Italy unleashes military response to violent riots as France faces a reckoning of its own
Italy is moving to deploy 500 troops with expanded police powers following a weekend of violent riots, taking a more direct military approach to public security than France, where weeks of unrest have prompted authorities to bolster their security response. Videos of unrest in France and Italy flooded social media on Saturday and Sunday, showing violent clashes between demonstrators and police amid burning buildings and looted storefronts. At multiple points during the chaos, police attempting to contain the violence were forced to retreat. In Paris, for instance, roughly a dozen officers confronted several hundred demonstrators but were unable to make arrests, using rubber-bullet launchers and grenades to keep advancing rioters at bay as they made a gradual retreat. Italian police in Milan, meanwhile, made a similar retreat as hundreds of young rioters threw explosive firecrackers, metal barriers and glass bottles at them in their attempt to occupy a public square. Though France is escalating its response now, demonstrations have been ongoing in the country since last month, with many schools being burned and ransacked by rioters. MACRON JETS OUT OF RIOT-TORN FRANCE FOR GULF TRIP AS POLITICAL PRESSURE MOUNTS A Fox News Digital investigation found that socialist groups, Islamic advocacy organizations and environmental activists were involved in the French riots, which financial analysts estimate caused over $1 billion in damages. Videos from the unrest also showed demonstrators waving foreign flags, including Palestinian flags in France and an Albanian flag during the violence in Milan. Italian media reported that many first and second-generation migrants were among the rioters in Milan. WHO’S WHO: INSIDE FRANCE’S ‘CHAOS INC.’ FRANCHISE OF COMMUNIST GROUPS, LABOR UNIONS AND GLOBAL ACTIVISTS With another wave of riots planned for this coming weekend and authorities bracing for more violence, France and Italy are turning to their armed forces to reinforce security after days of rioting. France’s gendarmes, essentially military police officers, assisted in containing last weekend’s riots. The nation’s interior minister announced on Tuesday that the military would be increasing its presence in anticipation of further rioting. FRANCE’S MASSIVE INTEL FAILURE SPARKS RESIGNATION OFFERS AMID DAYS OF RIOTING “We will deploy the Sentinelle force, obviously as a substitute to interior security forces … mostly to free police and gendarmes in their mission to maintain order,” he told France’s legislature. France has upcoming presidential elections, with some political observers viewing the migrant-heavy riots as an electoral boon for Marine Le Pen, the most popular right-wing candidate. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced a similar deployment, pledging that 500 troops will be entering Milan. The country’s deputy prime minister explained that the police would be granted police powers, providing some insight into the role they could play in squaring off against rioters.
On the streets with Dr Oz as surprise fraud crackdown sends daycare directors scrambling
FLUSHING, N.Y. — Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz confronted employees at two New York City senior care centers over suspected Medicaid fraud, challenging their billing practices as Fox News Digital got an exclusive look at the crackdown in action. Oz, accompanied by senior federal health officials, delivered warning letters to Kent Senior Care and Evergreen Adult Day Care in Flushing, Queens, during a broader fraud crackdown that involved the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the NYPD and other agencies. The letters notified the facilities that their billing practices had raised concerns among federal authorities. The two visits by Oz were part of a broader crackdown in which CMS officials conducted more than 80 visits and delivered warning letters to providers across New York City on Tuesday. Fox News Digital accompanied Oz as he pressed employees about questionable billing records and challenged their explanations for how taxpayer dollars were being spent. DR. OZ NAMES 5 STATES IN FRAUD CRACKDOWN AS TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS MEDICAID ABUSE “The whole experience was suspicious,” Oz told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview following the visits. Oz said federal authorities were conducting a broader crackdown that included arrests, search warrants and efforts to stop certain operators from billing Medicaid, although Fox News Digital did not independently witness those enforcement actions at either Queens facility. Kent Senior Care declined comment during a phone call with Fox News Digital on Tuesday. Evergreen Adult Day Care did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The first stop came around 8:30 a.m. at Kent Senior Care, where Oz entered the facility and personally handed its director a letter from the federal government notifying the business that its billing practices were under scrutiny. FBI LAUNCHES ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AS DOJ CHARGES OHIO DEFENDANTS IN $30M MEDICAID