Ilhan Omar’s office says she’s ‘not a millionaire’ after $30M filing revised down to under $100K: report
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said she is not a millionaire and blamed a major accounting error after a congressional financial disclosure listing her assets as high as $30 million drew scrutiny from Republicans and a congressional watchdog. An amended filing reviewed by The Wall Street Journal shows Omar and her husband’s assets were between $18,004 and $95,000, a sharp drop from an earlier disclosure that estimated their holdings between $6 million and $30 million. “The amended disclosure confirms what we’ve said all along: The congresswoman is not a millionaire,” Omar spokesperson Jacklyn Rogers told the Journal, adding that the filing was corrected “as soon as the discrepancy was identified.” The revised disclosure came after the Office of Congressional Conduct requested additional information earlier this year, according to the Journal. TRUMP RIPS ‘CROOKED’ ILHAN OMAR AS HOUSE RAMPS UP INVESTIGATION INTO EXPLODING NET WORTH Omar’s attorney said in a letter to the watchdog that the inaccurate filing was unintentional and stemmed from reliance on accountants. “As the busiest of people, it is very common for members and their spouses to rely on learned professionals like accountants to make calculations and determinations that appear on public filings,” the attorney wrote, according to the Journal. “While the error is, of course, unfortunate, there is nothing untoward, and nothing illegal has occurred.” The amended filing shows Omar reported between $102,503 and $1,005,200 in income in 2024 from assets she and her husband own, according to the Journal. Documentation attached to the attorney’s letter showed $213,200 in distributions to her husband from his venture capital management firm and $3,000 from a winery. COMER TO SAY TIM WALZ ‘ENABLED FRAUD,’ FAILED WHISTLEBLOWERS IN BOMBSHELL MINNESOTA HEARING A 2025 email between Omar’s husband and his accountant valued the venture capital firm at $7.9 million and the winery at $1.5 million, though he owns roughly one-third of both businesses, according to tax documents cited by the Journal. The updated disclosure also shows Omar has between $15,001 and $50,000 in student loan debt and a similar amount in credit card debt. The discrepancy had already drawn scrutiny from House Republicans, who questioned how such a large swing in reported assets went unflagged. In a February letter to Omar’s husband, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., raised concerns about financial disclosures showing the value of two companies, eStCru LLC and Rose Lake Capital, surged from tens of thousands of dollars in 2023 to as much as $30 million in 2024. Comer said the sudden increase “raises concerns that unknown individuals may be investing to gain influence” and requested financial records tied to the businesses. Omar’s office pushed back, describing Comer’s request as “a political stunt” and part of a campaign “meant to fundraise, not real oversight,” according to The Associated Press. A 2025 financial disclosure filing had previously listed Omar’s husband’s business interests in the millions, including a winery valued between $1 million and $5 million and a venture capital firm valued between $5 million and $25 million. Those valuations were later revised in the amended filing, with the businesses listed as having no net value once liabilities were factored in, according to the Journal. Omar, a progressive Democrat originally from Somalia and a member of the “Squad,” has frequently clashed with President Donald Trump since first being elected in 2018 and has long been a target of Republican criticism. Trump has suggested Omar benefited from Minnesota’s sprawling welfare fraud scandal involving many people from the Somali community, a claim she has denied. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton weighed in on the amended filing, questioning how previously unreported liabilities wiped out millions in reported assets. “Ilhan Omar says her congressional financial reports have massive accounting error,” Fitton wrote on X. “She and her husband only worth 18k-86k, NOT $6 million-$30 million! Previously unreported ‘liabilities’ erase wealth!” Fox News Digital has reached out to Omar’s office for comment and will update this story with any response. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US Navy releases photos of ‘fresh meals,’ pushes back on reports of food shortages on Middle East warships
