NationalWatch

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear isn’t sugarcoating the work ahead for his party as it aims to escape the political wilderness.

“I’ve got a lot of hope for the Democratic Party, but I’m also honest enough to say the Democratic Party has a lot of work to do. The Democratic Party has to re-earn the faith of the American people,” Beshear told around 100 Democratic politicians, officials, and activists this week during a stop in New Hampshire.

Beshear, the two-term governor of red state Kentucky, is hitting the campaign trail, helping fellow Democrats running in elections this November and in next year’s midterms.

And his mission comes as Democrats work to rebound after last year’s ballot box setbacks, when they lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to win back the House majority. They also lost ground to Republicans among Black, Hispanic and younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLL NUMBERS KEEP HITTING ALL-TIME LOWS 

This year, a slew of polls have flashed red alerts for the Democrats, as the party’s favorable ratings have plunged to all-time lows.

“Number one, we’ve got to spend 80% of our time on things that matter to 100% of Americans,” Beshear said, as he outlined his three steps Democrats need to take for political redemption.

Beshear said that Democrats also have “to talk to people like normal human beings” instead of “talking down to people.”

His third step — focus less on policy specifics and more on energizing voters. “We are really good at the ‘what,’ but not so good at talking about the ‘why,'” he said.

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Beshear, the son of former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, was elected state attorney general before topping Republican Gov. Matt Bevin by a razor-thin margin in the 2019 gubernatorial showdown. He won re-election as governor two years ago.

The moderate Democrat is currently vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and takes over next year as DGA chair.

Beshear traveled to New Hampshire the day before a campaign stop in Virginia, where he campaigned on behalf of former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial nominee.

New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold contests for governor the year after a presidential election, which means the races traditionally grab outsized national attention.

And this year’s ballot box showdowns are viewed as crucial early tests of President Donald Trump’s popularity and second-term agenda, and are considered key barometers ahead of next year’s midterms, when the House and Senate majorities are up for grabs.

TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER 2025 ELECTIONS

“I think both Virginia and New Jersey are races that we are going to win, and we are going to win by providing Americans with a vision. A vision that the American dream is still attainable. That a Democratic governor can deliver on good jobs, can deliver on making things more affordable,” Beshear said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Looking ahead to next year, when he takes over steering the DGA, Beshear said, “I’m going to work to win as many races as I can.”

Beshear’s trip to New Hampshire, which for over a century held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, sparked more speculation about his national ambitions in 2028, when a large field of Democrats are expected to run for their party’s presidential nomination.

The Kentucky governor spent his entire day Tuesday in New Hampshire, headlining a fundraiser in Concord for State House Democrats, a happy hour in Manchester for City Democrats, and a house party in Nashua hosted by a state senator.

It was his second trip to New Hampshire in a year, after keynoting the state party’s major autumn fundraising gala in 2024. And the latest trip to New Hampshire followed a stop earlier this year in South Carolina, another key early voting state in the Democratic Party’s presidential primary calendar.

Unlike other potential White House hopefuls, Beshear acknowledges he’s mulling a 2028 bid.

Asked about a 2028 run, Beshear reiterated to Fox News that after next year’s midterm elections, “my family and I will sit down” to decide on whether to run for president.

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Beshear, pushing a vision of inclusiveness, said that “when I look at what my job is right now, I want to be a commonsense, common ground voice, in this crazy partisan climate we see right now, to try to get people focused on the things that matter most to our families”

And looking ahead to the next presidential election, Beshear said, “What’s most important to me is that we have a candidate that can heal the country. We have too much of this us versus them. Our neighbor is not our enemy, and we’ve got to recognize that even if we disagree with them, we want what’s best for them, and we really want their kids to have a great life.”

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans in New York’s congressional delegation are pressing their two Democratic senators to end the ongoing government shutdown, casting their opposition to the GOP’s funding bill as “radical and harmful” to residents of the Empire State.

The government shutdown has entered its eleventh day with Republicans and Democrats still unable to agree on a path forward. Thousands of government workers, including members of the military and federal law enforcement, are set to miss their first paychecks next week barring a breakthrough.

“You have abdicated your responsibility to New Yorkers. By consistently voting against the clean Continuing Resolution (CR), you have shut down the government with no willingness to reopen operations,” seven House Republicans wrote to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

JOHNSON RAISES STAKES ON SCHUMER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BARRELS INTO WEEK 3

“Throughout both of your decades in federal office, you have consistently supported clean CRs as a way to keep the government funded and open until Congress can pass bipartisan spending bills.”

The Republicans accused their senators of changing course now “to spite President Trump and congressional Republicans,” and called it “a disservice to our nation and our institutions.”

“In fact, both of you have been vocal about your past opposition to shutdowns and the dangers they wreak on the American people,” they wrote.

The letter is being led by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and is signed by the six other House Republicans representing parts of New York: Reps. Nick Langworthy, Nicole Malliotakis, Claudia Tenney, Nick LaLota, Elise Stefanik, and Andrew Garbarino.

The House passed a measure to keep the government funded at levels roughly even to fiscal year (FY) 2025 through Nov. 21 — called a continuing resolution (CR) — on Sept. 19, mostly along party lines.

HOUSE PASSES TRUMP-BACKED PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

But Democrats in the House and Senate were largely infuriated by being sidelined in federal funding talks and are now demanding any spending deal also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

Democrats have argued that a failure to act on those subsidies now will lead to higher health care premiums for millions of Americans by the end of the year. 

Republican leaders who control the House and Senate have said they are willing to hold negotiations on those subsidies, but have insisted the CR must be “clean” without any policy riders. CRs are aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a longer-term funding deal for FY2026, which began on Oct. 1.

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Schumer had been under particular pressure from his left flank to resist the GOP’s plan after his vote was key to helping advance the same bill in March, which extended FY2024 federal funding levels through Sept. 30.

“Just last year in 2024, you said that no reasonable member on either side of the aisle wants a government shutdown. I agree, Senator, your position now is unreasonable,” the House GOP’s Saturday letter read.

The CR has now failed in the Senate seven times. Under the most recent tallies, five more Democrats would be needed to cross the aisle and meet the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to break the filibuster and advance the bill to a final vote. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer and Gillibrand’s offices for a response but did not hear back by press time.

As liberal pundits and networks across the country downplay the rise of violence carried out by Antifa, a journalist who has covered the domestic terrorist designated group extensively pushed back on that narrative in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

Social media has been littered with posts in recent weeks featuring elected officials and pundits dismissing concerns about Antifa violence as simply an “ideology” rather than an organized effort, which Ngo argues is a message driven by tacit support of the cause. 

“It is an ideology, but Neo-Nazis organize around an ideology, jihadists organize around an ideology, so what’s your point really? The point you’re really trying to do, when people bring that up, is to run cover for Antifa because these people on the left know that organized militant Antifa networks themselves and individuals operate as shock troops for their cause.”

“They have the same enemies, they want the same outcomes in terms of the institutions destroyed and they want the political opposition intimidated into silence and disengaging from the political process.”

UNC PROFESSOR REVEALED ANARCHIST GROUP REQUESTED SECURITY FROM FAR-LEFT GUN CLUB DURING 2017 RIOT

Ngo went on by explaining that individuals who doubt the existence of Antifa networks should watch the footage that he and other independent journalists have published. 

“I would show them the video from June 2019 when people working in an organized manner beat me with their faces covered, having weapons, and escaped,” Ngo said. “Nobody was ever arrested for that. If that’s not convincing enough, I would tell them to watch the shooting video of the assassination of Aaron Danielson in Portland in 2020, a Trump supporter who was killed by somebody who actually left behind a manifesto. If you don’t believe the video, you can read his manifesto. He describes himself, I am 100% Antifa.”

President Trump, who issued an executive order last month declaring Antifa a domestic terrorist organization, hosted a roundtable at the White House on Wednesday where Ngo, and other prominent independent journalists, spoke to the president about the violence they have seen and experienced first hand.

Antifa is a far-left militant movement that describes itself as antifascist. It has been accused of organizing or encouraging violent riots, notably during the 2020 “defund the police” protests and, more recently, in attacks targeting federal immigration facilities.

Ngo said his biggest takeaway from that event with Trump was the recognition of the dangerous work journalists have done covering Antifa violence in recent years with little to no support from mainstream outlets or elected officials. 

TEXAS AG LAUNCHES UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS TO INFILTRATE ‘LEFTIST TERROR CELLS’ ACROSS THE STATE

“I’ve been reporting on Antifa now for about nine years, and for some of that time it did feel like I was reporting on something that nobody who could do something about it would listen,” Ngo told Fox News Digital. “And there was a lot of despair through that time. I saw a lot violence, saw death, and I suffered violence myself. I feel optimistic now. I think Antifa’s a confusing topic and subject, and I’m thankful that I have the expertise to be able to share that with the administration.”

Ngo told Fox News Digital he carries “so much gratitude to the president” for holding the event, saying, “They have a million things to do. There’s a lot of important things on the world stage. Yet, nearly two hours is dedicated on this topic. So I don’t take any of it for granted, and I’m just thankful to have been able to be there.”

