WATCH: Dem Senate hopeful caught plotting to silo conservative media outlets with top aide
FIRST ON FOX: Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed was caught on a livestream asking a top campaign aide to separate conservative reporters — whom he referred to as “bogeys” — from the rest of the press after a campaign event with Hasan Piker last week. The hot-mic moment came as Piker’s crew was live-streaming backstage ahead of the event, when El-Sayed’s communications director Roxie Richner told him and Piker, “We’re going to do the quick scrum with Fox, the Free Beacon and those folks,” prompting El-Sayed to ask, “Could you separate, like, the bogeys, from everyone else?” After Richner responded in the affirmative, El-Sayed fist bumped her before Piker swooped in to let the pair know they were being filmed. The candid moment followed days of blowback El-Sayed faced for holding an event with Piker, the controversial podcaster who had to walk back comments saying Americans deserved 9/11, justified Hamas’ attacks and slaughter, including rapes, on innocent Israelis, and recently told his followers that “you really don’t need suicide bombing anymore,” because cheap Chinese-made drones can be bought online for anyone who is interested in performing a terror strike. POPULAR FAR-LEFT STREAMER UNLEASHES PROFANE TIRADE AGAINST VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST REFUGEE IN RESURFACED VID El-Sayed responded to those concerns by insisting his goal was to ensure his message speaks to a “broader audience” that has felt left out of contemporary politics, during an interview just days before the event with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer. He told Hemmer that he was talking to him, despite the fact that they frequently disagreed, for precisely that reason of trying to engage with broader audiences. “When I said I’ll talk to anyone, I meant it. I’ll be on Fox News at 9:15am with Bill Hemmer,” El-Sayed tweeted ahead of his talk with Hemmer earlier this month. Piker quickly swooped in after the fist-bump was caught on camera to tell Richner and El-Sayed that he was filming. The trio quickly separated, but the camera kept rolling as it followed a visibly bothered Piker. “Probably some progress being made,” Piker’s camera operator said after the trio had separated, and the live stream settled back on Piker, who had walked away and began guzzling a bottle of water. “I don’t think so,” Piker responded as he continued guzzling the water bottle. Richner, El-Sayed’s staffer seen fist-bumping him, told Fox News Digital that the campaign took questions from a “broad scrum” after the event that day, as well as after a second event held later the same day at Michigan State University. Richner also reiterated El-Sayed’s claims that he welcomes conversations with people of all political stripes. “Following both rallies, our campaign took questions in a broad scrum that included all press who attended: local news outlets, student reporters, and national outlets that spanned ideologies,” Richner said. “We go everywhere and talk to everyone.” DEM SENATE CANDIDATE TAKES SWIPE AT JOE ROGAN AFTER REFUSING TO DISAVOW HASAN PIKER’S PAST COMMENTS Since entering the race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, El-Sayed has faced blow back for staking out fringe anti-Israel and anti-law enforcement positions, like abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and blaming Israel for committing “genocide.” Fox News Digital previously reported how El-Sayed quietly deleted old social media posts he made online espousing support for the “defund the police” movement between 2020 and 2021, including calling the police “standing armies we deploy against our own people.” Meanwhile, recently uncovered audio showed El-Sayed didn’t want to publicly say anything about the death of Iran’s Ayatollah Khamanei because he was worried some Michiganders might be “sad” following the terror regime leader’s death. El-Sayed recently faced criticism for campaigning with Piker, who has been slammed for justifying Hamas’ attacks and slaughter, including rapes, on innocent Israelis, was forced to walk back comments about how Americans deserved 9/11, and told his followers that “you really don’t need suicide bombing anymore,” because cheap Chinese-made drones can be bought online for anyone who is interested in performing a terror strike. Piker sympathizes with communist ideals, but has labeled himself a socialist and Marxist while rejecting communist labels. At the same time, Piker has also described communism as the “honorable end goal” of socialism. When asked at his event with Piker whether he would disavow any of the controversial podcaster’s comments, El-Sayed would not, and defended the far-left podcast and internet personality’s emerging position in the Democratic Party. “It’s an active decision to reach out to people who feel locked out of their politics to have a conversation, just like I’m making an active decision as somebody who is running in the Democratic primary to have a conversation on Fox News,” El-Sayed said to Hemmer about his decision to campaign with Piker. “Just because you invite somebody to campaign with you, or you’re engaging with them, does not mean that you agree with them.” El-Sayed’s Democratic Party primary election, against a slew of other formidable candidates, will take place in August, followed by the general election in November.
