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.”
Vance unloads on tech titans using foreign visa holders to displace American workers
Vice President JD Vance wants to drastically change the H-1B foreign worker visa program in favor of a system that prioritizes American workers rather than the one he says currently displaces members of the domestic workforce. “So, what are the things we can do administratively to ensure that if a tech company is going to try to get an H-1B visa, it’s an actual genius, it’s a person that is going to significantly enrich the tech ecosystem or the American economy?” Vance asked in a Sept. 15 episode of the “All-In” podcast, hosted by financial gurus Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks and David Friedberg — all entrepreneurs and investors. Vance explained that Congress doesn’t have the “political will” to make significant changes to the visa program, leading to recent executive action on the subject. AMERICA’S BROKEN LEGAL IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS REPLACING US WORKERS BY DESIGN H-1B visas are temporary nonimmigrant programs that allow foreign workers in “specialty occupations,” often referred to as “high-skilled workers,” to come to the United States and work, typically for three years, according to United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS). But critics say the program has been abused by large companies, many in the tech industry, to simply replace Americans in the workforce with cheaper labor from abroad. Many also argue that the visa recipients aren’t better suited than American workers to do the jobs. Vance said the administration is trying to ensure companies are, “not just replacing one accountant who makes $60,000 with a lower-wage foreign accountant who makes $45,000 a year.” CEO UNDER FIRE FOR MASS LAYOFFS AMID FOREIGN WORKER HIRING SPREE NOW APPOINTED TO FED’S TASK FORCE ON JOBS “We’re also looking at various ways of preventing companies that use H-1B visas from laying off a bunch of American workers,” said Vance in a clip shared on Sunday that sparked chatter on social media. “So, one of the things that I find just shocking about this is that you’ll have a company that applies for an H-1B, and they’ll say, ‘oh, we’re desperate for workers, we can’t find the workers,’ and then you go and look at their history and they’ve laid off 5,000 people,” he explained. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in August a new rule to charge $103,265 to companies as an additional fee for every H-1B petition subject to the annual statutory cap of 65,000 per year. FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES DOWN TRUMP’S $100K H-1B VISA FEE, RULING IT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAX A similar proposal from the administration was previously struck down by a federal district court. “That’s ridiculous,” Vance said of American employers abusing the program to cut labor costs. “If you’re laying off American workers you shouldn’t be going to the market searching for foreign workers to replace them,” he said. “So, we’re doing a lot, within the confines of course of what we’re allowed to do legally. We’ve gotten sued on some of this stuff. But I think fundamentally, we’re on [sic] the right on both the law and the policy.” ‘The H-1B should not exist to replace American workers with low-wage foreigners. It should exist to enrich the American economy.” Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey resigns after year in role
Andrew Bailey, the co-deputy director of the FBI, announced in a social media post on Monday that he will resign from the agency, citing family reasons. Bailey, who stepped into the post in August 2025, said he would be returning to his family in Missouri. “With great pride in what we have accomplished, I am announcing that I am stepping down to return to my family in Missouri,” Bailey said in a post on X. “I am confident Director Patel will continue to reform the FBI, combat violent crime, defend the homeland, ensure strong organizational accountability and restore public trust in this institution of excellence.” DAN BONGINO REVEALS HOW HE TRAPPED ‘SNAKES’ INSIDE FBI TO STOP MEDIA LEAKS Bailey initially served in his role alongside Dan Bongino, a conservative podcaster and former U.S. Secret Service member who stepped down in December 2025 amid clashes with then-Attorney General Pam Bondi over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. He then served with his FBI co-deputy, Chris Raia, the former assistant director in charge of the bureau’s New York City Field Office, in a continuation of the nontraditional co-deputy structure initiated by FBI Director Kash Patel. KASH PATEL TO TOUT ‘LARGEST’ YEAR-TO-YEAR VIOLENT CRIME DROP IN US HISTORY In a social media post of his own, Patel thanked Bailey for his service. “Although Andrew is leaving the FBI in order to return to his family in Missouri, his fantastic contribution instituting critical reforms which resulted in our historic success will live on. Andrew’s leadership at the FBI will be missed but we are grateful he answered the call to serve!” Patel wrote. “Thanks Andrew for your tremendous dedication to the mission of this FBI.” FBI TOUTS 6,000 ARRESTS, 44% HOMICIDE DROP ONE YEAR INTO TRUMP’S DC CRIME CRACKDOWN The FBI referred Fox News Digital to Bailey’s social media post., while the White House deferred to Patel’s remarks. The resignation came after two FBI agents were demoted and reassigned last week amid concerns that the agency wasn’t acting fast enough to investigate alleged threatening phone calls to Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. Meanwhile, the FBI Rapid Response account on X disputed claims that Bailey was “annoyed” over recent personnel moves at bureau’s Washington Field Office. “This is clickbait dressed up as reporting,” the post states. “Fake news.”
