Rubio confirms ‘foreign actor’ involved in UK terror plot
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that a recent thwarted terror plot near a United Kingdom military base used by the United States involved a “foreign actor,” linking the incident to global threats from adversaries such as Iran. “What happened, what almost happened, what could have happened in the U.K. over the weekend is a very serious situation,” Rubio told Fox News’ “Hannity” on Monday night. “It’s one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor.” “I won’t get into great detail about that yet.” RUBIO QUESTIONS ‘POINT’ OF NATO AFTER ALLIES BLOCKED US FROM USING BASES DURING IRAN CONFLICT Rubio added there would be “repercussions” for threats against U.S. interests. “I think it ties us to the reality here, and that is, we are dealing with elements in the world, and in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally,” he continued. “We’re going to always take that very seriously. There will be repercussions for that, if it ever were to happen or even attempted.” Rubio thanked the partners in the U.K. for helping thwart the “very serious threat” of an attack. TRUMP WARNS US WOULD ‘DECIMATE AND DESTROY’ IRAN OVER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT “I want to thank the U.K. for their cooperation and their help on it,” he said. “There’s a lot more news that will come out on this in the days to come. But there’s only so much I can say right now at this point about it, other than this was a very serious thing, and it was responded to appropriately.” British police declared a major incident at the RAF Fairford base in western England following the arrests early Sunday, and the government held a national emergency meeting. Police, however, released the five on bail Monday but said the investigation was not over, and they were examining whether individuals acting for a foreign state were involved. BRITAIN INTRODUCES SWEEPING NEW POWERS TO TARGET FOREIGN STATE-LINKED GROUPS INCLUDING IRAN’S IRGC President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday that the incident “might be” connected to Iran, which the United States has been at war with since late February, and that he would not have released the suspects on bail. “I wouldn’t have done that,” he said. A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that three large white vans the men appeared to travel in had not contained viable explosives. TRUMP RETALIATES AFTER IRAN ATTACK AS EXPERT WARNS REGIME IS GROWING MORE DANGEROUS The Reuters source said Sunday’s police response had not been intelligence-led — an indication that the five were not under direct surveillance — but security had been beefed up at the base, suggesting there was information it was being targeted. The five arrested are all British nationals in their early 20s from London. They were detained in the early hours on Sunday after police were alerted by a local farmer to the three white vans parked near RAF Fairford. Local residents have said security was significantly beefed up at the base in the days leading up to Sunday. The local farmer told reporters that one neighbor, driving past the base on Saturday night, had been ordered by U.S. security personnel to stop and put their hands out of their car. AMERICA BUILT A FORTRESS AFTER 9/11. THEN THE THREAT STARTED HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT The farmer, who asked not to be named, called the police after she returned home around 1 a.m. local time and found three large vans parked in the road, one with a fake telephone number on it, and a group of hooded and masked men running away. A large cordon remained around the base Tuesday morning and roadblocks were in place, although local media reports said residents from nearby homes which had been evacuated were returning. Western governments have warned in recent years of the threat of hostile actors from Iran, Russia and elsewhere organizing destabilizing activity or hiring proxies to carry out plots. PUTIN AND IRAN ‘NEED EACH OTHER DESPERATELY,’ EXPERT SAYS, AS RUSSIA VOICES SUPPORT FOR REGIME Britain raised its national terrorism threat level to its second-highest in April after a series of antisemitic incidents in north London, meaning an attack is considered highly likely. It has also imposed sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Iran, accusing them of involvement in hostile activity including plotting attacks and providing financial services to groups seeking to destabilize Britain and other countries. Iran has denied involvement in attacks or plots in Britain and elsewhere, and Monday denied any involvement in the incident at Fairford. Reuters contributed to this report.
