NationalWatch

Former California Republican Congresswoman Michelle Steel will not be seeking another term in Congress.

The Republican, who lost by just over 600 votes in November to Rep. Derek Tran after serving two terms in the House, said she’s pursuing other political goals.

“I have other goals that, you know what, I’m having so much fun, and I work on President Trump’s agenda right now. And I was appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson to that Asian-American coalition, so I want to help Asian-Americans in this country and then plus other Asian countries,” the Republican, who sits on the board of directors of the Lincoln Club, said.

‘NO ONE’ EXCITED ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS’ POTENTIAL GUBERNATORIAL RUN, SAY CALIFORNIA DONORS

Her decision not to run will likely open the door to a competitive Republican primary and a multimillion-dollar general election race in 2026.

“I can serve much better [with] what I’m doing right now,” she said, turning down the possibility of seeking another elected office.

Steel, along with Reps. Young Kim and Marilyn Strickland, were the first Korean-American women in Congress, and Steel is a first-generation American. Steel said fundraising and connecting with the different ethnic communities in the district is key to a Republican seeking to win the seat back, noting that a large portion are “first generations” like her.

DEM GOVERNOR HOPEFULS VOW TO RESIST TRUMP AS CALIFORNIA CHAOS BECOMES NJ CAMPAIGN ISSUE

“I totally understand what they have to go through as a first generation, so that’s really important. Go through community by community, and you have to listen exactly what they are asking for to settle in America. This is a great country. You know what, as long as you work really hard, your dream comes true,” she said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Steel also called out anti-ICE sentiment in California and by Democrats around the country as people misunderstanding the underlying issues that come with illegal immigration.

“People were accusing me that, ‘You are the first-generation immigrant, and then you are actually trying to abuse and trying to arrest first-generations.’ I said, ‘No, this is the illegal criminals we’re talking about.’ And, you know, when they get arrested and if they are not going to get deported, guess what happened? They are actually committing another crime. So very dangerous people,” Steel said.

“And I know President Trump is doing a great job in deporting these criminals, and that’s what has to be done for American safety.

ASSAULTS ON ICE OFFICERS SURGE 830% AS DEMOCRATS CAUGHT ‘DOXING AND PHYSICALLY ASSAULTING’ AGENTS: DHS

“We really have to do the better message because, especially first generations, and you know what I heard few calling from outside of this country. They said, ‘Oh my God, they’re arresting all these immigrants, even their citizens.’ I said, ‘That’s not really true. When they commit serious crimes, yes, we kick them out because that’s for the safety, and, you know, safety for the Americans.’ That’s the reason that we are doing.”

Her decision comes as California Gov. Gavin Newsom is floating the possibility of redistricting in the Golden State to thwart any potential Republican seat gains in Texas.

“Two can play this game,” he posted to X July 15.

“I just read this morning that all the Democrats are coming into California, and all the Republicans are leaving. You know, they have to really see this trade that exactly what’s going to be helpful for Californians. California is such a beautiful state. And I live in California. I still want to save California,” Steel said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“She doesn’t understand. He doesn’t understand exactly what they have to do to make California better,” she said of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom. 

“So, I really want to stop those people that they are hurting. Not just California, but Californian people, that they are very much against these politicians. I hope they already hit the bottom, so in next year’s election, hopefully, a Republican is going to win.”

EXCLUSIVE: Three Senate Republicans are backing up Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s possible effort to reform the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, saying that the group has recently been ideologically motivated.

The “independent” task force is used to determine recommendations of what services health insurance companies in the United States have to cover for free, such as checking for cancer.

“Americans deserve to know health guidelines are based on real science, not radical wokeness. The Task Force needs to get back to its mission of giving clear, evidence-based recommendations people can trust,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, said in a statement.

I’M A PHYSICIAN AND I’M WORRIED THAT OUR HEALTH AGENCIES ARE FACING INCREASING CHAOS

The Wall Street Journal reported that Kennedy is considering removing members of the board, and the senators are saying they back any change to veer away from certain DEI tactics employed by the group currently, including the 2023 Report to Congress on High-Priority Evidence Gaps for Clinical Preventive Services and “social justice activism” by people in the group.

“In particular, the USPSTF departed from its proper activities in its December 2023 Health Equity Framework. The framework criticizes ‘equal access to quality health care for all’ as an inadequate goal of public health and announces that the Task Force will instead use equity as ‘a criterion of the ‘public health importance’ of a topic’ for consideration,” the letter added.

“Far from simply recognizing health disparities between certain populations, ‘health equity’ as described by the USPSTF includes ‘information on risk factors that intersect with race and/or ethnicity or other disadvantaged populations (e.g., sexual and gender minorities) and that affect prevalence and burden of disease’ and ‘any inequities in how preventive services are provided, accessed, or received.’ These criteria would allow the Task Force to issue recommendations outside its proper purview and impose leftwing ideology,” it continues.

SEN. RAND PAUL: KENNEDY IS CONFRONTING ‘CORRUPT’ HEALTH AGENCIES TO MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN

Specifically, they said that changes could be needed to fulfill President Donald Trump’s Executive Order to scrap DEI efforts within the federal government, along with an EO on “restoring merit-based opportunity” and “ending illegal discrimination.”

“Allowing the Task Force to pursue the Health Equity Framework means allowing it to exceed its statutory mission and target social groups that comport with a progressive agenda. It means discounting universally beneficial recommendations as inadequate. It means disregarding statutory limits and instead undertaking a social justice crusade through the lens of critical race theory and gender ideology. This would be a mistake. The result is ineffectiveness, discrimination, and division. The USPSTF should be working for all Americans equally,” the letter added.

“No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS’ mandate to Make America Healthy Again,” an HHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement when asked about the WSJ report. 

WATCH: RFK JR. REBUKES DEM SENATOR FOR PLAYING POLITICS WITH CANCER-STRICKEN CONSTITUENT: ‘YOU DON’T CARE’

There has already been some opposition to the possibility of removing the members, including from the American Medical Association.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians’ efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services,” the AMA wrote in a letter to Kennedy. “As such, we urge you to retain the previously appointed members of the USPSTF and commit to the long-standing process of regular meetings to ensure their important work can continue without interruption.”

Former President Joe Biden will speak Thursday at the National Bar Association’s 100th annual gala at the Hyatt in Chicago, two months after son Hunter agreed to a voluntary disbarment stemming from drug use and alleged gun law violations.

Joe Biden’s speech will be the highlight of the evening, while the event’s overall keynote is slated to be NFL Chicago Bears CEO Kevin Warren. 

Among the featured speakers are a host of high-profile Black lawyers, including far-left Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, MSNBC pundit Joy-Ann Reid and New York Attorney General Tish James.

“President Biden’s life and leadership reflect an unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the promise of justice for all,” National Bar Association president Wiley Adams said in a statement.

HUNTER BIDEN RAGES AGAINST ‘F—ING THUG’ TRUMP, INVOKES KKK IN IMMIGRATION RANT

“[I]t is not only historic but also deeply meaningful to have the 46th President of the United States join us in honoring the transformative power of the law—and the enduring fight to protect our democracy,” he said.

The organization, now based in Washington, D.C., was formed in Iowa at a time when the predominant American Bar Association barred Black attorneys from joining its ranks.

Its approximately 66,000 members advocate for civil rights, diversity in the legal profession as well as equitable access to the law.

The National Bar Association said Biden’s appearance “underscores his ongoing efforts to strengthen the rule of law, defend voting rights, and support historically marginalized communities.”

DNC VICE CHAIR COMPARES TRUMP TO NOTORIOUS SEGREGATIONISTS DURING HEATED TOWN HALL EVENT WITH BETO O’ROURKE

The president will take the stage the same month his son has made waves in the public eye.

Earlier in July, Hunter Biden sat for a marathon interview from the Delaware Valley, in which he attacked President Donald Trump and many top Democratic figures, including David Axelrod, and spoke about his former addiction to crack cocaine.

In a case that occurred in the same area where the interview took place, a gun registered to Hunter Biden had been found in a dumpster a short distance from the A.I. duPont school in Greenville, Del.

Hallie Biden, widow of former Delaware Attorney General Joseph Beau Biden III and then-girlfriend of Hunter Biden, discovered the gun in her boyfriend’s possession and disposed of it there. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Edward Banner of Newport, Del., had been rummaging through the dumpster for bottle deposits to cash-in and discovered the gun. He was later called to testify in the case.

During the registration of that weapon, Hunter Biden swore on a federal form that he was not actively using controlled substances – a declaration that led to a criminal case in Wilmington that eventually led to his disbarment.

In June 2024, D.C. federal Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby signed an order automatically suspending his license to practice law in Washington.

Hunter Biden filed a sealed affidavit in April consenting to his disbarment, which avoided a court hearing on the matter.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.

The White House made digs at former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a Thursday press briefing, saying she’s the reason Congress is eyeing a measure to ban all lawmakers from trading stocks. 

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump accused Pelosi of accruing her wealth “by having inside information” in stock trading.

“The reason that this idea to put a ban on stock trading for members of Congress is even a thing is because of Nancy Pelosi,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday. “I mean, she is rightfully criticized because she makes $174,000 a year. Yet she has a net worth of approximately $413 million. In 2024, Nancy Pelosi’s stock portfolio, this was a fascinating statistic to me, grew 70% in one year in 2024.” 

STEVE HILTON SLAMS PAUL PELOSI’S STOCK PURCHASE: ‘THIS IS SO ENDEMIC IN WASHINGTON’

“I think the president stands with the American people on this,” Leavitt said. “He doesn’t want to see people like Nancy Pelosi enriching themselves off of public service and ripping off their constituents in the process.” 

Pelosi addressed Trump’s comments during an interview Wednesday with CNN’s Jake Tapper, where she herself accused Trump of “projecting.” 

“That‘s ridiculous,” Pelosi said Wednesday. “In fact, I very much support the stop the trading of members of Congress. Not that I think anybody is doing anything wrong. If they are, they are prosecuted, and they go to jail. But because of the confidence it instills in the American people, don‘t worry about this.” 

“But I have no concern about the obvious investments that have been made over time,” Pelosi said. “I‘m not into it. My husband is, but it isn‘t anything to do with anything insider.” 

NANCY PELOSI BLASTED BY TWITTER USERS AFTER DENYING SHE GAVE INFO TO HUSBAND FOR STOCK TRADES: ‘LIES’

Pelosi previously has come under scrutiny for insider trading, including in 2022 after Paul Pelosi purchased more than $1 million in shares of semiconductor company Nvidia prior to Congress voting on a subsidy to the industry. The purchase was revealed in a disclosure filing from Pelosi’s office. 

The issue has received renewed attention after the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Wednesday passed the Honest Act that Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has championed. 

The measure, which Hawley first introduced as the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments Act, or PELOSI Act, would bar all lawmakers and their spouses from trading stocks in office. 

MACE SOUNDS OFF ON STOCK TRADING IN CONGRESS, PELOSI REMAINS SILENT: ‘SOMETHING DOESN’T ADD UP’

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report. 

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff are slated to visit Gaza Friday, after both met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday in Israel to discuss ways to provide food and aid to Gaza. 

“Special envoy Witkoff and Ambassador Huckabee will be traveling into Gaza to inspect the current distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground,” Leavitt told reporters on Thursday. “The special envoy and the ambassador will brief the president immediately after their visit to approve a final plan for food and aid distribution into the region.” 

“President Trump is a humanitarian with a big heart, and that’s why he sent special envoy Witkoff to the region in an effort to save lives and end this crisis,” Leavitt said.  

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

EXCLUSIVE: Congressional Republicans are pushing to close a loophole that prevents illegal immigrants convicted of DUI from being automatically deported — a gap they say has been overlooked and could be exploited by less aggressive administrations.

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., will introduce a measure this week to prevent illegal immigrants convicted of DUI from entering the U.S. and also make those living here clearly deportable.

The Protect Our Communities From DUIs Act would clarify existing law under the Immigration and Nationality Act that already makes illegal immigrants deportable for aggravated felonies and “crimes of moral turpitude.”

Not every DUI case is the same, as some are misdemeanor offenses, some are charged as felonies, though all are considered crimes of moral turpitude.

SEN CHUCK GRASSLEY: HOW SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE RESTORING RULE OF LAW AND SECURING BORDER FOR YEARS TO COME

Hagerty’s bill would make any DUI conviction a deportable development regardless of misdemeanor or felony charges.

Immigration hawks have long been concerned that administrations less eager to deport illegal immigrants may utilize loopholes or vague categorizations in existing code to make the argument they don’t have to or cannot deport certain people.

The bill makes clear that “any alien” who has been convicted of or admits committing “acts constituting the essential elements of an offense for driving while intoxicated or impaired … regardless of whether such conviction or offense is classified as a misdemeanor or felony under Federal, State, tribal, or local law” is deportable.

“During the Biden administration, our nation saw a surge in violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants, and they were not held accountable,” Hagerty told Fox News Digital.

