Donald Trump Poll News

U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died earlier this month, posted a campaign video Thursday in which she described herself as a “conservative Republican” and declared that she is “ready to serve.”

“Thank you all for your prayers. They provided strength through an incredibly difficult time. I’m honored to serve South Carolina and grateful for President Trump’s endorsement. And I’ll work hard every day to earn it,” she said in the video.

“I’m a conservative Republican, and I believe this: Every life is precious. Men don’t belong in women’s sports. And only American citizens should vote in our elections. I’m Darline Graham. I approve this message, and I am ready to serve,” she added.

DARLINE GRAHAM REVEALS WHAT TRUMP TOLD HER INSIDE OVAL OFFICE AFTER BROTHER LINDSEY’S DEATH

The video release Thursday came on the heels of funeral services to honor the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in Washington, D.C., Tuesday and in South Carolina on Wednesday. A press release explained that, after the service on Wednesday, July 29, there would be “a private family burial in Pickens County, South Carolina.”

The new senator, who is running to win a full six-year Senate term, is facing a tight election schedule. The Aug. 11 South Carolina GOP U.S. Senate primary is less than two weeks away, and early voting begins Wednesday, 
Aug. 5.

Her social media posts featuring the campaign video said, “I’m ready to serve and I humbly ask for your support on August 11th.”

At the end of the video, a notice appeared at the bottom of the frame that says, “PAID FOR BY NRSC AND AUTHORIZED BY DARLINE FOR SENATE.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died July 11, had won the June 9 Republican U.S. Senate primary in the Palmetto State while running for a fifth term.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, announced July 13 the appointment of Graham’s sister to fill the remainder of her brother’s Senate term. She was sworn in the next day.

DARLINE GRAHAM FOCUSES ON KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES AS SHE ANNOUNCES FULL-TERM SENATE BID

President Donald Trump issued a Truth Social post July 17 in which he declared he had asked the new senator to run in the upcoming August special Republican U.S. Senate primary contest.

“Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. RUN, DARLINE, RUN!” he declared in part of the post.

Graham told Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity during an interview July 20 that she would run. 

“I’m in,” she said.

SEN DARLINE GRAHAM REVEALS WHETHER SHE WILL RUN FOR A FULL-TERM DURING ‘HANNITY’ EXCLUSIVE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“It’s official. I’m running to represent South Carolina in the United States Senate,” she said in a July 20 post on X. “Today, I’m stepping forward to carry my brother Lindsey’s legacy on behalf of the people of South Carolina. President Trump told me, ‘Run, Darline, Run.’ 

“With his support, I’m running all the way through the finish line in November. I hope you’ll join me,” she noted, adding a link to her campaign site.

Darline Graham faces a crowded GOP primary with candidates including U.S. Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, former Gov. Mark Sanford and businessman Mark Lynch. Lynch challenged Lindsey Graham in the June primary and lost to the late senator.

President Donald Trump has opened the door to selling Turkey the U.S.’ prized F-35 fighter jet, praising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and promising to remove sanctions imposed over Ankara’s purchase of a Russian missile defense system.

But a State Department letter to Congress makes clear that Turkey has not taken the steps legally required to receive the advanced fighter.

“Turkey has not yet met these conditions,” the department said in the July 22 letter, first obtained by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini.

TRUMP COULD HAND PRIZED STEALTH JETS TO NATO ALLY ONCE SEEN AS ALLIANCE HEADACHE

The letter said U.S. law prohibits the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey until Ankara no longer possesses the Russian-made S-400 system or associated equipment, promises not to acquire it again and satisfies the remaining certification requirements established by Congress.

The finding came weeks after Trump stood alongside Erdoğan at the NATO summit in Ankara and said his administration would lift sanctions on Turkey and consider selling it the aircraft.

Asked about Turkey’s continued possession of the S-400, Trump said, “I have no concerns about anything having to do with Turkey.”

Trump described relations with Ankara as “better probably than it’s ever been,” said Turkey had been “much more loyal” than some other countries and called a potential F-35 sale “certainly something we will consider.”

Erdoğan said Turkey previously has been promised five aircraft and expressed confidence in Trump.

“I know that Mr. Trump always keeps his promises,” Erdoğan said, according to Reuters.

The dispute matters far beyond a single weapons sale.

Turkey is a pivotal NATO ally controlling access between Europe and the Middle East, but its ties to Russia and Hamas have fueled doubts in Washington about whether Ankara can be trusted with America’s most sensitive military technology. The outcome will test whether Trump’s personal relationship with Erdoğan can bring Turkey back into the Western defense fold — or whether Congress and national security concerns will block the deal.

WHO IS TURKEY’S RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN? HOW NATO’S MOST UNPREDICTABLE LEADER KEEPS REINVENTING HIMSELF

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital on background that Trump “recognizes the strategic importance of Türkiye” and that his administration is encouraging Ankara “to resolve pending issues.”

“Türkiye is a valued NATO ally, and we continue to engage on all aspects of our important and multi-faceted relationship,” the spokesperson said.

James Jeffrey, a former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and former special representative for Syria engagement, said Trump’s position reflects both his trust in Erdoğan and their cooperation on regional security issues.

“Trump is very much for this as he works well with Erdoğan and trusts him and has succeeded together on a host of security issues from Libya to Syria to Caucasus to Ukraine and PKK ceasefire with Ankara,” Jeffrey, now a distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute, told Fox News Digital.

“He knows how important this is to Erdoğan and all Turks and doesn’t want Ankara to turn to Russia or China for weapons,” he said.

Turkey was removed from the F-35 development program in 2019 after purchasing the S-400 from Russia. The United States imposed sanctions the following year under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

U.S. officials have argued that operating the Russian system alongside the F-35 could allow Moscow to collect sensitive information about the stealth aircraft.

Jeffrey said Turkey would have to genuinely relinquish the S-400 but noted that the law does not specify exactly how.

“Certainly transferring to another country would meet the legal and technical requirement,” he said.

Sinan Ciddi, director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, agreed that a third-country transfer could begin the process of restoring Turkey to the program. But he said Ankara would also have to provide guarantees that it would not again seek major Russian military equipment or maintain ties that could compromise the aircraft.

TRUMP BETS ON FORMER NATO TROUBLEMAKER AS TURKEY’S STRATEGIC VALUE SURGES

Reports have suggested the United Arab Emirates as a possible destination for the S-400. Ciddi said, however, that there is no confirmation Abu Dhabi would accept it.

The UAE would have to consider whether acquiring the Russian system could trigger U.S. penalties or jeopardize access to other American weapons, he said. Russia could also object to Turkey transferring the system without Moscow’s approval.

Jeffrey said Erdoğan is likely prepared to resist Russian pressure because the F-35 is both a prestige issue and an important military need for Turkey, whose air force relies heavily on F-16 aircraft.

Ciddi argued that resolving the S-400 dispute should not automatically clear the way for a sale.

“The S-400 issue that led to Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program is the floor, not the ceiling,” Ciddi said, pointing to Ankara’s relationship with Hamas, continued ties with Russia, use of Chinese telecommunications technology and tensions with U.S. partners including Greece, Cyprus and Israel as additional obstacles.

The State Department letter reflected the administration’s competing views of Ankara.

While reiterating that Turkey remains legally ineligible for the F-35, the department credited it with supporting US diplomatic efforts involving Russia and Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Gaza and counter-ISIS operations.

The letter said Turkey used its relationship with Hamas’ political leadership to help secure acceptance of Trump’s Gaza peace plan and advance the first phase of a ceasefire.

At the same time, it warned that Hamas continues to use financial channels operating from Turkish territory.

“Hamas’ use of informal financial networks and unlicensed exchange houses in Turkey to access funds remains a concern, and we are committed to disrupting these illicit financing streams,” the State Department said.

