Dems tap ICE detainees, suspected illegal immigrants as guests for Trump’s speech: DHS
Several Democratic lawmakers are hosting State of the Union guests who have come under scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security, including suspected illegal immigrants, Dreamers and citizens arrested for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement. A Fox News correspondent received the list when inquiring with the agency about a tweet released earlier Tuesday that said some Democrats are “planning to bring illegal aliens as guests to the State of the Union.” “Once again, they are putting illegal aliens above the safety of American citizens. Yesterday alone our officers arrested pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals from our communities. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: if you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will never return,” the agency said in its tweet. ILHAN OMAR ACCUSES NOEM OF ‘LIES AND PROPAGANDA’ ON MINNESOTA ARRESTS A Fox News Digital review of the list found guests with varied backgrounds and circumstances. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is reportedly hosting Aliya Rahman, who was detained during an operation targeting Ecuadorian national Jonathan Chachipanta-Pualacin Jan. 13. “ICE executed an arrest warrant to arrest an illegal alien with a final order of removal in the Park Avenue area of Minneapolis. ICE officers apprehended four illegal aliens,” a DHS spokesperson said. “As officers carried out their law enforcement duties, a significant crowd surrounded them and began impeding law enforcement operations — a federal crime. One agitator ignored multiple commands by an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene. She was arrested for obstruction,” the spokesperson added. DHS further disputed claims from outlets such as the CBC that reported Rahman was denied medical care after being pulled from her vehicle and detained. DHS SLAMS DEMS FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT IMMIGRATION LAW: ‘IT IS QUITE LITERALLY THEIR JOB TO CHANGE IT’ Another Omar guest, Mary Granlund, is a local school board chairwoman who has taken action since the detention of a 5-year-old at Columbia Heights School, according to a statement from Omar’s office. Granlund works with a group of faculty members who are “conducting daily patrols, working to connect detained children and families with legal assistance and coordinating food deliveries for families too scared to leave their homes,” Omar’s office said. A DHS spokesperson said ICE does not go into schools and instead targets child predators to protect those same children. Rep. Jesus Garcia’s guest is Marimar Martinez, who DHS alleged was part of an “ambush” of federal officers in October and whom the agency labeled a “domestic terrorist.” Martinez, who was reportedly armed and “has a history of doxxing federal agents,” “took defensive fire” from CBP and was later taken into FBI custody after a hospital stay. When asked about the criticism, Garcia told Fox News Digital, “I invited Marimar Martinez to be my guest to the State of the Union because her own government almost murdered her and is now covering it up by smearing her and failing to hold Charles Exum and other agents accountable. DHS SAYS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS HELPED CHILD RAPISTS, GANG MEMBERS EVADE DEPORTATION “This is their playbook,” the Chicago lawmaker added. “I’m proud that Marimar is my guest. Her courage stands in stark contrast to the cowardice and brutality of DHS and the rest of this lawless Administration.” In a prior statement, Garcia said that a Border Patrol agent “brutally shot Marimar and bragged about it, and the Trump administration wrongly called her a ‘domestic terrorist’.” Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the forefather of the DREAM Act, invited Tereza Lee, a pianist and daughter of Korean immigrants whom Durbin said is the inspiration behind the legislation he has put forth in each Congress since 2001. The latest version was introduced in 2025 and co-sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. In a statement Monday, Durbin announced Lee’s invitation, crediting her “bravery for sharing her story” and adding that President Donald Trump’s “animus towards immigrants is on full display in his second term.” DHS noted the DREAM Act would “allow noncitizens without legal status who were brought to the U.S. as children and meet certain education, military service or work requirements — to earn lawful permanent residence.” Another Illinois lawmaker, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, is inviting the daughter of a man detained by DHS during the height of Operation Midway Blitz. DHS DEMANDS MN LEADERS HONOR ICE DETAINERS, ALLEGES HUNDREDS OF CRIMINAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN RELEASED UNDER WALZ “Donald Trump can try to rewrite his record tonight, but communities across America are living with the consequences of militarized immigration operations that have terrorized families and left Americans dead,” Krishnamoorthi said in announcing that he invited University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student Jamie to join him. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., is inviting Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a man whom DHS said was detained in May 2024 while driving the car of his father, who was being sought by authorities. Marcelo’s student visa had lapsed, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that the “facts [of his case] haven’t changed.” “[He] is still an illegal alien and subject to removal proceedings. The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country.” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is hosting a Venezuelan immigrant whose son was detained during a May 2025 immigration court hearing and is now being held in Pennsylvania. “Dylan Josue Lopez Contreras is an illegal alien from Venezuela who illegally entered the U.S. more than one year ago. Under the Biden administration, he was encountered at the border and released into the country,” a DHS spokesperson countered. NOEM SLAMS DEMS BLOCKING DHS FUNDING BILL CITING TSA, FEMA, COAST GUARD: ‘I HOPE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES’ “On May 21, 2025, Contreras was arrested and placed in expedited removal proceedings. Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two
AOC, Mamdani urge illegal immigrant parents to sign kids up for free pre-K
New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Squad leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., teamed up to release an infomercial encouraging all New York parents, regardless of immigration status, to sign their children up for free preschool. In an X post, Mamdani framed it as part of the “fight for universal childcare.” In the video, which was delivered entirely in Spanish, Ocasio-Cortez emphasized that “any New York City parent, regardless of your occupation, income or immigration status, is eligible to sign their child up.” She added that “we’ve made the application process easy, no matter who you are.” MAMDANI PLAN POURS MILLIONS INTO ‘RACIAL EQUITY’ OFFICES AND SIX-FIGURE DIVERSITY JOBS, CUTS 5K NYPD JOBS The congresswoman, who is considered one of the leading figures of the Democratic Party and a prospective 2028 presidential contender, said that “free childcare is one of the most important ways we can make our city more affordable for everyone.” She touted a registration line available in over 200 languages, saying, “No family should be shut out from our programs just because of the language they speak.” Mamdani asserted that “for too long, New York City families have been crushed by the cost of childcare, paying as much as $26,000 per child every single year.” “That is not sustainable, it is not fair, and it is not inevitable,” he said. MAMDANI PROMOTES NYC WHERE ‘EVERY FAMILY CAN AFFORD A HOME,’ RIPS ICE’S ‘CRUELTY’ AMID BUDGET BLOWBACK “We have the power to do something different,” Mamdani continued, adding, “When you apply before the deadline … your child will be guaranteed a 3K or Pre-K placement.” In the video caption, Mamdani quipped, “My Spanish is… not very good. But the fight for universal childcare? That’s very good.” Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani’s offices did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mamdani has recently taken criticism, including from CNN host Fareed Zakaria, for failing to deliver on grand promises to residents. MAMDANI MINIMIZES SNOWBALL ATTACK ON NYPD, OPPOSES CHARGES DESPITE HOSPITALIZATIONS “New York is really a prime example of a problem Democrats seem unwilling to confront. Blue cities are out of control. Promising more, spending more, delivering less and pushing off the fiscal problems to some future day,” Zakaria said. “Zohran Mamdani ran on a promise to make New York affordable,” the host went on. “Last week, he unveiled a budget that is, in a word, unaffordable. New York has been fiscally profligate for so long that the headline number, $127 billion, produces little shock. But for perspective, these are similar to the annual expenditures of a mid-sized nation with all the expenses a country requires, like Greece or Thailand, devoted to governing one city.”
