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Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is continuing to advocate for President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from the Middle East.

“President Trump again called off strikes on Iran—this is a good decision. It is clear that he wants out of this war, for all the obvious reasons. It is also clear that Iran will not simply return the SOH [Strait of Hormuz] to how it was before the war. We need to accept that we can’t use military force to open the SOH (we’ve tried that) without a catastrophic escalation into a bloody, years-long war,” Kent wrote.

“Now is the time for President Trump to pull our troops out of the region. He can declare victory (reiterate the previously stated goal—no nukes—was met) & quietly use the carrot of sanctions relief to open the SOH once our troops are out of harm’s way. If we stay, we risk accelerating an escalation/retaliation cycle we can’t control,” he added.

EX-COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL JOE KENT CONTINUES CALLING FOR US MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM MIDDLE EAST

Kent cited his opposition to the Iran war when he resigned from the National Counterterrorism Center director role earlier this year.

Fox News Digital reached out to request comment from the White House early on Monday morning.

President Donald Trump indicated in a Saturday night Truth Social post that the U.S. was going to hold off on launching new attacks against Iran.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘IMMINENT’; PLANNED STRIKE WOULD’VE BEEN LARGEST SINCE WORLD WAR II

“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump wrote.

“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL. The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency pushed back against the notion that Iran requested America refrain from additional attacks, calling Trump’s claims, “nothing but a new lie,” the BBC reported.

NPR reported that Mehr described the U.S. president’s assertions as “simply a new lie,” citing unnamed Iranian military figures.

IRAN’S WAR ON AMERICANS BEGAN DECADES AGO. THESE FAMILIES STILL CARRY THE SCARS

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While speaking to the press aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump, referring to negotiations, said, “It begins tomorrow afternoon.”

A clean energy super PAC bankrolled by a left-wing billionaire is pouring millions into an effort to unseat Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., as he wages a bid for re-election in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC had spent roughly $1.3 million on opposing Ogles and supporting his Republican challenger, Charlie Hatcher, Tennessee’s former commissioner of agriculture, and recently bought another $700,000 worth of ads.

The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a sizable portion of their spending this cycle. A Fox News Digital review of FEC filings discovered that the super PAC is bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, which is described on its website as the “leading financial technology company that offers crypto solutions for businesses.” 

Larsen has donated $6 million to the super PAC since Feb. 2026. His latest $5 million donation to Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC is his second-largest single donation after donating $5,444,975 to Future Forward PAC in 2024 to support Kamala Harris’s failed presidential campaign.

TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN

Larsen has also donated over $1 million to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, over $1 million between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and over $300,000 supporting Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., among other six-figure donations to top Democratic campaigns and PACs.

The way that Ogles sees it, it’s an attempt to show Republicans what happens when lawmakers attempt to scale back government investments in renewable energy sources.

“When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies, and they’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,” Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Larsen, who is an angel investor and climate philanthropist, is making “climate change his top priority,” according to an online bio. 

“He founded the Larsen Lam Climate Change Foundation (since renamed as the Clean Break Fund) in 2021 to guide his climate philanthropy, and is an active early investor in numerous climate tech companies, as well as several prominent climate funds,” the bio continues. “His philanthropic priorities include the climate-driven home insurance crisis, making climate change a bipartisan issue once again, and carbon dioxide removal, among many other projects.”

Ogles, a member of the fiscally minded House Freedom Caucus, has been one of the most outspoken Republicans calling for a reversal of energy initiatives passed under President Joe Biden. Among them, Ogles has argued against clean energy subsidies in Biden’s Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

But more than that, Ogles thinks it’s his proximity to Trump that has made him a target.

“It’s because I’m close to the president. It is because I am outspoken. And quite frankly, it is because I speak plainly on these issues,” Ogles said.

Trump, who has endorsed Ogles, reaffirmed his support for the conservative firebrand ahead of the primary.

“Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic,” Trump said. “Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress.”

Figures who have donated to Invest in Tomorrow framed energy policy as an issue with electoral consequences, hinting that Ogles is on the wrong side of the issue.

TRUMP’S AMBITIOUS ENERGY BET COULD BE A WINNING HAND AS THE WORLD BURNS MORE OIL, GAS THAN EVER

“Our campaign is here to show that politicians who oppose clean energy do so at their own political peril. Andy Ogles is next,” Tom Matzzie, the PAC’s executive chairman, said in a statement to Axios.

Matzzie is also CEO of a solar energy company, CleanChoice Energy.

When asked about the comment, Ogles said he doesn’t think his views are at odds with the way voters see energy and has characterized the opposition spending as an attempt to buy a seat energy groups can control.

“If trying to build an energy sector that is self-reliant, because it’s a national security issue, makes me an extremist, then so be it.”

Ogles said he stands by his all-of-the-above energy stance. In his view, it’s not the government’s job to pick winners and losers in the energy market — especially in light of the country’s overspending challenges.

“I’m not against solar. We have a farm. I’ve got a big shop. You know, I’ve contemplated putting solar on my shop to help to run my farm. But I don’t want a government subsidy to make it work. I don’t need a government subsidy to pay for it,” Ogles said.

DEM SUPPORTED ‘GREEN NEW DEAL’ AFTER RECEIVING NEARLY $60K FROM ENERGY GROUPS, NOW WANTS CONGRESSIONAL SEAT

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“Look, at the end of the day, you know, I voted for conservative policies and that’s what America wants right now. We’re barreling towards $40 trillion in debt,” he added.

The Tennessee primary will take place on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Candidates eyeing the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s seat of power in the Senate will get a chance to define themselves on the debate stage Monday.

Untested fresh blood, lawmakers eager to ascend and candidates who have failed to launch are set to share the same stage and will get an equal opportunity to convince South Carolinians that they have what it takes to take over for Graham.

While nearly 10 candidates have jumped into the race for the suddenly vacant seat, politicos in South Carolina contend that only a few are true contenders and have the most to prove during the televised sales pitch to voters as campaign materials darken voters’ doorsteps.

TRUMP ENDORSEMENT FAILS TO CLEAR GOP FIELD AS FORMER GOVERNOR JOINS SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE RACE

“This debate is the opportunity for South Carolinians to have a moment to hear from these candidates directly,” Dave Wilson, a South Carolina-based political consultant, told Fox News Digital.

“The mail is already coming in,” he continued. “The emails are already going out, but this is a time to see whether the candidates can handle the job in what is in essence the only job interview that we will see ahead of the primary.”

The key candidates to watch are Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed to take her brother’s seat and has since received President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Behind her are Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and Russell Fry, R-S.C., and former Gov. Mark Sanford.

MACE SNUBS TRUMP’S PREFERRED SENATE CANDIDATE, BACKS RALPH NORMAN INSTEAD

And that same group, along with Graham’s former primary opponent Mark Lynch, have all qualified for the debate stage under the South Carolina GOP’s criteria. 

Wilson contended that both Norman and Sanford have statewide name recognition — Norman unsuccessfully ran for the GOP nomination for governor this year and Sanford has been a known entity in South Carolina politics for nearly two decades.

Graham could ride on the wave of her brother’s last name, but she doesn’t have the record to push like the others in the race. While she’ll be making a pitch about who she is, Fry could stand to gain the most among the other competitors.