Jeffrey said those Hamas ties could generate opposition in Congress but may carry less weight with Trump because his administration has relied on Ankara in Gaza diplomacy.

Ciddi interpreted the letter not as a rejection of Turkey’s return, but as a signal that the administration is prepared to move forward if Ankara meets the legal requirements.

“I think the letter is trying to convey to Congress, ‘Look, once Turkey makes good on the legal requirements of the NDAA, we can proceed with the sale,’” he said.

Congress could still be the most significant obstacle. Lawmakers have prohibited the transfer while Turkey possesses the S-400, and a bipartisan group of 18 House members recently urged congressional leaders to block any sale under current conditions, according to Axios.

The issue also has regional implications. Israel reportedly has pressed Trump not to provide Turkey with the aircraft, amid fears that a sale could weaken Israel’s qualitative military edge as tensions between Erdoğan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deepen.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

For now, the State Department’s message is clear: Trump may favor the sale, but Erdoğan must first surrender the Russian system that caused Turkey’s expulsion from the program.

The State Department and Turkish Embassy in Washington did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is touting his advocacy for federal investment in Georgia military infrastructure despite having ultimately voted against the bill that secured the improvements.

Most recently, Ossoff highlighted new construction for an elementary school at Fort Benning, improved conditions at Fort Stewart, pay raises for military personnel and improvements to Georgia’s foster care system — all a part of the annual military funding bill known as Military Construction and Veteran Affairs (MilCon-VA).

At the time of its initial passage, Ossoff quickly released a press statement.

FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE GEORGIA SENATE RACE

“U.S. Senate passes Sen. Ossoff’s Bipartisan Bill that provides most funding for Georgia military construction in 15 years,” his website announced.

When reconsidering it for final passage, Ossoff opposed the package.

Notably, Ossoff, as the ranking member on the Senate Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veteran Affairs, voted in favor of the bill in committee and as a standalone bill but opposed its final passage later that year when it was bundled together with other government funding legislation. 

When asked about the voting record, his office reaffirmed the federal support secured in Georgia.

“Let’s be clear: Georgia’s massive 2026 military construction budget, the highest in 15 years, is a direct and undeniable result of Senator Ossoff’s work as the senior Democrat on the Military Construction subcommittee,” an Ossoff campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“Senator Ossoff makes no apology for having tried to stop Mike Collins from doubling premiums for more than a million Georgians and throwing 300,000 off their health insurance,” the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson was referring to Ossoff’s Republican challenger, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and caps on federal health subsidies Republicans had championed at the time of MilCon-VA’s passage.

Like many Democrats, Ossoff has struggled to oppose legislation championed by President Donald Trump while at the same time making his case for re-election in one of the country’s most competitive Senate seats. Ossoff won in 2021 with a 50.6% to 49.4% victory over incumbent Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga.

In the case of the elementary school, Ossoff said he had been calling for those investments for years.

“I have been working for years now for a replacement for Dexter Elementary. That’s really important for those families down there in Columbus,” Ossoff said. “I’m just a bit concerned by the lack of attention in this year’s base budget, so we’ll work together on that.”

Ossoff made similar remarks about improvements to Fort Stewart, citing concerns in press releases about lead exposure affecting newborns’ health on the base, mold contamination and flooded living areas.

Ossoff released findings in a seven-page report about the base’s conditions.

SEN BLUMENTHAL, REP. TAKANO: CONGRESS CAN FUND VETERANS’ CARE WITHOUT TAKING BENEFITS FROM DISABLED HEROES

“Our military service members and their families make huge sacrifices for the country, and it’s a travesty how they’re being treated by privatized housing contractors in Georgia and nationwide,” Sen. Ossoff said.

“The stories in this report should shock our conscience, and I will continue exposing the mistreatment of military families in privatized housing and working to protect them and improve conditions.”

Notably, the package Ossoff ultimately voted against contained $8 million for Fort Stewart and $127.4 million to replace the Dexter Elementary School.

A veteran lawmaker ripped Ossoff for highlighting wins he didn’t participate in.

“Last year, he tried to take credit for my veterans housing bill, legislation he had absolutely nothing to do with. A politician who tries to erase a veteran’s work for political gain has forfeited the trust of the people he seeks to represent,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., said in a statement, referring to a bill he introduced last year.

Ossoff highlighted the bill on his website, calling it a “bipartisan bill backed by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff” and announcing that “Sen. Ossoff brings Republicans and Democrats together to protect veterans from foreclosure.”

Ossoff was not a sponsor of the bill and, because it passed unanimously in a voice vote, did not cast a vote for it either.

DEM SENATOR ACCUSED OF BEING ‘NOWHERE TO BE FOUND’ ON CRUCIAL ISSUE IMPACTING KIDS IN SWING STATE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Ossoff’s disturbing pattern of taking credit for work he didn’t do and claiming victories he didn’t support demonstrates both gross incompetence and a complete lack of integrity,” Van Orden said.

President Donald Trump won the Lone Star state by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024, but a new Fox News Poll of Texas registered voters suggests this year’s Senate race is far less settled. Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton has yet to fully unify the GOP despite the president’s endorsement in the GOP primary against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.

In addition, more voters are concerned Paxton lacks the character to serve than worry Democratic challenger James Talarico is too extreme, and more Democrats than Republicans are extremely motivated to vote (by 7 points) and extremely interested in the midterms (by 6).

Those dynamics give Talarico a 3-point edge over Paxton (51% vs. 48%) in the Senate contest (within the survey’s margin of sampling error).

Talarico’s advantage in the race grows to 6 points among both extremely motivated and extremely interested voters (53% vs. 47% in each group).

FOX NEWS POLL: DEMOCRATIC ENTHUSIASM SHAPES NORTH CAROLINA SENATE RACE

Most independents (68%) and virtually all Democrats support Talarico (98%), while fewer Republicans are unified behind Paxton (89%).

In part, that’s because one quarter of non-MAGA Republicans back Talarico (24%).

Paxton is the choice among White evangelical Christians, White men without a college degree, rural voters, regular worship attenders, men and voters ages 65 and older.

Some of Talarico’s best groups are Black voters, moderates, voters under age 30, Hispanic voters, women and voters with a college degree.

“Although Paxton dominated Cornyn in the GOP primary, that bruising contest left scars,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson. 

“He has considerable work to do with non-MAGA Republicans and independents, and that undoubtedly requires aggressively tying Talarico to the Democratic Party’s far left.” 

By a 12-point margin, more voters are concerned Paxton lacks the character to serve as a senator than believe Talarico is too extreme (59% vs. 47%).

Twice as many Republicans are concerned about Paxton’s character as Democrats are that Talarico is too extreme (36% vs. 17%).

FOX NEWS POLL: COOL YOUR SERVERS! VOTERS REJECT DATA CENTERS

Still, about 8 in 10 Paxton and Talarico supporters say their backing is more about where the candidates stand on the issues than who they are as people. 

Trump received a 55% favorable vs. 44% unfavorable rating in the 2024 Texas Fox News Voter Analysis (FNVA) election survey. Today, those numbers have flipped: 45% favorable vs. 54% unfavorable, for a minus-9 net negative rating.

Paxton garners a minus-6 net personal rating, 45% favorable vs. 51% unfavorable, while Talarico is in positive territory by 6 points, 49% vs. 43%.

Talarico is more popular than the Democratic Party while the GOP edges out Paxton. 

While both parties are viewed negatively, the GOP is underwater by only 2 points (48% favorable vs. 50% unfavorable), compared with the Democratic Party at minus-9 (45% vs. 54%).

Despite Texas being a border state, nearly 4 in 10 say inflation will be the most important issue to their Senate vote, while 2 in 10 say immigration and 1 in 10 say healthcare, political divisions and unemployment.