Ngo also told Fox News Digital the event was “bittersweet” for him personally due to losing his father earlier this year. 

“I wish he had been around to see that,” Ngo said. “My parents were refugees of communism from Vietnam. I don’t know how they would take it if they knew the full extent of far-left militancy in America and that they raised a son who’s put himself at a lot of risk to try to expose it. So I wish my father was there to share in that moment.”

CHARLIE KIRK KILLING PUTS RISE IN LEFT-WING TERROR IN SPOTLIGHT AS STUDY SHOWS VIOLENCE HITTING 30-YEAR HIGH

Ngo’s family history living under communism is relevant in the conversation today regarding Antifa, the Portland-born journalist told Fox Digital, given the underlying communist beliefs espoused by radical left movements in the United States today.. 

“For a century now, communists and anarchists, particularly in Europe, have engaged in violent acts that have sparked revolutions and the Antifa today look to those historical examples in the acts of violence they carry out,” Ngo said, adding that many “normal” and mainstream liberals in the country are confused by the “deception and misinformation” in the media regarding Antifa.

“If you read the mainstream, one can leave with the impression that these are people who are opposed just to fascism and racism. So why not come on board with that, right?” Ngo explained. “When really the ideology is anarchist communism and violent anarchist-communism a lot of them engage in violence for the purpose of nihilistic violence. They want to see things burnt down. Their own slogan has become ungovernable. So if you care about democracy, liberal democracy in institutions, civil rights…you should not. You cannot be anywhere on the side of advocating or running cover for these so-called Antifa.”

Ngo went on to say that Antifa messaging and ideology is becoming more and more “mainstream” with the evidence for that being the “depraved worldview philosophy” that has given rise to those who celebrated the assassinations of Charlie Kirk, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and those who “call for myself and others to be assassinated.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slammed Antifa during the Wednesday roundtable arguing that the network is “just as sophisticated as MS-13, as TdA, as ISIS, as Hezbollah, as Hamas, as all of them.”

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She said that authorities recently arrested the girlfriend of the founder of Antifa in Portland, and that investigators are trying to garner more information from her about the network of newly-labeled “domestic terrorists” during their prosecution.

Noem said the administration’s explicit goal is to “eliminate [Antifa] from the existence of American society.”

“These individuals do not just want to threaten our law enforcement officers, threaten our journalists and the citizens of this country. They want to kill them,” Noem said.

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

President Donald Trump secured a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas this week that will end the war in Gaza and return the hostages, two years after the terrorist network attacked Israel Oct. 7, 2023 — all while the U.S. government remains in a shutdown due to a stalemate in the Senate. 

The president made the announcement on his Truth Social platform Wednesday.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” the president posted. “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!”

HAMAS ACCEPTS TRUMP PEACE PLAN ENDING 2 YEARS OF WAR IN GAZA, RETURNING HOSTAGES

The president said the day of the agreement was “a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen.”

“BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!” he posted.

According to Israeli officials, the living hostages are expected to be released in a single phase within 72 hours. The return of the bodies of deceased hostages will take longer, but Israel insists on their inclusion in the deal.

Trump warned that if Hamas did not agree to the deal, Israel would have the full backing of the U.S. to carry out its operational plans in Gaza. 

Moments before the president’s announcement, photos emerged from the negotiation room in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, showing senior officials embracing and shaking hands as reports indicated significant progress toward a hostage release deal. Retired Israeli Defense Forces Major General Nitzan Alon was seen shaking hands with Qatar’s prime minister, with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in the background.

TRUMP UNVEILS 20-POINT PLAN TO SECURE PEACE IN GAZA, INCLUDING GRANTING SOME HAMAS MEMBERS ‘AMNESTY’

On the other side, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and other senior officials appeared smiling. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, “With God’s help, we will bring them all home.”  

Netanyahu added in a statement in Hebrew, translated: “A great day for Israel. Tomorrow I will convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all our dear hostages home. I thank the heroic soldiers of the IDF and all the security forces — thanks to their courage and sacrifice we have reached this day. I thank from the bottom of my heart President Trump and his team for mobilizing for this sacred mission of freeing our hostages. With God’s help, together we will continue to achieve all our objectives and expand peace with our neighbors.”

The terrorist organization Hamas announced in an official statement, “After responsible and serious negotiations conducted by the movement and the Palestinian resistance factions regarding President Trump’s proposal in Sharm el-Sheikh, with the aim of ending the war of extermination against our Palestinian people and the withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, Hamas announces the reaching of an agreement that ends the war on Gaza, provides for the withdrawal of the occupation, allows the entry of aid and implements a prisoner exchange.” 

TRUMP TEASES TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST AS GAZA PEACE DEAL TALKS CONTINUE

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of the mediators in Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, and thank U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts to bring about a final end to the war and the full withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip. We call on President Trump, the guarantor states of the agreement, and all Arab, Islamic and international parties to oblige the government of the occupation to fulfill all the agreement’s commitments, and not to allow it to evade or delay implementation of the accords.”

Trump is now expected to travel to the Middle East Sunday amid continued peace negotiations.

“I may go there, sometime toward the end of the week. Maybe on Sunday, actually, and we’ll see,” Trump said Wednesday from the White House as he kicked off a roundtable discussion event focused on the left-wing radical group Antifa. 

“We have a great team over there, great negotiators, and there are, unfortunately, great negotiators on the other side also,” Trump added. “But it’s something I think that will happen. Got a good chance of happening.” 

Meanwhile, the government shutdown continued this week, as Senate lawmakers again failed to reach a budget agreement.

SENATE LEAVES WASHINGTON AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN NEARS 3RD WEEK, MILITARY PAY AT RISK

Now, senators have left Washington, D.C., and plan to return to Capitol Hill early next week, as Republicans and Democrats in the upper chamber remain in a stalemate.

Lawmakers voted deep into the night Thursday on the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which advanced on a largely bipartisan vote. But the $925 billion package, which authorizes funding for the Pentagon, effectively was the last hurrah for the week in the upper chamber.

While there was discussion of putting the House GOP’s continuing resolution (CR), along with congressional Democrats’ counter-proposal, on the floor for one last vote, the plan never came to fruition. Both likely would have failed for an eighth consecutive time.

The president has slammed Democratic leaders for shutting down the government amid one of “the most successful economies.”

Trump said he is “happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and most Democrats say they won’t support funding the government unless Congress agrees to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies.

COMEY PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN COURT AFTER INDICTMENT ON ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION

Meanwhile, the president also saw two of his political foes face federal indictment this week. 

Former FBI Director James Comey appeared in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to two counts of making a false statement in the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and one count of obstructing a congressional investigation related to the Trump–Russia probe.

Comey’s trial is set to begin Jan. 5, 2026.

GRAND JURY INDICTS NY AG LETITIA JAMES ON BANK FRAUD CHARGES IN VIRGINIA FEDERAL COURT

And Thursday evening, New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted for mortgage fraud.

A federal grand jury in Virginia charged James with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment centers on James’ purchase of a home in Norfolk, Virginia. Prosecutors allege she falsely claimed it as a second residence to secure better loan terms before leasing it to tenants. 

James has denied wrongdoing, describing the charges as “political retribution.”

“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” James said in a statement.

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Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said James faces up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count and forfeiture if she’s convicted.

“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan said. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

The government shutdown is poised to enter a third week, and Democrats still appear to be struggling in the search for a cohesive messaging strategy.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., received a barrage of GOP-led attacks on Thursday after he told Punchbowl News, “Every day gets better for us” in reference to the shutdown dragging on.

Meanwhile, House Democrats’ group selfie taken on Sept. 29, just before the shutdown, received criticism from both sides of the aisle. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who’s become a fierce critic of the GOP since leaving office, wrote on X, “These selfie things need to stop guys. Honestly, the democrats were great at social media but social media moved on from them. The kitschy, goofy ‘choose your fighter’ type stuff needs to stop.”

Democrats have been fighting to center the discussion on healthcare, and their argument that any deal to reopen the federal government must at least include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

SENATE DEMOCRATS BLOCK GOP PLAN AGAIN TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT AS MILITARY PAY DEADLINE LOOMS

And while polls show that Americans overwhelmingly do support extending the subsidies, surveys taken of the government shutdown have been more mixed, with a significant number of Americans blaming both parties.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday showed 67% of Americans believe Republicans deserve “a fair amount or a great deal of blame” for the shutdown, compared to 63% for Democrats.

A New York Times/Siena poll taken on the eve of the shutdown showed that Democrats had a similarly thin edge over the GOP in the shutdown fight, but that 65% of people did not believe Democrats should shut down the government if their demands were not met.

“Democrats keep choosing the wrong fights, including the shutdown fight. At best, the shutdown will give them a political draw where the public will blame both parties,” Julian Epstein, a former Democratic staffer for the House Judiciary Committee, told Fox News Digital.

“But they will not get a game change out of this conflict, and the risk for them is the longer it goes on, the public will see it’s the Democrats who are narcissistically voting to shut down the government after losing the election.”