37 HOUSE DEMS VOTE WITH GOP TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DRUNK DRIVERS

“It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants who break our laws and endanger our communities would be allowed to remain in the U.S. While President Trump is delivering on his promises and deporting criminal illegal aliens quickly and effectively, this bill would ensure that future administrations are on notice—aliens who drive drunk do not belong in our communities.”

“I’m pleased to introduce this commonsense legislation that would strengthen President Trump’s ability to hold illegal immigrants accountable and protect our citizens.”

In that regard, former President Joe Biden threatened to fire ICE agents who deported criminal illegal aliens that had not committed felonies – adding he didn’t “count” DUIs as felonies.

“[ICE should] only arrest for the purpose of dealing with a felony that’s been committed,” Biden said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Speaking about such legislation on the House floor in June, Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said that “Republicans say ‘of course not’” to allowing a “guest in this country [to stay] who endangers Americans while driving drunk.”

“The Democrats say ‘sure’,” he added, going on to cite Biden’s remark.

Sens. Ted Budd, R-N.C., Katie Britt, R-Ala., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., James Lankford, R-Okla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, have all signed onto Hagerty’s legislation.

Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., drafted companion legislation in the House.

Michael Donilon, a longtime aide to former President Joe Biden, is sitting down with House investigators in Oversight Committee Chair James Comer’s autopen probe on Wednesday.

Donilon is one of Biden’s most enduring confidantes, with a working relationship that began in 1981 when the former president was a U.S. senator from Delaware.

He’s also no stranger to Washington, D.C., having earned both his Bachelor’s Degree and Juris Doctor from Georgetown University.

Donilon later worked on both Biden’s 2020 and 2024 campaigns as a chief strategist and is one of the key people to have gone on the offensive against his fellow Democrats after they cast Biden out following his disastrous June 2024 debate against now-President Donald Trump.

GOP LAWMAKERS CLASH OVER STRATEGY TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CRISIS

“Now, lots of people have terrible debates,” Donilon said during a Harvard University event. “Lots of people have terrible debates. Usually the party doesn’t lose its mind, but that’s what happened here. It melted down.”

It earned him rebukes from fellow left-wingers, including ex-Obama advisor and CNN political commentator David Axelrod, who called Donilon’s comments “delusional” on X.

And while his work for Biden made him a national-level figure, Donilon spent years working on other notable Democratic campaigns. 

He played a role in the electoral successes of both former President Bill Clinton in 1992 and ex-Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder in 1989, among others.

RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE

But it’s the four-year period during which Donilon served as senior advisor to the Biden White House, and then his stint on Biden’s short-lived 2024 campaign, that’s captured the attention of the House Oversight Committee.

He was dubbed a member of Biden’s “Politburo” by Axios reporter Alex Thompson and CNN host Jake Tapper in their book “Original Sin” – described as a small group of insiders who reportedly helped run the White House while covering signs of Biden’s decline from others.

“The president valued Mike Donilon’s advice so much that aides would later joke that if he wanted, he could get Biden to start a war,” the authors wrote.

Donilon was also paid $4 million to work on Biden’s re-election bid, according to the book.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Wall Street Journal reported in Dec. 2024 that Donilon was also a key intermediary between Biden and his pollsters during that short-lived campaign.

And he was with Biden until the very end of his administration, reportedly as one of the aides in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, joining the then-president when he drafted the explosive letter that ended his campaign.

Since that ended, Donilon took up a role as a Spring 2025 Resident Fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.

Brown University, the Ivy League institution in Providence, Rhode Island, has agreed to shell out $50 million over a decade to state workforce development organizations as part of a deal struck with the U.S. government, which has agreed to restore grant funding and close probes into the school.

President Donald Trump congratulated the school in a post on Truth Social.

“Congratulations to Brown University on the settlement made with the United States Government. There will be no more Anti-Semitism, or Anti-Christian, or Anti-Anything Else! Woke is officially DEAD at Brown. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” the president declared in the post.

COLUMBIA SETTLEMENT PUTS IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITIES IN ‘SURVIVAL MODE,’ OHIO STATE PRESIDENT CLAIMS

Trump-appointed Education Secretary Linda McMahon also addressed the deal in a statement.

“The Trump Administration is successfully reversing the decades-long woke-capture of our nation’s higher education institutions. Because of the Trump Administration’s resolution agreement with Brown University, aspiring students will be judged solely on their merits, not their race or sex. Brown has committed to proactive measures to protect Jewish students and combat Antisemitism on campus. Women’s sports and intimate facilities will be protected for women and Title IX will be enforced as it was intended,” she asserted.

“Restoring our nation’s higher education institutions to places dedicated to truth-seeking, academic merit, and civil debate—where all students can learn free from discrimination and harassment—will be a lasting legacy of the Trump administration, one that will benefit students and American society for generations to come.”

LINDA MCMAHON SENDS WARNING TO MAINE AFTER STATE’S EDUCATION CHIEF’S EMAILS UNDERMINING TRUMP SURFACE

Brown president Christina Paxson, who discussed the agreement in a lengthy message to members of the Brown community, indicated that the school entered the agreement “voluntarily.”

She pointed out that it does not involve making any payment to the federal government.

“Beyond the financial stresses of terminated and unpaid research grants and contracts, we have observed a growing push for government intrusion into the fundamental academic operations of colleges and universities, and with the stated purpose of compelling a commitment to comply with laws focused on prohibitions against antisemitism and discrimination,” she claimed in part of the long note.

DEPT. OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO DUKE UNIVERSITY OVER ALLEGED RACIAL PREFERENCES

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“We stand solidly behind commitments we repeatedly have affirmed to protect all members of our community from harassment and discrimination, and we protect the ability of our faculty and students to study and learn academic subjects of their choosing, free from censorship,” she wrote.

A federal appeals court on Thursday will hear arguments over the legality of President Donald Trump‘s sweeping tariff plan, a high-stakes court fight that comes just hours before Trump’s import duties and so-called “reciprocal” tariffs are slated to take force.

At issue before the Washington-based Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is Trump’s attempt to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) — a 1977 emergency law — to enact the steep import fees, and impose additional tariffs on certain trading partners. 

Thursday’s hearing comes less than 24 hours before Trump’s tariffs are slated to take force. Both sides have signaled they plan to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, if necessary. 

On April 2, Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all countries, along with higher, reciprocal tariffs targeting select nations — including China. He said the measures would address trade imbalances, reduce deficits with key trading partners and boost domestic manufacturing and production.

TARIFF FIGHT ESCALATES AS TRUMP APPEALS SECOND COURT LOSS

However, whether emergency tariffs are the appropriate vehicle to accomplish this is an open question and one central to Thursday’s oral arguments before the appeals court.

