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Powerful union leader backs Republican in key Senate showdown

September 3, 2026 10:14am EDT / Fox News

O’Brien praised Marshall for crossing party lines to champion pro-labor legislation, including the Faster Labor Contracts Act

By Alex Miller, Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: One of the top union leaders in the country has waded into a key Senate contest, backing the Republican incumbent in a race that could determine the balance of power in the upper chamber.

Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien is backing Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in his bid for re-election as Republicans look to solidify their grip in the upper chamber and push back against the headwinds that browbeat the party in power during a midterm election cycle.

“Sen. Marshall has proven time and time again that he is a friend of labor,” O’Brien said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. “As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Sen. Marshall has been eager to partner with us on legislation that protects workers, even when it requires breaking rank with his own party.”

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP-BACKED CHALLENGER GAINS LABOR UNION SUPPORT IN KEY RACE FOR HOUSE CONTROL

Sean O’Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, speaks during a press conference outside the West Wing of the White House on Oct. 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C., flanked by Vice President JD Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.(AFP via Getty Images)

“We look forward to continuing to work together with Sen. Marshall to fight for the rights of hardworking Americans,” he continued.

O’Brien’s green light to Marshall comes as Teamsters Local 696, the Topeka, Kansas-based chapter of the Teamsters, also threw its support behind the lawmaker, who is seeking a second term in the Senate.

“We are proud to endorse the candidate in this race who continues to be a voice for the middle-class workers of our great state, and that candidate is Sen. Marshall,” Local 696 President Mike Scribner said in a statement.

“Kansas Teamsters need someone in Washington who is willing to fight on their behalf,” he continued. “Throughout his tenure, Sen. Marshall has shown that he is the person for the job.”

O’Brien has morphed into a notable figure in the GOP after his appearance as one of the opening speakers at the Republican National Convention in 2024.

‘LET’S BREW IT IN THE UNITED STATES’: TEAMSTERS TARGET MODELO AND CORONA IN PUSH FOR MEXICAN BEER TARIFFS

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6400277729112

He also formed a political alliance and friendship with one of President Donald Trump’s top allies, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and even backed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to the job after nearly coming to blows with the Trump official two years prior.

It’s Marshall’s backing of pro-labor bills, like Hawley’s Faster Labor Contracts Act, and Sen. Ed Markey’s, D-Mass., Warehouse Worker Protection Act and his own Railway Safety Act that scored him the backing of the Teamsters. He also led the Overtime Wages Relief Act, which eliminated federal income tax on up to $10,000 of overtime wages for individuals and $20,000 for married filers as part of Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill.”

Marshall is running against Kansas Senate Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton, the lead pastor of the state’s largest Methodist megachurch. Kansas is a ruby-red stronghold, meaning national Republicans aren’t rushing to aid the incumbent in warding off Hamilton.

FOUR MONTHS TO MIDTERMS: 12 RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE MAJORITY

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., wants to codify President Donald Trump’s desire to cap credit card interest rates for a year.(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Still, Hamilton has already proven a deft fundraiser, nearly matching Marshall’s war chest in a fraction of the time.

Hamilton has so far raised just north of $4.1 million, while Marshall has brought in just over $6.2 million in a race that Cook Political Report has rated as “likely Republican.”

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But Hamilton will have to battle both a strong incumbent and history to have a chance at the seat. That’s because Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century. The last time was in the 1930s, when Kansans elected former Sen. George McGill. He only served one term before being ousted by a Republican.

