House Republican breaks with Trump, says ending Haitian TPS risks US healthcare ‘crisis’

2026-06-25 14:00 EDT / Fox News

Mike Lawler cited 350,000+ lawful Haitian TPS holders, roughly a third of whom work in US healthcare

By Robert McGreevy, Fox News

Published June 25, 2026 2:00pm EDT

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Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., criticized the U.S. Supreme Court’s Thursday decision in Mullin v. Doe, which ruled that Syrian and Haitian nationals seeking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) could not receive judicial relief postponing the Trump administration decision to rescind their TPS while challenging Trump’s decision in court.

Lawler, in a post on X, maintained that he supported President Donald Trump’s right to end TPS, but he disagreed with the decision to end it for Haitians at this time.

“While I have never disputed the ability of the President to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS), I strongly disagree with ending Haitian TPS at this time. First, the situation on the ground in Haiti is a humanitarian and political disaster and continues to warrant an extension,” Lawler wrote.

Lawler cited the State Department’s decision to issue a level 4 travel advisory to Americans, warning them to evacuate Haiti and not travel to the Caribbean island due to heightened gang activity.

Members of the General Security Unit of the National Palace set up a security perimeter around one of three downtown stations after police fought off a gang attack in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 9, 2024.(Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo)

“The gangs are in charge of the country, engaged in gun and drug trafficking, and kidnapping innocent Haitians,” Lawler continued.

Armed gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier and his men are seen in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 5, 2024.(Clarens Siffroy/AFP via Getty Images)

Lawler then pointed to the large number of Haitians on TPS working in the U.S. healthcare system, arguing that revoking the status would create a healthcare “crisis.”

“Of the 350,000+ lawful Haitian TPS holders, roughly 1/3rd work in our healthcare system. Immediately shutting off TPS will create a crisis in our hospitals, nursing homes, and in the I/DD community,” he said.

TRUMP ADMIN TURNS TABLES ON POLICY ‘EXPLOITED’ BY BIDEN DHS TO SHIELD MORE HAITIANS FROM DEPORTATIONS

Lawler outlined a request to the Trump administration to extend Haitian TPS.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., leaves the U.S. Capitol after the last vote of the week on Jan. 9, 2026.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“I’m asking the administration to allow for an orderly process by which Haitian TPS holders can maintain their work authorization while their immigration cases are adjudicated over the next six months, if the revocation of TPS moves forward. Furthermore, I believe the Senate should take up my legislation with Congresswoman Gillen to temporarily extend Haitian TPS to address these issues,” Lawler concluded.

Trump first attempted to revoke TPS for Haitians, which was initially granted after the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, during his first term in 2017. A series of federal challenges to that attempt kept Haitian TPS in place throughout Trump’s first term, but in 2025, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ended the status entirely.

TRUMP SAYS VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES LEFT ‘DEVASTATING NUMBER OF DEATHS’ AS US READIES AID

On Thursday, the Supreme Court bolstered that order, ruling 6-3 that federal courts do not have the jurisdiction to second-guess executive branch decisions regarding TPS terminations.

The White House and representatives for DHS reacted positively to the rulings.

“This ruling is a tremendous win for the Trump Administration. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what President Trump has always maintained: temporary protected status is, by definition, temporary. It was never intended to be a pathway to permanent status or legal residency and it is committed to the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.

“The Trump Administration continues to lawfully end the egregious abuses to our immigration system that have hurt Americans for years,” Jackson concluded.

James Percival, general counsel for the DHS, also praised the ruling in a Thursday post on X.

“The Court vindicates DHS yet again,” Percival wrote.

“The T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty. This is a win for the rule of law and common sense,” Percival concluded.

Lawler also issued an official statement from his Congressional office clarifying his remarks.

“Congressman Lawler has consistently advocated for extending Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals. He co-led H.R. 1689 with Rep. Laura Gillen, urged the Administration on multiple occasions to extend TPS protections, led a bipartisan effort with local officials in support of Haitian TPS recipients, issued an open letter to the Haitian community, and voted in favor of legislation after signing the discharge petition to bring the legislation to the House floor,” the statement read.

“Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties,” the statement also read.

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Fox News Digital’s Robert Schmad contributed to this report.

