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Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:08:52 -0400

Trump pumps brakes on Senate budget plan, delaying GOP SAVE America push

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:25:58 -0400

Senate Republicans may have left Washington on a high note early Saturday morning, but they left one major item on the table: passing the SAVE America Act.

It’s the bill that has dominated President Donald Trump’s attention span and garnered heavy criticism against Republicans in the upper chamber for not being able to pass it.

And despite guarantees from some in the party that they would object to leaving until Sept. in order to pass the voter integrity bill, lawmakers’ suitcases were packed and ready for the airport. It’s one of several agenda items that didn’t get finished prior to the lawmakers' vacation, and one that will have to wait until next month. But its biggest proponents appear okay with that outcome.

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"We’re not dropping SAVE," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said. "It’s a matter of time."

Time between now and the end of this session of Congress will be an increasingly short commodity to come by.

The Senate returns the third week of September and will be tasked with moving two massive bills dealing with cryptocurrency regulations and money in college sports, both of which didn't make the cut during the upper chamber’s last week in town.

Then they’ll leave once again for nearly the entire month of October in preparation for midterm elections in early November.

SCHUMER SAID ‘DEMOCRATS SUPPORT VOTER ID’ — THEN EVERY SENATE DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST GOP BILL

Another priority heavily pushed by Trump and the administration, taking another crack at the party line budget reconciliation process, was detoured, too.

That process is how Republicans hope to pass the SAVE America Act without Democrats getting the chance to block it with the filibuster. Republicans were ready to vote on the $150 billion budget blueprint drafted by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., until Trump intervened over concerns that it would fail.

The push was paused after Johnson, who just took over the Senate Budget Committee, Lee and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., huddled in the office of Senate Majority Leader John Thune after speaking with Trump.

Johnson said Trump agreed that the best path forward was to "just work diligently through August into September to do an actually better budget reconciliation bill."

Republicans want to crank up the defense spending in their budget framework — Johnson said that War Secretary Pete Hegseth made a "very convincing case" to beef up the funding by $350 billion as the war in Iran continues and munitions dwindle.

Still, whether the gamble to incentivize states to take up portions of the SAVE America Act will work remains unknown, given that the Senate’s rules chief will ultimately decide if the provisions pass muster with reconciliation’s guardrails.

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Taking another shot at reconciliation that doesn’t include cost-of-living elements or affordability-minded provisions hasn’t been a popular subject among Senate Republicans, especially heading into midterms.

Thune acknowledged that there was an appetite among Republicans to use the legislative tool to muscle through defense funding and try to include elements of the SAVE America Act.

The top Senate Republican, unlike others in his conference, hasn’t been gung-ho about turning to reconciliation for a third time. That appeared to subtly change early Saturday morning.

"I think at some point, we’re going to need to do another reconciliation bill," Thune said.

Meanwhile, Republicans were able to accomplish several items on their to-do list Saturday morning.

They passed a short-term funding extension until early December to take away Democrats’ ability to politicize another government shutdown, advanced a bone-crushing Russia sanctions package and confirmed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice with the command of a Senate-confirmed cabinet member.

But Democrats blocked a voter ID bill from Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and hurdles remained for the massive, cryptocurrency bill known as the Clarity Act, and Sen. Ted Cruz’s, R-Texas, legislation going after Name Image and Likeness (NIL) funding in college sports.

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Perhaps the most glaring omission, however, was a vote on whether to cancel the August recess.

Lee had pushed for a full vote on the Senate floor as part of the Senate’s push to reach a broader agreement on several legislative items. Instead, he accepted a voice vote, uttering a quiet "no," on the floor against the forthcoming recess.

"Would it have been better if we had passed SAVE America already? Absolutely," Lee said. "Would it be better if we had the votes right now? Yes. We, for a variety of reasons, don't have the wherewithal to pass it right now."

"No, no, no, [its] Democrats," Johnson interjected. "The reason is Democrats. Democrats refuse to vote for any kind of voter integrity measure, that’s just the reality of the situation."

Police bigwig accused of driving son's getaway car in gang shooing is sorority sisters with mayor: report

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:00:46 -0400

A suburban New York police official accused of driving the getaway car for her son's alleged gang shooting reportedly had connections to the mayor's office when she landed the leadership role.

Court records indicate Jennifer Lackard, 49, and her son Chase, 20, were both arrested by the New York Police Department on Tuesday in connection with a June 29 drive-by shooting at rival gang members near the Bronx Criminal Court.

Prior to her arrest, Lackard worked as the deputy commissioner of wellness for the Mount Vernon Police Department.

NEW YORK POLICE OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF DRIVING GETAWAY CAR FOR SON IN GANG-RELATED SHOOTING

Mount Vernon borders the Bronx, just north of New York City.

Lackard and Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard are Delta Sigma Theta sorority sisters, according to the New York Post.

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In her former position, Lackard was tasked with police reform, civilian complaint review board implementation and officer wellness.

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When she was hired the city said, "Lackard brings a wealth of knowledge and resources to the City of Mount Vernon has worked on the community level as President of the Station of Hope prison re-entry ministry at Grace Baptist Church and organizer of the Re-Entry Meetup for Westchester County since 2015."

NEW YORK POLICE OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF DRIVING GETAWAY CAR FOR SON IN GANG-RELATED SHOOTING

In a 2020 interview with Gothamist, she "acknowledged the leap of faith it took for the department to give her the position," and she had "never worked for a police department," prior to landing the position.

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She previously held advisory roles on the Westchester County Probation Advisory Board and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Implementation Task Force.

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In a statement posted on social media, the City of Mount Vernon said in part, "Effective immediately, the City of Mount Vernon has terminated Jennifer Lackard’s employment. The allegations are unrelated to her duties with the Mount Vernon Police Department and do not stem from any conduct associated with the Department or the performance of her official responsibilities."

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Patterson-Howard and Delta Sigma Theta for comment.

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Attorneys for Jennifer and Chase Lackard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

I got stage 4 cancer in my 40s. My young daughter and husband keep me fighting

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:00:40 -0400

When I was first diagnosed with rare metastatic appendiceal cancer in October 2023, my world blew up. It was a diagnosis with no known cure and no specific treatment protocol. Talk about shattered dreams. I had just turned 40 and had been married only three years. My daughter wasn’t even 2 years old yet. I shared the terrifying early days of my diagnosis here on Fox News and how stunned I was to be diagnosed with stage 4 cancer despite having minimal symptoms.

Later, I wrote about my fierce determination to fight for my husband and young daughter because I had "too much to lose." At the time, my entire existence shrunk to a single, desperate objective: Do everything possible to beat cancer.

So, I suited up for battle. Over the past nearly three years, I’ve lost count of the rounds of chemotherapy I’ve endured. Maybe 45? Alongside the chemo came multiple surgeries, constant scans, port placements, hernias, drains, stents, bags, a 30-pound weight loss, and lots of flights back and forth to Texas for a targeted treatment. My life is lived day to day.

And yet, the world doesn't stop turning just because you have stage 4 cancer.

I'M A 40-YEAR-OLD MOM AND WIFE WITH STAGE 4 CANCER. HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW

All of this medical warfare happens while I am still mothering a spunky 4-year-old girl who is my entire world. It happens while I am trying to be a present wife, take care of a house, work as a journalist, be a supportive daughter to ailing parents, and desperately claw at whatever energy I have left to do the things I love.

The whiplash of these transitions is where the real exhaustion lives. In the span of a single week, I can fly to Texas, sit in a cold, sterile infusion room, fly back to New Jersey, spend two days with my head in a toilet bowl, and then force myself up to play dress-up with my daughter, take her to dance class, buy groceries, and run the everyday errands a healthy person takes for granted. Then, if I'm lucky, my husband, daughter, and I get a brief window to do "normal" family things before the entire brutal cycle resets.

When there is no end in sight—no definitive light at the end of the tunnel—the weight of that routine feels crushing. Factor in sudden setbacks such as unexpected hospital stays, and any remaining sense of control simply vanishes. Chasing down clinical trials feels like another full-time job.

I'M 41 WITH A HUSBAND AND CHILD. I HAVE TOO MUCH TO LOSE AND WON'T GIVE UP MY FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

This isn't about "staying positive" or "being strong." This is the grueling reality of cancer. You either choose to face it, or you quit and wither away. I refuse to quit, no matter how many roadblocks are thrown in my path. But refusing to quit doesn’t mean I don’t break. I allow myself to cry, and I allow myself to get angry.

Unfortunately, the people closest to me have to witness that raw ugliness. They see the messy tears; they bear the brunt of the moments I snap and scream. It is what it is. Luckily, the people who regularly witness my breakdowns understand the toll of this siege, and they keep showing up for me and my family anyway. I am profoundly grateful that they do.

People often ask why I don’t just take a leave of absence and step away from work, or how I manage to keep parenting through the physical wreckage of ongoing treatment. The answer is simple: These roles are the anchors keeping me tethered to who I am.

I love my job. I often work during my infusions because it is therapeutic; it forces my mind off oncology timelines. And when it comes to parenting, my husband and I are blessed with a smart, empathetic, healthy little girl. But as she gets older, the boundaries of her innocence are tested. We find ourselves having to explain more. We talk about the scars and bumps on my "Frankenstein tummy." We talk about God and angels.

