NationalWatch

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday doubled down on the Trump administration’s order to crack down on English proficiency standards for commercial truck drivers.

Duffy was responding to a local news report in California about an Indian citizen who drove a truck for a living but has since been banned because of new rules that restrict who is eligible for non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).

The Department of Transportation (DOT) singled out California for what it called “gross negligence,” saying more than 25% of CDLs issued to noncitizens or non-permanent residents were improperly granted.

The truck driver featured in the news report spoke to a reporter in his native language, not English.

SENATE REPUBLICANS TARGET OBAMA-ERA TRUCKING RULE WITH NEW ENGLISH PROFICIENCY BILL

“Crocodile tears for a man who has spent a decade in our country but couldn’t be bothered to learn our language,” Duffy wrote on X. “Our new rules will keep you and your family SAFE on America’s roads!”

The DOT also commented on the report.

“This driver has been in the U.S. for TEN YEARS and does not know enough English to qualify for a trucking license,” the agency wrote. “This is exactly why @SecDuffy ordered @FMCSA to crack down on English proficiency standards.”

“Do you want to drive on American roads? Being able to understand English is the BARE MINIMUM,” it added.

CONNOR WAS KILLED BY A DRIVER WHO COULDN’T READ SIGNS. MAKE TRUCKERS LEARN ENGLISH AGAIN

A Senate bill would require prospective truck drivers to demonstrate basic English proficiency before receiving a CDL.

The legislation would codify President Donald Trump’s executive order, which similarly imposed stricter English language requirements.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., would establish several standards, including ensuring that truck drivers can converse with the public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records.

The issue gained attention after an illegal immigrant truck driver allegedly jackknifed his 18-wheeler while making an illegal U-turn in Florida, killing three people in August.

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His limited English drew sharp scrutiny after the DOT said he failed an English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment following the deadly crash in Fort Pierce, Florida. Singh provided correct responses to only 2 of 12 verbal questions and accurately identified just 1 of 4 highway traffic signs, the agency said.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report. 

The State Department on Tuesday said the United States isn’t obligated to take in foreigners who wish harm on Americans, before posting a list of six individuals whose visas were revoked for making vile comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The agency noted that the Trump administration will take action against those celebrating Kirk’s death.

“The State Department continues to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,” the agency wrote on X. “@POTUS and @SecRubio will defend our borders, our culture, and our citizens by enforcing our immigration laws. Aliens who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”

Among those who had their visas revoked were an unnamed Argentine citizen who said Kirk “devoted his entire life to spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric” and deserves to burn in hell.

LAWMAKER WHO TIED KIRK TO ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’ FACING EXPULSION CALLS AMID POLITICIAN BLOWBACK NATIONWIDE

A South African citizen mocked Americans grieving Kirk, saying “they’re hurt that the racist rally ended in attempted martyrdom” and alleging “he was used to astroturf a movement of white nationalist trailer trash.”

A Mexican citizen said that Kirk “died being a racist, he died being a misogynist,” and added, “There are people who deserve to die. There are people who would make the world better off dead.”

A German national said of Kirk that “when fascists die, democrats don’t complain.” A Brazilian visa holder wrote that “Charlie Kirk was the reason for a Nazi rally where they marched in homage to him” and that he “DIED TOO LATE.”

PENTAGON SPEECH CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-KIRK POSTS ECHOES 2021 DRIVE AGAINST RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM

A Paraguayan national said, “Charlie Kirk was a son of a b—- and he died by his own rules.”

The State Department ended each example shared on X with “Visa revoked.”

Vice President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials have encouraged people to call out offensive language about Kirk that they see online.

In a post last month, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said, “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.” 

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“I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action,” he added. “Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so that the @StateDept can protect the American people.”

FIRST ON FOX: New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill took tens of thousands of dollars from companies linked to the opioid crisis as she hammers her Republican opponent over his alleged connection to that same crisis. 

Sherrill spoke during a press conference on the Garden State’s opioid epidemic on Monday, where she accused Ciattarelli of “looking at ways to help people get access to the drugs that were killing them” through his ties to pharmaceutical-backed training programs.

“So you heard it, Jack made millions,” she said. “The opioid companies made billions, and thousands of New Jerseyans were dying.”

However, this attack might come back to haunt her campaign. Her congressional campaigns received three $1,000 donations from the AmerisourceBergen political action committee in 2018, 2019 and 2022, according to campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

FINAL FACEOFF: CIATTARELLI, SHERRILL, BLAST EACH OTHER ON DEBATE STAGE

Her campaign also received at least $4,500 from the Teva Pharmaceuticals PAC, $1,000 from the Endo Pharmaceuticals PAC and $17,000 from Johnson & Johnson.

In total, a Fox News Digital review found at least $25,500 in donations going from companies tied to the opioid crisis to Sherrill’s campaign. 

AmerisourceBergen has been accused, perhaps most notably in 2021 by Washington state’s Democratic attorney general Bob Ferguson, of profiting off billions from the opioid epidemic through the shipment of dangerous prescription painkillers with no regard for how those drugs were contributing to the deaths of citizens. AmerisourceBergen, which now goes by Cencora, and two other companies would go on to reach a settlement with Washington state for over $500 million.

In early 2022, AmerisourceBergen, whose executives were exposed for previously mocking West Virginians as “pillbillies” at the height of the opioid crisis, announced it would be agreeing to a $6.1 billion settlement that would be paid out over 18 years and would cover the “vast majority of the opioid lawsuits filed by state and local governmental entities,” according to a press release.

JACK CIATTARELLI DEMANDS MIKIE SHERRILL ‘COME CLEAN’ AS EXPLOSIVE ACCUSATIONS FLY IN NJ GOVERNOR’S RACE

In late 2022, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against AmerisourceBergen, one of the country’s largest wholesale pharmaceutical distributors, alleging the company “for years flouted its legal obligations and prioritized profits over the well-being of Americans” by failing to report suspicious orders of controlled substances, like fentanyl and oxycodone, which were then sold illegally, fueling the devastating opioid epidemic. 

The other three pharmaceutical companies that donated thousands of dollars to Sherrill’s campaigns through their PACs also reached massive settlements for their roles contributing to the opioid crisis, which includes over $4 billion from Teva to participating states and local governments, according to a press release from Texas AG Ken Paxton’s office. 

Johnson and Johnson agreed to pay $5 billion as part of their settlement, according to their 2022 press release.

Mikie Sherrill for Governor Communications Director Sean Higgins responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital, calling the story a “desperate attack from perennial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who refuses to answer for his role publishing misinformation about the dangers of opioids at the height of the opioid epidemic.”

