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A top House GOP firebrand is accusing a multibillion-dollar global corporation of injecting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the U.S. economy at a time when Americans are struggling with rising cost of living.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, who chairs the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses, is targeting McKinsey & Company in a new probe over DEI reports that he says were “highly influential in American corporations.”

He’s accusing the massive consulting firm of publishing reports that say race- and gender-based hiring practices are beneficial to U.S. companies, which he argues are a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Meanwhile, Americans are at the mercy of many of the same companies as they grapple with high prices across housing, food, and other areas.

GEORGIA GOP GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL VOWS TO ‘BAN DEI’ IN STATE BUT HIS OWN NONPROFIT URGED CEOS TO INVEST IN IT

“These McKinsey reports have been highly influential, being cited by publicly traded companies, asset managers, proxy advisory firms, and banking institutions, among others, as cause for embedding illegal racial and sex-based targets into hiring, promotion, executive compensation, and asset manager proxy voting policies,” Gill wrote in a letter sent Monday.

“With the support of the previous administration, progressive activists cited McKinsey’s reports to push companies, governments, and stock exchanges to implement rules which forced or incentivized illegal corporate racial or gender-based hiring and disclosure policies.”

Gill also questioned whether the findings of that report were legitimate.

“Although in 2024 McKinsey stated that it ‘stands by its findings,’ other researchers have found zero statistical correlation between a company’s gender and racial diversity and its financial performance,” the letter said. “Racial discrimination in the employment context, including under the guise of DEI, has been pervasive despite being plainly illegal for over half a century.”

LEGAL EXPERT CALLS FOR SMITHSONIAN LEADERSHIP OVERHAUL OVER ‘SELF-LOATHING’ PORTRAYAL OF HISTORY: ‘IT’S BILE’

It comes just after Gill’s panel led high-profile hearings into the Smithsonian Institute’s teaching of American history, bringing national attention to what Republicans are calling a warped and politicized version of the U.S.

Gill accused National Museum of American History director Anthea Hartig of pushing a left-wing ideological agenda rather than facilitating a straightforward education on the country’s past. Hertig stood by the museum’s teachings, which she called apolitical.

In the letter sent Monday, Gill cited a 2026 White House Economic Report that said DEI initiatives cost the U.S. economy roughly $94 billion in 2023.

He also pointed out that four reports published by McKinsey between 2015 and 2023 argued that companies with increased racial and gender diversity financially outperformed companies without.

NEW YORK TIMES SUED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER ALLEGED ‘DEI-RELATED’ EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION

“Researchers assessing the McKinsey DEI studies cannot recreate the results and also find that McKinsey likely swapped the cause and effect of its DEI conclusions,” Gill wrote. “The Executive Office of the President has identified $94 billion in annual economic costs to the U.S. economy due to promotion of otherwise illegal race and gender-based hiring practices, perhaps in part motivated by the findings of McKinsey’s DEI reports that are partially inaccurate or wholly incorrect.”

McKinsey’s corporate website states, “The business case for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion is strong and growing stronger.” The website estimated that the national GDP would go up by $12 trillion if the workforce gender gap is narrowed by 2025, but no update appears to be provided. Another statistic cites $2 billion in additional revenue “if financial inclusion efforts broaden services for black Americans.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to the company for comment on Gill’s letter.

The Department of War announced Monday that the U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon, an RTX business, a $22.9 billion contract to accelerate production of Tomahawk missiles, as the Pentagon moves to expand the nation’s munitions capacity and replenish critical long-range strike weapons.

The news came after President Donald Trump pushed back on concerns over the strain the Iran conflict might be placing on U.S. weapons stockpiles.

“What we’ve used is peanuts,” Trump told Fox News’ Trey Yingst in an exclusive phone interview earlier Monday. “We have a lot of mid-level weapons.”

PENTAGON RACES TO BUY 10X MORE MISSILES AS IRAN WAR DWINDLES ARSENAL, THREATENS READINESS FOR CHINA AGGRESSION

The massive Tomahawk award is intended to give RTX the stability needed to expand its workforce, increase manufacturing output and strengthen supply chains while speeding deliveries of the long-range cruise missile to U.S. forces, according to the department.

“The Department called upon industry to expand munitions production, and RTX has answered that call,” Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey wrote in a statement. “This Tomahawk award increases our ability to equip the Joint Force, ensuring our Warfighters never face a fair fight.”

Pentagon officials have increasingly focused on expanding the U.S. defense industrial base and shortening the time required to produce key weapons as military operations and heightened global tensions put renewed attention on the size and resilience of American weapons stockpiles.

“Guaranteeing our naval and joint forces have the lethal firepower they need to deter aggression and protect the homeland is paramount,” acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao wrote in a statement. “This landmark $22.9 billion investment will accelerate Tomahawk missile delivery to our warfighters at unprecedented speed.

TIM SHEEHY EXPOSES A ‘SCARY’ SHIPBUILDING COLLAPSE THAT LEAVES THE US VULNERABLE TO CHINA

“By working closely with industry to expand our munitions industrial base’s capacity, the Department is utilizing every available tool to meet the demands of our current operations, ensuring they are equipped to fight, win, and come home safe.” 

The Navy said the agreement also supports the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy, which is aimed at accelerating weapons deliveries and reducing procurement lead times.

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The Tomahawk is one of the U.S. military’s primary long-range strike weapons and can be launched from Navy ships and submarines against targets hundreds of miles away. The Navy’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Munitions oversees procurement and delivery of the service’s munitions and strike capabilities and is working to coordinate weapons programs with the industrial base to expand production capacity.

Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., the candidate who placed third in the Aug. 11 South Carolina special Republican U.S. Senate primary, has endorsed top-finisher Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C.

“President Trump needs fighters and allies in the Senate who will show up every day and get results. I believe Darline Graham will be exactly that,” Fry said in part of a Friday post on X.

“Darline knows what it means to struggle, persevere, and keep fighting when life deals you a difficult hand. Those experiences shaped her, and I believe they give her a real understanding of the challenges families across South Carolina face,” he continued.

MARK LYNCH ENDORSES RALPH NORMAN AS CONGRESSMAN HEADS INTO RUNOFF AGAINST DARLINE GRAHAM

“On August 25, I’m asking everyone who supported our campaign to join me in supporting Darline Graham for the United States Senate. Campaigns are temporary. The cause is bigger than any one candidate. Now let’s get it done,” he noted.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who placed second in the South Carolina special GOP U.S. Senate primary, will face Graham in the Aug. 25 runoff.

SOUTH CAROLINA GOP SENATE SHOWDOWN HEADS TO RUNOFF IN RACE TO SUCCEED LINDSEY GRAHAM

Last month, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, to serve the remainder of her brother’s term.

President Donald Trump, who backed Graham ahead of the special primary contest, is continuing to support her for the runoff.

DARLINE GRAHAM DETAILS HOW SHE’D FORGE OWN PATH IN SENATE WHILE CARRYING ON BROTHER LINDSEY’S LEGACY

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“SOUTH CAROLINA: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR DARLINE GRAHAM ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH. DARLINE HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” he wrote in a Friday Truth Social post, which included an image of Fry’s post on X endorsing Graham.

President Donald Trump is blaming vandals for large spots of dead grass on the National Mall near the World War II Memorial, the same area where the president hosted crowds for a 4th of July celebration.

Trump made the claim without providing evidence or explaining why he believes vandals damaged the grass. He shared a photo showing an area by the World War II Memorial with patches of brown and dead grass across much of the sprawling turf that was previously full of green grass.

“Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!” he continued.

TRUMP URGES JEANINE PIRRO TO REVISIT DROPPED LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM CASE

Trump had a large stage built and invited crowds to the same lawn for his Independence Day celebration last month. He is now blaming vandals for the grass damage. Crowds gathered to hear from the president and watch fireworks to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Photos from the celebration show a large bandstand and seating areas covering nearly the entire lawn Trump now says was damaged by vandals. Photos from subsequent days showed workers removing the structures, revealing brown and damaged grass underneath. The photographs show that event infrastructure occupied much of the affected lawn, but do not by themselves establish what caused all of the grass damage.

Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to his renovation projects in Washington, D.C., often without evidence and contradicting accounts from his officials.

Earlier this month, Trump criticized U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after her office moved to dismiss the vandalism case after newly disclosed evidence showed widespread liner damage stemming from a flawed installation and the rush to complete the project ahead of Independence Day events, undermining the case against the defendant.

On Friday, an arrest was made in connection with vandalism at the World War II Memorial after the words “Clean hands dirty $” were found painted on the monument and bubbles filled a fountain.

