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USPS wouldn't deliver ballots in states that refuse to fork over mail-in voter info under proposed rule
U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner indicated to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters, D-Mich., during a Wednesday hearing that under a proposed rule, if a state declined to furnish the federal government with its absentee voter list, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) would not mail election ballots in that state.
Peters asked Steiner whether, under the proposal, the USPS would mail ballots from a state that "refuses" to provide the federal government with the state's absentee voter list.
"Under our proposed regulation, no," Steiner said.
DHS APPROVES PLAN TO VERIFY VOTER CITIZENSHIP, MONITOR MAIL BALLOTS AS TRUMP PUSH INTENSIFIES
"All that does, senator, is make sure that we match the ballots that a state believes they're sending out to what actually gets sent out," he said.
Part of the proposed rule, which pertains to federal election balloting, would create a process in which states "will notify the Postal Service of the individuals to whom they are mailing a mail-in or absentee ballot, along with the unique barcode applied to the outbound and return ballot mail envelope for such individuals such that the name and barcode of the voter will be included on a Mail-In and Absentee Participation List," according to the text of the proposal.
The states "may thereafter add to or modify the list of enrollees until the last day that ballots may be mailed out to individuals under state law," the proposal notes, adding that "the Postal Service will provide to each state's chief election official a final State-Specific Mail-In and Absentee Participation List for each state compiling the names of all enrolled individuals in such state, along with the barcodes associated with such individuals' mail-in or absentee ballots."
USPS REVEALS SHOCKING NUMBER OF DOG ATTACKS ON MAIL CARRIERS, ISSUES URGENT WARNING TO PET OWNERS
Peters said the "effort by this administration to nationalize elections and have the federal government having this information is incredibly dangerous precedent."
"We need to protect the integrity of the voting rolls. We need to protect the separation of elections from federal government and ensure that our state and local governments are the one administering their own elections," he declared.
POSTAL SERVICE CAN'T BE SUED FOR INTENTIONALLY NOT DELIVERING MAIL, SUPREME COURT RULES IN 5-4 SPLIT
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Former Las Vegas youth pastor accused of murder in death of wife at Zion National Park
U.S. Marshals arrested former youth pastor David Vander Meer on Monday after prosecutors charged him with murder and insurance fraud connected to his wife Bernadette Vander Meer's 2006 death in Zion National Park.
Investigators had originally closed the case but relaunched it last year after Barry Diamond, a senior pastor at a church where Vander Meer had worked, allegedly expressed he didn't believe the death was an accident, according to the probable cause affidavit.
"At the time, due to a lack of evidence, and limited investigation, Bernadette Vander Meer’s fall was ruled an accident and the case was closed — although investigators felt the circumstances were suspicious," the affidavit reads.
A little over 17 months before Bernadette's Aug. 22, 2006, death, David Vander Meer took out a life insurance policy for himself and Bernadette, each worth $150,000. Eight months later in November 2005, Vander Meer increased the policies by $400,000 each, the affidavit read.
HIKER FALLS TO HIS DEATH AT ZION NATIONAL PARK IN UTAH: 'WAS BEYOND HELP'
Vander Meer submitted a claim for the policy in November 2006, once his wife's death was ruled an accident. In July 2007, he received a $567,439 payment. He reportedly spent the money lavishly on cars and all-expenses-paid trips for romantic partners, according to the affidavit.
At the time of Bernadette's death, Vander Meer said his wife fell off the edge of a cliff while the pair were hiking in Utah's Zion National Park.
Vander Meer claimed he went to clear obstructions to a camera he had set up to take a photo of the pair when his wife fell and that he "heard her scream as she fell," the affidavit reads. Bernadette's father doubted this account.
2 MYSTERY DEATHS AT ZION NATIONAL PARK PROMPT URGENT QUESTIONS ABOUT VISITOR SAFETY
"I did a lot of hiking with her," her father, Richard Gudenkauf, told the Las Vegas Review Journal. "She was a mountain goat. For her to fall off a cliff? No."
In April 2022, investigators received a tip from a former member of Vander Meer's youth group who claimed he used "his position of special trust to groom kids."
The tipster, identified in the affidavit only as "SH," told a sheriff's detective she had been in a sexual relationship with Vander Meer when she was 16, the affidavit alleges.
SOUTH CAROLINA PASTOR FACES NEW ALLEGATIONS MONTHS AFTER WIFE’S SUICIDE DEATH, FBI RAID ON HOME
The tipster claims she broke the relationship off the night before Bernadette's death because she "felt it was wrong," according to the affidavit.