WATCH: AOC won’t rule out Senate bid after New York progressives notch primary wins: ‘Inspired and encouraged’

2026-06-25T15:42:54-04:00 / Fox News

The 4-term congresswoman said she wouldn’t be ‘breaking any news’ but praised Mamdani-aligned candidates

Hannah Brennan

By Hannah Brennan Fox News

Published June 25, 2026 3:42pm EDT

AOC leaves door open on Senate bid question after New York socialist primary victories

Ocasio-Cortez sidestepped questions about a future Senate campaign after Tuesday’s primary victories by fellow progressives, saying she’s “inspired and encouraged” by the results. (Credit: Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., declined to rule out a future Senate campaign after a trio of far-left candidates won New York’s primary elections Tuesday, saying the results left her “inspired and encouraged.”

“I’m sorry I’m not going to be breaking any news here as I consider what’s going to happen in the future,” Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News Digital when asked whether the election results made her more inclined to run for Senate.

“But I’m definitely inspired and encouraged by all the new faces that we’re going to be sending to the states and to Congress next year,” she continued.

AOC CRUISES TO PRIMARY VICTORY AS SPECULATION SWIRLS ABOUT POLITICAL FUTURE

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez waves to the crowd ahead of Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration as the 112th mayor at City Hall in New York City on Jan. 1, 2026.(David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

The four-term “Squad” member crushed her two Democratic primary challengers running to unseat her in New York’s 14th Congressional District. Coupled with the victories by three fellow progressives in her state, the results fueled speculation that Ocasio-Cortez could potentially mount a successful primary race against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Ocasio-Cortez’s comments come after broader speculations have continued to swirl around the possibilities of her political future. The progressive New York Democrat has also refused to rule out a 2028 presidential run, telling Fox News Digital “maybe, maybe not” on whether her running for president was in consideration.

The victories by candidates backed by socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over more moderate Democrats also fueled debate over whether the progressive wing is becoming a national blueprint for the Democratic Party.

WATCH: AOC LEAVES DOOR OPEN TO 2028 WHITE HOUSE BID: ‘MAYBE, MAYBE NOT’

Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, during a news conference on 2026 FIFA World Cup transportation at the MTA Rail Control Center in New York, on Thursday, June 4, 2026.(Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Asked whether the wins by candidates critical of Israel represented a blueprint for Democrats nationally, Ocasio-Cortez shifted the focus from policy to campaign strategy.

“It’s not only about our substantive positions, but also how we organize and run as well,” she said.

Like Ocasio-Cortez, the three primary winners have all been critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, making the issue a defining point of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing.

RISING SOCIALIST STARS ON TRACK TO CONGRESS: WHO ARE DARIALIZA AVILA CHEVALIER, BRAD LANDER AND CLAIRE VALDEZ?

Congressional candidates Claire Valdez, left, Brad Lander, second from left, and Darializa Avila Chevalier, right, raise their hands with Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a Get Out the Vote rally in New York City on June 18, 2026.(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The victories showcased a surge of support for socialist-backed Democratic candidates, at least in New York. Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., in New York’s 13th Congressional District; Assembly Member Claire Valdez won the Democratic primary in New York’s 7th Congressional District, where retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., is not seeking re-election; and former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander ousted Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., in New York’s 10th Congressional District — all after aligning themselves with Mamdani’s campaign.

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If they prevail as expected in November’s midterm elections and head to Congress, their victories would signficantly expand the number of Democratic Socialists of America-aligned members in Congress.

Hannah is a Production Assistant for the Politics team at Fox News Digital.

Mamdani-backed socialist wins in New York expose growing rift between Democratic establishment, insurgent left

June 25, 2026 2:09pm EDT / Fox News

GOP spokesman called Tuesday ‘the night the Democrat establishment officially surrendered to the socialist wing’

By Paul Steinhauser Fox News

Moderate Democrats are raising concerns about growing antisemitism and a socialist surge within their party, highlighting internal divisions. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi avoid directly addressing questions about the party’s leftward shift and increasing socialist influence.

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Ahead of this week’s closely watched Democratic congressional primaries in New York, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stressed that the party “must change.”

On Tuesday, the 34-year-old democratic socialist mayor of the nation’s most populous city took a major step toward that goal as three far-left congressional candidates he endorsed and campaigned tirelessly for defeated more mainstream Democrats, including two incumbents.

The victories by the Mamdani-backed candidates guarantee that the number of Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates will at least double in the next Congress and give Republicans further ammunition as they continue to portray all Democrats as far-left radicals.

A decade after progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont came close to capturing the Democratic presidential nomination, and eight years after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez burst onto the national stage by ousting then-House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in a shocking primary upset, the far left appears further emboldened as it takes on the center-left establishment in a high-stakes battle for the future of the party.