SCHEME FOR KIDS “The bills are much higher than they should be,” Oz told the director. “The billing is for more people. It doesn’t look very crowded here.” The director pushed back during the exchange, explaining that it was still early and additional seniors would arrive later in the morning, as Oz questioned whether the facility’s Medicaid billing records accurately reflected its actual attendance. The occupancy of the space was 70 persons, according to an observe posted maximum occupancy sign on the wall. “The bills we’re getting are as though it’s completely full all the time,” Oz said. FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL The director maintained that the facility billed only for seniors who actually attended, and that it required participants to sign attendance sheets. “You’re getting this letter from the U.S. Government because we don’t believe you,” he told the director. During the exchange, Oz also questioned why the center’s billing records appeared to reflect seniors attending five days a week when the director acknowledged that many participants typically attended only two or three days. The director insisted the facility billed for actual attendance and said some seniors attended more frequently than others. The confrontation intensified when Oz and other federal officials raised questions about specialized transportation services billed for seniors using wheelchairs. DR OZ SAYS 800 HOSPICE PROVIDERS SUSPENDED IN CALIFORNIA OVER ALLEGED $1B MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME “I don’t see any wheelchairs here,” Oz told the director. Fox News Digital observed seniors inside the facility, including individuals using walking aids, but did not see anyone using a wheelchair during the visit. Another official said billing records included charges for specialized wheelchair transportation, raising questions about whether the services had been provided and which company was responsible for submitting the charges. The director said some seniors had mobility difficulties, including those recovering from strokes, and that the facility had wheelchairs available. He also said that workers could have copied information from previous files instead of properly updating the billing codes as it applied to wheelchair use. “Probably he just copy and pasted,” the director said. MEDICAID PROVIDER ALLEGEDLY BILLED $165K FOR DEAD PATIENT’S RIDES AMONG FRAUD EXPOSED IN EXPLOSIVE REPORT During the visit, Oz walked over to several mahjong tables set up inside the facility, questioning whether taxpayer dollars were being properly spent on the recreational activities offered through the Medicaid-funded program. “Should the American taxpayers be paying so folks can play mahjong?” Oz asked the director. The director defended the activity, explaining that mahjong helps seniors exercise their fingers, socialize and improve their memory, particularly those experiencing cognitive difficulties. “It’s free for them, not free for the taxpayers,” Oz responded. “Is that what our federal tax dollars for Medicaid is supposed to go to? Or is it life-saving heart surgery? Or, you know, new therapies for cancer?” Oz raised additional concerns about the facility’s attendance records after observing seniors entering without signing in, despite the director’s insistence that participants were required to document their attendance. “People were just walking in there without signing anything,” Oz said. “And then after I showed up and he saw what we were doing with my team, he started collecting these documents to be signed.” Oz said the apparent inconsistencies raised further questions about whether the facility’s attendance records accurately reflected the services being billed to Medicaid. Fox News Digital also witnessed several seniors enter Kent Senior Care without immediately signing attendance sheets. Additional seniors who arrived later were instructed to sign in. Social adult day care programs can provide eligible seniors with structured activities, supervision, meals and social support. Medicaid reimbursement depends on applicable program rules, individual eligibility and documentation of services provided. TREASURY HAILS SUCCESS OF ANTI-FRAUD PROCESS THAT FLAGGED AND PREVENTED $99 MILLION IN PAYMENTS TO DEAD PEOPLE At the second stop, Evergreen Adult Day Care, Oz confronted a floor manager over another set of billing discrepancies before examining the facility’s attendance records. The manager told Oz that approximately 200 seniors attended the facility on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, compared with about 150 on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
Could France’s riots happen here? Experts see parallels in socialism, immigration — and key differences