Mamdani’s latest freebie sets off online fury as critics rip city priorities: ‘Opera socialism’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a plan last week to give away 70,000 free tickets to the Metropolitan Opera House, firing up critics on social media who argue there are more pressing issues facing New Yorkers. “Opera for All,” a partnership between the city and the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, will allow New Yorkers who have never attended a performance to enter a monthly lottery for tickets to productions ranging from Macbeth to La Bohème, according to a press release from the mayor’s office. A spokesperson for Mamdani’s office told Fox News Digital the city is not paying for the program. The Metropolitan Opera is donating tickets from its pool of unsold seats, representing about 10% of its seasonal capacity, while the city will help promote and distribute them. In a video announcing the latest giveaway, Mamdani appeared alongside the cast of La Bohème, telling viewers that “every New Yorker should have the opportunity to see this no matter how much money is in their pocket.” He also highlighted former New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia’s “People’s Opera,” which was founded in 1943 to offer affordable tickets before filing for bankruptcy in 2013 and relaunching in 2016. GROCERS ISSUE WARNING OVER MAMDANI’S TAXPAYER-BACKED STORES: ‘WE’RE GOING TO GO AFTER’ THEM “This art form was meant to be seen by everyone,” he said. While many liberals have touted Mamdani’s move, conservatives on social media were quick to ridicule Mamdani’s announcement, which was viewed over 6 million times on X, calling it a case of misplaced priorities. In a post on X, former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and reality TV star Spencer Pratt wrote, “Prior generations of billionaires gave endowments to the arts. Today’s autistic billionaires ignore culture and spend all their philanthropy fixated on the fecundity of peasants 10K miles away, then are baffled by why they’re so hated here & can’t get data centers approved.” MAMDANI’S AFFORDABILITY REVOLUTION STUMBLED AS RENT COSTS SOAR TO RECORD HIGHS “His entire shtick is designed to make you believe there’s this starving underworld that longs for things like opera tickets but is so oppressed they cannot attain them,” Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt posted on X. “It’s all bull—- and he’s just wasting your money.” “A random entertainment lottery for the poors? What the f— is this? The Hunger Games?” music video director Joseph Kahn posted on X. NYC BUSINESS OWNERS REVOLT OVER MAMDANI’S GOVERNMENT-RUN GROCERY STORES: ‘DOOMED FOR DISASTER’ “Ever see a fight break out at an opera?” comedian Danny Polishchuk posted on X. “Do you want to? Now’s your chance!” But this is not the first time Mamdani has pushed his democratic socialist agenda. In August, New York City high school students were offered thousands of free and discounted Broadway tickets through a partnership with the Theatre Development Fund (TDF). His other affordability-focused proposals, including fare-free buses, city-owned grocery stores, rent freezes and free child care programs, have also sparked concerns over expanded government and taxpayer burdens. The partnership with the Metropolitan Opera will remain permanent and continue into next season, with tickets available throughout the venue, excluding standing-room tickets. Fox News Digital reached out to the Metropolitan Opera for comment.
