NationalWatch

The White House is seeking additional security funds from Congress for the executive and judicial branches as it navigates the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Fox News Digital has learned. 

The White House has requested an additional $58 million in security funding for the executive and judicial branches from Congress, a spokesperson for the White House’s Office of Management and Budget confirmed Monday to Fox News Digital. 

The additional security funds would be added to a continuing resolution, the spokesperson said. A temporary spending bill will need to pass by the end of the month to keep the government open — or else the government could face a shutdown Sept. 30 when funds expire. 

SECRET SERVICE UNDER PRESSURE: WHAT KIRK’S ASSASSINATION MEANS FOR TRUMP’S SECURITY

Punchbowl News was the first to report the security funding request. Additional details on the funds were not immediately available. 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Kirk, 31, was killed after he was shot in the neck during a stop on his American Comeback Tour Wednesday at Utah Valley University. The assassination comes roughly a year after two attempts to take President Donald Trump’s life.

In July 2024, 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on Trump from a rooftop during a campaign rally. One of the eight bullets shot sliced Trump’s ear. 

The gunman also shot and killed Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter, father and husband attending the rally, and injured two others. 

Likewise, Ryan Routh was apprehended and charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024. Routh is currently on trial after being charged with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, among other things. 

CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION ROCKS CAPITOL HILL, HEIGHTENS LAWMAKERS’ SECURITY FEARS

Nicholas John Roske, 29, pleaded guilty in April to attempting to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June 2022, according to the Justice Department. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. Secret Service is ushering in a series of changes in response to the assassination attempts against the president, and already is operating at an incredibly heightened state as a result, according to former agents. 

“The Secret Service now has to play at a level of enhanced security that they’ve never dreamed of before. I think (Secret Service Director Sean Curran) is doing a good job in leading that effort,” Tim Miller, who served as a Secret Service agent during Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton’s administrations, told Fox News Digital Thursday. “But here’s the bad news for the Secret Service: They don’t have time. This threat is now. Can you imagine — they already shot our president once. Can you imagine if they’re able to kill him?”

SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING

Immediate changes to the agency following the Butler, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt included expanding the use of drones for surveillance purposes and introducing greater counter-drone technology to mitigate kinetic attacks, former Secret Service acting Director Ronald Rowe told lawmakers in December 2024. 

The Secret Service extended its condolences to the Kirk family, but declined to comment on any specific changes to Trump’s security detail following Kirk’s death. 

“The safety and security of our protectees is the U.S. Secret Service’s top priority,” a Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “President Trump receives the highest levels of U.S. Secret Service protection and the agency adjusts our protective posture as needed to mitigate evolving threats.  Out of concern for operational security, we cannot discuss the means and methods used for our protective operations.”

After the deadly shooting of Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox has been thrust into the national spotlight. 

The Republican has since been front and center as officials investigate suspect Tyler Robinson and other aspects of the case, which also has brought renewed attention to an effort Cox has led to convince Americans to “disagree better.”

Like Kirk, who traveled college campuses inviting liberal students to “prove me wrong,” Cox’s effort to make America “disagree better” has put the governor’s work in a unique light given the tragic events.

“Disagree Better” was started by Cox when he was the chair of the National Governors Association from July 2023 to July 2024. 

CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER THE LATEST IN INCREASING POLITICAL VIOLENCE NATIONWIDE, FROM PA GOVERNOR TO SCOTUS

The initiative reflected the National Governors Association’s bipartisan mission of “encouraging healthier dialogue and reducing political polarization,” an association spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

When he ran for governor in 2020, Cox made national headlines for appearing with Democratic nominee Professor Christopher Peterson in a joint ad calling on Utahns to “debate issues without degrading each other’s character,” in the latter’s words.

“We can disagree without hating each other,” Cox added.

When the ad went viral, Cox said he could feel his “faith in the American idea start to rekindle,” according to the Deseret News.

Cox joined current National Governors Association Vice Chair Wes Moore of Maryland for a “disagree better” event in 2024 that earned praise from then-President Joe Biden.

“I appreciate Governor Cox’s effort to make the mission of the NGA to get those of us who disagree with one another to listen to one another, to treat one another with a sense of dignity and respect,” Biden said at the time.

CHARLIE KIRK MURDER SPURS FIRST-IN-THE-NATION STATE POLITICAL VIOLENCE HATE-CRIME LEGISLATION

Cox spent much of his term as National Governors Association chair pushing the “Disagree Better” message, and as governor he echoed that mindset in his viral PSA with Peterson.

Other figures in the “Disagree Better” independent nonprofit include officials from the American Enterprise Institute, Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, former judges and at least 23 governors from both parties.

“We’re working with celebrities, athletes, musicians, public figures, influencers, and political leaders to show what respectful disagreement looks like in action,” a statement on its website said.

“What started as one governor’s nonpartisan rallying cry has grown into something much bigger.”

After the first assassination attempt on the life of President Donald Trump in July 2024, Cox told Fox News’ Salt Lake City affiliate that the then-GOP nominee had the chance to unify and “save our country,” given the harrowing experience in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Cox remarked that he also doesn’t think he’s important enough to force any change in presidential discourse, adding, “that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.”

At the time, Cox said Trump had a chance to “unify and save our country” after surviving the attempt on his life.

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In a podcast with then-National Governors Association Vice Chair Jared Polis of Colorado, Cox said he never changed his mind, and doesn’t believe others should, when he is subjected to personal attacks or “told ‘you’re a terrible human being’.”

“The way you actually influence people and persuade people, and I still believe in persuasion, is by treating them with dignity and respect,” he said.

Polis, who is also listed as an officer of Disagree Better — which did not immediately have public contact information — said it is important to be curious and ask questions.

“It doesn’t mean you’re going to agree, nor does it mean that either side should feel any pressure to agree. But at the very least, you’ll validate the humanity of those you disagree with,” the Democrat said.

In a similar way, Kirk aimed to civilly discuss pressing and at times sensitive political issues with willing students.

Videos of his past campus visits show him responding to multiple instances of vitriol or at-times pointed language with a straight face and calm demeanor, echoing Cox’s own advice.

Fox News Digital reached out to Cox for further comment. The Disagree Better organization could not be reached.

President Donald Trump announced the U.S. military has carried out a second strike on Venezuelan cartels as the administration continues its crackdown.

Trump shared a video of what he called a second Kinetics Strike which resulted in the death of three male terrorists.  

MADURO CLAIMS US SEEKS ‘REGIME CHANGE THROUGH MILITARY THREAT’ AMID CARIBBEAN BUILDUP

Posting on Truth Social Trump said:

“This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S. These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests. The Strike resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action. No U.S. Forces were harmed in this Strike. BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU! The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!”

HEGSETH ISSUES STARK WARNING TO DRUG TRAFFICKERS FOLLOWING US MILITARY STRIKE ON VENEZUELAN VESSEL

This is a developing story.

The assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is having a heightened impact on the young people of Arizona, where his organization is headquartered.

The location of TPUSA’s headquarters, as well as its political arm, Turning Point Action, has resulted in the group playing an outsized role in the Grand Canyon State, which was considered hotly competitive in 2024.

A Fox News voter analysis found that 48% of people aged 18-29 voted for President Donald Trump in Arizona, with former Vice President Kamala Harris only narrowly winning the demographic with 51%. Overall, Trump won the state with over 52% of the vote. 