Real winner of Xi summit revealed as Trump looks to usher in new era with China
For years, being “soft” on China was a political insult hurled across the aisle. Great-power competition ruled. Washington increasingly prepared for the possibility of war with Beijing as the national security world pivoted toward the Indo-Pacific. The scene in D.C. last week looked markedly different as President Donald Trump attempts to welcome in a new era with the world’s second-biggest superpower and growing adversary — especially when it comes to the ever-changing tech landscape. Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping with a red carpet and the pomp of a state visit last week, speaking warmly about his relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader as the two sides looked for new areas of cooperation. “The summit went great — for Xi Jinping,” Scott Kennedy, a China economics expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital. ‘RED CARPET FOR A DESPOT’: TRUMP’S LAVISH XI WELCOME COLLIDES WITH GOP ANTI-COMMUNISM MESSAGE The reception was striking given how Washington’s leaders have spent years describing the challenge posed by Beijing: Chinese hackers penetrating American networks, state-backed efforts to steal U.S. technology and trade secrets, unfair trade practices and a rapidly expanding military with its sights set on Taiwan. Gordon Chang, a China analyst and author who has long advocated a harder line toward Beijing, said there was a distinction between keeping lines of communication open with a rival and giving Xi the reception he received in Washington. “I understand that you have a need for dialogue, but when you have that dialogue, you don’t necessarily have to have all of the ceremony and all the legitimization,” Chang told Fox News Digital. “We can talk to the Chinese, but we don’t need to do it in the way that occurred last week.” Trump, however, is betting that a warmer relationship with Xi can produce results despite those enduring disputes. The question is how much Beijing’s behavior has actually changed — and what Washington is willing to live with in pursuit of a more stable relationship. Kennedy explained that “the U.S. got a few small things — agreement to lower tariffs on $60B worth of goods, some purchases of specific items (such as agricultural and coal), the standing up of an AI dialogue, and alignment on major goals with regard to Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.” “But Xi came away the winner because the current commercial ceasefire works mainly to Beijing’s advantage,” he added. “It gives them time to continue unabated their drive for tech self-reliance, narrow the lead in various sectors, including AI, and maintain an imbalanced commercial relationship with its trading partners.” TRUMP’S QUIET CHINA WINS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN XI’S EMPTY STATE VISIT Chang identified the same commodity as particularly valuable to Beijing: time. “While we talk, we defer taking action,” Chang said. “So China got delay. And that is, I think, absolutely critical.” The administration has gotten movement from Beijing on some long-running disputes. China has tightened controls on chemicals used to make fentanyl and, according to the White House, arrested 21 Chinese nationals in August based on information supplied by U.S. law enforcement. Trump is still pressing Xi to permanently restrict additional precursor chemicals, but the steps mark tangible progress on an issue that has bedeviled Washington for years. Trade is more complicated. Trump and Xi emerged from last week’s talks with a new list of $30 billion in American products and $30 billion in Chinese products recommended for lower tariffs. For U.S. exporters, that could mean better access to the Chinese market for agricultural products, seafood, timber, cosmetics and medical devices. But there is a gap between the announcement and its impact. The two countries have agreed to consider favorable tariff treatment for the products — they have not yet put all of those lower tariffs into effect. AMERICA AND CHINA ARE FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF AI — CHIPS ARE THE BATTLEFIELD And Washington is still trying to get Beijing to make good on commitments it already made. Nowhere is that more consequential than critical minerals, where China’s dominance over global supply chains gives it enormous leverage over industries ranging from automobiles to weapons production. After his May summit with Xi, Trump announced that China had agreed to address U.S. concerns over shortages of rare earths and other critical minerals. Four months later, the issue remains unresolved. The White House said after last week’s summit that Washington and Beijing “continue to work” on restoring adequate shipments. No new comprehensive critical-minerals agreement was announced. “China has not been living up to its commitments on supplying those minerals,” Chang said. The gap between Washington’s warmer posture and its longstanding concerns about Beijing extends beyond trade. Ahead of Xi’s visit, Trump was asked about Chinese