After Diamond's statement prompted investigators to reopen the case, they re-interviewed the tipster, at which point she told them that Vander Meer allegedly told her "the only way they could be together is if Bernadette was not alive," the affidavit reads.
The tipster later re-entangled with Vander Meer, eventually marrying him in 2008, claiming she did so "so David could be on SH's health insurance," according to the affidavit.
The tipster and Vander Meer divorced in 2014, and Vander Meer married again at least two other times, according to the affidavit.
In follow-up interviews with Diamond, the pastor told the Washington County Attorney's Office that multiple members of Vander Meer's former youth group reported engaging in sexual relationships with him while they were underage.
The affidavit details one incident in which "SH" and Vander Meer were having sex in a church when Bernadette, who "was becoming suspicious," showed up to the church banging on the door looking for David.
David "knowingly gave misinformation" to officers during interviews, stating he had never been unfaithful to his wife, which officers learned to be untrue, according to the affidavit.
"David had a lot to lose if Bernadette found out about his relationship with SH. David stood to lose his job as a youth pastor at a church, due to the infidelity. David stood to lose his marriage. Based on SH's age at the time their relationship became physical, David faced possible criminal charges and being a registered sex offender," the affidavit reads.
The investigator who compiled the affidavit against Vander Meer recommended he be arrested on a no-bail warrant; however, the warrant set bail at $100,000.
Vander Meer has not yet had his first court appearance and is currently being housed at Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to NBC News.
Supreme Court hands Trump two major immigration victories
The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump two major immigration victories on Thursday morning, both having to do with his administration's efforts to reduce asylum claims.
In the first case, Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, the court held that migrants who are turned away at the border before entering the United States are not entitled to apply for asylum. In the second case, Mullin v. Doe, the court ruled that Haitian and Syrian nationals in the United States with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) could not receive judicial relief postponing the revocation of their status while they challenge the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke it in court.
Writing the opinion in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, Justice Samuel Alito argued that a migrant who reaches the southern border but is turned away before entering has not, for legal purposes, "arrive[d] in" the United States. The holding is significant because current law provides that anyone who "arrives in the United States" has the right to apply for asylum.
"This case presents a straightforward question: whether an alien who seeks to enter the United States from Mexico ‘arrives in the United States’ when he or she is still in Mexico," Alito wrote. "In the decision below, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit answered ‘yes.’ That is wrong. In ordinary speech, no one would say that a person ‘arrives in’ a place — for example, a house, a city, or a country — before the person enters that place."
Also writing the opinion in Mullin v. Doe, Alito held that the law establishing TPS explicitly blocks recipients from legal relief unless their claims have a constitutional basis.
ALITO BLASTS LAWYER'S WORD-SALAD BLURRING ASYLUM LAW
"In these cases, we consider whether respondents, who challenge the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for aliens from Syria and Haiti, are entitled to orders postponing the terminations during litigation," Alito wrote. "We hold that they are not."
SCOTUS TO REVIEW TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP
"The TPS statute plainly bars consideration of respondents’ non-constitutional claims. It allows ‘no judicial review of any determination . . . with respect to the . . . termination’ of a TPS designation," the justice continued.
Both TPS and court rulings recognizing asylum-processing rights for migrants stopped just outside U.S. ports of entry had become flashpoints for conservatives, with immigration hawks arguing they facilitated abuse.
By making asylum applications more difficult and green-lighting the termination of Temporary Protected Status for some people already in the country, the Supreme Court's decisions give the Trump administration an advantage in its effort to reduce asylum claims.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Lionel Richie abruptly cuts concert short after falling ill during opening night of tour
Lionel Richie was forced to abruptly cancel his performance mid-show on the opening night of his tour.
The 77-year-old singer was nearly an hour into his concert at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, when fans noticed a change in Richie.
While performing his upbeat classic "Dancing on the Ceiling," Richie paused and took a seat on a platform before later revealing to the crowd that he was feeling dizzy, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
During the concert disruption, Richie made a lighthearted comment to the roaring crowd, appearing fatigued.
BRANDY ABRUPTLY ENDS CONCERT MID-PERFORMANCE DUE TO DEHYDRATION
"When you're feeling dizzy, sit your a-- down," he joked.
In a fan video, Richie reportedly transitioned to the piano, where he delivered a seated performance of "Three Times a Lady." Shortly afterward, he stepped away for what audience members initially believed would be a brief intermission.
