Donald Trump Poll News

President Donald Trump praised White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as “winning it decisively” in her battle with cancer after she revealed she was diagnosed nine weeks ago while accepting a major award Thursday night.

“It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks, and she’s been winning a battle with cancer and winning it decisively,” Trump said in a pre-recorded video message. “It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape.”

Wiles said during an onstage conversation that she would continue to work following the diagnosis.

“I come to work every day. I do my job, I don’t complain, and I think that sets an example, too, for the people I work with,” Wiles said.

WH CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES DIAGNOSED WITH EARLY STAGE BREAST CANCER, PROGNOSIS ‘EXCELLENT,’ TRUMP SAYS

Trump surprised Wiles with the video as she accepted the Independent Women’s Forum Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award at a gala in Washington, D.C.

He praised her as “the first female chief of staff in American history” and “one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history.”

“I say the best, actually,” Trump said, adding that he was “tremendously grateful” for her “friendship, loyalty and support every single day.”

TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF PLEDGES NO ‘DRAMA’ OR SECOND-GUESSING IN WHITE HOUSE

Wiles said she did not know the video was intended for the gala, despite briefly walking in while Trump was recording it.

“I walked in when he was filming it, but I didn’t know what it was for, and I kind of ducked out the back door,” she said.

Trump credited Wiles with playing a key role in each of his presidential campaigns, “especially in 2024,” and said his administration’s accomplishments have come with “her help and her leadership.”

TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES RECOUNTS BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, THOUGHT PRESIDENT WAS DEAD AT FIRST

“Susie, we have a problem. I say go to Susie,” Trump said. “We owe her a tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country.”

Wiles, who described herself as a lifelong Republican, said her decision to back Trump in 2016 was one of the biggest risks of her career.

“I wanted a disrupter,” Wiles said. “I looked around at the disrupters in the field and said, I think Donald Trump’s the one.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Asked about her role now, Wiles said, “This is the path God chose for me. And I’m here, and I’m doing the best I can every day.”

The gala was held Thursday at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this reporting.

An aggressive and impassioned debate performance this week by reality TV star and online influencer-turned Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is the latest evidence that his populist pitch to lead the nation’s second-most populous city appears to be gaining traction.

Pratt tangled with the debate moderator after charging that incumbent Mayor Karen Bass was an “incredible liar” and argued that progressive City Council member Nithya Raman would get “stabbed in the neck” if she tried to offer treatment to homeless people encamped in underpasses below the city’s freeways.

His apparent rise is fueled in part by his well-known status as one of the victims who lost their homes in last year’s devastating wildfires, when over 17,000 homes in Los Angeles County were destroyed, as well as his right-leaning focus on homelessness, crime, and government accountability in a city long run by Democrats.

Pratt, who is running as an independent and outsider and has labeled himself a “truth-to-power” candidate, has grabbed significant media attention for his campaign ads targeting both Bass and Raman.

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

Pratt, who has blamed Bass for the destruction of his home, released an ad last week that aimed to tap into Angelenos’ frustration over the city’s current leadership, its response to the wildfires, and its handling of the homeless crisis.

“This is where Mayor Bass lives. Do you notice something? Or here, where Nithya Raman’s $3 million mansion sits,” Pratt said in the ad, as he stands in front of homes of his top two rivals. “They don’t have to live in the mess they’ve created.”

His opponents say that Pratt is borrowing a page from President Donald Trump’s politics of grievance playbook.

LA MAYOR BASS AND TOP RIVALS FACE OFF ON THE DEBATE STAGE

“Spencer is doing his best Trump impression, but it’s not going to work in LA,” Bass’ campaign argued, in response to the recent ad.

It was a similar response from Raman’s campaign, which charged, “Spencer Pratt plays directly from the Donald Trump playbook — incendiary language, fear mongering, and political stunts meant to divide and distract.”

But Pratt’s campaign appears to be resonating with plugged-in voters. According to recent city figures, Pratt has raised more in donations since the start of the year than any of the other contenders.

Elizabeth Barcohana, a Los Angeles-based Republican strategist, told Fox News Digital that “people in Los Angeles want change. We are fed up with the quality of life here that has been brought down upon us by the incumbents. Mayor Bass has been in office for four years. Nithya Raman been in office for nearly six years.”

Barcohona said that Pratt’s “entire platform” is about enforcing the laws as the exist and described it as “commonsense.” 

There has been a dearth of recent polling in the race, but surveys conducted a month ago suggested Bass held a small double-digit lead over Pratt and Raman, with a large percentage of respondents undecided.

ROGAN BACKS REALITY TV STAR SPENCER PRATT’S BID FOR LA MAYOR, SAYS ‘I’D VOTE FOR YOU’

“He’s got some very harsh but imaginative videos online,” veteran Los Angeles-area political scientist Jack Pitney of Claremont McKenna College told Fox News Digital.

“He’s catching fire online,” Pitney said. “Whether he’s catching fire with people who vote in Los Angeles is a different question.”

“His shot is the dissatisfaction message,” Pitney said as he pointed to what may be Pratt’s real strength. “He was displaced by the fire and people are very dissatisfied with the state of government in Los Angeles.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

If no candidate tops 50% in the June 2 primary, the top two finishers will face off in November.

Early voting kicked off earlier this week and Barcohana pointed to what she said was a brisk turnout so far as a good sign that Pratt’s pitch “is translating into real life.”

“There is an enthusiasm to vote and to vote early that I have never seen in Los Angeles or California before in all the years that I have been doing this,” she emphasized.

.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded with a sharp one-liner after former President Barack Obama criticized the Trump administration for politicizing the Department of Justice.

“The White House shouldn’t be able to direct the attorney general to go around prosecuting whoever the president wants prosecuted,” Obama said during an interview with CBS.

“The awesome power of the state, you can’t have a situation where whoever is in charge of the government starts using that to go after their political enemies or reward their friends,” he continued.

In response, DeSantis wrote on X, “The Russia collusion hoax would like a word.”

OBAMA BRANDED ‘CLASSLESS MORON’ FOR AG JAB AT TRUMP AS ‘WINGMAN’ COMMENTS RESURFACE

During an interview with CBS’ Stephen Colbert, Obama said that as president, “There were a couple [norms] that I followed, even though they weren’t law.”

“And we’re going to have to do some work to return to this basic norm, and we probably now have to codify it,” he said. “The idea is that the attorney general is the people’s lawyer and not the president’s consigliere.”

Obama said the politicization of the DOJ poses an existential threat to the United States.

“We can survive a lot, bad policy, funky elections, there’s a bunch of stuff that we can overcome, we can’t overcome the politicization of the criminal justice system.”

He said that he would like to see movement towards “restoring some sense of the Justice Department being independent in making judgments about specific cases and prosecutions.”

Under Obama, the FBI, which is a part of the DOJ, opened a counterintelligence investigation in 2016 to examine whether individuals associated with then-candidate Donald Trump had links to Russian officials and whether there was any coordination.

TULSI GABBARD TORCHES ‘COMPLICIT’ LIBERAL MEDIA FOR IGNORING DNI FINDINGS ON RUSSIA PROBE

The investigation continued during Trump’s first term and was led by special counsel Robert Mueller. It concluded there were “multiple links” between Trump campaign officials and individuals tied to the Russian government. However, it also found that “the investigation did not establish that the Campaign coordinated or conspired with the Russian government in its election-interference activities.”

In July 2025, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard alleged that Obama and senior intelligence officials improperly politicized intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence alleged that Obama directed the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, which “served as the basis for what was essentially a years-long coup against the duly elected President of the United States, subverting the will of the American people and attempting to delegitimize Donald Trump’s presidency.”