Felony charges in that case are being brought against Melissa Farris, according to Pirro.

Charging documents in that case do not mention the once-grassy area Trump referred to in his new social media post. Authorities said Farris was previously arrested for camping on federal property a few blocks from the World War II Memorial, but not the spot referenced by Trump.

OBAMA JUDGE HANDS PROGRESSIVES A WIN OVER ANTI-TRUMP ’86 47′ MESSAGE AMID RISING THREATS

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On Aug. 1, Trump posted a different photo of the same area of dead that appears to show the numbers “86 47,” which federal officials argue is a threat against Trump. The numbers are not visible in the photo Trump shared on Sunday.

Trump cited that image as evidence against Pirro’s conclusion, describing it as “a pure case of VANDALISM, that included the grass.”

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

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday said he supports U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after her office moved to dismiss the vandalism case involving the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Federal prosecutors on July 31 moved to drop the case against Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the $14 million project after cracks, algae growth and peeling sealant were discovered. Prosecutors cited evidence indicating the damage may have stemmed from a botched renovation rather than vandalism.

Blanche said he and President Donald Trump both support Pirro, but acknowledged that he could not fault the president for his reaction to the case dismissal, as “potential vandalism” may still be involved.

“I absolutely support U.S. Attorney Pirro, as does President Trump,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

TRUMP URGES JEANINE PIRRO TO REVISIT DROPPED LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM CASE

“Now, that’s different than whether the president is extraordinarily frustrated at what happened in that case. And I don’t in any way fault him for that.”

Blanche clarified that the court filings did not conclude that all of the damage was caused by faulty construction, noting that a witness reportedly claimed to have seen Hearn vandalizing the reflecting pool. However, he acknowledged that witness accounts alone are not sufficient evidence to prove the case.

“Well, there’s a witness that said, ‘I observed the defendant vandalizing the reflecting pool.’ Now, that’s different than whether ultimately we have the proof.”

Hearn has maintained his innocence. 

TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM ALLEGATIONS, CITES NEW WITNESS ACCOUNT

Despite the evidentiary issues surrounding the case, Blanche said Pirro is doing a “phenomenal job” prosecuting vandalism involving memorials and monuments. 

His comments came after Pirro’s office pursued a separate $1,000 property-destruction case involving a veterans memorial last Thursday. A female suspect, Melissa L. Farris, allegedly spray-painted the words “clean hands, diary money” in bright pink paint and dumped bubble soap into the memorial’s fountain.

“U.S. Attorney Pirro is doing a phenomenal job enforcing that, going after anybody who’s doing it. And I think judging her on a single case because of the evidence that we had is not fair,” he said.

Blanche also said he would also consider last Thursday’s White House request asking the Justice Department to explore whether a new misdemeanor prosecution could be brought against Hearn after Pirro’s office dropped the original vandalism case.

WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ON NATIONAL MALL VANDALIZED WITH PINK SPRAY PAINT; FOUNTAIN OVERFLOWING WITH BUBBLES

“Will I take the President of the United States’s view on something into consideration? Yes, of course,” he said.

“That’s certainly something that I listen to.”

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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back upcoming U.S.-South Korea military exercises on Sunday, arguing that the operations cost too much and send a hostile message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

At the same time, the president went on to criticize Seoul for declining to join U.S. war efforts to denuclearize Iran.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump noted that while it was too late to cancel the drills entirely, he was dissatisfied with the longstanding military arrangement between Washington and Seoul.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,” Trump wrote.

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES ANOTHER BALLISTIC MISSILE AS US, SOUTH KOREA PREPARE FOR MILITARY DRILLS

“These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.”

In the same post, Trump linked his frustration over the military exercises to a separate diplomatic exchange regarding Iran.

“While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’” Trump wrote, referring to Lee Jae Myung.

NORTH KOREA EXPERT WARNS US CAN ‘NEVER TAKE THEIR EYE OFF’ KIM JONG UN FOLLOWING MISSILE TEST DURING IRAN WAR

Trump’s directive came a day before what is known as the Ulchi Freedom Shield, an 11-day annual joint military exercise scheduled to begin Monday.

The routine maneuvers are to strengthen defense readiness across the Korean Peninsula, where about 28,500 U.S. service members are stationed as part of U.S. Forces Korea.

This year’s exercise is set to involve roughly 18,000 South Korean troops, a level similar to previous years.

Pyongyang, however, has consistently opposed the annual drills, with North Korea’s Foreign Ministry calling the exercise “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” last week in a statement carried by state media, Reuters reported.

Trump’s order to scale back operations also follows a fresh surge in weapons testing by Pyongyang, which conducted two ballistic missile launches within six days this month.

MOSCOW, KYIV ASSASSINS HUNT WEAPONS BOSSES AS UKRAINE WAR SPILLS BEYOND THE BATTLEFIELD

Following the most recent test on Aug. 12, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it was consulting closely with regional allies, adding that its assessment indicated the launch did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory or allies.

U.S. officials issued a smiliar response after the earlier launch on Aug. 6, saying Washington remained committed to defending the U.S. homeland and its regional allies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also warned that Pyongyang is using Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to test and refine its military hardware on active battlefields.

In a statement posted to social media, Zelenskyy said Moscow is preparing to deploy additional North Korean troops and has received additional North Korean ballistic missiles.

“For the first time in its history, Russia cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea,” Zelenskyy said.

“North Korea’s ballistic missiles and other weapons are being improved through its collaboration with Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

“The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, in Europe, the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots, the greater the danger will later be for Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and other countries in the region.”

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This is also not the first time Trump has scaled back joint exercises with South Korea.  During his first term as well, following his initial Singapore summit with Kim Jong-un, he called the “war games” “provocative” and expensive. 

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Sunday said the USS Abraham Lincoln has recorded one of the lowest numbers of mental health cases in the Navy, amid mounting allegations of poor conditions aboard the carrier.

The Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 260 days supporting the war with Iran, has been at the center of a dispute over allegations of supply shortages, plumbing problems and crew members threatening to jump overboard. Officials have repeatedly denied such claims and announced Friday that the carrier is expected to be replaced soon.

In a statement posted by CENTCOM, commander Adm. Brad Cooper touted the carrier’s mental health record among the Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers after reportedly visiting the ship over the weekend.

“My time aboard USS Abraham Lincoln yesterday was awe-inspiring. I wish every American could see the crew in action. You would beam with absolute pride when witnessing their camaraderie, teamwork and resilience,” Cooper said, according to the post on X. “Here’s an important fact: Of the U.S. Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health.”

US NAVY RELEASES PHOTOS OF ‘FRESH MEALS,’ PUSHES BACK ON REPORTS OF FOOD SHORTAGES ON MIDDLE EAST WARSHIPS

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Cooper added that many of the allegations involving food and hot water were old concerns raised months ago that have since been addressed by the ship’s leadership.

“Recent media reporting has portrayed varying perspectives on operational tempo, crew morale and the realities facing our deployed forces. What I found aboard the Lincoln is that many elements of those stories are old news. I chatted with junior enlisted personnel and junior officers in small groups. Issues related to food, hot water and other concerns raised months ago were addressed by leadership and resolved,” he said.

In his CENTCOM statement, Cooper acknowledged that despite the ship’s low number of mental health cases and improved conditions, extended deployments at sea can still be challenging, as some sailors may respond differently than others to the demands of prolonged missions.

“This doesn’t mean that all is perfect. Find any of the nearly 4 million Navy veterans in America today and they will likely tell you that service at sea for long periods isn’t for everyone. It is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways,” he said.

TANKERS ATTACKED AS TEHRAN, TRUMP BATTLE OVER CONTROL OF STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Cooper credited the ship’s leadership with fostering a culture that supports crew resilience and gives mental health the same necessary attention as “physical health and spiritual health.”

“I applaud Lincoln’s leadership — the senior enlisted leaders in the Chief Petty Officers Mess in particular — for stepping up and making mental health and crew resilience a leadership priority,” Cooper said.

“To all our Sailors and Marines aboard the ship, keep up the great work and fair winds and following seas on the journey home.”

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President Donald Trump said Friday that the Lincoln will soon be “replaced with another very similar ship,” which is currently en route to the Middle East. The WSJ reported Thursday that the USS George Washington is heading to the region from the Pacific.

Allegations about conditions aboard the Lincoln emerged following reports of numerous complaints, including food shortages, contaminated water, toilet problems, and a spike in suicidal ideation after months without a port call.

