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New York cannot enforce $75 billion climate ‘superfund’ law, US judge rules

2026-08-31 21:33:30 / Reuters

By Nate Raymond and Jonathan Stempel

August 31, 2026 9:33 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Rain clouds over the New York City skyline of Manhattan and the Hudson River as heavy storms impacted the northeast U.S., as seen from Fort Lee, New Jersey, August 3, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Segar Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Summary

• Ruling prevents New York from enforcing climate change law targeting fossil fuel companies
• Judge says Clean Air Act does not authorize state emissions compensation schemes
• Law applies to companies linked ​to 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions

NEW YORK, Aug 31 (Reuters) – A federal judge ‌ruled on Monday that New York cannot enforce a 2024 state law that sought to force fossil fuel companies to contribute $75 billion over 25 years into a fund to pay for damage caused by climate change.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes in Syracuse, New York sided, opens new tab with 22 Republican ​state attorneys general, as well as industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in finding the state ​measure preempted by federal law.

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Sannes, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said the Clean Air ⁠Act, which gave the federal Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate carbon-dioxide emissions, did not authorize states to adopt emissions ​compensation schemes such as New York’s.

She said enforcing New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act risked upsetting the balance between preventing global ​warming, “a project that necessarily requires national standards and global participation,” and promoting economic growth, energy production, foreign policy interests and national security.

“The Climate Act conflicts with the overriding need for a uniform rule of decision on matters influencing national energy and environmental policy, and basic interests of ​federalism,” she wrote.

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West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, a Republican who led the states’ opposition, in a statement hailed the ​decision, calling the state law “a money grab by the elites in New York.”

The office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who signed ‌the state ⁠law in December 2024, is reviewing the decision to determine possible next steps, spokesperson Ken Lovett said.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for damages caused by polluters,” Lovett said.

New York was the second U.S. state to create an industry-financed “superfund” to address climate change. Vermont was the first state, and its law also faces legal challenges.

The New York law required fossil fuel companies ​to contribute $3 billion annually to ​the superfund starting in 2028, ⁠divided based on their greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2018.

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The law applied to companies that the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation considered responsible for 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas ​emissions during that period. Money would have gone to build roads, water systems, sewage systems ​and other infrastructure ⁠to protect communities and coastlines from weather events such as extreme heat and flooding.

In their February 2025 lawsuit, the Republican attorneys general called New York’s law a politically motivated “overreach,” which punished traditional energy companies that now comply with applicable laws. They said payouts from ⁠coal, oil ​and natural gas producers could wipe out thousands of jobs if the ​producers were forced to shut down.

The U.S. Department of Justice under Republican President Donald Trump had filed a similar lawsuit last year and supported the state attorneys ​general in the case before Sannes.

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Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Trump’s Canada tariff fight reaches critical point as House GOP summons trade chief

August 31, 2026 4:13pm EDT / Fox News

Two sources say they expect lawmakers to raise Trump’s trade war with Canada during the weekly RSC lunch

By Elizabeth Elkind Fox News

A trade dispute intensifies as President Trump renames Lake Ontario to Lake America by executive order.

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FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s top trade advisor will huddle with House Republicans on Wednesday as the commander in chief’s tariff strategy is quickly becoming a flashpoint on the campaign trail.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is attending the Republican Study Committee’s weekly lunch this week, a source familiar with planning told Fox News Digital.

Two additional sources told Fox News Digital they expect lawmakers to raise the issue of Trump’s trade war with Canada.

VANCE SAYS CANADA FRIENDLIER TO CHINA ON TRADE THAN TO US: ‘INSANITY’

President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House on May 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

It comes as tensions escalate between the U.S. and its northern ally.

Trump accused Ontario of ripping off American businesses in a post on Truth Social Sunday, claiming Canada wants “to be treated like a state, but they aren’t one.”

‘CAPTAIN CANADA’ FIREBRAND UNLOADS ON TRUMP WITH PROFANE ONE-LINER AS TRADE WAR ESCALATES

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on April 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

“They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop,” Trump wrote.

