‘Libelous’ NYT report tying Trump family to government-backed deal sparks legal demand
EXCLUSIVE: The Trump Organization is demanding the New York Times retract a story it calls ‘libelous’ and claims was deliberately crafted to suggest financial impropriety by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, according to a legal letter obtained by Fox News Digital. The letter stems from a Times story published this week titled “Trump Cut a Billion-Dollar Mining Deal. His Sons Stand to Profit,” which ties the elder Trump brothers and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s sons to a tungsten deal secured by President Donald Trump with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in September 2025. “Your June 28 article is deeply misleading and appears deliberately crafted to create the false impression that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were involved in, or sought to influence, the decision to award the Kazakhstan tungsten mine project to an affiliate of Cove Capital,” Trump Organization attorney Alan Garten writes in a letter to The Times. THOMAS, GORSUCH TARGET LANDMARK RULING TRUMP SAYS PROTECTS THE ‘FAKE NEWS’ The letter is addressed to The Times’ editor-in-chief Joseph Kahn, along with the authors of the story, Eric Lipton and Paul Sonne. “As your own reporting and interviews with those involved all clearly demonstrate, that implication is demonstrably false,” the letter continues. A spokesperson for The New York Times defended its reporting and addressed the letter by telling Fox News Digital: “The Trump Organization does not deny the main point of our story: That Eric and Donald Jr. have profited from the U.S.-Kazakh tungsten mining agreement.” “The letter mainly disputes whether the article gave enough prominence to the fact that the brothers were indirect and passive investors — a point that is clearly set out in the story,” NYT’s Executive Director of Media Relations Charlie Stadtlander added in the statement. Tungsten is a mineral used by the United States to develop military equipment, including missiles and fighter jets. Currently, China, Russia and North Korea have a stranglehold on the resource, and the Trump administration has made it a strategic priority to secure a pipeline to obtain the mineral. DOUG BURGUM SAYS TRUMP ENTERS CHINA SUMMIT IN ‘STRONGEST POSITION’ OF ANY US LEADER EVER Kazakhstan is rich in tungsten, and from the outset of his second term in office, Trump sought to make a deal with the Central Asian country to tap into its tungsten supply — even as his own tariff policies have caused price surges and bottlenecks for the import of this metal. That makings of a deal culminated in a September 2025 meeting at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, where Lutnick hosted Tokayev. Trump joined by phone, and the parties came to a verbal agreement for the United States to procure tungsten, according to The Times. The letters of interest from U.S. government financing agencies was officially inked in November. The Times’ report stems from the Trump brothers’ relationship to an investment firm called Dominari Securities. The brothers invest in some deals made by Dominari and they have a minority share in its parent company, Dominari Holdings Inc. ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU INITIATING DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST NEW YORK TIMES OVER CONTROVERSIAL ‘DOG RAPE’ STORY A source familiar with the matter explained the details of how the Trump brothers became passive investors in the tungsten mining operation. An investment fund by Dominari Securities invested in a publicly traded construction company called Skyline Builders in August 2025. After the verbal September 2025 agreement, Skyline approached Cove Capital, the company that invested in the tungsten mining project, and solicited a merger that would allow Cove Capital affiliate Cove Kaz to go public, the source detailed. The project has been backed by letters of interest from U.S. government financing agencies totaling up to $1.6 billion. At no point, the source reiterated, did the brothers have any influence over the decision to award the mining contract to Kaz Resources. This is echoed in the letter to the Times, where it states: “Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump had absolutely no involvement in the award of the Kazakhstan project.” Furthermore, Cove Capital was not introduced to Skyline Builders until about one month after the September 2025 verbal agreement, according to the legal letter and third-party communications obtained by Fox News Digital. Those communications also reveal that Cove Capital leadership never spoke to either of the Trump brothers about the financing support before it was executed. USHA VANCE MOCKS NEW YORK TIMES FOR DRAWING ‘POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE’ FROM HER PREGNANCY FASHION “Don and Eric exercise no control over either company, played no role in and no knowledge of Cove Capital’s pursuit of the Kazakhstan project, participated in no negotiations relating to the project, and never even discussed the Kazakhstan project with anyone at Skyline, Cove Capital or any of their respective affiliates,” the Trump Organization letter to The Times says. “Their connection to Cove Capital is therefore remote, indirect and highly attenuated.” The letter accuses The Times of intentionally misleading readers before it revealed the tenuous relationship between the brothers and the tungsten mining project. NY TIMES TORCHED FOR FATHER’S DAY ‘TRANS DAD’ ARTICLE CRITICS SAY SHOWS PAPER IS ‘CORRUPTING OUR CHILDREN’ “Indeed, in a message to my clients sent prior to publication of the story, your team expressly acknowledged that Don and Eric were not ‘actively a part of this deal,’” the letter says. “Based upon the foregoing, we demand that The New York Times promptly retract or prominently correct the false and misleading impression created by the article and ensure that any future reporting accurately reflects the undisputed facts, including that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump had no operational role in any of the entities involved, no involvement whatsoever in the Kazakhstan project or its negotiations, and, as a matter of indisputable chronology, could not have influenced the award of the project.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The letter ends by expressly reserving all rights and remedies to solve the problem, including potential legal action. The Trump Organization sounded off on The New York Times in a statement