Johnson faces GOP revolt over warrantless surveillance powers ahead of key vote
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is facing a brewing conservative revolt ahead of a high-profile vote on reauthorizing the government’s warrantless surveillance powers. House GOP leadership is up against an April 20 deadline to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., support a clean 18-month extension of the government’s spying powers, but key conservative lawmakers want guardrails added to the program. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said Tuesday that she would oppose a test vote scheduled to occur Wednesday afternoon that would advance the renewal measure to a vote on final passage. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., also predicted Tuesday in an interview with Punchbowl News that the test vote would fail if leadership did not tack on additional reforms demanded by GOP privacy hawks. Section 702 permits the federal government to conduct warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals abroad, even when those individuals are communicating with American citizens. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: GOP PUSHES ELECTION SECURITY BILL DESPITE SLIM ODDS, AS TRUMP PRESSURE LOOMS Conservative lawmakers — and many in the Democratic caucus — are pushing for an amendment to prohibit the warrantless surveillance of Americans. But when Democrats on the House Rules Committee tried to add an amendment from Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., incorporating warrant requirements, Republicans on the panel voted it down. House Democrats are also not expected to supply the necessary votes during the anticipated procedural vote, which tends to be party-line. In that scenario, Johnson would be able to lose just a handful of GOP defections. Other Republicans, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., have pledged to vote “no” unless the Trump-backed election measure, known as the SAVE America Act, is added to the bill. GOP RIPS FISA COURT FOR TAPPING EX-BIDEN ‘DISINFORMATION’ LAWYER TO ADVISE ON SURVEILLANCE Despite potential GOP holdouts, Trump has urged Republicans to “UNIFY” during the critical votes. The Trump administration has warned about potentially catastrophic effects for national security if lawmakers fail to renew the program, especially as the conflict with Iran continues. In a letter to Congress on Monday, Gen. Dan Caine said that “the loss or reduction of FISA Section 702 authorities would increase risk to the Joint Force, degrade our worldwide combat lethality, and significantly impair the U.S. security.” CIA Director John Ratcliffe attended a House GOP conference meeting on Wednesday to urge lawmakers to back a clean extension. “There’s a lot at stake,” Ratcliffe told Fox News. Prior FISA skeptics have also touted the more than five dozen reforms that Congress made to the program in 2024 to justify their support for a clean extension. “In light of the progress that has been made and the threats we face, we think a temporary short-term extension of the program makes sense,” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Tuesday. “But again, 2026 is not 2024 and a short-term clean extension of the 702 part of FISA law is an acceptable outcome for the situation that we find ourselves in.” Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
From White House hopeful to scandal: Swalwell’s short-lived 2020 bid resurfaces after resignation
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s political collapse amid scandal was sudden. With sexual assault and harassment allegations mounting, the Democratic representative who was one of the leading contenders in California’s 2026 campaign for governor dropped out of the race on Sunday. Two days later, he resigned from Congress. The congressman’s stunningly swift collapse comes seven years after a then 38-year-old Swalwell made a short-lived and highly unsuccessful bid for the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential nomination. OUT THE DOOR: SWALWELL STEPS DOWN AFTER 13 YEARS IN CONGRESS LISTEN: CRIME & JUSTICE PODCAST ON SWALWELL SEX PROBE “We’re getting close. I’ve got staff in Iowa. We’re hiring in New Hampshire, South Carolina right now. I’m starting to put together the infrastructure that you need. But I see nothing but green lights on this journey so far,” an optimistic Swalwell said in a January 2019 Fox News Digital interview. The soon-to-be candidate was in New Hampshire courting supporters and activists in the state that for a century held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. SWALWELL ACCUSERS REVEAL WHY THEY CAME FORWARD Swalwell officially launched his campaign during an April 8, 2019, appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” SWALWELL ISN’T THE ONLY MEMBER OF CONGRESS WHO RESIGNED TUESDAY AMID SCANDAL His campaign slogan was, “Go Big. Be Bold. Do Good.” And Swalwell made gun control and student debt reform key components of his presidential platform. Swalwell was one of 20 Democratic presidential candidates who qualified and took part in the first round of debates, which were held over two nights in June 2019. But failing to poll above 1% and facing the prospect of failing to make the stage at the second Democratic presidential debate, Swalwell suspended his campaign on July 8, 2019, just three months after declaring his candidacy.
Gavin Newsom sets August 2026 special election to fill Eric Swalwell’s vacant congressional seat
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation on Tuesday setting Aug. 18 as the date for a special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress on Tuesday. “I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim and order that a special election shall be held on the 18th day of August 2026, within the 14th Congressional District of the State, to fill the vacancy in the office of the U.S. House of Representatives from said district resulting from the resignation of Representative Eric Swalwell,” the proclamation declares. Members from both sides of the political aisle had called for Swalwell to resign or else face expulsion due to accusations against him of sexual misconduct and rape. SWALWELL OUT AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AFTER 13 YEARS IN CONGRESS LISTEN: CRIME & JUSTICE PODCAST ON SWALWELL SEX PROBE The Democrat, who had been running in the Golden State’s gubernatorial race, announced Sunday night that he was suspending his campaign. On Monday, he announced that he planned to resign from Congress. SWALWELL ACCUSERS DETAIL EXPERIENCES WITH LAWMAKER AFTER HE ANNOUNCES HIS RESIGNATION FROM CONGRESS Swalwell’s resignation letter was read in the House on Tuesday. “I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me,” Swalwell’s letter read, in part. FORMER SWALWELL ALLY SAYS LONGTIME FRIENDSHIP WITH HIM ‘CLOUDED MY JUDGEMENT’ AS RUMORS SWIRLED IN DC The resignation came after he served in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than a decade, having taken office in 2013.
Federal judge hands Biden’s home state a loss in battle of ICE access to labor data
A federal judge ordered Delaware officials to turn over confidential employer and employee data to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), delivering a legal defeat to former President Joe Biden’s home state in a dispute over immigration enforcement. U.S. District Judge Colm Connolly ruled that the Delaware Department of Labor (DDOL) must comply with a federal subpoena seeking wage reports and employee records from 15 businesses as part of an investigation into the suspected hiring of undocumented workers. Delaware officials argued they could refuse the request and warned that compliance would harm worker reporting and state programs, but Connolly rejected that position. “This is a political argument; not a legal one,” Connolly wrote. “This Court is not the proper ‘forum in which to air [DDOL’s] generalized grievances about the conduct of government.’ It would be wholly inappropriate for me to consider this line of argument, and I decline to do so.” DOJ SUES NEW JERSEY OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER LIMITING ICE COOPERATION, EXPANDING SANCTUARY STATUS The records include employees’ names, Social Security numbers and wages reported to the state as part of its unemployment insurance system. Federal investigators said the records will help identify potentially fraudulent Social Security numbers, compare reported employees to workers observed onsite and detect off-the-books labor. Connolly, a Trump-appointed judge, wrote that the subpoena was lawful, relevant to a legitimate investigation and not overly burdensome for the state to fulfill. The subpoena seeks 30 records covering two quarters for the 15 businesses, which the judge said would not be burdensome for the state to produce. He also dismissed Delaware’s argument that sharing the data would harm its unemployment insurance system, calling the claim unsupported. “I am neither willing nor able to adopt DDOL’s cynical view of the State’s employers,” Connolly wrote. FEDERAL JUDGE WHO ORDERED NO WARRANTLESS ICE ARRESTS IN COLORADO ASSERTS DOJ NOT COMPLYING The ruling marks a setback for Delaware in its battle over ICE’s access to state labor data, as the federal government moves to expand immigration enforcement. The court said Delaware officials ignored the subpoena and failed to respond even after a follow-up warning from federal prosecutors. Delaware’s newly appointed U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wallace said the ruling reinforces that federal law applies broadly. “We are gratified that the court recognized the simple truth at the core of this case: federal law applies to everyone, whether they are a state or private entity, and whether they agree or disagree with the federal government’s policy priorities,” Wallace told the Delaware News Journal. The dispute escalated after Delaware ignored multiple ICE subpoenas in early 2025, prompting the federal government to sue for enforcement. State officials have not said whether they plan to appeal. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Delaware Department of Labor, the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware and DHS and ICE for comment. Read the ruling below.
Docs show migrant accused of killing Loyola student was flagged as flight risk before release
The House Judiciary Committee released internal Border Patrol documents on Tuesday, showing that a Venezuelan migrant now charged in the killing of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman was flagged as a flight risk and had no valid asylum claim before being released into the U.S. in 2023. Jose Medina-Medina, 25, is accused of fatally shooting 18-year-old Gorman in Chicago in March. Fox News Digital previously reported that Medina-Medina, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was apprehended at the southern border in 2023 and later released into the country under the Biden administration. In a post on X, House Judiciary Republicans said the documents show officials released a migrant they described as dangerous despite warning signs. SHERIDAN GORMAN’S UNIVERSITY NEWSPAPER TOUTS ICE TRACKER AFTER FRESHMAN ALLEGEDLY MURDERED BY ILLEGAL ALIEN “The subject is a native and citizen of Venezuela by virtue of birth,” the document reads. “The subject is a migrant illegally present in the United States, have no immigration documents in their possession nor have or anyone else filed a petition on their behalf. Subject has close family ties or roots in this country yet are likely to abscond.” Additional records state the subject had no valid U.S. address or identification and was unable to provide a verifiable point of contact. The documents also detail the circumstances of Medina-Medina’s apprehension at the border. FACIAL RECOGNITION HELPED CRACK ALLEGED STUDENT MURDER BY ILLEGAL MIGRANT – NEW BILL COULD BAN IT: RET. COP “A Border Patrol Agent encountered subject in the El Paso Border Patrol Sector area of responsibility,” the document read. “A Border Patrol Agent determined this subject had unlawfully entered the United States from Mexico, at a time and place other than as designated by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security of the United States. “After determining that the subject was an undocumented migrant who illegally entered the United States, the subject was arrested and transported to the Central Processing Center (CPC) in El Paso, Texas for further processing using the [redacted] Systems,” the document continued. “The subject was asked and responded that they do not fear harm or persecution should they be returned to their native country.” Despite those findings, the documents show he was processed for a Notice to Appear and released on recognizance “due to lack of space,” under the Immigration and Nationality Act. SLAIN DC INTERN’S MOM URGES SHERIDAN GORMAN’S FAMILY TO ‘FIGHT BACK’ AFTER OBITUARY OLIVE BRANCH Federal prosecutors on April 2 charged Medina-Medina with illegally possessing a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. In addition to the federal charge, he faces state-level charges including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and illegal possession of a weapon. Prosecutors said Gorman was with friends at a Rogers Park pier in the early morning hours of March 19 when she spotted Medina-Medina near a lighthouse and warned others. Authorities said Medina-Medina then chased the group and shot Gorman in the upper back as they fled. In a statement after charges were filed, the Gorman family said, “Sheridan was a real person—she had a future, a family, and a life full of promise.” Fox News Digital’s Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
Former Swalwell ally says longtime friendship with him ‘clouded my judgement’ as rumors swirled in DC
One of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s, D-Calif., closest friends in Congress said their tight-knit relationship “clouded my judgment” regarding rumors that swirled about the ex-lawmaker for years in Washington, D.C. “Eric Swalwell lied to all of us,” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said at an impromptu press conference in his office. “He lied to the most powerful people in this country and they trusted him. They trusted him with some of the most sensitive spots in our government, whether it was on Judiciary Committee, Intel Committee, impeaching Donald Trump.” “And that clouded my judgment, my friendship with him,” he continued. “Our family’s friendship together with him clouded my judgment. And I was wrong. I deeply, deeply regret that.” SWALWELL OUT AMID SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AFTER 13 YEARS IN CONGRESS It’s a sharp pivot for Gallego, given that the two had a familial-like relationship. Just last week, Gallego defended Swalwell online against allegations of misconduct, which he later said he regretted. Their kids went to baseball camp together, they babysat one another’s children, and Gallego even jumped on board as national chair for Swalwell’s failed 2020 presidential bid. But after a bombshell report from the San Francisco Chronicle alleged that Swalwell sexually assaulted a former staffer, his former friend is no longer sticking up for him. SWALWELL’S ‘BEST FRIEND’ IN CONGRESS TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS TORPEDO HIS POLITICAL CAREER In the days since that report surfaced, five people in total have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct or rape. Gallego, while heaping blame on Swalwell and apologizing to his alleged victims, maintained that he had no knowledge of the alleged behavior. He noted, however, that rumors had circulated about Swalwell — and other past lawmakers — in the nation’s capital for years. When pressed on the nature of those rumors, Gallego said Swalwell was “flirty,” but nothing along the lines of the allegations that sank his gubernatorial bid and congressional career — nor activity that “I would say would rise to the occasion that I would be able to, you know, not talk to his wife the next day and be able to look her in the eye.” When allegations began to surface online at the onset of Swalwell’s gubernatorial run, Gallego said Swalwell “manipulated” him into believing it was a smear campaign similar to the one used against him during his 2024 Senate race against Kari Lake. PELOSI, CALIFORNIA DEMS SLAM SWALWELL OVER BOMBSHELL SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS: ‘INDEFENSIBLE’ “He knew I came off a horrible race where I had to answer to my family. I have to answer accusations to best friends, to my kids. And he fed into that,” Gallego said. “He fed into it and I fell for it like everyone else. I fell for the lies. I regret it, but that’s what happened.” The two spent significant time together — on official and private trips, on each other’s campaigns, and within the halls of Congress. When asked how it was possible that neither he nor other lawmakers who had known Swalwell for years — including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. — were aware, Gallego said “he became very good at being a predator.” “And he clearly preyed on these women in different positions. And he became extremely proficient at lying to us, lying to his family, lying to his community,” Gallego said. “You know, the nature of his job allowed him to travel. And we just did not fully understand … There’s just no way we could have seen any of this.” Facing expulsion and a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of his conduct, Swalwell officially resigned from Congress on Tuesday. While he apologized to his family and constituents, he doubled down against the accusations leveled against him. “I will fight the serious false allegations made against me,” Swalwell wrote in his resignation letter. “However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
Dem fundraising giant in the hot seat as GOP lawmakers demand answers over dodged subpoena
House Republicans are demanding ActBlue, a top Democratic campaign fundraising apparatus, turn over international communications, probing whether the organization knowingly misled lawmakers and dodged subpoenas to hide weaknesses in its screening process to weed out illegal, overseas donations. House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., collectively laid out their demands in a letter published on Tuesday. “For more than a year, the Committees have conducted oversight regarding ActBlue’s ‘fundamentally unserious approach to fraud prevention,’” the letter reads. “Recent reporting … strongly suggests that ActBlue deliberately obstructed the Committees’ investigation, including through misleading statements and noncompliance with our subpoenas.” BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL: LEFT-WING GROUPS DEFIANT AS GOP SHEDS LIGHT ON GROUPS TIED TO CHINA The letter is addressed to Regina Wallace-Jones, the CEO and president of ActBlue, and is the most recent entry in investigations that began in 2023 when Republicans originally raised concerns about foreign donations possibly influencing American elections. It also follows New York Times reporting on a memo from Covington & Burling, a law firm, warning that gaps in its screening armor could present “a substantial risk for ActBlue.” The memo, on its own, does not implicate wrongdoing or indicate that ActBlue accepted international donations. Even so, the reporting caught the eye of Republicans in Congress. Steil, Jordan and Comer are collectively asking ActBlue to produce two internal documents to examine the internal understanding ActBlue may have had about its own weaknesses. The first is a resignation letter from General Counsel Aaron Ting — a document Republicans contend centers on liabilities created by ActBlue’s donation security. Republicans believe the second, a message from ActBlue’s former legal counsel Zain Ahmad, relates to an ignored whistleblower complaint about those practices. HOUSE HEARING RAISES RED FLAGS OVER FORMER TECH MOGUL’S ‘CCP NETWORK’ ALLEGEDLY FUNDING OF FAR-LEFT GROUPS Republicans have already requested those documents before, but haven’t received them. “There is considerable reason to believe that ActBlue may have deliberately withheld this responsive material to impede our investigation,” the letter states. For its own part, ActBlue has claimed it makes every effort to ensure its fundraising complies with legal requirements. In ActBlue’s own letter published in Nov. 2023, Wallace-Jones, the CEO, affirmed that the organization maintained the highest standards for scrutiny of its fundraising. “Our approach is multilayered, with checks and confirmations occurring throughout the donation process to verify donors and donor information,” Wallace-Jones wrote. “These measures, which include compliance measures, technological tools, and manual reviews, help to ensure the identity of donors, root out potential foreign contributions, and protect donors from financial fraud.” OVERSIGHT DEMANDS DOJ ANSWERS ON FOREIGN FUNDING OF AGITATOR GROUPS AS IRAN, ANTI-ICE PROTESTS CONTINUE Republican lawmakers have given ActBlue two weeks to produce the requested documentation, setting a deadline for April 28, 2026. “Absent these steps, the Committees are prepared to use available mechanisms to enforce our subpoenas,” the letter reads.
Erika Kirk cancels University of Georgia TPUSA event appearance over ‘serious threats’
Erika Kirk canceled her planned appearance at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia on Tuesday after receiving what organizers described as “very serious threats.” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said Erika Kirk, wife of late conservative icon Charlie Kirk, received “some very serious threats in her direction,” prompting her absence from the event in Athens, Georgia. Erika Kirk addressed her absence in a post on X, citing security concerns following threats she received ahead of the event. “I was so looking forward to tonight’s event at the @universityofga with our Vice President @JDVance, but after all our family has been through, I take my security team’s recommendations extremely seriously,” Kirk wrote. “Thank you to our amazing Georgia chapter for your support. God bless you all!” JUDGE DISMISSES DEFENSE PUSH TO REMOVE PROSECUTORS FROM CHARLIE KIRK MURDER CASE Vice President JD Vance said he had been concerned the event might be canceled and spoke with the Secret Service, adding he told Kirk to “do what she needs to do for her and her family.” Officials have not released additional details about the threats. Fox News Digital has reached out to Turning Point USA for further information. Trump administration officials have shown support for Erika Kirk following the assassination of her husband Charlie Kirk during a debate event at Utah Valley University in September. HILLSDALE LAUNCHES ‘LEARN LIKE CHARLIE’ CAMPAIGN TO URGE AMERICANS TO STUDY THE BIBLE, CONSTITUTION After his death, Charlie Kirk’s casket was flown from Utah to his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two, with Vice President JD Vance accompanying the transfer. Second lady Usha Vance was later seen holding Erika Kirk’s hand as they departed the aircraft. ERIKA KIRK TO BE TRUMP’S GUEST AT STATE OF THE UNION Several Trump administration officials, including President Donald Trump and Vance, attended Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona on Sept. 21, 2025, less than two weeks after he was killed. During remarks at the service, Trump honored Kirk’s legacy, describing him as a “martyr for American freedom.” Trump later posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Medal of Freedom on what would have been his 32nd birthday. Erika Kirk accepted the medal on behalf of her late husband. TPUSA, on September 18, announced it “unanimously elected” Erika Kirk as the new CEO and chair of the board of the organization. Fox News’ Samantha Daigle, Rachel Wolf and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
Biden awkwardly pulls trustee into spotlight and calls him ‘Barack’ at portrait unveiling
Former President Joe Biden raised eyebrows Tuesday at Syracuse University after making an awkward onstage remark comparing a Black member of the school’s Board of Trustees to former President Barack Obama. Biden returned to his alma mater Tuesday to celebrate the unveiling of his portrait, which will be permanently displayed in the law school’s Law Library Reading Room. Video shows Biden speaking at the podium, addressing the law school’s leadership by name before making the awkward joke. “I always want to turn around to one guy and say.. ‘Barack what are you doing?” Biden said as the audience laughed. 2025 LOOKBACK: MEDIA’S CREDIBILITY FRACTURES AGAIN AFTER BIDEN MENTAL DECLINE EXPOSED He then motioned for the man off camera to join him on stage. The man is Jeffrey M. Scruggs, chairman of the school’s Board of Trustees. “I feel like he should be standing on the right and I should be standing on the left,” Biden said as Scruggs and the audience laughed. Commentators on social media debated the moment, with critics remarking that Biden, a well-known gaffe machine, was showing his age. Others defended the president, saying it was clearly a joke. Biden’s following speech was personal and reflective, crediting family, classmates and mentors for his career while recounting how Syracuse Law shaped his belief in using the law to advance dignity, equality and democracy. He discussed his path from law student to public service through moments of national upheaval and personal tragedy, highlighted his late son Beau’s legacy, and described his commitment to “dignity, respect, fairness, equality.” EX-DNC INSIDER REVEALS ‘PUPPET MASTERS’ WHO RAN THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE In his closing remarks, Biden touched on his legacy and said he hoped he’d be remembered for his fight for democracy. “As I began to build my presidential library and foundation, [I] hope to pass down to future generations a reverence for democracy,” Biden said. “And my classmates and I learned here at Syracuse because whatever, whatever my legacy may be, I hope will be said that I never stopped striving for the cause of democracy.” “And I hope that long after I’m gone on future classes of Syracuse law students see the portrait and the reminder, not of me, but of the greatness and power of our democracy and of their obligation to do their part to preserve, protect, defend our Constitution,” Biden continued. Fox News Digital reached out to the Office of Joe and Jill Biden for comment.