Author: Daniel

The White House defended President Donald Trump’s trade and tariff policies on Tuesday as Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., lambasted the president during a Democratic National Committee press call for prioritizing a “ridiculous trade war” over U.S. farmers. 

White House spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital: “If the American people cared about the opinions of the imbecilic buffoon known as Tim Walz, they wouldn’t have resoundingly rejected him and his cackling running mate on Election Day back in November.”

Trump last week floated imposing an additional 100% tariff on China starting on Nov. 1, as the U.S. and China remain locked in a brutal trade war since the president declared April 2 “Liberation Day,” seeking reciprocal tariff agreements worldwide. Walz on Tuesday said global competition keeps American prices down, and that Trump’s tariffs on China are driving up costs for U.S. farmers. 

“All of those things are at threat because of Donald Trump’s ego,” Walz said. “This is a ridiculous trade war … you couldn’t write this and be more messed up than putting these tariffs on, putting our farmers at risk, our family farms at risk, turning around and bailing out another country and Argentina, who took their markets.” 

TRUMP’S DEADLINE ON SECONDARY TARIFFS ARRIVES; US-RUSSIAN RELATIONS HANG IN THE BALANCE

China halted purchases of American soybeans this spring, retaliating against Trump’s tariffs as a means of gaining leverage in trade talks by shifting purchases away from U.S. producers to countries such as Brazil and Argentina. China is the world’s leading importer of soybeans, bringing in 61% of the world’s traded soybean supplies over the last five marketing years, according to data from the American Soybean Association.

TRUMP’S GLOBAL RESET OF TRADE RELATIONSHIPS WILL REMAIN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK

Walz on Tuesday criticized Trump’s tariffs for forcing U.S. farmers to lose out on exporting to China. 

“It took decades to establish these markets,” Walz said. “China didn’t just sign one-year contracts with Argentina. They signed some of them for up to a decade long, and it’s going to take us years to get these markets back.”

The White House has relentlessly defended the administration’s “Liberation Day” tactics as a strategy to level the playing field in the global economy. 

“President Trump’s trade and tariff policies are resetting decades of America Last, ‘free’ trade policies that decimated American industry and hollowed out American communities,” Desai said in a statement on behalf of the White House. “That includes American farmers being unfairly boxed out of foreign markets, a wrong that President Trump’s historic trade deals with the UK, EU and Japan are correcting.”

But Walz said U.S. exports ensure economic stability and, with China opting to purchase goods from Brazil and Argentina, “all of this is at risk.”

“Everything Donald Trump does is transactional,” Walz said. “And unfortunately, that transaction needs to benefit him personally.”

The failed vice presidential candidate blamed Republicans, who he said “could fix this.”

“My God, this is Republican orthodoxy,” Walz said. “Free markets lift all boats, allow people to compete, allow them to go. This is capitalism 101. And what we’re getting out of him is a command economy by an authoritarian leader who is picking and choosing winners and losers. And who’s losing is American producers, America’s rural communities and consumers.”

Earlier this summer, foreign policy experts criticized Walz for claiming China might be the voice of “moral authority” following Israel’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leaders. 

“Now, who is the voice in the world that can negotiate some type of agreement in this? Who holds the moral authority? Who holds the ability to do that? Because we are not seen as a neutral actor, and we maybe never were,” Walz said of the United States’ role in deescalating tensions in the Middle East. 

Walz said Americans must face the reality that the “neutral actor” with the “moral authority” to lead negotiations in the Middle East “might be the Chinese.”

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The Minnesota Democrat, who is seeking a third gubernatorial term next year, on Tuesday criticized Trump’s trade and tariff policies just as the president returned from brokering a Gaza ceasefire that led to the release of the remaining living hostages.

Fox News Digital’s Eric Revell contributed to this report. 

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday — the highest award issued to civilians in the U.S. 

“Today, we’re here to honor and remember a fearless warrior for liberty, a beloved leader who galvanized the next generation like nobody I’ve ever seen before. And an American patriot of the deepest conviction, the finest quality and the highest caliber. The late, great Charlie Kirk,” Trump said from the Rose Garden on Tuesday.

