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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital ahead of Tuesday’s South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary that President Donald Trump’s endorsement has done little to boost her opponent’s standing with conservative voters, arguing that many grassroots Republicans are “very upset” with the decision.

“It’s not going over well for her with the grassroots, which is why she didn’t get much of a bump,“ Mace said. “She got maybe a five point bump — not much.”

“And she’s going to be in a runoff and I think at that point all bets are off.”

Mace was referring to South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, whom Trump endorsed last week, as Mace and Trump have publicly broken in recent months.

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“It’s a dog fight,” Mace said. “We’re in it and I’m gonna fight to the death.”

Mace shared that she wasn’t shocked when Trump chose not to endorse her because of her vote in Congress to push for the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I knew it was on the line when I voted to release the Epstein files, and I’m a survivor,” Mace said. “If the price to pay for an endorsement was to not release those files, I would never pay it.”

Mace was one of four Republicans to sign a petition last year to force a vote in the House on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation that urged the Department of Justice to publish all its information on its probe into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell — millions of documents.

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Trump’s endorsement in the Republican primary was also in favor of South Carolina’s current term-limited governor, Henry McMaster, who has also endorsed Evette as his potential successor. Trump wrote that he expected Evette would choose the current governor’s son, Henry McMaster Jr., as her lieutenant governor.

“Pam Evette is a good friend, fighter, and WINNER, and will be a terrific Governor of South Carolina,” the president posted . “Pam has my Complete and Total Endorsement — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Trump’s endorsement came days before the June 9 primary and as early voting was getting underway in South Carolina.

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Tuesday’s crowded Republican primary field includes Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., businessman Rom Reddy and Mace. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff — a situation Mace predicted could reshape the race despite Trump’s backing of Evette.

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“I disagree with this endorsement,” Mace said. “And I’m going to vote for myself. I’m asking voters in South Carolina to vote for me as well on Tuesday.“

Former first lady Dr. Jill Biden gave an update on former President Joe Biden’s cancer on Saturday, saying that though the 83-year-old will live with cancer for the rest of his life, he maintains a busy schedule, but has slowed down.

Biden explained during a discussion with political commentator and “The View” co-host Ana Navarro for her new book “View From the East Wing: A Memoir,” that while her husband was still president and had a team of doctors, she mentioned that he was getting up seven times a night to go to the bathroom, and she assumed that someone would follow up on that.

But she said when they left the White House in 2025 and his problem persisted, she said she told him he had to go see a urologist and in his first appointment the doctor said, “There’s something there,” and the former president was given a CAT scan.

“I never imagined it would be prostate cancer,” she admitted. “I just never imagined it.”

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While she said in some cases prostate cancer can be “cured, “the problem with Joe — it’s stage four, and it has metastasized to his bones. So that puts things on a whole different level. I mean, Joe will have to live with cancer for the rest of his life, which means he’s on special medicines.”

She said he also went through radiation, which involved going from where they live in Delaware to Philadelphia constantly for five weeks.

“You know, it takes a toll,” she said, adding that on Friday night her husband was in South Dakota for a Democratic Party event, on Saturday he was at a friend’s wedding, and Sunday he’ll be in Philadelphia.

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“He keeps his schedule, but he’s slowed down,” she said. “I mean, stage four cancer is — and he’s 83 — so, I think the mix of everything and the medications that he’s taken has made life a little more difficult these days.”

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When asked how she’s been handling the situation, Biden said: “It’s hard to be a caretaker,” noting that the former president wouldn’t want her to phrase it that way, but explaining that she’s the one responsible for all the details.

“I have to make sure he gets the right medications,” she explained. “I’m the one talking to the doctors. I’m the one setting up the appointments. I’m the one to make sure that he eats well.”

Joe Biden announced his cancer diagnosis in May 2025.

Earlier this week, the former first lady told the “Today” show that her husband is “doing OK.”

“He’s out making speeches, and he’s traveling on Amtrak,” she added. “He was just at the Delaware Memorial Bridge for the veteran’s ceremony. So yeah, he’s doing a lot, but he has stage 4 cancer.”

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Biden and Navarro also talked about some other issues she wrote about in her book, including when the former president made the decision to drop out of the 2024 race after his disastrous debate in June 2024.

She said he turned to her while they were at their home in Delaware and told her: “I have no choice.”

BIDEN URGED TO REVEAL DISEASE HISTORY AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Biden added that it was also “hurtful” to her when she saw Democrats, many of whom had been their friends for decades, publicly calling for Biden to drop out of the race.

But she said Biden reconciled with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was believed to have been privately leading calls for him to leave the race, at the funeral for Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy, in January.

The 75-year-old admitted that she still hasn’t spoken to Pelosi. 

She also said she believes there has been a “double standard” in the conversations around her husband’s age and mental acuity when compared to President Donald Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14.

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For the next president after Trump leaves office, Biden said she’s looking for someone with integrity, trustworthiness, and empathy, but didn’t name any names.

“They’re the characteristics of the American people,” she said. “That’s who we are.”

BAR HARBOR, Maine – Graham Platner’s past relationships were “toxic and volatile,” Rep. Ro Khanna of California says of the Senate Democratic candidate aiming to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of this year’s most crucial ballot box showdowns.

But Khanna, a progressive leader from California who along with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is backing Platner, argued in a Fox News Digital interview on Friday night that Platner is “taking accountability” for his past and “we need that redemption in this country.”

Platner, the military combat veteran and oyster farmer who is considered the Democrats’ presumptive nominee ahead of Tuesday’s primary in Maine, has been playing defense amid multiple controversies, ranging from inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now-covered up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, to new allegations this week from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.

The candidate is arguably facing the roughest stretch to date of his campaign against Collins, in a race that is one of a handful across the country which will decide if the Republicans hold on to their slim Senate majority in this year’s midterm elections.

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Collins, returning to Maine on Friday after a busy week on Capitol Hill where she reached a milestone by casting her 10,000th consecutive vote in the Senate, was asked by reporters about the latest allegations facing Platner.

“The allegations in the latest story are troubling,” Collins responded. “And I believe that Graham Platner has a lot of questions to answer.”

Collins, a moderate Republican who at times votes against President Donald Trump’s agenda, is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate in left-leaning Maine.

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Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of a rally with Platner, progressive gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson and congressional contender Matt Dunlap, which was organized by Khanna, the congressman was asked if he was concerned the latest allegations could sink Platner’s campaign and hurt Democrats’ hopes of winning back the Senate.

“I’m more concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that,” Khanna said. “I talked to Graham and he says he was at a very dark period, he had come back from two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantry man seeing violence and death. That doesn’t excuse it.”

But Khanna added that Platner said “he really grew as a person when he came back to Maine and he was an oyster farmer and he found peace and he is ashamed of that period. To me that suggests someone taking accountability and improving their lives and we need that redemption in this country. And I agree with a lot of his economic policies, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class.”

‘MAINE, YOU HAVE MY BACK’ – PLATNER BLASTS NEW ALLEGATIONS AS ‘FALSE ACCUSATIONS’ AS HE THANKS SUPPORTERS

After Christine Blasey Ford accused then-Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018, Khanna tweeted, “I stand with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Brett Kavanaugh is not fit to sit on the Supreme Court. #BelieveSurvivors.”

Back on home turf on Friday, the rally was held in this resort town next to Acadia National Park that is close to Platner’s hometown of Sullivan, Maine, the candidate thanked a large crowd of supporters for having his back and charged the incoming fire he’s facing is “politically motivated.”

“When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness of recovery and accountability and growth. Maine had my back,” Platner said at a rally. “Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back. And when politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations are made against me. Maine, you have my back.”

Platner, who has acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder from his multiple tours of duty in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign.

And Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But new allegations raise questions about Platner’s timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo.

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Platner is facing plenty of incoming political fire from Republican groups. A super PAC aligned with Collins has been blasting Platner, running ads spotlighting his multiple controversies.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), in a social media post following Friday night’s rally, took aim at Platner, charging he’s “a fraud”

“He’s preaching about living a small but decent life growing up in Maine. The truth? Graham Platner is an elitist whose parents sent him to boarding school in Connecticut and bought him a house,” the NRSC wrote.

And the Republican National Committee (RNC) also targeted Platner.

