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NYC grocers sound alarm on Mamdani's supermarket plan: 'We'll lose customers'

Tue, 05 May 2026 09:04:06 -0400

A proposal by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to open a city-run grocery store is facing pushback from East Harlem grocers who say the area is already saturated with supermarkets and bodegas.

The plan, part of a broader effort to address rising grocery costs in the city, would establish publicly run stores across New York’s five boroughs — but the push to improve affordability could come at a cost for small businesses already on thin margins.

The first store is expected to open next year in La Marqueta, an existing public market space at Park Avenue and 115th Street in East Harlem. The city will spend roughly $30 million to build the store.

MAMDANI’S PUBLIC GROCERY STORES MAY HAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON CITY'S FOOD SUPPLY

Roughly 45 grocery stores sit within a 35-minute walk of the proposed grocery site, according to a Fox News Digital analysis.

The existing stores include a mix of major chains like Whole Foods and Lidl, as well as smaller neighborhood markets and bodegas.

The area is also well served by public transit. There are multiple subway and bus lines giving residents several ways to reach nearby stores if they are not in reasonable walking distance.

Some local grocers say the added competition of the city-owned store could hurt their businesses.

"Of course it will affect this store," said Sarah Kang, manager at a CTown Supermarkets location about a 35-minute walk south, or one subway stop, from La Marqueta.

"A lot of people walk 20 to 30 minutes to get here," she explained to Fox News Digital. "If they find a cheaper supermarket, I don’t think they’ll be willing to make that trip. It’s going to affect small grocery stores. Definitely."

"I hope we don't lose customers," Kang added.

About a 30-minute walk north of La Marqueta, Joel Martinez, a manager of a supermarket at 128th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, said the impact may depend on proximity to the proposed site.

"I hope it doesn’t impact us," Martinez said in a call with Fox News Digital. "The store will be a little far from us, so that’s good. But it will affect smaller businesses that are closer."

Bodegas and small grocery stores are a staple of New York City neighborhoods, often serving as primary food sources for nearby residents.

KELLY LOEFFLER: MAMDANI’S SOCIALIST PLANS THREATEN NYC’S BUSINESS CORE

Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. The mayor plans to open five city-run stores, one in each borough, by 2029.

Similar proposals for local government-owned and operated grocery stores and markets have surfaced in other cities, including Boston.

Officials in Atlanta appear to have trailblazed the effort and have already opened a city-backed grocery store to improve food access in underserved areas.

House Democrats' campaign arm draws progressive fury for trying to 'tip the scales' in key House primary

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:55:55 -0400

Progressives are blasting party leaders after House Democrats’ campaign arm backed a centrist over a far-left challenger in a key battleground race that could shape control of the House.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) added California state Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains and seven other Democrats to its "Red to Blue" program this week — a de facto endorsement that could give the candidates aiming to defeat GOP incumbents a leg up in critical primaries across the country.

The DCCC’s decision to support Bains over progressive challenger Randy Villegas, a university professor backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the hotly contested race has sparked backlash from progressive lawmakers, who argue the campaign arm should stay neutral in contested primaries.

"We disagree with the DCCC’s decision to attempt to tip the scales in this race," Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC leaders, who have endorsed Villegas, said in a joint statement. "Voters, not the DCCC, should pick Democratic nominees."

DEMOCRATS NAME CANDIDATES TO 'RED TO BLUE' INITIATIVE, AIMING TO FLIP GOP MAJORITY DURING MIDTERMS

The group of progressives included Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Greg Casar, D-Texas, Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md.

"Deeply disappointed to see this last-minute intervention in a competitive Democratic primary," Rep. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., wrote on social media Monday. "It’s especially tone-deaf in a district that is overwhelmingly Latino, coming on the heels of last week’s decision gutting the VRA [Voting Rights Act]."

Villegas also slammed the DCCC intervention as "undemocratic" in a post on X.

The political newcomer is supported by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign arm and the left-wing Working Families Party, among other outside groups. Meanwhile, several major labor groups, including the moderate Blue Dogs PAC and the center-left NewDem Action Fund, are backing Bains.

Both are vying to unseat Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., who has repeatedly fended off Democratic challengers in the majority-Hispanic district.

SQUAD STYLE PROGRESSIVES HIT WITH 'COLD SHOWER' AS CANDIDATES FALL TO MODERATES IN BLUE STATE CIVIL WAR

The DCCC’s decision to elevate candidates in other crowded primaries has also drawn pushback.

Its strategy to promote state legislator Joe Baldacci in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District resulted in sharp criticism from a rival candidate in the race.

"Once again, Washington, D.C., insiders are trying to tell Mainers who can represent them," Jordan Woods, a former Capitol Hill staffer running for the Republican-leaning seat, said in a statement.

Asked for comment, House Democrats’ campaign arm said the individuals included in its candidate program are "best positioned to win in November" and hail from all corners of the party.

"It’s imperative that Democrats must take back the House to hold Trump accountable and deliver on what truly matters to voters — lower costs and affordable healthcare," DCCC spokesman Viet Shelton told Fox News Digital.

National Republicans have warned that messy Democratic primaries could hamper the party’s bid to retake House control in November.

"Their disastrous primaries have turned into a far-left free-for-all, and national Democrats stepping in will only deepen the chaos and alienate their far-left base," NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement.

Progressives in the upper chamber have also sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats’ campaign arm for tacitly supporting more centrist candidates in key races.

Schumer’s strategy to recruit Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, in the state’s 2026 Senate contest appeared to blow up last week, when the two-term governor exited the race after her campaign failed to gain traction with Democratic primary voters. The lead Democrat issued a tepid endorsement of presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who is backed by leading progressives.

Trump admin investigates all-women's college for admitting male students

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:46:34 -0400

The U.S. Department of Education announced that its Office for Civil Rights has launched a probe into Smith College for admitting men into the women's educational institution, allowing them into women-only areas such as restrooms.

"Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into Smith College, one of the nation’s largest all-women's colleges, for admitting biological men and granting them access to women-only spaces, including dormitories, bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams," the department said in a statement Monday. "OCR will determine whether the college violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) by allowing biological males into women’s intimate spaces."

"Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance," the department explained. "Title IX contains a single-sex exception that allows colleges to enroll all-male or all-female student bodies — but the exception applies on the basis of biological sex difference, not subjective gender identity. An all-girls college that enrolls male students professing a female identity would cease to qualify as single sex under Title IX."

COLLEGE OFFERING 'WHITE SUPREMACY IN THE AGE OF TRUMP' COURSE AS PRESIDENT-ELECT RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE

While the institution describes itself as a "women's college," the school "considers for admission any applicants who self-identify as women," explaining that, "cis, trans, and nonbinary women are eligible to apply to Smith."

"Smith College has received notice that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened a Title IX investigation into the College," the school said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "The College is fully committed to its institutional values, including compliance with civil rights laws. The College does not comment on pending government investigations."

CALIFORNIA JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETES SPEAK OUT ON TRANS CONTROVERSY THAT'S NOW IN THE TRUMP ADMIN'S CROSSHAIRS

Smith College is located in the state of Massachusetts.

"An all-women’s college loses all meaning if it is admitting biological males," Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in a statement.

FEDS OPEN PROBE INTO NEW YORK CITY'S ANTI-ISRAEL TEACHERS

"Allowing biological males into spaces designed for women raises serious concerns about privacy, fairness, and compliance under federal law. The Trump Administration will continue to uphold the law and fight to restore common sense," Richey noted.

US intercepts 6 ships trying to run American blockade during operation to open Strait of Hormuz

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:26:20 -0400

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed Tuesday that six ships attempted to bypass the U.S. military's blockade of Iranian ports during the operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but they were all turned around.

"In fact, six ships tried to run the blockade out of Iranian ports as Project Freedom commenced, and they were all turned around," Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump declared in a Truth Social post on Sunday that the U.S. would launch "Project Freedom" to help ships from other nations escape the Strait of Hormuz.

"To be clear, this operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration, with one mission: protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression," Hegseth said.

HEGSETH SAYS US HAS ESTABLISHED ‘RED, WHITE AND BLUE’ DOME OVER SHIPPING IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

"Iran is the clear aggressor, harassing civilian vessels, threatening mariners from every nation indiscriminately, and weaponizing a critical chokepoint for its own financial benefit, or at least trying to," he continued. "For too long, Iran has been harassing ships, shooting at civilian tankers from all nations and trying to impose a tolling system. Iran's plan, a form of international extortion, is unacceptable. That ends with Project Freedom."

Hegseth said Tuesday that "All of these ships from all around the world want to get out of the Iranian trap that they have been stuck inside."

"As a direct gift from the United States to the world, we have established a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait. American destroyers are on station, supported by hundreds of fighter jets, helicopters, drones and surveillance aircraft, providing 24/7 overwatch for peaceful commercial vessels. Except Iran's, of course. Which is why our ironclad blockade remains in full effect as well," Hegseth added.

TRUMP OPENS HORMUZ UNDER FIRE WITH ‘PROJECT FREEDOM’ AS IRAN WARNS OF ATTACKS

He also said, "We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission, without hesitation."

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine said Tuesday that as a result of Iran's "indiscriminate" attacks across the region, there are 22,500 mariners embarked on more than 1,550 commercial vessels trapped in the Arabian Gulf, unable to transit.

Caine said U.S. Central Command has "established an enhanced security area on the southern side of the strait that is now protected by U.S. land, naval and air assets to help defeat further Iranian aggression against commercial shipping."

"On the surface, guided missile destroyers and other warships are detecting and defeating Iranian threats. This includes fast boats in one-way attack drones," he added. "In the air, more than 100 fighters, attack aircraft and other manned and unmanned aircraft synchronized by the 82nd Airborne Division are in the air 24 hours a day, providing defensive overwatch for the enhanced security area."

Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

Obama admits 'genuine tension' in marriage over pressure to stay in politics

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:09:15 -0400

Former President Barack Obama said that pressure on him to continue being politically active throughout the Trump administration has created tension in his marriage with former first lady Michelle Obama.

"She wants to see her husband easing up and spending more time with her, enjoying what remains of our lives," Obama told The New Yorker in an interview published May 4. "It does create a genuine tension in our household, and it frustrates her."