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

美国8月服务业增速创半年来最快 指标升至四年高点

2026年9月3日 23:52 / 联合早报

美国企业活动指标升至2022年以来最强水平。图为纽约时报广场的人流。 （法新社）

得益于强劲需求和商业活动回升， 8月美国服务业以六个月来最快速度扩张。

彭博社报道，美国供应管理协会（ISM）星期四（9月3日）公布的数据显示，8月服务业指数上升1.3点至55.4，为2月以来最高水平，也高于彭博调查中经济学家的预期中值。指数高于50意味着行业处于扩张状态。

新订单增速加快至2023年初以来最高，企业活动指标升至2022年以来最强水平。未完成订单连续第七个月扩张。

美国服务业受益于消费者支出坚韧、就业市场稳定以及企业投资稳健。不过，企业也仍需应对供应链中断、关税以及整个经济中不断上升的成本压力。

ISM衡量服务业材料和服务价格的指标8月升至72.6，为2022年年中以来最高水平。

虽然当前通货膨胀已远低于2022年的水平，但自2月伊朗战争爆发以来，消费者价格和生产者价格指标均有所上升，并维持在较高水平，给许多企业带来压力。

高物价可能也是企业缩减员工规模的原因之一。ISM就业指标在过去六个月中有五个月显示收缩。

供应商交货时间指标仍处于扩张区间，但降至近一年来最低水平，这可能表明供应瓶颈正在逐步缓解。

村庄淹没在泥浆中 尼泊尔幸存者前路未卜

2026年9月3日 23:45 / 联合早报

• 尼泊尔泥石流灾害已持续八天，当局估计约九百人受困于六座水电站内，救援人员正努力营救。 – 上特里苏里3A水电站隧道积水严重，工人正排水并准备爆破巨石，以便挖掘机深入搜寻幸存者。 – 夏布鲁贝西等村庄被泥浆淹没，吉隆口岸建筑桥梁尽毁，幸存者失去家园土地，暂栖寺院避难。 – 前重建局长波卡雷尔称，此次灾难致土地消失，重建难度远超2015年地震，面临巨大挑战。

9月3日，路透社摄影记者乘坐直升机从努瓦科特（Nuwakot）飞往拉苏瓦（Rasuwa），沿途见到的是废墟之中的一些房屋。 （路透社）

在尼泊尔特里苏里河谷（Trishuli River valley）的受灾区域，救援人员正努力营救受困在水电站的数百名工人。

路透社报道，尼泊尔—中国西藏泥石流灾难已发生八天了，地面要么像混凝土一样坚硬，要么变成了湿滑的泥泞，大片区域都看不到任何人类居住的痕迹。

路透社摄影师奇特拉卡尔（Navesh Chitrakar）从直升机上看到挖掘机正从上特里苏里（Upper Trishuli）3A水电站的一个隧道口移走巨石。据尼泊尔当局估计，约有900人受困在六座水电站内。

在上特里苏里3A水电站，工人正在排出隧道内的积水，并准备通过钻孔爆破巨石，以便挖掘机能够深入挖掘。

在曾经是喜马拉雅山徒步旅行门户的村庄夏布鲁贝西（Syabrubesi），林立的房屋消失，如今却只见灰色的泥浆中的几栋房屋。

奇特拉卡尔说，在吉隆边境口岸，没有建筑物，没有口岸，也没有桥梁。

9月3日，在尼泊尔拉苏瓦，救援队员们正在努力进入上特里苏里3A水电站的隧道，搜寻幸存者和遇难者遗体。（路透社）

栖身在寺院的幸存者前路未卜

彭博社报道，泥石流吞没了夏布鲁贝西29岁的村民塔芒（Shangmo Tamang）的家乡，她得以幸存纯属偶然。她当时正在加德满都接受心脏疾病治疗。如今，她与约20多名亲属一同在加德满都郊外的一座寺院避难。

幸存者们正面临一个艰巨的问题：如何重建生活。许多居住在受灾河谷村庄的人在这场灾难中失去一切，包括房屋、亲人，甚至赖以生存的土地。如今，那些土地已被厚厚的泥浆和废墟覆盖，无法再居住。

栖身在鲁布·彭措·乔林（Gosok Phuntsok Choeling）寺院的尚莫和家人除了食物和衣物之外几乎一无所有。她说：“如今我们只有家人。”