LURCHING LEFT: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST ESTABLISHEMENT DEMOCRATS

Congressional candidates Claire Valdez, left, Brad Lander, second from left, and Darializa Avila Chevalier, right, raise their hands with Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a Get Out the Vote rally in New York City on June 18, 2026.(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Darializa Avila Chevalier, the 32-year-old Mamdani-backed community organizer and democratic socialist who narrowly topped incumbent Democrat Adriano Espaillat, the 71-year-old Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair and the first Dominican American elected to the U.S. House, called her victory a “clear mandate.”

Mamdani-endorsed state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who won her primary on Tuesday in New York’s 7th District, emphasized in her victory speech that “we haven’t just won an election. We have declared that this movement is durable — that it is growing, and that it will not stop until working people are no longer asked to just build the table, no longer just offered a seat at the table, but will run the table.”

In the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Valdez topped the congresswoman’s handpicked candidate, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, by over 20 points.

Mamdani, whose kingmaker status was dramatically boosted by the primary victories, said Wednesday that he sees “these results as a reflection of the fact that New Yorkers are hungry for a new kind of politics.” Looking to the national stage, the mayor added, “My goal is to make America a place that every American can afford

And possibly looking to the national stage, the mayor added, “My goal is to make America a place that every American can afford.”

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a primary-night watch party for NYC Congressional candidate Claire Valdez at 99 Scott Studio on June 23, 2026, in the East Williamsburg neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City.(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Rep. Ro Khanna of California, one of the most visible national progressive leaders and a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, said the results in New York City “shows we have a new party.”

Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, told Fox News Digital that “New York’s clean sweep was a political earthquake that shows voters want shake-up-the-system fighters who are not owned by corporate interests, billionaires, or corrupt Trump allies like AIPAC,” referring to the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group.

The results will give Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top two Democrats in Congress, major headaches in their own backyard of New York.

The 75-year-old Schumer, who is certain to face a primary challenge from the left if he seeks re-election in 2028, repeatedly pointed to Republican President Donald Trump when asked about the victories by the far-left candidates.

“We have a great unified party, and we’re going to stop Trump,” Schumer told reporters.

WHAT TUESDAY’S BALLOT BOX SHOCKERS MEAN FOR AOC

Pundits view Tuesday’s primary results in New York as a setback for longtime Democratic Senate Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer in his own backyard.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Jeffries is also likely to be targeted from the left.

The crowd at the Valdez victory party chanted “you’re next” as a cable news interview with Jeffries appeared on the big screens on Tuesday night.

Jeffries told reporters on Wednesday, “I’m going to continue to stand behind every single Democratic incumbent, while of course, continuing to focus on what we actually need to do for this country, which is to take back control of the House of Representatives.”

Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, acknowledged that “there is enormous energy around the far left in very, very blue places, like New York City” and that “they are succeeding in their mission to oust incumbents or mainstream Democrats from blue seats and make them bluer.”

But outside what has been labeled New York City’s “Commie corridor,” which includes parts of Brooklyn and Queens where voters in recent years have consistently backed far-left and socialist candidates, more mainstream Democrats prevailed in Tuesday’s primaries.

In the high-profile showdown to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler in Manhattan, former Nadler staffer Micah Lasher came out on top.

Miles north of New York City in the state’s swing 17th Congressional District, Army veteran Cait Conley won the primary and will challenge GOP Rep. Mike Lawler in a key midterm contest that is one of a handful which will determine if Republicans hold the slim House majority.

Democratic congressional candidate and Army veteran Cait Conley, left, will challenge Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in the midterm elections in New York’s swing 17th Congressional District.(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

In Utah, former Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams defeated progressive rivals to win the primary in the newly redrawn and blue-leaning1st Congressional District. And in Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C., in the race to succeed longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer, Adrian Boafo, who was supported by Hoyer, topped a crowded and diverse Democratic primary field.

Bennett said that the New York City races grabbing outsized attention “are not representative districts, and it remains the case that the far left, in the Trump era, has failed to flip a single seat in Congress from red to blue, House or Senate.”

“They’re doing nothing to put a check on Trump or get power back,” he argued. “And in fact, they’re making it harder, because they’re handing Republicans very potent ammunition to use against Democrats in swing districts the way the GOP used ‘defund the police’ very effectively in 2020.”

Since Mamdani’s shocking Democratic mayoral primary win a year ago, Republicans have used him as a cudgel as they work to hold their razor-thin House majority in this year’s midterm elections.

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella argued that “Zohran Mamdani’s socialist brand is as toxic as it comes.”