By more than a 2-to-1 margin, Texas voters say they are falling behind financially rather than getting ahead (35% vs. 16%). Half are holding steady.

In the race for governor, incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is favored by 1 point over Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

Part of Abbott’s edge comes from a touch more crossover support: 12% of Talarico supporters back Abbott, while 9% of Paxton supporters back Hinojosa.

Hinojosa has the advantage among extremely motivated (+6) and extremely interested voters (+5).

Abbott has a net positive personal rating by a single point (50% favorable vs. 49% unfavorable). Hinojosa is in positive territory by 11 points (45% vs. 34%), although nearly 1 in 5 are unable to rate her.

Texas last elected a Democratic governor in 1990 (Ann Richards), a Democratic Senator in 1988 (Lloyd Bentsen), and a Democratic presidential candidate in 1976 (Jimmy Carter).

A closer look at the Hispanic electorate

Hispanic voters say their Senate pick will be driven by inflation, as roughly 4 in 10 say it will be the most important issue to their vote and another 4 in 10 say they’re falling behind financially. This mostly matches views among all Texas voters.

And as is the case with voters overall, there is an enthusiasm gap, as more Hispanic Democrats than Hispanic Republicans are interested and motivated to vote in the midterms.

Overall, Hispanic voters prefer Talarico by 18 points (59% vs. 41%).

Some 9% of Hispanic GOP voters crossover to support Talarico while 5% of Hispanic Democrats favor Paxton.

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

In 2024, Trump topped former Vice President Kamala Harris among Hispanic voters in Texas by 1 point, according to the Texas FNVA survey (49% Harris vs. 50% Trump).

By 20 points, more Hispanic voters are concerned that Paxton lacks the character to serve as senator than feel Talarico is too extreme (61% concerned vs. 41%).

For the governor’s race, Hispanic voters back Hinojosa by 16 points in the new survey. By comparison, they preferred Beto O’Rourke over Abbott by 14 points in 2022.

More than half of Hispanic voters view Talarico (57% favorable), Hinojosa (53%), and the Democratic Party (53%) positively, while more than half have negative views of Paxton (56% unfavorable), Abbott (56%), Trump (61%), and the Republican Party (59%).

Conducted July 23-27, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,006 Texas registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (72) and cellphones (681) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (253). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. 

The survey includes an oversample of 296 Hispanic voters, bringing the sample size for that subgroup to 556 (±4). Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling errors, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., brushed aside President Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination Thursday, arguing the White House must instead honor what he says was an earlier commitment to win his vote.

“That’s his prerogative,” Tillis said of Trump’s threat to withdraw Blanche’s nomination.

Tillis’ comments come after Trump called out both Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Truth Social Thursday morning for blocking the president’s efforts to make Blanche the nation’s top prosecutor. 

Trump then threatened to pull Blanche’s nomination until the two Republican senators leave office next year. Tillis is retiring, and Cornyn lost his primary in his run for re-election.

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

Tillis argued Trump cannot resolve this nomination standoff “unless we fulfill what we thought was the commitment from the administration.”

The North Carolina senator has withheld his support for Blanche unless the administration agrees to permanently eliminate the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and rewrite Trump’s audit immunity language in a settlement agreement. Negotiations over those demands remain ongoing.

“The best thing is, take the win, get Blanche confirmed and get this agreement out of the way,” Tillis told Fox News Digital.

When asked what it would take to get Tillis to vote to confirm Blanche, he said, “exactly what Blanche committed to.”

TRUMP ADMIN PUSHES BACK ON ‘SLUSH FUND’ ATTACKS AGAINST ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND AND LAYS OUT WHO QUALIFIES

Tillis stressed that Blanche is not to blame for the impasse, saying he believes he “was honest” during his confirmation process and that he blames someone on Trump’s team.

“This is not Blanche’s problem. It’s clear to me that Blanche was honest when he answered without hesitation, working with us to end this,” Tillis said.

“I believe that one of the president’s advisors who were part of this agreement is the problem. And they need to own it.”

Tillis also pointed out that there is no certainty that the Senate would be any more accepting of Blanche next year, particularly as Republicans have more seats in danger than Democrats in the Senate.

“The best-case scenario is you come back with the same number of people next year, and our members are not going to be any more supportive of this than they are today.”

TRUMP-TILLIS TIFF DEEPENS AS PRESIDENT SAYS HE ‘QUIT,’ CONCEDES FED FIGHT COULD DOOM NEW CHAIR CONFIRMATION

Trump could still keep Blanche as acting attorney general for months even if he withdraws the nomination. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act allows acting officials to serve for 210 days, and withdrawing a pending nomination resets that clock. If Trump were to pull Blanche’s nomination Thursday, Blanche could remain in the role until late February.

Despite Trump’s public threat, Tillis said negotiations with the administration remain ongoing and said he is “not a no” on Blanche.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“In this place, nothing’s ever as good or as bad as it seems, so we’re continuing to negotiate,” Tillis said.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Adam Pack contributed to this report.

Mandela Barnes, who served as lieutenant governor of Wisconsin from 2019 to 2023, suspended his gubernatorial campaign Thursday, citing a lack of support to capture the Democratic Party nomination.

“It’s become very clear who our nominee is going to be,” Barnes said in a video statement.

“While I may be suspending my campaign, I’ll never give up my fight for Wisconsin.”

WISCONSIN DEM SOCIALIST GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL DODGES WHETHER SHE STILL WANTS TO ‘ABOLISH POLICE’

Barnes, who was endorsed by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., as the “kind of bold leader we need to take on the Trump administration,” did not name the candidate he believes will capture the party’s nomination later this month.

His departure from the race comes as a surprise amid a crowded Democratic field to fill the empty seat of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Barnes was considered a frontrunner in the race because of his proximity to Evers and his name recognition. 

It also coincides with rumblings that Barnes may have abused his position in the past to make sexual advances toward women in the workplace, an allegation currently under investigation by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which published its report shortly after Barnes’ video post.

Barnes’ campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether his decision to suspend the campaign was in any way connected to the reporting. However, a Barnes spokesperson told Politico “there are no allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing against Mandela.”

With Barnes’ departure, the remaining major candidates include Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

TOP DEM HOPEFUL FLIPS SCRIPT AFTER YEARS IN SOCIALIST ORBIT WITH PUZZLING CLAIM

Hong has received backing from a number of nationally recognized progressives, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. She had raised nearly $709,000 as of late June, according to state records.

By comparison, Crowley has secured $250,000 and enjoys the support of a number of local organizations and figures.

Evers, pointedly, endorsed Crowley over Barnes, citing Crowley’s experience.

In his departure video, Barnes urged Democrats to unite against Republicans in the November general election.

“Now, I said from the very beginning when I launched this campaign that the No. 1 goal was taking on and defeating Tom Tiffany to deliver big wins for Democrats up and down the ticket,” Barnes said, referring to the presumptive Republican nominee.

“Now it’s our time to come together and focus our efforts on that one goal. We have to do everything to beat Tom Tiffany. This is life or death for Wisconsinites who are losing their healthcare under a Trump administration.”

SCOTT WALKER: DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE COMING FOR MY STATE. THIS IS HOW WE BEAT THEM

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Barnes built his campaign on a platform of increasing taxes on the country’s top earners, freezing energy costs, providing universal childcare and lowering the cost of housing.

The gubernatorial primary will take place Aug. 11.

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.

The diplomatic breakthrough was brokered by the Board of Peace and involved international mediators, including Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye.

“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“This agreement is a critical step toward Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” Trump added.

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

President Donald Trump on Thursday formally kicked off an administration initiative designed to fast-track military veterans into trucking jobs while removing illegal immigrant commercial drivers from America’s roadways, arguing the effort will improve highway safety and create new employment opportunities for former service members.