Dem rep identifies himself as one of this year’s State of the Union designated survivors
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., has identified himself as one of the designated survivors ahead of President Donald Trump‘s State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Designated survivors do not attend the president’s address in person and instead watch it from a secure, undisclosed location. “I’ve been selected as a designated survivor for tomorrow’s State of the Union, so I won’t be there in person, but I’ll be watching. Americans deserve accountability for the militarization of ICE, terrorization of our communities and killing of American citizens,” Thompson wrote in a post on X. REP RANDY FINE TO BRING 4-LEGGED GUEST SADIE TO TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION AMID BACKLASH OVER X POST While Thompson will not be attending the address in person, his guest, Marine Corps veteran, small business owner, and City Councilmember Bernie Narvaez from Napa will be in attendance. “Bernie is a shining example of what it means to be a public servant and to fulfill the American Dream,” Thompson said when announcing Narvaez as his guest. “I am honored Bernie is joining me in Washington, D.C., as a representative for the hardworking people of our district. As a veteran, as a small business owner, as an immigrant, as a local elected official, and as a husband and father, Bernie knows all too well the importance of standing up for our country, defending our democracy, and lowering costs for hardworking people,” he added. In a separate statement announcing that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., had selected him as the designated survivor, Thompson bashed Trump and his administration. “Since the day he took office, this president has raised costs for hardworking families, unleashed ICE to terrorize our communities, and threatened unlawful military attacks on foreign countries. He’s made Americans’ lives and our democracy worse off,” Thompson said. “President Trump is unpopular because he’s failed to lower costs, failed to fire Kristi Noem, and failed to follow the rule of law.” “Americans demand answers when he addresses the nation. We will keep holding him to account in the Congress, in the Courts, and in the court of public opinion,” he added. WHERE DONALD TRUMP STANDS IN THE EYES OF AMERICANS AHEAD OF THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS Designated survivors are selected for instances in which the rest of the government is gathered for a major event, such as the State of the Union. Last March, when Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins was chosen as the designated survivor. The White House has yet to announce the designated survivor for Tuesday’s event. The most common use of the term “designated survivor” refers to a member of the president’s Cabinet who is kept in a secure, undisclosed location to ensure the line of leadership succession stays alive in case of a cataclysmic event. While the Constitution includes the presidential line of succession, it does not require a designated survivor. The practice of the selection of a designated survivor dates back to the Cold War. Additionally, while the practice is commonly associated with the executive branch, the Constitution Center notes that, in recent years, members of Congress have also been asked to act as designated survivors as a precaution for major events. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Growing number of Democrats skipping Trump’s 2026 State of the Union
A growing number of Democrats are trying to divert attention away from President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday through their absences amid a limited set of options for peaceably voicing their displeasure with the administration. A number of Democrats will instead attend the “People’s State of the Union” event held near the Lincoln Memorial. The event, described as a rally, is organized by MeidasTouch and MoveOn Civic Action, a pair of left-leaning media and activist groups, and will focus on criticisms of Trump’s first year back in office. The event will draw senators like Ed Markey, D-Mass., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Tina Smith, D-Minn., LIZ PEEK: INFLATION, IMMIGRATION AND TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION MOMENT OF TRUTH On the House side, Democrats attending will include Reps. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., Becca Balint, D-Vt., Greg Casar, D-Texas, Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., John Larson, D-Conn., Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., Emily Randall, D-Wash., and Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J. A smaller group of Democrats has announced that they will be skipping the State of the Union but will not be attending the counter event. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, for instance, have made plans to stay at home. DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS INTO WEEK TWO AS IRAN THREAT, SOTU CLASH COMPLICATE HILL TALKS The event comes as Democrats in the past have struggled to tactfully voice opposition to the State of the Union. Last year, Democrat leadership had hoped to avoid drawing controversy but were unable to restrain members of their party from interrupting the address and creating made-for-TV moments. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, interrupted Trump’s State of the Union in 2025 by standing, waving his gold-studded cane and yelling at the president. HOW TO WATCH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S 2026 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TO CONGRESS LIVE U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., shortly directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Green from the floor after he refused to peaceably stand down. Green did not respond to a request for comment on whether he plans to attend or disrupt Trump’s address on Tuesday but announced in a press release that he would not be joining interviews with other lawmakers after Trump’s address in one of the nearby office buildings. “I will continue this peaceful protest,” Green said. This year, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has asked members of his caucus to approach the State of the Union along two lines. “The two options that are in front of us [are] to either attend with silent defiance or not to attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion,” Jeffries said at a press conference last week. Jeffries himself has said he will attend the State of the Union alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Report card: Conservative and liberal strategists reveal how Trump has fared on campaign promises
