Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Campaign

Trump ally Ramaswamy to announce 2026 GOP campaign for Ohio governor in one week

Vivek Ramaswamy will launch his 2026 campaign for Ohio governor in one week, sources confirm to Fox News.

The multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur, who went from long shot to contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination before dropping out 13 months ago and becoming a top supporter and surrogate of now-President Donald Trump, will announce his candidacy on Feb. 24 in his hometown of Cincinnati.

Ramaswamy will kick off his campaign – in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine – at CTL Aerospace just outside of Cincinnati. AP was first to report the news.

Sources with knowledge say CTL Aerospace, a privately held company that specializes in aviation repair and original equipment manufacturing, symbolizes Ramaswamy’s push for a new age of growth of industry in Ohio.

RAMASWAMY DONE AT DOGE AS HE HEADS BACK ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to launch a Republican campaign for Ohio governor in the 2026 race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine, is seen arriving at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The candidate is expected to make stops over the following two days in the Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland areas.

Ramaswamy, who’s now 39 years old, launched his presidential campaign in February 2023 and quickly saw his stock rise.

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He campaigned on what he called an “America First 2.0” agenda and was one of Trump’s biggest supporters in the field of rivals, calling Trump the “most successful president in our century.”

Ramaswamy dropped his White House bid in January of last year after a distant fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses and quickly endorsed Trump, becoming a staple for the former and future president on the campaign trail during the general election.

Vivek Ramaswamy endorses former President Donald Trump during a campaign event in Atkinson, New Hampshire, on Jan. 16, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump, in the days after his November presidential election victory, named Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, along with Ramaswamy, to steer the Department of Government Efficiency initiative, which is better known by its acronym DOGE.

But late last month, as Trump was inaugurated, the new administration announced that Ramaswamy was no longer serving at DOGE. Ramaswamy’s exit appeared to clear the way for Musk, Trump’s top donor and key ally, to steer DOGE without having to share the limelight.

“It was my honor to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!,” Ramaswamy wrote at the time.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were named by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Ramaswamy and Musk sparked a firestorm among Trump’s hard core MAGA supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas for highly skilled workers from foreign countries. Ramaswamy’s comments criticizing an American culture that he said “venerated mediocrity over excellence” received plenty of pushback from some leading voices on the right as well as some in Trump’s political circle.

DeWine announced last month that Lt. Gov. Jon Husted would fill the U.S. Senate seat that was held by JD Vance, Trump’s 2024 running mate, until he stepped down ahead of the inauguration.

Before the Senate announcement, Husted had planned to run for governor in 2026 to succeed DeWine. Ramaswamy, for his part, had expressed interest in serving in the Senate.

Gov. Mike DeWine announces his appointment of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to fill the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by JD Vance, on Jan. 17, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth)

DeWine’s decision to choose Husted to fill the vacant Senate seat appeared to accelerate Ramaswamy’s move toward launching a run for governor.

Top members of Vance’s political team – including advisors Andy Surabian and Jai Chabria, who played major roles in Vance’s 2022 Senate race and in his vice presidential campaign last summer and autumn – are helping Ramaswamy as he runs for governor.

Tony Fabrizio, the veteran Republican pollster who worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 campaigns, as well as Vance’s 2022 Senate campaign, is also on board, as is Arthur Schwartz, a close ally to Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

The race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination could be competitive. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, 68, announced last month his candidacy for governor.

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“This is my heart, my home,” Yost said in a press release announcing his candidacy. “I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I’m thinking about them and our future.”

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost speaks at the Columbiana County Lincoln Day Dinner in Salem, Ohio, on March 15, 2024. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Yost also brought in staff from Trump’s political world, announcing that former Trump campaign official Justin Clark had joined the campaign as a general consultant.

Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a well-known former Ohio State University head football coach who was sworn in last month to succeed Husted, appears to be mulling a gubernatorial run.

Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is currently the only Democrat in the race.

Ohio, which was once a top general election battleground, has shifted red over the past decade as Republicans have dominated statewide elections.

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Ramaswamy was raised in Evendale, Ohio, in suburban Cincinnati by parents who emigrated from India. His father worked as an engineer at General Electric Aviation and his mother was a geriatric psychiatrist. Ramaswamy and his family currently live in suburban Columbus.