曾负责监督2015年尼泊尔大地震灾后重建工作的前国家重建局局长波卡雷尔（Govind Raj Pokharel）说，这场灾难造成的破坏规模使重建工作面临巨大挑战。当年那场地震造成近9000人遇难。

9月3日的照片显示，昔日的喜马拉雅山徒步旅行门户夏布鲁贝西已淹没在淤泥之中。（法新社）

地震过后，尼泊尔在获得约40亿美元（50亿7900万新元）国际援助承诺的支持下展开重建，并向房屋被毁家庭发放现金补助。截至2021年，已建成70万多套住房，以及数千所学校和其他建筑。

波卡雷尔说，这一次开展类似重建工作将困难得多。“地震导致房屋倒塌后，也许你还能在原地建造更好的房屋，或建造更坚固、更具韧性的房屋，”他说，“但在这里，你甚至连土地都没有了。”

尚莫89岁的祖父明迈（Mingmai）说，当山体滑坡逼近时，他赶紧蹒跚着爬上山坡逃生。他说：“我想自己只是差了几米就没命了。”

他的65岁弟弟因膝盖不好无法奔跑，未能逃生。他的儿子当时在距离河边较近的一家银行工作，也罹难了。“什么都没剩下了。我的儿子没了。我只剩下这副身体，以及现在身上穿着的衣服。”

Lutnick apologizes for asserting that there ‘haven’t been American deaths’ from the Iran war

2026-09-03 09:18 AM ET / CNN

By Adam Cancryn

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick speaks during the G20 Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday.

Cornell Watson/Bloomberg/Getty Images

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick publicly apologized on Thursday after falsely asserting that no Americans had died during the Trump administration’s war with Iran.

Lutnick made the claim while defending the war in an interview on CNBC, saying that “the way the president is playing Iran, right, there haven’t been American deaths. It’s really just an economic chokeout which the administration is now executing more broadly, and I think it’ll be very effective.”

In fact, 18 US service members have died since the US first attacked Iran in February. Hundreds more have been wounded.

In a Thursday morning post on X, Lutnick said he “misspoke” and had confused the six-month war in Iran with the administration’s prior hours-long invasion of Venezuela.

“While speaking yesterday at the G20 innovation summit about AI, I answered a question about the military actions in Iran, I misspoke,” he wrote. “I was thinking about the Venezuelan military operation where no service members died.”

Lutnick also addressed the families of the killed service members, writing that “my heart breaks and I am so very sorry for their loss.”

The remarks, which Lutnick made Wednesday morning as part of a broader interview on technology and trade issues, had only gained limited public attention in the immediate aftermath. But President Donald Trump sought to preemptively downplay the matter early Thursday, writing in a Truth Social post that “Sec. Lutnick had Venezuela on his mind when nobody was killed. 18 people were killed in Iran!”

Lutnick issued his public apology roughly 45 minutes later.

The administration has faced scrutiny over how it has disclosed and discussed those killed and injured in the Iran war, particularly after four deaths and dozens of injuries disappeared from the totals listed on a Defense Department website in July. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has previously been critical of media coverage about service member deaths, saying at a March news conference that, “When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front-page news.”

美国8月服务业增速创半年来最快 指标升至四年高点

2026年9月3日 23:52 / 联合早报

美国企业活动指标升至2022年以来最强水平。图为纽约时报广场的人流。 （法新社）

得益于强劲需求和商业活动回升， 8月美国服务业以六个月来最快速度扩张。

彭博社报道，美国供应管理协会（ISM）星期四（9月3日）公布的数据显示，8月服务业指数上升1.3点至55.4，为2月以来最高水平，也高于彭博调查中经济学家的预期中值。指数高于50意味着行业处于扩张状态。