Speaking at the White House alongside Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and trucking industry leaders, Trump promoted the “Freedom Haulers Initiative,” which streamlines the commercial driver’s license (CDL) process for veterans with heavy vehicle experience gained during military service.

“Today, we’re taking action to get illegal alien truck drivers off the American roadways and replace them with proud American veterans,” Trump said. “It’s about time.”

TRUMP TAPS VETERANS TO FIX ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKING PROBLEM PLAGUING US ROADWAYS

Under the initiative, qualified veterans with heavy-vehicle experience gained during military service can apply to waive the CDL road-skills test, allowing them to avoid duplicating training they received in the military. Certain veterans in participating states may also qualify for a waiver of the written knowledge test. Veterans without military truck-driving experience will be eligible for expedited training that administration officials said could be completed in several weeks.

Trump said 34 states have joined or are working to implement the Even Exchange Program, including Indiana, Wyoming, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and Maryland, and called on the remaining states to participate.

The president paired the promotion with his administration’s ongoing crackdown on commercial drivers who do not meet federal English-language requirements or who were issued licenses while in the country illegally.

OUT OF CONTROL, UNQUALIFIED ILLEGAL ALIEN TRUCKERS ENDANGERING KIDS ON US ROADS, INSIDER WARNS: ‘JUST MADNESS’

Trump said the administration has removed more than 24,000 non-English-speaking commercial drivers from behind the wheel and worked with states to cancel more than 28,000 commercial driver’s licenses he said were unlawfully issued to illegal immigrants. He also pointed to several fatal crashes allegedly involving illegal immigrants while arguing for the policy change.

Duffy said the initiative eliminates unnecessary barriers for veterans transitioning into civilian careers while prioritizing highway safety.

“These are great-paying jobs. They’re anywhere from $80,000 to $100,000-plus a year,” Duffy said. “…illegals are out. American patriots are in.”

ILLEGAL TRUCKER CASES FUEL GOP PUSH TO CRACK DOWN ON CDL MILLS AS DEMS LARGELY SILENT

Collins said the Department of Veterans Affairs will also expand access to CDL training by allowing eligible veterans to use GI Bill benefits and by accelerating enrollment in existing training programs.

“Let’s put veterans in the seats, making jobs safer and better for all Americans,” Collins said, noting that roughly one in 10 truck drivers nationwide already are veterans.

Werner Enterprises President Nathan Meisgeier announced his company will hire 1,400 veterans over the next year as part of the Freedom Haulers Initiative, calling military veterans a natural fit for the trucking industry.

“This administration’s Freedom Haulers campaign will have a direct and powerful impact on our ability to bring even more veterans into our workforce,” Meisgeier said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Army veteran Ricky Washington, who transitioned into commercial trucking after serving for three decades in the Army and Army National Guard, said the profession offers former service members another opportunity to serve the country.

“The trucking industry is more than just a sector of our economy — it’s the backbone of our commerce,” Washington said. “It is a place where service members, veterans [and] military spouses can find a purpose, a community and a way to continue keeping our great nation moving forward.”

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is being mocked online over the “irony” of saying she is “very, very mindful and scrupulous” about being impartial during a guest appearance on former first lady Michelle Obama’s podcast, “IMO.”

During an appearance of more than an hour appearance on the podcast, Jackson, a Biden appointee to the Supreme Court, stressed the importance of being unbiased, saying, “You really have to be focused on that.”

“There are lots of limits on what judges can do, and I try to be very, very mindful and scrupulous with respect to that because, as you say, our obligation is to be unbiased in our approach,” said Jackson. “And so, you have to then navigate all the sources that could make for an appearance of partiality, which you want to avoid.”

She added that “there are lots of things that I end up not accepting for that reason.”

MICHELLE OBAMA ACCUSES MEDIA OF WEAPONIZING FASHION TO ‘DIMINISH’ HER AS A CAMPAIGN THREAT

The former first lady asked Jackson about the practices she follows to remain unbiased.

“You also have to watch your exposure to things, so that there isn’t a bias,” said Obama. “What does that mean for you in terms of reading the paper and listening to the news and how do get your information and what do you have to be careful about and how are you dealing with the potential conflicts so that you do stay above board?”

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

Jackson said that there are employees in the court whose job is to be “assisting us in that way.”

“When I get invitations to do things, I always have them screened by the legal office, the public information office, just to make sure that there are no ethical conflicts, that this is not a fundraiser, you know,” she told Obama.

ALITO RIPS JACKSON’S ‘UTTERLY IRRESPONSIBLE’ SOLO DISSENT AS SUPREME COURT FIGHT SHAKES UP 2026 MAP

Reactions poured in quickly.

“Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown discusses the importance of being neutral while she is sitting on Michelle Obama’s podcast set!” wrote Turning Point USA contributor John Amanchukwu.

“She doesn’t really expect anyone to believe that, does she?” wrote conservative influencer Patricia Foster.

“Make it make sense,” wrote commentator DeVory Darkins.

“Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson can’t be real. She says it is important to be neutral as a Supreme Court justice……..while she is literally on MAJOR leftist Michelle Obama’s podcast,” wrote Darkins. “We ALL know how impartial she is.”

‘WOKE’ SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT LIONIZES EMBATTLED FAUCI AMID CONSERVATIVE SCRUTINY OF MUSEUM’S MESSAGING

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Harris Rigby, a columnist for the Babylon Bee’s non-satirical site “Not the Bee,” wrote, “There isn’t a strong enough word for the irony in this video clip.”

He ripped Jackson as “the most public, loud-mouthed, self-assured judge in the history of the United States,” adding that she now “wants to lecture us about the dignity of the courts.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Obama and the Supreme Court for comment.

The House committee charged with overseeing American elections is demanding more information on allegations of non-citizens voting in federal races.

The Committee on House Administration is requesting classified briefings on foreign interference in U.S. elections after President Donald Trump raised such concerns during a speech earlier this month.

“Reports of non-citizens casting illegal ballots continue to emerge, undermining election integrity and public confidence in American elections,” wrote Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis.

“To inform potential legislative reforms, the Committee therefore requests a Member-level, classified briefing from DHS on the number of non-citizens registered to vote across the country and cyber vulnerabilities present in current voting systems. Please contact the Committee by August 13, 2026, to set up a briefing to be held in the month of September. The Committee also requests that any relevant documents be provided alongside the briefing.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS CONFRONT NJ GOVERNOR OVER 6,600 NON-CITIZENS REGISTERED TO VOTE IN ALLEGED SOFTWARE FAILURE

The classified briefing requests were sent to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte.

In the letters, Steil cited Trump’s claim that DHS discovered roughly 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote as well as recent revelations that New Jersey mistakenly added 6,600 non-citizens to its voter rolls in 2023 and 2024.

TRUMP ACCUSED CHINA OF AN ‘ELECTION SECURITY NIGHTMARE’ BUT THEN UNDERCUT HIS OWN WARNING

Steil also pointed to Trump’s comments in his speech on Chinese-led “cyberattacks on election infrastructure.”

The committee’s release said there were “serious concerns about the security of American elections.”

The briefing requests come less than 100 days before the November midterm elections, which will decide which party controls both houses of Congress for the latter half of Trump’s final term in the Oval Office.

Republicans have long raised concerns about the security of American elections, which Democrats have argued are attempts to undermine people’s faith in those elections.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It is already a federal crime to vote in elections as a non-citizen, but the GOP is pushing for further guardrails such as proof of citizenship in the voter registration process and a federal voter ID standard at the polls.

To date, no evidence has been found that non-citizens have swayed the outcome of any federal election.

Despite reports of waning munitions, spiking gas prices and concerns of no clear objectives moving forward, Senate Republicans are still giving President Donald Trump wiggle room in the war in Iran.

Republicans again blocked another war powers resolution to force an immediate withdrawal of America’s military might from Iran on Thursday. Senate Democrats have tried and failed to convince enough of their Republican colleagues to consistently buck the war over a dozen times as it stretches into its fifth month.