“Graham Platner says his violent and erratic past is being “weaponized” against him. Platner said he would rape someone to show his dominance and “rape was about power,” the RNC research team wrote on X, as it pointed to new allegations against the candidate.

Platner, as he runs for the Senate, is pushing an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.

“I agree with a lot of his economic policies, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class,” Khanna told Fox News Digital.

Platner is considered the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

Mills, in a recent interview, noted that her name remains on the ballot. And a source in her wider political orbit confirmed to Fox News that the governor is receiving calls urging her to get back in the race amid Platner’s controversies. But there’s no active campaign effort on behalf of Mills.

Asked about Mills, Khanna told Fox News Digital: “the great thing about democracy, you can run full steam ahead, you can kind of run ambiguously like Janet Mills, you can keep your name on that campaign. That’s why I love American democracy.”

But he predicted that “Platner is going to come out victorious. And we need to unite and realize that the goal is defeating Susan Collins. And everyone from Schumer to Sanders is unified around that goal.

Platner’s campaign said that more than 600 people attended the rally. And they touted that they had raked in $200,000 in fundraising the past 24 hours, which they said was their strongest fundraising day since Mills suspended her campaign.

WATCH: Maine residents weigh in on Platner amid mounting controversies:

Maine voters that Fox News Digital spoke with ahead of the rally were divided on whether Platner’s controversies will impact their opinions of the candidate.

Jeff from Waterboro, Maine, said, “it’s not a good situation” as he pointed to Platner. “I think it’s somebody who shouldn’t’ be in the mix. I am a conservative but he’s just got so much damage, if the Democrats want to have a winner, they’re going to have to find somebody else. He’s not the guy. It’s just too much.”

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Ellen from Acton, Maine, who said she is a registered Republican, said, “is he a perfect person? Heck no.”

But she added, “I think he will go in and do a good job.”

The White House recently announced President Donald Trump on Thursday exercised his authority under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution to grant a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon” to former Republican Indiana Rep. Stephen Buyer, who was convicted of profiting from insider information.

The pardon absolves Buyer of a 2023 federal conviction that resulted in a 22-month prison sentence. 

Buyer, who chaired the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and served as a House prosecutor during former President Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment trial, was found guilty by a jury of operating off nonpublic, insider information after he left office.

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The White House proclamation praised Buyer’s “distinguished and highly productive” career, citing his service as a judge advocate general in the U.S. Army and his 1993–2011 tenure as a U.S. representative from Indiana.

The pardon was supported by the “complete and total endorsement” of more than 50 current and former lawmakers, the White House said.

Among those who endorsed the pardon included Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Roger Wicker and former House Speaker John Boehner. Other supporters were former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., former Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, former Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., former Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill Jr.

The proclamation directed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to “administer and effectuate the immediate issuance of a certificate of pardon” for Buyer.

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Buyer’s conviction stemmed from allegations that he purchased stock in a management company called Navigant just weeks before one of his own clients, Guidehouse, acquired it. He was then accused of buying shares of Sprint after secretly learning about the company’s unannounced plans to merge with T-Mobile.

During the proceedings, U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, a Clinton nominee, argued the former congressman obstructed justice by giving the court false explanations for why he made the trades.

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Buyer’s legal team pushed for a sentence of home confinement and community service rather than prison time, arguing that despite Buyer once earning up to $2.2 million in a single year, the cost of litigation had financially ruined him.

According to his lawyers, Buyer and his wife were forced to sell their home, condo and two cars, and his wife had to re-enter the workforce at 65 years old.

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Despite the defense’s efforts, Berman sentenced Buyer to 22 months in prison, ordered him to forfeit the $354,027 he made from the illegal trades and imposed an additional $10,000 fine. 

Federal prosecutors also pushed for Buyer to pay $1.4 million to cover the legal fees for both sides, but the judge ruled against the request.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said he wants soon-to-be acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to begin shrinking the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) before a permanent nominee takes over — signaling a potentially aggressive effort to reduce the size of the agency responsible for coordinating the nation’s intelligence community.

Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he has privately instructed Pulte to begin what he described as a broader effort to streamline ODNI, calling the office “unnecessary and/or too big” and saying he wants the acting intelligence chief to “start the process” of reducing personnel before a permanent director is confirmed.

“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump said, pointing to holdovers from the Obama and Biden administrations.

Asked whether he wants Pulte to fire employees, Trump said he wants the acting intelligence chief to “start the process,” adding that his eventual nominee to permanently lead the office should continue that work.

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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard abruptly announced her resignation May 22, effective June 30, citing her husband’s bone cancer diagnosis. 

The president named Pulte, who currently serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to the acting role in early June. Because the position is temporary, Pulte does not require Senate confirmation and can serve for up to 210 days.

Trump suggested Pulte’s acting status could make it easier for him to carry out changes before a permanent director is confirmed.

“You’re less shackled,” Trump said. “It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.”

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions on whether Pulte would be put up for confirmation as permanent director of national intelligence. 

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“Frankly, it might be good for him to shake it up before people come,” Trump added. “Because, if he reduced the size, in conjunction with me … and in conjunction with possibly the person coming in … he can do a lot of the hard work and we wouldn’t have to saddle somebody that goes in.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton quickly endorsed the effort, arguing the office has expanded beyond its original purpose and renewing his longstanding support for dramatically downsizing — or even eliminating — the office.

“President Trump is right: the ODNI has grown far beyond its original mandate,” Cotton wrote on X. “I’ve long advocated for downsizing, if not outright eliminating, this bureaucracy.”

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“Time to return these officers back to their home agencies to focus on actual intelligence work. I support President Trump in this effort.”

ODNI was established in 2004 following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission and was designed to improve coordination among U.S. intelligence agencies after failures to share critical information ahead of the terrorist attacks.

The office oversees and coordinates the work of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies and components.

Cotton has long been among lawmakers who argue the agency has grown beyond its original mission. Earlier in 2026, he introduced legislation that would cap ODNI at 650 employees. 

The office had roughly 1,800 employees at the start of the second Trump administration, though outgoing Director of National Intelligence Gabbard has said she reduced the workforce by about 25%. 

Trump’s latest comments suggest the administration could pursue a more far-reaching restructuring effort than previously outlined — and that Pulte may be tasked with beginning that process before a permanent nominee is in place.

The president’s selection of Pulte as acting DNI surprised many lawmakers and national security observers because the Federal Housing Finance Agency director has no intelligence or national security background.

Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell raised concerns about the appointment shortly after it was announced.

“Anyone performing this role of such immense public trust must have the extensive national security experience required by statute, and no nominee who falls short of this requirement will earn my vote,” McConnell said.

“Trump thinks that Bill Pulte can be both director of the mortgage regulators and director of national intelligence,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in a video posted to X. “You can’t do both jobs … this is outrageous.” 

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Trump, however, has suggested that Pulte’s temporary status is precisely what makes him well-suited to carry out the administration’s plans for the office.

The president said he hopes Pulte can begin reducing the size of ODNI before a permanent nominee takes over, allowing the acting chief to complete much of the “hard work” associated with the effort.

Republican congressional candidate and CAL DOGE Director Jenny Rae Le Roux says pushback on decades of Democratic control is fueling a political shift in deep-blue California, which was on display Tuesday with strong performances by gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton and LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt.

“Californians are tired of one-party rule,” Le Roux told Fox News Digital after her Tuesday night primary victory that sent her into a head-to-head match up with incumbent Democrat Dave Min in California’s 47th Congressional District.

“They know that the reason we’re suffering in this state and people are leaving California is because Democrats have been in charge for 60 years, and they’re up to no good.”

Le Roux argues that Min has not done enough to represent people across the district, saying her campaign has “already started doing the job that he’s not doing.”

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“It’s just to do the thing that Dave Min is not doing, which is to represent the district,” she said. “We are out in every community. We have a precinct-by-precinct operation. Anyone who wants to meet with us, we will meet with them.”

Le Roux said residents unable to get answers from Min’s office on fraud, veterans’ concerns or housing issues are turning to Republicans like her for help.

“People are frustrated by his office,” she said. “They’re not responsive. They ask us for help with fraud issues, issues with HUD and veterans’ issues, and we’re making calls and getting things done for the people in the district.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Anna Elsasser defended Min, saying his office has helped constituents recover over $5 million from federal agencies.

“Jenny Rae Le Roux’s lame attacks reflect both a lack of familiarity with Dave Min’s office, which has brought back over $5.7 million to constituents, and with the issues that Orange County families care about,” Elsasser said.