TURNING POINT USA SAYS CAMPUS CHAPTER REQUESTS SURGE TO OVER 32,000 AFTER KIRK’S ASSASSINATION

The state also has multiple large universities, including Arizona State University, the University of Arizona in Tucson, Northern Arizona University, and Grand Canyon University, a private Christian institution in west Phoenix.

Arizona State University’s College Republicans and TPUSA are hosting a large vigil for Kirk on Monday night. A source familiar with the event told Fox News Digital that it already has thousands of people registered to attend. 

Jordan Oveson and Chandler Buchanan, both 23 years old, told Fox News Digital outside the Hansen Mortuary Chapel in Phoenix, where Kirk’s body is being held, on Saturday that Kirk had a major impact on Generation Z.

“He really meant a lot to me, helping younger people find their voices and talking about faith and politics. And I feel like a lot of young people have a hard time figuring out what they believe in, and I feel like Charlie Kirk really helped a lot of people, and especially younger people, realize and find what they believe in and find their voices for that,” Buchanan said.

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

“I didn’t know too much about him until he came to Grand Canyon University last year and spoke to all of us, and I heard things that he was saying like that he brings all of this through God and through his faith. And I do come from a Christian college, so I already believed in that, but it made me look deeper into what we are as people and our freedom, and he shed a good light on that,” Oveson said.

Buchanan said the tragedy could “bring a lot of people closer to God, and it’s gonna help a lot of people find what they truly believe in.”

TPUSA has seen 37,000 new chapter requests since the Wednesday shooting, and the group already has roughly 900 college and 1,200 high school chapters. There’s also an increase in job and volunteer applications. 

“I have personally received hundreds of offers to work for us, or to work for free, or to just help however,” TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet told Fox News Digital.

ANTI-TRUMP VOICES PRAISE CHARLIE KIRK’S LEGACY AFTER ASSASSINATION, SAY HE WAS DOING POLITICS ‘THE RIGHT WAY’

Kirk’s celebration of life is scheduled for Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and Trump said he is planning to attend. Hotels immediately around the stadium have already sold out for the weekend of the event. 

His wife, Erika Kirk, in her first public remarks since her husband’s assassination, called on people to get involved in the Christian faith by joining a “Bible-believing church” and to get involved in Turning Point USA as a way to honor the slain activist’s legacy.

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“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” she said. “It won’t. I refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name. And I will make sure of it. It will become stronger. Bolder. Louder and greater than ever. My husband’s mission will not end. Not even for a moment.”

Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican is demanding that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., be stripped of her committee assignments, accusing her of making disparaging comments toward Charlie Kirk after his assassination last week.

Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., is introducing a resolution on Monday to remove Omar from her two current committees: the House Budget Committee and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

She is the top Democrat on the latter panel’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

It’s part of the continued fallout from Kirk’s killing in Utah during a college speaking event.

GOP GOVERNOR NOMINEE PUSHES REDISTRICTING TO OUST STATE’S LONE HOUSE DEM

Republicans have responded forcefully to Democrats who they view as taking Kirk’s death lightly or dismissing it as a product of his conservative activism.

Omar, in particular, has faced backlash from the right over an interview with progressive news outlet Zeteo, where she criticized Kirk’s past commentary and Republicans’ reaction to the shooting. She accused Republicans of taking her words out of context, however, and she called Kirk’s death “mortifying.”

She told the outlet days after Kirk’s assassination that he previously “downplayed slavery and what Black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth shouldn’t exist.”

“There are a lot of people who are out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate,” the “Squad” member said. “There is nothing more effed up, you know, like, than to completely pretend that, you know, his words and actions have not been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.”

She criticized Republican figures who have been going after Democrats for their rhetoric, adding, “These people are full of s—. And it’s important for us to call them out while we feel anger and sadness, and have, you know, empathy, which Charlie said, ‘No, it shouldn’t exist,’ because that’s a newly created word or something.”

“Like, I have empathy for his kids and his wife and what they’re going through,” Omar continued.

SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING

She later posted on X amid the backlash, “While I disagreed with Charlie Kirk vehemently about his rhetoric, my heart breaks for his wife and children. I don’t wish violence on anyone. My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy, and compassion. Right-wing accounts trying to spin a false story when I condemned his murder multiple times is fitting for their agenda to villainize the left to hide from the fact that Donald Trump gins up hate on a daily basis.”

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Carter told Fox News Digital, however, “Disparaging Charlie Kirk’s legacy, a God-fearing, honorable man, for boldly sharing his conservative beliefs is disgusting. The radical left has normalized meeting free speech with violence, and it must stop.”

“No one who justifies the assassination of someone with different political views than them deserves to sit on a committee, and Ilhan Omar openly used language that incites violence toward her political opponents. Committees are for serious lawmakers, not hate-spewing politicians,” he said.

Carter, who is currently running for U.S. Senate, sits on the House Budget Committee alongside Omar.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Minnesota progressive’s office for comment but did not hear back by press time.

Army Col. Scott Stephens has been suspended from official duties after social media posts purportedly belonging to him celebrated the killing of Charlie Kirk, the Army told Fox News Digital. 

An Army spokesperson confirmed Stephens’ suspension and said there is an investigation underway into his conduct. Stephens could not be reached for comment by publication time.  

“The death of Charlie Kirk in Utah was tragic. However, we can take comfort in the fact that Charlie was doing what he loved best — spreading hate, racism, homophobia, misogyny, and transphobia on college campuses,” one post read. 

CHARLIE KIRK’S FRIEND URGES MOURNERS TO ‘GO BACK TO CHURCH’ FOLLOWING ACTIVIST’S KILLING

“I would offer empathy, but Charlie hated empathy. As we have been told in the wake of so many other tragedies, we have to move on. We can’t make this political.” 

The colonel, who was once commander of 1st Battalion, 4th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade, has fashioned himself as an anti-sexual assault crusader in the Army. 

In 2021, he told Task & Purpose he had long been part of the problem with sexual assault and its cover-ups in the Army. 

PENTAGON ANNOUNCES ‘ZERO TOLERANCE’ FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL MOCKING CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION

“I’ve been guilty my whole life,” he said.  “And I’d say within the last couple of years I’ve sort of come to terms with that. And I have personally chosen … to take this on in my latter years and try to be vocal … and try to drag some of my peers along.” 

“I don’t think that I know a single woman in the Army who has not been harassed,” Stephens said. “And I would be pretty hard-pressed to find a woman that I personally know that hasn’t been assaulted. And it’s devastating. These are my teammates. These are my sisters.” 

The Pentagon announced last week it was tracking and “would address” active-duty personnel who had made public comments celebrating Kirk’s death. 

“It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American. The Department of War has zero tolerance for it,” Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs, chief Pentagon spokesman and senior advisor, declared in a post on X.

STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS IT WILL REVOKE VISAS OF FOREIGNERS WHO ‘GLORIFY VIOLENCE’ AFTER KIRK SHOOTING

“We are tracking all these very closely — and will address immediately. Completely unacceptable,” Secretary Pete Hegseth added, sharing Parnell’s post.

On Saturday Army Reserves Maj. Bryan Bintliff, who went by “Bryan Harlow” on social media, was suspended after he allegedly wrote several posts cheering on the killing, the Daily Caller first reported. 

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“A monster died today,” one post read. “It’s sad Charlie’s kids are traumatized for life, but it’s not a sad thing that he’s dead.”

“Zero tolerance at the Department of War for those who celebrate or mock the assassination of fellow Americans,” Parnell wrote on X, confirming the suspension. 

