NationalWatch

Leading members of President Donald Trump‘s political team met Wednesday behind closed doors with House Republicans to offer what’s being described as a “clear and simple” message to sell the GOP’s sweeping domestic policy package to Americans.

The sales pitch, from top Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio, senior Trump political aide James Blair, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, is part of an ongoing effort by the president and his team to rebrand the massive tax cuts and spending measure, which polls indicate isn’t popular with Americans.

“The best marketer out there is our president,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) chair Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina told Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie following the meeting.

Hudson noted that Trump “used the name One Big Beautiful Bill to help get it passed. And now, to try and explain to the American people, he’s suggesting we call it the Working Families Tax Cut, which is exactly what it is. It’s a big component of it.”

VP VANCE TRUMP’S ‘TRAVELING SALESMAN’ FOR BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL

But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) argued that “the so-called rebrand of the Big, Ugly Law is an admission that the GOP’s signature legislative ‘achievement’ is a toxic failure.”

“Only Republicans seem surprised that ripping away health care and gutting rural hospitals just to hand billionaires a massive tax break is completely out of step with what the American people want,” DCCC spokesperson Justin Chermol claimed in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The package narrowly passed through the Republican-controlled Congress earlier this summer, nearly entirely along party lines, and Trump signed it into law during a July 4 ceremony at the White House.

For months, Trump touted his Big Beautiful Bill, but at a Cabinet meeting last week he seemed to acknowledge the difficult sales job he and his party face.

“I’m not going to use the term great, big, beautiful – that was good for getting it approved, but it’s not good for explaining to people what it’s really about,” Trump said.

And he described the package as a “major tax cut for workers.”

FIRST ON FOX: MAJOR GOP-ALIGNED GROUP SPOTLIGHTS TAX CUTS IN REPUBLICANS SWEEPING MEASURE

The measure is stuffed full of Trump’s 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit. 

It includes extending the president’s signature 2017 tax cuts, which were set to expire later this year, and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay. 

The shift in branding that Trump noted last week has already been reflected by Vice President JD Vance, who has been stopping in key 2026 midterm states to sell the measure.

At his earlier stops on his tour, Vance called the package the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” But the vice president now refers to the measure repeatedly as the “Working Families Tax Cut.”

The package also provides billions for border security and codifies the president’s sweeping and controversial immigration crackdown.

And the new law also restructures Medicaid — the almost 60-year-old federal program that provides health coverage to roughly 71 million low-income Americans. 

The changes to Medicaid, as well as cuts to food stamps, another one of the nation’s major safety net programs, were drafted in part as an offset to pay for extending Trump’s tax cuts. The measure includes a slew of new rules and regulations, including work requirements for many of those seeking Medicaid coverage.

MESSAGING WAR OVER BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL HEATS UP

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the new law could result in roughly 10 million people losing health coverage, and $3.4 trillion added to the nation’s already massive federal deficit. Republicans dispute those projections.

Regardless, some Republican House members who’ve held town halls this summer have faced vocal constituents angry over the social safety net cuts in the GOP’s measure.

And Democrats for months have repeatedly blasted Republicans over those social safety net changes. They charge it will gut Medicaid, forcing rural hospitals and nursing homes to close their doors. 

“Rural hospitals were already on the brink of collapse thanks to Donald Trump, but now he has put the last nail in the coffin for rural hospitals with his billionaire budget bill,” Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair Ken Martin claimed.

Republicans have pushed back on the Democrats’ criticism.

“Overall, most people’s awareness comes from the lies they’ve heard from Democrats and our mainstream media. But when they hear the details of what’s in the actual bill, it’s very, very popular,” Hudson told Fox News.

According to sources in the room, the president’s political advisers urged House Republicans to court low-propensity Trump voters who supported the president in 2024 but traditionally don’t turn out for midterm elections. 

The GOP is aiming to defend its fragile House majority in next year’s midterms, when the party in power normally faces political headwinds and ends up losing congressional seats. 

“We got a lot of good information about where voters are on the working families tax cuts,” Hudson said.

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And the NRCC chair highlighted, “There’s a segment of our voting population that only vote in presidential elections. There’s also a very specific group that show up for President Trump.”

“I don’t need all of them to show up, but I need some of them to show up. And the good news is, we know who they are. We know what they care about. And the message today was, communicate with them and let them know what we’re doing,” Hudson said.

A large Washington-based medical association announced Tuesday they had reached a settlement with the Trump administration requiring the restoration of dozens of public health web pages and datasets tied to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and gender identity.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not comment on the settlement, but told Fox News Digital it remains “committed to its mission of removing radical gender and DEI ideology from federal programs, subject to applicable law, to ensure taxpayer dollars deliver meaningful results for the American people.”

The Washington State Medical Association and Doctors for America sued HHS and other agencies in May after the Trump administration, following executive orders in January, directed the removal of hundreds of web pages and datasets that referenced gender identity or diversity, equity and inclusion, LGBTQ+ health, racism, vaccines, opioid use, and Biden-era abortion policies on federal health websites.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WINS SUPREME COURT FIGHT TO SLASH NIH MEDICAL RESEARCH GRANTS TIED TO DEI, LGBTQ STUDIES

The settlement requires the Trump administration to restore the deleted health web pages, though officials have not said when they will go back online. Once reposted, the guidance will again be available to doctors and patients as the president continues his push to terminate federal DEI programs.

As of Tuesday, the medical association said the defendants “have agreed to restore webpages and data that were wrongfully deleted, ensuring that these critical resources are once again available to physicians, scientists, medical professionals, and the American public.”

“I am extremely proud of the health care community in Washington state and our partners in this case for pushing back on this egregious example of government overreach,” Dr. John Bramhall, president of the WSMA, said in a statement. 

In February, Bush-appointed U.S. District Judge John Bates issued a temporary restraining order requiring the content be restored while the case proceeded. The parties later agreed to pause the case in August while negotiating a resolution, leading to this week’s announced settlement.

BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE HALTS TRUMP HHS OVERHAUL AFTER DEMOCRAT-LED LAWSUIT

Court records filed Aug. 15 show both sides told the judge they had reached a settlement “in principle” and asked for a 45-day pause to finalize the deal. Biden-appointed U.S. District Judge Lauren King granted the request, formally putting the case on hold while the agreement is implemented.

Defendants in the lawsuit include HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acting Director Matthew Buzzelli, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Martin A. Makary, and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Thomas J. Engels. 

Web pages from the FDA, NIH, HRSA, Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) were also removed, according to the medical group’s complaint.

Among the removals included the CDC’s page on supporting LGBTQ+ youth and another with facts about LGBT youth suicide. The NIH took down its Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office site, while the HHS erased an entire web page on abortion-related resources. The VA also removed a page offering guidance on medical care for LGBTQ+ veterans.

