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Dan Sullivan vs. Dan Sullivan: GOP blasts clone candidate as lookalike enters Alaska Senate race
FIRST ON FOX: A Democratic strategist has deployed a candidate look-alike that Republicans fear may act as a decoy and create confusion around their real nominee.
Campaign material metadata reveals that Amber Lee, a progressive consultant, authored a press release announcing the Senate bid for a second "Dan Sullivan" — a figure Republican strategists say has nothing to do with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska.
"Mary Peltola and Chuck Schumer know they can’t beat Senator Sullivan on his record, so they’re resorting to deceitful political maneuvers that attempt to trick Alaskans and buy a seat," National Republican Senate Committee Spokesperson Nick Puglia told Fox News Digital.
Although Republicans have months to clarify the situation to voters before the state’s primary in August, the filing shows efforts to create confusion to sway a high-stakes Senate race.
FORMER DEM REP. MARY PELTOLA ANNOUNCES U.S. SENATE RUN: "PUT ALASKA FIRST"
The campaign website leans into the name overlap.
"Dan Sullivan challenges Dan Sullivan for U.S. Senate Seat, urges Alaskans to defeat incumbent, elect a Sullivan who stands up for Alaska," it reads.
According to his biography, this second Sullivan spent his early career working blue-collar jobs like logging, construction, bartending and forestry, but decided to enter his bid for Senate after growing frustrated with government mismanagement.
"Over time, he became increasingly frustrated with what he saw as federal inefficiency and a lack of long-term thinking in government," the biography reads.
The campaign's Instagram page has no posts and just two followers.
The campaign did not immediately respond to questions if Sullivan had been asked to run, whether the campaign had made filings with the FEC, or if he intends to run as an independent.
Both Sullivans will appear in Alaska’s open primary system, where the top four candidates advance to the general election.
If selected among them, the second Sullivan may appear on the ballot in November — a development that could prove especially confusing to Alaska’s many rural communities.
Despite the comedic nature of the thinly-veiled ploy, the filing is especially relevant in Alaska — one of only two states that have implemented ranked choice voting. The system allows voters to select multiple candidates in order of preference.
Under this model, voters can still apply their vote to a second, sometimes even a third option if their first choice is eliminated from contention.
FORMER TALK RADIO HOST DIALS INTO ALASKA’S RACE FOR GOVERNOR, SAYS ENERGY IS KEY
The system, sometimes called "instant runoff voting," greatly increases the influence of candidates that may not otherwise be a voter’s first choice.
Although Lee, the Democratic strategist, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital, documentation of her political leanings appears to rule out an earnest attempt to campaign for another Senate hopeful who just happens to share the "Dan Sullivan" name.
In addition to being called a backer for Mary Peltoa, Sullivan's Democratic challenger, by the New York Times, Lee’s consulting firm, Amber Strategies, lists a number of progressive clients, including Alaska Women Ascent.
The group aims to "train women who are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ rights, pro-union, anti-racist and pro-racial justice" to serve as candidates and volunteers.
In the past, Alaska has historically voted Republican, but recently elected Peltola to its lone, at-large district in 2022.
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Sullivan, who previously served as Alaska’s attorney general, first came to the Senate in 2015 and last won reelection in a 53.9% to 41.2% victory over nonpartisan challenger Al Gross.
Alaska will hold its primary on August 18.
Virginia bus crash that killed five involved driver who doesn't speak English, Sean Duffy says
The driver of a bus involved in a deadly Virginia crash that killed five people doesn't speak English, authorities said, according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy who called it "unacceptable."
Five people were killed and dozens were injured when the driver of an E&P Travel bus heading from New York to North Carolina failed to slow down near a work zone and slammed into several cars on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, the Virginia State Police said.
The crash happened around 2:35 a.m. Friday.
A 13-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy, who were in the car ahead of the one the bus hit, died along with a 45-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman after their car caught fire. They were all from Massachusetts.
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A 25-year-old woman, who was in the car immediately in front of the bus, was also killed.
At least 44 others were taken to hospitals, including three in critical condition, police said.
The driver of the bus, identified as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was injured in the crash. Police say charges are pending.
Ding is a naturalized citizen originally from China who received his commercial driver’s license in New York two years ago.