KNOB NOSTER, MO – Details from the longest large-scale B-2 bombing mission in history are only now coming into focus, as Fox News Digital gained rare access to Whiteman Air Force Base and the commanders who led Operation Midnight Hammer, striking Iran. 

In interviews on base, Col. Josh Wiitala and his crews described how 4,000 personnel worked in secrecy to send seven stealth bombers on a 30-hour mission into Iranian airspace — the first time America’s 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator was used in combat. They called the raid a flawless performance and offered vivid accounts of the strain, training and coordination required to pull it off.

“We have a low observable culture — everybody’s working in secrecy to carry out the mission,” Wiitala told Fox News Digital, speaking publicly for the first time since the June strikes. “It was the entire team working together leveraging the lessons from years of exercises.”

While thousands supported the mission through maintenance, munitions, operations and medics, 14 of the “several dozen” pilots trained on the B-2 stealth bomber ultimately traveled to enemy territory to drop the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on Iran’s nuclear sites.

EXPERTS GAUGE SUCCESS OF ‘BUNKER BUSTER’ BOMBS DROPPED BY US ON IRAN NUCLEAR SITES

In deciding who went, Wiitala said he prioritized experience over everything else. “This team had flown Red Flag after Red Flag, major exercise after major exercise,” he said. “I was watching the crews prepare, I was just thinking about how many repetitions they’d had, how long they’d trained for this. And it was a very seasoned crew.”

The colonel would not discuss specifics such as how much notice the crew was given, whether electronic warfare or other countermeasures were used, or measurable evidence for why commanders believed the bombs hit their intended targets. Those details remain classified, leaving outsiders to rely on satellite imagery and independent assessments for verification.

Wiitala said the team that was selected was “fired up” to carry out the mission. “What I told them is, ‘I think this will be remembered as one of the most consequential raids of our lifetime.’ They absolutely understood the historic nature of the mission.”

Pilots came home from the 30-hour mission “completely exhausted,” according to Wiitala — it was the longest mission for a large-scale bombing attack with seven planes. Each aircraft had two pilots, and they took turns resting for 45 minutes to an hour at a time, particularly in between complex aerial refuelings. Some carted cases of energy drinks on board to stay alert.

The longest combat mission for any airplane was 44.3 hours, when pilots struck al-Qaeda and Taliban targets after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Rest periods consist of trying to get horizontal on the small patch of metal floor behind the pilot’s seats.

OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER: HISTORIC B-2 BOMBER MISSION FLEW FROM MISSOURI TO STRIKE IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES

The aerial refueling, according to Wiitala, “is the hardest stick and rudder, hand-flying piece of what we do.” The process consists of aligning as close as 10 feet below a KC-135, KC-10, or KC-46 tanker, where a hose and nozzle at the bottom of the plane attach to a fuel opening at the top of the B-2. The B-2 must fly parallel below the KC tanker for 15–30 minutes to take on a fuel load of up to 167,000 pounds.

Wiitala said the “biggest moment” of his 22-year career in the Air Force was when the pilots made it back safely. “When I knew the crews were safe, when I knew that they were in friendly airspace and they were safe. That was the biggest thing for me. In terms of mission success, it was 14 weapons on target. Again, it was just flawless performance. So I was incredibly proud of how they executed, incredibly proud of the whole, you know, all 4,000 people here across our hundreds of specialties supporting this mission and making it work.”

The B-2 is the only long-range stealth aircraft that can carry the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. But the $2 billion plane is aging: 20 of them have been in operation for close to 30 years. Combined with rapidly evolving air defenses — drone swarms, long-range surface-to-air missiles, and sensors — the B-2 was built for an earlier generation of air combat.

“We’re constantly evolving how we employ the airplane,” said Wiitala. “It’s still a very effective aircraft, but the B-21 is the next step.”

The B-21 is expected to be more cost-effective, under $1 billion per plane, and the Air Force plans to buy 175–200 of them.

The MOPs are stored on base along with 500-pound and 2,000-pound bombs. They are maintained to be ready for use at a moment’s notice. Weapons loaders train for 21 days to become certified in maintaining and loading the 30,000-pound bombs, which lock into the body of the plane at two steel touchpoints, according to Chief Master Sgt. Frank Espinoza, 509th Maintenance Group wing weapons manager.

Those who handle the weapons train every month on loading the ordnance for flight missions. When dropped, the weapons penetrate deep into the ground before exploding. Iran’s underground bunkers were the first-ever combat targets for the weapons.

Fifteen years of testing and multiple iterations led to the combat-ready version of the MOP. The finalized version has now been tested for “several years,” according to Espinoza.

The bombs were dropped on targets across two Iranian nuclear facilities: 12 MOPs were dropped on the Fordow uranium enrichment plant, buried under 300 feet of rock, and two on the Natanz nuclear facility. Israeli airstrikes took out Iran’s air defenses, creating a ripe opportunity for U.S. bombers to enter Iranian airspace at relatively lower risk.

A recent assessment from nuclear weapons expert David Albright and a team of researchers analyzing data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found that after U.S. strikes, Iran has no path to produce weapons-grade uranium at any of its known centrifuge plants “for the first time in 15 years.”

“The military attacks destroyed or made inoperative all of Iran’s installed centrifuges — almost 22,000 gas centrifuges — at Iran’s three enrichment sites,” the analysis said. But the researchers noted it’s unclear how long it would take for Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, since the country may have other centrifuges not yet in use and not destroyed in the strikes.

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President Donald Trump immediately proclaimed Iran’s nuclear program had been “completely and totally obliterated,” though skeptics and opponents of the strikes voiced caution about declaring the mission a success before a final damage assessment was finished.

While Iran ceased cooperation with nuclear authorities as a result of the strike, its retaliation on U.S. military personnel has been muted. Tehran launched a strike on a U.S. airbase in Qatar, but notified both parties in advance. No one was injured in the counterstrikes. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has announced there will be a vigil in Statuary Hall of the Capitol tonight at 6:15 pm et to honor Charlie Kirk.

While it is expected to be respectful, Capitol Hill is a tinderbox right now. Democrats and Republicans are still trading barbs at one another. Both sides are accusing the other of contributing to the hyper-toxic rhetoric. There are calls to “lower the temperature.” But remember, Congress is a thermometer — not a thermostat.

We could have verbal jousting in and around the solemn ceremony tonight. Members could again unload on another when they filter back into the Capitol tonight. The complex is rife with tension.

Members are concerned about personal security and how to safeguard themselves and their families — but there’s no concrete plan on what to do to protect lawmakers.

THUNE’S SUITCASE NUKE- AND THE FILIBUSTER’S LATEST BLAST INJURY

This brings us to government funding – and why security of lawmakers is a key part of that fight.

Government funding expires at 11:59:59pm ET on Sept. 30. The House is scheduled to be out of session next week. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 23. So there is limited bandwidth for Congress before a shutdown.

There is chatter that the House may try to advance a clean interim spending bill this week (a “CR”), which would run through Nov. 21.

The bill would renew all funding from last year at current levels. But it would approve three “new” bills for the entire fiscal year covering agriculture, military construction/VA and the legislative branch.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: MILITARY WHISTLE-BLOWERS TESTIFY TO CONGRESS ABOUT UNEXPLAINED UFO ENCOUNTERS 

The latter is where there’s a problem.