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Behind closed doors, my husband and I have to navigate the terrifying conversations you hope you will never have in a lifetime. Sometimes, the heaviest things go entirely unsaid because we are both paralyzed by the exact same fears. That, too, is the reality of fighting cancer with a young child in the house.

Back in 2023, after my first few infusions, I envisioned victory as a traditional finish line: a clean scan, a final treatment, a definitive surgery that removes every cancer cell. Today, I have to accept the reality that those specific victories are unlikely.

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But I have learned that a lack of a cure does not mean a lack of victory. My definition of a "win" has simply evolved.

Now, a win looks like having enough strength to be out on the ice, at the beach or on the ski slopes with my family. It looks like making it through the afternoon without needing a nap before picking up my daughter from school. It’s finishing a workout or staying up late with my husband watching "The Sopranos" reruns. It’s completing normal, everyday tasks.

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When I was first diagnosed, a friend who was intimately familiar with cancer told me, "This is just a chapter in your life story." It has turned out to be an incredibly long, gritty, painful chapter. But the truth is, none of us truly know when our story will end.

I am still fighting, still working, and still loving with everything I have—and I am praying for many more chapters to come.

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From Iron Dome to Abraham Accords: Congressional trips helped shape 15 years of US-Israel cooperation

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 07:00:11 -0400

For 15 years, dozens of American lawmakers have had the opportunity to see one of the country's most important — and increasingly debated — alliances firsthand. Since 2011, the U.S.-Israel Education Association (USIEA) has brought members of Congress to Israel, giving them an on-the-ground look at the security, technology and geopolitical issues that often come before them in Washington.

USIEA Founder and President Heather Johnston reflected on the organization's 15th anniversary in a conversation with Fox News Digital. She recalled meeting then-Majority Leader Eric Cantor and presenting him with a list of objectives to advance educational trips to Israel for U.S. lawmakers.

"He was flabbergasted because he had been looking for somebody for two years that could lead those tours," Johnston said.

OPINION: THE US-ISRAEL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE – PARTNERSHIP, NOT CHARITY

The organization's first tour included five members of the House Armed Services Committee, and they were shown a brand-new piece of missile defense technology that Johnston said was "just barely off the ground" at the time. The system, known as the Iron Dome, was so new at the time that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to declassify it, so American lawmakers could see the state-of-the-art tech.

Johnston said that the lawmakers were so impressed with Iron Dome's capabilities that they began the groundwork to increase funding for it. Within a matter of weeks after returning to Washington, the five members of the House Armed Services Committee met with 54 members of Congress. The result came less than three months later when the lawmakers succeeded in tripling the budget for Iron Dome.

"Our commitment to the security of Israel is rock solid. And as I've said to the Prime Minister in every single one of our meetings, the United States will always have Israel's back when it comes to Israel's security," Obama said at the time.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Netanyahu credited Johnston and USIEA with helping strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance.

"For 15 years, Heather Johnston and USIEA have stood proudly for Israel and for the right of the Jewish people to live in our ancestral homeland," Netanyahu said. "USIEA helped secure support for important American-Israeli joint projects, which contributed to the benefit of the great American-Israeli alliance."

The Iron Dome funding increase would become one of the many milestones Johnston points to when firsthand exposure preceded major congressional action on U.S.-Israel cooperation. Over the course of 15 years, USIEA expanded its trips as the alliance evolved through multiple administrations, the Abraham Accords and the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman described the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem over the last 15 years as an "EKG," saying that it involved "lots of ups and downs."

"I think if you sort of drew a trend line, it's gotten very strong," he told Fox News Digital.

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Friedman said he interacted with USIEA after his nomination as he worked to educate himself on the ties between the U.S. and Israel. During his interactions with the organization, he was struck by USIEA's focus on practicality.

"They were deeply schooled and understood what needed to get done," he said, citing efforts ranging from Iron Dome funding to establishing an FDA office in Israel.

Friedman argued that over time American lawmakers increasingly saw Israel as a country that delivered "real value to the United States in terms of technology, medicine, national security." He believes both sides of the aisle, outside of hot-button issues, have seen that the U.S. and Israel had much to gain from each other.

Current U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee echoed that assessment, arguing that many Americans underestimate the full extent of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

"I don't think most Americans really fully comprehend the depth of the partnership that the U.S. and Israel has," he told Fox Digital.

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Huckabee noted that this partnership played out in a variety of areas, including military cooperation, especially as both worked to stop the Iranian regime from gaining nuclear arms.

"During the two different operations against Iran both last summer — 2025 — and then this year, the six and a half weeks starting in late February, our planes were flying wingtip to wingtips and our military operations were basically a room full of people both Israeli and American whose joint operations were truly something to behold," he said.

But Huckabee said the value of organizations like USIEA extends beyond showcasing military cooperation. He argued that bringing lawmakers to Israel allows them to see realities on the ground that can be difficult to grasp from Washington alone.

"A lot of the lies about Israel are completely debunked pretty quickly," Huckabee said.

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As one example, Huckabee pointed to Israel's Arab citizens serving in senior positions throughout society, including in the Knesset, on the Supreme Court and in the Israel Defense Forces, saying those experiences often challenge preconceptions held by visitors.

Looking ahead, Johnston said she believes the organization's mission is becoming more important as the U.S.-Israel relationship expands beyond the traditional sense of cooperation.

"A lot of what we do is very pioneering. We're not just bringing on education that already exists and showing them what already exists in the collaboration, but really showing them what is to come," she said.

Former Miss North Carolina USA says conservative Christian values played role in losing crown

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:50:28 -0400

Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse is speaking out after being stripped of her crown weeks before the Miss USA pageant, saying she believes her conservative Christian values played a role in the decision.

The Miss USA Organization announced Aug. 5 that Boltinhouse had been stripped of her title. Chairman Thom Brodeur did not specify the conduct behind the decision but said the organization "does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity," adding that the conduct occurred "over an extended period of time."

The decision ended Boltinhouse's reign just weeks after she won the state title and less than three weeks before she was scheduled to represent North Carolina at the 75th annual Miss USA pageant on Aug. 27.

In an interview Friday with the Carolina Journal, Boltinhouse called losing the title a "blessing in disguise."

MISS NORTH CAROLINA USA LOSES CROWN AFTER ORGANIZER CONDEMNS 'RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA'

"I'm very much at peace and I'm actually glad it happened to me and not some other young lady that, you know, maybe just probably wouldn't make it through what I'm going through right now," Boltinhouse said. "The scrutiny, my family behind it as well. But I will say that I'm very much at peace and I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I know who I am and I know what I can become."

Boltinhouse said a confidentiality agreement prevents her from discussing the circumstances that led to her losing the title, but she said she believes her political and religious views played a role.

"I believe and think I was stripped from my title because of my political stance and my belief system as a conservative Christian woman," she said.

"I'm proud of my faith. I'm proud of my standards. I'm a proud conservative woman, but a Christian woman. I'm a God-fearing woman," Boltinhouse added.

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Asked whether she believed being conservative was disqualifying in the pageant system, Boltinhouse said people should be free to express their political beliefs.

"I believe that everyone has a right to say what they want to say and feel the way they want to feel," she said.

Boltinhouse said she did not know whether her support for President Donald Trump played a role in the decision.

"I don't know. I don't know. All I can say from the information that I have today and what I believe and I think is honestly I don't know," Boltinhouse said. "I wasn't really given anything."

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Despite losing her crown, Boltinhouse said she forgives the organization and hopes other women will view her experience as encouragement to stand by their beliefs.

"Hopefully see me as an example," she said. "To always stand for what you believe, no matter what, no matter where, no matter what you do."

"I speak to the women that even are not conservative, that they have the right to speak the way that you feel, no matter what platform, no matter what belief system that you may have," she added.

Myla Hadley, the first runner-up in the state competition, will represent North Carolina on the national stage "with our full confidence and our support," Brodeur said in a previous statement.

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Brodeur said the decision was made in consultation with Boltinhouse, her state directors and the Miss USA Organization. He also emphasized that the organization did not view accountability as justification for personally attacking Boltinhouse.

"There is a young woman at the center of this," Brodeur said. "She has been named, examined, and judged in public in a way that most of us would not survive, and she is still a human being with a family, a future, and a life ahead of her that is longer than this part of her journey."

"I have never believed that accountability requires cruelty, or that holding a line means enjoying the fall of the person who crossed it," he continued.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Miss USA Organization for additional comment.

Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Democratic socialist Francesca Hong has former child star, OnlyFans model in senior campaign role: report

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 06:11:05 -0400

Former child actress and OnlyFans model Renee Olstead is reportedly serving in a senior role on Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong's gubernatorial campaign ahead of next week's Democratic primary.

Olstead, who also goes by Renee Faust, is serving as Hong's deputy campaign manager, according to The Heartland Post. Hong, a Democratic socialist, is among the candidates competing in next week's Democratic gubernatorial primary.

The outlet reported that Olstead has worked as a paid campaign operative since at least January. Her X bio reads "HONG 4 GOV" and links to Hong's get-out-the-vote page.