REAGAN-NOMINATED FEDERAL JUDGE ACCUSES TRUMP ADMIN OF ‘DISCRIMINATION’ WITH CUTS TO NIH DIVERSITY GRANTS

The Washington State Medical Association represents more than 13,000 health officials and medical students across all specialties in Washington state, according to its website.

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In January, the Trump administration began purging web pages not aligned with the president’s executive orders titled, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.” The orders directed federal agencies to recognize sex as only male and female and terminated DEI initiatives.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is expanding the number of schools that can participate in a fast-tracked air traffic control training program, as the administration seeks more ways to address the nationwide air traffic controller shortage amid recent control tower mishaps and crashes. 

While the Federal Aviation Administration is suffering a shortage of roughly 3,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S., the Trump administration has added schools to a program that can offer training that students would receive at the FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City.

INSIDE THE FAA’S RACE TO TRAIN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS: ‘IT’S GOING TO TAKE TIME’

The Enhanced Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program allows selected institutions to provide FAA Academy air traffic control training with their students, who then head directly to an FAA facility to kick off their training — rather than undergo additional training at the Air Traffic Controller Academy. 

In August, Nashua Community College became the fifth school to join the program since January, alongside the University of North Dakota, SUNY Schenectady County Community College, Vaughn College and Middle Georgia State College (Eastman). 

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re solving the air traffic controller shortage one step at a time,” Duffy said in an August statement. “Our new partnership with Nashua Community College will help us continue to attract the best and brightest to fill our air traffic control towers. To all the young Americans considering a career in this exciting field — your work will make flying safer and more efficient than ever.”  

FAA PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH TO ADDRESS NATIONWIDE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER SHORTAGE

Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Tulsa Community College and the University of Oklahoma first joined the program in 2024 under former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The FAA opened applications for schools to join the initiative in April 2024, and the first schools were accepted in October 2024. 

Those who undergo the Enhanced AT-CTI program must complete the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam and meet the same medical and security requirements as their counterparts who undergo the typical training pipeline. 

SEC SEAN DUFFY: ‘ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ IS DOWN PAYMENT ON A NEW, MUCH-NEEDED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM

The initiative is one of several the Department of Transportation has recently launched. Duffy also unveiled a program aimed at bolstering the controller workforce that would issue financial incentives to graduates and new hires who wrap up initial training milestones, in addition to those at hard-to-staff facilities.

“Investing in the next generation of air traffic controllers is critical to maintaining the safety and efficiency of our national airspace,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in an August statement. “By expanding training opportunities through these programs, we’re not only meeting today’s staffing needs — we’re building a resilient workforce ready to handle the challenges of tomorrow.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his “anti-Christian rhetoric” in the aftermath of the deadly shooting in Minnesota.

Johnson, speaking during his first press conference since lawmakers returned from an extended recess, noted that the Democrat governor had taken personal jabs at him in recent weeks and accused Newsom of “shamelessly” mocking the victims of the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, where two children were killed and 17 people injured during morning Mass.

NEWSOM REBUKES WHITE HOUSE DEFENSE OF PRAYER AFTER SHOOTING: KIDS WERE ‘LITERALLY PRAYING AS THEY GOT SHOT AT’

The Louisiana Republican pointed to Newsom’s post on X in response to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who condemned MSNBC commentator and former White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s comments criticizing the outpouring of “thoughts and prayers” and lack of focus on gun control.

Leavitt slammed Psaki’s comments as “incredibly insensitive and disrespectful” to Americans of faith.

“These children were literally praying as they got shot at,” Newsom fired back.

Johnson called Newsom’s remarks “sick.”

MINNESOTA BISHOP REBUKES DEM MAYOR FOR DISMISSING PRAYER FOLLOWING DEADLY CATHOLIC SCHOOL ATTACK

“I mean, like, why would we do that? Why would you do that? Except that you are starving for attention,” he said. “It’s detestable. Two children were murdered. More than a dozen were hospitalized, and Gavin Newsom’s response was to sneer and condemn those who seek out our creator in the darkest moments.”

“I just thought it was, I just thought it was evil. In fact, it’s indicative of such a profound moral decay that really the only hope for Gavin Newsom is prayer.”

MINNESOTA GOV. TIM WALZ SAYS IT’S TIME TO ‘TAKE SERIOUS ACTION’ AFTER DEADLY SCHOOL SHOOTING

Newsom again took to social media to respond to the speaker, and quoted a Bible verse that read “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full.”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., charged that the shooting was the result of Democratic policies and a simmering mental health crisis across the country.

“The way forward is to address the mental health crisis and empower law enforcement to crack down on crime, just as President Trump has done right here in our nation’s capital,” he said.

While Republicans have condemned the shooting, blamed Democrats and called for prayer in the aftermath, Democratic lawmakers have taken a different route similar to Newsom’s.

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“Don’t just say, ‘This is about thoughts and prayers right now.’ These kids were literally praying,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, D-Minn., said after the shooting. “They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence, and their parents should have the same kind of assurance.”

Others, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have called for Congress to take action on gun control. 

There’s a Sununu in New Hampshire who is considering a run for the Senate in next year’s midterm elections.

But it isn’t former Gov. Chris Sununu, who earlier this year considered but decided against launching a bid in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in the key New England swing state.

It’s former Sen. John E. Sununu, one of Chris Sununu’s older brothers.

Top national Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have held conversations with the former senator regarding a 2026 Senate campaign, a source told Fox News on Wednesday. 

RISING REPUBLICAN STAR ASHLEY HINSON LAUNCHES SENATE BID TO SUCCEED IOWA’S ERNST

A source familiar with the conversations confirmed to Fox News that Thune and former Sen. Cory Gardner, chair of the Senate Leadership Fund, which is the top super PAC supporting Senate Republicans, recently spoke with Sununu.

The source added that Thune and Gardner are cautiously optimistic that Sununu will launch a campaign, in a race that’s expected to be competitive and expensive.

Sununu, a former three-term representative, defeated then-Gov. Shaheen in New Hampshire’s 2002 Senate election. But the senator lost to Shaheen in their 2008 rematch. 

Shaheen announced earlier this year that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms, and Republicans are hoping to flip the seat as they aim to not only defend but expand their Senate majority.

TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS

Word that Sununu, who turns 61 this month, was mulling a Senate bid was first reported by NOTUS.

There are currently two major Republicans in New Hampshire’s Senate race.

Former Sen. Scott Brown, who served as ambassador to New Zealand during President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, announced his candidacy in June. 

Ahead of his campaign launch, Brown had been crisscrossing New Hampshire since late last year, meeting with Republican and conservative groups.

A month later, in July, three-term GOP state Sen. Dan Innis launched a U.S. Senate campaign.

Trump, whose endorsement in Republican primaries is extremely influential, has remained neutral to date. 

