NationalWatch

The Trump administration signaled to a federal judge on Monday during a hearing that it would rather deport Salvadoran migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Africa than follow through with prosecuting him on charges of transporting illegal migrants.

Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland grilled a Department of Justice lawyer over the plans, asking if the administration would remove Abrego Garcia to Liberia this week if it could overcome legal hurdles. Xinis currently has an injunction in place blocking Abrego Garcia from being deported.

“I have been told that if there was no prohibition, we would remove him on Friday,” DOJ lawyer Drew Ensign said.

Xinis pressed Ensign about Abrego Garcia’s criminal case in Tennessee, and Ensign replied that he did not know how deporting Abrego Garcia would affect that case. The judge voiced skepticism about the timing of the administration’s desired deportation date of Friday.

FEDERAL JUDGE LOSES PATIENCE WITH TRUMP DOJ AS ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION STALLS AGAIN

Xinis noted that a high-pressure hearing is happening next week over whether the DOJ vindictively brought criminal charges against Abrego Garcia after initially admitting to erroneously deporting him to a prison in El Salvador earlier this year. 

“I don’t believe a criminal case can go forward if there’s no defendant,” Xinis said, adding, “I’m trying to figure out how useful this Friday is, and the reason why I’m asking is because it’s common knowledge there is an evidentiary hearing [in Tennessee] next week.”

Liberia is now the fourth African country raised by lawyers for the Trump administration after they previously identified three others, Uganda, Ghana and Eswatini, that could potentially accept Abrego Garcia, pending dissolution of Xinis’ injunction keeping him in the United States.

The judge signaled that the Department of Homeland Security’s position of wanting to deport him and the DOJ’s position of wanting to take him to trial did not add up and that she suspected some behind-the-scenes logistical discussions were taking place.

“It just doesn’t pass the sniff test that there hasn’t been some coordination,” Xinis said.

DHS TO SOON DEPORT ABREGO GARCIA TO AFRICAN NATION AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN’S RETURN FROM EL SALVADOR, FILING SAYS

Abrego Garcia’s defense attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg told the judge his team was unsatisfied with Liberia, saying they were unclear on whether their client would be detained or free in Liberia and that they currently suspect he could be re-deported to El Salvador, where he has established a credible fear of persecution.

Sandoval-Moshenberg reiterated that Abrego Garcia is open to being deported to Costa Rica, the only country that has explicitly agreed to grant him asylum and to not send him back to El Salvador.

Xinis questioned Ensign about the administration’s position on deporting him to Costa Rica, after Abrego Garcia’s attorneys previously accused the government of dangling that option in exchange for him pleading guilty in his criminal case in Tennessee.

FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY BARS ABREGO GARCIA FROM DEPORTATION TO UGANDA

“Any insight you can shed on why we’re continuing this hearing when you could deport him to a third country tomorrow?” Xinis asked, adding, “Now we’re about to burn significant resources … to now talk about a fourth African country.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In August, when Abrego Garcia’s attorneys first told the court about the DOJ floating Costa Rica as part of a plea deal, a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement that pleading guilty or standing trial were Abrego Garcia’s only options because he presented a “clear danger” to the community. Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“This defendant can plead guilty and accept responsibility or stand trial before a jury,” the spokesperson said. “Either way, we will hold Abrego Garcia accountable and protect the American people.”

Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch and Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said President Donald Trump will brief lawmakers about military operations in the Caribbean, as the president eyes land strikes against Venezuela next as part of his crusade against drugs.

Although Trump has said that the at least 10 strikes his administration has launched against alleged drug boats are necessary to put drug traffickers and cartels “on notice,” lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have been ramping up pressure for additional oversight and evidence supporting the legality of the strikes.

Trump is poised to brief them once he returns from his trip to Asia that wraps up Thursday, Graham told “CBS News Sunday Morning.”

“President Trump told me yesterday that he plans to brief members of Congress when he gets back from Asia about future potential military operations against Venezuela and Colombia,” Graham said. “So, there will be a congressional briefing about a potential expanding from the sea to the land. I support that idea. But I think he has all the authority he needs.”

SENATORS LOOK TO BLOCK TRUMP FROM ENGAGING IN ‘HOSTILITIES’ IN VENEZUELA

Additionally, Trump is ready for Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, to exit leading the country, according to Graham. When asked about whether a regime change was in motion, Graham answered affirmatively.

“I think President Trump’s made a decision that Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, is an indicted drug trafficker, that it’s time for him to go,” Graham said Sunday, “that Venezuela and Colombia have been safe havens for narco terrorists for too long.” 

The Trump administration claims it does not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state, and instead considers him a leader of a drug cartel. In August, the Trump administration increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, blasting him as “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.”

TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF STRIKING VENEZUELA AMID RISING TENSIONS

Trump has signaled for weeks he is considering land operations against Venezuela, and the Pentagon announced Friday that the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford would head to the region.

In response, Maduro accused Trump of “fabricating a new eternal war.”

“They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war,” Maduro said in a national broadcast on Friday.

TRUMP TOUTS US STRIKE AS MADURO SLAMS MILITARY ‘THREAT’ OFF VENEZUELA

The White House did not confirm or deny that Trump would brief lawmakers in response to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. However, a senior administration official told Fox News Digital that it has provided Congress seven separate classified briefings since early September on the matter. 

The Trump administration has remained relatively reticent when asked about ousting Maduro, and Trump declined to answer questions from reporters earlier in October when asked if the CIA had the authority to “take out” Maduro. 

Meanwhile, lawmakers — including some Republicans — are seeking answers on the strikes. For example, Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced a war powers resolution that would bar U.S. armed forces from engaging in “hostilities” against Venezuela.

“The Trump administration has made it clear they may launch military action inside Venezuela’s borders and won’t stop at boat strikes in the Caribbean,” Schiff said in an Oct. 17 statement. 

“In recent weeks, we have seen increasingly concerning movements and reporting that undermine claims that this is merely about stopping drug smugglers,” Schiff said. “Congress has not authorized military force against Venezuela. And we must assert our authority to stop the United States from being dragged — intentionally or accidentally — into full-fledged war in South America.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump has dismissed lawmakers’ concerns about the legality of the strikes, and said Oct. 14 that the alleged drug vessels are “fair game” because they are “loaded up with drugs.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former President Barack Obama is heading back to the campaign trail in the final days of a pair of high-stakes gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey to stump for the respective Democrats in the cycles.  

In the Old Dominion State, former CIA employee and former Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger is facing off against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Jamaican immigrant and Marine veteran. The election comes with a handful of historic firsts, including Earle-Sears becoming the state’s first Black female nominee for governor in a race that ultimately will result in Virginia electing the first female governor, regardless of which party wins the general election. 

Obama will head to Virginia Nov. 1 to headline a political rally for Spanberger in Norfolk after endorsing her in a pair of political ads earlier in October that took shots at Republicans. 