WATCH: Nationwide transgender sports law is next step after Supreme Court win, GOP senator says
Fresh off a U.S. Supreme Court victory for states restricting transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., is calling on Congress to take the next step by making those protections the law nationwide. Justice, who signed West Virginia‘s “Save Women’s Sports Act” as governor, said the ruling vindicates the state’s approach after years of legal challenges and proves West Virginia “had it right all along.” “To be perfectly honest, it makes me super proud of West Virginia,” Justice said in an interview Tuesday. “I’m prejudiced, you know, toward West Virginia, that’s for sure. But it makes me proud that the people of West Virginia had it right.” SUPREME COURT MAKES RULING ON TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS The Supreme Court’s twin rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox uphold laws in West Virginia and Idaho restricting participation in girls’ and women’s sports based on biological sex, reinforcing similar laws already on the books in 27 other states. West Virginia became one of the first states to enact legislation restricting transgender participation in girls’ and women’s athletics when Justice signed House Bill 3293 in April 2021. The law requires athletic teams designated for females at public schools and colleges to be based on biological sex. The measure was immediately challenged in court, leading to years of litigation before reaching the Supreme Court. Justice said he and his administration were willing to take political and legal risks to advance the legislation. “I’m a coach and I’ve been a coach forever and I coach women and girls and have done that forever,” Justice said. “I see how hard they compete, how hard they try, how valuable Title IX is. I see their dreams being extinguished. And from my standpoint, from my heart, I’ve been all in from day one.” Although the Supreme Court upheld the laws in West Virginia and Idaho, it did not create a nationwide standard, leaving states to determine their own policies and setting the stage for Justice’s push for federal legislation. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THREATENS KANSAS SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING OVER TRANSGENDER STUDENT POLICY “There’s still more that needs to come,” Justice told Fox News Digital. “This needs to be national.” Justice’s call for a nationwide law comes as the Trump administration has battled Democratic-led states such as California and Maine over policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. President Donald Trump has clashed with Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the state’s transgender athlete policy and has sued California over similar rules, arguing both states are violating Title IX protections for women and girls. While Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he does not believe it’s fair for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports, California Attorney General Rob Bonta is defending the state’s policy in court against the Trump administration’s lawsuit. “The Supreme Court’s decision does not affect California’s laws. The state remains committed to ensuring every Californian, including the LGBTQ community, is met with dignity and respect,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital. The Trump administration’s lawsuits with both states are still ongoing. Since taking office in January, Justice has pushed to make West Virginia’s policy the national standard by cosponsoring Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, or S.9. But the bill failed to advance in March 2025 after falling short of the 60 votes needed in the Senate. Justice indicated Tuesday he will continue supporting legislation to protect women’s sports for all girls and women across the country. “As soon as I was sworn in as Senator I got to work on protecting women’s sports,” Justice said in a statement. “Our girls deserve somebody willing to stand up and fight for them. That’s why I proudly cosponsored Senator Tuberville’s S.9 and pushed the NCAA for answers about protecting women’s locker rooms. At the end of the day, this isn’t complicated. It’s just common sense. Let’s protect our female athletes, keep women’s sports for women, and do what’s right.” In the meantime, Justice extended the invitation for families to move to his state, where “commonsense” is practiced. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Come to West Virginia and Idaho,” Justice said. “For God’s sakes, what in the world do you want to be in California for? Because the reason is just right out the window in California, It makes no sense at all. Logic doesn’t matter. But in West Virginia, you’ll find a lot of good stuff.” Justice said the debate ultimately comes down to protecting opportunities for female athletes. “For five years, we’ve been on this journey and there’s been a lot of beautiful, athletic girls and women that have been trying as hard as they can and people have, in many situations, turned their backs on them,” Justice told Fox News Digital. “We waited five years too long, and for those that fell through the cracks in those five years, we should all apologize, but we should celebrate today.”