Plaintiffs in V.O.S. Selections Inc. v. Trump will argue on Thursday that the looming tariffs have already introduced confusion and volatility into markets, threatening the bottom lines of small U.S. businesses and making it extremely difficult for owners to operate under shifting guidance that seems to change on a whim. 

Small businesses in the U.S. have been hit with months of “complete uncertainty,” Jeffrey Schwab, senior counsel and director of litigation of the Liberty Justice Center, one of the groups representing small businesses in court, said in an interview Wednesday.

“That’s largely due to the fact that the president asserts the power to impose tariffs on any country he wants, for any reason — and at any rate he wants, at any time he wants,” Schwab said. 

“So there’s no certainty on what the rate is going to be from one week to the next, and that’s very difficult to do business with, when things are constantly changing.”

Judges on a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of International Trade voted unanimously to block Trump’s tariffs from taking force earlier this year, ruling that, as commander in chief, Trump does not have “unbounded authority” to impose tariffs under the emergency law. 

That ruling was later paused by the appeals court in Washington, D.C., which agreed to consider the administration’s request for relief. 

Ahead of Thursday’s oral arguments, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed they would continue to defend the president’s trade agenda in court.

“This morning, [Justice Department] attorneys are going to court to defend President Trump’s tariffs — which are transforming the global economy, protecting our national security, and addressing the consequences of our exploding trade deficit,” she said. “We will continue to defend the president.”

TRUMP TARIFF PLAN FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AS COURT BATTLES INTENSIFY

Others argue that the tariffs are more a negotiating tool designed to bring trading partners to the table to negotiate new deals. 

JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA

Despite trade adviser Peter Navarro’s pledge to strike “90 trade agreements in 90 days,” and Trump’s assertion to Time magazine that they had struck “over 200 deals” this year, the Trump administration has in fact inked just eight such agreements over the last 120 days.

The agreements announced by the U.S. include deals with the European Union’s 27-member bloc, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan and others. 

The U.S. and China, which threatened each other with escalating reciprocal tariffs that climbed as high as 145%, agreed at a meeting in Geneva in May to lower tariffs through at least mid-August. Talks for a longer-term deal are ongoing. 

Some Trump supporters have argued the tariffs are merely a negotiating tactic to get foreign governments to the table — though the administration has repeatedly vowed to use “all tools” at their disposal to advance 

They argued in a court filing that the IEEPA is the law that Congress passed in 1977 to allow the president to respond to “unusual and extraordinary threats” and in cases where a national emergency has already been declared. 

However, plaintiffs argue that Trump’s use of IEEPA to address the trade deficit is unlawful, pointing out that, by the administration’s own admission, the deficit has persisted for nearly 50 years, undermining the claim of an “unusual and extraordinary” emergency.

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will likely move on the case quickly, with a decision expected in August. No matter the outcome, both sides have vowed to take the fight to the Supreme Court, if necessary. 

In the interim, economists noted there could be real harm the longer the court process takes.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Schwab, the lawyer helping represent plaintiffs in court Thursday, said small business owners could see “potentially irreparable harm” as a result of court inaction. Already, he said Wednesday, his clients are reporting real harm. 

“Some of the harm has already taken place,” Schwab said in an earlier interview. “And the longer it goes on, the worse it is.” 

President Donald Trump hammered back at former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s warnings about war with the United States, telling the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council to “watch his words.” 

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social at midnight Thursday. “We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”

In response to Trump’s post, Medvedev referenced Russia’s “Dead Hand” – the Cold War-era automated nuclear retaliation system developed by the Soviet Union. 

“If a few words from a former Russian president provoke such a nervous reaction from the supposedly mighty President of the United States, then clearly Russia is in the right – and will continue on its chosen path,” Medvedev wrote on Telegram. 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES 25% TARIFF ON INDIA, SLAMMING ‘OBNOXIOUS’ TRADE BARRIERS, RUSSIA MILITARY AND ENERGY BUYS

“And as for all that talk about the ‘dead economies’ of India and Russia, or about ‘venturing into dangerous territory’ – well, maybe he should rewatch some of his favorite zombie movies,” he added. “And also remember just how dangerous the supposedly mythical ‘Dead Hand’ system can be.” 

In theory, the “Dead Hand,” described by the West during the 1980s as a Russian doomsday device, is meant to guarantee a massive retaliatory nuclear strike even if Moscow’s leadership is destroyed or incapacitated. 

While in Scotland on Monday, Trump warned during public remarks that Russian President Vladimir Putin had 10 or 12 days to reach a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, shortening a previous 50-day deadline he issued earlier this month. If Russia does not, Trump promised more “sanctions, tariffs, and maybe secondary tariffs” against Moscow and the purchasers of Russian goods and energy. He lamented that repeated talks with Putin have resulted in little progress toward peace. 

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10,” Medvedev complained in a post to X earlier this week. “He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!” 

Trump on Wednesday announced a 25% tariff on imports from India – one of the biggest consumers of Russian oil, next to China – starting on Aug. 1. The president described India as a “friend,” but slammed the South Asian country’s “strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary” trade barriers. Trump vowed other unspecified “penalties” against India for buying most of its military equipment from Russia and Russian energy “at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE.” 

During an unrelated press conference, Trump noted that India and Russia are founding members of BRICS, originally formed as a counterweight to Western institutions. 

BRICS is “basically a group of countries that are anti-the United States and India is a member of that, if you can believe it. It’s an attack on the dollar. And we’re not going to let anybody attack the dollar,” Trump said. “We have a tremendous deficit.”

FROM TALK TO TACTICS: TRUMP PIVOTS ON RUSSIA STRATEGY TO END WAR

In recent days, Medvedev has also shredded the framework of the trade deal Trump reached with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during his recent trip to Scotland. 

Trump has repeatedly communicated that trade deals with other countries would be contingent on foreign policy alignment with the United States. 

For example, after Canada announced it was backing Palestinian statehood amid Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, Trump wrote Thursday, “That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them.” 

Trump, meanwhile, on Thursday celebrated this reciprocal tariffs plan after telling reporters on Wednesday that they brought “billions” of dollars into the U.S. economy. 

“Tariffs are making America GREAT & RICH Again,” Trump wrote on social media. “They were successfully used against the USA for decades and, coupled with really dumb, pathetic, and crooked politicians, we’re having a devastating impact on the future, and even the survival, of our country. Now the tide has completely turned, and America has successfully countered this onslaught of Tariffs used against it.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“ONE YEAR AGO, AMERICA WAS A DEAD COUNTRY, NOW IT IS THE ‘HOTTEST’ COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!” Trump added. 