Her social media account also features photos from campaign events, and The Heartland Post reported that she has coordinated logistics for high-profile surrogates, including streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker.

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Fox News Digital asked Hong's campaign to confirm Olstead's title and responsibilities, when she began working for the campaign, whether she is a paid employee and her qualifications for the role. The campaign responded with a statement but did not directly address each question.

"Renee Faust is a licensed mental health clinician who has spent her career providing care to trafficking survivors," the campaign said. "Since joining the campaign in December, she has helped build the largest grassroots campaign in Wisconsin history. The right-wing politicians attacking her are the same ones who want government dictating women's health care decisions."

Olstead previously founded the Coalition for American Sex Workers (CASW – LOCAL 304), which advocates for decriminalization and other policy changes affecting sex workers.

Last year, Hong and three other state representatives presented Olstead with an official Wisconsin State Assembly citation recognizing her advocacy for sex workers' rights and her selection as "Penthouse Pet of the Year" in 2024.

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The campaign did not directly respond to a separate question from Fox News Digital asking Hong to explain her decision to participate in presenting Olstead with the citation and what she intended to recognize.

Hong has also pursued legislation that would decriminalize prostitution involving adults and establish a sex workers' bill of rights.

Wisconsin Family Action, a conservative advocacy organization based in Madison, criticized Olstead's involvement in Hong's campaign.

"Wisconsinites deserve to have serious people leading the state. It is unbelievable to see that the likely Democratic nominee for governor has an active sex worker leading her campaign," Daniel Degner, president of Wisconsin Family Action, said in a statement. "Voters deserve to know whether if Hong is elected, she will elevate a porn star to leadership in her administration."

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Hong has previously expressed support on social media for progressive proposals including abolishing the U.S. Senate and defunding the police, though she has recently distanced herself from some of those positions in interviews ahead of Tuesday's gubernatorial primary.

Hong faces Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan and Democratic state Sen. Kelda Roys in the primary.

Hong also faced renewed scrutiny over a since-deleted 2020 X post calling to "cancel Thanksgiving" in order to "stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed Indegenous [sic] folx and women."

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She recently distanced herself from the post, telling Politico that Thanksgiving is her "favorite holiday" and that she does not want to cancel it.

"My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving," Hong told Politico Playbook. "Yep, I don't want to cancel it. I actually love it."

Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

Charlotte career criminal records himself punching woman in unprovoked attack, posting to social media: police

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 06:00:38 -0400

A North Carolina man accused of punching a woman in a Charlotte sidewalk attack and allegedly posting video of the encounter on social media had been arrested at least nine times since 2023, records show.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said 32-year-old Di-Quan Schafar Hunt was arrested Thursday after officers responding to an attempt-to-locate call were shown a social media account containing videos detectives had already been investigating.

Officers determined one video depicted an assault reported July 30 in the 400 block of East Boulevard in the Providence Division. Police said the suspect punched a woman on a sidewalk before fleeing.

MYRTLE BEACH MAN WITH LENGTHY ARREST RECORD CHARGED WITH STABBING TWO PEOPLE IN POPULAR BEACH DESTINATION

Hunt was taken to a local medical facility for treatment, police said. After his release, he will be transferred to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

The victim was taken to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Fox News Digital reviewed videos posted to the social media account. One appeared to show a woman being chased until she took cover behind a vehicle. A comment from the account read, "Ahhhh feels GOOD!!!"

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Another video shows the person filming confronting a woman before the camera jolts and the sound of an apparent punch can be heard. The woman is then shown on the ground as the person behind the camera continues to taunt her and appears to strike her again.

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It was not immediately clear whether either clip was the video police tied to the July 30 assault, whether the women in the footage had been identified or whether detectives are investigating the other videos as potential crimes.

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CMPD said its investigation remains active and asked anyone with information about incidents connected to the social media account or its videos to contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

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Mecklenburg County arrest records show Hunt was arrested at least nine times between October 2023 and December 2025.

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Most recently, a December 2025 arrest record lists charges of assault with a deadly weapon, communicating threats, second-degree trespass and two counts of carrying a concealed weapon. The booking entry does not describe the underlying allegations or identify an alleged victim.

WATCH: North Carolina politician says Democrats are coddling criminals

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Records also list a September 2025 simple-assault charge and a March 2025 charge of assault on a female. In 2024, Hunt was arrested in cases involving alleged violations of a domestic-violence protective order, breaking or entering and injury to personal property.

Records show he is a felon with at least six additional misdemeanor convictions in Mecklenburg County.

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The records also list a felony charge of malicious conduct by a prisoner and a resisting-a-public-officer charge. The available booking records do not state the outcomes of the cases, and charges are not convictions.

Schumer said ‘Democrats support voter ID’ — then every Senate Democrat voted against GOP bill

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 05:48:13 -0400

Senate Democrats blocked a key component of the SAVE America Act that, in the past, they have supported.

During the wee hours of Saturday morning, Senate Republicans tried and failed to get Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his colleagues to back a stripped back voter ID bill amid a spree of last-minute legislative business.

But Senate Democrats, including Schumer, have for years espoused support for identification to vote. Several states with Democratic senators have voter ID laws, too.

SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS SAY THEY SUPPORT VOTER ID, THEN BLOCK GOP AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE IT

"Democrats support voter ID," Schumer said in March. "In fact, we included it, and it is included, in our Freedom to Vote legislation several years ago."

Schumer and his entire caucus voted against the bill from Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, nonetheless. Requiring identification is already the practice in 36 states. Of those, 23 require photo ID, while 13 accept another form of identification, such as a bank statement. Nine of those states have Democratic senators.

It was the last stand of the night for the Senate, which is gearing up to leave Washington, D.C., for several weeks of valuable campaign time in vulnerable incumbents’ home states.

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And it comes as Republicans have so far tried and failed to find a path forward for the SAVE America Act, which Democrats, along with a handful from the GOP, have blocked numerous times in a variety of configurations.

Husted’s bill would have prohibited state and local election officials from providing a ballot to vote in federal elections unless a person provided a valid form of identification.

Husted’s bill teed up a plethora of options, including an unexpired driver’s license with a photo, an unexpired state-issued ID card with a photo, a valid passport, a valid military or veteran ID with a photo or an unexpired tribal ID with a photo.

It’s also not the first time Democrats have blocked it. In March, Republicans tested their support of voter ID for the first time in a vote to attach Husted’s bill to the SAVE America Act. It failed on party lines then, too.

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After it became clear that President Donald Trump’s top legislative priority was not going to be passed nor even considered before lawmakers exit Washington, D.C., Republicans opted to take one last crack at Democrats' resolve.

"We've got many Democrats, who have said, ‘I’m just fine with voter ID,’" Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said. "Voter ID is a major component of SAVE America, and they've said that over and over again when we had it on the floor in late February and early March."

"It was the argument that I heard from many of these people, as it was on the floor for hours and hours at a time, saying, ‘I'm okay with voter ID, don't like this,’" he continued. "So we're gonna find out where they are."

Lee has been the loudest supporter of the SAVE America Act in the Senate, pushing and prodding his colleagues on X to get on board with passing the package.

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Republicans had a chance earlier in the night to begin the work of crafting a version of the SAVE America Act with a budget blueprint that, if successful, would have teed up the partyline budget reconciliation process, but were called to stand down by Trump.

Now, they don’t return until early September, just weeks out from a midterm election that could reshape the balance of power in the Senate.

Blanche survives Republican defectors as Trump gets his new attorney general

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:32:06 -0400

Once thought doomed, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department has survived the Senate and now will take the helm as the nation’s top law enforcement official.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was confirmed early Saturday morning as part of a mad blitz by lawmakers to wrap up their work and jet from Washington, D.C. Now, he’ll officially replace Pam Bondi as attorney general.

Blanche, who is Trump’s former personal lawyer, nearly saw his confirmation hopes go up in smoke as Republicans struggled to swallow his role in rolling out the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization and sweeping IRS audit immunity for the president and his family.

TRUMP'S AG PICK SURVIVES — FOR NOW — AS REPUBLICANS QUESTION IF WHITE HOUSE DEAL WILL HOLD

However, a last-minute ally emerged: Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who announced on Friday that he would back Blanche’s confirmation after spending days keeping tight-lipped on his decision.

Though he was concerned about weaponization at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and just how binding an agreement to nix the anti-weaponization fund and limit Trump’s audit immunity would be, he argued that having a Senate-confirmed attorney general was a better option than a placeholder.

"Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this," Cassidy said on the Senate floor. "But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general, who may not run the department effectively under President Trump."

TRUMP'S PICK FOR TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL GETS CRUCIAL LAST-MINUTE LIFELINE FOR CONFIRMATION

Still, Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined all Senate Democrats to oppose Blanche’s confirmation.

Murkowski announced her opposition hours before Cassidy’s lifeline. She contended that despite Blanche’s trek to Alaska and numerous meetings with him, she could not support him to be the next attorney general.

She was worried about his connection to the anti-weaponization fund, a weaponized Justice Department, Blanche’s role in the Epstein Files release, and the uncertain future of the fund, which several Republicans have raised concerns about over whether taxpayer dollars would flow to rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

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

"The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration," Murkowski said. "I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case."