Veteran Republican strategist John Ashbrook, a co-host of the popular “Ruthless” podcast, told Fox News Digital that “the more candidates getting into these races is an indicator that Republicans are on offense heading into an all-important midterm and that Trump’s great success in the White House is actually wind in their sails as they pursue an effort to maintain the majority, that they should be able to maintain with good candidates on the field.”

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

Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas, who represents the state’s First Congressional District, is the clear frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s Senate nomination.

But progressive organizer and biomedical scientist Karishma Manzur is also running for the Democratic nomination.

Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority.

But the party in power – the Republicans – traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.

In battleground Georgia, which Trump narrowly carried in last year’s White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year.

SENATE DEMOCRATS RECRUITING TOP CANDIDATES IN PUSH TO WIN BACK MAJORITY

They’re also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, as well as New Hampshire.

Also on the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn’t running for re-election.

But the GOP is defending an open seat in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tills decided against seeking re-election.

Republicans are also defending an open seat in red-leaning Iowa, after Sen. Joni Ernst’s announcement on Tuesday that she won’t seek re-election next year.

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And Republicans will likely be forced to spend resources to defend Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio – who was appointed to succeed former senator and now-Vice President JD Vance – as he faces off next year against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Meanwhile, Democrats are also targeting moderate Sen. Susan Collins – who has yet to announce her expected 2026 re-election – in blue-leaning Maine. 

FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to beef up federal laws for commercial driver’s licenses after a deadly collision in Florida that killed three people.

Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., intends to introduce legislation that would crack down on commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) going to illegal immigrants and bolster English proficiency requirements to get a commercial license.

“If you’re a commercial truck driver in America, being able to competently read the road signs in English isn’t optional… it’s the job,” Moody said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

BLUE STATES DEFLECT BLAME IN TRUMP PROBE AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER CRASH KILLS 3 IN FLORIDA

Moody’s bill, the Safer Truckers Act of 2025, comes on the heels of a tragedy in Florida.

Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, allegedly struck and killed three people in a tractor-trailer while making an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway on Aug. 12. The trailer jackknifed and collided with a minivan, killing all three of its passengers. Singh held a CDL from California and was previously licensed by the state of Washington.

BLUE STATE INVESTIGATES HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER GOT LICENSE BEFORE DEADLY FLORIDA CRASH

He was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter.

Some states allow migrants to obtain a regular driver’s license regardless of citizenship status, but CDLs are governed by federal law, which stipulates that proof of being a lawful permanent resident or an Employment Authorization Document are required to get a commercial license.

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif, and Gov. Bob Ferguson, D-Wash., for comment but did not immediately hear back.

EXPERT REVEALS HOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER MAY HAVE GOTTEN COMMERCIAL LICENSE BEFORE FATAL FLORIDA CRASH

Moody’s bill would ensure that CDLs are only awarded to U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or holders of a valid work visa. It would also codify requirements for states to report their efforts to uphold English proficiency requirements in line with President Donald Trump’s executive order from earlier this year requiring agencies to enforce such provisions.

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Federal investigators said Singh had failed English proficiency and road sign tests prior to the collision. Should states not enforce English proficiency requirements, their eligibility for federal funding could be jeopardized.

“States must ensure that folks are safe on our roadways, and if they don’t, they should forfeit federal funding,” Moody said.

President Xi Jinping declared China’s “great rejuvenation” unstoppable on Wednesday as he used the country’s largest-ever military parade to hint at reunification with Taiwan and to flaunt advanced weapons designed to rival American power.

Xi said the People’s Liberation Army would “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” underscoring Beijing’s ambitions toward Taiwan. “The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable,” he added.

The 70-minute spectacle marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. Thousands of troops goose-stepped through Tiananmen Square, followed by columns of tanks, missile carriers and drones.

Xi has repeatedly set 2027, the 100th anniversary of the PLA, as a deadline for military modernization — a timeline U.S. officials warn could coincide with preparations for an invasion of Taiwan.

TRUMP CLAIMS PUTIN, XI, KIM ARE CONSPIRING AGAINST THE US AFTER MILITARY PARADE IN CHINA

China showed off its full nuclear triad — missiles launched from land, sea and air. That included the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of traveling 12,400 miles, putting the U.S. mainland within range.

Analysts paid special attention to what appeared to be a new DF-61 hypersonic missile carried on a WS2400 truck. The weapon is believed to be designed to outpace U.S. missile defenses. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles and long-range bombers rounded out the display of nuclear muscle.

The PLA also rolled out stealth drones — like the GJ-11 “Sharp Sword” UCAV and other ‘loyal wingman’ drones — alongside AI-enhanced tanks, hypersonic weapons, underwater drones and other futuristic systems.

Amphibious assault vehicles hinted at preparations for a Taiwan contingency. Beijing also highlighted cyber and space capabilities, signaling ambitions beyond conventional battlefields.

Xi watched the procession flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un — a not-so-subtle signal of solidarity among America’s adversaries.

PUTIN AND XI DEEPEN TIES AS IRAN, NORTH KOREA LEADERS VISIT BEIJING

After the parade, Putin and Kim met behind closed doors for two hours. Putin thanked Kim for supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, Chinese state media reported.

President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, addressing Xi directly: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”

Around two dozen world leaders watched from the stands, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Only two heads of state from Europe — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico — accepted China’s invitation, as Western allies largely stayed away.

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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te dismissed the spectacle as “psychological intimidation.” 

The show of force came just months after the U.S. staged its own military parade in Washington to mark the Army’s 250th birthday, in a signal that China intends to match and eventually surpass American military power.

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are advancing legislation to stiffen penalties for people convicted of assaulting or impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, escalating the partisan battle over illegal immigration and crime enforcement.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, introduced the “Protect and Respect ICE Act,” backed by Reps. Brad Knott, R-N.C., and Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn. The measure would double the maximum prison sentence and fines for assaulting, resisting or impeding an ICE agent or employee.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported in July that ICE officials experienced an 830% increase in assaults between late January and mid-July compared to the same period in 2024.

A Hinson spokesperson told Fox News Digital the bill is intended to deter violence by anti-ICE protesters targeting federal agents.

Hinson tied the surge in attacks to progressive activists.

“Instead of standing with law enforcement, the radical Left sides with dangerous illegal aliens and even wants to strip ICE agents of the gear that keeps them safe. That’s unacceptable,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Anyone who assaults an ICE agent must face the harshest possible punishment.”

Congressional Republicans and the Trump administration have already surged resources to ICE since regaining control of the federal government earlier this year. 

President Donald Trump has also ordered ICE-led raids in major U.S. cities, sparking backlash from Democrats and progressive groups.

Chicago is reportedly the latest city preparing for an ICE crackdown, alongside a deployment of National Guard troops. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker have both criticized the move.

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Johnson signed an executive order last week prohibiting Chicago police from cooperating with “any unlawful or unconstitutional actions undertaken by federal law enforcement or U.S. Armed Forces within the City of Chicago.”