“Five weeks ago, our nation was robbed of this extraordinary champion,” he continued. “He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth, for living his faith and relentlessly fighting for a better and stronger America. He loved this country. And that’s why this afternoon it’s my privilege to posthumously award Charles James Kirk, our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University in September. His death came a year after two assassination attempts against Trump.

CHARLIE KIRK’S COLLEAGUES AND PASTORS PRAISE HIS PATRIOTISM AS TRUMP READIES HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR

The award ceremony was held in the Rose Garden, notching the first high-profile event in the garden since Trump ordered the area to go under a revamp earlier this year. 

“We were hoping we were able to get outside and the weather allowed us to. It was supposed to be a terrible rainy day. I was telling Erika God was watching, and he didn’t want that for Charlie,” Trump said. 

Individuals who receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom are those who presidents determine have provided an “especially meritorious contribution” to the national security of the U.S., world peace or other cultural endeavors. Trump is awarding Kirk the award at the White House on what would have been his 32nd birthday. 

“We’re entering his name forever into the eternal roster of true American heroes. He’s a true American hero, an amazing person. Way, way beyond his years. And I’m honored to be joined by a woman who has endured unspeakable hardship with unbelievable strength. And that’s Charlie’s widow, Erika. And I just want to thank you, Erika,” Trump said on Tuesday.

Argentina President Javier Milei, members of the Cabinet such as Attorney General Pam Bondi , as well as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and other lawmakers were among high-profile names who joined the event. 

‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION

Kirk’s widow, Erika, has been tapped to serve as TPUSA’s new chief executive officer in the wake of her husband’s death to lead the organization and guide the next generation of conservative leaders. 

“Charlie grew Turning Point into the largest conservative youth organization in the entire country,” Trump said on Tuesday of Kirk’s leadership of TPUSA and its growth since his killing. “He forged a personal bond with countless young conservatives. He fought for free speech, religious liberty, strong borders, and a very strong and proud America. In everything he did, he put America first. He really put America first. And ultimately, Charlie became more than a leader of an important organization. He became the leader of historic movements all over the country.”

Erika Kirk delivered a short speech during the ceremony, reflecting on her husband’s dedication to preserving America’s legacy of freedom, his love of his family and how he lived without fear due to his Christian faith. 

“Ironically, for a man who impacted millions, Charlie never desired to be the center of attention. He just wasn’t. My husband was not a man of extravagance. He loved simple but deeply meaningful things. … He loved his late night walks. He loved buying more books than he could ever read because he felt there was no such thing as a book budget. And he loved being able to read to our kids the same bedtime story on repeat because he knew it was their favorite,” Kirk’s young widow said. 

“President Trump, I have spent seven and a half years trying to find the perfect birthday gift for Charlie, and it’s so difficult. And those of you that have spouses or loved ones, you know how difficult it is sometimes to buy a gift for someone that you love because he wasn’t a materialistic man, so that also did not help. But now I can say with confidence, Mr. President, that you have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have,” she said. 

TRUMP TO AWARD CHARLIE KIRK MEDAL OF FREEDOM AFTER CAMPUS ASSASSINATION

The suspect behind Kirk’s assassination, Tyler Robinson, was charged in September with aggravated murder, along with other charges. 

“Like those martyrs before him, Charlie’s voice, his message and his legacy are stronger and greater than ever before. They are greater than ever before. Look, this is a horrible event, but it brought out the greatness of Charlie. Nothing could have ever supplanted this. It’s incredible the way people are talking about him,’ Trump said of the assassination. 

Trump remarked during the ceremony that political violence at the hands of left-leaning individuals has been on the rise. 

“They seem to become very violent on the left. They’ve rammed vehicles into federal law enforcement, fired sniper rifles at ICE agents and me, you know, but I was I made a turn at a good time,” Trump said, referring the first assassination attempt on his life in July of 2024. 

Trump awarded Kirk with the medal following his visit to the Middle East to oversee a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. 