The soon-to-be candidate filed paperwork on Friday with the Ohio secretary of state’s office ahead of his campaign launch.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

February 17, 2025
Punjab Police’s Valentine’s Week campaign on fake news attracts audiences in North America, Australia and NZ | Chandigarh News

You can take a Punjabi out of Punjab but you cannot make him forget the Punjab Police. This could be why the Punjab Police anti-fake news drive during Valentine’s Week attracted large audiences from the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The campaign aimed to educate people on the dangers of misinformation and the importance of verifying news before sharing it online.

The Punjab Police have lately focused on cyber campaigns to enhance the reach of public safety messages and have a dedicated team that prepares internet campaigns.

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A viewer engagement and demographic analysis done by the Punjab Police on their online campaign showed that very heavy traffic was generated from overseas.

“With widespread visibility and participation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and WhatsApp, the initiative sparked important conversations on responsible digital behaviour. The campaign went viral across WhatsApp groups, amplifying the message to think before forwarding unverified information,” said a senior officer involved in the campaign.

The data underscores a strong connection with younger demographics across Punjab and key diaspora communities, validating the campaign’s strategic impact, he added.

Police officers said a high viewership was also recorded across Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Urban centres like Chandigarh and Ludhiana led in interactions.

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“A growing interest was noted in the Middle East and the United States, presenting expansion opportunities. The audience comprised 65 per cent males and 35 per cent females, indicating a need for more gender-balanced content. The highest viewership in Punjab was observed in Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali, Jalandhar, and Amritsar. There was a strong resonance with individuals aged 18-35, emphasizing the importance of youth-centric messaging,” an officer said.

The Punjab Police have lately cultivated an increased social media presence to strengthen community relations and enhance public safety. Their platforms serve as channels for real-time updates, public advisories, and community outreach.

“The aim of the newly focussed digital strategy is to support swift communication during emergencies but also promote proactive engagement with citizens, contributing to a more informed and resilient community,” a senior officer said.

According to senior officials, the week-long initiative generated 11-12 million impressions, reinforcing the importance of media literacy and responsible social media use.

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“The Punjab Police will continue leveraging digital platforms to combat fake news, promote cyber awareness, and strengthen public trust. Citizens are encouraged to engage with official sources, think critically before sharing information, and report any misleading content to authorities. To report fake news or seek assistance, dial 112,” said an officer involved in cyber strategy.

February 17, 2025
Cuomo gets key endorsement in possible NYC mayoral campaign against Adams

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Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has responded after a prominent ex-official endorsed him to run for mayor of New York City against incumbent first-termer Eric Adams.

Former state comptroller Carl McCall, 89, released an open letter backing Cuomo on Saturday. Cuomo has not formally declared his candidacy in the race, though he is polling as the top potential challenger to Adams in June’s primary.

In response to the letter, Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid scandals connected to COVID-19 nursing home deaths and sexual harassment claims, acknowledged the history that he and his family share with McCall.

“Carl and I have a special bond that starts before me. I first had the pleasure of meeting Carl when I was in my early 20s when he worked with my father, the late Mario Cuomo, as the state’s human rights commissioner and together the two fought to make New York a fairer, more just place for all who live here.”

NEW YORK CITY TO SUE TRUMP ADMIN OVER REVOKED $80M IN FEMA MIGRANT SHELTER FUNDING FOR NEW YORK CITY

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo arrives to testify before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in the Rayburn House Office Building at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

“In these divisive and troubling times, his voice is needed more than ever – for his is one of moral clarity, experience and guided by what is right for the people above all else,” Cuomo wrote Saturday.

“Today, in these uncertain times, and after more than four decades of friendship and counsel, I thank him for his faith in me and for his advice, trust and confidence,” Cuomo said. “His sentiments are both humbling and deeply meaningful.”

In his letter, McCall did not cite Adams by name, but he appeared to indirectly slam how the Justice Department on Friday asked a court to dismiss corruption charges against Adams that were filed during the Biden administration. Adams met with President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, last week, agreeing to work together as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cracks down on criminal illegal immigrants.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MOVES TO DROP CASE AGAINST NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS

“Donald Trump wants us to fail as a community. For that reason, the leadership of New York City has rarely, if ever, been as vital as it is today,” McCall wrote. “The Mayor of New York must not only have the competence and capacity to manage the City’s real challenges, but the mayor must have the ability to defend our city and demonstrate a powerful counterbalance to President Trump. The people of New York cannot be represented by someone whose loyalty to the city is compromised — we deserve a Mayor of New York to be for New York.”