More than 1,000 current and former employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signed a letter calling on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign on Wednesday.

The employees cited Kennedy’s recent ousting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Susan Monarez. They also accused Kennedy of appointing “political ideologues” to positions of authority.

“We believe health policy should be based in strong, evidence-based principles rather than partisan politics. But under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, HHS policies are placing the health of all Americans at risk, regardless of their politics,” the letter says.

“Should he decline to resign, we call upon the President and U.S. Congress to appoint a new Secretary of Health and Human Services, one whose qualifications and experience ensure that health policy is informed by independent and unbiased peer-reviewed science. We expect those in leadership to act when the health of Americans is at stake,” the letter continues.

CDC DIRECTOR SUSAN MONAREZ REFUSES TO BE FIRED AS OTHER OFFICIALS CALL IT QUITS

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

The letter comes just days after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also called on Kennedy to resign, citing his actions at the CDC. The Trump administration announced the removal of Monarez last week, less than a month after she was confirmed, after she refused Kennedy’s directives to adopt new limitations on the availability of some vaccines, including for approvals for COVID-19 vaccines.

BIPARTISAN FURY AT CDC: SENATORS DEMAND PROBE, REJECT VACCINE GUIDANCE AS ILLEGITIMATE

Four other senior CDC officials resigned in protest after Monarez’s ouster, pointing, in part, to anti-vaccine policies pushed by Kennedy. Hundreds of workers at the agency also walked out of the CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta in support of their former colleagues.

Sanders wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times that Kennedy is “endangering the health of the American people now and into the future,” and accused the secretary of firing Monarez because she refused “to act as a rubber stamp for his dangerous policies.”

“Despite the overwhelming opposition of the medical community, Secretary Kennedy has continued his longstanding crusade against vaccines and his advocacy of conspiracy theories that have been rejected repeatedly by scientific experts,” Sanders wrote.

“It is absurd to have to say this in 2025, but vaccines are safe and effective,” he added. “That, of course, is not just my view. Far more important, it is the overwhelming consensus of the medical and scientific communities.”

The Trump administration has defended Monarez’s ouster, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying Thursday that the president has the “authority to fire those who are not aligned with his mission.”

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“The president and Secretary Kennedy are committed to restoring trust and transparency and credibility to the CDC by ensuring their leadership and their decisions are more public-facing, more accountable, strengthening our public health system and restoring it to its core mission of protecting Americans from communicable diseases, investing in innovation to prevent, detect and respond to future threats,” Leavitt told reporters.

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report

Business magnate Elon Musk suggested that anti-white male propaganda is “a major driver of” members of that demographic adopting transgender identity.

“My observation is that a major driver of white males becoming trans is the relentless propaganda portraying white men as the worst human beings,” Musk wrote in a post on X. 

ELON MUSK HALTS PLANS FOR NEW POLITICAL PARTY, PRIORITIZING BUSINESS INSTEAD: REPORT

“If those lies land, especially during vulnerable teen years, and they are given an option to be a ‘celebrated’ group, some will do it,” he added.

Someone responded to Musk’s post by writing, “Interesting theory. It may also explain why so many white women support trans mania despite the harm it causes them and their children.”

NANCY PELOSI SAYS SEX CHANGES FOR TRANS KIDS IS SOMETHING SHE’S WORKING FOR ‘AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL’

Musk replied with the 100 emoji, apparently expressing agreement.

One of Musk’s children identifies as transgender.

SPACEX SUCCEEDS AT THIRD STARSHIP TEST FLIGHT ATTEMPT AFTER MULTIPLE SCRUBS

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“They call it deadnaming for a reason,” Musk previously said during an interview with Jordan Peterson, saying, “my son Xavier is dead, killed by the woke mind virus.”

EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump’s America250 organization will create the world’s largest American flag ahead of the semiquincentennial celebration on July 4, 2026, Fox News Digital has learned.

The flag is expected to measure 776 feet wide and 1,492 feet long.

TRUMP TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO PLAN ‘EXTRAORDINARY CELEBRATION’ FOR 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA’S INDEPENDENCE

The flag is expected to stretch longer — or taller — than New York City’s Empire State Building, and will be nearly half the size of the Pentagon.

Sources involved in its creation told Fox News Digital that the National Mall is not big enough to unfurl the flag, and that officials are considering unveiling it at a massive venue like Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a NASCAR speedway or a location in Lebanon, Kansas — the geographic center of the United States of America.

“Everything President Trump does is historic and larger than life,” America250 Executive Director Ari Abergel told Fox News Digital. “America250 will be no different, and we’re kicking things off by breaking a massive world record — creating the world’s largest American flag.”

Qatar recorded the largest draped flag in 2013, according to Guinness World Records, with a flag measuring 1,097,672 square feet.

Azerbaijan recorded the largest flag flown in 2024, per Guinness, with a flag measuring 25,598 square feet.

Sources told Fox News Digital that America250’s largest flag will “blow them both away,” measuring more than 1,157,000 square feet.

“The flag will be Made in America, and unfurled by hundreds of patriots in an extraordinary moment of national unity as part of America250,” Abergel told Fox News Digital.

AMERICA WILL BE CELEBRATING ITS 250TH BIRTHDAY AND EVERYONE’S INVITED: ‘BE INSPIRED FOR OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE’

The flag will be unveiled in a “first-of-its kind celebration,” according to U.S. Chief of Protocol and America250 Principal Media Representative Ambassador Monica Crowley.

The flag likely will be unveiled in the spring of 2026.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the national mood is bright and optimistic,” Crowley said. “There could be no better time to throw our country a spectacular birthday party, including unfurling the largest American flag in history.” 

Crowley told Fox News Digital that from now until summer 2026, America250 is “activating unforgettable moments that will fill American hearts with patriotism and pride for years to come.”

America250 is expected to host additional events in 2025, including the U.S. Navy’s birthday in October and the U.S. Marine Corps’ birthday in November.

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America250 has recently sparked controversy after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., appointed former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson and Democrat activist Jack Schlossberg to serve on the commission.

“At the end of the day, America250 will be remembered as President Trump’s celebration — nobody else’s,” Abergel told Fox News Digital. “And the President is the only reason why it will be a success.” 

The U.S. collected more than $30 billion in tariff revenues in August, already the highest monthly total so far for 2025 — and with more data still to be reported. 

Total tariff revenue for 2025 has reached more than $183 billion, according to the latest “Customs and Certain Excise Taxes” data released Thursday by the Treasury Department. Tariff revenue for Friday through Sunday has not yet been reported.

TRUMP SAYS US WOULD BE ‘DESTROYED’ WITHOUT TARIFF REVENUE

Tariff revenues rose steadily from $17.4 billion in April to $23.9 billion in May, before climbing to $28 billion in June and reaching $29 billion in July. 

At the current pace, the U.S. could collect as much tariff revenue in just four months to five months as it did during the entire previous year.

Compared to this time in 2025, tariff revenues were at $86.5 billion for the fiscal year.

The surge in revenue coincides with a federal appeals court ruling that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by using emergency powers to impose sweeping global tariffs.

TRUMP CALLS TARIFF WINDFALL ‘SO BEAUTIFUL TO SEE’ AS CASH SAILS IN

In its Friday decision, the court said the power to set such tariffs rests squarely with Congress or within existing trade policy frameworks. The ruling does not affect tariffs imposed by other legal authorities, such as Trump’s levies on steel and aluminum imports.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the Justice Department will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the court allowed the tariffs to remain in place through Oct. 14.

The setback chips away at Trump’s trade policy, long a centerpiece of his economic agenda, which leans heavily on tariffs to raise revenue and exert pressure on foreign trading partners. 

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Trump previously has said that tariff revenue could offset the cost of his “big, beautiful bill” and add hundreds of billions to the U.S. economy.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously said that the Trump administration could apply part of the tariff revenue toward lowering the national debt.

The nation’s debt is nearing $37.2 trillion as of Aug. 18, according to the Treasury Department. 

The staggering figure has intensified the long-standing debate in Washington over government spending, taxation and efforts to rein in the ballooning deficit.

Whether you love or hate Donald Trump, it’s my duty to say that he responded to a user on Truth Social by saying: “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.”

That’s in response to some ugly and reckless online rumors that I won’t dignify here, although CNN made time to discuss it, adding that vicious online chatter is not true.

What is true is that the president has been on an online rampage, that denouncing his opponents gives him immense satisfaction and portrays him as a fighter. Fighting has been his default setting, ever since he was battling the likes of Leona Helmsley as a New York developer. 

And it goes beyond politics. Trump has demanded that Roger Clemens, credibly accused of taking illegal drugs, be admitted to the Hall of Fame now, rather than waiting till his death as in the case of Pete Rose. He says this is part of a “deal” he made with the baseball commissioner.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSES WILD RUMORS ABOUT HIS HEALTH: ‘IT’S FAKE NEWS’

And then there are other parts of the culture war, such as declaring parts of the Smithsonian museums too “woke,” and personally announcing the Kennedy Center Awards choices after ousting Democrats from the theater’s board.

The president is also escalating his rhetoric against the media, demanding that ABC and NBC – both of which settled his lawsuits by $16 million or more – lose their licenses because of their negative coverage…of him.

Joe Biden used to be out of sight in Rehoboth for three days and no one noticed. Trump does that – though there have been reporter “sightings” – and the media go crazy. That’s because we’re so accustomed to seeing him every day. He may have minor ailments – bruised hand, swollen ankles – but he’s, well, old,, and it would be helpful if he released more medical information. But the guy held a 3-hour, 15-minute presser just a few days ago!

And if you’ve crossed Donald in the past – fughedaboudit!

He is a counterpuncher.

In reading jabs with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Trump said he got praise as “the greatest president of my lifetime.” But video from a Fox documentary shows the governor gave him a warm welcome and said he looked forward to working with him on rebuilding the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

“We’ll help you out,” Trump said.

But the president later posted: “I gave Wes Moore a lot of money to fix his demolished bridge. I will now have to rethink that decision???”

Now who would be hurt by such a move? Millions of people tied to that region economically, and in the country served by that port. I don’t think he would actually do it, and he covers himself with the three question marks. (The funding was actually approved at the end of Biden administration.)

VAN JONES ADMITS WOKE ACTIVISM AT WORK GOT ‘RIDICULOUS’ AND ‘WE NEED TO MOVE ON’

When Chris Christie ripped his one-time ally on ABC, Trump brought up the 2013 George Washington Bridge scandal. New Jersey never charged the governor, and his two top indicted aides later had their convictions overturned.

“Chris refused to take responsibility for these criminal acts,” Trump posted.. For the sake of JUSTICE, perhaps we should start looking at that very serious situation again?”

Trump also called for Democratic donor and activist George Soros, and the son who’s taken over his organization, to face racketeering charges:

“George Soros, and his wonderful Radical Left son, should be charged with RICO because of their support of Violent Protests, and much more, all throughout the United States of America.”

TRUMP: Margaret Brennan. What do you think of her?

KAROLINE LEAVITT: She’s stupid. You can put that on the record.

TRUMP: She’s nasty.

LEAVITT: Yes.

For the record, Brennan is far from stupid. What’s more, she was off for the holiday weekend, and it was CBS’s Ed O’Keefe asking Kristi Noem hard but fair questions. So there was no reason to be beating up on Brennan.

The Homeland Security secretary ripped CBS for “shamefully” editing this part out of the “Face the Nation” interview. In part:

“This individual was a known human smuggler, MS-13 gang member, an individual who was a wife beater, and someone who was so perverted that he solicited nude photos from minors. And even his fellow human traffickers told him to knock it off. He was so sick in what he was doing and how he was treating small children.” 

Meanwhile, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough broke with the anti-Trump line and said this about Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker–after asking Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson five times if he wanted more money for police and not getting a straight answer.

GEORGIA JUDGE ORDERS FANI WILLIS TO REDO SEARCH FOR RECORDS IN TRUMP ELECTION CASE

“I actually think that J.B. Pritzker should do something radical. I think he should pick up the phone, call the president, and say, ‘You know and I know you don’t have the Constitutional authority to deploy the National Guard here, and to police my [city]. You can do that in D.C., you can’t do that in Chicago. But let’s partner up. These are the most dangerous parts of my state, we would love to figure out how to have a partnership that’s Constitutional that respects the sort of balance of federalism between the federal government and the state government. And let’s work together to save lives.”

As for Johnson talking about the “dignity” of his constituents: “The mayor talking about ‘we’re gonna protect people’s dignity in our city,’ Scarborough said. “Well, protect their lives! That’s protecting their dignity!”

After the segment aired, Trump ripped Donna Brazile for her comments on ABC: “Wasn’t she totally discredited when she gave Crooked Hillary Clinton the questions to a Debate?”And later: “CRIME IS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL IN CHICAGO. 6 DEAD, 24 BADLY WOUNDED, LAST WEEK ALONE!!!” 

Here’s another example: Ashley Parker, formerly of the New York Times and Washington Post and now with the Atlantic, and her colleague Nancy Youssef, did intensive reporting in talking to National Guard members, city residents and others and wrote that no one knows what the mission is:

“The occupation has chilled life in the city, especially in neighborhoods with large immigrant populations: quiet playgrounds, empty restaurants, fewer street vendors, fewer food-delivery scooters. Nannies have stayed home, and house cleaners have canceled. Some mixed-status families are keeping their children home from school or skipping work until the federal focus moves on, or they’re leaving home only when absolutely necessary. As D.C. Public Schools reopened this week, some local parent-teacher groups organized impromptu ‘walking buses’—volunteers willing to help walk to and from school kids whose parents don’t feel safe doing so…

“Their sudden appearance brings with it an absurdist sheen – their tasks quotidian (‘beautification’), their backdrops farcical (a Dupont Circle Krispy Kreme), their very presence sitcom-esque (as if lifted from an episode of Veep).”