Obama stumping for the Virginia Democrats comes just a year after he landed in hot water for insisting Black male voters support then-Vice President Kamala Harris‘ campaign. Now, he is calling on Virginia voters to snub the Black female candidate in favor of Spanberger. 

WITH LEGACY ON THE LINE, OBAMA HITTING CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO BOOST DEMOCRATS IN KEY GOVERNOR ELECTIONS

A year ago, Obama was hot on the campaign trail for the Harris campaign, criss-crossing battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and Wisconsin to rally votes during the unprecedented cycle that first began with former President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket before he dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris. 

Obama scolded Black men during a campaign stop at a Pittsburgh campaign office, saying they appeared apprehensive to support a woman for president and that they should get on board with the Harris ticket. 

“We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running,” Obama said of support for Harris’ race. 

“Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers. So if you don’t mind – just for a second, I’ve got to speak to y’all and say that when you have a choice that is this clean: When on the one hand, you have somebody who grew up like you, went to college with you, understands the struggles (and the) pain and joy that comes from those experiences,” Obama said, continuing that Trump “has consistently shown disregard, not just for the communities, but for you as a person – and you are thinking about sitting out?”

Part “of it makes me think, and I’m speaking to men directly… that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that.”

The remark garnered pushback from some voters and groups that described the comments as “insulting” and “offensive.”

OBAMA ENDORSES SPANBERGER, ATTACKS REPUBLICANS IN VIRGINIA GOVERNOR’S RACE ADS

“The general tone of it was disgusting,” one Black male voter from Philadelphia said of Obama’s comments during an MSNBC election panel at the time. “It was abhorrent. I didn’t respect it. I didn’t like nothing about it. And Kamala, two days after that, is like, ‘We love our Black men, we have programs and things that we’re rolling out for them’ and she rolled out policy.”

Spanberger’s campaign was rocked by an undercover video showing a campaign organizer lamenting the Virginia race pitted a “White woman who was in the CIA” against “a Black woman.”

“CIA agent, literally, which is crazy, like yeah, vote for the CIA agent, guys, like what the f—,” a campaign organizer for Spanberger said in a video with an undercover journalist in September that was first reported by Fox Digital. 

“I don’t know what happened. We’re in, like, the darkest timeline,” she continued. “Our only choices are between a Black woman, which ordinarily all for, but this time you think we should bring back slavery, Winsome.… Even with that, it’s like either vote for the Black woman who thinks that slavery should be brought back or vote for the White woman who was in the CIA.”

Only two states across the country are holding gubernatorial elections this off-season election in 2025: New Jersey and Virginia. Earle-Sears is the only Black candidate to run for governor out of the four major-party candidates running in either state. 

OBAMA CONTINUES TRADITION OF SLOW-ROLLED POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS AS GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS HIT FEVER PITCH

Obama officially endorsed Spanberger in a pair of ads released earlier in October celebrating her abortion and tax policies. 

“Virginia’s elections are some of the most important in the country this year. We know Republicans will keep attacking abortion rights and the rights of women. That’s why having the right governor matters, and I’m proud to endorse Abigail Spanberger,” Obama said in an ad released earlier in October.

“Republican policies are raising costs on working families so (that) billionaires can get massive tax cuts,” he said in another ad endorsing Spanberger. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Earle-Sears’ campaign for comment on Obama’s support of Spanberger but did not immediately receive a reply. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Obama’s office did not immediately respond when approached for comment on the upcoming Virginia rally and past remarks on Black male voters. 

Obama also will head to New Jersey Saturday, where he will stump for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill as she looks to defeat Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli. 

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

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening…

-Cuomo closes gap on Mamdani as NYC mayor race tightens dramatically in new poll

-Trump admin warns 42 million Americans could lose food stamps as shutdown drags on

-Newsom and Harris both position themselves as potential 2028 White House contenders

Hamas says it will hand over another hostage body, as Trump’s 48-hour warning looms

Hamas says it will hand over another body of an Israeli hostage on Monday, as President Donald Trump’s 48-hour deadline looms.

If the latest body is handed over, Hamas will still have the bodies of 12 Israeli hostages in its custody. Trump’s deadline will expire Monday night. Hamas has made no mention of the identity of the deceased hostage set to be released.

“Within the framework of the Al-Aqsa Flood prisoner exchange deal, the Martyr Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades will hand over the body of one of the occupation prisoners, which was recovered today in the Gaza Strip, at 9 PM Gaza time,” Hamas announced in a statement…READ MORE.
 

White House

‘PERFECT’ SCAN: Trump reveals he had ‘perfect’ MRI during recent Walter Reed physical

‘DARK DAYS’: Biden claims nation facing ‘dark days’ as he accepts lifetime achievement award

World Stage

RUNWAY REVENGE: America’s ‘BAT’ man unveils tech built to outsmart a Chinese first strike

MOSCOW IN RANGE: The Tomahawk factor: US long-range missiles are the battlefield gamechanger Putin should fear

ASIA POWER PLAY: Trump courts Japan’s emperor and new PM before high-stakes Xi summit this week

WEEK AHEAD: Trump’s focus turns to Japan and South Korea as Asia trip continues

FROM SEA TO SOIL: Graham says Trump has ‘all the authority he needs’ in Venezuela strikes

Capitol Hill

PAYDAY PANIC: Federal workers brace for missed paycheck as shutdown enters 5th week

WIFE UNDER SIEGE: House Republicans accuse Biden’s FBI of retaliating against whistleblower who exposed misconduct

CAPITOL CLASH: Republicans, Democrats clash over expiring Obamacare subsidies during ongoing shutdown talks

WRECKING BALL RAGE: Swalwell mocked for demanding 2028 Democrats pledge to demolish Trump’s ballroom

Across America 

‘LEFTIST AGENDA’: DeSantis predicts what would happen if Mamdani wins NYC election: ‘Great’ for GOP, ‘bad for New York City’

TECH HIRING TENSION: ‘3 headed monster’: Expert reveals how H1B visa program is crushing American college graduates

‘CRAZY STAT’: Bill Maher calls out Democrats for failing to properly stop crime and repeat offenders

COLLEGE CLASH: Turning Point USA chapter denied official status by Loyola University New Orleans student government

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

FIRST ON FOX: Small business owners are losing billions in funding due to the government shutdown, with industry leaders publishing a letter Monday demanding lawmakers pass a “clean CR” and reopen the federal government. 

“On behalf of our organizations representing millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners, we are calling on U.S. Senators to put an end to the instability and hardship by passing a clean continuing resolution, which will allow negotiations to continue on spending measures moving through Congress, including the future of the COVID credits that will expire at year-end,” a letter addressed to U.S. senators across the board and first obtained by Fox News Digital states. “The viability of thousands of small businesses is at risk due to the shutdown, and it is unacceptable that the livelihoods of owners and their employees are being sacrificed for spending demands that can be resolved through regular order.” 

