Lawmakers long opposed to providing aid to Ukraine are now on board, if cautiously.President Donald Trumps plan to assist the war effort comes with a twist because Washington wont pay for the weapons sent to Kyiv.Months after calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator" and questioning whether he even wanted to end the war with Russia, Trump has seemingly pivoted his frustrations to President Vladimir Putin.Now, the U.S. will provide weapons to Ukraine using European money.Even Vice President JD Vance is supportive of the move.NATO CHIEF PRAISES TRUMP'S WEAPONS SALES TO ALLIES AS 'SIGNIFICANT' MOVE THAT COULD FORCE PUTIN TO NEGOTIATE"Vice President Vance completely supports President Trumps plan to save American taxpayers from indefinitely funding the conflict in Ukraine and remains committed to the presidents goal of ending the bloodshed in Eastern Europe," a Vance spokesperson told Fox News Digital."While Joe Biden stupidly sent billions of American tax dollars to Ukraine, President Trump put America first and smartly struck a deal that puts the onus on our allies in Europe to pay for the aid to Ukraine."Under the Biden administration, Vance struck a different tone.TRUMP SAYS US WILL SEND PATRIOT MISSILES TO UKRAINE, ADDS THAT PUTIN 'TALKS NICE AND THEN HE BOMBS EVERYBODY'"This is not just a matter of dollars. Fundamentally, we lack the capacity to manufacture the amount of weapons Ukraine needs us to supply to win the war," he wrote in a New York Times op-ed last year. "The Biden administration has no viable plan for the Ukrainians to win this war."Less than two years ago, House Republicans ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy over a "secret side deal" to fund Ukraine. Months later, Speaker Mike Johnson risked the same fate over a Ukraine package that most of his members voted down.But last week, Trump abruptly undid a Pentagon review that paused weapons shipments to Ukraine. Now, with Trumps new Europe pays model, the weapons are flowing, and the resistance is fading.After repeatedly criticizing Zelenskyy and casting doubt on Ukraines war goals, Trump now says Putin may not be serious about peace."We get a lot of bulls--- thrown at us by Putin," Trump said during a recent Cabinet meeting. "Hes very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."The about-face has given Republican holdouts cover to reframe their positions even if they remain skeptical."I think theyre going to have to justify it, why now?" said Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who voted against all Ukraine supplemental funding packages."When Biden was doing it, he didnt know what he was doing. It was just money going to all different directions," he added. "But there'll be a lot of debate on it, as it should be."The successful strikes on Irans nuclear sites were a win for interventionism, some lawmakers say, and have seemingly quieted isolationist sentiment."I trust the generals right now," Norman said when asked whether he believed more weapons would prolong or shorten the war. "They would do the right thing in Ukraine."SENATE MOVES TO REIN IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATIONS FLUCTUATING UKRAINE POLICYFreshman Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said he still saw Trumps policy as a return to "realism and restraint.""Many people in this country have been burned by an overzealous foreign policy," Gill said. "Getting involved in conflicts abroad without any understanding of what a path to peace would look like, what victory really means. And President Trump is reining that in."He's doing things a little bit differently, is getting NATO on board, and that's a good thing."In March, when the administration paused military aid, Gill had celebrated Trump "driving a knife right through the foreign policy UniParty."Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., called the new U.S.-NATO plan for Ukraine aid "great.""I think more weapons will shorten [the war,]" he said. "We're looking at NATO purchasing weapons from us. That's a good thing right there.""Putin needs to understand that our patience is running short. And he needs to understand it's Vladimir Putin against the world," said Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis.Last year, Van Orden railed against the Biden administration for failing to provide a plan to end the war. This time, the idea of Europe footing the bill seems to have sold him."Europe has to step up and do the preponderance of their own defense," he told Fox News Digital.Van Orden blamed the invasion on European NATO allies failing to meet their 2% goal for defense spending."If the members of NATO had gone to 2% of GDP ten years ago when they promised to, do you think Vladimir Putin would have invaded Ukraine?" Van Orden wondered.At a White House meeting Monday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said a "very big deal" had been agreed to by Europeans to purchase."Billions of dollars worth of military equipment is going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO And thats going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield," Trump said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPTrump said the package would be comprehensive, including Patriot missile batteries that Ukraine needs for air defenses."Its everything. Its Patriots. Its all of them. Its a full complement with the batteries," Trump said.