New York Democratic gubernatorial candidates Carl McCall and Andrew Cuomo at an event supporting the raising of the state minimum wage on May 2, 2002. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

McCall, a Black elder statesman who once ran in a contentious gubernational primary against Cuomo in 2002, turned on Adams, who is New York City’s second Black mayor. McCall endorsed Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign.

“I have never publicly urged a candidate to run for office. But I have never before felt it so necessary to use my voice,” McCall wrote Saturday. “For these reasons, I urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to run for Mayor of the City of New York and I offer my full support.”

“I’ve known Andrew for over 40 years. Some might be surprised that I am supporting Andrew so strongly and so early,” the letter continued. “But despite how it is sometimes framed in the press, we were never political adversaries: twenty years ago, we were competing candidates who shared then and share now the same core values of what is right and wrong and sought to make New York a better place.”

“More than anyone else, Andrew is the leader we need and the leader we deserve,” McCall wrote.

Despite still not having declared a mayoral bid, Cuomo released a campaign-style video on Valentine’s Day, in which he told senior citizens, “I missed you,” and declaring that “the strongest four-letter word is not hate, it’s love.”

Democratic politician Carl McCall was elected as New York Comptroller in 1994. (Bob Berg/Getty Images)

Albany politicians have questioned Adams’ independence from Trump after the DOJ asked that the corruption charges be dropped, and some prosecutors resigned amid allegations of a quid pro quo agreement.

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In response, Adams said Friday on X, “I want to be crystal clear with New Yorkers: I never offered — nor did anyone offer on my behalf — any trade of my authority as your mayor for an end to my case. Never.”

February 16, 2025
Vivek Ramaswamy campaign files mandatory paperwork ahead of Ohio gov. bid

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Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign filed paperwork to begin his widely-expected run for governor of Ohio, Fox News Digital can confirm.

The venture capitalist’s campaign filed its Designation of Treasurer form with Ohio’s Secretary of State on Friday. The form is a requirement before a candidate’s campaign committee makes any expenditures or receives contributions.

The filing represents an official registration for Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial committee. While the filing was made under the name “Vivek Ramaswamy For Ohio” and online records did not note an explicit reference to the gubernatorial bid, Ramaswamy has been heavily hinting about the Ohio governor’s race, which will take place in 2026. Current Gov. Mike DeWine is ineligible to run, having taken office in 2019.

The filing comes nearly a month after it was revealed that Ramaswamy left President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative. In a statement to Fox News, Trump-Vance transition spokesperson Anna Kelly said that Ramaswamy “played a critical role in helping us create DOGE.”

MUSK AND RAMASWAMY IGNITE MAGA WAR OVER SKILLED WORKER IMIMGRATION

Vivek Ramaswamy speaks before Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage at the campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on October 27, 2024 in New York City. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE, based on the structure that we announced today,” Kelly explained. “We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last 2 months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again.”

Ramaswamy’s exit from DOGE came after he and Tesla CEO Elon Musk polarized Trump supporters over their support for H-1B temporary worker visas. At the time, Ramaswamy addressed his departure by saying it was an “honor” to help create DOGE.

“I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government,” he said. “I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!”

TOP JD VANCE POLITICAL ADVISORS TO STEER RAMASWAMY RUN FOR OHIO GOVERNOR

Then-Republican presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at the Republican Party’s First in the Nation Leadership Summit in Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S., October 13, 2023. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

Republican leaders have endorsed Ramaswamy in recent weeks, including GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. In a post, Blackburn said that Ramaswamy has “a servant’s heart and a brilliant entrepreneurial mind.”

“The people of Ohio would be well served by his leadership, and if he chooses to run, he’ll have my full support,” the Tennessee Republican wrote.

Lee said that he was sure Ramaswamy would win a gubernatorial race in the Buckeye State and that he would “transform Ohio for the better.”