Sean Parnell, who said he experienced a 485-day deployment in Afghanistan, blasted the media reports Friday, calling the accusations twisted.

“The media treatment of the USS Abraham Lincoln is something different. Legitimate challenges of a long combat deployment are being twisted into a false narrative, while the genuine difficulties faced by military families are being used for headlines. That is shameful,” he said in a post on X.

Social media is erupting over a viral video of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey showing off his awkward dance moves while attending the Black Entrepreneur State Fair, with the clip quickly spreading across X as users call the dance a “cringe” performance.

The clip, posted on TikTok last week, shows Frey moving his hips and shoulders to hip-hop music while wearing sunglasses and interacting with an emcee on the dance floor, prompting a wave of mockery from conservative commentators.

“Why are they always like this? This is almost worse than when he pretended the Somali food he was choking down his throat was delicious. He’s a walking humiliation ritual,” said conservative commentator Benny Johnson.

“What an embarrassment,” said one user.

SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS WITH MOCKERY AS DEM SENATE CANDIDATE’S PEP TALK GOES VIRAL: ‘IS THIS FOR REAL?’

“I’d honestly prefer that he defund the police,” joked commentator Emily Jashinsky.

“One of the worst parts of Democrats becoming the party of theater kids isn’t just that they’re destroying American cities, it’s that they were clearly the worst and least talented theater kids, which is why they went into politics,” said Outkick writer Ian Miller.

“The world is full of white liberals willing to play the fool,” wrote a user.

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“Mayor Frey is out here dancing like his state his city is not in complete disarray and plagued with rampant fraud at every level. His ability to put on blinders and just vibe is unmatched,” said X host Mario Nawfal.

“Cringe: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey looking like the classic white guy dancing caricature,” said one user.

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

The annual Black Entrepreneur State Fair, a weeklong celebration of Black-owned businesses, was held Aug. 9-15 at Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis.

The video comes amid a string of Democratic lawmakers and candidates drawing online mockery over attempts to connect with voters through dance and other lighthearted performances, with critics branding the moments awkward and bizarre.

HASAN PIKER CALLS FOR DEMOCRATS WHO OPPOSE ABDUL EL-SAYED TO BE ‘PUNISHED’

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed also faced criticism after a campaign video parodying Blue’s Clues to explain voting by mail resurfaced online.

Wearing a green-striped shirt, he recreated the show’s “Mail Time” song and dance, while pulling an “Abdul for Senate” ballot from a mailbox to explain ballot deadlines and voting procedures in the style of the children’s program.

He ended the video by adapting the show’s “Blue’s Skidoo” catchphrase to “Vote ski-doo. We can too!” and disappearing into a campaign-themed picture frame.

The internet piled on El-Sayed, with critics calling the video “the most cringeworthy political advert” and “disgusting.”

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

A federal judge in Arizona cleared the path for border wall construction in the state after a Native American tribe attempted to block its construction.

The Tohono O’odham Nation had argued that constructing the border wall along its southern border with Mexico would constitute illegal trespassing on tribal lands as well as effectively shrink the reservation.

Judge Richard Leon noted in his ruling a federal proclamation in 1907 that the first 60 feet of the reservation could be taken for federal use.

“Given the national security and foreign policy considerations related to the border wall, deference to the government is warranted,” he said.

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

Members of the Tohono O’odham Nation had erected “no trespassing” signs in reaction to federal workers visiting the border sites to scope out construction.

The reservation’s shared border with Mexico extends roughly 62 miles.

“ANY construction related activities to the illegal and destructive border wall be warned, informed of trespass and escorted off the Nation’s land by law enforcement,” the tribe wrote on its Facebook page on Aug. 8.

Judge Leon pointed to a proclamation by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 stating that all public land within 60 feet of an international boundary is under the exclusive control of the federal government.

The proclamation argued it was necessary “as a protection against the smuggling of goods between the United States and the Republic of Mexico.”

Leon further noted that the Tohono nation was not declared a reservation until 1917, after Roosevelt’s proclamation.

The legal win for the federal government comes after President Donald Trump’s administration celebrated 15 consecutive months of having zero border releases at the U.S.-Mexico border last week.

OPINION: THE BORDER IS CLOSED THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. IN VIRGINIA, THAT DOESN’T MATTER

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s office said daily apprehensions at the border are down 94% compared to former President Joe Biden’s administration and are at the lowest level seen in 30 years.

“Again this month, the results are clear: President Trump’s border security agenda is restoring order and putting the safety of the American people first,” Mullin said in a statement.

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“DHS remains focused on enforcing our immigration laws, securing the border, and ensuring those who enter our country illegally are removed swiftly. Thanks to the strong leadership of President Trump, we have the most secure border in history,” he added.

Humanoid robots capable of autonomously navigating rugged terrain and detecting people could eventually join federal agents patrolling the southern border, with one U.S. robotics company telling Fox News Digital it has already demonstrated the technology to Department of Homeland Security officials.

Sankaet Pathak, founder and CEO of Foundation, spoke with Fox News Digital to discuss the company’s development of humanoid robotics and their potential applications at the border.

Pathak said Foundation is in talks with several national security agencies.

“We’re in conversations with almost all national security government bodies, so Air Force, Navy, Army, DHS,” Pathak said. “We continue to have dialogues. We’re starting to negotiate contracts and some applications for them.”

PALANTIR’S SHYAM SANKAR SAYS ‘EVERY DAY WE’RE MAKING PROGRESS’ AS AI SUPERCHARGES AMERICAN WORKERS

A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that no formal arrangement is currently in place.

“The Department of Homeland Security currently does not have any non-contractual agreements, pilots, or active prime contracts with Foundation.”

Pathak envisions Phantom conducting reconnaissance and surveillance in terrain that can be difficult for humans, vehicles, aerial drones or fixed cameras to navigate.

“If drones and watchtowers were able to solve for everything, why do we still have humans at the border?” Pathak told Fox News Digital.

Pathak said existing automated solutions struggle with tasks ranging from logistics to navigating complex terrain, adding that he thinks “humanoids will fill that gap quite well.”

Pathak said Phantom can distinguish humans from other obstacles, autonomously traverse uneven terrain and map its environment. The company’s goal is for robots to conduct those reconnaissance functions autonomously before flagging potential border crossings for human officers.

TRUMP ADMIN MARKS 15 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH ZERO BORDER RELEASES AS APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE 94%

Pathak also pointed to tunnels along the border as another potential application for the technology, saying Foundation would explore underground operations as part of its use cases.

“Our biggest thing is if we can keep our officers in a safe place, and these robots can continue to surveil 24/7,” Pathak said.

He said robots could flag significant activity and allow human officers to respond when intervention is necessary.

“Tomorrow I think we could do a pilot. Next couple of months, we can do something much larger.”

Pathak said weather resistance remains one of the principal limitations of the current Phantom, but a second-generation model expected in the coming months is designed to be waterproof, dustproof and substantially more rugged for outdoor deployment.

While Foundation’s immediate vision centers on surveillance and reconnaissance, Pathak said the company would be willing to arm robots for border operations if requested by the federal government. He stressed, however, that the machines are not envisioned making enforcement decisions independently in the near future.

INSIDE CHINA’S AI ‘WOLF PACK’ DRONES BUILT WITH TAIWAN CONFLICT IN MIND

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“They will detect and then flag and then a human would decide kind of like what the next step it needs to be,” Pathak said.

Shannon Watts, a Democratic political operative and gun control activist, torched a rising progressive kingmaker on Friday, accusing him of trying to brush off his past controversial comments online.

In her view, Hasan Piker, a far-left streamer, used the same playbook to downplay his unhinged claims after facing backlash on social media.

“Hasan Piker defense Bingo card: ‘It’s a joke, satire, hyperbole. It’s out of context. It was years ago,’” Watts said in her post. “’English is my second language. I stream for hours. Bad faith clipping. Smear campaign. Critics are being paid for Israel.’”

HASAN PIKER NAMES PRO-CCP TYCOON SINGHAM AS FINANCIER OF ‘POLITICAL MOVEMENTS’ DESPITE NONPROFIT VENEER

It didn’t take long for Piker to fire back — even as he admitted the pattern.

“All of that is true and valid. You behave as a GOP operative. You’re a shameless grifter who doesn’t care about the Dem Senate majority or punishing Trump,” Piker wrote.

“And you are a copycat of MAGA tactics engaging in alternative facts,” Fred Guttenberg, a Democratic activist whose daughter was murdered in the Parkland shooting, fired back. “As a Jewish person whose daughter was murdered in the Parkland shooting and whose brother died because of 9/11, your attack on Shannon is batsh– crazy and your comparison of the NRA and AIPAC only confirms your insanity. 