Ahead of President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address since returning to the White House, his record on key campaign pledges is mixed, as some promises have been fulfilled while others are still pending or tied up in legal challenges. Trump’s 2024 campaign centered on immigration, the economy, sweeping tariffs and ending the United States’ involvement in foreign conflicts. More than a year into his second term, Republican and Democratic strategists alike told Fox News Digital the administration has made significant strides in some of those areas but fallen short in others. Voters, meanwhile, view Trump as weak on the economy (40% approval), foreign policy (37% approval) and tariffs (37% approval), according to a Fox News poll last month. His approval rating is slightly higher on immigration at 44%, and a net positive 52% when it comes to border security. One of Trump’s top promises was stopping what he described as an “invasion” at the southern border by curbing illegal crossings and pursuing an aggressive deportation agenda. Department of Homeland Security data since Trump took office shows a sharp decrease in border crossings between ports of entry, an achievement Trump is likely to highlight in Tuesday’s speech. But Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations on a historic scale remains mired in controversy. ICE raids and enforcement initiatives, such as Operation Metro Surge, have not at this stage led to the removal of millions that Trump articulated on the campaign trail. Deportations have also been met with hundreds of lawsuits, intensifying scrutiny of them. BIDEN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN MINNESOTA, SAYS IT GOES AGAINST AMERICAN VALUES Julian Epstein, a Democratic consultant and former chief counsel on the House Judiciary Committee, said Trump has “secured the borders, but he has not explained to the public adequately enough his purpose and rationale on deportation.” Theo Wold, a former assistant attorney general and policy official in the first Trump White House, said the Biden administration’s lax border policies amounted to a “criminal undermining of federal immigration law” that Trump has completely reversed. But he acknowledged that contention over deportations has clouded the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. “The work to remove hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal aliens continues and will be an ongoing fight, as Democrats look to obstruct ICE’s progress,” Wold said. “But the ongoing fight over mass deportations has obscured President Trump’s novel regulatory rulemakings to ferret out asylum fraud and to ensure that foreign labor visas are not wielded to undermine the economic mobility of the American worker.” Epstein gave Trump an A-. Wold gave Trump an A-. Trump vowed to impose steep tariffs on imports from around the world to protect U.S. manufacturing. But that plan took a hit when the Supreme Court ruled that he could not unilaterally impose broad tariffs on an emergency basis without congressional approval. Undeterred, Trump announced a new set of 10% global tariffs under a different legal authority, and the president has signaled he plans to raise that rate to 15%. “He has a good reason to claw back the losses of the middle class in the last three decades, that’s an honorable thing that he’s doing, but the policy has been too diffuse, not sufficiently targeted, and poorly explained to the public,” Epstein said. US ECONOMY GREW SLOWER THAN EXPECTED IN FOURTH QUARTER Bradley Devlin, an editor at the conservative Daily Signal, said doomsday predictions about Trump’s tariffs have not panned out. “Tariffs, they claimed, would cause a recession. But for the first time in a long time, real wages are rising for working Americans,” Devlin said. Epstein gave Trump a B. Devlin gave Trump an A. On foreign policy, Trump repeatedly suggested he could end the war in Ukraine, but that has not materialized. Trump’s other diplomatic efforts have, however, been met with praise. “He’s put out eight wars, moved us light years ahead of where Biden was in the Middle East, and is securing the Western Hemisphere by squeezing out the communist dictators in Venezuela and Cuba,” Epstein said. Devlin said Trump’s threats of military strikes on Iran, which the president has said are aimed at forcing the country to negotiate over its nuclear program, did not jibe with a message of peace. “Two driving foreign policy issues of the 2024 campaign, brokering peace in the Russia-Ukraine war and an end to the conflict in the Middle East, remain elusive,” Devlin said. “And the president seems on the verge of a war with Iran that would likely make an American pivot away from the Middle East unachievable by the end of his term.” Epstein gave Trump an A. Devlin gave Trump a C+. Central to Trump’s campaign was economic prosperity. Trump vowed to ease inflation and boost domestic energy production. Recent government data show inflation has indeed eased but that it remains a point of concern. Trump has also pointed to tax cuts enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping tax and spending law signed in July 2025, as a success tied to his agenda. Epstein said the economy is “headed in the right track” but that Trump has not fully addressed the concerns of an “anxious public.” Elizabeth Pipko, a Republican National Committee spokesperson, said economic growth under Trump has been “robust.” “Inflation has gone down, gas prices have fallen significantly, wages are rising, and the progress made in one year has far surpassed what anyone could have predicted,” Pipko said. Pipko gave Trump an A. Epstein gave Trump a B+.