The U.S. Navy released photos Saturday of “fresh meals” being served onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli as it pushed back against claims of food shortages on Middle East warships. Images have emerged purportedly showing meager meals being served to sailors during Operation Epic Fury against Iran, but the claims are being rejected at the highest levels of the Pentagon, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth blasting them as “fake news.” “Fresh meals. Full service. Mission ready. Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli continue to receive regularly prepared meals at sea — no interruptions, no shortages,” the Navy wrote on X Saturday morning. It shared photos showing full plates of food being served to sailors. One image showed boxes of food supplies stacked to the ceiling onboard one of the ships. HEGSETH EXCORIATES MEDIA, LIKENING THEM TO ‘PHARISEES’ IN TRUMP DEFENSE “Recent reports alleging food shortages and poor quality aboard our deployed ships are false,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said Friday. “Both USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli have sufficient food onboard to serve their crews with healthy options. The health and wellbeing of our Sailors and Marines are my top priority, and every crew member continues to receive fully portioned, nutritionally balanced meals.” LIVE UPDATES: IRAN REVERSES COURSE ON REOPENING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, SIGNALS WARNING TO US “The U.S. Navy is correct. More FAKE NEWS from the Pharisee Press,” Hegseth said in response to Caudle’s statement. “My team confirmed the logistics stats for the Lincoln & Tripoli. Both have 30+ days of Class I supplies (food) on board. NavCent monitors this everyday, for every ship,” Hegseth said. “Our sailors deserve — and receive — the best.” U.S. Central Command Adm. Brad Cooper also said Friday that the reports are “blatantly false.” “Our service members are absolutely being fed across the region. This is an absolute priority,” Cooper told reporters.
Newsom administration allegedly knew of $2B California budget error for months: report
California Democrats were aware of a roughly $2 billion budget accounting error for months, even though Gov. Gavin Newsom’s January spending plan already projected a roughly $3 billion deficit for the coming fiscal year, according to a report. The mistake, tied to the state’s public employee retirement system, CalPERS, could shrink that projected deficit. But state analysts warn California still faces far larger long-term budget problems, with annual deficits projected at $20 billion to $35 billion. State legislative leaders learned about the problem as early as February after it was flagged by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office but did not publicly disclose it until it was reported in April, according to a memo reported by KCRA 3. HOUSE COMMITTEE LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO ‘RAMPANT’ CALIFORNIA HOSPICE FRAUD The analyst’s office said Newsom’s administration double-counted some retirement contribution rates, creating a $1.6 billion error. Another miscalculation involving future contribution estimates added another $450 million. Together, the two errors total roughly $2 billion. “Given the size and complexity of California’s budget, it is not uncommon that we come across errors stemming from calculation mistakes or formula errors etc.,” Legislative Analyst Gabe Petek said in a statement to KCRA 3. “Indeed, part of the role of our office is to serve as a check on the administration’s budget calculations.” Petek said the issue is expected to be corrected in Newsom’s updated May budget proposal. NEW EXPOSÉ CLAIMS CALIFORNIA LOST AT LEAST $180B TO FRAUD UNDER GAVIN NEWSOM Newsom’s administration has disputed characterizing the issue as an error, saying the adjustment reflects a change in how the state estimates pension-related payments. “This isn’t a calculation error. It’s a revision to better estimate how these payments are made,” Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer told the outlet. The lack of public disclosure has drawn scrutiny after lawmakers had been publicly warning of budget shortfalls while the issue remained internal. In its January overview of the governor’s budget, the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the administration projected a $2.9 billion deficit for 2026-27, while also warning the state faces multiyear deficits ranging from $20 billion to $35 billion annually. The office called those long-term deficits “alarming” and said they raise serious concerns about California’s fiscal sustainability. The same report said the governor’s budget was only “roughly balanced” because of higher revenue assumptions, while warning that a potential stock market downturn could sharply cut income tax revenue and put the state on more precarious footing. Lawmakers are expected to ramp up negotiations next month when Newsom releases his revised budget. Fox News Digital reached out to the governor’s office, the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst’s Office for comment.