During an appearance on “Real Time With Bill Maher” earlier this month, CNN political commentator and former Obama administration appointee Van Jones said Democrats “do the wrong thing at the wrong time for the right reason.”

Jones said he was in favor of extending the Obamacare subsidies but argued that it may have been folly for his party to pick that fight over the shutdown before people even got notice of their premiums potentially rising.

“I get it, the base is upset … ’Please do something, do anything,’ but the ‘something’ probably shouldn’t be throwing a bunch of people out of work in the federal government and crushing the American government’s ability to function right before the pain was about to start,” he said.

And it’s not yet clear if Democrats have an agreed-upon roadmap for how to navigate the shutdown yet.

Late last week, just before Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced that the House would be out of session for another week while Republicans’ funding bill stalled in the Senate, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., unequivocally told Fox News Digital that “yes,” he would call all House Democrats back to Washington to draw a contrast between the two sides.

He walked that back somewhat on Monday, however. When asked by Fox News Digital if he would still call the full caucus back, Jeffries said, “We have a caucus meeting at 6 p.m. today. We’ll have a House Democratic Caucus leadership meeting, that’s the full leadership, tomorrow. And I expect a strong presence of House Democrats throughout here in Washington.”

What he did not specify, however, was that the 6 p.m. caucus meeting was virtual.

At another press conference this week, Jeffries called a one-year Obamacare subsidy extension compromise bill “laughable” despite it getting support from 11 members of his own Democratic caucus.

SENATE ADVANCES 2026 DEFENSE BILL AFTER WEEKS OF DELAY AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON

He walked those comments back again, “If anything is presented to us, of course, the caucus will consider it in good faith.”

But Republicans have also garnered their share of public criticism for shutdown messaging as well.

President Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric on federal employee layoffs put congressional Republicans in a difficult position earlier this month, though Trump has since softened his language and not yet carried out those firings.

The White House’s depiction of Jeffries in a sombrero on multiple occasions has also been panned as racist by critics.

Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist and founder of campaign consulting firm Authentic, said Democrats were doing the right thing in focusing on health care while criticizing Republicans’ messaging.

“I think that focusing on the health care subsidies, which are undeniably popular, has been a really smart thing for Democrats to do,” Nellis told Fox News Digital.

“I think that the Republicans have played right into their worst tendencies on this, which is, much of their messaging is aggressively online-focused. The sombrero stuff is mildly funny. But then they went all in on it, and they don’t have a good answer to the health care subsidies.”

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Nellis also argued that Republicans’ touting of a “landslide” electoral victory has set them up for a larger share of the blame.

“When you create the conditions where you talked about the mandate that you have and the government shuts down on your watch, you’re responsible for the government shutdown,” he said.

Still, he said he would grade Democrats with a “B, B minus” on their messaging, adding that it’s “not perfect.”

“Maybe the answer is … Republicans are losing the shutdown fight, rather than Democrats are winning it,” Nellis said. “But I mean, I just think we’ve got a lot more right than a lot more wrong, which is the first time you can say that in quite a while.”

As the government shutdown slogs into a third week and service members and federal workers are set to begin missing out on paychecks, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and other Democrats continue to point to President Donald Trump and Republicans.

In a fundraising email sent to supporters this week, Jeffries signed off with his usual slogan, “keep the faith.”

In the email, Jeffries indicated his party would not bend on its demands before reopening the government, saying that “Democrats will continue to stand up to address the Republican healthcare crisis, and we will NOT back down until it’s fixed. America deserves better.”

In the Senate, talks have continued in the background behind closed doors, but nothing has quite yet materialized into full-blown negotiations on expiring Obamacare tax credits to find an off-ramp to end the shutdown.

DEMS NOT BUDGING ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DEMANDS AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES TRUMP MEETING, JEFFRIES SUGGESTS

If Jeffries’ rhetoric is an indication, the Democrats are nowhere near budging.

“Republicans thought we’d back down because of their deepfake videos, threats and lies,” he wrote. “Not a chance. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. Keep the faith.”

Other House Democrats have also been actively fundraising off of the shutdown.

Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., has been particularly active, sending several fundraising emails, including one in which her team told supporters, “The stakes couldn’t be higher.”

“That’s why Janelle won’t back down from her fight to put Oregonians first and ensure our government works for the people,” wrote Bynum’s team. “If you’re with her, pitch in today to help her keep up this critical fight for hardworking Americans in the House.”

In another email to supporters, Bynum complained that “Republicans just launched an attack ad blaming me for the government shutdown.”

TOP HOUSE DEM EXPOSES PARTY’S STRATEGY TO BLAME REPUBLICANS FOR LOOMING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

“They’re targeting me for their failed leadership and the chaos they’ve created in Washington. We can’t allow their shameful attacks to go unanswered,” she wrote, adding, “Will you rush a donation now to help our team push back on National Republicans and stand up for Oregonians?”

Rep. Dave Min, D-Calif., wrote in another fundraising email that “if we want to stop these shutdowns from happening in the future, we need to take back control of Congress next year.”

“That’s why I’m turning to you: If you’re in a position to give, will you chip in whatever you can to help me defend this toss-up district next year?” he implored.

“Democrats’ demands are simple,” he wrote in another email.

“Reversal of GOP Medicaid cuts, and the extension of Obamacare tax credits to make health insurance more affordable. Neither of these should be controversial!” he wrote, providing a link to donate.

DEMOCRATS ROLL OUT NEW CAMPAIGN ADS TARGETING REPUBLICANS OVER ONGOING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, cut straight to the chase and askedsupporters in an email to “chip in $10, $25, or whatever makes sense for you to stand with me against this reckless shutdown and help us take back the House next fall.”

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Speaking with reporters on Friday, Jeffries tripled down on his rejection of the GOP’s continuing resolution spending bill that would reopen the government, calling it a “partisan spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people and threatens to raise the costs of living on tens of millions of people.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Jeffries, Bynum, Min and Kaptur for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said a “coward hiding behind a keyboard” was arrested this week for allegedly sending a threatening letter to conservative influencer Benny Johnson in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

George Isbell Jr., 69, was taken into custody on Tuesday in San Diego, California. He will be federally charged with mailing a threatening communication, according to Bondi. On his website, Johnson said he resides in Tampa, Florida, where the announcement of the arrest was made Friday.

“Benny is a well-known media personality, carrying a message very similar to Charlie’s. Grounded largely in faith and love of country. Just days after Charlie’s assassination, Benny received a letter at his home where he and Kate are raising their beautiful, beautiful young family,” Bondi said. “The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead.” 

“This was a coward hiding behind a keyboard who thought he could get away with this. That’s why we’re standing up here today. You are not going to get away with threatening people in this way. And I’m proud to announce that we have arrested the author of this letter,” Bondi added. 

BONDI ISSUES BOLD WARNING TO WOULD-BE COPYCATS AFTER KIRK, ZARUTSKA MURDERS 

She said earlier that, “we’ve been living through a horrific cycle of political violence in this country.” 

“We are going to catch you if you think you can do something like this,” Bondi declared. “We don’t care if you’re across the country in California, we will find you. We will arrest you, we will extradite you, and we will bring you to justice. We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many — do not do this. We will find you.” 

U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida told reporters Friday that Johnson “immediately contacted” the Tampa Police Department after receiving the letter. The FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement assisted in the investigation, while the U.S. Postal Service determined the letter originated from San Diego, California, Kehoe added. 

BONDI DECLARES ‘NEW ERA OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE’ AS FEDERAL AGENTS DEPLOY TO ICE FACILITIES NATIONWIDE 

Fingerprints that were obtained from the letter led investigators to Isbell, according to Kehoe. 

“According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed ‘to be exterminated,’” the Justice Department said in a statement Friday.

“In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag ‘strangles the life out of you,’ the letter went on to state: ‘Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!’” the Justice Department added.

If convicted, Isbell could face a maximum sentence of five years.

Johnson told Fox News Digital on Friday afternoon, “The major question here is, how many of us need to die? And, you know, until people take it seriously?”

Speaking alongside Bondi in Florida, Johnson said, “I don’t want political violence. I want peace in my nation.” 

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“I love this country. I want to be able to debate like Charlie did. I want to be able to raise my family in peace. That is our birthright. But you cannot make peace with evil as a Christian. You cannot unite with people who want you dead. I want unity in this nation,” he added. 

Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, declined to call on her party’s attorney general hopeful, Jay Jones, to drop out of the race during a Thursday night debate. She stands among many other Democrats who have also declined to do so after text messages surfaced in which Jones fantasized about killing his Republican colleague in 2022.

Jones, a former delegate from Norfolk, Virginia, has faced mounting calls – mostly from Republicans – to bow out of the race for Virginia attorney general. But Virginia Democrats and other party leaders around the country have refused to cave to pressure they are getting to demand Jones drop out. 

The Jones’ text message scandal has become a flashpoint in Virginia’s elections, particularly considering it came at a time of heightened sensitivity to inflammatory and violent political rhetoric following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and two attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump. 