Fox is told that the White House wants an additional $58 million extra for security for the administration and the courts in light of the Kirk murder. They would match that with similar money to secure Congress. But some lawmakers may balk, saying that the matching $58 million is too low – similarly, because there are so many members of Congress and threats are off the charts. Fox is told that Congress will approve whatever security funding is necessary, but lawmakers must first determine what they want.

“Figure out what you want and put it in the bill. It’s not something we are going to disagree on,” said one senior House source.

That brings us to the Democrats’ quest for a “victory” in this spending round, especially since it is believed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) caved and received nothing in the spring funding round.

The big request from Democrats is a renewal of Obamacare subsidies, which expire at the end of the year. If Congress fails to act, healthcare for tens of millions of Americans will rise sharply.

Some Republicans are pushing for an extension of those subsidies, too. But Congressional Republicans are reluctant to attach the Obamacare subsidy renewal to a seven-week interim spending bill.

In short, Republicans are waiting for Democrats to say what they want — and Democrats can’t figure that out. But rank-and-file Republicans are also waiting for their leadership to make a play call.

One play call could be getting the House to vote on that clean CR, coupled with the three other spending bills, later this week.

However, the House has the “three-day rule.” That requires legislation be posted for three days before the House votes. If the House is going to vote before its scheduled recess, then that would be Thursday. And that also means the House must vote to post the bill on Monday.

But exactly what the House may post is unclear.

Moreover, it’s unclear if the House could even approve a stopgap spending package.

It’s about the math.

The House currently has 432 members: 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats. That means Republicans can only lose two on their side and pass the bill. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) – and perhaps others – are likely to oppose a Band-Aid spending bill. And Democrats may not vote yes because of all the reasons above. Plus, they are in the minority. They will expect the majority to “figure it out.”

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Such a scenario could only amplify tensions on Capitol Hill – which are already sky-high because of Kirk.

Expect a lot more verbal jeering and disagreements from Congress before this is resolved.

President Donald Trump says he was shocked by the key endorsement New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani landed this weekend.

Hours after Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York backed Mamdani, Trump took to social media early Monday to give the endorsement a big thumbs down. And the president suggested that federal funding for the nation’s most populous city could be in jeopardy.

“Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has Endorsed the ‘”Liddle” Communist,’ Zohran Mamdani, running for Mayor of New York. This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City,” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform. 

Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens, rocked the political world in June with his convincing win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination in the nation’s most populous city.

TRUMP REVEALS NEW NICKNAME FOR MAMDANI

Following Mamdani’s primary victory, Trump immediately criticized him as a “100% Communist Lunatic.” 

The president has continued to repeatedly deride Mamdani as a communist in the ensuing months, while warning that New York City would become “a communist city” if Mamdani wins November’s mayoral election.

“I call him my little communist. He’s my little communist mayor,” Trump said of Mamdani during an extended studio interview Friday on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends.” 

Trump, in his social media post, also hinted at restricting federal funding for New York City if Mamdani wins November’s mayoral election.

“How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!” the president said.

POLL POSITION: JUST HOW LARGE IS MAMDANI’S LEAD IN THE NYC MAYORAL RACE?

Mamdani proposes eliminating fares on New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering “free childcare” for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores.

But Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and would become New York City’s first Muslim and first millennial mayor if elected, has denied being a communist.

Hochul, in her endorsement, wrote that “New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s @ZohranKMamdani.”

The governor’s endorsement, which came nearly three months after Mamdani’s primary victory, is significant. It may help Mamdani secure the backing of other key members of the party’s establishment. And it will likely put more pressure on two other top Democrats in New York State who are still withholding their backing of Mamdani — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the top two Democratic Party leaders in Congress.

Mamdani, in a statement, said he was “grateful to the Governor for her support in unifying our party — as well as the work she’s done standing up to President Trump, securing free lunch meals for our kids, and expanding access to childcare.”

CUOMO SHAKES UP CAMPAIGN IN BID TO TAKE DOWN MAMDANI

Mamdani is the clear frontrunner in the latest public opinion polls in the mayoral race in the Democrat-dominated city.

Mamdani holds large double-digit leads over Cuomo and the rest of the field in three surveys released over the past week.

Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee in the Democrat-dominated city, was a distant third in the polls, with embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent after deciding to skip the Democratic primary amid anemic polling, further down in fourth place.

Both Sliwa and Adams have repeatedly committed to staying in the race in recent weeks amid multiple reports that Trump’s advisors floated administration roles for both mayoral hopefuls if they dropped out.

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On Sunday, following a new report that Adams would drop out in the coming days, the mayor’s spokesman fired back.

“Let me be perfectly clear: Any rumor or tweet suggesting Mayor Adams is stepping down this week is complete bulls—,” spokesman Todd Shapiro wrote in a statement. “These lies are being spread by desperate opponents who can’t match the mayor’s record, his campaign energy, or his support across this city.”

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas will not run for re-election in 2026.

The long-serving lawmaker noted during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” that he will serve the rest of his current term, but is seeking a “new challenge.”

McCaul has previously chaired the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

‘JUST EVIL’: TOP REPUBLICAN DETAILS RUSSIA’S ‘HORRIFIC’ MASS ABDUCTIONS OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of central Texas and to chair the prestigious Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committees,” the congressman said in social media posts.

“My father’s service in World War II inspired me to pursue a life of public service, with a focus on defending our great nation against global threats, and I have been proud to carry out that mission in Congress for more than two decades. I am ready for a new challenge in 2027 and look forward to continuing to serve my country in the national security and foreign policy realm,” he noted.

GOP REP MCCAUL URGES TRUMP ADMIN TO PRIORITIZE ‘AGGRAVATED FELONS’ WHEN DETAINING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

McCaul has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than two decades.

The lawmaker from the Lone Star State took office in 2005.

GOP REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL ‘BRIEFLY DETAINED’ BY POLICE AT AIRPORT FOR ‘APPEARING INTOXICATED’

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Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, described McCaul as “a great Congressman, a great American and a great friend.”

The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk signals a troubling new chapter in America’s political violence, former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan said.

Kirk, 31, died after he was shot in the neck during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The assassination comes a year after two attempts to take the president’s life. 

“We like to say that something happened gradually and then suddenly,” Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. “It’s from Ernest Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’: A character, asked how he went bankrupt, says, ‘Two ways, gradually and then suddenly.’ That’s how political violence in America has been growing in this century. I would say the 2024 assassination attempts on Donald Trump, and now the assassination of Kirk, are the ‘suddenly’ moments. The reality continues while the dark tempo is picking up.”

CHARLIE KIRK WARNED ‘ASSASSINATION CULTURE IS SPREADING ON THE LEFT’ IN EERIE ONLINE POST MONTHS BEFORE MURDER

“We know this can’t continue and we don’t know how to stop it,” Noonan wrote. “That is our predicament.”

Noonan, now a columnist for the Wall Street Journal, previously served as former Presdient Ronald Reagan’s head speechwriter from 1984 to 1986. 

Kirk’s assassination is one of multiple examples of political violence – or attempted political violence. 

For example, 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on Trump from a rooftop during a campaign rally in July 2024, and one of the eight bullets shot grazed Trump’s ear. The gunman also shot and killed Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter, father and husband attending the rally, and injured two others.

CHARLIE KIRK HAD ‘NO FEAR’ GOING INTO UTAH EVENT WHERE HE WAS ASSASSINATED, FRIEND SAYS

Likewise, Ryan Routh was apprehended and charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024. Routh was charged with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, among other things, and his trial is currently underway. 