OBAMA LAUGHS AS HE HINTS COLBERT COULD PERFORM BETTER THAN TRUMP AS PRESIDENT, SAYS ‘BAR HAS CHANGED’

Gabbard said, “There is irrefutable evidence detailing how President Obama and his national security team directed the creation of an Intelligence Community Assessment that they knew was false, promoting the contrived narrative that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help President Trump win, as though it were true.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Critics have disputed Gabbard’s allegations.

Fox News Digital reached out to Obama for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, received the Independent Women’s Forum’s valor award on Thursday night as the president honored his longtime aide with a surprise video tribute.

“The woman of valor, that is Susie, come to think of it. Not only is Susie the first female chief of staff in American history, she’s also one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history, I say the best, actually. I’m tremendously grateful for her friendship, loyalty, and support every single day. She’s a real professional,” said Trump in the video message, which was shared with Fox News Digital, to Wiles on Thursday evening during the ceremony. 

The award honors the legacy of Independent Women Forum founder Barbara K. Olson, who was killed in the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, and recognizes women who demonstrate the commitment and courage to advance economic liberty, personal responsibility and political freedom. Trump spotlighted Wiles making history as the first female White House chief of staff, following a long career in Republican politics and key roles in Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns.

TRUMP NAMES SUSIE WILES AS FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN HISTORY

“I am deeply honored to receive the Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award. Her strength, courage, and deep love of our country are inspiring to so many. I have the privilege of serving President Trump, our administration and my dedicated colleagues who fight every day to protect liberty, expand opportunity, and strengthen the lives of American families,” Wiles told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“This award is not just a personal honor but a reflection of that shared mission, and I am grateful, humbled, and more committed than ever to continuing that work,” Wiles added.

Trump continued in his surprise message during Thursday’s gala that she has been an inspiration while battling cancer. 

“It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks as she’s been winning a battle with cancer, winning it decisively. It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape. Susie played a key role in every one of my campaigns for president, but especially in 2024 or when she helped lead us to perhaps the most consequential election victory in modern times,” said Trump.

IDAHO REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUE WITH CANCER, SHAVE THEIR HEADS IN SOLIDARITY

“Everything we have done here in the White House has been with her help and her leadership. She’s respected by everybody. Every one of these people, they respect Susie. We have a problem. I say go to Susie, we owe her tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country. Thank you to Susie and congratulations,” he added. 

In March, Wiles announced she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer upon early detection and received a strong prognosis. She said she now joins the many women who have breast cancer and still continue to raise their children, go to work, and serve their communities.

Wiles has been dubbed the “Ice Maiden” by Trump, which he noted in his 2024 victory speech, for her hard-nosed approach to handling politics. Wiles famously avoids the public spotlight, instead working as Trump’s behind-the-scenes enforcer from within the White House.

Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Wiles is an inspiration and a “powerhouse of getting work done,” making her a force in making “America’s future days bright.”

TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES ONCE HELPED NFL BROADCAST LEGEND FATHER PAT SUMMERALL BEAT ALCOHOLISM

“Wiles was instrumental in securing President Trump’s victory and continues to keep the administration laser-focused on delivering results. Her impact is enormous—even if she rarely seeks the credit—and that’s exactly why it’s so meaningful to honor her,” said Lukas.

Wiles is the 19th honoree of the award joining the previous recipients including Miranda Devine, Kimberley Strassel, Janice Dean, Maria Bartiromo, Betsy DeVos, Nikki Haley, Kellyanne Conway, Carly Fiorina, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Condoleezza Rice.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

She had a show of support from Trump’s administration with several cabinet members in attendance. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and FBI Director Kash Patel were all in attendance.

Independent Women’s Forum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1992, presenting itself as an alternative to mainstream feminist groups.

The Department of Justice took aim at reporters it viewed as biased on social media on Wednesday after a federal judge sided with the government in a dispute over 2020 ballots and election materials it seized in Fulton County, Georgia, in January.

“Wrong again, MacFarlane,” a DOJ communications account wrote in an X post, targeting a MeidasTouch journalist who had speculated the department’s arguments would fail to persuade the judge.

Judge J.P. Boulee had found in a 68-page order that Fulton County did not prove its rights were violated when the FBI seized more than 600 boxes of election records. Boulee, a Trump appointee, denied county officials’ request that the boxes be returned, handing the Trump administration a win in its broader fight to investigate the 2020 election and prompting DOJ to taunt media skeptics online.

“Sorry for your loss, Anna,” the DOJ social media account wrote in a separate post about a Lawfare editor.

FBI AGENTS SEARCH ELECTION HUB IN FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA

Boulee’s decision marked a win for the DOJ in its nationwide effort to investigate past elections in key battlegrounds that also include Arizona and Michigan, as Trump maintains that the 2020 election was tainted by widespread fraud and aggressively pushes for tighter election security measures ahead of the midterms.

The FBI had seized the boxes, which included 2020 ballots, from the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center after obtaining a court-approved search warrant. An underlying affidavit revealed the bureau was probing allegations of ballot irregularities and record-keeping failures in Georgia, a state Trump lost by a razor-thin margin to President Joe Biden that became ground zero for Trump’s election fraud claims in the aftermath of 2020.

FBI SUBPOENAS 2020 ARIZONA VOTING DOCS AS FEDERAL PUSH INTO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION WIDENS

Democrats have widely criticized the investigation, including Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who called it a continuation of a “sore loser’s crusade” upon learning of the probe.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners chairman Robb Pitts, who is named in the litigation over the box seizure, previously called the investigation “yet another act of outrageous federal overreach designed to intimidate and to chill participation in elections…. I will always stand up for our elections workers and for the truth.”

NAACP ASKS JUDGE TO LIMIT HOW FEDS USE GEORGIA VOTER DATA SEIZED BY FBI

Pitts and other Fulton County officials had argued the box seizures were unlawful and that the government showed “callous disregard” for the county’s constitutional rights. But Boulee rejected those claims while still acknowledging that the underlying affidavit was flawed and contained “troubling” statements.

“While the Affidavit was certainly far from perfect, this is not a situation where an officer left out all the facts that might undermine probable cause or where an officer intentionally lied,” Boulee wrote, adding that he “cannot say that the Affidavit was so deficient that its shortcomings rise to the ‘high[] threshold’ of callous disregard.”

Boulee relied in his decision on the fact that the investigation was still in an early phase and emphasized that federal authorities had obtained a valid warrant supported by an affidavit. The affidavit outlined allegations related to missing ballot images, inconsistent recount totals and chain-of-custody problems, among other potential issues.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In response to Boulee’s order, Pitts said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital that he agreed with the judge’s assessment that the affidavit was “defective” and “problematic.” 

“But I strongly disagree with the judge’s denial of Fulton County’s request for the FBI to return the election records it wrongly seized on January 28,” Pitts said, adding that county officials would “continue, as always, to stand by our election workers and the voters of Fulton County. We intend to vigorously pursue all available legal options.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Lawfare and MeidasTouch for comment.

Governor Ron DeSantis‘ famed “Alligator Alcatraz” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holding facility in the Florida swamp will “return to the Everglades” after it is no longer needed, a senior Florida government official has told Fox News.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Florida is in talks with the Trump administration to shut the facility down, citing massive operational costs amounting to hundreds of millions. The outlet also reported that the Department of Homeland Security determined the facility was too expensive to continue operating.

Though calling Alligator Alcatraz a “massive success,” the Florida official emphasized that the facility’s purpose was “to provide Florida and the Trump administration with a rapid, temporary solution to four years of Biden’s open border invasion.”

“President Trump secured record funding from Congress to set up permanent sites for detaining and deporting illegal aliens,” the official noted, explaining, “As those sites come online, the need for Alligator Alcatraz as a holding area will wane.”