Trump signs executive order directing FDA to review psychedelics designated as breakthrough therapy drugs
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that he said “directs the FDA to expedite their review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs.” “The executive order I’m signing, we’re actually signing the executive order today, is really a moment,” Trump said. “These treatments are currently in the advanced stages of clinical trials to ensure that they’re both safe and effective for the American patients.” The president said the executive order would implement “historic reforms to dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs.” “In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans,” Trump said, citing the veteran suicide rate. VETERANS CROSS BORDER FOR FORBIDDEN PSYCHEDELIC TREATMENT THAT’S CHANGING LIVES AFTER COMBAT “And the nice part is we’re actually doing this early, but it has been going on. Research has been going on for quite some time. But, you know, usually with things like this, nothing ever happens, no matter how the research ends up, but we’re changing that. This order will clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA approved,” Trump continued. The president said “in 2024, a study from Stanford University, 30 special operation veterans with traumatic brain injuries underwent — it’s called ibogaine treatment — ibogaine, remember the name,” noting that they “experienced an 80 to 90% reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety within one month.” “In Texas, Republican leaders have already committed $50 million to the ibogaine research. And today, the federal government is making a $50 million research investment in its own. And so that was just approved just last night,” Trump announced. “We’re also opening a pathway for ibogaine to be administered to desperately ill patients under the right to try law,” Trump said. “Today’s order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life, just lead a happier life,” he added. DEMENTIA RISK COULD BE TIED TO YOUR MINDSET AND OUTLOOK ON LIFE, STUDY SUGGESTS A paper published in the journal Chronic Stress said ibogaine is a “psychoactive indole alkaloid which is extracted from the Tabernanthe iboga rainforest shrub and has been used for centuries in Central Africa for initiatory rituals.” “Ibogaine treatment is reported to alleviate a spectrum of mood and anxiety symptoms and is associated with self-reported improvements in cognitive functioning in individuals with substance-use disorders. During treatment, ibogaine allows the evocation and reprocessing of traumatic memories and occasions therapeutic and meaningful visions of spiritual and autobiographical content, which are of central relevance in addressing PTSD-related psychological content,” it added. “Under the executive order, HHS will accelerate research approval and access to new mental health treatments, including psychedelic therapies such as ibogaine. We’re taking this decision, this decisive step to confront one of the most urgent public health challenges facing our nation – the mental health crisis,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “More than 14 million Americans live with serious mental illness, and 1 in 4 adults experiences a diagnosable disorder each year. Suicide has risen by more than 30% over the past two decades, with another peak in recent years. Among veterans, more than 6,000 died by suicide each year since 2001. We have lost far more veterans to suicide than to combat.” “At the same time, millions of Americans living with depression, PTSD, addiction and other conditions do not respond to existing treatments. We owe it to our warfighters and veterans to turn over every stone to alleviate the emotional and mental health blowback from their deployments,” he added. Podcaster Joe Rogan, who was in the Oval Office with Trump on Saturday, also said “I want to say that I’m here because of the man to my left, Bryan Hubbard [CEO of nonprofit Americans for Ibogaine] and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry came on my podcast.” “They told me how impactful this medicine is. And having that conversation with them, millions of people got a chance to hear their story, hear the stories of all the different people that have had life-changing experiences from it,” Rogan said.