spying and cyber activity — an issue U.S. officials have spent years describing as one of the most persistent threats from Beijing. “When they say China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” Trump said. “They basically do what we do.” Trump’s own intelligence community describes the threat in markedly different terms. The intelligence community’s 2026 Annual Threat Assessment calls China the “most active and persistent cyber threat” to U.S. government, private-sector and critical infrastructure networks. U.S. officials have accused Beijing-linked hackers of burrowing into telecommunications networks through the Salt Typhoon campaign and pre-positioning inside critical infrastructure through Volt Typhoon — activity officials have warned could give China the ability to disrupt communications, energy, transportation and water systems in a future crisis. “Yes, we do spy on each other, but there’s a difference in the spying world,” Chang said. “There are so-called legitimate targets. That’s the governments of each state, defense contractors. What is not considered legitimate is spying on civilian institutions, NGOs, universities, all the rest of it. China does that. “I don’t think it’s his job to make excuses for China. His job is to protect the United States.” Taiwan offers another test of the new relationship. A roughly $14 billion
Could Trump revoke Ilhan Omar’s citizenship for alleged brother marriage? Ex federal prosecutor breaks it down
The Trump administration’s recent effort to bring the law down on Rep. Ilhan Omar could go as far as seeking to strip the Minnesota congresswoman of her citizenship for alleged immigration fraud. But a criminal investigation is unlikely to yield the results the president wants, according to a former federal prosecutor. Michael Wildes, an immigration attorney, told Fox News Digital that investigators face a “very high bar” to build a case against Omar after White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is conducting a “criminal” investigation against the progressive “Squad” member. It all stems from claims that Omar married her brother to gain U.S. citizenship, which she has repeatedly denied. President Donald Trump has a longstanding feud with Omar going back to when she was first elected in the middle of his first term, and quickly became one of his most vocal critics in Congress. Trump has repeatedly called for Omar to be sent back to Somalia because of her alleged fraudulent activity. The Trump administration continues to ramp up efforts to denaturalize and deport individuals accused of immigration fraud. And Vice President JD Vance claimed earlier this year that the Department of Justice is investigating Omar for alleged fraud and immigration violations. But questions remain over what a potential prosecution and denaturalization case against the Somali-born lawmaker would require. Wildes said that investigators would need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Omar knowingly entered her marriage — to a man critics allege is her brother — for the sole purpose of evading U.S. immigration laws. DOJ MOVES TO STRIP CITIZENSHIP FROM 17 PEOPLE ACCUSED OF HIDING DISTURBING CRIMES “In order to establish a successful marriage fraud case, the government would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt… that the defendant knowingly entered into a marriage with the primary purpose to evade immigration laws and get a benefit,” Wildes said. Wildes noted that even if Omar and her husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, decided after getting married that their partnership could be a scheme for Elmi to fast pass America’s immigration process, this would not be considered marriage fraud in court. He continued, “Those are very high bars and thresholds that they would have to surmount. The immigration benefit cannot be a byproduct or secondary consideration. This is not deemed to be illegal.” If evidence was presented to prove Omar and Elmi committed marriage fraud, the Minnesota Democrat could face up to five years in jail, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both. Wildes also pointed out that there are statutes of limitations that could hinder a potential prosecution and make it more difficult to prosecute Omar for marriage fraud, as that marriage was in 2009. But there is still a pathway for Omar to be denaturalized, which Homan described as a “very serious process” while discussing the investigation into the congresswoman. “The question is: Do they have it factually, and is it the right thing to do?” Wildes said. “The question is whether or not inadvertences were made not purposefully and whether or not it’s over the top to then denaturalize somebody,” he said. “We’re talking about taking away a benefit and then banishing them from the United States.” FORMER USCIS OFFICIAL, ACCOMPLICE CHARGED IN ALLEGED $960K CITIZENSHIP BRIBERY SCHEME For Omar to be denaturalized, the process would have to be related to allegations that she falsified information when obtaining her own citizenship in 2000. Omar claims she was granted automatic citizenship