Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Iowa on Thursday night, President Donald Trump announced that the military flight team that launched the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities will be honored at the White House on Independence Day.
Trump said that he took issue with early media reports suggesting that the strikes on Iran only partially damaged the targets because he considered it an insult to the "great" American military members who executed the mission.
"Remember when CNN said it wasn't obliterated? It was maybe damaged or damaged badly, but obliterated is too strong a word. No, it was obliterated. That's now been proven," said Trump.
"They were trying to demean me by saying that, but they were really demeaning those great pilots and people and mechanics that got those planes over there and were able to shoot from high up in the air, going very, very fast, with potentially a lot of things being shot at them, and hit every single one," he said. "They're trying to demean me, but to me, they were demeaning them. And they got out of the plane, and they said, ‘What? We hit every single target.’ They know better than anybody."
"These people did one of the greatest military hits and maneuvers in the history of our country, and I want them to be appreciated for it," the president went on. "So, they're coming. They're coming to the White House tomorrow night."
"They're going to be in Washington tomorrow at the White House, and we're going to be celebrating."
Trump said the White House will host not only the pilots, but the entire flight crew, including "the people that flew the other planes" and "the mechanics that had these planes going for 37 hours without a stop."
"China, Russia, they were all watching. Everybody was watching," he said. "We have the greatest equipment anywhere in the world. We have the greatest people anywhere in the world, and we have the strongest military anywhere in the world."
During his address on Thursday, Trump also claimed that Iran called ahead of their retaliatory strike on the U.S. military base in Qatar to clear the attack with the White House.
"They called me to tell me they have to take a shot at us. This was Iran. Very respectful. That means they respect us because we dropped 14 bombs. They said we'd like to take 14 shots at you. I said, ‘Go ahead, I understand,’" he said.
"They said where they would do it. I said, ‘Good.’ We emptied out the fort. It was a beautiful military base in Qatar who treated us really fantastically well," he said.
"They said, ‘Sir, is 1:00 okay?’ I said it was fine, [they said], ‘We could make it later.’ And we had nobody but four gunners," he said. "So, all of a sudden, they said, ‘We're ready.’ And they were a little nervous about doing it. I want to tell, you can you imagine, they were nice enough – this is Iran – to call me and tell me that they would like to shoot me at 14 times, so they want to shoot us. And I said, go ahead. And they shot 14 high grade, very fast missiles every single one of them was shot down routinely by these four unbelievable gunmen. And they did their job. And that was the end of that."
The Trump administration plans to implement a process whereby farmers in Iowa can vouch for hard-working, law-abiding migrant farmworkers who may be facing deportation, so that they can remain in the U.S.
The proposed process was shared by President Donald Trump during an event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday night, kicking off a year of patriotic celebrations meant to honor the nation's 250th birthday. Trump said the new plan will take place in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and that legislation for the measure is currently being drafted, while speaking Thursday evening from Iowa.
"You know, they've had people working for them for years. And we're going to do something … we're going to sort of put the farmers in charge," Trump told the crowd of people in attendance. "If a farmer has been with one of these people that worked so hard – they bend over all day, we don't have too many people that can do that, but they work very hard, and they know him very well, and some of the farmers are literally, you know, they cry when they see this happen – if a farmer is willing to vouch for these people, in some way, Kristie, I think we're going to have to just say that's going to be good, right?"
"We don't want to do [border security] where we take all of the workers off the farms," Trump added. "We want the farms to do great."
According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Iowa is the nation's second-largest agricultural exporting state.
While announcing the new plan, Trump cited cases he had heard of when migrants who have worked on farms for 15 years "get thrown out pretty viciously."
"We can't do that," Trump added. "We got to work with the farmers and people that have hotels and leisure properties."
Earlier this week, when Trump previously hinted at the new immigration exemption for farmers, he also suggested the move could be implemented for workers in the hospitality industry, as well.
While sharing the new immigration proposal with the crowd at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday night, Trump spoke to potential criticisms of the move by "serious radical-right people" within the GOP, asking the crowd rhetorically if they think these folks "will understand."
After the president first brought up the proposal earlier this week, critics have already started sounding off.
"So, if I’m to understand this correctly, we should look the other way regarding illegal immigration as long as it’s in the construction, hotel, or restaurant industries? This is far beyond disappointing, it’s infuriating," California Republican state Sen. Melissa Melendez wrote on X.
The president noted Thursday evening that the move will put farmers "in charge" and ultimately the responsibility for any problems that arise will fall to their feet.
"If the farmers don't do a good job, we'll throw them the hell out of the country. We'll let the guys – we'll let the illegals stay, and we'll throw the farmers the hell out," Trump said. "Okay, get ready, farmer, I'm telling you."