新订单增速加快至2023年初以来最高，企业活动指标升至2022年以来最强水平。未完成订单连续第七个月扩张。

美国服务业受益于消费者支出坚韧、就业市场稳定以及企业投资稳健。不过，企业也仍需应对供应链中断、关税以及整个经济中不断上升的成本压力。

ISM衡量服务业材料和服务价格的指标8月升至72.6，为2022年年中以来最高水平。

虽然当前通货膨胀已远低于2022年的水平，但自2月伊朗战争爆发以来，消费者价格和生产者价格指标均有所上升，并维持在较高水平，给许多企业带来压力。

高物价可能也是企业缩减员工规模的原因之一。ISM就业指标在过去六个月中有五个月显示收缩。

供应商交货时间指标仍处于扩张区间，但降至近一年来最低水平，这可能表明供应瓶颈正在逐步缓解。

Billionaire investor Leon Black sues and declines to testify in House committee’s Epstein investigation

2026-09-03T13:22:06.206Z / CNN

Billionaire investor Leon Black is suing the House committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein to try and block the panel from obtaining his non-disclosure agreements and testimony.

Black’s refusal to turn over the documents and appear for his deposition in front of the House Oversight Committee on Thursday marks a major escalation in the behind-the-scenes back and forth that has been brewing between the two sides for months.

In a letter to the committee obtained by CNN, Black’s attorneys argued that the non-disclosure agreements the panel was seeking were too broad, had no connection to Epstein and disregarded the privacy interests of third parties.

“Congress is not entitled to subpoena documents from a private citizen on the inchoate hope that something useful might show up,” his attorneys wrote.

As a result of the impasse, Black’s team made clear that the billionaire would not be appearing for his scheduled deposition and would be pursuing legal action.

“At this juncture, the parties have an irreconcilable disagreement regarding the scope of any further testimony and production,” they wrote. “The Committee has left Mr. Black with no choice but to avail himself of a legal remedy.”

Black’s attorneys argue in the lawsuit that the congressional subpoenas of him are “invalid.”

“It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said in a statement. “Our deposition is moving forward this morning for the record and there will be an empty chair for Mr. Black. I will speak with our members about next steps.”

Comer, who said that Black also filed a lawsuit against him individually as the chair of the committee, told reporters he supports holding Black in contempt of Congress but wants to discuss how to approach the unprecedented situation with House counsel first because his ultimate goal is securing Black’s testimony and obtaining the multiple NDAs.

“I think we could do contempt right now. And that’s fine with me. But we’re going to consult with our legal team, with the House counsel,” Comer said. “I don’t want to walk into any trap that would somehow let him, through some mistake that we make get out of having to answer questions.”

But Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight panel, said in a statement that the panel should not wait to hold Black in contempt for refusing to appear for his deposition and comply with Congress’ subpoenas.

“By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas. Black gave Jeffrey Epstein over $180 million over six years. He funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. Multiple women have also accused Black of sexual assault. His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable. We must hold him in contempt immediately,” Garcia said.

Black initially appeared for a voluntary interview in June but that ended abruptly when Comer issued two subpoenas after Black refused to answer a series of questions.

Black is one of many influential and wealthy individuals whose past relationships with Epstein have come under further scrutiny since the Justice Department’s release of millions of Epstein files.

In his voluntary closed-door June interview, Black told members of Congress that he did not know the extent of Epstein’s crimes – and that he himself never abused women or had sexual relations with minors, according to a copy of his opening remarks shared by his legal team.

“We want to reiterate that Mr. Black had no awareness of the criminal activities that led to Epstein’s arrest in 2019. Mr. Black never abused a woman. He never was with an underage woman. He never engaged in sex trafficking. He never paid Epstein for access to women. He was never blackmailed by Epstein,” his attorneys wrote in a separate statement announcing the lawsuit.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Hegseth favors Sean Parnell for Army secretary, sources say, but it’s unclear who’s on Trump’s short list

2026-09-03 11:28 EDT / CBS News

By Jennifer Jacobs

Jennifer Jacobs Senior White House reporter
Jennifer Jacobs is a senior White House reporter at CBS News.

