTS WORLDWIDE AMID HEIGHTENED SCREENING FOR APPLICANTS

“Hardworking families should not be forced to go without the support they need because they fear asking for assistance will get them deported,” James said in a statement. “This rule preys on that fear and counts on families forfeiting the food assistance, health care coverage, and other public benefits to which they are legally entitled. My office fought this exact policy once before and won, and we are leading the nation to ensure the Trump administration cannot inflict this harm on families again.”

The public charge ground applies to certain immigrants seeking admission or adjustment of status. Most undocumented immigrants are ineligible for federal means-tested public benefits, although limited exceptions exist under federal and state law.

The states argue they would lose billions of dollars in federal funding if immigrants pull from programs over fears about the public charge rule.

Immigration officials under the Biden administration’s 2022 public charge rule generally considered only cash assistance for income maintenance, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), along with government-funded long-term institutionalization, when determining a public charge.

The rule does not specify a fixed list of public benefits that immigration officials may consider. Instead, it states that officers may consider the receipt of any means-tested public benefits as part of a public charge determination, giving them broader discretion in evaluating applicants.

The states’ and cities’ lawsuits asked the courts to declare the rule unlawful and prevent DHS from using it.

“It’s very hard to predict how courts will look at this issue. It is very unusual regulation though,” Cato Institute Director of Immigration Studies David Bier told Fox News Digital. “I think from that standpoint the states have a good argument that we had a well defined public charge rule and the administration didn’t replace it with some other well defined rule, it replaced it with nothing. So now there’s just discretion to the officers to do whatever they want with the underlying statute. There’s no regulation that clearly says this is what it means to be a public charge in the United States.”

“The rule as it was before this new regulation was you had to be primarily dependent on certain government benefit programs. This rule removes that definition and doesn’t replace it with anything. So now people and applicants, lawyers who are applying to the government on behalf of applicants, they don’t know really what the law is,” he continued.

The states’ lawsuit argues that DHS is exceeding its authority because Congress did not approve a broader interpretation of what it means to be a public charge. The states say the new rule is arbitrary and that the agency ignored the harmful consequences of the change.

DOJ THREATENS TO CUT BILLIONS IN WELFARE FUNDING FROM STATES FOR FAILING TO REPORT ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

“Cruelty is the point,” James said at a press conference on Monday. “Having a chilling effect on immigrants is the point. Letting individuals know that they are not welcome here is the point. Immigration animus is the point. The fact that you’re going to deny individuals who are sick and hungry and homeless benefits just is beyond the pale.”

DHS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment in time for publication.

Bier said the rule does not prohibit immigrants from receiving welfare and is only used as an officer’s projection about someone’s likelihood of future welfare use in the U.S., warning that it could lead to self-sufficient applicants being denied.

“Whether someone is currently using benefits or not doesn’t matter under this evaluation. It’s this probabilistic determination of the future that they’re using in order to deny people legal status and legal permanent resident status in the United States. That’s a much more difficult assessment to make. That’s going to result in arbitrary denials. It’s just not possible to do this type of assessment and not result in people who would be self-sufficient being denied status,” he said.

This comes as President Donald Trump pursues a broader immigration crackdown that has extended beyond illegal immigration to legal immigration pathways. While Trump campaigned in 2024 on curbing illegal immigration, his administration has also imposed additional restrictions on legal immigration, including higher fees for certain work visas and new limits on how long some foreign students and journalists can remain in the U.S.

The administration has also pursued visa revocations and removal proceedings in cases involving political activity and speech, including some anti-Israel activists. Those efforts have prompted court challenges in which plaintiffs allege violations of First Amendment free speech and Fifth Amendment due process protections.

“It’s very clear that this administration wants to restrict both illegal immigration, which obviously it’s done at the border, and through deportations, but also legal immigration,” Bier said.

Last month, the administration directed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to postpone immigrant visa interviews while consular officers complete training on new public charge guidance, temporarily stalling applications that had reached the interview stage.

“The primary population that’s going to be affected by this public charge rule are spouses of U.S. citizens and their kids who are trying to receive green cards so they can live with their American spouse or parent here in the United States. That’s the overwhelming majority of the people who are going to be affected by the rule. It’s going to result in many of those immigrant families being separated from their American spouse or parent,” Bier said.

MAMDANI BLASTS FEDS FOR WAGING ‘CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR’ AGAINST NYC’S IMMIGRANTS

The public charge provision stems from the Immigration Act of 1882, when federal lawmakers sought to ensure that immigrants would be able to take care of themselves and not become a public burden.

After years of only considering cash benefits, the first Trump administration widened the categories of benefit programs that could be considered a public charge, including Medicaid, food stamps and housing vouchers. But the Biden administration in 2022 published a rule that returned to the previous guidance. The rule set to take effect this week would rescind the Biden administration’s rule.

The new rule is more broad than the one from the first Trump administration, as it does not specify which safety nets should be considered and only states that DHS “will consider the receipt of any means tested public benefits.”

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“One of the most important things to understand is that during the first Trump administration, they had a public charge rule that was well defined that really did explain exactly what you were supposed to do in order to not be deemed a public charge or who was a public charge. This is completely different from that. It’s essentially the Wild West. No one knows what’s going on, no one knows what the law is now,” Bier said.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles announced Wednesday that she is cancer free, six months after revealing she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

“Some personal news I’m grateful to share,” Wiles wrote. “After a medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic this week, my pathology results came back clear.

“I am cancer free.”