“Mikie Sherrill has shown time and again that she will take on anyone to stand up for families and fight the opioid crisis. That’s why she helped pass landmark bipartisan legislation, signed into law by President Trump, to help fund treatment, recovery, and prevention programs in New Jersey.”

The campaign did not address a question from Fox News Digital about whether the money donated from the pharmaceutical companies would be returned. 

In 2017, Ciattarelli received $1,500 from Mallinckrodt LLC PAC, a company that reached a settlement for its involvement in the opioid crisis in 2022. Additionally, the New Jersey Republican received $500 from Johnson & Johnson, a company that also reached an opioid settlement, in 2016.

Ciattarelli strategist Chris Russell told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Just like Mikie Sherrill got caught red-handed, personally profiting from investments in the same NJ utility companies she blamed for electricity rate increases, it’s no surprise to learn Mikie’s hypocrisy extends to taking thousands in campaign contributions from the very pharmaceutical companies she maligned yesterday.”

“At this point, if Mikie Sherrill’s lips are moving you can just assume she’s lying,” he continued.

Sherrill first made her claims that Ciattarelli contributed to the opioid epidemic during last week’s gubernatorial debate.

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“With regard to everything she just said about my professional career, which provided [for] my family, it’s a lie. I’m proud of my career,” Ciattarelli responded at the debate.

It was during his 2021 campaign that Ciattarelli’s connection to opioid manufacturers first surfaced. Ciattarelli sold his company, which published content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain, in 2017.

And Ciattarelli’s campaign fired back the day after the debate, pledging to file a defamation lawsuit against Sherrill.

“Mikie Sherrill cracked,” Ciattarelli campaign chief strategist, Russell said at the time. 

“In doing so, she claimed — twice — that Jack Ciattarelli ‘killed tens of thousands of people, including children,’ a clearly defamatory attack that shocked the moderators, press, and public alike,” Russell added. “In a time where political violence and violent rhetoric are becoming all too prevalent, Mikie Sherrill baselessly and recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line.”

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., are pressing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), claiming that it may be funded or directed by Hamas or other terrorist groups.

CAIR describes itself as a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization founded in 1994 with chapters across the U.S.

The request comes as President Donald Trump led a ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.

Stefanik and Cotton allege CAIR’s historic ties, public rhetoric and activism raise questions about whether the group’s support for Hamas amounts to material support for terrorism.

STEFANIK ASKS AG BONDI TO PROBE MEDICAL CHARITY OVER HAMAS PROPAGANDA CLAIMS

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces U.S. sanctions on terrorist groups and their affiliates, has the authority to investigate whether CAIR’s activities violate federal law, the lawmakers said.

CAIR has long denied accusations of supporting Hamas, saying it “does not support any foreign organization or government” and calling such claims “false and Islamophobic,” according to a statement on its website. The group says its mission is to advocate for Muslim civil rights in the U.S.

Stefanik chairs the House Republican Conference, and Cotton sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Both have pressed for stricter enforcement of anti-terror finance laws in past oversight efforts.

DHS PULLS FUNDING FROM GROUPS WITH ‘ALLEGED TERRORIST TIES’ AFTER WATCHDOG REPORT

In July, Stefanik criticized the City University of New York for hiring a former CAIR employee. She called the decision unacceptable to New York taxpayers.

She and Cotton say a Treasury probe would ensure no U.S. assets are used to advance the objectives of Hamas.

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“We urge the department to immediately investigate whether CAIR maintains financial links to Hamas that violate U.S. sanctions,” they wrote.

CAIR did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

At a White House ceremony in the Rose Garden on Tuesday on what would have been her husband’s 32nd birthday, Erika Kirk accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on behalf of Charlie Kirk and delivered a powerful, deeply personal tribute to his life and legacy.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for honoring my husband in such a profound way,” she began. “Charlie always admired your commitment to freedom.”

She offered thanks to the first lady, the vice president, and friends and family “watching from all around the world,” along with Turning Point USA staff and chapters nationwide. “You are the heartbeat of this future and of this movement,” she said. “Everything Charlie built lives through you.”

Erika added that the Presidential Medal of Freedom itself is rooted in America’s Founding. “The very existence of the Presidential Medal of Freedom reminds us that the national interest of the United States has always been freedom,” she said.

CHARLIE KIRK POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED MEDAL OF FREEDOM ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 32ND BIRTHDAY

“Our founders etched it into the preamble of our Constitution, and those words are not relics on parchment. They are a living covenant. The blessings of liberty are not man’s invention. They are God’s endowment.”

She recalled how Charlie wrote about freedom often. “He believed that liberty was both a right and a responsibility. And he used to say that freedom is the ability to do what is right without fear. And that’s how he lived,” Erika said.

“His name, Charles, literally means ‘free man.’ And that’s exactly who my husband was,” she continued. “From the time I met him, sitting across from him being interviewed about politics, philosophy and theology, I saw the fire in his soul. There was this divine restlessness within him that came from knowing God placed him on this earth to protect something very sacred. He never stopped fighting for people to experience freedom.”

CHARLIE KIRK’S CLOSE FRIEND PRAISES ERIKA KIRK’S ‘RESILIENCE’ AHEAD OF EMOTIONAL WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY

Erika recalled Charlie often saying that “without God, freedom becomes chaos” and that liberty can only survive “when anchored to truth.” She remembered him telling an audience: “The opposite of liberty isn’t law. It’s captivity. And the freest people in the world are those whose hearts belong to Christ.”

Looking back at his years building Turning Point USA, she said, “While he was building an organization, he was also building a movement: one that called people back to God, back to truth, and a movement that was filled with courage.”

She described him as a man who loved life’s simplest pleasures: quiet walks, shelves full of books and Saturday mornings in the sun with decaf coffee and his phone turned off for the Sabbath. His birthday tradition, she recalled, was mint chocolate chip ice cream, enjoyed only on July 4 and his birthday.

“Last year, his one birthday wish was to see the Oregon Ducks play Ohio State — and they won,” she said. “Mr. President, I can say with confidence that you have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have.”

CHARLIE KIRK’S COLLEAGUES AND PASTORS PRAISE HIS PATRIOTISM AS TRUMP READIES HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR

Turning to his final moments, Erika shared: “It was written across his chest in those final moments on one of his simple T-shirts that always carried a message — this one bearing a single word: freedom. That was the banner over his life.”

She said her husband never told anyone what to say but always encouraged them “to think outside of traditional political labels, anchored in wisdom and truth.”

“Charlie wasn’t content to simply admire freedom. He wanted to multiply it,” Erika said. “He wanted young people to taste it, understand it and defend it. He wanted them to see that liberty isn’t selfish indulgence — it’s self-governance under God.”