Pointing to Tuesday’s results, Marinella charged that “it was the night the Democrat establishment officially surrendered to Zohran Mamdani and the socialist wing of their party. Every House Democrat, in safe and competitive districts alike, will now answer to the radicals calling the shots. And Americans should be terrified by where the Democrat Party is headed.”

REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS

Video

Mamdani says bring it on.

“We’ve heard from Republicans time and again that they’re going to try and make these candidates the face of the Democratic Party. To them. I say that we are ready for that,” the mayor said on Wednesday.

Tuesday’s primaries were just one chapter in the ongoing struggle between the far left and the establishment. More battles are ahead, including next Tuesday’s congressional primaries in blue-leaning Colorado, the high-profile Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, the gubernatorial showdown in Wisconsin in early August, and the Los Angeles mayoral general election in the fall.

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And the fight will continue after the midterms, as the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination race officially gets underway.

“For Democrats to win at the national level, they need candidates who span the political spectrum. The party has always had a big tent. But the old battle lines of progressive versus moderate are less important now than insider versus outsider,” Democratic strategist Chris Moyer told Fox News.

Moyer, a veteran of multiple Democratic presidential campaigns, said, “More than anything else today, the authenticity question is decisive. Too many politicians are full of s—, and voters have never been better at spotting phonies.”

Paul Steinhauser covers the national campaign trail from coast to coast for Fox News

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding venue speculation fueled by Madison Square Garden permit

June 25, 2026 / 12:11 PM EDT / CBS News
By Kelsie Hoffman

“Are you ready for it?”

While details have been kept under wraps for one of the most anticipated pop culture events of the year — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding — there’s speculation that the couple’s big day could take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that a permit has been filed by a prominent event planning company to close streets around MSG for an event on July Fourth weekend, with one city official reportedly telling the paper the venue is planning to host the wedding.

It comes after weeks of rumors, fueled in part by Swift appearing at Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs.

Taylor Swift, center, with Este Haim and Mariska Hargitay at Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026. Al Bello / Getty Images

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani even hinted that the event may take place over the holiday weekend.

“July 4th, America 250, Taylor Swift’s wedding. All happening at the same time,” Mamdani recently said.

The couple announced their engagement last August after Kelce proposed at his Missouri home.

Madison Square Garden has no windows and secluded entrances that could provide the “Love Story” singer and Kansas City Chiefs tight end with privacy.

“If they do do something at Madison Square Garden, there is no better place to bring sports and entertainment together,” said Rosemarie Terenzio, who helped to plan John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessett’s remote 1996 wedding. “I can’t imagine, with the amount of people that come in and out of MSG and it’s New York City, that it wouldn’t somehow get out.”

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are seen leaving Or’esh restaurant on May 15, 2026 in New York City. MEGA/GC Images/ Getty Images

NFL tight end George Kittle, who plays for the San Francisco 49ers, confirmed to “Entertainment Tonight” that he and his wife were invited, but added they don’t know the details.

When asked if the wedding is at MSG, Kittle said, “I have no idea. I actually asked Travis last night and he laughed at me.”

While Swift has ties to New York — she has an apartment downtown and has written several songs about the city — Swifties are also skeptical. Some told CBS News they think the speculation surrounding Madison Square Garden could be a ploy.

“Do I buy it? I’m not sure,” one fan said.

British influencer faces possible execution in Dubai after allegedly stabbing man to death, claiming self-defense, advocacy group says

June 25, 2026 / 2:15 PM EDT / CBS News

A British TikTok influencer is facing possible execution in Dubai after allegedly stabbing a man to death in what she says was an act of self-defense, according to the advocacy group Detained in Dubai.

Brooke George, 23, a former department store worker from Kent in eastern England, has been charged with the murder of an unidentified 26-year-old man she met on Facebook.

Dubai police have charged George with premeditated murder. If found guilty, she may be executed by firing squad, according to the website Detained in Dubai— a group that works to “ensure the security of foreign nationals in the Gulf from unjust detention, wrongful prosecution, and all other violations of their human rights,” according to its website. It bills itself as “equal parts legal advisory, communications agency, think tank, and human rights organisation.”

Brooke George has been arrested on suspicion of murder by Dubai police. If convicted she could be executed by firing squad. Detained in Dubai handout

George, whose TikTok account features videos of her mouthing along to popular songs and doing make-up tutorials, traveled to Dubai after developing an online relationship with the man, the group says.

She described her first visit, which lasted a week, as “the time of my life.”