China-linked green group training US judges draws fresh heat as foreign ties fuel pressure at home
A national security group is urging Congress to investigate a prominent environmental-law nonprofit over past partnerships and programming ties with Chinese government-linked organizations, according to a report sent to lawmakers on Tuesday by State Armor, a national security organization. The Environmental Law Institute, or ELI, has trained more than 2,000 American judges on environmental law through its Climate Judiciary Project since 2018, according to its website. During its decades of China-related work, the organization cultivated relationships with entities the report described as Chinese government-affiliated, CCP-linked or tied to China’s military research ecosystem, according to State Armor. “Across three decades of engagement, ELI’s work has uniformly advanced Chinese strategic and national security interests while undermining American national security by constraining domestic energy producers and industrial expansion and simultaneously pushing America toward dependence upon energy sources dominated by the PRC,” a letter addressed to congressional leadership attached to the report reads. LAWMAKERS PRESS ELI LILLY FOR CHINA DRUG TRIALS TIED TO MILITARY-LINKED HOSPITALS State Armor, a national security organization focused on state-level policy responses to foreign threats, is raising concerns that the ties could have domestic implications. The organization is run by Michael Lucci, a lobbyist, and keeps its donors private to shield them from being targeted by the Chinese government. Lucci said in an April 2025 Wall Street Journal profile that his group refuses funding from corporate and foreign sources to avoid perceptions of conflicting interests. “The question is not whether judges should receive continuing education but rather whether any educational initiative funded, organized, or influenced by organizations with relationships with foreign entities, particularly a foreign adversary, could affect the perception or reality of judicial impartiality,” the congressional letter reads. TRUMP ADMIN AXES TIES TO DOZENS OF PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN ‘DIRECT OPPOSITION’ TO MISSION: ‘DECISIVE ACTION’ ELI, when asked about its ties to China, told Fox News Digital that its programming in China ceased in 2024 and rejected criticism that its work advanced Chinese government interests specifically. “For over 50 years, ELI has worked to strengthen environmental protections in dozens of countries,” an ELI spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday. “Our programming in China concluded in 2024 but was no different than our typical work — sharing evidence-based best practices on environmental regulation, not advancing any government interests. The Climate Judiciary Project has not conducted any programming in China.” The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit was founded in 1969 and describes its mission as developing “innovative, just, and practical” environmental law and policy solutions across borders and sectors. ELI launched the Climate Judiciary Project in 2018, which is a judicial-education initiative focused on climate science, climate change and the ways climate science arises in the law. LAWMAKERS PRESS ELI LILLY FOR CHINA DRUG TRIALS TIED TO MILITARY-LINKED HOSPITALS Though ELI says it has ceased its work in China, ELI has continued to advance China-related scholarship and partner with individuals linked to Chinese government ventures. Fox News Digital is not aware of any ELI programming that has taken place in China since 2024. As recently as May, the nonprofit, through its journal, published an English-language paper written by two Chinese academics hailing from state-run universities detailing how China had made progress on environmental protection. Then, in June, ELI hosted a Chinese legal scholar for a panel discussion with speakers from multiple other countries on global career pathways in environmental law. The scholar, who received training through an ELI fellowship in 2021, “participated in ministry-level projects on environmental legislation and policy of China,” according to her biography on ELI’s website. She also “managed internationally funded programs” to train Chinese “judges” and “environmental law enforcement officers,” according to ELI. ELI did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the paper by the Chinese academics or the panel featuring the Chinese legal scholar. TOP CALIFORNIA DEM RUNNING FOR OFFICE TIED TO CHINESE SCHOOL ACCUSED OF US DIPLOMA SCANDAL ELI discloses on its website that it has “worked to improve environmental rule of law, enforcement, and compliance in China” since the “mid-1990s” in light of “the critical role that China, and its 1.4 billion people, has in global environmental protection.” “ELI has worked to improve environmental rule of law, enforcement, and compliance in China in partnership with Chinese NGOs, universities, law