SPANBERGER EXCORIATED ONLINE AS A ‘COWARD’ FOR REFUSAL TO DITCH ‘UNHINGED’ JAY JONES

Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., remained silent when asked by Fox News Digital repeatedly if Jones should drop out of the race. Warner was also pressed on whether he would demand Jones return a $25,000 donation made to his campaign in August, or whether he regretted the show of support in light of the controversy about Jones’ violent political speech, but he once again averted his gaze and remained silent. 

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was also unwilling to call on Jones’ to drop out. He told Fox News Digital he’s still a supporter of the embattled candidate for his state’s attorney general seat. “I think those statements were not in character, and he has apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff,” the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee said. “I’ve known Jay Jones for 25 years.”

Several other Democrats outside of Virginia who were approached by Fox News Digital similarly walked away, or refused to respond when asked about the Jones controversy, which revolves around a text message exchange he had in 2022 with another lawmaker. 

During the texts, Jones fantasized about putting “two bullets” into the head of then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. He also quipped about murdering Gilbert’s children.  

“Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” Jones wrote. In a subsequent text, Jones also wrote, “Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.”

“Jay. Please stop,” the lawmaker on the receiving end of the tests from Jones said at the time. Jones has since apologized, calling the remarks “embarrassing and shameful,” and said he had reached out personally to Gilbert and his family.

“I’m really not familiar with the situation in Virginia,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said when asked if Jones should drop out. 

“Haven’t given it a thought,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. 

Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called the texts “horrifying,” but when pressed further on whether Jones should drop out, Wyden said, “I’m going to leave it at that, thank you.”

SANDERS, DEM LEADERS DODGE QUESTIONS ON VIRGINIA CANDIDATE WHO JOKED ABOUT SHOOTING GOP LAWMAKER 

Other Democrats who Fox News approached, such as Sens. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., condemned political violence but admitted they were not following the matter involving Jones. 

“I can’t say that I’ve done my due diligence to really understand, but what I will say is that what I saw was absolutely horrible,” said Kim. “I hope that in a time right now, where there’s so much concern about political violence, we can say that, ‘Yes, we need to make sure that we are holding ourselves up to a high standard, especially those in elected office.’”

Republican responses to the Jones text scandal were starkly different. Speaking with Fox News Digital, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called the text messages “staggering, particularly with the spate of political violence we have seen.” 

“There are far too many on the left that celebrate political violence,” Cruz continued, adding, “When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, we saw leftists, college professors, leftist schoolteachers, politicians, journalists celebrating that heinous murder.”

“And every Democrat in Washington is turning a blind eye,” Cruz added. “In my view, the notion that someone advocating for the murder of children because he disagrees politically with their father is manifestly unsuitable for public office, especially the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia. And I wish there were even one Democrat with the courage to say that publicly.”

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“It’s really sickening calling for the assassination of a rival, calling for the death of his children. I mean, I think, hopefully, all of us can agree that’s beyond the bounds of what is reasonable here, and he ought to step down,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said when asked about the controversy. “What’s amazing though, is, I’ve not heard one Democrat – hopefully you’re asking that question to other Democrats. I’ve not heard anybody say anything about it, which is pretty sad.”

During a debate Thursday night between Republican and Democrat candidates for governor in Virginia, Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears repeatedly pressed her Democratic opponent, Spanberger, to call on Jones to step down. 

“Jay Jones advocated the murder — Abigail — the murder of a man, a former speaker, as well as his children who were 2 years and 5 years old. You have little girls. Would it take him pulling the trigger? Is that what would do it?” Earle-Sears asked Thursday night. “Please ask him to get out of the race. Have some courage.” 

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

CHICO, Calif. – Voting began this week for a statewide special election that would drastically alter California’s congressional map. Proposition 50, or Prop 50, could add as many as five Democratic-held seats in Congress in time for the 2026 midterms.

The measure asks California voters to temporarily allow the legislature to decide the state’s district maps through 2030, after which the power would return to the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission. If Prop 50 wins, it could leave as a few as four Republican-held seats across the state after 2026.

Recent polling shows Prop 50 will likely pass. Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats say Prop 50 is a necessary countermeasure to Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas.

ABBOTT SIGNS TEXAS REDISTRICTING MAP INTO LAW, SECURING MAJOR GOP VICTORY AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

However, UC Davis Professor Jim Adams warned a win for the Democrats in the short term could have negative long-term consequences.

“I think that even if Prop 50 does help the Democrats win a handful of additional seats in California, by winning the battle in California, the Democrats may make themselves lose the war nationally,” Adams told Fox.

Adams, a Democrat, said he agrees with Prop 50 supporters that he wants to see something done to curb Republican redistricting efforts in other parts of the country.

TRUMP-BACKED MAP VICTORY IN MISSOURI COULD TRIGGER REDISTRICTING BATTLES IN THESE STATES

“There is certainly a visceral satisfaction for the Democrats in feeling that Proposition 50 helps them to fight back. I don’t question the Democrats need to fight back. The question is, are they fighting smart with Proposition 50,” he added.

Prop 50 has the potential to spark political backlash, not only within California Republicans or independents in 2026, but on a national scale during the presidential election in 2028.

If Prop 50 passes, California’s northern districts risk going from mostly red to completely blue after the midterms.

Chico, California, sits in Republican-held District 1, which is represented by Rep. Doug LaMalfa. It’s one of the districts targeted in Prop 50. The proposed map would likely flip the district by pulling in voters from closer to the more Democrat-leaning Bay Area. 

In 2024, President Donald Trump won Butte County by about 3,000 votes over then-Vice President Kamala Harris. On the streets of downtown Chico, that political split showed when asking voters their feelings on Prop 50.

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

Don Tarman and Martin Bettencourt both said they support the proposition, adding that it’s a reaction to Trump’s presidency.

“We agree with Gavin Newsom that Trump is trying to sway the election for the House. He picked up supposedly five votes in Texas. We’ll see how the vote comes out when we get to the election. But yeah, we’re not Trump fans. I think Gavin Newsom is trying to fight back a little bit,” Tarman said.

Bettencourt said he doesn’t typically support redistricting, but this is “a different time.”

“I don’t like redistricting. I think it’s mean to the voters. I think they take away power from them, because they move it around and adjust it,” he said. “I think we’re in kind of a different time, so we’re reacting off the top of the ticket, which is the president, and we have to do what we have to do to compensate for that until we get someone better in a position of power.”

Jim Henderson and Eleanor Engelbrecht are among those who don’t agree with the proposition – both of them saying that redistricting in California is not an ideal response to the efforts in Texas.

“When say they do it in Iowa, then do we have to have Oregon do the same thing and the next thing you know everything is being gerrymandered? It’s unfortunate the governor of Texas didn’t recognize that this wasn’t an appropriate way of dealing with the elections, but he made his decision, and I don’t think we should feel compelled to say, well, if you’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it also,” Henderson said.

Engelbrecht said the country is going through enough change and things need to just “settle.”

“Right now, we’re going through a lot of change already, and I don’t think this is the time we need to be, I don’t know, dusting and cleaning really. I think that we really need to let things settle. I think where our country is at right now, there’s a lot of divide already, and I think really this comes down to defending fair elections,” she said.

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If Prop 50 passes, there will likely be a legal battle. California Republicans are already filing lawsuits against the measure.

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Bill Hagerty is demanding answers from Verizon as to why the company allegedly turned over his private cellphone data to the FBI without notifying him after revelations that former Special Counsel Jack Smith was allegedly tracking his and other Republican lawmakers’ phone communications surrounding their Jan. 6, 2021, investigation.

Fox News Digital first reported Monday that Smith and his “Arctic Frost” team investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol breach allegedly monitored the phone calls of Hagerty and fellow GOP senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and GOP Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained an FBI document stating the names of the lawmakers and that an FBI special agent on Smith’s team “conducted preliminary toll analysis” on the toll records associated with them.

JACK SMITH TRACKED PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS, CALLS OF NEARLY A DOZEN GOP SENATORS DURING J6 PROBE, FBI SAYS

An FBI official told Fox News Digital Smith and his team were able to view which phone numbers the senators called, along with the location each call originated and where it was received.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter Hagerty, R-Tenn., sent to Verizon. 

“This week, I received shocking news: without my consent and without my knowledge, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained confidential information concerning my cell phone use,” Hagerty wrote. “Despite extensive public reporting of this extraordinary intrusion into my privacy — also amounting to an unprecedented intrusion on the separation of powers — I have received no communication or outreach from Verizon Communications Inc., which could have been the only source of this information.”

Hagerty demanded Verizon provide him with details of when it disclosed private information about his cellphone use, and why the company did not advise him.

GOP SENATOR DEMANDS FBI REVEAL IF SURVEILLANCE WENT BEYOND JACK SMITH’S PHONE TRACKING

Hagerty also demanded Verizon answer whether the company received a subpoena, a request or a demand from the federal government seeking the information, along with details of all the information the company provided.

Hagerty also wants to know “all efforts that Verizon took to oppose, or limit its responses to, the subpoena, request, or demand” for his private communications.

Hagerty demanded the company respond by the end of the day Friday.

Hagerty also wants Verizon to provide all communications, documents, recordings or records received from the federal government in connection with the matter.