because she was a minor when her father was naturalized. Congressional records state Omar became a citizen at age 17, but speculation that she was older at the time of her naturalization began after former Minnesota congressional candidate AJ Kern accused Omar’s birth year of being revised on the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library website. This caused allegations to circulate on social media that she was not a minor at the time, which, if ever proven true, could lead to her denaturalization. Even if her father lied in his citizenship paperwork, this could also potentially lead to Omar being stripped of her citizenship. Wildes also explained that the government makes a “case-by-case” decision when it comes to pursuing denaturalization cases. He also pointed out the relevancy of an intentional lie as opposed to a mistake. “If the government were to prosecute for document fraud, we would also want to know whether or not she was represented by counsel, and if there were simple mistakes on her application or inadvertences that may be deemed to be fraudulent,” Wildes said. “Whether or not [these] things are truthful, hypothesized, or can be backed up in fact, will play heavily in that prosecution.” Homan didn’t answer whether the federal government has evidence that Omar committed either marriage or immigration fraud, while also declining to go into detail about what particularly DHS is investigating Omar for. Omar told Fox News Digital just last week that she has not been contacted by DHS or made aware of any ongoing investigation into her marriage or immigration status, saying she isn’t worried about it because “the right wing always had this s— going.” ‘SQUAD’ DEM DISMISSES FRAUD PROBE SPECULATION AFTER $29M NET-WORTH DROP But Wildes said her being unaware that she is being investigated is not unusual and doesn’t invalidate Homan’s confirmation of a “criminal” investigation against her. “The congresswoman’s not being aware doesn’t change anything,” Wildes said. “There is no obligation for the government to show their hand, and they’re going to want to make sure that they have a good prosecution, and they don’t give anything up in the interim because of the politics that this presents as well.” “I haven’t seen anything that I think is worthy of a prosecution,” Wildes said. “This is a member of Congress. It may not be your politics, but we have to also make sure that we engage in prosecutions properly and not frivolously.” Neither Omar nor DHS responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Trump CMS faces bipartisan pushback over Medicare proposal tied to Biden-era drug pricing law
EXCLUSIVE: A bipartisan group of more than 50 lawmakers is urging the Trump administration not to finalize a proposed Medicare policy tied to the Biden-era drug price negotiation program, arguing it could discourage development of improved cancer treatments. In a Sept. 21 letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the lawmakers called on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to remove the agency’s proposed fixed-dose combination policy from its final rule implementing Medicare’s Drug Price Negotiation Program. The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program was created under the Inflation Reduction Act, which former President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. The Trump administration proposed the policy in June as part of implementing that program. At the center of the dispute is how Medicare would treat newer versions of existing drugs for price negotiation purposes. DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT The lawmakers argue the proposal would cause some improved treatments to face Medicare price negotiations much sooner after receiving Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. They say that would reduce incentives for drugmakers to develop better versions of existing medicines. “If finalized, the proposed fixed-dose combination policy would subject these advancements to negotiation almost immediately after FDA approval, harming patient access as well as incentives to develop these improved therapies,” the lawmakers wrote. CMS, meanwhile, said the proposal is designed to prevent drugmakers from avoiding or delaying negotiated Medicare prices by making only limited changes to existing drugs and introducing them as new products. DR OZ NAMES 5 STATES IN FRAUD CRACKDOWN AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TARGETS MEDICAID ABUSE The lawmakers pointed to advances in cancer immunotherapy that allow some patients to receive a quick injection instead of spending hours receiving an intravenous infusion. They said those improvements can make treatment faster, easier and more accessible, particularly for patients in rural areas. “Patients fighting cancer deserve access to the most advanced new therapies, and if CMS finalizes this proposal, those advances are less likely to reach those who need it the most,” the letter states. The lawmakers also argued the FDA already evaluates the therapies as separate medicines, requiring separate