“Using your MAGA styled attacks against someone like Shannon or me won’t work. Stop being a copycat,” he continued.

Watts’ online clash with Piker showcases the concern some Democrats have shown over comments, posts and videos that have resurfaced among progressives.

For example, concerns about former Senate candidate Graham Platner started as eyebrow-raising Reddit posts ballooned into sexual assault allegations. 

Michigan’s Senate Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, came under fire for past calls to defund the police. Watts’ spat with Piker puts a question mark on whether the party’s banner carriers should shoulder more responsibility for their past rhetoric.

Watts, who has dedicated the last 14 years to gun control advocacy, has boldly argued in recent months that Democrats are turning a blind eye to the online histories of some of their candidates at the expense of their electability and trustworthiness.

Although he himself is not running for office, Piker has drawn scrutiny for a long list of controversial remarks, especially as he acts as a surrogate for El-Sayed and other progressive candidates.

SANDERS SAYS PLATNER HAS THE ‘GUTS’ TO FIGHT BILLIONAIRES DESPITE GROWING SCANDAL PILEUP

In 2019, Piker famously said that “America deserved 9/11,” arguing later that the U.S. had “brought it on itself.” He would later walk it back and call it “inappropriate” after massive backlash online.

Once, when asked if he supported terrorism, Piker answered by saying, “No, I don’t. I don’t support the state of Israel, and I don’t support the state of the United States of America.”

Piker’s clash with Watts began when some of those past comments cost him on Thursday after the University of Washington said it had decided to cancel an upcoming event with him, citing his rhetoric on Israel.

In response, Piker took to X, arguing that Democrats should stand up for First Amendment principles.

“We must fight back against the undemocratic & unamerican forces of Trumpism, which means protecting free speech and due process, two fundamental rights Trump is actively seeking to destroy at this moment!” Piker wrote.

The comment prompted a retort from Watts, noting that Piker has a seemingly uneven track record of calling for the defense of rights.

She recalled an instance where Piker had encouraged President Donald Trump to “lock up” a longtime Dem nemesis.

“When Trump threatened to arrest Adam Schiff for being his political enemy, Hasan Piker said: ‘Oh my God, I hope they arrest him. Oh my God, I hope he goes to prison. Yeah, this is political. Sure. I don’t care. Lock him up. Lock him up,’” Watts reminded audiences.

Piker has repeatedly criticized Schiff for receiving contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and for, in his view, not doing enough to push back against U.S. ties to Israel.

HASAN PIKER CALLS FOR DEMOCRATS WHO OPPOSE ABDUL EL-SAYED TO BE ‘PUNISHED’

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In 2019, Piker told Schiff to “suck my entire d—” while bashing the senator for hosting a fundraiser hosted by Raytheon, a prominent U.S. defense contractor.

Piker, faced with his own past words, said his remarks about Schiff had been a joke.

“I voted for him. This is a joke, you dumb—,” Piker responded to Watts.

A Democratic commentator fired back at Piker’s comment, asking, “How is it a joke? You just gonna say that for every single thing you’ve said? You are very clearly serious in this video.”

Representatives for Piker did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on whether the party’s base was placing enough emphasis on past online comments, or at what point online rhetoric should be disqualifying for political candidates.

The DOJ’s expanded anti-fraud task force made its first sweeping bust of Medicaid scofflaws in Pennsylvania this month, drawing comparisons to the massive fraud scandals that rocked Minnesota — but with one major difference.

Republicans and Democrats in the state united in outrage after nearly two dozen people were charged in Philadelphia and elsewhere. The DOJ noted Pennsylvania spends $8 billion on Medicaid home-care services, more than almost any other state, and those services were the target of the busts.

“The allegations are really disturbing just as they are in Minnesota and other places where we’ve seen this,” House Ways & Means Committee member Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.

PENNSYLVANIA AG EXPLAINS WHY STATE LEADS NATION IN MEDICAID FRAUD CONVICTIONS WHILE OTHERS BATTLE MASS SCHEMES

“It’s criminal activity that is taking money from individuals who really need it. And this is this is Medicaid — It’s not Medicare, which is more for seniors. But this is for people who truly need help, who are disabled — these are individuals who are relying on Medicaid to help them get through every day. And these are criminals who are taking that money and lining their pockets with it,” said Smucker, whose Lancaster-area district has an older population and has anywhere from two in 10 to four in 10 constituents enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or both, according to reports.

The DOJ’s anti-fraud chief echoed those sentiments while describing some of the most egregious cases among the 19 Pennsylvania defendants charged as of last week.

One suspect billed Medicaid for services that supposedly occurred while police had pulled him over for a moving violation and charged him on suspicion of marijuana possession, according to the DOJ.

Another suspect billed Medicaid for services during a period when he was in court watching a family member get sentenced for Medicaid fraud-related offenses, according to Colin McDonald.

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

Another suspect billed Medicaid for home-care services that McDonald said were supposedly provided while the suspect was driving for a rideshare company. Another billed for services while in prison, according to McDonald.

Smucker said Pennsylvania welcomes fellow Keystone Stater and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and his investigators, adding that he is grateful state officials in Harrisburg are also taking note.

That cooperation sets the Pennsylvania busts apart from those in Minnesota, where Gov. Tim Walz has faced accusations of inaction over what has become a multibillion-dollar scandal.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signaled cooperation and collaboration with Republicans in going after Medicaid fraudsters in remarks his office made to Fox News Digital.

TIM WALZ BECOMES GOP PUNCHLINE IN SWEEPING NEW WAR ON WELFARE FRAUD

Shapiro, a Democrat and the commonwealth’s former attorney general, prosecuted public assistance-related crimes and now governs the state with the nation’s highest number of criminal convictions for Medicaid fraud.

The governor — who was considered a runner-up to Walz in then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ search for a running mate — said the commonwealth is a “national leader in stopping fraud.”

“Here in Pennsylvania, we combat fraud wherever we find it. In 2024, we charged 119 cases of Medicaid fraud — recovering more than $11 million for taxpayers,” Shapiro said in a recent statement.

“Governor Shapiro has made fighting public assistance fraud a cornerstone of his career in public service, rooting out waste, fraud and abuse as Attorney General where he cracked down on fraud and public assistance benefit theft, charging dozens of people who stole millions in taxpayer dollars,” Shapiro spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky told Fox News Digital.

READ: DR. OZ PUTS ALL 50 GOVERNORS ON NOTICE OVER BILLIONS LOST TO MEDICAID FRAUD

Lapowsky said the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) brought one of the cases referenced by McDonald to the Justice Department for further investigation during Shapiro’s tenure.

“[That is] clearly showing our system works,” she said, adding that Pennsylvania’s high number of home-care service providers is not by itself an indicator of fraud. Conservative critics in Minnesota and Washington state have pointed to similar provider numbers to raise suspicions about fraudulent activity.

Pennsylvania — the fifth-most populous state, behind California, Texas, Florida and New York — has seen a 20% increase since 2018 in the number of adults in home-care programs, according to DHS.

DHS said it employs “ongoing monitoring,” including an electronic visit-verification system, to ensure proper billing and curtail fraud. The department refers potential fraud cases to Republican Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday’s office.

WATCH: DR. OZ SAYS NEWSOM, OTHER BLUE STATES HAVE TURNED MEDICAID FRAUD INTO A ‘FEATURE’

“This criminal conduct is much more than someone ‘working the system’ — the impact is deep and wide-ranging, as every dollar diverted deprives someone in need of care,” Sunday said in a statement.

“In collaboration with our partners, my office last year convicted more than 100 defendants, and clawed back more than $40 million that was intended for Pennsylvanians in need.”

In 2025, Sunday’s office handled 744 referrals from DHS alone, according to Harrisburg sources.

Smucker said all stakeholders must continue being vigilant for both Medicaid and Medicare-related fraud.

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“People like the four seasons here,” he said, referring to the high number of retirees who call Amish Country home.

“But we have a lot of people who are relying on these programs… and we have seen fraud across the system in federal programs. This is probably hundreds of billions per year that is being siphoned-off from taxpayer dollars,” he said.

Pennsylvania officials say investigators continue to make progress fighting Medicaid fraud.

“We are coming for you,” said former Pittsburgh U.S. Attorney Scott Brady, whom President Donald Trump tapped to lead the White House’s nationwide anti-fraud task force

The DOJ’s “Northeast Strike Force” was originally organized in Brooklyn and Newark before expanding into Pennsylvania as part of the broader crackdown.