Kagan screamed so loudly at liberal ally after Dobbs leak the ‘wall was shaking,’ book claims
FIRST ON FOX: Justice Elena Kagan’s frustrations boiled over in the aftermath of the Dobbs opinion leak in 2022, leading her to allegedly scream “so loudly” at Justice Stephen Breyer that the “wall was shaking,” observers said, according to a new book. Conservative author and Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway’s forthcoming book “Alito,” reviewed by Fox News Digital and set for release Tuesday, details the incident and other heated moments surrounding the leak, which spurred waves of protests and death threats against the five conservative justices expected to overturn Roe that year. The Supreme Court’s deep division on abortion was clear at the time, but the book reveals that a typically unified liberal bloc was also fractured. Hemingway wrote that Kagan, an Obama appointee, angrily confronted Breyer, a Clinton appointee, in May 2022 behind closed doors after at least one justice, Samuel Alito, had asked his liberal colleagues to speed up writing their dissent because of security threats. Breyer was most likely to agree to Alito’s request, Hemingway wrote. BIDEN DOJ WEAPONIZED FACE ACT AGAINST PRO-LIFE AMERICANS, 882-PAGE REPORT ALLEGES “Though he had not said he would accommodate the justices whose lives were at risk by getting out a dissent, [Breyer] was the member of the liberal bloc most willing to do so,” Hemingway wrote. “Fiercely liberal in his jurisprudence and in strong disagreement with the majority decision, he nevertheless was a gentleman and a friend to all on the Court. Kagan remonstrated with Breyer not to accommodate the majority, screaming so loudly, observers noted, that the ‘wall was shaking.’” Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Breyer as well as the Supreme Court’s press office for comment on the book. The security threats at the time were severe, as protesters who supported access to abortion frequently showed up at conservative justices’ homes. Shortly after the leak, Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered the U.S. Marshals Service to provide full-time security for all the justices, but he drew criticism because authorities did not arrest protesters despite a law that prohibits “picketing or parading” near a federal judge’s home to influence a court decision. In June 2022, before the Supreme Court issued its decision, a suspect armed with a pistol, knife and burglary tools was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home. Nicholas Roske, who now goes by Sophie, later pleaded guilty to attempting to murder a Supreme Court justice and received a controversial sentence of eight years in prison, which the Department of Justice is appealing. JUSTICE KAVANAUGH’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON “As the protests continued, the Alitos were moved to a secure location,” Hemingway wrote. “Justice Barrett had to put on a bulletproof vest in front of her children, most of whom still lived at home.” Kagan’s contentious interaction with Breyer, who was set to retire in June 2022, came after a May 12 conference meeting, according to the book. Only the nine justices attend conference meetings, which are held periodically. Hemingway, who wrote the book based on interviews with the justices and dozens of others, said at this point the majority opinion had been ready for months and only the dissents were outstanding. Hemingway did not name the justices she interviewed because they spoke on background, but she told Fox News Digital she spoke with most of them. “Alito asked the dissenters to make the completion of their dissents their priority because delay of the decision was a security threat,” Hemingway wrote. “Abortion supporters had an incentive to kill one or more of the justices in the majority to change the outcome. The dissenters demurred. [Justice Neil] Gorsuch spoke up, asking for a date by which they might be done. They would not give a date.” The landmark opinion, overturning Roe 5-4 and upholding a Mississippi law 6-3 that banned most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, was released June 24, 2022. An investigative report by the New York Times detailed an internal effort spearheaded by Chief Justice John Roberts, the lone conservative to object to dismantling Roe, and Breyer to flip one conservative in the months leading up to the decision. Breyer had been eyeing Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the outlet reported. PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT CONFRONTS HIGH ABORTION RATES THREE YEARS AFTER DOBBS Hemingway’s book sheds new light on those internal deliberations, which came against the backdrop of heightened polarization over the decades-long fight over Roe. “Everyone knew that the leak posed a serious security risk for justices. Since decisions do not take effect until issued officially from the bench, the death of a justice before then could alter the result. The threat of assassination increased dramatically.” The Supreme Court’s draft opinion, authored by Alito, was published May 2 in Politico, representing a stunning breach of the high court’s rules. The leaker’s identity remains unknown to this day. “In the ensuing weeks, hundreds of pregnancy centers, churches, and pro-life organizations would be vandalized, some even set ablaze,” Hemingway wrote of the fallout.