The Cook Political Report ranks the race between Min and Le Roux as “Solid D” as Republicans try to hold onto their razor-thin margin in the House.

Democrats’ decades-long control of California has come under scrutiny as the Trump administration investigates alleged fraud involving healthcare, homelessness spending and nonprofit groups, issues Le Roux says are driving residents out of the state and pushing voters toward Republicans.

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Last month, federal officials suspended 800 California hospice and home health providers in a Medicare fraud crackdown tied to foreign-linked criminal networks accused of stealing more than $1 billion from taxpayers.

Le Roux said her team at CAL DOGE, a private-sector initiative founded by Hilton, is uncovering more fraud in the state and “taking down not just the systems, but actually each one of the criminals that are going to be indicted over the course of the next six months.”

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“We’re finding the fraud that’s happening through Sacramento,” she said. “They’ve been completely silent about it. They haven’t fought it themselves because they’re in on it.”

Since launching in early 2026, CAL DOGE says it has uncovered nearly $700 million in misused taxpayer funds. Le Roux said she will continue working with Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton to root out fraud.

“We’ve got some fraud-fighting on our hands, and I’ll work with Steve up and down the state to make sure our money is being spent wisely before either one of us is in office,” Le Roux said.

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Despite her criticism of Democrats, Le Roux said “it’s really important to keep relationships with people in other parties.”

Le Roux is the cousin of Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, and she told Fox News Digital the two “faithfully messaged each other after campaigns” and despite having “completely different opinions,” we “really love each other.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., criticized four fellow Republicans who joined Democrats to block an effort to add the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to the Senate’s reconciliation package, saying “you can’t explain it to me why you wouldn’t vote for voter ID.”

During Thursday’s vote-a-rama, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., voted with Democrats to defeat an amendment that would have attached the election-integrity measure to the GOP’s budget package.

“I guess it’s frustration,” Hawley told Fox News Digital. “Listen, we’ve been doing this in Missouri for years. I mean voters in my state put it in our constitution.”

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“Voter ID is the most popular thing out there,” he continued. “There’s a reason for that. People want their elections to be safe, they want them to be fair. And to me, you can’t explain it to me, why you wouldn’t vote for voter ID. I just don’t understand it.”

Republicans, yet again, failed to pass the legislation Thursday night through the Senate, despite months debating the importance of attaching it to the roughly $70 billion budget reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol.

REPUBLICANS FAIL TO ATTACH SAVE AMERICA ACT TO PARTY-LINE FUNDING PACKAGE

Many senators who voted to block the SAVE act argued that a bill dedicated to voter ID laws and protecting election integrity should be determined at state-level, and should not have federal jurisdiction.

Hawley rejected arguments that election rules should be left solely to the states, arguing Congress has long played a role in regulating federal elections.

“We make federal rules all the time for elections, you know,” Hawley said. “I mean all the time we do. And there’s nothing more basic than protecting the integrity of the ballot and that’s what this is about.”

PENCE URGES SENATE TO ‘RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE’ WITH NATIONWIDE VOTER ID LAW

Congress has enacted numerous election-related laws over the years, including the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022, which revised procedures for certifying presidential election results.

The SAVE Act would require applicants to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and would require voters to present photo identification when casting a ballot in federal elections.

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“37 states have voter ID already including several blue states,” Hawley said in response to the idea that election rules should be left to the state. “So I think this idea that this is like ‘this is weird, this is exotic, this is out there,’ no it’s not. Like most of our states do it.” 

“Sooner or later this is going to happen because I think the American people are going to demand it.”

A war of words has erupted between U.S. and British officials after a young Briton with a bright future bled out in handcuffs as police took him into custody on suspicion of making racial remarks, only to learn later that his killer fabricated the allegation. 

The State Department issued a harsh rebuke Thursday night amid online outrage stemming from the stabbing of Henry Nowak, and Vice President JD Vance was quick to pile-on, claiming the incident proves that western civilization is at risk.

“Ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilizational decline,” the State Department wrote Thursday in a viral post on X. “They must be rejected across the West. The United States sends our condolences to the family of Henry Nowak and the people of the United Kingdom at this troubling time.”

It was the first time the Trump administration commented publicly on the horrific stabbing.

In December 2025, Nowak was returning home from a night playing soccer with friends in the southern England city of Southampton when he encountered 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, a British Sikh man of Indian heritage wearing a turban and carrying a long ceremonial knife.

Nowak was later handcuffed by police after Digwa claimed the student was racist against him, and police refused to believe him when he said he was stabbed. He died while in police custody.

“Henry Nowak died the same way a civilization dies: abandoned, handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him, and accused of hate crimes he did not commit,” Vance wrote on X in a lengthy post addressing the overseas crime.

“His murder is as tragic as it is enraging,” the vice president continued. “He should still be alive today, and he would be if the last few generations of European elites had stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it.”

He reiterated how a top priority of the Trump administration is working to preserve western civilization by stopping mass migration.

ENGLISH COPS CUFFED TEEN STABBING VICTIM AFTER ATTACKER CLAIMED RACIAL ASSAULT

Vance’s post drew an immediate response from across the pond. 

“In recent days we have seen people trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division on our streets,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. 

“The Nowak family are grieving after Henry’s horrific murder. They have said they do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension. We should be respecting their wishes,” the statement continued. “Our politics should bring people together even in the most terrible of circumstances. That is who we are as a country.”

Nowak filmed the initial encounter before his death, where he called Digwa a “bad man.”

“I am a bad man,” Digwa replied, taking offense to the comment. He then stabbed the student five times, including a fatal wound to his chest. What came next sparked worldwide outrage while Digwa, now convicted of murder, was on trial in May.

Body cameras worn by officers show Digwa alleging racial abuse and claiming Nowak removed his turban. The police took Digwa’s word, and handcuffed Nowak when they located him. Footage shows Nowak lying on the ground, repeatedly telling officers he couldn’t breathe.

When Nowak told officers he had been stabbed, one is heard dismissing him with: “Don’t think you have, mate.”

The young student bled to death in police custody.

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It was later revealed that Digwa called his mother, Kiran Kaur, who arrived at the crime scene before the police so she could take the murder weapon to their family home and hide it. She was recently found guilty of assisting an offender and will be sentenced July 17.

Digwa was sentenced on June 1 to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years.

UK ACTOR IDRIS ELBA SUGGESTS KITCHEN KNIVES BE BLUNTED, OTHERS BANNED TO PREVENT STABBINGS

Carrying knives in Britain is a heavily regulated practice, and certain types of knives are banned entirely. Digwa’s knife was considered an exception due to his religious beliefs, which also fanned the flames of the controversy surrounding the murder.

British law has a provision allowing Sikhs to carry kirpans, which are ceremonial religious knives. In Digwa’s case, he was carrying an eight-inch blade.

The country’s tightening speech laws have also come to the forefront, with critics arguing that police in Nowak’s case were too blinded by the report of racism to notice he had been mortally wounded. Since the Online Safety Act of 2023 took effect, swaths of Britons have been jailed for internet posts deemed racist by authorities.

AMERICA STILL CAN’T PUT DOWN THE RACE CARD. AND IT’S THE SHAME OF OUR NATION

Police eventually apologized for the way the stabbing was handled.

“I want to say that I am sorry that Henry couldn’t be saved that night. I’m sorry that he was handcuffed and arrested in the moments before he lost consciousness,” Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Robert France of the Hampshire Constabulary said, according to Sky News.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Miss., also responded amid the controversy.

“Britain has a regime willing to jail people for tweets, but unwilling to protect its own citizens from bleeding out in the street,” he said in response to the State Department’s post. “Henry Nowak deserved better. That is what civilizational decline looks like. This is the future the Left is trying to import. We have to stop it.”

So did SpaceX founder and former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk, who posted multiple times about the case.

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“Send the video to everyone you know showing how heinously Nowak was treated by the police in his dying moments and how the police cravenly kowtowed to his murderer,” he said in one post that was viewed 28 million times. “Legacy mainstream media, same ones who wrote about George Floyd millions of times, are dead silent about Nowak.”

“The West has created an utterly evil state religion where an accusation of ‘racism’ is the gravest offense that can be committed, even worse than rape or murder!” he said in another, “So if police show up at a crime scene and a British boy is bleeding out and an immigrant says the British boy is racist the cops will cuff the dying British boy.”