The latest effort from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., failed along similar lines as last week’s effort, where only a small cohort of Senate Republicans crossed the aisle to end the war.

REPUBLICANS FALL IN LINE WITH TRUMP ON IRAN WAR DESPITE RISING COSTS AND US DEATH TOLL

One Republican who did join Democrats, but has since reversed course, is Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who got into a shouting match with Trump and demanded a briefing on the situation in Iran.

He got that briefing and has since flipped his vote, which he acknowledged was used as “leverage to get some information.” Still, he doesn’t totally support what’s going on, but used “All the King’s Men” as an example to show that the situation and the politics of it are not black and white.

“It is a gradation,” Cassidy said. “What we’re doing here is a gradation, a murkiness, a vagueness, but we’re trying to see our way through it. And I’m trying to see my way through it.”

WATCH: SCHUMER’S ANTI-CORRUPTION SPEECH DERAILED AFTER HECKLER BRANDS HIM ‘GENOCIDAL MANIAC’

But he drew a hard line on ground troops entering Iran.

“If there are ground troops, by definition, there needs to be a declaration of war from Congress on this, period,” Cassidy said.

The latest votes come as reports of munitions continuing to dwindle have reverberated through Congress, and as the Pentagon and War Secretary Pete Hegseth plead for more defense funding.

HEGSETH DISMISSES ‘FOOLISH’ US STOCKPILE CONCERNS AS IRAN CONFLICT TESTS MUNITIONS

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has been wary of the war but has so far not broken with Trump to back Democrats’ resolutions, said, “Obviously, it’s concerning” that the nation’s munitions stockpile is dropping, but countered that a closed-door debriefing on the matter could sate concerns.

“And of course, if they are chronically low and affecting war strategy, then we should make it a priority,” Tillis said.

When asked whether he had been adequately briefed, Tillis said, “No.”

Munitions have been a concern throughout the war in Iran, and with renewed strikes starting last week, they are again back at the forefront of the conversation about the strategy in the region.

A report released Monday from the Center for Strategic and International Studies found, for example, that renewed fighting in the Middle East found that Patriot and THAAD interceptor missiles, which are used to thwart incoming projectiles and drones, had dwindled from prewar inventories of 2,330 and 452, respectively, to 759 and 234 missiles.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I think there’s pretty solid information that our military is short on munitions, not their fault,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “Trump launched this war impulsively, without a clear set of achievable objectives, and planning for how to conduct it.”

“The basic failure to plan the amount of munitions that would be necessary is a fatal failing that is directly the responsibility of the commander in chief,” he continued.

A federal judge in New Jersey blocked the Justice Department from gaining access to the state’s unredacted voter rolls on Wednesday.

District Judge Zahid Quraishi, a Biden appointee, ruled that handing over the rolls could give rise to privacy concerns for voters. The ruling is the latest defeat for President Donald Trump’s administration after the DOJ sued Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey for access to their voter rolls earlier this year.

The administration argued that Title III of the Civil Rights Act granted federal authorities access to the lists, but Quraishi disagreed.

TRUMP-APPOINTED FEDERAL JUDGE TOSSES DOJ LAWSUIT SEEKING ARIZONA VOTER DATA

“The plain text of Title III applies only to records ‘which come into’ election officers’ ‘possession’ and thus does not extend to New Jersey’s computerized VRL [voter registration list] – a document the State itself created,” Quraishi wrote.

Quraishi’s ruling also comes amid a statewide controversy related to noncitizen voting in New Jersey.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill admitted that week that a “serious software error” led to the mistaken registration of roughly 6,600 noncitizens through the state’s Motor Vehicle System, while the company that provides the identity-related security services denied any wrongdoing.

DEMOCRATS CONCEDE NJ VOTER-ROLL FAILURE WAS ‘HORRIBLE’ — BUT REJECT BROADER FRAUD FEARS

“In New Jersey, we absolutely need to have accountability for what happened,” Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said of the incident. “It was just horrible. There was a big problem with that computer problem that they had. We need to try to address that going forward.”

Sherrill said she immediately ordered an investigation after the error was discovered and that the state’s Division of Elections is removing ineligible voters from the rolls. She said fewer than 400 of those improperly registered cast ballots.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Reports also surfaced this week that roughly 75,000 noncitizens had been summoned for jury duty through state databases, according to multiple reports, broadening the controversy beyond the Motor Vehicle Commission and prompting additional Republican calls for a wider investigation.

Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody introduced a bill targeting the Washington, D.C. public school system in a push to prioritize patriotism in the nation’s capital, Fox News Digital has learned.

The PLEDGE Act proposal would require teachers to feature the American Flag in their classrooms, and for administrators to provide students the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day.

“Currently, there are schools in Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, that do not display our flag or set aside time for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, but they do teach them to be activists,” claims the press release shared with Fox News Digital.

FAR-LEFT ACTIVIST CONFERENCE AT TEACHERS UNION HQ RAISES CLASSROOM CONCERNS

In a city where Pride flags and progressive causes are prominently displayed across the district, some conservatives say patriotic symbols like the American Flag have taken a back seat in schools — fueling concerns about how civic values are being taught to the next generations of Americans.

“Radicals want to teach kids to be ashamed of the United States of America and how to be activists instead. We should be teaching kids why America is worth loving, and most importantly, the principles and values that make America worth defending,” said Sen. Moody in the release.

Over 40 states have varying Pledge requirements in their schools — but not in the nation’s capital.

“My PLEDGE Act helps restore pride in our nation by reminding students every day of the freedom, responsibilities, and blessings that come with being an American, and the sacrifices made for our flag and everything it represents,” Moody said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.

BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS

The bill comes amid a mayoral race in D.C., where socialist candidate Janeese Lewis George is the frontrunner. This continues a trend in the nationwide rise of the far-left Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) movement, which often spouts anti-American rhetoric.

The DSA platform, which aims to appeal to younger voters, wants to replace free-market capitalism with social ownership. It also pushes for major constitutional changes, like abolishing the Electoral College and expanding voting rights for noncitizens.

Younger Americans are significantly less likely to express strong national pride than older generations, with just 41% of Generation Z saying they are extremely or very proud to be American, according to a June 2025 Gallup poll.

The same poll says 58% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely” or “very” proud to be American, the lowest level the pollsters have recorded since it began asking the question in 2001.

DEMS PUT ON BLAST OVER POLL THAT SHOWS RECORD-LOW PATRIOTISM IN US: ‘TEAR OUR SOCIETY APART’

The DC Public School (DCPS) curriculum calls for students to learn more progressive politics, from studying Harvey Milk to learning how the LGBTQ+ community has shaped and defined the Washington, D.C. community.

For example, 5th grade social studies standards in the district require students to analyze the rise of queer culture during the Black Renaissance and also require students to compare the experiences of LGBTQ+ service members returning to the U.S. after World War II, according to their 2023 Social Study Standards.

During President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration restored patriotic symbols to the nation’s capital by installing two large American flags on the White House grounds and removing the “Black Lives Matter” street mural on the plaza just blocks from the executive residence.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Washington, D.C., has long been a focal point for political demonstrations and protests. Trump, in his second term, deployed the National Guard to help bolster safety in the city.

Fox News Digital reached out to DCPS for comment.

READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION:

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, took to the Senate floor Wednesday to call out Neville Roy Singham, saying the communist tech tycoon’s vast nonprofit network is helping China wage “political warfare” against the U.S.

Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold his tech company for $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, according to a Fox News Digital investigation. These groups regularly organize and participate in anti-ICE, anti-Israel and pro-Iran demonstrations.

“From his Shanghai office, which he shares with a CCP propaganda outlet whose avowed mission is to ‘tell China’s story well,’ Singham began funding a complex network of left-wing NGOs and nonprofits that advance the interests of the Chinese Communist Party,” Banks said.

