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Transgender former New Hampshire state representative sentenced to 33 years for child sex abuse: report

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:09:50 -0400

A transgender former New Hampshire state representative will spend more than three decades in federal prison after admitting to receiving nude photos of children at a Massachusetts daycare.

Stacie Marie Laughton, 41, of Nashua was sentenced to more than 33 years behind bars after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children, according to a report from local outlet WCVB.

Laughton received the explicit images from his former intimate partner, Lindsay Groves, 40, of Hudson, New Hampshire, who was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years in prison, according to the report.

FORMER SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AND BOYFRIEND FACE 38 CHILD SEX CHARGES AS BOND NEARS 9 MILLION

Groves, who previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography, was employed at the Creative Minds daycare in neighboring Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Authorities said that between May 2022 and June 2023, Groves took multiple photos of prepubescent children in a private bathroom during routine diaper and pull-up changes prior to nap time.

WASHINGTON STATE TEACHER CHARGED WITH INCEST AFTER ALLEGEDLY HAVING SEX WITH TWO TEENAGE BOYS SHE ADOPTED

Groves then sent the photos to Laughton via text message, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A forensic review of Laughton and Groves’ cellphones uncovered more than 10,000 text messages sent between the two over a one-month period in 2023.

Court documents revealed the messages included discussions about and transfers of explicit images of children, including victims as young as 3 to 5 years old.

The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed all the children in the case were identified, and their families were contacted by law enforcement.

Hillsborough County jail officials confirmed to NH Journal that Laughton has been housed in the male population.

Creative Minds Early Learning Center and the U.S. Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

New Air Force One takes flight as Trump unveils revamped presidential aircraft

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:55:23 -0400

President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a newly refurbished presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, touting its size, luxury and updated red, white and blue paint scheme as the Air Force prepares the jet for service.

The Boeing 747-8i, donated by the government of Qatar and modified for presidential use, is expected to serve as an interim Air Force One while Boeing continues work on two delayed VC-25B replacement aircraft.

Standing alongside Air Force leaders and service members, Trump said the aircraft's most noticeable feature is its size.

"The biggest difference is the difference in size. It's like virtually double the size," Trump said.

AIR FORCE ONE SCRAPS ICONIC KENNEDY-ERA PAINT SCHEME FOR TRUMP-APPROVED RED, WHITE, BLUE DESIGN

The Air Force said the aircraft will soon begin commissioning flights, a final phase of testing before entering operational service.

"The safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority," Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said. "From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission."

Trump said he sought the aircraft after becoming frustrated with delays to Boeing's Air Force One replacement program and growing comparisons between the aging U.S. presidential fleet and newer aircraft operated by foreign governments.

"I asked the Emir if we could use the brand new 747," Trump said, noting the aircraft had relatively few flight hours and describing the current presidential fleet as aging.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO: THE QATAR AIR FORCE ONE JET

"Our country has to be represented properly," he added.

The aircraft features Trump's preferred red, white and dark blue color scheme, replacing the light blue-and-white design that has defined presidential aircraft since the Kennedy administration. Earlier this year, the Air Force confirmed the updated paint scheme would become the standard across the presidential and executive airlift fleet, including the VC-25B aircraft currently under development.

Trump also praised the aircraft's interior craftsmanship and described it as "considered the world's most luxurious plane."

Trump said the aircraft could also play a prominent role in next year's America 250 celebration, predicting it would lead a July 4 flyover over Washington featuring fighter jets and other military aircraft. The president called it "a flyover like no flyover" and said the display could include F-22s, F-35s and other aircraft from across the U.S. military.

The Pentagon accepted the Qatari aircraft last year and has spent recent months preparing it for presidential service. Officials have said the timeline moved more quickly than the broader Air Force One replacement effort because the aircraft's interior required fewer modifications than the VC-25B program.

The jet is expected to bridge the gap until Boeing delivers two next-generation Air Force One aircraft, which are not expected to be completed for roughly two more years.

Trump thanked the more than 250 personnel involved in preparing the aircraft for service and called the project an example of modernizing a presidential fleet he said had fallen behind newer aircraft used by foreign leaders.

'Political stunt' prosecution of ICE agent for 'road rage' provokes heated DHS response

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:09:16 -0400

The Department of Homeland Security is accusing Minnesota officials of staging a "political stunt" as federal and state authorities square off over whether an ICE agent accused of pointing a gun at motorists should be prosecuted in state or federal court.

The dispute centers on Gregory Morgan Jr., an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with two counts of second-degree assault after prosecutors said he pointed a handgun at motorists during a traffic confrontation while returning from a federal immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.

Morgan's attorneys, backed by federal officials, argue he is protected under legal doctrines stemming from the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which establishes that federal law supersedes conflicting state laws. Courts have recognized that federal officers may, in certain circumstances, be shielded from state prosecution for actions taken in the course of their official duties. But Minnesota prosecutors say those protections do not apply here, arguing Morgan's alleged conduct fell outside any legitimate federal law-enforcement function.

The case has grown into a broader fight over the legal protections afforded to federal officers. Hennepin County prosecutors are seeking to keep the matter in state court, while the federal government has joined Morgan's effort to move it to federal court. Earlier this week, the Department of Justice filed a notice seeking to have Senior Trial Attorney Paul Quast appear on behalf of the United States in the case.

"These actions by Minnesota sanctuary politicians are nothing more than a political stunt," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement. "States do not have the authority to charge a federal law enforcement officer while performing his official duties."

COLORADO DA PURSUES ASSAULT CHARGE AGAINST FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICER, DHS CONDEMNS 'POLITICAL STUNT'

The statement came as Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's office urged a federal judge to reject Morgan's request to transfer the case out of Minnesota state court.

In filings submitted this week, prosecutors argued Morgan is attempting to "transform his moment of road rage — committed on a state highway against Minnesota victims — into a federal enforcement action."

The filing, submitted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office along with the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and the Washington Litigation Group, contends there is no meaningful connection between the alleged assault and Morgan's responsibilities as an ICE agent.

According to prosecutors, Morgan's authority to arrest and detain individuals suspected of violating immigration laws did not extend to confronting motorists on a Minnesota highway.

MINNESOTA SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER SWEEPING IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN TWIN CITIES

"There is no evidence of any job-related circumstance requiring the defendant to rush to his destination or to drive on the highway shoulder to get there," the filing states. "It was the defendant's decision to drive illegally on the shoulder to avoid the inconvenience of rush-hour traffic, and to draw and point his firearm at motorists who got in his way."

Morgan's attorney, Ryan Pacyga, filed the removal petition last week, arguing the alleged conduct occurred while Morgan was performing federal law enforcement duties and that both he and his partner feared "imminent bodily harm" during the encounter.

According to court records, Morgan was returning to the Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling on Feb. 5 after participating in Operation Metro Surge when the incident occurred on Highway 62 near the Interstate 35W interchange.

Prosecutors say Morgan and another ICE agent were driving on the highway shoulder during rush hour when a Cadillac moved over and blocked their path. Authorities allege Morgan then pulled alongside the vehicle, drew a handgun and pointed it at the occupants.

ICE AGENT SHOOTS VENEZUELAN NATIONAL IN MINNEAPOLIS AFTER SHOVEL ATTACK DURING AMBUSH: DHS

One of the motorists called 911 and reported that a man had aimed a Glock at his face, while both occupants later told investigators they feared for their safety. Morgan was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and was released after posting $100,000 bail.

Morgan's case is not the only prosecution stemming from Operation Metro Surge.

Moriarty's office later charged another ICE agent, Christian Castro, with multiple assault counts in connection with the alleged shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, an incident that sparked protests in north Minneapolis.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department, Moriarty's office and Pacyga for comment.

Reporter's Notebook: How Trump's surprise move on DNI confirmation upended key Senate deal on FISA

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:19:19 -0400

They didn’t know what to do.

Just before 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, President Trump blindsided everyone in the U.S. Senate. In a post on Truth Social, the president declared he was "cancelling the Senate hearing" for his Director of National Intelligence nominee Jay Clayton. Moreover, the President said he would withhold Clayton’s nomination from "going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney."

If confirmed, Clayton would vacate his post as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. That’s the slot for which the President is nominating McDonald.

TRUMP SAYS SENATE HEARING ON DNI NOMINEE IS CANCELED UNTIL US ATTORNEY REPLACEMENT CONFIRMED

So what would happen with the hearing?

Lawmakers and aides scrambled as they woke to the news Wednesday morning. After all, Trump is the president. He doesn’t have the authority to cancel a Senate hearing.

"Yeah. I don't think that's his call," said Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a member of the Intelligence Committee.

One senior source told Fox News they presumed that Clayton’s confirmation hearing would forge ahead. Another told Fox the fate of the hearing was "undetermined."

On one hand, lawmakers and aides had to first digest what was happening. Was the President withdrawing Clayton’s nomination? Was he saying he just wasn’t allowing Clayton to testify? Did the head of the executive branch really believe he could bigfoot a congressional hearing? Or was this the president flexing his political muscle, testing Senate Republicans to see how compliant they might be with his intimation — and potentially cancel the hearing on their own?

So was Clayton’s hearing on or off?

"Are we going to have an Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing today?" yours truly asked panel Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., as he slid behind a backdoor to a hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Silence from Cotton.

SCOOP: TOP GOP SEN. COTTON TO MEET WITH EMBATTLED TRUMP DEFENSE NOMINEE AS DOUBTS SWIRL

"Do you know the answer?" I followed up.

"Do you think the President overstepped his bounds, saying he was canceling the hearing?" I continued.

By that point, Cotton was well behind the doorway and it closed.

"I have never seen anything quite like this," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., one of the longest-serving members on the Intelligence Committee in Senate history. "Everybody else is going to have to keep guessing for a while."

It was Washington whiplash.

"Things change around here pretty quick, Chad," quipped Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D.

But a bit later, Cotton finally weighed-in when he posted on X that the hearing would proceed. The Arkansas Republican then materialized again in the hallway, heading for an elevator bank.

"To be clear, you will proceed with the hearing and you expect Jay Clayton to be there despite what the President said?" I asked.

A steel-faced Cotton stared straight ahead at the green elevator door.

"Chad, you have our statement," said a terse Cotton.

But an hour later, Cotton ditched the hearing after the President blocked Clayton from testifying.

"It's regrettable that the President has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today," said Cotton in a new statement on X. "While today's hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future."

The stunning reversal left everyone trying to grasp what happened. And what might be next.

SPRINT TO CONFIRM TRUMP NOMINEES KICKS OFF IN JANUARY

"I am not sure whether Jay Clayton has simply been postponed or withdrawn," mused Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee. "I wonder whether Jay Clayton knows whether he has been postponed or withdrawn."

Democrats and Republicans brokered a fragile agreement weeks ago to renew FISA Section 702. The intelligence community argues that program is the powerful tool in the American arsenal to track and combat potential terrorism. Congress repeatedly punted a full renewal for months.