The U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods in late July, with the duties going into effect earlier this month. Canada responded with its own tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. imports.

TRUMP JUST EXPANDED HIS TARIFF PLAYBOOK WITH A POWERFUL TRADE WEAPON NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER USED

Trump also escalated tensions with the country this month by signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.”

It’s not clear when the meeting between Greer and RSC was planned, nor is it clear if Fox News Digital’s sources expect questions or outright opposition to the trade war.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on Aug. 27, 2026, amid an ongoing trade war with Canada.(Getty Images)

But Trump’s tariffs have been a political lightning rod for much of his second term.

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The House passed a bill in February aimed at reversing Trump’s earlier Canada tariffs, with six Republicans voting in support. Just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted against it.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com

‘No plans’ to deploy troops to midterm elections polling sites, top US general says

2026-08-31T21:16:37.34Z / Reuters

By Idrees Ali and Jasper Ward

August 31, 2026 9:16 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

Voting stations sit at a polling station during a Republican primary runoff between U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC) and U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) for the U.S. Senate seat, in Cayce, Lexington County, South Carolina, U.S., August 25, 2026. REUTERS/Sam Wolfe/File Photo

WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) – The top U.S. general said the military has no plans to send federal military personnel ​or National Guard troops to polling places during this year’s ‌midterm elections.

In a letter to U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said election administration ​and security remain the responsibility of state and local officials.

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Caine’s letter, ​which was obtained by Reuters, was sent in response ⁠to a request from Slotkin, who had sought assurances from senior ​military leaders, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, that the Trump administration would ​not interfere in the November elections.

While stressing that no such deployment is planned, Caine said the military has no plans to seize ballots, voting machines or other ​election-related material.

“I have neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order ​concerning the role of the Joint Force in the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections,” ‌Caine ⁠wrote.

The letter was received August 28, according to an official.

Millions of Americans are due to vote on November 3 in congressional, gubernatorial and local elections.

Democrats, including Slotkin, have raised concerns that the Trump administration could ​seek to use ​troops or other ⁠armed federal personnel near polling places.

Those concerns were fueled in part by comments Trump made in May ​when, asked whether he would send National Guard troops ​or Immigration ⁠and Customs Enforcement agents to voting locations, he said he would “do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections.”

Federal law generally prohibits the ⁠deployment ​of U.S. troops at polling places or ​their use in overseeing elections, reflecting long-standing restrictions on military involvement in the electoral process.

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Trump’s White House ballroom construction gets another lifeline from SCOTUS amid heated legal fight

Chief Justice John Roberts dissented, calling the privately funded East Wing project ‘likely unlawful’

2026-08-31T16:26:35-04:00 / Fox News

By Stepheny Price , Bill Mears, Fox News

Published August 31, 2026 4:26pm EDT | Updated August 31, 2026 5:21pm EDT

Trump continues ballroom construction after Supreme Court win

Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s continuation of ballroom construction after the Supreme Court’s temporary order. Tomlinson also discusses the Freedom 250 Grand Prix race in Washington, D.C., and the president’s economic campaign against the Iranian regime.

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The Supreme Court has again sided with the Trump administration, allowing construction on the White House ballroom project to continue while the case continues to be litigated in the lower courts.

The court split 5-4 in granting the emergency request. The decision replaces a temporary order Chief Justice John Roberts issued just hours before a lower-court ruling blocking the work was set to take effect. The underlying litigation will continue in the lower courts, but court documents indicate key parts of the project could be completed within months, potentially outpacing the legal process.

Trump quickly celebrated the decision, declaring that the high court had cleared the way for the massive project to move forward “without any further contingency, doubt, or threat.”

“We are living in the Golden Age of America, and this Building will be one of the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C.,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOES FACE ‘VERY TOUGH ARGUMENT’ AT SUPREME COURT, LEGAL EXPERTS SAY

A view of ongoing construction of the East Wing ballroom at the White House, as seen from the Washington Monument observation deck in Washington, DC on August 28, 2026.(Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump said the “magnificent Ballroom and Military Complex” is expected to be completed in summer 2028 and predicted it will be “something that the entire Country is very proud of.”

