NationalWatch

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White are just some of the names expected to speak at former President Trump’s much-anticipated rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden (MSG) on Sunday.

“The World’s Most Famous Arena” is expected to be packed with Trump supporters as the Republican nominee returns to his “deep blue” home state as his campaign enters its final days with increasing momentum. MSG is a 19,500-seat venue. 

The Trump campaign says the program includes political icons, celebrities, musical artists, and friends and family of former President Trump who will all discuss how he is “the best choice to fix everything that Kamala Harris broke.”

TRUMP VOWS TO ‘SAVE’ DEEP-BLUE NEW YORK CITY IN MASSIVE, HISTORIC BRONX RALLY

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (R) jumps on stage as he joins former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally at the site of his first assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on October 5, 2024. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

“This epic event, in the heart of President Trump’s home city, will be a showcase of the historic political movement that President Trump has built in the final days of the campaign,” the campaign said in a press release. 

Musk has already hit the campaign trail for Trump, delivering a memorable speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month, when the former president returned to the same site where an assassination attempt was made on his life on July 13. 

White, who has been a close friend of Trump for years and played a role in him reestablishing the mixed martial arts company in the early 2000s, introduced the former president at this year’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, telling the crowd the stakes have never been higher.

Other notable attendees this Sunday include former Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, political commentator Tucker Carlson and former Democrat presidential nominee turned Republican Tulsi Gabbard. 

High-profile names from the political world include Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, Speaker Mike Johnson, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump as well as the former president’s sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. will also feature.

TRUMP ADVISER UNPACKS WHY FORMER PRESIDENT IS HOLDING RALLY IN DEEP-BLUE STATE WEEKS FROM ELECTION

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White speaks on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

From the music world, Death Row Records founder Michael Harris Jr. is set to appear, as will singer Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio.

The former president, speaking at a campaign event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, earlier this month, said he is making a play for New York, which hasn’t been won by a Republican since then-President Ronald Reagan won his 1984 re-election in a landslide.

“We’re going to make a play. We’re going to make a play for New York. Hasn’t been done in a long time. It hasn’t been done in many decades,” Trump said. 

“We’re making a play for New Jersey. We’re making a play for Virginia,” Trump continued, before adding that he is also aiming to compete in Minnesota and New Mexico.

This will be Trump’s second big rally in the state of New York. 

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The crowd watches Pearl Jam perform live on stage during the Dark Matter world tour at Madison Square Garden on September 3, 2024, in New York City.  (Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

Trump held a rally at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island, last month. More than 60,000 tickets were requested, but the venue only seats 16,000. Thousands of supporters who were not admitted to the venue watched him speak on large screens outside. 

Trump also held a rally in the Bronx in May at Crotona Park, which had a permit allowance of 3,500 people. The New York Post reported the Bronx rally drew up to 10,000 supporters. 

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

Early in-person and mail-in ballots have begun pouring in across the country, and the tally in each state reveals mounting voter enthusiasm. 

Recent polling suggests a razor-thin margin in the race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, and the results are expected to come down to each candidate’s performance in seven swing states: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada and North Carolina. 

States have long allowed at least some Americans to vote early, like members of the military and people with illnesses unable to get to the polls. Many states expanded eligibility in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A man walks out of the Board of Elections Loop Super Site after casting his ballot in the 2024 presidential election on the second day of early voting in Chicago on Oct. 4, 2024. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

WHAT ARE ELECTION BETTING ODDS? EXPERT EXPLAINS WHY TRUMP IS CURRENT FAVORITE

In the last presidential election, mail ballots tended to skew Democratic. In 2020, 60% of Democrats reported voting by mail, compared to 32% of Republicans, according to a 2021 study from the MIT Election Data and Science Lab.

As of Saturday morning, more than 35 million ballots have been cast nationwide.

Here is a breakdown of where early ballots have been cast, either by mail or in person, in the seven battleground states, according to The Associated Press. Some states, like Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina also provide a party breakdown of the early votes that have been cast.

Arizona – 1,026,633
Arizona early votes by party affiliation:
Democrats: 420,303
Republicans: 504,982
Third-party voters : 273,876

Georgia – 2,368,814

Michigan – 1,424,592

Nevada – 444,367
Nevada early votes by party affiliation:
Democrats: 156,843
Republicans: 178,537
Third-party voters: 108,987

North Carolina – 2,297,089
North Carolina early votes by party affiliation
Democrats: 772,899
Republicans: 789,048
Unaffiliated voters: 723,140
Third-party voters who have cast an early ballot: 12,002

Pennsylvania – 1,284,742

Wisconsin – 715,395

Over the past two decades, the prevalence of early voting has skyrocketed. While early ballots demonstrate voter enthusiasm, they do not reliably determine which candidate is winning the race, because fewer voters are expected to cast early votes than in the previous presidential election. 

Election workers oversee early election voting at a polling station in Marietta, Georgia, on Oct. 15, 2024. (REUTERS/Jayla Whitfield-Anderson)

In 2020, the Fox News Voter Analysis found that 71% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day, with 30% voting early in-person and 41% voting by mail. This time, polls suggest that around four in 10 voters will show up before Nov. 5, according to Gallup polling. 

DOJ DEPLOYS DISTRICT ELECTIONS OFFICERS TO HANDLE ‘THREATS AND INTIMIDATION’

Democrats and Republicans are expected to be less divided on early voting this cycle. Four years ago, Democrats won the total early vote by 11 points. However, two things have changed: first, with the COVID-19 pandemic no longer front-of-mind, many voters will be more willing to show up on Election Day. Second, unlike in 2020, Trump and the GOP are no longer discouraging their voters from casting an early ballot. The upshot should be a smaller partisan gap once the votes are counted.

A sample ballot and a voting sign are displayed on the first day of Virginia’s in-person early voting at Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center on Sept. 20, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Some states also offer breakdowns of their early ballots – for example, by party affiliation, race, or age. Comparing these results to other elections might give the impression that one candidate or party is now doing better than the other.

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Additionally, while early vote data shows the party registration of some voters, it does not reveal how they voted. States do not release actual vote counts until election night. The vote data that some states are releasing now shows the party affiliation of voters who have requested or returned a ballot. However, that is not the same as their actual vote. For example, a voter may have registered as a Democrat decades ago, but chose to vote for Trump this year. Many voters are not registered to either party, making their vote even more of a mystery.

Former President Trump taped “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast for nearly three hours on Friday. 

The podcast, recorded in Austin, Texas, afforded the Republican presidential nominee exposure to Rogan’s 14.5 million followers on Spotify and 17.6 million followers on YouTube. Rogan, the nation’s most-listened-to podcast host, is extremely influential with young male voters, who Trump is aiming to reach. 

Here are the top takeaways from the podcast that aired on Friday. 

Trump asks Rogan to explain why he’s gotten bad publicity: ‘You said a lot of wild s—’ 

While explaining the process of choosing political nominations once he got into office, Trump discussed his initial appointment of John Bolton, who served as White House National Security adviser. In 2019, Trump fired Bolton, who remains a staunch critic. Trump described how Phil Ruffin, a fellow American businessman, warned him that Bolton was a “bad guy,” but by then, Trump had already hired him. 

Podcast host Joe Rogan told former President Trump he has gotten so popular with Americans due to the “wild s—” he says.  (The Joe Rogan Experience)

“And he was right. But he was good in a certain way. He’s a nut job. And every time I had to deal with a country when they saw this whack job standing behind me, they said, ‘Man, Trump’s going to go to war with us.’ He was with Bush when they went stupidly into the Middle East. They should have never done it. I used to say it as a civilian, so I always got more publicity than other people,” Trump said. 

“It wasn’t like I was trying,” Trump said. “In fact, I don’t know exactly why. Maybe you can tell me.” 

“I could definitely tell you,” Rogan offered. “You said a lot of wild s—. … And then CNN in all their brilliance by highlighting your wild s— made you much more popular. And they boost you in the polls because people were tired of someone talking in this bulls— pre-prepared politician lingo. And even if they didn’t agree with you, they at least knew whoever that guy is, that’s him. That’s really him.” 

Rogan tells Trump ‘the rebels are Republicans now,’ Elon Musk agrees

“The rebels are Republicans now, though, like you want to be invisible, you want to be punk rock, you want to like, buck the system? You’re a conservative now,” Rogan said. “That’s how crazy. And then the liberals are now pro-silencing criticism. They’re pro-censorship online. … [T]hey come in regulating free speech and now regulating the First Amendment. It’s bananas to watch.” 

Rogan is seen at a ceremonial weigh-in for the UFC 292 mixed martial arts event, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Boston.  (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

Elon Musk, who took over Twitter — now X — in 2022, responded to the clip, writing, “Exactly.” 

“You know they come after their political opponent,” Trump told Rogan in response. “I’ve been investigated more than Alfonse Capone.” 

Trump says he told North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to ‘just relax,’ ‘go to the beach’ 

In his meeting with former President Obama during the presidential transition period, Trump recalled, “Obama thought we were going to go to war with North Korea.” Rogan then referenced how Trump dubbed North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un “Little Rocket Man” early on in his first term. 

Trump arrives for a campaign rally at Avflight at Cherry Capital Airport on Oct. 25, 2024 in Traverse City, Michigan. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“I said, ‘Little Rocket Man, you’re going to burn in hell.’ And it was rough,” Trump said. “I got to know him better than anybody, anybody. And I said, ‘Do you ever do anything else? Why don’t you go take it easy and relax? Go to the beach?’ You know, kiddingly, I said, ‘You’re always building nuclear. Just relax. You don’t have to do it. Let’s build some condos.'”