Violent riots sweeping France have exposed a far-left network of communist groups, labor unions and political activists mobilizing around student grievances, raising questions about whether similar political and immigration tensions could ignite unrest on American streets. A Fox News Digital investigation identified 50 organizations involved in France’s student protest movement and its broader network of supporters and international amplifiers, including communist and socialist groups, labor unions and political parties. The American parallels extend beyond political rhetoric. Fox News Digital previously reported that agitators at Delaney Hall in Newark used encrypted Signal chats to coordinate transportation, supplies and demonstrations before clashes with federal agents. Santiago Vidal Calvo, a researcher at the Manhattan Institute, singled out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, arguing that their approaches to immigration enforcement could move the United States closer to conditions he associates with France’s crisis. RO KHANNA SPARKS BACKLASH OVER FRANCE RIOT COMMENTS AS CRITIC SAYS HE WANTS TO ‘RIDE THE RAGE WAVE’ “I have absolutely no doubts that if we had Mamdanis or El-Sayeds or AOCs in charge of immigration policy, our immigration landscape would be very different today than what it currently is,” Calvo told Fox News Digital. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has made a similar argument, explicitly tying France’s violence to the stakes of the 2026 midterms. “France is descending into chaos because they wanted OPEN BORDERS — just like the socialist Democrats in America,” Johnson wrote on X. “What we are witnessing is a chilling warning for all Americans of what happens if the radical Marxist insurgent left gets their way.” Johnson argued that a Democratic victory in November would lead to more permissive immigration policies, casting the election as a choice between the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the approach favored by Democrats. President Donald Trump similarly posted on Truth Social that “migrants have taken over France,” urging the country to “CLOSE THE BORDERS, FAST!” The immigration debate is also playing out directly in the 2026 midterms. In Michigan’s closely watched Senate race, Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed has made abolishing ICE a campaign position, arguing that the agency cannot be reformed. His Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, has sought to portray El-Sayed as an ideological extremist as the two compete for a seat that could help determine control of the Senate. In New York City, Mamdani signed a February executive order reinforcing sanctuary protections and restricting federal immigration enforcement on city property without a judicial warrant. Both Mamdani and El-Sayed frame their policies as safeguards against abusive enforcement, while critics warn they could weaken immigration controls. The unrest began with students protesting conditions in France’s education system before labor unions, political activists and groups with separate grievances joined the movement. Fox News Digital’s investigation found that 15 of the 50 organizations identified in the broader network were student or youth groups. Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, described a convergence of frustrations over school funding, rising costs, France’s stagnant economy and longstanding tensions surrounding immigration and assimilation. FRANCE IS DEVOURING ITSELF AS SCHOOL RIOTS REVEAL A CRISIS FAR BIGGER THAN BROKEN CLASSROOMS “You’ve got the simple educational one which is partially economic, you’ve got the larger economic one and on top of that you have the assimilation issue,” Arthur said. But Arthur expressed skepticism that the United States would experience nationwide riots on the same scale, pointing to differences in immigration patterns and assimilation. “Now can we see mass protests like this in the United States? I don’t think so,” Arthur said, noting that protests over urban ICE operations have not escalated into a comparable nationwide movement. Nathalie Szerman, a Europe-based researcher with the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), pointed to another potential factor: The demonstrations intensified around the 65th anniversary of the Oct. 17, 1961, massacre of Algerian demonstrators by Paris police. “October 17 is a very symbolic date for the Algerian-ethnic groups,” Szerman told Fox News Digital, describing demonstrators memorializing a deadly 1961 crackdown by Paris police on Algerian demonstrators. “The first protest groups were not ideologically aligned with ‘political Islam’ but were students from immigrant suburbs, driven by education concerns. Agenda-driven, organized ‘Political Muslim’ groups used the momentum of the protests for their own ends,” Szerman said. “It’s a lot of things together, the resentment towards France and the political agenda,” she said. Alan Mendoza, executive director of the U.K.’s Henry Jackson Society — named for the late Washington Sen. Scoop Jackson — argued that the far-left movement led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon helped encourage broader mobilization ahead of France’s next presidential election. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu blamed Mélenchon and his party for the unrest, according to Le Monde, while Mélenchon fired back after Lecornu demanded that LFI “choose a side” between France and the rioters — calling the either-or “detestable.” Mendoza warned that similar political tensions could surface in America, citing backlash against socialist New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani from anti-Israel activists who had previously supported him. “What was interesting was the sight of him being turned on by the pro-Palestinian protesters the other day, when he was acknowledging October the 7th, the loss of human life on his radio site, he was turned on by the very hard left people who had helped propel him to power,” Mendoza said. “What that shows you is that it is very real a possibility at the hard left who are never satisfied and actually want chaos more than anything else,” Mendoza added. Arthur said France’s far left can openly champion expansive immigration policies, while American Democrats face a different political reality: They cannot publicly embrace open borders without risking backlash, he argued, pointing to the Biden administration’s tendency to portray illegal immigration as a problem it could not control rather than a policy it actively supported. “Riot is to France what football is to the United States,” said Arthur. Szerman, however, said comparable unrest was possible despite differences
Bruce Blakeman hammers Dem Gov Hochul, Mamdani over subway safety during NYC campaign ride
Striking a Make America Safe Again tone, Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman blasted Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul as the “most pro-criminal governor” during a Monday campaign event riding the New York City subway system, which has been plagued by violent crimes and commuter safety fears. “I have not heard from one person, and from all the people, that it’s safer on the subways and public transportation in New York,” Blakeman said as he rode the subway. “I’ve heard just the opposite. Everybody says they feel less safe.” “So we want them to feel safe,” he said. VIOLENT TRANSIT ATTACKS IN ATLANTA, NEW YORK AND CHARLOTTE FUEL CALLS FOR TOUGHER TRACKING OF REPEAT OFFENDERS Blakeman, a Nassau County executive, is a former commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Now running for governor, he was campaigning Monday in the densely populated city, which is overwhelmingly a Democratic stranglehold. “Hire more police officers, hire more conductors, clean up our subways and get help for those who are emotionally ill – get them help that they need; not have them roam around our subways,” Blakeman told reporters as he rode the subway, targeting both the governor and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the deep-blue area. MAMDANI UNVEILS SWEEPING NYPD USE-OF-FORCE REVIEW, BUT STOPS SHORT OF FULFILLING KEY CAMPAIGN PROMISES “The crime in the subways has gone up tremendously under Kathy Hochul and Zohran Mamdani,” Blakeman lamented. “They are not committed to public safety. I will be committed to public safety. I will make sure that our public transportation is safer and cleaner for the traveling public.” “That’s how you get more people back in public transportation, not by putting a tax on them with congestion pricing, which is nothing more than a tax on the middle class,” he added. NEW YORKERS TAKE ZOHRAN MAMDANI FREE BUS PROMISE LITERALLY AS MTA LOSES MILLIONS IN SKIPPED FARES Blakeman hit Democrats for being negative influences on public safety, and Hochul specifically, for having “reduced the number of conductors on our trains and subways.” MAMDANI CLASHES WITH DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS’ PUSH TO ABOLISH POLICE AND PRISONS More police patrolling the subways and improving the lighting in dimly lit subway systems are on Blakeman’s priority list, but he also discussed having more conductors manning the subways. Hochul vetoed Albany legislation that would have required conductors on more subway trains, leaving the MTA’s one-person train operation program in place versus the June 2025 state-passed bill requiring at least two-person crews — an operator and conductor. SHOCK POLL: POWERFUL BLUE STATE GOV’S LEAD SHRINKS TO SINGLE DIGITS WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION Hochul vetoed that bill on Dec. 5, 2025, arguing it would restrict MTA modernization efforts and cost up to $10 million annually. “Police are very important, but I think people feel very comfortable and very safe when they see a conductor,” Blakeman said. “I want to increase the numbers so that people feel safe.” Blakeman called Hochul “the most pro-criminal governor in the United States of America,” citing several criminal-justice and immigration policies. HOCHUL BOASTS ‘I JUST BANNED IT’ AS NEW YORK OUTLAWS LOCAL POLICE PARTNERSHIPS WITH ICE “Whether it’s cashless bail, Raise the Age, the HALT Act, Clean Slate, or refusing to cooperate with ICE and federal agents, she has made us less safe,” he said, striking at Democrat-backed legislation long rebuked by police groups and Republican public safety hawks. Cashless bail limits when judges can require defendants to put up money to be released. Raise the Age generally keeps 16- and 17-year-olds out of adult criminal court, while the HALT Act limits solitary confinement and changes prison disciplinary practices. The Clean Slate law seals certain criminal convictions from public view after a designated waiting period. “People feel less safe in every community that I go to in New York State,” Blakeman said.