The letter was signed by six industry groups, including the Family Business Coalition, International Franchise Association, Job Creators Network, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, National Restaurant Association and the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. 

The government shut down Oct. 1 after Senate lawmakers failed to reach a funding agreement before a midnight deadline. Leaders of both political parties have since cast blame for the shutdown on each other, with Republicans arguing Democrats sought taxpayer-funded medical benefits for illegal immigrants in their legislation, while Democrats have denied the accusation and claimed Republicans won’t join the negotiation table on healthcare for citizens. 

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN 101: WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The letter urged lawmakers to reopen the government while pointing to a handful of examples of how Americans are suffering due to the shutdown, including small business owners losing out on billions in funding. 

“According to the (Small Business Administration), 4,800 small businesses have been blocked from receiving $2.5 billion in capital since the start of the shutdown,” the groups warned. “Every day the shutdown continues means another 320 small businesses will not have access to the SBA-backed commercial loans these businesses were counting on for expansion and growth. Hundreds of thousands of workers are impacted by the suspension through furloughs, reduced jobs and wages, along with missed opportunities for local economies.”  

The Small Business Administration released data earlier in October showing 320 small business owners have lost $170 million in funding each day due to the shutdown, which has resulted in at least $2.5 billion in funding that cannot be delivered to business owners. 

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox Digital that the “Democrat shutdown” has caused “chaos” that is gripping business owners no matter the size of the company. 

SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026?

“From Wall Street to Main Street, the Democrat shutdown has generated unnecessary chaos and economic uncertainty. Millions of small businesses and entrepreneurs have made it very clear — it is time for Senate Democrats to pass the clean continuing resolution, reopen the government, and stop using Americans as ‘leverage’ for their radical policies,” Rogers said. 

The letter added that disruptions to air travel and air traffic controller shortages have affected business owners and consumers, alike, and that small business owners are feeling the pinch of “ever-increasing costs and diminishing choices” as they relate to healthcare coverage. 

SOCIAL SECURITY, AIRPORTS, FOOD STAMPS: HOW ARE YOU AFFECTED DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?

“With respect to the rising cost of health insurance premiums, small businesses have been the hardest hit by years of ever-increasing costs and diminishing choices. Premium tax credit expiration represents only a fraction of the reason why many small businesses are seeing hefty premium increases for next year. Lowering costs and increasing affordable choices will be resolved through comprehensive reforms that need to be addressed by Congress and state legislatures. Congress must commit to this important task as well,” the letter stated. 

“The effects of the shutdown will only grow wider with each passing day unless the Senate acts. Passing a clean CR is a smart, responsible, and bipartisan course of action. It will provide certainty for small business owners, employees and workers who are counting on actions from their elected officials that produce certainty and stability. We urge every Senator to support a clean CR that allows the appropriations process to move forward to ensure the federal government remains open and operational,” the letter said. 

The shutdown currently does not have an end in sight. Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are taking issue with Trump traveling to Asia this week to meet with foreign leaders. 

“Americans deserve a government that works as hard as they do — not a leader that flies away from responsibility at the time they need one most,” Schumer said Friday. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, when asked about Schumer’s remarks, told the media Monday that “President Trump has entrusted us to fix this because this is an Article I branch problem.”

“The president tried his best, he brought them in before all this madness started, and Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries effectively told him to jump in the Potomac,” Johnson said, CBS News reported. “So it’s up to the Democrats, everybody knows that. The president said he’ll meet with them on any issue under the sun. We’re delighted to talk about it, but they have to get the government reopened first.”

President Donald Trump is cozying up with top ally Japan’s emperor and new prime minister Monday ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Upon arrival in Tokyo, Trump sat down with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, the nation’s symbolic leader, at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace.

On Tuesday, Trump will meet Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.

The two are expected to bond over their fondness for Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former prime minister who was assassinated in 2022.

TRUMP’S FOCUS TURNS TO JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA AS ASIA TRIP CONTINUES

“I look forward to meeting the new prime minister. I hear phenomenal things,” Trump said on Monday. “He was a great ally and friend of Shinzo Abe, who was my friend, the former prime minister. And he was great. He was one of my best … I know they were very close.”

“I think she’s going to be great,” he said of Takaichi.

Meanwhile, U.S. and China negotiators reported great progress in Malaysia on a potential trade deal, easing tensions ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting on Thursday.

Relations between the two world leaders had strained over China’s recent crackdown on critical mineral exports and Trump threatened to bring back the 100% tariff on Chinese goods.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit had eliminated the need for 100% tariffs, expected to take effect Nov. 1, and that he expects China to delay implementation of its restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets.

Trump and Xi are expected to sign off on the agreement during the meeting if talks go well.

JAPAN’S FIRST FEMALE PM TO MEET TRUMP: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HEAVY METAL FAN

Takaichi took office last week and leads a right-wing coalition. Trump already congratulated the new prime minister on becoming Japan’s first female top leader.

Takaichi is expected to tout Japan’s efforts to increase defense spending, which long sat at 1% of GDP — a figure analysts say falls well short of what the U.S. is pushing for from its allies.

During the meeting with Trump, Takaichi is expected to face pressure to raise defense spending even further to match NATO’s 5% target.

Takaichi has expressed concern about Japan’s reliance on the U.S., but signaled intentions to work closely with Trump. She took office on a recent populist wave in Japan similar to the MAGA movement.

Trump’s suggestion that Japan should pay for U.S. troops in the region has spooked some Japanese officials. Around 60,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed in Japan, making it the largest foreign host of U.S. forces.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Adding to those concerns, a trade framework in July placed a 15% tariff on imported Japanese goods, with higher rates for steel, aluminum and auto parts.

Despite these challenges, both sides are expected to use this week’s meetings to reaffirm what Trump has called “the most important partnership in Asia,” setting the stage for his critical summit with Xi later this week.

Washington is barreling into its fifth week of a government shutdown, and despite a handful of payday deadlines for federal workers fast-approaching, there’s been little progress made toward turning the lights back on.

The Senate is expected to again vote on a House-passed plan to reopen the government this week but has failed to advance the continuing resolution (CR) 12 times.

As before, the legislation — which would reopen the government until Nov. 21 — is expected to fail again. The same dispute that triggered the shutdown nearly a month ago remains unresolved.

DEMOCRATS EYE KEY OBAMACARE DEADLINE AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ENTERS 4TH WEEK

Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., want an ironclad deal to extend expiring Obamacare premium subsidies, while Senate Republicans want to address the issue only after the government is reopened.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., argued that Democrats’ position had little to do with the actual premium tax credits, nor a desire for negotiations.

“It’s politics,” he said.

“Well, they’d like you to believe that it’s about healthcare,” he said on the Senate floor last week. “It’s not. Republicans have been perfectly clear that we’re willing to have a discussion about healthcare, just not while government funding is being held hostage and all the federal employees that come with that. So if this were really about healthcare, Democrats would be voting in favor of the clean CR as the quickest way to reopen the government.”