Jennifer Jacobs

Updated on: September 3, 2026 / 11:31 AM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told people close to him that Sean Parnell would be his top choice for secretary of the Army, several senior officials told CBS News.

Parnell is currently chief Pentagon spokesperson and a former Army officer.

A Defense Department spokesperson said: “The DOW [Department of War] doesn’t comment on private conversations between administration officials.”

The White House is looking at names for a replacement for Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who has submitted his resignation after months of tension with Hegseth. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is leading the process to name his successor.

Sean Parnell on Aug. 26, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

MAGA begins to crack as 2026 GOP roster backs away from Trump’s tech vision

Fox News poll finds 70% of voters want to hit the brakes on new data center construction in their communities

September 3, 2026 5:00am EDT / Fox News

By Paul Steinhauser

A growing number of Republicans running in this year’s midterm elections are taping the brakes on new AI data center construction following voter backlash.

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With a slew of polls showing that most Americans oppose the construction in their communities of new data centers to power AI, a growing number of Republicans running in this year’s elections are putting daylight between themselves and President Donald Trump.

Trump, a strong proponent of data center development, took to social media Monday to argue that if communities “want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.”

But with GOP strategists warning that data centers have become politically radioactive, some Republicans on the midterm ballot are reversing course, which is a stark shift for a party that previously had fully embraced the burgeoning AI industry.

Seventy percent of voters questioned in a recent Fox News poll said they wanted to hit the brakes on building data centers in their area to support artificial intelligence, with only 30% in favor. Only 40% of Republicans, and 46% of MAGA Republicans supported new data center construction.

CRUCIAL SENATE RACE ERUPTS OVER AI’S MASSIVE ENERGY APPETITE

Fueling the opposition are concerns over rising electricity costs and energy and water consumption.

“I think we need to take a pause, probably, and make sure that we’re answering all the questions that people have on them,” former Rep. Mike Rogers, the GOP Senate nominee in battleground Michigan, said two weeks ago when asked about data center construction.

Rogers, who previously welcomed data center expansion in Michigan, later outlined a one-year moratorium, arguing that “Michigan needs stronger guardrails to protect community control, prevent utility price hikes, protect our water, and stop pay-to-play schemes.”

DEMOCRAT FETTERMAN ALIGNS WITH TRUMP ON AI ARGUMENT

Former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee in Michigan, announces support for a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, on August 20, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.(Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

He’s far from alone.

In Ohio’s crucial Senate race between appointed GOP Sen. Jon Husted and his Democratic challenger, former longtime Sen. Sherrod Brown, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) warned that the issue could help the Democrats flip the seat. Brown and allied groups have shelled out millions of dollars to run ads calling Husted “the face of data centers in Ohio.”

“More than any other thing in this race, data centers are the anchor hanging around Husted’s neck,”the NRSC memo emphasized.

Husted has introduced a Senate bill to stop average Americans from paying for data center energy costs.

BERNIE SANDERS: ‘WE MUST HIT THE PAUSE ON AI BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE’

Volunteers hand out yard signs against a data center complex in Canaan Valley on June 30, 2025, after a public meeting organized by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection regarding an air quality permit application for a gas-fired power plant near Davis, W. Va.(ULYSSE BELLIER/AFP via Getty Images)

The political pushback stretches well beyond Michigan and Ohio.

Texas Attorney General and U.S. Senate nominee Ken Paxton last month unveiled a four-point plan to curb rapid data center growth and address public concerns over resource strain.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican running for a fourth term steering the Lone Star State, halted new data center connections to the state’s power grid pending a comprehensive regulatory audit.

Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy pledged to issue a first-day-in-office executive order halting approval of all new data center projects until his proposed safeguards are enacted.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, the GOP nominee for governor in swing state Wisconsin, has highlighted that he opposes new data centers unless strict conditions are met. Tiffany has made data centers a centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign, slamming his Democratic rival, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, as “Data Center David Crowley.”