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“Our message is clear: if you are a medical provider who chooses greed over your professional responsibility, DEA will hold you accountable,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Philadelphia chief Timothy Flaherty, whose agency is one of several participating in the new task force.

Fox News Digital’s Hannah Brennan contributed to this report.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has drawn a Trump-backed challenger, with President Donald Trump throwing his “complete and total endorsement” behind Republican Saritha Komatireddy in a bid to oust his longtime political foe.

“It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Saritha Komatireddy, who is running to be the next Attorney General of the once wonderful State of New York,” Trump wrote in a Friday Truth Social post. “Between Kathy Hochul and the Most Corrupt Attorney General in the Country, Letitia James, it has gone to HELL!”

Trump’s endorsement of Komatireddy, who he nominated to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in 2020, comes as he continues pressing for James to be prosecuted over mortgage fraud allegations, adding another front to his years-long feud with the Democratic attorney general who once took him to court.

TRUMP’S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES NEW YORK, OTHER BLUE STATES OVER TUITION FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Trump did not mince his words in his criticism of James, who successfully sued Trump and The Trump Organization in 2022, accusing them of fraudulently inflating the value of assets on financial statements to obtain more favorable loans.

An appeals court later wiped out the nearly $465 million financial penalty against Trump, ruling the massive disgorgement award violated the Constitution’s prohibition on excessive fines.

“Letitia ‘Peekaboo’ James, is considered by many to be the WORST Attorney General in our Country. She is a Complete and Total Disaster, who tried running against Kathy Hochul for Governor, and got less than 1% of the Vote in the Polls, and QUIT, taking many innocent suckers down with her,” Trump wrote. “She then went back to her WITCH HUNT against your favorite President, (ME!), and others, yet Murder and other Violent Crime is RAGING OUT OF CONTROL in New York, as People and Businesses flee, in Record Numbers, to other States!”

He contrasted James to Komatireddy, touting her qualifications as Drug Enforcement Administration chief of staff, a former federal prosecutor, and that she clerked for Brett Kavanaugh, who went on to become a Supreme Court justice.

“On the other hand, as your next Attorney General, Saritha Komatireddy will fight tirelessly to Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Grow our Economy, Champion our Law Enforcement and First Responders, Support our Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Uphold our Constitution, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote.

TRUMP MAY HAVE ENDORSED DARLINE GRAHAM, BUT GOP SENATE HOPEFULS AREN’T BACKING DOWN

Komatireddy, who has been outspoken against James’ handling of the state’s fraud investigations, thanked Trump for his endorsement.

“I was honored to be nominated to be a federal judge by the President in 2020 and I’m honored to receive his endorsement today. I’m working hard to win the support of all New Yorkers and defeat Letitia James this November,” Komatireddy wrote on X.

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Fox News Digital reached out to James’ campaign for comment.

A Bernie Sanders-backed California congressional candidate who touts his career as an educator has used the classroom and academia to push diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and activist groups, according to his own writings and reports on his work with students.

Randy Villegas is taking on Republican Rep. David Valadao in California’s 22nd Congressional District in a high-stakes Central Valley showdown that could help determine control of the House.

Democrats have made the seat a top pickup target as the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the district a “toss-up” and gives the district a razor-thin D+1 partisan lean.

Villegas, a political science professor at College of the Sequoias and Visalia school board trustee, co-authored a 2022 academic paper arguing that DEI is central to the mission of community college educators and describing it as a “social justice-driven duty.”

The paper, titled “A Commitment to Teaching, Learning, and Student Advocacy: Community College Careers,” was published by the American Political Science Association as a chapter in Strategies for Navigating Graduate School and Beyond.

“At the heart of community college teaching is diversity, equity, and inclusion, and culturally responsive teaching,” Villegas wrote. “Community colleges commit to teaching excellence and to a social justice-driven duty to accessibility. Most community colleges have similar institutional characteristics as a result. For example, community colleges are open access institutions. This means that all students are accepted.”

COAST GUARD ENDING RACE-BASED ADMISSIONS FOR OFFICER COMMISSIONING PROGRAM UNDER TRUMP DEI CRACKDOWN

Villegas and his co-authors framed diversity and inclusion as a responsibility that extended beyond campus, writing that “a commitment to diversity and inclusion expands from the classroom to the communities in which students live” and arguing that students’ “social and economic realities” should also shape course design.

While the paper pre-dates President Donald Trump’s push to eliminate DEI mandates across the federal government and education system, it sheds light on Villegas’ views on DEI and social justice in higher education.

In his dissertation, “Voices from the Valley of Vulnerability,” written for the University of California, Santa Cruz, Villegas identifies himself as a “former community organizer and scholar activist” and makes the case that activism can be part of his scholarly work.

He bats away concerns that activism could affect academic objectivity, arguing that his activism gave him access to information and that his identity and life experiences made his research stronger. He cites scholar Zepeda-Millán, who argued that researchers’ “biases can actually be assets.”

MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED DODGES QUESTION ON WHETHER HE STILL SUPPORTS DEFUNDING THE POLICE

Throughout the paper, Villegas described taking part in grassroots activism that included organizing May Day demonstrations, protesting outside an immigrant detention center and working with community groups to advocate for far-left causes.

He argued that schools often failed to sufficiently engage students in politics, describing educational institutions as “anti-political” while praising community organizations for “actively politicizing and socializing youth” and empowering them to become “agents of change.”

That push to turn students into political activists went beyond his academia research. In 2018, Villegas helped lead the Central Valley Freedom Summer (CVFS), a program that connected students with community organizations for voter outreach, civic engagement and grassroots organizing. Participants worked on issues including LGBTQ rights, immigration, environmental justice and racial inequality while conducting voter-registration and turnout efforts. Among those groups that teamed up with CVFS was Jakara Movement. In 2020, the group launched a campaign seeking the removal of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, citing what it described as Gandhi’s “history of anti-Blackness and racism,” Breitbart reported.

Some CVFS graduates went on to launch activist groups of their own, including LOUD for Tomorrow, a self-described “queer and trans BIPOC youth-led” organization that has hosted youth drag events across the Central Valley.

600 GROUPS WITH $2B IN REVENUE MOBILIZE 3,000 MAY DAY PROTESTS IN A ‘RED-BLUE’ ALLIANCE, PROBE FINDS

“Randy Villegas was cooked up in a lab to be the radical left’s perfect woke freak. The only thing he cares about is political power and his far-left agenda,” Republican National Committee spokesperson Nick Poche told Fox News Digital.

Meanwhile, Villegas did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about his statements that educators also wear the hat of a “social activist.” Instead, a spokesperson made remarks about incumbent Valadao.

“David Valadao ripped away healthcare and food assistance from Valley families to hand his billionaire buddies a tax break,” the spokesperson said in an email. “These desperate attacks won’t hide his toxic record, or the domestic abusers bankrolling his campaign.”

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The comments appear to refer to Valadao voting in favor of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, a sweeping tax and spending package that included roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. Democrats have argued the cuts could cause tens of thousands of people in Valadao’s heavily Medi-Cal-dependent district to lose coverage.

Fox News Digital reached out to Valadao’s chief of staff and communications director for comment, as well as Villegas’ campaign for clarification on the allegation that “domestic abusers” are financing Valadao’s campaign.

Kieran Ramsey, the chief investigative officer for Global Reach, detailed the horrific conditions U.S. Marine veteran Robert Gilman experienced while wrongfully detained by Russia and urged the immediate release of five other Americans held in Russia in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Ramsey, who worked with U.S. authorities to secure Gilman’s release after 1,666 days in a Russian prison, praised President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure Gilman’s return on humanitarian grounds.

“Mr. Gilman’s home, no doubt, because of the leadership from President Trump. He made a full court press with his senior most team requesting that the Russians release him on a humanitarian basis, which is exactly what happened. And no doubt it was the work of some good, quiet diplomacy on the part of people like Steve Witkoff, his special envoy and Secretary Rubio, and even the CIA director was involved,” Ramsey told Fox News Digital.

Gilman was released to U.S. authorities on Tuesday after Russian police arrested him in the city of Voronezh in 2022 after he made an unplanned diversion to Russia on his way to a new teaching job in Moldova. Ramsey detailed the circumstances that led to his arrest.