He also took a swipe at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, blasting its legal challenge as a “baseless lawsuit” and claiming the project is both under budget and ahead of schedule.

“The Ballroom is totally funded by Great Patriots and Corporations and, therefore, is a Gift — At no cost to the American Taxpayer,” Trump wrote.

The president’s victory lap came as Chief Justice John Roberts issued a strongly worded dissent from the latest order, declaring that construction of the ballroom is “likely unlawful” and warning that allowing the project to proceed risks infringing on Congress’ constitutional powers.

“The President ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a new, privately funded state ballroom in its place,” Roberts wrote. “Construction of the ballroom has proceeded apace for the better part of a year.”

APPEALS COURT SAYS FEDERAL JUDGE MUST RECONSIDER BLOCKING WH BALLROOM, WEIGH NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS

“That construction is likely unlawful,” he wrote.

Roberts pointed to federal law that prohibits the construction of any “building or structure” on federal government parkland in Washington, D.C., without express authorization from Congress.

The chief justice argued that the ballroom falls squarely within that restriction because it is being built on President’s Park, federal land that encompasses the White House and surrounding grounds.

“The ballroom is a building or structure being erected on federal park grounds—President’s Park—in the District of Columbia,” Roberts wrote. “Yet Congress has not passed any law resembling ‘express authority’ for the Executive’s construction of it.”

TRUMP SAYS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM RULING JEOPARDIZES LIVES OF FUTURE PRESIDENTS, VOWS SUPREME COURT APPEAL

Construction on the new White House ballroom is seen from the Washington Monument, Monday, April 20, 2026, in Washington.(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

The Supreme Court’s decision allows construction to continue while the underlying legal challenge plays out, but it does not settle the ultimate question of whether the ballroom project is lawful.

The case remains in litigation in the lower courts, meaning Roberts’ assertion that the construction is “likely unlawful” represents his view in dissent rather than a final determination by the Supreme Court.

DOJ CITES WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING IN PUSH TO DROP LAWSUIT AGAINST BALLROOM

Heavy machinery tears down a section of the East Wing of the White House as construction begins on President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom on October 22, 2025.(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

Roberts also took issue with the court’s treatment of Alison Hoagland, who originally challenged the project, arguing that both the historic nature of the White House and her interest in its preservation deserved greater weight.

“The White House is not just any building, and—when it comes to historic preservation—Hoagland is not just any person,” Roberts wrote.

REPUBLICANS QUESTION TRUMP’S ‘PRIVATELY FUNDED’ BALLROOM AFTER REPORT POINTS TO TAXPAYER BURDEN

An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on Oct. 23, 2025 in Washington, D.C.(Eric Lee/Getty Images)

“In failing to appreciate as much, the Court misconceives the plaintiff’s injury, allowing the Executive’s likely infringement of the Legislature’s power of the purse and authority to regulate federal property in the District of Columbia to continue,” he wrote.

“Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers.”

Roberts closed his dissent by invoking former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and issuing a pointed warning about how decisions involving the White House are made.

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“Winston Churchill once remarked that ‘[w]e shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us,’” Roberts wrote.

“All the more reason to ensure that those responsible follow the rules in deciding what to tear down and what to build up at the People’s House.”

“I respectfully dissent,” he wrote.

In addition to Roberts, Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson also dissented.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.

Trump administration plans $4 million for right-wing media in Europe, sources say

2026-08-31T22:19:06.283Z / Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he delivers remarks on the “Trump Accounts” tax-advantaged investment program at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, U.S., July 22, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary

• State Department notified Congress on Aug 21 of plans, four people familiar say
• Package includes $3 million to track “democratic backsliding” tied to migration and media, sources say
• Funding expected to be finalized by end-September, three people familiar ​say

WASHINGTON/BERLIN, Aug 31 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s administration is planning to spend $4 million to bolster right-wing media in ‌Europe, part of a package of at least $25 million for civil society groups working on conservative causes in the region, according to four people familiar with the funding.