Wiles thanked her family, friends, doctors and everyone who prayed for her, checked in and supported her along the way.

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“A special thank you to President Trump for his unwavering support,” she added. “I am deeply grateful and will continue to work to advance his America First Agenda.”

TRUMP’S BEHIND-THE-SCENES ENFORCER PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN IN RARE PUBLIC MOVE

The announcement quickly drew an outpouring of support from administration officials, lawmakers and other prominent figures.

Vice President JD Vance called the news an answer to prayer and praised Wiles for remaining a source of strength throughout her cancer fight.

“Usha and I are very happy to hear this news and the answer to our prayers,” Vance wrote. “Thank you Susie for remaining a symbol of strength and leadership throughout this battle. Your indomitable spirit is something we can all learn from and strive to replicate.”

Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling called Wiles “a fighter.”

“I’m grateful to hear that Susie is cancer free and I look forward to continuing to work with her and @POTUS to put American Workers First!” Sonderling wrote.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon celebrated the announcement as the “best news of the week.”

“Thank God!” Dhillon wrote.

Country music star Lee Greenwood said he and his wife, Kim, were “thrilled” by the news.

“She works tirelessly every day in service to the American people and the President, and her strength throughout this fight has been remarkable,” Greenwood wrote. “Susie is a true fighter, and we couldn’t be happier for her and her family.”

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., called the announcement “an answered prayer.”

“Anne and I are so relieved to hear our good friend, @SusieWiles47, is cancer free,” Scott wrote. “Susie is tough. She’s always been a fighter and her grace and strength in this battle with cancer has been an inspiration to so many.”

Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., also celebrated the news and wished Wiles “continued strength and good health as she serves President Trump and our country.”

“May God bless her,” Harris wrote.

TRUMP’S HANDPICKED DESANTIS SUCCESSOR WINS CROWDED GOP PRIMARY FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR

Wiles announced in March that she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer after it was detected early and said she had received a strong prognosis.

Trump publicly rallied around Wiles throughout her cancer battle, including in a prerecorded message played May 7 when she received the Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award from Independent Women.

“It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks, and she’s been winning a battle with cancer and winning it decisively,” Trump said. “It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape.”

Trump also praised Wiles’ performance as his chief of staff and her years of work at his side.

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“Not only is Susie the first female chief of staff in American history, she’s also one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history,” Trump said. “I say the best, actually.”

“I’m tremendously grateful for her friendship, loyalty and support every single day,” he continued. “She’s a real professional.”

Trump credited Wiles with playing a critical role in each of his presidential campaigns, particularly his successful 2024 White House bid.

“Susie played a key role in every one of my campaigns for president, but especially in 2024, when she helped lead us to perhaps the most consequential election victory in modern times,” Trump said. “Everything we have done here in the White House has been with her help and her leadership.”

“Susie, [when] we have a problem. I say, ‘Go to Susie,’” Trump added. “We owe her a tremendous debt, and what she’s done is just incredible for our country.”

Wiles received the award before participating in a sit-down conversation with Independent Women Chairman Heather Higgins.

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Trump selected Wiles to become the first female White House chief of staff following his 2024 election victory.

A longtime Florida-based Republican strategist, Wiles ran Trump’s Florida operations during his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns before helping lead his 2024 campaign.

Her political career stretches back to former President Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential bid, when she worked as a campaign scheduler.

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Wiles also ran Sen. Rick Scott’s successful 2010 campaign for Florida governor and briefly managed former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign.

The U.S. accused Russian intelligence operatives of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting a Kremlin critic believed to be living in Washington, D.C.

In documents unsealed on Tuesday, federal prosecutors claim the conspiracy was part of a broader global network that recruited people to carry out assassinations and terrorist attacks on behalf of Moscow. The five men charged in the incitement allegedly worked for Russia’s intelligence services, and are accused of being paid and attempting to pay others in the U.S. and abroad to surveil and kill Russian dissidents.

Three of the defendants also face conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire charges. All five defendants remain at large, according to the Justice Department.

According to prosecutors, the alleged operation reached the nation’s capital in late August, when suspected Russian intelligence operatives directed a U.S.-based Venezuelan citizen to secretly film two Washington-area locations tied to a Kremlin critic before allegedly offering him $40,000 to carry out the killing. The recruit completed the surveillance but refused to commit the murder himself, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors allege the five defendants were members or associates of a Russian intelligence-directed network that financed terrorism and coordinated violent operations across multiple countries.

The recruiter walked the operative through the surveillance step by step, prosecutors say, and allegedly instructed him to put his phone in airplane mode, begin recording before entering the neighborhood, slow as he passed the target’s home and delete the messages afterward.

The indictment says the conspirators used coded language, referring to the assassination as “construction” and the surveillance as “measuring a plot of land.” When the recruit declined to carry out the murder himself, prosecutors allege the network sought other U.S.-based recruits while noting it also had “people in Mexico” available for the job.

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In addition to the alleged murder plot in Washington, the indictment accuses members of the network of supporting attacks on civilian and military infrastructure in Europe and carrying out surveillance of Russian dissidents abroad.

The case marks one of the most serious publicly alleged Russian intelligence operations targeting an individual inside the U.S. in recent years.

The indictment names five alleged members of what prosecutors call the Russian Intelligence Services Network (RIS). They are Yuri Khrameev, a former Russian intelligence colonel known as “Colonel Yuri”; his son, Kirill Khrameev, an officer in Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB); Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, a Cuban national living in Russia whom prosecutors describe as coordinating attacks for the network; Yaidel Delgado Suarez, known as “Viking,” and Angel Eduardo Castro.