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Vivek Ramaswamy gestures from the stage on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

“The results will benefit Ohioans—and Americans—for generations I’m honored to have worked with @VivekGRamaswamy, and I support him wholeheartedly,” Lee’s X post read.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, Alex Nitzberg and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

February 15, 2025
Saquon Barkley gifts Eagles offensive linemen trucks of Bud Light after his record-breaking campaign

Saquon Barkley did all of the running, but he knows he had some assists during his record-breaking campaign.

During Super Bowl LIX, the Philadelphia Eagles running back set the all-time record for the most rushing yards in a single season, including the playoffs, with 2,504 yards on the ground.

During an appearance this week on “The Tonight Show,” Barkley said that his offensive linemen had to be in attendance — but ahead of their Super Bowl parade, he perhaps gave the best gift of all.

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Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates his touchdown with Lane Johnson as Mekhi Becton looks on during the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Jan. 26. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Barkley gave each of his offensive linemen their own truckload of Bud Light.

Barkley dominated all season, much to New York Giants fans’ chagrin. After the Giants opted to move on from him, he became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards during the regular season. Had he not rested in Week 18, he very well could have broken former running back Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship parade on Friday. (Damian Giletto/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ASKS EAGLES FANS TO ‘CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY’ AT PARADE AFTER SLEW OF CHAOTIC TURNS

The superstar running back joined the Eagles on a three-year deal this past offseason, and it’s proving to be perhaps their best move in recent memory. Out of his 20 games played, he rushed for 100-plus yards 12 times and eclipsed the 200-yard mark twice.

His regular season earned him Offensive Player of the Year honors — it was the first time that running backs earned the award in back-to-back seasons since 2005 and 2006, when Shaun Alexander and LaDanian Tomlinson won the hardware, respectively (Christian McCaffrey won it last year).

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

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Barkley ran for only 57 yards in the Super Bowl on Sunday, a rare bright spot for the Kansas City Chiefs — but he’s the one who came out with the Lombardi Trophy.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

February 14, 2025
‘I will not rest’: Border state gubernatorial hopeful launches campaign weeks after Trump backed her

FIRST ON FOX: Arizona Republican Karrin Taylor Robson launched her comeback gubernatorial bid on Wednesday, setting up a likely showdown between her and another pro-Trump Republican running to take on the incumbent Democrat governor next year.

Robson, a small business owner and lawyer, launched her campaign with a new ad centered on President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and her desire to help take back her state from incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Robson lost her primary bid in 2022 to Trump-backed Republican nominee Kari Lake, who would go on to narrowly lose the gubernatorial race to Hobbs. However, Robson garnered early support from Trump less than two months ago during his visit to Arizona as president-elect.

TRUMP’S HOUSE ALLIES UNVIEL BILL ‘HAND IN HAND’ WITH DOGE CRACKDOWN

President Donald Trump said less than two months ago that Karrin Taylor Robson would have his “support” if she ran for governor. (Fox News)

“I thank President Trump for his strong endorsement and look forward to working with him to secure our border and make Arizona safe again,” Robson said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. “Katie Hobbs has made it harder to live, work, and raise a family safely in this state. Like President Trump, I know how to create jobs. And like President Trump, I will not rest until our border is secure and Arizona families are safe,” she continued.

“Katie Hobbs and Joe Biden’s insane agenda has made life more expensive and dangerous,” Robson stated. “I will fight every day alongside President Trump for stronger borders, a stronger economy, and a stronger Arizona.

President Trump said Robson would have his support if she ran for governor while he was delivering remarks at Turning Point Action’s AmericaFest in December.

“Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin, ’cause if you do you’re gonna have my support, OK?” Trump said at the time.

TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF VOUGHT TELLS GOP SENATORS $175B NEEDED ‘IMMEDIATELY’ FOR BORDER SECURITY

This undated photo provided by the Karrin for Arizona Campaign, shows Karrin Taylor Robson. (Karrin For Arizona Campaign via AP)

Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as a “toss-up,” likely making it one of the most competitive races in the upcoming midterms. Border security and the economy are expected to be among the top issues in the state, as the Grand Canyon State is on the frontlines of the major policy changes of the new White House.

Despite a bitter primary battle in 2022, Robson ultimately endorsed Lake and Trump in their general election campaigns in 2024.

However, supporters of Rep. Andy Biggs hope that the president will shift gears and back his campaign instead, given his strong political agreements with him.

The congressman, who helped lead the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has so far gained the endorsements of Reps. Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar and Eli Crane.