The grants risk deepening tensions between the Trump administration and European governments, some of which have already accused Washington of interfering in their domestic politics.

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The U.S. ​State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) says the funding is meant to strengthen transatlantic ties and promote ​free speech. It comes as European countries prepare for elections over the next couple of years, and ⁠as the Trump administration openly backs Europe’s populist right-wing and far-right parties.

The State Department notified Congress of its intent to allocate these ​funds on August 21, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans.

Three million dollars were earmarked for ​a program to “document and analyze democratic backsliding in Europe as it relates to mass and illegal migration, the independent media landscape, and legislative agendas by supranational entities,” according to the people.

Another $1 million aims to create a consortium of independent journalists covering issues including national sovereignty, natural rights, and religious freedom in Europe, ​they added.

Reuters could not determine which organizations or journalists are likely to receive grants.

A State Department spokesperson said that the DRL does not ​fund political parties and that the Trump administration remains committed to defending democracy and human rights around the world, including in Europe.

The European Commission did ‌not immediately ⁠respond to a request for comment.

FOCUS ON CONSERVATIVE VOICES

The Trump administration has largely moved away from the traditional U.S. promotion of democracy and human rights, focusing instead on economic and trade issues.

It has also been advocating for selective causes, particularly those linked to right-wing politicians and what it sees as a muzzling of conservative voices online.

Around $10 million of funding has already been made public through three State Department notices ​for applicants in July and August. ​The August 21 funding notification ⁠is part of an additional at least $15 million, bringing the total grant amount to Europe-related work up to a minimum of $25 million.

The funding has prompted a backlash from some European capitals.

“France and the Europeans ​will not tolerate any attempt at foreign interference in their electoral processes, regardless of where it comes ​from,” French Foreign ⁠Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X in July, in response to the funding announcements.

The Europe grants are part of a bigger funding proposal from the State Department totaling nearly $180 million that includes a mix of programs, including grants on documenting “abuses” against South African minority communities and supporting civil ⁠society to ​counter “judicial overreach and censorship” in Brazil.

The funding package includes numerous grants for traditional democracy ​promotion focusing on oppressive governments such as China and North Korea.

The funding is expected to be finalized by the end of September, three people familiar with the efforts said.

Reporting by ​Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Paul Carsten in Berlin; Additional reporting by Gabriel Stargardter in Paris; Editing by Don Durfee and Sanjeev Miglani

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation to Trump

August 31, 2026 6:20pm EDT / Fox News

The White House has not yet accepted Driscoll’s resignation, according to a senior US official

By Sophia Compton, Jennifer Griffin, Liz Friden, Fox News

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6360664094112

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Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.

The resignation remains pending and has not been accepted by the White House, the official said.

A source familiar with the matter told Fox News that Driscoll had raised concerns with the administration about the Army’s transformation and readiness, including his belief that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had hindered those efforts.

“Driscoll brought up concerns with the administration surrounding Army transformation and readiness and Hegseth’s blocking those efforts specifically by firing the Generals who were responsible,” the source said.

TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION GETS ANOTHER LIFELINE FROM SCOTUS AMID HEATED LEGAL FIGHT

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.(Tom Brenner/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Tensions reportedly intensified as Hegseth removed several senior Army leaders, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.

Driscoll addressed George’s departure during an April 16 House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, recalling he was in North Carolina on vacation with his family and drove directly to the general’s home after learning that George had been asked to submit his resignation.

HEGSETH UPGRADES ABBEY GATE MARINES’ VALOR AWARDS AFTER 5-YEAR DELAY: ‘THOSE DAYS ARE OVER’

Driscoll is reportedly expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming days.(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“We walked right in, and we all gave him a hug,” Driscoll said. “There is no person that has more respect for General George and his 42 years of service, his Purple Heart, his wife, Patty, their grandkids, their kids. I adore them, and he was an amazing, transformational leader.”

He added, “The design of our system is that they get to pick the leaders that they want, and we execute on those orders.”

