NationalWatch

A trucker who allegedly killed three in a reckless driving incident in Virginia immigrated to the U.S. illegally in the nineties, according to a federal law enforcement source.

El Hadji Karamoko Ouattara, a 58-year-old immigrant from Africa, is being charged in connection with the fatal crash after running his tractor-trailer off the side of Interstate 81 and striking a minivan, killing three individuals, including a two-year-old child, and injuring three others, according to local outlet WFXR.

The outlet reported that the victims were transported to a nearby hospital. 65-year-old Lorraine Renee Williams, 49-year-old Ebony Latasha Williams and 2-year-old Shazziyah Lesley died of their injuries. A 63-year-old male, a 73-year-old male and a 10-year-old female were also injured but survived, according to the outlet.

WFXR reported that Ouattara was originally charged with reckless driving.

DHS REVEALS ILLEGAL ALIEN BEHIND FATAL CRASH WAS GIVEN LICENSE BY DEEP BLUE STATE

However, according to the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office, Outtara is now being charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter as a result of the incident, which took place on Dec. 22. The office said he is a resident of Montgomery Village, Maryland.

A federal law enforcement source told Fox News that Ouattara is a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Ivory Coast. The source stated that, despite originally entering the United States illegally in the 1990s, Ouattara was eventually able to obtain a green card and become a naturalized citizen.

This comes amid heightened awareness and national concern about untrained, unqualified illegal immigrant drivers on U.S. roads.

DAVID MARCUS: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKERS ARE AN INSULT TO AMERICANS WHO PLAY BY THE RULES

Earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy offered an update on his agency’s work alongside the Department of Homeland Security in cracking down on an influx of illegal immigrants given a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license (CDL) without proper vetting, which has led to several deaths on America’s highways.

Duffy sprang into action earlier this year after an Indian national named Harjinder Singh, who authorities said was issued a CDL by California, allegedly killed a carload of people after he attempted an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike.

Duffy said that DOT has pressed for compliance from problem states offering illegals CDLs, sharing that California has since revoked 17,000 problematic non-domiciled CDL licenses. 

CONVICTED MURDERER, CHILD PREDATORS ROUNDED UP IN CHRISTMAS WEEKEND ICE CRACKDOWN: ‘GREATEST GIFT’

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“We are going to use every resource, every tool that we have at DOT, to make sure that we have the right people on our road that are well qualified, well licensed. That are proficient in the English language to make sure we’re maximizing safety,” Duffy said.

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

The dispute over occupied territories in Ukraine continues to be a sticking point amid negotiations between Kyiv and Russia as President Donald Trump seeks to help bring an end to the war between the neighboring countries. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News’ Bret Baier that a peace deal with Moscow could be close following his Sunday meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

“Even with one question today, we’ve been very close,” Zelenskyy told Baier on “Special Report.” “I think we have a problem with one question: It’s about territories.”

PUTIN DERIDES EUROPEAN LEADERS AS HE INSISTS RUSSIA’S WAR GOALS IN UKRAINE WILL BE MET BY FORCE OR DIPLOMACY

Key issues about territory remain unresolved in talks that have taken place over months. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently said that the West must acknowledge the fact that Russia holds the initiative on the battlefield.

Zelenskyy has been reluctant to cede territory held by Russian forces since the war began in 2022 over to Moscow. 

Zelenskyy has suggested that Ukraine might be open to withdrawing from the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which Russia wants to annex, only if Ukrainian voters give their approval in a referendum. 

TRUMP TOUTS ‘TREMENDOUS PROGRESS’ BUT SAYS HE’LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY ‘ONLY WHEN’ PEACE DEAL IS FINAL

“I think the compromise, if we do a free economic zone that we have, and we have to move some kilometers back. It means that Russia has to make minor steps some kilometers back,” Zelenskyy said. “This free economic zone will have specific rules. Something like this referendum is the way how to accept it or not accept it.”

Putin doesn’t want peace, Zelenskyy said, despite the mounting death toll for Russian forces. 

“I don’t trust Putin. He doesn’t want success for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “I believe he can say such words to President Trump… but it’s not true really.”

Following his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy said they were 90% agreed on a draft 20-point plan, despite Moscow showing no signs of budging on its territorial demands. 

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The meeting came after Trump spoke with Putin over the phone where they both agreed that a deal must be reached to end Europe’s longest war in 80 years. 

It also came a day after Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv a day earlier. Moscow also claimed that Putin’s home in the Novgorod region was the target of a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, which Ukraine denies. 

Department of Justice officials are facing threats of legal action after the department missed the Epstein Files Transparency Act’s stated deadline to publish all its documents related to Jeffrey Epstein – but the law may lean in the DOJ’s favor.

DOJ officials have continued to review and upload the files more than a week after the congressionally mandated Dec. 19 due date, spurring Democrats and some Republicans to call for a range of consequences, from contempt to civil litigation. The DOJ is, however, defending the drawn-out release process, suggesting that rushing to publish piles of unexamined material would also flout the law.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a recent interview on “Meet the Press” there was “well-settled law” that supported the DOJ missing the transparency bill’s deadline because of a need to meet other legal requirements in the bill, like redacting victim-identifying information.

EPSTEIN FILE DROP INCLUDES ‘UNTRUE AND SENSATIONALIST CLAIMS’ ABOUT TRUMP, DOJ SAYS

The bill required the DOJ to withhold information about potential victims and material that could jeopardize open investigations or litigation. Officials could also leave out information “in the interest of national defense or foreign policy,” the bill said, while keeping visible any details that could embarrass politically connected people.

Last week, the DOJ revealed that two of its components, the FBI and the U.S. attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York, had just gathered and submitted more than 1 million additional pages of potentially responsive documents related to Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking cases for review.

The “mass volume of material” could “take a few more weeks” to sift through, the DOJ said in a statement on social media, adding that the department would “continue to fully comply with federal law and President Trump’s direction to release the files.” 

The DOJ’s concerns about page volume and redaction requirements echo those frequently raised in similar litigation surrounding compliance with Freedom of Information Act requests, where courts have stepped in to balance competing interests of parties in the cases rather than attempting to force compliance on an unrealistic timetable.

The conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch has seen mixed success over the years in bringing FOIA lawsuits, showcasing the court’s role in mediating such disputes.

Judicial Watch brought several lawsuits against the government over Hillary Clinton’s private email server scandal, leading a federal judge at one point to allow the conservative watchdog to move forward with questioning Clinton aides as part of a discovery process as it sought records on the matter. The decision was later reversed at the appellate court level.

In a separate case, the appellate court sided with Judicial Watch by reversing a lower court ruling as part of a longstanding legal battle the watchdog waged with the DOJ over obtaining Acting Attorney General Sally Yates’ emails. The D.C. Circuit Court found that the DOJ could not withhold email attachments from Yates’ account and ordered further review on the matter.

In the current controversy over the Epstein files, lawmakers are pressuring the DOJ by threatening a combination of political and legal remedies over the 30-day deadline and over what they view as excessive redactions. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed to bring a resolution up for a vote when the Senate returns from the holidays that would direct the Senate to initiate a lawsuit against the DOJ for failing to comply with the transparency act’s requirements.

“The law Congress passed is crystal clear: release the Epstein files in full, so Americans can see the truth,” Schumer said. “Instead, the Trump Department of Justice dumped redactions and withheld the evidence — that breaks the law.”

SCHUMER ACCUSES DOJ OF BREAKING THE LAW OVER REDACTED EPSTEIN FILES

Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who spearheaded the transparency bill, warned that they plan to pursue contempt proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi in light of the DOJ missing the deadline and making perceived over-redactions.

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A group of mostly Democratic senators also called on the DOJ inspector general to investigate the department’s compliance with the law.

The DOJ has maintained that releasing unreviewed documents would violate the law, saying last week that it had “lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions.”

Breaking with decades of tradition, Israel will award President Donald Trump the Israel Prize, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday after meeting him at Mar-a-Lago.

Netanyahu and Trump spoke to reporters following their meeting, during which the Israeli leader announced plans to award Trump the Israel Prize – the nation’s highest cultural honor.

“We decided to break a convention, or create a new one, and that is to award the Israel Prize, which in almost our 80 years we’ve never awarded to a non-Israeli, and we’re going to award it this year to President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “This was announced formally over lunch by our minister of education, who is responsible for the Israel Prize.

“It’s going to be awarded to President Donald J. Trump for his tremendous contributions to Israel and the Jewish people,” Netanyahu continued, calling it “such a fitting thing.”

TRUMP THREATENS HAMAS IF GAZA CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES AS JD VANCE TO VISIT ISRAEL

Netanyahu said the gesture reflects the overwhelming sentiment of Israelis across the political spectrum, noting they appreciate what Trump has done to help Israel and support the shared fight against “terrorists and those who would destroy our civilization.”

Trump thanked Netanyahu for the honor, saying, “It really is a great honor.”

Netanyahu said in October that Trump was the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had, remarks that came after Hamas released the final 20 living hostages under a peace deal brokered by Trump and his administration.