“Andy Biggs is the greatest thing since sliced bread,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said on X last week. “Arizonans, do yourselves a big favor and elect this man as your next governor!”

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., speaks at a press conference on the debt limit and the Freedom Caucus’s plan for spending reduction at the U.S. Capitol on March 28, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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Meanwhile, the “Building A Better Arizona PAC” launched last month backing Robson, who formerly served on the Arizona Board of Regents. Former Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham and former Arizona Senate President Karen Fann created the group.

The primary is Aug. 4, 2026. It’s unclear if Hobbs will face a major challenger in the Democratic primary.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but they did not respond in time for publication.

February 12, 2025
Iran’s campaign trail threats against Trump more serious than publicly reported, book claims

Iran’s assassination threats against Donald Trump have loomed over the president in recent days and are more serious than publicly reported, an upcoming book claims.

Axios reporter Isaac Isenstadt’s upcoming book, “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power,” claims that law enforcement officials warned Trump in 2024 that Iran had placed operatives in the U.S. with access to surface-to-air missiles and that Trump’s orbit worried Iran would try to take out “Trump Force One” as it was taking off or landing while on the campaign trail. Isenstadt previewed his book in an Axios article published Sunday.

The reported threats and concern of Iran’s threats against Trump hit a fever pitch in September 2024, when a second assassination attempt was thwarted at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the book claims. Isenstadt reported that his book is based on his conversations with Trump’s “inner circle during his campaign.”

Fast-forward to Trump’s second presidency in 2025, the 47th president already has issued stern warnings against Iran. Trump said while signing an executive order imposing maximum pressure on Tehran earlier in February that he left special instructions if something were to happen to him.

During his first term in the Oval Office, Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, and reapplied crippling economic sanctions on Iran, escalating tensions between Trump and the nation.

TRUMP’S CUTS TO FOREIGN AID COULD BENEFIT US POSITION IN IRAN NEGOTIATIONS, EXPERT SAYS

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Donald Trump (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/West Asia News Agency | Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

“That would be a terrible thing for them to do,” Trump said on Feb. 4 of Iran potentially attempting to assassinate him. “If they did that, they would be obliterated. That would be the end.… There won’t be anything left.”

Trump survived two assassination attempts while on the campaign trail in 2024, including the Pennsylvania attempt that left him with an injury to his ear as suspect Thomas Crooks opened fire on the crowd of Trump supporters in July. The Pennsylvania attempt has not been connected to Iran.

The suspect behind the Florida attempt, Ryan Wesley Routh, wrote a book in 2023 urging Iran to assassinate Trump, the Associated Press reported in September 2024.

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER SAYS NUCLEAR TALKS WITH TRUMP ADMIN WOULD NOT BE ‘WISE’

Following the second attempt in Florida, Isenstadt’s book, which will be released March 18, claims Trump’s team was on high alert, including his security detail putting Trump on a “Trump Force One” decoy plane owned by Steve Witkoff to travel to an event shortly after the attempt. The co-chairs of the campaign at the time, current chief of staff Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, split up, with Wiles traveling with Trump on the decoy plane and LaCivita on Trump Force One.

“The boss ain’t riding with us today,” LaCivita reportedly told staffers on the flight. “We had to put him into another plane. This is nothing but a sort of test for how things may happen in the future.”

Staffers on Trump Force One reportedly worried they would be “collateral damage” if the plane had been taken down, the book alleges.

Three aides told Isenstadt that the flight was packed with “gallows humor galore” as staffers reportedly realized the severity of an alleged threat, dubbing the trip as the “Ghost Flight” and remarking the alleged threat was “some serious s—.”

Frmer President Donald Trump is rushed offstage after being shot during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the excerpts from Isenstadt’s book, but did not immediately receive a reply.

TRUMP’S LATEST HIRES AND FIRES RANKLE IRAN HAWKS AS NEW PRESIDENT SUGGESTS NUCLEAR DEAL

Trump’s campaign continued to face reported threats and scares following the second assassination attempt, including the Secret Service warning that a person might attempt to shoot at Trump’s motorcade after a Long Island rally on Sept. 18, 2024. In a separate incident, Secret Service agents shot a drone with an electromagnetic gun from a sunroof in one of the cars in Trump’s motorcade during a Pennsylvania campaign trip in September 2024, the book claimed.