In a statement Friday to Fox News Digital in response to Hagerty’s letter, Verizon spokesman Rich Young said, “Federal law requires companies like Verizon to respond to grand jury subpoenas.

“We received a valid subpoena and a court order to keep it confidential,” Young told Fox News Digital. “We weren’t told why the information was requested or what the investigation was about.

“As required, we provided the requested customer information and call records.”

“Arctic Frost” was opened inside the bureau April 13, 2022. Smith was appointed as special counsel to take over the probe in November 2022. 

An FBI official told Fox News Digital that “Arctic Frost” is a “prohibited case” and that the review required officials to go “above and beyond in order to deliver on this promise of transparency.” The discovery is part of a broader, ongoing review.

Meanwhile, the FBI has terminated employees and disbanded the CR-15 squad. FBI Director Kash Patel announced the actions were taken in response to the revelation of the “baseless monitoring” of U.S. lawmakers.

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“We are cleaning up a diseased temple three decades in the making — identifying the rot, removing those who weaponized law enforcement for political purposes and those who do not meet the standards of this mission while restoring integrity to the FBI. I promised reform, and I intend to deliver it,” Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Patel also posted about it on X, saying, “Transparency is important, and accountability is critical. We promised both, and this is what promises kept looks like… We terminated employees, we abolished the weaponized CR-15 squad, and we initiated an ongoing investigation with more accountability measures ahead.”

President Donald Trump’s use of the National Guard in Oregon and Illinois faced dual tests in court this week, as his administration argued the two Democrat-led states are obstructing federal immigration enforcement. 

Drawing on a well of constitutional provisions and court precedents, government lawyers have sought to justify deploying the National Guard in Portland and Chicago. Some legal experts say the president has the law on his side, while others worry Trump is threatening state sovereignty.

Democratic leaders have responded with outrage and indignation to Trump’s attempts to send federal troops to their jurisdictions. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson established “ICE-free zones” across Chicago to prevent federal agents from using any city-owned property in their ongoing operations. Conservative critics have compared this action and similar opposition to the Trump administration from Democratic leaders to attempts to nullify federal law, hearkening back to the 19th century. 

“Illinois’s own Abraham Lincoln had some ideas about how to deal with this John C. Calhoun-esque ‘nullification,’” attorney and conservative commentator Josh Hammer wrote on X. 

PRITZKER SUES TRUMP TO BLOCK NATIONAL GUARD ACTION IN ILLINOIS

Joshua Blackman, South Texas College of Law professor, said the federal government does not need permission from states to defend federal facilities. The Trump administration’s position is that it needs to deploy the National Guard to protect federal personnel and Immigration and Customs Enforcement buildings.

“This is a principle that goes back to the beginning of the Republic,” Blackman told Fox News Digital, pointing to the landmark case McCulloch v. Maryland, which found that Maryland could not tax a national bank created by Congress.

The high court said in that case that allowing a state to impose such a burden on a federal institution would violate the Constitution’s supremacy clause, which says federal law trumps state law.

The need for the National Guard

During one set of oral arguments this week before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, a Trump administration lawyer argued that unrest in Portland, prompted by ICE activity, justified the deployment of about 200 National Guard soldiers.

“For months, the ICE facility in Portland and the federal law enforcement officers who work there have faced a steady stream of violence, threats of violence and harassment from violent agitators bent on impeding federal immigration enforcement,” said Eric McArthur, arguing for the Justice Department. 

The rebellion statute that Trump is using to federalize the National Guard, which governors have shared authority over, can be invoked in those situations, McArthur argued.

He also said it was the government’s position that the courts had no say over Trump’s assessment of the need for the military. Blackman made a similar point.

“The statute lets the president make the judgment over the need. It’s not clear to me that a court can second-guess it,” Blackman said.

States are ‘frustrating’ immigration enforcement

In court papers, the Trump administration has also cited a case from 1890, Neagle v. Cunningham, which established that the president has authority under the Constitution’s take care clause to “take care” that federal laws be carried out, including by doing what is necessary to protect those executing immigration laws.

In Neagle, a U.S. marshal shot and killed a person who attacked a Supreme Court justice, and the Supreme Court found that the State of California could not prosecute the marshal for murder since the marshal was protecting a federal officer.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP’S NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO PORTLAND AMID CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE

Blackman said that states have for years been “frustrating” federal immigration enforcement and that these blue-state lawsuits trying to challenge the National Guard’s presence were an instance of that.

He said the states’ resistance did not “quite rise to the level of nullification,” like when states in the South tried to block integration of segregated schools, but that it was “in the ballpark.” If states were to defy court orders, that could escalate matters, Blackman said.

The lawsuits, which could rise to the Supreme Court, especially if the circuit courts were to rule against Trump in the coming days, could help to sharpen the dividing line between state and federal authority over law enforcement.

Policing falls under ‘state’s responsibilities’

Like Oregon and Illinois, Matt Cavedon, a director at the CATO Institute, said the 10th Amendment is also in play in these cases and that it implies that the Trump administration cannot typically take over a state’s law enforcement responsibilities.

Cavedon also said it was unusual, in his view, that a Republican government would adopt a more expanded view of federal power.

“It’s not usually conservatives who are arguing that there are just vast unenumerated federal powers belonging to the president, certainly in the domestic context,” Cavedon told Fox News Digital.

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Cavedon said the events in the two states are “really core issues of public security and safety, which are at the heart of what a state’s responsibilities are.” Oregon and Illinois leaders have made similar claims that nothing extraordinary was playing out crime-wise to warrant National Guard intervention.

“I think the 10th Amendment answers a question: Any powers that are not conferred on the federal government are reserved to the states, respectively,” Cavedon added.

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

-First lady Melania Trump announces 8 Ukrainian children reunited with families after being taken into Russia

-Pentagon agrees to host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots at Idaho air base

–Ivy League professor who mocked Charlie Kirk’s death still employed despite public outcry and ‘resignation’

Can Jay Jones be replaced? Democrats’ defense of scandal-plagued candidate draws questions

When asked whether Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones should drop out of the race following violent text messages coming to light, many Democrats have either been silent or defended Jones’ candidacy while condemning the messages.

The situation raises questions about whether Democrats may be concerned about the idea of replacing Jones on the Democratic ticket against Republican incumbent Jason Miyares — and whether it is even legally possible.

Fox News Digital contacted the Commonwealth of Virginia about what could happen and whether Jones is locked on the ballot as his scandal unravels…READ MORE.

White House

‘COWARD’ CAUGHT: Bondi announces arrest of ‘coward’ who allegedly threatened conservative influencer following Kirk’s murder

‘CHAMPION OF PEACE’: Nobel Peace Prize goes to Maria Corina Machado despite calls for Trump to receive the award

PATRIOTS ANSWER CALL: EXCLUSIVE: USCIS sees massive surge in ‘homeland defender’ job applications

World Stage

ICE COLD WAR: US turns to Finland to close Arctic ‘icebreaker gap’ as Russia, China expand polar presence

TRADE WAR ERUPTS: Trump threatens ‘massive’ China tariffs, sees ‘no reason’ to meet with Xi

PEACE DIVIDEND: White House to begin work on new Abraham Accords ‘very soon’ after Gaza deal

GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY: Washington’s shadow war: How strikes on cartels threaten to collapse Maduro’s regime

Capitol Hill

PINK SLIPS: Sweeping layoffs ‘have begun’ as government shutdown drags on

PRIVACY QUESTIONS: Hagerty presses Verizon over FBI’s access to his phone records during Jack Smith probe

LIGHTS OUT DC: Johnson raises stakes on Schumer as government shutdown barrels into week 3

ENERGY UNDER SIEGE: Scalise leads GOP fight at SCOTUS to stop radical left’s ‘war on American energy’

NO PAYDAY: Senate leaves Washington as government shutdown nears 3rd week, military pay at risk

SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: GOP senators back Russ Vought’s hardball shutdown strategy as standoff intensifies

Across America 

GROUNDED IN GA: Georgia’s Mike Collins needles Ossoff in new ad over shutdown’s toll on airports, workers

HIGHWAY HAZARD: Blue state in the hot seat after ICE busts Illegal immigrant with ‘NO NAME GIVEN’ on license

CATCHING UP: New poll reveals Mamdani’s lead is shrinking as Cuomo gains ground in NYC showdown

CIRCLING THE WAGONS: Allies stand by Katie Porter despite controversial videos sparking political firestorm in California campaign

‘CROSSES THE LINE’: NJ Republican Ciattarelli threatens to sue Sherrill over opioid claim

NO MORAL COURAGE: Spanberger excoriated online as a ‘coward’ for refusal to ditch ‘unhinged’ Jay Jones

TRANSGENDER TENSION: ‘Nude men in locker rooms’: Earle-Sears blasts Spanberger over transgender locker room stance in heated debate

ALARM BELLS: Top Insurance CEO in the hot seat after scathing ad campaign exposes China ties

NO ANSWER GIVEN: Spanberger refuses to urge Jay Jones to exit race, dodges questions after ‘two bullets’ texts

OLD DOMINION CLASH: Earle-Sears comes out swinging in heated debate as Spanberger dodges Jay Jones questions

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

President Donald Trump is in “excellent overall health,” the president’s doctor said in a memorandum after a follow-up evaluation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday. 