IDF ANNOUNCES TRANSFER OF DECEASED ISRAELI HOSTAGE REMAINS THROUGH RED CROSS

“No American president has ever done more for Israel,” Netanyahu said at the time. “It ain’t even close.”

He credited Trump for standing up for Israel at the United Nations, recognizing Israel’s rights in the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria, and withdrawing from what he described as the “disastrous” Iran nuclear deal.

MIKE JOHNSON, WORLD LEADERS TO NOMINATE TRUMP FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AFTER ISRAEL-HAMAS DEAL

After Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages, the war in Gaza stretched on for nearly two years, leaving tens of thousands estimated dead. Israel and Hamas reached a breakthrough peace deal following months of mediation by Trump administration officials.

Hamas released the final 20 living hostages in exchange for Israel freeing 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

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The release was part of a sweeping 20-point plan aimed at ending the conflict and rebuilding Gaza. Hamas members who renounce violence would be granted amnesty or safe passage, while those who continue armed resistance would be excluded from Gaza’s future governance.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

A California lawmaker leaving office to pursue a gubernatorial bid blasted the Congressional Republicans for one of the least productive sessions of Congress — a record Republicans believe Democrats have an equal hand in creating.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who hopes to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom as California’s top executive, said 2025’s low legislative output came about from a lack of focus and a shortage of bipartisan effort.

“There wasn’t much else being done in this Congress. And so, as we go into the new year, if Republicans want to work with us to bring down costs, reduce what we spend at the grocery store, they’re going to find partners in us,” Swalwell said on The Weekend.  

CONGRESS FLEES TOWN AS HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS SET TO EXPLODE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS IN JANUARY

“Now, I will say I’m responsible for one of those 40 bills that was passed. It was a bipartisan piece of legislation to make it easier for mothers who are breastfeeding to travel through airports and not have their breast milk screened,” Swalwell said, touting a bill he authored.

According to congressional records, the House of Representatives has taken 362 votes in the first session of the 119th Congress. By comparison, under another Republican trifecta in 2015, the House considered 710 measures in the same window.

This year, 61 bills cleared both chambers of Congress to become law. Of those, only thirty-eight were something other than a congressional resolution.

Despite criticisms from Swalwell, Republicans looking at the productivity picture believe the complaints about productivity go both ways. 

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., accused Democrats on Sunday of creating gridlock on issues like government spending to purposefully prevent Republican productivity. 

SENATE QUIETLY WORKS ON BIPARTISAN OBAMACARE FIX AS HEALTHCARE CLIFF NEARS

“The American public is pawns in the dysfunction. But again, understand Democrats, they want the shutdown,” Johnson said on Sunday Morning Features, referring to the record-breaking 43-day shutdown standoff earlier this year. “They were responsible for it because they don’t want President Trump and Republicans to have success.” 

“So, if the American economy is collateral damage, they don’t care because they just want power. They want to return to power in November,” Johnson added.

Although lawmakers have already left Washington, D.C., and won’t return until 2026, Congress has a slew of priorities that remain pressingly on the docket. Among them, the government will need to find a way to pass spending legislation before the end of January or risk another government shutdown. 

More urgently still, Congress must also decide whether it will extend enhanced subsidies for Obamacare, which was passed as an emergency response to COVID-19. 

2026 DEADLINES LOOM AS CONGRESS LEAVES DC WITH SEVERAL UNFINISHED BATTLES

Without some sort of extension, Democrats fear that the vast majority of Obamacare’s 24 million enrollees will experience an overnight jump in premium costs when the subsidies expire at the end of the year. 

Last month, a handful of Republicans broke with the majority of their party and voted with Democrats to tee up consideration of a subsidy extension in January. Swalwell believes that vote offers the opportunity for bipartisan cooperation in 2026 absent in 2025.

“The mandate now, the majority of the House of Representatives wants to put these subsidies in place so that Americans can pay less for healthcare. So, it’s now on the speaker, when we reconvene in just a couple of days, whether he will put this up for a vote,” Swalwell said. 

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“But if not, the midterm message will be this, it costs too much. It costs too in what we pay at the groceries store and figuratively, it costs too much in the fights that we’re losing under this administration.”

The U.S. may be signaling an expansion of its Venezuela-focused campaign to include ground operations, based on recent remarks from President Donald Trump.

Speaking Friday with radio host John Catsimitidis, Trump said the U.S. had struck a “big facility” while discussing Washington’s broader effort against Latin American drug trafficking – an apparent reference to a drug production or trafficking site.

“They have a big plant or a big facility where the ships come from,” Trump said, without identifying Venezuela as the target. “Two nights ago we knocked that out.”

Asked about the comments on Monday, Trump told reporters the strike was “along the shore” but declined to share whether it was conducted by the U.S. military or another entity like the CIA.

SOUTHCOM COMMANDER ABRUPTLY RETIRES AMID ESCALATING SCRUTINY OF CARIBBEAN STRIKES 

“I don’t want to say that. I know exactly who it was,” he said. 

“We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. That’s where they implement. And that is no longer around,” the president said during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

TRUMP’S VENEZUELA OIL BLOCKADE PUTS CHEVRON IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH-STAKES SANCTIONS CRACKDOWN 

He added there was a “major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.”

If the facility was indeed on Venezuelan soil, it would mark the first known attack on land since the U.S. began bombing alleged narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific waters in early September. 

More than two dozen strikes have killed 105 people so far.

While Venezuela is a known hub for trafficking drugs, such as cocaine that originates in Colombia, it is not a production hot spot. Months ago, Trump authorized the CIA to carry out covert action in Venezuela. 

In recent weeks, Trump has ramped up pressure aimed at pushing leader Nicolás Maduro from power by announcing a blockade of Venezuela and seizing two ships carrying sanctioned oil.

The White House and Pentagon have not publicly confirmed whether any recent strike occurred on Venezuelan soil. Maduro’s government has not publicly acknowledged the attack.

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After prior strikes in the counter-drug campaign, the administration has touted success, even posting footage on social media of boats being struck. However, if the action was carried out covertly, it would limit what U.S. officials could share. 

Trump’s comments come amid the largest military buildup in the Caribbean in decades, with some 15,000 troops and the world’s biggest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, stationed in the region. 

Outgoing Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene indicated to the New York Times Magazine that President Donald Trump, lacks “faith” and does not reciprocate loyalty. 

She also said that she disapproves of “MAGA Mar-a-Lago sexualization,” and indicated that she expects the U.S. to engage in “more war” as the president seeks to maintain his grip on power.

Greene, a once ardent Trump supporter who had a dramatic falling out with the GOP juggernaut this year, and is dishing out scathing criticism of the president she once lauded.

Here are some takeaways from her comments reported by the Times:

Greene says Trump ‘does not have any faith’

Earlier this year, during remarks at the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Trump said of Kirk, “He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent. And I don’t want the best for them.”

By contrast, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk announced that she forgave the suspected killer.

 “It just shows where his heart is. And that’s the difference, with her having a sincere Christian faith, and proves that he does not have any faith,” Greene opined, according to the Times.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE CRITICIZES TRUMP’S MEETINGS WITH ZELENSKYY, NETANYAHU: ‘CAN WE JUST DO AMERICA?’

Greene on ‘MAGA Mar-a-Lago sexualization’

Greene objected to what she referred to as “sexualization” among MAGA women.

“I never liked the MAGA Mar-a-Lago sexualization. I believe how women in leadership present themselves sends a message to younger women,” she noted, according to the Times. 

“I have two daughters, and I’ve always been uncomfortable with how those women puff up their lips and enlarge their breasts. I’ve never spoken about it publicly, but I’ve been planning to,” she noted.

Greene says Trump lacks loyalty

The New York Times Magazine reported that Greene said regarding loyalty and Trump, that it is “a one-way street — and it ends like that whenever it suits him.”

Last month, after President Donald Trump issued posts lambasting Greene on Truth Social, the congresswoman announced that she would resign from office, noting that her last day would be January 5.

BRIAN GLENN REVEALS ENGAGEMENT TO REP MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE: ‘SHE SAID ’YES”

Greene suggests ‘more war’ on the horizon

Greene suggested that the U.S. is headed for “more war.”

“In my opinion,” Greene opined, according to the outlet, “we’re going to see more war. Because what do you do when you really lose power, when you become a lame duck? How do you cling to power? You go to war.”

Greene indicates House Speaker Mike Johnson is following orders from the White House

Greene suggested that House Speaker Mike Johnson is just taking orders from the White House.

“I want you to know that Johnson is not our speaker,” Greene asserted, according to the Times. “He is not our leader. And in the legislative branch — a totally separate body of government — he is literally 100 percent under direct orders from the White House. And many, many Republicans are so furious about that, but they’re cowards.”

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SAYS ‘THE DAM IS BREAKING’ ON TRUMP’S GRIP OVER REPUBLICAN PARTY

White House responds

The White House pushed back against Greene’s comments about Johnson, asserting to Fox News Digital, “We have a very collaborative relationship with Speaker Johnson just like we do with Leader Thune, which is why we’ve had so much success this year.”

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle accused Greene of “petty bitterness.”