DiD said in a statement she was “wrapped up in the joy of the experience” and had brushed aside certain “concerns” she felt, including over a “bikini clad professional photo shoot arranged during her first visit.”

On June 1, George posted several videos and pictures from Dubai on Instagram with the caption: “God has a plan. Trust it, Live it, Enjoy it.”

“Begging for her passport”

On George’s second visit to the UAE, however, the man’s behavior changed, DiD said. According to the advocacy group’s statement, which cites George directly, he became “increasingly controlling and abusive.”

George told her friends that “things weren’t right,” according to DiD, and claimed she saw “disturbing videos” on the man’s computer. When she discovered that he had only booked her a one-way ticket, she was left “alarmed and wanting to return home.”

After a night at an Irish bar, DiD says the man became intoxicated and “assaulted her in the car before continuing the attack after they returned to the apartment.”

George’s family has said she contacted them in a panic after he hit her, according to the group. After arranging a flight home, she claims she found her belongings strewn about the apartment when she went back to get her passport.

A photo from Brooke George’s Instagram provided by Detained in Dubai shows her in front of skyscrapers in Dubai. Detained In Dubai Handout

“The family say she was crying and begging for her passport’s return when she was punched hard in the face and attacked,” DiD said in its statement. “Brooke says she feared for her life and, reaching for a kitchen knife within her grasp, acted in self defense.”

The day before the incident, “she was quieter and not her usual happy, cheerful self, but she did not tell me why,” George’s mother, Thereza George, was quoted as telling the DiD, which has campaigned for years on behalf of foreign nationals arrested in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.

Speaking to George after the alleged stabbing, she added that she had “never seen my daughter so frightened in my life. She was crying uncontrollably. I could see that one of her eyes was badly swollen and was beginning to close.”

Promises of luxury

Police arrested George in the early hours of June 22. She is being held at the Bur Dubai police station, where, in an unrelated case, a U.K. inquest found that 39-year-old Briton Lee Bradley Brown had died in custody in 2011 after being handcuffed to a chair and beaten.

George was forced to strip naked in front of male officers, with no female officers present, according DiD, and broke down in tears when telling her family of the ordeal.

DiD said she has not been allowed to contact the British embassy and has been forced to make statements without a lawyer present.

The Dubai Police and UAE Embassy did not immediately respond to a CBS News request for comment on the allegations made by George and her family via DiD.

A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office told CBS News, “We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE, we are supporting her family, and we are in contact with the local authorities.”

This file photo shows one of the many luxury hotels in Dubai in 2025. Martin Berry/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

“This case raises serious concerns about violence against women, the right to self defence, due process and the treatment of British nationals detained overseas,” Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling said in the statement.

The group is pushing for George to receive a fair trial, and it says she should be released on bail pending the investigation.

Stirling said that in recent years, increasing numbers of women, including influencers, models and travelers, have been “lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work, holidays or romantic relationships, only to later allege that they were subjected to …sexual exploitation, coercion, violence or other degrading treatment.”

Rape victims have faced prosecution in Dubai for offenses such as extra-marital sex, according to the group. In one 2024 incident, Irish national Tori Towey was detained after attempting to flee alleged domestic abuse and attempting suicide, according to DiD.

Trump’s $88B Iran war bill collides with Senate opposition

Sen Chris Murphy says the package ‘seems designed to repel Democratic votes,’ while an E15 fuel mandate splits GOP leaders

June 25, 2026 3:10pm EDT / Fox News

War Secretary Pete Hegseth requests $87B from Capitol Hill to cover Iran war costs

Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports on the Pentagon’s request for supplemental funds for the War Department on ‘Special Report.’

The Pentagon’s massive funding request to pay some of the costs of the Iran war is going to be a hard sell for Senate Democrats, and a key issue buried deep in the multibillion-dollar request could divide Republicans.

Congress received the nearly $88 billion package Wednesday afternoon after months of speculation about whether it would ever come, and exactly how much it would cost. The current price tag is drastically lower than earlier estimates, which project the package could reach as high as $200 billion.

But after roughly four months and a tenuous peace deal in place, Democrats appear unwilling to support the funding that would replenish munitions, despite sweeteners that appear geared toward attracting their support.

CLOSED-DOOR OUTBURST TURNS INTO VICTORY FOR TRUMP’S IRAN NEGOTIATIONS

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, speaks at a news conference following Senate Democrat policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 23, 2026.(Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg)

“It seems designed to repel Democratic votes,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. “They’re clearly not trying to pass this.”