David Engelhardt, lead pastor of Kings’ Church in New York City and board member of TPUSA, told Fox News Digital ahead of the event that it’s a “privilege” to watch Kirk be honored with the award. 

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“Charlie is the right recipient to the Medal of Freedom because he believed that God’s moral order, found in faith, is not a limit to freedom but the soil it grows in,” Engelhardt told Fox News Digital. “People who destroy that soil in the name of safe spaces and to protect against ‘dangerous ideas’ will soon find their land barren. Charlie stood for freedom rightly ordered and founded in the gravity of God’s system.”

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…

-Nation’s only two 2025 races for governor rocked with three weeks until Election Day

-EXCLUSIVE: New GOP report accuses Democrats of trying to ‘undermine’ healthcare in government shutdown fight

-Left insists Antifa isn’t a real organization despite multiple violent, public incidents: ‘Made up’

Charlie Kirk’s colleagues and pastors praise his patriotism as Trump readies highest civilian honor

The friends, colleagues and pastors of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk are celebrating his life and legacy promoting faith, family and patriotism as President Donald Trump prepares to award him the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on Tuesday. 

“Although he was taken from us far too soon, his legacy will inspire generations to come and outlive us all,” “The Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet told Fox News Digital. “He represents the very best of America and is deserving of this and every other possible accolade. Thank you to President Trump for quite literally shifting world events to honor Charlie on what would have been his 32nd birthday.” 

“Only Charlie could do that,” Kolvet added … READ MORE.

White House

‘UNLAWFUL’ PICK: Comey seeks to toss criminal case calling Trump prosecutor ‘unlawful’ appointee

RAID EXPOSES SECRETS: State Department employee allegedly removed classified docs, met with Chinese officials

DANGEROUS DIRECTION: Pattern of leftist violence grows as Trump nears 10 months in office

World Stage

FUTURE IS NOW: Army’s nuclear comeback: Sweeping new program aims to break ‘tyranny of fuel’ at bases across the globe

TERROR’S LAST STAND: After Trump declares ‘war is over,’ Hamas executes rivals in Gaza to reassert control

CREDIT THIEF: Biden, Blinken take credit for groundwork behind Trump’s Gaza ceasefire deal

PEACE MAKER: Pakistan announces intention for second Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Trump over Gaza ceasefire role

NO CONGRATULATIONS: Ilhan Omar refuses to credit Trump for Gaza ceasefire

GRIP OF POWER: Watch Trump and France’s Macron share weirdly long 26-second marathon handshake

PRESIDENTIAL PRAISE: Schumer, Clinton lead Democrats praising Trump for Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal

SHALL NOT BE NAMED: Kamala Harris commends ‘the President’ in Middle East statement, but omits Trump’s name

EMPTY WORDS: Mamdani breaks silence on freed Israeli hostages in statement that doesn’t mention Trump

‘OCCUPATION’: Democratic socialist group backing Mamdani condemns Gaza ceasefire, calls for more anti-Israel resistance

Capitol Hill

BUREAUCRACY BETS: Prediction markets see cloudy outlook as traders bet on extended shutdown

ANSWER THE CALL: Jordan asks Jack Smith to testify over ‘partisan and politically motivated’ Trump prosecutions

COURT SHOWDOWN: Democrats threaten to sue Trump team over ‘illegal’ firings as shutdown battle escalates

SHUTDOWN HYPOCRISY: EXCLUSIVE: Shutdown threatens rural hospitals, veterans’ care as Democrats block GOP plan, Emmer warns

GAME ON: Maine Gov Mills joins crowded Dem primary in race to challenge longtime GOP senator

‘STRONG SHOWING’: SCOOP: Former Trump ambassador showcases major fundraising haul in battle to flip Dem Senate seat

RADICAL ALLIES: Flashback: Dem candidate fundraised with commentator who mocked Charlie Kirk’s death

GLOVES OFF: Jeffries tells Lawler to ‘keep your mouth shut’ as shutdown sparks Capitol Hill confrontations

Across America 

JUDGES ON TRIAL: Republicans mount campaign to flip Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Democratic majority