Russia has repeatedly been accused by Western governments of targeting political opponents and defectors abroad.

Among the highest-profile cases was the 2018 poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, with the military-grade nerve agent Novichok. British authorities blamed Russian military intelligence for the attack, an allegation Moscow denied.

U.S. officials have also accused Russia of orchestrating killings of Kremlin critics overseas and conducting covert influence and espionage operations inside the United States, though prosecutors say the alleged Washington murder plot represents a rare instance in which Russian operatives sought to recruit someone on U.S. soil to carry out an assassination.

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Prosecutors say the alleged Washington murder plot was part of a much broader Russian intelligence campaign that has operated since at least 2024. According to the indictment, the same network recruited a U.S. citizen in Lithuania to surveil another Kremlin critic before allegedly offering about $25,000 to kill him.

After that recruit refused, prosecutors say the network shifted to soliciting sabotage attacks against infrastructure in countries supporting Ukraine, including alleged plots targeting electrical substations , warehouses and transportation hubs.

The indictment comes as Western governments have warned that Russia has expanded its use of covert operations, sabotage and assassination plots beyond the battlefield since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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U.S. prosecutors allege the network shifted its focus from targeting Russian dissidents and defectors to attacking countries “aligned, or perceived to be aligned, with Ukraine.”

Roughly three-quarters of voters have rated economic conditions negatively for the past year, and more than three times as many say they are falling behind financially as getting ahead, according to a Fox News survey released Wednesday. 

And by a wide margin, the Democrats are considered the party that would better handle inflation at a time when the cost of living and the economy are voters’ top concerns.

Costs of everyday items are a hardship for voters: 61% say gas prices are a major problem, up from 48% two years ago, while 52% say the same for healthcare costs, up from 44%. Majorities also view housing costs (54%, down from 60%) and grocery prices (62%, down from 66%) as major problems.

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Views on tariffs have grown more negative since last summer, with a high of 64% saying tariffs hurt the U.S. economy, up from 57%. Most Democrats and independents say tariffs hurt, while views among Republicans are mixed (41% help, 36% hurt, 21% no difference).

FOX NEWS POLL: COOL YOUR SERVERS! VOTERS REJECT DATA CENTERS

Overall, nearly two-thirds of voters (63%) say the Trump administration has made the economy worse, including a quarter of Republicans.

All of this contributes to greater pessimism about the future. The portion saying life will be worse for the next generation has risen from 53% two years ago to 62% last year and 68% today, just two points below the high of 70% in 2022.

Only 8% are enthusiastic about how the government is working, with another 23% satisfied. A 68% majority is unhappy, including a high of 33% who are “angry” — driven by 56% of Democrats and 36% of independents vs. just 9% of Republicans.

Despite these economic headwinds and with 48 days until Election Day, maybe the good news for the Republicans is that the Democrats’ advantage on the congressional ballot has stayed in the single digits. If the election were today, 51% say they would back the Democratic candidate in their House district and 44% the Republican. The Democrats’ 7-point edge is just outside the survey’s margin of sampling error. Since January, the Democrats have been preferred by 5-7 points.

Women, those under age 35, Hispanic voters and Whites with a college degree give Democrats their edge, while White men and non-college Whites are strengths for the GOP.

Party loyalty slightly favors the Democrats, as more of them (97%) than Republicans (92%) support their party’s candidate. Independents favor the Democratic candidate 53-31%, with 14% undecided.

Higher engagement boosts Democrats: 64% are extremely interested in the election compared to 53% of Republicans (+11 D margin). And more Democrats (71%) than Republicans (65%) rate their likelihood of voting as a 10 on a 10-point scale, meaning they feel certain they will vote (+6 D margin).

Among those certain to vote, the Democrats’ lead in the generic ballot grew to 11 points (54-43%). 

The edge holds among those in “close” counties, where the 2024 presidential vote between President Trump and former Vice President Harris was within 10 points; the Democratic candidate is favored by 9 points, 52-43%.

“When pundits and analysts talk about the fundamentals favoring the Democrats in this midterm, they are mostly referring to the economy,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democratic pollster Chris Anderson. “Time is running out for the administration and its supporters to convince voters that things are improving.”

Those with a negative view of both the Democratic and the Republican Party (“double haters”) favor the Democratic candidate in their district by a 26-point margin.

Voters trust Democrats on most issues in the survey: inflation (by 15 points), large AI data centers (+14), corruption (+11), and foreign policy (+10). The parties are about evenly rated on immigration (R +1).

Prior to this summer, the Republicans held a four-year advantage on immigration, and they led on foreign policy until January of this year. Four years ago, Republicans were preferred by 9 points on inflation.

Democrats have improved their ratings on inflation by 5 points just since July.

Voters trusting Democrats on inflation are more likely to attribute this to Republican failures (51%) than confidence that Democratic policies are likely to reduce prices (47%).

Those views contribute to Trump’s 39% job approval (61% disapprove). His approval has not exceeded 39% since April, when it stood at 42%. His current rating trails former President Biden’s 43% at this point in 2022 and aligns with former President Obama’s 38% before the 2014 midterms. Trump received 43% approval on immigration, 37% on foreign policy (one point above his record low), and 24% on inflation (matching a previous low).

Trump’s standing puts him in a difficult spot to help GOP candidates this year. He lags his party in popularity, holding a 24-point net negative favorability rating (38-62%), unchanged since July.