Ok, it’s an opinionated piece for a liberal magazine. So what became the news?

That in June she had complained: “After another bike was stolen last night, my husband and I realized our life as DC homeowners by the numbers includes: 1 stolen car; 2 stolen scooters/Vespas; 3 stolen bikes; a partridge in a pear tree; etc.”

If anything, she put aside her personal experience with crime and slammed the “occupation.” 

But let’s scrutinize the role of the media, much of which has resumed the role of the Resistance. Even if you despise every one of Trump’s policies, he is the most significant president of the 21st century, from bombing Iran’s nuclear sites to cracking down on D.C. crime and shutting down the border. 

And yet the coverage has been overwhelmingly negative, though sometimes the press is fairly reporting an array of facts. 

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For instance, that Trump wants to cut NOAA’s budget by 27 percent, eliminating its research arm, and has cut research for next-generation satellites. 

But it seems that most of the negative coverage is aimed personally at the president, no matter what he says or does, with the knee-jerk reaction that he can never be given credit for anything.

A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration cannot speed the deportations of migrants accused of being members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua using an 18th-century wartime law.

In a 2-1 ruling, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with immigrant rights lawyers and lower court judges who argued the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was not created to be used against gangs like Tren de Aragua.

“The Trump administration’s use of a wartime statute during peacetime to regulate immigration was rightly shut down by the court,” Lee Gelernt, who argued the case for the American Civil Liberties Union, said. “This is a critically important decision reining in the administration’s view that it can simply declare an emergency without any oversight by the courts.”

The Alien Enemies Act was previously used only three times in U.S. history, and all came during declared wars in the War of 1812 and the two World Wars.

BOASBERG CLEARED TO RULE ON CECOT MIGRANT DEPORTATIONS AFTER APPEALS COURT DECISION

The Trump administration claimed that courts cannot second-guess the president’s determination that Tren de Aragua was connected to Venezuela’s government and represented a danger to the U.S., which it argued warranted using the law.

The administration deported alleged Tren de Aragua members to a mega-prison in El Salvador where, officials argued, U.S. courts could not order their release.

More than 250 of the deported migrants returned to Venezuela under a deal announced in July.

In a 2-1 ruling, the court granted the preliminary injunction sought by the plaintiffs because they “found no invasion or predatory incursion” in this case.

VIDEO SHOWS US MILITARY BLASTING DRUG BOAT, KILLING 11 SUSPECTED VENEZUELAN TREN DE ARAGUA NARCO-TERRORISTS

The court’s ruling blocks deportations from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The majority opinion said Trump’s allegations about Tren de Aragua do not meet the historical levels of national conflict that Congress intended for when the law was approved.

“A country encouraging its residents and citizens to enter this country illegally is not the modern-day equivalent of sending an armed, organized force to occupy, to disrupt, or to otherwise harm the United States,” U.S. Circuit Judges Leslie Southwick and Irma Carrillo Ramirez wrote.

In a dissent, U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham argued that the majority was second-guessing Trump’s conduct in foreign affairs and national security, which are areas where courts often give the president great deference.

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“The majority’s approach to this case is not only unprecedented—it is contrary to more than 200 years of precedent,” Oldham wrote.

The Trump administration secured one legal victory in Tuesday’s ruling, with the judges finding the procedures officials use to advise detainees under the Alien Enemies Act about their legal rights are appropriate.

The ruling can be appealed to the full Fifth Circuit or directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is expected to make the ultimate decision in this case.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rep. Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., decried “out of control” violence in the nation’s capital city and revealed that she was assaulted by a gang of youths in the streets of Washington, D.C., before the Trump administration’s takeover.

Speaking with reporters outside the Capitol building during a Republican Study Committee (RSC) press conference on Tuesday, Fedorchak, who is the sole member of the House of Representatives from North Dakota, agreed with her fellow Republicans that congressional action is needed to help keep D.C. safe.

She said she herself was attacked in broad daylight in D.C.’s Navy Yard neighborhood, which is located just a few minutes’ drive from the Capitol and is a popular neighborhood for members of Congress and staffers. The neighborhood is also home to the Nationals’ baseball stadium.

“D.C. is a beautiful city. It’s an amazing city, and it’s the best capital in the world. But it isn’t safe. We all know this,” said Fedorchak. “Crime in our nation’s capital is out of control. If D.C. were a state, it would have the highest homicide rate in the country.”

SENATE AIDE WHO SURVIVED BRUTAL DC STABBING SAYS CRIME FIGHT ‘WORTHWHILE’

“In fact, I felt this myself recently in a small way,” she continued. “I was walking down the street in July and near my apartment in Navy Yard, not very far from home, and I felt something hard hit me in the in the back of my head. It was broad daylight. I was very startled. I was on the phone at the time, and just as that happened, a pack of juveniles came rushing by on their bikes and I turned to look around and see what had happened. And a large, hard plastic object had been thrown directly at my head.”

“Now that was a small, minor incident. I wasn’t harmed, but the young people who did it, did it with reckless abandon and with zero fear of consequences,” she said. “They gathered in a circle not far from me after that and sat there and laughed.”

Fedorchak said this assault is just another example of “how crime is out of control in this city, and there aren’t any consequences.”

In August, President Donald Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to place the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal control in response to rampant violent crime in the city. One of the reasons cited by the president was the epidemic of violent youth gangs terrorizing residents in the streets of D.C. In early August, a former DOGE staffer named Edward Coristine was violently assaulted by a group of D.C. youths and left bloodied in the street. Trump called the perpetrators “thugs” and vowed to exert his powers to federalize D.C.

TRUMP PRAISES DEMOCRATIC DC MAYOR FOR WORKING WITH HIS ADMINISTRATION ON CRIME CRACKDOWN

Fedorchak praised Trump’s crackdown in D.C. and agreed with other Republicans present that more action is needed from Congress to help the president restore order to the city.  

“America is the greatest country in the world. There’s no reason why our capital should have a violent crime rate higher than some of the most dangerous places in the world,” she said.

“Many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have falsely claimed that D.C. crime stats are at a 30-year low. But let’s remember that crime is not just about statistics. It’s about people.”

She pointed to the recent killing of 21-year-old congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in northwest D.C. in June.

“It’s about the mother who sent her child here to intern in one of our offices this summer, never to see him again. It’s about all the families who suffer from crime in this very city. It’s about the Metropolitan Police Union, who agrees that they are stretched too thin and don’t have the resources to take care of crime in this city, and to provide a safe environment. It’s about staffers, interns, families and visitors who live with the daily reality of coming to a city that isn’t safe.”

Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., whose office Tarpinian-Jachym was interning with when he was killed, also weighed in during the press conference, calling the murder “a senseless crime.”

“To this day, it’s not been solved by the Washington, D.C., police … That’s why I applaud President Trump and the work that he’s doing in terms of making sure that we do have a safe capital,” he said.

TRUMP DECLARES DC A ‘CRIME FREE ZONE’ AMID HIS FEDERAL CRACKDOWN

“Yesterday, I was able to walk around the Navy Yard with my daughter, and it was great to see the National Guard out there patrolling around,” he said. “It was a safe environment for people to hang out. It was nice. There was a family there having a birthday party for one of their children.”

During the press conference, Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., announced that Congress would be asserting greater control over D.C. to ensure the city remains safe for residents and visitors.  

“In 1973, Congress granted D.C. limited home rule authority through the District of Columbia Self-Government Reorganization Act, also called the Home Rule Act. In the Home Rule Act, Congress reserves the right at any time to exercise its constitutional authority as the legislature for the district, which includes the right to review and block local legislation before it takes effect. It has now become necessary for Congress to exercise such authority,” she said.

“Why? Because the D.C. city council is seeking to exercise its authority not for the best interests of its citizens or the broader community, but for political purposes,” she continued. “For years now, the D.C. city council has not only prioritized left-wing policies and programs but intentionally sought to hide their activities from Congress. It is a new day in D.C., however, and Congress intends to once again assert its authority to ensure that Washington, D.C., rightfully reflects and represents this great nation on the national and international stage.”

RSC Chair August Pfluger, R-Texas, stated, “Now, Congress must take the next step and use our Article One powers.”

SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN CRITICIZES DEMOCRATS WHO MAKE ‘VILLAINS OUT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT’

“We cannot and will not allow D.C. to fall into a hellscape again when the local government fails,” he added. “It’s our constitutional duty to act. Congress has a clear constitutional authority over D.C., and we will use it without hesitation to continue making D.C. safe and great again.”

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In a separate press conference taking place elsewhere at the Capitol at the same time, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also commented on Trump’s D.C. crackdown. He downplayed the crackdown’s success, claiming that “every single area of criminal activity” was “on the way down prior to the arrival of the National Guard.”

Jeffries suggested the crackdown was “probably the result of Donald Trump trying to figure out a way to change the topic, given his deep unpopularity.”

He said he would not support Congress extending the emergency declaration to allow the Trump administration to continue its crackdown.

Grand juries in Washington, D.C. refused to indict two people accused of threatening the life of President Donald Trump, prosecutors confirmed to Fox News Digital Tuesday.

Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington said both cases involved threats against the president while jurors rejected charges, preventing the cases from moving forward to trial.

One case involved Nathalie Rose Jones, who is accused of posting online threats to assassinate Trump and later repeating those threats directly to Secret Service agents during an interview.

JEANINE PIRRO SHUTS DOWN REPORTERS QUESTIONING TRUMP’S DC CRIME CRACKDOWN

U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, whose office pushed for the indictment, blasted the jury’s refusal on Tuesday.

“A Washington D.C. grand jury refused to indict someone who threatened to kill the President of the United States. Her intent was clear, traveling through five states to do so,” Pirro told Fox News in an exclusive statement. 

“She even confirmed the same to the U.S. Secret Service. This is the essence of a politicized jury. The system here is broken on many levels. Instead of the outrage that should be engendered by a specific threat to kill the president, the grand jury in D.C. refuses to even let the judicial process begin. Justice should not depend on politics,” Pirro added.

In a second case, another grand jury declined to indict Edward Alexander Dana, who allegedly threatened to kill Trump while being arrested last month on unrelated charges of vandalism in Northwest D.C.

TRUMP SAYS ‘INCOMPETENT’ ILLINOIS GOVERNOR, ‘NO BETTER’ CHICAGO MAYOR SHOULD CALL HIM FOR HELP WITH CRIME

According to charging documents, Dana told police he was intoxicated, admitted making the threat and described himself as a descendant of the Huguenots, French Protestants who waged rebellions in the 1600s.

Then, magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey denied a request by prosecutors to keep the jury’s decision sealed, ordering the disclosure of the “no true” bill to Dana’s attorney.

Dana’s defense attorney, Elizabeth Mullin, told Fox News Digital she had “never seen anything like it” in over 20 years of practice.

“This is the result of them taking weak cases and trying to shoehorn them into federal district court,” Mullin said.

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Meanwhile, Pirro said grand juries in D.C. are politically motivated and unwilling to hold violent or threatening defendants accountable.

Last week, she told Fox News that residents were “so used to crime” that they’re increasingly unwilling to indict. 

On Tuesday, she called the decisions not to indict Jones and Dana “a sign the system is collapsing from within.”

The Department of Homeland Security is keeping the pressure on Illinois leaders amid a looming National Guard and federal immigration enforcement surge in Chicago, as Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker says it would be a possible “invasion.” 

President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that he’ll send the feds into Chicago after the federal takeover of Washington, D.C. Numerous reports have suggested that immigration authorities could be stationed in the region as part of the operation.

“He can talk about what a great job he’s doing as governor, but he’s failing those families who will no longer have their child with them, their mother or their father, or their cousin, aunt and uncle, that are gone forever because of the violence that’s happening in Chicago,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” of Pritzker, saying that leaders need to be working with the administration on crime.

ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT LEADERS BLAST TRUMP PUSH TO SEND NATIONAL GUARD TO CHICAGO

“They don’t even honor our detainers in Chicago,” the secretary added, as detainers play a key role in keeping an individual behind bars so they can be transferred from local to federal custody. In a post on Tuesday, DHS said “it is DISGUSTING” that the governor “chooses to fight for the violent illegal alien killers in Chicago instead of his American constituents.”

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The federal government can technically have a degree of oversight over the capital city’s police force, but there are now National Guard troops and federal agencies like ICE and the FBI on the streets of D.C. in an effort to curb crime, including immigration-related arrests. 

“At least 54 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend, 8 people were killed. The last two weekends were similar. Chicago is the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday. 

TRUMP’S WEEK SHAPED BY CRIME AGENDA, POTENTIAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO

“Pritzker needs help badly, he just doesn’t know it yet. I will solve the crime problem fast, just like I did in DC. Chicago will be safe again, and soon. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Fox News Digital reported that various serious criminal arrests by DHS have already been made in the Chicago area since Trump took office in January, including illegal immigrants convicted of homicide and sexual crimes against children. 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, is already taking strong measures to limit federal influence in the city, including signing an Executive Order constricting the ability of local police to work with federal authorities.