Early in President Donald Trump's first term, Obama had largely followed the previous political norm of a former president remaining tight-lipped on his successor's moves. But as time wound on, the 44th president began weighing in considerably more.

During Trump's second administration, Obama has further broken those norms, arguably becoming the current president's most high-profile critic, a fact Obama acknowledged in his interview with The New Yorker.

MICHELLE OBAMA SAYS AMERICA GOING THROUGH ITS 'JANKY' ERA

"People aren’t looking at me in historical comparison to other presidents," he told the magazine. "They don’t care about the fact that no other ex-president was the main surrogate for the party for four election cycles after they left office."

But Obama claimed that Trump's "recklessness" forced his hand, The New Yorker wrote, prompting him to weigh in on a wide swath of Trump's actions from pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accords to dismantling Obama's signature domestic policy achievement, the Affordable Care Act.

His opposition to Trump has spurred Obama to delve back into politics "more than I would have preferred," he told the magazine.

OBAMA'S 'ICONIC VOICE' ECLIPSED IN 2025 ELECTION BY TRUMP-ERA ECONOMIC, AFFORDABILITY COMPLAINTS

Obama has become a flag-bearer for the Democratic Party's key issues of the day, most recently pushing the party's redistricting effort in Virginia to his nearly 120 million followers on X.

Five posts Obama sent urging Virginians to vote yes on a ballot measure that redrew Virginia's congressional districts heavily in favor of Democrats garnered over 220 million views, according to X's publicly visible statistics.

The language Obama used in the posts was considerably partisan.

MICHELLE OBAMA'S PODCAST PUTS HER IN LIMELIGHT IN NEW TRUMP ERA, BUT SHE'S NOT COMING TO DEMOCRATS' RESCUE

"Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. But right now, they’re under attack. Several Republican-controlled states have redrawn their congressional maps to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterm elections," Obama wrote in a March 5 post on X.

MICHELLE OBAMA MOCKS RUMORS THAT HER MARRIAGE IS IN TROUBLE

Micelle Obama, not unlike her husband, has taken to new media to air many of her grievances with the Trump administration, often criticizing the president on other podcasts, as well as her own.

Obama's revelation is not the first time he's publicly addressed strife in his marriage. In 2025, he admitted he had been "digging myself out of the hole I found myself in with Michelle," after she did not join him during the January funeral for former President Jimmy Carter or for Trump's second inauguration.

Trump turns Obama-era youth health policy on its head as school fitness benchmark returns

Tue, 05 May 2026 07:29:35 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will sign a presidential memorandum Tuesday restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Award, according to the White House, reviving a competitive school-based fitness program phased out during the Obama administration.

The signing will be attended by members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, as well as National Fitness Foundation board members including high-profile athletes including golfer Bryson DeChambeau, retired professional golfer Gary Player, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Amani Oruwariye and MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

The move reintroduces a performance-based benchmark for student fitness, echoing the Trump administration’s broader "Make America Healthy Again" push.

Trump first signed an executive order to reestablish the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition and the Presidential Fitness Test last year, with the memorandum on Tuesday paving the way for the administration to restore the test and awards at all American schools, Fox News Digital learned.

TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REESTABLISH PRESIDENTIAL FITNESS TEST

The revitalized award emphasizes measurable athletic performance standards similar to earlier versions of the test, which ranked students based on physical achievement, according to a copy of the National Physical Fitness Award obtained by Fox News Digital.

The original Presidential Physical Fitness Test was phased out during former President Barack Obama’s second term and replaced with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, part of the "Let’s Move" initiative. Critics at the time argued that the test focused too much on performance and competition, discouraging less athletic students.

The President’s Council on Youth Fitness was first established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after studies showed American children were less physically fit than European peers. Schools began administering a fitness test under President John F. Kennedy, launching the President’s Council on Physical Fitness.

WHOLE MILK HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL CAFETERIAS AFTER TRUMP SIGNS LAW AS EXPERTS TOUT BENEFITS

The Obama-era Presidential Youth Fitness Program focused "primarily on assessing health versus athleticism for America’s youth," according to the Let’s Move website.

Fox News Digital reached out to the office of President Obama for comment.

More than 21% of Americans ages 2 to 19 were classified as obese between 2021 and 2023, while 7% of American youths had severe obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

SCHOOL MEALS RAISE EYEBROWS AS MAHA ADVOCATES URGE 'DIFFERENT CHOICES IN THE LUNCH LINE'

Trump is expected to sign the memorandum in the Oval Office, followed by an event on the South Lawn with families and children to mark National Youth Sports and Fitness Month, Fox News Digital learned.

Cabinet secretaries including Dept. of War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, and Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon will also be in attendance.

Massie ally sparks backlash after accusing Trump-backed challenger of abusing VA benefits

Tue, 05 May 2026 07:00:38 -0400

An ally of Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is receiving blowback for painting Ed Gallrein, Massie’s challenger, as a veteran potentially abusing disability benefits.

"Ed Gallrein has received government benefits for claiming to be 100% physically disabled, while also claiming to do demanding full-time farm work on his family’s operation," Andrew Cooperrider, a radio and podcast host, said in a post to Facebook .

"This raises serious questions about consistency, transparency and accountability," he continued.

The post drew criticisms from experts in the veterans' community for what they called a mischaracterization of the Veterans Affairs (VA) disability rating system. It also highlights the sensitivity of a race that pits a Trump-endorsed candidate against one of the president's most frequent critics.

SCOOP: TRUMP-BACKED FORMER NAVY SEAL LAUNCHES GOP PRIMARY CHALLENGE AGAINST MASSIE

"I think it’s disgraceful that any type of campaign would try to use a VA disability rating against somebody," Mark Lucas, founder and president of Veteran Action, an advocacy group, said of Cooperrider’s post.

"Just because a veteran has a disability, it does not mean that they can’t work," Lucas added.

Gallrein, a former longtime Navy SEAL and fifth-generation Kentucky farmer, has positioned himself as a pro-Trump candidate looking to unseat the biggest thorn in the side of the GOP. He contends that Massie’s decision to vote against Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, his push to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act and constant criticisms of overseas conflicts in Iran and Venezuela all go against the grain of the party.

Gallrein received Trump’s endorsement earlier this year.

Tim Murtaugh, an advisor to his campaign, blasted Cooperrider’s Facebook post, calling the criticism an "offensive attack."

"This is a ridiculous and offensive attack on a veteran, a potentially illegal invasion of privacy and it proves Massie and his allies truly have no shame and no honor," Murtaugh said.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NAVY SEAL EDDIE GALLAGHER AS TRUMP POISED TO INTERVENE IN CASE

Prior to his political aspirations, Gallrein served as a member of SEAL Team Six, deploying to conflict zones in Panama and the Persian Gulf among others, before returning to work on his family’s farm, according to his online biography.

It’s unclear what kind of injuries led the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to give Gallrein the 100% disability rating.

Darin Selnick, former VA Affairs advisor for the White House Domestic Policy Council and a senior advisor for Veteran Action, explained that a disability rating is a multi-factor assessment of injuries sustained in service-related activity that then serves as a basis for federal assistance.

He stressed that veterans have little say in the rating they ultimately receive.

ARMY OFFICER-TURNED-CREATOR ‘MANDATORYFUNDAY’ RISES ABOVE VETERANS DAY BACKLASH: 'I CHOOSE TO LAUGH'

"When you file for the claim, the VA has an independent medical examiner that looks at your medical records. They do additional medical examinations to confirm what's in the medical records. That report goes to the ratings examiner," Selnick said.

"VA then says, okay, based on this rating, you then get X amount of compensation per month for the service-connected injuries that happened to you."

Cooperrider did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Sen Lindsey Graham floats idea of more US attacks against Iranian 'war machine'

Tue, 05 May 2026 06:10:06 -0400

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., floated the prospect of more U.S. attacks against Iran, suggesting that a large, but brief effort to target the Islamic Republic's "war machine" would be justified.

In a Monday Truth Social post, President Donald Trump declared, "Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission! We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, 'fast' Boats. It’s all they have left. Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait."

Sharing a screenshot of Trump's post, Graham agreed in a Monday post on X.

"Spot on, Mr. President. The combination of Iran’s attack against UAE’s vital infrastructure and continued attacks on international shipping, including a South Korean cargo ship, more than justifies a big, strong and short response to inflict further damage on Iran’s war machine," Graham asserted in his post on X.

TRUMP OPENS HORMUZ UNDER FIRE WITH 'PROJECT FREEDOM' AS IRAN WARNS OF ATTACKS

"The UAE has been a champion ally in this fight, doing everything that’s being asked of them and beyond. Iran’s recent brazen attack against the UAE tells me a lot about who’s in charge in Iran and the chance of a diplomatic solution any time soon. A forceful response on behalf of our ally, UAE, will reinforce that America is back as a reliable ally, helping to further wash away the damage caused by the Biden administration on this front," the senator added.

Helicopters were utilized "just this morning to eliminate six Iranian small boats," U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper noted on Monday.

MIKE WALTZ PUSHES UN RESOLUTION TO STOP IRAN MINING KEY GLOBAL SHIPPING ROUTE

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared in a post on X, "Events in Hormuz make clear that there's no military solution to a political crisis. As talks are making progress with Pakistan's gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock."

The AAA national average price for regular gas has surged to $4.483 as of Tuesday.

"To the American people: I know gas prices are high, and I know we're suffering right now. But you pay now, or you pay later against thugs like Iran. They tried to get a nuclear weapon, and if you don't believe that you shouldn't be allowed to drive in your hometown," Graham said during a Monday night appearance on Fox News Channel's "Hannity."

'KILLING OFF THE COUNTRY': IRAN EXECUTES DOZENS, ARRESTS 4,000-PLUS IN WAR CRACKDOWN

Graham is seeking re-election this year. President Trump endorsed the senator for re-election last year.

Border Patrol arrests two illegal aliens convicted of child sex offenses near San Diego in back-to-back busts

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:52 -0400

In two back-to-back arrests, Border Patrol agents arrested a pair of illegal aliens convicted of child sex offenses last week.