BAR HARBOR, Maine – Facing arguably the roughest stretch to date of his campaign for the U.S. Senate, Democratic candidate Graham Platner, back on home turf, thanked a large crowd of supporters for having his back and charging the incoming fire he’s facing as “politically motivated.”

Platner, the military veteran and oyster farmer who is aiming to oust longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in this year’s midterm elections, has been playing defense amid multiple controversies, ranging from inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, to new allegations last week from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.

“When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness of recovery and accountability and growth. Maine had my back,” Platner said at a rally Friday. “Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back. And when politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations are made against me. Maine, you have my back.”

Collins, a moderate Republican who at times votes against President Donald Trump‘s agenda, is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate in left-leaning Maine in a race that’s one of a handful across the country that will determine whether Republicans keep control of their slim Senate majority.

THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE’S MAJORITY

Platner, who is supported by progressive champions Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, is pushing an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.

He is considered the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

Platner, who has acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder from his multiple tours of duty in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign.

And Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But new allegations raise questions about Platner’s timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo.

Friday’s rally, which also included speeches by progressive gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson and congressional contender Matt Dunlap, was organized by Khanna.

In an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his appearance on stage, Khanna was asked whether he’s concerned if the current allegations, and any futures ones, could sink Platner’s campaign and sink Democrats’ hopes of winning back the Senate.

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

“I’m more concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that,” Khanna said. “I talked to Graham and he says he was at a very dark period, he had come back from two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantry man seeing violence and death. That doesn’t excuse it.”

But Khanna added that Platner said “he really grew as a person when he came back to Maine and he was an oyster farmer and he found peace and he is ashamed of that period. To me that suggests someone taking accountability and improving their lives and we need that redemption in this country. And I agree with a lot of his economic polices, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class.”

Collins, returning to Maine on Friday after busy week on Capitol Hill where she reached a milestone by casting her 10,000 consecutive vote in the Senate, was asked by reporters about the latest allegations facing Platner.

“The allegations in the latest story are troubling,” Collins responded. “And I believe that Graham Platner has a lot of questions to answer.”

‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN

Meanwhile, an outside political group aligned with the senator has been blasting Platner, running ads spotlighting his multiple controversies.

The Republican National Committee (RNC), in a social media post following Friday’s rally, took aim at Platner.

“Graham Platner says his violent and erratic past is being “weaponized” against him. Platner said he would rape someone to show his dominance and “rape was about power,” the RNC research team wrote on X, as it pointed to new allegations against the candidate.

Mills, in a recent interview, noted that her name remains on the ballot. And a source in her wider political orbit confirmed to Fox News that the governor is receiving calls urging her to get back in the race amid Platner’s controversies. But there’s no active campaign effort on behalf of Mills.

Asked about Mills, Khanna told Fox News Digital “the great thing about democracy, you can run full steam ahead, you can kind of run ambiguously like Janet Mills, you can keep your name on that campaign. That’s why I love American democracy.”

But he predicted that “Platner is going to come out victorious. And we need to unite and realize that the goal is defeating the the Susan Collins. And everyone from Schumer to Sanders is unified around that goal.

Platner’s campaign said that over 600 people packed a theater in this resort town next to Acadia National Park, not far from the candidate’s hometown of Sullivan, to attend the rally. And they touted that they had raked in $200,000 in fundraising the past 24 hours, which they said was their strongest fundraising day since Mills suspended her campaign.

Maine voters Fox News Digital spoke with ahead of the rally were divided on whether Platner’s controversies will impact their opinions of the candidate.

Jeff from Waterboro, Maine said “it’s not a good situation” as he pointed to Platner. “I think it’s somebody who shouldn’t’ be in the mix. I am a conservative but he’s just got so much damage, if the Democrats want to have a winner, they’re going to have to find somebody else. He’s not the guy. It’s just too much.”

But Ellen from Acton, Maine, who said she is a registered Republican, said “is he a perfect person, heck no.”

“I think he will go in and do a good job,” she added.

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra advanced to the state’s general election Friday night, according to an Associated Press race call.

The AP called the race for Becerra at 7:50 p.m. EDT, sending the former U.S. health secretary and ex-California attorney general into the November contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton appeared headed for a November showdown. AP vote totals showed Becerra with 26.7% of the vote and Hilton with 26.4%, while Democrat Tom Steyer finished third with 21.0%.

In a statement following the race call, Becerra touted the result as a victory for working Californians and said his campaign would carry its message into the fall election.

HILTON, BECERRA IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

“The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly,” Becerra said. “We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come.”

Becerra’s campaign also said the result makes him the first Latino candidate to advance from a California gubernatorial primary to a general election, calling it a historic milestone for the state.

If elected in November, Becerra would become California‘s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who briefly served as governor in 1875.

In a post on X after the race was called, Becerra wrote, “More than ever, California needs our voices and our values. To the people and the voters of California, this is your state. Este es tu estado.”

AWKWARD MOMENT KICKS OFF INTERVIEW WITH EX-BIDEN ADVISER, DRAWING DERISION FOR DEM CALIFORNIA GOV CANDIDATE

Becerra, a former California attorney general, served as Health and Human Services secretary in former President Joe Biden’s administration before launching his gubernatorial campaign.

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Hilton, a former Fox News host and conservative commentator backed by President Donald Trump, also advanced in the state’s top-two primary system, setting up a high-profile general election contest in November.

Results have not yet been certified.

President Donald Trump says he wants incoming Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte to “start the process” of firing intelligence community officials, he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Friday.

Trump on Tuesday tapped Pulte to take over for the current DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned in May after her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Pulte, who will take over in the interim when Gabbard’s resignation becomes official on June 30, has apparently been tasked with reducing the number of employees at the 18 intelligence agencies over which the DNI presides.

“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal, referring to the intelligence community.

TRUMP NAMES BILL PULTE ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

The selection of Pulte, who currently serves as Trump’s Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has reportedly irked a swath of lawmakers, including former Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who publicly criticized the move.

“We don’t need a weaponized DNI. We need professionals there,” Thune said.

But Pulte’s outsider status was explicitly what made Trump inclined to pick him the first place, he explained to the Wall Street Journal.

GABBARD LAUNCHES ‘ODNI 2.0,’ WITH PLAN TO CUT WORKFORCE BY 40%

“You’re less shackled,” he told the outlet. “It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.”

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump assuaged concerns that Pulte would have difficulty being confirmed by the Senate if picked for the role on a permanent basis. He ensured the public that an active search for a permanent replacement was ongoing and that Pulte’s interim status would benefit him.

“Frankly, it might be good for him to shake it up before people come,” Trump said. “Because, if he reduced the size, in conjunction with me…and in conjunction with possibly the person coming in…he can do a lot of the hard work and we wouldn’t have to saddle somebody that goes in,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal.

TULSI GABBARD CHANGES TUNE ON CONTROVERSIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOL FOLLOWING GOP LOBBYING

Pulte, who also chairs the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac government-sponsored entities (GSEs), has already affected legislative outcomes.

After six Senate Republicans joined with the Democrats to block a bill reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., warned that Democrats would not vote for the reauthorization as long as Pulte was in charge of intelligence.

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“I don’t see how you get the necessary Democrat votes… that would get them to 60,” Warner said.

Fox News Digital contacted the offices of Leader Thune and Senator Warner and reached out to Bill Pulte for further clarity.

President Donald Trump on Friday announced a major expansion of his administration’s initiative aimed at helping Americans access discounted prescription medications.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the government-backed website TrumpRx.gov has added 160 prescription drugs, bringing the total number of discounted medications available through the program to more than 800.

“I am pleased to announce that TrumpRx.gov is adding another 160 Prescription Drugs, at highly discounted prices, for a new total of over 800 of the most commonly-used Prescription Drugs,” Trump wrote.

“TrumpRx.gov will now provide clear, transparent, and DISCOUNTED offerings for FOUR OUT OF FIVE of every prescription filled by Americans,” he added.

TRUMP ENDS BIDEN’S DRUG PRICE NIGHTMARE — AMERICANS GET REAL RELIEF WITH TRUMPRX

Trump unveiled the initiative in February, arguing that Americans have long paid more for prescription drugs than consumers in many other countries.