Collins raised similar concerns earlier in the week, and was the first Republican out of the gate to cast doubt on Blanche’s chances of confirmation.

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"While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political," Collins said. "Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation."

MIKE DAVIS: Chuck Grassley's behind-the-scenes work proved decisive in Todd Blanche confirmation fight

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:36:00 -0400

By voting to confirm Todd Blanche as the 88th Attorney General of the United States, Senate Republicans delivered a major victory for President Donald Trump, the American people and the rule of law. Blanche will fulfill President Trump’s mandate to Make America Safe Again. The key cabinet confirmation provides much-needed unity and momentum for Trump and Senate Republicans — and a good opportunity for Trump to hard-reset his relationship with the Senate, so they can go on offense this fall.

Blanche’s proven track record as the deputy and acting attorney general leaves no doubt that Trump nominated the right man, at the right time, for the right job. But with full Democrat opposition, Blanche’s confirmation process was tougher than it should have been given his unmatched experience and sterling qualifications. Blanche is a longtime former federal prosecutor in the most prestigious U.S. attorney’s office and Big Law partner in New York City who put everything on the line to defend Trump against Biden’s unprecedented, republic-ending lawfare. Blanche helped Trump beat this. Trump now sits in the White House instead of a federal prison cell, running our country instead of appealing his bogus convictions.

For the last 17 months, Blanche has brought reforms and accountability to the Justice Department — so the Democrats’ politicized and weaponized injustice never happens again. These reforms and accountability must and will continue. Blanche will continue to take the Justice Department back to its most crucial basics: arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning violent criminals, government fraudsters and other real criminals — instead of hunting down parents, Christians and other political opponents like we witnessed under the Obama and Biden Justice Departments.

TRUMP'S AG PICK OFF LIFE SUPPORT AFTER KEY REPUBLICAN REBELS RELENT

Getting here wasn’t easy. There were bumps in the road and moments when the confirmation looked like it could stall. The reason it didn’t, and the reason Blanche is now America’s confirmed attorney general, is Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

When the nomination hit headwinds from Senators John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., both of whom raised good-faith concerns, it was Grassley who stepped in. He meditated. He bridged the gap. He kept all parties at the table. And he got the deal done.

Likewise, when Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., had principled objections to DOJ policy, he worked with Grassley, other Senate colleagues and the Trump administration to find a workable resolution. Susie Wiles, Trump’s highly respected White House chief of staff, is always the invaluable glue.

Blanche closed the deal with his personal diplomacy, as he demonstrated to Cassidy he is uniquely qualified. Cassidy deserves great credit for his willingness to put his country over personal differences. That’s what the Senate process looks like when it works. And it worked here because the right people were in the right roles.

No one did more to get Blanche confirmed than Grassley. Grassley works; Grassley delivers — especially for Trump. Whether it is nominations, taxes, trade or almost all the rest of Trump’s greatest Senate accomplishments, Grassley is the key. He never brags about it. Grassley just quietly works hard and gets the job done.

This is Grassley’s fourth Republican attorney general he’s confirmed as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He brought more than four decades of institutional knowledge and experience from working on more than fifteen attorney general nominations since joining the committee. Grassley knows how to move a nomination through a committee full of competing agendas and a swamp press corps hungry for a Republican scalp.

In a town full of politicians looking to take credit for others’ work, Grassley stands out. He’s a work horse, not a show horse. Grassley exemplifies Iowa humility, so someone else has to brag for him. Blanche is now attorney general thanks to Grassley. And now Blanche can get back to work, fully Senate confirmed, continuing to help Trump Make America Safe Again.

The numbers don’t lie. The U.S. is approaching the lowest murder rate recorded since at least 1900. That’s according to the FBI’s own data, backed by the Council on Criminal Justice’s finding of a 21% drop in homicides from 2024 to 2025, with another 18% drop in the first half of 2026. We are living through a historic collapse in violent crime on President Trump’s watch.

Migrant encounters at the southern border hit their lowest level in more than 50 years, down from over two million under Biden to numbers not seen since 1970, according to Pew Research. We have control of our borders. Drug smuggling networks are being dismantled. Human traffickers are being prosecuted. Dangerous criminals — the ones Obama and Biden were too busy targeting conservatives to actually pursue — are being put away.

TODD BLANCHE EARNS ATTORNEY GENERAL BID ENDORSEMENT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT ALLIANCE AHEAD OF CONFIRMATION

Biden and Obama treated the Department of Justice as a political weapon. And they pointed it at Trump. They pointed it at his allies. They pointed it at parents at school board meetings. They pointed it at Christians. Real criminals walked free while Democrats weaponized federal law enforcement against their political enemies for non-crimes. That ends with Todd Blanche.

Blanche is bringing real accountability — not the partisan, weaponized kind Obama and Biden practiced. He is reversing the politicization of the DOJ, not continuing it. His priorities are clear: prosecute illegal aliens, human traffickers, drug traffickers and dangerous criminals. Protect the American people. Hold bad actors accountable, including the ones in government. Never use the DOJ as a partisan sword. Ever. Again.

Trump made a bold choice in nominating Blanche. Not because Blanche isn’t qualified — he’s more qualified than anyone else for this role. But because the left was going to come at him hard, re-litigating every case and every decision. They tried. It didn’t work.

Trump’s instinct was right, as usual. He saw in Blanche what those of us in this fight have always seen: a man of genuine courage, deep experience and unshakeable commitment to the rule of law.

Blanche is the right man, for the right job, at the right moment in American history. He is a bold and fearless warrior for the Constitution who gave up millions in future earnings to stand in a courtroom and defend President Trump against the most weaponized, politically-motivated legal assault in American history. He bled for this fight and he won. That is the kind of person you want running the Department of Justice. And now the Senate has confirmed him.

America deserves a DOJ that fights for Americans, not for the political class, not for Democrat donors, not for the deep-state bureaucrats who spent decades building a machine that answers to no one. Blanche is going to change that. He already has.

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Thankfully, Trump and Grassley made sure he got the chance.

Schumer caves, hands Republicans shutdown win after months of uncertainty

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:01:22 -0400

The Senate advanced its solution to avert a government shutdown on Saturday, capping off several months of hand-wringing that, if given the chance, Senate Democrats would use a shutdown to score political points in November.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus relented, and stayed true to the bargain they struck with Republicans to keep the government funded well past Election Night and into early December.

The about-face, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital, appeared to be a political calculation on Schumer and Democrats’ part.

SCHUMER CLAIMS VICTORY AS SENATE MOVES TO AVERT SHUTDOWN; GOP SAYS HE GOT PLAYED

"I think they didn't want to spend the next, well … three months defending attacks from Republicans about wanting to shut the government down," Thune said.

"I mean, I think there was a narrative starting to build out there based on what's happened the last 12 months, which I think, they probably — you know, these guys are political animals," Thune continued. "I'm assuming those guys are polling all the time."

DEMOCRATS BLINK AS SCHUMER HELPS GOP CLEAR KEY SHUTDOWN HURDLE

And Schumer claimed victory over the process, arguing that Democrats "for months" wanted to keep the government open, and had scored key concessions from the Trump administration on an ensuing rule change to federal grants in the bipartisan continuing resolution (CR).

"We want to reach across the aisle and hammer out a budget that delivers for the American people," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "Today, [this] CR gives us the breathing room necessary to work out a budget that helps make life more affordable to working families and reigns in Trump's rampant chaos, his rampant corruption."

However, Republicans have been messaging for months that congressional Democrats wouldn’t bat an eye at shutting the government down again. In the Senate, efforts have been made to inflict pain on lawmakers should another shutdown happen, like agreeing to forego their paychecks in the event of a closure.

SENATE TAKES MAJOR FIRST STEP TO PREVENT FUTURE SHUTDOWNS WITH PAINFUL ACCOUNTABILITY PLAY

That follows two government shutdowns that etched their way into the record books at 43 and 76 days, respectively, but the political winds didn’t appear to be in Democrats’ favor this go-round, the top Senate Republican said.

"And I think they see an issue set that works for them going into the fall election, and I think they view a government shutdown or the prospect of not funding the government as creating uncertainty that perhaps didn't help their chances," Thune said.

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While the shutdown fight is over in the Senate, for now, it will continue on in the House.

And if passed, it will give lawmakers breathing room to continue stalled negotiations to fund the government through the appropriations process. However, by then, Congress will be in the post-midterm election lame duck period. And dependent on the swing of the political pendulum, there may not be much appetite to reach a broader funding deal.

"Us having a budget done on December 11? It takes on whiffs of frozen hell, donkeys flying," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. "I mean, it's probably not gonna happen."

SEE IT: Dem senators rally behind El-Sayed but duck questions on progressive agenda

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:00:21 -0400

Senate Democrats are rallying around Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in the race to beat Republican Mike Rogers as the party scrambles to defend its seat in an effort to win back the Senate majority.

El-Sayed narrowly defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens after a bruising primary that exposed the party’s progressive-moderate divide, leaving Democrats with the task of unifying behind him ahead of one of the nation’s most competitive Senate races.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a progressive who endorsed El-Sayed, told Fox News Digital Friday that he believes El-Sayed will beat Rogers in November.