Former President Donald Trump is assisted by the Secret Service agents in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

“Don’t f—ing hang out the window and take photos, because you’re a f—ing target,” LaCivita reportedly told longtime Trump advisor Dan Scavino during one trip on Trump Force One.

IF IRAN ATTEMPTS ASSASSINATION, ‘THEY GET OBLITERATED’: PRESIDENT TRUMP

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in January that his country “never” plotted to assassinate Trump, adding “we never will.”

The Justice Department announced in November 2024 that it thwarted an Iranian attempt to assassinate Trump, charging an alleged Iranian government asset in the murder-for-hire plot.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in January that his country “never” plotted to assassinate Trump, adding “we never will.” (Iranian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

As for the two assassination attempts during the campaign cycle, Trump instructed the Secret Service to hand over “every bit of information” related to the Florida and Pennsylvania incidents, he told the New York Post recently, arguing the Biden administration held back details.

“I want to find out about the two assassins,” the president told the New York Post Friday. “Why did the one guy have six cellphones, and why did the other guy have [foreign] apps?”

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“I’m entitled to know. And they held it back long enough,” he continued, referring to the Biden administration’s handling of information on the attempts. “No more excuses.”

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, Diana Stancy and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

February 10, 2025
First on Fox: Senate GOP campaign committee looks to streamline operations to hold majority in 2026

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EXCLUSIVE: Republicans are showcasing their “team effort” as they aim to defend and expand their Senate majority in the 2026 midterm elections.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, unveiled its new vice chair program as the panel held its annual winter meeting this past weekend in Palm Beach, Florida.

According to sources attending the event, who shared details first with Fox News Digital, the five vice chairs serving under NRSC Chair Sen. Tim Scott will operate as an informal board of directors, providing ideas, oversight and accountability as the committee works to expand its services and seeks to modernize and become more streamlined.

“We’re one team. President Donald J. Trump and Senate Republicans are united to deliver for the American people and protect our Senate majority. The team effort is stronger than ever thanks to this tremendous group of Vice Chairs who have stepped up to raise the resources and build the organization needed to win,” Scott said at the winter meeting.

SENATE REPUBLICANS JUMP OUT TO FAST START IN THIS KEY CAMPAIGN METRIC

President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner with Senate Republicans at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Scott was named NRSC chair for the 2026 cycle soon after Republicans, in November’s elections, flipped four seats from blue to red to win back control of the Senate and hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber.

The five vice chairs, previously announced by Scott, are Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Katie Britt of Alabama, Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska.

TRUMP-BACKED 2024 GOP SENATE NOMINEE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE MOVING TOWARDS ANOTHER RUN IN 2026

During a panel discussion this past weekend with Majority Whip Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the vice chairs highlighted their pledge to help Scott protect incumbents facing difficult re-elections in the upcoming midterm elections, and to raise the resources needed to win.

“Each of these Vice Chairs contributes their unique experiences and passions to the fight to defend our incumbents, raise resources, and recruit top tier talent in the seats we want to flip,” Barasso emphasized.

National Republican Senatorial Committee vice chairs, from left to right, Sens. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Jim Banks of Indiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, and Katie Britt of Alabama, join Senate Majority Whip Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming at a panel discussion at the NRSC winter meeting, in Palm Beach, Florida. (NRSC)

Among the vice chairs’ duties going forward are holding regular meetings to discuss and review NRSC budget items, fundraising progress and relevant political updates,

They also pledged to each raise $5 million for the committee, help with candidate recruitment and take part in a new incumbent protection program, in which each vice chair will be responsible for walking alongside four to five Senate Republicans up for re-election in 2026.

“Failure isn’t an option, and that’s why I am committed to this role – to making sure the NRSC wins in battleground states and keeps the Majority so we can continue working with President Trump to turn Promises Made into Promises Kept,” Britt said.

MEET THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE GOP’S SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026

Blackburn emphasized that “I’m committed to working with our incumbents to develop aggressive new media strategies. We will deliver our message of prosperity and opportunity through as many platforms as possible and meet the American people where they are.”

Banks highlighted that “it’s critical we leverage every resource available to protect and expand our Senate majority. Senate Republicans and President Trump are unified. I’m ready to make sure we’re using every tool we have to win and continue delivering for the American people.”

Moreno stressed that “it’s essential we hold our majority in 2026 to ensure President Trump has allies for four full years in the Senate.”

Additionally, Ricketts pledged that the vice chairs “will ensure the NRSC has the resources necessary to protect and expand our majority.”

Senate Republicans enjoyed a very favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they won back control of the majority. An early read of the 2026 map shows they will continue to play offense in some states, but will be forced to play defense in others.

The GOP will target an open Democrat-held seat in battleground Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters announced two weeks ago that he would not seek re-election in 2026. They will also target first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff in battleground Georgia and longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in swing state New Hampshire.

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However, Democrats plan to go on offense in blue-leaning Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins is up for re-election, as well as in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is also up in 2026.

February 10, 2025
Valentine’s Day Fraud: Cyber Police Warns Against Romance Scams, Launches ‘Romance Scam Prevention Week’ Online Campaign To Protect People

Ranchi, February 7: As Valentine’s Week starts with promises of love, roses, and heartfelt commitments, cybercriminals are also gearing up to exploit emotions for financial fraud. Amidst the celebration of romance, authorities are stepping up efforts to protect people from falling victim to “romance scams.” To counter these digital deceptions, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Union Home Ministry, has launched a special awareness campaign on social media, running parallel to Valentine’s Week.

Using the hashtag #RomanceScamPreventionWeek, officials are spreading crucial information to help people identify and avoid online scams disguised as love. The Jharkhand Police has also joined the initiative, posting alerts on its official social media handles. One of the campaign’s eye-catching posters, shared on the I4C X handle, poses a thought-provoking question: “What will you do if your online sweetheart asks you for money? Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: Over 73.90 Crore ABHA IDs Created Under ABDM To Boost Health Services, Says Health Ministry.

The post further warns: “This romance season, don’t get duped in the name of love! Join Cyber Dost in Romance Scam Prevention Week and learn how to outsmart scammers.” Authorities are urging people to stay vigilant and report fraud immediately by calling 1930 or lodging a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. A cyber police officer in Ranchi highlighted a recent case where a woman fell prey to a romance scam. She met a man through a matrimonial site, exchanged numbers, and began building a connection. PhonePe Group Exits Account Aggregator Business, Plans To Partner With Other AAs To Drive Financial Inclusion in India.

The man planned a visit to Ranchi, but just before their meeting, he claimed he was detained at Delhi airport and needed urgent financial help. Believing his story, she transferred Rs 7 lakh — only to realise later that his profile had vanished without a trace. With online romance on the rise, the cyber police’s message is clear — Trust your heart, but verify with your mind. Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment — because in the digital world, not every love story is real.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2025 05:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

February 7, 2025
Newsom changes tone on Trump from campaign rhetoric with federal wildfire recovery funds at stake

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Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has long been a leading adversary, and target, of President Donald Trump.

But the governor of the nation’s most populous state, one of the Democratic Party’s leaders in the resistance against the second Trump administration and a potential White House contender in 2028, is leaving politics aside as he feverishly works to secure more federal assistance for people and businesses devastated by last month’s deadly wildfires in metropolitan Los Angeles.

“Thank you, President Trump, for coming to our communities to see this firsthand and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted,” Newsom said in a statement on Wednesday evening after his huddle with the president at the White House.

In a video posted on social medial, the governor said, “So, here at the White House. Just finished a meeting with President Trump. Had a very successful day up on Capitol Hill as well, meeting in a bipartisan manner with Republican and Democratic leaders about disaster aid and disaster recovery for people impacted by the fires in Southern California.”

FRENEMIES: NEWSOM COMES HAT IN HAND TO MEET TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE

Newsom described his meetings with Trump and members of Congress as “the spirit of collaboration and cooperation … defined.”

The governor’s trip was his first to Washington, D.C., since Trump took over in the White House and is part of his effort to secure additional federal funding to aid in wildfire recovery from the destructive blazes that killed 29 people, destroyed over 12,000 homes and forced tens of thousands to evacuate.

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

Late last month, the governor approved $2.5 billion for fire recovery work, which he hopes will be reimbursed by the federal government.

And the state will likely need much more help from the federal government because the bill to cover rebuilding costs is expected to reach into the tens of billions of dollars.