Pennsylvania Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity has called for a temporary pause on new and uncontracted major data center developments in her battleground state.

Other Republicans are stopping short of moratoriums. Rep. Byron Donalds, the GOP gubernatorial nominee who opposes bans or moratoriums and whose primary campaign received significant backing from the AI industry, introduced legislation this summer that would require large AI data centers to generate their own power and water rather than draw from public utilities.

COOL YOUR SERVERS: CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL ON AI DATA CENTERS

Trump is standing firm.

The president recently called Abbott’s decision to pump the brakes on data center development a “mistake.”

And Trump, on Monday said, “If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame.”

The president, who has made data centers a key ingredient in winning the AI race with China, argued: “China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement.”

But Trump, at least for now, seems to be giving Republicans some wiggle room.

“If a Republican’s against a data center, that’s OK with me,” Trump said.

Veteran Republican strategist Matt Gorman told Fox News Digital that “Trump is smartly taking the long view of this.”

Gorman said “Republicans on the ballot this year are being responsive to the very real concerns people have,” adding that “these companies and their champions have to do more to make the case.”

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

An Amazon Web Services data center in Aldie, Virginia, on May 31, 2026.(Lexi Critchett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The AI industry is responding to the political backlash.

Build American AI, an industry-aligned group powered by top AI leaders, this week launched a multimillion-dollar public engagement campaign to build support for “clear, strong, and commonsense policies governing the development of the data centers and energy infrastructure.”

It highlighted that the “policies should protect residential ratepayers, safeguard the environment and water resources, require developers to pay their fair share, and preserve the right of every community to decide whether it wants to welcome data center investment.”

“We can protect ratepayers, safeguard our natural resources, respect the right of communities to decide whether they want to welcome this investment, and still build the infrastructure America needs to lead the world in artificial intelligence,” Build American AI added.

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

Her immigrant parents built a NYC grocery store from scratch. Now Mamdani’s experiment could end it

September 3, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News

Josefina Aguirre says the family business her parents built in nearly 30 years ago is now at risk

By Amanda Macias Fox News

Josefina Aguirre, a first-generation American whose family has run its NYC grocery store for nearly 30 years, says Mamdani’s city-run stores could threaten her livelihood and ultimately force her family out of business.

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“It’s going to be $1,” Josefina Aguirre said to a customer, pausing an interview with Fox News Digital inside her family’s Spanish Harlem meat market.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I got a couple of customers. Let’s start over,” Aguirre, a first-generation American, said. “This is me,” she added with a laugh from behind the counter where she has worked for the past 30 years.

Aguirre is among the neighborhood grocers suing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over his plan to open city-backed grocery stores across all five boroughs. He says the plan will offer shoppers prices roughly 30% lower than comparable retailers. Local business owners argue it will force small local-run stores to shutter.

EXPERTS SCORCH MAMDANI’S GROCERY PLAN AS AN ‘ILLUSION’ THAT WILL HAVE TAXPAYERS FOOTING THE BILL

Bodegas and small grocery stores have long been fixtures of New York City neighborhoods, serving generations of residents often just steps from their homes.(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

“When we heard Mamdani was opening a grocery store where people are gonna save 30%, it scares us because we don’t have the money to compete,” Aguirre said.

“I mean, we are New Yorkers, we’re not scared of competition, we never have been, but when you have a grocery store coming in like this, it could take us out of business.”

One of the proposed city-backed stores is set to open next year at La Marqueta, an existing public market just two blocks from Little Mexico, the family business Aguirre’s parents opened in 1997. The city is expected to spend roughly $30 million to build the location, putting a taxpayer-backed competitor practically on Aguirre’s doorstep.