BBQ lovers beware: Middle East conflict might disrupt your summer plans this year
Burger lovers take warning: neighborhood cookouts could be more expensive this summer, thanks to conflict in the Middle East. Global tensions are pushing up energy prices, resulting in higher costs for beef and the propane used to fuel backyard grills — just in time for Americans getting ready for barbecue season. “The impact of ongoing challenges in the Middle East on energy prices impacts nearly every facet of the U.S. economy and beef-cattle are not immune,” Glynn Tonsor, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, told Fox News Digital. THE SINGLE CRUSHING PROBLEM AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHERS WISH TRUMP WOULD FIX INSTEAD Ranchers rely on energy at nearly every step of their process, from fueling tractors in the field to using trucks to transport cattle, and those higher costs are often passed on to consumers, Tonsor explained. Those pressures are showing up at the pump. The national average for a gallon of gas now stands at approximately $4.09, up roughly 93 cents from just one month ago, according to AAA, with costs climbing across nearly every region. Diesel, a key fuel for freight and shipping, has climbed to $5.61, up about $2.03 over the past year, making it more expensive to move cattle and beef across the country. The ripple effects go far beyond beef. Propane, the fuel powering many backyard grills, is also getting more expensive as global energy markets tighten, in part, because countries in the Middle East are such major suppliers to the world. U.S. propane prices at the Mont Belvieu hub, the industry benchmark for this type of power, have surged nearly 19% since the conflict began in late February. BEEF PRICES ARE CLOSE TO RECORD HIGHS — BUT AMERICANS AREN’T CUTTING BACK But higher energy costs are only part of the story. Cattle supply remains slow to respond. Unlike oil or metals, where supply can be increased relatively quickly, cattle production takes years to ramp up after a dip. The U.S. cattle herd is now at its smallest size in 75 years, which is keeping the supply tight following years of drought, rising costs and an aging ranching workforce resulting in producers needing to cut back. That tight supply is already pushing prices higher — and the Iran conflict is only proliferating the issue. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, the average price of beef in grocery stores climbed from about $8.70 per pound in March 2025 to $10.08 a year later — an increase of roughly 16%. Subsequently, even if energy prices ease, beef prices likely won’t be quick to follow. For shoppers, that means prices may remain high — or climb further — depending on whether consumers keep coughing-up cash for steak and burgers, or opt to switch to cheaper alternatives. Much of that comes down to forces far beyond Americans’ backyard that continue to shape the cost of firing up the grill this summer.
Boston mayor denies funding LGBTQ migrant ‘wellness’ perks after program touts up to $500 benefits
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s office is denying reports that city funds were used to support a program offering LGBTQ migrants up to $500 in “wellness” perks, after a local advocacy group advertised the benefits and later scaled back its description amid backlash. Through its program “Belonging Matters,” the group had planned to provide yoga, arts and other recreational services. “No funds have been distributed or directed for these purposes. This organization received a $7,500 grant through a City program to support mental health services. Those funds were not designated for and may not be used for the voucher program referenced,” a spokesperson for the city told Fox News Digital. The dispute highlights conflicting claims about what the “Belonging Matters” program actually offered and whether any city-backed funding was tied to those benefits, drawing scrutiny over how Boston distributes and oversees grants to outside advocacy groups. BOSTON POLICE IGNORED 100% OF ICE DETAINER REQUESTS IN 2025, CITING SANCTUARY LAW OUTnewcomers is listed as one of 45 recipients of a larger $200,000 push to support LGBTQ communities in Boston. The $200,000 figure was approved by Wu last year as a part of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement (MOLA). According to Boston officials, OUTnewcomers was awarded a $7,500 mini-grant allocated from the 2026 budget. The city has not green-lighted grant funding or cash assistance. “These investments represent our continued dedication to uplifting LGBTQ+ Bostonians by putting resources directly into the hands of trusted community organizations,” Wu said in a press release at the time. The mayor’s office declined to answer questions about what the $7,500 fund had originally been approved for. The registration form for Belonging Matters offered applicants yoga, breathwork and meditation, gym memberships, creative arts, peer support, storytelling, nature-based wellness and hair styling. If approved, the program promised applicants $250 to $500 in “wellness allowances” evaluated on a case-by-case basis. But the organization later described the program as offering vouchers of $50 or less, creating a discrepancy between how the initiative was initially presented and how it was later characterized. “Our City of Boston-funded program is modest and need-based. It provides small vouchers of $50 or less to eligible LGBTQ+ migrants living in Boston to access limited wellness support such as haircuts, acupuncture, or massage,” the organization said in a press release. BOSTON’S WU ORDERS RELEASE OF ICE SURVEILLANCE AND BODY CAM FOOTAGE, SAYS FED GOVERNMENT ‘HIDES BEHIND MASKS’ The program drew scrutiny online, with critics calling it a waste of taxpayer dollars. “Handing out perks & benefits like this all the while telling the tax payers of Boston you need to pay more because we have a huge shortfall in our budget,” one observer wrote in a post to X, alluding to property tax hikes approved by the Boston City Council in 2025. OUTnewcomers did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital on how many registrants are expected to join or how many have enrolled so far. The group announced on Thursday that it had temporarily suspended the program due to “security threats.” Founded by Sal Khan, a queer journalist originally from Pakistan, OUTnewcomers describes itself as a “grassroots and volunteer-run organization based in the Greater Boston Area” focused on “community-led advocacy, resource navigation and collective care.” OUTnewcomers only recently launched its website in April, according to a post to X put up by the organization. The website does not list a 990 form, the required disclosure for nonprofits that normally lays out an organization’s structure, leadership and revenue.
Dems sidestep past ‘refuse illegal orders’ demands as they challenge Trump’s Iran war authority
Amid ongoing hostilities with Iran, Democrats brushed off past calls from some figures in their party for U.S. armed forces to “refuse illegal orders,” even as they broadly maintained that President Donald Trump’s use of the military is on shaky footing without lawmaker approval. “The troops are in no way to blame for this illegal war. Responsibility lies solely and simply with the president,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “We support the troops always. They’re following orders,” Rep. Daren Soto, D-Fla., said. “This is about a debate of whether we should be there or not.” The comments come just months after six members of Congress with military backgrounds urged service members to disregard unconstitutional directives. GOP BLOCKS BOOKER-LED PUSH TO CURB TRUMP’S MILITARY AUTHORITY IN IRAN “You must refuse illegal orders,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said. “Don’t give up the ship.” The six lawmakers included: Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. The lawmakers did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment when asked about what those calls meant in the context of the conflict with Iran. ONE MONTH AT WAR WITH IRAN — CAN WASHINGTON DEFINE VICTORY? Efforts to pass a war powers resolution that would curb Trump’s military powers in Iran have failed amid a steep partisan divide over whether the president’s actions fall within what the Constitution permits without congressional approval. A war power resolution that would have forced Trump to remove U.S. forces from Iran failed in the House of Representatives in a 213-214 vote on Thursday. Democrats, citing the War Powers Act of 1973, note that the law requires a president to secure approval from lawmakers before engaging in a conflict that goes past 60 days. FETTERMAN BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS, SAYS TRUMP’S MILITARY STRIKES ON IRAN HAVE ‘MADE THE WORLD SAFER’ “The president says it’s an ‘excursion’ which it’s not,” Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., said. “We have to call it for what it is. It is a war.” Republicans and other advocates for the conflict have noted the war with Iran hasn’t hit that mark yet. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joined Republicans in rebuffing challenges to the president’s authority. DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO GRIND SENATE TO A HALT TO FORCE PUBLIC IRAN HEARINGS “I’ve been the only Democrat who has supported Epic Fury,” Fetterman said, referring to the Iran conflict’s operational name. “And now we’re 48 days into this. None of this has been illegal,” he added. Even so, Democrats have blasted the president for dragging the country into a conflict that they say is far from a meaningful resolution. Blumenthal called on the administration to provide lawmakers with more information about a possible timeline for resolution and more details about the conflict’s status. “One of the complaints — and it’s bipartisan — we don’t have any accurate information about how the blockade is going, what the costs of the war are, even in a classified setting,” Blumenthal said. Although Trump has said U.S. and Iran talks are working towards ending the conflict for good, it remains unclear if ceasefire talks will render a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Iran could use detained Americans as ‘sweetener’ in nuclear talks, ex-hostage envoy warns
A former lead hostage negotiator under the first Trump and Biden administrations warned that the Iranians are tougher negotiators than the Russians, Chinese and even the Taliban, noting that several Americans are still wrongfully detained in Iran and should be included in any peace talks. Roger Carstens, the U.S. former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, said in an interview with Fox News that six American citizens are being held captive in Iranian prisons — each of them previously held in Evin prison in Tehran, known for its harsh conditions. He said the Iranians will likely use the American hostages as a “sweetener” to ensure negotiations go in “the direction of Iran” as the United States seeks a nuclear deal and permanent ceasefire. “Strangely, the Russians, the Chinese, the Taliban, the Venezuelans, when you start getting into hostage discussions, they tell the truth, and they stick to what they promise. You can do a handshake deal with the Taliban, and they’re going to follow through,” Carstens said. “The Iranians. Absolutely not.” While Carstens remains confident that U.S. negotiators can secure the return of the six Americans, he stated that Iran is unlike any other foreign government he’s worked with and can’t be trusted. MORNING GLORY: THE US-IRAN NEGOTIATIONS IN ISLAMABAD BECAME REYKJAVÍK 2.0 He said the Iranians are the sort of negotiators likely to pull a “fast one” right up until the last moment. “You cannot trust the Iranians up until the last second,” Carstens said. “If you were landing a plane in either Geneva or even Tehran, to get your Americans, you better be out there with a clipboard making sure that the people coming on the plane are the people that you bargained for.” Only two of the American hostages have been publicly identified: Kamran Hekmati, 61, and Reza Valizadeh, 49. Hekmati is a Jewish American who also holds Iranian citizenship. He was imprisoned 11 months ago after being charged and convicted of visiting Israel in the past 10 years. Like Hekmati, Valizadeh holds dual Iranian and American citizenship. He previously worked for the U.S.-funded Radio Farda, covering corruption and election manipulation in Iran. Valizadeh was arrested in September 2024 during a visit to see family and was sentenced after being convicted of working with a hostile government. SEN TIM SHEEHY: GOLD STAR FAMILIES DESERVE JUSTICE. THIS $15B FROM IRAN IS A START Carstens suggested it was unlikely there was any time for the Americans and Iranians to discuss the release of the six Americans during the 21-hour marathon peace talks in Pakistan earlier this month. MEET IRAN’S HARDLINE SPEAKER WHO THREATENED TO BURN US FORCES — REPORTEDLY TEHRAN’S POINT MAN FOR TALKS “I think the Iranians are going to be smart enough to keep these people healthy and ready to throw on to a negotiating table,” Carstens said. “The question in my mind during these negotiations is not whether they’ll be at risk or pulled off, but rather, what’s it going to take, and how will we, the United States, value them [the hostages]?” President Donald Trump does not mention the release of American hostages in his four objectives for ending the Iran war. Carstens is calling for the return of the hostages to be a fifth objective. “Let’s make this an official ask, and when we go in, not only ask for it officially, but hold ourselves accountable to getting the job done,” Carstens said. “The good news is Trump has a great record in bringing Americans home.” A senior White House official told Fox News Digital that future peace talks with Iran are under discussion, but nothing has yet been scheduled. “President Trump is always concerned about Americans detained abroad, which is why he has brought over 100 individuals — a record number — home from around the world,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for additional comment.