In the meantime, payday deadlines for air traffic controllers, military service members, and a funding cliff for federal nutrition assistance programs are right around the corner.

Air traffic controllers are expected to miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday after being partially paid earlier this month.

FISCAL DISASTER SCENARIO DURING SHUTDOWN SENDS GOP SCRAMBLING FOR NEW SPENDING PLAN

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has a bill that would fill that funding gap that is expected to be put on the floor for a vote this week. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has not yet teed it up.

Then there is the military payday coming on Oct. 31. President Donald Trump previously moved around billions in funding to cover troops’ paychecks earlier this month, but that money is not expected to cover this upcoming pay cycle.

Sen. Ron Johnson’s, R-Wis., bill to pay troops and “excepted” federal workers — meaning federal workers who are currently working during the shutdown but not being paid — was blocked by Senate Democrats last week.

However, there is an effort between Johnson and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., to bring a new version of the bill to the floor. Van Hollen also tried to get his own bill to pay federal workers and troops on the floor last week but was blocked in the process.

Van Hollen, like other Senate Democrats, warned that Johnson’s version of the bill would allow Trump and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought a “blank check as to who they’re going to send home and who they’re going to punish by not paying.”

SCHUMER BLOCKS 12TH GOP BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT AS TRUMP SAYS DEMOCRATS ‘LOST THE NEGOTIATION’

“Not one of our federal employees, service members, or contractors deserves to be punished for this government shutdown,” Van Hollen said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I’m continuing to work to make sure they’re not.”

And on Nov. 1, the same day as the beginning of open enrollment for Obamacare, funding for food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is expected to run out.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats received another blow to their unified front as the shutdown drags on from an outside ally that donates millions of dollars to Democratic political action committees and candidates.

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal employees in the nation that represents over 800,000 workers, demanded that Democrats swallow the Republicans’ clean CR to reopen the government.

Everett Kelley, president of the massive union, said in an open letter on Monday that the best path forward was to, “Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues,” and ensure that every federal employee that has been working or furloughed under the shutdown receive back pay.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Because when the folks who serve this country are standing in line for food banks after missing a second paycheck because of this shutdown, they aren’t looking for partisan spin,” Kelley said. “They’re looking for the wages they earned. The fact that they’re being cheated out of it is a national disgrace.”

“It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics and embrace responsible government,” he continued. “A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time.”

Hamas says it will hand over another body of an Israeli hostage on Monday, as President Donald Trump’s 48-hour deadline looms.

“Within the framework of the Al-Aqsa Flood prisoner exchange deal, the Martyr Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades will hand over the body of one of the occupation prisoners, which was recovered today in the Gaza Strip, at 9 PM Gaza time,” Hamas announced in a statement.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

Several New York City voters, who spoke to Fox News Digital at a Sunday rally, said New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are the future of the Democratic Party.

Thousands of voters gathered at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on Sunday for the “New York is Not for Sale” rally in support of Mamdani, the 34-year-old self-identified democratic socialist and frontrunner in the race for Gracie Mansion. Flanked by Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the trio of democratic socialists rallied the large crowd on the first weekend of early voting in the city.

“There’s going to be no party unless they are the future,” Nuala O’Doherty-Naranjo, an immigration lawyer who lives in Ocasio-Cortez’s district in Jackson Heights, Queens, told Fox News Digital.

When asked if she identifies as a democratic socialist, like Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders, O’Doherty-Naranjo said, “DSA all the way.”

PROGRESSIVE POWER PLAYERS RALLY VOTERS FOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI AS EARLY VOTING KICKS OFF IN NYC MAYORAL RACE

Mamdani is a member of New York City’s chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. The DSA has endorsed his candidacy and some of its members delivered remarks during the star-studded rally on Sunday.

BERNIE SANDERS, ZOHRAN MAMDANI TEAM UP TO ‘FIGHT OLIGARCHY’ IN NYC

Hallie, who lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn, said she supports Mamdani for the “obvious reasons,” including representing “every New Yorker” with his commitment to affordability and safety.

She said that Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez are “absolutely” the future of the Democratic Party and that his candidacy gives her hope.

“I feel like that’s very clear with the turnout for this election, for the primaries, and just like seeing the people that are here filling a stadium just to support him, I think that’s a big indication of the future,” Hallie said.

More than 10,000 supporters packed into Forest Hills Stadium on Sunday, according to the Mamdani campaign.

“To me, socialism just means that there’s more advocacy and more attention being paid to the working class, the people who are actually uplifting society and working to make it what it is,” Hallie said, explaining that, to her, socialism is about everyone paying their fair share.

“I speak the language of democratic socialism only because he spoke it first,” Mamdani said of Sanders as the crowd joined him in declaring, “New York is not for sale” on Sunday.

The trio has invigorated the Democratic Party’s progressive base at a time when Democrats are still grappling with devastating losses in 2024 as growing discontent with President Donald Trump‘s sweeping, second-term agenda.

A slew of state and local leaders also joined the rally, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., who endorsed Mamdani last month and has since campaigned for him.

Hochul was heckled by attendees several times during her remarks, who chanted, “Tax the rich!”

Mamdani’s plan to raise taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers to pay for his campaign promises, like free childcare, free buses and city-run grocery stores, would require Hochul’s approval, and the governor has ruled out raising taxes.

“I hear ya,” Hochul responded as the stadium erupted with pleas to “tax the rich!”

“I love everything Zoran is bringing to the table as far as giving a new sort of energy and enthusiasm to New York City politics, actually caring about the citizens of New York City, finding life to be affordable and enjoyable and healthy for all of us. I don’t see how anybody couldn’t get behind that,” Matt Ransdell, who lives in Manhattan’s Washington Heights, told Fox News Digital.

Ransdell said Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez “could be” the future of the Democratic Party, adding that the democratic socialist movement of Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani is “so fresh and encouraging.”

“There’s something incredibly communal about it,” Ransdell said. “The way I feel actually bonded, even here at this rally, it’s insane. The energy is infectious,” he said.

“The voice of the younger generation is speaking as loud as it can, and if the older generation isn’t willing to listen, we’re going to have a problem,” Randsell added.

Lane, another New Yorker who attended Sunday’s rally, said he hopes they are the future.

“Look, not everyone’s going to support him,” Lane said. “He’s got maybe a brand that’s a little bit further ahead of what some people’s tastes are, but I certainly support him. I certainly hope that that’s the direction that the party goes in.”

Lane said he “absolutely” identifies as a democratic socialist, “maybe even further if that’s possible.”

Jessica, who lives in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and works for Voters of Tomorrow, a Gen Z-led progressive political action group, said Mamdani’s campaign has “energized a lot of young people,” inspiring them to get out and vote.

She said Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez “both understand the affordability crisis that young people face right now and are both actually proposing policies to fight that and make young adults’ lives better.”