The website was launched after the administration finalized agreements with 16 major pharmaceutical companies under so-called “most-favored-nation” pricing arrangements.

Under the agreements, participating drugmakers received tariff-related exemptions while agreeing to lower prices for certain medications and extend discounted pricing to eligible cash-paying consumers through TrumpRx, according to the administration.

MARK CUBAN SHOOTS DOWN PRESIDENTIAL BID AS HE TEAMS UP WITH TRUMP ADMIN TO CUT HEALTHCARE COSTS

Companies including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are participating in the program and have agreed to reduce prices on popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications.

Administration officials have also highlighted discounts on a range of other products, including inhalers, HIV treatments, diabetes medications and fertility drugs.

TrumpRx.gov allows users to search for discounted medications, view estimated savings and generate coupons for participating prescriptions.

SOARING MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES TARGETED IN TRUMP’S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER

Trump said the initiative builds on efforts from his first term to reduce prescription drug costs.

“I was proud to make History during my First Term when we lowered Drug Prices, even if by a tiny percentage, because this amounted to a HUGE change compared to other presidents only raising Drug Prices, endlessly and significantly, every year,” Trump wrote.

“Then, during my Second Term, I decided to go BIG with Most Favored Nations Pricing — That is to say, we pay no more or, ideally, less than any other Country for the same exact Drug,” he continued. “Now we are cutting Prices, and cutting them by a LOT, sometimes by 400 or 500 or 600 Percent!”

HERE’S HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CHINA COULD IMPACT DRUG PRICING AND OTHER HEALTHCARE COSTS

Trump also claimed the program has generated significant savings for consumers.

“These Most Favored Nations Deals have already, in fact, saved American Patients over 400 Million Dollars since the launch of TrumpRx.gov,” he said.

The president further argued that tariffs played a key role in securing the pricing agreements.

“Of course, Most Favored Nations would not be possible without my use of TARIFFS, which are getting other Countries to ‘pay up’ instead of relying on American Patients getting ripped off, as they were for decades until I ordered an immediate ‘stop’ to this very unfair and, frankly, foolish situation,” Trump wrote.

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“This is all great news, and I have instructed my Administration to secure more Most Favored Nations Deals, more Partnerships, and Lower Prices for every American Patient,” he added.

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

Prominent Democrats who once argued misconduct allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh warranted investigation and public scrutiny are taking a different approach after abuse allegations surfaced against Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner.

Multiple former girlfriends of Platner, who is running to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, described troubling conduct to The New York Times, with one former girlfriend accusing him of physical aggression during their relationship.

Platner has denied the allegations and called them politically motivated.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of Platner’s highest-profile supporters, declined to comment on the allegations, while Sen. Chris Coons said to CNN on Thursday he was extending Platner “a measure of grace” while adding, “I think it’s important that anyone who is a candidate to serve in the Senate, or who serves in the Senate, be held accountable for their conduct.”

GRAHAM PLATNER DENIES DAMNING NEW REPORT ALLEGING ABUSE AS ‘SIMPLY NOT TRUE’

Other top Democrats have either remained silent or continued backing Platner’s campaign despite the allegations.

The response marks a contrast from prior years, when many of the same Democratic lawmakers argued allegations against Republican figures, including Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump, warranted public scrutiny, investigation and accountability.

According to the New York Times report, former girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield alleged that Platner regularly grabbed her by the shoulders, sometimes hard enough to leave marks, and on one occasion yanked her from a taxi by her wrist. Fifield also alleged that during an argument, Platner twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door shut so she could not leave.

DEM SENATOR BANKROLLING PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN RIPPED FOR DOWNPLAYING ABUSE ALLEGATIONS FROM EX-GIRLFRIEND

“There are some allegations in this piece that are simply not true. Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of somebody politically motivated,” Platner told MS Now Thursday. “That is not true.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who was scheduled to campaign with Platner Friday, reaffirmed his support.

Before the latest allegations surfaced, reports already had revealed Platner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women while married. Rather than distancing themselves from the candidate, top Democrats continued to support his Senate bid.

SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT

“At the beginning of our marriage, I made mistakes, and Amy held me accountable for them,” Platner said of the messages, referring to his wife, Amy Gertner.

Platner flew to Washington Tuesday to meet with Democratic senators and address the sexting scandal.

“I’m very optimistic we’re going to win Maine,” Gillibrand, who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), said after meeting with Platner.

Democrats reportedly asked Platner during a closed-door meeting whether any other controversies would emerge about his personal life, and Platner said they would not.

The physical abuse allegations did not become public until Thursday. 

“He lied to everybody,” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told reporters. “He said that there wasn’t any after his Nazi tattoo situation, and now there’s more and more other things.”

“So I assume, you know, it’s like they say, for every ranch you see in Texas, there are 50 that you haven’t seen. So I’m sure there are plenty more ranches in P Hustle’s life.”

After Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018, Sanders argued the allegation was serious and warranted further investigation before a Senate vote.

“The Senate should not vote on this nomination until that investigation is completed,” Sanders said at the time.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren similarly demanded scrutiny of allegations against Kavanaugh, arguing Ford deserved to be heard and calling for a delay in the confirmation process.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, one of the Senate’s most outspoken advocates on sexual misconduct issues, also backed Ford’s allegations being fully examined during the confirmation fight. Gillibrand said at the time that Ford’s account raised serious concerns about Kavanaugh’s fitness for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likewise called for Kavanaugh’s confirmation process to be delayed after Ford’s allegations became public, arguing the claims warranted additional scrutiny before the Senate proceeded with a vote.

Schumer repeatedly sidestepped questions about the sexting controversy after meeting with Platner in Washington, responding, “We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate.” When pressed further, Schumer declined to elaborate and asked reporters, “Any other subject?”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the above Democratic senators and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for comment on the latest allegations and none replied before publication of this story. Platner’s campaign also did not return a request for additional comment.

Not all progressives have stood by Platner.

Cheyenne Hunt, leader of the youth advocacy group Gen Z For Change, withdrew her endorsement of Platner after the allegations became public. 

Hunt, who previously organized against former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., over sexual assault allegations, said political considerations should not outweigh accountability.

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“We have the responsibility to do what is right even when it’s politically inconvenient,” Hunt said in a video posted to social media. “Women cannot be an acceptable sacrifice for the next election.”

Platner has maintained that he did not know the tattoo resembled the Nazi-linked Totenkopf symbol until reporters began scrutinizing it during his Senate campaign in 2025. 

Fifield, who dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, told The New York Times that Platner referred to the tattoo as “my Totenkopf” and was aware of its meaning years earlier. Platner has denied that claim.

California’s still-unsettled election results are the consequence of the state’s vote-by-mail system, according to election law expert Hans von Spakovsky, who said the process can keep ballots moving through verification and counting for days and even weeks after Election Day.

The Golden State is continuing to count ballots cast in its June 2 primary elections, a process that has extended beyond Election Day due to the state’s election laws, administrative procedures, and vote-counting policies, said von Spakovsky. The delay is not the result of an isolated incident or unexpected complication but stems from the structure of its electoral system before final results can be certified. 

“There are four reasons why California takes so long,” von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, told Fox News Digital on Friday. “First of all, it’s almost entirely a mail election now.”

The Los Angeles mayoral race has captured the nation’s attention as Republican-aligned candidate Spencer Pratt awaits a tally determining if he or Democrat-aligned Nithya Raman will advance to the runoff election in November against incumbent Democrat Karen Bass. While former Health and Human Services secretary under the Biden administration, Xavier Becerra, Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are still duking it out for the top two spots in the state’s jungle primary process ahead of the general election in November. 

LA TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER DEFENDS CALIFORNIA’S SLOW VOTING PROCESS AS ‘ELECTION INTEGRITY’ IN ACTION

Von Spakovsky identified what he said are the four causes for the delay in final tallies: mass mail voting, a seven-day post-Election Day ballot receipt window, a 22-day cure period for signature issues, and high volumes of provisional ballots that must be individually investigated.

Of the four causes of the delay, von Spakovsky said California’s mail-ballot rules cause the greatest concern because it dramatically slows the counting process. With the vast majority of ballots cast by mail, election officials must spend additional time verifying and processing those ballots before they can be counted, extending the timeline for final results.

“You can go vote in person, but like in the 2024 election, out of 16 million votes that were cast in the presidential election, 13 million were by mail. It takes much longer to process a mail-in ballot than a ballot that’s cast at a polling place,” he said.