FORMER US ATTORNEY CHARGED WITH FELONY HIT-AND-RUN AFTER HOUSTON CRASH, POLICE SAY
"Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states’ accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English," Duffy wrote on X. "If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus."
Duffy added that the Transportation Department is investigating "New York licensing records, training documentation, and the driver's history. Any company, trainer, or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny."
Federal law requires commercial drivers to speak English well enough to do their job safely.
In February, Duffy announced that all truckers and bus drivers would be required to take the test to get their license in English.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Virginia State Police.
Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe gets a one-game suspension for crotch-chopping celebration
The Milwaukee Brewers will be without pitcher Abner Uribe for one game after he was suspended for breaking one of baseball's biggest unwritten rules:
Never direct a Kenny Powers/D-Generation X crotch chop at the opposing dugout.
...No, not even if it was very funny.
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Uribe hit the iconic celebration this weekend after an inning-ending strikeout against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Maybe a bit much when you're up 6-0...
Brewers' manager Pat Murphy did not condone the celebration, and Uribe himself apologized for it.
"First and foremost, everyone here knows me and knows who I am, and knows I have a bit of a history of being emotional out there," Uribe said. "I owe an apology to the Brewers, I owe an apology to my teammates, to my manager, all the bosses of the team. I understand that’s unacceptable to go out there and react in a way like that."
Well, that should be enough in my book. Who hasn't gotten wound up in the heat of competition and chopped their crotch at an opponent?
I almost did it on Memorial Day while playing some game on Netflix.
But, nope.
I think I can live with that punishment.
The MLB has to do something. I mean, they've already got the San Francisco Giants hip-thrusting in the outfield; the last thing they need is players feeling like they have carte blanche to crotch chop.
Uribe — who was also hit with an undisclosed fine, per MLB — is appealing the decision, and I could not be more interested in seeing how that plays out for him.
There's really no doubt about it: he crotch-chopped at the opposing dugout.
But perhaps he has an explanation.
Take a peek inside the private 38-acre Bahamas paradise where Donald Trump Jr got married
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson recently celebrated their wedding at an ultra-exclusive island paradise in the Bahamas, according to multiple reports — a place many people have never seen, let alone even known about.
Little Pipe Cay is a 38-acre private island in the Exumas, as the website of the Lauren Berger Collection (LBC), a luxury travel brand, describes it.
The Exumas are a chain of islands and cays known for their ultra-clear water and white, sandy beaches.
DONALD TRUMP JR MARRIES BETTINA ANDERSON AHEAD OF BAHAMAS WEDDING CELEBRATION
Little Pipe Cay is roughly 70 miles from the Bahamian capital of Nassau, and approximately 270 miles from Palm Beach, according to LBC.
Little Pipe Cay and the Exumas "represent a very specific type of modern luxury," said Cesar Wurm, a Georgia-based hospitality executive.
Wurm told Fox News Digital that private islands such as Little Pipe Cay appeal to wealthy travelers because they offer privacy, security and fully customized experiences.
"The Exumas, in particular, offer a rare balance of natural beauty and seclusion that is difficult to replicate globally," he said.
Unlike commercial luxury destinations in general, Wurm said the region "still feels relatively untouched and highly curated."
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The cost of renting the island has not been made public.
The entire property boasts 11 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms, according to the website of LVH Global, an ultra-luxury super home chartering company.
Guests can also enjoy a boat dock, hot tub, helipad and infinity pool.
"The cay boasts a collection of residences that are a testament to elegance and colonial charm, with five stately plantation-style estates and stylish beach bungalows offering a serene retreat from the world," according to LVH Global.
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The movies "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and "Casino Royale" were reportedly filmed on the island, according to Page Six.
About 40 guests attended the wedding last Saturday.
Attendees included Donald Trump Jr.'s five children and his siblings Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump, plus their spouses, according to reports and photos.
Eric Trump told Page Six that his brother and Bettina Anderson are "wonderful together," as Fox News Digital previously reported.
He added, "I’m so proud to have witnessed so much of their journey as a couple."
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President Donald Trump was unable to get to the wedding, citing his numerous presidential responsibilities.
"While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon-to-be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so," the president wrote on Truth Social.