EMBATTLED AG: Defiant Letitia James rallies with far-left ally Mamdani after indictment, vows to keep fighting Trump

LIES AND LAWSUITS: Ciattarelli team blasts opponent over ‘slanderous’ claim he profited from opioid deaths

PREDATOR ACCESS: Pressure mounts on VA Dems to clearly state view on trans bathrooms after bombshell emails

ALARM BELLS: Dem gubernatorial nominee facing heat for taking donations from CCP-linked tycoon: ‘Disqualifying’

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

For many years, American and Chinese scholars worked shoulder to shoulder on cutting-edge technologies through open research, where findings are freely shared and accessible to all. But that openness, a long-standing practice celebrated for advancing knowledge, is raising alarms among some U.S. lawmakers.

They are worried that China — now considered the most formidable challenger to American military dominance — is taking advantage of open research to catch up with the U.S. on military technology and even gain an edge. And they are calling for action.

“For far too long, our adversaries have exploited American colleges and universities to advance their interests, while risking our national security and innovation,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He has introduced legislation to put new restrictions on federally funded research collaboration with academics at several Chinese institutions that work with the Chinese military, as well as institutions in other countries deemed adversarial to U.S. interests.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party makes it a priority to protect American research, having accused Beijing of weaponizing open research by converting it into a “pipeline of foreign talent and military modernization.”

The rising concerns on Capitol Hill threaten to unravel deep, two-generations-old academic ties between the countries even as the world’s two largest economies are moving away from each other through tariffs and trade barriers. The relationship has shifted from engagement to competition, if not outright enmity.

US UNIVERSITIES TRAINING CHINESE MILITARY SCIENTISTS ON TAXPAYER DIME, COMMITTEE WARNS

“Foreign adversaries are increasingly exploiting the open and collaborative environment of U.S. academic institutions for their own gain,” said James Cangialosi, director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, which in August issued a bulletin urging universities to do more to protect research from foreign meddling.

The House committee released three reports in September alone. They targeted, respectively, Pentagon-funded research involving military-linked Chinese scholars; joint U.S.-China institutes that train STEM talent for China; and visa policies that have brought military-linked Chinese students to Ph.D. programs at American universities. The reports recommend more legislation to protect U.S. research, tighter visa policies to vet Chinese students and scholars and an end to academic partnerships that could be exploited to boost China’s military powers.

More than 500 U.S. universities and institutes have collaborated with Chinese military researchers in recent years, helping Beijing develop advanced technologies with military applications, such as anti-jamming communications and hypersonic vehicles, according to a report by the private U.S. intelligence group Strider Technologies.

TRUMP’S CHINESE STUDENT VISA PUSH SETS OFF ALARM BELLS AMID RISING CCP ‘INFLUENCE’ IN US

Despite efforts in recent years by the U.S. government to set up guardrails to prevent such collaboration from boosting China’s military capabilities, the practice is still prevalent, according to Strider, based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The report identified nearly 2,500 publications produced in collaboration between U.S. entities and Chinese military-affiliated research institutes in 2024 on STEM research, which includes physics, engineering, material science, computer science, biology, medicine and geology. While the number peaked at more than 3,500 in 2019, before some new restrictive measures came into effect, the level of collaboration remains high, the report said.
This collaboration not only facilitates “potential illicit knowledge transfer,” but supports China’s “state-directed efforts to recruit top international talent, often to the detriment of U.S. national interests,” the report said.

Foreign countries can exploit American research by stealing secrets for use in military and commercial settings, by poaching talented researchers for foreign companies and universities and by recruiting students and researchers as potential spies, authorities say.
Fostering a climate of robust academic research takes funding and long-term support. Stealing the fruits of that labor, however, can be as easy as hacking into a university network, hiring away researchers or coopting the research itself. That’s why, authorities say, it’s so tempting for American adversaries looking to take advantage of U.S. institutions and research.

The most recent threat assessment report from the Department of Homeland Security highlights concerns that American adversaries — and China specifically — seek to illicitly acquire U.S. technology. Authorities say China aims to steal military and computing technology that might give the U.S. an advantage, as well as the latest commercial innovations.