Mail-in ballots allow voters to cast their ballots from home, avoid long lines and grew in popularity during the pandemic.

Ballot drops are still rolling in and once they do, counties then have additional time to process, verify and tabulate those ballots, with counting expected to continue through June 15.

CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS LAUNCH VOTER ID BALLOT PUSH, NEED 875K SIGNATURES BY DEADLINE

Von Spakovsky pointed to postmarks on ballots as a key vulnerability in counting ballots.

“California law says, ‘We’ll count absentee ballots or mail-in ballots received up to seven days after Election Day if they’re postmarked by Election Day. But if the postmark’s missing, or it’s blurry, and we can’t read it, we will just go by whatever date the voter wrote inside the envelope,’” he said.

He said the state’s election rules are too permissive, pointing to policies such as not requiring voter ID, automatic voter registration, and lengthy post-election ballot processing periods, which he argued invite fraud or irregularities.

California is one of eight states, along with Washington, D.C., that automatically sends mail ballots in to all active registered voters in their universal vote-by-mail policy. 

President Donald Trump singled out the state’s election process this week, announcing that U.S. attorneys are looking into Los Angeles as the mayoral race remains pending.

“Without commenting on any specific investigation, my office has multiple election fraud investigations underway in coordination with @FBILosAngeles,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli wrote on X Thursday.  “We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and prosecute any violations of federal election law to the fullest extent.”

“The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote. This case is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. My office will not look the other way. We will investigate and prosecute. Every legal vote deserves to be counted. Every illegal vote cancels one out,” he added.

Democrats have played down concern over the process to count the ballots, including Becerra saying those who bemoan the amount of time it takes are working “to undermine confidence in our elections.”

“We count every ballot. Thank you for your patience as we give democracy time to work,” Steyer wrote on X, citing Trump’s recent comments on the election. 

HILTON SAYS SPENCER PRATT CAMPAIGN REFLECTS GROWING REVOLT AGAINST CALIFORNIA’S ‘ONE-PARTY RULE’

Viral rumors have spread across social media since June 2, including claims that Pratt did not receive a single vote out of about 24,000 Los Angeles ballots that rolled in. 

“That’s a lie,” the California Attorney General’s Office told Fox News Digital, pointing to an X statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office debunking the claims as “disinformation” and a “lie.” 

The California governor sent a letter to state election officials in May calling on them to swiftly tabulate the upcoming elections, while focusing the letter on building and maintaining confidence in voting. 

“We must continue building confidence in our elections and ensure not only that every vote is counted, but that every vote is trusted. We must acknowledge that the longer the voting count takes, the more mis- and disinformation spreads. That means we must do all that we can to tabulate votes quickly and accurately. Time is of the essence in preventing election lies from taking hold,” he wrote. 

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

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., criticized Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, during Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing after she accused the Trump administration of “terrorizing immigrant communities” during a session focused on the denaturalization of individuals convicted of fraud and other crimes.

Hirono, a naturalized citizen, remarked on the SCAM Act, or the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation Act, during the hearing, titled “Protecting American Citizenship III: Denaturalization and its Constitutional Limits.” She argued that the bill would impose stricter requirements on naturalized citizens than those born in the United States.

“I happen to be the only naturalized citizen sitting on this committee, and I am horrified by the implication that naturalized citizens basically get second-class citizenship,” she said. “As a naturalized citizen, I’m proud of it. I can’t think of a more undemocratic, un-American thing to do to someone who chooses to become a U.S. citizen than to hold this over their heads and treat us like second-class citizens.”

EMMER INTRODUCES NEW BILL TO STRIP CITIZENSHIP FROM FRAUDSTERS AND TERRORISTS: ‘YOU’RE GOING HOME’

“We can talk about people 10 years later who commit murder or heinous acts, but the SCAM Act also allows people to be prosecuted for welfare fraud,” she added.

Schmitt subsequently accused Hirono of defending criminals—including rapists, murderers, and fraudsters—who he said were ripping off taxpayers.

“What I’m saying in this bill is if you do those things to the American people, if you take advantage of taxpayers… if you commit a terrorist act, if you commit wholesale welfare fraud, within 10 years, you’re damn right we’re deporting you,” he shot back. “If you are convicted in a court of law of these crimes, absolutely we should not only convict you, but we should deport you. Gone. And if you think that’s some sort of negative assertion toward me, I’ll take it. I love it.”

The Trump administration has claimed that anti-fraud efforts have uncovered billions of dollars, enough to potentially balance the budget.

WHITE HOUSE-BACKED GOP BILL WOULD REVOKE CITIZENSHIP AFTER SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL

“Vice President JD Vance and Republicans are doing a great job hunting down Fraud in the various States,” Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. “Billions of Dollars is being found, and we’ve just started!”

Republicans have called for naturalized U.S. citizens to be stripped of their citizenship if they are convicted of certain crimes, including fraud.

Schmitt recalled the case of Mirsad Ramic, who refused to recite the oath of allegiance and instead recited an Islamic oath and cursed non-Muslims at his 2009 naturalization ceremony. Ramic later joined the Islamic State terror group.

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Schmitt also noted that Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, the suspected gunman in the Old Dominion University shooting who killed one person and injured two others, was also a naturalized U.S. citizen who had previously been convicted of providing material support to ISIS.

The GOP’s campaign message about a porous border resonated with voters in 2024. Voters routinely listed border security as the first or second most important issue to them in multiple polls ahead of the last election.

But how about ahead of the midterms?

Well, the border is sealed. The nation’s economic outlook is shaky as the war in Iran drags on. Gas prices are skyrocketing. And the hallmark of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda — The One Big Beautiful Bill — hasn’t materialized as a campaign juggernaut.

HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND THE ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’: WELCOME TO THE MIDTERMS

So Republicans are seeking an issue they hope will connect with voters this fall.

They may have settled on fraud. And returned to a favorite old punching bag.

“I’m just going to give you a couple facts,” declared House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., at the GOP’s weekly press conference Wednesday morning. “The Biden Administration thought it was really important to spend $20 million for Sesame Street in the Middle East. They gave $8 million to make mice transgender.”

McClain continued about the Biden Administration providing “free housing and cars for illegals,” adding that “under Biden federal agencies handed out taxpayer dollars with weak oversight, loose control and almost no accountability.”

The government weaponization fund waylaid Congressional Republicans. They’re still trying to figure out what to shove into some sort of an economic package which they can pitch to the voters this fall. So for now, Republicans are focusing on fraud.

“Crazy says fraudsters should be protected. Crazy says the American people’s hard earned tax dollars should be given to criminals who are stealing their money. That’s crazy,” said McClain.

TRUMP SAYS ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS ARE UNCOVERING BILLIONS IN WASTE, CLAIMS SAVINGS COULD BALANCE BUDGET

House Republicans planned debate on three bills this week to root out fraud in government programs. One bill would enhance oversight over childcare block grants. Another bill would help prevent people from bilking a program which provides emergency aid to society’s most needy. A third measure would target “ghost students” and crack down on fraud in student aid programs.

“The integrity of the programs matter because the taxpayers are not going to support them when they’re filled up with fraud. And it doesn’t matter if it’s child care or SNAP. The American citizens want the fraud eliminated from the system,” argued Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.

Some Democrats found the anti-fraud message to be a little absurd.

“They’re not dealing with affordability. The President is saying he’s not concerned. Second, all of us are against fraud. I’ve yet to meet any politician who, when asked ‘Are you for fraud?’ says ‘Yes.” We’re all against it,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.

Another Democrat believes Republicans are focusing on the wrong things with fraud.

“What I would love to see is an investigation of fraud and corruption involving the Trump administration, and the Trump family. There’s not a day that goes by that there’s another story about Trump kids benefiting from some government contract,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.

On Wednesday, Republicans launched a hearing probing alleged Medicaid fraud in Ohio. This came after they unearthed various forms of fraud in Minnesota. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, claims that bad actors from the Somali community operate in both states.

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

“You’ve got the largest Somali population in the United States is in Minnesota. The second largest in the United States is in Ohio. Now, it’s not politically correct to say, but the reality is this fraud is coming predominantly from that community,” said Gill.

 At the hearing, Gill charged that Somalis “are moving from Ohio to Minnesota and back to Ohio.” He added that “it certainly seems to have some overlap.”