ROGERS OPENS DOOR TO DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AFTER EL-SAYED’S PRIMARY VICTORY: ‘THERE IS STILL HOPE’

Several Democratic senators approached by Fox News Digital expressed confidence in El-Sayed, even after prominent Democrats chose to back Stevens during the primary over questions of whether El-Sayed could win in November.

"I am very confident we’re going to win in Michigan," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said.

But the same senators weren’t as quick to defend or back some of his more radical policies — like calling for defunding the police, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Medicare for all and his strong opposition to Israel.

"You can ask him," Murray said after Fox News Digital followed up by asking for her views on his more extreme policies.

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., also said she thinks El-Sayed will beat Rogers, but when Fox News Digital asked about her views on his policies, she walked away saying she was "looking for the ladies room."

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said "time will tell" when asked if he could beat Rogers in the general election. He was the only lawmaker to tell Fox News Digital he actually disagreed with some of El-Sayed’s progressive policies.

"He's got 90 days," Warner said. "He brought a lot of energy. There are obviously places I don't fully agree with him either."

‘SPECIAL SAUCE OF CRAZY’ — MIDWEST DEM CANDIDATE’S POLICIES TOO EXTREME FOR VOTERS: OPPONENT

Many lawmakers and candidates with socialist views have argued that the success of like-minded candidates in primaries reflects voters’ growing disconnect with the Democratic establishment.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., defended El-Sayed by pointing to his medical background as an epidemiologist and former Wayne County health director, arguing that experience is needed in the upper chamber amid concerns over healthcare.

"I am going to be working very hard to get a Democratic majority in the United States Senate," Baldwin told Fox News Digital.

She continued, "To have a doctor at a time when healthcare and the cost of healthcare is top of mind — that would be a voice that's very much appreciated."

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

Sen. Deb Fisher, R-Neb., warned "regular Democrats" that the radicalization of the party and leaving behind more mainstream Democratic principles will lead them to a party they no longer connect with.

"I think it just shows how crazy Democrats are becoming," Fischer said. "Regular Democrats who are working people, who are worried about their families… worried about making ends meet, they want to own their own businesses… create that… that's an American dream."

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"They're going to realize that what they're watching that party morph into isn't them anymore."

West Virginia University researchers turn polluted mine water into critical rare earth minerals

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 13:42:00 -0400

A solution to America’s dependence on foreign rare earth minerals may be coming from an unlikely place: polluted water leaking from abandoned coal mines.

Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) are working to transform acid mine drainage — a long-standing environmental problem in Appalachia — into a potential domestic source of critical minerals used in everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to advanced military systems.

The United States currently relies heavily on foreign suppliers, including China, for many rare earth elements that are essential to modern technology and national security. Heavy rare earth minerals, in particular, are considered especially valuable because of their role in defense applications and advanced energy technologies.

TRUMP GETS MAJOR WIN AGAINST CHINA IN AFRICAN RARE EARTH MINERALS RACE

WVU researchers discovered those valuable materials were already present in the acidic water flowing from retired coal mines.

"Originally, the entire focus of this effort was just simply cleaning up the watersheds," said Steve Dunmead, CEO of Mission Critical Materials.

Researchers were originally focused on treating acid mine drainage, using chemicals to remove contaminants and make the water cleaner. During that process, they discovered the water also contained rare earth elements.

That discovery opened the door to a new possibility: cleaning up pollution while recovering valuable minerals at the same time.

"There’s an opportunity to generate revenue out of this AMD treatment," Dunmead said.

WVU’s research found acid mine drainage can contain a much higher percentage of heavy rare earth elements compared with traditional sources.

"It may end up with 2% heavies in the overall mix," Dunmead said. "In this case, in the coal acid mine drainage, we have like 50% heavy rare earths."

The difference is significant because heavy rare earth elements are among the most valuable and difficult minerals to source.

NEW ARCTIC DISCOVERY COULD DEAL MASSIVE BLOW TO CHINESE DOMINANCE OF RARE EARTH MINERALS

The research began nearly a decade ago when WVU scientists identified rare earth elements in acid mine drainage from retired coal mines. The university is now expanding that work through the WVU Rare Earth Elements Initiative, which brings together researchers studying ways to recover critical minerals from a variety of sources.

In 2022, WVU partnered with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to open the A34 AMDREE Processing Facility in Mount Storm, the first integrated pilot-scale rare earth recovery facility of its kind in the country.

Researchers say the technology could eventually help reduce America’s reliance on foreign sources by creating a new domestic supply chain.

Rare earth elements are used in products Americans rely on every day, including cell phones, wind turbines, electric vehicles, fighter jets and missile defense systems.

HOW RARE EARTH ELEMENTS FACTOR INTO THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION

WVU is also working to commercialize the technology through a new for-profit company called Mission Critical Materials, created to help bring the research from the lab into the marketplace.

The goal is to expand beyond coal mine pollution and explore other sources of critical minerals, including hard rock mines and other industrial waste streams.

"And in the process, [we] also figured out it is not unique to coal mines but hard rock mines as well," Dunmead said. "So copper mines, gold mines, also have acid mine drainage."

Researchers say one advantage of their approach is that it uses existing polluted sites rather than requiring new mines to be built.

"The regulatory pathway for a traditional mine can take years," Dunmead said. "This technology can go into an existing acid mine drainage site using an existing water permit."

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WVU researchers believe the process could provide an environmentally friendly way to address two challenges at once: cleaning polluted water while producing materials needed for America’s future.

The next step is building a larger-scale facility. Researchers hope that once complete, they can begin producing and selling heavy rare earth materials domestically.

Two men accused of posing as federal agents arrested after allegedly targeting 85-year-old in $200K gold scam

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:52:27 -0400

Two men accused of posing as federal agents were arrested after allegedly trying to scam an 85-year-old Washington, D.C., man into handing over more than $200,000 in gold bars, police said Friday.

The Metropolitan Police Department said Chu Lin, 50, of Fresh Meadows, New York, and Xiean Cheng, 42, of Cornelius, North Carolina, were arrested after allegedly showing up at the victim's home to collect the gold.

Both men were charged with second-degree financial fraud.

WOMAN EXPOSED RUNNING VISA FRAUD SCHEME SPANNING YEARS, POSING AS IMMIGRATION OFFICER

According to police, the scheme began July 8 when scammers contacted the victim by email and later by phone while posing as federal agents.

The scammers allegedly told the victim that funds in his bank account were "in jeopardy of being lost" unless he secured the money by purchasing gold bars and turning them over.

Believing the scheme was legitimate, the victim attempted to purchase more than $200,000 worth of gold bars before the gold dealer recognized the apparent scam and alerted him, police said.

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

The gold dealer then alerted MPD's Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit and the FBI, according to authorities.

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When Lin and Cheng later arrived at the victim's home to retrieve the gold bars, officers with MPD's Violent Crime Suppression Division arrested the alleged scammers, police said.

Trump urges Jeanine Pirro to revisit dropped Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 21:54:35 -0400

President Donald Trump on Friday urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to take a second look at the recently dropped charges over vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

"Now that people are able to see it up close, they are reporting pure VANDALISM at The Reflecting Pool," Trump wrote on Truth Social, sharing photos from a freelance photographer that allegedly showed vandalism.

The president claimed that "People were on their knees with their hands in the water at the exact location of the ‘slashes.’ Additionally, there were witnesses to the VANDALISM, and the flexible areas of the material were cut with a knife.

TRUMP SAYS HE 'DISAGREES 100%' WITH U.S. ATTORNEY JEANINE PIRRO OVER REFLECTING POOL CASE

"U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro should re-visit her hastily made decision, especially since it turned out that the ‘gentleman’ involved is a big player in ActBlue, a disgraceful fundraising SCAM, and is represented by a TRUMP DERANGED SLEAZEBAG, Political Hack Lawyer, Norm Eisen, and CREW, a group that uses ‘charity’ for political purposes which is, to the best of my knowledge, ILLEGAL!"

Trump has been highly critical of Pirro’s decision to drop the felony vandalism case against former Olympian David Hearn last Friday.

Earlier this week, Trump claimed Pirro "choked" under pressure from a judge regarding the case and "folded like an umbrella."

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

FORMER US OLYMPIAN DAVID HEARN INDICTED IN ALLEGED REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM

Hearn was indicted on July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property. U.S. Park Police alleged Hearn grabbed and tugged at a loose section of the pool’s coating on June 19, continuing after a National Park Service employee told him to stop. Officials initially claimed he caused more than $1,000 in damage.

However, Pirro’s office said the Department of the Interior initially provided prosecutors with "barebones" reports and failed to disclose records documenting extensive problems with the coating’s installation.

"Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment," prosecutors wrote.

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

OLYMPIAN CHARGED IN REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM DONATED THROUGH DEM FUNDRAISING GIANT

The DOJ said the new evidence made it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hearn caused the damage. Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the indictment without prejudice, which would leave open the possibility of bringing the charge again.

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

Fox News' Jackson Thompson and Reuters contributed to this report.

Ex-MLB pitcher gives his take on Mets reliever Jefry Yan's wild strikeout split celebration

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 21:27:09 -0400

Few sports are as steeped in tradition as baseball, and that's why it really raises some eyebrows when someone comes along and does something wildly untraditional.

