Vice President JD Vance shared a deeply personal remembrance of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. In a lengthy post on X, Vance honored his late friend as a man of "courage," "faith" and profound loyalty.Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, was a close confidant of Vances both personally and politically. Their friendship stretched from early skepticism about Donald Trump in 2016 to the heights of the 2024 campaign trail.Vances candid social media reflection gave a rare glimpse into Kirks influence not only on the conservative movement but also on the very formation of the Trump-Vance team."Charlie was fascinated by ideas and always willing to learn and change his mind," wrote the Vice President. "Like me, he was skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016. Like me, he came to see President Trump as the only figure capable of moving American politics away from the globalism that had dominated for our entire lives."VIGILS HELD ACROSS US AFTER ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK: 'WE MUST HEAL'"Charlie was one of the first people I called when I thought about running for senate in early 2021. We talked through everything, from the strategy to the fundraising to the grassroots of the movement he knew so well. He introduced me to some of the people who would run my campaign and also to Donald Trump Jr."Kirk, a longtime advocate for young people in the conservative movement, was described by Vance as pivotal to President Trump's decision-making process in his selection as running mate in 2024."When I became the VP nomineesomething Charlie advocated for both in public and privateCharlie was there for me Charlie was constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers," Vance added.KAI TRUMP REACTS TO DEATH OF 'CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND' CHARLIE KIRK AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTINGHe also highlighted the father-of-two's strong faith in Christ, saying, "Charlie genuinely believed in and loved Jesus Christ. He had a profound faith. We used to argue about Catholicism and Protestantism and who was right about minor doctrinal questions. Because he loved God, he wanted to understand him."His "true," friendship and loyalty were valued by Vance, with the Vice President recalling Kirk as "a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him."Vance also credited Kirk with helping power the Trump movement in 2024, noting that "so much of the success weve had in this administration traces directly to Charlies ability to organize and convene."After reports came out Wednesday afternoon, the Vice President said he spoke with President Trump about Kirk candidly."I was talking to President Trump in the Oval Office today, and he said, I know he was a very good friend of yours. I nodded silently, and President Trump observed that Charlie really loved his family," said Vance. "The president was right.""I was in a meeting in the West Wing when those group chats started lighting up with people telling Charlie they were praying for him. And thats how I learned the news that my friend had been shot," recalled Vance."God didnt answer those prayers, and thats OK. He had other plans. And now that Charlie is in heaven, Ill ask him to talk to big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"You ran a good race, my friend. We've got it from here," Vance concluded.In a resurfaced video, Kirk once said he wanted to be remembered "for courage, for my faith." For those now mourning, that legacy is exactly how he will be remembered.

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Following President Donald Trumps call for swift action, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi shared that the Justice Department may seek the death penalty for Iryna Zarutskas killer.Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Bondi shared that Zarutskas alleged murderer, Decarlos Brown Jr., has been arrested and that he is being charged federally."We have arrested him. We are charging him federally because it was a murder on mass transit," said Bondi."This young woman died a horrific, horrific death, as we all saw, captured on video," she went on, adding, "It was horrible."AG PAM BONDI: WE WON'T LET A PROGRESSIVE DA GET THIS CASE"The steps are, we charge, then we indict. Then, legally, we make the decision whether or not to seek the death penalty. That is certainly on the table once he is indicted for this horrific crime," explained Bondi.Zarutska, a 23-year-old refugee from Ukraine, was stabbed to death while riding a light rail train in Charlotte. The stabbing, captured on video, took place on Aug. 22 at around 10:30 p.m. as Zarutska was on her way home from work at a pizza restaurant. Still in her uniform, Zarutska sat down in front of a man, later identified as Brown, wearing a red hoodie. Moments later, the man pulled out a knife and stabbed her to death, with several bystanders looking on.Brown, 34, was arrested shortly after the incident and hospitalized before being charged with first-degree murder. Police confirmed that Brown and Zarutska did not know one another.WHO IS IRYNA ZARUTSKA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE KILLED IN CHARLOTTE TRAIN ATTACK?Court records, previously reported by Fox News Digital, show Brown has a history of arrests dating back to 2011, including charges of felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and communicating threats. Most charges were later dropped.On Tuesday, Trump called for the government to respond to the spate of killings in the U.S. with decisive action, saying, "We have to be vicious just like they are."He blamed Democratic leaders in major American cities for adopting "catch and release" policies "for thugs and killers.""In Charlotte, North Carolina, we saw the results of these policies when a 23-year-old woman who came here from Ukraine met her bloody end on a public train," said the president. "She was slaughtered by a deranged monster who was roaming free after 14 prior arrests."TRUMP ADDRESSES DEADLY CHARLOTTE STABBING: 'IT'S TIME TO STOP THIS MADNESS'"We cannot allow a depraved criminal element of violent repeat offenders to continue spreading destruction and death throughout our country. We have to respond with force and strength," said Trump.In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a Quick (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY. There can be no other option!"