“President Trump remains the undisputed leader of the greatest and fastest growing political movement in American history — the MAGA movement. On the other hand, Congresswoman Greene is quitting on her constituents in the middle of her term and abandoning the consequential fight we’re in — we don’t have time for her petty bitterness,” Ingle noted in a statement. 

Republicans suffered a statistically bleak showing in the 2025 elections, but the losses went beyond the scoreboard.

Across several jurisdictions – including the nation’s largest city – voters elevated socialist, socialist-aligned and far-left Democrats to public office, underscoring an ideological shift that extended well past individual races.

Here are the top five races won by such leaders preparing to take office in the new year.

1. ZOHRAN MAMDANI: NEW YORK

New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, D-Astoria, will take the oath of office as is tradition as the ball drops to mark New Year’s Day in Times Square.

Mamdani, who was born in Kampala, Uganda, follows British-born Abraham Beame as the only other immigrant New York City mayor since the Colonial era.

Mamdani was endorsed by and associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and ran on a platform of several public freebies including transit and childcare as well as rent freezes and higher taxes on corporations.

SOCIALIST WAVE REACHES WEST COAST AS LOS ANGELES MAYOR KAREN BASS GETS A MAMDANI-LIKE CHALLENGER

The millennial defeated old-guard Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the November election. Mamdani garnered just over 50% of the vote, leading Cuomo supporters to blame Sliwa – the founder of the anti-crime Guardian Angels who accrued about 7% of the vote – for having a socialist installed in America’s financial capital.

2. KATIE WILSON: WASHINGTON

While much of the nation was transfixed by the New York City mayoral election, a similar dynamic was playing out on the opposite coast, in Seattle.

Mayor Bruce Harrell, a Democrat viewed as more moderate than other local members of the party, won his 2021 election on a platform of combating homelessness, property crimes, racial violence and other issues.

INCUMBENT SEATTLE MAYOR CONCEDES TO MAMDANI-STYLE ‘SOCIALIST’ WHO TAPPED HER PARENTS FOR MONEY WHILE RUNNING

“Look at what Seattle has become,” he said when running to replace Jenny Durkan, who had overseen the city when the anarchist CHAZ installation was erected in the middle of town.

Harrell’s re-election, however, was unsuccessful this fall, as socialist-aligned Democrat Katie Wilson edged him out by 50-49 in the nonpartisan general election.

Wilson previously told CNN that she ran for mayor due to the city’s affordability crisis, adding that “being socialist is first of all about a belief in good governance. It’s damaging when people lose faith in their ability to tackle big challenges.”

CHARLIE KIRK’S WARNINGS ABOUT SOCIALISM RESURFACE AS MAMDANI, TRUMP FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY

Wilson co-founded a group called the Transit Riders Union and has supported higher taxes on wealthier citizens – an effort Harrell had reportedly balked at.

She did not run as a socialist-in-name, but “doesn’t shy away from the label,” according to the Downtown Seattle Association.

3. MULTIPLE CANDIDATES: NEW JERSEY

Two new members of the city council in New Jersey’s second-largest city will be ones aligned with the DSA.

86 DEMS VOTE WITH REPUBLICANS TO CONDEMN SOCIALISM IN WAKE OF MAMDANI’S MAYORAL VICTORY

Jersey City will see Ward D – north of I-78 and the Holland Tunnel to New York City – represented by DSA member Jake Ephros, and Ward B – comprising the west side of the city along the Hackensack River – represented by Joel Brooks, who is considered DSA-aligned.

Ephros’ campaign flyers included imagery of a red rose – a symbol associated with socialism and the far left since France’s Socialist Party adopted it around 1969.

He reportedly called the election of himself and Brooks a “watershed” moment, according to the New Jersey Monitor.

SOME NY DEMOCRATS SAY MAMDANI MADE THEIR JOBS TOUGHER AS LOCAL REPUBLICANS MAKE GAINS: REPORT

The Monitor cited an official from the Democratic Socialists of America who backed the two candidates and that the group’s fundraising slogan was “socialist cash takes out capitalist trash.”

Ephros told the outlet that democratic socialists are not just running on the idea of “vote for me, I’m going to fight Trump,” but instead a more technocratic message of being new, elected leaders who will improve quality of life like street paving and reliable trash pickup.

Brooks’ campaign page showed he was endorsed by the SEIU union, Hudson County AFL-CIO, CAIR Action of New Jersey – a branch of the pro-Muslim political group – and the Climate Revolution Action Network.

SEATTLE ABOUT TO GET NY’S HAMMER-AND-SICKLE TREATMENT. SOCIALISM IS COMING YOUR WAY

“[T]he status quo has failed,” the site cites Brooks as telling the outlet Hudson County View.

“Jersey City needs council members who are not a rubber stamp for corporate and real estate funders and police unions.” Brooks’ site also features the Red Rose insignia.

While not running as a socialist, progressive Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon upset Democratic establishment candidate, former Gov. Jim McGreevey.

NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR RECRUITS NYC BUSINESS OWNERS FLEEING MAMDANI ‘REGIME’

McGreevey notably resigned his Trenton office amid scandal in 2004 – when, while married to first lady Dina Matos, admitted to an affair with a male staffer whom he appointed to a top security role, declaring “I am a gay American.”

4. MULTIPLE CANDIDATES: MINNESOTA

Amid the social services scandals enveloping the Democrat-controlled state of Minnesota, two of the DSA National Election Commission-endorsed candidates won their bids for Minneapolis City Council.

Soren Stevenson, who supports rent control among other left-wing platforms according to the progressive outlet Jacobin, won a seat in a ward represented by the outgoing council president whom he had unsuccessfully challenged in the last municipal election.

SEATTLE’S SOCIALIST MAYOR-ELECT KATIE WILSON OPEN TO MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP

“We want a city that is safe for everyone, where police are accountable to us and where everyone in the city has a warm place to sleep at night that they can afford,” Stevenson said after his win, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Stevenson made news during the George Floyd protests, after he received a $2.4 million settlement following an incident in which he lost an eye after allegedly being hit with a 40mm less-than-lethal projectile from a police weapon.

Stevenson had congregated with a large group near a highway on-ramp on May 31, 2020, when he was hit – an incident in which he accused a SWAT officer of firing directly at him.

SEATTLE’S SOCIALIST MAYOR MAY BE ‘LESS CONSTRAINED’ THAN MAMDANI, WASHINGTON POST WARNS

“I did not riot, I did not vandalize, I caused no damage to people or property, did not even disobey police orders,” Stevenson said, according to the AP.

Another socialist candidate, Robin Wonsley, won her third term on Minneapolis’ City Council.

5. DANNY NOWELL: NORTH CAROLINA

One of the most politically progressive communities in the South elected a DSA-endorsed candidate to its town council this year.

MAMDANI DODGES QUESTION ON SOCIALISM VOTE AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES MEETING WITH TRUMP

Carrboro, a town in Orange County that is considered part of North Carolina’s urban “Triangle” region comprising the confluence of I-85, US-64, US-70 and I-40, re-elected Danny Nowell to its town council.

Carrboro has a history of supporting progressive candidates and causes, including becoming one of the first such cities to pass resolutions opposing the Iraq War.

It also declared itself a “Fourth Amendment Town” earlier this year, suggesting ICE and federal immigration enforcement are not respecting constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and explicitly calling out alleged “overreach” of Article II powers by the Trump administration.

Its left-wing body politic is considered an extension of the collegiate progressivism of nearby Chapel Hill, where the University of North Carolina’s flagship campus sits.

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The DSA’s webpage bolstered Nowell for convening a Community Safety Task Force and bringing a lawsuit against major regional utility Duke Energy for what it called its “role in climate deception.”

Nowell, who is White, also supports “racial equity” endeavors, according to his official town biography.

FIRST ON FOX: Wyoming’s Republican Secretary of State Chuck Gray announced on Monday he is running for Congress to replace Rep. Harriet Hageman, who recently opted to run for the U.S. Senate.

Gray, an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump, said he made the decision after prayer and conversations with voters across the state.

“I’m running for Congress to continue fighting for Wyoming’s way of life,” Gray said in a press release. “With Congresswoman Harriet Hageman running for U.S. Senate, Wyoming needs a representative who will build on her strong record, advance our shared Wyoming values, and advance the Trump agenda that has delivered the largest margin of victory in the nation in three straight presidential elections.”

In his announcement video, Gray described himself as “Wyoming tough” and “America first” while pledging to crack down on China’s influence in the United States, treat drug smugglers like “terrorists,” reject “woke” energy policies from the left, protect girls’ sports, and deport “every single” illegal alien. 

TOP OFFICIAL APPLAUDS RED STATE’S HISTORIC LEGISLATION REQUIRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO VOTE: ‘HUGE WINNERS’

“You elect me, they’re gonna notice,” Gray says in the video.

Gray has served as Wyoming’s chief election official since winning the secretary of state race in 2022, after campaigning on election integrity issues. As secretary of state, he oversaw the implementation of several conservative election reforms, including proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration, a ban on ranked-choice voting and restrictions on foreign funding of elections.

He has also moved to limit third-party involvement in election administration and backed measures to prevent crossover voting in Republican primaries.