Y'know, like what is basically a James Brown split after every strikeout.

That's why Mets reliever Jefry Yan has got the people talking, and why we here at OutKick reached out to former Big League pitcher Collin Balester to get his perspective on the unorthodox punch-out celebration.

BREWERS PITCHER ABNER URIBE APOLOGIZES AFTER CONTROVERSIAL STRIKEOUT CELEBRATION SPARKS BACKLASH

"I mean, there's guys that teeter down that line, that do a little celebration here and there," Balester said, before noting that big celebrations are common in winter leagues in Mexico and Yan's native Dominican Republic. "I don't think I've ever seen a guy jump ten feet in the air."

Balester — who played for the Nationals, Tigers and Reds — also noted that a celebration like Yan's comes with an injury concern.

"At the end of the day, if I was the team, I would be a little nervous about him blowing out his knee jumping up like that," he said. "Over time, throwing they say is bad, but I think jumping up and landing on your knee like that and doing the moonwalk up the mound, I would probably try to nip that."

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Which is why he says he was so surprised to see the 29-year-old bring the habit with him to the Majors.

"I said I don't know when this guy's getting into the big leagues, but if he gets up there, I guarantee you he's not going to do it," he said. "And hey, I mean, to his credit, he's done it."

But, of course, hitters aren't going to look kindly upon someone striking them out and then dropping a Jean-Claude Van Damme split on them for good measure.

"I know the game is a little bit different now; guys are a little bit more obviously pimping home runs and that kind of stuff," Balester — who played in the Majors between 2008 and 2015 — said. "But at the end of the day, guys are chomping at the bit to try to hit a home run to do something.

And perhaps, they'll want to do too much, and that could make Yan's over-the-top celebration his secret weapon.

"I think it's going to play in his favor, to be honest," he said. "I think people are going to be trying to do too much at first to make sure they can show him up, but at some point that's going to kind of falter.

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"Unfortunately, (getting shown up) is what he's kind of asking for."

More than 50 bodies found decomposing inside Chicago funeral home after neighbors complained of 'stench'

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 21:03:14 -0400

Chicago authorities are investigating a South Side funeral home after more than 50 bodies were discovered improperly stored and in various states of decomposition Thursday.

The discovery came months after nearby residents began complaining about a "stench" coming from the funeral home.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said state and local officials alerted it to improperly stored bodies at South Chicago Chapel. Investigators and forensic pathologists who responded found remains in various states of decomposition.

PENNSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF STEALING OVER 100 SETS OF HUMAN REMAINS APPEARS IN COURT IN ‘HORROR MOVIE’ CASE

"Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains, searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates," the medical examiner's office said in a statement online. "This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition."

State officials suspended the license of one of the funeral home's directors, alleging multiple bodies were kept in an unrefrigerated area under "deplorable conditions."

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said the conditions included rodent and maggot infestations, adding the lack of refrigeration had caused bodies to decompose.

No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed after the discovery, but Chicago police said detectives are investigating.

NEW CALIFORNIA LAW EXPANDS DNA TOOLS FOR MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS

State business records show funeral director Johanna Morgan incorporated South Chicago Chapel Inc. in 2022. Her funeral director's license was temporarily suspended Wednesday.

The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said the suspension was based on a finding that Morgan's continued practice posed "a danger to the public safety, interest and welfare."

The agency accused Morgan of "allowing multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with deplorable conditions, including rodent infestation, causing decomposition and maggot infestation of the bodies."

The funeral home is operated by a couple who previously ran a crematory that authorities said was also shut down over the mishandling of remains.

GIRL KNOWN AS 'CHELSEA JANE DOE' ID'D 26 YEARS AFTER MUTILATED BODY FOUND HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HOME STATE

Business records identify Clark Morgan, whom state officials describe as Johanna Morgan's husband, as president of the funeral home. His funeral director's license was revoked in 2024 for practicing with an expired license and "unprofessional conduct."

Fox News Digital has reached out to South Chicago Chapel for comment.

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Latasha Johnson, 55, said her mother's funeral was held at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday, shortly before authorities arrived and made the discovery.

Johnson told The Associated Press that authorities informed her that her mother's body would need to undergo an autopsy and that she would have to identify the remains within the next several days.

"I'm discombobulated," Johnson said. "My heart is broken."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former NBA player Royce White says he is declaring for next WNBA Draft after Enes Kanter announcement

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:15:14 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: Former NBA player Royce White told OutKick/Fox News Digital that he apparently plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, as he now claims to be transgender.

There are now two former NBA players to announce such a decision, after Enes Kanter Freedom made his announcement earlier on Friday.

"I'm transgender. I'm a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I'll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well," White said.

FORMER NBA FIRST ROUND PICK ENES KANTER FREEDOM DECLARES FOR 2027 WNBA DRAFT

"I think I’d be unstoppable. But I’m a team-first guy. I’m a pass-first kind of player. I do the little things. I led my team in all five major stat categories at Iowa State University, so I do a little bit of everything. I’ll do whatever the coach needs me to do. I’ll do whatever the girls need me to do...

"I think it’s only fair."

White said only the league could end his challenge by stating its position plainly on the subject of males playing in women's sports.

"I think the WNBA could come out and make a definitive statement about guys with a pair of balls playing in the Women’s Association," he said.

Asked whether he would proceed unless the league did make such a statement, White replied, "Oh, no, I’m declaring. And I don’t want to be discriminated against. I want fair treatment. I’m a young Black, hopefully United States Senator that would like a fair chance to participate as a sometimes-identifying-as-a-transgender-woman athlete."

White also suggested that he would pursue legal action if he goes undrafted and is not signed to a team.

"I have to file a discrimination lawsuit, right? I mean, that's, that's ridiculous," he said. "We're gonna have to have a huge legal battle about discrimination if I can't play."

White, 35, is also on the ballot in Minnesota’s Aug. 11 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. He was the Republican nominee against Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2024, losing the general election.

Freedom, who set the internet ablaze with his announcement earlier on Friday, said in a social media post that he and his team had reviewed the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and its approach to self-identification and inclusion. He argued that if declaring an identity were sufficient, he met the requirements to compete.

The WNBA’s actual governing language is more limited. Article XIII of the league’s 2026 collective bargaining agreement states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA." The 409-page agreement does not further define "women" or set out a public policy governing transgender or intersex eligibility. It also does not say self-identification alone establishes eligibility.

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association addressed the broader controversy Friday without defining who is eligible to play.

"We embrace justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion," the union said. In the same statement, it added, "Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns."

WNBPA ISSUES STATEMENT EMBRACING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AMID TRANS ATHLETE DEBATE IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

White said that if he had his choice of WNBA teams, he would stay home and play for the Minnesota Lynx and head coach Cheryl Reeve. Reeve recently wore a "trans kids belong" T-shirt in a game against the Indiana Fever and Sophie Cunningham, who became the league's only player to recently speak out in support of protecting women's sports from biological males.

"It’s got to be the Minnesota Lynx, and I hear the coach loves a good transgender, so we’ll all be in perfect harmony," White said.

"How you gonna pass up on a 6-foot-8, 270-pound point forward?" he said. "That’s ridiculous."

The Houston Rockets selected White 16th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft after his lone season at Iowa State. He averaged 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and five assists and became the only Division I player that season to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks.

White measured 6-foot-8 and 260.6 pounds at the 2012 NBA Draft Combine, with an 11.5-inch hand width — the largest recorded among players at that combine.

He predicted current WNBA players would "have nightmares" about guarding him.

"I’m 260 pounds, 265 pounds, 6-foot-8, can palm a basketball — can palm a men’s basketball probably as easily as any player in history," White said. "I think I had the third-biggest hands in the modern NBA Draft Combine. So, yeah, I’m sure the women’s basketball is going to fare even easier to palm, which is a huge advantage."

"They’re going to have nightmares, and they should," he added. "I really feel like I’m going to be dominant."

White also said he would use the women’s locker room if he made a team.

"Of course," he said. "I don’t want to be discriminated against. Why wouldn’t I use the women’s locker room?"

White said he has deep respect for women’s basketball, noting that his younger sister Savannah White has played Division I basketball and that Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman coached him in the BIG3.

FRENCH TRANS PHENOM JULIE TÉTART LOOKS WNBA-READY — SO WHY HASN’T THE ‘INCLUSIVE’ LEAGUE CALLED?

"I have great respect for the skill of women’s basketball," White said. "Even at the girls’ level in high school, you see that the girls have to play a much more skilled game because they don’t have some of the physical, God-given abilities or natural physical abilities as the men."

"There’s a significant difference between biological men and women, and I think we’ve blurred that line, like we’ve blurred many other lines unnecessarily," he continued. "And I plan to exploit that for my economic and athletic benefit."

White claims he conceived of the declaration several days before Freedom’s Friday announcement. In an X post on Aug. 4, White declared that he is "transgender" and will "pursue a career in the WNBA."

"I think I was first," White said. "His must have been today or yesterday. I was about three days ago. But great minds think alike. There’s no time limit on these things. When great ideas and great opportunities pop up like this, you’ve just got to jump on them and ride them all the way."