Those sweeteners, which include $11 billion in aid for farmers and $1.4 billion to fight the Ebola outbreak in Africa, didn’t sway Murphy, who charged that the farm assistance in particular was a “war cost.”

The package isn’t getting any love from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., either, who accused President Donald Trump of “asking taxpayers to clean up his messes.”

“After dragging America into a reckless war, he now wants Congress to hand him tens of billions more to paper over the damage — while families are still paying higher prices,” Schumer said on X. “We should be lowering costs for the American people, not writing another blank check for Trump.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wasn’t surprised that Senate Democrats appeared ready to bat down the package, which will need at least 60 votes to pass in the Senate, arguing that “they haven’t supported anything this year, or last year.”

IRAN WAR’S PRICE TAG HITS $80B — MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT CONGRESS WAS TOLD

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399285728112

“It’s literally true. I mean, including stuff that they negotiated,” Hawley said. “FISA, they negotiated, which I didn’t like when they negotiated, but still, you know, they negotiated and said, ‘No,’ they negotiated all the appropriations bills then said, ‘No.’ I mean, so, you know, I’d be shocked if they did support it.”

The bulk of the request is geared toward the Pentagon and includes $67 billion for the War Department, including $21 billion to replenish missile stockpiles depleted during the Iran offensive, known as Operation Epic Fury, $17 billion for military operations, $2.4 billion for drones and $5.1 billion for cybersecurity and autonomy.

Another $12 billion of the War Department funding would go toward classified programs. The request also includes $2 billion for the Coast Guard and $800 million for the National Guard.

The administration is also seeking $672 million for the removal of Iranian nuclear materials, inspections and verification efforts, and other counterproliferation activities.

According to the proposal, the funding would support the removal of Iranian nuclear materials, including uranium hexafluoride (UF6), uranium in various forms and research reactor fuel, including highly enriched uranium.

The proposal would also fund potential U.S. verification activities in Iran, subject to site access, support inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, strengthen nuclear-smuggling detection efforts and expand Nuclear Emergency Support Team operations across the Middle East.

The funding comes as U.S. and Iranian negotiators work to translate the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) into a more detailed agreement governing Iran’s nuclear program and stockpile of enriched uranium.

While the memorandum established downblending as the minimum acceptable method for handling Iran’s enriched uranium, negotiators have not publicly disclosed whether the material would ultimately remain in Iran, be transferred to another country or be destroyed.

TRUMP SEEKS $672M TO STOP IRANIAN NUKES AS NEGOTIATORS WEIGH FATE OF URANIUM STOCKPILE

The price of ethanol-free gasoline is shown on a gas pump at an Exxon gas station in Austin on May 5, 2026. The Trump administration will waive higher-ethanol E15 gasoline from U.S. volatility requirements this summer, expanding sales and benefiting corn farmers and biofuels producers.(Kaylee Greenlee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

While Democrats shake their fists at the supplemental spending package, one provision tucked into the legislation could also give Republicans heartburn.

Among the farm aid provisions is a policy to permanently extend the sale of gasoline with a blend of ethanol, a liquid biofuel made from corn, known as E15.

The E15 issue showed a rare rift in Senate Republican leadership, and one that ripples through the Senate GOP based on geography.

“Promising a year-round E15 mandate is a check the president can’t cash,” a Republican source said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., backs it, particularly for the benefits it could give candidates running for election or re-election in states where corn crops are king.

But his second-in-command, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., bucked the House’s year-round E15 bill when it passed last month and has argued that allowing a mandate on the fuel blend would hurt small refiners and undo strides for energy production made in Trump’s flagship legislation, the “big, beautiful bill.”

“America’s small refiners are unsung heroes of affordable American energy. Washington D.C., often overlooks them. Working families depend on them,” Barrasso said on the Senate floor earlier this week. “I represent several small refineries in Wyoming. The refineries employ thousands of people.”

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“They make gasoline prices more affordable,” he continued. “They strengthen our nation’s energy security. Proposed new mandates on small refineries would harm them and the people who work for them.”

Since the House bill passed, Thune said he has continued to have conversations to find a “path forward” on the issue.

“We’re working with the stakeholder community and our members on both sides to figure out if that’s something we can execute on and get done,” Thune said.

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a proponent of the provision, argued that he viewed it as an “incentive,” but acknowledged there was a chance it could be amended out of the broader supplemental package.

“I mean it makes a better deal, and I don’t know why they would want to take it out,” Rounds said.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.

Chris Evert announces her ovarian cancer has returned

June 25, 2026 / 12:34 PM EDT / CBS News

Tennis champion Chris Evert said Thursday that her ovarian cancer had returned, and that she had already undergone surgery for the recurrence.