MARINE VETERAN ROBERT GILMAN RETURNS TO US SOIL AS TRUMP ADMIN FULFILLS REQUEST: ‘NO AMERICAN LEFT BEHIND’

“The start of this horrific nightmare comes from the fact that he was actually transiting Moscow. He never intended to stay or visit Russia. He was en route to a new teaching job in Moldova. And while en route, he became really sick. He had to stay and recuperate. And he does have some extended family in Russia. His father had immigrated from Russia years ago. So after he recuperated to where at least he thought he was well enough, he decided to go to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to renew his passport. But again, en route to the embassy, he became violently ill and that’s where Russian police came upon him, thought he was drunk, assaulted him, said that he assaulted them, and then it just snowballed from there,” Ramsey revealed.

Ramsey also revealed the treatment Gilman received while in a Russian prison, which included an extensive campaign of beatings and apparent psychological torture.

“Never have we seen the treatment that Mr. Gilman suffered as bad as anybody else. He was provoked in prison. He was beaten in prison, He was forced to exercise, he was forced to fight, and then he was told just some crazy things like, you know, there was a hit team to go assault his father in Boston. And things like that, when they’re all together and you’re cut off from the outside world and you have no idea if there’s any hope, you can imagine how that compounds on somebody,” Ramsey explained.

AMERICAN EX-MARINE FEARED NEAR DEATH AFTER WEEKS IN CATATONIC STATE IN RUSSIAN PRISON

When asked if there was any legitimacy to the Boston hit team, Ramsey said “totally psychological mumbo-jumbo disinformation campaign to make him feel awful.”

Gilman, Ramsey told Fox News Digital, is now recuperating in a U.S. hospital alongside family, and while he “still has a long road to go,” was able to receive immediate medical care thanks, in part, to the State Department designating him as a wrongful detainee.

But Global Reach is representing five other Americans detained in Russia who Ramsey argues also deserve that status and have yet to receive it.

“All five of those we would assert are wrongfully detained do meet the criteria under the Robert Levinson Hostage-Taking and Accountability Act,” Ramsey told Fox News Digital, referencing the 2020 bill that grants the president “visa- and property-blocking sanctions against any foreign person responsible for or complicit in the unlawful or wrongful detention of a U.S. national abroad.”

FREED MARINE RETURNS HOME ‘VERY FRAIL’ AFTER RUSSIAN ‘NIGHTMARE’ AS FAMILY ADVOCATE URGES TRUMP TO FREE OTHERS

But Ramsey also detailed the political hurdles that may prevent the U.S. from immediately recognizing the detainees as wrongfully detained.

“There’s been a policy debate inside the State Department as to whether classifying them or categorizing them as wrongfully-detained will raise the price in that diplomacy or that hostage diplomacy negotiations with the Russians to get their release,” he explained.

Ramsey then told the stories of his five clients, each facing debilitating health conditions in their imprisonment.

Alexander Antonov, the first of Ramsey’s clients he described to Fox News Digital, is an international businessman from California. “He’s a proud husband and father. He’s an international businessman. He had business interests in Russian-occupied Crimea and Ukraine,” Ramsey explained.

Antonov was on his way home from a business trip from Ukraine and transited through Russia “which obviously is a risky venture,” Ramsey said.

Russian authorities stopped him and found his U.S. passport and “immediately he became a target for them,” Ramsey also said.

Antonov is now sitting in a Russian prison and was recently violently assaulted by another inmate, Ramsey said, adding that he continues to hear reports that Antonov’s being harassed simply for being an American.

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Antonov was detained just over a year ago, Ramsey told Fox News Digital.

He then detailed the case of David Barnes, a Texas native who traveled to Russia to retrieve his children after his Russian ex-wife fled and took them to Russia.

Barnes was embattled in a contentious custody battle with his ex-wife, Ramsey explained, in which she allegedly made unsubstantiated claims about him.

“Mr. Barnes went to Russia to recover his children and his ex-wife yet again made claims of criminality against him and the Russians acted upon it. And he’s been sitting in a prison now for over four years, and he’s got his own health issues,” Ramsey explained.

Olga Jezler, a 36-year-old green card holder who lived in New York, is another detainee Ramsey represents who was taken after flying to Russia to take care of her sick sister.

AMERICAN MISSIONARY KEVIN RIDEOUT RELEASED AFTER MORE THAN 9 MONTHS IN CAPTIVITY IN NIGER

After flying to Russia to take care of her sister with cancer, Russian authorities detained her because she was carrying CBD oil, which Ramsey said was legal in Russia.

“Nevertheless, the Russians saw an opportunity and they charged her with drug trafficking. And today she still sits in a Russian prison,” he told Fox News Digital.

Jezler has significant health issues and is at risk of losing her ability to have children, Ramsey said. The condition she has is easily treatable in the U.S., he explained.

Andre Khachatoorian is, Ramsey said, yet another case of somebody who was not supposed to be in Russia.

Khachatoorian was transiting through Russia to reach Armenia while transporting a rifle, Gilman said. He allegedly had all the proper paperwork.

Khachatoorian also has an autoimmune disease that continues to get worse while he been sitting in a Russian prison for more than four years, Ramsey said.

UKRAINE POUNDS BLACK SEA FLEET’S ‘LAST MAJOR STRONGHOLD’ WHILE PUTIN FLEXES NAVAL POWER IN PACIFIC

Ramsey also named Chuck Zimmerman, who Russian authorities nabbed in international waters.

“Chuck Zimmerman is originally from Virginia. He set sail on his lifelong dream with his life savings to sail around the world and end up in New Zealand where he was planning to be a master electrician,” Ramsey detailed.

Zimmerman, Ramsey told Fox News Digital, had planned to travel through the Red Sea to reach his final destination, but he rerouted after the war in Iran began.

“He could even hear the bombs from his sailboat where he was at the time. So he decided to divert to the Black Sea. While in the Black Sea, in international waters, the Russian Navy approached him and told him, under threat of force, you will follow us to the Russian port of Sochi or we will sink you,” Ramsey told Fox News Digital

Zimmerman had a firearm on board his vessel, leading Russia to charge him with international arms trafficking, Ramsey told Fox News Digital.

He has been in a Russian prison for over a year.

“He has very serious medical issues. We’ve consulted medical authorities even recently who have told us he either needs to be treated for a bleeding gastric ulcer or perhaps something worse. But at this time, as we sit here, He’s unable to eat without having to throw up immediately after. He’s losing weight at a very rapid pace. And quite honestly, he’s losing hope that he’s ever gonna make it out of there,” Ramsey said.

RUBIO UNVEILS VISA RESTRICTIONS TARGETING CYBERCRIME NETWORKS

Ramsey again iterated the urgent need for the U.S. to designate his five clients as wrongful detainees.

“We don’t want to lose momentum right now,” he said.

“Seeing Mr. Gilman come home was fantastic. And I’ve been asked, ‘well, you guys should be, you know patting yourselves on the back or people should be celebrating.’ Well, no. It’s fantastic. Mr. Gilman’s in a hospital in the US with his family right now, but…. We alone have five other families that are going, ‘when can we expect the same for our loved one?’ And we have to keep the pressure up everywhere we can to make sure people know these folks’ names and have an expectation that the U.S. Government is going to do everything they can to convince the Russians to let these people go,” he said.

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Fox News Digital contacted the U.S. State Department for further comment.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., an outspoken critic of Israel, was set to headline a rally in South Florida boosting three progressive Democratic candidates before the Jewish-owned venue hosting the event backed out a day before.

The “Chomp the Oligarchy” rally to support two U.S. House candidates and one Senate candidate was scheduled for Friday night at The Venue in Fort Lauderdale, just four days before Florida’s primary election.

State Rep. Michael Gottlieb, a Democrat, posted Thursday morning calling the event “anti-Jew,” while also accusing House candidates Elijah Manley and Oliver Larkin, along with state Rep. Angie Nixon — who is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate — of being part of an “Anti-Israel and Anti-Zionism coalition.”

Gottlieb then said Tlaib “has by far the deepest record of antisemitic allegations and is being brought here to help these candidates raise funds for their campaigns.”

JEWISH CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE SAYS HARASSMENT FROM GAZA AGITATORS WENT ‘BEYOND FREE SPEECH’

Following Gottlieb’s post, The Venue posted a statement Thursday night indicating that the event was canceled, citing “increased security concerns.”

The statement did not mention Tlaib by name but said management pulled out after becoming aware of the “full scope” of the event and reviewing promotional materials.

“Due to the increased security concerns as well as the welfare of attendees and staff, the decision was then made that the event would not proceed at our property,” the statement said. “The Venue Fort Lauderdale is Jewish-owned and operated and our values and commitment to the Jewish community are deeply important to us.”