DESANTIS HITS OBAMA WITH BRUTAL ONE-LINE RESPONSE TO DOJ POLITICIZATION ACCUSATION: ‘WOULD LIKE A WORD’

The official said Florida “is glad to see DHS rebuilt” under President Donald Trump.

“We continue to fully support the mission,” they said. “And when it’s no longer required, Alligator Alcatraz will return to the Everglades with Florida’s commitment that it will never be developed.”

That said, the official said the facility’s 2.5-mile runway will remain available for large flights from neighboring ICE facilities.

Regarding the operational costs, the official said, “We also appreciate the federal government’s commitment to reimbursing Florida for its immediate efforts to step in and help with this mission.”

FLORIDA OFFICIALS REVEAL CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS OF MIGRANTS HELD AT ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’

The official said that “since its inception, Alligator Alcatraz has processed over 21,000 illegal aliens for deportation.”

“Needless to say, Alligator Alcatraz was a massive success,” they added.

This comes shortly after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Florida’s favor that Alligator Alcatraz could remain open, following a judge’s order for the facility to wind down operations for failing to comply with federal environmental law.

In a 2-1 decision, the majority on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals found the state-run facility was not under federal control and was not subject to federal law requiring an environmental impact review.

WATCH: CHAOS ERUPTS AS FLORIDA DEM IN PINK JUMPSUIT GRABS BULLHORN MID-VOTE: ‘IT’S ILLEGAL!’

“Florida, not federal, officials constructed the facility,” the majority wrote. “They control the land and ‘entirely’ built the facility at state expense.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The facility is located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport site, an area surrounded by protected wetlands within the Everglades ecosystem, according to court filings.

The New York Times reported that Florida has been spending more than $1 million a day to run the center.

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

A House Republican facing a tough re-election fight is moving to impose strict limits on the Iran war, breaking with the Trump administration’s claim that hostilities have ended. 

Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., introduced a resolution Thursday that would authorize the war through the end of July to permanently degrade Iran’s nuclear program, address “imminent threats,” enforce a naval blockade and ensure safe passage of U.S. ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

But the measure would also set stringent guidelines on prolonged military operations by limiting boots on the ground and prohibiting “nation-building” or occupying or seizing Iranian territory.

“Two things have been clear from the very beginning: Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the United States of America cannot be dragged into another endless war,” Barrett, an Army veteran who served multiple tours in the Middle East, said. “The commander in chief has the sole authority to lead our troops in wartime, but I’ve lost too many friends on the battlefield to allow that to happen without Congress exercising its constitutional role to clearly define the mission with safeguards and a deadline.”

REPUBLICANS HAND TRUMP THE WHEEL ON IRAN — BUT ONE RED LINE EMERGES

“If we don’t learn from our foreign policy failures of the past, we are bound to repeat them,” he added.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has also vowed to introduce a similar measure in the upper chamber authorizing the use of military force within strict boundaries, which she has described as a “restraint” on Trump.

Barrett’s measure follows the White House largely shrugging off a 60-day deadline to end the war on Friday by arguing that the ceasefire that began on April 7 effectively stopped the clock on the 1973 War Powers Resolution’s countdown. Under the war powers provision, the administration is required to end hostilities within 60 to 90 days absent congressional approval. 

“For War Powers Resolution purposes, the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28 have terminated,” a senior administration official told Fox News Digital last week.

“Both parties agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, April 7 that has since been extended,” the official continued. “There has been no exchange of fire between U.S. Armed Forces and Iran since Tuesday, April 7.”

A press release issued by Barrett’s office stated that “U.S. military operations are ongoing.”

TRUMP ‘RIGHT TO BE OUTRAGED’ BY EUROPE’S BETRAYAL ON IRAN, SAYS FORMER THATCHER ADVISOR

Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued Tuesday that the 1973 War Powers Resolution is unconstitutional, and the administration was only complying with parts of it out of respect for Congress.

“We comply with it in terms of, like, notification because we want to preserve good relations with Congress,” Rubio told reporters during a news conference. “And we do that.”

Trump has repeatedly extended the ceasefire with Iran as both parties are working with mediators to permanently end the war.

Barrett’s resolution would also allow for an additional 30-day “wind-down period” if the Trump administration intended to extend hostilities past the July 30 deadline.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The resolution comes as Barrett, a freshman lawmaker representing a Lansing-area district, is facing a potentially bruising re-election bid ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Bridget Brink, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine under former President Joe Biden, and retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam are vying in a crowded Democratic primary to unseat Barrett in the swing seat.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates his re-election bid as a “toss-up.”

It is unclear whether Barrett will join Democrats in supporting a war powers resolution that would block military action against Iran absent congressional approval when lawmakers return to Washington next week.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A viral clip of Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivering a hopeful vision for America’s future while answering a question this week at the White House is stoking more buzz about a possible 2028 presidential bid.

Rubio, in his debut performance at a White House briefing, gave an uplifting answer that noted America’s “story of perpetual improvement” when asked about his hope for the country in the years ahead.

Recordings of the Secretary of State’s 53-second answer, including a campaign-style video put out by Rubio’s team, grabbed tons of views on social media.

The frenzy is understandable, as every move and each comment Rubio makes is often seen as a possible prelude to a potential White House run in the race to succeed his boss, term-limited President Donald Trump.

RUBIO GAINS MOMENTUM IN HYPOTHETICAL 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION RACE AS VANCE REMAINS CLEAR FRONT-RUNNER

Rubio, briefing reporters ahead of his current overseas trip, including Thursday’s meeting with the Pope at the Vatican amid strained relations due to recent critical comments of the U.S.-born pontiff from Trump, said that his “hope for America is what it’s always been. I think it’s the hope I hope we all share. We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity, but frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.”

“I think that should be the goal of every country in the world, frankly, but I think in the US – we’re not perfect. Our history is not one of perfection, but it’s still better than anybody else’s history,” Rubio said. “And ours is a story of perpetual improvement. Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer, more prosperous, safer, and that is our goal as well.”

The Secretary of State, who is a devout Catholic, added, “But it is a unique and exceptional country and, as we come upon this 250-year anniversary, I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history. It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement, where each generation has done its part to bring us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders of this country had upon its founding.”

A clip of the comments grabbed over six million views on X.

Rubio’s team also put out a minute-long vertical video of the soliloquy that included voice-over video of the Secretary of State, Trump, jets flying over the White House, a diverse mix of Americans, the late President Ronald Reagan, the American flag being raised.

The video, on the Secretary of State’s X account, was viewed over three million times and grabbed the attention of some of the biggest names in MAGA world.

Right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who is close to Trump, retweeted the video and said, “Wow! This looks like it could be a launch video for a Presidential campaign. Amazing production quality and vibes.”

Meanwhile, Elon Musk retweeted a separate video of the Rubio comments.

Vice President JD Vance has long been seen as the heir apparent to Trump and his MAGA and America First base. While Vance remains the hypothetical clear frontrunner ahead of the start of the 2028 White House race, which won’t ignite until after this year’s midterm elections, Rubio appears to be on the rise.

WHITE HOUSE RACE UNDERWAY: WITH 2026 LOOMING, BOTH PARTIES ARE ALREADY PLAYING FOR 2028

Thanks to an increase in his responsibilities and public profile, more recently around the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the war against Iran, Rubio has seen speculation and support for a possible presidential bid soar in recent months.

Among the most notable evidence is Rubio’s strong second-place finish in March in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination straw poll at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Rubio, who was one of more than a dozen Republican contenders who ran and lost to Trump in the tumultuous 2016 presidential race, grabbed 35% of the vote at CPAC when the straw poll results were announced this past weekend, up from a mere 3% a year earlier.