Reporter’s Notebook: Senate Republicans scrap early exit from Washington as midterm stakes soar
It’s a calculation by Republicans to keep the Senate in session this week. Yes. The Senate was scheduled to meet anyway over the next few days. But the general consensus early last week was that the Senate would be done then, and those facing competitive races would be back home campaigning. Then Wednesday hit. Republicans wanted to stay in Washington. For a very specific reason. And many of them told Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., as much at their weekly luncheon. “Odds are we plan on being here next week,” said Thune. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: CONGRESS STRUGGLES TO FIND A MESSAGE THAT RESONATES WITH VOTERS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS One Senate aide compared the Senate’s schedule to a cat chasing a beam of light from a laser pointer. But the Senate is in fact meeting. There are reasons. Most of them are political. The Senate wasn’t quite done with the bill to regulate money in intercollegiate athletics last week. And with the affordability question vexing Republicans, they really didn’t want to pass the college sports bill and promptly vacate Washington. That would be an awkward punctuation point at the end of the legislative sentence before the midterms. GOPers wanted something more substantive. Democrats might have presented that opportunity to Republicans on a platter. Before the House left for the midterms the week before last, it accentuated its session by passing the Ratepayer Protection Act, 417-3. Let me tell you, not much passes around here with 417 votes. Like their Senate colleagues, House Republicans also worry about voters doubting they’re addressing affordability. So this bill hit the mark for them. The legislation defrays the costs ratepayers fork out for their utility bills if they’re driven up by data centers. This forces the tech companies which run the data centers to foot the bill. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, is one of the most vulnerable Republicans on the ballot this fall. Husted’s longtime support for data centers is also dragging him down in the eyes of some voters. Husted tried to fix that. He went to the floor and asked for the Senate to pass on the spot the House bill. However, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., objected, blocking the effort. FOX NEWS POLL: ECONOMIC ANXIETY AND CANDIDATE CONCERNS DEFINE OHIO SENATE RACE Republicans viewed that as an opening. Democrats stood in the way of passing a bill on affordability which 417 bipartisan House members supported without blinking. Senate GOPers immediately seized this opportunity as a wedge against their adversaries. And, they interpreted this as a chance to assist their Ohio colleague. “Tell the data centers we’re happy to have you. But you’ve got to pay your own electricity. People are not going to pay for it,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. Republicans were already leery about the uneven political footing when it comes to AI. Even more so with data centers. Voters are not enamored with the results of the Big, Beautiful Bill, passed last summer. But dealing with data centers is more immediate and might resonate with those who soured on the Republican brand. “In Missouri, people are absolutely scared to death that these data centers are going to take all the prime farm ground of the state. And then they’re going to raise electricity bills so high, no one will be able to afford them,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. The official schedule intended for the Senate to meet this week. But once September hit and no government shutdown loomed, senators from both sides – especially those facing challenging elections – wanted to skip Washington and campaign back home. Yours truly asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., why his party stood in the way of the Senate aligning with the House on that data center/utilities measure. “Was this blocked in the Senate last week by Democrats as an effort to prevent Sen. Husted from having a win in this competitive race?” I asked. “Sen. Husted’s bill is a fraud. It’s voluntary. No company has to do it. The bill we have is mandatory. It is much stronger and is what is needed,” replied Schumer. There is something to Schumer’s argument about how muscular the bill is. The legislation says public utility regulators must only consider a standard for ratepayers. Nothing is required. Thus, there’s wiggle room for tech firms. HAWLEY TAKES AIM AT ‘CORPORATE WELFARE’ AFTER GOP-BACKED TAX BREAK BOOSTED CONTROVERSIAL INDUSTRY “What we’re saying is that we can do much better,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “Is it a little step forward? Yes. But it’s not meeting the moment. So our view is we should expand it to make sure that ratepayers aren’t having to subsidize the richest corporations on the planet.” But a lot of Republicans aren’t buying what Schumer and Van Hollen are saying. The Democratic objections are all about three things: Politics. An endangered GOP senator in the most expensive Senate contest in the country. And, Democrats are hoping to flip the seat in their favor. “Sen. Schumer, what he cares about is the midterm election and politics. And I don’t think he cares about the substance of this,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. “Obviously there’s a hot and heavy Senate race going on in Ohio, and he doesn’t want to let Sen. Husted have something he can talk about when he goes home.” Republicans view the opportunity to turn the affordability issue against Democrats – capitalizing on Schumer’s remark and forcing Democrats to take a stand. Either you’re for affordability (especially as it pertains to the toxic issue of data centers) or you’re not. Moreover, this could boost Husted in his competitive contest with former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. In fact, it was the Senate GOP’s campaign arm which specifically flagged vulnerabilities for Republicans generally and Husted in particular over the summer. Thune tees up a test vote on Wednesday to dare Democrats to either start debate on the bill or block it again. That vote requires 60 yeas. So Democratic cooperation is required.