But with both bodies on the precipice of reauthorizing the program, President Trump announced he would install housing czar Bill Pulte as interim DNI. Democrats balked at Pulte, noting he had no intelligence experience. Plus, they viewed him as a political hack who would run roughshod over America’s intelligence apparatus.

So Democrats pulled their support from the FISA compromise.

Most Republicans weren’t exactly enamored with Pulte, either. And those worried about the nation’s security pushed to block Pulte from entering the DNI’s office. That’s why Cotton scheduled Clayton’s confirmation hearing so quickly. It was thought that the Senate might be able to pivot after the hearing and confirm Clayton on the floor late this week or early next.

Rapid confirmation of Clayton was essential. Such a scenario would unlock Democrats' votes to reauthorize FISA Section 702 after the program’s congressional blessing expired a week ago.

That was the plan. At least until the president initiated the firestorm over Clayton’s confirmation hearing this week.

"Another Trump victory gets upended by an impulse," vented Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. "It's frustrating."

WHY TRUMP PICKED BILL PULTE TO LEAD US INTELLIGENCE AS CRITICS QUESTION HIS QUALIFICATIONS

But wait. There’s more.

President Trump inserted another chestnut — or hot potato — into his pre-dawn Truth Social screed. Especially if you thought the president was going to make it easy for Congress to hastily re-up FISA as soon as the Senate confirmed Clayton.

"To add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it," Trump said.

He added that his plan was for Pulte to "remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence" and declared that "Republicans fell into a trap."

The SAVE America Act is the touchstone of President Trump’s 2026 legislative agenda. It requires proof of citizenship to vote. However, the bill has never garnered even 50 yeas in the Senate on two previous test votes.

"We've got to pass the SAVE America Act and conditioning passage of FISA on the prior passage of SAVE America would be a great thing," said Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

Other Senate Republicans were more realistic, based on the legislative history of the SAVE America Act.

"You can't always get what you want," said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. "I mean, I want a Porsche for my birthday. I'm not going to get it."

TRUMP, THUNE CLASH ON VOTER ID ULTIMATUM AS GOP REMAINS DIVIDED ON PATH FORWARD

Democrats seethed about national security as Republicans squirmed.

"We had a path forward as of yesterday (on FISA) and today we don't," said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. "This has become a complete debacle and now it's up to the White House to figure out a path forward here."

No one knows what’s next for Clayton. Or McDonald. Or FISA. And there’s high skepticism anything happens on the SAVE America Act. So it’s all in a cryogenic Congressional freeze.

Regardless, Clayton’s confirmation hearing never happened. Such hearings are the responsibility of the legislative branch. But by the end of the day, there was no question who canceled it.

DOJ warns former red state is becoming the next California as governor embraces ICE limits

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:06:58 -0400

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is warning that Virginia risks becoming "the next California" in the Trump administration's fight against resistance to federal immigration enforcement after filing a new lawsuit last week.

"We are suing Virginia to prevent Virginia from becoming the next sanctuary jurisdiction, just like California," DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Brett Shumate told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview.

The lawsuit, first shared with Fox News Digital earlier in June, argues Virginia is violating the Constitution by trying to regulate federal law enforcement operations, including restrictions on agents' masks, identification requirements and conditions on local cooperation with ICE.

"Under our Constitution, the states do not get to regulate or dictate how the federal government performs its duties, and that is especially the case when it comes to law enforcement. Virginia passed two bills in this newest session, one that restricts the ability of law enforcement officers to wear facial coverings and requires officers, federal agents, to wear identification badges," said Shumate.

FIRST ON FOX: DOJ SUES SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA OVER LAWS KNEECAPPING FEDERAL AGENTS AS MASK WAR ESCALATES

He said the other bill "restricts cooperation agreements between local law enforcement agencies, like sheriffs, and ICE to voluntarily cooperate with federal immigration enforcement."

The lawsuit names Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and left-wing Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano — who was previously backed by groups connected to George Soros.

While DOJ has not heard back from state officials, Shumate shared that the department feels confident about the previous case due to precedent.

FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS NEWSOM’S BID TO SHACKLE ICE IN TRUMP IMMIGRATION WIN

"We brought a nearly identical lawsuit against California earlier this year, and we won that case," he said.

"Congratulations, Virginia," Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom's chief deputy director of communications, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, told Fox News Digital when asked about DOJ's comparison.

In April, a federal appeals court handed the Trump administration a legal victory over Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The court blocked California from requiring federal immigration agents to display identification during operations.

He says they are asserting the same legal theory in this case.

NEWSOM ON COURTROOM COLLISION COURSE WITH TRUMP OVER ICE MASK BAN

"Under the Constitution, the Supremacy Clause in particular, the states do not get to regulate or discriminate against the federal government," said Shumate. "That's exactly what Virginia has done. They have attempted to regulate how the federal goes about its business. They do not have the authority to do that under the constitution."

The two Virginia laws are set to take effect July 1 and Shumate shared the DOJ plans to move quickly to a district court judge to enjoin these laws from taking effect. Virginia was previously a solidly red state, voting for Republicans in nearly every presidential election for decades before shifting to the left in the last roughly 20 years.

"We will be filing very quickly in the district Court in Virginia to seek an injunction to stop these laws from taking effect, which these laws have criminal penalties that put federal agents at risk, not only of criminal prosecution, but also at risk of doxing and harassment," he added.

ICE has defended the practice of agents concealing their identities during operations, saying last summer as Trump's intensifying immigration crackdown prompted anti-ICE protests and riots that rhetoric on the left had caused a spike in "threats and assaults against [agents'] families."

Shumate shared the department is looking at several bills in other states that are considering mask restrictions.

"Any state that's considering passing this type of bill is on notice that we will file a lawsuit and we will ask for an injunction to block those laws from taking effect," said Shumate.

Gabbard spotlights Fauci, COVID-origin questions in final act as intelligence chief amid succession fight

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:33:45 -0400

Just before leaving office amid a contentious battle over who will succeed her, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard used one of her final acts atop the U.S. intelligence community to spotlight Dr. Anthony Fauci's role in discussions surrounding the government's COVID-19 origins review.

While much of the material is familiar, Gabbard's release underscores her effort to make questions surrounding Fauci, COVID origins and federal support for virus research part of her closing legacy atop the intelligence community.

As Gabbard fired her final broadside, Bill Pulte, who has received bipartisan criticism over his lack of intelligence experience, is set to take the reins at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence while Trump’s permanent nominee remains stalled.

Jay Clayton, an attorney and former SEC chairman whom Trump nominated to permanently lead ODNI, has seen his confirmation process delayed after the president said he was holding up the nomination to pressure Congress to pass a voter identification measure.

WHY TRUMP PICKED BILL PULTE TO LEAD US INTELLIGENCE AS CRITICS QUESTION HIS QUALIFICATIONS

Pulte is a construction businessman and housing official who served as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. His tenure at the housing agency has drawn controversy over allegations that he used FHFA authority to target Trump’s political opponents, an allegation amplifying concerns among key senators that he may attempt to weaponize the intelligence community at the behest of the president during his interim tenure.

"We don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there," Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune said of Pulte. Other powerful congressional Republicans, such as Sens. Cornyn, Cassidy, Murkowski, Collins and Tillis, have also voiced opposition to or concern over Pulte taking over ODNI.

Senate Democrats share many of the same concerns as their GOP colleagues.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, Richard Blumenthal, Gary Peters, Adam Schiff, Mark Warner and Ron Wyden have all expressed concerns that Pulte would weaponize America’s intelligence apparatus against Trump’s enemies. Similar to many Republicans, they’ve criticized him for a lack of intelligence experience as well.

TRUMP DNI PICK BRACES FOR SENATE GRILLING AS TEMPORARY STAND-IN FUELS DEM PRESSURE

Political observers believe that Clayton would face far less opposition from the Senate over his confirmation. However, the upper chamber has so far proven unwilling to move on the president’s voter identification legislation, complicating his advancement and setting the stage for a showdown between the White House and Congress.

While lawmakers and the president go back and forth over the fate of ODNI, Gabbard has sought to spotlight the Fauci documents on her way out.

The documents she released Thursday night include some information that was already known to the public as well as others that do not appear to have been publicly reported.

ANTHONY FAUCI MAY BE DEPOSED AS GOP INTENSIFIES COVID INVESTIGATIONS IN NEW CONGRESS

Gabbard’s release contains newly declassified documents that show intelligence officials considered but ultimately rejected Fauci as an outside reviewer of their COVID-19 origins assessment, warning he would be seen as having a conflict of interest.

In a different exchange, intelligence officials tasked with analyzing the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic debated whether to take Fauci’s recommendations on who to interview for their study.

"For those who don’t know me, I’m the [REDACTED] and, as such, leading the [intelligence community’s] 90-day POTUS COVID origin study," one official wrote in an email. "Per below, Dr Fauci recommended that the IC reach out to the below individuals who were coauthors of the attached paper as part of the study."

TOP 4 EXPLOSIVE MOMENTS FROM CIA WHISTLEBLOWER'S TESTIMONY ON ALLEGED COVID-19 LAB LEAK COVER-UP

Another official questioned whether it was prudent for the intelligence community to take the advice of a "policymaker" like Fauci when conducting internal affairs, "particularly given the various strong views on the subject and statements regarding their own conclusions."

An intelligence official responded by arguing that Fauci should not be considered a policymaker in this context, but rather an important subject-matter expert.

"In this particular case, given Dr Fauci’s background we absolutely would like to follow-up on his outreach suggestions," they wrote. "In this case he’s not a policymaker….he’s a SME with a wealth of knowledge about current and historical research who probably knows better than most who the real Coronavirus experts are."

A CIA whistleblower previously claimed that Fauci exerted undue influence over the intelligence community’s assessment of COVID-19’s origins, claims that Gabbard now seeks to amplify with her release.

During the COVID-19 era, conservatives alleged that Fauci and other public health officials downplayed or helped steer scrutiny away from the lab-leak theory despite American financial links to coronavirus research in Wuhan, where the disease originated. Gabbard has framed her trove of documents as a look into how the intelligence community incorporated information from people like Fauci while investigating the virus' origins.

"Fauci worked with politicized career leadership in the Intelligence Community (IC) to suppress the truth about his actions, the virus’ lab-leak origins, and his role in directing U.S. funding for this dangerous research that caused immeasurable harm and countless lost lives," ODNI’s press release accompanying the documents asserts. "These documents expose Fauci’s direct role in influencing and manipulating IC assessments on COVID-19, and how Fauci lied to Congress in 2024, when under oath he denied knowledge of or participation in discussions with intelligence officials about viral research."

Gabbard left her role at ODNI to care for her husband, who has a rare form of cancer, Fox News Digital first reported.

Israel–Hezbollah ceasefire becomes first test of Trump Iran framework after talks delay

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:16:28 -0400

A U.S.-backed ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah was set to take effect Friday afternoon, as Washington tried to salvage a broader regional framework with Iran after talks scheduled for Switzerland were abruptly postponed.