A House Democrat is moving to block the Trump administration from being able to use military-grade drones to surveil protests in the U.S.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., introduced the bill in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reportedly using MQ-9 Reaper drones to monitor the protests in Los Angeles earlier this year.

“The U.S. government should never use military drones to spy on its own people. Not under Trump. Not under anyone,” Gomez told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

“This bill would stop Trump’s abuse of power and get these combat drones out of our neighborhoods.”

FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE ‘NEVER HAD A CONCERN’ ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UP

The White House said it would not get ahead of President Donald Trump on pending legislation. Fox News Digital also reached out to DHS for comment.

Protests, some of which turned into violent riots, rocked Los Angeles for several days last month.

They began as demonstrations against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) implementing Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants in predominantly Hispanic or Latino neighborhoods in the Southern California city.

NONCITIZEN LA RIOTERS COULD BE DEPORTED UNDER NEW HOUSE BILL

Images of cars burning and protesters clashing with police soon went viral across the country, with both Republicans and Democrats blaming each other for escalating tensions.

Like other Democrats at the time, Gomez criticized Trump for sending the National Guard into Los Angeles to take control of the situation, despite objections from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“What Trump is doing in LA is a dangerous abuse of power. It escalates tensions, puts lives at risk, and violates our constitutional values. We’re united — not just as Californians, but as Americans — because if it can happen in LA today, it can happen anywhere in the country,” Gomez wrote on X at the time.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

His district includes significant portions of Los Angeles and is situated entirely inside Los Angeles County.

It’s not likely the Republican-controlled House will take up his new bill, which has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Two U.S. judges in separate federal courts scrapped their rulings last week after lawyers alerted them to filings that contained inaccurate case details or seemingly “hallucinated” quotes that misquoted cited cases — the latest in a string of errors that suggest the growing use of artificial intelligence in legal research and submissions.

In New Jersey, U.S. District Judge Julien Neals withdrew his denial of a motion to dismiss a securities fraud case after lawyers revealed the decision relied on filings with “pervasive and material inaccuracies.”

The filing pointed to “numerous instances” of made-up quotes submitted by attorneys, as well as three separate instances when the outcome of lawsuits appeared to have been mistaken, prompting Neals to withdraw his decision.

TRUMP TARIFF PLAN FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AS COURT BATTLES INTENSIFY

In Mississippi, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate replaced his original July 20 temporary restraining order that paused enforcement of a state law blocking diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools after lawyers notified the judge of serious errors submitted by the attorney. 

They informed the court that the decision “relie[d] upon the purported declaration testimony of four individuals whose declarations do not appear in the record for this case.” 

Wingate subsequently issued a new ruling, though lawyers for the state have asked his original order to be placed back on the docket. 

“All parties are entitled to a complete and accurate record of all papers filed and orders entered in this action, for the benefit of the Fifth Circuit’s appellate review,” the state attorney general said in a filing. 

A person familiar with Wingate’s temporary order in Mississippi confirmed to Fox News Digital that the erroneous filing submitted to the court had used AI, adding that they had “never seen anything like this” in court before.

Neither the judges’ office nor the lawyers in question immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on the retracted New Jersey order, first reported by Reuters. It was not immediately clear if AI was the reason for that erroneous court submission in that case.

FEDERAL JUDGE EXTENDS ARGUMENTS IN ABREGO GARCIA CASE, SLAMS ICE WITNESS WHO ‘KNEW NOTHING’

However, the errors in both cases — which were quickly flagged by attorneys, and prompted the judges to take action to revise or redact their orders — come as the use of generative AI continues to skyrocket in almost every profession, especially among younger workers. 

In at least one of the cases, the errors bear similarities to AI-style inaccuracies, which include the use of “ghost” or “hallucinated” quotes being used in filings, citing incorrect or even nonexistent cases.

For bar-admitted attorneys, these erroneous court submissions are not taken lightly. Lawyers are responsible for the veracity of all information included in court filings, including if it includes AI-generated materials, according to guidance from the American Bar Association.

In May, a federal judge in California slapped law firms with $31,000 in sanctions for using AI in court filings, saying at the time that “no reasonably competent attorney should out-source research and writing to this technology — particularly without any attempt to verify the accuracy of that material.”

Last week, a federal judge in Alabama sanctioned three attorneys for submitting erroneous court filings that were later revealed to have been generated by ChatGPT.

JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA

Among other things, the filings in question included the use of the AI-generated quote “hallucinations,” U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco said in her order, which also referred the lawyers in question to the state bar for further disciplinary proceedings.

“Fabricating legal authority is serious misconduct that demands a serious sanction,” she said in the filing.

New data from the Pew Research Center underscores the rise of AI tools among younger users. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

According to a June survey, roughly 34% of U.S. adults say they have used ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot — roughly double the percentage of users who said the same at the same point two years ago, in 2023. 

The share of employed adults who use ChatGPT for work has spiked by a whopping 20 percentage points since June 2023; and among adults under 30, adoption is even more widespread, with a 58% majority saying they have used the chatbot.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed Wednesday she won’t enter the 2026 California governor’s race, ending months of mounting speculation about a return to politics after a crushing defeat in the 2024 presidential race to Donald Trump.

In a statement posted to her X account, Harris said she had “reflected deeply” and decided not to seek elected office “for now.”

“For now, my leadership – and public service – will not be in elected office. I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans,” Harris wrote in a statement.

Harris, who served as California’s Attorney General and later as U.S. senator before becoming Vice President under President Joe Biden in 2021, was widely considered a leading contender to succeed term-limited Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom. 

‘NO ONE’ EXCITED ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS’ POTENTIAL GUBERNATORIAL RUN, SAY CALIFORNIA DONORS

Though she called California “my home” and expressed pride in serving the state, Harris said her efforts would be focused elsewhere.

The announcement reconfigures the 2026 Democratic primary field, potentially clearing the way for candidates like Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to mount less encumbered campaigns.

California Governor Gavin Newsom responded via X, writing he is “grateful for her service.”

“Kamala Harris has courageously served our state and country for her entire career. Whether it be as a prosecutor, Attorney General, Senator, or Vice President she has always kept a simple pledge at the heart of every decision she’s made: For the People. Grateful for her service and friendship — and looking forward to continuing the fight in whatever the future might hold for her,” Newsom said.