TRUMP PUSHES LINDSEY GRAHAM’S SISTER TO RUN FOR US SENATE AFTER SHE GETS APPOINTMENT TO FINISH OUT TERM

That’s because, unlike Norman, Sanford and Graham, he doesn’t have the same statewide campaign infrastructure and name recognition, despite being handpicked by Trump to run for Congress years ago.

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“I think Russell Fry needs this debate more than any other person on that stage right now because, while he has been a staunch Trump supporter, he is the one person who could benefit the most from a really strong debate performance,” Wilson said. “Because he has to do what it takes to establish himself statewide and demonstrate that what he’s done for the 7th Congressional District, he can do for the entire state.”

President Donald Trump‘s effort to root out what his administration calls “woke” ideology at the Smithsonian has grown into one of the most extensive White House reviews of the institution in decades.

The Smithsonian oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo and nearly 157 million objects and specimens while receiving more than $1 billion annually in federal funding outside of private-side dollars.

The administration’s campaign has placed the taxpayer-supported institution at the center of a broader debate over patriotism, historical interpretation and the role of federally funded cultural institutions amid a growing divide over how people view and retell America’s story.

GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SMITHSONIAN CHIEF URGED MOVING BEYOND ‘AMERICA FIRST MENTALITY’

Over the past 16 months, the administration has examined museum exhibits, educational programming, internal records and leadership statements, issued multiple document requests, interviewed curators and conducted on-site museum walkthroughs.

The effort culminated in a 162-page White House report recommending sweeping reforms and announcing new executive actions aimed at implementing those recommendations.

Here’s a timeline of the major developments.

March 27, 2025: Trump launches effort to root out ‘woke’ ideology at the Smithsonian

Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” two months into his second term. The order argues that federal cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian, have promoted “divisive” ideological narratives.

The executive action directs the Trump administration to restore what it describes as a more patriotic presentation of American history. And it tasks the White House Domestic Policy Council and Vice President JD Vance, in his role as a Smithsonian Regent, with reviewing Smithsonian exhibits and programs.

Spring–Summer 2025: White House launches Smithsonian investigation

Following Trump’s executive order, the White House Domestic Policy Council kicked-off an investigation of the Smithsonian, focusing primarily on the National Museum of American History.

Officials reviewed exhibits, educational materials, strategic plans, leadership speeches, museum programming and public statements. During that review, the council documented examples they argue prioritize divisive ideological narratives over a so-called patriotic telling of American history.

Aug. 12, 2025: White House formally puts Smithsonian on notice

White House officials sent Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch a letter formally launching the review ordered by Trump.

The letter directs the institution to turn over exhibition plans, educational materials, internal policies and other records while outlining a review of eight Smithsonian museums to ensure exhibits “celebrate American exceptionalism” and remove what the administration calls divisive narratives.

It also sets deadlines for document production, curator interviews and on-site reviews, with museums instructed to begin revising public-facing content within 120 days.

Late 2025: White House says Smithsonian isn’t adequately celebrating America’s founding

The White House criticizes the museum for holding no special Independence Day programming in 2025 despite being open on July 4, discontinuing its traditional Flag Day ceremonies, and planning 250th anniversary exhibits and events.

According to the administration, those 250 installations emphasize flaws of the United States while giving insufficient attention to the Founders, the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution.

Dec. 18, 2025: White House says Smithsonian isn’t cooperating with its review

The White House tells Smithsonian Secretary Bunch in a letter that the institution has failed to provide most of the records requested during its review.

Among other things, the review requested exhibition plans, curatorial documents and governance materials be turned over.

At this time, the administration gives the Smithsonian until Jan. 13, 2026, to produce the requested records. It also reminds the institution that federal funding must be used in a manner consistent with Trump’s “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order.

Early 2026: White House conducts on-site Smithsonian investigation

White House investigators complete on-site walkthroughs of Smithsonian museums. During the visits, they reviewed exhibits, educational materials, digital content and internal planning documents as well as interviewed museum staff as part of the administration’s review.

SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY PROMOTES ‘EXTREME POLITICAL ACTIVISM,’ WH REPORT ALLEGES

Investigators found during those visits exhibits that they argue emphasized restorative history, decolonization, immigration activism, DEI initiatives and social justice. Meanwhile, it claimed that the institution was downplaying America’s Founders, the nation’s achievements and patriotic themes.

The report ultimately concludes the Smithsonian project has undergone a significant shift away from its original mission, arguing exhibits increasingly emphasize social justice activism and ideological narratives rather than focus on America’s founding principles and national achievements.

 

May 14, 2026: White House says Smithsonian’s flagship America 250 exhibit misses the mark

The museum debuts its signature exhibition commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, featuring 250 objects from its collection, including Thomas Jefferson’s writing desk, George Washington’s uniform and the Star-Spangled Banner.

The White House said just two months before the country’s 250th celebration that the exhibition repackages existing displays rather than creating a new founding-era exhibit. It also criticized the installation for failing to meaningfully celebrate America’s Founders, the Declaration of Independence or the American Revolution during the nation’s 250th birthday.

The Trump administration also said the exhibit’s promotional materials and programming downplayed patriotic themes and national symbols.

July 2026: White House delivers verdict on Smithsonian review

The White House Domestic Policy Council releases its 162-page “Saving America’s Story” report, concluding that the National Museum of American History has undergone “ideological capture.”

The report recommends removing what it describes as political activism from museum exhibits and restoring displays that emphasize America’s founding principles, national achievements and patriotic history. It says the findings stem from the Smithsonian review ordered by Trump’s March 2025 executive order.

The expansive report included images of exhibits, images of exhibits and placards, as well as curators and leaders of the museum.

It spent much of the report focusing on how the museum classified and portrayed illegal migration in its exhibits.

July 24, 2026: Trump orders federal agencies to carry out Smithsonian reforms

Hours after the report’s release, Trump signs the “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution” executive order, directing the Interior Department, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), General Services Administrator (GSA) and the White House Domestic Policy Council to use available authorities to encourage the Smithsonian to address the report’s findings.

TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY

Trump’s order also instructs the National Park Service (NPS) to install temporary signs outside the National Museum of American History directing visitors to the report and describing the administration’s concerns with the museum’s presentation of American history.

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The administration says its effort is intended to restore a more patriotic presentation of American history at the Smithsonian. The institution, meanwhile, has long said its mission is to preserve and present the nation’s history through scholarship, research and public education, setting the stage for continued debate over how America’s story should be told.

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

A new California law is expanding the state’s use of DNA technology in missing persons investigations, giving authorities another tool to identify unknown people and revisit unresolved cases.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed the measure into law last month, loosening restrictions on California’s Missing Persons DNA Program.

The program had previously been limited to identifying deceased individuals. Under the expanded law, its database may also be used to identify unknown people who are alive, allowing state forensic resources to assist in a wider range of investigations.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN

The program supports coroners, medical examiners and law enforcement agencies seeking to identify missing or unknown individuals across California.

“Any missing person case — adult, child, MMIP, or otherwise — is one too many. No family should know the prolonged uncertainty of waiting for answers, and together we’re making it clear that California takes action,” state Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, said in a statement last month.

TEEN FOUND IN SHALLOW CALIFORNIA VINEYARD GRAVE IDENTIFIED NEARLY 50 YEARS LATER AS FAMILY WARNS KILLER

“AB 2018 is the right tool at the right time that will advance California’s ability to resolve missing persons cases and rekindle hope. I look forward to continuing the vital work of delivering justice for missing persons and their loved ones,” he continued.