To go or not to go? Supreme Court at the State of the Union
It goes against the very instincts of some of the most powerful officials in the U.S.: get all dressed up, appear before a national TV audience, but sit there like statues without betraying any words or emotion. For members of the Supreme Court, enduring the annual State of the Union address is a civic exercise in poker-faced discretion. As recent history has shown, that has not always been easy. Tuesday’s speech by President Donald Trump will be watched closely not only for what is said, but also for who will be there in person to hear it — especially an undetermined number of justices with front-row seats. This year’s appearances are especially of interest, coming four days after a 6-3 majority of the court struck down the president’s sweeping tariffs, in a sweeping setback to his economic agenda. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP TO CENTER SOTU ON WORKING FAMILIES WITH SWEEPING ECONOMIC CASE Trump lashed out sharply at the court, especially the six members who voted against him, including two he appointed to the bench — Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. The president said he was “ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for the country.” At least one member of the bench, Justice Samuel Alito, has previously stated he will likely no longer go — after lingering, dramatic criticism leveled at a court ruling by Obama in his 2010 address. But one or more justices have almost always attended the annual speech to Congress and the nation in recent decades. Court members are not required by law to be there, but custom has dictated their appearance, mostly for show. They are a key, if low-key, part of the pageantry, and are compelled to sit politely and stoically, amid the often high-spirited partisan rhetoric and response of the event. There is no word yet from the high court on who will appear. Invitations are sent to each chamber, and the justices have individual discretion over whether to go. Those who do traditionally wear their judicial robes, are escorted into the House as a group, and take prominent seats up front. Retired justices usually get asked as well, minus the robes. They are joined by other officers of the court, such as the marshal and clerk. WATCH: TOP 5 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN AMERICAN STATE OF THE UNION HISTORY Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elana Kagan, along with former Justices Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy, have been regular attendees over the years. But the ceremony put the justices in a highly uncomfortable position in 2010. Democrats cheered President Barack Obama when he dressed down high court conservatives for its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, issued a week earlier, which removed legal barriers preventing corporations and unions from spending unlimited sums on federal elections. “With all due deference to the separation of powers,” Obama said, “the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections.” Alito, sitting just feet away in the audience, shook his head and mouthed words interpreted as “not true,” referring to the line about “foreign corporations,” court sources later confirmed. Alito’s five fellow justices in attendance showed no emotion. He had been a regular at previous addresses, but months after the incident, Alito told an audience in New York that he felt “like the proverbial potted plant” and would not be attending in the near future. In fact, the year after the presidential dress-down, Alito was in Hawaii at a law school symposium. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION BECOMES POLITICAL BOXING MATCH AS DEMOCRATS BOYCOTT The now 75-year-old justice also, with a smile, noted that his colleagues “who are more disciplined, refrain from manifesting any emotion or opinion whatsoever.” Roberts labeled the political atmosphere at the 2010 address “very troubling.” The head of the federal judiciary has said partisan rhetoric and gestures aimed at the court left him questioning whether his colleagues should continue to attend. During that 2010 address, members of Congress sat just behind the justices, many applauding loudly when Obama made his remarks about the court’s election spending case, especially Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. “It does cause me to think whether or not it makes sense for us to be there” Roberts said weeks after the controversy. “To the extent the State of the Union has degenerated into a political pep rally, I’m not sure why we’re there.” Then-White House press secretary Robert Gibbs responded quickly at the time with an indirect attack on Roberts, saying “the only thing troubling” was the Citizens United ruling itself. Regardless, Roberts has never missed a State of the Union as chief justice. THOMAS RIPS