SEE IT: GOP SENATOR FLIPS SCRIPT ON AGITATORS TIED TO PRO-CCP, SINGHAM NETWORK

“Code Pink, that radical organization that chases me and other senators throughout the halls of Congress, used to, on occasion, condemn CCP human rights abuses,” he added. “After Singham started lavishly funding the group—and married its co-founder—Code Pink stopped criticizing the Chinese government and started defending it.”

Code Pink, which was co-founded by Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, regularly confronts lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and publicly states that “China is Not Our Enemy.” Evans and Singham have not responded to Fox News Digital’s repeated requests for comment.

Fox News Digital obtained footage of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, being targeted by Code Pink on Wednesday over the conflict in Iran. Scott pushed back, questioning whether the group was bothered by the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

TRUMP WELCOMES NETANYAHU TO WHITE HOUSE AS RAGING IRAN WAR THREATENS TO SOUR US-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP

The Code Pink agitators did not respond to Scott’s question.

Banks’ floor speech also addressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call to combat far-left political terrorism which has taken root across the globe and in the U.S.

Rubio spoke to more than 60 countries at a summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, saying that networks are coordinating across multiple countries, providing training instructions and using encrypted communication to foment unrest. He said that international cooperation is critical to disrupting the financing of dangerous organizations, and that some are working with hostile foreign states.

JIM BANKS, GOP LAWMAKERS RALLY BEHIND DOJ PROBE INTO ALLEGED CCP-LINKED FUNDING NETWORK

“For far too long, however, our counterterrorism doctrine has had a blind spot – a blind spot when it comes to extremist violence from the political left, Rubio said. “Even today, the very idea that far-left terrorism could be a serious threat is treated as a right-wing fever dream, or worse, as a dangerous fascist conspiracy.”

Singham currently faces a grand jury investigation in the Southern District of New York, a probe which was authorized by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The grand jury investigation focuses on Singham’s finances, and seeks to uncover any financial crimes that have taken place as he funds his pro-CCP network of nonprofits. Singham has not been charged to date.

Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held a meeting in New York with Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon, where he urged the firm to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Singham’s financial network, according to sources familiar with the discussion.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

One source familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital the exchange was amicable rather than adversarial, adding that Solomon signaled Goldman Sachs was prepared to cooperate with the Justice Department’s probe.

“All distributions from Mr. Singham’s donor-advised fund were made to legally recognized nonprofit organizations, as determined by the IRS, a Goldman Sachs spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “No distributions have been made from the account since August 2023, and it was closed in early 2024.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wanted to talk about alleged corruption committed by President Donald Trump and his family, but instead was interrupted by a protester calling out his “diabolical record.”

Schumer was just getting started with his speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to make a “major anti-corruption announcement,” when an audience member seated in the front row tore into the Senate’s top Democrat.

“You talk about corruption, how can you talk about corruption when you back genocide? What can be more corrupt than genocide? This is part of the same con of you and Trump playing off of each other,” the protester said.

REPUBLICANS TARGET TRUMP’S CRYPTO EMPIRE WITH NEW PLAN, DEMS SAY IT FALLS SHORT

The disruptor then noted that Schumer and other congressional Democrats were “put on notice” by the Center for Constitutional Rights in 2023 for “aiding and abetting” Israel in its war against Hamas.

Critics of that conflict have long pointed to the Jewish State for going above and beyond in their quest to snuff out the terrorist organization by leveling cities in Gaza, withholding food, aid and electricity and targeting civilians.

Schumer tried to regain control of the moment and told the audience member, “Thank you for your diatribe. Now let’s continue. Let’s continue.”

But he wasn’t successful.

“You should be questioned about your diabolical record,” the audience member said. “It’s amazing that you can show your genocidal face in public.”

REPUBLICANS FALL IN LINE WITH TRUMP ON IRAN WAR DESPITE RISING COSTS AND US DEATH TOLL

“Mr. Senator. Mr. Senator. Shame on Public Citizen for not allowing questions to this genocidal maniac,” he said as he was escorted out.

Schumer has been a vocal supporter of Israel, voting to send aid and weaponry to the country during the conflict. But over the last several months, Senate Democrats have broken from him on a handful of occasions, and in growing numbers.

Earlier this year, Senate Democrats showed their slow creep away from Israel following the release of photos of starving children in Gaza.

GOP BLOCKS SCHUMER’S EFFORT TO GROUND TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR TRUMP’S QATARI AIR FORCE ONE

Forty Senate Democrats voted to halt arms sales and military bulldozers to Israel as an act of protest against Trump’s war in Iran in April.

The two resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., combined would have blocked nearly $500 million in arms and equipment sales to Israel. One resolution would have halted the sale of roughly $295 million in Caterpillar bulldozers, while the other would have stopped the sale of nearly $152 million worth of 1,000-pound bombs.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, despite the disruption, Schumer did get his point across: to announce the push for legislation to create a new anti-corruption agency.

“This bill is the biggest, boldest and broadest proposal ever put forward to revitalize our anti-corruption institutions,” Schumer said.

Dr. Anthony Fauci‘s refusal to answer more than 100 questions during Wednesday’s fiery Senate hearing has sparked a legal showdown over whether a witness granted a sweeping presidential pardon can still invoke the Fifth Amendment.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced after the hearing that he plans to pursue contempt proceedings against Fauci following the repeated invocations of the Fof whetherth Amendment and his refusal to answer lawmakers’ questions.

“We’re going to have a vote next week on contempt,” Paul said. “I think there’s another legal question that the courts may have to decide upon, and that is whether or not a presidential pardon offers you complete immunity.”

RAND PAUL SEEKS CONTEMPT CHARGES AFTER FAUCI INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES

Former President Joe Biden issued Fauci, who served as the chief architect for the government’s COVID-19 guidelines, a full and unconditional pardon for all actions taken between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025. Biden’s broad pardon protected Fauci from prosecution for the actions being investigated by the committee, leaving only the possibility of charges if he lied under oath.

Abhishek Kambli, a former Justice Department official who now represents former Trump advisor Peter Navarro in his contempt of Congress case, told Fox News Digital that the issue presents a novel legal question about whether Fauci can invoke the Fifth Amendment at all.

“Obviously, if he tells the truth, then he would be protected by that blanket pardon, since the past conduct that he reveals he’s fully immunized from,” Kambli told Fox News Digital.

Kambli questioned whether the Fifth Amendment privilege properly applies if truthful testimony could no longer expose Fauci to prosecution for the underlying conduct.

“His theory is that it’s a witch hunt and that they’re looking for perjury traps to charge him with, so that’s why he needs to invoke the Fifth Amendment,” Kambli said.

But Kambli said the argument becomes more difficult to sustain if lawmakers are asking straightforward factual questions.

“I think it gets a little problematic,” Kambli said of Fauci invoking the Fifth Amendment for common knowledge questions like what day of the week it is.

FAUCI PLEADS FIFTH WITH ‘ZERO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION’ AS CRITICS ERUPT AND DEMAND CONTEMPT CHARGES

“If it’s just factual questions that he should know the answer on, it’s hard to see how he would walk into a perjury trap if he’s just telling the truth, because perjury also requires that you knowingly made a false statement,” Kambli said. “If he had an incorrect recollection, that was an innocent mistake that typically wouldn’t lead to a perjury charge.”

Kambli said federal law distinguishes between witnesses who ignore a congressional subpoena and those who appear before Congress but refuse to answer questions. In the latter case, he said, prosecutors generally do not have to prove the witness intentionally violated the law. Instead, the central question is whether the witness had a valid legal basis for refusing to answer, such as a legitimate claim under the Fifth Amendment.