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, on Wednesday condemned political acts of violence in the wake of the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, although the governor argued that President Donald Trump often ignites political violence.Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during an event on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition before he was later pronounced dead."I want to express my sympathy to Charlie Kirk's family and to Charlie Kirk," Pritsker told reporters. "I don't know whether it's political violence because I don't know who did it But I will say that political violence unfortunately has been ratcheting up in this country, and we saw the shootings, the killings in Minnesota we've seen other political violence occur in other states."VIGILS HELD ACROSS US AFTER ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK: 'WE MUST HEAL'"And I would just say, it's got to stop, and I think there are people who are fomenting it in this country," he continued. "I think the president's rhetoric often foments it. We've seen the January 6th rioters who clearly have tripped a new era of political violence and the president, what did he do? He pardoned them. I mean what kind of signal does that send to people who want to perpetrate political violence? Not a good one."The governor referenced an incident in June in which Vance Boelter was charged with murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, her husband, Mark, and their dog at their home in Minneapolis.Boelter was also charged with shooting Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, and for attempting to shoot their daughter, Hope.The incidents cited by Pritzker are just some of several acts of political violence in recent years, as Trump experienced two assassination attempts last year and Paul Pelosi, the husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was attacked with a hammer in 2022."No one in this country should have to fear gun violence, whether they're in class in high school or attending an event on a college campus," Pritzker later wrote on X. "I strongly condemn the shooting that killed Charlie Kirk today at Utah Valley University. May his memory be a blessing."CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SPARKS BIPARTISAN UPROAR OVER POLITICAL VIOLENCE AS UTAH MANHUNT UNDERWAYResponding to the governor's comments to reporters, former Republican Illinois state Sen. Darren Bailey, who is also reportedly running for governor against Pritzker in 2026, said the Democrat "pointed fingers" at Trump and the Jan. 6 rioters rather than simply condemning the violence against Kirk."JB Pritzker is the spoiled billionaire whos always had everything handed to him. When Illinois needed leadership today after the violent attack on Charlie Kirk, what did JB do? Instead of condemning the violence, he pointed fingers at Donald Trump and January 6," Bailey, who lost to Pritzker in the 2022 governor's race, said on X.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"Thats not leadershipits cowardice. Illinois deserves leaders who take responsibility, who defend free speech, and who stand up for whats right. Unfortunately, JB Pritzker has shown time and time again that hes not up to the task," Bailey added.

Charlie Kirk was an unapologetic defender of conservative values and the Christian faith before his life was tragically cut short Wednesday at the age of 31.The founder of Turning Point USA and host of "The Charlie Kirk Show" became a prominent figure in the media and on college campuses across the nation. He was fatally shot Wednesday at an event launching his "The America Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.At his college events, he welcomed dialogue and debate over cultural and political issues, including Christianity.Just days before his death, Kirk posted on X, "Jesus defeated death so you can live."CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER, DEAD AT 31 AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING"I mean I'm nothing without Jesus," he told Russell Brand last year. "I'm a sinner. I fall incredibly short of the glory of God. We all do. I gave my life to the Lord in fifth grade, and it's the most important decision I've ever made and everything I do incorporates Jesus Christ."On college campuses, he often took questions from skeptics about the evidence for the Bible and why he believed Christianity was true while sharing its impact on his life.At a campus event in April, Kirk defended Christianity as a positive force in America."The mechanisms of a religious society is good for everybody. When somebody walks around and thinks that you were created and that you're not God, you tend to have better citizens," he said.During another debate with an atheist earlier this year, he pointed to the hope Christianity offers of an afterlife."I would argue you have a lot more faith than I do. You have a lot more blind faith to believe that everything around you, love, joy, peace, sadness is all just a construct of neurons firing in your brainWe as Christians have hope that we are going to see our loved ones again and that we will be in heaven and that we will be in perfect peace and that this is not it. In fact, there's something even better awaiting us."CHARLIE KIRK LEAVES BEHIND POWERFUL CHRISTIAN FAITH LEGACY AFTER TRAGIC SHOOTING"Jesus is honestly the most important thing," Kirk told Fox News last month while discussing NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson resharing his faith-based post.Kirk said at the time that he believed the nation was in the midst of a spiritual revival."We are seeing Gen-Z go back to church in record numbers. We are seeing a Christian revival that should give everyone in this audience hope. It's the greatest news happening in America right now," he