Donald Trump Poll News

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is suing President Donald Trump’s administration over plans to expand federal authority to deny visa and green card applications based on welfare status.

The lawsuit, filed jointly with NY Attorney General Letitia James, targets the Trump administration’s plan to expand the “public charge rule,” which allows the federal government to deny visa applications based on the likelihood that the applicant will receive public benefits. Trump’s administration seeks to expand the list of benefits that apply under the rule, with the change taking effect Sept. 18.

“If you are a citizen, or an individual seeking humanitarian relief like asylum, these changes will not affect you,” Mamdani said at a press conference Monday. “The new public charge rule not only sweeps aside more than a century of established law, it is intentionally vague as a means of creating uncertainty and fear to isolate immigrant New Yorkers.”

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.

FIRST ON FOX — A wealthy tech investor is committing $40 million to help Republicans stem the tide of the Democratic Socialists of America in state-level races, Fox News Digital has learned.

Scott Banister, a libertarian who was an early investor in PayPal, Uber and SpaceX, among others, cut the massive check to Make Liberty Win, a right-of-center political organization. The funding has already been partially deployed in nine states — Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Montana — with plans to expand the push to at least a dozen states.

“Self-described socialists are running for office and winning in the Democratic Party, like recently elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani,” a press release obtained by Fox News Digital reads. “Make Liberty Win’s campaign will stem the tide of the far-left by mobilizing student and youth activists to knock on the doors of more than two million voters in key states.”

SOCIALIST WINNING STREAK PUTS PRIZED DEMOCRATIC BATTLEGROUND AT RISK AS RADICAL LEFTISTS ADVANCE

Banister’s cash injection comes at an opportune time for Republicans.

Though Republicans enjoy a comfortable advantage at the national level, the Republican State Leadership Committee, the official GOP committee responsible for making sure the party wins at the state level, projected in late August that Democrats are slated to outspend Republicans in state races by a factor of three to one. Make Liberty Win’s spending could mitigate the liberals’ cash advantage.

Democrats have previously disputed claims that their state apparatus is better funded than the GOP’s.

NEW MIDTERM BATTLEGROUND TAKES SHAPE AS PARTIES BUILD ELECTION ARMIES

Make Liberty Win is a Republican-aligned political organization with a distinctly libertarian bent, supporting a smaller federal government and returning power to state legislatures.

It focuses on door knocking and phone banking on behalf of candidates, rather than giving money to them directly.

MUSK PICKS HIS FIRST GOP WARRIORS AS A 2026 MONEY SURGE TAKES SHAPE

$40 million is a massive amount of money for any level of politics, especially state legislative races. For context, the average U.S. House candidate spent $1.8 million on a campaign in 2024 — and federal races are almost always more expensive than their state equivalents.

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

The eight-figure spending total represents the floor of what Make Liberty Win could spend on this initiative, as Banister or other donors motivated by his push could tap in to provide even more cash.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Make Liberty Win will execute a comprehensive strategy to counter socialist Democrats and win at the state level, where political movements are built and every American can make a difference,” Make Liberty Win CEO Jeff Frazee said.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN — Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, faces a striking disconnect among some Muslim voters who oppose his positions on abortion and LGBTQ issues yet say they plan to vote for him anyway.

“He is a Democrat with a Muslim mask,” one attendee of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Convention, who requested anonymity to avoid social reprisals, told Fox News Digital. “Basically he’s like Ilhan Omar, but like a male version.”

He went on to say that, while he takes objection to El-Sayed’s positions on abortion and LGBTQ rights, he “want[s] him to get elected” to improve his community’s “representation.”

Fox News Digital was on the ground at the Islamic Society of North America’s annual conference in Detroit over Labor Day weekend, where El-Sayed delivered the marquee speech amid controversy over past remarks by some conference speakers. The episode has added scrutiny to El-Sayed’s ties to the organization and the political coalition surrounding his campaign.

‘DESTROYING THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE’: EL-SAYED’S POLITICAL ORBIT COMPLICATES EFFORT TO MODERATE HIS IMAGE

In total, Fox News Digital spoke to about 10 attendees at the conference, some of whom requested anonymity or declined to be recorded but agreed to speak on background. Several described a tension between their personal views on social issues and their support for El-Sayed, particularly on abortion and LGBTQ issues.

El-Sayed supports codifying Roe v. Wade into law, funding Planned Parenthood, establishing LGBTQ-inclusive sex education and allowing doctors to perform sex-change operations on children. Islamic theology generally takes a more restrictive view of abortion, gender and sexuality, though interpretations vary among Muslims.

Another attendee, a Navy veteran, told Fox News Digital that he strongly opposes El-Sayed’s positions on issues like abortion and LGBTQ sex education, but feels like the Republican Party has let him down following the 2024 election.

“I voted for Donald Trump. When it comes to values, I’m a Republican. But unfortunately they have betrayed us,” he said.

He pointed to the Trump administration’s involvement in foreign wars and cost-of-living concerns as the issues pushing him to support El-Sayed despite the Democrat’s liberal beliefs. Multiple attendees who spoke to Fox News Digital at the conference, including some who declined to be interviewed on the record, said they voted for Trump in 2024 but were planning on supporting El-Sayed in the midterms.

MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: EL-SAYED’S TIES TO EXTREMIST FUEL ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS AMONG JEWISH VOTERS

“We’re concerned about where our tax dollars are going to. A lot of these tax dollars are going to support foreign wars, support countries that aren’t the United States,” Zubin, a long-time El-Sayed supporter, told Fox News Digital. “So I think these are the main issues that resonate not just with the Muslim voters but the everyday voter in all of Michigan.”

President Donald Trump’s support for Israel and his military operations in Iran have become growing points of concern for some voters, with polls showing rising dissatisfaction over U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.

Trump did uncharacteristically well for a Republican among Michigan Arab Americans in 2024. If support for the GOP slides heavily with that demographic in November, it could spell trouble for the party’s Senate prospects. Republicans, however, are seeking to pick off disaffected Jewish Democrats to gain an edge themselves.

Some attendees who spoke with Fox News Digital were shocked to learn about El-Sayed’s support for abortion and LGBTQ rights.