CALIFORNIA DEM DOUBTS SOMEONE FROM THEIR STATE COULD WIN PRESIDENCY SINCE THEY’RE THOUGHT OF AS ‘CRAZY PEOPLE’
 

“Kamala Harris’ political career is over thanks to President Trump. Look no further than her decision to not run for governor. She would have been a disaster for California: tanking the state’s economy even further, protecting criminal illegal immigrants over law-abiding citizens, and further bringing the Democrat Party brand down with her, just like she did as Vice President,” said RGA Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton. “Americans across the country can sigh in relief that they won’t have to see or hear from Kamala Harris any longer.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Sheriff Chad Bianco told Fox News Digital he wasn’t surprised to see Kamala Harris decline to enter the California governor’s race and thinks it made his path to victory easier. “This is going to catapult me to a win next November,” Bianco said. “Now we get front-row seats to watch the Democrat Party implode in California.”

Bianco said California has big problems to address. “We have a failed criminal justice system that favors criminals over victims,” he said. “It’s too expensive to live here, and now it’s not even safe.” As for the remaining Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls? “They’re all responsible for the mess we’re in. This is the best of the worst the Democrat Party has to offer.”

“From prosecutor to senator to vice president, Kamala Harris has always been for the people. I know her next chapter will be no different, whatever shape it takes,” wrote former presidential candidate and fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, didn’t mince words either. “That’s interesting,” Biden told Fox News of Harris’ choice to step down from the race.

In her X post, Harris seemed to signal she isn’t retreating from politics entirely. “We must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking—committed to our same values and principles, but not bound by the same playbook,” she wrote. “My leadership—and public service—will not be in elected office.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

While declining to enter the race, Harris vowed to continue the fight for “freedom, opportunity, fairness, and the dignity of all.”

President Donald Trump and several key health advisors in his Cabinet held a formal event Wednesday at the White House unveiling new efforts to improve healthcare technology and partnerships with private-sector technology companies. 

The “Make Health Tech Great Again” event laid out a new voluntary commitment from several major tech and tech-healthcare firms aimed at developing a better process for digital health record sharing, which Trump admin officials said would ultimately improve health outcomes for Americans. In addition to the commitment, the new health tech efforts will also include the development of personalized tools meant to help patients obtain greater control of their health information to make more informed decisions.

“For decades, America’s healthcare networks have been overdue for a high-tech upgrade, and that’s what we’re doing. The existing systems are often slow, costly, and incompatible with one another,” Trump said from the White House during the Wednesday afternoon event. “But with today’s announcement, we take a major step to bring health care into the digital age, something that, is absolutely vital. We’ve got to do it. Moving from clipboards and fax machines into a new era of convenience, profitability and speed and, frankly, better health for people.”

MEDICAL GROUPS URGE KENNEDY, FDA TO REEXAMINE BROAD APPROVAL OF ABORTION DRUGS

The event announcing the Trump administration’s plan to advance a “next-generation digital health ecosystem,” was attended by representatives of companies, including Apple, Google, Samsung, Amazon, OpenAI, Anthropic, Epic, Oracle, Athena Health, and Noom, who will be participating in the voluntary pledge aimed at improving health record sharing. As part of the pledge, the companies will “voluntarily” share information with each other, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also present at the Wednesday event. 

“For decades, bureaucrats and entrenched interests buried health data and blocked patients from taking control of their health,” Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in a statement Wednesday ahead of the event. “That ends today. We’re tearing down digital walls, returning power to patients, and rebuilding a health system that serves the people. This is how we begin to Make America Healthy Again.”

The Trump administration is partnering with more than 60 companies to bolster how health information is shared electronically, including through the use of apps, and beef up the interoperability of health information networks, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). 

The apps aim to address issues including diabetes and obesity management, and provide beneficiaries with AI assistants to walk through symptoms, provide care options, and assist with scheduling appointments. Other functions that the technology aims to solve are providing digital check-ins to streamline services and cut down on paper intake forms. 

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

“It gives [patients] a sense of responsibility and allows them to measure the interventions if they change their diet, if they change their exercise, it can show you how many steps you took today, it can tell you if your glucose is spiking, and all of that information will now be available to American citizens,” Kennedy said Wednesday. 

The White House event is a follow-up to the request for information notice that the CMS posted in May requesting information from stakeholders on ways to beef up health technology interoperability. 

Other technological advances on the health front include plans for CMS to launch an app library on Medicare.gov to best direct beneficiaries to the right digital health tools, according to CMS. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

“The average Americans are tired. They’re tired of waiting for a doctor’s appointment. They’re tired of waiting for the surprise of what your hospital bill is going to offer. That’s being addressed,” CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz added Wednesday. 

“They’re tired of waiting for access to their medical records. You own your medical records, they’re yours. Why you can’t have access to them is a stunning reality in modern-day America,” Oz continued. “They’re also tired of waiting for Washington to take action. And this president early on emphatically stated that wasn’t going to happen anymore. And today we made that vision into a reality.”

EXCLUSIVE: The top Republican in the California State Senate praised the Trump administration for stepping in to reboot the Golden State’s “oil goldmine” off its coast, after a project notably opposed by Sen. Adam Schiff had been shut down since a major pipe failed in 2015.

“California is sitting on an oil gold mine, yet Democrat politicians continue to block responsible production here at home,” Sen. Brian Jones of San Diego told Fox News Digital.

“Instead, they choose to import oil from foreign nations with weak labor protections and poor environmental standards.”

As Fox News Digital reported exclusively, the Interior Department shepherded the reopening of the Santa Ynez Unit of the Pacific oil-producing region in recent days, bringing an estimated 190 million barrels of recoverable oil potential online.

TRUMP ADMIN REBUFFS SCHIFF, REOPENING MASSIVE PACIFIC OIL RESERVE CAPABLE OF 80% OF REGIONAL PRODUCTION

Schiff, along with Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., had previously vocally opposed revisiting the project, citing concerns stemming from the Refugio oil spill a decade ago.

“[W]e face threats from the Trump administration to expand oil drilling everywhere, including offshore California, and to gut federal policies and agencies that protect our environment and tackle the ongoing climate crisis,” Schiff and Carbajal wrote to Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this year. 

“As we know all too well, fossil fuel-driven climate change is severely impacting California and setting the stage for unprecedented disasters like the one we just experienced in Los Angeles,” they said.

Jones said that it is past time to reopen energy reserves in a state that was once the hub of the industry’s top corporations.

Chevron recently moved most of its business operations out of San Ramon — outside Oakland — and relocated to Texas.

TRUMP V. CALIFORNIA: SANCTUARY CITIES TO EV BANS, TRUMP PUTS LEFT-WING STATE UNDER REPEATED SCRUTINY

Just a few miles up I-680 from the former Chevron base, Valero announced the closure or restructuring of a massive refinery capable of 145,000 barrels of oil output per day. Valero will finalize its plan by April 2026.

Jones said California must put both its workers and the environment first, echoing other top Republicans who want jobs and business to stay.