“I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey,” Evert wrote in a social media post. “This past weekend, after undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned.”

Evert did not specify what kind of surgery she had received. She said that the procedure was “the first step” in her latest treatment. Her care will include chemotherapy in the coming weeks, she said.

Evert said the recurrence will prevent her from attending Wimbledon this year, where she frequently appeared as a broadcast commentator. The upcoming Wimbledon Championships are scheduled to begin in London next week. She said she will also step back from other professional commitments over the next few months to focus on her health.

“Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle,” Evert said.

Chris Evert talks to the media during the GNP Seguros WTA Finals on Nov. 2, 2023, in Cancun, Mexico. Getty Images

Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam winner, is considered a legend of her sport and one of the most successful players of all time, having been ranked first in women’s singles by the Women’s Tennis Association for 260 weeks after the rankings launched in 1975.

The association, which is the main organizer of women’s professional tennis globally, describes Evert’s standout career as “the stuff of legend” and notes how her backhand form “revolutionized” the game.

Evert was initially diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2021. In January 2023, she announced that she was cancer free, but later said the cancer had returned in December of that year.

About 70% of ovarian cancer patients will experience a recurrence of their disease, according to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.

Obama-appointed judge blocks Trump’s election order as SAVE America Act fight intensifies

June 25, 2026 1:54pm EDT / Fox News

A coalition of 23 states led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta challenged the March executive order

By Ashley J. DiMella Fox News

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An Obama-appointed judge blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to curb noncitizens from registering to vote or voting in federal elections.

“President Trump is committed to ensuring that Americans have full confidence in the administration of our elections. The President’s executive order lawfully protects our elections, and we are confident that we will ultimately prevail in its implementation,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital.

The lawsuit centers on President Trump’s March executive order, Executive Order (EO) 14248, which directed the creation of a federal voter registration list and imposed new restrictions on eligibility for voting by mail as part of the administration’s broader effort to combat voter fraud.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled Thursday that the president does not have the power to set election rules because only Congress and the states have that authority. Talwani has served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 2014, after then-President Barack Obama appointed her to the bench.

‘ROGUE’ OBAMA JUDGE’S SMACKDOWN OF TRUMP ELECTION RULES PROVOKES OMINOUS WARNING FROM WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY

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“President Trump has also urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act and other legislative proposals that would establish a uniform standard of photo ID for voting, prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting, and end the practice of ballot harvesting to secure our elections for generations to come.”(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The lawsuit also comes after Trump recently threatened to withhold support for the bipartisan 21st Century Housing Act in an effort to pressure Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

“President Trump has also urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act and other legislative proposals that would establish a uniform standard of photo ID for voting, prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting, and end the practice of ballot harvesting to secure our elections for generations to come,” Jackson added.

Trump’s EO ordered a federal voting registration list and directed the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail-in ballots only to individuals on said list.

TRUMP VOWS BLOCK ON SIGNING NEW LAWS UNTIL SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSES SENATE

An official ballot drop box is set up outside City Hall in San Francisco, California, during early voting for the California primary election on May 26, 2026.(Jason Henry/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Talwani’s ruling prevents the administration from enforcing those provisions ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The lawsuits were brought by a coalition of states led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined by 22 other states and the District of Columbia as well as voting rights organizations.

The decision found that Trump exceeded his authority by trying to change election rules through executive action, writing that the Constitution gives that power to Congress and the states, not the White House.

Voting booths are set up in California for the election process.(Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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The ruling follows a decision Tuesday that struck down parts of President Donald Trump’s March election integrity executive order titled, “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.”

Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper found that the order went beyond enforcing existing law and instead attempted to create or change election rules on its own.

The decision blocks the administration from requiring documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, changing voting rules for military and overseas voters, or withholding election funding from states that reject certain election rules, including counting ballots received after Election Day.

Trump abruptly canceled the signing of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on Wednesday and issued an ultimatum demanding passage of the SAVE Act.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act includes Trump’s long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification requirements ahead of the midterm elections.

Fox News Digital’s Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.

Ashley J. DiMella reports on politics for Fox News Digital.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6399224151112

Apple and Microsoft are raising their prices by hundreds of dollars as chip costs soar

2026-06-25T13:59:00-0400 / CBS News

By

Updated on: June 25, 2026 / 3:48 PM EDT / CBS News

Apple and Microsoft are each raising the prices of some of their core products, as global demand for memory and storage chips sharply increases component costs.