Sixty percent of voters think the U.S. made the wrong decision in taking military action against Iran, and 77% of that group favor the Democratic candidate in their district.

Four years ago, more voters said a Trump endorsement made them less likely to support a candidate by a 15-point margin. Today, that’s a 26-point gap (25% more likely, 51% less likely).

Still, Trump’s approval matters within the GOP: 52% of Republicans and 75% of MAGA Republicans say it increases their support.

In addition, 53% say the Trump administration is more corrupt than previous administrations compared to 26% who say it is less corrupt.

Both major parties are viewed negatively: the Democratic Party is underwater by 11 points (44% favorable, 55% unfavorable) and the Republican Party by 17 (41-58%).

Nearly two-thirds support raising taxes on the wealthy to expand government programs (65%) and redistribute wealth (63%). However, 52% disagree with increasing taxes on the wealthy so that “nobody gets too rich.”

Still, dissatisfaction with capitalism has grown. Fifty-seven percent say the way capitalism works in the U.S. these days doesn’t give people a fair shot, up from 42% in 2019. That shift spans political views, increasing among Democrats (by 17 points), Republicans (+13), and independents (+22).

Poll-pourri

When asked what the most important issue is facing the country unprompted by a list, 34% of voters say the cost of living and 14% say the economy/jobs. The next closest are immigration (8%) and Republicans/Trump/MAGA (7%). Only a handful mention issues like the war with Iran (4%), corruption (4%), healthcare (4%), or AI/data centers (1%).

MAGA holds a 5-point favorability edge compared with the Democratic Socialists of America (35% vs. 30%), although 15% are unable to rate the DSA. Nearly 3 in 10 Democrats view the DSA negatively, and 3 in 10 Republicans view MAGA negatively.

Overall, 59% view labor unions favorably, including 48% of Republicans and 73% of Democrats.

Eighty-one percent of voters favor banning Congress members and their immediate family and staff from trading stocks (up from 75% in January), including 8 in 10 Democrats, Republicans, and independents.

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

Conducted September 11-14, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,211 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (96) and cellphones (821) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (294). 

Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

Some of the Democratic Party’s most prominent voices are pushing for tighter limits on artificial intelligence, including former President Barack Obama, who has joined calls for a slower pace of frontier AI development after years of Democratic leaders touting the technology’s economic and strategic potential.

“We need government — and specifically our leaders in Washington — to get proactive in coming up with concrete proposals, laws and regulations that deal with serious safety concerns, anticipate AI’s impact on jobs and our kids and make sure that AI’s benefits are widely spread,” Obama said in a statement Monday night.

Obama’s latest comments put greater emphasis on slowing frontier AI development than his White House did in 2016, when his administration highlighted the technology’s economic potential while also warning about disruption and calling for policy responses. 

AI EXTINCTION WARNINGS DOMINATE HEADLINES AFTER EX-ANTHROPIC EMPLOYEE’S VIRAL POST

Democrats have long paired enthusiasm for AI’s economic and strategic potential with warnings about its risks, but some of the party’s most prominent voices are now going further, calling for a slower pace of frontier AI development and tougher limits on how the technology is built and deployed.

Attorney General Todd Blanche argued Tuesday that Democrats’ renewed focus on the potential risks of artificial intelligence should not be treated as “breaking news,” suggesting the timing, months before the midterm elections, is politically significant.

“Every Democrat senator suddenly races to a microphone to talk about AI after being eerily silent for months and months, a month. So, to talk about the timing of this as being nothing but an effort to influence the midterms, I shouldn’t have to say that out loud, of course,” said Blanche.

The comments came as President Donald Trump has made rapid AI development and the data centers needed to power it a priority, while the administration promotes the technology’s potential economic benefits and faces growing political scrutiny over the cost and impact of expanding data-center infrastructure.

Obama issued a statement Monday on X, writing that AI is “moving at lightning speed – and even faster than those who are engineering it can keep up with.”

“Given what we know about technology, we can’t stuff AI back in a box. But we can collectively determine how it’s developed and how it’s used, rather than sitting back and letting AI and its fallout happen to us,” he wrote. 

He called for regulation, saying choices to slow down should not be left up to the tech companies.

Any “potential catastrophe will depend on the choices that we make right now,” said Obama.

ANTHROPIC CEO CALLS ON AI INDUSTRY TO SLOW DOWN TECH RACE, DRAWING SUPPORT FROM ELON MUSK, SAM ALTMAN

In 2016, Obama’s White House touted AI’s potential to open new markets and drive progress across industries while warning about job disruption and broader safety and policy challenges.

“Advances in AI technology hold incredible potential to help the United States stay on the cutting edge of innovation,” the White House said in its December 2016 Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and the Economy report.

“Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and related fields have opened up new markets and new opportunities for progress in critical areas such as health, education, energy, economic inclusion, social welfare, and the environment. … AI should be welcomed for its potential economic benefits,” the report added.

Similarly, then-Vice President Kamala Harris said in January 2025 that “it is imperative that the United States remain the global leader on AI” as the Biden administration moved to speed up the buildout needed to support large-scale AI operations.

The Biden administration announced an executive order aimed at accelerating AI infrastructure in the U.S., including large data centers and clean-energy projects, as the administration sought to keep the country ahead of its global competitors.

Harris has also recently called for slowing the pace of frontier AI development, arguing that the technology is advancing at an “alarming speed” and urging Congress to establish stronger oversight and safety standards.