ROD STEWART 'DEVASTATED' OVER MULTIPLE CONCERT CANCELLATIONS AS ILLNESS THREATENS TOUR DATES
Fans waited nearly 40 additional minutes before receiving an official update, according to the media outlet.
Richie's saxophonist addressed the audience, thanking concertgoers for their patience before explaining that the singer was feeling unwell and would not be able to continue the show.
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The concert interruption came after Richie shared his excitement on social media ahead of the tour kickoff.
"Opening night. Rehearsals. Sound check. Showtime tonight. Saint Paul, you're up!!!" Richie wrote on Instagram alongside photos from backstage and rehearsals.
John Paris, the drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire, said Richie showed no signs of illness prior to his performance. Paris added that the "American Idol" judge later explained he felt "a little dehydrated," according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
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Fan videos began to circulate online showing the moment the "All Night Long" singer took a break during his concert.
The concert had been scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes but ended about 55 minutes after it began.
Richie is currently slated to return to the stage Friday in Chicago before continuing the tour through major cities including Toronto, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The tour is scheduled to wrap up Aug. 14 in Austin, Texas.
Fox News Digital reached out to Richie's representatives for comment.
FBI joins probe into ‘Free Karmelo’ mob that allegedly beat woman while chanting support for killer: police
The feds are now stepping in following a brutal assault on a Texas woman who was allegedly beaten down by a group of suspects chanting "Free Karmelo," police said.
In a news conference regarding the case, Longview Police Department Public Information Officer LaDarian Brown announced that the FBI is getting involved in the case due to alleged ongoing threats circulating online.
"We are aware of social media conversations concerning retaliation, division and attacks between members of our community. Those statements are being reviewed seriously," Brown said.
He went on to say there is no threat to the public. Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI for comment.
‘FREE KARMELO’ MOB HUNTED WOMAN IN BLOODY ATTACK AS THUGS SHOUTED SUPPORT FOR KILLER, VICTIM SAYS
Fox News Digital reported that a victim claims the suspects said "they [were] going to target the smallest white girl they could find."
The attack, which happened in Longview, Texas, appears to be motivated by support for Karmelo Anthony whose murder conviction has inspired a movement of people challenging the jury's decision. Anthony killed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, last year.
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The Longview Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital they are investigating the attack and have arrested one person involved in the attack so far.
The suspect who was arrested is 21-year-old Ciarrianne Fuller, of Longview, according to KYTX. She is facing assault charges and was booked into jail on a $20,000 bond, the outlet reported.
The attack happened outside Whiskey J's nightclub in Longview, according to KYTX.
Most Trump supporters still back NATO despite years of Trump's criticism, new poll finds
Most Americans, including majorities of Republicans and self-identified MAGA Republicans, say keeping the United States in NATO is important to the nation's security and prosperity, according to a new poll.
The Reagan Institute Summer Survey found that 73% of Americans say remaining in NATO matters to U.S. security and prosperity, including 64% of Republicans and 61% of MAGA Republicans. Fox News Digital obtained a preview of the survey, which will be made public Sunday.
The poll also found bipartisan support for NATO's collective defense principle. After respondents were told that NATO members are obligated to come to one another's defense if attacked, 76% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans and 69% of MAGA Republicans said they would support the U.S. responding with military force if a NATO ally were attacked.
The findings come as President Donald Trump continues to press NATO allies to shoulder more of the burden for the alliance's collective defense. During a White House meeting Wednesday with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump criticized several European allies for what he described as insufficient support during the recent U.S. operation against Iran, even as Rutte praised Trump's leadership and credited him with pushing NATO members to boost defense spending.
NEW POLL REVEALS AMERICANS SEE TWO PATHS ON IRAN — AND SUPPORT BOTH ALMOST EQUALLY
The Reagan Institute Summer Survey was conducted May 26 through June 3 among 1,555 respondents nationwide and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. The survey used a mixed-mode methodology that included live telephone interviews, an online panel and text-to-web responses.
To better reflect the U.S. population, the results were weighted using demographic benchmarks from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey, including age, gender, race, region and education levels. The poll also included an oversample of 331 MAGA Republicans under age 30, a group with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
The Reagan Institute is a Washington-based policy organization that advocates the Reagan foreign-policy tradition of "peace through strength" and sustained American leadership abroad.
Trump met with Rutte Wednesday, who once again offered effusive praise for the American president during their White House meeting.
TRUMP PUSHED NATO TO SPEND BIG — NOW COMES THE HARDER QUESTION: CAN EUROPE ACTUALLY FIGHT?