NYC TAXPAYERS COULD PAY TWICE UNDER MAMDANI’S CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORE PLAN

A $30 million city-backed grocery store is opening two blocks from NYC grocer Josefina Aguirre’s family business.(Kendall Rodriguez/Newsday RM/Getty Images)

For generations, bodegas and small grocery stores have been woven into the fabric of New York City neighborhoods, serving customers who often live just blocks away.

Aguirre said the shop, which she now runs with her two sisters, has survived the COVID-19 pandemic, rising rents and competition from big-box retailers such as a nearby Costco. But after nearly three decades in business, Aguirre fears Mamdani’s city-run grocery plan could be the setback her family cannot survive.

“If I’m selling a whole chicken for $13, and he’s giving it for $7, they’re gonna buy the $7 chicken,” Aguirre said. “Who doesn’t want a 30% discount?”

For Aguirre, the stakes extend well beyond losing customers.

“I pay my mortgage from here. I pay for my kid’s tuition. This is what I’ve been doing for over 30 years. Do I need to start over in a new career?”

Aguirre’s concerns are at the heart of a lawsuit brought by a group of New York City grocers challenging Mamdani’s plan, which would use public money and city resources to create competitors they argue private businesses cannot realistically match.

NYC GROCERS SOUND ALARM ON MAMDANI’S SUPERMARKET PLAN: ‘WE’LL LOSE CUSTOMERS’

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made city-owned grocery stores a centerpiece of his affordability agenda, arguing the government-backed model can deliver lower prices to New Yorkers struggling with the rising cost of food.(Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Mamdani has committed $70 million to opening five municipal grocery stores, one in each borough, pitching the model as a way to bring down grocery bills for New Yorkers struggling with the rising cost of food. The stores would operate on city-owned property without having to pay rent or property taxes, advantages Mamdani has argued would allow them to offer lower prices.

Independent grocers argue those same taxpayer-backed advantages would leave businesses like Little Mexico competing on an uneven playing field.

Mamdani’s grocery push is also an early test of his broader socialist vision for New York, bringing government-run stores into direct competition with private businesses in a city synonymous with capitalism.

FROM FREE BUSES TO CITY-OWNED GROCERY STORES, HERE ARE MAMDANI’S KEY ECONOMIC PROMISES

For Aguirre, however, the fight is more personal.

“This is what my parents left us,” Aguirre said. “It’ll be sad to see us leave.”

But walking away from the business her family has spent nearly three decades building is the last outcome she wants.

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“So what will happen next? The next thing would be closing our business, and we don’t want to close, we’ve been here for years,” she said.

Mamdani’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Amanda Macias covers the intersection of business, economics and politics, with a focus on how policy decisions shape markets, businesses and American workers.

Trump’s Army secretary hunt takes shape as insiders float potential picks

September 3, 2026 6:40am EDT / Fox News

Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is also under consideration as Driscoll’s Pentagon exit nears

By Ashley J. DiMella Fox News

The hunt is on for the next secretary of the Army after Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation to the White House, opening a key leadership vacancy atop the nation’s largest military branch.

Driscoll said Wednesday will be his “last full day” serving as Army secretary, adding that serving in the role under President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been “the honor of a lifetime.”

The next Army secretary will inherit a service undergoing a major transformation, with questions over readiness and the Army’s role as the conflict with Iran continues.

ARMY CUTS HELICOPTERS, PUSHES ‘AMAZON FOR WAR’ AS DRONE COMBAT RESHAPES MILITARY

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Sergeant Major of the Army Michael R. Weimer honored Old Dominion University Army ROTC cadets with eight Meritorious Service Medals and two Purple Hearts during a private ceremony on March 22, 2026, recognizing their courage in the March 12 classroom shooting.(Ian Ives/U.S. Army)

Army Undersecretary Mike Obadal could serve as acting secretary once Driscoll’s departure is finalized. A former special operations officer and defense industry executive, Obadal has also taken on a more public-facing role, including speaking at conferences.