In the days following the nuptials, Anderson offered a tiny glimpse of married life on Instagram stories, posting a photo of a personalized item embroidered with her new name, "Mrs. Trump."
The wedding followed Trump Jr. and Anderson’s engagement in December 2025 after roughly a year of dating.
Anderson, 39, is a philanthropist and model who has become a familiar presence at Trump family events in Palm Beach and Mar-a-Lago over the past year.
Kelly McGreal of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Dem Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed recounts smashing vodka bottle after beard criticism
In a recent podcast appearance, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed admitted to destroying property in a liquor store in Detroit over remarks about the length of his beard, a sign of religious observance among Muslim communities.
"He says, ‘Are you Muslim?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Well, your beard is too short.’ I said, ‘Ok you’re gonna judge me? Ok, give me a second, I forgot something,’" El-Sayed said while on left-leaning YouTube show "Intellectually Petty."
"So, I walk back, I get a fifth of vodka, and put it on the counter. He’s like, ‘Hey, you can’t buy that,’ and I was like, ‘You’re right, and you can’t sell it.’ So, I smashed it on the ground and walked out."
The account is emerging as a new line of attack for some Republicans in the closely watched Senate race.
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Hunter Lovell, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee (RNC), believes it displays a willingness to become aggressive over matters of faith.
"Abdul El-Sayed thinks he gets a free hall pass by using his religion as a way to promote violent extremism," Lovell said. "In reality, Michigan voters see a deeply disturbed man with anger management issues who belongs nowhere near the United States Senate."
El-Sayed’s campaign, when asked about Lovell's comments, did not address the incident in the liquor store.
"Yes — Abdul is angry on behalf of the people. Unlike Trump who seems more focused on drapes in a ballroom, Abdul gets mad when everyday people get exploited," Roxie Richner, a spokesperson for the campaign, told Fox News Digital.
El-Sayed finds himself in a heated three-way Democratic primary to replace outgoing Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.
Voters will soon have to pick between him, fellow progressive Mallory McMorrow, a state legislator, and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., a more establishment-leaning candidate.
HOUSE DEM JUMPS INTO CROWDED MICHIGAN SENATE RACE
El-Sayed has positioned himself as the most leftward-leaning of the three, espousing positions such as "Medicare for all," free college education and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Notably, El-Sayed has attracted criticism for his opposition to the current U.S. partnership with Israel, citing humanitarian concerns during the war in Gaza.
He’s also drawn scrutiny for campaigning with Hasan Piker, a political commentator and media personality who has described Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group, as the "lesser of two evils," in its war with Israel and said that the U.S. "deserved 9/11."
El-Sayed himself has clearly said he condemns all forms of religious violence.
In the wake of an attack on a synagogue in Temple Israel Michigan earlier in 2026, El-Sayed called it an act of "terrorism."
"He was an Arab American and a Muslim. I condemn what he did. There is never a justification for attacking innocent people or houses of worship. Never," El-Sayed said in a press release.
The Michigan Senate primary will be held Aug. 4.
Coast Guard ending race-based admissions for officer commissioning program under Trump DEI crackdown
EXCLUSIVE: The U.S. Coast Guard will be ending admissions for college students wanting to commission as officers that take race into consideration as part of the Trump administration’s continued anti-diversity, equity and inclusion initiative, Fox News Digital has learned.
"The Trump Administration is more focused than ever on eliminating unconstitutional DEI policies like this one," DHS General Counsel James Percival said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Friday.
He added, "Racial quotas, like those included in this program for students who want to enlist and commission as officers in the U.S. Coast Guard, are a direct violation of the United States Constitution’s equal protection requirements. By getting rid of these unconstitutional diversity quotas, we are returning the Coast Guard’s focus to military readiness, upholding the law, and making America a safer place."
The College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI), program previously included a preference for students from schools that had met quotas for including students from specific racial groups.
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced at end to those requirements on Thursday.
"Eliminating racial quotas in federal programs remains a priority of the Justice Department," Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said. "Access to opportunities like the Coast Guard’s pre-commissioning initiative should be based exclusively on merit, not the racial composition of your college. This resolution helps ensure that equality of opportunity."
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The Trump administration has taken similar steps to end DEI policies in the federal government and in the military as a whole.