Every day, she recalled, he lived with fearless conviction. “He didn’t fear being slandered. He didn’t fear losing friends. He stood for truth and stood for freedom. Everything else was just noise to him. And it’s because his confidence in Christ was absolute.”

Erika said Charlie lived “only 31 short years on this side of heaven,” but filled every day with purpose. “He fought for truth when it was unpopular. He stood for God when it was costly. He prayed for his enemies. He loved people when it was inconvenient. He ran his race with endurance, and he kept the faith. And now he wears the crown of a righteous martyr.”

She told the audience, “Heaven gained what earth could no longer contain — a free man made fully free. To all watching, this is not a ceremony. This is a commissioning. I want you to be the embodiment of this medal. I want you to free yourself from fear. I want you to stand courageously in the truth. And remember that while freedom is inherited in this country, each of us must be intentional stewards of it.”

Before closing, Erika shared her daughter Gigi’s birthday message: “Happy birthday, daddy. I want to give you a stuffed animal. I want you to eat a cupcake with ice cream. And I want you to go have a birthday surprise. I love you.”

Her young son also gave his own gift, “deciding to become the man of the house and be fully potty-trained at 16 months.”

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“I know that you’re celebrating in heaven today, but gosh, I miss you,” she said through tears. “We miss you and we love you. And we promise we’ll make you proud. Charlie’s life was proof that freedom is not a theory. It’s a testimony. He showed us that liberty begins not in the halls of power, but in the heart of a man surrendered to God.”

She ended with a final tribute: “To live free is the greatest gift, but to die free is the greatest victory. Happy birthday, Charlie. Happy freedom day.”

The Department of Homeland Security clapped back at a “bizarre” anti-ICE protest that drew several hundred nude demonstrators who bared it all outside a Portland ICE facility on Sunday.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin assured that “these unsightly tactics won’t stop us or slow us down.”

“In a bizarre effort to obstruct ICE law enforcement, agitators are now laying in the street naked to stage ‘die-ins’ to block roads in front of ICE facilities,” she told Fox News Digital. “Our law enforcement will continue to remove murderers, pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and terrorists out of our country.”

A nude bicycle gang rolled up to the city’s immigrant detention center on a rainy Sunday, blasting music over a loudspeaker while some yelled, “F— ICE” and made obscene gestures towards federal agents, as seen in a video posted to X by The Post Millennial’s Katie Daviscourt.

ANTI-ICE PORTLAND RIOTERS WITH GUILLOTINE CLASH WITH POLICE IN WAR-LIKE SCENES

Some had slogans written on their bare bodies, including “No Kings” and “No human being is illegal.” A handful of federal agents overlooked the unclothed open border enthusiasts from a rooftop, with two pulling out their phones in an apparent effort to record the salacious scene.

At another point, hundreds of naked demonstrators lay down on nearby Burnside Bridge as part of a “die-in” against ICE and President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops.

McLaughlin said that though the demonstration was absurd, federal law enforcement in Portland has had to deal with much more than just cheeky protesters.

ICE DIRECTOR REVEALS DANGEROUS NIGHTLY ANTIFA ‘BATTLE’ AS TRUMP PREPARES FEDERAL DEPLOYMENT TO PORTLAND

For weeks, federal officers have been targeted by violent protesters in major U.S. cities, including some who rammed and cornered an ICE vehicle in Chicago, prompting the agents to open fire. Anti-ICE protesters have blocked ICE vehicles and have thrown rocks and ignited fireworks at agents.

There has also been a surge of agents and their families being doxxed, and there has been a 1,000% increase against officials, according to DHS.

McLaughlin said that on Sunday, “Antifa domestic terrorists and anti-ICE rioters assaulted law enforcement outside the ICE office in Portland.”

FEDERAL AGENT SAYS CHICAGO’S ‘ICE-FREE ZONES’ ENDANGER OPERATIONS, EMBOLDEN PROTESTERS

According to McLaughlin, three “rioters” were arrested for “assaulting law enforcement, including for spitting, kicking, and biting officers.”

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“Thanks to President Trump, there is a SURGE of federal law enforcement resources from CBP, ICE, FBI, DOJ, and DEA,” she said. “This chaos and violence will end under President Trump. Law and order will prevail.”

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.

A long weekend away from Washington, D.C., did little to soften Senate Democrats’ resolve as they again blocked an effort to reopen the government for an eighth time Tuesday.

The beginning of mass firings promised by the Trump administration and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought over the weekend also failed to sway Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

One pressure point was alleviated for both sides, however, with President Donald Trump’s directive to move money around at the Pentagon to pay military service members. Their paychecks are due Oct. 15.

Still, another payday, this time for Senate staffers, is fast approaching on Oct. 20.

SENATE SET FOR NEW VOTE TO END SHUTDOWN, BUT GRIDLOCK OVER OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES REMAINS

Both sides are still dug into the same positions that launched the shutdown earlier this month, too. Talks between the opposing factions are still ongoing but have not yet yielded a result that either side is ready to move on.  

Senate Democrats want an extension to expiring Obamacare subsidies before the Nov. 1 open enrollment date, and they argue that unless Congress takes action, Americans that rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits will see their premiums skyrocket.

However, Trump appears unwilling to cave into Senate Democrats’ demands, and reupped Republicans’ argument that Democrats wanted to undo a total of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts from the “big, beautiful bill” and clawback of funding for NPR and PBS to give, in part, to illegal immigrants. 

“I don’t want to bore you with the fact that Schumer said 100 times, ‘You should never close our government,’” Trump told reporters at the White House. “But Schumer is a weakened politician. I mean, he’s going to finish his career as a failed politician, as a failed politician. He’s allowed the radical left to take over the Democrat Party.”

SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ON

Senate Republicans have said that they’re open to negotiating a deal on the subsidies, with reforms to the program only after the government reopens. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., for now, has no intention of straying from his plan to continue to bring the House Republicans’ short-term continuing resolution (CR) to the floor again and again.

“Democrats like to whine that Republicans aren’t negotiating, but negotiation, Mr. President, is what you do when each side has a list of demands and you need to meet in the middle,” Thune said on the Senate floor. “Republicans, as I and a lot of other people pointed out, haven’t put forward any demands. Only Democrats have made demands. And by the way, very expensive demands.” 

Schumer noted on the Senate floor that every time Thune has put the GOP’s bill on the floor, it has failed. 

“That means, like it or not, the Republican leader needs to work with Democrats in a bipartisan way to reopen the government, just as we did when we passed 13 CRs when I was majority leader,” he said. 