Vance, who is popular with MAGA and America First groups, finished first at 53%. While the vice president saw his support slightly edge down from 61% last year, Vance’s numbers are higher than anyone else in CPAC presidential straw poll history other than Trump.

Rubio insists he’ll support Vance if the vice president launches a White House campaign.

“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair late last year.

MARCO RUBIO SPOTTED BEHIND DJ BOOTH AT FAMILY WEDDING AS SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO VIRAL CLIP

Vance, who like Rubio has highlighted his Catholic faith, will likely get plenty of chances next month to spotlight his devotion amid the release of his new book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.”

VANCE IN ‘CATBIRD SEAT’ FOR 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION, BUT THESE REPUBLICANS MAY ALSO RUN

Partially fueling Rubio’s rise has been Trump, who has lavishly praised his secretary of state.

The president recently declared that Rubio would go down as “the greatest secretary of state in history.”

Trump has also promoted a Vance-Rubio ticket — calling it “unstoppable” a few months ago — but has not said who should be at the top of the ticket.

But the president said last year that Vance is “most likely” his heir apparent. “In all fairness, he’s the vice president,” Trump added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

And Trump, in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last year, called Vance a “fantastic, brilliant guy”

Trump, who has yet to say whom he would endorse in the race for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, added in that interview, “certainly you would say that somebody’s the V.P., if that person is outstanding, I guess that person would have an advantage.”

A Washington city councilwoman said she would rather fly a pride flag than the American flag while questioning why a local park displays 27 versions of the U.S. flag, some of which she said represent parts of American history that are “not great.”

“To me, a pride flag is way more relatable than an American flag. I would not raise an American flag at my house because I wouldn’t. I wasn’t even born here. But I would raise a pride flag,” said Lynnwood council member Isabel Mata on Monday. “As the most diverse city in all of Snohomish County, I don’t think that I’m the only one.” 

Mata, who identifies as a “queer, neurodivergent writer, advocate, and mindfulness meditation teacher” in her government biography, suggested replacing the flags with commemorative ones in an effort to be more inclusive—while downplaying the symbolism of the American flag. 

Mata has since walked back the remarks, telling Fox News Digital that she was speaking “personally, as a queer woman, about what the pride flag means to me.”

TRUMP ADMIN-MAMDANI CLASH OVER STONEWALL MONUMENT REACHES FINAL DECISION

At the heart of the argument is Wilcox Park, known as “Flag Park,” which features 27 flagpoles displaying various versions of the American flag. 

“This community is filled with so many beautiful cultures and diverse backgrounds and all of these things, yet we have 27 iterations of the same flag, some representing parts of American history that, frankly, are not great,” said Mata.

The comment set off an outpouring of critical reactions on social media as clips of her remarks spread like wildfire online this week.

“Lynwood, Washington City Councilwoman Isabel Mata says the LGBTQ flag is more relatable than the American Flag and she would never fly an American Flag,” popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted. 

“‘I wasn’t even born here.’ Then shut up,” Fox News contributor and New York Post columnist Miranda Devine posted. 

Others posted, “WA cooked,” “wow” or asked “If you hate America that much, then why are you still here?” in response to the remarks. 

Mata walked back her comments when asked by Fox News Digital about her dismissal of the symbolism behind the American flag. 

SCHUMER PUSHES BILL TO GIVE PRIDE FLAG SAME STATUS AS US, MILITARY FLAGS

“I apologize for the way I expressed myself, and I mean that sincerely. The American flag represents the sacrifices of veterans and military families, and the promise that drew immigrants like me to this country,” said Mata. “I should have honored that more carefully in my remarks, and I did not. I have deep respect for everyone who has served under that flag.”

SCHUMER PUSHES BILL TO GIVE PRIDE FLAG SAME STATUS AS US, MILITARY FLAGS

She added that her comments “were not a formal policy proposal,” but to raise “a broader question about how Lynnwood, the most diverse city in Snohomish County, might find additional ways to reflect its community.”

“I believe there is room, in a city as diverse as Lynnwood, to celebrate the many cultures, identities, and communities that make it great, alongside the American flag, not instead of it. Any formal changes to public spaces would go through a proper public process with full community input. That is how it should work,” she added. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced legislation in February that would make a pride flag a congressionally authorized flag.

The designation would give the Pride flag protections similar to those afforded to the U.S. flag, military flags and other flags recognized by Congress.

President Donald Trump accused House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., of inciting the most recent assassination attempt against him, further escalating his feud with the top Democrat.

Trump argued in a Truth Social post on Thursday that Jeffries should be arrested after promoting “warfare” against Republicans just days before the assassination scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April.

“This lunatic, Hakeem “Low IQ” Jeffries, should be charged with INCITING VIOLENCE!” Trump wrote on social media.

He included images of Jeffries standing with a sign displaying the words “maximum warfare” and the faces of Trump and his aide James Blair alongside an image “three days later” of alleged assassin Cole Allen storming the Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES DOUBLES DOWN ON ‘MAXIMUM WARFARE’ RHETORIC, TELLS CRITICS ‘I DON’T GIVE A DAMN’

“Should Hakeem Jeffries be charged with inciting violence?” Trump’s post asked his 12.6 million followers to ponder.

A spokesperson for Jeffries referred Fox News Digital to a social media post where the top Democrat labeled Trump’s comments as “another deranged rant” and dinged the president on affordability. 

“Gas prices are sky high, grocery bills are surging and families can’t catch a break,” he wrote on X. “Democrats are about to take back the House and you’re losing your mind.”

JEFFRIES LAUNCHES NEW YORK GERRYMANDER PUSH AFTER REDISTRICTING CLASH WITH DESANTIS

The online skirmish came after Jeffries already defended his “maximum warfare” language amid GOP backlash in late April.

“I don’t give a damn about your criticism,” he told Republicans.

Jeffries also justified his decision to use the phrase when discussing the nationwide redistricting battle by arguing that an anonymous White House staffer first deployed the phrase to threaten Democrats with GOP-friendly gerrymanders during an interview with The New York Times last year.

“That phrase ‘maximum warfare everywhere, all the time’ came from the White House in the summer of 2025, when they started this redistricting battle, and now they’re big mad,” Jeffries said at a news conference. “Why? Because Democrats have decided to finish it. Get lost.” 

Jeffries has consistently said that he opposes all forms of political violence, while refusing to walk back his fiery language.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He told “Fox News Sunday” last month that lawmakers “set the most appropriate example” in their rhetoric, when asked about the rise in political violence.

“Whatever your ideological perspective is, we all love America, and we all want to make sure that this country is the best that it can possibly be,” Jeffries said.

A powerful Virginia Democratic lawmaker’s online jab at President Donald Trump that “no one is above the law” is coming back to haunt her after her office and a business she co-owns were raided by the FBI Wednesday.

State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a major power broker in Virginia politics and ally of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, is known for hot takes, often laced with vulgar language, that she frequently posts on social media. In 2023, she posted that then-former President “Donald Trump just learned no is above the law!”

Now, her post is garnering new attention following the news of the FBI raids, with X users pointing the finger back at her.

Popular conservative account Libs of TikTok posted, “Louise Lucas just learned no one is above the law!”

A TALE OF TWO INDICTMENTS: TOP DEMS SAY ‘NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW’ ON TRUMP, BUT DECRY COMEY CASE

Caroline Wren, a political operative and former Trump fundraiser, referenced another post of Lucas’ from 2022, in which the Democrat wrote, “I want to see voters showing the kind of overwhelming numbers at the polls that the FBI showed today at Mar a Lago!” Wren wrote, “This aged well.”