said.CHARLIE KIRK ROSE TO BECOME CONSERVATIVE POWERHOUSE, TRANSFORMATIVE CAMPUS FIGUREOn Wednesday, Kirk was fatally shot while speaking in front of thousands of students on the Utah Valley University campus. He is survived by his wife Erika and two young children.President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk's death in a post on Truth Social Wednesday afternoon."The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us," Trump wrote. "Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"Fox News' Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Democratic Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff brushed off Republican criticism that he exaggerated some have even said lied about his role helping pass legislation aimed at preventing veterans from foreclosing on their homes. Claims that have been followed by inaccurate local media outlets indicating Ossoff co-sponsored the bill, even though he did not.Ossoff posted video of a news report last week which chronicled how he held a press conference alongside local leaders and veterans groups after President Donald Trump signed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act a few weeks ago to "talk about his bipartisan bill signed into law." Ossoff also claimed in the caption that "the bipartisan VA Home Loan Reform Act [was] championed by Sen. Ossoff to protect veterans." Additionally, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution claimed that Ossoff's office sent out a news release after Trump signed the bill which described it as a piece of "bipartisan legislation that Sen. Ossoff championed to help veterans relying on VA home loans."But, according to a Fox News analysis, Ossoff is not a co-sponsor of the legislation, nor is there any record that he even voted for it, since the bill was passed by unanimous consent in the House and by a voice vote in the Senate. Ossoff did not offer up any Senate companion legislation either, and he was not present, nor did he speak, when the bill was considered on the Senate floor in July, a GOP source in the Senate alleged to Fox News Digital.GOP GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE TARGETS VULNERABLE JON OSSOFF IN AD DEPICTING TRANSGENDER FANOssoff's messaging to the press was subsequently blasted by Republicans who said he had "absolutely nothing" to do with the bill. When reached for comment about the discrepancy and the resulting criticism over what has been described by Republicans as lying, Ossoff's team claimed that Ossoff was simply praising the passage of a bipartisan bill that solved a problem that was self-created by Republicans. "The Trump administration canceled the VASP program, and Sen. Ossoff sounded the alarm that its cancellation risked veteran homelessness, then celebrated the passage of a bipartisan bill to solve the problem," an Ossoff campaign person told Fox News Digital. "This is the best theyve got?"The spokesperson is right that the VA Home Loan Reform Act is intended to replace the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, which Ossof previously slammed the Trump administration for ending. But, according to Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., lead sponsor of the VA Home Loan Reform Act, the VASP program was "fiscally irresponsible" and was "endangering the entire VA home loan guarantee program."After Van Orden highlighted Ossoff's social media posts claiming he "championed" the new veteran foreclosure bill, accusing the Georgia senator of a "bald faced lie," other Republicans followed suit and attacked Ossoff on social media as well.VANCE TOUTS TRUMP'S TAX BILL, TAKES SHOT AT LOCAL DEM SENATOR DURING GEORGIA TRIP"Pathetic, disgusting lies," added Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga. "Congrats on showing Georgians youre not above using veterans as props for your press stunts. Your empty suit gimmicks spit in the face of people you claim to serve.""What Jon Ossoff is doing is called hogwash," said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. "He had nothing to do with this Republican effort to assist veterans. But now in his political desperation, hes trying to take credit. Georgia deserves so much better.""Sen. Ossoff had absolutely nothing to do with this bill, and I mean nothing," Van Orden added. "He did not even VOTE for it, it passed by UC.This disgusting and shameful behavior must stop. Veterans are not political props."It appears Ossoff's claims led to multiple local news outlets pushing inaccuracies about his role in helping pass the Veterans Affairs legislation.WSB Radio in Atlanta, for example, posted an article titled "New law co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Ossoff aims to prevent veteran foreclosures." But, according to the details of the bill on Congress.gov, Van Orden was the bill's sole sponsor.The bill was passed to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for approval before a Senate-wide voice vote that sent the bill to the president's desk. Ossoff is not a member of that committee, either."Ossoffs team announced that President Trump signed the Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan Program Reform Act into law on Wednesday, a bipartisan legislation that the U.S. Senator co-sponsored and supported to help veterans who were relying on VA loans," said a July 30 article from WRBL in Columbus, Georgia.Ossoff will be running to keep his seat in 2026, after he was forced to go to a runoff in 2021 when he first ran for the Senate against GOP incumbent David Perdue.The GOP field that will be challenging Ossoff includes Derek Dooley, a former football coach at the University of Tennessee and reportedly an ally of GOP Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Georgia Republican Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter have also put their hats in the ring.