The aftermath of a wildfire in Pacific Palisades and along Pacific Coast Highway Jan. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)

Newsom, after his meeting with Trump and his crisscrossing of Capitol Hill, emphasized that “we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and cleanup efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift. We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need.”

Relations between Newsom and Trump haven’t always been so harmonious.

Their animosity dates back to before Trump was elected president the first time in 2016, when Newsom was California’s lieutenant governor.

NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP’S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER HE POINTED FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY

And while they did seek common ground at times during Trump’s first term in the White House, the verbal fireworks resumed over the past two years as Newsom served as a top surrogate on the campaign trail for former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democrats’ 2024 standard-bearer last summer.

Newsom regularly criticized Trump, and the former and future president handily returned the favor, treating Newsom and heavily blue California as a political punching bag.

After Trump’s convincing election victory over Harris in November, Newsom moved to “Trump-proof” his heavily blue state.

“He is using the term ‘Trump-Proof’ as a way of stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again,’ but I just overwhelmingly won the Election,” Trump responded.

But Newsom followed through, and earlier this week, California lawmakers approved $25 million in legal funding proposed by the Democratic governor to challenge actions by the Trump administration. And the legislature also allocated another $25 million for legal groups to defend undocumented immigrants facing possible deportation by new Trump administration efforts.

President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom walk to speak to reporters after the president arrived on Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles Jan. 24, 2025. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

After the outbreak of the fires early last month, Trump repeatedly criticized Newsom’s handling of the crisis. He has accused the governor of mismanaging forestry and water policy and, pointing to intense backlash over a perceived lack of preparation, called on Newsom to step down.

“Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump charged in a social media post Jan. 8, repeating a derogatory name he often labels the governor.

Trump also placed blame for the deadly wildfires on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, another Democrat, and the policies approved by state lawmakers. In an executive order issued last month, he described management of the state’s land and water resources as “disastrous.”

Newsom pushed back. Disputing Trump, the governor noted that reservoirs in the southern part of California were full when the fires first sparked, and he has argued that no amount of water could tackle fires fueled by winds of up to 100 miles per hour.

Newsom also claimed Trump spread “hurricane-force winds of mis- and disinformation.”

But when Trump arrived in Los Angeles late last month to survey the first damage — just four days after his inauguration as president — the governor greeted him at the airport.

“Thank you first for being here. It means a great deal to all of us,” Newsom told Trump as he greeted the president upon his arrival in Los Angeles last month. “We’re going to need your support. We’re going to need your help.”

The president declared that “we’re looking to get something completed. And the way you get it completed is to work together.”

Ahead of his stop in Los Angeles, Trump had threatened to withhold wildfire aid until certain stipulations were met in California, including changes to water policy and requiring an ID to vote.

President Donald Trump talks with California Gov. Gavin Newsom after arriving on Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles Jan. 24, 2025. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

“It wasn’t discussed, and I hope we can move beyond that,” Newsom said Thursday when asked in a CNN interview about any conditions for federal aid Trump may have demanded.

“Some of the conditions that were being bandied about just seemed to be, for me, a little bit of noise, a little bit political. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.”

Newsom has also stepped back in recent weeks in pushing back against Trump’s zingers.

Following Trump’s orders, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last week opened two dams in Central California, letting roughly 2.2 billion gallons of water flow out of reservoirs.

Trump celebrated the move in posts on Truth Social Friday and Sunday, declaring, “the water is flowing in California,” and adding the water was “heading to farmers throughout the State, and to Los Angeles.”

But water experts argued that the newly released water won’t flow to Los Angeles, and it is being wasted by being released during California’s normally wet winter season.

Newsom, apparently aiming to rebuild the working relationship he had with Trump during the president’s first term in the White House, didn’t raise any objections to the water release.

“For Newsom, it’s not just the last disaster, it’s the next one. Because when you are governor of California, you know in the not too distant future there will be more wildfires, or floods or earthquakes, and he’s going to need help from the federal government,” Jack Pitney, a veteran California-based political scientist at Claremont McKenna College, emphasized.

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Pitney argued that “whatever [Newsom] thinks about Trump, he needs the president’s help.”

But looking ahead, he noted that Newsom is “termed out in two years. So, once he’s no longer governor, he can be as partisan and anti-Trump as he wants. But, for now, that has to be on hold.”

February 6, 2025