“The frontier of artificial intelligence is advancing at an alarming speed. Over the weekend, industry leaders voiced support for an idea that the American people and many AI researchers in their own labs have been calling for: We must responsibly slow the pace of frontier AI development,” she wrote. 

SEVEN-FIGURE BLITZ AS GOP EMBRACES PUSH TO COMPETE WITH CHINA IN BOOMING NEW TECH SPACE

AI and data centers have quickly become a major midterm issue, as concerns over electricity costs, jobs and the rapid buildout draw increasing attention from candidates in both parties.

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President Donald Trump has pushed back on the Democrats’ urgency to caution about using AI, calling it a “hoax.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Obama, Harris and Schumer’s teams for comment.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Ratepayer Protection Act (RPA), a bill that looks to shield communities from higher energy electricity and grid infrastructure costs associated with data center development.

The bill, which succeeded with broad bipartisan support in a 417-3 vote, is likely one of the last pieces of legislation lawmakers will consider until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. 

It also puts a spotlight on the data center issue, which has garnered attention as a proxy for affordability, energy and regulatory debates.

It marks the first data center-related bill passed in the 119th Congress.

WHO PAYS FOR US POWER BOOM? BLUE, RED STATES OFFER STARKLY DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOWER UTILITY BILLS AMID AI SURGE

In its current form, the bill does not seek to ban data centers, set limitations on their expansion or even set regulatory guidelines for them. Instead, it amends existing energy law, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), so states must consider a federal standard. Large data centers that consume 100 megawatts or more would pay the full extra cost of the generation, transmission and distribution upgrades built to serve them.

Companies would also be required to make financial assurances in the event a project is canceled or moved to prevent communities from being left holding the bill.

Its sponsor, Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., framed it as a needed step toward keeping data center energy costs from spilling over to local communities.

“As America races to lead the world in AI, we must build the energy infrastructure needed to support this innovation and stay ahead of competitors like communist China,” Evans said in a statement earlier this year.

“But Colorado families, farmers and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation driven by these developments. The Ratepayer Protection Act is a bipartisan, commonsense solution that protects everyday Americans and ensures our nation can continue to win the AI race.”

The bill’s Democratic co-sponsor, Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., echoed Evans’ thinking.

AMERICA NEEDS AI TO SURVIVE. WORKING FAMILIES ALSO NEED TO SURVIVE IT

“My neighbors across Florida are grappling with skyrocketing electric bills. Ratepayers should not have to subsidize wealthy corporations’ growing energy demands, especially from AI data centers,” Castor said.

In recent months, candidates from both sides of the aisle have carefully framed their thinking about data centers. Democrats, in particular, have linked the issue to affordability.

Such is the case for Roy Cooper, former governor of North Carolina, who is now waging a bid for the seat of retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Cooper, once having celebrated data center expansion as an avenue for job growth in the Tar Heel State, has since qualified his support.

“Roy believes local communities must have the final say on new projects coming to their area, which includes local moratoriums, and data centers must pay for all of the energy they use without passing on any of their costs to consumers,” a spokesperson for Cooper’s campaign said in a statement to Fox News Digital earlier this month.

Republicans have also navigated the political noise around data centers with care.

Cooper’s opponent, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, also stressed allowing local communities decide for themselves about whether data center expansion is right for them.

MAGA BEGINS TO CRACK AS 2026 GOP ROSTER BACKS AWAY FROM TRUMP’S TECH VISION

“Michael Whatley’s standard is simple: Data centers pay their own way, families pay nothing and communities decide. That means Big Tech builds or buys every megawatt it needs and covers every dime of the grid upgrades to deliver it, with zero costs shifted onto residential ratepayers. It means no special subsidies and no sweetheart deals cut over the heads of taxpayers,” Whatley’s campaign said.

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Having cleared the House, the data center bill passed Wednesday heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain.

The Trump administration continues to crack down on voter fraud cases, including a noncitizen allegedly voting in a mayoral race he was fraudulently registered for and a noncitizen arrested for lying about her citizenship to vote in federal elections.

These allegations span a slate of federal election-related cases highlighted by the Justice Department in recent days, adding to a series of prosecutions targeting noncitizen voting, fraudulent voter registrations and other alleged election-related crimes. 

DOJ’s latest announcements span California, Kansas, Louisiana, Texas and Massachusetts, while federal prosecutors have brought a number of other cases across the country in recent weeks amid the Trump administration’s broader efforts to bolster election security ahead of the midterms.

The White House pointed to the new cases that continue to pile up as evidence supporting the administration’s crackdown.

DEMOCRAT NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR SAYS THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS DISCOVERED ON VOTER ROLLS, PURGED

“Despite extreme Democrats and the media claiming it never happens, the evidence of non-citizens registering and voting in our elections continues to pile up,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital. “Any non-citizens found registering and voting in our elections will be arrested and held accountable. Only Americans should be electing American leaders.”

The more than a dozen defendants charged in cases announced this week face allegations ranging from illegal voting and false claims of U.S. citizenship, to fraudulent voter registration and alleged identity fraud. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that individuals “gaming the election system, voting illegally, or committing voter fraud” will face prosecution, while federal prosecutors in Texas said their seven cases “send a clear message” that laws barring noncitizens from voting will be enforced.