Food delivery favorite forced to fork over millions after DOJ alleged discrimination against American workers
FIRST ON FOX: Popular grocery delivery company Instacart has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) after it was accused of discriminating against American workers. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division says it has reached a $5 million settlement with Maplebear Inc., which operates the delivery service used by Americans to get groceries sent to their front doors. The resolution addresses allegations that the company purposefully discriminated against U.S. and American workers based on country of origin, which the DOJ says violates the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). The company, according to the Justice Department, was abusing the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process by placing undue burdens on American applicants by requiring them to physically mail applications to the company, deviating from Instacart’s standard electronic application process. The scheme occurred from December 2023 through February 2026. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES ENDING 60-DAY GRACE PERIOD AFTER JOB LOSS FOR H-1B, OTHER VISA HOLDERS “This significant resolution marks the 15th settlement agreement the Civil Rights Division has reached under my leadership to protect U.S. workers,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said. “Our record demonstrates that the Justice Department is holding companies who prefer workers with temporary employment visas accountable. We will not stop fighting for U.S. workers until there is a fair playing field.” The settlement was secured in conjunction with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Instacart will be required, under the settlement, to set up a $4 million fund to compensate applicants who may have been wronged, and another $1 million in civil penalties. The PERM program allows employers to sponsor temporary visa workers for permanent residence in the United States. However, companies using the PERM program are required to make a “good-faith” effort to hire American workers before resorting to foreigners. STARBUCKS RESOLVES FLORIDA DEI LAWSUIT WITH BLOCKBUSTER AGREEMENT Companies cannot create “additional burdens for U.S. and American workers; publishing job advertisements that disfavor, limit, specify, or otherwise discriminate against U.S. and American workers; or use processes that limit, segregate, or classify applicants in any way that tends to deprive U.S. and American applicants of employment opportunities,” according to the DOJ. The settlement is the 15th of its kind since President Donald Trump began his second term in office in January 2025 and is part of a broader effort to ensure American workers aren’t illegally discriminated against. The EEOC has dubbed the mission “Project Firewall.” “Today’s settlement makes clear that when employers erect unlawful barriers that harm American workers, the EEOC will act decisively,” said Andrea Lucas, the chair of the EEOC. “The EEOC is committed to holding companies accountable when they deny equal work opportunities to U.S. workers by preferring temporary visa holders for jobs. Discrimination against workers based on their American national origin has no place in our economy.” “We’re proud to be a U.S.-based grocery technology platform, employing thousands of American workers and serving millions of customers, retailers, shoppers and brands. We encourage qualified U.S. jobseekers to apply to join our team,” an Instacart spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Hiring and investing in American workers across our U.S. business is our priority, and we actively promote every role across many channels to ensure qualified U.S. candidates are always first in line for opportunities. While we maintain that our practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, we’re pleased to have resolved this matter so we can keep our full focus on delivering on our mission for customers, shoppers, retailers and brands.”
Rogers warns Michigan voters against El-Sayed’s ‘extreme’ agenda ahead of election
Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers took aim at Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed during a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday, warning voters that his rival’s policies would hurt the state. Rogers accused El-Sayed of having a “pattern of deception” and called him a “manufactured candidate,” claiming the Democrat has misrepresented his political positions. “He is the most extreme candidate. He has called for defunding the police. He has called for letting criminals out of prison,” Rogers said. TRUMP TAKES BORDER CRACKDOWN TO DEEP-RED STATE AS SHOCK SENATE BATTLE THREATENS GOP STRONGHOLD “He has called for the Green New Deal, which for Michigan is a killer.” Rogers also touted his campaign’s ground operation, saying volunteers are approaching 6 million doors knocked across Michigan. “That’s the energy, and what we’re getting off of those doors is, ‘Yes, we’re voting,’ ‘No, we’re not going to be a DSA state,’ ‘No, we’re not going to let this happen on our watch.’” The Republican also said his campaign is seeing support from voters who traditionally back Democrats. MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT CONFIRMS SISTER-IN-LAW’S TERROR WATCHLIST LAWSUIT DAYS BEFORE OBAMA CAMPAIGN APPEARANCE Rogers later took questions from voters, including a Jewish woman who said she sometimes feels afraid to show her Jewish identity in public. Rogers said he had heard similar stories from Jewish students at the University of Michigan who said they concealed religious symbols because they were being harassed. Rogers also pointed to housing, education and skilled trades, saying he wants to make it easier for young adults to buy homes and bring more defense industry work to the state. ‘THE VIEW’ CO-HOSTS DEFEND EL-SAYED COMPARING HIMSELF TO JFK OVER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SCRUTINY He also called for putting shop classes back in Michigan high schools, arguing that expanding skilled-trade education would give students more paths to well-paying careers. Rogers closed by again targeting El-Sayed’s policies, arguing Michigan “cannot afford” them. “We certainly can’t risk his ideology,” he said. El-Sayed’s campaign could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
