NationalWatch

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Here’s what’s happening…

– Secret Service ‘failed’ in protecting Trump, says director…

– Harris campaign raises nearly $50 million since announcement…

– How does Kamala Harris match up against Donald Trump…

‘Fire Her Now’

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pushing a new resolution demanding that U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle be fired over the failed assassination attempt against former President Trump.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., unveiled the legislation Monday during a tense hearing on Capitol Hill where both Republicans and Democrats expressed frustration with Cheatle’s lack of candor in her answers. It’s already gotten support from a number of House Oversight Committee Republicans.

Langworthy told Fox News Digital that Cheatle “must be held accountable for the unacceptable failure to keep President Trump and rallygoers safe on July 13th.”…Read more

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testifies before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, July 22, 2024.   (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

White House

BORDER SNUB?: Harris yet to speak to agency chief, despite migrant surge …Read more

HIDIN’ BIDEN: POTUS still AWOL since bombshell campaign withdrawal, as COVID isolation continues …Read more

Capitol Hill 

CALLING ‘BULLS—‘: GOP lawmaker blasts Secret Service director as dishonest during hearing over Trump shooting …Read more

‘TASK FORCE’: House lawmakers ready to take Trump shooting probe to a new level …Read more

‘HE RESIGNED’: Progressive rep points to former Secret Service head’s resignation after Reagan shooting, calls on Cheatle to do the same …Read more

FRANK ADMISSION: Secret Service director tells House committee agency ‘failed’ – but won’t resign …Read more

‘TASK FORCE’: House lawmakers ready to take Trump shooting probe to a new level …Read more

‘AMERICANS DEMAND ANSWERS’: Secret Service director to testify to House panel over Trump shooting …Read more

‘RUDE AWAKENING’: Embattled Secret Service director faces grilling over Trump rally security failures …Read more

SHOOTING PROBE: Sen. Ron Johnson releases preliminary findings of probe into Trump assassination attempt …Read more

‘WE FAILED’: Embattled Secret Service director to address House committee after Trump assassination attempt …Read more

The Fourth Estate

‘FUNDAMENTALLY WEAK’: NY Times opinion section worried about Harris electability …Read more

NOT ‘VERY BIASED ABC’: Trump wants next presidential debate moderated by Fox News …Read more

‘FALLING SHORT’: GOP senator wants to know if left-wing donors are calling the shots at NPR …Read more

Cruz asked for assurances from NPR CEO Maher that it isn’t taking editorial cues from donors or DEI standards. (Getty Images)

Trump Assassination Attempt

‘WANTED TO MAKE A MARK’: Trump shooter Thomas Crooks was likely ‘acting out a fantasy’: Expert …Read more

WEEKEND VISITORS: Investigators were at Trump shooter Thomas Crooks’ house for over an hour …Read more

‘PROVIDENTIAL’: Creator of infamous ‘bulletproof’ chart that saved Trump’s life speaks out …Read more

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, refers to charts about immigration while speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Biden’s Bailed

‘SHE LIED’: Harris’ own words come back to haunt her after Biden steps down and endorses her …Read more

HARRIS ROLL CALL: Democrats to meet Wednesday to hammer out timing on Harris presidential nomination …Read more

OLD TRICKS: Dems test out attack on Trump’s age with Biden now out of race …Read more

BIDEN HEALTH WATCH: Did president’s health ultimately influence decision to drop out of race? …Read more

POWER RANKINGS: Is Kamala Harris unburdened by what has been? …Read more

‘HIS INTEGRITY’: Kamala Harris praises Biden’s legacy in first remarks since announcing 2024 bid …Read more

I’M WITH HER: Kamala Harris gets endorsement of rising star Democrat governor …Read more

‘RESPECT’: World leaders react to Biden’s decision not to seek re-election …Read more

‘WE DID IT JOE’: Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign raises nearly $50 million since Biden endorsement …Read more

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas.  (Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

Tales from the Campaign Trail

‘THE OLD SWITCHEROO’: Manchin considers re-registering as Democrat to run for president …Read more

DON’T ‘UNDERESTIMATE KAMALA’: A November win is no ‘layup,’ cautions Trump Senate ally …Read more

CHECKERED PAST: Harris’ criminal justice past may creep up on her a second time around …Read more

POUNDING THE PAVEMENT: Vance hits campaign trail as Harris team scrambles to consolidate Dem support …Read more

‘GO BIG’: MSNBC host suggests all-female Democratic ticket to oppose GOP ‘machismo energy’ …Read more

Former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden. (Getty Images)

‘OBAMA BROS’: Obama allies galvanized calls for Biden to drop out weeks ahead of announcement …Read more

POLL POSITION: How does Kamala Harris match up against Donald Trump? …Read more

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A caravan of hundreds of migrants is heading to the U.S. border, reportedly in an effort to make it to the besieged border before the November elections — due to their concerns that former President Trump would shut it down.

The caravan, with hundreds of migrants from dozens of countries, left from Mexico’s southern border and headed north on Sunday. It was the same day President Biden announced he would not seek re-election.

The Associated Press reported that some in the group said they wanted to make it to the border before November, getting in ahead of a possible Trump victory. 

PANAMA PRESIDENT DISMISSES THIS KEY ISSUE AS A ‘UNITED STATES PROBLEM’

Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024, during their journey north toward the U.S. border.  (Edgar H. Clemente/AP Photo)

“We are running the risk that permits (to cross the border) might be blocked,” said Miguel Salazar, a migrant from El Salvador, told the outlet.

Specifically, he talked about the granting of appointments to be paroled into the U.S. via the CBP One app. The app was expanded for such a purpose under the Biden administration, which currently allows 1,000 migrants a day in using the app. Trump is expected to stop that program if elected.

Many such caravans break up long before they reach the U.S. border, with migrants going their own way and sometimes arriving at the border independently. 

The U.S. saw record numbers of encounters in FY 2023 and 2022. Recently, numbers have dropped sharply by more than 50%, which the White House has put down to new restrictions put into place by President Biden in June.

BORDER SECURITY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TOP AGENDA AT GOP CONVENTION: ‘MASS DEPORTATION NOW!’ 

Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024, during their journey north toward the U.S. border.  (Edgar H. Clemente/AP Photo)

The administration has repeated its calls for additional funding and reforms from Congress to fix what it says is a “broken” immigration system.

“While the president’s action has led to significant results, it is clear that the only lasting solution to the challenges we are seeing on our border — the solution that would deliver additional authorities, resources and personnel that we need to secure our border — is through congressional action,” a White House official said this month.

BORDER WALL GAP LEFT OPEN AFTER BIDEN STOPPED CONSTRUCTION FRUSTRATES AGENTS: ‘IT’S A BEACON’ 

However, Republicans have blamed the historic border crisis on the Biden administration, accusing it of rolling back successful Trump-era policies and adopting an “open border” strategy — a claim the Biden administration has denied.

The Republican National Convention last week featured a number of high-profile calls for additional border security and extra enforcement. Attendees were seen wielding signs saying “Mass Deportations Now!”

“The invasion at our southern border, we will stop it and we will stop it quickly,” Trump said in his speech to the convention.

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Meanwhile, a recent poll showed the number of Americans who want lower levels of immigration is the highest it has been since 2001.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Biden on Monday made his first public comment since announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race a day earlier during a call into the headquarters of Vice President Harris, who he endorsed following his announcement. 

Speaking to campaign staffers in Wilmington, Delaware, Harris acknowledged that the past day had “been a roller coaster” after Biden announced he was dropping out of the race. Biden addressed his sudden departure from the race just weeks before the Democratic National Convention. 

“I know yesterday’s news is surprising, and it’s hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do,” he said. “I know it’s hard because you have poured your heart and soul into me to help us win this thing, help me get this nomination, help me win the nomination and then go on to win the presidency.”

FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: IS KAMALA HARRIS UNBURDENED BY WHAT HAS BEEN?

President Biden addressed his exit from the presidential race on Monday in a call into the headquarters of Vice President Harris, who he endorsed after his announcement. (Getty Images)

Biden noted that he planned to be “fully engaged” and would be campaigning for Harris.

“I’m going to be working like hell, both as a sitting president, getting legislation passed as well as campaigning,” he said. 

During her opening remarks, Harris acknowledged the severity of Biden’s exit but had only kind words for the commander in chief. 

WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION?

“We’re all filled with so many mixed emotions about this,” Harris said. “I just have to say, I love Joe Biden, I love Joe Biden, and I know we all do when we have so many darn good reasons for loving Joe Biden.”

Democratic Party delegates are expected to hold a virtual roll call soon, with Harris favored to become the nominee. 

Biden had been besieged by calls from within his own party to step aside amid concerns about his ability to beat former President Trump in the November general election. On Monday, he thanked Harris and wished her luck. 

President Biden, former President Trump and Vice President Harris (Getty Images)

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“I’m watching kid,” he said. “I’m watching you kid. I love you.”

House Democrats are insisting that anyone is free to jump into their 2024 presidential primary — but suggest challenging Vice President Kamala Harris is a futile effort.

“The convention delegates can vote for whomever they choose once they’re released. That means anybody who wants to can and should offer themselves — Vice President Harris has offered herself. So far, the only other person who speculated that he might do it is former Democratic, now independent, Senator Manchin, and then he took it back, so it’s open,” Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., told Fox News Digital.

When asked if another Democrat jumping into the race just weeks before their nominating convention would hurt the party’s momentum, Kildee answered, “No, I don’t think so. I think she’ll more than likely be a first-ballot nominee, for good reason.”

Ex-House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., was blunter in his assessment of the situation.

BIDEN ENDS BID FOR SECOND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF HIS 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP

A surge of House Democrats have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run for the White House, though many like ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jared Moskowitz say it’s an open process. (Getty Images)

“Woah woah woah woah woah woah. I thought Kamala Harris was on the ballot,” he told a reporter who asked if he had concerns about the lack of a primary. “I thought Kamala Harris was on the ballot to be the president if the president couldn’t serve. She was on the ballot. It was Biden-Harris.”

Harris confirmed she would seek the presidency on Sunday after President Biden made the bombshell announcement that he’s dropping out of the race. Biden has endorsed her, along with a host of Democratic leaders, including former President Clinton and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Pelosi said when asked if she supported an open process, “Anybody can run. They can run.”

More than 150 House Democrats have endorsed her as of Monday, according to multiple counts.

But with the rush to get behind Harris, Republicans have accused Democrats of staging a coup to replace an 81-year-old candidate who was trailing former President Trump in the polls.

TRUMP SAYS BIDEN ‘IS NOT FIT TO SERVE’: ‘WHO IS GOING TO BE RUNNING THE COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT 5 MONTHS?’

President Joe Biden announced Sunday he’s not seeking re-election (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Several House Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital, however, said anyone was free to jump into the race but denied a challenger would derail Harris’ and Democrats’ momentum.

“You’re seeing Democrats coalesce around Vice President Harris. I have endorsed her. Ultimately, in order to have a primary, you have to have a challenger. No one is challenging her,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. “And so right now it is an open process, right? You’ve seen potential people come out who could run and they’re endorsing her. And so that is the open process that’s happening.”

When asked if he would advise potential challengers to stay out, he said, “I’m not discouraging anything but these people, right, folks at a high level, governors, senators…they’re not saying they’re gonna throw their hat in the ring, they’re endorsing Vice President Harris because they also think she’s the best person for the job. So it’s tough to say ‘We want to process’ when right now you don’t even have a challenger.”

The top Democrats on the Education and Homeland Security Committees, Reps. Bobby Scott, D-Va., and Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., both insisted the primary was open but agreed Harris would most likely be the nominee after the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in August.

Scott said, “It is open, but nobody’s running. And frankly, I don’t see much point, I mean, you’ve got about 150 members of the Democratic caucus already endorsed, delegations…The delegates are Biden-Harris delegates. Where are they going to go?”

KAMALA HARRIS’ PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RAISES NEARLY $50 MILLION SINCE BIDEN ENDORSEMENT

Top House Homeland Security Committee Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson is also behind Harris ((Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images))

Thompson said her likely victory “cements her strength” among Democrats even if she does face a challenger.

“If you had an open primary, I’m not sure who’s…left to compete with her,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., pointing out the significant number of Democrats endorsing her in just 24 hours since she took up Biden’s mantle.

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Harris has indeed scored support from a wide array of House Democratic factions, including the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus. But some lawmakers who have been critical of the Biden administration — like Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., have been notably silent.

Biden announced he was dropping out of the presidential race after mounting pressure from fellow Democrats who were worried he was not mentally or physically fit to campaign again, and that such debates were a distraction from the left’s overall campaign against Trump.

During his second rally of the day, vice presidential nominee JD Vance once again called on Democrats to invoke the 25th Amendment following President Biden’s announcement on Monday that he was exiting the presidential race.

“Can anybody just admit that if Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he ain’t fit to serve as President of the United States either?” Vance asked the crowd. “And if Kamala Harris is too blind or too corrupt to admit to the American people that Joe Biden should have never been in there, she’s not fit to serve, either. We got to get them both out of there.” 

Vance continued, adding that he was just as shocked as everyone else to find out Biden had dropped out of the race.

“My wife told me that Joe Biden had decided to withdraw from the presidential race. Now, see, you guys are excited about that. I don’t know, I was looking forward to debating Kamala Harris actually,” Vance said. “I was promised a debate with Kamala Harris, and that’s what I plan to get.”

JD VANCE RALLIES VOTERS IN HIS HOMETOWN HOURS AFTER BIDEN EXITS PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Vice presidential hopeful JD Vance advocated for Democrats to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden from office during his rally in Virginia on Monday.  (Getty Images)

Vance argued that making Harris the presidential nominee is dangerous as she is even worse than Biden.

“Now, history will remember Joe Biden as not just a quitter, which he is, but one of the worst presidents of the United States of America. But my friends, Kamala Harris is a million times worse, and everybody knows it,” Vance explained.

“She signed up for every single one of Joe Biden’s failures, and she lied about his mental capacity to serve as president. Our country has been saddled for three and a half years with a president who cannot do the job. And that is all because Kamala Harris and the rest of the Democrats lied about his ability to be our president. I think we ought to kick them all out come November and replace him with some people who care about this country,” Vance said. 

Vance added more points about Harris and her failure to secure the border.

JD VANCE CALLS ON DEMOCRATS TO INVOKE 25TH AMENDMENT: IF BIDEN ‘CAN’T RUN…HE CAN’T SERVE’

Senator JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio and Republican vice-presidential nominee, at a walkthrough during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.   (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Harris is actually even more extreme than Biden, even though that’s hard to believe. She wants to totally decriminalize illegal immigration. She supported abolishing ICE and wanted to defund the police. Even Joe Biden never went so far as to say he wanted to defund the police,” Vance said.

“There is simply no way that you can sit here and say the policies of Joe Biden have worked, which is to say that we got to kick Kamala Harris out of the Oval Office. Don’t give her a chance,” Vance urged.

Vance, once again, called what is happening to the Democratic Party a threat to democracy.

VANCE HITS CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS HARRIS TEAM SCRAMBLES TO CONSOLIDATE DEM SUPPORT

Trump’s pick for Vice President, U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) arrives on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party’s presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18.  (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“Democrats are the ones who want to throw out 14 million ballots and not elect Kamala Harris, but select Kamala Harris with a bunch of billionaires and Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi making the decision instead of Democrat voters. It’s disgraceful. And that’s the threat to American democracy, that corruption and that broken process,” Vance said.

Vance offered the crowd an open invitation to the Republican Party where their vote would matter and be heard.

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“If you are a Democrat primary voter, they don’t give a damn about you because they don’t give a damn who you voted for. If you are a Democrat and you look at this corrupt process, I invite you to the Republican Party. We want to make America great again. We believe in elections. We believe in persuading voters, not lying to them for three and a half years and then doing a switcheroo,” Vance said.

President Biden’s decision to stand down from re-election yesterday is unprecedented in its timing.

No presidential candidate has ever announced that they were not seeking another term this close to Election Day.

The decision has made Vice President Harris the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic Party nomination.

Today’s Fox News Power Rankings explains how Harris’ elevation could reshape the race and what comes next in Democrats’ nominating process.

This guide provides answers to two more burning questions about the move.

First, how Harris is likely able to use Biden’s existing campaign funds; second, why she can appear on all 50 states’ general election ballots.

FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: IS KAMALA HARRIS UNBURDENED BY WHAT HAS BEEN?

Former President Trump and Vice President Harris (Getty Images)

Harris and/or Democrats can likely use Biden’s existing campaign funds

Harris has received endorsements from the vast majority of Democratic Party leaders and luminaries.

While the party has not yet formally nominated a candidate and this cycle has been unpredictable, this guide will presume that she is the Democrat presidential nominee.

The existing “Team Biden-Harris” campaign had $240 million cash on hand at the end of June, and that money is critical to Harris’ election bid.

Harris is likely to be able to use it.

The figure above is one number, but it is calculated by taking the Biden-Harris campaign committee’s cash as well as that of the Democratic National Committee, the state parties, joint fundraising committees and allied political action committees (PACs).

Only the Biden-Harris campaign committee part of the overall number is even in question, since the DNC, state parties and other groups listed above are their own entities.

President Biden, former President Trump and Vice President Harris (Getty Images)

According to FEC filings, the Biden-Harris campaign committee had just under $96 million in cash on hand at the end of June.

As for that $96 million, Harris is likely to be able to use all of that, too.

An analysis of FEC rules indicates that since Harris was running with Biden, she would have access to those specific funds.

Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, told the Wall Street Journal that “she would maintain access to all the funds in the committee and could use them to advance her presidential candidacy.”

That is not a guarantee, and anti-Harris groups may litigate the issue. The Republican chair of the FEC has referenced a rule that general election funds in that figure are subject to refund unless they are appropriately reassigned or redistributed.  

Even if Harris couldn’t inherit the funds directly, precedent suggests that Biden’s committee could transfer money to the Democratic National Committee.

That would put Democrats in as strong a position as if the money went directly to Harris.

Another clear option would be to transfer the funds to a super PAC, though that is less financially efficient. Super PACs cannot coordinate with a campaign, and they are often subject to higher advertising rates.

Harris can appear on all 50 states’ general election ballots

No deadlines have passed that would prevent or “lock out” Harris from appearing on a general election ballot in any of the 50 states.

Kamala Harris (Getty Images)

Remember, Democrats had not yet formally nominated Biden – the Democratic National Convention is scheduled for next month. Until yesterday, he was merely the “presumptive nominee.” (Republicans made former President Trump their formal nominee at the Republican National Convention last week.)

WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION?

This means there is no need for a “change” or “swap” on general election ballots.

The party just needs to nominate a candidate before any general election ballot access deadlines. 

That understanding of ballot access rules is supported by local elections officials. One senior official in the Republican-run battleground state of Georgia said on Monday, “Biden dropping out will not impact Georgia ballots. As the Democrats haven’t had a convention, there is no “nominee” to replace.”

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Democrats have consistently viewed Ohio as the first ballot access deadline on Aug. 7 (there is disagreement over whether the deadline is that early following legislative changes; for the purposes of this analysis, it only matters that Democrats consider the deadline Aug. 7).

As long as the party has a formal nominee by that date, or is persuaded that the Ohio deadline is later, then Harris is set to appear on every state ballot.

Vice President Harris raised $81 million in the first 24 hours since President Biden ended his re-election bid and endorsed his vice president to succeed him as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, her campaign announced.

The Harris campaign touted in an email release on Monday afternoon that the money raised was the “largest 24-hour raise in presidential history.”

The campaign said more than 888,000 grassroots donors made contributions during the 24 hours, with 60% of them making their first contribution during the 2024 election cycle. And the campaign says it signed up 43,000 of those donors to make recurring donations.

But the Harris campaign did not offer a breakdown of what percentage of the $81 million was raised online by small-dollar donations and what share came from top-dollar donors. The haul includes money raised by the campaign, the Democratic National Committee and joint fundraising committees.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING THE PUSH BY DEMOCRATS TO NOMINATE HARRIS TO REPLACE BIDEN

Vice President Harris speaks from the South Lawn of the White House on July 22, 2024, during an event with NCAA college athletes. It was her first public appearance since President Biden endorsed her to be the next presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

“The historic outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections,” campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement. “Already, we are seeing a broad and diverse coalition come together to support our critical work of talking to the voters that will decide this election.”

DEMOCRATS TO MEET WEDNESDAY TO HAMMER OUT TIMING OF HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION

The one-day haul easily tops the nearly $53 million former President Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee announced that they brought in nearly two months ago through their online digital fundraising platform in the first 24 hours after Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts in his criminal trial in New York City.

Former President Trump is joined by wife Melania after his address at the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)

The Harris fundraising announcement comes as the party started to quickly coalesce behind the vice president after Biden ended his bid. The president endorsed Harris immediately after suspending his own campaign, which ignited a surge of endorsements by Democrat governors, senators, House members and other party leaders in backing the vice president to succeed Biden as the party’s 2024 standard-bearer.

10 DEMOCRATS KAMALA HARRIS COULD NAME AS HER RUNNING MATE

Biden on Sunday suspended his campaign amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party for the president to drop out after a disastrous debate performance last month.

The 81-year-old president’s uneven delivery and awkward answers during the first 20 minutes of the debate in front of a national audience quickly prompted questions about his mental and physical ability to serve another four years in the White House.

President Biden waves as he walks down the steps of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The money brought in over the past 24 hours by Harris will help rebuild a once-massive Biden campaign war chest that was partially depleted as fundraising started to dry up amid the increasing chorus of calls for the president to drop out of the race.

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Munoz said in a statement that “there is a groundswell behind Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump is terrified because he knows his divisive, unpopular agenda can’t stand up to the Vice President’s record and vision for the American people.”

The Biden campaign and the DNC enjoyed a fundraising lead over Trump and the RNC this year. But Trump and the RNC topped Biden and the DNC, $331 million to $264 million, during the April-June second quarter of 2024 fundraising.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Vice President Kamala Harris is now backed by more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the nomination for president, according to The Associated Press. 

According to a Monday report, more than 1,000 delegates have told the outlet or announced publicly that they plan to support Harris at the Democratic National Convention, which is more than half of the delegates needed to win the nomination vote, according to an Associated Press survey. 

The AP notes that the survey is an unofficial tally, as Democratic delegates are free to vote for the candidate of their choice at the convention later in August. 

Under current Democratic Party rules, a candidate will need the support of 1,976 delegates on the first ballot of that vote to win the nomination, the AP notes. 

10 DEMOCRATS VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS COULD NAME AS HER 2024 RUNNING MATE

President Biden delivers remarks on the assassination attempt on former President Trump at the White House on July 14, 2024. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

President Biden dropped out of the race on Monday and endorsed his ticket-mate, after insisting for weeks that he was “in it to win it.” 

Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June first sparked skepticism that the 81-year-old politician might be unable to serve another four years – or beat former President Trump in November. 

Facing dwindling poll numbers and concerns of cognitive decline, the dam of party support broke and scores of Democratic lawmakers and leaders called for Biden to step aside. 

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. 

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING THE PUSH BY DEMOCRATS TO NOMINATE HARRIS TO REPLACE BIDEN

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on July 17, 2024, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Chris duMond/Getty Images)

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump,” he said. 

In the 24 hours since Biden announced he was suspending his campaign, Harris raked in a staggering $81 million in fundraising, her campaign announced Monday. 

The campaign touted in an email release that the money raised was the “largest 24-hour raise in presidential history.” 

DEMOCRATS TO MEET WEDNESDAY TO HAMMER OUT TIMING OF HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION

A visitor holds a sign for Vice President Kamala Harris outside the White House on July 21, 2024.  (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

And the campaign showcased that over 888,000 grassroots donors made contributions during the past day, with 60% of them making their first contribution during the 2024 election cycle. The haul includes money raised by the campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees.”

“The historic outpouring of support for Vice President Harris represents exactly the kind of grassroots energy and enthusiasm that wins elections,” campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said in a statement. 

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By comparison, Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee announced that they hauled in nearly $53 million through their online digital fundraising platform in the first 24 hours after the former president was convicted on 34 felony counts in his criminal trial in New York City. 

Donald Trump’s pick for vice president, JD Vance, hit the campaign trail on Monday, less than 24 hours after President Biden announced he was dropping out of the race for a second term in office.