The administration’s movement on reductions in force (RIFs) over the weekend, and the lingering threat that thousands of nonessential furloughed federal employees may not get back pay once the shutdown ends have not swayed Senate Democrats.

The same trio of Senate Democratic caucus members, Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Angus King, I-Maine, all broke ranks with Schumer support reopening the government.

GOVERNMENT LIMPS DEEPER INTO SHUTDOWN CRISIS WITH NO DEAL IN SIGHT

“Donald Trump, come to the negotiating table,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said at a rally outside the OMB on Tuesday. “Bring down costs and prices and stop inflicting harm and terrorizing federal employees and the American people.”

While most action on Capitol Hill has ground to a halt as the shutdown continues — the House, for example, has been out of session for over three weeks — the Senate has moved on other legislation, including the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and a massive package of Trump’s nominees. Thune also teased last week that the defense spending bill could come to the floor soon.

The latest failed attempt comes on the 14th day of the shutdown and all but ensures that the closure will last into at least a third week.

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It also puts this shutdown, in particular, into historic territory. While the longest shutdown on record, from late 2018 to early 2019, was under Trump’s first term, it was only partial. A handful of appropriations bills had already passed at the time, including funding for the legislative branch and defense.

But the longest full shutdown happened over two decades earlier under former President Bill Clinton between late 1995 and early 1996. That shutdown lasted 21 days and was over a budget dispute between Clinton and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

That particular dispute also led to two shutdowns in that fiscal year, the first in November and the second setting the 21-day record. 

WINCHESTER, Va. – What was once the most contested city in the Confederacy is again divided — this time on the merits of the candidates in the upcoming Virginia elections.

While there are no longer recurring bloody battles along “The Valley Road” (now US-11) through Winchester, residents in the city in Virginia’s northwest corner — the region’s apple capital in the fall and also home of GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears — offered competing views on the issues commanding the race. 

Fox News Digital spoke with multiple Winchester, Virginia, area residents along the Loudoun Street arcade, a pedestrian-only portion of the historic city’s central avenue that comprises several shops, restaurants and a Civil War museum.

Of the murder-texts scandal enveloping Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones, Kevin Callinan from neighboring Stephens City, Virginia, said that “no normal person” would say what Jones said about then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah.

SPANBERGER QUIET ON TWIN CONTROVERSIES IN FINAL STRETCH OF VIRGINIA RACE

“It just was really horrendous,” he said of Jones’ conversation referencing murdering Gilbert and seeing harm come to what the Democrat called the Republican’s “little fascist” children.

“He should have just had the moral of dignity to just say, ‘I’m gonna resign. I said that, it was horrible to even say it. Even if it was a joke, it is horrible, and I should have just walked away,'” Callinan said.

Nancy from Winchester, Virginia, said Jones “crossed the line” and that Earle-Sears is the best candidate to lead Virginia in light of Spanberger’s response to the controversy.

J.C. Moore from Berryville, Virginia, — a rural population center and gateway to Virginia’s horse country in neighboring Clarke County — told Fox News Digital he wasn’t sure if Jones should be pushed out.

Moore pointed to previous instances of political rhetoric referencing violence or murder — citing former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s “bullseye” controversy focused on Hillary Clinton.

“It’s distasteful,” he said of the overarching rhetoric. Jones’ case “should be addressed, it should be criticized. But I’m not sure about total banishment.”

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS RELEASES ‘TWO BULLETS’ AD SCATHING OPPONENT FOR FAILING TO DEMAND JAY JONES’ OUSTER

Danielle from Winchester, Virginia, said Spanberger’s campaign would be “OK — if it wasn’t for Jay Jones.”

“Her entire platform is going to fall because of Jones,” she said, adding that Spanberger is otherwise very smart and an “amazing” candidate, but that Jones’ texts overshadow the Democratic ticket.

Nancy added that Spanberger hasn’t sufficiently addressed the Jones scandal.

“She said she would leave it up to the voters — which I think if she’s going to be our governor, she definitely needs to take a stand.”

While not Virginia voters, a couple visiting the area from Florida said they’ve been following the race closely from 1,000 miles away.

“That attorney general should drop out,” the gentleman called out to Fox News Digital as he passed, adding that if they lived in Virginia they would be voting for Earle-Sears.

WINSOME EARLE-SEARS RELEASES AD LINKING ABIGAIL SPANBERGER TO JAY JONES AFTER VIOLENT TEXTS RESURFACE

Asked about the transgender bathroom controversy in nearby Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William, Virginia, counties — and how Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger has handled criticism of her responses to it — Callinan said she has been “ducking the issue.”

“She keeps saying, ‘I’m a mother of three daughters,’ but … the basic issue of ‘should I have a boy in the bathroom with my three daughters?’ I think she’d say ‘no’ — but politically she just won’t even be honest about it,” he said.

“She would not want a grown man in a fitness center with her daughters, but she knows she doesn’t want to say it,” he said, appearing to refer to the case of chronically charged sex offender Richard Cox in Arlington, Virginia. 

In terms of which candidate can best handle the crime crisis that is particularly evident in urban areas, Callinan said President Donald Trump has done a “great job” in Washington, D.C., proper and that neighboring areas of Virginia would be best served by Earle-Sears following the president’s lead.

“The Democrats are never going to toughen up because they know it will alienate a significant part of their base,” he said.

Chris Ladner from Vienna, Virginia, in heavily Democratic Fairfax County, said Spanberger has been “unserious” about the transgender bathrooms controversy and “dodging what she really thinks.”

EARLE-SEARS COMES OUT SWINGING IN HEATED DEBATE AS SPANBERGER DODGES JAY JONES QUESTIONS

Ladner said he supports how Earle-Sears has responded to the issue.

Living close to Washington, Ladner added that Earle-Sears and incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares would do and have done a good job respectively on the crime issue.

“Jay Jones will not be good at that,” Ladner said.

Nancy separately agreed.

“Absolutely it would be Sears (who would be better). Number one, she was military, number two she has a clear idea of what’s right and wrong.”

“And plus, I like her religious views,” she said of the devout Christian.

SPANBERGER DEFENDS ABORTION AD CRITICIZING SEARS AFTER BERNIE WARNS AGAINST HIGHLIGHTING ISSUE

Moore, however, disagreed in his remarks to Fox News Digital.

He said Spanberger has been “deeper into” law enforcement — as she served as a federal agent prior to an interceding tenure in Congress — and that her economic-equality positions will help the issue.

“Most of (the crime problem) you can trace back to economic inequity and poverty,” he said.

Danielle added that neither candidate is ideal to fight the crime crisis, but that if Spanberger is able to force Jones off the ticket, she would win that proverbial tie-breaker.