Earlier this week, the White House announced that Trump, 79, would undergo a “routine” semiannual physical on Friday. 

The president also met with troops while at the hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. 

TRUMP’S STAMINA IMPRESSES THE EXPERTS

“President Donald J. Trump successfully completed a scheduled follow-up evaluation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center,” Navy Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, the physician to the president, wrote in a memorandum to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. 

Barbabella said that the visit was part of an ongoing health maintenance plan that included “advanced imaging, laboratory testing and preventative health assessments conducted by multidisciplinary team of specialists.” 

He added, “Comprehensive laboratory studies performed in conjunction with the visit were exceptional, including stable metabolic, hematologic and cardiac parameters.”

In his summary, Barbabella said Trump, “remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.” 

Barbabella also said Trump also received updated COVID-19 and flu shots in preparation for international travel. 

DOCTORS REACT TO ALLEGED TRUMP HEALTH CONCERNS AS PHOTOS SHOWING SWELLING AND BRUISING

“President Trump continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,” he wrote, adding that his cardiac age was found to be “approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age. He continues to maintain a demanding daily schedule without restriction.” 

The medical checkup will be Trump’s second this year. He had a similar exam in April, during which his physician stated that he “remains in excellent health.”

In July, the president was diagnosed with a vein condition known as chronic venous insufficiency. At the time, Leavitt said Trump had noticed “mild swelling” in his lower legs and was evaluated by the White House medical unit.

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Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when veins in the legs struggle to allow blood to flow back up to the heart.

Leavitt attributed the bruising on the president’s hand to “frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”

GREENBELT, MD— A federal judge in Maryland on Friday vowed to issue an order “as soon as possible” in a case involving the legal status of Salvadorian migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia and the Trump administration’s plans to deport him from the U.S. to a third country within days — capping an extraordinary marathon hearing in his case that stretched for nearly seven hours — and has dominated headlines and federal court dockets for as many months.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis adjourned the court Friday evening with a promise to order on the matter as quickly as possible. Much of the hearing, however, was punctuated by incredulous objections from Xinis and frequent requests to “sidebar” with lawyers arguing both sides of the case. 

For Xinis, a judge who has presided over various iterations of Abrego’s civil case since March, the frequent pauses were a bit of an abberration, which she acknowledged. 

“I’ve always been a proponent of smooth jazz,” she quipped.

Certain portions of the day went far less smoothly. Xinis upbraided the Trump administration for its failure to produce a witness for the court to testify about what steps it had taken to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s deportation to a third country, describing the official who appeared on the stand as a witness “who knows less than nothing” about the case, and the countries they are considering removing him to. 

“This appears to be in direct contravention of the court,” she noted pointedly, shortly before adjourning for the day.

ABREGO GARCIA REMAINS IN US FOR NOW AS JUDGE TAKES CASE UNDER ADVISEMENT

Xinis had ordered the evidentiary hearing Monday, with the stated goal of evaluating a request from Abrego Garcia’s lawyers, that he be released from immigration detention pending further action in his case, and to question a Trump administration official with “first-hand” knowledge of the government’s efforts to facilitate his deportation to the third country of Eswatini, where Trump officials said they intend to send him.

Still, the hearing was much more notable for what it failed to produce than what it did. Judge Xinis struggled to clarify seemingly contradictory statements and testimony from Trump officials, including what countries agreed or did not agree to accept Abrego Garcia, and when.

Lawyers for the Trump administration acknowledged to Xinis that they had previously identified three African countries — Uganda, Ghana, and Eswatini— as suitable third country locations to deport Abrego Garcia, pending dissolution of her emergency order keeping him in the U.S. 

But they mistakenly represented the positions of both Ghana and Eswatini. As of this writing, none of the three governments mentioned agreed to accept Abrego Garcia. 

Xinis honed in on this detail Friday evening. 

“Now that we know Costa Rica is on the table, have there been any conversations about removing him [there]?” she asked Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign, who said that there had not been. 

“Why not?” Xinis pressed. “You don’t want him in the country — you’ve said that,” she said, referring more broadly to the views of the the Trump administration.  “You have a country that will take him. You have a plaintiff who says ‘I’ll go there.'”

That the government is still pressing for other nations to accept him, she said, is a notion that is a bit “hard to swallow.”

‘WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT’: US JUDGE REAMS TRUMP ADMIN FOR DAYS-LATE DEPORTATION INFO

Many of the crucial details emerged after hours of grueling questioning with John Schultz, the deputy assistant director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, whom the government produced as its witness.

Despite his 20 years of experience at DHS, he appeared to know little about the case in question. He failed to answer most of the questions Xinis asked about the government’s plans to deport Abrego Garcia — including basic questions on who within DHS’s ranks had been assigned to handle Abrego Garcia’s case, and the status of various requests for deportation and communications with the countries it had identified.

Asked if he had been involved at all in Abrego Garcia’s case prior to Tuesday, Schultz said only that he “looked into his case in March,” but could not recall “in what capacity.”

Trump officials also told Xinis during court Friday that Eswatini’s government had initially declined to accept Abrego Garcia, but that they are currently having “additional discussions” on the matter and had not reached consensus. 

Should Eswatini’s government agree to take Abrego Garcia, Trump officials said, they could facilitate a plane to transport him “within 72 hours,” pending Xinis’s dissolving of her court order requiring Abrego Garcia be kept in the continental U.S.

The other two countries, Uganda and Ghana, were much clearer in their denials. 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ASKS SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW EL SALVADOR DEPORTATION FLIGHT CASE

Ghana’s foreign minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, said on social media Friday morning that his country rejected the U.S. request to accept Abrego Garcia, something he said they “directly and unambiguously conveyed to U.S. authorities.”

Abrego Garcia’s lawyer, Andrew Rossman, pointed to the lack of assurances from the three African countries, including the two who have rejected his claim outright. 

The government’s goal, Rossman argued, has been to “to identify a series of countries that bear no connection to Abrego Garcia and that have not indicated any willingness to take him.” 

Rather, they argued, he should be sent to Costa Rica, the country DHS officials originally offered to send him to in coordination with a guilty plea in a separate criminal case in Nashville, where he was charged with two counts of smuggling.

Hours after he declined the plea offer, the government sent his lawyers a notice of removal to Uganda. Despite the language of the notice, Uganda’s government had not yet been asked to take Abrego Garcia, let alone agree to it. That detail was one of many unearthed, laboriously, over the course of many hours Friday.

Lawyers for Abrego Garcia, meanwhile, told the court he is “willing and able to board a plane immediately” to go to Costa Rica, if ICE agrees to send him there. 

His attorney, Andrew Rossman, argued that the court should order his release from immigration detention otherwise, arguing that “the government has not and is not currently detaining Mr. Abrego for purposes of effectuating his lawful removal,” but rather as a means of punishment.

The government of Costa Rica agreed to accept Abrego Garcia and outlined certain assurances it provided the U.S. in writing, including granting him refugee status there, and promises not to “refoul” him, or re-deport him to his home country of El Salvador, in keeping with an immigration judge’s 2019 court order.

100 DAYS OF INJUNCTIONS, TRIALS AND ‘TEFLON DON’: TRUMP SECOND TERM MEETS ITS BIGGEST TESTS IN COURT

 Xinis, for her part, appeared sympathetic to that view. 

She also expressed new frustration with the Trump administration’s lawyers, whom she noted had now twice failed to provide the court with a witness who could speak to Abrego Garcia’s case.

“Prior to Monday, what efforts did the government make to find a third country that would accept Abrego?” Xinis asked Trump administration officials at one point during the hearing. 

As they struggled to answer, she noted in response, “That’s very troubling to me.”

Lawyers for the Trump administration are free to appeal any order from Judge Xinis to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, as DOJ’s Ensign indicated they might do shortly before court adjourned. 

Xinis warned later on that the government, in her view, had little margin for error.

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“I’m trying really hard to give you the benefit of the doubt,” she told Ensign. But at this point, it’s “getting close to “three strikes, you’re out.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday announced that the Department of War (DOW) is establishing a new counter-narcotics Joint Task Force in the Caribbean Sea. 

Hegseth said the task force’s aim would be to “crush the cartels, stop the poison and keep America safe. The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold.”

The task force is launching at the direction of President Donald Trump, he said, in the SOUTHCOM area, which covers the Caribbean and Latin America. 

US STRIKES ANOTHER ALLEGED DRUG-TRAFFICKING BOAT NEAR VENEZUELA, KILLING 4

The U.S. Southern Command said in a release that the task force was being launched under the II Marine Expeditionary Force on Friday “to synchronize and augment counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere.”

“Transnational criminal organizations threaten the security, prosperity, and health of our hemisphere,” Admiral Alvin Holsey, the commander of SOUTHCOM, said in a statement. “By forming a JTF around II MEF headquarters, we enhance our ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle illicit trafficking networks faster and at greater depth – together with our U.S. and partner-nation counterparts.”

TRUMP ORDERS ‘LETHAL KINETIC STRIKE’ ON DRUG TRAFFICKING BOAT IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS, THREE KILLED

This comes as the administration has begun strikes against boats in the Caribbean it says are linked to drug trafficking networks.

The administration has conducted a series of fatal strikes against four small boats believed to be carrying drugs over the last few months.

It said 21 people were killed in the strikes.  

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The attacks have alarmed Democratic lawmakers because the administration hasn’t detailed what evidence it had against the targeted boats or their passengers. 

Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills appeared to announce the launch of her campaign for the Senate on X on Friday, but then quickly deleted the post. 

In a since-deleted announcement video, the 77-year-old Maine governor asked, “Folks, do you want Democrats to take back the Senate? Well, I’m Gov. Janet Mills, and I’m running to flip Maine’s Senate seat blue.”

In the video, Mills took aim at incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, saying she has “sold out Maine and bowed down to special interests and to Donald Trump, but that ends now.”

SUSAN COLLINS FIRES BACK AT SCHUMER-LINKED PAC ADS ACCUSING HER OF STOCK ‘GREED’

The video directed supporters to donate to an ActBlue page that has also since been deleted.

On the donation page, Mills touted her bona fides, saying, “I’ve spent my career standing up for Maine families as prosecutor, Attorney General, and Governor. I’ve taken on Big Pharma, expanded health care access, and took Donald Trump to court – and won.”

After the posts were deleted, reactions started to flood in online.

“In a now deleted tweet at 4:30pm on a Friday before a holiday weekend, Janet Mills confirms she is in fact running for Senate … Some poor digital staffer is about to get fired!” posted National Republican Senatorial Committee staffer Joanna Rodriguez.

A progressive political commentator named Jack Cocchiarella commented, “If you thought democratic politics was missing geriatric candidates with no charisma, wait until you meet 77 year old Janet Mills Chuck Schumer’s pick for Senate. She posted this launch video today then deleted it after two hours.”

Mills’ announcement has been long anticipated. She is seen as the favored candidate by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The top Democrat in the Senate urged Mills to run and sees her as the best candidate to defeat Collins, the only Republican senator up for re-election next year in a state the Democrats carried in the presidential election. A Collins defeat would be essential for the Democrats to have any chance of winning back the Senate majority.

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But before she reaches the general election, Mills first has to navigate a likely competitive and divisive primary among a crowded field of contenders that includes a much younger rising star on the left who’s backed by longtime progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Mills, a former elected county district attorney and former state lawmaker, made history serving as Maine’s first female attorney general.

She later won election in 2018 as Maine’s first female governor, and, in 2022, she comfortably defeated former Republican Gov. Paul LePage by double digits to win re-election. 

While she will be considered the frontrunner for the Democratic Senate nomination, thanks in part to her vast name recognition in blue-leaning Maine, she could face a serious challenge from 41-year-old Graham Platner, a U.S. Marine, Army veteran and oyster farmer who launched his campaign in August.

Platner, who hauled in over $3 million in fundraising during the first six weeks after declaring his candidacy, is backed by Sanders, the two-time Democratic presidential nomination runner-up, who recently stopped in Maine to headline a campaign rally.

In a warning to Mills, Sanders said on social media last week that “Graham Platner is a great working class candidate for Senate in Maine who will defeat Susan Collins.”

FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS

“It’s disappointing that some Democratic leaders are urging Governor Mills to run. We need to focus on winning that seat & not waste millions on an unnecessary & divisive primary,” Sanders added.

Other candidates vying for the Democratic Senate nomination include Dan Kleban, a co-founder of the Maine Beer Co., and former congressional staffer Jordan Wood, who raked in roughly $3 million during the July-September third quarter of fundraising.

Phil Rench, a former senior engineer for Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is running as an independent candidate.

Collins first won election to the Senate in 1996 and won comfortable double-digit re-elections in 2002, 2008 and 2014.

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She chairs the influential Senate Appropriations Committee.

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In her 2020 re-election, Collins faced off against Democratic State House Speaker Sara Gideon in a hotly contested race that became the most expensive in Maine history. While polls indicated Collins trailing her Democratic challenger, she ended up winning the election by more than eight points.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

New York Attorney General Letitia James faced an avalanche of criticism on social media Thursday following news she was indicted for mortgage fraud as many conservatives brought up past tweets of her taunting then presidential candidate Donald Trump for being indicted.

“Roses are red. Violets are blue. No one is above the law. Even when you think the rules don’t apply to you. Happy Valentine’s Day!” James posted on X in February 2024, days before Trump was barred from operating his business in New York for three years and was found liable for more than $350 million in damages in the civil fraud case brought against him, his family and the Trump Organization by James.

The trial was labeled by Trump and many conservatives as politically motivated, and on Wednesday, James herself was indicted for alleged mortgage fraud, prompting conservatives to mock the attorney general over her previous claims on social media that “no one is above the law.”

“This aged perfectly,” conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted on X. 

NEW YORK AG LETITIA JAMES’ INDICTMENT SPARKS SHARP PARTISAN DIVIDE

“If you didn’t complain about this blatant politicization and mocking of the justice system, then please spare me your complaints today,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. 

“Life comes at you fast,” meteorologist Chris Martz posted on X. 

“Roses are red. Violets are blue. If you commit mortgage fraud, a grand-jury will indict you!” Former GOP county executive candidate Chrissy Casilio posted on X. 

ANDERSON COOPER SAYS IT WAS ‘NOT A GREAT LOOK’ FOR LETITIA JAMES TO THREATEN TO SUE TRUMP AFTER HER ELECTION

“According to the indictment, Tish James claimed this was a second residence, as opposed to an income property,” GOP Rep. Mike Lawler posted on X. “If true, then it would seem based on her own tweets, she believes that is a prosecutable offense as it resulted in a more favorable loan.”

“I totally agree!” Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz posted on X in response to a past James post. “No one is above the law!”

“No one is above the law and that includes NY’s criminal and failed attorney general Tish James – the most corrupt AG in the nation,” GOP Congresswoman Elise Stefanik posted on X.

“No one is above the law!” Outkick founder Clay Travis posted on X.

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A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted James on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan said James faces up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count and forfeiture if she’s convicted.

“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan said. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

In a statement, James said the charges were part of Trump’s effort to impose “political retribution at any cost.”

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
 

Patriotism is taking the spotlight at the Kennedy Center in the nation’s capital. 

The National Symphony Orchestra will kick off every show in its 2025–2026 season by performing the national anthem in honor of America’s 250th birthday, Fox News Digital learned.

“The National Symphony should be playing the national anthem,” Ambassador Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center’s president, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

KENNEDY CENTER BOARD MEMBER SAYS FAMILIES ARE ‘WELCOME’ AGAIN AS GALA BREAKS FUNDRAISING RECORDS

The new tradition for the season follows the Kennedy Center’s celebration of the National Symphony Orchestra’s 95th anniversary with a gala in September, which featured music Director Gianandrea Noseda and works by famed composers Aaron Copland and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The event raised $3.45 million, breaking an all-time fundraising record, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

While the National Symphony Orchestra’s performance highlights American pride, the Kennedy Center also is expanding its reach through another mission of honoring those who’ve served.

KENNEDY CENTER’S PRO-FAITH SHIFT REFLECTS A ‘NEW DAY IN AMERICA,’ CONSERVATIVE LEADERS SAY

Through its partnership with Vet Tix — a massive U.S. veteran-focused nonprofit that provides free tickets to live events for vets and their families — more than 2,000 tickets valued at more than $100,000 were donated to veterans, the Kennedy Center said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.

“We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” Michael A. Focareto III, founder and CEO of Vet Tix and a U.S. Navy veteran, said in the statement. “Their generosity allows countless veterans, service members and their families in the Capital Region to experience amazing performing arts productions and create memories that will last a lifetime.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS APPROVE RENAMING THE KENNEDY CENTER OPERA HOUSE AFTER MELANIA TRUMP

More than 100 veterans and their families attended “The Sound of Music” in September, for example, while Grenell also donated tickets in his box to Gold Star Families, which are the immediate family members of U.S. service members who have died in the line of duty, Fox Digital learned.

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“We’re committed to creating opportunities for everyone to experience the power of the performing arts, especially those who have served our great nation,” Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations at the Kennedy Center, said in the statement.

Fox News Digital’s Cortney O’Brien contributed to this report.

A former NCAA swim captain from Virginia who has alleged retaliation by university officials after objecting to a transgender student joining her team said she is “100%” concerned about the results of the upcoming statewide elections and the impact they could have on women in sports.

Former Roanoke College swimmer Lily Mullens spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of Virginia’s upcoming elections about her experience raising concerns with her college about a transgender classmate, who was born a biological male, joining the school’s female collegiate swim team. 

The concerns about the matter fell on deaf ears and were brushed aside by college administrators, Mullens said, but she noted that Republican officials in the state came to her and her teammates’ defense.