Gill tangled with Democrat Ohio State Sen. Nickie Antonio.

“Would you like to see more immigration from Somalia?” Gill asked the state lawmaker.

“As far as I’m processing your question, I have to say that I was almost brought to tears just now,” replied Antonio.

The two yelled over one another.

“Seventy percent of Somali immigrants are on welfare,” said Gill.

“The rate and the level of hateful rhetoric is based on false information is shocking to me,” responded Antonio.

“They’re defrauding your state at an astounding rate. Most Ohioans have a problem with that,” piled on Gill.

But Antonio pushed back, arguing that Republicans have controlled key positions of power in the Buckeye State for the past 15 years.

“[Republicans] hold the House, the Senate, the governor’s office and four statewide offices. If there is fraud in Medicaid, it has happened on the Republican majority’s watch. Perhaps it’s time to clean Ohio’s house,” rebutted Antonio.

MINNESOTA FRAUD HEARING SPARKS IMMIGRATION CLASH AS GOP LAWMAKER SPOTLIGHTS SOMALI WELFARE DATA

A recent Fox poll found that more than 70 percent of those surveyed believe fraud is “very common” in government welfare programs. Since it’s an election year, Republicans hoped to dare Democrats to oppose their anti-fraud efforts when the bills hit the floor.

“For some of the Democrats who might vote against the fraud bills today, will you guys try to weaponize and boomerang those on members who vote no today?” yours truly asked House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

“I think their own voters are going to be questioning that,” replied Scalise. “If Democrats vote no on that, it’s going to a hard vote to explain.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y, opposed the GOP’s anti-fraud efforts. But he gave Democrats from battleground districts a wide berth to decide what to do.

“Democrats are going to make a decision based on what’s the right thing to do for the district that they represent. And I trust every single Democrat, particularly those who are in swing districts, to do the right thing for the people that they’re privileged to represent,” said Jeffries.

On Wednesday afternoon, the House passed the childcare fraud bill. Only four Democrats voted yea.

GOP MUST RACE FOR NEW ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ TO SLASH COSTS BEFORE MIDTERMS, TOP HOUSE REPUBLICANS WARN

But Republicans yanked the bill focused on fraud in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) bill. The reason? One senior House GOP leadership source said the bill lacked the votes and “needed a little work.” Another Republican source said attendance issues among Republicans might inhibit passage of the bill.

So what about the ghost student bills? Well, that measure was a legislative phantasm. The House didn’t conduct votes until Wednesday this week. The House then ghosted everyone on Friday, leaving the Capitol a day earlier than planned.

This trio of fraud measures are “messaging” bills in Congress. It’s doubtful that these plans will become law. But the leadership believes it’s important to “message” a subject like this to voters. And also point to votes where Democrats opposed such efforts.

But for all of the focus on fraud by House Republicans, they only managed to pass one of their three messaging bills this week.

That’s a .333 average. Baseball old-timers Paul Waner and Eddie Collins both boasted .333 batting averages for their career. They’re in the baseball Hall of Fame. But a .333 average isn’t Cooperstown-worthy on Capitol Hill.

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That said, Republicans will tee up several other anti-fraud measures next week. So there’s a reprieve. However, if the GOP doesn’t bat 1.000 on their fraud bills next week, some voters may designate them for assignment.

Or maybe ghost them at the polls.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that Todd Blanche, who at the time was second in command at the Justice Department, was put in charge of the release of the millions of documents from the Epstein files during her closed-door hearing before Congress late last month. 

“As the head of a large department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort nor conduct that document review myself,” Bondi said during the hearing. “I delegated that oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.” 

The House Oversight Committee released its transcript from Bondi’s May 29 hearing just a day after President Donald Trump announced he intended to nominate Blanche as his permanent attorney general nominee, potentially complicating Blanche’s confirmation as senators on both sides of the political aisle have heavily criticized the files’ rollout.

Blanche has been serving as Acting Attorney General since April 2, when Trump announced Bondi’s dismissal.

LAPSED EPSTEIN DEADLINE UNDERSCORES CHALLENGE OF REVIEWING TROVES OF FILES IN 30 DAYS

The release of the transcript, which placed responsibility for the Epstein files rollout squarely on Blanche’s shoulders, comes just days after Blanche announced during a hearing that the Justice Department will be eliminating its controversial Anti-Weaponization Fund, which was created to compensate alleged victims of politicized prosecution and labeled a “slush fund” for Trump and his supporters by critics. The Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files and the Anti-Weaponization Fund, both overseen by Blanche, has drawn concern from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Bondi’s testimony revealed that Blanche had been her point man on the Epstein files and was tasked with briefing her on the release of the Epstein files.

The former attorney general found herself in hot water last July following a joint release by the Justice Department and FBI finding that there was no evidence that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who is alleged to have hundreds of underage victims, had kept a client list.

BONDI SAYS EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST ‘SITTING ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW’, AND IS REVIEWING JFK, MLK FILES

The joint statement, which Bondi said during May’s hearing was penned by Blanche and not her, comes after months of the Trump administration teasing the release of the Epstein files. In February 2025, Fox News’ John Roberts asked Bondi about the release of Epstein’s “client list,” which Bondi responded by saying that it was “sitting on her desk.” Bondi and the White House clarified after the fact that she was referring to the files as a whole and not Epstein’s “client list.”

Members of Congress asked Bondi why Blanche interviewed Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who was in prison, weeks after the joint memo release. Bondi replied by saying Blanche “was leading the Epstein matter and the release of everything from the beginning.”

Once Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, Bondi stated Blanche oversaw the release of millions of documents, which entailed overseeing the redaction process, including its protocols and guidelines, determining which documents were privileged and making corrections to redactions.

DOJ’S EPSTEIN DISCLOSURE DRAWS FIRE FOR WEBSITE GLITCHES, MISSING DOCUMENTS, REDACTIONS

“He was in charge of the process and the entire release of the Epstein files,” Bondi said.

But the Justice Department faced scrutiny over failures to redact all identifiable information from some of Epstein’s victims, allegations that some redactions were heavy-handed and that some documents were completely missing, prompting a bipartisan group of senators to send a letter in March requesting that the Government Accountability Office lead an investigation into the Justice Department’s redaction process.

“Not only has DOJ withheld files, but those records that were disclosed are largely information that was already public,” the letter stated. “Even those records are so heavily redacted that there are serious questions as to whether the Department is properly applying the limited exceptions for redaction that are permitted under the Act. Moreover, several records appear to have been removed, without explanation, from the files the Department did release.”

SENATE REPUBLICAN DEMANDS STATE, FEDERAL COURTS ‘IMMEDIATELY UNSEAL ALL’ EPSTEIN DOCS

However, Bondi said during the hearing that she was not blaming Blanche and that the error rate for the redaction was 1%, which was what Blanche had told her.

“He managed this investigation — and it was a Herculean task — with very little error,” Bondi said during the hearing. “And Todd did an excellent job, in my opinion, and is doing an excellent job as our Attorney General.”

Following her closed-door testimony, Bondi pushed back on allegations from Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., that she is pushing the blame of the Epstein Files rollouts on Blanche.

“NOT TRUE,” Bondi posted on X. “I praised Acting AG Blanche’s management of this Herculean task. I said his ethics are beyond reproach and that he is an incredible Attorney General.”

A White House spokesperson said that Blanche was doing an “excellent job” and will continue to perform well.

“Todd Blanche is an American patriot who fearlessly fought on behalf of President Trump against the Democrats’ illegal and unprecedented lawfare campaign,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman. “The President’s entire team at the Department of Justice is doing a great job advocating for sanity, law and order, and policies that keep Americans safe.”

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Blanche’s nomination is also expected to face scrutiny from Democrats who have questioned whether the former Trump defense attorney can serve as an independent attorney general. Last month, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., launched a Senate Judiciary Committee inquiry based on allegations that Blanche disregarded ethics guidance advising him to recuse himself from matters at the Justice Department involving Trump, who he previously served as a personal lawyer to.

Fox News Digital reached out to Senate Judiciary Committee leadership and the Justice Department for comment.

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent endorsed South Carolina Republican U.S. Senate primary candidate Mark Lynch, calling incumbent GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham a “war hawk, neocon.”