JD Vance declines to endorse Netanyahu despite Trump’s strong backing
Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection bid, saying he intends to stay out of Israel’s election despite President Donald Trump throwing his support behind the Israeli leader. During an interview Monday with Mark Halperin on “2WAY Tonight,” Vance said his focus remains on U.S. candidates ahead of the midterms, Politico reported. “The president has the most effective endorsement in American or international political history,” Vance said. “I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on in the midterms. So I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.” OMAR RAID DRAWS OMINOUS WARNING FROM VANCE AS HE BLASTS PROGRESSIVE REP’S ‘RAGE’ TOWARD AMERICA However, Vance made clear that his decision should not be interpreted as opposition to Netanyahu. “I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” the vice president added. The comments come one day after Trump gave Netanyahu his “Complete and Total Endorsement” in a lengthy Truth Social post, praising the prime minister as a key U.S. ally and partner in confronting Iran. “Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote. TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO ‘FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE Trump said Netanyahu had remained strong despite intense political pressure. “Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Israel. BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump said. Netanyahu quickly welcomed the president’s backing, thanking Trump for what he called his “extraordinary endorsement.” “President Trump, my friend Donald — thank you for your extraordinary endorsement,” he said. “Israel has never had a greater friend in the White House. Together we will never let Iran’s regime get nuclear weapons. Thank you for your clarity, courage and unwavering support.” NETANYAHU PRAISES TRUMP’S ‘WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR,’ DEFENDS IRONCLAD ALLIANCE AHEAD OF HISTORIC ISRAEL VOTE Vance’s decision to stay out of Israel’s election comes after he reportedly waded into another foreign political contest earlier this year. The vice president previously traveled to Hungary in April, where he campaigned alongside then-Prime Minister Viktor Orban shortly before Orban lost his reelection bid, according to Politico. The White House could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
Trump renews push to rename New Mexico ‘New America,’ touts higher home values and incomes
President Donald Trump is giving New Mexico another branding pitch, urging the state to swap “Mexico” for “America” and suggesting the change could boost everything from home values to state pride. “New Mexico should immediately change its name to New America. We are not Mexico, we are the United States of America!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The name would add great value and prestige to the State! Home Values and Incomes would rise, and you would be even prouder while saluting our beautiful American Flag!” The president also worked in a swipe at the state’s elections. AFTER ‘LAKE AMERICA,’ TRUMP SUGGESTS A NEW NAME FOR THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO “Maybe even the Crooked Elections, that New Mexico is known for, would become honest again!” he wrote. MAP IT: DOJ ILLEGAL VOTING CRACKDOWN SWEEPS 17 STATES AS RAZOR-THIN ELECTIONS FACE SCRUTINY Trump offered no evidence in the post to support his election allegation or explain how a name change would increase property values and incomes. The suggestion revives an idea Trump floated last month, when he shared a map showing “Mexico” crossed out in red and replaced with “America.” The White House amplified that post on its official X account. TRUMP TAUNTS CANADA ON RENAMING LAKE ONTARIO THE ‘LAKE AMERICA’ AMID RISING BORDER TRADE RIFT Trump also pitched the change during remarks at the RNC Midterm Convention on Sept. 9, suggesting neighboring New Mexico become “New America” and claiming the idea was popular. “You have a neighboring state, New Mexico. We think it should be called New America,” Trump said. “I’ll tell you, the people love the idea.” “I don’t know about the radical left. I’m sure it doesn’t like it, but the people love it,” he added. New Mexico’s Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, pushed back at the time, telling Fox News Digital that the state’s name “isn’t up for debate — it’s been ours since before the United States existed.” She accused the White House of focusing on a distraction while her administration worked on child care, education, health care and housing. NEW YORK GOV HOCHUL REJECTS TRUMP’S ‘LAKE AMERICA’ RENAMING WITH BLUNT MESSAGE “While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work,” Lujan Grisham said last month. Trump’s latest post calls for the state to change its name but does not lay out a formal process for doing so. New Mexico’s name is expressly written into Article I of its constitution, which states, “The name of this state is New Mexico.” HOUSE DEM DEBBIE DINGELL PLACES TRUMP’S LAKE ONTARIO NAME CHANGE IN THE CROSSHAIRS The proposal follows Trump’s moves to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” for federal use and the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Smithsonian screening dispute puts museum’s commitment to diverse views on trial: ‘Right kind of Black?’