Later this week, the attention shifts to the other end of the Zachary Taylor Highway from Winchester, as Miyares and Jones square off at the University of Richmond in their one and only debate.

The battle is likely to be headlined by the murder-texts controversy. The debate also notably takes place just over the city line from Henrico County, Virginia, where Spanberger hails from.

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In the lieutenant governor sweeps, Republican nominee John Reid repeatedly has called for debates against Democratic nominee state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi of Chesterfield, but any potential bout remains at an impasse.

Meanwhile, Earle-Sears has seen a campaign cash infusion since the Jones news broke, and on Monday released a new ad called “trigger” which uses snippets of her Norfolk debate to slam Spanberger’s response to the Jones controversy.

President Donald Trump is posthumously awarding Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday — the highest award issued to civilians in the U.S. 

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University in September. His death came a year after two assassination attempts against Trump.

“I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on,” Trump said Sept. 11 when he announced Kirk would receive the honor.

CHARLIE KIRK’S COLLEAGUES AND PASTORS PRAISE HIS PATRIOTISM AS TRUMP READIES HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR

Individuals who receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom are those who presidents determine have provided an “especially meritorious contribution” to the national security of the U.S., world peace or other cultural endeavors. Trump is awarding Kirk the award at the White House on what would have been his 32nd birthday. 

David Engelhardt, lead pastor of Kings’ Church in New York City and board member of TPUSA, said that it’s a “privilege” to watch Kirk be honored with the award. 

“Charlie is the right recipient to the Medal of Freedom because he believed that God’s moral order found in faith is not a limit to freedom but the soil it grows in,” Engelhardt told Fox News Digital. “People who destroy that soil in the name of safe-spaces and to protect against ‘dangerous ideas’ will soon find their land barren. Charlie stood for freedom rightly ordered and founded in the gravity of God’s system.”

‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION

Kirk’s widow, Erika, has been tapped to serve as TPUSA’s new chief executive officer in the wake of her husband’s death to lead the organization and guide the next generation of conservative leaders. 

“I feel a sense of deep gratitude to Erika Kirk and the entire Turning Point USA team for their tireless work in continuing to shape a generation grounded in truth and purpose,” Engelhardt said. 

TRUMP TO AWARD CHARLIE KIRK MEDAL OF FREEDOM AFTER CAMPUS ASSASSINATION

The shooting suspect involved in Kirk’s assassination, Tyler Robinson, was charged in September with aggravated murder, along with other charges. 

Trump is awarding Kirk with the award following his visit to the Middle East to oversee a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. 

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

EXCLUSIVE: Amid soaring assaults on federal law enforcement and following a recent shooting at a Dallas facility, a caller left a disturbing voicemail taunting immigration agents, saying he hopes “every one of those lawless c—-” gets “doxxed one by one.”

“You know, it’s always the bad guys who need masks, not the good ones,” a male-sounding voice said in a voicemail recording obtained by Fox News Digital.

“I hope every one of those lawless c—- you call ICE agents get doxxed one by one, and they get the public shaming they deserve,” he said.

This comes as assaults on ICE agents have risen by 1,000%, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS RIPS HOUSTON HALLOWEEN DISPLAY DEPICTING HANGING OF ICE AGENTS, DEMANDS ‘SANCTUARY POLITICIANS’ STAND DOWN

On Sept. 24, a gunman named Joshua Jahn, carrying rounds with the words “anti-ICE” written on them, allegedly opened fire on a facility in Dallas, killing two and injuring another.

The Dallas Observer reported that authorities found notes in Jahn’s home in which he referred to ICE agents as “people showing up to collect a dirty paycheck,” and that he intended to “maximize lethality” against ICE personnel.

In a statement to Fox News Digital in response to the voicemail, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blamed the rise in animosity against agents on rampant rhetoric “comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols,” saying such rhetoric “has consequences.”

“The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop,” said McLaughlin.

EXCLUSIVE: IMMIGRATION AGENT REVEALS ‘BIGGEST FEAR’ AFTER DEADLY ANTI-ICE SHOOTING

“These type of threats against our brave ICE law enforcement officers and their families are disgusting. These officers risk their lives every day to arrest murderers, pedophiles, rapists, terrorists, and gang members from our communities,” she said.

“The men and women of ICE and CBP are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. Like everyone else, they just want to go home to their families at night.”

DHS recently called on sanctuary politicians and the media to “tone down their rhetoric” in the face of surging assaults, doxxings and threats against agents and their families.

According to DHS, a Texas ICE officer’s spouse received a call saying, “I don’t know how you let your husband work for ICE, and you sleep at night. F— you, f— your family. I hope your kids get deported by accident. How do you sleep? F— you.”

The caller also said, “Did you hear what happened to the Nazis after World War II? Because it’s what’s going to happen to your family.”

FEDERAL AGENT SAYS CHICAGO’S ‘ICE-FREE ZONES’ ENDANGER OPERATIONS, EMBOLDEN PROTESTERS

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, three women, Cynthia Raygoza, 37, Ashleigh Brown, 38, and Sandra Carmona Samane, 25, were indicted in September for livestreaming their pursuit of an ICE agent to his home and then posting the victim’s address on Instagram. Upon arriving at the law enforcement officer’s home, they began shouting “neighbor is ICE,” “la migra lives here,” and “ICE lives on your street and you should know.”

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Commenting on the indictment, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said, “The conduct of these defendants are deeply offensive to law enforcement officers and their families. If you threaten, dox, or harm in any manner one of our agents or employees, you will face prosecution and prison time.”

Former President Barack Obama is urging Californians to vote in favor of Proposition 50, which would reshape congressional districts.

Voting opened last week to add as many as five Democrat-held seats in Congress, which could possibly offset President Donald Trump’s moves in Texas and elsewhere to help Republicans in the 2026 election.

“California, the whole nation is counting on you,” Obama said in a video released on X Tuesday. “Democracy is on the ballot November 4th. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election, and wield unchecked power for two more years.” 

“With Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks,” he continued. “Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves independent redistricting over the long term and lets the people decide. Return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.” 

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS WEIGH IN ON PROP 50 REDISTRICTING FIGHT

The ad was paid for by “Yes on 50, The Election Rigging Response Act and Governor Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee,” the video says at its conclusion, adding that “HMP for Prop 50,” “Fund for Policy Reform” and the California Teachers Association were the ad committee’s “top funders.” 

The outcome of the 70-word, “yes” or “no” question could determine which party wins control of the closely divided House, and whether Democrats will be able to blunt Trump’s power in the second half of his term on issues from immigration to reproductive rights.