“The issue is [the witness] is already protected if he tells the truth, and it’s only if he knowingly lies about something material that he can be charged,” Kambli said. “So the issue becomes whether the Senate can make a referral to DOJ based on that.”

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said the legal issues surrounding Fauci’s testimony are more complicated than either side suggests.

“The only risk that he faced would come from any false statements that he made in the hearing in dealing with these questions,” Turley told Fox News Digital. “That would likely be viewed as sufficient, particularly since some questions could extend to statements and conduct from after the pardon grant.”

Turley also pointed to Fauci’s decision to deliver an opening statement before invoking the Fifth Amendment, suggesting it could raise additional legal questions.

“There are also questions about the questions limited to the period of his pardon as well as his decision to give an opening statement before invocation. Those are possible grounds for contempt. It would raise novel issues, though there is precedent from the Lois Lerner matter,” Turley said.

TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM FAUCI’S HEARING: PAUL BOOTS LAWYER, MORENO ERUPTS AS CONTEMPT VOTE LOOMS

Turley was referring to former IRS official Lois Lerner, who declared her innocence in a voluntary opening statement before invoking the Fifth Amendment during a 2013 congressional hearing. House Republicans argued Lerner waived her right to invoke the Fifth Amendment when she made statements about the very subject under investigation. Although the House held Lerner in contempt, the Justice Department later declined to pursue criminal contempt charges.

But Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, argued Paul’s position is stronger than Fauci’s.

“He can’t be prosecuted by the federal government for any actions he took during the period the pardon covers,” von Spakovsky said. “However, if he lies while under oath at his hearing today about any of those prior actions, he could be prosecuted for perjury.”

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

While von Spakovsky acknowledged that Biden’s pardon of Fauci covers only federal charges, it does not shield Fauci from facing state charges. But he noted no state has accused Fauci of violating state law, at least not yet. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Wednesday announced a state investigation into Fauci, following his testimony on Capitol Hill.

“The possibility of a state prosecution is almost nonexistent because states generally cannot prosecute federal officials acting within the scope of their duties and Fauci would argue that everything he did over COVID was carried out in his official slot as head of NIAID,” von Spakovsky told Fox News Digital.

“The only reason for him to take the Fifth is because he doesn’t want to admit, based on his personal diaries, that he lied repeatedly to the public and Congress when he was head of the NIAID,” von Spakovsky said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

If Paul’s contempt resolution clears the committee, it would move to the full Senate, but it will need to beat the 60-vote filibuster in order to pass.

Fox News Digital reached out to Fauci’s attorney, David Schertler, for comment.

Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Democratic Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek for U.S. Senate.

“Now the ball’s in your court, Iowa. Let’s make sure that we send Josh Turek to the United States Senate,” Obama said near the end of a video that featured the two men shooting hoops on a basketball court in a modified version of the classic game horse.

“Let’s go. We playin’ horse or what? Obama asks.

“We’re playin’ Iowa,” Turek replies.

OBAMA WARNS VANCE IS PUSHING ‘BLOOD AND SOIL’ VERSION OF ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ MANTRA

“I know a little somethin’ about winning Iowa,” Obama quips.

Obama won the state in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential contests.

Turek is a four-time wheelchair basketball Paralympian and was a gold medalist twice.

DEM SENATE HOPEFUL RIPPED AS ‘ABSENTEE LEGISLATOR’ AFTER MISSING NEARLY 60% OF VOTES

He will face U.S. House Republican Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, in the general election.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, announced last year that she would not run for re-election in 2026.

That same day, Hinson announced a U.S. Senate bid.

TRUMP-ENDORSED HINSON SECURES IOWA SENATE NOMINATION AS DEMOCRATS EYE GOP SEAT

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Then just days later, President Donald Trump endorsed Hinson for Senate.

The embattled former face of the United States’ COVID-19 response is prominently displayed and heroically framed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History — as the network of Smithsonian institutions faces scrutiny over woke messaging from government officials.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, formerly the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has a prominent place at the museum’s “Entertainment Nation” exhibit.

“As a deadly pandemic ravaged the nation, major sports leagues found themselves at the center of a debate over ‘reopening’ the country,” a placard dedicated to Fauci says.

FAUCI’S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED

“Amidst a cacophony of misinformation and denial, advice from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading epidemiologist, urged leagues to make decisions about resuming play ‘based on scientific evidence and public health judgment,'” it continues. “When baseball became the first league to retake the field, Fauci threw the ceremonial opening pitch—wearing a facemask in a stadium empty of fans.”

A diary kept by Fauci while the pandemic raged, recently exposed by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., shows a man fixated on his own fame, who acknowledged answers to controversial questions in private, but said the opposite in public.

One of those controversial questions dealt with the origin of the virus. COVID-19 may have originated in a National Institute of Health (NIH) funded facility in China. While Fauci recognized privately that the virus may have accidentally escaped a lab, he stalwartly maintained the opposite in public. Fauci critics who suggested otherwise, including other doctors, were castigated. Fauci also insisted that the government was not conducting controversial gain-of-function research. That was later proved false.

FAUCI PRIVATELY TOOK CREDIT FOR COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS DESPITE PUBLIC DENIAL, NEWLY EXPOSED DIARY ENTRIES REVEAL

Alongside the Smithsonian’s heroic characterization of Fauci as a man of science, the museum prominently features that Washington Nationals baseball cap, signed by the doctor, that he wore while throwing out the first pitch when MLB resumed play after lockdowns.

Fauci also repeatedly denied that he was behind the damaging pandemic-era lockdowns, but acknowledged in his diary that mayors and health officials in the country’s largest metropolitan areas, including New York City and Los Angeles, were taking his advice to shut their municipalities down.

Diary posts also show that the doctor, often framed as a humble lifelong public servant, was obsessed with the attention he received during the pandemic. He extensively documented flattering news stories about himself, bragging in May 2020 that his “national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable” and that it was “not hyperbole” to say he was “the most famous and talked about person in the country.”

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

The pandemic claimed 1.2 million American lives.

Fauci was grilled on Capitol Hill Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, chaired by Paul. He invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times, failing to answer a single question.

The Smithsonian is dealing with government scrutiny of its own, both from Congress and the White House.

The American history museum’s director, Anthea Hartig, was grilled before Congress last week over sexually explicit imagery, Mickey Mouse being linked to racism and a museum toolkit discussing “objectivity” as a feature of White supremacy.

The museum’s MASS Action Toolkit is a mid-2010s anthology for museums that references the 2014 Ferguson, Missouri, police shooting of Mike Brown and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. It links politeness and being on time to White supremacy.

The White House chastised the taxpayer-funded museum for pushing “one-sided, divisive political narratives.”

“American taxpayers should not be funding institutions that undermine our country or promote one-sided, divisive political narratives,” White House official Lindsey Halligan told Fox News Digital. “The Smithsonian Institution should present history in a way that is accurate, balanced, and consistent with the values that make the United States of America exceptional.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The White House also released a report on July 4 that criticized the Smithsonian’s portrayal of American history, and more recently, President Donald Trump ordered the National Park Service to place signs outside the museum directing visitors and passersby to an online resource that he says portrays an “accurate” version of American history.

He also blasted the museum as “woke” and “OUT OF CONTROL” on Truth Social.

Fox News’ Charles Creitz and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: Lonnie Bunch III, the Smithsonian Institution secretary who called DEI an “integral to excellence in museum practice,” raked in over $4.4 million from 2020-2024 in base salary and added benefits, a Fox News Digital review found.

While the Smithsonian funds executive compensation through private trust revenues to comply with federal pay caps, the high-dollar package could draw fresh scrutiny because federal taxpayers still fund roughly 60% of the institution’s overall budget.

During his tenure, Bunch has championed a sweeping transformation of the institution’s cultural footprint, stating during a 2019 interview with the Smithsonian Magazine that he wanted the Smithsonian to make “diversity and inclusion so central that it’s no longer talked about.”