White also floated the possibility of teaming up with Freedom.

"Maybe Enes," White said when asked whether any WNBA player could match up with him. "Maybe me and Enes should play on the same team. That’d be great...

"Maybe this is how it was supposed to all play out. Me and Enes Kanter running off about five, six WNBA championships."

A public declaration does not, by itself, place White or Freedom in the WNBA Draft pool, and it would not guarantee either player a selection or contract. The league has not publicly explained what criteria it would use to decide whether a transgender applicant satisfies the CBA’s women-only provision.

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"I’d like to know what the parameters are," White continued. "What exactly are the specifics? What criteria do I need to meet in order to be able to play? Is it just a wig? Do I have to cut my beard? Does my voice have to get a little bit lighter? Do I have to do this snip-snip? I’d like to know the specifics of the criteria, and I hope they’d be able to defend it in a court of law."

Trump ally 'El Tigre' sworn in as Colombia's new president amid continent's rightward shift

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:03:09 -0400

Colombia entered a new political chapter as conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn into office Friday, pledging to reverse much of former President Gustavo Petro’s left-wing agenda and restore a tougher approach to security, economic policy and relations with the United States.

Known by his nickname "El Tigre" (the tiger), his inauguration marks one of the most significant political shifts in Latin America in recent years. After four years of socialist President Gustavo Petro’s "Total Peace" strategy, expanding coca cultivation and increasingly strained relations with Washington, de la Espriella now faces the challenge of translating campaign promises into governing reality.

He was joined at the inauguration by several conservative presidents from across the region, including Argentina's Javier Milei, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa and Chile’s José Antonio Kast. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche was there as part of the U.S. delegation. Spain's King Felipe VI and FIFA President Gianni Infantino were also in attendance, The Associated Press reported.

TRUMP SAYS COLOMBIA'S 'EL TIGRE' WILL BE A 'GREAT PRESIDENT' AS SOCIALIST OPPONENT LAUNCHES LEGAL CHALLENGE

"I have come to close a long chapter of national resignation and, together with the people, embark on the most profound transformation of our destiny," De La Espriella said, according to Reuters while speaking at the Pichincha Battalion military base in Cali.

"I send a firm message to the Colombian people: The time has come to restore order, authority, and freedom."

Reuters said one of his first acts as president was to join The Shield of the Americas, founded by President Donald Trump.

For the U.S., Colombia remains its closest security partner in South America, a key trading ally and one of the region’s largest recipients of U.S. security assistance. Hundreds of American companies operate in Colombia, while the country’s security conditions directly affect regional migration, organized crime and narcotics trafficking.

On foreign policy, the new president has committed to rebuilding strategic ties with the United States, restoring close cooperation with Israel and adopting a tougher stance toward the authoritarian governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

Whether those commitments produce measurable improvements, however, will depend on resources that remain in short supply. Camilo Guzmán, executive director of Libertank, told Fox News Digital that the country’s financial situation will define what the administration can realistically accomplish.

"President de la Espriella inherits a house with the roof leaking and the safe empty. The order matters because almost everything he promised requires money he does not have." Guzmán pointed to Colombia’s deteriorating fiscal position as the administration’s most immediate challenge.

"Start with the fiscal picture. It is worse than his own team seems to expect. The 2026 deficit is tracking around 6.5-6.7% of GDP, the financing gap is close to $34 billion and the implicit medium-term adjustment being left on his desk is near five points of GDP. It is also a cash problem, not only an accounting one. Before he governs, he must make payroll."

WALTZ WARNS OF CHINESE, RUSSIAN-FUELED ‘NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT’ LOOMING CLOSE TO US SHORES

The International Monetary Fund projects Colombia’s economy will grow by only about 2.3% this year while inflation remains elevated, limiting the government’s room to finance new security initiatives or major economic reforms without additional spending cuts or new revenue measures.

Security presents an equally daunting challenge. Violence has intensified across several regions as criminal organizations and guerrilla groups have expanded their territorial influence over the past several years.

Guzmán said, "Security is the second fire. The first half of 2026 closed with the highest homicide count for any first semester in a decade, extortion still rising and armed groups that have grown sharply since 2022. Security is rebuilt in years, not in quarters. Expect operations, captures and hard rhetoric in the first 100 days, visible and real, but not yet structural."

Even if the administration moves quickly on executive actions, its legislative agenda will depend on building consensus in a fragmented Congress. Although De la Espriella won the presidency, his party controls only five seats in the Senate, while Petro’s Historic Pact remains the largest individual political bloc. Passing security reforms, fiscal legislation and broader economic initiatives will require negotiations with centrist and traditional parties on virtually every major proposal.

Guzmán believes those political realities may prove just as important as the security challenges. "He won the election; he did not win Congress. The July fight over the Senate presidency was the first warning. He has a coalition that is numerically large and poorly disciplined. His agenda will be negotiated bill by bill."

REPUBLICAN REP MARÍA ELVIRA SALAZAR DECLARES, 'AFTER CUBA, NICARAGUA IS NEXT'

For that reason, analysts caution against measuring the administration’s success solely by immediate results. Instead, the first 100 days are likely to be judged by whether the new president establishes credibility, assembles an effective governing team and demonstrates that campaign promises can evolve into a coherent governing strategy.

Guzmán concluded, "The realistic expectation is this: the first 100 days will produce signals, not results. Appointments, decrees, an emergency spending cut, a tax bill, a security package. Meanwhile, expectations are enormous, and the distance between what people were promised and what is physically possible in 100 days is the main political risk he faces. He will spend those 100 days putting the house in order. He should say so out loud, and early. Credibility is the one asset he can build by day 100."

The decisions investors and policymakers will watch most closely include whether De la Espriella formally abandons Petro’s negotiations with the ELN, resumes aerial coca fumigation, expands intelligence and security cooperation with Washington, restores full diplomatic engagement with Israel and introduces a credible fiscal adjustment plan.

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Those early moves, analysts say, will offer the clearest indication of whether Colombia’s new president can begin delivering on his promise to reverse the Petro era, or whether the country’s fiscal, political and security realities will force him to scale back one of the most ambitious conservative agendas in modern Colombian politics.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hasan Piker calls for Democrats who oppose Abdul El-Sayed to be 'punished'

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:00:19 -0400

Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker is calling on Democrats to ensure that those who do not support Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed face consequences for not holding the party line.

"There are haters in our ranks. Notice how whenever someone comes out and says, 'Yeah that's actually a bad association,' immediately it's weaponized by the Republicans," he said Thursday while reacting to a clip of Fox News' Bill Hemmer interviewing former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel.

"You can't be out here saying like, 'Oh, I'm a centrist Democrat. And I think Abdul is a bridge too far.' That must be punished."

MARK HALPERIN CALLS HASAN PIKER A 'HORRIBLE PERSON' AS DEMOCRATS FACE PRESSURE TO DISTANCE FROM STREAMER

Piker, a socialist, went on to argue that the Democrats should use "Marxist-Leninist" punishment against those who do not "follow the party line." He acknowledged that it was appropriate for Democrats to debate amongst themselves until a winner is declared.

The controversial Twitch streamer's statement came just two days after El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination, narrowly defeating Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in the primary. Piker appeared on the campaign trail with El-Sayed, who is set to face off against Republican nominee Mike Rogers in November.

FORMER DNC VICE CHAIR DAVID HOGG CLAIMS DEMOCRATIC MODERATES 'DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT VALUES'

Piker's call for punishment sparked backlash among some Democrats, including Center for American Progress President and CEO Neera Tanden, who served under former President Joe Biden. She warned that Piker's rhetoric could alienate voters.

"It’s hard to imagine a bigger turnoff to swing voters than this guy. My free advice to the AES campaign is to get him to shut up about your race," Tanden wrote on X.

In response to the stream clip, Project Liberal co-founder Joshua Eakle noted that Piker refused to endorse former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election. Eakle slammed Piker, claiming that the Twitch streamer was using "authoritarian language" and was seeking to "make the Democratic Party no different from the MAGA cult around Trump."

Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, a critic of Piker, told Fox News Digital this week that the party will have to decide in the 2028 primary which direction it's going.

HASAN PIKER UNLOADS ON 'ISLAMOPHOBIC PIECES OF S---' DEMOCRATS AS EL-SAYED FACES PARTY UNITY TEST

Piker hit back at Eakle, saying, "koch payroll 'liberal' mad that i think dc establishment 'democrats' that work with maga are irredeemable and must be excised from the party ranks, wonder why?"

This is not the first time Piker criticized El-Sayed's opponents and urged Democrats to get behind the Senate candidate. After the Michigan Democrat's victory, Piker said those who suggested El-Sayed had "a f---- ton of work to do mending bridges" were "unbelievably Islamophobic pieces of s---."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

"You literally called the dude a f---ing terrorist for months on end and, like, called him a sexist, misogynist, terrorist, bad candidate, fake doctor, when he has two f---ing degrees. And now you're going to say sit there and be like, 'Well, you know, you really got to come to me now.' What are you talking about?" Piker said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign and Piker for comment.

President Trump pumps up the 'Protect College Sports Act' as the Senate works to pass it

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:25:32 -0400

The "Protect College Sports Act" is still trying to get its way through Congress, and — as you may recall from middle school civics class — if it clears both houses, it's off to President Donald Trump's desk.

There's no question how he feels about this particular piece of legislation.

He's a big fan.

TRUMP URGES CONGRESS TO PASS PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT BEFORE RECESS: 'WE HAVE TO GET THAT DONE'

"THE PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT is a great Bill, and the Senate will hopefully stay in D.C. until it passes," the president wrote on Truth Social. "Without this Bill, millions of young Athletes will be hurt, programs will be canceled, Women's and Olympic Sports will go away, the fans will be robbed, and Universities will go broke.

"Nobody has done more to protect Women Athletes than me — and this Bill CLEARLY protects the Laws in 27 States protecting Women's Sports, and banning Men from Women's Sports," he continued. "Anyone who tells you differently is LYING! Stop grandstanding, and try getting this done. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

These latest comments by the president urging Congress to pass the bill come just one day after he offered similar remarks while welcoming US Olympians to the White House Rose Garden.

REPUBLICAN SENATORS FILE AMENDMENT TO STOP COLLEGE SPORTS BILL FROM OVERRIDING STATE WOMEN'S SPORTS LAWS

"I’m urging the House and the Senate to come together, bipartisan if possible, and it looks like they have done, to send the bill to my desk and I will sign it. I think we have no choice," Trump said on Thursday. "We have to get that done. If we don’t, we’re very foolish. Nobody knows what will happen. We’re in Never-Never Land. We’re not going to let that be happening. We’re not going to let that happen to these great people and others."

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Also on Friday, the White House released an official memo clearing up misconceptions that the Protect College Sports Act would override state laws preventing biological men from competing in women's sports, adding that states can still legislate on the issue.

Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has security clearance revoked over Air Force One disclosure

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:16:44 -0400

The U.S. Department of War has revoked former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility to access classified information over what the department says was an unauthorized disclosure involving Air Force One’s capabilities.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced the move Friday on X, saying it took effect immediately and also bars Kendall from holding any sensitive position.

"Effective immediately, the Department of War has REVOKED former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s eligibility for access to classified information and his ability to hold any sensitive position.

"This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet. Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty. Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it."

US AIR FORCE SECRETARY KENDALL FLIES IN COCKPIT OF PLANE CONTROLLED BY AI

Parnell did not identify the media outlet or specify which information Kendall allegedly disclosed.

The move comes days after The Wall Street Journal published a report comparing the capabilities of the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, now used as a presidential aircraft, with the older Air Force One jets. Kendall was among the former officials quoted in the report.

The Journal reported that the newer aircraft lacks some capabilities available on the older VC-25A jets, including midair refueling and hardening against a nuclear blast. The report also detailed differences involving defensive systems, air stairs, baggage handling and food storage.

AIR FORCE SECRETARY SAYS HE'S SEEN NOTHING 'MORE DISTURBING' IN 50-YEAR CAREER THAN THIS MOVE BY CHINA

Kendall also discussed the aircraft publicly in other recent reports. Earlier in July, he told The Wall Street Journal that fully retrofitting a 747 with the defensive capabilities needed to protect the president should take three to four years.

Kendall served as secretary of the Air Force under former President Joe Biden from 2021 until January 2025. He previously served as the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics during the Obama administration.

Kendall also has a longstanding connection to the Air Force One modernization program.

In 2015, while serving as the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, Kendall coordinated with then-Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on the decision to use the Boeing 747-8 platform for the next generation of presidential aircraft.

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A representative for Kendall did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

This is a developing story; check back later for updates.

Dem attorney backs GOP hopeful in Michigan race against El-Sayed, 'jumping ship' from his party's 'lunatics'

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:14:01 -0400

A veteran Democratic attorney is speaking out in opposition to Michigan's new Democratic Senate nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.

Julian Epstein, who served as the chief legal counsel for House Democrats during the Clinton impeachment hearing and worked for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, penned an op-ed in the New York Post Thursday about his support for El-Sayed's Republican opponent, Mike Rogers.

In an interview Friday with Fox News Digital, Epstein said his op-ed was his declaration that he is "jumping ship" to the other side in the highly-contested Senate race.

ROGERS OPENS DOOR TO DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AFTER EL-SAYED’S PRIMARY VICTORY: ‘THERE IS STILL HOPE’

"The Democrats have gone off the deep end," Epstein told Fox News Digital. "I think the lunatics are in charge of the asylum. I think that there is no room in the tent for people that want to destroy our Constitution. There's no room in the tent for people that want to align themselves with radical Islam. There's no room in a tent for people that want to align themselves with antisemitism.

"And there's no room, in my view, for people who don't have any interest in building for the next generation but only want to redistribute what others have created and want to basically tear down the free market that has been the most effective anti-poverty liberation machine that human beings have ever invented."

EL-SAYED'S THREAT AGAINST GOP RIVAL BACKFIRES AS CONSERVATIVE BRINGS RECEIPTS: 'IS DUBAI IN FLORIDA?'

Epstein warned his party it is "jumping off a cliff" with the positions it has embraced, predicting that a "large group of Democrats" will ultimately defect.

"I have been criticizing the Democratic Party for a long time as being far to the left of the median voter. So, just as a matter of practical politics and pragmatism, I think the party has gone way too far left, but I think that the party has also lost its moral center," Epstein said.

The Democratic strategist went on to praise Rogers as being a "practical, middle-of-the-road normie guy," insisting he would have aligned with Democrats during the Clinton administration.

On Tuesday, El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic primary against Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens, who was seen as the establishment favorite who largely campaigned on progressive views but has been supportive of Israel.

High-profile Democrats are rallying behind El-Sayed's campaign, but it is unclear whether Stevens' voters will support the party's nominee in November.

In his op-ed, Epstein said Rogers will be able to "paint a devastating portrait" of El-Sayed.

UNEARTHED CLIP OF EL-SAYED REVEALING HIS 'HATE' FOR ICONIC MICHIGAN TOWN SPARKS ONLINE FIRESTORM: 'DARK HEART'

"El-Sayed parrots Sen. Bernie Sanders’ delusion that attaches no importance to generating wealth — and only cares about redistributing it," Epstein wrote. "He expresses sympathy for Mideastern terrorist movements that masquerade as liberation efforts, giving cover to terror attacks on Jewish synagogues in the US ('hurt people hurt people') and going to absurd lengths to avoid offending supporters of Iran’s slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He doesn’t believe the planet’s only Jewish state has a right to exist.

"Hasan Piker, his principal campaign surrogate, blames the U.S. for 9/11 and professes his love for China’s madman dictator Mao Zedong, who slaughtered millions of his own people. Piker praised Hamas after the Oct. 7 massacre and cites every oppressive tyrant from Fidel Castro to Nicolas Maduro as his guiding lights.

"Democrats can’t run from this lunacy in November."

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US intel warns Russia could launch limited attack on NATO ally in effort to fragment organization: report

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:40:08 -0400

Russian President Vladimir Putin could attack a NATO member country in the next few years in an attempt to fragment the post-World War II organization and test Article 5, new U.S. intelligence has found, according to a report.

While U.S. intelligence had previously assessed that Putin wouldn’t launch an assault on a NATO country while still involved in the war in Ukraine, the Russian president is now looking for a victory as Ukraine makes gains, and the U.S. and Europe have seen increasing signs he is testing the organization, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

That includes a drone that hit a Romanian apartment building in May and cruise missiles that landed in Poland late last month, a NATO country.

RUSSIA PREPARING HYBRID ATTACKS ON NATO'S EASTERN FLANK, INTELLIGENCE WARNS

Article 5 of NATO states that an attack on one country is an attack on all countries.

The assessment said it would likely be a limited attack that could range anywhere from a cyberattack to a small-scale land incursion and would likely be focused on the Baltics or Poland.

The attack could happen any time between this fall and 2029, the assessment said.

"The question mark is how the United States would respond in that case," Heather Conley, senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, told the Journal. "It has always been a goal [of Russia’s] to challenge the credibility of NATO and to separate the United States from its allies."

THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT AMERICAN WEAPONS SYSTEMS NATO IS EAGER TO HAVE

The assessment also comes amid claims the United States’ munitions stockpile has been depleted by arms sent to support Ukraine and due to the war in Iran.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, however, called those claims false.

"We have everything required to strike at the time and place of the president’s choosing," Parnell told the Journal. "Across multiple combatant commands, we have already executed successful operations while maintaining a deep, ready arsenal to defend our people and our interests. Any adversary who confuses media noise with American weakness will discover the truth the hard way."

A land incursion was deemed the least likely because it would trigger Article 5, but it’s unclear what the response would be to something like a cyberattack.

REPORT WARNS RUSSIA USING SHADOW FLEET TO PROBE NATO DRONE DEFENSES

"This has always been NATO’s challenge to respond to a sub-Article 5 attack, and it’s been very true that to this point, NATO allies have preferred not to escalate," Conley told the Journal.

Fox News Digital has reached out to NATO for comment.

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Col. Martin O’Donnell, a NATO spokesman, told the Journal, "We are always thinking through and preparing for any number of scenarios. NATO is watching, and we are ready to deter and defend as necessary, which we continue to demonstrate."