SUPREME COURT TARIFFS RULING, SAYS MAJORITY ‘ERRS’ ON CONSTITUTION That included 2021 with President Joe Biden’s address to a joint session of Congress that was limited in attendance because of the pandemic. The sparse, widely-separated crowd included Roberts, a few Cabinet officers and a smattering of congressional members, all wearing masks. Some justices were regular no-shows at the State of the Union, including John Paul Stevens, who stepped down from the court months after the 2010 State of the Union. Roberts’ predecessor, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, also rarely appeared in person, once because he considered a painting class more preferable. Justice Clarence Thomas called it “very uncomfortable for a judge to sit there.” He went to Obama’s first annual address in 2009, but has not been back since. “There’s a lot that you don’t hear on TV,” he once said, “the catcalls, the whooping, hollering and under-the breath comments.” Another more vocal no-go was the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who compared the televised State of the Union to “cheerleading sessions.” “I don’t know at what point that happened, but it has happened, and now you go and sit there like bumps on a log while applause lines cause one half of
Federal court refuses to block new Utah congressional voting map that may favor Democrats
A federal court ruling Monday has essentially locked in a new Utah congressional redistricting map that would create a Democrat-heavy Salt Lake City-based seat, potentially flipping one of Utah’s Republican-held U.S. House seats. A special three-judge federal panel is allowing a revised congressional redistricting map in Utah to go into effect, rejecting an effort by state Republicans to block it. The judicial panel denied a Republican-led request for a preliminary injunction to put the new map on hold. The new voting boundaries give Democrats a better shot at winning Utah’s 1st Congressional District, a seat currently held by Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah. Two of Utah’s other four GOP seat-holders in Congress – Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah; and Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah – had signed on to the challenge but have accepted the decision in a joint statement. MARYLAND HOUSE APPROVES NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP AS SENATE LEADERS WARN OF RISKS “We receive today’s decision with profound disappointment but respect for the Court’s careful review,” the statement, shared on X by Owens, read. “This case concerns the Constitution’s allocation of authority over federal elections, a question of lasting importance beyond any single election cycle.” “Having these issues heard has strengthened public understanding and clarified what is at stake,” the statement continued. “We remain convinced that the Constitution assigns this responsibility to the State’s lawmaking authority and that this principle is essential to preserving constitutional order and the rule of law.” A state judge had ordered the new map, striking congressional voting lines adopted by the state legislature after the 2020 census. A state voter referendum had approved anti-gerrymandering standards. The Utah Supreme Court, in recent days, had also rejected the original map crafted by the GOP-controlled legislature. RNC SUES TO STOP DEMOCRATS’ VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING PUSH The federal panel’s decision rested on the “Purcell principle” — the idea that judicial interference so close to an election causes “chaos and confusion.” Though the GOP can still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for emergency relief, the judges warned that any further “tinkering” would come too late to prevent electoral disruption for the 2026 midterms. Utah Republican Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson took no position on the case, but did tell the court she needed to have a decision by Monday in order to implement the proper redistricting map, according to the ruling. BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE Early race ratings from The Cook Political Report have already shifted this district from “Solid Republican” to “Solid Democratic.” Moore’s northern Utah seat is being renumbered to the 2nd Congressional District, a seat which is currently held by Maloy. Owens currently holds the 4th Congressional District, while Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, holds the GOP’s 3rd Congressional District seat. President Donald Trump has acknowledged the difficult history for sitting presidents’ parties in midterm elections, and the current House GOP majority is held by a slim margin of 218-214 with three current vacancies: Former Rep. Mike Sherrill, D-N.J., who resigned to become New Jersey’s governor; former Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., who resigned at the start of the congressional year; and late Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., who died Jan. 6. Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Former UK ambassador to US released on bail after arrest in Epstein misconduct investigation