California’s gas tax remains the nation’s highest, with Illinois and Pennsylvania close behind.

Newsom has said he’s focused on fixing market issues to make gasoline more affordable and ensure reliable access to fuel.

In a recent letter to the California Energy Commission, Newsom said his administration has “made great progress in addressing spikes and irregularities,” and pointed to global energy uncertainty.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He also blamed President Donald Trump’s administration for adding “more uncertainty and instability to the global economy than ever before – with the oil industry on the front lines of this market turmoil.”

“Refineries have been restructuring, transitioning, consolidating, and closing across the country for years,” he said, pointing to the January closure of a LyondellBasell refinery in Houston amid what he described as that firm’s shift toward “decarbonization and sustainability objectives.”

California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher of Yuba City, the No. 2 Republican in the Golden State, rejected that assertion.

“He’s not solving the problem. He is the problem,” Gallagher said in a recent statement, adding the governor is trying instead to appear like “a concerned bystander” in the situation.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll announced Wednesday he had directed the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to rescind a leadership offer extended to former Biden appointee Jen Easterly.

Easterly, a former Army intelligence officer who helped establish the U.S. Cyber Command at the National Security Agency (NSA), served as U.S. director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) during the Biden administration.

The move comes after leaked internal emails from Big Tech firms showed censorship pressure from the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DECISION TO REMOVE WEST POINT CREST FROM CHAPEL BIBLES REVERSED BY SECRETARY OF THE ARMY

After a subpoena from House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, major tech companies, including Google’s parent, Alphabet; Amazon; Apple; Meta; and Microsoft, were investigated for allegedly censoring free speech relating to COVID-19 and vaccines, regardless of accuracy, under pressure from the Biden administration.

 Internal communications showed some tech executives pushed back, while others complied.

HEGSETH ABRUPTLY PULLS PENTAGON OFFICIALS FROM ‘GLOBALIST’ ASPEN CONFERENCE

Easterly was previously deployed to Iraq to investigate how terrorists were using communication technology for recruitment and radicalization.

In a copy of the memo posted to X, Driscoll ordered West Point to terminate the “gratuitous” service agreement with Easterly, noting she will no longer serve as the Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in the Department of Social Sciences.

MCCHRYSTAL SLAMS PENTAGON FOCUS ON ANTI-DEI AND ‘BICEPS’ AS A DISTRACTION

Driscoll also told the academy to “immediately pause” non-governmental and outside groups from selecting employees, including instructors, professors and teachers and shaping academic or developmental lectures, according to the memo.

The U.S. Military Academy Board of Visitors chair will be required to conduct an immediate top-down review of the institution’s hiring practices.

“The secretary of the Army took immediate action to direct West Point to terminate the service agreement with Jen Easterly, pause outside groups from selecting Academy employees or instructors and has requested a review of West Point’s hiring practices,” an Army spokesperson wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“Ahead of the upcoming academic year, we are crafting a deliberate approach to ensure that our future officers are best prepared to meet the demands of the modern battlefield.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Pentagon referred Fox News Digital to Army Public Affairs.

Fox News Digital’s Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.

During his first press conference since the mass shooting in New York City, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration policies while saying he was prepared for problems with customs returning back to the U.S. from his African vacation.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday afternoon, two days after a deadly mass shooting killed four, including a police officer, Mamdani addressed questions about his wedding trip to his birthplace in Uganda.

Mamdani said he “flew commercial economy both ways, and I did not have issues getting through customs, though I was prepared for the potential of those issues.”

“That is a sad reality of living in our president’s United States,” Mamdani added.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI DODGES QUESTIONS ON MASS SHOOTING AFTER RETURNING FROM AFRICA VACATION

According to Mamdani, after returning to New York City from Uganda, he traveled directly to visit the family of 36-year-old NYPD officer Didarul Islam, who was slain in the mass shooting.

He said he had called the family in advance to “ask if that was something that I could do.”

“They welcomed me into their home. They refused to let me leave until I had breakfast with them,” he said, adding, “They are an embodiment of so much of what makes this city the one that we love.”

Mamdani said he visited with the family for close to an hour. He highlighted how Islam and one of the other victims of the shooting, security guard Aland Etienne, were both immigrants.

“It is not lost upon me that both Officer Islam and Aland Etienne were immigrants who came to the city in the hopes of a better life, immigrants whose own sacrifices made it possible for their own family members to have better lives,” he said.

MAMDANI PAYS TRIBUTE TO VICTIMS OF NYC SHOOTING

On Monday, a lone gunman, later identified as Shane Tamura, walked into a midtown Manhattan office building and opened fire, killing four people before turning the gun on himself. 

The four people killed in the shooting were identified as NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, security guard Aland Etienne and Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the gunman reportedly had a grievance with the NFL, blaming football for his apparent issues with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a side effect from repeated hits to the head.

Mamdani was on vacation for his wedding at the time of the shooting. After the tragedy, his previous criticisms of the NYPD and 2020 calls to defund the police came under renewed scrutiny. He also came under scrutiny for a more recent pledge to “disband” a special NYPD force known as the Strategic Response Group, which is responsible for riots, civil disorder and shootings.

The press conference on Wednesday was the first opportunity for reporters to question Mamdani on these controversial statements.

YANKEES HOLD MOMENT OF SILENCE BEFORE FIRST PITCH AGAINST RAYS IN HONOR OF FALLEN NYPD OFFICER

In response to a question about a 2020 post mocking a police officer for having a breakdown in his car, Mamdani said, “To be very clear, as I have been over the course of this campaign. I am not defunding the police. I’m not running to defund the police.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He said the post “is out of step with the way in which I not only view police officers, the immense work that they do in this city, but also the seriousness with which we need to treat that work and the difficulties that come with that work.”

During the press conference, Mamdani also addressed threats that he has received since becoming a mayoral candidate.

“My life is sadly not the one that it was. There are far more threats,” he said. “And with that comes precautions that I wish I didn’t have to take. Though they are also precautions that I am immensely grateful for, especially in the example of the NYPD detail that I have here in New York City.”

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., explained to Fox News Digital during an interview on Tuesday that he would support abolishing the Federal Reserve System, with the key proviso that the country stop engaging in deficit spending, and instead, run a balanced budget.

But the fiscal hawk and son of former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, a famous Federal Reserve critic, says he does not anticipate that will happen.

“I see the opposite,” he said, indicating that many in the GOP who previously cared “about deficits under Biden, seem to care less about deficits under Trump.” 

SEN RAND PAUL: THERE ARE $186 BILLION REASONS WHY WE MUST AUDIT THE FED

“I frankly think if Congress weren’t running deficits you could do without a Fed,” he said. 