Trump discusses ‘Make America Health Again,’ initiative, says he told RFK Jr. ‘just focus on health’ 

Rogan praised Trump for partnering with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to “Make America Healthy Again” and asked the Republican nominee if he would completely commit to having Kennedy as part of his administration. 

“Oh, I am, but the only thing I want to be a little careful about with him is the environmental. Because, you know, he doesn’t like oil. I love oil,” Trump said. “I think just keep him out of the fire. So I’m going to keep him out of a little bit. I said focus on health. Focus. You could do whatever you want, but, I got to be a little bit careful with the liquid gold.” 

Rogan, showing Trump charts, referenced how “there are chemicals and ingredients in our food that are illegal in other countries because they’ve been shown to be toxic.” 

“There’s pesticides and herbicides, and there’s a lot of sh– that’s been sprayed on our food that really is unnecessary,” the podcaster said. “And there’s a lot of health consequences.” Rogan added that Kennedy recently told him that “more than 70% of young men are ineligible for the military because of their health.” 

“But RFK is going to be – you know I think he’s a great guy,” Trump said. 

Rogan also asked if Trump faced pressure not to work with Kennedy. 

“But I would say that the Big Pharma wasn’t thrilled when they heard that,” Trump said. “I’ve actually always gotten along very well with him. I’ve known him a long time. He’s a different kind of a guy. He’s very smart, great guy, and he’s very sincere about this. I mean, he really is. You know, he thinks we spend a fortune on pesticides and all this stuff, and then you end up at that chart is a terrible shot.” 
 

One year ago, Saudi Arabia and Israel were on the precipice of a normalization deal that would have realigned the Middle East and further isolated Iran. 

This week, Saudi Arabia and Iran held their first-ever joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, their ministries revealed, in what would seem to be a sign of rapprochement between the longtime regional foes. 

“The Royal Saudi Naval Forces had recently concluded a joint naval exercise with the Iranian Naval Forces alongside other countries in the Sea of Oman,” Saudi armed forces spokesperson Turki al-Malki confirmed to the French news outlet AFP.

He added “no other exercises are being addressed during this period of time.” 

Shiite Muslim-dominated Iran and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia severed ties in 2016 and have long backed opposing sides in regional conflicts. They resumed relations last year in a China-brokered deal, even as the U.S. hoped to bring them into an Abraham Accords-style deal that would normalize their relationship with Tehran’s enemy number-one, Israel. 

IRANIAN ARMED FORCES PLAN TO TRIPLE REVOLUTIONARY GUARD BUDGET THANKS TO OIL EXPORTS

This week, Saudi Arabia, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, above, and Iran held their first-ever joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman. (Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via Reuters.)

Iran claimed that it was Saudi Arabia that organized the drills.

“Saudi Arabia has asked that we organize joint exercises in the Red Sea,” the commander of Iran’s navy, Admiral Shahram Irani, was quoted as saying by ISNA. 

The U.S. has military facilities and troops stationed in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. conducted a large-scale logistics exercise with the Royal Saudi Armed Forces and United Arab Emirates Armed Forces in May.

“Hard not to exaggerate the significance of this. It’s as if the U.S. and Russia were to hold a joint military exercise,” Iranian-born commentator Hooman Majd wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 

Other experts said the exercises proved only that the kingdom is fearful of Tehran. 

“The Saudis are concerned about being caught between [Iran and Israel],” Meir Javedanfar, an Iran lecturer at Reichman University in Tel Aviv, told Fox News Digital, adding that they took part in the naval drills to “not be seen as taking Israel’s side.” 

“Behind closed doors, the Saudis remain deeply suspicious of Iran’s policies, especially in Yemen.” 

“I would see this more as a ‘hedge your bets’ situation,” said Victoria Coates, deputy national security advisor during the Trump administration. 

“They are concerned about whether or not the U.S. would be robust in its defense of the kingdom in the event that the Iranians, in retaliation for whatever Israel will or will not do targets them.”

“Built into the original Iranian charter is the assertion that the House of Saud is the illegitimate keeper of the two mosques, and that they should be in Shiite hands. So fundamentally, those two can’t play in the same sandbox,” she added, referring to the two holiest sites in Islam, Mecca and Medina, both under Saudi Arabia’s control.  

INTELLIGENCE REPORT SAYS IRAN WILL KEEP TRYING TO KILL TRUMP REGARDLESS OF ELECTION OUTCOME

This week’s drills came after Iran conducted naval drills with Russia and Oman in the Indian Ocean last week, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand participating as observers to the drills. 

In Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Iran-backed Houthis since 2015. The U.S. has stepped up its strikes on Houthi postures in Yemen in recent weeks, after Houthis have terrorized shipping lanes in the Red Sea over the past year. 

The original outline of a Saudi normalization deal with Israel paid little heed to the Palestinian cause. Now, as Saudi Arabia has demanded a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas, the kingdom insists that it will not normalize relations with Israel without a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. 

President Joe Biden’s team had been working on a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal when Hamas launched its attack on Oct. 7. Many believe the attack was intended primarily to thwart efforts to secure such a deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that he can nail down negotiations with Riyadh – but not until after the presidential election. 

His U.S. allies who helped broker the Abraham Accords deals with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco have long held out hope too, despite Israel’s bloody offensives to eradicate Hamas in Gaza and push back Hezbollah in Lebanon.  

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this week.

On Oct. 1, Iran rained down some 200 ballistic missiles on Tel Aviv. (Credit Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL)

“I’m cautiously optimistic we can pull this off,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Saudi Arabia, Graham argued, might be the only hope for a post-war Gaza.

“Israel can’t occupy Gaza,” he said. “The only viable solution here for permanent security, for Israel and stability and peace is have Saudi Arabia and the UAE rebuild Gaza and reform the [Palestinian Authority] in a way that will give better governance to the Palestinian people, eliminate the corruption, de-radicalize the school system and give security buffers to Israel.” 

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The military drills came after Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, traveled to Riyadh earlier this month – where he reportedly threatened their oil facilities if Israel were to attack Iran’s oil. 

Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the Saudi royal court, said: “The Iranians have stated: ‘If the Gulf states open up their airspace to Israel, that would be an act of war.'”

The Saudis, in turn, urged the U.S. to implore Israel to avoid striking Iran’s oil facilities in response to the 200 missiles it rained down on Tel Aviv on Oct. 1, a U.S. source confirmed to Reuters. 

The term “October surprise” – denoting an unexpected plot twist late in an election cycle that typically throws a wrench in prognostications – first entered the U.S. lexicon in 1980.

1980s

During that contest between Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter and former California Gov. Ronald Reagan, Reagan was cognizant that a sudden release of 52 hostages in Iran could boost his opponent’s campaign.

To that time, Carter’s term was marked by long-term economic “malaise,” foreign policy stumbles like the hostage crisis and other concerns.

Reagan’s campaign manager, former SEC Chairman William Casey, warned that Carter might be planning such an “October surprise” and urged allies in the intelligence community to alert them to any premonitions of a hostage release.

Ultimately, no “surprise” ever occurred, and Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei instead released the hostages after 444 days in captivity on the date Reagan was inaugurated in 1981, instead giving Republicans positive fodder.

HISTORIAN SAYS BIDEN COULD BE SAVED FROM CARTER-ESQUE FOREIGN FAILURE THROUGH UKRAINIANS’ HEROISM

President Carter, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, said that the decision of the Iranian government to take custody of the American hostages was, “A positive step” and “We do not intend to impose additional sanctions against Iran.” (Bettmann via Getty)

As far as October surprises go, Reagan’s 1984 reelection campaign against former Vice President Fritz Mondale was quiet. The Republican went on to win a record 49 states, excluding Mondale’s Minnesota.

The same could be said for 1988, as Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis’ campaign appeared to flounder – particularly after he was mocked for wearing an oversized helmet while sitting on a tank in an ad.

If there had been a surprise, however, things may have been different far into the long-term, as Dukakis waxed during a 2008 interview that if he had “beaten the old man” – then-Vice President George H.W. Bush – “we’d never heard of the kid, and we’d be in a lot better shape these days; so it’s all my fault.”

1990s

From 1988 to 2016 – except 2012 – a Clinton or a Bush had been a major party candidate in every cycle, and all but once the nominee.

In 1992, Iran returned to the campaign scene, as on Oct. 30, four days before the election, Reagan’s former Pentagon chief, Caspar Weinberger, was indicted for attempting to cover up Iran-Contra.

President Reagan joins Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and Vice President George Bush. (Getty)

Bush the elder was vice president during that scandal, which surrounded allegations that the U.S. had funded Nicaraguan rebels known as “La Contrarrevolución” with funds from arms sales to Tehran.

That December, Washington, D.C., federal Judge Thomas Hogan threw the case out on statute-of-limitations grounds. Bush later pardoned Weinberger.

After the 1992 October surprise, Bush was upset by Arkansas Democratic Gov. Bill Clinton. The candidacy of Texas billionaire businessman H. Ross Perot also contributed to Bush’s loss.

Following a relatively quiet 1996 cycle, the 2000 race between Bush the younger and then-Vice President Al Gore was marred by its own October surprise.

2000s

During the last week of the campaign, a report surfaced claiming that Bush had been arrested for DUI in Maine in 1976.

Bush ultimately confirmed he had been taken into custody after consuming beer at a Kennebunkport bar over Labor Day weekend that year, when he was 30 years old.

