NationalWatch

FIRST ON FOX — The Trump administration announced on Friday that 10 additional companies will put a “Product of USA” label on their meat and poultry products that originate from farms and ranches in the United States.

This push began earlier this year as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiative aimed at making it easier for consumers to know whether they are supporting American meat producers at the grocery store.

“President Trump has made it clear that when American families buy American products, they should know exactly what they’re getting,” Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. “The Product of USA label gives consumers confidence that the meat, poultry, and egg products they purchase come from animals born, raised, harvested, and processed right here in the United States.”

STEVE MOORE: POLITICIANS ARE BLAMING THE WRONG VILLAIN FOR AMERICA’S RISING FOOD PRICES

The USDA finalized the updated standard of what qualifies as American meat in 2024, marking a shift from past labeling rules that critics said allowed some imported meat to say it was U.S.-made as long as it was merely processed domestically.

Rollins added that as more companies adopt the voluntary label, independent ranchers, family farmers, and small- and mid-sized meat processors will begin to reap the benefits.

“USDA will continue working every day to strengthen domestic food production and ensure American agriculture remains the strongest in the world,” Rollins added.

The 10 new companies adopting the “Product of USA” label include Harris Ranch and One World Beef, both based in California; Upper Iowa Beef; American Foods Group; Agri Beef in Idaho; FPL Food in Georgia; Hadrick Farms in South Dakota; Fort Worth Meat Packers in Texas; Wholestone Farms in Nebraska; and Harrison’s Poultry in Illinois.

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Juan Ramos, founder and CEO of Fort Worth Meats, said in a statement that the origin of food “should never be a mystery.”

“Consumers deserve labels they can trust, U.S. producers deserve recognition for what they produce, and every meat product should be represented honestly for what it is,” Ramos said.

Eric Brandt, the president of One World Beef, thanked the USDA for strengthening transparency and “helping preserve the future of independent ranching for generations to come.”

SECRETARY ROLLINS DISCUSSES US AGRICULTURE’S ROLE IN IRAN PLAN

“Working from pasture to package gives us a unique appreciation for the responsibility behind every label. Honest representation honors the work of producers and gives consumers the confidence to know exactly what they’re buying,” Kyle Zimmerman, co-president and co-owner of Harrisons Poultry, said.

According to the USDA website, thousands of American producers already display the “Product of USA” label.

Last month, the USDA announced another new initiative called the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers Program.

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The program will provide up to $500 million to help eligible small- and mid-sized beef processors to expand their domestic operations.

To be eligible, companies need to be U.S.-owned firms under federal inspection, according to the USDA. They also cannot hold a dominant position in the beef processing market.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

One thing was clear from President Donald Trump’s appearance at the NATO summit in recent days: He believes Iran wants him dead.

“I’m No. 1 on the kill list for Iran,” the president told reporters Wednesday. “I like being number one on TikTok better.”

Trump returned to the subject repeatedly throughout the summit — with a level of candidness that might seem unusual for any other president.

A new report suggests U.S. officials may have had fresh intelligence to support concerns about the threat: The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran had developed a new plan to assassinate Trump.

The report also adds new context to questions surrounding Trump’s decision to switch from the interim Air Force One to one of the legacy VC-25A aircraft during his return from the NATO summit. The White House has not said whether the reported intelligence played any role in that decision.

TRUMP EXPLAINS WHY HE’S FLYING OLD AIR FORCE ONE BACK TO DC

 Trump flew to the summit in Turkey, which borders Iran, aboard the new Air Force One, a retrofitted Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, but switched to one of the older Boeing VC-25A aircraft that have served as Air Force One for more than three decades for the first leg of his trip home, from Ankara to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom.

From the U.K. to the U.S., Trump switched back to the newer jet.

Bill Gage, a former Secret Service special agent who traveled on dozens of presidential and vice presidential foreign trips, told Fox News Digital he had “never seen a plane switch up” in the middle of an overseas visit.

Trump said the newer aircraft was instead flown ahead of him to Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K., so U.S. troops could tour it.

“It could be that simple,” Gage said. “I just have never seen that in all my years.” 

The president surmised in a press briefing Wednesday that Iran may want revenge for the U.S. killing its leadership. 

TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS ‘OVER’ AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE

“They had leaders, they’re gone, and they had another set of leaders, they’re gone,” Trump said. “Now they have another set of leaders, they may be gone. Who knows? And you know what, I may be gone too, because I’m their number one target.”

The president was asked why twice he had alluded to Iran attempting to assassinate him.

“I speak about it a lot because the life of a president is very dangerous,” he said. “I don’t really care, because I’m doing my job, and I’m doing it, I hope better than anybody’s ever done it, because we have a country that’s hot and really, really successful … I like being No. 1 on TikTok better. But I’m No. 1 on the list for killing.”

The Iranian government did not return a request for comment on Trump’s assertion. 

During Thursday’s funeral procession for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, Iran, mourners carried banners reading “Hey Trump, we will kill you” and “We will kill Trump” while chanting revenge slogans against the U.S. president. 

The mourners were not publicly linked to Iranian leadership. 

But, “banners like that can only be put together and carried with the permission of the Iranian government,” Tom Warrick, a former Department of Homeland Security deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Fox News Digital.

Warrick said it would make sense for Iran to try to kill Trump after the U.S. killed Khamenei.

“The starting point is understanding Iran’s peculiar sense of symmetry. Anything that’s done to them, they try to do back at somebody,” Warrick told Fox News Digital. “Many of us expected there would be an Iranian attempt to kill President Trump, and they’re likely to persist in this.”

The summit aircraft change quickly fueled questions about whether the interim Air Force One had received the full suite of defensive upgrades carried by the legacy presidential aircraft. 

Images of the jet and Air Force statements indicate that several complex modifications, including some missile detection and countermeasure systems, were intentionally left off the accelerated retrofitting.

Two aging Boeing VC-25A aircraft have served as Air Force One since 1990, while Boeing builds two new VC-25B aircraft to serve as Air Force One that originally were supposed to be completed in 2024. Now, that timeline has slipped to 2028 or 2029. 

The U.S. spent $400 million upgrading the Qatari-donated jet to serve as Air Force One in the meantime.

The U.S. Air Force, which operates the presidential aircraft fleet, had previously said it prioritized certain modifications in order to bring the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 — known as the “Bridge” aircraft — into service on an accelerated timeline.

The Air Force said the rapid conversion was completed “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but acknowledged that “several highly complex engineering modifications required for the final (Air Force One aircraft) were intentionally excluded from the Bridge aircraft.”

The Secret Service had recommended Trump use the older plane as a security precaution as hostilities fired up once again with Iran, The New York Times reported. 

The White House declined to say whether the administration believes the threat to the president has changed following the latest escalation with Iran or whether the aircraft change was related to security concerns, but said the new Air Force One is secure.

“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” Steven Cheung, White House director of communications, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.” 

The FBI declined to comment on whether the Iranian threat level had changed and the Secret Service did not return a request for comment. 

Gage cautioned that he had no firsthand knowledge of why the aircraft was changed, but said that if reporting that the Secret Service recommended the switch was accurate, “the Secret Service would not have just said that in a vacuum, out of the blue. There must have been some kind of intelligence that prompted them.”

Gage said the Secret Service, working with the broader intelligence community, likely has a dedicated team focused exclusively on monitoring threats from Iran directed at the president. 

“There’s probably 20 or 30 people every day that are working on that, going through reams of HUMINT and OSINT and trying to find that diamond in the rough,” Gage said, referring to human intelligence and open-source intelligence. 

Trump’s comments came as a tenuous U.S.-Iran ceasefire unraveled. 

The truce, formalized in a June memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan and other regional mediators, was intended to halt fighting for 60 days while the two sides negotiated a broader agreement. The deal called for Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and laid out a framework for future talks on sanctions relief and other issues.