Though he added that there would need to be a “clearinghouse” system, indicating that with the Fed out of the picture, the market would need to be allowed to “fill that space” over time.

Paul believes that the free market — supply and demand — should dictate interest rates.

“Interest rates are a universal price,” he explained, opining that they are likely “the most prolific price in all of the economy.”

TRUMP IS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE FED IS MANAGED MORE THAN ABOUT FIRING POWELL, SAYS DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF

The last time the Federal Open Market Committee decided to decrease the target range for the federal funds rate was back in December, and President Donald Trump has been stridently calling for the Fed to move on rate cuts.

But Paul compared rate-cut demands to insisting that meat is too expensive, and Trump should lower its price — the senator pointed out that most people would view such a call as “nonsensical” as it pertains to consumer goods, “but for some reason even conservatives sort of lose their mind when it comes to interest rates,” he said.

The senator noted that he thinks “really what we want is a Federal Reserve that’s less involved with manipulating interest rates.”

FEDS HAVE COMPLETELY TAKEN THEIR ‘EYE OFF THE PRIZE,’ ECONOMIST SAYS

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Paul, who opined that there is likely “no more powerful and secretive organization in all of government,” is pushing a bill to audit the Fed.

The proposed legislation, which is also backed by some of Paul’s GOP colleagues, calls for the Comptroller General of the U.S. to audit the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Reserve banks. 

He is also pushing a measure, which has been cosponsored by left-wing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., titled the “End the Fed’s Big Bank Bailout Act,” which includes language stipulating, “No Federal Reserve Bank may pay earnings on balances maintained at a Federal Reserve Bank by or on behalf of a depository institution.”

FIRST ON FOX: Multiple convicted criminals in the country illegally were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tuesday, including some convicted of sex crimes against children.

Sierra Leone national Mohammed Sesay was convicted a decade ago in Maryland of raping an 11-year-old girl multiple times within five months in 2014 and threatening to kill her if she spoke up about the abuse.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Sesay’s actions were only revealed after an “assault” during a family function when the father of the victim learned of the incident.

‘WORST OF THE WORST’ SNARED: ICE NABS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF HORRIFIC CRIMES

“What these innocent children had to endure is horrifying: a criminal illegal alien raping an 11-year-old child 15 different times; a pedophile; innocent children who were struck and injured by an illegal alien driving drunk, sending one child to intensive care. These criminals should have never been in this country in the first place, and these children should have never been victimized,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, this department is putting the safety of Americans first. Thanks to ICE, these monsters are in custody and will be removed from our communities.”

Guatemalan national Pablo Tahay-Par was convicted of unlawfully contacting a minor as a sexual offense in Pennsylvania.

DHS ARRESTS FIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF SERIOUS CRIMES, INCLUDING MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE

Salvadoran national Alex Ventura was convicted of drunk driving, which resulted in six children being hurt, according to KPRC. The outlet reported that the 2022 crash resulted in a fractured skull to one of the children.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Venezuelan national Jose David Contreras-Sierra also has a long rap sheet in Rockville, Maryland, including “armed robbery, handgun use during a felony, first-degree assault and drug distribution,” according to DHS.

In addition, Dominican national Deibe Ramos-Rodriguez was convicted on alien smuggling charges in Texas. Daniel Gutierrez-Leiva of Guatemala was arrested by ICE Baltimore and has a second-degree rape conviction in the Old Line State.

ICE ARRESTS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ILLEGAL ALIENS IN LOS ANGELES WHILE PROTESTERS ADVOCATE FOR CRIMINALS: DHS

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

According to the ICE website, Wilbert Rudlof Wiebe-Thiessen was also arrested by ICE Dallas Tuesday. The Mexican citizen, 34, has been charged with “assaulting a family or household member by impeding their breath or circulation and terroristic threats causing fear of imminent serious bodily injury in Texas.”

The announcements come as the agency regularly updates its “Worst of the Worst” arrests as it tries to ramp up deportations and hire more ICE agents, including with a new ad campaign and bonuses meant to entice people to join. The recent Trump-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes funding for 10,000 more agents. Besides the arrest highlights, ICE also maintains an active “Most Wanted” list.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., plans to force a vote on banning arms sales to Israel, a move that will prove to be a test for Senate Democrats whose position on the Jewish state has shifted in recent weeks.

Sanders, an independent who routinely caucuses with Senate Democrats, announced he would force a vote on a pair of resolutions to block the $675 million sale of thousands of bombs and guidance kits for the bombs and to halt the sale of “tens of thousands” of automatic rifles to Israel.

“U.S. taxpayers have spent tens of billions of dollars in support of the racist, extremist Netanyahu government,” Sanders said in a statement. “Enough is enough.”

WATCH: BERNIE SANDERS REACTS TO TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES IN REAL TIME AT ‘FIGHTING OLIGARCHY’ RALLY

It’s not the first time Sanders has pushed to block arms sales or military aid to the Jewish state. Since December 2023, just months after the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, the lawmaker has either introduced or forced votes on resolutions five times, each intended to block military aid and billions of dollars in munitions and arms.

His latest attempt comes after photos revealed starving children in Gaza, which he squarely blamed on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

WATCH: DEM SENATORS BLAME TRUMP FOR IRAN CRISIS AS GOP URGES HIM TO STAND FIRM WITH ISRAEL

“The time is long overdue for Congress to use the leverage we have — tens of billions in arms and military aid — to demand that Israel end these atrocities,” he said.

The vote, expected late Thursday, comes as Senate Democrats have undergone a tonal shift on Israel since the events of Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas executed a brutal attack on Israeli soil.

Sanders’ last attempt earlier this year that sought to block over $8 billion in arms sales, saw 15 Senate Democrats vote for it, while all Senate Republicans voted against it. Though the resolutions are likely to fail as his previous attempts have, more Democrats are expected to vote alongside him. 

ISRAELI OFFICIALS OBJECT TO EXPECTED UN SECURITY COUNCIL CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION

Earlier this week, 40 Senate Democrats wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and called on the administration to push for “a large-scale expansion of humanitarian assistance and services throughout the Gaza Strip.”

Senate Republicans have largely blamed the reported conditions in Gaza on Hamas, with some calling for more food aid making its way into the Gaza Strip. President Donald Trump vowed that more food centers, administered by Israel, would be coming.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he shared Trump’s view and that there was a desire to “meet that need and alleviate that pain.”

“But you got to understand, too, that when you got a terrorist group like Hamas operating in that region, they intercept and divert a lot of that food aid that’s going in there,” he said. “That’s the challenge that the Israelis have. That’s the challenge that we have and other nations around the world.”