TRUMP’S CHINESE STUDENT VISA PUSH SETS OFF ALARM BELLS AMID RISING CCP ‘INFLUENCE’ IN US

Abigail Coplin, assistant professor of sociology and science, technology and society at Vassar College, said there are already guardrails for federally funded research to protect classified information and anything deemed sensitive.

She also said open research goes both ways, benefiting the U.S. as well, and restrictions could be counterproductive by driving away talent.

“American national security interests and economic competitiveness would be better served by continuing — if not increasing — research funding than they are by implementing costly research restrictions,” Coplin said.

Arnie Bellini, a tech entrepreneur and investor, also said efforts to protect U.S. research risk stifling progress if they go too far and prevent U.S. colleges or startups from sharing information about new and emerging technology. Keeping up with China will also require big investments in efforts to protect innovation, said Bellini, who recently donated $40 million to establish a new cybersecurity and AI research college at the University of South Florida.
Bellini said it’s imperative to encourage research and development without giving secrets away to America’s enemies.

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“In the U.S., it is a reality now that our digital borders are under siege — and businesses of every size are right to be concerned,” Bellini said.

According to Department of Justice figures, about 80% of all economic espionage cases prosecuted in the U.S. involve alleged acts that would benefit China.

Some members of Congress have pushed to reinstate a Department of Justice program created during the first Trump administration that sought to investigate Chinese intellectual espionage. The so-called “ChinaInitiative” ended in 2022 after critics said it failed to address the problem even as it perpetrated racist stereotypes about Asian American academics.

A long weekend away from Washington, D.C., did little to soften Senate Democrats’ resolve as they again blocked an effort to reopen the government for an eighth time Tuesday.

The beginning of mass firings promised by the Trump administration and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought over the weekend also failed to sway Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

One pressure point was alleviated for both sides, however, with President Donald Trump’s directive to move money around at the Pentagon to pay military service members. Their paychecks are due Oct. 15.

Still, another payday, this time for Senate staffers, is fast approaching on Oct. 20.

SENATE SET FOR NEW VOTE TO END SHUTDOWN, BUT GRIDLOCK OVER OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES REMAINS

Both sides are still dug into the same positions that launched the shutdown earlier this month, too. Talks between the opposing factions are still ongoing but have not yet yielded a result that either side is ready to move on.  

Senate Democrats want an extension to expiring Obamacare subsidies before the Nov. 1 open enrollment date, and they argue that unless Congress takes action, Americans that rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits will see their premiums skyrocket.

However, Trump appears unwilling to cave into Senate Democrats’ demands, and reupped Republicans’ argument that Democrats wanted to undo a total of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts from the “big, beautiful bill” and clawback of funding for NPR and PBS to give, in part, to illegal immigrants. 

“I don’t want to bore you with the fact that Schumer said 100 times, ‘You should never close our government,’” Trump told reporters at the White House. “But Schumer is a weakened politician. I mean, he’s going to finish his career as a failed politician, as a failed politician. He’s allowed the radical left to take over the Democrat Party.”

SCHUMER’S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ON

Senate Republicans have said that they’re open to negotiating a deal on the subsidies, with reforms to the program only after the government reopens. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., for now, has no intention of straying from his plan to continue to bring the House Republicans’ short-term continuing resolution (CR) to the floor again and again.

“Democrats like to whine that Republicans aren’t negotiating, but negotiation, Mr. President, is what you do when each side has a list of demands and you need to meet in the middle,” Thune said on the Senate floor. “Republicans, as I and a lot of other people pointed out, haven’t put forward any demands. Only Democrats have made demands. And by the way, very expensive demands.” 

Schumer noted on the Senate floor that every time Thune has put the GOP’s bill on the floor, it has failed. 

“That means, like it or not, the Republican leader needs to work with Democrats in a bipartisan way to reopen the government, just as we did when we passed 13 CRs when I was majority leader,” he said. 