Among the defendants were Louisiana mayoral candidate Bridget Johnson, who prosecutors allege fraudulently registered Jamaican noncitizen Michael Wedderburn before he went on to vote in the 2024 federal election and the same mayoral race in which Johnson was a candidate. Johnson allegedly submitted electronically a Louisiana voter-registration application in Wedderburn’s name on July 14, 2024, falsely stating that he was a U.S. citizen, according to court documents.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LEARNS FATE AFTER USING STOLEN IDENTITY TO VOTE IN US ELECTIONS FOR DECADES

Johnson was charged with fraudulent voter registration and voting by an alien, while Wedderburn was charged with voting by an alien. If convicted, Johnson faces up to five years in prison, while Wedderburn faces up to one year, along with potential financial penalties, according to federal prosecutors.

Other cases announced this week included allegations against three people in California accused in an alleged scheme that used stolen identities of registered voters to manufacture signatures on ballot-initiative petitions. California frequently uses ballot initiatives to put major policy questions directly before voters, with citizen-backed measures capable of changing state law or amending the state constitution. Recent initiatives have included Proposition 36, which increased penalties for certain drug and theft crimes, as well as measures dealing with the minimum wage and rent control.

Prosecutors allege James Brass and Courtney Price went to Los Angeles’ Skid Row, where they handed people stolen identities belonging to registered California voters and paid them to copy those voters’ personal information onto ballot petitions and forge their signatures. Brass and a third defendant, Jateisha Herron, then allegedly falsely certified that they had personally witnessed the registered voters sign the petitions. Brass allegedly received approximately $41,600 from coordinators working with a petition-management company helping collect signatures, according to prosecutors.

EX-NEW JERSEY MAYOR, HER HUSBAND CHARGED FOR USING FAKE BALLOT SIGNATURES AFTER SHE PLEADED GUILTY TO DUI

The case is the second election-related federal prosecution announced this year involving alleged payments to people on Skid Row. In May, federal prosecutors charged a longtime ballot-initiative signature collector with allegedly paying individuals, including homeless people living on Skid Row, to register to vote.

Meanwhile, in Kansas, prosecutors charged 24-year-old Peruvian national and U.S. permanent resident Mariana Alexandra Dewey with falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, fraudulent election conduct and voting as an alien in a federal election, after arresting her earlier this month. In Massachusetts, federal prosecutors announced a case this week against Nigerian national Gladys Adaeze Okafor, who allegedly claimed to be a U.S. citizen while registering to vote before casting ballots in multiple federal elections.

A handful of cases were announced by federal prosecutors in Texas this week as well, including multiple cases where individuals registered to vote illegally when applying for a Texas driver’s license. On the same day those defendants were indicted, a Mexican national was also sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false statements of citizenship, and illegal voting by an alien, according to federal officials.

INSIDE HOUSE REPUBLICANS’ PLAN TO END RUN DEM OPPOSITION AND PASS TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID

The cases add to the growing list of federal election-related cases brought in the past few weeks, on top of other prosecutions earlier this year involving noncitizens accused of illegally registering or voting in U.S. elections. Less than two weeks ago, the Justice Department charged five people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin in cases involving alleged illegal voting or fraudulent registration tied to the 2022 or 2024 elections. DOJ separately charged an Indian national in Minnesota last week with falsely claiming U.S. citizenship in order to vote in the 2024 general election.

But, despite the mounting prosecutions, the Trump administration also faced a setback this week in its efforts to boost election security.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) could not implement the president’s stricter ballot-mail requirements for the 2026 elections, leaving a lower court’s nationwide injunction in place. The blocked rules would have required states to use specially designed ballot-mail envelopes with unique voter barcodes, submit envelope designs to USPS for review and provide it with information about intended ballot recipients.

The ruling, however, did not block a separate part of Trump’s March executive order directing the federal government to create citizenship lists for states to use in checking their voter rolls.

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Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by Trump, agreed the rules should not take effect for this year’s elections, writing that state and local officials did not have sufficient time to reasonably implement them. Nonetheless, Kavanaugh said there was “at least a fair prospect” that the Postal Service ultimately has the statutory authority to impose the requirements. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented.

Trump blasted the decision Tuesday as another “bad decision” from the Supreme Court and praised Alito and Thomas as “legends,” while arguing the ruling would make cheating through mail ballots easier.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a series of exclusive interviews with Fox News Digital, lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee sounded the alarm on a sprawling network of “Trojan horse” activists, nonprofits and social media influencers allegedly amplifying the hostile messages of foreign adversaries straight through the open gates of American democracy.

The warning came into sharp focus Tuesday when CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin and two fellow activists walked into House Rayburn 2172 for a hearing on covert foreign influence operations, then strategically positioned themselves behind witnesses in T-shirts supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Communist Party of Cuba.

About 30 minutes into the hearing, South and Central Asia Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., stopped the hearing and had Capitol Police escort them out.

“They’re coming in, trying to look like one thing, but we know that once they’re inside the gates that those doors are going to spring open and there’s a whole other motivation for what they’re trying to do,” Huizenga told Fox News Digital.

At the center of the controversy is communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham, who married CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans in a tropical wedding in Jamaica in 2017, soon after funneling $285 million to six pro-China, pro-communist, anti-American nonprofits in the U.S., including CodePink, according to a Fox News Digital investigation.

Lawmakers say the answer is transparency: following the money and exposing who finances the alleged “Trojan horse.”

In their series of interviews, Huizenga and other committee members explained how the modern “Trojan horse” isn’t made of wood but rather a network of activists, nonprofits, social-media influencers and other ostensibly American voices that foreign governments and foreign-linked actors can allegedly fund, amplify or exploit to carry their messages through the open gates of American democracy.