“My record shows I do what I say,” Gray said. “In Congress, I will secure the border, unleash Wyoming’s energy, lower costs for families, and protect the Second Amendment.”

REPUBLICAN SEN CYNTHIA LUMMIS WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2026, CITING THE ‘ENERGY REQUIRED’

Gray gained national attention in 2023 when he publicly opposed efforts to remove Trump from presidential ballots under the 14th Amendment. He led the filing of an amicus brief before the Colorado Supreme Court and later became the only secretary of state to submit a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court explicitly supporting Trump’s eligibility.

“When political insiders abandoned President Trump, I didn’t flinch,” Gray said. “I stood with the President and the American people, because in this country voters decide elections, not radical leftist attorneys.”

Gray’s campaign pointed to multiple national conservative awards he has received, including recognition from CPAC, the Club for Growth and Wyoming Right to Life. His team also cited internal polling showing Gray leading potential primary opponents.

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The solid red seat was previously held by former Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican who lost her 2022 primary to Hageman after breaking with party leadership and becoming one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics.

Hageman announced earlier this month that she is running for Senate to replace the retiring Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis.

“I will work to stand with President Trump and continue to bring forward common-sense energy independence policies that will protect and grow Wyoming’s core industries,” Gray told Fox News Digital.  

“Woke wind subsidies and green boondoggles must be eliminated.  We must  continue President Trump’s great work securing the border.  I will also work to pass the SAVE Act, proof of citizenship for registering to vote, passed in Congress so every state will have this election integrity reform that we led on in Wyoming.”

North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles as leader Kim Jong Un pledged to continue “unlimited” development of its nuclear stockpile, according to state media. 

The launches involved cruise missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads, according to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim promised to “devote all their efforts to the unlimited and sustained development of the state nuclear combat force.”

The weapons flew over the country’s west coast for close to three hours, KCNA said. It did not reveal how far the missiles traveled.

TRUMP SAYS HE’D BE WILLING TO EXTEND ASIA TRIP TO MEET WITH NORTH KOREA’S KIM JONG UN 

KCNA said the drills were intended to demonstrate the “combat readiness of the nuclear deterrence force” and ensure the country’s ability to carry out what it called a “swift and overwhelming retaliatory strike” in the event of war.

“The launch drill served as a clear warning to the enemies who are seriously threatening the security environment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” KCNA reported, using the country’s formal name.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military detected the launch of multiple cruise missiles around 8 a.m. Sunday from the Sunan area near Pyongyang.

TRUMP SAYS HE’S ‘OPEN’ TO MEETING WITH KIM JONG UN DURING ASIA TRIP, NORTH KOREA IS ‘SORT OF A NUCLEAR POWER’

A spokesperson for South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the launches were part of a series of recent military activities by North Korea that “undermine peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

North Korea has also recently highlighted what it claims is progress on a nuclear-powered submarine program, releasing new images of Kim inspecting construction at a shipyard alongside his daughter.

The Korean Central News Agency said the vessel is an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine that Pyongyang intends to arm with nuclear weapons. Kim has described the project as a key step in modernizing and nuclear-arming North Korea’s navy, though the regime has not provided independent verification of the submarine’s capabilities.

Analysts say North Korea fields multiple types of cruise missiles and has conducted several test launches over the past year, but there is no definitive public estimate of how many the regime possesses.

Outside expert assessments estimate North Korea has assembled roughly 50 nuclear warheads, with enough fissile material to potentially produce between 70 and 90 weapons, though exact figures remain uncertain due to the secrecy surrounding Pyongyang’s program.

President Donald Trump has said he remains open to negotiations with North Korea, but Kim has signaled he would only engage with Washington if denuclearization is removed from the agenda – a stance that underscores the wide gap between the two sides.

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Cruise missiles pose a particular challenge for missile defense systems because they fly at lower altitudes and can maneuver in flight, making them harder to detect than ballistic missiles.

North Korea remains under sweeping international sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs, restrictions that Kim has vowed to overcome through weapons development rather than negotiations.

President Donald Trump kicked off his first day back in the Oval Office of his second term with a flurry of immigration directives aimed at reviving hard-line border enforcement. 

He reinstated Immigration and Customs Enforcement priorities as the administration looked to deport thousands of illegal immigrants who flooded the nation under former President Joe Biden. 

Amid the past year of deportation efforts and immigration crackdowns, Democrats, most notably on the West Coast, have had public meltdowns against the president and immigration officials. 

As Americans prepare to celebrate the new year, Fox News Digital took a look back at the top five Democrat meltdowns in 2025 as they related to Trump’s ICE raids and deportation efforts. 

DHS TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER ARRESTING OVER 10K ILLEGAL ALIENS IN DEEP BLUE CITY DESPITE VIOLENT RIOTS

Padilla forcibly removed from DHS press conference 

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was handcuffed and removed from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference in June as he loudly spoke over Secretary Kristi Noem while approaching the podium where she was standing.

Noem was in Los Angeles in June to hold a press conference on the ongoing anti-ICE riots that rocked the city amid federal law enforcement’s raid of the city in search of illegal immigrants for removal from the U.S. She was in the midst of explaining DHS was “staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into this city.”

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ARGUES HIS REMOVAL FROM DHS PRESS CONFERENCE WAS ‘WAKE-UP CALL’

Padilla interrupted the DHS chief amid the presser and was handcuffed. DHS said at the time that Padilla did not identify himself as a senator and was not wearing his official Senate pin at the time of the removal. 

“I’m Senator Alex Padilla, I have questions for the secretary,” he said, according to footage captured by Fox News. 

Noem said the pair later met in a private room, where they spoke for about 15 minutes, including regarding his concerns over the ICE raids, and exchanged phone numbers. Padilla later said that his removal from the press conference should be a wake-up call for Americans about how the Trump administration operates. 

“It was clear to me that if that’s how this administration would respond to a senator with a question, imagine not just how they could treat so many other people, but how they are treating so many other people when the cameras are not on. This should be a wake-up call,” he told The New York Times in October of the viral incident. 

Newsom repeatedly unleashes on ICE raids 

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom revitalized his long-running political animosity toward Trump this summer when federal agents converged on Los Angeles to conduct immigration raids. 

Riots broke out in Los Angeles in early June as immigration officials carried out raids to remove individuals illegally residing in the left-wing city, which dubbed itself a “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants just ahead of Trump’s second inauguration in January. 

Newsom slammed the immigration raids as “chaotic and reckless,” before heightening his rhetoric. 

“Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel,” Newsom’s statement at the time read. “Donald Trump’s chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America’s economy.” 

BORDER OFFICIAL FIRES BACK AT GAVIN NEWSOM’S POLITICAL ‘TANTRUM’ OVER IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN LOS ANGELES

The governor later called Trump a “son of a b—-” for the immigration raids. 

“They’re sitting there on horses with American flags, running through soccer fields, scaring kids that are playing soccer in the middle of the day at a summer camp. For what? Just toughness,” Newsom said during an appearance on “The Shawn Ryan Show” in July. “It’s a weakness masquerading as strength.

“That’s what I don’t like about this son of a b—-,” the Democratic governor added. “I don’t. And forgive me, I know he’s president of the United States.” 

Conservative social media critics speculated at the time of the riots in June that they would negatively impact a potential 2028 presidential run if Newsom does launch a bid for the nation’s highest office, arguing it was the latest example of failing to lead the state well after wildfires tore through the Los Angeles area in January 2025 that received widespread condemnation. 

Torres melts down that ICE ‘get the f— out of LA’ 

Democratic California Rep. Norma Torres also had a viral moment amid the ICE raids in Los Angles in early June. Conservatives unleashed on Torres that month after she posted a video to social media telling federal agents arresting illegal immigrants in Los Angeles to “get the f— out.”

“ICE get the f— out of LA so that order can be restored,” Rep. Norma Torres posted on TikTok at the time. 

Torres told Fox Digital at the time that the Los Angeles Police Department could handle reeling in the riots, and the presence of the National Guard in the city to help quell the violent protests would “escalate tensions.” 

‘LUNATIC’ DEMOCRAT RIPPED FOR ‘DEMONIC’ VIDEO MESSAGE DEMANDING ICE AGENTS ‘GET THE F— OUT’ AMID CA CHAOS

“We’re witnessing ICE ignore federal law, people going missing, families being separated, and even American citizens being mistakenly detained,” Torres said at the time. “I do not support violent conduct, but I believe the Los Angeles Police Department can restore calm, and prosecute any violent offenders as needed. Bringing in the National Guard will only escalate tensions by introducing a weaponized military presence into the city.”

Conservatives on social media railed against Torres’ TikTok as evidence she is allegedly a “complete lunatic,” “deranged” and a “Communist in Congress,” Fox Digital previously reported. 

Grijalva claims she was pepper sprayed by authorities 

Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva protested an ICE raid in December at a restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, with DHS and ICE pushing back that the lawmaker joined a “rioting crowd” and attempted to interfere with agents during a mass arrest operation.

Grijalva, the daughter of late Democratic House lawmaker Raúl Grijalva, claimed on X earlier in December that she was “pushed aside and pepper sprayed” by federal authorities while seeking information about the raid near the Taco Giro restaurant.