Peter Mandelson, the former U.K. ambassador to the United States, has been released on bail pending additional investigation after he was arrested in a misconduct probe stemming from his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation. He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February and was taken to a London police station for interview. This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson noted. Mandelson and former Prince Andrew are suspected of supplying U.K. government information to Epstein, according to The Associated Press. FORMER UK AMBASSADOR TO US ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MISCONDUCT IN PUBLIC OFFICE Mandelson served in senior government roles under previous Labor governments and was U.K. ambassador to Washington until Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired him in September after emails were published showing that he maintained a friendship with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. Messages indicate that Mandelson provided Epstein with government information in 2009 while serving as a senior British government minister, according to the outlet. UK GOVERNMENT TO UNSEAL FORMER AMBASSADOR MANDELSON DOCUMENTS TIED TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN PROBE Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in public office. “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office. What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation,” Mountbatten-Windsor’s brother, King Charles III, said in a statement after the arrest last week. FORMER PRINCE ANDREW CHARGED TAXPAYERS FOR MASSAGES WHILE SPLURGING ON LAVISH TRIPS AS TRADE ENVOY: REPORT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Thames Valley Police later revealed Mountbatten-Windsor had been released, but the investigation remains ongoing. The Associated Press contributed to this report
France restricts Trump ambassador’s access to officials after missed summons
France has restricted U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner’s access to senior government officials after he failed to attend a summons from the French Foreign Ministry over comments regarding the death of a French activist. Speaking Tuesday in an interview with public broadcaster France Info, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Kushner’s decision not to appear at the Quai d’Orsay “will naturally affect his ability to carry out his mission in our country,” and demanded “explanations” from the ambassador. Barrot described the no-show as a “surprise,” saying that when an ambassador has “the honor of representing your country in France,” they are expected to “respect the most basic practices of diplomacy” and respond to summons from the ministry. The diplomatic dispute stems from social media posts by official U.S. government accounts following the death of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old activist who was killed in Lyon earlier this month. WITKOFF AND KUSHNER SCHEDULED TO MEET PUTIN IN MOSCOW The Associated Press reported that Deranque, described as a fervent nationalist, was beaten during clashes between far-left and far-right activists and later died of brain injuries sustained in the attack. “Reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all. Violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety,” the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism said in a Feb. 19 post on X. “We will continue to monitor the situation and expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.” The U.S. Embassy in France later shared the statement on its official account. FOREIGN AMBASSADOR TO LEAVE US POST AFTER TRUMP CRITICISM Barrot said the remarks amounted to an “injunction” toward France and rejected what he characterized as foreign interference in the country’s domestic political debate. “We have no lessons to learn in matters of maintaining order or public order in matters of violence and we have no lessons to learn at all from the reactionary international, simply,” he told France Info. The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. FRANCE TO DEPORT PALESTINIAN WOMAN OVER ANTISEMITIC POST FEATURING HITLER, HALTS GAZA EVACUATIONS Barrot said Kushner could regain access to French officials if he provides clarification to the ministry, stressing that the dispute would not alter broader relations between France and the United States. He noted the two countries are preparing to mark the 250th anniversary of their historic alliance this year and expressed hope that cooperation would continue “in this spirit.”