Americas great cities once stood as beaconsofprosperity, culture and commerce. But today, manyofthem especially those run by progressive, soft-on-crimeleadership are paying a staggeringfinancialprice for policies that put criminals aheadofcommunities.Its not just about feeling unsafe when you walk to dinner or shop downtown.Crimehas a balance sheet. In poorly led cities, that balance sheet is bleeding red ink bytheday.TheRetail ExodusLets start withtheretail sector. According totheNational Retail Federation (NRF), U.S. retailers lost$112 billion in 2022due totheft, up from $94 billiontheyear before. In fact, in a recent study done bytheNRF, retailers reported a 93% increase intheaverage numberofshoplifting incidents per year in 2023 versus 2019 and a 90% increase in dollar loss due to shoplifting overthesame time period.Thats not just some rounding error thatsthesizeofa medium countrys GDP wiped out because stores cant keep merchandise ontheshelves.IRYNA ZARUTSKA FLED UKRAINE FOR SAFETY BUT DEMOCRATS' SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES FAILED HERBig-box retailers arent standing still. Target alone projected$500 million in additional lossesthis year due to organized retailcrime, muchofit concentrated in blue-city hot spots like San Francisco, Portland and New York. Walgreens has closed dozensofstores in San Francisco. Nordstrom pulled outofdowntown.These arent "mom-and-pop" shops without resources.These are billion-dollar corporations deciding its better to retreat than to keep bleeding.Does it seem insane to you that so manyofthese retail stores have to lock up muchofthemerchandise inthese cities so people dont loot, knowing thatthey will never be arrested?What followsthetheft is a double hit: jobs vanish, and so does sales tax revenue. In San Francisco, commercial vacancies are now at a whopping34.8% in downtown. Empty storefronts mean lost payrolls, lost foot traffic and declining city budgets.BLAME DRUGS AND MENTAL ILLNESS, NOT PRESIDENT TRUMP, FOR THE CHAOS GRIPPING OUR STREETSWhen leadership shrugs at rampant shoplifting,thereal victim isntthecorporation itsthelocal community that loses its economic engine.High-End Property Values Are DecliningCrimedoesnt stop attheregister. It seeps into neighborhoods and underminesthelargestfinancialasset most Americans own:their homes. In Chicago, blocks plagued by violentcrimeand open-air drug dealing are seeing higher-end condo and home values sink. Lower property values equal lower property taxes, which means less funding for schools, parks and infrastructure.ThePriceOfViolence And TourismIn New York, itcosts$925 per day or more than $337,000 per year to incarcerate a single person. Yet insteadoftacklingtheroot causesofcrime, city leaders continue to pump money into a cycleofarrest, release and repeatoffenses. And overtimecosts fortheNYPD are spiraling asofficers try to do more with less while politicians handcufftheir ability to enforcethelaw.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONTourists arent stupid. If you dont feel safe in Times Square or Union Square, youll take your vacation dollars elsewhere. Conventions are steering clearofcities with reputations for lawlessness. That means lost hotel taxes, lost restaurant revenue, and lost brand value for cities that took decades to buildtheir reputations.Some 2 million fewer visitors from other countries are expected to makethetrip to New York City this year, which couldcostthe Big Apple $4 billion in foreign tourism dollars for 2025.For New York City in particular,thestakes are enormous. And if individuals like Zohran Mamdani whos already argued for slashing police budgets gettheir way,thecosts will only grow. Defunding enforcement inthenations largest city would mean highercrime, lower investment and billions more drained fromthebudget. Its a recipe forfinancialdisaster.TheBottom LineThecostofcrimeisnt just what gets stolen from a store shelf. Its measured in lost jobs, lower property values, higher taxes, ballooning public healthcosts and tarnished reputations. Poor leadership in blue cities is turning Americas once-great urban centers into cautionary talesofwhat happens when you stop enforcingthelaw.If local leaders wont prioritize public safety,they shouldnt be surprised when businesses, families and capital walk away. Because, intheend,therealcrimeisnt just happening onthestreets its inthebudgetsofpoorly-led blue cities, wherethecostofchaos is measured in billions.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TED JENKIN