“Young people are the future of the Democratic Party,” Jessica said. “I think it’s young voters who are canvassing, getting out there, making their voices heard, that’s who’s shaping it,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The latest Fox News survey, conducted Oct. 10-14, ahead of the first general election debate last week, revealed that Mamdani has a substantial lead in the race.

According to the poll, Mamdani has a 21-point lead among New York City registered voters with 49% of voters backing Mamdani, while 28% go for Cuomo and 13% favor Sliwa.

Mamdani also rose above the 50% threshold among likely voters, garnering 52% support, while Cuomo picked up 28%, and Sliwa received just 14%.

With just over a week until Election Day, Zohran Mamdani holds a double-digit lead in the raucous race for the nation’s most populous city, but former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is narrowing the gap, according to a new public opinion poll.

Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens who shocked the political world in June with his convincing win over Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination, stands at 44% support among likely voters in the most recent survey in the race, from Quinnipiac University.

Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid multiple scandals and who is running as an Independent candidate in the general election after losing the primary, had 34% support in the survey.

The survey was conducted Thursday through Sunday, entirely after incumbent Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Cuomo in a bid to defeat Mamdani. The embattled Democratic mayor had been running for re-election as an independent but dropped out of the race late last month, although his name remains on the ballot.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING AND ANALYSIS ON THE NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL ELECTION

Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee in the Democratic-dominated city, stood at 11% in the poll. The remaining four candidates listed on the ballot grabbed 2% support, with 7% undecided and 2% questioned in the survey refusing to respond.

CHECK OUT WHICH CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR THIS MAJOR NEW YORK CITY NEWSPAPER ENDORSED

Mamdani’s 10-point advantage over Cuomo is down from his 20-point lead in Suffolk’s September poll.

Suffolk University Political Research Center director David Paleologos highlighted that “Cuomo’s biggest gains” were among Hispanic voters and independents.

Cuomo has turned up the volume on his criticisms of Mamdani during the closing stretch of the campaign, with dire warnings that “mayhem” would follow a Mamdani victory in the mayoral election. 

He’s also repeatedly spotlighted Mamdani’s Muslim faith and criticized his rival for painting himself as a victim because of his faith. Cuomo has argued that Mamdani has offended Jewish New Yorkers and charged that his rival is antisemitic because of his comments opposing the Israeli government and calling its attacks on Palestinians in Gaza a “genocide.”

Mamdani, firing back, told reporters recently that “we’re speaking about a former governor who, in his final moments in public life, is engaging in rhetoric that is not only Islamophobic, not only racist, it’s also disgusting.”

Meanwhile, Sliwa, a longtime fixture in New York City politics, has been the target of a pressure campaign to drop out of the race to set up a one-on-one matchup between Cuomo and Mamdani, in a frantic effort to avert a Mamdani victory.

Among those urging Sliwa to end his bid is billionaire businessman and conservative radio host John Catsimatidis, a top New York City Republican and ally of President Donald Trump.

Sliwa voters, when given a second choice, preferred Cuomo over Mamdani by 36%–2%, according to the poll.

“There is only one person in New York City whose voters will determine the outcome,” Paleologos said. “And that person isn’t Mayor Adams, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, or any New York billionaire. It’s Republican Curtis Sliwa and his voters who hold the 11% blocking Cuomo from winning the race. Politics has its ironies.”

The Ugandan-born Mamdani, if elected, would become the first Muslim and first Millennial mayor in New York City’s history.

Mamdani surged to the Democratic primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City’s high cost of living. It was fueled by a grassroots army of supporters and backing from top national progressive champions, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering free childcare for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores.

Mamdani has been heavily criticized by his rivals not only for his far-left proposals, but also for his criticism of Israel, his past negative comments regarding the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and his proposal to shift certain responsibilities away from the NYPD and focus on social services and community-based programs.

President Donald Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to recent missile tests, reminding him that the U.S. has a nuclear submarine stationed “right off their shores.”

Trump made the comments during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One Monday morning, telling reporters that the U.S. is “not playing games” with Putin.

“Russia said this week that they’ve tested a new missile that can go more than 8,000 miles. Is that saber-rattling for you? What is that?” a reporter asked.

“I know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shores. So, I mean, it doesn’t have to go 8,000 miles, and they’re not playing games with us. We’re not playing games with them either,” Trump responded.

TRUMP AND PUTIN’S RELATIONSHIP TURNS SOUR AS PRESIDENT PUSHES FOR RESOLUTION WITH UKRAINE

“We test missiles all the time. But, you know, we do have a submarine, a nuclear submarine. We don’t need to go 8,000 miles. And I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying either, by the way. You ought to get the war ended. A war that should have taken one week is now in its soon fourth year. That’s what you ought to do instead of testing missiles,” he added.

TRUMP FREEZES OUT PUTIN FOR LACK OF ‘ENOUGH ACTION’ TOWARD PEACE — FUTURE TALKS UNCERTAIN

Trump later teased that he may be considering further sanctions against Russia, telling reporters simply, “You’ll find out.”

Russia announced the successful test of its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile on Sunday, claiming it has a range of over 8,000 miles and can pierce defense shielding. Putin said Russia is moving to deploy the weapon.

Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff of Russia’s armed forces, told Putin that the missile traveled 8,700 miles and was in the air for about 15 hours when it was tested on October 21.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump has been heavily critical of Putin in recent months for his unwillingness to negotiate a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. Trump met face-to-face with the leader in Alaska earlier this year, but no deal has materialized.

Reuters contributed to this report.

In the view of Avik Roy — one of the first and most vocal critics of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare — Republicans and Democrats alike have missed the mark in the healthcare debate that has dragged the government into a 24-day shutdown.

“Both sides are wrong,” Avik said. “I’m sympathetic to the Republican view, but it’s a strategic mistake.”

The way Roy sees things, Republican wariness over renewing expanded government subsidies should be directed at the bigger problem behind them.

“The subsidies aren’t inherently the problem,” Roy said. “If you want low-income people who are near the poverty line to have insurance, you’re going to have to subsidize. Subsidies have been a part of Republican [healthcare] plans and Democratic plans. I would argue that the approach to subsidies that Obamacare used was actually pretty reasonable.” 

That doesn’t mean he believes the government’s current healthcare trajectory is sustainable, either.

FLASHBACK: TED CRUZ PREDICTS BALLOONING OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES NOW AT CENTER OF SHUTDOWN FIGHT

The federal government entered a 24-day shutdown at the beginning of October when lawmakers failed to come to an agreement over spending legislation to begin the new fiscal year. Republicans advanced a short-term spending bill that would have bought more time for lawmakers to finalize funding for 2026. But Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have shot down that measure repeatedly, demanding that Congress first address expiring COVID-era insurance subsidies. 

As a part of its American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration greatly widened the pool of eligible applicants who could receive a federal subsidy to help pay for their Obamacare health insurance.