Speechwriters from Reagan to Biden agree: Trump’s SOTU is a critical test for his second term
Former White House speechwriters from both parties say President Donald Trump must decide whether to double down on the rally-style politics that powered his campaign or broaden his message to unify a divided country around his governing agenda in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. As Trump prepares to speak to the nation and the world, a majority of Americans think the country is worse off today than it was a year ago, according to a recent Fox News survey. The challenge he faces Tuesday night is to persuade skeptical voters that his economic policies are bringing costs down, that tougher immigration enforcement is making the country safer and that he has a disciplined, forward-looking plan for the years ahead — a message that could shape Republicans’ prospects as they head into the 2026 midterm elections with narrow majorities in Congress. Clark Judge, a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan and now chairman of the Pacific Research Institute, told Fox News Digital that Trump should address America’s position in the world. “Threats to the country and to the economy were growing,” Judge said. “Now, in area after area, those threats have been confronted and defeated.” WATCH: TOP 5 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN AMERICAN STATE OF THE UNION HISTORY Judge said Reagan’s strength was clarity. People “knew where he would come down. One advantage of working with him was that he had been so clear throughout his career on what he was for,” he said. There are lessons from Reagan that Judge suggested Trump should take to heart. “Know the president, know the administration, know the public — where is the public at any one moment?” “Where are the Democrats? What are they trying to do — and how do we disarm their arguments?” he said. The balance needed in a State of the Union is finding a “middle ground” between the president’s Cabinet fighting for their mentions and “trying to create big, thematic connections,” former Jimmy Carter presidential speechwriter James Fallows told Fox News Digital. Fallows, the Georgia Democrat’s chief speechwriter during his first two years in office, has since been a book, magazine and Substack writer. He said Trump’s challenge, both now and in his previous addresses, is to unite the country around his agenda, not just please his supporters. Trump’s preferred rhetorical style is a rally-style approach — “where he can digress and weave” and create “us versus them” scenarios to rile the audience,” he said, adding that a State of the Union address requires the opposite. MIKE JOHNSON REVEALS SPECIAL GUESTS FOR TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION Former Joe Biden speechwriter Dan Cluchey expressed skepticism that Trump would be able to rise to the occasion. “President Biden has a deep reverence for both the constitutional role of Congress and the dignity of the presidential office, so he approached the State of the Union as an opportunity to rise above the fray and bring Americans together,” Cluchey said, pointing to what the Delawarean considered the “Unity Agenda” laid out in his 2022 address. When asked what could surprise him about Trump’s Tuesday address, Fallows said sticking to his script would be a novelty. “[Also,] given what the next day’s news will describe as a ‘big tent speech’” à la Reagan, the Carter speechwriter said. Former George W. Bush speechwriter and current Wall Street Journal editorial board member Bill McGurn said presidents do tend to differ, sometimes greatly, from each other in style, contrasting the president with his former boss. “George W. Bush was very driven by logic — the speech had a flow and had a logic that was coherent.” “He’d always say, ‘make it so Bubba would understand what that meant’ — don’t dumb it down; but make it so an intelligent person listening can get the idea of what you’re about.” Trump, he said, will likely repeat what many presidents often say, that “the State of the Union is strong.” “Even if it is a laundry list, there’s ways to make it more compelling if you find a unifying thread to it.” Fallows told Fox News Digital there are many “structural challenges” for any president and his team crafting a State of the Union. “So much to cover and only so much time you can hold the attention of even a captive audience.” Fallows, who now writes “Breaking the News” on Substack, said the SOTU is a rare moment for a president to address the nation as a whole, not just partisan supporters. BILL MAHER CALLS FOR COMPLETE END TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AHEAD OF TRUMP SPEECH McGurn agreed. “For all the grandiosity and the important things they cover, they’re usually not remembered,” he said, noting how many more Americans remember Bush’s 9/11 speech or his brief address through a bullhorn atop the rubble of the Twin Towers. “A dirty little secret is most speech artists hate the State of the Union for the laundry list kind of thing,” he added. Sometimes, a State of the Union may not be remembered itself, but it may lead to something much more memorable. Judge recalled drafting Reagan’s 1988 address, thinking “this is technical and dull — what I need is an image.” Settling on the phrase, “1,000 sparks of genius in a 1,000 communities,” the line went viral in then-fledgling “dial” polling — to the extent that Reagan’s protégé, the future President George H.W. Bush, borrowed the line for his “Thousand Points of Light” speech, Judge said. JOHNSON PRAISES TRUMP’S ‘BOLD ACTION’ IN FORMAL STATE OF THE UNION INVITATION LETTER TO CONGRESS While the public may not remember everything from every SOTU, the speechwriters collectively said there are parts they still recall today. Cluchey said his best memories are of Biden choosing to share stories of everyday Americans he helped, “in order to illustrate the impact of his policies.” In other cases, there are times the world takes notice. Working with Reagan near the end of his successful bid to stifle the Cold War,