But the agreement rapidly broke down after Iran attacked commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting renewed U.S. military action. U.S. Central Command launched a new round of strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure tied to maritime operations and other military sites, while Trump declared the ceasefire “over” and warned of further action if Iran continued its attacks.

Questions about whether the threat had intensified gained new urgency Thursday after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran had developed a fresh assassination plot targeting Trump. Trump repeatedly described himself during the NATO summit as Iran’s top target and said he faces “a threat all the time.”

Following the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed revenge, and U.S. officials have long warned that Tehran has sought to target current and former American officials involved in the operation. 

The U.S. government has publicly alleged multiple Iran-linked assassination plots targeting Trump.

Following the U.S. killing of Soleimani in 2020, Iranian officials repeatedly vowed revenge, prompting the U.S. government to provide additional security to Trump and several former administration officials involved in the operation. The government has long warned that Tehran has sought to target current and former American officials linked to the strike.

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In 2024, the Justice Department charged an alleged Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps asset with directing a plot to surveil and assassinate then-President-elect Trump, describing it as part of Iran’s broader campaign of retaliation.

Earlier that year, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran was also charged in a separate murder-for-hire scheme. None of the domestic assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 campaign have been publicly linked to Iran.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright is telling Americans not to be concerned about the possibility of another surge of sharp increases in gasoline prices as tensions with Iran have started to escalate once again.

Asked whether Americans should worry about higher prices at the pump and how the Trump administration is preparing to keep the economy stable if the conflict continues to worsen, Wright told Fox News Digital: “It has not been any good behavior from Iran that’s allowed oil to flow. It’s been the United States military.”

“That’s not changing,” he assured, speaking from the Great American State Fair on the National Mall this week.

US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

With Iran striking three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and Tuesday, Wright doubled down in urging citizens to not credit Iran for the U.S. military’s work to ensure oil shipments continue flowing through the strait.

“Look, the U.S. Military has been the key asset here,” he said. “They have assured the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz throughout. Not at the beginning of this conflict, but through the last six weeks.”

Wright said the administration is closely monitoring global oil supplies as the tentative ceasefire with Iran seemingly came to come to a halt, with President Donald Trump telling Secretary-General Mark Rutte the call for peace with Iran is “over” at the NATO Summit in Turkey on Wednesday.

But, he pointed to the continued shipping through the Strait as evidence that markets should remain stable.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS ‘OVER’ AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE

“We’re of course constantly watching the supply of oil, the supply of refined products and what’s going on there,” Wright said. “And I think still all positive trends.”

Beyond geopolitical concerns, Wright also praised the new chain of discounted gas stations across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Freedom Fuel, which promises customers prices below the national average.

The Trump administration, though not involved with the network, has heavily endorsed the new chain and its 25 locations.

“We love it,” Wright said when asked about Freedom Fuel. “I mean, look, any mechanism we can to lower energy costs for Americans of all kinds, we’re all in on.”

“With Freedom Fuels, they’re just lowering it down to their wholesale price of gasoline,” Wright said. “So they’re not making any money selling gasoline, but they’ve got convenience stores. That’s how most gas stations make money.”

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Gasoline costs are a known concern for many Americans, and amid surging prices there has been a considerable increase in those opting to purchase electric vehicles to save money long-term at the pump — with Tesla dominating the market for these types of models.

Wright argued one of the benefits to living in America is having the option to choose what type of vehicle you drive.

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“We just want people to buy what they would prefer,” he told Fox News Digital when asked his thoughts on increasing calls for support of the electrification of cars. “Consumer choice — you wanna buy an electric car, you wanna buy a gas powered car, diesel powered car, buy a big truck. That’s the choice.”

“That’s why you live in America. You get the choice of all those.”

The wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Rama Duwaji, is reportedly co-hosting an Islamic Women’s “spiritual wellness” retreat on the swank French island of Corsica that frames the Virgin Mary as a “Palestinian woman” under occupation.

“She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an — mentioned 34 times — and the only one to have an entire chapter revealed in her name,” reads The Women Sanctuary website, referring to Mary. “Surah Maryam. Her story is not only one of divine motherhood, but of unwavering faith, sacred retreat, and total devotion to Allah.”

The Virgin Mary is the most revered woman in Christianity, venerated as the Mother of Jesus, and is also revered in Islam as Maryam. 

Mamdani drew national attention for running as a Democratic socialist in New York City, while also facing backlash over his pro-Palestinian positions and far-left immigration views. When he took office in January 2026, Mamdani became the first New York City mayor to be sworn in on a Quran. His wife, a Syrian American artist, has also faced scrutiny over her outspoken pro-Palestinian activism.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S WIFE SKIPS AMERICA 250 FOR ISLAMIC ‘SPIRITUAL WELLNESS’ RETREAT IN SPAIN

The New York Post reported that Duwaji previously traveled to Mallorca, Spain, for The Women’s Sanctuary’s sold-out “Plants of the Quran” retreat over the Fourth of July holiday, where she was described as the group’s “artist in residence” and one of the gathering’s hosts.

“Nothing says ‘America 250’ quite like skipping the celebration for a Mediterranean vacation, but I am not surprised because she has made her hatred for America very evident,” Councilwoman Joann Ariola, R-Queens, told The Post in response to that event. 

The Women Sanctuary describes itself as a women’s retreat organization rooted in Islamic tradition and spiritual renewal, offering retreats in Mediterranean destinations.

The Women’s Sanctuary website does not explicitly list Duwaji as a co-host for the current event in France. The New York Post reported she would co-host the “Mary In The Quran” retreat from Thursday to July 14 in a sold-out event. The cost of the retreat starts at just over $4,000 per attendee, according to its website. 

The New York Post first reported Duwaji’s participation in the pair of retreats when she was seen at Newark International Airport in New Jersey boarding a flight to Mallorca’s capital city over the patriotic holiday weekend. Photos of Duwaji at the airport were posted by conservative commentator and comedian Arynne Wexler.

The retreat in France includes daily organic meals made with locally sourced ingredients, communal prayers, devotional practices, lectures, and workshops centered on spiritual renewal and mindful reflection. Participants also receive and have free time to pray, meditate, journal, relax by the pool, or explore the island, blending “guided learning” with “personal reflection,” according to the website. 

MAMDANI’S WIFE ‘TRULY SORRY’ FOR CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-ISRAEL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Duwaji publicly apologized in April for offensive posts she made as a teenager, saying she was “truly sorry” for the hurt they caused, though she did not specify which posts she was addressing. The Washington Free Beacon previously reported that Duwaji had shared anti-Israel posts on Tumblr, including a September 2017 post featuring a photo of Palestinian militant Leila Khaled.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Mamdani’s office and The Women Sanctuary for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: More details are emerging after an American flag was displayed upside down at a Somali Independence Day event in Minnesota, sparking both outrage and apologies in a situation that has gone viral on social media in recent days.

The St. Cloud Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that on July 3 at 5:29 p.m., the department received a call that the U.S. flag was being flown upside down on a city flagpole at the Lake George Park Pavilion during a Somali Independence Day event.

A video from that event, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, showed the flag upside down as event attendees, roughly 500 people at peak times, enjoyed the festivities. The department said the officer “corrected the flag without objection” and that organizers “indicated to City staff that the flag being flown upside down was not intentional.”

Despite the claim that the flag was flown upside down by accident, some in the community are skeptical that the error was not noticed by anyone at the event, including the local politicians who were giving speeches and various organizations like the AFL-CIO and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), who had booths set up.

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“I was disgusted by it and then disgusted that it wasn’t seen, wasn’t caught,” St. Cloud City Councilman Scott Brodeen told Fox News Digital, shortly after bringing up the issue in a city council meeting on Monday.

Brodeen says a Facebook friend messaged him on the evening of July 3, and by the time the councilman got down to the event, the flag had been fixed. He said a St. Cloud police officer told him the department had received complaints and that police made sure the flag was returned to its proper position.