“Wait, he’s supporting LGBTQ?” one conference attendee, who requested to remain anonymous for social reasons, told Fox News Digital. “I don’t really think that’s good, especially because this is Islam and it prohibits LGBTQ and I do really think that people should abandon … abortion since they’re taking a life away.”

DETROIT VOTERS CALL ON DEMOCRATS TO UNITE AROUND EL-SAYED AFTER STUNNING VICTORY OF FAR-LEFT PROGRESSIVE

The attendee said he believes if El-Sayed’s social views were more widely known in the Islamic community, his support might decline. Others said they believe the importance of social views among Muslims is dependent on generation.

“So yes, Abdul El-Sayed, maybe his views when it comes to these things, maybe more similar to mine as compared to our parents, our grandparents, yes, with those generations. There may be a little bit of friction, but this is natural,” Zubin said. “I do think, yes, these are probably going to be talking points within the Muslim community.”

Some individuals who spoke to Fox News Digital acknowledged that the Islamic community has some deeply held conservative beliefs, but argued that the community will be able to look past that come November.

“He’s gonna be great for education, and he’s gonna be great for medical,” Fauzi, who was attending the conference, told Fox News Digital. “5-10% of the issues, people may differ. But we have to look at the big picture [and] how he can be impactful for the state of Michigan, the country at large, and all of us here.”

JEWISH DEM DEFECTIONS THREATEN EL-SAYED IN MICHIGAN SENATE RACE DECIDED BY RAZOR-THIN MARGINS

A handful of attendees who spoke with Fox News Digital said that their community would be excited if a Muslim Republican ran in their state, while others stressed that the party’s reputation could hamper its ability to appeal to Arab Americans.

“Yes, if you’re a good person, a good politician and running for the Republican party and you believe in your values and that you can do good, go ahead and run and I’m sure you can win a lot of support from this community as well,” Zubin said.

“I think it’s very difficult for a Muslim to run as a Republican because frankly a lot of Republican voters do tend to have a strong bias against us,” another attendee, who requested to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The El-Sayed campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, once described parents who refused to acknowledge their children’s gender identity as potentially engaging in “abusive” behavior.

“I think there are some folks that would think that if you deny your child’s gender identity, that’s incredibly harmful. And whether or not we label it with the term abuse, it’s abusive for sure,” Talarico said while speaking at a committee hearing in the Texas Legislature in 2019.

Talarico’s resurfaced comments add to a growing pile of past remarks that cut against his efforts to paint himself as a moderate on issues like gender, policing and border security as he attempts to win over Texas, a historically Republican-leaning state.

TALARICO SAYS HE ‘MISSED THE MARK’ AS HE BACKTRACKS ON CONTROVERSIAL WOKE STATEMENTS

In the clip, Talarico had been speaking about HB 1910.

The legislation aimed to ensure that parents who refused to affirm their child’s gender identity would not be considered guilty of child abuse in cases deciding custody.

“In determining whether to appoint a party as a sole or joint managing conservator of a child, the court may not consider evidence regarding whether the party demonstrates a history or pattern of acknowledging or declining to acknowledge the child’s gender identity or expression,” its text read.

Talarico opposed the bill, arguing that he would not rule out an overlap: that, in some cases, the lack of acknowledgment could border on abuse.

“My concern is ruling it out as not being abuse, I think, is dangerous and could certainly harm some of our most vulnerable kids in the state.”

TALARICO CAMPAIGNS WITH SURGEON WHO OPERATED ON TRANSGENDER MINORS: ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’

“Some of us I think really do consider this abusive behavior… an unwillingness to identify, acknowledge a child’s gender identity. We consider that abusive to the child, abusive and destructive,” Talarico said.

At least one Republican slammed Talarico’s stance.

“Only perverts and pedophiles think about what is in little kids’ pants as much as James Talafreako. He is a truly sick individual for dedicating his life to pushing sex changes on other people’s kids,” Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Although that version of the bill died in committee, a later, stronger version of it eventually passed out of the Texas House in May 2025 and became law.

EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE COMMITTEE PROBES CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS OVER HIDING ‘GENDER AFFIRMATION’ FROM PARENTS

Talarico also opposed that version — one of 59 nay votes on the matter. Notably, Talarico also voted in favor of an amendment to sunset the law in 2030 and in support of a separate amendment clarifying that, in the words of its author, “rejecting a child’s gender identity or sexual orientation is abuse” and “should be treated as such under Texas law.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

When asked about the bill and his statements in committee, the Talarico campaign said he supported and respected parental decisions about their children.

“James believes parents have the most important say in decisions about their children, which is why he sponsored a bill to protect parental rights and ensure parents are responsible for the upbringing of their own kids. While James has fought for Texas parents and families, Ken Paxton has endangered them by allowing pedophiles back on our streets,” JT Ennis, a spokesperson for the Talarico campaign, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The Democratic Socialists of America is seeking to reshape some of the most basic features of the U.S. economy — from who owns major corporations to how long Americans work and whether families pay for healthcare, college and housing.

The agenda is drawing renewed scrutiny after DSA-backed candidates gained ground in the 2026 midterm primaries and progressive socialism became a central Republican target at the GOP’s first-ever midterm convention in Dallas.

Below are some of the biggest economic proposals in the platform.

Public ownership of major corporations and industries

DSA calls for public ownership of major corporations and essential industries, arguing public ownership would give Americans greater democratic control over the economy.

Adam Lehodey, a policy expert at the Manhattan Institute, said nationalizing major corporations would cost billions of dollars and shift accountability from customers to government officials.

‘WASTEFUL DISTRACTION’: EXPERTS SLAM MAMDANI’S TAXPAYER-FUNDED STORES

He argued nationalized industries have historically suffered from waste, corruption and lower productivity, adding that reducing regulations would be a better way to encourage competition.

A 32-hour workweek with full pay

DSA also wants to establish a 32-hour workweek without reducing workers’ pay or benefits, effectively giving full-time employees an additional day away from work while preserving their compensation.

The proposal is paired with a living minimum wage, paid family leave and stronger protections for workers to form unions and strike.

