Sen. Adam Schiff launched a legal defense fund as the California Democrat faces a federal investigation for alleged mortgage fraud and President Donald Trump repeatedly condemns him for years of allegedly promoting the "Russiagate" hoax."Its clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Senator Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable," a spokeswoman for Schiff told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening. "This fund will ensure he can fight back against these baseless smears while continuing to do his job."The legal fund, dubbed "Senator Schiff Legal Defense Fund," was filed with the Internal Revenue Service Thursday, according to the New York Times.Trump and Schiff have long been political foes, stretching back to the president's first administration, when Schiff who was serving in the U.S. House at the time oversaw the first impeachment trial against Trump in 2020 for alleged abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and for repeatedly promoting the narrative that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.SEN ADAM SCHIFF UNDER FEDERAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR ALLEGED MORTGAGE FRAUD VIOLATIONS"Russia, Russia, Russia. Totally phony, created by Adam Schiff, Shifty Schiff, and Hillary Clinton and the whole group of them," Trump said from the Kennedy Center Wednesday.Trump was referring to recently declassified documents alleging the Obama administration "manufactured and politicized intelligence" to create the narrative that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, despite information from the intelligence community stating otherwise."It made it very dangerous for our country because I was unable to really deal with Russia the way we should have been," Trump continued from the Kennedy Center, referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi. "And I'm looking at Pam because I hope something's going to be done about it."White House spokesman Harrison Fields called Schiff a "fraud" and "corrupt politician" when approached for comment on Tuesday regarding the legal fund. "Adam Schiff is a sleazy and corrupt politician who betrayed his oath to the Constitution by prioritizing his selfish and personal animosity toward the President over the interests of the American people. No amount of money can shield Adam from the truth that he is a fraud," Fields told Fox News Digital.Schiff also came under fire earlier in August when documents released to Congress by FBI Director Kash Patel reported that a Democratic whistleblower who worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for more than 10 years told the FBI in 2017 that Schiff allegedly approved leaking classified information on Trump that "would be used to indict President TRUMP."Schiff denied the allegations as "absolutely and categorically false."Schiff notably served on the Jan. 6 committee, which investigated the day in January 2021 when Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol, and was among lawmakers who were granted preemptive pardons on President Joe Biden's final day in office in 2025.HOW TRUMP'S 'NO SHRINKING VIOLETS' DOJ IS DIGGING IN ON SCHIFF'S MORTGAGE DEALINGS AS LEGAL PERIL LOOMSSchiff, however, had publicly condemned the prospect of Biden doling out preemptive pardons as "unnecessary" and setting a bad precedent."First, those of us on the committee are very proud of the work we did. We were doing vital quintessential oversight of a violent attack on the Capitol," Schiff said during a media interview in December 2024. "So I think its unnecessary.""But second, the precedent of giving blanket pardons, preemptive blanket pardons on the way out of an administration, I think is a precedent we dont want to set," he added.TRUMP INVOKES RUSSIA COLLUSION HOAX WHILE CALLING FOR LONGTIME FOE SCHIFF TO FACE JAIL TIMEThe California Democrat also is facing a federal investigation for mortgage fraud, Fox Digital previously reported. Schiff has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the matter is a "baseless attempt at political retribution."The U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice in May claiming that in "multiple instances," Schiff allegedly "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property."Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here's what's happening-Dem Texas lawmaker spends night on state House floor after refusing GOP-mandated police escort-Trump tapped for Nobel Prize amid talks to end Russia-Ukraine war-DC's homeless response rife with years of mismanagement, wasteful spending amid Trump crackdownIn a major step toward ending the years-long war, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the announcement during Tuesday's press briefing. She clarified that "if necessary" there could be a trilateral meeting involving the U.S. after Putin and Zelenskyy meet."President Trump spoke with President Putin by phone, and he agreed to begin the next phase of the peace process, a meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy, which