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The flag was upside down long enough for the situation to gain significant traction on social media, including a post on the Facebook account Rocks & Cows of Minnesota, named after an infamous comment from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, where he referred to rural Minnesota as “mostly rocks and cows.”

Some users on social media expressed outrage directed toward the sponsors of the event, including US Bank, Alpha News reported.

Fox News Digital reached out to US Bank for comment.

“If it was accidental, how could it not have been caught by organizers or politicians that were down there campaigning?” Brodeen asked. “It really bothered me, especially with the people campaigning on the weekend of our nation’s birthday, a big milestone, 250th, that they would remain silent, not to take a stand for our flag really what the flag represents too is, that’s the key here that is really bothersome.”

Sauk Rapids, Minn., resident Kathy Neumeister, whose husband is a 36-year military veteran, told Fox News Digital she rushed down to the event as soon as she saw videos circulating online and was outraged when she saw the flag upside down for herself the day before the nation’s 250th anniversary.

“There were like 500 Somalians, they were celebrating, most of them kids in the splash pad, and then there’s the upside-down flag, and I’m like, you can’t make this up,” Neumeister told Fox News Digital.

Neumeister said she approached various attendees at the event and was told that no one realized the flag was upside down. Additionally, she explained that when she called the mayor’s office, a spokesperson told her that it’s possible a city staffer “made a mistake.”

“I said, I’m sorry, who do you have on your staff that doesn’t know how an American flag is supposed to fly?” Neumeister said. “I really don’t buy that.”

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Nearly a week after the incident, apologies from those involved started to surface.

On Thursday afternoon, St. Cloud Mayor Jake Anderson told Fox News Digital the city is “aware of the concerns regarding the U.S. flag being displayed upside down during a recent event held at a city park facility.”

“The event organizer has relayed to the City that this was done so unintentionally and has apologized for the mistake,” the statement said. “The City takes the proper display of the American flag seriously and understands the significance it holds in our community. The City has been working with this event organizer for over 11 years and this has never happened before.”

The mayor added that it appreciates the residents who contacted the police and that the flag was fixed before the first speaker hit the stage at 6 p.m.

The mayor also provided the permit for the event, issued to a local nonprofit called Internal Housing Assistant, which supports immigrant communities finding housing.

The executive director of that nonprofit, Omar Podi, told Fox News Digital the incident was an accident, and he understands why people are “frustrated” given the “fraud issue and everything,” a reference to the massive and still unfolding fraud scheme uncovered in Minnesota, largely involving the Somali community.

St. Cloud is home to one of the largest Somali communities in a state that is home to the most Somali immigrants in the United States by far.

In a statement, Podi, despite the viral video posted by Minnesota Rocks & Cows being filmed by and posted on Facebook by him, said he takes “full responsibility” for the flag being displayed upside down and insists it “was never meant as a sign of disrespect to the United States, its citizens, its veterans, or anyone who attended our celebration.”

Podi added that he is “committed to ensuring that it never happens again.”

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Brodeen told Fox News Digital he does not want to “manufacture outrage” but at the present time it feels “very well warranted.”

“People can fly a flag upside down and protest, not saying you can’t, just saying, you shouldn’t,” Brodeen said. “You know, be grateful for the country that has given so much. Part of my thinking, like brave men and women died for that flag and for what it represents, so don’t disrespect it in a way that’s almost unfathomable.”

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, is facing backlash after claiming he’s waiting on outstanding paperwork needed to accurately fill out his tax disclosure forms.

El-Sayed’s statement appears to be trying to defuse allegations from his opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, that he is trying to mask his net worth, hiding the true nature of his wealth until after the Michigan Aug. 4 Democratic primary.

“You’ve sought an extension through August 13, I believe, which is after the primary,” El-Sayed, who is endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other far-left lawmakers, was asked on Wednesday. “Was this to avoid transparency with your voters? Why not release them before the election?”

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“No,” El-Sayed replied. “Taxes get complicated.”

“My wife and her family own property abroad and getting all those tax forms is a thing,” he added.

As a part of his candidate disclosure report filed in June 2025, El-Sayed has reported a number of holdings. Among them: a salary from Wayne County worth $278,900 and an assortment of other assets bringing his net worth to somewhere between $580,000 and $1.7 million.

As a part of that disclosure, his wife reported a rental property in Bangalore, India worth between $100,001 and $250,000. The disclosure went on to say that his wife brought in between $5,001 and $15,000 in “income.” Another rental property in Ann Arbor, Michigan that was worth between $250,001 $500,000 brought in between $5,001 and $15,000.

To some viewers, El-Sayed’s responses this past week are confusing, given the existence of his 2025 filings.

“A bizarre response,” Chuck Ross, a Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter, wrote in a post to X. “He filed a Senate financial disclosure in June 2025 that listed his wife’s rental property in India.”

“When it comes to actual transparency and investment, the fact that he is saying ‘my wife has foreign assets. My wife has investments abroad.’ Look we need to know you have allegiance to the United States of America,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told Fox News. “You need to come before the people that are working to elect you, and you’ve got to show them what you’re about.”

“Perhaps now would be a good time to ensure that any Dem running for a Senate seat be 1000% transparent well ahead of the primary elections,” Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden posted on X. “Releasing your taxes is pretty basic.”

“If you have nothing to hide, then just release the tax returns. These Trump tactics are an extremely bad look,” another observer wrote.

WATCH: SURFACED VIDEOS OF DEM SENATE CANDIDATE BACKING ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ CONTRADICT RECENT DENIALS

Hen Mazzig, a pro-Israel political commentator, also bashed El-Sayed’s response.

“Didn’t realize being unaware of the extent of your own wealth was a characteristic of the working class,” Mazzig said, referring to El-Sayed’s promises to represent everyday Michigan voters against corporate interests.

El-Sayed’s responses on Wednesday come after the Michigan primary debate on Tuesday evening, where Stevens accused El-Sayed of a lack of candor.

“Well, look, transparency is oh so important. This is why I have released my tax returns. My opponent, Abdul, he said that transparency is key, but yet he hasn’t released his tax returns,” Stevens said.

“Look, I am the only one running for United States Senate in Michigan who is not a millionaire,” Stevens said.

When asked if Stevens’ assertions were true, El-Sayed hinted that the figure was a little ambiguous.

“If you take my assets and my wife’s assets together, then I guess they add up to something like that,” El-Sayed said in his Wednesday interview.

In another sit-down with MS Now, El-Sayed pledged to release his tax documents ahead of the primary.

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“We absolutely will. Sometimes finances are complicated. I can only control what I can control, and unfortunately, when it comes to tax documents, sometimes they are really complicated to get,” El-Sayed said.

“We are absolutely going to release it before the primary.”

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz says Medicaid fraud has become a “feature” blue states use to exploit the system.

President Donald Trump’s chief at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in an interview with Fox News Digital urged California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrat governors to join the administration’s anti-fraud push.

“Why would you steal money from Medicaid?” Oz questioned, before explaining how he believes some states are using Medicaid-funded care programs as an economic engine for their state and will distribute federal reimbursements to pay unemployed people.

“I began to realize that stealing money from Medicaid is not a flaw for a lot of states, it’s a feature of the program.” he continued. “They call it ‘Medicaid-ing it.'”

I’M OHIO’S STATE AUDITOR — MEDICAID FRAUD IS NOT JUST A WASHINGTON PROBLEM

He continued, “You’re taking money from the federal government creating a Medicaid benefit, paying a lot of money for it. Now all these people who would have been unemployed, costing the state money, are instead of getting money from the federal government. You’re taxing that, which makes the state richer.”

Oz also argued the arrangement creates political incentives because those workers can unionize, which he claims benefits Democrats by allowing the unions to help fund the party’s political action committees (PACs).

“The service industry’s unionizing these workers,” Oz said. “That gets union dues into their coffers, those union dues can now pay for political action committees, funding. Of course, one party — always.”