Agents near San Diego arrested an unnamed Mexican native last Monday who had been convicted in Jan. 2024 of contacting a minor with intent to commit a sex offense.

On Tuesday, CBP agents from the San Clemente Border Patrol Station detained a Guatemalan national convicted of assault and battery, as well as molesting a child.

'AMERICANS FIRST': ICE SWEEPS UP CHILD PREDATORS, RAPISTS ACROSS US AS MULLIN TAKES HELM OF DHS

"These arrests are a direct result of the proactive work our agents do every day to identify and remove these predators from our neighborhoods," Justin De La Torre, San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent, said.

Agency officials praised the arrests, calling them demonstrative of the agency’s continued effectiveness under the new leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, noting that the agency has arrested and removed thousands of criminal aliens from the country — including gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers—to make our communities safer.

BORDER AGENTS UNCOVER RPG LAUNCHER, CACHE OF RIFLES HIDDEN IN VEHICLE HEADING TO MEXICO

Mullin was appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate last month. In March, CBP apprehended 8,200 illegal aliens, according to DHS.

"Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority, and the San Diego Sector will actively go after dangerous criminals, especially those guilty of heinous crimes against children," De La Torre said.

CBP SEIZES MASSIVE METH HAUL WORTH MILLIONS STASHED IN SECRET TILE SHIPMENT

The two illegal aliens are being processed for removal from the U.S., according to CBP officials.

Trump's grip over GOP tested as state senators who defied president challenged in key primaries

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:04 -0400

It's primary day in Republican-dominated Indiana, where President Donald Trump’s immense sway over the GOP is on the line, as his endorsements in key races will be tested.

In neighboring Ohio, another right-leaning state, some of Tuesday's top primaries will tee up crucial general election showdowns in November’s midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending their slim Senate and razor-thin House majorities.

Two congressional incumbents in Indiana — Republican Rep. Jim Baird and Democratic Rep. Andre Carson — face serious primary challenges.

And in Ohio, Republicans will pick from a crowded primary field in the race to face off with vulnerable Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.

TRUMP VS. HISTORY: HOW PRESIDENT'S POLL NUMBERS COMPARE TO BIDEN, OBAMA, BUSH AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

Five months ago, Republicans in the GOP-dominated Indiana state Senate withstood immense pressure from Trump and his allies and voted down congressional redistricting, which would have given solidly red Indiana two more right-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms.

Fast-forward to today, and eight of those state senators are facing GOP primary challenges. Seeking retribution, the president endorsed challengers to seven of the eight Republican lawmakers who voted against the redistricting bill.

The president’s allies have shelled out more than $6 million to try to oust the state senators, according to the national ad tracking firm AdImpact. Among those in the political fight on behalf of the president are two national groups: Turning Point USA’s political wing and the Club for Growth. Also leading the charge are Hoosier Leadership for America and American Leadership PAC, which are aligned with GOP Sen. Jim Banks, a top Senate ally of the president. Groups allied with Republican Gov. Mike Braun are also part of the full court press.

The intra-party battle is seen not just as a test of fealty to Trump but rather a fight between MAGA forces and more traditional conservatives for the future of the GOP.

SIX MONTHS TILL MIDTERMS: THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE'S MAJORITY

"We’ve got to change those old-style Republicans, put in people who will fight, fight against the Democrat gerrymandering," Club for Growth President David McIntosh told Fox News Digital.

McIntosh, a former congressman from Indiana, said, "I want to see my state do the right thing."

But the besieged incumbents have significantly outraised their challengers, and have also been boosted by the Indiana Senate GOP caucus.

On an interesting side note, one of the races pits Trump versus his former Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump is backing challenger Tracey Powell, who is trying to take out state Sen. Jim Buck, who's backed by Pence, a former Indiana governor and congressman.

A pro-Trump source involved in the Indiana showdowns told Fox News Digital that a victory would be considered winning half the seats, and anything beyond that would be a major win.

In western Indiana's 4th Congressional District, the Trump-backed Baird is being challenged by state Rep. Craig Haggard. And in Indiana's 7th Congressional District, Carson is facing three primary challenges, including Georgie Hornedo, a veteran of former President Barack Obama's administration.

Vivek Ramaswamy grabbed national attention when he ran for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination before dropping out and becoming a top Trump surrogate.

DEMOCRATS BUILD MIDTERM MOMENTUM BUT REPUBLICANS STILL IN DRIVER'S SEAT IN SENATE MAJORITY BATTLE

Now, the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and business leader is all but certain to capture the Republican gubernatorial nomination in his home state of Ohio.

Ramaswamy, who is backed by Trump, will face off in November against Dr. Amy Acton, a doctor and researcher who served as director of the state Department of Health from 2019 to 2020. Acton is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The winner will succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine.

It’s a similar story in Ohio’s Senate primary, where appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted, a former lieutenant governor, is unopposed in the GOP primary.

Former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is expected to cruise to his party’s nomination.

The winner will serve the final two years of the term of Vice President JD Vance, who stepped down from the Senate after the Trump-Vance ticket won the 2024 presidential election.

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

Once a top general election battleground state, Ohio has shifted to the right over the past decade, with Trump carrying the state by 11 points in the 2024 election. But this year's races for the Senate and governor are expected to be very competitive. And the Senate race is one of a handful across the country that may determine if the GOP holds the majority or if the Democrats flip the chamber.

In northwest Ohio's 9th Congressional District, the 79-year-old Kaptur, who is already the longest-serving woman in U.S. House history, is running for a 23rd two-year term.

But Kaptur, who barely won re-election in 2024, is now running in a district that's even redder than it was two years ago, thanks to Republican-steered mid-decade redistricting.

Top non-partisan political handicappers The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball give the GOP a slight edge in the general election showdown.

The packed field of GOP contenders fighting to take on Kaptur in November includes former state Rep. Derek Merrin, who lost to the congresswoman by a razor-thin margin two years ago, former state Rep. Josh Williams, Air Force veteran Alea Nadeem and former ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan.

Republicans will also choose a nominee in the Cincinnati-based 1st District, where Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman is running for re-election.

Democrats will nominate a candidate in Ohio's 15th Congressional District, south and west of Columbus, where they hope to take out Republican Rep. Mike Carey in November.

Trump opens Hormuz under fire with ‘Project Freedom’ as Iran warns of attacks

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:00 -0400

The U.S. operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is unfolding under fire, with American forces intercepting Iranian missiles and drones and destroying attack boats targeting commercial shipping as they begin moving vessels through one of the world’s most critical waterways.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited the strait under the effort, dubbed "Project Freedom," even as Iranian officials rejected the claim as "baseless" and warned that any foreign military presence would be attacked.

President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian strike on U.S. vessels would be met with overwhelming force, saying Iran would be "blown off the face of the earth," while a senior Iranian commander said American forces would be targeted if they "approach and enter" the strait.

The operation has quickly turned into a direct test of control over the strait, with U.S. forces moving ships under fire while Iran threatens to strike any foreign presence — a clash that could pull the two sides deeper into open conflict.

TRUMP’S APOCALYPTIC IRAN WARNING RAISES STAKES FOR SWEEPING US STRIKE THREAT

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran had taken "shots at unrelated Nations" during the operation, including a South Korean cargo ship, and suggested allies could join the effort.

"Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!" he wrote.

CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper told reporters that Iranian forces launched cruise missiles, drones and small boats at vessels under U.S. protection as the operation began, targeting primarily commercial shipping as well as some U.S. Navy ships.

U.S. forces responded by intercepting the attacks and destroying six Iranian small boats, Cooper said, adding that American forces "defeated each and every one of those threats."

He said the two U.S.-flagged ships transited the strait "uneventfully" and that additional vessels are expected to begin moving to take advantage of the passage.

The operation involves a large U.S. military presence, including guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, unmanned systems and roughly 15,000 service members.

Cooper said the U.S. is not escorting ships individually but instead providing a layered "defensive umbrella" across the strait, combining naval, air and electronic warfare capabilities.

U.S. forces also spent weeks using advanced technology to clear and validate a transit pathway, which was tested by sending U.S.-flagged ships through first, he said.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade, making any disruption a major concern for global markets.

Iran has sharply rejected the U.S. operation, with Ali Abdollahi, head of the Iranian military’s unified command, warning that any foreign forces entering the strait "will be attacked."

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps also has denied that any commercial ships successfully transited the waterway, calling U.S. claims "baseless."

The developments leave the strait effectively contested, with the U.S. asserting it has opened a secure transit route while Iran denies that ships are moving and threatens further attacks.

Trump has framed "Project Freedom" as a humanitarian effort to help "neutral and innocent bystanders," saying many ships are running low on supplies and need assistance to resume normal operations.

But he has also warned that any interference would be met with overwhelming force.

The operation is unfolding as the fragile ceasefire shows signs of fraying, with the United Arab Emirates saying its air defenses engaged ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones launched from Iran.

While the U.S. has demonstrated it can move ships through the strait under heavy military protection, it remains unclear whether the effort can scale to normal commercial traffic levels or sustain safe passage if Iranian attacks intensify.

Retired Marine Corps Col. Ray Gerber said there is limited independent evidence so far that commercial shipping has resumed at scale, noting that maritime tracking data and industry signals have yet to clearly reflect increased traffic.

"We’re not really seeing a lot of evidence of it," Gerber said. "Most of the industry is saying they’re still waiting."

He also questioned whether the U.S. has fully mitigated one of the most significant threats in the waterway: naval mines.

"If they’ve cleared a corridor, my first question is going to be, ‘So you’ve swept it for mines?’" he said.

Gerber added that even if initial transits succeed, sustaining the operation could become more dangerous over time as Iran responds to what it sees as a loss of leverage.

"The Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s primary leverage point. Any changes to that status quo raise the possibility of returning to more active conflict," he said.

The next phase of the operation — whether more ships follow and whether attacks escalate — will likely determine whether the strait can be fully reopened or remains effectively contested.