"I really want to make clear how important it is what you are doing on Iran," Rutte told Trump. "This is first of all about the nuclear capability Iran was very near to getting its hands on,"
Trump, meanwhile, criticized several European allies for what he described as insufficient support during the U.S. operation against Iran.
"I was disappointed with Italy. I was disappointed with the UK," he said. "We were disappointed with Germany and France. We're disappointed with most of them. Spain is a horror show."
"We don't need their money, we don't need anything. We have the most powerful military in the world by far, but I just want loyalty," Trump said.
NATO's collective defense principle, known as Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, has been invoked only once in the alliance's 77-year history. NATO allies unanimously invoked the provision after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, declaring the attacks on the United States an attack on all members of the alliance.
Trump has long criticized NATO members for failing to meet alliance defense spending commitments — at times even threatening to pull out of the alliance — arguing the U.S. has carried a disproportionate share of its security burden.
During both his first and second terms, he has pushed allies to significantly increase military spending while warning that the U.S. should not bear the costs of Europe's defense alone.
The White House and NATO could not immediately be reached for comment.
LaMelo Ball traded to Timberwolves to team up with fellow top pick Anthony Edwards in blockbuster deal: report
One of the hottest names in the NBA is on the move to a contender.
The Charlotte Hornets reportedly traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, teaming the third overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft with the first overall pick that year in Anthony Edwards.
Ball, the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year, has become one of the best guards in the league, averaging 20.8 points and 7.3 assists per game, although injuries have hampered him. He played in just 105 games from the start of the 2022-23 season through the 2024-25 campaign.
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The Hornets have not been able to break their playoff drought, which has been in place since the 2015-16 season, and opted to trade Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks.
The T-Wolves have made the playoffs for five straight seasons, including appearances in the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025, so it makes sense to bring in Ball to help out Edwards, who dropped a career-high 28.8 points per game this past season.
And perhaps because of Ball's durability concerns, Charlotte added to an already rich collection of draft assets that includes six first-round picks and eight second-rounders over the next three offseasons. They just selected Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson with the 14th and 18th selections earlier this week and took former Duke star Kon Knueppel with the fourth selection last year.
In 2023, Ball signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension and said he felt the team was on the path to success.
"I think it’s just a great position and I think we are all going the right way now," he said at the time.
That evidently was not the case, but on a personal note, Ball is now back on that path.
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Florida GOP candidate warns NYC socialist primary wins will fuel business, resident exodus: 'Concerning'
NEW YORK CITY — Florida Republican House candidate Scott Singer, the former mayor of Boca Raton, is outlining the reasons he believes people and businesses will continue to flee New York City after socialists had a dominant night in Tuesday’s primary.
"It should be concerning for all Americans because you had the Democratic Party continuing to be co-opted by a fringe socialist base, which is now not the fringe," Singer, running for Congress in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, told Fox News Digital.
"When you have two Democratic members of the House taken out by candidates who say things like they want to abolish ICE, abolish all prisons, and end private healthcare, it shows that the Democratic Party in New York and increasingly in America is not only not our parents' Democratic Party, it's not the Democratic Party of just a year ago. And this radical influence is going to continue to send shock waves that I hope will wake people up to understand where we are as a nation and where that party is."
Three Democrats running for Congress endorsed by New York City’s socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani, two of whom were also endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), defeated their establishment opposition and signaled that Mamdani’s political power remains strong in the city.
FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS
A common theme for all three Democrats who won their primaries was hostility toward Israel, which often surfaced in the race between Mamdani-backed Brad Lander and Democrat Rep. Dan Goldman, a race that Lander won easily.
"I think antisemitism is raging in the Democratic Party, it's alarmingly raging in New York City," Singer explained.
"Congressman Goldman's office was vandalized three days ago. You had him shut out of a restaurant because of the fact that he was Jewish, and he's a congressman. If this is happening on everyday streets in New York, it's bearing more and more similarities to Germany in the 1930s. God help us if we get there, but we have to understand what people want to do and what's winning in the Democratic Party right now."
'EXISTENTIAL THREAT': JEWISH LEADERS WARN OF NYC 'MASS EXODUS' IF ZOHRAN MAMDANI WINS IN NOVEMBER
Most political experts have concluded that Tuesday night was a sign the "moderate" wing of the Democratic Party is on its heels dealing with the momentum from the party’s socialist wing led by progressive activists.