clinical trials and approvals. They said CMS should treat those therapies as separate medicines under the Medicare drug price negotiation program. The lawmakers also argued that CMS actuaries “have not been able to show this policy would produce meaningful savings for taxpayers.” DR OZ REVEALS THE HEALTHY RETIREMENT HABIT THAT COULD MAKE AMERICA $1 TRILLION RICHER “We strongly urge CMS to withdraw the fixed-dose combination proposal from the final rule,” the letter states. “The patients we represent need policies that expand access to lifesaving care and reward medical progress and innovation in the treatment of deadly diseases.” The letter was signed by more than 50 lawmakers from both parties, including Reps. John Joyce, R-Pa., Darin LaHood, R-Ill., Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, Tim Moore, R-N.C., Jim Costa, D-Calif., Donald Davis, D-N.C., and more. CMS could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
Dem Senate nominee breaks silence after Susan Collins’ office was vandalized with vulgar message
Republican Sen. Susan Collins said she would not be “intimidated” after one of her Maine constituent offices was vandalized Monday, prompting her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, to break his silence Monday night and condemn the “vandalism and intimidation” as “wrong.” The senator’s constituent office in Biddeford, Maine was vandalized on Monday, with the words “Trump Whore” sprayed on the entry doors. The senator’s office confirmed the incident, while a photo of the defaced doors was posted on Facebook and X by Maine state Sen. Matt Harrington, the assistant Republican leader in the chamber. Meanwhile, the Biddeford police confirmed the presence of an investigation into the matter to Fox News Digital. “Vandalism is unacceptable. Senator Collins and her staff will not be intimidated. Our Biddeford constituent service office remains open, and we will continue serving the people of Maine,” Collins Chief of Staff Katie Brown said in a statement to Fox News Digital. SUSAN COLLINS DEFIES BLUE-STATE HEADWINDS IN CRUCIAL SENATE BATTLE AS NEW POLL REVEALS STRIKING SPLIT Collins is running for re-election this year for a sixth six-year term representing blue-leaning Maine in the Senate, and is locked in a competitive contest with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, the former Maine Senate president. The race is a must-flip for the Democrats as they try to recapture the Senate majority from the GOP in this autumn’s midterm elections. “There’s no place for this in Maine. Vandalism and intimidation are wrong, full stop,” Jackson told Fox News Digital after publication. “Senator Collins and her staff should be able to do their jobs without anyone defacing their office, and I condemn whoever did this.” SUSAN COLLINS DROPS BRUTAL REMINDER OF DEM RIVAL ROCKED BY ACCUSATIONS Former Maine state Rep. Austin Theriault, the 2024 Republican congressional nominee who narrowly lost to Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and is now seeking to return to the state House, told Fox News Digital “there shouldn’t be any hesitation to condemn these sort of actions, regardless of where you are on the political spectrum.” “I’m very confident that Sen. Collins herself would very quickly condemn this if the shoe was on the other foot,” Theriault said, while questioning whether Maine Democrats have an “identity problem” following Jackson’s initial silence. Maine GOP Communications Director Kristina Parker argued in a statement to Fox News Digital that the vandalism “is just another example of the radical left’s aggression and inability to have civil discourse.” MAINE ICE SHOOTING VICTIM WAS NOT TARGET OF ARREST WARRANT, SEN. KING’S OFFICE SAYS AFTER EARLIER DHS ACCOUNT “We hope the prosecution is quick and smooth. Our political environment should not tolerate this volatile and disgusting behavior,” she added. Collins’ office in Biddeford is located just a few blocks from the site of a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in July. Following the shooting, protesters marched to the senator’s Biddeford office to demonstrate against Collins’ support for ICE funding. The senator, a moderate Republican who has occasionally broken with President Donald Trump, has drawn bipartisan attention throughout the campaign. She received praise this summer after casting her 10,000th consecutive Senate vote, but has also faced criticism from both parties. Collins has criticized Trump’s tariff policies toward Canada and voted against Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation, while Democrats have continued to target her over her defense of her 2018 vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who later joined the Supreme Court majority that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Dem Senate nominee silent after Susan Collins’ office was vandalized with vulgar message