The Israel–Hezbollah ceasefire was set to take effect 9 a.m. Eastern Time/4 p.m. local time, both a senior U.S. and an Israeli official told Fox News Digital, but whether the ceasefire formally took effect remains disputed.

The White House has not publicly commented on whether the ceasefire has formally taken effect.

A Hezbollah spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the group would abide by the ceasefire if Israel does, but "reserves the right to respond" to any violation. The spokesperson said Hezbollah did not yet view the ceasefire as having taken effect, claiming Israel was still carrying out strikes in southern Lebanon more than an hour after it was supposed to begin.

ISRAEL MOVES TOWARDS CEASEFIRE DEAL WITH HEZBOLLAH: REPORTS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video after the 4 p.m. local start time that he said showed Israel Defense Forces striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. It is unclear when those reported strikes took place, and Fox News Digital could not independently verify their timing.

"As I instructed - the IDF struck powerfully 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and eliminated dozens of terrorists," he wrote on X.

IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin said Hezbollah had killed four Israeli soldiers in overnight strikes early Friday.

Still, an Israeli official said Israel intends to honor the ceasefire agreement.

"If Hezbollah doesn’t shoot, we won’t shoot. If they shoot — we will respond," the official told Fox News Digital.

The agreement came after negotiations between the U.S. and Iran scheduled to take place this weekend in Switzerland were abruptly postponed. The White House has not publicly provided a reason for the delay.

Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Netanyahu over the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"Bibi has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon," Trump said to reporters Tuesday at the G7 conference in France. "Too many people are being killed, and you don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah, that I can tell you."

"I’m not saying they shouldn’t protect themselves," he added Wednesday during separate remarks to reporters. "I’m saying when two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don’t have to knock down buildings in Beirut. They could behave better, and frankly, they could do a better job."

Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Shiite militant group and political movement based in Lebanon that the U.S. has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Its conflict with Israel dates back decades, but the latest fighting has centered on Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon and Israeli strikes aimed at pushing the group back from the border and protecting northern Israeli communities.

"As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, and the U.S. delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity," a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now the Vice President is not departing tonight. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete update about next steps."

The Iranian foreign ministry on Friday denied reports claiming Iran had once again closed the Strait of Hormuz.

"The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have taken the necessary measures to ensure the safe passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on the End of the War dated 18 June 1405, and shipping is underway in this route," foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement posted to Telegram.

A separate Iranian official told Fox News Digital Friday that traffic was moving "slowly" through the strait due to mine-clearing operations.

HORMUZ CHOKE POINT PERSISTS AS IRAN HALTS OIL TRAFFIC DESPITE TRUMP CEASEFIRE

U.S. officials have described the memorandum signed Wednesday as a 60-day framework for negotiations toward a final agreement largely focused on Iran's nuclear program.

They have said any U.S. force withdrawal from areas near Iran would be tied to a final deal, not required immediately under the initial agreement.

The agreement also declared the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," according to U.S. officials.

U.S. officials have said the memorandum also includes immediate oil sanctions waivers for Iran, an end to Iranian threats to the Strait of Hormuz and a process for lifting the U.S. blockade, and future talks over Iran’s nuclear program, including the fate of its enriched uranium stockpile.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon, Israeli Prime Minister's Office and Iranian Foreign Ministry for additional comment and had not received responses by publication.

Kevin O'Leary warns China is winning the AI race because U.S. states are slowing data center production

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:55:26 -0400

As data center projects continue to get shut down across the country, "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary and other investors are warning that the facilities are needed to compete with China in the artificial intelligence race.

Data centers are at the forefront of the continued development of AI, serving as the hardware for the large amount of electricity and infrastructure needed to improve response time and data storage. But opponents cite utility costs to local residents and environmental concerns in their efforts to block development of new centers.

"If everybody talks about data centers, too much heat, too much noise, too much water, all that, that was 20 years ago," O’Leary told Fox News Digital. "Today's technology is completely different in terms of the heat profile, in terms the water profile, in terms how big these buildings have to be and where they have to be, because we've got air-cooled technology and obviously the chip technology's advanced."

TRUMP SAYS EVERY AI PLANT BEING BUILT IN US WILL BE SELF-SUSTAINING WITH THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY

O’Leary said China is focused on improving its power grid, which is needed in order to support the massive electricity demands of running a data center. He noted that data centers can function using varied energy sources.

"Most of it is coming from burning nat[ural] gas, which is very clean now, with turbines," he said. "Hopefully nuclear power one day, some solar, some battery, all of it together. I think the key is that they're beating us because they're getting more power sooner, and then they're building these data centers to train their own AI. The country that has the best AI will have the best economy and the best defense, the best military, and win all the wars because it's going robotically."

REPORT: CHINESE PROPAGANDA, SINGHAM NETWORK, FOREIGN DARK MONEY LINKED TO CAMPAIGNS AGAINST DATA CENTERS

President Donald Trump has pushed hard for new data center production. Last July, he signed an executive order titled "Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure" which directed agencies to reduce the regulatory burdens that have been slowing data center development.

Earlier this week, Fox News Digital obtained a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., calling for federal investigators to examine whether foreign actors are attempting to shape U.S. public opinion and policy against data centers and AI development as Washington and Beijing compete for dominance in artificial intelligence.

"Recent reports show that Communist China is attempting to influence our policy and public opinion on data centers. The reason is obvious: They want to kneecap our processing power to win the AI race," Cotton told Fox News Digital.

SEN BERNIE SANDERS: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS COMING FOR THE WORKING CLASS. WE MUST FIGHT BACK

Despite the push to put U.S. production ahead of Beijing, some liberals in Congress have been reluctant to get on board with data center development. In March, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., introduced the Intelligence (AI) Data Center Moratorium Act.

"Congress has a moral obligation to stand with the American people and stop the expansion of these data centers until we have a framework to adequately address the existential harm AI poses to our society," Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement about the legislation. "We must choose humanity over profit."

But some experts tie data center production to economic gains, saying that the jobs created from the facilities benefit communities and local economies.

STEVE FORBES: THE AI COLD WAR HAS BEGUN AND AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE

"In the first six months Trump was in office, over 90% of all economic growth came from new computer and AI investment, and much of it came from data centers," Judge Glock, director of research and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told Fox News Digital. "Without continued growth in data centers, we would have higher unemployment and lower incomes. Data centers also bring big gains to local communities."

Leading voices in AI also noted China’s ability to construct data centers at a much faster rate than the U.S. Last November, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the communist country’s building capabilities far exceed that of the U.S.

"If you want to build a data center here in the United States, from breaking ground to standing up an AI supercomputer is probably about three years... they can build a hospital in a weekend."

O’Leary said the competition with China should alarm Americans, adding that if the U.S. falls too far behind, Beijing could gain the ability to devastate the U.S. economy and national security.

While production capabilities are in question, widespread data shows that the U.S. currently has a significantly higher number of functional data centers already built compared to the number reported in China.

According to Statista, the U.S. has more than 4,000 facilities as of April, while China has just over 300 — fewer than the United Kingdom and Germany. Still, O’Leary warned that China could outpace the U.S. over the long term if the U.S. slows development.

WATCH: Would-be second-term President Biden left searching for family on stage after Obama Center opening

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:40:48 -0400

Former President Joe Biden was caught in an awkward moment when he drifted back toward the stage as the dedication ceremony for President Barack Obama’s presidential library wrapped up Thursday.

Video shows Biden pulling down his sunglasses and peering into the crowd as his wife, Jill Biden, and Obama exited the stage, leaving him behind.

At one moment, Biden shouted, "where’s my granddaughter?’"

A person familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital that Biden was searching for his granddaughter, who was sitting in the audience.

OBAMA LEADING BIDEN OFF STAGE BY THE HAND 'REALLY PISSED ME OFF,' HUNTER BIDEN SEETHES

The moment came at the conclusion of a star-studded event celebrating the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which brought together Obama, Biden, Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris and a host of entertainers and political figures.

The incident also follows renewed scrutiny of Biden's health and his initial decision to seek a second term in 2024.

During an appearance at New York's 92nd Street Y this week, Hillary Clinton called Biden's re-election bid a "terrible mistake," arguing that Democrats may have been better positioned had there been a competitive primary process before the 2024 election.

HILLARY CLINTON HAMMERS JOE BIDEN FOR 2024 REELECTION BID DESPITE SUPPORTING CAMPAIGN: 'TERRIBLE MISTAKE'

"Very sadly, I believe whoever emerged from that contest, whether it was the vice president or a governor or a senator or anybody else, would have beaten Donald Trump," Clinton said. "So I think it was a terrible miscalculation on the part of President Biden."

Biden faced major pressure from Democratic Party leadership to drop out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance against Trump. Despite opinion pieces and public calls for him to exit the race, Biden remained in the contest for more than three weeks after the debate.

Meanwhile, former first lady Jill Biden recently wrote that she feared her husband may have been suffering a stroke following his widely criticized debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump in June 2024, and suggested he should not have continued his re-election campaign.

The former president is also locked in a legal battle with the Justice Department over the release of audio recordings from his interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur, whose investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents fueled additional questions about his age and memory. In those audio recordings, Hur described then-sitting President Biden as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory," a characterization that became a flashpoint in the debate over Biden’s mental fitness for the job.

The 83-year-old former president is currently battling Stage 4 prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones.

Trump-Meloni spat grows over claim Italian PM 'begged' for photo: 'astonished'

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:03:12 -0400

A simmering rift between President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni burst into the open Friday after the G7 summit, exposing growing tensions between two leaders whose close political alliance had long positioned Meloni among Trump's closest allies on the world stage.

"Donald Trump's statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished. I don't ‌know why ⁠the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time, moreover," Meloni said Friday, according to Reuters.

Trump told an Italian news outlet that Meloni "begged" him to take a photo with her during the G7 earlier this week, which sparked strong rebuke from the prime minister and Italian diplomats. Before the recent strain over Iran, Meloni was widely viewed as one of Trump's strongest allies on the world stage, even attending his 2025 presidential inauguration as the only European leader present.

"She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her," Trump said to La7 TV channel. "She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her."

WHO IS GIORGIA MELONI? TRUMP HOSTS ITALIAN PM AT MAR-A-LAGO

Meloni fired back: "I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence."

"There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg," she added.

Representatives from the prime minister’s office told Fox News Digital they have no comment at the moment. Fox News Digital also reached out to the White House.

RUBIO MEETS MELONI AS TRUMP–POPE CLASH ESCALATES US STRAINS WITH KEY EUROPEAN ALLY

There have been looming tensions between the two leaders after Meloni recently distanced herself from the U.S. amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly canceled his U.S. visit Friday following Trump's remarks over the photo.

"The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June," Tajani wrote on X.

TRUMP TROOP CUTS IN EUROPE COULD BE BLOCKED BY CONGRESS — HERE’S HOW HE MIGHT GET AROUND IT

Tajani was set to attend the Italy–U.S. Business, Investment, Science and Innovation Forum in Miami, Florida. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to deliver remarks at the conference on Monday. Rubio recently traveled to Italy last month to smooth over previous tensions with Meloni and Pope Leo XIV.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment.

As Trump urged world leaders to take a more active role in the Iran conflict, Meloni notably stayed on the sidelines, underscoring an emerging rift between the longtime allies.

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

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

Fox News Digital’s Courtney Walsh and Reuters contributed to this report.

SEE IT: Dem senator downplays security threat of illegal immigration after alleged White House terror plot

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:57:13 -0400

A longtime Senate Democrat declined to directly condemn illegal immigration as a national security threat after it was revealed the terror plot to ambush the UFC White House event Sunday night was schemed by an immigrant from Mexico.

Abraham Alvarez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who overstayed his visa, according to Homeland Security information first obtained by Fox News Digital. He was identified as the alleged "ringleader" of a network of 23 individuals who planned to carry out a "mass casualty event" with explosive drones striking the White House on June 14.

After reports surfaced that Alvarez was the architect of the failed terror attack, Fox News Digital asked Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., if she views illegal immigration as a threat to the national security of the homeland.

"We have to have good national security grid watch, and we have to stop terrorist attacks," the Washington Democrat replied, keeping it ambiguous.

SMILING SUSPECT STANDS OUT AS AUTHORITIES RELEASE MUGSHOTS OF 5 ACCUSED IN ALLEGED WHITE HOUSE UFC ATTACK PLOT

"I’ll look more into the specific details. Don’t know about it," she continued.

Alvarez, 31, failed to leave the country when his B2 visitor visa expired in 2001 after coming to the U.S. as a child. He was granted Dreamer status — deportation relief — by the Obama administration in 2014 through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and has remained in the U.S. ever since under that program.

Cantwell is not one of the Democrats who has adopted a particularly hard-line immigration stance in Congress. She has, however, repeatedly condemned aggressive immigration enforcement, particularly under the Trump administration.

DEM BORDER REP BRAGS ABOUT VOTING AGAINST LAKEN RILEY ACT

Cantwell has voted several times since President Donald Trump took office to challenge some efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) related to alleged racial profiling by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. She has encouraging immigration enforcement to not detain pregnant illegal immigrants and has backed investigation into the conditions of detention centers.

She also voted against the Laken Riley Act in January 2025, which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal immigrants who have been charged with certain crimes including theft, assault, burglary, shoplifting and more.

Along with Alvarez, five additional individuals have been arrested this month for assisting in the alleged terror plot to attack the White House UFC event over the weekend.

WHITE HOUSE UFC TERROR PLOT 'RINGLEADER' IS A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DHS CONFIRMS

Federal authorities said the motivation of the attack was related to government corruption, Israel’s influence on American politics and the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Alvarez, when asked in messages about explosive drones by a co-conspirator, said he wanted "as many and as deadly as we can get." Investigators also noted the suspect's goal was to target "capitalist elites," billionaires and politicians funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Of the 23 identified in planning the terror attack, 18 have still not been charged.

Each suspect could face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, with a potential additional five years if also convicted of planning to carry out violence on White House grounds.

Maine Democrats reject Platner-backed candidate in blow to scandal-plagued Senate hopeful

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:54:15 -0400

Hannah Pingree, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, clinched the Democratic nomination in Maine's 2026 gubernatorial race.

Pingree defeated a crowded field of primary challengers in the blue-leaning state's Democratic primary, according to The Associated Press.

Former Maine State Senate President Troy Jackson, an economic populist backed by embattled U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, was also viewed as a top contender for the party's nomination. Jackson’s loss is a blow to Platner as he seeks to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in November’s midterm elections.

Former Biden public health official Nirav Shah was also viewed as a top contender for the Democratic nomination. The results come as Jackson and Platner campaigned together on multiple occasions ahead of the June 9 primary. The two were seen embracing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a "Fighting Oligarchy" rally in late May. Sanders, a progressive leader, has endorsed both candidates.

GRAHAM PLATNER BLASTS NEW ALLEGATIONS AS 'FALSE ACCUSATIONS': 'MAINE, YOU HAVE MY BACK'

Jackson, a logger who has served in both chambers of the state legislature, has largely stood by Platner’s candidacy despite mounting fallout over allegations of abuse in past relationships with women and questions over whether he was aware of a tattoo with Nazi origins that he later covered up.

He appeared with Platner during a fiery rally in Bar Harbor on Friday during which the Senate candidate slammed "politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations" that have been levied against him.

The gubernatorial hopefuls are running to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, who was term-limited. Mills, 78, suspended her Senate campaign in April after struggling to raise money and falling behind in polling.

Mills endorsed Pingree, D-Maine, to be her successor. Pingree is the daughter of Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and is associated with the party’s establishment wing.

The state's ranked-choice voting system required voters to rank candidates in order of preference. That structure meant the candidate who received the most initial support — in this case, Shah — ultimately lost to a candidate backed by a broader coalition of voters in Pingree.

Platner said he ranked Pingree and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, D-Maine, after Jackson, his top pick.

The three Democratic candidates urged their supporters to rank each other highly on their ballots, likely in an attempt to blunt Shah’s momentum.

THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER'S MAINE SENATE BID

"I think we're the three people in this race who have voted time and time again on behalf of Maine people, on behalf of working people, on behalf of universal healthcare, on behalf of the environment, on behalf of more housing for Maine people," Pingree said at a joint press conference with Jackson and Bellows in late May in remarks reported by Maine Public Radio. "I think you can trust the three of us to get the job done."

Pingree thanked her competitors in a Friday morning statement, praising the civility of a ranked choice campaign before pivoting to the citizens of Maine.

"After a year-long campaign and a careful count, the results are in. I’m grateful, I’m ready and there is no time to waste. I've spent nearly 25 years serving the people of Maine and the last year really brought home what that service is about — because Mainers show up for each other, in cities and towns, and they never give up on their neighbors. Thank you to everyone who voted, volunteered, donated, or opened their doors to talk with me about what matters to them, and what’s at stake in this election," the statement read.

Shah, an epidemiologist, spearheaded Maine’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included daily televised briefings. Before Mills tapped him to lead the state’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, his ties to the Pine Tree State appeared to have been minimal.

He previously served as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health between 2015 and 2019 and was raised in Wisconsin and Kentucky.

An outside spending group backing Shah highlighted Jackson’s previous opposition to abortion rights in negative advertising. Early in Jackson’s career in the state legislature, he received a 100% rating from the Maine Right to Life.

On the Republican side, six candidates vied for the party’s nomination, with former Bush administration official Bobby Charles defeating the crowded field that included Jonathan Bush, a businessman who is a cousin of former President George W. Bush.

Democrats will likely have an edge in the open contest with the party holding nearly all statewide offices. The nonpartisan Cook Political report rates the contest as "likely Democrat."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump leaves Netanyahu endorsement hanging with pointed warning ahead of crucial election

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:44:43 -0400

President Donald Trump signaled he is likely to back Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s upcoming elections, dangling a potentially powerful endorsement even as he has been at odds with the Israeli leader publicly over the tensions in Iran and Lebanon.

"I’ll have to look at who’s running, but I like Bibi very much. I would be most likely to endorse him," Trump said in an interview with Israeli public broadcaster KAN News, using Netanyahu’s nickname, the Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.

"But I need to see who is running," Trump added. "I have a good relationship with Bibi, but he needs to be more rational. I am willing to meet with him. He’s doing a very good job; he’s got to be a little bit more rational."

'BIBI'S HAIR ON FIRE': TRUMP-NETANYAHU PUBLIC 'RIFT' MASKED UNIFIED FRONT AGAINST IRAN, ANALYST SAYS

The remarks came as Trump has offered increasingly pointed criticism of his longtime political ally, while the U.S. pushes ahead with Middle East diplomacy involving Iran and Lebanon.

Axios reported earlier this month that Trump lashed out at Netanyahu during a call over Israel’s actions in Lebanon, with one U.S. official summarizing Trump’s message as calling the Israeli leader "f---ing crazy." Trump later confirmed in an interview on the New York Post’s "Pod Force One" podcast that he made the remark, while also saying he likes Netanyahu and works "very well" with him.

The tensions flared again after an Israeli strike in Beirut nearly complicated the signing of the U.S.-Iran deal. Trump told Axios he was "so pissed off" over the strike and said Netanyahu had "no f---ing judgment," while still insisting the Iran agreement remained on track.

On Wednesday, Trump described recent tensions between he and Netanyahu as a "little dispute" over Lebanon and suggested the Israeli leader "gets a little excited sometimes," according to the report.

VANCE WARNS IRAN THAT 'ANOTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE' IF NUCLEAR DEAL NOT REACHED

"I say you can do a little softer touch, maybe you don’t need to bring down a building every time a Hezbollah member walks into it," Trump also said Wednesday about the Israeli leader.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has repeatedly highlighted his relationship with Trump in official remarks, calling him "our great friend" and "my personal friend," and saying the two leaders "speak almost every day" and "decid[e] together," according to statements released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

Vice President JD Vance addressed concerns over Iran in an interview with The New York Times published Thursday, saying the U.S. would not lift sanctions if Tehran continues funding terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah.

"They assume that everything that is contemplated that is good for Iran will happen — but that will happen without the Iranians changing any behavior," Vance said, referring to what he described as a "weird panic" in Israel over the Iran deal.

"That’s not how the deal is written," Vance added.

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

Republican congressman will end monthslong absence from DC after missing 135 roll call votes

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:31:43 -0400

After more than 100 days away from Capitol Hill, Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., is set to return to Washington, D.C., in the coming weeks.

Kean, 57, will be present for votes during the June 30 session, a spokesperson for the congressman confirmed to Fox News Digital. The two-term New Jersey lawmaker has been sidelined for months with a personal health issue and has yet to disclose the nature of the ailment.

Kean has pledged to be transparent about his illness once he is back in Washington.

The New Jersey Globe first reported the timing of Kean’s expected return. He previously told the outlet his medical issue did not affect his cognitive health and will not have any chronic complications that could impair his ability to seek a third House term.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN MISSES ANOTHER WEEK OF VOTES AS HEALTH ABSENCE STRAINS THIN MAJORITY

The embattled lawmaker has not been seen in public or cast a vote on the House floor since early March, amounting to 135 missed roll call votes, according to GovTrack.

Kean’s office has still continued to introduce legislation and post on social media.

The New Jersey Republican's expected return to Washington ahead of November's midterm elections will be relatively short-lived. With just over 30 legislative days remaining, lawmakers are scheduled to spend nearly all of August and October back home campaigning for re-election.

DEMS PICK CHALLENGER FOR GOP CONGRESSMAN WHO VANISHED FROM PUBLIC VIEW AMID HEALTH MYSTERY

Thursday’s announcement comes as Kean is facing a significant reelection challenge from former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett in one of the country’s most competitive House battleground districts.

Bennett, who is expected to lean into her national security background on the campaign trail, defeated several Democrat primary challengers in May to advance to the general election.

She has largely refrained from criticizing Kean during his absence but said he must be transparent with voters about his health issue.

Kean, who has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, ran unopposed for the GOP nomination, but his future in Congress remains unclear amid his absence and health concerns.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the New Jersey contest in the suburban swing seat as a "toss-up."

Dem justices slap Soros-backed Philly DA with power strip in stunning decision: 'Not reliable'

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:00:21 -0400

A divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court, including two Democrat justices, ordered Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office to face new outside scrutiny over its post-conviction concessions after the state’s high court found the office’s handling of one convicted murderer’s case was unreliable and said similar problems extended beyond just that single case.

Justice Kevin Dougherty, a Democrat, wrote the 4-3 opinion in the case of Levar Brown, a Philadelphia man whose murder convictions became the centerpiece of a broader legal fight over Krasner’s Conviction Integrity Unit and the office’s willingness to concede relief in serious criminal cases. Dougherty was joined by Justice Daniel McCaffery, another Democrat judge on the state's Supreme Court, and two other Republican judges. The dissenters were all Democrats.

The 4-3 decision reversed a Philadelphia post-conviction order granting Brown a new trial after Krasner’s office conceded his conviction should not stand and a Philadelphia judge approved the request. It also ordered that, going forward, Philadelphia judges handling post-conviction challenges must notify the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and allow the office to intervene before granting relief in any case where Krasner’s office concedes that a conviction should be overturned.

The ruling stops short of handing control of the cases to the state attorney general, but it creates a new court-ordered check on Krasner’s office in future post-conviction matters.

FETTERMAN TELLS PHILADELPHIA DA TO ‘LIGHTEN UP, FRANCIS’ AFTER HEATED ICE REMARKS

"The prosecutor does not decide whether a defendant is entitled to relief under the Post Conviction Relief Act," Dougherty wrote for the majority, emphasizing that a judge must independently determine whether a conviction should be overturned even when prosecutors agree with the defense.

The majority concluded that Krasner’s office’s concession in Brown’s case "was not reliable," finding that Krasner's office conceded relief when it was not warranted by the existing record, withheld material evidence from the court, submitted a false stipulation of fact, misstated facts in its pleadings, failed to conduct a reasonable investigation and opposed a required evidentiary hearing.

The court suggested that if its concerns in the Brown case were confined to just that case alone, it would not have justified a broader remedy. But the majority opinion said the concerns were evident in other post-conviction cases as well.

PHILLY DA'S ‘HUNT YOU DOWN’ WARNING TO ICE DRAWS CALLS FOR DOJ CRIMINAL PROBE

Since 2018, the Philadelphia DA’s office has conceded relief "well over 100 times," mostly in murder cases, according to the opinion. The court also said there are apparently more than 1,000 cases still waiting to be reviewed by the office’s Conviction Integrity Unit.

The case was brought to the high court by family members of murder victims Michael Richardson and Robert Crawford. Brown was convicted by a Philadelphia jury in the 2004 murder of Richardson and convicted by another Philadelphia jury in the 2005 murder of Crawford, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

Two decades later, Krasner’s office conceded that Brown should receive a new trial and argued that relief was due without an evidentiary hearing, the attorney general’s office said.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday praised the ruling, saying his office will now be able to serve as a check on the process for Philadelphia residents and victims’ families.

"As prosecutors, our role is to advocate for victims of crime, for public safety, and for justice," Sunday said in a statement. "Centuries of experience teach that the best way to achieve that justice is through the adversarial process, with vigorous representation for both sides."

PHILADELPHIA DA GOES INTO TIRADE ABOUT 'FASCIST' TRUMP, 'HITLER' WHEN CONFRONTED AT PARK IN VIRAL VIDEO

Sunday’s office said the court concluded the Philadelphia DA’s concession in Brown’s case was "not reliable" and "recognized that similar concessions in numerous other cases also appeared to be unreliable."

"The Court directed judges to notify the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General of any concessions before granting relief, and to permit the Office of Attorney General to intervene in future cases where the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office attempts to concede a conviction," the office said.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office said it is still assessing what the ruling will mean for its workload, budget and personnel.

"We are assessing what yesterday’s Supreme Court of Pennsylvania order will mean for our office’s workload and what impacts it may have on our budget and our personnel," the OAG Press Team said. "Given the many unknowns involved, including the number of cases concessions will be made in and our response to those concessions, it may be difficult to fully assess these impacts until the process truly begins."

The office added that it appreciates the court allowing the AG’s office to "serve as a check on this process for the citizens of Philadelphia and ensure that the interests of victims’ families are represented."

SOROS-BACKED DA KRASNER THREATENS ICE AGENTS AT PHILLY AIRPORT: ‘I WILL PUT YOU IN HANDCUFFS’

Krasner’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. But Krasner posted a video response online defending his reform agenda and attacking the ruling as an anti-democratic move that treats Philadelphia differently from other counties.

The video featured images of civil rights icons Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. as Krasner framed criminal justice reform as part of a broader social justice movement.

"Reform can be scary to those who need it," Krasner said in the video. "Which part don’t you like? The safety or the freedom?"

Krasner said Philadelphia has not had better numbers for "safety" or "freedom" in his lifetime and argued that critics are fighting a national criminal justice reform movement.

"The truth is that criminal justice reform is a national social justice movement," Krasner said. "And like all other social justice movements, it follows a certain pattern. First they ignore you. We’re past it. Then they laugh at you. We’re past that. Then they fight you. And we have been fighting for eight and a half years. And then the next step – we got to get there – is you win."

Krasner said the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in a "close decision," ruled that when his office supports a defense position that someone deserves a new trial or release from custody, "we need to have the attorney general’s office looking over our shoulder unlike every other county."

"Does that help democracy? No," Krasner said. "It actually undermines the value of a vote in Philadelphia as compared to every other county."

The majority opinion, however, said the order does not strip Krasner’s office of prosecutorial discretion. Instead, the court said the DA’s office remains free to litigate cases as it sees fit, but that the attorney general’s independent assessment and participation will "enhance the reliability" of post-conviction proceedings and their subsequent decisions.

In dissent, Justice David Wecht warned that the majority was injecting the attorney general into local post-conviction proceedings and interfering with the discretion of Philadelphia’s elected prosecutor. But the majority rejected that argument, saying the attorney general’s role would not override the DA’s discretion and would instead give courts the benefit of an adversarial process before convictions are overturned.

The ruling sends Brown’s case back to the Pennsylvania post-conviction court for further proceedings and sets a new process for future cases where Krasner’s office seeks to concede relief.

Walz approval rating craters to lowest level ever and trails Trump amid massive fraud scandal: 'Tired of it'

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:00:46 -0400

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s approval rating in his state has plummeted to a level below President Donald Trump as the state's top executive continues to face blowback from the massive fraud scandal that erupted under his watch.

Walz, who is leaving office in January after announcing he will not run for re-election, has an approval rating of 39% in the state and a disapproval rating of 53% with 8% not sure, according to a new poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy Inc. for KARE 11, the Minnesota Star Tribune, and the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The poll surveyed 800 Minnesota registered voters likely to participate in the November general election via live telephone interviews from June 8-10, 2026 and the numbers represent Walz’s lowest approval rating since taking office six years ago.

On the fraud issue, 45% of voters say they trust Republicans to fix it compared to 38% who chose Democrats and 14% who said neither party.

FINAL WALZ FRAUD REPORT RIPS ‘CULTURE OF TOLERANCE’ AS MINNESOTA TAXPAYERS FACE BILLIONS IN ALLEGED LOSSES

The same polling unit registered Trump's approval rating in the state at 41% this week, which conservatives on social media took notice of.

"Tim Walz has a lower approval rating than President Trump in deep blue Minnesota right now," Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. "That’s how toxic the fraud has become for Democrats."

Over the past year, the Trump administration has taken a major interest in Minnesota and unleashed its fraud task force into the state, resulting in raids, arrests and further investigations into how the fraud was able to grow so quickly in the state.

Another contentious issue revealed by the poll is Minnesota’s new state flag, supported by Walz, that 50% of voters say they disapprove of.

The state’s new flag has become a cultural and political flashpoint in a state already reeling from one of the largest fraud scandals in U.S. history, heavily involving the Somali immigrant community. The flag was approved by a 13-member commission created by the Democratic-controlled legislature in 2023. Critics of the flag say it is overly simplistic and some have even knocked it as bearing a resemblance to Somalia’s national flag.

MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS UNLOAD ON WALZ'S 'LEGACY' AFTER HE TOUTS FRAUD RECORD IN FINAL ADDRESS: 'RIDICULOUS'

"Two issues that unite a majority of Minnesotans are the rejection of Tim Walz and his failed policies and our hatred for the Minnesota Somali state flag," Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital. "The flag is an embarrassment and good on the cities who are actively removing it from their city halls and communities."

"President Trump is more popular than Tim Walz in his home state because Minnesotans are sick and tired of Walz siding with illegal aliens and Somali fraudsters over his hardworking, taxpaying constituents." he continued. "The legacy of Tim Walz will be the fires that destroyed Minneapolis, the fraud that he allowed to be stolen under his watch, and his failures that have harmed our great state."

Fraud appears to have played a significant role in Walz's cratering approval, which is evidenced by a 10-point drop in his support since last year as the fraud scandal has dominated headlines.

Only 1% of Republicans in the state say they approve of the job Walz is doing, along with 73% of Democrats and 32% of Independents.

"America rejected Tim Walz in 2024," Republican Minnesota State Sen. Michael Holmstrom told Fox News Digital. "Now Minnesotans are following suit. The good news for Tim is that, now that his record is on full display, he could soon be the most popular guy in the jailhouse."

Republican State Sen. Mark Koran told Fox News Digital that the polls "really tell you what Gov. Walz has done to himself."

"He let his fraud crisis blow up and didn’t do anything to fix it while he was busy shoving all this radical stuff into state government," Koran said. "After years of extreme far-left ideology and policies that don’t help normal people, Minnesotans have had enough. His legacy is going to be the fraud crisis and desecrating the state flag. Minnesota is just tired of it."

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

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report

Ex-House Dem who ripped congressional stock trading ban as 'bulls---' changes her tune in comeback bid

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:00:43 -0400

Former Congresswoman Elaine Luria’s record on congressional stock trading — and a net worth that skyrocketed during her time in office — is clashing with her campaign rhetoric in one of the country’s most competitive districts.

Luria, the Democrat who previously represented Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District from 2019 to 2023, told attendees at a recent candidate forum that she would "support" legislation to ban members of Congress from owning or trading stocks.

"I will say that this is an issue where I’ve changed my opinion over time. I will support the STOCK Act," Luria said, referring to proposals to limit trading for lawmakers.

She framed her position as a matter of public trust.

WATCH: DEM CANDIDATE GRILLED ON STOCK TRADING AFTER BEING DUPED WITH SELFIE REQUEST

"At first, I thought, well, you know, you elect people to Congress, they make important decisions. Don’t you trust them? And will you trust them with personal finances? And I came to see that, over time, really everything that Congress is doing has eroded that trust."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a campaign spokesperson echoed that framing.

"Elaine has seen the corruption in Washington that has allowed Jen Kiggans and Donald Trump to raise health care premiums, drive-up energy costs, and use their offices to benefit dark money donors and political interests. That’s why Elaine will continue to call for a ban of Members of Congress on trading stocks in office, fight to end the corruption in Washington perpetuated by Jen Kiggans and the Trump administration, and lower costs for working families," the campaign said.

However, the new position stands in stark contrast with her own past comments on the issue and highlights how candidates in competitive districts are being forced to grapple with the issue.

When asked about a stock ban proposal in 2022, Luria told reporters that the "whole concept is bulls---."

Luria’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on her changed stance.

At the time she left office, she had a number of documented financial positions, including $250,000 in stocks with Alibaba, a Chinese company — the most of any Democrat in the House of Representatives in 2021.

MARINE VET TAKES AIM AT TRUMP, MUSK IN VIDEO LAUNCH FOR KEY SWING HOUSE SEAT

In another instance, Luria’s husband purchased between $1,000 and $15,000 in Tesla Inc. stock as President Joe Biden’s signature Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was making its way through Congress, according to disclosure records.

Among other provisions, the bill appropriated $7.5 billion in funding for electric vehicle charging stations, aiming to incentivize buyers away from combustion engines and reduce carbon emissions.

According to disclosures, Luria’s husband made the purchase in March 2021 — eight months before Luria ultimately voted for the bill and before Tesla’s stock jumped nearly 50%.

In total, Luria’s net worth skyrocketed during her time in Congress, going from $1.13 million to more than $22 million.

HOW MIKIE SHERRILL’S FAMILY MADE MILLIONS AFTER SHE WAS ELECTED TO CONGRESS

Luria’s time in office came to an end when she lost in a 51.6% to 48.2% bid against Republican challenger Jen Kiggans.

Luria and Kiggans will face off again in the 2026 general election on Nov. 3.

Progressive Michigan Senate candidate's staffer raged at White women in unearthed posts

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:00:07 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The communications director for Michigan's controversial U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has a history of anti-White social media posts, directing most of her vitriol towards White women.

Fox News Digital unearthed posts made by Roxie Richner in 2019 and 2020 on X, then called Twitter, where she directed most of her vitriol towards White women.

In the posts, some of which were made during the violent far-left riots after the death of George Floyd, she accused White woman of trying to get Black people killed and called them "failures."

"I don’t care if it’s scary or makes you uncomfortable," Richner posted on May 26, 2020, the day after Floyd died. "Black people are being murdered by the police and white women are making shit up trying to get Black people killed. snap [the f---] out of it and start taking action."

DEM GOV'S NEW CAMPAIGN MESSAGE MAN ONCE SAID 'RELIGIOUS RIGHT' UNITED BY 'WHITE SUPREMACY'

She followed that post with another that said, "all white women are policy failures."

On the same day, she said: "fellow white people: one of the most powerful anti-racist acts is having those tough conversations with your loved ones. I make it a point to speak with my family about dismantling white supremacy almost every day. people are willing to learn, but you HAVE to make the effort."

On June 4, 2020, during the height of the rioting and destruction in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following Floyd's death, Richner mocked White people who were concerned about the chaos and violence in their neighborhoods.

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

"[I]f one more white ann arbor person dms me asking why i’m 'dEFeNdiNG LoOtiNG' i’m seriously gonna explode. your racism is showing. check yourselves. I’m not holding back on this s-— anymore, i’m dropping names if u keep it up," she said.

The day after the November 2020 presidential election, Richner responded to a video posted by an activist celebrating President Joe Biden's win.

""!!! POC youth really carried us [purple heart emoji] and let's be very clear not ALL youth.. very disappointed in white youth and white women," she said in the post.

SWING-STATE DEM CANDIDATE'S 'DISGUSTING' COMMENTS ABOUT JD, USHA VANCE'S 'BROWN CHILDREN' SPARKS OUTRAGE

In 2019, she chastised White people for defending then-candidate Joe Biden's "racist a-- comments."

"'[E]veryone said stuff like that back then' is not at all an excuse for being straight-up racist. period," the post said.

In another post, she mocked that idea that White Americans could ever face racial discrimination.

MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE DELETED THANKSGIVING TWEET CALLING FOR INDIGENOUS REPARATIONS: REPORT

Other posts from Richner indicate that she's been working with El-Sayed since at least 2018.

During that year, the progressive Democrat ran for governor, but finished second in the Democratic primary behind Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

His platform then was similar to the one he is running on today, including calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and establish universal healthcare.

SANDERS-ENDORSED SENATE CANDIDATE KNOCKED FOR ALLEGED FLIP-FLOP TO 'HAVE IT BOTH WAYS' ON KEY ISSUE

Beyond the controversies surrounding his top communications aide, El-Sayed is also no stranger to scandal and criticism.

He has defended his decision to campaign with extreme far-left social media influencer Hasan Piker, who at different points said "America deserved 9/11," that his favorite flag is that of the terrorist group Hezbollah and equated Hamas with Israel.

Just last week, Mariam Odeh, a former El-Sayed staffer, was indicted along with seven others for alleged threats made against University of Michigan officials, private businesses and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit related to the conflict in Gaza. It occurred as the defendants attempted to get the school to divest investments in Israeli-tied companies.

Odeh was charged with conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce.

The campaign said it wasn't aware of Odeh's activities when it hired her.

Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for comment but did not hear back.

Obama center opens after yearslong saga as locals warn ‘monstrosity’ could price them out

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:27 -0400

The Obama Presidential Center is opening to the public on Friday morning following an expensive and controversy-laden construction history.

Former President Barack Obama’s presidential center was initially estimated to cost $350 million; however, after a slate of setbacks and delays, the price of the project has more than doubled to a staggering $850 million. As construction was ongoing in Chicago, the center faced an array of controversies, including opposition from locals, anger over the use of tax dollars to support surrounding infrastructure, critiques of the building’s design, alleged failure to pay contractors and even a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination.

Unlike a traditional presidential library, the Obama Presidential Center is designed as a broader civic campus, with a museum, public plaza, forum, Chicago Public Library branch, recreation space, gardens and community programming.

"It’s a monstrosity. It’s over budget, it’s taking way too long to finish, and it’s going to drive up prices and bring headaches and problems for everyone who lives here," one Chicago resident who grew up in the area near the campus' location told the Daily Mail. "It feels like a washing away of the neighborhood and culture that used to be here."

CHICAGO RESIDENTS CALL OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER A 'MONSTROSITY,' FEAR THEY'LL BE DISPLACED: REPORT

One of the most prominent lines of criticism levied against the new presidential center was that its construction materially harmed those it was seeking to serve.

Beyond its museum exhibits and planned displays of presidential records and artifacts, the Obama Presidential Center features prominent exhibits on slavery, racism, the civil rights movement and African American history. Additionally, the Obama Foundation wanted the center to be a boon for the local community, billing it as an "economic engine for South Side residents."

To accomplish this, the center prioritized locals for contracting and staffing while also promising to provide workforce development services to surrounding communities.

These moves, however, were not enough to assuage the concerns of some residents that the racial justice-infused center would ultimately displace many predominantly Black American locals by increasing the value of nearby lots, thereby raising rents and driving up property taxes.

OBAMA’S LEGACY PROJECT OFFERS LITTLE HOPE FOR CHICAGO’S SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS

"What we got was a lease saying you have to pay $2,450 a month to stay in your home," a lifelong resident of a neighborhood near the center told the Chicago Sun-Times, recounting how his rent had gone up after construction began. "My home that they had let fall into disrepair, my home that they had decided wasn’t worth caring for. So we had to move … our beautiful Black beach neighborhood was no longer ours to enjoy."

Numerous residents have shared similar stories with the press, prompting Chicago to set aside $6 million to develop affordable housing in the area and providing residents with property tax relief.

Further complicating the Obama Presidential Center’s mission of racial justice was a lawsuit filed by a local subcontractor against one of the firms managing its construction in early 2025.

OBAMA LIBRARY, BEGUN WITH LOFTY DEI GOALS, NOW PLAGUED BY $40M RACIALLY CHARGED SUIT, BALLOONING COSTS

One African American-owned concrete and rebar company working on the project alleged that the company overseeing structural engineering and design on the Obama Presidential Center unfairly singled out Black-owned firms for errors.

The lawsuit alleged that those in charge of the presidential library’s construction "directly undermined the Obama Foundation's DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) goals and commitments and mission to bring transformative change to the construction industry and local community," a claim that was strongly denied by management.

Management argued that many of the subcontractors were "questionably qualified" and that they regularly underperformed or displayed inexperience, factors that contributed to the presidential library’s ballooning costs. The Obama Foundation emphasized hiring black-owned businesses when seeking out subcontractors for its center.

PROTESTERS RAGED, CRITICS MOCKED — NOW OBAMA SAYS HIS LIBRARY’S ACTUALLY OPENING

In yet another snag, many subcontractors who worked on the center are claiming that they have yet to be paid for their work on the Obama Presidential Center.

A Fox News Digital investigation previously identified multiple firms that say they haven’t received payments, with outstanding invoices ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to tens of millions.

"I haven't had eight hours or six hours sleep in over a year," one African American subcontractor told Fox News Digital. "I'm cooked emotionally. I feel like an aluminum can that's been thrown in front of a steamroller. We're crushed. And I have to fight for my company and for my people."

When pressed by Fox News Digital, the Obama Foundation passed the blame onto Lakeside Alliance, its primary contractor, stating that it was responsible for handling payments to subcontractors. Lakeside Alliance, meanwhile, said projects of this size are complex matters and that it is working to resolve all loose ends.

"That's a bad signal to put out the fact that seven to eight to maybe 10 of our contractors in our community are going to be eliminated from doing business because of the debt that they incurred on this particular project," Omar Shareef, the president of the African American Contractors Association, previously told Fox News Digital. "If they would have known it was a Trojan horse or a Pandora’s box, I don't know if they would have raced as much as they did to be a part of it."

Fox News Digital could not independently verify claims that firms had been forced to shutter due to their work on the Obama Presidential Center.

OBAMA CENTER TAKES HEAT AS CRITICS CRY FOUL OVER ID RULES FOR FREE ENTRY — WHILE DEMS BLAST VOTER ID LAWS

While most of the Obama Presidential Center’s rocky history was privately funded, taxpayers were on the hook for the infrastructure surrounding it.

Illinois has so far spent over $120 million on infrastructure improvements in South Chicago to accommodate the presidential center, with the total public cost estimated to reach around $200 million.

Even with roughly $1 billion spent on its construction and design, the appearance of the Obama Presidential Center has proven controversial, drawing comparisons to everything from a maximum security prison to a garbage can.

OBAMA DRAGGED FOR 'HEADACHE'-INDUCING PRESIDENTIAL CENTER UPDATE THAT HAS VISITORS SQUINTING

"The building has an ominous presence, its mostly windowless heft recalling a menacing sci-fi headquarters," The Guardian’s architecture critic wrote of the structure.

One person dubbed it the "Obamalisk."

Some, however, have pushed back on these critiques.

"Today’s punchline may become tomorrow’s civic treasure," Justin Kaufmann, writing for Axios Chicago, said. He pointed to the center’s blending of modern architecture with the design language of classic civic buildings.

The Obama Presidential Center did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Gov Sanders reveals 'major breakthrough' on education as red state positions itself as 'blueprint' for nation

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:02 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: As Democrats across the country criticize education programs in red states, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is touting a major achievement in her state she hopes will serve as an education blueprint for all states, regardless of politics, nationwide.

"The thing we're most excited about is the fact that so many Arkansas students are doing better now than they would have been doing pre-LEARNS legislation," Sanders told Fox News Digital on the day her office announced a "major breakthrough" in education following implementation of a 2023 Republican-backed statewide education overhaul, known as the LEARNS Act.

The law also raised the minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000, created performance-based teacher bonuses, boosted literacy support, funded school safety initiatives and banned critical race theory and classroom teachings related to critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation and sexually explicit materials.

Arkansas public school students are seeing sharp gains on a new statewide exam, with proficiency rates rising more than 7% across all grades and subjects in just three years under the state’s conservative education reforms. Since 2024, student proficiency has increased by more than 7% and by more than 5% since 2025, according to the governor’s office.

MISSISSIPPI'S SCHOOL MIRACLE SHAMES FAILING CHICAGO LEADERS ON EDUCATION

"We want our kids to do well," Sanders said. "We love the fact that kids in Arkansas are learning, that they're moving up. The growth and achievement that we're seeing from our kids is exactly what we want to happen."

In 2026, 42.2% of students met proficiency standards, up from 36.9% in 2025. Mathematics proficiency increased from 36.4% in 2024 to 44.2% in 2026, science proficiency rose from 35.6% to 44.0%, and English language arts proficiency climbed from 33.8% to 39.5%.

Students performing at the lowest levels also fell across all subjects, dropping from an average of 27.3% in 2025 to 23.1% in 2026. Reading performance among third-graders improved as well, with proficiency rising from 36% in 2024 to 43% in 2026.

Students in kindergarten through second grade, the first to learn under the state's education reforms, exceeded 50% proficiency in nearly every subject and grade level, while maintaining upward momentum.

Sanders said transformational reform is driven by better teaching and a unified focus on student needs, saying "a comprehensive, aligned approach" makes a difference.

"Not any one thing, but it's the collective process of really transforming the way that we approach education," Sanders said. "Realizing that every single kid can learn when given the right environment, when given the right tools, and letting failure not be an option."

TEXAS’ LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT SEES TEST SCORES SOAR AFTER STATE TAKEOVER DESPITE RACISM CLAIMS

Democrats in recent years, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and prominent teachers' union officials, have targeted red-state education policies, but Sanders told Fox News Digital she hopes the education program sends a message across the country.

"I'm hopeful absolutely that red states will use what we're doing here as a blueprint, but I also hope that blue states will look at the success that you're seeing in places like Arkansas, Mississippi and others and try to follow suit because we want all kids to do well," Sanders said.

"Seeing kids achieve and do better and be successful, that's not a red state or blue state issue. That's something everybody should care about."

WHY AMERICA’S ONLY SCHOOL CHOICE SUPER PAC IS PUTTING SOME REPUBLICANS IN THE HOT SEAT

Sanders said the results are "showing what works," adding there is no need to "reinvent the wheel."

"We know that raising the bar, providing those resources and support for our students, for our teachers, for our superintendents makes a difference," Sanders said. "We've got a recipe here that's working and absolutely hope it not only changes the conversation but frankly changes the system, changes the culture and education."

"The LEARNS Act was a bold, innovative, and comprehensive approach to improve education," Jacob Oliva, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Education, said in a press release. "It was built on research, urgency, and the desperate need for change. These scores prove that listening to teachers, administrators, and parents wasn’t just valuable but also essential. The plan is working. Arkansas students are reading, learning, and benefitting."

Top GOP lawmaker rallies around conservative school board member facing calls to resign

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:13:11 -0400

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., rebuked a school board in Richmond, Michigan, after some of its members tried to remove a conservative colleague for missing meetings while on military deployment to the Middle East.

Ray Stier, who received an American flag and a copy of the Congressional Record from McClain on Thursday as a commendation for his work, had been on deployment, attending board meetings remotely, but eventually lost virtual access.

That’s when the board called for his removal, citing a "disservice" caused by his absence.

"One of the board members’ family was taking to social media and putting out misinformation about myself and my wife and things that were not factually accurate and then ultimately calling for my resignation and prompting others to reach out to the district to call for my recall," Stier recounted.

PARENTS SAY THEY'RE RUNNING FOR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO FIGHT 'POISONOUS' CRITICAL RACE THEORY

The moment is just the most recent clash between Republicans and school boards over policies that, in their view, are gatekeeping schools against diversity of thought and accountability.

"I think education is extremely important and vital," McClain told Fox News Digital.

"And educators and administrators need to teach children how to think, not what to think. It's about time that administrators begin to get held accountable for their actions. Good actions and bad actions."

McClain’s meeting with Stier comes on the heels of a congressional hearing last week, when she grilled a superintendent from Virginia over student privacy policy, probing if those policies were being unevenly applied to favor transgender students.

VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT SLAPPED WITH COMPLAINT ALLEGING NEW CLAIMS IN VIRAL TRANS LOCKER ROOM FIGHT

"The victims got a 10-day suspension and the biological female that did the filming got a one-day suspension," McClain said, referring to an incident at Stone Bridge High School in Loudoun County where students had been reprimanded for filming in a locker room.

"How does that make sense?"

In Stier’s case, McClain questioned whether the board had targeted Stier on account of just his deployment overseas. Stierhad clashed with the board after learning that some of the district’s bathroom policies would have allowed fourth-grade students to use the same bathroom as transgender eighth-grade boys.

"Prior to him filling the seat, the seat was open for two months," McClain observed. "So that logical argument doesn’t exactly make sense to me; it doesn’t really hold a lot of water."

MICHIGAN PARENT WANTS TRUMP TO ACT AFTER DAUGHTER SHARES LOCKER ROOM WITH TRANS-ATHLETE

For his own part, Stier believes his case will refocus attention on the importance of the school board and its membership.

"My goal is to continue being an advocate for the community. One of the good things that I think came out of this was that it got so much attention that some of the community members who were unaware of the dynamics that were not being brought to light," Stier said.

Obama Center's opening ceremony ridiculed for far-left ritual before star-studded show

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:14:24 -0400

At Thursday’s ceremony marking the beginning of the Obama Presidential Center’s opening weekend, the master of ceremonies began with a left-wing "land acknowledgment ritual," for which the entire event was promptly mocked.

Valerie Jarrett, the former senior advisor to Obama when he was president and the current CEO of the Obama Foundation, kicked things off.

"We’d also like to take a moment to recognize the original inhabitants of the land upon which we are gathered today," she said. "We honor the Anishinaabe, the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, the Odawa and the Potawatomi nations."

Land acknowledgments have been mocked as performative left-wing routines completed to commemorate the Native Americans who once lived on the land where an event is happening.

OSCARS FEATURES INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ROASTED AS 'PERFORMATIVE NONSENSE' ON SOCIAL MEDIA

They are an extension of the belief that the United States exists on "stolen land."

But as many keen online observers noted, Democrats hosting the Obama Presidential Center’s grand opening have no intention of returning the land to the people they believe are its rightful owners.

"Wouldn’t they prefer you just give them their land back?" conservative commentator Steve Deace asked sarcastically.

CARVILLE REBUKES DNC OVER WOKE ‘LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT’ LAMENTING TREATMENT OF NATIVE AMERICANS

"Land acknowledgements are funny because the real message is ‘I want to say I care, but I don’t really care or I wouldn’t have built this on land which I just said is yours,’" said Beth Anne Mumford of Americans for Prosperity.

"So you just went ahead and built on that land anyway, huh," said conservative commentator Stephen Miller

Townhall senior strategist Siraj Hashmi weighed in with a reference to infamous Chicago rapper Chief Keef.

REWARDING RACISM: HOW TRIBAL POLITICS IS TEARING AMERICA APART

"Pretty disrespectful for the Obama Presidential Center to not acknowledge the current tribe leader of the South Side of Chicago: Chief Keef," he quipped.

An anonymous user balked at the logic, or apparent lack thereof, of building "a communist monument" on "stolen land" that the new owners refused to give back.

"The mental hurdles are Olympics level," the user said.

OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER'S $470M SAFETY NET UNDER SCRUTINY AS SUBCONTRACTORS SAY THEY'RE OWED MILLIONS

Thursday’s event featured high-profile Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, along with A-list performers like John Legend, Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen who put on a concert.

Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, David Letterman and others were also present.

The presidential center itself, which cost nearly $1 billion to build and has been embroiled in controversy, will officially open on Friday. It was initially estimated to cost about half that amount.

Despite the explicitly stated goal that the center would help uplift minority-owned contracting businesses by hiring them to work on high-profile projects, some claim they’ve been stiffed and are facing financial ruin, according to a Fox News Digital investigation.

One subcontractor says his firm is owed $4 million for work it completed on the center.

The project was announced in 2015, and the site — Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side — chosen in 2016, but the groundbreaking was delayed until 2021 due to bureaucratic red tape. The project required numerous local and federal approvals to build on the location, which is a historic preservation site, multiple environmental reviews and was subject to several lawsuits.

After construction began, the price tag on the project continuously skyrocketed. The center was scheduled to open in March 2025, but was delayed for another year

WATCH: Dem candidate grilled on stock trading after being duped with selfie request

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:22:43 -0400

What began as a selfie request quickly turned into an ambush pressing former Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., on her personal finances and stock trading while serving in Congress, according to a video posted by a top staffer for Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va.

"Elaine Luria, how much money did you make insider training?" the unidentified man in the video asked.

"Your net worth went over, over 2000%," he continued. "It's a shame. You're so corrupt."

MACE SOUNDS OFF ON STOCK TRADING IN CONGRESS, PELOSI REMAINS SILENT: ‘SOMETHING DOESN’T ADD UP’

The man repeatedly questioned Luria about the growth of her net worth during her four years in Congress.

"How do you explain it, Elaine Luria? You were in Congress for four years, and your net worth went over 2,000%. Explain that, Elaine, Luria. Explain it.

Financial disclosure records show Luria entered Congress with substantial investment holdings. No major controversies over a spike in her personal finances during her time serving in Congress have been reported on.

SPANBERGER DENIES ‘DEAL’ WITH SWING-DISTRICT DEMOCRAT AS GERRYMANDERING CLAIMS ABOUND STATEWIDE

In 2022, as support grew for legislation banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks, Luria loudly opposed these proposals. She argued that the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, signed into law in 2012, already provided safeguards against insider trading by lawmakers and federal officials.

"This whole concept is bullsh--," Luria said in 2022 about banning members of Congress from stock trading.

The confrontation comes as scrutiny of lawmakers' stock trading has remained a bipartisan issue on Capitol Hill, with members of both parties often facing questions about whether Congress should be permitted to buy and sell individual stocks while serving in office. Proposals to tighten or ban congressional stock trading have been brought to the floor over the last decade, but lawmakers have yet to enact any prohibition.

SPANBERGER DENIES ‘DEAL’ WITH SWING-DISTRICT DEMOCRAT AS GERRYMANDERING CLAIMS ABOUND STATEWIDE

The video also comes as Luria is seeking a political comeback in Virginia's competitive 2nd Congressional District.

Luria served in the House from Jan. 2019 to Jan. 2023 representing Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, and is running in the upcoming primary to be the Democratic nominee to face Kiggans, the current incumbent, in the midterm elections. A general-election matchup between the two would be a rematch of the 2022 race, when Kiggans defeated Luria and flipped the seat for Republicans.

Luria’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dems raked in millions from employees at firms newly identified as 'Chinese military companies'

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:00:38 -0400

Democrats, among them some of the most recognizable names in politics, have accepted millions of dollars in campaign contributions from top employees at firms the Pentagon recently designated as "Chinese military companies" operating in the U.S.

The Department of War on June 8 designated Alibaba, Baidu and BYD as "Chinese military companies," meaning that the three firms, in the eyes of the U.S. government, are providing assistance to the People’s Liberation Army through its military-civil fusion strategy or other means. Senior employees at these companies, including executives, have donated roughly $2.6 million to Democratic political committees since 2020, a Fox News Digital review of campaign finance filings has found.

Notable individuals and organizations that received contributions from top staffers at these firms include Sen. Adam Schiff, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, former President Joe Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic National Committee.

Donors to Democratic committees from the trio of firms include executives, top-level lawyers, lobbyists and, to a much lesser extent, rank-and-file employees working in areas such as engineering or management. The staffers made some contributions to Republicans as well, though the overall sum was far lower than what Democrats received.

PLATNER’S ANTI-CORPORATE CRUSADE HITS AWKWARD SNAG AS RECEIPTS TELL ANOTHER STORY

The review included direct contributions, earmarked contributions and donations to joint-fundraising committees reported in campaign finance filings. It did not identify corporate donations from Alibaba, Baidu or BYD to the federal committees.

"American politicians should no longer accept campaign cash from any Chinese companies. Politicians who have been taking campaign cash from companies like Baidu, Alibaba and BYD now realize they were supported by blacklisted Chinese Military Companies," Michael Lucci, CEO of the national security organization State Armor, told Fox News Digital. "The reason the Pentagon's list of sanctioned CCP companies keeps expanding is because the Chinese Communist Party imposes a 'civil-military fusion' mandate upon all Chinese companies, forcing them to assist in modernizing China's military with the goal of defeating America."

"They all end up working to support the PLA. They should all be cut off from U.S. politics," he added.

The Pentagon’s Chinese military company designation via its 1260H list does not function as a traditional sanction, as Americans can continue to do business with the company.

Biden-linked committees and joint fundraising vehicles were by far the biggest beneficiaries of the funds, taking in roughly $850,000 from employees at the trio of firms between 2020 and 2024. The DNC, meanwhile, had a haul of around $500,000 while Harris-linked committees brought in roughly $140,000.

TOP CALIFORNIA DEM RUNNING FOR OFFICE TIED TO CHINESE SCHOOL ACCUSED OF US DIPLOMA SCANDAL

Various state Democratic parties also received five-figure support from employees at Baidu, BYD and Alibaba. Newsom, per state campaign finance records, accepted $50,000 from an executive at BYD, an electric-vehicle manufacturer that his administration later awarded a contract.

Fox News Digital reached the offices of Biden, Harris, Schiff, Pelosi, Newsom and the DNC on Sunday for comment and has not heard back as of publishing.

Pentagon officials are legally required to release a list of what it determines to be Chinese military companies every year. The first such list was released in June 2021 under President Joe Biden.

The Pentagon’s 1260H list identifies Chinese companies the Defense Department says are "Chinese military companies" operating directly or indirectly in the United States. Required by the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, the list is intended to warn U.S. businesses and investors about firms tied to China’s military-civil fusion strategy, though inclusion does not automatically trigger sanctions.

New defense laws, however, have given the list more bite in recent years.

The Pentagon will be barred from directly contracting with companies on the list starting June 30 and is currently banned from contracting with companies who lobby on behalf 1260H-listed firms. In 2027, the ban will be expanded to prevent indirect procurement of goods manufactured by Chinese military companies through supply chain intermediaries.

WALL STREET BANKS HELPED CHINESE MILITARY-LINKED FIRM RAISE BILLIONS DESPITE RED FLAGS, LAWMAKERS FIND

While Alibaba, Baidu and BYD only recently earned formal designations as Chinese military companies, their links to the CCP have been widely reported for years.

The Wall Street Journal, for instance, reported in 2017 that Alibaba was assisting the Chinese government in its surveillance efforts against dissidents, and Chinese state media reported in 2018 that the firm had a large CCP presence within it. Some sources within the company told Reuters in 2019 that the firm had developed an app designed specifically to increase ideological alignment with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Alibaba, however, has come out strongly against its inclusion on the Pentagon’s list of Chinese military companies.

NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS RAISE CONCERNS AFTER MICROSOFT PROGRAM EXPOSED AS POSSIBLE AVENUE FOR CHINESE SPYING

"There’s no basis to conclude that Alibaba should be placed on the Section 1260H List," a company spokeswoman told Fox News Digital. "Alibaba is not a Chinese military company nor part of any military-civil fusion strategy. We will take all available legal action against attempts to misrepresent our company."

That statement also appears in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made by Alibaba shortly after it was added to the Pentagon’s list.

"Inclusion in the CMC List will not affect the Group’s ability to conduct business as usual in the United States or anywhere in the world because the Group does not do business related to U.S. military procurement," the SEC filing adds. "The CMC List does not impose any other export controls or sanctions, nor does it prohibit any persons (other than the U.S. Department of Defense) from business dealings with the Group or transacting in the securities of the Company."

RICKETTS, FETTERMAN TEAM UP FOR CRACKDOWN ON CHINA'S ATTEMPTS TO PURCHASE US FARMLAND

As early as 2015, outlets like Bloomberg News were reporting that the Chinese government was heavily subsidizing BYD. Wang Chuanfu, the founder and CEO of the firm, is a member of the Chinese Communist Party and an ally of Xi.

BYD did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.

In Baidu’s case, China’s Ministry of Science and Technology named the company as part of the country’s "national team" for AI development in 2017, with it later appointed by the CCP’s National Development and Reform Commission to lead China’s first national lab on deep learning technologies, according to state media. The firm, which primarily operates a search engine, reportedly assists the Chinese government in carrying out censorship.

"We categorically reject the inclusion of Baidu on the list, and there is no credible justification for adding Baidu to the list," a Baidu spokesperson told Fox News Digital "The suggestion that Baidu is a military company is entirely baseless. We will not hesitate to use all options available to us to have the company removed from the list."

The Pentagon has defended its additions to the list.

"After the Department conducted its due diligence, it identified 188 entities that meet the statutory requirement for inclusion on the most recent 1260H List," a Department of War spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Poll: Move over Big Brother, voters see Big Tech as greater threat to US

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:00:15 -0400

As artificial intelligence (AI) companies race toward IPOs and scramble to construct data centers, a new Fox News Poll finds voters now view Big Tech — not Big Government — as the greater threat to the nation's future, a striking turnaround from seven years ago.

By a 5 percentage-point margin, more see Big Tech as the greater threat to the outlook of the country rather than big government (52% vs. 47%). That’s a 28-point reversal since 2019 — three years before ChatGPT burst onto the scene — when more were concerned about the government (58%) than tech companies (35%).

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS DOUBT NEW AGREEMENT WILL STOP IRAN FROM DEVELOPING NUKES

The swing toward a greater dread of Big Tech can be seen across most groups, with only a few exceptions, like very conservative voters (by 11 points) and moms (+8), who view big government as the bigger villain. Republicans and independents are split on which is worse.

"As AI integrates into daily life, voters are reevaluating where power resides," says Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, whose firm Beacon Research conducts the poll with Republican Daron Shaw. "Concerns about government overreach are shifting toward tech companies, as voters question whether rapid growth has concentrated too much power in institutions largely outside of public accountability."

Feelings on AI remain a mixed bag. Equal numbers describe it as either innovative or helpful or a bad idea (14% each). Another 12% are cautious, 10% say afraid or dangerous, 9% have mixed feelings, while excitement and curiosity/interested sit at 7% each. Fewer mention threats to jobs (5%), general confusion (4%), potential for abuse (3%), more research and privacy and regulation issues (2% each), fears of science fiction (1%), and preventing data centers (1%).

FOX NEWS POLL: MOST RATE THE ECONOMY NEGATIVELY, INCLUDING HALF OF REPUBLICANS

The share saying they’re afraid of AI, or it is dangerous has dropped from 16% in 2023 to 10% today, as most demographics feel less negative about AI. The clear exception is voters ages 65 and up, who mostly still feel afraid, concerned, or just don’t like it.

There is also a modest rise in those who feel cautious or distrust the booming technology: from 8% in 2023 to 12% today.

On the flip side, the number saying they find AI to be innovative and helpful has doubled from 7% in 2023 to 14% today. While most demographics feel more positive toward AI compared to 2023, this tendency is especially pronounced among voters under age 30 and nonwhite voters, each seeing double-digit increases in positive sentiment.

Daily AI usage is on the rise: 18% of voters say they use the technology every day, up from 11% last June.

The increase mainly comes from more men (+10 points since June 2025) and independents (+13) saying they use AI daily. Despite their skepticism, voters 65 and over say they are using it more as well (+4). Daily usage for voters under 30 is up 8 points since last summer.

Still, many say they rarely (21%) or never (32%) use it, roughly the same as last summer.

Voters balk at building AI infrastructure in their backyard. Two-thirds (67%) oppose having data centers in their area, including 43% who strongly oppose it, while one-third favor it (32%).

Most groups oppose data centers, but the strength of opposition varies. Fewer than 6 in 10 men, Hispanic voters, voters under 30, and Republicans oppose them, while opposition increases to roughly 7 in 10 or more among women, White voters, those ages 65+, and Democrats.

Some of the only groups to favor data centers being built are those who find AI innovative (68% favor) and those who use AI at least weekly (54%).

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

"AI data centers emerging as a political issue is one of the most intriguing storylines of 2026," says Shaw. "Opposing them is a short-term win, but attitudes about AI efficacy and regulation remain fluid."

Even with mixed views on AI, a large majority remain confident they control technology (79%), rather than tech controlling them (20%) — the same as nearly 30 years ago.

Women, voters ages 65+ and Republicans are slightly more likely to feel they have a grip on technology compared to men, those under 30, and Democrats.

Conducted June 12-15, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (101) and cellphones (644) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (257). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.