“That party now has a lot of money coming in for local and state elections, and we are paying for it!,” he lamented. 

Newsom was the main blue-state leader that Oz accused of failing to adequately address fraud in his state despite internal warnings.

“I think Governor Newsom’s embarrassed,” the one-time television doctor told Fox News Digital. “He’s embarrassed that four years ago, he was told by his own auditors that there was such widespread fraud in California that they had to take action and they sort of dabbled.”

“They did some performative things, but they didn’t actually do the important steps required to stop fraud in the state.”

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In response to California’s failure to follow the federal government’s lead in combatting widespread fraud, the Trump administration cut over $1.3 billion in the state’s Medicaid reimbursements.

“We can’t understand where the money’s going,” Oz said.

“We have the responsibility to the federal taxpayer to make sure this is true. Until we are comfortable with the money spent wisely, we’re not paying for illegal immigrants, we’re not paying for people who really don’t have these coverage Medicaid, we’re paying for services to people that don’t exist or to folks doing these services that have not actually been authenticated as eligible to do that.”

Oz encouraged all governors to follow suit in the Trump administration’s efforts to put an end to fraud nationwide — state by state.

DR. OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT

Vice President JD Vance even recently began spearheading the administration’s new anti-fraud task force, which was formed to enact federal oversight against exploitation of federal benefit programs.

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“The greatest obstacle is when the governors don’t realize that if they’re not aligned with the president, if they’re not on the same page, then they’re pulling the oars in the opposite direction and we’re going in a circle down the drain,” Oz said.

“Fraud happens because the people who have the power to stop it don’t work together.”

A popular U.S.-based gaming brand owned by Microsoft is facing fury after mass employee layoffs occurred in the wake of the company being approved for thousands of foreign worker visas.

Microsoft announced that it will lay off 4,800 people total and 1,600 from the corporation’s XBOX division, which makes and sells the dominant video game console.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has been approved this year to hire from foreign countries 2,273 employer-sponsored, non-immigrant workers under what is known as the H-1B visa program, according to data from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Furious online critics claim that American jobs are being unfairly handed to foreigners in an effort to cut labor costs but at the cost of leaving U.S. workers in the lurch.

‘AMERICA FIRST’ IMMIGRATION OVERHAUL BILL WOULD CODIFY TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES ONCE AND FOR ALL

“A great way to fix this is to throw anyone doing this in prison,” said one user on X. “Fire Americans to replace with thousands of visa workers? Straight to jail, and assets seized. This story has been told countless times. Fire American staff and hire foreigners. Over and over.”

“It is the fault of our Government [sic] for approving the H-1Bs,” another social media user lamented. “Our Government [sic] has sold us out of jobs at home and those being moved to other countries.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS RIP INTO SENATE FOR DELAYING IMMIGRATION RECONCILIATION PACKAGE: ‘I’M VERY FRUSTRATED’

Another user described the H-1B program as “industrial scale job theft from Americans.”

Microsoft is the sixth-largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, a program that is overwhelmingly dominated by workers from India. The company has even more H-1B applications pending. Microsoft has employees worldwide, but most are in the United States.

“These decisions are based on business need, not visa status. H-1B employees were also impacted by job eliminations in the U.S.,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on the lay offs. 

“Every single employer is exploiting the H-1B visa program,” said the Project for Immigration Reform.

A lawmaker even called for a complete end to the non-immigrant visa program.

TRUMP TAPS ACTING LABOR SECRETARY KEITH SONDERLING FOR PERMANENT ROLE PENDING SENATE CONFIRMATION

“This is INSANE. LEGAL immigration is a major problem. These companies, especially big tech, are abusing these immigration programs to replace American workers with foreign workers,” said Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va.

“No more. It’s long past time to end the H-1B scam.”

XBOX CEO Asha Sharma cited the company’s financial health for the layoffs.

“Our business today is not healthy,” said a memo from Sharma, according to The Associated Press. “We are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses.”

Sharma added that her strategy is to “reset” XBOX.

Some online critics, however, claimed Sharma’s Indian heritage played a role in firing the Americans, given the percentage of H-1B workers from India. Sharma was born in Wisconsin.

Vice President JD Vance announced on Tuesday a large-scale investigation into H-1B visa fraud.

“Today, I’m proud to announce that the federal Department of Labor has started dozens of subpoenas and investigations into foreign fraudsters who are trying to take advantage of the H-1B visa program,” he said during a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“American jobs ought to go to American workers and not foreign fraudsters and the Department of Labor is fighting back against it.”

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Recently, President Donald Trump tried to limit employers’ use of the H-1B program by imposing a $100,000 fee for companies seeking H-1B applications.

A federal judge struck down that order, reasoning that it amounted to a tax that only Congress has the ability to impose.

Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran had developed a fresh plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal report Thursday citing people familiar with the matter.

The reported intelligence would mark an escalation in the longstanding threats against Trump, whom Iran has repeatedly vowed to retaliate against over the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

The White House referred Fox News Digital to Trump’s remarks Wednesday when asked about the report.

TRUMP FACES UNPRECEDENTED THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

“They want to take out the US leader — me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer. That cancer. You know what you do? You’ve got to cut out cancer early. And that’s the way I feel.”

Fox News Digital has also reached out to Israel’s Embassy in Washington and Iran’s Mission to the United Nations for comment.

The Journal reported the intelligence surfaced as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have diverged in recent weeks over how to proceed following last month’s conflict with Iran. Netanyahu has advocated for continuing military pressure on Tehran, while Trump has sought to preserve a fragile ceasefire after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

NETANYAHU REJECTS REPORTS OF A RIFT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYS THE TWO REMAIN ALIGNED ON IRAN

Trump and Netanyahu spoke Thursday and agreed to continue coordination between the two countries, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, which said Trump also updated the Israeli leader on recent U.S. activity in the Gulf.

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Iranian mourners at the funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei chanted for Trump’s death and displayed a banner reading, “We Will Kill Trump,” according to the Journal.

Iran has publicly vowed for years to retaliate against Trump over the U.S. operation that killed Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, in Baghdad in January 2020.

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security will withhold billions in preparedness grant funding from states that refuse to adopt new election security measures, including voter citizenship verification, post-election audits and expanded use of paper ballots.

The push comes as President Donald Trump and many Republicans slam states that do not want to let the federal government audit their voter rolls, while also criticizing the snail’s-pace, widely criticized vote tabulations in states like California.

FEMA, a sub-agency of DHS, is making more than $1 billion in taxpayer funding available to states that want to participate in its Homeland Security Grant Program, but with a catch.

OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP’S ELECTION ORDER AS SAVE AMERICA ACT FIGHT INTENSIFIES

To qualify for grants, states must submit plans to transition away from “unsecure electronic voting systems” that employ QR codes or barcodes instead of hand-marked paper ballots.

By doing so, the agency said, it provides a paper trail to quickly assess any alleged irregularities.

After each federal election, states seeking preparedness grants must conduct a manual audit of at least 5% of all ballots cast with the agency arguing a manual, random review will confirm voting-machine tabulations’ synthesis with paper ballots and identify any “manipulation.”

States must also match the number of voters who participated in the election with the number of ballots cast and, within 120 days of any grant award, use the SAVE database — brought to the fore amid numerous illegal immigrant truckers getting in fatal crashes — to verify the citizenship of every listed voter in the state.

SAVE, the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, has been criticized by some Democratic governors for being insufficiently maintained, an assertion DHS has denied.

LEGAL WAR ON TRUMP’S AGENDA GAINS FIREPOWER AS FEDERAL LAWYERS DEFECT TO DEMOCRATS

DHS told Fox News Digital that threats to election systems continue to evolve and that Secretary Markwayne Mullin has made critical infrastructure protection a top priority. A spokesperson suggested elections fall within that critical infrastructure and remain susceptible to foreign attacks.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking decisive action to protect election systems from threats like foreign interference, insider threats and cyberattacks,” the DHS spokesperson said. “These new requirements for homeland security grant recipients will preserve election integrity and ensure that Americans can trust the results.”