Blue city funds immigrant activist program with taxpayer dollars, critics say it ‘shuts citizens out’
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration is offering taxpayer-funded scholarships for an activist program while limiting participation to immigrants, including non-U.S. citizens, a requirement that has drawn criticism online. The Immigrants Lead Boston program, run by the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement, is designed for “emerging leaders” interested in advocating for Boston’s immigrant communities. Participants meet city officials and receive training aimed at helping them engage with local government and organize within their communities during the 10-week program. Critics have seized on both the taxpayer funding and the eligibility requirements, arguing that U.S.-born residents are excluded from a city-backed leadership program whose participants can receive a $575 scholarship. “That is not charity. That is a political pipeline built to shut citizens out of their own city,” one user wrote on X. BOSTON TO GIVE LGBTQ+ MIGRANTS VOUCHERS FOR YOGA, MEDITATION, ‘CREATIVE HEALING’ “Paying illegal immigrants to learn political organizing to protest against the country they’re in,” one person wrote on X. “For starters it sounds like discrimination,” posted a user. “Michelle WU is a communist who probably wants a American version of China,” a person wrote taking shots at the Boston mayor. TRUMP’S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES NEW YORK, OTHER BLUE STATES OVER TUITION FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “Is this legal,” asked one user. “Illegal aliens have broken our laws. Any assistance given them other than assistance to leave the country, simply rewards their unlawful behavior, encourages other unlawful behavior, and more illegals to follow their lead,” one person posted. Similar taxpayer-backed benefits for immigrants have surfaced in other Democratic-led states, particularly in higher education. NEBRASKA ENDS IN-STATE TUITION BENEFITS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER DOJ DEAL SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER New York, Connecticut and Vermont have offered in-state tuition or other financial benefits to immigrants in the country illegally, while Oregon and Washington have provided access to benefits such as state grants or student loans. California has also allowed qualifying students in the country illegally to apply for state financial aid. Fox News Digital reached out to Mayor Wu’s office for comment.
Republicans zero in on key player accused of helping Democrat fundraising giant hide foreign cash
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans’ investigation into Democrats’ main fundraising platform is heating up on the heels of an explosive report that raised questions about whether left-wing candidates’ campaigns were raking in foreign cash. Top House GOP committee chairs are summoning ActBlue attorney Ronald Machen for a closed-door interview sometime before Oct. 9, Fox News Digital has learned. A letter sent to Machen Monday morning stated that information he previously disclosed to investigators appears to contradict other data that has been collected, specifically on ActBlue’s verification standards for making sure a donor is a U.S. citizen. “On September 11, 2026, you provided a briefing to the House Administration, Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform Committees regarding the accuracy of ActBlue CEO Regina Wallace-Jones’s prior statements to Congress about ActBlue’s donor and passport collection processes,” the letter said. “Your review appears to be nothing more than an after-the-fact sugarcoating of ActBlue’s misconduct and Ms. Wallace-Jones’s misrepresentations to the House Administration Committee.” ANOTHER ACTBLUE LEADER PLEADS FIFTH AS HOUSE INVESTIGATES ALLEGED FOREIGN DONATIONS The letter was sent by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Wis., Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., who lead the panels probing ActBlue. ACTBLUE