firms, businesses, judges and environmental regulators,” the organization’s website reads. “ELI has held capacity-building workshops, high-level roundtables, seminars and panel discussions on Chinese policy issues, trained lawyers on environmental justice issues, and published articles and books on sustainability, environmental management, and constitutional environmental law in China.” State Armor argued that this kind of knowledge sharing ultimately benefited the Chinese government, to the detriment of the United States. State Armor urged lawmakers to examine the scope of ELI’s cooperation with Chinese entities and review the funding, curriculum development, expert selection and governance structure of its judicial education programs. WALL STREET BANKS HELPED CHINESE MILITARY-LINKED FIRM RAISE BILLIONS DESPITE RED FLAGS, LAWMAKERS FIND “Under the banner of ‘improv[ing] environmental rule of law,’ ELI’s China Program provides technical assistance, capacity building, and legal training to Chinese NGOs, judges, and environmental regulators,” the report reads. While ELI has historically provided these services, Fox News Digital could not find evidence that ELI has provided any programming in China after 2024. To support this assertion, State Armor cited public records showing that some of the organizations ELI worked with are tied to the Chinese Communist Party or the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). State Armor cited ELI’s own website, which states that the organization worked with the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy (PRCEE), a think tank affiliated with China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, to improve China’s environmental regulatory system. State Armor argued that PRCEE’s affiliation with China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and its stated policy-support role place it within China’s government environmental-policy apparatus. In 2013, PRCEE worked on a report jointly published by the Chinese government and the United Nations Environment Programme dubbed “China’s Green Long March” — an apparent reference to the CCP’s famous
Mamdani gets roasted after telling sweltering New Yorkers to set ACs to 78 degrees: ‘Commie’
New York City’s socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked viral outrage on Thursday when he responded to a heat wave affecting the city by instructing residents how to set their air conditioners. The blowback came as New York City expanded emergency heat measures during a historic holiday weekend heat wave, with officials warning temperatures could feel as hot as 112 degrees. “New York: it’s hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool,” Mamdani posted on X as the city dealt with sweltering temperatures. “Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you’re not using, and unplug what you can. Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment. A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let’s ease demand — and get through the heat — together.” FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS Mamdani’s post quickly went viral and was seen over 36.5 million times as conservatives and pundits blasted the mayor over his instructions on what temperature to set their air conditioning units. “Show us your thermostat, commie,” reality TV star and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X. STEVE FORBES: MAMDANI’S SOCIALIST RENT-CONTROL PUTS NEW YORK ON THE ROAD TO HOUSING RUIN “78 degrees???” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted on X. “Welcome to communism people! Hope you enjoy! “ “Welcome to socialism, where the government demands you turn your house into a sauna because they can’t plan for the super unpredictable fact that it tends to get hot in the summer,” Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, posted on X. “78 degrees?” conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. “My AC does not go above 68 in the summer. This is America for God’s sake.” “Turns out socialism actually isn’t free,” Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X. “Do you feel the warmth of collectivism yet?” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. Manhattan Institute fellow Daniel Di Martino responded to the post on X with a meme riffing on the 19th-century flag showing American defiance but swapping an AC unit for a cannon with the words “come and take it.” Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment. While Mamdani faced accusations of being a communist on social media, his political power is on the rise in New York City, highlighted by last week’s primary elections where his slate of endorsed socialist-linked candidates were all victorious. After those elections, former Vice President Kamala Harris reached out to Mamdani and the two connected by phone, Fox News Digital reported, sending a signal that Mamdani’s base will be critical in deciding who becomes the next Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.