Republican Sen. Susan Collins said she would not be “intimidated” after one of her Maine constituent offices was vandalized Monday as Democratic challenger Troy Jackson‘s campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the incident. The senator’s constituent office in Biddeford, Maine was vandalized on Monday, with the words “Trump Whore” sprayed on the entry doors. The senator’s office confirmed the incident, while a photo of the defaced doors was posted on Facebook and X by Maine state Sen. Matt Harrington, the assistant Republican leader in the chamber. Meanwhile, the Biddeford police confirmed the presence of an investigation into the matter to Fox News Digital. “Vandalism is unacceptable. Senator Collins and her staff will not be intimidated. Our Biddeford constituent service office remains open, and we will continue serving the people of Maine,” Collins Chief of Staff Katie Brown said in a statement to Fox News Digital. SUSAN COLLINS DEFIES BLUE-STATE HEADWINDS IN CRUCIAL SENATE BATTLE AS NEW POLL REVEALS STRIKING SPLIT Collins is running for re-election this year for a sixth six-year term representing blue-leaning Maine in the Senate, and is locked in a competitive contest with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, the former Maine Senate president. The race is a must-flip for the Democrats as they try to recapture the Senate majority from the GOP in this autumn’s midterm elections. Jackson did not respond to repeated inquiries from Fox News Digital seeking comment about the vandalism. SUSAN COLLINS DROPS BRUTAL REMINDER OF DEM RIVAL ROCKED BY ACCUSATIONS Former Maine state Rep. Austin Theriault, the 2024 Republican congressional nominee who narrowly lost to Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and is now seeking to return to the state House, told Fox News Digital “there shouldn’t be any hesitation to condemn these sort of actions, regardless of where you are on the political spectrum.” “I’m very confident that Sen. Collins herself would very quickly condemn this if the shoe was on the other foot,” Theriault said, while questioning whether Maine Democrats have an “identity problem” following Jackson’s silence. Maine GOP Communications Director Kristina Parker argued in a statement to Fox News Digital that the vandalism “is just another example of the radical left’s aggression and inability to have civil discourse.” MAINE ICE SHOOTING VICTIM WAS NOT TARGET OF ARREST WARRANT, SEN. KING’S OFFICE SAYS AFTER EARLIER DHS ACCOUNT “We hope the prosecution is quick and smooth. Our political environment should not tolerate this volatile and disgusting behavior,” she added. Collins’ office in Biddeford is located just a few blocks from the site of a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in July. Following the shooting, protesters marched to the senator’s Biddeford office to demonstrate against Collins’ support for ICE funding. The senator, a moderate Republican who has occasionally broken with President Donald Trump, has drawn bipartisan attention throughout the campaign. She received praise this summer after casting her 10,000th consecutive Senate vote, but has also faced criticism from both parties. Collins has criticized Trump’s tariff policies toward Canada and voted against Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation, while Democrats have continued to target her over her defense of her 2018 vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who later joined the Supreme Court majority that overturned Roe v. Wade.
‘Insulting’: Ex-Trump official’s ‘dishonest’ campaign ad triggers conservative revolt
Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ignited backlash from conservatives Monday after releasing a campaign ad depicting a young White man as the face of welfare abuse, with critics arguing the portrayal was misleading. The ad, released as Huckabee Sanders runs for reelection on new welfare work requirements, follows a fictional character named “Brad,” who is portrayed as an able-bodied White man spending his days playing video games, lounging on the couch and avoiding work while relying on taxpayer-funded benefits. Huckabee Sanders argues her proposal would require able-bodied adults without dependents to work, train for a job or volunteer in order to continue receiving assistance. “Meet Brad,” Huckabee Sanders starts the ad. “Brad has turned relaxing into a full-time profession. But you – you actually work hard. You pay taxes to cover welfare for guys like Brad who just choose not to work.” Huckabee Sanders, who served as President Trump’s White House press secretary from 2017 to 2019, faced backlash from conservatives who slammed the campaign’s execution, arguing the decision to depict a young White man as the face of welfare abuse did not reflect reality. FLORIDA BECOMES FIRST STATE TO BLOCK WELFARE CASH FOR TATTOOS, VAPES AND MORE “Great policy,” Co-founder and CEO of The Federalist Sean Davis argued. “Terrible ad that is so dishonest and insulting that it will entirely overshadow the genuinely great policy.” “This is a massive own goal, [Sarah Huckabee Sanders], and you should fire the consultants who made this ad,” Will Chamberlain, the Article III Project senior counsel, posted on X. “Do not portray your core voting bloc as losers, period. “ “White