ROGER STONE PRAISES ‘ENORMOUSLY COURAGEOUS TRUMP,’ SAYS HE ‘SAVED MY LIFE’ AFTER ‘HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE’

Election workers hand check ballots for “hanging,” “pregnant” or “dimpled” chads at the Broward County Emergency Operations Center, Nov. 18, 2000. (Reuters)

“It’s an accurate story. I’m not proud of that… I admitted to the policeman I’d been drinking… I learned my lesson,” Bush said at a Wisconsin rally.

Karl Rove, a top Bush aide who is now a Fox News contributor, suggested at the time that the October surprise may have cost his boss the popular vote in a handful of states.

Ultimately, Bush won – in one of the most closely-contested elections until the 2020 bout between former President Donald Trump and now-President Joe Biden.

Florida officials toiled over “hanging chads” on paper ballots, while Republican consultant Roger Stone and then-Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y. – whom Bush later dubbed “Congressman Kick-Ass” – were credited with staging the “Brooks Brothers Riot” of dapper demonstrators at Miami-Dade’s election office.

In 2004, just before the election, Usama bin Laden was seen on video taking responsibility for 9/11 and calling Bush a dictator for his use of the Patriot Act. Then-Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., cited the video after his loss for bringing terrorism to the fore once again.

Wall Street powerhouse Lehman Brothers imploded in September 2008, and a recession of the likes not seen since 1929 enveloped the country, leaving Bush – and, by extension, Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona – with the blame. Disgraced CEO Dick Fuld was dragged before Congress.

Members of the group “Code Pink” wave signs as Richard S. Fuld Jr., CEO of Lehman Brothers, arrives to testify before Congress.  (Karen Bleir/AFP via Getty Images)

And it was the charisma of then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., combined with slogans like “Hope,” “Change” and “Yes We Can” that galvanized the youth vote. This surge of enthusiasm, set against the backdrop of the financial crisis – a major October surprise – is what undermined Republicans’ chances.

2010s

During the 2012 cycle, it was a Republican who was blamed for an October surprise that doomed the GOP nominee.

After Hurricane Sandy devastated the northeast, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie publicly gushed about Obama’s efforts during the recovery and was criticized for the warm reception he gave Obama, which purportedly translated into a last-minute boost for the incumbent.

Christie has long denied ever hugging Obama, as critics have claimed, calling it the “old, ‘nobody ever saw it because it didn’t happen’ hug’.”

CHRISTIE FLAMES TRUMP: HOW CAN GOP WIN WITH A CANDIDATE OUT ON BAIL?

Barack Obama is greeted by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie after he arrives at Atlantic City International Airport, October 2012. (REUTERS/Larry Downing)

At a 2016 town hall in Sussex, N.J., Christie questioned critics who still bring up the alleged chumminess, asking, “what would you have me do, exactly . . . say, ‘No, I’m for Mitt Romney, I don’t want you to come’ – or would you rather me wear my Romney sweatshirt while I was walking around with him – this is ridiculous stuff.”

In 2016, after originally declining to recommend that the Department of Justice prosecute Hillary Clinton that July for mishandling classified materials, FBI Director James Comey announced just days before the election that he was reexamining the Democratic nominee’s email saga.

Emails pertinent to the probe were suddenly found on New York Rep. Anthony Weiner’s computer. At the time, Weiner, a Democrat, was the estranged husband of Clinton confidante Huma Abedin.

FBI Director James Comey. (REUTERS/Gary Cameron)

Clinton narrowly lost several swing states and Trump commanded an upset to become the first non-politician or non-military officer elected president.

That victory came despite another October surprise that year – as a tape of Trump bragging to TV host and presidential cousin Billy Bush about being able to “grab” women by their genitalia undeterred, sent shockwaves through the media.

2020s

A major October surprise occurred in 2020, when the New York Post broke the story surrounding the mixture of obscene imagery and documentation of foreign business dealings found on Hunter Biden’s laptop – after it was left at a Wilmington repair shop.

COMER TOUTS HUNTER BIDEN HEARING: DEMS AREN’T USED TO EVIDENCE SINCE ‘RASKIN, SCHIFF PULL THINGS OUT OF THEIR REAR’

Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and James Comer of Kentucky hold a hearing on Twitter’s handling of a 2020 New York Post story about Hunter Biden and his laptop. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)

Social media organizations allegedly sought to stifle the “surprise,” and a consortium of intelligence officials attested in a heavily critiqued letter that the report was Russian propaganda. 

The story was later confirmed to be accurate, though it came months after Joe Biden had upset Trump.

While not in October, Democrats faced a political earthquake in July when Joe Biden – following a widely mocked debate performance – decided against continuing his reelection bid, and the party chose Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place.

With an already contentious election cycle in 2024, it remains to be seen whether a major October surprise will reveal itself, or whether Americans will look back on an event that has already happened this month and deem it the quadrennial shocker.

Fox News’ Leonard Balducci contributed to this report.

Florida, Michigan, New York and New Jersey all kick off early in-person voting Saturday as the nation begins heading to the polls for the 2024 election. Here’s what you need to know.

Michigan is one of the most competitive states this cycle

Michigan shocked the country in 2016 when it backed former President Trump by 0.23 points, or a mere 10,704 votes.

Since then, the state has delivered for Democrats, with a nearly three-point win for President Biden, the election and re-election of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and, in the last midterms, a state government trifecta.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

Even so, this will be a competitive race. Recent high-quality polls have it within the margin of error.

Democrats do well in the southeastern part of the state, and Biden was able to win in 2020 by bringing out Black voters and gaining in the Detroit metro area. Flipping Kent County, home to Grand Rapids and a representative mix of urban, suburban and rural voters, was also crucial to his victory. Trump will need to take it back for a statewide win in 2024.

Voting booths at a polling center inside PS 103 Hector Fontanez in the Wakefield neighborhood of the Bronx borough of New York June 25, 2024. (Getty)

Michigan’s population grew by 2% over the last decade with growth concentrated in the Grand Rapids area. Since then, the state has experienced a decline, especially in Detroit.

The Great Lake State will also vote for a new senator after Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow decided not to run for re-election this year. House Rep. Elissa Slotkin hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands and has an edge in this competitive race. She faces GOP candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers.

Both the presidential and Senate races are ranked Lean D on the Fox News Power Rankings.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Key downballot races in today’s early voting states

Voting also begins Saturday in several battleground House districts. For a full list of competitive races, see the latest Senate and House rankings.

• Michigan’s 7th District: Slotkin is vacating this south central Michigan district, which she flipped by a 5.4-point margin in the midterms. This year, it’s a battle between two former state senators — Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett. This race is a toss-up on the Fox News Power Rankings.
• Michigan’s 8th District: Next door, the 8th district is also without an incumbent. Rep. Dan Kildee is retiring after 12 years in the House, making this a race between Democratic state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican businessman Paul Junge. The seat includes Flint and the Tri-Cities area, so winning the working-class vote will be critical. It’s also a toss-up on the Power Rankings.
• Michigan’s 10th District: Republican incumbent Rep. John James has the edge in the 10th district. He’s up against Democrat and former judge and prosecutor Carl Marlinga. The district includes southern Macomb County and Rochester. Holding on to the outer suburban vote there will be critical to a GOP win. This is a Lean R race.
• New Jersey’s 7th District: New Jersey’s 7th district is the only competitive House race on the state map. The district includes Trump’s Bedminster Golf Club and a raft of wealthy, suburban areas. It became more Republican in the last round of redistricting. Freshman Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. is the incumbent. He faces local Democrat and political organizer Sue Altman. It was last ranked Lean R.
• New York’s 1st District: Occupying the east side of Long Island, New York’s 1st district is one of the most politically diverse in the region. It includes the ultra-wealthy Hamptons suburbs and farming communities in Suffolk County. Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, who replaced Rep. Lee Zeldin in 2023, is the incumbent against former CNN anchor and Democrat John Avlon. This race is ranked Lean R.
• New York’s 4th District: Closer to New York City, the ultra-competitive 4th district in Nassau County includes Long Beach, Garden City and Uniondale, where former President Trump held a rally last month. Incumbent Rep. Anthony D’Esposito spoke at that event. He’s up against local Democratic Town Supervisor Laura Gillen. It’s ranked Toss-up on the rankings.

Fox News Power Rankings House chamber (Fox News)

• New York’s 17th District: This Hudson Valley district offers one of the highest-profile races of the cycle. This race was decided by less than 2,000 votes in the midterms, when voters elected moderate Republican Rep. Mike Lawler. This year, he’ll face the former occupant of this seat, Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. It’s another Toss-up.
• New York’s 18th District: Into the mid-Hudson Valley and the Catskills, the 18th District is represented by another well-known moderate congressman, Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan. And like its neighbor, this race was tight in the midterms. It was ultimately settled by fewer than 5,000 votes. GOP Rep. Alison Esposito is the Republican candidate here. She served in the New York Police Department for 25 years before announcing her run. It’s a Lean D district.
• New York’s 19th District: The third Hudson Valley battleground with a moderate incumbent, the 19th District includes the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro flipped this seat in the midterms with a roughly 5,000-vote margin. This year, he faces Democratic attorney Josh Riley. This race is a Toss-up.
• New York’s 22nd District: Further upstate to Syracuse and Utica, GOP Rep. Brandon Williams, first elected in the midterms, is threatened by redistricting. He faces Democratic challenger and state Sen. John Mannion in a race ranked Lean D on the Power Rankings.