The new rules come as the Trump administration had a major loss in court while seeking to force the issue of election security.

An Obama-appointed federal judge in Pittsburgh sided with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after the Justice Department sued more than 25 states seeking voter records that included Social Security numbers.

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Judge Cathy Bissoon ruled the feds lack authority to demand “highly sensitive” state information after Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, a Philadelphia Republican appointed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, balked at a demand to turn over data last fall.

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Schmidt reportedly offered a redacted version of the state voter file without the sensitive data, telling the DOJ in his response that such “broad data” collection is a “concerning attempt to expand the federal government’s role in our country’s election process,” according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

DHS’ new tact may or may not be tested in a similar fashion.

Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore is facing criticism for condemning rising “tribal” politics while continuing to push a redistricting effort that opponents say would eliminate the state’s sole Republican congressional seat.

Moore, a rising Democratic star who is being floated as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, gave an Independence Day speech in which he described American history as “powerful,” “painful” and “complex.”

Speaking in the Maryland State House, where George Washington resigned his military commission in 1783, Moore proclaimed that “too many feel that our politics has become tribal, that our political system once felt like a gift, but the politics of today feel like a grift.”

In response, Haven Shoemaker, the top state attorney for Maryland’s Carroll County, remarked to Fox News Digital that “Gov. Moore is proof positive that hypocrisy knows no bounds.”

WATCH: MARYLAND DEMS DEFEND ‘BIG TENT’ PARTY AS NEW YORK SOCIALIST SURGE FUELS DEM DIVIDE

“On the basis of what you would have to characterize as tribalism, he is going to convene a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to redistrict Maryland’s only Republican congressman out of office. Sounds like tribalism to me,” said Shoemaker.

Maryland General Assembly leaders announced they will meet for a special session beginning on Aug. 3 to consider a constitutional amendment on congressional redistricting, affiliate Fox 45 reported. The special session follows months of pressure from Moore and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Maryland Democrats to advance a congressional redistricting plan that would likely eliminate the state’s lone Republican-held district.

The earlier effort to pass the redistricting bill had fizzled out largely due to Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat who called the proposed map “objectively unconstitutional” and expressed his worry that “the downside risk to Democrats is catastrophic.”

Afterward, Moore notably did not endorse Ferguson in his primary race despite the senator being one of the highest-ranking Democrats in the state.

After the special session announcement, Moore said in a statement that “for months, I have said that inaction is not an option and we cannot sit on the sidelines while voting rights, fair representation, and the foundations of our democracy come under attack across the country.”

TRUMP FOE WINS CRUCIAL DEM PRIMARY AS 2028 PRESIDENTIAL SPECULATION SWIRLS

“I appreciate the General Assembly’s continued conversations and the agreement to come back to finish the work,” he said, adding, “My administration will work closely with the General Assembly as they consider legislation to ensure our state has the tools necessary to protect voters and defend fair representation.”

Meanwhile, Shoemaker, who previously served nine years in the Maryland House of Delegates, even holding the role of minority whip, accused Moore of being caught up in national politics while Marylanders are “fleeing in droves.”

“His record as governor is abysmal,” he said, adding, “Since he became governor, almost four years ago, all that he’s done is really tried to position himself to run for president.”

Shoemaker also took issue with Moore’s critique of American nationalism during his July 4th address.

Moore remarked that “today there are those who will use patriotism to justify pulling books from schools and rewriting history until it comforts those in power. In reality, that’s not patriotism; that’s nationalism.”

The governor continued that “nationalism is not an extension of patriotism; they are not interchangeable. There’s a difference, and that does matter.”

Shoemaker responded that “patriotism means that you love your country,” while in his view nationalism “means that your country is exceptional.”

“It’s pretty clear to me that neither Gov. Moore nor the ultra-progressives generally think that America is exceptional, and I think that’s incredibly sad,” he said.

Moore’s comment also garnered criticism from Maryland Freedom Caucus Chair Matt Morgan, a Republican, who said, “In Moore’s world, if you’re a parent concerned about explicit material in your child’s school library, you’re a nationalist. If you question the revisionist history framework of the 1619 Project and advocate for accurate, honest history, you’re not a patriot. You’re a nationalist.”

“It’s a neat rhetorical trick: reframe the terms, and suddenly anyone who disagrees with you is the villain,” said Morgan.

In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, the Maryland Freedom Caucus called Moore’s decision to convene lawmakers for a special session for redistricting “a blatant partisan effort to rewrite the Maryland Constitution so Democrats can gerrymander away Rep. Andy Harris’s seat and silence rural and conservative voices.”

“While Maryland families sit around their kitchen tables wrestling with sky-high taxes, crushing energy costs, and a cost-of-living crisis made far worse by Annapolis Democrats, Governor Wes Moore has decided now is the perfect time to call a special session,” said Morgan.

In response to the criticism, Ammar Mousa, a spokesperson for Moore, told Fox News Digital, “Why are Maryland Republicans so against patriotism?”

BLUE STATE RESIDENTS ‘FLEEING IN DROVES’ AFTER ‘INSANE’ PROGRESSIVE TAKEOVER, SAYS TOP STATE ATTORNEY

Shoemaker told Fox News Digital that his own county has been targeted by state leaders for “wanting to have age-appropriate material in public school libraries.”

In 2025, the Maryland State Board of Education reviewed Carroll County’s removal of 20 books from school libraries after parents argued the removals violated Maryland’s Freedom to Read Act, which was signed by Moore in 2024. The State Board ultimately upheld the county’s decision, allowing the books to remain off library shelves.

“Fighting to keep filth in public schools and public school libraries, or, you know, even revising history to make villains of Founding Fathers who have made our country great by just pointing out their flaws. That seems like moral relativism to me and revisionism at its worst,” said Shoemaker.

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Shoemaker said that it is policies such as these, along with continuously “hiked taxes,” that prompted him to announce he is moving out of the state at the end of his term. He says he is not the only one calling it quits on Maryland under the current leadership.

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“I’ve talked to a lot of people; most of them say that they don’t blame me a bit for fleeing Maryland, and a substantial number of those folks say that they’re right behind me,” he said.

Fox News Digital also reached out to the Maryland State Board of Education for comment.

EXCLUSIVE: Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said the Trump administration is working to counteract the housing cost surges that he said resulted from Joe Biden’s open border policies.

Speaking exclusively with Fox News Digital from the Great American State Fair on Thursday, Turner insisted President Donald Trump’s team is pursuing policies to improve affordability, a key midterm issue, and bring down home price and rent cost spikes that correlated with the influx of illegal immigration under the previous administration.

Republicans have argued their agenda will bring down home prices and rents by cutting regulations, increasing housing supply and cracking down on illegal immigration.

BIDEN’S ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION SURGE CAUSED HIGHER RENT AND HOME PRICES, FED STUDY FINDS

“When we first came in with President Trump, we had open borders. We had tens of millions of illegals in our country,” Turner said, arguing that increased housing demand from unauthorized immigration drove up costs for American citizens.

A recent Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas working paper reached a similar conclusion, estimating that every 1% increase in unauthorized immigrant workers was associated with a roughly 2.2% increase in home prices and a 1.4% increase in rents.

Turner said that beyond rolling back regulations, expanding mortgage credit and removing barriers to new construction, reducing illegal immigration is key to helping ease demand for housing.

THE SURPRISING HIDDEN COST QUIETLY ADDING NEARLY $132K TO NEW HOME PRICES REVEALED

He also said the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is a key part of the president’s broader effort to reduce costs for American families amid an ongoing affordability crisis.

“Here in America, we prioritize American people and American people only. American houses are for American people,” Turner said.