Lucas’ office and weed dispensary business were raided Wednesday as part of a court-authorized federal corruption and illegal marijuana sale probe, federal law enforcement sources told Fox News. In total, 10 locations associated with Lucas were raided by the FBI.

This, too, drew mockery from Lucas’ critics, who pointed to her “Ten f—– one” slogan, referring to Virginia’s recently passed redistricting map that favors Democrats in 10 of the state’s congressional districts, likely leaving only one Republican district.

Former Virginia legislator Nick Freitas posted, “@SenLouiseLucas: ‘10 to f-ing 1’ FBI: ‘How about 10 to f-ing life.’”

Arlington County GOP Chair Matthew Hurtt posted on X, “Louise Lucas asked [a] Fox News reporter where else the FBI was raiding. Apparently, 10 locations. There’s a TEN F—IN’ ONE joke in there somewhere.”

Talk radio host Erick Erickson, meanwhile, predicted that “no wagons will be circled for Louise Lucas because the VA Dems have known for a while.”

DHS UNLOADS ON ‘SANCTUARY CALAMITY’ VIRGINIA AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF HEINOUS CRIME RELEASED: ‘SICKO’

Lucas was not universally reviled in response to the raids. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who bears no relation to the Virginia Democrat, posted on his personal X account, “They need to leave Louise Lucas alone.”

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, also released a statement on Wednesday in which he said he is “deeply concerned by today’s FBI raid.”

“Given the politicization of this administration — an FBI led by Kash Patel and a Justice Department run by President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney — I think people should take this with a grain of salt and allow the facts to come out before jumping to a conclusion,” he wrote.

Notably, a federal law enforcement source familiar with the case clarified that the corruption probe was opened by the FBI during the Biden administration.

Virginia Republican Delegate Tim Anderson, who was previously sued by Lucas for defamation in a case that was ultimately thrown out, also responded. Anderson wrote, “What they have or don’t have on Senator Lucas will be something for the courts to work through if the DOJ initiates criminal charges.”

SPANBERGER REFUSES TO HONOR ICE DETAINER IN MURDER CASE, ESCALATING SHOWDOWN WITH TRUMP DHS

A spokesperson for Spanberger told Fox News Digital that the governor “is aware of today’s law enforcement operation in Portsmouth.” The spokesperson added that “in the absence of additional details, the governor will not be commenting on a federal investigation at this time.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Virginia Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones, who has faced his own share of controversy over violent text messages he previously sent, also weighed in. Jones said in a statement that “we simply do not have sufficient information about the reported FBI activity in Portsmouth. However, several previous actions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia have undermined public confidence in that office.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Lucas for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: A pair of House lawmakers are seeking a major change to the Secret Service after heightened scrutiny following the third assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in April. 

Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Russell Fry, R-S.C., introduced legislation Thursday that would transfer the Secret Service from DHS supervision and make the agency a direct report to the White House.

The measure is part of a broader package of bipartisan reforms that Moskowitz, a former emergency management director, is unveiling to reform the sprawling department that has come under frequent criticism for bureaucratic dysfunction. His legislative package would also make FEMA an independent cabinet-level agency and move TSA under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. 

The goal, Moskowitz said, is to cut red tape at DHS that impedes its subagencies’ ability to function — an observation he saw up close as a member of the congressional task force investigating the first assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pa.

TRUMP BUTLER RALLY SECRET SERVICE TEAM FAILED MULTIPLE BASIC PROTOCOLS BEFORE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, DOCS REVEAL

“Going to Butler, talking to Secret Service, is when I realized, well, the Secret Service is suffering the same problems that FEMA is suffering,” Moskowitz said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Because they were such a small agency, they couldn’t get the resources they needed. They couldn’t get decisions being made.”

“These pieces of legislation would streamline all three of those agencies,” Moskowitz added. “It would cut a lot of the bureaucracy we’re getting at DHS.”

Moskowitz, who was present at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, where the Secret Service subdued the alleged shooter, said the assassination scare reinforced the need to make the agency directly accountable to the president and provide agents with “more resources, not less.” 

Fry, who is co-leading the bill, said the measure would better allow the Secret Service to fulfill its responsibility of protecting the president.

“In a time where political attacks are becoming increasingly rampant, the Secret Service should be able to focus solely on its mission of protecting top U.S. officials — not dealing with bureaucratic tape that ultimately serves as a distraction to keeping the president safe,” Fry said.

WITNESSES RECOUNT CHAOS AT WHCA DINNER AFTER SHOOTING, SECRET SERVICE AGENTS DREW GUNS TO EVACUATE TRUMP

Moskowitz’s DHS reform package comes after the embattled department endured a record-breaking funding lapse that concluded in late April after lasting for 76 days. The Florida lawmaker repeatedly joined Democrats against full-year DHS spending bills, but supported funding the department’s non-immigration functions.

If Moskowitz’s reform package was signed into law, the TSA, Secret Service and FEMA would likely be shielded from another prolonged DHS funding lapse.

More than 1,000 TSA agents quit during the shutdown, leading to long security lines at major airports and a spike in missed flights for passengers.

“I don’t think the American people should have their lives interrupted at the airport because of the dysfunction in Washington,” Moskowitz told Fox News Digital.

He also argued that TSA would function better if it was transferred out of DHS.

“The idea that the Department of Transportation, they have the FAA that keeps our skies safe, but then Homeland keeps the people safe in the airport … we should put things under one roof,” Moskowitz said. “I’m trying to unify keeping people safe in the air and safe on the ground when flying.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Moskowitz’s previous efforts to make FEMA a cabinet-level agency have stalled in committee.

The Florida lawmaker, however, said he has talked with members of the Trump administration about reforms to DHS and believes there is extensive bipartisan support for overhauling the department.

“The question is, are we able to function and actually do something like this anymore?” Moskowitz said. “Or are we just only able to fund the agencies now and can’t do any reform?”

Moskowitz is partnering with Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., on the FEMA reform measure and co-leading the TSA transfer bill with Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.

He told Fox News Digital that he is planning to seek re-election in the new GOP-leaning 25th Congressional District, following Florida Republicans passing an aggressive gerrymandered map that carved up his Democratic seat last week.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the DHS before publication.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo at the Vatican for “constructive” conversations on Thursday following heightened tensions between President Donald Trump and the pontiff over the U.S.-Iran conflict.

“The conversations today were friendly and constructive,” a State Department official told Fox News Digital.

Rubio, a Catholic, held a private meeting with the pope to reaffirm the Vatican-U.S. partnership early on Thursday morning. Trump said he sent Rubio to deliver what he described as a “very simple” message: Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Rubio and Leo discussed the situation in the Middle East and “topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere,” according to a State Department readout.

RUBIO TO VISIT ITALY, VATICAN AMID TROOP DRAWDOWN CALL, TENSION WITH TRUMP, POPE LEO: REPORTS

“The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” said spokesperson Tommy Pigott in a statement.

The meeting marked the Trump administration’s first engagement with the pontiff in nearly a year following tension.

POPE LEO CALLS OUT TRUMP’S IRAN RHETORIC BEFORE LAST-MINUTE CEASEFIRE EMERGES

The pope has criticized the war with Iran by casting the conflict as a moral issue, warning that rhetoric targeting Iran’s population crosses a dangerous line.

“There has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable,” the pope said in April. “There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more so a moral issue for the good of the whole entire population.”

POPE LEO SLAMS THOSE WHO ‘MANIPULATE RELIGION’ FOR MILITARY OR POLITICAL GAIN, TRUMP RESPONDS

The comments were seemingly in reference to one of Trump’s Truth Social posts, where he wrote, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will… God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

Trump has taken an aggressive approach to his messaging with Iran and told reporters on Wednesday he only has one message for the pope.