VOTING UNDERWAY IN 2025 ELECTION THAT MAY DETERMINE IF REPUBLICANS HOLD HOUSE IN 2026 MIDTERMS

The national implications of California’s ballot measure are clear in both the money it has attracted and the figures getting involved. Tens of millions of dollars are flowing into the race — including a $5 million donation to opponents from the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC tied to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. 

Action-movie star and former Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken out to oppose it, while Obama has called the proposal a “smart” approach to counter Republican maneuverings aimed at safeguarding House control.

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The election that concludes Nov. 4 will also color the emerging 2028 presidential contest in which Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom — the face of the campaign for the new, jiggered districts — is widely seen as a likely contender.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Congressional Democrats from Maryland and Virginia warned on Tuesday that they would sue over the administration’s planned firings and threats of no back pay for furloughed workers.

Both have been used as pressure points by the White House to get Senate Democrats to budge from their dug-in position and vote to reopen the government, but until late last week, no direct action had been taken.

Late last month, the OMB circulated a memo that there would be reductions in force (RIFs) beyond the typical furloughs during a government shutdown. It had remained a threat until last week, when OMB Director Russ Vought announced on X on the 10th day of the shutdown, “The RIFs have begun.” 

WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES SHUTDOWN CONSEQUENCES AS DEMOCRATS SHOW NO SIGNS OF BUDGING: ‘KAMIKAZE ATTACK’

Flash forward to Day 14, and Senate Democrats from Maryland and Virginia, states home to tens of thousands of federal employees, showed no signs of caving from their shutdown position despite the firings.

“When they tell you when they tell you that the shutdown is making them fire these federal employees, do not believe it for a moment,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said. “That is a big lie. It is a big fat lie. It is also illegal. And we will see them in court.”

The lawmakers also railed against threats that furloughed federal workers would not receive back pay. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that roughly 750,000 nonessential federal employees could be furloughed, and their estimated back pay could cost up to $400 million per day.

The threat runs counter to a law President Donald Trump signed in 2019 that required furloughed workers to receive back pay in future shutdowns.

“The idea that he doesn’t understand that everybody has to get paid back shows maybe how short his memory span is, or how [he] arbitrarily wants to pick and choose,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said.

SENATE SET FOR NEW VOTE TO END SHUTDOWN, BUT GRIDLOCK OVER OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES REMAINS

While the lawmakers threatened actions in the courts, Rob Shriver, who formerly served as acting director of the Office of Personnel Management under the Biden administration before taking a position at the non-profit legal services and public policy research organization Democracy Forward, said that a lawsuit was already in motion.

“As soon as Russ Vought tweeted on Friday, we were on our way back to court to file an emergency motion to stop those unlawful RIFs right in their tracks,” Shriver said. “A hearing on that motion is tomorrow, and no matter what happens, we will continue to fight these illegal RIFs.”

Still, despite the threats from the administration, there has been little progress toward reopening the government. The Senate will again vote on House Republicans’ continuing resolution (CR) Tuesday night, which has so far failed seven times. Both sides are firmly rooted in their positions.

TRUMP SAYS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LAYOFFS ARE ‘UP TO’ DEMS AS STANDOFF CONTINUES

Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., want a firm deal in place to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies before open enrollment begins on Nov. 1, while Senate Republicans argue that they are open to negotiating a deal only after the government reopens.

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And the actions and threats from the Trump administration appeared to only further steel Democrats’ resolve on the issue.

“The message we have today is very simple, very simple,” Van Hollen said. “Donald Trump and Russ Vought: stop attacking federal employees. Stop attacking the American people and start negotiating to reopen the federal government and address the looming healthcare crisis that is upon us.”

FIRST ON FOX: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, asked former special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday to sit for an interview about what he said were Smith’s “partisan and politically motivated” prosecutions of President Donald Trump.

Jordan told Smith in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital to schedule the closed-door testimony with his committee by Oct. 28. The move comes at the same time congressional Republicans have been raising alarm over the recent revelation that Smith subpoenaed phone records of sitting senators.

“As the Committee continues its oversight, your testimony is necessary to understand the full extent to which the Biden-Harris Justice Department weaponized federal law enforcement,” Jordan wrote.

JACK SMITH INVESTIGATORS NEED TO ‘PAY BIG’ FOR JAN. 6 PHONE RECORDS PROBE, WARNS SEN. GRAHAM

Jordan’s request comes amid Republicans intensifying their focus on Smith, who brought criminal charges against Trump over the 2020 election and classified documents but later dropped them because of a Justice Department policy that advises against prosecuting sitting presidents.

The request to appear for an interview marks the first instance of Congress summoning Smith after the former special counsel spent more than two years investigating and prosecuting Trump. The president has repeatedly referred to Smith as “deranged,” a “thug” and a “sleazebag” and said Smith is a “criminal” who should be arrested.

TOP GOP SENATOR DEMANDS PROBE INTO WHETHER JACK SMITH ‘UNLAWFULLY’ TRIED TO INFLUENCE 2024 ELECTION

Jordan also made a broad request for all records from Smith on his work related to Trump. If Smith were to resist the requests for an interview and documents, Jordan could subpoena him. Fox News Digital reached out to Smith’s lawyers for comment.

The Senate is also ramping up its scrutiny of Smith. Last week, 18 Senate Republicans, led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, demanded that the DOJ and FBI release documents on Smith’s decision to subpoena phone companies for toll records of eight Senate Republicans, material that could be protected by grand jury rules.

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The senators said they had “serious constitutional concerns” about the subpoenas and that the DOJ should ask courts to unseal the records if needed. Seeking toll records is a routine part of an investigation and sheds light on when calls were placed and to whom. They do not provide any details about the contents of phone calls or messages.

Jordan called the subpoenas and his recent discovery that the FBI monitored Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., before seizing his phone “abusive surveillance.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James rallied with New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani on Monday night and vowed to continue fighting President Donald Trump’s “aggressive policies” in her first public appearance since she was indicted on fraud charges.

With three weeks until Election Day, the “Our Time Has Come” rally in Washington Heights underscored how New Yorkers are uniting behind James as she faces federal charges. Mamdani was joined by James, Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Adriana Espaillat, and New York City Councilmember Chi Ossé.

“Thank you to New York’s attorney general, Tish James,” Mamdani said. “For years, you have fought the good fight for New Yorkers, and now it’s our time to fight for you.”

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan announced Thursday that a federal grand jury indicted James for bank fraud and making false statements to financial institutions. 

LEGAL EXPERT CALLS OUT ‘IRONIC’ TWIST AS NY AG WHO PROSECUTED TRUMP FACES FEDERAL BANK FRAUD CHARGES

“I know what it feels like to be attacked for just doing your job,” James said Monday. “I also know what it feels like to overcome adversity, and so I stand on solid rock, and I will not bow. I will not break. I will not bend. I will not capitulate. I will not give in. I will not give up.”

MAMDANI ASSAILS TRUMP FOR ‘POLITICAL RETRIBUTION’ AGAINST LETITIA JAMES IN SWEEPING DEFENSE OF EMBATTLED AG

The Mamdani rally was James’ first public appearance since she was indicted last week. The attorney general has endorsed Mamdani and joined him on the campaign trail this year. 

“You come for me? You gonna come to all of us!” James shouted over the cheers of the Washington Heights crowd. The Mamdani campaign said 3,000 supporters attended the rally. 

James has dismissed the indictment as “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system,” calling the “president’s actions” a violation of constitutional order. 

“I will keep fighting for justice,” James vowed on Monday. “I will keep fighting for New Yorkers. I will keep fighting the aggressive policies of Washington, D.C. And I will not stop. I won’t give up, and I won’t give in.”

As New York attorney general, James brought a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and The Trump Organization, accusing them of inflating asset values and net worth to secure loans and insurance terms. A New York judge found Trump and his company liable for fraud. 

“We have no time to linger and focus is on pettiness and revenge,” James said. “We’ve got to press on, press forward, continue the journey, claim the victory. Triumph over fear and courage. Courage, my friend, is resistance to fear. And so I fear no man. I see the courage that is embodied in Zohran.”

Mamdani joined fellow New York Democrats to condemn James’ indictment on Friday, calling it an “attack on our city.”

“We speak with a voice that recognizes that we are standing in front of the same courthouse where Attorney General Tish James did her job, upholding the law and holding Donald Trump accountable,” Mamdani said. 

James on Monday said she is supporting Mamdani for mayor because he is committed to fighting for a better New York City. 

“He, like me, knows what it’s like to be attacked, to be called names, to be threatened, to be harassed,” James said. “And each and every day he wakes up with this fire in his belly because he wants to build a better New York,” James said. 

While Mamdani self-identifies as a so-called democratic socialist, Trump has labeled him a “communist” since he secured the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City. Mamdani has committed to fighting Trump’s agenda in New York City if elected, while the president has teased cutting federal funding to New York City if Mamdani doesn’t “behave” if elected.

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As Mayor Eric Adams suspended his re-election campaign last month, New Yorkers will elect a new mayor on Nov. 4. Mamdani has emerged as the frontrunner ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an Independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. 

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

U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron clasped hands during an oddly lengthy handshake that lasted for around 26 seconds.

The handshake, which began in a traditional form, morphed into an arm-wrestling-type grip part of the way through.

The bizarrely long greeting occurred this week as world leaders converged in Egypt to mark the peace deal between Israel and Hamas that Trump helped to broker.

SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO TRUMP ‘DOMINATING WORLD LEADERS’ WITH MACRON HANDSHAKE DURING MEETING IN FRANCE

Trump and Macron previously shared an approximately 28-second marathon handshake back in 2017 while Trump was visiting France. 

That handshake similarly evolved from one grip into another midway through.

During a small part of the peculiarly protracted handshake, Trump was simultaneously holding Macron with one hand and Macron’s wife with the other.

WATCH: MACRON CALLS TRUMP AFTER PRESIDENTIAL MOTORCADE BLOCKS HIM IN NYC TRAFFIC

The two shared a substantial, but significantly less lengthy handshake slightly earlier in 2017, which Macron later commented on.

“My handshake with him is not innocent, it is not the be-all and end-all of a policy, but a moment of truth,” Macron noted, according to a Google translation of a French-language quote reported by Le Journal du Dimanche. 

MACRON SAYS TRUMP HANDSHAKE WAS ‘MOMENT OF TRUTH’

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“We must show that we will not make small concessions, even symbolic ones, but we must not overhype anything either,” Macron said, according to the report.

The friends, colleagues and pastors of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk are celebrating his life and legacy promoting faith, family and patriotism as President Donald Trump prepares to award him the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Tuesday. 

“Although he was taken from us far too soon, his legacy will inspire generations to come and outlive us all,” “The Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet told Fox News Digital. “He represents the very best of America and is deserving of this and every other possible accolade. Thank you to President Trump for quite literally shifting world events to honor Charlie on what would have been his 32nd birthday.” 

“Only Charlie could do that,” Kolvet added. 

Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 while attending a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University’s campus. The conservative movement leader was sitting under a tent while chatting with students when a shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck, killing him.

TURNING POINT USA EXPANDS ITS MERCHANDISE COLLECTION WITH ITEMS COMMEMORATING CHARLIE KIRK

Following Kirk’s shocking assassination, Republicans and conservatives have vowed that his legacy of promoting family values, upholding the Constitution and spreading his Christian faith will continue.

Trump announced in September he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him “a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people.” 

“I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on,” Trump said Sept. 11 when announcing he would award Kirk the honor. 

TPUSA’s Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer told Fox News Digital that the award ceremony will be felt by every young adult who has been involved with the conservative advocacy group. 

“Charlie will be honored today on behalf of the millions of conservative activists he helped lift up to save the movement and the country. Today in the White House this award will be felt by every young man and young woman who was impacted by his work. They can wear it too by carrying on doing the work,” Bowyer said. 

David Engelhardt, lead pastor of Kings’ Church New York City and board member of TPUSA, told Fox News Digital that it’s a “profound privilege to be able to witness this moment recognizing Charlie’s courage, conviction, and leadership in defense of faith and freedom.”

‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION

“Charlie is the right recipient to the Medal of Freedom because he believed that God’s moral order found in faith is not a limit to freedom but the soil it grows in,” said Engelhardt, the pastor and friend of both Charlie Kirk and his wife, Erika. “People who destroy that soil in the name of safe-spaces and to protect against ‘dangerous ideas’ will soon find their land barren. Charlie stood for freedom rightly ordered and founded in the gravity of God’s system.” 

Kolvet added in his remarks that the conservative powerhouse’s deep faith and calls to protect freedom and the Constitution will continue to invigorate Americans even after his death. 

“Charlie devoted his entire being to saving America, and in many ways, he accomplished even more than that,” Kolvet said. “He proved that the blessings of liberty could be passed down to a whole new generation, even when so many believed all hope was lost. He proved them all wrong. In both life and death his message sparked a revival of faith and freedom all across the world, an impact we’ll never fully understand.” 

TRUMP TO AWARD CHARLIE KIRK MEDAL OF FREEDOM AFTER CAMPUS ASSASSINATION

Kirk is set to receive the highest civilian honor Tuesday at 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who presidents determine have made exceptional contributions to the country. 