FIRST ON FOX — A Black conservative filmmaker is challenging the Smithsonian to explain why his documentary questioning progressive views on race has yet to secure a public screening at its African American history museum, which has previously showcased films examining systemic racism. “White Guilt,” directed and co-produced by Eli Steele, is based on a book by his father, noted Black conservative academic Shelby Steele. The younger Steele, who is Black, Jewish and deaf, has drawn on his own experiences to challenge prevailing views on race and identity. The documentary argues that White guilt over America’s racial history, along with fears of being labeled racist, has pushed institutions to prioritize racial identity over individual merit. The dispute comes as the Smithsonian faces mounting pressure from President Donald Trump and his administration over allegations of ideological bias in its portrayal of American history. The White House has accused the institution of promoting progressive narratives and threatened to restrict federal support, escalating a broader battle over whose perspectives are represented in the nation’s museums. SMITHSONIAN AMERICA 250 EXHIBIT FEATURES 3X MORE LIBERAL ITEMS THAN CONSERVATIVE ONES Steele provided communications to Fox News Digital showing that the museum declined his proposed screening dates and offered him a private rental option instead. The filmmaker says the museum has yet to respond to his request for alternative dates for a public screening. “The film is professionally shot, the quality is there. A comparable film that they’ve shown is ’13th,’ which itself is a very controversial film,” Steele told Fox News Digital. “So that’s the big question we have here: Do we have viewpoint diversity or do we not? Do you have to be the right kind of Black to be shown at the Smithsonian?” “That’s the big question that we have to address in this room. But I hope that it’s not about any of that,” he continued. The filmmaker has questioned the apparent decision to not screen his film, given that the museum has allowed numerous other films with more progressive messages to have public screenings, though stopped short of accusing the museum of ideological discrimination. “13th,” the film mentioned by Steele, is featured in educational and public programming at the NMAAHC. It argues that the 13th Amendment’s exception permitting forced labor as punishment for a crime enabled racial control to persist after slavery by allegedly criminalizing Black behavior. Other films shown by the NMAAHC in public screenings include such titles as “Hidden Figures” in 2016, “I Am Not Your Negro” in 2017 and “Faith in Blackness: An Exploration of AfroLatine Spirituality” in 2023, the latter presented in partnership with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. LIBERAL FACULTY STILL HUGELY OUTNUMBER CONSERVATIVES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: REPORT While Steele was hesitant to speculate as to why his film hadn’t been scheduled for a public screening, other Black conservatives saw the museum’s handling of his request as part of a familiar pattern. “Academia is not what it was years ago when I went to graduate school, when it touted itself as a marketplace for ideas,” Carol Swain, a retired Black conservative professor and prominent media commentator, told Fox News Digital. “There would always be a token conservative included. And I have found over the years that conservatives were tolerated less and less. And if they were black, at some point they were not tolerated at all.” “When you look at an institution like the Smithsonian, that’s supposed to belong to all of us, to all Americans, you would think that it would be open to divergent views,” Swain, who spent her career at institutions such as Princeton and Vanderbilt, continued. “That is not what we find.” Wall Street Journal columnist and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Jason Riley shared a similar perspective. FORMER DEMOCRATIC STAFFERS, DEI LEADERS SHAPE SMITHSONIAN LEADERSHIP AMID POLITICAL FIRESTORM “I think the type of people who run the Smithsonian Institute are part of the broader liberal intelligentsia in this country that prevails in academia, prevails and the media. And this is not a point of view. That they take kindness to,” Riley told Fox News Digital. “In fact, this film takes some rather direct shots at that group of people. So there might be some self-interest here. It might cut a little too close to these folks.” “I do think that they have a vested interest in putting forward a narrative out there to advance a political agenda. And I think that’s what’s really going on here at places like the Smithsonian,” Riley continued, citing his experience as a Black commentator who has spent his career sparring with White liberals. TRUMP V. SMITHSONIAN: A TIMELINE OF HOW THE WHITE HOUSE FIGHT OVER ‘WOKE’ HISTORY UNFOLDED Both Riley and Swain argued that viewing the film could do a service to White progressives by challenging their assumptions about race and forcing them to confront whether their preferred policies are actually helping Black America. Riley stated that the Black Americans who regularly attend the NMAAHC could benefit from Steele’s film as it challenges the popular assumption that they are blocked from social mobility by virtue of their race. In recent months, the Smithsonian has been the target of criticism from Republican elected officials, including the president, who argue that the institution has allowed political bias to overshadow the neutral presentation of history, an argument some within the organization reject, claiming that they are simply presenting the good and the bad aspects of the American story. As part of its effort to pressure the Smithsonian over what it describes as ideological bias, the Trump administration has threatened to restrict federal support, including discretionary grants and cooperation from federal agencies. While Riley and Swain raised questions about the Smithsonian’s motives, the museum told Steele that his proposed dates were unavailable but did not explain whether it would consider alternative dates for a public screening, according to correspondence reviewed by Fox News Digital. Steele and his team reached out to the Smithsonian in late August about a public screening of