males are the Republican Party’s voting base and yet they are the group the Republican Party sh—s on at every possible opportunity,” responded Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh. “Meanwhile, back in reality, women are significantly more likely to be on welfare than men. And black people are astronomically more likely to be on welfare than white people. So the number of single young white male ‘Brads’ abusing the welfare system is minuscule.” WARNOCK WARNS DEMS TO CUT THE ‘JARGON’ AND SPEAK ‘PLAIN ENGLISH’ WITH YOUNG MEN WHO FEEL LEFT BEHIND “Attacking white (specifically Christian) young men is the most acceptable political tactic in America thanks to the evils of liberalism,” said the American Principles Project’s Caleb Pascoe. “It’s staggering how much even the majority of GOP politicians feel safe attacking white young men, instead of communicating the truth of welfare, because they might get called ‘racist’ or whatever.” “Always a white male villain in these ads,” another conservative account wrote. “I hate the GOP so much it’s unreal.” After the initial post got millions of views, Huckabee Sanders followed up with an X post that said, “Some critics online don’t like my welfare work requirement ad. Next thing you know they’ll say I should have used cookies instead of cheese balls.” “If you are able-bodied you should not collect welfare simply because you choose not to work. Period. WATCH->” she continued, which invited conservatives to attack the video again. “Your ad targeted and mocked the one demographic—young white men—that is least likely to be on welfare and yet the most likely to be illegally locked out of the job market,” Davis added in a follow-up post. “Why?” “Is this an op?” another account wrote. EX-HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR SAYS GOP ISN’T ‘A CONSERVATIVE PARTY ANYMORE,’ BUT DEMOCRATS ARE ‘WORSE’ The unusual backlash from the right also attracted attention from critics on the left, who seized on the intra-conservative dispute over the ad. Among them was left-wing commentator Keith Olbermann, who mocked what he called the “White Power GOP Party” for turning on Huckabee Sanders over the ad’s depiction of a white welfare recipient. “Huck puts out the first honest TV ad by a republican in 75 years and the White Power GOP Party is big mad that the welfare leech shown is a white guy named Brad,” Olbermann said amid the backlash. “Republicans are insanely mad this Sarah Huckabee Sanders ad portrays a white gamer guy as the face of welfare,” Will Sommer, a senior reporter for The Bulwark, posted on X. “Republicans in the comments are furious that Sarah Huckabee Sanders dared to depict a white man on welfare and are blaming “jews,” far-left media company MeidasTouch posted on X. “The Republican Party has a massive racism and antisemitism problem.” Fox News Digital reached out to Huckabee Sanders’ team for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
El-Sayed questions ethics of football in resurfaced audio
Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed took aim at football culture, questioning whether America’s most popular sport is “ethical,” according to a resurfaced audio clip posted online Monday by the Republican Party. In a 2023 podcast episode, the Michigan Democrat questioned whether American football could be considered “ethical” or “safe” due to the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) for players and perceived ties to toxic masculinity and violence. “What is it about this brutal sport that keeps us coming back?” El-Sayed is heard saying. “Is there a version of football that’s actually ethical and safe? What would need to change?” El-Sayed has questioned the sport in the past, most recently earlier this month when he released a video voicing concerns about the cost to attend NFL games. ABDUL EL-SAYED DODGES ‘RACIST NFL’ CLAIM, CONTINUES DEFENDING COLIN KAEPERNICK The video shows El-Sayed throwing and catching a football while questioning the high prices of tickets, in addition to money spent on concessions. NEW RESEARCH FINDS 1 IN 4 NFL PLAYERS COULD DEVELOP CTE IN THEIR LIFETIME: ‘SHOULD BE A CALL TO ACTION’ “It’s gotten way too expensive,” he said. “That means that something that’s supposed to bring us all together, like football, separates those who have and those who have not.” He also noted that many football stadiums are subsidized by taxpayer funds, and yet, ticket prices continue to climb. In October 2021, El-Sayed wrote that “the toxic masculinity at the heart of America’s most popular sport — and men’s sports culture more generally — is way deeper than a few emails or a Jay-Z turnaround.” The Democratic Senate hopeful played football growing up and was the captain of his high school team. He called sports his “lifeline.” Despite his criticism of what he described as the toxic elements of male sports culture, El-Sayed has also defended masculinity and chided Democrats for talking down to men, often posting fitness-related content as part of his strategy to appeal to male voters. Fox News Digital has reached out to El-Sayed for comment.