‘NUDE MEN IN LOCKER ROOMS’: EARLE-SEARS BLASTS SPANBERGER OVER TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM STANCE IN HEATED DEBATE

“Gov. Youngkin had reached out to the captains and I personally and asked how we were and how things kind of played out. And that was such a huge thing, because not even the president of my school was able to do so,” Mullens told Fox News Digital. “Seeing somebody who’s the leader of an entire state do that and then not have my school president, who’s only overseeing 2,000 people … it’s hard to describe. I was so shocked, and I was grateful at the same time.”

The state of Virginia is gearing up for several consequential statewide elections later this year, including a race for the governor’s seat and for attorney general. Incumbent Gov. Glenn Youngkin has reached his term limit, so Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears was handed the baton to keep the governor’s mansion Republican. 

She is facing off against former Rep. Abigail Spanberger. 

Current Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is also up for re-election and is being challenged by Democrat Jay Jones, who is dealing with the fallout from resurfaced text messages showing him wishing death upon a Republican colleague.

Earlier this year, Miyares said he found reasonable cause to determine that Roanoke College discriminated against Mullens and her teammates on the basis of sex and retaliated after the girls spoke up. It was a finding the college subsequently contested, calling the allegations “unsubstantiated” in a press release the school put out at the time and sent to Fox News Digital.

The issue stemmed from a transgender student who previously swam on the school’s all-male swim team but wanted to switch to the all-female team following hormone therapy and other transitioning measures in the fall of 2023.

A meeting of the swim team and its members to discuss the new swimmer’s upcoming participation was one moment Mullens saw firsthand that her college’s administrators were unlikely to support her objections.

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“The purpose of the meeting was to bring us all together with this individual to, in a way, hash out whatever feelings or opinions we had to the individual with administrators in the room,” Mullens recalled to Fox News Digital in August. 

“At one point, it was discussed that this individual, without the transition, had thought about and gone through with planning a suicide. So, that was something that was told to all of us.”   

Mullens, who described herself as a religious person, said she and her teammates’ first reaction was confusion after the swimmer shared specific details about a suicide plan. 

“All of us felt emotionally confused. We didn’t know what to do,” Mullens previously shared with Fox News Digital.

Meanwhile, school administrators present at the meeting “didn’t say anything,” according to Mullens recollection of the event. And on-campus mental health professionals were never notified about the situation until after Mullens and others went public with the matter in a press conference. Following the press conference, Mullens and her teammates were denied opportunities to study abroad in locations of their choice despite good academic performance and a history of extensive extracurricular activities, according to Miyares’ findings. 

Mullens told Fox News Digital the explanations she and other swimmers got for their denials only added confusion to the whole matter even further. 

“Basically, it said, ‘Not only is the professor responsible for the student’s academics, but also for their behavior,'” Mullens said. “I had no idea what that means. I’ve never had any sort of disciplinary action to me.” 

CAN JAY JONES BE REPLACED? DEMOCRATS’ DEFENSE OF SCANDAL-PLAGUED CANDIDATE DRAWS QUESTIONS

In additional conversations with Fox News Digital leading up to Virginia’s November elections, Mullens said she felt like the college simply brushed aside all of her concerns, while taking actions that suggested support for the transgender swimmer.  

“Every single email that was sent in response to us Roanoke girls speaking out — I remember our original press conference, as well as when we spoke at the Trump rally in Salem that he had last year — our president sent out emails where he said, ‘We love and support our LGBTQ students.’ So, it was like, ‘Well, if you preach inclusion and diversity that includes of ideals.’ So, when people kind of brush over that and then don’t say anything else about it, it’s so hypocritical to me and I don’t … I’ve never understood how we can have one without the other.

“We need leaders who are able to say, ‘Absolutely not, we’re just not going to let this happen,'” Mullens said.

Approximately a week ago, Youngkin issued Executive Directive 14, which directed the state board of health to begin drafting new policies requiring private spaces, such as locker rooms and bathrooms, and for sports teams to remain separated by students’ gender assigned at birth. 

Mullens said she feared that, just like a new president could overturn President Donald Trump’s plethora of executive orders, a new Democratic governor could do the same in her state. During a gubernatorial debate Thursday night, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Democratic Party candidate, would not answer definitively whether she would rescind Youngkin’s Executive Directive 14, but she did say she does not believe politicians should be determining rules for school districts. 

Her GOP opponent, Earle-Sears, unequivocally said she would not rescind the directive.

Mullens also expressed concern in her interview about the upcoming attorney general race in the state, pitting Miyares and Jones against each other. Recently, Jones came under fire after text messages from 2022 surfaced of him saying then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert should get “two bullets to the head.” 

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“I think it’s insane that somebody who is wanting to be the top person when it comes to the law in the state can say that there’s people he wishes death upon and things like that. That could very well turn into me. It could turn into my teammates,” Mullens said. “The top of the law in a state should be somebody who you know is going to defend every single citizen, no matter what.”

Mullens, meanwhile, called Miyares “instrumental” in supporting her and her teammates, including through helping get their story out to the broader public. 

“We were bullied. I mean, I have death threats that came into my direct messages on my personal social media accounts. I have anonymous messages that were sent to me by people who I could have been sitting next to in class, and it’s stuff like that that is so hard to deal with,” Mullens said. 

“When Attorney General Miyares came out and said, ‘Look, we’re going to investigate what the school did to these girls,’ we were just so grateful.”

EXCLUSIVE: During a time of surging political polarization across the country, Bill McBride, who is retiring from his role as executive director of the National Governors Association, gave an insider’s perspective on how the bulwark of bipartisan cooperation operates to solve national crises.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, McBride discussed his role working with both Republican and Democratic governors to lead the 117-year-old organization through some of the most tumultuous periods in recent U.S. history, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under his leadership, the NGA achieved record participation from all 50 states and the five inhabited U.S. territories. He has led the NGA alongside four different governors who served as chairmen: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat; Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican; Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat; and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican. He has advanced several bipartisan policy initiatives that have had a national impact.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY TENSIONS SEEP INTO BIPARTISAN GROUP AS GOVERNORS RESISTING TRUMP’S AGENDA RECONSIDER DUES

He explained that while politicians in Congress can get mired in political games – as evidenced by the government shutdown – governors are under tremendous pressure to get things done. The pressure to perform often helps them to focus on solutions rather than politics.

“Executives have to produce, and you have to make rapid decisions, because if you don’t, things just don’t get done.”

According to McBride, the NGA has thrived in some of the most difficult circumstances. He said that the pandemic was a real turning point for bringing governors of both parties to the table to discuss difficult problems. During that time, the NGA convened governors weekly to coordinate strategy, share data, and engage directly with federal agencies.

“I think we did something like 67 weeks of those calls. And we get 40 to 45 governors on those calls. And looking back on it, we covered everything. You know, it started with what is the pandemic? You know what caused this virus? Then we talked about vaccines and getting vaccines and testing equipment and supplies and just all the challenges that the governors were facing,” he said. “It really brought the group very close together. And it wasn’t just the weekly calls we were having, because then they started calling each other individually and trading information. So, it was a huge resource for the governors.”

INCOMING NGA CHAIR ‘DISAPPOINTED’ IN DEM GOVERNORS ‘PLAYING POLITICS’ IN BIPARTISAN GROUP

McBride lamented that this type of bipartisanship has become increasingly rare outside of groups like the NGA.

“I think we’ve gotten to a point where people are locked in different camps and they’re not willing to reach across the aisle and to talk to somebody else, because maybe out of fear, maybe out stubbornness, but I think you can actually learn a lot from reaching across the aisle and getting different opinions from different people before you form your own opinions,” he explained.

The NGA was founded as the Conference of Governors in 1908 at the call of President Theodore Roosevelt. McBride explained that by staying out of politics, the NGA has been able to keep its focus on helping governors find practical policy solutions to problems that every state experiences.

“Governors are executives and have to get things done,” he explained. “We deal with everything from energy, education, infrastructure, homeland security, cyber security. I could go on and on. And we have teams that work on those policy issues and work with governors’ offices to help them create policy solutions.”

“We’re really a policy-driven organization, but another thing that’s very important is we’re bipartisan, we’re not a political organization. We don’t get involved in political campaigns,” he went on.

“I have found it fascinating in the time that I’ve been here, when you see the governors together from both political parties, how they get along with each other,” he noted. “Granted, they have philosophical differences on things, but they’re all executives running states facing similar problems, and they learn from each other, and they spend time with each other and share ideas.”

NEW NGA CHAIR SAYS AMERICA IS ‘EXCEPTIONAL’ IN PUSH TO REVIVE A FADING DREAM

He likened the NGA’s mission to an initiative launched by Cox when he was chair called “Disagree Better.” He shared that he believes this initiative helped prepare Cox to respond so well to the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

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“Disagree Better was modeled on the idea that we can disagree with each other, but we don’t have to hate each other,” he said. “Governor Cox did a tremendous job on that, and I have to say, I think it really helped prepare him for the situation he encountered in Utah with the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk.”

“We have seen Governor Cox step up to the moment and talk about this issue of how we can disagree with each other, but we don’t have to resort to violence,” he said. “Governors can take a lead on that, and I think they have.”