“ICE just conducted a raid by Taco Giro in Tucson — a small mom-and-pop restaurant that has served our community for years,” Grijalva wrote. “When I presented myself as a Member of Congress asking for more information, I was pushed aside and pepper sprayed.”

ICE ACCUSES DEM LAWMAKER OF JOINING ‘RIOTING CROWD’ IN ARIZONA, INTERFERING IN MASS ARREST

ICE and other federal law enforcement arrested 46 illegal immigrants during the operation, which stemmed from a “multiyear investigation into a transnational criminal organization involved in labor exploitation, tax violations, and immigration violations,” according to the agency. The operation took a turn, according to ICE, when “over 100 agitators” arrived on the scene and “quickly turned violent, assaulting officers and slashing tires.”

DHS and ICE both pushed back on Grijalva’s claims. 

“If her claims were true, this would be a medical marvel,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded on X. “But they’re not true. She wasn’t pepper sprayed. She was in the vicinity of someone who was pepper sprayed as they were obstructing and assaulting law enforcement.”

“During the operation, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rioting crowd and attempted to impede law enforcement officers, then took to social media to slander law enforcement by falsely claiming she was pepper sprayed,” ICE said in response to Grijalva’s claims. 

New Jersey’s Delaney Hall meltdowns 

An ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, known as Delaney Hall, became the focal point of a handful of protests and deportation efforts on the East Coast, including when a House lawmaker and the mayor of Newark faced legal action over their protests. 

Newark Democrat Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested May 9, 2025, outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center for trespassing. 

Baraka’s arrest occurred during a protest attended by three members of Congress, who said at the time that they were there to perform their congressionally mandated oversight duties. The lawmakers were outside the facility with a group of protesters when the gates opened to allow an ICE bus in. 

The lawmakers then rushed through the gates and past security, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security at the time. 

ICE BREAKOUT IN NEW JERSEY SYMPTOM OF DEMOCRATIC ‘CHAOS’ ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LOCAL GOP LEADER SAYS

Baraka denied any wrongdoing following his arrest, and the case was ultimately dropped. The mayor later filed a counter-suit in against then-interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Homeland Security Investigations official Ricky Patel in a suit that is ongoing. 

“We haven’t interfered with federal law enforcement,” Baraka said early on in the debate when moderators turned their questioning to the incident at the ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. “We didn’t go down there to protest. We actually went down there to have a press conference. And the Congress has oversight. And they began to exercise their oversight. It was escalated by Homeland Security. They made an arrest because they got a call to do so. And that’s what happened.”

One of three lawmakers who attended the protest when Baraka was arrested was New Jersey Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver, who was later indicted for allegedly obstructing Homeland Security agents during the protest. She was accused of blocking officers as they tried to arrest Baraka, allegedly putting her arms around the mayor, before she “slammed her forearm” into one officer while grabbing another, according to the DOJ at the time. 

McIver faces a three-count federal indictment for allegedly assaulting, resisting and impeding federal officers. McIver has denied wrongdoing in the case. 

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“They caused the confrontation, Homeland came and caused this chaos that we see was a very tense situation but it could have easily not happened,” she said in May, according to local media. 

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, Andrew Mark Miller, Michael Sinkewicz and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump is taking action against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria, following through on previous threats and signing off on airstrikes targeting the group on Thursday. 

While the Christmas strikes zeroed in on ISIS militants, there are a number of violent extremist organizations operating in Africa’s Sahel region, where U.S. officials claim they are continuing to grow in influence and strength as violence surges there. 

The strikes conducted on Christmas occurred in Nigeria’s Sokoto State on the border of neighboring Niger. The area is where the Islamic State’s (IS) Sahel Province, which is largely based in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has “made inroads into Nigeria,” according to Caleb Weiss, an editor with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal. 

“In Sokoto, it has carried out attacks against both government forces and civilians, representing just one jihadist group operating in Nigeria,” Weiss said in a statement Thursday.

NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN LEADER CALLS TRUMP’S SPOTLIGHT ON VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA AN ‘ANSWERED PRAYER’ 

Additionally, other ISIS branches like IS West Africa Province, as well as organizations tied to other violent extremist groups like al Qaeda, are also active in the region, he said. These include Boko Haram, a Nigerian-based group that the State Department designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2013, as well as offshoots of al Qaeda like Ansaru and The Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, also known as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, or JNIM.

“In addition to IS Sahel, there is also IS West Africa Province, which supports and coordinates with IS Sahel in NW Nigeria; the so-called Boko Haram; and the Al-Qaeda groups of Ansaru and the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, which, like IS Sahel, is a group mainly based in Mali and Burkina Faso, but in recent years have also made inroads into Nigeria that has effectively made the Sahelian and Nigerian conflicts one large conflict,” Weiss said. 

Meanwhile, the Sahel region, which primarily includes Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, is ripe for terrorist activity, and U.S. officials have long cautioned about the threat that these groups pose to the U.S. homeland.

NIGERIA SECURES RELEASE OF 100 ABDUCTED SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM CATHOLIC SCHOOL AFTER WEEKS IN CAPTIVITY 

For example, Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, who is the head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), told reporters in May that extremist groups are gaining ground and “expanding their ambitions,” meaning the threat to the U.S. homeland is increasing as these groups gain “capability and capacity” in the Sahel region.

“It is the flashpoint of prolonged conflict and growing instability. It is the epicenter of terrorism on the globe,” Langley said. 

Meanwhile, Trump announced Thursday that he directed the strikes in northwest Nigeria, after previously warning he would take action following recent attacks in the region against Christians.

US DRAMATICALLY ESCALATES SOMALIA AIRSTRIKES AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS ISIS, AL QAEDA TERRORISTS 

“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump said on Thursday in a post on Truth Social. “The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.”

It’s unclear how many people were killed in the attacks, although Trump said that the strikes were “deadly.” AFRICOM said Thursday that its initial assessment is “multiple” ISIS terrorists were killed in the attack. 

Christians and Christian institutions have faced a series of attacks in Nigeria. In November, two people were killed and dozens were kidnapped after gunmen raided the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State. Those who were abducted were liberated almost a week later.

Also in November, armed attackers stormed St. Mary’s School in Niger State, an event that resulted in the kidnapping of more than 300 students and staff. Although school officials later said roughly 50 students were able to break free, more than 250 students and 21 teachers are still in captivity.

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The Trump administration moved to designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in November. Nigeria has pushed back against the U.S. government’s designation. 

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report. 

The balance of power in Washington, D.C., is up for grabs in 2026 as a handful of key Senate races will determine whether President Donald Trump and Republicans will maintain their governing trifecta. 

In addition to their own competitiveness, many of these key Senate races may say more about the state of politics in 2026 — and the respective parties — beyond their individual results.

FIVE SLEEPER RACES THAT COULD UPEND 2026 – FROM PENNSYLVANIA’S ALLEGHENIES TO NEW MEXICO

5 — Georgia

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., faces a competitive Senate race in Georgia where Democrats will look to retain a seat in a state that went to President Donald Trump by 2.2% in 2024. Ossoff will have to defend his party’s role in the extended government shutdown that especially hurt Georgia’s airline-heavy economy. 

During the 43-day stretch, Ossoff voted with Republicans to make partial provisions for federal workers but voted against the spending package that eventually ended the shutdown.

Ossoff won his last election in a 2021 runoff against Republican candidate David Perdue. He secured victory by just a 1.2% margin.

Nine Republicans have joined the bid to unseat Ossoff. Most notably, the challengers include Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., and Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga. 

Republicans will hold their primary on May 19, 2026.

CORNYN TORCHES DEMOCRATIC FIELD, SAYS PARTY NOW ‘RULED BY SOCIALISTS’

4 — Michigan

Before Michigan’s Senate race becomes a question of congressional power, it may first become a litmus test for what the Democratic label is becoming.

Five Democrats have joined the Senate race to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters, D-Minn. Peters last won election in 2020 by just 1.7% — just over 92,000 votes. The primary race has become a three-way contest between Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate pushing for healthcare for all and greater federal restrictions on what he sees as monopolistic forces in capitalism, and two more middle-of-the-road candidates: state Sen. Mallory McMorow and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich.

Republicans have made efforts to use El-Seyed’s stances as proof that Democrats are going the way of Zohran Mamdani, the socialist mayor-elect of New York City. 

On the Republican side of the field, the race has attracted a handful of candidates, most of whom have not previously held office. One notable exception is former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2015. 

Michigan will hold its state primaries on Aug. 4, 2026.

AFTER ROUGH 2025 ELECTIONS, TOP GOP HOPEFUL SAYS CONSERVATISM’S FUTURE RUNS THROUGH SOUND ECONOMIC MESSAGE

3 — Minnesota

The race to fill the seat of outgoing Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., presents Republicans with a tantalizing opportunity in a state that’s home to former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz — and where national outrage over devastating fraud schemes may create an opening for Republican messaging.