Apple said on Thursday that it will raise the prices of certain MacBooks and iPads by up to $300. Hours later, Microsoft announced it would increase the prices of its Xbox consoles starting August 1. Both companies cite the rising cost of semiconductors used for storage and memory in electronic devices, including computers and video game consoles.

The announcements come as the rapid expansion of AI data centers heightens demand for computing power, exacerbating a chip shortage.

“We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” Apple said in a statement shared with CBS News. “We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on several products, including today’s increases for iPad and Mac.”

In its statement, Microsoft said console storage and memory prices have more than doubled and that it expects prices to double again by fall 2027.

“The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles,” the company said.

What Apple products are affected?

The price hikes are impacting multiple Apple products, according to The Verge. The MacBook Neo, which Apple introduced earlier this year to appeal to budget-conscious customers at a starting price of $599, has increased to $699.

Other changes include:

• MacBook Air 512GB: Now $1,299, up from $1,099
• MacBook Pro 1T: Now $1,999, up from $1699
• iPad Air 128GB: Now $749, up from $599

The price hikes exclude the iPhone, according to Reuters.

“Apple hasn’t announced what the iPhone price increases will be, but they are surely coming,” Nabila Popal, senior director of data and analytics at International Data Corporation, a market intelligence and advisory firm, said in an email. “The storm isn’t over yet; this is just the beginning. iPhones are the biggest revenue driver for Apple, so they are saving that announcement for later.”

Apple shares tumbled after the company’s announcement, falling $16.49, or 5.6%, to $276.68, in midafternoon trading.

Which Microsoft products are affected?

Microsoft is raising the price of Xbox gaming consoles with 512 GB of storage by $100 to nearly $500. Consoles with 1 TB of storage will increase by $150. Both hikes take effect August 1.

The price hike comes after Microsoft increased Xbox prices by $20 to $70 last year.

AI boom drives up chip costs

Chip shortages arose during the pandemic, when factory closures led to supply chain snags. Now, the race to build data centers required to power AI services is putting more pressure on the semiconductor industry.

In December, research firm International Data Corporation said the memory market is at an “unprecedented inflection point” and predicted the chip shortage could last “well into 2027.”

The shortage has had a knock-on effect on everyday tech, including personal computers, which are seeing higher prices for the first time in decades.

In an exclusive interview with the Wall Street Journal on June 17, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is doing its best to shield customers from price hikes but said, “the situation has become unsustainable.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it in any area in over 40 years,” he told the Journal.

Edited by Aimee Picchi

WNBA suspends Alyssa Thomas for hitting Caitlin Clark in the throat

June 25, 2026 3:48 PM EDT / CBS/AP

The Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas has received a flagrant foul penalty and been suspended for one game after hitting Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the throat during a game Wednesday night, the WNBA said Thursday.

The hit happened with 6 minutes and 52 seconds left in the second quarter of the Fever-Mercury game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Thomas’ fist made contact with Clark’s throat while the two scrambled for the ball.

In the moment, no foul was called by referees, which Fever coach Stephanie White called “egregious” in comments after the game.

“The fact that it was a no-call … You got to call it,” White said, adding that the lack of a foul in the moment was “absolutely unacceptable.”

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas drives to the basket against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark on June 22, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The WNBA’s League Office can review any game and assign a flagrant foul, or reclassify a called foul as a flagrant foul, if they believe such measures are warranted. The WNBA’s review “deemed (Thomas) to have committed a non-basketball act” by recklessly making contact with Clark’s throat.

The WNBA said that Thomas will serve her suspension on June 27, when the Mercury play the Toronto Tempos at home.

This isn’t the first time the league has upgraded a foul against Clark. Last season, Marina Mabrey, playing for the Connecticut Sun at the time, was called for a technical foul in a game against Indiana. The league later upgraded it to a Flagrant 2.

Clark was also fouled while shooting a 3-pointer later in the second quarter. She fell to the ground after the shot and was seen grabbing her back as she got back up. That foul was not upgraded to a flagrant. Clark eventually left the game during the third quarter, after scoring 19 points and racking up eight assists in 20 minutes of play. The Mercury went on to win 111-109.

Clark has a history of back issues, including missing a game against the Portland Fire in May because of it, according to CBS Sports. Clark was limited to 13 games last season due to lower-body issues.

The Mercury and the Fever also played on Monday night, a game during which there were six technical fouls called and one ejection. Clark picked up her fifth technical of the season in that game. The team petitioned the league to have it rescinded, but the WNBA confirmed that the technical will stand.