would be followed, if necessary, by a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky and President Trump," Leavitt said on Tuesday.Leavitt said that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff would "continue to coordinate with Russia and Ukraine to make this happen as soon as possible."Read moreEXTREME CLAIMS FLY: ACLU likens Trumps Fort Bliss migrant facility to WWII internment camps'WAR VERY FAR AWAY': White House rejects blank checks for Ukraine, presses NATO to shoulder costsHIGHWAY HERO: Ex-Navy SEAL congressman saves bleeding 11-year-old with makeshift tourniquets after Iowa crash'NO ONE ELSE': Laken Riley's mother and stepfather strongly endorse House Republican vying for US Senate seatCOMBAT VET STEPS UP: Veteran who served in Middle Eastern wars launches campaign against Sen. Susan Collins'DON'T KNOW HOW': Transgender lawmaker says Democratic Party doesn't know how to respond to anti-trans attacksLABOR TAKES AIM: Union boss compares ICE to Al Pacino mobster as more Dems pile on immigration enforcementREBEL ROOTS INVOKED: Bostons Wu fires back at Bondi, citing Revolution, as other cities slam feds over sanctuary warningsCHECKING ELIGIBILITY: Medicaid directs states to crack down on illegal immigrant enrollees with monthly checksTAXPAYER TRAINWRECK: Newsom-backed high-speed rail 'boondoggle' hit with new House investigationCOZYING UP: Cuomo campaign denies bombshell report about Trump's influence in the NYC mayoral race'SAFE AGAIN': MS-13 gang member arrested in DC as Bondi touts admin's 'extraordinary' crime crackdownREDRAWN, RED GONE: Here are the 5 GOP House seats that could be wiped out with Newsom's California redistricting planPRICED OUT: Chicago residents call Obama Presidential Center a 'monstrosity,' fear they'll be displacedGet the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Officers with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must consider the "positive contributions" of immigrants applying to become U.S. citizens as part of a more "holistic" approach, according to an agency memo.The new policy directs USCIS officers to account for an applicant's positive attributes, rather than simply the absence of misconduct."Becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen means being an active and responsible member of society instead of just having a right to live and work in the United States," the Aug. 15 memo states. "Among other eligibility factors, aliens applying for naturalization must demonstrate that he or she has been and continues to be an individual of good moral character (GMC)."TRUMP IS TARGETING NONVIOLENT AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS.AMERICANS ARE STARTING TO NOTICE"Evaluating GMC involves more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing," the memo continues. "It entails a holistic assessment of an aliens behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character."Applicants with convictions for serious violent crimes have long been barred from obtaining U.S. citizenship. Friday's memo expands the list of offenses to include drug use or two or more convictions for driving under the influence.Officers are also encouraged to consider conduct that may not be illegal but considered inconsistent with civic responsibility within the community, including "reckless or habitual traffic infractions, or harassment or aggressive solicitation.""U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenshipit should only be offered to the worlds best of the best," USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser told Fox News Digital. "USCIS is adding a new element to the naturalization process that ensures Americas newest citizens not only embrace Americas culture, history, and language but who also demonstrate Good Moral Character."TOP DHS OFFICIAL CALLS CITIZENSHIP TEST 'TOO SOFT,' URGES MAJOR OVERHAUL OF NATURALIZATION PROCESS"This memo ensures that USCIS officers are accounting for an aliens positive contributions to American societyincluding community involvement, achievements, and financial responsibility rather than the absence of their misconduct," he added. "USCIS will continue to restore integrity in the nations immigration systemespecially when it comes to the prestigious privilege of citizenship."The memo also encourages the officers to look at other factors, such as whether applicants are involved in their communities, including family caregiving or raising a family, their ties to the United States, educational attainment, stable and lawful employment history, career achievements and paying taxes."GMC findings must go beyond the absence of disqualifying acts, it must reflect a genuine positive assessment of who the alien is and how they have lived in their community," the memo states.The White House referred questions from Fox News Digital about the USCIS policy to the agency.Immigrants seeking to attain U.S. citizenship must already live in the country for several years and pass a civics test in English, among other requirements.