Social media erupts over socialist’s 9/11 comments after House primary win: ‘Radical lunatic’
In the wake of her primary victory on Tuesday evening in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, conservatives and social media users expressed alarm at Melat Kiros’s comments about the 9/11 terror attacks. “This is light-years worse than AOC beating 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley,” Steve Guest, a GOP strategist, said in a post to X, referring to the rise of progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. “This is the Democrat party,” Guest added. Kiros has suggested the U.S. invited the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 that left nearly 3,000 Americans dead. Those views, compounded with other statements that have seemed to rationalize acts of violence, have sparked backlash as she looks poised to capture a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and further cement the momentum of the far-left flank of the Democratic Party. MUSLIM MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST PRIMARY WINNER SUGGESTED AMERICA DESERVED 9/11 IN UNEARTHED VIDEO When asked if the 9/11 attacks had been avoidable, Kiros said she believed the U.S. had made them “inevitable” through its foreign policy. “Inevitable in the sense that we destabilized a lot of the Middle East. That forced people to believe that another act of violence was the only response,” Kiros said in an interview. “SICK!” the Republican National Committee (RNC) wrote online, highlighting the comments. Benny Johnson, a conservative media personality, pointed to Kiros’ win as evidence that the Democratic Party had conceded to candidates with extreme positions. “She is a socialist who was born in Ethiopia. Melat also thinks America deserved 9/11. It isn’t just happening in New York; Democrats are losing their entire party,” Johnson said in a post, alluding to the victory of other socialist candidates with similar views. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., also echoed Johnson’s thinking. “One radical lunatic after the next is coming to Washington. Why would we ever want to empower someone who believes 9/11 is America’s fault?” MELAT KIROS BECOMES 28TH FAR-LEFT CANDIDATE TO WIN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY THIS YEAR AS SOCIALISTS AMASS POWER On her website, Kiros shares platform items that are commonly held by many radical progressives: “Medicare-for-all,” ending “all wars,” abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and universal childcare. “As someone who’s working as a barista to pay for school and health care, I know what it’s like to work so hard to get ahead while Washington is so far behind,” Kiros said in a campaign video. But it’s her views on Israel and U.S. foreign relations that have set her apart from many other candidates, including her primary opponent, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo. Kiros, a Ph.D. student and lawyer, was fired from a New York firm in 2023 after publishing an open letter, arguing that anti-Israel student protesters calling for the elimination of Israel were not antisemitic and appearing to defend Hamas. She has also described the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against the Jewish state as the “inevitable consequence of apartheid” and declined to characterize the deadly firebombing of protesters in Boulder last year who were urging the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza as antisemitic. “I don’t know what was in the heart of the perpetrator,” Kiros told Colorado’s 9News in a recent television interview. “All I know is that he went and attacked innocent people because of what they might have believed.” Like other onlookers, Clay Travis, the conservative founder of OutKick, a sports and pop culture website, said he feared that Kiros’ victory would only lead to more far-left momentum elsewhere. SOCIALISM GOES WEST AS DSA-BACKED CHALLENGER OUSTS LONGTIME DEMOCRAT “That’s four incumbents losing primaries to socialists in a week. Every state now has a Mamdani [and] the Democrat Party is on a rapid descent to Communism,” Travis wrote. Kiros will face Republican Christy Peterson, a local accountant, in the state’s general election on Nov. 3.
Trump admin axes ‘Green New Scam’ appliance rules as Europe bakes in brutal heat
The Trump administration is set to unveil a sweeping overhaul of federal appliance efficiency rules that officials say will end “Green New Scam” appliance mandates, restore consumer choice, and block future federal crackdowns on gas stoves, fluorescent lightbulbs, HVAC systems, and other household appliances. “In America, you should be able to choose between a drying machine that takes multiple cycles to dry your clothes and one that does it on the first try — unfortunately, past administrations thought otherwise,” Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News Digital. The Department of Energy is expected to propose a sweeping rewrite of federal appliance regulations that would change how energy-efficiency standards are written, creating what the Trump administration says is a permanent safeguard against future efforts to regulate household appliances. The proposal was viewed by Fox News Digital. TRUMP ADMIN AXES TIES TO DOZENS OF PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN ‘DIRECT OPPOSITION’ TO MISSION: ‘DECISIVE ACTION’ “For too long, the American people paid the price for mandates that restricted consumer choice and drove up costs. President Trump promised to end this nonsense and that is exactly what we are doing. This proposed rule will preserve the American people’s ability to choose home appliances and equipment that actually work — at prices they can afford. It’s called commonsense.” Officials said previous Obama and Biden administrations interpreted Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) standards as requiring increasingly stringent efficiency standards that made some appliances more expensive or less functional. Biden-era changes in 2021 and 2024 that loosened the Trump administration’s 2020 rules by making the procedures non-binding and removing several provisions, including a significant energy savings threshold and other procedural requirements. FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS The proposal is open for public comment for 30 days before being made an official rule. It comes as the U.S. and Europe face a major heat wave. Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar recently released a statement blaming the United States for the deadly heat wave over France by saying the issue is climate change – not the lack of air conditioning in Europe. “Dear American journalists and social media ‘influencers’: for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room. OMG, this is so rich!” she wrote on Instagram. BIDEN-HARRIS STILL HATE YOUR GAS STOVE, YOU WON’T BELIEVE HOW MUCH Due to regulations, only 20% of households have air conditioning compared to 88% in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. She added, “As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing. Your cities ‘90% air-conditioned’ are not unrelated to this. In Paris, we take responsibility.” Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
Coalition of 25 states sues Trump admin over Medicaid work rule designed to prevent fraud
A coalition of blue states and jurisdictions is suing the Trump administration over new Medicaid work requirements designed to prevent fraud, arguing the policy unlawfully restricts access to health care coverage. The lawsuit, filed by at least 25 states and the District of Columbia, alleges the newly implemented Interim Final Rule (IFR) — issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — violates federal law and departs from Congress’ original intent and early CMS guidance. The IFR requires certain individuals to provide documentation proving they are exempt from Medicaid rules requiring enrollees to work, volunteer or attend school due to severe medical conditions. Before the rule was issued in early June, highly vulnerable Medicaid recipients were set to be automatically exempt from such requirements. Agencies would have granted those exemptions by reviewing existing health records, without requiring individuals to complete additional paperwork ahead of the requirements taking effect in January 2027. DR. OZ UNVEILS MEDICAID OVERHAUL, CLAMPS DOWN ON $2B FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND MANDATES WORK FOR ABLE-BODIED The lawsuit names Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which issued the IFR, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), as defendants. Oz previously argued that such guardrails are designed to prevent programs from being “defrauded into a turmoil,” adding that able-bodied enrollees receiving American tax dollars should contribute to society. “If you can work, you should get up and work,” Oz said. “If we put guardrails around these programs, we’ll allow them to thrive. I’m here because I love Medicaid. The president has already said he loves and cherishes Medicaid and Medicare. … We cannot allow these programs to be defrauded into a turmoil that they cannot pull up from. If we love these programs, we will make the difficult decisions.” The new rule would require able-bodied individuals to work 20 hours a week, volunteer, or pursue education while enrolled in free healthcare coverage. Fox News reached out to the White House and HHS for comment. FED AUDIT, EMERGENCY MEDICAID UNDERCUT DEMS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HEALTH COVERAGE The plaintiffs involve California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Kentucky. “People with disabilities, patients in the middle of cancer treatment, or those struggling with another serious or complex health condition, shouldn’t be at risk of losing the care that helps maintain their health,” the suit stated. REPUBLICANS PRAISE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’S’ WORK REQUIREMENT FOR MEDICAID: ‘WE’VE GOT TO GET BACK TO WORK’ According to the suit, CMS’s own projections estimate that 2.3 million enrollees will lose Medicaid coverage in the first year alone. The agency also estimates that 7% of enrollees who are working or qualify for an exemption will lose coverage due to confusing paperwork requirements, strict deadlines or missing documentation, according to the document. Beginning in 2028, enrollees who do not have immediate medical records on file would be limited to a single opportunity to submit a “self-attestation” form declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they are too sick to work. Under previous guidance, enrollees were allowed to use self-attestation multiple times as their medical needs evolved. In addition, plaintiffs said the new rules would force states to abandon automated systems they have already invested in and instead build more complex and costly manual review processes. As the Aug. 31 deadline to mail notices to Medicaid enrollees approaches, the plaintiffs are seeking a temporary stay and a preliminary injunction to block CMS and HHS from enforcing the rules.