Assemblymember James Ramos, a Democrat, authored the legislation. He said the changes will make forensic identification resources more accessible to investigators and could help families who have waited years for answers.

“AB 2018 will help all families with missing loved ones receive the answers they need,” Ramos said. “This modernization is especially urgent given the disproportionate number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons plaguing our state. Ensuring our justice system personnel have the tools they need to perform effectively is critical to bringing resolution to cases involving the missing.”

The law also changes how long certain DNA samples may remain in the state’s system.

Previously, DNA collected from relatives of missing people was destroyed after remains were identified. The state may now retain samples when investigators believe additional related remains could later be recovered and require identification.

The expanded authority comes as law enforcement agencies and forensic specialists in Northern California continue using newer DNA-analysis techniques to examine cold cases, according to Fox 40.

The Calaveras Cold Case Task Force was established in 2020 to reexamine unresolved cases in the county. The nonprofit team includes local law enforcement officials and scientists who use advanced forensic methods, including DNA analysis, to pursue new leads.

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Supporters of the law say the changes could reduce barriers for local investigators while giving families of missing people a greater chance of learning what happened to their loved ones.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved closer to Senate confirmation Sunday after formally rescinding a controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” and narrowing tax protections included in President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement.

A spokeswoman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed an agreement had been reached after Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., held up Blanche’s nomination. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination Tuesday.

“My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” Blanche said in a statement on Sunday.

“We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement. The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress,” he added.

Blanche’s order formally rescinded the May 18 directive establishing the fund and clarified that tax-related protections in the settlement apply only retroactively, not to future filings.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

President Donald Trump‘s effort to remake the Smithsonian is reaching the institution’s bottom line, with the administration proposing its smallest budget request in years while pushing to eliminate what it calls “woke” ideology from federally funded museums and programs.

A Fox News Digital analysis of Smithsonian budget requests found the institution submitted steadily larger funding requests during the Biden administration, with annual requests rising from $1.11 billion in fiscal year 2021 to a record $1.24 billion in fiscal year 2024.

The fiscal year 2025 request also exceeded $1 billion before the Trump administration proposed reducing the institution’s request below that threshold in its fiscal year 2026 and 2027 budgets—the first time since fiscal year 2020 that the Smithsonian’s annual request has fallen below $1 billion.

The proposed funding reduction comes as the White House expands one of its most ambitious efforts to reshape a federally funded cultural institution, arguing the Smithsonian has promoted ideological narratives at odds with its mission and directing it to change its exhibits, programming, leadership and spending priorities.

FORMER DEMOCRATIC STAFFERS, DEI LEADERS SHAPE SMITHSONIAN LEADERSHIP AMID POLITICAL FIRESTORM

The White House’s effort to root out what it calls “woke” ideology at the Smithsonian has grown into one of the most extensive reviews of the institution in decades.

Over the past 16 months, the administration has examined museum exhibits, educational programming, internal records and leadership statements, issued multiple document requests, interviewed curators and conducted on-site museum walkthroughs.

That review culminated in a 162-page White House report recommending sweeping reforms and a new round of executive actions aimed at implementing those recommendations.

The administration has ordered the Smithsonian to promote what it describes as a more accurate portrayal of American history while scrutinizing exhibits, programming and leadership across the museum complex.

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

The Smithsonian oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo and nearly 157 million objects and specimens while receiving more than $1 billion annually in federal funding, in addition to private donations and other trust revenue.

The taxpayer-supported institution has become the latest battleground in a broader national debate over patriotism, historical interpretation and the role of federally funded cultural institutions in shaping how Americans understand the nation’s past.

TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY

Whether Congress adopts the administration’s proposed funding levels remains to be seen.

But alongside executive orders, museum reviews and a sweeping White House report, the budget proposal signals that the administration intends to use both policy and federal funding to reshape one of the nation’s largest cultural institutions.

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The Smithsonian Institute did not immediately respond to Fox New Digital’s request for comment.

A bitter family feud has spilled into Congress after Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called on his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller, to resign, accusing the fellow Ohio Republican of abusive behavior and saying he poses a danger to Moreno’s daughter and granddaughter.

Moreno’s extraordinary statement on X Sunday marked the latest escalation in a years-long family clash that has spilled from a contentious divorce into national Republican politics. Miller, a Republican congressman endorsed by President Donald Trump, was married to Moreno’s daughter, Emily.

Their divorce and ongoing custody battle have increasingly played out in public, culminating Sunday with Moreno’s call for Miller to leave Congress just days before Ohio’s Aug. 5 deadline to replace congressional candidates on the ballot.

FOX NEWS POLL: DEMOCRATIC UNITY, REPUBLICAN CROSSOVERS SHAPE OHIO SENATE RACE

On Sunday, hours after Miller publicly denied allegations stemming from the divorce, Moreno broke his public silence in a lengthy statement posted to X, saying his family had endured “pure hell” over the past two years and accusing Miller of increasingly “erratic and dangerous behavior.”

“Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible,” Moreno wrote.

Moreno went on to call Miller unfit for office, writing: “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.”

The Ohio senator also alleged that Miller “needs serious psychological help” and wrote that he fears for the safety of his granddaughter while she is in Miller’s custody. Miller has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime related to the dispute.

Sunday’s post marked a dramatic shift for Moreno, who had previously avoided publicly commenting on Miller or the family’s legal dispute. The statement came just days before Ohio’s Aug. 5 deadline to replace a congressional candidate on the ballot.

Previously, Moreno had declined to publicly weigh in on the dispute, saying through a spokesperson that he does not “litigate these matters in the media” and that his “top priority is the safety and well-being of his daughter and granddaughter.”

SEN BERNIE MORENO CALLS FOR EX-SON-IN-LAW TO RESIGN FROM HOUSE, GET ‘SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP’

Earlier Sunday, Miller posted a livestream denying allegations of domestic and child abuse related to the divorce.

During the livestream, Miller also alleged that his ex-wife has struggled with mental health issues and shared a Dropbox link containing court filings and other documents that he said support his version of events.

“Just want to be clear: no court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me. No criminal charge has ever been filed against me,” Miller said. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated, and I cooperated fully every single time because I had nothing to hide and I have nothing to hide now.”

GOP REP. MAX MILLER PUSHES BACK AGAINST ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’

Days before Sunday’s public clash, Emily Moreno’s attorneys sought restraining orders against Miller that would prohibit him from contacting or harassing members of her legal team.

Emily Moreno’s spokesman, Stefan Mychajliw, accused Miller of trying to “save his political career” and rejected the congressman’s characterization of the dispute.

“It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Mychajliw said in a statement.

“There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that,” Mychajliw continued. “Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.”

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With neither side backing down, the bitter family feud appears far from over, setting the stage for more courtroom battles and political fallout in the weeks ahead.

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Miller and Moreno, as well as Emily Moreno’s legal team, for additional comment.

Unmoved by his former son-in-law’s X livestream denials Sunday, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called on Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, to resign from Congress and seek “serious psychological help.”

“If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,” Moreno wrote in a lengthy statement on X. “He should not serve in the House of Representatives.”

It was a call repeated by Miller’s Democratic challenger in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.

“No one credibly accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head and breaking their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone belongs in the halls of power,” Brian Poindexter, the union ironworker and Brook Park city councilman, wrote in a statement Sunday.