Last week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke at the graduation ceremony at West Point, telling the cadets, "The battlefield does not grade on a curve, and you can’t throw your pronouns at the enemy. Combat is the ultimate test, and our best Americans must ace it."
He also accused West Point’s leadership of having attempted to turn West Point into a "woke Princeton."
Fox News Digital's Preston Mizell contributed to this report.
Sheridan Gorman’s alleged illegal immigrant killer caught with weapon while in jail custody, police say
A illegal immigrant from Venezuela charged in the March killing of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman was caught with a weapon while in custody, police said.
The Cook County Sheriff's Office said Cook County Jail staff found a 6-inch shank in Jose Medina's possession around 8 a.m. Thursday.
Correctional officers searched the 26-year-old and recovered a sharpened piece of metal with a handle fashioned out of medical tape from his pants pocket, the sheriff's office said.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved a new felony charge of possession of contraband in a penal institution against Medina on Friday.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF KILLING CHICAGO COLLEGE STUDENT TO FACE COURT AFTER TUBERCULOSIS DELAY
Medina has been in custody since March 23. He is charged with shooting 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman to death at Tobey Prinz Beach in Rogers Park on March 19.
Medina has pleaded not guilty to charges in Gorman's killing. His next court date is June 1.
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Gorman was with friends at a Rogers Park pier when she looked around a lighthouse and saw Medina nearby.
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She walked back toward her friends and mouthed, "There’s a man behind the lighthouse," prosecutors said. Medina then allegedly began chasing them.
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As Gorman and her friends ran away, Medina shot her in the upper back, according to prosecutors. Her friends kept running until they found a place to hide. When they returned to check on Gorman, she was unresponsive.
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An arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital states that Medina was seen on video after the shooting in the lobby of his apartment building, waiting for an elevator without a mask. A building engineer told police he recognized the suspect, who had a "very distinct limp and gait."
Fox News Digital previously reported that Medina was apprehended at the southern border in 2023, flagged as a flight risk and determined to have no valid asylum claim before being released into the U.S. that year under the Biden administration.
Records indicate he did not have a valid U.S. address or identification and could not provide a verifiable point of contact.
Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
NYT writers ridiculed for saying disastrous Biden debate ended in 'draw' as Jill Biden feared he had a stroke
Two New York Times columnists are getting pummeled by critics for their poorly-aged ruling of the infamous Trump-Biden debate after former first lady Jill Biden claimed she thought her husband was "having a stroke."
Then-President Joe Biden shocked the nation in June 2024 with his disastrous debate performance, resulting in his exit from the presidential race weeks later.
"I don't know what happened," Jill Biden told CBS News this week. "I mean, when I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh my God, he's having a stroke,’ and it scared me to death."
The Atlantic also reported an excerpt from her forthcoming book that she thought her husband might've been "drugged."
What has since resurfaced in the wake of her comments were the charitable takeaways from two Times columnists from Biden's ill-fated debate.
"Well, we had a raspy and stumbling President Biden and a deranged and incoherent Donald Trump, who spent two hours unleashing a stream of lies. Is there a winner here? Nah," Times columnist Jamelle Bouie said at the time.
SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER JILL BIDEN REVEALS SHE WAS 'HORRIFIED' WATCHING JOE'S DISASTROUS DEBATE
"No one won this debate, but there is no question who lost: anyone who plans to cast a ballot for president in November," fellow Times columnist Lydia Polgreen wrote. "It was a debacle for Biden. He was barely audible at times. He flubbed answers on his strongest issues, from abortion to democracy. Trump just lied, lied and lied, and no one — certainly not the moderators and, worse, not even Biden — rebutted him in the smallest way. Trump blustered and glowered. He attacked Biden viciously and looked like a bully. This is the choice Americans are facing. This was a disaster for America."
Bouie and Polgreen were greatly outnumbered by their ten colleagues, all of whom declared Trump the winner of the debate.
"Biden's own wife thought he was having a stroke. Two NY Times columnists insisted he'd fought Trump to a draw," National Review senior writer Dan McLaughlin shared an image of the Times' scoring chart on X.
McLaughlin's post went viral, fueling other critics to weigh in.
"Positive spin: Even while having a [stroke], or possibly drugged, Biden miraculously fought Trump to a draw!" The Atlantic's Ashley Parker joked.