Civil rights groups file lawsuit seeking to block Texas law allowing cops to arrest illegal migrants

Mon, 04 May 2026 22:06:33 -0400

A coalition of civil rights groups filed a new lawsuit on Monday seeking to halt parts of a Texas law that would allow police officers in the Lone Star State to arrest migrants suspected of crossing into the U.S. across the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

The law is set to take effect next week after a federal appeals court vacated a lower court ruling last week that had prevented its enforcement since 2024. In that ruling, the appeals court vacated an injunction that had blocked the law, finding that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue.

Senate Bill 4 established a state-level crime for entering the country illegally and authorized state magistrates to order certain individuals to leave the country if they are convicted.

Courts have long maintained that immigration enforcement has historically been treated as the responsibility of the federal government, but Texas Republicans attempted to challenge that precedent when they approved S.B. 4.

TEXAS BILL REQUIRING SHERIFFS TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE GIVEN INITIAL APPROVAL BY STATE HOUSE

The Texas Civil Rights Project, American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas argued that the law is unconstitutional, noting that immigration law is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government and that federal law should preempt the state law.

The groups are attempting to block four provisions of S.B. 4 — the creation of a crime for re-entering the country illegally, even if a person has since obtained legal status such as a green card; granting state magistrates authority to issue deportation orders; the creation of a crime for failing to comply with a magistrate’s deportation orders; and the requirement that magistrates continue a prosecution even if a person has a pending immigration case under federal law, such as an asylum claim.

"Our fight against S.B. 4 isn’t over until justice wins," Kate Gibson Kumar, an attorney at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said in a statement. "S.B. 4 is not only unconstitutional, but a vile law that uses our Texas resources to harm communities across our state. The Texas Civil Rights Project will keep fighting to protect Texas communities from the wrath of S.B. 4."

Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued that S.B. 4 is "cruel and illegal," adding that the groups "will keep fighting it until it is permanently struck down."

"Every court to have reached the merits of laws like S.B. 4 has found them to be unconstitutional," he said.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The law is scheduled to go into effect on May 15 unless another court takes action.

"S.B. 4 would transform our police and judges into immigration agents — threatening neighbors who have families here, who have lived here for years, even those who have legal status," said Adriana Piñon, legal director at the ACLU of Texas. "Immigration enforcement is exclusively the federal government's arena, and no state has ever claimed the power Texas threatens to wield here. We are taking this back to court to defend our Texas communities."

TRUMP DOJ DROPS BIDEN-ERA CHALLENGE TO TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW

Monday's lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to the Texas law, which was passed by state lawmakers amid an uptick in migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration.

Another lawsuit had been led by some of the same advocacy groups that filed Monday's challenge. The Biden administration also initially sought to halt the law in 2024 before the Trump administration terminated the Department of Justice’s involvement in the lawsuit last year as part of the president's mass deportation agenda.

Rudy Giuliani's primary care provider gives update on his condition

Mon, 04 May 2026 21:49:27 -0400

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is breathing on his own after being taken off a ventilator, his doctor said, adding he has "9 lives" following a dramatic turnaround from a dire condition.

Dr. Maria Ryan told Fox News correspondent Danamarie McNicholl that Giuliani began feeling ill after returning from a trip to Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point that he required hospitalization and was placed on a ventilator.

Ryan said his condition turned critical, prompting a priest to be called to his bedside to perform last rites.

By Tuesday, however, his condition had improved enough for doctors to remove him from the ventilator. He is now breathing independently and able to speak, though he remains in critical but stable condition.

RUDY GIULIANI HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT IN 2020 ELECTION DEFAMATION CASE

"He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him," Ryan told Fox News. "And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better."

Ryan said she expects Giuliani to make a full recovery.

A spokesperson for Giuliani also pointed to his health history following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he was exposed to debris while responding at Ground Zero, later leading to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease.

BERNARD KERIK, FORMER NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER AND 9/11 FIGURE, DIES AT 69

In a video shared on X, Ted Goodman said Giuliani is now "breathing on his own" and remains in "critical but stable condition."

"Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the ultimate fighter," Goodman said.

The update comes after Giuliani was hospitalized with severe breathing issues, prompting concern about his condition. His team had previously said he was in critical but stable condition.

RUDY GIULIANI HOSPITALIZED IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION: "HE’S FIGHTING"

Giuliani, 81, has faced a number of health challenges in recent years but has remained active in public life.

He previously made headlines after being seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire in August 2025. Authorities said the vehicle he was riding in was struck from behind on Interstate 93 in Manchester, leaving him with a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and other injuries.

Despite those setbacks, Giuliani returned to work and continued to appear publicly in the months that followed.

Ryan said the latest improvement marks a turning point in his recovery, though doctors will continue to monitor his condition closely in the coming days.

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

Video shows Dem candidate dodging Trump violence question as campaign issues response

Mon, 04 May 2026 20:03:37 -0400

New Jersey Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Bennett walked away from questions about political violence against President Donald Trump in a video circulating online, as a person with her repeatedly told the questioner to "get a life."

The video was shared by the Libs of TikTok account and shows a man approaching Bennett and asking whether she condemns attempts to harm the president. Bennett does not respond and continues walking as a woman accompanying her addresses the questioner.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Bennett, do you think that people should stop trying to kill the president?" the man is heard asking.

As he continues, the woman accompanying Bennett can be heard attempting to drown him out by singing.

REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE DEM CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE'S '86 47' POST AS CALL FOR 'POLITICAL VIOLENCE'

"Oh my God. Dude, get a life. Get a life, dude," the person says in the video.

Bennett is then seen walking away and heading toward a vehicle, partially obscured at times by a blue sign, as the questioning continues.

Bennett’s campaign told Fox News Digital that she "has and always will condemn political violence against President Trump."

PATRICIA HEATON URGES 'FRIENDS ON THE LEFT' TO TONE DOWN EXTREME RHETORIC AFTER WHCD SHOOTING

The campaign also pointed to a post Bennett shared on X on April 26.

"Last night’s attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was an act of political violence, and I condemn it unequivocally," Bennett wrote. "Political violence has no place in our democracy."

"I’m grateful to the Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers who responded with extraordinary courage, who acted immediately to neutralize the threat," she added. "Their bravery kept hundreds of people safe last night, and I’m relieved that everyone went home to their families."

DEM IN TRUMP DISTRICT RACE SCRUBS SOCIAL MEDIA OF POSTS PRAISING PROGRESSIVES: 'SCAM ARTIST'

"My thoughts are with everyone who was at the dinner last night."

The Navy veteran and current member of the Air National Guard made news last year as a Democrat running for Congress who positioned herself as a moderate in a bid to unseat sitting Republican Thomas Kean Jr. in a pro-Trump district.

A Fox News Digital review of Bennett’s X account — created in July 2011 and converted from @BigRedBecks to @RebeccaForNJ07 — shows several deleted posts that appear to diverge from that "moderate" label, including praise for progressive Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

"Love her," Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post about Warren in 2019.

Bennett also deleted posts praising former Vice President Kamala Harris after she was announced as then-former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020.

During the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020, Bennett wrote in a now-deleted post that she agreed with a comment from former Obama campaign strategist David Plouffe calling for investigations into law enforcement responses.

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

Florida GOP candidate reveals why 'amazing' fundraising haul and key Trump moves suggest midterm 'optimism'

Mon, 04 May 2026 20:00:29 -0400

Scott Singer, the former Republican mayor of Boca Raton and a candidate for Congress in Florida, is touting a significant campaign fundraising haul while outlining to Fox News Digital the reasons why he believes there is reason for optimism for the GOP in November.

Singer’s first-quarter fundraising numbers in the 2026 cycle showed him significantly outraising incumbent Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, along with slightly more cash on hand, despite being a first-time candidate.

As a result of Florida’s new redistricting push, Singer recently announced he will be running in the redrawn 25th congressional district, and it is unclear which district Moskowitz will decide to run in, but Singer tells Fox News Digital he is "very pleased" with the financial support he’s gotten from almost 3,600 contributors.

"We're very pleased that we had an amazing fundraising quarter, one of the best of any Republican challenger in the nation," Singer said. "I think it's going well because people are really enthused about our candidacy. I think people are ready for change. They're upset with the progress of Congress."

GOP LAWMAKER RALLIES AROUND TRUMP'S TAX-CUT CAMPAIGN AS COMPETITIVE 2026 HOUSE RACE LOOMS: 'BIG ISSUE'

With most pundits predicting a tough time for Republicans in the upcoming midterms as they attempt to hold a razor-thin majority in the House and tight majority in the Senate along with historical headwinds, Singer says he sees "great reason for optimism" as he campaigns in his race.

"We have a strong economy, the strongest we've had in years, record growth in GDP inflation before the latest blip, which is temporary because of the Iran conflict," Singer explained. "Inflation was at the lowest level we had for years and voters understand that it was the one unchecked runaway inflation under President Biden that put us in this situation."

VOTERS SAY REPUBLICANS OUTDO DEMOCRATS ON THESE KEY ISSUES: FOX NEWS POLL

Singer continued, "President Trump and the administration have done so much to bring prices down across the board, and cutting regulations will continue to do that. The biggest tax cut in American history is reaching American taxpayers right now, with huge refunds going to individuals and the average refund for 12 million small businesses of $7,000 and that was done with every Democrat in Congress voting against it."

Singer told Fox News Digital the GOP is now the "party of the middle" class thanks to tax-cutting policies for tips and overtime, and said he believes those "real benefits" will continue to take effect over the next year.

"I think people are going to be more optimistic," Singer said. "If you look at so many objective indicators and not the panic that some media outlets put out there, things are great and when you interview voters and ask them about policies, they lean more to the right. They support the Republican agenda. That's why I feel very optimistic, and I think other candidates, if we focus on the agenda and less on what the media would have us buy into comments about personality, it really affects what we're doing on paychecks and what we are doing on the border."

Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives heading into the 2026 midterms, one of the narrowest controlling margins in nearly a century, with Democrats widely believed to be holding an edge, especially given the party in power historically sees losses in midterm elections.

Aggressive redistricting by both parties in states across the country has complicated the situation even further.