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, identified as "Black or African American" on his 2009 Columbia University application even though he now says he does not consider himself Black, The New York Times reported Thursday.
According to The Times, the internal data came from a leaked database of past Columbia applications which was part of a recent hack targeting the Ivy League school.
Mamdani, then a high school senior, also checked "Asian" and reportedly wrote in "Ugandan" in the space for additional background. He was ultimately not accepted to Columbia even though his father is a professor at the elite school.
Now 33, Mamdani told The Times he identifies as "an American who was born in Africa," and said checking multiple boxes was an effort to reflect his "complex background," not to gain an edge in the competitive admissions process.
His parents are both of Indian descent. His father, Columbia professor Mahmood Mamdani, has lived in East Africa for generations, but Mamdani said there had been no intermarriage in the family with native African groups.
Mamdani has leaned into his South Asian and Muslim identity on the campaign trail. During a June speech at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, he also stressed his African roots: "I was born in Kampala, Uganda... I was given my middle name, Kwame, by my father, who named me after the first Prime Minister of Ghana."
President Donald Trump brought up Mamdani at a rally Wednesday, saying if he interferes with immigration laws "we’ll have to arrest him."
"Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation," Trump added.
Mamdani, a self-identified democratic socialist, dismissed the remarks, accusing Trump of "an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation."
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is calling out the hypocrisy of progressive Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who said the agency is "acting like a terrorist force," pointing to an earlier attempt by the congresswoman to shift blame away from an actual terrorist.
In a social media post this week, Jayapal claimed "ICE is acting like a terrorist force" and that "people across the country of all legal statuses — including U.S. citizens — are being kidnapped and disappeared off the street by masked men."
Jayapal asserted that the federal operations are being carried out with "no oversight, no accountability" and are "completely lawless."
During an interview with Brianna Keilar on "CNN News Central," Jayapal doubled down on her statement, saying, "What is deranged and cruel and outrageous is that, literally, we are seeing ICE agents, I assume they’re ICE agents. They say they are. They don’t have any identification. They’re wearing masks. They’re in plain clothes. They are coming and kidnapping and disappearing people on the streets of the United States.
"I never in a million years thought that that is something that I would see here in America," she added. "And so I think it is the administration that has to apologize to U.S. citizens that have been rounded up to legal, permanent residents, to people with legal statuses across the country who are getting swept up, people who have been here for 20 years and committed no crimes, getting swept up by masked men who are kidnaping them and deporting them."
In response, Lyons said after "an actual Antifa terrorist tried to blow up ICE’s Northwest Processing Center in Rep. Jayapal’s home state of Washington in 2019," she "tried to blame the violent attack on rhetoric from the right, in defense of an actual terrorist who tried to murder detainees and employees alike!
"Now, she labels ICE officers enforcing immigration law set by Congress ‘terrorists,’" said Lyons. "This, at a time when officers are facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults, is in part due to the type of rhetoric she spews."
"Never in a million years did I think I would witness a sitting member of Congress prioritize regard for violent criminals over the law enforcement officers protecting her community from actual public safety threats," he said. "The only apology needed is from the congresswoman to the people who voted for her."
The Department of Homeland Security told Fox News earlier this week that assaults against ICE officers and federal agents conducting immigration enforcement are up 690% compared to the same time last year.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, a special agent working deportations voiced concern about the escalating violence and the effect of Democrats pushing policies to de-mask officials, which they said threatens their families and communities.
President Donald Trump on Thursday celebrated Congress' passage of his "big, beautiful bill," describing the sweeping measure as "the biggest bill of its kind ever signed" and promising, "it's going to make this country into a rocket ship. It's going to be really great."
Earlier in the day, the House narrowly approved the package by a 218-214 vote after a marathon overnight session on Capitol Hill – the final hurdle after the Senate passed the measure earlier in the week.
He noted that only two Republican lawmakers, Reps. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, and Brian Fitzpatrick, of Pennsylvania, voted against the bill. Zero Democrats backed it.
Trump touted the bill’s broad scope, adding that it provides the "biggest tax cut in history" along with major investments in border security and the military.
"Great for security, great on the southern border, immigration is covered, we covered just about everything. Again, it's the biggest bill ever signed of its kind," the president said.
"We'll have growth in record numbers," he added.
The White House stated that the bill will "create historic economic growth to usher in America’s Golden Age."
"The bill provides Americans with the largest tax cut in history, paired with a host of other pro-growth policies that will slash our deficits and debt. America is going to take off like a rocket ship!" White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital.
The president also previewed a patriotic signing ceremony set for Independence Day.
Trump said he will officially sign the bill at the White House on Friday around 5 p.m., with an array of U.S. Air Force jets soaring overhead in celebration.
"We're signing at about 5:00 p.m., and at about 5:00 p.m. we're going to have B-2s and F-22s and F-35s flying right over the White House... so we'll be signing with those beautiful planes flying right over our heads," he told reporters on the tarmac.
President Donald Trump touted "promise[s] kept" during his address at the America250 kick-off event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday, after Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier in the day.
"There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago when Congress passed the one big, beautiful bill to Make America Great Again," Trump told the crowd shortly after jumping on stage. "With this bill, every major promise I made to the people of Iowa in 2024 became a promise kept." The bill is expected to be signed by the president during an official signing ceremony Friday afternoon on the Fourth of July holiday.
Trump's speech in America's heartland kicks off a series of events that will take place over the next year, focused on celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The celebrations are being spearheaded by the America250 commission, a bipartisan cohort of private citizens and lawmakers.
"This momentous gathering in the heartland signals the beginning of an extraordinary year ahead – one where America250 will unite our nation through events in every state and territory, culminating in the most monumental celebration our Country has ever known," America250 said of Trump's visit on Thursday.
The celebration comes after Trump held a military parade honoring the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary on June 14, which included tanks chugging down the streets of Washington, D.C., military flyovers and a grand fireworks display over the National Mall. The parade was held on Flag Day, which also marked Trump's 79th birthday.
Other patriotic events are already on America250's schedule as a year of celebration kicks off on July 3, including an ongoing Department of Transportation’s Great American Road Trip initiative, which encourages Americans to explore the nation’s highways and byways, as well as a 4th of July celebration at President George Washington's Mount Vernon, and historical battle reenactments.
During the president's address in Iowa Thursday night, he praised Iowans for their support, noting "we won so much here."
"We love Iowa, and we won all three times. So that's pretty good – and won by a lot," Trump said. "But I'm thrilled to be back in a state that I love, and I really do love it too. With thousands of proud, hard working patriots at the world famous Iowa State Fairgrounds. Thank you."
Attendees for Thursday's America250 kick-off event have been lining up outside the Iowa State Fairgrounds since this morning to get inside where Trump is speaking, despite hot summer temperatures in the mid-90s ahead of the event.
In attendance at the event are members of President Trump's cabinet, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Energy Secretary Doug Burgum, as well as numerous members of the GOP's Iowa congressional delegation.
Lee Greenwood, known for his song titled "God Bless the USA" that is frequently used by the president at his rallies, performed for the president as he walked out and there will also be fireworks following Trump's address.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman secretly met with President Donald Trump and other key officials in the White House on Thursday to discuss de-escalation efforts with Iran, multiple sources confirmed with Fox News.
Khalid, also known as KBS, is the younger brother of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Multiple sources told Fox News Channel's chief political anchor Bret Baier about the meeting.
According to sources, the talks included discussions about de-escalation with Iran and getting to the negotiating table.
The talks were also reportedly about ending the war in Gaza and negotiating the release of the remaining hostages – whether dead or alive – and about working toward peace in the Middle East.
Although the talks were not exclusively about the possibility of normalization with Israel, sources said the conversation dealt with steps that need to occur to get there.
Sources also said, "there was progress and optimism on all fronts."
The Saudis are in the process of finalizing a defense and trade deal with the U.S., and the message shared between the two allies, sources added, is that they see eye-to-eye on all issues.
The Supreme Court on Thursday handed President Donald Trump a key immigration win, clearing the way for the deportation of eight migrants from Djibouti to South Sudan, a country not listed in their original removal orders.
In a short, unsigned opinion, the justices granted the administration’s request to "clarify" a prior ruling, confirming that their June 23 stay of a lower court injunction also blocked a follow-up remedial order issued May 21.
That remedial order had required the government to give the migrants notice and a chance to raise claims under the Convention Against Torture before being sent to a third country.
"The motion for clarification is granted," the court wrote. "The May 21 remedial order cannot now be used to enforce an injunction that our stay rendered unenforceable".
The decision gives the Trump administration a green light to move forward with third-country deportations under its executive order, even to destinations not previously clarified in court-approved removal documents.
Earlier, a district judge had found the government violated its April injunction by failing to provide a "meaningful opportunity" for six of the migrants to make their case against removal. The Supreme Court stayed that injunction in June, and Thursday’s clarification makes clear the lower court’s follow-up order can’t stand either.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented sharply, accusing the court of enabling deportations that could lead to torture or death.
"Today’s order clarifies only one thing: Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial. Respectfully, I dissent," Sotomayor wrote.
"The Government seeks to nullify [basic rights] by deporting noncitizens to potentially dangerous countries without notice or the opportunity to assert a fear of torture."
The ruling strengthens the Trump administration’s hand as it enforces its third-country deportation policy.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X regarding the ruling, writing, "This is another incredible victory for America. Thank you to the Supreme Court for ruling on the side of law and order, and affirming the executive authority of the President."
"Today’s decision makes clear it is district court judges who are defying Supreme Court orders, not the Trump administration," David Warrington, White House Counsel wrote in an email to Fox News Digital. "This decision is a clear rebuke of such judicial overreach."
FIRST ON FOX:Vivek Ramaswamy is putting his money where his mouth is.
The multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and business leader fueled his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination with over $30 million of his own money.
And in a Fox News Digital interview Thursday, Ramaswamy revealed that when it comes to his 2026 Republican campaign for Ohio governor, "we are prepared to invest at the same scale or greater."
"Whatever is required to ensure that we're successful in really leading the state to the next level," Ramaswamy said. "Losing this race is not an option. Winning is the only option, and we're going to win it. And I think that that will require resources of every form."
Ramaswamy was interviewed the day after his campaign announced that he had raised nearly $10 million in a little over four months since he announced his gubernatorial candidacy in late February. Ramaswamy's campaign touted that the money raked in set a "record for the largest first-quarter fundraising total in state history."
"I think it says that we have unprecedented support in our state, and that is a beautiful thing to see this early in a Republican race," Ramswamy said. "And I think that that's a powerful signal of unity."
Ramaswamy, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, noted he's the only major Republican candidate right now in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine.
"I'm running unopposed in a Republican primary in a state that is certainly leaning reliably red, and I'm proud to say that we have united, not just the Republicans in Ohio, but we are beginning to draw support from a wide range of nontraditional Republican backers, entrepreneurs, younger people," he added.
State Attorney General Dave Yost launched a gubernatorial campaign but dropped out of the race in May.
Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a former longtime Ohio State University head football coach who later served as president of Youngstown State University, said earlier this year he was considering a run for governor. But speculation surrounding Tressel has faded in recent weeks after his initial comments were not followed by any announcement.
Asked if he has any concerns about facing a competitive primary, Ramaswamy said, "None, zero."
"I like Jim a lot. He and I have had some great conversations, none of which were about this race," Ramaswamy said. "I actually consider him to be a guy who is bringing a great spirit and tenor to Ohio. And I view Coach Tressel as an asset that I want to see our state continue to use to revive our sense of unity and spirit and ambition and pursuit of success."
In the race for the Democratic nomination in the onetime battleground turned red state, former Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton launched a gubernatorial bid in January.
But all eyes are on former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who narrowly lost his Senate seat in last year's election to GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno.
Brown is thought to be a potential candidate in either the Senate or gubernatorial races.
Ramaswamy said he "would love the Democrats to have a competitive primary while I continue to run unopposed in this race."
But he suggested it didn't matter who the Democrats nominate because "it's not who we're running against, it's what we're actually running for."
"I think we have incredible strength," he added before predicting "that we're going to defeat whoever we are up against by, I believe, a decisive margin."
The 39-year-old Ramaswamy launched his presidential campaign in February 2023 and quickly saw his stock rise as he went from a long shot to a contender for the Republican nomination, as part of a field of candidates challenging Trump.
He campaigned on what he called an "America First 2.0" agenda and was one of Trump's biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the "most successful president in our century."
Ramaswamy dropped his White House bid early last year after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a top surrogate on the campaign trail.
Trump, in the days after his November presidential election victory, named Elon Musk, the world's richest person, along with Ramaswamy, to steer the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency initiative, better known as DOGE.
But in January, as Trump was inaugurated, the new administration announced Ramaswamy was no longer serving at DOGE. Ramaswamy's exit cleared the way for Musk, Trump's top donor and, at the time, a key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight. Ramaswamy quickly moved toward launching a run for governor.
Ramaswamy was raised in Evendale, Ohio, in suburban Cincinnati by parents who emigrated from India. His father worked as an engineer at General Electric Aviation, and his mother was a geriatric psychiatrist. Ramaswamy and his family live in suburban Columbus.
The candidate noted that "one of my core areas of focus that I think is really resonating, is elevating the standards of educational achievement in our state."
"The No. 1 issue that I see resonating across the board, in a non-partisan manner, is the recognition that we are in the middle of this educational achievement crisis," he added.
And Ramaswamy insisted that "anybody who's a parent, or even anybody who's a young person recently graduating from school, recognizes that this is going to be an issue that we have to turn around, to preserve our place, the leading country in the world, and that is the project that we are going to make Ohio ground zero for in the United States."
Fox News' Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report