“I can tell you this, that as far as the Pope is concerned, and it’s very simple. Whether I make him happy or I don’t make him happy, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And he seemed to be saying that they can. And I say they cannot, because if that happened, the entire world would be hostage. And we’re not going to let that happen,” he said.

Following his meeting with the pope, Rubio met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, to discuss shared priorities related to the conflict with Iran.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“They reviewed ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East. The discussion reflected the enduring partnership between the United States and the Holy See in advancing religious freedom,” said Pigott in a readout.

Rubio is set to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday.

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is sounding the alarm on the steep decline in civic literacy in classrooms across the United States — a trend Gorsuch said ultimately prompted him to co-author a new children’s book with the aim of educating the next generation about America’s founding principles.

Speaking to Fox News Digital in a recent interview, Gorsuch said his new book, “Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration,” was created to address the steep decline in civic education and history in the U.S. among both school-aged children and adults.

“Only about 13% of kids today in eighth grade are proficient in American history — [and just] 22% in civics,” Gorsuch told Fox News Digital. “Six out of 10 adults would fail our citizenship test.

Those numbers, he said, reflect a “deeply” concerning reality and were ultimately what inspired the book’s creation.

AMERICAN STUDENTS’ LACK OF BASIC CIVICS KNOWLEDGE ALARMS EDUCATION ADVOCATES

“That’s how [my co-author] hooked me,” Gorsuch said, referring to Janie Nitze, his former clerk and co-author.

“She says, ‘You have been complaining about the state of civic education in this country for a long time,'” Gorsuch said. “She’s right. … So, it’s time to do something about it, I figured.”

Gorsuch has long sought to improve the state of civic education programs for young people in the U.S. — a goal that predates his nomination as a Supreme Court justice.

He recently told Fox News Sunday that the new book took “a lot of inspiration” from former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who famously founded a civics education nonprofit after stepping down from the bench.

“As she was leaving the court, she reflected that civic education in this country is a problem,” Gorsuch said of O’Connor’s work. “And for a lot of reasons, it’s simply not being taught anymore.” 

“So I do think we have a big problem, because we are a creedal nation, again, not based on race or religion, but based on an idea, three great ideas, I think,” he said. “And if you don’t know what they are, the history and the people that made them possible, how can you possibly carry them on?”

JUSTICE GORSUCH HIGHLIGHTS HUMANITY, HISTORY IN CHILDREN’S BOOK CELEBRATING AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

Gorsuch noted in 2019 that just one-third of Americans could name all three branches of government — a concerning decline, he said, given that the three branches interact and crucially “check” one another against unmitigated overreach.

Without this separation of powers, Gorsuch said at the time, promises of freedom “are just words on a page.”

“What Madison knew is that people are not angels,” he told Fox & Friends. “And that we need to separate powers that keep us free.”

Now, he’s hoping to bring that message to a younger audience.

Gorsuch said their goal in writing the book — which features striking, hand-painted illustrations alongside stories of well-known revolutionaries and young people during the Revolutionary War — was to inspire children by highlighting the role they played in shaping the nation, 250 years ago.

JUSTICE BARRETT OPENS UP ABOUT ‘AWKWARD’ START ON SCOTUS, SHADOW DOCKET AND MORE IN FORTHCOMING MEMOIR

“Young people have been remarkable contributors to our country throughout history,” Gorsuch said, listing teenagers named in the book, who participated in the war directly, or as spies.

 “We wanted to inspire young people. That was a huge part of it,” Gorsuch said.

He stressed that civic education is not a partisan issue on the high court — adding that in fact, the issue is one that unifies all nine Supreme Court justices, regardless of their ideology.

“If you polled the nine of us in our conference room,” Gorsuch said of the justices, “one thing we could all agree on is the importance of learning American history.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

“Because how else are you going to carry this thing forward? Somebody has to run the zoo,” he said.

Political critics of Supreme Court decisions fundamentally do not understand the role of the institution, according to Chief Justice John Roberts.

It is to interpret the law, not make it, he told a judicial conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

“I think, at a very basic level, people think we’re making policy decisions, we’re saying we think this is how things should be, as opposed to what the law provides,” Roberts said Wednesday night. “I think they view us as purely political actors, which I don’t think is an accurate understanding of what we do.”

The decision reviewing the unconstitutionality of race-based gerrymandering under the Voting Rights Act has resurfaced rebukes of the political ideology of the Court. Three conservative justices, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, were placed on the bench by President Donald Trump during his first term, giving Republican-nominated justices a 6-3 majority.

BARRETT SAYS JUSTICES ‘WEAR BLACK, NOT RED OR BLUE’ IN RESPONSE TO PARTISAN CRITICS IN FOX NEWS INTERVIEW

Justices, however, are making decisions based on the law and contextual readings of the Constitution, not their personal policy preferences, Roberts stressed to the conference of judges and lawyers from the 3rd U.S. Circuit in Pennsylvania.

“I think considered criticism is a very good thing,” Roberts said. “You hope it’s intelligent criticism, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a free country and I certainly don’t object to it, and I don’t think my colleagues do either.”

FOX NEWS POLL: APPROVAL OF SCOTUS AT 5-YEAR HIGH, REBOUNDING FROM RECORD LOW IN 2024

The Supreme Court has also expanded gun rights and overturned the constitutional right to abortion in recent years. Public confidence in the Supreme Court was at a low of 40% after the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion ruling, showing the politics of rulings determines perception as the words of the Constitution remain unchanged.

The rulings are “based on our best effort to figure out what the Constitution means and how it applies” to the existing law, Roberts said.

SUPREME COURT’S 2026 RULINGS COULD DEFINE AMERICA FOR DECADES TO COME

“We’re not simply part of the political process, and there’s a reason for that, and I’m not sure people grasp that as much as is appropriate,” Roberts said, stressing that “one thing we have to do is make decisions that are unpopular.”

“On the other hand,” Roberts said, “there is a point where it changes from criticism of the opinion to criticism of the judge and it can lead to some very serious problems.”

JUSTICE NEIL GORSUCH BREAKS SILENCE ON VIOLENT THREATS AGAINST JUDICIARY, SUPREME COURT LEAKS

Heated political rhetoric, potentially fueled by violent protest groups, can endanger judges.

In June 2022, an armed suspect was caught outside Kavanaugh’s home. Nicholas John Roske pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 97 months in prison and lifetime supervised release after admitting to the attempted assassination.

“There’s a lot of hostility that’s publicized about judicial decisions and which judge wrote those decisions,” Roberts warned. “I think we have to be a little more careful and make sure people, to the extent you can, are more careful about that.”

TRUMP REVEALS HE HAS MULTI-PICK SCOTUS PLAN READY AS RETIREMENT SPECULATION HEATS UP

Judges bowing to the pressures of political ideology from the American public would have devastating effects, according to Roberts.

“If you do it cavalierly, overrule precedent just because you think it’s wrong, then the whole system begins to suffer,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The advanced ages of Thomas and Alito have raised questions of whether they might consider retirement either before the midterms — which could change Congress’ ability to get through another conservative justice nominee under Trump — or before 2028, where a flip of the White House and/or Congress could shift the court back away from a conservative majority.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The University of Oregon caved to student demands after infusing a new ICE alert into the university’s campus-wide emergency alert system, which took effect Wednesday.

An April 30 email to students from Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Jimmy Howard said that the university’s official campus-wide alert system will be allowed to be used for an alert system, which utilizes campus police and other university resources, to warn students about any nearby activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

The decision follows Oregon House Bill (H.B.) 4709, passed in February and signed by the governor in April, which required public K-12 schools and higher education institutions to designate a system to notify students of federal immigration presence. However, the deadline to set that system up was not until the end of September and students complained that the system needed to be set up sooner.