"The far left is trouncing what used to be the moderates in the Democratic Party and the Democratic moderates are now becoming Republicans," Singer said. "And I think anyone who's still looking at what this Democratic Party used to be even a few months ago has to understand where it's going. Democratic members of Congress don't often lose primaries and two get trounced by far-left radicals who want to end prisons, end ICE, and end private healthcare."
SOCIALIST SURGE: MAMDANI FLEXES GROWING POLITICAL MUSCLE AS HE TAKES ON DEM ESTABLISHMENT
Singer continued, "Everyone needs to take note because when we're running in November, we have a real choice between people who value our American system, our free markets, opportunities for all and law and order, and those who want to end prisons."
Singer has previously spoken out about how many business leaders have contacted him about leaving New York and coming to Florida due to high taxes and socialist policies. He told Fox News Digital on Tuesday he only expects that to continue after Tuesday night’s results.
"We're going to continue to see people flee New York and last night's election should give a lot of people pause because if these Democratic socialists continue to win, not only in New York, but throughout America, we're not going to recognize the country," Singer said, adding that one of the reasons he is running for Congress is his worry about "radicals influencing our state" when they move to Florida from other places like New York.
Kansas City Royals look to close out series win against Tampa Bay behind reliable starter Seth Lugo
I need to change my baseball strategy. I've struggled over the past few days, and looking back on my history of baseball betting, I tend to hit slumps around the All-Star Game. I know I usually step back a bit at the trade deadline because you never know who is in the right mental space or going to be traded. Perhaps I need to make an adjustment or go back to guys I've relied on. Maybe for now, the best advice is to fade me after a few tough days.
The Kansas City Royals are among the top four or five teams in the league that wish it could get a turnaround in the second half of the season. It is not too late for the Royals to make a push for their division. Entering today, they are in last place of the division, but just eight games back. They have been brutal on the road this season, going just 15-25, but they did win two of the first three games in this series with one of the best teams in baseball. Part of what the Royals need is to get their pitching staff on track.
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They have gotten some support from a couple of guys in the staff, and Seth Lugo, today's starter, has been reliable as usual for them. Lugo is 3-4 for the season with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He is basically the same starter on the road as he is at home this season. He has been worse in day starts than night starts, but he has half as many during day games as he does night games. Lugo is either going to give up almost nothing or a lot of runs. He has made 15 starts. In three of them, he has allowed five or more runs. In 10 of them, he has allowed two or fewer. Rays hitters are batting .268 against Lugo in their careers.
The Tampa Bay Rays keep finding ways to win. They started the season very hot, and they ran their record to 34-15 on May 22. Since that date, they have gone just 10-18. Perhaps the team is slowing down? Is there some sort of injury that hurt them significantly? It doesn't really seem like it. Some people will say you will win a third of your games, you'll lose a third of your games, and the other third is what truly determines your season. Maybe this is just the losing stretch of their season.
One of the things that the Rays have done over the past few years is build a reliable pitching staff. Today, they turn to a reliever, Casey Legumina, to open the game for them. He has not pitched in this series, and actually hasn't appeared since June 17, so he should be rested enough to give them a reasonable number of innings if they want. I'd guess he will be there for somewhere around three innings of work. The Rays don't really need a bullpen game here, but they tend to use them just to give their starters an extra day.
I was browsing the player props quite a bit for this game, but I don't see a ton that stand out. Lugo is listed at 17.5 outs recorded for today, and that basically says, will he pitch six or fewer innings? He is hitting that number 66% of the time this season, so I like that over. However, the Rays are a good team and have hit him well, so it could be tough.
I think the Royals win this game, though, at least through five innings. Bullpen games are tough on opponents, but Lugo is a reliable pitcher. If there is anyone from the rotation to depend on from the Royals, it would be Lugo. They are playing decent baseball at the moment as well. Give me the Royals through five at +114.
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‘Deranged’ vandals fuel Mall sabotage trend, from blood writing to Reflecting Pool damage
FIRST ON FOX: Vandals have targeted the National Mall with multiple separate "8647" markings, a blood-written message on the Washington Monument and damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, prompting federal officials to warn of a growing trend.
"Unfortunately, this summer has seen a significant increase in vandalism to the National Mall – for example, several 8647 markings, a person writing words in their own blood on the Washington Monument and the cutting of fuel lines around the Great American State Fair," Interior Department communication director Katie Martin told Fox News Digital.
The pattern emerged after President Donald Trump ordered a restoration and repainting of the reflecting pool, which was met with protestors leaving multiple "razor-blade cuts" and removing fencing to then toss in water.