Asked when Americans can expect to see lower housing costs, Turner argued the administration is already taking steps to make housing more affordable.

“I think there is a misperception that this is not a priority. It is of the utmost priority,” Turner said.

A PROBLEM HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT IS KEEPING AMERICANS FROM BUYING HOMES

As evidence, Turner pointed to two executive orders Trump signed that together work to remove regulatory barriers to affordable housing construction, expand access to mortgage credit and increase housing supply.

The HUD secretary said the administration is also rolling back regulations and “bureaucratic red tape” put in place under the Biden administration to lower construction costs and spur more homebuilding.

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“That’s what we’re doing now, we are easing the regulatory environment, bringing the cost down, raising the supply so builders can build and homeowners can buy,” he said, describing those efforts as key to making homeownership more affordable for American families.

A Maryland school district is being sued after parents accused school officials of hiding their daughter’s social gender transition and then citing district policy to justify keeping them in the dark.

America First Legal (AFL) is leading the lawsuit on behalf of anonymous parents identified as John and Jane Doe. The plaintiffs argue Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ policies violate their First and 14th Amendment rights, as well as similar provisions of the Maryland Constitution. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

The lawsuit is part of a growing wave of legal challenges targeting school districts with policies allowing staff to withhold information about a student’s gender identity from parents. It also comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta, which America First Legal says reinforced parents’ constitutional rights over decisions involving their children.

Ian Prior, senior advisor at America First Legal and counsel for the plaintiffs, said the district ignored that precedent.

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“The school system was referring to our client’s daughter by a male name and assuming a male identity for their daughter, and they didn’t approve that. And they weren’t told of that. And when they did find out about it, and they questioned the school, they were quite frankly lied to about it,” Prior told Fox News Digital.

“They said this is not going to happen anymore. We deny consent. And the school said, ‘Well, too bad, that’s the law.’ Unfortunately, for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, that is not the law.”

Prior said the Supreme Court made clear in Mirabelli that “parents have a fundamental right to raise their children” and argued schools cannot facilitate a child’s social transition without parental notice and consent.

According to the complaint, the dispute began in December 2025 after a teacher accidentally emailed the parents using a male name for their daughter before attempting to recall the message and later claiming it had been sent to the wrong recipient. The lawsuit alleges the teacher later admitted the explanation was false and acknowledged the student had requested to be called by a male name. The parents then instructed school officials to use only their daughter’s legal name and requested records related to the school’s actions.

The complaint alleges school administrators refused those requests, citing the district’s policies and telling the parents that school staff were required to honor the student’s preferred name while at school.

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Months later, another teacher allegedly used the same male name in an email about an upcoming field trip. When the parents questioned it, the lawsuit says, the teacher initially gave a false explanation before admitting the name referred to their daughter.

According to the lawsuit, the district’s policies require staff to use students’ preferred names and pronouns and keep information about their gender identity confidential without notifying or getting permission from parents.

“It’s really unfortunate that this even has to result in litigation, because, again, the Supreme Court has been very clear about what schools can and cannot do. But what we’ve really seen throughout the country is that, in order to get schools to adhere to the Constitution and the law of the land, you have to bring them to court and get a court order demanding that they follow the law,” Prior told Fox News Digital.

The Maryland case is the latest in a series of lawsuits AFL has filed challenging school policies governing student gender identity.

Just weeks earlier, on June 22, 2025, America First Legal filed a separate federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Fairfax County Public Schools. That lawsuit alleges the district’s policy violates parents’ constitutional rights by allowing school staff to socially transition students, including using different names and pronouns at school without notifying parents in certain circumstances. The Fairfax litigation remains in its early stages.

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Prior said AFL is also pursuing similar parental rights cases in Pennsylvania and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California.

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The litigation also comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to challenge school policies concerning parental notification and gender identity. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education concluded that the California Department of Education remains in violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), finding that state policies pressure school officials to conceal information about students’ gender identity from parents. California has pushed back against the federal government’s conclusions and related legal challenges remain ongoing.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools declined to comment on the litigation.

FIRST ON FOX: Democrat candidate Sarah Trone Garriott, a minister and state legislator running for one of the most competitive House seats in the nation, contributed to a “resistance preaching” guide that encouraged faith leaders to combat President Donald Trump and his supporters from the pulpit.

Trone Garriott authored a chapter in a 2018 collection titled, “Preaching as Resistance: Voices of Hope, Justice, and Solidarity,” in the aftermath of Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory — an event the book described as bringing the country “so closely to fascism.”

Responding to Trump’s presidency, “Many pastors find themselves drawn toward acts of resistance,” Phil Snider, a self-described “White male cishet pastor,” writes in the book’s introduction.

He argued that “pastors of the resistance” were working against a Trump-led coalition rooted in “White supremacy,” “exploitation,” “greed,” and “heteropatriarchy.”

JOHN FETTERMAN DEFENDS TRUMP SUPPORTERS, CONDEMNS FELLOW DEMOCRATS’ ‘F— TRUMP’ STRATEGY

Trone Garriott, who was ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in 2008, was among that cohort as an author of the collection.

Her contribution titled, “The Gospel of Resistance,” was described as the first sermon she delivered after the 2016 election and has not been previously reported.

Trone Garriott’s involvement comes as she faces mounting scrutiny from Republicans over her previous remarks on religion and cultural issues. The GOP views the Iowa House battleground held by Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, which incorporates the state capital of Des Moines, as critical to preserving its slim majority.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the contest as a “toss-up.” Trump carried the swing district by over four points in 2024, but a recent Fox News Poll showed his favorability is now underwater in the Hawkeye State.

Trone Garriott publicly discussed helping marry a Satanist couple as a minister-in-training during a love-themed storytelling event in 2023, Fox News Digital previously reported. She also defended a Wiccan-led prayer in the state legislature and tied public displays of Christianity to political violence in a 2023 sermon.

During that talk, she criticized private schools and parental rights in education while highlighting her efforts to seek out prayers in the state legislature that were not from the “White American Christian variety.”

The Republican National Committee (RNC) sharply criticized Trone Garriott’s participation in the “resistance” preaching collection.

“The Wicked Witch of Woke strikes again and admits what we all knew — she views the pulpit as a political weapon to advance her radical agenda,” RNC spokesman Zach Kraft said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “There isn’t a far-left cause Sarah Trone Garriott hasn’t claimed to have found in the Bible and attempted to force on Iowans.”

Trone Garriott did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about why she chose to contribute to the collection or whether she agreed with the book’s introduction, which described Trump and his tens of millions of voters as rooted in racism.

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The sermon collection, described as “provocative” by its publisher, includes 30 sermons under titles that include “Transgressing the Gender Binary,” “Encountering Pharaoh — and Climate Change,” and “Wake Up and Stay Woke!”

Beyond criticism of Trump, pastors also condemned immigration enforcement, deportation policies, transphobia, and what one author calls “the worship of military-grade weaponry among the populace.”

In “When to Break the Law,” a minister urges sanctuary cities to defy the federal government and harbor illegal aliens to avoid deportation. In “Take a Knee,” the author rails against the “militarized border.” In “Overcome Evil with Good,” police departments are associated with White supremacy. In “Beloved Resistance,” the president is described as an “unrepentant sexual predator.”

Trone Garriott’s own sermon closes the collection. While less overtly political than some of the others, it was identified as the first sermon she delivered after Trump’s election.

In the sermon, Trone Garriott appears to encourage listeners who were upset by recent events, without explicitly mentioning Trump’s election win. She discusses periods when Christians felt detachment throughout history and turned to Matthew 24:36–44, a passage about Christ’s return in which he tells believers to remain ready.

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“For those who are honestly praying for the kingdoms of this world to be destroyed and Christ’s kingdom to come…for those who are yearning to go with Christ wherever that may lead…for those hoping for new life…this is the good news,” she wrote.

Graham Platner is taking his name off the ballot, but the trail of debris left from the mounting controversies that brought down his nearly year-long insurgent Senate campaign in Maine is giving Republicans ammunition to use against Democrats in other crucial midterm races.

“Democrats rolled in the mud with Platner, and now they are completely stained by their association with this sick monster,” Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters charged in a statement minutes after the Marine Corp veteran announced on Wednesday night that he was suspending his campaign.

Republicans are now linking Platner to Democrats in a handful of House and Senate races that will directly impact the midterm battle for control of Congress.

Platner, a populist Democrat backed last September by leading national progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and very expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November’s midterm elections.

PLANTER CALLS IT QUITS, DROPS SENATE BID AMID MOUNTING SCANDALS

Platner’s exit from the race came two days after an explosive report on Monday afternoon contained an allegation of rape from a woman he previously dated. It was only after that report when a chorus of calls emerged from top Democrats across the country for him to immediately drop out.

But Platner, the combat veteran and oyster farmer whose campaign caught fire and steamrolled the Democratic establishment, had already been forced on defense ahead of the his primary victory last month.

Past inflammatory online comments made on a now-deleted Reddit account came back to haunt him at the same time he was reeling from revelations of a now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol. Then reports that Platner exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married came right before allegations from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes were made public.

Platner repeatedly called the allegations of violence untrue and dismissed his tattoo and Reddit posts as actions taken by a younger man who has now changed.

And addressing the latest rape allegation, a visibly irritated Platner charged in his suspension video on Wednesday: “This is all false. The things that have been claimed did not happen. It is not real.”

PLATNER’S GONE: HERE’S WHAT’S NEXT AND WHO’S SCRAMBLING TO REPLACE HIM

But Republicans see an opportunity to use Platner’s toxic baggage as a cudgel against some Democrats on the ballot in key races this year — especially those who once backed the Maine candidate or defended him against previous allegations.

“Every Democrat that endorsed Graham Platner endorsed a rapist, and every Democrat that stayed silent was complicit,” Gruters argued.

The GOP quickly took aim at Matt Dunlap, the Democratic nominee in Maine‘s 2nd Congressional District, a Democrat-controlled open seat in a mostly rural district President Donald Trump carried in the past three presidential elections that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is heavily targeting.

Dunlap endorsed Platner and appeared with him at a campaign event days before Maine’s June 9 primary.

“Out of touch freak Matt Dunlap might be okay with Nazi lovers and men who abuse women, but in November, he’ll see for himself that Mainers aren’t. Dunlap’s embrace of this vile human is disqualifying,” NRCC Spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole charged.

On Monday, amid a wave of Democrats calling on Platner to call it quits, Dunlap said in a statement, “The allegations reported today are serious, and they deserve to be treated with the gravity they warrant. As such, I am calling on Graham Platner to withdraw from the race for Senate so we can all come together behind a nominee who can successfully carry the torch in November.”

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In neighboring battleground New Hampshire, the NRCC took aim at Stefany Shaheen, the polling front runner in the September primary in the state’s 1st Congressional District, another crucial swing seat that is among roughly two to three dozen that will determine if the GOP holds its razor-thin House majority in the midterms.

“Granite Staters will hold Shaheen accountable for her appalling judgment,” O’Toole argued.

Shaheen never endorsed Platner, but did not explicitly condemn him until Monday, when she said in a statement that “the allegations of sexual assault are extremely disturbing.”

“Graham Platner needs to drop out of this race. I stand with the women who bravely came forward,” she added.

The Shaheen campaign told Fox News Digital that Republicans are being hypocritical, and pointed to President Donald Trump as an example of the double standard.

“Stefany Shaheen called for Graham Platner to drop out. Republicans hacks are total hypocrites still excusing Donald Trump even after he was forced to pay millionsin damages to a woman he sexually abused,” Shaheen campaign manager Emma Greenberg told Fox News Digital.

“They have nothing to say about the twenty-eight women who have accused Trump of sexually abusing them. Stefany is going to keep taking on Donald Trump’s corrupt self-dealing and misogyny along with the hacks who keep enabling it.”

The general election winner in the congressional race will succeed four-term Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for the Senate this year.

Former GOP Sen. John E. Sununu, the Republican front-runner in that race, took aim at Pappas over what he charged were the “failures of Chris Pappas when it comes to Graham Platner.”

The statement spotlights a critical piece on Pappas penned by the conservative-leaning New Hampshire Journal.

Pappas, who never endorsed Platner, also took to social media on Monday, saying, “The allegations against Graham Platner are reprehensible, and he must step aside.”

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The Pappas campaign also argued that Sununu, who is backed byTrump, is being hypocritical.

“Donald Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, bragged about sexually harassing women and girls, has publicly defamed and demeaned survivors, and is mentioned in the Epstein files over 38,000 times — and John Sununu accepted Trump’s endorsement anyway,” Chris Pappas for Senate spokesperson Gates MacPherson said. “Chris Pappas called on Platner to step aside immediately. John Sununu still stands with Donald Trump. They are not the same.”

The Senate showdown for the Democrat-controlled seat in New Hampshire is one of roughly a dozen races that will determine if Republicans retain their majority in the chamber.

Democrats question how effective any concerted push by the GOP to use Platner as ammunition may be with voters this autumn.

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“Battleground district voters don’t care about Graham Platner, CJ Warnke, communications director at the House Majority PAC, the top super PAC supporting congressional Democrats, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Warnke, pivoting to affordability, argued that voters “care about how Republicans broke their promise lower costs by passing a toxic agenda of tariffs, new wars, and devastating health care cuts. Meanwhile, Democrats are running on making life more affordable and rooting out corruption, and in November we’re going to win.”

FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration is proposing to slash Biden-era truck emissions regulations in a move officials say would save the trucking industry about $12 billion and ease supply chain costs that make everyday goods more expensive for Americans.

“Collectively, these savings will be passed on to American families through lower costs for food, household goods, and other products trucks deliver, while still maintaining strong environmental protections and ensuring clean air,” read the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) press release first viewed by Fox News Digital.

The EPA has proposed changes to heavy-duty truck emissions rules that would save truckers an estimated $12 billion, including up to $6,000 per new truck, helping lower transportation costs and prices for American families. 

The proposal would eliminate DEF-related engine deratements and speed restrictions for new highway engines and vehicles, as well as new nonroad engines and equipment, including farm machinery, replacing them with warning alerts so operators can keep working until repairs can be made safely.

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Previous policies “make delivering everything more expensive and so that’s going to all be passed on to the consumer as well. By making these trucks cheaper and more reliable, we are making sure that the supply chain stays as cheap as possible for the American people,” EPA air chief Aaron Szabo told Fox News Digital in an interview. 

The proposal would also reduce costly emissions warranty requirements from the 2023 rule while keeping nearly 90% of the planned NOx emissions reductions and giving manufacturers more time and flexibility to meet the updated standards.

Szabo said the proposal addresses a major problem caused by DEF system failures, which can force trucks and farm equipment into “limp mode” by reducing their speed to just five miles per hour.

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He said with more than 200 possible failure codes, the deratements can leave truckers stranded on the side of the road and farmers losing hours—or even days—of productivity during critical work like harvesting.

“We’re both making the products more reliable and decreasing the impact from DEF. And we’re also bringing down the price of the whole supply chain by reducing the cost of these new trucks,” Szabo said.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins told Fox News Digital in a statement that the issue has “shown the true cost of government overreach.”

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“Our rural communities rely on diesel powered engines to deliver their food, families, electricity, and so much more to where it needs to go. The billions in savings will directly benefit those who feed, fuel, and clothe our nation,” Rollins said.

The latest proposal follows Trump’s broader pledge to roll back Biden-era green regulations after he returned to office.

“We will terminate the Green New Deal, revoke the electric vehicle mandate, and unleash American energy,” Trump said in his inaugural speech.

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Szabo said the Biden administration tried to push Americans into electric trucks with rules it enforced.

“That’s what the Biden administration was doing. They were forcing people to not have choice anymore, taking away their freedom to choose what kind of vehicle and telling them you have to buy an electric vehicle,” he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Office of Joe Biden for comment.

EXCLUSIVE: Quick-thinking Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Wisconsin who were preparing to conduct an arrest operation dropped everything to rush to the scene of a nearby rollover crash, saving a woman trapped inside her car, Fox News Digital has learned.

ICE agents have been maligned as “fascist” and “inhumane” by critics, while recent incidents have highlighted officers rescuing people in danger, including a case in which an agent leaped into a hotel pool to save a drowning child.

On June 29, agents were in the Milwaukee area preparing to make an arrest when one officer involved heard the sound of a car crash and hurried to investigate.

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A car ran a stoplight at 20th Street and Cleveland Avenue, colliding with another vehicle. The impact caused one of the vehicles to roll over and crash into a light pole, pinning the 31-year-old woman inside.

The agent then contacted the rest of his team and told them to call 911 and come over to help free the woman in the interim.

Working as a team, the agents were able to remove the woman from the mangled car and render first aid until emergency medical technicians arrived.

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“Our best of the best ICE officers put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital following the incident.

Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis said ICE agents like those involved, who remained anonymous, including in exclusive images, for their safety, exemplify the best in federal law enforcement.

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“Despite smears and hoaxes spread by sanctuary politicians and the media, our officers put their lives on the line to make our communities safer,” Bis said. “They are heroes.”

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“If you see an ICE law enforcement officer, thank them for all they do to protect our nation.”

In another case this year, while ICE agents were assisting TSA agents during the Democrats’ DHS shutdown, one ICE agent performed the Heimlich maneuver on a choking child, saving the child’s life.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush praised President Donald Trump for his efforts in crippling the Iranian regime, but warned that Cuba is now believed to have hundreds of explosive drones from Tehran.

Bush made the statement at a United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) event on Wednesday, standing next to an Iranian Shahed-136 drone. The Shahed family of drones are cheap but effective kamikaze weapons that Iran has used extensively in the Middle East, in addition to shipping them to Russia for use against Ukraine.

“We have decimated Iran’s capability to make mischief in the region. There’s no doubt about it,” said Bush, who is UANI’s chairman, adding that he applauds the Trump administration for their work.

“I also want to point out that the press reports are that there are 300 of these in Cuba,” Bush said, gesturing toward the drone.

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“We have very good defense capabilities, so this is not a press conference to scare the bejesus out of people. The United States does have capabilities of defending the homeland, for sure,” Bush qualified before saying the drones nevertheless pose “a threat.”

Bush was joined at the event by Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who warned attendees that while Shahed drones are a “terror weapon,” they are also the future of how wars are going to be fought.

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“This is the face of warfare,” he said of the drone, noting that AI capabilities were drastically advancing the effectiveness of drones. “This is how war is going to be carried out in the future, and it’s being carried out right now.”

Gimenez emphasized the effectiveness of drones in the war in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces have manufactured millions of small explosive drones for their defense, and to great effect.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mark Wallace, now CEO of UANI, also spoke at the event, calling the Shahed drone “the ubiquitous terror weapon of mass destruction in modern warfare.”

“This drone has struck our allies across the region, killed American troops, our allies across the region … and has been raining terror across the Middle East at our bases and the like,” Wallace said.

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Wallace told Fox News Digital that the drones in Cuba were transferred years ago, before the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

President Donald Trump remarked that congressional Democrats would have a hard time replacing former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after the embattled candidate suspended his campaign Wednesday.

“It’s very hard for them to do. It’s really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods. It’s… he’s in a bind. He’s in a bind. But, should they be able to do it? Well, I guess he’s going to lose. I imagine he’s going to lose,” Trump said while speaking to reporters on Air Force One before returning to the United States from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday evening after numerous Democrats and liberals who had previously backed him pulled their support and encouraged him to drop out of the race.

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The calls for his exit came after Politico published a bombshell report detailing rape allegations against Platner. In the story, Platner’s ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot alleged he forced his way into her home and sexually assaulted her in 2021.

The Politico report followed a New York Times story that described another physical abuse allegation against Platner, this one from Lyndsey Fifield, a digital strategist for Republican political campaigns and organizations.

Trump alluded to Fifield’s allegations, wondering aloud why her allegations weren’t a catalyst for outrage in the same manner that Racicot’s were.

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“It’s very interesting when the Republican woman came out with the same charge, nobody believed her… when this woman came out everybody believed her, right?” Trump asked reporters.

Fifield criticized the New York Times’ handling of her accusations, spotlighting the paper’s focus on her history of working for Republicans.

“I’m out here on my own, I’m the only one photographed and there’s 11 paragraphs of my work history. Like, what is this?” Fifield told Fox News Digital in a Wednesday interview.

Platner maintained that his suspension was not an admission of guilt and denied the allegations.

While Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday, he has not officially dropped out to clear a path for a new candidate. Under Maine state law, he would have to drop out by July 13 to allow the Democratic Party to put a new candidate on the ballot in his stead.

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Fox News Digital contacted the Platner campaign for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Brian Flood and Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

An unlikely reason has chipped away, for now, at Senate Republican resistance against President Donald Trump’s flagship election priority.

The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has hit brick wall after brick wall in the Senate, and has only twice mustered 50 votes. Still, Trump wants Republicans to pass it by any means necessary.

Republicans, however, aren’t unified behind it. One lawmaker, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has routinely voted against the bill in its variety of iterations, earning the personal ire of Trump.

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“Mitch McConnell,” Trump told reporters last month. “He’s very disloyal to John Thune. You know, John Thune was a very good person for him. I mean, he’s a very loyal person, and Mitch McConnell’s against him almost all the time because he’s angry, I guess. Probably at me.”

McConnell has been absent from the Senate, which is currently in recess, for almost three weeks due to health issues. When he will return still remains unclear.

But without his resistance, that’s one less “no” vote that Republicans have to contend with.

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Still, it doesn’t address the broader math problem in the Senate weighing down the chances of the SAVE America Act passing.

Senate Democrats are unified against it, meaning Trump and the SAVE America Act’s biggest proponents can’t break through the 60-vote filibuster, which has, in part, fueled the president’s demands to nuke the filibuster.

Senate Republicans don’t have the votes to do that, either.

“The only way you could get there is to undo or get rid of the legislative filibuster, and there aren’t even close to the votes here in the United States Senate in order to achieve that,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said last month.

There is the talking filibuster, which Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has pushed for months, which Republicans have yet to turn to, largely over concerns of floor time being eaten away and fractured unity leading to Democratic wins.

Then there is the budget reconciliation route, which Trump has pushed Congress to consider. While Senate Republicans aren’t leaping at the prospect, the House is moving full steam ahead.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream that he would move ahead with the reconciliation plan.

“We passed it three times in the House. We’re going to try one more time on a budget reconciliation bill, and I think that will be the way to get it through the Senate, and finally, to the president’s desk.”

Notably, though, House Republicans have not passed the version of the SAVE America Act that Trump desires, which would include a strict crackdown on mail-in balloting, a ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports and a ban on transgender surgical procedures for minors.

But even the bill’s biggest backers see reconciliation as a far-fetched option.

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Lee last month told Fox News Digital that the SAVE America Act was “policy, it’s non-budgetary. Therefore, SAVE America itself is not eligible for consideration in a third reconciliation.”

There could be alterations, like giving states federal funding to start doling out enhanced REAL IDs with citizenship verification in a reconciliation package, while separately passing a voter ID bill.

However, Lee believed that there was “no evidence that there is a viable path to a third reconciliation bill.”

“I hope there is. I would love to be wrong on that. I want us to do that. I think we should do that. But the schedule that we’ve got, to my great disappointment, is not — it doesn’t accommodate any of it.”