PROGRESSIVE PRAISE FOR TRUMP AS WARREN BACKS PUSH TO CURB DEFENSE CONTRACTOR CEO PAYOUTS

Tensions reportedly intensified as Hegseth removed several senior Army leaders.(Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Driscoll is expected to leave the Pentagon in the coming days, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Driscoll, a close ally of Vice President JD Vance, attended Yale Law School with Vance after both served in the military.

As Army secretary, Driscoll has worked with Silicon Valley companies to expand the Army’s drone capabilities.

Sophia Compton is a Writer at Fox News Digital. Sophia was previously a business reporter covering finance, energy and tourism and has experience as a TV news producer. She graduated with a journalism degree in 2021 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Story tips can be sent to sophia.compton@fox.com.

Trump says it’s ‘very early’ to talk about a Hegseth 2028 presidential campaign

August 31, 2026 11:01 PM UTC / Reuters

By Steve Holland and Bo Erickson

August 31, 2026 11:01 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a cabinet meeting at Camp David in Thurmont, Maryland, U.S., July 31, 2026. REUTERS/Daniel Heuer/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters it was too soon to discuss his ​potential successor, sidestepping talk of a 2028 campaign by ‌Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Asked about an NBC News report that the Pentagon chief has discussed a potential White House run, Trump said Hegseth is doing ​a “fantastic job, but it’s very early to talk about that.”

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“We ​have to get through the midterms first,” Trump told ⁠reporters in the Oval Office.

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The president’s Republican Party is fighting ​to maintain control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress in ​November’s elections.

Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News Channel (FOXA.O) television host, campaigned for Republicans this month at the politics-heavy Iowa State Fair. He ​called the report on his 2028 presidential ambitions “100% false” in ​a social media post last week.

Trump, who is limited to two terms as ‌president, ⁠has not named a successor to lead his “Make America Great Again” movement after he leaves office in 2029. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both been encouraged by ​their supporters to ​run.

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“I’ll bet there’s ⁠a lot of people considering it that you don’t know about,” Trump said. “Right now, all he ​loves is – and all he cares about is – the military ​and ⁠taking care of the military.”

Trump has wielded his endorsement power in 2026 races, even boosting some Republican challengers to success over sitting senators. “It ⁠is, ​without question, the strongest Endorsement in the ​History of Politics,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday.

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Vance casts El-Sayed as ‘evil’ and tells him to ‘keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth’

2026-08-31T21:45:18.740Z / https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/31/politics/jd-vance-abdul-el-sayed

Vice President JD Vance said in Michigan on Monday that “there’s something about Abdul El-Sayed that is very, very, evil,” arguing that the state’s Democratic Senate nominee is symptomatic of a growing trend in America of fighting “for one group at the expense of others.”

His sharp criticism of El-Sayed — which included telling the Democrat to “keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth” — underscored how heated the rhetoric has become in this competitive Senate race, which could be critical in the larger battle for control of the chamber.

Vance cast the choice between El-Sayed and GOP nominee Mike Rogers as about who would fight for all Michiganders — even if they don’t agree 100% with Rogers — while obliquely suggesting that El-Sayed cared more about members of the Muslim community than other voters.

“There’s something about Abdul El-Sayed that is very, very evil and on the rise in the United States of America today, and it’s people who see themselves not as citizens of a common nation, fighting for every single person … but see themselves as fighting for one group at the expense of others,” Vance said at a rally in Sterling Heights hosted by MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with President Donald Trump.

“What I see is a man who has sympathy and compassion for people who share his religion, but have nothing for people who don’t. A person who will apologize for a murderer so long as he looks the right way, but will not understand the plight of an innocent child if that person has the wrong faith,” Vance said, calling on voters to “reject it in November” and back Rogers.

El-Sayed on Monday pushed back on Vance’s comments, casting the Trump administration and Republicans as the ones perpetrating evil.

“Evil is ripping healthcare away from working people in exchange for tax breaks for billionaires. Evil is making people pay more for groceries and gas while pushing for trade wars and actual war. Evil is dividing people for your own gain. Evil is selling out your morals for a little bit of power,” he said in a statement.