Fox News Digital reached out to The Venue for additional comment. Tlaib’s representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.

DEMOCRATS SPLIT OVER TLAIB’S LEBANON MEASURE AS REPUBLICANS SEIZE ON HEZBOLLAH OMISSION

Prior to the event being canceled, The Venue reached out to Gottlieb asking him to take down his post, something he refused to do, The New York Times reported.

Cameron Driggers, a lead organizer for the rally, told the Times that the Venue reached out to the rally organizers saying it would only host the event if Tlaib was uninvited, but the organizers refused.

Manley, who has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing off against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., while Larkin, a self-identified DSA member, is challenging incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.

Nixon is running against Alexander Vindman, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel known for testifying during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment inquiry.

JEFFRIES DECLINES TO BACK WASSERMAN SCHULTZ AS BLACK LEADERS REVOLT OVER DISTRICT SWITCH

The “Chomp the Oligarchy” event’s organizers said on Instagram that they “will not be silenced by racist right-wing agitators and conservative Democrats,” adding that they will “keep fighting to deliver for working-class Floridians.”

The rally ended up taking place at an alternate outdoor location reportedly with about 300 supporters in attendance.

In his speech, Larkin addressed the tumult surrounding the event.

“What we’ve seen in the last 36 hours is a mobilization campaign to try to intimidate and harass us with a campaign of Islamophobia. A campaign that seeks to excuse AIPAC’s corrupting influence over our elections,” Larkin said to a chorus of boos from the crowd.

DEMOCRATS SPLIT OVER TLAIB’S LEBANON MEASURE AS REPUBLICANS SEIZE ON HEZBOLLAH OMISSION

Tlaib also appeared at the rally as planned, introducing Nixon before she delivered her remarks.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday “it’s no coincidence” Tlaib would be appearing at an event supporting candidates seeking to defeat Jewish Democrats.

Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman in Congress, has faced bipartisan criticism for her comments on Israel and Jewish people. The Michigan congresswoman has denied accusations of antisemitism.

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Congress censured Tlaib in 2023 for her embrace of the slogan “from the river to the sea,” which she says is an “aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence” from Palestinians. Many Jews view the slogan as a veiled call for genocide against Israelis.

The sweeping policy shift announced Tuesday to end Medicaid funding for youth sex-change treatments is being hailed by at least one veteran pediatrician, who argued that the procedures were never “compassionate” approaches for children facing gender dysphoria.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Quentin Van Meter, the immediate past president of the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds), reflected on the new restrictions issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

“I’m really congratulating HHS and CMS for… taking the step to block the medical and surgical interventions or funding for those in those healthcare systems… primarily because it’s not an appropriate kind of intervention,” Van Meter said.

Despite claims that children will be left to suffer under the policy change, Van Meter, a pediatric endocrinologist, asserted that government intervention is not meant to strip them of the care they need, arguing instead for ongoing mental health treatment to address the underlying issues driving their distress.

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

“This is not denial of care. This is not lack of compassion. This is not denial that these patients exist, as we are told that we are doing this,” he added. “This is actually very compassionate, very appropriate, and has been scientifically proven to be of benefit to these children.”

Van Meter, who has 42 years of experience in the field dating back to his fellowship at Johns Hopkins in the late 1970s, further argued that “puberty is not a disease” and that interventions intended to alter its course under sex-change procedures can instead exacerbate the mental health problems children are facing.

Tuesday’s policy shift also comes against the backdrop of what Van Meter described as a collapsing medical framework behind the youth transgender movement, citing mounting evidence and a series of disturbing findings.

This includes a federally funded study researchers allegedly tried to bury after multiple transitioning children reportedly died by suicide, federal allegations challenging a prominent transgender medical authority, the shocking rise in potentially thousands of detransitioners, and the irreversible damage caused by sex changes, including sterilization.

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One of the examples Van Meter pointed to dates back to 2015, when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a five-year study to examine the outcomes of sex-change hormones in children. By the second year, three participants had died by suicide.

Not only did researchers fail to immediately halt the study after the first death, they also attempted to bury the results by refusing to publish the data, according to Van Meter. The study’s chief investigators reportedly had a significant conflict of interest, having been “very proactive in the transgender arena” and often asserting that “these treatments are very beneficial and should be continued.”

The multimillion-dollar study, titled “The Impact of Early Medical Treatment in Transgender Youth,” was later scrutinized by a GOP-led Senate committee in 2024. The committee accused the researchers involved of having “intentionally withheld scientific data from the American public showing that puberty blockers do not improve the mental health of children.”

The Republican lawmakers involved added that the study also found 11 participants with suicidal thoughts.

DETRANSITIONER CHLOE COLE SHARES COMPLICATIONS AFTER GENDER PROCEDURES: ‘I AM GRIEVING’

Separately, a major transgender medical authority known for spearheading the pediatric sex-change guidelines that major medical groups relied on, has been accused of promoting ideological opinion instead of evidence-based medicine.

The criticism centers on the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which is being challenged in a Texas court case involving the Federal Trade Commission.

“None of this is a standard of care, none of it is rigorous. It’s just their specific opinion based on their ideology,” Van Meter said.

Van Meter added that there has been a significant increase in the number of people seeking to detransition, citing online support resources that reportedly receive an estimated 600 to 700 hits per month from patients seeking help.

During a conference last March, Van Meter said he encountered roughly 85 individuals from around the world who wanted to detransition, indicating that “there clearly is a population for which this has been a detriment.”

HHS OFFICIAL WARNS OF IRREVERSIBLE RISKS AS TRUMP ADMIN RESTRICTS FUNDING FOR YOUTH GENDER PROCEDURES

However, detransitioning is reportedly a highly complex process that involves reconstructive surgeries, gradual medication weaning and extensive mental health support.

Sex-change treatments can ultimately result in severe and irreversible physical harms, Van Meter said. 

Pediatric interventions can result in permanent sterilization, profound sexual dysfunction, permanently diminished bone density, impaired brain development, a heightened risk of early dementia and lifelong health conditions requiring continuous medical management.

The desire to undergo sex-change procedures can often emerge among vulnerable children “when their life is falling apart,” as they seek an escape from underlying problems such as divorced parents, parental incarceration, alcoholism, drug abuse or the death of a family member, Van Meter said.

Impressionable children may then encounter online communities that frame undergoing a sex change as a cure-all or claim that their gender is the root of their problems.

FTC ALLEGES INFLUENTIAL TRANSGENDER HEALTH ORGANIZATION MISLED PARENTS ABOUT SAFETY OF YOUTH TREATMENTS

Beyond the need for better mental health access for children, Van Meter said more should be changed systemically across transgender policies.

Van Meter proposed cutting federal funding from medical schools that promote research into sex-change treatments or teach such procedures as the standard of care in their curricula.

He said doctors and pediatricians often uncritically promote transitions because they can easily be labeled a “bigot” or “hater” otherwise. 

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Health care workers who disagree are also denied a voice in medical literature, academic departments and professional associations, he said.

Additionally, he added, the statute of limitations should be extended to give detransitioners ample time to sue healthcare providers for facilitating such treatments, while clinics should be audited for scientific transparency.

President Donald Trump scored a major legal victory Friday after a federal judge cleared the way for his administration to terminate temporary legal protections for thousands of Somali nationals living in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston lifted a stay that had prevented the Department of Homeland Security from terminating Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation, citing a June Supreme Court ruling that sharply limited judicial review of similar administration actions.

The decision allows the Trump administration to move forward with ending TPS for Somalia, potentially exposing affected migrants who lack another lawful basis to remain in the U.S. to deportation.

SUPREME COURT’S LATEST IMMIGRATION RULING WILL CAUSE AMERICANS TO ‘DIE AND SUFFER’ ATTORNEY WARNS

Burroughs, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, had previously blocked the termination from taking effect in a lawsuit brought by four Somali nationals and two advocacy groups, including African Communities Together.

The Trump administration announced in January that it planned to terminate Somalia’s TPS designation, with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arguing that conditions in the country had improved enough to end the humanitarian protections.

The Supreme Court ruled in June in Mullin v. Doe that the TPS statute bars judicial review of certain non-constitutional decisions by the administration to terminate TPS designations. The court also found that the plaintiffs’ equal protection challenge in that case was unlikely to succeed.

The ruling curtailed lower courts’ ability to review Trump administration efforts to terminate TPS designations for nationals of multiple countries.