President Donald Trump signed a bill into law on Wednesday that classifies fentanyl-related drugs as more dangerous substances as part of the presidents broader crackdown on the countrys opioid epidemic.The bill, called the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, was a Republican-led effort but gained wide bipartisan support in the House and Senate.It places fentanyl-related substances permanently into ScheduleI of the Controlled Substances Act, which means crimes related to the illicit drugs will require prison sentences.More than two dozen Republican state attorneys general previously urged Congress to pass the bill, calling it "vital" to addressing a "cataclysmic surge of overdose deaths" in the United States in a letter to congressional leaders.SENATE PASSES HALT FENTANYL ACT TO PERMANENTLY RECLASSIFY ALL FENTANYL-RELATED SUBSTANCESSouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson told Fox News Digital just before Trump signed the bill that even though laws already impose mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug traffickers who sell fentanyl, the bill addresses fentanyl analogues, which are synthetic opioids similar in structure to the original drug."When a Chinese chemist or a Mexican cartel chemist changes one molecule, changes one component of the fentanyl drug, they actually make it difficult for federal prosecutors to go after them," Wilson said, adding that the new law will end what has become a game of "cat and mouse" for prosecutors.Schedule I drugs are those that have no government-approved medical use. Fentanyl analogues had been temporarily classified under that schedule, but the new bill permanently codifies it.Opioids and synthetic opioids are the top two causes of drug overdose deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug overdoses declined in 2024 but still remain the leading cause of death for Americans 1844 years old, according to the agency.I BLAME BIDEN'S BORDER CRISIS FOR MY TEEN'S FENTANYL DEATH AND THANK TRUMP FOR TRYING TO END THIS SCOURGECritics of the HALT Fentanyl Act, who include some Democrats and civil rights groups, warned that harmless substances that do not warrant mandatory prison time could get swept up in the "fentanyl analogue" category and that the bill does nothing to address the root causes of substance abuse."It's shocking that lawmakers still believe we can police our way out of a public health crisis despite over fifty years of evidence to the contrary," Liz Komar, counsel at the Sentencing Project, said in a statement.Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird supported the stricter sentencing practices, telling Fox News Digital she has witnessed firsthand as the top cop in her state how "those sentences protect victims" and "help get justice for victims, for our communities.""I really think the only people that could be against [the HALT Fentanyl Act] would be the drug cartels, because they have so much to lose by us cracking down on fentanyl and the money that they make by poisoning thousands of Americans," Bird said.Among those attending Trumps bill signing in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday were several of the attorneys general, congressional leaders, immigration groups and families who have lost loved ones to addictions and overdoses.FATHER WHOSE SON DIED FROM FENTANYL WARNS OVERDOSES CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONEGregory Swan spoke about his son Drew, who died from a fentanyl overdose at 24 years old. He was prescribed painkillers after a sports injury, which spurred his addiction."It's the honor of my life to be here," Swan said while holding a framed picture of his son. "Drew was the happiest day of my life was when he was born, and he always called me his hero until the day he died. And his passing ruined, I thought, my life. There is despair and there's hopelessness. But, we've been able to find some repose in going out and advocating."The new bill came as part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to curb overdose deaths and stem the flow of illegal drugs into the country.Just one day prior, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Acting Drug Enforcement Administrator Robert Murphy announced recent major drug bust operations and an update on their seizures of fentanyl, widely known for being highly potent in minuscule doses. Authorities warn that overdoses can occur because more innocuous drugs, such as Adderall, can be laced with it, unbeknownst to the consumer.The DEA has this year seized over 44 million fentanyl pills and 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, Bondi said, adding that federal authorities have made 2,105 fentanyl-related arrests."I want to remind all Americans to exercise extreme caution: a pill can kill," the attorney general said.