In its original form, Obamacare capped subsidies for anyone making over 400% of the federal poverty level. But that changed in 2021 when, as an emergency response to COVID-19, Congress temporarily removed that cap.

The cap will go back into effect at the end of 2025.

‘THE PANDEMIC’S OVER’: GOP, DEM SENATORS SPAR ON CAMERA OVER COSTLY OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES

Findings by KFF, a healthcare policy think tank, indicate that over 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees make use of the expanded credits. Letting them expire could leave those Obamacare enrollees suddenly footing a substantially heftier bill. But, according to the Committee of a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal policy think tank, continuing the policy would also come with a steep price tag; upwards of $30 billion annually.

Republicans — especially the hill’s most fiscally conservative lawmakers — have called for the subsidies to expire to help reel the country’s spending back under control.

Despite agreeing with Republicans that Obamacare did little to make health insurance more affordable, Roy believes Republican insistence on letting them expire won’t solve Obamacare’s underlying problems that are driving prices higher: regulations. 

Roy believes Republicans should use the moment to negotiate; extend the subsidies for maybe 1–2 years for existing enrollees in exchange for a permeant fix of the costliest Obamacare regulations diving costs upward. 

OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES AT CENTER OF DEM SHUTDOWN FIGHT ‘FUEL’ HEALTHCARE COST INFLATION, CONSERVATIVES SAY

“In Switzerland [health insurance] costs $200 a month or $300 a month. The same plan in America costs $1,000 a month or $15,000 a month. Subsidizing it also costs a lot. But having a scale where the subsidy fades out gradually as you go up the income scale — that part is fine.”

Roy praised efforts from the Trump administration to bring the underlying costs of healthcare down, most recently through the most favored nation strategy. Under that plan, the Trump administration had leveraged the price other countries pay for pharmaceuticals to bring U.S. prices down.

In theory, the most favored nation plan would set American prices at the lowest rates other countries pay.

“They’re not actually deals that truly establish most favored nation status because it’s company by company, and they are on particular drugs. But the general idea — if you want to participate in the U.S. market you’ve got to give us the lowest price you give any other advanced economy — I think that’s eminently reasonable,” Roy said of the administration’s negotiations. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

In response to Democrat demands, Republicans in Congress maintain that the enhanced premium tax credits are completely unrelated to the government’s funding and rejected those demands out of hand.

The Senate has voted on a short-term funding bill 12 times since the beginning of the shutdown and appeared no closer to finding a resolution when the lawmakers left town on Thursday.

The Senate will return to Washington, D.C., at the beginning of next week. 

President Donald Trump says the U.S. does not suspect foul play in the two separate crashes of U.S. Navy Aircraft in the South China Sea this weekend.

Trump made the statement during a gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One, saying he expected to get answers regarding the crashes soon. One possibility he’d been given was that the planes had faulty fuel, the president said.

“You’ve been briefed on the incident, on the Nimitz, both a fighter jet and a helicopter?” a reporter asked.

“I’ve heard about it, yeah,” Trump responded.

NTSB LAUNCHES 3-DAY INVESTIGATIVE HEARING ON DEADLY DC PLANE CRASH

“Do you know what happened there? What was that?” the reporter asked.

“They’re going to let me know pretty soon. I think they should be able to find out. It could be bad fuel. I mean, it’s possible it’s bad fuel. Very unusual that that would happen,” Trump said.

NAVY CALLS OFF SEARCH FOR MISSING SAILOR ASSIGNED TO USS GEORGE WASHINGTON NEAR AUSTRALIA

“You don’t think it was foul play or anything?” the reporter pressed.

“No, I don’t,” Trump replied. “They think it might be bad fuel.”

Two U.S. Navy aircraft from the USS Nimitz — a Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet — crashed during separate “routine operations” over the South China Sea on Sunday. All five crew members aboard the two craft were rescued and remain in stable condition, according to the Navy.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet — the Navy’s largest operational command — said in a post on X that around 2:54 p.m. local time, an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 crashed in the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

Search-and-rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11, operating alongside the Nimitz, quickly launched recovery efforts and safely pulled all three helicopter crew members from the water.

Roughly 30 minutes after the helicopter incident, an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Nimitz, assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22, also went down in the South China Sea during flight operations.

Search-and-rescue teams again responded swiftly, recovering the jet’s two crew members, who had successfully ejected before the aircraft hit the water. Both aviators were transported back to the Nimitz and are reported to be in stable condition.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The USS Nimitz has been commissioned in the U.S. Navy for 50 years, and its current tour is set to be its last before being retired.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

A U.S. guided missile destroyer docked in Trinidad and Tobago’s capital on Sunday as the Trump administration escalates a campaign of military pressure against neighboring Venezuela and its President Nicolás Maduro.

USS Gravely arrived in Port-of-Spain to conduct joint military training exercises with the Caribbean nation. The warship will remain until Thursday, according to government officials from the two countries.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz said in a statement that the exercises seek to “address shared threats like transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions, and security efforts.”

Venezuela said the conduct of military exercises in the waters of a neighboring country is “dangerous” and a “serious threat” to the Caribbean region, further calling it a “hostile provocation” toward the South American nation, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

TRUMP UNLEASHES US MILITARY POWER ON CARTELS. IS A WIDER WAR LOOMING?

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, has supported the U.S. military presence and the Trump administration’s deadly strikes on suspected drug boats in waters off Venezuela.

The arrival of USS Gravely in Trinidad and Tobago comes as the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford moves closer to Venezuela in the Trump administration’s effort to target suspected drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean.

TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON COLOMBIA CRACKDOWN, CALLS PETRO ‘LUNATIC,’ VOWS TO END ALL US PAYMENTS OVER DRUGS

Maduro criticized the movement of the carrier as an attempt by the U.S. government to fabricate “a new eternal war” against his country.

The Trump administration has already ordered a number of strikes in the Caribbean aimed at dismantling and disrupting drug cartels in the region. President Donald Trump has also accused Maduro of being a drug cartel leader.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Earlier this month, Trump confirmed that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, saying he did so because the South American nation has released prisoners into the U.S. and that drugs were coming into the U.S. from Venezuela through sea routes.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump shot down speculation that he would run as a vice presidential candidate in 2028, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that Republicans already have “great” prospective candidates.

Trump made the statement during a gaggle with reporters on Sunday, brushing off questions about whether he would fully pursue such an option. Trump pointed to Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as two potential successors, while denigrating potential Democratic candidates as “low IQ.”

“We have great people. I don’t have to get into that, but we have one of them standing right here. We have JD, obviously. The Vice President is great. Marco is great, I think. I’m not sure if anybody would run against those. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable,” Trump said.

“They have Jasmine Crockett, a low IQ person. They have AOC’s low IQ. If you give her an IQ test, have her pass, like, the exams that I decided to take when I was at Walter Reed. I took those very hard, they’re really aptitude tests, I guess, in a certain way, but they’re cognitive tests. Let AOC go against Trump. Let Jasmine go against him,” he continued.