GOP REP MAX MILLER PUSHES BACK AGAINST ABUSE ALLEGATIONS: ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’

Moreno delivered an even more blistering public rebuke an hour after Miller livestreamed a sweeping denial of domestic abuse allegations made by ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of the senator.

“As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help,” Moreno wrote. “He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.”

The aftermath of the couple’s divorce had been “pure hell” for his family, Moreno began.

“As a father and husband, I can tell you the last two years have been pure hell for my wife Bridget, our daughter Emily, me, and our entire family in the aftermath of Emily’s divorce,” Moreno wrote.

5TH ACCUSER COMES FORWARD AGAINST REP ERIC SWALWELL AHEAD OF EXPECTED RESIGNATION

“It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent two-year-old girl is caught in the middle. Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter.

“Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.”

Miller has categorically denied abusing Emily Moreno or their daughter. In the livestream, he said no court or government agency had substantiated an allegation of abuse against him and that he had never faced a criminal charge related to the claims.

The congressman said child welfare investigations involving his daughter had been closed without findings against him. He also argued that the allegations emerged as the former couple’s custody battle intensified and accused his former wife of using them as leverage.

DEMOCRATS TARGET MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES ROCK LEFT-WING PRIMARIES

Emily Moreno has accused Miller of physically assaulting and threatening her during their marriage, including allegedly holding a gun to her head. Questions have also been raised about how the couple’s daughter suffered a broken collarbone. Miller denies causing the injury and said his daughter was no longer in his care when it was discovered.

Miller also denied an allegation that he threw boiling water on his former wife, saying he sprayed her with water from a kitchen sink during what he described as horseplay.

“It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Emily Moreno spokesman Stefan Mychajliw wrote in a statement Sunday.

“There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that. 

“It is despicable and abhorrent that Miller lied on an unhinged and humiliating video for their daughter to watch one day.

“No loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career. Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.”

The extraordinary intervention from a sitting Republican senator adds pressure on Miller as a Wednesday deadline approaches for the party to replace him on the November ballot. Democrats have increasingly viewed the northeast Ohio district as a possible pickup opportunity amid the controversy.

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Miller, a former advisor in President Donald Trump’s first administration who had Trump’s endorsement, insisted Sunday that he would remain the Republican nominee.

“I’m not dropping out of this race,” Miller said. “And I’ll win in November.”

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is facing a conservative backlash after reaffirming his opposition to amnesty in a social media post, with critics arguing the hardline message contradicted comments he made hours earlier during an immigration speech in Oklahoma.

Hours after speaking at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Oklahoma City, Mullin wrote on X: “NO amnesty for illegal aliens. Ever.”

“We are a nation of laws,” he wrote. “If you are illegally present in the United States of America—you will be detained and deported. Period.”

The post did little to quell criticism from some conservatives, who argued it conflicted with remarks Mullin made earlier in the day.

RED STATE GOVERNOR PUMMELED ONLINE AFTER DEFYING TRUMP’S DEPORTATION ORDERS

“Why were you at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting today saying the exact opposite of what you are posting now?” one user wrote on X. “Did you suddenly radically change your mind about America’s immigration policy in the past couple of hours? Or are you a liar?”

Former Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino also criticized Mullin’s remarks, writing on X that “Voters asked for mass deportations. Clear demand. High priority. No ambiguity.” He added, “The guy running DHS is making the case for ‘immigration reform.’ We’ve seen this script before.”

In a separate post, Bovino wrote that Mullin had delivered “a masterclass in how to give terrible answers during a single interview” and argued, “Now you know why we’re not getting mass deportations.”

Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck also weighed in, calling Mullin’s remarks “a total betrayal.”

During the event, Mullin argued the U.S. needs immigration reform, distinguished between immigrants pursuing legal status and those who are not, and called for changes to some employment visa programs to address labor shortages.

“We haven’t had actual immigration reform since 1959. There’s a reason. It’s political,” Mullin said. “Do you really need immigration reform? Yes, you do.”

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FORCED A FALSE CHOICE ON AMERICANS ABOUT IMMIGRATION

Mullin also argued the country should modernize some employment visa programs.

“If we’re looking to grow our economy, then we need to look at making more permanent solutions,” he said, adding that “there’s a way to utilize labor where we’re not having the participation rate we need to… and we can plug those holes.”

At the same time, Mullin repeatedly emphasized that immigration laws must be enforced.

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“If you have a criminal background, we’re not making exceptions for you,” he said. “There are zero exceptions.”

Mullin added that immigrants who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas without pursuing legal status could not expect relief.

“There’s nothing I can do for you,” he said.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, went live on X Sunday morning, denying allegations from his ex-wife that he abused her and their daughter.

“I’m not getting out of this race, and I’m winning in November,” Miller said at the end of an X livestream statement with pictures of his family in the background.

Miller said his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has documented mental health circumstances that might have led to her allegations after their public divorce. 

“They frame me as an abuser,” Miller said, saying there is “no evidence” against him.

“No court or agency has even substantiated any allegation against me,” he added. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated.”

Miller released troves of evidence via Dropbox that he says undermines the allegations against him.

“I have nothing to hide,” he said.

Faced with a narrow path to winning control of the U.S. House, Democrats are seeing fresh opportunity in a northeast Ohio congressional seat where the Republican incumbent is facing mounting pressure over allegations that he abused his ex-wife and daughter in a bitter and drawn-out dispute with his former spouse.

Allegations against Miller, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, have been public for years but have recently drawn increased media scrutiny amid an escalating legal back-and-forth with his ex-wife. That has Democrats sensing Miller could be vulnerable in a district he won two years ago with just over 51% of the vote.

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Over the past week, they have called for Miller to resign, requested a congressional ethics investigation and suggested more help could be directed in the fall toward his Democratic opponent, union ironworker Brian Poindexter. Miller has denied the abuse allegations and filed defamation lawsuits against his ex-wife and a second accuser.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Republicans are sounding the alarm that President Donald Trump’s demand to cancel August recess could cost the GOP seats in the midterms.

As the upcoming jailbreak from Washington, D.C., fast approaches, Trump’s most-prized legislative push remains stalled. He wants Republicans to stay put until it’s finished, but the political reality says otherwise.

And it comes as Republicans are desperate to get out of the Beltway and sell their accomplishments, rather than their shortcomings, to voters on the campaign trail. The GOP has more to lose than Democrats this cycle, too, with three vulnerable incumbents and a handful of others on the periphery.

REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP’S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY ‘DEAD’ IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

“Canceling August recess, where we have to have our members out campaigning and connecting with their voters, and people not understanding that, is about as tone-deaf as telling everybody to stay home in 2020 when we lost [Kelly] Loefler and [David] Purdue,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital.

“It’s the same sort of thought process,” he continued. “It’s thinking that one branch runs this country and it doesn’t. If we don’t keep majorities, people are gonna regret it.”

Several of Tillis’ colleagues, however, disagree, and want the Senate to stay put until the SAVE America Act passes, be it through the party-line budget reconciliation process or by nuking the filibuster.

GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN

Trump’s pressure, the online zeitgeist and the political hot potato of the situation have put incumbents in a tough spot: go home and admit defeat, or stay put and push legislation that so far has not gone anywhere.

For many Republicans, they openly acknowledge that it’s a math problem in the Senate — the GOP does not have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act. Some argue that keeping the Senate in town likely wouldn’t change the minds of those who oppose it.