CBS News Capitol Hill correspondent Scott MacFarlane told podcaster Chuck Todd on Wednesday about how traumatized he was by Trump rallygoers blaming the media for the assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in 2024.Americans reeled in shock from the attempt on Trumps life during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, but MacFarlane said he had personal trauma from the crowds immediate rage in response."For those of us there, it was such a horror because you saw an emerging America," MacFarlane told Todd on his podcast. "And it wasn't the shooting, Chuck. This was I got diagnosed with PTSD within 48 hours. I got put on trauma leave, not because, I think, of the shooting, but because you saw it in the eyes, the reaction of the people.""They were coming for us," he said in the clip flagged by The Daily Caller. "If [Trump] didn't jump up with his fist, they were going to come kill us!"TRUMP STANDS 'STRONGER THAN EVER' ONE YEAR AFTER SURVIVING PENNSYLVANIA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, STAFFERS SAY"I know," Todd agreed.Later in the discussion, MacFarlane added that, "Many of us on press row, as we talked about this on our text chains for weeks after, were quite confident we'd be dead if he didn't get back up."While it wasnt everyone in the crowd, MacFarlane claimed that dozens of people turned on them and said, "You did this. This is your fault. You caused this. You killed him, and they were going to beat us with their hands. I mean, they were going to kill us. And respectfully, the Secret Service had bigger issues [than] protecting us. When he jumped up triumphantly, it saved us."CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURENonetheless, he said, "I can't eliminate from my mind's eye the look in their faces. That's what America is right now. It's not rational. It's an irrational thought to think the media shot somebody from the top of a building, but the lack of rationality is what connects January 6 to this."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"How do we pull out of this as a country is the defining question of our time," he said.

A grand juror in a federal proceeding related to the Karen Read case in suburban Boston has been charged with leaking confidential information about closed-door hearings.Jessica Leslie has already agreed to a plea deal that includes a single-day sentence, for which she will be credited time served, according to court documents, plus two years of probation, court records show.The case was filed on July 11, and she signed the plea deal three days later.CLEARED OF MURDER CHARGES, KAREN READ COULD EYE LEGAL PAYBACK AGAINST INVESTIGATORS WHO COST HERJurors found Read not guilty of all homicide-related charges in the death of her former boyfriend, former Boston cop John O'Keefe, whom prosecutors alleged had been killed in a collision with Read's SUV.Read's defense denied the vehicle ever struck him.KAREN READ'S LAWYERS IDENTIFY EXACT MOMENT PROSECUTION 'LOST THE CASE' IN MURDER TRIALJurors rejected most of the state's case and found her guilty of drunken driving.Read the federal complaint:Federal prosecutors said Leslie leaked details from a May 26, 2022, grand jury proceeding to multiple people -- spilling the names of witnesses who appeared before the panel, details of their testimony and other evidence that was under seal.The recipients of the leaks were not identified in court documents.KAREN READ LANDS LUCRATIVE BOOK DEAL WHILE WITNESSES FACE CONTINUED HARASSMENT AFTER ACQUITTALWhile the filings do not specifically identify the case Leslie was a grand juror on, a source close to the investigation confirmed to Fox News Digital it was related to Karen Read.Read's first trial on charges of murder, drunken driving manslaughter and fleeing the scene of a deadly accident ended with a deadlocked jury last year. A second trial cleared her of the most serious charges.She is still facing a wrongful death lawsuit brought by O'Keefe's family. The lawsuit also names two bars Read and O'Keefe were drinking at in the hours before his death C.F McCarthy's and the Waterfall Bare and Grille, both in Canton.The O'Keefes filed the lawsuit in August 2024, after Read's first trial ended with a deadlocked jury. The court put it on hold until her second trial ended.Read is accused of "knowingly and deliberately" changing her story, concocting "a conspiracy" and publicizing a "false narrative, thereby frustrating Justice for JJ."JJ was O'Keefe's nickname, and the family alleges Read's narrative caused them "aggravated emotional distress."Read's civil lawyers asked a judge to dismiss the case last week.

A decorated former police officer and ex-Baltimore Orioles minor league player tragically died while rescuing swimmers from a rip current off the coast of South Carolina.Chase Childers, 38, is being called a hero after he drowned while trying to help several swimmers in distress near Pawleys Island in South Carolina on July 13. The former police officer was not the only one to go help the swimmers, but unlike the others, Childers did not return to shore. Emergency responders recovered Childers body approximately 90 minutes after the initial distress call was made.NEW JERSEY COAST GUARD SWIMMER RESCUES NEARLY 200 PEOPLE IN DEADLY TEXAS FLASH FLOODS THAT KILLED 68"We would like to provide additional information on Sunday's incident. The victim, Chase Childers, and another person entered the water to help 4-5 individuals who were in distress. Sadly, Mr. Childers was caught in the rip current, as well. He died trying to save others," Pawleys Island Police Department wrote in a statement on X.The police department also noted that Midway Fire Rescue participated in the search, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, which was also on the scene.BEACH ACCIDENT NEAR HILTON HEAD KILLS TWO, INJURES OTHERSPawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry posted about the incident on his Facebook page, saying that the town was "saddened" by the incident and offering prayers to the family. The mayor also thanked first responders "who worked tirelessly to recover the victim and bring comfort to the family.""We regret the recent drownings and town council will investigate all means available to mitigate the risk of future occurrences, including efforts to educate visitors on the dangers of rip currents," Henry wrote. While he used the word "drownings," there is no indication that anyone other than Childers died in the incident on July 13.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPA GoFundMe page set up in memory of Childers has surpassed its fundraising goal with more than $104,000 in donations. The page says the funds are meant to support Childers wife, Nataley, and their children as they "try to heal from the painful loss of Chase, who was tragically taken from this world far too soon and will always be remembered as a hero."During his time as an officer in Cobb County, Ga., Childers received a lifetime achievement award. The GoFundMe page notes that he earned the award for "saving several lives," though it does not go into further detail.

The National Urban League is sounding the alarm, asserting that there is a "state of emergency" in the country.The organization's "State of Black America" report for 2025 titled "State of Emergency: Democracy, Civil Rights, and Progress Under Attack," takes aim at the Trump administration."Almost daily, since January 20, 2025, the federal government, at the direction of the White House, has set fire to policies and entire departments dedicated to protecting civil and human rights, providing access to an equal education, fair housing, safe and effective healthcare, and ensuring that our democratic process is adhered to across the nation," the report claims.EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP ADMIN STRENGTHENS RELIGIOUS ACCOMODATIONS IN FEDERAL WORKFORCEWhite House spokesman Harrison Fields pushed back in a statement to Fox News Digital."These so-called civil rights groups aren't advancing anything but hate and division, while the President is focused on uniting our country, improving our economy, securing our borders, and establishing peace across the globe," Fields said in the statement. "This is the same vision for America that a record number of Black Americans supported in the resounding reelection of President Trump. The Democrats have sold out Black voters to appease their base, which consists of illegals, the pronoun police, purple-haired lunatics, and radical anti-Semites."National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial declared in the report, "The notion that we are living through a state of emergency is not rhetorical flourish. It is an honest reckoning with a government increasingly determined to sacrifice its founding principlesequality, liberty, and justicerather than accept the truth of a diversifying nation and deliver equitable opportunity to all."DOJ INVESTIGATING MINNESOTA HIRING PRACTICES IN LATEST CLASH WITH WALZThe report claims that the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department has been twisted "into a tool for political retribution.""Under its new leadership, the Civil Rights Division has been hollowed out and repurposed transforming from a guardian of justice into a tool for political retribution," the report asserts. "The radicalization of the DOJ is more than bureaucratic rotit is an existential threat to civil rights enforcement, allowing discrimination to flourish unchecked under the false guise of reverse racism."TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REFINES EEOC APPROACH TO TRANSGENDER WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION CLAIMSThe report, which includes House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. and several other U.S. lawmakers among the list of contributors, speaks favorably about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts."In short, DEI policies dont just level the playing field in education and employment; they fortify democracy itself. By expanding opportunities, ensuring equitable access to information, and creating leadership pipelines, DEI helps guarantee that every Americannot just the privileged few can contribute to the nations future," the report declares.

NEW YORK, NY - Donald Trump, Jr., born and raised in New York City and heavily involved in the real estate market there, spoke to Fox News Digital about the prospects of the nations largest and most recognizable city possibly electing socialist Zohran Mamdani as its next mayor."If what possibly could happen in November happens, I mean, it's scary and, you know, perhaps that's what New York needs," the presidents son told Fox News Digital in New York City on Wednesday."Maybe it has to fail to be able to come back, to be able to, you know, put the nail in the coffin of these ideas that have failed so many times around the world."Trump Jr., who was at the New York Stock Exchange ringing the bell for the IPO of his latest business venture "GrabAGun," told Fox News Digital that he expects a mass exodus from New York City to Florida if Mamdani is elected mayor.MAMDANI'S FATHER SITS ON COUNCIL OF ANTI-ISRAEL GROUP TIED TO TERROR, LEGITIMIZES ROLE OF SUICIDE BOMBERS"In New York, I think the stat I remembered, it was from like 10 years ago, but it was something like 18,000 people pay 80% of New York Citys city tax," Trump Jr. said. "Well, those people are all very mobile. They can go wherever they want. This new mayor could possibly be the greatest marketing campaign for Florida ever to exist."Trump continued, "But what happens to New York then? And as a lifelong New Yorker, as someone who grew up here, someone who changed the skyline here with my father for many years before he got into politics, that's a scary notion, but perhaps it's exactly what America needs. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom, and I think if this communist mayor gets elected, rock bottom is what New York's going to see."MAMDANI'S FAILURE TO WALK BACK THESE POSITIONS COULD CAUSE RECKONING IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY: 'FIVE-ALARM WARNING'1789 Capital founder and President Omeed Malik, Trump Jr.s partner who orchestrated the special purpose acquisition merger of Grab-A-Gun, told Fox News Digital he believes Mamdani is just a "young version" of NYCs former progressive mayor Bill de Blasio."If you didn't see it on the writing on the wall with de Blasio I don't know what to tell you," Malik said. "I definitely don't want those people in Florida because if you haven't already moved out of here you've got the wrong politics."Mamdani burst onto the national political scene last month after winning the Democratic Primary for New York City mayor despite being a self-avowed "Democratic socialist" and bringing a track record of calls to defund the police, anti-Israel statements, and socialist economic principles to the ballot box.Fox News Digital reached out to the Mamdani campaign for comment.Like his son, President Trump referred to Mamdani as a "communist" this month, warning that New York City will "never be the same" if he's victorious in November."I'm not getting involved, but I can tell you this: I used to say we will not ever be a socialist country," Trump said. "Right. Well, I'll say it again. We're not going to have if a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same."

Trey Wingo, a former ESPN staple on "SportsCenter" and "NFL Live," appeared to lament the direction of his former employer earlier this week in a post on social media.Wingo responded to another user on X who wrote, "Kids today don't realize it, but you used to be able to turn on ESPN and not see Stephen A. Smith or Pat McAfee. They were glorious times...."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"Let me preface this by saying I have so many wonderful memories and so many great friends still working there that I want to succeed but hes right," Wingo wrote Tuesday on X."It used to be a glorious buffet where you could pick and choose what you wanted. Now its like a banquet dinner: chicken or fish?"FORMER ESPN HOST DETAILS FIRING AFTER SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AGAINST TRANS ATHLETES: 'I THOUGHT THIS WAS SPORTS'Smith has been a figurehead at ESPN for years and his popularity has only grown since he started doing "First Take" with Skip Bayless, Max Kellerman, Shannon Sharpe and others. Hes appeared on NBA coverage and has his own podcast separate from ESPN.McAfee came into ESPN as one of the most popular podcasters in sports. The former Indianapolis Colts punter has feuded with ESPN execs since joining the company. But with his Q score improving, McAfee has been seen on "College Gameday" and on WWE broadcasts."SportsCenter" is still a main part of ESPN programming in the mornings and evenings. However, the program lineup is such that its not on throughout the mornings anymore.Wingo left ESPN in 2020 and has done work with Caesars Sportsbook and Peacock since then.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is expected to sit down with House Oversight Committee investigators behind closed doors in September, Fox News Digital has learned.A House Oversight Committee aide told Fox News Digital that she's one of four high-profile former Biden officials who have scheduled interviews with the panel.Also expected to appear in the coming weeks are Ian Sams, former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor in the White House Counsels Office; Andrew Bates, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Deputy Press Secretary; and Jeff Zients, former White House Chief of Staff, the aide said.Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is investigating allegations thatBiden's former top White House aidescovered up signs of his mental and physical decline while in office, and whether any executive actions were commissioned via autopen without the president's full knowledge. Biden allies have pushed back against those claims.In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, Biden affirmed he "made every decision" on his own.This story is breaking and will be updated.

A body found in Turks and Caicos over a week ago has been identified as a missing American man who vanished while vacationing in the tropical paradise.Brian Tarrence, 51, of Monroe, New York, went missing on June 25 during a vacation with his wife on the Turks and Caicos Island, according to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Tarrence was last seen leaving his condo around 3:30 a.m. at the Paradise Inn in Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.In a press release, the island's police force confirmed Tarrence's identity following the conclusion of a forensic dental analysis.MYSTERY SHROUDS CASE AS AMERICAN TOURIST STILL PRESUMED MISSING IN POPULAR TOURIST PARADISENo signs of trauma were discovered during the autopsy, and police do not suspect foul play, according to authorities.Tarrance's cause of death has not yet been determined, with police still awaiting the results of the final autopsy and toxicology reports.An earlier press release revealed Tarrence's body was found in some bushes along Miracle Close in Grace Bay.Carl DeFazio, the Tarrence family's private investigator, previously told Fox News Digital that the condo is located in a safe area.CARIBBEAN POLICE WORK TO ID BODY FOUND DURING SEARCH FOR MISSING AMERICAN AS NEARBY SECURITY GUARD WAS KILLED"They seemed to be having a normal couple days, and he ended up walking out of his condo, which is in a very safe place and in the middle of Grace Bay Road," DeFazio said. "And we have him on camera, and he walks into town, and then he basically disappears, and we haven't heard from him since."DeFazio added that Tarrence's belongings remained at the condo and his wife didn't realize he was missing until the following morning.The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said Tarrence's body was found shortly after 9 a.m. on July 5.MYSTERY DEEPENS AS BODY DISCOVERED DURING SEARCH FOR MISSING AMERICAN IN ISLAND PARADISE"The RT&CIPF extends our condolences to Mr. Tarrences family and friends during this difficult time. We thank the public for their patience and support as we continue the investigation," Royal Turks and Caicos police said in a statement late Wednesday.The Tarrence's were set to return from their vacation on June 29.Anyone with information relating to Tarrence's case is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.Fox News Digitals Greg Wehner contributed to this report.