GOV. PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP TRYING TO ‘MANUFACTURE A CRISIS’ AS ADMIN PLANS NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO

“This executive order makes it emphatically clear that this president is not going to come in and deputize our police department,” Johnson said at a news conference.

“We will protect our Constitution, we will protect our city, and we will protect our people,” he continued. “We do not want to see tanks in our streets. We do not want to see families ripped apart. We do not want grandmothers thrown into the back of unmarked vans. We don’t want to see homeless Chicagoans harassed or disappeared by federal agents.”

On Friday, Pritzker dubbed the possibility of troop deployment to the city an “invasion.”

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“It’s clear that, in secret, they’re planning this. Well, it’s an invasion with U.S. troops, if they, in fact, do that,” Pritzker told CBS’ Ed O’Keefe. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Pritzker and Johnson.

Fox News Digital’s Hanna Panreck, Anders Hagstrom and Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson on Monday announced her bid for the U.S. Senate, in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst.

“I am running for the United States Senate,” Hinson said in an appearance on a popular afternoon talk radio program in Iowa.

Hinson – a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northeastern portion of the state – showcased her support for President Donald Trump.

“I’m running to be President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate,” she said. “I’m proud to fight alongside him.”

REPUBLICAN JONI ERNST ANNOUNCES SHE WON’T SEEK SENATE RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR

Her news came a few hours after Ernst, in a social media video, officially announced that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms.

“Having been raised in a family who has given me so much love and support, now as our family ages and grows, it’s time for me to get back to them. After a tremendous amount of prayer and reflection, I will not be seeking re-election in 2026,” the 55-year-old Ernst, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, said in a video posted to social media.

TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS

Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War, had been wrestling for months over whether to run for re-election in 2026. And in her video, she said, “This was no easy decision.”

Ernst first grabbed national attention 11 years ago with her “make ’em squeal” ads as she won the high-profile Senate election in Iowa in the race to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

And Ernst highlighted in her video that “11 years ago, Iowans elected me as the first female combat veteran to the U.S. Senate, and they did so with a mission in mind – to make Washington squeal. And I’m proud to say we have delivered. We’ve cut waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government.”

Hinson, in a social media post, thanked Ernst for her “incredible service to our state and nation” as well as for her friendship. “Iowa is better off thanks to your selfless service,” she said.

In her radio interview, she told host Simon Conway that among her priorities as she runs for the Senate are “secure borders, keeping men out of girls’ sports, cutting taxes for our working families, standing up for Iowa agriculture and helping our young Iowans who are trying to buy a house and start a family.”

Hinson also pledged to campaign across all 99 of Iowa’s counties, starting with a kick-off event on Friday.

And as she entered the race, Hinson was endorsed by Republican Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.

House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, House Republican Leadership Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik and Iowa House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann also backed Hinson.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) communications director Maeve Coyle, following Hinson’s announcement, argued that “Republicans failed to convince Joni Ernst to run for reelection, and now they may be stuck with Ashley Hinson, who has repeatedly voted to raise costs and make life harder for Iowans by voting to slash Medicaid, cheering on the chaotic tariffs that threaten Iowa’s economy, voting against measures to lower the cost of insulin, and threatening Social Security.”

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

Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020, and by 13 points last November.

Republicans currently hold both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats – Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley – and all four of Iowa’s congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor, which is held by Democrat Rob Sand, who’s running for governor next year.

But Democrats in Iowa are energized after flipping two GOP-held state Senate seats in special elections so far this year.

Four Democrats are already running for Senate in Iowa. The field includes state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian wheelchair basketball player, state Sen. Zach Wahls, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce executive director Nathan Sage and Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris.

“An open seat in Iowa is just the latest example of Democrats expanding the senatorial map,” Lauren French, spokesperson for the Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC, said in a statement.

But Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), said in a statement, “The NRSC is confident Iowans will elect a Republican to continue fighting for them and championing President Trump’s agenda in 2026.”

SENATE DEMOCRATS RECRUITING TOP CANDIDATES IN PUSH TO WIN BACK MAJORITY

Republicans are aiming to not only defend, but expand, the current 53-47 Senate majority in next year’s elections.

Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority.

But the party in power – the Republicans – traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.

In battleground Georgia, which Trump narrowly carried in last year’s White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year.

They’re also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen decided against seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate.

Also on the NRSC’s target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn’t running for re-election.

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But the GOP is defending an open seat in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tills decided against seeking re-election. And Republicans will likely be forced to spend resources to defend Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio – who was appointed to succeed former senator and now-Vice President JD Vance – as he faces off next year against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Meanwhile, Democrats are also targeting moderate Sen. Susan Collins – who has yet to announce her expected 2026 re-election – in blue-leaning Maine. 

The Senate teed up a colossal package to authorize funding for the Pentagon on Tuesday, marking the first legislation to hit the floor since lawmakers returned from August recess.

Lawmakers advanced the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on a largely bipartisan 84 to 14 vote, setting up the bill for debate before a later vote to advance it from the Senate.

This year’s version of the bill isn’t as divisive as its predecessor, given the lack of provisions targeting “woke” policies at the Pentagon, which became a major target for Republicans when they gained power in the House during the latter half of former President Joe Biden’s first term.

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Instead, the measure focuses on military contracting reforms and lasers in on the Pentagon’s failure to complete, let alone pass, an audit for the last several years. It also includes a bump to service members’ pay, though not as high as in recent years. It also includes an extension to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative through 2028, and increases authorized funding to $500 million. 

Still, the measure would authorize about 3% more funding for the Pentagon when compared to last year’s NDAA in the midst of the GOP and White House’s push to cut costs in the government.

It also comes on the heels of a $150 billion injection of defense spending passed in President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.”

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Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said after the bill glided through committee in July that the “United States is operating in the most dangerous threat environment we have faced since World War II.”

“The bill my committee advanced today is a direct reflection of the severity of that threat environment, as well as the rapidly evolving landscape of war,” he said. “My colleagues and I have prioritized reindustrialization and the structural rebuilding of the arsenal of democracy.”

And Sen. Jack Reed, the Democrat on the panel, similarly agreed that the U.S. “faces a global security environment unlike any in recent memory.”

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“This legislation invests in the service members, technology, and capabilities we need to deter our adversaries and defend our national interests,” the Rhode Island Democrat said. “I thank Chairman Wicker and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle for advancing this bill to prioritize the safety and security of the American people.”

The Senate and House have offered competing versions of the bill, too. Lawmakers in the upper chamber leapfrogged their colleagues in the House, where their iteration of the NDAA is expected to be considered next week.

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Overall, the Senate’s version of the legislation would tee up nearly $925 billion in defense spending. That total is split among the Department of Defense at over $878 billion, the Department of Energy at over $35 billion with another $10 billion allocated for “defense-related activities” outside of the bill’s jurisdiction.

The House version of the bill clocked in at just over $848 billion, well below the Senate’s product but more in line with the Pentagon’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year.