RUBIO DOWNPLAYS 2028 TALK, TOUTS VANCE AS TRUMP’S SUCCESSOR

“The first couple of questions are easy. A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe, you know. When you get up to about five or six, and then when you get up to 10 and 20 and 25, they couldn’t come close to answering any of those questions,” he asserted.

Asked about whether he would run as vice president in 2028, Trump noted that he would be “allowed to do that,” but he called the plan “too cute.”

2028 LOOKS LIKE TROUBLE FOR DEMOCRATS — AND REPUBLICANS ARE POISED TO CAPITALIZE

“Is it the White House, or the White House counsel’s, or your legal position, I guess, that you could do that?” a reporter pressed.

“You’d be allowed to do that, but I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute,” Trump responded.

Trump’s comments come as he flies across Asia meeting with world leaders in a five-day tour this week. The president landed in Japan early Tuesday morning, and he is expected to meet with newly-elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo. Takaichi is Japan’s first female prime minister.

TRUMP SAYS JD VANCE WOULD BE ‘PROBABLY FAVORED’ FOR 2028 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump also confirmed on Sunday that he would be open to meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un during his visit to South Korea.

Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson erupted at a reporter on Friday after they used the term “illegal aliens” during a press briefing, slamming the phrase as “racist” and “nasty.”

In a video posted Saturday to the official Instagram account of the Chicago mayor, a reporter asked Johnson about a report on city spending related to “illegal aliens” in Chicago that he was allegedly required to file with the White House. 

Johnson immediately pushed back on the language.

“We don’t have illegal aliens,” Johnson said to the reporter. “I don’t know if that’s from some sort of sci-fi message that you wish you’ve had… Well listen, the legal term for my people were slaves. You want me to use that term too? So, look, let’s just get the language right. We’re talking about undocumented individuals that are human beings.”

NOEM, IN ILLINOIS, CALLS OUT GOV. PRITZKER, CHICAGO’S MAYOR OVER THEIR HANDLING OF CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Johnson added that he would not “accept that type of racist, nasty language to describe human beings.”

The blue city’s mayor then shifted to discuss his administration’s spending priorities, touting his $16.7 billion budget that he said invests in education, transportation, housing, environmental justice, youth employment and community safety.

JB PRITZKER SAYS ICE ‘HARASSING PEOPLE FOR NOT BEING WHITE’

“And we are going to challenge the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share,” Johnson said.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., then chimed in to back Johnson’s remarks, arguing that immigration violations are not criminal offenses.

DHS MARKS ‘ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT DAYS’ OF OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ WITH SEVERAL ARRESTS

“It is very important that people in Illinois and across the country understand the immigration system is a civil system,” Jayapal said. “Undocumented presence in the United States is not a criminal offense. And so thank you for the clarification on language.”

Johnson has previously been outspoken in his defense of Chicago’s immigration policies and in his criticism of President Donald Trump’s approach to crime and border enforcement. 

Last month, the Chicago mayor delivered a fiery news conference condemning Trump’s crackdown on crime.

“Jails and incarceration and law enforcement is a sickness that has not led to safe communities,” Johnson said at the time.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Last week, three illegal immigrants and six U.S. citizens were arrested in the Chicago area in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dubbed “one of the most violent days” of Operation Midway Blitz. 

Operation Midway Blitz was launched last month in honor of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run allegedly caused by Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala. 

DHS stated the goal of the operation was to “target criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois.”

The Chicago mayor’s office and Rep. Pramila Jayapal did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Alexander Hall contributed to this report.

In a first for New Jersey politics, Orthodox Jewish leaders across Ocean County have united behind Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, forming one of the state’s most influential faith-based voting coalitions, according to a report.

The Lakewood Scoop reported that the endorsement — announced jointly by councils representing Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Howell, and Manchester — marks an unprecedented show of unity from a community that has become a decisive force in New Jersey politics.

The Vaad — Lakewood’s longtime community council — worked closely with counterparts in nearby towns to align this year’s endorsements.

Leaders told The Lakewood Scoop the effort reflects a deliberate move toward broader collaboration across municipal lines, stressing that this election season is about unity, turnout and shared priorities.

CIATTARELLI GAINS MOMENTUM IN NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR’S RACE AS POLLS NARROW SHARPLY

“While the process took a little longer than usual, this time it was for a meaningful reason – for the first time, we worked to ensure that all towns are united and on the same page,” organizers told the outlet. “The focus has been on Achdus – unity and collaboration – so that every community’s voice is represented in one strong collective statement.”

“Every single vote in every single town is critical in this election,” they added. “Each area has its own local races and priorities, but together we share a larger responsibility – turning out every possible vote. This election will be decided by turnout. Let’s make sure our communities are heard loud and clear at the ballot box.”

The Lakewood Scoop also obtained letters from local communities underscoring that unity, including one sent to residents in Howell urging every eligible voter to take part in the election.

TRUMP TOUTS REPUBLICAN GARDEN STATE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WHILE TRASHING DEM OPPONENT

“Our voice is only as strong as the number of people who actually vote,” the letter reads. “We strongly recommend voting for the following individuals who have shown care and friendship toward our community: TOGETHER WITH OUR FRIENDS IN NEIGHBORING TOWNS, JACK CIATTARELLI FOR GOVERNOR.”

The letter also lists additional candidates for state and local offices.

The Lakewood Vaad issued an urgent call for unity and turnout across the Orthodox Jewish community, emphasizing that every vote matters as New Jersey enters a pivotal election season. The letter highlights the Vaad’s long-standing practice of consulting rabbinic leadership and community representatives to reach collective, values-based political decisions.

MAGA STAR JOINS CIATTARELLI ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN NEW JERSEY AS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

Leaders described voting as both a civic duty and an expression of gratitude to officials who have supported local priorities — especially education funding, transportation and religious freedom.

After thanking President Donald Trump for his efforts on behalf of Israel and his fight against antisemitism, the Vaad endorsed Ciattarelli for governor, citing his alignment with the community’s concerns over schooling, infrastructure and taxes.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Vaad said, “Remember, your vote is your voice. Make it count for our community’s continued strength and influence.”

Ciattarelli aims to flip New Jersey from blue to red as he faces Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill.

History is being rewritten on the White House grounds, where a new formal ballroom is rising in place of the East Wing. The project has become a political lightning rod, as images of its construction reignite debate over President Donald Trump’s imprint on the nation’s most iconic address.

While the White House has hosted countless ceremonial events, it has never had a dedicated ballroom. The new structure will fill that void, replacing the historic East Wing with a space designed instead to host large-scale gatherings.

FROM THE GILDED OVAL OFFICE TO A NEW MONUMENT: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S RENOVATION PROJECTS

The ballroom is estimated to cost $250 million and will be financed jointly by Trump and private donors.