“As requested by our campus community and required by Oregon House Bill 4079, we are implementing a notification system in the event of immigration enforcement activity on campus,” Howard’s email stated, which was shared with Fox News Digital by students at an independent campus publication that first covered the story, The Daily Emerald.

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON TO OFFER ABORTION PILLS ON CAMPUS THIS FALL AFTER STUDENT PRESSURE CAMPAIGN

The university sent Fox News Digital a statement pointing out H.B. 4079 was signed into law by Democratic Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on April 9, less than a month prior, after making its way through the state legislature, which has both a Democratic House and Senate majority.

A day later, student groups, including the school’s chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the University of Oregon Anti-ICE Coalition, delivered a petition to the Office of the President demanding the ICE alert system be instituted ahead of the mandatory September deadline.

Fox News Digital inquired with university spokespeople about why the alert system was being implemented so far in advance of the deadline, and whether any other alternative systems were considered. 

“The University of Oregon already uses its emergency alert system to inform the campus community of certain law enforcement activity on campus as well as other concerns (e.g., server outages, motor vehicle crashes, etc.), and we have done so for years,” a university spokesperson responded. “It’s important for students and employees to be aware of law enforcement activity on campus so they do not unintentionally interrupt it while moving through campus to get to class.”

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA STUDENTS RAIL AGAINST COLLEGE LEADERSHIP OVER WISHY-WASHY STAND ON ICE

The current ICE alert system will use the same University of Oregon Alert system, according to the campus-wide email obtained by Fox News Digital, which includes getting verification from the Office of the General Counsel, university police, and Safety and Risk Services before sending out alerts. Extra personnel are also designated for other campuses tied to the University of Oregon system.

“The University of Oregon follows all federal and state laws,” the university said in a formal statement sent to Fox News Digital. “In compliance with the new state law, the University of Oregon created the required policy, which clarifies the conditions that would warrant such notice and the method of communication. Any notice issued under the new policy will follow state guidelines and will not include personally identifiable information that cannot be disclosed. Notice will not be sent for routine federal activity, such as visa status checks.”

The new alert system follows pressure from campus organizers, including the school’s DSA chapter, and incidents of ICE activity on campus as early as November 2025.

“(The Sept. deadline) leaves a pretty big gap in protection for students. People are going to be here for the next couple weeks and even over the summer, so there is obviously a big gap in security,” a member of the University of Oregon Anti-ICE coalition said, according to The Daily Emerald, which has covered the student pressure.

“We’ve seen UO’s lack of response and its insistence that we be compliant with the federal administration. And we don’t agree with it. We think it’s unsafe,” another student organizer told The Daily Emerald in mid-February. “We think that we’re better than that, we have the resources to protect ourselves. So we’re here to make a point about that and keep the pressure up.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In March, Fox News Digital reported that the University of Oregon also recently announced it would begin offering abortion pills to its students beginning in the fall, once again, following pressure from students.

 In February, The Daily Emerald reported that the University of Oregon’s DSA chapter “has been campaigning for campus abortion access for the past three years but has made it a major focus since this fall,” including by making abortion pill access among its top campaign priorities.

Fox News Digital’s Rachel del Guidice contributed to this report.

China has ordered companies to disregard U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian oil, forcing a direct test of Washington’s ability to enforce its crackdown on Iran. 

A new directive, issued through China’s Commerce Ministry Sunday, invokes a 2021 “blocking statute” that prohibits firms from complying with foreign sanctions deemed illegitimate. The order applies to several Chinese refiners accused by the United States of purchasing Iranian crude, including major independent processors known as “teapot” refineries.

The move represents a shift from years of opaque workarounds to more explicit state-backed resistance, as Beijing signals it will not cooperate with U.S. efforts to cut off a key source of revenue for Iran.

US TARGETS CHINA REFINERY IN SWEEPING IRAN OIL CRACKDOWN, SANCTIONS ‘SHADOW FLEET’ TANKERS

“This is unprecedented. It’s a major escalation in terms of China’s response to U.S. economic statecraft. It is a measure of defiance by Beijing,” said Max Meizlish, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The escalation comes as the Trump administration intensifies its sanctions campaign, targeting Chinese refiners and warning financial institutions they could face penalties for facilitating oil transactions between Iran and China.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has accused Beijing of effectively financing Iran’s military activity through its oil purchases, arguing that Chinese demand is sustaining Tehran’s economy.

“China, let’s see them step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait,” Bessent said in a Fox News interview Monday.

“Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism … China has been buying 90 percent of their energy, so they are funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism,” he added.

China remains the primary destination for Iranian crude, with much of the country’s sanctioned oil exports flowing to Chinese refiners despite mounting U.S. pressure.

“It’s putting firms in China in the position where they either comply with the CCP order or the U.S. order and either way there could be consequences,” Meizlish said.

TRUMP DELAYS XI MEETING AS IRAN CONFLICT LETS US STRONG-ARM CHINA’S OIL SUPPLY

The issue is expected to be a major point of contention at an upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

At the same time, diplomacy is accelerating. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing Wednesday for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underscoring China’s growing role as both Iran’s primary oil customer and a key diplomatic interlocutor.

Despite mounting sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade aimed at restricting Iran’s oil exports, shipments have continued through increasingly opaque maritime networks. Data from maritime intelligence firm Windward shows a surge in vessels operating without tracking signals, with the majority of ships in the Strait of Hormuz recently going “dark,” making enforcement significantly more difficult.

IRAN SHIFTS 20M BARRELS THROUGH ‘DARK’ OFFSHORE OIL NETWORK BYPASSING US PORT BLOCKADE, FIRM SAYS

In one recent snapshot, 146 of 167 vessels in the area were not transmitting location data, according to the report.

Windward analysts also identified continued covert loading activity at Iran’s main export hub at Kharg Island, including large crude carriers operating without tracking signals despite heightened enforcement pressure.

“I don’t expect this is going to necessarily change much by way of how China has helped facilitate Iranian sanctions evasion,” Meizlish said.

Those flows have largely been sustained by demand from Chinese refiners, particularly smaller independent operators that often operate outside the U.S. financial system and are more insulated from sanctions pressure.

“This is really a clear attempt by Beijing to put the ball back in the U.S.’ court and see if it’s going to actually act,” Meizlish added.

Beijing’s decision to formally instruct companies not to comply with U.S. sanctions adds a new layer of risk for global firms. The blocking statute allows Chinese companies to seek damages in domestic courts from banks, insurers, or shipping companies that cut ties in order to comply with U.S. measures.

Analysts say the move could force multinational firms into a difficult position, weighing access to the Chinese market against the risk of being cut off from the U.S. financial system.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“There’s no more important enabler to Iran than China,” Meizlish said.

The standoff highlights a broader challenge for Washington: while sanctions remain a central tool of U.S. foreign policy, enforcing them against major economies like China, especially when transactions can be conducted outside the dollar system, is far more difficult.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington for comment. 

Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, is facing federal charges after allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Pam Bondi, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced Tuesday.

Sanders, who appeared in federal court Monday, allegedly sent numerous social media posts between January and April that threatened to kill the three leaders.

Sanders allegedly threatened to bomb the White House and mentioned first lady Melania Trump in social media posts while referencing the fact that he owned a gun, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Florida.

“Imma bomb the (expletive) White House,” he posted on X, according to the complaint.