"I think of this chart all the time lol," CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski reacted.
"Hahaha!" replied "Ruthless" podcast co-host Josh Holmes.
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"Too funny," Washington Post columnist and Fox News contributor Mac Thiessen said.
Fox News Digital asked Bouie and Polgreen whether they stand by their ruling or have changed their minds since the debate. Neither responded to requests for comment.
Steve Hilton rips Steyer for trans athlete support, leads 'Save Girls Sports' rally at track title meet
California gubernatorial Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton hopped into the fight to "Save Girls Sports" on Friday, taking aim at Democratic opponents for supporting trans athletes with just five days left until primaries.
As trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School is set to compete for a state championship for the second year in a row, Hilton spoke out against Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra for supporting males in girls’ sports.
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Earlier on Friday, Steyer posted a video with Hernandez, saying "I'm so proud of you for what you're doing," and that he hopes the trans athlete wins the girls' championships.
"Tom Steyer has taken a wildly extreme position on this issue that is totally out of touch with most California families and young people," Hilton told Fox News Digital before the rally.
Steyer also took aim at the other Democratic frontrunner in the race, Xavier Becerra, who has previously expressed support for trans athletes but has been silent on the issue compared to Steyer in recent weeks.
"He's pathetic," Hilton said of Becerra. "Xavier Becerra is a classic machine politician, he's been nothing but a career politician for 36 years. He's a creature of this rotten, corrupt Democrat machine that is ruining our state in so many ways, he's never going to stand up to the far left, because he's a creature of that machine."
Hilton laid out his strategy for how he would address the ongoing trans athlete issue in the state if he is elected governor.
"The first thing we have to do is overturn the law that set all this in motion, AB 1266, that was passed in 2013, that's why we've been living with this for so long," Hilton said. "That law violates the California state constitution... I will immediately suspend the law while we begin legal proceedings to overturn it."
California has been ground zero for the nation's debate on trans athletes in women's and girls' sports for the last two years, as controversy surrounding Hernandez has elevated to a national debate dating back to last year, when Hernandez won two girls' state titles.
Since then, Hernandez was also embroiled in a controversy surrounding Jurupa Valley's girls' volleyball team in the fall, when multiple opposing teams forfeited and two of Hernandez's own teammates stepped away from the team and filed a Title IX lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District for putting a male in the girls' locker room.
Now, as Hernandez has returned to dominate track and field this year, controversy has only escalated. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) reinstituted a pilot program that awards any female athlete who finished behind Hernandez one spot higher, resulting in Hernandez sharing podium spots with females in the last two rounds of the state tournament. That policy will continue into the state finals this weekend.
The policy has come under criticism from both sides, including Hernandez's own mother.
Hilton sent a message to California's trans athlete and their families about how they should proceed.
"I absolutely respect the right of people to live their lives the way they want... if parents want their children to participate in a particular way, then they should figure that out, but not in a way that hurts the majority," Hilton said.
"People's rights must be protected, but they can not be protected at the cost of the vast majority... you have a tiny tiny number of people who are imposing their view on the majority, and hurting them in the process, and that's got to stop."
Hilton spoke at a rally and was joined by former NCAA women's soccer player Sophia Lorey, California state superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw and Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown.
It was the second organized "Save Girls Sports" press conference held at a meet Hernandez has competed in just this month.
With primaries just days away, Hilton has taken a side on the girls' sports issue that appears aligned with the majority of Californians, while Steyer has seemingly aligned with the minority.
Last year a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) survey found approximately 65% of Californians and 71% of public school parents support requiring transgender athletes to compete on sports teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, rather than their gender identity.
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CodePink's Medea Benjamin confirms getting 'serious' Treasury Department query over Cuba trip
CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin publicly confirmed for the first time that her organization received an inquiry from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), seeking detailed information about its March trip to Cuba.
The inquiry, which is often called an administrative subpoena, comes as the Trump administration signals a broad effort to increase federal scrutiny of nonprofit organizations operating in foreign-policy and activist spaces. Last October, after the murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to strengthen enforcement against nonprofit entities that facilitate support for political violence.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reinforced that message this week, arguing that nonprofit organizations and fiscal sponsors can't shield themselves from legal accountability when resources, funding, organizational infrastructure or grants are used to support unlawful activity and political violence.