South Carolinians who would like to “stop sending billions of dollars overseas” and “stop us from getting entangled in endless foreign wars in the Middle East,” have the opportunity “to do all of us a great service and vote to get Lindsey Graham out of office this Tuesday, June 9th,” Kent declared in part of a video message posted to social media on Thursday.

“Vote for Mark Lynch,” Kent urged, calling Lynch “the America First candidate” and asserting that Lynch “is the best postured right now to get the war hawk, neocon, Lindsey Graham out of office.”

Graham campaign press secretary Abby Zilch said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Mark Lynch is touting an endorsement from a man that President Trump called a ‘SLEAZEBAG,’ ‘LEAKER,’ and a ‘LOSER.'”

EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF WARNS OF ‘MAJOR PROBLEM’ THAT COULD FORCE US ‘BACK INTO THE WAR ON IRAN’S TERMS’

“This is to be expected since Lynch wants ‘more Massies’ in Congress,” Zilch wrote. “Senator Graham is proud to have the complete and total endorsements of President Trump, Governor McMaster, Senator Tim Scott, Congressman Russell Fry, Congressman Joe Wilson, Congressman William Timmons, National Right to Life, SC Citizens for Life, Tea Party Express, and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Lynch’s campaign on Friday. The candidate noted in a Thursday post on X that he was “honored” to have Kent’s endorsement.

Trump, who endorsed Graham for re-election last year, blasted Lynch in a Truth Social post earlier this year.

“Senator Lindsey Graham is doing a fantastic job. He is running against a LUNATIC named Mark Lynch, who supports perhaps the Worst Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie, of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky. I don’t have to go into great detail, but needless to say, Mark Lynch would be a DISASTER for the Republican Party, and Lindsey Graham just, GETS THE JOB DONE. VOTE FOR LINDSEY ALL THE WAY. MAGA!” Trump declared in the April Truth Social post.

Lynch has previously expressed support for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who lost his GOP primary in Kentucky last month.

“We need more MTGs and Gaetzes and Massies. Zero question about it,” Lynch wrote in a March post on X, referring to former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Massie.

Massie, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since late 2012, lost the Republican congressional primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District last month to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL.

In part of a Thursday Truth Social post, Trump declared, “This Tuesday, June 9th, all Republicans in South Carolina should vote for Lindsey Graham — HE HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT, AND WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”

FOUR SENATE REPUBLICANS AGAIN UNITE WITH DEMS TO BLOCK TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT

Kent quit his government post back in March, citing his opposition to the Iran war.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent wrote in his resignation letter.

Trump said in part of an April Truth Social post that Kent “was really a SLEAZEBAG, and some would say, on top of it all, A LEAKER!” The president added he didn’t “know whether or not that was true” and called Kent “a LOSER.”

LINDSEY GRAHAM WARNS REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS TRYING TO ‘DESTROY’ TRUMP IS A LOSING GAME AFTER CASSIDY DEFEAT

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Graham has served in the U.S. Senate since 2003.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed Senate Republicans after most of them voted to pass a bill to greenlight billions of dollars in funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The measure passed 52-47, mostly along party lines, though one Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined Democrats in voting against passage.

“Tonight, Senate Republicans passed a rotten bill that makes their priorities painfully clear: more money for Donald Trump, more power for Donald Trump, and nothing to lower costs for working families. Republicans refused to permanently outlaw Trump’s $2 billion slush fund, leaving taxpayers to rely on nothing more than a promise from Donald Trump’s personal fixer. That is not accountability. That is a permission slip,” Schumer said in a statement.

TRUMP SCORES VICTORY DESPITE GROWING GOP DIVIDE AFTER SENATE PASSES $70B ICE, BORDER PATROL FUNDING PACKAGE

“They pumped another $70 billion into Trump’s personal police force, defended Trump’s corrupt ballroom, and protected his slush fund for cop-beaters— all while voting against Senate Democrats’ efforts to lower the cost of housing, health care, gas, and childcare,” Schumer continued. “The Republican agenda is now written in black and white: a slush fund for Trump, tax dodges for Trump, a ballroom for Trump, and a private militia for Trump. For hard-working Americans? Nothing. Democrats are fighting to put money back in Americans’ pockets. Republicans are fighting to put more power, more money, and more weapons in Donald Trump’s hands.”

The Justice Department said in a statement last month “that as a part of the settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, the Attorney General established ‘The Anti-Weaponization Fund’ to provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.”

The DOJ explained, “The Fund will receive $1.776 billion and will come from the judgment fund, which is a perpetual appropriation allowing DOJ to settle and pay cases.”

DOZEN GOP REBELS FAIL TO PERMANENTLY KILL TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND

During a congressional hearing on Tuesday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that the DOJ will never move forward with the plan for the anti-weaponization fund, which he said had not been “set up yet,” noting that no commissioners had been named and no claims had been made yet.

ACTING AG BLANCHE REVEALS FATE OF TRUMP’S ‘ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND’ UNDER PRESSURE FROM HOUSE LAWMAKERS

“After tonight’s vote, it’s clear to Americans that Republicans refused to outlaw Donald Trump’s $2 billion slush fund,” Schumer said in another statement released by Senate Democrats. “Now the whole country can see the truth: Republicans fought like hell to protect Donald Trump and his slush fund but didn’t lift a finger to help working Americans lower their costs.”

“Senate Republicans tried to bury their radical agenda in the dead of night, but Democrats forced them to answer for it — amendment after amendment, vote after vote. Republicans voted against building 7 million new affordable homes, against lowering gas prices, against cracking down on health insurance companies that deny Americans coverage, against making childcare more affordable, and so much more. Again and again, Republicans chose Trump instead. While families are struggling to get ahead, Senate Republicans just voted to help Trump bleed them dry,” Schumer added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

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The package would still need to clear the House of Representatives before heading to President Donald Trump.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was shouted at during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing this week by a Chicago-area Democrat amid a heated exchange over the Trump economy.

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., followed several other Democrats in condemning rising prices during the Iran conflict, while Bessent repeatedly pushed back on assertions about his policies by pointing to higher commodity prices during the Biden administration.

At one point in the exchange, Bessent slammed Schneider’s Democrat-run Illinois for driving people away through its own economic policies — a comment that incensed the lawmaker.

Bessent first jabbed at Schneider after the Democrat asked whether he wanted to “correct the record” on a prior statement about the Iran conflict being “ended,” asking the secretary whether Iran was no longer a threat to Israel or U.S. allies and whether its offensive weaponry had been destroyed.

TOP FIERY MOMENTS AS DEMOCRATS CLASH WITH TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT IN CHAOTIC HILL HEARINGS

Bessent smiled and asked if that meant Schneider was “in agreement” with President Donald Trump — as the Democrat had listed off all the president’s goals otherwise ridiculed by critics.

“Unless an American life is lost, he does not believe that he will have to restart the kinetic attacks,” Bessent said.

Schneider became increasingly agitated and reclaimed his time as the back-and-forth grew heated.

Schneider connected the Iran conflict with increased commodities prices, saying that the cost of living is continuing to rise and blaming Bessent and his boss for overseeing such spikes.

Bessent countered that the Treasury calculated the current core inflation rate at 2.8%, close to the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, and quipped to Schneider that “you can list off the most expensive groceries that have had the biggest price increases.”

HOW TRUMP HANDED THE DEMOCRATS A GIFT BY SEEMING TO DISMISS FINANCIAL WORRIES OF AMERICANS

When Schneider responded that Bessent was out of touch and reiterated that he blamed Trump tariffs for commodity spikes for his Chicago-area constituents, Bessent smiled and offered him an invitation on how to fix that.

“Well, you Democrats should know — no wonder so many people are leaving Illinois. Why don’t you come see me in South Carolina?” Bessent said, as Schneider continued in an elevated tone and claimed people were not leaving the Land of Lincoln.

“You’re saying Illinois doesn’t have net outbound migration?” Bessent quipped.

Schneider then changed the subject to Trump’s settlement with the IRS over former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor Charles Littlejohn’s leak of his and others’ tax returns.

When Schneider fumed that no one, including Trump, is “above the law,” Bessent said that the president is also not “beneath the law” and blamed Schneider’s party for “weaponizing the system.”

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“His taxes should never be leaked. No taxpayer information should be leaked…” Schneider began before Bessent injected his dry humor again.

“Then, congressman, would you like to apologize to the president right now on behalf [of your party]?”