IN BID FOR DISGRUNTLED REPUBLICANS, HARRIS TEAMS UP WITH CHENEY IN GOP BIRTHPLACE

How to vote in Florida

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Florida.

Voting by mail

Florida began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 24, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Florida, but the earliest counties began Saturday. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

The deadline for Florida residents to register to vote was Oct. 7.

Fox News Power Rankings presidential map (Fox News )

How to vote in Michigan

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Michigan.

Voting by mail

Michigan began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 1, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Michigan, but the earliest counties began on Saturday. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

The deadline for Michigan residents to register to vote online or by mail was Oct. 21. They can register in person at any point during early voting or on election day.

How to vote in New York

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for New York.

Voting by mail

New York began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 26, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

New York kicked off early in-person voting on Saturday, and it will continue through Nov. 3.

Voter registration

New York residents can register to vote online, in person or by mail through Oct. 26. 

Fox News Power Rankings presidential forecast (Fox News)

How to vote in New Jersey

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for New Jersey.

Voting by mail

New Jersey began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 29, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

New Jersey kicked off early in-person voting on Saturday, and it will continue through Nov. 3.

Voter registration

New Jersey residents were required to register to vote by Oct. 15.

With 10 days until Election Day, two new major national polls indicate Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump are in a dead heat in the race to succeed President Biden in the White House.

With the clock quickly ticking, the two nominees and their running mates are fanning out across the key battleground states this weekend.

On the trail

Trump starts Saturday with a rally in Novi, Michigan, in suburban Detroit. Later in the day, he’ll campaign in another of the crucial swing states — Pennsylvania — as he holds a rally in State College, home to Penn State University.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

Former President Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, speaks at a campaign rally Thursday in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, starts his day in Atlanta before holding campaign events in Erie and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Top Trump surrogates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ended his long-shot White House run and endorsed Trump, and former Democratic presidential candidate and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who days ago switched from an independent to a Republican, will team up for Trump in swing state North Carolina. And Elon Musk, the Tesla and Space X magnate who’s the world’s richest person, stumps for Trump in Pennsylvania.

POLITICAL ROCK STARS AND ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRITIES HIT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Harris on Saturday will team up with former first lady Michelle Obama, arguably the most popular Democrat in the country, at a get-out-the-vote rally in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The stop comes two days after the vice president shared the stage in suburban Atlanta with former President Obama.

Former President Obama gestures to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, after introducing her to speak during a campaign rally Thursday in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, makes two stops in battleground Arizona Saturday, first in Window Rock and later in Phoenix.

In a sign of just how important a role Pennsylvania is playing with its 19 electoral votes up for grabs, first lady Jill Biden campaigns for Harris in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, while progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a two-time runner-up for the Democratic nomination, stumps for Harris in Erie.

On Sunday, Harris is scheduled to make multiple retail stops in Philadelphia. Trump will hold a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the media capital of the world.

Trump’s campaign says the former president, who has long wanted to hold a rally in the legendary New York City venue, will frame his closing argument during the rally. And the campaign will hold a backstage fundraiser for major donors with top-tier access costing $924,600.

Poll position

It can’t get any closer than this.

Two major national polls conducted Sunday through Wednesday and released Friday indicate Harris and Trump in a dead heat.

Former President Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, laughs after speaking during a campaign rally Thursday in Las Vegas. (AP/Alex Brandon)

Grabbing headlines first is a New York Times/Siena College survey indicating the Democratic Party and GOP presidential nominees are tied at 48%. 

That’s a switch from a previous poll, earlier this month, when Harris held a slight three-point edge.

A CNN survey had the candidates deadlocked at 47% among likely voters nationwide. Its previous poll from late September indicated the vice president had a razor-thin one-point margin.

There were warning signs in the two surveys for both candidates, however. 

Harris lost her favorability advantage over Trump in both polls.

After replacing President Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 ticket in July, the vice president’s favorable ratings soared. But they’ve steadily eroded over the past month.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, speaks during a campaign event at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids, Mich., Oct. 18. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Another red flag for Harris are polls indicating her support among Black voters is below Biden’s levels in the 2020 election.

For Trump, his support among White voters is on par with his standing in the 2020 election, when he lost the White House to Biden.

And the former president still faces a healthy deficit to the vice president when it comes to being trustworthy and caring about people.

While national polls are closely watched, the race for the White House is not based on the national popular vote. It’s a battle for the states and their electoral votes.

FROM ‘JOYFUL WARRIOR’ TO CALLING TRUMP A ‘FACIST,’ KAMALA HARRIS CHANGES HER MESSAGING IN THE FINAL STRETCH

And the latest surveys in the seven crucial battleground states whose razor-thin margins decided Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump and will likely determine whether Harris or Trump wins the 2024 election, are mostly within the margin of error.

The latest Fox News national poll indicated Trump had a two-point edge, but Harris had a 6-point advantage among respondents questioned in all seven battleground states.

Cash dash

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris (Fox News)

While there’s a margin of error in the polls, there is a clear frontrunner in the battle for campaign cash, another important indicator in presidential politics. And it’s Harris.

According to the latest figures the two major party presidential campaigns filed with the Federal Election Commission, Harris hauled in $97 million during the first half of October.

That far outpaced the $16 million the Trump campaign said it raised during the first half of this month.

Both campaigns use a number of affiliated fundraisings committees to raise money. And when those are included, Trump narrowed the gap, but trailed $176 million to $97 million during the first two weeks of this month.

The new filings also spotlight that the Harris campaign continues to vastly outspend the Trump campaign. 

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During the first 16 days of October, the Democratic presidential nominee’s campaign outspent Trump $166 million to $99 million, with paid media the top expenditure for both campaigns.

However, Harris finished the reporting period with more cash in her coffers. As of Oct. 16, she had $119 million cash on hand, while Trump had $36 million. When joint fundraising committees are also included, Harris holds a $240 million to $168 million cash-on-hand advantage.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., is responding to her opponent, Republican businessman Eric Hovde, after he compared her comments on former President Trump voters to those of former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. 

“Do you know who actually called you deplorable? This guy, Eric Hovde,” a new digital ad from Baldwin’s campaign said.

The ad featured Hovde’s own remarks from an interview on “The Jerry Bader Show” in 2016.

‘ILL-FATED EFFORT’: MCCONNELL WAS ‘FURIOUS’ AT RICK SCOTT’S 2022 LEADER BID, BOOK SAYS

Baldwin responded with her own ad after Hovde’s campaign likened her comments to those of Hillary Clinton. (Reuters)

The now-Republican candidate used the word “deplorable” to describe the level of civic knowledge among average Americans, with many not knowing the year of the country’s founding or who the vice president is. 

“Most of the country, sadly, doesn’t know what the heck is going on,” he said at the time. “They can’t even tell you when our country was founded, who the vice president [sic], how many senators there are. It’s just deplorable how low people are keeping themselves informed.”

Hovde added, “I like to say, sadly, with females, they spend too much time with what’s going on in Hollywood. And with males, they engross themselves too much with sports. And now it’s not just sports, it’s fantasy sports.”

The new Baldwin ad criticized the past remarks, asking, “Too much sports?”

SCHUMER, DEMS PRE-ELECTION REPORT URGES VOTERS TO BE WARY OF ‘MISINFORMATION’ ABOUT RESULTS

Hovde and Baldwin are facing off for a competitive Wisconsin Senate seat.  (Reuters)

“Eric Hovde really doesn’t know Wisconsin. Too much time in California,” it continued. 

Baldwin’s latest ad is part of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign.

Hovde’s campaign did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.

The ad comes after Hovde’s campaign unveiled its own spot on television this week, putting Baldwin’s past comments on Trump voters side by side with Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” remark, which was credited by many for securing her election loss to Trump in 2016. 

SAM BROWN BEGINS TO CLOSE GAP WITH INCUMBENT SEN. JACKY ROSEN IN BATTLEGROUND NEVADA

Hovde compared Baldwin’s remark to that of Hillary Clinton’s, calling Trump voters ‘deplorables.’ (Reuters)

“Donald Trump might be one of the most offensive, hateful and unacceptable presidential candidates we’ve ever had. So what does that say about the people who support him?” Baldwin said in the ad, which was from a 2016 speech she made. 

Baldwin has tried to appeal to Republicans and Trump supporters during her current campaign, featuring the former president in her ads throughout some of the cycle. 

MCCONNELL, GOP DESCEND ON NEBRASKA TO SAVE DEB FISCHER’S ENDANGERED SENATE SEAT

Election Day is less than two weeks away. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

Wisconsin is a presidential battleground state and considered a toss up in the election. As split-ticket voting becomes increasingly rare, it’s likely that the party that wins the presidency also wins the Senate races in several key states, including Wisconsin. 

Baldwin beat Hovde by just one point in a new Quinnipiac University poll, 49% to 48%. 

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The poll was conducted between Oct. 18 and 21 and interviewed 1,108 likely voters in Wisconsin. The margin of error was +/- 2.9 percentage points.

The race is considered a “Toss Up” by top political handicapper the Cook Political Report. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Less than two weeks before Election Day, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee is calling on the U.S. attorney general to appoint a special counsel to investigate former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who is likely to take over as chair of the Oversight Committee if Democrats win the House in November, accused Kushner of possibly violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) through his finance work after leaving the White House. 

Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, served as senior White House adviser in former President Trump’s first administration.

His hedge fund, Affinity Partners, has been a consistent target for Democrats since its inception in 2021 — attacks that have continued even as the former president runs for a second term.