Other instances include an assassination plot against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Nicholas John Roske, 29, pleaded guilty in April to attempting to kill Kavanaugh in June 2022, according to the Justice Department. 

CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER THE LATEST IN INCREASING POLITICAL VIOLENCE NATIONWIDE, FROM PA GOVERNOR TO SCOTUS

Trump said Friday on “Fox & Friends” that an arrest had been made in Kirk’s assassination, and Utah officials confirmed the suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

“I hope he’s going to be found guilty, I would imagine. And I hope he gets the death penalty,” Trump said Friday. “What he did, Charlie Kirk was the finest person, he didn’t deserve this. He worked so hard and so well. Everybody liked him.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. warned he would have a problem if the White House decided to focus its attention on his state as scrutiny grows on Democratic policies and their connection to crime.

Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee, was killed in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month while taking public transit. The suspect in the crime, Decarlos Brown Jr., had previously been arrested 14 times before being arrested and charged with murder.

CHARLOTTE TRAIN MURDER FRONT AND CENTER IN CRUCIAL 2026 SENATE BATTLE: ‘SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES’

As the story, propelled by a harrowing video of the alleged interaction between Brown and Zarutska, has spread nationally, so too has criticism of Democratic crime policies in blue cities like Charlotte.

President Donald Trump charged that “blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail,” and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who directed Justice Department prosecutors to federally prosecute Brown, contended that Zarutska’s “horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.”

Their sentiment comes as the Trump administration has pushed for federal intervention in Democratic-led cities. The administration has already sent troops into Washington, D.C., and is planning to send the Guard to Memphis and possibly Baltimore next.

CHARLOTTE MAYOR SCORES PRIMARY RE-ELECTION VICTORY AMID NATIONAL BACKLASH OVER GRUESOME TRAIN MURDER

Tillis told Fox News Digital that there were “a lot of cities that we should be going to before Charlotte.”

“And I, for one, don’t think that we should be the nation’s police force, because, you know what happens? We’re going to mask the failure of Democrat leaders that are making their cities less safe,” Tillis said. “But we also have to be realistic and see that there are some cities and red states that are also in the top 20 list.”

“All I’m saying is we’ve got an issue, and I’m down there working before it became a national thing, work that we need to do down there to fix basically the free ride of the subway there,” he continued. “But it doesn’t rise to a level of national intervention. I think that’d be an overreach that I’m against, generally.”

TRUMP SAYS DEMOCRATS HAVE ‘BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS’ AFTER DEADLY CHARLOTTE TRAIN STABBING

Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., had a different view of the situation.

He argued that it was “broken policies” encouraged by former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running for Tillis’ seat, and current Gov. Josh Stein, D-N.C., that led to “this reimagining criminal justice nonsense.”

“What I want to see is local government to operate like it should,” Budd said. “That’s city government without these leftist, cashless bail crimes on the streets turning a blind eye to homelessness and drugs. If they will stop doing that, those crazy policies, then sure there’s no need to send in the National Guard.”

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“I would say being negligent, like those local governments have been in that case, invites greater rule,” he continued. “And that’s the feds, and they’re doing it in Chicago, they’re doing it in Washington, D.C. That’s because it’s been negligent locally. So policy matters, and policy matters at home, too.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Stein’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back. 

President Donald Trump will make a state visit to the UK this week, marking his second such stop during his presidency. Later in the week, Trump will travel to Arizona to attend the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump’s return to England is unusual, as U.S. presidents rarely make more than one state visit during their time in office, underscoring both the political and symbolic weight of the occasion. 

KING CHARLES PLANNING ROYAL SPECTACLE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, WITH STAR-STUDDED GUEST LIST

Trump and first lady Melania Trump will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace is under renovation. The Trumps will also meet with Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales during their visit.

Following a formal welcome, Trump will take part in a series of ceremonial events, including a carriage procession, a gun salute and a flyover by military fighter jets. 

Festivities will culminate with a lavish state dinner. An estimated 150 guests are typically invited to the state dinner based on their cultural, diplomatic or economic links to the country being hosted.

Darren McGrady, who was a personal chef to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, told Fox News Digital there is no room for error when it comes to the menu. He served as a royal chef for 15 years and cooked for five U.S. presidents.

CHARLIE KIRK HONORED AS ‘GENERATION’S GREATEST’ AT MASSIVE LONDON RALLY

Trump will head to Chequers on Thursday, the country house of the sitting UK prime minister, where he’ll meet Keir Starmer for a series of bilateral meetings, followed by a joint news conference later that day.

Trump, 79, and King Charles, 76, have known each other for decades, dating back to Charles’s visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in the late 1980s. More recently, Charles sent Trump a personal note after he survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pa. 

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK 

Trump will end his week traveling to Arizona to attend the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Wednesday. Kirk, the charismatic founder of Turning Point USA, was shot during an outdoor debate on the Utah Valley University campus.

In the wake of his death, Kirk’s widow, Erika, vowed to carry on her husband’s mission. “To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” Kirk said in a video statement on Friday. “I refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name. And I will make sure of it. It will become stronger. Bolder. Louder and greater than ever,” Kirk said.

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Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” wrote on X that in the past 48 hours, Turning Point USA has received more than 32,000 inquiries from people wanting to start new campus chapters. 

In a separate post, Kolvet wrote, “This is the Turning Point.”

President Donald Trump on Sunday responded vaguely to questions about the possibilities of the U.S. striking mainland Venezuela as well as additional drug-smuggling boats amid rising tensions between the two countries.

Trump answered several questions about Venezuela while speaking to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey, on Sunday — including the possibility of striking the country and whether he fears escalation from President Nicolás Maduro.

“We’ll see what happens,” Trump said on Sunday in response to a question about the likelihood of a U.S. strike on the Latin American nation. “Look, Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It’s not acceptable.”

VENEZUELAN MILITARY JETS BUZZ US NAVY SHIP IN ‘HIGHLY PROVOCATIVE’ MOVE, PENTAGON SAYS

The president also said that the number of boats seen off the coast of Venezuela, where his administration recently bolstered the U.S. Navy’s presence, has decreased significantly.

“We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters for a second time when asked if he intends to launch additional strikes on Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats. “There’s certainly not a lot of boats out there. …. There’s been very little boat traffic.”

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

When asked on Sunday if he was concerned about a possible escalation from Maduro, who has labeled some of Trump’s actions illegal, Trump pointed to the millions of drug deaths that occurred in the U.S. last year.

“What’s illegal are the drugs on the boat, and the drugs that are being sent into our country and the fact that 300 million people died last year from drugs, that’s what’s illegal,” Trump fired back.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES US MILITARY CONDUCTED ‘LETHAL STRIKE’ ON VENEZUELAN DRUG BOAT IN CARIBBEAN

The remarks from Trump come amid escalating tensions after a U.S. military strike earlier this month blew apart a Venezuelan drug boat in the southern Caribbean, leaving nearly a dozen suspected Tren de Aragua (TdA) narco terrorists dead. On Saturday, Venezuela’s foreign minister accused U.S. Navy personnel of boarding a tuna boat with nine fishermen in Venezuelan waters, according to The Associated Press.

“A lot of drugs are coming out of Venezuela. A lot of Tren de Aragua,” Trump told reporters. “They’re trying to get out, but we’re stopping them successfully at the border in Venezuela.”

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In February, the Trump administration also designated drug cartel groups like Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and others as foreign terrorist organizations.

On Monday, former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey – once President Trump’s top pick to lead the FBI – will be sworn into a new power-sharing role with deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino.