Smith last won election in 2020 with a 48.8% — 43.6% victory over Republican candidate Jason Lewis. In that election, Kevin O’Connor, an independent candidate advocating for the legalization of marijuana, took away 5.8% of the vote. It’s unclear how that 5.8% vote may go in 2026; O’Connor hasn’t filed to join the race. Additionally, an executive order from President Donald Trump sets up marijuana to become available for medical research and use.

With the playing field looking different this time around, the race has attracted eight Republican candidates — including Royce White, a former NBA player for the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings. 

On the Democratic side of the aisle, notable candidates include Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. That primary sets up a telling choice for Democrats between Craig, who has attracted endorsements from more of the party’s establishment, and Flanagan, a progressive. 

Minnesota will hold its primaries on Aug. 10, 2026. 

TIM SCOTT TELLS MAGA VOTERS TRUMP ‘IS ON THE BALLOT’ AS GOP FIGHTS TO GROW SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026

2 — Iowa

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, shocked Washington, D.C., in September when she announced she would not pursue re-election. The two-term senator had run into hot water when she remarked that “we are all going to die,” in response to questions about healthcare insecurity that Democrats feared would arise from cuts to Medicaid. She last won an election in 2020 in a 51.7% to 45.2% victory over Theresa Greenfield. 

That 6.5% margin of victory — without the advantage of an incumbent to defend the seat — gives Democrats a unique opportunity to try to flip a seat in a state that went to Trump in 2024 by 13.3%.

So far, a handful of candidates have declared their candidacy for the race, including Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa. The group also includes a handful of Republican state-level representatives. Similarly, notable Democrats in the race include state Sen. Zach Wahls and state Rep. Josh Turek.

Iowa has its primaries scheduled for Jun. 2, 2026.

GOP SEIZES ON DEM CIVIL WAR AS PROGRESSIVES JUMP INTO KEY 2026 SENATE RACES: ‘THEY’RE IN SHAMBLES’

1 — North Carolina

The Tar Heel State’s 2026 Senate race to replace retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has all the makings of a blockbuster showdown. As a state with a Democratic governor that went for Trump in 2024, North Carolina’s matchup could come down to the wire between former RNC Chair Michael Whatley, a Republican with expansive fundraising and campaign experience, and former N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, a soft-spoken Democrat with a track record for winning over middle-of-the-road voters. 

While Whatley has never held elected office, he helped Republicans overperform expectations in 2024 when the GOP narrowly hung on to power in the House of Representatives and flipped control of the U.S. Senate. Cooper last won election as governor in 2020 in a 51.5% – 47.0% victory over Republican challenger Dan Forest. Before his time as governor, Cooper had been elected multiple times to serve as the state’s attorney general going back to 2000. He has never lost an election. 

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The state will hold its primaries on March 3, 2026.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Sunday called for President Trump to only focus on America’s needs as the president meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The president has been heavily involved in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts since returning to the White House.

Trump met with Zelenskyy on Sunday at Mar-a-Lago to discuss a peace plan aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war that began with an invasion by Moscow in February 2022.

Netanyahu arrived in Florida on Sunday ahead of their scheduled meeting on Monday at Trump’s estate to address Israel’s conflicts in the Middle East. It will be the sixth meeting of the year between the two leaders.

TRUMP ZELENSKYY SAY UKRAINE PEACE DEAL CLOSE BUT ‘THORNY ISSUES’ REMAIN AFTER FLORIDA TALKS

Greene, responding to Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy and Netanyahu, said that the Trump administration should address the needs of Americans rather than becoming further involved in global conflicts.

“Zelensky today. Netanyahu tomorrow,” she wrote on X.

“Can we just do America?” the congresswoman continued.

The congresswoman has been a vocal critic of supplying U.S. military aid to foreign countries amid the conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

She has also referred to Zelenskyy as “a dictator who canceled elections” and labeled Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a genocide and humanitarian crisis.

ZELENSKYY READY TO PRESENT NEW PEACE PROPOSALS TO US AND RUSSIA AFTER WORKING WITH EUROPEAN TALKS

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This comes after Taylor Greene, who is set to resign from the House in January, had a public spat with Trump over the past few months as Trump took issue with the Georgia Republican’s push to release documents related to the investigations into deceased sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump had withdrawn his endorsement of Greene and called her a “traitor” over the public feud.

In President Donald Trump’s first year back in office, over 2.5 million illegal aliens have left the country, due in large part to the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration and extensive deportation program.

In its deportation push, the Department of Homeland Security has prioritized targeting violent criminal illegals. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has accused the media of “whitewashing” facts about the arrests of illegal immigrants with violent criminal histories and portraying them as victims. 

“As the media whitewashes the facts, day in and day out, our brave men and women of ICE risk their lives for the American people,” McLaughlin said.

From a “habitual” child predator to a beheading incident to another who strangled a taxicab driver to death, here are ten of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens arrested with violent charges this year.

1. Mohamed Sabry Soliman – Colorado Molotov cocktail terror attack

On June 1, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national living in the U.S. on an expired visa, was arrested on federal charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and a hate crime after allegedly setting fire to people at a pro-Israel event in Boulder.

Authorities described the attack as terrorism-inspired violence.

According to the federal indictment, Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at event attendees, shouting, “Free Palestine!” Per the indictment, he was armed with a backpack weed sprayer that contained a flammable liquid and a black plastic container that held at least 18 Molotov cocktails.

DHS TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER ARRESTING OVER 10K ILLEGAL ALIENS IN DEEP BLUE CITY DESPITE VIOLENT RIOTS

Thirteen people were injured in the attack, and an 82-year-old woman, Karen Diamond, died of her injuries on June 25, 2025. A dog was also harmed.

2. Emiliano Garduno-Galvez – Fiery LA anti-law enforcement attack

Just days later, Emiliano Garduno-Galvez was arrested for attempted murder after he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.

The incident was caught on video and posted to X by DHS.

According to the agency, Garduno-Galvez had been previously deported and has a criminal history, including grand theft and a DUI.

3. Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco – Nebraska Tren de Aragua terrorist

On June 20, DHS announced that ICE arrested Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant and member of the infamous Tren de Aragua gang, which was designated a “foreign terrorist organization” by the Trump administration. 

According to DHS, during an immigration enforcement operation in Bellevue, Nebraska, Hurtado-Cariaco launched a “brutal and premeditated assault” on a female ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agent and an FBI agent. The agency said that Hurtado-Cariaco threw the ICE agent to the ground, slammed her head into the pavement, ripped off her body armor, and made repeated and physical violent contact. The agent survived but sustained serious injuries to her head and arm and was treated at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. 

Though Hurtado-Cariaco fled the scene, he was picked up hours later and charged with attempted murder of a federal officer and assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury. He entered the country illegally in 2023. 

4. Harjinder Singh – Florida illegal commercial driver crash

Also facing deportation is Indian illegal alien Harjinder Singh, who was arrested on August 12 after a Florida Turnpike crash in which investigators allege he made an unlawful U-turn with a semitruck, causing a wreck that killed three people.

DHS LAUNCHES ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ WEBPAGE TARGETING ALLEGED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NATIONWIDE

Singh is facing three counts of vehicular homicide in Florida and ICE has lodged a detainer for his arrest.

According to DHS, Singh entered the country illegally in 2018 and was issued a commercial driver’s license by the state of California in 2024. Singh’s case sparked widespread concern about illegal immigrant drivers endangering lives on U.S. roads.

5. William Alexander Telles Amaya – Houston ‘habitual’ child predator

On Aug. 18, ICE arrested William Alexander Telles Amaya, a 35-year-old criminal alien from El Salvador, whom the agency described as a “habitual child predator.”

ICE said that Amaya has been convicted three times for child sex offenses, including aggravated sexual assault of a child in April 2006, failure to register as a sex offender in May 2015, and sexual indecency with a minor in July 2025.

DHS PACKAGES LATEST ICE ARRESTS AS ‘CHRISTMAS GIFT TO AMERICANS’

6. Yordanis Cobos-Martinez – Dallas beheading suspect

In another major Texas city, Dallas, ICE arrested Cuban illegal Yordanis Cobos-Martinez on Sept. 10. According to the agency, Cobos-Martinez has a long criminal history, including child sex abuse, grand theft of a motor vehicle, false imprisonment and carjacking.

The agency said that Cobos-Martinez was arrested by Dallas police for allegedly using a machete to behead a merchant he had argued with. The agency said the murder took place in front of the merchant’s spouse and child and that Cobos-Martinez then kicked the head of the victim “around like a soccer ball.”

ICE said that Cobos-Martinez had previously been arrested by ICE and had a final order of removal, but was released by the Biden administration just a week before Trump took office on Jan. 13.

7. Eduardo Aguilar – $10,000 TikTok bounties for dead ICE agents

DHS announced the Oct. 14 arrest of Eduardo Aguilar, a 23-year-old Mexican illegal alien residing in Dallas, after he called for the murder of ICE agents in a Spanish video posted on TikTok.

Aguilar’s post, dated Oct. 9, 2025, called for “10 dudes in Dallas with determination who aren’t afraid to [two skull emoji].” He offered “10K for each ICE agent.”

According to court records, Aguilar was charged with transmitting a communication in interstate or foreign commerce containing a threat.