“If it would make a difference in the outcome, I’m fine with that, but it won’t make a difference, which I don’t believe it will, that it’s an act of futility,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP UNLOADS ON CORNYN, TIES AG NOMINATION FIGHT TO BITTER TEXAS PRIMARY

Both Cornyn and Tillis are retiring — Tillis opted to get out during the tumultuous period that was passing the “big, beautiful bill,” and Cornyn was kneecapped by Trump, who backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over him in a grueling primary battle.

But Cornyn noted that if he was still running for office, he might have a change of heart.

“I don’t know how that would come out, but if I was running for reelection, I would vote to stay,” he said.

Cornyn’s point is the line that some vulnerable Republicans are toeing. Two Republicans running in tight races, Sens. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told Fox News Digital that they have been voraciously pushing for the SAVE America Act.

But, Sullivan said that he didn’t want to comment on the president’s push to cancel recess, while Husted said it was always preferable to be back in Ohio with his constituents.

“But I also have a job here, and if the job requires me to be here, then I’ll be here,” he said.

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Others in less tight races who support the legislation still understand the reality in the upper chamber: without changing the minds of a cohort of Republicans who have voted against it and flipping several Democrats, the SAVE America Act is going nowhere.

“I think to cancel the whole recess would be a problem, but I think to keep us up here another week or 10 days, certainly, I’m willing to do it. I’d stay here till November if I thought it would change things,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital.

But he acknowledged that coming home empty-handed was a problem, too.

“The base would be mad if we don’t make the best effort possible to get this voter ID across the finish line,” Marshall said.

A senior House Democrat is urging his party to push back against the growing socialist wing that’s been gaining influence in recent years.

“I don’t ascribe to any of those ideas at all, and I think that there’s very little support for those ideas,” Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital in an interview.

He compared the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to the House Freedom Caucus, a group on the rightmost flank of the House GOP, while denouncing the DSA’s use of the word “democratic” in its name — implying its ideals were mostly socialist in nature.

“Much like the Republicans have had to deal with the Freedom Caucus, the Democrats are going to have to deal with this group,” Suozzi said. “I don’t like the idea of them using ‘democratic.’ I think that we should be, as the Democratic Party, should be fighting against that and saying, ‘You know, you shouldn’t be using the word democratic … that’s us, that’s not you.”

RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DSA AGENDA DOESN’T PLAY WELL OUTSIDE ‘UPPER WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN’

It comes as DSA-linked candidates are making significant inroads in primary elections across the country, even defeating incumbent House progressives in New York and Colorado.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS AIM TO TURN DEMOCRATIC CIVIL WAR INTO MIDTERM WEAPON

And as Republicans work to capitalize on a burgeoning civil war within the party, Suozzi warned fellow Democrats to take the perception of a DSA takeover seriously.

“I try not to waste my time on worry. I try to take action. So I just say very clearly, ‘That’s not me and that’s not us, and this is why that’s not us, and that’s why this is not me.’ And I fight back against it,” Suozzi said. “And there are a lot of Democrats who say, ‘Oh, if you look at it, it’s just a very small percentage in very deep-blue seats. And it’s not that big a deal.’ I think that’s wrong to just discount it like that. I think you just come out head-on, and take it on and say, ‘These guys are wrong. We’ve got nothing to do with them.'”

100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Suozzi himself is part of an ever-shrinking group of moderates on both sides of the aisle. He’s also co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which is dedicated to finding legislative solutions that both parties can get behind.

The New York Democrat is one of Republicans’ top targets in the coming midterm elections, and his November victory would be key to Democrats taking back control of the House. Suozzi’s district, anchored in the wealthy Long Island suburbs outside of New York City, was won by President Donald Trump in 2024.

He told Fox News Digital that Democrats should not focus on running against Trump the person, but rather argue about his specific policy actions.

“Your grocery prices are higher, your fuel prices are high, your health insurance costs are higher. Your energy bill is higher. Your kids can’t buy a house — all these different factors. And that’s happening because of this administration,” Suozzi argued. “I think it should be less about Trump himself. You know, when I say it should be a referendum on Trump, it should be a referendum on this administration’s performance addressing the things in your life.”

Meanwhile, Republicans have argued that a Democrat-controlled House will embolden the party’s socialist wing to take control and push policies that are unpopular with Americans.

In the Empire State, for example, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has become a prominent boogeyman for the right.

Suozzi said the tactic “would be effective” if he had not distanced himself from the socialist’s policy platform early on.

“He’s a very smart guy, he’s very charismatic,” Suozzi said. “I just fundamentally disagree with his positions on things.”

But it’s not enough to speak out against the socialist left, Suozzi warned.

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“I started a thing called The Promise to America, where I’ve got now 10 members of Congress signed onto it. We’re in the process of getting 200 state and local officials,” he said. “We’ve identified 10 candidates, Democratic candidates, to sign the pledge that says ‘We’re capitalist, not socialist. We’re for safety, not lawlessness. We’re proud, not ashamed of America, and we’re mainstream, we’re not extreme.’ So we’ve just got to organize, we’ve got to do the work necessary.”

Suozzi is running against Republican former state lawmaker Mike LiPetri, whom Trump endorsed to flip the seat red.

The Smithsonian Institution, whose museums in Washington, D.C. have come under fire from conservatives and President Donald Trump over what they describe as increasingly left-wing messaging, is the world’s largest museum complex, comprising a sprawling network that spans the country and influences millions of people each year.

Founded in 1846 with funds from the will of British scientist James Smithson, who never visited the United States but left his fortune to establish an institution “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” the Smithsonian steadily grew from a single museum into the world’s largest museum, education and research complex.

Today, the Smithsonian owns or leases nearly 700 facilities across eight states, Washington, D.C., and Panama, encompassing roughly 13.6 million square feet of museums, laboratories, archives, warehouses, research stations and support facilities.

The organization now houses more than 157 million artifacts and specimens, operates 21 museums along with the National Zoo and 14 education and research centers, maintains 21 libraries, and partners with more than 200 affiliate museums and cultural institutions nationwide.

TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY

Visitors see only a fraction of the Smithsonian’s overall collection. Roughly 99% of the Smithsonian’s more than 157 million artifacts and specimens are kept in storage facilities, laboratories and archives, where they are preserved and studied by researchers.

The Smithsonian as a whole welcomes over 30 million in-person visitors each year, while its educational resources and digital platforms reach millions more. The institution operates on an annual budget of more than $1 billion.

The Smithsonian isn’t just a museum operator, it’s effectively a national education and research institution that has a vast reach across school campuses nationwide as it helps shape the educational experience of the nation’s students.

GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SMITHSONIAN CHIEF URGED MOVING BEYOND ‘AMERICA FIRST MENTALITY’

Through initiatives like the Smithsonian Learning Lab and Smithsonian Science Education Center, the institution provides millions of free lesson plans, classroom activities, virtual field trips and other educational resources used by teachers and students nationwide. It also offers professional development for educators and educational programming that extends well beyond its museums.

On college campuses, the Smithsonian is actively involved in partnering with schools across the country on internships, fellowships, research collaborations and joint academic programs which put the organization in touch with thousands of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students each year.

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Earlier this month, the White House released a sweeping report warning about an alleged infiltration of leftist politics inside the Smithsonian, a report an expert told Fox News Digital is an example of the “long march through the institutions” that socialist and communist activists have been pushing in the United States for decades.

“That shift from history to activism is clearly documented in this report. Anthea Hartig, NMAH’s director since 2019, has explicitly stated that she sees history as a ‘prime tool of social justice’ and one of her roles as connecting ‘research and scholarship to activism and advocacy,’” the White House report stated.

Last week, President Trump ordered his administration to install signs outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to what the White House describes as “accurate” information about the nation’s past, guaranteeing that the controversy over the Smithsonian’s cultural influence will remain a topic of conversation for months to come.

EXCLUSIVE: The rise of a new type of fraudster has a top Trump administration investigator sounding the alarm as new — albeit brazen — schemes for ripping off hard-working American taxpayers emerge.

The Department of Labor (DOL) Inspector General is warning of a growing cottage industry of online scammers, dubbed “fraudfluencers,” who boast their skill in exploiting government programs and facilitate fraud on behalf of others. Typically, the scammers take a cut of the fraudulently obtained benefits.

“This isn’t just a crime — it’s a deliberate and public betrayal of every hardworking American who plays by the rules,” DOL Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito told Fox News Digital. “Fraud is not a trend or content; it’s theft of taxpayer dollars, and it will be prosecuted.”

EXCLUSIVE: WOMAN WHO STOLE $1.7M MEANT FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS GETS PRISON TIME AS DHS CRACKS DOWN ON FEMA FRAUD

In one case, a California Employment Development Department (EDD) contract employee named Britteny Egland openly used her social media to invite others to participate in her schemes. She offered to help her followers take advantage of taxpayer-funded programs they weren’t qualified for by using insider information and stolen identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance, grant and rent relief applications. 

Egland had nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram and over 1,500 followers on X at the time of the posts. Her actions exhibit a growing cottage industry of online schemers who brazenly solicit others to team up and commit fraud.

She went on to steal $2.8 million from government coffers.

“NEW OR REGULAR CLAIMS ONLY,” a typical post from the fraudfluencer, who used the handle @Britisshh on X, reads. “IF YOU DID PANDEMIC EDD THIS ISN’T FOR YOU! EVEN IF YOU HAVE A REMAINING BALANCE IT WILL NOT WORK.”

EXCLUSIVE: FBI ADDS ALLEGED COVID FRAUDSTER ACCUSED OF TAKING $5M FROM KIDS’ MEAL PROGRAM TO MOST WANTED LIST

“IF YOU HAVEN’T DID EDD DURING THAT PERIOD LET’S RUN IT UP. 10-30K,” the post continued, before offering for her to “check a claim” for the price of $150.

Egland prompted users to “get with the winning team” by defrauding the U.S. government, but warned potential clients against asking her too many questions because she was unable to address the influx of messages.

“IT’S A LOT OF MONEY ON THE FLOOR! PLEASE DON’T BE STUPID AND MISS OUT,” another post from the perpetrator said. “NOBODY WENT TO JAIL OR OWE BACK FOR ANYTHING – LITERALLY – THE WHOLE WORLD IS SCAMMING THE GOVERNMENT AND ALL THESE PROGRAMS.”

In a third post, the scammer offered her services in defrauding a $20,000 grant program, saying that she would take $5,000 and give the rest to her client.

VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 447 HOSPICES IN LOS ANGELES OVER MORE THAN $600M IN SUSPECTED FRAUD

The law eventually caught up with Egland. In June 2025, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Egland was sentenced 60 months in federal prison, 36 months of supervised release and ordered to repay the full $2.8 million she stole.

“What makes this increasingly dangerous is the growing effort by fraudsters on social media to glamorize and normalize stealing from their own communities — turning theft into entertainment and betrayal into a lifestyle,” said D’Esposito.

“My office, working in close coordination with Vice President Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, has zero tolerance for those who cheat the system. We will pursue these cases aggressively, seek prison sentences, and ensure real accountability.”

Egland’s case isn’t isolated.

Investigators are increasingly seeing fraudsters use social media to normalize theft, advertise their methods and build audiences around criminal behavior.

An Atlanta man named Jonathan Dupiton, who had a podcast with the motto “F.R.A.U.D is Dope,” was convicted in April and sentenced to seven years in federal prison for using stolen identities to brazenly obtain $3.8 million in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the same California EDD program.

In 2022, a Memphis rapper called “Nuke Bizzle,” whose real name is Fontrell Antonio Baines, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison after exploiting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provisions from the CARES Act, meant to help struggling Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Baines bragged about his $788,000 in ill-gotten gains in a music video posted to YouTube.

“The criminal mindset hasn’t changed — only the platform has,” said D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective. “I’ve seen criminals make mistakes. Today’s ‘Fraudfluencers’ make those mistakes in high definition. They steal from taxpayers, boast about it on social media, and leave a digital footprint our investigators can follow.”

D’Esposito and the White House Fraud Task Force was created, in part, to crack down on taxpayer funds being paid out to fraudsters and to end the widespread abuse of government programs.

HAMILTON, OHIO — Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy gave Fox News Digital an update on his campaign roughly 100 days from the midterms and said the contrast between him and his opponent was on display at Dr. Anthony Fauci’s controversial Senate hearing this week.

“I think if every person in Ohio votes for the candidate who’s going to bring high-paying jobs most quickly to our state, we’re going to win in a decisive victory,” Ramaswamy said at the Butler County Fair Wednesday after speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of roughly 100 people.

“And my pledge is really simple: lower costs, that’s lower electric bills, lower property taxes and lower healthcare expenses, bigger paychecks, more high-paying jobs in the state and better schools by bringing standards back to public education. And one of the things I’ve seen is that that’s a message that isn’t just limited to Republicans. It’s resonating with voters across the state.”

One of the most talked about issues at the fair, including two attendees who spoke to Fox News Digital, was property taxes and which candidate would best address that growing and often disruptive expense.

MORENO UNLOADS ON FAUCI AFTER SENATE HEARING, CALLS HIM DEMOCRATS’ ‘HERO’ OVER PANDEMIC POLICIES

“The top issues that people are struggling with is, No. 1, the property tax burden. It’s gotten way too high,” Ramaswamy said when asked what he’s hearing most from voters in terms of what they are most concerned about.

“We’ve laid out a practical plan to give the biggest property tax relief package Ohio’s ever seen. No. 2 is the electric bills, which have gone up way too quickly. It more than doubled in many parts of the state. Producing more energy and ending load forecasting inflation, those are things that a governor actually can do. And that’s something that I’m gonna lead with.”

Ramaswamy added that the third issue he hears about most from voters is healthcare costs and the overall cost of living.

“The No. 1 way I’m going to be able to address that is by raising take-home pay, both by bringing more high-paying jobs to the state, but also by allowing Ohioans to keep more of what they earn by becoming a zero-income tax state, just like Texas and Florida and Tennessee. Ohio can be that state, and I’m confident I’ll be able to put the state on a path to get there starting next year.”

RAMASWAMY: MEDICAID FRAUD RAISES HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR HARDWORKING OHIOANS

Fauci made headlines this week after invoking the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a Senate hearing on his handling of the coronavirus, a moment Ramaswamy told the crowd and Fox News Digital that relates to his opponent Dr. Amy Acton’s time as director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019 to 2020.

Ramaswamy pointed to a comment from Acton, which Fox News Digital reported on earlier this month, claiming the COVID mortality rate was at 50% when in reality it was significantly lower. Acton’s campaign responded by saying she had been referring to death rates in hospitals and that she “worked to keep Ohioans safe.”

“I think people look at that and say, ‘Is that somebody who has the kind of character that has the capacity to deal with data and make objective decisions and lead?’” Ramaswamy explained. “And while those questions are playing out for Anthony Fauci at the national level, I think they’re really resonating right here in Ohio. 

“You could walk around, and you could even see some of the signs at this fair that are protesting the decisions she made because she actually wanted Ohio to shut down county fairs while still allowing BLM protests to rage wild on the streets at the same time in the name of science. That’s not objective decision-making.”

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Ramaswamy is making the case that Ohioans are “rejecting that mentality” in favor of “common sense.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Acton campaign spokeswoman Addie Bullock labeled Ramaswamy an “out-of-touch billionaire” who is “pushing tax scams that would raise costs on working families.”

“While Dr. Amy Acton is laser-focused on lowering costs for Ohio families, Vivek Ramaswamy has made it clear he doesn’t care about Ohioans; he only cares about himself and enriching his billionaire buddies,” Bullock said. 

Polling suggests the race between Ramaswamy and Acton will be a tight one, with the Real Clear Politics’ average of polling showing a dead heat despite President Trump winning Ohio by commanding margins in the past three presidential election cycles, including by 12 points over former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

Republicans in California are making a voter ID ballot initiative the centerpiece of their 2026 strategy as Americans’ frustration grows over affordability and education issues.

“Californians need to feel secure in our elections,” California GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin told Fox News Digital in an interview. “The way it is now, there’s so much room for uncertainty and confusion. What Proposition 39 is going to do is it’s going to sort of close the loopholes. It’s a commonsense solution that will strengthen our democracy.”

Beyond the ballot measure, Rankin argues the initiative reflects broader voter frustration that Republicans hope to capitalize on in the 2026 midterms. She claims California voters are primarily concerned about affordability, education and confidence in state government.

SEN MARK WARNER CALLED OUT IN ABC INTERVIEW FOR INACCURATE VOTER ID CLAIMS

“Californians need to feel like we can trust our election systems, and trust is not given. Trust is earned and this will allow Californians to feel more like they can trust our election system,” she added.

The Golden State’s primary race on June 2 garnered national attention and widespread criticism after it took weeks to deliver results. California election officials continued to count ballots postmarked by Election Day even if they arrived within seven days — and they are permitted up to 30 days to certify results.

In the primaries, the Los Angeles mayoral race became the center of controversy, and President Donald Trump’s was among the chorus of voices challenging the runoff election results, alleging irregularities as the count continued past Election Day.

Spencer Pratt ultimately lost the race with far-left City Council Member Nithya Raman advancing to face incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass in the general election in November. The race was called six days after the June 2 elections.

“There’s so many other states throughout our country and throughout the world actually that seem to be able to have a winner on election night,” said Rankin. “It’d be wonderful if California could do the same.”

CALIFORNIA’S SLUGGISH VOTE COUNTING RIPPED ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM: ‘EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING’

While election reform is the party’s signature ballot effort, Rankin says kitchen table issues will determine whether Republicans make gains in November.

She said affordability is the No. 1 concern among voters with California recently landing in the top five most expensive states, according to The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s quarterly Cost of Living Index.

“A lot of parents want their adult children to stay in California, to be a part of and contribute to the same California dream that was so great for our grandparents and our parents,” said Rankin. “We want it to be great for us and for our children. Affordability is the top issue.”

NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHER

California drivers are paying about $5.65 per gallon for regular gasoline, roughly $1.25 more, or about 28% higher, than they were at this time last year, according to AAA and federal energy data.

Rankin also said Californians are concerned about their school systems with zip codes determining the quality of education students receive, which has long been an argument in the Republican push for school choice.

“When [candidates] keep their race focused on their district, focused on the voters in their district and the issues that matter most to those voters, stay focused on issues like affordability, children’s education, the prices of gas and groceries, things like that,” said Rankin. “That’s what voters want to hear. That’s what they care about. They care about what happens locally.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is serving his second and final term, fueling speculation about a 2028 presidential bid and creating what Rankin believes is an opportunity for Republicans to win back voters disillusioned with Democratic leadership.

Pointing to the state’s troubled high-speed rail project, Rankin argued California has become a cautionary tale of government waste under one-party rule.

“We’ve got a bullet train that he’s been funding with billions of dollars for years, yet we have no train. So, where’s the money going to?” Rankin asked.

Critics have long scrutinized the project, which was approved by voters in 2008 with an estimated $33 billion price tag but is now projected to cost more than $200 billion.

Rankin said the spending reflects what she views as a broader ideological shift within the Democratic Party, arguing California has embraced policies that are now spreading nationwide.

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“I think that the Democrats have gone so far to the left that many Californians just don’t see themselves … many Democrats in California just don’t relate to the current flow of the Democrat party,”Rankin said.

“They’re moving way too far into the extremism of socialism. I think a lot of people have red flags and just don’t want to be part of it.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Gavin Newsom for comment.

President Donald Trump blasted Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Saturday for opposing his nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the permanent position, suggesting he could keep Blanche in the temporary Justice Department leadership role and ensure the Anti-Weaponization Bill is passed.

While blasting the rogue GOP senators, Trump tied the Blanche nomination fight to the Anti-Weaponization Bill, proposed legislation that would establish a congressionally authorized compensation program for alleged victims of political “weaponization,” replacing the controversial DOJ-created Anti-Weaponization Fund.

The fund was formed through a settlement Blanche reached with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department to create a $1.8 billion fund to compensate alleged victims of political persecution. Amid criticism that the executive branch lacked authority to create such a program without congressional approval, the Justice Department later said it would not move forward with the fund, effectively shelving it.

“If Senators Cornyn and Tillis, both upset because I wouldn’t Endorse them (they lost, and quit, respectively!), aren’t going to approve Todd Blanche, one of the most respected professionals, according to everybody, in the Country, to be the United States Attorney General, then I will keep Todd as Acting A.G., and push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration (I get nothing, although I was treated horribly!), PASSED. Todd Blanche was a voice of reason! It will immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done,” Trump wrote in a Saturday morning post on Truth Social.

TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS

Cornyn and Tillis, both of whom faced electoral opposition from Trump in some form, each indicated that they would not vote to advance Blanche’s nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I think I am prepared to vote no, but I do think I owe it to my constituents and to Mr. Blanche to try to negotiate in good faith,” Cornyn told Capitol Hill reporters on Wednesday. “And that’s what we’ve been doing. And so we’ll see where things are this morning and see where we go from here,” he added.

Though both Blanche and Trump have previously said the Anti-Weaponization Fund is “dead,” Cornyn and Tillis both indicated that they want the fund’s demise to be formalized in writing before supporting Blanche’s confirmation.

Cornyn questioned Blanche about the fund during his mid-July confirmation hearing.

“Has there been a written agreement of the parties to modify the settlement fund?” Cornyn asked Blanche.

“No, the settlement fund is just not moving forward,” Blanche replied.

TRUMP UNLOADS ON CORNYN, TIES AG NOMINATION FIGHT TO BITTER TEXAS PRIMARY

Tillis, who announced in 2025 that he would not be seeking re-election just one day after Trump threatened to back a primary challenger, also criticized the Anti-Weaponization Fund, calling it a “payout pot for punks” in a Saturday morning response to Trump on X.

“Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against. It’s unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal. Hopefully, we can resolve this by Tuesday,” Tillis wrote

Cornyn, who has been a senator since 2002, lost his GOP primary to Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during the state’s May 26 contest, losing by nearly 400,000 votes, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.

Trump, during his Friday Cabinet meeting at Camp David, theorized that his backing of Paxton was Cornyn’s motivation for opposing Blanche.

“This is being done by a senator. And I don’t really blame him, to be honest with you. I endorsed his opponent. And as soon as I endorsed his opponent, his opponent went through the roof and he won the primary election in Texas,” Trump said.

“And the man that lost, the man that I didn’t endorse has become very angry. And that’s okay. I understand that. I probably would do the same thing,” the president added.

Cornyn, for his part, downplayed that possibility.

“That’s a convenient excuse, and it happens to be untrue,” Cornyn told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday, according to CBS News.

Trump also told reporters during the Cabinet meeting that though he considers the anti-weaponization fund “dead,” he wishes it wasn’t.

“Well, it is dead. But you know, I wish it weren’t to be honest with you, I think people were horribly treated, horribly abused. This has nothing to do with this was me, horribly abused. And I’d like to see them compensated for the the pain,” Trump said.

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Blanche is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday for a vote on whether to advance his nomination out of the committee and to the full Senate for confirmation.

Fox News Digital contacted the White House, the Justice Department, Cornyn and Tillis for further comment.

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump publicly broke with his top local prosecutor Saturday, insisting damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was “a pure case of VANDALISM” despite federal officials citing contractor failures as they moved to dismiss a felony case against a former U.S. Olympian.

“I disagree 100% with Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the Reflecting Pool,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I don’t know what she was thinking?”

Trump’s remarks came one day after Pirro’s office asked a federal judge to dismiss a felony destruction of property charge against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the landmark after allegedly pulling up a loose section of its protective lining on June 19 despite being told by a National Park Service employee to stop.

“To me, it was a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass, which had a big 86 47 emblazoned in giant letters on it, and other elements of the surrounding area,” Trump continued, referencing a separate vandalism incident that had occurred about a week earlier.

U.S. Park Police previously discovered the numbers “86 47” etched into the grass near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The phrase has become a politically charged slogan directed at Trump. Supporters of the president, including Trump himself, have argued it amounts to a call for his assassination.

WHO IS DAVID HEARN? US OLYMPIAN WHO DENIES VANDALIZING REFLECTING POOL AFTER VIRAL ARREST

Pirro’s office dropped the charges against Hearn on Friday after concluding that reports disclosed by the Department of the Interior revealed that there were many flaws with the renovation project, including that the lining appeared to begin peeling days after installation.

“Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” the motion concluded.

Trump acknowledged there potential issues with the project but rejected the Justice Department’s conclusion that construction problems were primarily responsible for the damage.

“There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!” Trump wrote.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS LOST OR ABANDONED HUNDREDS OF LAWSUITS AGAINST ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS, MIGRANTS: REPORT

Hearn was indicted on July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property after U.S. Park Police alleged he pulled at the pool’s protective coating, with authorities initially estimating the damage exceeded $1,000.

According to Pirro’s office, the Department of the Interior initially provided only “barebones” reports and did not disclose documents showing the Reflecting Pool’s newly installed coating had begun failing almost immediately after construction.

“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote in Friday’s filing.

“It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents to the USAO-DC indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (‘AIC’), and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026,” the filing continued.

The case against Hearn was dismissed without prejudice, meaning charges could be brought again in the future.

Court filings show Atlantic Industrial Coatings received a no-bid contract worth more than $14 million to install a new protective lining across the Reflecting Pool’s 68,000-square-foot floor.

The project began in early May but was slowed by rain and complications with the pool’s expansion joints, adding pressure to complete the work before the July Fourth festivities celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.

According to prosecutors, problems surfaced almost immediately.

TRUMP SHARES NEWS OF ‘CRYSTAL CLEAR’ REFLECTING POOL, CALLS FOR VANDALISM SUSPECT’S ARREST

Just two days after the project was completed on June 9, a National Park Service engineer reported that sections of the new lining were already peeling.

“I stated my concern that this ‘overspray’ along the perimeter of the pool could lead to a 1′-2′ strip that is vulnerable to peeling,” the engineer wrote in a June 11 email obtained by the New York Post. “The contractor would not confirm in field if this was or wasn’t a risk.”

Following the dismissal request, Hearn’s legal team accused the government of rushing to prosecute the case.

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“The Trump administration’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology,” attorneys Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin said in a statement to the New York Post.

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

Michigan House candidate and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member Will Lawrence advocated for a national data center moratorium Saturday during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

“What I see is that there is an urgent need to have a federal moratorium on new AI data centers so that we can have a national conversation about if we’re going to be generating this hyper intelligent AI, what’s the best way to do it, and how do we ensure that it benefits everybody rather than just a few billionaires in Silicon Valley?” Lawrence said at a campaign event in South Lansing, Michigan.

“I do support a federal moratorium because there may be a right way to build these data centers and generate super-intelligent AI, but what’s happening now is the wrong way, because it’s abandoning the basic principles of democracy and self-determination that are foundational to the American identity,” he also said.

BLANCHE URGED TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN FIGHT AGAINST DATA CENTERS

“You have billionaires from Silicon Valley and Wall Street who are coming into small towns and then just telling everybody, ‘Trust us, trust us, your energy bills aren’t going to rise. This is going to be a great deal for everybody,'” Lawrence continued.

In addition to backing a data center ban, Lawrence also bashed President Donald Trump for a number of policies and, like other DSA members, advocated for major campaign finance reform in the form of publicly funded elections.

“There’s a lot of money in politics, there’s no doubt about it. And, I think it does a disservice to the democratic process,” Lawrence said.

SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES

He then took aim at the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, a landmark 2010 decision which ruled that political contributions should be treated as a First Amendment-protected form of free speech.

“Unless there’s change in the Supreme Court, Citizens United will need to be overturned with a constitutional amendment because it’s a Supreme Court decision. But beyond just ending Citizens United, which deals with the dark money in politics, I also support public financing of elections, which would mean that every single candidate who has legitimate grassroots support gets access to the same pool of public funding and the same amount of dollars to run their campaign with,” he said.

Lawrence avoided a question about a broader slate of DSA policies – such as abolishing the Supreme Court, the presidency and the Senate – potentially turning off centrist voters.

HARRIS’ ‘NO BAD IDEA BRAINSTORM’ FOR DEMS INCLUDES PACKING SCOTUS, ELIMINATING ELECTORAL COLLEGE

“That’s not what we’re talking about. So I can’t speak to whether people are turned off by it or not. We’re focused on stopping these AI data centers, stopping these wars around the world, and ensuring that everybody has health care,” he responded.

Lawrence, who’s backed by prominent leftists like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is running in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to claim the House seat in Michigan’s 7th district.

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The district is currently represented by Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., a first term congressman who won the seat after current Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., vacated it to run for Senate.

Lawrence is vying with a number of other Democratic candidates to face off against Barrett in November’s election, including former Obama National Security Council member and U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink.

Fox News Digital contacted the Barrett and Brink campaigns and the DSA for comment.