SPEAKER JOHNSON RIPS ‘LACK OF LEADERSHIP’ IN BIDEN ADMIN’S HELENE RESPONSE: ‘ALARMED AND DISAPPOINTED’

Rep. Jamie Raskin, right, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden are calling for a special counsel to investigate Jared Kushner, center. (Getty Images)

Kushner and his allies have vehemently denied accusations of impropriety. Additionally, while Democrats have been investigating Kushner since 2021, his circle is arguing that those and the more recent calls for a special counsel are fueled by political motivations, given the close election less than two weeks away.

“Recent public reports and a Senate investigation have uncovered significant evidence that Mr. Kushner acted as an unregistered foreign agent of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” read a letter by Raskin and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

“By his own admission, Mr. Kushner is actively advising former President Trump’s campaign while being paid at least $80 million by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other foreign governments since June 2021.”

They also accused Kushner of undermining the U.S. by “secretly advising the Saudi government.”

The lawmakers pointed to a report by Reuters earlier this month that accused Kushner of discussing U.S.-Saudi relations involving Israel with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman multiple times since leaving the White House.

FORMER REPUBLICAN US SENATOR ENDORSES KAMALA HARRIS, SAYS ELECTION OFFERS ‘STARK CHOICE’

The request comes less than two weeks before Election Day. (AP/Alex Brandon/Mike Stewart)

Democrats have also seized on a $2 billion investment in Affinity Partners made by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund after the Trump administration ended.

“The scale of these undisclosed foreign payments to Mr. Kushner coupled with the national security implications of his apparent ongoing efforts to sell political influence to the highest foreign bidder are unprecedented and demand action from DOJ,” Raskin and Wyden wrote.

Kushner and his allies denied any conflict of interest to Fox News Digital.

CLUB FOR GROWTH POURS $5M INTO TIGHT HOUSE RACES AS GOP BRACES FOR TOUGH ELECTION

“There is no conflict of interest. During Trump’s four years in office, every decision he made was through the lens of what’s in the best interest of America. When re-elected, he’ll do the same,” Kushner said.

“Senator Wyden and Rep. Raskin are fortunate to be serving this country, and they should focus on the opportunity they have to positively impact peoples’ lives and not on silly political stunts. This letter is beneath the level of seriousness that both of their chambers deserves.”

A spokesperson for the former White House adviser said, “This is a desperate attempt by partisan democrats to manufacture an issue where none exist 12 days before an election. Jared runs an SEC registered fund that abides by all laws and regulations.”

Meanwhile, Affinity Partners Chief Legal Officer Chad Mizelle pointed out that the request was being lodged less than two weeks before Election Day.

“Requesting DOJ appoint a special counsel to investigate the president’s family with no evidence 12 days before an election should be seen for what it is — a disgraceful attempt by Wyden and Raskin to turn DOJ into a fully political operation days before an election,” he said.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., the Senate GOP Conference chairman, responded to Wyden and Raskin’s accusations on X, “Going after a family member of a presidential candidate less than two weeks from a national election is exactly the weaponization of government that President Trump has warned…about.”

It could signal political turmoil in Washington in the months ahead if Trump wins the White House while his party fails to keep the House.

Multiple Democrats previously signaled to Fox News Digital, however, that they are eyeing investigations into Kushner if they win the House majority – regardless of whether Trump is president. 

The DOJ did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

HOUSTON, TX – It was a searing hot – but unsubstantiated – rumor during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago two months ago.

Speculation that Beyoncé would appear at the Democrats’ presidential nominating convention – perhaps alongside Taylor Swift – turned into a frenzy.

It didn’t happen.

But on Friday night, in front of a massive announced crowd of 30,000 at a soccer stadium in downtown Houston, the superstar singer and cultural icon returned to her hometown to make an appearance on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Beyoncé, whose hit song “Freedom” has been adopted by the vice president as her campaign trail anthem, spoke ahead of Harris and introduced her at the event, which leaned heavily into reproductive rights.

Musical artist Beyoncé, right, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, embrace on stage during a campaign rally Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Annie Mulligan) ((AP Photo/Annie Mulligan)

“It’s time for America to sing a new song,” Beyoncé said as she formally endorsed the vice president in her White House race against former President Trump. “Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, loud, Texas welcome to the next President of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.”

And she emphasized that “I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician, I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies.”

Harris, who has made the issue of reproductive rights a centerpiece of her presidential campaign, took aim at the Lone Star State’s extremely restrictive abortion law. And the rally included speeches by a number of people adversely impacted by the state ban.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

Reproductive rights have been a winning issue for Democrats ever since the conservative majority on the Supreme Court in the summer of 2022 overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which had legalized abortion for decades.

Harris reiterated her message that Trump, who named three conservative justices to the high court during his four years in the White House, is responsible for the abortion law in Texas, where the procedure is banned after six weeks of pregnancy.

Musical artists Beyoncé, right, and Kelly Rowland, left, on stage at a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in Houston, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Beyoncé, who was introduced by her mother, fashion designer and philanthropist Tina Knowles, was joined on stage by singer and actress Kelly Rowland, her Destiny’s Child bandmate.

“H-Town. We are so happy to be standing here on this stage as proud Texan women supporting and celebrating the one and only Vice President Kamala Harris. A woman who has been pushing for what this country really needs right now,” Beyoncé said. 

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS INDICATE IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN

And Rowland, standing next to Beyoncé, noted that “Houston, you’ve already had a hand in creating destiny, so do what you do and do this thing again.”

While Beyoncé was the biggest celebrity on the stage, the rally included another icon.

Texas native and legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Willie Nelson performed earlier in the evening.

Musician Willie Nelson performing ahead of an event for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally in Houston, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Introduced as a “Texas voter,” the 91-year-old Nelson asked the crowd are “we ready to say, Madam President.”

Actress and entrepreneur Jessica Alba spoke earlier during the rally. The Harris campaign said the crowd was the largest yet at one of the vice president’s rallies.

It was the second straight night that Harris had the support of major celebrities.

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At a rally in suburban Atlanta where she teamed up with former President Obama, rock legend Bruce Springsteen – who has been supporting Democratic presidential candidates for two decades – performed three songs.

Bruce Springsteen performs at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Also speaking at the vice president’s rally, which her campaign said attracted 23,000 people, were filmmaker and playwright Tyler Perry, film director, producer, screenwriter and actor Spike Lee, and actor Samuel L. Jackson.

Trump, who was in Texas earlier on Friday, took aim at Harris.

“Today she’s in Texas to rub shoulders with woke celebrities,” the former president charged as he spotlighted the issue of immigration and border security at an event in Austin.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a news conference at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

It was a similar message from Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley, who also criticized Harris for campaigning with celebrities.

Whatley argued that “Harris’ refusal to acknowledge the border crisis she created is one of many reasons why Texas is firmly Trump Country – Kamala Harris broke the southern border, but President Trump will fix it.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated “the danger and the threat that Donald Trump poses to America and the fact that he is unfit to serve,” on Friday when asked about criticism of her rhetoric by Republican leaders. 

“Well, listen, we all must speak out against any form of political violence, and I’m very clear about that. No one should be the subject of violence,” she told reporters, according to a press pool report. 

“But the American people deserve to be presented with facts and the truth. And the fact and the truth is that some of the people closest to Donald Trump when he was president, generals, including most recently, John Kelly, a four-star marine general, have been very clear about the danger and the threat that Donald Trump poses to America and the fact that he is unfit to serve. And the American People deserve to hear that and know about that,” the vice president continued. 

Her campaign was initially silent following a call from Republican congressional leaders for her to stop using “dangerous rhetoric,” such as referring to Trump as a “fascist.”

SEN TAMMY BALDWIN HITS BACK AT GOP OPPONENT’S CLINTON COMPARISON: ‘ACTUALLY CALLED YOU DEPLORABLE’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., bottom inset, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., top inset, asked Vice President Kamala Harris to cease her “dangerous rhetoric.” (Reuters )

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released a relatively rare joint statement on Friday, demanding Harris cease using such rhetoric and reminding her of the two recent assassination attempts against Trump. 

“Labeling a political opponent as a ‘fascist’ risks inviting yet another would-be assassin to try robbing voters of their choice before Election Day,” the Republican leaders said in the statement less than two weeks before the election. 

Harris’ campaign initially declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital. 

“Vice President Harris may want the American people to entrust her with the sacred duty of executive authority. But first, she must abandon the base and irresponsible rhetoric that endangers both American lives and institutions,” Johnson and McConnell wrote. 

“We have both been briefed on the ongoing and persistent threats to former President Donald Trump by adversaries to the United States, and we call on the Vice President to take these threats seriously, stop escalating the threat environment, and help ensure President Trump has the necessary resources to be protected from those threats,” they said. 

The statement noted that there have been two assassination attempts against Trump in the last several months, pointing out that “in the weeks since that second sobering reminder, the Democratic nominee for President of the United States has only fanned the flames beneath a boiling cauldron of political animus.”

‘ILL-FATED EFFORT’: MCCONNELL WAS ‘FURIOUS’ AT RICK SCOTT’S 2022 LEADER BID, BOOK SAYS

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

During a CNN town hall this week, Harris told host Anderson Cooper that she believes Trump is a fascist. 

“Yes, I do. Yes, I do,” she told Cooper when asked if she agreed with retired Gen. Mark Milley, who described Trump as “fascist to the core” in journalist Bob Woodward’s latest book.

Cooper noted that Harris had cited Milley’s quotes about Trump in the past. 

Harris further referred to new interviews with Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly in The New York Times, in which he said Trump “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist.”