In the Trump administration, deputy officials have repeatedly stepped into top leadership roles after resignations or firings— including then-Navy Under Secretary Hung Cao becoming acting Navy secretary after John Phelan’s departure this year.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman and a senior adviser to Hegseth, has emerged as one potential candidate, according to sources.

PENTAGON FIRES BACK AFTER MARK KELLY ACCUSES PETE HEGSETH OF TARGETING WOMEN AND BLACK MILITARY OFFICERS

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon on Mar. 17, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia.(Alex Wong/Getty Images)

“A lot of people inside Office of the Secretary of War want to see Sean Parnell become the next Secretary of the Army because they’ve worked alongside him and know what he brings to the table,” a senior administration official told Fox News Digital.

Parnell, who serves as assistant to the secretary of War for Public Affairs, is a former United States Army captain whose platoon killed over 350 enemy fighters at the height of the Afghan War.

He unsuccessfully ran for the House in 2020 before launching a 2021 campaign for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat, earning Trump’s endorsement. He later suspended his campaign amid domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife, Laurie Snell, which he denied.

HEGSETH TURNS TABLES ON DEMS AS SPARKS FLY DURING HEARING CLASH: ‘I PUT THIS ON YOU’

U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth listen to questions from the press during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David in Maryland, on July 31, 2026.(Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images)

The senior administration official said Parnell understands the Pentagon and the problems inside from military experience paired with his work at the highest levels of the institution.

“He also understands the importance of working alongside General LeNeve, who has been carrying an enormous load to keep the Army moving, and giving the Army Staff the leadership and support they need to get it back on track,” the official said, referring to the acting Army chief of staff.

A senior Pentagon official told Fox News Digital Parnell has “proven time and time again” that he is loyal to the president, citing that Parnell was present at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot.

After the president was removed from the rally, Parnell stayed behind to help others get out, the senior Pentagon official said. Parnell returned with Trump to Butler three months after the assassination attempt.

“Their relationship goes back many, many, years at this point, and it’s not just with the president. It’s also very senior members of the White House that are with the President every single day,” said the senior Pentagon official.

REPUBLICANS DEFY JOHNSON TO ADVANCE DEMOCRAT-BACKED UKRAINE AID

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks Wednesday during a valor upgrade ceremony at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes in Arlington, Va., for U.S. Marines who served at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2021.(Pool / Fox News)

A third senior administration official told Fox News Digital that “Sean Parnell is 100% focused on the job he was appointed to by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.”

Florida Rep. Brian Mast may also be under consideration, a source with knowledge told Fox News Digital. The Trump-endorsed candidate serves as chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and previously served in the Army for 12 years.

Driscoll’s exit comes after reportedly butting heads with Hegseth over concerns with the administration about the Army’s transformation and readiness, including his belief that Hegseth had hindered those efforts, Fox News Digital previously reported.

Parnell defended Hegseth’s leadership and said the department remains united behind his vision.

“Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War and, at President Trump’s direction, has ushered in a new era of Peace Through Strength. Standards and merit are back, our arsenal is stronger than ever before, and morale and recruitment across every service are at all-time highs,” Parnell told Fox News Digital. “Secretary Hegseth has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our warfighters every step of the way.”

“The entire Department is unified behind the Secretary’s vision and will continue working to put our warfighters and America first,” he added.

Democrats and some Republican lawmakers unloaded on Trump and Hegseth over the changes in the Department of War.

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said Hegseth is “creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks” while ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee Jack Reed of Rhode Island said, “Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.”

Navy Secretary John Phelan was ousted in April after reportedly clashing with Hegseth over shipbuilding and management.

FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP TO OPEN DIRECT LINE WITH MILITARY FAMILIES IN GROUND-UP READINESS PUSH

Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on March 31, 2026.(Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

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The White House directed Fox News Digital to DOW when asked for comment.

Fox News Digital reached out to Parnell, Mast, the Army and DOW for comment.

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

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