Bailey’s installment comes at a perilous time for FBI Director Kash Patel, whose leadership atop the nation’s premier law enforcement agency is under fire, according to ten sources from multiple federal offices granted anonymity to speak freely. The White House’s reasoning to create an unprecedented office for Bailey has not been explained and left FBI leadership confused, two people at the agency said.

“The White House, Bondi, Blanche have no confidence in Kash,” one source with knowledge of ongoing personnel discussions said. “Pam in particular cannot stand him. Blanche either,” they said, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy, Todd Blanche.

Bondi and Blanche denied the characterization, and White House officials denied any plans to remove Director Patel from his position.

KASH PATEL’S FALSE START ON CHARLIE KIRK KILLER DRAWS SCRUTINY, BUT FBI NABBED SUSPECT IN THE END

But allies of President Trump and Patel’s harshest critics have begun to circulate word that contingency plans for Patel’s ouster are forming. They also claim his hopeful successor, Andrew Bailey, made clear that he would not leave his post as Missouri’s AG – or abandon his aspirations to run for state governor – only to serve as Patel’s number two.

Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, Bailey, who starts at the Bureau on September 15th, would be eligible to fill the FBI Director post – should it become vacant – after he has been employed by the FBI for at least 90 days.

Multiple sources close to Trump acknowledged the president was not thrilled with some past episodes of Patel’s performance – including a public feud with AG Bondi over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. One senior White House official involved in personnel decisions also framed Patel’s botched communications during the manhunt for Charlie Kirk’s assassin as something Patel likely wished he could do differently, if he could do it all over again. Trump did not call for any action to be taken in response to it, the person said.

Patel’s purported off-ramp, which the White House denies, would not involve his firing but a reassignment to another administration role, according to multiple people who described it. 

“He’ll get Billy Long-ed,” one person said. Less than two months after his Senate confirmation, recent former IRS Commissioner Billy Long was nominated to become the next U.S. ambassador to Iceland.

Such decisions would originate from the White House, and a senior official involved in decision-making there dismissed the allegations as baseless and even wishful thinking from figures who might benefit. Three sources also pointed out co-Deputy Director Dan Bongio’s days are more likely numbered than Patel’s, as he threatened to quit amid fallout from the Epstein feud with Bondi.

Bongino declined to respond to claims from anonymous sources. In a phone call, he emphasized the FBI’s accomplishments in the short tenure of the new administration, including the success of Operation Summer Heat against violent crime nationwide.

After DOJ leadership announced Bailey’s new position, Patel’s allies began quietly inquiring with figures inside and outside the administration about whispers of plans for his departure. Some of the claims were less whispers than shouts, with some going so far as to claim White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was supportive of plans to replace Patel.

Wiles strongly denied ever making such statements and described Kash as a friend of many years.

NEW FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR ANDREW BAILEY BEGINS WORK ALONGSIDE BONGINO

Bailey said in a statement to FOX, “Any suggestion that I was brought in to replace anyone in leadership at the FBI or spin my appointment into a sign of division, is simply false – I am honored to serve the FBI and Department of Justice as we work together to keep our nation safe.”

Wiles also told FOX, discussions surrounding Bailey’s hiring pertained only to the co-deputy director job he is set to serve in, starting Monday.

Fox is told Patel has received ongoing guidance from Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on improving his working relationship with Bondi. A senior White House official close to President Trump also expressed a desire for Patel to limit his presence on social media, given the gravity of the position he holds.

Patel’s conduct online sparked the latest flashpoint in concerns over his ability to effectively carry out his duties as FBI Director.

On Thursday, investigators in Orem, Utah delayed an afternoon press conference citing “rapid developments” as Patel jetted in from New York to appear alongside Gov. Spencer Cox. When officials took to the podium late in the evening, the FBI Director did not speak. Multiple sources told FOX he was forcefully instructed not to – adding that investigators had still not identified a suspect when the briefing was delayed.

The unusual field appearance from the FBI Director – which current and former agents say can grind time-sensitive fieldwork to a halt – followed Patel’s hasty announcement on social media Wednesday that “the subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.”  The news came as an apparent surprise to local authorities about to deliver an update in a televised briefing, who indicated the killer was still at large. Shortly after, the FBI clarified that two people had been questioned and released, and the search was ongoing.

“Total amateur hour,” one federal official said of the incident.

The back-to-back communications fumbles sparked fury from AG Bondi, Deputy AG Blanche, and the White House, multiple sources told FOX. On Friday, when authorities announced that the 22-year-old Utah man suspected of Kirk’s murder was in custody, Governor Spencer Cox took the leading role in handling the press. There was concern, one source told FOX, that “letting Kash talk much could f*ck up the prosecution”.

Asked about this, a DOJ source denied direct knowledge, but said successful prosecutions generally require limits on what is said about an investigation.

Bondi and Blanche told FOX in a joint statement, “We work with Director Patel every single day and fully support his leadership at the FBI. The suspect is in handcuffs today because of the outstanding work of Director Patel and our law enforcement partners. Any suggestion to the contrary does not reflect the reality of our strong working relationship and shared commitment to protecting the American people.”

But Patel’s performance as FBI Director was under the microscope long before Kirk’s horrific killing gripped the administration this week.

MAN ARRESTED FOR SICKENING ACT AT CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL OUTSIDE TURNING POINT HQ

On the same day Kirk was shot, three former high-ranking FBI officials filed a lawsuit accusing Patel, Bondi, and their agencies of unlawfully firing them as part of a political purge directed by the DOJ and the White House – something Patel promised against in Senate confirmation hearings.

The larger concern, according to those familiar with the litigation, is Patel allegedly wielded authority belonging solely to the president, citing Article II of the Constitution in dismissal letters he signed. The misstep, they say, creates a legal minefield for the FBI, DOJ, and Executive Office of the President.

“Either way, it’s bad: Kash cannot exercise the powers of the president, and the president can’t fire these officials,” a source with direct knowledge of the lawsuit said.

The filing reads, “Article II of the Constitution and the laws of the United States do not vest any such authority with the Director of the FBI. Article II provides authority for the President, and the President alone, to appoint principal officers, concomitant with the power to remove them “at will.” None of Plaintiffs are principal officers and, more importantly, the FBI Director is not the President.”

A senior law enforcement official said, “The admin could very well lose in court, and it will be because of Kash’s big mouth, making the president look like an ass.”

The Department of Justice declined to comment on the pending litigation. But legal limits on presidential power to remove officials from their posts are currently being tested in the courts. Recently, the Supreme Court allowed removals of political appointees at independent boards. Although the FBI officials involved in this case are not politically appointed, the scope of Article II authority is part of a live legal debate.

Some analysts reportedly note this case could wind up costing the president a deposition, citing Patel’s finger-pointing at Trump.

“[Patel] stated that Driscoll needed to understand that “the FBI tried to put the President in jail and he hasn’t forgotten it,” the lawsuit reads.

Patel stated that in order to keep his own job, he had to fire agents who had worked on investigations into President Trump regardless of their retirement eligibility status, according to the suit filed by Former Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll, former Assistant Director in Charge (ADIC) of the Washington DC Field Office Steven Jensen, and Spencer Evans, a longtime FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC).

The lawsuit, FOX is told, will likely now be referred to the DOJ Inspector General in what sources described as a ‘double-whammy’ for the administration. The Office of the Inspector General also declined to comment.

The subject could also come up when Patel testifies before House and Senate committees next week.