“They’re coming in, trying to look like one thing, but we know that once they’re inside the gates that those doors are going to spring open and there’s a whole other motivation for what they’re trying to do,” Huizenga told Fox News Digital.

LAWMAKERS THROW OUT ‘TROJAN HORSE’ ACTIVISTS THEY SAY ARE ENGAGED IN AMERICAN SUBVERSION

At the hearing, devoted to “Trojan Horses: Covert Foreign Malign Influence Operations in America,” lawmakers expressed concern about how the Communist Party of China, Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Communist Party of Cuba spread their propaganda and influence in the U.S.

The phrase “Trojan horse” comes from the ancient Greek story of soldiers concealed inside a wooden horse presented to the city of Troy. Once the horse was brought behind the city’s fortified walls, the soldiers emerged and opened the gates, destroying Troy.

Huizenga stressed that Americans can hold sincere beliefs while also having those messages funded or amplified by foreign actors without necessarily knowing it. He argued that the answer to foreign influence is exposing the origins of the messaging through transparency and robust debate.

Rep. Huizenga: ‘It’s really about theatrics’

Inside the hearing room, as Fox News Digital reported, Benjamin and her fellow CodePink activists offered a vivid illustration of the debate over how political messages are created and amplified.

They sat directly behind the witnesses, placing their T-shirts in the sightline of the official committee cameras.

Benjamin then turned toward a television monitor on the side of the hearing room displaying the official video feed. She pulled out her phone, zoomed in on the image of herself and a fellow activist appearing behind the witnesses and took photo after photo of the screen.

HOUSE PANEL PROBES FOREIGN ‘TROJAN HORSES’ AS SINGHAM SCRUTINY WIDENS

Huizenga said he viewed the episode as political theater designed for an audience beyond the committee room.

“This isn’t about discourse. This is about disruption,” Huizenga told Fox News Digital. “It’s all planned out. You see people in the crowd filming with their phones, getting ready. You knew something was going to happen because all of a sudden the phones would come out.”

“It’s really about theatrics,” he added, arguing that confrontations can subsequently be circulated on social media to attract attention, donations and volunteers.

The episode captured the central tension running through the hearing: how does the United States expose genuine covert foreign influence without treating protected American political speech as foreign subversion?

“Transparency, transparency is the watchword,” he told Fox News Digital. “We really need to make sure that people know not only the why, but the who is behind all this.”

Rep. Baumgartner: ‘We need to know who’s behind it’

Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., told Fox News Digital that America’s open political system creates opportunities for foreign governments to try to influence legitimate domestic debates through social media, universities and other institutions.

“The American people need transparency and need to understand what is going on in this public policy discussions and whether it’s podcast hosts, certain actors on social media, or things going on our college campuses,” Baumgartner said. “We need to know who’s behind it and what their motivations are.”

Baumgartner pointed to “clear transparency on this issue” as a solution, adding that if evidence showed organizations were acting on behalf of foreign governments without complying with applicable disclosure laws, the matter could potentially be referred to the Justice Department, which oversees the Foreign Agent Registration Act, or FARA. The law requires that people and organizations acting on behalf of foreign interests register with the Justice Department.

Rep. Randy Fine: Trojan horses ‘poison people’s minds’

Other lawmakers said the modern Trojan horse doesn’t necessarily have to walk physically through the doors of Congress, but rather arrive via social media.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., described social media, influencers and protests as potential channels through which foreign governments influence American political debate. He said that “it’s a real issue, whether it’s on social media, influencers, protests, these things are all designed to destabilize our country.”

Fine characterized what experts call “cognitive warfare” as “using our information platforms to try to poison people’s minds and to create division from within.”

Rep. Darrell Issa: ‘It’s a network’

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., focused on another battlefield: artificial intelligence.

“Trojan horses are things like the announcement that we should slow down on AI,” Issa told Fox News Digital, arguing that foreign adversaries can benefit when American political pressure slows U.S. technological development.

“We are in a war in which the other side uses all the clandestine tools,” Issa said. “They use their, quite frankly, their social media to our detriment.”

Huizenga similarly argued that Americans should view the organizations under examination not individually but as a network.

“It’s a network. It’s not independent organizations or even people,” he said. “You will see some of the same people at different organizations, rallies, or protests.”

‘Origins aren’t organic’

At the center of much of the hearing were findings from a Fox News Digital investigation into Neville Roy Singham, an American-born communist tech tycoon who lives in Shanghai and has pumped $285 million into six nonprofits including CodePink, the People’s Forum and other groups examined during the hearing.

Huizenga alleged in his official opening remarks that Singham uses his wealth and relationships in China to support organizations that promote communist ideology and destabilize American society. He explicitly described Singham, CodePink and a growing network of pro-communist, pro-China groups as “Trojan horses.”

‘TROJAN HORSES’ IN AMERICA: CONGRESS PROBES INFLUENCE NETWORKS TIED TO CHINA, IRAN AND CUBA

Singham and CodePink have denied taking direction from the Chinese government. Singham has said his activities reflect his own political beliefs, while Benjamin has said CodePink doesn’t receive money from the Chinese Communist Party.

As Fox News Digital reported in June, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has convened a grand jury investigation into alleged money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud by Singham and the organizations he has funded.

No criminal charges have been filed against Singham or CodePink in connection with those allegations.

Huizenga argued that the funding relationships deserve scrutiny.