“We call ourselves the Great Convener, but we’re really a great legitimizer. And I want the Smithsonian to legitimize important issues, whether it’s 1619 or climate change,” Bunch said, referring to the controversial 1619 Project that has been repeatedly slammed for “egregious errors” by scholars. “We help people think about what’s important, what they should debate, what they should embrace.”

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

“Everybody that thought about the 1619 Project, whether they liked it or disagreed with it, saw that the Smithsonian had fingerprints on it. And that to me was a great victory,” he added.

As secretary, Bunch reports to the organization’s board of regents and oversees the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo and several research centers. Within the organization, the departments of the deputy secretary, chief operating officer and external affairs report to him.

While Bunch’s current salary is not public yet, the Smithsonian Institution’s 990 tax forms from 2020 to 2024 show that he has raked in millions of dollars, including a salary of $915,469 with $74,090 in added benefits in 2024. Other years range from $726,156 to $861,379 for his salary and up to $68,391 in added benefits.

In addition to the interview, he co-wrote a policy framework resource titled “Excellence in DEAI,” an acronym for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion, which was written for the American Alliance of Museums. 

Bunch further elaborated on his views on diversity in this 17-page document, which says that museums should “embed responsibility and accountability for implementing DEAI policies and processes into operations, job descriptions, and performance reviews at all levels of the institution, from the board of directors, c-level executives, and senior leaders to middle managers, junior staff, and volunteers.”

“DEAI is integral to excellence in museum practice. FULL STOP,” Bunch wrote.

“Amid social, political and cultural polarization and clear structural racism and other forms of oppression in the United States and around the world, DEAI must be at the center of how we understand and practice excellence in our institutions,” he added.

SMITHSONIAN PUSHED ‘REVOLTING’ SOCIAL ACTION TRAINING AFTER ‘WHITENESS’ CHART APOLOGY: EXPERT

Bunch’s comments, along with statements from other Smithsonian leadership members, have prompted scrutiny from the Trump administration. In a report titled Saving America’s Story, the administration raised concerns that the organization had taken on a clear political bent.

“Confirmed in the words of museum leadership, this ideological capture has moved the museum’s mission away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country,” the report reads.

For his part, Bunch has claimed that he sees himself as an apolitical actor without an agenda despite pushing for DEAI.

“What the country needs are places that are nonpartisan and safe, where people can grapple with what’s going on around them,” Bunch told Smithsonian Magazine.

The Smithsonian, which was established by Congress in 1846 as an independent federal trust, depends heavily on taxpayer dollars.

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

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Financially, the institution depends on the federal government for approximately two-thirds of its funding,” the organization stated in its 2025 management report.

Bunch did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether he believes his political leanings are at odds with the Smithsonian’s overall purpose or whether federal funding should prevent the organization’s employees from furthering a stated agenda.

LOS ANGELES, CA – As new data show homelessness rising in Los Angeles, local activist John Alle said Mayor Karen Bass has neglected her responsibility to address the issue and witness firsthand the crime, drug use and deteriorating conditions in some of the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority released its 2026 annual homeless count Friday, finding overall homelessness increased 3.4% in LA and 1.2% across the Los Angeles Continuum of Care following two consecutive years of declines, though LAHSA said “neither change is considered statistically significant.”

The count estimated 45,194 people were experiencing homelessness in LA and 73,040 across the Continuum of Care, which excludes Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale.

“She doesn’t get it. She doesn’t see it,” John Alle, a Santa Monica business owner and co-founder of the Santa Monica Coalition who owns properties across Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital in an interview last month.

KAREN BASS GRILLED OVER BROKEN HOMELESSNESS PROMISE, BLAMES BUREAUCRACY FOR SLOWED PROGRESS

“We’ve invited her numerous times to ride along with us through Alvarado, Third Street, Park View, MacArthur Park and Westlake. Come drive with us. Have a police officer follow behind for security. And she refused.”

The report also found street homelessness rose 7.9% in Los Angeles and 3.3% countywide, with an estimated 29,115 people living on the streets in the city. LAHSA said funding cuts affecting Time-Limited Subsidies and other economic factors reduced the number of people permanently housed by about 5,100 from the “record high of 28,625 people housed permanently in 2024.”

In a press release Thursday responding to the data, Bass argued funding cuts “at the federal and state levels” contributed to the rise, adding the Trump administration had “driven up the cost of gas, groceries, and rent — pushing more families to the edge — and slashed critical safety net funding.”

“For two years straight, we drove down homelessness by historic margins — but as expected, last year our efforts ultimately couldn’t keep up with policies and funding cuts at the federal and state levels that pushed more people onto the streets,” she said.

Bass also admitted in a May interview with CNN’s Elex Michaelson that she did not fulfill her promise to end street homelessness in the city by 2026 because she “didn’t anticipate some of the bureaucratic barriers” her administration would face.

Alle said crime has “gotten so bad” in neighborhoods including Little Bangladesh, which Bass has previously described as one of “LA’s most vibrant communities.”

“In Little Bangladesh, the crime is so bad that we’re finding people on the streets unconscious,” he said. “We’re having handymen pick up needles and dispose of them.”

SPENCER PRATT SAYS HIS POLICY WILL FORCE HOMELESS OUT OF LA AND INTO CITIES LIKE SEATTLE

Pointing to his tenants’ experiences, Alle said he sees the impact of the crisis every day on the “mom-and-pop” renters who live in his apartment buildings and pay thousands of dollars a month, saying “it doesn’t sit well with me.”

“From people overdosing outside the gated apartment buildings I own, to people attacking each other, murders, and calling 911 only to be put on hold for sometimes an hour, and then being told, ‘Well, you’re lucky. Sometimes it’s two hours,'” he said.

Alle accused Bass of ignoring neighborhood conditions despite living nearby at Getty House, the mayor’s official residence in Windsor Square.

“The streetlights are out,” he said. “The rubbish isn’t collected. The streets are dirty. It’s one thing to complain about copper wire theft, but we’re just talking about normal streetlights and replacing the bulbs.”

But it’s not just residents who are affected, according to Alle, who said small businesses are being forced to close early to avoid crime and making it harder to stay in the city.

“When I see them having to leave work at four o’clock, I see them having to close their businesses at four o’clock during the winter and at dusk during the summer,” he said. “That’s not good. I want them to succeed. If they don’t succeed, they can’t afford to stay in LA I feel for them, and their problems are my problems.”

HOUSING FIRST IS A DISASTER. I SAW SACRAMENTO’S HOMELESS CHAOS FIRSTHAND

Multiple studies have found that a large portion of homeless individuals in Los Angeles County aren’t originally from there and Alle has been vocal about how his coalition partnered with an artificial intelligence company to create an AI-powered hotline that has helped more than 40 homeless people return to their home states over the past year.

“They’ve called us from shelters,” he said. “They’ve called us from parks. The people calling aren’t entrenched with the drugs or the gangs. They came here for noble reasons.”

Additionally, Alle said his coalition collaborates with local law enforcement, paying for bus, plane or train tickets to help homeless people voluntarily return home, where they can reunite with family or enter treatment programs.

“We’re not gonna put them behind the slammer,” he said.

Alle said the most “heartbreaking” part is watching families embrace loved ones returning home, with many looking “completely different” after recovery.

“It’s a long road ahead, but they’re trying because they’ve seen hell in LA,” he said.

While acknowledging the program won’t end all homelessness, Alle said helping even a small number of people rebuild their lives is a victory.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“One person saved is great. Fifteen percent, and the 40 people we’ve saved, is tremendous,” he said.

Bass will face off against progressive city councilwoman Nithya Raman, who has her own ties to the homeless crisis as chair of the Los Angeles City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee, in her bid to win another term as mayor in November.