While the White House has pledged to release details on the individuals and corporations funding the ballroom’s construction, a comprehensive breakdown of contributions has not yet been made public.

Here’s a look at the construction process so far:

SPRAWLING NEW $250M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS

During a July 31 briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt detailed the administration’s plans to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the White House grounds.

Leavitt said the new ballroom will accommodate approximately 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classical design of the White House.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said on July 31.

She added that the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said the next Democratic presidential nominee must vow to demolish President Donald Trump‘s White House ballroom, proposing the pledge a litmus test for the party’s 2028 contenders.

“Don’t even think of seeking the Democratic nomination for president unless you pledge to take a wrecking ball to the Trump Ballroom on DAY ONE,” Swalwell wrote on X on Saturday.

Swalwell’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for additional comment.

SPRAWLING NEW $250M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS

For the first time in its history, the White House will have a formal ballroom, a new addition built where the East Wing once stood, a project that has become a political flashpoint as photos of the demolition fuel debate over President Trump’s mark on the historic residence.

On July 31, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the planned construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The sprawling ballroom will accommodate approximately 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classical design of the White House.

FROM THE GILDED OVAL OFFICE TO A NEW MONUMENT: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S RENOVATION PROJECTS

“The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said, adding the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.”

Construction on the White House grounds, which began earlier this month, is estimated to cost $250 million and will be financed by Trump and private donors.

The ballroom isn’t the only update. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump has introduced gold accents in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, a new monument dubbed the “Arc de Trump,” the “walk of fame” with portraits of former presidents, including a photo of the autopen representing former President Joe Biden’s time in office, added stone pavers to the Rose Garden lawn and installed two 88-foot flagpoles.

Voters across the country — particularly in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — will head to the polls next month for an off-year election that could offer an early read on both parties’ strength heading into 2026.

Virginia’s races include the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general and have been brought to the fore of national conscience by the murder-text scandal enveloping Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones.

Virginia law now permits voters to register to vote on the same day as the election. If someone chooses this route, they will be asked to cast a provisional ballot; meaning a ballot that is later supposed to be vetted against voter roll and other information.

Every county from urban Arlington to far-flung Lee is also required to have at least one secure drop-box. Voters can typically find them outside county offices, courthouses or libraries.

FORTNIGHT TO ELECTION DAY: 5 KEY 2025 RACES TO WATCH

Early voting in Virginia runs through Saturday, Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Key issues in Virginia’s races include how candidates are aligning on transgender bathroom and school sports debates, with Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears accusing Democrat Abigail Spanberger of failing to stand up for Virginia’s children.

That topic, as well as Jones’ texts envisioning the murder of a former GOP leader, led Earle-Sears to repeatedly interject in what she considered Spanberger’s vague or indirect answers at their sole debate held in Hampton Roads.

Earle-Sears warned voters in Smyth County on Thursday that Democrats will continue prior efforts to suppress fossil fuel development – which she said not only affects jobs in the coal-and-gas-rich southwest, but every Virginian’s power bill.

TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE OVER HEATED RACES ONE MONTH BEFORE ELECTION DAY

On the lieutenant governor ballot, businessman and commentator John Reid has ripped Democrat Ghazala Hashmi for refusing to debate him – with Reid creating an AI version of the Chesterfield senator to try to get the public to see the stark differences in their policy proposals.

Jones continues to be embroiled in scandal, as Attorney General Jason Miyares focused at their own debate in Richmond on the contrast between a candidate trying to be the state’s top law enforcement officer while carrying a criminal record and a hot temper per the texts, and one who has none of such baggage.

The federal government shutdown looms over the race, and is expected to help Democrats who do not blame their congressional leaders but President Donald Trump for the unique effects the situation has on workforces there, in Maryland and nominally eastern West Virginia.

In New York, the future of the city’s political system is on the ballot as far-left Assemb. Zohran Mamdani leads both Democrat-turned-Independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

NATION’S ONLY TWO 2025 RACES FOR GOVERNOR ROCKED WITH THREE WEEKS UNTIL ELECTION DAY

Cuomo and Sliwa — typically political adversaries — have both accused Mamdani of harboring “communist” policies that would make most city services free and weaken public safety through police reforms.

Sliwa, the outspoken Canarsie Republican who founded the Guardian Angels, has said he is the only one who can ensure New York’s safety and solvency.

But his third place position led to debates with ideologically aligned colleagues like fellow radio host Sid Rosenberg over his potential spoiler role. Sliwa suggested last week he would never appear on 77WABC again after his colleagues purportedly abandoned him.

Cuomo has positioned himself as the moderate, relying on his trademark Queens wit to fend off attacks from both rivals. Still, his resignation, pandemic-era controversies and cleared sexual misconduct allegations continue to shadow his campaign.

FIVE RACES TO WATCH WITH 5 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2025

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, has continued to face criticism for his far-left proposals, including free public transit, rent freezes and closing Rikers Island.

Early voting in New York runs through Nov. 3.

Across the Hudson, New Jersey is shaping up to be Republicans’ best shot at flipping a blue state – as former Assemb. Jack Ciattarelli, R-Somerville, has made gains on Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.

Like the other elections, affordability is at the top of the ballot, and Ciattarelli has garnered several aisle-crossing endorsements, including in entrenched blue Hudson County – where Democrats like the imprisoned Robert Menendez Sr. made his name.

NEW POLL IN KEY SHOWDOWN FOR VIRGINIA GOVERNOR INDICATES SINGLE-DIGIT RACE

President Donald Trump has endorsed candidates in New Jersey, but not the Virginia governor’s race. He has endorsed Miyares for attorney general. 

Pennsylvanians face a unique off-year election with three Democratic Supreme Court justices up for retention – or a vote to keep them on the bench for another 10 years.

It is exceedingly rare for such elections to see the “No” column win – which would spark a new election for any jurist who loses more than 50% of voters’ confidence.

Justices David Wecht, Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty all face immense opposition from the right – particularly for their rulings to keep the state closed under the wishes of then-Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration during the coronavirus pandemic.

The aftermath of Pennsylvania’s shutdown – in which Wolf enacted policies often mirroring those of Cuomo – has somewhat bifurcated who continues to receive criticism.

While Wolf was term-limited, many of his aligned then-colleagues, including then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding remain at the top levels of government. Shapiro enjoys elevated approval ratings as the incumbent governor, and is touted as a potential 2028 presidential figure – while Republicans have notably directed their ire at the justices for their role.

Counties have the option to use drop boxes, while the largest counties, like Philadelphia and Allegheny must have multiple ones, according to reports.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Pennsylvania’s election system has been lambasted for its long count times – which often stem from its policy that county-received mail-in ballots cannot be even prepared (or “precanvassed”) for tabulation until 7 a.m. ET on Election Day.

Of all the major states holding elections, only Virginia has a veritable voter-ID law.