“Oftentimes it’s frankly the origins aren’t organic, or if there is a part of it being organic, this is getting fed by outside organizations, oftentimes even outside countries,” Huizenga alleged.

 

‘Transparency is the watchword’

Being escorted through the committee-room doors didn’t end CodePink’s political theater.

Outside the hearing room, Benjamin positioned herself beside the House Foreign Affairs Committee placard and began recording another video, pulling out a comb first to straighten her hair.

When Rep. Fine emerged from the hearing, Benjamin followed him down the hallway firing questions as another member of her team recorded the encounter.

After Fine disappeared into an office, Benjamin returned to the committee entrance, straightened her hair with a comb and resumed recording.

HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES FOREIGN FUNDING TRANSPARENCY ACT TO EXPOSE FOREIGN DONATIONS TO NONPROFITS

About two hours after Capitol Police escorted the activists from the hearing, CodePink posted a carefully edited video of the day’s confrontation on social media, where activists in the broader network began sharing it.

The physical protest was over, but the images it produced were just beginning to travel.

That sequence was precisely why lawmakers said Americans should look beyond the spectacle to who finances and amplifies political messaging.

“This is theater for many of these people,” Huizenga said. He said he wanted Americans, through “transparency and disclosure,” to understand “not just the what they are doing, but their who is financing them.”

The lawmakers gathered to investigate modern “Trojan horses” said the lesson of the ancient story wasn’t simply to keep the horse outside the gates but also to understand what — and who — might be inside.

“Transparency, transparency is the watchword,” Huizenga said.

Lawmakers say ‘transparency and disclosure’ are the best defense against influence campaigns exploiting America’s democracy

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Fox News Digital’s Reagan Schroeder and Brooke Curto contributed to this report.

Several Democrats voted with Republicans to pass a sweeping sanctions package targeting Russia on Wednesday, handing President Donald Trump a key authority the left has long raged against.

The House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, named after the late Republican senator who was one of Ukraine’s biggest champions in Congress until his sudden death in July.

It comes despite opposition from key Democrats over a provision giving Trump tariff authority over countries fueling Russia’s war in Ukraine.

HOUSE DEMS FACE TRUMP TARIFF DILEMMA AS MAJOR RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL HEADS TO FLOOR

“What we’re not for is, giving more tariff authority to this president. There is no guarantee in this legislation that the president could not use these tariffs against Ukraine if he decided to do so. There is no guarantee in this legislation that the president can impose these tariffs on Russia, with the enthusiasm that our friends on the other side have offered,” Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., said during debate on the bill.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said, “The manner in which this bill has been written doesn’t require the president of the United States to impose sanctions on Russia. In fact, there are so many loopholes written into the bill, I believe that it’s very unlikely that the sanctions relief contemplated in the legislation will ever see the light of day.”

LINDSEY GRAHAM’S FINAL MISSION TO PUNISH PUTIN CLEARS SENATE AFTER YEARLONG FIGHT

The bill was led in the House by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, a longtime supporter of Ukraine.

“This is a critical time in history. A time my friend Lindsey Graham described as a magic moment, a moment that we cannot afford to waste,” McCaul said during debate. “We shared a fundamental belief that America is strongest at home when it projects strength abroad. This legislation does exactly that.”

EUROPE BANKROLLS PUTIN’S WAR MACHINE EVEN AS NATO RACES TO BOLSTER DEFENSES

He continued, “It targets the money that fuels Russia’s war machine. It sanctions Russian officials and oligarchs, banks and financial institutions and the shadow fleet that helps cheap Russian energy moving and through precisely targeted tariffs. It also punishes countries providing financial support for the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. Why? Because, as we’ve heard from President Zelensky’s team, you can evade sanctions, which the Russians have done for years. But you cannot evade tariffs.”

The bill, which has gone through several iterations, still primarily focuses on kneecapping Putin’s war machine in Russia’s ongoing fight with Ukraine.

US TARGETS CHINESE REFINERY IN SWEEPING IRAN OIL CRACKDOWN, SANCTIONS ‘SHADOW FLEET’ TANKERS

But tweaks were needed to get sign-off from the White House.However, it reinserted sanctions targeting Iran’s weapons and energy sectors in the hopes of incentivizing a lasting peace deal as the war in the Middle East marches on.

Key components of the legislation allow for up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports; tariffs of up to 100% on the top five countries buying Russian energy, and it provides Trump flexibility for when to turn off some aspects of the sanctions.

The tariff authority has proven a hard sell for House Democrats, though their colleagues in the Senate largely bought in.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., helped create the bill and largely spearheaded Democrat support in the Senate.

PUTIN, RUSSIA PUT ON NOTICE AS SENATE TAKES CRUCIAL STEP TO GRIND DOWN THE KREMLIN’S WAR MACHINE

Blumenthal defended the tariff language in the bill to Fox News Digital, “If Donald Trump wants to break this law, he will be restrained by the courts, just as when he broke the law on tariffs previously.”

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It now heads to Trump’s desk for his signature.

At least two Democrats signaled early on that they would support the bill; Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., defied their party leaders on Tuesday to help Republicans break gridlock on advancing the legislation.

Their votes rescued the sanctions package from dying on the House floor amid a conservative rebellion over an unrelated issue. A similar move by the pair earlier this month earned a public reprimand by Jeffries, who called it a “breach of trust.”

“Congressman Golden has been a consistent supporter of America’s allies in Ukraine. He didn’t want to see the Russia sanctions bill die in a rule vote after passing with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate,” Golden’s spokesman told Fox News Digital of the vote.