SUPREME COURT WEIGHS TRUMP EFFORT TO TERMINATE TEMPORARY PROTECTIONS FOR HAITIAN, SYRIAN MIGRANTS

Plaintiffs challenging the termination of Somalia’s designation argued that the administration’s decision was motivated by bias against non-White immigrants, pointing to Trump’s previous descriptions of Somalis as “garbage” and “low IQ people.”

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint raising new constitutional claims and sought emergency relief in another effort to prevent Somalia’s TPS protections from ending.

Burroughs issued an administrative stay earlier this month after African Communities Together and other plaintiffs alleged that the administration violated the Fifth Amendment by terminating Somalia’s TPS designation based on racial and national-origin discrimination.

In Friday’s ruling, Burroughs said the plaintiffs had presented a compelling case but concluded that the Supreme Court’s decision constrained her ability to continue blocking the administration’s action.

BIDEN JUDGE OVERRULED ON KEY TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICY

Burroughs wrote that she was “bound … to view things through the Mullin prism,” referring to the Supreme Court case.

“Plaintiffs have made a convincing showing that they will suffer irreparable harm if the injunction is withheld … and the balance of hardships and the public interest also favor Plaintiffs, given that the government has made no showing that maintaining TPS status for the duration of this litigation would impose an undue burden,” she wrote.

Despite those findings, Burroughs lifted the stay, allowing the administration’s termination of Somalia’s TPS designation to move forward.

The Trump administration’s decision affects several thousand Somali nationals currently living in the United States.

Sources at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services previously told Fox News Digital that 2,471 Somali nationals in the U.S. currently have TPS, while another 1,383 have pending TPS applications.

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Fox News Digital’s Preston Mizell and Elaine Mallon, along with Reuters, contributed to this report.

Florida socialist congressional candidate Oliver Larkin repeatedly declined to say how much he would raise taxes on high earners while defending his call to tax billionaires “out of existence” during a contentious interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

Larkin, who volunteered for then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in 2008 and led a New Hampshire presidential campaign field office for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in 2016, sparred with Hannity over his Democratic Socialists of America-aligned platform as Florida voters prepare to vote Tuesday.

When asked about the idea of an economy based on the promise of “to each American based on their needs from each American based on their ability,” Larkin replied, “I think that’s a fine concept.”

EXPERT WHO FLED CUBA WARNS OF ‘VICIOUS CYCLE’ THAT WILL LEAD TO ‘COMMUNISTS IN DOUBLE DIGITS’ IN CONGRESS

The axiom was popularized in 1875 by German political theorist Karl Marx in his “Critique of the Gotha Programme.”

Larkin, who is challenging moderate Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., in a district considered a prime Republican target in November’s general election, said he was less concerned with ideological labels than with meeting his potential new constituents every day.

“I’m coming at the race from a pragmatic point of view of what the American people and the people of South Florida need, and that is Medicare-for-all, that is universal child care, that is the policy proposals that you just articulated on your show,” Larkin told Hannity.

Before introducing Larkin, Hannity listed a series of policies he said the millennial left-winger supported, including abolishing the Electoral College, automatic same-day voter registration, shunning fossil fuels, abolishing ICE and prosecuting its agents, free public college, an end to sanctions on Iran and Cuba and a “passionate hatred of Israel,” in the conservative host’s words.

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

Hannity challenged Larkin to go beyond the proposals and explain how he would achieve each of his policy objectives, starting with higher federal taxes

“Out of every dollar these so-called ‘evil rich people’ make, how much should they be able to keep…?” he asked.

Instead of offering a figure, Larkin praised former Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower for presiding over extremely high top marginal tax rates.

“Give me a number,” Hannity demanded.

PROGRESSIVES WANT TO TAX BILLIONAIRES FIRST, AND YOU’RE NEXT ON THE LIST

“What percentage of every dollar should every American be able to keep after they pay the government, local, state, federal [taxes]?”

Larkin replied that the figure depends on income, but did not specify any income ranges except to say that “billionaires should be taxed out of existence.”

Hannity countered that most billionaires are among the “most brilliant” people and argued that it is wrong to take money from the most creative Americans through higher taxes.

Larkin replied that X CEO Elon Musk — the world’s richest person — has received billions in government subsidies that helped build his wealth, arguing that billionaires should therefore face higher taxes and calling the South African immigrant a “vulture” for buying Tesla and presiding over its largesse himself.

Hannity returned to pressing the candidate for specifics about his plans, including what tax rates Americans at different income levels should pay under a socialist system:

“How much are you willing to let the government take? How much? Give us a number,” he said, asking for an example with an American making $100,000 per annum.

“I want to see a return on our taxpayer investment,” Larkin replied without offering a specific figure.

“I’m not interested in changing the tax rate on middle-class Americans on people making a hundred grand,” he later added, prompting Hannity to ask what tax rate should apply to people making $500,000.

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“Give me a number,” he insisted. “The DSA people talk a lot about fairness. What is fair for a guy that makes a half a million dollars a year out of every dollar — how much should the government get? Answer the question.”

“It’s not that simple,” Larkin argued. After crosstalk, the candidate said the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes should be raised, but did not specify an amount.

Moskowitz’ and Larkin’s district — which has changed numbers several times — has been represented by Democrats for most of the modern era.

Over the past two decades, including when it was numbered the 22nd District, Col. Allen West has been the only Republican to represent the district. West served one term.

From its inception in 1993 through the early years of George W. Bush’s presidency, the district was represented by Republican Rep. Eugene Clay Shaw Jr.

After socialist candidates lost in Wisconsin but won in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and Minnesota, Florida Democrats will decide Tuesday whether to follow the same trend.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Larkin for comment.

Gun rights advocates are cheering a recent ruling that will make it easier for people to obtain firearm suppressors and certain weapons, with a business founder-turned-lawmaker calling it “the greatest restoration” of Second Amendment rights in almost a century.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who founded Clyde Armory in his home state of Georgia before he was elected to Congress, argued that the regulatory barrier was wrong in the first place because it taxed a constitutional right.

“If you can tax something legitimately, then you can actually destroy it through increased taxation. You might, quote, ‘have a right on paper,’ but you don’t really have a right because you can’t afford the right. Is that really a right? It’s not,” Clyde told Fox News Digital.

“So here we are removing the taxation on a constitutional right from a bill that was passed in 1934. And once you remove the tax aspect of it, then you remove the constitutionality of the registration aspect.”

GUN RIGHTS GROUPS CAPITALIZE AFTER JUDGE REVERSES DECADES-OLD RESTRICTIONS: ‘MONUMENTAL’

Clyde led the charge last year to roll back part of the National Firearms Act of 1934, a push that was ultimately successful in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

Under the 92-year-old law, a $200 tax was established on silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and other firearms that also required additional federal registration to obtain.

Republicans reduced that tax to $0 in the OBBBA, which gun rights groups then used to successfully argue that the added registration was unconstitutional. The ruling affects the parties that brought the lawsuit and is not a national injunction on the law, however, according to the Associated Press.

But Clyde said it was an “incredible win for the Second Amendment,” adding he hoped “more wins” would come in the future.

INSIDE TRUMP’S UNPRECEDENTED BATTLE PLAN TO EXPAND SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS THROUGH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

“When you protect the Second Amendment, which protects every other amendment in the entire Constitution — I think that’s the teeth behind the Constitution,” Clyde said.

“The right to free assembly, the right to freedom of religion, the rights of freedom of speech, the right of the free press, and the right to take your grievances to the government without fear of persecution or prosecution — that’s the First Amendment, and that’s what the Second Amendment protects,” he added.

Clyde later led 47 Republican lawmakers in a letter urging Attorney General Todd Blanche not to appeal the ruling.

The letter reads: “An appeal would prolong regulatory uncertainty for law-abiding gun owners and businesses and would consume DOJ resources defending a position that this Congress and now a federal district court has said cannot stand.”

CLARENCE THOMAS’ CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT AGAINST FEDERAL GUN LAW GETS FIRST MAJOR COURT TEST

Gun right activists’ celebrations were compounded on Thursday when the Trump administration did not file an appeal to the judge’s ruling, meaning the order could go into effect without pause.

Gun violence prevention groups panned the inaction, however.

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“Today, our government is failing us. At midnight, uniquely lethal weapons and devices — including silencers, short-barreled rifles, and shotguns — were deregulated for the first time in nearly a century,” Kris Brown, president of Brady: United Against Gun Violence said in a statement on Thursday.

“The Department of Justice had the opportunity to act to protect our safety, but it failed to do so…Today, the gun industry and silencer dealers are celebrating, while Americans are left less safe.”