Vance began his day hosting a campaign rally in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, where he linked Vice President Kamala Harris to the “worst president in history,” and said that he was just as shocked as most people were to hear the news that he was dropping out of the presidential race. 

“You know, I was hanging out with my kids yesterday. We were actually at the swimming pool, and somebody brought over their phone and showed me the news that Joe Biden had announced he was dropping out of this race. And look, I don’t like Joe Biden and I don’t like his policies. And I’m not a Democrat primary voter. I never have been, and I never will be unless this goes really wrong, ladies and gentlemen,” Vance recalled.

VANCE HITS CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS HARRIS TEAM SCRAMBLES TO CONSOLIDATE DEM SUPPORT

Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance. (Getty Images)

“I imagine most of you did not vote for Joe Biden. If you did, welcome aboard. We’re glad to have you,” Vance said.

Vance went on stating that what is happening now is a threat to democracy.

“The idea of selecting the Democrat Party’s nominee because George Soros and Barack Obama and a couple of elite Democrats got in a smoke-filled room and decided to throw Joe Biden overboard. That is not how it works. That is a threat to democracy, not the Republican Party, which is fighting for democracy every single day,” Vance said. 

GEN Z INFLUENCERS RAVE ABOUT TRUMP VP PICK JD VANCE: ‘HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN OVER MY GENERATION’

Senator JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio and Republican vice-presidential nominee, speaks during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.  (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Vance continued saying that he really believes that most Americans are fundamentally good, whether they’re Democrat, Republican or independent.

“So my message to Democrats who are disgusted by this process because of how anti-democratic it is. You are welcome in the Republican Party, where we think we should persuade voters and not lie to voters. Come on in. The water’s warm,” Vance said.

While speaking to the crowd, Vance acknowledged Michigan being a battleground state and said that he could not give the state of Michigan any reason to vote against the Trump-Vance ticket and would work hard for every single vote. 

JD VANCE MOCKS WASHINGTON POST SCOOP ON HIS ‘ANTI-WOKE IDEOLOGY’: ‘THEY GOT ME’

Senator JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio and Republican vice-presidential nominee, at a walkthrough during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.   (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

‘While my life wasn’t all that different from a lot of people who grew up in Middletown, Ohio, it was tough, but it was surrounded by loving people, and it was surrounded by something that, if we don’t fight, is not going to be around for the next generation of kids. And that’s opportunity. Middletown had an opportunity, and we got to make sure it’s there for the next generation,” Vance said. 

Vance also shared the moment Trump called to ask him to be his running mate and shared why it was the right opportunity for him and his family to take. 

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“So I had no idea what was coming. And when the president called me and asked me. He said, ‘Would you like to run as my vice presidential running mate?’ I said, ‘Well, yeah, of course’,” Vance shared. “But he did something that was really amazing. Afterwards, he said, ‘What do you think about the statement I’m about to put out?’ Of course, he put it out on social media. It’s one of the things I love about President Trump is that he speaks directly to people. He doesn’t allow a bunch of consultants to filter him. He is who he is. And that’s why a lot of us love him.”

Vance is set to hold another rally in Radford, Virginia, on Monday evening. 

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz warned Republicans against underestimating Vice President Kamala Harris as she emerges as the top contender for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.

“Republicans, I worry, vastly underestimate Kamala Harris. They don’t think very highly of her. They don’t think she’s terribly bright. When you or I bring up Kamala Harris’ name in Republican circles, people laugh. It’s immediately a punchline,” Cruz said Monday on his podcast “Verdict with Ted Cruz.” 

Cruz warned against Republicans preemptively celebrating a Trump-Vance win months out from the election, arguing Democrats and the media will promote Harris as an “historic” candidate. 

“I think people are underestimating what billions of dollars of free media, of the entire corrupt corporate media complex, pitching her as a combination of Mother Teresa, Oprah and Gandhi,” Cruz said. 

WHITE HOUSE, FAMILY OFFER CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS IF BIDEN’S HEALTH INFLUENCED DECISION TO DROP OUT

Sen. Ted Cruz addresses a news conference on Capitol Hill, Oct. 6, 2021. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo)

“I still think Trump wins in November, but this is not a layup. It is not given.… If you’re a Democrat, what makes you nervous is chaos, and this much chaos 100 days out is scary. But you know what? Even more scary is going to an election where you’re almost certain to lose, which is where Biden was,” he continued. 

President Biden announced Sunday afternoon on X that he was bowing out of the presidential race, which was quickly followed by him endorsing his vice president to run in his place. 

TRUMP CALLS FOR NEXT PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TO BE HELD ON FOX NEWS

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” Biden said in a follow-up social media post endorsing Harris. 

Vice President Kamala Harris held her first public address Monday since Biden’s announcement, praising Biden for his decades in government. (Reuters/Hannah Beier)

The vice president held her first public address Monday since Biden’s announcement, praising Biden for his decades in government. 

WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION?

“I am a firsthand witness that every day our President Joe Biden fights for the American people and we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation,” she said Monday from the South Lawn of the White House during an event celebrating NCAA athletes. 

“Celebrate after Election Day. Celebrate after we’ve won. Now is not the time for celebration. Now is the time for hard work.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (Getty Images)

Harris is not yet the official nominee of her party, as the DNC must first certify her – or another potential candidate – next month. 

President Biden delivers remarks on the assassination attempt on former President Trump, at the White House on July 14, 2024. ( Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Former President Trump officially became the nominee of the Republican Party last week after announcing Ohio. Sen. JD Vance as his running mate. Cruz said the RNC, which was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was the “best” he’s attended in all his years in politics. However, he remarked it was concerning to see some in the GOP were “overconfident” that Trump has an election win locked. 

READ IT: BIDEN DROPS OUT OF 2024 RACE WITH LETTER

Former President Trump arrives on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, July 18, 2024. (Reuters/Cheney Orr)

‘PROUD OF OUR PRESIDENT’: DEMS HEAP PRAISE ON BIDEN FOR DECISION TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN

“I was very worried at the convention,” Cruz said. “… I am afraid people were overconfident at the convention. There was an air of celebration. It was, ‘We’ve won. We’re on to victory. This is a landslide. Trump’s coming back in. We’ve got a huge Republican majority.'”

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“In my view, and I was trying to say this, ‘Look, there’s a time for celebration. Celebrate after Election Day. Celebrate after we’ve won. Now is not the time for celebration. Now is the time for hard work.'”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pushing a new resolution demanding that U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle be fired over the failed assassination attempt against former President Trump.

Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., unveiled the legislation Monday during a tense hearing on Capitol Hill where both Republicans and Democrats expressed frustration with Cheatle’s lack of candor in her answers. It’s already gotten support from a number of House Oversight Committee Republicans.

Langworthy told Fox News Digital that Cheatle “must be held accountable for the unacceptable failure to keep President Trump and rallygoers safe on July 13th.”

TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY

Kimberly Cheatle, director of the United States Secret Service, during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, July 22, 2024 (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“In our Oversight hearing today, she did nothing but dodge questions and deflect blame. Corey Comperatore is dead because of this failure of the Secret Service. The American people deserve transparency and competence from their leaders, especially those tasked with the critical responsibility of protecting our nation’s highest office. She must be fired now,” Langworthy said.

It comes amid mounting calls for the Secret Service director to leave her role after a 20-year-old gunman was able to open fire on Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania from a rooftop just outside the event perimeter. One attendee died and two others were injured.

Trump himself was shot in the ear and was evacuated offstage by Secret Service agents.

TOP REPUBLICAN WARNS OF ‘RUDE AWAKENING’ IF ‘STONEWALLING’ CONTINUES AS SECRET SERVICE FACES HEARING

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Demands for Cheatle to be relieved of her duties have come primarily from the right, though on Sunday, Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, also urged her to step down.

“I’m very sorry to reach this conclusion: I have no confidence in the leadership of the United States Secret Service. I hereby call on Kimberly Cheatle to resign,” Boyle said. 

Democrats have also stepped out of Cheatle’s ongoing hearing on Monday to vent about answers they found insufficient during the all-day hearing.

TRUMP SHOOTER THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS’ PARENTS REGISTERED PENNSYLVANIA PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS: RECORDS

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“If she continues to evade fairly simple and direct questions…I think she makes the case for her continuation much more problematic,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., told reporters.

Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., on Monday called for Cheatle to resign during the Secret Service director’s hearing, saying, “If you have an assassination attempt on a president or a former president or a candidate, you need to resign.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Secret Service for comment.

JD Vance, the Republican senator from Ohio newly tapped as former President Trump’s running mate, is hitting the campaign trail on Monday, as Vice President Harris’ team scrambles to consolidate support from Democrats a day after President Biden bowed out of the race. 

Vance, who Trump a week ago named as his vice presidential pick on the heels of surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to hold a campaign rally in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, on Monday afternoon. Later Monday evening, Vance is to hold another rally in Radford, Virginia. 

For the first time since Biden announced he would no longer seek re-election, Harris spoke at the White House Monday morning during an event honoring NCAA college athletes. 

“Our president, Joe Biden wanted to be here today. He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road,” Harris said at the start of her remarks. “And I wanted to say a few words about our president. Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history.”

BIDEN STILL HASN’T BEEN SEEN SINCE BOMBSHELL 2024 ANNOUNCEMENT, AS COVID ISOLATION CONTINUES

Harris, who recalled first getting to know Biden through his late son, Beau, championed the president’s “honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his big heart and his love, deep love of our country.” She said she is a “firsthand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people. And we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation.”

The Republican vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance, speaks during a campaign rally on July 20, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden, who has been self-isolating in Rehoboth, Delaware, after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, dropped the bombshell announcement Sunday that he would no longer seek re-election. In a letter shared online, Biden endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee and said he would focus on his duties for the remainder of his term. He still has not been seen publicly since making the announcement.

Reuters reported that campaign officials have already made hundreds of calls on Harris’ behalf insisting that delegates name her the Democrats’ presidential nominee during next month’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 

Former President Trump and Sen. JD Vance appear on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat once viewed as a potential rival to Biden, said in an X post Monday that she endorses Harris. Another Democrat, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that he too endorses Harris as president and signaled interest in potentially joining her ticket as vice presidential running mate.

JD VANCE CALLS ON DEMOCRATS TO INVOKE 25TH AMENDMENT: IF BIDEN ‘CAN’T RUN… HE CAN’T SERVE’

Harris released a statement Sunday after Biden stepped aside. 

“My intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris said. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party – and unite our nation – to defeat Donald Trump.”

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks from the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, July 22, 2024, during an event with NCAA college athletes. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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Sources told Reuters that the Trump campaign has been preparing for Harris’ possible entry into the race for weeks, as increasing numbers of Democratic lawmakers and donors called on Biden to step aside following his stumbling and stalled debate performance in Atlanta last month. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, who recently became the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president after President Biden stepped down on Sunday, is facing renewed criticism for dismissing concerns about Biden’s health in recent months.

“We have a very bold and vibrant president in Joe Biden,” Harris told “Good Morning America” in February amid concerns about Biden’s health.

Also in February, Harris insisted, “Our president is in good shape, in good health, and is ready to lead in our second term.”

“It is important we not be seduced into one of the only arguments that that side of the aisle has right now on [Biden’s cognitive decline] in a way that is intended to distract!” Harris said in November 2023. That same month, Harris said, “Age is more than a chronological fact … Not only is he absolutely authoritative in rooms around the globe, but in the Oval Office.”

HOW DOES KAMALA HARRIS POLL AGAINST DONALD TRUMP?

President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday. (Getty Images)

“Joe Biden is gonna be fine,” the vice president assured the public in September 2023.

“I’m ready, if necessary, but it’s not gonna be necessary,” Harris said in March.

The clips of Harris defending Biden resurfaced this week after the president announced roughly a month after his widely panned debate performance that he would in fact drop out of the race.

“She lied,” conservative communicator Steve Guest posted on X on Sunday. “Kamala is complicit in a coverup.”

KAMALA HARRIS’ PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RAISES NEARLY $50 MILLION SINCE BIDEN ENDORSEMENT

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the conclusion of the Investing in America tour at Coppin State University in Baltimore on July 14, 2023. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

“Make no mistake – Kamala Harris wanted the nomination without a primary,” former acting Director of the United States National Intelligence Ric Grenell posted on X. “She lied to the public about Joe’s actual health up until the last minute when a primary would be too late. She knew all along.”

Sen. JD Vance, the Republican nominee for vice president, wrote on X that Harris “lied for nearly four years about Biden’s mental capacity–saddling the nation with a president who can’t do the job.”

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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a roundtable about accessibility in public transportation.

“Kamala Harris lied to Americans for four years that Joe Biden was able to serve, sharp as a tack, fit as a fiddle,” GOP Sen. Tom Cotton posted on X. “Now, she has to answer: if Joe Biden isn’t fit to run for president, do you believe that he’s fit to continue serving as president?”

“The cover up of Biden’s condition by Democrats and the media will go down as one of the biggest scandals in American history,” GOP Congressman Darrell Issa posted on X. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Harris’s office for comment but did not receive a response.

President Biden has not been seen publicly since a letter was released announcing that he would no longer seek re-election and is endorsing Vice President Harris to replace him as the Democrats’ nominee. 

In a letter released on X Sunday, Biden said he believes it is in the “best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” adding, “I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about by decision.” 

According to the president’s public schedule, Biden was at his house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, at the time the letter was sent out on social media, though he had no public appearances scheduled that day. The same goes for Monday, when his public schedule shows Biden at 10 a.m. ET will receive his daily briefing, which is closed to the press, with no public events currently scheduled.

The White House has yet to release additional details about Biden’s schedule for the rest of the week.

HOW DOES KAMALA HARRIS POLL AGAINST DONALD TRUMP?

President Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Last week, Biden began to self-isolate after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19. He was last seen publicly deplaning in Delaware on July 17.

In a letter updating the status of 81-year-old Biden’s medical condition on Friday, the physician to the president, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, wrote that Biden “completed his sixth dose of PAXLOVID this morning.”

Biden “is still experiencing a loose, non-productive cough and hoarseness, but his symptoms continue to improve steadily,” O’Connor wrote in the letter released by the White House. 

HARRIS OUTPERFORMS BIDEN IN 2024 SHOWDOWN WITH TRUMP: POLL

“His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal,” the doctor said. “His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear.” 

The doctor said Biden has the KP .2.3 variant, which accounts for approximately 33.3% of new infections in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The White House is seen in Washington, D.C., on July 21, 2024. President Biden dropped out of the presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee. (SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Images)

“The President continues to tolerate treatment well and will continue PAXLOVID as planned,” the letter says. “He continues to perform all his presidential duties.” 

A person familiar with Biden’s schedule confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday that Biden will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House this week. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the exact timing of the meeting has not been established because Biden is recovering from COVID-19.

Netanyahu on Monday left for Washington, D.C., where he is expected to deliver a speech before Congress at a time of great uncertainty following Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. The prime minister is scheduled to address Congress on Wednesday. He is also expected to meet with Harris.

President Biden exits St. Edmond’s Catholic Church after attending Mass in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Biden left the church approximately 8 minutes after former President Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)

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Before stepping on the plane, Netanyahu said he would emphasize the theme of Israel’s bipartisanship in his speech and said Israel would remain America’s key ally in the Middle East “regardless who the American people choose as their next president,” the AP reported. 

“In this time of war and uncertainty, it’s important that Israel’s enemies know that America and Israel stand together,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on establishing a bipartisan commission to study the attempted assassination of former President Trump during a campaign rally earlier this month.

House GOP leaders noticed a bill late Sunday that would create the investigative panel, which would be comprised of five Democrats and six Republicans. 

A 20-year-old gunman opened fire at Trump’s July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one attendee and injuring two others. Trump himself was shot in the ear and rushed offstage by Secret Service agents.

TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Law enforcement’s handling of the situation has since faced a mountain of scrutiny, particularly the U.S. Secret Service, whose director is under bipartisan pressure to resign from her post.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is the highest ranking elected official so far who is calling for Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation. He told Fox News Digital last week during the Republican National Convention that he planned to assemble an investigatory panel early this week and hoped for answers soon.

“The idea of a task force is that we can have sort of a precision group or unit that goes to work on this immediately. It’ll be bipartisan and will have subpoena authority. I think that’s going to be very important to get the answers as quickly as possible,” Johnson said on Thursday.

TOP REPUBLICAN WARNS OF ‘RUDE AWAKENING’ IF ‘STONEWALLING’ CONTINUES AS SECRET SERVICE FACES HEARING

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., promised to create a task force to study the shooting. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The legislation is led by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., who was in attendance when the attempted assassination took place. He also represents the district where the rally was located.

The bill is slated to get a vote under suspension of the rules, meaning it will bypass normal procedural hurdles in exchange for raising the threshold for passage to two-thirds of the chamber instead of a simple majority. That likely will not be an issue for passage, however. The assassination attempt and political violence in general were widely condemned by members of both parties immediately in the shooting’s wake.

Fox News Digital reached out to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to ask whether he supported the commission’s creation.

TRUMP SHOOTER THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS’ PARENTS REGISTERED PENNSYLVANIA PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS: RECORDS

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is under pressure to resign. (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., became the first Congressional Democrat to call for Cheatle to resign over the weekend.

“I am calling on Director Cheatle to resign immediately following last weekend’s shooting of a Presidential candidate in Western Pennsylvania,” Boyle said in a statement on Saturday.

“The evidence coming to light has shown unacceptable operational failures,” he continued. “I have no confidence in the leadership of the United States Secret Service if Director Cheatle chooses to remain in her position.”

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The news comes as Cheatle is testifying on Capitol Hill before the House Oversight Committee on Monday morning, in what is expected to be a tense back-and-forth between herself and a panel that houses top Trump allies like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

The House Republicans’ probe is ongoing in addition to an independent review directed over the weekend by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

President Biden’s decision to stand down from re-election offers Democrats an unprecedented opportunity to reset this election.

At this hour, Vice President Kamala Harris is the most likely nominee.

Many party leaders have endorsed her candidacy, and no other candidate with an appreciable chance of winning the nomination is running.

Harris is known for asking voters to “see what is possible, unburdened by what has been.” Her probable elevation to the top of the ticket allows her party to do that. But it is too early to tell whether she would perform better against former President Trump in the general election than Biden or any other candidate.

KAMALA HARRIS CONFIRMS 2024 PRESIDENTIAL BID AFTER BIDEN DROPS OUT

Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed that she will run for the Democratic nomination for president after President Biden’s decision to suspend his re-election campaign. (Chris duMond/Getty Images)

That means Biden’s decision to drop out may have been guided more by his own weakness than Harris’ strength. In the meantime, while Harris is unburdened by age, polls show she is burdened by the administration’s unpopularity.

Expect Harris to hold on to issues Democrats are winning and reposition the party on issues they are losing. The race restarts today.

FORCING PRESIDENT BIDEN OUT OF CAMPAIGN MAY HAVE BEEN MORE ABOUT CONGRESS THAN WHITE HOUSE

Wait for new polls before drawing conclusions about Harris or any other Democratic candidate

Some recent polls have asked voters whether they would support a Democratic candidate other than Biden.

So far, however, poll respondents are being asked to evaluate a hypothetical scenario.

Voters are about to hear a lot more about the new candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.

The race was still competitive, with early signs that President Biden was struggling in battleground states. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Other voters will just be getting to know them.

These factors will all impact their standing with the electorate.

Harris is likely to have the least impact on the Democratic ticket’s standing, since her position as vice president means voters are more familiar with her than any other possible candidate.

DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES SHIFT SPOTLIGHT TO KAMALA HARRIS FOLLOWING BIDEN’S 2024 DROPOUT DECISION

However, polls cannot yet show whether her elevation changes the race.

We will know more in a couple of weeks

Even after voters are aware that someone new is the nominee, it will take time to conduct polls and gather enough of them to understand how the race has changed.

Think of this as a three-step process:

1. Polls must be conducted fully after the news broke; the further from that date they are conducted the more likely they are to capture voters’ informed views of Harris or another candidate.
2. Pollsters must “get into the field” by designing reliable surveys and collecting responses from their sample of voters over several days. Then they must process and release the results.
3. Multiple pollsters must release their surveys so analysts can account for outliers. An ideal mix would include national and battleground state polls.

A good rule of thumb is to wait a couple of weeks.

The race was still competitive, with early signs that Biden was struggling in battleground states

Polls conducted after Biden’s fatal debate performance show he was running a close race in national polls.

However, he was beginning to struggle in the most competitive states, narrowing his path to victory.

Biden had support from 46% of registered voters in an average of five post-debate polls, including the Fox News Poll, with Trump at 47%. The margin between them is statistically insignificant. (The polls tested both Biden and Harris against Trump.)

According to five post-debate national polls, Vice President Kamala Harris ties former President Trump at 47% apiece among registered voters. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

In the battleground states, a somewhat clearer picture was emerging.

Biden was locked in a tight battle in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, two crucial rust belt states on his pathway to 270 electoral college votes (NYT/Siena, AARP).

He was also within the margin of error in Georgia, where Black voters held the key to Biden’s 2020 election victory (AJC).

‘PROUD OF OUR PRESIDENT’: DEMS HEAP PRAISE ON BIDEN FOR DECISION TO END 2024 CAMPAIGN

In Michigan though, another Rust Belt state crucial to his bid, a poll released yesterday showed Trump leading Biden 49% to 42% in a head-to-head matchup; a seven point difference between the two (Detroit Free Press).

Democrats would have been anxious about a recent poll in Virginia that had Biden at 46% to Trump’s 44%, a two point difference that is well within the poll’s margin of sampling error (NYT/Siena). Biden won the state by 10 points in 2020.

Polls are snapshots in time. They do not account for the challenges that Biden would have faced in the final 100 days of the campaign, including another presidential debate and a rigorous campaign schedule, all while serving as leader of the free world.

Polling and these factors all likely played a role in Democrats’ thinking about his re-election odds and Biden’s decision.

Former President Trump’s influence remains a dominant factor in this election cycle. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Harris polls about the same as Biden, including among key groups, but she is viewed more favorably

On the surface, Harris’ odds look about the same.

In the same five post-debate national polls, the vice president ties Trump at 47% apiece among registered voters.

That is two points higher than Biden’s number in the same polls.

OBAMA OFFERS STATEMENT OF SUPPORT AFTER BIDEN DROPS OUT OF 2024 RACE: ‘PATRIOT OF THE HIGHEST ORDER’

Her position is similar across three competitive state polls that tested both Biden and Harris.

In Georgia, Trump is ahead of Harris, 51% to 46%; Harris adds a point on Biden’s number, but overall the gap between the two candidates is wider (AJC).
In Pennsylvania, Trump edges Harris 48% to 46%, a two-point improvement on Biden and within the margin of error (NYT/Siena).
In Virginia, Harris gets 48% versus Trump’s 44%, another two-point improvement on Biden and within the margin of error (NYT/Siena).

These numbers suggest that today, a polarized electorate views Harris similarly to Biden. His values are hers; so are his accomplishments and failures.

Voters view Vice President Harris more favorably than President Biden. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

There is also no meaningful difference between Biden and Harris’ support with key voter groups in a matchup against Trump. From last week’s Fox News Poll:

1. Black voters (Biden 69%, Harris 69%)
2. Women voters (Biden 51%, Harris 52%)
3. Voters under 30 (Biden 47%, Harris 51%)
4. Independents (Biden 47%, Harris 48%)
5. Moderates (Biden 53%, Harris 55%)

(Fox News Poll, July 7-10; MOE: Black ±9, Women ±4, Under 30 ±7.5, Independents ±7, Moderates ±6)

That means, so far, her pathway to 270 electoral college votes looks about the same as Biden’s.

TRUMP SAYS BIDEN ‘IS NOT FIT TO SERVE’: ‘WHO IS GOING TO BE RUNNING THE COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT 5 MONTHS?’

Voters view Harris more favorably than Biden.

As the same Fox News Poll revealed, 44% of voters have a favorable opinion of Harris, while 54% view her unfavorably. 

Those numbers are similar to Trump’s (-12) and better than Biden’s (-20).

Harris, 59 years old, does not have Biden’s age issue. Voters were already concerned about it before the debate; those concerns exploded after it.

That is likely helping her ratings.

Many unknowns, but new signs of life among Democratic strategists and continuing enthusiasm in the GOP

Again, these results reflect Harris’ current standing, with voters knowing her as the vice president on Biden’s ticket. Her polling, path to 270 and favorability could all change in the weeks ahead.

It is possible, for example, that Democrats will become more enthusiastic about their nominee.

The Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue said yesterday was their “biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle,” with Harris raising $47 million since her campaign launch.

TRUMP CALLS FOR NEXT PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TO BE HELD ON FOX NEWS

Democratic strategists are also much more enthusiastic about the race than before, though Republicans have been for over a year, and they also seem energized by the news.

The Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue said yesterday was their “biggest fundraising day of the 2024 cycle,” with Vice President Kamala Harris raising $47 million since her campaign launch. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Other Democrats poll similarly to Harris

July’s Fox News survey also asked about California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, two candidates who the media floated as possible Biden replacements.

(Newsom has endorsed Harris for president, and Whitmer will reportedly do the same).

For both candidates, the race is a dead heat against Trump.

KAMALA HARRIS’ PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RAISES NEARLY $50 MILLION SINCE BIDEN ENDORSEMENT

Democrats had not yet formally nominated Biden, so the existing process allows for a different candidate to compete in the general

No presidential candidate has ever announced that they were not seeking another term this close to Election Day.

However, Democrats have not yet formally nominated Biden, which means they can support a new candidate who will appear on general election ballots in all 50 states.

This week, the party is likely to affirm that their existing nominating process will continue as planned.

Polls conducted after President Biden’s fatal debate performance show he was running a close race in national polls. (Anna Moneymaker)

Under that process, delegates were awarded to candidates after the primaries earlier this year; almost all of them were pledged to Biden. The only step left is for delegates to formally nominate a candidate in the party’s “roll call vote.”

This is just like the roll call vote that Republicans held at their convention last week.

The candidate who gets a majority of votes from delegates becomes the nominee. Again, it is most likely, but not guaranteed, to be Harris.

HARRIS NEEDS TO ‘EARN’ HER SPOT ON THE TICKET, PROVE BIDEN ISN’T JUST HANDING HER THE NOMINATION: AXELROD

The most pressing question is who she will choose as her running mate. Possible contenders include moderate Govs. Andy Beshear, Roy Cooper and Josh Shapiro.

Democrats must also decide when to hold that roll call vote.

Most recently, the party committee in charge of that process said it would happen in the first seven days of August.

A historic election cycle continues

The Power Rankings forecast was already on hold after Biden’s fatal debate performance and the attempted assassination of former President Trump, another two political earthquakes in this historic election cycle.

Now, Democrats will get to know a new presidential candidate.

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Once the party finalizes its nominating process, it is on to the Democratic National Convention, which begins August 19 in Chicago.

(Convention chair Minyon Moore reaffirmed that date yesterday.)

Former President Trump previously agreed to a presidential debate with FOX News in October. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Democrats must also soon decide what to do about further presidential debates.

The Biden and Trump campaigns previously agreed to a presidential debate on ABC in September, which, after Biden’s decision, Trump is calling to be held on Fox News. Harris had also agreed to an August vice presidential debate on CBS and Trump to one on Fox News, possibly at an HBCU. Trump also previously agreed to a presidential debate with Fox News in October.

Whatever happens, Fox News has Democracy ’24 covered.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will testify Monday before the House Oversight Committee in a hearing on the circumstances surrounding the attempted assassination of former President Trump – amid intense criticism of her leadership and calls for her to step down.

The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Cheatle to appear last week as part of an open investigation into the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was shot in the ear, while one attendee was killed and two others injured. 

In a statement, Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, confirmed her attendance on Friday, and ABC News has since reported excerpts of testimony Cheatle is expected to deliver.

“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13th, we failed,” Cheatle is expected to tell the committee on Monday. “As the Director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse. As an agency, we are fully cooperating with the FBI’s investigation, the oversight you have initiated here, and conducting our own internal mission assurance review at my direction. Likewise, we will cooperate with the pending external review and the DHS Office of the Inspector General.”

SENATORS CONFRONT SECRET SERVICE CHIEF AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION: ‘YOU OWE PRESIDENT TRUMP ANSWERS’ 

Former President Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In the wake of the shooting, Republicans and some Democrats immediately raised questions about the performance of the agency, including about how a gunman was able to get so close to the former president and fire multiple shots. In his letter to Cheatle, Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., had accused the Secret Service of a lack of transparency in issuing the subpoena.

Comer is expected to tell Cheatle Monday that she should resign.

“Americans demand answers from Director Kimberly Cheatle about the Secret Service’s historic security failures that led to the attempted assassination of President Trump, murder of an innocent victim, and harm to others in the crowd. We look forward to Director Cheatle’s testimony on Monday, July 22 to deliver the transparency and accountability that Americans deserve,” Comer said in response to Cheatle confirming she would testify.

HOUSE GOP LEADERS DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: ‘SO MANY QUESTIONS’ 

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle at a press conference on June 4 in Chicago. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

In addition to the Oversight Committee hearing, the House Homeland Security committee has called for a hearing and subpoenaed documents from DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In the Senate, both Homeland Security Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., and ranking member Rand Paul, R-Ky., have launched an investigation. The DHS Office of Inspector General is also reviewing the Secret Service’s handling of the rally.

In a preview of the pressure Cheatle may face, she was confronted by multiple Republican senators at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.

“This was an assassination attempt, you owe the people answers, you owe President Trump answers,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said.

TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING: HEART-STOPPING FOOTAGE SHOWS AUDIENCE MEMBERS NOTICING GUNMAN BEFORE SHOTS FIRED

Cheatle, meanwhile, has called the shooting “unacceptable” and “something that shouldn’t happen again.” She is expected to tell the committee Monday that she will move “heaven and earth” to make sure what happened on July 13 never does again, according to the excerpts obtained by ABC News. 

“Our mission is not political. It is literally a matter of life and death, as the tragic events on July 13th remind us. I have full confidence in the men and women of the Secret Service,” she is expected to tell the committee. “They are worthy of our support in executing our protective mission.”

However, in response to the intense criticism from lawmakers, the Secret Service says she does not intend to resign.

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“Continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident and U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has no intentions to step down,” Guglielmi said. “She deeply respects members of Congress and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews.”

Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign has raised nearly $50 million in grassroots donations since President Biden suspended his re-election bid and endorsed her, Fox News Digital has learned. 

“Since the President endorsed Vice President Harris yesterday afternoon, everyday Americans have given $49.6 million in grassroots donations to her campaign,” the Harris campaign told Fox News Digital. 

BIDEN ENDS BID FOR SECOND TERM IN WHITE HOUSE AS HE DROPS OUT OF HIS 2024 REMATCH WITH TRUMP

The campaign told Fox News Digital that the figure represents grassroots donations raised across “all entities, including ActBlue.” 

Harris announced her presidential campaign Sunday afternoon just after Biden announced he would drop out of the 2024 race, amid pressure from within the Democratic Party. 

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas.  (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

The unprecedented announcement came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers had begun to publicly call for Biden to step aside and the party’s leadership reportedly was engaged in efforts to convince Biden, 81, he could not win in November’s general election against former President Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee who Biden defeated four years ago to win the White House.

Biden quickly offered his “full support and endorsement” for Harris to take over as the party’s presidential nominee.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden wrote in a public letter. “While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden step off Air Force One upon arrival at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey on June 29, 2024. Biden is in New Jersey for campaign fundraisers.  ((Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images))

Biden said he will formally address the nation later this week about his decision. 

In a social media post, Biden backed Harris to take over as the party’s standard-bearer.

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” Biden wrote.

TRUMP SAYS BIDEN ‘IS NOT FIT TO SERVE’: ‘WHO IS GOING TO BE RUNNING THE COUNTRY FOR THE NEXT 5 MONTHS?’

The president’s endorsement could dissuade any serious completion from other Democrats who may have mulled a bid for the presidential nomination and could clear a path for the vice president to succeed Biden as the party’s nominee.

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.  (Getty Images)

Harris has already gained endorsements from more than half a dozen governors, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul; along with more than 178 Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate. 

Harris, in a statement about two hours after Biden’s announcement, said she is “honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”

“Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead,” she added. “I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”

The vice president praised her boss, thanking Biden “for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office.”

A source familiar told Fox News that Biden and Harris spoke multiple times on Sunday ahead of the president’s stunning announcement.

Biden’s endorsement of Harris was quickly followed by two top party elders, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and former Sen. Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.

“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.”

A Biden/Harris campaign sign is seen during a press conference regarding the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 29, 2024. (RONDA CHURCHILL/AFP via Getty Images)

LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, one of the Biden campaign’s biggest donors, also quickly endorsed Harris.

Former President Obama, however, has not yet endorsed her, and is instead backing a process where an “outstanding” nominee can emerge. 

“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” the former president wrote in a letter.

Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were among the scores of top Democrats praising Biden for putting the nation and the party over personal ambitions.

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“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.” the Obamas wrote.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have not yet endorsed Harris. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc, released his official 13-page preliminary findings of his office’s investigation into the assassination attempt of former President Trump.

Trump survived the assassination attempt on July 13 at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where alleged gunman Thomas Mathew Crooks, 20, opened fire, killing one spectator and injuring several others, including Trump, who suffered injuries to his ear.

Shortly following the incident, Johnson’s office began contacting federal, state and local government entities, as well as private companies, to solicit information about the security failures at the rally, the senator’s office said. The preliminary findings are based on the initial information Johnson’s office obtained after the shooting.

The senator’s office said he is sharing this information with the public to be transparent.

TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The preliminary findings determined that the Secret Service did not attend a security briefing given to local SWAT and sniper teams on the morning of July 13, that local law enforcement said communications were siloed and they were not in frequent radio contact directly with the Secret Service, that local law enforcement notified command about Crooks before the shooting and received confirmation that the Secret Service was aware of the notification and that the Secret Service was seen on the roof of the American Glass Research (AGR) building with local law enforcement following the shooting.

The investigation also found that photos of the shooter were sent to the ATF for facial recognition and that local law enforcement said the Secret Service was initially not planning on sending snipers to the rally.

Johnson’s office also provided a timeline of the events on July 13:

9 a.m. — Butler County Emergency Services held a briefing for the local SWAT and Sniper units from Butler County, Beaver County, and Washington County providing security for Trump’s rally. The briefing outlined the security perimeter for the event and areas of responsibility for each local unit as well as staging locations, including sniper locations, for each local unit and the Secret Service.

Attendees of the briefing said no Secret Service or other federal law enforcement were present for the briefing and that the Secret Service initially did not plan to provide sniper units before changing plans for unclear reasons. It is unknown why the Secret Service did not attend the briefing.

9:27 a.m. — Crooks enters a Home Depot in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Video footage of the store reportedly shows him entering alone.

9:41 a.m. — Crooks purchases a 5.5 FT Aluminum Dual Platform ladder.

9:42 a.m. — Crooks exits the Home Depot. Video footage of the parking lot reportedly shows him leaving in a vehicle, although the footage could not identify the make and model of the vehicle.

10:30 a.m. — Two local law enforcement snipers are in position on the second floor inside the AGR building.

5:10 p.m. — Crooks is first seen by one sniper (AGR sniper 1) at the AGR building.

5:14 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 takes pictures of Crooks.

TOP REPUBLICAN WARNS OF ‘RUDE AWAKENING’ IF ‘STONEWALLING’ CONTINUES AS SECRET SERVICE FACES HEARING

A sniper took pictures of alleged gunman Thomas Mathew Crooks on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Sen. Ron Johnson’s Office)

5:28 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 takes a picture of a bicycle and what appears to be two bags near the AGR building, although it is unclear what happened to the bicycle and bags after the day of the shooting.

 5:32 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 observes Crooks looking at his phone and using a rangefinder.

5:38 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 messages the “Sniper Group” about Crooks.

5:40 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 is instructed to “call into command” about Crooks.

5:41 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 calls into command and offers a description of Crooks and the rangefinder, and says Crooks was “lurking around [the] AGR building.”

5:49 p.m. — Photos of Crooks were sent to Butler County Emergency Services Command.

5:55 p.m. — Butler County Emergency Services confirms the photos were received.

5:59 p.m. — Butler County Emergency Services asks which direction Crooks is moving. AGR sniper 1 is initially unsure which direction Crooks is moving.

6:05 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 later says Crooks has a backpack and is moving northeast “in the direction of Sheetz.”

A sniper took a picture of a bike and what appeared to be two bags located near the American Glass Research building on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Sen. Ron Johnson’s Office)

6:06 p.m. to 6:12 p.m. — AGR sniper 1 moves to the ground floor of the building to meet local law enforcement patrol to notify them of Crooks’ presence.

Roughly 6:11 p.m. — Crooks start to open fire, and the Secret Service then returns fire and kills Crooks.

6:23 p.m. — Beaver County SWAT operators step onto the roof where Crooks was stationed and confirm he is dead. Local law enforcement from another county and at least one Secret Service agent also walked onto the roof.

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6:46 p.m. — Crooks is patted down when law enforcement finds a transmitter device, Crooks’ phone and the rangefinder in his pockets.

7:45p.m. to 7:46 p.m. — As requested by the Allegheny Bomb Squad, local law enforcement sent pictures of Crooks and the items to an ATF agent. The ATF is reportedly using the pictures of Crooks to run facial recognition.

EXCLUSIVE: The man who helped create the now-infamous immigration chart that former President Trump credits, in part, to saving his life last weekend during the failed assassination attempt said the “bulletproof” visual was one of several hundreds he has made over the last few years. 

Like many others who observed Trump moving his head in a millisecond to look at the chart as the bullet pierced through his right ear, Patrick McIlheran, director of policy at the Badger Institute, called it nothing short of providential.

“You got to think there’s a lot of providence going into this, or that turn of the head, and so forth,” McIlheran told  Fox News Digital in an interview. “It’s oftentimes hard to get people to pay attention to graphs. It’s important stuff, it’s a it’s a key topic and, boy, you wish people would take a look at it. Well, this particular twist on the story makes sure that everybody’s looking at that graph.”

TRUMP GETS THUNDEROUS, STANDING OVATION AS HE ENTERS STAGE FOR RNC SPEECH

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech as the turnout coat and helmet of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at his rally last week, is displayed along with the chart that was being shown at the rally, on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 18, 2024.  (Reuters/Mike Segar)

“I’m glad about that,” McIlheran continued. “Senator Johnson’s numbers deserve attention. If it happens by a twist of fate to have saved us from a terrible crisis, then all the better.”

McIlheran – who called it a “team effort” – first drafted the graph for Sen. Ron Johnson’s office when he worked in his office for more than a decade. He said Johnson’s office still uses the graph, which tracks border patrol apprehensions along the southwest border, and updates it on a monthly basis. The Trump-Vance team also puts in its own additions to the graph. 

When asked what he would say to the former president about the chart’s role in the attempted assassination, McIlheran said: “Ron Johnson’s numbers will save your life. Keep that in mind.”

On Saturday, July 13, the gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire targeting Trump’s head at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. The bullet narrowly missed Trump as he turned to look at the immigration graph on one of the screens. Instead, the bullet grazed his right ear. Crooks fired off several more rounds, wounding two others and killing 50-year-old former fire chief, Corey Comperatore, before being killed by a Secret Service sniper.

McIlheran said as he watched video clips of the attempted assassination, he realized Trump was “talking about something over on the screen.”

HULK HOGAN ENDORSES TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT AT RNC: ‘LET TRUMP-A-MANIA MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN’

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, refers to charts about immigration while speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

“And then you’re seeing the stills as he was turned, and you realize, holy buckets – that’s Ron Johnson’s graph,” he said. “It was kind of like, holy cow – that’s that beloved old graph.”

On the last night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) Thursday night, Trump – who delivered his first major speech since the attempted assassination – referenced the chart as he talked about illegal immigration.

“Less than four years ago, I handed this administration the strongest border in American history, but you can see on the chart that saved my life … that was the chart that saved my life,” Trump said as the chart was put up on the screen behind him.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Former President Donald Trump arrives at the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Trump told the audience how proud he was of the chart, noting that it showed a dive in illegal crossings under his administration before a spike in crossings over the last few years.

“Oh there it is, that’s pretty good, wow,” Trump said after noticing the chart was now on the screen at the RNC. “Last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it. Without this chart, I would not be here today.”

Trump also paid tribute to Comperatore and the two wounded – David Dutch and James Copenhaver – during his remarks Thursday, calling those injured men “great warriors.”

Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.