A source close to the attorney general described her focus as tirelessly fixated on the business of the DOJ.

In a statement to FOX, AG Bondi said, “Our only priority is to continue working together with the FBI to make America safer by ensuring murderers and violent criminals face the most severe justice. Director Patel and the FBI have worked tirelessly with my agencies and state partners, leading to the arrest of the suspect in the assassination of my friend, Charlie.

A spokesperson for the White House also chastised those stoking discussion of Patel’s ouster. “Director Patel and his team worked night and day to find this murderer and bring him to justice. Anyone who doubts his resolve and dedication – especially when Charlie was such a close friend to him- simply is using this extremely sad moment in a disgusting act of political gamesmanship. The focus was on catching this killer, and he will face the full wrath of the justice system,” Communications Director Steven Cheung said.

Still, Patel made plans on Friday to visit President Trump in Bedminster this weekend, as critical news reports about his performance began mounting.

Patel’s office declined to provide on-the-record comment. A source close to Patel acknowledged to Fox, “Yes, tensions were incredibly high yesterday and the day before. Yes, people were probably mad that things weren’t moving faster. Tensions have since subsided and things took a turn for the better today with the capture of Robinson.”

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The source also said, “Over the past few months, Kash has built a positive relationship with Susie Wiles.”

Saturday, President Trump told Fox News Digital, “I’m very proud of the FBI. Kash – and everyone else – they have done a great job.”

Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.

It took nearly three months, but the top Democrat in New York state has finally endorsed New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.

“New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s @ZohranKMamdani,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday evening in a social media post.

The governor’s endorsement is significant, as it may help Mamdani secure the backing of other key members of the party’s establishment. And it will likely put more pressure on two other top Democrats in New York State who are still withholding their backing of Mamdani – Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the top two Democratic Party leaders in Congress.

Mamdani, in a statement, said he was “grateful to the Governor for her support in unifying our party — as well as the work she’s done standing up to President Trump, securing free lunch meals for our kids, and expanding access to childcare.”

TRUMP REVEALS NEW NICKNAME FOR MAMDANI

Hochul announced her support for Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from Queens who shocked the political world in June with his convincing win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination, in the New York Times.

“In the past few months, I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements,” the governor wrote. “But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family. I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support.”

POLL POSITION: JUST HOW LARGE IS MAMDANI’S LEAD IN THE NYC MAYORAL RACE?

The Ugandan-born Mamdani, if elected, would become the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of the nation’s most populous city. He is the clear frontrunner in the latest public opinion polls in the mayoral race in the Democrat-dominated city.

Mamdani is sitting on 22-point margin leads over Cuomo and the rest of the field in surveys released last week from Quinnipiac University and New York Times/Siena College. And a survey from Emerson University and the Hill also indicates Mamdani comfortably ahead by double digits.

CUOMO SHAKES UP CAMPAIGN IN BID TO TAKE DOWN MAMDANI

Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee in the Democrat-dominated city, was a distant third in the polls, with embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent after deciding to skip the Democratic primary amid anemic polling, further down in fourth place.

Both Sliwa and Adams have repeatedly committed to staying in the race in recent weeks amid multiple reports that Trump’s advisors floated administration roles for both mayoral hopefuls if they dropped out.

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

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

Mamdani has been heavily criticized by his rivals for his past critical comments of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and his proposal to shift certain responsibilities away from the NYPD and focus on social services and community-based program.

Hochul said that in her conversations with Mamdani she made “it very clear that our police officers should have every resource to keep our streets and subways safe. I urged him to ensure that there is strong leadership at the helm of the N.Y.P.D. — and he agreed.”

The governor also addressed Mamdani’s past critical comments about Israel.

“We discussed the need to combat the rise of antisemitism urgently and unequivocally. I’ve been glad to see him meet with Jewish leaders across the city, listening and addressing their concerns directly,” Hochul said.

Hochul’s endorsement may not only benefit Mamdani, but could also help the governor shore up support from the Democrats’ progressive base as she seeks re-election next year.

Mamdani praised Hochul for her focus on tackling affordability. 

“I look forward to fighting alongside her to continue her track record of putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets and building a safer and stronger New York City where no one is forced to leave just so they can afford to raise a family,” he said.

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But Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, a top Trump ally who is expected later this year to launch a 2026 run for governor, took aim at Hochul.

“At the exact moment when New Yorkers are looking for strong leadership from their Governor with a majority opposing Zohran Mamdani, Kathy Hochul embraces this raging Communist who will destroy New York making it less affordable and more dangerous – once again putting criminals and communists first, and New Yorkers LAST,” Stefanik argued in a statement.

Turning Point USA has seen a massive surge in inquiries for new college chapters as the organization works to advance Charlie Kirk’s vision following his assassination last week.

Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, said Sunday that in the past 48 hours, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) has received more than 32,000 inquiries from people wanting to start new campus chapters.

“To put that in perspective, TPUSA currently has 900 official college chapters and around 1,200 high school chapters, with a presence of 3,500 total,” Kolvet, who is also a TPUSA spokesman, wrote on X.

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

“Charlie’s vision to have a Club America chapter (our high school brand) in every high school in America (around 23,000) will come true much, much faster than he could have ever possibly imagined,” Kolvet added, calling the response to expand Kirk’s mission “truly incredible.”

In a separate post, Kolvet wrote, “This is the Turning Point.”

Kirk, was assassinated during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. The event was the first in what was supposed to be a series called “American Comeback Tour.”

Kirk, the charismatic 31-year-old founder of the conservative youth activist group, gained recognition for his signature political debates on college campuses. 

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK 

On Thursday evening, the second family escorted Kirk’s casket and family from Utah to their home state of Arizona on Air Force Two. A video of the moment showed his wife Erika Kirk visibly emotional on the tarmac as the casket passed before her. The couple have two young children.

Kirk’s celebration of life ceremony is scheduled for next Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. President Donald Trump said he will attend Kirk’s funeral. 

On Friday evening, Kirk’s widow galvanized the TPUSA movement and vowed to carry on her husband’s mission.

‘DARK MOMENT FOR AMERICA’: TRUMP DECLARES KIRK’S VOICE ‘BIGGER AND GRANDER’ AFTER ASSASSINATION

“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” Kirk said. “I refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name. And I will make sure of it. It will become stronger. Bolder. Louder and greater than ever,” Kirk said.

She also said that TPUSA’s annual “AmericaFest” conference in Phoenix this December will continue as scheduled.

Judah Waxelbaum, a former campus activist at Arizona State University for Republican causes, said that the assassination likely awoke a “sleeping giant” and will likely see an increase in members.

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“Turning Point’s not going anywhere. Turning Point, I think, will probably actually get significantly larger in the wake of what happened to Charlie,” he told Fox News Digital in an interview on Saturday, noting that “you couldn’t do youth politics in Arizona, really anywhere in the United States without coming across Charlie Kirk.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve woken up a sleeping giant,” he added.

Fox News Digital’s Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.

Law enforcement officials arrested the man accused of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah on Friday after a frantic 33-hour manhunt. The suspect’s fate now hinges on whether the state pursues capital charges as political pressure mounts.

Prosecutors have not yet filed charges against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing Kirk after driving nearly four hours to Utah Valley University, where the longtime Trump ally was speaking. It also remains unclear whether they will seek the death penalty, a step publicly urged by both President Donald Trump and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. 

At a Friday news conference, Cox said investigators used surveillance footage from the stadium and tips from Robinson’s family and friends to identify him before the arrest. He also said charges would be filed “soon.” 

“We got him,” Cox said. 

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The governor vowed that Robinson would be “held accountable” for Kirk’s death, which he called a “political assassination.”

“This is certainly about the tragic death, assassination, political assassination of Charlie Kirk, but it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual,” Cox said. “It is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment.” 

Kirk’s graphic death and the scant public information revealed in its wake have left the nation reeling and revived heated debate about political violence in the U.S. It’s also sparked a litany of questions about how prosecutors will bring the case against Robinson, with Utah law and years of precedent making capital punishment difficult to pursue. 

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Robinson is being held at Utah County Jail. A probable cause affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital lists potential charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury and obstruction of justice.

Utah law allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty only in cases where an individual is charged with “aggravated murder” — or a murder that knowingly “created a great risk of death” to another person besides the victim or defendant. The offense is listed in the affidavit, which could open the door for prosecutors to seek the death penalty. 

The clock is ticking: Utah law requires state prosecutors to file a specific notice of intent within 60 days after an individual is arraigned on aggravated murder charges to notify the court and defense attorneys that they plan to try the case as a capital felony. Doing so sets into motion a complex legal process — including a two-part, or bifurcated trial, to decide both guilt and whether the defendant should receive capital punishment. 

Otherwise, the case is tried under charges of a “noncapitalist fist-degree penalty,” eligible for a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. 

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Cox and Trump both suggested in interviews earlier this week that the state should seek the death penalty against Kirk’s killer, even before Robinson was named as a suspect. 

“I hope he gets the death penalty,” Trump said Friday morning on “Fox & Friends,” calling Kirk “the finest person.” 

The Beehive State is one of 27 states that still allows the death penalty, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. It’s also one of just five states where execution by firing squad remains legal.

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Even so, capital punishment cases are rarely pursued in Utah. The state has carried out only two executions in the past 20 years, and inmates spend an average of 34 years on death row.

Only four men are currently on death row in Utah, each for “decades,” according to KUTV.  

For Robinson, whose criminal trial will draw national attention, particularly from the president and his allies, it’s still far too early to predict the outcome. 

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Already, Robinson’s case has fueled intense speculation — even as some lawmakers urged calm.

“History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country,” Cox said, “but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us.” 

A close friend and colleague of Charlie Kirk says the conservative leader and media star “was one of one” and doubts he’ll ever be replaced.

But asked about a void in the conservative movement, Andy Surabian, who’s a top political adviser to both Vice President JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr., told Fox News Digital that Kirk “inspired a generation of young conservatives who have the potential to grow into being somebody like Charlie Kirk.”

Kirk, who was shot and killed this past Wednesday during a college campus event in Utah, was a top conservative activist, culture warrior, and media rockstar for millions of MAGA and right-wing followers.

A crucial ally to President Donald Trump, Vance, and Donald Trump Jr., Kirk transformed the Turning Point USA conservative youth organization that he co-founded at age 18 into an extremely influential political powerhouse and a voter turnout machine for Trump in last year’s presidential election.

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“I don’t think there’s any singular person who will ever replace Charlie Kirk,” Surabian said.

But pointing to Kirk’s inspiration to a generation of younger conservatives, Surabian said, “This is the thing that Charlie would be proudest of, it’s the thing that makes me so proud of Charlie.”

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Surabian said he and Kirk first met in 2018 and quickly became “generational piers.”

“We would constantly gut check things with each other….both of us respected the political instincts of the other,” Surabian said. “There was an implicit trust.”

In a social media post, Surabian wrote that he and Kirk “bonded quickly over our similar political views and closeness in age, and ultimately developed a close friendship. We always had each other’s back. If I needed help, I knew he would always be there for me. If he needed anything, I was always there for him. If there was a candidate for office he vouched for, that was all I needed. If there was a candidate for office I vouched for, that was all he needed.”

Surabian said Kirk was the person who introduced him to Vance, ahead of Vance’s successful 2022 campaign for the Senate in Ohio.

“I was skeptical, but since Charlie was vouching for him, I was on the phone with JD within the hour. 90 minutes later, after JD and I had hit it off and decided to work together, Charlie excitedly told me I wouldn’t regret it — and he was certainly right about that,” Surabian wrote.

Speaking with Fox News, Surabian listed off Kirks’ numerous political attributes.

“Charlie was a terrific fundraiser. He was beloved by donors. Charlie was extremely charismatic and was extremely impressive in debates. Charlie was very talented at doing media. He was a great talk show host. Charlie understood how to organize students. Charlie understood messaging and how to deliver a message in a way that even some of the top PR experts in the country couldn’t touch with a 10-point pole. Charlie understood how to organize in politics. Very rarely do figures come along who can put all those things together the way Charlie put it together,” Surabian highlighted.

“Never mind the fact that, in addition to all that stuff, he was highly intelligent. And most important of all, he was a fundamentally decent person,” Surabian added.

While Kirk had already accomplished much by age 31, Surabian predicted that his friend would have had many chapters to come.

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“Despite how influential he became, despite how famous he was, I do absolutely believe that he was still at the start of his rise and not at the end of it,” he said.

And Surabian said that Kirk “was getting to a place where in a few years I think he had the potential to be the next Rush Limbaugh, and when I say that, anyone who understands the influence that Rush Limbaugh had on the conservative movement knows what a big statement that is.”

When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, it took more than a decade before Americans saw the infamous Zapruder film.

Today, the killing of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk can be replayed in dozens of high-definition clips across social media, reshaping how the nation confronts political violence in real time.

“You’ll never have an assassination again that we don’t have footage of,” presidential historian and former Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Bush administration, Tevi Troy, told Fox News Digital. 

“I have an image in my head of what Lincoln’s assassination might have looked like, but every assassination since the Kennedy era, or even assassination attempts, there’s generally going to be footage about it now, and that’s just a very difficult thing,” he said.

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The Zapruder footage of Kennedy’s assassination remained largely unseen by the public until 1975, when it aired on national television more than a decade after his death. Its grainy frames shocked viewers. Americans, at the time, were “much more dependent on what the caretakers of the culture would put on TV,” Troy said, and if a broadcast was missed, there was often no second chance to see it. 

Troy added, “The gatekeepers controlled what you saw.”

In the minutes after Kirk was shot in the neck on his “American Comeback Tour” at the Utah Valley University on Wednesday, graphic video clips captured by bystanders using phones flooded social platforms like X, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. 

Traditional outlets held back from airing the moment of impact, but social media users shared multiple angles—including real-time replays and slowed-down segments—many without content warnings or editing.

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“Desensitizing is the right word… It’s not good for you,” Troy said when asked what the impact of such high-speed graphic footage could do to the public. 

“It’s not good for your soul. It’s not a question of not being available — it is available. Then you have to make an effort not to see it,” he said.

Troy noted that in the immediate aftermath of Kirk’s killing, some voices on the left appeared to rationalize or downplay the violence, while others rushed to frame the suspect’s background in ways that minimized political fallout for their side. He called the reaction “a ghoulish exercise.”

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“There’s a horrible tragedy where this person who just wants to have political conversations was murdered with three young kids,” Troy said. “But this is where we are today. If there is political violence, they want to make sure it’s framed in such a way that it doesn’t bring their side down.”

Turning Point Founder and commentator, Kirk, 31, was killed on Wednesday by suspected shooter Tyler Robinson while answering a question at Utah Valley University. He leaves behind his wife and two children, ages one and three.