“Michigan is better than being lectured to by sock puppets from Ohio and Florida. We understand what’s at stake, and Michiganders will show you at the ballot box this November when we send Mike Rogers packing,” he added.

El-Sayed recently apologized for saying after a March attack on a Michigan synagogue that “violence is a cycle” and that “hurt people hurt people.” (The attacker lost family in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon a week before the Michigan attack.) At the time, El-Sayed also condemned the synagogue attack and antisemitism broadly.

Vance’s speech became more personal as he took aim at recent comments from El-Sayed that some viewed as racist. Earlier this month, the Democratic candidate responded to a clip of Vance at a rally referencing his late grandfather, “Papaw,” by mentioning second lady Usha Vance, who is the child of Indian immigrants and was raised Hindu.

“So do we think JD is taking Usha with him back in time to meet Papaw, or no…” El-Sayed wrote on X.

Vance on Monday said El-Sayed has a “weird habit of talking about my family,” going on to lob a series of misleading claims at the Democrat — a pattern that’s emerged from the GOP since El-Sayed won the Senate nomination in early August, with some Republicans resorting to overtly Islamophobic attacks.

“My message to Abdul El-Sayed is: You can pal around with terrorist sympathizers, and you can say that America deserved 9/11, or you could empathize not with the children who were targeted at Temple Israel, but with the attacker,” Vance said.

He continued: “But whatever you want to talk about, Abdul, keep my wife’s name the hell out of your mouth, because she’s way out of your league.”

While El-Sayed campaigned during the primary with Hasan Piker — a far-left Twitch streamer who once suggested that the country “deserved” 9/11 — El-Sayed did not say that. Piker has since walked back the remark, saying it was “inappropriate,” and El-Sayed has downplayed his relationship with him.

Still, at a state party convention over the weekend, El-Sayed remained largely dismissive about concerns over his relationship with Piker, a strident critic of Israel, telling reporters, “This is not a campaign that is about a single streamer in California.”

CNN’s Eric Bradner and Aaron Blake contributed to this report.

Tensions erupt in House hearing as GOP advances anti-socialism resolution while Dems rage: ‘Silly season’

A resolution condemning socialism and a constitutional amendment to cap justices at nine are set for votes this week

August 31, 2026 7:09pm EDT / Fox News

By Elizabeth Elkind

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain spoke with Fox News Digital about the fight against socialists and a pair of votes in Congress to test House Democrats’ resolve.

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House Republicans are teeing up a pair of bills this week to put Democrats on the record about where they stand on their party’s socialist insurgency.

The House Rules Committee just advanced a resolution to condemn socialism during its Monday meeting, with no Democrats voting in favor of moving it forward. Democrats, in fact, criticized the resolution as a waste of time.

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., called the bill “nonsense” and argued it did little to better the lives of Americans.

“So you’re concerned about rising gas, or are you concerned about grocery prices? You know, don’t worry. Republicans in Congress are passing another non-binding resolution condemning socialism,” McGovern said.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN AIMS TO PUT DEMOCRATS ON THE RECORD OVER DSA WITH RESOLUTION CONDEMNING SOCIALISM

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., attend the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s National Commemoration of the Days of Remembrance ceremony in Emancipation Hall on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

Tensions erupted at one point as Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., clashed with Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., over the definition of socialism.

Neguse had attempted to press Steil on whether he would see President Donald Trump trying to take a “20% stake” in Kroger grocery stores as socialism, to which Steil replied he would “want to see the details.”

“Oh, you’d want to see the details,” Neguse yelled as the two men spoke over each other. “You said if the government owns grocery stores, that would be socialist. But if, of course, Donald Trump were to announce an equity stake in a grocery store, well, ‘I’d have to really see the details,’ because we all know the play.”

Steil said he would be open to seeing such a proposal if it had a national security imperative, but stated repeatedly that Neguse was posing a hypothetical.

At one point, Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chided Neguse for interrupting Steil.

Steil shot back at one point, “Some folks on your side of the aisle would like to have government-run grocery stores. I think that’s nuts.”