Internal emails expose how July 4th bash is being derailed by Dem-run county: ‘Offensive’
San Diego County’s officials and its Democratic-led Board of Supervisors are facing backlash after an America 250 Fourth of July celebration originally pitched as a tribute to the Declaration of Independence was reshaped with DEI-focused sponsorship rules. The celebration’s main programming is expected to feature a tribal blessing, a land acknowledgment, and nearly two-hours of community-story segments centered on “historically underserved populations.” Bill Wells, the mayor of San Diego County’s City of El Cajon, and other critics pointed out that America’s founding appeared to be sidelined in tentative plans for the upcoming countywide Fourth of July event held along a San Diego-area waterfront. The event, which is lacking funds needed for a full setup, saw at least one sponsor drop after it was mandated they attest to a series of DEI principles as a condition of participating, according to county board materials and internal county emails obtained by Fox News Digital. “I have an alternative plan: 1. Acknowledge America and its greatness. 2. Celebrate with fireworks and the American National Anthem,” Wells posted on X, alongside a copy of the 4th of July celebration’s planned schedule, which matches an internal county “run of show” obtained by Fox News Digital. CALIFORNIA DEMS ACCUSED OF PUTTING SANCTUARY LAW OVER MIGRANT CHILD WELFARE CHECKS: ‘REAL CHILDREN’ The rundown obtained by Fox News Digital lists a “Tribal Intimate blessing welcoming to land” shortly after guest arrival and sound check, followed by a “Welcoming and Land Acknowledgment” led by the emcee, then a “Tribal Invocation,” the Black national anthem and regular national anthem, and then nearly two hours of community-story segments focused on local tribal, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, LGBT, and Black and African communities. The event, which will also feature music, food trucks, booths and other “cultural presentations,” then concludes with closing remarks, fireworks and clean-up. “The official government July 4th itinerary of San Diego reads like the opening ceremony of the Democratic Socialists of America convention,” quipped David McIntosh, President of the conservative political advocacy giant Club for Growth. DEMS PUT ON BLAST OVER POLL THAT SHOWS RECORD-LOW PATRIOTISM IN US: ‘TEAR OUR SOCIETY APART’ Back in February, Jim Desmond, a Republican San Diego County Supervisor, introduced an agenda item to bring forward a Fourth of July event “commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,” citing the area’s “deep-rooted relationship to the nation’s defense and civic institutions.” Subsequently, the board, which is controlled by a 3-2 Democratic majority, introduced and passed a motion to amend weeks later, which directed the county’s chief administrative officer to coordinate with the Office of Equity and Racial Justice and the county’s Tribal Liaison to incorporate community engagement focused on tribal nations, immigrant communities, LGBT communities and other “historically underserved groups.” “Supervisors Desmond and Anderson brought forward a 250th celebration for the whole region. The three Democrats rewrote it, tied it to the county’s ‘equity, inclusion, and racial justice goals,’ and handed planning to the Office of Equity and Racial Justice,” Wells explained on X, posting images of the meeting minutes that showed the Democrats’ amendments. “Independence Day, especially this one, is about celebrating and honoring America,” the mayor added in comments to Fox News Digital. “What the county of San Diego has created ignores this in favor of grievance and a sense that our country is not great or worthy of pride. That’s just offensive, especially in light of the fact that they’re using taxpayer money to do so.” ‘JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME’ QUIZZES BEACHGOERS ON AMERICAN HISTORY FOR JULY 4TH Among the changes was a requirement for event donors and sponsors to commit themselves to supporting the county’s woke DEI principles, which led at least one to drop out, according to internal county emails obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital. The sponsor’s pending $2,500 donation did not move forward after the donor declined to complete a required form mandating they show alignment with the county’s values on DEI and support for immigrant communities, the county staff emails indicated. Meanwhile, staff separately said in the emails that the event was short thousands of dollars needed for a full stage, lighting and sound setup. “Democrats are essentially excluding White community members from the Fourth of July” anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck contended in response to the event’s planned schedule and “equity” focus on “underserved populations,” describing it as “vile.” Fox News Digital reached out to San Diego County, as well as its Department of Parks and Recreation, for comment on the criticism, but did not hear back.
Walz, Minnesota Board of Pardons clears convicted illegal alien child sex offender facing deportation
Minnesota officials, including Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, last month pardoned an illegal immigrant who was previously convicted of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl and who was slated to be deported. With the recommendation of the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission (CRC), the Minnesota Board of Pardons — led by Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and state Chief Justice Natalie Hudson — granted a pardon for Laos national Tou Lue Vang, 42, at its June 10 meeting, according to a letter informing Vang of the decision from Carli Stark, the executive director of the state CRC. The pardon essentially gives Vang a clean slate. “Being granted a pardon is a notable achievement and a reflection of the work you have done since your conviction,” Stark wrote in her letter to Vang. TIM WALZ PARDONS ILLEGAL ALIEN CONVICTED OF ARMED ROBBERY BEFORE ICE DEPORTATION TO LAOS Vang was convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Between 2002 and 2006, he repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl. At one point, he offered her $10 to keep quiet about the abuse, according to DHS. He pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct in a plea deal that spared him from going to prison. “Governor Tim Walz’s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting.” COLOMBIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS FOR RAPING, IMPREGNATING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN MISSOURI Bis noted that Vang lost his legal status following his conviction. Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz, the White House and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted Vang for the assaults. When he was arrested on charges in 2005, Vang admitted to having sexual contact with the girl but blamed cultural norms in Thailand, according to the complaint obtained by the New York Times. The CRC, which includes nine members, voted to approve Mr. Vang’s petition in April. Four members voted in favor, two voted against, and three were absent, the Times reported. The board takes the commission’s review into account but retains the ultimate authority to grant or deny pardons. In his application, Vang cited his years of rehabilitation and argued that he has taken full responsibility for his actions. WALZ POST CALLING SCOTUS GIRLS’ RULING ‘CRUEL’ BACKFIRES ONLINE AS CRITICS REVEAL WHAT’S EVEN CRUELER Vang entered the U.S. through California in 1994, and was granted legal status by the Clinton administration. That status was revoked upon his conviction and final order of removal in 2006. He was detained by federal authorities last year as part of the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Walz and Minnesota officials over sanctuary policies that protect illegal immigrants, even those convicted of violent crimes, from federal authorities. DHS noted that the Review Commission has granted pardons to undocumented immigrants before. In May, the state pardoned Jai Vang, a Laotian citizen whose criminal history includes convictions for robbery, armed robbery of a business, and driving under the influence of liquor.
ICE surges enforcement, makes 10,000 arrests in five days amid Supreme Court birthright citizenship decision
FIRST ON FOX: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is ramping up arrests as a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship delivered a blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to curb immigration policy. Fox News Digital obtained figures from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) source that showed more than 10,000 arrests have been made in the last five days alone. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, upholding the long-standing policy that most children who are born in the U.S. will automatically become citizens, even if the child’s parents are living in the country illegally. TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP A source familiar with ICE operations said the agency is currently ramping up operations using funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill as the passage of the legislation nears its one-year anniversary. The court cited the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution as the basis for the decision, saying “Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.” Trump punched back at the ruling, urging Congress to amend the Constitution to pave a path to abolishing birthright citizenship. REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS “No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They will have my Complete and Total Support!” As ICE seeks to increase arrests, agitators have been mobilizing across the country, demanding better living conditions for those detained in federal facilities and calling for reforms to ICE operational protocols. In late May, agitators flooded the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, in a violent clash between rioters and ICE agents alongside local law enforcement officers. FBI ARRESTS PROTESTER WHO THREATENED TO KILL ICE OFFICER’S FAMILY AT NJ DETENTION CENTER PROTEST, BLANCHE SAYS A Fox News Digital investigation, based on reporting from the ground in Newark, in secret Signal group chats, a number of tax filings, strategy documents, and social media posts, found that the protests outside Delaney Hall were not a spontaneous grassroots uprising. Instead, they were the product of years of coordinated planning by a network of well-funded, highly organized groups that used a local controversy as a platform to challenge federal immigration policies and, more broadly, the United States. The network behind the Delaney Hall protests includes about 100 groups, some of them big names like the ACLU, Indivisible and Democratic Socialists of America. Together, these organizations report collective annual revenues of about $825 million, approximately equal to the annual budget of Newark. Despite the organized resistance, ICE operations continued, and DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that a majority of arrests involve illegal migrants who have previously been charged or convicted of a crime. “Since Day One, DHS law enforcement has been delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists,” Bis explained. “Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. More than 3 million illegal aliens are out of the country and counting. Our message is clear: if you come to our country illegally, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you,” she added.