TRUMP DANGLES $5,000 CHECKS AS DEBT SURGES — BUT ONLY IF GOP CAN CLEAR MAJOR MIDTERM HURDLE

The agenda does not explain how a shorter workweek would be implemented across industries or how businesses would be expected to absorb the additional labor costs.

Lehodey said a 32-hour workweek without higher productivity could increase labor costs and reduce economic output.

Universal healthcare, housing and education

Among DSA’s biggest proposals are universal healthcare, publicly owned social housing, free public education through college and cancellation of all student debt.

Together, the proposals would shift a much larger share of healthcare, housing and education costs from individuals to the federal government.

A Cato Institute analysis estimated that a Medicare-for-All-style healthcare system alone could increase federal spending by between $40 trillion and $75 trillion over a decade, though the estimate is not specific to DSA’s proposal.

Higher taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations

DSA says wealthy Americans and large corporations should shoulder more of the cost of its vision.

The platform calls for “aggressive wealth taxes” on the richest individuals and corporations, with the proceeds directed toward public goods and infrastructure.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Lehodey questioned whether wealthy taxpayers alone could finance the agenda, arguing broader taxpayers would likely bear some of the cost.

DSA’s platform does not estimate the total cost of its agenda or how much revenue its proposed tax increases would generate.

President Donald Trump on Sunday touted new renovations to the White House, saying the building was a “dump” before the updates.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the White House was in “very bad condition” and that previous administrations failed to take proper care of it.

“The White House was in very bad condition, both inside and out. Frankly, it was a ‘dump!’ Past Presidents did not take care of it,” Trump wrote. “I love renovating it during my spare time, which is not much.”

TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION GETS ANOTHER LIFELINE FROM SCOTUS AMID HEATED LEGAL FIGHT

He added that the Department of the Interior and various contractors are doing a “fantastic job” with the renovations.

“The exterior ‘skin’ of the Building was practically falling off! It is now in better shape than when built in 1792. Such an Honor to have the privilege of saving this Great Structure!” Trump wrote.

The president said that more time without a renovation would have “destroyed our beloved White House!”

This comes amid several structural and aesthetic changes Trump has pursued at the White House that have drawn criticism from some preservationists and legal challenges, including fortifying the North Portico entrance, adding gold ornamentation to the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, paving over the historic Rose Garden and demolishing the East Wing to make room for a planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

The administration has also made major changes to other structures in Washington, including renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, proposing to repaint the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and undertaking extensive renovations at the Kennedy Center.

TOP TRUMP OFFICIAL TOUTS HOW DC MAKEOVER IS PROOF AMERICA IS REJECTING ‘DECLINE BY CHOICE’

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Additionally, Trump has backed plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and a National Garden of American Heroes.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s directive for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cut its workforce in half was unlawful.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston found on Friday that the Department of Homeland Security acted unlawfully by taking control of FEMA’s authority over its own personnel and pushing the agency to slash thousands of disaster-response jobs.

Although FEMA is under DHS, a federal law adopted after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 states that the department “may not substantially or significantly reduce (FEMA’s) authorities, responsibilities, or functions.”

Illston said the department violated the law last year when it sought to stop FEMA from renewing the temporary contracts of thousands of on-call reservists who respond to disasters.

DHS PLANS COSTLY CRACKDOWN ON STATES THAT DON’T COOPERATE ON ELECTION SECURITY

“There is no evidence in the record reflecting reasoned decision-making for this about-face or for the subsequent conditions DHS placed on FEMA’s renewal authority,” Illston wrote.

Illston’s ruling did not include remedies or penalties, noting that those would be addressed in a separate ruling next month.

The judge said the parties have until Oct. 9 to submit briefings on “what relief remains outstanding” in this case.

The unions that sued argued that the planned cuts are unlawful because they would undermine FEMA’s core disaster‑response mission, were not approved by Congress and were ordered by then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem instead of FEMA officials.

The administration has contended that FEMA has considerable flexibility to determine proper staffing levels. President Donald Trump has suggested that FEMA should ​be eliminated and that states ⁠should handle their emergency preparedness.

In June, Illston declined to immediately block the job cuts, ruling that FEMA had at least temporarily abandoned its planned layoffs.

But on Friday, the judge wrote that FEMA appeared to be moving forward with the job cuts. She said FEMA projected its staffing levels for the upcoming fiscal year at 11,383 employees, or about half of previous levels, without any basis for picking that figure.

DEM GOV LASHES OUT AS TRUMP HUD SCRUTINIZES NEARLY $2B IN DISASTER FUNDS OVER FRAUD CONCERNS

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to DHS and FEMA for comment but they did not immediately respond.

“Under President Trump and [DHS] Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin’s leadership, DHS and FEMA are ready for the 2026 hurricane season,” a FEMA spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. “FEMA continues to maintain a roster of experienced leadership and support staff across headquarters and regional offices. No position is without experienced leadership.”

In a separate ruling, the judge also faulted FEMA and DHS officials for using the Signal messaging app on their personal cell phones to discuss staffing cuts and deleting the messages.

Illston said the messages would have been relevant to the lawsuit and that she would now presume “that the lost Signal messages would have been unfavorable to Defendants because they would have been further evidence” of unlawful conduct.

Reuters contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that China “spies on us” just as “we spy on them,” following a report that Chinese entities provided Iran with satellite imagery before a deadly missile attack that killed three U.S. troops.

While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked about a Wall Street Journal report that Chinese entities allegedly supplied Iran with high-resolution satellite imagery of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan before Tehran’s July 17 missile attack.

“They basically do what we do,” Trump said.

TRUMP GIVES SMITHSONIAN DAYS TO REPLACE ‘STRANGE MODERNIST SCULPTURE’ WITH FOUNDING FATHER

Asked whether he planned to raise the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visits the U.S., Trump said Xi has “behaved reasonably well,” and that “we behave reasonably well.”

“You know what they say? That China spies on us. I say you’re right, and we spy on them, too,” Trump said.

TRUMP TELLS ZELENSKYY TO STOP DOING ‘ONE THING’ DURING ATTACKS ON RUSSIA

According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials linked the imagery to Iran’s July 17 strike on the Jordanian base, which killed three U.S. troops. 