The administration’s movement on reductions in force (RIFs) over the weekend, and the lingering threat that thousands of nonessential furloughed federal employees may not get back pay once the shutdown ends have not swayed Senate Democrats.

There were no surprises during the vote, either with most of the same Democratic caucus members, Sens.  Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Angus King, I-Maine, breaking ranks with Schumer to vote for the bill. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who has voted with Republicans on the same legilsation each time, did not vote Tuesday night. 

GOVERNMENT LIMPS DEEPER INTO SHUTDOWN CRISIS WITH NO DEAL IN SIGHT

“Donald Trump, come to the negotiating table,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said at a rally outside the OMB on Tuesday. “Bring down costs and prices and stop inflicting harm and terrorizing federal employees and the American people.”

While most action on Capitol Hill has ground to a halt as the shutdown continues — the House, for example, has been out of session for over three weeks — the Senate has moved on other legislation, including the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and a massive package of Trump’s nominees. 

Thune also teed up the defense spending bill for a vote on Thursday in a bid to jump start the appropriations process in the upper chamber. The House already passed its version of the bill, too. 

The latest failed attempt comes on the 14th day of the shutdown and all but ensures that the closure will last into at least a third week.

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It also puts this shutdown, in particular, into historic territory. While the longest shutdown on record, from late 2018 to early 2019, was under Trump’s first term, it was only partial. A handful of appropriations bills had already passed at the time, including funding for the legislative branch and defense.

But the longest full shutdown happened over two decades earlier under former President Bill Clinton between late 1995 and early 1996. That shutdown lasted 21 days and was over a budget dispute between Clinton and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

That particular dispute also led to two shutdowns in that fiscal year, the first in November and the second setting the 21-day record. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday doubled down on the Trump administration’s order to crack down on English proficiency standards for commercial truck drivers.

Duffy was responding to a local news report in California about an Indian citizen who drove a truck for a living but has since been banned because of new rules that restrict who is eligible for non-domiciled commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) and commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).

The Department of Transportation (DOT) singled out California for what it called “gross negligence,” saying more than 25% of CDLs issued to noncitizens or non-permanent residents were improperly granted.

The truck driver featured in the news report spoke to a reporter in his native language, not English.

SENATE REPUBLICANS TARGET OBAMA-ERA TRUCKING RULE WITH NEW ENGLISH PROFICIENCY BILL

“Crocodile tears for a man who has spent a decade in our country but couldn’t be bothered to learn our language,” Duffy wrote on X. “Our new rules will keep you and your family SAFE on America’s roads!”

The DOT also commented on the report.

“This driver has been in the U.S. for TEN YEARS and does not know enough English to qualify for a trucking license,” the agency wrote. “This is exactly why @SecDuffy ordered @FMCSA to crack down on English proficiency standards.”

“Do you want to drive on American roads? Being able to understand English is the BARE MINIMUM,” it added.

CONNOR WAS KILLED BY A DRIVER WHO COULDN’T READ SIGNS. MAKE TRUCKERS LEARN ENGLISH AGAIN

A Senate bill would require prospective truck drivers to demonstrate basic English proficiency before receiving a CDL.

The legislation would codify President Donald Trump’s executive order, which similarly imposed stricter English language requirements.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., would establish several standards, including ensuring that truck drivers can converse with the public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records.

The issue gained attention after an illegal immigrant truck driver allegedly jackknifed his 18-wheeler while making an illegal U-turn in Florida, killing three people in August.

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His limited English drew sharp scrutiny after the DOT said he failed an English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment following the deadly crash in Fort Pierce, Florida. Singh provided correct responses to only 2 of 12 verbal questions and accurately identified just 1 of 4 highway traffic signs, the agency said.

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report. 

The State Department on Tuesday said the United States isn’t obligated to take in foreigners who wish harm on Americans, before posting a list of six individuals whose visas were revoked for making vile comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The agency noted that the Trump administration will take action against those celebrating Kirk’s death.