Trump set to read Scripture from the Oval Office during ‘America Reads the Bible’ event starting Sunday
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will read from 2 Chronicles 7 during a nationwide Bible-reading event this week, a passage organizers say was deliberately reserved for the president because of its decades-long role as a call to prayer in America. Trump is set to read 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 from the Oval Office as part of “America Reads the Bible,” a weeklong event marking 250 years of the Bible in America and featuring nearly 500 participants reading Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Organizers said Trump’s section was not assigned at random. The event’s online schedule shows the 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 reading was reserved as a “special guest” slot during a prime evening hour on Tuesday, alongside figures like former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and members of Congress. BEN CARSON POINTS TO GEN Z CHURCH REVIVAL AS YOUNG AMERICANS PUSH BACK ON SECULAR CULTURE “We needed somebody special to read Second Chronicles chapter seven,” Bunni Pounds, founder and president of Christians Engaged, told Fox News Digital. “As my director and I were praying over different sections of scripture, it came to us that this is such a critical passage for the body of Christ,” she said. Pounds said the passage, particularly verse 14, has been central to American prayer life for decades, often invoked during times of national reflection. WHITE HOUSE MARKS HOLY WEEK, EASTER WITH DAYS OF PRAYER CENTERED ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY “It comes at a time where the Israelites were experiencing hardship and God spoke and said, ‘If my people that are called by my name would humble themselves and pray,’” Pounds said. “We’ve prayed this scripture for at least the last 50 years of American history on National Day of Prayer and other moments in this country.” Verse 14 reads, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” “And so we instantly said — who needs to read that? The President of the United States,” she added. “We set it aside for him and have been praying for that for the last year.” TRUMP SAYS ‘AMERICA NEEDS GOD’ IN GOOD FRIDAY MESSAGE AS HE TOUTS ‘RESURGENCE OF RELIGION’ Pounds said Trump’s participation sends a broader message about faith in American life. “I think he’s sending a message that faith matters in this country, and that it’s important not only personally, but for our nation overall,” she said. She added that the selected Scripture speaks to the country’s current moment. WHITE HOUSE EGG ROLL FOR EASTER CELEBRATES ‘PATRIOTIC SPIRIT,’ AMERICA’S FARMERS AND THE USA’ “We’re making a statement during this week as America reads the Bible, that there is so much in the Bible that we can gain wisdom and discernment from, there is so much that can heal our families, that can rescue us from depression and anxiety and can heal our inner cities and heal our land… I believe the president’s saying that by reading this scripture specifically,” Pounds said. The White House echoed that theme in a presidential message commemorating the event, calling the Bible “indelibly woven into our national identity” and urging Americans to “rediscover” its role in shaping the nation. The event, held in partnership with the Museum of the Bible, will run from April 19 through April 25, and include nearly 500 Americans participating in a public reading of the entire Bible. WHITE HOUSE FAITH ADVISOR SAYS AMERICANS ARE LEAVING ORGANIZED RELIGION BUT NOT LOSING FAITH IN GOD According to Pounds, all participants will read from the King James Version Easy Read edition, which was licensed for the event’s livestream and a later audiobook version from the week’s readings. The event will feature a wide range of participants, including actress Patricia Heaton, Candace Cameron Bure, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and House Speaker Mike Johnson, each reading portions of Genesis during the opening hours. Readers range from elected officials and pastors to single parents and small business owners, reflecting what Pounds described as a nationwide cross-section of Americans. Worship music will accompany each hour of the readings, with different ministries and organizations partnering throughout the event. Pounds said viewers watching Trump’s reading from the Oval Office will notice the weight of the moment. “They’re going to see how passionate he is about it, how deliberate he was,” she said. “It really struck me to see the leader of the free world reading scripture from the Oval Office.” “There’s a humility on him… and I don’t believe that he would have read it if he didn’t believe it,” she added. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. “America Reads the Bible” begins 9 a.m. ET Sunday.