Officials described it as the clearest evidence to date that support from Chinese entities for Iran during the war has had deadly consequences for American forces, the outlet reported.

TRUMP SAYS HE WOULD ‘LOVE’ TO SEE IRELAND UNIFIED AS ONE NATION

The U.S. officials did not identify the Chinese entities involved or accuse Beijing of direct involvement in the attack. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Xi is scheduled to visit Washington on Sept. 24 for a summit with Trump.

The White House could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

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

President Donald Trump slammed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for appearing to laugh during the solemn reading of victims’ names at the 9/11 Memorial, calling their behavior “terrible” and “inappropriate.”

“I think it’s terrible,” Trump said when asked about the video of the two Democrats. “It’s not a place to be laughing, especially in that case.”

“I thought it was terrible,” he continued. “The fact that they were laughing together at a very important part of the ceremony was inappropriate.”

The president’s condemnation came after video of Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani sharing what appeared to be a lighthearted exchange at Ground Zero sparked widespread criticism online.

AOC, MAMDANI INTERACTION CAUGHT ON CAM AT 9/11 MEMORIAL SPARKS ONLINE FURY

A television feed from Friday’s ceremony showed a young man overcome with emotion near the memorial before cutting to Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez smiling and appearing to laugh as they spoke. Their conversation could not be heard.

9/11 WIDOW TERRY STRADA ACCUSES US OF PROTECTING SAUDI ARABIA 25 YEARS AFTER TERROR ATTACKS, ADDRESSES VANCE

The moment unfolded as mourners read aloud the names of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing during ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 2001 attacks.

The video quickly spread across social media, where critics accused the pair of showing disrespect on one of the nation’s most solemn days.

MAMDANI DRAWS FURY FROM 9/11 MOURNERS OVER GROUND ZERO APPEARANCE: ‘DISRESPECTFUL’

“As the names of Americans murdered on September 11th are read aloud at Ground Zero, AOC and Mamdani are laughing and smiling together,” Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, wrote on X.

“There is a time and a place for politics. This isn’t it. Ground Zero is sacred ground,” Hunt added. “September 11 is not a photo op, it is not a networking event.”

MAMDANI HEADS TO 9/11 MEMORIAL DESPITE 110,000-SIGNATURE PUSH FROM VICTIMS’ FAMILIES TO STAY AWAY

Meghan McCain also reacted to the video, asking on X, “Why the f— are these two laughing?”

New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Republican, similarly ripped the moment.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI URGED TO SKIP NEW YORK CITY’S 9/11 MEMORIAL: ‘VILE ANTISEMITE’

“After thousands of families of victims of terror beg Mamdani not to show up, he stands there and laughs while families weep,” Vernikov wrote. “This is NYC’s Mayor.”

Mamdani had already faced opposition from some victims’ families ahead of the ceremony. A petition urging him to stay away from Ground Zero gathered more than 110,000 signatures, though Mamdani attended and remained for the ceremony.

DE NIRO CALLS CONTROVERSIAL MAMDANI POLICE COMMENTS ‘RIDICULOUS’ AS HE DEFENDS MAYOR GOING TO 9/11 SERVICE

However, Michael Ragusa, who has served as a member of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s entourage, disputed claims that Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez were joking about the ceremony.

“The videos of [them] laughing are not true. I was standing next to them the whole time,” Ragusa wrote on X.

MS RACHEL DEFENDS ‘AWESOME’ MAMDANI AMID 9/11 MEMORIAL CONTROVERSY, SAYS HE’S VICTIM OF ISLAMOPHOBIC ATTACKS

“The camera just caught her greeting him hello,” he added. “Multiple other politicians were laughing and joking behind me. Republicans and Democrats.”

Mamdani was seen standing somberly at other points during the ceremony. It remains unclear what he and Ocasio-Cortez discussed during the brief exchange.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital previously reached out to Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump on Sunday signaled that he would not intervene in the case of Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy, who is charged with killing her three young children amid allegations that she suffered from postpartum psychosis. 

When asked whether he would pardon Clancy, Trump called the situation “very sad” but said the case is ultimately a “state situation,” not a federal one.

“There’s no winner there. There’s no win no matter what you do. Three children are dead,” he said. 

The response came after attorney Kevin Reddington, who represents Clancy, publicly asked Trump to grant his client a pardon last week.

LINDSAY CLANCY’S LAWYER REVEALS POST-MISTRIAL STRATEGY AS RETRIAL LOOMS

Trump indicated that the defense and prosecution need to resolve the legal matter at the local level while praising Reddington’s work. 

“He’s a good attorney. I’ve heard from other people he’s a very good attorney,” Trump said. “I hope they can work it out. That’s something they have to work out … There is no win there.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Clancy, a 36-year-old former nurse, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children: 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan. 

After their deaths, she attempted to kill herself and was paralyzed from the injuries.

President Donald Trump has a blunt message for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Kyiv continues targeting Russia: Stop hitting its diesel refineries.

Trump made the remarks Sunday while attending the Irish Open at his golf club in Doonbeg, Ireland, after a reporter asked whether he had spoken with Zelenskyy following a recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump told reporters.

TRUMP NEGOTIATORS WITKOFF, KUSHNER MEET WITH PUTIN IN MOSCOW AS US PUSHES FOR END TO RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

Trump said Ukraine could continue pursuing other targets inside Russia but urged Zelenskyy to steer clear of the country’s diesel infrastructure.

“Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel because he’s causing a shortage of diesel,” Trump said. “This isn’t done by the Middle East. This is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine.”

The president said he had already spoken directly with Zelenskyy about the issue.

“So we spoke to Mr. Zelensky about it. There are plenty of other targets,” Trump said. “Don’t hit diesel fuel because that’s hurting the world. We don’t want him to hit diesel fuel. He’s hitting diesel refineries.”

WATCH: FIGHTS BREAK OUT AT RUSSIAN GAS STATIONS AS PUTIN ADMITS FUEL SHORTAGES

Trump’s remarks come as Ukraine has targeted Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure with long-range strikes, part of Kyiv’s effort to hamper an industry that provides revenue and fuel for Moscow’s war effort. Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.

The strikes have put pressure on Russia’s fuel supplies, prompting rationing in parts of the country and a Russian ban on diesel exports in July. The disruption has also added pressure to global diesel supplies, which have faced additional strain amid reduced oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Diesel prices in the U.S. climbed above an average of $6 per gallon on Friday, reaching a record high.

Russia has intensified its aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, including strikes involving ballistic missiles and drones, while Ukraine has continued targeting sites inside Russia.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Russian and Ukrainian officials reported another round of large-scale drone attacks overnight into Sunday, with casualties reported on both sides.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republicans suffered a fresh blow in Missouri after the Supreme Court blocked a congressional map that could have helped the GOP gain another House seat in November.

The ruling, handed down last week, means Missouri will use its 2022 congressional map instead of the new boundaries backed by President Donald Trump and Missouri Republicans.

Missouri held its August primary under the new map, meaning candidates won their party nominations based on one set of district boundaries. But those boundaries will change before the November election, when Missouri is expected to return to its 2022 map.

TRUMP DANGLES $5,000 CHECKS AS DEBT SURGES — BUT ONLY IF GOP CAN CLEAR MAJOR MIDTERM HURDLE

Typically, states redraw their congressional and state legislative districts once every decade after the Census to account for population changes and ensure that each district has roughly the same number of residents.

The new map would have shifted parts of Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City district into more Republican-leaning areas, making the seat more competitive.

Republicans hoped the changes would help them win seven of Missouri’s eight House seats in the November midterm elections. The GOP currently holds six of the state’s eight seats, while Democrats hold two.

Missouri must now use the 2022 map, which keeps Cleaver’s district more favorable to Democrats.

The Supreme Court’s decision came after more than a year of legal battles over which congressional map Missouri should use.

Missouri held its August primary under the new map, but the state will use its 2022 district boundaries for the November general election. That means some voters could be assigned to a different congressional district in November than the one in which they voted during the primary.

The change could affect more than 1 million voters, or nearly one-fourth of Missouri’s electorate, according to an Associated Press estimate.

The conflicting court orders have added to the confusion, with the November election just weeks away. Candidates and election officials must now adjust to the 2022 boundaries.

MISSOURI HIGH COURT BLOCKS GOP-BACKED CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS; TRUMP BLASTS ‘RIDICULOUS’ RULING

The Supreme Court did not explain its reasoning in the brief order.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

President Donald Trump is calling on the Smithsonian to replace a decades-old modernist sculpture outside the National Museum of American History with a towering, 30-foot statue of George Washington.

In social media posts late Friday, Trump said the “Infinity” sculpture that has stood outside the museum since 1967 “says nothing about America,” while Washington, he argued, “more than anyone else, says everything about America.”

Trump also called for the museum to open a five-year exhibition honoring Washington that would run through Feb. 22, 2032, the 300th anniversary of the first president’s birth.

INSIDE THE BEHEMOTH SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM NETWORK DRAWING FIRE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Trump also wants the Smithsonian to install an 11-foot statue of Washington in the museum’s Flag Hall by Constitution Day on Sept. 17. The statue was featured at the recent Freedom 250 Grand Prix race.

“Immediately design and display a five-year exhibition worthy of the Life, Sacrifice, and Contributions of George Washington,” Trump wrote.

“Then, as soon as it is ready, install a 30-foot Washington Colossus where ‘Infinity’ stands today,” he added.

“Infinity,” created by New York artist José de Rivera, was commissioned by the federal government and installed outside the museum in 1967.

It is unclear whether Trump can order the Smithsonian to make the changes. The institution is outside the executive branch and is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, lawmakers from both parties and citizen members.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Smithsonian for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Trump has repeatedly criticized how the Smithsonian presents American history, particularly as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.

EXCAVATION SET TO BEGIN ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S 250-FOOT TRIUMPHAL ARCH AMID LEGAL BATTLE

In his posts Friday, he accused the National Museum of American History of giving too little attention to Washington and other Founding Fathers.

Trump singled out Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776 and the American victory at Trenton, saying the museum does not give those events the attention they deserve.

“He is easily America’s Greatest Hero,” Trump wrote of Washington. “Without him, our Country and our Freedoms wouldn’t exist.”

Trump also criticized the Smithsonian’s recently ended Center for Restorative History, an initiative created to spotlight stories that have been excluded from the national historical narrative.

Trump said the museum should instead create a “Center for American Heroes.”

“Tell the stories of Americans who faced great challenges, overcame them, built great things, defended our Country, made America better, and helped our Nation more fully live up to our Founding Ideals,” he wrote.

SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE PRAISES OUTGOING SMITHSONIAN LEADER WHO WAS UNDER PRESSURE FROM TRUMP ADMIN

Those criticisms have also led to action by the White House.

In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating what the White House called “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology” at the Smithsonian.

The White House followed this year with a report criticizing the Smithsonian, including what it said was a lack of attention to Washington and other Founding Fathers.

In July, Trump ordered his administration to place signs outside the National Museum of American History telling visitors that some exhibits are inaccurate.

In a statement last year, the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents said it was committed to keeping the institution nonpartisan and its scholarship free from political or partisan influence.

The board also acknowledged that the Smithsonian “can and must do more” and directed its leadership to ensure museum content is unbiased.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch announced last week that he will step down at the end of the year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DALLAS — While President Donald Trump will not be on the ballot for the 2026 midterm elections, the former chair of Black Voices for Trump believes Republicans can maintain the momentum gained from his major performance improvements among Black voters during the 2024 presidential race.

T.W. Shannon, a former Oklahoma state House Speaker who served last year in the second Trump administration and is now the Republican lieutenant governor nominee in his home state, says that policies “the GOP has expressed,” as well as the Democratic Party’s leftward lurch, will help Republicans as they continue to court Black voters.

Trump won 16% of the Black vote in the 2024 presidential election, according to a Fox News Voter Analysis, nearly double his total four years earlier.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

“It’s because Donald Trump has transformed the Republican Party back into the working party. You see Democrats competing for the Black vote now. Something that you used to not see at all. They didn’t have to, they just took it for granted,” Shannon said in a Fox News Digital interview Thursday on the sidelines of the first ever GOP midterm convention.