“And if the president of the United States announced that the United States government was taking an…equity stake in grocery stores?” Neguse pressed.

Rep. Bryan Steil sits at a Trump rally in Wisconsin.(Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

After more back-and-forth, Steil said, “I think there would need to be a national security rationale for the action. I don’t see any in your hypothetical. I don’t see a national security focus.”

Neguse called it a “helpful answer,” to which Steil quipped, “It’s a hypotherical. So we’re entering silly season.”

A House-wide test known as a “rule vote” on the resolution will take place on Tuesday afternoon, followed finally by a vote on the resolution itself on Tuesday evening, according to a provisional schedule obtained by Fox News Digital.

SOCIALISM SURGES AMONG DEMOCRATS AS PARTY LEADERS REJECT DSA AGENDA: ‘PACK OF FOOLS’

It’s not uncommon for Democrats on the House Rules Committee to oppose GOP-led measures. But the move is especially stark as Republicans seize on the left’s inter-party civil war that has dominated the midterm election cycle.

Republicans are capitalizing on that civil war with another measure expected for a vote on Wednesday afternoon, according to that provisional schedule. That vote will be on a constitutional amendment to cap the number of Supreme Court justices at nine.

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CLAIMS GOP ‘STOLE’ TWO SCOTUS SEATS IN 2016, 2020, CALLS FOR EXPANSION

Several top progressives, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., have called for expanding the Supreme Court to up to 13 seats.

House GOP leaders have opted to fast-track that legislation past the House Rules Committee. In exchange, however, it will need two-thirds of the chamber to pass as opposed to a simple majority.

CARVILLE UNLOADS ON DSA SOCIALISTS: ‘DON’T USE OUR GOD—- NAME’

“It’s time for the Democrats to pick a side. Stop playing the middle. Be proud of who you are. You were elected to lead, so lead. Have an opinion. We intend to put you on record,” House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told Fox News Digital.

Chairwoman Lisa McClain Hosts “A Warning to America: Stories from Survivors of Communism” Roundtable.(Courtesy of House Republican Conference)

“Do you want to pack the Supreme Court or not? It’s really simple. It’s a yes or no vote. It’s no bigger than that. Two — do you believe in socialism? If you do, you should say it loud and say it proud. I personally don’t believe in socialism. I like the fact that we have a democracy, that we a republic, that we have a free society. And I’m proud to put myself on record.”

Meanwhile the top Democrat, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., side-stepped a question on whether he supports the anti-socialism resolution on Monday.

“I haven’t taken a look at that resolution, although it’s my understanding that the resolution elevates the so-called SAVE America Act, which is just the ‘Suppress the Vote Act.’ And I’m not clear how many Democrats are actually gonna support a resolution whose focus is on trying to rig the midterm election by elevating this voter suppression legislation that Donald Trump has been trying to jam down the road to the American people for the last year,” he told reporters.

JOHNSON SCORES COMMANDING VICTORY IN FIGHT TO RAM SAVE AMERICA ACT THROUGH DEMOCRAT OPPOSITION

In addition to condemning socialism, the resolution also hails Republican-led election security bills as “common-sense election integrity measures, including proof of citizenship, photo identification, and database checks.”

It calls for the “enforcement” of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which has passed the House but has not been taken up in the Senate.

Democrats have largely panned that legislation as attempts at voter suppression.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., said the bill was a bid to “silence political opponents.”

Members of the Democratic Socialists of America gather outside a Trump-owned building on May Day, May 1, 2019, in New York City.(Getty Images)

“Let’s scare people with yet another boogeyman and not do anything about it. Not really solve problems, just try to scare people,” Scanlon said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., pointed out that Democratic socialists were already in power in his own state and warned it could spread elsewhere.

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“I’ve seen firsthand the alarming rise of socialism…families in western New York have watched one-party rule in Albany pile on more taxes, more mandates, more government control, while hardworking taxpayers are left to foot the bill,” Langworthy said. “And now downstate, we’ve watched the socialist left move more from the activist fringe into positions of real, serious political power. And anyone thinks that these ideas are going to stay confined in New York City is sadly mistaken.”

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com

Max Miller and ex-girlfriend Stephanie Grisham ordered to remove social media posts in GOP lawmaker’s latest court fight

2026-08-31T21:26:47.701Z / CNN

GOP Rep. Max Miller spent Monday morning not on the campaign trail, but Zooming into an Ohio courtroom in a dispute with ex-girlfriend and former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, the second time the embattled congressman has been forced to appear in county court in less than a week.

As House lawmakers return to Washington for a sprint ahead of the midterms, Miller appeared from DC via Zoom to address whether he violated a 2023 settlement agreement with Grisham. That agreement came after Grisham alleged Miller abused her, he denied the allegation and then sued her for defamation. As part of their deal, Grisham and Miller were barred from disparaging each other publicly.

It’s the latest legal battle facing Miller as he runs for re-election in a district Trump won in 2024 by more than 10 points but Republicans now fear will be competitive over his legal and personal issues. The congressman has faced calls from some Senate Republicans to step down, but Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN on Monday that he supports Miller’s reelection bid, calling him “a great member of Congress.”

Miller is also locked in a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno. She has alleged that Miller abused her, including holding a gun to her when their daughter was an infant. Miller has denied the allegations. Miller came to court in person in that custody case last week.

Zooming in to the wood-paneled courtroom Monday, Miller faced questions over his social media habits, recent media interviews and whether he called Grisham a liar after the two of them entered into the 2023 settlement agreement.

After hours of testimony, the judge issued preliminary injunctions against Miller and Grisham and ordered both parties to take down numerous social media posts that could be construed as disparaging the other.

Miller was pressed on a post from his X account on May 7 describing audio of Emily Moreno discussing allegations Grisham made against the congressman. Along with the audio, the post read, “here is a recording from 2024. In it, Ms. Emily Moreno admits 1.) everything alleged by Stephanie Grisham was fabricated.”

Grisham told the court the post had caused damage to her reputation and shattered the peace she sought in the aftermath of the 2023 settlement agreement.

“When a sitting member of Congress calls you a liar, that is a pretty big deal in political circles,” Grisham testified.

Miller argued he never posted any of the material himself and does not have social media on his cell phone. He also argued that his job makes him too busy to be concerned with constant updates to social media, and blamed the May 7 posts on staffers.

“I didn’t instruct them to do this, period. They just did it,” Miller said of the posts. “You are making it seem like Twitter is 90 percent of a congressman’s job.”

The congressman was also pressed on two separate news interviews he did, including one with CNN’s Jake Tapper.

In that interview, Tapper asked Miller specifically about Grisham and Moreno’s allegations and whether people were supposed to believe they were lying. Miller told Tapper “yes,” which Grisham’s lawyers argued was a breach of the agreement.

At another point in the interview, Miller told Tapper that he could not get into details about the Grisham allegations because of a settlement agreement that had been reached.

Miller argued in court Monday that he was merely defending himself in the interviews, and that Grisham disparaged him first in the court of public opinion. He also argued that public accusations can cause reputational harm even if they are not true.

“We live in a society where the court of public opinion matters more than facts, at least in my world,” he told the court.

The congressman’s lawyer Adam Brown alleged that Grisham posted on April 22 about Miller, although she did not do so by name. Brown pointed to a post in which Grisham wrote on X on April 22, “Today I feel broken over what so many men with money and power get away with over & over & over,” with a broken heart emoji. “Almost worse is those of you who know & do/say nothing as it happens time & again.”

April 22 was the same day that TMZ published a story about Miller with the headline “police investigate child neglect claims in nasty custody battle.”

Grisham testified the post was not about Miller, but was a reference to several developments in the ongoing controversy around convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which has generated regular news headlines.

During her testimony, Grisham also argued that Miller’s statements about her had an impact on her personal and professional life, that she suffered from worsening anxiety and often turned down opportunities to participate in television appearances out of fear that she may be asked about Miller, an issue she said she couldn’t address given the settlement agreement.

“It has been horrible,” she said.

CNN’s Alison Main, Manu Raju and Casey Riddle contributed