Mainstream media pundits eulogized the "controversial" and "divisive" Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk after he was the victim of a political assassination on Wednesday.Kirk, the founder of one of the most influential political organizations in the country, was shot while holding an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He later died of his wound, leaving the country reeling from another act of horrific political violence.As facts of the shooting were being gathered, anchors and guests on MSNBC, CNN and ABC were quick to point out Kirks "divisive" politics."Charlie Kirk is a divisive figure, a polarizing lightning rod, whatever term you want to use," MSNBC host Katy Tur said on her show "Katy Tur Reports."CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER, DEAD AT 31 AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTINGOn "CNN News Central," CNN anchor and chief legal strategist Laura Coates said, "If this is in fact tied to his political ideology, given the fact that he is quite the lightning rod in many communities and has been accessible, and yet controversial, youve got a very terrifying prospect for so many people who share his similar qualities.""Its no secret that Charlie Kirk has said a number of controversial things over the years, in particular about DEI, Jews, women, LGBTQ community, people of color," ABC News Kyra Phillips said.A New York Times headline used passive language of "dies" rather than he was murdered.MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd went as far as to suggest Kirks "hateful" words influenced the shooting, claiming that it could have been caused by "a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration.""He has been one of the most divisive, especially divisive, younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions," Dowd said.Dowd later apologized for his remarks on Bluesky.MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler later released a statement apologizing for his comments, and Dowd was fired Wednesday night.Even after Kirk was confirmed dead, some commentators continued to call out his "controversial opinions."YANKEES HOLD MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF CHARLIE KIRK AFTER SHOOTING DEATH IN UTAH"Charlie was a very divisive guy," former Republican congressman Joe Walsh said on CNNs "The Lead with Jake Tapper." "He wanted to be provocative and get in peoples faces. Again, a lot of people like him got the right to do that, but yeah, that wont generate good feeling across the divide at all."Tapper himself pointed out that Kirks events "attracted controversy."Other media commentators were more worried about the backlash from the right after Kirks death.Politico senior correspondent Adam Wren said, "They want the left to be punished over this. They see the left as producing a disproportionate number of violent people. They point to the assassination attempts against President Trump last year. And, of course, you know, we can go back in and find instances of the right on violence as well. But they clearly see this as a rallying cry and want vengeance. Some of them have used that word specifically vengeance."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE"I know its hard to predict the future, but you could imagine the [Trump] administration using this as a justification for something," Tur added on her show.President Donald Trump responded to Kirks death in a post on Truth Social."No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPKirk leaves behind his wife, Erika, and two young children.