CO-FOUNDER PLEADS FIFTH AMENDMENT IN CLOSED-DOOR HOUSE GOP GRILLING ActBlue is a massive platform for campaigns to raise money that’s used by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, among others. Republican lawmakers have long accused the company of having lax verification standards for donors, something ActBlue has said it actively improved since the start of the GOP’s probe. But a new report released earlier this month, first reported by Fox News Digital, appears to show employees green-lighting donations despite some questions about where they came from. FAR-LEFT POLITICIANS STILL USING ACTBLUE AS 88-YEAR-OLD DISPUTES DONATING NEARLY $150,000 TO FUNDRAISING GIANT Chief among the GOP’s concerns is ActBlue’s passport number verification. According to the report, the field only requires the correct number of characters for a U.S. passport number rather than a valid code for a donation to be accepted. The Monday letter also points to a 2024 “contemporaneous review by ActBlue’s then-outside counsel, former Biden White House Counsel Dana Remus” which allegedly found “‘a substantial risk that some of the funds’ raised for Democrat campaigns and causes by ActBlue ‘were impermissible contributions from foreign nationals.’” Remus’ review further found that “passport checks did not always happen” and were “never conducted” when donations were made using third-party fiscal platforms like Apple Pay or PayPal, the letter said. The Republican chairs said Machen’s prior comments to Congress “conceded that your ‘forensic’ review found that ActBlue processed and accepted donations with foreign indicators even though ActBlue failed to identify a ‘passport number’ or ‘other indicia of eligibility’ for the donor. HOUSE DEM LASHES OUT AT GOP EFFORTS TO PROBE FOREIGN DONATIONS WITH STUNNING CLAIM ON MOTIVE “Nonetheless, you defended Ms. Wallace-Jones’s representations to Congress by arguing that ActBlue’s compliance and vetting policy was ‘as close to 100 percent as it could be,’” the letter said. “Documents produced to the Committees undercut your assertion. These documents demonstrate that if a donor did not have a U.S. passport or a U.S. address, an ActBlue employee retained the ability to determine an ‘alternative method of verifying the [donor’s] citizenship.’ This means an ActBlue employee could put ‘a placeholder,’ including ‘ACTBLUEXX,’ ‘in the passport number field of [the donor’s] ActBlue account.’ The placeholder allows ActBlue to accept all subsequent contributions from the donor without requiring a U.S. passport number.” ACTBLUE SCRUTINY FUELS NEW GOP BILLS TO TIGHTEN ELECTION DONATION RULES The letter said Machen’s review was also limited to 2023, arguing it left out potentially valuable information about 2024. “As such, the review did not accurately represent the totality of ActBlue’s foreign donation vetting and donor outreach practices during the 2024 election cycle. In fact, documents produced to the Committees show that ActBlue relaxed its vetting practices twice in 2024—data that your narrow ‘forensic’ review did not capture,” the letter said. ACTBLUE SUES TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON, ALLEGING POLITICAL RETALIATION OVER DEMOCRATS’ FUNDRAISING It also charged that he disputed Remus’ analysis without going into detail on how he established his own findings. ActBlue has consistently denied any wrongdoing and dismissed Republicans’ most recent findings in a statement to Fox News Digital. “There’s nothing to see here. After we released findings of a third-party forensic analysis that completely undermined a central claim that they have made against ActBlue, Republicans are refusing to move on,” ActBlue said. “Instead, they are orchestrating another political stunt before rushing out of town weeks early to go campaign. This coordinated campaign against ActBlue isn’t about the facts, or legislating, it’s about Republicans’ efforts to silence organizations they believe threaten their agenda.” A closed-door interview summons is not the same as a subpoena, which is a legally binding order.
Largest-ever US steel plant is coming to a key red state as Trump unveils $15B investment
President Donald Trump is unveiling Monday plans for a massive steel plant in Iowa that the White House says will be the largest in American history and promises to bring 1,750 permanent jobs to the state. The roughly $15 billion steel plant is touted as a major new investment and evidence that Trump’s economic agenda is bringing heavy manufacturing back to the U.S. with just over a month until the midterms. It will create between 5,000 and 6,000 construction jobs during its first phase. Trump is expected to make the announcement from the Oval Office at 2 p.m. alongside executives from Mesabi Metallics, a White House official told Fox News Digital. The company plans to build the facility using iron ore from its newly constructed mine in Minnesota. SEN KEVIN CRAMER: CHINA BUILDS FOR WAR WHILE AMERICA WAITS ON PERMITS The Iowa plant is expected to produce 7.5 million tons of steel annually in its first phase before eventually reaching 10 million tons per year, according to the White House. The administration says that would make it the largest steel plant ever built in the U.S. If completed as planned, the project would represent a significant expansion of American steel-making capacity. At its planned 10 million tons of annual production, the Iowa plant alone would have output equivalent to roughly one-tenth of what the entire U.S. steel industry produced last year. The project would also create a fully domestic supply chain, according to the White House, using iron ore mined at Mesabi’s Minnesota operation to produce finished steel in Iowa. But the scale of Monday’s announcement also comes with a long timeline: Mesabi does not expect the Iowa facility to produce its first steel until 2030. Trump has frequently highlighted large investment commitments as evidence that his tariffs and other economic policies are encouraging companies to build in the United States rather than invest abroad. The administration has announced hundreds of billions of dollars in planned investments from foreign governments and corporations, many of which are designed to unfold over several years. Mesabi’s Minnesota operation also illustrates the challenges that can accompany large industrial projects. The project traces back nearly two decades and encountered years of financing problems and missed deadlines before Essar Steel Minnesota filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2016. It later emerged from bankruptcy as Mesabi Metallics, and Essar eventually regained control. The project has since made substantial progress. Mesabi has begun mining and commissioning work at the Minnesota operation, although commercial pellet production has not yet begun. A recent SEC filing by a company that holds a royalty interest in the project said initial DR-grade pellet production is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026, followed by an eight- to 12-month ramp-up to commercial production. The White House says the Minnesota operation will ultimately produce 7.5 million tons annually and create roughly 350 permanent jobs. The administration is also emphasizing the national security implications of the Iowa project. The new plant will be capable of producing high-grade steel used to meet defense-sector requirements, according to the White House, as Washington seeks to strengthen domestic supply chains for materials used by the military and critical infrastructure. “President Trump is delivering on his promise to rebuild American industry, reshore manufacturing, and create new jobs,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. “Today’s announcement underscores the President’s historic efforts to revitalize the U.S. steel industry—supporting local communities, strengthening supply chains, and protecting our national security,” Rogers said. “After decades of decline, this President is restoring America’s industrial competitiveness and securing trillions of dollars in new investment.” The announcement comes as Trump points to tariffs as a tool for encouraging companies to manufacture in the United States. Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50% last year, arguing that protecting domestic producers from cheaper foreign competition would rebuild an industry critical to the economy and national security. TRUMP’S REINDUSTRIALIZATION AGENDA FACES ITS BIGGEST HURDLE — AMERICANS The policy has also increased costs for companies that consume steel. S&P Global reported that federal data showed prices for iron and steel rose 10.4% between April 2025 and April 2026, while the steel mill products index climbed 13.3%, even as domestic steel production increased. Unlike many newer U.S. steel facilities, which are smaller electric arc furnace plants, the Iowa project will be a large-scale integrated steel facility. The White House says it will be the first new “mega-steel” plant built in the United States since the 1960s. The first phase of the steel plant and the Minnesota mine together represent nearly $18 billion in investment, according to the administration. The White House estimates the first phase will generate approximately $95 billion in economic activity during construction and the plant’s first decade of operation. Trump is expected to be joined for Monday’s announcement by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, National Energy Dominance Council Executive Director Jarrod Agen and Export-Import Bank Chairman John Jovanovic, along with Mesabi Metallics Chairman Rewant Ruia, board member Prashant Ruia and CEO Joe Broking.
AOC gives major hint about 2028 as Democrat civil war looms
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political future has remained a topic of discussion within the left wing — and there’s increasing speculation that she could be set for a collision course with Democrats’ top leader in Congress. The progressive rock star says she’s weighing what to do next, whether it be a 2028 presidential run or a bid for the seat currently held by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow Democrat and New Yorker. “I know there is a lot of speculation about what I will decide to do in 2028. I get asked about it nearly every interview and event,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a recent fundraising email to supporters. The 36-year-old lawmaker with a massive social media footprint said in a recent New York Times interview that her decision, which could happen sometime after this year’s midterm elections, would come down to answering the question, “Where can I do the most good?” OCASIO-CORTEZ OPENS UP ABOUT 2028 If she decides on a statewide rather than a national run, it could set up a titanic Democratic Party and generational battle between her and the soon-to-be 76-year-old Schumer, who was first elected to Congress nearly half a century ago and has served in the Senate since 1999. Ocasio-Cortez, in her interview, made clear that her decision about 2028 would not be dictated by someone else. “I don’t think that my decisions would come down to deference,” she said. Meanwhile, a campaign swing the past few days throughout upstate New York by Ocasio-Cortez raised some eyebrows. While the trip was aimed at boosting fellow Democrats on the ballot in this year’s elections, it sparked speculation that it was also a move by Ocasio-Cortez to build relationships far from her base in New York City. Schumer has left his 2028 plans open and has not announced whether he’ll run for yet another term. When asked about re-election, he’s repeatedly said his “first focus is winning in 2026, getting back the Senate in 2026.” Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office regarding his thinking on a potential 2028 re-election run, but didn’t receive a response by the time this story was published. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB But a potential intra-party clash between Ocasio-Cortez and Schumer may never materialize, according to speculation from plugged-in Democratic strategists familiar with the New York state political landscape, who doubt Schumer will seek re-election even if his party wins back the Senate majority in November’s midterms. “Everyone has an expiration date,” said one strategist, who like the others asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely. And referring to Ocasio-Cortez, the strategist told Fox News Digital, “I think she’s in a good position to win statewide.” Another operative, pointing to Schumer, speculated, “I think Schumer wants to go out on top and with a good legacy and one way to do that is to hand the reins over to this inspiring generational leader. At the same time, New York politics are insane and there are lots of people gunning for that spot and he may feel like he can’t do that.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “He’s always been pretty smart when it came to her,” the operative noted. “As other Dems were still warming to her… he was one of the first members of the New York delegation to be very welcoming and thoughtful and worked with her on legislation during COVID.” Schumer’s approval ratings among New York voters are deep into negative territory at 36%-54%, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Sept. 17-20. The senator’s favorable ratings were also underwater, at 34%-51%. Meanwhile, 41% of Empire State voters viewed Ocasio-Cortez favorably, with 36% seeing her in an unfavorable light. “He was the supreme retail politician. Once he became leader, he became a swamp creature from Washington and it started to chip away at his popularity back home,” a third Democratic strategist said of Schumer. MAMDANI SIDESTEPS WHETHER AOC SHOULD CHALLENGE SCHUMER IN 2028 Schumer’s short-term goal is to win back the Senate majority in the midterms. Asked if that prospect would make potentially challenging Schumer more difficult, Ocasio-Cortez told the New York Times, “That would honestly be the best possible problem we could have as a country.” “We’re working hard to have that problem, and I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it,” she added. Recent fundraising text messages sent to supporters appeared to take jabs at the Democratic establishment, of which Schumer is a part. She did not name any particular person in the notes, however. “The establishment believes that there’s only one path to winning: Don’t upset the status quo, don’t stand up to the concentration of greed taking over our country, and instead spend most of your time fundraising from powerful donors,” it read. “But Alexandria’s campaign didn’t win in 2018 by following the establishment playbook.” Another message said her 2018 victory “represented a threat to the typical D.C. power structure that existed back then and still exists now.”