Democrats have been hammering President Trump and the Republican Party on high gas prices and the economy, and a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pushed back on the Republican agenda in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Florida Republicans knew they couldn’t win on their cost-raising, billionaire-first, wildly unpopular agenda that’s crushing working families and small businesses, which is why they’re desperate to gerrymander the maps and rig the midterms," DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre said. "Any Republican who claims the GOP’s price-spiking policies are popular only proves the fact they have no idea what voters are feeling right now."

GOP challenger Joe Kaufman to run in Florida's 25th district; will face either Moskowitz or Wasserman Schultz

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:29:44 -0400

Joe Kaufman knows what it's like to lose a close race in a historically Democratic District. In fact, in the 2024 election cycle, Kaufman ran in the closest congressional race in the state, narrowly losing in the 23rd district to incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a two-term congressman who has sought to build a moderate profile.

Florida has just completed its redistricting process, and this time around, Kaufman is confident that he can win, despite the Republicans facing headwinds.

Kaufman confirmed to Fox News Digital that in 2026, he will be running in the new 25th district.

Former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer will also be running in the 25th district in the GOP primary.

Moskowitz said on Monday that if he runs, it will be in the 25th District, while it appears that incumbent Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who would be seeking her 12th term in Congress, is also weighing running in the same district.

DEMOCRAT PRAISES STEVE SCALISE FOR QUICK ACTION DURING WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING

Kaufman brings a battle-tested strategy and message to the race, on the heels of his near-victory in 2024:

"Yes, we had 48% of the vote. It was the closest race in all of Florida and the highest percentage of any Republican to ever run for that seat. But back then, I got in very late in the game and this time around our numbers are much better, and we've been able to form those coalitions that we needed to last time. We've done that now, and I will win this seat this time."

Kaufman bills himself as a "terrorist hunter" and brings strong foreign policy credentials to the table.

"I do counter-terrorism research, writing and lectures." He says he's been involved in "the shutdown of terrorist charities and the imprisonment of terror-related individuals. Recently, I led the shutdown of a pro-Hamas conference that was to take place in Coral Springs, and the organizers, including CAIR and the South Florida Muslim Federation, they were upset, so they sued me and the Marriott Corporation in federal court. They sued us not once, but twice and I'm proud to say that we won not once, but twice."

"He says in regard to foreign policy, "I've been very involved these past few years in what's been taking place. 17 years ago, I was honored to co-found a group called Cyrus Force with his majesty, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who we believe is going to be soon to be a future leader of Iran."

Despite being a foreign policy hawk, Kaufman is opposed to putting troops on the ground in Iran.

"No, I don't support ground troops, at least not from the United States. I don't want to see what took place in wars past happen here with seeing Americans come back in body bags. I feel the same way about our friends in Israel.

"But there are third parties that want to get involved, and I say, give them the green light to do so. So, if there's any ground troops…they shouldn't be from America or Israel. It should be from these third parties."

Kaufman is a strong advocate for vocational training in high school, and a critic of the Affordable Care Act.

"Well, for one thing, I support putting vocational training in all of the high schools in America. And it's a project I want to initiate as a congressman. Too many kids today are staying home with their parents after they graduate high school. They need to have real job skills so they could make money, get out of their parents' homes, be able to have their own families, and eventually, purchase their own house of their own.

"Also, I don't like the Affordable Care Act. It was never affordable. It's been taking hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies, thanks to the Democrats. And I think we need a new health care system that costs the American government less and costs the American taxpayer less and better quality. And I think we could have that without Obamacare."

OBAMACARE PREMIUMS SET TO SPIKE AGAIN AS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FACES 2026 RATE HIKE PRESSURE

Historically, the party of the incumbent president loses seats in midterm elections the vast majority of the time. In what is widely believed to be a difficult year ahead for Republicans, Kaufman acknowledges the current engagement in Iran and the lingering effects of Biden-era inflation as challenges.

"Well, a lot of it has to do with the war overseas, but I believe that that's going to be short term. I think that's, that's going to end soon. Also, with regards to inflation, we're still dealing with the Biden years where Joe Biden initiated very heavy inflation for our country.

"And thank you, President Trump, for doing the things that would bring inflation down. So I'm looking forward to low inflation, better affordability and very soon an end to the war, and results overseas that allow us to have peace in the Middle East and more peace in world."

Kaufman says the Democratic Party is fundamentally broken, and Republicans can win on messaging in 2026.

"Well, the Democrats, they've allowed people, an untold amount of people, to cross our borders, some of which have been terrorists and members of terror cells. They've hurt the values in the United States. They've destroyed our healthcare system with an Affordable Care Act that was never affordable. They've done everything possible to destroy our nation, and we need to make that change."

Woman objected to trans sex offender roommate — then she was sent back to prison, legal group says

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:00:43 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: A woman was allegedly sent back to a federal prison after objecting to rooming with a biological male sex offender at a Rhode Island halfway house, according to a public records request obtained by Fox News Digital.

The conservative America First Legal asked the Bureau of Prisons on Monday in a public records request, obtained by Fox News Digital, for information about the re-incarceration of Sarah Cavanaugh, who had been serving out the remainder of her sentence at Houston House, a halfway house in Rhode Island operated by the nonprofit Community Resources for Justice.

The request raised concerns about whether Bureau of Prisons contractors were complying with President Donald Trump’s day-one directive that agencies make sure biological men are not detained in women's prisons, part of the administration's broader effort to tighten policies surrounding transgender people.

"Men should not share intimate spaces with women; this includes in our federal prisons," Emily Percival, AFL senior counsel, said in a statement. "The BOP has a duty to provide for the safekeeping, care, and protection of federal inmates."

BLUE STATES CALLED OUT BY WOMEN'S GROUP FOR IGNORING RISKS POSED BY TRANSGENDER INMATES

Percival accused the Bureau of Prisons of "[shirking its] duty when it allowed its contractor to send a woman back to prison after she raised concerns with sharing a room with a biological male convicted of a heinous sex crime."

Cavanaugh, who had been sentenced to about six years in prison in 2023 for a stolen valor conviction, was transferred to Houston House by the Bureau of Prisons after the agency determined she was a good candidate for the move. While there, Cavanaugh learned last August that she would be assigned a new roommate named Haley Lynn Rose, according to AFL’s records request. After searching the name online, Cavanaugh discovered the individual was named Anthony Ninfo, a male who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 2024.

Cavanaugh raised concerns with staff, expressing discomfort about sharing a room with a man convicted of a sex offense, AFL's filing said. Staff told her to follow up with the facility’s management, but the following day she was instead given an accusatory incident report charging that she had violated conditions of being at the halfway house, according to AFL.

The incident report said, according to AFL, that Cavanaugh created "a hostile environment for the [transgender felon], and [overstepped] boundaries by inquiring about the gender identity, genitalia, charges, and room assignment of another Houston House resident."

TRUMP IS RETURNING SANITY TO THE GENDER CONVERSATION

The report stated that "asserting [sic] preferences regarding room assignments is inappropriate."

As a result of the incident, Cavanaugh's placement at the halfway house was revoked, and she was returned to prison for six months, AFL said.

The legal group wrote in its complaint that the alleged incident was at odds with Trump's executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," which states that only two sexes exist and that inmates must be separated by sex.

The case comes amid ongoing legal challenges from civil rights groups over the implementation of Trump’s order. While some provisions have faced lawsuits, courts have allowed certain aspects affecting prison housing policies to move forward.

Citing the Freedom of Information Act, AFL asked the Bureau of Prisons for records related to staff interactions with Cavanaugh, the incident report issued to her, actions taken against her, and the Bureau of Prisons’ contractual relationship with Houston House.

The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement to Fox News Digital that it could not provide more information on Cavanaugh because of privacy reasons.

"For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the BOP does not release information regarding the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual," a BOP spokesperson said. "However, we can share that the BOP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all individuals in our population, our employees, and the public. Humane treatment of the men and women in our custody is a top priority. The BOP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Houston House and Community Resources for Justice for comment.

Warren pushed ‘free and easy’ IRS filing system, but docs reveal what she used instead

Mon, 04 May 2026 18:30:19 -0400

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., didn't use the free government tax-filing system she had spent years promoting when it became available in her state, records show.

As far back as 2016, Warren pushed for a free IRS online tax preparation and filing service, a precursor to what became Direct File. The senator touted it as a way for taxpayers to save time and money. When Direct File launched a pilot program serving Massachusetts for the 2024 tax-filing season, however, Warren's publicly released tax return indicated that she opted to use a private accountant instead.

Warren was ineligible to use Direct File during the 2024 tax-filing season because she chose not to take the standard deduction that year. The standard deduction under the program is a restriction critics say illustrates why the program was too limited to serve many taxpayers.

"The Direct File pilot program has been a huge win for taxpayers," Warren said in April 2024. "This year, thousands of taxpayers saved hours of their time and the $150 typically spent on TurboTax and other junk filing fees — money that could be spent on groceries or rent … I’m excited to continue to work with the IRS and the Treasury Department to permanently extend and expand this free and easy tax filing solution for Americans."

HAWLEY, WARREN TEAM UP TO BACK TRUMP, CRACK DOWN ON DEFENSE CONTRACTOR PAYOUTS

Warren has characterized herself as one of the top legislative architects of the Direct File system.

"For years, Senator Warren has been the Direct File program’s biggest champion — yet her own tax returns show she hired a private accountant," David Williams, president of the Taxpayer Protection Alliance (TPA), a right-of-center fiscal advocacy group, told Fox News Digital.

"Direct File was ill-equipped to handle investment, property and interest income — limiting the tax credits and deductions Americans deserve. At its core, the government would not have any incentive — as the tax preparer, collector, and auditor — to maximize those deductions," he added.

The Trump administration moved to suspend Direct File in 2025, and the IRS later told states the program would not be available for the 2026 filing season.

Even after her own return showed she used a private accountant and not Direct File for the 2024 tax-filing season, Warren continued to push for the system. On April 15, Tax Day 2026, Warren took a recently-introduced bill to the Senate floor seeking to revive the program.

"Filing your taxes should be easy and free … Let’s save people time and money, and show the American people that government can work for them," Warren said.

SEN WARREN UNLOADS ON TRUMP’S FED NOMINEE KEVIN WARSH IN EXPLOSIVE HEARING SHOWDOWN

Usage of the Direct File was low during the 2024 tax-filing season, with only 161,042 of the estimated 19 million eligible Americans submitting returns through it, according to an IRS report.