“The State Department continues to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,” the agency wrote on X. “@POTUS and @SecRubio will defend our borders, our culture, and our citizens by enforcing our immigration laws. Aliens who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”

Among those who had their visas revoked were an unnamed Argentine citizen who said Kirk “devoted his entire life to spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric” and deserves to burn in hell.

LAWMAKER WHO TIED KIRK TO ‘DOMESTIC TERRORISM’ FACING EXPULSION CALLS AMID POLITICIAN BLOWBACK NATIONWIDE

A South African citizen mocked Americans grieving Kirk, saying “they’re hurt that the racist rally ended in attempted martyrdom” and alleging “he was used to astroturf a movement of white nationalist trailer trash.”

A Mexican citizen said that Kirk “died being a racist, he died being a misogynist,” and added, “There are people who deserve to die. There are people who would make the world better off dead.”

A German national said of Kirk that “when fascists die, democrats don’t complain.” A Brazilian visa holder wrote that “Charlie Kirk was the reason for a Nazi rally where they marched in homage to him” and that he “DIED TOO LATE.”

PENTAGON SPEECH CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-KIRK POSTS ECHOES 2021 DRIVE AGAINST RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM

A Paraguayan national said, “Charlie Kirk was a son of a b—- and he died by his own rules.”

The State Department ended each example shared on X with “Visa revoked.”

Vice President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials have encouraged people to call out offensive language about Kirk that they see online.

In a post last month, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said, “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.” 

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“I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action,” he added. “Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so that the @StateDept can protect the American people.”

FIRST ON FOX: New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill took tens of thousands of dollars from companies linked to the opioid crisis as she hammers her Republican opponent over his alleged connection to that same crisis. 

Sherrill spoke during a press conference on the Garden State’s opioid epidemic on Monday, where she accused Ciattarelli of “looking at ways to help people get access to the drugs that were killing them” through his ties to pharmaceutical-backed training programs.

“So you heard it, Jack made millions,” she said. “The opioid companies made billions, and thousands of New Jerseyans were dying.”

However, this attack might come back to haunt her campaign. Her congressional campaigns received three $1,000 donations from the AmerisourceBergen political action committee in 2018, 2019 and 2022, according to campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

FINAL FACEOFF: CIATTARELLI, SHERRILL, BLAST EACH OTHER ON DEBATE STAGE

Her campaign also received at least $4,500 from the Teva Pharmaceuticals PAC, $1,000 from the Endo Pharmaceuticals PAC and $17,000 from Johnson & Johnson.

In total, a Fox News Digital review found at least $25,500 in donations going from companies tied to the opioid crisis to Sherrill’s campaign. 

AmerisourceBergen has been accused, perhaps most notably in 2021 by Washington state’s Democratic attorney general Bob Ferguson, of profiting off billions from the opioid epidemic through the shipment of dangerous prescription painkillers with no regard for how those drugs were contributing to the deaths of citizens. AmerisourceBergen, which now goes by Cencora, and two other companies would go on to reach a settlement with Washington state for over $500 million.

In early 2022, AmerisourceBergen, whose executives were exposed for previously mocking West Virginians as “pillbillies” at the height of the opioid crisis, announced it would be agreeing to a $6.1 billion settlement that would be paid out over 18 years and would cover the “vast majority of the opioid lawsuits filed by state and local governmental entities,” according to a press release.

JACK CIATTARELLI DEMANDS MIKIE SHERRILL ‘COME CLEAN’ AS EXPLOSIVE ACCUSATIONS FLY IN NJ GOVERNOR’S RACE

In late 2022, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against AmerisourceBergen, one of the country’s largest wholesale pharmaceutical distributors, alleging the company “for years flouted its legal obligations and prioritized profits over the well-being of Americans” by failing to report suspicious orders of controlled substances, like fentanyl and oxycodone, which were then sold illegally, fueling the devastating opioid epidemic. 

The other three pharmaceutical companies that donated thousands of dollars to Sherrill’s campaigns through their PACs also reached massive settlements for their roles contributing to the opioid crisis, which includes over $4 billion from Teva to participating states and local governments, according to a press release from Texas AG Ken Paxton’s office. 