Shannon pointed to job creation and lowering crime rates during the second Trump administration and said, “These are things that actually benefit…Black voters and Black communities.”

He then took aim at Democratic candidates backed by or aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

“Look at what….the DSA is offering, you know, we’re talking about raising taxes, we’re talking about doing away with the Senate… disbanding the police,” he said. “These are not things that are well received in the Black community.”

Democrats disagree with Shannon’s assessment.

“Black Americans are going to reject Trump’s billionaires-first, cost-raising agenda at the ballot box this November and elect Democrats who are fighting to lower costs and deliver for working families,” a Democratic National Committee (DNC) spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The spokesperson added that the “DNC is investing critical resources to reach, register, and mobilize Black voters across the country. While the Trump administration continues to attack civil and voting rights, we are fighting to protect the core of our democracy.”

Shannon, a Lawton native who became his state’s youngest and first African American House speaker in 2013, and the first member of the Chickasaw Nation to hold the office, is favored to win in November in solidly Republican Oklahoma.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He said speaking in primetime at the convention gave him a chance to stand on the “national stage.”

“Any time I get a chance to tell the story about how great Oklahoma is and how great America is, I won’t miss a chance to do it,” he said.

DALLAS — President Donald Trump is getting a much warmer reception from his fellow Republicans during this election cycle than his predecessor did from Democrats this time two years ago.

Conventional political wisdom dictates that the party in power will suffer losses in Congress during a midterm election year. Americans who oppose the president’s party are typically more motivated to vote than people who support their agenda.

But the GOP is banking on the opposite effect. The first-ever GOP midterm convention featured back-to-back keynote addresses from the commander-in-chief, as well as speeches from his Cabinet officials, allies and members of Congress.

“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” Trump told his audience on Wednesday. Republican incumbents and candidates running in battleground districts this November also took the stage, and all speakers projected confidence despite Trump’s own low approval numbers.

DEMOCRATS TARGETING 12 ADDITIONAL RED DISTRICTS IN MIDTERMS PUSH TO RETAKE HOUSE

“We ran together in 2024 on a ticket with President Trump, [Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa.] and myself — voters elected all of us to deliver real change and results, and we’ve actually been able to do that with securing the border and delivering historic tax relief,” Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the convention.

“Now what we’re seeing is in a midterm, we are actually going to defy the historic trends. Why is that? Because the Democrats are so far left they are totally out of touch.”

Republicans believe their warnings of Democrats’ socialist insurgency will help them keep their majorities in the House and Senate this year, along with touting Trump’s signature tax cuts in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

HOW ONE NYC SUBURB COULD DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE HOUSE

Mackenzie is one of Democrats’ top targets in the election cycle, along with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., in the suburbs outside New York City.

“He’s the President of the United States, and whether it was Joe Biden or Donald Trump, I’ve always shown up,” Lawler told Fox News Digital. “You have to be able to engage with the president, and, you know, frankly, this is where I think the Democrats have made a very big mistake. They could get a lot more in terms of what it is that they want if they would actually engage constructively.”

Lawler, Mackenzie and Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., are the three vulnerable incumbents who took the stage during the convention last week.

TRUMP HITS KEY BATTLEGROUNDS TO SELL TAX CUTS, BOOST GOP AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

Lawler, for his part, introduced two residents from his district whose daughter was killed by an illegal immigrant in Chicago — a poignant symbol of what Republicans say could happen more often if Democrats win.

Trump has also campaigned in each of their districts in recent months as he crisscrosses the country in a bid to keep control of Congress for the latter half of his final term.

But it was not just vulnerable incumbents who appeared in Dallas alongside Trump. The two-day affair also brought candidates from across the country, even those running in tight races.

GOP FACES BRUTAL MIDTERM HEADWINDS AS REPUBLICANS PAINT ELECTION AS ‘COMPETITION WITH COMMUNISM’

“When people say that folks are running away from President Trump, I’ll tell you I’m certainly not doing that. And let me tell you why: because he has made promises to South Texas, and he has kept them, especially when we look at border security,” candidate Eric Flores told Fox News Digital.

JOHNSON DOWNPLAYS GOP’S MIDTERM WOES AS DEMOCRATS EYE HOUSE TAKEOVER: ‘I AM VERY BULLISH’

“My opponent, who said, you know, that the sleepy Joe Biden administration and the no-show border czar, Kamala Harris, were on the right track. Let me tell you firsthand, I was on Operation Guardian support, was a federal prosecutor on the border. It was a humanitarian crisis. President Trump, on day one, secured our border.”

Flores is running in a South Texas district currently represented by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas.

Time will tell if the strategy pays off, but Democrats are already seizing on it in hopes that associating with Trump will sink GOP candidates like it did in 2018.

TRUMP’S APPROVAL RATING PLUMMETS TO NEW LOW AHEAD OF CRITICAL MIDTERMS: ‘MORE WORK TO DO’

“Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan and Scott Perry made their priorities clear tonight: they care more about Donald Trump’s cost-raising agenda than what’s best for the people of Pennsylvania,” Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Eugene DePasquale said in a statement.

“After jetting all the way to Texas to champion an agenda of higher gas prices, cost-raising tariffs, and healthcare cuts, Mackenzie, Bresnahan, Perry and the entire PA GOP have proven that they’ll put Trump ahead of our Commonwealth every single time — and Pennsylvanians are ready to send them packing this November.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital did not see Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., who is also expected to run a close race, at the convention, but reached out to his campaign for comment.

Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany said he and a pilot escaped with minor injuries after their small plane lost power and made an emergency landing in a lake Saturday night.

Tiffany said the four-seat Bonanza was approaching Wausau Downtown Airport when it lost power following his appearance at the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner.

“The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau,” Tiffany wrote on X.

COAST GUARD PLANE WITH DHS SECRETARY MARKWAYNE MULLIN ON BOARD MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER ENGINE FAILURE

The congressman explained that he and the pilot quickly called 911 after hitting the water, but the aircraft began filling and sinking into the lake before rescuers could reach them.

“As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat,” Tiffany said.

MULTIPLE INJURED AFTER FLOATPLANE MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING, CATCHES FIRE OFF WASHINGTON COAST

Tiffany and the pilot were pulled from the lake and transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Both sustained only minor injuries, according to the congressman.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, and all of the first responders who came to our aid so quickly,” Tiffany said. “They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care.”

Tiffany shared that his wife, Chris, was by his side at the hospital following the harrowing landing and water rescue.

“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side,” he said. “An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”

Prayers and messages of relief poured in across social media after Tiffany shared details of the close call.

‘COMMON SENSE AGAINST CRAZY’: TRUMP-BACKED CANDIDATE SOUNDS ALARM ON SOCIALIST HONG IN WISCONSIN RACE

“My god! What an ordeal. Very grateful everyone is safe,” one person wrote.

“Very glad you are okay, Congressman Tiffany,” another commented.

“Prayers to you and everyone aboard that flight!” a third person wrote. “So thankful you are all alive and able to see your loved ones.”

Tiffany currently represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is running as the Republican candidate for governor in the state’s upcoming election.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The cause of the reported power loss remains under investigation.

Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies responded to former Vice President Kamala Harris’ home in Malibu Friday night after a woman showed up uninvited twice, according to multiple outlets.

After the woman was dropped off by an Uber, she attempted to contact security at the $8 million home and was told she needed to leave, according to the California Post.

But the unidentified woman came back again, prompting Harris’ security to call the authorities after 10 p.m.

SUSPECT ARRESTED AT KIM KARDASHIAN’S MANSION AFTER STOLEN VEHICLE, BREAK-IN REPORTED IN HIDDEN HILLS

The woman was not arrested, FOX 11 reported.

President Donald Trump ended Harris’ Secret Service detail a year ago after former President Joe Biden had extended a year beyond the traditional six months for former vice presidents.

3 SECRET SERVICE OFFICIALS UNDER INTERNAL INVESTIGATION FOR POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT

Lt. Jason Duron, a watch commander at the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff’s station, told the Los Angeles Times: “We are stepping up patrols of the property to be safe.

Eduardo Negrón, a Harris spokesman, told The Times: “Last night, security personnel stopped an individual who illegally entered Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman [Doug] Emhoff’s property before the individual reached the home. They are grateful to the security and law enforcement personnel who responded swiftly.”

Negrón said neither Harris nor former second gentleman Emhoff were home at the time.

The couple bought the ritzy property last January.

The former vice president is a native of the Golden State, and she served as District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California and as a senator representing the state before she joined Biden’s presidential ticket.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the sheriff’s department and reps for Harris for comment.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A man who broke into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home and attacked her husband with a hammer in 2022 was later sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The Supreme Court will no longer hear an oral argument for a case centered on bond rights for noncitizens detained for lengthy periods, ruling the case moot after New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul pardoned a lawfully present Dominican citizen, who pleaded guilty to second-degree assault.

Hochul pardoned Keisy Guerrero Mariano, who is identified in court documents as “Keisy GM,” in late August, effectively killing the Trump administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court arguing that noncitizens, including those with green card status, do not have a legal right to a bond hearing for a prolonged detention if they have committed crimes that are grounds for mandatory deportation.

Hochul, who is staunchly opposed to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown, issued the pardon for Mariano just as the brief was due.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT COMPARES TRUMP MIGRANT DETENTION POLICY TO JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT

Solicitor General John Sauer agreed Friday that Genalo v. Black is now moot, but said the Trump administration will seek an “alternative vehicle” to challenge the Second Circuit’s 2024 ruling that prolonged immigration detention can trigger a constitutional right to a bond hearing.

Sauer said the administration intends to find another case through which the Supreme Court can resolve the issue during its 2026-27 term.

The lawsuit centered on the challenges of plaintiffs Carol Williams Black, a Jamaican national with lawful standing, and Mariano — both convicted criminals detained by ICE.

APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP ADMIN FROM HOLDING MIGRANTS WITHOUT BOND FOR OVER 90 DAYS

Mariano was first arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in 2020 over a 2015 second-degree assault conviction for which he served time, making him eligible for deportation.

He spent nearly two years in ICE detention, but was released in 2022 due to a nationwide injunction that required the release of detainees because of COVID-19 health risks.

Prior to his release, Judge John P. Cronan of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied Mariano’s habeas corpus request in November 2021.

But in May 2024, the Second Circuit overruled Cronan’s decision, ruling that the government must grant noncitizens a bond hearing once detention becomes “unreasonably long.” Failure to do so, the court ruled, would violate the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause.

The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case June 15; however, the high court ruled Black’s case moot because he had left the United States and filed a court declaration that he would not be returning to the country.

Black was convicted in New York in 2000 of sexually abusing a minor under the age of 11.

DHS BLASTS MINNESOTA BOARD FOR UNANIMOUSLY PARDONING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CONVICTED OF 3 ASSAULTS

Hochul’s decision to issue a pardon to Mariano has garnered fierce criticism from legal experts.

“Pretty wild to fully pardon an aggravated felon to (1) stop the felon from getting deported and (2) stop the Supreme Court from ruling on an issue. (Especially as this litigation has been going on for years),” Eric Wessan, Iowa’s solicitor general, posted on X.

He praised Sauer’s decision to fight back on the Second Circuit’s ruling.

“I wonder how many non-American felons Governors like Hochul will choose to fully pardon and free to avoid them facing consequences for their actions,” Wessan added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul’s office for comment.

Vice President JD Vance used his keynote address at the Republican midterm convention Thursday to frame the November elections as a fight over America’s future, arguing that every child is entitled to inherit the country’s opportunities regardless of background.

The speech also gave Vance one of his most prominent national platforms since becoming vice president to define his own political vision, as he emerges as a central figure in the GOP’s post-Trump future and speculation continues about a potential 2028 presidential campaign.

“Every American child is born an heir, born with the right to inherit the blessings of the greatest country on Earth — not because of who their parents are, what they look like or where they come from, but because they are Americans and this is our country,” Vance said in Dallas.

“And that birthright, ladies and gentlemen, is what this November is all about,” he added.

VANCE, CRUZ, HEAD TO IOWA ON 2026 MISSIONS AS 2028 GOP RACE TO SUCCEED TRUMP HEATS UP

Vance tied that idea to his own family, speaking about the birth of his fourth child, Alec, six weeks ago. He said he wants his son and all American children to grow up with access to clean water, healthy food, a quality education, safe communities and the opportunity to afford a home and raise a family.

He also connected that vision to the legacy of his late friend Charlie Kirk, who was killed one year ago. Vance said Kirk encouraged young men to fall in love, start families and become fathers.

The speech marked a shift from the personal story of Vance’s Appalachian upbringing that he emphasized during the 2024 Republican convention. Instead, Vance presented himself as a father focused on the country his children will inherit, while using the platform to preview the issues and themes that could define his future in the Republican Party.

TRUMP DANGLES $5,000 CHECKS AS DEBT SURGES — BUT ONLY IF GOP CAN CLEAR MAJOR MIDTERM HURDLE

Vance then pivoted from his family-focused message to a sweeping attack on the Democratic Party. He accused Democrats of abandoning working-class Americans and becoming increasingly hostile toward the country’s traditional values.

“The Democrats are the party of hatred,” Vance said. “They’re the party that despises America and the people who built it.”

FOLLOW FOX NEWS DIGITAL’S COVERAGE OF THE GOP’S 2026 MIDTERM CONVENTION

He urged Republicans to view the November election as more than a traditional partisan contest.

“This November is so much more than red team versus blue team,” Vance said. “It’s about fighting for our fellow citizens, for their dreams, and for the inheritance of a great nation that all of us are going to leave behind.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The speech placed family, faith and national identity at the center of Vance’s midterm message while offering a glimpse of how he could define himself within the Republican Party beyond President Donald Trump.

Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said the government should not restrict sex changes, arguing that “whole a–” doctors like himself should be allowed to make their own determinations for patients’ treatment plans.

The remarks came during El-Sayed’s Friday rally held at Michigan State University, during which the former Detroit Health Department head responded to a student’s question about protecting sex changes. Since launching his campaign, El-Sayed has flaunted that he is a “physician” and, if elected, he would be the first doctor to serve as a Democratic senator in 50 years. However, Fox News Digital previously reported El-Sayed has never held a medical license in Michigan or New York.

“I went to a whole a– medical school, everybody I graduated with also went to whole a– medical school,” El-Sayed said. “And then … they went to whole a– residency. Right? And some of them went to whole a– fellowship. They took whole a– exams to provide whole a– healthcare.”

DEM SENATE HOPEFUL’S ‘PHYSICIAN’ CAMPAIGN PITCH UNDER FIRE AFTER LICENSE RECORDS REVEAL KEY GAPS

“They are the experts that a patient wants to see when they seek care,” El-Sayed continued. “And the decision about what healthcare is necessary ought to be held between a patient — and or their parents if they’re under the age of 18 — and their doctor. That’s it.”

The remarks come as the Trump administration has made major strides in restricting minors’ access to “sex-rejecting” procedures, which include hormone therapy and surgeries.

Earlier this week, the Justice Department announced that Mount Sinai had joined other hospitals, like Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Connecticut Children’s Hospital, to halt sex change procedures for children after reaching an agreement with the Trump administration.

MEDICAID ENDS FUNDING FOR CHILD SEX-CHANGE PROCEDURES AS TRUMP ADMIN SLAMS ‘EXPERIMENTAL’ TREATMENTS

El-Sayed has made the promise of Medicare for All — government-run healthcare — as the major selling point of his campaign; he said that even though the government will be covering the bill, it needs to stay out of the doctor’s decisions about a patient’s treatment plan.

“I don’t think the government gets to have a say about what health care is provided in what circumstances and why,” El-Sayed said. “And to me, that is the standard on which we decide how we make health care decisions.”

THE MEDICARE FOR ALL TRADE-OFFS SOCIALISTS AREN’T TALKING ABOUT, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS

“Not what the government says you can or can’t do, but what a patient and/or their parent, if they’re under 18, and their provider to decide. That’s the most important thing,” El-Sayed continued. “And there’s a lot of disinformation about us, what we’re talking about, when we talk about reproductive rights and when we’re talking about health care for the trans folks. But, in the end, the place where the rubber meets the rope is in that clinical room between a patient and a provider, and that to me is the center we should engage on.”

El-Sayed argued that Republicans agree with his belief that treatment decisions should be between a patient and their doctor, pointing to the Right to Try Act, which allows terminally ill patients to try experimental drug treatments that aren’t yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration after they have exhausted all other treatment options.

“Because conservatives fought for a very long time for this legislation called ‘Right to Try’ legislation, which is the idea that the government couldn’t tell you [that] you couldn’t have a certain medication,” El-Sayed said.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROBE COULD UPEND WIDELY USED TRANSGENDER YOUTH TREATMENT GUIDELINES

“So they agree that the decision about healthcare ought to be between the person and their provider. That’s it. So let’s use that standard, and keep to that standard, and make sure the government doesn’t have the ability to tell you what you can or cannot do with your own life,” El-Sayed said.

However, the research on the efficacy of treating individuals with gender dysphoria by allowing them to change sexes with “cross-sex” hormones and puberty blockers is limited.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health, whose guidelines are used by leading medical associations like the American Academy of Peditatrics, is currently facing a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission stemming from allegations that its guidelines misled parents about the “medical consensus and medical necessity, as well as the safety and effectiveness” of sex change procedures.

The FTC has accused WPATH of failing to disclose the side effects associated with some procedures, such as patients experiencing incontinence, erectile pain, mood disturbances, pelvic pain, and vaginal pain stemming from “cross-sex” hormones.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, countries that have socialized medicine have put restrictions in place for minors’ seeking sex changes. In England, the National Health Service put a pause on “cross-sex” hormones for 16- and 17-year-olds in March after finding research was “really weak” to support it.

The country already had a ban in place restricting children under 16 years old from taking sex-change hormones.

El-Sayed’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment regarding his medical credentials.