Rob McCoy — Kirk’s longtime pastor, friend and co-chair of TPUSA Faith — told Fox News Digital that Kirk “paid the ultimate sacrifice” to promote and protect freedom.

CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS ‘CONTROVERSIAL,’ ‘PROVOCATIVE’ IN MEDIA’S ASSASSINATION COVERAGE

“Charlie Kirk contended for freedom his entire adult life and paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend this inalienable right given to mankind by The God Charlie trusted and loved,” McCoy said. 

Following Kirk’s death, his widow, Erika, was elected as TPUSA’s new chief executive officer to carry on her husband’s legacy of rallying younger generations with conservative principles. 

“I feel a sense of deep gratitude to Erika Kirk and the entire Turning Point USA team for their tireless work in continuing to shape a generation grounded in truth and purpose,” Engelhardt added. 

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The award ceremony will be held at the White House and comes on the heels of Trump’s return from the Middle East earlier Tuesday after he announced an end to the war in Gaza, which has has raged since 2023. 

The Democratic Socialists of America, the political party to which New York City Mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani belongs, brushed off Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas on Monday and called for further resistance to Israel’s “apartheid and occupation” of Gaza.

The DSA released the statement, titled “Until Palestinian Liberation,” on its website, declaring that they have “no illusions that Israel will honor any negotiated agreement that preserves Palestinian life or self-determination.” The statement made no mention of the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity and accused Israel of “terrorizing” the Palestinian people and nations in the region.

“This will not end Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people or the theft and occupation of Palestinian lands. A conditional ceasefire agreement does not wash the hands of the ruling class,” the DSA wrote.

“The Occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, eroding under illegal settler expansion, continue to struggle under violent Israeli apartheid and occupation. Across the region, Israel terrorizes the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Qatar, and Iran while wielding the implicit threat of nuclear engagement to violently impose its fascist, expansionist aspirations,” the statement continued.

UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS

Mamdani’s own statement on the ceasefire echoed the “occupation and apartheid” allegations against Israel, leading to quick criticism from both his mayoral race opponents and New York City officials.

“Today’s scenes of Israelis and Palestinians are profoundly moving: Israeli hostages being freed and families reunited after years of fear, uncertainty, and torture; the first days in Gaza without relentless Israeli bombardment of Palestinians as families return to rubble and loved ones freed from detention,” Mamdani wrote in a statement on X.

“We must work towards a future built upon justice, one without occupation and apartheid, and for a world where every person can live with safety and dignity,” he added.

MAMDANI BREAKS SILENCE ON FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGES IN STATEMENT THAT DOESN’T MENTION TRUMP

New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who is Jewish, lashed out at Mamdani soon afterward, calling his statement a “word-salad” and noting the absence of any mention of Hamas or its crimes.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running against Mamdani for mayor, noted how long it took the Democratic socialist candidate to address the ceasefire.

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

“His silence speaks volumes,” Cuomo wrote in the hours that stretched between the release of the remaining living hostages and Mamdani’s eventual statement.

The exchange came as Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, also found herself the focus of criticism on Monday after she publicly mourned the death of a Palestinian social media influencer who praised Hamas’ actions on Oct. 7.

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The man, Saleh al-Jafarawi, was killed this weekend as Hamas clashed with rivals in Gaza after the Israeli military’s withdrawal.

“Beloved Jafarawi,” she wrote on Instagram.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and Bill and Hillary Clinton are leading a chorus of prominent Democrats praising President Donald Trump for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal and the release of the remaining living hostages. 

The support from across the aisle comes as the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas freed all 20 remaining living hostages held in the Gaza Strip on Monday. 

“Today is a wonderful day. Finally, finally, finally, the last living hostages brutally held by Hamas are home, an immense and overwhelming sigh of relief,” Schumer said in a statement. “I commend the enormous advocacy of the tireless hostage families, President Trump, his administration, and all who helped make this moment happen.” 

“President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached,” added former President Bill Clinton. 

TRUMP DECLINES TO COMMIT TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION AFTER HISTORIC GAZA PEACE DEAL: ‘WE’LL HAVE TO SEE’ 

Trump visited Israel on Monday to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, and met with some of the families of the released hostages. While returning home on Air Force One, the president was asked by a reporter for his reaction to Clinton’s remark. 

“I’ve always liked Bill Clinton. I’ve always gotten along with him,” Trump said. “I thought it was very nice, actually. And what is he doing? He’s telling the truth.” 

WITH HOSTAGES FREED, TRUMP THANKS OTHERS IN ISRAEL SPEECH BUT IS TOO QUICK TO DECLARE WAR IS OVER 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also praised Trump, telling CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell on Friday, “I really commend President Trump and his administration, as well as Arab leaders in the region for making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what’s often called the day after.” 

The Trump administration had published a 20-point plan in late September on how it would end the war in Gaza. 

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“I commend the people who have been a part of this process. I commend the Qataris, the Egyptians and the president,” former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran against Trump in 2024, said in an interview on MSNBC that aired on Sunday. 

Fox News Digital’s Hanna Penreck and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. 

Former Vice President Kamala Harris commended President Donald Trump and his team for helping to secure the deal that led to the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas — but she only referred to “the President,” and did not identify Trump by name in the statement.

“I am thankful and deeply encouraged that this ceasefire has brought long-awaited moments of joy and reunion — as 20 Israeli hostages are finally reunited with their loved ones and Palestinian families and the people of Gaza begin to receive desperately needed relief from unimaginable suffering,” Harris said in the statement.

Israel launched a war effort in the wake of the horrific October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack, which included mass murder and kidnapping. 

BILL CLINTON SAYS TRUMP AND OTHERS ‘DESERVE GREAT CREDIT’ FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE

“Through diplomacy and persistence, today is an important first step toward a more hopeful future. I commend the leaders and partners whose efforts made this agreement possible, including the President and his team,” Harris continued.

“There is still much more work to do to secure a lasting peace, ensure the safety and dignity of every innocent life, and build a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in freedom and security,” she concluded.

Last year, Trump won both the Electoral College and the popular vote, trouncing Harris in the White House contest.

FETTERMAN MARKS RELEASE OF LAST LIVING HOSTAGES: ‘THE NIGHTMARE FINALLY ENDS’

The 2024 Democratic presidential candidate mounted a whirlwind campaign after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid and endorsed her.

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas took a jab at President Trump on Monday, tweeting, “Raising hell at home & then pretending to be the President of Peace is diabolical.”

TRUMP DECLINES TO COMMIT TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION AFTER HISTORIC GAZA PEACE DEAL: ‘WE’LL HAVE TO SEE’

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But Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania gave, “Credit to @POTUS for a breakthrough ceasefire of this awful war.”