Johnson and Johnson agreed to pay $5 billion as part of their settlement, according to their 2022 press release.

Mikie Sherrill for Governor Communications Director Sean Higgins responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital, calling the story a “desperate attack from perennial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who refuses to answer for his role publishing misinformation about the dangers of opioids at the height of the opioid epidemic.”

“Mikie Sherrill has shown time and again that she will take on anyone to stand up for families and fight the opioid crisis. That’s why she helped pass landmark bipartisan legislation, signed into law by President Trump, to help fund treatment, recovery, and prevention programs in New Jersey.”

The campaign did not address a question from Fox News Digital about whether the money donated from the pharmaceutical companies would be returned. 

In 2017, Ciattarelli received $1,500 from Mallinckrodt LLC PAC, a company that reached a settlement for its involvement in the opioid crisis in 2022. Additionally, the New Jersey Republican received $500 from Johnson & Johnson, a company that also reached an opioid settlement, in 2016.

Ciattarelli strategist Chris Russell told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Just like Mikie Sherrill got caught red-handed, personally profiting from investments in the same NJ utility companies she blamed for electricity rate increases, it’s no surprise to learn Mikie’s hypocrisy extends to taking thousands in campaign contributions from the very pharmaceutical companies she maligned yesterday.”

“At this point, if Mikie Sherrill’s lips are moving you can just assume she’s lying,” he continued.

Sherrill first made her claims that Ciattarelli contributed to the opioid epidemic during last week’s gubernatorial debate.

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“With regard to everything she just said about my professional career, which provided [for] my family, it’s a lie. I’m proud of my career,” Ciattarelli responded at the debate.

It was during his 2021 campaign that Ciattarelli’s connection to opioid manufacturers first surfaced. Ciattarelli sold his company, which published content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain, in 2017.

And Ciattarelli’s campaign fired back the day after the debate, pledging to file a defamation lawsuit against Sherrill.

“Mikie Sherrill cracked,” Ciattarelli campaign chief strategist, Russell said at the time. 

“In doing so, she claimed — twice — that Jack Ciattarelli ‘killed tens of thousands of people, including children,’ a clearly defamatory attack that shocked the moderators, press, and public alike,” Russell added. “In a time where political violence and violent rhetoric are becoming all too prevalent, Mikie Sherrill baselessly and recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line.”

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

White House deputy chief of staff for policy and U.S. homeland security advisor Stephen Miller, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and former Communications Director for the Vice President Katie Miller chat at the end of a Medal of Freedom Ceremony for late conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.

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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., are pressing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), claiming that it may be funded or directed by Hamas or other terrorist groups.

CAIR describes itself as a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization founded in 1994 with chapters across the U.S.

The request comes as President Donald Trump led a ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.

Stefanik and Cotton allege CAIR’s historic ties, public rhetoric and activism raise questions about whether the group’s support for Hamas amounts to material support for terrorism.

STEFANIK ASKS AG BONDI TO PROBE MEDICAL CHARITY OVER HAMAS PROPAGANDA CLAIMS

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which enforces U.S. sanctions on terrorist groups and their affiliates, has the authority to investigate whether CAIR’s activities violate federal law, the lawmakers said.

CAIR has long denied accusations of supporting Hamas, saying it “does not support any foreign organization or government” and calling such claims “false and Islamophobic,” according to a statement on its website. The group says its mission is to advocate for Muslim civil rights in the U.S.

Stefanik chairs the House Republican Conference, and Cotton sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Both have pressed for stricter enforcement of anti-terror finance laws in past oversight efforts.

DHS PULLS FUNDING FROM GROUPS WITH ‘ALLEGED TERRORIST TIES’ AFTER WATCHDOG REPORT

In July, Stefanik criticized the City University of New York for hiring a former CAIR employee. She called the decision unacceptable to New York taxpayers.

She and Cotton say a Treasury probe would ensure no U.S. assets are used to advance the objectives of Hamas.

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“We urge the department to immediately investigate whether CAIR maintains financial links to Hamas that violate U.S. sanctions,” they wrote.

CAIR did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.