EXCLUSIVE: The GOP Doctors Caucus is backing a possible effort to overhaul the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF, an "independent" task force thats used to determine recommendations on what serviceshealth insurance companies in the United States have to cover free of charge.The letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., led by Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., and Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., and other members of the caucus, expressed concerns that the group may be prioritizing social justice issues over other issues."Preventive care should be about keeping Americans healthy, not about checking political boxes,"Harshbarger said in a statement. "The American people deserve a Task Force that follows the science, acts with urgency, and relies on the expertise of front-line doctors. The USPSTF should be leading the charge in President Trumps Make America Healthy Again agenda, not wasting time on woke distractions while chronic disease rates keep climbing."REPUBLICAN SENATOR CLAIMS RFK JR. MRNA VACCINE DECISION UNDERMINES TRUMP AGENDASpecifically, the letter asks for "relevant specialists" to be part of the process when making certain recommendations, greater transparency in decision-making, as well as focusing more on outcomes as opposed to "substantial attention to divisive social issues," citing "race and gender identity considerations that extend beyond traditional clinical parameters," according to a news release."In 2010, the Affordable Care Act expanded the authority of the USPSTF and tied coverage recommendations to Task Force determinations. However, since the USPSTFs authority was expanded, the rate of incidence of preventable chronic disease in the United States has only climbed," the letter states.The letter was also signed by other members of the caucus, including Reps. Andy Harris, Ronny Jackson, Mike Kennedy, Brian Babin, Sheri Biggs and Bob Onder.GOP SENATORS RALLY AROUND EFFORT TO END 'RADICAL WOKENESS' IN HHS TASK FORCEEarlier this month, three Republican senators wrote a similar letter raising ideological concerns about the current task force."In particular, the USPSTF departed from its proper activities in its December 2023 Health Equity Framework. The framework criticizes equal access to quality health care for all as an inadequate goal of public health and announces that the Task Force will instead use equity as a criterion of the public health importance of a topic for consideration," that letter stated.The Wall Street Journal reported that in July, Kennedy was considering removing members of the board.DEMS 'DELIBERATELY OBFUSCATING' TRUTH ABOUT 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' WITH THIS CLAIM: WATCHDOG"No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS mandate to Make America Healthy Again," anHHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement when asked about the WSJ report at the time.The American Medical Association has opposed an overhaul of the task force."USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services. As such, we urge you to retain the previously appointed members of the USPSTF and commit to the long-standing process of regular meetings to ensure their important work can continue without interruption," the AMA wrote.Meanwhile, a group of physicians, including those from the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Americas Frontline Doctors, and the Pennsylvania Direct Primary Care Association, signed another letter in support of possible changes.The signers wrote that new members should have an "ideological balance to develop recommendations based on facts and science."Fox News Digital reached out to HHS for an updated comment.

Rfs Du Solband members broke their silence Monday after a video began circulating of a man assaulting a woman in the stands at their sold-out concert in Los Angeles.The beloved Australian electronic band, who embarked on the "Inhale/Exhale World Tour 2025" in March in support of their fifth studio album of the same name, condemned the apparent random act of violence which occurred in the stands at the Rose Bowl during the opening set.In a video circulating online and obtained by FOX11, an unknown man attacked a woman in the bleachers, punching her multiple times. A police report was filed with the Pasadena Police Department.GLADYS KNIGHT FIRES BACK AT SON'S ABUSE CLAIMS WITH LEGAL THREATSAuthorities confirmed to Fox News Digital that the incident was being investigated."Delivering moments for our fans to gather and celebrate safely is what we live for," the band shared on Instagram stories.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"We have been heart broken to hear of the act of violence that took place during the opening act on Saturday. This type of behavior is completely unacceptable anywhere and the fact that this happened at one of our shows was devastating to learn about."They noted, "Local law enforcement are actively investigating the situation. Anyone with information to assist the investigation should please contact the Pasadena Police Department."