He entered the country illegally in 2018 and had an outstanding removal order from 2019. At the time of his arrest, Aguilar had a loaded 9mm handgun in his vehicle. 

DHS RIPS DEM-RUN COUNTY AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDERER RELEASED: ‘BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS’

8. Sergio Noe de Nova Duarte – Hammer-wielding kidnapping attack

In Plano, Texas, ICE lodged a detainer on Nov. 17 against Sergio Noe de Nova Duarte, a Mexican illegal alien, who allegedly attacked an innocent woman jogging in a park with a hammer.

The Plano Police Department charged Duarte with aggravated kidnapping and bodily injury. He had previous arrests for burglary and larceny in 2024 and had been arrested by ICE, but was released under the Biden administration. He was set to appear before an immigration judge in 2026.

He entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2016 and overstayed his visa.

9. Esteban Silva-Garcia – Pennsylvania strangulation and child endangering

This month, ICE announced it had arrested Esteban Silva-Garcia, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, following a conviction of strangulation, applying pressure to the throat or neck, and endangering the welfare of a child in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

ICE ARRESTS 100+ ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKERS IN MAJOR SWEEP AFTER DEADLY CRASHES ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES

10. Santos Paulino Vasquez-Ramirez – New York taxicab driver strangled to death

Just days before Christmas, DHS announced it had arrested Santos Paulino Vasquez-Ramirez, a Guatemalan illegal charged with homicide and robbery. The agency said that Vasquez-Ramirez strangled a taxicab driver named Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez to death in Brewster, New York, over a dispute about fare.

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Zhunio-Orbez’s body was found a few days later, floating in the Croton Falls Reservoir.  

Vasquez-Ramirez entered the country illegally in 2013 and had an outstanding order of removal from 2016.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s office is pushing back against fraud allegations after a viral video showed visits to multiple childcare centers in the state, including one that allegedly received millions of dollars in state funding despite appearing largely inactive.

Responding to questions about the allegations and the video posted by independent journalist Nick Shirley, a spokesperson for the governor told Fox News that Walz has spent years working to “crack down on fraud” and has taken steps to strengthen oversight of state programs, including initiating investigations into several facilities.

“The governor has worked for years to crack down on fraud and ask the state legislature for more authority to take aggressive action,” the spokesperson said. “He has strengthened oversight — including launching investigations into these specific facilities, one of which was already closed.”

LAWMAKERS PROBE SBA LOANS LINKED TO MINNESOTA’S $9B FRAUD SCANDAL: ‘RECKLESS DECISION MAKING’

The spokesperson added that Walz has “hired an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program entirely, announced a new statewide program integrity director, and supported criminal prosecutions.”

The response follows the release of a 42-minute video by Shirley, posted Friday on X and YouTube, documenting visits to several daycare centers in the blue state, including a location on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis.

In the video, Shirley and another man are seen at what appears to be a largely inactive childcare facility. The building also displays a misspelled sign reading “Quality Learing Center,” even though the center is reportedly supposed to account for 99 children and received roughly $4 million in state funds.

During a Sunday appearance on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show,” Shirley said the alleged fraud in Minnesota was “so obvious” that a “kindergartner could figure out that there is fraud going on.”

FBI SURGES RESOURCES TO MINNESOTA AS DIRECTOR PATEL CALLS $250M FRAUD SCHEME ‘TIP OF A VERY LARGE ICEBERG’

Shirley also suggested other journalists may be reluctant to pursue similar reporting out of fear of being labeled “Islamophobic” or “racist.”

“Fraud is fraud, and we work too hard simply just to be paying taxes and enabling fraud to be happening,” he said. 

The video has sparked widespread backlash, drawing criticism of Walz throughout the weekend from several high-profile figures, including Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Donald Trump Jr. and Elon Musk.

The White House on Sunday reposted an X post from Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who called the alleged fraud a “breathtaking failure that has happened under the watch” of Walz.

Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency has surged additional personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota as part of an ongoing effort to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”

MISSPELLED LEARNING CENTER, NO CHILDREN INSIDE: EMMER PRESSES WALZ OVER MINNESOTA DAYCARE TIED TO $4M

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The video went viral this week amid the burgeoning scandal enveloping the Walz administration that notably included at least $1 billion lost to alleged social services fraud largely tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities.

Fox News’ Connor Hansen and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

Rep. Ilhan Omar’s defense of Somalia’s territorial claims and her opposition to the recognition of an independent Somaliland has been criticized as authorities ramp up investigations into alleged mass fraud in her home state.

One analyst argued the corruption scandal allegedly involving Somali communities in Minnesota is relevant when contrasting failures in Somalia and the stability of Somaliland, an autonomous region that Omar has opposed recognizing.

Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, claimed highlighting the difference between the two regions “mattered.”

“The corruption exposed in Minnesota mirrors the governance failures that have plagued Somalia for decades,” Rubin told Fox News Digital.

INSIDE MINNESOTA’S $1B FRAUD: FAKE OFFICES, PHONY FIRMS AND A SCANDAL HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

“Somaliland has charted a different course entirely, relying on internal accountability rather than international assistance and that distinction matters right now,” he said.

Minnesota was engulfed in controversy after revelations that fraud losses across multiple government programs since 2018 could total billions of dollars, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Federal authorities have also already dismantled a $250 million scheme tied to the “Feeding Our Future” case, for example, which resulted in 78 indictments and dozens of convictions.

The case was described by FBI Director Kash Patel as “the tip of a very large iceberg.”

‘INCOMPETENCE OR DERELICTION’: MINNESOTA LAWMAKER RIPS TIM WALZ AS STATE FRAUD LOSSES MOUNT

The scandal gained renewed attention over the weekend after independent commentator Nick Shirley posted a viral video showing shuttered daycare centers that had billed the government millions of dollars while appearing to serve few, if any, children.

Omar has since defended her support for the MEALS Act, legislation critics say weakened oversight safeguards later exploited by fraudulent operators.

Rubin, however, argues Omar’s broader worldview on Somalia also raises questions about her goals.

“Ilhan Omar left Somalia, but Somalia never left her,” Rubin said. “In her Somali-language speeches, she refers to Somalia as her home, not America and so it is clear she appears to seek to advance Somalia’s interests on the global stage.”

He claimed Omar’s opposition to recognizing Somaliland is driven by internal Somali politics rather than U.S. strategic interests.

WHISTLEBLOWER WARNS MASSIVE FRAUD IS HAPPENING IN OHIO SOMALI COMMUNITY, MINNESOTA ‘JUST TIP OF THE SPEAR’

“Clan dynamics shape Somali politics, and that same lens appears to inform her position on Somaliland,” Rubin said, arguing that Omar has opposed policies that would legitimize the breakaway region.

“American interests don’t appear to factor prominently into that calculation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Somaliland continues to attract growing international attention.

After more than three decades of de facto independence, the self-governing territory has maintained internal security, built democratic institutions, and followed closer diplomatic engagement with Israel.

Somaliland has signaled interest in joining the Abraham Accords, positioning itself as a potential partner for U.S. and Israeli interests in the Horn of Africa.

MISSPELLED ‘LEARNING’ CENTER, NO CHILDREN INSIDE: EMMER PRESSES WALZ OVER MINNESOTA DAYCARE TIED TO $4M

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had established full diplomatic relations with Somaliland, describing the move as being in the spirit of the United States-brokered Abraham Accords.

The announcement made Israel the first UN member state to recognize the self-declared state, which has wanted international acceptance for over three decades.

“The more people learn about Somaliland’s record, the more they will question why the U.S. continues to send billions to Somalia’s internationally recognized government while overlooking a more reliable partner,” Rubin added.

President Trump was also reportedly “looking into” the recognition of Somaliland in August.

BESSENT TURNS UP HEAT ON SPRAWLING MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEMES AS TREASURY PERSONNEL DEPLOY ON THE GROUND

Trump told the New York Post he has to “study” Netanyahu’s pitch and asked from his golf course, “Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?”

“We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions, and they turn out to be correct,” Trump said.

Rubin noted the issue could gain more momentum as Netanyahu is expected to discuss regional security matters with Trump this week.

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“The case for Somaliland does align with Trump’s broader foreign policy approach,” Rubin said.

“It is business-friendly, security-focused, and takes responsibility for its own territory. It wants partnerships, not perpetual aid. By any reasonable metric, recognizing Somaliland makes sense.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Rep. Omar for comment.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that peace talks to end the war in Ukraine are close to completion after a meeting in Florida with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with both leaders citing major progress on a 20-point plan while acknowledging unresolved disputes over territory, ceasefire terms and Ukrainian approval.

Trump and Zelenskyy spoke to reporters following their meeting at Mar-a-Lago, describing weeks of negotiations involving U.S., Ukrainian, European Union and NATO officials that have moved a potential peace framework close to the finish line, though several high-stakes issues remain unresolved.

Trump said negotiations have intensified over the past month and suggested discussions are far more advanced than at any previous point in the war, while cautioning that final agreements depend on resolving a small number of difficult questions.

“We could be very close,” Trump said. “There are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues. But I think we’re doing very well. We made a lot of progress today, but really, we’ve made it over the last month. This is not a one-day process. It’s very complicated stuff.”

ZELENSKYY READY TO PRESENT NEW PEACE PROPOSALS TO US AND RUSSIA AFTER WORKING WITH EUROPEAN TALKS

Zelenskyy echoed that assessment, confirming that negotiators have largely agreed on the framework of a deal and crediting sustained diplomacy across multiple international meetings leading up to the Florida talks.

He said negotiations have taken place over several weeks in cities including Geneva, Miami, Berlin and at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, with American and Ukrainian teams working toward a shared peace framework.

“We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework, which includes – and we have great achievements – a 20-point peace plan, 90% agreed,” Zelenskyy said.

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN UKRAINE PEACE PUSH, BUT EXPERTS FEAR PUTIN WON’T BUDGE

Both leaders said European and NATO officials were closely involved in the process, with a joint call held following the meeting that included senior leaders from across the continent and international institutions.

Zelenskyy said teams are expected to meet again in the coming weeks to finalize remaining issues and that Trump has agreed to potentially host further talks in Washington with European leaders and a Ukrainian delegation.

Despite the progress, territory – particularly the status of Donbas – remains one of the most difficult unresolved issues, with Trump and Zelenskyy acknowledging differing positions between Ukraine and Russia.

FINNISH PRESIDENT SAYS RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE DEAL CLOSER THAN ANY POINT DURING THE WAR

Trump suggested that time could be a critical factor in negotiations, warning that delays could result in further territorial losses as fighting continues.

“Some of that land has been taken,” Trump said. “Some of that land is maybe up for grabs, but it may be taken over the next period of a number of months. Are you better off making a deal now?”

Zelenskyy stressed that any final agreement would need to comply with Ukrainian law and reflect the will of the Ukrainian people, potentially requiring parliamentary approval or a national referendum.

“Our society, too, has to choose and decide who has to vote, because it’s their land – the land not of one person,” Zelenskyy said. “It’s the land of our nation for a lot of generations.”

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Trump said polling shows strong public support for ending the war and reiterated his desire to bring the conflict to a close, citing the scale of casualties on both sides.

“We want to see it ended,” Trump said. “I want it ended because I don’t want to see so many people dying. We’re losing massive numbers of people – the biggest by far since World War II.”

Erika Kirk, the widow of the late Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday” that the organization intends to resume its nationwide presence on college campuses.

“We are not afraid,” she said, adding that the TPUSA team will continue to host “Prove Me Wrong”–style debates as part of its campus outreach.

ERIKA KIRK DOUBLES DOWN TO FIGHT FOR CHARLIE’S LEGACY: ‘I’M NOT AFRAID

Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an outdoor event on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. The gathering marked the first stop on TPUSA’s planned “American Comeback Tour,” and at first, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

The charismatic TPUSA founder rose to prominence through his signature political debates on college campuses. Moments before the fatal shot, he sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong,” fielding open-mic questions from thousands in attendance.

CHARLIE KIRK HONORED BY 90K IN ONE OF THE LARGEST MEMORIALS FOR A PRIVATE CITIZEN

His death left behind a movement that reshaped conservative youth politics — one that his widow, Erika Kirk, told Bream she intends to carry forward.

Charlie Kirk began building that movement as a teenager. At 18, Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found Turning Point USA (TPUSA). 

By his mid-20s, he became the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and a household name in conservative circles. By 31, he commanded a $95 million political empire, galvanized millions of followers online and established a direct line to President Donald Trump.

TPUSA BEGAN AS A SCRAPPY CAMPUS GROUP AND GREW INTO A NATIONAL, MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR POLITICAL FORCE

With backing from Republican donors like Foster Friess, Kirk turned the scrappy campus operation into one of the fastest-growing conservative nonprofits in America. Today, it’s a political juggernaut — its revenue, according to tax filings, soared from just $2 million in 2015 to $85 million in 2024.

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That legacy, carried forward by his widow, comes as the organization sees a surge in campus chapter enrollments, signaling continued momentum among conservative students nationwide.

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was exhausted and in physical pain when Pastor David Engelhardt persuaded him to pause his work week for one day and honor the Sabbath by turning off his phone and disconnecting from politics. 

Years later, Kirk authored a book championing how honoring the Sabbath transformed his life and opened doors to build better foundations for his relationships — whether it be with his wife, Erika, and their children, family and friends, and his relationship with God. 

“He would turn his phone off so he wouldn’t be distracted by his work. … He would spend his time with his wife and kids and they would rest, and they would go on walks and …spend some time in scripture. He practiced it from Friday to Saturday. That’s what worked best for his schedule,” Englhardt, a TPUSA board member who has been a friend and pastor to the Kirks stretching back years, told Fox News Digital. 

Engelhardt, who is the pastor of Kings’ Church in New York City, spoke to Fox News Digital following the release of Kirk’s best-selling posthumous book, “Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life,” which celebrates that honoring the Sabbath is the answer to an exhausted, anxious, always-online America. 

TURNING POINT USA HOLDS AMERICAFEST CONFERENCE FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION

Engelhardt met Charlie Kirk through Erika Kirk when she lived in New York City, the pastor explained. He took Fox Digital through a conversation he shared with Charlie Kirk in 2021, when Englhardt took notice that the TPUSA chief was physically and mentally drained and on a trajectory to burnout. 

“He was physically in pain,” Engelhard told Fox News Digital. “He was having back issues, and knee issues and the burden of the organization was really heavy on his shoulders. And I said, ‘Charlie, I don’t think you can continue to do this unless you take the Sabbath. Unless you take this biblical command.'” 

The TPUSA chief initially resisted shutting off for one day to recalibrate for the next week. 

VANCE SAYS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ MOVEMENT REJECTS ‘PURITY TESTS,’ WELCOMES CRITICAL THINKERS

“I think one of the things Charlie said was, like, ‘What if the president calls me? Like, what am I supposed to do?’ We live in a day and age where anyone can call you at any time … and he’s dealing with massive important matters of state. And you know the pushback, the response is like you actually have to care for yourself more than you care about your appearance in the eyes of the world. And you actually have to know that if you obey this and you actually turn off for 24 hours, it will bring blessing into your life,” he said. 

Engelhardt recounted that the pair “kind of argued about it for a minute” before Kirk warmed to the idea and adopted it with great success. 

“I just said, ‘Trust me, if you rest, you’ll have more energy and more capacity and more ability.’ And because he’s insanely disciplined, or was insanely disciplined, he started, I think, the next week after I challenged him, and he told me it saved his life, he told it changed his life. And I think that’s there’s so many people that burn out and crash and burn their lives, because they just don’t care for themselves They don’t take care of the body. They don’t recognize that we’re not machines, that we need seasonal rest.”

DAVID MARCUS: ERIKA KIRK IS THE MOTHER SQUABBLING CONSERVATIVES NEED

Honoring the Sabbath is one of the 10 Commandments, with Engelhardt pointing to both the Old and New Testaments outlining that God, Himself, did not need to rest on the seventh day as described in the Book of Genesis, as He is all powerful, but showed people that they need a pattern of weekly cycles of ends and new beginnings. 

“The commandment is that you’re not supposed to work on the Sabbath,” Engelhardt said. “And the idea is, the scripture says, in six days you shall labor and on the seventh day you shall rest because it is holy. And so it follows a pattern, the same pattern that we see in Genesis, where God works. He creates the whole world and then He rests on that seventh day.”

“The scripture says, His mercies are new every morning. And so, it’s a really important scripture or principle in the scripture that allows us to start again, to start afresh, to incorporate things like repentance,” the pastor said. 

Kirk’s posthumous book was released Dec. 9 and quickly became a best seller on Amazon lists, walking readers through how “observing the Sabbath isn’t a rejection of modern life but a rebellion against busyness and a pathway to genuine connection, peace, and presence,” the book description outlines, specifically, “how to unplug, recharge, and reconnect with God, family, and yourself in a way that nurtures your soul.”

ERIKA KIRK WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO FIRST AMERICAFEST SINCE HUSBAND’S DEATH, ENDORSES JD VANCE FOR PRESIDENT

The book’s release was followed by TPUSA holding its AmericaFest event in Arizona from Dec. 18 to Dec. 21, where conservatives, supporters of President Donald Trump and others took the stage, frequently celebrating Trump’s accomplishments following his return to office, as well as remembering Kirk following his assassination in September. 

Engelhardt told Fox Digital that Kirk’s book on the Sabbath was one of about four book projects he was thinking about and working on ahead of his death, remarking that “Charlie was really excited about it … he just kept saying, ‘I have to get this Sabbath book out.’”

During AmFest, old footage of Kirk celebrating his embrace of the Sabbath was projected out to the crowds. 

“I actually don’t work one day out of the week, so I take a Sabbath every Saturday, turn my phone off,” Kirk was heard saying in footage played on the first day of AmFest. “No work, just kids, just family. It’s an amazing blessing. If you are feeling overrun by society, you might be feeling depressed or anxious. Turn your phone off for one day.”

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“That is a day for worship. That is a day for the Lord,” Kirk continued. “That is a day to go be with God and be out of the busyness and the hurried ness and the noise of this world.”