FAA EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH ALLEGEDLY THREATENING TO KILL PRESIDENT TRUMP IN EMAIL TO WHITE HOUSE

“I don’t know what to do Melania, like, all I got is a gun. It’s the only thing I can use now is a gun,” Sanders said in a video posted to Instagram, per the complaint.

Another video allegedly targeted Rubio. “Like when I get my hands on him, I’m gonna hurt him. Simple as that,” Sanders said.

“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement.

SUSPECT WITH LENGTHY RAP SHEET ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED PAM BONDI ‘MURDER-FOR-HIRE’ SCHEME: FBI

“They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the President of the United States and other senior officials,” he added. “Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our Office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable.”

The U.S. attorney’s office charged Sanders with threatening the president of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

Investigations into his threats involve the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service and Miami Beach Police Department.

“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service, Miami Field Office also said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate. We remain relentless in our mission to protect the President and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”

Sanders’ arrest was the result of a protected intelligence investigation which highlighted the efficacy of the Secret Service to identify threats “before they can make a plan,” a Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital contacted the U.S. Attorney for Florida’s Southern District for additional comment.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio previewed a high-profile trip to Rome from the White House briefing room Tuesday, delivering sharp warnings to Iran and flashing easy command of the podium that drew praise from conservative allies online.

“The trip is really not tied to anything other than the fact that it would be normal for us to engage, and other secretaries of State have done that in the past,” Rubio said at the White House press conference on Tuesday of his trip to Italy. 

The briefing came two days before Rubio is set to visit the Vatican and Italy for meetings amid heightened tensions between President Donald Trump, Pope Leo and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over the U.S.-Iran conflict. Rubio used the briefing to defend the administration’s posture toward Tehran, downplay the timing of the Italy visit and signal that Washington is not backing off its pressure campaign.

RUBIO TO VISIT ITALY, VATICAN AMID TROOP DRAWDOWN CALL, TENSION WITH TRUMP, POPE LEO: REPORTS

“The message to Iran … these guys are facing real catastrophic destruction to their economy, generational destruction to their economy, generational destruction to the wealth of their country imposed on themselves by the actions that they’re taking,” said Rubio of Iran on Tuesday. 

“They should check themselves before they wreck themselves in the direction that they’re going,” Rubio quipped, referencing Ice Cube’s rap song, “Check Yo Self.” 

Rubio, a Catholic, is expected to meet with Pope Leo on Thursday morning, at a time when the pontiff has criticized the Trump administration’s Middle East peacemaking efforts.

RUBIO OVERHAULING ‘BLOATED’ STATE DEPARTMENT IN SWEEPING REFORM

“There has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable,” the pope said in April. “There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more so a moral issue for the good of the whole entire population.”

RUBIO’S TRUMP ADMIN JUGGLING ACT GROWS AS MEME-WORTHY ROLE LIST BECOMES REALITY

The comments were seemingly in reference to one of Trump’s Truth Social posts, where he wrote, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will… God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

Trump told reporters on Wednesday in the Oval Office he only has one message for the Pope.

“I can tell you this, that as far as the Pope is concerned, and it’s very simple. Whether I make him happy or I don’t make him happy, Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. And he seemed to be saying that they can. And I say they cannot, because if that happened, the entire world would be hostage. And we’re not going to let that happen,” he said.

TRUMP MEETS WITH ITALIAN PM GIORGIA MELONI AT HIS MAR-A-LAGO RESORT

Rubio will also meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been distancing herself from the U.S. amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.

The meeting comes as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on NATO allies to align with the U.S. against Iran, including ordering the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany — a drawdown expected to unfold over the next six to 12 months.

Meloni said Tuesday she would not support any effort to reduce the U.S. military presence in Italy, drawing a contrast with Trump’s broader push to reposition American forces in Europe.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Italy remains a key U.S. security hub in Europe, hosting nearly 13,000 active-duty American troops across six bases as of the end of 2025.

Rubio heads to his high-profile meetings fresh off of social media commenters and conservative leaders applauding how well he stepped in for Karoline Leavitt behind the podium after she took maternity leave late last month. The secretary joked with reporters, fielded questions in multiple languages and delivered pointed warnings to Iran, giving supporters a glimpse of the presence he will likely carry into the Rome trip.

“Marco Rubio is showing the nation & the world what we’ve known about him for decades,” said Republican Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez on X. “Rubio is one of the most eloquent, articulate, & incredibly capable statesmen of our times.” 

“President Trump made an EXCELLENT choice in him. He proves it every single day,” he added.

Former Rep. Katie Porter, a Democratic candidate in California’s crowded gubernatorial primary, is facing backlash after saying illegal immigrants are driving population growth in the state, a claim long advanced by Republicans.

“The job of the California governor is to protect every single Californian,” Porter said after being asked if she would work with federal authorities to deport illegal immigrants at Tuesday’s California gubernatorial debate. 

“The sanctuary state policy is designed to make sure that our state resources — the taxpayer dollars, the public servants that we have — are focusing on doing their jobs, which is not cooperating with the federal immigration authorities.

KATIE PORTER INTERVIEW GOES VIRAL AS JOURNALISTS MARVEL AT DEMOCRAT’S MELTDOWN 

“These are Californians. They contribute to our economy. They pay taxes. And they’re one of the only ways that our state has been growing in recent years,” Porter said of illegal immigrants.

Gunther Eagleman, a popular right-wing X account, accused Porter of saying “the quiet part out loud” by stating that illegal immigrants have mitigated population decline in California.

“Katie Porter accidentally admits out loud that Californians are fleeing California and are being replaced by imported illegals,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. 

Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have accused Democrats of resisting efforts to deport illegal immigrants because it could cost them seats in the House of Representatives. Illegal immigrants counted by the Census help determine the total number of House seats a given state is entitled to when the chamber is reapportioned every ten years.

“So she’s saying Cali has too many seats in the House?” another X user said in response to Porter’s comment.

While Trump and others have attempted to add a citizenship question to the Census in an effort to remove noncitizens from calculations determining the number of House seats each state has, the Constitution does not mention citizenship status in relation to congressional apportionment.

NEW POLL REVEALS MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIANS OPPOSE THIS KEY BENEFIT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

“California is cooked: Katie Porter says criminal illegal aliens are ‘one of the only ways California has been growing in recent years,” Republican communications operative Steve Guest wrote on X. 

“Democrats have been in total control of [California] for the past 16 years.”

An estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants entered California from 2021 to 2023, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Between July 2021 and July 2023, California’s overall population grew by just under 20,000, per data published by the California Department of Finance.

“Thats because all the billionaires, millionaires big business and anyone that can afford it is leaving [California] faster than you pouring a pot of boiling hot potatoes on your ex partners head,” one X account wrote, responding to Porter and alluding to an allegation of domestic violence against the gubernatorial candidate.

SKYROCKETING HEALTHCARE BUDGET FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAUNTS BLUE STATE TAXPAYERS 

California saw a net population loss of 215,542 from domestic migration in 2025, compared to a net gain of 125,473 from foreign migration that same year, according to the state’s Department of Finance. Migration out of California has cost the state billions of dollars per year in tax revenue, according to California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Other critics seized on Porter’s assertion that illegal immigrants benefit California’s economy.

“If you think the best way to promote economic growth involves letting in illegal aliens, you’re doing it wrong,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote. 

California’s illegal immigrants paid roughly $8.5 billion in state and local taxes during 2022, according to an estimate from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Conservative critics argue that illegal immigrants consume more than that in public services, such as education and subsidized healthcare, though the costs of such things are difficult to quantify.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Some studies, including a report recently published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, have also found that illegal immigration causes the cost of living to go up by increasing demand for housing. 

“I contained myself well, I think,” Sheriff Chad Bianco, one of the two Republicans who participated in the gubernatorial debate, chimed in.