"We’ve made substantial progress, and I think in the weeks and months ahead, we’re going to have a lot to report," Bessent responded to a question in the White House press gallery. He said, for example, that under new changes, the IRS will "demand that nonprofits know their grant recipients."
FEDS SUBPOENA HASAN PIKER, MEDEA BENJAMIN OVER CUBA TRIPS
"So, if a grant recipient is violent, if they are suppressing people’s rights, then you are responsible for that," Bessent said. "I think that’s a very good first step."
The shift reflects a growing administration focus on whether nonprofit networks are exercising sufficient oversight over the projects, activists and international campaigns they sponsor. Against that backdrop, the inquiry by the Office of Foreign Assets Control into the Cuba convoy fits within an effort by Treasury officials to examine whether activist organizations are complying with laws and other federal restrictions, such as sanctions laws.
Speaking on camera in a video promoted by a far-left media platform, BreakThrough News, Benjamin said she and political streamer Hasan Piker first learned about the query when Fox News Digital broke the news last Saturday evening that Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control had launched an investigation into the financial and logistical details of CodePink's and Piker's trip to Cuba trip.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control enforces U.S. sanctions on Cuba, which restrict Americans from engaging in many financial transactions with the communist government and require travelers and organizations to comply with licensing and record-keeping requirements for authorized activities.
"I actually didn't get anything, and neither did Hasan Piker," Benjamin said. "I mean, we heard this on Fox News, that there was this subpoena out, and I was going outside my front door, looking around for somebody to serve me."
Benjamin said the inquiry arrived by email and had been sent to CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans. Fox News Digital has learned that CodePink D.C. Coordinator Olivia DiNucci, who regularly harasses politicians as they are having dinner in D.C. restaurants, is also expected to get a query.
"It turns out that it was an email that was sent to CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans, and it was so unofficial that it landed in our spam box," Benjamin said. "So it was a letter, and it came from the Treasury Department, from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, known as OFAC."
FAR-LEFT ACTIVISTS STAY IN 5-STAR CUBAN HOTEL AS ISLAND SUFFERS TOTAL BLACKOUT
While criticizing the manner in which the inquiry was delivered, Benjamin acknowledged that the request itself was serious because of the volume of information federal officials are seeking.
"And I don't want to say it's not serious. It is serious, because they are asking for all kinds of information," Benjamin said. "And this is a kind of intimidation tactic that means we have to get a lawyer, that we have to spend a lot of staff time, a lot of energy."
According to Benjamin, the inquiry includes roughly a dozen detailed questions about the trip and its participants.
"They're asking about 12 very detailed questions that include things like, 'How did you get there? Where did you stay? What did you do every hour that you were there?'" Benjamin said. "I guess we have to tell them how many hours we slept."
Benjamin said approximately 170 people participated in the convoy and suggested the scope of the inquiry could require organizers to account for the activities of every participant.
REVOLUTIONARY TOURISM: INSIDE THE $600M MARRIAGE OF DARK MONEY AND FAR-LEFT AGITPROP
"There were 170 people, so I don't know if they want to know what every single person did every single minute of the day," she said.
Benjamin also confirmed that organizers brought humanitarian supplies to Cuba.
"What we brought — and we brought about $600,000 worth of aid — so it's a lot, a lot of information that they want," Benjamin said.
Benjamin framed the inquiry as an effort to discourage Americans from traveling to Cuba or participating in humanitarian missions to the communist island, but said organizers would continue their activities despite the federal scrutiny.
"And of course, this is to make people think, 'Uh oh, should I go to Cuba? Uh oh, should I keep doing humanitarian aid?'" Benjamin said. "And the answer to that is, yes. We can't be intimidated. In fact, we have to use this as another reason that we're so angry at the U.S. government and redouble our efforts."
Meanwhile, Piker has insisted that he hasn't received the Treasury Department query.
He stirred up another set of headlines speculating that the "real goal" of the investigation is to target American Marxist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham, who has pumped $285 million since 2017 into a network of groups including CodePink and BreakThrough News, allegedly spreading pro-China propaganda and sowing discord with massive anti-American street protests.
CodePink and BreakThrough News have been fixtures in those street protests, and Piker has supported them on his hours-long livestreams.