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERThe woman who was attacked told The Festive Owl that the night turned "traumatic" shortly after she arrived at her seats in the stadium, which hosted upwards of 60,000 fans for the sold-out show."When we first got to our seats, a drink was accidentally spilled, lightly splashing the man in front of us," the woman claimed. "We apologized immediately, but he yelled that it was intentional and ran off, leaving his companion behind. We apologized to her and thought it was over."The woman wrote that the man returned approximately 30 minutes later, and began screaming at the group in addition to threatening violence."I tried to calm the situation and apologized again and the next thing I remember, I woke up in the medical tent an hour later and missed the entire show," the woman shared online."This man PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE, knocking me out and causing significant bleeding, while he continued attacking our group. Another friend tried to protect us, but the attacker fled into the crowd and hasnt been found."She added, "A police report was filed. We are traumatized. If anyone knows this man or his companion, PLEASE reach out. He should be held accountable for this assault."Rfs Du Sol is one of the top-selling EDM acts around the world and recently headlined Lollapalooza before wrapping the North American leg of their tour Saturday in Los Angeles, Calif.The award-winning group, which includes Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt, released "Atlas" in 2013, which topped the Australian charts. They followed with "Bloom," in 2016, which became the group's second No. 1 album, followed by "Solace," and "Surrender" in October 2021.Their fifth studio album, "Inhale/Exhale," was released in October 2024. Following the release, the band said they'd "never take for granted" the love they've received from fans all over the world."The US was the first place to really embrace us outside our home country, and in the past few years weve seen that love grow throughout Mexico and South America, its something we never imagined would happen," they said in a statement."Weve spent the past seven years living out here among you and being part of the music loving community here; being able to play our music to crowds like this all over the Americas is something well never take for granted."Fox News Digital reached out to the Rose Bowl for comment and the Pasadena Police Department.

Bodycam footage from the Newport Police Department in Newport, Rhode Island, shows Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan pleading with officers not to arrest her and appearing to try to use her job as a state prosecutor to get officers to let her go."I'm an AG! I'm an AG!" Flanagan can be heard saying to police as they tried to detain her for failing to comply with their demands. "You're going to regret this. You're going to regret it. I'm an A-" Flanagan said as she was escorted to the back of a police car and the door was shut."Good for you, I don't give a sh--," one of the arresting officers can be heard saying back at one point.FEMALE POLICE OFFICER LEAPS INTO WATER, FIGHTS CAREER CRIMINAL BEFORE MAKING ARREST, VIDEO SHOWSThe Rhode Island Attorney General's Office indicated Monday that they were reviewing the matter involving Flanagan, but did not indicate whether any disciplinary measures have been taken.Throughout the video, Flanagan can also be heard telling the officers how to do their job. "I want you to turn your body-camera off. Protocol is that you turn it off. It's a citizen request to turn it off," Flanagan told the officer when he approached her to ask her to leave."She knows, she's a lawyer," a separate female who was with Flanagan told the officer. "She's a f---ing lawyer."EX-TRUMP PROSECUTOR JACK SMITH UNDER INVESTIGATION BY GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL"On the evening of Aug. 14, the Office of the Attorney General learned that members of the Newport Police Department arrested Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan for trespassing," Megan Skinner, a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office, said Friday, according to the Boston Globe.Meanwhile, a separate spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the attorney general's office was currently "reviewing the matter" involving Flanagan's arrest."The Office immediately began a review of the incident, which we anticipate will conclude within the next few days," the attorney general's spokesperson added in their statement to the Boston Globe. "At this time, we are unable to comment further on this matter as it relates to personnel issues."Flanagan has reportedly worked in the Attorney General's Office for seven years, and works on appeals cases in criminal court. She was ultimately charged with willful trespass and provided a summons to appear in court.In addition to Flanagan's arrest, the other female in the video, seen yelling at officers and escaping from their handcuffs at one point, was also arrested, according to the Globe. That individual, identified as Veronica Hannan, was reportedly charged with willful trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The U.S. military has sent destroyers and thousands of Marines toward Venezuela as President Donald Trump doubles down on deadly drug cartels, according to reports.At least three Aegis guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham among them are part of the mission, two U.S. officials anonymously told the Associated Press Tuesday.Another official told Reuters the deployment, which could arrive soon, involves around 4,000 Marines and soldiers "over the course of several months," backed by spy planes, warships and a submarine so that international waters and skies are covered.Tuesday's massive operation marks a dramatic escalation in Trump's push to block fentanyl and drug pipelines fueling Americas overdose crisis.TRUMP SENDS MILITARY AFTER THE CARTELS AND ITS LONG OVERDUEIt also comes as the administration called Venezuelas regime a "narco-terror cartel" and demanded that President Nicols Maduro be held accountable.When asked about this latest military vessel dispatch, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday the president "has been very clear and consistent" about using "every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice."During a White House press briefing, she added: "The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela. It is a narco-terror cartel. Maduro is a fugitive head of this cartel who has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into the country."US ACCUSES VENEZUELAN REGIME OF NARCO-TERRORISM OVER ALLIANCES WITH TREN DE ARAGUA, SINALOA CARTELAttorney General Pam Bondi last week also announced a historic $50 million reward for information leading to Maduros arrest more than triple the $15 million offer first unveiled in 2020.Meanwhile, the Justice Department says it has already seized more than $700 million in assets tied to the embattled dictator, including two private jets and nine luxury vehicles.Maduro, indicted in New York in 2020 on narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy charges, has clung to power with military backing and allegedly with support from Russia, China and Cuba.RUBIO RIPS VENEZUELA'S MADURO AS 'NARCO-TERRORIST' LEADER THREATENING US ONE YEAR AFTER DISPUTED ELECTIONIn a televised address Monday, he vowed Venezuela would "defend our seas, our skies and our lands," deriding U.S. pressure as "the outlandish, bizarre threat of a declining empire."The Pentagon has previously deployed two warships to the region to deter drug trafficking and secure the border.Immigration enforcement has also been strengthened against alleged gang members like Tren de Aragua, MS-13 in El Salvador and six groups in Mexico.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn February, Trump designated these as foreign terrorist organizations and imposed sweeping sanctions on Maduro, labeling him a dictator.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also been urged by Trump to cooperate further on security and clamp down on cartels. So far, Sheinbaum has rejected suggestions of military intervention.The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

The Times, they are a-changin their mind."Channel 5" host Andrew Callaghan is opening up about The New York Times last-minute decision to pull his op-ed, giving Fox News Digital exclusive details on how it all unfolded.Callaghan revealed he had written a planned opinion piece for the Times that was set to be published the same day he posted Hunter Bidens defiant response to Melania Trumps lawsuit threat. However, plans unraveled when the paper abruptly pulled the plug."It really wasn't much of a critical piece. It just addressed the lawsuit. I've been working with [The New York Times] for like three weeks. We had near-daily meetings. I was just really excited. And then 24 hours before it was supposed to come out and it was supposed to be timed exactly with the release of the Hunter Biden lawsuit response they just said, Hey, sorry, we have to pick our battles here, we cant put this out," Callaghan told Fox News Digital.FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP PUTS HUNTER BIDEN ON $1B NOTICE OVER 'FALSE, DEFAMATORY' EPSTEIN COMMENTSThe independent journalist, whose YouTube channel has over 3 million subscribers, told Fox News Digital that a member of The New York Times' editorial staff informed him that his op-ed was cut. Callaghan believes the decision to kill his piece was made by someone higher up, and not by anyone he was working with.The op-ed was set to focus on "the pitfalls of new media," and was meant to be a "survival guide" for new journalists navigating the treacherous waters of social media algorithms that, Callaghan noted, all too often reward "salacious clickbait" and "reactionary, fear-mongering" content.Yet, after multiple rounds of edits, the Times informed Callaghan that they were pulling his article."It was very disappointing, not only for me, but my mom subscribes to it and so does my grandma. I told them, Like, yo, this s--- is going to come out. And then they were just like, I don't know, just this feeling of like, What?" he said.HUNTER BIDEN DELIVERS PROFANITY-LACED RESPONSE TO MELANIA TRUMP'S $1B NOTICE FOR 'DEFAMATORY' EPSTEIN REMARKSCallaghan attributes the Times decision to the "climate of fear" created by the Trump family, which has aggressively pursued litigation against media outlets in recent months.President Donald Trump reached a $16 million settlement with Paramount after he sued, alleging that an episode of "60 Minutes" committed election interference by deceptively editing former Vice President Kamala Harris to make her sound more coherent in an interview which aired prior to the 2024 election.The Daily Beast also recently withdrew an article that alleged that Melania and Trump met through Epstein, which relied on comments from author Michael Wolff made on a podcast.Though Callaghan is an independent journalist who earns his living primarily through Patreon, he hasnt been immune from the Trumps' ire.Melania threatened Hunter Biden with a $1 billion lawsuit over the controversial claims he made on Callaghans program last month. The former "All Gas No Brakes" host called the amount "preposterous."DAILY BEAST PULLS STORY ALLEGING MELANIA-EPSTEIN CONNECTION AFTER LAWYERS DISPUTE FRAMING"The Trump administration has had tension and has received some pretty rough treatment from a lot of these mainstream outlets throughout the past eight years. So, it kind of made sense why Trump would want to settle the scores with his historic fake news enemies. But I didn't expect new media to be a part of this purge," Callaghan told Fox News Digital.Hunter, who was issued a wide-ranging pardon by his father after he was found guilty on federal gun and tax charges, alleged that Donald Trump and the first lady were introduced to each other by disgraced New York financier Jeffrey Epstein on an August 5 "Channel 5" episode.This accusation prompted Melania to threaten legal action against Hunter, calling on him to recant his claims and get Callaghan to pull the episode off the internet. Callaghan said he felt that Trump was trying to "leverage pressure on me through Hunter" via the lawsuit threat."Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are like so wide and deep," Hunter told Callaghan.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREMelanias attorney, Alejandro Brito, wrote that he would sue Hunter for $1 billion unless he retracted his "false, disparaging, defamatory, and inflammatory statements." Hunter refused to acquiesce to the first ladys demands in a subsequent interview on the program, and cited Wolff as the source of his claims."F--- that. That's not gonna happen," Hunter told Callaghan in an August 14 interview."I have this to say to them: if they want to sit down for a deposition and clarify the nature of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein if the president, the first lady, want to do that, and all of the known associates around them at the time of whatever time that they met I'm more than happy to provide them the platform to be able to do it," Hunter told Callaghan.Callaghan told Fox News Digital he had pushed Hunters response forward two days to coincide with the publication of his op-ed and even declined to give a comment to any other publications in order to be a good "team player" with the Times. He also said hes disappointed by what he perceives to be legacy media cowardice in the face of political attacks against the fourth estate a phrase often used to describe the press.HOW TRUMP SUED CBS AND WON: THE '60 MINUTES' SETTLEMENT THAT ROCKED THE MEDIA WORLD, EXPLAINED"The press is afraid of the president? The whole purpose of the fourth estate in the first place was to hold the other three branches of government accountable. That was the only point of it. It was supposed to be that safeguard against government overreach and press suppression," Callaghan told Fox News Digital.Despite the setback, Callaghan said he enjoyed the experience of working with the Times, and empathized with their predicament."It's not as if The New York Times has an infinite war chest of money to go to war with the president's team, because the president and those people, they have unlimited resources. But overall, it was a good experience working with the New York Times, like to kind of be able to pull back the curtain and see what it's like. They were actually really courteous and nice to me," Callaghan said."Editors in Times Opinion are in conversation with a large number of writers all the time on potential guest essays, but these discussions don't always result in publication for a number of reasons including scheduling, news relevance or when the submissions don't meet The Times's standards. We don't have a comment on why any one submission was or wasn't selected for publication, but any fair reading of our report will show we haven't shied away from guest essays that challenge the Trump administration," a representative for the New York Times said in a statement to Fox News Digital.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Tuesday that the entire southern border wall will be painted black as part of the Trump administrations efforts to increase the effectiveness of the wall as a deterrent.Speaking in front of a portion of the southern border wall in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, Noem explained that the wall would be painted entirely black for the dual purposes of making it heat up more and thus harder to climb, as well as increasing the lifespan of the metal.Noem said the new paintwork comes at the request of President Donald Trump."If you look at the structure that's behind me, it's tall, which makes it very, very difficult to climb, almost impossible. It also goes deep into the ground, which would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to dig under. And today we are also going to be painting it black," said Noem.FIRST ON FOX: BORDER PATROL UNION ENDORSES EX-TRUMP DOJ OFFICIAL FOR STATE AG"That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb," she added."So, we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, to not break our federal laws, but that they will abide and come to our country the right way so that they can stay and have the opportunity to become United States citizens and pursue the American dream."Noem credited the one big, beautiful bill that was passed by Congress in July for allocating "an incredible amount of resources" that she said is "going to allow us to continue construction" of the wall.The secretary said that construction on the wall is advancing at a pace of close to half a mile per day. Besides additional wall and the new paint job, Noem said the administration is also investing in technology, cameras, sensors and waterborne infrastructure that she said will ensure the border "will be secure far into the future and that will be efficient as well."BORDER OFFICIAL FIRES BACK AT GAVIN NEWSOM'S POLITICAL TANTRUM' OVER IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN LOS ANGELESShe also mentioned that the administration is not just focused on the southern border but also the northern as well, saying, "We're doing due diligence in securing every single inch of our border.""Remember that a nation without borders is no nation at all," she said. "We're so thankful that we have a president that understands that and understands that a secure border is important to our country's future."Noem was joined by several Border Patrol agents and officials, including Interim Chief Patrol Agent for the El Paso Sector Walter Slosar. He shared that agents in the sector are now apprehending an average of 41 people per day, compared to 2,300 a day under the Biden administration in 2023.Slosar said the seven-day average for gotaways in the sector is currently nine. He said the majority of those apprehended are single adults from Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador.While agents were left simply "observing" migrants passing through under Biden, Slosar said illegals are now "running from us."BIDEN TEAM LEFT THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT KIDS WITH LARGELY UNVETTED SPONSORS, RECORDS REVEAL"We're apprehending those individuals. Our gotaways are the lowest they've ever been. And we're putting we're working with the Department of Justice we're putting criminal charges on those individuals applying consequences and our partners in ICE ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] are removing those individuals from the United States."Slosar said that the morale among Border Patrol agents in the El Paso sector "is better than it's ever been because we are doing our national security job, and we are keeping this area safe.""Words and messages matter. It is not okay to enter the country illegally, and somebody is finally saying that, that's our leadership here in the U.S government," he said.

From Pennsylvania Avenue to your For You page, the White House launched its official TikTok account on Tuesday afternoon.The verified account @whitehouse garnered thousands of followers within less than an hour. The bio reads "Welcome to the Golden Age of America."President Donald Trump is front and center in the White House's first video, which is captioned, "America we are BACK! Whats up TikTok?"TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CELEBRATES LATEST CHAPTER OF WINS AT 200-DAY MARKThe post features footage of the president from rallies and notable appearances."Every day, I wake up determined to deliver a better life for the people all across this nation. I am your voice," Trump said in a voice-over amid cheers.The White House also announced on X it had joined the popular social media platform.HOW KAI TRUMP'S HEARTFELT RNC SPEECH UNEXPECTEDLY LAUNCHED HER SUCCESSFUL CONTENT CREATOR JOURNEYThough the White House is new to the platform, Trump launched his personal TikTok account @realdonaldtrump in June 2024, in an apparent effort to connect with young voters.His debut video went viral, generating millions of likes and views.His granddaughter, Kai Trump, also gained stardom on the app after her appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention.She has posted viral behind-the-scenes videos of the White House and now has more than 3 million followers.FLASHBACK: TRUMP LAUNCHED HIS FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TEN YEARS AGOThe creation of Trump's personal account came nearly four years after he issued an executive order to ban the app unless it was sold to an American buyer, which was later blocked by a federal judge and never went into effect.Separately, at the beginning of 2024, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest or face a ban.On his first day in office, the president signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to not enforce the TikTok ban for 75 days.Trump issued a second 75-day extension in April and a third 90-day extension in June to allow for negotiations.ByteDance must sell its U.S. operations by Sept. 17, unless another extension is issued.