Kelly further claimed Trump told him once that “Hitler did some good things, too.” 

Trump has denied saying this. 

SCHUMER, DEMS PRE-ELECTION REPORT URGES VOTERS TO BE WARY OF ‘MISINFORMATION’ ABOUT RESULTS

A new poll has found that former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in a dead heat ahead of Election Day. (AP/Alex Brandon/Mike Stewart)

According to the Kelly interview, he felt the need to speak out because of a recent comment Trump made in an interview on Fox News. 

While speaking with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump was asked about concerns with regard to “chaos” on Election Day. The host noted a recent plot by an Afghan refugee that was foiled. 

“I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within, not even the people that have come in and [are] destroying our country and by the way, totally destroying our country. The towns, the villages, they’re being inundated,” Trump began. 

“But I don’t think they have the problem in terms of Election Day. I think the bigger problem are the people from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics,” he said. “It should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard or, if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen.”

SAM BROWN BEGINS TO CLOSE GAP WITH INCUMBENT SEN. JACKY ROSEN IN BATTLEGROUND NEVADA

Former President Trump famously raised his fist and yelled “fight” to the crowd after surviving an assassination attempt in July. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Harris’ campaign has since seized on the remark. 

According to Johnson and McConnell, “Her most recent and most reckless invocations of the darkest evil of the 20th century seem to dare it to boil over. The Vice President’s words more closely resemble those of President Trump’s second would-be assassin than her own earlier appeal to civility.”

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“This summer, after the first attempted assassination of a presidential candidate in more than a century, President Biden insisted that ‘we cannot allow this violence to be normalized.’ In September, after President Trump escaped yet another close call, Vice President Harris acknowledged that ‘we all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence,'” they pointed out. 

However, “[t]hese words have proven hollow,” they said. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

The U.S. government is investigating unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by Chinese hackers, targets of which include the Trump and Harris campaigns. 

The campaigns have been informed of the potential breach of cellphones used by former President Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, and members of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

“After the FBI identified specific malicious activity targeting the sector, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) immediately notified affected companies, rendered technical assistance, and rapidly shared information to assist other potential victims,” the FBI and CISA told Fox News Digital in a joint statement. 

The FBI and CISA said the investigation was ongoing and “we encourage any organization that believes it might be a victim to engage its local FBI field office or CISA. Agencies across the U.S. Government are collaborating to aggressively mitigate this threat and are coordinating with our industry partners to strengthen cyber defenses across the commercial communications sector.”

WE WANT THE FBI TO TELL US ABOUT THE HACK OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN: REP. JIM JORDAN

The Trump campaign was also previously targeted by Iranian hackers.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The hackers are believed to be connected to the Chinese government’s intelligence services, The Journal reported. 

“We are aware that a highly sophisticated nation-state actor has reportedly targeted several U.S. telecommunications providers to gather intelligence,” telecommunications company Verizon said in a statement. “Along with federal law enforcement, industry peers and third-party cyber experts, we are working to confirm, assess and remediate any potential impact. Verizon is committed to assisting law enforcement in this investigation.  Since this is an active investigation, we have no additional comment at this time.”

The anonymous officials said that investigators are working to find out if any data was stolen from the campaigns, adding that other people in the U.S. government may have been targeted by the attackers. 

The Trump campaign blamed the Biden-Harris administration over the attack. 

“This is the continuation of election interference by Kamala Harris and Democrats who will stop at nothing, including emboldening China and Iran attacking critical American infrastructure, to prevent President Trump from returning to the White House,” Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump campaign, told Fox News Digital on Friday. 

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A person familiar with the matter also confirmed to Fox News Digital that the Harris campaign was also targeted.

The Trump campaign has been targeted by Chinese hackers via phones used by former President Trump and his running mate JD Vance, according to a report.  (Ma Yue/VCG via Getty Images)

The latest apparent attack comes months after the Trump campaign said campaign data was targeted by hackers from Iran. 

In September, three hackers linked to Iran were indicted in connection with a hacking plot against the Trump campaign. 

IRAN TRIED TO INFLUENCE ELECTION BY SENDING STOLEN MATERIAL FROM TRUMP CAMPAIGN TO BIDEN’S CAMP, FBI SAYS

The three hackers, who are accused of working for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were allegedly “engaged in a wide-ranging hacking campaign that used spear-phishing and social engineering techniques to target and compromise the accounts of current and former U.S. government officials, members of the media, nongovernmental organizations, and individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns.”

“These documents were obtained illegally from foreign sources hostile to the United States, intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” Cheung said in August after Politico reported that the campaign had been targeted through spear phishing. 

Members of Harris’ team were also targeted in the hacking, according to a report. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital has also reached out to the Harris campaign for comment. 

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It’s not the first election cycle a foreign power has attempted to influence the election via hacking.

In 2016, the Democratic candidate for president, Hillary Clinton, and the DNC infamously had their emails hacked by Russia and released through Wikileaks during the election. 

HOUSTON, TX – With 11 days to go until Election Day and two leading national polls indicating a dead heat in the race for the White House between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the major party nominees hold campaign events in Texas where they’ll elevate two combustible issues as they make their closing arguments.

Harris, who has long leaned into the issue of reproductive rights, will blame Trump for an extremely restrictive abortion law in Texas, as she holds what’s expected to be a large rally in Houston.

Trump, who has spotlighted illegal immigration ever since he launched his first White House run nine years ago, was in Austin to make comments on border security.

DO HARRIS OR TRUMP HAVE THE UPPER HAND IN THIS KEY CAMPAIGN METRIC

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a news conference at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

While Texas isn’t one of the seven crucial battleground states whose razor-thin margins decided President Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump and are likely to determine if Harris or the former president wins the 2024 election, it is home to a key Senate race that’s among a handful that will decide if the GOP wins back the chamber’s majority.

Conservative firebrand Sen. Ted Cruz joined Trump at the afternoon event in Austin, while Democratic challenger Rep. Collin Allred will speak at the Harris rally hours later.

The stop by Harris in Houston is the first time in decades that a Democratic Party standard-bearer will hold a major campaign event in Texas in the home stretch ahead of Election Day.

MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP AT THIS STAR-STUDDED POLITICAL RALLY

The trip doesn’t mean the Harris campaign thinks Texas is in play in the White House race. Even though Biden narrowed the gap to a five and a half point deficit in the 2020 presidential election, top Harris advisers don’t harbor any illusions about flipping the state.

Instead, the trip is about elevating abortion, which has been a winning issue for Democrats ever since the conservative majority on the Supreme Court in the summer of 2022 overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which had legalized abortion for decades.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally at James R. Hallford Stadium, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Harris will reiterate her message that Trump, who named three conservative justices to the high court during his four years in the White House, is to blame for the abortion law in Texas, where the procedure is banned after six weeks of pregnancy.

Ahead of the rally, the Harris campaign unveiled a new ad that uses a clip of Trump taking credit for his role in the blockbuster Supreme Court abortion decision, as well as another commercial that features a Texas couple directly impacted by the state’s ban.

And Harris will discuss the importance of reproductive rights in the 2024 election in an interview while in Texas with Brene Brown, a popular podcaster with a predominantly female audience.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

The Harris campaign says the vice president will be joined at the rally by a number of people who will share their stories of the consequences they have faced due to the Texas abortion ban.

Expected to perform at the rally are legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist Willie Nelson and entertainment superstar Beyoncé, who is considered a cultural icon. Beyoncé’s hit song “Freedom” has been adopted by the vice president as her campaign trail anthem.

Trump, at his event in Austin, argued that Harris had “picked the wrong place” to visit as he alluded to her stop in Houston.

“Today she’s in Texas to rub shoulders with woke celebrities,” he charged.

Harris, speaking with reporters in Houston on Friday afternoon, chided Trump for his comments, arguing that “it’s just another example of how he really belittles our country.”

Two new national polls released Friday indicate that former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in a dead heat ahead of Election Day. (AP/Alex Brandon/Mike Stewart)

For Trump and Republicans, immigration and border security has been a winning issue, as they have blasted President Biden and Harris for three and a half years for the influx of migrants across the southern border.

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Trump, who has repeatedly pledged to conduct mass deportations if he wins back the White House, charged during a campaign event in Arizona on Thursday that as a result of Biden administration immigration policies, the U.S. is “like a garbage can for the world.”

While in Texas, Trump will also sit for a recorded interview with extremely popular nationally known podcaster Joe Rogan.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

A Georgia election official filed an appeal Wednesday after a judge ordered election leaders must certify election results by the legal deadline even if they suspect fraud or mistakes. 

Julie Adams, a Republican member of the Fulton County election board, filed a notice of appeal to the Georgia Court of Appeals after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled last week that election officials were required to certify the election by the legal deadline. 

Adams is specifically appealing the parts of McBurney’s ruling that require she certifies election results by the deadline even if she “finds fraud or abuse, or other palpable error,” according to the emergency motion. Adams is also arguing that the remedy provided in the order is “improper and insufficient … if she finds fraud and abuse.”

MILLIONS OF VOTERS HAVE ALREADY CAST BALLOTS FOR NOV. 5 ELECTION

“Julie Adams – an employee of a pro-Trump, ‘Stop the Steal’ organization called the Election Integrity Network – continues abusing her position representing Fulton County voters in an attempt to help Donald Trump deny the 2024 election results when he loses, just as he did in 2020,” Dave Hoffman, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia – one of the defendants in the suit – told Fox News Digital. “The courts have already affirmed that MAGA activists like Adams cannot refuse to certify election results that they dislike, and we are confident that this latest effort to undermine democracy in Georgia will fail as well.”