Fox News Digital learned that the first known incident targeting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool occurred June 9. Interior Department officials said they initially did not publicize the incident to avoid inspiring copycats, but a vandalism trend emerged nonetheless.
WHO IS DAVID HEARN? US OLYMPIAN WHO DENIES VANDALIZING REFLECTING POOL AFTER VIRAL ARREST
"At the time of the June 9 incident, the vandalism was under investigation and believed to be isolated. So as not to encourage deranged individuals, we did not announce what we hoped to be an isolated incident," Interior Department communication director Katie Martin told Fox News Digital about the initial vandalism on the Reflecting Pool.
"It wasn't until several days thereafter that there were recurring cases and videos of people ripping at the coating began to circulate," she added. "We then knew this was not an isolated incident, but a new trend to attempt to damage the Reflecting Pool."
Among the incidents cited by DOI unfolding on the National Mall were multiple "8647" markings. In a separate case, an individual used their own blood to write "I've come" on the Washington Monument, according to a police report reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The administration has previously interpreted the number "86" as a political threat, pointing to its common use in the restaurant industry to mean removing or refusing service, while 47 appears to refer to Trump as the 47th president.
WATCH: TRUMP REVEALS FLASHY NEW COLOR FOR NATIONAL MALL'S REFLECTING POOL MAKEOVER
Earlier this month, a giant "8647" message appeared to be etched into the grass of the National Mall, prompting an investigation as federal authorities remain on heightened alert over political threats and violence.
The Reflecting Pool was vandalized on the very day it reopened after restoration and repainting, with the first perpetrator leaving "razor-blade-like slashes along the liner in the southern middle section of the pool," according to a police report reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The damages totaled over 300 feet with "some cuts [that] were slits while other sections measuring roughly 6–15 inches had been cut out entirely."
The same day, it was also reported that pieces of the surrounding metal fence were removed and thrown into the pool along with a broken black chain near the fence, said the same report.
U.S. Park Police posted a bulletin on X asking for public assistance in searching for a Reflecting Pool vandal along with a photo of the suspect.
"The United States Park Police is seeking assistance in identifying the individual depicted here in connection with a Destruction of Government Property investigation. The incident occurred on June 19, 2026, at approximately 3:36 p.m. at the Reflecting Pool on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC," said the post.
"Anyone with information regarding the identity of this individual is asked to contact the United States Park Police Tip Line: USPP_TIPline@nps.gov or (202) 379-4877," it read.
Trump posted a photo of the pool on Truth Social Wednesday after the pool redone prior to it being filled with water.
"This is the hard rubber surface — No Paint — Before the Vandals cut and pulled it apart," he wrote.
An administration official previously told Fox News Digital that five people have been arrested on vandalism charges for the pool, while federal citations were issued to five additional individuals. There also have been 14 police reports filed for vandalism against the pool.
Among those charged was former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was cited Saturday for misdemeanor destruction of government property. Authorities allege he reached into the water and grabbed a hose being used by a National Park Service worker.
TRUMP TAKES MOTORCADE INTO REFLECTING POOL, BLASTS PAST ‘$38M DISASTER’ FIX UNDER OBAMA
The administration had planned to fence off the Reflecting Pool ahead of the Fourth of July, when the area will serve as a fireworks launch site. Following the vandalism, officials moved up the installation by a week.
"The Reflecting Pool was always set to be fenced off ahead of the 4th of July. As in years prior, one of the launch pads for the fireworks is around the pool so fencing is put up to ensure public safety," said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers. "With the increase in vandalism by leftist activists, the fencing is going up earlier than originally planned to ensure no more damage is done to this historic site.
"While the President was restoring a crown jewel of our nation’s capital, which is supported by Americans across the country, vandals were attempting to destroy, impede and delay the ongoing work," she added.
CALIFORNIA BEACH ‘RESIST!’ PROTEST PUSHES ‘KINDNESS’ WHILE CALLING TO ‘86 47’ IN ANTI-TRUMP MESSAGE
Trump has publicly blasted the vandalism, first raising the issue on Truth Social Friday.
"Somebody went in with the knife and cut it. They cut it up good and then they cut at 200, 350 [feet], in the form of lots of little slits. We know horrible stuff," Trump said Tuesday while speaking with reporters.
Vandals "destroyed the grass. We put a brand-new big load of grass out there. They destroyed it. So it's all been fixed. But it's a shame," he added speaking of an "8647" message.
Protesters have gathered at the National Mall each day over Trump’s restoration with signs that read "Team Algae" referencing the water.