Among those who did use the service, however, 90% rated their experience as "excellent" or "above average," according to the IRS. Large majorities of respondents reported that Direct File was easy to use and had high quality customer service support.

The TPA, however, says that 25% of Direct File users rated their experiences negatively, citing its analysis of user responses obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.

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Critics of Direct File, such as conservative economist Stephen Moore, have argued that allowing the IRS, which has an incentive to maximize tax revenue, to prepare taxes for Americans creates a conflict of interest and that the program isn’t truly free, given its administrative costs. Proponents like the left-of-center advocacy group Public Citizen, meanwhile, argue that eliminating filing costs could save taxpayers billions of dollars per year at a relatively minor public expense.

Firms such as Intuit and H&R Block lobbied aggressively to kill Direct File, which many believed would cut into their profits.

Warren’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent Monday.

Trump surgeon general pick sparks backlash, splits MAHA movement

Mon, 04 May 2026 18:18:24 -0400

President Donald Trump’s new nominee for surgeon general is exposing divisions in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, the health-focused coalition elevated inside the administration by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

"The new surgeon general nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, may have a great pro-life testimony, but she gets an F when it comes to all things MAHA," said Turning Point USA health and wellness podcaster Alex Clark — a comment shared by other MAHA activists like Kelly Ryerson, an anti-pesticide advocate also known online as "Glyphosate Girl."

"DOGE the Surgeon General!!! We want medical freedom!!!! If not Casey - we take no one!" added Vani Hari, also known online as "Feed Babe" and a prominent figure inside the MAHA movement.

She recently told The Atlantic that failing to confirm Means would "ruin the soul of MAHA."

TRUMP SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE CONFIRMATION HEARING POSTPONED AS SHE GOES INTO LABOR

After Trump's initial pick for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was withdrawn in 2025, Trump selected Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician, wellness author and entrepreneur, and vocal MAHA proponent who was close to Kennedy as he helped develop the Trump administration's health agenda.

Means' nomination was withdrawn Thursday, and she was replaced with radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier amid a stalled confirmation process leading up to the eventual pivot.

Trump announced that Means' nomination would be withdrawn from his Truth Social platform Thursday and replaced with Saphier amid the stalled confirmation process, in part caused by Means' pregnancy during the process and the need for extensive vetting, a source familiar with the nomination told Fox News Digital.

Minutes before Trump announced the pivot to Saphier on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called Means "a strong MAHA Warrior, at the recommendation of Secretary Kennedy, who understands the MAHA Movement better than anyone."

Kennedy also praised Means as news was coming down that she would be replaced by Saphier.

Meanwhile, the pair also lambasted moderate U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Chairman of the Senate's powerful health committee in charge of getting the surgeon general nomination approved, for allegedly sabotaging Means' nomination.

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Delays and concerns about Means' qualifications and views on vaccines, among other things, slowed down the process, until, according to a source familiar with the confirmation process, it was determined that not enough support would be garnered to secure Means' appointment.

Saphier has been described by Trump as "an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR" who "will do great things for our Country," and Kennedy has also publicly supported Saphier's nomination. But MAHA activists became alarmed by the decision to withdraw Means' nomination.

Clark described Saphier as a "catastrophic mistake" at a time when the MAHA coalition is "very fragile."

"She is one of the most pro-vaccine advocates in medicine, even defending Hep B on the first day of life," Clark wrote on X. "My position isn’t to replace Dr. Saphier. It’s to completely DOGE the Surgeon General role. If we don’t, we risk accelerating the loss of one of the most activated voting blocs the GOP is already watching slip away."

"Doge the SG!!!!" Hari said in a post on X Sunday, lamenting that the pivot is just "more of the same."

"We’re seeing a system that protects itself," she added, according to The Washington Post. "A system that says it wants change but recoils the moment real change shows up."

REMOVING ONE FOOD INGREDIENT FROM YOUR HOME IS FIRST STEP TO 'DOING MAHA,' INFLUENCER SAYS

"I am so proud of Casey, and the way she conducted herself during this process," her brother, Calley Means, another early leader within the MAHA movement said on X before laying into Cassidy. "I am also proud to work for the Trump admin, who has marshaled the disruptive MAHA message and driven victories against dark forces personified by Bill Cassidy."

Fox News Digital reached out to Saphier for comment on the criticism that she is not skeptical enough of vaccines, but did not hear back.

White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Saphier has been "an outspoken voice" against "intrusive COVID-19 mandates, the politicization of science, and the federal government's role in America's chronic disease epidemic."

"She will be a powerful asset ... to deliver on every facet of (the president's) MAHA agenda."

Others aligned with the MAHA world appeared less concerned with Means' departure, such as the Independent Medical Alliance, which is anti-pesticide, promotes questions about vaccine efficacy and supported two of Kennedy's picks for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory panel.

TRUMP FDA NOMINEE TURNS VACCINE QUESTION ON DEM, RECALLING CONTROVERSIAL BIDEN DECISION

Dr. Joseph Varon, the group's president and chief medical officer, said Saphier was "exactly who America needs," describing her as "a real doctor, treating real patients, who has the spine to tell the truth even when it's unpopular."

Dr. Robert Malone, a leading contrarian to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdown measures and a supporter of the broader MAHA movement, described Saphier as "moderate-MAHA" in a blog on his Substack.

Malone also attempted to assuage fears Saphier is too pro-vaccine.

"This is the part MAHA readers care about most, and it is the part where Saphier’s record is most genuinely mixed," Malone wrote on his blog.

"She is pro-individual-vaccine on the merits. She is supportive of parental autonomy on schedule. She is critical of universal pediatric mandates absent benefit data. She is explicitly sympathetic to MAHA’s vaccine-safety-surveillance reform agenda," he continued. "She is not, in any reading I can construct from the documentary record, an anti-vaccine voice in the medical-freedom register that, say, Children’s Health Defense operates in. She is also not, in any reading I can construct, a CDC-establishment-defending voice of the kind Cassidy is looking for."

Kennedy, known for being a vaccine skeptic, faced backlash when he attempted to make formal changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule — changes ultimately blocked by the courts.

Fox News Digital reached out to MAHA Action, whose founder Tony Lyons fought against moderate GOP Senators, like Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ak., who were not supportive of Means' nomination, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

DOJ sentences pair in $522M DNA testing fraud scheme after suspect tried to flee US

Mon, 04 May 2026 17:43:08 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Two men were sentenced Monday for charges related to orchestrating a sprawling $522 million fraud scheme that targeted Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers — using kickbacks, fake medical orders and DNA samples collected from patients across the country.

Reyad Salahaldeen, 57, of Buford, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. Mohamad Mustafa, 28, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to paying illegal health care kickbacks, according to the Justice Department.

"Under the guise of health care, these two fraudsters attempted to steal more than half a billion dollars from taxpayers," the Justice Department said.

Federal prosecutors said the scheme led to roughly $84 million in payouts from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers, highlighting the scale of fraud authorities say is draining taxpayer-funded health programs and driving a broader federal crackdown.

JURY CONVICTS FORMER NFL PLAYER KEITH J GRAY IN $328 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING KICKBACKS

The scheme relied on a network of marketers who targeted individuals — many covered by Medicare — and persuaded them to take genetic tests by promoting them as free or medically important screenings, including for cancer risk.

Prosecutors said the tests were often not medically necessary and were ordered by medical providers who had not treated the patients and did not use the results in their care.

That allowed the laboratories to bill government health programs for costly tests that would not otherwise have been approved, officials said.

Both men were also ordered to pay substantial restitution. Salahaldeen was ordered to repay more than $84.5 million, while Mustafa must pay more than $64.3 million.

Salahaldeen also was ordered to forfeit more than $3 million from bank accounts, along with a 2019 GMC Yukon and properties in Texas and Georgia.

Mustafa was born in the United States, while Salahaldeen is a Palestinian national who became a lawful permanent resident in 2004, according to officials.

The scheme ran from 2018 through August 2020 and used a network of marketers making telemarketing calls, door-to-door outreach and health fairs to collect DNA samples and insurance information from patients.

Court documents say Salahaldeen controlled multiple laboratories across New Jersey, Georgia and Texas, including Express Diagnostics and BioConfirm Laboratories.

Prosecutors said marketers were paid illegal kickbacks to obtain genetic testing orders from medical providers who had not treated the patients and did not use the results in care.

Authorities said Salahaldeen falsified requisition forms, letters of medical necessity and other records to make the tests appear legitimate.

MAN CHARGED IN $90M MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME; DOJ SAYS SUSPECT MAY HAVE ENTERED US ILLEGALLY

Mustafa, who co-controlled some of the laboratories, helped carry out the scheme by paying kickbacks and creating sham contracts and invoices to disguise illegal payments as legitimate marketing services.

In total, the labs billed roughly $522 million in fraudulent claims. Government health programs and private insurers paid out approximately $84 million, officials said.

Authorities said Salahaldeen attempted to evade arrest after learning of the charges, traveling from North Carolina to Texas and attempting to cross into Mexico using another person’s identification before being apprehended at the border.

A TIMELINE OF THE ‘LARGEST COVID-19 FRAUD SCHEME' IN THE UNITED STATE

Federal officials say many of the largest schemes are no longer isolated — but driven by organized networks coordinating across multiple states.

Authorities have pointed to major cases in recent years, including a COVID-19 pandemic-era fraud scheme in Minnesota that prosecutors allege siphoned more than $240 million in federal funds meant to feed children.

That case, known as Feeding Our Future, has led to dozens of charges and sentences of up to 28 years in prison.

Prosecutors say the scheme relied on shell nonprofits, fake meal counts and falsified records — tactics similar to those used in the genetic testing fraud case.

The case is part of a broader federal crackdown on health care fraud. Eleven additional co-conspirators — including marketers, nurse practitioners and doctors — already have been sentenced, receiving penalties ranging from probation to nearly four years in prison.

Justice Department officials said the case reflects an intensified push to combat fraud under Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President JD Vance.

Since 2007, the DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,200 defendants responsible for over $45 billion in fraudulent billing, according to the department.

Attorney information for Salahaldeen and Mustafa was not immediately available.

FIRST ON FOX: Powerful House Ways and Means chair throws hammer down on 'foreign-aligned influence network'

Mon, 04 May 2026 17:26:45 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Congress's powerful Ways and Means Committee is expanding its investigation into an alleged "foreign-aligned influence network" that happened to be at the heart of the anti-American, pro-communist protests unleashed on the country's streets on May Day.

Just after 1 p.m. on Friday, a black minivan pulled up to the curb on Union Square East in Lower Manhattan, and David Chung, organizing director of a national nonprofit, the People's Forum, started quickly unpacking megaphones and bright yellow pre-made protest signs, including the message, "TRUMP IS THE SYMPTOM. CAPITALISM IS THE DISEASE. SOCIALISM IS THE CURE!"

Below the denunciation of the U.S. free enterprise system was the name "PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION," a self-declared Marxist communist group that worked closely with the People's Forum as part of a network of 600 groups with $2 billion in collective funding behind protests on May 1, known as May Day. The scene repeated itself in cities across the country, with foot soldiers from the Party for Socialism and Liberation's Washington, D.C., chapter among the first to arrive for May Day protests, pulling identical bright yellow pre-made signs out of a black Subaru Outback parked on 21st Street NW.

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

Fox News Digital has now learned that House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith is escalating an investigation into an alleged malign influence of Neville Roy Singham, an American-born Marxist tech tycoon living in Shanghai, funding the People's Forum and two other pro-communist, pro-China nonprofits headquartered in the U.S., BreakThrough BT Media Inc. and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which regularly publish pro-China propaganda criticizing the U.S. as the "belly of the beast" and an "imperialist" power.

On Monday, Smith sent letters, obtained by Fox News Digital, to the three groups, raising "significant concerns" about "foreign influence or control" in the U.S. and the "financing arrangements and the structure of a foreign-aligned influence network, not protected speech or association."

According to a Fox News Digital investigation published into the so-called "House of Singham," the wealthy tech mogul has pumped a documented $278 million into a network of nonprofits, including the three groups, since 2017, pressing anti-American, pro-communist ideology in the U.S. and globally.

Smith repeatedly describes the three groups as part of an "interconnected network of organizations," telling each nonprofit, "The Committee is considering whether legislative or regulatory reform is necessary to ensure that tax-exempt status is not used to facilitate or obscure foreign influence across an interconnected network of organizations."

POWER COUPLE OF CHAOS: HOW A TYCOON AND ACTIVIST BUILT A 'REVOLUTIONARY BASE' AT THE HOUSE OF SINGHAM

While the congressional investigation isn’t a direct response to the May Day protests, the deepening investigation reveals a wider concern among lawmakers and Trump administration officials in the Treasury, Justice and State departments. They tell Fox News Digital they are concerned that overseas interests are exploiting U.S. nonprofit laws to create an infrastructure and industry that asserts "foreign malign influence" in the U.S., operating through tax-exempt organizations, donor-advised funds, shell companies, fiscal sponsorships and media platforms.

In his letter to the People's Forum, Smith alleged that Singham and his wife, CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans, had funneled money into groups "through shell companies and donor-advised funds that, by design, obscure the true source of contributions."

REVOLUTIONARY TOURISM: INSIDE THE $600M MARRIAGE OF DARK MONEY AND FAR-LEFT AGITPROP

The Missouri Republican lawmaker has ordered each organization to turn over internal documents related to the investigation by May 18, including communications with Singham, records of foreign-linked donations exceeding $5,000, contracts tied to fiscal sponsorship arrangements, communications with foreign principals and lists of grant recipients located outside the U.S.

The letters to the People’s Forum, BreakThrough and Tricontinental reveal a congressional strategy in which lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Oversight Committee have been trying to use their jurisdiction over tax-exempt organizations to examine whether nonprofit law is equipped to deal with the infrastructure that influence-peddlers allegedly build to bankroll activism, amplify propaganda and influence elections.

At a hearing earlier this year into the role of malign foreign influence in the U.S., Smith rebuked the groups for "sowing discord" in the country.

Smith’s letters also show the common defense mounted by the groups, whose lawyers argue that the inquiry is political, exceeds the committee’s jurisdiction, improperly invokes the Foreign Agents Registration Act, called FARA, and threatens First Amendment rights. Smith rejected those arguments, writing that "none of those challenges withstands scrutiny."

TOP GOP SENATOR CALLS OUT CODE PINK, THE PEOPLE’S FORUM ALLEGEDLY PUSHING CCP PROPAGANDA IN US

According to the letters, Washington, D.C., attorney Andrew Herman is representing BreakThrough and Tricontinental, along with Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, a far-left 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., that is also representing the People's Forum. Herman and Verheyden-Hilliard didn't respond to requests for comment.

According to digital records, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund shares the same address at a Florida Avenue NW townhouse that is used by the ANSWER Coalition, a self-described communist group that also operates out of the People's Forum headquarters on W. 37th Street in Midtown Manhattan.

When approached outside the People's Forum in late January, People's Forum Executive Director Manolo De Los Santos, ANSWER Coalition and Party for Socialism and Liberation co-founder Brian Becker and BreakThrough editor-in-chief Ben Becker refused to answer questions about Singham's funding to their groups. De Los Santos is a researcher at Tricontinental.

MAY DAY DEMONSTRATIONS EXPECTED TO DRAW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AS LEFT-WINGERS PROTEST 'BILLIONAIRES'

At the center of the congressional investigation is the influence of Singham. In 2017, Singham sold Thoughtworks, a company that he established, to a private equity firm, Apax Partners, for an estimated $785 million. He then used cash from the sale to build a network of nonprofits that promulgates anti-American Marxist ideology. A spokeswoman for Apax Partners told Fox News Digital that the firm wouldn't reveal the identities of the investors that purchased Thoughtworks.

In his letters, Smith describes Singham as a former U.S. technology executive "now residing in Shanghai with documented [Chinese Communist Party] affiliations," and he identifies the three Singham-funded organizations as three nodes in a complex "foreign-aligned influence network." In a video unearthed by Fox News Digital, Singham expressed support at a conference co-sponsored by Tricontinental at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Shanghai, expressing support for the CCP, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Xi's "new world order."

In letters to BreakThrough News and Tricontinental, Smith said that he was investigating whether the groups are "acting as an agent of a foreign principal."

FAR-LEFT NONPROFITS IN THE HOT SEAT AS LAWMAKER EXPOSES THEM FOR 'SOWING CHAOS' IN US

According to a Fox News Digital investigation, Singham has funneled $22.44 million to the People's Forum between 2017 and 2022 through GS Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc., a donor-advised fund affiliated with Goldman Sachs. A spokesman for Goldman Sachs told Fox News Digital that the philanthropy terminated its relationship with Singham in early 2024.

Meanwhile, the Fox News Digital investigation found that Singham pumped $16.76 million into Tricontinental Ltd., through the Goldman Sachs philanthropy fund, and he funneled $1.098 million to BreakThrough BT Media Inc. from the Goldman Sachs fund, $2.1 million from the Justice and Education Fund, another Singham-funded nonprofit, and $60,600 from the Progress Unity Fund, another organization in the wider Singham network.

Chung, the People's Forum organizing director, was listed as chair of the Justice and Education Fund in its 2024 tax filing, with De Los Santos, from the People's Forum and Tricontinental, and Karina Garcia, a leader with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, also on its board.

Smith focused on the People’s Forum’s role as a so-called "fiscal sponsor," collecting tax-deductible donations for like-minded projects, writing that the group provides "fiduciary oversight, financial management and administrative services" for affiliated entities, an arrangement he said "may allow foreign-influenced funds to flow to downstream organizations."

The committee's demands show its investigative blueprint to follow the money, map global relationships and determine whether malign interests are exploiting America's tax-exempt system to obscure foreign influence across a network, not just within one organization.

Back on the streets, Chung, the organizing director for the People's Forum, stage-managed the group's protesters as they weaved across New York City's streets, crossing over Union Square West, chanting, "One struggle, one fight!"

Soon after, BreakThrough posted the video clip, cropping Chung out of the shot.

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan, Louis Casiano and Jesse Watson contributed to this report.

Democrats in disarray as Michigan AG calls for recount after convention vote declared 'a mess'

Mon, 04 May 2026 17:06:17 -0400

Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel is backing a growing push to recount all votes cast during the state's Democratic convention, admitting her own votes were improperly tallied.

The Michigan Democratic Party held its convention on Sunday, April 19, where more than 6,000 delegates gathered to vote on candidates to represent the party for statewide offices, including secretary of state, attorney general and university board of trustees members, in the general election in November. State Sen. Sylvia Santana called for an independent audit of the convention's elections, alleging an investigation she led found "material errors" with the voting systems.

"I learned in the days immediately following the convention that the Election Buddy app did not correctly attribute my votes or my congressional district, and I immediately notified the impacted candidates and the state party chair," Nessel wrote in a statement, affirming state Sen. Sylvia Santana's calls for an independent audit.

But in her statement, Nessel shut down any effort to draw a "false equivalency" between failures in the Democratic Party's internal voting systems and statewide elections.

BATTLEGROUND STATES' RECOUNT RULES VARY WIDELY, HERE'S A LOOK AT HOW THEY WORK

"Those who traffic in election conspiracies will seek any and every opportunity to undermine public confidence in our elections, and while an audit is warranted in this circumstance, these results have no bearings on the veracity of state-run elections," Nessel wrote in the statement.

The internal drama within the Michigan Democratic Party comes as Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her administration continue to push back against a Justice Department request for Wayne County's 2024 voter data. The request from the Trump administration is part of a broader probe into alleged voter fraud in the county, highlighting concerns over election integrity.

Santana, who lost her bid to be a member of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, filed a 53-page complaint about the convention's voting process, alleging that 200 individuals cast votes remotely, which is prohibited under the convention's rules. Cathy Albro, a former U.S. House candidate, had previously told The Detroit News that she voted in the convention's electronic voting system from her home.

Santana's investigation also found 302 voters who were not on the master voter list, and that 208 voters were registered to the same number with at least one other voter. The investigation also alleged votes being incorrectly tallied or not tallied at all.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, who was vying to be the state's top law enforcer, lost to Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit for the party's attorney general nomination by a 59% to 41% vote. She took to Facebook to urge an independent audit of the election, backing Santana's complaint.

"After reviewing the results of the MDP Endorsement Convention, it became clear that votes were incorrectly recorded, people voted who were not onsite, and some votes were not recorded at all," McDonald posted on Facebook. "I strongly support Senator Santana’s request for an independent audit, and urge my Democratic colleagues across the state to support it as well. It is critical that every voter and every campaign have confidence in the vote."

JAMES COMER INVESTIGATES REPORTS OF NONCITIZENS FOUND ON KEY SWING STATE'S VOTER ROLLS

The Michigan Democratic Party said in a statement to Fox News Digital that all Democratic candidates who participated in the party's endorsement convention have until the end of May 4 to submit their appeals, but said it will not comment on the specifics of those appeals.

"Pursuant to our rules and bylaws, appeals are reviewed through an independent process conducted by an Appeals Committee," a spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The Committee will review submitted appeals and determine next steps. We are committed to following the appeals process and ensuring it is fair and independent."

Meanwhile, the Michigan Republican Party is criticizing the Democratic Party over allegations of voter fraud.

"Losing candidates are starting to take legal action against the Democrat Party, claiming the election were STOLEN from them after an investigation revealed that hundreds of ineligible voters took part in their recent endorsement convention," MI GOP posted on X. "Democrats can't even secure their own internal elections. What a mess!"

Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald, Santana, and Savit for comment.

Jeffries launches New York gerrymander push after redistricting clash with DeSantis

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:06:45 -0400

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is eyeing New York for potential redistricting gains as Republicans race to redraw congressional maps in several Southern states ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Jeffries unveiled the New York Democracy Project on Monday to explore redrawing the Empire State’s congressional map to benefit Democrats, who hold 19 of the state’s 26 congressional seats. The initiative is part of his efforts to push blue states to consider new partisan gerrymanders after the Supreme Court restricted the use of race in drawing electoral districts last week — a move that could put more than a dozen Democratic-held seats in jeopardy.

Jeffries also mentioned Colorado, Illinois and Maryland as top places where Democrats will seek to gerrymander more seats ahead of 2028 in an interview with Politico.

"This is just the beginning," Jeffries said in a statement on Monday. "Across the nation, we will sue, we will redraw, and we will win."

'FULL OF S---': NEW YORK REPUBLICAN ACCUSES STATE DEMS OF HYPOCRISY IN REDISTRICTING PUSH

"House Democrats will not allow a MAGA majority to be built on rigged maps and the dilution of Black voting strength," the top Democrat added. "Ultimately, this will end poorly for Republican extremists. It’s the American people who get to decide who wins the majority in Congress, not Donald Trump."

Though Democrats face several hurdles in drawing a new congressional map in New York this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she would work with the state legislature to redistrict before 2028.

"New York has always led the fight for voting rights, and we’ll lead again," Hochul said of the possible new gerrymander after the Supreme Court’s ruling last week.

Jeffries said Monday that he directed Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., to meet with the state legislature to discuss redrawing the state’s congressional map. Passing a constitutional amendment as early as 2027 to allow the state legislature to draw a Democratic-friendly gerrymander is an option under consideration, according to his statement.

RON DESANTIS UNVEILS NEW FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THAT WOULD GIVE THE GOP AN EXTRA FOUR SEATS

New York Republicans sharply criticized the redistricting initiative on Monday.

"Jeffries, Hochul, and other New York Democrats insult the intelligence of voters, who strongly supported redistricting reforms in 2014, including a ban on partisan gerrymandering," New York Republican Party chairman Ed Cox said in a statement. " Democrats tried to torpedo that reform but the people rejected their efforts in 2021. I am confident that they will do so yet again."

Jeffries’ announcement came shortly after Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., signed a new GOP-friendly congressional map that could net Republicans as many as four seats in the Sunshine State.

The top Democrat has sharply criticized DeSantis for calling a special session to redraw Florida’s map, which he argued is "blatantly illegal" in a statement on Monday. Jeffries has also pledged to aggressively target vulnerable GOP lawmakers in Florida as Democrats look to retake control of the House this November.

"Democrats have brutally thwarted the MAGA midterm power grab, and we will continue to push back aggressively," Jeffries said in a statement. "See you in court."

President Donald Trump has urged Republican-led states to swiftly pass new congressional maps before the midterm elections to give the GOP an advantage in districts that could help decide House control. So far, Republicans have passed GOP-friendly maps in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Missouri, while Democrats have drawn new Democratic-heavy seats in California and Virginia.

A number of Republican states, including Louisiana and Tennessee, are moving forward with redistricting efforts to eliminate Black-majority districts held by Democrats following the Supreme Court’s ruling. In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who is running to be the state’s next governor, has pitched a new map that would allow Republicans to hold every district.

Disgraced Dem cut off from doing business with government after alleged ‘outright fraud’ uncovered

Mon, 04 May 2026 15:23:28 -0400

After resigning in the face of a House ethics probe, disgraced former Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has been cut off from doing business with the federal government or receiving federal grants, aid or contracts.

This comes as Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, is charged with stealing $5 million in COVID-19 FEMA funds and making illegal campaign contributions. Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress in late April after Republicans vowed to force a vote to expel her from the chamber. Though she resigned, Cherfilus-McCormick has denied any wrongdoing and is still running to regain her congressional seat this November.

Now, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, announced that Cherfilus-McCormick has been suspended, a federal designation that temporarily bars her from receiving contracts, grants or other federal funds. Her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, along with other associates and affiliated entities named in the federal indictment, has also been suspended by DHS.

"Former Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick abused Americans’ trust in the most egregious way possible," DHS General Counsel James Percival said in a statement. "She manipulated the COVID-19 crisis to funnel over $5 million of FEMA relief funds to her and her family members."

DEM CONGRESSWOMAN INDICTED FOR 'PARTICULARLY SELFISH' ALLEGED THEFT OF FEMA RELIEF FUNDS FOR CAMPAIGN USE

"This is outright fraud," Percival added, continuing, "That’s exactly what a federal grand jury and the U.S. House of Representatives found."

Percival said he is "proud that my office is taking the first step to ensure she is held accountable and American taxpayers’ money is protected from further misuse."

Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted by a Miami grand jury in November 2025 for allegedly stealing $5 million from FEMA. The decision to resign from office came just before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to recommend she be punished for misusing disaster relief funding that she allegedly funneled through several companies into her campaign coffers.

The committee found that she had committed 18 campaign finance violations, five counts of false financial disclosures, three counts of misusing official funds and one count of lack of candor.

Cherfilus-McCormick maintained her innocence, asserting that "This was not a fair process."

She said in a press release that the House Ethics Committee "refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense." She wrote, "I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on, and my good name to be tarnished."

FLORIDA DEM FILED FOR RE-ELECTION DAYS BEFORE RESIGNATION AS HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE RAMPED UP PRESSURE

"Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th district. I hereby resign from the 119th Congress, effective immediately," she wrote.

DHS said that Cherfilus-McCormick’s suspension aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. The Trump Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which is led by "fraud czar" Vice President JD Vance, has been directed by the president to combat fraud, waste and abuse in federal benefit programs, "restore integrity to taxpayer-funded safety-net programs" and ensure that benefits go only to eligible Americans.

Vance said last week that the task force has been "working around the clock to root out fraudsters who have taken advantage of Americans' generosity for far too long."

KLOBUCHAR VOWS FRAUD CRACKDOWN, AUDIT OF MN GOV’T AS GOP BLASTS WALZ TIES

He pointed out that since the task force was launched, it has exposed 447 California hospices suspected of more than $600 million in fraud, while the U.S. Small Business Administration has referred more than 560,000 fraudulent COVID-era loans totaling $22 billion to the Treasury for collection.

Fox News Digital reached out to Cherfilus-McCormick's campaign for comment.

DeSantis signs Florida redistricting map to potentially flip 4 House seats red

Mon, 04 May 2026 14:31:48 -0400

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional map into law Monday that could flip as many as four additional U.S. House seats to red, escalating a redistricting fight in the second-largest red state to combat the long-running Democratic sweep in the deep-blue Northeast.

"Signed, sealed and delivered," DeSantis hailed in a Monday X post, sharing an image of Florida’s newly redrawn districts.

The GOP-controlled Legislature passed the proposal just days earlier and the Senate approved it, one week after DeSantis’ office delivered the plan to lawmakers.

DeSantis and Republican allies have pointed to Florida’s population growth as justification for redrawing the map, which is expected to draw immediate legal challenges from Democrats and left-wing voting rights groups.

RON DESANTIS UNVEILS NEW FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THAT WOULD GIVE THE GOP AN EXTRA FOUR SEATS

Florida Republicans hold a 20-8 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation under the map DeSantis signed four years ago. The new map could expand that edge to 24 seats by reshaping districts now held by Reps. Kathy Castor, D-Fla.; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Darren Soto, D-Fla.; and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.

The map would leave Republican red across most of Florida, with four Democratic strongholds relegated to major metro areas.

Those four Democrats have said they intend to seek re-election, though some are weighing runs in newly configured districts.

FLORIDA DEMOCRAT PREDICTS DOOM FOR HIS PARTY IN THE STATE FOR ANOTHER 70 YEARS

Moskowitz has not made a "final decision," but said that if he runs, he would seek the 25th District, a coastal South Florida seat that includes many Jewish voters and roughly half of his current district, he told Politico on Monday.

The district backed President Donald Trump in 2024 but is still viewed by some Republican consultants as competitive.

DeSantis has pushed for new congressional lines since last summer, citing several reasons, including the possibility that the Supreme Court could further restrict how race can be considered in redistricting.

The governor’s office has said the new map was drawn in a "race neutral" manner. That approach led to major changes in a South Florida district previously held by former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., who resigned earlier this month.

Democrats dispute DeSantis' argument, pointing in part to Central Florida, where Hispanic voters — many of them Puerto Rican — were split across several districts.

Florida's Fair Districts amendment bars districts drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent.