President Donald Trump is doubling down on his nomination of Alina Habba after federal judges in New Jersey declined to extend her term as interim U.S. attorney, and instead chose to replace her with a different prosecutor, whom the DOJ subsequently fired.The unusual chain of events has led to confusion over who will become the next interim U.S. attorney in the District of New Jersey, as Habbas 120-day term is set to expire this week.A White House spokesman said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital that Trump supports Habba becoming the permanent U.S. attorney, a position that requires Senate confirmation.DOJ SWIFTLY FIRES HABBA'S COURT-APPOINTED REPLACEMENT FOR US ATTORNEY"President Trump has full confidence in Alina Habba, whose work as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey has made the Garden State and the nation safer," White House spokesman Harrison Fields said. "The Trump Administration looks forward to her final confirmation in the U.S. Senate and will work tirelessly to ensure the people of New Jersey are well represented."But Habba's vote in the Senate does not appear to be happening anytime soon, if at all. New Jerseys two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, are currently blocking Habbas nomination through the Senate's "blue slip" tradition, and a person familiar with the process said the Senate has not received materials needed to vet her nomination in any case.In the meantime, arcane laws surrounding the authority to fill federal vacancies have become pertinent.Trump appointed Habba as the temporary U.S. attorney in March, but that term expires on Friday, according to the Department of Justice. Statutes indicate that federal judges have the authority to extend an interim U.S. attorney's term or vote on replacing that person.The district court judges of New Jersey, most of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents, convened behind closed doors on Monday and chose to replace Habba with her top assistant, Desiree Grace, a career DOJ prosecutor since 2016. Grace rose through the ranks to become head of the criminal division in New Jersey before becoming Habba's No. 2 in April.ALINA HABBA: WE MUST REFOCUS TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON IMPORTANT THINGSHowever, Attorney General Pam Bondi alleged that the judges infringed on Trump's authority to appoint U.S. attorneys by voting to replace Habba. Bondi said she "removed" Grace in response to the judges' actions."[Habba] has been doing a great job in making NJ safe again," Bondi said in a statement. "Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant. Accordingly, the First Assistant United States Attorney in New Jersey has just been removed."Grace could not be reached for comment. An anonymous source with knowledge of the matter told the New York Times that Grace received an email Tuesday informing her that she was fired.WHITE HOUSE HITS BACK AT DEM MAYOR SUING US ATTORNEY AFTER ICE ARREST: DESPERATE ATTEMPTA Habba spokeswoman told Fox News Digital that Habba is still the interim U.S. attorney through Friday. But the tension between the DOJ and the judges leaves open the question of who will assume the role come Saturday.Booker said that firing a court-appointed U.S. attorney was part of a "pattern" of the DOJ flouting the law."The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesnt agree with them and undermine judicialindependence," Booker wrote on X.Booker is among the critics who have deemed Habba unqualified for the job. Habba, who served as Trump's legal spokeswoman and personal defense lawyer during his criminal prosecutions, had no experience as a prosecutor before Trump appointed her as lead prosecutor in New Jersey.Upon taking the job, Habba was accused of politicizing the role after she advocated turning New Jersey "red," and she drew a rare rebuke from a judge for ordering Newark's Democratic mayor arrested and then quickly dismissing the charges.But Trump and DOJ leadership are standing firmly by Habba. The Trump administration found a workaround in the Northern District of New York when John Sarcone's term as U.S. attorney recently expired there, but it is unclear if a similar option is available for Habba.Anne Joseph O'Connell, a Stanford Law School professor, wrote on Bluesky that she believed Trump had the authority to fire Grace and possibly re-appoint Habba to serve out another temporary term."The question now is, will they name Habba to a new 120-day interim US attorney appointment or will they turn to the Vacancies Act and name a different person as acting U.S. attorney," O'Connell wrote.

FIRST ON FOX: Passing President Donald Trumps agenda was a team effort between the Senate and House, but one Senate Republican was key in smoothing over differences between the two chambers."There's an inherent mistrust between senators and representatives," Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital in an interview. "There's a deep, deep mistrust, and it's like we're playing shirts and skins with our own team.""And trying to break down that barrier and let people know, Hey, we're all on the same team, is a little tougher than what people think," he continued.SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS TRY TO SAVE FACE, BLAME GOP FOR POSSIBLE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNHouse Republicans were dead set on crafting one, colossal package, while Senate Republicans preferred splitting the bill into two even three pieces. Then there were disagreements over the depth of spending cuts, changes to Medicaid and carveouts to boost the cap on the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT).And while the House GOP worked to craft their version of the massive, $3.3 trillion tax cuts and spending package that eventually made its way to the Senate, Mullin was a crucial figure in bridging the roughly 100-yard gap between both sides of the Capitol.But its a job he never really wanted.Mullin, who has been in Washington for over a decade, got his start in the House before being elected to the Senate in 2021. He wanted to maintain "lifelong friendships" with his House colleagues, but becoming the de facto liaison between the chambers was more a decision of practicality than one he truly desired."The first couple of deputy whip meetings we had when [Senate Majority Leader John Thune] was whip was discussing what the House is going to do, and no one knew," Mullin said. "And I was like, Man, it's just down the hall, we can go walk and talk to them.' So the first time I did that, I went to the [House GOP] conference and just talked."'ALL THE OPTIONS': GOP EYES CUTTING AUGUST RECESS TO MOVE DOZENS OF TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY DEMS"And then it just turned into me going to Thune and saying, Hey, why don't I just become a liaison between the two? So I didn't, I never envisioned of doing that, other than just keeping a relationship, but it was a natural fit," he continued.That role began when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who Mullin had a longstanding relationship with, led the House GOP, and has continued since House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., took the helm in 2023.And it paid dividends during the six-month slog to draft and pass Trumps budget reconciliation bill, which required full buy-in from congressional Republicans to do so given that no Democrats were involved in the process.Markwayne said that before the bill even made it to the Senate in early June, he played a role in ensuring that House Republicans didnt "dump a ton of stuff in there" that would be nixed by Senate rules.He effectively ping-ponged back and forth between the chambers, jetting from morning workouts to speak with lawmakers, meeting with House Republicans during their weekly conference confabs or holding smaller discussions with lawmakers, particularly blue state Republicans concerned about changes to SALT, to get everyone on roughly the same page.Much of it broke down to explaining how the Senates Byrd rule, which governs reconciliation and allows either party to skirt the Senate filibuster to pass legislation, worked."I mean, even though I spent 12 or 10 years in the House, I never understood the Byrd rule, but why would I? I didnt have to deal with it," he said. "So really getting to understand that, and breaking down that barrier helped."GOP SENATOR REVEALS THE 'DIRTY' SECRET TO TRUMP'S MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN MOVEMENTThe flow of information wasnt just one way, however. His discussions with House Republicans helped him better inform his colleagues in the upper chamber of their priorities, and what could and couldnt be touched as Senate Republicans began putting their fingerprints on the bill.SALT was the main issue that he focused on, and one that most Senate Republicans didnt care much for. Still, it was a make-or-break agreement to raise the caps, albeit temporarily, to $40,000 for single and joint filers for the next five years, that helped seal the deal for anxious blue state House Republicans."Just keeping them informed through the process was very important," he said. "But at the same time, talking to the House, and when we're negotiating over here, Id be like, No guys, that's a killer," he said. "We can't do that if you, if you touch this, it's dead over there for sure. Guaranteed, its dead."Over time, his approach to the role has changed, an evolution he said was largely influenced by Thune.A self-described "bull in a China cabinet," Mullin said that for a time his negotiating style was arguing with lawmakers to convince them "why you're wrong." But that style softened after watching Thune, he said, and saw him talking less and listening more."I took his lead off of it to let people talk," he said. "Sometimes you're going to find out that they're actually upset about something that had nothing to do with the bill, but they're taking that, and they're holding the bill hostage to be able to let this one point be heard.""I don't think it was a good indication that we were butting heads. Everybody was very passionate about this. I mean, they've been working for a long time. We looked at it as maybe a once in a generation opportunity for us to be able to get this done," he continued. "We wanted to get it right, but everybody wanted to have their fingerprint on it and at the end of the day, we knew we [had] to bring it to the floor."

King Charles isnt shy about sinking his teeth into royal history.Actor Luke Evans wrote a memoir that was published this year, titled "Boy from the Valleys: My Unexpected Journey." In it, the 46-year-old wrote about being invited to a Princes Trust gala dinner at The Savoy Hotel in London in 2014, where he met the former Prince Charles.It was there that he learned the British royal was related to the real-life Dracula.KING CHARLES ALARMING BLOODSHOT EYE RAISES HEALTH CONCERN DURING FRENCH STATE VISITEvans recalled how the now-76-year-old gave him "a good, strong handshake" and asked what he was working on. At the time, the Welsh star had just finished filming "Dracula Untold," where he played Vlad Tepes III, also known as Vlad the Impaler. The 15th-century Romanian warlord inspired the 1897 novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker about the vampire Count Dracula.Evans wrote that upon hearing this, the kings "eyes lit up," as quoted by People. According to the outlet, Charles said, "Ill tell you an interesting story. Im actually related to Vlad Tepes.""To my astonishment, he then proceeded to talk me through his entire lineage, all the way back to the 1400s," Evans recalled, as quoted by the outlet. "He told me he now owns a number of properties in Romania, where Vlad was ruler."Evans told Charles it was "the most incredible story." The king replied, "Yes, and not a lot of people know it." He then smiled and walked away."I noticed he had stayed a little longer with me than he had with other guests, probably because we had this fascinating thing to talk about," Evans wrote.The Princes Trust, now called the Kings Trust, was founded by the monarch in 1976. The charitys goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the U.K. Evans served as an ambassador.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERRoyal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Charles love for Romania runs deep in his veins."We first discovered Vlad the Impalers connection to Charles when we explored the bloodline of Prince George after he was born [in 2013]," Turner explained, referring to the monarchs grandson. "Charles still visits his holiday home in Romania each year.""Perhaps all those wishing to oppose or suppress his wishes should have second thoughts, fearing his ancestral blood," Turner joked.WATCH: DRACULA STAR BELA LUGOSI EXAGGERATED HIS DRUG ADDICTION: AUTHORBritish royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Charles loves to share the fun fact about his heritage."Even Romanian officials have publicly acknowledged this by jesting hes the Prince of Transylvania," she shared. "The king has an affection for rural Transylvania, in particular, where he has property holdings."In 2023, the king declared his "love" for and "deep connection" to Romania when he attended a reception at Cotroceni Palace to celebrate his close ties to the nation, The Telegraph reported. The outlet noted that it marked his first trip abroad since being crowned king that year.Romania remains one of Charles favorite countries where he could seek refuge and privacy. According to the outlet, he owns at least 10 properties in the country and makes an annual trip to hike and paint. His countryside home has no Wi-Fi, TV or radio, allowing him to completely disconnect.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSThe outlet noted that there is a "small hi-fi player with CDs" in the drawing room.In 2017, the mayor of the city of Alba Iulia claimed they invited Charles to accept the honorary title of Prince of Transylvania. Fox News Digital reached out to see if the offer still stands for the monarch.

A Democratic National Committee "autopsy" of the 2024 election will reportedly ignore reviews of the presidential campaigns, according to a recent report on Saturday.New York Times journalists Reid J. Epstein and Shane Goldmacher reported what is being described by party officials as an "after-action review" of what went wrong in the election. However, the review is expected to focus more on outside groups and super PACs and how they spent money on advertising and other voter turnout efforts.Top Democrats informed Epstein and Goldmacher that the report was not expected to look at any strategic decisions made by the campaign, such as whether then-President Joe Biden should have stayed in the race or dropped out sooner, and if then-Vice President Kamala Harris was the best person to run in his place.DEMOCRATS LAMENT 'PARTY DRAMA' AND LACK OF UNITY AS FRUSTRATIONS WITH DNC GROWThe "autopsy" is also expected to avoid any campaign decisions by the Harris team, such as repeatedly referring to her opponent, President Donald Trump, as a fascist."Party officials described the draft document as focusing on the 2024 election as a whole, but not on the presidential campaign which is something like eating at a steakhouse and then reviewing the salad," they wrote.The report, which was first launched in March, is still under review by Democratic operative Paul Rivera. Rivera has so far conducted more than 200 interviews with officials from all 50 states.Despite avoiding key questions about the campaign, DNC officials were optimistic about the reports upcoming results.OUTGOING DNC CHAIR SAYS DEMOCRATS SHOULD HAVE 'STUCK BY' BIDEN IN THE 2024 ELECTION"The D.N.C.s post-election review is not a finger-pointing exercise; its about bringing together Democrats across the ecosystem to adopt an actionable playbook to win, not just for 2026 and 2028, but to dominate for cycles to come," DNC spokesperson Rosemary Boeglin told the New York Times. "Democrats are cleareyed about the challenges facing the party many of which are rooted well before the 2024 cycle and it requires all of us to make structural changes in how we run campaigns."Fox News Digital reached out to the DNC for comment.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe Democratic National Committee has been under controversy recently with multiple resignations and party infighting. Last month, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, resigned from their positions, citing a problem with party leadership.

Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley will run for the open GOP-held Senate seat in battleground North Carolina with the blessing of President Donald Trump, two sources familiar confirm to Fox News.This, after the presidents daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, apparently decided not to seek the seat.The seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced late last month that he wouldnt run for re-election in next years midterm elections.Whatley's news, which was first reported by Politico Thursday morning, comes a day after Fox News confirmed that former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is expected to launch a Senate campaign in the North Carolina race. Cooper's announcement could come as early as next week.TILLIS DENOUNCES TRUMP'S BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL HOURS AFTER SURPRISE RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENTThe showdown in North Carolina is expected to be one of the most competitive and expensive Senate battles in the country. Cooper's announcement could come as early as next week.National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina met with Whatley to discuss the North Carolina race, a GOP operative told Fox News.RNC CHAIR SAYS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL KEY TO GOP'S MESSAGING EFFORT HEADED INTO MIDTERMSThe NRSC, since January, had been floating Whatley as a potential replacement for Tillis.Whatley, a North Carolina native, served as the state's GOP chair for five years before he was elected RNC chair last March.Trump called Tillis' announcement last month that he wouldn't seek a third six-year term in the Senate "great news."Tillis is a GOP critic of the president, and Trump torched the senator last month for not supporting his so-called "big, beautiful" spending and tax cut bill.With Tillis not seeking re-election, Trump is the kingmaker in selecting which Republican will be the party's 2026 Senate nominee in North Carolina.RNC CHAIR CLAIMS MAMDANI FACE OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY"Its the presidents choice. The president and his team will have those conversations," a Republican operative, pointing to Trump's immense sway over the GOP, told Fox News last month.Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, who served last year alongside Whatley as an RNC co-chair, was at the top of the list.Trump, who grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, and attended undergraduate studies at North Carolina State University, is married to the president's son, Eric.She stepped down from her post at the RNC late last year and currently hosts "My View with Lara Trump" on the Fox News Channel.But Trump apparently decided against seeking the Senate seat.Asked in an interview last week with Fox News Digital about the open seat in North Carolina, Whatley said, "I feel very good that we're going to be able to hold on to that seat. You know, we've been winning in that Senate seat down there for decades. The President has won that state three times in a row.""If Laura Trump decides to move forward, then I think the entire ecosystem would coalesce behind her, including myself, and if she's not going to, then we will sit down with the President and figure out what the next steps are going to be," he added.Whatley said the battle in North Carolina is "going to be the number one Senate race in the entire country, along with Georgia, just because of the number of media markets that we have, the spending that's going to be there, the fact that you've got to hold the seat and you've got to pick up seat in Georgia.""We also going to have a tough race up in Maine. We're going to have an opportunity to pick up a seat in Michigan. So, you know, there are going to be a number of key races, but that's going to be one of the marquee races in the country," he added.Republicans currently control the Senate with a 53-47 majority.

EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans are taking direct aim at actors tied to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) growing grip on American farmland.In an exclusive to Fox News Digital, Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said she will introduce a House version of Missouri Sen. Josh Hawleys "Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act" Thursday morning, called the "Saving American Farms from Adversaries Act."The legislation is part of a growing GOP push to block the CCP from buying up U.S. farmland and homes."Prized American land is not for sale to our enemies," Miller said in a statement to Fox News Digital.HAWLEY MOVES TO BLOCK CHINA'S BUY-UP OF US FARMLAND AS TRUMP ADMIN SOUNDS ALARM"The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest threat to our national security, and their aggressive push to buy up our farmland and homes is a direct attack on our sovereignty. Its long past time we take back control and put Americas food supply and communities back in American hands where they belong," she added.The bill comes amid rising concerns over Beijings growing footprint in American markets and real estate.According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Chinese entities currently own roughly 265,000 acres of American agricultural land. That number has set off alarm bells for lawmakers and voters alike.TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES DECISIVELY TO BLOCK CHINA FROM 'WEAPONIZING' AMERICAN FARMLAND"For far too long, foreign adversaries have taken advantage of our farmland. While USDA doesnt currently have the authority to prevent the purchase of farmland by foreign nationals, we are actively working to improve the accuracy of foreign-owned farmland reporting so that the public, Congress, and State governments have the relevant data needed to make informed policy decisions," a USDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement."This is just one of the many actions outlined in our recent National Farm Security Action Plan to defend the homeland."Millers bill is the companion to Hawleys Senate version. The proposal would ban Chinese corporations and individuals affiliated with the CCP from acquiring or leasing any agricultural land in the U.S."Chinas ownership of U.S. farmland poses a direct threat to American interests," Hawley said."We should never let our nations greatest adversary have access to our vital resources, including our housing supply. Thats why Im reintroducing legislation to protect American assets from the CCP once and for all."It would also prohibit purchases of U.S. residential real estate by those same entities for two years, with an option for the president to extend the ban every two years. Entities that already hold such property would be required to divest within one year of the bill becoming law.To enforce compliance, the legislation imposes steep civil fines: $100 per acre per day for illegal agricultural holdings, and $1,000 per day for residential real estate violations. Criminal penalties include up to five years in prison.Land acquired in violation of the law would be subject to forfeiture and sold at public auction.The bill also nullifies non-compete agreements involving foreign agricultural employers and establishes compliance offices within the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce to oversee enforcement.The attorney general would have the authority to seize assets and seek court orders to stop violations. Millers push aligns with President Donald Trumps newly launched "National Farm Security Action Plan," led by Trump officials including Brooke Rollins, Pete Hegseth, Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem.The plan is aimed at protecting U.S. food systems and farmland from what Trump has called "foreign exploitation."Millers bill will debut Thursday with a dozen Republican co-sponsors.According to Miller's office, those backing the legislation include Reps. Pat Harrigan, Ralph Norman, Paul Gosar, Bob Onder, Marlin Stutzman, Tim Burchett, Randy Weber, Tom Tiffany, Andy Harris, Tony Wied, Michael Rulli and Eli Crane.The Senate version was introduced by Hawley last week. Like Millers House bill, it targets both farmland and residential properties, including homes, condos and land zoned for housing development.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPSince taking office in 2021, Miller has made foreign land ownership a focus of her work in Congress. In January2022, she and Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, introduced the "National Security Moratorium on Foreign Purchases of U.S. Land.""Chinas ownership of U.S. farmland poses a direct threat to American interests," said Senator Hawley."We should never let our nations greatest adversary have access to our vital resources, including our housing supply. Thats why Im reintroducing legislation to protect American assets from the CCP once and for all."

House Republicans are calling for more scrutiny on the roughly 1,500 commutation orders signed by President Joe Biden toward the end of his term after revelations that an autopen was used for a significant number of them."Americans deserve accountability of their leaders. If an autopen was used to pardon hundreds of people, thousands of people, including the president's son, who made that decision? Was it Joe Biden? Or was it some staffer that used an autopen?" Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., said in a brief interview with Fox News Digital.The New York Times reported earlier this month that autopen signatures were used on clemency orders in the last few months of Biden's White House tenure.Biden told the outlet he made "every decision," and the report details a meticulous process from Biden making his decision to that decision being recorded by aides and passed through a chain of email communication suggesting the then-president had final signoff.COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR'S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: 'THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE'But the report notes, "The Times has not seen the full extent of the emails, so it is impossible to capture the totality of information they contain or what else they might show about Mr. Bidens involvement in the pardon and clemency decisions."Rep. Mark Messmer, R-Ind., suggested pardon decisions carried out in the late hours of the day should be looked at in particular."I think we need to highly scrutinize the use of autopen signatures that were initiated at 10.45 p.m., well beyond the president's normal day of cognitive activity, need to be brought into question," Messmer said.The report noted one instance where the final word on a particular set of clemency orders was sent just after 10:30 p.m.The Times had reported in July 2024, before he dropped out of the presidential race, that Biden said he would stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. due to the need for sleep.Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued lawmakers need more information on who was in control of those signatures for public trust."What people want is accountability. They want to know that what was done in the name of our president who was elected, that he actually bears responsibility for that," Gill said.FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE 'NEVER HAD A CONCERN' ABOUT BIDEN'S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UPAnother lawmaker suggested courts should even look at nullification."Maybe some of the pardons and things like that can be rolled back," Rep. John McGuire, R-Va., said. "We'll leave it to the courts to figure that out."Rep. Andrew Cylde, R-Ga., went a step further: "That has to be corrected. It has to be investigated. And those people, really, in my opinion, should be prosecuted for stepping outside the bounds of the Constitution."The House Oversight Committee, led by Chair James Comer, R-Ky., is already investigating the Biden administration's use of autopen and whether former top White House aides concealed evidence of the then-president's mental decline.Ex-White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain is the latest person expected to appear before House investigators, with a voluntary transcribed interview scheduled for Thursday morning.Democratic allies of Biden have blasted the probe as a political spectacle rather than an honest fact-finding mission.But all the Republican lawmakers who spoke with Fox News Digital argued to at least some extent that Americans want accountability, though some suggested it would be beneficial to focus efforts on the future."I have to balance my thoughts on this. I think that, you know, it's good to know what happened, to keep it from happeningbut on the other hand, I really want to be focused on the future," said Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont. "But I will tell you, the speculation although I obviously don't know 100% what's true or not I think the speculation is very probable, just seeing who Biden was at the end of his tenure and knowing that that didn't happen overnight."Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, vice chair of the House GOP Conference, told Fox News Digital, "As far as the previous administration, what's done is done, but it's also good to highlight to the American people, okay, you were in some cases lied to."Notably, autopen is a standard and legal practice that's been used by officials in many past cases, including by President Donald Trump. House investigators are looking into whether Biden really made the final sign-off himself on key decisions, however.The office of former president Joe Biden was contacted for comment.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, slammed Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for not condemning "blatantly antisemitic" rhetoric while campaigning to lead New York City."Ill say this about Mamdani or any other leader," Shapiro reportedly said in an interview with Jewish Insider. "If you want to lead New York, you want to lead Pennsylvania, you want to lead the United States of America, youre a leader.""I dont care if youre a Republican or Democratic leader or a democratic socialist leader," the governor reportedly added. "You have to speak and act with moral clarity, and when supporters of yours say things that are blatantly antisemitic, you cant leave room for that to just sit there. Youve got to condemn that."MAMDANI TO TAKE EXTENDED AFRICA TRIP AMID CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF NEW YORK"He seemed to run a campaign that excited New Yorkers," Shapiro, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, said of Mamdani's economic proposals. "He also seemed to run a campaign where he left open far too much space for extremists to either use his words or for him to not condemn the words of extremists that said some blatantly antisemitic things."Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who endorsed Mamdani after losing to him in the June Democratic primary, came to his defense."Lets be clear: Zohran Mamdani won the votes of a large majority of NYC Democrats, including thousands of proud Jews like me, inspired by his vision of a city everyone can afford and confident about his commitment to combating antisemitism and hate," Lander said in a statement, according to Politico. "Josh Shapiro wont help keep Jews safe in NYC or Pennsylvania by feeding Trumps narrative about our Democratic nominee for mayor."Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeen Jeffries, both New York Democrats, have so far withheld endorsements of Mamdani, expressing concern over the mayoral hopeful's comments on Israel.Mamdani drew backlash for refusing to condemn the slogan "globalize the intifada." He has since backtracked while courting New York City business leaders, saying he would no longer use the phrase and would discourage his supporters from using it. Meanwhile, New York City college campuses, including Columbia University, have faced rising antisemitism and anti-Israel protests and encampments in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas terrorists in Israel.Mamdani has defended BDS, or Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, saying at a May town hall that the anti-Israel movement "is consistent with my core of my politics, which is nonviolence."New York has been pivotal to controlling the House majority over the past three elections.CUOMO QUIPS EVEN I WILL MOVE TO FLORIDA IF MAMDANI WINS NYC MAYORAL BIDDemocrats in battleground districts especially have attempted to distance themselves from Mamdani. That includes Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., who said Mamdani's primary win should be a "loud wake-up call for the Democratic Party." Rep. Laura Gillen, another Democrat from a Long Island swing district, said that Mamdani, a socialist, "is too extreme to lead New York City," accusing the mayoral hopeful of promoting "a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments."Punchbowl News reported last month that some New York Democratic members of Congress "literally ran away" from reporters asking about Mamdani's candidacy.Meanwhile, progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have embraced Mamdani, now considered the front-runner ahead of the November general election.Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear another two possible 2028 presidential contenders have praised Mamdani's primary victory as a lesson for Democrats.While Mamdani's campaign attempted to appeal to working-class voters by stressing economic injustice and housing affordability, he is the Ugandan-born son of an acclaimed Indian filmmaker and a Columbia University professor. His proposals also echo socialist and communist principles, including government-run grocery stores, rent freezes and abolishing prisons.Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by more than 12 percentage points last month, securing the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City. Mamdani still faces Cuomo, who formally declared his independent mayoral bid earlier this month. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is also running as an independent, as is former federal prosecutor Jim Walden. "Guardian Angels" founder Curtis Sliwa is the Republican mayoral candidate.At a Jewish heritage night in early July, Adams encouraged Jewish New Yorkers not to flee the city and slammed Mamdani for saying that he would look into increasing taxes in wealthier and "whiter" neighborhoods."You have the right to be in this city and anywhere in this country," Adams said, according to the Times of Israel. "Dont live in fear, dont live in anxiety. This city belongs to you as it belongs to every group that lives in this city."

CNN National Security Analyst Beth Sanner accused the Trump administration of aiding Russia after the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, declassified a report prepared by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence back in 2020 on Wednesday.Sanner slammed the administration on Wednesday for releasing the report, which she claimed included "cherry-picked examples" that ran contrary to the intelligence community's assessment at the time that Russian President Vladimir Putin meddled in the 2016 election in hopes of helping President Donald Trump win."What I don't appreciate is that these are cherry-picked examples that they are quibbling, angels dancing on the head of a pin when we have volumes of reporting," she asserted. "You're always going to find one report that's different, OK, whatever."CNN HOSTS DISMISS NEW RUSSIAGATE EVIDENCE AS 'DISTRACTION' FROM EPSTEIN FILES: SHOULDN'T 'EVEN BE REPEATING'The report revealed that the intelligence community did not have any direct information that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to help elect Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election, but, at the "unusual" direction of then-President Barack Obama, published "potentially biased" or "implausible" intelligence suggesting otherwise.The report states that then-CIA Director John Brennan "ordered the post-election publication of 15 reports containing previously collected but unpublished intelligence, three of which were substandardcontaining information that was unclear, of uncertain origin, potentially biased, or implausibleand those became foundational sources for the ICA judgements that Putin preferred Trump over Clinton."The CNN analyst disputed these findings, arguing that the "big message" for Americans is that "Russia tried to interfere in our election processes with the point of undermining our confidence in our democracy and, by bringing this up again, the Trump administration is doing the work of our adversary Russia."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURESanner's claims stand in stark contrast to Gabbard's statements made at a White House press briefing Wednesday, alleging the Obama administration promoted a "contrived narrative" that Russia interfered in the 2016 election."There is irrefutable evidence that details how President Obama and his national security team directed the creation of an intelligence community assessment that they knew was false," Gabbard said. "They knew it would promote this contrived narrative that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help President Trump win, selling it to the American people as though it were true. It wasn't."

Cedar Point visitors were stuck on a "tilt" roller coaster for nearly 20 minutes, marking the third time the ride has malfunctioned since opening.Riders on "Siren's Curse" at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, were stuck on the ride for about 20 minutes on July 19 while suspended at a 45-degree angle, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.The "Siren's Curse" ride has a maximum height of 160 feet and reaches speeds up to 58 mph.Tony Clark, a spokesman for Cedar Point, said the ride reopened shortly after the incident.FREAK ACCIDENT AT THE BEACH SENDS TEEN TO ICU AS MOM WARNS OF WATERFRONT DANGER"The coasters safety system performed as designed, the ride was restarted, and guests continued their ride," Clark said. "It reopened shortly after and all guests exited the ride safely."Since the ride's opening on June 28, the ride has malfunctioned three times.AMERICAN TOURIST FALLS 30 FEET OFF CLIFFSIDE TRAIL IN VACATION HOT SPOTAccording to the report, on the opening weekend for "Siren's Curse," passengers were stuck on the ride for around 10 minutes while it was suspended in the air facing down.The ride again malfunctioned on July 2 when it stopped just before the tilt began, and passengers were evacuated using stairs.Fox News Digital reached out to Cedar Point for comment.