Protester storms DC party, flips off crowd as ‘USA!’ chants erupt amid Trump’s AI push
Protesters crashed a large pro-data center party in Washington, D.C., making obscene guestures attendees and shouting about the industry’s water use as President Donald Trump pushes to accelerate America’s artificial intelligence and data center boom. “Thank you for using all of our water!” and “You’re killing the world,” the protester shouted as a woman interrupted the party, directing middle fingers at the crowd while chanting against the data center industry. The “Data After Dark” party was hosted by three self-proclaimed data center “fanboys,” bringing together more than 600 people to show support for data center infrastructure. FIRST ON FOX: ‘NO KINGS’ PROTEST NETWORK BEHIND FIGHT AGAINST AI DATA CENTERS AND FLOCK CAMERAS Party co-host and Young Voices CEO Casey Givens told Fox News Digital that one protester initially approached him asking to give a toast in support of data centers, but after he refused, she jumped onstage and attempted to grab the microphone from co-host Jonas Du. After the protester was removed by security, the crowd responded by chanting, “USA, USA, USA.” Data centers power artificial intelligence by housing thousands of high-performance computers that store, process and analyze data, enabling AI systems to be trained and operate. INSIDE THE FAR-LEFT’S ANTI-DATA CENTER PUSH AND WHAT EXPERTS SAY IS DRIVING IT: ‘PLAYBOOK WE’VE SEEN BEFORE’ “I organized the party along with my co-hosts because the three of us were dismayed by how one side was dominating the data center conversation with hysteria instead of reason,” said Givens. “We wanted to push back by throwing a celebration of technology and benefits of data centers — locally in terms of tax revenue and economic development, and nationally in terms of innovation and the fight against China,” Givens added. The party featured themed cocktails such as “Loudoun County Iced Tea,” named after the Northern Virginia county that handles more than 70% of global internet traffic across roughly 250 data centers, according to the county’s website. CHINA ‘THROWING GASOLINE ON THE FIRE’ IN AI DATA CENTERS RACE, SAY LAWMAKERS Trump has pushed for a rapid buildout of data centers as part of his broader AI agenda, contending the U.S. must stay ahead of China in the global AI race and that resistance to the projects gives Beijing an advantage. “If you want to go through poverty, crime and squalor, I would say don’t approve of data centers,” Trump said from the Oval Office Sept. 4. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Trump boasted about American AI supremacy over China during an address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York Tuesday, using his newly-minted term for the technology, “superintelligence.” “Every major new technology brings challenges, and superintelligence is no exception,” said Trump. “Whoever wins superintelligence wins. That’s the group that wins. And we’re leading now over China by a lot and everyone else. And we’re going to keep it that way.”
DOJ pleads with Supreme Court to save ban on transgender treatments in federal prisons
The Justice Department on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) policy banning payment for hormone treatments and social accommodations for transgender inmates. The DOJ is asking the high court to block a lower court’s ruling so that the federal government can immediately enforce its updated prison policy regarding gender dysphoria. “BOP’s decision to prioritize mental-health treatment, while discontinuing medically disputed and unproven sex-rejecting interventions, falls well within the bounds of reasoned decision-making,” U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the DOJ petition. WOMAN OBJECTED TO TRANS SEX OFFENDER ROOMMATE — THEN SHE WAS SENT BACK TO PRISON, LEGAL GROUP SAYS The BOP issued a new policy in February prohibiting any surgeries aimed at modifying sex traits, as well as discontinuing hormone treatments for inmates not currently on hormone therapy. In addition, the policy prevents social accommodations for inmates, such as breast/buttock padding, chest binders, makeup, wigs, or undergarments that do not align with an inmate’s biological sex. FEMALE INMATE SUES WASHINGTON STATE AFTER ALLEGED ATTACK BY MALE-BORN PRISONER IN WOMEN’S FACILITY Earlier this year, a group of federal inmates sued the Trump administration over an executive order issued at the start of his second term that prohibited the use of federal funds for medical treatments or procedures for transgender inmates. In June, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Ronald Reagan appointee, ordered the BOP to continue providing accommodations and care for transgender inmates in federal prisons, saying officials had not provided a serious explanation for why medical treatment for gender dysphoria should be handled differently than in other cases. JD VANCE CALLS ON DOJ TO PROSECUTE ALLEGED FRAUD IN TEEN TRANSGENDER TREATMENT The lower court found that the BOP failed to adequately consider its own past experience providing care aligned with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). In its Supreme Court filing, the DOJ said the care guidelines from WPATH are scientifically flawed, biased, and unreliable. LIBERAL JUSTICE HAMMERS SUPREME COURT FOR FAST-TRACKING EMERGENCY DOCKET CASES Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to revive the policy while proceedings moved forward following an appeal by the Justice Department. In the lawsuit, the DOJ and Sauer argued that courts must grant double deference to federal prison administrators. “Prison administrators . . . should be accorded wide-ranging deference in the adoption and execution of policies and practices that in their judgment are needed to preserve internal order and discipline and to maintain institutional security.” “The court’s demand for additional evidence cannot be reconciled with bedrock principles of administrative law or the double deference that BOP is due in this context.”