Walz’s ‘exit interview’ reflecting on his tenure sparks lawmaker debate about his legacy: ‘Never serious’
Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz reflected on his legacy in a recent interview and his comments sparked immediate pushback both online and from Republican lawmakers in the state who spoke to Fox News Digital. “Fraud — should have stopped it sooner,” Walz told the Minnesota Star-Tribune in a discussion that is being dubbed an “exit interview” with the headline “Walz accepts blame for fraud but says it shouldn’t define his legacy” as he prepares to leave office in January. “We didn’t stop them. I accept that. I think there does need to be accountability with that. And part of it is that, yep, that’s with me, I’ll step aside.” Walz claimed the state “immediately” took action on the fraud and then went on to suggest the true cost of the fraud, estimated at $9 billion by federal prosecutors, has been overstated and claimed President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom, expected to cost taxpayers around $300 million, was more expensive than the Minnesota fraud. WALZ APPROVAL RATING CRATERS TO LOWEST LEVEL EVER AND TRAILS TRUMP AMID MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL: ‘TIRED OF IT’ “I should have been down on those agencies a little more, but I will tell you this, in the scheme of things, all the fraud that’s been prosecuted, by the way, and all the fraud that’s probably out there is less than the ballroom at the White House,” Walz said. “So it puts it into perspective. It doesn’t make it right. Doesn’t make it right.” The outgoing governor then explained his hope that people will remember his other accomplishments when talking about his legacy. “Those are legacy things to address climate. They’re legacy things to address livability,” Walz said. “And I get it, that fraud tainted a lot of that. It doesn’t change the fundamentals underneath it. This is the best state in the country to raise a child, and it will continue to be so because of those investments.” Three Republican lawmakers in Minnesota who spoke to Fox News Digital had a different take. “Governor Walz is correct, he shouldn’t only be remembered for fraud,” Minnesota state Sen. Julia Coleman told Fox News Digital. “We should remember him spending our $18 billion surplus, raising taxes $10 billion, creating an unsustainable budget, letting rioters burn down Minneapolis, hurting our students and businesses with lockdowns and pardoning a child rapist.” ‘WE HAVE NOT SLOWED DOWN’: MINNESOTA NOT OUT OF THE WOODS ON MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL, EXPERT WARNS Walz has faced fierce criticism for helping approve a full pardon for Tue Lue Vang, a Laotian national convicted of repeatedly raping a girl beginning when she was 10. Critics argued the decision prioritized Vang’s immigration concerns and family ties over the severity of his crimes, with a DHS official calling it “disgusting.” Minnesota Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth is running to replace Walz in November as she heads into a matchup with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar to be the state’s next top executive. Demuth told Fox News Digital Walz’s legacy won’t be able to overcome the fraud scandal and pointed to Klobuchar’s tight association with him. “Tim Walz’s legacy will always be defined by the out-of-control fraud crisis that occurred on his watch,” Demuth said. “Yet Amy Klobuchar praised him as ‘an incredible leader who delivers for the people of Minnesota.’ As the senior member of our state’s congressional delegation, Sen. Klobuchar likewise failed to address the fraud crisis and even skipped hearings on the matter in D.C. Minnesotans deserve better than four more years of Walz-style failure.” Republican State Rep. Kristin Robbins chaired the last legislative session’s Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, and she told Fox News Digital that “no matter how hard he tries to spin it, Tim Walz’s legacy will be that he allowed rampant fraud.” “He says he ‘should have stopped it sooner,’ which is obvious, but he could still be doing more NOW,” Robbins said. “He has been silent on fraud for months instead of taking the actions that are STILL under his control.” Robbins said Walz could have taken several steps to combat fraud, including firing senior DHS official Shireen Gandhi to send a message that abuse would not be tolerated, blocking Minnesota from seeking a SNAP waiver that allows applicants to attest to eligibility by phone without recording the call, and asking Attorney General Keith Ellison to prosecute Partners in Nutrition, a nonprofit that administered federally funded meal programs, rather than approve a settlement. “His legacy will be fraud because he continues to enable fraud, despite two years of hearings, investigative journalists, and Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) reports,” Robbins said. “He was never serious about stopping it and still isn’t.” Walz’s comments not only drew scrutiny from Republican lawmakers but also sparked backlash on social media. “Walz accepts blame for fraud, but believes his loss of $9 billion in taxpayer dollars ‘shouldn’t define his legacy,’” the X account for Minnesota House Republicans posted on X. “It does, and Minnesotans are paying attention to his blatant disregard of their hard-earned tax dollars.” Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment.