SCOOP: Rep. Mike Collins is eying a bid in the Georgia Senate race to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.

Republicans are salivating at the chance to flip the seat, and Collins, in a video first obtained by Fox News Digital, contended that Ossoff "must go."

"It was never in my plans to run for the U.S. Senate," Collins said. "I love what I'm doing now. I think I've been effective for my district, the state. I love my district."

REPUBLICANS TARGET VULNERABLE SENATE DEMOCRAT OVER LOS ANGELES RIOTING

"I mean, just good, solid, hard-working people," he continued. "But I also understand that sometimes you don't do what you want to do, but what you need to do."

Collins, a two-term lawmaker representing Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, still didn't directly say that he was jumping into the race, and noted that he would first consult with his family and President Donald Trump to determine "where we can be the best, most beneficial help in this mission to make sure that we get a Republican in the U.S. Senate from Georgia."

GOP GEORGIA SENATE CANDIDATE TARGETS VULNERABLE JON OSSOFF IN AD DEPICTING TRANSGENDER 'FAN'

The lawmaker became a staple on the road during Trump's campaign last year, and his bill, the Laken Riley Act, was the first signed into law by the president during his second term. 

Collins argued that Ossoff "doesn't represent the Georgia values that I cherish so much," and noted that Republicans have largely dominated the state in recent elections, including Trump’s victory in November.

Still, Ossoff, who is seeking re-election for a second term, was the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the Peach State in roughly two decades.

Speaking on behalf of Ossoff's campaign, Devon Cruz, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia, said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "Immediately after voting to rip away health insurance from 750,000 Georgians, Rep. Mike Collins now wants Georgians to give him a promotion?"

Cruz continued, "Collins would join a crowded, messy primary that will leave the GOP nominee badly bruised, while Sen. Jon Ossoff is building massive momentum to take on whichever Donald Trump loyalist limps over the finish line." 

Senate Republicans now view Ossoff’s seat as one of the most viable flip opportunities in the upcoming 2026 midterm cycle, when the GOP hopes to keep and expand upon its thin majority in the upper chamber.

TRUMP ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SAYS SHE WON'T RUN FOR SENATE WHILE BLASTING DEMS AND FELLOW REPUBLICANS

Should Collins dive all the way into the race, he will go face-to-face against fellow Georgia Republican Rep. Buddy Carter and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King in the Republican primary.

Carter was the first Republican to jump into the contest after Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who was considered a heavy favorite to run against Ossoff, opted to forgo a Senate bid.

Recent polling on the race has found that Collins may have an edge against his fellow GOP competitors.

The conservative-leaning Trafalgar Group found in a survey conducted in April with 1,426 respondents that Collins held just over a 23-point edge over Carter, who came in second ahead of Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., and King.

In a face-off with Ossoff, however, Collins still trailed the Senator by just shy of 5 points.

In another straw poll conducted during the Georgia Republican Party State Convention earlier this month with roughly 1,200 respondents, Collins earned the support of 39% of those polled compared to Carter’s 13%. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has joined in on the criticism of Zohran Mamdani claiming the Democratic Party candidate is too radical to become the Big Apple's next mayor.

Much of this criticism surrounding Mamdani has stemmed from his history of espousing radical political ideology, often times linked to, or rooted in, communist-style language.

Adams, who ran in 2021 as a Democrat during his first mayoral election but has chosen to run as an Independent this time around, shared a social media post Mamdani put up in 2020 while campaigning for a seat in the New York State Assembly. The post Adams shared included nothing more than the following simple message shared by Mamdani: "Each according to their need, each according to their ability."

To the less politically-inclined social media user, the message might seem innocuous, but, in reality, it is a direct quote from Karl Marx, a revolutionary socialist who penned the infamous "Communist Manifesto" with fellow socialist political philosopher Friedrich Engels during the late 19th-century. 

SOCIALIST'S NYC MAYORAL WIN SPARKS FIERCE DEBATE OVER FEASIBILITY OF RADICAL POLICY AGENDA

Adams made this clear in his re-post of Mamdani's May 2020 quote from Marx. 

"– Karl Marx, Author of The Communist Manifesto" Adams captioned in his re-post of Mamdani's original post that quoted Marx's writings from his book titled "Critique of the Gotha Program." 

Ever since Mamdani's shock primary win last month, beating out long-time New York politico and former state governor, Andrew Cuomo, questions have surfaced over whether his views as a self-proclaimed socialist are too radical for someone who wants to be mayor of the largest city in the United States.

CUOMO, ADAMS TRADE SHOTS OVER WHO SHOULD DROP OUT IN RACE AGAINST MAMDANI FOR NYC MAYOR

Critics have pointed to, for example, comments that Mamdani made at a Young Democratic Socialists of America conference in 2021, during which the then-State Assembly member told attendees not to compromise on goals like "seizing the means of production."

In a separate video from 2021 published online by The Gravel Institute, Mamdani discusses the need to turn housing from a private commodity to a public one. In the video, he called for luxury condos to be replaced with communal-style living that would include things like shared laundry facilities and food co-ops.

"If we want to end the housing crisis, the solution has to be moving toward the full de-commodification of housing," Mamdani urged.

NEW YORK DEMOCRAT SAYS MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI 'TOO EXTREME TO LEAD' 

Meanwhile, it isn't just radical comments from Mamdani himself that have been making news, it's also been comments from his Ivy Leage professor father, who Mamdani credits with helping shape his political views as a young person, according to a New York Times article chronicling Mamdani's relationship with his parents. 

During a 2022 panel discussion hosted by the Asia Society, Mamdani's father, Mahmood, asserted that America was the "genesis of what we call settler-colonialism" around the world. He also declared that Adolf Hitler drew his inspiration for the Holocaust from Abraham Lincoln. 

"With the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln generalized the solution of reservations, they herded American Indians into separate territories," the older Mamdani, Columbia's Herbert Lehman professor of government, said. "For the Nazis, this was the inspiration — Hitler realized two things: one, that genocide is doable. It is possible to do genocide, that's what Hitler realized. Second thing Hitler realized, is that you don't have to have a common citizenship."

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani and his mayoral campaign for comment but did not hear back in time for publication. 

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., had harsh words for Democratic colleagues employing heated rhetoric against immigration enforcement officers Tuesday following recent attacks on ICE and Border Patrol facilities in Texas.

Hawley told Fox News Digital in an interview that lawmakers need to turn their focus back to the needs of their constituents, rather than trying to make flash-in-the-pan headlines.

He specifically called out Democrats who have criticized ICE officers for wearing masks during their operations. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., accused officers of acting "like a terrorist force"

"Knock it off," Hawley told his Democratic colleagues on Tuesday. "These are the same people who were in favor of masking our children. I don't want to hear anything about ICE officers masking from them."

ICE AGENT SHARES FEARS ABOUT FAMILY SAFETY AS ASSAULTS ON OFFICIALS SURGE

"We have a lot of rebuilding to do in America," he added.

Hawley's statement came just minutes after he touted the passage of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act as part of President Donald Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill. Hawley helped shepherd the legislation alongside staunch Democrats like former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and members of the NAACP, among others.

His words echoed the sentiment expressed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday, who urged Democrats to cool off their rhetoric.

DHS: ASSAULTS ON ICE NOW UP NEARLY 700% OVER SAME TIME LAST YEAR

Leavitt urged Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to set up a meeting with ICE and CBP agents.

"We certainly call on Democrats to tone down their rhetoric against ICE and Border Patrol agents, who, again, are everyday men and women. I would encourage AOC and other Democrats to actually meet with the United States Border Patrol," Leavitt told reporters Monday.

"These are honorable Americans who are just simply trying to do their job to enforce the law. They go home to their families every night, just like we all do, and they deserve respect and dignity for trying to enforce our nation's immigration laws and to remove public safety threats from our communities," she added.

The conversation over Democratic rhetoric erupted in recent days after a pair of attacks on ICE and Border Patrol facilities in Texas.

Agents and local police shot and killed the gunman who opened fire on Border Patrol agents in Texas' Rio Grande Valley Monday, according to Department of Homeland Security officials. No officers were killed in the attack but one local police officer was shot.

That attack came on the heels of another shooting near ICE's Prairieland Detention Facility on Friday, where a Texas police officer was shot in the neck.

Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this report

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., had harsh words for Democratic colleagues employing heated rhetoric against immigration enforcement officers Tuesday following recent attacks on ICE and Border Patrol facilities in Texas.

Hawley told Fox News Digital in an interview that lawmakers need to turn their focus back to the needs of their constituents, rather than trying to make flash-in-the-pan headlines.

He specifically called out Democrats who have criticized ICE officers for wearing masks during their operations. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., accused officers of acting "like a terrorist force"

"Knock it off," Hawley told his Democratic colleagues on Tuesday. "These are the same people who were in favor of masking our children. I don't want to hear anything about ICE officers masking from them."

ICE AGENT SHARES FEARS ABOUT FAMILY SAFETY AS ASSAULTS ON OFFICIALS SURGE

"We have a lot of rebuilding to do in America," he added.

Hawley's statement came just minutes after he touted the passage of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act as part of President Donald Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill. Hawley helped shepherd the legislation alongside staunch Democrats like former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and members of the NAACP, among others.

His words echoed the sentiment expressed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday, who urged Democrats to cool off their rhetoric.

DHS: ASSAULTS ON ICE NOW UP NEARLY 700% OVER SAME TIME LAST YEAR

Leavitt urged Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to set up a meeting with ICE and CBP agents.

"We certainly call on Democrats to tone down their rhetoric against ICE and Border Patrol agents, who, again, are everyday men and women. I would encourage AOC and other Democrats to actually meet with the United States Border Patrol," Leavitt told reporters Monday.

"These are honorable Americans who are just simply trying to do their job to enforce the law. They go home to their families every night, just like we all do, and they deserve respect and dignity for trying to enforce our nation's immigration laws and to remove public safety threats from our communities," she added.

The conversation over Democratic rhetoric erupted in recent days after a pair of attacks on ICE and Border Patrol facilities in Texas.

Agents and local police shot and killed the gunman who opened fire on Border Patrol agents in Texas' Rio Grande Valley Monday, according to Department of Homeland Security officials. No officers were killed in the attack but one local police officer was shot.

That attack came on the heels of another shooting near ICE's Prairieland Detention Facility on Friday, where a Texas police officer was shot in the neck.

Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this report

Former Vice President Kamala Harris offered a take so "weird" and "not good" in an interview with social media personality Kareem Rahma that they both agreed to nix airing the footage, according to Rahma. 

Rahma, who hosts the popular series "Subway Takes," where he asks commuters and sometimes celebrities their opinions, previously told the New York Times that he conducted an interview with Harris during the summer of 2024, but that it was never released. 

Rahma said in an interview clip with Forbes’ Steven Bertoni posted on social media Monday that Harris’ take was so "bad" he felt fortunate it didn’t make the cut. 

HARRIS CAMPAIGN TELLS MUSLIM INTERVIEWER HE CAN'T ASK ABOUT GAZA, SHE TALKS UP BACON INSTEAD: ‘TAKEN ABACK’

"Her take was really confusing and weird – not good," Rahma told Bertoni. And we "mutually agreed to not publish it. And I got lucky, because I didn’t want to be blamed for her losing."

"Her take was that bad?" Bertoni said. 

"It was really, really bad… it like, didn’t make any sense," Rahma said, revealing Harris’ take was "bacon as a spice." 

Neither Harris nor Rahma immediately responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Rahma, who is Muslim, told the New York Times in a story published in November 2024 that Harris’ team originally proposed she would share a "hot take" against people removing their shoes on airplanes.

VP NOMINEE TIM WALZ SITS FOR RARE INTERVIEW TO DISCUSS GUTTER MAINTENANCE WITH TIKTOKER

But Harris went on to declare that bacon was a spice – a food that Rahma and other Muslims do not consume for religious reasons. The Times reported that Rahma was "taken aback" by Harris’ statement. 

"Think about it, it’s pure flavor," she said, per the unaired footage obtained by the Times. 

The Times’ story said two senior campaign managers for Harris said the topic of bacon had been previously raised, while Rahma and his manager said that wasn’t the case. Harris’ campaign reportedly apologized for sharing her take on bacon and offered to re-film the episode, but Rahma declined, according to the Times. 

TIM WALZ TURNS DOWN NY TIMES INTERVIEW REQUESTS ABOUT RESPONSE TO GEORGE FLOYD RIOTS

Rahma told the Times that his reasoning for not airing the interview was because he didn’t want to upset the Muslim community, and that he was hoping to ask Harris questions about the Biden administration’s policy regarding the Israel–Hamas war. 

"It was so complicated because I’m Muslim and there’s something going on in the world that 100% of Muslims care about," Rahma told the Times. "And then they made it worse by talking about anchovies. Boring!"

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Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, also appeared on Rahma’s series leading up to the 2024 election, where he discussed gutter maintenance. Walz’s interview was posted in August 2024. 

Fox News’ Yael Halon contributed to this report. 

Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass sparked controversy on social media this week after she attempted to interfere with ICE agents conducting immigration raids, calling it "outrageous" and "un-American."

Bass, who has been a vocal opponent of immigration raids in the city, appeared at the scene and demanded to speak with ICE leadership when agents were conducting an operation near MacArthur Park on Monday. 

"They need to leave, and they need to leave right now. They need to leave because this is unacceptable!" Bass said at the scene. 

Bass claimed on social media that there were children playing at the park, which is well known in the area as a hotbed for homelessness and crime even during daylight hours.

JD VANCE RAILS AGAINST NEWSOM, LA MAYOR FOR DECLARING ‘OPEN SEASON ON FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT’

"Minutes before, there were more than 20 kids playing — then, the MILITARY comes through," Bass posted on X. "The SECOND I heard about this, I went to the park to speak to the person in charge to tell them it needed to end NOW. Absolutely outrageous."

Bass’s actions sparked immediate pushback from critics on social media.

"If only Karen Bass worked as hard for fire victims in Los Angeles as she does criminal illegals," GOP Congressman Darrell Issa, who represents California’s 48th Congressional District, posted on X.

"Democrats aren’t used to seeing the law being enforced," Jeremy Redfern, communications director for Florida Republican AG James Uthmeier, posted on X. "But luckily, Karen was able to speak to the manager."

LA MAYOR BASS DOWNPLAYS ANTI-ICE RIOTS AS LIMITED TO SMALL PART OF CITY, SAYS 'ZERO COMPARISON' TO 1992 UNREST

"The federal government would not have to deploy against foreign invaders if you would just stop harboring them," GOP Rep. Mike Collins posted on X.

"If you did your job, those guys wouldn't need to do theirs," Substack writer Jim Treacher posted on X.

"MacArthur Park is a vile, filthy, drug infested, gang sh--hole worthy of Karen Bass," actor James Woods posted on X. "This commie loser would be happier in Cuba."

"Yeah… you’re full of sh--,"  Independent journalist Tayler Hansen posted on X. "MacArthur park is the fentanyl hub of LA and is a safe haven for violent cartels and gangs. You should take a stroll there without security and maybe even down one of the nearby alleys… I’m sure you’d be fine!"

"Party of publicity stunts," conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller posted on X.

"Her city has managed to issue like 10 rebuilding permits for the victims of the Palisades fire, but she's focused like a laser beam on protecting MS-13 members," Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. "Checks out."

In addition to the social media fallout, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino told Fox News that he was the official Bass spoke to on the phone at the scene when she demanded the raid be stopped.  

"I don’t work for Karen Bass," Bovino said. "Better get used to us now, because this is going to be normal very soon. We will go anywhere, anytime we want in Los Angeles."

Fox News Digital reached out to Bass's office for comment. 

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report

President Donald Trump praised the billions of dollars in border security and immigration efforts included in the so-called "big, beautiful bill" he signed into law last week — though he suggested Tuesday the administration may not need to spend as much on enforcement efforts there as previously thought.

Speaking to reporters at the White House Tuesday afternoon, Trump touted the billions of dollars approved in the Republican-led spending package, including billions in funding to turbocharge the hardline immigration crackdown his administration has prioritized in his second White House term.

Among other things, the law includes $45 billion for the construction of new immigration detention centers, and roughly $30 billion in spending to fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations — including new spending on transportation, for the maintenance of ICE facilities and to support the hiring of an estimated 10,000 additional deportation officers.

Trump told reporters Tuesday that his administration's border crackdown could allow them to further trim spending at the border, reiterating an earlier claim that "zero" migrants entered the U.S. last month. 

WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN TRUMP'S ‘BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’

He touted the spending on border security, though he noted, "I don't think we're going to need so much of it [there], because we had zero come in last month," he said, in apparent reference to border crossings.

 "So I'm not sure how much of it we want to spend."

"You may think about that," he said. "You may actually think about saving a lot of money because the wall has been largely built, and it obviously worked."

Since taking office in January, Trump has embraced an aggressive immigration agenda, prioritizing border security efforts, massively expanding ICE raids, quickly deporting certain migrants, and attempting to end birthright citizenship protections for migrants born in the U.S. by way of executive order, among other things. 

In touting the "zero" border crossings, Trump appears to be referencing a June 17 report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

That report is the most recent publicly available data provided by the federal agency, which said it released zero illegal immigrants into the U.S. during the last 30-day period. That's a stark drop from the Biden administration, and the previous month. 

The number of border encounters also decreased, CBP said, with U.S. Border Patrol officials reporting only 8,725 encounters with illegal immigrants attempting to enter the U.S. in May, compared to 117,905 such encounters in May 2024 under the Biden administration. 

Trump did not immediately detail more specifics on immigration enforcement efforts funded by the Republican spending bill. But he used the moment to excoriate the Biden administration and Democrats for what he criticized as lax border policies — and which he suggested Tuesday that other countries had sought to exploit under his predecessor's White House tenure. 

SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE

Biden, Trump said Tuesday, allowed people to enter the U.S. "just totally unchecked. Unchecked, unvetted, open borders." 

"The whole world was dumped into our country from prisons, from gangs, from mental institutions," Trump claimed. It was not immediately clear what country or asylums Trump was referring to, and he did not elaborate further.

"We have many people walking the streets, walking in areas that we don't know anything about that came out of insane asylums," he said. 

"And it's amazing the job that you and Tom Homan are doing, by the way," Trump said, turning to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. 

"But, we have to get them out, and we have no choice. And we are getting them out."

Trump’s remarks on Tuesday came as he hosted Cabinet leaders at the White House for the first time since April. 

It also comes as his enforcement campaign has touched off a mixed response from the American public. 

Trump's approval rating on immigration dipped to a new low in a Quinnipiac poll released late last month, with a more than 56% majority of U.S. voters saying they disapprove of how ICE is doing its job. 

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. voters, or 64%, also said they prefer giving most immigrants a pathway to legal status, the survey found.

As the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran continues, the Jewish State’s leader said that he would be open to having access to some of America’s most powerful military equipment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a stop on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson before a later confab with the Senate. It’s his first trip to Washington since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran erupted, and comes on the heels of a stoppage in fighting between the two countries.

When asked if he would be open to Israel gaining access to B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-busting bombs — the same U.S. military equipment used to cripple Iran’s nuclear program — Netanyahu appeared to relish the thought.

SEN. STEVE DAINES SAYS REGIME CHANGE IS THE BEST LONG-TERM PLAN IN IRAN

"Would I like to see Israel have the capacities that the United States has? Of course we’d like it. Who wouldn’t want it?" he said.

"But we are appreciative of what assistance we’ve received, and I think it’s served not only the interest of Israel’s security but America’s security and the security of the free world," Netanyahu continued.

TRUMP COULD ARM ISRAEL WITH US B-2S AND BUNKER BUSTERS IF IRAN TRIES TO GO NUCLEAR UNDER NEW PROPOSAL

Netanyahu’s sentiment comes as a bipartisan duo in the House, Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., are pushing to allow President Donald Trump the capability to send Israel the stealth bomber and powerful, 30,000-pound bombs capable of burrowing 200-feet into the ground before exploding, if Iran is found to still be marching forward with its nuclear program.

Their bill currently has three other Democratic co-sponsors, including Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Juan Vargas, D-Calif.

SENATE SHUTS DOWN KAINE'S ATTEMPT TO CHECK TRUMP'S WAR POWERS

The same aircraft and munitions were used in Operation Midnight Hammer, the secretive strike authorized by Trump last month to hit some of Iran’s key nuclear facilities, including Fordow, a facility buried below layers of rock that previous Israeli strikes couldn’t crack. Currently, the U.S. does not loan out any of its fleet of B-2s to allies.

Netanyahu’s remarks also came after he met with Trump on Monday, and he lauded his work with the president since his return to the White House.

"I have to say that the coordination between our two countries, the coordination between an American president and Israel Prime Minister has been unmatched," he said. "It offers great promise for Israel, for America, for our region and for the world."

He also hinted that "it may be very likely" the pair may meet again before he leaves Washington. 

Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump compared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to the famous "Saturday Night Live" character of "Tommy Flanagan, the Pathological Liar." 

During a Cabinet meeting in which Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other administration officials described the catastrophic flooding that's killed more than 100 people in Texas, Trump turned his attention to Schumer, who has tried to blame the disaster on the Republican president's leadership. 

"I saw a Palestinian senator. His name is Schumer. He is a Palestinian. No, he's a Palestinian. He's become a Palestinian. He's abandoned the Jews," Trump said of the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S. "But I saw him say, it's Trump's fault. 'Yeah, yeah, that's right. It's Trump's fault.' He was actually – did you ever see Jon Lovitz, The Liar? Where he goes, 'Yeah, yeah, I went to Harvard. That's right.' Because this was Schumer." 

WHITE HOUSE BLASTS SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS FOR 'DEPRAVED LIE' BLAMING TRUMP FOR TEXAS FLASH FLOOD

"He goes, 'Yeah, yeah, it's Trump's fault. That's right. It's Trump,'" Trump said, mocking Schumer. "I actually saw that stupid guy try and blame it on me. And I said, man that's that's a tough one to take. But he's – his career is limited because I hear AOC is going to beat him. And she's no bargain either by the way." 

Trump was referring to the late 1980s SNL character played by cast member Jon Lovitz. Lovitz would play "Tommy Flanagan, the Pathological Liar," a man who would nervously repeat himself as his lies about politics and other events became more outlandish. With a twitch, the character would tell increasingly absurd claims. 

Schumer on Monday sent a letter to Department of Commerce Acting Inspector General Duane Townsend, demanding an immediate investigation "into the scope, breadth, and ramifications of whether staffing shortages at key local National Weather Service (NWS) stations contributed to the catastrophic loss of life and property during the deadly flooding." 

TEXAS SUMMER CAMP EVACUATED 70 STAYING NEAR RIVER AHEAD OF FLOODING: 'SAW IT COMING'

DHS, meanwhile, has defended the NWS's response. 

"The mainstream media is deliberately lying about the events leading up to the catastrophic flooding in Texas," the department wrote on X Sunday. "The National Weather Service executed timely, precise forecasting and warnings, despite unprecedented rainfall overwhelming the region." 

During Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Noem described the "absolute horrific" devastation she toured in Texas and her experience of comforting family members of the girls who were at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River. 

"I'm extremely grateful for God's hand in that whole situation because hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people were saved, and this is a time for all of us in this country to remember that we were created to serve each other," Noem said. "God created us to take care of each other. And that when we do that, we are happier, we are more fulfilled, and we can walk alongside people on their worst day and help them get through it and come out the other side." 

She said the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) "went to an enhanced level immediately." 

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As soon as Trump signed the major disaster declaration, "we were able to get them resources and dollars right away, just like you envisioned through state block grants to help them with cleanup," she told the president. "And we're still there in presence and FEMA has been deployed, and we're cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate." 

"It's been a much better response to help these families get through this terrible situation," Noem said. 

Even amid a fragile ceasefire, Iran continues to warn the United States and Israel that it retains the ability to inflict serious damage if provoked. 

Iranian officials have declared the country can sustain daily missile strikes for two years — a claim drawing increasing scrutiny from military experts and Western intelligence analysts.

"Our armed forces are at the height of their readiness," said Major General Ebrahim Jabbari of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), speaking to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. "The warehouses, underground missile bases, and facilities we have are so enormous that we have yet to demonstrate the majority of our defense capabilities and effective missiles."

"In case of a war with Israel and the U.S., our facilities will not run out even if we launch missiles at them every day for two years," he added.

Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior military advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, echoed that warning: "The Zionists know that some of our forces, such as the Navy and the Quds Force, have not yet entered into battle," he said. "So far, we have produced several thousand missiles and drones, and their place is secure."

But intelligence analysis suggests Iran's claims mask serious losses.

Tehran began the conflict with an arsenal of about 3,000 missiles and 500 missile launchers to 600 missile launchers, according to open-source intelligence. By the end of the so-called "12-Day War" — a series of attacks by Israel on its military storage warehouses and production facilities followed by U.S. attacks on nuclear sites and Iran’s counterattacks — it was down to between 1,000 missiles and 1,500 missiles and only 150 launchers to 200 launchers. 

TRUMP BROKERS IRAN CEASEFIRE AS EXPERTS SAY REGIME’S ARSENAL IS SHATTERED BUT THREAT REMAINS

"The regime has increasingly been forced to choose between using or losing these projectiles as Israel targeted missile launchers," said Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 

Replacing the missile launchers after Israel degraded their production capabilities will be extremely difficult, according to Danny Citrinowicz, Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies. 

"Israel attacked every place that the Iranians manufacture missiles," he told Fox News Digital. 

Iran may have the capacity to attack Israel with its missiles, but "not in the hundreds." 

Iranian rhetoric occasionally has floated the idea of striking the U.S. directly, but analysts agree that the threat is far more limited.

"The theoretical way they can strike the U.S. is just using their capacity in Venezuela," Citrinowicz said, referring to Iran’s growing military cooperation with its capital of Caracas. "Strategically, it was one of the main goals that they had — to build their presence in Venezuela. But it's a long shot. It would be very hard to do so, and I'm not sure the Venezuelan government would like that to happen."

Instead, any retaliatory strike would likely focus on U.S. assets and personnel in the Middle East.

Can Kasapoglu, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and Middle East military affairs expert, said Israel's war aims went beyond missile factories, targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and advanced weapons development.

"We are not 100% sure about the damage to centrifuges, so we cannot say the nuclear program is annihilated," Kasapoglu said. "But we can safely assume the nuclear program had a setback for years."

ISRAELI DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES PREVENTED ‘FAR GREATER DESTRUCTION,’ EXPERT SAYS

He added that Israel focused heavily on Iran’s solid-propellant, medium-range ballistic missiles — many of which have "very high terminal velocity, close to Mach 10," and are capable of evasive maneuvers. 

"That makes them even more dangerous," he said.

Still, despite the setbacks, Iran "is still the largest ballistic missile power in the Middle East," he emphasized. "We saw that during the war, as Iran was able to penetrate Israeli airspace — even when Israeli and American interceptors were firing interceptor after interceptor to stop a single ballistic missile."

Comparing "magazine depth," Kasapoglu noted Iran still maintains a deeper stockpile of missiles than Israel, even with U.S. assistance, and has interceptors.

The regional threat isn't limited to Iran’s mainland arsenal. Iran's proxies, particularly the Houthis in Yemen, remain a potent force.

"The Houthis are the one Iranian proxy I am really concerned about." 

Kasapoglu pointed to new intelligence accusing Chinese satellite companies of providing real-time targeting data to the Houthis, who have resumed maritime attacks in the Red Sea. 

"Two days ago, they attacked a Liberian-flagged Greek merchant vessel," he said.

With advanced Chinese satellite support and hardened anti-ship cruise missiles, the Houthis could destabilize shipping lanes and widen the conflict beyond the Israel-Iran front.

"Iran still has significant asymmetric capabilities in the maritime domain and transnational terrorist apparatus, but it's hard to see how deploying these assets would not invite further ruin," said Taleblu. "Bluster and hyperbole have long been elements of Iran's deterrence strategy." 

The so-called "12-Day War" ended in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, but the region remains on edge. Iran’s leaders continue to boast about untapped military capabilities, but battlefield losses, manufacturing disruptions and previous counter-attack measures have limited its options. 

While Tehran retains the power to project force and threaten both Israel and U.S. regional assets, experts agree that its ability to launch sustained, high-volume attacks has been meaningfully curtailed.

Iran may still be dangerous, but its bark, for now, may be louder than its bite.

President Joe Biden's former chief of staff and a fixture of his re-election campaign, Ron Klain, privately announced during Biden's disastrous debate performance: "We’re f---ed."

"2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," a new book released Tuesday by journalists Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of The New York Times and Isaac Arnsdor of The Washington Post, is the latest analysis of how Biden lost the White House. 

The authors described how, during the June 2024 debate, "Biden’s aides winced as the president started answering the first question about the economy and voters who felt they were worse off under his presidency." 

And backstage, as Biden stumbled over an answer that questionably ended with, "We finally beat Medicare," back in the holding room, Klain stood up and announced, "We’re f---ed," according to the authors. 

BIDEN AIDES PUSHED FOR EARLY DEBATE TO SHOW OFF BIDEN’S ‘STRENGTH,’ EXPOSE TRUMP’S ‘WEAKNESS,’ BOOK SAYS

Mike Donilon, Bruce Reed and Klain were among those leading Biden's final prep ahead of the debate, according to the book. 

FLASHBACK: THE DEBATE NIGHT AGAINST TRUMP THAT THREW BIDEN'S REELECTION CAMPAIGN INTO A FREE FALL

Despite Klain expressing doubt internally, Klain continued to defend the president amid calls from donors and politicians for Biden to step down. 

On June 30, 2024, Klain reshared an X post that urged Americans to ignore the "news reports" with "anonymous sources about Dem donors calling for Biden to withdraw."

"We are the Democratic Party! These people don't get to decide to oust a pro-labor pro-people President," Klain said on July 4, 2024, in response to The New York Times reporting about the Democrats' pressure campaign against Biden. 

According to the book, after the debate, Klain called Jeff Zients, his successor as Biden's chief of staff, to say he was "disturbed that Biden was planning to spend the weekend at Camp David."

"We have an emergency," Klain told Zients, according to the book. "We have a crisis on Capitol Hill, and the crisis is going to accelerate."

But Zients insisted Biden was going to Camp David to be with his family, instead of Klain's plan to appease the progressive wing of the party with a bold second-term agenda. 

"I have no f---ing clue why he’s going to Camp David this weekend," Klain said, according to the authors. "He needs to be working the phones, day and night."

Even before the debate, when concerns about the first octogenarian president's ability to lead the country through a second term came to a boiling point, Klain had concerns, as portrayed in the book. 

Klain had overseen debate prep for every Democratic presidential candidate since 2004, according to the authors. Between Biden's cold, a shorter prep window than usual and staffers privately expressing concern, debate prep in Camp David did not quite go as planned, the authors claimed.

"This is going to be really touch and go in Atlanta," Klain told Donilon and Reed ahead of the debate, according to the book. 

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Fox News Digital has written extensively dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign about Biden's cognitive decline and his inner circle’s alleged role in covering it up.

When reached for comment, Klain told Fox News Digital, "I have nothing to add."

Biden did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. 

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…

- Medical groups urge Kennedy, FDA to reexamine broad approval of abortion drugs

- How the Supreme Court's injunction decision advances Trump's fight against birthright citizenship

- Resurfaced Mamdani pic sparks social media firestorm, outrage from key voting bloc: 'Shameful'

Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing scrutiny for remarks she made this year about Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case after the Department of Justice and FBI brought their Epstein inquiry to an abrupt close over the weekend.

The White House was grilled by reporters Monday about Bondi's remarks, which appeared to contradict a memo the DOJ and FBI released earlier in the day stating that their Epstein review was complete and that they had nothing further to share with the public about it.

Fox News's Peter Doocy asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about Bondi apparently confirming in February that a nonpublic list of Epstein's sex-trafficking clients existed… READ MORE.

PILL PUSHBACK: Medical groups urge Kennedy, FDA to reexamine broad approval of abortion drugs

INTEREST RATE DEBATE: A look at who is in the running to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell

'UNDER THREAT': Trump administration moves decisively to block China from 'weaponizing' American farmland

'EMBARRASSING': Trump dishes on Milley clash over leaving military equipment in Afghanistan: 'I knew he was an idiot'

GAME OF THRONES: New book exposes Jill Biden's power grab amid husband's political demise

'EXISTENTIAL THREAT': Ex-Biden official scolds Trump on climate change after Texas floods

'RULE OF LAW': How the Supreme Court's injunction decision advances Trump's fight against birthright citizenship

BENEFITS GONE WILD: GOP congressman calls for Newsom to count illegal migrants getting state health benefits

UNWELCOME GUEST: South Carolina GOP urges Trump supporters to give Gavin Newsom a 'HUGE Southern welcome'

'SHAMEFUL': Resurfaced Mamdani pic sparks social media firestorm, outrage from key voting bloc: 'Shameful'

SAFETY RISK: Gunman ambushes Border Patrol agents days after House Dems reject resolution condemning anti-ICE violence

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

President Donald Trump slammed a reporter for asking about Jeffrey Epstein during a high-profile Cabinet meeting Tuesday, calling the disgraced financier "this creep."

"Can I just interrupt for one second?" Trump said after a reporter directed an Epstein question at Attorney General Pam Bondi. "Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?"

"This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking. … We have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people are still talking about this guy, this creep?" Trump asked. "That is unbelievable. 

"Do you want to waste the time?" Trump said to Bondi. 

"I don't mind answering," he said. 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI released a memo Sunday that ended theories about an alleged Epstein client list, concluding there was no such list detailing the names of the world's elite who allegedly took part in Epstein's history as a sexual predator. The DOJ also concluded the disgraced financier did in fact commit suicide in his New York jail cell in 2019. 

BONDI UNDER SIEGE AFTER DOJ REVEALS NO EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST

"I mean, I can't believe you're asking a question on Jeffrey Epstein," Trump continued before Bondi answered. "At a time like this, where we're having some of the greatest success and and also tragedy with what happened in Texas. It just seems like a desecration. But you go ahead." 

The reporter had asked if Epstein had "worked for a American or foreign intelligence agency," as well as why a minute of jailhouse footage the day Epstein committed suicide is missing from the footage released by DOJ.

FBI BOSSES INSIST JEFFREY EPSTEIN KILLED HIMSELF AFTER REVIEWING HIS FILE

"I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed, meaning the file along with the JFK, MLK files as well," Bondi said, referring to an interview she had on Fox News in February and was asked about the allegedly Epstein client list. 

"That's what I meant by that. Also, to the tens of thousands of video, they turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein," she continued. 

Bondi continued that she was unaware of Epstein allegedly working for an American or foreign intelligence agency and that she would check in on the matter, before also addressing why a minute of footage was missing from the videos of Epstein's jail cell the day he died. 

"And the minute missing from the video, we released the video showing definitively that the video was not conclusive, but the evidence prior to it was — showing he committed suicide."

James McMurdock says he will continue his career as an independent, after taking "specialist legal advice".

Cobra is where senior ministers and officials gather to coordinate the emergency response to a crisis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled its National Farm Security Action Plan on Tuesday morning.

The plan is specifically meant to address threats from foreign governments, like China, and how those threats impact American farmers. It presents legislative and executive reforms such as banning Chinese nationals from obtaining farmland in the U.S., as well as assessing who holds land near military bases.

"The farm's produce is not just a commodity, it is a way of life that underpins America itself. And that's exactly why it is under threat from criminals, from political adversaries, and from hostile regimes that understand our way of life as a profound and existential threat to themselves," USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a press event in Washington, D.C.

"For them, agricultural lands and our farms, because they are a previous inheritance, are weapons to be turned against us," she continued. "We see it again and again, from Chinese communist acquisition of American farmland to criminal exploits of our system of agriculture, to the theft of operational information required to work the land and beyond. All of this takes what is profoundly good and turns it toward evil purposes." 

Rollins was joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

"As someone who's charged with leading the Defense Department, I want to know who owns the land around our bases and strategic bases and getting an understanding of why foreign entities, foreign companies, foreign individuals might be buying up land around those bases," Hegseth said.

Bondi directly referenced how agroterrorism is becoming a top concern for the administration. Two Chinese nationals were arrested in Michigan last month for allegedly smuggling what FBI Director Kash Patel described as a "known agroterrorism agent."

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"A country who cannot feed itself, cannot take care of itself, and cannot provide for itself, is not secure, and we have to be able to feed ourselves to make sure that no other country ever controls us," Noem said.

Noem said that during her time as governor of South Dakota she signed a law that banned the governments of China, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela and Russia and entities related to them from buying farmland in the state.

"And I've watched for decades as evil foreign governments, including China, have come into this country, and they have stolen our intellectual property. They've manipulated their currency, they've treated us unfairly in trade deals. They've come in and purchased up our processing companies, stolen our genetics," she continued.

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Numerous states have laws on the books restricting land purchases by those with ties to China and other foreign adversaries. In 2021, over 383,000 acres had ties to China, but the number has dipped in recent years, according to Agriculture Dive. 

Sunak will take up the part-time role while remaining Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton.

President Donald Trump disclosed he and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley clashed over leaving equipment in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrew troops in 2021. 

Trump, who historically has pushed to recover billions of dollars' worth of equipment U.S. troops left in Afghanistan, said that Milley argued at the time it was cheaper to leave the equipment there. 

"That's when I knew he was an idiot," Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. "Didn't take long to figure that one out. But they left all that equipment. But they left their dignity behind. It was the most embarrassing moment, in my opinion, in the history of our country. Not that we got out. We should have not been there, but that we got out the way we got out with great embarrassment and death." 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Just days before a gunman ambushed Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas, on Monday, congressional Democrats voted nearly uniformly against a resolution condemning the Los Angeles riots and the anti-ICE rhetoric that led to the tensions in June.

Michigan resident Ryan Louis Mosqueda, 27, was allegedly armed with tactical gear and a rifle when he opened fire on Border Patrol agents as they arrived at a Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley on Monday. The gunman was killed, but a McAllen police officer was shot in the leg, and a Border Patrol agent and a staffer were also hurt, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The department said all three are in "non-critical condition."

Law enforcement believes the attack was a purposeful ambush targeting Border Patrol officials, who play a different role than ICE but serve a major role in how the federal government enforces immigration and border policies.

ICE AGENTS TARGETED IN 2 AMBUSH ATTACKS IN RECENT DAYS

All but seven Democrats voted against a resolution, championed by Rep. Young Kim and the California Republican delegation, on June 27, which passed, that "expresses gratitude" toward both local and federal law enforcement, including ICE.

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"Peaceful protests are a constitutional right, but vandalism, looting, violence, and other crimes are not. Protecting public safety shouldn’t be controversial, which is why I am leading the California Republican delegation in a resolution to support law and order as we continue to see unrest," Kim said in a statement at the time.

"I hope Governor Newsom can come together with President Trump to stop the riots, lower the temperature, and keep our communities safe," she continued.

SHOOTER WHO OPENED FIRE ON BORDER PATROL AGENTS IN SOUTH TEXAS IDENTIFIED BY POLICE CHIEF

Still, the resolution sparked debate, as it said President Donald Trump was justified in sending the National Guard to Los Angeles amid civil unrest, which many Democratic leaders have argued acted as an instigator. Gov. Gavin Newsom even sued the administration over the deployment.

"The unrest in Los Angeles was sparked by Donald Trump’s reckless and inflammatory actions. Like Rep. Kim, we believe violence – especially against law enforcement – is never acceptable. That’s why the Governor condemned it over a dozen times, clearly and repeatedly, from the start, and sent state law enforcement to keep the peace. We look forward to Rep. Kim applying the same standard to a resolution condemning the January 6th insurrection and the brutal assault on U.S. Capitol police," a spokesperson for Newsom told Fox News Digital at the time.

DHS attributes political rhetoric to the 700% surge in assaults on ICE agents. In Alvarado, Texas, 11 individuals are now facing charges for the "planned ambush" at the Prairieland Detention Center, which resulted in a local police officer being shot in the neck, according to Fox 4.

BORDER AGENT AMBUSH SHOWS DEMS NEED TO 'TONE DOWN RHETORIC,' WHITE HOUSE SAYS, PUSHING AOC TO MEET WITH ICE

Axios reported Monday that Democrats in Congress have faced pushback from their voter base over their response to the Trump administration, saying they are not going far enough.

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"What I have seen is a demand that we get ourselves arrested intentionally or allow ourselves to be victims of violence, and... a lot of times that's coming from economically very secure White people," a lawmaker told the outlet.

Some Democrats, like Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, were each arrested for protest actions involving ICE, and McIver recently pleaded "not guilty" for allegedly "impeding and interfering" with federal agents outside a Newark ICE detention facility in May.

Landlords will no longer be allowed to require tenants with pets to take out special insurance.