Onthe morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I was in Del Rio, Texas, justone week away from graduating from pilot training. It was a day that began like any other as I looked forward to what was supposed to be a celebratory start to my flying career.Then, everything changed. The horrificterrorist attacksonour nation notonly altered the course of my life, but also revealed the fight of our generation.After graduating, I wentonto serve as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, flying combat missions in the F-22 against ISIS in IraqandSyria. Twenty-four years later, the lessons I learned from that fateful dayandthroughout my combat service remain etched in memory, serving as a reminder that our enemies are always watching, adaptingandwaiting patiently in the shadows.This reality guides my work today as a member of Congressandchairman of the House Homeland Security SubcommitteeonCounterterrorismandIntelligence, where troubling trends confirm thatterrorthreatsremain very real. Our system is blinking red, alerting us to take action.PREPARED, NOT PARANOID: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM A POSSIBLE TERROR ATTACKThe Biden administrations reckless open-border policieshavecreated serious vulnerabilities in our national security. Under his watch, dangerous actors with knownterrorties crossed into our country undetected. Between April 2021andJanuary 2025 alone, over 50 jihadistterrorcases werereported across 30 states.Compounding this threat, CustomsandBorder Protection recorded nearly 400 encounters with individualsontheterrorwatchlist during the same period. While President Donald Trumps administration has taken decisive action to identifyanddeport many of these individuals, an unsettling truth remains. We still dont knowhowmany terrorists mayhaveslipped through the cracksandare now living among us.Even more alarming ishowterrorthreatsto our homelandhaveevolvedsignificantly since9/11, becoming more technologically sophisticatedanddangerous.Today,terrorist organizations like ISIS, al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollahandothers are exploiting advanced technologiesandglobal networks within the digital realm to wage war in ways that are harder to detectandstop. They are weaponizing encrypted messaging apps like Telegram to communicateandcoordinate attacks, as well as leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to spread propagandaandrecruitandradicalize lone wolf actors.THE STABILITY OF OUR GREAT NATION DEPENDS ON PREVENTING POLITICAL VIOLENCEThese emerging technologieshavebecome the new battlefield,andwe must respond with urgencyandprecision.Thats why I am leading the charge in Congress to combat these bad actors through smart, meaningful legislation. My "Generative AITerrorism Risk Assessment Act" would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct annual assessmentsonhowterrorist groups are leveraging AI to spread propaganda, recruit followersandplan attacks.Additionally, my "CounteringOnline RadicalizationandTerrorism Act" would further strengthen our defenses by mandating DHS to conduct annual threat assessmentsonterrorism risks posed byterrorist organizations that exploit foreign, cloud-based mobileanddesktop messaging applications.The United States cannot afford to fall behind. Our national security dependsonour ability to proactively stay ahead of these rapidly evolving, dynamicthreats. While these bills will help keep us ahead of the curve, much more remains to be done. We must also continue to support bold leadership that prioritizes our national security. The kind of leadership President Trump has already deliveredon.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONFrom his first day back in office, President Donald Trump has prioritized counterterrorism by securing our bordersanddeporting internalthreatsthat President Joe Biden allowed into the country. The historic budget reconciliation package that was recently signed into law furtherreflectscongressionalRepublicansandthe administrations commitment to securing the homeland. It allocates $5.91 billion toward layered homeland defense systems,and$46 billion to finish the border wall.President Trump also rescinded President Bidens dangerous limitsoncounterterrorism strikes, returning decision-making power to commanders in the field, rather than forcing our warfighters to relyonWashington, D.C., bureaucrats. Thanks to this kind of leadership, 272 jihadistterroristshavebeen eliminated around the globe since Jan. 20.In an era of ever-evolvingthreatsto our homeland, we must remember the lesson of9/11: our freedom is not free. It demands constant vigilance, unwavering resolveanda readiness to confront evil before it reaches our shores.We must keep this lesson at the forefront of our mindsandas a guiding force in our policymaking. Turning a blind eye or negotiating from a position of weaknessonly emboldens our enemies.We must never forget that day,andwe must remain relentless in our resolve to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM REP. AUGUST PFLUGER

As the nation approaches the solemn anniversary of September 11, Tunnel to Towers Foundation Chairman and CEO Frank Siller joined Abby Hornacek to share a message of remembrance and gratitude. This year, the foundation is paying off 21 mortgages for the families of fallen first responders and Gold Star families, ensuring these heroes' legacies live on.The foundation's mission is deeply personal for Siller, stemming from the sacrifice of his brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel on 9/11 to answer the call of duty. His body was never recovered. Frank Siller shared that the foundation was created to honor his brother's act and the sacrifices of all the heroes who lost their lives that day.The foundation's commitment extends to those who continue to suffer the consequences of that day. Six of the 21 mortgages being paid off are for families of first responders who died from 9/11-related illnesses, a poignant reminder that the tragedy of that day continues to claim lives. The foundation's promise is simple and profound: "If you're a first responder and you're protecting us, we're gonna take care of your families that are left behind."Looking ahead to the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Tunnel to Towers is launching a new initiative, "Steel Across America," to ensure future generations never forget. The foundation will transport a piece of steel from the World Trade Center across the nation, accompanied by a 93-foot mobile museum. Siller explained that this tour will allow people to "make sure they never forget what happened" and to understand the price paid for their freedoms.Siller urged all Americans to join this vital mission of doing good. "Please go to T2T.organd donate $11 a month," he implored. "Join us on this mission, join us in this promise."