Reporter’s Notebook: Senate sneaks in one last political play before voters have their say
In politics, you sometimes just do what you can. All 100 duly chosen and sworn U.S. senators understood why the Senate met for a week at the end of September. Yes there was the college sports bill. Yes there was the confirmation of Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling. Yes there was a big hearing with former special counsel Jack Smith. But you’d be badly mistaken if you thought both sides were really there to hammer out a package to bring down the cost of living for Americans. Don’t take my word for it. Take the word of the senators. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: A GUIDE TO THE COLLEGE SPORTS VOTE AND SENATE’S OHIO SHOWDOWN You are correct to say that Democrats blocked two bills that Republicans say voters really want. One was a measure to diminish the costs consumers pay for data centers and a plan to restrict stock trades by lawmakers. The latter bill even included a voter ID requirement – crucial to the GOP and its base. But Republican senators knew that Democrats wouldn’t accept these proposals. This was about politics. And Democratic senators wouldn’t accept any of the GOP’s legislative propositions, either. So let’s start with the Ratepayer Protection Act. Both sides know that voters are tripped out about AI and utterly losing it when it comes to data centers. An internal GOP memo in August revealed that the party was especially leery of what this meant for Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Husted to the Senate last year to succeed Vice President JD Vance. Husted helped foster development of data centers as an official back in the Buckeye State. So, the final week of the Senate’s session before the midterms crawled with politics. REPUBLICANS FEAR THEY ‘HAVEN’T DONE A DAMN THING’ TO LOWER PRICES AHEAD OF MIDTERM RECKONING Republicans aimed to curb skyrocketing utility costs associated with the construction of data centers. “(People) ought to be guaranteed no electricity bills will go up by a cent because of a data center,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. “It sends a clear message that these AI companies and these data centers can’t just come into local communities and strip mine out (land). Raise the electricity rates. Kick people off the grid. Take their water.” But Democrats say the bill didn’t compel compliance by AI firms. This was just a suggestion that those who build the data centers help foot some of the bill. “It is a sham. A charade because it has no enforcement,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “Everything in that bill can already be done by a state regulator. Or it can already be done by a data center developer. And the bill requires nothing of them,” argued Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. I pressed Kaine on if “something was better than nothing.” He disagreed. “No. You shouldn’t trick people. And this is not even something,” replied Kaine. “It’s nothing,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., piled on with, “The Ratepayer Protection Act is a fraud. It does not require any protections at all. While Americans are demanding real guardrails on AI and data centers, Republicans are offering a toothless messaging bill.” The bill is laced with midterm politics. Democrats claim Republicans called the vote to throw a lifeline to Husted. Many Senate Republicans were ready for the Senate to leave town for the midterms. But they hedged their bets around the data center bill. And, Husted. “Can you say 110 precent this is not a vote to help Jon Husted in Ohio?” yours truly inquired of Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. “I think it will help him,” replied Hoeven. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., agreed with Hoeven. “The one thing I’ll just say is that this is clearly a political ploy,” said Kim. “This is not something that’s good for the American people. But it’s certainly good for Sen. Husted.” DATA CENTERS COULD BE THE SLEEPER ISSUE OF THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS The tilt between Husted and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is one of the nation’s most contentious Senate contests. “I don’t think that there’s a secret that Sen. Husted is trying to pass a piece of legislation so he could go home and run a campaign ad,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. Husted conceded as much. “We gave everybody a chance to do something about affordability and the Democrats blocked it. So we’ll go campaign on it,” said Husted. So yes. The Senate’s last week of session was about the midterms. “Has there ever been a late September or October before an election that wasn’t all politics?” asked Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. The evolving positions on the data center bill by Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., may be an example of that. Welch was a yea when asked about the legislation on September 23 , after it overwhelmingly cleared the House. “I support it and I’d be glad to vote on it,” said Welch. But the Vermont Democrat flipped to nay when the issue approached a roll call vote on the floor. “Why did you change? I asked Welch. “Well, two things. One, they won’t allow us to have an amendment. And the problem with this bill is that it has no teeth,” he replied. So the question is whether the sides prefer action. Or, if they’d rather have the issue. In fact it could be argued that Husted may have scored some political capital, deploying the blocked bill as a foil in an effort to contrast himself to Democrats. “It ought to be something that should be a no brainer here on the floor of the Senate,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. TRUMP’S DATA CENTER PUSH FRACTURES CONGRESS AS LOCAL ANGER EXPLODES: ‘GRASPING AT STRAWS’ It’s rare that competitive Senate contests pivot on a solitary issue. And certainly an individual debate or vote. Democratic Maine Senate nominee Troy Jackson is pushing Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. It was one