Adams initially filed suit seeking declaratory judgment, arguing she was “entitled to ‘full access’ to what she has identified as ‘election materials.’” 

McBurney granted in part and denied in part the relief requested. McBurney wrote in the order that “no election superintendent (or member of a board of elections and registration) may refuse to certify or abstain from certifying election results under any circumstance.” 

A Georgia election official filed an appeal Wednesday after a judge ordered Fulton County election leaders must certify election results by the legal deadline even if they suspect fraud or mistakes.  (Getty Images)

The order also stated that officials may investigate their concerns alongside related documents so long as “any delay in receiving such information is not a basis for refusing to certify the election results or abstaining from doing so.”

The remedy Adams is appealing states that members are not left without “recourse or the means to voice substantive concerns about an election outcome,” saying that such contests “arise after the ministerial act of certification.” 

GEORGIA VOTER WEBSITE HIT WITH CYBERATTACK, LIKELY FROM FOREIGN SOURCE: OFFICIAL

Election results must be certified by Georgia’s individual counties by 5 p.m. the Monday or Tuesday after the race.

The initial ruling was handed down the same day Georgia citizens headed to the polls for early in-person voting, which runs until Nov. 1. 

A voter holds up her sticker after casting her ballot for the primary election March 12, 2024, in Atlanta. (Megan Varner/ Washington Post)

Adams had voted against certifying the presidential primary results in May. She proceeded to sue the Fulton County elections board, arguing she was unable to fulfill her duties as a superintendent after a documents request was denied. She had asked for additional documentation related to the election ahead of the certification deadline. 

‘IT’S HUGE’: TOP GEORGIA ELECTION OFFICIAL MAKES EXPLOSIVE PREDICTION ABOUT EARLY VOTING TURNOUT

Georgia is a swing state in this year’s election. President Biden won the state in 2020 by less than 1%. (AP/Alex Brandon/Mike Stewart)

Georgia is a swing state in this year’s election and was won by President Biden in 2020 by less than 1%. There are multiple lawsuits unfolding in the Peach State challenging a new measure passed by the state board of elections that would require county officials to hand-count ballots after they are tabulated by a machine on election night. 

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Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A county in the pivotal battleground of Pennsylvania is investigating roughly 2,500 voter registration forms that were flagged for potential fraud, Pennsylvania’s Department of State confirmed to Fox News Digital on Friday.

The office confirmed it has been in contact with Lancaster County since last week, after it reported receiving two separate batches of apparently fraudulent voter registration forms. 

“Suspected fraudulent voter registration forms were dropped off at the Board of Elections Office in two batches at or near the deadline for submission,” the board said in a statement Friday. 

Both the local District Attorney’s office and the Lancaster County Board of Elections are working to review and vet the applications.

DOJ ONCE OK’D LAW AT CENTER OF YOUNGKIN VOTER ROLL-CULLING ORDER FEDS NOW SUING TO BLOCK

Pennsylvania is a key battleground that could decide whether former President Trump gets a second nonconsecutive term in the White House or whether Vice President Kamala Harris becomes the first woman to occupy the Oval Office. (Getty Images/Fox News photo illustration)

In a statement Friday, county election officials said the concerns were first noted “during the staff’s normal process to review and enter applications into [a Pennsylvania database] and law enforcement was alerted.

The forms marked as suspicious either had false names, duplicative handwriting, or unverifiable or incorrect identifying information, they added– prompting county election officials to immediately notify both the Pennsylvania Department of State and the state attorney general’s office and open a criminal investigation. 

Speaking at a press conference Friday, Lancaster County officials urged calm and stressed that the election system did what it was intended to do in preventing fraud. The applications were not limited to a single party, and were collected in various spots across the county.

“The fact of the matter is, we’ve contained this,” Lancaster County Commissioner Ray D’Agostino, a Republican who chairs the county election board,, told reporters.  “This is not right. It’s illegal. It’s immoral. And we found it, and we’re going to take care of it.”

In this file photo, an election worker flattens ballots during the 2024 Pennsylvania primary election at the City of Philadelphia’s Election Warehouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.  (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Ultimately, he said, “the people of Lancaster County can be confident in how we conduct our elections.” 

The Pennsylvania Department of State applauded Lancaster County Friday “for their diligent work in spotting this potential fraud and bringing it to the attention of law enforcement.”

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“As the county’s efforts show, multiple safeguards exist to ensure the integrity of our elections, and Pennsylvanians can have confidence that this November’s election will be safe, secure, free, and fair,” the office told Fox News.

This is a breaking news story. Follow along for more updates.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

FIRST ON FOX: Texas lawmakers are calling for additional information from the federal government about a purported illegal immigrant accused of killing an American citizen while allegedly driving under the influence.

Thirty-five-year-old Jorge Peralta is accused of crashing into three vehicles on Oct. 13 in a collision that killed 29-year-old Grayson Davis. Peralta is accused of running away and resisting arrest, according to CBS Austin, 

The outlet reported that he confessed to having consumed five beers before driving, and that he is now being held as an ICE detainee.

DHS IDENTIFIES HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS WITH POSSIBLE TIES TO BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wants to see more information coming from ICE. (Getty Images)

Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, along with State Rep. Stan Gerdes, say they have been told that Peralta is an illegal immigrant who was deported under the Obama and Trump administrations, but that he then returned illegally in 2021.

The Bastrop County Sheriff’s office confirmed to their offices that it had reported the suspect to ICE, and that they had placed a hold on him.

“When ICE puts a hold on someone, it’s because that person is an illegal immigrant, and they have an interest in them,” Sheriff Maurice Cook said.

BIDEN ADMIN FACES SCRUTINY OVER RESPONSE TO ‘SIGNIFICANT RISE’ OF ASSAULTS ON BORDER PATROL AGENTS

Now, the lawmakers want to know how the suspect re-entered after being deported multiple times, whether immigration authorities knew he was residing in the country, and what potential gaps in enforcement allowed him to re-enter the U.S.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the lawmakers pinned the blame for the noncitizen’s presence in the country on the Biden administration.

This split shows Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Michael Cloud and the border wall. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Another family’s worst nightmare has come to pass, and it’s directly because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s reckless, open-border policies,” Rep. Cloud said in a statement.

“Their refusal to enforce our immigration laws has taken another innocent life. How many American citizens have to be killed by illegal immigrants before Joe Biden and Kamala Harris decide to act?”

“Yet another Texan is dead directly because of the Biden-Harris border crisis,” Cruz said. “Texans deserve answers about why this illegal alien was allowed back into our country after being deported twice. This crime was both infuriating and avoidable, but the Biden-Harris administration has made a cynical decision to keep the border open for political purposes. The resulting crimes are avoidable, infuriating, and unacceptable.”

Gerdes said the community was “heartbroken” by the tragedy and that he would be pushing legislation to address illegal immigration at the state level. All three lawmakers say they want a full investigation into the suspect’s immigration history.

The case comes amid a fierce debate over illegal immigration. Republicans have tied the border crisis and the crimes that have emerged from it on the rolling-back of Trump-era policies by the Biden administration.

They say that ending border wall construction, ending “Remain-in-Mexico” and narrowing ICE deportations have encouraged increased border crossings. Former President Trump has promised, if re-elected to launch a mass deportation operation.

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The Biden administration has called for the passage of a bipartisan border security bill introduced in January, which many conservative Republicans have opposed, to increase funding and limit some entries into the U.S. 

It has pointed to a sharp decrease in encounters at the border since President Biden signed an executive order in June limiting arrivals. Numbers have since plunged by over 55%. The agency also says it has completed over 700,000 removals or returns for FY 24, the most since 2010.

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.

The Trump campaign released an ad Friday featuring a Holocaust survivor criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for comparing former President Trump to Adolf Hitler. 

“I know more about Hitler than Kamala will ever know in a thousand lifetimes,” 94-year-old Jerry Wartski, a survivor of Auschwitz, says in the roughly minute-and-a-half advertisement. “For her to accuse President Trump of being like Hitler is the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my 75 years living in the United States.”

Wartski said Trump was a “mensch,” a Yiddish term of endearment, arguing “he has always stood with the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”

TRUMP BLASTS HARRIS OVER HITLER COMPARISON, RIPS HIS FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF: ‘LOWLIFE’

Wartski also demanded an apology from Harris. 

Holocaust survivor Jerry Wartski (Donald J. Trump)

“I know President Trump, and he would never say this, and Kamala Harris knows this,” Wartski says. “She owes my parents and everybody else who was murdered by Hitler an apology.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The ad comes after Harris repeatedly compared Trump to Hitler this week, including during a press conference from the steps of her formal residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., during a town hall Wednesday that Harris conducted with CNN and on social media. 

‘ADMIRES DICTATORS’: HARRIS CONTINUES COMPARING TRUMP TO HITLER DURING BATTLEGROUND STATE TOWN HALL

Harris’ remarks followed media reports this week that detailed alleged claims by ex-Trump administration officials, including Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, that the former president on “multiple occasions” praised Hitler and the loyalty his Nazi generals showed him.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are roughly 10 days from the 2024 presidential election. (Fox News )

“Donald Trump is out for unchecked power. He wants a military like Adolf Hitler had, who will be loyal to him, not our Constitution,” Harris posted to X this week. “He is unhinged, unstable, and given a second term, there would be no one to stop him from pursuing his worst impulses.”

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“If the President of the United States, the commander in chief, is saying to his generals, in essence, ‘Why can’t you be more like Hitler’s generals?’ Anderson, come on. This is a serious, serious issue,” Harris said during her town hall event Wednesday. 

“And we know who he is. He admires dictators, sending love letters back and forth with Kim Jong Un.”

Welcome to the Fox News’ Politics newsletter, with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Here’s what’s happening…

– Iranian armed forces plan to triple Revolutionary Guard budget thanks to oil exports

– ‘Ideological balance’: Supreme Court’s conservative majority to stay no matter who wins election, experts say

– Kamala Harris’ border answer infuriates mother of woman allegedly murdered by illegal immigrant

Youngkin vows to fight judge’s halt to voter roll cleanup

A federal judge on Friday ordered Virginia to halt its removal of potential noncitizens from state voter rolls, a decision expected to restore the voting rights to some 1,600 residents ahead of Election Day.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told Fox News shortly after the ruling that his administration is planning to file an emergency stay for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to block the injunction, which he noted was handed down just 11 days before the election. 

He added that his administration would appeal it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary. …Read more

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is seen in Alexandria, Va. (Bonnie Cash/Getty Images)

White House 

‘GOOD TO BE WITH YOU’: Harris praises pro-Farrakhan pastor who said gay people should feel ‘uncomfortable’ in their ‘sin’…Read more

‘CONTRARY TO RUMORS…’: Pentagon denies false claim that Biden-Harris admin authorized troops to use force against Americans…Read more

Capitol Hill 

RACING TO THE END: Top Dems demand special counsel to investigate Jared Kushner less than 2 weeks from Election Day…Read more

‘PROUD’: Former Republican Rep. Fred Upton says he’s ‘proud’ he voted for Kamala Harris…Read more

‘OUTRAGED’: 12 Dems join GOP lawmakers to threaten UN funding over ‘ongoing hostility’ to Israel…Read more

‘ILL-FATED EFFORT’: McConnell was ‘furious’ at Rick Scott’s 2022 leader bid, book says…Read more

McConnell was “furious” when Scott challenged his re-election as leader. (Reuters)

Tales from the Trail 

CCP CROSSHAIRS: China going after down-ballot U.S. races: report reveals which lawmakers are in crosshairs…Read more

CHASING DIMON: Jamie Dimon walks political tightrope, may be considering Harris cabinet position…Read more

ELECTION DEAD HEAT: Trump, Harris dead even in national poll, with just 1 in 4 saying country headed in right direction…Read more

RECORD-BREAKING RACE: Montana Senate race shatters spending records at $309 per registered voter…Read more

START THE VOTING: Delaware early in-person voting begins…Read more

BEYONCE ON THE TRAIL: Harris teams up with Beyoncé at Texas rally, Trump to sit with Joe Rogan…Read more

WHO’S MORE ACCESSIBLE?: Trump-Vance ticket has done combined 93 interviews since August compared to 54 for Harris-Walz…Read more

‘SHE IS NOT DOING WELL’: Trump declares Harris campaign is ‘imploding’ in tax cut-focused Vegas rally: ‘leading by so much’…Read more

‘CALLED YOU DEPLORABLE’: Sen Tammy Baldwin hits back at GOP opponent’s Clinton comparison: ‘Actually called you deplorable’…Read more

MONEY TALKS: Harris-Trump showdown: VP continues to dominate this crucial campaign metric days before 2024 election…Read more

Across America

PARTY HAS STARTED: More than 30M voters have cast ballots so far in 2024 election…Read more

PUNCHING DOWN: Vulnerable NY Republican blasts Dem challenger’s progressive endorsement after moderate showing at debate…Read more

NO ROOM AT THE INN: NY booting migrants from upstate hotels as contract expires…Read more

NYC Mayor Eric Adams and migrants entering a shelter (Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images, left, Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty Images, right.)

‘KICKED’ TO THE ‘CURB’: Voters in key swing district that could determine control of the House speak out: ‘Kicked’ to the ‘curb’…Read more

BALLOTS SET ON FIRE: Arizona election ballots damaged after USPS mailbox lit on fire, suspect arrested…Read more

Dieter Klofkorn has been arrested after numerous ballots were burned during a mailbox fire, officials say. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office/Fox10 Phoenix)

NEW WAVE: Caravan descending on border could preview migrant rush to sneak in to US if Trump wins election…Read more

SCARY TREND: Virginia school board silenced parents concerned with MS-13-affiliated student in school, lawsuit claims…Read more

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

The Harris campaign on Friday put out a letter penned by 13 ex-Trump administration officials seeking to bolster claims made by former President Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly.

During a series of interviews conducted with the media and published earlier this week, Kelly recounted multiple occasions when the former president praised Adolf Hitler. Kelly also insisted Trump met the “general definition of a fascist” and would govern like a dictator if allowed. The claim about Hitler, from Kelly, was bolstered by similar accounts released in the media this week from anonymous sources who claimed to overhear the same thing.

“We applaud General Kelly for highlighting in stark detail the danger of a second Trump term,” the letter stated. “Everyone should heed General Kelly’s warning.”

Former President Trump and Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images )

The letter’s signatories included Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s former press secretary; Miles Taylor, Trump’s former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security; Alyssa Farah Griffin, co-host of ABC’s “The View” and a former Trump press secretary; and Mark Harvey, a former special assistant to Trump. Olivia Troye, a former national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence who has signed multiple letters from Republicans attacking Trump, signed this letter, as well.

PLAYING THE HITLER CARD: WILL TRUMP BACKERS DISMISS JOHN KELLY’S ATTACK?

“Like General Kelly, we did not take the decision to come forward lightly,” the letter added. “We are all lifelong Republicans who served our country. However, there are moments in history where it becomes necessary to put country over party. This is one of those moments.”

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in response to the Friday letter that Kelly had “totally beclowned himself” with what he described as “fabricated” allegations.

HARRIS ACCUSES TRUMP OF SEEKING ‘UNCHECKED POWER,’ BEING ‘UNHINGED AND UNSTABLE’

“He failed to serve his President well while working as Chief of Staff and currently suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Cheung said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “President Trump has always honored the service and sacrifice of all of our military men and women, whereas Kamala Harris has completely disrespected the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, including the Abbey Gate 13.”

Former President Trump speaks as he visits a campaign office in Hamtranck, Michigan, on Oct. 18. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A Republican who was privy to the working relationship between Kelly and Trump, Nick Ayers, argued in contrast to the Friday letter that Kelly should not be believed. Ayers was a former chief of staff to Pence during his tenure as Trump’s vice president.

HILLARY CLINTON ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘REENACTING’ INFAMOUS NAZI RALLY AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: WE CAN’T IGNORE IT

“This unequivocally did not happen. Full stop,” Ayers told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum following news of Kelly’s claims. “John Kelly was never shy to point out to senior staff when he differed with the president, often behind President Trump’s back, so I can assure you, had those comments been made the national media would have known — all of us would have known — instantly.”

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Ayers added that Kelly was “rarely ever alone with the president,” and accused Kelly of playing politics. “They’re desperate to change the subject,” Ayers said, referring to Democrats.

The Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved refugee applications for members of a Venezuelan gang now causing havoc in states across the U.S., and authorities have increased efforts to track and deport members.

Kevin Grigsby, the head of refugee operations at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, told officials in an internal email that members of Tren de Aragua had been approved for refugee status and made it to the U.S. before a different agency spotted tattoos indicating gang membership. They were then stopped from entering, according to The Washington Times.

“Unfortunately, we did not ask about the tattoos during our adjudication or did not identify that the tattoos asked about were consistent with gang membership,” he wrote in a Sept. 16 email, the Times reported.

DHS IDENTIFIES HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS WITH POSSIBLE TIES TO BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG 

A still image from social media video shows suspected juvenile Tren de Aragua members based at the Roosevelt Hotel who have allegedly been targeting nearby Times Square in a string of robberies. (Obtained by New York Post)

“The potential entry of suspected gang members into the United States represents a serious public safety concern that we need to make sure we are being vigilant against.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to USCIS for comment.

The gang is believed to have started in the Tocoron prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua and has since expanded into Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and the U.S. It has grown in the U.S. during the historic migrant crisis at the southern border. States like New York, Texas and Colorado have been dealing with crimes allegedly committed by the gang.

The revelation comes as DHS confirmed this week that it is not recommending that more than 100 migrants it has identified as having ties to Tren de Aragua be put on an FBI watchlist. The agency flagged more than 600 migrants with possible ties overall, but officials believe that many of those are relatives or victims or witnesses to crimes by the gang.

WHO IS TREN DE ARAGUA? VICIOUS VENEZUELAN GANG ‘FOLLOWING IN THE PATH OF MS-13’ IN AMERICA 

In a statement, DHS said the identities emerged as part of an ongoing rescreening operation to tackle the gang. 

“As a part of our work to counter TdA, DHS has an ongoing operation to crack down on gang members through rescreening certain individuals previously encountered, in addition to the rigorous screening and vetting at the border,” a DHS spokesperson said.

The agency said that those confirmed or suspected of being gang members will be either referred for prosecution or placed into expedited removal — a deportation process that allows for the quick removal of illegal immigrants.

This compilation shows suspected Tren de Aragua members and the southern border, (Fox News/Border Patrol)

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The statement stressed that those identified in the rescreening “include those already in custody, potential victims or witnesses who are not themselves suspected of being TdA members, and others who may not have any involvement in TdA at all.”

TdA has become an issue in the presidential election as well. Former President Trump announced recently he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to target and dismantle “every illegal migrant criminal network operating on American soil.”